Discerning False Teaching

- Have you ever been deceived?...Where you believed something to be true, and then realized you were lied to and deceived. The Bible humbly reminds us that we all are easily tempted to believe false teaching.

- I remember when I became a Christian as a teenager. I was tempted to believe in false teaching. It creeped into my church where I grew up. It came through the small group book study through a student in the group who had recommended the book.

• Here is what the deception, the false teaching sounded like?

• The author was “repainting the Christian Faith”

• His goal was to re-think Christianity to the ”bare bones” or “the most basic elements”

• The author defined doctrine truths of the Bible like “springs” that hold up a trampoline. They are there for “the greater goal of finding our lives in God” The springs are not the main point, therefore right doctrine is not that important.

For example, the Trinity…

• “It is a spring, and people jumped for thousands of years without it. It was added later. We can take it out and examine it. Discuss it, probe it, question it. It flexes, and it stretches” (22)

The Virgin Birth…

• “What if that spring was seriously questioned? Could a person keep jumping? Could a person still love God? Could you still be a Christian?” (26).

• “Everybody’s interpretation is essentially his or her own opinion. Nobody is objective” (53).

• That’s quite contrary to what Peter said last week, “But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation” 2 Peter 1:20

This false teaching questioned the fundamentals of the Christian faith that Pastor Nitzschke mentioned last week and described them like they were just springs of human interpretations and opinions that you can take or leave and still get to God.

Why was this so appealing to me?

First, I could safely ignore just about any Christian doctrine that made me uncomfortable or didn’t fit my understanding of how things should be. That’s just an interpretation a mere “opinion” I don’t need to follow or obey God’s Word.

• The challenge though is as I read God’s Word, I began to see that an interpretation was already provided, God’s interpretation of what he intends to say according to his Word in the Bible.

• The Bible repeatedly mention the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus seems to reveal clearly that we make disciples in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus commands me to do this.

• In the birth of Christ it seems pretty clear that Mary is a virgin. She says she is. Joseph’s actions seem to suggest she was. God’s word and the angels and her own response all point pretty clear that Jesus was born of Mary, and she was a virgin.

Second, in this deceptive book the way he tried to present things seemed to have an openness, with questions, and rawness, with no hard edges or boundaries. This seemed so “inclusive and appealing,” since I had many friends who did not believe Jesus.

• The challenge though as I read the words of Jesus Christ, Jesus made incredibly exclusive claims…”I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

• Jesus spoke about the reality of hell.

• how there are two roads, one that leads to life and one that leads to destruction, and only those who has the Son, Jesus Christ, has life and those who do not have the Son of God, does not have life (1 John 5:12)

• He commanded people to repent, to turn from their evil ways and return God in faith for the forgiveness from sins because the just anger of God that is coming for those in rebellion against their Creator God remains on them.

The false teaching was incredibly tempting. I first gobbled it up as a teenager because it was a new and different presentation of the Bible that I had heard. I did not know much of the Bible at that time. As I began to read my bible more though I read something very different than what this book presented. I had a choice to either believe the beautiful and reliable truths of the Christian faith as recorded in the Bible about the good news of Jesus.

Or follow a false teaching that was “human repainting of Christianity” where the God of the Bible and the good news of Jesus Christ were abandoned so I could please the desires of my friends, and I could live however I wanted according to my opinion.

- It’s one thing to be deceived in a financial scam…- It’s far more serious when someone tries to deceive you doctrinally through 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…and by the power of God through the righteousness of Jesus we have everything we need for life and godliness…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.

- One of the ways to grow in grace and knowledge is to remind ourselves over and over the beauty and power of the gospel and its implications for our lives…

- 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 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 reason why we can have hope for Growing in Grace and Knowledge…

- 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…because it is from God.

-The first chapter 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 enjoying and 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 Nitschke 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 means “God-breathed” [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.

- 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 reminder that false teaching has been a constant temptation and reality throughout OT history among the people of God.

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, you will listen to God or someone else… - 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 most false 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…(and if you look at verse 4, Peter is going to mention angelic rebellion and judgment of demons (false teaching is doctrine of demons).

- 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.

