Wholesome Thinking

 

DEVOTION

THE 2^ND LETTER OF PETER

WHOLESOME THINKING

2 Peter 3:1-2

3:1 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.

NIV

This is a reminder about the false prophets and false teachers that both Peter’s letters serve to remind believers to be watchful about them and to keep from being deceived or enticed into their way of thinking. Instead, we are to be stimulated by these letters, by the word of God, to wholesome thinking. The Greek uses the words, pure minds. We are to remember the words of the prophets and the commands given by Jesus. This is having a pure mind or wholesome thinking. This would be in opposition to the type of thinking the false teachers were promoting. This would be thinking that is based on the words of the prophets and on the command given by our Lord and Savior through our apostles. This command or authoritative prescription, as the Greek word translated as command means is not just the actual words of Jesus, as some would argue, but Peter is telling us that the command of Jesus also comes to us through the apostles. They are the ones who had firsthand knowledge of everything Jesus said. Without the apostles, we would not have the gospels, the record of what Jesus said and did. But the point is that the word of God needs to be the central theme in our lives. Everything we think about has to have roots in the word of God. Of course, we have to learn an earthy trade or professional skill set, and that requires we apply our minds to knowledge relevant to those skills needed to accomplish whatever we do in life to sustain our physical living. Whether we are a tradesman skilled in construction or repairs or a doctor or lawyer or perhaps some type of engineer, either one who drives a train, or an electrical or mechanical engineer, or one of many other skill sets, knowledge through learning, through education is needed and we have to apply our thoughts in those areas. However, it is the areas of thought regarding how we live, the manner in which we live, the life choices we make that need to be based on the word of God. That implies we are ever cognoscente of the Holy Scriptures and the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. That means we always consider our way of thinking. We cannot be deceived by false ways of thought. We are not influenced by the thinking of the world, or of those who pervert the gospel message. Our influence needs to be straight from the word of God. Of course, we need to engage with other believers, because we are commanded to encourage one another, to build each other up until we all reach the unity in the faith. We are commanded to not forsake the assembling of ourselves, as some are in the habit of doing. This might speak more directly to those who are not being a part of a local church, and thus get their spirituality from some other source, such as false teachers. But today we also have these officials mandating, without the benefit of actual law, social distancing, and limited numbers of gatherings. We have had to adjust, but this also means assembling has taken on a different form. Nevertheless, it is essential we gather, to encourage each other, so we all are engaged in wholesome thinking.

Mud and Vomit

 

DEVOTION

THE 2^ND LETTER OF PETER

MUD AND VOMIT

2 Peter 2:17-22

17 These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 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. 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. 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."

NIV

Peter continues to warn those believers in Colossae against those false teachers. Although he makes it very clear there are empty springs without water and mists driven by a storm, he also makes it clear what happens to those who listen to their empty boastful words from their mouths. This feel-good, have it all, message of theirs, just like those false teachers of today, appeal to the lustful, or a longing for what is forbidden. They allure, as the Greek word means, or entice the young, newly converted believers.  This is why it is so important for believers, especially newer ones to learn from the Spirit and get into a local church under the care of the shepherd. But that also applies to all us believers. If we are not growing in our faith, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, then we are either stagnant or falling backward. If we do not stay connected to the vine, or the root, Jesus, we can do nothing, we are useless, and we will be cut off and thrown into the flames. This is the aim of those who promise freedom but make men slaves.  This idea of being a slave to whatever masters us can apply in many aspects of life. We already know that we cannot serve, or be a slave to money and to God. That is to mean, money cannot be in control of our lives. We cannot always be concerned about how much we have of it or make it one of our goals to accumulate enough to sit back and take life easy, as that rich farmer who built those bigger barns thought. But there are other aspects of life we can allow to master us if we are not ever watchful, or listen to empty words, or be enticed or entangled and overcome by them. Mostly those desires are concerned with the flesh, with the sinful nature, that is supposed to be dead but somehow makes an appearance. Still, we can allow other things to master us. Rituals or the traditions of men can become a central theme in our thinking. The laws of men, those lists of what we are not supposed to do, can actually master our way of thinking, and then we are not actually free, but a slave to the traditions of men, or of a ritualistic form of Christianity established by false teachers of the past. The freedom we experience in Christ needs to be our clear and present life throughout our daily walk with the Lord. That does not mean we can do anything we want whenever we want. That is not what freedom in Christ means. However, just like those false teachers wanted the Gentile believers to be circumcised in order to conform to the law, in order to become a Christian, we should not allow ourselves to be enticed into believing we need to adhere to the law, as Christ fulfilled that law, that covenant, and established a new covenant of faith. So then why do we want to go back to the law when we have Jesus? Why do we want to take a step backward and attempt to fulfill the law, when we know we are going to fail anyway. The command of the laws of Jesus is these two commands. To love our Lord God with all our being, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Heck, we ever fail at that all too often. But the fact still remains we cannot go backward, or get stuck in some rut cut out by the traditions of men. Who wants to wallow in the mud or return to their own vomit? That is what is it like when we return to the ways of men, false teachers, those who preach the does, and don’ts of Christian living. We need to get out from under their oppressive teaching, their empty boastful words, and learn to live in the freedom of Christ. We need to stay out of the mud and vomit.

