Beyond The Four Spiritual Laws

[Triumph1300]

We don't have Kangaroos.
We have Moose here.

 

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Webster's defines a kangaroo court as:

1: a mock court in which the principles of law and justice are disregarded or
perverted

2: a court characterized by irresponsible, unauthorized, or irregular status or
procedures

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480) 1Pet 4:11a . . If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.

The koiné Greek word for "oracles" is logion (log'-ee-on) which refers to
something spoken rather than something imagined.

The Bible is the voice of God in written form (Acts 7:38) but not every
speaker is the voice of God is spoken form.

In order to comply with 1Pet 4:11a, speakers really need to sincerely believe
themselves infallible and speaking for God ex cathedra; which is a pretty tall
order to say the least; and scary too.

"Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you
know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." (Jas 3:1)

481) 1Pet 4:12-13 . . Beloved, don't be perplexed by the fiery trials you
are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. Instead,
be very glad-- because these trials will make you partners with Christ in his
suffering, and afterward you will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory
when it is displayed to all the world.

It's easy to think of Christ's sufferings as only those that occurred on the
cross and the night of his arrest. But it's important to remember that Christ
lived on this earth for about 30 years prior to his public appearances; and
during those years, he did not lead a sheltered life; in point of fact, during
those 30 years he underwent a sort of boot camp.

● Heb 5:7-9 . . During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers
and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from
death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he
was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made
perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.

It's a piece of cake for the Word of John 1:1 to comply with God's wishes
because the Word himself is God too. But when the Word took on the nature
of a human being; that's when he found out just how difficult it is for flesh
and blood to comply with God's wishes; hence the prayers and loud cries
and tears. The incarnate Word had a mission; and left on his own, Jesus
would have surely failed. But God was onboard to insure he didn't.

● John 3:34 . . God's Spirit is upon him without measure or limit.

However, Jesus didn't take the Spirit for granted but kept up a barrage of
prayers for assistance. You won't see much of that in the Gospels. The place
to look for Jesus' prayers is the Psalms where David did quite of a bit of
ghost writing for him. (cf. Luke 24:44-45)

The koiné Greek word for "partners" is koinoneo (koy-no-neh'-o) which
means: to share with another; viz: to participate. In other words, football
fans are not on the team, no they're up in the safety of the stands either
cheering, hissing, or booing. In order to "participate" in a game, you have to
be down on the gridiron in harm's way getting some bruises.

The Bible says there is no trial taken you but such as is common to the
entire human race (1Cor 10:13). Jesus wasn't shielded from any of those.
The Word not only came as a man, but he also lived as a man.

● Heb 2:17-18 . . It was necessary for Jesus to be in every respect like us,
his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High
Priest before God. He then could offer a sacrifice that would take away the
sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and
temptation, he is qualified to help us when we are being tempted.

● Heb 4:15-16 . . This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for
he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. So let us
come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will obtain mercy,
and find grace to help us when we need it.

For a good many millennia, the Word's compassion for Man was pretty much
limited to empathy rather than sympathy. In other words, until John 1:14,
the Word could understand your pain, and he could pity your pain; but he
could not feel it because the Word had zero experience at being human.

So then, when I meet with Christ around the table in God's home, I don't
expect to meet a stranger to my way of life; no, I fully expect to meet a man
who's been around the block a time or two. Not only will he be able to relate
to my stories, but I in return will be able to relate to his. Sharing in Christ's
glory would have the nature of an entourage if not for the fact that I will
have the satisfaction of knowing that Christ, in a manner of speaking, came
from the same neighborhood as I to get to where he is today.

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482) 1Pet 4:15-16 . . But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an
evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's affairs. Yet if anyone suffers as
a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.

The koiné Greek word for "Christian" is christianos (khris-tee-an-os') which
means: a follower of Christ. That word appears in only three places in the
entire New Testament. The other two are Acts 11:26 and Acts 26:28. Peter’s
is the only epistle where it appears; and it’s nowhere in any of the four
gospels.

Not everyone pledging their allegiance to Christ actually follows him.

● Luke 6:46 . .Why do you call me Lord and Master and do not what I say?

● Matt 7:22-23 . . Many will say to me in that day; Lord, Master, have we
not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in
thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them; I
never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity.

A good example of glorifying God in the midst of one's troubles is Mr. Job.

● Job 1:20-22 . . At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head.
Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: Naked I came from my
mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave, and The Lord has
taken away; may the name of The Lord be praised. In all this, Job did not
sin by accusing God with wrongdoing.

● Job 2:9-10 . . His wife said to him: Are you still clinging to your integrity?
Curse God and die! Job replied: You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall
we accept good from God, and not trouble? In all this, Job did not sin in
what he said.

James 5:11 speaks of the "patience" of Job; which is illustrated by the fact that
in all his trouble, Job remained loyal to God and never once lost his
confidence that God is blameless in all that He does, instead of accusing Him
of being a cruel sadist who enjoys toying with His creations and amusing
Himself by making them suffer.

483) 1Pet 4:19 . .Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of
God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

In the world of business, it’s sometimes necessary to take a concern to court
in order to force venders of goods and services to honor their commitments.
Well, the Bible’s God is not like that; no, the Bible's God is not a slimy
weasel: He's a person of real integrity.

