The Depravity of False Teachers: Part 1

The Depravity of False Teachers in 2 Peter 2

I'd like to speak to you today a part one, this could be a three-part series. I'm going to try to make it a three-part series. We're just going to break ground today. I don't want to keep you too long.

I mean that as your pastor. I'm doing everything I can to sum up my preaching under an hour. I see a couple of my daughters looking at me right now saying,.

Okay dad, you're going to have to prove it.

So pray for dad. Pray for your pastor. Praise God. But we're talking about the depravity of false teachers here. How bad are these false teachers? How bad are they? The Word of God tells us how bad they are.

Exposes them, doesn't it? So let's have a word of prayer before we embark on this. Our Father and our God, we praise You for Your Word this morning.

Your Word is truth.

Your Word is forever settled in heaven. And Your Word purifies and sanctifies. Lord Jesus, we ask that You sanctify us by the truth. Thy Word is truth. Sanctify us this morning wholly through and through.

And help us to apply everything that You give us from Your Word. That we would just not be hearers, but to be doers. And be faithful and obedient unto You. Until You call us home. In Jesus' name, amen.

The Warning of 2 Peter 2:10-17

So please turn with me. As we continue our study through the epistle of 2 Peter. 2 Peter. Wonderful epistle, isn't it? Three chapters, but it's packed. It deals with what's going on inside the church.

And it's very serious. It's almost like the Trojan horse has made its way in. It was nothing new in the apostolic days. The false teachers. I think they've grown worse in our day. I think they've grown, no doubt, more in number.

And it shows you how close we are to the coming of Jesus Christ. The second coming. So I'd like to read this morning 2 Peter chapter 2. And let's begin with verse 10b. I'd like to back up a little bit.

I didn't get a chance to really speak a lot about the angelic beings. I'd like to touch on that. I'm not going to get to my full outline today. But I'm just going to embark on it. And present to you the depravity of these false teachers.

How they look like. How God exposes them. What God sees. The depraved wickedness from these false teachers. And He just opens it up. Almost like cutting up an animal. And opening up this animal. And by the way, He compares these false teachers to animals.

It's very powerful. It's very pointed. Hear the word of the living God. I'll begin with verse 10 of chapter 2. Let me just read verse 10. And we'll stop at verse 17. And especially those who walk according to the flesh and the lust of uncleanness.

And despise authority. They are presumptuous.

Self-willed.

They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries. Those are glorious ones. Angelic beings. Could mean people as well. But angelic beings. And then He says in verse 11. Whereas angels who are greater in power and might.

Do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. But these. Speaking of false teachers. Like natural brute beasts.

Made to be caught.

And destroyed. Speak evil of the things they do not understand. And will utterly perish in their own corruption. And will receive the wages of unrighteousness. As those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime.

They are spots and blemishes. Carousing in their own deceptions. While they feast with you. Having eyes full of adultery. And that cannot cease from sin. Enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices.

And are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way. And gone astray. Following the way of Balaam the son of Beor. Who loved the wages of unrighteousness. But he was rebuked for his iniquity. A dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice.

Restrained the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water. Clouds carried by a tempest. For whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. Powerful words. From the apostle Peter. That speaks about the wickedness and the depravity.

Of these false teachers. As we've already seen so far in chapter 2. In 2 Peter we've seen that verse 1 -3. The destructive doctrines of these false teachers.

What they teach.

Their doctrines are destructive. And then in verse 4 -11. Speaks of the doom of the false teachers.

The doom.

And now we come to this section. From verse 10b -17. We see the depravity of the false teachers. Outline consists of Ps. As brother Keith mentioned earlier. I'm going to shortly just look at two of them.

In short. I won't spend much time on the first one. But the second one. And the third I'd like to spend a little time on. The first one is their primaries. The primaries is. And we touched on this already.

Their primaries is basically the apostle Peter brings out. By the Holy Spirit giving him the revelation. The certainty of the coming judgment that is upon them. There is a certain judgment that's coming to them.

It is certain isn't it? Then he focuses on two major characteristics of the false teachers. The first one he mentions under that category primaries. Is they have a function. They function by feelings.

And not faith. They may get up and talk about faith. I know a lot of these false teachers. And you well know as I do. They even talk about faith in faith. Not faith in God. So we know that their doctrine is already not sound.

It's poison.

You can't have faith in faith. Our faith is in God. That's erroneous. But they truly don't believe in faith. Even though they will get up and quote scriptures. And they will basically twist the scriptures.

And use the faith of something that you get. Or something that you have. To get something from God. And not God himself. Never satisfied are they. So already they are full of covetousness. In which the apostle Peter actually brings this out.

