ES2PEJ10 2 Peter 2:1-10a, Jude 3-8 Defence of Divine Judgement

2 Peter 2:1–10 NKJV

1 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. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 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. 4 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; 5 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; 6 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; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)—9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 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,

Jude 3–8 NKJV

3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.

Today we are back to including Jude as what he says is closely aligned to what Peter is saying.

Jude was wanting to write to the Church about salvation only he had to deal instead with some issues in defending salvation and faith. In both letters we find that people are coming in with their ideas, their doctrines and their way of doing things without regard to either Scripture or what sound teachers were teaching.

It seems that there were many people out there claiming to be teachers and the churches were getting duped. These teachers claim to be Christian but are actually far from it. In fact the main reason why they are teaching is to gain money from the churches. It is right that teachers and other ministers are paid, and Scriptures say they should get double pay (and that is not me seeking a payrise but simply stating what the Bible says), but if that is the only reason for ministering and teaching then they are doing a disservice to God.

But note that both Peter and Jude says that these false teachers are already among you, right among you in the fellowship – they are already known but it is their teachings that reveal who they really are.

So, first, before we look at who these are, Jude says, contend for the faith!

Preaching the Word: 1 & 2 Peter and Jude—Sharing Christ’s Sufferings Faith’s Completeness

London’s Rev. Dick Lucas, a faithful contender for the gospel, put the stunning reality behind these words this way: “[I]n Jude, the Christian faith is already in existence as a settled and final body of saving truths.”5 Imagine! We are not free to change it, as if the faith were somehow still evolving and making its way in the world. According to Jude, “the faith” is not only full, but it already exists in final form. It is not subject to change!

[Let’s try, then, to recognise those who would change our faith to break this down for if we are not aware we could be deceived.

1st, these false prophets and teachers use underhanded methods and shameful ways and bring the faith into disrepute and disgrace.

2nd, they deny God’s truth

And 3rd, they bring destruction upon themselves and their hearers (not unlike the Pharisees traveling miles for a convert and making them twice as worthy of hell than them).]

Since this is the case ministers and the people of God have to guard themselves against false doctrine. Those who teach false doctrine are not going to announce that what they are teaching is false! They are not going to declare that they are being used by Satan.

Fire ants have virtually taken over the southern United States since they were accidentally transported there a few decades ago. They are amazingly adaptable, fiercely aggressive, and multiply seemingly overnight. Worst of all, most insecticides and ant-killers can’t destroy the mound’s inhabitants. Like a mighty army they have marched in, impervious to brute force.

Scientists have now found a rather crafty way to wipe out whole colonies. Pellets of the ants’ favourite food are tainted with a special tasteless, odourless poison and sprinkled around the mound. The worker ants immediately begin gathering up the tainted treasure and take it down into the heart of the colony. Then they unwittingly feed the poisoned pellets to their queen, slowly killing her! When the queen dies, no more workers are produced, and so in a couple of weeks the entire colony starves to death. How ironic! Food that looked so good caused their starvation.

That is how it is with false doctrine. Those who lack discernment import it into the heart of the church, thinking it is harmless and in fact quite good. If any wise “ant” smells the poison and protests, he is ridiculed and said to bring disunity and are bigots! And in the end that generation and the next generation starve to death spiritually.

The worst kind of false teaching is that mixed with the real thing. If it is not The Truth of Scripture and it is mixed with error then this is still a heresy and will have a lasting effect upon the Church if allowed.

Worst of all they secretly bring these in – and much in the same way the ant pellets are deliberately poisoned – they deliberately bring these teachings into the Church – but not obviously, it is always with elements of the truth.

They deny Jesus, they deny Scripture and many, many teachers do this and spread their thinking and doctrine to others and gradually, Church-by-Church, they are led into error. They do not believe that Jesus is Lord; that He did not rise from the dead; that He is not God.

I remember when the former Bishop of Durham, David Jenkins, who in 1984 said that he did not believe in the Scripture and do you remember what happened as soon as he had been appointed bishop? York Minister had a fire. There was not a believer who did not know that this was an act of God. I wonder if they were able to claim on their insurance! But, now, if a bishop said such a thing then not an eyelid would blink at it. And that is exactly what I mean when it starts with one in a prominent position that opens the floodgates and infects the whole church.

