We turn together in God's Word in 2 Peter 2. I'd like to read a number of verses. Our text will be 2 Peter 1-3. 2 Peter 2. People of God, hear the good news of God's understanding of the human condition apart from Christ. 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. And many will follow their destructive ways because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness, they will exploit you with deceptive words. For a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into the chains of darkness to be reserved for judgment, and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly. and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly, and delivered Righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked. for that righteous man dwelling among them tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds. Then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment. and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels who are greater in power and might do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. but these like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed speak evil of the things they do not understand and will utterly perish in their own corruption and will receive the wages of unrighteousness as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness. But he was rebuked for his iniquity. A dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever." People of God, what is your favorite chapter in the Bible? I suspect it's not 2 Peter chapter 2. John 3, Ephesians 1, Psalm 100, Psalm 23, Romans 8, We can well think of many chapters of the Bible that sets before us the glories of the saving work of Christ. Our hearts are drawn to them. We rejoice in mercy revealed. But God's Word comes with a full counsel. And one of the benefits of preaching through a book of the Bible or reading at home books of the Bible, not just a portion, say, well, let's go to another one of my favorite portions of the Bible, is that we are confronted with the full counsel of God. And whether it's Old Testament or New Testament, it is abundantly clear that God desires us to hear these words. One might have thought we were reading from the Old Testament in 2 Peter. Because we have been told that the Old Testament is the God of justice and anger and wrath, and the God of the New Testament is a God of love and patience and kindness. Such nonsense is a result of reading a verse here and a verse there, but not the Scripture. we do it with our singing as well. Psalm 89, for instance, I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever with my mouth. I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. What a great verse of praise and thanksgiving. Songs are made out of it. One of the songs I like that is in my head when I want to think of this verse in memory. I have it memorized because of a song. It'd be great. It is great. But verse 40 of Psalm 89 doesn't get the same attention. as it would bring about declarations of judgment, as it brings about a declaration of sin in the life of God's people. God declares in verse 35, once I have sworn by my holiness I will not lie to David, his seed shall continue, shall endure forever. And his throne as the sun before me, it shall be established like the moon, even like the faithful witness in the sky. But you have cast off and abhorred. You have been furious with your anointed. You have renounced the covenant of your servant. you have profaned his crown by casting it to the ground." How many songs of praise How many praise songs, how many psalm verses do you know where there's a particular verse that's set to music and song and loved and endured of verse 39? You have renounced the covenant of your servant. You have profaned his crown by casting it to the ground. You have broken down all his hedges. Why don't we have that verse put to music all by itself? and rejoice in it. We are prone to focus on parts of the truth, even though in Psalm 89 the rebukes and the judgment and the number of verses reflected in that far outweigh one verse of praise in the Psalm. we must be reminded of the reality of the judgment of God against that which is evil within the covenant people of old and those who at one time were the covenant people in the present between what is known as the church and what is known as the false church. We would think that with the coming and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we would enter into an age in which the church of Jesus Christ from generation to generation would be pure, and whole and growing in faith, and it would not follow those sinful patterns of the Old Testament. It would not have times when the people of God and the churches would falter and stray from the truth, because we are in the New Testament time, the outpouring of the Spirit. And we would think that we would not expect what Jeremiah lamented and Peter reflects on, but there were also false prophets among the people. And Jeremiah, not the last prophet, but one of the latter prophets, is called the prophet of mourning, and in chapter 23, verse 9, Jeremiah 23, verse 9, there is a description of what Peter declares in one sentence, or even a part of a sentence. And Jeremiah describes it this way. and how and where there is false teaching and false prophets, this is how you and I ought to respond as well. It isn't like we go, there are false prophets. God's judgment will come. It will, and it needs to be proclaimed, but not in this spirit of haughtiness. Look at how Jeremiah reflects on that reality. My heart within me is broken because of the prophets. All my bones shake. I'm like a drunken man and like a man whom wine has overcome because of the Lord, because of His holy words. For the land is full of adulterers. For because of a curse the land mourns. The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up. Their course of life is evil, and their might is not right. For both prophets and priests are profane. Yes, and in my house I have found their wickedness, says the Lord. Therefore, their way shall be to them like slippery ways. In the darkness they shall be driven on. and fall in them, and I will bring disaster on them the year of their punishment, says the Lord. And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria. They prophesied by Baal and caused my people Israel to err. Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem. They commit adultery and walk in lies. They also strengthen the hands of evildoers so that no one turns back from his wickedness. All of them are like Sodom to me and their inhabitants like Amora." Jeremiah is lamenting and has great sorrow. And so ought we. when we hear these words of God's perspective, God's prophecy, God's revelation about what's going to happen in the New Testament church. But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you. There will be. already is in the New Testament church, and there will be. It's in the present. The present moment of the New Testament church was already seeing false prophets. We see that in early church history. And in the future, that will take place. There is no pie-in-the-sky expectation of perfection in the church of Jesus Christ by the apostles. Acts chapter 20, 29, and 30. Acts chapter 20, 29, and 30, For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. It is the focus here and the focus in 2 Peter is not that there will be all these false teachings in the culture. There will all be the world that will be against the church. No, from within the church false teachers will come. And we often see that, sometimes that's from generation to generation. And so that the children of the church... though a church may have been formed and established under a certain conviction, those raised in the church are in a social environment, they have family ties, and they don't reject all those, but you know those fundamental teachings that the church began with, they're a little strict, they're a little They're a little out of bounds that we can compromise on those things here and there and everything will still be fine. And then false teachers from one generation to another rise up, permeate the church, and destroy it. Because the future is today. And we ought have no false perception. The United Reformed Church is a small, young denomination. And we would say, oh, and everything's going to be good. Everything's going to be pure. There would never be any of the children of the generations of the URC that would rise up and have false teaching. And if we thought that, we wouldn't be on guard for the very reality that will come. Because there will be, unless the Lord returns, there will be false teachers that will arise from within the United Reformed Church in the decades, and should the Lord tarry, generations to come. It is a declaration of our Lord. It is a declaration of his apostles. It is going to happen. And in fact, a few pastors have already exited the URC seeing the handwriting on the wall that they would have been removed from office had they stayed. would have been a good thing if they would have, so we would have made that declaration, but they left. There were also false prophets among the people, and there will be false teachers among you who will secretly bring in destructive heresies. There will be people who say, how can we get this church to change? There comes a point in the life of church where the heresies aren't even brought in in secret anymore. They're just openly discussed. But oftentimes, within churches that seek to remain faithful, there will be those who actually devise plans to destroy the church. And they will do it on purpose. They may get two or three ministers together. How are we going to change this? How are we going to destroy what this church was built on? Because it's really not effective. It's not helpful. It's not going to be productive for the future. They are destructive heresies. they will secretly bring in destructive heresies. Oftentimes the heresy is brought in and the best elements, the elements that look good are there, but they are destructive and the full scope, the full implications of what is saying are not brought before you right away. Our plan is to introduce the false teaching with something that looks good, but then it's tied to the next thing and tied to the next thing and tied to the next thing. And yes, there is such a thing as a secret slippery slope. Oh, that's a slippery slope. Oh, we don't believe in a slippery slope. There is no such thing as a slippery slope. This isn't that important. You don't really have to embrace all the teachings that are given in the three forms of unity. You know, let's focus on the heart. The people of God. It isn't just the declaration that is originally made that declares Jesus did not die on the cross and he did not exist. That certainly seems a teaching that we ought to be able to identify as a destructive heresy, but they're not always so easy. but their consequences are the same, even denying the Lord who bought them, who denied the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross as that which is essential for our salvation, that the wrath of God is appeased on the cross, and so sin slips away. And all we do is sing the first verse of the psalm, the praise element of the psalm, and we never get to singing about judgment, or the wicked, or any such thing. But that's not so bad, because isn't it good to praise God? It is good to praise God. But if we never preach out of 2 Peter chapter 2, and we never warn about false teachers, then of course God's Word is being distorted, and we're certain to be filled with false teaching. And it's always false teaching is always ultimately connected to denying the Lord, denying the Lordship, the Lord who bought. This isn't teaching that people can be bought and then lose their salvation. There are those in the New Testament who were confronted and repented. But it's also clear from 2 Peter that many are confronted with their error, and they keep right on going. And you notice that it's the teaching that is being addressed. It's the false prophets, the false teachers. Doctrine becomes central in the destruction of a church. and truth, false doctrine. And it is destructive. The false teachings that permeate the church today are not teachings that are helpful or beneficial and result in peace and prosperity within the church or within a home. No, the Word of the Lord declares it brings destructive. They are destructive heresies. They are destructive. The destructive heresy of failing to see that children in the womb are created in the image of God and are human beings is only one of the most flagrant false teachings that result in obvious destruction of a baby in the womb. But there are many other false teachings that don't seem so destructive that are just as destructive. Because false teaching is always connected to destruction. The destruction between husband and wife, children and parents, family members, church members, local churches, in