In the sermon 'Bringing in Damnable Heresies,' Jason Dohm addresses the theme of false teachers as warned about in 2 Peter 2:1-3. The sermon highlights the grim reality that false teachers will be present among believers, secretly introducing destructive heresies that can lead to eternal destruction. Dohm emphasizes the need for vigilance and awareness, as these false teachings are often subtle and the teachers appear as 'angels of light.' He discusses the motives behind false teachings, often driven by greed and the desire for personal gain, and the tragic success false teachers can achieve by exploiting the unsuspecting. The sermon also tackles a challenging phrase, 'even denying the Lord who bought them,' clarifying its interpretation within a Calvinistic framework. Dohm urges believers to remain steadfast in sound doctrine, to be discerning, and to rely on the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ as a safeguard against false teachings. He concludes by reminding the congregation that while false teachers are formidable, they ultimately face divine judgment and destruction.

I'll say it every time I come up here for this time. One of my favorite times of this day that we spend together is meditating through these words, working through these words during the week with your family, through your own heart and soul, and then coming to the place as a crescendo effect before these words will now be unfolded before us. So may the Lord even give us sweeter times this week in preparation for next Sunday and the Sunday following and the Sunday following. That the words that are going to be read now would just resonate so deeply with you as God's preparing you in a continual worship to Him for what Jason's going to bring to us in this time. So let's look at these words together.

Second Peter chapter 2 verses 1 through 3. But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you who will secretly bring in destructive heresies even denying the Lord who bought them and bring on themselves swift destruction and many will follow their destructive ways because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed by covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words for a long time their judgment has not been idle and their destruction does not slumber. God we pray for Jason now as he comes to bring these words, your holy and powerful words. Bless this time in Jesus' name, Amen. The title of the sermon this morning is Bringing in Damnable Heresies.

It comes from the King James rendering of chapter 2 verse 1. The new King James calls it destructive heresies. The King James renders it damnable heresies. We're coming off of a string of happy sermons about the goodness of God, the faithfulness of God, the glory of the gospel, the beauty of the truth of scriptures that God sent through holy men who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Now we come to kind of a dark sermon, actually.

Because there is a danger to the church. And so Peter, like the Lord Jesus, wants to give us as stern a warning as he can muster about something that chokes life out of the church. That's false teachers. I loved preaching the happy sermons. It was fun while it lasted.

But this is a darker sermon. And there's a place for darker sermons. Because there is an enemy afoot prowling seeking to devour. And so The faithful teachers have always brought warnings so that the people of God would not be caught unawares. Flip over to the last chapter of 2nd Peter.

There's something I've been saying since the introductory sermon to this letter, which is that I think that some of the last verses in 2 Peter give us a very faithful summary of what the whole letter is about. And I'm speaking of chapter 3, beginning halfway through verse 16, and including verses 17 and 18. The first part of verse 16, he's talking about Paul, Peter is talking about Paul and his writings and about how some of those writings are hard to understand. And all God's people said, amen. And then he says this about what people do with the difficulties of some of Paul's teaching, beginning halfway through verse 16, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the scripture.

You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen. So here in these last verses of the letter we get a summary of the letter, he gives a problem statement, which is that there are false teachers, there are wicked people, and you can actually be led astray by them and moved off of your steadfastness. So Peter says, beware, be vigilant because this is out there.

So we get the problem statement in the second half of 16 and 17. He's talking about the venom, the poison. You better watch out for it. And then he gives us, following that, the anti-venom. The solution for that, which is growing in the grace of Jesus, and growing in the knowledge of Jesus.

And this is really what we've seen in the letter to this point. He started out with just making progress in the faith, adding to your faith, virtue, knowledge, godliness, self-control, brotherly kindness, love, I probably forgot one, but making progress in the faith, growing in the grace of Jesus, Growing in the knowledge of Jesus. This is the anti-venom. Now in chapter 2, we get to the venom. We get to the poison that will run in the church and destroy if we're not vigilant.

So Peter is calling us to vigilance. It's a big theme in the letter. All of chapter 2 and half of chapter 3 is devoted to false teachers. So it's a big theme in 2 Peter. Probably the dominant theme in 2 Peter, although there are other important themes.

False teachings are infinite in number. They're endless. As long as there's somebody with a creative mind, there will always be one more false teaching. They are often very subtle, Very hard to pick out. But if you can recognize false teachers, then you're ahead of the game.

False teachings can be really difficult to spot. Subtle. Tricky. But you're ahead if you know how to spot false teachers, the people who bring the false teachings. So it's not to say that you should focus all your attention on false teachers, but Peter is going to spend most of his time not on individual false teachings, but on how to recognize a false teacher.

Let's pray as we go to the text. Oh Lord, please purify our doctrine. Help us to know deep in our souls how much doctrine matters, and to stand guard over it. God, help us not to be influenced by false teachers. Help us to know how to spot them.

Use the truths being advanced by your apostle Peter to help us be a blessing. So that these destructive influences wouldn't come in and destroy among us. We pray. We need your help. Thank you for these words.

Help us to be faithful to them. In Jesus' name, Amen. So there are five things that I believe are clearly taught in these three verses. You might think it's just three verses. Jason sort of had a week off.

Not so. There are a dense three verses. There's a lot there. In fact, when I started going through all the cross references, I was in a way, I was paralyzed, because there are so many of them. I'm thinking, I've got to use that one, and that one, and that one, and that one, and that one, and I can't possibly get it into one sermon.

So, most of them are on the cutting room floor and we won't even get on them today. Luckily Peter's going to keep talking about false teachers so I have a second and third and fourth shot at it in the coming weeks. So a lot more is going to be said than will be said today because Peter will have us camped here on false teachers for quite a while. The first thing that I believe is clearly taught in these verses is a grim reality. There will be false teachers among you.

That's exactly from the text verse 1. There will be, with great certainty and great confidence, Peter asserts that there will be false teachers among us. In every era where the Lord has had a people, and that's in every era, there's always been a people of the Lord, and in every era alongside the true prophets, holy men of God who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit, that's the last verse in chapter 1, that's the verse leading into our text for today. Right alongside the true prophets, there have always been false prophets. In every era when the Lord has had a people, that's always, there have been, there are, and there will be extended to however long it is till Jesus comes back to claim his people and to judge the earth.

There were false prophets when there were prophets. Now there are true teachers which means right alongside them there will be false teachers. We can assert that with the utmost confidence because That's what Peter does. He asserts this with the utmost confidence. So he ends chapter 1 with, there are these holy men of God, and they are speaking as the Holy Spirit moves them and they are bringing truth, the voice of God.

And then chapter 2 starts with what word? But, in contrast to these holy men of God who speak as they are moved by the Holy Spirit. There will be unholy men who speak out of the deceit of their own hearts. Listen to Matthew Henry. Matthew Henry writes, In all ages of the church and under all dispensations, when God sends true prophets, the devil sends some to seduce and deceive.

False prophets in the Old Testament, and false Christs, false apostles, and seducing teachers in the new. It's been true all the way back to the garden, every era forward. It's true today. Does anybody need proof of that today? There are false teachers.

And it will be true in the generation of our children, in the generation of our grandchildren, our great grandchildren, and so on and so forth. So we need to be ready and we need to make our children ready and we need to help our grandchildren be ready. There will be false teachers among you. Jesus talks about them extensively in the gospels. Acts is full of them.

So this history of the early New Testament church that we have in the book of Acts is full of false teachers. The Judaizers come to mind, those who went out from Jerusalem saying you have to be circumcised to be saved, false teachers. Paul warns about them, particularly in Galatians. Peter warns about them here. John gives us 1 John.

1 John is overrun with warnings about false teachers, particularly those who depart from the doctrine of Christ. John says, if you don't have Christ, you don't have the Father. So it is a major New Testament point of emphasis. Did you get that? False teachers, not just false teachings, but false teachers, those who bring those heresies, damnable heresies, are a major New Testament point of emphasis.

Listen to Paul in Acts 20 verses 29 through 31. This is Paul exhorting elders in Acts 20 verses 29 through 31. For I know this that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears." Paul calls these men savage wolves.

