2 Peter 3:18 - …but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…
3 truths to understand regarding the old man of sin that can be manifested in false teachers and at the same time helpful to us as we wrestle with sin
I. The Old Man of Sin has a Specific Nature
A. A way of seeing – “having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin” (v. 14)
“to be thoroughly characterized by something”
Romans 15:14 - And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another.
James 3:17 - But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
Matthew 6:19-24 - Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body; so then if your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness…No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve (love) God and wealth.
B. A way of loving – “indulging the flesh in its corrupt desires” (v. 10), “count it a pleasure” (v. 13), “loving the wages of unrighteousness” (v. 15)
C. A way of living – “having a heart trained in greed” (v. 14)
“The little human animal will not at first have the right responses. It must be trained to feel pleasure, liking, disgust, and hatred at those things which really are pleasant likeable, disgusting and hateful.” (C.S. Lewis, The Abolition of Man)
“In the life of God’s people will be seen first of all a remarkable reversal of values. They (God’s people) will prize what the world calls pitiable, and suspect what the world thinks desirable.” (Michael Wilcock, The Savior of the World: The Message of Luke’s Gospel, 86)
II. The Old Man of Sin has Specific Summary Characteristics
A. Deceived – “reviling in their deceptions” (v. 13)
B. Proud – “despise authority, daring, self-willed, do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, reviling where they have no knowledge.” (v. 10, 12)
“If we could sum it up, it’s the mindset of self, the pursuit of self-exaltation, a focus on the desire to control all things for self. In exalting himself, the person actually believes, ‘I am valuable and worthy. I am the source of anything good or wise or successful. I deserve the credit for whatever I achieve or acquire. I deserve love, admiration, and respect. All good things are from me, through me and to me. All honor and glory should go to me for my enjoyment and pleasure.’” (Stuart Scott, From Pride to Humility)
C. Animalistic – like “unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, a mute donkey speaking with the voice of a man restrained the madness of the prophet” (v. 12, 16)
Numbers 22:22-30 - But God was angry because he was going, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey…When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, the donkey turned off from the way and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back into the way. Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path of the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she pressed herself to the wall and pressed Balaam’s foot against the wall, so he struck her again. The angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn to the right hand or the left. When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam; so Balaam was angry and struck the donkey with his stick. And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” Then Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now.” The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?” And he said, “No.” Then the angel of the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam.
III. The Old Man of Sin has a Sure End Result – Destruction (v. 12)
2 Peter 3:12 - But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed…