In his sermon, Trent Moody discusses God's view of false teachers based on 2 Peter 2:1-17. He emphasizes that God is able to reserve false teachers for the day of judgment and that they rightly deserve this judgment for walking according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despising authority. Peter describes them as presumptuous, self-willed, and void of the Spirit. Moody encourages his listeners to consider their own lives in light of these descriptions and to strive to walk in the Spirit, as described in Galatians 5. He also reminds them of the hope found in repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.

I Would like to read from second Peter Let's go ahead and back up to the beginning of chapter 2 for context to to grasp What Peter is telling us here second Peter chapter 2 verse 1 and we will read down through verse 17 thus says the word of the Lord but there were also false prophets among the people even as there will 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 For if God did not spare the angels who sin but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved for judgment and Did not spare the ancient world but save Noah one of eight people a preacher of righteousness bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them to destruction making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly and delivered righteous lot who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked for that righteous man dwelling among them tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds.

Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels who are greater in power and might do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. 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 And will receive the wages of unrighteousness as those who count it pleasure to corrals in the daytime They are spots and blemishes Corralling in their own deceptions while they feast with you 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.

They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness. But he was rebuked for his iniquity. A dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. Let's pray.

Our gracious Father, Lord, as you open your word to us, as we read these words of warning and instruction. Lord, I pray that our hearts would heed these words. Lord, that we would understand what you are telling your church today. Lord, that you would give us a proper view of these false teachers, your view. And Lord, that you would show us the right way Lord that you would establish us in sound doctrine and in faith and Lord that you would grow us up into a mature man that we are not tossed To and fro by every wind of doctrine and by these cunning craftiness of men But Lord that we would be sure and steadfast and able to see these false teachers if and when they come So Lord, please help us And guide us this day.

We pray in Christ's name. Amen. You may be seated So this morning my desire for each of us is that we would leave this place today With a proper view God's view of false teachers God has a view we just read it The reason for this and that's why I wanted to go back into the beginning of chapter 2 and really that's why we read what? We read in and second Peter chapter 1 regarding the Word of God Peter was establishing for these Christians and these churches that were scattered throughout this region here, he was wanting to establish them in the present truth of God's word. He wanted them to understand that what they had heard and what they had been taught was not cunningly devised fables but was as it is in truth the very words of God.

That these were not things made up by man, not from the imaginations of man, but they were the very heart of God, the very word of God poured out for his people so that it would protect them from false teachers that would come in among them That's what he begins chapter 2 with he said there were false prophets among the people just as there will be there will be False teachers among you they will secretly bring in these destructive heresies even denying the Lord and so that is what Peter is wanting to do remember Peter in chapter 5 back in 1st Peter chapter 5 we read here that Peter is an elder he's writing to Elders and he said I likewise am an elder and his desire was to preach the Word of God and to equip the people of God His his heart was to protect them from false doctrine. And so he's he's preaching this So hear this message this morning From the Apostle Peter as an elder to the churches and from your elder this morning to this church So that you would understand that the words that are said though hard are for your good and for your protection It's just like what Paul said in the book of Acts in chapter 20 that he said, there will be savage wolves that will rise up even among yourselves.

So he wanted us to understand that we should guard the flock of God. That's what I want this morning. I desire that you would not be like these people that are mentioned here that they were enticed they were enticing unstable souls I don't want you to be an unstable soul I want you to be established and firm in the faith and in the gospel of our lord jesus christ So keep that in the forefront of your mind as we go through this passage of scripture and we understand And I hope that we understand God's view of false teachers. That's my design this morning So as we enter into this text this morning it was really in my studies of this and has been in the past weeks and months as We looked at these verses now as I looked at these verses and studied these verses You may be as I was shocked at this sudden gush of fury and vitriol that Peter has towards these false teachers. But we need to understand that it's not just my view, it's not just Peter's view, this is God's view of false teachers.

And so what our desire should be is that our view? Matches God's view of these people as they come in and bring destructive heresies you know we live in a tolerant society And when it comes to sin and all sorts of wickedness, this society is extremely tolerant. You can just about do anything, and no one will fight against you. But we live in a society that is very intolerant towards those who desire and preach righteousness. For those who want to live holy lives before the Lord be ready for?

