Lent - Day 22

10 and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.

Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, 11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, 13 suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. (2 Peter 2:10–13, ESV)

The Apostle Peter takes us on an interesting turn as it is revealed the wicked who will receive their due punishment that he is referring to are in fact those in the church: “while they feast with you.” So within the church you will find two types of Christians: one who is maturing and growing in Christ by denying themselves, carrying the cross, and daily following Jesus, and two, those that indulge in their desires, lusts, and passions.

We must be awake and alert to discern who we are feasting with, lest we are slowly led astray by them. We have allowed too much of the worldly culture to come into the church and into our lives. In this way, our hearts and minds become too cluttered and it is increasingly harder to listen for the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Some of us may have to return to foundational teachings like: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and it is impossible to please God without faith. Which of the two types of Christians have you become?