They are covetous. Eyes full of adultery. Never satisfied. So the primaries is that they function by their feelings. You see this everywhere. It's all about feel good religion. Experiences. Externalism.

Not focused on Jesus Christ and Him crucified. The second is they reject all of authority. Now this is sad. They reject all authority. They have an authority problem. There is a lack of humility. There is a lack of truly serving.

They want to be big shots. They desire the preeminence. As deatrophies did. They are authoritarian. And despise authority. They are authority within themselves. Beloved I have seen this down through the years and decades.

Being in the church. This crosses all denomination lines. Yes it's a lot in the midst of the charismatic movement. Because the charismatic movement is basically a movement that pulls away from authority.

That's why they basically say we want nothing to do with denominations. Because denominations is man made religion. This is the way they view this. So we are going to do what God says. And they say it's better to obey God than man.

And they twist that. And they become an authority of themselves.

I have known this. I have seen this.

And I say when I was first converted to Christ. A particular person that led me to Jesus Christ. Literally made a decision to pull out of the church of God.

Denomination.

And start a church within himself. He was basically calling himself. He did not want to submit under the authority of the church of God. As you well know Jimmy Swagger when he fell. Basically the assemblies of God set before him because of the sin and the scandal.

They said you are to set aside six months away from the pulpit. Personally he was disqualified. I think he should have been personally out of it completely. He didn't like it because it was six months away from the pulpit.

And he is to receive counseling. To help restore him back to the faith. If he was repentant. Well as you well know. He pulled out of the assemblies of God. Because of that he did not want to submit under the authority.

That could have been much harder. Saying no you are disqualified completely. So let's see about restoring you back to the faith. He refused it. And then if you know this. I don't know if you know this.

But later on he was caught in a car with another prostitute down the road.

And he was questioned.

And then other people came up to him. And asked him about those situations.

And he said it's none of your business.

They despise authority. Now I pray for Swaggart that he repents. But when someone is pulling away from authority. To help steer them in the right direction toward repentance.

And restore them.

There is a problem. I use him as an example. Because he was a very well popular evangelist. Worldwide. He was instrumental. And planting seeds of the gospel. He preached the gospel. But there was issues once we got there.

Even before he was opened up in scandal. There was pride. And that's where the apostle Peter takes us. Notice this. First of all these false teachers function by feelings rather than faith. They reject all authority.

But notice in verse 10b. What does it say? They are presumptuous. Presumptuous.

Self-willed.

Doesn't that describe a false teacher? They are presumptuous. They are self-willed. You look back to the beginning of the verse. It says especially those who walk. There is another translation that says.

Especially those who indulge in the flesh. Or walk according to the flesh. In the lust of uncleanness. They are living in moral. They hide it behind the scene. I did a little research on this one time.

With a lot of these so called teachers. Teachers or false teachers. Even within the charismatic movement. And most of them. Were caught in an adulterous affairs. Within another denomination. Just like Jimmy Swaggart.

And they were caught.

And they laid the lines. And I should say the teaching of scripture before them. And they despised it.

And they were self-willed.

And they pulled out of the movement. And started something themselves. And it became so called heroes. Women of great faith. Women false teachers. That shows you how far off the truth. They are charismatic.

Love these way out eccentric teachers. Women teachers. Joyce Myers. Catherine Kuhlman if you know her. She was a quack. Based upon feelings. People falling backwards. Slain in the spirit.

You look in the scripture.

Ravenhill is so right about this. Everybody that fell backwards. Were sinners. When Jesus said they came to arrest him. He says whom do you seek? And he said Jesus of Nazareth. And he says I am he.

They all fell backwards.

But you go to revelation. You see the apostle John.

He fell forward.

All the saints falls forward. Bury their faces.

Mary.

Apostle John. You see them they fall face forward. In submission. It is so revealing. But nothing in scripture but that. Teaches about falling backwards. Well these teachers. These false teachers. Their teaching is driven.

By feelings. Feelings driven. I can honestly say according to the word of God today.

As I speak.

It is according to the flesh. They will get up and tell you it is of the spirit. Test the spirits beloved.

And see whether they are of God.

It is according to the flesh. They say touch not my anointing. Scripture says examine yourself. See whether you are in the faith. They are driven by feelings. Their lifestyle is anti-authority. They refuse personal accountability.

Again this goes across all denominational barriers. Basically they are not submitting to God. They are not submissive to God. Or God's authority. They do not want to be under the authority of someone else.

Scripture says we are under someone's authority. Ultimately God. But yes those who God has qualified within the churches. We just submit under their authority. Because God says so. And we do it willingly.

