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That the eyes of your heart may be enlightened

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Ephesians, What’s new?.

Why does Paul pray “that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” (Ephesians 1:18)?

In Ephesians 1:15–23, the apostle Paul prays for the Ephesian believers to be filled with spiritual insight to know Jesus better and understand the fullness of God’s blessings in Christ: “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe” (verses 17–19).

Throughout the Bible, the “heart” often represents the center of a person’s physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual life—the whole inner person, encompassing the mind, will, and emotions. Thus, “the eyes of your heart” refers to our inner perception. Our “inner eyes” are “enlightened” when they open and light is cast on them, allowing them to see and understand the things of the Spirit.

Paul prays for the Father to give believers the “Spirit of wisdom and revelation.” True spiritual enlightenment can only come from the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2; John 14:25–26; 16:12–14; 1 Corinthians 2:9–16). The natural mind cannot comprehend the things of God. Christians “have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us” (1 Corinthians 2:12, NLT). The Spirit of God opens the eyes of the heart to see, receive, and understand the truth in God’s Word (Psalm 19:8; 119:18).

Paul says, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened” because he wants all believers to comprehend the great hope, riches, and power they have received in Jesus Christ. Paul himself would have remained a blind Pharisee had the eyes of his heart not been opened on the road to Damascus. Acts 9:1 says Paul (then Saul) was “still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (ESV). While on his way to arrest followers of Jesus in the city of Damascus, Paul was struck down by a blinding light. He heard the voice of Jesus calling him to salvation. Three days later, he was filled with the Holy Spirit, and his sight was restored (Acts 9:17–19). The restoration of physical eyesight symbolized Paul’s inner transformation as the eyes of his heart were enlightened to see the truth of salvation in Jesus Christ.

Paul tells the believers in Corinth that the same God who spoke light into existence in Genesis 1:3 “has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6, NLT). The apostle wants Christians to grasp three things: the hope of our calling (Romans 8:30; Ephesians 4:4; Colossians 1:5; 2 Timothy 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 2:12; Philippians 3:14), the riches of our glorious inheritance (Colossians 1:12; Ephesians 1:14), and the matchless power that is available to us who believe (Ephesians 3:7, 16; Philippians 3:21; 4:19).

The Christian life is an ongoing experience of growing in our faith, knowledge, and understanding of God and our relationship with Jesus Christ. Before salvation, we lived in darkness until the true light of the world shined in our hearts (Isaiah 9:2; Matthew 4:16; John 1:9; John 8:12; Acts 26:18; Ephesians 5:8). But once we come to know Him through salvation, the eyes of our hearts are opened (John 17:3; Hebrews 6:4). He becomes our Savior and Lord. Jesus says to us, “Blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear” Matthew 13:16 (NLT).

If we keep seeking the Lord throughout our lives, we will increasingly get to know Him through experiential sanctification (Philippians 3:10–16). We will discover that He is our “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15), “Good Shepherd” (John 10:10–16; 1 Peter 5:1–4), and “Bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16). We will slowly transform into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:22–24; Colossians 3:9–10) until one day the eyes of our hearts are fully enlightened, and we know Him “face to face” in complete perfection (1 Corinthians 13:9–12).

Whoever believes in him will not be put to shame

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Romans, What’s new?.

What does it mean that whoever believes in him will not be put to shame (Romans 9:33)?

Romans 9:33 says, “As it is written: ‘See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.’” In this passage, the apostle Paul begins by expressing his anguish over the Jews who reject Christ. In verses 30–33, he shows us why. Instead of accepting God’s righteousness by faith, they attempt to earn righteousness through their own works, causing them to stumble over the stumbling stone, which is Christ (verse 33).

In contrast, Paul declares that those who believe in Christ will not be put to shame. The statement is presented as a matter of fact and can be seen as a promise. It signifies that those who trust in Christ for eternal life and are declared righteous by faith will never experience disappointment or disgrace at the end. They will not be ashamed. This assurance in Christ motivates us to remain in Him, unlike pursuing a works-based righteousness, where our confidence relies on our own abilities.

