Truth Magazine

By Hoyt Houchen

Question: Please explain 2 Peter 3:10. Is it literal? If literal, then heaven will also pass away.

Reply: 2 Peter 3:10 says: “But 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.”

The “heavens” mentioned in this verse are not to be confused with “heaven,” the holy abiding place of God. The “heavens” in 2 Peter 3: 10 refer to the atmospheric heavens, the visible portion of the universe above us in which the birds fly (Gen. 1:20). Mark 4:32 refers to “the birds of the heaven.” Peter declares that “the heavens shall pass away with a great noise.” This is a description of what will take place at the second coming of Jesus. The sky will pass away and the earth will be burned up. The “heavens” include what was necessary for the dwelling place which God prepared for man – the “heavens and the earth.”

In verse 13 of 2 Peter, a figurative description is given of what will exist after the literal “heavens” and the literal “earth” will have passed away. Peter tells us that we look for “new heavens and a new earth, where in dwelleth righteousness.” This must refer to heaven where the righteous will dwell. So, in contrast to the old literal heavens and earth which will be dissolved, there will be “new heavens and a new earth.” The word “new” is translated from the Greek word kainos which has reference to quality. It is defined: recently made, fresh, recent, unused, unworn (Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the N. T., p. 317). It is not, therefore, a contrast of the young with the old, but it is “unused,” “unworn.”

The present “heavens and earth” are man’s present abode, and they symbolize a better place – “new heavens and a new earth.” When Jesus ascended he left the earth and went to his Father’s dwelling place. God’s throne is in heaven (Psa. 11:4). He went to prepare a place (Jn. 14:2). He is now in heaven, and when he returns he will take his faithful back to heaven where they will dwell with him forever.

Heaven, the abiding place of God and the future abode of the righteous, will not pass away at the conflagration mentioned in 2 Peter 3:10. Christians long for a better place than what the present literal heavens and earth offer. They look forward to heaven, that eternal home for the soul – “new heavens and a new earth.”

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 2, p. 37
January 19, 1989

By John A. Smith

In the beautiful and poetic instructive prayer of Jesus in Matthew 6, disciples are called upon to use prayer in their fight against temptation: “And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (v. 13a). We may not always easily discern the relation between prayer and our ability to say “no” in the face of temptation. Understanding the statement of Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:13 (“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.”) and relating it to our struggle with temptation may help us clear our spiritual vision.

Commonality of Temptation

First, Paul tells us that we will not face an uncommon temptation. That should help us in at least two ways. We are not alone and we are not the first person to face the situation in which we find ourselves. That takes away the “Why me?” lament. If others have gone through what we are facing, we have in them a rich resource of strength and encouragement. If others can conquer temptation and recover from failures, then so can I! Take heart.

Satan is said to tempt us in one of three ways: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 Jn. 2:16). He does not have new tricks at his disposal. If I know how I will be attacked and tempted, I ought to be prepared to fight, surmounting every stumbling block put in my way.

What effect should this knowledge have upon my prayers? I believe that everyone striving to live above sin should pray for encouragement from their spiritually-minded brethren and for the vision to discern clearly the temptations put in his way. Thus prayer is a valuable tool in living above sin.

Not Beyond Our Ability

Second, Paul tells us that we will not be tempted beyond our ability to resist. Satan is limited as to how far he can push us and how severe the temptation can be. We need to pray that we will recognize this and not try to excuse ourselves easily. Rather than praying that they will properly use the strength given them by God, I fear that some prefer to absolve themselves by attributing the sin to “human weakness,” circumstance, or the “can’t-help-its.”

Prayer can be a powerful and welcome ally in our fight against sin. We need to beseech the Lord for his aid in not allowing Satan to deceive us With his “weakness dribble.” Rather than excusing ourselves, let us pray that, with the Lord’s help, we will see and use our ability to flee, fight, and triumph.

The Way of Escape

Third, Paul explains that there will always be a way of escape. Satan can not back us into a comer in which we have no other choice but to succumb and sin. The way of escape will for the moment seem to be the more difficult of our options. If this were not so, it would not be called temptation.

The way out may be preemptive. The escape may be the avoidance of certain situations, places, or people. The person who has difficulty being temperate with donuts might be wise to avoid bakeries. Others may have to deny themselves certain types of activities in order to avoid the arousal of lusts. At times the most expedient approach to a temptation is planned avoidance.

At other times we will not be able to anticipate the arrival of temptation. Some situations demand that we stand and fight while others call for flight. We need wisdom to determine the difference.

