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I'd like to do this morning is finish this message and recap a little bit for those that were not here last Lord's Day. We had a few missing and so glad to have our sister Linda back and from a vacation.
We sure missed you and good to have Teresa back. She wasn't able to make it last Lord's Day but good to have her with us and good to see everyone else as well. Praise God. This will be part two of Beware the False Prophets or False Prophets False Teachers and both is being mentioned there and I was thinking what is the difference between a false prophet and false teacher?
They're pretty much the same because both falsely teach and twist the Word of God knowingly what they do. False prophets I would think check me on this I could be wrong but you can check me are more or less those who begin a cult.
They are the founders of a cult such as the founder Ellen White of the Seventh-day Adventists. You have Joseph Smith the founder of Mormons the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Jehovah Witness what's his name Russell.
Russell the founder. So you would we would categorize these somewhat like false prophets. They are the ones that supposedly received a revelation a revelation a new revelation I should say from an angelic being that told them to begin this new occult what we call it but they don't say that they think it's the way of truth but it's nothing but satanic.
So it's it's false and then they have followers and look at the followers today that these cults have. It's massive isn't it? It's it's massive. There's so many others I can name but those are the false prophets.
Those are the false prophets. The false teachers are those who follow these false prophets alongside and continue their teaching of what they pretty much falsely teach. So there there's a difference there.
So in saying that this will be part two. Strong things that's gonna be said today but these are words of warnings from a heart of of great compassion that desires us to know the truth and because God desires purity within his church and to have no leaven within it no cancer within it he desires a healthy body he desires a pure bride and no contamination.
So that that is dealt with in Scripture. So please open your Bible with me if you will to the second book of Peter the second epistle of Peter chapter 2. We're going to return to our study just three verses we're looking at but these three verses have a great deal and we'll look at a few more in conjunction with that but in reference.
But the subject again like I says beware false prophets beware false prophets. Let me read these three verses of Holy Scripture for you so that we might have them in the forefronts of our mind as we begin to look this morning and our time of worship and study in the Word of God.
2nd Peter chapter 2 beginning of verse 1 hear the word of the Living God. But there were also false prophets among the people speaking of Israel 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 and many will follow their destructive ways notice how many times he says destructive because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed verse 3 by covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words for a long time their judgment their judgment have has not been idle and their destruction does not slumber.
I'll stop right there may God richly bless the reading of His Holy Word from our ears to our hearts that we may understand and perceive this morning by God's blessed Holy Spirit. Let's seek the Lord's face and His blessing as we look into these verses once again.
Please bow with me in prayer. Our Father and our God we do thank you this morning for thy truth thy word. Thy word is truth. Thank you Father for the spirit of truth your blessed Holy Spirit that teaches us all truth.
We are not the teacher men is not the teacher your Holy Spirit's the teacher and your Holy Word is the foundation of that truth. We do not need any new revelation we have all the revelation that is before us and all we need given to us in this life profitable for everything in life for life and godliness.
Father we thank you for the living truth not only the spirit of truth and the truth the written truth but we thank you for the living truth who is Jesus our Lord a blessed Redeemer He is. And Father we thank you for the scripture that speaks about truth from Psalm 19 and Lord David cried out and said more to be desired are they than gold speaking of your word yea than much fine gold sweeter sweeter also than honey than the honeycomb and moreover by them your servant is warned and in keeping them there's great reward.
Lord help us help us to to receive the warnings that you have and help us to keep your word by your grace and obediently keep them to be doers of the word and just not hearers because there's a great reward in it.
Be with us now Father in the rest of this hour to help us in this study. I need your help Lord would depend it upon your spirit of truth to help us and teach us and we ask these things in Jesus name amen and amen.
The Apostle Peter just assured his readers that the inspired prophets which were the holy prophets of God and their teaching had given them a lamp and a light which they should cherish and use them and use it in the prevailing darkness until the Lord returns again.
We read that in 2nd Peter chapter 1 verse 20 and 21 and he says this knowing this first that no prophecy of scripture is of any private interpretation for prophecy never came by the will of man but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit and now what's important about this is that the holy men of God the true prophets of old in the Old Testament were continually carried born along by the Spirit of God himself and breathing upon these men of God who gave us the truth the Word of God and isn't it wonderful that he sets before us in chapter 1 what the truth really is.
Then he goes in chapter 2 of which is polars apart and opposite of such of the true prophets of God he speaks now about the false prophets the false teachers of old that were not moved by the Holy Spirit they did not have the Spirit of God but never had the Spirit of God in the beginning and so now our text in chapter 2 verse 1 to 3 beginning of that and the rest of the chapter he just exposes these false teachers and gives us details about them.
