Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...
As was established in Eyewitness, Peter argues that because he and others were eyewitnesses of Jesus's life on earth, along with the prophets' prophecies from the Old Testament which were fulfilled with the coming of Jesus, and with God validating His Son Jesus, that the recipients of this second epistle from Peter must accept what Peter has to say as the truth. They must also remember it and acknowledge it and experience it and teach this truth. The truth of who Jesus is and how to live with Him in their life. Jesus once said, "know the truth and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32).
When we know the truth thoroughly we will also be able to detect falsehood. Peter is now giving warning here in 2 Peter 2:1-10 about the false prophets and teachers who introduce destructive heresy. False teachers most often work subtly; secretly bringing people around to their way of thinking and/or living and agenda. Many do so out of their own interests to gain money and/or power for themselves. What Peter fears more is the division and turning away from the truth itself.
We can see some of the false ways that were described as being "destructive": greed (vs 3); slander (vs 11) and adultery (vs 14). These are turning away from that righteous life in Christ. Perhaps some were saying, never mind, "everybody" does it; thus living according to society's standard. This has crept in and made inroads into congregations of God's people to the point that they often don't know what is God's standard and what is the world or Satan's standard. The line between black and white is gray and the gray is getting darker in color. And these happen gradually to the point of not realizing when we have deviated due to not being alert with the armor of God and prayer and sticking to the truth; and if we have not been steadfast in living according to God's righteousness. Sticking to the truth and sticking up for the truth will be our protection. As people begin to reject truth they will most certainly believe a lie.
The greed may have overtaken a person when they were "collecting for mission work". The amount of money became too tempting and there were no checks and balances and so some of that mission money lined the accountant's pockets. After all, he used a lot of his time to collect and tally and keep the books straight. Shouldn't he get some remuneration? "Don't muzzle the ox that treads out the corn" (Deuteronomy 25:4; 1 Corinthians 9:9), he may philosophize. And so the small amounts become bigger "small amounts"....
Or 'slander,' that is a 'biggy' in God's books. Unforgiveness, bitterness, anger often activates slander and sides get taken slowly but surely as the canker festers. Division occurs. This is very destructive to the person and the "unity" we Christians were entrusted with. We are suppose to "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace" (Ephesians 4:3). Where is grace? Why is it not being exercised? God's grace is abundant so why aren't we, His children, dipping into it and forgiving and speaking words in love and kindness instead? We have forgotten God's truth.
Adultery! How awful and devastating for a spouse to have to deal with this. Yet in society it is rampant and even expected. It will happen eventually, they say. But where is God's integrity in our lives? I always like to think of Job who made a vow with his eyes not to look at a girl lustfully (Job 31:1). Job was a righteous man who kept to his vow. What about the rest of us? Sons, remember this. This is important. Guard against it. Submit to God. Submit to God! Resist the devil. Satan is the one who wants to break up families especially Christian ones. This in turn affects those in the church. Do not say "everyone does it". No, not everyone. The one who is submitted to God, will not.
"The fruit of the Spirit is...self-control" (Galatians 5:23). Exercise the fruit of the Spirit. Do not forget Him and His truth and walking with God in righteous Christian living. Be holy as God is holy. When we follow God's truth in its many facets, we will be pleasing to Him and not bring destructiveness to our families nor to the family of God. This is what Peter is so adamantly warning against.
Peter gives the examples of Noah and of Lot. Noah lived in a promiscuous world and God regretted making man but He found Noah to be righteous (Genesis 6-9). Noah lived for truth and God. God gave him a 'ministry' and that was the means of saving many people, if the people so chose. We know that no one chose. Only eight people were on board Noah's ark and those due to Noah's righteousness.
Lot lived barely above the gray area yet God still found him righteous (Genesis 13, 14, 18, 19 ). Lot got out of Sodom and Gomorrah by "the skin of his teeth" so to speak. His righteousness saved his wife and two daughters. Of course we know that his wife still longed for the unrighteous city and turned into a pillar of salt when she disobeyed orders and turned to look back at the city.
Lot should have been the spiritual leader of his family but lost his wife and we know that his two daughters committed incest with him. There must have been a slow erosion in Lot. As he had selfishly chosen that lush area for his 'inheritance' and then ended up in Sodom and Gomorrah, his daughters engaged to the unrighteous men of the place and his wife to the 'comforts' and likely friends.
This reminds me of the Arabic story of the camel and the Bedouin. The Bedouin beds down for the night in his tent in the desert. The camel is tied up outside. The camel sticks his nose in through the tent door and begs to come inside because he said it was cold outside and he wanted to keep his nose warm. The Bedouin finally said okay. Next thing he knew, the camel had half of his body inside the tent. When the Bedouin complained, the camel said it was cold out, couldn't he have some pity and just let him slip in a bit? Finally the Bedouin acquiesced. The next time the Bedouin woke up, he was outside the tent shivering while the camel was comfy, making himself at home all the way inside the tent. We need to be wise and alert to the "destructive heresy" that can come among God's people. Normally we think of heresy as being some contrary doctrine. But what Peter seems to be saying, alludes to greed, slander and adultery as mentioned above. We do well to guard ourselves, our families and our church family from these. How?
Knowing what IS the truth. Knowing and remembering the truth. Obeying the truth. Establishing yourself in the truth. Teaching the truth to your own and the next generation of God's people.
Beware of false teachers. Know the truth and stick to it.
~ERC 2016~
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