Discerning False Teaching

- Have you ever been deceived?...I suppose we all have…

- I’m no athlete by any stretch of the imagination but I do like to get out and run fairly regularly…and we have a special running chair for the Bear so that’s an activity that he and I can do together…

- One thing I like about running is that it doesn’t require a lot of equipment, although I have learned that you have to buy good shoes…and you have to replace them every 500 miles or so…

- for many years I could find good deals on close-out models…it didn’t matter to me if I had the latest version…so you could usually get a pair for about $60 which was a whole lot better than the 100+ dollars you would pay for new ones…

- then during the COVID days, for some reason it became harder to find the close-out models…

- and there’s just something about paying full price for an item that’s going to give you pain that doesn’t sit well with me…

- so anyway, one night about a month ago an add popped up on FB from a company claiming to have a sale on Brooks brand running shoes at the close-out price of $20 a pair…

- I’ve never found them online that cheap before…but it looked authentic…and I think I really wanted it to be authentic…

- so I not only bought one pair…I bought three pair, thinking this could get me through a couple of years of running…

- well, the good news is that the company accepted my credit card payment right away…whoever was running this deal had that part of transaction down to a science…

- the bad news is – I never received my shoes…and although I’m trying to be reimbursed through my credit card company…

- the bottom line is – it sure looks like I fell for that…and it appears that I was deceived…

- Now, that’s one kind of bad – when someone takes advantage of your financially, or that I was gullible enough to let that happen…

- but what’s far worse than that?...it’s when someone tries to deceive you doctrinally…I’m talking about the scourge of false teaching…and that’s the subject to which the apostle Peter is now going to turn his attention.

- With that in mind, please open your Bible to 2 Peter chapter 2…page 183 of the back section of the Bible under the chair in front of you…

- our theme this year is Hope for Everyday Life…and this fall we’re planning to do a verse-by-verse study of the book of 2 Peter entitled…Growing in Grace and Knowledge…

- that’s taken from one of the theme verses that occurs right at the end of the book -- 2 Peter 3:18 - but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

- as it turns out as we read the book…there are many different ways that followers of Jesus Christ can, and need to, grow in grace and knowledge…

- in the first chapter, there was an emphasis on rejoicing in the beauty and the purity of the gospel of Jesus Christ…he addressed the book… 2 Peter 1:1 - To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:

- and Peter said – it doesn’t matter if you’ve heard the gospel many times before…

- 2 Peter 1:12–15 - Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.

- so apparently, one of the ways to grow in grace and knowledge is to remind ourselves and rejoice in over and over the beauty and power of the gospel…

- Chapter 1 also emphasized the issue of the sufficiency of the Scripture…Peter said…

- 2 Peter 1:3 - seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

- and he carried that theme throughout chapter 1 until the climax where he affirmed that…

- 2 Peter 1:20–21 - But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

- there’s another strong reason why we can have hope for Growing in Grace and Knowledge…

- it’s because God has given us in His Word, all we need for life and godliness…and the form in which it’s been delivered is absolutely reliable…

- So I think we would say that all of that is very positive, and delightfully so…BUT…now chapter 2 is going to focus on the other side of the equation…

- it’s not just benefitting from what is true…it’s also learning to recognize and avoid what is false…

- Read 2 Peter 2:1-3

- So we’re talking about Discerning False Teaching…and in the time we have remaining, let’s think about three necessary actions to guard against being spiritually deceived.

I. Be Aware of the Reality of False Teachers

- the word “but” at the beginning of chapter 2 signals a clear shift in logic from what Peter had been discussing in chapter 1…

- in fact, it’s about as clear contrast as we could imagine…

- because the end of chapter 1 spoken about reliable prophets who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit and therefore could be trusted as “speaking from God”…

- as Pastor Green explained last week – that’s referring to process of inspiration that Paul also discussed in 2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

- inspired is the Greek word theopneustas [develop meaning]…

- that was and is an incredible gift from God to the church – that we would have a body of truth that is 100% reliable…

- that’s why Paul also referred to the church of Jesus Christ as 1 Timothy 3:15 - but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

- that’s why Jude could speak about… Jude 3 - …the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints.

- so thank the Lord for the reliable prophets who were used by God to record His Word…

- all of that is great until you get to the “but” of 2 Peter 2:1…

- 2:1 – “But false prophets…”

- that surely was intended to grab his readers’ attention…

- and why should we be aware of them according to the rest of this verse?...

