Thursday, November 2, 2017

Error in the Church

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This is the seventh sermon in a series of messages on the book of 2 Peter. This message covers chapter two and discusses the issue of heresy and error growing within the church. The Apostle Peter talks about the characteristics of the false teachers as well as their coming judgment, just like the false prophets in the Old Testament.

Written Excerpts:

2 Peter 2:1 (NKJV) But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 
Introduction:
Five Hundred years ago this coming Tuesday (Oct. 31st), a Catholic monk who was a professor of theology at the University of Wittenberg, Germany nailed a document to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. The name of this monk was Martin Luther. The document titled, “95 Theses,” was written in protest of the errors and abuses that were promoted by church officials, especially a practice known as the sale of “Indulgences.” There is a longer story behind it all, but a church official had been authorized to sell the indulgences in order to pay off a debt owed by the archbishop of that region. 
What was an “Indulgence?” Well, the Church believed that eternal guilt and punishment for sin could only be forgiven by God, but there was a temporal satisfaction that had to be “paid” by the repentant sinner either in this life or in purgatory. It usually involved some good deed(s), some type of pilgrimage or payment of money to the church. (Penance)
The indulgence was an official document (piece of paper) that could be bought with money and it would free the person from the temporal penalty of sins. Later, it was extended to include the “souls in purgatory” if the living relatives bought indulgences for them. Martin Luther’s efforts to reform the Church led to an outright separation from the church, which is now known as the Great Reformation.
In the passage of Scripture we are considering today, Peter confronts the errors that have been cropping up among the believers of the 1st century. Confrontation against error was necessary in the 1st century and has been necessary ever since, including such notorious times as the Great Reformation.
Confronting and defeating error and evil is something that is not always welcome in our society today. Christians today seem to be content to just “love everyone and everything.” There doesn’t seem to be as much concern for what is right or what is true, but “let’s just all get along and learn to love one another and tolerate everything.” 
I want to remind you today that truth matters; biblical doctrines matter; and the clear distinction between right and wrong matters. When Jesus went to the cross He wasn’t just wanting to work out a truce or some agreement where He and the Devil could peacefully co-exist. No, when Jesus Christ went to Calvary’s cross, He went there to accomplish a complete and final victory over the Devil that would eventually bring about the total demise of the kingdom of darkness.
The Apostle Peter is of the same mind. He wants to expose the errors of the false teachers and help the believers to understand the truth and stay in the right relationship with Christ.
Today we are continuing our study of 2nd Peter by discussing chapter 2. Here we see Peter’s analysis of the source of error among the readers and what’s in store for them. For our discussion today I have decided to adapt an outline of chapter 2 that I borrowed from Dr. Vic Reasoner.
Outline:
Having established the source of truth and its authority in the previous chapter, Peter continues in chapter two to write about The Source of Error (2:1-22).
A. The Characteristics of False Teachers (2:1-3)
2 Peter 2:1-3 (NKJV) But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. 
1. They will infiltrate the believers.
“among the people;” “among you”
“the people” – a word that usually refers to the a nation, in this case the people of Israel.
There were false prophets in the OT and there are false teachers now in the NT. 
Every time there is something that is really genuine, there will also be a counterfeit.
2. Their teachings are destructive.
“destructive” – perishing, (KJV “damnable”), i.e. eternal destruction. Rev. 9:11 uses same root word for the name of the “angel of the bottomless pit” or “destroyer.”
“heresy” – root word means “choice.” It is a deliberate choice to believe and follow something that goes contrary to God’s Word. 
Their heresy was “denying the Lord who bought them.” 
3. They are immoral. (v. 2)
“pernicious ways” (KJV); “destructive ways” (NKJV) – this is the same word used in v. 10 for “filthy conduct” or “lust of uncleanness” (NKJV). Compare with v. 14.
4. They are greedy. (v. 3)
“by covetousness they will exploit you” 
Many a person has been led astray and sought to lead others astray because of the lure of material gain and prosperity.
Usually, the people of the world can see through it better than the people in the church. Whenever Christians do something to reach out to sinners the sinner may very well be thinking, "Are you doing this for me or for you?" And they can usually tell the difference.
We need to constantly check our motives for what we do.
B. The Precedent of Judgment (2:4-10a)
2 Peter 2:4-10 (NKJV) For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)-- 9then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority
Peter next gives some clear examples from biblical history where the false, and the counterfeit opponents to God’s truth were condemned and judged by God. The examples he cites includes: Fallen angels, Fallen humanity before the flood, and the Fallen cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
He then reminds his readers that succumbing to the errors and lies of the rebels is not necessary nor inevitable. God can and will deliver those who choose to be godly.
Finally, in this section, he reminds them that unjust, ungodly rebels against the truth will be reserved for future judgment. Who are these people being reserved for judgment? They are individuals who walk according to the “lust of uncleanness and despise authority.” (We could add this description to the characteristics we mentioned earlier.)
C. The Arrogance of False Teachers (2:10b-12)
2 Peter 2:10b-14 (NKJV) They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, 11whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. 12But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 14having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.
These false teachers were so arrogant they are contrasted with angels who, even though they have great power, they defer to the authority of God.
Not only are they contrasted from angels, but they are compared to mere animals who deliberately and resolutely follow their instincts and take any measures to obtain what they desire.
D. The First False Teacher (2:15-16)
2 Peter 2:15-16 (NKJV) They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet.
The OT example of the prophet Balaam is used as an illustration of someone who was led astray by the lure of personal gain and was willing to curse the people of God in order to profit. These present false teachers are following the example and leading people astray for personal gain.
E. The Indictment Against False Teachers (2:17-22)
2 Peter 2:17-22 (NKJV) These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 18For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. 20For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire." 
Peter wraps up this chapter by adding on more of the characteristics that describe these false teachers (17-19).
Ultimately, they are hypocrites because they preach liberty, but they are slaves of corruption and lusts of the flesh. 
They and their followers have returned to the mire that Christ died to deliver them from.
Conclusion:
There have always been errors and false teachers springing up in the church. 
These errors that Peter addressed involved a number of facets, including arrogant claim to superior knowledge, and a belief that all matter is evil and the source of evil. Thus, Jesus existing in human flesh was not sinless and wasn’t truly God, so neither can we humans be truly pure and holy. Sin and corruption will always be a part of our “DNA” so we might as well enjoy our freedom, live the way we want, and hope for final deliverance in the next life.
Even today, there are ongoing errors that rise up in the church and among those who call themselves Christian. So it is absolutely essential that each of us remain committed to faithful reading and studying of the Word, as well as faithful seeking the power and illumination of the Spirit.
We constantly need God’s guidance and direction to remain true and faithful to Jesus Christ and His truth.

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