Wolves In Sheep's Clothing - 2 Peter 10-16

Wolves In Sheep's Clothing David Pierce 2 Peter / 2 Peter 2:10-16 Intro Turn to 2 Peter 2. • A few weeks ago I mentioned that there was a sense of heaviness as we approach 2 Peter 2. • Much of that heaviness is because it deals with the character and judgment of false teachers. • While it is good that God judges sin, it is not a pleasant and joyful topic. • Whenever we talk about God's judgment of the wicked, we ought to have a bit of sobriety at such a heavy topic. • This will not be a pleasant and happy message, but rather a cautionary message. • Because this chapter is a grim warning to believers, we must take it seriously and recognize the threats and those who threaten. • Wrong doctrine leads to wrong living • False teaching can lead to false conversion; false profession; false identity • The reason I've titled this 'Wolves In Sheep's Clothing' is because we are going to look at some of the specific characteristics of the false teachers. • As we continue in 2 Peter 2 we need to be reminded that there are threats against the truth from every angle: • outside the church: false teachings and false teachers that are clearly outside of the biblical boundaries of orthodox theology and practice. • paganism in all it's varieties and forms: secularism, new-age/mysticism, spiritism, animism, rationalism, moral-therapeutic deism - all of these at their root are following the pattern of Romans 1, suppressing the truth of God and worshipping the creation, rather than the Creator. • within the church: false teachings and false teachers that are just orthodox enough to check off on a survey, but their teaching is dangerous, deceptive, indulging the flesh, and contrary to sound teaching. • prosperity gospel/health-wealth/name-it, claim-it; Jesus-only Pentecostalism/Jesus-only Holiness movement; strict cultural fundamentalism/legalism/performative Christianity; Liberation Theology; Theistic Evolution; the inherent goodness of Man (Pelagius); baptism for the dead; receiving revelation from Jesus in prayer and writing it down in a journal, misleading millions; • within ourselves - we all have a tendency to believe ourselves, let ourselves off the hook, bend the rules to fit our desired behavior. 'well it's just this once, it couldn't be that bad' - 'as long as I'm doing this in my home it won't affect others' - 'how could it be wrong if it feels so right?' - 'It's ok, I'm only human after all' • a note on pride - "Let he who stands pay attention, or else he will fall" Review • Previous: • Identifying false teaching: • Constraints on the Prophets - Deut 13 (alignment with revelation); Deut 18 (only that which God had instructed them to speak) • True for the Apostles as well ("we have the reliable prophetic word" - aligned with revelation; men carried along by the Spirit spoke from God. • Any teaching contrary to God's revelation • Identifying false teachers: • Jesus - "know them by their fruit" = speech, content, teaching • Peter/Jude - their character is revealed, exposed • vv.1-3 Warning of presence, practice, pending judgment of false teachers • vv.4-10 Certainty of judgment; God's faithfulness Then ->Now • vv.10-16 Character of false teachers, why they will be judged • vv.17-22 Character and judgment of false teachers [PPT - outline of ch.2] Today: Character of False Teachers, and why they will be judged HomProp/Big Idea: Guard yourselves against the content and character of false teachers whom God will judge. [PPT - statement] Read 2 Peter 2:4-16. God will judge the false teachers for their reviling (v.10-13a) 2 Peter 2:10-13 (NASB95) 10bDaring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, 11 whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, 13 suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. [PPT - heading, vv10-13 below] 1. Define a. blasphemy, slander, defame, to speak in a disrespectful way that demeans or maligns others 2. Repetition/pattern in the text a. This word shows up three times in vv.10, 11, 12, making for a tight compact little argument about the pattern and attitude of these false teachers. b. These three verses encapsulate the slanderous boastful and bold attitude of the false teachers. c. If you look up at v.10, Peter describes the false teachers as those who indulge the flesh and despise authority i. It is that attitude of despising that is expanded here - looking down upon, treating with contempt, scorn, to be unafraid of something, to not have a care about something, to disregard. 3. The way that this is presented here among the false teachers is in their internal attitudes a. Daring - bold, arrogant, b. self-willed - self-centered, stubborn, driven by themselves and their appetites c. do not tremble - quiver, fear. d. Combining these three words, we can assemble a picture of how these false teachers respond to authority or any power higher than themselves. There is a defiant resistance, puffed up arrogance, and a foolish boldness. 4. This shows up very clearly in their external actions a. reviling angelic majesties - "glories" - angels/demons. No recognition of the current stature of mankind in the created order. At this present time mankind is under the angelic majesties in power and authority. 5. Correlation with Jude 8-10 "8 Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties. 9 But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" 10 But these men revile the things which they do not understand; and the things which they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, by these things they are destroyed." a. similar issues, similar warnings. b. Continuity rather than competition. 