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II Peter 2:1-3
Introduction:
1. We must say at the very beginning of this chapter, that the subject is
not whether or not the false teachers are saved or lost. The subject is that
there are false teachers and true teachers. The believers are warned of the
consequences of following false teachers and the blessings of following true
teachers. If the reader will keep this thought in mind, it will solve many
difficulties.
2. We quite naturally assume that false teachers are always lost and true
teachers are always saved. This is not necessarily so. Balaam was a prophet of
God. This would indicate that he was saved, yet he was a false teacher. Lot
was also a saved man, but a false teacher. A lost man is able to expound the
truth of doctrines to a saved man, who would be able to grasp spiritual truths
from those doctrines which the lost teacher couldn't grasp. An example of lost
people teaching the truth is found in Matt. 7:21-23.
Verse 1, But there were false prophets also among the people, even as
there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves
swift destruction.
I. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall
be false teachers among you.
A. Who is a teacher?
1. When we think of teachers, we generally think of a person standing
in front of a class.
a. Sunday School class.
b. Government (public) school class.
c. College class.
d. Vo Tech class.
2. Does education make a teacher?
a. Give illustration of college "educated" teacher for slow
learners who couldn't teach.
1. The principal then called in a retired teacher who wasn't
college "educated" but had the gift for teaching.
2. There was a marked increase in learning within six weeks.
b. Some people believe preachers should be "educated" in a
formal sense.
1. There is nothing wrong with a formal education and I am sure it
would be a great help in many ways.
2. But a preacher that is not called of God can be taught to preach
and God will bless His Word in that ministry.
3. Everybody is a teacher of one sort or another.
a. You don't have to have an "education" to teach, although
it does help to have a knowledge of the subject you are teaching.
b. It is impossible to teach somebody to teach for teaching is a God
given talent.
B. Examples of false prophets in the Old Testament.
1. See Thompson Chain Reference Bible # 2100.
a. Deut. 13:5 - A false prophet is to be put to death.
b. Deut. 18:22 - Prophecies have two meanings. The first meaning is a
short term truth, and the second is a long term truth. If the short term
prophecy doesn't come true, the long term won't either.
c. Jeremiah 5:31 - The people love false prophets and false prophecy.
d. Jeremiah 23:16 - God commands us not to listen to false prophets.
e. Ezekiel 13:1-16 - God's condemnation against false prophets.
2. I Kings 22.
a. Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, and Ahab, King of Israel were going to
war against Syria.
b. Verse 11 - Zedekiah made an impressive set of horns from iron and
declared that they would be used to push the Syrians until they were
captured. (This shows us that false prophets are impressive.)
c. Verse 20-23 - The Lord put a lying spirit in the mouth of the 400
false prophets.
C. Examples of false teachers in the New Testament.
1. Matt. 5:19 - A teacher who says it's okay to break some of the small
commandments.
2. Matt. 7:15-20 - False prophets shall come in sheep's clothing.
3. Matt. 15:1-9 - Those who teach the commandments of men as if they
are the doctrines of God.
4. Matt. 24:11 - A sign of the end days are that many false prophets
shall arise.
5. John 10 - A lesson of false and true prophets. The false prophets
are the Pharisees and the true prophets are the disciples of Christ.
6. Acts 20:28-30 - Paul warns of false prophets that shall enter the
flock after his departing.
7. I Tim. 1:5-7 - Those who teach the law in such a way as to disregard
love.
8. I Tim. 4:1-3 - Those whose conscience is seared with a hot iron,
allowing them to teach others the same lies they believe in.
9. Titus 1:10-14 - There are many vain and unruly talkers who lead many
to error.
10. I John 4:1-3 - How to tell the Anti-Christ Spirit.
II. Who privily shall bring in damnable heresies.
A. Privately.
1. If they brought in these heresies publicly, they would never be
accepted.
2. They won't stand up and proclaim their beliefs, instead they will go
from person to person declaring their heresies.
3. When they find a person weak in the truth, who will listen to them,
they will draw that person to themselves, and continue looking for other
persons weak in the doctrines of Christ.
4. They won't come out in the open until they have a majority of people
behind them.
B. Damnable heresies.
1. This does not mean that there are some heresies that are not
damnable.
2. Damnable is an adjective (a descriptive term) which modifies
heresies.
C. What are these damnable heresies?
1. Peter does not give a list.
a. If he started giving a list of everything that was false, there
would be no end to the list.
b. He would probably miss a couple of thousand false doctrines!
