2 Peter 2:1-10 False prophets and teachers

2 Peter 2:1–10 (NASB95)

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority.

Introduction:

While God has sent genuine prophets, there have always been false or fake prophets out there. Peter says they secretly bring in destructive heresies. While there are solid teachers, there are also false teachers among us. The false one's will be harshly judged by God. God has protected and rewarded His faithful ones, but harshly judged and punished apostates throughout history.

This passage not only applied at the time Peter wrote it, but applies now. Many false teachers abound here in Colorado and in the world today.

Peter is prophesying near and far future - what to expect

At the time Peter was writing, false prophets of many types were travelling throughout the empire.

Compromise with the world

Work in concert with government - reject Bible, embrace sinful culture - engage in persecution of the righteous

Tickling ears

Mixing Christianity and Judaism (later seen in the Muslim faith)

Persuasive

Seeking to make money, gain a following

Causing division

Peter is warning Christians to beware of false teachers and prophets

Key Question: Why are false prophets and teachers a problem?

Answer: Unless they repent, they and their followers are at risk of damnation. People cannot be saved unless they believe the Gospel.

1. Review of Chapter 1: Paul as a God-inspired teacher of the faith

2 Peter 1:19–21 (NASB95)

So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Chapter 1, Peter tells what solid teaching is and why it is important.

He shares His own experience with Jesus and, combined with the testimony of God and the prophets.

Solid Gospel teaching proceeds from God, through His Son and the Holy Spirit, via the Bible/Scriptures.

Slide - Let’s move on to our next point. Peter transitions from godly prophets to false ones:

2 Peter 2:1–3 (NASB95)

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

2. False prophets and teachers: what they will teach

Explanation:

False prophets and teachers have been allowed by God throughout biblical history to prove and teach His people

Mounce- Three statements on heretics: 1) secretly introduce heresies, 2) deny the Lord who bought them, 3) will bring upon themselves swift destruction. Results: 1) many will follow them, 2) will bring the way of truth into disrepute.

Matthew 24:11 ““Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.”

1 Timothy 4:1–2 “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron,”

Deuteronomy 13:3 “you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams; for the Lord your God is testing you to find out if you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”

False teachers have always been deceivers, soft peddle sin and wickedness. Preach “peace, peace”

They are insidious - secretly introduce destructive heresies

They make up stories.

Deny the deity of Jesus -

His work for us on the cross

Deuteronomy 18:20 “‘But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’”

Godly prophets

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume (2 Peter 2:1–3a) The faithful ministers of Christ, who show men the way of truth, desire the profit and advantage of their followers, that they may be saved; but these seducing teachers desire and design only their own temporal advantage and worldly grandeur.

Argumentation:

Commentaries on the Catholic Epistles (Chapter 2) God has always tried and proved his Church by such a temptation as this, in order that novelty might not disturb their hearts. “Not different,” he says, “will be the condition of the Church under the gospel, from what it was formerly under the law; false prophets disturbed the ancient Church; the same thing must also be expected by us.”

Peter had to show this, because many believed that the Church would enjoy peace and tranquillity when Christ came. We’ll see later that Christ declared the opposite, that we would not be free from such evils. There would be tests of our faith.

These troubles should not shake our faith, because the truth of Christ remains, no matter what Satan does to try to upset us.

The most destructive threat to the people of God in the OT was not the Philistines, the Assyrians or other enemies, it was the false prophets. Real prophets warned of the destruction coming because of sin and wickedness - False prophets contradicted this.

Application/Exhortation:

Be on the lookout for people claiming to be false prophets or teachers.

The real prophets of God are in the Bible. Thus saith the Lord!

Teachers are sometimes called “forthtelling prophets”

Know your bible. Check what they say with your Bible. If it doesn’t agree with the Bible, it’s false.

Slide: A look at God’s track record:

2 Peter 2:4–8 (NASB95)

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds),

3. God’s wrath on false prophets, teachers and followers

Explanation:

Gilgamesh scroll

Walk through the evil and the righteous

Peter tells us the lesson in the next bit of text.

2 Peter 2:9–10 (NASB95)

then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority.

4. God’s punishment of the ungodly and preservation of the righteous

Explanation:

Encouragement and warning for us

God will take care of His people until they join Him in heaven

The false teachers and prophets, if they do not repent, are already judged.

Illustration:

Many live their lives as though there is no real God. They are practical atheists, no matter what they preach. For false teachers, its all game designed to trick you out of money, your stuff, or to get you to support them in a power play.

Simon in Acts 8:9-24. He looked the part, was in it for the money.

Application/Exhortation:

You can run but you can’t hide

God takes care of his chosen

He also takes care of the wicked

5. Conclusions:

False prophets and teachers have already come among us, seeking money, power, influence and sensual gratification. They will attempt to manipulate you and take advantage of you with false words. God has shown, over the years, that He can punish the ungodly while preserving the godly.

Matthew 12:30 ““He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.”

God sees two kinds of people in the world, His people who follow Him have righteousness because of Him.

Then there are the evil and unrighteous. Hard words, but if you are not for Christ, you are against Him. But it doesn’t have to stay that way. There is hope for the unbeliever.

Gospel message:

Mark 1:15 (NASB95)

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 NASB95

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

Romans 10:9 NASB95

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;