2 Peter 2:1

But there are also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. Many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness, they will exploit with deceptive words. For a long time, their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

For if God did not spare the angels who sinned and cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved for judgment, and did not spare the ancient world but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly, and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, He condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly. He delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked. That righteous man dwelling among them was tormented in his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing the lawless deeds.

Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness, and despise authority. They are presumptuous and self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels who are greater in power and might do not bring reviling accusations against them before the Lord.

Father, as we consider this text together this morning, I pray that You would help us to find application and to have wisdom and understanding in reading these things, that we would see what it is that You want to speak to us today. God, by Your word, which is alive and powerful and useful, transform us. Lord, help us to show Your good and perfect will in this world this week. We ask for You, by Your Spirit, to be here in this place and to teach us these things. We pray this in Jesus' name. And all those that agreed said, Amen. You can be seated.

This last week, I was speaking with a gentleman in our church who was having a conversation with someone from the Jehovah's Witness background, specifically the Watchtower Society. I'm sure that a few of you have found yourselves in a conversation like that before, perhaps with someone from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or when you hear a knock on your door from someone representing the Watchtower Society.

In those conversations, it can be very easy for the discussion to devolve into an argument as you discuss the finer points of Orthodox Christian doctrine versus the teachings of the Watchtower Society or the Latter-day Saints. It is so easy to get drawn into that argument, knowing that very rarely does an argument persuade anyone of anything. All you have to do is turn on some of the news commentary shows to see that argument persuades no one. Therefore, it is not always helpful.

There are clear differences between Orthodox historic Christianity and the teachings of the Latter-day Saints or the Watchtower Society. Because we come from a culture that values debate and argument, it is easy to be drawn in. However, as I was talking with this friend in my office last Wednesday, he was asking questions and trying to receive answers to share with this person. I said, "Listen, in my experience, it is very rare that those conversations go anywhere helpful."

You can go on and on all day long about whether or not it is okay to celebrate Christmas or birthdays. You can discuss whether Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer or if we existed as spirit bodies before coming to Earth. You could talk about all those things, but really, it comes down to some very simple questions: Is Jesus Lord and God? Was His death on the cross necessary, and is it sufficient?

That is exactly what the Apostle Peter is dealing with in 2 Peter chapter 2. You see, 2,000 years ago, in the earliest days of the church, there were already discussions, issues, and arguments over some of these very important truths. As Peter looked at the landscape of his day and the challenges he was facing, he addressed these concerns directly.

He knew that into the future, there were going to be false teachers who would come in, and they would deny these very basic things. They would deny the lordship of Jesus. They would deny the importance, the necessity, and the sufficiency of His death on the cross for us. He says, just as there were false prophets during the Old Testament time, so there shall be false teachers that will come.

He foresaw that day, and not only Peter, but the Apostle Paul, knew that that day would come. Jude also could see that day approaching. The Apostle John speaks of it. Jesus Himself said that there would be many false prophets and false teachers who would arise, and they would potentially deceive many.

These individuals, when they come in, do not announce themselves. They come in secretly. The Apostle Jude says they creep in unnoticed. Jesus said they are like wolves in sheep's clothing. Though they creep in unnoticed and come in as wolves in sheep's clothing, they bring in destructive heresies, as Peter says. The King James Version calls them damnable heresies—a false teaching, a teaching that is outside of that which is truth or outside of that which is revealed in Scripture, that brings destruction.

At the end of verse 1 in 2 Peter chapter 2, it says they bring upon themselves swift destruction. That is what a destructive, damnable heresy is: that which leads to damnation, that which leads to destruction. At the core of these kinds of false, destructive teachings is exactly what he says there: they deny the Lord who bought them.

So, point number one on your outline, your sermon guide, is in your bulletin: false teachers deny the lordship of Christ and the necessity and sufficiency of His death on the cross. You can get into an argument about all kinds of issues that, at the end of the day, are distracting from the core issue—about Christmas or birthdays, pagan this or that—or you can get right down to the simple test.

It's just the simple test of false teaching: Is Jesus Christ Lord? Is He God? Was His death on the cross necessary? Did He need to come to the earth and die on the cross? And is it sufficient? Is it enough to deal with our sin and to save us from sin?

If a person cannot answer yes to those three simple questions, then they have followed false teaching. Most likely, they are not aware of it, but they have been deceived by false teaching. Every cult denies the deity of Christ and the necessity and sufficiency of His death on the cross. There are all kinds of different teachings that they also begin to bring up that are false, but that is the core issue.

