2 Peter 2:10-12

¹⁰ This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings; ¹¹yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from the Lord. ¹²But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish.

Know Christ

Personally, have you ever wondered? “Why do Christians gather weekly to worship God on Sundays?” Well, it has been traditionally believed that the first century Christianity had started regularly gathering every week on Sundays or the first day of the week. The reason was to remember that Christ resurrected on the first day of the week. Likewise, whenever we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, what is it that we may remember? Of course, Christ has resurrected! He is alive!

Have you internalized what Apostle Paul testified in Philippians 3:10-11?

¹⁰I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

We celebrate the resurrection of Christ and refresh our expectation to be resurrected, just as our Lord Jesus Christ had resurrected from the dead. And if

Christ will return sooner and bring us into his heaven while we are alive, we will be automatically transformed from our mortal body to immortal beings. The dead will be resurrected. Yes! Every person who died will resurrect into eternity; believers will enter heaven, and others will be transported into eternal oblivion.

Personally, how strong can you believe that? How firm is your confidence that you will be transported into heaven and not into eternal obscurity? Every Sunday, better yet every now and then, refresh your faith in Christ, if you believe him as your personal Lord and Savior. Just between you and God, how do you realistically prove your faith in him without unconsciously deceiving yourself?

If ever you doubt your eternal destiny, if in case you were not sure if you’ll enter heaven or not, pray, “Lord Jesus increase my faith in you!” Pray until you sense a strong conviction from his Holy Spirit. It states in  Ephesians 1:13-14,

¹³When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, ¹⁴who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.

All believers won’t remain the same. When the Holy Spirit entered our life, we desire to obey him, instead of indulging in our natural instinct. Yet most often, we indulge in our natural inclination; we are not very serious of our spiritual life. Truly, Christians are torn between desires to indulge the flesh and obey the Lord.

1. Desire

¹⁰This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings; 

The Scripture recorded that the righteous Noah and his family were saved from the great flood. It exemplified that God is mighty powerful. He can save from eternal torture, anyone who believes in Jesus Christ. It’s also written that the Lord put in chain of darkness the rebellious angels to be held until Judgment Day. They serve as warning to all sinners. God had decreed eternal punishment for sin.

The corrupt desire of the flesh despises authorities; it is presumptuous to slander; it is arrogant to blaspheme; it is reckless to malign or despise celestial beings; it is foolish to disregard possible perpetual repercussion or effect.

It declares in Psalm 14:1-3, ¹The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. ²The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. ³All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.

It is foolishness not to believe in God. A foolish person cannot admit such foolishness. We should be mindful that it is not wise to warn a foolish about Judgment Day, why? A fool cannot imagine it, not accept it. He would just deny it.

It declared in 1 Corinthians 1:18-21, ¹⁸For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” ²⁰Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

Indeed, no sinful person can be saved by intelligence. Why? The Lord had designed it that salvation from eternal oblivion is only by his grace through faith in Christ. It is God who provided the solution for believers in Christ to be saved from eternal obscurity. No other way. Christ in the only way to God the Father.

Are you convinced of this truth and believe in Christ? The Holy Spirit who assures our salvation warns us also not to blaspheme or defame celestial beings.

2. Defame

¹¹yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from the Lord. 

When it says, “heap abuse,” it is also properly interpreted as blaspheme, slander, malign, defame, libel or character assassination. The corrupt desire of the flesh is not satisfied at despising or opposing authorities; it becomes abusive; it regresses to defamation and wants to destroy or assassinate characters.

And that is why there are reckless individuals who were charged with libel or defamation. It’s natural human instinct to despise, defame, slander or malign. The foolish has no idea about it when they bring judgment to themselves.

But when we believe in Christ, godly wisdom inspires to obey and believe the warning of God about Judgment Day and also not to defame celestial beings.

Personally reflect on what it declares in 1 Corinthians 1:22-24, ²²Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Anyone, who believes that Christ was crucified, died, buried, resurrected and accepts him as Lord and Savior, will also receive his Holy Spirit, the Spirit of wisdom and revelation. The Holy Spirit himself reveals how believers should behave as responsible children of God, and he produces fruit in us.

Fruit Tree

Spring is coming. If you love gardening, you must be excited. You can hardly wait to plants veggies or flowers in your garden. Last spring, we planted several fruit trees. According to their name tags, some are sweet, some are not so sweet. In summer, some of the trees bear fruits, and I tasted it; they’re sweet indeed. Some fruit trees we planted last spring did not bear fruit yet, so I saved their identity labels to prove if the information in their label is accurate.

Do not buy fruit tree based on its appearance only. It is wise to read the description in the name tag, or you may regret it if its fruit is not so sweet.

If you have not discovered it yet, it is really exciting to plant fruit trees. I can barely wait to taste the fruit of the trees we planted. Every summer, some of you share fruits of your trees because you want others to share with your happiness.

That personal experience of gladness of planting fruit trees and excitement to share their fruits teaches us why the Holy Spirit produces fruit in our life.

Sadly, anyone can be deceived by outward appearance. Appearance is added bonus, but the fruit of the Holy Spirit is what we need more as believers.

How do you personally interpret what it declares in Galatians 5:22-26?

²²The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Without so much calculation, the fruit of the Holy Spirit is what we need in life, right? In comparison, to be conceited, provocative and envious are natural inclinations of the worldly flesh; they aren’t very desirable to believers. We must desire the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and we avoid behaviors that destroy character.

3. Destroy

¹²But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish.

Blasphemy, slander or malign against celestial beings is foolish instinct as compared to animals. There are domesticated animals that are taken care as pets; there are invasive animals (wild boars) that should be caught and destroyed.

“Animal! Animal!”

For whatever reason she had, an angry woman shouted at her husband, “Animal! Animal!” The puzzled husband asked, “Why did you agree to marry me, if I am animal to you?” The woman smiled and said, “Because I love animals!”

Certainly, those who do not believe the Scripture can be enraged or furious about it; they won’t accept that blasphemers are biblically illustrated, compared to animals that are supposed to be caught and destroyed. In the prophecy about his crucifixion, do you know what animal was compared to Christ? Guess?

Meditatively, let’s read the prophecy about his crucifixion in Isaiah 53:3-7:

³He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. ⁴Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted.

 ⁵But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. ⁶We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. ⁷He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

We are compared to sheep. Christ is also compared to a lamb, a sheep.

Have you proven it, if Christ can heal your pains and sufferings? Have you proven that instead of suffering or pain, you can have peace as realistic proof of faith in the crucifixion of Christ? Have you experienced the power of the cross?

Pray to be filled and inspired by his Holy Spirit; peace is the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

The celebration of the resurrection of Christ reminds us of his great love for us. He exemplified. He didn’t argue against torture; he didn’t complain against the suffering he endured at the cross. He sacrificially died just to save us.

Apostle Paul had testified of his desire to participate in the sufferings of Christ and become like him in his death. We are challenged in Romans 8:35-39:

³⁵Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ³⁶As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” ³⁷No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Can you believe that Christ died; he was buried; and on the third day, he resurrected? Do you have firm confidence that when he comes, he takes you and all believers with him into heaven? Make sure that you have faith in Christ!

Pray for increase of faith in Christ to have firm confidence of your salvation.

Pray for godly wisdom to behave properly and store up eternal treasure.

Pray to be filled and inspire by the Holy Spirit to be prayerful always.

Together, let us re-affirm our faith in Christ and seek his inspiration for us to make disciples as we eagerly wait for his coming again, shall we?