I would like to add to the Great comfort and words that the others gave you.
The Prodigal Son.
In Luke 15:3-32 we see the Lord give a in three phases in one parable with the last phase being the Prodigal Son.
The context of all three of these phases of this one Parable is Rejoicing over that was lost and now found!
We see the audience and reason for the parable in verses 1and 2
"Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them".
The lost sheep, the lost coin and the younger Son going into a far country, represent the son going into a far country,
The elder son in the field represents the Pharisees and their murmuring in verse 2.
The father didn't go looking for his younger son but he never stopped expecting his son to return.
It's the Holyspirit that gathers us and brings us back home!
The younger Son went out like the sheep and got lost but he never ceased from being a Son!!
He said "I will arise and go to my father!
He left the pig pen because he didn't belong there! He's not a pig, he's a Son!
In 2 Peter 2:22 we see a biblical proverb "But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire"
A pig returning back to her wallowing in the mire. "Because she was a pig!
The Son returned home because he was a Son and he never lost his identity.
And joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth,
We have a Great Shepherd that leaves the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it and he will never leave or forsake us!
We see the role of the Father the Son and the Holyspirit in this parable!
Thanks for your reply. I understand many see this as comfort, similar to what you hear at a funeral when the preacher says Bob is with Jesus in heaven. Am I going to tell that loved one No, he is not? NO, but what is the actual truth?
Ecclesiastes 9:5, if we die, we know nothing. Psalms 115:17 I believe that if our spirit were alive in heaven, we would be praising the LORD. Our only hope of eternal life is in Jesus; this comes when we are resurrected, not before, 1 Corinthians 15:52-54.
Not to drag this out, I will say, if we all have an immortal spirit, there is no death and no true gift of eternal life because we already possess it. John 3:15, John 10:28, Romans 2:7, Romans 6:23, 1 John 2:25. This is our promise. The others receive death; they will perish, John 3:16, 2 Thessalonians 2:10, 2 Peter 2:12. The word perish is to destroy fully, permanent, absolute destruction. Revelation 21:8 their part, their punishment, and death will fit their sins, not burn for eternity.
Death is not a separation, as Greek philosophy puts it, which has influenced today's understanding.
Thank you for sharing these pieces of scripture. Perhaps you may have missed Hebrews 6:4-6 which is another verse, along with the ones you have shared, that some use to show that salvation can be lost. However, they all fall short of proving the loss of salvation.
In 2 Peter 2:20-22, Peter is speaking to Hebrew people. Nothing in these three verses show that Peter is referring to saved individuals losing their salvation.
A person can receive knowledge of Jesus Christ and the gospel message of salvation and still never surrender their life to Christ. This is the same thing we see in Hebrews 10:26. Knowledge of the truth does not save anyone. A person must receive Jesus Christ and be born of His Spirit in order to be saved.
If you ever do a study of Judaism and what it means for a Jewish person to receive Jesus as their Savior, it puts these scriptures you've shared into a much clearer perspective.
You see, for a Jewish person to receive Christ, they would be completely cut off from society. They would no longer be allowed in their temple, they would lose their job, and no one would hire them. Their own family would disown them. Their family would consider them dead and literally hold a funeral for them if they denounced Judaism and received Christ as their Savior.
"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning."
2 Peter 2:21
"For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."
2 Peter 2:22
"But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."
Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning."
2 Peter 2:21
"For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."
2 Peter 2:22
"But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."
We see two places where angels are chained in darkness: 2 Peter 2:4-5 and Jude 1:6. To me, this is a prison, a confinement area, as we see in Revelation 9, 11, 17, and 20. These angels did not keep their original estate or position and left their own dwelling place. These angels were disobedient to God, as seen in Genesis 6:1-2. There are fallen angels, demons, and devils on this earth, but what these angels did was so terrible that God locked them in the bottomless pit until the great day of judgment.
In Ephesians 4:8-10, there is another reference; verses 9-10 are debated depending on the manuscript. They say that before Jesus ascended to heaven, He first descended to the lower parts of the earth. Paul quotes Psalm 68:18, which describes the ark ascending to Mount Zion, leading captivity captive, symbolizing deliverance. Also, in Judges 5:12, part of Deborah's song, it states, "led thy captivity captive," meaning victory over oppression.
The same theme appears in Ephesians 4:8, victory over sin, death, and the grave through the life, sacrifice, death, and resurrection of Jesus, as referenced in Galatians 1:4 and 1 Corinthians 15:52-55. We also see the gifts given in Ephesians 4:11, Romans 12:4-8, and 1 Corinthians 12:4-11.
When Jesus was resurrected, God placed Him above all, as shown in Philippians 2:9-11, Ephesians 1:19-21, and 1 Peter 3:22. Satan, just like the leaders of Jerusalem, thought that when the Messiah came, He would immediately deliver them and establish His kingdom at that time, the expectation not yet fulfilled. When Satan influenced Judas to betray Jesus to death, he thought he had won.
Spiritual gifts: Continuing thoughts on avoiding "damnable heresies" ( 2 Peter 2:1)
Continuing with the concept of teaching as a spiritual gift; we see in light of the manifold witness of Peter and Paul the dangers prophesied to come even imminently after their departure of wolves among the flock and within. There is more to the Word than just instruction based on human understanding; or else it would be impossible for error to creep in. Dirst there is twisting of scripture to align with an errant concept and that opens the door for alternative writings such as gnostic teachings or that of other religions. The exclusivity of the Word is something only the Spirit can truly illuminate our minds on. We can in our own strength have tenacity in such a matter "sola scriptura" but even the Ephesians church doing everything right on the outside lost their first love ( Revelation 2:4 left their first love). Once left; it becomes lost it would seem; perhaps among the remnant who are faithful it may be temporarily out of mind but as for the corporate body the Spirit may not by and large be residing there and there is danger it could become dead as Ephesians 5:14 warns about and Revelation 3:2 with the church of Sardis shows can happen at some point. Sobering words.
Legalism is the other side of the coin as to misuse of scripture that also can cause great damage. That is the result of not treating others as part of a spiritual body where all members are needed and "lording it over" them. We see this attitude in certain independent churches (I will leave out denominations here). This type of fellowship not only alienates those of a local fellowship but can prevent healthy interactions with believers elsewhere that can have a positive impact. Again balance is required; while we don't want to have a mutual exclusivity or proclaimed monopoly of the truth as the only ones preaching the true Gospel; caution is needed when working with other churches as error is rife.
33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. ( Luke 17:32-33).
To keep this verse in context; we need to see that it wasn't preservation of life that was the whole issue here; it was dying to self gratification and the world as temptations to hold us back from His deliverance when it comes. One may ask "ok what does this have to do with persecution?" In this case; the enemy had a stranglehold on Lot and his family that began when he chose to move to the fertile area of the plain and Abraham decided to hang out in the backside of the desert. Nothing wrong with that a man in the flesh would argue. It is unclear how much Lot knew about the area when he arrived; but no doubt he saw opportunity to prosper economically in that location; and it is certain that at some point the sin became so clear that it caused his "righteous soul to be vexed" ( 2 Peter 2:8 reveals that fact to us). So I am "perplexed" (get it it rhymes with vexed; ok give me some latitude it's late)...
The enemy in a sense was persecuting him; and in this case it was mostly his own fault. No one was forcing him to stay there; no doubt and based on how the story ended it is clear they had little respect for him; but until he had to speak up they probably tolerated him. That was the men's response in Genesis 19:9 when to appease the sodomites Lot offered his daughters to them instead of what they thought were men but were angels of God. God delivered Lot but it reminds us of Revelation where we are told not to be naked ( Revelation 16:15 at the onset of the bowl judgments). This is reminiscent of those who make it to heaven; but as through the fire suffering loss ( 1 Corinthians 3:15). All of scripture fits together and is useful ( 2 Timothy 3:16).
The point is; just like Jonah we can't run and hide from being salt and light and proclaiming the truth and we can't be content compromising with evil.
Revelation 9:1 - And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Now when the fifth angel sounded, a star fell. Number 1, in Revelation Chapter 1, we know that the stars represent angels. A star fell from heaven! Secondly, the word fall is in the Perfect Tense. So, he sees a star which has already fallen. He didn't see it as it was falling. He saw a fallen star, a star that had already fallen from out of heaven unto the earth.