Intolerance towards you and I'm sure many of you have experienced this although we have not experienced to the degrees as others Have and even Peter himself has and these believers to whom he was writing to You know often our own interpretation of something or someone is Skewed it is either skewed in one of two ways Typically either we look at this situation or we look at this person in too harsh of a manner Or we look at this into lenient of a manner based upon how we feel about it Oftentimes when people offend us We look very harshly upon that person and boy we want the full force of the law of God to fall down upon them We want them to feel the weight of their sin But often too often we're also too lenient in our view when someone offends or blasphemes the name of God or the word of God or his son or the spirit of God, we're much more lenient upon that and even lenient upon our own sin. We often can be too harsh when the offense is against ourselves. But God's judgment, we need to understand, is perfect in scope and it is perfect in degree.

That's why we are told throughout the scriptures that we rest upon the judgment of God, that vengeance is mine, says the Lord. Even when we understand about Jesus himself when he was reviled he did not revile in return but he committed himself to him who judges righteously and that's what we understand is that we need to rest upon the judgment of God and if you'll notice And remember as we read through chapter 2 over and over again. He speaks about their destruction their destructive ways They're condemned to destruction and then in verse 9 where we want to pick up 9 in the middle part of verse 9 Where he says here That the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to reserve the unjust under punishment For the day of judgment. God is reserving them for this and you know what we will do well To allow that judgment to be God's judgment upon them because it's perfect in degree and it's perfect in scope and so as we see as we will see God is angry with the false teachers and these words this it's really a Commentary if you will pouring out of God's thoughts on false teachers how he is reserving them for the Day of Judgment.

So my goal this morning is really to help us to understand, to see false teachers as God sees false teachers. So I want to pick up where I left off last time I preached here, I really didn't get to finish all of what I was hoping to, but I can't leave it because I believe it's so foundational to help us through this next section. So that's why I'm picking up in the midway point of chapter nine regarding what God says and what Peter says here that about the Lord and him knowing how to deliver one he has the wisdom to do this and he has the power to do this he knows how to deliver the godly from temptation but look at what he says and to reserve so he has the knowledge and the power to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment. That's what Peter tells us here. And so as we think about that and where I left off last time, I was hoping To leave you with great encouragement that the Lord knows how to deliver you out of temptation But that's only part of the verse the second part of that verse is the Lord also knows how to reserve the wicked for the day of judgment and So we actually can rest in that just as much as we can rest in knowing that God knows how to deliver us.

He also knows how to deliver the wicked unto the day of judgment. So God is able, this is the first point as you see on your paper on your handout there and your outline, God is able to reserve false teachers unto a day or the day of judgment. This is how God views the wicked. Again, this is not my view, although I want it to be my view because it's God's view. It's not even the Apostle Peter because He's writing under inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

That's what we read this morning when we quoted scripture together in chapter 1 These were not the inventions of men imaginations of men. This is the very Word of God In his wisdom and power God is more than able To deliver them to judgment turn over with me to revelation chapter 20, which we heard just a few months ago I guess it was now in Revelation chapter 20 and I want to read for you a few verses there beginning with verse 11 Revelation 20 and verse 11 down through 15 This is the great white throne judgment. He says, then I saw a great white throne and him who sat on it from whose face the earth and heaven fled away and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead small and great standing before God and the books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of life.

And the dead were judged according to their works by the things which were written in the books the sea gave up the dead whom were in it and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them and they were judged each one according to his works Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire This is the second death and anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire No one will escape the judgment of God Those who have been in the sea gave up their dead all of the the sailors and all of the people who have died in The sea who have become fish food. They will stand before the throne of God No one will escape Do not think to yourself like an escape you cannot All of heaven and earth fled away from his presence. There is nowhere to hide. Nothing can stop it. Not by might, not by majority.

No one can resist the power of God to bring the wicked to the day of judgment No one and here we have these divinely inspired words confirming that God both sees and remembers the wickedness of the wicked. As we learned last time that God is able to deliver the godly out of temptation and God is able, yes, more than able to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment. And again, they will not escape. Though his judgment may seem to Terry and we'll read about this next time in chapter 3 though his judgment may seem to Terry it will not Terry forever you see the long suffering of the Lord is for all of the elect to come to repentance. It is not because God is slack concerning His promises, as some men count slackness, but He's long suffering to us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance you see they will not escape this day They have a reservation from God You know here shortly in a few weeks.

I guess it is or next week I have my wife and I we have a reservation we have a reservation to go somewhere and to stay but I want you to realize that reservation can be broken I may get sick something may happen a child may get sick and We have to cancel that reservation But there's a day that is reserved for the wicked and nothing will counsel it It is a day that is set by the power of God And I want you to understand that we understand from the book of 1st Peter that we are kept by the power of God unto salvation just as sure as the elect are kept by God unto salvation the wicked are reserved unto the day of judgment they will not escape I want that to sink into your minds as Sure as the believer is kept so the wicked is kept unto the day of judgment no escape You cannot counsel that reservation However, not even the wicked and I want you to understand this as the gospel message not even the wicked are without hope Because brothers and sisters if they were we would all be without hope Look at what Ephesians chapter 2 says and verses 1 through 5 and you he made alive Who were dead and trespasses and sins in which you once walked according to the course of this world according to the prince of the power of the air the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lust of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature children of wrath just as the others but God that's the only difference But God who is rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us even when we were dead in trespasses Made us alive together with Christ by grace.