Devouring predators is what Paul calls them. He says they will come in among you, just like what Peter is saying here in 2 Peter 2. There is a certainty that they will come in among you. And we see here that they are not just from the outside. If you think that false teachers are just those out there who teach wacky things, you do not have a full view of what the New Testament teaches about false teachers.

Paul says to the leaders of a church that he's lived among for three years, the Ephesian Church, He says, I know after I leave, savage wolves are going to come in among you, and from among yourselves men will rise up speaking perverse things. So he says, I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. For three years Paul was warning them night and day with tears for seeing savage wolves coming in and eating in this church. So he's saying be vigilant. There are wolves out there.

There are wolves in here. For all you know, there's a wolf in your pulpit today. I'm not saying this to make you suspicious of me, but I'm saying everyone's life and doctrine are up for evaluation. Teachers are subjected to a stricter judgment. James chapter 1.

Let not many of you be teachers. Teachers are subjected to a stricter judgment. Why? Because the influence can be so destructive. So I expect you to be good Bereans.

I expect you to take what you hear on Sunday and go home and compare them to the scriptures to see whether these things be so. And I expect for you to be watching my life to see if my life matches my doctrine." You've heard the expression, forewarned is forearmed. In other words, if you know in advance, you should be ready to shoot. Forewarned is forearmed. And now we are forewarned by Jesus, by Paul, by Peter.

We must be vigilant. So number one was a grim reality. There will be false teachers among you. Number two is the mode of operation. Who will secretly bring in destructive heresies.

This is also in verse one. False teachers secretly bring in destructive heresies. Damnable heresies. So there is what they bring in, false teaching, destructive teaching, damnable heresies, teachings that will cost you your soul if you embrace them. That level of destruction, that's why King James looks at the Greek word and renders it damnable.

Because there are teachings that If you embrace them, it will cost you your soul. Every time a teacher gets up and preaches, there are imperfections. There are things that are not properly understood, and so they are not properly communicated. Or they are properly understood, and they are still not properly communicated. That doesn't mean you should be ready to stone me every week, because there are those points in every sermon.

This is not what we're talking about here. We're talking about destructive Talking about destructive heresies. Soul killing teachings. And teachings that bring destruction. Destroying what?

Destroying your life. Destroying our unity. Destroying love. Destructive heresies. So There's what they bring in, these damnable heresies, and then there's how they bring them in.

Secretly. That's how false teachers bring in damnable heresies. So do not expect them to kick down the front door and announce themselves. I'm here, I'm a false teacher, I intend to cost you your soul, I'm going to bring destruction through my teachings. No, they sneak around to the back door and they pick the lock.

This is the mode of operation for false teachers. Not kicking down the front door and announcing themselves, but sneaking around to the back door and picking the lock. And they are advancing novel doctrines, new doctrines, new ideas. The godly have been on the earth in the New Testament for two thousand years, but they have a new thought. Nobody else has taught from the Scriptures before.

They have the smoothest words, and they flatter you. This is how they come in secretly. This is how they pick the lock on the back door. They are super nice to you. They flatter you.

They make you feel great about yourself and what you know about the Bible. Meanwhile, they are advancing new doctrines or old doctrines that have always been heresy. The old heresies have a way of recycling themselves about every hundred years in church history. That's the main thing that I'm getting from my study of church history, is how the old heresies, the old damnable, soul-killing heresies, keep coming around and a new label gets slapped on. They show up again in another generation.

Verse 3 says, they will exploit you with what? Verse 3. They will exploit you with what? Verse 3. They will exploit you with what?

Deceptive words. In Acts 20, where I just read Paul, Acts 20 verse 30, which I just read, Paul said, men will rise up speaking what? Perverse things. Peter calls them deceptive words. Paul calls them perverse things.

They're twisting. They're distorting. They're misrepresenting. They're purposefully cloudy in what they teach, so they're hard to pin down. Because they're not kicking in the front door, so they're unclear on purpose.

And Pinning them down is really difficult, and they're good at it. Because they're bringing in these damnable heresies, these destructive teachings, secretly. So they're using deceptive words, and they're speaking perverse things. Always twisting, always distorting, always misrepresenting. Turn in your Bibles to Matthew 7.