Scripture gives us certainty that whoever believes in Jesus will not be put to shame, and it points to the monumental event of the resurrection. In another of his letters, Paul argues that Christianity would be false if Christ’s resurrection never occurred, and our hope would be in vain (1 Corinthians 15:12–20). Evidence for the resurrection abounds, including the conversion of Paul, the radical transformation of the disciples, their willingness to suffer for what they claimed to have seen, and their credible eyewitness testimony.

Our faith in Christ is never misplaced. Those who trust in Him will not be put to shame, for He has won the victory over death and the grave (Revelation 1:18). But various factors can sometimes shake our confidence. These include our own sins and even our lack of spiritual growth. It is easy to lose assurance of salvation after a major failure, and sometimes we make the mistake of the unbelieving Jews in Romans 9, placing hope in our good deeds rather than Christ’s perfect work.

Christians at all stages of spiritual development must be reminded that our hope is firmly anchored in Christ:
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
(Credits: Townend, S., and Getty, K. Thankyou Music, adm. by CapitolCMGPublishing.com, 2001).

Our response to having a secure foundation in Christ should be one of gratitude. Knowing that we will not be put to shame provides motivation to live for God every day in every circumstance. This security doesn’t give us a license to sin but rather empowers us to freely obey God without fear of condemnation from the law.

This security should also motivate us to evangelize the lost. Christ is not just our hope; He is the hope of everyone else as well. It is our responsibility to point others to Christ through our words and actions. Our prayer is that they may not stumble over the Stumbling Stone but instead discover true, life-giving hope.

Baptized into Christ

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Galatians, What’s new?.

What does it mean to be baptized into Christ (Galatians 3:27)?

In Galatians 3:23—4:7, the apostle Paul discusses what it means to be a child of God: “So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise (verses 26–29). When we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we are “baptized into Christ” through faith in Him.

What are the implications of being baptized into Christ?

We are clothed in Christ.

Paul explains, “All of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” In the original language, the phrase translated as “clothed yourselves with Christ” (NIV) or “put on Christ” (ESV) means to be “endowed with the quality of being wrapped in a covering” of Christ. “And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes,” says Galatians 3:27 in the New Living Translation. The same term appears in Romans 13:14: “Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.”

When we are baptized into Christ, we become wrapped up in Jesus Christ like a robe. Our filthy, old, sin-infested rags are cast off (Isaiah 64:6), and we put on the new righteous nature of Jesus Christ (Colossians 3:10; Ephesians 4:24). Water baptism outwardly depicts this inner work of baptism into Christ by the Holy Spirit (see Acts 10:44–48).

This idea of changing clothes carried an additional implication for the Galatians. In ancient Roman society, when a young person reached the legal age of adult citizenship, he would stop wearing his childhood apparel and begin to don a toga, the customary outfit of an adult. This change of attire indicated a rite of passage into the responsibilities of adulthood. As believers baptized into Christ, we receive full, mature sonship status before God (see Romans 8:17).

We are all one in Christ.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit joins us to Christ and identifies us with Him. As children of God, we become members of God’s family, who are all “one in Christ Jesus.” Paul reiterates this truth in 1 Corinthians 12:12–14: “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:12–13, NLT).

As believers baptized into Christ, we belong to God as His sons and daughters and to each other as brothers and sisters. God’s family consists of people from every nation, culture, skin color, and language (Matthew 28:19; cf. Revelation 5:9). In Christ, there is no distinction of rank (“slave nor free”), status (“Jew nor Gentile”), or gender (“nor is there male and female”). We are all on equal footing with God when it comes to salvation. There is nothing we can do to earn or deserve it (Romans 3:10, 23; Ephesians 2:9; 2 Timothy 1:9–10; Titus 3:5). We all receive it as a gift from God through Jesus (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8). The equality of our union transforms into fellowship—a communion of brothers and sisters that can only exist in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:18–19; 2 Corinthians 5:18–19).

We are dead to sin, alive in Christ.

Being baptized into Christ means identifying with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection. We died with Him and, through Him, received a new life in which we are set free from sin. Paul asks the Romans, “How can we who died to sin still live in it? Or are you unaware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too may walk in a new way of life” (Romans 6:2–4, HCSB).

As born-again Christians, we are set apart with Christ in righteousness and justification: “Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin” (Romans 6:6–7, NLT).

