Day of the Lord - 2 Peter 3:9-18

Sermon Nuggets Mon Feb 21 Day of the Lord

Verses 2 Peter 3:9-18

Eph 2:8-10

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast.

10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

The Day of the Lord

As we have been thinking on 2 Peter for some weeks now previously we have seen how Peter encouraged us not to be troubled by those who scoff at the promise of the Lord's return. We are to remember the Word of God not the words of men. When we judge truth by the Bible it will be our anchor and our security. God has intervened in this world. The world events are in his hands. We see not only how the prophecies were fulfilled during Christ's first coming, but also how the prophecies are being completed in his second coming. But also remember that God's ways are not our ways. He is on a different time schedule that we are. For the Lord a 1,000 years is as a day and a day as a 1,000 years. Our task is to trust and obey to be ready and to be working.

As we are into another decade since our new millennium you will continue to be deluged with books and articles predicting the Lord's coming. The word is out by some calculations that it is suppose to take place in May of 2011. I caution you regardless of how well know or well intentioned the author or preacher is, to beware that they do not have any greater knowledge than the disciples of Jesus day when Jesus will return.

Are there signs that his coming will be soon? Yes! But I believe God has given to his church various signs so that we can always be expectant and ready. The first call of vs9 “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.”

The first step to be prepared for the Lord’s return is by repenting of sin and turning to trust Christ for your salvation by faith. His patience is to see the children of God prepared to enter into His eternal kingdom. Are you ready for the second coming by knowing you are saved by the grace of the Lord through faith? (Eph 2:8,9)

Repentance is turning from your way, your thinking, and your sin and facing Christ, giving up the past and embracing Him for the future. It trusts him with you life, your soul, your mind, your spirit, your body, your being.

Although many will give attention to the signs prior to His coming it is clear in this passage we will be looking at, Peter is calling us to be a people who live for His glory and live as examples of light in our dark world. Believing in the second coming of Jesus and awaiting that Day of the Lord should make a difference in how you live not just what you believe.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Tues Feb 22 Prophecy

Verses- 2 Pet 3:9-13

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.

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.

The Prophecy of His coming

Prophecy is prevalent in Scriptures. Some things happen because God said they would. And some things were given as warnings that might happen if a nation or a person did not change his ways. Many nations including Israel were warned in specific details of things that would happen if they did not repent. When they did not repent those prophecies came true. But another important aspect of prophecy is forth-telling God's word so the people might have a response of repentance, assurance, joy, hope, or whatever.

Often at Christmas time we look at Old Testament prophecies predicting the coming of the Messiah. Jesus was to born in Bethlehem, he was to escape to Egypt, he was to be born of a virgin, he was to be from the tribe of Judah, he was to grow up with powers of healing, he was to be despised and rejected, he was to be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver, he was to be killed, pierced, without breaking of any bones. He was to rise again, and ascend to heavens. All of these predictions accurately occurred. We couldn't put all those details together to figure out his life before hand. Hindsight brought about the awareness of how carefully all of history was in the hands of God. He carried out exactly what he had planned. That is also the case with prophecies yet fulfilled.

Peter uses this phrase "The Day of the Lord". There are different teachings regarding this. Some teach "the coming of Christ" and "the day of the Lord" are actually two separate events. Some will teach because Peter says it will be like thief in the night there will be secret rapture. Others indicate it refers to the final judgment day after the Millennium. Now some think it includes all the Millennium, while others believe it refers everything related to his coming.

If you read other passages from Paul's letters you will see similar expressions are used interchangeable. In 1 Thessalonians Paul speaks of the coming of the Lord for the righteous and calls it the "day of the Lord" as he discusses the timing of these events. You might study that there are different phrases used in the Bible- the day of the Lord, the Day of Christ, the day of Lord Jesus Christ, God, that day, the last Day, His day, the revelation of Christ, the appearing of Christ, the coming of Christ. For those who want to distinguish between the Day of Christ and the Day of the Lord, I think they run into trouble with the many passages that use both terms in the same context and calls it the Day of the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are four Greek words: Parousia which means coming or arrival. Epiphanias, meaning appearing or shining, being made visible. A third word is apokalupto- meaning disclosed or unveiled, revealed or revelations. And the last term is Hemeria "Day".

The context of the passage is the best way to understand their various interpretations. It seems to me that instead of thinking these are four different events it refers to four aspects of the same event.

We have the gospels which approach the same events of Christ's first coming with four views- Jesus as King, Jesus as Man, Jesus as divine and Jesus as the fulfillment of the coming Messiah.

There are times Paul and other N.T. writers want to show Christ's certainty and reality in his literal coming thereby using the word parousia. There are time when the emphasis of His coming is on his majesty and Jesus is revealed as King of Kings and Lord of Lords then apocalypto us used. There are times when the writer wants to encourage the hearts of those undergoing persecution to hang in there with perseverance. That visible return of his bodily presence gives that emphasis with Epiphanias. The context of the word gives various views of how we should see Jesus coming again, as he fulfills various roles of prophecy. So I do not think by this context that we are talking about a 24 hour day, but the event that beings the end of this world and the beginning of the next, prompted by the return of Jesus.

Although there are different teachings on this, for what it is worth that is my read. More tomorrow.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Weds Feb 23 Peril

Verses: 2 Peter 3: 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.

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.

The Peril of His Coming

In the prophecies of the second coming of Jesus there will be peril and great destruction. It will be a sudden surprise, unexpected for many, yet it is visible to all, heard by all. Someone asked me last week how that is possible. In our day and age did not the whole world watch the downfall of Egypt? Or previously over and again there was the replaying of the crashing of the Twin Towers on 9-11-01? What will be invented in the future will be even more mind bogging as the world closes in to the Day.