And to this angel (this fallen star), was given the key to the bottomless pit. Notice that it was given to him. He did not possess it. He did not have authority over it. We know in Revelation Chapter 1 that Jesus has the keys of Hades and of death. The Lord holds all the keys to all of these places.
Now the bottomless pit is the word abyss, ABUSSO in Greek. And it is interesting because it is believed that around where Babylon used to be, and in fact, it was the place where Saddam Hussein was caught, but they believed that there is a shaft that goes down into the heart of the earth. And this shaft is closed up on the top.
And this would be the place that Peter told us about in 2 Peter 2:4, that there are angels who are reserved in chains of darkness, ready to be revealed. And so, this star who had fallen was given the key to the bottomless pit. And we will see that this star is none other than Satan himself, and that the creatures that will be released from this pit are going to be two-hundred million demons unleashed upon the earth.
But concerning this star who had been fallen, back in Isaiah 14:12-15, we have recorded for us the rebellion of Satan. It is called the "five I wills," where Satan said I will be like the most high, where he expressed his rebellion towards God. And it is at that time that he lost his first domain. He lost his first position with God.
Revelation 9:10 - And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
The descriptions alone tell us that these are not normal locusts. Satan is over them. These are demonic like creatures.
Revelation 9:11 - And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
They had a king over them. If you ever done a study on locusts, you know that locusts do not have a king. They go in groups. Proverbs 30:27 tells us that the locusts do not have a king. But these had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is ABADDON, the destroyer. But in the Greek tongue, his name is APOLLYON, same definition, destroyer.
He is the destroyer, just as Jesus described him in John Chapter 8. He is a murderer. He is a liar. He is the destroyer. These are demonic creatures. 2 Peter 2:4 tells us that there are demons in chains reserved for judgment that are kept down into the heart of the earth. The one usage at that time in 2 Peter 2:4 was TARTARUS. And that's the special pit for demonic forces.
Revelation 9:13 - And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
Remember horns, I had mentioned that from the book of Daniel, horns are a symbol of authority. The four horns is complete authority over the four corners of the earth. It is on the altar of God which is in heaven.
Revelation 9:16 - And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand:
That's a bad English way of using the largest number in the Greek language, and it adds up to two-hundred million.
The Covenant: God's chosen people in regard to the nation of Israel
God chose a lineage for His people that would eventually have a descendent that would be the Messiah; listed with both Mary's lineage and that of Joseph albeit it wasn't through his offspring. We see that with Noah only he ad his family were saved. We read in Genesis 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
I would argue that this meant that his DNA was not corrupted with the offspring of the Nephilim with women and their offspring.
Again; this ensures God's covenant with man would be exlusively for men not of offspring of corrupted angelic and human children. Satan no doubt either wanted to totally corrupt every man so that either Messiah couldn't come and God would have to destroy everyone which apparently he came within millimeters of accomplishing. God of course gave all the instructions to Noah; who we read got drunk after planting a vineyard following the flood; so clearly he wasn't perfect. Many tend to read that he was a preacher of righteousness and assume it was him seeking repentance; I would argue it was a declaration of victory as they were unsaveable ( 2 Peter 2:5); and that fits right in with those sons of disobedience preached to by Christ in 1 Peter 3:19.
Let us take pause and thank God for His tender mercies and longsuffering. Some are in ignorance as to the fact that powerful entities and principalities are controlling the world and their minds leading them to destruction; others worship demons and Satan himself thinking somehow it is worth the favors they gain temporarily in this world.
As we go on to the story of the tower of Babel ( Gen. 11:1-9) we see how the world nearly came to an end with the attempt of a one world government before the time of prophetic fulfillment; thus God confused their languages; and I would argue broke the continents to today's location ( Gen. 11:19).
Revelation 9:1 - And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Now when the fifth angel sounded, a star fell. Number 1, in Revelation Chapter 1, we know that the stars represent angels. A star fell from heaven! Secondly, the word fall is in the Perfect Tense. So, he sees a star which has already fallen. He didn't see it as it was falling. He saw a fallen star, a star that had already fallen from out of heaven unto the earth.
And to this angel (this fallen star), was given the key to the bottomless pit. Notice that it was given to him. He did not possess it. He did not have authority over it. We know in Revelation Chapter 1 that Jesus has the keys of Hades and of death. The Lord holds all the keys to all of these places.
Now the bottomless pit is the word abyss, ABUSSO in Greek. And it is interesting because it is believed that around where Babylon used to be, and in fact, it was the place where Saddam Hussein was caught, but they believed that there is a shaft that goes down into the heart of the earth. And this shaft is closed up on the top.
And this would be the place that Peter told us about in 2 Peter 2:4, that there are angels who are reserved in chains of darkness, ready to be revealed. And so, this star who had fallen was given the key to the bottomless pit. And we will see that this star is none other than Satan himself, and that the creatures that will be released from this pit are going to be two-hundred million demons unleashed upon the earth.
But concerning this star who had been fallen, back in Isaiah 14:12-15, we have recorded for us the rebellion of Satan. It is called the "five I wills," where Satan said I will be like the most high, where he expressed his rebellion towards God. And it is at that time that he lost his first domain. He lost his first position with God.
When the word overcome, which is the word for victory, when it is presented about a believer, it's in the Perfect Tense. In 1 John 4:4, John's been talking about the spirit of antichrist in the world, and he says you are of God little children, and you have overcome them. Not should. You have already. Because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
1 John 5:4 says, for whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Again, has overcome, Perfect Tense.
And also, in the book of Revelation, in Chapters 2 and 3, the seven letters to the churches in Asia, to each church the Lord gives His warning and says to them, to the one who overcome, that is, the sins and problems in the church, I will give them the crown of life. To each one He says that.
Well, that's the way it reads in English, to the one who overcomes. It sounds like it's a challenge. But it's literally a Present Participle in the Greek. To the ones who are already overcoming. It's not a challenge. The point of the true believers that are within these fellowships, they are already overcoming. And they are the ones who will respond to what Christ had to say in His warnings. The people who do not belong to Christ will not.
2 Peter 2:19 - While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption:
This word servant in the Greek text is the word slave (Doulos). They promise liberty. Satan doesn't want you to have this sin, so go get it! But they themselves, the false teachers, are slaves to corruption. They can't cease from sin. So, they're pulling others in their direction.
And then the concept, and this is a very interesting concept: For of whom a man is overcome, of the same he is brought into bondage.
Is something overcoming you? Are you a slave to something? In 1 Corinthians Chapter 6, Paul said I have liberty to do all things. I am not under the law. But he says I will not do that which will bring me under its power. Obsessions, addictions, it won't bring me under its power.
Now what is interesting for a believer, and this is a Christian, a born-again believer, the bible never presents overcoming as a challenge that we have to earn.
Spots they are and blemishes. Those are phrases that are used for sacrificial animals. In order for an animal to be received for sacrifice, they had to be without spot or blemish. Peter, in 1 Peter Chapter 1 says, Jesus was a lamb that was slain. He was without spot and without blemish.
But they are spots and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; In the early church, they used to have what are called love feasts. And they would get together and have dinner together. And then after dinner, they would have communion.
And Paul talked about this in 1 Corinthians Chapter 11, where people were actually taking the communion elements, the bread and the wine, and they just included that in their meal. And Paul said some are sick, some are weak, and some have even died in God's judgment, because you did not discern that those elements represented the Lord's body. A very serious thing!
2 Peter 2:13 - And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
And they shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. That's their presumption. They don't wait until nighttime to go out and sin. They do it in the daytime where everybody can see them. They don't care!
Interesting, the word pleasure is the word luxury (TRUPHEN). Luxury comes from a word that means to live softly. It's a cushion. I want a better house because it's more comfortable. I want a different car because it's more comfortable. We're always looking for comfort. And that's what luxurious means. To live a luxurious life is to live a comfortable, cushioned, soft life.
I'm reminded of the prophets in the Old Testament. They wore coarse material. You know, the itchy kind. You can't sit still, you can't lay on it, and it's itching all of the time. And the prophets wore this not only because it was the clothing of the poor, but so that they would not become comfortable and lose touch with reality. A very interesting thought, isn't it? Sometimes a person can get caught up in a luxurious lifestyle and that's what they spend most of their time and focus on.
