WEBVTT 00:00:00.919 --> 00:00:03.700 Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're 00:00:03.700 --> 00:00:05.740 taking this journey together to read the Bible 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:09.240 in a year. Today's reading is the Epistle of 00:00:09.240 --> 00:00:11.980 Jude, as well as the second epistle of Peter, 00:00:12.179 --> 00:00:18.120 chapters 1 to 3. The Epistle of Jude Jude, a 00:00:18.120 --> 00:00:20.739 bondservant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, 00:00:20.940 --> 00:00:23.640 to those who are called, sanctified by God the 00:00:23.640 --> 00:00:26.899 Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, mercy, 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:30.660 peace, and love be multiplied to you. Beloved, 00:00:30.699 --> 00:00:33.380 while I was very diligent to write to you concerning 00:00:33.380 --> 00:00:36.299 our common salvation, I found it necessary to 00:00:36.299 --> 00:00:38.560 write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:41.240 for the faith which was once for all delivered 00:00:41.240 --> 00:00:44.200 to the saints. For certain men have crept in 00:00:44.200 --> 00:00:47.520 unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:50.679 condemnation, ungodly men who turn the grace 00:00:50.679 --> 00:00:53.840 of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord 00:00:53.840 --> 00:00:57.500 God and our Lord Jesus Christ. But I want to 00:00:57.500 --> 00:01:00.189 remind you, Though you once knew this, that the 00:01:00.189 --> 00:01:02.409 Lord, having saved the people out of the land 00:01:02.409 --> 00:01:05.250 of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not 00:01:05.250 --> 00:01:07.989 believe, and the angels who did not keep their 00:01:07.989 --> 00:01:11.209 proper domain, but left their own abode, he has 00:01:11.209 --> 00:01:14.030 reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness 00:01:14.030 --> 00:01:17.090 for the judgment of the great day. As Sodom and 00:01:17.090 --> 00:01:19.530 Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar 00:01:19.530 --> 00:01:22.290 manner to these, having given themselves over 00:01:22.290 --> 00:01:25.450 to sexual immorality, and gone after strange 00:01:25.450 --> 00:01:28.400 flesh, are set forth as an example. suffering 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:31.379 the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also 00:01:31.379 --> 00:01:34.980 these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, 00:01:35.299 --> 00:01:38.099 and speak evil of dignitaries. Yet Michael the 00:01:38.099 --> 00:01:40.579 archangel, in contending with the devil, when 00:01:40.579 --> 00:01:43.359 he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not 00:01:43.359 --> 00:01:46.060 bring against him a reviling accusation, but 00:01:46.060 --> 00:01:49.859 said, The Lord rebuke you. But these speak evil 00:01:49.859 --> 00:01:52.379 of whatever they do not know. and whatever they 00:01:52.379 --> 00:01:55.560 know naturally, like brood beasts, in these things 00:01:55.560 --> 00:01:58.540 they corrupt themselves. Woe to them, for they 00:01:58.540 --> 00:02:01.560 have gone in the way of Cain, having run greedily 00:02:01.560 --> 00:02:04.200 the error of Balaam for profit, and perished 00:02:04.200 --> 00:02:07.000 in the rebellion of Korah. These are spots in 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:09.819 your love feasts, while they feast with you without 00:02:09.819 --> 00:02:13.080 fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds 00:02:13.080 --> 00:02:16.240 without water, carried about by the winds, late 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:19.620 autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled 00:02:19.620 --> 00:02:23.280 up by the roots. raging waves of the sea foaming 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:26.759 up their own shame wandering stars for whom is 00:02:26.759 --> 00:02:30.060 reserved the blackness of darkness forever now 00:02:30.060 --> 00:02:33.159 enoch the seventh from adam prophesied about 00:02:33.159 --> 00:02:37.099 these men also saying behold the lord comes with 00:02:37.099 --> 00:02:40.199 ten thousands of his saints to execute judgment 00:02:40.199 --> 00:02:43.939 on all to convict all who are ungodly among them 00:02:43.939 --> 00:02:46.979 of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed 00:02:46.979 --> 00:02:50.409 in an ungodly way and of all the harsh things 00:02:50.409 --> 00:02:53.610 which ungodly sinners have spoken against them. 00:02:53.669 --> 00:02:57.349 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according 00:02:57.349 --> 00:03:00.270 to their own lusts, and they mouth great swelling 00:03:00.270 --> 00:03:03.569 words. flattering people to gain advantage. But 00:03:03.569 --> 00:03:06.250 you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken 00:03:06.250 --> 00:03:08.949 before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:03:09.189 --> 00:03:11.909 how they told you that there would be mockers 00:03:11.909 --> 00:03:14.330 in the last time who would