The Truth of the Scriptures

Peter said, "Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle" (2 Peter 3:1a). "Beloved" (v. 1a) shows Peter's pastoral heart, along with his genuine concern for his fellow believers. He wrote other letters, at least the two, to the same believers. Taken at face value, this likely refers to First Peter. It is possible that Peter wrote more than two letters, so this could refer to one we don't have, rather than to First Peter, but most commentators believe that the two letters mentioned are First and Second Peter. And that is where I stand.

In parenthetical form, Peter reviews the purpose of His two letters: "(in both… I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder)" (v. 1b). In both letters, Peter reminds us of certain basic doctrinal or spiritual truths. To "stir up" (v. 1b), indicates his intention to wake us up—to move us out of any complacency we may have and make us aware of the spiritual urgency of these truths. "Pure minds" (v. 1b), refers to the purified minds the Holy Spirit gave us at salvation; a mind uncontaminated by the sinful influences of the world. We have been cleansed by the blood of Christ. These reminders are meant "to stimulate you to wholesome thinking" (v. 1b, NIV).

Peter first speaks of the Old Testament prophets: "that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets" (v. 2a). This is clearly a reference to the prophets of the Old Testament speaking the Word of God. Peter tells us to "be mindful of the words which were spoken" (v. 2a) in the Old Testament. It too is God's Word, just as the New Testament is God's Word. Read the whole Bible and live by the whole counsel of God!

Throughout the Old Testament, the prophets speak often of the Day of the Lord and the final judgment of God. Isaiah said, "For behold, the LORD will come with fire and with His chariots, like a whirlwind, to render His anger with fury, and His rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by His sword the LORD will judge all flesh; and the slain of the LORD shall be many" (Isa. 66:15-16).

And again, Malachi said, "'For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,' says the LORD of hosts, 'that will leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves. You shall trample the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this,' says the LORD of hosts" (Malachi 4:1-3).

From Isaiah to Malachi—the first of the books of prophecy to the last—the Day of God's wrath, the Day of God's judgment, a day often referred to as "the Day of the LORD," is prophesied often and with great detail. The phrase, "the words which were spoken before" (2 Peter 3:2a), refer not only to Old Testament prophecy, but they refer especially to the prophecies of "the Day of the Lord," in this context.

Peter then speaks of the New Testament apostles, saying, "and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior" (v. 2b). This is better rendered, "and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles" (NASB). They refer to the Second Coming of Christ some three hundred times in the New Testament. It is a doctrine, a truth, that cannot be ignored. It is one of the core doctrines of the faith.

John described Christ's return like this: "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (Rev. 19:11-16).

Throughout the New Testament, as with the Old Testament prophets, the Return of Christ is spoken of repeatedly. The writers of Scripture make it abundantly clear that Jesus is coming again! You can take it to the bank and count on it. Peter encourages us in our walk with Christ by affirming the truth of the Scriptures. Trust the Word. Live for Christ with one eye on the sky, eagerly watching and waiting for the return of Jesus! Amen.

Maranatha! Lord, Come Quickly!

Nathan Busenitz, in his book Living a Life of Hope, said, "The hope of Christ's coming was of paramount importance for the early church. In fact, its certainty was so real that first-century believers would greet one another with the term "Maranatha," meaning "Lord, come quickly." Instead of being frightened by the possibility, they clung to it as the culmination of everything they believed. Not surprisingly, the New Testament reflects this intense anticipation by referencing Jesus' return, whether directly or indirectly, in every New Testament book except Philemon and 3 John. (Nathan Busenitz, Living a Life of Hope [Barbour Books: Ulrichsville, Ohio, 2003], 122)

Is it any wonder that the early church found great comfort in the Second Coming of Christ? The recipients of Peter's second letter had been run out of Rome under severe persecution from outside the church. Now they were facing problems with false teachers inside the church. Oh, how they longed for the return of the Savior! He would make everything right!

The truth is, Jesus is coming again! He has promised! "For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works" (Matt. 16:27). "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels" (Luke 9:26).

No one knows the day or hour, but Jesus will return! He has promised! "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming" (Matt. 26:36-42).

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus promises to return and gather His people to Himself to spend eternity with Him, but does not give a specific day or time. He intends this promise to give us hope, but makes it clear that it should also cause us to live our lives in such a way that shows we are ready to meet the Lord.