relationship with other local churches, relationship between denominations, or whether it be between citizens, false teaching is destructive to society, family, and civil union. James chapter 1 reflects on that destruction in the life of the believer and recognizing its destructive power in a life of unbelief. In James chapter 1, beginning with verse 12, blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. Nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then when desire is conceived, it gives birth to sin. And sin, when it is full grown, brings forth death, destruction. And the sad declaration of our text is, there are many who will follow their destructive ways. You might say, why would people follow destructive ways? Because they're blind to the destruction that the way is leading to, but it's there. Here is the great truth. Many will follow their destructive ways. The blind following the blind. The rebellious following the rebellious. Which means that it is not only a problem of the prophet and the shepherd. There's also the false shepherd. There's a problem with the sheep as well. They sinfully follow. Although they don't all, they're not all the false teacher. But there are many. And this is the declaration. It ought to be humbly. Many will continue to follow false teachers. It is obvious in our day. There are far, far more churches teaching false doctrine than there are churches seeking to seek God's truth. And many are following the false teachers. And once again, it's destruction is in their way. And what is it? In this the way of truth is blasphemed. The end result is that there's blasphemy of the truth. Blasphemy is a word that is almost exclusively in the Old Testament referred that you can only blaspheme God's name. It was always connected to the commandment of not taking God's name in vain. And in that context, there is this expectation here that the name of God and the truth of God and the person of God can all be blasphemed because ultimately there is this inseparable connection between God, His word, His name, His person, His work. It's all united together and when you blaspheme one aspect of God, you blaspheme every aspect of God. This is blasphemy. It is not some minor matter. It is not, well, doctrine's not that important. It doesn't really matter. False teaching isn't that great of a problem. It is a huge problem. It is blasphemy against God, against His truth. by covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words. Wouldn't it be something if there was a message proclaimed by many false teachers that's heart and root was covetousness. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house. his manservant, his car, his bank account. Don't always be thinking about this world's goods and what more you can get at one of the most popular churches in the United States and, as Brother Green tells us, throughout Latin America. is a health wealth gospel that declares by faith you will have a new car, by faith you will have all kinds of money. This is what God wants for you and God in this text says one of the root places that you can identify a false gospel is its appeal to covetousness. And there is all kinds of declarations about the gospel that are grounded in covetousness. And we have to go, well, that's obvious. That's obviously a sinful gospel, a false teaching. And yet, many follow. Many are deceived. They will exploit you with their deceptive words. For a long time, their judgment has not been idle and their destruction does not slumber. People of God, our culture, our world, our churches that surround us are filled with false teachers. It's a reality of the present day. It's a reality of the New Testament church. It can be seen in all of church history. And in those times when God brings revival and renewal and even a great awakening, many false prophets and false teachers immediately arise, and many are led astray. Be on guard. Rejoice in the truth of the Word of God. You see this comes right in one of those, the fundamental place in which false teaching arise is because they approach and destroy the authority of God's word. And it is by no accident that God in his wisdom puts together the declaration of the truth as he follows with a proclamation and warning about untruth. So we just have heard the glorious declaration of 1 Peter chapter 1 concerning, and so we have the prophetic word confirmed, verse 19, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in the darkness until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this verse, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation. For prophecy never came by the will of man, but the holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Do not flock after false prophets. Do not go to those teachings that distort, pervert, and undermine the word of God. That is our confidence. Here is the revelation. Here is the truth. In 1 Peter chapter one, in 1 Peter chapter one, It sets before us the blessing of the people of God as they would respond appropriately to the Word of God. And once again, we could go to hundreds and thousands of verses that would reflect the same thing. And here we have how that man of God, that person who has been transformed by the grace of God, by the work of God, that we would be mindful of those false prophets, but that we would be focused on the glories of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is a good thing to focus on the wonders of God's mercy in our life, while at the same time constantly being aware of the false teacher. And so Peter in 1 Peter declares this, since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit, in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, through the Word of God, which lives and abides forever, because all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the Word of the Lord endures forever." Now, this is the Word which by the gospel was preached to you. Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to him as a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious. You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up the spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Amen. Heavenly Father, we thank You for the glories of Christ, and we thank You for the warnings of the false prophets. And so, O God, may we be those who would be committed to Your truth, to Your way. And Father, may we not sit in the seat of the scorner, but mother, may we walk in the truth of your word. This we pray in Jesus' name, amen.