The truth about untruth!

Scripture Read: 2 Peter 3:13-18 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. 14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.  

 

Application: Guard – (φυλάσσω phylassō)   to watch, keep watch. 1b to guard or watch, to keep from being snatched away, preserve safe and unimpaired, to guard from being lost or perishing, to guard one’s self from a thing.

Fall – (ἐκπίπτω ekpiptō) 1 to fall out of, to fall down from, to fall off,  to fall from a place from which one cannot keep.

Steadfastness – (στηριγμός stērigmos)  3. στηριγμός occurs only once at 2 Pt. 3:17. It denotes “perseverance” in the truth mentioned in 1:12, in orthodox teaching, and in a Christian stand.

Looking at these 3 thoughts I need to protect myself from “Untruth” because that is what can knock me off of remaining secure in Truth. This is an area that I must always be vigilant in. There can be no room for laziness. A little “untruth” will infect the whole truth! The best way to protect myself from the lies of the enemy is to engulf myself in the Truth of God. Nothing can shake that! God lead me to set my pace to remain in Your Truth. Thank you Lord for Your wonderful Word!!

How will He find us?

Scripture Read: 2 Peter 3:13-18] But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. [14] Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, [15] and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you,

Application: 3 key words really state the whole thrust of this section = *Diligent – (σπουδάζω spoudazō )  to exert one’s self, endeavor, give diligence. Here σπουδαῖος is used to characterize the total conduct of the Christian in the sense of an actualizing of his saved position, a fulfilling of what grace has opened up for him.

If I really understand my salvation and the grace extended to me the flavor of my walk will be one of diligence. Mistakes and failures may come but I will still exert myself in my walk toward Him!!

*Spotless -  (ἄσπιλος, ὑπερασπίζω aspilos, hyperaspizō)  1 spotless. free from censure, irreproachable. free from vice, unsullied. In 1 Pt. 1:19 we have the phrase: “Redeemed by the precious blood ὡς ἀμνοῦ ἀμώμου καὶ ἀσπίλου Χριστοῦ.” The metaphor does not exclude but includes the thought of the sinlessness of Jesus. The holy God accepts only what is morally blameless. Hence this usage links with that which follows.  

 

Free from vice is the key. Though our example is Christ so our goal is ever before us, a vice is a sin we have settled with! We have decided we can live with it. Instead we must attack each one with the holy hatred of our Lord! He will honor and deliver. My fear is not the sins I commit but the ones I cultivate!

*Blameless -  (ἀμώμητος amōmētos) An obedient child of God for whom God has bought his salvation externalizes His salvation. Those around him will recognize that he has become a compliant child of God and as such it is impossible to bring upon him a reproach for moral blame which will cancel out his belonging to God’s family as His child (téknon). This word was used on a burial inscription of a three-year old child.

Said no better then “externalizes” – this is the book of James – his epistle states that Faith is seen. That clear presence of a person’s salvation is what gives that person the same assurance that he belongs to the Lord – also notice the burial inscription – a 3 yr old child. That should be our idea of blameless. Father – I ask You to strengthen me to be like a child! 

Getting Ready to Be Ready

Scripture Read:  2 Peter 3:8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. [9] The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. [10] But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. [11] Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, [12] looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! .

Application: Sort – ( ποδαπός, ποταπός podapos, potapos) from what country, race or tribe; of what sort or quality (what manner of)..

Hastening – (σπεύδω speudō) 1 to haste, make haste. 2 to desire earnestly; cause to happen soon - in respect simply to time (Acts 22:18), and thus differing from spoudázō, which involves diligence, earnestness, zeal. 

Two very important questions. 1. What kind of life should I have at this late date in history?  2. Is this “hasting” more of the eager desire to see His return or does the Church actually help make it happen? The first question is obvious and I feel I fail so badly. I am not the man I should be. I am trying but I do not believe hard enough. I really need the Lord’s help and I desire to give myself to it. This is my prayer. I want to be a reflector of Him and be ready for His return. The second question is one I believe cannot be answered. I would lean in the direction that what is meant here is that the Church is very eager for His return. The other option does not fit scripture nor reality - if the Body has been given the part of bringing the return of Christ sooner based on it’s behavior – it does not reflect the state of the church described by Jesus, Paul or Revelation at His return – Luke warm, heaping teachers that will tickle their ears. Reality – though God always has His remnant – the church world-wide has too much flesh today- Our definition of success is not His and we walk by sight – everybody looking for a sign. Either way I should strive to live a life that shows I am eager for His return. I can only accomplish this with your help Lord!

