1. Catullus “Let us live and let us love, and let us value the tales of austere old men at a single halfpenny. Suns can set and then return again, but for us, when once our brief light sets, there is but one perpetual night through which we must sleep” If eternal sleep awaits the dead, no motivation to repent If judgment awaits...

2. Three sad predictions (2 Pt.2:1-3) 1.False prophets will come, 1 2.Many will follow them to destruction, 2 3.The blind will lead the blind, 3 A work in progress * A work in progress (4-19)

3. 2 Pt.2:20-22, who? 1.Fate of false teachers forms fitting climax to entire chapter Overcome (19) repeated in 20 2.Peter also discussed converts (2, 18) 3.Both points are true

4. I I The World Defiles, 20a World World is not earth or people, but all that is hostile to God. 2:20 age Synonym: age The times (thoughts, opinions, actions; a phase of society) Religious world; scientific world 2 Co.4:4, satan is its god Ga.1:4, evil is its game

5. II Jesus Saves, 20b Lord and Savior (His part). 2:9 Knowledge (our part) 2 Pt. is sandwiched between the knowledge of 1:2 and 3:18 2nd century heretical schools raised controversies over true knowledge

6. III The World Recalls Us Cause Cause : entanglements Fish, gladiators, and Christians Men are overcome (defeated, conquered, controlled by…) 19-20 Slaves…bondage: evil desires mastered them (19) Pollutions, 19-20; 1:4, depravity Regenerate or degenerate

7. Condition: worse off, 20-21 1.Harder to restore apostates 2.May become angry, hardened, disillusioned. Pro.18:19; Mt.12:43-45; Hb.6:4-6 3.Worse influence on others 4.Worse punishment? Lk.12:47-48 5.Reflects on Lord. 21

8. 3. Comparison * Dog returns to vomit (expelled corruption within; returned to it) Pro.26:11 * Sow…to mire (escaped corruption w/o; returned to it)

9. 1. Possibility Of Apostasy 20, latter end worse than beginning Mt.12:43-45 21, turn from holy commandment… 22, washed…mire Depicts the sinner who heard gospel, was led to detest sin, came to God for mercy, was washed clean, then returned to old disgusting life

10. Objections 1. “A man of God would not call a true child of God an animal” Gn.48:14; Jer.2:23, 24; Ho.4:16; Am.4:1- 3; 2 Pt.2:12 2. “S ince the dog and hog remained animals, they never changed” Even if true, no security (they were washed, appeared saved) “I know I’m going to heaven!”

11. This is a proverb! This is a proverb. Mt.7:6 500 BC, Ahikar says to his nephew: “0 my son! thou hast been to me like the pig who went into the hot bath with people of quality, and when it came out of the hot bath, it saw a filthy hole and it went down and, wallowed in it” V.1 states it literally

12. 2. Worldlings use means to attract Christians - Faith, 2 Pt.1: myth accusations “It is quite common w. young scholars, when they begin to get hold of important ideas, to imagine themselves original discoverers, and they begin to pity a world which knew so little before they were born” – McGarvey

13. - Morals, 2 Pt.2: lust, bad examples, error 1 Co.9:27, spiritual tug of war... God works through spirit to control flesh Satan works through flesh to control spirit Where we throw our weight determines our fate 1 Pt.4:1-2, 6

14. - Hopelessness, 2 Pt.3 Don’t let a delayed fulfillment destroy your hope 1 Pt.1:3, 13, 21

15. Lord uses means to keep us saved Growth, 2 Pt.1:5-11 Warnings, 2 Pt.2:1-3 Insight, 2 Pt.3:8-9