Watch therefore, and be alert! Keep one eye looking straight ahead, making sure you stay on the straight and narrow path, but keep the other eye toward the sky, watching and waiting with great expectation for the Lord's return in glory.

Jesus said, "It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning—lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping" (Mark 13:34-36).

He also said, "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:34-36).

"For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord" (1 Thess. 4:15-17).

We do not know when He is coming: "For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape" (1 Thess. 5:2-3).

But we do know that He is coming! "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work" (Rev. 22:12). "He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming quickly'" (Rev. 22:20a). To which John adds his exclamation point: "Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev. 22:20b).

Billy Graham summarized it well: "The end will come with the return of Jesus Christ... That is why a Christian can be an optimist. That is why a Christian can smile in the midst of all that is happening... We know what the end will be: the triumph of the Lord Jesus Christ!" (Franklin Graham, Billy Graham in Quotes, [Thomas Nelson: Nashville, 2011], 119)

The truth of this promise that Jesus is coming again, is the centerpiece of the Christian's blessed hope and great expectation. When we live with one eye on the sky, in anticipation of the promised return of Christ, we live with a certain spiritual zeal and enthusiasm for Christ. John calls it a purifying hope: "And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure" (1 John 3:3).

But, when believers forget about this promise, or no longer believe in the Second Coming at all, and instead, begin focusing on the things of this world, rather than the things of Christ, they soon grow apathetic toward Christ and lose interest in the things of God. Satan knows this quite well. That is why the false teachers work so hard at getting the church to downplay the importance of the return of Christ, or even to deny its truth altogether. When that happens, Christians lose a significant source of hope and motivation in living for Christ.

The return of Christ is yet another core doctrine of the church that is under attack. The Book of Second Peter fights back by encouraging us in our walk with Jesus Christ. Keep one eye on that straight and narrow path. Keep the other eye on the sky, in great anticipation of that glorious day when Jesus comes back again. Amen.

Spiritually Barren

Can a true believer lose his salvation? Or, once you truly believe in Jesus are you secure for all eternity? Second Peter 2:20-22 engages us in a conversation that lends itself to look at the various critical Scriptures concerning this great question. This passage lends itself to the following argument for the doctrine of eternal security or perseverence of the saints.

"For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning" (v. 20). False teachers are likely to go back to their old sinful and worldly ways, despite having "escaped the pollutions of the world" (v. 20a) through "knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (v. 20a). So, can Christians lose their salvation? Is that what this means? Some seem to think so, based on this and similar passages (e.g. Heb. 6:4-6; 10:26).

But the only thing this verse says is that false teachers, who escaped from worldliness and sin through knowing Christ and then turned away from the Christian faith, are worse off than they were before knowing Christ. There is no biblical terminology that affirms that they were Christians. The text does not call them "sons of God" or "children of God." It does not say they were "born again" or that they were "redeemed." The New Testament clearly distinguishes between those who are "in the church" and those who are "born again." First John 2:19 says, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us." These false teachers were "in the church," but not "of the church." They were "not of us" (1 John 2:19), because they did not know Christ as Savior. They were not born again!

They were outwardly religious and professed faith in Christ, even convincing many people that they knew far more about Christ than they did. That is how they infiltrate the church. But as the text says, they only have "the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 2:20a). In the Greek, "knowledge" refers to an accurate awareness about Christ, but not to a saving knowledge of Christ. Their escaping the ways of the world (v. 20a) is nothing more than temporary and superficial moral reform through religion. It is only nominal Christianity, without genuine faith and repentance.

Peter says, being "again entangled in…and overcome" by their former paganism and sin (v. 20b), "they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning" (v. 20b, NIV). Why? Because they are lost, despite an accurate awareness of Christ! To understand fully the truth of Christ and still reject Him is like saying, "final answer!" They are forever lost and their judgment will be severe.

"For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them" (v. 21). This verse speaks of the seriousness of apostasy, or falling away from the truth of Christ. The "holy commandment delivered to them" (v. 21b) refers to the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ, or to the Christian faith in its entirety, passed on to the saints. “The way of righteousness” (v. 21a) also refers to the whole of Christianity. They reject the entire faith of Christianity. Their professions of faith are spiritually barren!

Ultimately, they reject Christ and the truth of salvation. Their rejection of the only true way of salvation leaves them without any hope of eternal life. The writer of Hebrews gives a similar warning against apostasy: "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame" (Heb. 6:4-6).