- When Moses organized the nation of Israel and prepared them to enter the Promised Land…already the threat of false teachers was a real and present danger…

There are numerous examples we could point but as an example just before 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, a message that might be more acceptable to the desires of men…

- 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.”

- In their teaching they rejected Jesus as the Son of God and Messiah and lived contrary to his commands.

- 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 answer is found 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 the birth of the first church started in 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 will be 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…

- For example a number of years ago now Pastor Viars was seeking to lead our church to make some changes in our philosophy of music and worship…

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

- and, honestly, not everyone liked what was being said…which as servants of Christ we do not preach the Word of God to be liked…but there are right ways to handle disagreements, and there are wrong ways…- 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 when Pastor Viars traveled to represent the church somewhere and arrived back in town he found out that a couple of folks had been distributing a book about music and worship that was purposely contradicting what he had been teaching…

- and as it turned out – that book was filled with poor 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 did not have 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…

-Such false teaching can be secretly introduced into the church…and notice how we need to especially be aware and on-guard

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 Lord of your life…the false teachers believe you can call yourself a Christian and servant of God, yet by your actions and allegiances deny him as your Master.

- 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 when in the presence of false teaching? Youtube, Podcasts, books (many of the top selling “Christian books” may not necessarily accurately reflect the judgments of the Scriptures.

- Practically be on alert, when people are minimizing sin and suggesting not obeying the clear teachings of Christ.

- One of the best defenses is really knowing your Bible well. As a goal I would encourage you the rest of this year to seek to read through the NT and summarize and outline in a few high-level points what each book of the NT is about and the purpose it was written.

So, we need to be aware of the reality of false teaching and second…

II. Be Concerned about the Response to False Teaching

False teaching is so concerning because its not like just a few people follow it…

Many will follow their sensuality – v. 2a

Notice what characterizes the false teachers is their sensuality…their unrestrained debauched conduct and sexual immorality because they do not submit to Christ.

• Many follow the false man-made religion of Islam…many follow the false teaching man-made religion of Buddhism…Hinduism…many follow the false teaching man-made religion of Mormonism also known as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints.

Consider the times you were deceived by false teaching?

- What desires did the false teaching appeal to? What sensuality?

• Presently the individual opinions of our culture on gender and sexuality is a prevalent false teaching that many are buying into.

Why? It appeals to a person’s sensuality…

- It’s like what God emphasized in Romans 1

- 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…

one is called – The Rise and Fall of the Modern Self

- 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.

- Don’t you see the idolatry of this false teaching…I can shape and craft myself to be whatever fits my sensual desires even if it is contrary to God’s Word.

- 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 because…

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

False teachers and their sensuality will lead many to malign the way of truth…maligned means blasphemed…defamed…slandered…they disrespect the right doctrine of God and the gospel by their lives. They dishonor the beauty of God’s ways by their lives.

They are like the drunk person, who on someone else’s wedding day, whose actions dishonor the love displayed, distracting all the guests from the glory and beauty of that day.

They are like those who vandalized the beauty of Yosemite National Park with the spray paint, thinking some how the glory that painted was greater than the glory God revealed.

This is what false teaching does to the way of truth…they blaspheme the glory of Jesus Christ and the revealed beauty of his ways in the Word of God.

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…

- 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…it’s like the book I mentioned in the beginning when I was a teenager that seemed so cutting edge.. The author was “repainting the Christian Faith”

- 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…because the philosophies are not based in a biblical worldview of God, the nature of the Scriptures, the nature of man, Sin, Salvation etc.

- 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…

- 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 in ways contrary to Scripture – or that deemphasizes the role of the soul – contrary to Scripture, 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 and Pastor Viars…they were early leaders in the BC movement – and they very easily could have looked for ways to “monetize” what they were doing…

- Such as our biblical counseling to the community which we do not charge hourly rates or fees.

- 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…

- The next verses remind us about the certainty of God’s judgment.

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.

- Consider reading each book of the bible and summarizing the book in 1-2 sentences so you are familiar with the content of the book and the purpose and major themes.

- Consider reading one of resources recommended such as Carl Trueman’s book…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