“What sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?” 2 Peter 3.

Suppose someone told you that holiness and godliness mattered and mattered to God? I’m sure almost no one would disagree with the statement. But suppose they said that holiness mattered for the end of the age? Suppose someone actually claimed that the end of the age depended on the holiness of God’s people? How would that person be viewed by the various eschatological traditions of our day? That person claiming this is none other than the apostle Peter.

How many substitute reasons for the end of the age are there? 1. A random date set by God. When was God ever random? 2. The gospel reaches the end of the earth. Yes Jesus said so but that doesn’t invalidate Peter’s claim either. 3. The church conquering the world. To this we recall Paul predicted an apostasy, a great falling away of the saints. The saints will conquer the world in the name of a Christ who is destined for hell. 4. Finally, there are many traditions that invalidate Revelation, Jesus, Daniel, Paul and Peter, all while claiming to be Biblical and conclude by saying, “and so it doesn’t matter how or when the end will come, trust me.”

But if Peter can be believed (is it a big ask?) then our godliness matters. Our state before God matters. Our response to the pull of the Holy Spirit to walk holy matters. Our participation matters.