Peter emphasized that human soul was created rather than produced by a
mysterious interaction of time, space, and matter. In other words: human
soul had both a beginning and a beginner; viz: human soul would not exist
at all had not a higher power willed it into existence.

FAQ: What is meant by souls?

A: Soul basically refers to consciousness and individuality. (Gen 1:20-21,
Gen 1:24, and Gen 2:7)

In its entirety, normal human life consists of body, soul, and spirit. (1Thess
5:23). Those three components are separable, viz: the soul and the spirit
are capable of surviving the body's demise. (Matt 10:28, Luke 23:46, and
Heb 4:12)

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484) 1Pet 5:1-3 . .Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your
fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of
the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you,
exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the
will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it
over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock.

First off; Peter assures church officers that his proximity to Christ says very
clearly, and without ambiguity, that he knows what he's talking about so
they really ought to listen to what he has to say about managing a church.

The New Testament doesn't record Peter as being present at Christ's
crucifixion, but that obviously doesn't eo ipso preclude his attendance
somewhere in the audience that day, or observing everything from a
respectable distance. (cf. Matt 26:58, Matt 27:55)

The conjunction "therefore" refers to one of Peter's previous statements;
specifically this one:

"For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God" (1Pet 4:17)

That's an echo of 1Cor 3:4-23 and 1Cor 4:2-5 where Paul revealed that
people "serving Christ" are facing a possibly very unpleasant evaluation.

Church is no country for achievers, nor is it a career track, nor is it a country
for control freaks and power-hungry imperious despots, nor for people who
love to bask in limelight and crave admiration and the center of attention;
no, serving in a church is for shepherds; and if you're not sure what
shepherding entails; then next time you're at a county fair strike up a
conversation with some of the 4H kids and they'll be only too glad to tell you
just what a thankless, man-killing, drudgery-ridden, time consuming, smelly,
expensive, inconvenient, filthy, and sometimes dangerous line of work that
animal husbandry really is.

So why do 4H kids do it? Because they love their animals; and if a luminary
in church doesn't feel a genuine affection for those under their supervision,
then that luminary will utterly fail to exercise oversight according to the will
of God. Self-seeking luminaries are depicted as poor sources of water. (2Pet
2:17)

You know what a professional church officer is? They're a hireling; and
according to God's son, a hireling cannot be depended upon to protect the
sheep when a wolf is at the door.

● John 10:11-13 . . I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down
his life for the sheep. He who is an hireling, and not the owner of the sheep,
beholds the wolf coming, and abandons the sheep, and flees, and the wolf
snatches them, and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling, and is
not concerned about the sheep.

A paid church officer might be willing to sacrifice himself for the benefit of
The Lord's sheep; but will he sacrifice his wife who has cancer, and/or his
two daughters' future whom he has to put through college, and/or the
mortgage on his home and/or his health insurance? No, the best interests of
The Lord's sheep will be very low on the hireling's list of priorities because
his primary interest is in keeping his job, protecting his income, his health
benefits, and his wife and children. The hireling will circle the wagons when
the wolf comes; yes, but not around the sheep; no, around himself. So be
very cautious in putting too much trust in a church officer; you just might
end up disillusioned and very disappointed.

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485) 1Pet 5:5a . .You younger, likewise, be subject to your elders

The elders in this instance are church elders; not just any nondescript
person of age that happens to be in the area; and the inference is that the
inexperienced Christians should not think of themselves as know-it-alls, but
rather, respect the mature Christians as mentors who genuinely know a
thing or two.

Peter's command isn't optional; no, it's mandatory, and it's very serious.

● Heb 13:17 . . Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit
yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account,
that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for
you.

If you should find yourself in a church whose elders you don't trust and/or
simply cannot respect, then it's time to move on and find a church whose
elders are worth their salt.

486) 1Pet 5:5b . . and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward
one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the
humble.

The koiné Greek word for "humble" is tapeinophrosune (tap-i-nof-ros-oo'
nay) which means lowliness of mind; viz: modesty, which Webster's defines
as freedom from conceit or vanity. Lowliness of mind is to be greatly desired
for its blessing.

● Matt 5:3 . . Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven.

Humility is very rare on internet forums. Active members are typically easily
insulted and infected with vanity; plus imperious, domineering, despotic,
assertive, confrontational, arrogant, conceited, reactive, thin-skinned, self
righteous, emotional, critical, and defensive. Those are not what I would call
good Christian attributes. They also have a propensity to jump to
conclusions, get the wrong impression, and fly off the handle. Those aren't
good Christian attributes either; in point of fact; none of those attributes are
blessing-worthy.

"Grace" is one of those ambiguous abstract nouns that nobody seems to
agree upon. Noah found grace in God's eyes (Gen 6:8) which in his case,
regarded providence; which can be defined as kindly patronage. It was by
God's providence that Noah and his family survived the Flood while the sons
of God and their harems didn't. Let that sink in. Just because people label
themselves a Christian, and profess a belief in Christ, is no guarantee they'll
escape the horrors of the book of Revelation. Noah was a righteous man,
and perfect in his generation; too many of today's card-carrying Christians
are neither.

The koiné Greek word for "proud" is huperephanos (hoop-er-ay'-fan-os)
which means appearing above others, viz: haughty. Those kinds of people
typically regard others with contempt, i.e. underserving of respect or even
so much as common courtesy. Haughty people are typically cruel,
thoughtless, insensitive, and badly infected with a superiority complex,
which goes hand in hand with arrogance: defined as an exaggerated sense
of one's importance, sometimes manifested in an overbearing manner.

Arrogant people can be intolerably pushy and assertive at times; standing up
to them usually always provokes an indignant reaction and a call to arms, so
to speak, because these folk regard any and all disagreements with their
way of thinking as demeaning attacks upon their core values and their
distorted sense of self worth. These people have very little interest in
harmony; they're stand-up fighters whose primary interest is winning.

Seeing as how Heaven is reputed a place of peace, then the arrogant, the
haughty, and the proud cannot be allowed to go there with their unholy
personalities. For sure they'd just end up making things very uncomfortable
for Heaven's normally mild-mannered, affable society

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487) 1Pet 5:6 . . Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of
God, that He may exalt you at the proper time

The role model for this kind of humility is The Lord himself; who obeyed his
master with the mindset of a for-life indentured servant.

● Ps 40:6-8 . . Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast
thou opened : burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then
said I, Lo, I come : in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to
do thy will, O my God : yea, thy law is within my heart.

The opening of one's ears is related to the law of Ex 21:2-6 that stipulates
piercing an indentured servant's ear who wishes to serve his master
permanently.

● Phil 2:8 . . And being found in fashion as a human being, he humbled
himself, and became obedient unto death.

● John 4:34 . . My food-- said Jesus --is to do the will of Him who sent me
and to finish his work.

● John 5:30 . . I seek not to please myself, but rather, Him who sent me.

● John 6:38 . . I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do
the will of Him who sent me.

Paul instructed Christians to adopt The Lord's mindset.

● Phil 2:5 . . Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus

Christians unwilling to pierce their ears to further God's agenda, are
unworthy to identify themselves one of Christ's followers.

● Matt 10:38-39 . . Anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not
worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life
for my sake will find it.

When people identify themselves as a Christian, their attitude is supposed to
exemplify the two aspects below:

● Matt 6:10 . . Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

● 2Cor 12:15 . . So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have; and
expend myself as well.

488) 1Pet 5:7 . . casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He is
concerned about you.

That command is very difficult for a person afflicted with Reactive
Attachment Disorder; which is basically the inability to believe that even one
person in the whole universe cares a whit about your welfare. RAD is
characterized by the inability to trust. For example: when a RAD victim
reads 1Pet 5:7, they instinctively believe it may be true for others, but has
absolutely no application to themselves. RAD is a very effective faith
inhibitor.

However, even just vocalizing your anxieties can be very therapeutic; while
holding it all in can be destructive to your nerves. I think I'd rather talk to an
imaginary playmate than to no one at all.

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489) 1Pet 5:8-9 . . Be discreet, stay alert. Your adversary, the Devil,
prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour; whom resist,
steadfast in the faith

The word "discreet" is translated from the Greek word nepho (nay'-fo) which
basically means to abstain from wine. Well; you know the first thing to go
when too much alcohol gets in your system is judgment; especially what's
known as better judgment; viz: there are things that people do when under
the influence that they would never do when sober. Alcohol loosens people
up, slackens their inhibitions, makes them let their guard down, makes them
careless, clumsy, inefficient, and certainly less intelligent even when their
normal IQ is in the hundreds.

Lest someone get the wrong idea; Peter isn't forbidding drink; rather,
getting tipsy. If you're one of those rare people with good self control,
alcohol poses no threat to your spiritual condition, But if you're one of the
many with an unbreakable habit of always exceeding their limit; then I'd
have to say that, relative to God's favor vs satanic predation, total
abstinence is really the only sensible option.

"the faith" isn't only a collection of beliefs, but includes a collection of
practices, i.e. behaviors; since according to James, faith without practices
is a half-baked faith.

● Jas 1:22-25 . . And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen
to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. For if you just listen and
don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to
improve your appearance. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you
look like. But if you keep looking steadily into God's perfect law-- the law
that sets you free --and if you do what it says and don't forget what you
heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

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490) 2Pet 1:5-7 . . Make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to
virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control,
perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly
kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

All those things listed by the apostle Peter are "supplements" defined by
Webster's as things that are added.

If Peter's list is chronological, then it's evident that believers are not
supposed to start with love and work towards faith, rather they're supposed
to start with faith and work towards love, viz: unloving believers are still
believers yes, but they've plenty of room for improvement; viz: their
confidence in Christ's crucifixion as a price he paid to ransom their souls
from the wrath of God is good, but it's only the beginning; i.e. a foundation
upon which Peter urges them to accumulate the traits on his list.

The Greek word for "virtue" is arete (ar-et'-ay) which basically refers to the
strength, and the courage, to stand for what's right.

The word for "knowledge" is gnosis (gno'-sis) which basically refers to
information obtained by teaching, instruction, and study rather than known
naturally by intuition and/or instinct.

The word for "self-control" is egkrateia (eng-krat'-i-ah) which means:
continence. The opposite of continence is incontinence; which is the
condition where a person cannot restrain their natural impulses.

The word for "perseverance" is hupomone (hoop-om-on-ay') which means:
cheerful (or hopeful) constancy. A hupomone person always keeps looking
for the light that they know is at the end of the tunnel; and even if they
can't see it for now; they fully expect to.

The word for "godliness" is eusebeia (yoo-seb'-i-ah) which means: piety;
defined by Webster's as dutifulness in religion; viz: devoutness; i.e.
dedication.

The word for "brotherly kindness" is philadelphia (fil-ad-el-fee'-ah) which
means fraternal affection; i.e. fondness. In these days of dysfunctional
homes in the USA, fraternal affection has no point of reference in the
thinking of some people because they've never seen it, nor ever experienced
it. Is it any wonder then that so many homes in America are producing
sociopaths, and kids with Reactive Attachment Disorder?

The word for "love" is agape (ag-ah'-pay) which may or may not contain the
elements of affection and fondness; but always contains the element of
benevolence.

Benevolent people are good folk; they're typically helpful, kind, generous,
cordial, hospitable, courteous, tolerant, sympathetic, loyal, and civil.

Agape was a sorely-missing element in my three years of service in the US
Army from 1961 to 1964. The men disliked each other; and the men disliked
the officers and non-coms; and they in turn disliked the men. Everybody
mistrusted each other and each guy had at the most only a couple of guys in
my whole 200-man unit he could lean on. That lack of agape had an impact
on unit cohesiveness and made America's enemies seem more like friends
than foes.

I really appreciate Charlie Sheen's line towards the end of the Hollywood
movie "Platoon". It goes something like this: "I think now, looking back,
we did not fight the enemy-- we fought ourselves . . . and the enemy was in
us." That line is profound; and an excellent companion to a line in
"Terminator 2, Judgment Day" when Arnold Schwarzenegger commented to
the young John Connor: "It is in your nature to destroy yourselves."

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491) 2Pet 3:1-2 . . Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both
of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be
mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of
the commandment of us, the apostles of The Lord and Savior.

I just don't know why so many professing Christians insist that it's
unnecessary for believers to study the Old Testament when Peter insisted
just the opposite. The koiné Greek word for "mindful" is mimnesko (mim
nace'-ko) which means: to recall to mind; viz: to keep in mind; to never
dismiss, discard, nor forget.

● Luke 24:44-45 . . And he said unto them: These are the words which I
spoke unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled,
which were written in the law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the
Psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they
might understand the scriptures.

The "scriptures" to which Jesus referred are those of the Old Testament
since there was as yet none for the New.

● 1Cor 10:11 . . These things happened to them as examples and were
written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has
come.

The "things that happened to them" refer to the adventures of Yhvh's people
during their forty years in the wilderness prior to entering the promised
land; which consists of the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and
Deuteronomy. Those are things that Paul says believers should know. (1Cor
10:1)

● 2Tim 3:13-17 . . But as for you, continue in what you have learned and
have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned
it, and how from infancy you have known the holy scriptures, which are able
to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is
inspired by God; and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training
in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for
every good work.

Paul's instructions to his friend Timothy targeted pastors; of whom Paul says
are ill equipped to do their jobs if they don't study the Old Testament.

● Rom 15:4 . . For everything that was written in the past was written to
teach us, so that through patience, and the counseling of the scriptures, we
might have hope.

The koiné Greek word for "hope" in that passage is elpis (el-pece') which
doesn't mean to cross your fingers and hope for the best. It means to
expect; viz: to anticipate, usually with pleasure. The world's hope is nothing
but wistful thinking, while the believer's hope is in the bag and that's why he
can look forward to it rather than wish for it.

According to Paul, elpis hope is reinforced by studying the Old Testament so
that believers who neglect the Old Testament are more likely to suffer
doubts about their future than a believer who studies the Old just as
diligently as he studies the New. And besides, the Old and New are not two
separate Bibles; no, there is only one Bible. and it is a continuous revelation
from front to back; ergo: people who choose the New Testament as their
Bible are working with an incomplete revelation.

But back to Peter's statement: "the commandment of us, the apostles of The
Lord and Savior." Too many Christians regard the apostles' writings in the
epistles as merely information rather than divine edicts that Christ expects
to be obeyed just as much as he expects his own personal words to be
obeyed. Failure to obey the apostles' writings in the epistles is a domino
effect of insubordination all the way to the top.

● Luke 10:16 . .Whoever listens to you; listens to me. Whoever rejects you;
rejects me. And whoever rejects me; rejects the one who sent me.

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492) 2Pet 3:8-10 . . Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one
day is with The Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;
but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that
all should come to repentance. But the day of The Lord will come as a thief
in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise,
and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works
that are therein shall be burned up.

Humans have but a short time in the grand scheme of things to accomplish
their ambitions before death catches up with them and puts a cap to all their
hopes and dreams.

● Ps 145:4 . .Who, breathing his last, returns to the earth; that day all his
planning comes to nothing.

But God is under no such time constraints. He exists in eternity; viz: God
always was, He always is, and He always will be. As such, God is at liberty to
take as much time as He pleases to work things out.

It's theorized by a number of scientists and laymen alike that a big bang
initiated the cosmos. Well for sure a big bang will end it; and that's not a
theory: that's a divine prediction.

● 2Pet 3:11-12 . . Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what
manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the
heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with
fervent heat?

I've noticed that some people endeavor to leave themselves a legacy in the
form of all sorts of man-made structures like highways, buildings, libraries,
museums, stadiums, bridges, dams, etc. Those structures are neither
permanent nor eternal. One day; they'll all disappear in a great roaring fire
ball.

493) 2Pet 3:14 . .Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be
diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless

Some of the brethren haven't a clue what it is to be in peace; their
temperaments won't permit. But that's something they really need to work
on because temperamental behavior will not be permitted in the new
cosmos.

The koiné Greek word for "looking forward" is prosdokao (pros-dok-ah'-o)
which means: to anticipate; viz: to await; for example:

When I was a small boy living in Santee California back in the late 1940's, I
used to climb one of the olive trees in the front yard so I could see down the
road in the direction that my dad came home every evening in a black 1933
Model A Ford. I always climbed the tree ahead of time so I could begin
watching for my dad and spot him coming a long ways off, and then I'd get
down and sprint out to the end of our dirt driveway and jump on the running
board of that old Ford and ride it back to the house with my dad.

Prosdokao is like that. It fully expects the arrival of a future event; and the
future event Peter spoke of in previous verses is not only the Lord's return;
but also the utter annihilation of the current cosmos to be replaced by one in
which only righteousness exists. Today, righteousness and unrighteousness
exist side by side, but in the future, it won't be like that.

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494 2Pet 3:17 . .You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on
your guard lest, being carried away by the error of unprincipled men, you
fall from your own steadfastness,

"unprincipled" is translated from the Greek word athesmos (ath'-es-mos)
which appears in only two places in the entire New Testament; once here
and once in 2Pet 2:7 speaking of the manner of life of the people of Sodom
and Gomorrah of whom the Bible says: "The men of Sodom were wicked
exceedingly, and sinners against The Lord. (Gen 13:13)

In other words: the people of Sodom weren't just defiant; they were outright
impudent; knowing full well that their ways were offensive to God.

The Greek word translated "steadfastness" is sterigmos (stay-rig-mos')
which appears in no other place in the New Testament but right here so we
don't have other passages to compare and thus help us understand what
Peter means by it.

Sterigmos basically refers to stability; defined by Webster's as resistance to
change, i.e. the ability to withstand force or stress without being distorted,
dislodged, or damaged.

Resistance to change doesn't imply impervious to change; in other words;
it's possible to weaken the kind of steadfastness Peter was talking about.

The word for "error" is plane (plan'-ay) which means, among other things,
fraud and deception, e.g. false impressions, hopes based upon conjecture
and/or wishful thinking, false premises, and wrong ideas-- even when
innocent. Honest mistakes are still mistakes, and their consequences can be
just as serious as willful steps in the wrong direction.

495) 2Pet 3:18 . . But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.

The above quote from the apostle Peter's second epistle isn't addressed to
just any John Q and Jane Doe looky-loo. It's specifically addressed to
Christ's believing followers. (2Pet 1:1)

The two pursuits that the apostle Peter ordered are worthwhile for Christ's
believing followers because whatever growth in grace they obtain is a
permanent growth; and whatever knowledge of God they gain, they keep
too: throughout eternity.

Why become more and more gracious? Because the people in heaven are
gracious. Yes; they are nothing like the churlish race of cruel hominids
infesting the world that you and I live in. If you should perchance go to
heaven as an ungracious churl yourself; then you will be in for culture shock
because people in heaven are truly civilized and would make even Emily Post
seem as rough-hewn as a third-generation Oregon logger.

It's for that very reason that I sincerely believe every new arrival in heaven
has to first attend a sort of finishing school where they are forged into
decent human beings before being permitted to associate with the others.
We pick up a lot of bad, anti-social habits down here on the planet and those
habits have to be broken because God's home is a place of peace. It isn't
conducive to peace to have thoughtless morons running loose annoying
people and committing senseless acts of unkindness.

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496) 1John 2:24 . . Let that therefore abide in you, which you have heard
from the beginning. If that which you have heard from the beginning shall
remain in you, you also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.

The trick to abiding in Jesus Christ is to first off have at your disposal
the correct way to go about it. Well; that is not so easy sans the possession
of a special anointing.

● 1John 2:26-27 . .These things I have written to you concerning those who
are trying to deceive you. And as for you, the anointing which you received
from him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but
as his anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and
just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

So then, we may conclude from 1John 2:26-27 that people lacking the
anointing:

1• Are susceptible to deception

2• Have very possibly bought into a lie and don't know it, because that's the
nature of deception: it's stealthy

3• Do not have in their possession the information one needs to abide in him

4• Are not abiding in him

That pretty much describes the spiritual condition of every Watchtower
Society missionary that comes to our doors because they quite candidly
admit they do not have the anointing nor do they ever expect to obtain it.

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497) 1John 2:28 . . And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he
shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at
his coming.

Jesus had quite a bit to say about abiding in him at John 15:1-10; which is
just about an impossibility if the little children give no time to studying the
New Testament either by private Bible reading, Sunday school classes,
sermons, seminars, books, and/or radio Bible programs.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve
what God's will is-- His good, pleasing and perfect will." (Rom 12:2)

"Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept
the word planted in you, which can save you." (Jas 1:21)

But knowledge is only a part of abiding in him. It's essential to work Christ's
teachings into one's life in order to be sure they won't be ashamed in his
presence.

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it
says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a
man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes
away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

. . . But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom,
and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-- he
will be blessed in what he does." (Jas 1:22-25)

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498) 1John 3:6-8 . .Whoever abides in him does not sin. Whoever sins has
neither seen him nor known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He
who practices righteousness is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who
sins is of the Devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning.

John started off by saying: "whoever abides in him does not sin".

This is tricky because according to 1John 1:8-10 even the apostle John
sinned; and surely no one would suggest that John didn't abide in Christ;
or dare say that he had neither seen Christ nor known him.

In a nutshell: "He who sins is of the Devil" refers to people whose religion
and/or whose spiritual ideology is something other than Christianity. Those
outside of Christianity are practicing unrighteousness; while those inside
Christianity are practicing righteousness. Bottom line: the practice of
Christianity is the right thing to do while the practice of all other religions
and/or spiritual ideologies is the wrong thing to do.

499) 1John 2:28-29 . . And now, little children, abide in him, so that when
he appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from him in
shame at his coming.

The koiné Greek word for "shame" is aischunomai (ahee-skhoo'-nom-ahee)
which means disgrace.

There's no doubt quite a few born-again, saved Christians who, once they
get what they want out of Christianity, go off-reservation and live their lives
as they see fit rather than how Christ sees fit: by doing so, they become
dried-up yard debris, so to speak.

● Rom 8:12-13 . . Brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the
flesh. For if you live after the flesh, you shall die:

● John 15:4-11 . . Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit
of itself, unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in
me.

. . . I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in me, and I in him,
he bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does
not abide in me, he is thrown away as a branch, and dries up; and they
gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

. . . If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish,
and it shall be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear
much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.

. . . Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; abide in my
love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love; just as I
have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things I
have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be
made full.

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500) 1John 3:11-13 . . For this is the message that you heard from the
beginning, that we should love one another-- not as Cain who was of the
wicked one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because
his works were evil and his brother's righteous. Do not be perplexed, my
brethren, if the world hates you.

A portion of "the message that you heard from the beginning" is located at
John 13:34-35.

The Greek word for "love" in that passage, and in 1John 3:11-13, is agapao
(ag-ap-ah'-o) which is an impersonal kind of love. In other words; it's civil
but not necessarily affectionate; which means you don't have to especially
like your fellow Christians, but you can still be nice to them in spite of the
fact that some may thoroughly disgust you and/or rub you the wrong way.

A really good example of agapao is John 3:16 where it's said that God so
loved the world. Well, it tells me that the love God extended to the world via
His son's death is impersonal. It says that God wants what's best for the
world in a generous, charitable way rather than motivated by adoration and
fondness; i.e. there's generally no attachment in that kind of love.

Agapao is the word for love in John 3:16 but it's not the word for love in
John 16:27 which reads like this:

"The Father Himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have
believed that I came forth from the Father."

The love in that passage is phileo (fil-eh'-o) which is an affection that God
feels for His friends . It's a personal love-- tender, sentimental, and close to
home; consisting of things like bonding, fondness and affection. God doesn't
feel phileo for just anybody; only for people close to his heart.

The word for "hates" is miseo (mis-eh'-o) which basically means to to detest
and/or to love less. Miseo isn't necessarily a passionate dislike; for example
Matt 6:24 where a choice is made between God or wealth. (cf. Luke 14:26)

From that I think it's safe to take from John that he's not saying the entire
whole world would like nothing better than Christians all lined up and shot,
but that we should not expect the world to think highly of us for our
religion's beliefs and practices; rather, to them Christianity detracts from our
value; i.e. wearing the Christian label makes us less admirable; less of a
person.

But there's people out there like Cain too.

"The wicked plot against the righteous and grate their teeth at them." (Ps
37:12)

One of the boys involved in the April 20, 1999 Columbine High School
shooting incident murdered a girl in the cafeteria just because she believed
in God. Isn't that amazing? That boy was nothing in the world but a
twentieth century Cain with a gun.

My own brother and I were paired similar to Cain and Abel. Both of us
worshipped the same God, as those two brothers did, and mine was even an
altar boy for a while. One evening at church, the priest asked everyone to
stand and give their word that they would always honor and obey God. My
brother stood along with the rest of us, but did not promise because, he
said, there were things he wanted to do. My brother really changed after
that. In time he began treating me with an unusual amount of hostility and
disrespect; taking every available opportunity to ridicule, mock, demean,
and taunt me.

It was so odd because I honestly never gave him any justification to act that
way. Of the two of us, he was the best looking, the bravest, the most
athletic, the most popular, had all the luck with girls, went to all the dances,
owned lots of cars, always had good jobs, and knew all the right people in
school. Yet he despised me.

Do you know what made my brother hate me? It was because he sensed
that I approved of neither his character nor of his core values. I've since
discovered it's an earmark of Cainish people that unless they are admired
and approved by others, they become hateful and very resentful; and
sometimes malicious too.

There's lots more Cainish people out there. They may not carry guns, but
they're in business, in the stock market, in the police department, in the fire
department, at the grocery store, at the mall, at the movies, on the
freeways, and at your place of work. They are everywhere: they are
everybody, and they are nobody-- sometimes they are obvious, sometimes
they are subtle. Way too many people in America hate God; and they
bitterly despise all who admire God and are in any way loyal to Him at all;
especially loyal to the Bible. This condition exists even in the best of
churches (cf. Acts 20:29-30, Jude 1:3-4) and I've encountered plenty of
"Christians" who will hate your guts simply for disagreeing with their
religious beliefs and practices. Now that really ought not to be.

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501) 1John 3:18 . . My little children, let us not love only in word or in
tongue, but in deed and in truth.

What is truth? (John 18:38)

Pilate's question was meaningful in his day because ancient philosophers
perpetually discussed and debated the nature of truth without ever achieving
a universal agreement about it.

Well; one of Webster's definitions of "truth" is: a state of being the case; viz:
fact; which Webster's defines as the quality of being actual. In other words:
truth is the way it is; viz: truth is reality as opposed to speculation, fantasy,
opinion, deception, falsehood, error, inaccuracy, inexactness, dishonesty,
theory, imagination, invention, misrepresentation, and half-truth, etc.

The trick to loving in truth is first of all knowing the truth.

I was once asked by an atheist why Christians need so many rules when
their whole religion is summed up by just one: the Golden Rule.

Well, the world's idea of the so-called golden rule is one thing; which may
not may not conform to God's idea; hence the following commandment.

● Rom 12:2 . . Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and
acceptable and perfect will of God.

There are no short-cuts to the truth. The good path is according to Eph
4:11-15; viz: by teachers and preachers. I do not recommend the self
taught route. People who go that way usually end up with disinformation
lodged in their heads that is not easily corrected.

● 2Pet 3:16 . .Some of Paul's comments are hard to understand, and those
who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters around to mean
something quite different from what he meant, just as they do the other
parts of Scripture-- and the result is disaster for them.

Anyway, point being: love in accordance with truth may at times seem very
unloving to the world because it doesn't know the truth, nor does it care to
know. I think a fair percentage of the world would agree with Pilate that
truth is uncertain and unknowable.

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502) 1John 4:1 . . Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits,
whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into
the world.

The koiné Greek word for "spirits" is pneuma (pnyoo'-mah) which means,
among other things; a current of air; viz: winds and breezes. Probably what
John is talking about are influences; which range anywhere from celebrities
and astrological horoscopes to popular singers and musicians; with
philosophers, poets, and pulpit pounders being somewhere in the middle.

The common Greek word translated "prophet" is prophetes (prof-ay'-tace)
which essentially identifies a foreteller; i.e. someone who can predict the
future. But it also applies to inspired speakers as per Eph 4:11-15.

Abraham was a prophet (Gen 20:7). Though Abraham saw the future (e.g.
John 8:56) there's no record of him foretelling it; but there's evidence
enough to believe that he was at least an inspired speaker. (Gen 18:19)

The problem with testing speakers is that there exists no universal standard
for doing it. The testing of inches, meters, yards, centimeters, cups, and
teaspoons is easy because we have universal standards for those
measurements that everybody goes by. But in regards to doctrine; really all
that most Christians have to go by are the standards of their own
denomination. In other words: truth for a Catholic is whatever Rome says it
is, while truth for a Mormon is whatever Joseph Smith and/or Brigham
Young say it is; while truth for a Jehovah's Witness is whatever the Watch
Tower Society says it is; and truth for a Baptist is whatever their Baptist
minister says it is.

So then, truth among Christians is typically proprietary truth rather than
standard truth; so good luck testing the spirits seeing as how even your own
spiritual influences are suspect.

I personally believe the Bible to be an independent, non-proprietary source
of truth. So then, if I were to put a Bible in your hands, could you use it as a
sort of sacred Geiger counter to test the winds of religious thought? No; you
couldn't; and that's because there are any number of ways to interpret the
Bible; and whose to say that their way is the one that's infallible and
speaking for God ex cathedra?

Jesus said that false prophets are known by their fruits (Matt 7:15-20). But
there again, not everyone is qualified to be a fruit inspector, so good luck
with that.

503) 1John 4:20-21 . . If someone says "I love God," and hates his
brother, he's a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen,
how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we
have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

NOTE: The commandment referenced is located at John 13:34

The Greek word for "love" throughout 1John 4:20-21 is agapao (ag-ap-ah'-o)
which is an indistinct word for love that may or may not include affection
and fondness; but it certainly includes things like civility, courtesy,
generosity, lenience, tolerance, charity, kindness, patience, forgiveness,
diplomacy, humility, hospitality, sympathy, respect, tact, etc.

I think that what John is trying to get across is that inconsiderate treatment
of The Father's children betrays one's lack of consideration for a father's
feelings; which is the behavior of a churlish Christian rather than a spiritual
Christian.

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504) 1John 5:16-17 . . If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does
not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those
whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am
not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is
sin that does not lead to death.

The most common sins unto death are those classified as capital crimes; viz:
those for which the death penalty is the right thing to do. It would be a
miscarriage of justice to pray somebody out of that jam. If the courts and
the laws of the land have decided that they must die; then they must die;
and that's that.

If a fellow believer is on death row for a capital offense; it's best to stay out
of it and let God and the courts handle it. Christians on death row should be
encouraged to man-up (or woman-up, as the case may be) and face the
music rather than expect sympathy from either their church or their
Christian friends. Christians who pray for the release of believers on death
row for capital crimes are not only attempting to obstruct justice, but also in
shameful rebellion against Almighty God's sovereign wishes.

● Rom 13:3-4 . . For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do
you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have
praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do
evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's
minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.

505) 1John 5:21 . . Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

The "little children" within the context of John's epistle has no reference to
John Q and Jane Doe pew warmers. It specifically addresses a special class
of Christians in the present possession of eternal life.

● 1John 5:13 . . I write these things to you so that you may know that you
have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

So then, it should go without saying that people lacking eternal life are not
believers; no, they are disbelievers no matter what their denominational
affiliation nor what church they attend.

The koiné Greek word for "idols" is eidolon (i'-do-lon) which means: an
image (for worship) viz: by implication, a heathen god.

Religious art such as paintings and sculptures don't really qualify as idols
until somebody gets a little too carried away; for example:

There's a statue of Ste. Peter in Rome whose big toe has been eroded over
the years by the lips of people kissing it. I would have to say that easily
qualifies as idolatry. I've no objection to paintings, statues, and stained
glass, but when people kneel to, pray to, speak to, and/or kiss those items,
then I believe they've trespassed into forbidden territory, and broken the
very first of the Ten Commandments.

● Deut 4:15-16 . . Be strictly on your guard not to act corruptly by
fashioning an idol for yourselves to represent any figure, whether it be the
form of a man or of a woman

Using that as a guideline, I would have to say that praying to, and/or looking
to, patron saints for providence and protection easily qualifies as both
polytheism and idolatry; as well as marginalizes God and diminishes one's
affections for Him. If somebody loves The Lord their God with all their heart,
all their soul, all their mind, and all their strength, as per Mark 12:30, there
will be nothing left for patron saints, artworks and/or statuary; and so
idolatry would never be an issue.

● Rom 1:22 . .While claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged
the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man

● 1Thes 5:21-22 . . Test everything; retain what is good; refrain from every
kind of evil.

NOTE: Idolatry back in Paul's day oftentimes included immoral activities
with temple prostitutes. We sure wouldn't want Christ's believing followers
involved in that sort of thing.

● 1Cor 6:15-18 . . Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ
himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a
prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a
prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, "The two will become one
flesh." But he who unites himself with The Lord is one with him in spirit. Flee
from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body,
but he who sins sexually sins against his own body.

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506) 2John 1:5-6 . . And now I beseech you, lady, not as writing to you a
new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning,
that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to His
commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the
beginning, that you should walk in it.

The precise identity of the "lady" of this epistle is impossible to know for
sure. Some have construed it to be The Lord's mom, and yet others as a
local church to which John mailed his letter, while others believe it refers to
the church as per Matt 16:18. I tend to think it was a local church since
2John 1:13 indicates the lady had a sister; viz: a sister church.

The first of the two loves in the passage is agapao (ag-ap-ah'-o) which is a
verb. The second love is agape (ag-ah'-pay) which is a noun. Neither of
those two words specifically refer to either affection or fondness.

Things like courtesy, generosity, loyalty, sympathy, kindness, civility, and
charity can all be extended to one's fellow Christians without especially liking
them; in point of fact, we may even wholly despise them with every fiber of
our being. But we dare not allow our low opinion to dictate how we treat
them.

Anyway, the bottom line is: though Christians obsess and chirp about love
till the cows come home, the bald fact is that if they are not complying with
Christ's commandments in their association with other believers, then as
persons they have little to commend them.

NOTE: Christianity is a very practical religion. It not only brings sinners into
a right relationship with their creator, but it also makes them better people;
viz: makes them more humane.

507) 2John 1:8 . .Watch yourselves, that we might not lose what we have
accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.

The koiné Greek word for "lose" is apollumi (ap-ol'-loo-mee) which doesn't
mean to lose as if stolen or misplaced, but rather, it means to lose
something by its destruction like when people's homes were demolished in
New Orleans by the hurricane Katrina.

Apparently it's okay if your successor wrecks what you've accomplished in
The Lord because that will be on their head. Just make sure you yourself
don't do anything to wreck it; and it doesn't really take all that much: a little
adultery, a little immorality, a little fraud, a little embezzling, a little
dishonesty, a little abuse of power, a little hypocrisy, a little dereliction of
duty, a failure to honor promises and commitments; et al.

Take for example Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. He started off as an okay
Christian man ordained to serve Jesus Christ, and then deserted the sheep
that Christ entrusted to his care and diverted his energies to political
activism. King's pastoral work went abandoned and neglected; and he
cheated on his wife too.

Moral of the story is: nobody is twisting anybody's arm to commit to serving
Jesus Christ; but once the commitment is made: then they'd do well to stay
the course and not get distracted.

● Luke 9:62 . . No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit
for service in the kingdom of God.

● 2Tim 2:4 . . As Christ's soldier, do not let yourself become tied up in the
affairs of this life, for then you cannot satisfy the one who has enlisted you
in his army.

Two things that Christ and his Father value very highly are integrity and
loyalty. When those are someone's guiding lights; the likelihood of their
bottom line with God showing a profit, instead of a loss, is greatly improved.

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