“The Just Shall Live By Faith”
New King James Version Written by: David Hicks
Romans 1:17 “ For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."
Galatians 3:11 “But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith."
Hebrews 10:38 “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him."
“Articles of Faith”
(A Study in II Peter)
Lesson 7- Their Hearts are Trained in Covetousness:
In our previous lessons we have explored in detail the fact that false doctrines have an origin (false teachers), it has a following (the weak and un-learned), and most importantly it has a sure and pending judgment of destruction from the presence of the Lord!
In this lesson we are going to explore exactly what makes a man a false teacher and the result of his work.
This is not a lesson on the sins of men! All of us are capable of sin. However, what makes a false teacher different is that they use their status as children of God, to live in and for the world!
Peter is not referring to men who may make an error in teaching (‘if', when the error is brought to their attention, they repent and correct the instruction). He is referring to those who portray themselves in the light of righteousness, yet, are motivated by everything ungodly!
There practiced, swelling words are aimed at the weak and uneducated among them, and many will follow them because it feels good! This is the arena of their work! Transforming the spiritual kingdom of heaven, in Christ, into an earthly sanctuary for what men want .
While on the island of Miletus , the Apostle Paul would give final instructions to the elders of the church at Ephesus (knowing that he would never see them again). He would tell them that “savage wolves” would come in from among them; not sparing the flock ( Acts 20:29 ).
What is a “savage wolf?” In nature, a wolf only kills what it needs to eat (under normal circumstances), however, a savage wolf or a sick wolf (one that is not behaving normally), just kills !
Paul is describing these false teachers who will, through their lusts, ravage flocks (weak brethren).
Later, in the history of the first century church, Paul would leave Timothy at Ephesus , and would charge him:
1 Timothy 1:3 “As I urged you when I went into Macedonia --remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine ,”
While Timothy was a steward of the true faith and heeded the words of the Lord and his charge from Paul, this was not a task he could accomplish alone! So, Paul also charged him:
2 Timothy 2:2 “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also .”
This would establish the true template for the furtherance of the Gospel's purpose in the citizens of Christ's kingdom. Faithful men are those whose lives are shaped and ruled by the word of God!
Even with this established system, both Timothy and these faithful men would need to be on constant guard against themselves becoming savage wolves to their own lusts, note:
2 Timothy 2:14-15 “ Remind them of these things , charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God , a worker who does not need to be ashamed , rightly dividing the word of truth .”
“Rightly dividing the word of truth”, is not just educating yourself in the proper application of God's word, but also includes making sure that you are active in seeking the Lord's purpose in the truth, without stamping over it with your own desires! This is the realm of the false teacher; they have a form of godliness but deny its power ( II Timothy 3:5 ).
This is the greatest battle that rages within the church of our Lord! Because it originates from within! There are thousands upon thousands of casualties who will not endure sound doctrine for the purpose the Lord intended it! Many will lead these weak and uneducated down the road of entertainment, false emotion, and re-made religion for the sake of making men happy!
Those who attempt to persuade according to the truth will be scoffed at as prudes, close minded, and antiquated thinkers. Alienated, and separated as purists! These will continue to humble themselves before the Lord, seeking His wisdom and not their own, knowing this one, all important thing: 2 Timothy 2:19 “Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: " The Lord knows those who are His ," and, "Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity."
I usually don't do this much introductory material, however, now you know why Peter devotes this entire chapter in an attempt to expose this great battle among the saints of God, in Christ. This great battle raged when Peter wrote this, and in the wisdom of God, it is just as vital to the church today! In addition, as we get to the commentary on the text, it is easy to lose sight of this great battle and the significance of our ability to recognize those who would originate these false precepts!
Text #1:
2 Peter 2:12-17 “But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. 15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet. 17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.”
Because we have spent a great deal of time in the introduction explaining the text (much of it being self evident), we will only highlight some of the illustrations made by Peter within the text.
Beasts: Peter's first illustration concerning these false teachers is that they are “natural irrational beasts” (“The Englishmen's Greek New Testament”). That is they seek the earthly things that sustain them in this life as a priority (the same things that by nature occupy the simple creatures entire existence – food, reproduction, etc…). They speak evil of the greater things that God offers through Christ and the life we will all face at the end of this one! Peter will return to this thought at the end of the chapter.
