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Ecclesiastes Lesson Seventeen

Ecclesiastes Lesson Seventeen: Ecclesiastes 8:14-9:10 – Iniquity and Enjoyment

There is a futility that is done on the earth: there are righteous people who get what the actions of the wicked deserve, and there are wicked people who get what the actions of the righteous deserve. I say that this too is futile. 15 So I commended enjoyment because there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, drink, and enjoy himself, for this will accompany him in his labor during the days of his life that God gives him under the sun. 

16 When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe the activity that is done on the earth (even though one’s eyes do not close in sleep day or night), 17 I observed all the work of God and concluded that man is unable to discover the work that is done under the sun. Even though a man labors hard to explore it, he cannot find it; even if the wise man claims to know it, he is unable to discover it. 

9 Indeed, I took all this to heart and explained it all: the righteous, the wise, and their works are in God’s hands. People don’t know whether to expect love or hate. Everything lies ahead of them. 2 Everything is the same for everyone: there is one fate for the righteous and the wicked,  for the good and the bad,  for the clean and the unclean, for the one who sacrifices and the one who does not sacrifice. As it is for the good, so it is for the sinner; as for the one who takes an oath, so for the one who fears an oath. 3 This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: there is one fate for everyone. In addition, the hearts of people are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live —after that they go to the dead. 4 But there is hope for whoever is joined with all the living, since a live dog is better than a dead lion. 5 For the living know that they will die, but the dead don’t know anything. There is no longer a reward for them because the memory of them is forgotten. 6 Their love, their hate, and their envy have already disappeared, and there is no longer a portion for them in all that is done under the sun. 

7 Go, eat your bread with pleasure, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart, for God has already accepted your works.  8 Let your clothes be white all the time, and never let oil be lacking on your head. 9 Enjoy life with the wife you love all the days of your fleeting life, which has been given to you under the sun, all your fleeting days. For that is your portion in life and in your struggle under the sun. 10 Whatever your hands find to do, do with all your strength, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or wisdom in Sheol where you are going. (HCSB)

I’ll be splitting this lesson into three parts.

  • The futility of life – verses 8:14-17
  • The righteous and the wicked – verses 9:1-6
  • Enjoy life – verses 9:7-10

The Futility of Life

The author points out the futility of life and how often the righteous suffer the fate that the wicked deserve.

  • The author starts with a variation on a phrase used throughout Ecclesiastes, “done on the earth” is essentially the same as “under the sun.”
    • This phrase is an indication of activity in a sinful, fallen world.
    • In the realm of a sinful world, actions and results often don’t make sense.
      • Righteousness is often not rewarded.
      • Wickedness is often not punished.
    • When we view this through the lens of modern Christian Theology, we know and understand that the Bible never promises an easy life to believers.
      • We aren’t guaranteed good health.
      • We aren’t promised to be rich.
      • We won’t always be happy.
      • We won’t avoid persecution.
      • The life of Jesus and the history of the Christian church proves that those who spout such heretical teaching are wrong.
    • However, we know things will change once we leave this earth and dwell eternally in heaven.
      • There will be no more sin.
      • We won’t worry about our health, happiness, or prosperity.
      • We will be united with other believers in paradise, free of persecution.
      • Revelation 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away. 
  • The author now moves on to another phrase he previously used, “there is nothing better for man under the sun than to eat, drink, and enjoy himself.”
    • Enjoying life is not a call to a hedonistic lifestyle.
    • It is a call to accept that we won’t understand most of what happens in the world.
    • It’s a call to enjoy what God has provided to us, whatever our circumstances.
    • We are to enjoy God’s provision by living a life of obedience and reverence to God.
  • The author moves to a third idea he had previously mentioned.
    • No matter how hard a person tries, they will never attain perfect or complete wisdom.
    • There is one overarching reason for this: our inability to know the future, as stated in 8:7.
      • We could control our lives if we knew with certainty what actions would bring prosperity, happiness, and a long life.
      • However, we will never gain that level of knowledge.
    • In the end, God is in control.
    • Isaiah 55:8-9 For My thoughts are not your thoughts, and your ways are not My ways. This is the Lord’s declaration. 9 For as heaven is higher than earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.

The Righteous and the Wicked

  • As we look at this section of the passage, we need to put ourselves in the position of the original hearers of the message. This significantly changes how we view it.
    • The original hearers were under the Law.
    • We are under the New Covenant.
    • While the original hearers may have thought that there was no eternal difference between the wicked and the righteous, as followers of Christ, we know there is a difference.
      • The redeemed will have eternal fellowship with God.
      • The condemned will have eternal separation from God and torment.
  • Verse 1
    • Our lives are in God’s hands; He is sovereign.
    • Only He knows our future, whether it will bring love or hate.
    • This knowledge doesn’t mean we don’t have free will in our lives; it only means that God knows our choices before making them and the consequences they will have.
    • The author repeatedly emphasizes free will in human choice.
  • Verse 2
    • This verse is a clear example of the difference between those under the Law and those under the New Covenant.
    • Although Scripture passages in the Old Testament refer to eternal life, the idea needed to be developed more than what is presented in the New Testament.
    • Both the wicked and the righteous will experience the same end “under the sun,” the passing of the physical body.
    • The end of our physical bodies, death, is the “final enemy” we will face.
      • 1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy to be abolished is death.
    • However, the result of facing the final enemy will result in people spending eternity in one of two locations; heaven or hell.
      • Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
      • John 11:25-26 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. 26 Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die—ever. Do you believe this?”
      • 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 14 Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus. 15 For we say this to you by a revelation from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly have no advantage over those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
    • Our works have no bearing on our eternal destination; only faith in Jesus Christ will usher us into God’s presence for all eternity.
      • John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way,  the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
  • Verse 3
    • The inevitable fact of death, and sometimes the fear of death, results in two main types of behavior.
      • It either brings out the best.
      • Or it brings out the worst.
    • We often see this play out at funerals or in the aftermath of death when the settling of an estate occurs.
      • People fight over their share of the inheritance.
      • Sometimes, they sue when they feel they’ve been wronged.
    • We also see it in everyday behavior.
      • Getting drunk and getting in fights.
      • Driving in a reckless manner.
      • Spending large amounts of money on things of no eternal value.
      • The pursuit of pleasure, regardless of how it affects others.
      • Using medical treatments in the hope of turning back, or at least slowing, the biological clock.
    • For those who don’t know Jesus as their Savior, the “final enemy” will always be there.
    • We can’t run from the final enemy, but we can face and defeat it by placing our trust in Jesus.
  • Verses 4-6
    • When we look at these three verses, we can see two critical truths to hang on to.
      • The first is that our circumstances can improve while we are still alive.
        • Regardless of what transpires in our lives, the believer has a living hope.
          • Our Savior is alive and has conquered death.
          • Unbelievers have a hope that will be destroyed by death.
        • We must seize the opportunities presented to us to improve our circumstances.
        • But, we must seize those opportunities in a way that honors God.
      • The second is that while an unbeliever is still alive, there is always hope for their redemption.
        • While it’s true that an unbeliever’s hope is shattered by death until they physically die, there is always hope they will repent.
        • We’ve all probably known, or at least heard of, someone we thought was so far lost they would never repent. Yet, by the grace of God, they surrendered their lives to Christ.
          • Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
          • Luke 1:37 For nothing will be impossible with God.
    • In addition to the two truths listed above, there are other ideas in these three verses.
      • For the dead, regardless of their background, wealth, position, or fame, their lives are over.
        • They can’t add anything reputation.
        • There are no longer any rewards waiting to be bestowed on them.
      • For the living, even if they are in the most meager of circumstances, they can always add to the quality of their lives.
      • The living know they will face death at some point.
      • When faced with the inevitability of death, the living can embrace the joys life offers.
      • Life may not be easy, but there’s more to life than simply enduring our existence on planet Earth.

