Brian and Cathy Gray Bible study, Commentary

Warnings About Falsehood

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. 2 Peter 2:1-3

2 Peter 2:1-3

Peter is referring to Old Testament false prophets, such as those in the book of Jeremiah. For 40 years, Jeremiah warned Israel of God’s coming judgment. They ignored and persecuted him.

The false prophets in the Book of Jeremiah, chapter 14, are marked by one of the most turbulent historical periods in the history of the Kingdom of Judah.

Jeremiah ministered from about 627 to 586 BC, before the 70 year captivity in Babylon. (Jeremiah 29:1-11) It was a time of, intense political instability not unlike what we see in the world today.

Jeremiah 14 begins with a drought, followed by crop failure, famine, and economic collapse. The nation was under divine judgment. The people sought man-ordained solutions that they expected God to bless. After all, God would never harm His favorite children. They viewed their birthright as righteousness before God.

Meanwhile, God told Jeremiah that He was judging the people of Judah for their abject lack of repentance for persistent idolatry and disobedience of Him and His covenant.

In Jeremiah 14:13–16, we see the false prophets assuring the people otherwise.

‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’”

Jeremiah:13

To which God replies to Jeremiah.


“The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds. Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name although I did not send them, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not come upon this land’: By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed. 

Jeremiah 14:14-15

In Jeremiah 23, Judah was in a similar political and spiritual crisis. Their leaders were corrupt, and injustice was widespread.

For the land is full of adulterers;
because of the curse the land mourns,
and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. Their course is evil, and their might is not right. “Both prophet and priest are ungodly;
even in my house I have found their evil,
declares the LORD. 

Jeremiah 23:10-11

Meanwhile, Babylon was becoming the dominant regional power.

Still, people believed Jerusalem was invincible because it was home to God’s Temple, and God had made promises to the line of David.

They remained oblivious to the fact that God had sent Assyria as the hand of His judgment upon Israel approximately years before. (Isaiah 10) Instead, they only focused on their eventual deliverance when God judged the Assyrians. They assumed that God would intervene again based on their identity rather than their actions. The seemingly enigmatic Isaiah 10 shows us that while God may use an evil people to discipline His children, He does not excuse evil.

False prophets reinforced these beliefs, assuring the nation that Babylon would not succeed. The Lord attempted to bring correction through the prophet Jeremiah.

Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you, filling you with vain hopes. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, ‘It shall be well with you’; and to everyone who stubbornly follows his own heart, they say, ‘No disaster shall come upon you.’” Jeremiah 23:16-17

In Jeremiah 28, the false Prophet Hananiah essentially declared that God would make Israel Great Again in the span of two years. Hananiah proclaimed before Jeremiah,

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. Within two years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the LORD’s house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon..I will also bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, declares the LORD, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.” 

Jeremiah 28:2-4

To which Jeremiah respectfully replied.


“Amen! May the LORD do so; may the LORD make the words that you have prophesied come true, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the LORD, and all the exiles.The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the LORD has truly sent the prophet.”  

Jeremiah 28:6-9

At the end of the chapter,  the Lord takes Hananiah out.

And Jeremiah the prophet said to the prophet Hananiah, “Listen, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie. Therefore thus says the LORD: ‘Behold, I will remove you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have uttered rebellion against the LORD.’” In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died. Jeremiah 28:16-17

Alas, there is nothing new under the sun.

Timothy warned us of self-seeking narcissistic people in the last days church, and they would have an appearance of godliness but would deny its power. 2 Timothy 3:1-5

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4

It seems that almost every day, a new false prophet or teacher is exposed.

I recently heard on a podcast that only 13% of professing Christians in the US have read through the Bible. The majority rely on sermons from pastors in church. Hence, we endeavor to be like the Bereans in Acts 17:11 as we respond like Jeremiah to the words that we hear.

Amen! May the LORD do so; may the LORD make the words that you have prophesied come true… then we test (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22) and search the scripture to see if what is said rings true.

Maranatha

Brian and Cathy Gray Uncategorized

Calling and Election

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

2 Peter 1:3-10

We know we were dead in our trespasses and appointed to wrath like the rest of the world. We have escaped from corruption because of His great love with which He loved us. We didn’t deserve salvation. It is a gift. Ephesians 2:1-10

Our role is to become fruitful and effective in the ministry of reconciliation that He has given to all who are in Christ Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19

Peter outlines the actionable steps to achieving this.

Faith + virtue + knowledge + self-control + steadfastness + godliness + brotherly affection + love = Fruitfulness

The following definitions are from Strong’s Concordance.

Faith is pístis – Belief with the predominant idea of trust (or confidence), whether in God or in Christ—the character of one who can be relied on.

Virtue is arétē – A virtuous course of thought, feeling, and action—any particular moral excellence, as modesty, purity.

Knowledge is gnōsis – Enlarged knowledge of the Christian religion, such as belongs to the more advanced, especially of things lawful and unlawful for Christians, moral wisdom, such as is seen in right living.

Self-control is enkráteia – The virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, esp. his sensual appetites.

Stedfastness is hypomonḗ – Patience, constancy, endurance, the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings.

Godliness is eusébeia – Holiness, reverence, respect, piety towards God.

Brotherly Affection is philadelphía – Love of brothers or sisters, brotherly love, the love which Christians cherish for each other as brethren.

Love is agápē – Charity, brotherly love, affection, goodwill, love, benevolence, love feasts.

It would seem that Agápē describes the higher, more sacrificial love with which God loves us. The steps to becoming fruitful appear to be the path to becoming love. Agápē is what Jesus desired from Peter in John 21:15-19. If Peter indeed Agápēd Jesus, then Peter would feed His sheep, as Peter eventually did.

I have observed two streams in Christianity. One believes the pursuit of spiritual and moral excellence is religious and legalistic. They even use the word “religious” as a pejorative. Another stream is works-based and holds that salvation can only be maintained through works. Neither of these is correct.

Peter is clear in stating that now that we have escaped corruption and the hell it ultimately brings, let us embrace the character qualities that support our transformation and our conformity to the image of Jesus (Romans 8:29). If we love Him, we obey Him. John 14:15 

Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will...
Ephesians 1:4-5

Let’s take time to meditate on each point in the equation and ask the Lord to show us where and how we should pursue our next point of growth.

Maranatha

Brian and Cathy Gray Bible study

Foundations

Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

2 Peter 1:1-2

Servant is doûlos in Greek

an enslaved person, one who gives himself up to another’s will, those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men, devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests

Doûlos is the word from which the English term Doula is derived, and it refers to a non-medical professional who provides continuous support to someone going through a significant challenge, e.g., assisting birthing parents before, during, and immediately after childbirth. This is poignant if we consider that the original 12 Apostles served as doulas in the birth and propagation of the Gospel.

It is worth noting that Peter’s self-identification as a “Doûlos” precedes his identity as an Apostle of Jesus Christ.

Apostle is apóstolos in Greek 

a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders, specifically applied to the twelve apostles of Christ, in a broader sense applied to other eminent Christian teachers like Barnabas, Timothy, and Silvanus a.k.a. Silas.

There is considerable controversy regarding the Apostolic anointing and the office. More than a few people today lay claim to both.

Anointing itself carries a range of connotations today. However, anointing was the inaugural ceremony for priests. (Leviticus 8)

Baptism is a public declaration of individual believers signifying an inner conviction, repentance, death, and rebirth as a new creation in Christ Jesus. (2 Corinthians 5:17) It is a first step into a resolve to offer oneself as a living sacrifice Romans 12:1-2, as part of our being conformed to the image of Jesus. (Romans 8:29)

Similarly, anointing is a public declaration of the bestowing of authority, with the sobering reality that to whom much is given, much is required. (Luke 12:48)

The office of the Apostle is even more controversial. Many Christians restrict the title to the original 12 appointed by Jesus. While there is a definite distinction between the original 12, many emissaries are sent out as missionaries today. This commission is certainly Apostolic and applies in the same sense as it did to Barnabas, Timothy, and Silas. 

My wife and I were anointed when we were publicly ordained and sent out as missionaries. It was a ceremony in which we committed to lay down our six-figure income and our lives in the Hawaiian paradise to live in the Third World.

