Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of II Peter Chapter 3
Metaphysically Interpreting II Peter 3:1-13
3:1This is now, beloved, the second epistle that I write unto you; and in both of them I stir up your sincere mind by putting you in remembrance; 3:2that ye should remember the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the commandments of the Lord and Saviour through your apostles: 3:3knowing this first, that in the last days mockers shall come with mockery, walking after their own lusts,3:4and 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. 3:5For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth compacted out of water and amidst water, by the word of God; 3:6by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: 3:7but the heavens that now are, 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.
3:8But forget not this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 3:9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some count slackness; but is longsuffering to you-ward, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 3:10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
3:11Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy living and godliness, 3:12looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? 3:13But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Metaphysically Interpreting II Peter 3:14-18
3:14Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for these things, give diligence that ye may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight. 3:15And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you;3:16as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. 3:17Ye therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the wicked, ye fall from your own stedfastness. 3:18But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and for ever. Amen.
February 24, 1929: II Peter 3:14-18
How do we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? Through study, meditation, prayer, practice, and devotion to the Christ ideal.
Should [we let?] our faith to demonstrate things in the outer, or should we desire above all else to know and to live Truth? Above all else we should desire to know and to live Truth. When we give Spirit first place in our lives, we are able to nourish and sustain our spiritual thoughts, and to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” As a natural result “things” are added.
March 31, 1935: II Peter 3:14-18
Explain how divine healing is accomplished. When faith and love become active in consciousness, spiritual healing is possible. There must be an expectation of health from the one source of health, and our mind must be attuned to praise and rejoicing, if we expect to demonstrate perfect health and strength.
How does faith do away with deception? Faith lays firm hold of what one accounts as true; therefore deception cannot live in its sight.
What is the best proof of faith? Works that bear out faith are the best witness to what one believes. Profession is a secondary proof.
July 27, 1941: II Peter 3:14-16
Is peace a state that comes of itself without effort on man's part? The person who has active faith in God and forms a constructive habit of thought finds peace his natural state of mind.
“The longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.” What is the meaning of this statement? Self-discipline or faithful expression of the Spirit of truth under all conditions, no matter how negative, is the price of overcoming the world.
December 31, 1944: II Peter 3:14-18
How do we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? Through study, meditation, prayer, practice, and devotion to the Christ ideal. When we feed on Truth, we grow in all that is comprised in Truth. This includes grace and knowledge.
Can we by any sure rule keep our labor from being vain? By insuring that we work always in behalf of the higher consciousness of Truth we shall make our labor count. From being “children of God” we shall grow first into adolescents of God and finally into the full-grown stature of the Christ-filled man or woman.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 12-20-2013
