The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Peter — Section 82

him fore t-0 fare, and live in that new earth the life of heaven; for it is the unveiled prc~ence of God which makes heaven what it is, the abode of joy, and love, and l1oh~ess, and entranced ?ontemplation of the Di\'ine be:mty. Into that city entereth no: hmg that defileth; nghteonsnc~s dwelleth there. 'l'he earth that now is hath been defiled with many sins; it has been stained with blood, devastated by war and cruelty polh'.te<l with se:isnality an~ uncleanness. But the new earth shall be all holy. Th~ refining fires of Judgment will work a complete and everlasting chano-e. The Deluo-e cleau~ed the old world, lrnt only for a time; sin soon began to reas:ert itself. The fires of the great day will purely purge away all the dross, and leave only the refined g?ld. Rightcous?ess shall dwell for ever in_ th~t new earth. The people of the holy city shall be all nghteous; for they shall abide m the presence of him who is the Sun of Righteousness, and shall be made like unto him, for they shall see him as he is. 5. The need ef ea?·nest diligence. St. Peter has been warning us of the solemn future which lies before us-the most tremendous jndgmeut, the destruction of the present order of things in the fires of the last day, the new heavens and the new earth which "·ill be the eternal home of the blessed. These thonghts, he says, enforce upon us the 11ecessity of diligence in the religious life. Men who really believe that after death cometh the _iudgment cannot live listlessly and idly. Many professing Christians, alas l live careless lives; but that carelessness evinces a practical unbelief. 'rhe momentous issues of the great day must stir the believer to earnest effort. St. Peter had nrged the necessity of diligence in the first chapter; he urges it again in the last. Then he appealed to the grace of God, his gifts, his promises; the love of God, the blessed hope set before us, ought to arouse us to love and zeal. Now he appeals to the n1vful future, the judgment that is coming. Carelessness in the prospect of the judg- ment is nothing short of madness. Those whose faith is real must be diligent. "That day cometh as a thief:" how will it find us? What will be the state of those who are surprised in sin? Our hearts sicken in shuddering dread at the fearful thought. 'l'hen let us give diligence to make our calling and election sure. God's elect must be con- formed to the image of his Son. His Son, the holy Lamb of God, was without blemish and without spot; so must his servants be. They must wash their robes, and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. "The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin;" but it cleanseth only those who "walk in the light." Therefore let us be diligent to walk always in the consciousness of God's presence, in the light that streams from the cross. That light will show each spot and blemish that rests upon the soul; it will bring us to repentance and confession; and then God "is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteonsness." Those who "follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth" are without fault before the throne of God (Rev. xiv. 5), for c,very fault has been washed away in the precious blood. Their sins once were like crimson, but now they are whiter than snow; they are clothed with the wedding garment, the white robe of righteousness; therefore they .are found in peace. Christ is their Peace; he hath made peace through the blood of his cross. '!'hose who -abide in Christ have peace with God now, in the hour of death, and in the day of judgment. Such men account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation. 'rhey know that life is a Bacred trust, that the time of probation is precious; and they will strive by God's gracious help to work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, knowing tl,at the night cometh, in which no man can work. II. THE DUTY OF LISTENING TO THE WAHNINGS OF HOLY SCRIPTURE. 1. St. Paul },ad warned them. St. Paul had, by himself or by his companions, founded most of the Churches of Asia Minor. He had written Epistles to the Galatians, Colossians, and Ephesians, the last being probably a circular letter intended to be read in several Cl,urches. At the date of St. Peter's Second Epistle many of St. Paul's writings must have become the common property of the whole Church, and thus the Christians of Asia Minor probably knew and read some of the Epistles which had been addressed to European Churches. St. Peter calls St. Paul his beloved brother; he recognizes the wisdom which had been given unto him. 'l'he two holy apostles had once differed from one another; now they were uuired in one faith and one love. St. Peter had overeome his old impetuosity, his old desire to be first; he had learned that precious grace of humility, which in his F:rnt Epistle he so earnestly inculcates. He does not remember that he had once been reproved by St. Paul; he thinks only of St. Paul's OH, m. 1-18,] THE SECOND EPISTLE GENERAL OF PETER. i7