walk according to 00:03:14.330 --> 00:03:17.650 their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons 00:03:17.650 --> 00:03:21.379 who cause divisions not having the Spirit. But 00:03:21.379 --> 00:03:23.919 you, beloved, building yourselves up on your 00:03:23.919 --> 00:03:26.620 most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 00:03:26.860 --> 00:03:29.960 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for 00:03:29.960 --> 00:03:32.340 the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal 00:03:32.340 --> 00:03:35.780 life. And on some, have compassion, making a 00:03:35.780 --> 00:03:39.120 distinction, but others, save with fear, pulling 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:42.139 them out of the fire, hating even the garment 00:03:42.139 --> 00:03:45.590 defiled by the flesh. Now to Him who is able 00:03:45.590 --> 00:03:48.069 to keep you from stumbling, and to present you 00:03:48.069 --> 00:03:51.090 faultless, before the presence of His glory with 00:03:51.090 --> 00:03:54.370 exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is 00:03:54.370 --> 00:03:57.569 wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, 00:03:57.789 --> 00:04:05.770 both now and forever. Amen. 2 Peter 1 Simon Peter, 00:04:06.090 --> 00:04:09.150 a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ. To 00:04:09.150 --> 00:04:11.250 those who have obtained, like precious faith, 00:04:11.490 --> 00:04:14.229 with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior, 00:04:14.449 --> 00:04:17.649 Jesus Christ, grace and peace be multiplied to 00:04:17.649 --> 00:04:20.290 you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our 00:04:20.290 --> 00:04:23.629 Lord, as His divine power has given to us all 00:04:23.629 --> 00:04:26.870 things that pertain to life and godliness, through 00:04:26.870 --> 00:04:29.490 the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and 00:04:29.490 --> 00:04:32.410 virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly 00:04:32.410 --> 00:04:35.189 great and precious promises, that through these 00:04:35.189 --> 00:04:38.639 you may be partakers of the divine nature. having 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:41.480 escaped the corruption that is in the world through 00:04:41.480 --> 00:04:44.740 lust, but also for this very reason giving all 00:04:44.740 --> 00:04:48.540 diligence at your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 00:04:48.819 --> 00:04:51.500 to knowledge self -control, to self -control 00:04:51.500 --> 00:04:55.399 perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness 00:04:55.399 --> 00:04:58.000 brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:01.569 love. For if these things are yours and abound, 00:05:01.730 --> 00:05:04.029 you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in 00:05:04.029 --> 00:05:06.370 the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he 00:05:06.370 --> 00:05:09.269 who lacks these things is short -sighted, even 00:05:09.269 --> 00:05:12.670 to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed 00:05:12.670 --> 00:05:16.129 from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even 00:05:16.129 --> 00:05:18.529 more diligent to make your call and election 00:05:18.529 --> 00:05:21.610 sure. For if you do these things, you will never 00:05:21.610 --> 00:05:24.519 stumble. For so an entrance will be supplied 00:05:24.519 --> 00:05:27.180 to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom 00:05:27.180 --> 00:05:30.240 of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For this 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:32.740 reason, I will not be negligent to remind you 00:05:32.740 --> 00:05:35.319 always of these things, though you know and are 00:05:35.319 --> 00:05:38.839 established in the present truth. Yes, I think 00:05:38.839 --> 00:05:41.899 it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to 00:05:41.899 --> 00:05:45.040 stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:48.699 I must put off my tent, just as our Lord Jesus 00:05:48.699 --> 00:05:51.870 Christ showed me. Moreover, I will be careful 00:05:51.870 --> 00:05:54.370 to ensure that you always have a reminder of 00:05:54.370 --> 00:05:57.810 these things after my decease. For we did not 00:05:57.810 --> 00:06:01.029 follow cunningly devised fables when we made 00:06:01.029 --> 00:06:03.750 known to you the power and coming of our Lord 00:06:03.750 --> 00:06:06.990 Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 00:06:07.189 --> 00:06:10.050 For he received from God the Father honor and 00:06:10.050 --> 00:06:12.750 glory, when such a voice came to him from the 00:06:12.750 --> 00:06:16.149 excellent glory, This is my beloved Son. in whom 00:06:16.149 --> 00:06:18.970 I am well pleased. And we heard this voice which 00:06:18.970 --> 00:06:21.689 came from heaven, when we were with him on the 00:06:21.689 --> 00:06:24.670 holy mountain. And so we have the prophetic word 00:06:24.670 --> 00:06:27.930 confirmed, which you do well to heed, as a light 00:06:27.930 --> 00:06:30.930 that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns 00:06:30.930 --> 00:06:34.050 and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing 00:06:34.050 --> 00:06:37.209 this first, that no prophecy of scripture is 00:06:37.209 --> 00:06:41.029 of any private interpretation. For prophecy never 00:06:41.029 --> 00:06:43.529 came by the will of man, but holy men of God 00:06:43.529 --> 00:06:46.040 spoke as they were moved. by the Holy Spirit. 