From today’s reading in Tyndale’s One Year Chronological Bible dated 12/31:

Today there is great rejoicing in heaven over Jesus’ second coming. The multitudes are saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.”

“Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The word of God.”

Satan is bound for a thousand years, and Jesus reigns as the perfect King during this time – “He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; and he cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal on him, so that he should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished. But after these things he must be released for a little while.”

“Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever… And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Then John sees the final vision of a splendid new heaven and earth – “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.’”

“But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.”

We end the reading with Jesus saying, “‘Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book…And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last… I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.’ And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.”

“Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”

And that’s a wrap on the End Times/ New Beginnings Era and our journey through the Bible – the Greatest TRUE story Ever Told! Tomorrow we begin the story the same way the story ends – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). KEEP READING! (Revelation 19:1-22:21)

14 Eras:

Creation Era (Gen 1:1-11:26) ✔️

Patriarch Era (Gen 11:27-50:26 and Job) ✔️

Exodus Era (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) ✔️

Conquest Era (Joshua) ✔️

Judges Era (Judges, Ruth) ✔️

Kingdom Era (1 & 2  Samuel, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles 1-9, 1 Kings 1-11, various Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon) ✔️

Divided Kingdom Era (2 Chronicles 10-36, 1 Kings 11-22, 2 Kings, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, and some of Jeremiah) ✔️

Captivity Era (the rest of Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel) ✔️

Return Era (Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) ✔️

Silent Era (Inter-Testament period) ✔️

Gospel Era (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) ✔️

Church Era (Acts, the Epistles, and Hebrews) ✔️

Missions Era (Acts, the Epistles, and Hebrews) ✔️

End Times/New Beginnings Era (Revelation) ✔️

From today’s reading in Tyndale’s One Year Chronological Bible dated 12/30:

In today’s vision John sees the heavens open and “seven angels having the seven last plagues, for in them the wrath of God is complete… Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, ‘Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.’” When the bowls are poured out, the following occurs:

1st bowl – “A foul and loathsome sore came upon the men who had the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image.”

2nd bowl – The sea “became blood as of a dead man; and every living creature in the sea died.”

3rd bowl – The fresh waters became blood.

4th bowl – The sun scorched men with great heat “and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues; and they did not repent and give Him glory.”

5th bowl – The beast’s “kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain. They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and did not repent of their deeds.”

6th bowl – The Euphrates River “and its water was dried up, so that the way of the kings from the east might be prepared.”

7th bowl – “Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, ‘It is done!’ And there were noises and thunderings and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth… And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.”

We end the reading with John’s visions of the fall of Babylon. “The term ‘Babylon’ refers to a religious-political system where the true God is excluded. The name Babylon goes back to Genesis 11 where the first organized, idolatrous religion system was established. Religious Babylon (probably centered in Rome) will be destroyed halfway through the Tribulation by The Antichrist and his followers, as they seek to establish only one religion in the world – the worship of Satan and The Antichrist (ch.17). Political Babylon (ch. 18) is probably centered in Jerusalem and refers to the center of The Antichrist’s empire. This will be destroyed by Christ at His second coming.” (An excerpt from Survey of the New Testament by Paul N. Benware) 

Tomorrow Jesus has ultimate victory, and a new heaven and earth are created. Keep reading! (Revelation 15:1-18:24)

From today’s reading in Tyndale’s One Year Chronological Bible dated 12/29:

During this time of calamity, when Satan is reigning, the Lord will send two witnesses who will pour God’s word from their mouths and be indestructible until they finish their testimony. Then “the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit will make war against them, overcome them, and kill them.” But three days later, God will raise them up to heaven. 

Then John sees a vision of Christ being born and taken to heaven. Meanwhile a dragon, Satan, is attempting to devour Christ and destroy His mother, but the Lord protects them. “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.’”

The people of the earth worship the beast, the Antichrist. “All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” And a second beast will arise that will encourage everyone to worship the Antichrist. 

However, God is still ultimately in control – “Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads…These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.”

Then John sees three angels who declare God’s judgment, the fall of Babylon, and the eternal torment of those who follow Satan. “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, ‘Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’”

We end today’s reading with a vision of Jesus harvesting the earth by gathering all His followers and throwing His enemies “into the great winepress of the wrath of God.”

John will receive more visions from the Lord tomorrow, so keep reading. (Revelation 11:1-14:20)

From today’s reading in Tyndale’s One Year Chronological Bible dated 12/28:

After the six seals are broken, the angel says, “‘Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.’ And I heard the number of those who were sealed. One hundred and forty-four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel were sealed.” And just as God promised the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and as the prophets proclaimed throughout this story, the Lord will fulfill His promise to the tribes of Israel.

“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” And the ones gathered around the throne of God “serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

When Jesus opens the seventh seal, trumpets begin sounding. At the sounding of the first six trumpets, these events take place:

1) ⅓ of vegetation is burned

2) ⅓ of the sea is destroyed

3) ⅓ of fresh water is destroyed

4) ⅓ of the luminaries are darkened 

5) more power is given to evil – “Then out of the smoke locusts came upon the earth. And to them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. And they were not given authority to kill them, but to torment them for five months. Their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it strikes a man. In those days men will seek death and will not find it; they will desire to die, and death will flee from them.”

