Till heaven and earth pass?
This is a common misconception, IMO. Most people understand that this is the same earth and, therefore, come to the conclusion that nothing has changed in the Law. The Law remains Good, but we, in the flesh, continue to fall short, still requiring the grace of Jesus Christ.
Again, IMO, the new heavens and new earth are referring to the doing away of the old. Under the Law, the Israelites were the Chosen People of God. Through Jesus, we are the "Choosing" People of God - meaning, whether we are Jew or Gentile, God has given us the choice to be His children. This is the new heaven and new earth. I know that it is not a popular view, but I hold to it. But, in an effort to be completely honest I must point out that I would like to claim, for support of my point of view
(which I cannot prove, nor abandon, as of yet) that Peter wrote 2 Peter 3 before or around the crucifixion. But wouldn't you know it, he mentions the writings of Paul - placing, imo, the writing of 2 Peter a minimum of 3 years after the resurrection of Jesus.
Perhaps the burning of the elements took a little longer.
2 Peter 3
This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, [SUP]
2 [/SUP]that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior
spoken by your apostles.
[SUP]3 [/SUP]Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with
their mocking, following after their own lusts, [SUP]
4 [/SUP]and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For
ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” [SUP]
5 [/SUP]For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God
the heavens existed long ago and
the earth was formed out of water and by water, [SUP]
6 [/SUP]through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. [SUP]
7 [/SUP]
But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
[SUP]
8 [/SUP]But do not let this one
fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
[SUP]9 [/SUP]The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
[SUP]
10 [/SUP]But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.
[SUP]
11 [/SUP]Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness,
[SUP]12 [/SUP]looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! [SUP]
13 [/SUP]But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.
[SUP]14 [/SUP]Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, [SUP]
15 [/SUP]and regard the patience of our Lord
as salvation;
just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,[SUP]16 [/SUP]as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as
they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. [SUP]
17 [/SUP]You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, [SUP]
18 [/SUP]but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him
be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
(I know, you have quoted some of this)
Galatians 4:3-7
[SUP]3 [/SUP]So also we, while we were children, were held in bondage under the elemental things of the world. [SUP]4 [/SUP]But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, [SUP]5 [/SUP]so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. [SUP]6 [/SUP]Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” [SUP]7 [/SUP][SUP][/SUP]Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.
John 15:12-17[SUP]12 [/SUP][SUP][/SUP]“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. [SUP]13 [/SUP]Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. [SUP]14 [/SUP]You are My friends if you do what I command you. [SUP]15 [/SUP][SUP][/SUP]No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. [SUP]16 [/SUP]You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. [SUP]17 [/SUP]This I command you, that you love one another.
Hosea 2:16-23
[SUP]16 [/SUP]“It will come about in that day,” declares the Lord,
“That you will call Me Ishi
And will no longer call Me Baali.
[SUP]17 [/SUP]“For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth,
So that they will be mentioned by their names no more.
[SUP]18 [/SUP]“In that day I will also make a covenant for them
With the beasts of the field,
The birds of the sky
And the creeping things of the ground.
And I will abolish the bow, the sword and war from the land,
And will make them lie down in safety.
[SUP]19 [/SUP]“I will betroth you to Me forever;
Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice,
In lovingkindness and in compassion,
[SUP]20[/SUP]And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness.Then you will know the Lord.
[SUP]21 [/SUP]“It will come about in that day that I will respond,” declares the Lord.
“I will respond to the heavens, and they will respond to the earth,
[SUP]22 [/SUP]And the earth will respond to the grain, to the new wine and to the oil,
And they will respond to Jezreel.
[SUP]23 [/SUP]“I will sow her for Myself in the land.
I will also have compassion on her who had not obtained compassion,
And I will say to those who were not My people,
‘You are My people!’
And they will say, ‘You are my God!’”
Christians did not "replace" Israel as God's people, but are those from the whole world, including Israelites, that have accepted Jesus as the Lord and Savior.
The truth is that none of us are worthy. Grace covers our transgressions, not so that we can continue to transgress, but so that we can share our desire to please our God who forgives our imperfections. The Good News is really Great News, but we cannot allow human desires to diminish it into permission to do wrong. We must also teach what is right, while showing Love to those in error, understanding that we are guilty as well.
“He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”
but we must remember this as well:
[SUP]4 [/SUP]Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, [SUP]5 [/SUP]does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, [SUP]6 [/SUP]does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; [SUP]7 [/SUP]bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
