The three epistles of First Peter, Second Peter and Jude deal with issues that confronted the early church; namely, persecution and deception from false teachers. Peter and Jude urged the church to pursue a life of holiness focused and directed to pleasing Jesus Christ. Such a life results in fruitfulness and usefulness in knowing God. Today, as we draw closer to Christ's return to earth, cultures are becoming increasingly lawless and are aggressively attacking Christian beliefs and mores. Persecution and suffering will become more and more an everyday part of believers' lives. As we await the second coming of Christ, the advice of Peter and Jude is exactly right for our culture, just as it was for their first readers. In the last days of this age, suffering may be required of God's people. If it comes to us, we are to endure it with God's grace. As our cultures descend into lawlessness, dark perversions and the loss of moral decency, believers are to grow in moral excellence, fruitfulness and usefulness to Jesus Christ. The return of Christ will begin a restoration of the heavens and the earth to remove any contamination of sin. It is our character and godly behavior that will preserve us in the midst of persecution and expand our effectiveness with Christ.