2 Peter 2:13 - And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
And they shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. That's their presumption. They don't wait until nighttime to go out and sin. They do it in the daytime where everybody can see them. They don't care!
Interesting, the word pleasure is the word luxury (TRUPHEN). Luxury comes from a word that means to live softly. It's a cushion. I want a better house because it's more comfortable. I want a different car because it's more comfortable. We're always looking for comfort. And that's what luxurious means. To live a luxurious life is to live a comfortable, cushioned, soft life.
I'm reminded of the prophets in the Old Testament. They wore coarse material. You know, the itchy kind. You can't sit still, you can't lay on it, and it's itching all of the time. And the prophets wore this not only because it was the clothing of the poor, but so that they would not become comfortable and lose touch with reality. A very interesting thought, isn't it? Sometimes a person can get caught up in a luxurious lifestyle and that's what they spend most of their time and focus on.
When we fall into some money, we're looking at how to spend it. How can I become more comfortable? How can I make life a little softer, a little easier? And then we lose touch with reality and our need of Christ. This is not teaching us that we should not own things, just as long as we don't let those things own us!
2 Peter 3:1 - This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you;
Notice that he is designating this as the second one. Notice that he is doing the writing. And thirdly, the word now is literally the word already. Already I am writing unto you. So, it came right behind the first letter. In both, that is, both letters, which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
The word pure is the word sincere. But in Greek, what it means is you pour a substance into a clear glass, and you hold it up to the sun to see if there's any impurities in it. Sincerity, as far as the Greek standpoint, as far as the biblical, is that you're able to stand in the light and be transparent. It's sincere, not a put on. It's not phony. He says in both which I stir up your sincere minds by way of remembrance.
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us.
The word longsuffering (MAKROTHUMEI) means patience, slow in reaction. Actually, God hasn't delayed. He's not being irresponsible. He's not late. What He's doing is He's holding back judgment so that people can come to know Christ. He's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
So, it's not another day for us to live in the flesh in the world. It's another day for people to come to repentance, and to come to know Christ. That's the only reason why we're still here.
When the word overcome, which is the word for victory, when it is presented about a believer, it's in the Perfect Tense. In 1 John 4:4, John's been talking about the spirit of antichrist in the world, and he says you are of God little children, and you have overcome them. Not should. You have already. Because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
1 John 5:4 says, for whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Again, has overcome, Perfect Tense.
And also, in the book of Revelation, in Chapters 2 and 3, the seven letters to the churches in Asia, to each church the Lord gives His warning and says to them, to the one who overcome, that is, the sins and problems in the church, I will give them the crown of life. To each one He says that.
Well, that's the way it reads in English, to the one who overcomes. It sounds like it's a challenge. But it's literally a Present Participle in the Greek. To the ones who are already overcoming. It's not a challenge. The point of the true believers that are within these fellowships, they are already overcoming. And they are the ones who will respond to what Christ had to say in His warnings. The people who do not belong to Christ will not.
2 Peter 2:19 - While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption:
This word servant in the Greek text is the word slave (Doulos). They promise liberty. Satan doesn't want you to have this sin, so go get it! But they themselves, the false teachers, are slaves to corruption. They can't cease from sin. So, they're pulling others in their direction.
And then the concept, and this is a very interesting concept: For of whom a man is overcome, of the same he is brought into bondage.
Is something overcoming you? Are you a slave to something? In 1 Corinthians Chapter 6, Paul said I have liberty to do all things. I am not under the law. But he says I will not do that which will bring me under its power. Obsessions, addictions, it won't bring me under its power.
Now what is interesting for a believer, and this is a Christian, a born-again believer, the bible never presents overcoming as a challenge that we have to earn.
Spots they are and blemishes. Those are phrases that are used for sacrificial animals. In order for an animal to be received for sacrifice, they had to be without spot or blemish. Peter, in 1 Peter Chapter 1 says, Jesus was a lamb that was slain. He was without spot and without blemish.
But they are spots and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; In the early church, they used to have what are called love feasts. And they would get together and have dinner together. And then after dinner, they would have communion.
And Paul talked about this in 1 Corinthians Chapter 11, where people were actually taking the communion elements, the bread and the wine, and they just included that in their meal. And Paul said some are sick, some are weak, and some have even died in God's judgment, because you did not discern that those elements represented the Lord's body. A very serious thing!
