Angels Who Sinned, 2 Peter 2:4

Angels Who Sinned 

2 Peter 2:4

By way of review, we should consider what subject 2 Peter is addressing. The main subject is the gospel of our salvation; the Apostle Peter wrote this letter to the Church to ensure that we remain strong in the faith and faithful to the gospel. In chapter one, he confirms the solid foundation upon which our beliefs are built, and then, in the opening verses of chapter two, he warns of false teachers. False teachers are a certainty; false teachers will be among us until Christ returns.

In chapter two, verse three, he says of false teachers, “…for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” 

2 Peter 2:3 (NKJV) By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

The verses following this declaration cover the subject of the judgment and destruction of false teachers. The judgment and destruction of false teachers are one and the same. In other words, the judgment of false teachers has already been decided, and the judgment is their destruction.

However, Peter assures us that their destruction has not been idle. This assurance is necessary because it appears to the human eye that their judgment is idle—[Idle means motionless (at rest); doing nothing (inactive)]. If we look back through history, we see many false teachers that have lived long lives, and some of these have had plenty of money. It is just as 2 Peter 3:4 says. People adopt the attitude that says, “Ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

In answer to such thinking, the Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Peter, gives us four examples of situations where judgment seems to wait. Today, we are going to look at the first of these examples. We are going to consider what Peter says about angels who sinned.

2 Peter 2:4 says:

2 Peter 2:4 (NKJV) For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;

First, we will need to consider who we are talking about. Who are these angels? 

Understanding what Peter is saying about these angels will help us figure out who these angels are. First, they were cast down to hell in the past. Second, they are in chains of darkness. And, finally, they are reserved for judgment.

When the Bible says they were “cast down to hell,” it uses the word “Tartarus.” In other places, the Bible uses the word “Hades” to speak of the place where the unrighteous dead await the final judgment. Then, the Bible uses the word “Gehenna” to refer to the lake of fire where death, Hades, and the devil will be thrown after the final judgment. Thus, three different words are translated as “hell.”

Tartarus is a special holding place for angels (demons) who did not stay in their own realm but committed a particular class of sin. Jude references the sin and the holding place of these demons when it says:

Jude 6 (NKJV) And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.

Since these demons are in chains of darkness, they cannot function in or disturb our world. As 2 Peter 2:4 says, they are reserved for judgment. They, like all of creation, await the final judgment. At that time, these particular demons will be cast into the lake of fire along with the devil, death, and Hades.

Peter says that these angels sinned and are held, reserved for judgment, nothing more. However, Jude adds to this that these angels (demons) did not keep their proper (own) domain and then says they left their own “abode.”

A domain is a realm, a place that a king or prince has dominion over. An abode is a dwelling place or house. The word for abode that is used in Jude 6 is also used in 2 Corinthians 5:2.

2 Corinthians 5:1–2 (NKJV) ¹For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. ²For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation [abode] which is from heaven,

These demons did not stay in their own abode. In Corinthians, “abode” is used of the human body. (The root word is “oikos,” which translates as “house.”) Therefore, we can assume that the demons mentioned in Jude did not stay in the body they were created with.

In addition to their abode, Jude 6 says that these demons did not stay in the “proper realm.” The realm spoken of here is the unseen realm where spiritual beings dwell. The spiritual world is the proper realm or domain of spirit beings.

According to Ephesians 6, the spiritual realm has principalities and powers, a hierarchy, of spiritual beings. For example, in the Old Testament, we see these spiritual beings interacting with God. Job 1 says:

Job 1:6 (NKJV) Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.

Looking at this verse, we see beings called “the sons of God,” and these beings are of the same “kind” as Satan. The text says, “…and Satan also came among them.” 

Humans are called sons of God. In Exodus 4:22-23, Israel is called “My son,” and in Matthew 5:9, peacemakers are called “sons of God.” Both angels and people are called sons of God because we are all created by God and bear His image. But, we should not let this confuse us about the identity of these angels. 

