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Proverbs 10:22-32
22 The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with
it.
23 To do evil is like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom.
24 The fear of the wicked will come upon him,
And the desire of the righteous will be granted.
25 When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has
an everlasting foundation.
26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the
eyes, So is the lazy man to those who send him.
27 The fear of the LORD prolongs days, But the
years of the wicked will be shortened.
28 The hope of the righteous will be gladness, But the expectation
of the wicked will perish.
29 The way of the LORD is strength for the upright, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.
30 The righteous will never be removed, But the
wicked will not inhabit the earth.
31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth
wisdom, But the perverse tongue will be cut out.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is
acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what
is perverse.
Father God, give us discernment so we can reject false
doctrine. In Jesus name we pray, Amen!
Book of II Peter 2:12-22
NKJV
Our last lesson ended with the doom of false teachers.
This week we continue with these false teachers and delve into the depravity of
the false teachers and the deception of false teachers.
12 But
these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of
the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own
corruption,
But these, like natural brute beasts; “But these,”
is speaking of false teachers/preachers. These are pretty harsh words to be
calling preachers and teachers of the Bible brute beasts. In Peter’s point of
view he is comparing them to irrational animals that are often hunted and destroyed;
that they are like fierce and savage beasts that exercise no control over their
appetites; that seem to be made only to be destroyed. The word “natural,” means
they as animals, are by nature following their natural appetites and instincts.
False teachers and preachers exercised no more restraint over their passions
than beasts do over their natural instincts. They are entirely under the
dominion of the sin nature, and do not allow their reason or conscience to
exert any constraint. Man has the ability to reason, and should allow it to
control his passions. Brutes or beasts have no rational nature, and it is to be
expected that they will act out their behavior they are born with without
restraint. Man, as an animal, has many passions and appetites resembling those
of the brute beast, but he is also endowed with a higher nature, which is
designed to regulate and control his inferior abilities, and to keep them in
subordination. If a man lowers himself to the level of brutes, his destiny will
be like that of wild and savage animals (lions, panthers, wolves, and bears) that
are regarded as dangerous and sought to be taken and destroyed. There eternal
life will be of darkness.
Made to be caught and destroyed; This phrase
is referring to the brute beasts. In Peter’s time he is saying they are not
only useless to society, but destructive; and men feel that it is right to
destroy them. So are we to assume that God made these beasts for the pleasure
of man to destroy them? No I believe we are to live with them, unless they pose
a treat to us, then remove them from the area, tag them for monitoring, and as
last resort destroy if all else fails. What Peter is saying here is evil false
teachers/preachers will one day meet their demise.
Speak evil of the things they do not
understand; Many
in our world today mock the supernatural. They deny the reality of the
spiritual world and claim only what can be seen and felt is real. Like the
false teachers of Peter's day, they are fools who will be proven wrong in the
end. Don't take Satan and his supernatural powers of evil lightly, and don't
become arrogant about how defeated he will be. Although Satan will be destroyed
completely, he is at work now trying to render Christians complacent and
ineffective.
And will utterly perish in their own
corruption; Their
views will be the means of their eternal ruin, just as the fierce passions of
wild animals.
13 and will receive the wages of
unrighteousness, as those who
count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions
while they feast with you,
And will receive the wages of unrighteousness; This is referring
to a lost soul; eternal darkness; the Lake of Fire. False teachers may not
receive the due recompense of their deeds in the present life, but one day they
will, based on the government of God.
As those who count it pleasure to carouse in
the daytime; When the word “carouse” is used we think of those out in
the evening and dark of night; wild parties; drunkenness; fornication, etc.,
but what Peter is doing here is a giving a likeness of these evil night time
people to daytime false teachers. Sin is sin no matter what time of day it is.
False teachers go about in broad daylight lying and deceiving people.
They are spots and blemishes; This phrase
is referring to self-righteousness resulting in a soiled unrighteousness. They
are like a dark spot on a white garment.
Carousing in their own deceptions
while they feast with you; What Peter is referring to here is that
people were supposedly gathering in the Lords name to partake of the Lord’s
Supper, but these demented teachers were turning it into a festival of riot,
disorder, carousing, and leading believers into sin. 1 Corinthians 11:20-22 Therefore when you come together in one place,
it is not to eat the Lord's Supper. 21 For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead
of others; and one is hungry
and another is drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in?
Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What
shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you. Jude
1:12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you
without fear, serving only
themselves. They are clouds
without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit,
twice dead, pulled up by the roots;
14 having
eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous
practices, and are accursed
children.
Having eyes full of adultery; Some think
that Peter is referring to the men of a gathering lusting after the women
present, but that’s not what he is saying at all. This is about false teachers/preachers
attending a gathering with the intent of spread false doctrine about Jesus and
Christianity. So what Peter is talking about is spiritual adultery. Preaching
something that sounds good and right, but isn’t the Cross of Christ.
And that cannot cease from sin,
enticing unstable souls; These wolves were luring away believers that
were weak in their faith, or were new believers. They were doing what they thought
was right, because they were unsaved themselves and couldn’t discern the truth.
They have a heart trained in covetous practices; With the
term covetous there could also be a motive of money to lure the weak away from
the truth for their gain. It is possible they had a love of money and collected
money at their so called teaching gatherings. The more people they can deceive
and get to attend their church means more money for the false shepherd. This
still holds true for today. False shepherds say what people want to hear, not
what the Bible teaches.
And are accursed children; Paul also
preaches against these false teachers and told the Corinthians, "So anyone
who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of
sinning against the body and blood of the Lord" 1 Corinthians 11:27. These men are guilty of more than
false teaching and promoting evil pleasures; they were guilty of leading others
away from God's Son, Jesus; and condemning themselves. Galatians 1:8-9 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach
any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be
accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again,
if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him
be accursed.