2 Peter 2:13 - And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
And they shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. That's their presumption. They don't wait until nighttime to go out and sin. They do it in the daytime where everybody can see them. They don't care!
Interesting, the word pleasure is the word luxury (TRUPHEN). Luxury comes from a word that means to live softly. It's a cushion. I want a better house because it's more comfortable. I want a different car because it's more comfortable. We're always looking for comfort. And that's what luxurious means. To live a luxurious life is to live a comfortable, cushioned, soft life.
I'm reminded of the prophets in the Old Testament. They wore coarse material. You know, the itchy kind. You can't sit still, you can't lay on it, and it's itching all of the time. And the prophets wore this not only because it was the clothing of the poor, but so that they would not become comfortable and lose touch with reality. A very interesting thought, isn't it? Sometimes a person can get caught up in a luxurious lifestyle and that's what they spend most of their time and focus on.
When we fall into some money, we're looking at how to spend it. How can I become more comfortable? How can I make life a little softer, a little easier? And then we lose touch with reality and our need of Christ. This is not teaching us that we should not own things, just as long as we don't let those things own us!
2 Peter 3:1 - This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you;
Notice that he is designating this as the second one. Notice that he is doing the writing. And thirdly, the word now is literally the word already. Already I am writing unto you. So, it came right behind the first letter. In both, that is, both letters, which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:
The word pure is the word sincere. But in Greek, what it means is you pour a substance into a clear glass, and you hold it up to the sun to see if there's any impurities in it. Sincerity, as far as the Greek standpoint, as far as the biblical, is that you're able to stand in the light and be transparent. It's sincere, not a put on. It's not phony. He says in both which I stir up your sincere minds by way of remembrance.
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us.
The word longsuffering (MAKROTHUMEI) means patience, slow in reaction. Actually, God hasn't delayed. He's not being irresponsible. He's not late. What He's doing is He's holding back judgment so that people can come to know Christ. He's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
So, it's not another day for us to live in the flesh in the world. It's another day for people to come to repentance, and to come to know Christ. That's the only reason why we're still here.
2 Peter 2:19 Continued
Two things:
When the word overcome, which is the word for victory, when it is presented about a believer, it's in the Perfect Tense. In 1 John 4:4, John's been talking about the spirit of antichrist in the world, and he says you are of God little children, and you have overcome them. Not should. You have already. Because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
1 John 5:4 says, for whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Again, has overcome, Perfect Tense.
And also, in the book of Revelation, in Chapters 2 and 3, the seven letters to the churches in Asia, to each church the Lord gives His warning and says to them, to the one who overcome, that is, the sins and problems in the church, I will give them the crown of life. To each one He says that.
Well, that's the way it reads in English, to the one who overcomes. It sounds like it's a challenge. But it's literally a Present Participle in the Greek. To the ones who are already overcoming. It's not a challenge. The point of the true believers that are within these fellowships, they are already overcoming. And they are the ones who will respond to what Christ had to say in His warnings. The people who do not belong to Christ will not.
2 Peter 2:19 - While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption:
This word servant in the Greek text is the word slave (Doulos). They promise liberty. Satan doesn't want you to have this sin, so go get it! But they themselves, the false teachers, are slaves to corruption. They can't cease from sin. So, they're pulling others in their direction.
And then the concept, and this is a very interesting concept: For of whom a man is overcome, of the same he is brought into bondage.
Is something overcoming you? Are you a slave to something? In 1 Corinthians Chapter 6, Paul said I have liberty to do all things. I am not under the law. But he says I will not do that which will bring me under its power. Obsessions, addictions, it won't bring me under its power.
Now what is interesting for a believer, and this is a Christian, a born-again believer, the bible never presents overcoming as a challenge that we have to earn.
2 Peter 2:13 Continued
Their celebrations:
Spots they are and blemishes. Those are phrases that are used for sacrificial animals. In order for an animal to be received for sacrifice, they had to be without spot or blemish. Peter, in 1 Peter Chapter 1 says, Jesus was a lamb that was slain. He was without spot and without blemish.
But they are spots and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; In the early church, they used to have what are called love feasts. And they would get together and have dinner together. And then after dinner, they would have communion.
And Paul talked about this in 1 Corinthians Chapter 11, where people were actually taking the communion elements, the bread and the wine, and they just included that in their meal. And Paul said some are sick, some are weak, and some have even died in God's judgment, because you did not discern that those elements represented the Lord's body. A very serious thing!
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