2 Peter 2:1-9 The
Characteristics of False Teachers
Intro: When it
comes to training our kids – We realize that part of that training is going to
involve teaching them to Eat
A)Not How to eat – they figure out pretty quickly – that food in the fingers can result in gladness in the mouth/ Satisfaction in the tummy
B) We
don’t have to teach them how to eat – but what to eat !!!
1)
We
want them to realize that if they are going to BE
HEALTHY they are going to need to eat certain things
C) They are going to need to
have a balanced diet consisting of Fruit / Vegetables / Protein – meats &
dairy
1)
We
want to teach them that there are certain foods that are important to eat – others that can be consumed in Moderation
D) And that there are some things that you
want to AVOID
1)
The
bottle in the garage w/ the skull & the Cross bones in a circle w/ a line
going thru it is not a good thing.
So we realize
that you need to – feed your kids a balanced diet –
A)For that reason most of us
would question the parenting skills of someone who fed their kids only Ice cream cake & candy
B) A grand parent might be able
to get away w/ that – ( My kids know that Papa Tony – my dad – give them all
the sweats they want
1)
The
RIGHT of a Grand parent
C) But we would question the parenting skills of someone who fed their kids only Ice cream cake & candy
1)
Oh
they might be the Happiest kids
on the Planet – but they wouldn’t be Healthy
D) Such a diet – Stunt
Growth / leave them frail & weak / & over time would great physical problems would develop from that type of
Diet
So
most of us would definitely wonder about parents who fed their kids that way
A)And I am sure that most of
us if not all of us would report a Parent who inserted poison into their kids
food
B) And those who would report a
parent in such a circumstance – would be considered
HEROIC - saving the Children
C) Now w/ that picture in your mind of parents &
kids – I want us to turn now to the Church
See
when it comes to the Church today there are some who feed their flocks what
amounts to spiritual Ice Cream Cake & candy –
A)Feel good sermons – whose
aim is to make people feel happy / to help them
feel good about themselves
B) Sermons where people are
never CONVICTED / CONFRONTED or CHALLENGED –
1)
Although
the Congregation is Happy – not Healthy
C) Then there are other “Spiritual leaders or Movements”
Who feed their Congregations or followers – what amounts to Poison
1)
Causing
their Congregations to never come to life / but remaining dead in their Sins
Now although most
of us would not question someone who came down on a parent for not taking care
of their kids
A)People get very upset when
a minister comes down on another ministry movement or Teachers
B) But it is necessary to do
so – because the Bible does – and that is what 2 Peter CH. 2 is about – False
Teachers
1)
1
Peter opposition from w/ out = Persecution
2)
2
Pet. Opposition from w/ in False Teachers – Read v.1-9
In a
moderate city back east there were these 2 Brothers who were two very rotten individuals
/ they were the cause of much of the
crime in that area
A)Prostitutes / gambling / you name it they had a
part in it !
Result
they had become very wealthy -
B)The older of the two
brothers was killed in an auto accident - and his younger brother wanted
to have a nice funeral for his brother ( who do it?)
1) So he approached a pastor of
one of the local churches / this particular Pastor had a church / building was in need of a lot of repairs
C)Congregation was growing & really they needed
a new facility / So this younger brother said to the Pastor
1) I see you are
in need of a new facility / make a deal / You perform my brothers funeral &
tell the people in this town my bro . was a saint
I
will give you 2 million dollars / you can build a new building !
Pastor thought
for a moment - looked at Cross hanging / building / then at the brother / grin
on face I’ll do it one condition - Check
now !
The day of the
funeral came - place was packed people wanted to see what this pastor was going
to say about this guy !
A)
Pastor began –
This guy was a dirty rotten scoundrel
- who caused this community nothing but trouble / Prostitution / drug dealings
/ theft – you name it – he was a part of it – He was a Horrible man - but
compared to his younger brother – saint
Here in 2 Peter –
Peter would warn us about those who try to influence the flock of God in a
negative way !!!