Exposing Blots and Blemishes

DEVOTION

THE 2^ND LETTER OF PETER

EXPOSING BLOTS AND BLEMISHES

2 Peter 2:10-16

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.   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.

NIV

These words of Peter are not very uplifting as far as a devotion for our lives. He is not mixing any words or holding back any condemnation for those false teachers who have infiltrated the church in Colossae. He calls them brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born to only be caught and destroyed. Those are harsh words, yet it would seem those who pervert the gospel message, even to the point of denying the truth of Jesus Christ, are but brutes who crave their own pleasures. Peter calls them blots and blemishes. He says they are experts in greed. Again, we can see these same types trying and being successful in infiltrating the church today. They have gathered followers by the hundreds, in some cases, but the thousands. How can people, who think they are believers in the Lord, sit beguiled by these silver-tongued perverters of the gospel? Yet, these words of Peter are a good warning for us to be ever vigilant and always perceiving and discerning through the power of the Spirit. These men are so sleek, so persuasive in their words, both those spoken from their pulpits and in the plethora of books they flood the market with. Peter warns us again and again against such men. This is not to say all preachers and authors are false teachers, but we have to be very careful as to who we listen and read. God has gifted us with his Holy Spirit so we can discern false teachers from the true messengers of the truth. Again, we are aware of the pattern Jesus as set forth in being the Good Shepherd. We have had this pattern given to us even in the Old Testament, such as the 23^rd Psalm. It so clearly shows us the pattern of a shepherd, or today we call them pastors, who lead those who God has given to them, or the sheep, the flock, the congregation, into green pastures, which is, of course, the word of God. The scriptures, the truth, is a green pasture, a place we may find the true food that sustains our soul. The true pastor, shepherd, lead his people to still waters, the quiet calm that rest the soul in Christ, the spring of living water. When there is any form of chaos, that disturbs the flock, the shepherd restores their soul. There are peace and security in the care of the shepherd, he goes before his sheep, searching out anything that would do them harm. He lays down in the gate of the sheep pen guarding against any wolves that would kill and destroy his sheep. All this is a picture of the beloved church under the guidance of the Spirit. Those wolves are out there and their aim is set on the weak and the young who have yet to understand the truth. Let us always be about the truth and help those around us to see the truth and hold fast to it. This is the call of the Lord upon all those who know the truth. To be steadfast and to lift each other up, build each other up until we all reach the unity in the faith. This includes exposing those brute beasts, those blots, and blemishes.

Rebels

DEVOTION

THE 2^ND LETTER OF PETER

REBELS

2 Peter 2:4-10

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; 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.   10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority.

