Identifying False Prophets
Book of 2 Peter
2:1-22
How many of us truly
know how to recognize the false prophet? This means the false pastor,
the false preacher, the false evangelist, the false bishop and any
other false messenger, who are not called of God, but call themselves
or allow some other group of men or women to call them.
God calls those who
He chooses to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ (the Messiah)!
1Co 7:20 Let every
man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.
Rom 10:15 And how
shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How
beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and
bring glad tidings of good things!
1Co 1:17 For Christ
sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of
words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
1Co 9:14 Even so
hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live
of the gospel.
2Co 4:5 For we
preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your
servants for Jesus' sake.
Who is that false
preacher?
Let's listen to the
called messenger of God, the Apostle Peter.
*****2Pe 2:1 But
there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall
be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction.
We must remember
Peter is writing to the Church. He is not talking about the world.
Peter is saying these are men and women who are inside the Church!
Even Jesus warns of
these people who are enemies of the Church.
Mat 7:22 Many will
say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy
name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many
wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then
will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that
work iniquity.
In fact, as we see,
these are false people who have made their way into the pulpits of
the Church. This is even a sign of the soon coming Rapture of the
Church, before the Second Coming of Christ.
Mat 24:24 For there
shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great
signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall
deceive the very elect.
Mat 24:25 Behold, I
have told you before.
It is the job of the
Church to rid the Church of these evil people!
1Jn 4:1 Beloved,
believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of
God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1Jn 4:2 Hereby know
ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ
is come in the flesh is of God:
1Jn 4:3 And every
spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is
not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have
heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
1Jn 4:4 Ye are of
God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he
that is in you, than he that is in the world.
1Jn 4:5 They are of
the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth
them.
In the Church,
heresy is departing from doctrine of faith that is in the works of
the Lord Jesus Christ!
Heresy is any
departure from the truth of the revelation of God!
Joh 4:23 But the
hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the
Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship
him.
Joh 4:24 God is a
Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in
truth.
Joh 8:32 And ye
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 14:6 Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me.
Joh 17:17 Sanctify
them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Any departure from
the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ and the truth of the Scriptures is
"heresy", and those who do so must be removed from the
church and it is the church body that has the responsibility to do
so!
If you think that
when you stand before the Lord Jesus Christ and this will not come up
you are foolish, and there will be a terrible loss of rewards and if
you stand before the Lord at the White Throne judgment you are fools
if you try to use this as an excuse, that you were misled.
We all have the
responsibility to study the Word of God to know that the men and in
some case women (who already go against the Word of God) who are
behind the pulpits, are preaching and teaching the truth.
Heresies are
damnable, because it is only by the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ,
that we can avoid eternal damnation!
Many listen to these
preachers of damnation, out of ignorance to the Word of God!
*****2Pe 2:2 And
many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of
truth shall be evil spoken of.
We must clearly
understand that to go against the Word of God is sin and sin that is
unrepented brings eternal damnation!
Anyone who teaches
and encourages people to live an immoral and unrestrained sin is a
false preacher or teacher who is certainly not looking out for your
spiritual welfare, but are working for the devil!
They will teach that
Jesus is not the true Messiah sent from God.
They will teach that
there is no Triune God, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy
Spirit.
They will teach that
Jesus is certainly not any Lord and we have no Lord over our lives.
They will teach that
there is no higher power and the best we can do is listen to the
wisdom of the men from this world.
They will teach that
there is no absolute truth and that we can live pretty much anyway we
want to.
They teach lies that
anyone with common sense can see straight through, but people just
refuse to give up their sin and these liars just give them an excuse
to do so!
I got news for you.
If you belong to the Lord, you will give up all your petty sins or
you are not His child!
These people speak
evil of God and they teach those who are listening to them to do the
same.
The Apostle Paul
wrote to the early church:
Act 20:29 For I
know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in
among you, not sparing the flock.
Act 20:30 Also of
your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw
away disciples after them.
These people only
use the church to fill their pocketbooks and their bellies!
*****2Pe 2:3 And
through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise
of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their
damnation slumbereth not.
When we look up that
word covetousness in the Strong's Dictionary of Greek and Hebrew
words, we find the word "Avarice"
Avarice means the
act of extortion, fraudulent, covetous, means to take someone elses
money.
Avarice means
seeking worldly wealth by any means possible, barely legal by
loopholes and especially illegal or fraudulently.
