Series: 2 Peter
Title: God Spared Not the Old World
Text: 2 Peter 2: 5
Date: March 18, 2011
Place: SGBC, New Jersey
The Spirit of God speaks through Peter giving us a warning against false teachers. We are told that their doctrine and ways shall lead MANY to follow them. Their end will be judgment and eternal damnation.
We have looked at the first example: God spared not the angels that sinned. When the truth was declared in heaven that God the Son would take the form of a Man and that Christ Jesus the GodMan would be exalted over all and the world to come would be in subjection to him, Satan and a host of angels rebelled. They abode not in the truth. And God spared them not.
Our focus this morning will be the second example given. Title: God Spared Not the Old World
2 Peter 2: 5: And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
Proposition: Keep in mind that our subject is the error of false teachers which leads sinners to certain damnation. What was it that led the whole human race astray so that God destroyed the old world with a flood? It was rebellion against the truth of God’s salvation accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ himself.
Divisions: 1) The sin of the old world and God’s judgment; 2) God’s grace toward Noah and Noah’s faith.
I. THE SIN OF THE OLD WORLD AND GOD’S JUDGMENT--Genesis 6: 1: And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, 2: That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.
The world had been divided by God into two kinds of people. Those who verse 1 calls “men” (the children of Cain) and those called “sons of God”. (the children of Seth—these were taught to worship the true and living God.) There has always been only two kinds of religion in the earth since the days of Cain and Abel: works and grace.
Genesis 6: 1: And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,
The first thing that played a part in leading the posterity of Seth into apostasy from God is that in proportion to them, the children of Cain multiplied in greater numbers. Nine generations had now descended from Adam. Millions of people were upon the earth.
Apply this increase among the descendants of Cain to the religion of false teachers: free will, works religion of every sort. Works religion always grows more in number than grace. Remember Peter says that false teachers will be followed by MANY.
Works religion increases faster because it does not wait on the LORD and heed the Word of God. Cain’s descendants practiced polygamy—Lamech was first to take two wives. Peter says of false teachers—they have eyes full of adultery, beguiling unsable souls, allure through lusts of the flesh
Those called of the Lord wait upon the Lord Jesus our Husband to produce his children. God’s elect children have always been a remnant in the earth—always have been, always will be.
The second thing that led to their destruction was Genesis 6: 2: That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. Satan used Eve to tempt Adam. Satan has no problem using the fair, harlot of religion—false religion appears very fair to the natural eye.
False religion is compared to a harlot all decked out to attract the simple. (Proverbs 7: 12) They walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet: chains, and bracelets, and mufflers, bonnets, and ornaments of the legs, and headbands, and tablets, and earrings, rings and nose jewels, changeable suits of apparel, and mantles, and fine linen, and hoods, and vails (Is 3: 16-23).
Proverbs 7: 12: Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) 13: So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, 14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. 15: Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. 16: I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. 17: I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18: Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. 19: For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: 20: He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. 21: With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
2 Corinthians 6: 14: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Illustration: When the snow falls—it at first may cover the ground with it snow white beauty. But the longer it lays on the ground the more black and dirty and trampled it becomes.
Listen carefully, you may entertain the idea that by joining in with a church that is led by much craftiness that you can instruct them in the knowledge of Christ, but God says they will bring you down and blacken you.
Genesis 6: 3: And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.
God gave them space to repent. The Spirit’s striving with men is the longsuffering of God, calling sinners to repentance by the preaching of the gospel and granting them space for repentance.
1 Peter 3: 20: Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing,…
Noah was a preacher of righteousness. He preached for 120 years as he prepared the ark. He declared there is salvation only in Christ—typified in that ark. Waters of wrath flooded upon Christ. Christ satisfied divine justice for all those God put in Christ by his electing grace. The exact, particular, number whom Christ redeemed shall be born of God and shall believe on Christ.
But like the fallen angels would not bow to Christ, neither would these descendants of Seth because when they took the daughters of men to marry they became prosperous in temporal ways.
Genesis 6: 4…and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.
They laid claim to God’s name and his promises, because their fathers were “the sons of God.” But in their hearts they were the sons of Cain, fallen, cursed, violent, wicked men. They were godless religious men and women. But God looks on the heart.
Genesis 6: 5: And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6: And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7: And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. …11: The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. 12: And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.
