False teachers will come (part 2)

MAP

Q: Are FTs really that bad?

A: They are wilfully arrogant. They have forsaken the truth.

SW: Share the same disgust. Grow in word and godliness.

SIGN POST MORE!!! 2 REASONS. 5 THINGS

PREAMBLE

FT teaching. A lot of questions. Come and chat after. Important to be aware.

DEBTSS

Two types of contemporary false teaching promoted by false teachers. Teaching that promotes sensuality.

Greed: Prosperity gospel

God’s will is for you to be healthy and wealthy

America. Popular with certain cultures.

Sexual immorality: Same sex marriage promoted by CofE

Prayers to “Affirm and celebrate sex marriages” under the guise of “radical inclusion”

It worth saying that Jesus clearly describes that sex being exclusively to be between a man and woman in life long marriage covenant. And any form of sex stimulation, virtual, physical, mental outside marriage is sinful.

We all sexual sinners.

And it’s true that those who are same sex attracted do find this area more costly that those who are not.

In grace church there will be those who are struggling with SSA. But are committed

Grace Church is a church that wants to support and encourage in your costly walk of following Jesus.

INTRODUCTION (Relevance Persuasion | Resonate)

(A) Discussion with a friend. People going to church FT. Promote PG.

“At least still go to church” “hear some of the bible.”

“Given general apathy towards faith in London. So many are not interested”

“Better than not going to church.”

“How bad can it be?”

We can understand the force of what he is saying.

Are FTs really that bad?

Some might be ignorant that their teaching is false. Don’t all preachers make mistakes

That’s true.

Over emphasis or under emphasis parts of the bible.

We don’t try to.

We’re flawed. We make mistakes.

Maybe true for FTs as well.

Aren’t they well intended but slightly mistaken?

Aren’t their intentions good, but approach a bit misguided?

Aren’t their hearts are in the right place, even if their judgment is flawed?

Are they that bad?

Some of what they say is true.

We said, often FT says 80-90% true. 10-20% false. Can’t we take the 80%?

(A) Had a conversation with a friend who visited from overseas last Sunday after the talk. Joel Osteen, promotes the PG. False teacher.

He said. audio book. hear preaching.

But reason: Agrees false teaching. His church back home. Always down.

Listen to Osteen. “Say I’m a Victor” Uplifting. Powerful. Strong Promises.

Balance out. Benefits.

Understand logic. Yes partly false. But true aspects, learn?

Issue for consideration: Are FTs really that bad?

Even if don’t go. Okay to listen to some of their podcast?

Even if we disagree. Is it right to call them out?

Particularly for Christian scene in UK

Secular. Surely better in church than not.

CONTEXT (Orientate | Situate)

Interesting to recall the context of the readers

1st century. Not many Christians. Hard to be a Christian.

But instead of encouraging a broad church listen to how Peter describes FTs

v14 “Accursed Children!

v22 “They are like dogs, returning to their own vomit”

“They are not just bad” “Cursed”

(L) Why bad? They are not ignorant. Instead they are wilfully arrogant.

ARGUMENT (Texture | Unity | Coherence | Development)

THEY ARE BOLD AND WILLFUL

2 Peter 2:10–14 “Bold and willful, wilfully arrogant.

Claim (v10b-11). Verdict (v12a). Sentence (v12b-13a). Evidence (v13b-14a). Conviction (v14b).

Claim (v15-16). Verdict (v17a). Sentence (v17b). Evidence (v18-21). Conviction (v22).

2 Peter 2:10-14 Bold and wilful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. Verdict: But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, - Sentence: will also be destroyed in their destruction, suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. Evidence: They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Conviction: Accursed children!”

Examine claim. Not ignorant but

Claim: clear - FT are bold and willful.

Details are more tricky.

Who are the glorious ones? Commentators split. Two options.

Option 1:

Glorious ones = Demonic fallen angels. 2:4. Called glorious not because good, but powerful.

Imagine FT scoffing at thought of high powers

“There’s no such thing as demons. Stuff from hollywood. Only material world.”

