Understanding God’s Mercy & Judgement

What is the truth about God? What becomes of those who misrepresent Him? What is Justice? How come at times it seems like the guilty go unpunished? What is the standard we use to decide what is just or unjust? Our emotions? Can we protect our hearts and minds from being corrupted by non-Biblical ideas?

God’s people have wrestled with such questions forever. God wants us to know that HE is engaged and wants to leads us. He has given us the guidance we need, today we have some of that guidance He wants us to grow in our understanding of HIS justice…the only justice that matters.

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NLT)

20 Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet’s own understanding, 21 or from human initiative. No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit, and they spoke from God.

  • THIS view of Scripture is crucial to what Peter is going to warn us about
  • THIS view of scripture gives us the standard we need

2:1-11 (NASB 1995)

1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

  • In contrast to those who speak for God, there are always imposters (satan)
  • Don’t think that was something that just happened back in the day…BEWARE!
  • The introduction of heresy is not done openly, it is done through subterfuge
  • In subtle and seemingly small ways they will deny who Jesus Christ truly is
  • While living in the community of those Christ bought with His blood they do this
  • Their demise comes from committing the ‘Unforgivable Sin’ Matt. 12:31
  • Denying Jesus Christ is God is the same as blaspheming The Holy Spirit
  • Denying the reality of who God is = A destiny of destruction

2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

  • Pursuing the gratification of your flesh is very attractive and everyone is into it
  • It is very popular to reimagine God in some new hip way (jesus is my homeboy)
  • All the ‘Hipsters’ call those who stick to the Biblical truth about God as ‘Haters’
  • They label the Biblical following of Jesus as laking compassion or empathy
  • They are greedy for attention and riches and will do whatever gets them both
  • God is LOVE… But HIS love is equaled by HIS holiness (if not equal, not God)
  • Spiritual / Religious exploitation has occurred since the beginning of civilization
  • it may look like they are getting away with it but God’s Justice WILL be enacted

4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

  • We are about to be treated to a history lesson in God’s judgement & mercy
  • Peter is being prophetic speaking of what is to be the coming fate of demons
  • ‘Demons’ as they are known are fallen angels who share a future with Lucifer
  • HE didn’t judge all the Angels, HE preserved the righteous ones
  • In the flood He judged all creation except what HE determined righteous
  • Only God has perfect information… only HE can execute perfect justice
  • This passage shows us why Christ’s followers need to know Scripture

6 and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; 7 and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men 8 (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds),

  • The destruction of Sodom & Gomorrah was an enactment of God’s Justice
  • It was an example…even today Sodom & Gomorrah = Sensual, fleshly Evil
  • But it was not beyond God to rescue those who did not deserve that judgement
  • God knew Lot’s heart…just like He knows yours

9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,

  • God rescues and punishes as He sees fit
  • Old & New Testaments show how God destroys those who misrepresent Him
  • And how HE saves / rescues those HE deems righteous
  • His character is displayed in how HE enacts HIS judgement
  • From these examples & others in Scripture we can understand God’s justice

10 and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, 11 whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord.

  • Beware of those who live for their pleasure think they are above authority
  • They do what they want, when they want… they don’t fear God’s power
  • They speak against the spiritual powers that represent God here on earth
  • And angels prove themselves superior by not condemning them (not their job)

Summary:

Beware those who twist God’s Word’s to circumvent HIS authority..

Heretics work through deception and deny the deity of Jesus Christ

Those who are against God are condemned to eternal destruction.

Many get fooled, God’s reputation suffers, but HE will have HIS justice.

Scripture teaches how God destroys & saves based on HIS will.

Application Questions:

Do you know God’s Word well enough to recognize non-Biblical ideas about God?

Are you fully convinced Jesus is God and live based on that?

Do you realize God knows exactly what you believe & will deal with you accordingly?

Do you fully trust God to enact righteous judgement is for all matters, for all time?