(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)-- Sermons I. THE NECESSITY FOR PREACHERS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 1. This appears from a consideration of man's nature. Human beings are constituted with moral capabilities and with faculties to be employed in a moral life. Intelligence, conscience, and will are the prerogative of men among the inhabitants of this earth. And even the most degraded, those most nearly allied in habits to the brutes, are susceptible of elevation in the scale of moral life. He who examines, fairly and completely, the nature of man must admit that he is made for righteousness. 2. And the requirement of God corresponds with the nature of man. God calls men to righteousness, holds them responsible to himself, as the righteous Governor and Judge, for obedience or disobedience to his commands. 3. Yet it is not to be questioned that the ideal of human character and conduct has not been reached, that unrighteousness has prevailed amongst men, that in the highest sense "there is none that doeth righteousness" - none who has no failings to acknowledge, none who has a perfect obedience to present. II. THE IMPORT OF THE PREACHING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 1. The standard of righteousness has to be maintained. It would be base indeed on the part of the preacher were he to substitute an inferior standard for the Law of God, were he to accommodate his teaching to the corrupt nature and the ungodly life of the sinful. The Law, which is holy, just, and good, must he upheld in all its purity and in all its rigidity. And this may he done with the assurance that the conscience, even of the iniquitous, will in all likelihood acknowledge that the right is a higher and better standard than the agreeable or the customary, however human infirmity may have practically adopted and followed the latter. Every minister of religion is bound to insist upon a scriptural rule of right, to apply the laws of morality to all parts of human nature, to all relations of human society. 2. The violators of the Law of righteousness have to be rebuked. Probably the reference in the text is especially to this aspect of the preacher's service. It is not enough to say, "This is what men should be and do!" It is necessary to address to the disobedient the remonstrances, the rebukes, the warnings, which are authorized by the Word of God. Expostulation, reproach, and admonition are not the most agreeable or the most easy parts of a preacher's work; yet they are indispensable, and are often most valuable in their effects. Many faithful preachers have, like Noah, to lament that their rebukes and warnings seem to have been in vain; yet they have the satisfaction of having done their duty and delivered their soul. 3. The restoration of righteousness by means of the Divine Mediator has to he proclaimed. There is a righteousness which is by the Law; but there is also a higher righteousness which is by faith in Christ unto those who believe, and this is exactly adapted to the needs of sinful men, who upon repentance and faith may become "just with God." It is the privilege and the delight of the Christian preacher to exhibit the beauty and appropriateness of this spiritual righteousness, and to invite men to use those means by which they may secure this for themselves. III. THE METHODS OF THE PREACHING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 1. The most natural and obvious method is by the utterances of the living voice, the organ by which, according to the constitution imposed upon man, truth is communicated and impression produced by the rousing of deep and divinely implanted emotion. 2. Yet there are other means of preaching righteousness, for which some may be qualified who are not gifted with effective speech. The press affords in these days an outlet for much consecrated Christian energy, and most important is it, when gifted authors are found endeavouring to lower by their writings the standard of human morality, that Christian thinkers and writers should wield their pen, in all departments of literature, in the service of righteousness and of God. 3. In any case righteousness may be, and should be, preached in the impressive and effective language of the life. IV. THE RESULTS OF THE PREACHING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 1. Such preaching must be witness of condemnation against those who refuse it. 2. But to those who accept and obey the Divine message it is the means of salvation and of life eternal. - J.R.T.
Make merchandise of you. The apostle here makes a continuation of their sins and a declaration of their plagues. They extend the thread of their mischief very long, till hell fire burn it off. They broach heresies, corrupt multitudes, sell souls, as merchants do their wares; cozen men's consciences, colour foul natures with fair words, blaspheme the gospel, deny Jesus Christ. Oh, how constant and long-winded are they in their wickedness! But there is a judgment that wakes while they slumber.I. THE GENERAL SIMILITUDE (MERCHANDISING) HERE USED. The calling of a merchant is of great antiquity and necessary use. Merchants are the feet of the world, whereby distant countries meet together. Yet it is a dangerous profession, not only for wreck of life and goods, but also of conscience; which is not always made in their ships abroad, but too commonly in their shops at home. 1. The merchants are false teachers. As Judas sold Christ for thirty pieces, so they sell men to sin, little esteeming the price that a soul cost. 2. The wares — "you"; your estates, liberties, lives, and souls. They set up a mart of holy things, and with their impostures fill their purses. An evil pastor may sell his flock three ways —(1) By flattery. He that encourages a man in his errors sells him for his own gain.(2) By heresy. Broaching schisms and factions and erroneous opinions, as it were feeding the people with bones, or rather poisons, instead of wholesome meat.(3) By silence. The watchman who does not ring the alarm bell at the approach of danger betrays the city to the enemy. 3. "Through covetousness." This is the ground or motive of their traffic. It is true of every schism, what was said of Lucilla's faction, with a little inversion: anger bred it, pride fostered it, and covetousness confirmed it.(1) This sin of covetousness is iniquity in all men, blasphemy in a clergyman. The titles we bear, the office we sustain, the Person we represent, the nearness of our calling to that absolute integrity, are remembrances unto us that we be not covetous.