“There’s no such thing as spiritual evil in this world.”

Angels in v11 = Good angels. More powerful than Demonic fallen angels. Do not judge the fallen angels.

Leave judgment to God

summarise.

Option 2:

Glorious ones = Angels who brought the law. in OT understanding that the Law was delivery by angels

Blaspheming them: mocking the thought of higher powers by disregarding the moral demands of the law

“Angels brought the law? are you joking? Where do we see angels today?

“10 Commands is archiac old fashion. Morality, ethics needs to fit with present day society. New morals for 21st Century.

Angels in v11 = Good angels. More powerful than FT. Do not pronounce a judgement on fallen angels of 2:4.

Summarise

Both options: FT scoff at higher powers. One referring to demonic angels. Another referring to Good angels who brought the law, promoting moral permissiveness.

Split between both. Slightly prefer option 2. But either way.

Main point clear: Bold and willful.

Set themselves above everything else. Think that they are right. Think more highly of themselves than they ought.

scoff at the spiritual relm

scoff at moral laws that the bible commands. OT commandments. acient and archiac.

Arrogant. Ignore OT ethics and moral.

(L) but instead, Peter tears them down. Verdict

Verdict: They are Irrational animals, creatures of instinct.

FTs sound confident. Boastful. Claim to have special insight. Claim to have progressed on to new understanding.

But what drives them is not reason. But their desires, their instinct.

On surface, not saying they will not reason their points.

They will have proof texts

They will claim that scientific advancement has given them new insights

But what really drives them is their instinct and passions.

Come to conclusions based on the passions and desires

And their reasoning follows behind.

Quote verses out of context to substantial their views

Manipulate the bible to fit their own passions.

So you often hear them say

“We need our own experience to interpret what the word says.”

But this is actually what happens.

(A) PG preachers already concluded that God wants to make you health and wealthy

And so they misapply verses in the OT to make their point

OT. Promises. Abraham. Direct application.

(A) Bishops conclude that God wants to bless same sex marriages

Homosexuality only describes sin when not in marriage. but as long gay couple is marriage that’s ok.

Jesus listens to the marginalised in society

So we need to listen to those who marginalised gay to tell us wha GOd’sword says.

But Peter says, beware!

Don’t be fooled by their bold speech

Don’t be fooled by their looks

Don’t be fooled by their flattery.

They are irrational animals, driven by their instinct. Born to be caught and destroyed.

(A) Instinct is the reason rat traps are effective.

Imagine being a rat.

See: Sharp Metal object.

Hard, unyielding surface, with a metallic sheen

Coiled metal spring, visibly tense. to crush anyone who reaches out to take the cheese.

You dont think

“Oh that could kill” “I better not take that yummy smelling cheese.”

No!

You don’t consider. “oh this is a rat trap”.

Instead your desires drives you to take the cheese.

That: pungent, earthy aroma

The vibrant golden yellow, with delicate veins of blue running through it

imagine the creamy, almost buttery richness”

Reach out. Take. “SNAP!” trapped.

2 Peter 2:12 “But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction,”

it fits with my feelings. so it must be right.

Summarise:

Claim: Bold and willful

Verdict: Irrational animals

Sentence: Caught and destroyed.

(L) Evidence? How bad are they?

(A) UCL. Mission week. interview. Tamar. Dissatisfaction in the sex industry.

Day - Men. in suits. well-paying jobs. rings on the finger.

Night - Sex obsessed. going from doors to door.

Horrible.

At night. Because no one knows. Hide.

But these FTs. are worse.

they mess around in the day.

2 Peter 2:13–14

“They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin.

“They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!”

Their day time job is deception

Their 9-5 is leading unstable christians astray

Their eyes are filled with promiscuity. Looking for the next person to lust over.

Their hearts manufacturing schemes to line their pockets.

So they are accursed. They will be judged by the Lord.

Summary

Aren’t they well intended but slightly mistaken?

Aren’t their intentions good, but approach a bit misguided?

Aren’t their hearts are in the right place, even if their judgment is flawed?