Now that's what I'd like to do the remaining of this hour here is that speak to you what God's Word says about these false teachers these false prophets. Peter reminds them that of old there were false prophets and as well as true and he's speaking of among the nation of Israel that in a similar way that the Christian Church as well there will be false teachers and as well as inspired apostles and that such teachers will appear in all ages until Jesus Christ appears reappears in glory.
The very mention of these false teachers brings Peter to the very heart of this epistle. This is the heart of it which is mainly designed by the way to warn believers to warn us aren't you glad we have these warnings?
Where would we be without the warnings? We would be off on some road searching and seeking but God brings these to us in His Word. Readers against these authors of destructive heresies and that's what they do they teach destructive heresies and the apostle Peter is defending the truth concerning the return of Jesus Christ and really that's what he's doing that's his goal and which in particular was being denied by the false teachers they denied the second coming of Jesus still denying it today.
So as the second chapter really opens up to us Peter declares that these false prophets these teachers false teachers are doomed to certain punishment, destruction. Notice in the latter part of verse 1 he says this and bring on themselves swift destruction.
They bring it on themselves that's the sentence swift destruction. It's found in the latter part of verse 3 notice this for a long time their judgment has not been idle in other words as another translation it does not linger and their destruction does not slumber.
Notice that these false teachers bring in into the church that destructive heresies. The word heresies is interesting because it means technically it is self-designed religious lies. Self-designed religious lies.
After all according to the Word of God there are ministers of Satan as we looked at last Lord's Day that transforms themselves as angels or ministers of light I should say. Satan was like an angel of light and he transforms himself into an angel of light.
Darkness that's what he's described as. Satan is a liar. Jesus says he's the father of all lies and by the way he's the one that's behind all the occult all the false prophets. He's the headmaster. He's orchestrating it.
These false prophets that use the Bible to not to enlighten by the way they use it to deceive. They cause confusion and God's not the author of confusion is he? They follow the exact pattern that Satan followed when he deceived Eve in Genesis 3 1 through 6.
You can read that in your devotional time but as you will know what did what happened. First Satan questioned God's Word. That's the first thing he did to Eve. He questioned God's Word to her and what did he say?
Yea hath God said. Then notice what he does. He denied God's Word. He questioned it then he denied it. You shall not surely die. That's denial and then last and finally he substituted his own life for the truth and this is exactly the pattern that false teachers take and then he said you shall be as God's and notice that's pretty much what the false teachers teach.
Nothing's changed. Nothing new under the sun. The strategy is the same. That's the same exact pattern that the false teachers take just as Satan deceives and they deceive. Also keep in mind that these apostate I would say false teachers are not innocently ignorant of the Word of God.
They're not ignorant of it. They deliberately know what they're doing folks. If you read in Acts chapter 18 Apollos was ignorant of much of the Word of God but these false teachers are not but they know the truth and they use the truth.
It's a cloak and this is what Peter gets to. They deliberately hate the truth really and they reject the truth. This is what makes them apostate and this is why the Word of God and Jesus and the Apostles are so hard about their end and their end will be destruction.
Yet they use the Word of God to deceive people for their own personal gain. This is so sad but we see this everywhere. They even prey upon widows. They will answer severely for this. Verse three notice what it says by covetousness there's the key word right there by the covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words meaning uncontrolled greed is their motive.
Peter basically observes by the Spirit of God that the underlying motive of these false teachers was not the love of the truth but the love of money. We see this in verse 14 later on we'll be going into this we're going in that direction but verse 14 says have an eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin enticing unstable souls that's who they prey upon.
Unstable souls. A lot of unstable souls in our nation unfortunately because they do not know the Word of God nor God. They have a heart these false teachers have a heart trained in covetous practices and are cursed children the Word of God says.
In other words these false teachers are driven by lust. They're driven by the lust of the flesh and by the way the Word of God says and if you notice just about every occult the origins of it they they are lustful toward other women.
There is adultery that usually takes place and that's why scripture says eyes full of adultery immoral and we're uncontrollably driven by the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.
That's what it says. Now never resting from their sins and what do they do as I just read they entice unstable souls. There's a metaphor here by the way. The metaphor is interesting because it speaks of fishing.
I think you've used this before Brother Keith and it's a very good metaphor. It speaks of fishing that appears also in verse 8 to beguile. That word beguile basically means to lure a lure to catch with bait to bait a hook to lure it out to entice like a fish on a hook and the fish goes for the bait in which he sees and likes takes the bait and then he's hooked.