2. God told Israel not to learn the false doctrines of the Canaanites.
3. If we learn the truth, we will always understand what a false
doctrine is.
a. Bank tellers don't try to learn all the ways money can be
counterfeited.
b. They learn what the real bill looks and feels like.
c. When they encounter a counterfeit bill, they immediately realize
it is false.
d. We should do the same thing with our doctrines.
III. Even denying the Lord that bought them.
A. This passage is one of great controversy.
1. If these people are saved, how can they deny the Lord that bought
(saved) them?
2. If these people are lost, why does the Bible say that the Lord
bought them?
B. If these people are saved, how can they deny the Lord that saved them?
1. II Peter 1:8,9 declares that a saved person will go either one of
two ways.
2. They will "add" to their faith, abounding in fruitfulness
and knowledge of God, or they will not "add" to their faith, and
come to the time that they forget they have been saved!
3. A person that has lived in such a way to forget they have been saved
has denied the Lord that bought them.
C. If these people are lost, why does the Bible say that the Lord bought
them?
1. These people are accepted into the Christian religion on their
profession of faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
2. Then they began to slowly and privately bring in their damnable
heresies.
3. Since their doctrine does not glorify God through Jesus Christ, that
doctrine "denies the Lord that bought them".
4. Examples of doctrines that are accepted into the
"Christian" religion that denies Jesus the Savior.
a. The doctrine of works for salvation.
b. The doctrine of baptism for salvation.
c. The doctrine that a person can lose their salvation.
d. The doctrine that a saved person is in the "universal
invisible church". (This doctrine mixes truth with error because
some churches teach truth and some churches teach error.)
e. I John 4:1-3 - The Anti-Christ spirit accepts Jesus as having been
in the world, and may even declare He was a "son of
God", but denies the eternal existence of Jesus Christ with God.
IV. And bring upon themselves swift destruction.
A. This passage does not mean that a false teacher is immediately
stricken down when they utter a perverse statement.
1. If they were immediately "laid low", then nobody would
follow them.
2. Verse 2 states that many shall follow their pernicious ways.
B. There is a difference in the words "soon" and
"swift".
1. The word "soon" would indicate immediate judgment.
2. The word "swift" would indicate quick judgment when it
comes.
C. Examples of "swift" judgment.
1. Gen. 6 - In the days of Noah, God's judgment waited 120 years while
Noah built the Ark.
2. I Kings 21:17-24 - Elijah pronounced judgment upon Ahab and Jezebel
for the death of Naboth, but the judgment didn't come the next day. Ahab
died approximately 7 years later, and Jezebel died about 20 years later.
D. This passage means that these false teachers will truly believe they
are in the right way, they will lead "successful" and lengthy
lives in the eyes of the world. Their material success will delude them, and
others, into thinking their lifestyles are correct.
1. Job 21:14,15 - The prosperous circumstances of the wicked cause them
to think they have no need of God, but their destruction comes quickly.
(Verse 17).
2. Psalms 73:19 - The wicked are brought to desolation, as in a moment!
3. Proverbs 6:12-15 - The wicked will continue to teach his wickedness
until destruction suddenly comes upon them.
4. Proverbs 29:1 - "He, that being often reproved hardeneth his
neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."
Verse 2, And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom
the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
I. And many shall follow their pernicious ways.
A. The word "pernicious" means "ruin or loss",
(physically, spiritually, or eternal), damnable, waste.
B. This seems to be a promise of things to come.
1. There are some people who claim they will eventually win the world
for Christ.
2. But the scripture never says this.
C. The word "shall" seems in indicate that the majority of
people will follow false teachers.
1. The attitude of some people that "if your church is large, it
must be doing something wrong" is wrong.
2. I have heard preachers say they are in the "pew-selling"
business. This reflects a bad attitude.
3. Every large religious movement is not necessarily wrong.
4. But we must understand that the majority of the world will never
follow Christ.
5. The Charismatic Movement is a very large, worldwide movement, yet is
false.
6. Large religious movements that failed.
a. Dwight L. Moody - 1837-1899 - A great preacher. Held crusades
everywhere, but there are no churches today that he left behind to carry
on the work. There is a Moody Church in Chicago.
b. Billy Sunday - Presbyterian - 1863- - "Free
lance" Evangelism. Another great crusader - but his work is
practically gone.
c. William R. Graham - (Billy Graham) - This work is already falling.
