2 Peter

Tuesday, 28 January 2020

…and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 2 Peter 2:5

Peter now turns to a second example of God’s punishment upon the wicked, speaking of it as a completely separate event than that of the previous verse. In this, he says, “and did not spare the ancient world.” This is speaking of the world at the time from Adam to the Flood of Noah. At that time, the world was in a completely different state than it is in today. That ancient world, as is learned in Genesis 6, had become completely wicked. There was no longer a remedy for the masses, and so the Lord took action –

“Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ⁶ And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. ⁷ So the Lord said, ‘I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ ⁸ But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:5-8

As it says in Genesis, and as Peter confirms, “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord,” and so God “saved Noah, one of eight people.” The word “saved” is not a good translation. The word is phulassó, and it signifies to be kept or spared. Someone is saved out of a disaster. Noah was spared from a disaster, having been kept safe by the Lord before it occurred. He was told to build an ark, and when the ark was built, the Lord shut the door. Thus, he was “preserved,” or “spared.”

The eight were Noah and his wife, and his three sons and their wives. But the highlight is on Noah because he was “a preacher of righteousness.” The word used by Peter signifies a herald, which is exactly what a preacher should do. They are to call out as a town-crier words of righteousness.

The amazing thing to consider is that Noah was such a herald, calling out for righteousness, and yet nobody was taken aboard the ship with him. None were found faithful enough to simply admit his defilement and asked to be kept from the judgment which Noah surely proclaimed was coming. But the use of the number eight is a beacon of hope all by itself. In the Bible, the number is consistently used to signify “new beginnings.”

Through this single family, a new world would appear. However, in order for this to occur, there must be judgment upon those left behind. And so, Peter ends with the fact that though Noah was spared, God was also “bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly.” While Noah was spared, those who failed to heed were swept away. The entire earth, everything that had the breath of life, was brought to an end.

It must be considered here that the verse speaks of “the ancient world” as a separate event than the previous verse which spoke of the “angels who sinned.” The two are separate events. To tie them both together into one account in order to justify that Genesis 6 is speaking of angels sleeping with human women is untenable. The implication is that those angels fell before the establishment of the ancient world where man would dwell. And this is exactly what is seen in Genesis 3. The serpent, elsewhere noted as “Satan” and the “devil,” was already a fallen being. This verse in 2 Peter does not support the angel/human hybrid theory. Rather, it fully speaks against it.

Peter’s words of this verse are given to clearly show that God’s judgment can be expected. If He destroyed the entire world once, there is no reason at all to think that He will somehow tolerate our own unrighteous conduct, and rejection of the gospel which came at the high cost of Calvary’s cross.

Life application: As has been demonstrated several times in the New Testament – including by Jesus’ own words – the Flood of Noah is taken as a literal truth by Peter which we can rely on. It is not a myth which was invented to project a moral lesson. In fact, the entire flood account is considered trustworthy, not only that it occurred, but that there was a real ark, a real man named Noah, and seven people with him.

Nothing anywhere in Scripture or in the geologic record demonstrates that this was a myth. Rather, the evidence for a flood is found throughout the world –in the legends of every major people-group on earth, within the geologic record, within the mitochondrial DNA of humans, and even in the alphabet of the Chinese people – an alphabet which reaches back to antiquity, even to the time of Babel itself.

We have every reason to be sure that God’s judgment occurred exactly as Peter proclaims, and that his previous and coming analysis on the judgment of those who falsely portray the gospel will also be judged. Peter says that despite the righteous preaching of Noah, the people of the world rejected his words. Because of this, there was no remedy, and God destroyed the world of unrighteousness.

Likewise, man is again setting himself up for destruction. The world of today has a testimony far superior to that of Noah – the gift of God’s own Son. Despite this ultimate demonstration of love, the world is rejecting God’s offer and is ripe for His wrath.

O God, may our hearts break for the lost souls of the world. May Your glorious gospel go forth and snatch precious souls from the sure destruction to come. Use us, O God, use us as instruments of Your righteousness and for the sake of Your gospel of peace. May the nations be glad when they hear the good news of Jesus. Amen.

Sunday, 26 January 2020

By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. 2 Peter 2:3

Peter now continues with his words concerning the false teachers he introduced in verse 2:1. He says of them that “By covetousness they will exploit you.” The Greek word en, or “in,” is used – “In covetousness.” It is the realm in which they live, move, and operate. In that life sphere, they take advantage of, and exploit, others.

Here, he uses a word – translated as “exploit” – which was only used elsewhere in James 4:13, emporeuomai. One can see the basis of the word “emporium” in it. It means to make gain or engage in trade. These false teachers “engage in the trade” of leading others astray. As an emporium has many articles for sale, the appeal is to the masses. The more deceived followers, the happier these people are.

