Power Under Pressure- Week 4

Introduction

False teachers have always been a plague to the Church.

NAR

Jesus Only

Modalism

Syncretism

Once saved always saved

Prosperity Gospel

2 Peter 2:1–22 NKJV

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)— then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

Introduction and overview:

Everything God creates, Satan counterfeits.

God creates teachers, Satan counterfeits with false teachers.

God creates truth, Satan counterfeits with lies.

God creates freedom from sin, Satan counterfeits with slavery to sin.

Peter says that Christian discernment is required to avoid the trap of deception

Peter spends this entire chapter illustrating this very point in incredibly passionate and clear terms to warn us about deception that is often powerful, pleasurable, and profitable but ultimately demonic, deceptive, and damnable.

Think it out

: Questions for personal study

1. Read through the section of Scripture and underline everything that explains the truth of God.

2. Read through the section of Scripture and circle everything that explains the lie of the counterfeit.

3. What are some reasons that Peter gives to explain why false teachings and demonic counterfeits are so popular and enticing?

4. What examples does Peter give from the Old Testament of God

judging false teachers and their demonic counterfeit?

5. What is the significance of Balaam in this passage (Numbers

25)?

Talk it out

: Questions for group discussion

1. Are you more prone to be a trusting person who has a hard time believing that the world is filled with false-teachers, or more prone to be a suspicious person who can too quickly rush to judge a Bible teacher for an error?

2. What are the reasons Peter gives that explain why false teachers are so powerful, popular, and persuasive?

3. What issues have you had to stand against in your walk with Jesus because they were not secondary issues Christians disagree on, but primary issues which are dividing lines between Christians and non-Christians?

4. What is the difference between an imperfect Christian leader (like Peter) and a counterfeit Christian leader (like Judas)?

Walk it out

: Questions for personal action

1. What good Bible teachers and Bible study resources do you need to make a priority in your life to help you be godly and wise?

2. What information sources (e.g. preachers, politicians, media, teachers, social media, etc.) are not beneficial or helpful and therefore need to be reduced or removed from your life?

3. Pray to God asking Him to reveal any area in your life where you accommodate false teaching to excuse some sin that you enjoy (e.g. sexual sin or other pleasure that displeases God)?

Pray it out

: Ways for group members to pray together

1. Is there any false teaching or counterfeit that a group member is struggling to distance themselves from that you can pray for and lovingly and gently support?

2. Do you have any family or friends who have fallen prey to what is clearly false teaching that we can be praying come into right relationship with Jesus and escape the trap the Enemy has set for them?

3. What attributes on the list of false teachers are temptations for you to possibly fall into (e.g. arrogance, defiance of authority, excusing personal sin, unhealthy sexual lust, greed, etc.)?