How Will You Be "Found"?

2 Peter 3:14
Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things (...new heavens and a new earth*), be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,

* added for clarity

Today's passage is one of those verses in scripture that you don't have to work very hard to get to the application, because it IS an application, plain and simply given to us. There are a couple of things I wanted to point out so that we can all be encouraged and challenged by this verse.

The first thing to notice is the "Therefore" at the beginning of the verse. This should always cause us to look to the previous verses to see what it is that Peter is talking about (of course this isn't a problem if you are reading the letter straight through). I provided a parenthetical reminder of what "these things" are. Peter writes as thought it's expected that Christians are anticipating the return of Christ, as he writes..."since you look for these things." He follows with three points of application. When Christ comes back for His church, it is His desire to find us "in peace, spotless, and blameless." Let's look at those three. Each one has an inward aspect that speaks of the work accomplished by God at salvation, and the outward aspect, that commands us to shape our behavior in a way that matches what has taken place spiritually in our lives.

"Be found by Him..."

"...in peace" - It is God's will that Christians be a testimony to the world of the supernatural power of God. Conflict among people is the normal course of fallen man. Christians should be constantly striving to make peace with each other, and the church should be known as a place of peace. All believers should make every effort to bring restoration to any and all relationships where there is hostility or unforgiveness. We are to "be diligent" to communicate to all people in a "peaceful" way that represents Christ to the unbelieving world. Not only are we to display peaceful behavior, we should also have an inner-peace. I like this definition of the original word, "eirene" (peace) - "the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with their earthly circumstances."

"...spotless" - By default, a true Christian is "spotless", in the sense that our sins are forgiven; past, and future. Even so, once saved, we are called to a high standard of behavior. Our flesh is ever tempting us to indulge in sinful activities that can ruin our testimony and hinder our personal relationship with Christ. If we would just remind ourselves to live in such a way that we would not be ashamed if Christ appeared at any moment.

"...blameless" - This word also has a two-fold application for us. There is "blame-removing" work of God that occurs at salvation...

Ephesians 5:27
"that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless."

...and also there is the element of responsibility to live in such a way that reveals the work that has taken place on the inside.

Philippians 2:14-15
"Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,"