Nothing is said of the type of covetousness here because each may have his own perverse failing which controls his existence. For some it may be money, for others it may be the wielding of power, for others it may be sexual perversion. Whatever it is that they covet, they know that religion is a way of obtaining the fulfillment of their sick desires, and so they exploit others “with deceptive words.”

Now Peter uses a word which is only found here in Scripture, plastos. Here, we can easily see the basis for the word “plastic.” It signifies to mold by using clay or wax. Thus, one forges something which is artificial, contrived, and unrealistic. These false teachers take something which is obviously intended to be presented in one way, and they reform it into something entirely contrary to what it was intended to be.

Generally, there are up to four ways of viewing an Old Testament passage – literal, moral, historical, and prophetic. Each of these may be valid in some measure. For example, the Ark of the Covenant was literally made. It was actually fashioned in the manner given and with the materials provided.

But the Ark also bears a moral lesson for the people. The tablets were placed inside, signifying that though the law was given to the people, it was not actually obtainable to them. Atop the ark was the mercy seat where blood was applied each year on the Day of Atonement. That showed that man required a sacrifice for his transgressions under the law. And so on.

The Ark also carried meaning historically. It was given to Israel only. It was given for the duration of the time of the law, meaning the Mosaic Covenant. Etc.

And the Ark had prophetic significance. Each aspect of it looked to Christ. The type of wood looked to Christ’s human nature – morally incorruptible. The pure gold looked to His deity. The tablets of law, placed inside of it, looked to Him as the embodiment of the law. And so on.

In analyzing Scripture, such things must be reasonable, they must match the rest of Scripture in purpose and intent, and they must be consistent. However, someone may take this pattern and reshape it into something entirely unintended. In doing so, the true meaning of these things is lost, and people are pulled into strange and aberrant doctrines.

For example, some have said that the shape and materials of the ark actually form a transmitter which would be so powerful, it could be used to talk directly to aliens or God. Such nonsense has nothing to do with what is conveyed by God. It is a bucket full of lies, and yet, it is believed by people who want to hear such things. They look to have their ears tickled, and they have no desire to know the truth. For every such sucker, there is someone to lead him along on the road to destruction.

Of such people, Peter says that “for a long time their judgment has not been idle.” The KJV says, “a long time lingereth not,” as if this is speaking of the duration of time in the past, and that the time of waiting is soon to come. Rather, the Greek reads, “from of old their judgment has not been idle.”

The duration of time past is not what is being relayed, but that the coming judgment has been ordained all along. And the amount of future time is not what is being considered as much as what occurs during the time. There is nothing idle in the process. Their judgment is being worked out the whole time that their actions are also being worked out.

While these false teachers are working out evil in their sphere of covetousness, their judgment – or sentence – is also being actively worked out. Nothing of what is due them is missed, and what will come upon them will be appropriate to their level of wicked work. One can look back at the wickedness of man – in Genesis 6, or that of Sodom and Gomorrah – and see that, from of old, such things were not tolerated, and they are not tolerated still. Peter then further says that “their destruction does not slumber.”

There is no time that the destruction which is called for in such cases simply takes a nap. Rather, it is always ready to be poured out on such people. And when it comes, it is because God has determined that it is time for it to be so. The idea is that people see other false teachers profiting off their flocks. They then begin to think, “God doesn’t care. I will take advantage of the situation too.” But at some point, God will judge such things, and their destruction is sure. It will be total in its effects, and it will be final – just as it was at the Flood of Noah, and just as it was for Sodom and Gomorrah.

Life application: The false teachers that Peter has been speaking of have fallen into the same trap of the world as any common criminal – covetousness. Their eyes are full of greed and lust as they look at the pleasures of the world around them and betray the truth of the Bible for dishonest gain. This is accomplished by exploiting their followers with deceptive words where the truth of the Bible is twisted and manipulated for the sake of money.

A perfect place to go in order to witness firsthand such twisted teaching is televangelism. A large portion of these people simply look at the Bible as a tool to get rich. They take something good, turn it to financial gain, and make it appear as if what they are doing is the standard.

This is what happens, for example, on Wall Street. It is also what happens in the ministries of false teachers. People mix what is right with that which is inappropriate. Anytime (anytime!) a pastor, evangelist, preacher, priest, or teacher promises you a financial (or otherworldly) blessing for sending his (or her) ministry money, you should run, not walk, from them. There are no “financial breakthroughs,” “financial harvests,” “miracle healings,” etc. to be found by following this avenue. There is only an exchange of money from your pocket to theirs.

Peter has strong words of condemnation for those who would twist Scripture for gain. These people, seemingly pious and sincere, will receive enormously large and lengthy doses of God’s wrath for perverting what He has given to man in love – His Son.

