ELDER DIRKES ON FALSE TEACHERS 2...

[ed. This article was taken from brother Tom Adam's website and republished here.]

Question on 2 Peter 2:1
Part 2

Hello Elder Chet,

I had to read your comments several times; there was so much meat in them,and I am grateful to you for taking the time. Can you give me a reference for your rendering of 2 Pet 2:1, “denying the master with whom they do business?” That certainly makes much better sense in the context, but I have never seen that anywhere else.

Peace and Grace to you and family,
March 12, 2010

My hope is that there was some truth proclaimed and that it is for the edification of the saints. I make no pretense of being knowledgeable in the Greek language as I can barely speak and understand my native tongue. The translation of the words that appears in the King James issue are essentially correct and I do not mean to insinuate that it is a mistranslation, but the context of the subject matter lends itself to a different application of the words. The first word is “despoton” which is both ‘Lord’ and master. It can be found in application to our Lord (Luke 2:29) and to the Lord as a master (Jude 4). Both are speaking of God but one refers to Him as the lord of His people and the other as a master over servants. These are like the one spoken of in Luke 16, an unjust steward who was accused of wasting his (the master’s) good. They are different from the wicked in that they have a pretense of the knowledge of the truth and have made merchandise of it. Hence the idea of the marketplace and doing business rather than being bought and giving the idea of being redeemed. These are like their father who was perfect in the day he was created, till iniquity was found in him and by the multitude of his merchandise, this iniquity, filled him with violence and sin. Therefore did God cast him out of His mountain like a profane thing and did destroy him. (Ez. 28:15). The unjust servants took the beauty of the pattern of heavenly things and made league with the gods of this world and the people of the land. They have sold themselves for naught and lived prosperously in the confusion that followed. Then arose a group of these men who thought that they could reorganize the patterns into a more palatable user friendly format in which man could keep the law and thereby be as Paul said, according to the righteousness of the law, blameless. “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 4). Here it is presented again that they refuse ‘the one master God’, not as the free will doctrine would say that they denied the free gift of God, even the blood of His Son unto eternal life, but they refuse THE ONE MASTER (who is God over all). They have gone after Baal (master) and have cried unto the golden calves, these be our gods which brought us out of Egypt. Notice the connecting word ‘and’, they not only denied the one master God, who is the King of all kings and the Master of all masters but He is also our (those chosen in Him from before the foundation of the world) Lord, the anointed salvation of Jehovah.

The two words here translated ‘Lord’ come from two different words; the first “despoton” gives the indication of a sovereign ruler while the other (kurious) is one of the head of the household, so they essentially are the same and use contextually for these applications. But these false prophets are of Babylon the great and they seek not the edification of the body but rather dissension and division. She is the great whore that sits on many waters and committed fornication with he inhabitants of the earth, making them drunk with the wine of her fornication. She is still dressed in the colors of the tabernacle and sports about all the riches of the temple but upon her forehead is written, “Mystery, Babylon the great, The Mother of harlots and abomination of the earth”. Notice how she the kings (rulers) of this world and the merchants have all waxed rich through he abundance of her delicacies while she has become drunk with the blood of the saints and martyrs and denies her lord and master. She has said in her heart, “I sit as a queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow”. But her husband is dead, he law is abolished and her house is left desolate. Yet her prophets like the days of Jeremiah, cry ‘peace, peace, when there is no peace.’

One who is born from above has the Spirit within and could never deny the blood. The carnal man could deny Him as did Peter but when the Anointed One of the salvation of Jehovah looked at Peter, he went out and wept bitterly. That is the frailty and weakness of the flesh. But one who rebels against the Most High calling His Holiness profane and His power weak or who calls the blood of The Anointed One common (available to all who want it) and who tramples the blood afresh as if there does remain ample blood for whenever one sins, denies the Sovereignty of Adonai El Shaddai, Lord God Almighty. The proclamation of salvation through the law, blessing through obedience, exercising faith, surrendering all to Jesus, making Him lord and master of your life and any such work based will worshiping system are false prophets and filthy dreamers who defile the flesh, despise dominion and speak evil of dignitaries. But these speak evil of those things which they know not. What they know naturally as brute beasts in those things they corrupt themselves. Woe unto them! They have gone the way of Cain and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward and perish in the gainsaying of Core. These are spots in your feasts of charity when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear. Clouds are they without water carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withered, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots, raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. (Jude)

May the Spirit give you understanding,

Your servant in Christ,
chet

March 12, 2010