When we fall into some money, we're looking at how to spend it. How can I become more comfortable? How can I make life a little softer, a little easier? And then we lose touch with reality and our need of Christ. This is not teaching us that we should not own things, just as long as we don't let those things own us!
2 Peter 2:10 - But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh, and that's what they are. They are very fleshy people.
And there are two things from this:
They walk in the lust of uncleanness, and they despise government (authorities). Secondly, they are presumptuous, meaning they have an arrogant attitude. They are selfwilled, and they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. The word dignities (DOXAS) is the word glories, a word used for spirit beings, mostly angels.
2 Peter 2:2 - And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
And many shall follow their pernicious, or destructive ways; Notice this: Many will follow. It won't be a few. There will be a lot! That's why Jesus said there are few who are saved. Many shall follow their destructive ways. And secondly, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. That's the word blasphemed. The way of the truth will be blasphemed.
2 Peter 2:4 - For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
So, if God did this, then He's not slumbering, and He's not delaying about His judgment. And this is interesting because it shows a Past Tense. God did not spare angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell. The word for hell is TARTARUS. And it is the Greek version of the term for HADES, where the unseen spirits go, in a compartment waiting for judgment. It's the only place where it's found in the bible.
And so, he says that God in past, He cast these angels who sinned into TARTARUS, and delivered them into chains of darkness. Now it's the darkness that is the chains. How do you take spirits and put chains on them? It's a phrase that associates locking someone up so that they cannot escape.
And to be reserved for judgment. So, if God did not spare the angels that sinned, how's He going to spare these that sinned? You can find out more about these angels in Jude Verse 6. It's a one-chapter book. Both Jude and Peter run along the same lines and minister the same thing.
So, they privately, or secretly shall bring in. In the Greek text, it literally means to bring in alongside of something else. There's no word secret or private. It just means to bring in the destructive teachings alongside of some true teachings.
A lot of the cults today do teach some correct things from the bible. And they will agree on many things that believers know the bible teaches. But it can be as little as one percent of false teaching that can lead someone astray and in the wrong direction.
It was not too long ago, and even though Brigham Young University taught it in their classes, many Christians didn't know the full context of the teaching of the Mormon view of God the Father.
They believe there's god the mother because you can't have a son unless you have a father and a mother, so there's got to be a mother. So, they worship god the mother too, and they have some stories about her. But that didn't come out until recently. Yes, they believe in God the Father, and they talk to Christians about God the Father, but they're not going to tell you about god the mother that they believe in. You find all this other stuff out later, after they entice you, and bait you into joining their group.
So, the false teachers will bring in false teaching alongside of other things that are true, and catch people off guard, and bring the false teachings in. They bring in damnable heresies. The word damnable (APOLEIA) means destructive. There's no spiritual growth in it at all. It just destroys. And the word heresies comes from the Greek word HAIRESIS. And the root word literally means to choose, or to have an opinion.
The body of Christ gets divided over heresy, personal opinion, personal belief, and what people choose to believe from the bible. But they might not be able to find it in the scriptures, they just believe it's there, and it's called heresy, destructive heresies.
2 Peter 2:1 - But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
He says, but there were false prophets also among the people, meaning there were the prophets from God at the end of Chapter 1, and there were also false prophets among the people. Even as there shall be false teachers among you. Notice the change, false prophets from old, but now it's not false prophecy because all prophecy has been given. Now it's false teachers.
A teacher is someone who takes all the prophecy, all of the messages that have been God breathed, inspired through His servants, and they teach, but do they correctly represent the inspiration that is given through the original writers?
So, he gives them the caution. It's factual. There will be false teachers among you. And then we see their conduct, and some of this gets pretty intense, so try to hang in there with me.
Who in their conduct, there are three things:
Number 1, they who privily, or secretly shall bring in damnable, or destructive heresies,
Secondly: Even denying the Lord that bought them,
Thirdly: And bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, ( 2 Peter 2:15).
Balaam was mentioned as a warning in the book of Jude as well as in Revelation 2:14 to the church of Pergamum which apparently did some of these practices. We note that divination was one of the things done as Joshua 13:22 states Balaam also, the son of Beor, the one who practiced divination, was killed with the sword by the people of Israel among the rest of their slain.
Thus we see the sobering end of such characters. We see another example of how a false spirit affects multiple people as we see in 1 Kings 22:18-23.
18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
20 And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him.
22 And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
23 Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.
There are questionable elements going back to within a few hundred years after Christ when it comes to revivals and manifestations that occur; in a nutshell I would say some are genuine that are tied into genuine tears of repentance but without discernment of course and careful attention to scriptural doctrines error can creep in. Prayer and singing are two good practices of praise which seems to have aided many of these movements in the past; but there has been a tendency for a lack of careful exposition of scriptures in sermons; women taking over men's roles; and at times as with Azusa street unruly out of control manifestations. These are things to keep in mind along with cult personalities or too much emphasis on a particular evangelist; particularly with those who have clearly benefitted from raking in large amounts of cash and or popularity and who clearly indicate fraud. We should expect this according to warnings from 2 Peter 2:3 for instance.
Restoration clearly is the precedent for revival within the church. The late night or all night prayer commonplace in the past great moves of God is rarely seen; although my former church has done it for one or two days occasionally with rotating people. Working class people such as Evan Roberts in 1904 and other businessmen prayer groups of 1857-8 are two examples of this and no doubt it is an important element. In the aforementioned case of Evan Roberts after rwo years he burned out and spent much of his life in seclusion. Preachers can take too much on themselves as he did without delegating things; nonetheless his 13 years of prayer to see such an event certainly demonstrates the fact that we should persevere on what God lays on our hearts. A balance is needed to maintain church services in the midst of vastly increasing attendance along with recognition that old stuffy comfortable lukewarm predictable services may need to be displaced enough for God to move.
Apostle Paul warns us of falsely accuse of our good conversation in Christ.
1 Peter 3:16
Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed thatfalsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
Apostle Peter in the Tribulation warn his Jewish followers of false prophets.
2 Peter 2:1
But there werefalseprophets also among the people, even as there shall befalseteachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Saint John warns us in the Tribulation of false prophets.
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because manyfalseprophets are gone out into the world.
Saint John warns the Jewish followers of false prophets.
Revelation 16:13
And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of thefalseprophet.
We are in the Church age of grace, we do not have prophets to deliver us the word of God and we do not a apostles to give us another revelation to add to the Bible.
I wish to use this excerpt because it explains this topic so well and identifies so many Scripture verses.
Excerpted From: Got Questions:
What Does It Mean that All Sinned?
Romans attests that in Adam, all sinned. Theologically, this has been called "original sin" over the centuries. Original sin does not mean that we are guilty of Adam's sin, but that we inherit a sinfulness that is transmitted from Adam to all humans. No human is exempt from being sinful and corrupted.
Humans are driven to sin, enslaved by this sinfulness to continue to sin and to rebel against God, as these Scriptures say:
John 8:34
Jesus replied, "Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.'
2 Peter 2:19
They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
Titus 3:3
For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures-living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
Romans 6:16, 17
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Romans 6:20
For when ye were the slaves of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
Romans 3:10-12 quotes Psalm 14:2-3 and Ps. 53: 1-3 saying that no one does what is good, not even one, no one understands the things of God (spiritual matters) because the god of this world has blinded us so that we cannot see the glory of Jesus in the gospel.
Paul also says that all humans are hostile to God, at enmity towards Him, His enemy, dead in sin, and enslaved to sin, we do not seek Him nor can we please God nor submit to His law. Elsewhere we are told that it is man's pride that keeps Him from hating his sin and submitting to God.
( Romans 2:1; 5:10: 3:10-18, 8:6-8; Eph.2:13; Ecc. 7:20; Ps. 14:2; 36:1-2; Is. 53:2)
We all have sinned and we "ALL" deserve our punishment.
God is merciful so he sent the Lamb of God to sacrifice. "Not to take away "sins" from man individually
He came to take away the SIN "that is the penalty of sin" John 1:29 reads "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (notice sin is singular)
1 John 2:2 we see "sins" is used. It's Plural! ( And he is the propitiation for our "SINS":
I believe this is because of the repeated charges against us because sin is still present with us. We have a great lawyer!