Genesis 6 gives us this account:

Genesis 6:4 (NKJV) There were giants on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

In this verse, the “sons of God” refer to angelic beings (demons). These are the beings to which both 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6 refer. These angels deserted their proper realm and took on a physical form that was not the abode they were created with, and they reproduced with human women. As Genesis 6:4 tells us, this action created the mighty men of old, the giants. The ungodliness of men and this intermixing of spirit beings with humans (hybrids) are given as the reasons God destroyed all life with a flood.

Angels have no chance for redemption. Therefore, these human offspring of angels had no chance of redemption. It was Satan’s purpose to destroy the plan of God, and God allowed Satan this attempt in order to show the extent to which God will to go to keep the redeemed for Himself.

This determination of God is what 2 Peter 2:9 is referring to when it says:

2 Peter 2:9 (NKJV) then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.

The flood is proof of this statement. God destroyed all life except Noah and locked up the angels that stepped over the line. With the destruction of all life, the pollution of humanity by unredeemable hybrids was stopped. 

God made these details known to us to teach us what Peter says in 2 Peter 2:9. “The Lord knows how to deliver the godly and to reserve the unjust under punishment.”

This is why I use Jude as the doxology most Sundays.

Jude 24–25 (NKJV) ²⁴Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, ²⁵To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.

These verses make an essential point. Namely, glory, majesty, dominion, and power belong to God. As much as we do not acknowledge this is the extent to which we fall prey to the sin of the devil, which is pride.

In Romans 1, when the Bible tells why God judges men, it says they refuse to acknowledge Him. 

2 Peter 2:10 says that false teachers are presumptuous, driven by lust, despise authority, and run on instinct like brute beasts. This is what refusal to acknowledge God looks like. And, the scriptures use the angels who sinned and the flood to show us the extent to which God will go to keep the righteous for Himself and reserve the ungodly for judgment.

There is a truth inherent in the fact that God is the creator of all things. That truth is:

Romans 11:36 (NKJV) For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Maintaining the truth, avoiding false teachers and salvation start with acknowledging God.

I am not going to ask you if you acknowledge God. What I am going to ask is in what part of your life do you not acknowledge God? Where do I hide that sin that is more valuable to you than God?

If you do not repent of these sins as the Holy Spirit reveals them to you, please realize that you are toying with destruction. 

For the child of God, the one who has called on the name of the Lord, the physical body of the unrepentant will be destroyed. For the one who has not called on the name of the Lord for salvation, your soul is destined to be destroyed. 

Take a moment to pray and ask God to reveal His heart and your heart, to make known to you the way of life.

Sealed, Ephesians 1:13-14

 

Ephesians 1:13-14

Ephesians 1 repeats “in Him” several times. Verse 7 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood.” Verse 11 says, “In Him also we have obtained an inheritance.” And then, verse 13 starts with, “In Him you also trusted.” All of these references speak of the blessings that God has bestowed upon us in Jesus Christ our Lord. “In Him” means “In Jesus.” 

Let’s read Ephesians 1:13.

Ephesians 1:13 (NKJV) In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise

The gospel of our salvation spoken of in this verse is the truth “that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3 gives the account of a religious scholar and leader, Nicodemus, coming to Jesus. Nicodemus acknowledged that Jesus was a teacher sent from God. And Jesus cut right to the chase. He said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

We must talk about two things in this statement. First, the point of God sending Jesus was that we (humans) could see (enter) the kingdom of God. And second, the whole deal rests on being “born again.” The word translated as “born again” means “born from above” (above, as in heaven). 

Jesus explains to Nicodemus that being “born from above” is as simple as believing in Jesus.

When Ephesians 1:3 says, “…in who also, having believed…” it refers to being “born from above” by believing in Jesus. However, Ephesians 1:3 adds to this truth by explaining that having believed in Jesus, we were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.

To be sealed is to be marked as someone’s property and also signifies the full authority and backing of the owner. This happens when we are “born from above” and is a work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit marks us as God’s property. Romans 8:16 tells us:

Romans 8:16 (NKJV) The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

Ephesians 1:13 tells us that the “Holy Spirit of promise seals us.” In several places, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit. John 16 explains some of that promise.

John 16:7–13 (NKJV) ⁷Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. ⁸And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; ¹¹of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

¹²I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

This is a long quote but an important one. It is to our advantage that we have the Holy Spirit and not the physical presence of the Lord that the disciples experience. This is hard to comprehend, but we have the very person (Spirit) of God living in us and teaching us all that we need to know. 1 John 2:27 says we need no one to teach us because we have the Spirit. Acts 1:8 tells us that He is the power of God living within us.

The promise of the Holy Spirit, like the gift of His Son, is an outpouring of the tremendous love and grace of God. Being “born from above” is accomplished by the Holy Spirit who comes to dwell within us. However, that is only the beginning. An additional meaning of the gift of the Spirit is explained in Ephesians 1:14.

Ephesians 1:14 (NKJV) who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

This verse says that the Spirit is the guarantee of our inheritance. In other words, knowing we have the Spirit assures us that we are God’s children, belong to the kingdom of God, and have an eternal home in the heavens.

Just as the Spirit teaches us, empowers us for witness, and testifies to our spirit that we are children of God, He also is given as a deposit or surety on our estate in God’s kingdom (our inheritance).

These are glorious truths and great blessings from God our Father.

False Teachers

 

2 Peter 2:1-3

We can have tremendous confidence in the word of God. The Bible has stood the tests of time. It has proven itself to be reliable. However, in Peter’s day, as well as in our day, there were continual assaults on the truth. Peter wrote his two letters to ensure that we are strong and can stand up against the attacks that are sure to come.

Jesus compared our lives to a house. We are all building a house. Every house must have a foundation, a surface upon which it is built. In Jesus’ example, we either build on a rock or on sand. The house built on the rock can stand even though storms assault the structure. However, the house built on the sand cannot stand up when tested by the storms of life.

The foundation on which we build is a matter of life or death. If we build on sand, we will suffer destruction. If we build on the rock, we will live forever, having gained an abundant entry into God’s kingdom.

Can I appeal to you to pay close attention? Nothing is more important than your eternal soul. Nothing is more significant or essential to your life than your relationship with the God who made you. Today, I will show you from 2 Peter 2:1-3 three ways the wrong foundation destroys people.

I will state it again; religion is one of the most powerful influences in the world; only God is greater.

One of the names of the devil is “Apollyon,” which means “destroyer.” However, he does not drop bombs or build tanks. He deceives. His deceit and lies are behind the death and destruction in the world. The way he destroys is through lies and deception. Jesus said the following about the devil:

John 8:44 (ESV) He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.

The destroyer is a liar and the father of lies. 2 Peter 2:1-3 tells us three ways our faith is attacked by lies.  The first way is through heresy.

2 Peter 2:1 says,

2 Peter 2:1 (NKJV) But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

The false prophets spoken of in this passage refer to people who, during Old Testament times, proclaimed themselves to be prophets but did not have a word from God. God knew these liars would show up, so He prepared for them in the Law saying:

Deuteronomy 18:20–22 (ESV) ²⁰But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ ²¹And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— ²²when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him. 

These rules were not followed, and it led to the destruction of Israel. In 2 Peter 2:1, Peter says, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.” There is no question that false teachers are among us. Jesus warned of false teachers, saying,

Matthew 7:15 (NKJV) Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

Please notice that Jesus says these false teachers are “ravenous wolves.” A wolf is not looking out for the best interest of the sheep. A “ravenous” wolf is greedily grabbing all the sheep he can get.

Jesus says they come in sheep’s clothing. They look and sound genuine. They even go through some of our best seminaries, write some of our best-selling books, and pastor some of our largest churches. Jesus says to “beware!” We must be on the lookout. Look again at what Peter says about these false teachers.

2 Peter 2:1 (NKJV) But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

False teachers “secretly” bring in destructive heresies. Secretly bringing in false teaching is the sheep’s clothing part of their act. 

However, Jesus said:

Matthew 7:15–16 (NKJV) ¹⁵“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶You will know them by their fruits.

Just as Old Testament false prophets were known by their inaccurate predictions, false teachers are known by their fruit. In addition, Peter adds another sign of a false teacher. 