Now if there is problems with pastors abusing that authority. That is another situation. They should be held to be accountable. They are not above question. They should be under authority. But technically these false teachers have a submission problem.

That is what it is. Authorities within the church of God. Next we see that. Here is a P that I really want to focus on today. Is their pride. I think that is the biggest P. Their pride. How prideful are they?

Let's look at this.

Verse 10. Being. Especially those who walk according to the flesh. And the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. And he says this. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries.

Again that means glorious ones.

Let's look at this.

These false teachers are so arrogant folks. They are so full of pride. They are so full of themselves. They are so full of being audacious, defiant.

With an obstinate.

I am just selecting a few words here.

There is so much more.

Obstinate determination to do their own thing. When it comes to ministry.

They call the shots.

They are arrogant. They are in control. It is all about them. Have you noticed that? Within the churches of these false teachers. It is about them. Their ministry. Look at Joel Osteen. People literally worship this guy.

Joyce Byers.

Creflo Dollar.

I could keep naming them.

Todd White.

These people.

I could go on and on. Keep naming them. They are all about themselves folks. And it is so obvious. It is so obvious to us.

But it is not obvious to these other people.

Because they think they are great people of God. But we know better. You look at what they teach. They teach error. They teach poison. They feed these people with poison. The defiant with obstinate determination to do what they desire.

In their so called ministry. False teachers are so arrogant. That tells you right there.

The demonic.

So arrogant. They would do what holy angels dare not do. Well what do the holy angels do? Look at verse 11. Whereas angels who are greater in power and might do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.

Why?

Because they are presumptuous and self-willed. Pride. That is the number one P there. Pride. These are the words that literally describe their character. It describes their methods. Of these false teachers.

Their actions are characterized by their boldness. And their brashness. And their arrogance. As they recklessly defy the living God. And literally as we go on. They basically says in verse 12. They are like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed.

In other words they are better off dead. Than alive. That is strong words. God says they are worthless. They would be better off dead.

Well.

Look at what they do.

Look at how arrogant they are. They recklessly defy both God. Not only God.

They defy angels.

And they defy man. They defy God's authority. Angels and man. Behind their presumption. Is a commitment. To do their own fleshly actions. Their own fleshly desires. Because they love the praises of men.

Because they love money. Those two things right there. You can test where a person is. In the ministry. By what they truly love. And who they truly love. Love money. Love the praises of men.

Those two things.

The rich young brute.

Amen.

The praises of men. The love of money. This word dignitaries is an interesting word. False teachers slander these angels. Although the word can refer to people of authority. But here in our text. It means glorious ones.

Glorious ones. These angelic beings.

No doubt.

The parallel verse to this is found in Jude 9. Go with me to the book of Jude. And I would highly recommend as you go through this section. To compare the references with Jude. Because Jude gives the parallel verses.

But he also gives us a little bit more extra revelation. Notice what he says in verse 8.

Jude.

Likewise also these dreamers. They are dreamers. Defile the flesh. Reject authority. There it is again. Same thing Peter says. Same Holy Spirit. Same revelation. But he says they reject authority. And speak evil of glorious ones.

They speak evil of dignitaries. Dignitaries. And notice verse 9. This is very interesting here. Excuse me. Yet Michael the archangel. In contending with the devil. When he disputed about the body of Moses.

Dared not bring against him a reviling accusation.

But said the Lord rebuke you.

Let me stop right there. This is interesting. We're not for sure by the way. As to why there was a controversy or a dispute. Over the body of Moses. We don't know this. MacArthur gives a few guesses on it.

Maybe it's because.

Moses.

Being who he was as a prophet of God.

That they would. That these.

Satan would take his body. And for some odd reason. Use it for something.

I don't know.

He actually. He said we don't know. The revelation doesn't get it. So if scripture is silent. Then we're silent. We don't know. So we don't need to get off. And try to make these guesses. Even though he makes some pretty good guesses.

You need to hear his message on that. He says so much about everything here in the text. The important point I believe for us to get.

Is this.

The truth. Is that Michael the archangel. Which was a prominent angel in authority. There's ranks. There's a pecking order. Lucifer was an archangel at one time. And of course we know. His demise. He fell right.

He was cast out of heaven. Michael the archangel basically.

Was.

Disputing over the body of Moses. But here. The archangel recognized. That Satan has a position of authority.

See.

Now this is interesting. Because even the archangel. From God.

The holy angel.

Speaks of the archangel that once was.

Satan.

That was Lucifer.

Satan.

