Without having been there, we can try to imagine a little of what it must have been like on 9/11 after the planes hit the towers. The buildings were shaken, as were the people. Fire and smoke filled many rooms. We know many fire fighters were dispatched and entered the buildings to rescue those in peril. Could it have been, at least on the lower floors, that firemen went into smoke-filled rooms with flashlights calling out to those in need? If so, the victims could have reached safety by listening to the calls, following the flashlights, and heeding instructions that would lead to safety.

Peter’s second epistle reveals that the Jewish Kingdom saints were in spiritual peril. Evil men whom he called “false prophets” (II Peter 2:1) had entered the safety of their churches with dangerous lies. These men “were even denying the Lord that bought them…” (vs. 1). Unfortunately, as they called out this bad doctrine, Peter said: “And many shall follow their pernicious ways…” (vs. 2). No doubt the hearers thought they were following the light of truth to safety when, in fact, they were being led the wrong way. It was in this context that Peter told his fellow saints: “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished” (vs. 9). This verse sounds quite similar to I Corinthians 10:13, which says: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” How does God deliver believers from temptations? The answer is essentially the same in every dispensation. The Lord does not commandeer our will. We must choose to allow Him to lead us to victory by listening to the right voices of influence, following the light of God’s truth into paths of safety, and yielding in obedience to the Holy Spirit who always leads us away from the perils of sin.

The Jews in Peter’s day needed to stop listening to the confusing false teachers and to simply heed the truths they had heard from sound teachers. Similarly, today, we need to choose to yield to the Holy Spirit, who always leads away from sin, and listen only to teachers who are consistent with truth taught by Paul.