A)Those who would seek to Manipulate the Body of Christ for their own personal Gain
Now
Peter was a true Shepherd – commissioned by the Lord to Feed the Flock & to
Tend the Flock
A)He was faithful to the
Call – Ch. 1 He is feeding – reminding his readers of the importance of the
Sure word of Prophecy – Endures
B) Ch. 2 Tending – Part of tending is to Warn – Ch. 2 makes up the
heart of this letter - Warning about
False Teachers
Col 1:
28Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom,
that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
The
Job of a Pastor is to not just feed the Flock / but also to warn the flock –
Pastor who only feeds & doesn’t warn is fattening up for the kill
A)Peter sets out do warn against false teachers
B) The Chapter breaks down in this way V.1-3 Characteristics
/ v. 10 – 16 The Practices of the False teachers
V. 18- 22 The
Results of their false teachings
C) In between – Warnings – about their judgment
Today – I want us to Consider their Characteristics – as it relates to the Church / next week – as it applies to our nation
Today – the
Characteristics in the Church
A)4 things that are common in false teachers / you will find these in all false religions/ some will have all of these Characteristics/ others only some
#1 They
secretly bring in Destructive heresies
A)Word Secret is Subtle – a subtle deception – The right terminology is used but in the wrong way
B) They will talk about
Jesus / talk about God – they will show up at your door mentioning things like
Salvation / end times /
1)
Terminology
is RIGHT – but the way it is used is
wrong
C)
Interesting to note that most members of cult groups
used to belong to an Evangelical or Christian Church
1)
Subtle
Deception – sometimes in the mist of a
trial – group comes along w/ what they project as the missing link
D) Or they are there to
walk thru them – in the mist of that difficult situation
How do we avoid subtle Deceptions – 3 important rules to Follow
1st
The fact that a message is taught by a Church doesn’t mean that is true – Paul
to the Ephesian Elders - Acts 20
Acts 20: 29For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.
A)Savage wolves come in among you – Idea here they are wolves dressed in sheep’s
Clothing – they look like sheep – but not sheep
1)
How tell a Wolf from a
sheep – by what they eat
B) Wolves eat sheep –
always coming down on sheep – Prey on the sheep
1) Paul continues -
30Also from among yourselves men will rise
up, speaking perverse things, to draw away
the disciples after themselves.
C) 2nd Distinction is they draw people to themselves
– while the True Shepherd is constantly pointing people to Jesus!!
31Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not
cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.
What
Paul says here is vitally important for us – mistake of the Church in times past – not watching –
A)Reason there are so many
problems in the church today
We have forgotten that we are in a Battle – Satan’s ways haven’t
changed
B) What was Satan’s tactic is the garden ?
Subtle Deception
1)
Came to Eve – seeking to get her to do what God said not to do by
questioning God’s word – where he always begins
Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in
the garden’?”
Eve Answered – No Just this one – eat we will die
Satan Response - Not die be like God –
C) HIS MESSAGE – God is holding out on you
1) Satan seeks to deceive
people in the same way today – You can’t only
believe the Bible -
There is More ( Beginning open door to heresy )
D) Most of the time they
just start sharing things that sound spiritual but are not in the Bible –
1)
but
because people don’t know their Bibles they don’t know the Difference
E) WE NEED TO BE BEREANS –
Acts 17 Berea
Acts 17 11These
were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word
with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these
things were so.
So 1st just because it is taught by a Church doesn’t mean that is true
2nd
Just because something is Popular doesn’t mean it is Right
A)Just because it brings in people doesn’t mean that it pleases God
B) EXAMPLE : Oprah –
Popular – but if a person follows her philosophy they will end up in Hell
The greatest way for me to
connect to my spirit, to connect to the capital WHO of who I am, the real who of
who I am — not Oprah Winfrey talk show host, not Oprah Winfrey actress, not
Oprah Winfrey whatever the image, is through meditation. Meditation for me is
different. It's just being still and knowing that there is something much
greater than yourself at work within yourself. It is the stilling and the
quieting of the world outside yourself, so that you come to know the truth, the
authentic truth, of who you really are.
