But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.

2 Peter 3:10

Here we are at the thrill-packed climax of the letter.  The thrills are not just in the action, but in the application that Peter gives us, so that we might be pointed in the right direction. Yes, the Great Day will come!  When it does, Jesus will come to judge… and in spite of all of the noise we hear today from End Times teachers, everybody will be surprised, for He will come like a thief… suddenly and without warning… and then big things will take place.

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

2 Peter 3:11-13

Suddenly, the heavens and the earth will be consumed, destroyed, terminated.  Believe me, when Jesus returns, everybody will know about it, and not because they saw it on television. God will create a new heaven and a new earth… a whole new creation will result.  So, what should we do now; how should we live?  Should we head for the hills and wait for the Day?  Should we get out our Bibles and make a checklist of all of the things that must happen before Jesus can return? Should we go to Disneyland? No! We should live our lives the way He taught us, as the light of the world, making disciples and building His Kingdom in love.  There are no special last-minute commands, as though we are going to know the day of His return, for we will not know until it happens one day.  See, this is simple: Love God, love one another: make disciples.

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.

2 Peter 3:14-16

Just keep on living for Christ, just like Paul has written; live for Christ, obey His commands and you will be ready.

Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

2 Peter 3:17-18

The summation of everything? Just live for Christ, do what He taught, and don’t listen to false teachers.

Simple. Wonderful.