Teaching: 2 Peter 2

The characteristics of false teachers as described by Peter

deny the Lord                                        shall speak evil of the truth                         covetousness
filthy conversation                                  walk after the flesh                                     lust of uncleannes
despise government                                presumtious                                              self willed
speak evil of things not understood         pleasure to riot                                           adultery
words of vanity    
                            
This list will help me to avoid false teachings in the world today.  We can tell who is a follower of Christ by their actions.  If someone were to do any of the list above then they are not following Christ.


In 2 Peter 2:20-22 and D&C 82:3,7 it talks about those that have received Christ in their life and have turned away from it and returned to their way of life before.  These scriptures state that it would have been better if they had not known the truth then to have know it and turned from it.  As we lose the light of Christ and lose the right to have the Holy Ghost as our constant companion, I think it become harder to choose the right and the resist temptations.  When we are followers of Christ be don't want anything to do with sin.
As a disciple of Christ we are expected to follow the commandments and
to follow the Savior in all things.

1 Peter 1-5: A "Peculiar People"

Chosen generation: Elder Bruce R. McConkie defined a chosen generation as “not those living in a particular period or age, but … the house of Israel both anciently, in the meridian of time, and now in these latter-days. … [It includes] faithful members of the Church who have taken upon themselves the name of Christ and been adopted into his family” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1966–73], 3:294).

Royal priesthood:  Christ is the king of all those he calls his own-those who are mad royal by virtue of holding and honoring his priesthood.  Bruce R McConkie says " Whenever the Lord has a people on the earth he offers to make them a nation of kings and priests- not a congregation of lay members with a priest or a minister at the head- but a whole Church in which every man is his own minister, in which every man stands as a king in his own right, reigning over his own family-kingdom.  The priesthood which makes a man a king and a priest is this a royal priesthood" (McConkie, DNTC, 3:294)

Holy nation: A holy nation is also a phrase that requires definition and detail. Holiness in its Hebrew root means dedication, loyalty and an ability to break down the barriers of society that oftentimes prevent us from achieving spiritual satisfaction and nobility of purpose. A holy nation must therefore mean a nation that is able to retain its unique identity. It cannot be swallowed up by the prevailing and ever changing majority cultures that will always surround it.

Holiness requires the ability to care for everyone while remaining apart from everyone at one and the same time. Holiness refers to the body and not just to the soul and the spirit. It speaks to discipline and order, self-control and resisting impulse. The great challenge here is to instill these virtues and traits of character and behavior in an entire nation and not only in a few special chosen, extraordinary individuals. (Rabbi Berel Wein, Torah.org)

Peculiar people:  Peculiar as used in the King James version comes from the Latin peculim, meaning "private property".  Though today it has come to mean "strange or unusual", it carries the same idea - a characteristic or quality belonging to something.  It means that the Saints are God's own.  President Joseph Fielding Smith added: "And we will be a peculiar because we will not be like other people who do not live up to these standards" (CR, Apr. 1971 p. 47)

The price paid to help us become God's "peculiar people" was the blood of the perfect Christ.  He suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane for our sins and when we accept Christ and repent then we can become God's people.  (1 Peter 1:18-19; Mosiah 3:7)

When followed, this list will help us to remain God's "peculiar people". (1 Peter 1:13-25; 2:1-17; 3:10-11; 4:8; 5:6-8)
hope to the end                    obedient                       holy in conversation                   call on the Father
purify our souls                     love our brethren          love one another                        baptism
lay aside malice                    no hypocrisy                 no evil speaking                         spiritual sacrifices
believe on Him                     abstain from lust           honesty                                       submit to ordinances
honor men                           fear God                       seek peace                                love life
charity                                  be humble                   be vigilant
 
The Family Proclamation states that "By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families.  Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children.  In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners."  In 1 Peter  3:1-12, three principles that relate are...
First: Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, (vs 7) Husbands should teach their families.
Second:  Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing (vs 9).  We should not have contention within the marriage.
Third:  Be ye of one mind, having compassion one of another (vs 8).  We are a team in marriage and in our families.

Hebrews:13

I am in London and Paris this week and wanted to make this a little more interesting. At the beginning of this trip, I read the questions for this assignment to my niece and daughter.  Our adventure was to find the answers in the history of London.

How should we treat strangers and those in bondage?