There are a number of places where Jesus addresses false teachers in the Gospels. But the one I'm bringing us to today is in Matthew 7 in the Sermon on the Mount. Beginning in 13, and I'm actually going to read through 23. There are three sections here, and we think of them as separate, but they are highly connected, and I'm hoping that I can successfully make the connections. Matthew chapter 7 beginning in verse 13, reading through 23.

Enter by the narrow gate, Jesus says, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate, and difficult is the way which leads to life. And there are few who find it. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.

Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a 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. Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but He who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord Lord have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name, and done many wonders in your name, and then I will declare to them, I never knew you, Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness." In this first section, Jesus says that there are two gates and two ways. There is a broad gate, which is an entrance to a broad and easy and comfortable way and it leads to destruction. There's a narrow gate and it's the entrance to a difficult way but it leads to life. Then in the second section he talks about false prophets.

The same applies to false teachers. Peter makes that connection in today's text. And the false teachers stand at the broad gate. And they promise you a comfortable way. Now don't misunderstand.

The legalist false teacher stands at the gate. And he's saying, look how narrow my way is, but it's not a narrow way. There's nothing more that the natural man wants than to think he's not so bad, and to think he can make his own way there. It's a broad way. So the legalist false teacher stands at the broad gate to the broad way and says, look how narrow this way is.

It's a lie. Most of the world buys into workspace righteousness thinking that they are on the narrowest of ways. They are just on the broad way that leads to destruction. And then on The other end of the continuum of false teachers, the range of false teachers, is the one who promises you complete liberty, actually even from the government of God. You can do anything you want, it doesn't matter, Jesus will forgive you.

Both standing at the gate to the Broadway saying, come in to the road that leads to life, and it really is a road that leads to destruction. Jesus says in the third section there, many will say to me, Lord, Lord. Yeah, He's my Lord, He's your Lord. Great! Come listen to my teaching.

We have a common Lord. Again, not kicking down the front door, sneaking around to the back door, picking the lock. You can tell where Paul got his words from when he's addressing the Ephesian elders. Ravenous wolves, but they don't look like ravenous wolves. What do they look like?

Sheep. Dressed in sheep's clothes. Deceitful words, perverse things, but a broad gate and a broad way that leads to destruction." Listen to what Paul says in 2 Corinthians chapter 11 verses 14 and 15. In 2 Corinthians chapter 11, Paul says, Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness whose end will be according to their works." So these false teachers represent themselves as ministers of righteousness and they say Lord Lord and they prophesy in the name of the Lord, they cast out demons in the name of the Lord they do many miracles in the name of the Lord but they don't know the Lord And they bring soul-destroying heresies into the midst of the Lord's people when the Lord's people are undiscerning and are not vigilant.

They have to be fought off like you would fight off a ravenous wolf. That's what elders are there to do and they better be about their work. The wolves are always trying to gain access. There's always a wolf trying to pick the lock to the back door. This is a phrase which must be addressed.

Even denying the Lord who bought them. This is a very problematic phrase for a Calvinist. Even denying the Lord who bought them. First, here's the easy part. Does this mean denying the Lord with words or actions?

Does it mean teaching that denies the Lord? Or does it mean a life that denies the Lord? In the context, the answer is Yes. Teaching and life. Teaching or life.

Pick your combination. It can be either. It can be either the teaching, the words that deny the Lord, or a life that denies the Lord, or both. Then, what do we do with the phrase, the Lord who bought them? That sounds like Jesus redeemed them with His blood.

It sounds like Jesus redeemed these false teachers with His blood. They have apostatized, they have fallen away, and now they are ravenous wolves. It does sound like that. There are two good reasons right here in the words of the text that I think that's not what Peter means or is communicating. So I'm going to make my case with those two good reasons and I'm going to acknowledge at the front that this is not beyond dispute.

There are arguments against the points I'm making and I've evaluated the arguments and I'm comfortable that these two arguments put it beyond a reasonable doubt, but I'm acknowledging the difficulty in the text. Number one, I don't believe Lord is Jesus in this phrase. The Lord who bought them, that the word, underlying Lord, is not the same word that has been used all through chapter one of Jesus. So In chapter one, Jesus is called Lord five times. Every time it's Kurios.

