Wednesday, January 21, 2009

2 Peter 2:12

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2 Peter 2:12


12 But [de] these [houtos], as [hos] natural [phusikos] brute [alogos] beasts [zoon], made [gennao] to [eis] be taken [halosis] and [kai] destroyed [phthora], speak evil [blasphemeo] of [en] the things that [hos] they understand not [agnoeo]; and shall utterly perish [katphtheiro] in [en] their own [autos] corruption [phthora]; KJV-Interlinear


12 But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, NASB


Peter has given us several examples of angelic and human failure in history.

People who reject Gods word, ultimately fail in life. But more than that, they adopt an attitude of arrogance.

In the angelic realm, their arrogance does not eliminate their manners with respect to each other. However in the human realm, the manners fly right out the window, and criticism, rudeness, self-righteousness, every bad behavior and attitude that you can think of, get flushed, as humans without doctrine will become the worst of the worst of creatures.

Take the recent election transition. There have been controversial Presidents in the past (Clinton, Carter, Nixon, just to name a few), but never has any received such rude departure as Bush. The comments, the boos, the manner in which he was treated was absolutely unnecessary. And on national television no less. Even if you did not like the man, he was still elected to the highest office in the land, and that office deserves respect.

Even the elect angels do not ridicule those who have been condemned to the Lake of Fire.

But what do people do? They ridicule their parents. They ridicule those who want to move into this country. They enter into crimes, both blue collar and white, for no reason other than lazy greed or hate. They lust after virtually everything that can be imagined in this world. They covet or murder, which are nothing more than thefts of things or life, that others possess. They criticize and comment in order to promote their own ego.

And note that everything in this world is temporary at its very best and will be lost when the person dies. Eternity will continue forever, but people are near-sighted when it comes to life.

Marriages break up. Families break up. Nations break up. While people refuse to let go of their opinions.

And how does Peter describe these individuals? As nothing more than animals destined for slaughter.

Without doctrine in the soul, people are no better than animals functioning on their instincts and basic desires. At least the animal kingdom functions within its designed boundaries. Humanity without doctrine, imitates a lower life form, and boasts of it.

Bible doctrine instills reason, common sense, logic, as well as capacity for life, capacity for dealing with both desperate and prosperous times, orientation to ones self, orientation with people, and especially orientation with God and truth. Not to mention installing a set of manners.

Without doctrine, you are left only with arrogance, and arrogance equates to zero meaning and purpose in life.