He even gives respect. To that fallen angel. That's interesting isn't it? Even though he's an enemy of God. There is a sense of respect. To the enemy. Well we're getting to something. We're leading to something here.

Because what Jude and Peter is basically saying. That even the archangel. Michael. Had some sense of respect. For Satan. And that he has authority over the world of demons. And although Satan had no jurisdiction over Michael.

Yet.

The latter would not. Would not revile him.

In other words.

Think of this. Of the brashness. And boldness of the false teachers. That who would dare to do. What even the holy angel shrink back from doing. That's what they're saying. These false teachers do something.

That even the archangel wouldn't do. Michael the archangel would say.

The Lord rebuke you.

Right?

How many times have you heard this. In charismatic and Pentecostal movements.

That.

Oh I rebuke you devil.

Well who in the world they think they are.

By the way.

That's not scripture.

Even though they take the verses.

Like.

Where Jesus speaks.

What so ever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. They twist that completely. Jesus is referring to forgiveness. In church discipline.

Isn't that something?

No church.

They don't even refer to that. In church.

Why?

Because they despise authority.

They twist that scripture.

To say. Oh Jesus is speaking of binding and loosening demons. Totally out of context. Totally out of context. And that's why we always. Test. Them by. What they teach. And there's a reason why they teach what they teach.

Because they somehow twisted this. Thinking that there's somebody. And you could be somebody. And you could be arrogant. And that's what God hates the most. That's what calls Satan.

To fall from heaven.

And Satan sits back and laughs. When they are saying. Oh I rebuke you.

Come out of them.

And you can see Satan.

I got them.

Isn't that the truth?

They are defiant.

These false teachers are defiant. And think of this. There is a judgment. That they were paid for such defiance. A judgment is coming to them. Because of this defiance. They are presumptuous and self-willed.

Presumptuous and self-willed. They are not afraid. To speak evil of angelic. Glorious beings. So they are not. Not only merely defiant. Wicked sinners. These false teachers. And they are worthless and good for nothing.

And worth more dead than alive.

Really.

They are corrupted in nature. They are not only headed for a. Ever ending torment. Of the blackness of hell. Forever and ever. But they are extremely dangerous. Extremely dangerous. Jesus speaks of them as being.

Wolves in sheep's clothing.

Savage wolves.

Wolves.

Who pretend by the way. To be Christians. They pretend to be like one of us. They pretend to know. They know God. They pretend to be preachers. They pretend to be instructors.

Of the Bible.

They even can speak the same language. They can get up. And get amends. And what they speak. It sounds so good. But it is poison. You have to listen very carefully. From his book. Truth War. I will be quoting some from him.

MacArthur says this. An apostate is someone. Who has received the light. But not the life. The seed but not the fruit. The written word. But not the living word. The truth. But not the love of the truth.

2 Thessalonians. Chapter 2. Verse 10. Speaks of that. Go with me there please. Very quickly. 2 Thessalonians. Tells us a little bit. About what MacArthur just said. Notice chapter 2. Verse 10.

Verse 10.

The coming of the lawless one. Verse 9. According to the working of Satan. With all power, signs and lying wonders. That is how Satan will deceive. And with all unrighteous deceptions. Unrighteous deceptions among those who perish.

Because they did not receive the love of the truth. That they might be saved. And it is interesting that. Scripture goes on to say. And for this reason God will send them a strong delusion. God sends the strong delusion.

That they should believe the lie. That they all may be condemned. Who did not believe the truth. But had pleasure in unrighteousness. That is strong. So they are predisposed. They are predisposed. To oppose the work of God.

They malign. They blaspheme the very name. And the person of Jesus Christ. They use the name of Jesus Christ. For their own pleasures. Their self will. Their dreamers. As Jude says. They distort the only true gospel.

The purity of the gospel. And that is why God is so angry with them. He will judge them. And Jesus.

Notice Jesus says.

Beware. Beware. Watch out for them. Watch out for their predisposition. Now I am not going to finish this. If you go back to 1 Peter. I am going to pick up a little bit on this. Next Lord's day. But I am just going to read it.

But notice in verse 12. Let me read verse 12 to 14. We are going to touch on it a little bit. Lord willing we will pick up next Lord's day. But these. Like natural brute beasts. Now talking about not only their pride.

Talking about their predisposition. Beasts made to be caught. And destroyed. Speak evil of the things they do not understand. That is like what an animal does. They go by instinct. Will utterly perish in their own corruption.

And will receive the wages of unrighteousness. As those who count it pleasure to carouse in the day time. They are spots and blemishes. Carousing in their own deceptions. While they feast with you. Let me stop right there.

That is so powerful. How bad are these false teachers? We just read that. That is how bad they are. And they are compared to animals in nature. You can learn a lot if you look at the nature of an animal.

Right?

False teachers are compared to these animals in nature. A lion has a nature to. To prey.

To stalk.

And to destroy. Dogs have a nature to. If you well know. It is really gross.

A dog.

Every time we wash our dog. He will go to the field. And enroll in manure. Or a dead animal. And he comes back stinking again. It is like he loves that dead. He loves that stench. He loves that manure.

He loves it.

It is the nature of that animal. Nature of a swine. A pig. As you well know. Loves slop. He loves to wallow in mud.

That is what he loves.

And this is why they are compared to false teachers. These people we know. They claim to pretend to know the truth. But they deceive God's people. To pull them away from God. To themselves. To follow after them.

And not Jesus Christ. And don't you think the head of the church is pretty angry with that? The great shepherd of the sheep. To pull his people away.

To deceive them.

These false teachers are like animals. In that nature. In their fallenness. Their behavior. Because they act in ignorance. Like an instinct. And in ignorance of the realities of death to come. And the judgment to come.

How many times do you really get. You hear Joel Olsen talking about. It is appointed for once man to die. And after that the judgment. You never hear him preach that. He would get up and talk a million times on the promises of God.

And not one time would he mention about the warnings. And there is probably as many warnings in the scriptures as there are promises. The judgment to come. Never should hear about the judgment. Sufferings.

The cross. As brother Keith mentioned about. How many times will you hear them talk about the very heart of Christianity. Is self-denial. Deny yourself. Jesus said if you desire to come after me. You deny yourself.

Take up your cross.

Follow me. Those three things. Self-denial. Cross bearing. Falling Jesus. Never hear him talk about that.

No.

Well these false teachers are like animals. They react only to the present circumstances. Without even giving thought of the consequences of their actions. Brother Keith pointed this out to me. Thank you brother Keith for this.

Go with me to Psalm 49. I thought this was a very good verse. A scripture that goes right along with what Peter says. And about animals. Notice this in chapter 49. Look at verse 12. These two verses. Verse 12 and verse 20 are almost very much similar.

Very much alike. This is a psalm from the sons of Korah. Verse 12 says. Nevertheless man though in honor does not remain. He is like the beast that perish. Verse 20. A man who is in honor yet does not understand.

Is like the beast that perish. Notice how he refers to like the beast that perish. The beast that perish. Well that's the way the false teachers are. Verse 13. Back to 2 Peter. They receive the wages of unrighteousness.

As those who count it pleasure to carouse in day time.

Listen to that.

Carouse in day time. There is no shame. They are perverse in their display of evil. I want you to think about this for a second. Even pagans. Even those sinners and the practicing pagans thought it strange and unnatural to hold drunken reveries in broad daylight.

Most of the time the pagans and we heard this next door last night because it was homecoming. Big boom box and some kids were partying. We very seldom hear that. First time we ever actually heard that in our neighborhood.

But they were giving a party and that booming and no matter. I don't know what they were doing up there and I don't want to think what they were doing. Probably a lot of immorality and drinking and a lot of that going on.

But it was at night time at least.

Disturbing the peace, yes. But they didn't do it in day time. These are pagans. And they will at night time because of their shame kind of hide it. But not these false teachers folks. They had no qualms about practicing damnable erroneous concepts of teaching and so called Christian liberties in broad daylight.

They don't hide it.

They don't just try to disclose it. These false teachers are in broad daylight. They're brash and bold about it.

And they're proud of it.

That's why the scripture says, they're like natural beast made to be caught and destroyed. They're better off dead. As a result they receive the wages of unrighteousness. That's what's coming to them.

The ultimate penalty of their works will be in the torments of hell. Look with me to Jude 10. Let's go back to Jude. Notice Jude parallels again. Look at verse 10 and 11. But these speak evil whatever they do not know.

Whatever they know naturally like brute beast. And these things they corrupt themselves. Woe to them. You know what he's saying?

A curse to you.

No blessing to you. And all they do is speak about blessing. But the real prophets of the Lord and the apostles says,.

Woe to them.

For they have gone in the way of Cain. You know about the way of Cain.

Cain.

If you look at Cain, he was a worshiper of God. But he wanted to do what he wanted to do before the Lord. The Lord says, no you bring a blood sacrifice. No, he brings vegetables. He does what he wants to do.

In other words, God says, No, you are to worship me by blood sacrifice. Abel obeyed. Cain did what he wanted to do. Self-worship. God rejected his sacrifice. They have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit.