THE TERRIBLE SIN IN PETER’S GENERATION

If we are reading correctly, the sin of sodomy was rampant in the days of the apostle Peter. In 2 Peter 2, the apostle warns the churches of the coming of false prophets. He says they "secretly," with subtle intention introduced "destructive heresies," even denying the sacrifice of Christ, the Master, who died for their sins (v. 1). Peter then uses the example of the generation of Noah and the fact that God did not spare that sinning group of people who were existing before the great Flood (vv. 4-5).    But then Peter turns to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah when the Lord reduced those cities to ashes (v. 6). The question: does Peter then continue to describe the consequences of the evil of homosexuality in the verses that follow, verses 7-14? In my opinion that is exactly what he does, and if this is so, this is the longest passage of Scripture describing the horrors of that debauchery that was raising its evil head again in Peter's day.    He says the people of those two cities were "living ungodly" lives, they were unprincipled men, and righteous Lot, Abraham's nephew, was living among them (v. 8). These Sodomites were practicing "lawless deeds" (v. 8b). They were reserved "under punishment for the day of judgment" (v. 9). They indulged the flesh with corrupt desires, they despised authority, were self-willed, were not afraid of angelic majesties (possibly a reference to the two angels who came to Sodom to rescue Lot).    These men "were like unreasoning animals, born of instinct to be captured and killed reviling when they had no knowledge, ..." (vv. 11-12). They were "having eyes full of adultery and never ceased from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children" (v. 14).    Peter uses the above long list to describe sodomy. This is my opinion and it seems to be the view of others, such as William Baker on 2 Peter, in my commentary series. Kenneth Wuest appears to make the same connection. Wuest says the sins of the Sodomites were like those called Libertines. The word "flesh" is a reference to their depraved behavior. They had passionate desires and cravings. They were polluting all those around them. Wuest points out that the false teachers of verse 1 brought forth their totally depraved nature which became bait to snare their hearers and lead them astray. Thus they lived out acts of manners with filthy words and of "the unchaste handling of males and females."    Ed Blum applies all these verses also to homosexuality. He says the connection of what was going on in Sodom and Gomorrah had for Peter's day, "contemporary application which was plan." Blum raises the question, "To what extent are Christians living today in a godliness society tormented by what they see?" He adds, "God's wrath is certain to fall on the false teachers of Peter's day, and on those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature—this refers," he adds, "to sexual profligacy." "Profligacy" means "shameless dissoluteness," and "reckless extravagance." Kistemaker argues that these sexual sins, both homosexuality and adultery, were destroying the churches.    One cannot help think of the open sin of the homosexual Bishops in the Episcopal churches today. The shameless and open parading of their sins before the churches and the world! And, also of the homosexual churches that are springing up around the nation!    What is happening today makes us think of Peter's words here in 2 Peter! – Dr. Mal Couch (Feb., 10)