 |  |
Occurrences of the Greek `apoleia'.
Translated as "Perdition" (8 times): John 17: 12; Phil. 1: 28; II Thessalonians 2: 3;
I Tim. 6: 9; Heb. 10: 39; II Pet. 3: 7; Rev. 17: 8, 11.
"Destruction" (5 times): Matt. 7: 13; Rom. 9: 22; Phil. 3: 19; II Pet. 2: 1; 3: 16.
"Waste" (twice): Matt. 26: 8; Mark 14: 4.
Damnable, pernicious, damnation: II Pet. 2: 1, 2, 3.
We will quote the reference in Timothy in full:
"And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich
fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown
men in destruction and perdition" (I Tim. 6: 8, 9).
In preaching the gospel, it is right to emphasize the great love wherewith He loved us
(Eph. 2: 4). We can never be thankful enough to our God and Saviour, Who left His
heavenly home and took upon Himself the form of a servant, and was made in the
likeness of men; He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Phil.ii.7,8).
Why was this necessary? Disobedience had brought sin into the world. God does not
view disobedience, or sin, lightly. He could not say "I forgive you" unless the debt had
been paid first. So, while thanking God for His love, let us remember that sin and all that
goes with it is hated by God. So in Eph. 2: there is reference to the children of
disobedience and children of wrath.
Surely, as God sees our Christian lives, He must be pleased when He sees loyal and
faithful service. But must He not also be displeased if He sees us slipping or failing in
our witness and service?
If we study the Scripture in those places where God is said to be angry, we may be
surprised. Such men as Moses, Aaron, and Solomon were loyal men serving the Lord,
and we hold them in high esteem. Would we class them as men who failed? We realized
that Israel as a nation often provoked the Lord and incurred His anger. It would take
too much space to describe in detail the examples we have quoted, but we give a brief
summary:
MOSES. "I am not eloquent ... slow of speech ... And the anger of the Lord was kindled
against Moses" (Exod. 4: 10, 14).
MOSES. Entry into the promised land. "Also the Lord was angry with me for your
sakes" (Deut. 1: 37).
AARON. "And the Lord was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I
prayed for Aaron also the same time" (Deut. 9: 20).
MIRIAM and AARON.
"And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them"
(Numbers 12: 9).
SOLOMON. "And the Lord was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from
the Lord God of Israel" (I Kings 11: 9).