Destructive Doctrines, Doom, Depravity, and Deceptions
Lesson 1 Doctrine and Doom, 2 Pet. 2:1-9
I. INTRODUCTION
A. The first False Prophet Satan (2 Cor. 11:13-15). He has been hard at work through the ages: in the garden of Eden, among the patriarchs, during the era of the Old Law, and even now. Working on his behalf are false Christians (Mt.13:38), a false gospel (Gal. 1:6-9), a false righteousness (Rom. 9:30-10:4) and even false Christs (2 Thess. 2).
B. While heathen prophets have hurt the cause of Jehovah, it has always been the false prophets from within the ranks of God's people that have caused the most damage because they claim to speak for God. Even though the true prophets have exposed these false ministries, the people have chosen to follow them just the same. Why?
1. Because their false religion was easy, comfortable, and popular.
2. They preach a false peace (Jer. 6:14) which the people wanted to hear.
C. Most of us would not listen to anyone claiming to be a prophet today, yet Peter warns us that we must beware of false teachers.
II. DISCUSSION
A. The False Teachers Described (2 Pet. 2:1-3) Peter knew that the truth of God's Word and the false doctrine of the heretic cannot coexist (see similar language in Jude).
1. Deception (v.1a) promoting parties or sects in the church is listed by Paul as one of the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:20).
a. Not only does the false teacher have a false message, but he employs false methods. They do not openly declare their message, but bring it in "secretly alongside" the truth. Eventually though, they will remove the truth from their teaching, leaving only their false doctrine.
b. According to v. 3, the false teachers will use "deceptive words." The may use Christ's very words, but they will not be using Christ's dictionary to define them.
c. Satan is a liar and His ministers are liars. They will use the Bible, but to deceive instead of enlighten. These false teachers are not innocently ignorant like Apollos (Acts 18:24-28), but instead deliberately reject the truth.
2. Denial (v.1b) False teachers are better known for what they deny, than for what they affirm. They deny such important spiritual things as: the inspiration of the Bible, Christ's sacrificial death on the cross, salvation through obedient faith, the existence of heaven and hell, and the deity of Jesus. They know that without Christ there is no Christianity!
a. These apostates are outside of Christ, they belong to Satan, not God. Later in the chapter (v.22) Peter will compare them to dogs and pigs, not sheep. Jude says they are without the Spirit (v.19), and Paul confirms that to be without the Spirit disqualifies one as a child of God (Rom. 8:9).
b. But did not Jesus die for the whole world (1 Jn. 2:2)? Indeed his blood is sufficient to cleanse the whole world, but its application is limited to those who believe and obey. These false teachers are not merely disagreeing about some fine point of doctrine, they are unbelievers. They do not truly believe that Christ is the Son of God, God the Son and the God-Man. To not believe these things is soul condemning.
3. Sensuality (v.2) Jude accused the false teachers of "turning the grace of God into lasciviousness" (v.4). They will use the guise of religion to satisfy their own lusts just as the false prophets did in the days of Jeremiah (Jer. 23:14,32).
a. The fact that they gain followers, shows that man would rather follow the false than the true. The false teachers will have the statistics to show that they have many followers, yet Jesus said, "broad is the path that leads to destruction" (Mt. 7:13,14). Many that claim to be true servants will be rejected by Christ in judgment ( Mt. 7:21-23).
b. What is the end of the disciples of the false teachers? They disgrace Christ's name (Titus 1:16, Rom. 2:24) and cause their own souls to be lost.
4. Greed (v.3) The false teachers are interested in worldly gain
(1 Thess. 2:5). The Lord and the Apostles were poor men, yet the false teachers get richer by the minute. Micah described prophets using their abilities for money (Micah 3:11).
a. Using their deceptive words they "con" their unsuspecting disciples by "scratching their itching ears with fables," (2 Tim. 4:1-4).
b. The true teacher of Jesus Christ has nothing to hide: in his life or his teaching. He does not twist the scriptures or flatter the rich and powerful. Paul describes him best, (2 Cor. 4:2).
B. The False Teachers Destroyed (2 Pet. 2:4-6, 9b) Peter makes it clear that these false teachers had forsaken the right way (v. 15). In this section Peter will use three examples to verify the fact that judgment will come upon all sinners regardless of their personal feelings of security. (Compare Jude 6-8).
1. The fallen angels (v.4) Most of the details concerning these beings are not revealed to us and it is not the purpose of this lesson to speculate concerning them except to say it must have come as shock to them when God kicked them out of heaven! According to Peter, these angels are even now in Tartarus awaiting judgment. Point: God will judge rebellion wherever He finds it. He will not spare any who reject His will, be he angel or man.
2. The old world (v.5) Noah preached for 120 years before God destroyed the world by the Flood. Nobody believed Noah and they lived happy lives right up to and including the time that Noah and his family entered the Ark (Lk. 17:26,27). Their experts said a flood could never happen. The false teachers have their experts today who deny Christ and His judgment. Unfortunately the world today has too many things in common with the world of Noah's time: a multiplying population, wickedness, violence, lawlessness, and a scarcity of true believers enough to make you think!
3. Sodom and Gomorrah (vv.6,9b) The men of Sodom were wicked, sinners, ungodly, practitioners of filthy behavior and unlawful deeds (Gen.13:13; Jude 7; 2 Pet. 2:7,8). Since the law of Moses had not been given, their unlawfulness must have been against nature (Rom. 1:24-27). The sin that has made the name of Sodom live on in infamy is homosexuality, a sin clearly condemned by scripture (Lev. 18:22; Rom. 1:24-27; 1 Cor. 6:9).
a. The people of Sodom and Gomorrah perished in fire and brimstone despite the warnings of Abraham and Lot. They were confident up to the very minute that Lot left (Lk. 17:28,29), yet God utterly destroyed them and left their cities in ruins.
b. The application (v.9b) the unjust will be reserved under punishment for the day of judgment. The contrast between this end and that of the righteous is too striking to ignore: we have an inheritance reserved for us, Jesus is preparing us a home in heaven, the coming of the Lord will signal the beginning of our home in glory, we will not see wrath, but salvation (1 Pet. 1:4; Jn. 14:1-6; 1 Thess. 5:9).
C. The True Believers Delivered (2 Pet. 2:5-9a) How could they stay true to the Lord in such a wicked world? Here Peter adds some words of encouragement for believers today, by looking back to two believers of the Old Testament.
1. Noah (v.5) God delivered Noah from the pollutions of the surrounding world and from the judgment that He brought upon that world. He did not isolate them from the world before the Flood, but encouraged them to remain pure in the midst of corruption. Noah was saved by water through the Flood , a like figure as to how baptism now saves us (1 Pet. 3:20-22). Peter's readers can be assured that Jesus will deliver us, that the world will not be judged by water, but by fire, and the righteous shall avoid that judgment of fire (Jn. 5:24).
2. Lot (6-9a) Lot made his choice to live in Sodom and lost two daughters and a wife because of it. But, Peter says Lot himself remained righteous. Today we might find ourselves in a modern day Sodom because of job, family or even church obligations. Can we spiritually survive there? (v.9)
III. CONCLUSION
A. Do not discount the power of the Lord in these matters: Noah was rescued from the Flood and Lot from the Fire. Noah and Lot stand as a warning to us to be prepared for judgment day.
B. Today is like the days of Noah and the days of Lot. There are few true believers and society is full of immorality of the very kind that brought down Sodom and many are rebellious against God.
C. Yet, God's people will be delivered from the judgment of wrath (1 Thess. 5:9,10).
D. When the fire falls, will you be ready?
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