Look at what else verse 2 says AND NOT FOR OURS ONLY, BUT ALSO FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD!
God's atonement is not limited!
There's a portion of 2 Peter 2:1 that reads "even "DENYING" the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
These people are not saved!
But the Lord's purchase Peter designates applies to them if they would accept it!
This proves that the atonement was not limited!
The synonym for fair is Just! That's fair!
Quote from J Vernon Mcgee on John 6:37.
Election and free will are both in this verse. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me" states a truth, and that is election. But wait a minute! and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" is also true, and "him that cometh to me" is free will. I don't know how to reconcile them, but they are both true. The Father gives men to Christ, but men have to come. And the ones that come are the ones, apparently, whom the Father gives to Him. You and I are down here, and we don't see into the machinery of heaven. I don't know how God runs that computer of election, but I know that He has given to you and to me a free will and we have to exercise it.
In your patience possess ye your souls. ( Luke 21:19).
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." ( James 5:7).
There are many verses on the subject of patience or longsuffering both related to God and His approved servants who eventually enter into their reward. There is no doubt that God honors those who persevere but we also need to recall the situation of Lot who as 2 Peter 2:7 states ...And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked". We don't want to be too comfortable with evil around us and in particular become compromised to maintain a lifestyle of ease. As we see with Lot his choice to enter the well watered lowlands looked good when he split up from Abraham but in the end he escaped literally from the flames with the collateral damage of what happened to his wife.
Patience therefore with our own sin can't be tolerated. We also are to sound our voice as a trumpet as Jeremiah did and the other Prophets. God patiently endures vessels fitted for destruction ( Romans 9:22; read on to verse 23). Wickedness will not be tolerated in God's Kingdom when He reigns on earth after He comes again. We need to see that God is refining us through the wickedness of sinners opposed to us and generally in rebellion that we see all around us. We don't know who is going to come to Christ and also we should keep in mind John 15:2 and 2 Timothy 2:21 where the branches we possess as believers can be purged or other useless appendages cut out from sinful connections to our dead past that we hang on to.
God will complete the work He has started ( Philippians 1:6). He will see all His sheep who hear His voice eventually enter heaven and safe pasture; and all the goats will be judged.
These earthly trials will soon be over; let us encourage one another until He comes.
The word of God is speaking to us, we are born again by coming to truth of THE WORD, the written WORD becoming the LIVING WORD.
Psalms 103:20 Bless the Lord, YE HIS ANGELS, who excel in strength (of the Lord), that do his commandment, harkening to the voice of the Lord.
Luke 29:36 Neither can they DIE any more (we died with Christ on his cross): for they are EQUAL unto the ANGELS; and are the children of God, being the CHILDREN OF THE RESURRECTION (joint heirs of his kingdom).
Genesis 1:2 .....and DARKNESS was upon the face of the earth (man) .......
Isaiah 45:7 I form the light, and CREATE DARKNESS .....
Job 19:22 A land of DARKNESS, as DARKNESS itself, and the shadow of DEATH, without any order, and where LIGHT is as DARKNESS.
2 Peter 2:4 But if God spared not the angels that sinned (blasphemed his name), but cast them down to the GRAVE, and delivered them into CHAINS OF DARKNESS (the wages of sin is death), to be reserved unto judgement,
Psalms 149:9 To execute upon the the judgement written, this HONOR hath all his SAINTS......
Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creation WAITETH (in the grave) for the MANIFESTATION of the SONS OF GOD.
Romans 8:21 Because the CREATION ITSELF shall be DELIVERED from the bondage of corruption (darkness) into the GLORIOUS LIBERTY OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD.
In the Bible, we see devils, unclean spirits that can occupy and control a human body, but I have not found in the Bible where they came from and why they are on the earth. There are angels locked in chains of darkness, 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 1:6 that said they sinned, but we are not told what that sin was it must be something different than just rebelling, to me this points to Genesis 6. We talk about fallen angels but that is not in the Bible. We see there is a hierarchy of angels and devils we see in Matthew 12:43-45.
Matter of fact these three verses were at the heart of the things that happened, the person who was possessed was trying to get seven of us in one location together the reason was never known because the seven were never all together, and we did not let that happen. Satan has rebelled against God but still has access to heaven, Job 1,2. It does not say but I would understand the other angels who have rebelled still have access to heaven because we see they are cast out in Rev. 12.
I feel that angels and devils/unclean spirits are different just by some things I have seen there is no clear proof in the Bible so you may be correct all I can say their evil thankfully there are more good ones faithful and loyal to God.
The only thing I can understand about what happened in that church was before I was saved and it was trying to stop that from happening, or it was done by God to get us away from that church not sure.
Thanks for your reply, I know many have the understanding the sons of God in Genesis 6 are the line of Seth and the daughters of men are of Cain and those not following God. I will just give a little of my understanding not in debate.
Scripture tells us there were Nephilim/giants in the world before and after the flood Genesis 6:42 Samuel 21:16Joshua 12:4Numbers 13:33Deuteronomy 2:19-21Amos 2:9 Also in Joshua 13, 15, 17, 18, 2 Samuel 21 and 1 Chronicles 20 Also, in the Old Testament, there is the Rephaim or Rephaites, and the context describes them as giants. so, where did they come from?
2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 1: 6 tell us of a group of angels who left their first estate and are locked in darkness. Many other fallen angels we battle including Satan are on this earth 2 Corinthians 11:14-15. But these angels are locked in darkness until judgment, and we see in Revelation 9:11 they have a king. These angels had to do something far greater than rebelling against God, my understanding is they adulterated God's creation, we see how corrupt it got.
We know from Jude and 2 Peter angels sinned, kept not their first estate, and left their habitation. Estate means condition, status, and dominion, and habitation means residence or dwelling place. I understand how many takes Matthew 22:30 and Mark 12:25 but Jesus is not referring to sex He is saying when we are resurrected, we will be like the angels in heaven who are immortal. We are mortal, we have to marry and reproduce when we are resurrected, we will be raised immortal same as the angels no more need to marry and reproduce, and we will be on the earth not heaven.
We see angels come down on earth that have bodies, they can eat and drink, Genesis 18:1-8 and other places like Hebrews 13:2. To me the angels who left their estate is where these giants came from, and we see when Israel went into the promised land God wiped out the giants or had them kill them all even the children.
We know Seth is the line that goes all the way to the Messiah Jesus therefore when Seth had Enosh, this line was the only one walking and calling on the name of God. We see Enoch and Noah walked with God but by the time of Noah all had corrupted themselves, whether they had created false gods, we are not told but their imaginations were evil.
I may have a different understanding of the sons of God, we see in Luke 3:38 that Adam was called the son of God because he was a direct creation of God, he had no human father. Jesus is the Son of God and through Jesus, we can become sons and daughters of God, but I have not found where men are called sons of God.
If we take the sons of Seth as sons of God, would we not have to take the daughters of men the daughters of Cain or all the other men who did not call on the name of God? They all are from Adam and Eve would not all the daughters be fair? The flood was 1656 or 2256 years from Adam, and it says when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them. So, this was long before the flood.
We see in the Bible the sons of God are referring to angels as we see in Job 1:6-12Job 2:1 and Job 38:7. I have not found where men were called sons of God until after the Messiah Jesus and those who believe in Him can become sons of God.
We know there are fallen angels like Satan and others on this earth but there are other angels God has locked in chains of darkness I suppose is the bottomless pit until judgment, 2 Peter 2:4Jude 1:6. My understanding is these are the sons of God who corrupted and polluted God's creation that He destroyed all but eight. We see this happened again after the flood as told in Genesis 6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also, after that, as we see in Scripture some tall as cedars, Amos 2:9.
Welcome to the site.
I would like to add to the Great comfort and words that the others gave you.
The Prodigal Son.
In Luke 15:3-32 we see the Lord give a in three phases in one parable with the last phase being the Prodigal Son.
The context of all three of these phases of this one Parable is Rejoicing over that was lost and now found!
We see the audience and reason for the parable in verses 1and 2
"Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them".