6) ⅓ of mankind is killed – “So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind. Now the number of the army of the horsemen was two hundred million…By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed—by the fire and the smoke and the brimstone which came out of their mouths… But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”

The angel then tells John to take the little book that he is holding and eat it. “Then I took the little book out of the angel’s hand and ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth. But when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. And he said to me, ‘You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings.’”

Tomorrow the seventh trumpet sounds, so keep reading. (Revelation 7:1-10:11)

Read with CBT in 2022

Read through the Bible in 2022 with Chronological Bible Teaching Ministries via YouVersion by clicking on the YouVersion link below. The One Year Chronological Bible divides the reading into fifteen minute increments. Joining a reading group enhances engagement and offers accountability. In addition, subscribing to one of CBT’s free daily blog, videos, and podcasts by clicking on the Chronological Bible Teaching link below will help support your commitment to understand the story arc of the Bible.

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Wishing everyone a Happy New Year!

Corey Gallina

CFO of CBT

From today’s reading in Tyndale’s One Year Chronological Bible dated 12/27:

Today Jesus gives a message to the remaining three churches. Then He gives John a peek into heaven.

5) Sardis – Jesus says there are a few in the church who are faithful, but overall their works are dead. He calls for them to wake up and repent. For “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”

6) Philadelphia – Jesus commends them for keeping His word and persevering. He tells them to “hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.”

7) Laodicea – Jesus rebukes them for being lukewarm – “So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked… Therefore be zealous and repent… To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

Christians are defined as overcomers just as John said, “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:5). Overcomers are ones who have faith in Jesus as their Savior and by the power of the Holy Spirit overcome sin, Satan’s tactics, the world, and the flesh. We are called to overcome this broken fallen world and endure until we are one day face to face with Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb.

Jesus gives John a glimpse into heaven where John sees God on a throne with a scroll in His right hand. John weeps because there is no one worthy to open the scroll. “But one of the elders said to me, ‘Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.’”

“And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.”

The Lamb, Jesus, opens the first six scrolls sending judgment upon the world. “And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, ‘Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?’” 

Tomorrow the Lord reveals that the ones who will be able to stand are the ones who trust in Jesus. Keep reading. (Revelation 3:1-6:17)

From today’s reading in Tyndale’s One Year Chronological Bible dated 12/26:

Today Jude, the brother of James and half-brother of Jesus, also warns the churches of false teachers who have crept in unnoticed “and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude encourages the Christians to hold to the doctrine of Christ. “But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts… But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

And that’s a wrap on the Missions Era! Last up is the End Times / New Beginnings Era! 

“John wrote Revelation from the island of Patmos, where he was exiled for preaching the word of God and for his testimony about Jesus.” (OYCB) God gave John the Revelation of Jesus Christ “to show His servants – things which must shortly take place… Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

God gave the Revelation as a blessing to man so that we may be assured of Jesus’ ultimate victory! Per the book “Four Views on The Book of Revelation” there are four major interpretations of Revelation:

1) preterist – views “the events of Revelation in large part to have been fulfilled in the first centuries of the Christian Era”

2) historicist – “views the events of Revelation as unfolding in the course of history”

3) Futurist – views “events of Revelation are largely unfulfilled, holding that chapters 4-22 await the end times for their realization”

4) Idealist – views the book of Revelation as symbolic. “For this school of thought, Revelation sets forth timeless truths concerning the battle between good and evil that continues throughout the church age.”

So we see that this book is highly debated and extremely difficult to interpret. However, it was written as a blessing to us, so that we know the story ends with King Jesus victorious over all evil. 

One day Jesus is returning “with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him.” Then the Lord will say, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End… who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Jesus instructs John to write seven letters to seven churches in Asia. These churches are representative of all churches. When John turned his head to see Jesus, “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass… His voice as the sound of many waters… out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.” Jesus is not returning as a lamb to be slaughtered; He is returning as King of heaven and earth!

Jesus instructs John to, “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.”

Today we read the first four of the seven letters written to the churches:

1) Ephesus – Jesus commends them for staying true to the doctrine of Christ but rebukes them for leaving their first love, their passion for Christ. He tells them to “repent and do the first works”, which is not just checking a religious box but doing the work of the ministry out of a burning love for Christ. Jesus goes on to say, “To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”

2) Smyrna – Jesus commends them for being faithful and enduring persecution. He tells them to “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life… He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”

3) Pergamum – Jesus commends them for holding fast to His name and not denying His faith. However, he rebukes them for allowing those in the church to teach false doctrine. Jesus tells them to repent and “To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”

4) Thyatira – Jesus commends them for their works, love, service, faith and patience. But he rebukes them for allowing “Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.” He tells them to repent and “hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations… and I will give him the morning star.” 

