I'd like to invite you to look with me in 2 Peter chapter 2. Lord willing, we'll finish up our study in this very solemn chapter given to the title concerning false prophets and teachers, preachers. It must have been Quite an urgent matter that the Lord laid on Peter's heart to write an entire chapter here concerning the dangers. And this is written to those who were the Lord's. Those, even as the first epistle of Peter addresses, whom God had foreknown and by the Spirit brought to Christ in whom in Christ grace and peace were multiplied through the knowledge of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. So the question is, if it was such a needy subject then, and God has caused it to be preserved here in his word, is it not a needy matter for us as well? Let's never get lethargic, let's never get presumptuous in what we profess or know and believe. And to realize that we have in our hearts that depravity and that corruption that is mentioned in these false preachers. And if it were not for God's grace, we would still be following after them. We would not know the truth. And so I've entitled this particular study religious but lost. That's really what we see here. But I'll begin in verse 10 where it speaks of those that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed That's an important word. Self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not. and shall utterly perish in their own corruption and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness as they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime. Spots they are and blemishes sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you. Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls, a heart they have exercised with covetous practices, cursed children, which have forsaken the right way and are gone astray following the way of Balaam, the son of Bozor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, but was rebuked for his iniquity the dumbass speaking with man's voice forbade the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water. Clouds they are, carried with a tempest to whom the mist of darkness is reserved forever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption. For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than after they have known it to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it has happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is turned to his own vomit again, and the sow that was washed to her wallering in the mire." Very descriptive language that we find here. So as we come back to these verses, what is the description we find in scripture concerning these religious lost preachers. Some might read this and think how uncharitable to speak of men in such strong language. Yet, I would remind us that this is the Word of God. These are the words of the Spirit of God. And such is the disdain of God concerning any who would take the name of Christ on their lips. Even as we read concerning Balaam, when he spoke to Balak even with wrong intent, but he used the name of the Lord, capital L-O-R-D, Jehovah. For some to do that and yet not to know him in truth, there's no greater denunciation that can be made than what we find right here. And so, let's look at some of these characteristics. The first is in verses 11 and 12. These men's imposing their own authority as preachers rather than declare the glory and authority of Christ. That's their characteristic. Self-glory. In fact, every one of these that we're going to look at, you could put self in front of. Self-glory. That's why they hold the positions they do. You notice where it says, presumptuous are they, self-willed. They're not afraid to speak evil of dignities. You'll hear them denouncing Satan as if they have some power over Satan. They'll denounce governments. Many of them use the pulpit to denounce government as if they speak for God. And all of this, again, comes from, as it says there, self-will. I will. They presume that because they're preachers and because they command an audience, and some do, When you consider the numbers of people that watch them on TV or listen to them on the radio, that attend their places of worship, they build up great empires for themselves. And they're proud of it. And they will use that authority to their advantage. And the contrast in verse 11, When you consider who we are as men, even when it speaks of Christ, there in the Psalms that he was made a little lower than the angels. It's talking about him becoming a man. Here it speaks of angels that have greater power and might. Christ said if he so desired, he could have called 10,000 angels to come and deliver him as a man. God has given angels charge over his elect to keep them lest they should dash their foot against a stone. These are powerful beings and yet these men set themselves up. And that's really what the heart will do, set itself up against God. Even the angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not really an accusation against them before the Lord. But these do. So you can see how they're described here. Verse 12 really could be summed up as what it is to be unconverted. But these as natural, brute beasts. It doesn't just say natural beasts, but brute beasts. Think of the most vicious beast that exists. Whatever the situation is, if you were one-on-one with a hyena, that would be a brute beast, or a wild boar, brute beast. An elephant, or a lion, a bear, these are all brute beasts. It's in their nature to devour. It's in their nature to destroy. And this is how these are described here. They are made as, or they reveal themselves as brute beasts, but notice in verse 12, made to be taken and destroyed. There's a lot of people out there that think because a person calls themselves a preacher and has some authority over a congregation, that they have given themselves is somehow their Lord's. Here it says they're made to be taken and destroyed. No matter what their nature is, they are made to be taken and destroyed. There are days coming when the Lord will ultimately do away with them, but they speak of things that they understand not. I can identify with that. There was a day when I was taught to open this book and read it and preach it, and I was preaching what I've been taught. I spoke things that I did not understand. And had the Lord not purposed me to be His, and Christ redeemed me, I would be among this number. And if the Lord doesn't show His grace, there are many that He causes to be raised up just like He did Pharaoh. And this is what's hard for people to understand as they drive by and see these huge monuments and churches. church building, so-called. I have one that I go by every time I go to the office. And I look at the architecture and I look at the amount of money that was poured into that building. And the people that are drawn to it, attracted to it, huge, sits up on a hill. They pick one of the best spots that there is. But unless God has chosen something there and Christ has redeemed