The lost sheep, the lost coin and the younger Son going into a far country, represent the son going into a far country,
The elder son in the field represents the Pharisees and their murmuring in verse 2.
The father didn't go looking for his younger son but he never stopped expecting his son to return.
It's the Holyspirit that gathers us and brings us back home!
The younger Son went out like the sheep and got lost but he never ceased from being a Son!!
He said "I will arise and go to my father!
He left the pig pen because he didn't belong there! He's not a pig, he's a Son!
In 2 Peter 2:22 we see a biblical proverb "But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire"
A pig returning back to her wallowing in the mire. "Because she was a pig!
The Son returned home because he was a Son and he never lost his identity.
And joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth,
We have a Great Shepherd that leaves the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it and he will never leave or forsake us!
We see the role of the Father the Son and the Holyspirit in this parable!
God bless you.
Thanks for your reply. I understand many see this as comfort, similar to what you hear at a funeral when the preacher says Bob is with Jesus in heaven. Am I going to tell that loved one No, he is not? NO, but what is the actual truth?
Ecclesiastes 9:5, if we die, we know nothing. Psalms 115:17 I believe that if our spirit were alive in heaven, we would be praising the LORD. Our only hope of eternal life is in Jesus; this comes when we are resurrected, not before, 1 Corinthians 15:52-54.
Not to drag this out, I will say, if we all have an immortal spirit, there is no death and no true gift of eternal life because we already possess it. John 3:15, John 10:28, Romans 2:7, Romans 6:23, 1 John 2:25. This is our promise. The others receive death; they will perish, John 3:16, 2 Thessalonians 2:10, 2 Peter 2:12. The word perish is to destroy fully, permanent, absolute destruction. Revelation 21:8 their part, their punishment, and death will fit their sins, not burn for eternity.
Death is not a separation, as Greek philosophy puts it, which has influenced today's understanding.
Thanks again, brother,
God bless,
RLW
(Part 1):
Thank you for sharing these pieces of scripture. Perhaps you may have missed Hebrews 6:4-6 which is another verse, along with the ones you have shared, that some use to show that salvation can be lost. However, they all fall short of proving the loss of salvation.
In 2 Peter 2:20-22, Peter is speaking to Hebrew people. Nothing in these three verses show that Peter is referring to saved individuals losing their salvation.
A person can receive knowledge of Jesus Christ and the gospel message of salvation and still never surrender their life to Christ. This is the same thing we see in Hebrews 10:26. Knowledge of the truth does not save anyone. A person must receive Jesus Christ and be born of His Spirit in order to be saved.
If you ever do a study of Judaism and what it means for a Jewish person to receive Jesus as their Savior, it puts these scriptures you've shared into a much clearer perspective.
You see, for a Jewish person to receive Christ, they would be completely cut off from society. They would no longer be allowed in their temple, they would lose their job, and no one would hire them. Their own family would disown them. Their family would consider them dead and literally hold a funeral for them if they denounced Judaism and received Christ as their Savior.
"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning."
2 Peter 2:21
"For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."
2 Peter 2:22
"But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."
Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
Blessings
"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning."
2 Peter 2:21
"For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."
2 Peter 2:22
"But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."
Blessings
We see two places where angels are chained in darkness: 2 Peter 2:4-5 and Jude 1:6. To me, this is a prison, a confinement area, as we see in Revelation 9, 11, 17, and 20. These angels did not keep their original estate or position and left their own dwelling place. These angels were disobedient to God, as seen in Genesis 6:1-2. There are fallen angels, demons, and devils on this earth, but what these angels did was so terrible that God locked them in the bottomless pit until the great day of judgment.
In Ephesians 4:8-10, there is another reference; verses 9-10 are debated depending on the manuscript. They say that before Jesus ascended to heaven, He first descended to the lower parts of the earth. Paul quotes Psalm 68:18, which describes the ark ascending to Mount Zion, leading captivity captive, symbolizing deliverance. Also, in Judges 5:12, part of Deborah's song, it states, "led thy captivity captive," meaning victory over oppression.
The same theme appears in Ephesians 4:8, victory over sin, death, and the grave through the life, sacrifice, death, and resurrection of Jesus, as referenced in Galatians 1:4 and 1 Corinthians 15:52-55. We also see the gifts given in Ephesians 4:11, Romans 12:4-8, and 1 Corinthians 12:4-11.
When Jesus was resurrected, God placed Him above all, as shown in Philippians 2:9-11, Ephesians 1:19-21, and 1 Peter 3:22. Satan, just like the leaders of Jerusalem, thought that when the Messiah came, He would immediately deliver them and establish His kingdom at that time, the expectation not yet fulfilled. When Satan influenced Judas to betray Jesus to death, he thought he had won.
See part 3
Continuing with the concept of teaching as a spiritual gift; we see in light of the manifold witness of Peter and Paul the dangers prophesied to come even imminently after their departure of wolves among the flock and within. There is more to the Word than just instruction based on human understanding; or else it would be impossible for error to creep in. Dirst there is twisting of scripture to align with an errant concept and that opens the door for alternative writings such as gnostic teachings or that of other religions. The exclusivity of the Word is something only the Spirit can truly illuminate our minds on. We can in our own strength have tenacity in such a matter "sola scriptura" but even the Ephesians church doing everything right on the outside lost their first love ( Revelation 2:4 left their first love). Once left; it becomes lost it would seem; perhaps among the remnant who are faithful it may be temporarily out of mind but as for the corporate body the Spirit may not by and large be residing there and there is danger it could become dead as Ephesians 5:14 warns about and Revelation 3:2 with the church of Sardis shows can happen at some point. Sobering words.
Legalism is the other side of the coin as to misuse of scripture that also can cause great damage. That is the result of not treating others as part of a spiritual body where all members are needed and "lording it over" them. We see this attitude in certain independent churches (I will leave out denominations here). This type of fellowship not only alienates those of a local fellowship but can prevent healthy interactions with believers elsewhere that can have a positive impact. Again balance is required; while we don't want to have a mutual exclusivity or proclaimed monopoly of the truth as the only ones preaching the true Gospel; caution is needed when working with other churches as error is rife.
33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it. ( Luke 17:32-33).
To keep this verse in context; we need to see that it wasn't preservation of life that was the whole issue here; it was dying to self gratification and the world as temptations to hold us back from His deliverance when it comes. One may ask "ok what does this have to do with persecution?" In this case; the enemy had a stranglehold on Lot and his family that began when he chose to move to the fertile area of the plain and Abraham decided to hang out in the backside of the desert. Nothing wrong with that a man in the flesh would argue. It is unclear how much Lot knew about the area when he arrived; but no doubt he saw opportunity to prosper economically in that location; and it is certain that at some point the sin became so clear that it caused his "righteous soul to be vexed" ( 2 Peter 2:8 reveals that fact to us). So I am "perplexed" (get it it rhymes with vexed; ok give me some latitude it's late)...
The enemy in a sense was persecuting him; and in this case it was mostly his own fault. No one was forcing him to stay there; no doubt and based on how the story ended it is clear they had little respect for him; but until he had to speak up they probably tolerated him. That was the men's response in Genesis 19:9 when to appease the sodomites Lot offered his daughters to them instead of what they thought were men but were angels of God. God delivered Lot but it reminds us of Revelation where we are told not to be naked ( Revelation 16:15 at the onset of the bowl judgments). This is reminiscent of those who make it to heaven; but as through the fire suffering loss ( 1 Corinthians 3:15). All of scripture fits together and is useful ( 2 Timothy 3:16).
The point is; just like Jonah we can't run and hide from being salt and light and proclaiming the truth and we can't be content compromising with evil.
Revelation 9:1 - And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Now when the fifth angel sounded, a star fell. Number 1, in Revelation Chapter 1, we know that the stars represent angels. A star fell from heaven! Secondly, the word fall is in the Perfect Tense. So, he sees a star which has already fallen. He didn't see it as it was falling. He saw a fallen star, a star that had already fallen from out of heaven unto the earth.
And to this angel (this fallen star), was given the key to the bottomless pit. Notice that it was given to him. He did not possess it. He did not have authority over it. We know in Revelation Chapter 1 that Jesus has the keys of Hades and of death. The Lord holds all the keys to all of these places.
