Well, let's turn together to 2 Peter 2. We have those words in verse 20. For if after that they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome. The latter end is worse with them than the beginning. World War II furnished many examples of the will to escape. Determination was manifested in prison of war camps, in the daily digging of tunnels with a view to Ischid. And some of these stories we have read, like that tunnel that was dug day by day under the vaulting box, two men working while the others were doing their gymnastics. And as a result of that, some were clean Ischid. Others we know were caught. I do not know of any who voluntarily returned, as it were, to imprisonment. And it is so in the spiritual life that those who are really spiritually set free desire to remain free. We have three associated words before us this evening in connection with the Christian life. The first is escaped, the second is eschewing, and the third is espoused. And we want to look at each of these in turn. Now first of all then, true believers have escaped pollution. These that Peter speaks about here are not such. They have had a kind of escape, but it is not that true spiritual escape. which so sets the soul free that there is a desire to remain free. And this reminds us that we must make distinctions among churchgoers. Some are indeed saved They are born again of the Spirit of God. The heart of stone has been taken away and they have been given a heart of flesh. Putting it in terms of the parable of the sower, the seed has fallen on good ground. And in consequence, these folk have repented of sin. They know the meaning of that godly sorrow, that grief over personal transgression, that coming to God with the confession of sin, an open, free acknowledgement of the truth about ourselves, our depravity, our actual transgressions, laying all bare before God as far as we can, joining with David and saying against Thee, Thee only have I sinned and done this evil in Thy sight. Those whom God the Holy Spirit has quickened to a true and saving faith, a humble dependence upon the Lord Jesus as the only Redeemer of God's elect and the Saviour of the world. Those who, through faith in Him, are justified in the presence of God, the Holy God, can stand before Him accepted because of the imputation of the righteousness of the Lord Jesus. Those who are sanctified by the working of God the Holy Spirit, promoting holiness in them, starting in the heart and working out into the life, in the words and the deeds of such a person. Those who are so set upon eternity and heavenly glory, that notwithstanding many trials, temptations, afflictions and so on, persevere steadfast to the end. They are kept by the power of God. through fear for a salvation ready to be revealed at the last time. These are spiritual Christians. And you find them among churchgoers because they have a desire to be in the presence of God and in the place where his word is preached. They have that longing of the psalmist, dear, to pen those words, how lovely is thy dwelling place, Lord God of hosts, to me. They forsake not the gathering together of the saints as the manner of some is. But among churchgoers, if some are saved, we have to point out that some are unsaved. They may be seekers, and that, at least, is the best of the conditions of those who are unsaved, who at least have a desire to be saved, who are there in the holy place because they want to hear of spiritual and eternal things. They want to learn more of the Lord Jesus Christ. And in those multitudes that gather around the Saviour, Were there not such who were listening with a desire to hear to their spiritual benefit? Were to God that there were more such in our churches today, more such in our nation today, in whom God has awakened a desire to learn of Christ, to know how to follow Christ. If you're a Christian here this evening, you have been there yourself. At some point in time, God the Holy Spirit was working in your heart. He was awakening in your soul desires that you never did have of yourself. He was setting you upon a course, such an expedition, that was to reach a kind of culmination on a day or at a time when you saw the truth about the Lord Jesus as the Saviour of sinners and you purposed and you determined, He will be mine. and trusted in him. But you see, there are others among churchgoers who are self-deceived. They imagine themselves to be Christians, but they know nothing of these spiritual things of which we speak. They have no true experience of conversion, because God the Holy Spirit has never worked in them. and their hearts have not been quickened, and they are self-deceived. If you ask them, are you a Christian? They will openly profess that they are. And yet they know nothing of that happy union of the soul with Christ. You may have been there yourself, in thinking that you were a Christian but then you came to a time when you realized that you did not even understand what it meant to be a Christian and your heart being changed you left that behind and you knew the truth and the truth made you free. But there are worse, are there not, among churchgoers? And this chapter is full of a description of such. Those who are hypocrites, who knowingly make a profession of being servants of God when their hearts are addicted to the things of this world. And Peter here has in mind particularly those false teachers that afflicted the New Testament church and have been a problem to the true church of Christ ever since. Verse 18 gives to us a distilled description there of the kind of people that Peter has in mind. He says, For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escape. from them who live in error. They were not leading in the right direction, but leading even good and godly folk in the wrong direction. For false teachers are a great hazard and especially to new converts. There seems here to be a contrast between those who have clean escaped, those who were in danger of being led away into error, but they have clean escaped, or really escaped, whereas these false teachers have only apparently escaped. And Peter mentions that in verse 20. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. You see, contact with Christianity had some powerful effect upon their lives. cleaned up their lives, as it were, because they could see that there were a contradiction within the church, where the pursuit of holiness of life and practical godliness was so much in evidence. But, you see, they hadn't really escaped. It had not gone down so deep into their hearts as to be rooted in their being so as to be irreversible. Well, we are to expect these things, says Peter. This chapter opens with that emphasis. As there have been false teachers before, so there will be false teachers now. And so in these opening verses we find him writing, but there were false prophets also among the people in ancient times. Even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privilege shall bring indomitable heresy, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you, whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not. and their damnation slumbereth not." We see that in our own day. Many follow after heretical teachings. The true Christ, the Redeemer, is denied. as to the essence of His work as Saviour. But many follow after them. They mingle human merit with the virtue of Christ, as though some addition to the finished work of Christ is required if we are to be saved. or they will not make a stand against wickedness and evil, knowing that they cannot be popular with the unconverted man and the unconverted religious man, if a definite stand is made with respect to what is and what is not consistent with the character of God. They are not straightforward. They are very subtle. We are not to expect that they are immediately and easily identifiable. They are themselves spiritual captives. In verse 19, while promising others liberty, While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption. For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." What they gained by the truth, by hearing the truth and knowing something of the truth, they cast away. and consequently kind of keep themselves from iniquity, let alone be able to lead others into true freedom. The scene is revolting. Those who have made some progress in a cleansing of life returning again to the things of this world. Those who have professed to be teachers of others' plunging into adultery are other saviors and Peter's saviors, but it is happened unto them according to the true The dog is turned to his own vomit again, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. Even though the dog is an animal, we find it revolting what they do. It would turn our own stomachs. And Peter chooses such a revolting in order to impress upon his readers the terribleness of the situation of those who have made some progress in being rescued from the evils of this world, returning again to them. And it burdens us and it lies heavy upon our hearts that with a piece of paper before us and a pen in our hands we would be able to write down the names of people that we have known who have been retrieved in a measure from the wickedness of this world and then have forsaken Christ. and return to the things of this world. Now one thing that is very clear in particularly these epistles of the New Testament is that religious antinomianism knows no bounds. Where there is this pretended Christianity which does not acknowledge the authority of the law of God as being universal and absolute, where fine words about love and so on may be voiced But it is all a facade to cover over the licentiousness of thought and behavior. And so Peter chooses that example of Lot in Sodom to underline that. He speaks about God's judgment turning, this is verse 6, turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensemble unto those that after should live ungodly, and delivered just lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked. For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds." You see, we can make no concessions to any form of uncleanness, as though this can be acceptable to God. We have the same in Jude, if you turn to the epistle of Jude. Verses 3 and 4, what an urgent exhortation to hold fast to the truth and to contend for the truth. Listen to what Jude says, Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith. which is once delivered unto the sins. No concessions must be made. In verse 4 he goes on, For there are certain men crept in unawareness who were before the Lord ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness. and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ, laying such claims to God's favour and God's forgiveness as released them to live lives not of holiness but of sin. Unless we should be in any way tempted to take these things lightly, we have to remember that it is one's eternity that is at stake in these things. We cannot turn a blind eye to such things. We know that Discipline in the church can be uncomfortable. We know that it can be frowned upon, even by Christians. But you see, it is the eternity of people that is at stake in these things. Religious people, professedly Christian people. So we have those words of the Lord Jesus as Matthew records them in chapter 7 and verse 21. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thine ear? and in thy name have cast out devils, and in thy name done many wonderful works. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from me, yea, that work iniquity. Now the Saviour, Peter after Him, Jude, and these other apostles, were not seeking to disturb weak faith. They were not seeking to cause unease among true believers. Quite the reverse. The purpose is to establish those who are in the faith, in the faith. and to give that determination to persevere steadfast in the way of holiness. If we have escaped, really escaped, the pollutions of this world, like those prisoners of war having escaped out of their detention, surely, surely, we will not want to go back into bondage. Now that is the escape, the real escape that results from knowing Christ. For those who know liberation from the guilt of sin know also deliverance from the dominion of sin, and the corruption of sin. It's a real escape. So that brings us to our second point, that true believers are characterized by eschewing evil. Now turn to 1 Peter in chapter 3 and verse 11 for this. Just read from verse 10. For he that will love life, and see good dears, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. Let him eschew evil and do good. Let him seek peace and ensue it." The Greek word which is here translated, eschew, means to shun, to have nothing to do with. Our English word comes from an old Norman word of similar form, which means to flee from, to shun, to avoid. I have a book at home which deals with words in our authorised version and in the book common prayer that are passed out of common use. Now it was written in the 19th century. It's very interesting that one of the words in there is advertise. The compiler of the book probably never thought that such a word by the 20th century would be one which was in great prominence. But that is That is by the by, it just shows the fact of a living language. But he does point out that William Shakespeare in his Merry Wives gives the common proverb, what can't be cured must be endured in the following way. What cannot be eschewed must be embraced. Now, though it is true that sin is a disease of the soul, and we certainly cannot cure it, praise God there is a remedy. And the Lord Jesus Christ died there upon the cross at Calvary that there might be a remedy He shed his blood of infinite worth in order that through forgiveness there might be cleansing. Sin, though a disease of the soul, does not have to be endured. It can be cured. And so the Apostle says, let him eschew. evil. We eschew evil because God has commanded us to do so. These verses here in 1 Peter 3 verses 10 and 11 are from Psalm 34 verse 12 through to verse 16. And you notice that Peter introduces the words with four In verses 8 and 9 we find him writing, Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous, not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing, but contrawise blessing, knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. Do good, he says, because God commands it. For he that will love life and see good deeds, let him refrain his tongue from evil and his lips that they speak no guile. Let him eschew evil and do good. Let him seek peace and ensue it. He presses home this responsibility by the authority of God Himself from His inspired and infallible Word. This is what God would have of you. Shun it and have nothing to do with it. We eschew evil because God has commanded us to do so. We eschew evil because we love life. For he that will love life, says the psalmist, let him shun evil. Now, whatever our condition or circumstances, we are to value and appreciate life as God's gift, both mysterious and wonderful. This sad advance of euthanasia in our nation, in Europe, in Western society, is the ultimate desperate rebellion. It is not the love of life. But you see, God expects us to love life, to appreciate it, to value it, whatever our condition or circumstances might be. Has not Johnny, through her conference speaking and books, been an inspiration to many? Despite the limitations of her physical condition, having a message for those who are disabled, for those who are ill, to live with what they have. Live with what you have, cheerfully and vibrantly. And in a most challenging way, she has brought that message to thousands of believers and unbelievers alike. The love of life. whatever the limitations might be. He that will love life and see good days. Peter's emphasis will be different from what you will find in the local pub this evening. Good days to Peter are not primarily days of health and wealth but days of spiritual communion. He goes on to say there in verse 12, For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their