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But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish. They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed\u2014an accursed brood! They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness. But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey\u2014an animal without speech\u2014who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet\u2019s madness. (2 Peter 2:12-16)

Yesterday, Pastor Michael covered Peter\u2019s defence of God\u2019s judgement. \xa0Now Peters turns to speak of the deeds done by the false teachers for which that judgement comes.

I skipped a few verses (10b-11) here which speak of how these false teachers slander celestial beings\u2014like demons or the devil, perhaps. \xa0Then Peter condemns them for speaking boastfully and blasphemously about things they don\u2019t understand. \xa0He condemns them for adultery, greed, and seductions\u2014all while joining in the regular Christian feasts and fellowship. \xa0

There is a deceitfulness underneath all of this which Peter is attempting to reveal. \xa0Something which places spot and blemish on the church which, through the Spirit, is supposed to be cleansed from its spots and blemishes. \xa0So Peter makes a distinction between this group of false teachers and the rest of the community who their behaviour tempts. \xa0A distinction as clear as that between animals and humans.

The main principle used is that of \u201charm for harm.\u201d \xa0Even as yesterday\u2019s theme was that God\u2019s justice demands a judgement that separates the righteous from sinners, today\u2019s theme suggests that God\u2019s justice is just\u2014that it is fitting, reciprocal in such a way that the punishment fits the crime. \xa0

These false teachers have done harm, and so will be paid back for the harm they have done. \xa0They act as unreasoning creatures of instinct, no better than animals\u2014worse even, because even the unreasoning creature that was Balaam\u2019s donkey knew better than to do what these people do! \xa0Balaam too was one who loved \u201cthe wages of wickedness,\u201d which in Greek is exactly the same phrase as used earlier in the phrase \u201cpaid back for the harm they have done.\u201d

The picture is of those who follow their most base desires and influence others to do the same, rather than receive the far better \u201cwages\u201d of God\u2019s everything-we-need gifts that conform us to the likeness of Christ. \xa0Instead of following animal instincts that make us less than human, the invitation is to become ever more fully human in Christ.

What base behaviours do we condone by going along with them in our own community? \xa0Greed and alcohol abuse, for instance, have long been overlooked or tolerated as relatively harmless sins. \xa0From Christian high school onward\u2014a silent agreement of \u201cwe\u2019re all good Christians here\u201d has allowed us to collude with one another in parties and shrewd, anything-to-get-ahead practices of greed. \xa0Do we count the cost of the harms this behaviour does across a lifetime to those swallowed up by substance abuse (and their loved ones)? \xa0Or the impact to our witness to Christ when Christians are more ruthless and rude in their workplace practices than non-Christians?

Peter invites us to rise up to the fullness of the stature of Christ, rather than collude with others under the influence of costly base animal desires like these. \xa0If even a donkey knows better\u2014we should too. \xa0To put Peter\u2019s point bluntly: don\u2019t be an ass (donkey!). \xa0Grow up and live like a human, fully alive in Christ!

As you journey on, go with the blessing of God:

Grace and peace to you many times over as you deepen in your experience with God and Jesus, our Master. Grow in the grace and understanding of our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ. Glory to the Master, now and forever! Amen! (2 Peter 1:2; 3:18 MSG).

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