2 Peter 3: How should we then live?

Notes

• Author: Peter the apostle,
• Date: Between AD 65-68, just before Peter's dying for his faith during Nero's reign
• Occasion: Encouraging believers to tell truth from error, combating wrong ideas from infiltrating the church

Opening:  Share some goal you had that required personal sacrifice and effort to achieve.

1. Skim over chapter 3, looking for key phrases.  Note the connective sentences starting each paragraph.
2. v1-2: What is the purpose of Peter's writing this letter (and 1 Peter as well)? (v1-2)
   • Are the apostles to be listened to (also 15-16)?  Why?  And why listen to the prophets?
3. v3-9: What is the difference between the scoffers' and the Christian view of history?
   • Are these differences based on purely rational grounds or are there other reasons?
   • Why are the "nothing ever changes" people called scoffers?
   • Why does it often look that nothing changes?
4. v10-13: What is the "Day of God" (a.k.a. Day of The Lord)
   • Why should we look forward to it?  Why might we fear it?
   • Can we help it to come sooner? How?  How can we delay its coming?  Can it be stopped?
   • What does it mean to be holy and spotless?  What does it mean to be godly and blameless?  What kind of lifestyle choices are implied?
5. v14-18: The apostle Paul
   • Paul is apostle to the Gentiles and Peter ministers to the Jews. How does Peter think of Paul?
   • What does Peter tell us about the "error" that carries away some readers of Paul's writings?
   • How can we be both secure and also "fall"?
6. How should we then live?
   • What practical steps can we take to "be found spotless, blameless, and at peace with God"?
   • Do you expect Jesus to come again during your life time?
   • How does it affect our thinking that God sees every day as a 1000 years, and a 1000 years as one day?
   • How can make sure our thinking is wholesome and has the right perspective?