Spots and Blemishes: Paul says that the Lord created His church without spot or blemish ( Ephesians 5:27 ), however, here Peter says that these wicked men; by their conduct place a terrible blemish on this institution. They practice their quest for their desires in a brazen fashion and flaunt their false precepts in the open. Jude would dove-tail much of II Peter in his letter, note his thoughts on the same subject:
Jude 12 “These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves . They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead , pulled up by the roots;”
Adultery: In this context, the term describes, “One who turns from their first love”. Their eyes' being full of adultery describes, “One who is always looking for the opportunity to forsake their true love”. Peter describes these false teachers as those who are always looking for something other than that which the Lord has given, and cannot satisfy themselves by just looking; they seek to engage in these practices.
Hearts Trained: In the letter to the Hebrew Christians, the writer explains that everyone has the ability to train their hearts concerning both good and evil ( Hebrews 5:14 ). In the context, the writer is teaching these Jewish Christians that they should train themselves through vigorous exercise (exercising their senses), to seek that which is good! Here, Peter explains that these false teachers have done just the opposite. Their true motivation is explained and exposed here, just as it was in verse three ; covetousness! Their own desires !
Balaam: The story of Balaam, used as an illustration here by Peter, is a fascinating story of a prophet of God who attempted to do the will of God, while seeking to satisfy his own desires ! He is the perfect illustration of these self willed men, who cannot find satisfaction in the will of God alone! I encourage you to read Numbers 22-24 , as well as Numbers 31:8 ; concerning his fitting end!
Wells and Clouds: The last illustration in this first portion of our text is given to show that these false teachers don't always appear as something evil that we would naturally avoid. They appear as wells, which we would seek out for refreshing water, or as clouds that bring the promise of rain for our crops and livestock. Yet, they are void of the life giving substance we seek!
This is why we must seek the life giving prophetic word and each of us would do well to heed it, know it, and live it ( 1:19-21 )! This is the true living water that Jesus described to the Samaritan women by the well ( John 4 ). It is within each of our grasp to seek it and know it!
Text #2:
2 Peter 2:18-22 “For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. 20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."
For years, I have heard the reference, “He could sell a drink of water to a man next to a river!” This describes someone who can cunningly persuade and cause the dullard to act the fool!
Here, Peter explains that a man cannot truly impart something to another that he does not have himself; especially when it concerns moral or spiritual principles!
Yet, in verses 18-19 , through great swelling words they are selling something that they don't have! They use as a tool, the very thing that which every Christian has escaped through Christ Jesus our Lord; the lusts and sins of the flesh that war against us ( I Peter 2:11 ).
These false teachers have again returned, of their own accord, to the slavery of sin. As they practice their wares of entrapment, they overcome others. Here, Peter denotes that if a man is overcome by any person or thing he is slave of that thing! Paul would say the same thing to the Christians at Rome , note:
Romans 6:16 “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one's slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death , or of obedience leading to righteousness ?”
The remainder of the text is given as an explanation of the true end of those taken captive, whether by their own choice or as willing pawns!
Many use this passage to teach different levels of punishment, or to teach that a person is better off never becoming a Christian! Neither position is being taught here by Peter and such thinking is actually an injustice to the thought provided here.
As simply as I can put it, Peter is saying that a person who willingly turns their back on the Lord, after they have received and obeyed the truth, is hardened by the experience, and are less likely to ever return to the fold of God.
This is the same thought as the writer of Hebrews was attempting to convey to those who had completely forsaken the assembling of themselves together (see: Hebrews 10:25-31 ).
Thus, the illustration is given by Peter in the last verse, of the dog and the sow (using a quote from Proverbs, for the dog , Proverbs 26:11 – the sow portion is a mystery to me in scripture and might just be a practical statement of the time); this behavior might be expected in a unpretentious animal to act as described within this verse. However, there is a different expectation of an enlightened man to know better! This returns us back to the opening thought in verse 12 , where these self seeking individuals are described as brute beasts.
No right thinking person would willingly want to be categorized with this description. However, there are far more of those who do not wish to exert the energy to know for themselves the prophetic word, and even fewer who desire to serve the Lord for the sake of righteousness alone!
“I Think”, or “I Feel”, and any other variation, are the most damaging words expressed by a servant of God. “Thy will, not mine be done”; must be our battle cry!
James 4:10 “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
Next: “ Be Mindful of the Words ”