We've already seen in 2 Peter 2.10, in the last phrase of the verse, that they, the false teachers, are not afraid to speak evil of dignities or to blaspheme glories. And the idea here is to injure another by our speech. So they have hurtful speech toward those who are in authority. And this is something that God forbids, and yet they are not afraid to do it anyway. They don't have enough regard for what God says to hold back from this kind of sinful behavior. We saw last time where the Bible does forbid speaking evil of earthly rulers, but what I want to do is notice why it is that he says they're not afraid to do this. What does he mean by that? What part should fear have in guiding our behavior? One thing we know is that false teachers have no true reverence toward God himself, so they don't have any respect for lawful human government. That's the root problem They don't recognize God's authority. They don't honor those human authorities that God has set up to rule in his behalf. And that's why they find themselves free to disobey man's laws and to speak evil of those who are in positions of power. And so they're not afraid to blaspheme God or man. or to break the laws of both. And again, if someone has no real fear of God, no regard for God's authority, no respect for his laws, no care to obey God, do you think they're going to care about obeying men? Certainly not. Let's look in James chapter 4, James chapter 4, about speaking evil. in general, what does God say? In verse 11, speak not evil one of another brethren. Alright, so speaking evil is forbidden entirely. Speak evil of no man, whether it's your Christian brother or sister, whether it's your pagan neighbor, whether it's a king or governor, Don't speak evil. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law. Now the law of God says, do not do this, and so if I still do this, what am I saying? The law is evil, and I can judge the law to be wrong, and I can do otherwise than what the law requires. Now that's not the responsibility of someone who claims to be a teacher and minister of God. His responsibility is to obey the law of God himself, and then to teach God's law correctly, and requires others to obey that law. But he says, if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. Now how does a man become so puffed up and arrogant that he sets himself over God and over God's law to where he can say, I'll decide whether I want to do this or not. And we're under God. We're to be submitted to him and to be obedient to him and to keep his law. How can I say, well, you know, God says don't speak evil, but in this case it's justified, or I don't have to go by that. I think that's wrong. How am I going to speak evil? Just the same. Well, if you want to put yourself in that position, remember this. There is one law giver, and that's God, not you. And what else does he say? This God who gave the law is going to apply that law. He's going to maintain that law. The law has two parts to it. It has precepts to obey, and it has penalties for those who disobey. And it says he's able to save and to destroy. Who art thou that judges another? And that's what speaking evil of another involves. He that speaks evil of his brother and judges his brother speaks evil of the law and judges the law. And God will deal with these as they deserve. Now, one thing we ought to always keep in mind, that we should be afraid to sin. Why? Because Sin offends God. And it also brings His judgment. Now the first consideration is, I do not want to offend God or do anything to displease Him. Why? Because He's God. And it's my duty to obey Him. In other words, even if there was no hell, I would avoid sin just as much because it offends God. That's why when people think, well, if I can just say I'm saved, I don't have to worry about going to hell, then I can sin all I want. They have no idea what they're talking about. They are complete strangers to a saving work of God's grace. Because when God saves us, he changes our attitude. That's what repentance is. A change of mind, heart, and attitude toward sin and toward God. I can't love sin or continue in sin. I love God and I want to please Him and I know sin is that which He hates. And so we ought to be afraid to offend God. Notice a couple places in Job chapter 13 and verse 11. Job is warning his three friends. He says, shall not his, referring to God, shall not his excellency make you afraid and his dread fall upon you? In other words, he's saying this, you are talking to me and arguing for God and you are blaming me and accusing me of all these things. You're saying I'm a hypocrite and I'm guilty of sin and that's why I'm suffering. And it's not true. You know, he says in verse 4, you are forgers of lies. Verse 7, when you speak wickedly for God, talk deceitfully for Him. And he says, you should be aware of God's great glory and majesty, you know, His holiness, and you should become afraid in the sight of God, and that should hold you back from these kind of false speeches that you're making against me. Verse 10, he will surely reprove you if you do secretly accept persons. So he's warning them about it. Another place is Acts chapter 5. Now in the early church you had a situation where there was great persecution against the believers. And they were having their possessions taken from them. So many of the Christians were in dire straits. And some of the believers who owned houses and lands would actually sell them and give it to their poor brothers and sisters in Christ. Now think of that. We're always caught up with, I've got to have a home and I need a mortgage and I've got to pay it off. They're thinking, my brother is hungry and naked and thirsty and has nothing because of his suffering for his faith and I have these things I don't really need, I'll sell them and help my brother. What a wonderful example of Christian charity that was. But then there was a fellow named Ananias who had a wife named Sapphira and they sold something they owned. They made an agreement together, you know what we're going to