Here’s the problem: Peter says these are destructive. They lead to destruction. Four times in the first three verses of Second Peter chapter two, Peter uses the word damnation or destruction. In verse one, he refers to these as destructive heresies, by which they bring on themselves swift destruction. Sadly, in verse two, many will follow after their destructive ways. Although it seems like there’s a delay, verse three states that their destruction does not slumber, or as the New Living Translation says, their destruction will not be delayed.

There is a destruction, a damnation, that comes upon those who deny the lordship and deity of Jesus, who deny that His death on the cross was necessary, or who say that it was not enough. They claim that there remains something more that you need to do. You have to be baptized in this church, or you have to be baptized in this way. You have to partake of communion in this way or that way, or you have to believe in that way or worship on this day, or you have to go and do this good work. If you don’t do those things, then you cannot receive God’s grace. But that goes against the concept of grace entirely. This is unmerited, undeserved favor. The fact is, none of us here deserve salvation; it is completely of God’s grace.

So, those simple questions, when someone comes to your door, are all you really need to ask: Is Jesus God? Was His death on the cross necessary to save us from our sins? And is it enough? If a person cannot answer yes to those questions, then they have followed false teachings. Those false teachings are dangerous because, point number two on your outline, destructive teachings bring destruction.

Now, it may seem like the simplest of all points: destructive teachings bring destruction. But as Peter said in the previous chapter, you can turn just one page over to the left.

Second Peter, chapter one, verse 12: "For this reason, I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know them and are established in the present truth. Yes, I think it's right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off this tent, this body, just as our Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Moreover, I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease."

It’s just that simple reminder again and again. False teachers deny the lordship of Jesus, the necessity and sufficiency of His death on the cross, and these destructive teachings lead to and bring destruction.

At this point, someone might object and say, "What about the grace and mercy of God? Isn't God gracious and merciful?" That is a valid question and an important thing for us to consider. I am sure, like me, you are grateful that God is gracious and merciful. Is anyone grateful for the mercy and grace of God today? I certainly am thankful that God is merciful and that God is gracious.

In fact, one of my favorite passages in the Old Testament is found in the second book of the Bible, the book of Exodus. You can note it in your notes if you'd like to or you can turn there. In Exodus, chapter 34, there is a story where Moses is up on Mount Sinai. You may remember the animated film "Prince of Egypt," or perhaps the more recent one, "Christian Bale." I don't know about that portrayal of Moses, but there he is on Mount Sinai, and God meets with him.

In seeing all these wonders of the glory of God, Moses says, "God, I want to see your glory." This is recorded in Exodus 33. However, there is a problem: God is so gloriously awesome that if we were to come in contact with His glory, we could not stand; we would be obliterated.

So, God finds a way to reveal something of His glory to Moses, as recorded in Exodus 34. Moses stands in the corner of a rock, and God appears in His midst. Then God disappears, leaving a lingering glory after He leaves. Moses is able to see that, but more importantly than what Moses sees is what God says to him.

Because there, in that moment, God introduces something of His nature. There is an introduction between Moses and God in Exodus 34. Now, it's not the first introduction; the first introduction came at what is called the burning bush in Exodus chapter three. When Moses asks God in Exodus three, "Who should I tell people You are?" God says, "Tell them I am." That's kind of a big deal. I am. I am what? What is that? I am. "Tell them I am that I am has sent you." That's what you're going to tell them.

I think here in Exodus 34, God kind of expands upon "I am" when He comes and meets with Moses. It's recorded in Exodus 34, verse six. It says, "The Lord passed before Moses and proclaimed, 'The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, abounding in goodness and truth.'" As I said, it's more important than what Moses sees; it's what God says. As He stands there in Moses's presence, He says, "I am the Lord, the Lord God." The first thing He chooses to define Himself as, to describe Himself as, is merciful.

How do you introduce yourself? We all kind of have introductions, right? You meet someone for the first time, and you say, "I'm so-and-so, and I'm a..." fill in the blank. "I'm a doctor. I'm a lawyer. I'm a school teacher. I'm a construction worker. I'm a mom." Whatever it may be, we seem to define ourselves, our identity, by the things that we do or certain things about us.

Here, God makes an introduction. He says, "I'm the Lord. I'm the Lord God." Just so you know exactly who I am, I am God, and I am, first and foremost, merciful. Of all the things He could have said, of the innumerable attributes of God that He could choose to mention, I think any person who studies the Bible would say that the Bible describes God as holy. God is holy.

