2 Peter 2:1-3 – 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.
As Peter is nearing the end of his life, he writes the three chapters of 2 Peter reminding us in the opening and closing chapter that we can trust the Scriptures, and in the middle (chapter 2) that Satan will send false prophets and teachers to twist God’s Word just as he did with Adam and Eve in the Garden. From Peter, we learn the following five principles for discernment:
- To be for something, you have to be against something else. So, if you are for life you are against murder, if you are for truth you are against lies, and if you are for God you are against Satan.
- If you have something valuable, prepare to defend it. The two primary ways to get something is to either earn it or steal it like Satan who is a “thief”.
- What God creates, Satan counterfeits. The Bible often uses words like “false” to denote such things as “false prophets” and “false teachers” who counterfeit true prophets and true teachers.
- Ungodly people with godless agendas and beliefs begin their infiltration to Christian ministries and churches “secretly”. They are covert like Judas, not overt like Jesus. They are sneaky, deceptive, and hide their disagreement and disdain.
- Taking in ungodly beliefs and agendas from the world, they “bring in destructive heresies”. A heretic is not someone who simply disagrees with you. A heretic is someone who disagrees with God. A heretic is someone who has violated a closed-handed Christian doctrine, not an open-handed Christian doctrine. Today, examples abound in matters like gender, marriage, and sexuality as most theological issues are really moral issues. People who have a problem with their Bible usually really have a problem with their belt.
Under heretics is always the same old counterfeit trinity of sex, money, and power. The reason they have parades is because, “many will follow their sensuality” as demons from “long ago” give them great power and favor as self-indulgence always sells better than self-control.
Have you ever believed anything heretical? Who do you personally know that believes heresy?
To download the free e-book Power Under Pressure which is a study in 2 Peter for individuals, groups, and families from Pastor Mark click HERE. To listen to Pastor Mark’s 4 sermons on 2 Peter preached in the summer of 2020, visit realfaith.com. These and other resources are made possible by our ministry partners who support Real Faith as a Bible teaching ministry of Mark Driscoll Ministries to whom we say THANK YOU!