15 They have
forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of
unrighteousness;
They have forsaken the right way and
gone astray; The right way meaning the path of righteousness, honesty,
and integrity, but those not having their faith grounded in the Cross of Christ
will veer off that straight and narrow path.
Following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of
unrighteousness; What is the way of Balaam the son of Beor? Balaam was
hired by a pagan king to curse Israel. He did what God told him to do for a
time (Numbers Chapter 22-24), but
eventually his evil motives won out (Numbers
25:1-3;
Numbers 31:16). When Peter
stating “following the way” he is pointing out that they were following the
ways of Balaam. These false teachers were imitating Balaam in the following
things: in being professed religious teachers, or servants of God; in their
covetousness; and inducing others to sin. Like the false teachers of Peter's
day, Balaam used religion for personal advancement, a sin that God does not
take lightly.
16 but he
was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice
restrained the madness of the prophet.
But he was rebuked for his iniquity; Rebuked
meaning that he was sharply criticized for his sins, actions, thoughts.
A dumb donkey speaking with a man's
voice; Balaam
was so caught up in his sins that it required a donkey speaking to get his
attention. Peter is saying this of those caught up in the false gospel and
people in general that we can get caught up in something and it takes a
supernatural event to bring us back to reality.
Restrained the madness of the prophet;
The
madness or perverse plan of the prophet meaning not of a right mind. It is used
here to denote that Balaam was engaged in an enterprise which indicated a
headstrong disposition; acting contrary to reason and sober sense. He was so
under the influence of covetousness and ambition that his sober sense was
blinded, and he acted like a madman. He knew indeed what was right, and had
professed a purpose to do what was right, but he did not allow that to control
him; but, for the sake of gain, went against his own sober conviction, and
against what he knew to be the will of God. He was so mad or obsessed that he
allowed neither reason, nor conscience, nor the will of God, to control him!
17 These are
wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the
blackness of darkness forever.
These are wells without water; The things
false teachers proclaim have no life in them; eternal life. Just as an empty
well doesn’t quench anyone’s thirst, false teachers and preachers bring no hope
to the soul.
Clouds carried by a tempest; Stating the
same as the previous phrase. Clouds that are carried by the wind and produces
no rain, is of no avail.
For whom is reserved the blackness of
darkness forever; These false teachers only reserve a spot in the abyss for
those that listen and abide by them.
18 For when
they speak great swelling words
of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the
ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.
For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness; Meaning
false doctrine is often presented in such a way as to impress the listener.
They allure through the lusts of the
flesh; Meaning
money, materialistic things, worldly things, etc.
Through lewdness; The meaning here is, that they made
use of every kind of deception to entice others under religious pretences. This
has been done often in the world, for religion has been abused to give seducers
access to the confidence of the innocent, only that they might betray and ruin
them.
The ones who have actually escaped
from those who live in error; These ravenous wolves lure back into sin,
those who have just escaped from a lifestyle of deception.
19 While
they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by
whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.
What
Peter is simply stating here is, how can an unsaved person that lives in sinful
bondage bring salvation to another individual when they can’t recognize the
sinfulness of their lifestyle. A person is a slave to whatever controls him or
her. Many believe that freedom means doing anything we want. But no one is ever
completely free in that sense. If we refuse to follow God, we will follow our
own sinful desires and become enslaved to what our body wants. If we submit our
lives to Christ, he will free us from slavery to sin. Christ frees us to serve
him, a freedom that results in our ultimate good.
20 For if,
after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of
the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and
overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.
21 For it
would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness,
than having known it, to turn
from the holy commandment delivered to them.
Peter
is speaking of people who have learned about Christ, how to be saved, and have
been saved, but then reject the truth and return to their sin. These people are
worse off than before because they have rejected the only way out of sin, the
only way of salvation. Like someone sinking in quicksand who refuses to grab
the rope thrown to him or her, the person who turns away from Christ rejects
the only means of escape Luke 11:24-26. Many of
the modern Churches falls into this category. They have abandoned the Cross of
Christ for other doctrine.
22 But it
has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A DOG RETURNS TO HIS
OWN VOMIT," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the
mire."
The
meaning of the proverb here quoted (Proverb
16:11)
is that they have returned to their former vile manner of life. Under all the
appearances of reformation, still their evil nature remained, as does that of a
dog or swine, and that nature prevails.
Colossians
1:16 For
by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth,
visible
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.
All things were created through Him and for Him.
Romans
3:23 for
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans
6:23 For
the wages of sin is death, but
the gift of God is eternal life
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 3:3
Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say
to you,
unless one
is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
The
Lighthouse Full Gospel Church
Sinners Prayer; Pray this, and if you believe it with your
heart, Jesus will save you!
“Lord
Jesus I know I am a sinner. I confess my
sins to you; I am sorry for my sins; I repent (Meaning, desiring to turn from a
sinful lifestyle.) of all my sins, and I am asking for your forgiveness. I believe that only you can forgive sin. I commit my life to you and ask you to come
into my heart, direct, and take charge of my life. I believe that you died to set me free from
my sinful lifestyle and you rose from the dead to give me eternal life, and
right now you are seated at the Right Hand of God Almighty. I believe you are
the Son of God; the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life, and my
Savior.” I believe this and have faith
you will make a new person out of me, by sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in my
heart and lead me in a new life. In Jesus name I pray Amen.”
(John 3:16,17; Romans
3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9-13; Ephesians
2:8-10; 1 John 5:11-14; 1:6-10)
(Sin: Rom. 1:22-32; Gal. 5:19-21; Eph.
5:3-7)
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