2 Peter 2:1-10a (NRSV)
God judges and rescues
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive opinions. They will even deny the Master who bought them - bringing swift destruction on themselves. Even so, many will follow their licentious ways, and because of these teachers the way of truth will be maligned. And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. Their condemnation, pronounced against them long ago, has not been idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
For if God did not spare the angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of deepest darkness to be kept until the judgment; and if he did not spare the ancient world, even though he saved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood on a world of the ungodly; and if by turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes he condemned them to extinction and made them an example of what is coming to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man greatly distressed by the licentiousness of the lawless (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by their lawless deeds that he saw and heard), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment - especially those who indulge their flesh in depraved lust, and who despise authority.
DEVOTION
Paul was deeply concerned about false teachers who excused away the poor behaviors and choices of others.
Paul knew that as Christians we are called to love God and neighbor as ourselves. He also knew that we are called to try to live in holiness and righteousness following the commandments of God.
When we sin, it ought to grieve us in our hearts, for it grieves the heart of God! We should not attempt to make excuses or give reasons why we failed to love God or neighbor. Instead, we should quickly confess our sin to our loving and gracious God who slow to anger and quick to forgive.
We ought not take Jesus' life, death, and resurrection for granted by saying, "I can sin. I can do anything I want. God has to forgive me." How awful!
Instead, we should practice an attitude of gratitude by doing our best to make God smile by living in accordance with God's word.
We know that there is no human being who is perfect. We all fall short of the glory of God! But, let us do our best. Let us never sin on purpose. And let us always run back to God when we fail, sure and certain that our God loves us and stands ready to forgive us and assist us to do better in the future!
Let no one excuse your sin away, dear ones! Trust GOD!
Let us pray: Oh God, I have sinned against you by failing to love you and my neighbor as myself. I have sinned against you in word, thought, and deed. By what I have done and by what I have left undone. By what I have said and by what I have left unsaid. Please forgive me of my sin and fill me with the Holy Spirit. Please empower me to live holy and to do your will until Jesus comes again from heaven. I love you and I pledge to share our love with others. Thank you for your Amazing Grace! In Jesus' Name, Amen.
INVITATION
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