2023/09/01 - 2 Peter 2: False Teachers
Jerry Starling
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Reading: 2 Peter 2 – False Teachers
Verse for Today
But false prophets also arose among the people just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive opinions. They will even deny the Master who bought them – bringing swift destruction to themselves. (2 Peter 2:1)
Daily Devo
Destructive Heresies
These teachers cause the way of truth to be maligned. “In their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words.” These teachers sound like the Gnostics, a sect that claimed special knowledge given by God directly to themselves.
The Gnostics believed the Spirit is good while anything physical is evil. In the beginning, when God had finished creating the world, He said it is very good. So, the Gnostic premises are against that.
The Gnostics went one of two ways. Either they would abuse their bodies because they are evil or they would say the body is evil, so it does not matter what you do in the flesh. One was destructive of the flesh while the other believed that since the body is evil, you can claim to be spiritual while practicing fleshly sins.
God’s Judgments
God did not spare angels who sinned; He cast them into hell and committed them to chains of deep darkness. He did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah and his family as a remnant when He brought a flood on a world of ungodly people. Turning Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes, “He condemned them to extinction and made them an example, but rescued Lot, a righteous man distressed by the licentiousness of the lawless, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trial, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment – especially those who indulge their flesh in depraved lust, and who despise authority.”
Slanderous & Irrational
Bold and willful, they are not afraid to slander angels, but angels though greater in power do not bring against them a slanderous judgment from the Lord. “These are like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and killed. They slander what they do not understand, suffering the penalty for doing wrong.”
“They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their dissipation while they feast with you. They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have left the straight road and go astray, following Balaam, who loved the wages of doing wrong." They speak bombastic nonsense and with licentious desires of the flesh they entice people just escaped from those who live in error. They promise freedom but are slaves to corruption.
It would be better for them never to have known righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment. “The dog turns back to its vomit, and the sow is washed only to wallow in the mud.”
Descriptors
Licentious ways. Deceptive words. Deep darkness. Ungodly world. Indulge in flesh. Depraved lust. Unafraid to slander. Irrational animals. Creatures of instinct. Slandering what they do not understand. Reveling in dissipation. Eyes full of adultery. Insatiable for sin. Waterless springs. Bombastic nonsense. Licentious desires. Slaves of corruption. Defilements of the world. Entangled again. Last state worse than the first. Dog vomit. Sow to mud.
These are descriptions of the false teachers and those following them. Avoid such as these!
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Pray for Yourself
Father, I pray I may never be caught in the slavery of sin and the guile of iniquity. In Jesus name, I pray, AMEN!
My Prayer for You (and for me)
Father, I offer this prayer for all who read these words. I pray that each of us will look closely at the ways of the false teachers and avoid them. This is my prayer, in His precious, holy name, AMEN!
Updates for Central
SonQuest starts today! Come back fired up for Jesus!
The morning Ladies’ Class resumes at 10:00 am Wednesday, September 6. All ladies are invited to participate.
Kid’s Club will be on Saturday, September 16 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm. Kendra Crist is in charge.
Our Eastern European Mission “Million Dollar Sunday” contribution will be on September 24. Our contribution that day will go to EEM for Bibles for the former Soviet bloc nations. Last year, EEM distributed 1,960,000+ Bibles, up 24% from 2021. They hope for more this year.
PRAYER NEEDS
Susan Allen came home following her procedure. Keep her in your prayers.
Cindi Crist will have a surgical procedure today and is anxious about it. Keep her in your prayers.
Jennifer San Juan asked for more prayer for her daughter, Dawn. She is not doing very well, and Jennifer is deeply concerned.
Carl Bolli asks for prayers, as he fell a couple of weeks ago. Joy Bland, who lives four doors from Carl, has been helping him. He also asks for prayers for her.
Lee Cain asked for prayers for Mike & Kathryn Hartman. She had a head-on collision when a car came across the median directly into her. She is out of the hospital, but still has more surgery to face. Pray for both, as he owns his own business, and this is taking much time away from it.
Nancy Gray has been diagnosed as having Covid. Please pray for her as she recovers.
Joan Berry, Joanna Turner’s Mother, needs our prayers.
Carol Grandey, Brenda Schmidt’s sister, is home and ready to enter rehab. Keep her in your prayers.
Jesse Matthews, Sr. Ruth said he is in rehab. Their daughter is also still recuperating from a broken ankle. She needs prayers as does the whole family.
Kristi Holder is planning to be at SonQuest. Jerry says she improves daily and will be taking it easy at SonQuest. Keep her in your prayers.
Joy Bland found she has a broken bone in her foot that requires a boot to help it heal. She will have it for about six weeks, with an MRI (hopefully) coming soon. She recently told me she really needs our prayers to help her through.
Gale Harnish is home, but not well. Keep her in your prayers.
Susan Allen’s sister Debi is not well at all. Please remember her in your prayers.
Please let us know when you have events to publicize, are in the hospital, or are sick and need prayers. If you request prayer for someone, let us know when to take them off the prayer list. You can contact me by text or phone at 407-453-5392.