May 13
11
FRUITS AND MOTIVE OF FALSE TEACHERS
2 Peter 2: 1-10
All false teachers will either deny or diminish the truth that God in Christ is Just and the Justifier of his elect people and at the same time exalt the sinner in some way. True teaching declares always: ruined by the fall, the successful redemption accomplished by Christ Jesus the GodMan who laid down his life for his sheep (Is 42: 4; Jn 10: 15; Heb 9: 12, 26; 10: 14) and the necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit (Jn 3: 3-8; 6: 63). True teaching declares: “Thy God reigneth and all flesh is grass.” (Is 40: 6; 52: 7) This text gives us some of the fruits and the end of false teachers.
A Large Following
Many shall follow false teachers. (Mt 7: 13-14; Rev 13: 3; 2 Tim 4: 3-4) We live in a day when many are religious. Man is religious by nature. It is not difficult for false teachers to attract a following. Preachers listen for what men want them to preach and oblige. Always test what we hear by the scriptures.
Evil Ways
In verse ten we are told false teachers walk in the lust of uncleanness. If a man’s cleanness came by him washing himself rather than having been washed by the blood of Christ in regeneration of the Holy Spirit then the man will live his life for his flesh rather than God.
False teachers despise government. When the doctrine is that man has power to allow God to save him they give the church power over God, the bride power over the Husband, the child over the Father. They speak great swelling words about church government but exercise power over men as lords refusing to submit to the LORD of heaven and earth.
False teachers are presumptuous. Where there is no fear of God, men presume that hearing the preaching of the gospel and the fellowship of the saints is not important. They presume they were saved by an act of their will now they can get on with their lives.
False teachers are self-willed. When a man preaches salvation by man’s will rather than the will of God the life is marked by pride. There will be continual boasting of their great success in converting sinners as if they are adding to the church daily such as should be saved rather than Christ our Head.
False teachers are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Where God is not ruling the heart men speak flippantly of God, of Christ and of the powers that God has ordained in the church, in the home and in civil government. (Rom 13: 1)
Brethren, God does not save his child to continue in sinful ways but he turns us into Christ the Way from our sin. We are yet sinners; men will say evil things about us. Yet, in all our conduct strive to follow after godliness, walking by faith, in love and patience and meekness. We do not want the way of truth to be evil spoken of. (2 Pet 2: 2)
Covetous Hearts
The souls of men are a way to enrich self to false teachers. Men even think they have enriched themselves so that they can come to God. Brethren, give YOU to Christ. True preachers would rather see you present seeking Christ and your money absent than your money present and you absent. God’s preachers are to be supported and they are thankful for that support. But true preachers will gladly decrease that the gospel might continue with you that you might increase through the riches of Christ. This is the heart God gives his servants, “I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. 15: And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” (2 Cor 12: 14-15)
The End of False Teachers and Their Followers
The end will be destruction and damnation by the judgment of God. God did not spare the angels that sinned or the old world before the flood or Sodom and Gomorrah. God is reserving the unjust unto the Day of Judgment. (Pro 16: 4) These words make the true servant of God hit his face in reverence and sober-mindedness.
The Lord Knows How to Deliver the Godly
We are comforted in that God saved Noah and Lot. Though evil abound as false teachers increase, though many go after them and the way of truth be evil spoken of, the word of God is not bound! Our God has a people chosen by him who he has made just by the precious blood of his Son. God is able to bring the truth to his child like he did to Noah and Lot. God is able to make his word effectual in their heart. God is able to deliver his own and keep them from falling. It is impossible for the elect of God to be deceived and impossible for one of God’s sheep to be lost, God will not allow it! (John 10: 27-29)
Clay Curtis.
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When we think of conviction of sin, we usually think of strong feeling of guilt or remorse over things we have done. But when the Lord tells us what true conviction of sin is, He says “of sin, because they believe not on me” (John 16:9). The sin of sins is to not trust Christ for salvation. You have experienced Holy Spirit conviction when you see the wickedness of attempting to come into God’s presence any other way than the way of Christ alone.
– Todd Nibert,
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True Love
If you knew that someone you loved was going to die and you knew a way to possibly prevent it, I am convinced that every person with half a heart would do so. When you really care and love someone you always have their best interest at heart. Many caring men and women encourage those that they love to give up a bad habit that is harmful to their health. They exhort those that they love not to smoke, to eat right, and to exercise. Parents warn their children of the dangers in this life and encourage them to avoid certain situations and even give them restrictions in an effort to keep them safe.
However, and most unfortunately, many believers know that one day not so far away (this life is like a vapor, James 4:14) everyone they know and love dearly, who does not know God in Christ, will die a horrible, painful death. It will be a death in which the result will be eternal damnation and torment. (Matt. 22:13) Can it be prevented? It can if God is pleased to make it so. But here is where many miss it completely, for they say, “if God is going to save and rescue a loved one, He is the One that has to do it.” And friends that is so!
But our Great and Sovereign God has ordained a way and a means of accomplishing this omnipotent rescue. 1 Corinthians 1:21: For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. If we really love our loved ones, family or friends, there is a way to possibly prevent them from true death. Bring them to hear the preaching of the Gospel. Just maybe, on purpose, God will call and save them by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus! (Rom 3:2) David Eddmenson.
