The Lord Jesus Is Both Savior and Judge

2 Peter 2:4-10a
P. G. Mathew | Sunday, November 04, 2018
Copyright © 2018, P. G. Mathew
Language [Japanese]

In 2 Peter 2, the apostle writes that there will be false teachers, false pastors, and false priests in the church, whom God will certainly punish (see 2 Pet. 2:1). In 2 Peter 2:4–8, Peter cites three illustrations from Scripture to prove his point and then make his conclusion in verses 9 and 10.

God knows how to deal with everyone. He will judge all the wicked who will not trust in Jesus, the only Lord and Savior, but who, instead, mock him by their unbelief. The apostle John speaks about this: “Whoever believes in [Jesus] is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. . . . Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:18, 36).

The wicked are punished now and at their death. They will also be punished on the day of Christ’s final judgment. Jesus himself said, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned” (John 5:28–29). We want to speak about five points from 2 Peter 2:4–10a.

The Angels Who Sinned Were Punished

In this passage, there are three illustrations of God’s punishing the wicked. First, Peter writes, “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment” (v. 4).

God permitted sin to enter his perfect world for his own glory. This is the mystery of evil. The angels sinned before Adam and Eve fell. The fall of Lucifer and one third of angels due to their sin of pride is stated in Revelation 12:7–9, Luke 10:18, John 12:31, Isaiah 14:12–17, and Ezekiel 28:11–19.

For example, in Isaiah 14 we read, “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart, ‘I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’ But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit” (Isa. 14:12–15).

In Ezekiel 28, the devil’s sin is identified as pride: “You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created till wickedness was found in you. Through your widespread trade you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God, and I expelled you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. Your heart became proud on account of your beauty, and you corrupted your wisdom because of your splendor. So I threw you to the earth; I made a spectacle of you before kings” (Ezek. 28:15–17).

By his death on the cross, Jesus defeated the devil and his demons. We read, “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death” (Heb. 2:14–15). John writes, “He who does what is sinful is of the devil because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work” (1 John 3:8).

There are two families in the world—the family of the devil and the family of God. The vast majority of people are in the family of the devil. Jesus said, “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

The devil and demons are under God’s punishment, though the unbelieving world is under the control of the devil, the great dragon, the ancient serpent, Satan, who deceived Eve and Adam. The devil and demons are under the total control of Jesus, who has received all authority in heaven and on earth.

These fallen angels were thrown down from heaven. They cannot be saved. In fact, God has no plan of salvation for angels who sinned. They are in prison, that is, under God’s total control.

The devil and all demons know there is a time appointed for them to be judged. We find demons saying that to Jesus in Matthew 8:28–29: “When [Jesus] arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. ‘What do you want with us, Son of God?’ they shouted. ‘Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?’” (Matt. 8:28–29). And Jude writes, “The angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their own home—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day” (Jude 6).

Fallen angels are in prison, under the total control of the triune God. As we said before, Peter writes, “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment” (v. 4). God knows how to save and how to punish.

Jesus defeated the devil and all demons. The devil and demons are against God’s people. When we are tempted by the devil to sin, we should use the formula Jesus used to be successful against the devil:

1. Submit to God, that is, obey God and his delegated authorities (Jas. 4:7).
2. Resist the devil by disobeying him. Joseph said, “How can I do this wicked thing and sin against God” (Gen. 39:9).
3. Realize that the devil will flee from you (Matt. 4:1–11; Jas. 4:7).
4. Know 1 John 5:18: “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him.”

Christ will come again to judge the devil, all demons, and all the wicked humans. So we read, “And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever” (Rev. 20:10). In Matthew 25 we read, “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed. ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels’” (Matt. 25:41).

The Ancient World God Destroyed by a Flood

The second illustration is found in verse 5: “If he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others.”

The ancient world became lawless, ungodly, and wicked. In Genesis 6:5–8 we read, “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth—men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air—for I am grieved that I have made them.’” Then we read, “But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” Noah was saved.

God knows how to deal with the wicked when they become proud and disobey God and his delegated authorities. He knows how to kill them and raise them up from the grave and condemn them to eternal hell.

God destroyed the whole world for their wickedness except eight people—Noah and his family (Gen. 6–8). God in his great mercy let Noah preach one hundred and twenty years. He preached that God was going to pour out his wrath and destroy those who refused to repent and believe the gospel. He would do so by a flood. The ark Noah was building would save all who entered it; the ark symbolizes Jesus Christ our Savior. There is no other way of salvation; there is no other Savior. If anyone had asked Noah, “What must I do to be saved?” he would have answered, “Enter the ark I am building and you will be saved.” He would say, “This is the only way of salvation. This is God’s way of salvation. He spoke to me all about his salvation plan.”

But no one listened to Noah except his family of seven. Everyone else thought he was crazy and unscientific. I am sure they thought Pastor Noah was a total failure. But the truth was, all except eight people were total failures.

God chose a minority of only eight people to be saved. Others heard the gospel and hated it. They trusted in their money, their education, and their power.

In Genesis 7 we read that the Lord himself shut the door of the ark. I pray that, just as Noah and his family trusted God and entered the ark to be saved, all of us will believe the gospel and be saved. In Luke 13 we read, “Someone asked [Jesus], ‘Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?’ He said to them, ‘Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, “Sir, open the door for us.” But he will answer, “I don’t know you or where you come from.” Then you will say, “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.” But he will reply, “I don’t know you or where you come from. [Get out, you cursed ones!”’” (Luke 13:23–27). Now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation (2 Cor. 6:2). Now you are hearing the gospel from a pastor. Now you are alive. Soon you will die. Repent and believe on the Lord Jesus and be saved now.

In Hebrews 11:7 we read, “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” And in Luke 17:26–27 Jesus said, “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark.” The people did everything but believing in God. Jesus concluded, “Then the flood came and destroyed them all.”

God Burned Sodom and Gomorrah to Ashes

The third illustration is God’s judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah. Peter writes, “If he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly” (v. 6).

The wrath of God burned the wicked people of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes. This was the first divine act of cremation. The inhabitants of these cities knew the true God and his laws. But they rejected God’s law. They became ungodly and lived filthy lives before God. Jude also writes of this: “In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire” (Jude 7). More cremation is coming. The wrath of God will burn to ashes many more.

These people knew who God is and what he wants of us. Paul writes, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness” (Rom. 1:18). Every time a person sins, he is suppressing the knowledge of God that rises within his conscience. Yes, he may lie and say, “I am an atheist.” But, in reality, there are no atheists in God’s world. (PGM) Paul also writes, “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools” (Rom. 1:21–22). What does a fool say? “There is no God” (Ps. 14:1). Paul continues, “Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done” (Rom. 1:28).

All the wicked people of Sodom and Gomorrah were burned to ashes except Lot and his two daughters. Mrs. Lot, a wicked woman, was also burned up and became a pillar of salt. They all are in hell now—in fire, in agony, in torment, in misery, awaiting the final judgment day. Jesus spoke about them: “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all” (Luke 17:28–29).

God Saved Lot from Eternal Damnation

Then Peter says, “And if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)” (v. 8).

Lot’s uncle was Abraham, a believer. It seems to me that Lot married an unbeliever, probably an Egyptian. Be careful whom you marry. Lot possessed a lot of flocks and herds. He was rich. In Genesis 13, we read that he departed from his uncle Abraham, choosing the grassy plains of Jordan. He chose for himself (Gen. 13:11), while God chose for Abraham (Gen. 13:14). We should always choose what God is choosing for us. Decisions have consequences.

Finally, Lot ended up in Sodom, living among the wicked. Then four kings came and defeated Sodom. They carried off Lot, his family, and all his possessions. Abraham defeated the four kings and rescued Lot, his family, and all his possessions. Yet instead of going with Abraham, Lot went back to the wicked city of Sodom to live. This was his second major wrong decision.

Lot was able to get out of Sodom alive with his two daughters (but without his possessions or his wife) only because of the intercession of Abraham on his behalf with God. We read, “When God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived” (Gen. 19:29). Lot had made many wrong decisions. Paul warns about such a way of living later in the New Testament: “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?” (2 Cor. 6:14–15).

Yet God was faithful to Lot, and we do not read that he ever practiced the wickedness of the Sodomites. Jesus himself testifies in Luke 17:29 to Lot’s deliverance. Lot’s many wrong decisions caused him to live a distressed and tormented life in Sodom, and eventually he lost his wife, his daughters, and all his possessions. After the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot lived out the rest of his miserable and lonely life. His spiritual life is described in 1 Corinthians 3:14–15: “If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” Yet God saved him by grace.