You have been saved The only thing that makes you differ From the wicked is God But God who is rich in mercy. Those are the most beautiful words I believe in all of Scripture he takes us from being dead and trespasses and sins But God who's rich in mercy for by grace you have been saved that is what makes you to differ so it's a repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is their only hope and is our only hope so do not be deceived into thinking that there is some other way of escape There is not it is only through the merits of Christ and to the mercy of God That we can be transformed from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light Secondly God's view in that they write is that they rightly deserve a day of judgment false teachers rightly deserve a day of judgment This is God's view This is the view that we must have when we consider false teachers and those who would lead Gods or who would lead unstable souls astray, we must understand they rightly deserve judgment. None of us will stand in heaven when we are there after that day and we are all brought into the kingdom.

None of us will think, boy, that judgment, that was kind of harsh. It will be perfect. It will be perfect It's a sobering thought I Want you to realize that there's good rationale for this judgment. God's not arbitrary. God's not fickle There's no shadow of turning with him He's not too harsh, and he's not too soft It's just right you see this passage is really astonishing Because it's filled with some of the most insightful and descriptive words to identify and to classify false teachers Look with me in verse 10.

He says and Especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels who are greater in power might do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord you see The book of Judges begins or excuse me. The book of Jude begins It is the only one excuse me that that relates to 2nd Peter in this way that it shows that this judgment It's it uses almost the words identically So the book of Jude is the other place that compares with these descriptive words that describes to us what these false teachers are like and how they rightly deserve the judgment of God. In Psalm 7-11, the word of God says this, God is a just judge, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

Every day. Why? Because they are wicked, and God is holy. But again, back to that great hope is, we were once wicked, but God in his mercy saved us. So our desire is that all of the wicked would come to repentance, but yet we know, because of God's word telling us, not all will.

Not all will come. So we see this regarding these false teachers and the righteous judgment of God that will be poured out upon them. And here God again, he pours out this whole commentary on why they are to be reserved for the day of judgment. By the end of this no one will wonder why are they judged so harshly? It will be clear for us we will see why they were reserved for the day of judgment.

He spells it out clearly. And I believe that the middle part of verse 10 really gives us this main thrust of why that is. He describes them in two ways. They are presumptuous, they are self-willed. They are presumptuous, they are self-willed.

Just as a side note, as we make our way through these striking descriptive words of false teachers and what their character is like and what they are like, it would really be good soul work for every one of us to consider ourselves. Do we see these characteristics in us? Do you see yourself being presumptuous? And we'll define these things. Do you see yourself being?

Self-willed It's a serious thing that we should consider You may not be a false teacher but all of us have this temptation towards these things and They must be repented of turn from these things as a scripture tells us over and over and leave turn and leave. So why do they deserve the judgment of God? Well, he tells us in verse 10. They walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness. First off, this is their lifestyle.

This is their walk. They walk according to the flesh. Their mind is set upon the flesh. They don't walk according to the spirit as we're commanded to do they live for the flesh They think of the flesh they dream of the flesh and the pleasures of the flesh. That is how they walk They are constantly thinking about fleshly appetites and fleshly desires.

They are led as they feel How are you led How do you make the decisions that you make? How do you think about things? And I don't just mean church things. How do you think about your family? How do you think about your wife and your children and your business and entertainment and everything?

Are you led by the word of God? Are you led how you feel? It is a dangerous thing, these people, these false teachers, and again, he's arguing from the greater to the lesser I believe here he's showing us this destructive nature of false teachers and we do well to take heed and to consider if we're like this Because remember what he says a little bit later on is that these false teachers they entice unstable souls So they deserve this judgment because they're led by the flesh if anything describes this world in its ways It is this they are led or they walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness This world is pushing this package as we've all seen to the very limits no holds bar It is Romans chapter 1 and God is giving them up This is a form of judgment upon our society when God it is the judgment of abandonment When God turns them over to a debased mind it is God who does that read Romans chapter 1 he makes it clear he gives he says it like three or four times there in Romans chapter one he has given them up he has turned them over to their own desires their own fleshly desires he's given them over to their own way and this always leads to gross immorality and destruction.