Fellowship of the Spirit

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Philippians, What’s new?.

What does it mean to have fellowship of the Spirit (Philippians 2:1)?

Living and serving together in Christian harmony is the emphasis of Paul’s teaching in Philippians 1:27—2:18. Aware that the church faces a severe problem of division (see Philippians 3:1–3; 4:1–3), Paul urges the believers in Philippi to “stand fast in one spirit, with one mind” (Philippians 1:27). Then, using rhetorical language, Paul states that his joy (and their joy) would only be complete as they demonstrate loving, like-minded unity: “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Philippians 2:1–2, NKJV).

The Greek noun translated here as “fellowship” (NKJV), “participation” (ESV), or “common sharing” (NIV) is koinonia. It refers to “the act of sharing together in the activities or privileges of an intimate association or group, especially used of marriage and churches.” The “Spirit” (pneuma) here is God’s Holy Spirit.

Fellowship of the Spirit describes the harmony and community that can exist in the body of Christ because of the gospel—because God, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, has brought believers into a right relationship with Himself (Ephesians 2:18–19). Paul’s words in Philippians 2:1–2 resonate in the apostle John’s writings: “And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy. This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. . . . If we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:3–4, 7, NLT).

God the Father, through His Son and by the power of the Holy Spirit, has established, by His grace, a covenant relationship with His people. Those who believe the message of the gospel are united in the fellowship of the Spirit (John 14:16–17) through “partnership with his Son” (1 Corinthians 1:9, NLT) to the Father (John 15:1–17; 17:1–26; 1 John 1:3–7). This relationship is the basis of the communion between humans and God (Hebrews 10:19–22; Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:18–19; Colossians 1:20–22).

Those who take part in the fellowship of the Spirit also participate in communion with one another (1 John 1:3; Mark 9:37; John 17:21; 2 Corinthians 13:11). This interconnected reality, this spiritual communion, is koinonia, or fellowship in the body of Christ. It does not initiate with humans but is God’s gracious gift, flowing from the eternal triune fellowship of the Godhead (2 Corinthians 13:14).

The church, the body of Christ, is an intimately associated group of redeemed individuals who share a mutual life of fellowship (Acts 2:44; 4:32). Being part of the fellowship of the Spirit involves living in God’s love, humility, and service to one another (1 John 3:10; 4:10–12; John 13:34; 15:12; Ephesians 5:1–2; Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 3:8; John 13:14). For this reason, Paul urged, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all” (Ephesians 4:3–6).

Fellowship of the Spirit and dwelling together in unity does not imply total uniformity. Instead, as members of one body, we recognize and embrace different gifts, personalities, and ministries (1 Corinthians 12:4–30; Ephesians 4:11–13).

Christians who participate in the fellowship of the Spirit share in the work of the gospel (Philippians 1:5), worship, pray, and take communion together (1 Corinthians 10:16–17; 14:26; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; Acts 1:14; Hebrews 10:24–25; James 5:16). They are interested in the lives of other believers (Romans 12:4–5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 4:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13). They “let the peace of Christ rule in [their] hearts” (Colossians 3:15), united in purpose and “striving together as one for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27; see also Matthew 18:19–20; 1 Corinthians 10:24). And they make every effort to quell division and cultivate unity with their brothers and sisters in Christ (Ephesians 4:3; 1 Corinthians 1:10; 14:26; Romans 12:16).

Let this mind be in you

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Philippians, What’s new?.

What is the meaning of Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”?

In Philippians 2:5, Paul sets Jesus before us as the example of the type of attitude we should have: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (NKJV). Or, as the NIV has it, “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”

Paul writes his letter to the Philippians to encourage them to rejoice even in difficult circumstances. Paul was in prison, and he encourages the Philippians that, even though he was imprisoned, they should rejoice because God was still working (Philippians 1). The church at Philippi was commendable for several reasons; however, they were also dealing with some disunity (Philippians 4:2). Paul asks them to make his joy complete—to provide him joy even in his difficulty—by “being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose” (Philippians 2:2). The Philippians could help Paul in his difficult time by simply showing the maturity that they should show in the first place. Paul explains how they can do that. They shouldn’t do anything out of selfishness or pride, but, instead, with humility in their thinking they should consider the other person as more important than themselves (Philippians 2:3). They shouldn’t be simply concerned about their own interests, but also the interests of others (Philippians 2:4). After these exhortations, Paul gives them a supreme example to consider: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).

