Jesus warned of “wolves in sheep’s clothing,” in Matthew 7:15, who would “lead many astray” in Matthew 24:11.
Paul warned of wolves who would arise in the Church speaking perverse things in Acts 20:29-30.
He also predicted a “Falling Away” of an appalling magnitude and Satanic nature in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12.
Again Paul speaks of the rise of ungodly church leaders in 1 Timothy 4:1-3 and 2 Timothy 3:1-9.
Jude warned of apostasy rising within the church in Jude 4-19, and John gives a detailed description of the full-grown harlot church in Revelation 17.
1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
Peter writes of false prophets, as predicted by Jesus. In Matthew 24:11 and in Mark 13:22-23, we read about Jesus telling His disciples that false teachers would come. Peter heard these predictions and has now been witness to them coming true.
In the Old Testament times, false prophets contradicted the true prophets by telling people what they wanted to hear (see Jeremiah 23:16-40; and 28:1-17). Now in NT times, false teachers were (and are still today) twisting Christ’s teachings and the words of the apostles, belittling the significance of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Some were claiming Jesus couldn’t be God while others claimed He couldn’t be a real man.
These teachers also approved of, and encouraged, all kinds of immoral acts, including sexual sin.
Some of these false teachers offered divisive opinions that result in the moral and spiritual decay of those who accept them.
We must be careful to avoid false teachings today also. Many churches today are attempting to be “politically correct” by preaching what they think will be popular enough to get people in the door. Any books, tape series, TV messages, praise music, and sermons must pass the test of God’s Word. If it contradicts the Gospel, beware! Beware of special meanings or interpretations that belittle Christ or His work.
3In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
We should financially support legitimate Christian causes and missionaries, but there are those whom use false doctrines to convince you to give to them, distorting the truth and saying what people want to hear. Peter and Paul both condemned greedy, lying teachers (see 1 Timothy 6:5).
Before you send money to any cause, evaluate it carefully to be sure the person or organization is clearly serving God, and not simply promoting his/her own interests or ideas. Will the money be used to promote valid ministry, or will it merely finance further promotions?
Although these false teachers seem to be thriving and escaping God’s wrath, their destruction is imminent.
God will rescue the godly and destroy the wicked as shown in the following three examples.
4For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; 5if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;
Some would have us believe that God will save all people because He is so loving. However, it is foolish to think He will cancel the final judgment.
Peter gives three examples to warn us clearly that God judges sin and that unrepentant sinners will not escape:
1. The angels who followed Satan could not escape God’s wrath; they were sent to “Tartarus”—the Greek word for a special dark pit reserved for fallen angels to be held until the day of judgment. Scripture never explains why some angels are imprisoned in this deep and dark abyss, yet others are still free to serve Satan as demons.
Some believe the angels imprisoned were those responsible for the Nephilim in Genesis 6. It is unclear who the Nephilim were. The word seems to indicate “men of great strength or large size”. Yet, the verse in Genesis goes on to say they were children of the “sons of God who went to the daughters of men”. Some believe this verse is speaking of angels (sons of God) producing children with human women (daughters of men), and that these are the angels who were imprisoned.
2. Those sinners during Noah’s time could not escape the floodwaters as described in Genesis 6.
3. And the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah could not escape the fire as described in Genesis 19. In the same way, the false teachers will face punishment.
Unrepentant sinners cannot escape the final judgment, and any teaching that says otherwise should be avoided.
7and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men 8(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.
Just as God was able to spare Noah and his family, and Lot from Sodom, he is also able to rescue us from the temptations and trials we face in a wicked world. (Lot’s story is told in Genesis 14).
10This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority.
Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; 11yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord. 12But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts, they too will perish.
Peter refers to those who turn to the corrupt desires of the flesh (sexual immorality) and despising the authority of God’s Word, mocking the angels.
Peter goes on to explain that even angels, who have great powers, do not accuse each other. The good angels know better than to bring accusations against another angel, even the fallen ones. They understand the terrible results of such behavior, something men cannot comprehend.
He describes the false teachers as being as ignorant as animals who are driven only by their instincts.
Many today mock the supernatural, denying the reality of the spiritual world and claiming that only what can be seen and felt is real. Like the false teachers of Peter’s day, they will be proven wrong in the end.
Do not take Satan and his supernatural powers of evil lightly. He is at work trying to render Christians complacent and ineffective.
Note that Peter is not speaking of this corruption happening “out in the World”, but WITHIN THE CHURCH!
13They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 14With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood!