2 Peter 2:1 (NKJV) But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.

They deny the Lord who bought them. Changing or reinterpreting the truth about Jesus is one of the most destructive forms of deceit, and it is the first indication that a religious group is false. 1 John 4 makes this the issue in testing if a spirit is from God.

1 John 4:1–3 (NKJV) ¹Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. ²By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, ³and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

The spirit of the Antichrist is already in the world. Consider the results of his work. Peter says those led by this spirit who introduce destructive heresies “bring swift destruction on themselves.” Peter calls them “destructive heresies” because they destroy both those who follow and teach them.

Building your life on the wrong foundation is fatal. While the faulty foundation can be fatal physically, of more concern is that the lousy foundation can be fatal eternally. Building on the foundation of false teachings is the first way Peter mentions. He next mentions sensuality.

2 Peter 2:2 says:

2 Peter 2:2 (ESV) And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.

Sensuality is the source of false teaching. One definition of the “sensuality” we are speaking of is “outrageous conduct, conduct shocking to public decency.” This behavior represents a rejection of restraint. In other words, such teaching rejects those parts of doctrine that interfere with our flesh and the fulfillment of our desires. These desires can take the form of the lust of the eyes, the lusts of the flesh, the boastful pride of life, or any combination of these three.

As Peter speaks of this problem more, he says:

2 Peter 2:18–19 (NKJV) ¹⁸For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. ¹⁹While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.

In this passage, we see that we can be “lured” away through the lust of the flesh. The desires of our flesh are a terrible taskmaster. These appetites are never satisfied. For example, I ate this morning, but I am already hungry again. Our flesh is never satisfied. We always want more, and if we give in, we will be overcome.

In his warning about false teachers, Peter says, “And many will follow….”

2 Peter 2:2 (ESV) And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.

In chapters one and two of 2 Peter, he uses the word “follow” three times. In 2 Peter 1:16, he says, “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables.” In 2 Peter 2:2, he says, “And many will follow their sensuality.” And, in 2 Peter 15, he says, “They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.” 

We must be careful who we follow. To follow is to imitate. We learn to walk, speak, and dress by imitation. Most of what we know we learn by imitation. We Americans pride ourselves on our individualism and consider it a virtue to be independent thinkers. It does not occur to us that in doing this, we are just imitating our culture. 

The only one worth imitating is Jesus Christ. Following anything or anyone else leads to destruction. And imitating anything or anyone other than Jesus will lead to the results Peter speaks of. He says, “…and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.” 

You may not be concerned about the way of truth being blasphemed as long as you are happy and fed. But consider what Jesus said:

Matthew 18:6–7 (NKJV) ⁶“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin [stumble], it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. ⁷Woe to the world because of offenses [stumbling-blocks]! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!

Causing the way of truth to be blasphemed is causing people to stumble. Such stumbling blocks keep people from accepting Christ and bring judgment on the one through whom the stumbling blocks come. 

Sensuality is the second way our foundation can be destroyed. The third way is covetousness. This is found in 2 Peter 2:3.

2 Peter 2:3 (NKJV) By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

Another word for covetousness is greed. Greed has no place in the kingdom of God. We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves, and we are commanded to seek His kingdom and righteousness first. These two things rule out greed. On top of this, “Thou shalt not covet” is one of the ten commandments. God forbids covetousness.

We must be careful of false teaching because if we follow it, we will be exploited. Paul speaks of these false teachers in 2 Corinthians 2:17.

2 Corinthians 2:17 (NKJV) For we are not, as so many, peddling the word of God; but as of sincerity, but as from God, we speak in the sight of God in Christ.

“Peddling” the word does not quite capture the meaning of the Greek word Paul used. The word “καπηλεύω” means to “act as an unscrupulous merchant.” Examples found in ancient documents are wine merchants who add water to wine, silver that is mixed with less valuable metals, and any merchandise that is doctored for profits’ sake. This is what 2 Peter means when he says, “They will exploit you with deceptive words.” False teachers change the gospel and doctor the word of God in order to make money. 

Peter's words about destruction are sobering. False teachers destroy the foundation of those who follow them, but they too will be destroyed. God says their judgment is not idle. That means God is working on it, and God working on anyone’s destruction is terrifying.