A. Because of their history in the OT

- When Peter said that…2 Peter 2:1 - But false prophets also arose among the people…we believe he was looking back to the regrettable role that false teaching has always played in the economy of God…beginning with whom?...

1. Satan himself

- known as John 8:44 – The father of lies…

- his very first interaction with Adam and Eve was to tempt them to adopt false teaching - Genesis 3:1 - Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said…

- a few verses later in that conversation he told Eve “you won’t surely die”…some of the falsest teaching that has ever been proposed to anyone in the human race…

- and unfortunately – how did that test go?...when Adam and Eve had to decide—would they believe what was true or would they believe what was false?...

- no wonder Peter would want them to be aware of this reality…

- this was also an issue…

2. In the nation of Israel’s earliest days

- Deuteronomy 13:5 - But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has counseled rebellion against the Lord your God who brought you from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, to seduce you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from among you.

- it’s pretty amazing that even as Moses is involved in the initial organization of the nation of Israel and preparing them to enter the Promised Land…already the threat of false teachers is a real and present danger…

- I’m skipping all sorts of examples for sake of time…but this issue also came into focus prominently just prior the 70-year captivity of the children of Israel in Babylon…

- God told them it was going to be 70 years…and yet some false prophets rose up and said no, it’s only going to last 2 years…

- and that’s something about false prophets – they become popular in part because they tell people they want to hear…

- and one of those men was named Hananiah – and here’s what happened to him…Jeremiah 28:11 - Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Even so will I break within two full years the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all the nations.’

- that was simply not true – it was false prophecy…and here’s what happened a few verses later…

- Jeremiah 28:15–17 - Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie. “Therefore thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. This year you are going to die, because you have counseled rebellion against the Lord.’ ” So Hananiah the prophet died in the same year in the seventh month.

- Peter was right – false prophets had also arose among the people historically…it was also a problem…

3. During the life of Christ

- some of Jesus’ strongest rebukes were against these same kind of people…

- Mark 12:38–40 - In His teaching He was saying: “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes, and like respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation.”

- these are the kind of instances Peter had in mind when he said that false prophets arose among the people…we ought to beware of this reality because it’s always been the case…

- now you might say – well why would the Lord allow this?...

- one hint came in the book of 1 Corinthians when Paul said -- 1 Corinthians 11:19 - For there must also be factions among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.

- false teaching gives you an opportunity, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to stretch your theological muscles and determine what you believe the Word of God says is true…and that happened throughout the OT and right into the life of Christ…

- but it doesn’t stop there…because Peter goes on to say…we ought to be aware…

B. Because of their present reality in the church

- 2 Peter 2:1 - But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you..

- and you know that had to break Peter’s heart…because he loved the church…

- he was the one in Matthew 16 that Jesus had chosen to reveal that he (Christ) was going to build the church

- Peter had been part of that exciting endeavor being started throughout the book of Acts…

- and imagine how it would impact him at the end of his life to have to say…false teaching wasn’t just something that plagued OT Israel…it’s potentially alive and well among you also…and please notice the level of certainty – he didn’t say “there might be” – he said “there will be”…and what does he then say they will do?...

C. Because of their methodology

- 2 Peter 2:1 - …who will secretly introduce destructive heresies…

- do you see the sinister nature of all of this?...

- and it can happen here…in fact it has happened here…

- A number of years ago now I was seeking to lead our church to make some changes in our philosophy of music and worship…

- so we took an entire summer and taught what the Word of God says about that…

- and, honestly, not everyone liked what was being said…which is fine…

- in fact, Scripture calls upon men and women to be Bereans…remember that from Acts 17…where Luke observed that Acts 17:11 - Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

- so there’s certainly nothing wrong with someone disagreeing with what I or one of our pastors was saying…but there are right ways to handle disagreements, and there are wrong ways…

- so one week I was out traveling representing the church somewhere and arrived back in town to find out that a couple of folks had been distributing a book about music and worship that was purposely contradicting what I had been teaching…

- in the dark of night, behind my back – there’s no nice way to say it…

- and as it turned out – that book was filled with bad theology – including the suggestion that if a piece of music tempted you to respond physically in any way including tapping your foot…it was evil and shouldn’t be used in the church…which is Greek dualism not a biblical view of the body or of Christian worship…

- and it would be one thing if someone wanted to come in the light of day and have a reasoned conversation about their questions and concerns…but…

- unfortunately, the word “secretly” is an important part of this discussion…no wonder Peter wants the people of God to be aware of all of this…

- and you might say – why did you even mention that story this am?...

