“The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing.” 2 Peter 2:9-13
Devotional Thought For The Day
Peter is warning the early church about false prophets arising within the church. It is often the case that errorists [heretics] evidence the depravity of their minds, hearts, and souls by immorality. It is not that they just fall into such sins, repent with deep sorrow, and once again receive the comfort of God’s gracious mercy and forgiveness. Rather, they justify such immorality and often join it to the false religion they are teaching, so that they are fully committed to the various “lusts of defiling passion” and advocate the same to others. Peter comments how their appeal is made in order to corrupt others, and the reality: “They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption.” [2 Pet. 2:19] When confronted with their false teaching and immorality, they are “bold and willful,” and do not hesitate to demean and blaspheme authority and the “glorious ones,” those through whom the Word of God comes. The book of Jeremiah records numerous instances of this. The Gospels likewise describes many examples of people “blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant.” And it goes on to this very day, especially outside of the church, but also from within the church – which is Peter’s main concern. [2 Pet. 2:1]
Peter describes Lot’s existence among the immoral people of Sodom – these are the “trials” that the “godly” must endure. He is warning the early church that their cultural context is virtually the same. So we should not be surprised that we find ourselves in similar circumstances today, and we can utilize Peter’s instruction and encouragement so that we not be lured in by such false prophets. His main point is that “the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials.” Throughout Scripture the trials of the godly are described – and so we must also have such trials, and also how God inevitably rescues His dear people of faith, and how we should have faith and trust in God that He will also rescue us and keep us. It is clearly and emphatically the teaching of Scripture that it is the evil who should fear and tremble, and that God keeps the “unrighteous [unbelievers] under punishment until the day of judgment,” and that they will be caught and destroyed in their destruction. In every period of human history this occurs, although the godly must have patience until God acts. So the encouragement of Peter not to be lured away into unbelief and immorality [the end of which is dismal], but to continue in repentance, faith in God’s gracious mercy and love, and growth in love and true goodness, that which is consistent with God’s Word.
It is such an apt description, that those entrapped in false belief and immorality are “like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed.” This is what believers in the myth of evolution draw their morality from – whatever they see brute beasts doing must be “natural” and therefore morally neutral and permissible, that all law is merely cultural construction. They have little inkling as to the depth of ignorance and irrationality they have fallen into. Their logic extends to the question of abortion, which many people now think of as an amoral act, simply the decision of the woman who is pregnant. They hiss on political ads that no one has the right to prohibit them from murdering their own offspring at will, and some politicians run on the platform that they will do all that they can to insure this “right” to women. All such people are deluded, demented slaves to corruption and are surely under punishment and sentence of destruction. Worse than the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah awaits them. So, while we needn’t flee physically from a wicked location [where would we go to escape such immorality anyway?] we should certainly flee such wicked behavior and from all wickedly enticing reasoning [temptations] and remain under the tutelage and guidance of God’s Word, the Bible.
That we have to live in the midst of this immorality is sorrowful, but it is what God’s people have suffered throughout human history. Peter described Lot’s sorrow: “God rescued righteous Lot, who was greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard).” [2 Pet. 2:7,8] This would also be a correct and proper description of God’s people today – so it is neither surprising nor improper that we have great grief, torment, and trepidation over what we “see and hear” today. Be assured, however, that God knows how to rescue us, and how to keep such irrational human beasts under punishment until their destruction. It is all so unnecessary and wasteful, so brutal and repulsive. Christ died for this sin and guilt. The door to repentance and salvation remains open. But those who deny God’s grace to themselves through unbelief demand to remain under His wrath and punishment, and God will accommodate them. How wondrous it will be when we are delivered from this fallen sinful world, and will no longer have to suffer proximity to evil at all.
Prayer For The Day
O Lord God, have mercy on us and keep us from the alluring temptations of those who are ignorant of truth and genuine goodness but well educated in lust, wickedness, and deceit. Keep us mindful that we cannot join them in anything, and cannot compromise love in the least. Strengthen us in our trials in this world, and keep us firm in faith and love. Amen.