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DIVINE JEALOUSY FOR THE TRUTH
“O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth?” Jeremiah 5:3
This first clause of this verse should be connected with the two previous verses, in which the Lord complains that truth was gone from his city and his people; that even when swearing by his name men disregarded it. Jerusalem had become a city of falsehood; Israel a nation of false men. They said, ‘God regards it not. He allows the speaker of falsehood to go on unpunished. His eyes are not on such men or such things. They are of no importance to him.’ The prophet breaks in here with his question, his appeal, “O Jehovah, are not your eyes upon the truth?” Whatever men may say, Do not you regard it? Do not you abhor the untrue? Do not you cut off the liar? Do you not condemn him who utters error?
The word “truth” in Scripture refers both to doctrine and practice. It points both to the “error” and the “lie.” It classes both together. It condemns both. False speaking, whether in reference to teaching or witness-bearing, is declared to be abominable to God. His eyes are upon the truth. They watch over it, to guard it and to maintain it. The eyes of Jehovah are upon the truth, whatever men may say; and that which is untrue, whatever form it takes, he marks and will avenge; the untrue thing, whatever its nature or object, the untrue word, the untrue look, the untrue act, private or public, is not tolerated by him, though tolerated by man, and though God himself bear long with it.
The theory of many is that God’s eyes are not upon the truth, and that therefore a man may believe what he pleases, and say what he likes, without fearing God’s displeasure. It is only when the untrue thing which he thinks and says interferes with human rights, or social privileges that he is to be visited with punishment. But Jehovah’s eyes are upon the truth– the truth as found on earth among the sons of men.
I. They are WATCHFUL eyes. They close not. He whose eyes they are, neither slumbers nor sleeps. Not a sound, a thought, a word from pen or lip, but He notices. He who sees the sparrows, numbers the hairs, and feeds the ravens, has His eye on all human utterances, all writings of man, books or tracts, all openings of man’s lips in private or public.
II. They are DISCERNING eyes. They are like flames of fire. They search and try everything. There is no indifference about their gaze. They are keen to discriminate between truth and error. They are the eyes of a judge who loves the true and hates the false. Man thinks whatever is earnestly spoken is good; not so with God. He discerns, he judges, he sifts, he tries every word, every phrase, every thought, every plan. There is such a thing as divine censorship, minute but unerring criticism.
III. They are JUST eyes. They do not make a man an offender for a word, yet they weigh everything in equal balances. There is no over-valuing nor under-valuing what is spoken or written. Each thing is judged without favor or partiality, and it is approved or condemned according as it is true or false. The standard of measurement is divine and perfect. No bribery here, no special favor to the rich. It is “just judgment,” a just verdict that is pronounced. The righteous Lord loves righteousness. With nothing less than truth, in every sense, will he be satisfied. Truth from man; truth between himself and man, truth between man and man; the true word, the true thought, the true look, and voice, and tone.
In this watchfulness, this discernment, this justice, there are some things specially to be observed.
1. There is but one standard of truth. God fixes the standard and acts on it, without caprice, or partiality, or compromise. Error is a thousandfold – pliable, moveable, uncertain. But truth is ONE. On this God calls on us to act, on this he acts himself. So that man cannot excuse his error or his falsehood on the ground that there were more standards than one.
2. This one standard of truth is definite. It is not vague or shadowy. It does not merely settle certain great principles, but smaller ones as well. It is so very definite and precise as to leave man without excuse. It lets man know explicitly God’s present estimate of truth and falsehood, as well as his future judgment on these. It is so distinct that no one with an open ear and eye can misunderstand it. In our day men call this narrowness, bigotry, intolerance. But if we only insist on being of one mind with God, he that condemns us condemns God himself. Let us be as broad as he is, but no broader; that is enough, whatever the age may say.
3. That one standard of truth is universal. It is for every age and location. It never becomes obsolete. It is like God himself– unchangeable; like the Christ of God– the same yesterday, today, and forever. It was given to our fathers, it is given to us. It suited the East, it suits the West. It suited the Jew, it suits the Gentile also; barbarian, Scythian, bond, or free. It suited the Asian, it suits the European. It suits the Briton, it suits the Indian, and the African. It suits the unlearned, it suits the learned too. One standard for all! One universal test or measurement of truth.
4. That one standard of truth is the Bible. It is no secret standard that He judges us by, or by which He tests truth and error. The test which He gives to us He acts upon himself. The Bible is His book of truth as well as ours. That book contains what God calls truth– truth definite, fixed, certain, not moveable, nor becoming obsolete, nor falling behind the age. The Bible is the one book of the age, no, of the ages– of all ages and all territories. Man’s present unbelief seeks to loosen its authority, to dilute its statements, to render indefinite its doctrines. But the word of the Lord endures forever. God is not a man that he should lie. His word is sure, his truth is everlasting, his book is like the sun in the firmament; a light for all ages and lands.
Thus God’s eyes are on the truth. It is truth that he delights in, it is error that he abhors. It is truth that he is seeking for among the sons of men. What a condemnation to the laxity of thought in the present day! As if man were at liberty to think as he pleases, irrespective of God and his book! God watches over the truth; he marks each error, each deviation from his one standard.O man, have you received the very truth, and the whole truth of God? He has given man a book for a standard, not that he may speculate, but that he may not speculate, but believe. What God, in and by that book, demands of men is not criticism, opinion, speculation, but BELIEF. God’s eyes are on the truth, to see if men believe it. The day is at hand, the great day of the Lord, when TRUTH only shall be set on high, and error put to shame. O man, God’s eyes are on the truth, let yours be on it too. Be true to truth; be true to yourself; be true to God.