00:07:08.459 --> 00:07:11.660 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive 00:07:11.660 --> 00:07:14.399 words. For a long time their judgment has not 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:17.259 been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. 00:07:17.579 --> 00:07:20.480 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, 00:07:20.500 --> 00:07:22.839 but cast them down to hell and delivered them 00:07:22.839 --> 00:07:26.240 into chains of darkness to be reserved for judgment, 00:07:26.459 --> 00:07:29.379 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved 00:07:29.379 --> 00:07:32.399 Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, 00:07:32.740 --> 00:07:35.779 bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly. 00:07:35.959 --> 00:07:37.899 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah 00:07:37.899 --> 00:07:40.939 into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making 00:07:40.939 --> 00:07:43.600 them an example to those who afterward would 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:46.819 live ungodly, and delivered righteous Lot, who 00:07:46.819 --> 00:07:49.139 was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked. 00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:52.600 For that righteous man dwelling among them tormented 00:07:52.600 --> 00:07:55.500 his righteous soul from day to day by seeing 00:07:55.500 --> 00:07:58.540 and hearing their lawless deeds. Then the Lord 00:07:58.540 --> 00:08:01.319 knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations 00:08:01.319 --> 00:08:04.639 and to reserve the unjust under punishment for 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:07.009 the day of judgment. and especially those who 00:08:07.009 --> 00:08:09.949 walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness 00:08:09.949 --> 00:08:12.930 and despise authority. They are presumptuous, 00:08:13.009 --> 00:08:15.689 self -willed. They are not afraid to speak evil 00:08:15.689 --> 00:08:18.550 of dignitaries, whereas angels, who are greater 00:08:18.550 --> 00:08:22.149 in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation 00:08:22.149 --> 00:08:25.389 against them before the Lord. But these, like 00:08:25.389 --> 00:08:28.529 natural brute beasts, made to be caught and destroyed, 00:08:28.990 --> 00:08:31.490 speak evil of the things they do not understand, 00:08:31.769 --> 00:08:34.149 and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 00:08:34.370 --> 00:08:36.990 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness 00:08:36.990 --> 00:08:40.250 as those who counted pleasure to carouse in the 00:08:40.250 --> 00:08:43.429 daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing 00:08:43.429 --> 00:08:45.990 in their own deceptions while they feast with 00:08:45.990 --> 00:08:48.830 you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot 00:08:48.830 --> 00:08:52.889 cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They 00:08:52.889 --> 00:08:56.029 have a heart trained in covetous practices, and 00:08:56.029 --> 00:08:58.809 are accursed children. They have forsaken the 00:08:58.809 --> 00:09:01.309 right way and gone astray, following the way 00:09:01.309 --> 00:09:03.889 of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages 00:09:03.889 --> 00:09:06.509 of unrighteousness, but he was rebuked for his 00:09:06.509 --> 00:09:09.570 iniquity. A dumb donkey, speaking with a man's 00:09:09.570 --> 00:09:12.049 voice, restrained the madness of the prophet. 00:09:12.370 --> 00:09:15.029 These are wells without water, clouds carried 00:09:15.029 --> 00:09:17.809 by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness 00:09:17.809 --> 00:09:20.929 of darkness forever. For when they speak great 00:09:20.929 --> 00:09:23.629 swelling words of emptiness, they allure through 00:09:23.629 --> 00:09:26.389 the lusts of the flesh. through lewdness, the 00:09:26.389 --> 00:09:29.009 ones who have actually escaped from those who 00:09:29.009 --> 00:09:31.490 live in error. While they promise them liberty, 00:09:31.750 --> 00:09:34.490 they themselves are slaves of corruption. For 00:09:34.490 --> 00:09:37.570 by whom a person is overcome, by him also he 00:09:37.570 --> 00:09:40.570 is brought into bondage. For if after they have 00:09:40.570 --> 00:09:43.190 escaped the pollutions of the world through the 00:09:43.190 --> 00:09:45.629 knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, 00:09:45.950 --> 00:09:48.610 they are again entangled in them and overcome, 00:09:49.179 --> 00:09:51.500 The latter end is worse for them than the beginning, 00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:54.240 for it would have been better for them