So, He could have said, "I am the Lord, the Lord God, holy." Here's the problem with that: if God defaulted to or went first to His holiness, and He is holy, none of us would be here. None of us would be here because He is so holy, and we are so far from that. What do we sinners need in God? He is holy, but we need His mercy.

What is mercy? It's not getting what you deserve. The fact is, if you go all the way back to the very first book of the Bible, the book...

In the book of Genesis, when you study the first three chapters, you find that humanity, all of us, deserves just punishment from a holy God. However, God shows up in Exodus 34 and declares, "I am the Lord, the Lord God, merciful." The second attribute is gracious. What does that mean? It means getting what you don't deserve. It goes beyond mercy and involves receiving good things, gifts that you do not deserve.

God continues, "I am the Lord God, merciful and gracious," and not just merciful and gracious, but also patient. I don't know about you, but these are good attributes. I am really trying to learn and apply these qualities as they relate to being a dad: mercy, grace, and patience. Can anybody relate? Maybe not as a parent, but just in your work environment—mercy, grace, and patience. Does anyone need that today? I know I do. Mercy, grace, and patience—long-suffering, as it is called in this passage. In another translation of the Bible, it says "slow to anger." I need that. Slow to anger.

Not only is God merciful, gracious, and patient, but He is also abounding in goodness. The Hebrew word for this is "chesed," which means steadfast love. He has a lot of love; He is full of good love and truth. Now, that is a good introduction. Who is God? He is the Lord God, merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and full of good love and truth. That is the kind of God I want to know. That is the kind of God I want to draw near to and get to know.

Might I point out that this is in the Old Testament, way back in the second book of the Bible? I mention this because many people seem to think that God in the Old Testament was kind of cranky and not exactly nice. They might believe that over time, He went through a sort of puberty and became a little nicer as time went on. You know, He doesn't have a chip on His shoulder anymore. It took a while—thousands of years—but no, God in the Old Testament is merciful, gracious, patient, and abounding in good love and truth.

He goes on in verse seven, "keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin." This is a good God.

So what about God's grace? You say God will judge, punish sin, destroy, and bring damnation on those who promote destructive teachings. What about His grace? Yes, God is merciful.

But look again at Second Peter, chapter two, verse four. Peter says, "For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and then turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward lived ungodly."

Though He delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked people living there, for that righteous man dwelling among them was tormented day to day, seeing and hearing their lawless deeds. Peter does not overlook the mercy and grace of God in this, but he wants to remind us.

It is good that I remind you of these things, though you know them and are established in the present truth. I want to be careful to leave a reminder with you. A reminder of what? God is just. He is just, and He illustrates this justice by giving us three illustrations from the first book of the Bible, the book of Genesis.

Point number three on your outline: God is relentlessly committed to truth, holiness, justice, and His glory. To remind us of this, Peter takes us back to Genesis. He speaks first about God not sparing the angels who sinned, but casting them down to hell, Hades, and delivering them into chains of darkness to be held there, reserved until the day of judgment.

What in the world is that? There are all kinds of discussions about this, but the most common view is that Peter is reminding us of a story that takes place in Genesis chapter six. The very opening words of Genesis chapter six say that there came a point in time when the sons of God, believed to be angels, came down to earth and committed sexual immorality with the daughters of men.

Sounds totally off the wall and wacky. That's found in Genesis chapter six. What was the result of that? Apparently, God looked upon these angels that sinned and said, "That's bad." I think we'd all say, "Yeah, that does not sound good." So God says, "Okay, you are to be reserved in chains in darkness until the day of judgment in a place called hell, Hades, Sheol."

God is just, and He is relentlessly committed to justice, which is seen in how He dealt swiftly with the sin of these angels. But not only the sin of these angels; He also says in verse five of Second Peter chapter two, "And He did not spare the ancient world, but He saved Noah."

What is this? Well, beginning in Genesis chapter six, just after we read about these angels, these sons of God who came down to the daughters of men, we hear about a guy named Noah who found grace in the eyes of the Lord. The rest of the world was filled with such chaos, sin, brokenness, and rebellion against God that God was sorry and sad at what He saw. He determined that He was going to bring a judgment upon the world, the judgment that we call the great flood.

In the midst of this punishment, in the midst of this judgment, we do see the mercy of God. It says Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. He saves Noah, Noah's wife, their three sons, and their three sons' wives—eight individuals on what we call Noah's Ark. They are saved through this deluge, through this punishment. They are rescued; they receive grace and mercy from God in the midst of punishment. On board with them are two of every kind of animal, and so they are brought through this.

