admin – Page 12 – Ministry of Grace Church

Author: admin

2 Peter 3:15 – Patiently Restraining

Posted on July 2, 2009 by admin

2 Peter 3:15

Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.

Truth to Learn

God is holding back His wrath so that salvation can come to as many as possible.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “Bear in mind” is hegeisthe, which technically means “lead the way.” Metaphorically, however, it means “lead out before the mind,” that is, “consider it” or “think of it as.” The word is expressed here in the imperative voice indicating a command.

Meaning Explained

Peter says, “Don’t think of the longsuffering of God as weakness or as His inability to fulfill his promises. Instead, think of His longsuffering as His way of making sure that salvation comes to everyone possible.” The Apostle Paul said a similar thing regarding God’s longsuffering in Romans 2:4,

Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, and the forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

Both the Apostles, Peter and Paul, indicate that God’s longsuffering (his patience, according to Peter) is His way of holding back judgment until the last possible moment so that salvation can come to as many as possible.

Romans 2:4 may be the verse that Peter is referring to in the second half of this verse. The startling thing is not that Peter refers to the teaching of Paul, but that he refers to him as a dear brother. If you recall, Paul was not one of the original 12 disciples nor was he the one selected to replace Judas (see Acts 1:15-26.) Paul is the only apostle of Christ who was saved after the resurrection. The other apostles were primarily sent to witness to Jews, but Paul was commissioned by the Lord Himself to a ministry among the Gentiles.

Scripture also records the fact that Peter and Paul had several strong confrontations regarding how Christianity was differentiated from Judaism (see Galatians 2:11 and surrounding verses), so for Peter to now refer to Paul as a “beloved brother” shows a remarkable demonstration of humility and acceptance on Peter’s part.

This is as much the message of today’s verse as anything else. We need to accept the fact that none of us has all the answers. In spite of everything that we have been taught through years of sermons, Sunday school lessons, and Bible studies, we all have much to learn from each other. And, as long as the teaching is based on what the Bible actually says (as opposed to hearsay or private interpretation), we need to be willing to be taught by the Holy Spirit regarding these truths.

Let us guard ourselves against heresy and the corruption of false teachers. However, we need to be open to the teaching from the Spirit of God so that we can all be effective witnesses for Christ.

Application

While God is patiently waiting, holding back His judgment, we need to be witnessing to everyone we can. God’s wrath will not be restrained forever, and each soul saved is one fewer who will experience that wrath. Proclaim the gospel message and ignore what the scoffers say about you.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, you can call the church phone (618) 614-3070 and leave a message telling us your name and e-mail address or you can send an e-mail to:

2 Peter 3:14 – Waiting Peacefully

Posted on July 1, 2009 by admin

2 Peter 3:14

So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.

Truth to Learn

We are to be at peace awaiting and looking forward to the return of Christ.

Behind the Words

The expression “looking forward to this” comes from the Greek, prosdokōntes tauta. Tauta means “these things,” and prosdokōntes means “looking toward or looking for, with expectation.” Hence, we could paraphrase this as “looking forward to and expecting these things.”

The word translated “spotless” is aspilos, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “not or without” and spilos, meaning “a stain or a blemish.”

“Blameless” is from amōmētos, made up of the privative a, meaning “not or without” and a form of mōmaomai, meaning “to censure or to blame.”

Both of these words are expressed in the nominative case, meaning that grammatically they are subjects, not objects. Hence the end of this verse is more appropriately translated as “be diligent, spotless and blameless ones, to be found by Him at peace.”

Meaning Explained

Peter is saying, “Because the world will be destroyed by fire and a new heaven and earth will be created (which will only be inhabited by the righteous), therefore (or so then), we are looking for these things to come to pass just as he said they would. We have no reason to be like the scoffers who don’t believe God anyway, we have every reason to believe the message about the future… and we should be preparing for it.

If we believe that this earth and all earthly deeds that we do will be burned up, we should focus not on the things of this world but on the things that pertain to godliness. In order to expectantly look forward to something you have to believe in it. If you don’t believe it will happen, then you won’t be expecting it.

And, if we believe these things will come to pass, then we are to be diligent to be at peace when He comes for us. Since we are in Christ Jesus, we are under no condemnation from God and should truly have peace. This is exactly how He should find us when He returns to judge the world.

