2 Peter 2 - 2011.07.16

THE UPLOOK IS BETTER THAN THE OUTLOOK

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” — II Peter 2:1-2

Those who have lived to become old have seen many changes in the moral and spiritual realm; changes that can bring dismay, perplexity and apprehension. We have seen spiritual values deteriorate in the community and even in the churches. The word of God has been increasingly marginalized in our contemporary culture and our values, if we have any, are arbitrary and insecure. Those who have high standards, especially those drawn upon the scriptures are often the subject of ridicule, if not persecution. While the USA has never been a Christian nation (there is no such entity, and never has been) its foundation incorporated many values drawn from the scriptures and suited to our well-being that are being relentlessly attacked and replaced with liberal and licentious notions that loom as a gathering cloud of judgment on our horizon.

In fact, if we are at all familiar with the prophetic aspect of New Testament scripture, this should not surprise us. Rather than threaten our confidence in the word of God, it should reinforce it, for things that are happening today confirm the extraordinary insight of faithful men of God thousands of years ago. Our “nugget” for today, and the whole chapter from which it is taken, indeed, the whole epistle in which it is found, is a case in point.

Scripture anticipates the proliferation of false prophets and false teachers over time. The thinking of many believers, I fear, tends to limit this prediction to heresy within the church. In fact, it is much broader than that. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the apostle Peter notes “there were false prophets among the people,” meaning the people of God in the Old Testament dispensation. Remember that, while there were those who perverted the faith and order revealed through faithful men of old, and men who would teach error for a price, there also plagued the nation of Israel the false prophets of pagan religion and philosophies. The “prophets of Baal” serve as an example. The Spirit of God anticipates their denial of Christ (anti-christian) setting themselves up for judgment.

The second note of emphasis here is that “many shall follow their pernicious (“shameful” - NIV) ways.” The moral deviation and doctrinal perversion will draw a crowd ready and willing to scoff at the Word of the Lord, both written and in Person. We are seeing that trend on the ascendency in our culture today, promoted by a multitude and endorsed by legislatures. The false teachers and those who endorse and promote them are found in the halls of congress and in the temples of “learning” and pseudo science, as well as the more obvious dens of iniquity.

In consequence scripture predicts, “the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” It is coming to pass, and will gain impetus as time progresses—because the bible says so! Already biblical Christianity is deemed a hindrance to “progress.” How remarkable the insight of the apostle who said, “…the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables [II Tim. 4:3-4].” This trend in society is aided and abetted by false teachers within the churches who compromise the truth and collaborate with the ungodly in what has become “cultural Christianity.” These “promise liberty” (v. 19), i.e. freedom from the restraints of scripture, but are “themselves slaves of depravity.” (NIV)

While it is surely disheartening to see a nation that has been so highly favored with the knowledge of “the way of righteousness” readying itself for judgment, it should not be surprising. And it need not bring doubt, but reinforce our assurance that God knows what He is talking about and can, indeed, see the end from the beginning. Rather than cast doubts about the uniqueness and authority of scripture, it should have just the opposite effect.

While it remains true that there has never been a Christian nation, in the ordinary sense of that word, scripture affirms the existence of a mystical nation that permeates all the nations. Built upon the foundation of the written and Living Word of God, “…ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy [I Pet. 2:9-10].” And in the midst of this “crooked and perverse nation,” in which we now live, we are admonished to “abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul,” and “walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God [Col. 1:10].”

Accept the challenge, and “look up, for your redemption draweth nigh!” The outlook is grim but the “uplook” is great!!

Take heart and trust God,

"Pastor" Frasier