Now the bottomless pit is the word abyss, ABUSSO in Greek. And it is interesting because it is believed that around where Babylon used to be, and in fact, it was the place where Saddam Hussein was caught, but they believed that there is a shaft that goes down into the heart of the earth. And this shaft is closed up on the top.
And this would be the place that Peter told us about in 2 Peter 2:4, that there are angels who are reserved in chains of darkness, ready to be revealed. And so, this star who had fallen was given the key to the bottomless pit. And we will see that this star is none other than Satan himself, and that the creatures that will be released from this pit are going to be two-hundred million demons unleashed upon the earth.
But concerning this star who had been fallen, back in Isaiah 14:12-15, we have recorded for us the rebellion of Satan. It is called the "five I wills," where Satan said I will be like the most high, where he expressed his rebellion towards God. And it is at that time that he lost his first domain. He lost his first position with God.
Revelation 9:10 - And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
The descriptions alone tell us that these are not normal locusts. Satan is over them. These are demonic like creatures.
Revelation 9:11 - And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.
They had a king over them. If you ever done a study on locusts, you know that locusts do not have a king. They go in groups. Proverbs 30:27 tells us that the locusts do not have a king. But these had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is ABADDON, the destroyer. But in the Greek tongue, his name is APOLLYON, same definition, destroyer.
He is the destroyer, just as Jesus described him in John Chapter 8. He is a murderer. He is a liar. He is the destroyer. These are demonic creatures. 2 Peter 2:4 tells us that there are demons in chains reserved for judgment that are kept down into the heart of the earth. The one usage at that time in 2 Peter 2:4 was TARTARUS. And that's the special pit for demonic forces.
Revelation 9:13 - And the sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God,
Remember horns, I had mentioned that from the book of Daniel, horns are a symbol of authority. The four horns is complete authority over the four corners of the earth. It is on the altar of God which is in heaven.
Revelation 9:16 - And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.
And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand:
That's a bad English way of using the largest number in the Greek language, and it adds up to two-hundred million.
God chose a lineage for His people that would eventually have a descendent that would be the Messiah; listed with both Mary's lineage and that of Joseph albeit it wasn't through his offspring. We see that with Noah only he ad his family were saved. We read in Genesis 6:9 These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
I would argue that this meant that his DNA was not corrupted with the offspring of the Nephilim with women and their offspring.
Again; this ensures God's covenant with man would be exlusively for men not of offspring of corrupted angelic and human children. Satan no doubt either wanted to totally corrupt every man so that either Messiah couldn't come and God would have to destroy everyone which apparently he came within millimeters of accomplishing. God of course gave all the instructions to Noah; who we read got drunk after planting a vineyard following the flood; so clearly he wasn't perfect. Many tend to read that he was a preacher of righteousness and assume it was him seeking repentance; I would argue it was a declaration of victory as they were unsaveable ( 2 Peter 2:5); and that fits right in with those sons of disobedience preached to by Christ in 1 Peter 3:19.
Let us take pause and thank God for His tender mercies and longsuffering. Some are in ignorance as to the fact that powerful entities and principalities are controlling the world and their minds leading them to destruction; others worship demons and Satan himself thinking somehow it is worth the favors they gain temporarily in this world.
As we go on to the story of the tower of Babel ( Gen. 11:1-9) we see how the world nearly came to an end with the attempt of a one world government before the time of prophetic fulfillment; thus God confused their languages; and I would argue broke the continents to today's location ( Gen. 11:19).
Revelation 9:1 - And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
Now when the fifth angel sounded, a star fell. Number 1, in Revelation Chapter 1, we know that the stars represent angels. A star fell from heaven! Secondly, the word fall is in the Perfect Tense. So, he sees a star which has already fallen. He didn't see it as it was falling. He saw a fallen star, a star that had already fallen from out of heaven unto the earth.
And to this angel (this fallen star), was given the key to the bottomless pit. Notice that it was given to him. He did not possess it. He did not have authority over it. We know in Revelation Chapter 1 that Jesus has the keys of Hades and of death. The Lord holds all the keys to all of these places.
Now the bottomless pit is the word abyss, ABUSSO in Greek. And it is interesting because it is believed that around where Babylon used to be, and in fact, it was the place where Saddam Hussein was caught, but they believed that there is a shaft that goes down into the heart of the earth. And this shaft is closed up on the top.
And this would be the place that Peter told us about in 2 Peter 2:4, that there are angels who are reserved in chains of darkness, ready to be revealed. And so, this star who had fallen was given the key to the bottomless pit. And we will see that this star is none other than Satan himself, and that the creatures that will be released from this pit are going to be two-hundred million demons unleashed upon the earth.
But concerning this star who had been fallen, back in Isaiah 14:12-15, we have recorded for us the rebellion of Satan. It is called the "five I wills," where Satan said I will be like the most high, where he expressed his rebellion towards God. And it is at that time that he lost his first domain. He lost his first position with God.
2 Peter 2:19 Continued
Two things:
When the word overcome, which is the word for victory, when it is presented about a believer, it's in the Perfect Tense. In 1 John 4:4, John's been talking about the spirit of antichrist in the world, and he says you are of God little children, and you have overcome them. Not should. You have already. Because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
1 John 5:4 says, for whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Again, has overcome, Perfect Tense.
And also, in the book of Revelation, in Chapters 2 and 3, the seven letters to the churches in Asia, to each church the Lord gives His warning and says to them, to the one who overcome, that is, the sins and problems in the church, I will give them the crown of life. To each one He says that.
Well, that's the way it reads in English, to the one who overcomes. It sounds like it's a challenge. But it's literally a Present Participle in the Greek. To the ones who are already overcoming. It's not a challenge. The point of the true believers that are within these fellowships, they are already overcoming. And they are the ones who will respond to what Christ had to say in His warnings. The people who do not belong to Christ will not.
2 Peter 2:19 - While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption:
This word servant in the Greek text is the word slave (Doulos). They promise liberty. Satan doesn't want you to have this sin, so go get it! But they themselves, the false teachers, are slaves to corruption. They can't cease from sin. So, they're pulling others in their direction.
And then the concept, and this is a very interesting concept: For of whom a man is overcome, of the same he is brought into bondage.
Is something overcoming you? Are you a slave to something? In 1 Corinthians Chapter 6, Paul said I have liberty to do all things. I am not under the law. But he says I will not do that which will bring me under its power. Obsessions, addictions, it won't bring me under its power.
Now what is interesting for a believer, and this is a Christian, a born-again believer, the bible never presents overcoming as a challenge that we have to earn.
2 Peter 2:13 Continued
Their celebrations:
Spots they are and blemishes. Those are phrases that are used for sacrificial animals. In order for an animal to be received for sacrifice, they had to be without spot or blemish. Peter, in 1 Peter Chapter 1 says, Jesus was a lamb that was slain. He was without spot and without blemish.
But they are spots and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; In the early church, they used to have what are called love feasts. And they would get together and have dinner together. And then after dinner, they would have communion.
And Paul talked about this in 1 Corinthians Chapter 11, where people were actually taking the communion elements, the bread and the wine, and they just included that in their meal. And Paul said some are sick, some are weak, and some have even died in God's judgment, because you did not discern that those elements represented the Lord's body. A very serious thing!
2 Peter 2:13 - And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
And they shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. That's their presumption. They don't wait until nighttime to go out and sin. They do it in the daytime where everybody can see them. They don't care!
Interesting, the word pleasure is the word luxury (TRUPHEN). Luxury comes from a word that means to live softly. It's a cushion. I want a better house because it's more comfortable. I want a different car because it's more comfortable. We're always looking for comfort. And that's what luxurious means. To live a luxurious life is to live a comfortable, cushioned, soft life.
I'm reminded of the prophets in the Old Testament. They wore coarse material. You know, the itchy kind. You can't sit still, you can't lay on it, and it's itching all of the time. And the prophets wore this not only because it was the clothing of the poor, but so that they would not become comfortable and lose touch with reality. A very interesting thought, isn't it? Sometimes a person can get caught up in a luxurious lifestyle and that's what they spend most of their time and focus on.
