this conversation had me reading 2 Peter, and i wanted to draw attention to something:
they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
they have escaped the world by the knowledge of Jesus Christ, Lord and Saviour.
by knowledge of Jesus they have escaped the defilements of the world.
by knowledge of Jesus.
they have escaped.
'knowledge' is not a physical process. it's not a behaviour. it's not an action that's taken or refrained from.
behaviour is informed by knowledge, but knowledge itself is a spiritual property, not a 'work' - knowledge is a firm form of belief - as faith. they heard, and believed, and by this escaped defilement.
that's pretty awesome, right? how great a Saviour! to know Him is eternal life
For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
(2 Peter 2:20)
(2 Peter 2:20)
they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
they have escaped the world by the knowledge of Jesus Christ, Lord and Saviour.
by knowledge of Jesus they have escaped the defilements of the world.
by knowledge of Jesus.
they have escaped.
'knowledge' is not a physical process. it's not a behaviour. it's not an action that's taken or refrained from.
behaviour is informed by knowledge, but knowledge itself is a spiritual property, not a 'work' - knowledge is a firm form of belief - as faith. they heard, and believed, and by this escaped defilement.
that's pretty awesome, right? how great a Saviour! to know Him is eternal life
so in the context of this, where Peter is describing false teachers and false prophets, we have this:
For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.
(2 Peter 2:21)
(2 Peter 2:21)
and then says it is just like dogs returning to vomit.
so they 'knew the way of righteousness' -- which way is, knowledge of the Savior Jesus Christ, the Lord - which is not about works, but about belief.
and they 'turned away from the holy commandment' -- what command?
the thing they knew was Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord, and that is salvation, by a belief-based mechanism, not a works-based mechanism, because it is by knowledge of Him. what command is associated with salvation?
Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved
I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them.
what specifically does turning away from this specific commandment mean?I have declared to both Jews and Greeks that they must turn to God in repentance and have faith in our Lord Jesus.
The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them.
is metaphorical 'vomit' in this context limited to 'defilements of the world' in a physical sense?