The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Peter 2:3,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories."
In Peter's observation of the false teachers that will come, he notes they exploit God's people. How are these false teachers able to exploit believers?
Peter says two things about false teachers: they "introduce destructive heresies", and they display "depraved conduct", verse 1. As such, the predetermined and unavoidable future for these false teachers will be an eternity spent in hell, verse 9.
Peter describes these teachers as those who exploit people with lies, who follow the "corrupt desire of the flesh", they despise authority, they are bold and arrogant, they "heap abuse on celestial beings", they blaspheme, they have "eyes full of adultery", experts in greed, etc.
How are such people able to exploit God's people? In chapter three, Peter says he wrote because he wanted to remind us of "the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles." 2 Peter 3:2. This was Peter's purpose in writing. He wanted us to be spared of being exploited by these false teachers and his remedy is to remind us of the Scriptures!
As believers in Jesus Christ, it is not enough to go to church on Sunday and listen to a message by someone who has spent the week studying God's word. We need to be that person who studies God's word ourselves. All of us. Getting it second hand just isn't going to do it
And, if we ever develop the conceit that somehow we can spot the false from the true when it comes to teachers without spending time in the Scriptures ourselves, we are going to find ourselves at odds with Peter and his concerns for us today.
Paul could not have put it more clearly, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
Both Peter and Paul implore us all to be studying the Scriptures for ourselves. When we don't, we ought not fool ourselves: we become available to the exploitation by false teachers. Do not let yourself be left in that position! Know the Scriptures and be equipped!
May we all open our Bibles and discover God's truth!
In Peter's observation of the false teachers that will come, he notes they exploit God's people. How are these false teachers able to exploit believers?
Peter says two things about false teachers: they "introduce destructive heresies", and they display "depraved conduct", verse 1. As such, the predetermined and unavoidable future for these false teachers will be an eternity spent in hell, verse 9.
Peter describes these teachers as those who exploit people with lies, who follow the "corrupt desire of the flesh", they despise authority, they are bold and arrogant, they "heap abuse on celestial beings", they blaspheme, they have "eyes full of adultery", experts in greed, etc.
How are such people able to exploit God's people? In chapter three, Peter says he wrote because he wanted to remind us of "the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles." 2 Peter 3:2. This was Peter's purpose in writing. He wanted us to be spared of being exploited by these false teachers and his remedy is to remind us of the Scriptures!
As believers in Jesus Christ, it is not enough to go to church on Sunday and listen to a message by someone who has spent the week studying God's word. We need to be that person who studies God's word ourselves. All of us. Getting it second hand just isn't going to do it
And, if we ever develop the conceit that somehow we can spot the false from the true when it comes to teachers without spending time in the Scriptures ourselves, we are going to find ourselves at odds with Peter and his concerns for us today.
Paul could not have put it more clearly, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
Both Peter and Paul implore us all to be studying the Scriptures for ourselves. When we don't, we ought not fool ourselves: we become available to the exploitation by false teachers. Do not let yourself be left in that position! Know the Scriptures and be equipped!
May we all open our Bibles and discover God's truth!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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