6. Peter compares the false teachers to animals - a very specific argument related to the way they navigate through the world. a. unreasoning, without knowledge - in the same way that the animals do not reason with one another, or have knowledge in the sense that people do - b. Animals are created with instinct - they do not process things rationally, but instinctually. You can talk to your dog, but your dog can't talk back. c. So too the false teachers navigate through the world without reasoning or knowledge - if they would stop and think, they would not be going down the road they are on. They would stop their blaspheming, reviling, and their arrogance. But instead they continue onward and downward. d. Their ruin/destruction is coming. As animals come to the end of their lives and are captured or killed, so too the false teachers will find ruin and destruction awaits them at the end of their lives. 7. Suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong a. This is the negative way of saying the eternal principle of reaping and sowing b. Galatians 6:7-9 "7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary." c. These false teachers are willfully in a pattern of doing wrong, and it is only natural that the wages, payment, result of their wrongdoing is suffering. i. This does not mean that all suffering is a result of doing wrong ii. This is a principle, that those who do wrong ought to expect that they will suffer. God is not mocked, and no one gets away with wrongdoing. 8. Warning! Caution! a. Guard yourselves against these attitudes/actions in others i. you may need to put some appropriate distance - boundaries - between yourself and others who display this total disregard for authority and are marked by blasphemy, slander, constantly doing wrong and suffering for it b. Be aware that the redeemed are just as capable of falling into these i. righteous Lot - worn down day after day by the lawlessness of wicked men [PPT - 'Warning! Caution!' at top, a-b below] God will judge the false teachers for their reveling (v.13b-14) 2 Peter 2:13-14 (NASB95) 13b They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; [PPT - heading at top, vv.13b-14 below] 1. Define 'reveling' a. self-indulgence, carousing, taking delight (especially in wrong-doing) 2. Repetition/pattern in the text a. pleasure; revel; reveling in deceptions; carouse; eyes full of adultery 3. Internal attitudes a. It is clear from reading these verses that there is no sense of shame or discernment. Rather than recognizing that they are accountable to God for their choices, they celebrate and enjoy their wickedness. b. That which should normally cause a person to act with some restraint is actually a source of pleasure - 'they count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime'. they delight in their broad-daylight immorality. c. Along with being self-indulgent in the daytime with no sense of shame, they also see other people as targets for their deceptions, objects to be manipulated for selfish pleasure, and they are bent inward into themselves - 'having a heart trained in greed' 4. External actions a. 'reveling in the daytime' is to indulge in their sensual appetites and desires openly, in the daytime, with no shame or regard for being discrete. b. 'reveling in their deceptions' - these false teachers take delight, indulge in deceiving others. i. The sin nature is crafty, deceitful, and will invent crooked ways of accomplishing wicked deeds. ii. Not only do these false teachers create deceptions through their false teachings and doctrine, but they are also seeking out ways to exploit others for personal gain. c. 'carousing with you' is a reference to indulgent feasts - reveling and delighting in sensual wicked feasts put on for the purpose of deceiving d. Their 'eyes are full of adultery that never cease from sin' - these carousing feasts and reveling in the daytime are orchestrated by false teachers who are constantly looking for an opportunity to indulge the flesh, especially in regards to sexual immorality and adultery. i. They are characterized/known for/ filled up with immorality, always looking for ways to commit indecent acts e. They 'entice unstable souls' by luring them in through these deceptive feasts and indulging in sensual behavior. i. This shows an intent and craftiness to seek out those who are weak, vulnerable, able to be manipulated. ii. These false teachers know what they are doing - they have perfected their craft of getting their way. They know the targets they are looking for. f. Their 'hearts are trained in greed' - they have practiced their greediness, honed their craft, their souls are bent inward toward themselves and what they can gain from others, rather than what they can give. i. We saw this in v.3 - 'in greediness they will exploit you with false words' g. The final description of these reveling false teachers is 'accursed children' i. Due to their immaturity and self-centered behavior ii. Their behavior is also completely contrary to God's character, earning them the term 'accursed'. There is no blessing in following after sinful desires and acting on these wicked impulses. 5. Warning! Caution! a. Be on the alert! i. Remember what I said at the beginning of the message - there are attacks against the truth outside the church, inside the church, and even within ourselves. ii. There is no off-season in the Christian life. There is no by week, no scheduled days off, no vacation time. We are in a war - not against flesh and blood - but a spiritual war - against evil desires, the craftiness of the flesh, and the schemes of the devil. b. Guard yourself against the schemes of the flesh i. make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. Don't give yourself an opportunity to test the waters. Flee immorality! Flee idolatry! Flee from greed, deception, selfishness, gossip, slander, pride. ii. Recognize that our natural tendency is to be inventors of evil - humans are experts at coming up with ways to sin. Put to death the deeds of the flesh. c. Walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26) - internal