Be on your guard! Don't fall from your secure position!

Warning! Warning! Danger ahead.  Often in Scripture, we will find passages that warn us about various things: Deception, sin, evil, to stay away from something, or to cling to Someone!  Every time you see a warning in Scripture ts best to figure out what it is warning you about and make sure you aren't doing it!

2 Peter 3 is one of my favorite Bible passages. Peter starts out talking about scoffers coming in the last days making fun of people who are watching for the Lord's return. Little did I know when I first read that verse long ago, that most of the scoffers would be Christians. But I digress. 

Peter goes on to talk about how patient God is with humanity. 

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 8-9 

I love God's patience! If it were me, I would have wiped out humanity long ago for all the evil that is occurring. But our Lord truly is a God of pure love and patience!  

Yet, there will be a day that patience will end. And it will begin when the Tribulation begins. The Day of the Lord in Scripture refers to the entire Tribulation, and it begins with the rapture when Jesus returns like a thief to remove His church-bride from this place. 

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. 10

Now we come to the main point of this post. 

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. v. 11-12
 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. v 14

Peter tells us that BECAUSE we are living in the last days and Jesus could return at any moment, how should we live our lives? 

We should live holy and Godly lives. 
We should be found (When He returns) Spotless, Blameless and at Peace WITH HIM. 

• Holy: Dedicated to the service of God, sacred, pure, consecrated. Committed to living your life for Jesus
• Blameless: Guiltless, without fault  (achieved by continual repentance of your sins before God and relying on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross)
• Spotless: Undefiled (Staying away from purposeful sins, worldly lusts, and things of this world)
• At Peace with God:  In a close relationship with Jesus as you trust in Him for your life and salvation. 

To me, I'm wondering why Peter is so adamant about warning us to live a certain way OR to be found living a certain way when Jesus returns.  Isn't it enough that I believe in Jesus, received Him into my heart, and trust in Him for my salvation? By grace I am saved! 

Yet here Peter is warning us to be holy, blameless, spotless and at peace with God. Here's the final verse. 

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. 2 Peter 3:17-18

Hmm.   Fall from my secure position?  But my pastor told me that once I got saved, I will always be saved. Eternal security, right? Yet, here Peter is telling us not to be carried away by wickedness, by deception, by lawless people or we could FALL from that "Secure" position. 

In other words, we have some responsibility in our walk with Jesus. Particularly if we want to be taken in the rapture when He comes. 

Whether you believe me or not, the rapture is going to happen in our lifetime. Unless you get hit by a bus or die in the next few years, Jesus is coming in THIS generation for His Bride. In fact, you don't have to believe me, believe Jesus's own words. 

 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Matthew 24: 32-34

The Fig tree (Israel) put on leaves in 1948. We are 71 years into the generation who will see Jesus's return.  Average Worldwide Global Life Expectancy in 2016 was 72 years. 

So my question to you is. How then should you live?