not to 00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:56.620 have known the way of righteousness than having 00:09:56.620 --> 00:09:59.700 known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered 00:09:59.700 --> 00:10:02.360 to them. But it has happened to them according 00:10:02.360 --> 00:10:05.360 to the true proverb, a dog returns to his own 00:10:05.360 --> 00:10:09.080 vomit, and a sow, having washed, to her wallowing 00:10:09.080 --> 00:10:18.850 in the mire. in both of which I stir up your 00:10:18.850 --> 00:10:21.769 pure minds by way of reminder, that you may be 00:10:21.769 --> 00:10:24.110 mindful of the words which were spoken before 00:10:24.110 --> 00:10:26.529 by the holy prophets and of the commandment of 00:10:26.529 --> 00:10:29.330 us, the apostles of the Lord and Saviour, knowing 00:10:29.330 --> 00:10:31.870 this first, that scoffers will come in the last 00:10:31.870 --> 00:10:35.210 days, walking according to their own lusts, and 00:10:35.210 --> 00:10:38.190 saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For 00:10:38.190 --> 00:10:40.830 since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue 00:10:40.830 --> 00:10:43.129 as they were from the beginning of creation. 00:10:43.470 --> 00:10:46.570 For this they will fully forget. that by the 00:10:46.570 --> 00:10:49.669 word of God the heavens were of old, and earth 00:10:49.669 --> 00:10:52.970 standing out of water and in the water, by which 00:10:52.970 --> 00:10:56.269 the world that then existed perished, being flooded 00:10:56.269 --> 00:10:59.149 with water. But the heavens and the earth, which 00:10:59.149 --> 00:11:01.970 are now preserved by the same word, are reserved 00:11:01.970 --> 00:11:04.710 for fire until the day of judgment and perdition 00:11:04.710 --> 00:11:08.169 of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this 00:11:08.169 --> 00:11:11.529 one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a 00:11:11.529 --> 00:11:14.750 thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 00:11:15.179 --> 00:11:17.580 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, 00:11:17.740 --> 00:11:20.480 as some count slackness, but is longsuffering 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:23.240 toward us, not willing that any should perish, 00:11:23.419 --> 00:11:26.519 but that all should come to repentance. But the 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:28.860 day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, 00:11:29.019 --> 00:11:31.759 in which the heavens will pass away with a great 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:34.399 noise, and the elements will melt with fervent 00:11:34.399 --> 00:11:37.500 heat. Both the earth and the works that are in 00:11:37.500 --> 00:11:40.679 it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these 00:11:40.679 --> 00:11:43.509 things will be dissolved, what manner of persons 00:11:43.509 --> 00:11:46.629 ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 00:11:46.830 --> 00:11:50.250 looking for and hastening the coming of the day 00:11:50.250 --> 00:11:53.029 of God, because of which the heavens will be 00:11:53.029 --> 00:11:56.009 dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will 00:11:56.009 --> 00:11:59.289 melt with fervent heat. Nevertheless, we, according 00:11:59.289 --> 00:12:02.289 to his promise, look for new heavens and a new 00:12:02.289 --> 00:12:05.570 earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, 00:12:05.629 --> 00:12:08.399 beloved, looking forward to these things, Be 00:12:08.399 --> 00:12:11.399 diligent to be found by him in peace, without 00:12:11.399 --> 00:12:14.679 spot and blameless. And consider that the longsuffering 00:12:14.679 --> 00:12:17.799 of our Lord is salvation, as also our beloved 00:12:17.799 --> 00:12:20.580 brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to 00:12:20.580 --> 00:12:24.019 him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, 00:12:24.100 --> 00:12:27.000 speaking in them of these things, in which are 00:12:27.000 --> 00:12:29.679 some things hard to understand. which untaught 00:12:29.679 --> 00:12:32.159 and unstable people twist to their own destruction, 00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:35.820 as they do also the rest of scriptures. You therefore, 00:12:35.879 --> 00:12:39.299 beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware 00:12:39.299 --> 00:12:42.100 lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, 00:12:42.240 --> 00:12:44.539 being led away with the error of the wicked, 00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:47.360 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord 00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:50.159 and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory, 00:12:50.320 --> 00:12:58.539 both now and forever. Amen. I hope you enjoyed 00:12:58.539 --> 00:13:01.100 today's reading as much as I did and I look forward 00:13:01.100 --> 00:13:03.159 to seeing you again tomorrow to continue on our 00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:05.259 journey. God bless you and have a great day.