Monday, April 18, 2016

The dog returns to its own vomit

2 Peter 2:20
  • For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.

This is what should never happen to us who have come to know Christ. A lot of churchgoers fall into this category. Many who walk on the broad road belong to this category.

Many of us who have come to know Christ have also escaped the defilements of the world. Our way of thinking and our desire have accordingly changed to that pleases God. However, many of us do fall back into our old habits, and some do repent and return back to the narrow road and follow their cross daily. However, on the other hand, some people do go back to their old way of life and get entangled in the defilement of the world again.

1 John 2:16 says, "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world."

Many of us do yield to our flesh and desires of our eyes, coveting something we don't have and striving to get that which we believe would satisfy us, rather than relying on God to satisfy us. We strive to excel in what we do, and beat others in this competition of life, so that we would feel proud of our achievements and feel superior to others who did not do as well as we did. We seek pride just as Satan did.

The prime example of someone who did get entangled in the defilements of the world again was Demas. "For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica," 2 Timothy 4:10.

The world offers so much and it is alluring. However, we know that, "the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever." according to 1 John 2:17. Even the sinful desires are passing away with this current world.

But some of us do change our minds again, i.e. repent, and come back to the Lord, and kneel before him and ask for forgiveness. 1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

2 Peter 2:21, "For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them."

Hebrews 10:26, 27, "for if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries."

Hebrews 10:29, "How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?"

2 Peter 2:22, "what the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”"

Proverbs 26:11, "Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly."

So this is a saying for unbelievers who are in the guise of believers. Am I like what is described above? We need to fear and take heed of the Paul's admonition. "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" 2 Corinthians 13:5.

2 comments:

  1. I ended up here from your site for learning Korean ^^ Thank you so much for these two sites!
    Greetings from Turkey,
    Anna

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