There will be judgment. Peter reminds us of the cosmic explosion the destruction by fire, and even the heavens, the stars, like stated in Joel's prophecy will be blackened. It will be catastrophic. The heavens will pass away with a great noise. While "the heavens" could refer to the atmosphere, I believe it could also refer to the ways we see the universe including the stars.

The peril toward the earth is elements will be destroyed by fire, and earth and everything in it will be laid bare. Listen to a couple similar passages Mk 13:24,25 "But in those days following that distress the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; The stars will fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shakened."

Jesus further tells John to write in Rev 6:12-14 "I watched as he opened the 6th seal there was a great earthquake, the sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to the earth, the sky receded like a scroll rolling up and every mountain and island was removed from its place." That certainly sounds to me like total destruction. That is the end of this world as we know it.

Doyle Evans an astrophysicist of Los Alamos Scientific Lab in New Mexico noted that an explosion occurred in a nearby galaxy known a N- 49 of a gamma radiation that lasted for only 1/10 of a second. If that had occurred in our galaxy, it would have instantly vaporized earth.

Should this be cause for despair? Not at all, for Peter also tells us that it will usher in a new order. We look forward to this "new heavens and new earth" because of God's promise.

Two ants were walking on this beautiful spring day on a golf course. A duffer came along and set up his ball right by them and swung several times hitting the dirt around the ball. Each time the ants were shaken. Finally one ant turned to the other and said, "If we want to stay alive, we'd better get on the ball."

Friend, that's the point of Peter message. If you want to escape destruction you better get on the ball. The words of this prophecy are not conditional. It isn't that it might happen if we do not straighten up, but that it will happen this is a promise just as assured and real as Jesus first coming. If destruction is complete and inevitable then how are we to invest our energies? This is the Lord's call for personal holiness, inner peace, evangelistic zeal, doctrinal steadfastness by growth in grace and knowledge.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs Feb 24 Preparation

Verses- 2 Peter 3: 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 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.

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.

The Preparation of His Coming

People do not expect it when thieves come to rob you. During the Holidays a movie often shown is "Home Alone". Remember the story of a boy left accidently by himself while his family flew to France? Some robbers are hitting homes that are vacated during the holidays and this home was on their list. They were surprised this little boy was there to meet them with all his various inventions of to do battle with them. I asked the obvious, "Why didn't he just go to the police since he knew the thieves were coming?" But then you wouldn't have this Hollywood story.

If you know thieves are coming you are prepared. There will be some who are prepared and some who are not prepared for Jesus coming. All are not surprised. Many are looking forward to it. Others will be blind sided in their sinful ways.

Rev. 21 speaks of the new heaven and earth. Prophecies are not just predictions they are also proclamations that are to have an effect on us primarily for the here and now. The reason the Lord tells us as much as he does about the second coming is that we might be prepared for it spiritually and live lives that will assure us of the rewards of his saints.

When I was growing up a popular question I would hear asked by ministers is what would you want to be found doing when the Lord returns? Although it made good preaching, Christ is with me all the time. It isn't as if it will be a surprise to Him what I am doing. I bring Christ into all of my activities now. But the challenge was to live a life for eternity not concentrating on things that pass away.

But the point is preparation, which isn't only having Christ as your savior; it is living a life to receive the rewards. Our call is to be holy, not happy. WE are to live fully and wholly unto Him and set apart from ungodliness.

If you received God's gift of salvation by grace through faith you have made your peace with God. You are ready to grow in his grace, to love and serve and help one another. What happened when you and I cannot live that type of life? Peter fell lots of times, but here is where the grace of God comes in. Forgiveness is a wonderful gift. The Holy Spirit begins working in us to make us more like Jesus. I get so impatient I want to be free from all temptations of sin right now. But I am not. God shows me that I am accepted by His work and when I stay focused on Him He'll do the rest. That is why personal prayer and Bible reading is so important for our spiritual health. It reminds us of truth and the will and ways of God in our lives.

How do we look forward to the day of God and speed its coming? Well holy living as something to do with it. Living out Christ in our world will affect our world.

When we read in the book of Revelation that there will be people of all tribes and all peoples and all nations, there is no question that it is our job to spread this truth world wide. It is a clear motive of the US Center of World Missions in California to spearhead a united effort to evangelize the unreached peoples groups of the world who have never heard the gospel message. It does not mean each person comes to Christ, but the nations have received the message of Christ We are part of that plan to help unreached peoples get reached. Sending missionaries is part of that plan. Evangelism is part of that plan. We are part of that.

D. L. Moody tells the story that when General Sherman went to Atlanta for more troops he left the fort, in Kennesaw Mountains with a little handful of men to guard some rations that he had brought there. General Hood however attacked the fort. For a long time that battle raged fearfully. Half of the men were either killed or wounded. The general in command was injured 7 times in that battle. When they were about to run up the white flag and surrender the fort, they had seen a signal on a mountain some 15 miles away. "Hold the fort; I am coming" W. T. Sherman.

That message fired up the hearts of those who remained and they were able to hold out until reinforcements came. They kept it and the supplies from going into the hands of their enemies.

So our heavenly commander has given us that same signal message of challenge and assurance. Let us hold the fort with patience and courage and hope, for the battle will soon be over and victory will be complete.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Fri Feb 25

Verses 2 Peter 3: 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.

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.

The Purpose of His Coming

I want to comment that Peter tells us that Paul wrote about Jesus coming too. Paul spoke of it in all his letters. Peter says Paul includes some things that are hard to understand. (Boy, am I glad he put that in there. First, I agree with Peter. Some of what Paul says is hard to understand.) But notice how Peter treats Paul's writings. He uses the term "Scriptures" and so they are. Peter realized Paul's guidance was from the Holy Spirit and his personal walk with Christ.

