The Lord Knows How to Rescue the Godly
by Edwin Crozier
via Read the Bible, Make Disciples
Let’s admit it. II Peter 2 is pretty dark. A surface reading makes the prospect look dim. If we are not careful, we can read these two chapters as saying we are all in danger of falling away from God’s grace. In fact, we will likely do so. After all, there are even active agents striving to pull us away. They are awful people who entice us with sensual passions, despising authority, trained in greed, and great at deception. What chance do we have against them?
Not only that, but Peter also reminds us of awful judgments. He mentions the cataclysm in the days of Noah. He calls to mind the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah. He even tells us about angels cast into hell and committed to chains of gloomy darkness, being kept for judgment. If angels get judged, what hope do we have? Frankly, I can understand why someone might be looking for a different chapter to read.
However, sprinkled through this dark warning is the light of hope and promise. Do not forget where all this began in II Peter 1. God’s divine power has given us all we need to partake of His divine nature. The deck is not actually stacked against us. We do need to understand what is at stake. We must not assume that because God freed us from the world’s corruption, we are immune to danger. We must not lose sight of the fact that we must respond to the grace God has offered. All that being said, we must not forget that God is offering grace. We must not forget that God is more powerful than Satan. We must not forget that God wants to save us.
Yes, Peter brings up the worldwide flood. But he also reminds us that, despite the incredible wickedness throughout the world, God knew precisely how to save Noah and his family. He knew how to do that even though they were the only righteous family in the whole world. They were the proverbial needle in the haystack. But God knew exactly how to deliver them. God gave them everything they needed to be delivered. Peter tells us about the fiery judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah. But he also reminds us that God delivered Lot. Though the world is full of corruption, though there are false teachers actively working against us, though horrific and terrible judgment is coming, the God who has given us all we need knows how to deliver us.
Further, let us not for a moment think Peter’s readers didn’t remember the original stories of Noah and Lot. There were significant similarities, especially in the events that happened to Noah and Lot after their deliverances. But there were significant differences. If we take the original stories in Genesis side by side, Noah comes out way ahead of Lot on the scale of righteousness. Yet, both men are delivered. Peter pictures both men as the righteous oppressed. Certainly, Noah was not perfectly righteous, but including Lot in this chapter gives some real hope to those of us who have made big mistakes, even in our hunger for and pursuit of righteousness. And the point remains strong. God knows how to deliver. He knew how to deliver Noah. He knew how to deliver Lot. He knows how to deliver us.
We do not have to fall prey to the false teachers. We can, by God’s strength and grace, add virtue, knowledge, self-control, steadfastness, godliness, brotherly affection, and love to our faith. We can make our calling and election sure. We can avoid being swine bathing in mud and dogs returning to our own vomit.
God has given us all we need. God is still working. We can look to Him. We are not destined for destruction. Let us hang on to Jesus, who has called us to His glory and excellence. As I Peter repeatedly encouraged us, let us entrust ourselves to God, looking to Him, listening to Him, relying on Him. He will deliver us. He wants to. God is not blinded by the many who reject His salvation. He is looking for people to deliver. He knows how to deliver us. We can be those people if we hang on to the outstretched hand of salvation He is sending us through Jesus Christ.
Praise God! He knows how to deliver us!
