II Peter 2:1-6
Disgraced
“Would you open your Bibles with me to...”
2Pet. 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
2Pet. 2:2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.
2Pet. 2:3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.
2Pet. 2:4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
2Pet. 2:5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;
2Pet. 2:6 and
turning the cities of
Pray
Into
√ Grace
1st Peter - the sufficiency of God's Grace
2nd Peter - the responsibilities of God's Grace
Beginning with chapter 2 Peter takes a dramatic turn - note the word "but" - as he moves now to warn Christians to beware of those who would bring disgrace to the Name of Jesus and His Gospel.
√ Disgraced?
Disgrace…
1. Loss of honor, respect, or reputation; shame.
2. The condition of being strongly and generally
disapproved.
3. One that brings disfavor or discredit.
…the unfortunate truth is that there have been many throughout the history of the Church who have abused the Name of Jesus to accomplish their own desires.
In short, they have brought disgrace upon our sacred mission to declare God’s true Grace to a world that so desperately needs it.
Who are these men?
Peter calls them – false teachers.
They are a blight upon the Church and make our mission even more difficult because they discredit our work and soil our reputation.
Ex. My aunt's aversion to doctors and hospitals
Ap. How can we discern a false teacher?
Just as Peter’s life was marked by the Grace of God…
…revealed by the Nature of Jesus in Peter’s life.
So these men would be marked by certain characteristics – anyone of which if found warns us that we’re dealing with a false teacher.
Marked by false teaching
2Pet. 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.
2Pet. 2:2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.
2Pet. 2:3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.
√ False teachers
Note the warning…
“there will be false teachers among you”
Very important to begin by recognizing that there are false teachers!
Christians tend to be very generous in their trust – they want to believe that everyone is as sincere in their faith as they are.
We can be a bit gullible!
We can even be afraid that we’re being “un-Christian” by questioning a person’s teaching.
However, Peter warns us to be on guard for false teachers!
√ How does one identify a false teacher?
2) Hidden agenda
Note vs. 1…
“who will secretly bring in destructive heresies”
False teachers are very subtle in their work. They like to come in quietly, warm up to people, win the trust of those in a church…
…and then begin to share their lies with the sheep.
Ex. They don’t make an appointment with the pastor!
They work the outside edges of the flock, meeting quietly away from the attention of the pastor and leaders in the church. Or, inviting people to their home for a “Bible study”, etc.
Their goal is to draw sheep away from the safety of the flock where they can’t be caught by those that God has placed in the church to protect people.
Paul had to deal with this same problem in every city that he planted a church. As soon as he left, false teachers came into the church to try and put them under the bondage of the Law.
Gal. 2:4 And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage),
Ap. If someone brings a “new” doctrine to you…
…that you haven’t heard taught from the Bible – come and ask me about it! Let’s go to the Bible together and test this “new” doctrine against the volume of scripture.
Ex. Contemporary – Harold Camping
“1994” and now he’s calling people to leave church because he says that the “church age” is over!
So, if you observe a person who has a “hidden” agenda, recognize that that is a mark of a false teacher.
3) Destroy the faith
Concerning the false teachers Peter tells us that what they teach are…
“destructive heresies”
Destructive? In what sense? In that what they teach destroys the saving faith of those who receive it by bringing them into a false sense of security through….
A “works” based religion (the Law)
Trusting in another Jesus
In context with Peter’s letters the warning is to be on guard against those who bring in any teaching which minimizes the work of God’s Grace in our lives.
1Pet. 5:12 By Silvanus, our faithful brother as I consider him, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand.
The point – the warning – the mark - if someone brings a teaching to you that requires you to add anything to Jesus’ work upon the Cross in order for you to be saved….
…that person is a false teacher.
4) Deny the Lord
Peter tells us that a telltale sign of a false teacher is that they deny the Lord.
In what sense? In that they minimize the Person of Jesus Christ – denying that He is the unique Son of God.
John deals with that in both his Gospel, and in his letters - the test of orthodoxy.
1John 4:2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,
1John 4:3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.
The context makes a clear distinction between Jesus and every other person who has ever lived.
Ex. There’s nothing unique about you or me coming “in the flesh”.
We are human beings, by our very nature we’re born into a body of flesh. But, Jesus was unique in that He – the Almighty God of the universe took on the flesh of human beings so that He can save us!
The verse makes no sense at all if we make Jesus “just” a man.
So, you can tell a false teacher because they are “marked” by a wrong understanding of the Person of Jesus Christ.
Ap. Very relevant today
Evaluate any of the cults that have sprung up in the last 150 years and the one common tread they share is in regards to the Person of Jesus Christ.
5) Want your money
Another mark of a false teacher is that they are motivated by greed and want to separate you from your money and will even lie to get it!.
Note vs. 3…
2Pet. 2:3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words;
New Living Translation
“In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money.”
Isn’t that interesting! Peter tells us that one of the marks of a false teacher is that they’re after your money!
Paul warns us against these false teachers also…
1Tim. 6:5 useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.
And, note Paul’s
instruction to Timonty, and us…
“From such withdraw yourself”.
So, one of the marks of a false teacher is that they are motivated by greed, and are willing even to lie or twist the scripture so that they can get your money.
Ap. We don’t have to look very far to find that this is prevalent today!
Ex. The TV preachers who have been arrested and prosecuted – fraud.
They use the Bible as a tool to deceive the unknowing. They do it by mixing a little lie with the Truth to give the impression that they are speaking for God.
Watch out – if the plain reading of a text has nothing to do with money – then don’t believe someone when they say it does!
Ex. Rod Parsley and Romans 12:1-2
Rom. 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom. 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
This verse has NOTHING to do with “seed faith” – or sowing your money into Ron’s ministry.
Marked for destruction
2Pet. 2:3b …and their destruction does not slumber.
2Pet. 2:4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment;
2Pet. 2:5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly;
2Pet. 2:6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly;
√ God will judge them
I always find it amazing that anyone would be so bold as to take advantage of people in the Name of God!
Obviously they have no fear of God in their hearts!
While they may get away with their deception for awhile, Peter tells us that they are marked for judgement by God!
Peter reminds us that while God was long-suffering in the…
Days of Noah before the flood
Days of Lot before the fire
…that He will not put up with ungodly behavior forever!
The world of men that was lost in the flood, and the cities of Sodom & Gomorrah, stand as a sober reminder that God is serious about sin.
Ap. 1)Withdraw from them
2) Warn others
3) Pray for the false teachers
Pray for the false teachers!
As much as I dislike these guys and the false doctrine they propagate, I still don’t want to see them suffer the wrath of God.
When you come across a false teacher – pray earnestly that God would bring them to repentance.
Ex. Jim Baker – now serving the Lord
Close
√ The great tragedy
Is that these false teachers are taking others with them! Note vs. 2…
2Pet. 2:2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.
And, they bring disgrace to the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.
“because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.”
I mourn when I consider…
How many have had their faith in Jesus shipwrecked by these false teachers?
How many potential believers are turned away from the True Grace of God by the ridiculous ranting of these false teachers?
Our job to reach the lost with the Good News of Jesus becomes more difficult because these false teachers have misrepresented the Nature and Person of our Savior.
√ Please – protect yourself and others by knowing how to identify a false teacher.
Secret agenda – Destroy faith – Deny the Lord – After $