Although they had some earlier differences as recorded in Galatians 2, Peter and Paul were on the same team. It was important for them to preach teach and see others saved for the glory of Jesus Christ. Peter was even encouraging the church to read and follow Paul's inspired letters as Scripture. He warned that many are misinterpreting them and making them say things Paul did not intend. Even though they had different audiences, God’s truth ultimately united them and corrected Peter.

I think Peter is mentioning three simple but real purposes behind Jesus return. The first two reasons we have already mentioned. He is coming to judge he wicked and to reward the righteous. Many parables talk about the separation of the wheat from the chaff, the sheep from the goats the wise virgins and the foolish virgins, those with the garments and those without. We will be separated from God or live forever in his presence base on our faith in Christ alone.

But there is also evidence that there are further rewards for the believer, which I think are jobs and tasks we will be given based on our faithfulness to our work on earth. What we have done for Christ is part of a different type of judgment.

Thirdly, Jesus Christ will be glorified and honored and worshipped. We come to worship Him corporately as well as privately. There will be the final performance when Jesus will become completely glorified by all of creation. So now we need to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

How can you grow in grace? That does not mean we will be given more grace. You will not have more of Christ than you already have. You cannot have more salvation than what he has already given you. You cannot be more justified or more forgiven than you are or were on that day of your salvation. You will never be more accepted by Jesus than you are now, nor any more or less than any other Christian. Jesus cannot love us more than he does already.

However, there is difference in the display of our grace and our understanding and appreciation and love and service of Christ in our lives. We do not all have the same knowledge of Jesus and aren't as close to Christ in love. We grow in love for him and in service of him and in obedience to him and in faith in trusting him and courage to stand up for him and in zeal of making him known. We grow in brotherly love and grow in humility. Grace is not dependent upon how many years we have been a Christian either. For there are young people that are more mature in their faith and in their life and in their knowledge of God than many Christians who have been saved for 30-40-50 years, but have not gotten beyond the baby stage of maturity.

The first century Christians underwent persecution. They got closer to Christ as they depended upon Him more. They grew in grace under suffering and hard times.

Jesus does not want us stagnant but growing in our faith and our understanding. We are not to be lazy, but working. Do you live for temporary pleasure? It will pass. But to Him be glory both now and forever; the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.

Jesus is coming again, because in the first coming he came to earth to die, now he is returning to dwell as Lord forever, the first coming he came as man of sorrows and now as the Mighty God, before he came as the lamb of God now he will come as the lion of Judah. Before as the prince of peace and now as the King of Kings an Lord of Lords. Before he came as the author of salvation, now as the finisher of faith, before he came to atone for sins, now he is coming as the judge of the righteous and unrighteous. Before he came to accomplish our salvation, now he is coming to receive our praise.

Jesus is coming in glory to be glorified to the earth, to show Satan demons, those who pierced Him and those who ignored Him to show those who love Him and those who do not, that He is God and there is none else like Him. All creation will bow their knees before Him and worship.

We are to give him glory now as well as forever! Are you prepared?

Pastor Dale

Coming Day 2 Peter 3:1-9

Sermon Nuggets Mon Feb 14 Coming Day

Verses- 2 Peter 3:1-9

Coming Day

First, Happy Valentine's Day. We might be anticipating some things where love is expressed. Some might be disappointed because what they expect doesn't happen. Maybe it is a special gift. Maybe someone doesn't have money to give a gift. Maybe someone forgot. Outward expressions of love and appreciation can fall into two categories-Either real or empty.

When I was in grade school each student was to bring valentine greetings by some little card to each other student in the class. Out teaching collected all of them and divided them up by names and each person received a card from everyone. To be honest I did not want to give a card to everyone. I didn't like everyone in the room. I didn't want to receive a card from everyone in the room. My heart wasn't in it.

Of course I came to realize much later than love is something greater than feelings. God sent us the greatest greeting of love in the person of Jesus Christ. And his offer to receive his love is today to all who will respond to His Message. But one day his coming will be for his own. Those who have been set apart to live with Him forever. We anticipate his coming with longing and anticipation and wonder how long it will take.

Jesus is coming again. For many the wait has been too long. It is like the little girl going fishing for the first time holding the line in the water. Finally she throws down the pole and says, "I quit" What's wrong. "It takes too long to get waited on"

We Americans do not handle delays very well. Some feel that way anticipating an end to winter and anticipation of spring like weather. Some airline delays due to weather caused ire among customers who almost acted as if the airlines had something to do with the weather.

Our culture simply does not like to wait. Yet we wait less today than men have ever waited. We travel at high speed waiting less to arrive at a distant place. Communications which formerly took months now are completed in seconds. Meals which used to take hours to cook are now done in minutes in microwave ovens. People used to have to wait until they had cash to purchase a new car or home. Now these things are bought on credit. Fewer and fewer people are willing to wait until marriage to enjoy the intimacy of sex.

The truth is men have been waiting on God all through history. Noah waited a good 100 years or so for the flood to come upon the earth Abraham and Sarah waited 25 years for the birth of the son God had

promised them. Abraham did not even possess the Promised Land in his lifetime, and it was more than 400 years until his descendants took possession of it.

As Christians we have been given insight into the future. We will be commenting on the Day of the Lord next week, as we finish up our series from 2nd Peter. But there is one thing we can say with complete confidence. The future is in God's hand and things are going to get worse before they will get better. But for those in Jesus Christ there are great days ahead. The message of the second coming is an encouraging message for those who know Jesus as their savior and Lord and a discouraging tragedy for those who don't. The key element to dealing with waiting and scoffers who say he isn't coming can be summarized in one word: "remember".

Let’s remember some important truths regarding the second coming of Jesus Christ. How does that truth affect your life differently today?

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Tues Feb 15

Verses- 2 Peter 3:1-3 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.

3 First of all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.

Remember God's Word

Peter tells the readers to bring to their remembrance things they have already been taught. Reminders are good. The more you hear something, see something, and say something, the more likely it sticks. Peter reminded them in both letters (1 &2 Peter) of their need to stay close to God. God will reward and keep them secure. He also reminds them not to be surprised when trouble comes their way. In both epistles Peter encourages their hearts with the truth Jesus is coming again.

As a good pastor, Peter remains faithful to the call of Christ when Jesus told Peter to feed his lambs, feed his sheep, tend the flock. We read about that in the end of the book of John. Peter is obedient to the command that Jesus gave him. In these letters he is seeking to protect them from false shepherds, evil in character, and empty in content. He warns of their condemnation forever.

In this passage Peter wants them to center their minds on the words shared in the past by holy prophets, as well as the commands of Jesus given through the apostles. What Peter is pointing them to is the Scriptures, both the Old and New Testaments. How do you keep from being mislead by false teachers and preachers? Answer: Know your Bible. What will help you as you wait for the Lord's coming? Read and get your facts from the Bible. What will give you security when people will say the world is coming to the end? Your security will come as you act upon the truth of the Bible.

Look how Peter points to them to the Scriptures in this letter. "Grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ 1:3, know the precious promises 1:4,19 "We have the word of the prophets made more certain and you will do well to pay attention to it in your hearts. Understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by prophets own interpretation. 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."

He reminded them of the days of Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah, as well as the fallen angels and now brings them to the Bible to illustrate His point and show condemnation of the evil ones. He reminds them of the story of Balaam and the men that turned their back on the sacred commandments. Then he quoted two proverbs at the end of Chapter 2. Peter is constantly confirming using and pointing out the truth by looking to the Bible as His source. He reminds them to do the same. It is the used as the foundation of the prophecies of Jesus, Since all were not completed at his first coming then it just confirms that what Jesus will do as he taught at this second coming as King.

Acts 1:7 is true. It is not for us to know the times or the seasons which the Father has fixed by his own authority. We cannot claim to know when and how, but with assurance of the Word of God we can know that he will return.

Jesus became the authority for the New Testament. He showed his apostles many times how the Old Testament Scriptures were to be fulfilled by His first coming. He showed how the Messiah fulfilled the promises and then completed the work for the redemption of the world. It was important that God shows us by the Word that the apostles also confirm that is what Jesus taught us too. That is truth and they in boldness preached and wrote and so the apostle teachings are the word of God. We do not have any newer revelations that would ever go contrary to the Scriptures as laid down for us by the apostles as they were to pass on what the Lord had taught them, including the apostle Paul.

False teachers and prophets will want you to believe their revelations are just as authoritative as the apostles. The Romans Catholic church will tell us the Pope is Christ's representative on the earth and just as authoritative as the apostles. Some will have visions and dreams and say these are from God and on equal par with Peter's writings. When the apostles died, Scripture had been written and that is the last word on the subject until Christ returns. We don't need anymore revelation. What we need is to believe, trust and obey what is already there.

Jesus Christ is coming again visibly, bodily, triumphantly, regardless of people's books, films, videos and crusades that may say otherwise.

Listen to what one modern preacher taught about Jesus’ return, This will not be a personal return."

These are the voices of theologians and preachers, but remember God's word, not the words of men. Of course, their desire is not to determine truth, but to justify their lifestyle.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Weds Feb 16

Verses 2 Peter 3: 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.

Remember God's World

One of the benefits of our nation is the freedom of speech. Baptist made sure people had the freedom to worship according to the dictates of their conscience, not because some ruler or government said you must believe this way. We believe that free faith is real faith. If someone makes you believe a certain way it isn't really yours. If you will take Christ at his word and believe in your heart you will be saved. If you take the faith of the church or parents, or preach or priest, but it is not your faith then it isn't real faith.

So it is easy to also see why there are so much weird and twisting thinking about God. Here Peter was addressing the rumor going around that Jesus is not coming again. Many Christians at the time were looking for his immediate return. There are indications in the New Testament that people expected it to happen within that first generation. Only careful study shows that is not what Jesus said. Peter knows that he would not live and would die before Christ's coming, but he is already hearing the mockers say, "See Jesus hasn't come yet, therefore forget it. He isn't coming".

This is an amazingly modern argument for rejecting the supernatural, bodily second coming. It simply states the laws of nature are constant and unchanging. The sun has come up and gone down, the seasons have followed each other; the tides have risen and fallen for thousands of years in perfect order. Therefore we must expect this constancy for the future, and any thought that the sky might be rolled up like a scroll and the earth purged with global, fiery judgment by the returning Christ is unimaginable and unwarranted. This is exactly the position of much modern science and there are hundreds of pastors and theologians in the churches and seminaries today who reject a physical second coming and future judgment for the same reason.

We will know the motivation behind their scoffing which is a way to soothe their guilty conscience. Remember that false teachers were guided by their own lusts, and the good apostles were guided by the Lord's word.

Peter goes back into the world history to remind them the world is not like the false prophets proclaimed. They said, "God is not involved with the world. He does not intervene. The world is the same as it has been right from the beginning of time." Look at Peter's arguments.

He says in fact the world is not a stable universe. It was created by water and destroyed by water. God is not delaying by His standards only by man's standards. He writes to them that God judged the world once and will therefore do so again according to his promise. God does intervene with judgment and will do so when moral principles are violated.

What does he mean that the world was formed out of water and with water? Apparently he is talking his thoughts from Genesis 1. “Darkness was over the face of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters." That was its beginning. vs. 6 "Let there be an expanse between the waters to separate water from water." There was firmament. It was believed to be a mist like cloud. Why did things grow when it didn't rain? Why was it that people could live to be 400, 500 years old?

One hypothesis was before the flood this cloud kept people from direct sunlight and there was not the deterioration of the bodies that the sun causes now. There was atmosphere within the blanket of dew that hovered above allowing the moisture to make things grow without rain- now I'm not sure if that is true, but that is what one commentary said--but water was divided finally and separated from the dry land and out of and by and amidst it, the earth was formed by the power of God.

Peter goes on to show how it was also destroyed by waters as well. Why? Because of the moral evil and sin violating Gods laws. His anger and judgment was against the people who would ignore God's laws and live the way they wanted. Now the world is preserved for the wrath of God to be destroyed next by fire. It is the judgment for sin. So don't say that it was like this from the beginning and God wasn't involved. He was and is. Remember God’s world where there is change and there is intervention of Gods’ power to be displayed in ways that are not imaginable for mankind.

One wake up call is to see how our world has changed with massive earthquakes, storms, hurricanes, volcanoes, flooding. God is doing something. Peter says, don’t let the scoffers mislead you from truth for the future.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs Feb 17-

Verses- 2 Peter 3: 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.

Remember God’s Warning

Scoffers from Peter’s day did not believe in the second coming of Jesus Christ. Those who lived in opposition to the Christian truth would make fun of those who anticipating Jesus’ return. Yet, Peter, reiterates the coming of Jesus will also bring destruction to those who are not ready and judgment to those who mock the Lord.

Just like the world was destroyed by water in the days of Noah, now the prophecy from old is the next time it will be destroyed by fire. This warning is to repent and turn to Jesus by faith.

What do we know now of the earth that they didn't know in Peter's day? The earth is a ball of fire. One scientist compares it to an egg. A very thin shell or crust upon which we live that is covering a form of burning lava and volcanic substance. We also have the capabilities of nuclear war which by fire, fall-out and explosions could literally destroy this world. Fire from within and fire from without- the chemical make up and change of the molecules of hydrogen, even from water, can be explosive with the hydrogen in it I'm told. That is hard to imagine, but Peter says - God has promised to judge with fire, How he chooses to work that out we can only speculate. He used rain which they were unaware of in Noah's day. Maybe the manner will be unfamiliar to us all in his future world- but it will come.

We have many other incidences of God intervening continually in his world and in the lives of his followers. Certainly Peter and the apostles could mention several examples of God's intervention. The events related to Jesus and the miracles of Christ are the most vivid illustrations of the truth of the word and the world over the opinions by men. 587 BC God caused the Babylonians to completely destroy the temple of Solomon and the Holy City. He carted off the Israelites to another land. Then God restored them again to their territory. Inter-testimental period the Macabees fought off the Greeks and there was the miracles of lights, which is celebrated at Hanecha. In AD 70 there was the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by the Romans.

But listen even to unexplainable events which point to the miraculous workings of God in his world. "There was the Great Wind that miraculously came and destroyed the Spanish Armanda. There was the unusual snowstorm that brought about the defeat of Napolean in 1812. During a time of British invasion during the Revolutionary war there came such heavy fog to blind them of the stranded Americans on one harbor and when the last rescue boat came the fog lifted, so when the British were ready to attack there was no one there. There was an unusual intervention in weather and nature to bring decisive losses to the Nazi regime during WW II. We see the events that are still considered miraculous with the 6 day war of Israel against he Arabs back in 1967. You see the problem isn't that the world doesn't give examples of God's involvement, but people hearts are filled with sin and refused to acknowledge or look at God's reality around them.

(see Colossians 1:16-17)

Or Sinclair Lewis who stood in one church and said "If there is a God may he strike me dead." And since he didn't die the newspaper picked it up as if that is some proof there is no God. In that editorial one writer said, "It is like an ant crawling in the dessert of Arizona RR track proclaiming if there is a president of the RR let him come and drive me over and kill me-if such a one exist. Lewis is proud to think God would answer his prayer at Lewis bidding. Gods' time will come and that is what Peter wants them to realize. Remember God’s warning.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Fri Feb 17

Verses- 2 Peter 3: 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.

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.

Remember Gods' Ways

Let us never be so proud as to think God is like us. God's clock is not our clock. His ways are not our ways. Lets face it friend, you and I will never understand the way God works as long as we are on this earth. But let me also add, He has given us enough of his revelation to know as much about Him as He requires us to know. "God is God and there is none like him and not one that will understand Him." That is what he tells Job when Job tries to figure out his ways and his purposes. It is enough to cling to Him and let him work out the details at his timing.

Peter is perplexed with the people that say, "See God isn't returning. He hasn't yet." Well one reason is that God looks at time differently than how we do. What is long to us is short to him. And what is short to us can be long to Him. 1,000 years as a day. Part of argument is from Scriptures Ps 90:4 "For a 1,000 years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night." He has eternal perspective. God is not limited to time. This is something of human limitation. He knows the beginning from the end. He is not bound by time.

Now many people will take this verse and make it say all types of things. Some want to spiritualize it. Others will think this becomes some secret means of interpreting God's time tables, both past and future as if it were a mathematical principle. Some are into numerology, which frankly comes from pagan religions. I would caution people that interpret through numbers like this.

You have heard it said, no doubt that the world was created in 6 days and God rested. Some will say it took God 6,000 years since each day represents 1,000 years. Or our Lord was in the tomb 2 days and arose on the third. Therefore he was to come back to the earth in the year 2,000. Some will give a few extra years depending how many hours he was in the tomb.

Friends, the very point of the Scriptures argument isn't a new understanding of interpreting God' ways, instead it is reminding us that to Him time means nothing. The point is simply that time is irrelevant to God. It was two thousands years before God fulfilled His promise to Abraham. It was at least four or six thousand years before He fulfilled His promise to the serpent and the woman bearing seed. Since God kept His promise about the first coming of Christ, we can expect Him to fulfill the promise of His Son's return!

Look at God's time table as eternity. How short lived our tears and suffering, how short lived are our heartaches and our trials. When life is compared to be a mist and a vapor quickly gone realizes that God's coming may be very soon and then it may be many thousands of years away. (Although I don't personally believe it would be that long, but it may). We need humility. God can accomplish a 1,000 years of work in one day.

Sometimes I read about the lives of great men and see how much they were able to accomplish in their lives. Martin Luther changed a 1,000 years tradition in such a short time. Charles Westly averaged 8,000 miles on horseback preaching place to place and spoke about 1,000 sermons a year. That is averaging 3 a day. Is it any wonder what God can do in our short time?

But the greatest of all things we are to remember is why God waits and delays Christ's coming. It is because of His character of mercy and kindness. He does not want any to perish, but all to be saved. The years that he has given us are for the purpose of repentance and turning to God or to be used as tool for his glory in that purpose for others.

Ezekial 33:11 "As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye from your evil ways for why will ye die? " I tim 2:4 says it this way "God wants all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth." The delay is meant to lead to repentance, not to unbelief. There is coming a day when the door of opportunity will be closed.

God wants us to trust Him and look to him in faith in Jesus. He is coming again, are you ready for his return?

Pastor Dale

Misguided Leaders 2 Peter 2:9-22

Sermon Nuggets Mon Feb 7 Heresy

Verses 2 Pet 2:10-22

Be On Alert

Peter wants to put the church on alert with the stockpiling of Satan's warfare. His arsenal is lies, misguided people, emotional attachment to the things of this world and desire to keep people from knowing the truth of their need for salvation. Be on alert for lies and false teachers. Last week we looked at the first part of the chapter about how to detect false teachers, the pending destruction of false teachers, and how faithful followers are delivered by God's grace from destruction.

To be sure there are many divisions within the Christian church. There are also many completely false teachers that hit at major doctrines of the Scriptures. To know where to join forces and part company is not always easy. The vast split of the church was when Martin Luther stood strong on his convictions of salvation by faith alone and the reformation split from the Roman Catholic church.

We have seen before that time major false teachers represented by doctrines attacking the Trinity, the nature of Christ, salvation, and the resurrection. There have been major splits with regards to legalism and license.

A major controversy is cause more denominations to split over the place homosexuality has in our culture and in our churches. When church leaders proudly present themselves as Biblical and homosexual something is wrong in a major way.

Recently we have seen within the evangelical church attacks on the atonement of the cross, hell, and adding the promotion of universalism where everyone will be saved for Christ died for the whole world.

I have read recently that there are approximately 5,000 groups today that are considered cults. What is also alarming is that because of so many hear about the falling of pastors into immorality or embezzlement, or the bizarre teachings of cult leaders people reject all religion. They group all religion and churches as being untrustworthy and emotionally and psychologically manipulating.

In that passage today you will notice it is filled with passion, disgust, and rage as Peter writes continuing to warn his church of false teaches. He expands on revealing some things he wants to the church to know about false teachers and where they stand with God.

Because of Satan’s attack on truth the people of God need to be alert and warned now more than ever.

It is not easy to discern unimportant differences from major ones but there are some guidelines Peter puts down.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Tues Feb 7 – Character

Verses 2 Peter 2: 10-12 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.

Look at their Character

Peter’s warning against heretics reviews again the importance of one’s character. There is a difference between one who falls into sin and repents and another who lives a life of deceit and deception. Sometimes such teachers are also deceived by the evil one and are victim as well.

Most false leaders are people of great pride and arrogance.

When I was visiting a church in Indiana I was shocked to see how everything surrounded the adoration of the pastor. There was a huge mural of the pastor and his wife. When people were invited to church they were given posters of the pastor. For a special prize for people who could bring the most to church, they won an all expense paid trip to see where he was born and went to school and grew up. (Like a holy land tour?)

Notice how there is a natural progression to sin and depravity. They are bold and arrogant. False teachers, pastors, and spiritual leaders many times have ego problems. They think they are literally God's gift to the world and the only one from whom you will hear truth. They are powerful and charismatic people who love to have followers. They like building a kingdom unto themselves without regard to others. Beware of dictatorial church leaders. The Bible teaches that we are a body working together with different gifts and functions. There was perhaps no better leader in all the Bible than Moses, but it says he was filled with humility. He knew God was at work, not him.

I have in my file an article about Chico Artez keeping everyone guessing if he was preacher or a pimp. Artez, a former pimp was following his new found faith in God. He came to the Twin Cities to edit the Minnesota Christian Journal. Since then he had been changed with running a four state prostitution ring out of Rochester. He is a man of many sides- a con man in the eyes of the street wise, a convicted pimp who has coerced and beaten girls into prostitution, a religious person well versed in the Bible and at home speaking in churches. He even formed an anticrime education program for the public on how to avoid becoming victims of crimes. How can someone do that?

Is it any wonder Peter is so angry for dragging the name of Jesus into the mire? Peter adds, “they are blasphemous of spiritual things, including angels.”

Now if you read what Peter is saying closely they do not have regard for the spirit world. But even holy angels will not blaspheme Satan and his demons. Jude 1:9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"

They have an understanding of spiritual power which we as men do not. There are many what will mock spiritual power, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the place of Satan and demons. The liberal churches would have us believe that is just fairy tales derived from cultural ignorance and superstition.

Fear Satan. Rear the Occult. Don't play around with evil things. Don't go to parties where they play with séances, or tarot cards, or Ouija boards, or praying to spirits.

If an archangel, who is much more powerful than man, is fearful of making accusations against Satan, what does that say about how we should be in our humility? Leave that up the Lord. He pronounced not his rebuke, but the Lord’s rebuke. We are told to resist the devil and he will flee from you. How do you do that?

I Jn 2:15-16 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For everything in the world-- the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-- comes not from the Father but from the world.

Those character traits are not just temptations, but ways false teachers operate as we will examine some more abuses on the church.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Weds Feb 9 Consistency

Verses 2 Peter 2:13-16

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.

Look at their Consistency.

As we continue to look at the character of false leaders one must ask to they say one thing and do another. Is there consistency in their living for God or living unto themselves. Does their public life match with their private life?

Of course there is no one who is perfect. All will have their own personalities and oddities. Peter was not an Andrew. Paul was not a Barnabas. But they sought to live for the glory of God and not for their own pleasures, lusts and wants.

Someone told me yesterday on the news (I could not confirm it) that a pastor left his wife for his daughter-in-law. He stole his son’s wife. So often people can be caught living double lives. It is a sham to use people and especially the things of God for their own desires instead of seeking Christ in their own priorities.

Look out for subtle secretive things, or sensual and sexual immorality. We've see too much in our churches where clergy are victimizing parishioners of various ages. Many are greedy. Most are self willed, and some are full of dishonesty. One interesting thing is that many think they are invincible and their status and leadership can not be challenged.

How many times are priests brought to justice when young boys testify of their childhood abuses by a trusted spiritual leader? The apostle Peter wants his readers to know and beware of those pleasure seekers and pursue fleshly desires. He will ruin himself in bodily health and spiritual health and moral health and even mental health. Self-indulgent person ruins his own character and peace of mind by indulging in the very things he thinks give him pleasure. The one who loves drink finds that drunkenness destroys him, the one given to appetite in his gluttony harms his body. The lustful are fallen by sex, the money grabber find money to be his downfall. That which people strive for so hard to obtain, often becomes the very thing that destroys them when they receive it.

We see how churches today debate things that would never have been thought of before, from sinful homosexuality to openly advocating alternative lifestyle. What God calls adultery our culture calls free love. Addictions are categorized as diseases. Whatever keeps people from facing and repenting of sin instead of dealing with it at the cross is a lie from Satan. So we go to doctors and counselor to get pills and therapy when asking forgiveness for sin is a solution to some issues people refuse to look at. Is it any wonder Peter gets fed up and calls false leaders scabs, blemishes, and blots? If you translated it the way he intended in our cultures puss-filled pocket of despicable people.

Many are also filled with greed. They belong to the ranks of Balaam loving the wages of wickedness. Balaam loved money. The Bible tells the story when the King of Moab wants to hire this prophet to speak against his enemy. Riches become the lure of many in the ministry and compromise their principles for profit. Balaam refused. So the King gives him an offer he can't refuse. In route Balaam's donkey prevents him from going and miraculously speaks against him on the road. That ass had more sense than the prophet did, because of him many in Israel followed the idols and gods of Baal.

I am saddened by the way a Jimmy Bakker, or Ted Haggard, former leader for the National Association of Evangelicals, decided to not follow through their submission to Christian leaders for restoration. They moved from confession to bitterness. From those who lived a lie to those who are unfairly judged. One former friend of Ted said, “I have taken Ted to task over the years about his false teachings and false prophecies, as well as his frequent displays of un-christ-like behaviors.” But as a broken man he views Ted as so consumed with bitterness and vengeance, that at times he came across as almost paranoid schizophrenic.

If you want to see a Biblical manner of handling our sin see Psalm 51.

Be on alert with the character of false teachers, blasphemers, bold, arrogant, pleasure seeking, sensual and greedy people. Ask if their lives are consistent with the message they claim to preach.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Thurs Feb 10 Content

Verses- 2 Peter 2:15,17-19

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.

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.

Look at their Content

In spite of their openly fleshly lifestyle followers of false guides seem oblivious to their leaders’ sin. Many of these teachers and pastors feel free to continue in sin without any fear of rebuke or correction. Rather than expose and expel these heretics, their loyal followers seem content to embrace them. This allows more people to be sucked into a religion of man and not of God.

These false teachers have distorted the grace of God through the gospel so that, rather than seeing the gospel as God's provision for man's freedom from sin, it is viewed as God's provision for man's freedom to sin. False teachers still strive to introduce destructive heresies into the church.

As mentioned with the example of Balam’s ass the prophet left the straight way to be led to pleasures and riches. Preaching for profit was the lure of speaking falsehood. Peter says they offer water, but it is not from the living water of truth. They are springs that are dry. They do not produce what they promise. Mists driven by a storm are here and gone with lots of turmoil and activity for a short time.

A Methodist pastor in my ministerial association in Wisconsin believed the resurrection of Jesus was a myth. I asked what she preached on Easter. She preached about the new beginnings all around us, in the spring, and in the world, and in our lives we can overcome troubles by facing new days. But where is the power of God? There was none. Empty words, boastful words that appeal to the desires of sinful human nature. They say was appeals to the desires of people so they can be popular for awhile.

I think of many who started strong and began to lead people to complete falsehood. For example, Sun Myung Moon, the founder of the Unification Church, was raised in a Presbyterian church. Jim Jones, founder of the People's Temple, was raised in a Nazarene church. He once pastored an interdenominational church, and before he founded his own movement pastored a Disciples of Christ church. Victor Paul Weirwille, founder of The Way, was a pastor of the Reformed Church and a professor of New Testament at a leading Christian college. Mary Baker Eddy, founder of the church of Christian Science, was raised in an orthodox Christian home. Charles Taze Russell, the founder of the Jehovah's Witnesses, was raised in an orthodox Christian home and attended orthodox Christian churches. Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, although never joined a church attended studies at the Presbyterian and Methodist churches. All of these people strayed from the Christian faith. As a result, we today are reaping the bitter harvest of their heresy and error.

