Introduction:
A. The picture you are looking at is of Joe Cervantes, who was an officer with the Kewanee Police Department for 30 years.
1. On the desk in front of him is the assortment of stolen goods recovered from the home and office of a man named Roger “Tank” Harlow.
2. The story of Roger Harlow is an interesting one.
3 Most people in Kewanee, ILL., regarded Roger "Tank" Harlow as a shining example of civic spirit.
a. Known for his easy smile and chummy manner, the 47-year-old insurance agent was more than just a successful businessman.
b. Voted Most Likely to Succeed by his 1967 classmates at Wethersfield High School, he had gone on to become an energetic officer in the Kiwanis and Elks clubs and a Sunday-school teacher at Zion Lutheran Church.
c. “He was one of the most community-minded around,” says dentist Doug Tomlinson, who first met Harlow in 1978. “The kind of guy who did the work when you needed things done.”
4. As it turns out, though, Harlow didn't limit his civic activities to what other people needed.
a. Police say that for more than 15 years he was the most accomplished burglar in Kewanee, a tightly knit manufacturing community of 13,000 located 45 miles northwest of Peoria, where almost no one locked their doors.
b. In August of 1994, to the astonishment of local residents, Roger Harlow was arrested and charged with stealing from the homes of even his closest friends.
c. Confronted with the charges, Harlow admitted he was virtually a one-man crime wave, having taken at least $100,000 in coins, collectibles, jewelry and other valuables from his neighbors.
5 Harlow picked his targets carefully, using the comfortable rhythms and routines of small-town life to his advantage.
a. Patrick Murphy, a printing-products salesman, says Harlow invariably golfed alone at the Midland Country Club. “He'd play whatever hole was open, jumping from the 8th to the 15th and back to the 6th,” says Murphy. “We thought that was just Roger, but now we realize he may have been going into houses along the course.”
b. Harlow also had a reputation for being chronically late for meetings, a gambit that police believe gave him time to enter the homes of the people who were waiting for him elsewhere.
6. Henry County prosecutor, Ted Hamer, offered a simple motive: “Greed.”
a. Harlow now faces up to 1,230 years in prison.
b. “To think that someone you knew for 18 years could steal from you is quite amazing,” says Patrick Murphy's wife, Sandy. “It's almost like you don't want to trust your friends anymore.”
7. Roger “Tank” Harlow was truly a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
B. Let’s spend a few minutes thinking about the story of James Warren Jones, better known as Jim Jones.
1. Jim Jones was born May 31, 1931, in Lynn, Indiana.
2. As a young man he became a minister of a Methodist church but could not meet the Methodist standards for a minister, so he was denied ordination.
a. He left in 1954 to found an independent congregation, the Peoples Temple, in Indianapolis to further his vision of a church that could overcome racial barriers.
b. In the mid-1960s he had a vision of a nuclear holocaust and moved the congregation to Ukiah, California, which he believed would be a relatively safe location.
c. In the meantime, he and the congregation had become affiliated with the Disciples of Christ.
3. After Jones became the subject of criminal investigations, particularly regarding his alleged diversion of cult members' donations for his personal use, he and about 1,000 followers relocated to a commune (Jonestown) that he established in Guyana (1977).
a. The Temple had leased almost 4,000 acres of dense jungle from the government.
b. They established an agricultural cooperative there, called the "Peoples Temple Agricultural Project." They raised animals for food, and assorted tropical fruits and vegetables for consumption and sale.
4. During the late 1970's, Jones had been abusing prescription drugs and appears to have become increasingly paranoid.
a. Rumors of human rights abuses circulated. As in most high-intensity religious groups, there was a considerable flow of people joining and leaving the group.
b. Tim Stoen, the Temple attorney and right-hand man to Jones left to form a group called Concerned Relatives. They claimed that Jonestown was being run like a concentration camp, and that people were being held there against their will.
5. These concerns motivated Leo Ryan, a Congressman, to visit Jonestown in November of 1978 for a personal inspection.
a. At first, the visit went well. Days later, on November 18th, about 16 Temple members decided that they wanted to leave Jonestown with Congressman Ryan.
b. So while Congressman Ryan and the others were waiting at a local airstrip, some heavily armed members of the Temple's security guards arrived and started shooting.
c. Congressman Ryan and four others were killed and 11 were wounded.
6. The following day, Jones orchestrated the mass suicide of 912 followers, who were compelled to drink cyanide-laced punch. Jones died the same day of a bullet wound to the head.
7. Jim Jones was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, indeed.
C. Let us turn our attention to 2 Peter, chapter 2.
1. Peter spends the entire chapter addressing false teachers.
2. He wants us to be able to recognize them and to understand how they work.
3. Peter also wants us to understand that God knows who the false teachers are and that they will be punished for the harm they have inflicted.
4. Peter also wants us to understand that God is also knows who are the true believers and true teachers and knows how to deliver them.
5. Let’s read the entire chapter and then notice some of the specifics.
D. 2 Peter 2
1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2 Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3 In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; 7 and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men 8 (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— 9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. 10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and despise authority.
Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord. 12 But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.
13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—a beast without speech—who spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
17 These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. 20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. 22 Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”
I. False Teachers Described
A. The first thing we notice is that false prophets and false teachers have always been around and they always will be.
1. Paul spoke to that same reality in Acts 20: 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. (Acts 20:28-31)
B. The next thing I want us to notice is the way false teachers are described.
1. What are their motives and methods?
C. One thing we notice is that they often come from within the congregation, rather than from without.
1. In verse 13 Peter says that: They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.
2. In the passage we read a moment ago from Acts 20, Paul warned of the same thing: “even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.”
