2 Peter 2 - False Teaching & Fallen Followers
1 & 2 Peter • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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1 There were indeed false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their depraved ways, and the way of truth will be maligned because of them. 3 They will exploit you in their greed with made-up stories. Their condemnation, pronounced long ago, is not idle, and their destruction does not sleep.
Beware of False Teaching and Clout Chasers
Beware of False Teaching and Clout Chasers
THE WAY (way of Truth) is referenced as proper way to live.
The depraved WAY contrasted with what was improper (1 Peter 4:3 “3 For there has already been enough time spent in doing what the Gentiles choose to do: carrying on in unrestrained behavior, evil desires, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and lawless idolatry.” )
The text seems to indicate, The false teachers claimed that knowledge was superior to practice, so grace would forgive every sin, no matter how great. They were mixing holy things with worldy things.
instead of building a life on the patterns, values and practices of Jesus, build their life on what was in their heart, what seemed good in their eyes, and ultimately according to the pattern of the world
Difference between being ignorant or in error and a false/heresy teacher.
false teaching leads to false faith.
“Moralistic because God is concerned, above all else, with how I behave, and whether I’m following His arbitrary code. Don’t be naughty; be nice. Don’t smoke, don’t chew, don’t hang out with those who do, and so on.
Therapeutic because God really wants me to feel good about myself and about my life. Yes, He has rules and stuff, but in the end, He just wants me to have a good time and for things to go well for me. God is a way for me to feel better about life.
Deism because this God doesn’t really get too personal. He is detached, distant, and for the most part, uninvolved.
In short, the young Christians that Smith surveyed believed in a God who is far away, who wants us to do good, and who wants us to feel good.”
What's a Christian, Anyway? - Glenn Packiam
we don’t get to craft a jesus in our image.
jesus the social justice warrior
jesus the permissive of sin
jesus the political and military zealot
jesus the prosperity token
jesus the key to getting what i want
jesus the good vibes homie
How to spot false teaching:
promote freedom and self more than fear of God and consecration
God is there for you (false)
You are here for God (true)slander
God initiates and we respond - HS convicts, we respond with repentance
yes, jesus came to give us new life. but living the old life doesn’t produce abundant life. so we reorient our life to the way of Jesus.
promoting greed, sexually immoral, unethical things
lies that play to disordered desires, normalized in sinful society.
reject authority of orthodoxy of Apostle’s teaching
life doesn’t match message
9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 especially those who follow the polluting desires of the flesh and despise authority. Bold, arrogant people! They are not afraid to slander the glorious ones; 11 however, angels, who are greater in might and power, do not bring a slanderous charge against them before the Lord.
God rescues the righteous but judges the unrighteous.
God rescues the righteous but judges the unrighteous.
God will always look for a remnant of people, practicing and pursuing righteousness in the Kingdom of God to preserve and protect.
those who souls have not been lifted to idols (LOT)
love of God not love of world
Who are we walking with? Who are you following? Who is feeding your soul?
Collective of Christ-centered loyalty.
who is wrestling scripture with you…it’s meant to be studied with others, not in isolation alone.
community anchors us to orthodoxy and keeps us accountable to orthopraxy.
Spiritual maturity comes neither from isolated events nor from a great spiritual burst. It comes from a steady application of spiritual discipline.
Donald Guthrie
illus: lies that disconnect us. Object Permanence
Communitas
Illus: i’m trying to be upfront with weaknesses and points of God’s correction. Like lunch w/a Pastor this week.