In Hebrews 10:26-31, the writer expounds further on that same truth: "For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. And again, 'The LORD will judge His people.' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Both passages in Hebrews speak of being fully informed of the gospel of Christ and having a full and complete understanding of the truth, yet rejecting Christ. Neither passage uses biblical terms of salvation. Both use terminology indicating head knowledge alone, without heart knowledge. These apostate teachers hear the gospel and fully understand the gospel, but ultimately, their final answer is: "No!" They reject Christ. Their professions are spiritually barren. As it says in Hebrews 10:31, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Peter concludes in 2 Peter 2:22: "But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: 'A dog returns to his own vomit,' and, 'a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.'" A right pretty picture! I jest, of course. Two proverbs: The first is biblical; "As a dog returns to his own vomit, so a fool repeats his folly" (Proverbs 26:11); the second is not, but probably borrowed from an ancient secular saying. Both dogs and pigs were vile animals, according to the Jews. The thought here is that false teachers are unclean and their professions of faith are spiritually barren, so ultimately, they return to the sinful and worldly ways from which they came.

Jesus used the words "dogs" and "pigs" when speaking of those who opposed God and his Word. One such occasion was in Matthew 7:6—"Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." It has been observed that the nature of the "unclean" animals does not change. So, the "dog" that "returns to his own vomit" or the sow "having washed" (or literally, "washed itself") refers to the person who has a religious profession of faith of some sort, an outward change, yet without regeneration that brings an inner change affecting his entire nature—in other words, professions of faith that are barren! Such people soon revert to their true nature—their old sinful self.

John MacArthur gave us a pointed description of these false teachers: "Apostate teachers, as Peter describes them, actually develop from within the church where, partially exhumed from the muck of society's wickedness, they hear the truth but ultimately reject it. Like Judas Iscariot, they breed in close proximity to Jesus Christ and His Word—cloaking themselves in the feigned righteousness of hypocrisy. Ultimately, they use the church solely for their own selfish purposes, like spiritual parasites, seductively seeking to drag as many as possible down with them, to the fiendish satisfaction of the hosts of Satan." (MacArthur New Testament Commentary: 2 Peter & Jude, [Moody Publishers: Chicago, 2005], 107)

Sadly, many churches today contain people like the ones described by Peter in this passage. They have sought personal improvement or moral reform in their search for spiritual or religious experience, yet without saving faith in Jesus Christ. Some have even become leaders in the church. However, their prophecies are spiritually bankrupt; what they teach is spiritually bankrupt, because they do not know Jesus as Lord and Savior. Ultimately, they will reject Christ and return to their old life of sin.

But it doesn't have to be that way for you. Remember, it is a slow fade. You begin to miss your daily Bible reading and you begin to miss church. You wander into a "spiritual desert," so to speak. It seems like Jesus is far away. I understand. Backsliding is a subtle process, a gradual one that can happen without notice. If this is you and you are struggling right now, take your que from Peter.

Peter had first-hand knowledge of the process of backsliding which can lead to denial; he experienced it the night Christ was betrayed. Three times Peter denied he knew Jesus (Luke 22:54-61). In the end his heart was sorrowful, however, and he "wept bitterly" (v. 62). Later, after the resurrection, Peter met Jesus on the seashore and three times Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love Me?" Three times Peter responded, "Yes." And three times Jesus said to Peter, "Feed My sheep," or something similar (John 21:15-17).

Did you follow the progression? Peter was sorrowful; he had a contrite heart. He sought out Jesus, or Jesus found him, and he confessed all to Jesus; confessing again his love for Jesus. Then he was both forgiven and restored to fellowship with Jesus. He was even given a commission to serve Jesus in ministry.

Follow Peter's lead. Repent and turn to Jesus. Walk out of that spiritual desert and come to Jesus today. Confess everything to Him and confess anew your love for Jesus. Let him forgive you and restore your fellowship with Him. The altar is open. Come; come to Jesus and renew your walk with Him. Amen.

Spiritually Bankrupt

Second Peter chapter 2, is a powerful piece of writing that gains momentum as it builds toward the end. Peter here describes the false teachers as "wells without water" (v. 17a). Christ provides "a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:13-14), and out of all who believe in Him flow "streams of living water" (John 7:37-38). But the false teachers give nothing, because they have nothing to give. They preach their own visions of what they think people want to hear and believe. They tickle ears, but ignore the truth of God's holiness, man's sinfulness, the lost condition that results, and the salvation message of Jesus Christ.

They are "clouds carried by a tempest" (2 Peter 2:17b), or "mists driven by a storm" (NIV), a metaphor indicating their instability. In both examples Peter refers to water, the most essential commodity in the arid Middle East. Like a mirage in the desert sand, the false teachers make promises but don't deliver. Mediterranean breezes bring mist and fog that seem to indicate rain. But the moisture often stays only briefly and produces no rainfall. The land is left dry and parched, and the people disappointed. Like the mist from those sea breezes, the false teachers have no substance and provide no life-changing truth. Their prophecies are spiritually bankrupt!

The false teachers are empty vessels. They have no understanding of the truths of Scripture because they do not know Christ. The Spirit is not inside them to teach them the Scriptures. Because they are empty, they have nothing to give. They and their prophecies are spiritually bankrupt. That's why they make up their own doctrines hoping to lure new believers into their web. Their false doctrine sounds good and tickles the ears with what they think people want to hear, but it is false.

Only judgment awaits the false teachers. Peter says, "for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever" (v. 17c), an obvious reference to hell. In secular Greek, the word translated, "blackest darkness," is used especially of "the darkness of the nether regions" (The Expositor's Bible Commentary: Volume 12, Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981, 281).

"For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error" (v. 18). To "speak great swelling words of emptiness" (v. 18a), or "speaking out arrogant words of vanity" (NASB), or to "mouth empty, boastful words" (NIV), literally refers to words that are "swollen" or "of excessive size" (Ibid). The false teachers embellish their teachings to make them sound good. They make sure their false teachings sound biblical, though they are not. That is how they accomplish their great deception.

They entice new converts through words that sound good to someone new to the faith and not yet grounded in the Word. They also "allure" them "through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness" (v. 18b). They "entice" those who will listen "by fleshly desires, by sensuality" (NASB). They draw people in "by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature" (NIV). They try to give you the best of both worlds—to be in the church, while still being of the world.

Their main targets are "the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error" (v. 18c), or more accurately, "those who barely escape from the ones who live in error" (NASB), or "people who are just escaping from those who live in error" (NIV). They are people seeking to escape their former pagan ways and trying to better themselves. They are coming to church, seeking the truth, but are not yet saved. These are the top targets of the false teachers. Being not yet saved makes them a good target for false teaching that sounds good, but is not.

Their teaching or doctrine, these words that sound good, that sound biblical but are not, are nothing more than empty and meaningless babbling. Their words are "arrogant words of vanity" (v. 18a, NASB). In Greek, "vanity" literally means "nothing" or "nothingness," "useless" or "without purpose." It is also the idea of being completely godless. So, to be enticed to follow false teaching is to end up completely godless, spiritually bankrupt!

"While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage" (v. 19). To lure these people into their web, false teachers "promise them liberty" (v. 19a). They make promises of freedom, perhaps from any law or restraint of the flesh. They promise spiritual victory, while "they themselves are slaves of corruption" (v. 19a). They make empty guarantees of peace, liberty, purpose, and prosperity. Yet, the false teachers themselves do not possess those blessings. Their prophecies are spiritually bankrupt!

The very ones who speak of freedom, purpose, and victory, are themselves "slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him" (v. 19b, NIV). They speak of freedom, yet they remain in bondage to sin, "for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage" (v. 19b, NKJV). The false teachers speak of victory, yet they remain enslaved to their former worldliness, "for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved" (v. 19b, NASB). They are spiritually bankrupt!

Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin" (John 8:34). And Paul said, "Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?" (Rom. 6:16). False teachers are so thoroughly dominated and controlled by their sin, that their teaching is void of any divine power. When you try to live in both worlds—in the church, while still of the world—your life will be void of any divine power—spiritually bankrupt!

Although the false teachers offer freedom, they are slaves to sin and unable to give true spiritual freedom to anyone, because they reject Jesus Christ—the only One who can truly liberate the soul. So, though the false teachers talk of religion and freedom, they do not know the Son, they do not know Jesus; for as Jesus said, "If the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed" (John 8:36). Amen.

