Read 2 Peter 2:4-10
Then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, especially those who follow the polluting desires of the flesh. 2 Peter 2:9-10
Christian History
Down through history, believers have had to face problems from within the Church: false prophets and teachers. There were Gnostics, Arians and more that taught lies and deception.
Last week we read that “many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute” (2 Peter 1:2). Trust me, they will not go unpunished. They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done.
This is a great tragedy: those set to destroy the church from within are destined for destruction.
In our Generation
As near as 1993, The Tampa Bay Times, reported that Clayton Sullivan, a Baptist preacher turned college professor, wrote a book about the Second Coming. He wrote that Jesus returns as a woman. The book “Sweet Pilgrim Baptist Church: depicts a female Christ returning to Earth with a female Simon Peter.
Imagine in our world of gender dysphoria how this book could change what someone believes about the second coming of Christ.
Eastern Lightening
They are a “persecuted” group in China and seek asylum abroad. The National Commission for the Right of Asylum published and shared with other countries a report on “Persecution for religious reasons in China: Church of Almighty God. The group started by an “unnamed Chinese woman” who, with revelations she said, came from the Holy Spirit. She entered the United States in 1995 and was granted political asylum in 1996. She lives in New York and directs the movement from there.
This is one they teach: Human history is broken down into “God’s six-thousand year management plan” divided into three stages: The Age of Law, when God as Jehovah guided Israel; the Age of Grace, when God as Jesus Christ saved humanity (but did not eradicate its sinful nature); and the Age of Kingdom, inaugurated in 1991, when God is his present incarnation as Almighty God reveals the fullness of truth and works to free humans from their sinfulness.
It does not view the Bible as God’s word but as a human work with flaws.
Sadly, they are marked for destruction.
Marked for Destruction
Sinning Angels
God condemned the sinning angels to the lowest depths of hell — in chains of darkness. If the angels, who are created into heavenly beings, sinned against God and were punished, then how much more shall today’s false prophets/teachers.
Angels could not rebel against God and escape the consequences. How shall we escape?
The Flood
The Lord saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved Him to His heart. Genesis 6:5-6
Look carefully and you see the heart of God. He was grieved, and sorry for how the ancient world had turned out in a sinful world. He could only find one man who truly sought Him, and his name was Noah.
We all know the story of the great flood. Noah was saved with seven others. He was a preacher who had done his best to turn people from their wicked ways. In the middle of a wicked generation, Noah remained faithful.
Noah did not conform to the world. Some argue that the most dangerous sin of all is “conformity”. Noah chose the harder right than the easier wrong. Noah tried very hard to bring light in darkness, guidance to the wandering soul, and warning against those who go astray.
But in the end, only eight people were not marked for destruction.
Sodom and Gomorrah
The story of depravity and sin, after the flood, is in Genesis 18:16 to 19:22.
The Lord revealed to Abraham what he was going to do to Sodom and Gomorrah. So, he pleaded with God not to destroy the righteous with the guilty. He assumed at least ten people were righteous out of the hundred or thousands of citizens. If God had found ten then Sodom and Gomorrah would have been saved.
God sent angelic visitors and Lot knew just how evil the place was and gave them a safe place to sleep. Only, during the night, the men ofSodom demanded that he give them the strangers (angels) so they could rape them. Of course, they did not get their way and Lot, wife, and two daughters were rescued. The cities were marked for destruction.
Poor Lot lived among them and he was a good man. The very sight of the evil distressed him greatly. Sodom was a cesspool of sin. Lot lived in it as yet remained faithful. He was never “accustomed” to it and was in shock and revulsion every time.
Only one, Lot, was found righteous. His wife turned to salt after looking back, and his daughters thought nothing of incest.
God’s response to such sin left nothing but ash and a clear warning in Scripture.
Jesus’ Warning
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, you will know them by their fruits. Matthew 7:15-20 NRSV.
Jesus answered, you faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Matthew 17:17 NRSV.
Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name and do many deeds of power in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers. Matthew 7:21-23 NRSV.
The key to Jesus’ warning about false teachers/prophets is that they are out of God’s will and will be marked for destruction. You and I will know them by their fruit, but God will know them by their heart.
How Now Should We Live
Trust Jesus’s gift to the Church:
He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens so that He might fill all things. The gifts He gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. Ephesians 4:10-13 NRSV.
Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are sent to us Christians to keep our eyes of Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith. But we need to be in God’s Word and test the spirits of those who claim to be from God and are not. We will know them by their fruits.
Why do you think the Eastern Lightning doesn’t follow God’s eternal, breathed out word?
Unity of Faith
Examine the preachers and teachers around you. Double-check their words and make sure you know God’s Word for yourself. Stay away from people who tell you to listen to them alone and don’t be tossed to and fro from their teaching.
We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. Ephesians 5:15 NRSV.
Call to Action
Simon Peter heard these words from Christ just before he betrayed him, “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail, and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. (Luke 22:31-32 NRSV)
As we read Chapter 2 of 2nd Peter, let us remember that Peter is following God’s will to strengthen us. He knows that Satan demands to sift us all like wheat, but Christ prays for our faith not to fail.
Trust the Lord — He will never fail you nor forsake you. If you hear false prophets or listen to false teachers, run as fast as you can to the Secret Place, open Sacred Scripture and pray to our Heavenly Father who will reward you in secret (Matthew 6:6).
Those false prophets and teachers are marked for destruction. You are marked for eternal life.
Heavenly Father, help me. I would rather not be tossed to and fro by false doctrine. I will not fear false prophets or teachers because You are with me. Furthermore, I live the “with-God” life. Open my eyes to see only You, clear my ears to hear only You, and set my mind only on You. On my forehead, mark me as yours alone — seal me securely in the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Leave a Reply