Let’s Look At Pernicious

 

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 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. (2 Peter 2:9-10 KJV)

Paul begins this chapter:

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. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. (2 Peter 2:1-2 KJV)

“Pernicious” is a beautifully defined word: having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way. The example used in the Google dictionary is “the pernicious influences of the mass media.” The additional information includes:

What is pernicious effect?     pernicious, baneful, noxious, deleterious, detrimental mean exceedingly harmful. pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining.

The serpent’s conversation with Eve in Genesis was certainly pernicious:

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (Genesis 3:1 KJV)

The serpent called attention to the one detail that would have a “No” in it. The beginning of temptation. I hope you’ve thought of a number of other “No”s that have given others temptation into failures.

Solomon is a good example – considered a very wise man, except:

But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. (1 Kings 11:1-4 KJV)

A thousand to one? Certainly it was easier to just give in and let them bring with them their comfortable things. A very wise man ending up:

Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. (1 Kings 11:7-8 KJV)

What pernicious things have we allowed in our lives? I think there's a common list as our world has changed over the last few decades. I don't have to list them here, it's really obvious by the fact that I'm writing and you're reading. The world has more information available to the widest percentage of people since the Tower of Babel. 

There is a falling away from believing "In the beginning, God created," " For God so loved the world," and especially "I am the way, the truth and the life." There are Christian organizations that do not adhere to the fundamental truths given in the Bible, even saying the Bible is no longer relevant. How perniciously has this happened? No one person can be held accountable for such a movement.

Yet - it was prophesied. Want to know what else has been prophesied and fulfilled? Better yet, what else has been prophesied and NOT yet fulfilled?