We already known
that wealth in itself is not a sin though the Bible does say
Christians who have wealth were given that wealth to help the Church
deliver the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" and also help the poor
in the Church.
It is that craving
for wealth that is such a sin!
The world operates
under the rule of those who crave wealth and obtain it with any means
possible!
It is that putting
in place a means to extort that wealth from innocent victims that is
such a terrible sin.
In fact it is that
love of wealth that is obtained in this fashion that is sin!
1Ti_6:10 For the
love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted
after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through
with many sorrows.
God condemns this
sin!
Isa 56:11 Yea, they
are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds
that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for
his gain, from his quarter.
Jer 5:25 Your
iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have
withholden good things from you.
Jer 5:26 For among
my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth
snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
Jer 5:27 As a cage
is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they
are become great, and waxen rich.
Mic 3:11 The heads
thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and
the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the
LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.
Tit 1:10 For there
are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the
circumcision:
Tit 1:11 Whose
mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things
which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
These are just a
handful of Scriptures warning the Church of false preachers and
teachers.
This is exactly what
the Apostle Peter is doing here. He is not only warning the Church,
he is also teaching us how to know a false teacher when we see one,
even knowing that they are deceivers who see Christians as easy
pickings and an easy way to make great wealth.
They mold their
words together to make them sound like what God has said.
They use artificial
acts of kindness to lure their congregation.
They use fictitious
results to entice the poor and the unhealthy into their audiences.
They devise their
plans well to get maximum wealth from a people who are trusting in
Jehovah God!
God has designed the
Church to receive tithes and offerings and our wealth little or much,
and it is never to be given to charlatans who care nothing for the
things of God!
The truth is false
teachers and false preachers will be judged and destroyed.
We may ask
ourselves, why do some seem to keep going and keep amassing wealth,
but we must leave these things in God's hands.
They are already
judged, and they will see damnation!
In fact it is the
greed of gain that dominates all our world today!
You cannot pay for a
higher knowledge than the Word of God given to all freely!
You cannot pay for a
higher holiness than the salvation plan of God also given to each
believer freely, without cost!
They would cease to
exist if the Church would listen to what the Lord does teach us!
1Ti 6:5 Perverse
disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth,
supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.
Tit 1:10 For there
are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the
circumcision:
Tit 1:11 Whose
mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things
which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
God will exterminate
these false, so-called men of God and it will be a terrible thing!
*****2Pe 2:4 For if
God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell,
and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto
judgment;
Judgment is coming
to all to reject the truth of God but even more so to those who would
distort the Word of God for their own profit!
Destruction is not
now in this world compared to the destruction that is forthcoming
from our Holy God!
Before the time of
Adam and Eve there was the rebellion in Heaven and Lucifer and a
third of the angels in Heaven.
Eze 28:16 By the
multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with
violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane
out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering
cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
Eze 28:17 Thine
heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy
wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I
will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.
Rev 12:3 And there
appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon,
having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
Rev 12:4 And his
tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to
the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to
be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
We know that
Lucifer, now called Satan, the Devil, the Deceiver, and other names
is used of God to cause temptation along with a few of those angels
now called demons, but the worst of those angels are already locked
away in the depths of hell.
Jud 1:6 And the
angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own
habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness
unto the judgment of the great day.
There is no escape
for those who sin!
For Lucifer and
those angels that rebelled with him there will never be an
opportunity for forgiveness and even Heaven will be made new because
there will not even be a trace of sin in the New Heaven that is to be
our home.
Rev_21:1 And I saw
a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first
earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
These same angels
will be placed into the burning lake of fire along with Lucifer!
Another example
given to us is the destruction of the old world.
*****2Pe 2:5 And
spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a
preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of
the ungodly;
It amazes me that
the climate alarmist speak of so many cities and coastlines that will
be underwater by the time of 2030, yet artifact after artifact are
discovered under our oceans almost daily.
There are always
things going on in nature that we will never understand because we
are not intended to understand.
Those could afford
to have always built too close to shorelines.
There are roads,
cities, foundations, pyramids and many other things from the past
that are found under our oceans that were once on dry land when there
were no automobiles.
When there were no
power plants.
When there were no
industries.
When there were no
causes for greenhouse gases but nature itself and of course the
animals who God chose to exist with us.