Jesus hung on a cross to free men’s souls, not to enrich the people of His flock. We shouldn’t kiss the ring of the notable, we shouldn’t look forward to profit by our gifts to them, and we shouldn’t expect a miracle for our faith. Rather, we look to the Lord with gratitude and thanksgiving for having saved us from what we rightfully deserve – judgment and condemnation. Thank You Lord for having mercy on us!

Lord, You have given us more than we could ever imagine – forgiveness and redemption. This came at the highest cost of all, the cross of Jesus our Lord. May we never expect more, and may our souls be satisfied in You alone. Keep us from those who would lead us into covetousness, and keep our hearts, minds, souls, and thoughts on Jesus alone. Amen.

Saturday, 25 January 2020

And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 2 Peter 2:2

There is a dispute between manuscripts in this verse. Some say the plural of the same word used in verse 2:1 (destructive). Others use a different word signifying licentiousness. Either way, the intent is that the false teachers will lead those they teach astray, the number being “many.”

This has been true throughout the church age. False teachers leading aberrant sects and cults have taken many down unsound paths of unrighteousness, sexual sin, perversion, bad doctrine, and on and on. This isn’t just limited to those who branch off from the mainstream church, but it is also found in a great way among the church itself. Within large mainstream denominations, there is an underlying culture of sexual sin and the covering up of it when it catches public attention.

At times, however, what is shameful becomes an open part of the ways of such people, such as Joseph Smith of the Mormons. Today, that has become a reality in many “mainstream” denominations where such destructive and licentious ways are openly acknowledged and applauded. Several branches of the Presbyterians, the Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church, the Methodists, and many more all applaud sexual perversion, abortion, and other unholy lifestyle choices. In fact, it seems that it has almost become a requirement for the selection and ordination of candidates to hold completely unholy values.

Even the most conservative denominations in the church today are showing signs of cracking and giving way to such avenues. The magnitude of the term “many will follow” probably could not have even been imagined by Peter as he sat and wrote out the words of his epistle. It is because of following such people, and their perverse agendas, that many will be led astray, Peter notes concerning them that “the way of truth will be blasphemed.”

There are at least two ways that this is true. The first is that people would actually believe that this is what the gospel teaches. It is taking something pure and glorious, and turning it into something vile, perverse, and unholy. The second is that people would then accuse the gospel of actually being responsible for what the people did. The first thought leads directly to the next. When it is believed that the gospel is the source of such unholy conduct, then it is also such a distortion of the gospel that will lead people to follow that same path of unholiness.

Consider, for example, that homosexuals are gladly ordained as pastors and priests in such denominations. Then they are eventually elevated to the positions of bishop, it is no wonder that the outside world sees this conduct, believes that it is something acceptable within Christianity, and turns from any desire to participate in the faith at all. The greatest heathen in society is often on a better moral standing than the highest officials within the church. When this is so, woe to those who lead and participate in such halls of unrighteousness.

Life application: Such people are set on their own appetites and how they can manipulate others for their own benefit and glory. Unfortunately, in order to be a false teacher with followers, there must be those who follow.

History is replete with such groups and sects. In the 1800s, there was a huge turning away from the truth, and many heretics flourished in the freedom provided by the US Constitution. The Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and some Adventist groups grew rapidly in numbers. All of this occurred because people followed a charismatic leader rather than paying heed to the Bible – which admonishes us to follow the Lord, to think on the Lord, and to fix our eyes on the Lord.

Cults continue to spring up in our times, but something much less obvious has arisen in the 20^th and early 21^st century. Heretics have infiltrated mainstream denominations – both in the seminaries and in the pulpits. Bad doctrine abounds, and there has been a grand shift from reliance on the word of God to the traditions and teachings of these heretical leaders.

What the Bible clearly forbids is heralded as “tolerant,” and they say God is “doing a new thing.” But God is unchanging, and His standards never fluctuate. Sadly, the congregants who sit in these denominations are accountable for their failure to investigate what they are taught, but the majority will fail to do so. As you attend church, please compare what is taught with what the Bible says. If the two contradict each other, the problem rests with the church or the pastor, not with God and His loving intent for you. The problem might also rest with you if you do not leave the congregation.

What He speaks is for the good of His creatures; the Bible is for our well-being and to dismiss it will only bring sadness. Be filled with the joy of the Lord; read, learn, and love His word – the Holy Bible.

Heavenly Father, You are a great and loving God. We know that Your word is meant to lead us down paths of righteousness and safety, and we divert from it at our own peril. Please continue to give us the desire, time, and ability to study and discern Your word and intent for us. All glory to You. Amen.

Friday, 24 January 2020

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 Peter 2:1

Peter now makes a contrast to the holy men of God who were moved by the Holy Spirit mentioned in the previous verse. Unlike them, he now notes, “But there were also false prophets among the people.” Here, he uses the word ginomai. It signifies becoming or coming into being, and so it is more properly translated as, “But there arose false prophets among the people.”