And no, there weren't rock people. And no, God was not on some green agenda to try and get rid of global warming. If you know what I'm talking about, Russell Crowe makes a bad Noah, I'm sorry.

Moving on, that story in Genesis chapters six, seven, eight, and nine—the flood—what is that? God is judging the unjust, the ungodly. He gives a third picture of God's justice and judgment in verse six. He says, "Turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemning them to destruction."

God provides an example to those who would afterward live ungodly. Even in the midst of that judgment, which is described in Genesis chapter 19, we see God's mercy. There's a beautiful picture of it found at the end, in the last verses of Genesis chapter 18. God appears to a great man of faith, the father of our faith, a man by the name of Abraham. God reveals to Abraham what He is about to do in Sodom and Gomorrah, that He is going to go down and see if the wickedness is as He hears that it is.

Abraham intercedes; he intervenes and says to God, "Suppose there are 50 righteous people that live in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Will You spare the cities for the 50 righteous people?" God replies, "Yes, I will." Abraham scratches his head and thinks, "I don't know if there are 50. What if there are five less than 50? What if there are just 45?" God responds, "I will spare the cities for 45."

Abraham continues, "Okay, well, that might even be a bit much. I know my nephew Lot is down there. I hear bad things. What if there are 40?" God says, "I will spare it for 40." Abraham asks, "How about 30?" It’s like a little auction going on here with God and Abraham. He says, "I realize I'm kind of treading lightly here. What if there are only 10 ultimately? What if there are only 10? There’s got to be 10, right? I mean, there’s got to be 10 righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah." God replies, "I will spare the entire region for 10 righteous people."

However, when God goes down there, He does not even find 10 righteous people. What do we see right here in 2 Peter chapter 2? It says in verse 7, "And He delivered righteous Lot." One guy. He delivered righteous Lot, and Lot says, "Thanks a lot, God, that’s good." God delivered one guy.

God is relentlessly committed to holiness, justice, truth, and glory. In the midst of His punishment, which Peter uses here as an example of God being diligent and relentless in these matters, he emphasizes that God is still merciful. He mercifully and graciously saved Noah and his wife, their sons, and their three wives. He saved Lot, and ultimately, Lot's two daughters were rescued as well. So even in the stories of God's judgment in the Old Testament, we find that God is merciful.

We're reminded of His mercy, but God is relentlessly committed to truth, holiness, justice, and glory. Point number four on your outline illustrates this. God's mercy does not void His justice. Yes, God is merciful. Yes, God is gracious, but His mercy and His grace do not nullify His justice.

In Exodus 34, verse six, it says, "I am the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, and forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin." The very next thing says, "by no means clearing the guilty." God, who is just, will not acquit the guilty. He will bring judgment. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" was the question of Abraham when he was interceding on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis chapter 18, verse 25. If God is going to judge everybody on the earth, He needs to be just, right? We all agree with that. If He is going to judge everybody, He needs to be just.

However, God's mercy and His grace do not void His justice. This is a really important point. Perhaps you've had one of those conversations with someone, talking with a family member or a neighbor, and you get into a discussion about spiritual things. I know it's not something that people generally like to talk about. We're told not to discuss religion, politics, or even sports, as those can be touchy subjects. You don't want to offend anybody or cause any problems.

But maybe you find yourself in a discussion about religion and spirituality, and you start to talk about the things of God. It's great to discuss the salvation of God, but the gospel includes both the good news of salvation and the bad news of sin and judgment. When you begin to talk about the bad news of sin and judgment, the person might say, "Oh, well, I believe in a God of love. I believe in a God of mercy and grace, and He would never send anybody to hell."

Here’s the response to that: Yes, I believe in a God of love, mercy, and grace too, but that doesn't mean that He will not deliver justice.

You see, when we talk about mercy and grace, we're discussing things that come from God through Jesus Christ. They are only found in God and Jesus Christ. In First Timothy, chapter one, verse two, Paul the Apostle writes to Timothy, a true son of the faith, and he says, "Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord."

In Second Timothy, chapter one, verse two, he writes to Timothy, a beloved son, "Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord." In Titus, chapter one, verse four, he writes to Titus, a son in our common faith, "Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior." Not only is He Lord, but He is also Savior.