Armed with effective fervent prayer, the sin-fighting disciple can keep his spiritual eyes open for the escape. We need to pray for vision, understanding, and wisdom. “Lord help me to see the escape and earnestly desire it.”

Conclusion

The soldier of Christ is not fully dressed unless he takes up prayer (Eph. 6:18-19). Let each of us determine to add prayer to our apparel using it in our continuing struggle with temptation. We can pray when we are tempted and pray when we fail. With prayer on our lips, let us set our sights on the celestial city.

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 2, p. 38
January 19, 1988

By Dan Binkley

Remember the commercial a few years ago that said; “You’re not getting older, you’re getting better”? Don’t feel bad if you don’t remember it; it’s an old commercial. It is a nice sentiment though, isn’t it? But is that all there is to it? It certainly is true that without exception we are all getting older. The myth of the “fountain of youth” has fooled men and women for generations. But try as you will, you cannot stop the aging process. Someone said, “About the time your face clears up, your mind gets filmy.

Let’s not be content with just accepting the fact that we are growing old. Let’s plan and work at becoming better. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:16, “Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.” Then there was the fellow who took a different approach, “If I had known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself.”

The book of Ecclesiastes talks about life here on earth, and in chapters eleven and twelve describes the aging process. Not only does Solomon tell what happens to us as we get older, he also tells us how to grow old gracefully.

Enjoy Life By Giving (Eccl. 11:1-2)

The idea of these verses comes from planting rice, sowing the seed on the water that would later produce food. The best way to happiness and true meaning to your life is to share with others. Become involved in the lives of other people. Look beyond yourself.

Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Paul writes in Ephesians 4:28 that a person should work at his job rather than steal so that he will have honestly earned a living for himself and have something to give to those who are in need.

As you get older and look back, the knowledge that you were generous with what God gave you gives you much comfort – not just money – but also your time, abilities and energy. Give yourself to teach those who are younger and to set a good example for them to follow.

Adapt Willingly (Eccl. 11:34)

In verse 3 Solomon is showing us the inevitabilities of life. Clouds will pour out rain and trees will fall in the forest. And many other events will transpire which are inescapable.

The counsel comes in verse 4; “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.” If you keep watching, occupying yourself with those inevitable events, that’s all you will amount to. You’ll never get around to sowing the seed because you are waiting for ideal conditions and therefore you’ll never reap. When you adapt to the inevitable changes in life as you get older, then you can be productive in any given situation. Dr. James Dobson states, “The first principle of mental health is to accept that which cannot be changed.” So instead of reaching a point in your life that you cease being productive and think that the only thing you can do is sit in the rocking chair, you must remember that anyone at any age has worthwhile things he can accomplish and contribute to the world around him. Look around and see how you can be a benefit to others.

Trust God (Eccl. 11:5-6)

“As you do not know what is the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is with child, so you do not know the works of God who makes all things. In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that, or whether both alike will be good.”

Many things are beyond our comprehension. But even so, that doesn’t mean you can’t try something just because you don’t know or understand everything about it. Being unable to understand all that is involved in reproduction certainly hasn’t stopped people from having children. Therefore, be busy sowing (that is doing whatever needs to be done and is good to do), and trust God to raise it up.

Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”

Rejoice Daily (Eccl. 11:7-8)

We are never too old to rejoice. It is good to be alive and to see the beauties of God’s creation. “Truly the light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun.” Psalm 118:24 says, “Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.” And the apostle Paul urges us to, “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I will say, Rejoice!” (Phil. 4:4).

We are not being encouraged to rejoice in the wrong things, or just make having fun our goal in life. But see in all that you do there is reason to count your blessings and be thankful.

Remember Your Creator While You Are Young (Eccl. 12:1-2)

Remember him while you are young lest you look back and say, “I have no delight in them.” Few people are more bitter and lonely today than those who have grown old alone, that is, apart from the Lord. The picture of verse 2 is that instead of clearing after rain, the old person who in bitterness, has closed himself in, and the clouds, instead of refreshment, bring one storm after another. Therefore, lest you find yourself cynical and bitter in your old age keep the Lord in focus throughout your entire life. You won’t regret it.

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 1, p. 21
January 5, 1989

By Cled E. Wallace

The everlasting and inevitable conflict between truth and error, right and wrong, goes on. It would be heavenly if all knew, believed, and lived the truth, error were banished from the earth, and universal peace prevailed. Such has not been since sin entered into the world, and there is no evidence that such a happy state is imminent. Our Lord said: “Think not that I came to send peace on the earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law: and a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that doth not take his cross and follow after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it” (Matt. 10:34-39). Jesus knew that there would be bitter conflict and the need of loyalty and courage on the part of his followers in resisting men and movements organized for the propagation of error.

