“… what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
Summary: In this half of verse 18, Peter points to two types of people who reject the kingdom of God. While we might tend to lump them together, it is worth examining what Peter is pointing us to.
When I started writing yesterday’s meditation I was looking at the entire verse. My focus was on the hard road ahead, and then I noticed something about the second part of the passage that stopped me in my tracks. “What will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
Often I look at a phrase like this, and my mind groups both words into one thing. After all, the “ungodly” are “sinners,” right? So it makes sense that Peter is saying the same thing in two different ways. Or is he? Is there a difference between the two words?
Jude uses the same word for “ungodly” in his letters. He writes:
“For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” (Jude 1:4)
Notice that the “ungodly people” Jude refers to are counted among the believers Jude is writing to. We did a study of Jude on this blog beginning here. The most important insight I took from that study was that the “ungodly people” Jude was warning us about could be anyone, even you or me! Jude’s letter is a warning to check our attitude towards God.
So who are the “sinners” that Peter is thinking of? Is he thinking of me with that word, too? Of course, we are all sinners (Romans 3:23), but that is not what he is writing about. The Greek word he used, hamartōlos, denotes a particular kind of sinner. Someone who is “devoted to sin.” The sense I get from the Greek is that this type of sinner is unrepentant. You might say they like to sin.
Without the righteousness of Christ, we are all ungodly and sinners to some extent. In Christ, we are forgiven and made new. (Ephesians 4: 20-24)
The first part of this passage, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved…” makes me think of the work Jesus did for us, the sacrifice he made. The righteousness he refers to has something to do with Jesus. It may include our own efforts at being righteous for Jesus’ sake, but it definitely relies on Jesus.
The second part of the passage, today’s part, is another story. These are the people who pretend to be religious but their hearts are far from God, and the people who are openly rebellious against God. What will become of them? What will become of the people who “know better?” What will happen to those who harden their hearts to God’s redemption and Word?
Peter doesn’t tell us the answer to those questions. He does not dwell on the place where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”1 But we know. We know what happens if we turn our backs on God.
Application: Be mindful of your heart’s attitude towards God.
Food for Thought: Why do you think Peter draws a distinction between sinners and the ungodly?
1 Matthew 8:12; Matthew 13:42; Matthew 13:50; Matthew 22:13; Matthew 24:51; Matthew 25:30; Luke 13:28
The link to Jude doesn’t work. But I do remember it. I believe that the ungodly are those trying to cause people to sin being used by the evil one to cause the church to be divided in any way they can.
I also remember thinking about how the ungodly could be you or me or anyone in the church. This bothered me and started to question myself being a new believer if I was being used to cause separation and confusion in the church or to mislead anyone. We then discussed fruit of the Spirit which gave me comfort.
Thanks Tim!
The link has been fixed!
Thank you Jeff you really got me thinking more and more on this one. I hope to have a better understanding after everyone posts comments. The comments are always great on this blog.
Tim,
A little further on in Peter’s letter he writes,
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
As believers we always need to be on the alert for indications that we are less humble and more prideful. It is an attitude of the heart that shows up in people’s actions. The devil never gives up trying to entice us. He is persistent and subtle.
BTW – I agree about the comments on the blog. I often think they are the best part! 🙂
Interesting question brother. According to Strong’s concordance, the word for godly could also be rendered wicked, impious, someone who is not a respecter of God.
In this case, the only difference I can see between a sinner who misses God’s holy standard and enjoys sin, and the ungodly, is intentionality. The sinner is just doing their thing. The ungodly or wicked seem to be intentional about disrespecting God. They are against God as much as they are for sin.
Why do you think Peter draws a distinction between sinners and the ungodly?
Early in my life as a Christian, I was in BSF and learned of our freedom from sin, how through Christ, God has forgiven me of all sin, past, present and future. This fact was shocking to me. God had paid all my debts with no limit on my future spending, handing me a blank check. Nobody had ever loved me or trusted me enough to enough to do this. I remember speaking with my Pastor at the church I belonged to at the time, telling him what I had learned.
He told me this was true, but I should not share this with others in the church, because they might just go off and do whatever they wanted. I was confused, this truth had brought me closer to God, but I couldn’t share it because it might make people go away from God.
I have not forgotten this truth and I never hesitate to confirm or express this truth to others. God has made an unconditional covenant with believers ( as he did throughout the Old Testament ) and His doing this has drawn me closer to Him as well as made me aware of the great importance of being a better steward of the freedom He has given me. The Holy Spirit has been with me and helped me by setting the priorities for my life and the power to overcome sin as we walk together. However, I remain a sinner and will be a sinner until I am with Christ.
I think the ungodly could be people who have in some way gained knowledge of the total forgiveness given by God, and claimed Christ as a license to sin rather than freedom from sin. They will answer to God for their actions.
Ron,
Jude 1:4 echoes your conclusion:
“For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”
I like the visualizing of being trusted with a blank check. That is an accurate allegory for Christ’s gift of salvation. Yet, there is a temptation to abuse the gift and for some the temptation leads to ungodliness.
The story of the pastor who understood this but was afraid to share it with people makes me sad. What kind of congregation did he have? Were they kept in church only by fear?
I am so glad you were able to understand the truth and live it.
From what I understand all us sinners have a shot at redemption and salvation before Christ comes to take us home,..and the ungodly are as Rich says,..those that reject Christ. It is pretty clear in the letter from John in Revelation,..we will or should be mourning for all those that wouldn’t or didn’t listen to us when we spoke to them about Jesus,..they continued to reject and rebel against His name,.. that’s ungodly,..
We all have sinned and fall short,..but thanks be to God that He has paid the way out of this life for each and every one of us if we so choose to be, and you all know that’s only by the blood of His Son Jesus. There is going to be weeping and gnashing of teeth,..and it will be from the ungodly ones doing such in the burning lake of fire,.. it is spelled out pretty clear in Revelation to me anyway,..sad but true,..
There is still so much work to be done before He comes,..I am doing my best and I can be doing better at getting His Word out and things cleaned up before He comes back again to take us home,..but sometimes,..I have to sit back and become sorta like Mary at the feet of Jesus and soak it all in while everything else around me is stirring about,..He is full of soo much great wisdom to learn from and has so many principles for me to apply to this life He has called me to live,..so blessed to be a sinner than one of the ungodly ones,…
John,
Your comment today is very helpful. Sometimes we just have to sit at the feet of Jesus and soak it all in. Great advice!