It wasn't only Paul who emphasized this; John, in Second John, chapter one, verse three, says, "Grace, mercy, and peace be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ." I highlight these verses to point out that mercy, grace, and ultimately the peace that comes from mercy and grace are only found in Jesus Christ, our Lord. Outside of Him, you will not find mercy, grace, and peace. It is only from the Lord.

Jesus is gracious and merciful, but He is also relentlessly committed to truth, holiness, justice, and His glory. It is important to be reminded that the final picture given to us in the Scriptures, in the Bible, of Jesus is found in what is called the Book of Revelation. The title is "The Revelation of Jesus Christ." The last picture we are given of Jesus in the Bible is this revelation.

The revelation describes one who, when He comes, it says all the tribes of the earth will mourn. When He returns, the world will groan and mourn. Why? Because Revelation, chapter one, verse 18, states, "I am He who lives and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of hell and death." When Jesus comes back, He says, "Listen, I am that guy, Jesus, who died on the cross, rose from the dead, and I have the keys to hell and to death."

What in the world does it mean to have the keys to hell and death? The summary of that is given about twenty chapters later at the end of the Book of Revelation. In Revelation, chapter 20, we see Jesus seated on a white throne in heaven. It says that death and hell were opened up. Who had the keys to death and hell? Jesus. He opens up death and hell.

What is hell? It is the place, the prison where those who are unjust and ungodly have been placed, awaiting the day of judgment. The last picture of Jesus is Him on a throne in heaven, opening up hell and death. What happens next? The very last verse of chapter 20 states that death and hell were cast into a lake of fire, which is called the second death. Now, I'm not a hundred percent sure what a lake of fire is, but it sounds bad—really bad.

The final picture of Jesus, meek and mild, gracious Jesus, is as Jesus the judge, bringing just judgment on what we call the day of judgment. Look at 2 Peter, chapter 2, verse 9. It says, "So then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of trials and temptations." What does that mean? Well, Noah and his family, Lot and his daughters were delivered out of trials and temptations. But the Lord also knows how to reserve the unjust, the ungodly, under punishment for the day of judgment.

Jesus knows how to save a man; that's good. He knows how to deliver, but He also knows how to judge, and He knows how to reserve the ungodly for the day of judgment. What is the day of judgment? If you read through the Old Testament and the New Testament, specifically the prophetic or apocalyptic passages of the Bible—Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Obadiah, Revelation—you will find this term used quite a bit: the great and terrible day of the Lord.

What is that? The great and terrible day of the Lord is any time in which God intervenes in the realm of humanity for judgment. The great and terrible day of the Lord is prophetically spoken of in various passages.

The Scriptures speak of the day of judgment that Peter discusses in Second Peter, chapter two, verse nine. The Lord knows how to reserve the ungodly under punishment for the day of judgment. But who are the ungodly? Who are the unjust?

In verse ten of Second Peter, chapter two, it is stated that they are especially those who walk according to the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness, and despise authority. They are presumptuous and self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries. In contrast, angels who are greater in power and might do not bring reviling accusations against them before the Lord.

Jesus is relentlessly committed to truth, holiness, justice, and His glory. Even though He is merciful and gracious, He will one day justly judge the unjust. So, who are the unjust? They are those who walk according to the flesh, following their earthly carnal desires and indulging in the lusts of uncleanness, as Peter describes.

What does it mean to walk according to the flesh and the lusts of uncleanness? What does it look like? The Apostle Paul provides some insight in his book, Galatians, chapter five, verse nineteen. He states that the works of the flesh are clearly identifiable and evident. These include adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like.

The list could go on and on. Everything you see on USA, ABC, CBS, NBC, TLC, and the Discovery Channel reflects these behaviors. Paul warns that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Therefore, the unjust are those who walk in and practice these things, following the lusts of the flesh and the lusts of uncleanness.

Additionally, Peter notes that they despise authority. This means they reject or deny the rule and authority of God and the lordship of Jesus Christ. They declare, "We will not have this man to rule over us." They refuse to submit to His law and His way, choosing instead to continue doing what they want according to the desires of their flesh and their uncleanness.

We're going to walk after that. We don't want Him to tell us what to do. I want to follow His way. They reject and despise authority. Furthermore, He says they are presumptuous.

Now, this is an interesting word here in 2 Peter chapter 2 because the Greek word that is translated as "presumptuous" is only used this one time in the entire New Testament. It's referred to in theological circles as a hapax legomena. You might wonder what that means. Well, it just means it's a word that is hard to translate because it's only used one time, and you can't find other context to figure out what it means. The actual literal definition of this word is "daring men." To be presumptuous is to be a daring man. The idea is to arrogantly stand against power that you cannot defeat, that you cannot stand against. To be arrogant is to say, "I will stand my ground."

Oh, that's so awesome! Look how proud and determined he is. But you're standing in front of a train; it's kind of stupid. I heard a story once, and maybe you've heard this one. Muhammad Ali, at the height of his career, was on an airplane sitting on the tarmac, getting ready to take off. The stewardess came to him and said, "Mr. Ali, would you please kindly fasten your seatbelt?" He replied, "Superman don't need no seatbelt." She responded, "Superman don't need no plane, so buckle your seatbelt." That's called presumptuousness.

The next word is "self-willed." They are self-willed. The literal definition of this is to be brazen and arrogant. Finally, He says they are not afraid of blaspheming glory. That's literally what it means when it says they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries. The literal words for speaking evil of dignitaries are the Greek words for blasphemy and glory. They are unafraid to slander God and to speak evil of Him.

Point number five, and this is simple—it's one of those "oh, well, no duh" moments: it is foolish to test the limits of the mercy and grace of Jesus.

Now, in saying that, I want to make it very clear: it is great to rejoice in the mercy and grace of Jesus. God is merciful. The Scriptures say His mercies are new every morning. Great is His faithfulness. The book of Hebrews states that we can come boldly before His throne of grace to obtain mercy and grace in our time of need. He is merciful; He is gracious. That is His default. There will not be a time when you come before His throne of grace for mercy and grace and hear Him say, "I'm really sorry, but Kevin was here like five minutes ago and he took it all. We're all out of mercy. Come back later." That won't happen. It won't happen.

However, there are limits to the mercy and grace of God, and I don't want to find out what those limits are. I want to rejoice in the mercy and grace of God. Yet, there are those who arrogantly and presumptuously stand against the coming day of judgment, speaking blasphemously against the glory of Jesus Christ. One day, judgment will come. In saying that, some people may respond, "Oh, well, I don't see that happening. Where is it? That's been 2,000 years."

Look at what Peter says in the next chapter. In Second Peter, chapter three, it says in verse three, "Knowing this first, that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming? For since our fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.'"

For this, they willfully forget that by the word of God, the heavens were of old and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded. They forget that there was a great flood. But the heavens and the earth, which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and the perdition of ungodly men.

But beloved, do not forget this one thing: with the Lord, a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as a day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness. He is long-suffering, patient, and slow to anger toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to repentance.

Why has it been 2,000 years? Why didn't Jesus come back in 1981, even though there was a book that says there are 88 reasons why Jesus would come back? Why didn't that happen? Some of you may have had "The Late Great Planet Earth" on your bookshelf. Why didn't all that stuff happen? Why is He taking so long? Where is the sign of His coming? There are a whole lot of people who still need Jesus, and thank God He is slow to anger.

It is foolish to test the limits of the mercy and grace of Jesus. Though He is merciful and gracious, His mercy and grace do not void the fact that He is just, and He will one day bring justice. This world is in desperate need of the grace and mercy of Jesus. However, those who refuse to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior, and those who do not recognize the necessity and sufficiency of His death, burial, and resurrection, have followed a false teaching that leads to damnation. He holds the keys of hell and death, and one day those doors will be opened. Death and hell will be cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death. I guarantee there is no mercy and no grace in the lake of fire. The limits are at the edge, but there is no grace and no mercy beyond.

So, let us thank God that we would know His grace and mercy and extend it to others. Amen? Would you stand with me as we close in prayer?

Father, these are simple truths from Your Word, but they are truths that we need to be reminded of. I pray, God, that we would not soon forget these things. Jesus, I thank You for Your grace. I thank You for the salvation that we have, which is purely because of Your goodness, mercy, and grace, and has nothing to do with our works. We thank You that You are faithful to forgive us and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness as we confess our sins to You.

As we stand here today, it may be that you realize you need the forgiving grace of God and would like to receive that. The Scriptures simply say, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive.

To cleanse us of all unrighteousness. If you want to do that today, I want to give you a chance to do so. As we're in a time of prayer, would you just lift up your hand if you want to receive the forgiving grace of God today?

God bless you. I see you right here in the front. Anyone else? There in the middle, I see you. Anyone else? If you want to receive His forgiving grace, just lift up your hand high and pray where you're at with me.

Dear Jesus, I need Your grace. I pray that You would come into my life and that You would forgive me of my sin. Help me to follow You by faith for all of my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.