THE FALSE TEACHER’S HALL OF SHAME

 

2 Peter 2:10-22

 

The pastor that follows the latest trends, your best life now, and the crowd, will absolutely wander away from tough Biblical commands in search of an easier, less difficult way. This was happening in Peter’s day and is happening today as so-called preachers abandon the Word of God to fulfill their lusts, desires, and even popularity. This in part produces a church filled with the same mindset. As the pulpit follows the crowd, the crowd will follow after the same thing. The puritan John Owen wrote, “It is incumbent on pastors to preserve the truth or doctrine of the gospel received and professed in the church, and to defend it against all opposition. This is one principal end of the ministry….And the sinful neglect of this duty is that which was the cause of most of the malicious heresies and errors that have infested and ruined the church. Those whose duty it was to preserve the doctrine of the gospel entire in the public profession of it many of them ‘spoken perverse things, to draw disciples after them’. Bishops/Pastors, public teachers, have been the ringleaders in heresies. Wherefore this duty, especially at this time, when the fundamental truths of the gospel are on all sides challenged, from all sorts of adversaries, is in an especial manner to be attended unto.”

 

This means we are to take an aggressive stand against false teachers and their false doctrine. We can never embrace or tolerate error in the name of love or acceptance as Peter himself was concerned with the calling of a pastor. Peter has already revealed a right view of salvation “faith by the righteousness of Jesus Christ.” Peter has already revealed a right view of Jesus Christ “our God and Savior” and “our Lord”. Peter has already mentioned a right view of the Scriptures “the knowledge of God” Though we don’t know the exact false teaching of Peter’s day this is intended to be applied generally to false teaching in any form and at any time. Those who invite and entertain doctrinal deception invite the highest level of divine condemnation.

 

These Forsaken False Teachers Are Filled With Pride.  (v10b-v16) Peter says they are self-centered and full of arrogance; they are “Bold” which means they are brazen, audacious, daring, and reckless. And this is the primary characteristic of God’s enemies, as they defy God, and exalt self, which is reckless and destructive. As Proverbs 16:5 says, “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the LORD; be assured, he will not go unpunished.” Pride is a characteristic of the devil. “He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.” 1 Tim 3:6. Pride is the characteristic of the world. “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.” 1 John 2:16. False and forsaken preachers can be measured by what they say with their mouths. (v10-v13) Steve Furtick of Elevation Church (SBC church) said in a sermon titled “It Works Both Ways”, “God broke the law for love.” God gave us a law, then, as a great display of his love, broke that law.

 

Think about that statement! If God broke the Law, justice has not been done. If justice is ignored, God is not who He claims to be. The one who breaks the Law is a sinner. God cannot sin. God becomes a lawbreaker? In order to save lawbreakers from His own Law, this is putting God in conflict with Himself. Jesus said, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” Matt 5:17-18. This expression denotes that the law never would be destroyed until it should be all fulfilled. From the smallest of the Hebrew letters, to one of those little strokes by which alone some of the Hebrew letters are distinguished from others like them. He came to fulfill, not break, he came to die, so you could live under the Law that you broke in your rebellion. Tim Challies wrote on this issue with Furtick, “The cross is definitive proof that God is not a law-breaker but a law-keeper.” What Steve Furtick said would be considered exactly what Peter describes in this passage.

 

Three times Peter uses the word “Blasphemy” to describe what these preachers say with their mouths. “Blasphemy” means to speak with a sense of irreverence, especially about God or other holy things. We read in Psalm 74:18, “Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs, and a foolish people reviles your name.” The word “foolish” here may refer to them as “wicked” as well as foolish. Wickedness and folly are usually connected, so they are so commonly combined. It’s for this purpose! That the word may be used to describe the enemies of God, characterizing their conduct and their words. This word “Blasphemy” is where we get the English word for “slander” or “to speak lightly of sacred things”. As Paul encouraged Timothy to stay the course as some have shipwrecked their faith. “…This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith, among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.” 1 Tim 1:15-20

 

Now! This doesn’t mean that Paul sent them to “Don’t Blasphemy School” so that Satan, would undertake to teach them not to blaspheme God. The meaning, and seriousness of this treason, is that Paul excommunicated them, by giving them over to Satan, some physical problems, that they might be reformed. Another example of this is when the Church at Corinth was told to excommunicate an unrepentant sinner from their church. “It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is not tolerated even among pagans, for a man has his father's wife. And you are arrogant! Ought you not rather to mourn? Let him who has done this be removed from among you. For though absent in body, I am present in spirit; and as if present, I have already pronounced judgment on the one who did such a thing. When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Jesus and my spirit is present, with the power of our Lord Jesus, you are to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord. (So that he might be reformed)” 1 Cor 5:1-5

Getting back to the text! Here, according to Peter, they do this against “the glorious ones” though it’s difficult to understand exactly whom these false teachers were blaspheming. What we do know these “glorious ones” are not God. Perhaps these forsaken preachers are speaking irreverently against heavenly angels. It would seem that these forsaken false teachers arrogantly considered themselves superior above angels. Even though we read in Psalm 8, “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.” Psalm 8:3-5.

Or it’s possible they are blaspheming against faithful preachers like Peter, Paul, James, or John MacArthur. Benny Hinn, said this on a live broadcast about John MacArthur “Sometimes I wish God would give me a Holy Ghost machine gun. I’d blow your head off!” So it’s possible…..Why? Given to the fact the word for “angels” can simply mean God’s faithful messengers. But either case the point is very clear! You can learn a lot about false preachers simply by paying attention to what they say with their mouths. False teachers evidence a certain disdain for those who obediently carry out God’s Word. Even though! False teachers, claim to proclaim Christ in word but deny Him completely with their lives. Remember what Jesus said to the religious elites? "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people's bones and all uncleanness. So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Matt 23:25-28

Jesus describes them as “whitewashing” usually refers to applying a coat of white paint. It is used metaphorically in the Scriptures to refer to a person or a group who attempts to make falsehood look like truth. 

