DELIEVERANCE FROM EVIL

 

2 Peter 2:3-10

 

We know that false teachers traffic in religious things but they lack genuine or authentic faith. Appearing to be resourceful and real, but they are empty and deceitful. Claiming to offer answers and hope, they bring lies and despair and bondage. Pretending to proclaim reliable information by using some same words we use in the church, but use a different source. They act like those who have embraced Christian freedom; yet they are enslaved by corruption and seek to enslave others. They may look successful and it seems that their lifestyle is doing well for them, but in reality, they are merely heaping up judgement for themselves in the coming day of wrath. 

As a refresher! We looked at in the opening this chapter. False Teaching Distort The Interpretations Of Scripture To Fool Those Not Firmly Established In The Truth With Destructive Heresies. (v1). False Teaching Preys On The Spiritually Immature And They Will Follow In Their Destruction. (v2)

  

3. False Teaching Spread Plastic Words For Material Gain By Exploiting The Naive. (v3)

 

Understand! False teachers don’t go after the ones who are theologically grounded, and sound in doctrine. Not the ones that Luke penned about, “Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” Acts 17:11. No! False teachers greedily spread lies as the seek out the novice, the naive person, or those who will listen to their deceptive words. Peter says they… “exploit” it’s a marketing term “to traffic in” or “to realize gain from trade”. (v3)

Most false teachers are motivated by unrestrained greed for money. Give money to the church to buy your dead relatives out of purgatory. Give money for special anointing oil and receive a blessing from God. Give money for a pray cloth so that you can feel the presence of God. Give money so that you can receive a blessing. Give…give….give. As false teacher Gloria Copeland put it in her 2012 book, God’s Will is Prosperity, “Give $10 and receive $1,000; give $1,000 and receive $100,000. . . . In short, Mark 10:30 is a very good deal.” She incorrectly distorts this text of Scripture to mean prosperity and riches. “Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.” 

Mark 10:29-30. 

The gospel produces a blessed assurance of Christ, which outweighs everything from family to material gain, because Christ is our greatest treasure in this life and the one that is to come. See, in light of Scripture, the prosperity gospel and all other false teaching is fundamentally flawed. Why? It produces a false gospel because of its faulty view of the relationship between God and man. Satan’s goal is to deceive as many people as possible, both inside and outside the church by means of false teachers. These men, and disqualified women, want to get rich and powerful from the people to whom they minister to.

 

This is the standard characterization

of religious charlatans.

 

Jeremiah 6:13 says, “For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. In other words, the temper of mind which gains the world is not that which gains heaven. Paul reminds Timothy of this as he prepares him for pastoral ministry, “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.” 

1Tim 6:3-5

 

Peter says they exploit you with “false words” or could be translated “plastic words” “False” is derived from the term plastic; this refers to something not completely authentic. For example……if you buy or have bought a late model Cadillac sedan with the wood grain finish you been robbed of real wood. At first glance it really looks like wood, even feels like wood, but in reality it’s made out of plastics to give the impression it is wood. Like false teachers they exploit you with plastic words that seem genuine on the surface but in reality they are deceiving and destructive. False teachers deal in phony doctrine, their theology is not based on biblical truth…. but only molded to look like biblical truth. Paul said, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” Col 2:8. “Captive” can also refer to the word “to spoil” commonly means, to corrupt, to cause to decay and perish, as fruit is spoiled by keeping too long, or crops because of mildew.

 

What are some of these false, plastic doctrines

of demons that they spread?

 

Here is one person for example, a homosexual pastor named Brandon Robertson of the Progressive Church movement said, “Universalists are the only ones with a high view of God. If your God is not powerful enough to redeem all of creation, then what you worship isn’t God. If your God is not loving enough to redeem all of creation, then what you worship isn’t God. It’s really that simple.”

 

Brandon Robertson said this in response to someone saying marriage is between one man and one woman. “Literally never said once in the Bible. There is no prescription for marriage. Marriage is a commitment between two consenting adults to love and do life with each other. That’s it.” Brandon Robertson view on Scriptures, he said, “Evangelicals have elevated the Bible to being the ultimate answer book for all of life’s questions when… it’s clearly not that. The Bible was not intended to be a divine law book for all of humanity. It’s a collection of sacred stories, songs, and standards that’s not having one meaning only.” 

But what did Paul tell Timothy? ”For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” 

2 Tim 4:3-4

What this means…people like Brandon Robertson reject truth. Paul warns Timothy that people “will turn away from listening to the truth.” The first step in destroying a church is a corporate rejection of the plain teaching of the Bible. They reject truth-tellers. “will not endure sound teaching.” Such people will no longer tolerate the teaching they once enjoyed. They will embrace false teachers like Brandon Robertson. Once a church has rejected those who teach the truth, it will replace them with teachers who give them what they want to hear. “Having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.” They will embrace false doctrine. Once people have rejected truth and truth-tellers, and once they have found teachers who will lead them into twisting truth, they will “wander off into myths.”

  

How do we counter the false teacher and their teachings? The church that remains faithful to God is the church that remains faithful to the Word of God. And that is evident in the next six verses. Divine judgement and rescue for the righteous is coming. Peter gives us a painting of three portraits about those who stand in divine judgement.