We have looked at three things that can destroy our foundation. They are heresy, sensuality, and covetousness. I am going to take you back to where Peter started. To avoid this destruction it is necessary for us to:

2 Peter 1:5–7 (ESV) ⁵…make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, ⁶and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, ⁷and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.

Chosen

Ephesians 1:4-5

Ephesians 1:3 tells us of the heavenly riches with which God has blessed us. We have trouble finding words to express the riches and meaning of “every spiritual blessing.” God held nothing back, even giving His own Son for our sake.

Ephesians 1:4 says:

Ephesians 1:4 (NKJV) just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 

This verse begins with the conjunction “just as.” The meaning of this “just as” can be stated as “in conformity with” or “to the extent that,” and therefore, it is argumentative. In other words, the statement that follows is offered as proof. One proof of the tremendous blessings that God has given us is that He has chosen us in Jesus before the foundation of the world.

Being chosen is a blessing and a tremendous demonstration of God’s love and grace, but it is not a reason for us to boast as if we somehow merited this or were chosen because of our own unique value. If we boast, it is only in the cross of Christ. Jesus is all our hope and righteousness. It is all because of Him. Jesus said, 

John 6:37, 45 (NKJV): ³⁷All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. John …⁴⁵It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.

God choose all who come to Jesus for salvation, and no one comes unless God chooses him. However, we must not assume that we can understand this process. Jesus uses the same word for “chose” as is used in Ephesians 1:4 when He says:

John 6:70 (NKJV): “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”

The more we partake of the grace of God, the more responsible we are to answer for the blessings He has given. According to Ephesians 1:4-5, God has chosen us for three things.

1. That we should be holy and without blame before Him in love
2. That we should be adopted as sons 
3. That would should be to the praise and glory of His grace

First, we are made holy and blameless by the blood of Jesus, and not by our own works. However, God has set us apart for Himself (this is the meaning of “holy”). And as His people we are to be holy as He is holy. We are to imitate Him. So, although we are not saved by our own righteousness, we are to seek to be perfected in love and grow to be more like our Lord Jesus Christ.

Second, we are predestined to the adoption as sons and this is according to the good pleasure of His will. John 1:13 tells us:

John 1:13 (NKJV) who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

We are prone to take too much credit for ourselves and to worship men instead of God. If a preacher has unusual talent we give the man much credit and forget that the person can do nothing apart from Christ. We need to give credit to the Holy Spirit and recognize that God is at work. Everything we have and all the talents we bring to the table are gifts from God. We cannot take credit for our adoption as sons or our home in the Father’s house. We were predestined for these things according to the pleasure of His will, not because we wanted these things.

God has done all of this for the praise of the glory of His grace. Ephesians 1:5 says that it was the grace of God that made us accepted and this was done to show the glory of God.

God has made men for various purposes. He endures with much patience some who are rebellious in order to show the riches of His kindness toward others. Romans 9:22-24 says:

Romans 9:22–24 (NKJV) ²²What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, ²³and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory, ²⁴even us whom He called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

God is at work in us to conform us to the image of Christ. For us, this means that we should make every effort to be holy and blameless before Him in love, live as His children, and praise and extol His name at every opportunity, living a testimony before all people.

Until the Day Dawns

2 Peter 1:16-21

Peter was one of Jesus’ closest disciples. Of the twelve Apostles, Peter, James, and John were Jesus’ inner circle. Matthew, in chapter seventeen of his gospel, tells us that Jesus took Peter, James, and John up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

Seeing Jesus conversing with Moses and Elijah, Peter suggested building shrines for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah. While Peter was saying this, a voice came from heaven saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” (Matthew 17:1-5) 

Peter was convinced. He saw Jesus’ glory, and he would never forget it. Peter, being sure of the strength of his faith, boasted that even if all the rest of the disciples deserted Jesus, he would not. (Matthew 26:33-35)

Despite his confidence, Peter’s faith failed. Jesus told Peter that before the rooster crowed, he would deny Jesus.

