2 Peter 2:1-3

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

Coming from last week, literally the verse before the start of this section of text, we have confirmation and assurance that prophecy comes only from God through man and never from man directly.  Now we’re reminded that throughout history there have been false prophets and warned that there will be false teachers that can infiltrate the church. I appreciated the tie in, the acknowledgment that this is not a new issue, as that seemed to be an overarching theme to me in this section of text. 

False teachers who will, “bring in destructive heresies” which is a broad caution but more specifically, “even denying the Master who bought them.” The idea of destructive heresy within the church is not difficult to imagine, we know there are unfortunately plenty of broken, dysfunctional churches today, but the specific extreme of denying the Master who bought them really shows the depth of their unrighteousness. Bearing in mind the social context and that the idea of slaves at the time (while not great), is not the same thing as the Atlantic slave trade and thinking of the Roman slave as more so a part of the household. Then consider the context that God is our Master and his method of purchasing us was to take on flesh, live a perfect life, die sacrificially and come back to life to ransom us from death and eternal separation. To deny Him, to spurn the love and grace of He who is highest and most holy is deep and bitter blasphemy. It makes complete sense that doing so brings swift destruction. The “swift destruction” immediately makes me think of Matthew 7:26-27, “And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” God in his perfection is supreme in His execution of justice – this great sin against Him and His bride will not go unpunished.

I would think that these false teachers would be obvious, that they’d stick out like a sore thumb and be removed or corrected immediately, but it next says that, “many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.” It was very significant to me that the word used to describe their appeal was “sensuality” as I’ve noticed a prevalent caution against sexual temptation in particular throughout scripture. God refers to Israel as “whoring” after idols, false gods and protection outside of his hand (this happens more than once, but Ezekiel 16 in particular comes to mind). David and Solomon, both Godly and righteous in so many regards found stumbling blocks in the form of sexual sin. The New Testament is scattered with warning after warning against sensuality, sexual immorality and lust. While all sin is wicked and ungodly, there seems to be a particular caution against the toxic, almost poisonous nature of sexual sin. In likening the messages of the false teachers there is a warning that they may very well fall sweetly on the ears, they may be tempting as they will appeal to sin nature which lets them attempt to twist and blaspheme truth.

The reasoning and motive for the false teacher is immediately explained as well, and this too is not a new concept: greed. Why does any false teacher, from prosperity gospel preachers to cult leaders do what they do? Greed for money, for power, for influence. “Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

So what do we do? How do we combat this perversion of the truth and avoid tempting lies – a relentless and wicked plan of the enemy that is by all accounts ancient but effective. The answer isn’t hidden and could be found in a multitude of passages, but I think John 8:42-44 gives a solid place to land, “Jesus said to them, ‘If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.’”

Satan is the father of lies. That means that as long as there has been sin there has been twisting of the truth. But the length of days the enemy has been plotting isn’t an answer. The question becomes, do you love God? Are you looking to his desires, his glorification and not your own? Are you spending time studying his word and seeking knowledge from the true Teacher? Are you living in such a way as to cultivate the armor we’re told to put on in Ephesians 6? Because if so, the schemes of the devil WILL falter.

One of my closest friends and mentors has a saying. When he was a kid, not paying attention in Sunday school and was asked a question about the day’s lesson he would reply, “pray, read the Bible, go to church, witness, tithe” because one of those was bound to be the answer. Now he uses this expression for when someone phones in an answer with no critical thinking behind it. It is the answer of someone who is just checking boxes.

The solution to the issue pointed out in today’s passage seems quite plain: If someone is diligently surrendering themselves to God, reading his word and seeking his will then the lies and schemes of the false teacher will be evident and the deception will fail. But if you’re approaching your faith and relationship with God with a “pray, read the Bible, go to church, witness, tithe” attitude you’re going to be rag dolled by the schemes of the enemy and the greedy lies of men. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Allowing him to fill your heart means you have become filled with truth. It is in him we are spared from both condemnation and destruction.

Pastor Chris’s sermon on this text: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2H9YRWYcYw