Sermon Tone Analysis

2 Peter - Trouble From Within

One of the themes of 1 Peter is that Christians sometimes suffer even though they are innocent and are doing right.

It was written just before or at the beginning of the persecutions of Nero.

What should be our response when we suffer unjustly?

We are to continue to do what is right!

1 Peter 1:13-16

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

1 Peter 2:9-10

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

1 Peter 3:9

Not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

1 Peter 4:19

Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.

The theme of 2 Peter is different.

It was written while the persecutions were in full force.

\\ Peter is imprisoned and is expecting to die soon (1:14).

It appears that he was executed before Paul, because when Paul writes 2 Timothy from Rome, he makes no mention of Peter being in the city.

\\ Instead of warning of the outward persecutions, Peter is now warning of another kind of problem.

*/3:1/* - He is reminding them of what they have already heard.

*/2:1-3/* The source of the trouble is from within the church.

*Peter begins by telling the Christians  they need to be growing*

*/1:8-10 /*If you do these things, you will never fall

*/1:12, 13, 15 /*They needed to be reminded of these things although they already knew them.

!

2:1-3 Warning!

False Teachers Are Coming!

1 Peter dealt with trouble from persecution from non-Christians.

Now he is warning them of another kind of trouble.

\\ Just as the nation of Israel had problems with false prophets, the church will too.

*Some characteristics of the false prophets in Israel*

Jeremiah 6:14

They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, *saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.*

Micah 3:11

Her heads judge for a bribe, *Her priests teach for pay, and her prophets divine for money.*

Yet they lean on the Lord, and say, “Is not the Lord among us?

No harm can come upon us.”

Isaiah 28:7

But they also have *erred through wine, and through intoxicating drink are out of the way;* The priest and the prophet have erred through intoxicating drink, they are swallowed up by wine, they are out of the way through intoxicating drink.

They err in vision, they stumble in judgment.

Jeremiah 23:32

Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their *lies* and by their *recklessness*.

Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all,” says the Lord.

They will Secretly (privily - KJV) bring in destructive heresies.

John 3:19-21

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.

But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.

Jude 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.

These are not honest individuals!

Too often many want to think that some are sincerely mistaken, and it does happen!

But some people are not honest!

We need to see them for the ravenous destructive wolves that they are.

Ephesians 4:11-14

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine,* by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.*

The context: this happens in the church!

3 examples of judgment on the wicked

*1.

God did not spare the angels* (What about once saved always saved?

Jude 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.

*2.

The ancient world before the flood*

Noah - “Few” were saved (8 - 1 Peter 3:20) “Few” find the narrow gate

*3.

Sodom and Gomorrah*

Lot was delivered.

He was far from perfect.

He was a compromiser, but he obeyed when the Lord told him to get out of town.

*2:9 - Application *

Balaam - 2:15

The use of Balaam indicate one point he is trying to emphasize is that these false teachers are motivated by money.

Balaam started out as a true prophet.

*/Num.

22:9/* - God came to him

*/Num.

22:10/* - Balaam does not appear to be surprised at God speaking to him

*/Num.

22:12/* - God said “Don’t Go”

*/Num.

22:13/* - Balaam refused to go

*/Num.

22:18/* - Balak sent more messengers - Balaam give right answer

*/Num.

22:19-22/* - Balaam went back to the Lord to ask again.

This angered God.

\\ God already said don’t go.

*/Num.

22:38, 23:3, 12, 26, 24:1, 24:12-13/* - Balaam spoke the right attitude!

*/Num.

25/* - Israel “played the harlot” physically and spiritually.

*/Num.

31:1-8 - /*Destruction of Midian and the death of Balaam.

Numbers 31:16

Look, these women caused the children of Israel, *through the counsel of Balaam,* to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.

*/2 Peter 2:18/*

The speak like they know what they are talking about.

\\ They give lessons that may sound pretty but are empty.

“They brag with words that mean nothing” (NCV)

“For they speak bombastic nonsense” (NRSV)

*/ /*

*/ Textus Receptus - clean escaped/*

*/Nestle-Aland - barely escaped/*

Others have an abundant entrance (1:10 these barely escape.

Just as some are not far from the kingdom, while others are afar off.