The idea of “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5) is to have the same mindset or thinking that Christ had. Specifically, Paul is talking about how Jesus as God was willing to give up His glory (Philippians 2:6) and to humble Himself to become a man and to die on a cross (Philippians 2:7–8). Jesus gave Himself up as an expression of love and was willing to lower Himself to express that love. He is the supreme example of love and humility—as Jesus Himself put it, no one has greater love than to give his life for another (John 15:13). Paul is challenging his readers to think like that—to be willing to lower themselves for the benefit of the other. That is how they could be of the same mind, maintaining the same love, and intent on one purpose (Philippians 2:2)—by being willing to make their own interests and purposes subservient for the good of the other person.

Humility is a basic and necessary aspect of the Christian life, and we have the perfect model of how to be humble in Jesus Christ. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). Further, as James recounted, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6, ESV). God sees when people respond to Him and to each other with humility, and He is gracious. Peter adds that we should humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God and at the right time He will exalt us (1 Peter 5:6). Any anxieties we might have about the implications of humility we can cast upon Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). This is one facet of God’s grace for the humble.

Paul challenged Euodia and Syntyche to live in harmony (Philippians 4:2), and that same challenge is applicable for us today. We need to “let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” and treat each other with humility and honor so that we are valuing each other as God values us and as He intends for us to value each other.

Faith of the gospel

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Philippians, What’s new?.

What does “faith of the gospel” mean in Philippians 1:27?

Philippians 1:27 states, “Let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” (ESV). To understand the phrase faith of the gospel, we must review both the immediate context and related biblical passages.

The chief theme of Philippians is encouragement. In Philippians 1:27, Paul encourages believers to walk “worthy of the gospel of Christ” (ESV). To walk worthy of the gospel of Christ means that we are “standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel” (ESV). Believers should strive for the “faith of the gospel.”

Paul’s use of the word of instead of in is key to understanding what the “faith of the gospel” is. When someone speaks about “faith in the gospel,” the emphasis is on personal conviction and trust. Someone with faith in the gospel is convinced that Jesus lived, died, and rose again on the third day (see 1 Corinthians 15:1–4). “Faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27, ESV), however, shifts our focus from personal conviction to the shared faith of all believers. Essentially, the “faith of the gospel” is about the totality of what Christians believe. It has a unifying power. Believers are collectively committed to “all the truths revealed, the duties enjoined, and the blessings promised” in the gospel (Joseph Benson, Benson Commentary on the Old and New Testaments).

The “faith of the gospel,” then, corresponds to several New Testament passages. For example, in Romans 1:16–17, Paul writes, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’” (ESV). Through the gospel, God draws both Jews and Gentiles to Himself, creating a body of believers who are not ashamed to “proclaim the excellencies of him who called [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9, ESV).

On the church as a body, Paul writes, “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:4–6, ESV). As one body, believers should be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3, ESV). This unity of faith and purpose accompanies the faith of the gospel.

Paul says that we should be “striving for” the faith of the gospel. This implies the presence of opposition and the need to strive. In striving for the faith of the gospel, believers should “consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24–25, ESV). Mutual love, good works, fellowship, and encouragement are “duties enjoined” by the gospel.

The phrase faith of the gospel reminds believers that faith is more than personal conviction; it is also the shared faith of all believers. It is not “I believe the gospel” but “We believe the gospel” (see John 6:69). Since we hold the same truths and believe the same gospel, we should labor “side by side” (Philippians 1:27, ESV) with our brothers and sisters in Christ for the gospel, maintaining the spirit of love, peace, and unity.

According to your faith

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in Matthew, What’s new?.

What does “according to your faith” mean in Matthew 9:29?