do? keep some of the money that we just earned from selling our possessions and we'll give part to the church, keep part for ourselves, but we're going to tell them we gave them the whole thing, make it look like we're very generous. And so they go and they bring the part of the money to the apostles for this offering to help the poor saints And Peter was given insight by God to see through their action, their deceit. And so he confronts him with it. And in verse 5, after he rebuked him for lying, it says, And Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and gave up the ghost. I'd like to come to church. I'm giving all the money I have to you. Not really, I just want to look good. And the preacher says, what do you think, what do you mean you're giving us, you're keeping some of it back, you're trying to put on a false appearance of generosity. And then the person dies in church, you know, call up the ambulance, can you take this one out? But what was the effect of this? He died after Peter rebuked him, and it says, in great fear, came out all of them that heard these things. Oh wow. God, he saw what that guy was doing. He thought he had everything covered up. He was being secretive. Nobody knew but him. And then he tried to give a false appearance. He lied about it. God knew all about it and God struck him down in a very dramatic way. Took his life from him to show that he didn't like what that person did. He had sinned. And when everyone else heard about it, they said, God is a holy God. God is a God of judgment. God does not accept hypocrisy of trying to claim to be something we're not. He's very displeased with it, and he shows his displeasure in very terrible ways. And so everyone that heard about it says great fear came on all of them that heard these things. We better be careful. We better not go to church and put on a false front and try to make something, ourselves appear to be something we're not and lie and cover our sin because God, you can't cover your sin from God and he may bring it out in a way that will not be so pleasant. And then you go down and you find his wife comes in later after they had carried him out and buried him. And so Peter gives her a chance to own up to it. All right. Did you really sell the land for this much? Oh yeah, that's what we sold it for and we brought it all here to you. Why would you want to do a thing like that, you know? And it says verse 10, he rebukes her and then she fell down straightway at his feet and yielded up the ghost. Well, there's a coming forward in the service you don't see very often. The person comes up to the preacher and dies right at his feet. And it says, and the young men came in and found her dead and carrying her forth, buried her by her husband. And what was the result? Great fear came upon all the church and upon as many as heard these things. We better not try something like that. We might end up experiencing the same judgment they did. I'm not going to do something I shouldn't do and then deny I did it and lie about it and try to cover it up and try to say I did something else. The sad thing was there was no requirement that they give all their money. They could have given a part and said we sold our land and gave you a part of it. But the thing was they tried to make it look like they gave all of it and they didn't. So they were putting on a false appearance. But great fear. Romans chapter 11, another place like this, talks about the Jews. God brought them out of Egypt to be his people, and yet what happened? Many of them were not true believers at all, and they perished in their sins. They died lost. Now the Gentiles were hearing the gospel and coming to Christ, And Paul warns them, don't think that you're special or different in a sense that you're better than the Jews and you can escape what happened to them. So he tells them in verse 20, well, because of unbelief, they were broken off. In other words, it wasn't enough that they were Jews, members of the nation of Israel, the covenant people of God. If they didn't have personal faith, they were as lost as the Gentiles. And so he says, Because of their unbelief, they were broken off, or they were taken away as not being true believers, true people of God. And you being a wild olive tree were grafted among them. In other words, the Gentiles were taken in their place, as if they became believers in Christ. And with them you partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree, or the blessings of being the people of God. So he says, boasts not against the branches, but if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee." Don't get this proud, arrogant attitude. He says, thou wilt say then, the branches were broken off that I might be grafted in, nor as the Jews fell, that the Gentiles might come to Christ. He says, well, because of one belief, they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear. Don't get up on your high horse and become, you know, proud and arrogant. For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Fear. It happened to the Jews and they were God's special earthly covenant people. Do you think that you can do the same thing they did and escape the same punishment they received? Don't be high-minded. Fear. Don't ever allow sin and think that it will not destroy you, it will not harm you. See, sin is our greatest enemy, and sin is our greatest danger, and so it's to be feared. You know, we treat it lightly. Ah, so what? I can disobey my parents. I can lie. I can cheat. I can steal, I can be immoral, it'll be alright, I'll get away with it, nothing will happen. That is a wrong thought. You want to know, we talked about being blessed. Here's a good verse in Proverbs chapter 28 verse 14. Proverbs 28 verse 14, happy is the man that feareth always. How can you be happy if you're always afraid? But how does he mean this? Feareth how? A man that fears God, that has a very high regard for God and what God requires. And so he's careful not to offend God and sin. But what about a person that treats sin lightly? Ah, I don't