If you're living with no restraints and no convictions, you're living according to the flesh. Do you ever say no to yourself? Do you seek after your own way? Look at what Galatians says in chapter 5 and verse 16. Many of you know this.

This is right before the passage regarding the fruit of the Spirit and I would call this the fruit of the flesh. I say then, walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh For the look for the flesh lust against the spirit and the spirit Against the flesh and these are contrary to one another so that You do not do the things you wish. Well, these false teachers, they strive to do everything they wish. But he goes on. But if you are led by the Spirit, You are not under the law.

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like. So he didn't give us a full but everything that's like that that is the work of the flesh And then he says this of which I tell you beforehand just as I also told you in time past that those who practice Such things will not inherit the kingdom of God but The fruit of the Spirit is love and joy and peace and long-suffering kindness goodness faithfulness gentleness self-control Against such there is no law and those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions And desires if we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit Let us not become conceited provoking one another and envying one another these people these false teachers are void of the spirit But listen, they're false teachers They present themselves to be something that they are not. Oh They're teaching but they're not teaching the things of God They're teaching the things of the flesh or teaching teaching the things of the world.

They're ultimately teaching the doctrine of the devil. They despise authority. This is why they are ripe for judgment. They despise authority. Verse 10.

This word despise here means to think down upon or against, to think slightly of. One of the things that God has established in his universe Is that there are jurisdictions and there are authorities there are governments if you will we know that there's self-government We know also that there's government within a family parents over children We know that the Word of God establishes that the husband is the Head of the wife as Christ is head of the church. This is speaking of jurisdictions. There is also Church Authority There's also civil authority and then the ultimate authority over all things is God These people they despise authority They despise all authority. They're against all of these things.

These are our fleshwalkers if you will they are Antinomians they despise the authority that God has set up in other words. They exalt their thoughts above God's thoughts They think they know better. Have you ever dealt with a little child and they're telling you how something is? And you're explaining to them that's not how it is. But they are steadfast in their view.

This is the right way. You know, there comes a time when children learn best by experience. And they see the error of their ways. Don't touch that. That'll hurt.

No, it won't hurt. Don't touch that. It will hurt. No, no, it won't hurt. Pssst!

And then they scald their hand or they get it pinched or something and they learn by example If they would have understood that if they would receive the authority that God has placed in their life, they wouldn't have experienced that that's what we're talking about here these people despise authority Peter says they are presumptuous and self-willed as I said that was kind of the thrust of their character they're presumptuous and self-willed these things go together they despise authority or government because they are presumptuous and self-willed. It is the attitude of no one is going to tell me what to do. Their God is their feelings. They're against anyone and anything that would try to restrain their desires Think of the multitude of examples that we see in our world around us in our society and culture today The lgbt whatever plus mindset their feelings are their God Their feelings are their source of truth. No one has a right to tell them what to do because they feel it.

And therefore to them it is truth. This chaos began in the garden. It didn't begin in our generation for there's nothing new under the sun it began in the Garden of Eden however in our country at this time we are seeing in hyperspeed This behavior and this mentality of my truth Because of decades of schoolchildren who have been taught that there is no absolute truth, but that there's your truth and my truth This has destroyed Absolute truth in their minds. It hasn't destroyed absolute truth but it destroyed in their minds what it is they will learn just like there is a day reserved and no one will escape and they will come face to face with absolute truth When pilot looked at Jesus and he said, What is truth? He couldn't see it and discern it.

He was looking truth right in the eyes. And there's coming a day when he will stand and all the world will stand before truth and they will know you see they begin this teaching in our schools and this again is not new this is the story of the fall Adam and Eve denied absolute truth when they doubted what God said That was the words of Satan has God indeed said and They doubted absolute truth and we know the story God has indeed said Judges 17 we see also this same mentality in those days. There was no king in Israel everyone did what was right in his own eyes that's the problem this type of thinking leads to destruction every time look at the look at the cycle of the judges over and over and over again and you know what That cycle didn't stop with the book of judges. We still see this same thing going on. I read some real recently that good times make weak men.

And we're soon to find that weak men are going to lead to bad times and the judgment of God. It's challenging to debate with someone who denies reality because they are basing everything upon the consequences of their experience and they act upon that. Abortion is the same way. You can tell me what you you cannot tell me what to do with my body That's their belief. That's their God.

That's a religion The list goes on and on it's the same spirit of despising authority that is the spirit of it it's a spirit of a false teacher and those that follow them are of the same mind they will fight you to the death if you tell them what to do this is antinomianism paul warned of this in Acts chapter twenty I quoted this before but he says this in acts 20 29 30 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 disciples after themselves They're seeking a hearing. That's what happens in Timothy to that they seek out teachers because they have itching ears You see these are the people that will look at here in a few moments who are enticing who are Enticable I guess you would say they are being enticed and they are unstable souls They look for those who will tickle their ears and tell them what they want to hear and tell them that their sin is not sin They want to unhitch themselves from parts of the Bible that they do not like.

Have you ever read the scriptures and been reading through there and something just, ah man that's a tough one. I don't know if I like that. I have. And if you're honest, you have. Because the scripture is spiritual and we are often carnal and when we read something of the truth of God's Word it will rub our flesh wrong But what do you do with that?

What do you do when you come to that passage? By God's grace, years ago, I determined I will not understand everything in God's word. It's infinite. It's abounding in truth and knowledge It's the wisdom of God that God has given to me and and but I've determined that when I come to the Word of God Whether I like it on face value or not. I will believe it Because it is God's Word and by God's grace he will transform my wrong thinking into his thinking that's where our desire is but these false teachers are opposite of this they they turn from the way of truth they despise authority look at God's Word This is our sole authority for life and practice.

I have given unto you all things that pertain to life and godliness This is the Word of God. That's why it's here. That's why he gave it to us Do you place yourself under the authority of God's word or do you despise it and reject it and make excuses and try to figure out ways around it? I get so frustrated with these new-agey people who are looking at the Scriptures and they're trying to say, oh, that was just cultural. Then why did he take it all the way back to the Garden of Eden?

It's a universal principle are there cultural things here in the scriptures, of course there are But you can't take every doctrine and say that was just cultural for that time. No God's Word is written for all time. We must be wise as we interpret the Scriptures and we must understand that we need and we must submit ourselves to the Word of God. You know, if they don't like something in the Bible, again, they just reject it. They turn from it.

They reject their authority. We see this in in our day and think about this. This is a good point of examination The spirit of this is seen in these ways Children who reject the authority of their parents and you say wait a minute. That's a little harsh read Romans chapter 1 in the same list of homosexuals and all of the other is disobedience to parents That is a sin against God children listen God commands you to honor your father and mother. And the sin when you disobey your parents and you dishonor them is grievous in the sight of God.

You need to take it very seriously God has put your parents in your life as your authority And when you reject theirs you're rejecting God's That's the spirit of a false teacher Submit yourself unto your authority. You will find that as the first commandment with a promise When you honor your father and mother it will go well with you and you will live long in the land Which the Lord your God has given you Believe this this is God's Word But we also see that these people are presumptuous. This is their overarching attitude. This presumptuousness is a daring, It's a courage to do something. It's a shameless and irreverent, daring courageousness to do something evil.

It's good to be courageous. Men, we should be strong and courageous. That was God's command to Joshua. But not this kind. This is a courage, but it's a courage to do evil blatantly that's why he describes this They are audacious in their sin They're not ashamed to do evil and to do it openly That's the spirit of our age.

They dare to do evil publicly We used to say coming out of the closet. We don't say that anymore because now it's broadcast for everyone to see and It's not enough for them that you accept it. It's not enough for them that you applaud it They want you to participate in it. That is where they desire for you to go. That's what presumption is.

They are presumptuous. They celebrate their evil, they applaud their evil, and they want you to as well. But not only presumptuousness, but they are self-willed, self-pleasing. Same ideas here that I've been speaking of. It denotes one who is dominated by self-interest.

Again, a great point to stop and check yourself. What dominates you? Self-interest? Go to Philippians chapter 2. This is not in my notes but just came to mind.

In Philippians chapter 2, we're given instruction on this. Look at what he says in Philippians 2. Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affections and mercy, listen to what he says, fulfill my joy by being like-minded and then he describes it having the same love of being of one accord Of one mind and then verse three mark it down. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit But in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself Let each of you look out not only for his own interest But also for the interest of others and then he goes into this great section of Scripture in chapter in verse 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus and it begins to lay out for us the humility of Christ and how he laid himself down because of the father's design that he would give himself up he became a servant he gave of his life even to the point of death he humbled himself even to the point of the cross That is the spirit of God working in somebody.

But this person here, they are self-willed. Their desire is not to be gentle, it is to be this overarching determination to get what one wants. It's obstinance. It's determined in your own way. So how audacious and presumptuous are they?

Well Peter tells us. He says, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries. This word dignitary here, as we will see, means glory. I'll explain that. This is one of the interesting things, and there's a few different ways to understand this but this dignitary is docsa it means glory the meaning relates to the word meaning to think or to recognize a person or thing for what it is It basically refers to the recognition belonging to a person that shows honor and shows renown and I believe it's helpful for us to look at Jude 1 because there's only one chapter there, but verses 8 through 10 in Jude He says this you don't have to turn I'll read it for you.