Tomorrow we read the letters to the remaining seven churches, and we get a glimpse into heaven. Keep reading!  (Jude 1:1-25, Revelation 1:1-2:29)

14 Eras: 

Creation Era (Gen 1:1-11:26) ✔️

Patriarch Era (Gen 11:27-50:26 and Job) ✔️ 

Exodus Era (Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy) ✔️

Conquest Era (Joshua) ✔️

Judges Era (Judges, Ruth) ✔️

Kingdom Era (1 & 2 Samuel, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles 1-9, 1 Kings 1-11, various Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon) ✔️

Divided Kingdom Era (2 Chronicles 10-36, 1 Kings 11-22, 2 Kings, Joel, Amos, Obadiah,Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, and some of Jeremiah) ✔️

Captivity Era (the rest of Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel) ✔️

Return Era (Ezra, Nehemiah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi) ✔️

Silent Era (Inter-Testament period) ✔️

Gospel Era (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) ✔️

Church Era (Acts, the Epistles, Hebrews) ✔️

Missions Era (Acts, the Epistles, Hebrews) ✔️ 

End Times/New Beginnings Era (Revelation) is up now!

From today’s reading in Tyndale’s One Year Chronological Bible dated 12/25:

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” John explains that “We love Him because He first loved us,” which was displayed by His perfect, innocent Son going to the cross to die for wretched sinners like we are.

John tells the church that the “whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.” John is speaking of Satan, who took the dominion of the world from Adam and Eve back in the garden. However, Jesus came to rescue us from the evil one and provide us with eternal life. “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?… And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.”

John’s second letter is written to “the elect lady” which is more likely a church congregation rather than one specific woman. In this letter John once again encourages a church body to love one another. “And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another. This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.”

John concludes the second letter, warning them of deceivers who are antichrists and exhorting them to abide in the teachings of Christ.

John’s final letter is written to his friend Gaius. John commends him for being hospitable to traveling missionaries and for walking in truth. But John rebukes a man named Diotrephes who loves power and position and putting himself above others. Then he tells Gaius, “do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. He who does good is of God, but he who does evil has not seen God.”

Tomorrow we read a letter written by Jude, brother of James and half-brother of Jesus, and we begin the final book of the Bible, Revelation. We are in the home stretch of this magnificent story, so keep reading! A(1 John 4:7-5:21, 2 John 1:1-13, 3 John 1:1-14)

From today’s reading in Tyndale’s One Year Chronological Bible dated 12/24:

John’s first letter helps answer the question of whether or not you are a child of God. He gives several characteristics of those walking with the Lord:

1) “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

2) “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

3) “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him.”

4) “He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him.”

5) “If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.”

6) “He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.”

Then John says, “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” 

In point 2 above, John said if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and make Him a liar. Then John says if we sin we are of the devil. Therefore, we have to look at point number 6. Do you see the word “practice”? Those who are in Christ are practicing righteousness as an ongoing way of life. No one is going to nail this perfectly. So yes, we are still sinners, but a genuine Christian, who has been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, will not continue in a lifestyle or prolonged pattern of sin without conviction, and conviction leads to repentance.

Jesus died on the cross to take away the sins of the world, and He rose three days later, defeating death and providing a way for our eternal salvation. Therefore, whoever puts their faith and trust in Jesus Christ has their sins covered by His bloodshed and is deemed righteous. And those who are truly in Christ, the righteous, grieve their sin and repent out of love for their Savior.

John also says that the wicked will always try to kill the righteous. We saw this in the beginning of the story, when wicked Cain killed his righteous brother Abel, and the pattern continues and will continue until Jesus returns. But we also see throughout the story that what sets the righteous apart from the wicked is their love for one another, not just “in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him.”

Tomorrow we finish John’s first letter and also read his next two letters, so keep reading! (1 John 1:1-4:6)

From today’s reading in Tyndale’s One Year Chronological Bible dated 12/23:

In Peter’s second letter, he tells the Christians to live disciplined lives out of their love for Jesus Christ. Since our faith is a gift from the Lord, we are not able to do anything to obtain our faith or our salvation. However, we are to partake in the battle of denying self and living for Christ – “But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.”

Peter, knowing that death is quickly approaching, urges the Christians to hold firm to the truth of Jesus Christ that is revealed in the Holy Spirit inspired prophecies of the Scriptures, and is verified through eyewitness testimonies – “And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place… knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” Therefore, every time we open our Bible and read Scripture, we are hearing directly from the Lord, and His word is what transforms us.

Peter warns of false teachers “who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words.” However, the Lord will eventually bring judgment upon these false teachers because “the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.”

Peter is certain that this day of judgment is coming. And on this day, the Lord will bring judgment upon all of the wicked, just like in the days of Noah when he wiped out the entire world with the exception of Noah and his seven family members who were saved by grace through faith. “For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.”

God is delaying this judgment because “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance… Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.”

Our best defense against falling for the lies of false teachers is becoming Bible literate so that we know the truth for ourselves. And the truth is that Christians are at peace with the Lord and declared blameless through faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. We are given the ability to live lives turning from sin toward the Lord and reflecting the characteristics of Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Christians do not have to fear this coming judgment upon the depraved world. 

Tomorrow we begin the first of three letters written by John, so keep reading. (1 Peter 5:12-14, 2 Peter 1:1-3:18)