Spotting False Teachers 2 Peter 2

Scripture: Bill Niemi

Missions Moment: Indian Pastors & Kari

Intro:

Through the generations there have been several different waves of false teachers

When I was coming into ministry there were the televangelists like Jim & Tammy Faye Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart

They were charismatic preachers who became more about their money than the Gospel and eventually fell into sin

Those gave way to the Seeker Sensitive churches that didn’t mention sin and only spoke to felt needs like marriage and money

People like Bill Hybels and Rick Warren were more interested

Those gave way to a group of angry young pastors who bucked at the seeker sensitive model

They were the new reformation and they taught the Word but their character couldn’t keep up with their fame and most crashed and burned

After that you started to get the political pastors who were more about their politics than they were about Jesus

Today we have many in the church who are hearing more from the Tucker Carlsons and the Candace Owen’s of the world than they are Scripture

Peter saw this happening because it happened during his time

It goes to show us that there is nothing new under the sun

Peter shows us how to measure what is said by the truth, sport destructive doctrines, and sift out the false teachers by the motives and message.

Trustworthy Word vs. 1:16-21

You can spot a false teacher by immersing yourself in the real thing… the Trustworthy Word

Let’s look back at vs. 16-21 of chapter 1

Peter asserts that we speak the truth because they were eye witnesses to his majesty

There were people who were traveling around Asia Minor teaching cunningly devised fables

This was done to get people to give them their money

Not much is changed today

Many Mega-churches preach generosity with polished presentations so that people will give, all while their people are still in love with their sin

If you are going to spot a false teacher or prophet you need to have two things

A knowledge of God’s Word and a discerning spirit

Peter had experience seeing God speak

Matthew 17:5 ESV

He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

The Mount of Transfiguration was a transformative experience for Peter

Peter was cut off by God while he was babbling

God declared how much he loved and was pleased with his Son

Isaiah told us this would happen

Isaiah 42:1 ESV

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.

Prophetic words shine a light into dark places

The word is light a morning star that rises in your heart

That said, prophecy has to be from God, it can’t be your own words or feelings

Prophecy is the voice of God spoken through man and it can’t come from our will

Holy men speak as they are moved by God

There were a lot of false prophets that were exposed during the 2020 election

Hundreds of charismatic prophets foretold of the great victory that God would give to Trump

That didn’t happen and many called into question the ministry of these prophets

Some tried to tweak their message or claim the election was stolen

The good thing was that many of these prophets ministries were destroyed

You can’t proclaim what you want to happen

Destructive Doctrines vs. 1-3

You can spot a false teacher by their destructive doctrines

Peter groups both prophets and teachers into one group and warns of their destructive doctrines

The teachers bring in destructive heresies

Concise Oxford English Dictionary Heresy

Heresy:

belief or opinion contrary to orthodox religious (especially Christian) doctrine. An opinion profoundly at odds with what is generally accepted.

False teachers like to introduce heresies thru deception

They give you a little truth and a whole lotta lies

Most heresies result from a teacher trying to justify a sin in their life

The reason that the LGBTQ debate rages in the church is because there are pastors who have grown children who live that lifestyle

They soften their stance on sin and promote love over truth because they are afraid of being cut off

They then preach that from the pulpit and then start promoting events

Think I’m wrong? Look at vs. 2

And many will follow their sensuality and the way of truth will be blasphemed

Concise Oxford English Dictionary Blasphemy

Blasphemy:

profane or sacrilegious talk about God or sacred things.

During Peter’s time people didn’t want to accept that Jesus was human

The Gnostics said he was a spirit

They did this because they wanted enlightenment but didn’t want to give up their sinful lifestyles

They covered that up by promoting a higher form of learning

Jesus warned about these people

Matthew 24:24 ESV

For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.

Doom of False Teachers vs. 4-11

God sees the false teachers and knows how to deal with them

Peter assures his readers that God sees these false teachers and he has a history of dealing with them

He starts with the angels who sided with Lucifer and were cast out of heaven

Then he talks about the judgment of Noah’s flood and then cites Sodom and Gomorrah

The Lord knows how to deliver the righteous out of temptation

How does that explain these false teachers like Kenneth Copeland and Joel Osteen?

I believe God keeps them because their followers would rather have their ears tickled and rely upon man instead of learning the Word of God and growing in faith

He knows how to reserve the unjust for punishment

Psalm 34:15–16 ESV

The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry. The face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.

A way to spot a false teacher or prophet is how they submit to leadership in the church

If they have authority issues this is a red flag

They walk according to the flesh

They are arrogant

Some people are called to be a Jeremiah and call out the apostasy in the church

Mike Winger is a great modern day example of that

Depravity of False Teachers vs. 12-17

False teachers are wells without water

This is the section that Peter takes from Jude

Peter shows us the depravity of false teachers

Depravity shows the depth of sin in a person

They speak evil things they do not understand

They are blemishes carousing in their own lies

Their eyes are full of adultery and cannot cease from sin

It is amazing how many of these false teachers are caught in sexual sin and abuse

IHOP w/ Mike Bickle

The church was a gathering place for well known prophets like Bob Jones

He housed them and supported their ministries

All of these men were caught in horrific sin and it eventually came out that Bickle was sexual predator

Jude 12–13 ESV

These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.

Peter calls them clouds without rain and wells without water

Deceptions of False Teachers vs. 18-22

False teachers speak with great words of emptiness

Caleb’s High School graduation commencement speaker