This is why Peter compares them to “irrational animals” or “creatures of instinct” (v12) What Peter is saying is this! False teachers are compared to beasts that have no rational capacity. They only have two operations……indulgence and unthinking passion. Like animals they are creatures of instinct, or habit. It’s all they know what to do. You could say that about a great majority of people that live today. Like animals they have no intellectual contribution to bring to society. They reject anything glorious or good, and in doing so, their voice becomes nothing more than the grunts of an animal caught to be destroyed. Peter reveals their primary role is to be captured and killed. (v12). R C Sproul wrote, “When truth is distorted or denied, when truth of God is replaced by falsehoods and heresy, it evidently and necessarily leads not simply to intellectual error but to gross moral corruption.” Why? Peter says they lack understanding which means they have “no knowledge” They absolutely hate, and reticule, divine truth, and truth tellers. They reticule divine authority including things they don’t understand.

 

(v12) again says “They will be destroyed” we know this is true from the above text of Scripture that they will not escape God’s judgement. (v4-v10). Jude says in his letter, “But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. (namely, the things of the spiritual world)  Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion.” Jude 10-11 They are naturally blind by instinct, as unreasoning animals. And according to the Scriptures there end is destruction and torment in the Lake of Fire for all eternity. (v12b)

Lake of Fire is described as …… 

A place of unquenchable fire…… Matt 3:12

Outer darkness…… Matt 8:12

Devouring fire….. Isaiah 33:14

A place where body and soul suffer in ……Matt 10:28

Human power cannot preserve from……. Ezekiel 32:27

The punishment is eternal……. Rev 20:10

The beast, false prophets, and the devil shall be cast into….. Rev 19:20.

 

According to the Scriptures this place is reserved for those who distort, deny, rebel and ignore the gospel of Christ.  “And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Rev 20:15. Those who dedicate themselves to false doctrine, exhibiting a presumptuous approach to spiritual things, will eternally be punished for their transgressions. Think about what Peter boldly states here about their forsaken false teacher……. These Forsaken false teachers are not secretive about their sin, but they publicly flaunt it. (13) Literally they can’t wait; or wanting to wait until nightfall. They openly enjoy the fruit of their sin and deceiving those under their teaching and influence. Peter says “They are blots and blemishes”, full of stain and blemishes these two terms speak of “filthy spots, defects, scabs, and things diseased.” They “reveling in their deception” and they opening enjoy the fruit of sin and at the same time they deceived those under their teaching. Paul wrote, “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thess 2:9-12

 

False and forsaken preachers can be measured by what they see with their eyes. The human eye is often the metaphor of choice to speak of the inner desires, or the pursuit of a person. You follow a man’s eyes, and they will lead you to the hidden treasure of his/her heart. Peter says….Their eyes are full of adultery and insatiable for sin. (v14) This reveals the hidden treasure of their hearts, it’s seen in the daylight. And the sad reality is when sensuality rules their hearts and women are reduced to the form of objects to be ravished. Full of adultery indicates that these spiritual frauds no longer possessed any moral self-control. They can’t even look at women without viewing her as a potential object of their adultery or fornication. As Jesus said, “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matt 5:28. Praise God, many are revealed and exposed for their wickedness for the sake of the purity of the church and welfare of every believing Christian man or woman. Peter reveals here that a false teacher eyes are disclosed by observing what he celebration in, heretics celebrate in their own deception, heretics frolic in these deceptions even “while they feast with you” inside the church.

 

The great danger in the church is the tares

sitting right beside the wheat.

 

We know churches love to have pot-lucks and feasts together and this is where the heretic loves to take part in. (v14) Their hearts are greedy, an accursed children. (v14-v16) Peter says they “entice unsteady souls” literally means “to catch with bait”, the false teacher, like fishermen use a lure, tricking their victims to believe their deception. Under the guise of authentic ministry, they target the unexpected. 2 Tim 3:6-8. Whereas the true shepherd would strengthen us in our faith. 1:12; 3:17

These men would love nothing more than to see you stumble in spiritual failure. So they join the church for every reason except for the right one. We know this is true from John’s first epistle. “Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.” 1 John 2:18-19.

It’s interesting that this text of Scripture sits on the clear warning of not loving the world system. “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” 1 John 2:15-17

 

What I find comforting in John’s letter is what he says next! “But you have been anointed by the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth. Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us—eternal life. I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him.” 

1 John 2:20-29

 

We have the unconditional love of God, and the lavishing grace of God in our salvation and spiritual growth, destruction comes to the greedy, prideful and rebellious; but we have tasted a greater love than we could ever imagine. God is His grace and mercy has given the true believer the ability to understand Scripture by testing all things to the Scriptures. Peter knew that the only sure defense against their tactics was a strong foundation in God’s Word. (1 Peter 2:1-3) 

Isn’t it a wonderful thing to be under the clear teaching of Scripture and that you have not been deceived by the doctrines of demons?

 

Isn’t it a wonderful thing that you might have been caught up in false teachers but God has open your eyes with the gift of discernment to see the error and the ability to flee?

 

Isn’t it amazing that God hasn’t blinded our eyes to the knowledge of His Son so that we continue to follow after our carnal heats desires?

Isn’t it amazing that God gave us a church family, imperfect as she is, to teach and hold each other up in the truth of His Word?

Next week I want to look at the example of Balaam as Peter exposes the false teacher’s forsaken ways more closely. This is a cliffhanger ending this morning, but be encouraged by those questions I just asked.