Now to some at first glance that might not seem so Bad – She
wants to be a Better person
A)Problem is she is concerned
about WHO she
is / not WHO HE IS
Concerned w/ what She can do /
Not what HE HAS DONE
B) But it gets worse On her Website – Two categories the Spirit & the Soul
1)in both she relies heavily on the insight of a man Name Gary
Zukav–
You can
ask him questions – he gives his perspective on these issues
This was on Gary Zukav official Website
My life is dedicated to the birth of a new humanity. That
birth is now in progress. We are all involved in it. The new
humanity is being born inside us. We are awakening to new perceptions and
new values. These are leading us to new goals.
Our new perceptions are that the Universe is alive, wise, and
compassionate. It is a friendly place, not the violent, merciless place
that we have often made our small part of it. Our new values are the
values of the soul -- harmony, cooperation, sharing, and reverence for
Life. Our new goals are authentic power - the alignment of the
personality with the soul -- and a planet without conflict.
C) Learn this – The Ultimate difference between a true teacher & a false
one is this A true teacher preaches the message of the Bible whereas a false
teacher preaches what he thinks the bible ought to be saying
D) To put it another way – True teacher preaches what the Bible says / but a false teacher will try to make the Bible fit their Philosophy
1) Oprah as nice as she is fits into that Category/ She rejects the parts of
the Bible that she doesn’t Like – God who will Judge etc
So just because it is popular doesn’t mean that it is
right
3rd
rule to have down : Just because it is modern doesn’t mean it is true
A)There is really no need to elaborate on this because it is the most obvious of the subtle deceptions / yet one that people continue to embrace
B) There is that tendency in our culture – because we are living in the 21st century – all our Modern technology
1) That we know more about everything – than OLDER societies
C) The
Bible is archaic & it is not scientific – and we are so smart in the
areas of Science - it is modern it must
be right
1) That is how Darwin’s Theory of evolution came into being
D) But over & over again History & Science continues to confirm the VALIDITY OF THE BIBLE
1) Saw on Wed. God’s Menu from Leviticus
So 1st Characteristics of the false teachers is
they subtly bring in destructive heresies
2nd They
Deny the one who Bought them Several ways that this is done
A)ONE is to Deny his Deity – The Bible teaches that Jesus is God
Thomas – My Lord & My
God
Titus 2:13 3looking for the
blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,
Jn 1:1 In the
Beg. Was the word ….. Word Was God !!!!
B) But all false Teachers & Movements –Deny the Deity of Christ
Jesus Christ of the Jehovah's Witness is
actually Michael the archangel.
A.) According to Witness
theology, Michael came to this earth and became Jesus Christ
B) His death on the cross does not apply to the common person
and His resurrection is denied
altogether.
1)Thus the
Jesus Christ of the Jehovah Witness is not our Jesus Christ
C) Nor is HE the Jesus
Christ of the Christian Scientist, who simply holds Him up as a Divine
Ideal..
D) The C. Scientist holds Jesus as a Master whose
primary purpose was to teach us a positive way to think and live! / Not our JC
Nor is our Lord Jesus Christ the JC of the Mormons who teaches that Jesus was the son of Joseph & Mary who later became God's Son
A) The more you study the teachings of Mormonism,
the more you realize their Jesus Christ is not our Lord Jesus Christ
B)Buddhist
he Jesus
was great teacher / Wonderful man /
Islam -He was one of
Prophets
C) Nor
is our Lord Jesus Christ the Jesus Christ of the New Ager who says, Christ is
everywhere! Christ consciousness
1) He's in you He's in me. He's the Divine spark who just
needs to be
fanned through contemplation and meditation
D) The Jesus Christ of the New
Ager is a crystal Christ/ While our Jesus Christ is the Rock of Ages!
1) And That is the problem with the teachings
of other religions - they deny
Deity of Christ/ That Jesus was God in flesh'
2ND
They Deny His Atoning work – deny the Lord who bought them
A) In what sense were
these people “bought” by the Lord?
B)While it is true that
Jesus Christ died for the church (Eph. 5:25), it is also true that He died for
the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2).
