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[ Bottom of Page ] [ Words to John Bunyan's hymn, He Who Would Valiant Be ]

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2 Peter 2:1
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

First, these were false teachers. They did not teach the truth. They should not be called believers if they were not believing and teaching the truth. Believers are called believers because they are believers.

The truth, attested to by believers, is Christ Died for Our Sins. This message is of supreme importance and a very precious truth to those that believe. But there are those that question the importance of this precious truth.

Christ and Him crucified is all my hope and I keep that hope because the Scriptures teach that this is how He loved me. Yet not me alone, but also all those that will believe. For by grace are ye saved through faith. If faith were the object of faith, then why would Christ have died?

All our hope is Christ and Him Crucified.

Salvation is of the Lord. The strength of the promise is not based on the strength of the one that believes but is based on the One that has promised. Christ died for our sins. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

God does not have us work our way to salvation. If we are to work our way, why did Christ died in vain.

It is Christ and Him crucified that we are to glory in.

The Scriptures tell us...

John 6:64-65
64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
John 10:28-29
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

What hope is there but Jesus blood and righteousness? I don't want bothered by those that deny His death was needed. Those that teach there is some other thing needed trample under foot the blood of the covenant. For by grace are ye saved through faith. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. A man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

Those that have some other hope than Christ and Him Crucified offer no news that I want to hear. They present some other message than what is in Scripture.

Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. His death was of value.

The Blood of Christ Is Most Precious.

To the point now, I think what is being said in 2 Peter 2:1 deals with what the liars are teaching. The message of the Gospel Is That Christ Died for Our Sins. These teachers deny that is of relevance. What ever they hold as their hope or what ever they call themselves, they are not believers. They deny that God is on the Throne and that not one thing happens without His consent. They have a wrong notion of God, having believed a lie.

What I am saying about these that deny the truth is that they are holding some other hope than Christ and Him Crucified. They can be compared to what is said in Jude 1:4: For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old 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. Whatsoever is not of faith is sin. The Scriptures are the Words that shape the believer's faith

Peter made sinful statements that grieved him greatly, his being grieved because he was a believer. Peter it is said did in fact deny the Lord. But he was grieved with having said that with a godly sorrow. These people in 2 Peter 2:1 are not grieved and one day will have worldly sorrow for their denial. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. When God begins a work of godly sorrow in us He finishes it. It is not left to us to save ourselves. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Jesus saves.

Because of the many verses shown in Scripture that show the importance of Christ and Him Crucified, , and not one more saved than those that come to Christ, I think the verse is about false teaching being presented by unbelievers. Some it seems find it to painful to admit any is an unbeliever. There are in fact two types of people, the saved and the lost.

Christ Jesus is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. It is God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. We are commanded to preach repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ to every creature. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Have you trusted the Lord? Have you repented, and turned to Christ? Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.

He Who Would Valiant Be
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Words: John Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress, 1684; modified by Percy Dearmer in The English Hymnal, 1906. Bunyan wrote these words during his 12-year prison sentence for refusing to conform to the state sponsored church.
Music: "St. Dunstan's," Charles Winfred Douglas, 1917

He who would valiant be 'gainst all disaster,
Let him in constancy follow the Master.
There's no discouragement shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent to be a pilgrim.

Who so beset him round with dismal stories
Do but themselves confound - his strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might; though he with giants fight,
He will make good his right to be a pilgrim.
Since, Lord, Thou dost defend us with Thy Spirit,
We know we at the end, shall life inherit.
Then fancies flee away! I'll fear not what men say,
I'll labor night and day to be a pilgrim.
Here is the original text from Pilgrim's Progress, by John Bunyan: The Banner of Truth Trust; Reprinted from the edition of 1895 published by John C Nimmo Ltd First Banner of Trust edition 1977; Part Two, pages 357-358.

Who would true Valour see,
Let him come hither;
One here will constant be,
Come wind, come weather:

There's no discouragement
Shall make him once relent
His first avowed intent
To be a Pilgrim.
Whoso beset him round
With dismal stories
Do but themselves confound;
His strength the more is.
No lion can him fright;
He'll with a Giant fight,
He will have a right
To be a Pilgrim.
Hobgoblin nor foul Fiend
Can daunt his spirit;
He knows he at the End
Shall Life inherit.
Then Fancies fly away,
He'll fear not what men say,
He'll labor Night and Day
To be a Pilgrim.

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Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

We can believe with confidence that we shall be saved when our hope is Christ Jesus and Him Crucified. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Because He lives, we shall live also. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Christ died for our sins.

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Bob Krajcik
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