12 But these people, like irrational animals—creatures of instinct born to be caught and destroyed—slander what they do not understand, and in their destruction they too will be destroyed. 13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. They consider it a pleasure to carouse in broad daylight. They are spots and blemishes, delighting in their deceptions while they feast with you. 14 They have eyes full of adultery that never stop looking for sin. They seduce unstable people and have hearts trained in greed. Children under a curse! 15 They have gone astray by abandoning the straight path and have followed the path of Balaam, the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of wickedness 16 but received a rebuke for his lawlessness: A speechless donkey spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness. 17 These people are springs without water, mists driven by a storm. The gloom of darkness has been reserved for them. 18 For by uttering boastful, empty words, they seduce, with fleshly desires and debauchery, people who have barely escaped from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, since people are enslaved to whatever defeats them. 20 For if, having escaped the world’s impurity through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in these things and defeated, the last state is worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy command delivered to them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb: A dog returns to its own vomit, and, “A washed sow returns to wallowing in the mud.”
Proper devotion leads to true apprenticeship; Deceit leads to apostasy.
Proper devotion leads to true apprenticeship; Deceit leads to apostasy.
Primary person described in v18-22 are those who once believed correctly but now returned to living incorrectly.
same reality of judgment to demons. proper doctrine, improper practice.
like most religious leaders - they missed the forest for the trees.
You don’t have to stand on a platform or have a big following to be a false teacher.
Ways of the world keeps unfolding in the scriptural examples.
Power and Greed and Fleshly desires destroyed these people.
The trifecta of humanism is legit bad news (v18 +19)…
John Stott: “The greatest insult to a Christian should be, you are just like everyone else.”
What is apostasy?
Apostasy is the turning away from God in rebellion or apathy. God’s people must beware of inward rebelliousness as much as the outward wickedness that manifests such rebellion. Turning against God, as evidenced by abandonment and repudiation of former beliefs. The term generally refers to a deliberate renouncing of the faith by a once sincere believer rather than a state of ignorance or mistaken knowledge.
Where faith is genuine, through the Holy Spirit’s power, it works a cleansing from sin, a hatred of evil, an anxious desire after holiness and it leads the soul to aspire after the image of God. Faith and holiness are inseparable.
Railings, Volume 52, Sermon #2999 - Deuteronomy 22:8
Charles Spurgeon
Walk with the wise and become wise. Walk with fools and become foolish.
We spend too much time living like culture, that we don’t live consecrated.
…we return to wallowing in the mud, you pig (non-kosher degenerate)
…we return to vomit we had been delivered from…that which made us sick and defiled.
…we used “freedom” and “limitless forgiveness” to stop living in the fear of God.
ARE YOU BECOMING FORMED THROUGH CONSECRATION OR CARNAL CONSUMPTION?
Some Christians sow to the flesh every day and wonder why they do not reap holiness. Holiness is a harvest; whether we reap it or not depends almost entirely on what and where we sow.
John Robert Walmsley Stott (English Preacher)
Galatians 5:1 (CSB)
1 For freedom, Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and don’t submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:4–6 (CSB)
4 You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace. 5 For we eagerly await through the Spirit, by faith, the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love.
Galatians 5:9–10 (CSB)
9 A little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough. 10 I myself am persuaded in the Lord you will not accept any other view. But whoever it is that is confusing you will pay the penalty.
Galatians 5:13 (CSB)
13 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love.
Galatians 5:16–17 (CSB)
16 I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want.
Galatians 5:19–21 (CSB)
19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Galatians 6:1 (CSB)
1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is overtaken in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual, restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so that you also won’t be tempted.
Galatians 6:7–9 (CSB)
7 Don’t be deceived: God is not mocked. For whatever a person sows he will also reap, 8 because the one who sows to his flesh will reap destruction from the flesh, but the one who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life from the Spirit. 9 Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up.
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Talk it Over (being honest & open with friends, a spouse, or your Group)
The message was about being careful not to become deceived by wrong teaching that leads to wrong living. What is one idea from Sunday’s message that impacted you?
Read 2 Peter 2. What does this passage reveal about the life of faith?
In the book of Jude we see a similar message and warning as Peter gives. Take some time to review both passages and note the similarities.
Why is it important to understand the difference between freedom in Christ and using freedom as a license to sin?
How does community play a role in helping to guard against false teachings according to the sermon?
What does it mean to be formed through consecration versus carnal consumption?