Elsewhere in Scripture, we are given more specific examples as to how the gospel may be perverted by false teachers but here, Peter is very general in his description of the doctrinal errors of the false teachers, while he is much more specific in his description of their moral failures. I believe it is because the cults and perversions of Christianity have great diversity in their doctrinal views, but the moral and practical manifestations are very similar. Perhaps it would seem Peter is suggesting that it may take considerable time for the false doctrines to become evident, while the moral failures of these folk are much more readily and quickly seen.

We need to be on alert with those reinvent interpretations and twist the Bible to adjust to their thinking, instead of changing their thinking to fit the Bible. But we see often how people want to change the Bible. Even recently there are many translations inspired more seeking to be to be more politically correct than truth to the text.

I pity people searching for God and coming away empty. It is because many leaders want to follow man's reasoning instead of God's Word. There is no other way to know the Lord except by putting your faith and trust in His one and only son, Jesus Christ, who came to our world to pay the price for our sin. Therefore we cannot be saved by good works, church membership, holy living, for all our righteousness is as filthy rags to God. We must humbly and sincerely turn from our own way and confess our sins before God and give him our lives. Invite Jesus in to our lives by prayer and ask him to save us. Promises other than that are empty. They are like rain clouds that are blown away by the winds and nothing comes during the dry season.

One last word of caution-there are many who preach the Bible, but live a lie. There are good Bible teachers, but as mentioned yesterday, their lives to do match their teaching. Keep focused on truth even if the teacher should be replaced. And likewise there are people who live very moral and respectful lives, but their content is of man and not God.

Pastor Dale

Sermon Nuggets Fri Feb 11 Condemnation

Verses 2 Peter 2:20-22 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."

A Look at their Condemnation

Peter warned them that God did not spare angels and they don't have the possibility to repentant like we do. If God did not spare the world in Noah's Day, we have much more revelation than they did. If God did not spare Sodom and Gomorrah, we have much more evidence of reality and work of the Messiah than they did, then how much more shall we fall into judgment. Those who are turning people away from truth and the Lord and enslaving captives into false teachings and false faith have a greater responsibility and therefore punishment.

It is very serious business to be a minister. There are many clergy who have no right to be so. It is a special calling of God that cannot be compromised by money, benefits, parsonages, or other monetary gifts. One must be convinced this is God's will and must convey God's word whether people like it or not. It is very serious business to have responsibilities for souls. If people do not respond to the truth that is not their responsibility, but to feed, challenge, love and rebuke according to God's word is their responsibility and one cannot take it lightly. Preachers, teachers, religious leaders, youth workers, sponsors, and the like are under tremendous warning, as being the most dangerous of jobs, for it would be better for a millstone to be tied around ones neck and thrown into he sea than for one causing a little one to fall or stumble in their faith in the Lord.

Those who are in it for money, fame, or power not only deceive others but themselves as well. Sadly many are on the wrong path without desires for any of those things, but Satan has blinded them of truth.

v 13 warns of their condemnation when it says they will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. One of the arguments for the existence of God and purpose of afterlife is justice. To right the moral wrongs that have been committed here on earth there must be a judgment. Otherwise there are lot of people that literally get away with murder, and worse atrocities than simple death if that is all there is without the righteousness of God.

This passage causes some problems with the question of eternal security. Peter is talking about those who have had knowledge of Jesus and had escaped form corruption of the world, but now they are entangled in it again.

Friends this is the same result regardless of the of theology. Those who believe in eternal security interpret it to say those folks were never really saved to begin with. They knew about the truth, they taught the truth, they were active in church they were baptized, but they were not real sheep following the Shepherd Christ, instead they were dogs going back to their vomit and pigs going back to the mud. There were people who went back to their true nature- in other worlds they were only putting up a front, but never committed their lives to Christ, nor involved their will and desire to live for Jesus.

Others will say, “No they were under the saving grace of God but they turned their back on him and fell from grace. Since they once were dogs and pigs now they have become like them again in their own lost natures.” I follow the first belief, but I don't want you to miss the point. The outcome is the same.

They are under the judgment of condemnation. Only you and the Lord know for sure if you are pretending or have a real faith. If you know Him then you will want to please him in the things you do. We all sin and don't let Satan scare you into thinking that if you sin you lose your salvation and have to be resaved. If however you enjoy your sin and it never bothers to you, then let that be an alarm system for your need to be saved. Being aware of the knowledge of the gospel and rejecting it or pretending is worse that if you haven't even known the truth, because you are responsible for what you know.

Profession of faith is not the same thing as possession of salvation. Not all who claim to be born again truly are. Likewise, anyone that is trusting some ritual whatever that is but has no love for Christ need to get saved.

Judas at one time forsook all and followed Jesus, but the Bible says he was a thief, he was greedy for gain, he was a hypocrite and walking all the while with the 12 he turned his back and betrayed Jesus. He was remorseful afterward, but not repentant. The Bible claims he was not with them even though he was around them. He should know being as close to Jesus, but not a true follower in his heart.

We are on alert. Look at the religious leaders and their character, their consistency, their content and their condemnation.

As we consider Peter's description of false teachers, we should not expect that every false teacher will manifest every characteristic described. Peter's characterization of the false teacher is such that we see some of the earmarks of the false teacher who will arise in our midst.

The God who judges false prophets can protect and rescue those who love him right in the midst of temptation. Stay tight with Christ and His word. If someone comes up with a new teaching, beware. Don’t follow any man or woman but only the Lord.

Pastor Dale