No say Peter, they are Willful.

Driven by their passions

Yet proud and boastful.

Reinforce: Clarify the differentiate between false teachers and incorrect teaching

Differentiate between Teacher and Teaching.

Someone may slip in teaching something wrong. Doesn’t make them FT.

We (Andrews and I) say wrong things. Overstate. Understate.

But are we desire to submit our thinking and desires and pasions under the whole of scripture.

Preaching? Present to you text. Bible ultimate authority. not me.

Biblical authors decide what they mean. Not my passions.

But a false teacher is consistently teaching something false. WILFUL!

What drives him or her. Not submitting under God’s word.

I cannot see into a FTs heart but I suspect that as they open the bible they claim to speak from, they have a sneaking feeling that they may be wrong.

But instinct, passions and desires drives them.

The PG that holds the bible up yet promises lies. His heart, so train in Greed. willfully ignores truth.

The Bishops that vows to submit to God’s word, yet blesses the very thing that God forbids. His eyes, full of adultery, promoting sin.

And they are bold and willful.

Summarise: Claim. Verdict. Sentence. Evidence. Conviction.

(L) but here’s the next objection.

Don’t they say some true things? Don’t they say 80% things that are true?

God wants to provide for you.

God loves you and radically wants to include everyone.

Isn’t there some truth to learn?

2. THEY HAVE FORSAKEN THE TRUTH

Claim: Forsaken the truth

2 Peter 2:15–16 “Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing,

Point? You’re either following the right way or going astray

There is no such way as “80% true way”

Either following the truth or lies

The 80% true 20% false way is the way of greed.

(A) Peter reaches back to OT. Quirky. Comical episode. Illustrate his point.

Balaam. Prophet for hire. Balak Enemy king to curse Israel

words: “If Balak were to give me silver and gold, I could not go against the command of the Lord.”

actions? But his actions betrayed his words. He followed the money.

So his donkey spoke with a human voice to restrain him.

Despite being a mouth piece of God

Wanted to curse God’s people for money

His donkey knew better. x2

(L) Verdict?

2 Peter 2:17 “These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm.

Sentence? For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved.”

Peter uses these images to describe the FT which he goes on to expand in next few verses.

Evidence:

(A) Waterless springs. Empty promises.

silly example. Service. feeling parched. From afar. promising.

Go over for refreshments for a drink. turns out?

Cups empty. Service leader: empty promises.

2 Peter 2:18 “For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.”

But there promises are empty

“Health and Wealth” ->

“why not go to the terminal illness wards in hospitals and proclaim to the sick?”

“why not go to countries where Christians are under persecution, like Iran, Afganistan, NK, and say that Jesus wants you to be wealthy!”

Empty promises

there to serve as bait for the immature christian

(L) not only empty promises. powerless to stop sin.

Next image: Mists driven by a storm

(A) Mists picture of FT. Storm = blowing wind. Sin.

What happens when mist is blown by storm?

Powerless. driven around. Blown around

2 Peter 2:19 “They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.”

They claim

“God will not judge you for who you are.”

“He loves you radically just the way you are.”

“there is real liberation is expressing who you are

“You are free!”

But in reality it is enslaving you to your passions.

Your passions drive you.

Powerless to stop sin in your life.

(A) This is as steady as a FT is. Mists. Blown by a storm.

Final evidence

(A) darkness reserved.

2 Peter 2:20–21 “For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.”

Raises the questions of can a Christian lose his or her salvation?

Eph 1, John 10, once saved always saved?

It’s true certainly from God’s perspective.

But Peter is describing from his perspective, his experience of them.

They once looked like Christians.

they know the gospel

They said the sinners prayer

They’ve been baptised

They partake or even administer the Lord’s supper

They’ve read the scriptures.

Yet they mould Jesus into their own image. And create their own god.

Turning away from him.

It would be better that they had stayed pagan.

Today’ Christians can be tomorrow’s FTs

not to create anxiety. but to ask us to watch out.

Apply : Do you see the point that Peter is making?