war - the flesh against the Spirit, the Spirit against the flesh; walk in the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh [PPT - 'Warning! Caution!' at top, a-b-c below] God will judge the false teachers for their revolting (v.15-16) 2 Peter 2:15-16 NASB95 15 forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet. [PPT - heading at top, v.15-16 below] 1. Define a. to break away or rise against; cast off allegiance; rebel; turn away; forsake 2. vv.15-16 form the third compact description of the false teachers. a. Peter says that they have forsaken the right way and have gone astray. b. To illustrate this point, he goes to the Pentateuch, to the book of Numbers, for another person who knew the right way and turned away from it. 3. Illustration: Balaam - Numbers 22 - (turn here?) i. Background - a Gentile prophet in Mesopotamia. Balak the king of Midian has some kind of political affiliation with Pethor. 1. Israel has just finished their 40 years of journeying in the wilderness and they are weeks away from entering the promised land. ii. Initial request - please come with us to curse these people. 1. Refusal because of God's word - 'they are a blessed people' iii. Appeal, Offer of even more honor and riches; Balaam consults with God and goes with them 1. [Sometimes God gives us what we want - to teach us that we ought to be dependent on Him rather than ourselves] iv. Donkey refuses to continue; Confrontation with the Angel of the LORD 1. Nu 22:34 "34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, "I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the way against me. Now then, if it is displeasing to you, I will turn back."" v. Blesses Israel 4x - several allusions to the Messiah? a. Balaam knew the right way, and walked away from it i. He was offered additional wages that convinced him to turn against what God had said, that Balaam not go to curse Israel. ii. "when he saw that it was good in God's eyes to bless Israel..." - he continued to do so iii. And yet somewhere in Balaam's story he counseled Balak to tempt Israel with the Midianite women and their pagan idolatry iv. He suffered for it - killed in battle (Num 31) b. Balaam was motivated by greed and what he could benefit from this deal c. Balaam knew the right way - knew the truth of YHWH (both the initial command, and the blessed position of Israel) d. Yet he still turned back, forsaking God and harming the people 4. The false teachers follow in the way of Balaam a. They are motivated by greed (v.3, 14) b. They exploit with false words (v.3, 13 'reveling in their deceptions') c. They know the right way (v.1) i. They introduce their destructive heresies craftily, alongside the orthodox teachings ii. They know the truth well enough to pervert it and mislead others d. The have 'forsaken the right way, they have gone astray/been misled' i. The grammar here is interesting - 'forsaking' is present active - they are presently doing the forsaking. 'have gone astray/been misled' is completed/past tense, passive - they have been acted upon. ii. One of the deceptive dangers of false teachers is that they are actively participating in the delusion, but they are also victims - there is spiritual warfare happening with false teachers, and they may be the victim/target of demonic and spiritual influence. iii. By continuing to forsake the right way, they end up astray. iv. A little bit of variance is not so significant in the short-term - but the end result will be dangerously off-course v. [elevator illustration] vi. The construction of an elevator requires precisely calibrated tools in order to know what is plumb, level, within spec vii. The Christian life is also one that requires a precisely calibrated tool - the exacting truth of the Word of God. 5. Warning! Caution! a. Beware of those who know the right way and forsake it i. They know the truth, and will be held accountable for their turning away (we will get to that in a couple weeks when we get to the end of ch.2) ii. 'To the one who knows the right thing to do and doesn't do it, it is sin' iii. Often those who have walked away from the truth are seeking to bring others away or find others who have walked away. b. Be honest with the Lord about your weaknesses i. don't pretend that you are strong enough on your own to stand against the temptations of the flesh and the world. ii. You need God's help to stand against sin. [PPT - 'Warning! Caution!' at top, a-b below] Conclusion I previously stated the Big Idea/Main Idea: "Guard yourselves against the content and character of false teachers whom God will judge" [PPT - statement; add 1-2-3 below] How? 1. Always go back to the Bible for any teaching or doctrine that you encounter a. "but everyone uses the Bible to support their positions - how can I know what's true?" i. literal-historical-gramattical hermeneutic 1. the art and science of interpretation 2. Literal - the Bible is written literature, following the rules of language. Meant to be read and understood as it was written/intended. 3. Historical - the Bible was written in time, historical settings, specific audiences, etc. 4. Grammatical - the Bible was written using language, which follows grammatical rules. The specific words and forms of words are inspired, chosen by God to communicate His truth b. Be Bereans - search the Scriptures to see if these things are true. "Does it align with God's revealed Word?" (the first major constraint on the Prophets from Deut 13) 2. Do theology in community a. Theology by its definition is words about God or the study of God with others b. You and I need one another for refinement, encouragement, and support. c. Be so familiar with the truth that you can spot the counterfeit 3. Walk by the Spirit (Gal 2:20; 5:16ff) a. be led by the Spirit b. The Spirit of God will seek to magnify the Son of God through the Word of God for the glory of God