NIV

Peter is just finished saying their destruction has not been sleeping and now he warns the Colossians and us regarding such destruction that is not sleeping. It is interesting that Peter makes note the fallen angels are in a gloomy dungeon to be held for judgment. Who then are the demons who have tormented men that Jesus cast out? Some have often thought the league of fallen angels are Satan’s league of demons, doing his bidding here on earth. Why then would Peter tell us those angels are being held in a gloomy dungeon? In the Greek interlinear, it reads he put then in chains into chains of darkness and cast then down to hell. Did Satan have the power to lose their chains and free from hell to come up here to earth to torment men? We think not, for Satan cannot overpower the power of God. But then who are these demons that torment men? It is the common belief one-third of the angels that were in the rebellion headed up by Lucifer were cast to hell and are now Satan’s demons. But if they are held for judgment in chains of darkness, are they still there? Are the chains of darkness a metaphor to mean not free to accept the grace of God, or they are captive to sin? The point Peter is making is these angels were God’s wonderful creation who he created for the express reason of eternally given him praise and honor and glory, but because he also gave them the freedom of thought and choice, many of them rebelled against him and for that, they lost their place, and now are in chains of darkness. Peter also includes the time of Noah and how God was so saddened about his creation who had rebelled against him as well, and those he did not spare either but destroyed them all in a great flood. Are they too being held in hell for future judgment? Are they being held in chains of darkness? And what about those sinful people of Sodom? Peter says all the sinful unrighteous will be held for the Day of Judgment. But the righteous, just as Noah, Lot, and all others who have their righteousness in Christ will escape this judgment for we have already been judged as righteous. We do not have to worry about this day God will judge the wicked, for our sins have already been forgiven and we stand holy and blameless in his sight because we repented of our rebellion and came back to God, accepting his divine grace through faith in Jesus Christ. We are not among those who continue in the corrupt ways of the world and follow after the evil desires they do. We may still sin, but that is not our desire to be corrupted by sin, but rather to be in praise of our God. What a joy to have this peace with God, but at the same time, there is a pain in our hearts for those who are still living in corruption. Why will they not listen? Why do they refuse to repent? Is it really true they love darkness? It is really true they like their evil desires and want to live for their own pleasures? Then it is their choice, and we cannot convince them, only the Spirit can, but still, He does not make them come to Jesus, only offers the grace. If all those angels who knew the goodness of the heavenly realm they lived in rebelled, and all the people in the time of Noah hear his preaching and still remained in rebellion, how much more will more remain in their rebellion and have to stand before the judgment of God. What we can do, is continue to live in his grace, and stand firm as a witness to his righteousness within us. Still, there will always be rebels.

Falsifiers

DEVOTION

THE 2^ND LETTER OF PETER

FALSIFIERS

2 Peter 2:1-3

2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them — bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

NIV

These words of Peter come right after telling us about having the testimony of the prophets concerning Jesus. He is making reference to the fact that even during the time of the prophets there were false prophets among them and that there will also be false teachers among the church in Colossae. What this also tells us is there will still be false teachers among the people, even within the church, in fact, especially within the church. The key word we should pay attention to is secretly. These false teachings are not out in the open, making outlandish claims, but rather appearing as sheep, although they are actually ferocious wolves. They will come looking really good, preaching real good stuff, fine-sounding words, even pure truth from the word of God. They will gather followers with their extraverted personality and silver tongues. But we need to beware, and this is why the Spirit brings his gift of discernment with him as he makes his dwelling within us. These silver tongues wolves all dressed up in their sheep’s clothing slip in so very carefully their own destructive heresies. It is the weak and young uninformed believers who are taken in and drawn away from the pure truth and correct doctrine. Peter, gives us another clue as to how we might discern these false teachers and in their greed as well as exploit the people. It is interesting how this sounds in  Greek: in their covetousness, greed to have more, with their molded, by implication, artificial words, they make merchandise of us. That Greek word translated as make merchandise is emporeuomai, where we get that word describing a shop, or emporium. These false teachers have made a business from Christianity and we have seen so many come along using the modern media as their tool to exploit and grow their business to support their lavish thirst for the things of this world. But God is not asleep, by their own words they are bringing condemnation upon themselves. We need to be ever vigilant against their secret heresies. We know the truth, as the Spirit has and is continually leading us into all truth. We cannot allow ourselves to be drawn away, but we need to stay the course, listen to the Spirit, and follow the plan God has set for us. He has shown us the pattern of the sheep and the shepherd, and the pattern of wolves in sheep’s clothing. We know the truth and we will forever, not just be alert against those wolves, but warn our fellow sheep, they are after us, to devour us, to destroy us. They may think they are in secret, buy God has revealed them.  

