"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

"Seeing then that all these things shall be DISSOLVED, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be DISSOLVED, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation". (2_Peter 3:10-15a.)

Indeed, "Be it known unto you all, ...that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ((God's own people)) crucified, whom God raised from the dead, ((is anyone made)) ...whole. ...Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:10a,c-e,[f],12.)

But after that, know "this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.

"For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the WORD OF GOD the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:

"But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same WORD are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

"But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his PROMISE, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2_Peter 3:3-9.)

© March 4, 1997, The Standard Bearer
P.O. Box 765, O.O.B., ME 04064

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