2 Peter Chapter 2 Pt. 1 Warning Against Heresy And Our Need To Study God's Word

The previous chapter ended with a glorious reminder about the verbal inspiration of the scriptures. The Holy Ghost moved holy men to speak and write what God is saying to all mankind.

The glorious impact of God's Word in the heart of man!

Psalm 19:7-10  The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 8)  The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 9)  The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 10)  More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 

The Psalmist glories in the inspired scriptures, and so should each Christian. 

God gave His Word and we are responsible for what we hear and understand. His Word is inerrant and infallible concerning all matters that it addresses. 

His Word declares how any man, woman or young person can be born again into the family of God. 

His Word instructs us as to how God wants each child of His to live. His Word lights our path and provides direction for our lives. 

His glorious gospel is the truth we must tell others about, so that our family members, friends and loved ones do not die in their sins, and end up in Hell.

His Word is God's self revelation, given so that we might know Him and worship Him aright.

Strong warning against false teachers.

2 Peter 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. 

The reason I brought back to our minds how the previous chapter ended, and why I used Psalm 19, is because of how chapter 2 begins. 

Chapter 2 contains a very strong apostolic warning against heresy and false teachers. They plagued the early church and each generation of Christians has had to deal with false teachers, heresies and false doctrine. 

We must truly study and know God's Word.

2 Timothy 2:15-16  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 16)  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. 

We must know our Bible. We must study the Word as workmen, laboring and putting in the time and effort needed, in order to learn what God is saying to us. 

This is how a Christian is approved before our Father in heaven. When we study God's Word, we are learning about who God is. 

We learn about all that He has done in the past. We learn what He is presently doing and what He has promised to do through eternity.

Knowing God's Word through Bible study, will help us identify false doctrine and to flee from the false teachers.

If we fail to do what God tells us we should do, then we can be led astray into error. 

Seemingly religious people often propagate false teaching. 

Acts 20:29-32  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30)  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31)  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. 32)  And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. 

This text is Paul's warning to the elders from the church at Ephesus, about being on guard against false teachers. 

Some men are like vicious wolves hunting down their prey. Other false teachers will arise from within the church speaking perverse heresy with seducing words.  

Paul warned that they (and us too) need to know the Word of His grace, because it edifies and builds up our faith, such that we will not follow false teachers. 

Potentially, we can be carried about by every wind of false doctrine (See Ephesians 4:14). We can be more easily misled by someone's private interpretation of the scriptures (See 2 Peter 1:20). 

Those who are born again hear Jesus' voice and follow Him. 

John 10:26-28  But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 27)  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28)  And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 

Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He teaches us that if we are one of His sheep, through the new birth, we will hear His voice, speaking to us from the gospels. We will follow Christ and shun false teachers. 

Remember, we live during the information age, (perhaps misinformation is a better term). You can search the internet or scour social media, and you can find someone somewhere who support almost any false doctrine as normal Christianity. 

These false teachers will tell you what you want to hear. For example, there are many false teachers who preach that you are under grace, and therefore have liberty to do many things.

This is how Sunday, the Lord's day, has become devalued and secularized within the Christian church in America. 

Christians defiantly declare that Sunday is my day, and I can do whatever I want to do, because I am under grace.

Is this what God said? No! Jesus came to fulfill the law for us and part of that law is that we remember the sabbath day and keep it holy. 

This principle was set in place by God at the end of His creative work. He set that day apart as a day of rest and reflecting upon our All Glorious God. Read the scriptures. 

The Old Testament sabbath was never about a day for God's people to consume for themselves. 

It was always a day focused upon God and His Word, and spending time worshiping Him and in prayer. 

How the early church observed the Lord's day.

Acts 2:41-47  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. 42)  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43)  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44)  And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45)  And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46)  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47)  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. 

What about the New Testament and the church? The church immediately met together on Sunday, the day of Jesus Christ's resurrection. 

We see preaching, teaching, learning, spiritual growth, prayer, sharing meals, fellowship and much worship, going on. 

The same manner in which the sabbath day was observed, was carried over for Sunday. This is the historical record of the church in the Bible, and in the records written by centuries of church fathers. 

John 20:19  Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

Acts 20:7  And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

1 Corinthians 16:2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Hebrews 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 

Hebrews 10:25 makes it abundantly clear that the Christian church in every location, is to make the Lord's day a holy day. 

Each, Sunday is to be a priority day of prayer, worship, preaching and fellowship together with other believers.

Yet, religious polling indicates that many professing Christians have gone astray. and believed false teachers regarding whether the Lord's day should be honored or not.

We do not have time to look back at the various cults and heresies that have sprung up during the last 100 years of church history, but there are many of them. 

Our protection is studying and knowing the Word of God. 

Our duty is to seek out a church known for strong Bible preaching, careful exposition and accurate interpretation of the scriptures. 

Thank God that there are still some churches where the pastor remains committed to preaching and teaching God's truth to His people. 

2 Peter 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.

Let us consider these things in light of Peter's warning. Just as there were false prophets during Old Testament times, so there are many false teachers in New Testament times.

They come in with an outward garb of religion, but they soon introduce heresy, privately, to a few people. Damnable heresies then begin to spread in a local church, or among many churches. 

Ultimately, many will deny the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Years ago, there were a few people I knew of in a strong, Bible preaching church. 

They did not like the truth that was preached and taught, because it did not line up with their wrong views about Jesus Christ. 

They began to meet in their homes, and spread false doctrine. This group of people are now heretics who teach that Jesus is only a man, not God.

What does the Bible say about the deity of Jesus Christ? 

"God was manifest in the flesh" (1 Timothy 3:16). 

"God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself" (2 Corinthians 5:19).

"In the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God and the Word was God" (John 1:1-3).

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6).

"I and my Father are one." (John 10:30).

"Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?" (John 14:8-9). 

"He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:18).

Hebrews 1:1-8  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2)  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3)  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; 4)  Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. 5)  For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? 6)  And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. 7)  And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. 8)  But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 

We cannot look at every text which demonstrates the deity of Jesus Christ, but please take note of this fact: Jesus is called the Son of God 47 times in the New Testament!

You can count them using a concordance, or search for the phrase "Son of God" using e-sword or other free Bible software. 

I pray that the essential and vital truth Peter and the apostles are communicating to us, will take root in our hearts and bear much fruit in our lives.

Let us determine to really study God's Word, and pray for the Spirit of God to teach us as He promised to do.

May we all be conformed more and more into the image of Jesus Christ, and may our faith be strengthened and our resolve to follow Christ, grow deeper.

Bob