It's a Slow Fade

In 2007, contemporary Christian recording Artist Casting Crowns released their album, The Altar and the Door. On that album was their hit single, Slow Fade. Pay close attention to the lyrics:

                Be careful little eyes what you see

It's the second glance that ties your hands

                As darkness pulls the strings

Be careful little feet where you go

                For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away

It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray

Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid

When you give yourself away

People never crumble in a day

                        It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

                Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises leave broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
                        It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away

  People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
                (Songwriter: John Mark Hall, Slow Fade lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC)

Second Peter 2:17-22, while still dealing with false teachers and their false teaching, zeroes in on an issue we see so often in churches everywhere—backsliding, and even going so far as to turn away from the Faith completely.

Remember the lyrics of the song I read a moment ago by the contemporary Christian recording artist Casting Crowns? That first verse:

Be careful little eyes what you see

It's the second glance that ties your hands

                 As darkness pulls the strings

Be careful little feet where you go

For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's that second glance that does us in. It's forgetting that others look to us as examples, so if we stray, if we backslide and fall away, who might follow? We need to really seek after God's face. We need to really seek the Lord daily to avoid that slow fade.

Remember the second verse?

Be careful little ears what you hear

When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near

Be careful little lips what you say

For empty words and promises leave broken hearts astray

When you listen to false teachers, you listen to their flattery and lies that sound good, you begin to compromise with the world and turn away from the absolute truths of God's Word to the deceptions and outright lies of those who are politically correct. Remember, false teachers are "springs without water" (v. 17). They are dried up! And their "empty words and promises leave broken hearts astray."

And don't forget the chorus:

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away

It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray

Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid

When you give yourself away

People never crumble in a day

It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Falling away isn't quick. It doesn't happen in a day. It is gradual. It takes place over time; sometimes over a long period of time. The process is slow. At first you skip your daily Bible reading or your devotional and prayer time. Just once. Then again. Then more often. Then altogether!

You miss church. Just once. Was too busy that day, but just that one time. Then again. Then more often. Two weeks in a row. Then three. Then four. Eventually, you miss all the time; rarely attending church anymore. It seems there is always something better to do.

And the warning of that third and final verse:

The journey from your mind to your hands

Is shorter than you're thinking

Be careful if you think you stand

You just might be sinking

The journey from your mind to your hands, the journey from regular church attendance to little or none, the journey from spending time in the Word daily and walking close with Jesus to spending little or no time in the Word and being out of fellowship with Jesus, is much shorter than you think. Be careful if you think, "I'm alright." You just might be sinking. You just might be on that slippery slope. You just might be starting that slow fade.

It's a slow fade. A slow slippery slope we slide down. Gradual at first. But then we gain speed, and soon we find ourselves in a place where we don't want to be—in a situation where we are compromising with the worldly standards around us and no longer walking with the Lord Jesus. And we have all sorts of problems that weren't there when we were more faithful to God.

What happened? How do I get back on track with the Lord? In 2 Peter 2:17-22, Peter deals with these questions and more! So stay tuned! Over the next couple of weeks, we will consider how Peter warns us about the dangers of false doctrine and how he encourages us to be in the Word daily and remain true to Jesus. Amen.

Serving Wealth, Not God

What is the way of Balaam? Balaam was a prophet for hire, who served wealth over God. His story is found in Numbers 22:5-24:25. He sold his words of prophecy for profit! He was more concerned with receiving pay for his prophetic services than he was about serving God. Like Balaam, false teachers are completely devoted to serving wealth, while pretending to be serving God. "They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness" (2 Peter 2:15).

Balaam also taught immorality—right up the false teachers' alley: "Look, these women caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the LORD in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD" (Num. 31:16).

In the letters to the churches in Revelation, to the church in Pergamos, John wrote, "But I have a few things against you, because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality" (Rev. 2:14). The false teachers had left the biblical way and entered Balaam's error—mercenary greed and sexual impurity. That is the fruit by which they are known.

On Paul's first missionary journey, he and Barnabas were preaching on the island of Cyprus. Let's pick up the story in Acts 13:6. "Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus, who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, 'O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.' And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord" (vs. 6-12).

The way of the false prophets, the false teachers, of all who teach false doctrine to lead people away from God, will not stand. Judgment will fall, if not in the short term, as with Elymas the false prophet and sorcerer, then certainly in the long term with eternal damnation in hellfire and brimstone. But false teachers will meet their doom. So, flee from them. Avoid them. Do not associate with them at all!

Why might God use a donkey to rebuke a prophet? Think about that for a moment. Who says God has no sense of humor? He used a donkey, a beast of burden who cannot speak, to speak like a man, to rebuke a prophet! "He was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet" (2 Peter 2:16).

