“Thank God for Government and COVID-19”
II Peter 2:1-6

Introduction

• Many people would think I am crazy for the title but in reality God has brought to my attention this week to be thankful to God for our government and this COVID -19 pandemic. We should welcome any kind of discipline that God gives.
• What separates God’s children from the world is a love they have for God that ignites their desire to please Him by continued efforts of spiritual growth.
• Children of God should always have a desire to grow, improve, and become as perfect as possible. Always striving to be perfect.
• Do you remember Moses leading the Israelites in the Exodus to the promise land? There was a shorter route to take but God led them into the wilderness for 40 years. WHY?

1. They had some spiritual growing to do. (Anger and resentment to get over, unthankfulness, etc.)
2. They needed to see their condition. (A lack of unity)
3. They needed to receive the 10 Commandments (God’s Law not Egyptian).
4. They needed discipline (Spiritual and moral).

• We are going to look at several verses this morning in II Peter 2 concerning the actions and the punishments of God’s people and their perspective on government.

I. We Bring Destruction to Our Self

  A) Sin brings on destruction

• Look at our text in II Peter 2:1…But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily (secretly) shall bring in damnable heresies (criticizing words against doctrines of the church), even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
• “False prophets” are people claiming to be sent from God, anointed of God, have the wisdom of God, and have the power of God but lack the proof of being Godly by their actions (fruit) or teachings.
• The world today is full of false prophets and teachers who secretly bring in their own philosophy of life and rules to live by and they deny the God who purchased them with the blood of Jesus Christ His own Son.
• And as Peter said here, their false belief and philosophies have caused God to bring judgment to their doorstep. They have no one to blame but themselves.
• COVID – 19 has destroyed many homes, businesses, livelihoods, and lives. But the world has brought it on their self.
• I can hear people ask right now… “What in the world did I do?”
• To be honest, it’s not just you but me and everybody else. We have allowed Satan to creep into our lives and twist the laws of God to fit our purpose.
• We have allowed God’s standards to be watered down and some completely abolished. You may ask “What are you talking about?
• We have allowed women to be in authority when God had punished the woman who was equal to man in the beginning… until she sinned. God then removed her from that position and placed her into submission under man.
• We have allowed women to be preachers of God’s word and that too was never ordained of God. God did place certain women to speak to others at particular times but never in an authoritative position over the man.
• We have allowed homosexuals and sex perversion of every sort to have its place in society when God calls it an abomination (Something disgusting and hateful).
• We have allowed children to rule the home which is totally absurd and against the laws of God.
• Men have also trespassed against God by not being obedient to God’s plan for man from the beginning due to Adam’s sin in the Garden of Eden. God had told Adam that man shall work by the sweat of his brow until he dies.
• Man has allowed women to rule the work force and many men are staying at home babysitting and having a completely reversed roll that God had originally ordained.
• Man’s laws today protect the guilty and convict the innocent.
• We have allowed babies to be aborted because we think they are just a fetus not a baby. God said to Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1:5 …Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. Did you get that folks? God knows us before we are born, and God has set in order what we are to become before we are born. You still think that we are just a fetus? Certainly not! We are the very plan of God, a baby, a person waiting to enter the world and do as God tells us.
• All of this is our own undoing, our own destruction.
• The world is looking for someone or something to blame for this pandemic when the blame goes to our own self.  

II.  God’s Redemptive Spirit

  A) God will deliver His own children

• Now look at II Peter 2:9…The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
• Peter here is referring to the account of Lot (back up in verse 6).
• The city of Sodom and Gomorrah was to be destroyed because of their sin and unrepentant heart. But God knew how to deliver Lot and his family if they would not look back to where they came from.
• America today has forgotten where we came from. The pilgrims sailed to the United States in hopes to establish a country that was not forced to be obedient and servants to a queen and king, but rather obedient and servants to the God of Abraham and the Lord Jesus Christ.
• The sad thing is that we have forgotten that and in fact are re-writing the history books to suit our ultimate agendas.
• And you wonder why God has judged us harshly?
• God will and can redeem (buy us back) us if we repent and get America back to God.

  B) Judgment upon the disobedient

• Now look at II Peter 2:10…But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness,
• Like Noah and Lot in their time faced a world of corruption that “walk after the flesh” meaning that the people had allowed their desires for sinful and unclean activity to govern their life for so long that it had become the new norm (normal way of living) without any kind of conviction.
• What are the unclean activities that Peter brought to their attention?

1. “…and despise government. They didn’t like being told what they can and cannot do by anyone in authority over them. They ignored laws and mandates set up by the government which God had ordained. In this verse 10 it is directed to the false teachers who outwardly claimed Christ as Lord of their life but never was obedient to His commands.

• During this COVID 19 pandemic, our nation has tried to blame it all on our president, on China, and anyone else but themselves.

2. “Presumptuous are they,” The word “presumptuous” means too proud, too self confident, or too daring (Head strong). Solomon reminds us that “pride goeth before destruction” (Prov. 16:18) Americans have swelled with pride being the “free world” and most blessed country and etc. Our fall is coming if we do not repent.
3. “ selfwilled,” Being self willed is to be self sufficient or very independent. It is a people that only listens to themselves and makes their own judgments, and does their own thing that pleases themselves and all the while ignoring God, His government, and His authority.
4. “ they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.” What are “dignities?” They are the angels. We are not supposed to ridicule or speak badly about any good or bad angels. One way of doing this is to blame Satan for something you did or something bad that happened to you. Some of you may remember a comedian back in the 70’s who made popular a saying “The devil made me do it!” The devil cannot make any one do anything. It is our choice to do evil, bad, or do good. 

III. Thankful for Government and COVID – 19    

A) Thank our government 

• WHY should we thank our government? Because it is our government that is supposed to protect its people from self destruction, from enemies, and disaster if at all possible. They protected us by demanding a “Stay at home” order and put restrictions on travel to places that are infected with this pandemic.
• It could be a lot worse.
• According to statistics in the U.S. News World Report… 80% of people get a mild illness and they recover. 15% of people infected have more serious symptoms, and only 5% of the people infected die.
• The hypocritical part of our government is this… They were very pro active on trying to resolve this COVID -19 which has not killed as many people as drunk drivers, drugs, cigarettes, AIDS and other diseases.
• The government furthermore allows every kind of religion in the world to have their rights but yet squash the rights of our own religious beliefs and standards.

  B) Thank COVID

• By saying “Thank COVID” I mean thank God for allowing COVID in our lives that has brought us to many places in our lives for the good.
• What is good about this pandemic?
  1. COVID has forced us to do what we should be doing.
  2. COVID has forced us to discipline ourselves.
  3. COVID has forced us to get closer to God, our family and church.
  4. COVID has caused us to pause for awhile and think about our future, think about what we will be doing after this, and think about how we are to prepare for the worst.
  5. COVID has forced us to distance ourselves from one another which may have caused many to stop gossip and ridicule sessions.
  6. COVID has also caused us to appreciate the freedom that we do have.
• God has brought this pandemic to our doorstep because we needed it!
• COVID is a positive thing because there have been more good things that have come from this than bad. People need to be aware of God and his disciplines that keep us in line and safe from the final judgment.
• God teaches us that discipline from authority is of our best interest to lead a healthy and productive life that will bring honor and glory to the God who created us.
• Am I thankful for our government and COVID -19? You bet I am, and so should you.