Category: False Teachers
Subject: False Teachers
Mining the Scriptures: 2 Peter 2:15-17
Peter continues his description of the character and actions of the false teachers troubling the church by noting their actions as being like Balaam.
Balaam was a prophet during the days of Moses as the children of Israel were in the wilderness of Judea. Balaam’s greed and desire for glory led him to initially disobey God, as the King of Moab wanted him to curse God’s people (Numbers 22). On the way, a dumb donkey kept him from such an evil task (cf. 22:22-34).
The false teachers addressed by Peter have the same motivation, leaving truth for personal gain. In verse 3, “By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words…” Such actions can rightly be described as “madness” – they go against God!
Just as a well or storm clouds promise water, but disappoint us when they are dry or pass by without rain, these false teacher’s disappoint. Their words are useless and corrupt.
They are condemned and will be punished by God in eternity.
Sermon: To the elect lady and her children
An examination of the text of 2 John, with applications.
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Sermon: Adamant Stone (Ezekiel 3:7-9)
God provided Ezekiel with His will and protection. He supplied for Ezekiel a forehead that was harder than that of rebellious Israel. A forehead of adamant stone, harder than flint.
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False Prophets
The apostle John wrote, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). So, according to John it is important to vet every spirit to see whether they are of God. How is this to be done?
The answer is simple and follows of necessity. The only way to test the spirits is through an examination of their teaching, comparing it to God’s revelation! Any other method is by its nature limited and subject to error or deceit. As Paul wrote concerning the devil and those who do his bidding, “…Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15). Continue reading “False Prophets”
Being Deceived and Cheated
No one likes to be lied to, or to be cheated out of what they deserve. If this is so regarding worldly matters, how much more so spiritual concerns.
This concerned Paul, and he warned about those who would come in and do this to his brethren. He wrote in Colossians 2, “Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” (8-10). Continue reading “Being Deceived and Cheated”
Sermon: False Prophets
A study of Jeremiah 23 that seeks to answer two questions: 1) What is a false prophet; 2) How much damage can be done by a false prophet.
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Mining the Scriptures: 2 Peter 2:12-14
Here Peter begins describing the false teachers about which he is warning his readers. First, Peter expresses disdain about their nature, comparing them to wild (and irrational) animals whose purpose is only to be caught and destroyed. Second, their actions are based on ignorance, criticizing and demeaning when they have no real knowledge of a matter. He argues that such actions will eventually be the cause of their own ruin, “will utterly perish in their own corruption” (12).
Third, their evil actions will receive “the wages of unrighteousness” (13). As Paul noted, the “wages of sin” is spiritual death (cf. Romans 6:23). Fourth, they are stains, “spots and blemishes” that sully what otherwise should be pure and white “with you” (13).
Fifth, they are unfaithful, here described as having “eyes of adultery.” They not only continually sin, but are guilty of “enticing” others. Sixth, and finally, they are covetous (greedy desire).
The Need for Commendation (And Social Media)
Social media has shown me that many people need the psychological boost that comments, likes and follows bring them on social media. Of course, there are other reasons for coveting such things (making money, spreading a message), but the primary one in non-commercial postings is validation and expressions of love and support.
This is not new! Paul addressed it several times in his letters. Consider his words to the Corinthians. “Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you? You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart” (2 Corinthians 3:1-3).
Efforts to gain support and sympathy, whether through social media, letters, emails, speeches, etc. ultimately have no legitimate merit. If such help in the area of acceptance, praise and support, they nevertheless have no bearing on the rightness or wrongness of the person being supported. Put it this way, an evil man can have as much such support as a good man. This is demonstrated clearly in politics. Partisanship will allow the politician to locate a group that is fully supporting him, while another group would not. Interestingly, on social media (Facebook, Instagram, etc.) online friends often even praise evil. Continue reading “The Need for Commendation (And Social Media)”
Sermon: Beware of False Prophets
Josh Cox preacher. A discussion of Matthew 7:15-20
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Sermon: Doctrines of Demons
A discussion of the apostasy mentioned by Paul in 1 Timothy 4:1-11 with special emphasis on those who forbid to marry and command abstinence from meat.
