Catullus

1
Catullus

• Let us live and let us love, and let us value
  the tales of austere old men at a single
  halfpenny. Suns can set and then return again,
  but for us, when once our brief light sets, there
  is but one perpetual night through which we must
  sleep
• If eternal sleep awaits the dead, no motivation
  to repent
• If judgment awaits . . .

2
Three sad predictions (2 Pt.21-3)

• False prophets will come, 1
• Many will follow them to destruction, 2
• The blind will lead the blind, 3
• A work in progress (4-19)

3
2 Pt.220-22, who?

• Fate of false teachers forms fitting climax to
  entire chapter
• Overcome (19) repeated in 20
• 2. Peter also discussed converts (2, 18)
• 3. Both points are true

4
I The World Defiles, 20a

• World is not earth or people, but all that is
  hostile to God. 220
• Synonym age
• The times (thoughts, opinions, actions a phase
  of society)
• Religious world scientific world
• 2 Co.44, satan is its god
• Ga.14, evil is its game

5
II Jesus Saves, 20b

• Lord and Savior (His part). 29
• Knowledge (our part)
• 2 Pt. is sandwiched between the knowledge of 12
  and 318
• 2nd century heretical schools raised
  controversies over true knowledge

6
III The World Recalls Us

• Cause entanglements
• Fish, gladiators, and Christians
• Men are overcome (defeated, conquered,
  controlled by) 19-20
• Slavesbondage evil desires mastered them
  (19)
• Pollutions, 19-20 14, depravity
• Regenerate or degenerate

7
Condition worse off, 20-21

• Harder to restore apostates
• May become angry, hardened, disillusioned.
  Pro.1819 Mt.1243-45 Hb.64-6
• Worse influence on others
• Worse punishment? Lk.1247-48
• Reflects on Lord. 21

8
3. Comparison

• Dog returns to vomit (expelled corruption
  within returned to it)
• Pro.2611
• Sowto mire (escaped corruption w/o
  returned to it)

9
1. Possibility Of Apostasy

• 20, latter end worse than beginning Mt.1243-45
  
• 21, turn from holy commandment
• 22, washedmire
• Depicts the sinner who heard gospel, was led to
  detest sin, came to God for mercy, was washed
  clean, then returned to old disgusting life

10
Objections

• 1. A man of God would not call a true child of
  God an animal
• Gn.4814 Jer.223, 24 Ho.416 Am.41- 3 2
  Pt.212
• 2. Since the dog and hog remained animals, they
  never changed
• Even if true, no security (they were washed,
  appeared saved)
• I know Im going to heaven!

11
This is a proverb!

• This is a proverb. Mt.76
• 500 BC, Ahikar says to his nephew 0 my son!
  thou hast been to me like the pig who went into
  the hot bath with people of quality, and when it
  came out of the hot bath, it saw a filthy hole
  and it went down and, wallowed in it
• V.1 states it literally

12
2. Worldlings use means to attract Christians

• - Faith, 2 Pt.1 myth accusations
• It is quite common w. young scholars, when
  they begin to get hold of important ideas, to
  imagine themselves original discoverers, and
  they begin to pity a world which knew so little
  before they were born McGarvey

13
- Morals, 2 Pt.2 lust, bad examples, error

• 1 Co.927, spiritual tug of war . . .
• God works through spirit to control flesh
• Satan works through flesh to control spirit
• Where we throw our weight determines our
  fate
• 1 Pt.41-2, 6

14
-Hopelessness, 2 Pt.3

• Dont let a delayed fulfillment destroy your hope
  1 Pt.13, 13, 21

15
Lord uses means to keep us saved

• Growth, 2 Pt.15-11
• Warnings, 2 Pt.21-3
• Insight, 2 Pt.38-9