2nd Peter 1:1-4, Part 2

[Hidden In Him]

Escaping Eternal Corruption, By Attaining Unto Glory And Virtue, Part 2



As mentioned in Part 1, the Vestal Virgins were the epitome of virtue amongst the Greeks and Romans. Their purity and chastity was of such importance to the State that they could be buried alive if they were to forsake their vows, which they were called to maintain until the age of 30. But amongst Christians, Christ Jesus walked in a virtue even the Vestals could not touch, for He was the only begotten Son of God, and clothed in heavenly glory and virtue from God the Father on High.

Unfortunately, Gnostic heretics were now infiltrating the churches and instead painting Him to be a perverse sinner who practiced witchcraft and performed sexual rites in private. Peter, therefore, made a crucial point in the opening verses of this letter: The Christ one recognized is the Christ he would emulate, so he now laid stress upon the importance of recognizing Jesus for who He truly was, the Messiah of the Jews, and clothed in the Divine power and glory, who promising eternal life to all who believed in Him and (like Him) departed from the lusts of this world.

1 Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those having obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you in the recognition of God and Christ our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given unto us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the recognition of Him having called us unto His own glory and virtue, 4 through which He has given unto us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you might become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (2 Peter 1:1-4)

The disciples witnessed firsthand the moral virtue Christ Jesus walked in. In one place He taught not to even look upon another man's wife to lust after her or you were committing adultery with her in your heart already, and if He had not lived this His disciples would have rejected Him as a hypocrite. He also went so far as to teach that if your eye caused you to sin through lust to pluck your eye out, for it would be better to enter Heaven with one eye than with both to go to Hell for falling into sexual immorality. The closest he ever got to a woman appears to be when Mary poured out an alabaster box of expensive ointment upon Him six days before the crucifixion, which He allowed because it was preparing His body for burial, and He promised that she would be remembered in eternity for it. (John 12:1-7, Mark 14:3-9)

The Gnostics, however, turned Christ's holiness on its head, and depicted Mary as instead "anointing" Him for a sexual ritual the two performed later in private. This was a demonic interpretation, of course, and typical for how the Gnostics perverted the truth.

Spikenard, the ruinously expensive perfume that she used to Christ-en Jesus, was used extensively in the sacred marriages and other sexual rites of other Oriental systems... In the traditional form of sacred marriage, the hieros gamos, the priestess/ queen/ goddess also anoints the priest/ king/ god on the genitals as a preparation for ritual horasis (i.e. whole body orgasm). Behind the male disciples' concern for the wasted money and the plight of the poor, was there another reason for their distaste at this ritual? Clearly the anointing of Jesus' feet - the singling out of the sacrificial king - took place in front of them, but the climax of the ceremony might have been a matter for closed doors (and a great deal of muttered conjecture). (Lynn Picknett, The Secret History Of Lucifer, P.75-76).

This is not a new "Jesus" but an old one presented during New Testament times, as it was the type of "Jesus" the Gnostics were teaching. And they were following in "his" footsteps, by entering congregations and seeking to lure Christian wives away from their husbands and into adultery. It's what Peter was referring to when he said, "These are spots and blemishes, reveling in their own deceits while feasting together among you, 14 having eyes full of an adulteress and incessant sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained upon sexual covetousness." (2 Peter 2:13-14). But it was little more than a wicked myth given to them by demons, for Peter himself witnessed Christ's glory and virtue firsthand. The true Jesus was the glorious Son of God, whom Peter himself saw transfigured on the mountain and "shining like the sun":

16 For we did not follow cunningly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18 And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. (2 Peter 1:16-18)

The apostle John also saw the glory of the Lord when he was receiving the Book of Revelation, and said much the same thing:

12 Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw... One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. 14 His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; 15 His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; 16 He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. (Revelation 1:12-16)

This then, is the One the apostle Peter was urging his readers to emulate, and as he also stated, they would not be alone in attempting to. God's Divine power was now being granted to them so they would be empowered to do so.


Walking In the Spirit

The apostle Paul also taught that we were to "put on Christ," and in so doing were being changed “from glory to glory,” telling the Corinthians in one place that, "Beholding the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, we are all with unveiled face being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18). But how did this transformation take place in real terms? By engaging in the Spirit-filled life, or in other words, increasingly living a life where their actions and words were Spirit-led and Spirit-breathed.

Operating In The Gifts comes immediately to mind. The supernatural gifts are clearly not our own but Christ operating in and through us. They are poured out upon us as the Spirit wills, and given to manifest the glory of Christ within us.

8 To one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 Yet one and the same Spirit manifests all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. For even as the body is one but has many members... so also is Christ (1 Corinthians 12:8-12).

Praise And Worship is another. The word very clearly states that God inhabits the praises of His people, and that the His presence descends upon congregations when they engage in it. Psalm 23 states, "For You are Holy, Oh You who inhabit the praises of Israel." Anyone who has been caught up in Spirit-filled praise and worship knows this to be true.

 

[Hidden In Him]

Praying In The Spirit is yet another. This might be seen as simply another one of the gifts, but it falls more under the category of prayer in my opinion, yet it is not us praying but the Holy Spirit praying and giving thanks through us unto God, for as the scriptures teach:

26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And He who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:26-27)

15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray in the Spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. I will sing in the Spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 16 Otherwise, if you bless in the Spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? (1 Corinthians 14:15-16)

It should also be noted here that Jude was writing about the exact same issue Peter was in our letter, and his primary remedy against the temptations the Gnostics were presenting was to continue building themselves up in the faith by praying in the Spirit, which facilitated all the other gifts in operation as well.

