In today's message, we will be continuing our series in the book of II Peter. We finished up chapter 1 last week, and we will be focusing on the first part of chapter two this week. Chapter 2 discusses false teachers in the church. One thing that you will notice right away if you are familiar with the New Testament is that II Peter chapter 2 and the book of Jude are very similar. Some of the exact descriptive phrases about false teachers are used in both epistles. Scholars believe that one may have copied the other. Because of these similarities, some have questioned the canonicity of II Peter. As I stated in the first sermon of this series, I do believe that Peter wrote this book, and I also believe in the canonicity of Jude.
In the beginning of chapter 2, Peter warns his readers that false teachers have been around in all ages. He tells his readers that they need to be on guard against those who would preach false doctrines within the church. In chapter 2. Peter points to two characteristics of those who hold to false teachings,
In verse 1, Peter says that one characteristic of false teachers is that, "they deny the Lord who bought them." One of the characteristics of almost all false teachers, including those who are around today, is that they have a false idea of who Jesus is and what He did while on this earth.
Let's look at the situation in our world today. There are many who do not believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ. Even though they claim to be Christians, they don't believe that Jesus was the Son of God or God the Son. If they do believe in the divinity of Jesus, many false teachers believe in adoptionism which teaches that Jesus was a man who God adopted as His son.
There are a couple of ways that you can know a teacher does not really believe in the divinity of Jesus. First of all, they will deny the miracles of the Bible. They will find ways to discount what Jesus did. For instance, they will say that the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 was accomplished by Jesus getting the crowd to share their food with one another. Of course the Bible says that Jesus multiplied the loaves and the fishes.
Another way that the divinity of Jesus is discounted is by denying the bodily resurrection of Jesus. I've heard many ministers state that Jesus rose in people's hearts or that Jesus' followers saw a spiritual vision. This is clearly not the orthodox teaching of the Bible.
Another way that the Lord is denied by false teachers is by their discounting His atoning death. Peter tells us that Jesus bore our sins in His body on the cross. However, some teachers will deny the teaching of the Bible that says that Jesus died as our substitute. He was the propitiation for our sins.
I always tell people that they can know if a group or teacher is in line with the Bible by what that group or person teaches about the person and work of the Lord Jesus. If a group or person does not believe in the deity and humanity of Jesus, that is a group or person to avoid. If a group or person does not believe in the atoning death of Christ, that group or person is not following the Scriptural teaching.
Now, Peter will give another characteristic to watch out for. In verse 3 Peter says, "By covetousness, they will exploit you with deceptive words."
Another way to spot false teaching is by a continuous emphasis on money and things. False teachers will work to get people to donate to them in order that they may accumulate a lot of money. They will have expensive possessions and large homes. They will try to get people to give them money by promising their followers that if they give money to them, God will give them a return so that they will get more things.
You can know if a teacher is teaching what is right by how their life emulates the example of Jesus. Jesus wasn't here on earth to rake in the money and things. He said that you can't serve God and money. Jesus' apostles didn't take money from the congregation to live extravagantly. They denied themselves and took up the cross to follow Jesus.
Next week, we will look at what else Peter has to say about false teaching and false teachera. Let me say this to close. If you read and follow the words and example of Jesus, you will not be led astray. Test everything by Jesus' words and example. Amen.
Pray requests and other matters.
I going to ask for your prayers regarding bad winter weather predicted for later in the week. More ice is predicted for my area. Please pray that the weather is not bad. Thank you. I just want to say that this was a good week in writing, and I want to thank the Lord for that.
In prayer this week, please remember to pray for the people of Puerto Rico. They were just getting back on their feet after the hurricanes, and now they have all this mess from the earthquakes. Please pray that the people will get the assistance that they need.
Please continue to pray for Australia. Pray that the fires will be extinguished. Pray that all of the people and animals hurt by the fire will receive help.
There are still people recovering from the volcano incident in New Zealand. Please pray for these folks.
Pray for an end to the Ebola outbreak in Congo.
Pray for those suffering with flu in so many places in the United States.
Let us all pray for peace. Syria, Libya, Yemen and Afghanistan are among the nations that need our prayers.
For our prayer focus countries. lets pray for Mongolia and Israel. Pray that many will hear about the love of Jesus.
Next week, I will post that sermon on Friday if the library is open. As I said, bad weather is predicted from Thursday through Saturday. I will get the sermon posted when possible. I will post the verses on Tuesday this week, as the library is closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. I will post a review on Wednesday. May God bless you all. Amen.
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