Video Persuasion

I posted the excerpt from a sermon by Spurgeon the other day (the post below this one) on the text of 1 Timothy 2:3,4. In the comments section, I was directed by Daniel to a video on YOUTUBE regarding a different verse, 2 Peter 3:9.

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

Here’s the video.

(Who is the man in the video? If you know who he is, will you leave it in a comment please?)

I have watched this video three times now. The first time I found myself “following the logic” and even feeling as though I was being persuaded. Then, when I watched it the second time, I realized how manipulative it was. The third time, I jotted down some areas of concern.

Firstly, do you notice how music is used to persuade your emotions? Music is so powerful and so are visual images. Whoever put the video together is very good at this sort of thing. The sounds that you hear while watching the teaching are saying “authority” very persuasively. Also, at certain points, a hand holding a quill is shown, as though what is being said is very old and original … “it goes waaaaay back.” This is a powerful technique in the video. Very clever.

On to the teacher ….

He says this at one point, after attempting to establish a context for the verse and some doubt as to the meaning of the words contained therein:

“... just in case anyone is clinging to the last shreds of hope in mistranslating 2 Peter 3:9…”

Stop and think about that … just the spirit of that statement. This teacher is imagining that there are people watching the teaching that are clinging to some “hope.” Hope for what? I would think he is referring to “hope” that God has not willed certain people to perish - that He desires all men to be saved. So, this teacher is telling people, in effect, “Just in case you’re hoping to believe that God doesn’t will it for certain people to burn in everlasting hell … just in case you think that the cross of Christ is an open invitation for all and that God is not willing for any man to perish, well, I am about to destroy that hope.”

It made me think of Spurgeon’s words from the sermon I posted:

Surely [God] is not less benevolent than we are. (Spurgeon)

On a more objective level, he keeps referring to context. He establishes that the letter is written to the elect. OK. He goes on to say that the “us” in the verse is the elect. Well, lets look at the context. People were scoffing about the promise of Christ’s return. They were saying “Well, look, everything is just going on as it always has – Jesus is not going to return and there is not going to be any judgment or kingdom, you silly Christians.” So Peter tells the Christians not to let this upset them. He says that time is nothing to God and that He will one day put an end to the godlessness of the world. Meanwhile, He is letting time pass for US ... so that more people will “come to repentance” and will not perish. US can only be a group which includes some unsaved people, some people who are in danger of perishing. To imagine that this verse is saying that God is longsuffering only towards the “friends” (Christians) and wants them to come to repentance so they won’t perish doesn’t make much orthodox sense at all. Are saved individuals in danger of perishing in the manner that is being spoken of here by Peter?

But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3:7)

Now, I have so much more to say, but this post is getting long! I have to leave it off there for now. I hope I will have a part two to this later … or maybe tomorrow.