- because it would be a mistake for us to think that what Peter is discussing here could never impact us…

D. Because of their extent

- 2 Peter 2:1 - …who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them…

- remember Peter had introduced himself at the beginning of this book as a bond-servant of Jesus Christ…

- well, false teachers suggest that you can be a Christian without acknowledging Jesus as the rightful Lord of your life…

- that is heresy…haireseis – denotes an opinion, especially a self-willed opinion, which is substituted for submission to the power of truth, and leads to division and the formation of sects (W.E. Vine, An Expository Dictionary of NT Words, 2:217).

- so what is Peter arguing for here?...How did he want this information to affect his readers, and how does the Lord want it to affect us?

- and the answer is that we would grow in discernment…in caution…in a level of carefulness about who/what we’re listening to…

- and that leads to an obvious question for all of us, doesn’t it?...how aware are you, and how concerned are you, and how cautious are you about the potential presence of false teaching?

II. Be Concerned about the Response to False Teaching

- verse 2 reports the unfortunate reality that…

A. Many will follow their sensuality – v. 2a

- it’s like the Garden of Eden – it’s one thing for Satan to offer false counsel to Adam and Eve – it’s something entirely different that Adam and Eve actually listened…

- and please notice what Peter highlights about these false teachers – it appeals to a person’s sensuality…

- either God made our bodies…and because He’s the Master, He decides how we use them…and because we’re the bondservants – we joyfully submit to His prophetic Word….

- or our bodies simply evolved – so there is no ultimate authority outside ourselves – so our feelings determine reality – and we decide what is right for our individualistic prophetic selves…

- the options could not be more stark…

- this has Romans 1 mapped all over it…

- Romans 1:18–25 - For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

- if you’d like to do more study on this subject, I’d encourage you to consider a couple of books by Professor Carl Trueman…

- admittedly, this is a hard book to read…but there is a very helpful article on the Nine Marks website entitled Summary of Carl Trueman’s, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution

- Trueman also wrote a summary of Rise and Fall entitled Strange New World – you can find a summary of this book on the Nine Marks website as well…as well as several other reliable places like the Gospel Coalition’s review by Shane Morris …

- Morris wrote - You’re not crazy for feeling disoriented right now. Something has changed dramatically in our society. Watching a man win a women’s swimming championship, seeing satire accounts banned from Twitter for referring to a male public official as a man, and hearing a Supreme Court nominee refuse to define “woman” in her confirmation hearings is all strange—very strange. And it raises the urgent questions of how we got to this point and why it seems to have happened so quickly.

- He went on to observe that -- Millions of our neighbors now believe that human beings can sculpt themselves into whatever they desire, if necessary through hormones, surgery, and legislation.

- part of the challenge is – if you stand up to that, you’re viewed as the bad guy…

- but if we don’t stand up to it…what just happened…we could find ourselves right in the middle of 2 Peter 2:2 – many will follow their sensuality…may God protect and deliver us from that…Peter goes on to say…

B. The way of truth will be maligned – v. 2b

- now again, let’s try to make that as practical as we possibly can to where we live…

- how could that happen here?...

- the answers to that question are practically endless…and if we thought about it long enough…could even be a bit frightening…and maybe that’s in part the effect Peter wanted these words to have on his readers…how could that happen here?...

1. One answer is through our school – I am a strong supporter of Christian Education in general and our school in particular – but we must stand firm and vigilant in our protection and promotion of a distinctively Christian philosophy of education…that’s a hundred times more important than how the band sounds or how the soccer team played…although a rightly articulated Christian philosophy of education can and should result in excellence in the way the trumpet player sounds and the soccer player kicks…

- educational philosophy is a potential doorway for false teaching…where the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ could be maligned…

2. Another answer is through the door of our counseling ministry…

- God has given us somewhat of a leadership position in the counseling world…

- it would be wise for all of us to remind ourselves from time to time of what Warren Wiersbe said in his book – the Integrity Crisis…– I’m paraphrasing – but his essential point was – pastors and churches make a big mistake when we start believing our own press clippings…

- when you mix pride and a lust for approval…that is a very dangerous brew…

- if we want people to think we’re smart, or intelligent, or well-reasoned, or Avant-guard…

- here’s what that can look like – let me tell you something new…a novel insight to the Christian life that has never been considered before…or at least never heard around here…

- you may recall this description by the apostle Paul of the end days where mankind is 2 Timothy 3:7 - always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

- that reminds us of Luke’s observation in Acts 17 - Acts 17:21 - (Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new.)