They may appear to be saying some stuff that is partly true. Generous.. 80% true. 20% false. Can we still learn?

No. There is no middle way. Either following the truth and forsaking it.

The half truths are empty promises.

The half truths are powerless to deal with sin.

The half truths deny the Master himself.

And if we think about it, it makes sense.

(A) my friend. “Can i listen to a false teacher (even though i know) to balance out?”

It’s not as if a FT would compartmentalise his or her teaching into the truth parts and the not-true parts.

As if, okay I’ve done speaking the truth parts.

Now I’m going to change track to tell you some lies.

No.

The truth is mixed in with lies .

The truth is interwoven with falsehood.

Truth blended with deceit.

Their words are like bait. Ready to trap you at any point.

(L) conviction?

2 Peter 2:22 “What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

(A) Preacher: use visual illustration.

I could have brought in a dog. Watch him puke. Smell fill the air. do a loop. bend down eat his own vomit.

I could have brought in a sow. pig. Watch her clean herself. Nice shiny coat. do a loop. then goes back into the mud. rolling in the mud.

Actually I can’t. Took much effort. You can imagine.

Claim. Verdict. Sentence. Evidence. Conviction.

MAIN POINT (Summarise | Wordsmith | 5 Syllable | Alliterate)

Asked: Are false teachers really that bad???

Yes.

They are not ignorant. They are bold and wilful.

They are not partially true. They have forsaken the truth completely.

REINFORCEMENT (Amp | Hearts Burning | STAR)

Peter wants to lift the mask. To see through the smoke screen. To cut through the lies.

These false teachers are dangerous.

Interesting question to consider who would Peter say is more dangerous?

A richard dawkins or a False teacher?

a wolf? or a wolf in sheep’s clothing?

Both are terrible.

But I wonder whether Peter would say a false teacher.

devour from inside.

But it no doubt that these false teachers are more culpable than false prophets of old.

They have the bible

They have the knowledge of the Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

Yet they still blaspheme the truth.

If they reject Jesus as their Saviour, he will be their judge

(L) What does this mean practically?

LAND (Worldview | Us)

Do we have the same disgust as Peter?

Speaking personally. Preparing for the talks over the past two weeks were difficult for two reasons

(A) Last week. two types. PREACH! FIRE! Uneasy.

Naturally like the latter.

Reticence is critiquing others.

Spotlight on myself. As if I’m better.

wanted to offer a fair critique.

Other reason why difficult. Spend a lot of time on youtube. watching videos of false teachers.

Prosperity. Church leaders who bless what God calls sexual sin.

And I felt angry. I did.

It is an utter abomination. For rich and wealthy false preachers who preach false messages of health and wealth

Promise lies to millions of people.

Mega churches. Hands raised in the air. Desperate to have their passions of the flesh satisfied

Receiving the so-called words of blessing. But empty promises.

Destroying the faith of many when those promises don’t come to past.

“you didn’t get well because you didn’t have enough faith.”

Abomination!

But it’s not only the prosperity gospel

It is an utter abomination. For Bishops and church leaders around this country. To promise a life of freedom.

Promise that God is radically inclusive so much so that he promotes their own agendas.

Discouraging faithful Christians who are fighting for sexual purity.

Some in dogcollars. Who are so polite and gracious in their speech.

Yet out rightly denying Jesus himself with words like.

a youtube video on queer theology. CofE priests say:

“Jesus may have been intersexed. Jesus himself was queer. He transgenders himself. God is queer.”

Abomination!

Went from reticence to disgust.

Disgust that Peter wants us to feel.

Dog returns to his vomit. Curdled mess vomitted from his mouth. He comes back and laps it up.

Do the DEBTSS test

Deny the biblical Jesus: Not a holistic understanding of scripture. (all will claim to follow Jesus)

Exploit: material gain. Sometimes power and position.

Blaspheme Truth: Stumbling block for others to become Christian

Subtle: Pretend to follow Christ

Sensuality: Greed and sexual immorality.

But the most important way to safeguard

Grow in godliness. Be diligent. Don’t let your passions take hold of you. False teaching sway you.