2 Peter 2:10-16 False teachers: loving sin and despising authority

Introduction

Continuing 2 Peter. Subject is false teachers

Paul is writing to Christians around the empire around AD 64-67

Many trials and tribulations: Paul is probably dead, Peter is at the end of his life, persecution against Christians is beginning to pick up as the empire tries to hold together.

In all this - many false teachers are beginning to infiltrate the churches

Young, but charismatic Christians who seek recognition

Older, more cynical men/women who are seeking self-gratification, money, power, a following

Keeping to the old paths, the teachings of the OT, Christ and His apostles is the way forward - the way of salvation

Deviating from the old paths is the way to hell - Peter is issuing a strong warning of the dangers ahead.

Review

1 Peter - external threats to the church

2 Peter - internal threats to the church

Ch 1: A reminder to this audience of who they have become and who they represent - the truth

A reminder of the truth and reliability of Scripture and Peter’s teachings

Ch 2: Begins with an introduction to false teachers, the damage they cause, and how God deals not only with them, but with His faithful

2 Peter 2:10–11 (NASB95)

and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord.

False teachers - What they do

Explanation:

V. 10 is really the end of one passage of text and the beginning of another.

10a The teachers of the ungodly despise civil authority - they are rebels. They have corrupt desires - they want to be a law unto themselves, so they can indulge their sin.

10b: Peter gets into the boldness of false teachers.

Though they are weak, they proudly blaspheme angels and other servants of God.

They proudly broadcast the shortcomings of others

God’s angels don’t blaspheme, and they don’t rail against the ungodly, but they objectively report what they see and hear in the world to God.

Argumentation: False teachers are in rebellion against God because they would prefer to stay in their sin. The Bible says that Satan will send a strong deception against unbelievers and false teachers participate in that strong deception. Because they rail against all that is good and godly, its apparent that they harbor a deep bitterness against God. They seek to contradict all that is godly, to legitimate their sin.

Illustration: Jude 9-10

Jude 9–10 NASB95

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!” 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.

Application/Exhortation: God’s people need to watch out for these snakes in the grass. They sound good, they look good, they are persuasive, but they are making it up as they go along. They want to indulge their sin and sensuality and bring us with them. God has given us this revelation, so that we might be warned and protected.

2 Peter 2:12–14 (NASB95)

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, suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children;

False teachers - what they do

Explanation:

False teachers are like wild animals - they are completely unspiritual.

They operate on their baser physical instincts - sex, hunger, feeling.

They believe they know everything, when they know nothing - they ridicule what they don’t understand

1 Corinthians 2:14 “But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.”

They are so proud of the sin they commit that they engage in their sinful pleasures in broad daylight. (Shout your abortion”)

They are driven by a desire to commit adultery - they go after the weak minded

They are professional con artists and con men - accursed children - God hates what they do and will punish them severely if they die in their sins.

Argumentation:

Which do you prefer - entertaining speaker or godly preacher?

Entertaining speakers can be weak or wrong on doctrine but fun to listen to. Founders of the big cults

Godly preachers may stammer and stutter, may speak haltingly, but faithful preach to you God’s word

Illustration: Case study of Balaam

Application:

As Christians, we must know what right looks like. Spurgeon said that it is knowing the difference between what is right, an what is almost right. Almost right is wrong.

Almost right destroys lives, testimony and sends people to hell.

Its important to sit under the teaching of solid, godly preachers in solid, bible believing churches

It is important to study the Bible for ourselves, so that we can know when something is right or almost right.

2 Peter 2:15–16 (NASB95)

forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 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.

Balaam - a case study

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Numbers 22–24), Numbers 22–24

During the time the Jews were wandering in the wilderness

In Numbers 22–24, Balak, the king of Moab, hires the seer Balaam to curse the Israelites, but Balaam pronounces blessings from Yahweh instead.

Seeing the Israelites traveling toward his land, and knowing of their defeat of the Amorites, Balak fears that the Israelites will defeat the Moabites in battle and destroy their land, as well (Num 22:2–3). He sends representatives to Pethor to pay Balaam, a seer, to curse Israel (Num 22:4–6), indicating that Balaam had a reputation for being able to directly connect to the gods. Balaam insists that he must consult Yahweh, since he can only do what Yahweh says (Num 22:8, 18). Yahweh initially refuses to allow Balaam to curse Israel or go with Balak’s messengers (Num 22:12). He eventually allows Balaam to go with the men—but forbids him from cursing Israel (Num 22:14–20).

As Balaam is traveling, God becomes angry and the angel of Yahweh blocks his path (Num 22:22). When Balaam’s donkey sees the angel and stops, Balaam—who cannot see the angel—beats her (Num 22:23–27). This happens three times before Yahweh opens the donkey’s mouth, allowing her to rebuke Balaam.

Numbers 22:28–30 “And the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” Then Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now.” The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I ever been accustomed to do so to you?” And he said, “No.””

Yahweh then opens Balaam’s eyes so that he can see the angel (Num 22:28–31), who declares that he would have killed Balaam if the donkey had not stopped (Num 22:32–33). Balaam bows before the angel, who allows him to go with the men—but only to bless the Israelites (Num 22:35).

Upon Balaam’s arrival, Balak takes him to three different high locations from which they can view the Israelites. At each site, they set up seven altars and offer sacrifices, and then wait to hear the oracle of Yahweh (Num 23:1–3, 13–15, 27–30). Each time, Yahweh gives Balaam an oracle of blessing over Israel, which he repeats to Balak (Num 23:4–11, 16–25; 24:2–10). He tells Balak repeatedly that he cannot bless or curse the Israelites if Yahweh does not will it (Num 22:18, 38; 23:8, 12, 26; 24:13). After Balak has given up, Balaam gives one final oracle recounting how the Israelites will defeat their enemies, including the Moabites (Num 24:15–24).

Other Old Testament Passages

Other texts tell us that Balaam was a false prophet. In the case above, he was prevented by the Lord from cursing Israel - otherwise he would have been happy to do so.

Some passages indicate that Balaam used witchcraft to try to curse Israel, but Yahweh either refused to listen to him (Deut 23:5) or forced him to bless Israel instead (Josh 24:9; Neh 13:2). These passages emphasize Yahweh’s saving acts for Israel rather than Balaam’s insistence that he can only speak what Yahweh allows.

In Numbers 31:8, Balaam is killed in Israel’s battle with the Midianites.

Numbers 31:16 seems to blame the sins of the Israelites at Peor on Balaam. This verse indicates that Balaam advised Balak to entice the Israelites into sin and idolatry in order to defeat them.

Joshua 13:22 remembers Balaam’s death in battle and adds that he practiced divination, a practice condemned in the biblical text.

Micah 6:5 mentions Balaam and Balak in the context of Yahweh’s dispute with Israel. The Balaam story in this verse proves that Yahweh is faithful to save because He stopped Balaam from cursing Israel.

Application:

Balaam was a false prophet, but Balak did not have the discernment to know that

Balak put his trust in Balaam, and was disappointed, but only because the Lord forced Balaam to do the right thing.

Balaam’s advice led many of the Israelites astray and to destruction.

Conclusion

God tells us that false teaching is a very serious matter.

James 3:1 “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.”

If you want to teach, its a serious commitment.

False teachers are wicked in God’s eyes

Godly teachers must be extremely diligent

Understand that solid, godly preaching, requires prep and diligence

If someone is following a false teacher, it is a serious matter - their soul is at risk - we are obligated to tell them in a loving way, the consequences of their actions.

Next week Peter will tell us what will become of false teachers and prophets

Gospel

Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 10:9 “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;”