- its amazing how many new counseling philosophies are developed by the world and some in the church want to wed those ideas with Scripture in ways where regrettably, the truth of God’s Word is maligned…

- one recent example is Basil Van de Kolk’s bestselling book –The Body Keeps the Score

- the thesis of his book is this…The body keeps the score: If the memory of trauma is encoded in the viscera, in heartbreaking and gut-wrenching emotions, in autoimmune disorders and skeletal/muscular problems, and if mind/brain/visceral communication is the royal road to emotion regulation, this demands a radical shift in our therapeutic assumptions. (B. Van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score, pp. 12-13)

- his argument is that your physical body can cause immaterial responses…therefore if certain things have happened to you in your past…and that is triggered in some way…your body is determinative…

- so now we have a new term in the BC world – are you trauma informed?...do you do trauma informed counseling?...

- which places us in somewhat of a dilemma…because the Bible is filled with stories of people who are traumatized…and many of the people with whom we have the privilege of working would say they’ve been traumatized in some way…

- so in that sense, we’re trauma informed…but not in the sense that we have adopted all the conclusions of Basil Van Der Kolk…

- because we believe the most important aspect of any human being is the condition of our soul…our heart…our inner person…

- and if you’d like to study that further – I’d be happy to send you a research paper by Professor Greg Gifford of Masters University –…here’s one of his concluding statements… the body is a complex gift to man that provides life, functioning, health, and other contributions to mankind’s existence. The soul is that of utmost value, and it is the soul that will never cease to exist. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26). It is the author’s conclusion, as has been demonstrated, that the body only causes physical responses and can only influence immaterial responses—of note, the body never causes immaterial responses. In this way, the body does not keep the score, the soul does. (Gifford, ACBC Colloquium Paper, p. 24).

- the point is – if we run to this new emphasis in the world so that we’ll be viewed by others as intelligent or cutting edge – we very well may have adopted a theory that over-emphasizes the role of the body – and deemphasizes the role of the soul – and if that ever occurs, what just happened…the way of truth will be maligned…

- and then Peter says…

C. Because of their greed you will be exploited – v. 3a

- false teachers are often after your money…that emphasis frequently comes up in God’s Word…

- that’s one of the reasons I loved following Pastor Goode and Dr. Smith…they were early leaders in the BC movement – and they very easily could have looked for ways to “monetize” what they were doing…

- for those of you who knew Pastor Goode and Dr. Smith – do you think they ever one time used the word “monetize”?....or look for ways to personally benefit financially from what they were teaching?...

- [could develop Pastor Goode’s love for pastors from smaller, poorer churches…which is why in the early days of the Missionary Training Conference – he insisted that the mid-day lunch be provided by our church, and be large)

- there’s one more emphasis that flows out of this passage…and that is to…

III. Be Grieved about the Future of False Teachers

A. Bring swift destruction upon themselves – v. 1e

- Peter’s not just concerned about false teaching, he’s concerned about the consequences of being a false teacher…

B. Their judgment is not idle – v. 3b

- Jesus Christ loves His church too much to allow it to be idle…

C. Their destruction is not asleep – v. 3c

- perhaps this is why the apostle Paul said - 2 Timothy 2:23–26 - But refuse foolish and ignorant speculations, knowing that they produce quarrels. The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

- so what are some of the positive take-aways for people like you and me after hearing a study of verses like these:

Positive Take-Aways

1. Be a Berean.

- regardless of the pastor who’s speaking, including what I’ve just said today. Thank you for your careful attention – now think this through and search the Scriptures to see whether what I’ve said is so.

2. Grow in your understanding of biblical truth and theology.

- you might want to take me up on the challenge of reading Greg Gifford’s research paper or one of Carl Trueman’s books…it’s part of growing in the Grace and Knowledge

3. Expose your family to solid biblical teaching and resources

- this is one of the reasons so many people faithfully attend the services of this church

4. Promote and support theological education

- develop – our seminary

- develop – our policy here to pay for advanced degrees for staff members