Notice Peter calls us spotless and blameless ones. I think he does this intentionally to show the contrast between us and the false teachers he was talking about in the previous chapter where the words “blots and blemishes” are the same root words as “spotless and blameless” without the privative a in front:

They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. (2Peter 2:13)

Application

Are you expecting Him to return at any time? If so, do you have peace about it, and do you have confidence that He will return to take you home with Him?

If you’re truly saved then this peace is yours because in God’s eyes you are spotless and blameless!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

2 Peter 3:13 – Righteous Heaven & Earth

Posted on June 30, 2009 by admin

2 Peter 3:13

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.

Truth to Learn

After God’s fiery judgment there will be a new heaven and a new earth where only the righteous will live.

Behind the Words

The word “promise” is translated from epangelma, a form of epangellō, which is made up of epi, an intensifier and angellō, meaning “to announce, proclaim, or declare.” The suffix –ma indicates it is the result of epangellō. Hence, this could be interpreted as “a sure announcement or proclamation.”

Meaning Explained

Peter has just told us about the next judgment of the earth and its inhabitants by fire. This judgment will completely destroy the entire universe as we know it. He now tells us not to become too upset over the loss of the heavens and the earth because God is going to fulfill his declaration of a new heaven and a new earth as proclaimed by the prophet Isaiah:

For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth. And the things before will not be remembered, nor come to mind. (Isaiah 65:17)

These new heavens and new earth will be different from the current heavens and earth in that, according to Peter, in them righteousness will dwell. In other words, only the righteous will occupy the new heavens and the new earth. All others will have been cast into the lake of fire for eternity.

Some esteemed Biblical scholars have speculated that the new heavens and the new earth will simply be “renovated” and somehow changed just as they were in the flood judgment. However, according to Revelation:

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. (Revelation 20:10)

If there was found “no place for them” then they could not exist, otherwise they would be some place. In effect, what the Apostle John is saying in this passage is that they were nowhere to be found; that is, they no longer existed. He goes on to say:

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away (Revelation 21:1)

This new heaven and new earth are not simply a remake of the current heavens and earth because they will have passed away. The new heaven and new earth will be created out of nothing just as the current heavens and earth were created out of nothing.

Why is Peter telling us this right now? So that we can rest assured that God has completely thought out His plan and He will execute it in perfect harmony with all of His promises, whether the scoffers believe it or not.

Application

Therefore, first of all, we should be thankful for the salvation that we have (including a hope for a future), and secondly we should be obedient to this Almighty God who has made such great and precious promises to us.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

2 Peter 3:12 – Anticipated Return

Posted on June 29, 2009 by admin

2 Peter 3:12

as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat.

Truth to Learn

We should be looking forward to the return of our Lord.

Behind the Words

“Look forward to” is translated from prosdokaō. This is a compound word made up of pros, meaning “unto or toward” and dokaō, which means “to expect or to wait for.”

The expression “speed its coming” is translated from the Greek word, speudō, which means, “to urge on or to hasten with respect to time.” It means that we anxiously desire that something should occur, and we would hasten it if we could.”

Meaning Explained

The scoffers mock us saying that the return of Christ and the Day of Judgment will never come. Actually, deep down inside, they know what they will get when He returns, and secretly they don’t want it to be true. We, on the other hand, should be eagerly looking forward to that day. Peter says that we should “look forward to the day of God and speed its coming.”

We should be like a child whose parents have told him that grandma and grandpa are coming, so the child looks out the window every five minutes and even goes out to the street and looks down the street both ways looking for the coming of his or her grandparents. That’s how we should be anticipating His return and we should be urging Him on, even as the Apostle John said in Revelation 22:20,

He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Peter then reiterates what will occur as part of the Day of God, “That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt [be let loose] in the heat.” On this final day of God’s judgment the heavens (the entire universe) and the earth will be completely destroyed. This is also described by John in the book of Revelation when he describes the Great White Throne judgment:

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)

Application

Are you looking for and urging on the soon return of your Lord and Savior, or are you secretly in fear of the day?

Search your heart!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

2 Peter 3:11 – Earthly or Heavenly?

Posted on June 28, 2009 by admin

2 Peter 3:11

Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives

Truth to Learn

We are either of the earthly family or the heavenly family. No one can be a member of both.

