QT 30 Nov 16, Josh 1: 10-15, A leader can only do what he thinks is best; he cannot guarantee success

Joshua 1:10–15 (ESV) — 10 And Joshua commanded the officers of the people, 11 “Pass through the midst of the camp and command the people, ‘Prepare your provisions, for within three days you are to pass over this Jordan to go in to take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving you to possess.’ ”

12 And to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, 13 “Remember the word that Moses the servant of the Lord commanded you, saying, ‘The Lord your God is providing you a place of rest and will give you this land.’ 14 Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan, but all the men of valor among you shall pass over armed before your brothers and shall help them, 15 until the Lord gives rest to your brothers as he has to you, and they also take possession of the land that the Lord your God is giving them. Then you shall return to the land of your possession and shall possess it, the land that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you beyond the Jordan toward the sunrise.”

NOTE: Joshua is a good example of a leader, and more importantly of a spiritual leader. He is not a micromanager, yet he does the little things well. For one thing, he involves his officers. He gives them the responsibility to get the people ready. He lays down a time frame. He reminds them of the why, "we are possessing the land that the LORD YOUR GOD IS GIVING YOU to possess." The focus is on God, not on the people. Next, he makes a special trip to the 2 1/2 tribes that are on the wrong side of the Jordan. He reminds them of their promise and of his promise to fulfill the agreement. Often times, when a barrier exists between groups, it separates the groups. The 2 1/2 tribes have to feel a part of the work of God or Joshua will lose them. Ultimately, they will disappear, but not during Joshua's lifetime. They chose immediate gratification instead of waiting for God's promise. They chose what their eyes saw, rather than what God said was best. It did not destroy them at first, but it was clearly contributory later in their history. Joshua does everything right as a leader, but even right steps do not guarantee obedience among the followers. Every parent sees that truth lived out in their children (some more than others). Doing the right thing is not a guarantee of success in the follower or child. A person is free to make their own choices--love could not exist otherwise, but it is so painful to see someone make choices for their own harm and destruction. Lord have mercy on us and on those we love. How we hurt you …, how we hurt each other.

QT 29 Nov 16, Josh 1:8-9, The transformative power of the bible

Joshua 1:8–9 (ESV) — 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

NOTE: I think I memorized verse 8 almost 40 years ago. I memorized 1000 verses during my college years as a brand new believer. I have not been nearly as good memorizing since then and probably struggle to get between 10 and 50 a year, but the habit of memorizing scripture has probably done more for my walk with God than I can ever imagine. For one thing, the word of God has a transforming effect. We are only learning now that certain behaviors can rewire your brain, and not just functionally, but also physically, such that it even looks different. The bible has a tremendous transformative effect on how we think. And considering how much garbage the media is trying to push into our brains, we need the restorative power of the word of God. There is nothing inherently evil about media, but Satan has figured out long ago how to destroy generations through subtle control of the output of the media and the de-valuing of the scriptures. God's command to Joshua is just as necessary today, but probably for different reasons. Joshua needed the commands so that he would lead the people to follow the commands. We need the word of God, so that the Holy Spirit can transform and change us more into the person of Jesus Christ.

QT 28 Nov 16, Josh 1:1-2,5-7, Walking in obedience to create a winsome life

Joshua 1:1–2, 5-7 (ESV) — 1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. . . .  5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.

NOTE: Leadership change can be a frightening thing, especially during a time when leaders did not change but once in a lifetime. God chooses the new leader and surprisingly, no one seems to take issue with the change. One, they either remember what happened to Korah and others, or two, Moses has done a good job integrating Joshua into the leadership structure during his time of leadership. Joshua is ready and Joshua steps up to the plate in a physical sense. But God provides some final spiritual guidance. God tells Joshua that it will not always be easy, so be strong and courageous. Leaders face difficult choices that will not please everyone. And secondly, obey the law. For Joshua, the law was his blueprint, his key to success. He will fail, as all people do who try to obey the law, but if his heart is set on obedience as David's heart will be, he will very successful. In fact, God will ensure his success if he obeys. That is a basic tenement of the old covenant which is not true of the new covenant. The old covenant guaranteed physical blessings for obedience. The new covenant does not make that guarantee on the basis of obedience. The new covenant guarantees inheritance, future blessing, and sadly "temporal suffering" on the basis of faith. There is no health and wealth gospel, that is a creation of charlatans and false teachers whose greed, pride, and lusts have allowed them to lead many astray. "Woe to them" is the message of Jude. But Joshua sits in a different situation and yet a not so different situation. His salvation is guaranteed by his faith (that is the message of Abraham), but his success and Israel's success as a nation is dependent upon obedience. So what can we learn if our success is not dependent on obedience? While we are not guaranteed physical blessings for obedience, there are principles of life that even the new covenant acknowledges, such as working and then eating, or committing a crime and suffering punishment. But our purpose for obedience is a spiritual purpose--it is for our witness, which is required to conquered the spiritual hearts of people. We walk in obedience in order to attract people to the kingdom.