1) He is the merchant who purchased the
whole field (the world) that He might
acquire the treasure in it (Matt. 13:44).
C)Jesus died for the World – the sins of the whole world – but
only those who believe in what He did at calvary.
1)
Those who put their
faith in that work ALONE are saved
D) False Teachers &
religions deny the Lord who bought them by preaching a salvation based on works – what you do / not what He did!!!
1) Paul had this to say in Gal about those who preached such things
Gal 1:8,9 8But
even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what
we have preached to you, let him be accursed
3rd
– They deny Him by leaving him out of the message
A)Some groups will talk about God – but not Jesus
B) They will say well I
am into God – believe in God – I pray to God
1)
Is that Good enough?
C) James 2:19 You believe that
there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble
D) No other name thru which men can be saved !!!!
4th
They deny Him by not making Him the center
A)Understand if Christ is not the center He is being denied
B) He must be the Center – everything pointing to Him / revolving
around Him – He is the Head
C) We see the error of
this in the EV Church today – thru the Human Potential movement that has crept
into the Church – thru Psychology
Popular message – man is basically good
guy – needs to discover his goodness / Human Potential
A)Bible teaches the opposite – man is Bankrupt & w/ out Christ is Hopeless heart is deceitfully wicked – who can Know it
B)This Movement seeks to put man as the center
1) Jesus is a tool to help make man a better person / husband etc
3rd
Characteristic : They are motivated by Greed
v.3
A)Instead of feeding the Flock – fleecing
the flock
B) Their Desire is to make merchandise of You – put you on their computer generated mail outs – Support letters Dear Pastor Rob / Pastor Salvato /
1) Rev Salvatore - Courson - Dear Pastor Jar Courson
C) Letters like you are their best friend – really had you on my heart
1) All a scam – hire guys from marketing firms to write these letters / they know how to appeal to people’s emotions – get into their check book
Over the
yrs – many different ploys to fleece the Flock
A)Splinters from the cross of Christ - enough pieces to build a boat the size of
the Mayflower – No wonder Jesus stumbled – HUGE
B) In Naples Italy – there is a Church that for 100yrs sold vials of Milk that they said came from Mary’s Breast – thru which she fed baby Jesus
1) They
some how were able to preserve it & Just happen to
have gallons of it - ( Guy at Border – Holy Water Shrine of
Virgin Mary - …. Miracle
C) Water from the Jordan river – little vial $25.00 / Israel for a Buck
D) They seek to make merchandise of the flock – All the gimmickry
1) This is the very reason that Jesus turned over tables in the Temple
E) Seed Faith – Give & You will get – Backwards if they really believed what they were preaching they should sending out $100.00 Checks
4th
Characteristic v.2 They are Driven by sensual pleasures
A)Destructive ways – Lascivious ways – Pursuing Sensuality
B) Living to please the flesh / Huge Homes fancy cars / big Diamonds
Living LARGE on Donations
C)Some have very Blatant & Weird sexual practices – David Koresh – sleep w/ the leader
D)But others – more
subtle - behind the scenes – Jimmy
Stewards / Bakers but eventually
exposed
Result the WAY
OF TRUTH IS BLASPHEMED
A)It ends up on Jay Leno / Letterman / Conan – the Jerry Sienfields of the world - make fun
B) TIME PIC of Milosevic
- Mud all over – that is the Church
All I can say
is that I would want to be these guys on Judgment day
A)3 Examples - Angels
B) Ancient world -
1)
Sodom & Gomorrah
-
C) Heavy thing -
Word of Promise He knows how to deliver the Righteous
A)Judgment is coming – No doubt – But the Lord knows how to deliver
Application – watch be on
guard destructive heresies
Application :
Do we deny the Lord who Bought us
A)Deny His Deity – by not allowing Him to be Lord in our lives
B) Deny His atoning work – by trying to earn God’s favor
C) Deny Him by not making Him a part of our conversation
D) Deny Him by not having Him as the center
Are we looking for a
theology that makes us Happy or Holy ?
Fun – or Freed &
Forgiven