Matthew chapters 8—9 showcase the healing ministry of Jesus. From the outcast leper (Matthew 8:1–4) to the Gentile servant (Matthew 8:5–13) and the perpetually unclean woman (Matthew 9:20–22), Jesus disregarded social and religious conventions to demonstrate compassion and minister healing to those who placed their faith in Him. When two blind beggars approached Jesus, crying out for mercy, He asked them, “Do you believe that I can do this?” They answered, “Yes, Lord” (Matthew 9:28, HCSB). Jesus touched their eyes and said, “Let it be done for you according to your faith!” (Matthew 9:29, HCSB). Immediately, their eyes were opened, and the two men could see.

Jesus often noted a person’s faith as the impetus for healing (see Matthew 8:13; 15:28). When a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years touched the hem of His garment, believing it was all she needed to do to be healed, Jesus said, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well” (Matthew 9:22, NLT). At that moment, she was healed. This same event is recorded in Mark 5:24–34 and Luke 8:43–48. When Jesus cleansed a leper in Luke 17:19, He said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you” (NLT). To the blind man in Mark 10:52, Jesus said, “Go your way; your faith has made you well” (ESV; see also Luke 18:42).

According to your faith does not refer to the quantity, quality, or degree of a person’s faith; instead, it indicates the presence of genuine faith. Having faith in Jesus, having confidence in His ability to heal, was often the key to activating His healing power. Our faith is not the power behind the healing. Faith is merely the channel or conduit for God’s healing.

When Jesus said, “Let it be done according to your faith,” He meant that a person’s faith—the fact that the person believed and had confidence in Him—had moved Him to pour out His healing touch. Jesus is the Healer, the One with the power to perform the cure, and He looks for our faith.

Christ’s power rarely operates in a climate of unbelief. Just as faith enabled some people to receive healing, a lack of faith sometimes hindered or prevented Jesus from healing (see Matthew 13:53–58; 17:19–20). In Matthew 9, many people in the crowd pressed up against Jesus, but only the woman who reached out in faith and touched the edge of His robe received healing. When the professional mourners who had gathered around the dead girl laughed at Jesus, He sent them away before He raised the child to life (Matthew 9:24–25). Many people saw the incredible miracles Jesus performed, but many still did not believe in Him.

Just as healing comes “according to your faith,” salvation comes to sinners through faith: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved” (Romans 10:9–10, NLT; see also Acts 16:31). To the sinful woman who anointed Jesus’ feet with her expensive flask of ointment, Jesus said, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (Luke 7:50, NLT). Everyone who believes in Jesus is saved, but Christ’s power accomplishes the saving, not the believer’s faith. The sole value of our faith rests in the object of our faith—the Lord Jesus Christ—and not in ourselves or our faith (John 14:1; 1 Peter 1:21; Romans 4:19–21).

God responds graciously, compassionately, and generously according to our faith because faith pleases Him. The author of Hebrews informs, “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him” (Hebrews 11:6, NLT).

Wells without water

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in 2 Peter, What’s new?.

Why are false teachers compared to wells without water (2 Peter 2:17)?

False teachers have insinuated themselves into the Christian church since its inception. They are dangerously deceptive operators with smooth speech and seductive ways. New believers are particularly susceptible to their methods. Ever the passionately protective shepherd, the apostle Peter dedicates an entire chapter to exposing these religious pretenders. In 2 Peter 2:17, he compares them to “wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever” (NKJV).

Peter wants his flock to understand how false teachers operate, learn to spot them, and avoid falling victim to their heresies. His metaphors likening them to “wells without water” and “clouds carried by a tempest” are similar to a portion of Jude’s description of false teachers: “They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever” (Jude 1:12–13, NKJV).

The word Peter uses for “well” actually means “a flowing spring” in the original Greek. When Jesus ministers to the Samaritan woman (John 4:1–26), He uses the same term to describe the soul-satisfying, living water He can supply. A thirsty first-century traveler would immediately understand the disappointment of coming upon a well that promises water but does not deliver. Instead of fresh, thirst-quenching, life-giving fountains, wells without water are hollow and useless, producing nothing but dust, mud, and unquenchable thirst. Like a dried-up spring, false teachers promise much but have zero to offer. They do not teach the gospel truth that Jesus calls “a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). They preach freedom but supply bondage, they guarantee pleasure but furnish anguish, and they promise life but deliver death.