care what God says. I'm going to do what I want. I'll get away with it. Nothing will happen. It says, but whoso he that hardens his heart shall fall into mischief. See, hardening the heart, becoming insensitive towards sin, in other words, not having a tender conscience and feeling free to sin, and not caring what God says about it or thinks about it or might do about it, that is the way to trouble. But if you want to be happy, blessed, fear always. Fear God and depart from evil. That is wisdom and that is the way to happiness. And so to be a happy man, you need to be a man that fears. You want to know something? When a false teacher has a hard heart and sins without any regard for God and no fear of the consequences, sins with impunity, and thinks he'll get away with it, you know what? He's worse off than the devil, who is the first sinner and the one who originally brought sin into the world. In James chapter 2, You remember what we said the word be afraid means? It means to tremble with fear. They're not afraid to speak evil of dignities. They speak evil of dignities and they do not tremble with any fear. They're brazen. But what did James say in chapter 2, verse 19? You believe that there is one God. And a lot of people, that's the sum total of their Christian faith and profession. I believe in God. Well, good. Is that all you believe? Is that enough? No. As a matter of fact, it says in James 2, verse 19, while you do well to believe that much or to go that far, but know this. The devils also believe and tremble. In other words, devils believe that God exists, that he's a holy God and a God of judgment. They know that they are facing that judgment themselves and they're in a constant state of terror. Remember when Jesus came to the earth, what did the demons always say to him? If you come to torment us before the time, please don't send us out into the abyss. They knew what was coming and they dreaded it. So the devils believe and tremble. False teachers don't believe and they don't tremble. Think of that. They're more brazen and hard-hearted than the devils themselves. The devil has more faith than a false teacher. And he shows he believes by his trembling, where false teachers show they don't believe by being not afraid to speak evil of dignities. But we need to fear always. Jude verse 12. In every Christian congregation there's usually a mixture of believers and unbelievers. What did Peter already say? There shall be in among you false teachers. And what's their attitude? They'll sit there with no concern at all, thinking they're as good or better than the rest of those around them, and they have no fear. They participate in all the activities of the church and they don't have any awareness that they're lost and under God's judgment. Notice verse 12. He's talking about the false teachers. These are spots in your feasts of charity. When they feast with you, they sat right down with the Christians and participated in their love feasts. Feeding themselves, how? Without fear. gorging themselves, downing their food, partaking of the meal that the Christian provided for one another in the church, no fear. They should have been saying, we're not really one of them. We're not really in the same condition they are. We're still in our sins and loss. And we need to make sure we get right with God and have that corrected before it's too late. Not just, I'm as good or maybe better than all the rest of you. And I have every right to be here. And I can participate freely. And I don't have to worry. I'm good. Clouds they are without water. carried about of winds, trees whose fruit withers without fruit, twice dead. They're dead naturally in their sins, but they're also dead in relation to their Christian profession. It's a dead profession. There's no reality or life to it. Plucked up by the roots. They do not have any true faith. They are not really united to Christ. They are not rooted and grounded in him. It's a bad situation. The Bible says that we are to fear how? Always. Fear God, reverence Him, hold Him in the highest esteem, have a great awe and regard for God that will cause us to order our lives in a way that is what God would have our lives to be. Our hearts and our lives, not just outwardly, but inwardly. God knows our inner selves, our very thoughts and attitudes and motives And that's where he wants us to start. That has to be right before the outward can be right. The outward alone is not enough. But notice what he says in Philippians 2, verse 12. Philippians 2, verse 12. Paul tells them, Wherefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, So here's the fear of God to keep his commandments. You've always obeyed, not is it my presence only. A lot of people are good when their parents are there, or when the policeman is there, or when the pastor is there, or when the teacher's there, or whatever. Oh, I'm very good. As soon as they turn their back, oh good, now I can do what I want to do. And they'd be naughty. But what's he say? Not just when I'm there, but even when I'm gone. Why? They're not doing it to please people, they're doing it to please God, and God's always there. There's never a time that he's gone. So he says, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence. Work out your own salvation how? With fear and trembling. Now this is a very serious matter, not to be taken lightly, not to be trifled with, or treated as if it was of no real importance. fear and trembling. My eternal destiny hangs in the balance. My relationship to God is at stake. The salvation of my soul is the most important thing, and I want to make sure I don't fall short of heaven and end up lost for eternity. It's something that I take with the utmost seriousness, and I work out the salvation God has given me by His grace with an attitude of fear and trembling. Or as Peter says in 1 Peter 1 verse 17, if you call on the Father, who is this Father? God, the thrice holy One, the One that the Bible says is a fearful thing. to fall into the hands of the living God, because He's a consuming fire. Well, if