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up upon your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. (Jude 1:19-21)

Receiving Revelation was another. It is the Holy Spirit who knows all truth and reveals all mysteries. He is the One who opens our minds to receive revelation regarding prophecies, visions, dreams, tongues & interpretation, and the written word of God, both Old and New Testament.

Whenever you may come together, each has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification... And let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others discern. But if anything should be revealed to another sitting by, let the first be silent. (1 Corinthians 14:26-30)

The following passage speaks specifically of operating in supernatural gifts again, but the reception of revelation can and does also happen during personal study. It is when the Holy Spirit reveals to us the true meaning of scripture that we understand it accurately.

Spirit-Breathed Ministry is yet another. Ministry and witness is never supposed to be us operating in the flesh. It is supposed to be us seeking the Holy Spirit for what to say and when and how to say it. This principle is summed up in what Christ told the disciples regarding standing before interrogators. The Spirit Himself would teach them in that hour what they were to say when they underwent questioning.

11 "Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." (Luke 12:11-12)

Having the glory of Christ manifest through us enables us to more easily walk in our Lord's virtue as well, for they are Spirit-filled activities which grant us a new way of living. As the scriptures teach, "In Him we live and move and have our being," and this empowers us to depart from the old life of pursuing the things of the flesh to walk in the Spirit instead.


Escaping Eternal Corruption

But what happens to those who do not turn to Christ? Or like the Gnostics, they name the name of "Christ" yet continue to practice gross sins and evils as if the true Lord Jesus Christ has no problem with it? Peter was clear. Through His Divine power we were to escape the corruption that was in the world through lust. But what kind of corruption? If he was comparing this to partaking of the Divine nature, the obvious conclusion is he was making reference to eternal corruption in Hell as the alternative. Everyone dies, even the saints, so no one escapes death by coming to Christ. But "those who sow to the flesh will of the flesh reap corruption," meaning that eternal corruption awaits those who do not chose eternal Life. The word states over and over again that their worm will not die, and they will exist forever in a state of eternal corruption in Hell. This was the teaching of the early church and continued to be until roughly a hundred and fifty years ago, when the enemy began to attack it full force in an effort to erode the fear of God, and what happens to those who sell themselves to the Devil instead.

To those who have done well, everlasting enjoyment shall be given; while to the lovers of evil shall be given eternal punishment. The unquenchable and unending fire awaits these latter, and a certain fiery worm which does not die and which does not waste the body but continually bursts forth from the body with unceasing pain. No sleep will give them rest; no night will soothe them; no death will deliver them from punishment; no appeal of interceding friends will profit them (Hippolytus of Rome “Against the Greeks” 3)

An ever-burning Gehenna and the punishment of being devoured by living flames will consume the condemned; nor will there be any way in which the tormented can ever have respite or be at an end. Souls along with their bodies will be preserved for suffering in unlimited agonies… The grief at punishment will then be without the fruit of repentance; weeping will be useless, and prayer ineffectual. Too late will they believe in eternal punishment who would not believe in eternal life (Cyprian of Carthage, “To Demetrian” 24)

This continues to be the witness of Christ, and what the Spirit is saying to the churches. The number of accounts of those who have personally witnessed (and in some instances experienced) the torments of Hell are too numerous to provide here, but I will simply cite a passage from one of the stronger visions given to the modern church. It again repeats the same things Christ taught, and the prophets before him during Old Testament times; that Hell is an awful place filled with burning flames, worms which never die, awful smells, and perpetual bodily decay and suffering.

The skeleton form of a woman with a dirty-grey mist inside was talking to Jesus. In shock, I listened to her. Decayed flesh hung by shreds from her bones, and, as it burned, it fell off into the bottom of the pit. Where her eyes had once been were now only empty sockets. She had no hair. The fire started at her feet in small flames and grew as it climbed up and over her body. The woman seemed to be constantly burning, even when the flames were only embers. From deep down inside her came cries and groans of despair, "Lord, Lord, I want out of here!" She kept reaching out to Jesus. I looked at Jesus, and there was great sorrow on His face. Jesus said to me, "My child, you are here with Me to let the world know that sin results in death, and that Hell is real." I looked at the woman again, and worms were crawling out of the bones of her skeleton. They were not harmed by the fire. Jesus said, "She knows and feels those worms inside." "God, have mercy!" I cried as the fire reached its peak and the horrible burning started all over again. Great cries and deep sobs shook the form of this woman. She was lost. There was no way out. "Jesus, why is she here?" I said in a small voice, for I was very scared. Jesus said, "Come." The path we were on was a circuitous one, twisting in and out between these pits of fire as far as I could see. The cries of the living dead, mixed with moans and hideous screams, came to my ears from all directions. There were no quiet times in Hell. The smell of dead and decaying flesh hung thickly in the air. (Baxter, A Divine Revelation Of Hell, P.24-25)


Questions & Applications

1. What came to mind as you were reading this study. Any thoughts?

2. Have you ever heard preaching on how we are being transformed from glory to glory, and what are your thoughts on the things mentioned in the study? Do you believe this can relate to Christ manifesting Himself through you in spiritual gifts?

3. What gifts do you feel you have walked in before, and would help you most in leading a virtuous life?

4. What would you say to those who have not walked in any gifts yet, but believe in the Lord Jesus Christ?

5. How important do you believe the teaching on Hell is where sanctification is concerned?