False teachers deny the gospel or distort it through human error (2 Peter 2:3; Colossians 2:8; 1 Timothy 6:20–21) or demonic inspiration (1 Timothy 4:1–2; 2 Corinthians 11:3–4; 1 John 4:1–3). Like Peter, the apostle Paul devotes much energy to exposing false teachers. Skipping the metaphor of “wells without water,” Paul states plainly, “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 5:6).

Paul teaches Timothy that false teachers depart from the truth and turn to “meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm” (1 Timothy 1:6–7; see also Titus 1:10–11). He advises the Colossians, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ” (Colossians 2:8).

Peter explains that false teachers “secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves” (2 Peter 2:1). False teachers “come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves,” warns Jesus (Matthew 7:15, NLT). Paul affirms, “I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following” (Acts 20:29–30, NLT).

Comparing false teachers to wells without water is Peter’s figurative way of saying the message of false teachers is valueless, meaningless, and useless. Like the rebellious people of Jeremiah’s day, false teachers in the early church had forsaken God, “the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water” (Jeremiah 2:13). Because they reject “the teaching of the wise,” which is “a fountain of life,” they fall into “the snares of death” (Proverbs 13:14; see also Proverbs 14:27).

False teachers hold out a promise of satisfaction for thirsty souls but ultimately leave people parched and in need. Theirs is an empty hope. Their teachings are hollow and void of truth. Like wells without water, they appear to offer life, but they deliver only bondage, destruction, and death.

Not willing for any to perish

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in 2 Peter, What’s new?.

What does it mean that God is not willing for any to perish, but that all should come to repentance?

It is always important to study Bible verses in context, and it is especially true with 2 Peter 3:9, which reads, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (KJV). The second half of the verse, “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” is frequently used to argue against the doctrine of election.

The context of 2 Peter 3:9 is a description of scoffers who doubt that Jesus is going to return to judge the world with fire (2 Peter 3:3–7). The scoffers mock, “Where is this coming?” (verse 4). In verses 5–6, Peter reminds his readers that God previously destroyed the world with the flood in Noah’s time. In verse 7, Peter informs his readers that the present heavens and earth will be destroyed with fire. Peter then responds to a question he knew was on his readers’ minds, namely, “what is taking God so long?” In verse 8, Peter tells his readers that God is above and beyond the concept of time. It may seem like we have been waiting a long time, but, to God, it has been a blink of an eye. Then, in verse 9, Peter explains why God has waited so long (in our view of time). It is God’s mercy that delays His judgment. God is waiting to give more people the opportunity to repent. Then, in the verses following verse 9, Peter encourages his readers to live holy lives in anticipation of the fact that Jesus will one day return.

In context, 2 Peter 3:9 says that God is delaying His coming in judgment in order to give people further opportunities to repent. Some of the confusion regarding the meaning of 2 Peter 3:9 is the wording of the KJV translation: “not willing that any should perish.” Not willing makes it sound as if God does not allow any to perish. However, in 17th-century English, willing carried more of an idea of desire than of volition. The modern English translations of 2 Peter 3:9 render the same phrase “not wanting” (NIV and CSB), “not wishing” (ESV and NASB), and “does not want” (NLT).

In no sense does 2 Peter 3:9 contradict the idea that God elects certain people to salvation. First, in context, election is not at all what the verse is talking about. Second, to interpret “not willing that any should perish” as “does not allow any to perish” results in the false doctrine of universalism. But God can “not desire” anyone to perish and still only elect some to salvation. There is nothing incongruous about that. God did not desire for sin to enter the world through the fall of Adam and Eve, yet He allowed it. In fact, it was part of His sovereign plan. God did not desire His only begotten Son to be betrayed, brutally tortured, and murdered, yet He allowed it. This, too, was part of God’s sovereign plan.

In the same way, God does not desire anyone to perish. He desires all to come to repentance. At the same time, God recognizes that not everyone will come to repentance. It is undeniable that many will perish (Matthew 7:13–14). Rather than being a contradiction to 2 Peter 3:9, God’s electing and drawing of some to salvation is evidence that He truly does not desire people to perish. Were it not for election and the effectual calling of God, everyone would perish (John 6:44; Romans 8:29–30).