King James Bible Study – [Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.]
Date: Sunday, December 25, 2022
Chapters: THE BOOKS OF II PETER & JUDE
Study: The Sign From God Himself
Hello My Brother/Sister/Friend,
Happy Birthday, Jesus! I must have a million thoughts in me head this morning, I have only been up since four baking cookies and singing Christmas Hymns quite off key as I am coming near the end of my cold, but not quite there yet in regards to my voice. It is a good thing that I am in the nursery this morning for church. This came up this morning, “Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” That prompted me to go to the verse, and this passage, [Isaiah 7:14-16 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. 15 Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good. 16 For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.]
Charles Spurgeon said, “Let us to-day go down to Bethlehem, and in company with wondering shepherds and adoring Magi, let us see him who was born King of the Jews, for we by faith can claim an interest in him, and can sing, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.” Jesus is Jehovah incarnate, our Lord and our God, and yet our brother and friend; let us adore and admire….Our Saviour, although truly man, was as to his human nature the Holy One of God. Let us reverently bow before the holy Child whose innocence restores to manhood its ancient glory; and let us pray that he may be formed in us, the hope of glory.”
Every Christmas, I am not sure if every Christian woman thinks this, but I do, and how all this must have impacted Mary’s life. Did she really understand that she was kissing the face of God? [Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.]
The story of Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection is not something that God decided on a whim, it was planned even before He created the earth. Every word written, event pass, present, and yet to come has been thought out, planned out, drawn out, and we are given everything we need to know to live beyond this earth. The Book of 2 Peter is the twenty-second book of the New Testament, the sixty-first book of the Bible, and contains three chapters. The author of this letter is Peter and it was written to the Christian exiles. The purpose of the letter was to warn them of the dangers of the apostasy and false teaching from within the church. What we are to learn from the book is that judgment is coming to all these false teachers.
[2 Peter 2:1,9 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:]
[2 Peter 1:1-4 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: 2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, 3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.]
[having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.] [Lust; Longing desire; carnal appetite; unlawful desire of carnal pleasure; To desire eagerly; to long.] When you think of the word lust you often associate it with physical desires, but it is much more than that. I do not care what it is that people long for, fame, fortune, people, food, success, acceptance, there is fine line between longing for and lust that once we cross it we are walking on dangerous territory. Receiving Christ as our Saviour by grace and not our works does more than save our soul from hell, it frees us from the corruption of religion that promises the fulfillment of fleshy lusts that have we cannot take with us anyway, [Luke 12:19-21 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.]
The world discredits the Bible as true, and let me tell you, people have attempted to change it in order to make God into an image they want their followers, not His, to believe Him to be. What they fail to comprehend is that His Word is preserved, as we just read, the prophecies fulfilled prove to be true when Jesus came here in the flesh, through man. The world can deny His deity all they want, but cannot deny that He was born in the flesh through a woman, and that He walked the earth.
[2 Peter 1:10-11,16,19-21 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: 11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.]
[no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.] Nothing in God’s Word is put there on a whim, and it is not their own thoughts, unless it was something that they told you was their own thoughts. Why do you think that the Apocrypha books are not still in the King James Bible? They writers knew they were not inspired and did not want to confuse people into thinking that it was. Every timeline and word incorporated into God’s Word was inspired by God, [2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.]
Did you ever notice that while Luke, Paul, James, Peter, and John, wrote in their own style, there is only one message, the Gospel of Christ. Those who tell you otherwise, are among the false prophets and teachers back in their days, and message and warning is given to all of them.
[2 Peter 2:1,4,7-9 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; 7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: 8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:]
[And delivered just Lot,] Notice that Lot is mentioned here, and he was not the most godliest person either, I mean he had children with his own daughters, who turned out to be more corrupt than they were. This is proof of why we are not saved by our own works, even back then they were not, [Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:]
[reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment] Mark God’s words, every false prophet, preacher, teacher, and liar will be judge with the same judgment as the ones who trusted them, [Revelation 21:7-8 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.]
They despise and hate you because you are not one of them, and to prove that they make a public example out of you. The more I am in the world the more I truly see it for what it is, and they will sell you out in a heartbeat for their own gain. Nevertheless, we who are faithful, do not have to worry what they do to us because Jesus is with us.
