““Paid Back for Paid Back for Doing Harm”Doing Harm”

2 Peter 2:13-222 Peter 2:13-22

February 14, 2010

““A man’s A man’s reputationreputation is is what other people think what other people think of him; his of him; his charactercharacter is is

what he really is.”what he really is.”

I. False teachers are I. False teachers are identified by their true identified by their true

character (13-14)character (13-14) Their idea of pleasure is to carouse Their idea of pleasure is to carouse

in broad daylight.in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes on the They are blots and blemishes on the

church.church. They revel in their pleasures while they They revel in their pleasures while they

feast with you.feast with you. They never stop sinning.They never stop sinning.

They seduce the unstable.They seduce the unstable. They are experts in greed.They are experts in greed.

II. False teachers wander II. False teachers wander from the straight way (15-from the straight way (15-

19).19). They follow wickedness.They follow wickedness.

They are compared to Balaam.They are compared to Balaam. He loved the wages of wickedness.He loved the wages of wickedness. He was rebuked by a donkey.He was rebuked by a donkey.

Blackest darkness is reserved for them.Blackest darkness is reserved for them. They are springs without water.They are springs without water. They are mists driven by a storm.They are mists driven by a storm.

II. False teachers wander II. False teachers wander from the straight way (15-from the straight way (15-

19).19). They are full of empty promises.They are full of empty promises.

They appeal to lustful desires.They appeal to lustful desires. They entice weak people.They entice weak people.

III. False teachers are III. False teachers are worse off than before (20-worse off than before (20-

22).22). They are entangled again in They are entangled again in

corruption.corruption. They had the opportunity to escape the They had the opportunity to escape the

corruption.corruption. But they became overcome by the But they became overcome by the

corruption.corruption. They turned their backs on the sacred They turned their backs on the sacred

command that was passed on to them.command that was passed on to them. Two proverbsTwo proverbs

Two proverbs:Two proverbs:

Proverbs 26:11 – “As a dog returns Proverbs 26:11 – “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.”folly.”

A Syrian story of Ahikar – “A sow A Syrian story of Ahikar – “A sow that is washed goes back to her that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”wallowing in the mud.”

III. False teachers are III. False teachers are worse off than before (20-worse off than before (20-

22).22). They are entangled again in corruption.They are entangled again in corruption.

They had the opportunity to escape the They had the opportunity to escape the corruption.corruption.

But they became overcome by the But they became overcome by the corruption.corruption.

They turned their backs on the sacred They turned their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.command that was passed on to them. Two proverbsTwo proverbs Better to not even know the way of Better to not even know the way of

righteousness.righteousness.

ConclusionConclusion

Judgment awaits false prophets who Judgment awaits false prophets who do harm to the body of Christ.do harm to the body of Christ.

Be on guard against their teaching.Be on guard against their teaching. In order to be on guard, we must be In order to be on guard, we must be

grounded in Biblical doctrine.grounded in Biblical doctrine. Practice spiritual disciplines so that Practice spiritual disciplines so that

we may grow in the grace and we may grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.knowledge of Jesus Christ.