The corruption in this earth right now is due to the denial of the true and living God by men who claim to be promoting the name of God—false teachers and the many who follow. Peter said they shall be among you, calling themselves the sons of God, even calling themselves Christians.
Satan and his false teachers allure: by numbers—making converts—children of Cain multiply much faster, by a fair show in the flesh—many wonderful works, by what appears as great prosperity in the groves of false religion.
The flood gates of corruption of every kind is opened by free will, works religion because they deny that Christ is God the Son come in human flesh. False teachers declare Christ came to do what he did not come to do--truth is Christ came to lay down his life for the sheep, the elect, those given him of the Father—at the heart is the denial of Christ’s successful finished redemption for the elect of God and the elect of God only. The lie of universal atonement denies the whole doctrine of God. It denies man’s total depravity—because it’s main objective is to make salvation possible by the will of man. And it denies God’s electing grace and the Holy Spirit’s regenerating glory. It places salvation in the hands of men.
The false teachers in our day use ingenuity in their preaching when all they need to do is proclaim the truth. They speak in ambiguous language so some may think they preach the doctrine of particular redemption, because they sometimes speak of Christ dying for his people. But they will not boldly declare that Christ did not die equally for all men. Whatever you want to call such false teaching is anything but the “simplicity that is in Christ.” It led to corruption in Noah’s day and it has in our day likewise.
Genesis 6: 13: And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.
As Peter said, 2 Peter 2: 5: And [God] spared not the old world,…bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;.
Sinner, turn from the daughters of Cain, and rest in Christ. Settle down amongst his people and find comfort for your souls. There is coming another day of judgment. God is giving you opportunity right now to repent. But the day is coming when God will shut the door of mercy
II. GOD’S GRACE TO NOAH
Genesis 6: 8: But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Grace is free! Grace is sovereign! Grace is unconditional! The world was lost; “but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord!” The world was condemned; “but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” The world perished; “but Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” God always has a remnant to whom he will be gracious. Peter says, God saved Noah.
Noah was justified. Genesis 6: 9:…Noah was a just man. Noah was just not only before men, but Noah was just in the sight of God, not by his own works of righteousness. By the righteousness of the promised seed, the Messiah--Noah "became heir of the righteousness which is by faith," (Heb 11:7)
Noah was Genesis 6: 9:…“perfect in his generation”. Perfect means, “sincere and upright”. They were unblemished in his conduct, unspotted by the world. While the rest were joining in with the sons of men, Noah remained unaffected by them.
Genesis 6: 9: Noah walked with God. Like Enoch before him and Abraham after him, Noah lived in the awareness of God’s immediate presence. He walked with God by faith, trusting him, believing his Word, doing his will, in sweet, blessed communion with God.
Noah believed God’s word. Genesis 6: 13: And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. 14: Make thee an ark of gopher wood;…18: But with thee will I establish my covenant; and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons’ wives with thee. The foundation of true faith is the Word of God
Romans 10: 17: So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Hebrews 11: 7: By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house;
Though they were things not yet seen such as it had never rained, judgment had never fallen in the form of a flood and all mankind had never been destroyed. But Noah believed God.
Noah moved with reverence. Hebrews 11: 7:…moved with fear. God was AllWise to him. God was holy to Noah. God was just and merciful and true and powerful to Noah.
The fruit of his faith was—he prepared an ark. HE BUILT THE ARK, NOT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN IDEAS, BUT EXACTLY HOW GOD SAID TO BUILD IT.
1 Corinthians 1: 17: For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Peter says, while he prepared the ark, He preached righteousness—he publicly declared salvation is exactly how God says it is by grace, by the finished work of Christ alone, through faith apart from your works of righteousness, by the Spirit of God robing you in Christ’s righteousness, by the Lord washing you in Christ’s blood, only Christ can bear your soul above the flood of God’s wrath, only Christ can save you.
God did as he said he would. God saved Noah and his house. He “prepared an ark to the saving of his house. “He became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.” What Christ earned, Noah was freely given. Noah deserved it because Christ merited it for him. Noah believed God!
Do you hear what the Holy Spirit is declaring here and through the apostle Peter. If God spared not the angels that sinned--he will not spare any sinner no matter how high a position we may appear to have. If God spared not the old world—though they had millions with them—he will not spare the many who join themselves with the fair daugthers of Cain
2 Peter 2:5: But God saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness,
BELIEVE ON CHRIST!
AMEN!