Chapter 2:
Dazed by Spiritual Deceivers:
-to be a believer requires watchfulness
-Identifying a false prophet or false teacher
Ecclesiastes 1: 9-10
“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new”? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.”
**Solomon’s states that things in the past will happen again in the future
Deceivers are among us:
Who influences you? The world or God?
-Jesus warned that as the end of time approaches, deception would increase from every sector of society
-pundits professors, politicians, corporations, media, social media
Matthew 7: 21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Matthew 23:23
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”
Matthew 23: 27-28
“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.
You will know them by their fruit:
-false teachers and prophets will cruise into church dressed in a way that identifies them as a foe
-beware of false prophets
Matthew 7: 15-20
“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”
-false teachers and prophets bear bad fruit
-God’s law: both in nature and the supernatural realm
-man sows what he reaps
-descriptions of false teachers
2 Peter 2:10
“This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh[a] and despise authority.”
2 Timothy 3:1-5
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”
2 Peter 2: 1-22 is the chapter on False Teacher and Their Destruction
“They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done,” (VS. 13).
Uncleanness
-danger of false teachers
-Koine, Greek means defilement, filth, decay, rot, dirty, undesirable
-Bible is incredibly graphic when it describes the wretchedness of these men and women
Romans 5:20
“The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more,”
Presumptuous, Self-Willed, and Defiant
-false teachers are prideful, self-sufficient, self-gratifications, aggrandizement
-false teachers willingly set themselves above God
Know them by what they love
-Look for the Bible passages, phrases, or words that are repeated
-false teachers are lovers of self, money, pleasure, but not God
2 Timothy 3: 1-5
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”
Self:
-sense of influence and superiority
Jude 16
“These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.”
Proverbs 6: 16-19
There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies
and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
Money:
-Christian ministers have a right to be financially supported, but false teachers engage in religious work to line their pockets by fleecing their flock
1 Timothy 3:2
“not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money.”
Pleasure:
2 Peter 2:15
“They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer,[a] who loved the wages of wickedness.”
***Balaam-links old testament to new testament
-Koine Greek: Peter spoke the intensity of the words will send fear up your spine. It is a grave warning that no minister is beyond ending up like Balaam
-Story of Balaam: King of Moab, Balak, offered a bribe tp Balaam to get him to curse God;s people
Numbers Chapter 22:
-this is the story when the donkey speaks to Balaam
Numbers 23:8
“How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?”
Revolution 2:14
“Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality.”
-Compromise has become a cancer within today’s church and has led to the wasting away of what should be a healthy body of Christ
-Who do you respect spiritually?
-Who has the Lord used to influence your life?
-Pastors must remain strong and steadfast and not succumb to the 24/7 onslaught of satanic attacks against them
-Pastors must follow biblical truth
-Pastors must exercise wisdom regarding who we support
Destructive Heresies:
-God’s Word is consistently taught
-Scripture alerts us that eventually, false prophets and teachers will be there too
-warns of false prophets
2 Peter 2:1
“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.”
-false prophets seem friendly, nice, charismatic, and eager to get involved in positions of leadership
-false prophets seek those who don’t know the Bible very well
-false teachers use biblical truths and then slowly slip in lies
-false teachers suggest options or choices that are appealing yet have no biblical basis
-Bible says there is only way to heaven anyone saying otherwise is a false teacher
John 14:6
“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
-Peter warned us that destructive heresies are brought in secretly
Greek word: bring implies messenger, minister, or pastor brings the information
Hebrews 1: 1-2
“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”
Revelation 22: 18-19
“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.”
Regarding the Deity of Jesus Christ:
-false teacher are predictable
-deity of Christ offends religious people and atheists alike
-we are created in His image
Genesis 1:26
“Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
Ex. Jehovah’s Witnesses are a prime example of a group that falsely identifies themselves as Christian while undermining the deity of Christ. They believe Jesis is a created bing who is the archangel Michael in the Old Testament
-False doctrine twist, turn, misinterpret, and reinterpret scripture
1 Peter 3:16
“keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”
***Only the Bible validates that Jesus is God
1 John 5:20
“We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true by being in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.”
1 Timothy 3:16
“Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great:
He appeared in the flesh,
was vindicated by the Spirit,[a]
was seen by angels,
was preached among the nations,
was believed on in the world,
was taken up in glory.”
Titus 3: 13-14
“Do everything you can to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos on their way and see that they have everything they need. Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order to provide for urgent needs and not live unproductive lives.:
Regarding the Grace of God (cults hate God)
-Grace is tremendous word
-grace of God sets you free, gives you liberty, and provides spiritual power
-G.R.A.C.E = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense
***Scripture tells us that the ultimate expression of God’s grace is when He stepped into human skin and said, “I will pay your sin-debt.”
-Mormons are works based so you still need to do all you can
Galatians 1:6-8
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!”
-false doctrine dismantles the sacrificial atonement that Jesus Christ made on Calvary’s cross
Warning to All:
-false teachers have only on goal: to steal or sterilize sheep
John 10: 7-8
“Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.”
***False teachers want to rob you of your liberty and freedom in Christ and replace it with a counterfeit gospel and false doctrines that will lead into bondage
-watch your personal day-by-day walk with Jesus