“1 Dear friends, this is now the second letter I have written to you; in both letters, I want to develop a genuine understanding with a reminder, 2 so that you can remember the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your apostles. 3 First, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days to scoff, living according to their own desires, 4 saying, Where is the promise of His coming? Ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation. 5 They willfully ignore this: Long ago the heavens and the earth were brought about from water and through water by the word of God. 6 Through these waters the world of that time perished when it was flooded. 7 But by the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”
2 Peter 3:1-7
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There are many different reasons why Jesus laid out our Great Commission the way He did. Part of what He told us was to ‘go and make disciples’ that He told us to ‘teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.’ Converting someone to Christianity is not simply a matter of making them say a phrase resembling belief and immersing them under water. That is not discipleship. That is only one part of the salvation process. People who are dunked and dumped by the ones who brought them to Christ are left to feel like something less than a person, more like an achievement or a number.

In reality, we need to understand that this process of discipleship (which isn’t optional, by the way) is something that is going to require us taking time with people. We will need to do so much more than just get them to a church meeting an get them wet. This is part of what Peter is trying to pass along to those who would read this letter.

“1 Dear friends, this is now the second letter I have written to you; in both letters, I want to develop a genuine understanding with a reminder, 2 so that you can remember the words previously spoken by the holy prophets and the command of our Lord and Savior given through your apostles.”

He is taking the time to remind them of what they have been taught, about the commands that Jesus gave us. The Spirit speaking through him says, “I want you to develop a genuine unerstanding” and that doesn’t happen in 1-2 discipleship meetings or a membership class. If we want to make discples, we must share life, and in sharing life with people, there is no ‘end point’ when it comes to ‘teaching the, to obey’ it may take less effort over time, but they will always look to you as they mature in the faith. They will look to you as their gauge, an whether or not it seems ‘fair’ a lack of growth on your part will likely cause a stunting of theirs. We must press on toward the goal, as Paul says, not only for our own sake, but also for the sake of those who come behind us, and why?

“3 First, be aware of this: Scoffers will come in the last days to scoff, living according to their own desires, 4 saying, Where is the promise of His coming? Ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they have been since the beginning of creation. 5 They willfully ignore this: Long ago the heavens and the earth were brought about from water and through water by the word of God. 6 Through these waters the world of that time perished when it was flooded. 7 But by the same word, the present heavens and earth are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”

If we are going to GoLove as Christ intended, then we must know that it is an unending task of discipling those that come to Him through our efforts in Him. We teach and instruct and disciple as a precaution to the world’s efforts, in an attempt to raise up strong, effective disciples, and to warn against the day of the Lord for those who stand apart from Him. We look forward to that day, with eagerness and anticipation, but we also know it is a day of great concern for those whose hearts are far from God..