When we fall into some money, we're looking at how to spend it. How can I become more comfortable? How can I make life a little softer, a little easier? And then we lose touch with reality and our need of Christ. This is not teaching us that we should not own things, just as long as we don't let those things own us!
2 Peter 2:10 - But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
But chiefly them that walk after the flesh, and that's what they are. They are very fleshy people.
And there are two things from this:
They walk in the lust of uncleanness, and they despise government (authorities). Secondly, they are presumptuous, meaning they have an arrogant attitude. They are selfwilled, and they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. The word dignities (DOXAS) is the word glories, a word used for spirit beings, mostly angels.
2 Peter 2:2 - And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
And many shall follow their pernicious, or destructive ways; Notice this: Many will follow. It won't be a few. There will be a lot! That's why Jesus said there are few who are saved. Many shall follow their destructive ways. And secondly, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. That's the word blasphemed. The way of the truth will be blasphemed.
2 Peter 2:4 - For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
So, if God did this, then He's not slumbering, and He's not delaying about His judgment. And this is interesting because it shows a Past Tense. God did not spare angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell. The word for hell is TARTARUS. And it is the Greek version of the term for HADES, where the unseen spirits go, in a compartment waiting for judgment. It's the only place where it's found in the bible.
And so, he says that God in past, He cast these angels who sinned into TARTARUS, and delivered them into chains of darkness. Now it's the darkness that is the chains. How do you take spirits and put chains on them? It's a phrase that associates locking someone up so that they cannot escape.
And to be reserved for judgment. So, if God did not spare the angels that sinned, how's He going to spare these that sinned? You can find out more about these angels in Jude Verse 6. It's a one-chapter book. Both Jude and Peter run along the same lines and minister the same thing.
2 Peter 2:1 Continued
So, they privately, or secretly shall bring in. In the Greek text, it literally means to bring in alongside of something else. There's no word secret or private. It just means to bring in the destructive teachings alongside of some true teachings.
A lot of the cults today do teach some correct things from the bible. And they will agree on many things that believers know the bible teaches. But it can be as little as one percent of false teaching that can lead someone astray and in the wrong direction.
It was not too long ago, and even though Brigham Young University taught it in their classes, many Christians didn't know the full context of the teaching of the Mormon view of God the Father.
They believe there's god the mother because you can't have a son unless you have a father and a mother, so there's got to be a mother. So, they worship god the mother too, and they have some stories about her. But that didn't come out until recently. Yes, they believe in God the Father, and they talk to Christians about God the Father, but they're not going to tell you about god the mother that they believe in. You find all this other stuff out later, after they entice you, and bait you into joining their group.
So, the false teachers will bring in false teaching alongside of other things that are true, and catch people off guard, and bring the false teachings in. They bring in damnable heresies. The word damnable (APOLEIA) means destructive. There's no spiritual growth in it at all. It just destroys. And the word heresies comes from the Greek word HAIRESIS. And the root word literally means to choose, or to have an opinion.
The body of Christ gets divided over heresy, personal opinion, personal belief, and what people choose to believe from the bible. But they might not be able to find it in the scriptures, they just believe it's there, and it's called heresy, destructive heresies.
2 Peter 2:1 - But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
He says, but there were false prophets also among the people, meaning there were the prophets from God at the end of Chapter 1, and there were also false prophets among the people. Even as there shall be false teachers among you. Notice the change, false prophets from old, but now it's not false prophecy because all prophecy has been given. Now it's false teachers.
A teacher is someone who takes all the prophecy, all of the messages that have been God breathed, inspired through His servants, and they teach, but do they correctly represent the inspiration that is given through the original writers?
So, he gives them the caution. It's factual. There will be false teachers among you. And then we see their conduct, and some of this gets pretty intense, so try to hang in there with me.
Who in their conduct, there are three things:
Number 1, they who privily, or secretly shall bring in damnable, or destructive heresies,
Secondly: Even denying the Lord that bought them,
Thirdly: And bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, ( 2 Peter 2:15).
Balaam was mentioned as a warning in the book of Jude as well as in Revelation 2:14 to the church of Pergamum which apparently did some of these practices. We note that divination was one of the things done as Joshua 13:22 states Balaam also, the son of Beor, the one who practiced divination, was killed with the sword by the people of Israel among the rest of their slain.
Thus we see the sobering end of such characters. We see another example of how a false spirit affects multiple people as we see in 1 Kings 22:18-23.
18 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, Did I not tell thee that he would prophesy no good concerning me, but evil?
19 And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left.
20 And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner.
21 And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him.
22 And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.
23 Now therefore, behold, the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets, and the Lord hath spoken evil concerning thee.
There are questionable elements going back to within a few hundred years after Christ when it comes to revivals and manifestations that occur; in a nutshell I would say some are genuine that are tied into genuine tears of repentance but without discernment of course and careful attention to scriptural doctrines error can creep in. Prayer and singing are two good practices of praise which seems to have aided many of these movements in the past; but there has been a tendency for a lack of careful exposition of scriptures in sermons; women taking over men's roles; and at times as with Azusa street unruly out of control manifestations. These are things to keep in mind along with cult personalities or too much emphasis on a particular evangelist; particularly with those who have clearly benefitted from raking in large amounts of cash and or popularity and who clearly indicate fraud. We should expect this according to warnings from 2 Peter 2:3 for instance.
Restoration clearly is the precedent for revival within the church. The late night or all night prayer commonplace in the past great moves of God is rarely seen; although my former church has done it for one or two days occasionally with rotating people. Working class people such as Evan Roberts in 1904 and other businessmen prayer groups of 1857-8 are two examples of this and no doubt it is an important element. In the aforementioned case of Evan Roberts after rwo years he burned out and spent much of his life in seclusion. Preachers can take too much on themselves as he did without delegating things; nonetheless his 13 years of prayer to see such an event certainly demonstrates the fact that we should persevere on what God lays on our hearts. A balance is needed to maintain church services in the midst of vastly increasing attendance along with recognition that old stuffy comfortable lukewarm predictable services may need to be displaced enough for God to move.
Apostle Paul warns us of falsely accuse of our good conversation in Christ.
1 Peter 3:16
Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed thatfalsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
Apostle Peter in the Tribulation warn his Jewish followers of false prophets.
2 Peter 2:1
But there werefalseprophets also among the people, even as there shall befalseteachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Saint John warns us in the Tribulation of false prophets.
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because manyfalseprophets are gone out into the world.
Saint John warns the Jewish followers of false prophets.
Revelation 16:13
And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of thefalseprophet.
We are in the Church age of grace, we do not have prophets to deliver us the word of God and we do not a apostles to give us another revelation to add to the Bible.
Ray, in Christ Jesus 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
Apostle Paul is our Apostle for today
Pt. 4
I wish to use this excerpt because it explains this topic so well and identifies so many Scripture verses.
Excerpted From: Got Questions:
What Does It Mean that All Sinned?
Romans attests that in Adam, all sinned. Theologically, this has been called "original sin" over the centuries. Original sin does not mean that we are guilty of Adam's sin, but that we inherit a sinfulness that is transmitted from Adam to all humans. No human is exempt from being sinful and corrupted.
Humans are driven to sin, enslaved by this sinfulness to continue to sin and to rebel against God, as these Scriptures say:
John 8:34
Jesus replied, "Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.'
2 Peter 2:19
They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves to depravity. For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
Titus 3:3
For at one time we too were foolish, disobedient, misled, and enslaved to all sorts of desires and pleasures-living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
Romans 6:16, 17
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Romans 6:20
For when ye were the slaves of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
Romans 3:10-12 quotes Psalm 14:2-3 and Ps. 53: 1-3 saying that no one does what is good, not even one, no one understands the things of God (spiritual matters) because the god of this world has blinded us so that we cannot see the glory of Jesus in the gospel.
Paul also says that all humans are hostile to God, at enmity towards Him, His enemy, dead in sin, and enslaved to sin, we do not seek Him nor can we please God nor submit to His law. Elsewhere we are told that it is man's pride that keeps Him from hating his sin and submitting to God.
( Romans 2:1; 5:10: 3:10-18, 8:6-8; Eph.2:13; Ecc. 7:20; Ps. 14:2; 36:1-2; Is. 53:2)
See Pt. 5
Part 3
God righteousness also means he's fair and just.