[2 Peter 2:12-14,18 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; 14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: 18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.]
[as natural brute beasts,] [Brute; Senseless; Irrational. Bestial. Rough. Uncivilized. Insensible. A beast. Any animal destitute of reason. A brutal person. A savage in heart or manners.] Any of this sound familiar? It is exactly what, we as a nation, many nations are seeing right now, brute beasts speaking evil of things they do not understand; rioting in the daytime; deceiving; cunning; unstable; cursed children; corrupt politicians, and this is within the churches also, in fact, proclaiming they know Christ. And I tell you what, God, does not have to lift a finger to judge these fools, they will kill themselves, and they are already starting to. Just like when the Israelites rebelled when God told them that they could not go into the promised land for forty years, [Numbers 32:13 And the LORD’S anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation, that had done evil in the sight of the LORD, was consumed.]
These brute beasts know of Jesus, and maybe even say they got saved, and lived as though He was their Saviour for a little while, and then the truth came out. While we are not the judge, we must understand that the world, and quite frankly, half the saved world, is entangled in some kind of sin, they know it is against God’s Word, but continue in their sin, justifying their actions by their salvation.
[2 Peter 3:1-4 This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: 2 That ye 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 Saviour: 3 Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, 4 And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.]
[That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before] We do not know the hour in which Christ will return, but we do know that we need to be mindful of what the Scriptures tell us and be prepared.
[2 Peter 3:7-11 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 8 But, 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. 9 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. 10 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. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,]
[Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved,] We are saved by grace through our faith and acceptance of the Lord, Jesus Christ as our Saviour, but we are not saved from the consequences that result from living an immoral or wicked life if we do not repent of them. This is why we need to maintain good works, [2 Peter 3:14,17-18 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. 17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. 18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.]
And now we come to Jude, which is almost identical to what Peter is saying. The Book of Jude was written by Jude in 66AD also, to those of the common salvation. The purpose of the letter was to remind them also of the judgment coming and false teachers. What we are to learn from it is that we must always be on alert on those who divert believers from the truth of God’s Word, [Jude 1:17-18 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; 18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.]
Jude, is the brother of James and an earthly brother of Jesus as pertaining to the flesh by Mary and Joseph. Jude, warns us the apostasy within the church and how it creeps into the Church.
[Jude 1:1-4 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: 2 Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.]
[turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness,] As merciful and gracious as God is He is well aware of those who take advantage of His good graces, when people start changing His Word to suit their flesh, that is when He draws the line. The apostle here exhibits a charge against deceivers who were now seducing the disciples of Christ from the profession and practice of his holy religion. He calls them filthy dreamers.
[Jude 1:8-11 Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. 10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.]
[when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses,] There is no mention of this in the Old Testament, but remember, God is the one who buried Moses and no one knows where he is buried. Even Satan, when told by God to, “Stop!” listens, but these brute beasts never stop, they are in fact, reprobates. We are in a fight here, a fight for our faith in Jesus Christ, and we must not stop defending the cross until the day God takes us home or Jesus returns, [Jude 1:20-25 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, 21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And of some have compassion, making a difference: 23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.]
[And others save with fear,] God is a patient God, so patient that He is willing to wait until the very last believer receives His Son before sending His Son back to earth. God is not easily provoked by anyone, except by those who deliberately twist His Word and convince others that it is truth. And while some people can be won to Christ through compassion, most people will not get saved until they are faced with fear, [2 Corinthians 7:10-11 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. 11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.]
Today’s Prayer: Jesus, Happy Birthday to You! You did not have to do it, but you became one of us, You took on human form, and all the pain, suffering, and death that comes with it. Thank You for the great sacrifice You made in becoming like one of us so that You could give Your life to save us. You could have jumped off that cross, You could have changed Your mind and made us fend for ourselves, but you gave Your life to save us, all because You love us too much to see us end up in hell with the devil, fallen angels, false prophets, and all unbelievers. Lord, I know I am saved through my faith in You alone, but I do not want to just get by here with my salvation, I want all the fruit that comes from my faithfulness to You. Lord, walk with me, give me faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. Through Your power, I know I can do all things. And I ask these things in Your name Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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