A different perspective about time

Scripture Read: 2 Peter 3:8 But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. [9] The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. [10] But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up. [11] Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, [12] looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, on account of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! [13] But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

Application: Think about the potential here. I realize what this verse is teaching. But consider looking at it from a different point of view. Time is nothing for the Lord – it is the only thing we have. Everything we do is based on this item. It controls our days and nights. It controls our energy, our health, our emotional well being. It even is key in our hope or discouragement of life. It is key in the stress factor of life. Now, allow our relationship to time to collide with the perspective of God. If 1000 years is nothing more then 1 day to Him, consider the possibilities of what a man can accomplish if he fervently committed that simple day to God, before he began it. God literally did in 6 days what would normally (if it could have happened at all) be a task of millions of years – creation – perhaps He could work that same way in my day – if I would commit that day to Him. This is my prayer oh Lord. I need to begin each day with You this way. Grant me the strength to accomplish this. Thank You for Your mercy and grace.

Reliving His Grace

Scripture Read: 2 Peter 3:1-7 This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, [2] that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles. [3] Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, [4] and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation." [5] For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, [6] through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. [7] But the present heavens and earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

 

Application: How do I stir my mind and what does this really mean?-

Stirring – διεγείρω; diegeirō – to wake up, awaken, arouse (from sleep); of the sea, which begins to be agitated, to rise. 1b metaph. 1b1 to arouse the mind. 1b2 stir up, render active.

Sincere - εἰλικρινής; eilikrinēs   1 pure, sincere, unsullied; found pure when unfolded and examined by the sun’s light.

Reminder - ὑπόμνησις; hypomnēsis - is philosophically distinguished from (μνήμη “memory”) as the “reliving of vanished impressions by a definite act of will”

Three grabbers for me! I need to agitate my mind seeking the light of God to expose the impurities in my life. I can do this by a willful decision to make visible the history I have with Christ – Pre-salvation until now. This is something I really need to do as a way of life.  Help me Father to willfully relive Your Grace to me and shine Your loving light on me so that I might become more holy!

Knowledge is important but not the Key

Scripture Read: 2 Peter 2:20-22 For 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. [21] For 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 delivered to them. [22] It 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."

Application: Knowledge = ἐπίγνωσις (epignōsis) Used in the NT of the knowledge of things ethical and divine. In the NT, it often refers to knowledge which very powerfully influences the form of religious life, a knowledge laying claim to personal involvement. When used as an obj. (Eph. 1:17; 4:13; Col. 1:9, 10; 2:2; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Tim. 2:25; 3:7; Titus 1:1; Heb. 10:26; 2 Pet. 1:2, 3), it shows the relationship of the learner to the object of his knowledge (2 Pet. 1:8). It increases spiritual blessings upon the believer (Eph. 1:17; 2 Pet. 1:2, 3) and determines the manifestations of the religious life (2 Pet. 2:20).

Is this person saved? Big question is the meaning of Knowledge. If only intellectual then this is someone that can see the sense of Christian living but has not Trusted Christ – therefore has no power and cannot sustain that life. They then return to the old way of living. This verse must be funneled through all the scripture on Salvation – so it cannot refer to a saved person or all the other scriptures are wrong. 1000 to 1! MacArthur states: They professed the Christian experience (the way of righteousness, and even had access to the true teachings of Scripture. But by their lives they demonstrated that they ultimately had chosen to reject Christ  ** Important though is the principle that even applies to believers. If when freed from a vice sin – we return – in some ways we are worse off – not only the shame of dragging Christ through that stuff again after He delivered us, but we must start over and our flesh is embolden by the fact that we returned to it in the first place. Lord make me alert to those things that would attach themselves to me!

What overcomes you?

Scripture Read: 2 Peter 2:17- 19 These are springs without water, and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. [18] For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, [19] promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.

Application: Overcome - ἑσσόομαι, ἡττάομαι hessoomai, hēttaomai: 1 to make less, inferior, to overcome. - to be made inferior; to overcome, worsted, to be conquered by one, forced to yield to one.  Enslaved – δουλόω douloō: Both terms are common from the time of Herodotus and the tragic dramatists and are found in the LXX, where καταδουλόω is to some extent a stronger form of δουλόω. The basic meaning is “to make a slave,” “to enslave.” The words are used either literally to denote absolute subjection or the loss of autonomy

This is where I need to lift my understanding of vice-sins. I like especially the use of “loss of autonomy” because in essence that is what happens. Jesus made me free from every sin and when I allow myself to be enslaved again I do lose that independence. The independence Christ gave me is –funny as this sounds – completely dependent on my connection to Him. The minute I try and live my life in the power of the flesh I can very quickly move back into a life of sin. Father as I live dependent on You each day I pray that my life will be freed from all vice sin. No consistent same sin in my life, I believe you can make this possible. Help me Lord.