Lesson Fifteen: 2Peter, Epistles of John
Upon whom is it for us to rely? Upon our Father who is in heaven. In the footsteps of the Messiah insolence will increase and honor dwindle; ... the meeting-place of scholars will be used for immorality;... the wisdom of the learned will degenerate, fearers of sin will be despised, and the truth will be lacking; youths will put old men to shame, the old will stand up in the presence of the young, a son will revile his father, a daughter will rise against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies will be the members of his household; the face of the generation will be like the face of a dog, a son will not feel ashamed before his father. So upon whom is it for us to rely? Upon our Father who is in heaven.
b.Sotah 49b
Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of G-d the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water. Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.
2Peter 3:3-7
Introduction
- Last week we saw James as a “rubber meets the road” book of practical holiness. It is not enough to claim “faith” as form of “righteousness” – our faith is proved by righteous living.
- 1Peter connected us back to the calling of all Israel, to be a holy priesthood. Peter uses the “be holy” statements of Leviticus to remind us that holiness has a standard, and that standard is G-d’s Word alone.
2Peter
- 2Peter 3:1-3: Purpose: to stir up remembrance of the Prophets.
- 2:1: Because there are false prophets who deceive. Their judgment is coming.
- 2:9-22: They:
- Walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness
- Despise authority
- Are presumptuous and self-willed
- Are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries (angelic beings).
- Speak evil of things they do not understand
- Have eyes full of adultery, covetous
- Forsaken the right way, gone the way of Balaam
- Speak empty words, promising liberty
- 3:1-14: In the last days scoffers will come – looking for the Day of the L-rd, live holy lives.
1John
- 1John 5:13: Purpose: that you may know that you have eternal life. To dispel theologies that make “faith” an intellectual exercise, and thus negate holy living as necessary evidence of a changed life.
- 3:4-10: The children of G-d do not continue in sin. Whoever does righteous deeds is righteous as Messiah is righteous. Present tense verbs are important here and English does not rightly reveal the verb tenses.
- 3:11-15: Love your brother – this reveals if we have passed from death to life.
- 4:20-5:3: How do you know if you really love your brother? When we love G-d and keep His commandments (Matt 22:36-40). And His commandments are not burdensome (Deut 30:11-16).
- 4:1-3; 4:15: Test the spirits: Yeshua is 100% man. Yeshua is the Son of G-d.
2John
- 2John 1:4-8: Deceivers teach that Messiah Yeshua was not a real man. The definition of love is obedience to G-d’s commandments (Lev 19:18). Some say today, “Jesus was obedient to the Law, but He was G-d and so of course He could.” This is used as an excuse for living sinfully. Yeshua was obedient, so should we be.
Summary
- Holy living always is highlighted when we speak of watching for the Day of the L-rd, and the end of days. We are ending the story where we began: Man has a choice: obey G-d and fellowship with Him, or try to usurp G-d, and be banished.