It seems as if Peter is reacting to a charge made by the heretics. Since they denied the teaching regarding Christ’s second coming in judgment (2 Peter 3:1–4, see also 2 Peter 3:12), they probably cast doubt on the claims of the apostles that he would return.¹ Instead of submitting to the apostles, they argued that the doctrine of future judgment was a made-up story aimed at exercising moral control through fear.² Myths and stories were popular in the Greek-speaking world at the time when this letter was written. Most of the pagan religious beliefs at the time had various ideas about the gods and different tales of their origin and the creation of the world. In the New Testament, myths and stories are viewed negatively (1 Timothy 1:4; 1 Timothy 4:7; 2 Timothy 4:4; Titus 1:14) and contrasted with the truth of the gospel.³