He says likewise also these dreamers Defile the flesh reject authority and speak evil of dignitaries yet Michael the Archangel in Contending with the devil even Or excuse me when he disputed about the body of moses dared not to bring against him a reviling accusation Interesting the Archangel Michael did not bring a reviling accusation against the devil but said the Lord rebuke you But these speak evil of whatever they do not know and whatever they know Naturally like brute beast in these things they corrupt themselves it seems like Jude and Peter sat down and had a Conversation about this they're using the same words same terminology same ideas regarding false teachers and the ungodly I understand this to mean these dignitaries to be fallen angels. He's making an extreme example or illustration of how presumptuous they are. They speak evil of what they don't even know. They don't even understand it. They cannot see into the spiritual realm and Therefore they speak evil of things.

They don't understand That is dangerous. That's how arrogant and self-willed they were They speak what they don't know now this may seem odd, but this includes as I said fallen angels Not even Michael was willing to do that and he could see into the spiritual realm now. What does this mean? It means that how much less should we be willing to do that? I've seen and heard false teachers in our own day And they were great swelling words want to rebuke the devil, and they want to bind him It reminds me of the sons of Sceva.

They think they do this in their power and authority But listen angels who are greater in power and might do not do it Neither should we You're dealing with things. You don't know Now should we run around scared of these things? No, He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world. But we should not act foolishly. So there is an honor there because of what they are, not necessarily because what they do.

Does that make sense? We are commanded to honor the king Peter wrote that when there was tyrants you honor the position of what they are not what they're doing okay so we you may do this with a child, you may do this with a parent. You may have a parent who is not acting right, maybe getting angry. You still are commanded to honor that parent even though you don't maybe agree And you should not act in the same way as that parent, but there's still an authority they have over you you don't curse your parents and So this is a lesser example. He's giving us a big example This is an under failure to understand these false teachers have a failure to understand jurisdiction and authority.

The ESV translation says it this way and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passions and despise authority. Listen, bold And willful they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones The NASB says and especially those who indulge in the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority Daring self-willed they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties And The next verse I believes helps us to understand this he says in verse 11 Whereas angels who are greater in power and might do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord They angels are greater in power and might than you are And I am they don't do it Neither should we? John MacArthur says this about them. He says, they are glorious beings. Well, the answer, excuse me, are they glorious beings?

Well, the answer is yes. They can be called glories in the sense that they have a persona and a level of existence in the supernatural world that has a dignity and a transcendent quality about it That is beyond us Paul said he is the prince and the power of the air Jesus said he's the ruler of this World Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit calls him a prince Jesus calls him a ruler and he is referred to by our Lord as a strong one There is dignity There is a glorious persona That that is possessed even by fallen angels for they still retain the imprint of majesty Even like fallen sinful unregenerate men retain the imprint of the image of God They're still Marked by the surpassing character and quality of their creation. In fact Ephesians 6 In chapter 6 they are called by Paul Principalities and powers and rulers they are called spiritual beings in high places Our takeaway from this is that we should not speak pompous words, we should not be presumptuous, and we should not be self-willed. It's interesting, this is challenging to understand, give us all that and give me that, this is challenging.

But I think the simplicity of it is Don't be presumptuous And self-willed and speak about things you don't know anything about It shows an arrogance and a pride that false teachers have and That's what they would do. They would they would speak these great swelling words and lead people away You see it's just like us honoring lost people because they are created in the image of God Even though we don't agree with what they do, we value the sanctity of human life. It's the same as that. And lastly, God's view is that they are like instinctive beasts Made to be caught and destroyed. Now this one is shocking.

This is that point at which at least in my heart sometimes I feel like I would be a little more lenient but God says these false teachers are like natural brute beasts made to be taken and destroyed not us destroying them that's his job he is reserving them into the day of judgment and He will destroy them if they do not repent they will be destroyed. These are shocking words But this is what it means They are like instinctive beasts think about your dog or your cat or maybe a wild animal a horse Or a mule that's untrained or or some form of Animal that does not have the ability to reason or to logic or think through things. They're instinctive That's how animals work. They don't have the same abilities as humans do we are created in the image of God contrary to what everyone in the world believes We are not just an higher animal. We are created in the image of God and no matter how much you love your dog You are different than he is They're like natural brute beasts Instinctive behavior, that's how so How bad is it and why they deserve the judgment, why they should be destroyed, is because this person who is created in the image of God is Acting like a lower form of creation we think about animals and you know you may be a hunter Or I think we all eat meat in here.