London has a rich history of good kings and queens and then horrible tyrants.  Their history is riddled with jealousy, wars, and putting those who were a threat to the crown in captivity.
The king of Scotland was incarcerated for 16 years.  He was allowed to leave when he wanted and even given hunting dogs.  He was not allowed to go further than 21 miles away from the Tower of London.  Then there were other horrible examples of torture and unjust treatment.

White Tower at the London Tower, London England

In vs 3.  It says we should treat others with compassion.  This does not mean to trust everyone and to be taken advantage of.  We need to use common sense but we can also be kind.

How is marriage looked upon?

The royal weddings are looked upon with great amazement and admiration.

In vs 4:  Marriage is looked upon honorably

What warnings are given about covetousness?

I was amazed at how many people were killed because they were considered a threat to the crown.  Many of the stories were very sad.
In vs 5.  Be content for He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.

What is the same yesterday, and today, and forever?

vs 8.  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever

How are we sanctified?

vs 12.  We are sanctified through Christ's blood and by His suffering

How do we respond to those that rule over us?

It seems that the general people in London love their Queen.  We happened to be there when the Queen was arriving at Westminster Abby.  The people lined the street.

Buckingham Palace in London, England

vs 17.  We obey and submit ourselves to those who rule over us.

Who did Paul ask the people to pray for?

The Anglican Church built St. Paul's Cathedral to honor Paul.  This is not what Paul asked for.  Instead of praying for Paul, the people pray to Paul.

St. Paul's Cathedral in London, England

vs. 18.  Paul asked us to pray for him so that he could return to be with the people.

Titus 1-3: Epistle of Obedience

1.  Paul converted Titus (vs. 1:4).  Paul then sent Titus to Corinth with a letter (2 Cor. 7:6-7, 13, 15).  Titus then returned to Paul in Macedonia and was again sent to Corinth..  At the conclusion of Paul's first imprisonment at Rome, Titus joined him in Ephesus, and they went together to Crete.  Titus remained in Crete where he received a letter with Paul's instructions to set things in order and ordain elders.   Later Titus was sent on a mission to Dalmatia (2 Tim 4:10)

2.  The attributes of a Bishop as listed in Titus 1:6-9 & 1 Timothy 3:1-7

   blameless                                           lover of hospitality
   steward of God                                  sober
   not selfwilled                                     just                      
   not soon to anger                               holy
   not given to wine                                temperate
   no striker                                          hold fast the faithful word
   not given to filthy lucre                       good report
   husband of one wife                           apt to teach
   not covetous                                      ruleth well in his own house
   not lifted up with pride

3.  List of problems Paul found with the Cretans

   liars                                                 evil beasts
   slow bellies (idle bellies)                     false teachers
   greed                                               avariciousness (greedy or covetousness)

   The name Creatan became synomymous with dishonesty
   Their reputation for lying became so commonly known that the name became both a verb and a noun.  (kretidzein, meaning "to speak like a Cretan or to lie")  (kretismos, literally "Cretan behavior" which equaled lying)
    Slow bellies or idle bellies, carries the idea of lazy gluttony that leads to extreme obesity.


4. Titus 2-3
     2:1   Paul encourages Titus to speak of all men.

     Paul said that sound doctrine would affect aged men to be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience (vs 2).  Aged women, that their behavior becometh holiness, not false accuser, not given to wine, teachers of good things (vs 3)

     This applies to the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands (vs. 4-5)  Young men likewise.  (vs 6).  pattern of good works, in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech. (vs 8)
   
     The counsel that Paul give can help us be patient with new members of the church.  We need to give them time to learn and grow.  These versus say when we are aged.  We need life experience and time to learn the gospel.

The Lord's grace is essential to our salvation.  We can not be perfect.  We take one day at a time.  We improve our lives each day and make progress.  We need the Atonement, Repentance and the Grace of God.

5.  In Titus 3:9 is says to "avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions and striving about the law". I think avoiding foolish questions means getting hung up on questions that are not essential to our salvation.  I think the genealogy part of this scripture means that it doesn't matter what your bloodline is.  "Don't think you are awesome just because your Grandpa was."

Foolish questions and genealogy refers to the people struggling with the fulfillment of the law of Moses and more specifically with men outside of the house of Levi receiving the priesthood.  The Priesthood is no longer granted based on lineage but on personal worthiness.