Conclusions (vv. 9–10a)

Peter begins verse 9, “If this is so, then.” The phrase “If this is so” is not in the Greek text, but it makes sense. So we read, “If this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature [flesh] and despise authority” (vv. 9–10a).

The ultimate conclusion of this passage is that Jesus is Savior and Judge. There were four “if” clauses in verses 4–7 in the Greek text. In Greek, it is ei with the indicative. These are conditional clauses, and all four conditions are true. Thus, if these conditions are truthful, then the conclusions we find in verses 9 through 10a are also truthful.

Conclusion 1: “The Lord knows how to save the godly from trouble”

Who are the godly? They are God’s people. Elsewhere Paul tells us, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to do his good work” (Phil. 2:12-13). He also says, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God has foreordained that we should walk in them” (Phil. 2:10).

God takes the godly through troubles, but he also says, “Behold, I will be with you always to help you, to save you.” In 2 Corinthians 1:8, Paul begins, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers.” In other words, we must use our minds. People think they can go to church and not think. But, in truth, the maximum use of our new, born-again intellect is required when we come to church. So Paul writes, “We do not want you to be uniformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death.  But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us” (2 Cor. 1:8–10).

God knows how to save his people through troubles. God delivered the believing thief while he was being crucified. Jesus said to him, “Today you will be with me in paradise,” and he was. God gave the young Stephen a vision of heaven before he was stoned to death. The founder of Westminster Theological Seminary, J. Gresham Machen, was given a vision of heaven before he died, and he said, “It was glorious. It was glorious.” The apostles James, Peter, and Paul were all killed and went to paradise.

As believers, we should not have any illusion that life will always be nice. In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul describes some of the troubles the Lord brought him through:

Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. (2 Cor. 11:23–26).

I myself have experienced many dangers, especially from false brothers.  The Hebrews writer also speaks of the troubles believers face:

Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned ; they were sawed in two [slow motion]; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. (Heb. 11:35b–38)

As believers, we will face troubles. Yet Paul writes, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Cor. 10:13).  The way out may be death. Remember, Jesus said to the thief, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” And John says, “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him” (1 John 5:18). Paul also declares, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

The Lord himself encourages us through the prophet Isaiah:

But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead.” (Isa. 43:1–3)

At the end of his life, as he lay in the Roman prison, Paul wrote, “The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (2 Tim. 4:18). Do you know what happened to him? Shortly thereafter, Paul was beheaded and went to paradise.

Conclusion 2: “to hold the ungodly for the day of judgment”

Peter says, “The Lord knows how to . . . hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment while continuing their punishment” (v. 9). There is a day fixed by God for judgment of the ungodly. The ungodly experience punishment now in this life, as well as at death, in hell, and on the day of judgment. Jesus said of the wicked, “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (Matt. 25:46). John writes, “If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:15).  That is where unbelievers are. They are all believers in Jesus Christ now, but it is too late (see Luke 16:19–31).

Conclusion 3: The ungodly live by lust

Peter says, “This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh” (v. 10). Lust runs this world. Earlier Peter wrote, “Through these” meaning the Scriptures, “[God] has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption [death] in the world caused by lust” (2 Pet. 1:4). John says, “For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its lusts pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever” (1 John 2:16–17).

Paul also writes about lust, “If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:18–21).

Conclusion 4: They despise authority

In verse 10, Peter also says, “This is especially true of those who . . . despise authority.” The ungodly despise authority. This means they especially despise Jesus Christ, who received all authority in heaven and on earth. They despise their parents, their pastors, and the police and other authorities of the state.

All authority in heaven and on earth belongs to Jesus Christ, whom we confessed as Lord. Paul writes, “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves” (Rom. 13:1–2). The Bible also says, “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. . . . Obey them” (Heb. 13:17).

What about you? Are you ungodly? If so, your destiny is eternal punishment. I counsel you, by the mercies of God, to repent, believe in Jesus Christ, and you will be saved. Are you godly? Your destiny is eternal life. Jesus spoke of both destinies: “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life” (Matt. 25:46).

What must we do? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and we will be saved.  I pray that we will all be like the publican, who prayed, “Lord, have mercy upon me, a sinner.” He went home justified, saved, and rejoicing in the Lord.