Red Delicious Apple Christianity Iii: One Rotten Apple Spoils The Barrel Series

When it becomes obvious that a preacher who calls himself a “man of God” has been deceiving people by influencing them to do things that are contrary to Christian teaching, would you agree that he ought to be exposed, or do you think it would be better to sweep the matter under the rug? Or, can you think of some other way it ought to be handled?

2 Peter 2:17-22 . . .

The astounding thing about all of this is that most false teachers in Peter’s day first gave the appearance that they were genuine believers: they had said they believed in Jesus as Lord and they had publicly given testimony to their faith by baptism; but somehow they became wrapped up once again in all the stuff they had repented of and supposedly left behind.

Peter says that, like a dog returns to its own vomit, some believers have gone back to their old ways.

He says that, like a sow that has washed itself but then wallows again in the mud, some believers are once again wallowing in sin.

Well, I suppose none of us in this room wants to be like a dog, and go back to our old ways; we certainly do not want to wallow in the mud of sin again. Yet, there are people who have succumbed to their old lifestyles. There are folks today who will defend to the end certain immoral lifestyles and practices; and they will do so in the name of freedom in Christ!

Yes, in Christ we have been set free from the law, but does that make us free to do as we please . . . to defend sin . . . to sweep wrongdoing under the rug . . . to look the other way when we become aware of immorality?

The first statement made by my professor to the political science class which I took in college was a profound truth that I have always remembered: “Liberty is not license.”

Can we agree that, with reference to what Peter is teaching us, we might apply that professor’s statement to the freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, by saying this: Freedom in Christ is not license to live as we please!

Our freedom in Christ frees us from the burden of religious legalism, but it does so for the purpose of pleasing God rather than man.

“I want my life to tell for Jesus . . . that everywhere I go men may His goodness know . . .”

You are free to “let your light so shine” that folks may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Amen.