Living in Humility

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 2:10-16 (day 6)

The false teachers Peter describes were proud and arrogant, despising authority. Pride always begins with the same lie whispered in Eden: You don’t need God. You can decide what’s good on your own. But humility is the joyful posture of remembering that life, meaning, and goodness begin outside of us, in God Himself.

Life in the Spirit begins here. The humble heart knows that every breath, every insight, and every step of wisdom is a gift. It’s not self-deprecation; it’s dependence. It’s Adam and Eve before the fall—walking with God in trust. The proud say, “I’ve got this.” The humble say, “I need You.”

When we live in humility, we make space for the Spirit to lead, teach, and bear fruit in us. That’s where true freedom begins.

Words

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 2:10-16 (day five)

Words are an invaluable treasure in God’s economy. He spoke the world into existence (Genesis 1). His Son is often referred to as The Word (John 1). He has intentionally chosen to reveal Himself in the scriptures (John 5). If words are that important and significant to the Lord, they should be to us as well. What and how we read and listen are important. Being intentional to “hear” what is being said (preached) is crucial. That is one of the “litmus tests” Peter prescribes in pointing out false teachers- their words. 3 times (revile) in this short passage, Peter points to what is being said (or not said) as a telling indicator of a false teacher. We must listen, read, and hear with supernatural discernment that comes from the Spirit. Wanna spot a fake?  Want clarity on their heart?  Want guidance on whom to trust and follow?  Pay attention to their words.  “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬ ‭ “But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭21‬-‭22‬

Ancient

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 2:10-16 (day four)

We’re bombarded with news headlines about the latest tragedies of the world. When we’re taking in a constant stream of information about violence, political tension, and cultural upset, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the weight of it all. The world is heavy, sin is real, and tragedy is all around us. When we add that to our own trauma, fears, and concerns, it can almost be too much to bear.

When Peter brings up Balaam, Noah, and Lot, he’s reminding us that sin and violence are ancient. The issues we face in this life are not new; they are ancient problems with a fresh coat of paint that we can trace all the way back to Genesis. But he’s also reminding us that God’s justice is ancient as well. It existed before sin entered the world and it is sure and steadfast.

God’s justice is eternal. If it prevailed in the lives of Balaam, Noah, and Lot, it will prevail in our lives too. Our faith is anchored in the Ancient of Days, and this allows us to face the world without fear.

Numb

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 2:10-16 (day three)

“Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble…”

Peter speaks of people who have become numb to their feelings. Consider: trembling is the body’s response to danger detected by the nervous system. In such a case, the body is feeling and signaling the gravity of the situation. A person can over time shut down and numb that experience of the nervous system for a variety of reasons – sometimes because fear seems alien and threatening, and other things like riches or power or position can offer a distraction and an anesthetic to fear. But if a person becomes numb to feelings, he or she will try increasingly extreme behaviors in order just to feel something, anything – up to and including destructive and deceptive behavior. People who can’t feel revulsion in the presence of evil will burn themselves and others in their attempt to feel something.

Unexpected Voices

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 2:10-16 (day two)

…but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet. v. 16

When was the last time you were stopped in your tracks by something unexpected? There are times when we are so focused on ourselves, or the path that we believe to be right, that we miss the obvious warning signs of danger. In Balaam’s case it took a donkey speaking before he took notice of the angel in the road. We all make decisions based on what we think is best for us, for our families, for the church. How often are we challenging our own convictions against the Word? If we don’t have a constant connection to the Lord, we will go off course. That is inevitable, but we don’t have to stay there. Don’t be afraid to course correct. Don’t be afraid to go against the flow. Don’t be afraid to listen to the voice of the Lord in unexpected places.

Monday Re:Vlog – 10/20/25

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 2:10-16 (day one)

Join us as Senior Pastor Chris Johnson, Associate Pastor Aaron Hufty, and Associate Pastor Bryan Richardson walk us through 2 Peter 2:10-16 in our Fall Re:Verse Series: “2 Peter – Standing Firm in the Faith.”

Play Doh Jesus

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 2:4-9 (day seven)

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment. vs 4

One of the illustrations I have been using with our youth recently is “Play Doh Jesus.” Why do kids (and let’s be honest, adults) like play doh so much? It is because we have control to make the object look the way we want it. There are many people in modern society that like Jesus because what they are following is not the Jesus of the Bible. It is a Jesus that they have molded to be someone they are comfortable with.

“My Jesus cares about the things I care about.”

“My Jesus would be in my political party.”

“My Jesus doesn’t judge me for my actions.”

They like this Jesus so much more because it feels like they are in control instead of Jesus being in control. They have created an idol out of play doh instead of allowing the Creator to mold them into what He wants them to be.

Jesus wants you to care about what He cares about.

Jesus wants you to be Kingdom minded.

Jesus is The Judge.

Staying Put

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 2:4-9 (day six)

Faithfulness doesn’t always look exciting. Sometimes it looks like simply staying put, holding fast to what’s true when the world is chasing what’s next.

Peter knew that false teachers, who doubted Jesus’ return and future judgment, were promising something new, something more appealing than the message of the gospel. But the truth about Jesus doesn’t need to evolve or be improved. It’s not a trend to update; it’s a reality to live into.

Peter reminds these young, fragile churches that faith isn’t about chasing new ideas; it’s about clinging to what is real. “The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials,” he says (2 Peter 2:9). God has not changed. His truth has not shifted. And His promises remain secure.

In a world obsessed with progress and novelty, maybe one of the most radical things we can do is to stay put – to remain rooted in the truth that Jesus is Lord, the gospel is enough, and God’s Word still leads us home.

Promises

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 2:4-9 (day five)

Last week I had the pleasure to travel with a group from our church to Washington DC and Lancaster, Pa. One of the highlights of our trip, was to see the production of “Noah” at Sight and Sound Theater. It was visually stunning. It was theologically accurate. The main theme which was said and sung throughout the production was, “God keeps His promises.”  As persecution and temptation came, Noah would constantly remind himself, his family, and those around him of this truth. Perhaps today (in a broken world often hostile to the things of God) you might just need to hear the Spirit whisper, “God keeps His Promises.”  Our task is to find His promises in the scriptures and to remember them in our times of trial and temptation. “He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust.” 2 Peter‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬

So, here’s a promise to remember today- “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” John‬ ‭10‬:‭27‬-‭28‬

Mercy

Re:Verse passage – 2 Peter 2:4-9 (day four)

Peter is writing what are likely some of his last words from prison before his death. When you’re near death, you focus on communicating what is most important, not mere opinions or fantastical possibilities. Peter writes about the judgement and justice of God, and he describes it as both a fact and a promise. Paul writes in a similar way just before his death in 2 Timothy 4:1, and he invokes the judgement and justice of God when encouraging Timothy to be faithful to his ministry.

I don’t think they write in this way because their impending death is making them vengeful, but because they know more than anyone that they are sinners who deserve God’s wrath, but through Christ they have received mercy. Their walk with Christ has made them more aware of the magnitude of God’s love and sacrifice that covers their sin, making them recipients of grace rather than the judgement they deserve.

Peter makes it clear: God is a God of justice, and it is only through Christ’s mercy that we have cause to celebrate this.