QT 24 Nov 16, Jude 16, Beware signs of grumbling and lack of contentment

Jude 16 (ESV) — 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

NOTE: When someone is a grumbler, a malcontent, or a complainer, it is because they have not got their own way. We all struggle to some degree with wanting our own way, and this verse should be a warning to us. When our own sinful desires start to take over us, hardening our heart, quenching the spirit, and deadening our spiritual senses, we are on our way toward becoming a "false teacher," even if we don't have a teaching role. We all teach, whether it is our children, our co-workers, even our basic witness to the world. The key is that we have to be in the word of God. We have to be repenting of sin and putting to death the evil desires in our heart. They spirit helps us in this battle, but make no mistake, it is a battle. The key is to begin seeing the victories outnumber the failures. We need our minds renewed because sin changes the way we think. The word of God renews us. The Holy Spirit makes us into new creatures. But until the transformation of our bodies into a new body, we always carry around with us the old body with its evil desires. What is the application? Watch ourselves. Look for signs of grumbling and lack of contentment. Stay in the word. Stay in prayer, and always spend some prayer time in repentance.

QT 23 Nov 16, Jude 14-16, Be warned, God is going to judge the unbeliever for all of eternity -- that is his right as creator

Jude 14–16 (ESV) — 14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

NOTE: Jude quotes a book of the apocrypha, not because it is inspired or canonical, but because God led him to use that particular quote. Although, now we learn that the quote does capture a biblical argument correctly, but makes no commentary on the rest of the book of Enoch. The coming with the holy ones refers to the second coming of Christ, and in this case, the judgment will be executed among the unbelieving false teachers. A repeated term is ungodly and it is worth a definition since Jude repeatedly emphasizes the idea. There are multiple words translated as ungodly in the text, one means wicked or malignant, another means irreverent, and still another, to act in an impiously or as a noun, impiety. Most of these words suggest disdain or lack of respect for God and his authority. And this definition describes an atheist today. Maybe atheists actually believe in God, they just hate him. But it does not matter, God will judge the wicked, irreverent, and ungodly. They can enjoy their moment of scoffing, but they will regret their decision for all of eternity. That seems harsh, but who are we to tell the creator what to do with his creation?

QT 22 Nov 16, Jude 12-13, False teachers are very dangerous to our faith

Jude 12–13 (ESV) — 12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

NOTE: The imagery is so powerful. Hidden reefs are the biggest danger to a ship nearing land. An entire ship can be destroyed if a hidden reef is not discovered. Waterless clouds are those morning clouds that look like rain, but then nothing happens--they are very disappointing. Fruitless trees offer hope year after year of a crop, and then nothing at harvest time. Wild waves of the sea crash at the beach and tear it up, often times bringing in seaweeds and garbage. Wandering stars are asteroids whose orbits are not in sync with the rest of the system and will soon crash into something. Of course, Jude had something else in mind in the last two, but those are the thoughts that the images trigger in my mind. The point of all the pictures is that false teachers are very dangerous. The can destroy (shipwreck) a person's faith telling stories that sound good but have absolutely no spiritual nourishment. They are ideas that enslave and do not bring us into a deeper understanding of our lord and savior. Jude is saying, not just BEWARE, but RUN, these are dangerous men.

