2 Peter 3:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.

NIV: So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

NASB: Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found spotless and blameless by Him, at peace,

CSB: Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found without spot or blemish in his sight, at peace.

NLT: And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are pure and blameless in his sight.

KJV: Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

NKJV: Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;

Jesus will return in God's perfect time. With Christ will come God's fiery destruction of the heavens and earth in judgment for the sins of humanity (2 Peter 3:10–12).

After that, God will institute a new heaven and a new earth and will come to live with His people (2 Peter 3:13). That's the moment Christians are longing for, even if we don't always realize it. That's the moment when "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore" (Revelation 21:4).

If we, as Christians, do indeed long for that day, how should we live? Peter writes that we should live in a state of preparation. We should be motivated by the idea of how Christ will find us when He returns. This, of course, will require work, but its work we should embrace. Peter writes that we should take on the tasks of being found spotless, blameless, and at peace with God.

We must be careful here. As Peter himself has made clear, God has already made His people holy through faith in Christ. He counts our sins as fully paid for by the blood and death of Jesus. He has given us credit for Jesus' righteous life. All saved believers have peace with God in Christ, and He does view us—in Christ—as spotless and blameless. Eternal salvation is not something we work for or earn.

Peter echoes the beginning of his letter here. He says that Christians now, in God's power, should work to live up to those things that are true of us in Christ. We should work to root the sin out of our lifestyles and to fully engage in our peaceful relationship with God. We don't do this to earn our place in God's family; we do it because we already have one.

2 Peter 3:14–18 concludes Peter’s letter. Because Christians are looking forward to the new heavens and earth, we should be working now to set aside sin and live in peace with God. Peter acknowledges that Paul is a writer of Scripture. False teachers twist the words of God. Since Christians know God’s Word, though, we are responsible not to be misled by the false teachers. Instead, we should continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus and to give Him glory.

Peter dismantles the arguments of false teachers working to mislead Christians in the early church. He counters their idea that since Jesus has not yet returned, He must not be coming. Peter reminds His readers that God created the world. The flood of Noah's day is evidence that He is willing to bring judgment on the earth for sin. God is not late, He is patient and merciful. But the day of the Lord will come eventually. Everything will be destroyed. A new heaven and earth will be established. Christians should live as if that’s true.

After thoroughly condemning the false teachers in chapter 2, Peter now dismantles their arguments. These deceivers scoff that Christ has not returned as promised. We should doubt Christ's return, they say, since the world goes along as it always has and always will. Peter reminds his readers that God is the one who made the world. Noah’s flood is evidence of His willingness to alter the course of nature in order to bring judgment on humanity for sin. Christians should be looking forward to the new heavens and earth, rejecting false teaching, and leading holy lives.

Apparently written shortly before his death in the AD 60s, 2 Peter may have been written to the same audience as 1 Peter, which was Christians scattered by persecution. Peter writes this letter to encourage Christians to live out the purpose of their lives in Christ. He warns readers to beware of teachers who claim to be believers, but present a false version of Christianity. And, Peter calls on all Christians to eagerly watch and wait for the return of the Lord.