2 Peter 3:1-7: a reflection

1This is now, beloved, the second letter that I have written to you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by reminding you 2that you should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets and the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, 3knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts 4and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” 5For they willfully forget that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water by the word of God, 6by which means the world that existed then, being overflowed with water, perished. 7But the heavens that exist now and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

Peter warns that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the promise of Christ's return: Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning. Because time passes and nothing dramatic seems to change, they conclude that God will not act, that his promise is empty. But Peter says they willfully forget: they deliberately ignore how God has acted before, in creation and in the flood, to justify their scoffing. Their unbelief rests on a willful forgetting of what God has done.

Notice what lies beneath the scoffers' unbelief: a willful forgetting. They say nothing will change because nothing has changed; but to say this, they must willfully forget how God has acted in the past, deliberately ignoring the evidence of his past dealings. Their scoffing is not simply a lack of evidence, but a chosen forgetting, a deliberate ignoring of what God has done, in order to justify their unbelief and their living as they please. The forgetting is willful, chosen to support the scoffing.

That is worth noticing, for we can be tempted toward the same scoffing: to conclude that God will not act because he seems slow, because nothing dramatic changes, and to forget how he has acted before. When God's promise seems delayed, and life goes on as before, we can be tempted to think, like the scoffers, that God will not act, forgetting what he has done. But God's apparent slowness is not inaction, and his promise is not empty; the delay is not denial. Do not be like the scoffers, concluding that God will not act because he seems slow, and willfully forgetting what he has done. Remember how God has acted in the past, and trust that his promise, though delayed, is sure. God's seeming slowness is not a sign that he will not act; do not let the passage of time, and the absence of dramatic change, tempt you to scoff at his promise or forget his past faithfulness. He has acted before, and will act again; trust his promise, remembering his deeds, rather than scoffing like those who willfully forget.

Lord, Peter warns that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the promise of Christ's return: where is the promise of his coming? all things continue as they were; and they willfully forget how you have acted before, in creation and the flood, to justify their scoffing. Show me what lies beneath their unbelief: a willful forgetting. They say nothing will change because nothing has changed; but to say this, they must deliberately ignore how you have acted in the past. Their scoffing is a chosen forgetting, to justify their unbelief. That is worth noticing, for I can be tempted toward the same scoffing: to conclude that you will not act because you seem slow, because nothing dramatic changes, and to forget how you have acted before. When your promise seems delayed, and life goes on as before, I can be tempted to think, like the scoffers, that you will not act, forgetting what you have done. But your apparent slowness is not inaction, and your promise is not empty; the delay is not denial. Keep me from being like the scoffers, concluding that you will not act because you seem slow, and willfully forgetting what you have done. Help me remember how you have acted in the past, and trust that your promise, though delayed, is sure, Lord. You have acted before, and will act again; help me trust your promise, remembering your deeds, rather than scoffing like those who willfully forget.