breath. He sees you this evening, right where you are. the circumstances of your life, and he hears the prayers that you utter in crying out to him. These are the good days, the days of grace, the days of communion with God and the fellowship of his people. Now we also eschew evil because we are committed to doing good. There's the balance in verse 11, let him eschew evil and do good. You know that oil and water will not mix. The surface of oil is impermeable. It does not permit passage to water. that saints, God's holy ones, are to be so in connection with evil. It is incompatible with holiness. And it is to be shunned, as the traitor would be shunned who seeks the downfall of the state for sin and sin and sake to ruin you. But we are wise to these things by the Word of God. Let us be committed to doing good and shunning evil. We are to be so because we are already committed to a life of holiness. This brings us to our third consideration, for which we turn to 2 Corinthians 11. There we learn that true believers are espoused to Christ. 2 Corinthians 11, verse 2. Paul says, For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy. For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. No nation in its right mind could tolerate their king being engaged to a harlot. That the one who is honored of the people should be associated with the uncleanness of prostitution. I'm not saying these things have not happened. Suddenly they have happened far too frequently in the history of nations. But the qualities and position of the king demand a fitting bride, surely. And that is why I say no nation in its right mind We see here that a godly jealousy is to be expected of ministers of the gospel. Hearers must bear with faithful preachers in what they have to say, recognizing that faithful pastors are impelled by godly zeal. They have a task, and what a task it is Dear friends, Paul sums it up, but I am jealous over you with godly jealousy, for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. The faithful pastor must be instrumental in fitting sinners to be the bride of Christ. You can understand why the Apostle in another place says, Who is sufficient for these things? To have such a high and holy end in view. To keep men and women and boys and girls from sin and close to Christ. To have such a zeal for these things as to be consumed by it. And what a day it will be at the last day. when Christ recognizes such men as Peter and Paul and Jude and John and others who were so devoted throughout their ministries to keep the people from sin and to encourage them in the ways of holiness And to be so zealous about that as to pour such energy into it, it's enough to make any preacher of the gospel feel a measure of shame at any lack of earnestness with respect to such a duty as this. And is it not particularly significant, dear friends, that it is the matrimonial relationship that again and again illustrates the union of the church with Christ? That matrimonial relationship of such intimacy, such loving union, is used as the illustration by God Himself in His Word of how it is with His Church and the Saviour. And as the father gives his daughter in marriage, so the apostle Paul had espoused these Corinthians to Christ. Corinth was such a licentious place. Corinth was such an evil place. What sort of lies these people were used to. And what a marvelous effect the preached word has. It puts sinners such as we into this exclusive two-way relationship of love with Christ. Whereby we become aware of His love to us. He who said, greater love than this hath no man, that a man give his life for his friend. And also establishes our love to Him. We love Him who first loved us. We view it as a matter of reproach if a man and a woman live together but do not love one another and show that affection that is appropriate. It's an awful thing, isn't it, to see selfishness in a marriage, which so interferes with that happy union that should be. And here the apostle says to these Christian folk, I have espoused you to one husband. I have brought you into that happy union love. That you might learn to love him more and more because he loves you beyond what you can comprehend. And so believers are to view themselves as chaste virgins. There's a double emphasis here on faithful purity because surely chaste would have been sufficient of itself or virgin would have been sufficient of itself to indicate this intended emphasis. But no, the apostle says, chaste virgins, those who are pure and faithful. Are we not liberated to live for Christ? Is not each sin deplorable? In another place, in Ephesians chapter 5, the Apostle rises, as it were, to the ultimate presentation of his things. as he speaks of marriage and the mutual responsibilities of a husband and a wife and sees in this the analogy with the relationship between Christ and His Church. Just to be brief about it, in verse 25 here in Ephesians 5 he says, Husbands, love your wives even as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. This is the destiny of mortal sinners such as we in Christ to be so beautified and ultimately perfected in the beauty of holiness as to be fit to be the bride of Christ. That's the end. that we are to have in view, to shape and direct every thought and word and deed to the glory of His name, in the here and now. Amen.