Then he's caught. Then you know what happens to the fish. False teachers do not capture those who are strong in the Lord by the way. Who do they prey upon? The weak. The unstable souls. James 1 8 speaks of this.
A double minded man that is unstable in all of his ways. These are unstable souls. These are the people that Paul speaks of in Ephesians that are blown about tossed about to and fro and are not rooted and grounded in the truth.
They are blown about with every wind of doctrine. Now those who doubt God's Word in unbelief those who have one's thinking divided within himself not merely because of mental indecisiveness but an inner moral conflict or distrust in God and His Word are these unstable souls.
Now these are the ones which Satan prey upon and Satan uses false teachers to prey upon these unstable souls. It's sad isn't it? Now last Lord's Day we saw from our text from verse 1 to 3 in chapter 2 here that false teachers bring a severe threat to God's people.
We looked at that. A severe threat. A severe threat. And we see this. We read a lot from Jeremiah. There's one other chapter I would like to look at. It's chapter 8 of Jeremiah. Go with me there please.
And I want to read a little bit from chapter 8. I didn't get a chance to get to that last week. But notice in chapter 8 this whole chapter is really dealing with the peril of false teaching. The peril of it.
There's a great peril in it. Now I want you to notice as it thus says the Lord speaks out how God begins through the Prophet Jeremiah to ask questions. Notice verse 4. Moreover you shall say to them, speaking to the nation of Israel, speaking of the peril of false teachers, thus says the Lord, will they fall and not rise?
Will one turn away and not return? Why has this people slidden back Jerusalem into perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit. They refuse to return. I listened and heard but they do not speak aright.
No man repented of his wickedness, saying, what have I done? Everyone turned to his own course as the horse rushes into the battle. Even the stork in the heavens knows her appointed times and to the turtle dove, the swift and the swallow observed the time of their coming.
But my people do not know the judgment of the Lord. How can you say we are wise and the law of the Lord is with us? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood. Now you talk about the perils of false teaching here.
The wise men are ashamed. They are dismayed and taken. Behold they have rejected the word of the Lord. So that wisdom do they have? So what wisdom do they have? Therefore I will give their wives to others, their fields to those who inherit them.
Because from the least even to the greatest, everyone is given to covetousness. There is that again. Peter uses that. From the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. Sounds like a bad situation and we see this in our land today.
For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, peace, peace, when there is no peace. That's the words that they use. Verse 12, were they ashamed when they have committed abomination?
No, they were not at all ashamed, nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall, and in time of their punishment they shall be cast down, says the Lord. And it goes on that the rest of the chapter, just speaking about the judgment.
This is, you know, really if you look at it, the Lord allows these false teachers and says, it's a judgment. It's a judgment. And Peter goes in to that direction. This is a judgment. False teachers have methods, by the way, that not only bring a severe threat to God's people, the false teachers have methods that are very subtle and very deceptive.
And by the way, they're so deceptive that if it were possible, as we looked last week, Jesus said it, even that they could deceive God's elect, according to our Lord Jesus Christ. And I'm telling you, that makes me tremble to think.
If they could, if it were possible, they could deceive God's elect. But God keeps us. God keeps us from being deceived. It's by His grace. It's not by our cunning wit, is it? We are also to beware of the false teachers because their doctrine is destructive, and this is where Peter goes.
Now therefore, the teaching is heresy, as we already looked a little bit. Heresy is plastic, it's artificial. If their doctrine is heresy, it means that they are themselves heretics. So what they teach is heresy, so we're talking about the heretics.
Apostle Paul warns us in the church, in the church, in 1st Timothy chapter 4, verse 1 and 2, and I've quoted it quite often, but I think we can quote it again. I can quote it again. Now, the Spirit, the Spirit expressively says that the latter times some would depart from the faith giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.
Listen to this, speaking lies and hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, with a hot iron. Basically, hypocritical lie speakers. They are hypocritical liars. Heresy. I find it interesting that the conscience, listen to that, their conscience is seared like hot iron.
This is a medical term by the way, that means, that refers to cauterization. The conscience is cauterized. It's seared. It's numb. It's without feelings. In other words, these hypocrites, these teachers, these liars can teach their hypocritical lies because their consciences have been desensitized and cauterized.
They have no feelings for people. All they care is about their own personal gain. Any reason why God is so hard on them. Ephesians 4, 19, the Apostle Paul says, who being past feeling, listen to that, past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness to work all uncleanness with greediness.
It's as if all of their nerves has been cauterized. It makes them feel as if no feeling, that the feelings have been destroyed and turned into a scar tissue by the burning of a demonic deception. The villain brought this out to me yesterday that Ray Comfort had a practical example of this.
