June 28. 2 Peter 2:1-11
GRACE LESSONS: I love the way Peter helps us notice that God sees individuals who are trying to get it right even in the darkest of times. Noah was alone, practically, in being righteous, but God did not sweep him away with those who were beyond hearing. And then there was Lot. Lot chose the best land when Abraham gave him a choice and continued to live in a violent and vile place when—let’s face it—maybe he should have moved. Anyways, God showed him grace when he provided a way of escape for him and his family. God sees His people even in the darkest times.
OUR PASSAGE: And here, in this passage, we see harsher words from Peter. He issues a warning. If God did not spare angels who did not uphold truth, He will not spare false teachers who twist His good words and substitute them for bad. We see Peter as the angry under-shepherd here, looking after his sheep and fiercely protective against the wolves who want to devour them. It’s so sad to me that sexual immorality was involved. Don’t you just want to weep and grieve anytime you hear of a minister or Bible leader or pastor or priest who has been discovered to have molested a child?!! There is something so grievous about betraying trust and innocence while acting as an emissary from God. This is the type of grief and anger Peter is feeling. He doesn’t say what the sexual sins were, but whatever they were, they were monstrously bad. Verse 2 says it this way: “Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered.”
My verse: 2 Peter 2:2: “Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered.”
My response: Such a sobering verse, Lord! When we teach about You, we need to do it with pure motives and reverent lives. How grievous that teachers who practice immorality (and we’ve seen it over and over again as sexual abuse is revealed) make it harder for non-Christians to see the truth of Who You really are! Oh protect us from false teachers! Expose them swiftly, before they can harm any others.
