Twisted

 

2 Peter 3:16 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.

17 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.    KJV

I call this “Twisted,” because of the word “wrest” as is noted in this passage. We don’t use this word “wrested” in our everyday speech today. “Twisted.” It’s an apt description of what is happening today. While this was a pervasive spirit in Peter and Paul’s day. This spirit has become magnified even greater with each following generation.

Peter said it was going on in his day. There were individuals that were as he puts it, “wresting” or as we say “twisting” the word of GOD. With the result being to, “their own destruction.”

How does one arrive to such a place? A question with perhaps many answers or at least possibly bring forth many opinions.

Let us look at Peter’s reasoning and perhaps conclude it to be the same today. In context Peter is making mention of Paul’s writings being hard to understand. That those who were unstable and unlearned took the writings of Paul and twisted them. Turned them. And as always, prove our ignorance of what we don’t know or what we don’t like. This all so we can manipulate the word to that which we do like. Let’s make the word fit us instead of making ourselves fit the word. Unfortunately forgetting or denying the destination called destruction. Or as one translation calls it, disaster.

2 Peter 3:15 And remember, the Lord is waiting so that people have time to be saved. This is just as our beloved brother Paul wrote to you with the wisdom God gave him — 

16 speaking of these things in all of his letters. Some of his comments are hard to understand, and those who are ignorant and unstable have twisted his letters around to mean something quite different from what he meant, just as they do the other parts of Scripture — and the result is disaster for them.      NLT

This is nothing new. Man has been doing this since the beginning. What is the concern for bringing this up? The answer is simple. We are living in a day where there was once considered “truth.” And due to those who are “twisting” the scriptures. The word is now being re defined to make it acceptable. To make “truth” easier. To make “truth” more refined. To make “truth” more attractive and more relevant today…

What is seen however, is what was once wrong is made right. What was once bad behavior is made good behavior. What was once unlawful is being made lawful.

All aspects of life whether politically, culturally, morally, and even scripturally. All is being challenged. What was once considered a “core value” is being attacked. What was once the bedrock of such principles that defined this nation and its strength. Today we are being pressured to compromise. What was once a foundational “truth” of the word of GOD, now is being wrenched, twisted and turned to the point it goes unrecognized. Until one day you wake up and its never seen as GOD intended it to be.

I can point out the simplicity of what was once a boundary, a line, a fence, a border to never be crossed. Well today is filled with excuses and exceptions. Because there are those who are hard at work to erase every possible boundary of protection and safety.

·    What do you do with nation with no existing boundary, no borders?

·    What do you do with what was once a common language? A language that defined the culture and what it knew was good?

·    What do you do with a religious system that is powerless in pulpit and pew?

·    Do we stick our heads in the sand and tell ourselves, we’re over reacting?

·    Do we just come to the place that we openly deny that such an attack is really going on?

·    Or, do we take it as being too little too late, it’s just the day were living in?

Have we have become desensitized to the place of accepting it?

What do I mean? The borders of Europe have been challenged and they are falling to evil and wicked regimes.

America is being challenged and while some are jailed and imprisoned over nothing. There are others who have been blatant in their boasts, and open disregard to the laws that be. And still yet, they go unchallenged, and without punishment.

What about morally? The abortionist gets bolder along with the anti-marriage crowds. Others continue to walk our streets with their hate speech even attacking the president and family. These and others like them have made inroads into the public schools and colleges of our nation and are setting agendas to the hurt of our children.

The casinos, gambling, pornography, liquor, marijuana, the tattoo parlors all seem to be the lucrative investment opportunities of the day.

Amongst the religious lines, boundaries, and borders that one time defined them for who they were and what they believed are eroding faster and faster. Sin in today’s world is no longer seen as sin, and something that GOD hate

There are no longer scriptures of thought and basis for what is wrong or right. Again the “Ten Commandments” are being removed from the systems of learning. The systems of religious thought are being “twisted” for only of what is “tolerant,” and how devilish and sinful behavior can be made acceptable.   

I borrow the words of one who said. “There be many good young men and women and seasoned saints that feel cheated and betrayed. Some become angry. Others quietly carry a deep hurt when they see the ungodly who openly flaunt their cool mockery of holiness and righteous living, yet despite the unfaithfulness, continue unreproved.”

God forbid that we sleep in a day that demands our willingness to confront this evil day. Let the church be seen as it always has been contending for the one who is HOLY. And yes, for what HE has already defined for us as to what HE is pleased and not pleased with.

God forbid that we stand by as those that are going about twisting and turning GOD’S grace to that which is unrecognizable for their own gain.

As someone said, “all it takes for evil to triumph is for a good men to do nothing”

I take it to where it really is. All it takes is for evil to triumph is the church to do nothing. Don’t pray, don’t fast, don’t stand, don’t speak.

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.

Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Jude 3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.     KJV