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“"The Lord Knows How ..."”
Categories: Apostasy, Christian, Daily Living, Expository Study, False Doctrine, New Testament, Old Testament, PeterPeter tells the Christians (and us), “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” (II Pet. 2:9). This statement reminded me of the words of Paul when he wrote, “God is faithful” and will not allow us to be tempted above what we can bear (I Cor. 10:13). In context, Peter was saying that the false teachers, who were teaching “damnable heresies” (II Pet. 2:1), were facing their judgment by God (v. 3). He then reminds us that God was able to punish angels, the “old world” when Noah lived, and Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 4-6), and so He knows how to punish the modern-day false teachers!
We feel overwhelmed at times. Perhaps we feel like Asaph, who had almost given up when he observed that it seems like the wicked get away with their sins while the righteous are plagued (Ps. 73:1-16). Maybe we think that God doesn’t see or know what is happening in this world, and thus He doesn’t see the sacrifices I am making. Friend, if a sparrow can’t fall to the ground without our Father, don’t you know He sees you (Matt. 10:29-31)? He knows who we are and what we are doing (Jer. 23:24; Heb. 4:13). God knows how to deliver us! Just as a father knows how to bless his children, so also our Heavenly Father knows how to bless us (Matt. 7:7-11). Asaph also learned this lesson when he “went to the house of the Lord” (Ps. 73:17-28).
In like manner, He also knows how to punish those who are doing wickedly in word and deed (Rom. 12:19; Heb. 10:30; Nahum 1:2-3). This was Peter’s point in II Peter 2:1-8. False teachers may think they are getting away with something, but they are not. God is watching, and He will bring about justice at the right time.
Therefore, let us make sure we are speaking the truth and living it (Phil. 4:8-9)! Ungodly men might not like what we are doing, but God sees us and will bless (Jas. 4:4; Jn. 15:18-20). Let us make sure we do not fall for the lies of the false teachers. This is the reason we must demand sound doctrine, and yes, to have it repeated again and again in our hearts so that we might not forget it (II Pet. 2:12-15; Ps. 119:11)!
- Jarrod M. Jacobs
