Day 27 - Thinking About The Future
- Pastor b.Side
- Mar 27
- 3 min read
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him [be] the glory both now and forever. Amen. - 2 Peter 3:18
Our modern culture is obsessed with delivering experiences that promise to satisfy our immediate desires. We live in a society driven by “on-demand” features and benefits. But consider the state of the world. Is it living up to its promises? Are we truly happy with having instant access to the things we think we want and need?
“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior…”
The message of the Bible sharply contrasts with the ideologies and philosophies of the world. Why? Because God is eternal. This means the purposes and promises of His Word are also everlasting. God operates from a position that produces eternal results. Consider the command God gave in 2 Peter 3:18 and how it conflicts with modern culture and worldly pursuits. The true people of God are called to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Immediately afterward, the text emphasizes that glory belongs to Him now AND forever.
“To Him [be] the glory…”
If glory currently belongs to Jesus, then our growth in His knowledge and grace must center on His present glory. What does His present glory look like? He is seated at the Father's right hand, interceding for His people. We must grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus’ work to glorify Himself through His Spirit working in His church.
“Both now and forever…”
We are also called to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus’ glory “forever.” This time reference connects to the previous context in 2 Peter Chapter 3, which describes the events of the “Last Days” leading up to Jesus’ Second Coming and beyond. In other words, our main focus isn’t just on current events and this life. Understanding God requires us to continually grow in the knowledge of His ETERNAL work, which must include the promise of His upcoming actions, such as: Judgment upon the world through the Great Tribulation, His Second Coming, His 1,000-year Reign on Earth from Jerusalem, and then the eternal creation of a New Heaven, New Earth, and New Jerusalem.
Those are the exact things Peter mentioned in 2 Peter Chapter 3. In fact, Peter even noted that the Apostle Paul wrote about these same events in his letters. Although they can be hard to understand, God has provided the necessary tools for us to grow in grace and knowledge. This shows that we cannot truly know Jesus as our Lord and Savior unless we consider the full scope of His work—past, present, and future. Our main goal in life should be to know God through the eternal testimony of Jesus Christ, with all other priorities taking a back seat. The more we grow in Him, the better we understand the nature of our Savior and the quality of life He offers. That is what brings true satisfaction—now and forever!
Prayer for today
Our heavenly Father, thank You for revealing Your eternal purposes to us. Help us value that revelation above all else, including Your future plans. Keep us from concentrating on temporary matters and neglecting the command You gave to “look forward to these things.” Teach us to treasure the eternal nature of Your work over our temporary perspective, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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