Enjoy Life

  • We now move to a section where the author exhorts the readers to enjoy life. This enjoyment is broken down into four parts.
    • The first area of enjoyment is about our meals.
      • Since Ecclesiastes is written to a Jewish audience, we need to understand the meal schedule of a typical Jewish family during this time.
        • There was normally an early snack during what we would call breakfast.
        • Then, there was a light meal taken between 10 am and noon.
        • After this meal, the work day would begin, and the family wouldn’t gather together until work was finished, often after sunset.
        • The main meal would consist of bread, wine, milk, cheese, vegetables, fruit, and sometimes fish. Meat was expensive and was only served on special occasions.
        • The contents of the meal weren’t what was important; it was “breaking bread” together in fellowship and commitment.
          • Proverbs 15:17 Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened ox with hatred.
          • Proverbs 17:1 Better a dry crust with peace than a house full of feasting with strife.
        • Family love is the most important item on any menu, which turns any ordinary meal into a banquet.
    • The second area of enjoyment is to make the most of any occasion.
      • Once again, understanding Jewish cultural context reveals the intent behind the words.
      • Wearing white garments and having oil on the head carried special meaning.
        • White clothes were worn on special occasions such as weddings or reunions.
        • White clothes symbolized joy.
        • Oil should be understood as a perfume in that day.
      • The author wasn’t literally telling people to wear white and apply oil every day.
      • What he was saying is that we should make every occasion a special one, even if it is ordinary or routine.
      • We shouldn’t express our thanksgiving and joy only on special days.
      • Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
      • We shouldn’t be searching for special things to find our joy.
      • We should find joy by making everyday things special.
    • The third area of enjoyment is our marriage for those who are married.
      • We should view our spouse as a gift from God.
        • Proverbs 18:22 A man who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.
        • Proverbs 19:14 A house and wealth are inherited from fathers, but a sensible wife is from the Lord. 
      • Marriage should also be viewed as a lifelong commitment.
        • No matter how difficult life can be, there is great joy in the home of a husband and wife who are committed to each other.
        • Unfortunately, that concept is often ignored in modern society, where couples are often too quick to give up on each other.
        • From a biblical standpoint, the only reasons for divorce are infidelity and being married to an unbeliever who abandons the marriage.
          • Matthew 5:32 But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
          • 1 Corinthians 7:15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let him leave. A brother or a sister is not bound in such cases. God has called you to live in peace. 
    • The fourth area of enjoyment is our work.
      • Again, we need to look at work through the eyes of the Jews hearing this message.
      • Jews viewed work not as something to be avoided but as a form of stewardship from God.
      • Even rabbis learned a trade to support themselves. As an example, Paul was a tentmaker.
      • Scripture also says that those capable of work but choose not to work should go hungry.
        • 1 Thessalonians 3:10 In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.”
      • Whatever our job is, we should do it in such a way that it glorifies God.
        • Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
        • Colossians 3:23-25 Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. 25 For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism. 
  • If we fear God, we will walk by faith and not try to escape or endure life. We will enjoy life and receive it as a gift from God.

Applications

  • When we see injustice that causes us to shake our heads in disbelief, we shouldn’t lose sight that our existence here is a blip on the timeline of eternity. We need to trust that the sovereign God of the universe will reward the righteous and punish the wicked, even if it’s on His timeline and not ours.
  • No matter our circumstances, we should enjoy life. As long as we have breath, there is the hope that our circumstances can improve. Each life is precious, and we shouldn’t waste the opportunity to live our lives glorifying God.
  • Don’t lose sight of the fact that, as believers, we have nothing to fear. We have victory over death through the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. Our present lives may be difficult, but our eternity will be glorious beyond words.
  • Enjoy what God has given you, no matter how extravagant or meager. Always try to look for the blessing in any situation. If you are married, cherish your spouse as a special gift from God.
  • Do your work in a way that honors God. That means to do your best and not grumble or complain. For various reasons, many people can’t find or may not be able to work. Glorify God through and with your work.
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Ecclesiastes Lesson Sixteen

Ecclesiastes Lesson Sixteen: Ecclesiastes 8:10-13 – Reverence for God

In such circumstances, I saw the wicked buried. They came and went from the holy place,  and they were praised in the city where they did so. This too is futile. 11 Because the sentence against a criminal act is not carried out quickly,  the heart of people is filled with the desire to commit crime. 12 Although a sinner commits crime a hundred times and prolongs his life,  yet I also know that it will go well with God-fearing people, for they are reverent before Him. 13 However, it will not go well with the wicked, and they will not lengthen their days like a shadow, for they are not reverent before God. (HCSB)

Let’s take a deeper look at this short passage.

Verse 10

  • This is one of the most puzzling verses in Ecclesiastes, and it would be foolish for anyone to claim they fully understand it.
  • The primary theme seems to be the author saying the wicked don’t get what they deserve, even in death.
  • Scripture states that even criminals and enemies should have a dignified and honorable burial.
    • Deuteronomy 21:22-23 If anyone is found guilty of an offense deserving the death penalty and is executed, and you hang his body on a tree, 23 you are not to leave his corpse on the tree overnight but are to bury him that day, for anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse.  You must not defile the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance.
    • Joshua 8:29 He hung the body of the king of Ai on a tree until evening, and at sunset Joshua commanded that they take his body down from the tree. They threw it down at the entrance of the city gate and put a large pile of rocks over it, which remains to this day. 
  • The next question is, what is the location of the holy place?
    • It could refer to the burial service, the body being carried from the place of worship to the gravesite.
    • It could be interpreted as an expression of satisfaction that the wicked have departed from God’s presence. They will now await the fate they deserve. However, this interpretation is unlikely since the verse ends with“futile.”
    • The most likely interpretation is that the holy place refers to Jerusalem, where the injustice occurred. Going deeper, the author may be referring to those engaged in religious activity, yet they are empty of true religion as they deal with others.
      • James 1:27 Pure and undefiled religion before our  God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.
      • Matthew 23:27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs,  which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity.
  • The author points out that even the wicked are praised by some in the very location where they committed their atrocities.
  • We are often taught not to speak ill of those who die. Yet, it can be hard to sit and listen to praise for those whose lives don’t deserve it.
  • Maybe we attend a Christian funeral for a person who displayed no interest in the things of God.
  • However, we shouldn’t pass judgment. 
  • Instead, we should hope that the person has come to peace with God through Jesus Christ.

Verse 11

  • When we look at this verse, we see it playing out in modern society. This is especially true of what is occurring in the United States today.
  • Many people never look beyond today; they live for immediacy.
  • When we consider the question of law and order, we must ask, “What makes a person obey laws?”
    • In many cases, it’s not the moral aspect of the law.
    • Instead, it’s the threat of being punished for breaking the law.
  • If punishment is not given for breaking the law, or if it’s delayed, laws have little to no effect on society.
  • Companies and individuals act illegally simply because they know they will either get away with it or the consequences will be so minor that there is no deterrent. 
  • The root of the matter is contained in the second half of the verse, “the heart of the people is filled with the desire to commit crime.”
    • The delay or lack of punishment only encourages the wicked to commit crimes.
    • The modern-day fact is why I referenced what is occurring in the US now.
      • We constantly hear of crimes being committed, often brazenly, yet nothing is being done about it.
      • The legal system in some locations has weakened the authority of those charged with keeping and enforcing laws.
      • Additionally, some judges are making decisions that fly in the face of what the law says.
  • The very idea that a holy and righteous God allows the wicked to prosper and, seemingly, get away with the behavior has perplexed people for generations.
  • Peter captures the essence of the reason behind this apparent delay.
    • 2  Peter 3:9 The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.
    • God extends grace to all people, hoping they will repent and believe the Gospel of Christ.
    • 2 Peter 3:10 But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed.
  • We now also need to go back to another theme in Ecclesiastes: the idea of “under the sun” thinking.
    • When viewed through “under the sun” lenses, there is no justice, and life is not fair.
    • However, when wicked behavior is viewed through the lenses of eternal consequences, judgment will be meted out, and the wicked will not escape.

