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The Acts of the Apostles
by many of their brethren in the faith, the apostle compared to “wells
without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist
of darkness is reserved forever.” “The latter end is worse with them,”
he declared, “than the beginning. For it had been better for them not
to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known
it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”
Looking down through the ages to the close of time, Peter was
inspired to outline conditions that would exist in the world just prior
to the second coming of Christ. “There shall come in the last days
scoffers,” he wrote, “walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where
is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all
things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.”
But “when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction
cometh upon them.”
1 Thessalonians 5:3
. Not all, however, would
be ensnared by the enemy’s devices. As the end of all things earthly
should approach, there would be faithful ones able to discern the signs
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of the times. While a large number of professing believers would deny
their faith by their works, there would be a remnant who would endure
to the end.
Peter kept alive in his heart the hope of Christ’s return, and he
assured the church of the certain fulfillment of the Saviour’s promise,
“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive
you unto Myself.”
John 14:3
. To the tried and faithful ones the coming
might seem long delayed, but the apostle assured them: “The Lord is
not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but
is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that
all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as
a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a
great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth
also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
“Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner
of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein
the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall
melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise,
look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be dili-
gent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.