Behind the Words

The words “what kind of people” come from potapos, made up of the interrogative poios, meaning “what such” or “what sort” and a modified form of dapedon, meaning “a soil.” Actually, potapos is a corruption of the earlier podapos which meant, “From what country?” Hence, potapos is asking the question, “What kind of people?” but it is implying, “Are you earthly or are you heavenly?”

Meaning Explained

In light of the fact that the world will be judged by fire and all that remains of this earthly realm will go up in flames, we should focus our intentions on righteousness and holy living.

I can remember years ago being in a business management class in which we were all trying to figure out what our real goal in life was to be. We were told to imagine our own funeral, and we were to write our own eulogy, saying all those things for which we wanted to be remembered. Although a really good exercise in helping a person focus on what’s really the central driving ambition in life, it served primarily to help people focus on themselves and on what they wanted.

All the earthly ambitions of everyone in that room, everything written down in those eulogies, every accomplishment, every accolade, and every monument erected in honor of someone in that room will be “let loose” and will burn up completely until there is nothing left but the smell of smoke.

Jesus, in his sermon on the mount in Matthew 6:19-21, said this about earthly riches,

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Peter is saying essentially the same thing in today’s verse. Each of us will stand before the judge of all mankind some day. Those who have rejected Him will stand condemned and will be cast into the lake of fire to be tormented eternally. We who have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior will stand in Christ’s righteousness with our sins forgiven. However, we will still have our works judged, and those who have done God’s bidding in this life will receive crowns as rewards for their faithfulness and service. Any who have accepted the salvation that was offered them in this life but who have squandered their time here in self indulgence and self satisfaction, will enter into glory with nothing to offer the King of Kings.

Application

Will you be ushered into the glorious presence of the King or will you be cast into the lake of fire?

If you are ushered into the presence of the King, will you have anything to offer Him?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

2 Peter 3:10 – Fission Judgment

Posted on June 25, 2009 by admin

2 Peter 3:10

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything in it will be laid bare.

Truth to Learn

God’s judgment day will be cataclysmic and final.

Behind the Words

The word translated “elements” is the word stoicheia, which means “fundamental or elemental things.” Hence, the term “elements” is an excellent translation of it, referring to the atomic elements of which the entire universe is made.

The word translated “will be destroyed” is a form of luō, meaning “to let loose” or “to release.”

“Laid bare” is translated from katakaiō, a compound word made up of kata, meaning “down” and kaiō, meaning “to burn.” Hence, this word means “to completely consume by fire.”

Meaning Explained

Peter has just told us that the reason that God has delayed His judgment of the unrighteous. It is because He is holding His wrath in check waiting for any who will believe and accept His offer of eternal life. God is not desirous that any should perish, but he has determined that He will “drop the hammer” someday and then the unbelievers will receive the judgment which is due them.

That Day of Judgment is referred to as “the day of the Lord.” Actually, it is not a single 24 hour day; it is a period of time in which God executes His judgment against the wickedness of mankind. There are numerous references to the day of the Lord in the Bible. Here are a few of them: Jeremiah 46:10; Acts 2:20; 1Thessalonians 5:2.

So, is this a reference to the rapture of the church? No! The rapture comes with a trumpet blast and a loud shout. The day of the Lord comes like a thief, by surprise and stealth, when no one expects it. And nearly every reference to the day of the Lord in the Bible identifies it as a day of God’s wrath and vengeance. Even in today’s verse, Peter describes it as a day when cataclysmic things will occur.

One of the most fascinating statements in the entire Bible is found in today’s verse. It says that, “the elements will be let loose with fire.” One of the things that scientists have never figured out is how the positively charged protons at the center of all atoms remain together, since like charges repel each other. Yet, these like charges are actually so tightly bound together that when they are finally separated, it produces a tremendous release of energy in the form of intense heat (nuclear fission). The explanation that scientists give for this tremendous force holding the protons together is “cosmic glue.”

Peter says that these elements will “be let loose.” Notice what this means. God is suddenly going to release every proton from its place, which will produce a roar and fire the likes of which has never been witnessed. “. . .and the earth and everything in it will be completely consumed by fire.”

Application

When all material things have been destroyed, only our works, which we have done either for ourselves or for God, will be left for God to judge. What kind of works are you doing? Are they for you or for God?

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

2 Peter 3:9 – Merciful Patience

Posted on June 24, 2009 by admin

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Truth to Learn

God is very patient with sinners, but His patience will end one day, and many will suffer His wrath on that day.