QT 21 Nov 16, Jude 11-13, The motivations of false teachers

Jude 11–13 (ESV) — 11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion. 12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

NOTE: Jude's choice of examples for false teachers is quite interesting and instructive. He picks three: Cain, Balaam, and Korah. All three could probably be described as believers in God. Cain talked with God directly, and apparently believed in God enough to be sacrificing an offering. Balaam was known as a prophet of God and also talked to God, or at least heard from God. Korah was a leader among the people of Israel who passed through the waters and was saved (physically) out of slavery in Egypt. Each of them rebelled in a different way. Cain's situation is difficult, but it appears that Cain did not give the first fruit but rather gave out of his excess. The words first fruit are used for his brother Abel's offering but not mentioned of his offering. Additionally, Cain was upset that Abel's offering was accepted and his offering was not accepted. So his second sin would be comparison, which is simply pride. Cain's sins were greed and pride. Balaam's sin was trying to get rich off of his prophetic gift. The error was the advice he gave Balak to intermarry with Israel to draw her away from her worship of God and toward idolatry. Balaam combined culture with biblical truth to produce absolute error, but ultimately it revolved around greed and sexual sin (using the women to entice the men of Israel). Finally, Korah rebelled against God's annointed. Moses was designated by God to lead Israel. Moses was a humble man, and Korah took advantage of this perceived weakness to challenge him for authority. Korah and his followers took censors and approached the tabernacle--he and his followers were destroyed. Clearly, his problem was pride, but it was also believing in physicality trumping spirituality. Could he really believe God was so uninterested as to not intervene? Did he even believe in the personal nature of God? Was he a theist who believed in God, but that God has left us alone to our own devices?

In summary, pride, greed, and sexual sin characterize the totality of the stories. These are the same categories that John warns us to beware: 1 John 2:15–16 (ESV) — 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 

QT 18 Nov 16, Jude 5-8, Grave warning to false teachers

Jude 5–8 (ESV) — 5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. 8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.

NOTE: There is common theme. God judges his creation, not immediately, not without foreknowledge, but ultimately God judges. Some of the judgment is physical, some eternal, and some both physical and eternal. God is the judge of all the earth. False teachers need to be worried, because while they may experience popularity, wealth, and even sexual indulgence as a result of their teaching, God will judge them. The lack of judgment until this point is no indication that they have fallen under the radar. God is completely aware of every false teacher. God's patience should not be interpreted as forgetfulness or lack of interest, but rather as mercy in order that the persons might repent of their sin before it is too late. If not, the judgment will be immense and hard, as evidenced by the examples given. It does not matter how high and lofty your current position (see the angels in the passage), you will end up in the deepest bottom if you do not repent of your sin.

QT 16 Nov 16, Jude 3-4, Beware false teachers (some freedoms are actually a path to slavery)

Jude 3–4 (ESV) — 3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

NOTE: Jude intends to write an encouraging letter about their common salvation. I can imagine the letter he would write, extolling the joys and benefits of salvation, the freedom from the law, and the glorious hope as sons of God, and heirs to the kingdom. [Incidentally, I like the term "sons of God" to describe believers, because in Jewish tradition, the son received a special inheritance, so to neutralize the gender removes the meaning of the thought -- there is no difference, male and female are all one in Christ, but our inheritance is the inheritance of a son.] Anyway, Jude does not write about what he intended, but rather on a topic of need. Apparently, in the early church, certain people, ungodly people, had crept into the church and were leading the church astray using sensuality. And that is a slippery slope that even leads to denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. Just as Peter warned in his letters, we need to be very careful with "new" teaching. Does it make sense in light of scripture? Does it agree with all of scripture? Does it uphold godliness and holiness? Does it exalt Jesus Christ as the son of God? There are probably more questions that could be asked, but these are a good starting point. Beware teaching that does not conform to the teaching and example of Jesus Christ.

QT 14 Nov 16, Gal 4:28-30, We have his favor -- we are his sons (if you have believed in Jesus)

Galatians 4:28–30 (ESV) — 28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. 30 But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.”

