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NASB | 2 Peter 2:13 suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 2 Peter 2:13 suffering wrong [destined for punishment] as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a delight to revel in the daytime [living luxuriously]. They are stains and blemishes [on mankind], reveling in their deceptions even as they feast with you. |
Bible Question:
In recent days we have witnessed an elected State Official refuse to obey a Supreme Court order. That High Court decision violated what the elected officials Christian belief in what the Bible says to them. this causes me to question what I would be willing to say "no that is against what the Bible says". I question at place and time will Churches in the United States have to defend what the Bible says against those who are anti-Christian, anti-church anti-Bible, anti-religion, anti-God? I believe as Christians we are facing a time of oppression at the least. The book FOXE'S BOOK OF MARTYRS is a book worthy of every Christian to peruse over once in a while. In FOXE'S BOOK OF MARTYRS many actual events of Christian's suffering for their faith are recorded for our encouragement to stay faithful. I feel that even today many are suffering for their steadfastness faith in the LORD JESUS CHRIST. Here is my question. If the United States government took away our religious freedom of speech, and worship, limiting what your Pastor can preach (example Romans 1) like what has happened in most countries in Europe and in Canada; what is your Biblically based belief, and thinking on what you should do? Please use Bible verses to base your answer. justme |
Bible Answer: Hi, Justme... We have been praying for you. We hope that you are improving. I agree that Foxe's Book of Martyrs ought to be read by every believer. It is helpful to see that God's grace is sufficient even to the point of horrid and painful martyrdom. That truth is very comforting to me. Relative to your question there are two passages that spring to mind. First: "Now you followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, perseverance, persecutions, and sufferings, such as happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium and at Lystra; what persecutions I endured, and out of them all the Lord rescued me! Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3:10-15) We have the certainty of persecution if we are pursuing our Lord in sanctification; but we also have the imperative of what we ought to do in the face of persecution. Second: "Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right." (1 Peter 2:13-14) We have the imperative here (and elsewhere) to submit. Of course, we know that we can only submit up to, but not including, disobedience to God. But I cannot help but be reminded that when Peter penned these words, probably in Rome, that the emperor was Nero. Obviously, like Daniel, we must find creative ways to submit to those in authority without doing so contrary to the Word. Of course, all of this assumes that we are making every legal effort to insure that our government functions as Peter says it ought to do here (v14). Rebellion is a very serious matter. Even in this context it should not be our first choice. When the time comes for us to resist, we will only be able to do so with impunity in the eyes of God, if we have already employed all of the good and legal means at our disposal. We must remember that all governments, no matter the basis of their rule, are proper responses to the cultural mandate of Genesis 1:28. Furthermore, even the worst governments in History did manage to punish some evildoers, to one degree or another. Even during times of great oppression we are told to pray for governments, and even told why we must pray for them (1 Timothy 2:1-4). I will add one final thought. As you point out in your question, we have the benefit of looking back in history and seeing how Christians dealt with persecution. We certainly have explicit instances in the Scriptures as an example. Yet we have many things that have taken place throughout church history that will help us as we face the future. Consider the Christian slaves in America's past; the Puritans as they left England for the Netherlands, and their eventual migration to North America; the Christian Cherokee indians leading up to the Trail of Tears; the Huguenots facing terrible persecution in France; etc. etc. Most churches avoid teaching Christian History -- I suspect that is because they might have to face their own false teachings. Regardless, I think that Church History ought to be at least read, if not studied, by every Christian (Jeremiah 6:16; Deuteronomy 32:7; Hebrews 12:1a; 1 Corinthians 10;11). I know that these few thoughts do not exhaust the subject; nonetheless, I hope that they are helpful. In Him, Doc |
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Questions and/or Subjects for 2 Pet 2:13 | Author | ||
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justme | ||
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DocTrinsograce | ||
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justme | ||
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EdB |