All through chapter one. Jesus is called Lord five times in chapter one. That's a lot in a chapter. Every single time it's kurios. This word is not kurios.

Now kurios is a very broad term for Lord. In the New Testament it is used 748 times. It is everywhere and it's used of Jesus. Anytime you see Jesus' Lord or some variation of it, it's Kurios. But it's also used of the angel of the Lord.

It's used of God without respect to which member of the Trinity it is. It's used very broadly. The term used here in 2 Peter chapter 2 verse 1, In 2 Peter 2 verse 1, the Lord who bought them is, I'll try to say this right, not that you would know, but for my own peace of mind, Despotes. That's my best shot at it. Despotes is the word.

Now this is only used 10 times in the New Testament. Five times it's just a human master who has human servants. It's not about God at all. The other five times, it's clearly used of God the Father, not Jesus. Clearly.

Luke 2.29 is one of them. There's one in Revelation. Anyway, if you go look up this word, I use blueletterbible.org. That's the tool I use. You can just go to blueletterbible.org, go to the verse, click on that, and it will take you to the ten places it's used.

It's always used of God the Father. So the NASB and the ESV, instead of rendering it Lord who bought them, render it Master who bought them, to preserve a distinction that it's not kurios. It's not the same word that was used throughout. And NIV renders it sovereign Lord, which is honestly my favorite rendering of it. I hate to say that because I'm not a big fan of the NIV, but I think sovereign lord is a good, because it means the one who has the right to dictate.

Despotes, Like the English word despot, the unquestioned ruler, master in the sense that has the right to dictate. That's the word. John Gill says that the use of despotes is always God the Father. If you look at the usages, you'll agree. Now turn to Jude 3 and 4.

Jude has a remarkably similar thing that's being taught, which I think makes this point really clear. For little ones who don't get to Jude very often, we're in 2 Peter, then you've got 1 2 3 John, then Jude. Then Revelation, and then Maps, and then Concordance. Jude 3 and 4, follow along while I read. Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, think of all the overlaps with 2 Peter here.

Like precious faith, common salvation, I found it necessary to write you, exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. So hold on to sound doctrine. Contend for it. Contend earnestly. There is the faith that was delivered once and for all to the saints.

Now verse 4. For certain men have crept in unnoticed. They've snuck around to the back door and they've picked the lock on the back door. Who long ago were marked out for this condemnation. Ungodly men who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

So here's another denial of the Lord but here we have the only Lord God, that Lord for Lord God as Despotes, and our Lord, Kurios, Jesus Christ. So here you have Lord and Lord side by side. It looks the same in our English translation, but they're not the same Greek words. So a distinction is being made by Jude among members of the Godhead here. Not the same word for Lord.

So that's the first reason. I don't believe that what Peter is teaching is that Jesus redeemed these false teachers with his blood. That Lord isn't even Jesus in what Peter is communicating. It is God the Father. The second reason.

I don't believe bought equals saved. If you look at the usage in the Bible, it at least at a minimum opens up the possibility that bot does not equal saved. In other words, bot does not have to equal saved. Absolutely not. MacArthur says that this has to do with the allegiance owed to a master.

That's what Peter is getting at. And he's making the sin grievous. Because these false teachers, like every human that has ever lived, owes allegiance to the God who made them. Because God has the rights of a creator, all of his creatures, all of his creations, equally owe allegiance to this master. That's what MacArthur says Peter is getting at, and I think MacArthur is dead on.

Now listen to Exodus 15 and the use of redeemed and purchased in Exodus 15. Two verses, Exodus 15 verse 13 and then Exodus 15 verse 16. In Exodus 15 verse 13 we read this, you, O God, in your mercy have led forth the people whom you have redeemed. This is the book of Exodus, This is the people coming out of Egypt. It's said to be a people redeemed from Egypt in verse 13.

You have guided them in your strength to your holy habitation. Now Exodus 15 verse 16. Fear and dread will fall on them, meaning the enemies of Israel will have the fear and dread fall on them. By the greatness of your arm they will be as still as a stone." The enemies of Israel will be as still as a stone. "'Till your people pass over, O Lord, till the people pass over whom you have purchased.'" So in verse 16 it said that they are redeemed.

