WARNINGS have many forms: lights, signs, sights, sounds, smells, feelings, and written words. With varied focus, their purpose is the same—to advise alertness and give notice of imminent danger. Responses to these warnings will also vary—from disregard and neglect to evasive or corrective action. How a person reacts to a warning is usually determined by the situation and the source.
One reacts differently to an impending storm than to an onrushing automobile, and the counsel of a trusted friend is heeded more than advice from a stranger or the fearful imaginings of a child.
Addressed to those who “share the same precious faith,” 2 Peter could have been written to us. Our world is filled with false prophets and teachers, who claim to have the truth and who clamor for attention and allegiance. Listen carefully to Peter’s message and heed his warning. Determine to grow in your knowledge of Christ and to reject all those who preach anything inconsistent with God’s Word.
We need to make sure that the people we follow are bringing us closer to Christ rather than leading us away from Him.
Truth will be Blasphemed Through Them
2nd Peter 2:2“2Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.” – NIV
Some translations say, “the way of truth will be blasphemed” (NKJ), “And because of them, Christ and his true way will be slandered” (NLT). This is not to be confused with the unpardonable sin of blaspheming the Holy Spirit, which is another topic in and of itself. When we look at this word in its context we see that it means: speak reproachfully, revile, to be evil spoken of, reviled, or railed at.
You see these false leaders will discredit the Christian gospel taught by Jesus Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life by the way they live their lives. In his first letter, Peter had explained at length the importance of Christians living blamelessly before the unbelieving world.
1st Peter 2:11-12
“11Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” – NIV
False teachers and those who followed them into shameful living would malign or damage the gospel before the world. Same thing happens today. These “Christians” who live their lives anyway they want to do not realize that they are damaging the Kingdom and slandering the name of Christ.
Romans 2:17-29
“17Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; 18if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth –“ – NIV
We will stop right there for a moment. Paul is saying to the Romans you know the Word of God, and you tell people about your relationship with God (I go to church, I am a Christian and so forth), then:
Romans 2:17-29 Contin.
“21you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." - NIV
Stop there for a moment. So Paul is stating so far that you say you’re a Christian and you’re saved and you affiliate yourself with the Word of God, then he asks a question that basically says, why do you not follow what God says? You see, once you tell people you go to church and you are a Christian, they automatically put you in the category of someone who knows the Bible, whether you have been saved for ten years or ten minutes. It is a shame that more non Christians no more about the Bible than the Christians do.
When we claim to be Christian and we do not adhere to the Word, what we say has no value to people.
Romans 2:17-29 Contin.
“25Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26If those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
28A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.” – NIV
Those that were leaders in this time were preaching the Word of God, but were not following it themselves and he called them out. These leaders were slandering, or blaspheming the Gospel by not living up to the expectations that God had for them as Christians. These leaders knew what the Word of God said, but they did what they wanted to do, when they wanted to, and how they wanted to.
False leaders and teachers will do this today. They know what God says about how they should live their lives, but they do not adhere to the Word. They may even quote Scripture to others and tell them they need to change, but it has no value unless it is at work in their own lives. They have the mentality “do as I say, not as I do”.
Exploit You with Lies
2nd Peter 2:3“3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words;” – NKJ
These false leaders are only out for themselves. They care nothing about anyone else. If anyone gets in their way they will begin to exploit you with deceptive words, they begin to sell their idea of you to those around you. The King James says, “they will merchandise” you. Here it is attached to money in this case, but people can be greedy with anything. Money, food, kids are greedy with toys sometimes, the point is they want more and more and will do whatever they can to get there way.
Paul reminds us to stay away from such people in Romans.
Romans 16:17-18
“17I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.” – NIV
Those who are greedy serve themselves and they will get what they want and it doesn’t matter who they hurt in the process. They will go to great lengths, even start telling lies about others to gain what they want. They pretend to be your friend just to get their agenda accomplished. When people are led by God the focus is God, when people are being led of themselves, it is about them. But, God is aware of these leaders and in God’s timing they will be judged by God. Peter goes on to say:
2nd Peter 2:3b - 6
“Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. 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;” – NIV
People may be able to fool man, but nobody fools God.
They Walk According to the Flesh & Despise Authority
Because these leaders are not being Spirit led they are being led and walking according to the flesh. They are living their own form of Christianity and they try to bring along others down this same destructive path. Not only do they walk according to the flesh they despise authority.2nd Peter 2:10
“10This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority.” – NIV
Verse 10 tells us they will follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature. The sinful nature is our flesh. It is something that we all battle with every single day. This is why Christ said,
John 9:23
“23Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” – NIV
To take up ones cross means to live the way that God wants you to live. To take up ones cross means to sacrifice your way of thinking for God’s way of thinking. To take up one’s cross means it is God’s way not your own way. To take up one’s cross means to deny yourself, your pride, your rules, your life, your wants, your desires, and your way of doing things to follow after Jesus Christ. It is no longer about you, it is about God. Those who are false leaders follow after their own flesh, their own desires, their own wants, their own way of thinking, and doing things their or no way.
When this type of thinking becomes evident in their life…all authority is no longer adhered to. Whether it be the authority that God has over them or the Spiritual authority that has been placed in the church. Paul wrote a letter to Timothy talking about the last days and he gave him a description of how people are going to be. These descriptions connect to 2nd Peter.
2nd Timothy 3:1-5 (Emphasis are from 2 Peter - read both to see)
“1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money (merchandisers), boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents (despise authority), ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous (blaspheme the truth), without self-control (lust of uncleanness), brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God (lovers of the flesh) — 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 6They are the kind who worm their way into homes (secretly bring destructive heresies) and gain control over weak-willed women (many will follow), who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth (deny the Lord who bought them)—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone (making them an example of the ungodly).” – NIV
Despite all of this Paul tells Timothy and to all of us today:
2nd Timothy 3:10-11a
“10You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, 11persecutions, sufferings…” – NIV
He said you know the truth, you have seen how I live my life according to the Scriptures, how I have produced faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions and so forth. You know I am leading you towards Christ and not away, but those who will rise up, and they will, not only will they rise up but they will get worse as time goes by, but here is what I want you to do:
2nd Timothy 3:14-15
“14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” – NIV
Even though they will rise up stay connected to the Truth which is the Word of God. Continue to read and study to the point where you are so convinced by the Word of God when you are faced with these false teachers/leaders you can use the Word to shed some light on their false doctrine, shed some light on their false Christianity for the Word says:
2nd Timothy 3:16
“16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” – NIV
We are called by God to speak the truth into the lives of those around us. This is not judging people. This is correcting error. This is rebuking the lies of the enemy. If these false leaders refuse to accept the correction from the Scriptures they are in essence refusing the authority of God. They are despising the ultimate authority. When you go against the authority of God, you are headed on a path of destruction. It is all out rebellion against God, against His Word, and against Jesus Christ.
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