Mining the Scriptures: 2 Peter 2:1-3
There were false prophets in Israel, and Peter promised that false teachers would exist in the church. What is the difference between a false prophet and a false teacher? In reality, nothing at all. A prophet is one inspired of God. A false prophet may claim to be inspired, but his message is his own. A preacher of truth is not inspired, but speaks in accord with inspiration. A false teacher claims to preach truth, but his message is his own. Such men may evidence characteristics that are worldly and evil, but they are known by their fruit (their doctrine, cf. Matthew 7:15-20), which does not accord with righteousness.
Peter warns about such men because some would follow their teaching, contradicting truth. They would exploit Christians, convincing some that their message was from God when it was not.
It is obvious that such men will come into judgment. However, their doctrines destroy those who follow them as well. This is why Peter warns of them, and why we must as well.
Mining the Scriptures: Titus 1:15-16
In verses 5-9, Paul instructed Timothy to find qualified men to serve as elders in the churches of Crete. This was especially needed at that time because of false teaches described in verses 10-14.
Our text continues this theme, describing the hypocrisy of these evil men, especially the Jews who were seeking to bind the Law upon the brethren. First, Paul noted that those who are “pure” have liberty in “all things.” (Context is important here, as Paul is referring to the limitations regarding diet, etc., that were given to the Jews, but were removed when the law was nailed to the cross, cf. Colossians 2:14-17).
In contrast, these evil men claimed to be religious, “They profess to know God”, but their evil hearts brought defilement to them, even as they imbibed in things that otherwise were pure (cf. Romans 14). Paul was able to discern their hypocrisy (claiming purity, but being defiled) by their actions. They deny Him, being characterized by disobedience. Thus, qualified elders were needed to deal with them.
Beware the Coppersmith
In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, near the end of his letter, he gave his friend a warning, “Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. You must also beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words” (2 Timothy 4:14-15).
Such identification or marking of those dangerous to the faith was done on numerous occasions in the first century. Paul also named Demas (2 Timothy 4:10), Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Timothy 2:15). John marked Diotrephes in his third letter.
Paul not only identified those destructive to the faith, but encouraged other Christians to do the same. “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceived the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17-18).
The reasons this is needed and expected are obvious from the texts. First, Timothy needed to be aware of and careful about the coppersmith. If he did Paul harm, it stands to reason that Timothy could be harmed as well. Second, those who act in this way are acting contrary to the faith and the Lord. While it is never a pleasant task it is important to protect the righteous against such ungodliness. The worldly might not see it, but it is God’s way.
The Presumptuous Prophet
In Deuteronomy 18, Moses told the people that prophets other than Moses would rise from the nation to “speak to them” all God required of them, (cf. 18:15-18). This, of course, is seen in the history of the nation. The most significant voices that followed, men like Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc., have had their voices recorded in the canon of the Old Testament. The Hebrew writer spoke of these men. “God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets…” (Hebrews 1:1).
An obvious question arises. How were they to know the prophet was from God? Consider Moses words, “And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him” (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). Continue reading “The Presumptuous Prophet”
Poisoning Minds
In Acts 14, we are told that Paul and Barnabas were in Iconium, preaching in the synagogue. Their preaching was effective among Jews and Gentiles. But, the unbelieving Jews “stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren” (14:3). Many believed, but the opposition was strong and active, and they eventually had to flee for their lives.
We will always emphasize the need for defending the faith, and the capability of truth to stand and convict men of sin. But, we also realize that it is possible for the minds of men to be poisoned. And, when it happens there is often nothing that can be done.
When men call light darkness and darkness light, they can poison the minds of some. When they state with extreme conviction and flattering words a false doctrine that has appeal to the masses, they can poison the minds of some. When they make false accusations about the faithful, characterizing their faith as extreme or irrelevant, they can poison the minds of some.
Such poison minds can make life more difficult for the servant of God. Not only does such opposition confuse the innocent, it emboldens the enemies of the cross to persecute the faithful. What do we do in response?
“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ” … “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:1a,2).
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