We we see these animals the purpose of these animals is to be destroyed in the sense that they are good and they benefit us through the meat that we eat. These teachers are like that in the sense that they have no good except when they're destroyed. That's how much damage they do to the Church of God and to other living souls It's shocking You may feel yourself a little little cringy with these words. These are God's words That's why I said God's view of false teachers and it needs to be our view of false teachers Not that we are bringing judgment But God says he will Bring judgment Proverbs 16 4 says the Lord has made all for himself. Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.

I Think that's important To mention that false teachers as you're looking for them. I pray you're always watching. You need to understand they won't necessarily have all of these characteristics, but all of them will have some of these characteristics. That's the things that we should watch for. They act like animals.

Peter describes these false teachers as being morally equivalent to beasts. Calvin says to be given up to the flesh like brute animals who are not led by reason and judgment but have the natural desire of their flesh as their chief guide. I know that you've seen this when different animals some of us have at least now or in the past have had maybe dogs that were breeding There is crazy things that happens to those animals. They are led by their instincts. And they'll act in insane ways, and that's how these false teachers are.

They're governed by natural instincts. They're destitute of reason. Matthew Henry says, the apostle, having shown how unlike seducing teachers are to the most excellent creatures proceeds to show how like they are to the most inferior he says you're they're not like angels which are greater in power and might they're like an animal that's his comparison here that's what he's doing He's showing you the distinct contrast of what false teachers are like who are led by the lust of their flesh and led by instinct. They're so audacious. They're nothing like the angels who show respect and honor to dignitaries they're just like an animal why am I going through all this because it is a danger to the blood-bought church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

You need to understand how deadly and dangerous they are. A shepherd's job is to guard the flock of God. And even though at this moment I do not see a false teacher in our midst, it doesn't mean one is not trying to rise up or wiggle in. They're like natural brute beasts led by their instincts, led by their flesh, and you must be on guard. You must be watching.

Don't be led by your instincts as these and watch for those who are he describes him in verse 13 They are spots and blemishes Corralling in their own deception while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. And in the last few moments that we have, I want to get into this. They are corrousing. This is interesting. Luxuriously.

It means to revel in something. Counting reveling in the daytime a pleasure. These false teachers don't just do evil modestly, if that can be termed that way, but they do it luxuriously. Maybe a description would be this. Jesus spoke about John and said, what did you go out into the wilderness to see a reed shaken by the wind what did you go out to see a man clothed in soft garments said those that clothed in soft garments are in king's palaces.

Something that distinguished royalty from the common was this, is that they dressed in soft, luxurious clothing because it made a statement about who they were much like our officials today who will pay $10, 000 for a suit Or buy a dress worth $25, 000 to wear once That's what this evils like why do they do that they do it to be seen They're saying look at me Look at my $10, 000 suit. There's Look at this dress that proclaims how much money I have. But these false teachers, they present their evil like that. Look at this. I despise all authority.

No one can tell me what to do. And they revel in it. And they take the liberty that Christ gives us and uses it for licentiousness. They take the grace of God and they abuse it. And they think that we'll sin all the more that grace can abound.

God forbid. They carouse in the daytime. They made it a show and they have eyes full of adultery. This I understand to be descriptive of false teachers insatiable appetite for lust and adultery. It's very interesting.

I was listening to a teacher this week on this passage and he made a statement about having eyes that are full of adultery. He said they're oftentimes false teachers or men not always but oftentimes false teachers are men and they cannot look at a female without thinking about adultery. Their eyes are full of it Because you think about the temptations for false teachers, typically it revolves around one of two things. It's greed and it's lust. They use their power and their influence and their position to fulfill their sexual appetite and to get money.

And they have eyes full of adultery. They cannot see a female in the light of what they truly are and truly created to be co-heirs of the grace of God, co-heirs of the gospel, created in the image of God for the glory of God but they have eyes full of adultery Matthew 5 28 says but I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart it's the eyes that's where it begins it's the eyes that are full of it. Why? Because the heart is full of it. And then it says this, enticing and I've referenced this, an enticing unstable souls Matthew Henry again.

He says but here observe who those are who are in the greatest danger of being led astray and into error and into impiety Even the unstable Those who hearts are not established with grace are easily turned into the way of sin. Why are we so given to reading of scripture, to praying and praying of Scripture and preaching of God's Word is Because our job as shepherds is to make sure that every one of you are established in the truth You see false teachers go after unstable souls. They entice them. It's like a fishing term. They throw their lure that has the bait and see who will bite.

I want every one of us to be wise, that we can distinguish that's bait. There's a hook there. There's a trap there. I want there to be no unstable souls here. That only comes through the preaching of the Word of God, continually giving you doctrine and giving you right teaching and pouring out God's truth upon you.

That's my desire. Romans 13 says, the night is far spent. The day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust this way This is the way false teachers lead others astray It is that enticement to get them but notice what he says also they are trained in verse 14 B they are trained in covetous practices We're what's at last full of adultery and they're trained in covetous practices Their hearts are not ignorant regarding all the ways that they can covet.

What does not belong to them And he describes them as a cursed children They have forsaken the right way and gone astray. They are followers of false prophets. They follow, Look at what he says, he gives us this example here. They follow in the way of Balaam, the son of Beor. That's what he describes him as.

It's important to consider your own teachers whom you follow. I doubt every one of you only listen to preaching here. Be guarded. Who are you listening to? And a teacher can not only be another preacher, it can be on social media, it can be on the movies that you watch.

Who's preaching to you? Everything is preaching to you. Who's your teacher? The world is full of false teachers. You better be guarded.

They love unrighteous wages. It's interesting to read this passage about Balaam because at first glance when you're reading through numbers there, it looks as if he's a little struggling there, but the Lord says, only say what I say. And he tells him, Balaam, I'm only going to say what God says. But there's this interesting thing here about where the dumb donkey Has to rebuke the Prophet. What's that about?

Well, God knows the heart God told him to go and he was going. And as he was going, it seems like, hey, he's obeying God, he's going to talk. But then that's when the angel of the Lord comes and the angel tells him that if your donkey hadn't have done that, I would have killed you. Why? Because God knows the heart.

He understood that in Balaam's heart was a covetous heart. And it makes you wonder sometimes why did he keep saying I'll only tell what God says and he'd come back with a with a report that blessed Israel and wasn't good for Balak. And it's almost as if he kept doing this to try to up the ante. And later on we read about what happened in Numbers 31. It says, look, this is Moses speaking, he said, Look, these women caused the children of Israel through the council of Balaam to trespass against the Lord in the incident of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the Lord.

We learn in Jude 1 verse 11, Woe to them, for they have gone the way of Cain and have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit We read in Revelation chapter 2 and the angel of and to the angel of the church of Pergamos Right these things says he who has the sharp two-edged sword But I have a few things against you because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam Who taught belong? Balaam to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit sexual immorality That's what was taking place Balaam he said I can't curse them, but let me tell you what you can do Go and commit harlotry with the people of the land and God himself Will judge his own people? And if I'm not mistaken 24, 000 people died So often I fear that what hinders the Church of God and the work of God is our sin and God will not bless his people when they live in sin. These deceivers are empty. They're empty deceivers and closing in this thought.

These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. That's a terrifying statement. The idea here is a well without water is promising something that is refreshing and is empty. Listen to me, the world people, listen, the world is going to promise you fulfillment and peace and pleasure and joy, they're empty. They're wells without water.

They promise drink to a thirsty soul, but they have nothing with which to draw. But the Lord Jesus, He says, I will give you of water, living water that will well up within you, and you will never thirst again. That's what the Lord brings. They're clouds carried by a tempest. They're promising rain and they blow over.

There's nothing in them. That's the false teacher. So by way of application which I've written on your page just to help you to take this home with you, number one be on guard. Peter wrote this to warn those believers of what false teachers were like. Number two, adopt God's view of false teachers.

If your view is different than this, get rid of your view. Adopt God's view. Number three, really important, do not be unstable. You say, well how can I get stable? Exercise the means of grace that God has given to you to make you stable in the faith.

Prayer, the word of God, the meeting of the church, the ordinances of the church, the Lord's Supper and baptism Don't minimize these things Don't minimize those things and fourth and lastly do not doubt that God is able both to deliver you from temptation and To reserve false teachers into the day of judgment Our God is able Serve him fear him and love him Let's pray Father we give you all praise and honor and glory because you have not left us without instruction Lord I thank you that you inspired the Apostle Peter that under-shepherd of the sheep to write these words for us so that we could be on guard against these things that we would understand All of the deceptive ways of false teachers Lord you have promised us there will be false teachers among your people. And you've given us these words so that we could be guarded against it. I pray that these words would settle down into the souls, souls and hearts of your people, that they would be stable in the faith and that they would be able to see these things clearly and that they will not be like the children of Israel who were turned aside and brought upon themselves the judgment of God Lord may your spirit rest upon us and help us to walk in the spirit so that we will not fulfill the lust of the flesh you