Now think, what follows? Unbelief follows. Death of a generation in the wilderness follows. It was a mixed multitude that came out of Egypt. Though the people are said to be redeemed and purchased, not everybody who came out of Egypt was saved.

Not everybody who came out of Egypt had saving faith. You know that from the history of Israel. Now listen to Moses in the song of Moses, Deuteronomy 32 verses 5 and 6. Deuteronomy 32 verses 5 and 6, part of the Song of Moses, it says, They have corrupted themselves. They are not His children because of their blemish.

A perverse and crooked generation. Do you thus deal with the Lord, O foolish and unwise people? Is He not your Father Who bought you? Has He not made you and established you? So here in the Song of Moses, in Deuteronomy 32 verses 5 and 6, it starts out by saying, you're not his children.

Because they were walking persistently in disobedience. And then it says, is he not your father? Who bought you? Has he not made you and established you? In other words, there is a sense in which the God is the Father of everyone.

What sense is that? The sense of creation. He made you and established you and according to the song of Moses That makes him your father in a sense. But there's another sense in which those who are perverse and crooked, who won't repent, who won't believe, are not his children. They say, Lord, Lord.

With their mouths they give him position of master. Despotes. The one with the rights to command, but with their lives they say, you don't have the right to command me. Then we're going to come to other reasons in chapter 1 outside the words right here that I think will make it plain that bought does not equal saved in this passage. But these are two right from the wording of the text.

In any event, whether you buy my arguments or you don't buy my arguments, let me at least plead with you not to use this one phrase which is at best unclear, to overturn much clearer text about how the Lord preserves those he saves. Those are crystal clear texts with no wiggle room. Hopefully, at a minimum, I've established wiggle room right from the words that are used in this text. Do not use an unclear phrase to overthrow clear teachings that God finishes the work that He completes. That those who He calls, He justifies.

And those who He justifies, He sanctifies. And those who He sanctifies, he glorifies. Those are very clear texts. Number three, the third thing that we learn from this text, we're back in 2 Peter. The sad success.

You had better not toy with false teachers. Verse 2 says, many will follow their destructive ways. They will successfully creep around to the back door, pick the lock, get inside, and make converts. Many will follow their destructive ways. These false teachers are not to be played with, toyed with, entertained, underestimated.

Our overconfidence, we don't have to worry about false teachers, will bring destruction right into our midst. Did you get that? Our overconfidence that we're smart enough to navigate these waters, and we don't have to worry about false teachers, will bring destruction right into the middle of us. We must contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints, As Jude says. In Matthew 24, Matthew 24 begins with Jesus being shown the temple that is the disciples say, isn't this temple beautiful?

Jesus says not one stone is going to be left on another. Everything you think is so beautiful is going to be destroyed. Completely, utterly destroyed. Within 40 years that happened, literally. In that same chapter, Matthew 24, Jesus takes up the topic of false prophets, false Christ, false teachers three times in Matthew 24.

Listen. Matthew 24 verse 5, Jesus says, For many will come in my name saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many. Peter was there listening to that. He is echoing Jesus. Jesus says they will deceive many.

Listen to Matthew 24 verse 11. Many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. The second time in Matthew 24, Jesus says they will successfully deceive many. Listen to chapter 24 verse 24, For false Christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand." He doesn't say it is possible to deceive the elect.

He says if possible even the elect to give us a sense of the power of the delusion. The delusions will be so strong that it will make the elect totter. And then he ends in verse 25, Matthew 24 verse 25 saying, See I have told you beforehand, forewarned is forearmed. Brothers and sisters, we're forewarned by Peter in our passage. We're forewarned by Paul in Acts 20.

We're forewarned by Jesus in Matthew 7. We ought to be forearmed, ready to shoot. Vigilant, on the lookout. Please turn to 2 Timothy 3, beginning in 14. We see a similar progression to what we've been through in 2 Peter where Peter establishes truth and the truth of the Scriptures they were given by holy men of God, as they were moved by the Holy Spirit to say exactly what God would have them say.

So the truth of scripture right into false teaching. We're going to see Paul do the same thing here in 2 Timothy 3 beginning in verse 14 and then I'm going to overrun the chapter break and read through chapter 4 verse 5. So I'm beginning in 2 Timothy 3 verse 14. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood You have known the holy scriptures which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Chapter 4, I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing in His Kingdom. Preach the Word. Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and teaching for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. But according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers.

And they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things. Endure afflictions. Do the work of an evangelist fulfill your ministry? Peter and Paul share the same mind.

They talk about the truth of scripture, and then Paul says you better preach it. You better preach it in season when people want it. You better preach it out of season when people don't want it because the time is coming when they won't even endure sound doctrine. Because they have itching ears they'll heap up a pile of false teachers. You better be preaching a true word with all the passion and zeal that you can muster, because the time is coming when the people's appetite will not be for sound doctrine.

The reason that there are false teachers is that people have an appetite for false teachings. They want to be told that they are better than they actually are. They want to be told that God doesn't require all the things that the Word of God says He requires. They want to be told that they can always be well, and that God wants them to be rich. So there's an appetite for the false teachings, and so Because there is a demand, there will always, always, always be a supply.

Listen to Jeremiah 5.31. The prophets prophesy falsely, and my people love to have it so." Saying exactly what Paul is saying in 2 Timothy 4. Listen to that again, Jeremiah 5.31. The prophets prophesy falsely and my people love to have it so, they lap up the false prophecy. They lap up the false teachings because their ears itch.

They want them scratched. They won't even endure sound doctrine. So they heap up a pile of false teachers. They welcome someone creeping around to the back, picking the lock on the back door. The result, verse 2, Because of whom the way of truth is blasphemed.

People have an appetite for false teaching, so they heap up false teachers and they embrace it. Many are deceived by their destructive ways, this is the end of it. The way of truth is blasphemed. Whenever the counterfeit is embraced, the genuine is brought into reproach. That's what Peter is teaching.

That the embracing of counterfeit, because there's an appetite for it, because the people love to have it so, the embracing of the counterfeit brings the genuine into reproach. It's spoken evil of. People blaspheme it. They speak ill of what's really good. How many corners of the world is Benny Hinn the face of Christianity?

Just because in our circles we laugh at him, doesn't mean that's the way it is in the rest of the world. Go to Malawi. They love to hear that God always wants them to be well and that God always wants them to be rich and Benny Hinn will go over there, and his ilk will go over there and be happy to tell them for a cut of the prophets. In many corners of the world, these health and wealth teachers, That's not the only kind of false teaching, but that's a prominent kind of false teaching in many corners of the world. These health and wealth teachers are the face of Christianity.

We're all alike to the unbelievers. And that's Christianity. And the gospel is a gospel of me, me, me. So the gospel comes into reproach, and they laugh at all of us. They say, look, there goes Jesus and his disciples, promising poor people that they are going to be rich.

The fourth thing that this text teaches, the underlying motive. Verse 3, by covetousness they will exploit you. NASB, ESV, NIV all render it. In their greed they will exploit you. It's the love of money.

They are driven by greed to take advantage of the unsuspecting and vulnerable. This is how it works in false teacher world. The false teachers are driven by greed, by their love for money, to take advantage of the unsuspecting and the most vulnerable. So they'll tell widows to give their last two mites. The King James instead of will exploit you.

The King James renders it will make merchandise of you. They make you into goods to be bought and sold. You're just part of the economic process. To false teachers. They make merchandise of you.

Listen to what Matthew Poole says. It seems to be a metaphor taken from merchants that speak great things of bad wares. The better to vend them. I'll read what Matthew Poole says again to make sure you got it. It seems to be a metaphor taken from merchants that speak great things of bad wares, bad merchandise, the better to vend them.

It's the stereotypical used car salesman. Oh, you'll never find a deal like this again. This beauty is a steal today, but it won't be the same price tomorrow. That's the idea from the text. Making merchandise of you.

Speaking great things of bad merchandise so that they can move the merchandise and gain. Turn to 1 Timothy 6. This is our last stop. 1 Timothy 6, I'll read 3 through 5. I'll read 3 through 5.

