Spiritual Ambition

In his second epistle, Peter describes the condition of professing Christendom and the unbelieving world as existing at the end of the age. Two particular forms of evil are recorded: first, in chapter 2, the presence of false teachers propagating unsound doctrine, accompanied by wicked deeds, prominently characterizes the last days of Christendom; second, in chapter 3, the increase of scoffing infidels signifies another proof of the last days. With arrogant unbelief, the promise of Christ's coming is openly denied by men, supposedly on the basis that the present creation has eternal stability. Peter reminds such that a universal catastrophe once destroyed the earth and foretells another disaster of divine intervention that will not only destroy the present earth but the heavens also (2 Peter 3:5-10). The peril of the last days is indicated by the apostle in a twofold way: first, "many shall follow" the dissolute ways of the false teachers bringing in "damnable heresies" (2 Peter 2:1-3), and second, the danger of spiritual inertia exists among the saints of God in these same days, causing the apostle to frequently emphasize the need of diligence (2 Peter 1:5, 10, 12, 15; 3:14).
https://plymouthbrethren.org/article/1348