It's almost like a piece of steak being burned. It's on the hot iron pan and it's just scorched. No feeling. That's the horrible disease of leprosy, by the way, if you notice in scripture. Leprosy is like that.
Leprosy is a type of sin and these people that are false teachers are eaten up with the sin. And the type of sin, this disease of leprosy, literally damages the nerves. That's what leprosy does. Medically speaking, the nervous system is cauterized in a sense.
The respiratory tract, the skin, the eyes is eaten away and that's why they lose the noses and the hands and the ears and all this leprosy because it's torn away because the feeling is gone. And that's what leprosy does and leprosy is a type of that sin.
It searches me out as well because we all have to be careful. Sin is so subtle it can come within and start eating away like leprosy and then the next thing you know we become apathetic, we lose our feelings, our conscience.
And then once the conscience is gone, folks, like these false teachers, I mean, there's no return. The medical professionals basically say about this disease of leprosy that it damages the nerves so severely that this nerve damage may result in lack of ability to even feel the pain whatsoever.
They can't feel pain which leads to the cause of the loss of body parts, as I mentioned. Now, this is what the horrible disease of sin does and this is what has happened to the false teachers that teach these heresies.
It's like their past feeling. They do in any of us, and if it's not dealt with by the way, it can eat us all up. We all have to be warned of this as well. And the only way, the only way that one can be healed of this horrible disease, cleanse us, is Jesus Christ our Lord.
And the remedy is the precious blood. Jesus is the remedy but His blood that is applied by faith cleanses us. That's why the scripture says it cleanses our conscience to serve the living God and Hebrews.
Isn't that wonderful? The blood of Jesus has that kind of power to do that. Now, sin is destructive. We know that, right? The false teachers that bring this heresy within the body of Christ is like, I would say, the old story of the Trojan horse.
The old Trojan horse comes within in a very subtle way, secretly, destructive, to contaminate. Paul said, a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Next thing you know, all of it is contaminated. Jude 4, the apostle here says, for certain men, and it parallels Peter, certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago, almost the same words Peter uses, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation.
Notice what he says, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness, licentiousness, by the way. And they deny, there it is, they deny. You know, you notice this, that false teachers are more known for what they deny than what they believe.
They deny the only Lord God in our Lord Jesus Christ. And Peter says the same thing, even denying the Lord who bought them and bring on themselves swift destruction. They deny the Lord who bought them and bring on themselves swift destruction.
Now, that word, bought them, this is interesting. These false teachers were denying both by their teaching and their ungodly lifestyle the Lordship of Jesus Christ as the rightful owner of His people.
Now, I know this opens up a world of controversy theologically about were these people truly saved or not. No, they were not really truly saved in the first place. Because, how do we know this? Because at the judgment Jesus says, they were saved to me, Lord, Lord.
Right? And they speak about the miracles that they've done, they prophesy in the Lord's name, they call Jesus Lord, Lord, but really Jesus was not their Lord. Why? Because Jesus makes a profession back to them and says, I never knew you.
So we know that they never were saved in the first place, but what does Peter mean by bought them? Bought. This is interesting. Basically, if someone claims that you believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and yet not submit to Him as Lord, it is a destructive doctrine.
Folks, I'm telling you, this is one of the most dangerous things that's being taught today. Christ is divided. They divide Christ. Now, we know that Christ is not divided according to the Scriptures, but these heresies, these false teachers and people that are pastors out there that are sincere but sincerely false are teaching, okay, you can have Jesus as your Savior but not as your Lord.
Folks, that's damnable. In other words, you can have Jesus to get to heaven but not submit to Him as Lord. That's a destructive doctrine. And yet this is taught everywhere. This is a damnable teaching that deceives people into thinking that they're saved because they accepted Christ and went to an altar, had a prayer, made a decision for Jesus Christ and yet were not born again.
Never had been born again in the first place. They never have trusted in Jesus Christ and have not submitted to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Now, it's like we said before. Now, I've heard Paul Washer say this and he's right on.
No one makes Jesus Lord. Jesus is Lord. The problem is people are not submitting to Him as Lord. The submission. So, what is being taught behind pulpits today, oh, Jesus is your Savior, you only hear one side of it, but they never emphasize the Lord Jesus Christ.
That He's Lord. He's Lord. And by the way, on Judgment Day, as I just mentioned, Jesus will profess to them, I never knew you, depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. Matthew 7, 23. These people would be damned, these false teachers would be damned because their lives denied the Master who bought them.
Now, such as the false teachers. Now, let me mention here, as I was studying this, I like the comments that was made on this. Peter pretty much uses this as more of an allegorical example than a theological.
