Rooted 7 – The Destruction of Destructive Heresy

The Scriptures describe a day of judgment and destruction from God. Who is that judgment and destruction going to come upon? Look with us in 2 Peter chapter 2, and we'll discover exactly who that is going to fall upon.

Amen. Good morning. As you take out your Bibles and open them to 2 Peter, remain standing with me. 2 Peter chapter 2 is where we're at. 2 Peter is right near the end of your Bible. If you open to the very last book, the book of Revelation, and then turn to the left just a few books, you'll find 2 Peter. If you don't have a Bible, you can raise your hand, and one of our ushers will bring you one.

2 Peter chapter 2, we're going to begin at verse 1 to get some context here in this passage. 2 Peter 2, verse 1 says, "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. And 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, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly, and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked. For 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, 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. May we see what it is that you want to speak to us today, God. By your word, which is alive, powerful, and useful, transform us, Lord, so that we can 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 that turned into an argument with someone from the Jehovah's Witness background, 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, the ones who knock on your door, or someone from 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 and 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 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.

There are clear differences between Orthodox historic Christianity and the teachings of the Latter-day Saints or the Watchtower Society. Those conversations can sometimes become contentious because we come from a culture that values debate and argument. 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's very rare that those conversations go anywhere helpful."

You can go on and on all day long about whether or not it's okay to celebrate Christmas or birthdays. You can engage in discussions with someone who comes to your door about whether Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer or if we existed as spirit bodies before we came to the 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's exactly what the Apostle Peter is dealing with here 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 knew that in the future, there would be false teachers who would come in and deny these very basic things. They would deny the Lordship of Jesus and the importance, necessity, and sufficiency of His death on the cross for us.

Peter states that just as there were false prophets during Old Testament times, so there shall be false teachers who will arise. He foresaw that day, and not only Peter, but the Apostle Paul also knew that it would come. Jude could see that day approaching as well. The Apostle John speaks of it, and Jesus Himself said that there would be many false prophets and false teachers who would arise and potentially deceive many.

These individuals do not come in announcing themselves; they come in secretly. The Apostle Jude says they creep in unnoticed. Jesus described them as wolves in sheep's clothing. Though they creep in unnoticed, they bring in destructive heresies, as Peter says. The King James Version refers to them as damnable heresies—false teachings that are outside of the truth or outside of what is revealed in Scripture, leading to destruction.

At the end of verse 1 in 2 Peter chapter 2, it states that they bring upon themselves swift destruction. That is what a destructive, damnable heresy is: that which leads to damnation and destruction. At the core of these kinds of false, destructive teachings is exactly what Peter says—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. They distract from the core issue by arguing about various topics, such as Christmas, birthdays, and paganism. However, we can simplify the matter with a straightforward 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? Is His sacrifice sufficient to deal with our sin and save us from it? 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.

Every cult denies the deity of Christ and the necessity and sufficiency of His death on the cross. While there are many different false teachings that arise, this is the core issue. Peter warns us that these teachings are destructive and lead to destruction. In the first three verses of Second Peter, chapter two, Peter uses the word "damnation" or "destruction" four times.

In verse one, he refers to "destructive heresies" that bring upon themselves "swift destruction." Sadly, in verse two, he notes that many will follow after their destructive ways. Although it may seem like there is a delay, verse three states that their destruction does not slumber; the New Living Translation says their destruction will not be delayed.

There is a damnation that comes upon those who deny the Lordship and deity of Jesus, who claim that His death on the cross was unnecessary or insufficient. They may assert that something more is required for salvation. This could include being baptized in a specific church or manner, partaking of communion in a certain way, believing in a particular doctrine, worshiping on a specific day, or performing good works. If one believes they must do these things to receive God's grace, it contradicts the core message of the Gospel.

The concept of grace is entirely unmerited, undeserved favor. The fact is, none of us here deserve salvation; it is completely of God's grace. When someone comes to your door, those simple questions 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. These 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. In 2 Peter 1:12, he writes, "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 is just that simple reminder again and again. False teachers deny the lordship of Jesus, as well as the necessity and sufficiency of His death on the cross. 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 topic for us to address. Like me, I am sure 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 "The Prince of Egypt," or perhaps the most recent one, "Christian Bale" as Moses. But there is Moses on Mount Sinai, and God meets with him there.

In seeing all these wonders of the glory of God, Moses says, "God, I want to see your glory." It's recorded in Exodus 33. However, there's 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.

God finds a way to reveal something of His glory to Moses, as recorded in Exodus 34. In this account, 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 lingering glory. More importantly than what Moses sees is what God says to him. In that moment, God introduces something of His nature, marking an introduction between Moses and God in Exodus 34.