Behind the Words

The word in today’s verse translated “slow” (“slack” in some translations) is the Greek word bradunō, which means “to be slow or to be delayed.” I think a word in our modern vernacular which expresses it well is “tardy.”

“Patient” is translated from the Greek word macrothumia, which is a compound word made up of macro, meaning “large or long” and thumos, meaning “strong feeling or passion, either good or bad (as if breathing hard).” Hence, “long suffering” and “patient” are good translations of this word.

The word translated “wanting” is boulomai, meaning “to be desirous” or “to be willing.” There is another word translated “wish” or “will” in the New Testament. It is the word thelō, but it includes the implication of intention and action. Hence, boulomai refers to “desirous will,” whereas thelō refers to “determined will.” You see, God is not desirous that any should perish, but He has determined that many will.

Meaning Explained

Now, to answer your question, “Why is God taking so long, and what is He waiting for?” The answer is, “He loves all of mankind and is desirous that all should be saved.” Now, let’s see what this really means.

Peter tells us in this verse that God is not tardy in carrying out His promise. And what is the “promise” that Peter is referring to? It is the promise of the coming of the Messiah, the Christ, on the Day of Judgment.

Now, if He is not tardy, why hasn’t it happened yet? Peter says that it is because God is very patient. The implication is that God is holding his wrath in check, wrath that would destroy all of sinful mankind. And Peter tells us why God is holding back. He is “not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” The word “wanting” is a key word in this verse. As was pointed out in Behind the Words, this refers to God’s desirous will. It is not God’s desire that any should perish, He wants all mankind to repent of their sins, and He is holding back His wrath to give everyone the greatest possible opportunity to repent and submit to Him. So, what is it that will prevent God’s wrath from destroying us? Faith. That is, belief in the sacrificial death of the Son of God as payment for our sins. The Apostle John says it in his gospel account, through the words of Jesus, Himself:

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:18)

Application

We should be proclaiming the gospel message to everyone. The good news that all men are sinful and guilty before God but that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross to pay for that sin. Let us not be ashamed of it! Let us proclaim it from the roof tops because His patience will not last forever!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

2 Peter 3:8 – He Always Is

Posted on June 23, 2009 by admin

2 Peter 3:8

But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

Truth to Learn

God is always present … everywhere and at all times.

Behind the Words

The word “forget” is translated from lanthanō, which we looked at back in verse five. It means “to lie hidden” or “to be unaware of.” So, a better translation of the beginning of this verse would be, “But do not ignore this one thing …”

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse is one of those which people seem to delight in pulling out of context and using as a proof text for bizarre doctrines (like the earth wasn’t really created in seven days but in seven eons). However, instead of talking about what this verse doesn’t mean, let’s talk about what it does mean.

First of all, Peter is refuting those who claim that the Messiah (the Christ) is not coming because the message of His coming has been proclaimed for thousands of years, and there is no more evidence of it today than there was when it was first proclaimed. These scoffers claim that everything is continuing on without change for all this time, and there is no chance for a change any time soon.

Peter first refuted this by saying that things have not continued in the same way always, and he cites the flood of Noah’s day as an example. He also warns that there will be another judgment of the earth and its inhabitants, this time by fire.

Now for Peter’s second rebuttal of belief in uniformitarianism. First, though, he warns his readers, “Do not ignore this one thing.” It is his way of saying that the following is a very important thing to learn: “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.”

So what does this phrase really mean? Just this: God is not bound by time. It’s as simple as that! He is right now in eternity past, He is also in eternity future, and He is everywhere in between. Christ, Himself, expressed it when He was arguing with the Jews:

Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” (John 8:58)

The expression “I am” means that in every point of time, God is there in the present. It is not just a matter that God has always existed and will always exist but that He simultaneously exists in all points of time and eternity. Therefore, to Him, a moment in time is the same as a thousand years, is the same as a day. That’s what Peter is saying. And, since God is not bound by time, the argument (that it has been thousands of years since the message was first preached and He still hasn’t come) has no bearing in the matter at all.

Application

The next time you find yourself getting impatient with God, wondering why He hasn’t answered your prayers yet, keep in mind that God knows the end from the beginning. He is already there and He knows precisely the right time to help you in your “hour” of need.

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

2 Peter 3:7 – Fiery Reservation

Posted on June 22, 2009 by admin

2 Peter 3:7

By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

Truth to Learn

Though God will not bring another worldwide flood, He will judge the world and unbelieving people by a fiery judgment.