 

God did not spare sinful angels and their demonic rebellion. (v4)

 

God did not spare the angels who sinned against Him; they disobeyed and crossed a line they never should have crossed. Peter says they are chained in the deepest of pits waiting final judgment. The Book of Revelation calls this prison seven times the “bottomless pit.” This is referring to same spirits (The sons of God) that cohabited with human women in Satan’s failed attempt to corrupt the human race through reproduction. (Found in Genesis 6 where we get the Nephilim’s). Demons dread this place as many tried to pled with Jesus, “Jesus then asked him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Legion," for many demons had entered him. And they begged him not to command them to depart into the abyss.” Luke 8:30-31. If you look at the text “gloomy darkness” in the times of the Greeks this “pit” or place was reserved for the vilest of criminals and offenders. “Cast them into Hell” is actually the translation of a single word “Tartarus” which the Greeks identified as a subterranean abyss that was even lower than Hades (Hell). This point to the fact that there is no chance of leaving, no chance of parole, no chance of redemption…it is final. It’s like taking a Grain Silo and burying it in the ground and dropping the person down into an endless pit until judgement. God dealt with sin righteously as He cast the demonic angels into the pit to be finally judged for all eternity for their wickedness and rebellion against their Creator.

 

The ancient world of apostasy and depravity when Noah and his family were saved from a watery grave. (v5)

 

Not only did God judge certain fallen angels, but He also did not spare the ancient world in which He created for His glory. In fact He wiped it out every living thing left outside the Ark by drowning all the ungodly in the flood. Its mankind’s wickedness that grieved God to say this. ” The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. (This is said to observe His great hatred to sin, and abhorrence of it.) So the LORD said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them." 

Gen 6:5-7

It was an ancient world that was characterized by atheists and heretics. Ungodly people, doing ungodly things, through rebellious immorality is what brought God’s judgement upon them. There complete lack of reverence, worship, and fear of God. What does that look like then and today? Jesus said, “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains. "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” Matt 24:7-12

 

The people of Sodom and Gomorrah is a picture of immorality and perversion. (v6)

These were beautiful, eye pleasing cities…. to live, to do business, to make memories and settle down if you like the city life. They had great plantation to call home, full of resources for growing, because it was full of life and there was too much to offer. They are even described as equal with the Garden of Eden, “was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD.” Gen 13:10. These cities were a sinner’s playground and Lot had reservations to live amoung them closely. “So Lot chose for himself all the Jordan Valley, and Lot journeyed east. Thus they separated from each other. Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom. Now the men of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD.” Gen 10:11-13

 

Sodom & Gomorrah has been used throughout Scripture as a warning. As a monument to future judgment if we do not listen to the warnings found in holy Scripture. In Luke’s gospel we read, “Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot—they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all— so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.” Luke 17:26-30. These cities, are a foreshadow of Hell and its pending judgements. Those cities and this world’s system mock and laugh at this, as if God will never do such a thing. But Jesus said it will be far worse for those who hear the gospel and do nothing with the gospel. ”Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.” Matt 10:15. Sodom and Gomorrah teach us that…… It’s a terrible thing to neglect the offers of the gospel and a fearful thing to fall into the hands of this angry God.

 

BUT I DON’T YOU TO MISS THIS!

 

Amoung God’s divine judgment, we also see God’s amazing grace and longsuffering to keep His own under His sovereign grace and care. God rightly judges the evil of this world, but also rescues the righteous who lived faithfully amoung the evil world system. Noah, and his family, a man of righteousness (Gen 6:8-9) who did as God commanded in building and preparing his family for the flood that was coming. Even in swift judgement God rescued eight people from this watery grave. “Then the LORD said to Noah, "Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.” Gen 7:1

Lot a man of righteousness who was rescued from disaster after he told to flee the cities. As we read in Gen 19:15, “As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city." Even a man like Lot, who compromised by offering his two daughters to a perverse mob instead of handing over the angels that visited him. But understanding….. he was influenced by the culture in with which he lived, even though he hated it. The greatest lesson we can learn from God swift judgement upon false teachers and the evil that parades itself today is this He rescues the righteous as well.

 

After Noah and his family were saved after the flood, what did Noah do?

He got drunk and exposed his nakedness in front of his sons.

 

What did Lot do after the destruction of the two cities and losing his wife?

Lot got drunk and sleep with his two daughters.

 

Be encouraged here! These two men are perfect examples that our heavenly position, or rescue, didn’t come by our works. Men who loved God, but were also fallible men who were fallen by nature. The reason they were declared righteous is because they were justified by faith, this was demonstrated in the perfect, sinless, spotless Son of God. See! Jesus Christ was like Noah, a preacher…. but unlike Noah, Jesus perfectly obeyed the Father. Jesus Christ is like Lot, a man who lived amoung a wicked and perverse generation, but unlike Lot, Jesus lived a perfect life. These examples of God’s swift judgment on fallen angels, a depraved society, and false teachers… is the same judgment God poured out His wrath on His Son. Jesus saved Noah, Lot, you, and me from the wrath that is come. “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” 1 Peter 3:18

 

The greatest example of wrath

and grace is found in His Son.

 

God knows how to rescue, and reclaim the righteous, as well as punishing the wicked. Peter says in (v9) “the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials.” The Lord knows how to rescue then and He certainly knows how to do the same in the present and future. The Lord knows how to judge the wicked while simultaneously preserving His own. “Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.  Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” 

Matt 13:36-43

 

Noah and Lot remind us that the power belongs to God, and not to us, as we face each trial and also as we deal with false teachers of our day. This also reminds us that God knows how to rescue, and reclaim the righteous regardless of what we see, hear, or the evil that lurks around us. Peter is well acquainted with trials and falling from grace, but he also knows what it feels like to be rescued. Can you relate with Peter, Noah and Lot this morning? And we take comfort because God will judge the unrighteous and preserve the righteous.  ”O LORD, you have searched me and known me! You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?” Psalm 139:1-7

 

That’s the ultimate question

isn’t it?

 

This is where we take comfort, because we are always in the presence of Him who loved us, and rescues us, from this evil world system and false teachers. We can remain faithful because God is just to judge the ungodly and preserve the godly through trials and even false teachers.