2 Peter: Conclusion (Part 7)

14 So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.
15 Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.
16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
2 Peter 3:14-16

So what does Peter say about "scripture twisters"?

1. We can conclude from Part 4 of this series that there will indeed be false teachers in churches. Paul also warns people of this many times like in Acts 20:30 (Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.) False teachers will distort the bible and lead maybe Christians astray.
2. 2 Peter 3:1-4 (Part 6) says that false teacher will deny Jesus' second coming.
3. Peter acknowledges that some of Paul’s writings are “difficult to understand” (verse 16). This seems to be the starting point for distorting the bible, hard passages. After false teachers have distorted Paul's letters, the move into the rest of the scripture thus creating a whole new religion. Since the Scriptures agree, then one who sets aside the teaching of one author must, to be consistent, set aside other texts as well.
4. Anyone who distorts the scripture is unstable and ignorant.
5. We find the Scriptures to be invalid when our cultural values differ from what they teach.
6. 2 Peter 1:20-21 (Part 4) says prophets did not add there own twist to what God told them to write, they wrote exactly what God inspired them to write. Nothing more. In the same way, we cannot add to the scripture. I try to make it quite clear when I'm add my interpretation to a bible verse says because it is my interpretation.
7. We twist the Scriptures when we selectively deny biblical teachings or commands. Sometimes this is a bold, outright denial of the truth of God’s Word. Satan did this in relation to God’s warning that if Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden fruit they would die (Genesis 3) The false teachers of Peter’s day did this in relation to the second coming of Christ. (2 Peter 3:3-4 (Part 6)) Many of the teachings and commands of the Bible are set aside by default—we simply are ignorant of them because we have not read or studied God’s Word. We will be held accountable for knowing and doing what God has commanded in His Word.

17 Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position.
18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.
2 Peter 3:17-18

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Sources:
http://bible.org/seriespage/scripture-twisters-2-peter-314-18

Photo Credit:
http://narrowgatejournal.wordpress.com/2009/12/17/scripture-twisting-20-ways-the-cults-misread-the-bible/

Daily Reminder #10

Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything.
Hebrews 3:3-4

2 Peter: Everything Goes On (Part 6)

1 Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking.
2 I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.
3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.
4 They will say, "Where is this 'coming' he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."
5 But they deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water.
6 By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.
7 By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
2 Peter 3:1-7

This reminds me of evolutionist. "they deliberately forget...the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water" The bible predicts so many things, and one of them is that people will indeed deliberately forget about God. And the bible also says that there will be a "destruction of ungodly men."
And what about the phrase "the present is the key to the past"? Well it's not. The bible is the key to the past. And the bible says that present is not like the past.

The evolutionists tell us that since we observe mutations (accidental changes in our genes) occurring today, these must have occurred ever since the beginning of life. Thus they must be one of the tools used in the process of evolution. The mutations commonly cause disease. But the Bible tells us that there was a time when there was no sin, and, therefore, there was not animal death, human death, disease, or mistakes!

8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.
2 Peter 3:8

This is one of the most misquoted verse of all time. This verse is used to prove evolution. By saying just 'a day is like a thousand years' you could easily make the a point that creation could have taken 7,000 years, but the after that, it says 'a thousand years are like a day' so the statement cancels itself out.

9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.
2 Peter 3:9-10

It's very important to understand that God is not lazy, but patient. "not wanting anyone to perish" And also, God's definition of slow and our definition of slow are entirely different. God is lot limited by time, since he is infinite.

11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives
12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.
13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
2 Peter 3:11-13

We can be negative (as I tend to be) and say that day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. Or we can be positive and say that God is keeping his promise. We ought to be looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

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Sources:
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/cm/v8/n2/flood

Photo Credit:
http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/cm/v8/n2/flood
http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/overheads/pages/oh20030131_159.asp

2 Peter: Wallowing in the Mud (Part 5)

4 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;
5 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;
6 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; 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;
7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men
8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)--
9 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.
2 Peter 2:4-9

This is a clear theme of scripture, God does not tolerate sin and unrepentant soul. God punishes those who rebel against him, but he rescues those who look to him.
Are the fallen angels (verse 4) in jail waiting for their punishment, or are they in a different kind of prison? These fallen angels may be demons (Eph. 6:12) and have been banished from heaven like Satan (Isaiah 14:12-18; Luke 10:18; Ezekiel 28:13-19) where they now dwells in the earth, or are they in legitimate prison cell?
But that's not the point of this passage. The point is that God will punish the ungodly, and you don't want to be ungodly when he unleashes his final punishment (the end of the world).

10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings;
11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord.
12 But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.
13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.
2 Peter 2:10-13

*“Pleasure” can, of course, be a neutral or even positive thing; God has himself created many things to give his people pleasure. But the Greek word here for “pleasure,” hedone, is the word from which we derive “hedonist,” one who lives for only pleasure. The Greeks numbered this kind of pleasure among their four “deadly sins,” sometimes contrasting it with reason*
Taken From: http://www.gracepointdevotions.org/2010/10/04/2-peter-2-commentary/

14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed--an accursed brood!
15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.
16 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.
17 These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.
2 Peter 2:14-17

Balaam (Number 22-24) was greedy and followed money instead of God.  Balaam also taught immorality (Nu 31:16; Rev 2:14). So the false teachers have left the biblical way and have gone into Balaam’s errors, greed and impurity.

18 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.
19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity--for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
2 Peter 2:18-19

They promise freedom, perhaps from any law or restraint of the flesh. Yet, Peter says, the very ones who speak of freedom are “slaves of depravity–for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.” This is a perfect example of what Jesus has said: “Everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). So though the false teachers talk of religion and freedom, they do not know the Son; for as Jesus said, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).

20 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.
21 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.
2 Peter 2:20-21

Verse 20 mentions the possibility of reverting to the old ways after having “escaped the corruptions of the world” through knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  Is it possible, then, for Christians to lose their salvation? Many would answer affirmatively on the basis of this and similar texts (For example: Hebrews 6:4-6 and Hebrew 10:26).  But this verse asserts only that false teachers who have for a time escaped from worldly corruption through knowing Christ and then turn away from the light of the Christian faith are worse off than they were before knowing Christ.

22 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."
2 Peter 2:22

The easiest thing to do is lay in you mud, especially when you've just been cleaned. The hardest thing is to be strong and let your shiny new look remain.

As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.
Proverbs 26:11

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Photo Credit:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/pig-dung-spread-around-drugs-188139

Sources:
http://www.gracepointdevotions.org/2010/10/04/2-peter-2-commentary/

http://www.gotquestions.org/Lucifer-Satan.html