NOTE: I've never notice this last part of the Isaac - Ishmael story. First, the story is true and historical, but Paul points out the allegory in the story. While I have understood what each birth represents, I never noticed how the child of the flesh persecuted the child of the Spirit. In fact, the persecution results in the child of the flesh being expelled, Ishmael and his mother into the desert. I always thought the story was harsh and that Sarah seemed somewhat cruel, but in light of the allegory, it is a very interesting picture. We are heirs, and so we will as sons receive our inheritance. The son of the flesh lives according to the flesh, do's and don'ts, but the son of freedom lives by grace, having obtained a far better inheritance based not on works but on lineage. We are sons of the promise. We have a glorious future. How can we at all believe that works earns God's pleasure? We do receive rewards according to works, but not God's grace or favor. We have already obtained his favor and it cannot be taken away/

QT 11 Nov 16, 2 Pet 3:11-13, We are here for one major reason, to complete the mission

QT 9 Nov 16, 2 Pet 3:8-10, Let's keep the focus on the goal, bringing people to Christ

2 Peter 3:8–10 (ESV) — 8 But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.

NOTE: The day of the Lord is coming. God is not slow in keeping his promises. The problem is that our lives are too short to realize that truth. God's timetable is at work. There is still time to make an impact for the gospel. There are still people we can reach by living godly and holy lives. The media has completely misunderstood born-again believers. They believe the narrative that they created about us. We care for our country. We are not racist, xenophobes, or any of the other terms used to describe us. Certainly one can find examples of individuals who are, but that is not the majority, nor is it what our savior taught. Those who are growing in Christ and seeking Christ, their main desire is to glorify him by their life, and to see others know and understand the peace of God that is in our heart. Elections come and go. From an earthly perspective, I am pleased today , but my passion is for people and that they may know the Savior, BECAUSE, the day of the Lord is coming soon and unless one repents, it will be a very painful judgment.

QT 8 Nov 16, 2 Pet 3:3-7, Our faith rests on a firm foundation

2 Peter 3:3–7 (ESV) — 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 5 For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, 6 and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. 7 But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

NOTE: We think that one can dismiss Peter for his antiquated ideas of science, but is he wrong? Can anyone actually unequivocally deny his assertions? I work as a scientist, been trained as a scientist, and have done research work all my life. An honest evaluation cannot dismiss his conclusions about life. And if he is right about the beginning, which I believe he is, what about his predictions for the future? Can we dismiss the fact that God has revealed to Peter truth, absolute and undeniable truth. Why is it undeniable? Because it comes from the infinite God, creator of the universe, and creator of each one us. In Romans, one of the first signs of the descent of man is the denial of God as the creator. As a mathematician, when I observe the statistical probabilities of random mutations in creating and evolving life, I can't in any objective sense see any possibility of near-zero events. And we are not talking one in 10 billion (a number with 10 zeros), but one in 10^37 (a number 27 orders of magnitude larger, a number with 37 zeros). No, an honest evaluation would bring a person to conclude that it requires an unbelievable amount of faith (a leap into darkness) to believe in a 1 in 10^37 event. I think I will stick to belief in Jesus and his resurrection from the dead, recorded by eyewitnesses, and preached around the known world to the point of death by those who knew him, knew the miracles, knew his quality of life, and witnessed the resurrection. That has a much greater probability.

QT 7 Nov 16, 2 Pet 3:1-4, The scoffer is another name for a fool

2 Peter 3:1–4 (ESV) — 1 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, 2 that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, 3 knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. 4 They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.”

NOTE: Scoffers is simply another name for a fool. They are not really interested in facts or answers. They hate God and they only scoff because they think it proves their superiority over people who believe in God. Scoffers who seriously sought to know the truth would find the evidence overwhelming, as Lew Wallace and Lee Strobel did. No, a scoffer is not worth the time. The argument of where is God and when will God act is very shortsighted. If you are dealing with an infinite and eternal God, why would he be condemned to act in our timeframe. I believe that the better questions ought to be the evidence of his existence. Jesus Christ, through miracles and a witnessed resurrection is an inescapable problem for the scoffer. The lives of the eyewitnesses to his life do not resemble men taking advantage of a lie for their own benefits. The life of Jesus and the accompanying miracles are hard to classify except as who he claimed to be, the son of God. No, the scoffer is a fool who does not want to know the facts. 

QT 4 Nov 16, 2 Pet 2:17-19, Real freedom from slavery to sin is found in service to God

2 Peter 2:17–19 (ESV) — 17 These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. 18 For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.

