Skip to main content

How To Spot False Teachers - PART 2

2 Peter 2:12-16 NLT
12 These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed. 13 Their destruction is their reward for the harm they have done. They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight. They are a disgrace and a stain among you. They delight in deception even as they eat with you in your fellowship meals. 14 They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse. 15 They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong. 16 But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice.

If you think the last post was harsh, Peter has only begun. Todays passage is a bit long, but it is still only about half of one very long sentence describing false teachers. Peter is not only trying to help Christians spot false teachers, he is speaking judgment against them. You get the sense reading this that Peter is angry and disgusted with those that would influence others into false teachings. I went with the New Living Translation this time because I though it captured the idea and the mood clearly.

Let's continue to look at how we can spot false teachers:

Verse 12:

  • They are like animals in that they are motivated by carnal instincts.
  • They pretend to be experts; condemning things that they have absolutely no knowledge about.
  • Like the lower animals, these false teachers will perish in the judgment to come.

Verse 13

  • They will suffer punishment as a criminal for their wicked, sinful acts.
  • They indulge in lavish sinful indulgences out in the open; Even as they are in your midst, not even bothering to hide them.

Verse 14

  • Being greedy and totally corrupt, they are always trying to entice people with weak, impressionable minds to their way of thinking.
  • They are cursed!

Verse 15

  • Instead of doing what they know is right, they have wandered away; Following in the pattern of Balaam, who was a prophet-for-hire. Like him, they will say and do whatever makes them more money.

Verse 16

  • They should remember that God did various things to stop Balaam.

Overall, it seems like the pattern that we see described is greed and deception. Just like Satan, those that follow his ways are never happy just doing it by themselves. They constantly want to drag others down with them. False teachers are basically ministers of Satan. This makes it clear why we, as Christians, should be on the alert. Keeping watch, so that these evildoers are exposed.

You would think this would be enough, but Peter isn't finished. Next time we'll finish this divine pronouncement against false teachers.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards In Plain English. (#1-10)

Jonathan Edwards is known as one of the greatest and most profound of American theologians. His writings have benefited many Christians throughout the years. I was impressed with these resolutions and so I have attempted to translate them into the language of the day. I understand that I may have missed Edward’s full meaning at some level, but I made every attempt to capture the essence of the original author and summarize in such a way as to benefit the modern reader. There are 70 resolutions in all. I have summarized the first ten here. I hope you enjoy these. ________________________________ 1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriad's of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I mee
4 comments
Read entire article

My Chiropractic Dilemma

So, I've had this back/neck/shoulder pain for two weeks now. It was getting so bad that I was really at the point of doing anything to get rid of the pain. Everybody kept telling me to go to the Chiropractor. I've actually only spoken to one person who has ever told me anything negative about their experience with Chiropractic treatment. Most people are convinced that it is helpful. A little history. About a year ago, I went to a Chiropractor here in town who was recommended by a friend. She told me that I could get a free exam and x-rays with a referral. Well, I figured if it was free how bad could it be. I was skeptical at that point. I do not like to be deceived, and from the things I was reading, Chiropractic treatment was pseudo-science and mostly "smoke and mirrors." I was in pretty severe lower-back pain at that time and figured I'd go ahead and give 'em a try and see what it was all about. I won't go into the whole story, but to sum it up, I was
2 comments
Read entire article

Removing Planks and Seeing Clearly

Is it ever appropriate to speak out about sin even though we all have sinned? Worded this way most of us would say, "sure!, of course. Especially if the Bible calls it sin."  And I would agree. What if I worded the question like this? "Since we have all sinned, and many of us sin terribly in secret, is it hypocritical to condemn the sin of someone else?" This one should make us all think a little more before answering.  I think Jesus spoke to this matter. In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke these words in Matthew 7:1 ff “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?  How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?    You hypocrite, first take
Post a Comment
Read entire article