There are as many opinions of what Peter meant by his comment as there are of how it all will end...Frankly, I have found myself torn over how to take Peter's words. I have come to the conclusion that there is merit to the many views of what Peter's words actually mean.
There are three ways I think in which we can understand Peter's comment here. First, there is the "Global" aspect, meaning a "literal" understanding of the term "New heavens and a new earth." All futurists, and most Amillennialists hold this view. It is certainly orthodox.
The second, is the "Covenental" view. When viewed from Isaiah's use of the term in Isaiah 65:17, it becomes clear from the context that Isaiah is speaking in terms of a change in order and covenant. Thus, Isaiah's new heaven and earth is figurative language for understanding that God, through the New Covenant and establishing of His kingdom, would "make all things new."
The third, is the "Personal" view. Whatever applies to the corporate body of the Church, in turn applies to the individual members. Thus, Paul says "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Cor. 5:17). All things include the heaven and the earth. Thus, life for a believer radically alters his/her world view and outlook on everything. Truly all things do become new upon faith in Christ.
Why do we as Christians feel it necessary to limit the scope of the atoning work of Christ? Is redemption not global in scope? Is it not covenental? Is it not personal? Why not view each of these as all being true at once? They certainly are. They are all aspects of the same picture.
The first creation is certainly also a symbolic portrayal of the new birth, the conception of Christ, and the passing away of the the Old Jewish age into the New Covenant. Why could it also not be understood to be a picture of the newness that is made complete at the Second Advent of Christ?
Concerning salvation, for example, we understand the clear message that all who are true believers in Jesus are "predestined to be conformed into his image." This is a redundant theme throughout the New Testament. We fully believe, therefore, that Christ's work of salvation and sanctification brings us from looking like Adam, to looking fully like Christ. This work of conforming is spiritual, ideological, and physical as well. Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." Thus the redeeming work of Christ is a total work for the total man. It is not limited, but complete in nature and extent.
We are being sanctified, or conformed into Christ's image spiritually, soul-ishly, and physically. They are ALL true at once. Is our healing spiritual? yes. Is it physical? yes. It is not limited, but complete. However, all orthodox believers would never deny that, although the sanctifying work of God is absolutely a surety, it is nevertheless progressive and will not be absolutely complete until the very return of Christ on the last day.
We understand that Christ's redemptive work was complete in all aspects. He is transforming humanity, one soul at a time, and at the same time, His creation is being renewed from the curse. We mustn't, nor shouldn't limit God's ability nor plan to wait until a cataclysm erupts to effect change in both His created man, and His created order. If the change in humanity is effectual over time, then so is the change in the created order. However, just as with the personal aspect, we should understand that this process of "making all things new" has its ultimate fulfillment in the consummation of all things at the returning of Christ Jesus. Keith Mathison, author and theologian supports this view, and I agree with him.
Both salvation and the redemptive history in which it occurs is both spiritual, emotional, physical, and is both immediate, progressive and final in its outworking. Jesus Christ is the One who WAS, IS, and IS TO COME. He is both the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the Ending, He is both the Author, and Finisher of our faith. These are all true all the time.
Thus, the term "New heavens and new earth," denotes the transforming nature of Christ's work within us, within the redemptive history as pertaining to the change in Covenants, and also His redemption of the creation itself in quite a literal manner. To shrug off one of these concepts, and there are probably many more, is to limit the scope and effectual power of the finished work of Christ. I choose to believe that Jesus has left no task undone, and no stone unturned.
I can now look back on the New heavens and the new earth as it came into being with the New Covenant. I can look back on the New heavens and the new earth in my own life as Christ has changed me from glory to glory. (In fact, it is this very idea from whence my blog derives its name...), and I can look forward to a New heaven and a new earth in the future.
Even a futuristic view of the New heavens and new earth has two concepts. First, there is a view of holding a positive eschatology that reflects the belief that the outworking of the Gospel in our time will be to us what the outworking of the Gospel was to the apostles as reflected in the book of Acts. Whether the New heavens and new earth come about because our world is radically altered through the preaching of the Gospel, which results in a complete change in the world order as we know it, or whether it results from a literal fiery burning that occurs at the Second Advent, we still have it to look forward to nonetheless...as Peter also said.
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