Desirable, But Impossible

It would be far less painful and heartbreaking if the conflict could proceed in a purely impersonal way. But such has never been and cannot be. Issues and movements are too closely identified with men. Men come to personify the issues that inflame them. It becomes impossible to fight error without at the same time fighting the men in whom the error is incarnated. The conflict between Jesus and the apostles of false doctrine in his day was bitter and personal. They early recognized him as the embodiment of principles they would not compromise with. He was set for their destruction as leaders of the people. He mentioned them by name, called them wolves in sheep’s clothing, whited sepulchers, sons of hell, fools and blind, blind guides, hypocrites, and warned the people pointedly to beware of their teaching. His fight against error necessitated a fight on the chief protagonists of error. The organized enemies of Jesus were neither dumb nor dull. In his most impersonal teaching “they perceived that he spake of them.” They in their turn asked him questions, ridiculed and mocked him, tried to debate with him, and finally in despair killed him. It was a fight to the finish. The resurrection raised the banner of truth on high, but the conflict goes on.

It is a foolish notion that a heretical movement in the church, or out, can be fought in a purely impersonal way. Some seem to think that a death stroke can be administered to the movement and leave the man or men who are the life of it unscathed. It is the killing one of the Siamese twins without affecting the health of the other. It cannot be done. Too tender a solicitation for such men is in itself an evidence of too great a toleration for the movement. An apology for false teachers is an apology for th7eir false teaching. Try to fix it any other way without making a complete wreck of the principles of logic! The least that can be done to logic by such a course is to beg the question, declare that the movement is not serious enough in its nature or consequences to oppose. And that will start a fight on another issue. A fence sitter in no man’s land in a major conflict would never have invited a light from heaven on the road to Damascus.

Compromise Is Deadly

Christ and his apostles were kindly men where kindliness was a virtue, but they were terrible men when the great movement they were identified with was opposed or threatened by compromise. Paul, the kindly preacher, turning the light of truth into the darkened heart of Sergius Paulus, becomes transformed into divine fury when Elymas sought to turn the proconsul from the faith. He “fastened his eyes on him, and said, O full of all guile and all villany, thou son of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” Softies in religion usually wave this aside by saying that Paul was inspired and could read the hearts of men, which we cannot do. That does not dispose of the main point that fighting false movements cannot be effectively done by ignoring or apologizing for false teachers. Besides, I have never seen a serious effort to prove that it requires any inspiration to identify a perverter of the right ways of the Lord. Such an assumption is some more logic for you! Imagine Paul saying to Sergius Paulus: “Our friend Elymas possibly has good intentions. But that he is wrong I shall now at length present to you. You will please give consideration to ______” Ugh! If Paul were living today, he would have to tone down his personalities to get into some of the papers. It is, of course, both scriptural and sensible to temper criticism to the seriousness of the offense, but only cowardice will seek to always make it impersonal.

This man Paul creats admiration and astonishment in about equal measure. His methods are surely sound. The cause of Christ needed safeguarding in Crete. Leaders were needed who held “to the faithful word which is according to the teaching,” and they must “be able both to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict the gainsayers. ” There were men there who were “unruly men, vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision, whose mouths must be stopped.” Paul assured Titus, whom he left in Crete to set in order the things that were wanting, that “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, idle gluttons,” and that he must “reprove them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.” Does anybody seriously think that a soft-walking, soft-talking, sweet-spirited compromiser, such as breaks out in some of “our” papers today, could have carried out Paul’s commission in Crete?

The Case of Paul and Barnabas

Paul and Peter and Barnabas were friends. They were more than friends – they were brethren in Christ. A situation arose were Peter and Barnabas were identified with a movement that threatened to disrupt the church. What did personal friendship have to do with such a situation? Simply nothing. Friendship was not the issue and had nothing to do with the issues. Paul did not recall the fact that he and Barnabas had faced the dangers of the Pisidian highlands together and make an impersonal fight on a disruptive movement. He saw clearly that Peter and Barnabas “walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel.” He “resisted” them “to the face” because they “stood condemned.” He rebuked them before the whole church, not because he loved strife, but because the welfare of the church demanded it. He was fighting for Christ and against his friends, because they chose a course which was hostile to the cause of Christ. And he was right in so doing. There is abundance of Scripture to support a gospel paper in a vigorous and aggressive policy in dealing with the problems and perils that threaten the peace and loyalty of the church today.

Guardian of Truth XXXIII: 2, pp. 33, 55
January 19, 1989