Journal: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Volume: JOTGES 38:74 (Spring 2025)
Article: At The End Of The Day (2 Peter 3:10–13)
Author: John Claeys

JOTGES 38:74 (Spring 2025) p. 51

At The End Of The Day (2 Peter 3:10–13)

John Claeys

I. Introduction

In the movie, As Good as It Gets, Jack Nicholson plays Melvin, a crude, obsessive-compulsive author who thinks only of himself. But Melvin becomes enamored of Carol, a waitress played by Helen Hunt. Carol has seen Melvin at his worst but reluctantly agrees to meet him at a posh restaurant for dinner. When she arrives, Carol is obviously ill at ease with the fancy surroundings, and while the other patrons are impeccably attired, Carol wears a simple red dress.

Seeing her, Melvin waves her over to his table. As she approaches, Melvin hits an all-time low when he says, “This restaurant! They make me buy a new outfit, and they let you in wearing a housedress.”

Carol is stunned and hurt. Tempted to walk out, she looks Melvin in the eye and says, “Pay me a compliment, Melvin. I need one—now.”

Melvin responds, “I’ve got a great compliment.” What could he say to make up for the thoughtless comment he just delivered? This deeply flawed man, his own worst enemy, looks at Carol and sincerely and quietly says, “Carol, you make me want to be a better man.”

Wow! There are few compliments better than that one.

As we come to know God more intimately through an openness to His Word, that is exactly the effect on us: We want to become better people. We want to grow in our relationship with Him and with our Savior. We want to progress spiritually, and as we do, we lay up for ourselves great, eternal reward in God’s kingdom.

False teaching, however, can have the opposite effect. That is why Peter so adamantly deals with false teaching in his second epistle.

A. The Message Of 2 Peter

The epistle of 2 Peter deals with continuing in the truth in the face of false teaching. In fact, I see the message of 2 Peter as this: Believers must continue to progress spiritually in the face of false teaching. As Peter explains, false teaching denies important truths such as the gospel and the future Christian hope. These truths center around the return of Jesus—truths that are critical for the spiritual progress of believers.

JOTGES 38:74 (Spring 2025) p. 52

Unfortunately, Christians can be led astray by false teaching, which is why Peter warns his Christian audience to be alert to it.

If ever there was a time for Christians to be on the alert to false teaching, it is now! Therefore, 2 Peter is definitely a relevant book for our time.

B. 2 Peter 3

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