Most corrupt practices were carried out under cover of darkness, but these false teachers sinned openly in the light of day, being utterly shameless. They took part in sacred feasts, including communion, designed to promote love and unity among believers, while they gossiped and slandered those who disagreed with their opinions, causing dissension within the churches.
These people were guilty of more than false teaching and promoting evil pleasures; they were leading others away from God’s Son, Jesus.
In 1 Corinthians 11:27, Paul warned against eating the bread and drinking from the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, yet these people were certainly doing that. They participated in communion while teaching false doctrines within the church. This is still one of the most dangerous problems in our churches today.
Peter describes these heretics as being so lustful that they viewed every woman they saw as a potential sex partner and constantly tried to seduce them.
15They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—a beast without speech—who spoke with a man's voice and restrained the prophet's madness.
Balaam was hired by a pagan king to curse Israel. He obeyed God for a time, but eventually his evil motives and desire for money won out. (His story is found in Numbers 22-25)
Balaam used religion for personal advancement, a sin God does not take lightly.
17These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.
These teachers were like "springs without water." They promise satisfying truth (refreshing water), when in reality they have nothing to offer.
Mists disappear before the storm. Their promises will be like a disappearing vapor when the day of judgement comes, and these teachers and their followers will be thrown into the blackest darkness.
18For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.
These depraved false teachers prey on new Christians who have not yet developed spiritual resistance, who hunger for truth and may fall for pretty words and enticing ideas.
Warning: The following verses are VERY controversial. I wish to offend no one, but must reveal two different viewpoints in order to do this study justice. Herein lies one of the biggest differences between some of the protestant beliefs.
This might be a good time for me to encourage feedback, so I can get your thoughts on the subject.
19They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.
A person is a slave to whatever or whoever controls him/her.
Some people believe “Once Saved, Always Saved” and believe their salvation has set them free to indulge in whatever they wish because they believe in Jesus Christ. All they have to do is confess their sin and they will be forgiven.
However, if we refuse to follow God, we will follow our own sinful desires and become slaves to what our own worldly desires.
Salvation frees us from sin, a freedom that results in our ultimate good, whereas sinful living leads to self-destruction.
20If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud."
Please read the above verses again carefully, keeping in mind that Peter is writing to Christians. Peter is speaking of people who have KNOWN our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and yet have returned to their previous corruption.
He quotes phrases from OT scripture, found in Proverbs 26:11.
He/she is like a sow that has been washed clean and then returns to the mud. “Washed clean” indicates to me these people were saved, then later rejected the Holy Spirit and their faith—therefore throwing away their own salvation.
John 10:27-30 and Romans 8:28-39 seem to make it clear that if a person is genuinely saved, he/she cannot lose that salvation.
While these scriptures teach that “no man, nor demon, nor angel, nor anything else in creation can take away thy salvation”, it never says God cannot. I don’t believe God EVER limits Himself in what He can do. Nevertheless, I also believe He will only do so if YOU reject Him and the true gospel.
“…If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) As long as we stay within God’s favor, we are assured His salvation. It is when we turn our back on His Truth of the gospel that we risk His wrath.
If, in fact, no one can lose their salvation, how do we explain the “falling away” described by Jesus in Matthew 24:10-11; “…at that time, many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.”
And again by Paul in 1 Timothy 4:1; “The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.”
You cannot abandon a faith you never had.
We all stumble along the way and sin after we are saved, and we can ask forgiveness and be forgiven for those sins. It is when we reject the gospel of Christ and turn to other gods, believing false doctrines rather than clinging to Biblical doctrine, that we can throw away our salvation. So, beware of “new” doctrines.
Even Satan believes in Jesus Christ, so obviously simply believing does not save us. Satan will use scriptural ideas, twisting them into what we would LIKE to believe, to lull us away from the truth.
Jesus is the Son of God, not simply a prophet or a myth as some want to believe today. He wasn’t merely a “good man with good ideas”. He was God in the flesh, completely without sin, and died on the cross as punishment for our sins, conquering death by rising from the grave so we may be saved.
Don’t question the gospel.
Don’t allow yourself to be swayed by the “New Age” beliefs.
Hang on to your faith.
Jesus is Lord.
One reason we need to continue to study the scriptures is so we will be able to recognize the false doctrines and steer clear.
I don’t want to confuse anyone concerning what you’ve been taught in the past or have believed all your life. However, our search is for the truth as told in the New Testament scriptures, not to prove right those things we may have been innocently, yet wrongly, taught.
If you disagree, let me know it! I welcome your comments and would like to be corrected when I’m wrong.
Thank you for taking the time to study God’s Word with me. I’ll try to be on time with the next lesson on, or about, October 1.
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