D. The reason many shall follow their evil ways is because they are
unable to see where the beginning or the end result of their wickedness.
1. People on this earth cannot look into hell to see the anguish of
those people they idolize.
a. I cannot help but think of how movie and television stars are
idolized.
b. The vast majority of these people are lost, yet many people,
including so called "Christians", are following them.
c. Jackie Gleason said concerning his soon coming death from cancer,
"I guess God wants another joker in heaven." That is a
ridiculous statement to make.
d. If people could look into hell and see the anguish of movie and
television stars it would be impossible to watch one of their movies.
2. Luke 16:27-29 - The rich man could look back to the earth and see his
five brothers following him to hell, but the five brothers couldn't look
into hell and see their suffering brother.
E. Another reason the majority of people will follow false teachers is
because of a lack of personal Bible study.
1. People will follow what "sounds good", not necessarily
what is good.
2. People are more willing to follow the styles and excitement of the
moment, not the styles and excitement of eternity.
II. By reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
A. People following the ways of destruction causes them to speak evil of
the ways of truth.
1. To understand this statement, human nature must be understood.
2. Most people determine what is right or wrong, not on what is right
or wrong, but on what they have done.
a. People will accept the doctrine of Universal Salvation because
some of their family or loved ones are not saved.
b. People will accept the doctrine of the Universal Church because
some of their family or loved ones are not in the Lord's true Church.
c. People will say they are not promiscuous if they have one partner
at a time. In days gone by, a person was considered promiscuous if they
had more than one sexual partner. Today the word promiscuous has been
changed to mean that a person has more than one sexual partner at a
time.
d. People will accept divorce and remarriage as inevitable if a
person they love is divorced and remarried. In days gone by, divorce was
looked upon as a shame and disgrace. Preachers of every description
preached against divorce and called remarriage a sin. Today, so many
people have divorced and remarried that preachers don't preach on the
subject anymore. Some of them are even divorced and remarried. I know
one "preacher" who has been divorced twice and is now married
to his third wife.
3. Only the Holy Spirit of God will allow a person to look at his life
in the light of the Holy Word of God.
a. When a person looks at himself through the eyes of God, he will
know that what he has done is wrong.
b. May God help us to live by the standards of God, not expecting Him
to lower His standards to accept our lifestyle.
B. Who do we really follow?
1. If I declare that Elvis Presely is in hell, many
"Christians" will raise up and declare that I have no business
saying so.
2. If I declare that Adolf Hitler is in hell, those same people will
agree with me.
3. Who has done more harm to this world, Elvis Presley or Adolf Hitler?
4. Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, Gracie Allen, Bud Abbott
and Lou Costello, and thousands of other movie stars are idolized by the
majority of "Christians". (I didn't mention any modern movie
stars, because it should be obvious to Christians that modern movie stars
know nothing about the Bible or the principles of Godly living.)
5. These people led "successful" lives and every year
thousands of teenagers run away from home to find their fortune in the
movies.
6. Do these people teach us how to serve God? Or how to serve self?
7. We must be very careful not to idolize popular people.
8. Many "Christians" judge a persons success on their
personality and personal works of achievement, not on whether or not they
taught the truth from the Word of God or not. This ought not be.
Verse 3, And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make
merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their
damnation slumbereth not.
I. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise
of you.
A. The definition of words.
1. Covetousness means fraudulently, extortion, greediness.
2. Feigned means artificial, fictitious, false.
3. Merchandise means a mart {a place of sale or traffic, a market, (a)
a fair; (b) buying and selling; trade; bargaining; (c) a bargain.}, or
emporium {a place of commerce; a trading center; a market place, a large
store for the sale of a variety of goods.}.
B. This verse means that these false teachers will use lying words to buy
and sell people for their own profit.
1. An example is preachers who work to build a big church so they will
be praised. (Truthfully, we ought to understand there are some churches
who also have this mindset.)
2. They really don't care about the people in their church, they do
care about their success in getting these people to attend their church
services.
II. The proper application of this scripture.
A. II Tim. 4:3, These false teachers will tell whatever lies are
necessary to win converts: they will scratch itching ears.
1. The "super church" movement is a part of this.
2. The preacher who says he can win a soul (from start to finish) in 30
seconds has a real problem. He has forgotten that only Jesus can save a
sinner.
3. The soul winner tells the "victim" they are saved if they
believe in Jesus. The "victim" replies "I am?"