1 Timothy chapter 6 beginning in verse 3. Paul writes, if anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, We'll stop there. We're talking about people who teach and won't receive sound words. Even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine which accords with godliness. He is proud knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth.

Who suppose that godliness is a means of gain from such withdraw yourself? Paul is describing these false teachers who teach otherwise. Other than what? Other than sound doctrine. Why do they do it?

Because they suppose that godliness is a means of gain. So in 1 Peter, the study we just concluded, In 1 Peter chapter 5, when Peter is exhorting fellow elders, he says, not for dishonest gain. Number 5, the last thing that is clearly taught in these first three verses of 2 Peter chapter 2, is the end of the matter. Verse 1, They will bring on themselves swift destruction. Verse 3, For a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

It might seem to the false teacher like no one is keeping score, like no one knows, like you can treat the people of God as merchandise to be bought and sold for gain, but that's not true. Did you notice this? Destructive or destruction has been used four times. Twice in verse one, once in verse two, once in verse three. Destruction is the word that runs through these verses.

Destruction, destruction, destruction. They bring destruction, they spread destruction, they receive destruction. Listen to Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5 verses 2 and 3. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verses 2 and 3 Paul writes, For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say peace and safety then suddenly destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman and they shall not escape." Do you understand the flip that happens here?

They're sneaking around to the back door and ticking the lock. So their time is spent like a thief in the night, but the joke is on them Because their destruction will descend upon them just like they operated, like a thief in the night. When they haven't expected it and they won't be able to escape it. Peter writes, for a long time their judgment has not been idle. They've operated as if the day of reckoning will never come, but God has had the day of reckoning in mind from before they were ever born.

God always knows. He always sees. In conclusion, there's much more to say, and there are more weeks to say it. So I don't have to say it all this morning. I'm thankful for that.

You should be too. So there are these five points. I want to quickly apply them. Point number one, there's a grim reality. There will be false teachers among you.

What's the application? Beware. Be vigilant. You've been forewarned, now be forearmed. Point number two was their mode of operation, who secretly bring in destructive heresies.

What's the application? There's a type of tolerance among the Lord's people which pervades the Lord's people and is completely inappropriate. It should not be found here. We should have much grace towards people, even me, who don't thoroughly understand things. We should have zero tolerance for damnable heresies and all people who advance them.

Zero tolerance. The reluctance to call damnable heresies, damnable heresies, and false teachers, false teachers, makes me sick. It should make you sick too. The Lord's people should be characterized by love and grace, but not here. Not when it comes to false teachers.

Not when it comes to ravenous wolves who cloak themselves in wool. Number three, the sad success. Many will follow their destructive ways. What's the application? Don't assume you can judge teaching by numbers.

Isn't that the truth? The overwhelming number of charismatics worldwide are health and wealth charismatics. 500 million. 500 million. Many have followed the destructive ways of health and wealth preachers.

You can't tell the validity of the teaching by counting heads. You just can't do it. Number four, the underlying motive. By covetousness, they will exploit you. In their greed, They will make merchandise of you to mix translations, shamefully, shamelessly.

What's the application? Follow the money. Hey, this is a great way to recognize false teachers. One is how they operate, their secret, their flattering, their twisting words, their using deceptive words, perverse things is what they're saying. Here's another way, follow the money.

Who loves money? That's a false teacher. Number five, the end of the matter. They will bring on themselves swift destruction. We should be aware, We should be alert, we should be vigilant, we shouldn't be afraid.

God is the God of His people, Jesus is the chief shepherd. The go-to text for false teachers is Ezekiel 34, which talks about the exploitation of the flock. At the end of that, when God has finished decrying the exploitation of His people, He says this, I myself will search for my sheep and seek them out. The elect will not be lost because of false teachers. We're going to talk more about this next week.

There's a specific reason why God doesn't just instantaneously put an end to false teaching. Why He allows it to persist. What He's doing with it. This is part of God's plan actually. We'll talk about that some next week.

Let's pray. Father, I thank You for Your Word. Help us to be a people who love it. Who love Your Word. Who study it, who know it.

So when a counterfeit is advanced we can recognize it. Oh Lord protect your people. Pray in Jesus' name, Amen.