Dr. Lawrence Butler
The Bridge Church, Pembroke
If you have been following the studies presented previously, you are aware that Peter is warning future generations of Christians, such as us, that there have always been false teachers.
He informs us that this unfortunate trend will continue, and provides a deeply revealing examination of the character of these teachers and ministers.
False teaching results from ignoring the true God and accepting the works of the flesh in the heart. Such actions take one further from God than we can imagine. Look closely with me at the character revelations provided by Peter.
Sin is deeply grounded in their hearts and character. They “walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government” (v.10). They reject the power of any to hinder the satisfaction of their evil desires, thus answering the question of why they “despise government.”
The failure to restrict sin leads to deeper and more vile sin. They dishonor human nature by their grossness and become little more than “natural brute beasts” (v.12) while demanding the release of any bond that prevents them from fulfilling their evil desires. We often wonder how such tragic sins could occur in our civilized society, but this is clearly the answer.
Peter also informs us that these false prophets have “eyes full of adultery” (v.14). The application of this expression seems to be that their eyes see only the adulteress. In other words, every woman is seen as a target, someone who will potentially satisfy their wicked desires.
As William Barclay states, they have a constant desire to have more of something to which they had no right to desire, let alone have. They fought with their conscience until it was destroyed.
These wicked leaders, for so they are, whether political, social or religious, are described as being “presumptuous” (v.10).
This means these people are bold, daring and audacious. They are not afraid nor ashamed of their actions. When their wickedness comes to light, they either lie about it or pass it off as unimportant.
Leaders such as these must never fill our pulpits, must never be respected or followed whatever position they hold!
Let us pray that God will reveal the hearts of potential leaders before we allow them to fill such a role in our lives or our society. (For a deeper look at these sins, read Romans 1.)
The story of Isaac has its twists and turns. His birth reveals the faithfulness of God. The story begins with Abram (as he was first called) as he lived in a place called Ur of the Chaldees. The Lord called Abram to leave his home and go to a far country that God promised to give him. He began the journey with the commitment from God that he would have a family and inherit land that would become home to his large and greatly blessed seed. This part of the story may be read in Genesis 12. The years went by, but still no child was born to him and his wife Sarai.
Genesis 15 tells the reader that Abram had begun to wonder about the special promise of children because some twenty-five years had passed and still there was no fulfillment. Abram points out to the Lord that his lead servant, his steward, apparently had a child and was the heir to Abram. However, God told Abram, “This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir” (Gen. 15:4).
Approximately 10 more years passed and by this time even Sarai had given up. She sent Abram to marry Hagar, her Egyptian servant girl, so she could bear a child that would serve as a surrogate son to her and Abram. This is how the child Ishmael came to be born. He was a product of man’s attempt to accomplish God’s will without waiting for God to perform His miracle. The result has been thousands of years of conflict between the two families.
In Genesis 17 God changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, changed Abram’s name to Abraham, and said it’s time. After the appropriate pregnancy, and despite the lack of faith by this wonderful couple, God fulfilled His promise.
They had a baby and named him Isaac. He was the child of faith, the long-awaited fulfillment of God’s promise, the one who would continue the lineage of people that would eventually produce the Messiah. Through Isaac came the birth of the Christ-child, the virgin-born, sea-walking, leper- cleansing, blind-man healing Savior who would die on the cross, come out of the tomb on the third day, and show himself alive by many infallible proofs. God is in no hurry to meet your deadlines.
He has all eternity to work out His will. Trust His promise and wait by faith to see Him do what He said He would do.