God's spirit will not always strive with men and women that the wicked should forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts.And because they no longer want to retain knowledge of God (for the creature knows his Creator), they have been given over to a reprobate mind. "Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools". What wisdom is in them? It is earthy, sensual and devilish. Did not the holy prophets and apostles warn us that in the last days there would be mockers saying, "where is the promise of the Second Coming...so let us eat, drink and be merry?" And did not the Spirit expressly say that in the latter days some would even depart from the faith that was once delivered to the saints, and even deny the Lord who bought them? Putting Christ to an open shame, the way of truth is evil spoken of because of hypocritical mockers, spots and blemishes, wells without water, "evil men and seducers waxing worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived", leading lambs to the slaughter.
What manner of persons ought we to be?
Working out our own salvation with fear of God and trembling at his word.
For this world of iniquity is reserved unto fire.
“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. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless. And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.”
2 Peter 3:9-18 KJV
EKKLESIA 172
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