Faith

 

 

 

"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 by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men."  2 Pet. 3:1-7

 

 

          Faith in the words of the apostles appears in the opening portion of 2 Pet. 3 (1-7). The development of this passage begins with the exhortation to remember those words (vv. 1-2), proceeds to an explanation of the world's reasoning (vv. 3-4), and concludes with the expectation of future judgment (vv. 5-7). Again there are key words.

PRECEPTS OF SALVATION

PRECEPTS OF SALVATION
(2 Pet. 3:1-13)

"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 by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

⁸ But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like 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, because 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." 2 Pet. 3:1-13

 

 

          Peter is now moving into the final phase of his effort for his brethren in the faith. This third and last division of the book covers the 1st 13 vss of ch. 3. Herein Peter makes application of the things he has presented as principles in the first division of his letter and has predicted as perils in the second division. Very simply these precepts deal with faith and fruit. On the one hand, there must be faith in the words of the apostles. That is basic. On the other hand, there must be the fruit of holiness in conduct. Though second in order, it is absolutely necessary. In this order these precepts will be treated.

Character of Teachers

 

"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 handed on 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.”  2 Pet. 2:20-22

 

          Dog and sow are the terms unloosing the meaning of vss. 20, 21, and 22. These words, appearing in vs. 22, both lay emphasis on character, and their usage in the Scrip­ture denotes sinful character. Out of character comes con­duct, and very shortly this same character invents a creed to rationalize its conduct. Character may take on outward de­meanor that deceives, but not for long. For character must finally revert to type. If it is dog-character, there is bound to be the vomit; if it is sow-character, there will inevitably be the wallowing in the mire, no matter how much the exterior has been bathed and luxuriously clothed.

Creed of Teachers

"Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness."  2 Pet. 2:15

 

 

          Way in vs. 15 is the key opening up to the reader the creed of these false teachers. The word "way" marks a course that is charted and bounded upon both sides by definite lines. There is the way that leads to life, and there is the way that leads to destruction. In this passage the two are referred to as "the right way" and "the way of Balaam." The way of Balaam was a system of thought explaining the rightness of that false prophet's conduct. This way made his conduct reasonable in his own eyes and relieved the pressure of his conscience. Those who follow this way are wells without water for those who wander in the desert; the creed is composed of a web of words which are little more than verbal nothings.

Conduct of Teachers

 

"But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities" 2 Pet. 2:10

 

          Walk in vs. 10 is the first key expression and clearly de­notes the conduct of an individual. It means literally to walk around and includes the daily routine with all the activities and events that compose it, including a destination. Since this is a walk according to the flesh, that is, the sinful nature dominating it at every point, it is not surprising to read the commentary of the fol­lowing vss. Being dominated by the flesh, these teachers pursue a course of lustfulness, despicableness, presumption, willfulness, blasphemy, brutishness, riotousness, deceptive­ness, covetousness, and cursedness.

FLESHLY LIVING OF THE FALSE TEACHERS

Fleshly Living of False Teachers

         ¹⁰ and 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, ¹¹ whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord. ¹² But 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, ¹³ suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, ¹⁴ having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; ¹⁵ forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; ¹⁶ but 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.
¹⁷ 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. ²⁰ 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 handed on 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.”  2 Pet. 2:10-22

 

 

              Fleshly living is the final subject in this second division (2 Pet. 2:10-22), and the key to this portion is the word "flesh" in vs. 10. This word does not refer to the soft parts of the body. It is an ethical term denoting the sinful nature. The progress of the argument makes it clear that it includes the conduct of the false teachers (vv. 10-14), the creed of the false teachers (vv. 15-19), and the character of the false teachers (vv. 20-22). A key expression in each one of these smaller divisions is used.

Their Eventual Damnation

 

"And in covetousness, with molded words, of you they shall make merchandise, whose judgment of old is not idle, and their destruction doth not slumber." 2 Pet 2:3

          Damnation in vs. 3 is the third word opening up the message of Peter. This carries all the dreadfulness of retribu­tion that can be read into the word. It refers to the sentence of judgment already determined and progressively drawing nearer this class of criminals. It is a terrible thing to reject the Christ and suffer eternal damnation; it is infinitely more ter­rible to be one who deliberately and decisively destroys and defrauds the masses of their inheritance of heaven, home, and eternal blessedness. Theirs will be the greater condemnation. There is no possibility of escaping a greater degree of punishment which is deserved and reserved for them. God did not spare the angels which sinned, nor did He spare Sodom and Gomorrah, and He will not spare those wizened brains and twisted hearts which deliberately plan the eternal damnation of multitudes.