Keep in mind, Peter is not quite the theologian, not to say that Peter, the same Holy Spirit was breathing upon him as Paul, right? But God uses their personalities. Peter is more the, I like to see him as the apostle fisherman.
He uses the down to earth practical examples. Paul likes to get more theological, okay? And I love both, don't you? You gotta have both. But it's a different gift, amen? And these men are using their gifts.
But the apostle Peter is an apostle, a fisherman, uses, and here what he's doing, he's speaking of a human master over a household. It's not necessarily a theological thing he's speaking of, it's very allegorical.
And in that day, in the New Testament time period, the masters bought slaves. There was slavery. And the slaves, they were not slaves, they were owned by the master's allegiance as their sovereign. Now it just did not begin, this concept just did not begin in the New Testament.
We read this in Old Testament too. Deuteronomy 32, you can go with me there, and isn't it wonderful to hear Deuteronomy this morning? Brother Villum was reading chapter 1, the rest of chapter 1, and it is absolutely powerful.
But notice with me in Deuteronomy 32, verse 5 and 6. God Himself is said to have bought Israel, okay? Israel is bought by God, though many rejected Him. Now there's not a contradiction here, it almost sounds like a contradiction, but there isn't.
God buys His people, He bought them. Notice in chapter 32, verse 5 and 6, they have corrupted themselves. They corrupted themselves. They are not His children because of their blemish, a perverse and a crooked generation.
Do you thus deal with the Lord, O foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father who bought you? Has He not made you and established you? Now notice those questions. I looked this up, Pastor John MacArthur had a good comment on this, let me give it to you, from his commentary.
Again, he quotes, doctrinally this analogy can be viewed as the responsibility for submission to God which the false teachers had refused. He goes on to say, beyond this they are probably claiming that they were Christians so that the Lord had bought them actually and personally.
And with some sarcasm, Peter mocks such a claim by writing, of their coming damnation. Thus the passage is describing the sinister character of the false teachers who claim Christ but deny His love. I would have to agree with his interpretation to that.
Now you can search it out yourself but it seems that Peter is going in that direction. So basically what I gather here, according to the Word of God, just as the nation of Israel were redeemed people of God, although not all were saved, such is the church, so is the church, is now God's redeemed nation.
We study that in 1 Peter chapter 2 verse 9 and 10. They are a holy nation, a royal nation, a holy priesthood and yet there are some among them who are not truly saved. And you see this in the book of Hebrews too.
The apostles by the Spirit of God seem to go back and forth. James does the same thing. He speaks to God's people but he knows that there are some people that are within the church that are not truly born again.
They are tares among the wheat. How do we know this? Well let's look to the Word of God. They profess to be redeemed right? How many people you know today that profess to be a Christian and you know exactly by their fruit they are not Christians?
Like so many in our days folks we see it and the Word of God says it so clearly yet by their deeds they deny Him. They deny Jesus Christ. They speak one thing but their life does not line up to what they speak.
Titus 1 .16. Let's look. They profess to know God but in works they deny Him being abondable, disobedient and disqualified for every good work. They deny Him. They are disobedient, they are abondable, disqualified.
What about 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 1 -5. Listen to this. Paul says but know this that in the last days perilous times will come for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, false prophets but lovers of money right?
Boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.
Notice verse 5. Having a form of godliness, they have a form but what do they do? Deny its power. See the denial and from such, what does he say? From such turn away. Get away from them. Poison. So beware of false teachers because they are a serious threat to God's people.
Their methods are subtle and deceptive and their doctrine is destructive. Next we see throughout the text back to 2 Peter chapter 2 the false teachers beware of their influence which I touched on is very alluring.
Their influence is alluring. Verse 2 back in 2 Peter. Notice many will follow their destructive ways. Many will follow their destructive ways, their pernicious ways, their sensuality. The AESV says their sensuality.
Basically destructive ways. The word of God says many will follow, many will follow, many will profess to be Christians but deny the Lord Jesus Christ as Lordship over their lives. They will not submit to Jesus Christ as Lord.
Refusing to live an obedient life as obedient servants to Jesus Christ and His Holy Word and sadly and tragically following instead their lust of the flesh, the lust of the world, the pride of life and of the devil.
Once again in his notes MacArthur says this. They deny, denying the Lordship of Jesus Christ while claiming to be a believer destructively, destructively infects other people and discredits the gospel.
Don't we see this today? Don't we see this today? These false teachers they cater, what do they do? They cater to people's flesh and by the way Paul speaks about this in 2 Timothy chapter 4 that they have itching ears, that the people have itching ears and this is what they want to hear.