They are their own authority, or as Jude puts it, dreamers. Scripture has been jettisoned.

Those who do this were never submitted to the Lordship of Christ – they were never saved. It says here that the Lord bought them and it is true in the sense that Jesus paid the price for everyone with His blood but unless Jesus is accepted in faith, in trust upon the Lord then they are still condemned. Christ died for all; Christ became sin for all not just Christians – the only thing that will decide Heaven or Hell is faith or rejection of Jesus.

When I look at the world and see all the false teachers especially on TV then it is no wonder that swift destruction will come upon them. Their riches and their hopes will die with them. They made themselves gods. But it is these same teachers and prophets that so many people follow with their hopes of riches and health for this life which is promised but cannot be delivered – the only way for them to get these promises is to become teachers themselves swindling people out of their monies and hopes and dreams.

Unfortunately it is these teachers that make people think twice about coming to Christ for they think that the Church and their ministers are only after their money. The stupid things that these teachers teach and say are ridiculed on national TV, on the internet and in casual conversations that happen daily in families, in coffee bars blaspheming Christ in the process for they are not able to separate these teachers from what Christ teaches.

And why would they for they are untaught, unsaved, and ignorant of the ways of truth for no-one has shown them the true way. They are taught that if they say a prayer: Ask Jesus to come into your life and then everything will be well. Well, not only should we ask Jesus into our lives but it is to leave the old one behind and to trust, to suffer, to imitate Christ, to take up our cross – we are called to follow, for Jesus to be our Lord first and foremost – and gladly He will be our Saviour.

[These false teachers line their pockets with the empty promises made deliberately deceiving but believed by gullible followers who think that if they send in some money for a prayer hanky, for holy water from the Jordan that they will somehow convince God to give them what they want. Instead they are sold other goods that ensnare them more like books, CDs and DVDs of more false teaching, making more and more money and still, even after these promises are found to fail, they still follow them giving more and more until they are broke or even take out loans in the hope that their 7-fold or 77-fold or 100-fold blessing will return to them. They feed upon the greed and covetousness of the masses but never deliver only feeding their own greed and covetousness. False advertising here in the UK will land you with a fine but if it is wrapped up in religiosity they get away with it. They make the Word of God tell lies twisting it to their advantage.]

But false teachers do not consider what judgment is coming upon the heads of those who have taken advantage of the poor, the widow, the fatherless and other weak-minded people speaking with the name of Jesus in such a blasphemous way. These are they who will stand on judgment day and say: Lord, lord, did I not do this or that in your name. But Jesus with the two-edged sword in His mouth will cast them into the lake of fire saying: I never knew you.

Well, they say, I have had all these years fleecing the flock and nothing bad has happened, they are that arrogant(!) but then they are warned reminding them that such people have lived before and sudden destruction has arrived; whether by the world-wide flood which brought about God’s judgment on a very wicked world, or by Sodom and Gomorrah with brimstone and fire destroyed for the wickedness of every citizen in their unnatural and unrestrained sexual depravity. I do have to ask what is so different about our society.How interesting it is then that we find Ezekiel describing them:

Ezekiel 16:49–50 CSB

49 Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had pride, plenty of food, and comfortable security, but didn’t support the poor and needy. 50 They were haughty and did detestable acts before me, so I removed them when I saw this.

Interesting that Ezekiel talks of pride and haughtiness when this is all we hear about concerning their pride marches and now how society and businesses praise and laud them as indeed did Sainsbury’s in the last week [and then trying to overturn laws to allow for same sex marriage as is happening this coming week by our parliament imposing our laws upon Northern Ireland that do not want it]. But when the authority of the Church says it is OK then what can be done seeing that this week the Methodist council voted by over 5 to 1 to allow gay marriages in their churches. This will now be ratified next year barring some miracle. John and Charles Wesley would not comprehend the Church that bears their name seeing that theirs was the holiness movement. How far they have gone from the original. And do you see it will pressurise the Anglicans and then us to do the same and then the law will be changed to ensure we do not discriminate.