B. The purpose of their teaching is not to help the people, but to make a
name for themselves.
C. Rev. 18:11-13 - When Pagan Babylon falls there shall be much weeping
for false teachers shall lose their source of income. Note the use of the
word "merchandise" and the words "souls of men".
1. "Merchandise of you" - False teachers shall "buy and
sell" believers, and unbelievers.
2. They care not for their health, welfare, or eternity.
3. These people are so vile, they believe men are only a commodity like
wood, hay, gold, silver, etc.
4. These false teachers make a living of building up a kingdom for
themselves, often calling their organization after their own names.
5. They use people only as numbers to advance their own causes.
III. Whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation
slumbereth not.
A. There are two separate events talked about here, (1) judgment and (2)
damnation.
1. There is a judgment for all false teachers.
2. The result of that judgment is already set, they are damned.
3. If God has already established their sentence, why does He judge
them?
a. The extent of their damnation cannot be determined until the
result of their false teaching is finalized.
The more people affected by their false teaching makes their
damnation more severe.
The result of a person teaching false doctrine during his lifetime
often continues after he has died.
An example is Charles Darwin who wrote the book, "Origin of
Species." His work lives on, and his judgment isn’t finalized
until the last person is affected by his work is dead and gone.
d. As you can see, I believe in degrees of eternal punishment.
B. Their judgment lingereth not.
1. Eccl. 8:11, "Because sentence against an evil work is not
executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in
them to do evil." To a man, it appears that these false teachers are
getting away with their wickedness, and they can get away with wickedness
also.
2. Gen. 15:16 - God told Abraham Israel would remain in Egypt because
the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.
3. I Kings 11:11,12 - Solomon sinned against God causing God to remove
the kingdom from him. This judgment was delayed until Solomon died because
of David's sake.
4. I Kings 21:29 - God delayed judgment against Ahab because he humbled
himself before God.
5. To prove their judgment lingereth not, Peter makes the following
statements:
a. 2:4, God has reserved the angels that sinned for judgment.
b. 2:9 - God knows how to reserve the unjust for judgment.
c. 3:7 - God holds the entire world unto a judgment of fire.
C. Their damnation slumbereth not.
1. Damnation means ruin or loss (physical, spiritual or eternal),
perish, waste.
2:1 - These false teachers have brought in damnable heresies, and they
suffer equal to what they have taught.
A brief outline of how verse 3 relates to verses 4-8 is as follows:
Judgment will come - because there has been a making merchandise of
people.
Verse 4 - The angels made merchandise of people, and they are damned,
restricted in chains of everlasting darkness, waiting their final judgment
when this world is over.
There is absolutely no hope of deliverance for them.
No Saviour is given for angels.
Verse 5 - The pre-flood unbelievers are in hell right now, being damned.
Their judgment awaits them at the Great White Throne Judgment where
they will receive their just judgment for their ungodly deeds.
There was deliverance offered them, but they refused to believe the
preaching of Noah, choosing instead to follow their own devices.
Noah, who was a good example of a saved man, received grace from God
and used that grace to be obedient to God’s instructions to build the
ark and save his household from the world wide flood.
Verse 6-8 - The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah was completely destroyed
(damned) because of their total rejection of holiness and complete giving
over to sinfulness.
Their judgment awaits them at the Great White Throne Judgment where
they will receive their just judgment for their ungodly deeds.
There was delivered offered them, through the preaching of Lot, but
they refused to believe Lot, choosing instead to continue in their
exceedingly great wickedness.
Lot, who was a bad example of a saved man, refused to use the grace of
God given to him, choosing instead to pursue the fleeing wealth of this
world.
II Peter 2:2 - The life of Lot has caused many people to speak evil of
the way of truth.
Verse 9 -
1. Deliver the Godly.
Verse 4 - The angels weren’t delivered because there is no
deliverance offered them.
Verse 5 - Noah was delivered from the world wide flood.
Verse 6-8 - Lot was delivered from the destruction of Sodom and
Gomorrah.
Reserve the unjust.
Verse 4 - God has reserved the fallen angels for the day of judgment.
Their damnation establishes them for eternal destruction, but the
degree of their punishment has yet to be finalized.
Both Noah and Lot are just - justified - saved.
Verse 10 - Chiefly. The main thing Peter is speaking about is false
teachers who want to be false teacher, not people like lot who are saved,
yet teach false doctrine because of their unfaithfulness.
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