Hello All,
01/04/2025 – Prologue – Agape Love, [1 Peter 4:8], “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” Love fosters acceptance and patience. This verse teaches that love allows us to overlook past faults and imperfections, encouraging tolerance and compassion for one another. This attitude will be a necessary guide for 2025. We should ponder agape this year, is it the highest form of discipleship?*
To the Greeks, proper agape meant a general empathy or loving kindness for all people. Christians are expected to care for all in the name of Christ. In the Bible, Agape love comes from God. His love is not sentimental; it is essential to His character. In [1 John 4:8] “God is love [agape],” He is the source of agape love and His love is not deserved, but is gracious, and sacrificial. We are to love God and others with agape love. It is a choice, a striving for another’s highest good, and is known through action. God set the standard for agape love when He sent Jesus to die for us while we were still sinners.
Greatest Commandments, [Matt. 22:37-39] Jesus tells us to love God and our neighbors, and [Matt. 5:43-46] tells us to love our enemies. As in all things there are warnings; [1 John 2:15] warns us not to love things of the world. No discussion about love would be complete without reference to the ‘Love Chapter’ [1 Cor. 13], especially [1 Cor. 13:4-7]. Agape love does not come naturally to us in our sinful state. It is natural to God; it is an integral part of Him, a divine attribute. As we draw closer to Him, experiencing His love, we can begin to understand what this real love means.
[2 Peter 2:1-10a] – False Prophets – [Matt. 7:15-16] The lesson is clear, just because we are cheerful and do not dwell on problems, that life will be simple. This is true for our journey as Christian disciples. Jesus warned us the path will not always be straight and smooth. As in [Matt. 16:23; Luke 22:3] Jesus called Peter, ‘Satan’ and Judas did Satan’s work. Peter, remembering his own life, tells of how easily he was led astray and warns us about false prophets/teachers. Early Christians teachers warn us by saying be kind and gentle, but be not deceived. Jesus told us to be as innocent as doves and wise as serpents (crafty) [Gen. 3:1]. The challenge with false prophets/teachers is they sound plausible. We can accept everything, pretend everything is okay, become paranoid about everything or be discerning. Christians: church/person who cannot tell the difference, are in danger.
Peter warns of the most obvious danger signal: ‘deny the Master’, by saying - Jesus is but one of several great teachers or His death did not pay the price. [v. 1] Those are specific, Peter gives a general warning as well [v. 2], ‘the way of the truth will be blasphemed’; and outsiders will look at Christian teachers as soft targets. He also warns, as we have seen in the past, that some teach only to boost their income and need a ‘fresh’ approach. [v. 3] Then and now there will be many who want to hear that Christian faith and life is a huge mistake and there is an easier way. Peter refers his followers back to the early chapters in [Gen.]. Peter not only warns of the false messages, but he reminds them of God’s judge-ment and His rescue: Judgement and Mercy. In the case of the wicked angels [Gen. 6] God will keep them guarded until the judgement day. However, in the case of Noah and Sodom and Gomorrah, certain people were destroyed. The reason was not fanciful teaching, but sin, ungodliness and shameful, unprincipled behavior. Peter does not itemize our worldliness, but he is clear about the consequences when teachers remove the normal restraints imposed on human desires, by our Christian faith, we should beware. [v. 9] Peter does note the pollution of fleshy lust and despising authority. [v. 10a] He calls them a deadly combination. It is all too easy to get on the wrong road. Note: we are all called to overcome the temptations of the world.
Here is where we have assistance. We are not left to our own devices. Yes, we will be tested and the wicked and unscrupulous will appear to flourish. But God is not mocked. He knows how to rescue people from the test and how to keep the wicked ready for the day of judgement. God’s judgement and mercy are twin characteristics that we may observe in God’s command to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Be alert, it is easy to get lost.
[2 Peter 2:10b-22] – The Day of the Lord - Read these verses and we will not want to leave home as they reveal such harsh realities. Peter speaks of the murky, muddled, sordid, sad events of our fellow citizens: in and out of jail, in and out of relationships, in and out of debt. That may list only the principal actors; consider those with families and associations whom they drag along with them. Here are added dark realities: bitterness, fault-finding, mutual accusations, self-justification, self-hatred, self-harm, and suicide begin the list. However, we should not claim moral superiority, these events happen in all communities; we never know. We must be aware; there are truly dangerous and evil people out and about. We as practicing Christians are left to navigate a twisting world.
How do we help those we love? Here are some tips: recognize evil exists and there are dangerous teachers who are arrogant and self-willed. Peter is laying out the case that the starting point of rebellion against God is: the rejection of proper authority. For too many, it is the rejection of angels. Some have made them too cute, folksy or an afterthought. Thus, we do not take them seriously. However, God uses all types of beings, including angels to run the world. The implication is that those of us wishing to cast off authority begin by ‘trashing’ God-given invisible powers that stand behind human authorities. [2 Cor. 11:3] Rather than claim superiority, to look above the fray, we should observe with sorrow and fear. “There except for the grace of God go I.”
All of the tendencies above are present in us, but the point of self-control is to keep them away – to crucify the wrong and grow the proper desires. Peter notes injustice, enlarged sexual appetites, orgies and the stain they leave. [v. 13] The talking donkey in [v. 15-16] refers to the OT [Num. 22] The parallel deals with undoing the Israelites. When Balaam could not do it by talking against them, they shifted tactics; the sent in seductive women. Who led the Israelis into immorality and then idolatry. [Num. 31:15]
Here are the key points of [v. 17-22]. Some leaders preach ‘freedom’ while ensnared in corruption. (Familiar?) I may be free to eat what I want – to die young or I may be free to gamble – to leave my family destitute. Peter often uses sex, but we must recall sex is like fire – it can warm us and nurture us, but it can consume us in its flame. However, there is sorrow to those who come to faith and an opportunity to find holiness, but then head in the opposite direction. Growing Seed [Mark 4:26-29]There is a moral danger that exists, but Peter suggests: “Call a spade a spade.” Can you tell your neighbor? AMEN
Love, hank
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