Pay Attention

DEVOTION

THE 2^ND LETTER OF PETER

PAY ATTENTION

2 Peter 1:19-21

19 And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

NIV

Peter has just given his own testimony of the transfiguration of Jesus on the sacred mountain, giving firsthand knowledge of the divine nature of Jesus and that God, himself testified that Jesus was his beloved Son in whom he is well pleased. What more of truth would anyone need to pay attention to and see that any philosophies of the world are indeed hallow in comparison to the truth of God? But the real danger Peter is addressing is within the church itself. There were false teachers among these believers spreading all sorts of lies. The predominant falsehood was regarding future judgment and their present lives were a pattern for the future. This meant they were teaching there was no return of Christ. Heresy at its finest. That is why Peter spent so much time telling them and us about what we were to add to our faith. We are not certain if any of that type of teaching is going on today within the community of faith, as we cannot testify to every doctrine of each and every church in all the different denominations that exist today. Now, Peter moves on to tell us that if his personal testimony is not enough to pay attention to, that they should pay attention to all the prophets' words of old. It appears Peter is making the point that all the prophets that gave words concerning the coming Messiah are now more certainly true as the Messiah did come, the proof of their words are in Christ. Pay attention as we would to a light shining in a dark place. Just thinking about that gives us a clue to just how much attention we should pay to the truth about Jesus. Considering if we were standing in the darkness of places, a room with no light whatsoever, and someone walked in with a bright flashlight. It would be impossible for us to ignore that light, in fact, all our attention would be focused not just on the light, but what that light exposed to us in the room. What we did not know, standing in total darkness, was the room was filled with valuable treasure beyond measure. All the while we were in the darkness we had all this treasure available to us, but we did not know it until the light was shining on us. This is the truth Peter is making here. They were in darkness and now the light of Jesus has shined in their hearts, and with these heretical teachings threatening the vision they already received, trying to deceive them, Peter says at least pay attention to all the words of the prophets spoken about Jesus. Those words were not the words of men, made-up words, fashioned by the will of men for their own benefit, but by the inspiration of the Spirit. This is also what we should pay attention to amidst the multitude of voices that permeate the airwaves and various other digital media platforms. Voices spreading all sorts of various ideologies, philosophies, and theologies. However, we have the word of God. We have the words of the prophets, spoken through the power of the Spirit, concerning Christ. We have the firsthand accounts recorded in the gospels concerning Christ, and we have the testimonies of men like Peter, who wrote under the influence of the Spirit to give personal accounts of the divine nature of Jesus. We should pay close attention to these words, and not so much to the words devised by men to draw men to themselves, to obtain large followings in order to support their lavish life. Where is the humility of Christ in their lives? True a laborer is deserving of his wages. This was intended for the local pastor or shepherd that serves his flock. He is due his wage for his service of bringing the word of God to the people God has entrusted in his care. We do not know how Peter supported himself, but what we are certain is that he was driven by the Spirit to spread the truth regarding Jesus, about salvation is through faith in Jesus and Jesus alone, and that Jesus, being divine, being God, is coming back for his faithful people, to take them to where he is. This is the central focus of faith. We need to pay attention to the truth and only to the truth.

  

The True Story

DEVOTION

THE 2^ND LETTER OF PETER

THE TRUE STORY

2 Peter 1:16-18

16 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."   18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

NIV

Peter is making it very clear that he heard the voice of God give testimony that Jesus was His Son and that He was well pleased with Jesus. Peter also makes it clear that he saw Jesus in His transfigured state, His glorified state, shining with some kind of indescribable glowing. This is to tell those he writes to that anyone else who comes to them with made-up stories is just that, a fabricator of lies. This also tells us two truths. The first is one we are so furiously aware of, Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who came down from heaven taking the form of his creation to live as an example to us and to die on the cross to take away our sin. There is absolutely no question regarding this truth. However, we have known people who refuse to accept that truth and continued to believe without wavering, that Jesus was just a good man who did good deeds and gave us an example of how we should live, just as others did, such as Gandhi, Muhammad, or the Dalai Lama as well as other famous religious leaders throughout history. This ideology does not accept the divine nature of Jesus, who we are absolutely confident that he is divine. How else would we be able to explain all the miracles that God has unfolded before our very eyes? How else could we explain this faith that permeates our being? How else could we explain the immense freedom, the peace we have within as we continue to see God do miracles in our life, because we have Christ in our heart, and His divine nature resting within us? No, there is no doubt men will always come in their own name, fabricating, inventing clever stories, making themselves something they are not. But there is no other name in heaven or on earth that compares to the name of Jesus. Peter assures us that Jesus is the divine Son of God and that he heard it direct from the mouth of God. The second truth we glean from this statement of Peter is that we should always go forth in the name of Jesus. That is we cannot go forth in any other name, especially ours. Our life is not about making a mark on society as so many men would desire. Our life is not about leaving a legacy of our great accomplishments, or our great life. No, our life is about telling the story of Jesus, about living a life that brings glory to the truth that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He is alive and has promised that if we ask anything in His name, God will answer and give us our request. Now, of course, that does not mean we should ask for a new car, or a million dollars or such, but that we should ask for what brings glory to the Father and the Son. We also should not make up clever stories, or testimonies, but only testify to the truth of what Jesus did for us, that is coming to take us to that sacred mountain. What we have to make sure is that we tell the true story.