Behind the Words

The word, “reserved” is translated from thesauridzō. This is based on the word thesauros from which we get our English word thesaurus, meaning “a stored up treasure.” The word thesauridzō is a participle meaning “being laid up,” or “being kept in store,” or “being held in reserve.” This is an accounting term that often refers to treasure that is being kept in reserve for future use.

The word translated “for” in the expression “for the day of judgment” is the Greek word eis, which means “into” or “unto.” It can also be translated “for” or “until.”

The word “ungodly” is translated from the Greek word asebēs made up of the privative a, meaning “not” and a form of sebomai, meaning “to revere” or “to adore.” Hence, we see that this is a reference to those people who have no reverence for God.

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse Peter stated that the earth and its inhabitants were once judged and destroyed by a flood of water. This flood occurred some forty-five hundred years ago, according to God’s Word. In today’s verse he states that the earth and its inhabitants will someday be destroyed again. The judgment will not be by water this time, for God promised Noah that He would never do that again.

I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the cloud, and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. (Genesis 9:13-15)

This time the judgment will be by fire and it will be total destruction. Until that day, however, the current heavens and earth are being kept in store waiting for that day. And, according to Peter, the heavens and the earth are being held in reserve by the Word of God. Some day God’s patience and longsuffering will end and He will once again judge the world.

Peter’s point in these past few verses is that even though there are scoffers who think we are crazy to believe that there ever was a universal flood or that God will cause a cataclysmic judgment of fire, the flood really did happen just as sure as the fire judgment will occur some day in the future. The best (unsaved) scientific minds today are telling us that neither could a universal flood have occurred nor could the earth be judged by great fire.

But we know better!

Application

In light of this fact, what manner of people ought we to be in the presence of a loving God who continues to hold back His judgment so that everyone will have a chance to believe in His Son? Does that affect the way you live? It should!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

2 Peter 3:6 – Watery Destruction

Posted on June 21, 2009 by admin

2 Peter 3:6

By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed.

Truth to Learn

God said there was a worldwide flood; therefore, there was a worldwide flood, no matter what today’s scientists claim.

Behind the Words

The word translated “deluged” is katakludzō, from which we get our English word cataclysm. This is a compound word made up of kata, meaning “down” used here as an intensifier and kludzō, meaning “to surge over like a wave of the sea.” Hence, katakludzō refers to “total inundation by water.”

“Destroyed” is translated from the Greek word apollumi. This is another compound word made up of apo, meaning “off” or “away” but used here as an intensifier and a form of olethros, meaning “ruin” or “destruction.” Hence apollumi refers to “complete ruin” or “absolute destruction.” The word is expressed here in the middle voice indicating action done by the subject (the world) to itself. The end of this verse could be translated, “the world of that time destroyed itself being inundated with water.

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse validates what we said yesterday regarding the meaning of the phrase, “and the earth was formed out of water and by water.” Not only did the word of God form the earth from the midst of water, but the word of God also condemned the antediluvian inhabitants of the world with a worldwide flood, saving only Noah and his family.

The scoffers that Peter is talking about (like the humanists of today) claimed that things had always been just as they are now. It’s a scientific principle called uniformitarianism, which states that the same scientific laws and principles that apply today have always applied and always will. Therefore, there could not have been a sudden cataclysmic whole earth flood because there isn’t enough water in the world today to cover all the existing mountains. They refuse to accept the fact that the high mountains of today could have been formed in the five or six thousand years since the flood because that would violate uniformitarianism.

Incidentally, it is these same scientists who claim that we have evolved from apes, even though in recorded history there is no observable example of any species evolving into another species – none, zip, zero, nada! Not to mention that even evolution violates their precious second law of thermodynamics which states that everything moves from a state of order to a state of disorder, from a higher energy level to a lower energy level. But the secular, God denying scientists of today conveniently ignore these facts.

There are many today who are scoffing at Christians, especially at those of us who hold a literal interpretation of the Bible. But we shouldn’t be surprised by this because the “world has always been that way” (tongue in cheek).

Application

Let us not be dissuaded by their big words and well orchestrated arguments. Let us, instead, hold fast to the Word of God. Let us not waiver. Let us carry the banner, that is, the message of salvation by grace through faith in the crucified Christ, even in the face of scoffers and mockers!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –