After declaring the liberty
that is promised by the false prophets that would surely arise among
the church, the apostle Peter declared that these prophets were
servants of corruption themselves. In chapter two and verse twenty
Peter draws a conclusion about those who are deceived by their evil
falsehoods. He wrote:
For if after they have
escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and
overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
The verse begins, “For
if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the
knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,...” Peter
once again uses the word “for”
to begin his sentence. This means “because” or “on account of”
and implies that what is said next will be a reasoning and conclusion
to what was previously stated. Peter declared what has happened to
those who believe in Jesus Christ - “they have escaped
the pollutions of the world” which
declares what occurs when a person believes or has “the
knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”.
The world's “pollutions”
are left behind. These “pollutions”
or “that which defiles, defilement, or vices of foulness
which contaminates one in his relationships with the ungodly mass of
mankind” are like chains which bind us, and when we receive the
knowledge of Jesus Christ we are made free from these vices.
The
verse goes on to say, “they are again entangled therein,
and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.”
Peter declares the tragedy which
occurs when people who are set free from the world's pollutions are
“again entangled therein”. This
means they are “interwoven, involved in, ensnared or
entrapped” by those things which were once defeated. Notice too
that the pollutions have “overcome” them, to which Peter's
assessment is they are worse off after knowing Jesus Christ than they
were before they knew Him.
By this
verse we may conclude there is a possibility for people who are once
delivered from the world and it's evil devises to enter back into
them again. We have an enemy against our soul who daily attempts to
persuade us to turn back to the vices the world has to offer. As we
ponder these words of Peter, let us pray to the Heavenly Father and
our Lord Jesus Christ to have the strength, wisdom and courage to
continue upon His path and not retreat to the paths of destruction
lest our “latter end” be such as Peter has made reference
to in his words.
Next
time we will discover what would have been better for this group, so
read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow...there is more...
Look
for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From
Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be
Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the
Mount” in all major bookstore sites, www.amazon.com ;
www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore
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