In the day of Noah,
it was God who flooded this earth not because of greenhouse gases but
because of sin.
Judgment is coming
to all who reject the Lord Jesus Christ!
*****2Pe 2:6 And
turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them
with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after
should live ungodly;
2Pe 2:7 And
delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
2Pe 2:8 (For that
righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his
righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
We are foolish not
to realize the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah!
These same sins are
running rampant in our societies of today.
Sin can bring down
the most magnificent cities of today just as it did in the days of
Abraham.
Not one of these
cities did escape and if you study the Bible there were five of those
cities destroyed along with Sodom and Gomorrah.
Gen 19:25 And he
overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of
the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.
There is not one
society of mankind that can hinder the judgment of God!
There is not one
evil that can escape the destruction of God!
Only Lot and his two
daughters escaped from Sodom.
Lot had been
justified when He was with Abraham and this should be a lesson to us
that Lot did not lose his salvation, but his godly testimony was
ruined for the rest of his days. He had become useless in the work of
God and became a drunk who was used of his two daughters whose lives
were lives of confusion that brought to them damnation.
This is exactly what
a false teacher will cause. Confusion that leads to damnation!
When you fall away
from the truth of God after your salvation it can bring ruin to your
entire family!
There is no one who
rejects the truth of God who will not see damnation and at the same
time, God will fulfill His promise to deliver everyone who has
claimed the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
*****2Pe 2:9 The
Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to
reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
We live in a world
that has no respect for the knowledge of God and false teachers and
false preachers take advantage of our laziness in the Scriptures.
The Bible was not
just written for the preacher to study and give us his thoughts.
The Bible was
written so we can learn and see for ourselves what God has actually
said!
The true teacher and
preacher will help us to understand what God has written!
God knows how to
deliver us from all things, but we must pay attention to what He says
and not what man says.
God also knows how
to rid this world of the unjust. Those who have not been "justified"
by the truth of God!
God does not cause
our suffering.
God does not tempt
us in any way.
God does allow us to
go through some of these things to make us stronger!
God knows how to
deliver us out of the conflicts of this life.
We must remember
most of our problems come because we have given in to temptation!
Some of our problems
come because of Christian persecution!
The remainder of our
problems are the same problems that everyone else has in this life!
God explains to us
everything pertaining to life! Where life began and where life will
end and then God teaches us how to avoid the pitfalls of life.
God knows how to
meet the needs of His people.
There is much
difference in the "unjust" and those who have been
"justified" (the just)!
*****2Pe 2:10 But
chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness,
and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are
not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
So what do these
false teachers and false preachers do? How can we know them besides
the things that they teach?
They walk after the
flesh! They walk just like those of the world!
The flesh in itself
is not evil, it is what we do in that flesh is evil!
We are spirit and we
are flesh.
The spirit will seek
spiritual things and lead us to the Holy Spirit who will lead us the
Lord.
The flesh will seek
food, recognition, love, companionship, and the necessities of life
and these are normal desires that we all have.
False teachers walk
in the lusts of the flesh, which is covetousness, an evil desire for
all things of the flesh, especially monetary things!
False teachers teach
to satisfy the flesh and their message is to gain recognition and
livelihood and that message will change according to their own best
interest!
Just like the lost,
because they are lost, they want to do things their own way!
They neglect the
Lordship of Christ!
They neglect the
truth of God!
*****2Pe 2:11
Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not
railing accusation against them before the Lord.
False teachers
despise authority especially the authority of God!
They stress rights.
They stress freedom.
They stress liberty.
They stress the
right to live in any way you want to.
The evidence of this
truth can be seen in most every denomination today, who are led by
false teachers!
These false teachers
will question spiritual things.
They will have
nothing good to say about the things of Heaven.
They will question
the work of the angels even their existence.
They will question
all the spiritual world.
They will doubt that
there is a spiritual world that going on around us.
They openly reject
that there is a Devil!
In doing so they are
calling the Lord a liar.
Col 2:8 Beware lest
any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the
tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after
Christ.
Col 2:9 For in him
dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Col 2:10 And ye are
complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Col 2:11 In whom
also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in
putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of
Christ:
Col 2:12 Buried
with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the
faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
Col 2:13 And you,
being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he
quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
Col 2:14 Blotting
out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was
contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
Col 2:15 And having
spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly,
triumphing over them in it.