this is true, you call on this Father who, without respect of persons, now it doesn't matter who you are or what you are, He's going to judge according to every man's work. He knows what the true nature of our works are, whether good or bad. He says, if this is who you call on, then pass the time of your sojourning, your life in this world, how? In fear. Pass your time in this world as you pass from here to eternity in an attitude of fear, the fear of God. I think one person said if he could find a hundred men who feared nothing but sin and reverenced nothing but God, he would turn his world upside down. And that's our attitude, a time of fear, fearing to sin and offend our holy and good God, who redeemed us, as he goes on to say, with the precious blood of Christ. See, the Bible tells us we're to tremble at God's greatness, His majesty and glory. Let's look at a couple places like that. Psalm 91, or 99 verse 1. Psalm 99 verse 1. What I'm saying is don't trifle with God or treat God lightly or act like sin is not serious. It's something to be avoided at all costs. And obedience to God is what we should strive for. But notice what he says, Psalm 99 verse 1. The Lord reigneth. Let the people tremble. He sitteth between the cherubims, let the earth be moved. The Lord is great in Zion, and he is high above all the people. Let them praise thy great and terrible name, for it is holy. I tremble before him, David says. Psalm 119 and verse 120. Have you ever felt this? David says, my flesh trembles for fear of thee. God, I realize what a great and glorious God you are. An awesome, holy, majestic God. I tremble for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments. I don't want to come under your punishing hand of wrath by my sinning. Isaiah chapter 66. in verse two. Here's a verse that's very good for taking into mind when we read the Bible or when we come to church. God says, For all those things hath my hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord. But to this man will I look. Who does God have regard for? Who does he look to with favor? Who does he respect? He tells us, even to him that is poor, you know, a humble, lowly person, and of a contrite spirit, that's a person who is sorry for his sins and repentant. And trembleth at my word. You know, when our hearts become hard, we can hear the word of God, and we just kind of let it pass right by and not affect us. In other words, We can yawn. We can kind of fall asleep. We can kind of just tune it out and ignore it, not pay attention. God says when he speaks, the person that he looks to is someone who trembles. In other words, when God talks, we give him our full attention, and we have a very high regard for what he says, and we jump when he talks. trembles at my word, not just treats it like it was something that take it or leave it. One more Habakkuk, the prophet Habakkuk. Chapter 3, when God spoke to him, and when God had worked in his life, notice what his attitude was. Verse 16, when I heard God speak, My belly trembled. My lips quivered at the voice. Rottenness entered into my bones, and I trembled in myself that I might rest in the day of trouble. When he comes up unto the people, he will invade them with his troops. In other words, because I tremble at the word of God and I fear him, I can know that when he does come to judge, I will be spared. I don't have to tremble. at the thought that God is going to punish me for my sins and cast me into hell. Because I have come to turn from my sins and trust in his son. See, we're to tremble at God's majesty, but at the same time, we're to rejoice in his mercy. The mercy of God in Jesus Christ. Think of this. This holy God loved us so much that he gave his only son to suffer for us. Did Jesus tremble? Yeah, when he faced the wrath of God in the Garden of Gethsemane, he was on his knees, on his face, praying in great drops of blood, pouring from his body, saying, Lord, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. In other words, he knew what he was going to have to go through for us to be saved, and it was a terrible and fearful thing. And he trembled at the thought, but he went through with it. And you know why he did all that? So that we can, when we hear of God's holiness and his wrath and judgment, we tremble, and we're sorry for our sins, we can come to Christ and ask for him to forgive us and to wash us from our sins in his blood. You know, there's a great verse in 1 John 4, verse 17. We'll close with this. It says, herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment. Boldness means to be without fear. In the very day of judgment, we may have boldness. Why? Because as He is, so are we in this world. God accepts us as much as He accepts His own Son, because we're in Him. There is no fear in love. but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love. Is this contradictory? Not at all. There's a fear of God's wrath that brings torment with it, because we know we're going to suffer that wrath, and it's a terrible thing to face. But when we come to Christ and trust in Him, that tormenting fear is taken away because God says we will not perish but have everlasting life. We will not come into condemnation but have passed from death to life. We'll never suffer God's wrath against us once we come to believe in Christ. But he says he puts his fear in our hearts. And for the first time we learn to hate sin and to avoid sin. And we learn to fear God so as to obey him. and to refrain from the things that offend him. That's the true fear of God. Not a tormenting fear, but a sanctifying fear, and that's a good thing. He takes away the tormenting fear when he saves us, and he puts in the reverential fear so that we can live as he would have us live, with the right attitude toward him. The false teachers don't have that. We're not afraid to speak evil of dignities, but true Christians do have that, fear of God in their hearts so they will refrain from speaking evil of dignities and anything else that God tells us is displeasing to Him. Let's close in prayer.