Wholesome Thinking

Introduction

There is nothing new under the sun. What has been will always be. The more things change, the more they stay the same. What goes around comes around. These sayings all depict the idea that life is a rut. We get up in the morning, go to the bathroom, get a cup of coffee, read the paper, get ready for work, work all day, come home, eat supper, watch a little television, head off to bed and start all over again the next day. Each day follows the next and except for vacations, weekends, and death, life is highly predictable and routine.

Routine leads to predictability and predictability results in mindlessness. We go through the motions of living without thinking about what we are doing or where we are going. The downside is that the routine results in seeking comfort and the easy path rather than looking for ways to be challenged. Such mindlessness results in thinking that nothing really ever changes. Even as believers we find ourselves surrounded by sameness and wanting it more than we anticipate something different. We get locked in to living and only look beyond the immediate when forced to.

This was the mindset that existed in Peter’s day. It was so commonplace that believers who proposed and discussed something beyond routine were scorned and derided for their unwillingness to see the world the way the rest of the people saw it. Being attached to the world as we are, we all fall into the trap of seeing life as routine and seeking the safety of that routine. But in our text Peter calls us to remember that this life is not all there is. There is a day when routine will not rule and as believers we need to be ready for that day. Let’s be encouraged.

Pure Thinking

Peter begins this last section reminding his readers that this is his second letter and the purpose of this letter was to encourage them to remain pure in their thinking. The word “wholesome” carries the idea of pure. Having reminded them of the false teachers who are trying to lead them away from God’s purpose, Peter is basically saying “don’t get dragged into the mud.” Remain pure in your thinking. He further reminds them that they have the written words of the prophets and the apostles. This is similar to what he has already written at the end of chapter 1. These scriptures are sufficient to keep them thinking in ways that honors God and keeps his will in mind.

Peter then summarizes the thought process of these false teachers. They look around and see no changes. Everything is the same. Nothing has happened. All this talk of the Messiah’s return is just a bunch of hot air. Where is the coming that was promised? Ever since the creation, everything is routine. Let’s not waste our time any longer on trying to live in this world to honor one whose promises are not true.

Peter’s response points out the flaw in the false teacher’s thinking. Things have not been routine since the beginning of time. He says they deliberately forget or fail to remember that the very God who created the water used the same water to destroy the earth at the flood. God spoke the waters into existence and by his word he used the created waters to destroy the earth. Peter says the same word will be used to destroy the earth at the day of judgment.

Peter is highlighting the promises of God. If God speaks it, it will come to be. God doesn’t make a promise idly. Instead, Peter says, it is important to recognize the patience of God. Time for God is but a moment. He isn’t bound by time as man is bound by time. A thousand years as we count time is but a day to God. He is giving people time to respond. Do not think that God has forgotten his promises. The day of the Lord will come—quickly and without notice—and then everything will be destroyed and burned up.

So What?

There are three things to learn from this text. First, Scripture keeps us from being dragged into muddy thinking. It is possible to read Scripture and to still be dragged away from truth. But Peter is clearly giving the impression that remaining committed to the Scriptures serves as a means to avoid worldly thinking. Two weeks ago, I urged us not to leave our Bibles on the shelf from Sunday to Sunday. Let me go one step further. Spend as much time reading the scriptures as you do reading a newspaper or magazine. Why? What we immerse our minds in will have the greatest impact. We must not allow Scripture to be of interest only on Sunday.

Second, do not mistake God’s patience as forgetfulness. God makes promises. He sees a far greater view of the past and the future than we can see. A promise made is never forgotten. God is not like an old grandfather who says things and then promptly forgets them. He doesn’t need a day planner. His time and our time is not the same. Others may scoff. Others may get complacent. Let us stay vigilant. Let us stay ready. The Lord Jesus will come again. His return will not be announced. It will be like a thief in the night. No thief informs another of their schedule. They simply act. God has promised. There will be a judgment day. Let us be ready.

Third, God’s patience is a sign of grace. God desires for everyone to come to repentance. There will always be those who will presume upon God’s patience believing that his delay is another day to live as one wants. But Peter says God’s delay is for our benefit and not only ours but all people so that one may repent and become God’s child. What I fear is that we have no sense of urgency about the day of the Lord. Like the rest of the world, we have fallen into the trap that we have plenty of time to sow our wild oats or to speak to someone about who Jesus is. How sad it will be for us to have delayed in speaking to someone that we love about Jesus only to have the day of the Lord come and they be eternally lost. We must not fall into the trap of believing that tomorrow will come just as today and the day before. We must not get to the point of thinking that two thousand years have passed and we have lots of time left.

The believers in Peter’s day anticipated the Lord’s return with such certainty that when Jesus didn’t return others scoffed at them. We have swung the other way—so certain that Jesus will not return soon that we have grown complacent and unconcerned about those who do not know him. Who do you know that needs Jesus? If Jesus comes today, tomorrow, or the day after, not only will you be ready but will you have spoken to that person about the love of God? Let us not presume that they know about God’s love nor about your concern for them. God’s desire is for everyone to repent. Let’s be his instruments to allow everyone to know his desire and will. Prayer. Invitation.

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