Wait, Watch, and Work

Scripture:

2Pet. 3:¹⁷ You therefore, beloved, since you are forewarned, beware that you are not carried away with the error of the lawless and lose your own stability. ¹⁸ But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 

Observation:

This final letter comes to a conclusion. Peter refers to his readers as “beloved,” for they are as dear to him as brothers and sisters in Christ. They are to wait patiently in their faith for the return of Christ. While they are waiting, they are to earnestly watch out for those who will try to steal their faith. The goal placed before them is one in which they remain stable, unable to be pulled one direction or the other. 

The Christian life is never to be one of stagnation, but always one of growth. Continual growth in grace and knowledge is the necessary spiritual work of the believer. Grace refers to the saving act of Christ in the life of faith. This is an on-going and never-ending process of growth in salvation. The biggest concern for Peter is that these believers might come to think that they have arrived spiritually and have no more room for growth. This is very dangerous, because in their stagnation, they become vulnerable to false teaching.  

Finally, Peter ends with a doxology to Jesus Christ. Much of this letter has been a reminder of the spiritual life while awaiting the return of Jesus. Therefore, glory is given to Jesus, now and for eternity. So be it — Amen!

Application:

We are also believers awaiting the return of Jesus. Peter’s advice to wait, watch, and work is extremely prudent for us today. As dearly beloved followers of Jesus Christ, we are living in our own culture with its challenges. They are not exactly the same as that of the first century, but I’m not too sure that they altogether different. Increasingly, to be a follower of Christ is to be counter-cultural. Throughout history there have been eras when culture has adopted characteristics of Christianity, making it, potentially, easier to live out our faith. Then, there have been times when culture has gone in a direction far from the tenets of Christianity, making it necessary for Christianity to stand in opposition to the culture. Throughout all of these changes and challenges, we are to wait, watch, and work. 

Waiting is not something that I like to do. Too many years of waiting in lines in Russia have made me impatient — or, if I am waiting, I want to be doing something so that I don’t feel like I’m wasting time. I did read a lot of books while in Russia, always having one handy in my backpack, in case I found myself waiting. Remember, Peter told us that God’s time was not the same as our time, and therefore our sense of waiting is not the same as God’s. During the year of COVID19, we’ve been waiting for the virus to go away, or for a vaccine to be developed, and all have a sense that waiting is getting old. A few more months of mindful safety measures will be worth the wait! Our impatience will cost people their lives, whether we are talking about things spiritual, or physical. Learning to wait with grace is a virtue. It’s worth the wait to see the arrival of the Messiah. 

Watching is an awareness that false teachers will try to steal your faith. Last evening my husband and I watched, “The Social Dilemma” which is a documentary on how social media is using us and reprogramming us for monetary benefit. Ultimately, the result of the use of social media is the creation of a great divide in humanity. Why? Because the more that we like certain material, the more that the social media service provides us that same material. We end up in an echo chamber that makes us more and more polarized. Suddenly, the divide between left and right becomes so great that eventually, it may create a civil war. No wonder Peter warned people to watch! Watch out — before you get sucked into something by a computer algorithm that is now changing your perceptions of reality. Over and over again, both Peter and Paul pray for the church to be unified — for the church to be the place of overflowing love — that brings people together. We finished the documentary and said to each other — the only solution for this is God! Watch out and do not allow yourselves to be driven by anything but Christ. 

Working has to do with our own effort that we put into spiritual growth and development. The spiritual life is synergistic, the grace of God, combined with the interaction of the human, and this leads to growth in grace. Powers tells us: “But they also need knowledge about Christ (gnōsis); that is, a theological understanding of who and what he was and is, and what he has done and does. This knowledge is gained supremely through studying Scripture” (NBBC) I can personally testify to the transformation that has occurred in my life through the study of Scripture. I began this journey of Scripture study and journaling/blogging more than ten years ago. I never realized how the word would come alive to me through this study. Not only has the word come alive, but the world of the first century has become more visible in my mind’s eye. And most of all, Jesus has continually become more real. 

These are three action verbs, for the Christian life is one of on-going and continual action. When we stop putting action into our Christian life, we will become stagnant and die. It is then that the influences of the world will capture our attention and lead us astray. Jesus is coming again and as we wait, we are to become more like Him, every single day. In the words of Phineas Bresee, “Nothing to the left — nothing to the right — straight ahead — Jesus only!” Peter’s letter is about Christ, from the beginning to the very end, concluding with one of only three doxologies about Christ to be found in the Bible. As we continually focus on Christ, we are drawn by Him into the future where He is already awaiting us. 

Prayer:

Lord, thank you for the overwhelming sense of peace that comes from your presence. Help me to seek you, every day, and protect me from being distracted from the path you have placed before us. Amen.