Anointing meant six years of beans and rice, bad water, illness, discomfort, and various life-threatening situations while doing our best as doulas to the less fortunate.

It meant being stripped of pride, self-righteousness, and self-centeredness we didn’t know we had. It meant rejection by angry family and friends who didn’t understand how we could leave them. It meant having the closest, most intimate experiences with our Lord because we had no one and nothing else to depend on. 

Anointing did not mean platforms or authority that elicited deference from others toward any perceived celebrity. It meant obscurity and marginalization, not fame or a cult-like following of those hoping for a dopamine-driven impartation of significance.

The true Apostolic office and anointing, as compared with the self-inflating modern version, are best described by Paul.

For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute.
To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless, and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.
1 Corinthians 4:9-13

Perhaps the greatest distinction between the Apostles chosen by Jesus and those appointed by the Church afterward is that, in their servitude as Doûlos, they laid the foundation, in conjunction with the Old Testament prophets, for the whole structure; being joined together, it grows into a holy temple in the Lord. (Ephesians 2:19-22)

A foundation is laid once.  So often I hear people misquote Amos 3:7: “Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets“. Or Isaiah 43:19, “Behold, I am doing a new thing,”  in the present tense, as if contemporary false prophets are on equal footing with Amos and Isaiah. They are not. If they were, they would remain subject to death for being wrong. Old Testament prophets were tasked with laying out God’s will and plan, His foundation for His Eternal Kingdom. There was no margin for error. This is called “foretelling”. It foretells the future.

New Testament prophecy is “forthtelling”. It is proclaiming God’s truth, will, and message in the present moment. New Testament prophets may reveal new understanding regarding what was written concerning the foundation. They do not reveal or proclaim a new foundation. 

And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
 
Revelation 19:9-10

New Testament prophets are to edify, exhort, and comfort the church. 1 Corinthians 14:3

Edify is oikodomḗ in Greek

the base of a structure; confirmation, the act of one who promotes another’s growth in Christian wisdom, piety, happiness, and holiness

Exhortation is paráklēsis in Greek

persuasive discourse, stirring address, instructive, admonitory, conciliatory, powerful, strongly advising discourse

Comfort is paramythía in Greek

any address, whether made for the purpose of persuading, or of arousing and stimulating, or of calming and consoling

The original prophetic preaching was preaching from Bible prophecy. Not farming Facebook data for fraudulent foretelling. That seems reasonable given that 500 of 2500 prophecies remain unfulfilled.

Hence, a contemporary prophet might edify the body by declaring the impending fulfillment of Ezekiel 38, exhorting them to search their hearts, then prepare to endure, while comforting them with the reality that, regardless of the earthly outcome, we are saved by the blood of Jesus and already have our seat with Him in eternity. (Ephesians 2:1-10)

Once again, the foundation was laid by the 12 Apostles and the Old Testament prophets, not modern renditions of those in Jeremiah 14, 23, and 28.  In verse 2, Peter echoes and supports Paul’s words in Ephesians 4 and 1 Corinthians 3.

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

Ephesians 4:11-14
According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder, I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—
each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, they will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15

The foundation has been laid. Modern Apostles might expand the original foundation as they plant churches. New foundations are heresy.

Our primary mandate today is to know Jesus and help guide others into the faith of equal standing with the Apostles. Equal standing does not mean equal authority. We build upon their foundation by evangelizing, teaching, and preaching the only thing that can save us, which is the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ, until grace and peace are multiplied in unity and in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Faith and knowledge of our Savior Jesus Christ come first by the word of God. (Romans 10:17) Not self-appointed celebrities anointed by other self-appointed celebrities.

As we will see, this is the foundation that Peter seeks to uphold and protect in 2 Peter. Hence, he begins the book with a gentle declaration and confirmation that serves as comfort to the faithful and a warning to others. The underlying theme in 2 Peter is the edification of the faithful and a warning that reflects and supports Paul’s in Galatians 1.

But even if an angel from heaven were to preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

Galatians 1:8-9

Accursed is anáthema banned, excommunicated, cut off.

Chew on That…

Maranatha