How Shall We Escape

It’s not a pleasant subject. It is considered politically uncorrect. The Bible states that not all people are going to heaven. It specifically states that some will be going to hell. It also says:

(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) (2 Peter 2:8 KJV)

A righteous man, living among a rampantly sinful people, was vexed daily.  The Greek word Peter used is βασανίζω, defined as to torture, to cause pain or torment. Do you ever feel that pain when seeing what this righteous man saw?  Oh, you don’t know what this man saw? It was Lot:

And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (2 Peter 2:7 KJV)

Just as we use examples from scripture, where people are expected to know much of the story simply because of a name, Peter used the story of Lot’s deliverance from Sodom as an example in explaining that God’s punishment for disobedience cannot be ignored.

And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; (2 Peter 2:6 KJV)

There were earlier examples, too:

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; (2 Peter 2:4 KJV)

God did not spare His earlier creation. When the angels rebelled, they were cast out. Though they expected different results, they were judged by their actions, as were others:

And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; (2 Peter 2:5 KJV)

There has been, and will be, judgment based on righteousness. I like a recent quote regarding that:

"Godliness is doing what's right no matter what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told no matter what is right."

Mankind has had some problems understanding righteousness, the difference between right and wrong:

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. (Proverbs 14:12 KJV)

The Bible tells us God knows all about this:

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: (2 Peter 2:9 KJV)

The Bible also asks a question we should be aware of, consider carefully and know how we have answered:

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; (Hebrews 2:1-3 KJV)

What is your escape plan?