This is not the first introduction, though. The first introduction occurred at what is called the burning bush in Exodus chapter three. When Moses asks God, "Who should I tell people you are?" God replies, "Tell them I am." That is a significant statement. "I am." I am what? What does that mean? God instructs Moses to tell them, "I am that I am has sent you."

In Exodus 34, God expands upon "I am" when He meets with Moses. It is recorded in Exodus 34:6 that the Lord passed before Moses and proclaimed, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, abounding in goodness and truth."

As I mentioned, what is more important than what Moses sees is what God says as He stands in Moses's presence. He introduces Himself, saying, "I am the Lord, the Lord God." The first thing God chooses to define Himself as is merciful.

How do you introduce yourself? We all have introductions, right? When you meet someone for the first time, you might say, "I'm so-and-so, and I'm a..." and then 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." We tend to define ourselves by the things we do or certain aspects about us. But God makes an introduction that is profound: "I'm the Lord."

I'm the Lord God. Just so you know exactly who I am, I am God. The first thing I want to emphasize is that I am merciful. Of all the attributes of God that He could choose to highlight, mercy is significant. Any person who studies the Bible would agree that the Bible describes God as holy. God is holy.

Here's the problem with that: if God defaulted to or first identified Himself by His holiness, none of us would be here. None of us would exist because He is so holy, and we are so far from that holiness. So, what do we sinners need from God? He is holy, but we need His mercy.

What is mercy? It's not getting what you deserve. If you go all the way back to the very first book of the Bible, the book of Genesis, and study the first three chapters, you find that humanity, all of us, deserves just punishment from a holy God. But 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. I am the Lord God, merciful and gracious. Not only that, but He is also patient.

I don't know about you, but these are good attributes. I'm really trying to learn and apply these qualities in my role as a dad: mercy, grace, and patience. Can anybody relate? Maybe not as a parent, but in your work environment, do you need mercy, grace, and patience? I know I do.

In this passage, strong suffering is referred to, and in another translation, it says "slow to anger." I need that—slow to anger. Not only is He merciful, gracious, and patient, but He is also abounding in goodness. He has a lot of what the Hebrew word is, chesed, which means steadfast love. He is full of good love and truth.

Now, that is a good introduction. Who are you? I'm the Lord, the Lord God. I'm merciful, gracious, slow to anger, and I have a lot of good love and truth.

That's the kind of God I want to know. That's the kind of God that I want to draw near to and get to know. I might point out that this is in the Old Testament, specifically in the second book of the Bible. Why do I point that out? Because there are a lot of people who seem to think that God in the Old Testament was kind of cranky and not exactly all that nice. Some might even suggest that over time, He went through a sort of puberty and became a little nicer as time went on, no longer having a chip on His shoulder.

However, God in the Old Testament is merciful, gracious, patient, and abounding in good love and truth. In Exodus 34, verse 7, it says He keeps mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. This is a good God.

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

Look again at 2 Peter, chapter 2, verse 4. 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." He also mentions turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemning them to destruction and 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 by 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 that it is good to be reminded of these things, even though we know them and are established in the present truth.

He emphasizes the importance of leaving a reminder with us: God is just. He illustrates this justice by giving us three examples from the first book of the Bible, the book of Genesis. Point number three on your outline is that 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 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 where the sons of God, believed to be angels, came down to earth and committed sexual immorality with the daughters of men. It sounds totally off the wall and wacky, but that is 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 agree 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.

Not only the sin of these angels, but Peter also says in verse five of Second Peter chapter two that God 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, we hear about a man 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 saddened by what He saw. He determined that He was going to bring judgment upon the world, a judgment that we call the great flood.

In the midst of this punishment, we 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 and receive grace and mercy from God in the midst of judgment. 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 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, is about God judging the unjust and the ungodly. He gives a third picture of God's justice and judgment in verse six. It says that He turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemning them to destruction and making them 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 of 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 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, "Okay, 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. What if there are only 10 righteous?" God replies, "I will spare the entire region for 10 righteous people."

God goes down there and does not even find 10 righteous people. You know what He finds? In 2 Peter chapter 2, verse 7, it says, "And He delivered righteous Lot." One guy. He delivered righteous Lot, and Lot said, "Thanks a lot, God, that’s good." He delivered one guy.

God is relentlessly committed to holiness, justice, truth, and glory. In the midst of His punishment, which Peter uses as an example of God's diligence and relentlessness regarding these attributes, he notes that God is still merciful. He mercifully and graciously saved Noah, his wife, their sons, and their three wives. He saved Lot, and ultimately, Lot's two daughters were rescued as well. Even in the stories of God's judgment in the Old Testament, we find that God is merciful. We are reminded of His mercy, but God is also relentlessly committed to truth, holiness, justice, and glory.

