DECEPTIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE

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.  (2 Peter 2:1)

False teaching is a cancer to the church.  It must be excised—every malignant cell removed.  Otherwise, it will kill the body.  What makes false teaching so pernicious is how closely it mimics the truth.  Often, in our physical state, cancer cells begin to multiply undetected, until they are well advanced.  So, heresy, has a way of invading the spiritual life and spreading without notice until it reaches a deadly level.  This is the subject dealt with in 2 Peter 2.  The old Apostle is calling for radical surgery of false doctrine and its teachers.

He begins by telling us that this is not a new problem—it is one of the chief ways Satan operates (v.1).  We are told that Satan is, “a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44); “transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Cor.11:14); and that he “deceives the whole world” (Rev.12:9).  The serpent began his assault on truth in Eden with Eve by first questioning the truth, “Has God indeed said…” (Gen.3:1) and from there moved to denying the truth, “You will not surely die.”  (Gen.3:3) 

Satan has many minions who spread his lies.  The pages of the Old Testament find these tumors of false teaching springing up periodically.  One prominent example that Peter references is Balaam (v.15-16).  You can read the full story in Numbers 22-25 and 31:8.  We are astonished in reading how much truth Balaam’s prophecies contained, yet that only masked the evil intent.  The error in belief led to evil in behavior, for a man’s theology is ever linked to his morality.  His deceptive influence on the people of God would bring destruction—judgment on the Jews who followed his ways and ultimately Balaam himself would perish.  Do not think that the spirit of Balaam has been extinguished, however.  There are many who have taken up his methodology today—and Peter tells us it is as deceptive and destructive as ever (v.2).  It is heresy (v.1) and blasphemy (v.2).  Heresy is distorting God’s truth in a deceiving work and blasphemy is desecrating God’s name in a degrading way.

The motivation and appeal of the false teacher is exposed in v.3.  It is “covetousness” which exploits the gullible.  Is this not clearly on parade in much of what we see and hear on television today in the prosperity gospel preaching?  Whether it be a Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, T.D. Jakes, and the like—their number is legion—great masses of people are swayed by the message they proclaim that faith in Christ is a ticket to health and wealth.  It certainly has worked for them.  Their message sounds so true—and much of it is.  It masks the malignancy of heresy, however.  When closely examined by a Biblical biopsy it is seen for the destructive deception it is.

Let them enjoy their “Best Life Now,” for there will only be doom hereafter (v.3ff) unless they repent.  Two illustrations of judgment are presented—the flood that fell on the world in Gen.6 and the fire that fell on Sodom in Gen.19.  God had his righteous remnant that He spared—those who clung to the truth—namely Noah and Lot (v.5-9).  In a time when the church world seems swept away by the tide of false teaching, let us be steadfast in standing on the Word!

MONEY MATTERS

And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”  (Luke 12:15)

Money matters.  Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  How we spend our money is a barometer of how much we value eternal things.  Our earthly portfolio may show plenty, while our eternity portfolio reveals poverty.  Jesus told about a man who had a bumper crop, but a bankrupt soul.  He had the wrong aim in life.  Do you? 

This is A SELFISH APPROACH TO LIFE (v.16-18).  The man had “I” trouble.  “What shall I do…?” he asks.  How about stopping your plans and giving praise to God from whom all blessings flow?  What about looking at others instead of yourself to find out if you can supply a need rather than serve your greed?  Let’s be clear at the outset—this story is not about having possessions, but about possessions having us.  Job was a rich man, but a righteous man.  Abraham was one of the wealthiest men of his era, but also rich in faith.  It’s not sinful to be successful; it is sinful to be slothful.  We can glorify God in our work on the job as much as in our worship in the church.  God may bless us so we can bless others!  We might read this story and think that all investment and retirement plans are evil, yet Scripture extols the industry and intelligence of the ant that plans for the future by working today.  The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart.  This story was in response to a man who wasn’t wealthy, but wanted to be (v.13-15).  Covetousness is a heart problem.  The poor may be anxious about what they don’t have and want to get it and the prosperous about what they do have and want to keep it. 

This is also A SENSUAL APPROACH TO LIFE (v.19).   We live in a physical body that is designed to function in a material world.  We do so through 5 senses: sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.  These stimuli send messages to our brain resulting at times in feelings of pleasure and other times pain.  The problem comes when we think that the material world and the physical senses are the sum total of life—to feel all the pleasure we can and shun all the pain we can.  But, we are more than physical forms—we are spiritual beings.  When this life is over, we will spend eternity somewhere.  Where?  That’s the question!

Furthermore, this is A SENSELESS APPROACH TO LIFE (v.20-21).   “Fool!”  That is God’s judgment—and what a horrible one!  The world’s evaluation may differ greatly—they may celebrate and commend people like this fellow—but, only God’s evaluation matters in the end.  “Whose will those things be?”   Egyptian tombs have been found containing fabulous wealth.  Per the deceased’s instructions, it was buried with them so they would have it in the afterlife.  When the tomb was opened it was found that they left it all behind.  We all will.  You can, of course be “rich toward God.”  That happens when you invest in the things of eternity!

