Merchandising The Word of God, Part #2

2 Peter 2:1  But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

I. That there would be such false teachers the apostle expressly states in 2 Peter 2:1; and incidentally in that verse, and elsewhere in the chapter, he notices some of their characteristics, or some of the doctrines which they would hold.

(a.) They would deny the Lord that bought them, 2 Peter 2:1.

There are many damnable peculiar doctrines that deny God, his rightful place.   In the most simplest form we are taught that Good is busy everyday directing the affairs of men.  It is based upon the thesis that God is in control and taken to the 'N degree', he is controlling every aspect of human endeavor.  Therefore, when the young child dies a horrific death at the hands of a drunk driver, we say it was the will of God.  It is hard for many to believe in this concept when we look at the condition of the family, community, nation and world.  In  Ephesians 2:2 Paul referred to  the prince of the powers of the air, of the spirit that now worketh in the sons of disobedience; but the sellable god we have created is so busy handing out blessings, he does not have time to think about such things as judgment. 

Denying God is more than saying, “I do not believe in God,” the Children of Isreal denied God at the base of the Holy mountain all the while they were dancing, shouting and praising their god for delivering them.  The story unfolds in Exodus 32:1-10  When we misdirect our praise and honor we are denying God his rightful place.  Many worship services are designed around the concept of heaping praise and honor upon the creation rather than the creator. 

Even denying the Lord that bought them. This must mean that they held doctrines which were in fact a denial of the Lord, or the tendency of such things which would be a denial of the Lord. We cannot suppose that, while they professed to be Christians, they would openly and avowedly deny the Lord.  To "deny the Lord" is to withhold from him, in our belief and profession, anything which is essential to a proper conception of him.

To make false promises in the name of God is to deny the power of God.  To trivialize the name of God is to deny the supremacy of God.  To reference God's power to make you look impressive is the same as denying the very existence of God.  Many public speakers once again have begun to play the "somebody card" on television and on the social media to impress and gain followers.   During any given month, somebody will be blessed with a huge sum of money, somebody will be blessed a new car.  Is this a true representation of God at work?  Even a drunk could pull of this act.  When God works nobody can claim the credit.

(b.) They would be influenced by covetousness, and their object in their attempting to seduce others from the faith, and to induce them to become followers of themselves, would be to make money, 2Peter 2:3.

Money has become the key to salvation as professed by those who seek to get rich at the expense of the people of God.  The doctrine that many teach and preach is that if you give money, God will open the windows of Heaven and pour out a blessing that you will not have room to receive.   This is a play on Malachi 3:10.  With elaborating on an issue and a concept that has been wrongly used, I will make this assertion, "the tithes were never intended to be used to fatten the purse of the priest."  The above misquoted scripture is probably one of the most quoted scripture in the bible. Unfortunately, it is being quoted out of context and used as a weapon of mass intimidation, manipulation, extortion, oppression, cajolery and outright lies and deceit used by some church leaders to collect ten percent of the gross income of their church members who have been hoodwinked and indoctrinated into believing that they are doing God’s will.   

To understand what tithes really mean one would have to understand the social reasons and cultural / religious setting within which it was situated this concept of tithes was properly explained in the Bible as stated in the laws of the tithe which can be found in the books of Leviticus 27 : 30 – 34, Numbers 18 : 25 – 31 and Deuteronomy 14 : 22 – 29. Upon reading these passages, one would understand what tithes really mean, but unfortunately most pastors prefer to neglect these passages that tell us the true meaning of tithes and emphasize on Malachi 3 : 8 - 10 which was directed to the Levites of that time to remit the priest’s share of the tithes they collected to him.  Truth is, the status quo will always be defended by the indoctrinated few.

(c.) They would be corrupt, beastly, and licentious in their conduct; and it would be one design of their teaching to show that the indulgence of gross passions was not inconsistent with religion; 2Peter 2:10, "that walk after the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness;" 2 Peter 2:12, "as natural brute beasts;" "shall perish in their own corruption;" 2 Peter 2:14, "having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin;" 2 Peter 2:22, "the dog has returned to his own vomit again."

More and more the corrupt,  beastly, and licentious ways of those that claim to be messengers of God are coming to the light and there is a rush to silence those who have the audacity to speak out.  The Bible is being used to threaten and intimidate as the indoctrination fails and the sins of the false messengers are laid bare.

(d.) They would be proud, arrogant, and self-willed; men who would despise all proper government, and who would be thoroughly "radical" in their views; 2 Peter 2:10, and despise government; presumptuous are they and self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities;" 2 Peter 2:18, "they speak great swelling words of vanity."

(e.) They were persons who had been formerly of corrupt lives, but who had become professing Christians. This is implied in 2 Peter 2:20-22. They are spoken of as having "escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ;" as "having known the ways of righteousness," but as having turned again to their former corrupt practices and lusts; "it has happened to them according to the true proverb".  There were various classes of persons in primitive times, coming under the general appellation of the term Gnostic, to whom this description would apply, and it is probable that they had begun to preach their doctrines in the times of the apostles. Among those persons were the Ebionites, Corinthians, Nicolaitanes, etc.  Jesus said he hated the Nicolaitanes.  Revelation 2:6  But this thou hast, that thou hatest the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.

II. These false teachers would obtain followers, and their teachings would be likely to allure many. This is intimated more than once in the chapter: 2 Peter 2:2, "and many shall follow their pernicious ways;" 2 Peter 2:3, "and through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you;" 2 Peter 2:14, "beguiling unstable souls." 2 Peter 2:18.

The techqunics of the false prophet is described by Peter as someone who use words, to attract or tempt by something flattering or desirable, to fascinate; charm. 

When the prophet said, " God said, that thing you have been praying for has been released, you blessing is on it way, all you got to do is claim it and receive it."   The prophet just declared it, God's ATM machine is working full time to insure that you get what you need to build up your treasures here on earth..

III. They would certainly be punished. A large part of the chapter is taken up in proving this point, and especially in showing from the examples of others who had erred in a similar manner, that they could not escape destruction. In doing this, the apostle refers to the following facts and illustrations:

(1.) The case of the angels that sinned, and that were cast down to hell, 2 Peter 2:4. If God brought such dreadful punishment on those who were once before his throne, wicked men could have no hope of escape.

(2.) The case of the wicked in the time of Noah, who were cut off by the flood, 2 Peter 2:5.

(3.) The case of Sodom and Gomorrah, 2 Peter 2:6.

(4.) The character of the persons referred to was such that they could have no hope of escape.

(a.) They were corrupt, sensual, presumptuous, and self willed, and were even worse than the rebel angels had been--men that seemed to be made to be taken and destroyed, 2 Peter 2:10-12.

(b.) They were spotted and blemishes, sensual and adulterers, emulating the example of Balaam, who was rebuked by even a dumb ass for his iniquity, 2 Peter 2:13-16.

(c.) They allured others to sing under the specious promise of liberty, while they were themselves the slaves of debased appetites, and gross and sensual passions, 2 Peter 2:17-19. 

Next

Damnable heresies.

Heresies of destruction