NOTE: Referring again to false teachers whose motivation is greed, Peter calls them waterless springs. A spring is a source of refreshment, but without water it is worthless. A spring offers hope, but without water, it only teases. It has no value. It promises, but does not deliver. They (false teachers) talk a good spiel, but only enslave people to false notions. In the passage here, since these teachers face a prospect of utter blackness, these are false believers as well, who have slipped into the flock. They enslave people because they draw people back to sin, and they promote a worldly philosophy. Real freedom and peace comes in a relationship with Jesus Christ, where we achieve our God-given purpose in life. Where true freedom is found in service to the creator, and to his creation. Slavery is when we try to serve ourselves and satisfy our own fleshly desires.

QT 3 Nov 16, 2 Pet 2:14c-16, Greed can destroy even the believer

2 Peter 2:14c–16 (ESV) — 14c …  Accursed children! 15 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, 16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

NOTE: Balaam was a believer in the one true God. But Balaam caught the greed flu and was about to make a whole lot of money for just cursing the nation of Israel. God used an animal to wake up Balaam to his stupidity. In the end, Balaam could not curse the nation because he was restrained to only speak God's word, but instead, he communicated a strategy of intermarriage between the Moabites and the Israelites to Balak the King of Moab which almost accomplished the same thing. In the end, Balaam figured out how to get his gold. And today we remember the way of Balaam as a way of greed and deception. But he was a believer in the one true God. In context that would suggest that some of the false teachers are believers who are destined for destruction in this world and at the judgment, they will have nothing to show for their gracious salvation. They will be saved, but they will have lost their opportunity to express thankfulness to the Savior. Christians are on earth for a reason -- to be a witness to the world and to bring God honor by our good works.

QT 2 Nov 16, 2 Pet 2:10b-14, False teachers are identifiable

2 Peter 2:10b–14 (ESV) — 10b … Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, 11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, 13 suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. 14 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!

NOTE: The previous passage seemed to infer that believers were at fault, which I still believe is possible. In this next passage, it is not so clear. The language "born to be caught and destroyed," and "destroyed in their destruction" can be argued for both categories (where destruction could be physical and not eternal). But Peter does call them "ignorant" which in the previous letter was a word reserved for unbelievers in the world. Ignorant meaning 'don't know the facts' and foolish 'don't  care to know the facts.' I suppose a believer can be both and certainly can be ignorant. Probably, the conclusion is that a false teacher could be either a believer or an unbeliever, but the point of the passage is that he can be seen by his fruit. First, of all they boldly blaspheme, which means they think they know better than what scripture teaches. Secondly, they sin in the open, during daytime, not caring how their behavior might affect those younger believers in the faith, i.e., the weak. Third, they have sexual desires that are out of control. They don't see adultery as wrong (at the best, maybe only a mistake to be confessed and forgotten). Lastly, they are greedy. They live for wealth and riches, entirely selfish. As a teacher, I am susceptible to these sins and need to be vigilant and humble lest I fall too.

QT 1 Nov 16, 2 Pet 2:4-10a, Teachers beware

2 Peter 2:4–10a (ESV) — 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued righteous Lot, greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked 8 (for as that righteous man lived among them day after day, he was tormenting his righteous soul over their lawless deeds that he saw and heard); 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, 10a and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.

NOTE: This is a long passage and two things stand out. First, (and I don't think this was Peter's intent in verses 4-9) that God will bring judgment on those who introduce sin, encourage others to sin, or lead people by example into sin. God hates sin, because sin destroys us from the inside out. It is a rot that decays and smells, ruining our witness, which is described elsewhere in the NT as a fragrant aroma. We can reverse the effects of sin by renewing our minds through the word of God, as Paul shares in his letters, but without the counter-balancing effect of the word, we will suffer a worsening effect on our witness. And God promises to judge those whose sin causes others to sin. A person cannot lose their salvation. But a person can die physically, closing the door to glorifying God on earth. The second thought is the phrase, "those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority." The reference to authority can be viewed two ways, one, the person does not like others telling him what he can or cannot do. That is the reason for the original rebellion. Adam and Eve decided they wanted to live under their own rules. The second way of viewing this mention of authority, is that  Peter is referring to authorities (teachers) who give in to their passions and consequently despise the authority that was given to them. If we are teacher, God has entrusted to us authority and responsibility. It is not to be taken lightly. Giving into lustful passions will affect our life and our teaching and so shows a disregard for an important privilege that God has given us.