(2) There is no fault in a minister like covetousness, because there is no sin reigning in the world like worldliness. We may preach our hearts out to dissuade men's affections from this world; if we embrace it ourselves, they will never believe us.(3) The vice of covetousness is an epidemical disease, the grand Cairo of mischief, the metropolis of wickedness, a universal plague that has infected all conditions of people. 4. The means of their utterance, "feigned words"! Heresy was never found disjoined from hypocrisy. Their speeches are so ambiguous and equivocal, that they seem to hold both ours and our adversaries' tenets. What they cannot perform by the evidence of truth, they seek to attain by the eloquence of art. As rebels Drake their proclamations in the name of the king, and pirates intending to rob merchants hang out the flags of other nations, both to scandal them and to conceal themselves; so do hypocrites wear Christian colours that they may be the devil's cozeners. II. THEIR PERDITION. 1. The severity of it.(1) Their "judgment." The menaces of God are not always followed with an infallible event, being sometimes on purpose signified, that they may be by penitence prevented.(2) For whose sake doth God execute judgment upon these false teachers? For His own glory and the Church's good, that they may no longer cozen men's souls with their impostures.(3) Though the Lord will judge these wicked persons, yet this forbids not magistrates to execute justice upon them.(4) Their "judgment" — their own; as proper to them as the inheritance they bought with their money. Sin doth naturally draw a punishment.(5) Their "judgment." But is it so certainly theirs, that no repentance can prevent it? Yes, serious repentance may avert the vengeance, if their gracious God gives the repentance.(6) Their "judgment and their damnation." Observe the proportion and adaptation of their punishment to their sin. It holds in divers analogies.(a) They denied the Lord that bought them, therefore the same Lord shall judge them.(b) They acted all their villainy in secret, therefore now it shall be laid open.(c) The way of truth hath been blasphemed by them, therefore now it is fit that it be glorified on them.(d) Before they sold men in covetousness, therefore now they shall be sold themselves in justice.(e) Before they brought in the heresy of damnation, therefore now they shall sustain the penalty of damnation.(f) Before they did pull on themselves destruction voluntarily, therefore now must father the child of their own begetting, and suffer destruction nesessarily.(g) Their sin did hasten punishment and make it swift, therefore fit it should no longer tarry; it "lingereth not."(7) "Damnation" is principally taken for the censure or sentence condemning; as the sentence follows the trial, and the execution the sentence; here it intends the execution of the judgment. 2. Sleepeth not, lingereth not, slumbereth not. Though it be not yet present, it is propinquant; if not extant, yet instant.(1) This wakeful vengeance is threatened against the ungodly very fitly; for nothing is more proper to the nature of sin than to sleep in security.(2) Sin will not let justice sleep, bug sends it up continual challenges, provoking Him to draw that sword, which He had rather should rest in the scabbard, than be sheathed in His own creatures. 3. "Long ago." There is a preordination of plagues for reprobates, and the very moment of the execution appointed (Jude 1:4).Lessons: 1. Seeing God doth not sleep in His justice, let not us sleep in our injustice. 2. As this is terror to the ungodly, so comfort to the righteous. As justice is ever waking, so mercy is never asleep. (Thos. Adams.) Who are they that are engaged in this business?1. The liquor-dealers. 2. Writers and publishers of obscene literature. 3. Purchasers of the virtue of women. 4. Bribers and bribe-takers. 5. Mercenary journalists. 6. Atheistic orators and religious quacks. (A. Little.) People Balaam, Beor, Bosor, Noah, Noe, PeterPlaces Asia, Bithynia, Cappadocia, Galatia, Gomorrah, Pontus, SodomTopics Crimes, Deeds, Dwelling, Felt, Grieved, Harassing, Hearing, Lawless, Pained, Righteous, Seeing, Soul, Tormented, Unlawful, Upright, Vexed, WorksOutline 1. Peter warns of false teachers, showing the impiety and punishment both of them and their followers;7. from which the godly shall be delivered, as Lot was out of Sodom; 10. and more fully describes the manners of those profane and blasphemous seducers. Dictionary of Bible Themes 2 Peter 2:8 4938 fate, final destiny 5115 Peter, preacher and teacher Library The Owner and his Slaves'Denying the Lord that bought them.'--2 Peter ii. 1. The institution of slavery was one of the greatest blots on ancient civilisation. It was twice cursed, cursing both parties, degrading each, turning the slave into a chattel, and the master, in many cases, into a brute. Christianity, as represented in the New Testament, never says a word to condemn it, but Christianity has killed it. 'Make the tree good and its fruit good.' Do not aim at institutions, change the people that live under them and … Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture Ephesians, Peter,John Exhortations to Christians as they are Children of God How those are to be Admonished who Abstain not from the Sins which they Bewail, and those Who, Abstaining from Them, Bewail them Not. What is to be Said of the Sea of Apamia. Perseverance of Saints. Of Councils and their Authority. As Many as were Called by Grace, and Displayed the First Zeal... Meditations on the Hindrances which Keep Back a Sinner from the Practice of Piety. The Christian Convert Warned Of, and Animated against those Discouragements which He must Expect to Meet when Entering on a Religious Course. Believe and be Saved A Preliminary Discourse to Catechising The Catholic Epistles. Authenticity and Credibility of the Pentateuch. The Barren Fig-Tree; Testimonies. How those are to be Admonished who do not Even Begin Good Things, and those who do not Finish them when Begun. The First Wall. They Shall be Called the Children of God Under the Shepherd's Care. Of the Matters to be Considered in the Councils. Education of Jesus. The Tests of Love to God Epistle Xlv. To Theoctista, Patrician . Links 2 Peter 2:8 NIV2 Peter 2:8 NLT 2 Peter 2:8 ESV 2 Peter 2:8 NASB 2 Peter 2:8 KJV 2 Peter 2:8 Bible Apps 2 Peter 2:8 Parallel 2 Peter 2:8 Biblia Paralela 2 Peter 2:8 Chinese Bible 2 Peter 2:8 French Bible 2 Peter 2:8 German Bible 2 Peter 2:8 Commentaries Bible Hub |