They speak heresy, denying the Lord. They preach that the
way of truth is evil and they are covetous, and speak vain words. They walk
after the flesh and lust. They despise government. They are presumptuous and
self-willed, and seek after contention. They do not avoid sin for they have
chosen another path from the one set before them and they are not regretful.
This list is helpful even today because, though
many things have changed many things have also remained the same. Men that try
to preach of a better way than God can present, or pervert his words, seem to
be normal men. However, it is by their actions and the fruits of their actions
that we shall know them.
Additionally we were asked to read about men that returned to the pollution of the world and what made that worse than never having learned the error of their ways. I found that a return to the pollutions of the world is
dangerous because, a man may not have known his actions were wrong. A man
acting in ignorance cannot be held to a higher standard. However, it is
grievous for a man to return to his pollution, with a greater knowledge of
right or wrong, for now his is educated. He has received a knowledge of right
and wrong, and therefore is choosing to reject what he knows, for the sake of
his pollutions.