What does God
actually think of false preachers and false teachers?
*****2Pe 2:12 But
these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak
evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish
in their own corruption;
2Pe 2:13 And shall
receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure
to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting
themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
2Pe 2:14 Having
eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling
unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices;
cursed children:
2Pe 2:15 Which have
forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of
Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
2Pe 2:16 But was
rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice
forbad the madness of the prophet.
It is easy to see
God does not think anything good about these foolish men and women.
We must keep in mind
Peter is writing to the saints of God! "to them that have
obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ" 2Peter 1:1
When we look out
across a field at magnificent bulls of the herd, we see brute beast
who do not have a clue to the meaning of life and certainly not
eternal life. Who are raised to be destroyed for their meat.
Much, Much,
different from that under-shepherd who are guardians of God's flock.
These brute beasts
only speak evil of the things of God they have no understanding and
they never will, because they do not have the Holy Spirit living
within them!
They will perish in
their own corruption.
You know there could
still be at least one more great awakening for the Church of God,
where the truth of God will come back to the top.
Let's pray for this
to happen!
But these will
receive their reward!
What do we see of
false teachers who are reaping great monetary things from God's
people?
They openly show
their wealth. Their jet plains. Their lifestyle. Making friends with
the unbelievers of this world while rejecting the standards God has
set for His people.
They share in the
social affairs of the world still rejecting the Lordship of Christ.
They make great
prayers without mentioning the Lord.
They in fact blemish
all the things of the Lord Jesus Christ.
God has only one
request for His people!
Rom 12:1 I beseech
you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not
conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of
your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and
perfect, will of God.
They are not pure in
their relationship with the Lord because they have gone to bed with
the world.
We need only look at
the major denominations of the Church to see that these things are
true!
They cannot cease
from sin.
They do not condemn
abortion, but they endorse it.
They do not condemn
the sexual relations of two men.
They do not condemn
the sexual relations of two women.
They do not condemn
all sexual relations outside the marriage.
In fact they do not
condemn sin at all, because they have not repented themselves and
their names are not written down in the Lamb's Book of Life and they
have condemned all relationships with the Lord Jesus Christ.
They have cursed the
next generation of the Church (our children) because they do not
teach the truth of the Scriptures.
I should say "all
the truth" because they do teach just enough of twisted truth to
keep you giving to them!
They then turn right
around and accept the teachings of the world.
They condemn our
Creator and the teachings of the Book of Genesis!
In the Bible, we see
Balaam did have some knowledge of God, but at the same time he
thought he could stand up to God and talk God into going against His
own Words.
Balaam could not
curse Israe, but he did give King Balak a plan that would cause
Israel to stumble when he sent all numbers of women into the camps of
Israel where fornication occurred.
Rev 2:14 But I have
a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the
doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before
the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to
commit fornication.
Balaam was so caught
up in his deceit that even the jackass he was riding was far smarter
than he was in the things of the Lord!
Num 22:28 And the
LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have
I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
Num 22:29 And
Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there
were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.
Num 22:30 And the
ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden
ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto
thee? And he said, Nay.
Num 22:31 Then the
LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD
standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed
down his head, and fell flat on his face.
Num 22:32 And the
angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine
ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because
thy way is perverse before me:
Balaam was no more
than a false teacher for hire just like those false teachers of
today!
The Lord is not
thorough in His condemnation of false teachers.
*****2Pe 2:17 These
are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to
whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
2Pe 2:18 For when
they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the
lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean
escaped from them who live in error.
Water is the most
necessary ingredient for all living beings, along with the air we
breathe!
The fruitfulness of
any land depends on the quantity and the quality of water that is
available.
This is the reason
that God has placed more water on this earth than there is dry land.
Water brings life!
A false teacher
cannot bring life!
They are only empty
wells that look refreshing from a distance, but only contain no water
or poisoned water that is undrinkable.
We see great clouds
sometimes that are pushed by the winds in which we see the
opportunity of life-giving rain to nourish our lands, but some just
blow on by having released none of moisture that is in them.
They looked like a
great promise of life, but in the end, they kept it to themselves.
A false teacher may
seem to carry the Words of Life, but in the end, they carry only
death!
They may be great
speakers, but their words are empty!