They appeal to the flesh and these false teachers know exactly what they are doing because naturally if they appeal to the flesh, the pride of life, people love it, they eat it up. That's why these churches are jam packed.
There is no spirit of God folks. If you notice that these false teachers preach what they preach, they never preach against sin, they never mention the divine judgment to come, they never preach against hell, you will never hear.
And by the way most people will try to even deny hell, create another doctrine, annihilation. You know notice they avoid the truths like denying yourself, taking up your cross and following Jesus. You never hear them talk about that.
Never hear them talk about the cost of being a disciple of Jesus Christ that Jesus basically says it's going to cost you everything to follow him. Never hear them talk about that. Rather sadly but deceitfully they soothe people with uplifting thoughts and positive thinking methods about how much God loves them and wants you to have your purpose driven life and now you can have your best life now.
Damnable, damnable, damnable. If they ever mention the death of Jesus Christ, and this is so blasphemous, they will even mention the death of Jesus Christ just to say it because Jesus believes in your great worth, that you're worth something.
And with deception they say now you need to believe in yourself and ask God to help you fulfill your dreams. Is this damnable? And why do people follow that kind of nonsense, that pretense by the droves?
Well naturally I just mentioned it. It appeals to their flesh. It appeals to the flesh. Satan's strategy has never changed. Satan tempted Jesus in the desert to, in the wilderness, to basically to appeal to his flesh.
Turn these stones into bread if you are God's son. He knows he's God's son. God the Father just thundered it out at the baptism of Jesus. Now he's being tempted of the devil and the devil says, okay, here he is, forty days fasting.
You've got to be hungry. Turn these stones to bread if you are the son of God. Jesus comes back with the weapon of the word of God, the living word, quotes the written word. It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
See he goes right to the truth of God's word. The living word quotes the written word. If Jesus had to do that, how much more should us? And we should do it. I'm telling you. We ought to beware of false teachers.
There's another reason. Because their motives are impure. I would say they've got impure motives. Apostle Peter shows that these corrupt and godly men are driven by two related evil motives. In the scriptures we just read, sensuality and greed.
You cannot separate them two. Sensuality and greed. And at the root of both of these is their own self-centeredness and pride. They want to exploit their followers to gratify themselves. Verse 3, by covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words.
That's how they do it, with deceptive words. Joel Osteen is pretty successful in doing this, isn't he? He's basically a motivational speaker. And he knows what he's doing by, first of all, the first thing he does, he holds a bible up.
This is God's word. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And he brings people in. He alerts them with the bait. And there's a hook behind it. Then he starts on stories and people just loving it. And all these stories have nothing to do with true Christianity.
Alerts them with deceptive words. There's always a connection between false teaching and impure, immoral living, right? Sometimes it's difficult to figure out which came first, but invariably they are intertwined together and connected.
False teaching always leads to ungodly living. But the reverse is also true. If a man gets involved in a sexual sin, the bible convicts him so he has to change his teaching. These false teachers do this, by the way, somehow to dodge his guilty conscience.
We see this all the time. So they change it up. They're constantly doing this. Well, I'm going to go next. Beware of false teachers because their teaching lifestyles and lifestyles result in dishonor to the way of truth.
Look at verse 2. Many will follow their destructive ways because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. Underscore that. The way of truth will be blasphemed or maligned. To narrow it down to the basics and the fundamentals of the Christian faith, it's really Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Jesus said it in John 14, I believe. He says to Philip, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me. Jesus is absolute truth. I like to say, and I don't know who said it, he is the way, without him there's no going.
He is the truth, without him there's no knowing. He is the life, without him there's no growing. Jesus is all in all. Our salvation, our eternal life, our all in all, our redeemer. But, when professing Christians, especially Christian leaders, do not live according to the truth of God's word, unbelievers in the world will mock and disregard the truth.
We've seen this from scandals, haven't we? Sad to say. And the world takes that ammunition, and they take all that, and they come back and mock God. Doesn't that break your heart as a true believer? We have seen scandal after scandal.
Now, granted, the Holy Spirit, I believe, allowed that to happen. God allowed that to happen to expose them. But at the same time, it's a judgment. And then the world scoffs and mocks the way of truth.
Beware of false teachers, because they and all that that follow them are heading toward eternal destruction. That's my last. Eternal destruction. I think this is the strongest thing. Peter uses this word destruction five times of the eighteen times, get this, it appears in the New Testament.
Peter uses it five times. Destruction, destruction, destruction, destruction. He says it by the Holy Spirit, verse 1, destructive heresies, swift destruction, false teachers will bring on themselves. He adds, verse 3, their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.
