In our text, St. Peter refers to the return of Christ no fewer than five times (to say nothing of allusions or references to it elsewhere in those one and one-half chapters). This is the Apostle who is so strong on grace and life (a life which is a matter of relationship with God), that many have accused him of not caring about good works. Not at all. Peter knows that the behavior of Christians does not save them, but must be worked on, nurtured, strengthened, encouraged. The Christian life is to find the Him who is our way back to the Father, and to grow in appreciation of Him, in Christ.
In giving us a life to live, God knows we need the motivation to live this life well. He knows that we need the motivation to live by grace through faith. He knows that we need it because we are so prone to think that if we are going to get what we are promised, we need to earn it. In His Word, God graciously and helpfully sets before us many motives to live new lives in Christ. And among the most motivating of them is the return of Christ, the Return Motive.
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