Point number four on your outline is that God's mercy does not void His justice. Yes, God is merciful. Yes, God is gracious. However, His mercy and grace do not nullify His justice. In Exodus 34:6, 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 statement 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 posed by Abraham when he interceded on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18:25. If God is going to judge everyone on the earth, He needs to be just, right? We all agree with that. If He is going to judge everybody, He must be just. However, God's mercy and grace do not void His justice. This is a really important point.

Perhaps you've had one of those conversations with someone, whether a family member or a neighbor, where you discuss spiritual matters. I know it's not something that people generally like to talk about. We are often told not to discuss religion, politics, or even sports, as these can be touchy subjects. You don't want to offend anyone 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 talk about the salvation of God, but the gospel includes both the good news of salvation and the bad news of sin and judgment. When you start to discuss the bad news of sin and judgment, a person might say, "Oh, 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. 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 in the faith, saying, "Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord." In Second Timothy chapter one, verse two, he addresses Timothy, a beloved son, with the same message: "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, states, "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's 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, which describes Him as one who, when He comes, will...

The tribes of the earth will mourn when He returns. The world is going to grow, and they are going to mourn. Why? Because it says this in Revelation chapter one, verse 18: Jesus says, "I am He who lives and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of hell and death."

What does that mean? When Jesus comes back, He says, "Listen, I'm that guy, Jesus, who died on the cross and rose from the dead. 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 20 chapters later at the end of the Book of Revelation. In Revelation chapter 20, we see Jesus seated on a white throne in heaven, and 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, and this 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 Second Peter chapter two, verse nine. 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. Jesus 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, the day of the Lord. What is that? The great and terrible day of the Lord refers to any time in which God intervenes in the realm of humanity for judgment. This day is prophetically spoken of in the Scriptures. It is 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."

So, who are the ungodly? Who are the unjust? Look at verse ten of Second Peter, chapter two, which describes them as 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.

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. And who are the unjust? They are those who walk according to the flesh, following their earthly carnal desires, as they indulge in the lusts and desires of uncleanness, as Peter states.

What does it mean to walk according to the flesh and the lusts of uncleanness? What does it look like? The Apostle Paul describes it in one of his books, Galatians, chapter five, verse nineteen. It says this: "Now the works of the flesh are clearly identifiable. They are evident, which are these: 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 is included in this. I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in times past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The unjust are those who walk in and practice these things. They walk according to the lusts of the flesh and the lusts of uncleanness. Not only that, they despise authority. This means they reject or deny the rule and authority of God, the lordship of Jesus Christ. They say, "We will not have this man to rule over us. We will not submit to His law or His way. We're going to continue to do what we want to do according to the desires of our flesh." They do not want Him to tell them what to do.

Furthermore, they reject and despise authority. The next characteristic is that they are presumptuous. This is an interesting word in 2 Peter chapter 2 because the Greek word translated as "presumptuous" is only used this one time in the entire New Testament. It is referred to in theological circles as a hapax legomena. You may wonder what that means. It simply refers to a word that is hard to translate because it is only used once, and there is no other context to help define it. The literal definition of this word is "daring men." To be presumptuous is to be a daring man, and the idea is to arrogantly stand against power that you cannot defeat.

To be arrogant is to say, "I will stand my ground." It may seem impressive, but it is foolish, like standing in front of a train. I once heard a story about Muhammad Ali at the height of his career. He was on an airplane sitting on the tarmac, getting ready to take off. The stewardess approached 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 is an example of presumptuousness.

The next word is "self-willed." They are self-willed, which literally means to be brazen and arrogant. Finally, it is said that they are not afraid of blaspheming glory. This literally means they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries. The Greek words for speaking evil of dignitaries translate to blasphemy and glory.

They are unafraid to slander God and to speak evil of Him. Point number five is simple; it's like one of those, "Oh, well, no duh." It is foolish to test the limits of the mercy and grace of Jesus.

In saying that, I want to make it very clear that 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 and gracious; that is His default. There will not be a time when you come before His throne of grace for mercy and grace and find that it is unavailable. You will never come before His throne 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.

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.

When I say this, 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, we find a kind of trailer for coming attractions. 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.'"

They willfully forget that by the word of God, the heavens were of old, and the earth was standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded. They forget that there was a big flood with water.

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. 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. He is not slow-moving as some men count slackness, but 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 claimed there were 88 reasons why Jesus would return? Why didn't that happen? Some of you may have had "The 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? Because there are still a whole lot of people who need Jesus. 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 that point.

Would to 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.

But God, we need your cleansing touch. As we're standing 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 and 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 up 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, that you would help me to follow you by faith for all of my life. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.