Verse 12

  • The beginning of verse twelve presents a challenge when the author says that a sinner commits hundreds of crimes yet prolongs his life.
  • At the same time, the author says it will go well with God-fearing people.
  • We look around the world today, either from a global perspective or a local one, and we constantly observe injustice.
  • The injustices we observe can challenge us in many different ways.
    • Do we lose faith that God will eventually judge the wicked and they’ll receive what they deserve?
    • Are we tempted to take matters into our own hands against the wicked?
    • Are we tempted to join those committing wicked acts since we see nothing of consequence happening to them, and they seem to get ahead in society?
  • Each of those reactions indicates a lack of faith and trust in God.

Verse 13

  • Instead, we must stand firm on the promise of God that sin and evil will be vanquished.
    • Jesus’ death and resurrection accomplished triumph over sin.
    • Ultimately, evil will be punished, and the righteous will be rewarded.
  • This thought is the timeless principle to carry from the Old Testament to our present age, where we live under the New Covenant.
    • The wicked are not reverent. Their actions spit in the face of an infinitely holy God.
    • On the other hand, the reverent will be rewarded for their faith.
  • So how are New Covenant people reverent?
    • By placing their faith in Jesus Christ.
    • Jesus’ command was to “repent and believe.”
    • We are to turn away from our sinful behavior and follow God’s commands contained in Scripture.
    • We are to believe what Scripture says about Jesus.
      • The Father sent him.
      • He was fully God and fully man.
      • He was born of a virgin.
      • He lived a sinless life.
      • He was crucified, died, buried, and on the third day, rose again and sits at the right hand of the Father.
      • He will one day judge each of us.

Applications

  • Respect each person who dies. They will spend eternity in one of two places: heaven or hell. Respecting them doesn’t mean we condone or applaud the actions of evil people. 
  • Don’t lose faith when we don’t see justice carried out in the manner or timeline we’d like. God has a purpose, and we display our faith by trusting He is in control.
  • Don’t try to take justice into your hands or be tempted to join the wicked in their actions.
    • Justice is the purview of God.
    • The wicked will eventually receive their condemning judgment. If we join them in their wicked pursuits, we will also face condemning judgment in the future.
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Ecclesiastes Lesson Thirteen

Ecclesiastes Lesson Thirteen: Ecclesiastes 7:15-22 – The Value of Moderation

In my futile life I have seen everything: there is a righteous man who perishes in spite of his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who lives long in spite of his evil. 16 Don’t be excessively righteous, and don’t be overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself? 17 Don’t be excessively wicked, and don’t be foolish. Why should you die before your time? 18 It is good that you grasp the one and do not let the other slip from your hand. For the one who fears God will end up with both of them. 

19 Wisdom makes the wise man stronger 

than ten rulers of a city. 

20 There is certainly no righteous man on the earth 

who does good and never sins. 

21 Don’t pay attention to everything people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you, 22 for you know that many times you yourself have cursed others. (HCSB)

The preceding lesson talked about wisdom through parables. This lesson will also have an underlying theme of wisdom but in the context of moderation. 

I’ll be dividing this lesson into two parts.

  • The mystery of righteousness versus sin and the length of a person’s life – verses 15-18.
  • Another exposé on wisdom – verses 19-22.

The Mystery of Righteousness Versus Sin and the Length of a Person’s Life

Don’t we often wonder and struggle when we see blatantly sinful people living long and seemingly prosperous lives? And the same happens when we see good people who die young. It begs the question, “Why do the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper?” Doesn’t this contradict God’s Word?

  • Exodus 20:12 Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. 
  • Deuteronomy 4:40 Keep His statutes and commands, which I am giving you today, so that you and your children after you may prosper and so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you for all time.
  • Deuteronomy 4:25-26 When you have children and grandchildren and have been in the land a long time, and if you act corruptly, make an idol in the form of anything, and do what is evil in the sight of the Lord your God, provoking Him to anger, 26 I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you today that you will quickly perish from the land you are about to cross the Jordan to possess. You will not live long there, but you will certainly be destroyed.
  • Psalm 55:23 God, You will bring them down to the Pit of destruction; men of bloodshed and treachery will not live out half their days. But I will trust in You.

We need to consider two facts when we ponder the question of whether or not the Word has been contradicted.

  • God did promise to bless Israel in their land if they obeyed His Law, but those promises are not given to believers today under the new covenant.
    • Matthew 5:3 The poor in spirit are blessed, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.
  • The wicked appear to prosper only if you take a short-term view of things.
    • Psalm 73
    • 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Therefore we do not give up. Even though our outer person is being destroyed, our inner person is being renewed day by day. 17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory. 18 So we do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

When we consider these two facts, we see clearly that God has not contradicted Himself.

Another biblical example to consider is the book of Job and his three “friends.” They are convinced that the question of how humans relate to God and the world is captured in one belief: If you obey all the rules, you’ll be safe. The result is that those who ascribe to this belief lean towards asceticism, self-denial as a spiritual discipline. However, asceticism has the following shortcomings.

  • Futility – everyone will end up failing at some point.
  • Arrogance – there’s a tendency to have a smug certainty about one’s righteousness.
  • Miserable – cutting off from the everyday joys of life.

Putting these ideas into modern understanding would caution us not to be fanatics or legalistic in our behavior.

The second half of verse eighteen effectively summarizes verses 15-18. 

  • To understand, we must figure out how fearing God will allow a person to end up with both. But what are “both?”
    • Having a devotion to God and following His teachings of wisdom.
    • Enjoying the good things in life.
  • A person who faithfully follows God will be able to maintain both of these throughout their life.
  • This is in contrast with two other philosophical outlooks.
    • Asceticism – any indulgence or humor is either a sin against religion or folly against wisdom.
    • Libertine – any form of restraint is a threat against pleasure-seeking.
  • The author seems to warn against excesses, but the Christian life seems filled with them.
    • Exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees: Matthew 5:20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 
    • Be exceedingly glad when we are persecuted: Matthew 5:12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 
    • God has given us exceedingly great and precious promises: 2 Peter 1:4a By these He has given us very great and precious promises.
    • God has promised to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think: Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do above and beyond all that we ask or think  according to the power that works in us.
  • The author is warning against the wrong kind of excess, not excess in general, as Scripture can’t contradict other sections of Scripture.
  • God’s creation is wonderfully balanced.
  • We must learn to balance the ways we perceive the circumstances of our lives.

Another Exposé on Wisdom

This section contains two short teachings.

  • A person with wisdom is infinitely stronger than the foolish rulers of a city.
    • Wise men are necessary because human sin is universal: Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
    • Rulers can try to control evil by brute force, but because of pettiness, weakness, and ambition in society, only wise men can maintain the equilibrium among them.
  • Verses 21-22 are a warning against being overly sensitive to what others say about us. It’s also highly likely, if not an absolute given, that we’ve said things about or to others that have caused pain.
    • We might try and explain away what we said by blaming it on “having a bad day” or “we didn’t really mean what we said.”
      • Others would probably use the same excuse when speaking badly about us.
      • Why do we apply different standards to what we say and what others say about us?
    • The knowledge of our flawed nature should shape our attitudes toward others.
      • We are sinful people, and apart from the redemptive power of Christ, we are destined to spend eternity in hell.
      • We are also called to love our neighbors as ourselves: Mark 12:31 “The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.” 
    • If we’re wise, we won’t pay attention to what others say about us and won’t speak ill of others.