Around thirty years later, Peter is writing his last letter to the Church. Jesus has informed Peter that he will soon be exiting this world, and Peter is concerned that we understand how to have an “abundant” entry into the kingdom of heaven. As he writes his reminder, Peter remembers the tests of faith he went through.

We also must go through trials. Our faith must be tested to be strengthened just as Peter’s faith was tried, refined, and tested. In 2 Peter 2:16-21, Peter gives us three pillars to strengthen our faith. 

The first pillar is eyewitness testimony.

2 Peter 2:16 says:

2 Peter 1:16 (NKJV) For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

Many accuse the Church of inventing the gospel and fabricating its details, some even going as far as questioning whether there was a historical Jesus.

Indeed, some have fabricated tales and gospels. For example, the Mormon church follows cunningly devised fables, as do the Mohammedans. However, there is a vast difference between these religions and Biblical Christianity. Apart from what the Bible says about itself, there is an abundance of historical and archeological evidence to support the claims of the Bible. It is not within the scope of our time here to cover these details. One source that lists much evidence is Evidence that Demands a Verdict, by Josh McDowell. There are many others, but McDowell has done an excellent job of compiling the evidence.

Peter mentions one piece of evidence that is probably the strongest. That is, Peter and the gospel writers were eyewitnesses. Histories written by unbelievers like Josephus and Tacitus confirm what the gospel writers recorded, and the records that were written have all the marks of authentic eyewitness accounts.

All the Apostles, except for John, were killed because they refused to change their story. Now, we know that some people are convinced enough of lies that they are willing to die for what they believe. However, if the Apostles had fabricated their accounts, they would have known they were dying for lies. None of them were willing to die before the resurrection. They deserted Jesus and fled. However, after the resurrection, they all were ready to die for what they knew to be the truth. If they knew it was a lie, at least one of them, most likely all of them, would have confessed that the story was made up.

In other words, one cannot find more reliable eyewitness testimony than what we have in the New Testament.

However, Peter is saying eyewitness testimony alone is not enough. He says that they (Peter, James, and John) saw Jesus’ majesty on the mountain, but even after having witnessed that miracle, Peter’s faith failed in the moment of trial. Therefore, while eyewitness testimony is a necessary pillar of support, God has provided an additional pillar. 

Peter calls the second pillar “the prophetic word.” 2 Peter 1:19 says:

2 Peter 1:19 (NKJV)    And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;

The phrase “we have the prophetic word confirmed” has an alternate translation. Some Bibles will have one or other of the possible translations in the footnotes. The old King James Version says, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy.” The New King James Version footnotes have, “We also have the more sure prophetic word.” The idea of the eyewitness accounts “confirming” the prophetic word is an interpretation (what the translators think the author means). The statement “a more sure word of prophecy” is a more literal translation (closer to the original statement). Theologically, “the more sure prophetic word” (the more literal translation) makes more sense. “Sure” in this case could also be translated as “stable.” 

This is a big deal because eyewitnesses can be “duped” (tricked). However, prophecies written hundreds of years before giving the exact sequence of events cannot be faked. 

Let me construct an example for you. Let’s imagine there was a story published in all the newspapers in Europe in 1850 stating that on July 20, 1969, a man named Neil Armstrong would walk on the moon. Now that would be truly incredible, and it would be impossible to fake because we said “all the newspapers in Europe.” In other words, it would be impossible for someone living after 1969 to go back in time and put such a detail into “all of the newspapers.” A crooked person might fake a couple of newspapers, but if a person dug into the history, it would not take long to disprove such a wild claim.

There are hundreds of details of Jesus’ life prophesied in the Old Testament and hundreds of copies of those prophecies in ancient texts that predate Jesus. I hope you are following me because one cannot fake this stuff. The historical, physical evidence is there. It cannot be faked. (Of course, those who wish to insist that miracles cannot possibly happen go to great lengths to try and make this kind of evidence of away.)

If you want to know the truth, Peter says:

2 Peter 1:19 (NKJV)    And so we also have the more sure prophetic word, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts

A light shining in a dark place makes visible things that would otherwise be hidden. The prophetic word helps us see what we otherwise would not be able to see. The prophetic word helps us to know the truth. We will need this light until the day dawns and the morning star rises in our hearts. The “day” is Christ’s return and the “morning star” is Jesus. When Jesus returns, and we see Him face to face, our need for faith will not be the same. We will be with Him! He is the light. He is the truth! Until that time, we do well to heed the prophetic word.

