p to God’s righteousness.
This verb occurs again in 3:14 in connection with people embracing the gospel so that they “make every effort to be found (heurethēnai) spotless, blameless and at peace with him” (see also 1 Peter 1:6-8). Having said this, however, I would hasten to emphasize that the language used by the author does not indicate a refining or purifying of “earth and the products/works in it,” but rather their destruction. As well, it is possible the “earth and the products/works in it” are to be viewed as God’s creation and thus owned by him. The writer reminds us that God in the past destroyed the world, i.e., his creation, by water. Now the writer affirms that it will happen again and God will use fire as the means. However, it seems that the destruction is much more complete, clearing the way for “new heaven and new earth” (3:13; see Revelation 21:1). So perhaps we should translate 3:10d in this way: “and earth and the products/works in it will be discovered, i.e., exposed by God in their true, sin-marred nature and so destined to be destroyed.”