The first riches we need are what Paul called in Ephesians, “the riches of His grace.”  If we don’t have that we are fooling ourselves that we are prepared to meet God.  The riches of grace experienced should move us to share those riches with others.  God blesses us to be a blessing.  Money matters!

GOD’S TOP TEN

Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!  (Deuteronomy 5:29)

If you Google “top ten,” you will find a top ten list of just about everything.   For instance, when I did, it pulled up a top ten list for songs, movies, auto insurance companies, greatest people of all time, best rock drummers, and so forth.  The list of lists goes on.  Did you know God has a top ten list?  We call them the Ten Commandments, and one presentation of those is in Deuteronomy 5.  Deuteronomy means “second law.”  It is not a second version of God’s law, but a second proclamation of it.  The adult generation that came out of Egypt had heard the law stated the first time, but miserably failed to obey it.  The consequence was that they would perish in the wilderness—and by the time Moses speaks here, they had.  Now a new generation needs to know God’s top ten—and that is what you find in this chapter.

These commands reveal the very heart of Holy God.  They are the essence of His law—every other command flows from these.  They span the dimensions of  life in how we relate to God and man.  God was not offering suggestions; He was setting expectations.

• The first commandment (v.6) deals with Who we worship.  Yahweh is to be the exclusive object of worship. He will tolerate no rival.
• The second commandment (v.7-10) sets the way we worship.  Idolatry is forbidden.  We are not to worship a false god, neither are we to worship the true God in a false way.
• The third commandment (v.11) reminds us that the name of God is sacred because His name represents His nature.  Using His name profanely is besmirching Him.
• The fourth commandment (v.12-15) declares that God not only has a sacred name, but a special day.  One day set aside from work to focus on worship is the way of remembering that all of our days belong to God, and we are a stewards of time.
• The fifth commandment (v.16) calls us to respect our parents who are God’s representatives to us.  Honoring them shows we honor our Heavenly Father.
• The sixth commandment (v.17) underscores the sanctity of life.  Human life is made in the image of God, and is not to be taken in murder.
• The seventh commandment (v.18) shows the sanctity of marriage.  Unfaithfulness to our spouse is unfaithfulness to God.  We are stewards of our sexuality.
• The eighth commandment (v.19) tells us about the sacredness of property.  What God has given to us is not to be taken from us in theft.
• The ninth commandment (v.20) sets forth the sacredness of truth.  We are to speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth for God is truth.
• The tenth commandment (v.21) is one that deals with attitude and ties all these actions together.  Coveting position leads us to idolatry, where we worship false gods and in false ways, desecrate God’s name, His day, and His representatives—our parents.  Coveting possessions can lead us to kill, commit adultery, steal, and lie about it.  Deny covetousness and you nip other sins in the bud.

We would do well to make God’s top ten ours also!

THE SHEPHERD'S STANDARD: The Craving for Success

“A bishop then must be…not covetous…” (1 Timothy 3:2,3 NKJV)

Already the pastor has been warned of the danger of greed—how the passion for possessions has a corrupting influence.  None can serve God and mammon—let the pastor not think he will be the exception to the rule!

Covetousness includes the desire for money, but goes beyond that.  One of the powerful temptations in ministry is the coveting of success.  This is more than a passion for possessions, it is a passion for position—and the celebrity status that comes with it.  Lurking in the shadows of a preacher’s heart may be the lion of lust waiting to pounce, and in this case, not craving riches, but recognition, not stuff but status. 

“If I could just be in that prominent pulpit, my gifts would be acknowledged!”  Instead he chafes in the obscure little chapel where he labors unnoticed by the denominational hierarchy.  It is one of the most common, and yet most cancerous temptations for the minister of the Gospel.

An obvious symptom of this malignant spirit is a critical tongue that is always finding fault and cutting down other pastors—especially those deemed successful.  “They are compromising the Word to get a crowd!” we may sneer.  We might charge, “They are entertainers and not expositors!”  While sometimes these things may be true, more often it reveals the sin of covetousness in the critic’s soul.

The man of God is acting more like the spawn of Satan when he yields to this temptation.  Was it not covetousness for position that led a remarkable archangel named Lucifer to become the Devil?  Such a desire for success will destroy—it will disease your mind, discourage your ministry efforts, damage your members and defile your message.  Repent and seek God’s grace to overcome. 

One of the best pieces of counsel was given to me by a dear friend, Dale Fisher, who has served as a Director of Missions for decades.  At the outset of my ministry, he said, “God knows where you are and can get you where you need to be.”

A PRAYER

Blessed Sovereign,

I bow to Your sweet will.  You place Your servants where You want them to work.  Forgive us for trying to climb the church ladder.  Deliver us from this toxic craving for fame as a religious icon.  Must we have our name in print?  Nail our egotism to the cross!  Heal us of this soul disease.  Renew our mind and let us stoop to serve with humility as Jesus did.  Lord, may we wash the feet of the saints, instead of hoping they will bow at ours!
In the Spirit of Jesus,
Amen.