We all have sinned and we "ALL" deserve our punishment.
God is merciful so he sent the Lamb of God to sacrifice. "Not to take away "sins" from man individually
He came to take away the SIN "that is the penalty of sin" John 1:29 reads "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. (notice sin is singular)
1 John 2:2 we see "sins" is used. It's Plural! ( And he is the propitiation for our "SINS":
I believe this is because of the repeated charges against us because sin is still present with us. We have a great lawyer!
Look at what else verse 2 says AND NOT FOR OURS ONLY, BUT ALSO FOR THE SINS OF THE WHOLE WORLD!
God's atonement is not limited!
There's a portion of 2 Peter 2:1 that reads "even "DENYING" the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
These people are not saved!
But the Lord's purchase Peter designates applies to them if they would accept it!
This proves that the atonement was not limited!
The synonym for fair is Just! That's fair!
Quote from J Vernon Mcgee on John 6:37.
Election and free will are both in this verse. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me" states a truth, and that is election. But wait a minute! and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" is also true, and "him that cometh to me" is free will. I don't know how to reconcile them, but they are both true. The Father gives men to Christ, but men have to come. And the ones that come are the ones, apparently, whom the Father gives to Him. You and I are down here, and we don't see into the machinery of heaven. I don't know how God runs that computer of election, but I know that He has given to you and to me a free will and we have to exercise it.
See Part 4
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." ( James 5:7).
There are many verses on the subject of patience or longsuffering both related to God and His approved servants who eventually enter into their reward. There is no doubt that God honors those who persevere but we also need to recall the situation of Lot who as 2 Peter 2:7 states ...And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked". We don't want to be too comfortable with evil around us and in particular become compromised to maintain a lifestyle of ease. As we see with Lot his choice to enter the well watered lowlands looked good when he split up from Abraham but in the end he escaped literally from the flames with the collateral damage of what happened to his wife.
Patience therefore with our own sin can't be tolerated. We also are to sound our voice as a trumpet as Jeremiah did and the other Prophets. God patiently endures vessels fitted for destruction ( Romans 9:22; read on to verse 23). Wickedness will not be tolerated in God's Kingdom when He reigns on earth after He comes again. We need to see that God is refining us through the wickedness of sinners opposed to us and generally in rebellion that we see all around us. We don't know who is going to come to Christ and also we should keep in mind John 15:2 and 2 Timothy 2:21 where the branches we possess as believers can be purged or other useless appendages cut out from sinful connections to our dead past that we hang on to.
God will complete the work He has started ( Philippians 1:6). He will see all His sheep who hear His voice eventually enter heaven and safe pasture; and all the goats will be judged.
These earthly trials will soon be over; let us encourage one another until He comes.
The word of God is speaking to us, we are born again by coming to truth of THE WORD, the written WORD becoming the LIVING WORD.
Psalms 103:20 Bless the Lord, YE HIS ANGELS, who excel in strength (of the Lord), that do his commandment, harkening to the voice of the Lord.
Luke 29:36 Neither can they DIE any more (we died with Christ on his cross): for they are EQUAL unto the ANGELS; and are the children of God, being the CHILDREN OF THE RESURRECTION (joint heirs of his kingdom).
Genesis 1:2 .....and DARKNESS was upon the face of the earth (man) .......
Isaiah 45:7 I form the light, and CREATE DARKNESS .....
Job 19:22 A land of DARKNESS, as DARKNESS itself, and the shadow of DEATH, without any order, and where LIGHT is as DARKNESS.
2 Peter 2:4 But if God spared not the angels that sinned (blasphemed his name), but cast them down to the GRAVE, and delivered them into CHAINS OF DARKNESS (the wages of sin is death), to be reserved unto judgement,
Psalms 149:9 To execute upon the the judgement written, this HONOR hath all his SAINTS......
Romans 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creation WAITETH (in the grave) for the MANIFESTATION of the SONS OF GOD.
Romans 8:21 Because the CREATION ITSELF shall be DELIVERED from the bondage of corruption (darkness) into the GLORIOUS LIBERTY OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD.
God Bless You
In the Bible, we see devils, unclean spirits that can occupy and control a human body, but I have not found in the Bible where they came from and why they are on the earth. There are angels locked in chains of darkness, 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 1:6 that said they sinned, but we are not told what that sin was it must be something different than just rebelling, to me this points to Genesis 6. We talk about fallen angels but that is not in the Bible. We see there is a hierarchy of angels and devils we see in Matthew 12:43-45.
Matter of fact these three verses were at the heart of the things that happened, the person who was possessed was trying to get seven of us in one location together the reason was never known because the seven were never all together, and we did not let that happen. Satan has rebelled against God but still has access to heaven, Job 1,2. It does not say but I would understand the other angels who have rebelled still have access to heaven because we see they are cast out in Rev. 12.
I feel that angels and devils/unclean spirits are different just by some things I have seen there is no clear proof in the Bible so you may be correct all I can say their evil thankfully there are more good ones faithful and loyal to God.
The only thing I can understand about what happened in that church was before I was saved and it was trying to stop that from happening, or it was done by God to get us away from that church not sure.
God bless,
RLW
Thanks for your reply, I know many have the understanding the sons of God in Genesis 6 are the line of Seth and the daughters of men are of Cain and those not following God. I will just give a little of my understanding not in debate.
Scripture tells us there were Nephilim/giants in the world before and after the flood Genesis 6:4 2 Samuel 21:16 Joshua 12:4 Numbers 13:33 Deuteronomy 2:19-21 Amos 2:9 Also in Joshua 13, 15, 17, 18, 2 Samuel 21 and 1 Chronicles 20 Also, in the Old Testament, there is the Rephaim or Rephaites, and the context describes them as giants. so, where did they come from?
2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 1: 6 tell us of a group of angels who left their first estate and are locked in darkness. Many other fallen angels we battle including Satan are on this earth 2 Corinthians 11:14-15. But these angels are locked in darkness until judgment, and we see in Revelation 9:11 they have a king. These angels had to do something far greater than rebelling against God, my understanding is they adulterated God's creation, we see how corrupt it got.
We know from Jude and 2 Peter angels sinned, kept not their first estate, and left their habitation. Estate means condition, status, and dominion, and habitation means residence or dwelling place. I understand how many takes Matthew 22:30 and Mark 12:25 but Jesus is not referring to sex He is saying when we are resurrected, we will be like the angels in heaven who are immortal. We are mortal, we have to marry and reproduce when we are resurrected, we will be raised immortal same as the angels no more need to marry and reproduce, and we will be on the earth not heaven.
We see angels come down on earth that have bodies, they can eat and drink, Genesis 18:1-8 and other places like Hebrews 13:2. To me the angels who left their estate is where these giants came from, and we see when Israel went into the promised land God wiped out the giants or had them kill them all even the children.
God bless,
RLW
We know Seth is the line that goes all the way to the Messiah Jesus therefore when Seth had Enosh, this line was the only one walking and calling on the name of God. We see Enoch and Noah walked with God but by the time of Noah all had corrupted themselves, whether they had created false gods, we are not told but their imaginations were evil.
I may have a different understanding of the sons of God, we see in Luke 3:38 that Adam was called the son of God because he was a direct creation of God, he had no human father. Jesus is the Son of God and through Jesus, we can become sons and daughters of God, but I have not found where men are called sons of God.
If we take the sons of Seth as sons of God, would we not have to take the daughters of men the daughters of Cain or all the other men who did not call on the name of God? They all are from Adam and Eve would not all the daughters be fair? The flood was 1656 or 2256 years from Adam, and it says when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them. So, this was long before the flood.
We see in the Bible the sons of God are referring to angels as we see in Job 1:6-12 Job 2:1 and Job 38:7. I have not found where men were called sons of God until after the Messiah Jesus and those who believe in Him can become sons of God.
We know there are fallen angels like Satan and others on this earth but there are other angels God has locked in chains of darkness I suppose is the bottomless pit until judgment, 2 Peter 2:4 Jude 1:6. My understanding is these are the sons of God who corrupted and polluted God's creation that He destroyed all but eight. We see this happened again after the flood as told in Genesis 6:4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also, after that, as we see in Scripture some tall as cedars, Amos 2:9.
God bless,
RLW