s243-101208 2p 2
Alêtheia Christian Fellowship ~ 101208 ~ 2 Peter 2
2 Peter 2:9-11 ~ 9then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, 10and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, 11whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord.
Examples demonstrating two facts: 1) God knows how to save people! 2) He also knows how to judge correctly.
Mercy & Judgment like peas & carrots
The single-chapter book of Jude closely parallels 2 Peter - in Jude 9, the archangel Michael and Lucifer fight each other and Michael did not dare pronounce against Lucifer a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
Michael is the/an ajrca>ggelov and he will not usurp God’s position!
Despising authority goes hand-in-hand with being arrogantly self-willed.
Presumptuous: Despise & denigrate all others – ridicule, find fault and diminish all other authority and power in order to build up themselves.
Everyone else is wrong… I am right. No one has authority except me and there is no glorious person but me (prophet/divine).
Flesh = pride = self-will = refusal to submit – the opposite of Jesus & identical to Satan.
2 Peter 2:12-13a ~ 12But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, 13asuffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong.
The word instinct refers to human understanding and wisdom un-illuminated by God’s divine Spirit.
► You think this steer can reason, but take away his mouth – and he is on his was to be slaughtered
Cannot discern between Truth & propaganda – an empty 55 gallon drum & noise.
They are cannon fodder – grist for the mill and t-bone steaks on the hoof.
2 Peter 2:13b-14 ~ 13bThey count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, 14having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children;
The unsaved, uninitiated get drunk at night – these people are worse because they get drunk in the light.
Instead of being embarrassed they revel – living extravagantly just like Jesus?
Jesus was the lamb without stain or blemish and we should be the same, but these stain & blemish the Body of Christ – soiling what should be pure.
Adultery is literally the eyes of an adulteress always on the prowl for someone to seduce.
Adultery is wrong old moicei>av, new moicali>dov,
Enticing is bait for a trap and unstable is the opposite of what Jesus commanded Peter – strengthen…
Accursed children is a Jewish idiom or Hebraism – nothing to do with children literally or as Christians, but son’s of perdition etc.
2 Peter 2:15-17 ~ 15forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet. 17These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved.
What happened to Balaam? He was killed by the sword.
A spring is a marvelous thing in the desert, but it is worse than nothing if there is no water – it is a mirage.
A storm cloud that does not provide rain is worse than a clear sky because it obscures the sun with no benefit.
Darkness begets darkness and lovers of dark will live there forever.
2 Peter 2:18-20 ~ 18For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
Puffed up, good sounding, authoritative words of no value.
There is no life in the words.
How do they lead people astray?
Fleshly desire – tell me what my itching ears want to hear – make me feel good about myself.
Cults will start by telling you that you are special
Who? those who barely escape from the ones who live in error.
We are all baited and to some degree we all take the bait, but there are degrees.
1) Mature Christians should see through the charade quickly
2) Immature Christians are temporarily led astray, but escape because God saves them.
3) Un-Christians embrace the lie.
The promise is a better life that the false teacher cannot deliver or posses.
Whatever controls you is your master and you are its slave!
Knowledge is ejpi>gnwsiv, so we can see this is not simple comprehension of some facts, but actual acquaintance with Jesus.
It is worse for a person to know and to turn away than to never have known.
We will be held accountable for the grace we have received.
False Experience
2 Peter 2:21&22 ~ 21For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. 22It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”
Lot’s wife
2 Peter 3:1&2 ~ 1This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.
The problem and now the solution – the Truth proclaimed by the N.T.
How can you know?
Fruit, but what is fruit?
Narrow Path