2 Tim 2:14-3:9, False Teachers

Introduction

How do you trust what you see hear these days. We live in a post truth world of fake news and alternative facts. How do you spot a fake? Some fakes are easy to pick others are not. New tech can actually makes it harder.

Deep Fakes

You can now superimopse someones face on another person or have somone say something they would never say. These are called deep fakes. Check this new Deep fake technology out, here it is demonstarted in a fun way called face swap

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJrffEfCMrs

This is a bit of fun but this stuff is getting so good that you can now make famous people say what ever you want. It is still a bit clunky but down the track the CGI is only going to get better.

So how do you pick a fake, especially when so many people believe what they want to believe.

Dad and the bank note

well my dad used to be a regional bank manager and when he first began as a teller in the bank in the 1960’s one of the first things they taught him was how to spot a fake note. Now when dad told me this story I said, oh did they show you a whole heap of fake notes and show you how to pick the fake. No dad said they actually give you a real note and tell you to study it. If you know the real thing back to front then you can see fake news or fake teaching when you see it.

His appeal to me was to get to know the real deal well enough then you can spot a fake a mile away.

Today Paul is warning us how to spot deep fakes

This is exactly Paul’s point in 2 Timothy as he encourages Timothy to stand up against deep fake false teachers who try to make their ideas and words sound like God is saying it.

What is the true bank note the true Gospel?

Before we look at how we can spot fake bible teaching let’s remind ourselves of the origional message and see again how important it is that we do not drift away from the truth.

Paul defines the true Gospel we believe earlier in his first letter to timothy:

1 Timothy 1:15 NIV

15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

Now in Chapter 2 of 2 Timothy Paul gives us another really helpful definition of the Gospel.

This clear definition gives Jesus his title of Messiah or Christ which literally means saviour.

2 Timothy 2:8 NIV

8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel,

here Paul shows how Jesus is the king, Jesus saves sinners, by dying on the cross and raising to new life.

All this echos Jesus simple definition of the Gospel in John 3 16

John 3:16 NIV

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Any teacher that adds to or takes away from this true Gospel is teaching a deep fake. If I teach that Jesus saves us but we also have to be a Jew first, I am a false teacher or if I said Jesus saves us but people don’t have to believe that to go to heaven I would be a deep fake.

Paul’s Appeal (1:6-2:13)

Paul’s Appeal (1:6-2:13)

Thats why In the last section that Ethan brought to us last week Paul appeals to Timothy in 1:6-2:13 to know and guard the truth even if it hurts.

To join him in suffering for the Gospel v8

2 Timothy 1:8 NIV

8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.

2. and to guard the deposit that has been entrusted to him by Paul

2 Timothy 1:13–14 NIV

13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

This week we are turning to look at the context of Paul’s appeal. Why did Paul think it was neccessary for him to make these appeals to Timothy.

Well Timothy was besiged by deep fake false teachers, sharing fake news gospels. People who were trying to add to and take away from the Gospel Paul had taught Timothy which had come from the Holy Spirit and make it look different to the origional. A face swap. You could call the false teachers Dr Fakenstiens

The Context of the Appeal: The False Teachers (2:14-3:9)

Pastor Tim Challis helpfully says there are 7 types of deep fake false teachers. Let’s look at verse 14 and following to see how many Paul identifies here:

One: The divider

2 Timothy 2:14 NIV

14 Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.

The divider, likes to cause quarrels in the church, focus on small details and question if we really have the Gospel right. They love to waste people’s time on meaningless quarrels that devide the body over things that don’t need to be that important. You see these teachers in churches, in books and online. They love a debate about things that have no value and they ruin the faith and lives of people who they trap with their views. They bring rifts in churches, they question the leadership on small things and claim them to be the true mark of christian maturity. The divider starts fights in friendships, families and in churches. For example they might make the issue of how you respond to covid a bigger issue than it needs to be Jude 18-19

Two: The Speculator

2 Timothy 2:16–19 NIV

16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”

The speculator : deals in novel , new ways of teaching the Gosepl message itself. They are not just helping the chuyrch to adapt to changing times they are challenging Paul’s version of the Gospel. They undermine the certainty of faith and replace it with novelty, hidden codes or the end times and read into scripture. it amazes me that even though Jesus said no one knows the day or the hour of his second coming

Matthew 24:36 NIV

36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Yet deep fake teachers still confidently claim to know that the end is now Titus 3:9)

Three: The Heritic:

2 Timothy 2:17–18 NIV

17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.

heretic most prominant and dangerous denies core fundimental doctrines of the church, denies jesus rose, triune, atonment. 2 peter 2:1.

Four: The Charliton

2 Timothy 3:2 NIV

2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

in it for himself, means to personal gain. wealth and glory. pretends to be a shepard but only take. 1 tim 6:3-5.

Five: The Abuser

2 Timothy 3:2–3 NIV

2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,

The abuser: uses others to gain prominence of sexual lust and fame, a platform, run over people to gain what he wants. bully jude 4 for certain people…Jesus Christ

Six: The False Prophet

2 Timothy 3:8 NIV

8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected.

The false prophet who claims to bring fresh revelation. yes bible but I have a new word that further explains untruth. 1 john 4:1

These new ideas mean they copy the power of God but are not his prophets

2 tim 4:3-4 shows

Tim Challis

7. The tickler: listens to what they want and he gives it to them, nothing unpopular. Church packed talk about heaven never hell, don’’t talk about hell 2 tim 4:3-4

matt 7:15-16

Satan is the great enemy of the Church and he never rests from his attacks on the church one of his weapons is false teaching. 7 false teachers

True Gospel origionates with God and false Gospel origionates with someone who was created by God. gal 1:11-12

How to treat false teachers 2 tim 2:20-26

2 Timothy 2:22–23 NIV

22 Flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.