D. Another thing we notice is that they often work secretly; subtly and behind the scenes.
1. False teachers don’t want anyone to notice their activity, so it isn’t overt and obvious.
2. They attempt to make their teachings look a lot like the true teachings so that no one notices the subtle difference.
a. That’s why they often target new Christians, who may not know any better.
3. Peter points out that they “even deny the sovereign Lord who bought them.”
a. The most destructive and damning of all false teaching is the corruption of the truth about Jesus.
4. But beyond misrepresentations of Jesus there are the misrepresentations of grace and discipleship.
a. They teach that there is no need for repentance.
b. They teach that certain behaviors are not sinful.
c. They promise freedom, but deliver slavery – sounds a lot like Satan.
5. Everything they teach sounds great, but Peter says that they are springs without water.
a. Jesus is a spring that wells up to eternal life (Jn. 4:13-14) and from those who believe in him flow streams of living water (Jn. 7:37-38).
b. But the false teachers give nothing because they have nothing to give.
c. They are like junk food that tastes great but has no nutritional value.
E. Notice the motives of false teachers that Peter mentions.
1. Peter pointed out that greed is often a major motive.
2. Verse 3: “…in their greed these teachers will exploit you…”
3. Verse 14: “…they are experts in greed…”
4. Peter illustrates his point with the story of Balaam (from Numbers 22-24). Balaam loved money and was willing to pursue it instead of obeying God. So God used a donkey and an angel to get his attention.
F. Closely linked to greed was lust and sexual impurity.
1. Sadly, many false teachers use their position of trust to prey upon people to satisfy their lust.
2. Verse 14: “With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable…” They target the weak and vulnerable.
3. Verse 13: “…Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight…”
G. Let’s notice one final characteristic of the false teachers – they are arrogant.
1. Verse 10: they “…despise authority. Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings…”
2. Verse 12: “But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand…”
3. We don’t have to understand everything Peter meant by their behavior to understand that it was all about pride and arrogance.
4. Humility is a key and sign of godliness and spirituality, pride and arrogance are not.
II. False Teachers Destroyed
A. Peter saw no hope for these false teachers; their doom was sealed.
1. Verse 1: “…bringing swift destruction on themselves.”
2. Verse 3: “…Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction is has not been sleeping.”
3. Verse 12: “…like beasts they too will perish.”
4. Verse 13: “They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done…”
5. Verse 17: “…Blackest darkness is reserved for them.”
B. Peter spends 5 verses in the second paragraph giving three examples that confirm the fact that God’s judgment on false teachers is sure.
1. The first example had to do with the angels who disobeyed and were sent to hell.
a. I wish that Scripture revealed more about how the angels disobeyed, but it is not necessary to know the details to understand the message: God judges rebellion and will not spare those who reject His will – not even angels.
2. The second example had to do with the flood in Genesis 6 and how every living person and thing died except those on Noah’s ark.
3. The third example had to do with God’s judgment and destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah; where everything and everyone was destroyed except Lot and his daughters.
C. These examples are given to drive home the point that God means business.
1. God didn’t spare the angels. He didn’t spare the world during Noah’s time. And God didn’t spare the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.
2. Similarly, God will not spare these false teachers and those who join them.
D. It is sobering for me to realize that a person can be on the right track for a while, but then can go astray and lose what they had.
1. Peter says that they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.
2. He says: “It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.” (vs. 21) How serious, and how sad.
E. But let’s end on a positive note, because Peter wants us to know that this same God who knows how to punish the false teachers also knows how to preserve the faithful.
III. True Believers Delivered
A. In two of the stories Peter pointed to about the destruction God brought, he also pointed out how that God delivered the faithful.
1. God did not spare the ancient world, but God protected Noah and seven others.
2. God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, but He rescued Lot and his family.
3. Peter concludes his point saying: “If this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials…” (verse 9).
B. God certainly knows what He is doing.
1. God knows who are faithful and true to His will and His ways and His Word.
2. And God knows who have gone astray and are outside of His will.
3. Certainly we are saved by God’s grace, and there is room for some misunderstanding and error.
4. It is presumptuous to believe that any one of us know it all and understand it all perfectly, and get it all right.
5. But how wrong can we be and still be saved?
5. We must leave it with God – He is the only perfect Judge of these matters.
C. But in the meantime, each one of us is responsible for what we believe – we must love the truth.
1. As Paul wrote, each one of us must “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” (2 Tim. 2:15)
2. We elders are also accountable to God for how we lead and what we teach the Lord’s church.
a. It is our job to guard the flock from false teachers and false teaching.
b. One of the qualifications for elders is: “He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.” (Titus 1:9)
3. There will always be false teachers and teaching, but we can know the truth and stand firm in it.
a. Let’s be sure we stay with the Lord on the right way.
b. Let’s be sure we understand the truth about false teachers.
4. May the Lord protect us from wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Resources:
The Bible Exposition Commentary, 1 Peter, by Warren Wiersbe, Victor Books, 1989
The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, 1 Peter, by Edwin A. Blum, Zondervan, 1981
The Daily Study Bible Series, 2 Peter, by William Barclay, The Westminster Press, 1976
Interpretation, 2 Peter, by Pheme Perkins, John Knox Press, 1995
