II Peter 2:10-22

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Rodney King was not the best messenger but his plea, "Can we all get along?" has some value. Tolerance has its place in a civil society, yet, we do need to be discerning in our lives. Unfortunately, there are people we have to watch out for. Parents should want their kids to choose their friends carefully. One has to be careful of strangers lurking at schoolyards. Those running a business have to hire their employees carefully. Sincerity isn't enough because people can be sincerely wrong. One can sincerely believe one has a $1,000,000 in the bank but when that check for the mortgage bounces because there was really only $100 in the account, all the sincerity in the world isn't enough.

And, sadly, in addition to the sincerely mistaken, there are people who are actively seeking their advantage to the harm of others.

And so what we have here in 2 Peter 2:10-22 are some very hard words to those who would take advantage of the unsuspecting.

Things to watch out for:

1 - People who talk big and brash.
There is confidence. And there is something that crosses the line. It almost certainly will include looseness with the truth.

Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord. But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand.

2 - People who leave a trail of broken people in their wake.
We often see nature as a beautiful thing and in many ways it is. But the reality is that there is a bloody side to nature: the predators eat the prey. However, our calling as human beings, should not allow us to destroy lives in the pursuit of our goals. Ends and means matter to us and this is what should separate us from the animals where the ends of survival is the prime directive.

They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish. They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done.

3- People who seek pleasure.
There is joy and happiness in the Christian life. However, we all know there is a line that gets crossed and reading the verse below is clearly crossing it.

Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.

4 - People who seek to control others.
Jesus calls us to a life of service not to lord it over people or manipulate them to get what we want.

With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable;

5 - People who seek after money.

they are experts in greed - an accursed brood! They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey - a beast without speech - who spoke with a man's voice and restrained the prophet's madness.

6 - People who drain the life out of others
Christ is the way, the truth and the life. Christians, Jesus followers, should be pointing the way to God, telling the truth and doing things that bring life to others. The false teachers act for their own benefit, use words to gain advantage and destroy and damage the lives of others.

These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity - for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

In the last analysis, those who are wolves in sheep's clothing will get justice.

If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."

Harsh words, eh?

Can we accept a reality where the evil escape punishment and no one has a harsh word to say?

Or do we accept harsh words to warn and contend against people who mislead others and destroy lives in the name of God?

Lord, have mercy. Give me wisdom and discernment to see what really is. Not to be too quick to judge but yet not afraid to stand up for truth and righteousness. Guard me from hypocrisy. Infuse me with humility. But do not allow humility to be a reason for inaction. Do not allow my imperfections be an excuse for silence in the face of sin. May there be people who show me "tough love" and help me to offer the same to those you bring into my life. Amen.

II Peter 2:4-10

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Previously, Peter had stated that false teachers were in the midst of the community. In 2 Peter 2:4-10, Peter recited times in the past when judgment fell upon those who opposed truth and righteousness.

Example number one - the angels who rebelled.

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment

We know of humanity's fall from Genesis. However, there is also the fall of the angels which is much less described. Peter stated this theological reality here without any elaboration assuming the understanding of the reader.

What are the indications we have from the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures of the fall of the angels?

Revelation 12 painted a picture of a cosmic battle that has taken place and continues to take place. Most vividly, "Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him."

Less clear is whether Isaiah 14:12-15 and Ezekiel 28:11-19 described the fall of Satan due to pride. The primary meaning of the passages would be applied to the king of Babylon and the king of Tyre respectively. However, some interpreters have also assigned a second meaning to these passages as describing the fall of Satan and would link these passages with Luke 10:18. For a discussion of this idea see this article.

In any case, God judged the angels that rebelled.

Example number two - the world in Noah's day

if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others

Go here to read the beginning of the famous Noah and the Flood story.

Example number three - the wickedness of the people in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly

To see the beginning of this story, go here.

and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)

The judgment of God is described here along with the rescue of Lot and the cautionary tale of what happened to Lot's wife.

if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority.

Yet, amidst the judgment, God found a way to rescue the faithful. Peter wanted to assure the community from the history of God's dealings with humanity two truths: (1) judgment will strike down those false teachers who run contrary to what God wants and (2) God will rescue them.

Lord, give us discernment. We don't have perfect clarity on these matters. However, when we see something contrary to your truth and your ways, help us not to be fooled. Give us boldness and graciousness to stand against it wisely, to gently correct when it is a misunderstanding and to vigorously resist when it is clear those in error seek to misled. Lord, have mercy! Amen.