Are we not ripe for judgment? Yet these people go on as if it will never happen for they would say:

Preaching the Word: 1 & 2 Peter and Jude—Sharing Christ’s Sufferings Three Portraits of Those Who Fail to Finish Well

“Where in the world did you ever come up with the idea that God would never judge anyone? Biblical history is filled with historical events that confirm the opposite. God has always judged those who follow the ways of the world rather than the ways of his Word.”

We, too, must take note.

Preaching the Word: 1 & 2 Peter and Jude—Sharing Christ’s Sufferings Challenging the Faith: Taking Advantage of God’s Grace

To be a Christian means being saved from sensuality and to sanctification. There are things in life to which God says no. Calvin defends God’s wisdom this way: “It is bad to live under a prince who permits nothing, but much worse to live under one who permits everything.”

Preaching the Word: 1 & 2 Peter and Jude—Sharing Christ’s Sufferings Challenging the Faith: Taking Advantage of God’s Grace

Who among us, if left alone by the Holy Spirit for a single second, might not risk all Heaven holds for a moment of earthly satisfaction. Daily, the temptation is to presume upon grace. Presumption is our greatest sin. This verse belongs to the church.

Peter and Jude then use the illustration of angels who went astray and now they are waiting for the impending judgment upon them. The lesson being if angels had no hope what hope do humans who rebel against God and teach others to do so too? These angels are ready to be cast into the lake of fire without any further judgment made and such is the fate, says Peter and Jude, of the false teachers.

Noah and Lot show that it is possible to avoid judgment in a world that is completely blackened with sin. It is possible to not follow the world even when everyone else is of it. Lot is an interesting example for he should never have been living there in the first place but, even so, he did not partake of their wickedness and hated everything about it. But even then it was hard to get him out of the city! The angels had their work cut out! But he was still a man of faith, even if very weak-willed, therefore he was righteous in the sight of God – and such is still saved. God is able to save to uttermost.

As we are talking of judgment it should be noted that these are key verses in believing in the rapture happening before God’s judgment upon the earth. God always takes out His people from the place of judgment – and it will also be the case come the rapture – we shall be removed to be with Jesus before the judgment of God falls upon the earth – and no matter who you are you do not want to be here when that happens.

For us who are His, reading and hearing such passages should spur us onto holy living. God is an awesome God, mighty in power, and very angry with the wicked every day. Only His patience is holding out but one day, just as in the Day of Noah, just as in the Day of Lot, His patience will finally run out.

Conclusion

[Do not listen to false teachers making promises that are not Scriptural – if you are promised wealth, health and prosperity for this life then this is not the Gospel. It may be that God will bless you with material things and here in the West we are certainly blessed – but these are only so we can do good to those who have not yet heard the Gospel or to help the poor. Wealth, health, and prosperity is promised – but it is not guaranteed in this lifetime but it is in Heaven.]

Scripture repeatedly tells us not to be deceived. We would not be told that if it were not possible. Be on your guard up and note those who teach contrary to the Word of God and avoid them. We are to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints - there has been no change in God or doctrine since Jude’s day. We are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling and do away with those ungodly things which appeal in this life and hold out for a better feast that awaits us in Heaven.

[The other main thing is: do not become a false teacher yourself! We can all have some things wrong – but the false teachers spoken of here deliberately deceive the people for their own gain. Hopefully, while I am here you will get sound teaching – but everything I say should be tested against the Word of God, but there is no guarantee of what someone else will bring whether we are here or elsewhere.]

Communion

Thank God for Jesus who has shown us such love and patience and sent Him to pay the price for our sin and give us an inheritance with Him in Heaven. How wide, how long, how deep, how high, how surrounding, is the love of God for us. But this was not without cost, without pain to win us and reconcile us to ensure justice and mercy could be met. But Jesus was willing to go all the way to the cross, to a cruel death and a broken relationship with His father to make it happen. And here He is in the upper room with His disciples knowing what was about to come to pass:

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 NKJV

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

Benediction

Bibliography

Helm, D. R. (2008). 1 & 2 Peter and Jude: sharing christ’s sufferings. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.