Lesson 17
Second Peter
Warning against dangers
facing the Church
2:2 False teachers lifestyle impacts the truth
Many will follow their sensuality,
- sensuality is aselgeia (ἀσελγεια), “unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness,
lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness, insolence.”
and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;
Jesus
defined the way, and the truth, in John 14:6.
In f1 it is faith alone in Christ
alone that provides salvation.
In f2 the truth is word of God, the mind of Christ taught
correctly which gives us the spiritual resources to live life and be truly
successful stands in contrast to the message of the false teachers which is
destructive.
- Whenever false
teachers with their lascivious pattern of life are allowed to be a part of a
local assembly which is operating in truth, if they are not quickly dealt with
the reputation of that local church and therefore Christianity will be
blasphemed.
2:2 Many
will follow to the end after their lasciviousness and because of them the way
of the truth will be blasphemed.
With
verse 3 we discover another characteristic of these false teachers, their motivation
and
in their greed evn pleonexi,a| this is not just greed in the sense of
monetary lust but an uncontrolled insatiable greed at the expense of others
they will exploit you with false
words;
- So the idea here is that false teachers use
their teaching as a pretext for leveraging, really fleecing the flock.
So what is Peter saying here?
These false teachers depart
from the Spirit-given words of the Bible and manufacture their own words to fit
their own doctrines.
They
often take familiar Bible words and manufacture new meanings for them.
their judgment from long ago is not
idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
They
will not escape judgment even though they think so, the seductiveness of the
sin nature is such they have rationalized that their okay.
So Peter assures us that God
will also someday take care of these false teachers. You can count on it!
What Peter is trying to get
across to us is that these false teachers are not going slip something over on
God, they’re not going to catch Him napping or on vacation, they will be dealt
with.
2:3 And in their insatiable greed they (F/T’s) will
exploit you with fabricated words, their judgment from eternity past is not
inoperative and their destruction (judgment by justice of God) is not
delayed.
Summary:
1. Peter so far has
given us 3 characteristics of false teachers to be on guard for:
a. Often they deny the master who
bought them.
b. Maintain a lascivious pattern
of life, sin nature rules.
c. Have an insatiable greed,
exploit others financially.
2. The Apostle John
says that false teachers are from the world, they speak from the world that is
human viewpoint evil and the world listens to them! 1 Jn
4:5
3. The false teachers
temporary success is not to be interpreted as provision or blessing from God.
4. Nor is their
presence and apparent prosperity a sign of the failure of divine justice.
5. We have to also
remember that God disciplines according to His timing.
6. Conclusion:
a. Followers of false teachers will be many especially in the
last generation of the Church age.
b. Peter warns to be on guard for those who deny Christ,
His deity, His saving work on the cross and for those whose teaching exploits
their followers sexually or financially.
Identifying the Cults, some common denominators
to look for
Primarily
other areas besides the theological positions held related to Who is Christ, His deity, inerrancy and salvation.
1. Usually are started by a very strong dynamic
type of leader who exercises complete control over the followers.
- often
the individual’s “power” results from either a special revelation, or a
supposed special anointing; idea is they had some great experience therefore
they are great.
2. Most have some writing, some scripture held up
as revelation that adds to or replaces the Bible as God’s Word. These writings
are held in a higher authority than the Word of God.
- Book of Mormon;
The Seventh Day Adventists with
their writings by Ellen G. White;
J.W.’s Reasoning
through the Scriptures by Charles Taze Russell later
to be revised by Judge Rutherford.
3. Most have very rigid standards for membership
and must become totally involved with the “group”. Any one who deviates from the standards
established are disciplined immediately and if not
repentant are then ostracized from the group.
4. Most are extremely
evangelistic and spend much of their time proselytizing for new converts.
- will use all kinds
of gimmicks to get potential converts to attend indoctrination sessions
5. They also seem to
have a fervor for financial gain, soliciting for
money.
6. They develop a system of doctrine and practice
which is in a state of flux and easily changed, flexible, new problem, new
revelation to handle all controlled by the leadership.
7. Its OK for their new revelations to contradict
the Bible and even supersede it since they believe in ongoing communication
from God, new revelation.
- for
them this is no problem since the Word of God is not authoritative anyway, they
only use it if it agrees with their position
8. All claim to have
truth not available to any other group or individuals therefore they are the
only real haven for truth seekers.
The Justice of God in operation in the past!
In this next section Peter will give us three examples of
apostates in the past.