Their allure appeals
to the lusts of our flesh, but they offer nothing for the soul, but
the promise of God's judgment!
They lure the "Babe
in Christ" and those who refuse to study the Word of God
themselves, with great promises of truth that are only lies that
destroy families, that destroy nations and then bring eternal death
and they do these things intentionally.
In trials it would
be called premeditation and they are true murderers who will answer
to the Almighty God and they will be destroyed themselves!
If we are not rooted
and grounded in the Word of God ourselves, we can fall into the traps
of false teachers who are only seeking earthly wealth but bring only
death to themselves and those who listen to their message!
They make great
promises!
*****2Pe 2:19 While
they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of
corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought
in bondage.
The Lord Jesus
Christ has released us from the bondage of sin, but these false
teachers who make that same promises only involve those who listen to
them in corruption and again make them servants of lies.
This is the one
great goal of Satan.
Satan cannot touch
the saint of God, but he will enlist false teachers who make the
promise of life that is in actuality the promise of death or in the
least, useless in the plan of God!
Their lie is that we
are all entitled to a life of freedom, but that freedom is a life of
selfishness.
A life of greed, a
life of desire, a life of lust.
Freedom to seek
their own pleasures anywhere they can find them.
It is in our sinful
nature to desire more and more and the false teacher will expound on
these things and we can notice that the pews are full of those who
fall into this trap of the devil.
The message of God
is real! If we are overcome by lies that lead to sin, then we have
again become servants of sin and no longer the servants of God!
What is the truth?
*****2Pe 2:20 For
if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the
knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them
than the beginning.
We can see that we
have a strong warning from the Lord. Again the Holy Ghost is writing
to the church!
"Simon Peter, a
servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained
like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ":
Any false teacher
who once knew the Lord and has returned to the world, his fate will
be much worse than if he had never begun a relationship with the Lord
Jesus Christ.
If we base our lives
on the message of these false men and women, we will not be any
better off than them!
We must understand
we live in a polluted world and I am not talking about the filth of
polluting nature. I am speaking of a world polluted with sin.
Pollutions in this
Scripture speaks of immorality. We live in a nation that at this time
is polluted with immorality!
It is immoral
pollutions right now that come from indulging in the sinful pleasures
of this world, which are not pleasures at all, but just rejection of
the truth of God.
We cannot allow
ourselves to be drawn back into the foolishness of this world and
this is what will happen if we allow false teachers to get a foothold
in our church!
It is only by the
laws of God and the knowledge of God that we can escape these things.
God would not tell
us these things if they were not true!
*****2Pe 2:21 For
it had been better for them not to have known the way of
righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy
commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22 But it is
happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned
to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing
in the mire.
If a dog returning
to its vomit is not repulsive to us, then think in the mind of Christ
of that one who said they loved Him, but have now rejected Him and
returned to their sinful life.
What about the old
hog that won a prize at the fair, but at its first opportunity will
rush back to that mire to wallow in its own filth.
These things should
sink in, because the Holy Ghost is warning us, the church, the saints
of God.
God will deal with
those false teachers and it will be extremely harsh, but here God is
warning the Church the backbone of Christianity.
It is easy to fall
back into sin!
It is more difficult
to recover each time you allow this to happen!
God used that word
entangled for a reason, because sin has its traps and snares, the
more we struggle in these things the more we become in bondage again
to sin!
Sin has always been
terrible, but we are foolish if we cannot see that sin in this world
is growing tremendously and we may not recover if we sink back into
this sinful world today!
The world is full of
moral corruption. To escape this corrupt world is of the greatest
importance!
To fall back into
the traps of sin can be devastating!
Our only escape is
the knowledge of Jesus Christ and accepting His Word as the truth!
What did Jesus say?
Mat 12:44 Then he
saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when
he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.
Mat 12:45 Then
goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked
than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state
of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto
this wicked generation.
We will never be
able to clean ourselves up!
We must be washed in
the blood of Jesus Christ.
We must be washed by
the Holy Spirit and this washing begins when we are washed in the
Word of God!
1Co_6:11 And such
were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye
are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our
God.
After we are washed,
we must to our very best to remain clean!
If we depend on the
Word of God, then we must beware of those who distort the Word of
God.
Not only by wicked
men and women but also by those who continuously bring forth
distorted Bibles.
Amen.
Let's Pray!