Once we have established our faith based on the testimony of eyewitnesses and the written word of God, we must build upon that foundation with an additional pillar.

Peter teaches us about this pillar in verses twenty and twenty-one.

2 Peter 1:20–21 (NKJV) ²⁰knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, ²¹for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

“No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation.” While some people twist the Bible to make it say what they want, we are not free to do this. God has a specific message for us, and it is not up to us to decide what that message is. It is our job to understand the message. 

However, the message was given by the Holy Spirit, and it is only understood by the help of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is not like any other book. It is not a book of opinions or of thoughts. As Peter says, “holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. As the Apostle Paul says:

2 Timothy 3:16 (NKJV) All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.

We must understand that God used human instruments to record the exact words that He wanted to say. The writers of Scripture were not like typewriters because God used their personalities, and their individual characters show in what was written. And yet, God made sure that the exact words He desired were written down.

Because of this, we do not get to change or manipulate what it says. However, we must understand that although there were many different writers spread out over many centuries, the Bible is one book. In other words, what Moses says informs and helps us to understand what Paul says, even though Paul wrote more than a thousand years after Moses.

If we do not understand something the Bible says, the best way to answer our questions is to search the Bible. Commentaries are good only as far as they direct us to a synthesis of the Bible, answering Bible questions from the Bible. Philosophical answers do not work.

I find it amazing that the more closely we stick to the Bible, the more we find we have in common. The more we are influenced by philosophy, the more divided we are. 

The pillar of our faith is a knowledge of Scripture. The only way to get this is to read (or listen to) the Bible - the whole Bible. The Bible does not contradict itself, but it explains itself.

A very dear and intelligent person recently decided to read through the Bible. This person had lots of questions and would probably have been classified as an agnostic (we can’t really know). So, as they were reading, they wrote down questions. Starting with Genesis, there were pages and pages of questions. After months of reading, they were in the Gospel of John and commented, “You know, if you just keep reading, the Bible answers itself.”

This is true! If a person reads the whole book and pays attention, the Bible answers itself. It is not a matter of personal interpretation or opinion. Our job is to understand what God is saying, and He has given us His Holy Spirit to help us.

Once a person has accepted the truth of the testimony of the eyewitnesses and verified that faith by the even more sure testimony of Scripture, that person must solidify, maintain, and grow that faith by nurturing it with the Scriptures, the Word of God.

Please! Listening to preachers is necessary, but check everything we say against Scripture. Listen to Scripture five days a week and to preachers two days a week. That is a ratio of two and a half to one.

Daily devotions are not the “Daily Bread” devotional booklet. Daily devotions are time in the Bible. Our bodies need food daily and so do our spirits. And, the food we need is the Bible, not somebody's thoughts on the Bible, just the Bible. Pick it up, ask the Holy Spirit to help, and read it - please!

Thrice Blessed

Ephesians 1:3

Ephesians 1:3 (NKJV) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ,

We are extremely blessed. (Blessed beyond measure.)

Ephesians 3 speaks of blessing and uses the word “blessed” three times.

The word used in the original language was  “eulogetas” (“good words,” we get our word “eulogy” from this same word). The root of this word is “logos” (a familiar term meaning “word” or “logic”). However, in Ephesians 3:1, each time the “eulogos” is used, it has a different ending. These changes in endings change the meaning (just slightly).

First, the verse says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this instance, “eulogos” is used as an adjective pointing to the character of God. In the New Testament, this word is used only of God, and it means that God is worthy of praise. He is worthy of our extolling His virtues and saying good words about Him. 

We see this in the Psalms, where many of the Psalms focus on praising the Lord. For example:

Psalm 145:1–3 (NKJV) ¹I will extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless Your name forever and ever.

²Every day I will bless You,

And I will praise Your name forever and ever.

³Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;

And His greatness is unsearchable.

God is worthy of us extolling His name, and this is what the first phrase of Ephesians 1:3 is saying. 

Ephesians 1:3 continues: “who has blessed us…”

The first phrase speaks of God’s character. He is worthy of praise. This phrase tells us who God is. It identifies God as the One who has blessed us. This time the word “eulogeō” is a verb. It is an action being performed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In this case, the “good words” are benefits or good things given to us. In the New Testament, this word is used primarily of God blessing His people.

In that He is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we see much of the blessing that He has given us. As Romans 8:32 says,

Romans 8:32 (NKJV) He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

We also need to remember James 1:17.

James 1:17 (NKJV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

When we think of blessings, we often think of material things. God has blessed with cars, houses, clothing, food, and families. However, all these are going to go away (except family). When I die, I am going to leave my house and car behind. (Since there is going to be a “wedding feast,” there might be food in heaven, but there certainly will not be any hunger.) After speaking of God’s character and identity, Ephesians 1:3 tells us what the blessings are. This time “eulogos” is a noun. The objects described by the noun are “blessings.”

Two things stand out about these blessings. First, they are spiritual. They have to do with the spiritual realm where angels and demons move about and have their being. These are things that matter. Material things, including our bodies, are destined to perish, but the blessings that God has blessed us with are eternal in nature. 

The eternal nature of the blessings brings us to the second thing that stands out about these blessings. Ephesians 3:1says, “…every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” The original text does not have the word “places.” The word used is an adjective. This means it is describing the nature of the blessings not the location. We have a salvation reserved in heaven for us. Jesus is preparing a place for us, and we can store up treasures for ourselves in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy. On top of all this, we have every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus.

Our home is no longer here. Jesus taught us that where our treasure is there will our hearts be also. We do not even know the treasures we have in the heavenly realms. We need to spend time investigating the treasures we have. For example:

• We have access to the Father.
• We have whatever we ask for (if we abide in Him).
• We have an eternal home in heaven.
• ….Count your many blessings, name them one by one.

A Light in the Darkness

Isaiah 49:6

Isaiah 49:1 (NKJV) “Listen, O coastlands, to Me, and take heed, you peoples from afar! The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name.

The God who created heaven and earth calls for people to listen. He says, “Take heed,” meaning pay attention. We should sit up and take notice. God does not speak without meaning or unnecessary words. 

In the section of Isaiah that we are looking at today, we are introduced to the servant of the Lord. This is not the first mention of the servant, but it is significant partly because this is one of the places in the Old Testament that God makes it clear that he intends to save some from every tongue, tribe, and nation. Although He is known as the God of Israel, He is also known as the God of all peoples. In Isaiah 49:1, the Servant calls for “peoples from afar” to listen. He calls for the Gentiles (nations) to listen even though Isaiah was an Israelite. He was also a prophet to the nations, and his prophecies contain a lot of information relevant to us today.

God chose Abraham, and through Abraham, God raised a people of His own. But, His purpose was always larger than Israel. When God chose Abraham, He said:

Genesis 12:2–3 (NKJV) ²I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. ³I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

God planned to bless all the families of the earth. This includes us.

In Isaiah 49, the Servant explains what God has told Him and in verse 6 says:

Isaiah 49:6 (NKJV) Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.’ 

God will raise up the tribes of Jacob, and He is restoring Israel. However, He also gave Jesus as a light to the Gentiles (nations). Notice that He says to the Servant, “…That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.” He does not say “carry” or “take” My salvation, but He says “be” My salvation. This is because Jesus is the Servant, and Isaiah is recording the words of Christ.

The Father told the Son, “I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles.” This is reflected in John’s gospel as He introduces us to the person of Jesus. He says:

John 1:5 (NKJV) And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Jesus is the light of the world, and when we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are reborn and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, are made His witnesses (Acts 1:8).

Jesus told us:

Matthew 5:14–16 (NKJV) ¹⁴“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

All believers are the light of the world. We exist as a church to carry the light. We are carrying the light here in Clearwater, and we are also part of carrying the light around the world. Carrying the light to foreign countries and the far corners of the world is part of who we are. 

Is our light shining as bright as it could?