Verse 7, notice this, but the heavens of chapter 3, I'm sorry, chapter 3 of verse 7, but the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word are reserved for fire into the day of judgment and perdition.
That word perdition basically means destruction. The destruction of ungodly men. I'm telling you, you would not, it's scarcely heard of that you would hear something about a sermon on destruction today.
You'll be a doom and gloom preacher, but it's the truth. Again in chapter 3, verse 16, he says that the false teachers twist the scriptures. Notice that. They twist the scriptures to their own destruction.
And he uses the verb in chapter 3, verse 6 to describe how God destroyed the world through the flood. Now again, contrary to what many teach, or some teach, that's become many, the destruction of the wicked does not, and I repeat, does not, and me and Brother Ben have been in contact with a lot of people that believe this, of annihilation.
This is not annihilation. Matter of fact, there is a literal hell of punishment, and it refers to the eternal punishment in the lake of fire ultimately. I dare anybody to contradict this because you read throughout the scriptures the words of Jesus, and especially in Revelation, that there is eternal destruction ultimately in the lake of fire.
Let's look at some of them. Matthew 25, 46. Jesus says, and these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life, everlasting punishment. That doesn't sound like annihilation to me.
Does it to you? Look at Revelation. Look at Revelation chapter 17. Now, I want to tell you what. As I quote some of this, it doesn't mean I know all this, but I want to give you what the Word of God says.
Revelation 17, 8, the beast that you saw was and is not and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to prediction, destruction. Those who dwell on the earth will marvel whose names are not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world.
When they see the beast that was and is not and yet is. Look at verse 11 of chapter 17. The beast that was and is not is himself also the eighth and is of the seven and is going to prediction. Revelation 20, 14 through 15, then the death of Hades and were cast into the lake of fire.
This is the second death and anyone that was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. That doesn't sound like annihilation to me. Look at Revelation 21, 8. But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the bondable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, all liars shall have their part in the lake of fire which burns to fire and brimstone which is the second death.
Beloved, the fact that these wicked men's judgment is from long ago means that God has declared judgment on the false teachers in the Old Testament centuries ago. God knows their destination. The phrase, the destruction is not asleep, which Peter speaks of, does not slumber, personifies the destruction as an executioner that always ready to administer God's sentence on those who teach and follow damnable doctrine, false doctrine.
Very, very serious, isn't it? It's sombering, actually, and it makes me tremble that these serious warnings are here in God's Word, but there's a lot of love behind this. Warning us of false teachers and false doctrine.
Beware of false prophets. Beware of false teachers. Beware of them. Why? Because they are a threat to God's people because their methods are subtle and deceptive. Because of them, because of their doctrine is destructive.
Because of them, because of their influence is alluring. Because of their motives are impure. Because of their teaching and lifestyles result in dishonor in the way of the truth. Because they are all that follow them are heading toward eternal destruction and eternal hellfire.
Folks, false teaching is not neutral, is it? And it is not just minor. It's very serious. It's corrupt, wicked, and ungodly. Listen to Jude 16 -19. Almost exactly what Peter says. These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lust, and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
But, you beloved, remember the words which are spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. How they told you that they would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lust.
These are sensual persons, cause divisions, and not having the Spirit. Then what does Jude tell us to do by the Spirit of God to encourage us about these false teachers? Notice verse 20 -23. This is what he says in application to everything he just told about warning.
But you beloved, building up yourselves up on your most holy faith. We are to build up our most holy faith. Praying in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in the love of God. Keep yourselves in the love of God.
Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Notice what he says. And some have compassion making a distinction, and others saved with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garments defiled by the flesh.
Wow. That's the application. Spurgeon said this. Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It's knowing the difference between right and almost right. Four signs of a wolf in sheep's clothing.
I don't know who said this. I found it, I think on Instagram, but somebody posted something good here. Thank God. Number one, they love power in themselves. They love power in themselves. Number two, they refuse correction and respond to criticism with anger.
Signs of false teachers here folks. Three, they lack the fruit of the Spirit. That's convicting because I lack a lot of the fruit of the Spirit myself. I'm praying we're progressing to the way of the truth, and we ask God to search us out where we have fallen short and sinned.
I don't believe false teachers want that. And fourth, they use emotions to get what they want. They use emotions to deceive. These are false teachers folks. Again, 1 John 4, 1. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits.
Test the spirits to see whether they're of God's because many false prophets have gone out into the world. There's no doubt a lack of discernment within the church today because of a lack of the fear of God and a lack of wisdom.
Now, I'd like to give a very quick application in closing because my time is almost gone. Let me ask you a few questions. How do we get the fear of the Lord? How do we know the knowledge of the holy? How do we get heavenly wisdom and that we're able to discern between what is right and what is almost right?
Go with me very quickly to the book of Proverbs. I want to read something. Proverbs chapter 1, and I believe that... I have to use this other Bible. Pardon me for this, but it's the Bible. I got personal notes in this particular Bible and I had to pick it up.
Now, notice in verse 2, for attaining wisdom and discipline, for understanding the words of insight, for acquiring a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair, for giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young.
Let the wise listen and add to their learning and let the discerning get guidance. For understanding Proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. Notice verse 7 is key. This is foundational, folks.
For the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Notice verse 8 all the way to almost the end of the chapter. These are warnings against enticement in which the false teachers bring.
I would apply them to false teachers. A lot of times I look at these, these are enticements from the world, but you ever think about these are enticements from false teachers? He says, listen, my son, to your father's instruction and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
There will be a garland of grace to your head and a chain to adorn your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them. If they say, come along with us, let us lie in wait for someone's blood.
Let us waylay some harmless soul. Let's swallow them alive like the grave, the hole like those who go down to the pit. We who get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder. Notice the greed.
Throw in your lot with us and we will share a common purse. My son, do not go along with them. Do not set foot on their paths for their feet rush into sin and they are swift to shed blood. How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds.
These men lie in wait for their own blood and they waylay only themselves. That's what Peter says. Swift, they bring on themselves swift destruction. Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten gain.
It takes away the lives of those who get it. Now, notice verse 29. Since they hated knowledge they did not choose the fear of the Lord. They hated knowledge. They did not choose the fear of the Lord. That's why they didn't choose God's fear.
They hate the knowledge of the truth. Verse 30. Since they would not accept my advice, this is God speaking, and disperse my rebuke, they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
That's a judgment. Jump to chapter 2 in closing. Notice what he says. This is so important, folks, and this is what I'm driving at. My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turn in your ear to wisdom and apply in your heart to understanding and if you call out for insight, that's discernment, cry out aloud for understanding and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.
Now, let me, I got some personal notes and I wrote this to myself here. Number one, we must receive the word of God. Number two, we must hide and treasure God's command in our heart that we might not sin against him.
Number three, we should listen, we should listen to God. Four, practice God's word. Five, call on God. Six, you must be hungry and thirsty for the fear of the Lord and the knowledge of God and that is only through Jesus Christ our Lord who is our wisdom and righteousness and justification.
Jesus is our wisdom. Call out for insight. The study of God's word, folks, must be accompanied with the spirit of prayer that earnestly cries out for wisdom and insight, that discernment. The fear of the Lord brings this.
Prayer along with the study of God's word allows the spirit of God to take this illumination and transform us. Search for it as for a hidden treasure. Search for it. Jump to verse 12 and a few verses here and I want you to notice this and I'll close with this.
Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men. Heavenly wisdom. Wisdom, God's wisdom. And by the way, remember how does wisdom come? The fear of the Lord. It's the fear of God, folks. That's what's missing.
The wisdom will save you from the ways of the wicked men, from men whose words are perverse. Who has perverse words? Great swelling words? The false teachers who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.
And then it says, the wisdom, speaking of, it will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife of her seductive words, these temptations, who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God.
And then there's warning here. Her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead. None who go to her or attain the paths of life. Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep the paths of the righteous.
For the upright will live in the land and the blameless will remain in it. But the wicked will be cut off from the land and the unfaithful will be torn from it. Folks, what saves us from false teachers?
It's the fear of God. And only by the fear of God comes the wisdom. Wisdom also saves us from the adulteress and has not these false teachers committed spiritual adultery. God's wisdom. God's wisdom. God's wisdom.
Let me close. May God grant to us by His grace that we will go after the fear of the Lord and have the fear of God above all things. May God give us a revival of the fear of God. We need to fear God, folks.
That's what it comes down to. Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much for this time. Lord, there's so much here. But Lord, we desire a heart. We desire a heart to know you. We desire a heart to fear you.
Lord, we desire a heart to love you. Lord, we desire a heart to submit to you and to obey you and to walk in your path. Father, just like a tree planted by the rivers of water, so will the righteous be.
But yet the wicked is like the shaft blown in the wind. They will perish. Lord, help us. Only by your grace can you keep us. We do not have within ourselves the strength. But Lord, you do. We are too weak, but you are strong.
Help us, Lord, to lean hard on you and lean on your everlasting arms as a child leaning on the arms of the father and the mother. Lord, help us. We bless you and we thank you for this time, Lord, in your word.
And we give you praise. In Jesus' name, amen.