2 Peter 2 03 22

The Judgment and description of False Teachers

2 Peter 2:3-22

Introduction:

Last time we began thinking about false teachers

*The certainty to false teachers:  They existed and will exist.

*The work of false teachers

*The influence of false teachers

*The method of false teacher

Concluded that we need to be diligent in detecting and rejecting error while at the same time holding fast to the truth.

Today we want to look at two more details concerning false teachers:

1.      Their judgment

2.      Their description

I.                   The judgment of false teachers vv. 3-9

1.      The certainty of their judgment v. 3b

Judgment has not been idle, destruction will not slumber

In other words, it will come

2.      The examples of God’s judgment

1)      The angels v. 4

Which judgment of angels I am not sure

         *When Lucifer fell 1/3 of host fell with him

                     Isaiah 14:12-15

                     Revelation 12:3-4, 7-9

-these were not cast down to hell and delivered to chains of darkness

*Jude 6-7 refers to a judgment of angels as well

Many believe this is referring to the Sons of God in Genesis 6

*Legion in Luke 8:30-31 was afraid of this judgment

Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name? And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss.

Point Peter is making is that if God judged the angels then He will certainly judge false prophets as well

2)      The Old World v. 5

A.    The Account:  Genesis 6:5-8

B.     The judgment 7:15-22

      120 years in between

      How many concluded that flood would not come

C.     The lesson:

God judged those who were wicked and spared the righteous

Righteousness = life

Wickedness = death

3)      The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah vv. 6-8

A.    The account Genesis 13:13, 18:20, 19:1-7

B.     The judgment Genesis 19:24-28

C.     The lesson:  Judgment was certain

Jude 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.”

3.      The escape of the judgment

God spared Noah v. 5

God spared Lot v. 7

God will spare today v. 9 but He will also judge the ungodly!!

Note there is nothing written about sparing the angels that sinned

God’s plan of salvation is for human beings, He became one of us

Just as certain as His plan of judgment is His plan of mercy

II.                 The Description of False Teachers

1.      They are arrogant vv. 10-12

Evidences of:

*Attitude toward authority v. 10

         Lordship of Christ

         Authority in the Church:  Fulfill their own lusts

*Their presumptuous spirit v. 10

Has idea of daring or bearing one’s self boldly

Seems to mean that they have a lack of reverence: come into God’s presence lightly

Moses came into God’s presence with a serious attitude

      Exodus 34:5-8

Isaiah in Isaiah 6

Yet Hebrews tells us that we can come boldly into the presence of God, yet that does not mean with a lack of reverence for who God is.

*Talk of their tongue:  They are not fearful of speaking against those in authority over them.

In many cases it would seem they set themselves in highest position.

This is something even the angels will not do Jude 9

Talk is governed by instincts:  Like a brute beast v. 12

      Not governed by what God says but by their own instincts

      With that again he reminds us of their coming judgment

2.      They are seeking pleasure

1)      Pleasure is the priority of their lives v. 13

Kenneth Wuest: “They receive unrighteousness as their hire for unrighteousness.  They count it pleasure to riot (live in excess) during the day.”

They take from those they lead astray and use it to live in excess

See that pleasure is a priority:  even the pagan world considered it proper to wait until night to live in excess

2)      Put themselves in a position to seek pleasure v. 13

Even during the agape feasts

Took advantage of God’s people:  Poor and rich came together at these feast and rich provided food.

3)      Practice shows their constant desire for pleasure v. 14

A.    Constantly looking to sin

      Eyes full of adultery

Cannot cease:  constantly desire that for which they have no right to.

B.     Enticing unstable souls

      KJV beguiling:  to catch by bait

Unstable:  Those with no secure foundation:  lesson to our Churches in teaching people.

            *cults claim many of converts from Churches

Conclusion:  Their heart is trained in covetousness and they are cursed children!!

3.      Their teaching vv. 15-18

1)      Errs from the truth vv. 15-16

They have forsaken the right way

Example of Balaam in Numbers 22

         *He was a prophet for hire

         *He would say what people wanted to hear for profit.

         *What he said was based on how it would benefit him

Rebuked by a donkey

2)      Vain in its content vv. 17-20

Wells without water

Clouds without tempest:  In dry climate cloud can blow over and look like it has water, but there is none.

Speak with great swelling words of emptiness

3)      Dangerous in its outcome v. 17b

               Leads away from the truth

               Gives security in error

               Results in God’s judgment

4.      Their condition

1)      They are lost v. 19 slaves to sin and self

2)      They are worse off vv. 20-22 they know the truth and have returned to the old way.