The story is found in Numbers 22:22-35. "Then God's anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the LORD took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. Now the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road. Then the Angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she pushed herself against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall; so he struck her again. Then the Angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And when the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam's anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

"Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, 'What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?'

"And Balaam said to the donkey, 'Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!'

"So the donkey said to Balaam, 'Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?'

"And he said, 'No.'

"Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face. And the Angel of the LORD said to him, 'Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.'

"And Balaam said to the Angel of the LORD, 'I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.'

"Then the Angel of the LORD said to Balaam, 'Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.' So Balaam went with the princes of Balak."

As Balaam went to curse the children of Israel for money (if he could) "he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—a beast without speech" (2 Peter 2:16a, NIV). The rebuke is twofold: first by the donkey, then by the Angel of the LORD. Ironically, the dumb animal had more "spiritual" perception than the prophet! "A dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet" (v. 16b, NKJV).

In 1773, William Cowper wrote his famous hymn, which begins, "God moves in a mysterious way His wonders to perform." Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "'For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the LORD. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.'"

Let the Lord do His mysterious work in you. Study the Word. Know it. Live by it. "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). Amen.

Wickedness Evident in Deception

Traveled to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota this past week for Barbara's routine checkup. Nothing but good news! All tests looked good. No change in the nodules in her lungs. No signs of any cancer. The ever-stoic Doctor Gores, head of her transplant team, said with a big grin that he was "ecstatic!" She is getting stronger and doing better every day. Amen. Now to today's Bible Insight, as we continue to look at Second Peter.

Once established in the church, false teachers are ruthless and they openly flaunt their sin. They "count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you" (2 Peter 2:13b). They are cruel and merciless. They are evil. Their wickedness is evident in their deception in leading others astray.

Normally you think of carousing as a nighttime activity. As it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:7, "For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night," perhaps because of the shame involved. But these people are so openly wicked, they carouse in broad daylight. They even flaunt their sin and teach their deceptive doctrines "while they feast with you" (2 Peter 2:13b).

Peter sees them as "feasting" (v. 13b) with the recipients of his letter. He likely is thinking of the love feasts in which the early church shared a meal together and took communion. They eat with you and fellowship closely with you in every way, as they seek to devour you by deceiving you with their lies and twisted doctrines.

"Carousing in their own deceptions" (v. 13b), literally means, "reveling in their deceptions." In the original Greek, the word translated, "in their deceptions" came to mean "pleasure" or "lusts" (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Vol. 12, [Zondervan Publishing House: Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1981], 280). They took great pleasure in deceiving people. They even partied and celebrated their successes in leading people away from Christ.

They love the darkness rather than the light and can't seem to get enough sin. They sin to the max! Though they are untrained in knowledge, they are thoroughly trained in greed. They are known for "having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children" (v. 14). How does your heart get trained in greed? By practice!

In the Greek text, verses 12-16 are one long sentence. The phrase "having eyes full of adultery" (v. 14a), is literally, "having eyes full of an adulteress" (Ibid), meaning to desire every woman they see. It implies that the false teachers desire to turn church gatherings into times of dissipation. They are "never at rest from sin" (v. 14a, NEB). Their eyes unceasingly look for sin. They lure "unstable souls" into their web (v. 14a).

The unstable are those with no foundation. In 2 Peter 1:12, Peter spoke of his readers as being "firmly established in the truth." In 2 Peter 3:16, he will warn them of "unstable" people who will try to draw them away from the truth in which they stand. We are to resist such people.

"They have a heart trained in covetous practices" (2 Peter 2:14b), or "they are experts in greed" (NIV), is literally, "having a heart exercised in greed." The word "exercised," or "trained" (NKJV), is the Greek word from which we derive our English word "gymnasium." It relates to athletic training. In biblical thought, the "heart" refers to the center of your personality. Deep inside, the thoughts of the false teachers are filled with "greediness" or “covetousness;" literally, "a desire to have more" (Ibid). Their greed is so strong that Peter declares them to be "accursed children" (v. 14b), or literally, "children of a curse" (Ibid). In other words, God's curse is on them!

"For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Tim. 3:2-4). "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world" (1 John 2:15-16).

False teachers love the world and the things of the world. Don't let that be said of you! Shore up your love of God. Put Jesus first in all things. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Heb. 12:2a). Amen.