These people grew out of the same congregation, but they did so without any sanction by the Lord. The true prophet of God was called by God. For example, Amos was a sheep breeder in the land of Judah, but the Lord called him to prophesy to the people of Israel.

The calling of a prophet is recorded at various times in the Old Testament, establishing the truth of his prophetic office. However, there are times where false prophets are clearly identified, some by name, others simply by the message they conveyed. The book of Jeremiah extensively deals with both false prophets and the false messages they would proclaim. Peter then notes that nothing will be different in the church. As he says, “even as there will be false teachers among you.”

Peter says this in the future tense, but he is certainly not excluding the fact that there could be false teachers among them even at that time. He is taking the long view of the matter and showing that false prophets will be as common in the church as they were among Israel. Jude, a contemporary of Peter, noted that such people had, in fact, crept into the church (Jude 1:4).

Peter then notes that such people would not normally do this openly. Rather, he says they “will secretly bring in destructive heresies.” The word he uses is found only here in the Bible. It signifies “close beside.” Therefore, these people will slide into their positions as if they are sound and proper. They will seem to be true followers of the Lord, but what they will then introduce will be heresies which only lead to ruin and destruction.

An example of this is the doctrine of “dual covenantalism.” It teaches that Jews are saved by adherence to the Old Covenant, while Christians are saved through the new. John Hagee teaches this, and it is actually the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church and others. This is a destructive heresy because, instead of bringing salvation to the Jews he speaks to, the aberrant teaching is only leading theses Jews to condemnation and hell. No person – Jew or Gentile – can be saved through adherence to the Mosaic Covenant.

However, there are many other heresies out there. The list seems to get longer by the day as people dream up new and aberrant doctrines. Some are so flagrant that they even deny “the Lord who bought them.” The word Peter uses for “Lord” is not the one most commonly seen. It is one which signifies a master who possesses unrestricted power and absolute rule and domination.

The startling aspect to Peter’s words is that he did, in fact, deny the Lord. It is something that everyone knew about, and that everyone continues to know. Peter’s desire is that people watch, pay heed, and turn from any such action – even if it is from the most trusted of sources. No matter who it is, if they begin to deny the Lord, the people around him are to also turn from him. Such a denial will inevitably lead to disaster. As Peter says of them, they will “bring on themselves swift destruction.”

The verb is in the same tense as “denying,” and it should be rendered “bringing.” As Charles Ellicott says of this – “The two participles, ‘denying’ and ‘bringing,’ without any conjunction to connect them, are awkward, and show that the writer’s strong feeling is already beginning to ruffle the smoothness of his language.”

Peter is thoroughly frustrated at the thought of what he knew was coming. Having denied the Lord, he knew how easy it would be for others to do so. What is unclear is whether these are saved people, or if the words, “the Lord who bought them,” are speaking in a general sense, meaning that Christ’s atonement was sufficient for their purchase. Either way, they have departed from the truth.

If they were saved, that will not be lost, but the problem with teaching such heresies is not that it will affect the teacher’s salvation, but rather it will keep those who hear the false message from being saved. However, if they were not saved, and the idea of being bought by the Lord is one which is potential, but not actual, they will receive their just due for the denial of the Lord. Finally, the destruction that Peter speaks about is not one of occurring swiftly in time, but swiftly in the event. Whenever the Lord’s judgment comes, it will be swift, complete, and permanent.

Life application: The Bible is the only witness to the work of Jesus. It tells of His work from before time all the way through to eternity future. We cannot have a reliable view of Jesus without the Bible, and the Bible provides everything we need to have a complete and untarnished view of Him. In turn, Jesus reveals the unseen God.

Therefore, we cannot have a competent view of God without a proper view of Jesus. These truths are inseparable. Therefore, to dismiss even a single verse of the Bible tarnishes our view of God.

For example, we cannot hold onto God’s love without also proclaiming his wrath. Heresies are any teaching which will keep another from salvation through Christ. This is in contrast to bad doctrine which is something that doesn’t necessarily keep another from salvation, but it certainly leads them to misunderstandings of proper life in Christ.

Heretical teachers, though profiting in this world, will receive swift destruction when they face God. Unfortunately, those who follow heretics will be swept away with them. This is why knowing and properly handling your Bible is of eternal value. God doesn’t force Himself upon mankind. Rather, He expects us to reasonably and intelligently pursue Him and His expectations for us.

O God, how can we know if what we hear is true? By standing firm on Your word! Keep us filled with the strong and lasting desire to read, study, and remember what the Bible proclaims. For by it, we have an understanding of Jesus. And through Him, we have an understanding of You. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Bible. Amen.