Applications

  • Avoid excesses in your life. This can also include “church activities” if they are detrimental to the balance in your life. I knew one Christian family while in high school who went to church Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, and just about any other church event during the week. You might think that’s great, but you never saw the inside of their house. There were dishes and pots piled high in their kitchen. There were piles of dirty clothes throughout the house, even in the common areas. They had two dogs, and I often wondered if “accidents” ever occurred and how long it took to find them! Their family life lacked balance.
  • Focus on acquiring, understanding, and applying the wisdom contained in Scripture. But do this to walk in obedience to God’s Word and strengthen your walk with Christ, not as a way to show off or justify yourself.
  • Don’t let what others say about you cause discouragement. Sometimes, that isn’t easy. But in the end, if we’re walking in obedience to Christ, what others say about us doesn’t matter. They aren’t our judge. Only Christ can and will judge us.
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Ecclesiastes Lesson Seven

Ecclesiastes Lesson Seven: Ecclesiastes 3:16-22 – Mystery of Injustice and Death

I also observed under the sun: there is wickedness at the place of judgment and there is wickedness at the place of righteousness. 17 I said to myself, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every work.” 18 I said to myself, “This happens concerning people, so that God may test them and they may see for themselves that they are like animals.” 19 For the fate of people and the fate of animals is the same. As one dies, so dies the other; they all have the same breath. People have no advantage over animals since everything is futile. 20 All are going to the same place; all come from dust, and all return to dust. 21 Who knows if the spirit of people rises upward and the spirit of animals goes downward to the earth? 22 I have seen that there is nothing better than for a person to enjoy his activities because that is his reward. For who can enable him to see what will happen after he dies? (HCSB)

I’ll deal with this passage in one section, as there is one theme that runs through it. The teacher is wrestling with a question that plagues us today; how can God be in control when there is so much wickedness in the world? Now, let’s dig deeper into this passage.

  • In this passage, the teacher seems to be saying that time passes swiftly for humans.
    • We often look back and wonder about or regret decisions we’ve made. 
    • At the same time, God keeps track of everything we do, and at the end of time, we’ll answer for our actions. The teacher makes this very statement in the final verse of Ecclesiastes 12:14 For God will bring every act to judgment, including every hidden thing, whether good or evil.
  • The teacher ponders this very thought in the first two verses of this passage.
    • He witnessed wickedness and injustice.
    • He wondered why the judgment was delayed.
  • Now we circle back to the theme of this passage; how can God allow so much evil in the world?
    • The teacher wasn’t the first to wrestle with this question, nor was he the last. I’m sure that everyone who reads this ponders the same question.
    • However, the teacher comforts himself with two assurances.
      • God has a time for everything.
        • Ecclesiastes 8:6 For every activity there is a right time and procedure, even though man’s troubles are heavy on him.
        • Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because the sentence against a criminal act is not carried out quickly,  the heart of people is filled with the desire to commit crime.
      • God is working out His eternal purposes in and through the actions of mankind, even those who are wicked.
    • Verse seventeen should also be viewed with the eschatological judgment in mind.
      • Psalm 14:5 Then they will be filled with terror, for God is with those who are  righteous.
      • Although the teacher was not a prophet, he did speak of a coming judgment.
      • He acknowledged that political oppression was a universal phenomenon, but he offered hope, even though it was abstract, of a divine judgment and vindication.
  • God will judge everyone when the current earth has passed away, but He is also judging everyone now.
    • Verse eighteen tells us that God is testing man.
    • This testing reveals the character of each person.
    • When humanity leaves God out of their lives, they are no different than animals.
      • Psalm 32:9 Do not be like a horse or mule, without understanding, that must be controlled with bit and bridle or else it will not come near you.
      • Proverbs 7:22-23 He follows her impulsively like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding toward a trap 23 until an arrow pierces its liver, like a bird darting into a snare he doesn’t know it will cost him his life.
      • 2 Peter 2:19-20 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, since people are enslaved to whatever defeats them. 20 For if, having escaped the world’s impurity through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in these things and defeated, the last state is worse for them than the first.
  • As we read verses nineteen and twenty, we need to be careful and not draw the wrong conclusion. The teacher is not saying there is no difference between humans and animals. He is merely pointing out they have two things in common.
    • Both groups die.
    • The bodies of both groups will return to the dust. 
    • Humanity has a distinct advantage and difference over animals; mankind was created in the image of God.
    • However, both groups die and return to “dust.”
  • The Bible tells us that death happens when the spirit leaves the body.
    • James 2:26a For just as the body without the spirit is dead.
    • Luke 8:55a Her spirit returned, and she got up at once.
  • The teacher seems to be indicating that humans and animals don’t have the same experience at death.
    • Man’s spirit goes to God. Ecclesiastes 12:7 And the dust returns to the earth as it once was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
    • The animal’s spirit ceases to exist. Read Psalm 49.
  • Once again, Ecclesiastes focuses on the mortality of humanity. Each of us is destined to have a physical death. But the real emphasis is whether or not we’ll experience spiritual life or death.
  • We also need to remember that mankind’s spirit, which is eternal, will exist in one of two places.
    • Those who have professed faith in, and submitted to the lordship of Jesus, will go to heaven.
    • Those who never professed faith in Jesus will be condemned to hell.
  • In the final verse of this passage, the teacher reaches two conclusions.
    • Neither possessions nor accomplishments are eternal.
      • We can’t take them with us when we die.
      • We should properly use them and enjoy them while we’re alive.
    • We will all pass from our physical bodies and live eternally as a spirit.
      • Our hope of eternal life is founded on God and not ourselves.
      • Those who have rejected God will face eternal punishment.
      • Those who have placed their faith in Jesus will experience eternal life in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say, “There is no resurrection of the dead”? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is without foundation, and so is your faith. 15 In addition, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified about God that He raised up Christ—whom He did not raise up if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Therefore, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have also perished. 19 If we have put our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.

As we reflect on this passage, let’s consider the following points.

  • God controls “time.” We see this vividly illustrated when we look at Israel’s early history.
    • The Bible doesn’t focus primarily on the social, political, or heroes of Israel.
    • It does focus on God shaping Israel through grace and judgment, moving Israel towards His goal.
    • When we reflect on what’s in 1-2 Kings, we read a narrative about what God is doing in this period of Israel’s history.
      • The prophets were the most important figures in these books, announcing and interpreting God’s actions.
      • The kings thought they were in control of the country and its people. However, it was God who was in control.
    • The same is true in the prophetic books of the Old Testament.
      • God reveals Himself as sovereign, who ruled the past but is also in control of the present and future.
      • Humans may have schemes and ideas, but God’s plans are the ones that will be fulfilled.
      • The book of Daniel contains one of the best examples.
        • King Nebuchadnezzar thinks he’s a god, requiring worship.
        • Daniel tells him that he’s not in control, and to reinforce that point, the king lives for a period of time among the animals.
    • The New Testament continues this theme.
      • At the appointed time, Jesus is born, announcing the kingdom of God and dying for our sins.
      • Jesus declares the various times of God’s plans.
        • His crucifixion.
        • The witness or apostasy of the disciples.
        • His second coming.
        • Divine judgment and salvation.
  • As Christians, we are to live our lives considering the fact that God controls time.
    • 1 Timothy 6:13-16 In the presence of God, who gives life to all, and of Christ Jesus, who gave a good confession before Pontius Pilate, I charge you 14 to keep the command without fault or failure until the appearing  of our Lord  Jesus Christ. 15 God will bring this about in His own time. He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, 16 the only One who has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light; no one has seen or can see Him, to Him be honor and eternal might. Amen.
    • 1 Peter 1:3-5 Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
    • Revelation 1:3 The one who reads this is blessed, and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it are blessed, because the time is near!
    • Revelation 22:10 He also said to me, “Don’t seal the prophetic words of this book, because the time is near.
    • 2 Peter 3:8 Dear friends, don’t let this one thing escape you: With the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
  • Our relationship with God will determine how we view the fact that God controls time.
    • For the faithful, it should provide comfort.
    • For those without a relationship with God, it will be unsettling as they try and manipulate time to their own advantage, acting as if they were “gods.”
  • We live in a world that is skeptical and confused about what occurs after we die.
    • Many search for verifiable truth about what happens.
    • Too often, in this search, they ignore the truth of the resurrection.
      • They are like Thomas in John’s Gospel.
      • They want to see it themselves, or they won’t believe it.
  • It’s a symptom of self-centeredness and paranoia.
    • The only “truth” is what they choose to believe.
    • This has led to the rapid increase in “spiritualities” in the Western world.
    • These “leaps of faith” will never lead them anywhere without being founded on the Truth, which came in the form of a man over two thousand years ago.

Applications

  • Accept and embrace the truth that regardless of what occurs around us, God is in control and He knows what is best. This is true even when we are going through difficulties. During those moments, press into God and try and discern His will, but also walk in faith and the knowledge that He will sustain you through those difficulties.
  • Accept that each of us is mortal. Our physical bodies will die, but our spirit will live forever. There are only two destinations for our spirit. We’ll either spend eternity in heaven in God’s presence or eternity in hell, forever separated from His love and grace.
  • Enjoy the pleasures of life in accordance with God’s will and plan. God wants us to enjoy life as we walk in fellowship with Him. If we are truly walking in step with Him, we shouldn’t feel guilty about enjoying life.
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1 John Lesson Five

1 John Lesson Five: 1 John 2:28-3:10 – Another Demand for Right Action

So now, little children, remain in Him, so that when He appears we may have boldness and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know this as well: Everyone who does what is right  has been born of Him.  3 Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him. 2 Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him  because we will see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure. 

4 Everyone who commits sin also breaks the law; sin is the breaking of law. 5 You know that He was revealed so that He might take away sins, and there is no sin in Him.  6 Everyone who remains in Him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen Him or known Him. 

7 Little children, let no one deceive you! The one who does what is right is righteous, just as He is righteous. 8 The one who commits sin is of the Devil, for the Devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God was revealed for this purpose: to destroy the Devil’s works. 9 Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because His seed remains in him; he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God. 10 This is how God’s children—and the Devil’s children—are made evident. (HCSB)

I’ll be dividing this passage into two sections.

  • God’s great love for us – verses 2:28-3:3.
  • God’s children do not live in sin – verses 3:4-10.

God’s Great Love for Us

The end of chapter two, verses twenty-eight and twenty-nine, serve as a bridge from the previous section and chapter three. If we begin our Christian life by believing and trusting in Jesus, what comes next? It’s in this “what’s next” phase that many churches today fail to follow Jesus’ command in Matthew 28, “make disciples.” Although it may appear on the surface that John isn’t addressing the issue of discipleship, when you look at this passage in a “macro sense,” you will see that John is talking about discipleship. Now, let’s take a closer look at this passage.

  • John begins with the phrase “little children.” John is talking about fellow believers.
  • However, there has been much debate in scholarly circles regarding the understanding of the phrases “remain in Him” and “have boldness and not be ashamed.” There are three main interpretations of this verse.
    • John is talking about unsaved individuals being ashamed when Jesus returns. The drawback with this interpretation is that John begins the verse by addressing Christians.
    • If we don’t remain in fellowship with Jesus, we’ll lose our salvation and be ashamed when Jesus returns. This is a main divergent point in the centuries-old debate between the schools of Calvin and Armenius.
      • Armenians teach that a believer can lose their salvation.
      • Calvinists teach that once a person is elected and saved, they can never lose salvation.
    • If we don’t remain in fellowship with Jesus, we’ll retain our salvation but be ashamed of our actions.
      • Each believer will stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
      • There, our works will be evaluated, and eternal rewards handed out.
      • 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 – our work will be revealed as either perishable or imperishable.
      • 1 Corinthians 4:5 – the intentions of our heart will be revealed.
      • 2 Corinthians 5:10 – we will be repaid for what we have done, whether good or worthless.
    • The judgment seat of Christ will not be a completely joyful experience for those who have squandered the spiritual gifts they were given or walked in disobedience.
    • However, the shame will be relatively short-lived. Revelation 21:4 – God will wipe away every tear. 
    • It will not be a perpetual experience, but still something to avoid.
  • The end of verse twenty-nine presents a challenge if we read it and ignore the context of the surrounding verses and the totality of Scripture.
    • An example of someone who lived a sacrificial life and met the needs of others would be Gandhi. However, Gandhi rejected Jesus, meaning he couldn’t be born of God. 
    • The context of this letter was to address the false teachings of the Gnostics, who claimed to know God through some special inner knowledge.
      • The Gnostics taught that the spirit was good and untouched by the actions of the physical body. 
      • They believed they could sin without remorse or consequence since the spirit was untouched by sin.
      • They claimed to be Christians, to know God, but they hated real Christians and lived sinful lives.
    • The intent behind the ending of this verse is that if someone claims to be a Christian but doesn’t do what is right, they aren’t a Christian.
  • John now shifts gears and talks about God’s amazing love for us.
    • Those who decide to follow Jesus become God’s children.
      • While every person is “wondrously made,” there is a distinction between believers and unbelievers.
      • Believers become a member of God’s spiritual family.
    • In verse one, the term “know” is better understood as “accept.”
      • Unbelievers don’t accept God.
      • Therefore, they don’t accept believers.
    • Even though believers are children of God, on this side of eternity, we won’t fully grasp what this means.
      • The full extent “has not yet been revealed” to us. 
      • Each believer has a different level of understanding regarding our relationship with God and our transformation through submission to Jesus and empowerment by the Holy Spirit.
      • The transformation, which is incomplete in our physical body, will be instantaneous and complete once we see Jesus.
    • When we begin to grasp the unbelievable wonder of this fact, this will motivate us to live pure and holy lives.
      • We will want to live holy lives because Jesus is holy.
      • Often, our weak commitment to holiness is due to our dim perception of who Jesus is and who we have become through Him. 
      • When we gain a fuller understanding of Romans 8:17 (coheirs with Christ), we’ll understand that we are destined to rule and reign with Jesus in heaven.
    • One of our resources for holy living is to ponder and meditate on who Jesus is, who we have become through Him, and what our eternal existence will be like when we meet Him.

God’s Children Do Not Live in Sin

The next section of John’s letter has generated much debate among scholars and theologians. It’s difficult to find much common ground, even in well-respected commentaries. Therefore, we shouldn’t be alarmed if the average believer struggles with understanding this passage. Now, let’s start to dig into this section.

  • Verse four shouldn’t cause any misunderstanding. When we sin, we break God’s law. Sin is lawlessness. There are several other biblical definitions of sin.
    • Proverbs 24:9 – A foolish scheme is sin.
    • Romans 14:23 – Everything that is not from a conviction is sin.
    • James 4:17 – So it is a sin for the person who knows to do what is good and doesn’t do it.
    • 1 John 5:17 – All unrighteousness is sin.
  • There isn’t a single overarching biblical definition of sin.
    • Each of the preceding examples is part of the whole sin.
    • Verse four states that sin is lawlessness.
    • Lawlessness is a characteristic of the spirit of the antichrist.
    • 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 – Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For that day will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. 4 He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship,  so that he sits in God’s sanctuary, publicizing that he himself is God.
  • The man of lawlessness doesn’t reign; he has no power except what we give to him. 
  • Jesus is the one who reigns and takes away the sins of the world.
    • The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus are the remedy for sin.
    • Jesus lived a life free from sin.
    • His was a once and for all perfect sacrifice to restore our fellowship with God.
  • Verse six is where it becomes quite challenging, and there is quite a bit of disagreement on the interpretation. This is especially true when the end of verse nine is considered with verse six.
  • Consider the phrases “Everyone who remains in Him does not sin: everyone who sins has not seen Him or known Him,” “The one who commits sin is of the Devil,” “Everyone who has been born of God does not sin…he is not able to sin.”
    • These phrases can be quite unsettling to the believer.
    • We know that we sin. We may be wrestling with some type of sin bondage in our lives. 
    • These phrases do anything but comfort us with the assurance of salvation.
    • There are numerous passages of Scripture that tell us that we will sin until we enter heaven.
    • There are several scholarly interpretations of this section.
      • The willful-sin position: The sins are willful and deliberate, not involuntary or unintentional sins. However, even believers can commit major, premeditated sins.
      • The habitual-sin position: A believer can’t live a lifestyle of willful, unrepentant sin. We may sin badly, and we may go through periods of backsliding, but we will never settle into a lifestyle that is characterized by sin. To a certain extent, the Gnostics followed this example.
      • The ideal-character position: A believer should strive for the ideal of living a sinless life, with the understanding that it is unreachable in the flesh. It is better to try and fail than never to try.
      • The new-man position: The “new man” is a perfect creation. The new or inner man is regenerated, and there is no condemnation for him (or her). Until we enter heaven, our inner man will battle our fleshly desires.
      • There are other positions, but they are mostly variations of the ones presented.
    • Although there is much debate on what is said, there is general agreement on what is not being said.
      • John is not saying a Christian will never commit sin.
      • When a Christian commits sin, they will not lose salvation.
  • Verse seven warns the believer not to be deceived. This deception can come from several sources.
    • False teachers who knowingly distort Scripture.
    • Those who don’t understand what Scripture is saying lead others astray without realizing it.
    • The spirits of darkness, often working through others, to lead us astray.
  • The reader also needs to link 3:7 back to 2:29.
    • Doing what is right does not make a person righteous.
    • If a person is righteous, they will do what is right.
    • Righteousness comes from an obedient relationship with Jesus.
  • John makes it clear in verse eight that those who deliberately live in sin, deny the truth in Scripture, and deliberately lead others astray are followers of the antichrist.
    • At the same time, believers need to hear what John is saying.
    • When believers sin, they are temporarily siding with the devil, and they shouldn’t do that.
    • Sin originated with the devil. Sin opposes Jesus.
    • When believers realize they have sinned, they need to confess and repent.
  • Verse nine presents the same challenges as verse six. The same options for understanding verse six equally apply here.
  • What does John mean by the word “seed?”
    • It could refer to the Word of God.
    • It could refer to the Holy Spirit.
    • It could refer to the regenerated spirit when a believer is born again.
  • All three are true statements and are taught in other places in Scripture.
  • John is teaching that sin and salvation are opposites.
    • Wanting to sin is not being led by the Spirit.
    • Wanting to sin is not having a relationship with Christ.
    • If a believer finds themselves in this situation, they need to reexamine their commitment to Christ.
  • Christians make themselves known as God’s children by doing what is right and loving others.
  • Children of the devil make themselves known by refusing to do what is right and refusing to love others.

Applications

  • Be careful of false teachings and false teachers. John was addressing a specific problem, Gnostics, the readers were facing. The church today still faces false teachers and teachings; the prosperity gospel, acceptance of homosexuality and same-sex marriage, and more than male and female genders. These are just a few of the challenges the modern church faces, but they are legitimate threats that must be faced and addressed.
  • If you are a believer and you are deliberately living in sin, you need to reexamine your relationship with Christ. Scripture is clearly warning believers that when believers live in this manner, they are living in opposition to Jesus and aligning themselves with the devil.
  • When believers sin, they need to confess and repent quickly. It’s too easy to slip into a sin cycle. We should also watch out for our brothers and sisters if they are struggling with sin. We need to come alongside of them, pray for them, and support them.
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2 Peter Lesson Three

2 Peter 2:1-22 Lesson Three – A Warning on False Teachers

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their unrestrained ways, and the way of truth will be blasphemed because of them.  3 They will exploit you in their greed with deceptive words. Their condemnation, pronounced long ago, is not idle, and their destruction does not sleep. 

4 For if God didn’t spare the angels who sinned but threw them down into Tartarus and delivered them to be kept in chains of darkness until judgment; 5 and if He didn’t spare the ancient world, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others, when He brought a flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and if He reduced the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes and condemned them to ruin, making them an example to those who were going to be ungodly; 7 and if He rescued righteous Lot, distressed by the unrestrained behavior of the immoral 8 (for as he lived among them, that righteous man tormented himself day by day with the lawless deeds he saw and heard )— 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, 10 especially those who follow the polluting desires of the flesh and despise authority. 

Bold, arrogant people! They do not tremble when they blaspheme the glorious ones; 11 however, angels, who are greater in might and power, do not bring a slanderous charge against them before the Lord. 12 But these people, like irrational animals—creatures of instinct born to be caught and destroyed—speak blasphemies about things they don’t understand, and in their destruction they too will be destroyed, 13 suffering harm as the payment for unrighteousness. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, delighting in their deceptions  as they feast with you. 14 They have eyes full of adultery and are always looking for sin. They seduce unstable people and have hearts trained in greed. Children under a curse! 15 They have gone astray by abandoning the straight path and have followed the path of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness 16 but received a rebuke for his transgression: A donkey that could not talk spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s irrationality. 

17 These people are springs without water, mists driven by a whirlwind. The gloom of darkness has been reserved for them. 18 For by uttering boastful, empty words, they seduce, with fleshly desires and debauchery, people who have barely escaped  from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, since people are enslaved to whatever defeats them.  20 For if, having escaped the world’s impurity through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in these things and defeated, the last state is worse for them than the first.  21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy command  delivered to them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb: A dog returns to its own vomit, and, “a sow, after washing itself, wallows in the mud.” (HCSB)

Although this is a long passage, it’s important to tackle it in its entirety. Peter now addresses one of the main themes, if not the main theme, of the letter…false teachers. These false teachers had emerged within the church teaching that there was no second coming of Christ and, therefore, there wasn’t a need to live godly lives. This message was timely for Peter’s audience, as well as for us today, with many false teachers arising and with teachings contrary to what is contained within Scripture.

Verse 1

There are three characteristics of false teachers (prophets):

  • They lack divine authority.
  • They promise peace with God talks about judgment for disobedience.
  • They will be judged harshly by God.

The phrase “even denying the Master who bought them” indicates that these are not pagans from outside the church. These were individuals within the church who claimed faith in Jesus. They may very well have been faithful Christians at one point, but they had now turned away from the truth. There are two theological issues in interpreting this verse:

  • Can genuine believers commit apostasy and lose their salvation?
  • Was Peter teaching unlimited atonement, Christ died for all but only those who believe receive the benefit of atonement?

Let’s tackle the first question through the use of Scripture.

  • 1 Peter 1:5 – You are being protected by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
  • Romans 8:28-39 – We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified. 31 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He did not even spare His own Son but offered Him up for us all; how will He not also with Him grant us everything? 33 Who can bring an accusation against God’s elect? God is the One who justifies. 34 Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is the One who died, but even more, has been raised; He also is at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. 35 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: Because of You we are being put to death all day long; we are counted as sheep to be slaughtered. 37 No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that not even death or life, angels or rulers, things present or things to come, hostile powers, 39 height or depth, or any other created thing will have the power to separate us from the love of God  that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!
  • 1 Corinthians 1:8-9 – He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you will be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful; you were called by Him into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
  • Philippians 1:6 – I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to the completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 – Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely. And may your spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

Scripture confirms that those who genuinely belong to Jesus are secure in their salvation. Peter is describing those within the church who professed faith but never really submitted to the lordship of Jesus. They may have appeared to be Christians, but there was never a heart change. As challenges occur, they will be revealed as wolves within the flock, those whom Jesus never knew.

  • Acts 20:29-30 – 29 I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 And men will rise up from your own number with deviant doctrines to lure the disciples into following them.
  • Matthew 7:21-23 – 21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord!’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will  of My Father in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in Your name, drive out demons in Your name, and do many miracles in Your name?’ 23 Then I will announce to them, ‘I never knew you! Depart from Me, you lawbreakers!’
  • Matthew 13:20-22 – 20 And the one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. 21 Yet he has no root in himself, but is short-lived. When pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now the one sown among the thorns—this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age and the seduction of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

The second question will be addressed later in this study.

Verse 2

Despite the false teachers speaking heresy, many will be attracted to the message that they speak. The phrase “unrestrained ways” refers to reckless sexual behavior that was being taught by the false teachers. In Greek culture, sexual activity outside of covenant marriage was acceptable, which is in direct conflict with Scripture. However, the false teachers had brought what was acceptable in their surrounding culture into the culture of the church. We need to ask ourselves if we see the same thing happening in our churches today. The church should help to shape our surrounding culture and not culture shape the church.

Verse 3

Peter now identifies the main focus of the false teachers, personal gain at the expense of the flock they were supposed to shepherd. These false teachers were only concerned about using religion as a means to make money. They commercialized Christianity for their own gain. We need to be careful about the churches and ministries that we support with our time, skills, and finances. Are they genuine, or is it a way for the leaders to fill their own pockets? The prosperity gospel is an especially dangerous false teaching, which, unfortunately, many have fallen into their trap. The promise of good health and financial gain does not align with what Jesus taught in Scripture. It doesn’t mean that God won’t bless some of us, so that we can bless others, but that we shouldn’t expect it. Many of the prosperity gospel “preachers” are living lavish lifestyles, well beyond expectations. What would Jesus, Paul, or any of the Apostles say about how they live?

Verses 4-6

In these verses, there are three illustrations that prove God’s judgment in the past. They get progressively smaller in scale.

  • Cosmic – against the angels for their pride and rebellion.
  • Worldwide – the flood for their apathy and disobedience.
  • Local – against Sodom and Gomorrah for the uncontrolled lust of the men of the cities.

The third illustration appears in various places in Scripture, and each time they represent sin and rebellion at its highest level. The illustrations describe a pattern of events; sin that is not confessed will lead eventually to judgment and destruction. The God of the Bible is the God of justice, His character is just, and He will not allow the scales of justice to remain out of balance as that would compromise His integrity, and that is something he will not and cannot do.

Verses 7-8

Peter points out that grace is always available to us. God’s judgment on sin is inevitable, but it is not inescapable. Let’s dig a little deeper into the reference to Lot. On a surface level, we may not consider Lot as a righteous individual. When it came to which land to settle and Abraham gave him a choice, it is easy to conclude that Lot was selfish in choosing what appeared as “prime real estate.” 

But God knows our heart, including Lot’s, while we live in a sinful environment. Peter’s letter stated that Lot “tormented himself day by day” by what he observed around him. The Greek word can also be translated as “tortured.” It is not hard to imagine that Lot was worn out by the depravity that he observed on a daily basis. 

Verse 9

Yet despite all Lot went through, God rescued a godly man from the trials he was experiencing. Although God can and does rescue believers from trials, it is not the norm, nor is it a biblical promise.

  • James 1:2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials. 

Verse 10a

The first part of verse 10 concludes this section of the passage. It makes it clear that the unrighteous, including the false teachers, will be included in God’s judgment. They are so self-centered that they exalt in their sinful behavior, and they “despise authority.” This is a telling statement as “despise” means to look down upon someone. In the case of the false teachers, they are looking down upon the rule of Jesus and denying His power and majesty.

Verse 10b

Peter is describing the attitude of the false teachers in two very strong words. 

  • Bold – someone who tramples on the rights, opinions, and interests of others…both human and divine.
  • Arrogant – someone who can’t be reasoned with, no amount of conversation with them will change their behavior, they will go on doing or teaching what they want, they believe they are correct, and everyone else is wrong.

Verse 11

God’s angels, superior to human beings, don’t criticize the fallen angels, even though it would be deserved, as God has already passed judgment on them. However, the false teachers knew no bounds, slandering both angels and God demonstrating their utter lack of reverence.

Verse 12

Although the false teachers have a disproportionally inflated image of their intellect, their understanding of spiritual matters is no different than irrational animals. Just like animals repeat their actions, these false teachers will do the same, and at some point, they will be caught and punished.

Peter also implies two deaths (destruction/destroyed). The first is their physical death, and the second is their eternal spiritual death being separated from God.

Verses 13-14

Peter reinforces the concept that they will face judgment and eternal torment for their actions. Although the pagan world had many sinful practices, they were normally conducted after sunset. However, these false teachers were even worse than the pagans. Not only did they start their activities before sunset, but it also appears that they turned the church’s fellowship meals and communion celebrations into a drunken celebration.

The phrase “eyes full of adultery” should be interpreted as lusting after every woman they saw and being unable to look upon a woman without some sexual fantasy being visualized. It seems that they had some measure of success as Peter says, “they seduce unstable people” as well as being skilled in the ways of greed, never satisfied with what they had.

Verse 15-16

 Peter now used an illustration from the Old Testament, the story of Balaam. Balaam was supposed to be a prophet of God, yet he loved money more than he loved God. This drove him to pursue fame and fortune and not obedience to God. He also taught immoral behavior. Because of this, he was rebuked by a donkey. Although we may chuckle at the idea of a donkey rebuking Balaam, the deeper meaning here is that a simple animal rebuked someone who had been intended to be a prophet for God and instead turned away from God.

Verse 17

These false teachers are unable to provide anything of lasting substance because their teaching has no foundation and is based upon falsehood. Their fate awaits them, the “gloom of darkness” for all eternity, a thick, fierce, and comfortless isolation without end.

Verses 18-19

We now see that the false teachers were at least partially successful with their empty words as they caused some to fall back into old habits that should have been left behind. The pagan world was ripe with sexual immorality. The false teachers, understanding how attractive these behaviors were, twisted the concept of Christian freedom to be understood as the freedom to pursue whatever activity they desired without consequences. They were able to seduce the weak by teaching that religious freedom was the freedom from all authority and moral demands of the Christian faith. However, Christian freedom is the ability to do what is right, based upon God’s Word.

Verses 20-22

As we consider these verses, we need to remember that two categories of people who are in the church; true followers of Jesus and those who are false Christians. The false teachers Peter is warning about in this passage clearly fall into the second category. The knowledge referenced in verse 20 is head knowledge and not heart knowledge. They could speak the language, but they really didn’t understand its meaning or embrace it. Being able to “speak the language” allowed them to lead some astray with their false teaching. 

The last two verses in the passage indicate that they had become so consumed in their pursuit of greed and sexual immorality that they had lost the ability even to enjoy the sin that they had been pursuing. They were worse off because they had deliberately rejected the truth they had learned, rejecting the way of Jesus, the forgiveness of sins, and the path to heaven. They chose hell over heaven, confirming the judgment Peter pronounced in verse 17.

Applications

  • Have you examined the teaching at the church you attend? Does it align with Scripture, or are there things that raise questions or don’t make sense? I’ve said it before in lessons, and I’ll say it again, we should always check what we are being taught. Peter is very clear, as is Paul in his writings that there were and still are false teachers that will lead believers away from the faith. That is why it is critical that we feed continuously on Scripture. The more we know what Scripture says, the easier it is to spot false teachers.
  • If we are one of those false teachers or false Christians, we need to repent and submit to the Lordship of Jesus. Forgiveness is always available if we humble ourselves and are repentant.
  • When we see or hear false teaching, or if another believer passes along teaching that is false, do we challenge it? We should never tolerate false teaching or teachers, and we need to warn others when this occurs.
  • If you currently are part of a congregation that contains false teaching and your challenges meet with resistance, or you are ignored, it is time to find a new church and warn others in the congregation of the danger they are in.
  • One cautionary note. None of the previous application points gives us a license to act in an unChristlike manner. We also need to make sure that it is clearly false teaching. If you are a Calvinist and the church follows Arminianism, if they teach pre-tribulation rapture and you believe in pre-wrath or any similar doctrinal disagreement points, these are not false teachings. We must agree on the basics of the Christian faith and salvation but extend grace on those points where theologians have different positions. 
truthproject777

1 Peter Lesson Seven

1 Peter 3:8-12 Lesson Seven Do No Evil

8 Now finally, all of you should be like-minded and sympathetic, should love believers,  z and be compassionate and humble, 9 not paying back evil for evil or insult for insult but, on the contrary, giving a blessing, since you were called for this, so that you can inherit a blessing. 

10 For the one who wants to love life 

and to see good days 

must keep his tongue from evil 

and his lips from speaking deceit, 

11 and he must turn away from evil 

and do what is good. 

He must seek peace and pursue it, 

12 because the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous 

and His ears are open to their request. 

But the face of the Lord is against 

those who do what is evil. (HCSB)

This passage represents the summary or conclusion of 1 Peter 2:11-3:7 and contains the following concepts:

  • Relationships in the community.
  • Response to evil.
  • Controlling the tongue is necessary.
  • Seek peace and turn from evil.
  • Yahweh’s favor rests on the righteous.

Verses 8-9

These verses address relationships between believers (verse 8) and unbelievers (verse 9), although verse nine could also be talking about believers who were acting in an improper manner.

Verse 8 – Ethics for General Relations in the Church.

Verse eight is in presented as a chiasm, an A B C B’ A’ pattern. This verse is directed at how believers should interact with each other.

A Harmony

    B Sympathy

        C Brotherly love

    B’ Compassion

A’ Humility

Harmony and humility are grouped together as the primary way that harmony is disrupted is by prideful action and self-assertion, the opposite of humility. Sympathy and compassion are almost synonyms and are hard to distinguish from each other. Brotherly love is the middle term, indicating it is the most important of the five virtues, and the other four are embraced by the call to love one another as a family.

A short look at the term “like-minded.”

  • Describes a unity of attitude.
  • Division within the body of Christ should be unthinkable.
  • It doesn’t mean that the members of a church, or different churches, won’t have different opinions due to the very nature of each believer possessing different spiritual gifts.
    • The key is how the differences are handled.
    • Not handled properly, they’ll divide the church.
    • Handled properly, they’ll enrich the church.
    • Each believer should primarily pursue serving God and loving others.

Verse 9 – Ethics for Relations to a Hostile Society.

Verse nine is mainly directed in how believers interact and respond to unbelievers but can also refer to the response to a believer who is not acting in a Christ-like manner.

  • Don’t respond to insults or evil actions in the same manner, even if it is tempting to do so.
  • This is rooted in Jesus’ teaching. Luke 6:28-29 Bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  29 If anyone hits you on the cheek,  offer the other also. And if anyone takes away your coat, don’t hold back your shirt either.
  • We are called to bless others, even when our flesh wants to retaliate.
  • As Christians, we are expected to respond in this manner.
  • Supporting passages for what Peter is saying here.
    • 1 Thessalonians 5:15 – See to it that no one repays evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good for one another and for all. 
    • Romans 12:17 – Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Try to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes.
    • Matthew 5:44 – But I tell you, love your enemies  and pray for those who  persecute you.
    • Ephesians 4:32 – And be kind  and compassionate  to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.

10-12 – Foundation for Ethics: God is Watching.

Here Peter is citing Psalm 34:12-16. Peter altered the Psalm by switching from the second person singular to the third person singular. It is also critical to note that Psalm 34 focuses on suffering, and those who suffer will be delivered by the Lord. There are several essential points in why Peter picked this Psalm at this point in his discourse.

  • The Lord rescues His people when they suffer.
  • The Lord will judge the wicked.
  • The righteous display trust and hope in the Lord by renouncing evil and pursuing good.
  • The first word in verse 10, “for,” links verses 10-12 to verse 9.
  • Peter didn’t promise an easy life since trouble and persecution are to be expected.
  • Peter was giving a motivation for believers to bless their persecutors and live in a manner that promotes peace.
    • They are to refrain from speaking evil to obtain eternal life.
    • However, this doesn’t imply a works-based salvation or compromise salvation by grace.
    • Peter believed that the transformed life of a believer would provide evidence that they had been converted.

Verse 11

For Peter, the Christian life is not a life of passivity. It is through God’s grace that eternal life is granted to those who believe in Jesus. However, the primary place of grace in the salvation process is not an excuse to be idle. A life of righteousness doesn’t happen in a vacuum of seeking solitude in meditation away from others.

  • Believers must make a conscious effort to turn from evil.
  • Believers must devote themselves to doing good.
  • Believers must seek and pursue peace.
    • Peace is understood as an agreement between people.
    • “Pursue it” is a hunting term that denotes intensity, determination, and persistence. 
  • Believers must extend forgiveness to those who hurt them.

Verse 12

Peter explains why good behavior is important. He already touched on this in verse nine and the relationship between verse nine and verses ten to eleven.

  • The Lord’s favor is on those who live a righteous way.
    • They will be blessed with the inheritance promised in verses seven, nine, and eternal life noted in verse ten.
    • Their prayers will be heard if they truly are Yahweh’s people.
    • The Lord will turn away from those who practice evil.
    • The Lord will give eternal punishment to those who are disobedient.

Peter is not saying that believers will live a perfect life, nor that perfection is a requirement for salvation. He is saying that a transformed life is necessary as proof of salvation. 

Applications.

  • Make a decision to “love life.” We control how we view our lives. Do we display faith in God and see the best in every circumstance, or do we have a pessimistic attitude? We can choose to endure life, and it will be a burden. We can choose to escape life through alcohol, drugs, or other destructive pursuits. What we should do is enjoy life, secure in the knowledge that God is in control.
  • Do you have control over your tongue, or does your tongue control you? How often have you said the wrong thing at the wrong time?It happens to the best of us from time to time. Meditate on Psalm 141:3 – LORD, set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips.
  • Do you shun evil? That is much stronger than just avoidance. We must shun evil because we hate it, just like Yahweh hates sin. At the same time, we should actively seek out and do what is good. Do you pursue good and righteousness in your life?
  • It’s easy to find trouble. We read or see about it all the time in the news. As a believer, we should be seeking out and promoting peace. However, it is not peace at any price but rather peace based on righteousness. We should never compromise biblical truth in the pursuit of peace. At the same time, when we are challenged with situations that are in conflict with Scripture, it doesn’t mean we can protest in an angry or violent manner. We must seek dialogue and change through peaceful methods.