Pastor Bell's Words To Live By

In his second chapter (11Peter), Peter tells us that there are those people who masquerade as Christians but in fact are intent on causing those who have committed their lives to the service of Jesus to fall back. He

allow the Lord to take you across!

uses the story of Lot and his wife to illustrate the point (2:6-10). Although Lot was a righteous man, he was surrounded by lawlessness and try as he may he could not escape the stench of the sin on his doorstep or the effect it would have on his family. Peter uses strong language to describe the people who defy God; they were like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, they were full of adultery with insatiable appetites, they listened to false prophets who use bombastic nonsense. These are the people who will lead the follower of Jesus back into bondage. And like Lot’s wife we can be drawn to look and admire what they are doing and loose our way in an instant.

Peter in this hard hitting passage sets out his case. We who have been called out of sin should not venture there again.  Since the latter state of someone who has made a declaration that they will follow Jesus for the rest of their lives and then fall back into doing the wrong things, will be worse that the initial state when they had made no commitment. 

We are encouraged therefore that once we have made a commitment we should stick to it. Even though the road will be rough we have to trust God to lead us out and not look back to what we used to do. Never justify a wrong action. The wrong thought becomes a habit and the habit becomes an action, which becomes a lifestyle which will lead you far away from God.

So today read the word and try every spirit (or individual) who tells you a new way of doing things. Trust the Lord that he will speak to you by his Holy Spirit and lead you into all truth. Do not be like the pig who after being washed returns to the mud or the dog to his own vomit! – Peter A.D. 60.