them, And if he has, he'll bring them out in his time. These false preachers won't be able to hold those that are the Lord's. He's going to sovereignly move them in his time. But unless he does, they'll all perish with all the wonder of their religious monuments. But they love it. They love to have it so. There is a sense of power that men give themselves as preachers. Look at the number of politicians that run that have the name reverend in front of them, their name. It's a sense of power. They expect people to listen to them and to follow them and to obey them because of their self-given titles. But over in 1 Peter 5, in verses 1 and 2, we have the contrast. of those that are truly the Lord's. Those servants of His that He raises up. That's a good title for one who's the Lord's, who preaches. His servants, they're bond slaves. They've been made to be bond slaves, bond servants of the Lord. And so Peter writes this, the elders which are among you I exhort whom also am an elder. and a witness of the sufferings of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. You see with what humility he speaks. He doesn't put himself above the people or above the others simply because he had walked with the Lord. Nowhere do we find any of these apostles calling themselves reverend or even accepting such a title. He speaks of being a witness of the sufferings of Christ. He's seeing Christ crucified is what that means. The Lord, not just physically, but the Lord had opened his eyes to see Christ and him crucified and be partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. Be partaker of Christ. Christ is the glory that shall be revealed. Right now, the world doesn't know him. They talk about him, but they don't know the Christ. But he says here, feed the flock of God which is among you. So again, not putting the elder among or above the flock, the flock which is among you. Take the oversight thereof, but not by constraint. This isn't something that's done by force, but willingly. And notice, not for filthy lucre, not for shameful gain is what that means, but of a ready mind. Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being samples to the flock. So what a contrast we see between those who are the lords and those who are self-willed religious lost preachers. Secondly, coming back here to 2 Peter 2, the second characteristic of these is that they desire ease and comfort. They prefer that to the isolation and opposition that preaching the gospel brings. Now, when we're speaking, the Scriptures are speaking here of these false preachers. It should be noted that these were men who were among the sheep. A lot of times you think in terms of them being out there, but these are among the sheep. They deceive. They're deceived and they deceive others. You say, well, how are they recognized? Well, look at verses 13 and 14. They receive the reward of unrighteousness as they that counted pleasure to riot in the daytime. In other words, they've got a lot of time on their hand to live for themselves and means spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceiving notice while they feast with you. So, we have to be aware that there are those whose desire is nothing but having a life of ease. And I'll tell you, there is a certain ease among preachers who get into the ministry, so-called, just to make a living. They look to climb the ladder. In fact, we've seen it more than anything in so-called mission service. They play the victim. They go around to raise their support and make people think that They're going out to serve the Lord and it's a way of living to go around and constantly raise more money and put it away, raise more money and put it away. They desire, it says there they sport themselves. What do you do in sports? It's entertainment. It's a time of entertainment and they're interested only in that luxurious living, that comfortable place, but such is not the case with those that are the Lord's. There is a certain weightiness and a burden of standing up here and preaching Christ and endeavoring to point sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ that is not in those that preach but don't know the Lord or that are not the Lord's. There's some that make a pretty good living being itinerant preachers. Going around and living off of love offerings. They fare very well and they enjoy it because they're not accountable to anybody. They call them evangelists. Go around and preach and get others to do the work for you and get them to come out and hear you Receive the praise and the applause. But here, again, the scriptures put the finger right on what is the motive. It says in verse 14, having eyes full of adultery. And again, that has to do with not having eyes to Christ. Not having eyes to him crucified. But being idolaters by nature. And they cannot cease from sin. The more they preach, the more they sin. The more they draw people away because Christ is not known of Him. And notice who they beguile. Unstable souls. You can move and manipulate and beguile unstable souls. Look at the number of people emotional and psychological problems that preachers will draw in and schmooze and comfort. Make them feel better about themselves and cause them to look to themselves rather than to Christ. All of these, they prey on people that are themselves deceived. And it says here, a heart they have exercised with covetous practices, but ultimately cursed children. Cursed children. I don't know about you, but when I go by bookshelves and even places like Sam's, and you see some of these preachers that have set themselves up to be pretty much like coaches. You know, they're there to preach positive thinking. and make people feel better about themselves rather than cause them to consider that before a holy God they're sinners. Like one that's well known and popular not too far from here when someone asked him one time why he never preached about what it is to be lost or to be a sinner. He said, why would I do that? Our purpose in coming together is to be positive. We want to be positive in what we do. Well, these guys are deceivers. And they beguile unstable souls. Cursed children is how it's described there. And that's where we come down to what we read just not too long ago in Numbers chapter 22. The example of Balaam. says, which have forsaken the right way. You know, you stop and consider Balaam there in Numbers 22. How was it that he even used the name of the Lord? Well, he must have known something of it. He must have heard something of him, something of the truth, and yet at a given moment turned away. I find that to be very telltale down through this portion of Scripture. We're not talking about people who are ignorant of the truth. They had heard it at one point, and yet they purposed to go another way. Forsaken the right way. They've forsaken the right way. Is it possible that somebody for a season, for a while, give credence to the right way and yet ultimately turn away? It must be because that's what Peter speaks of here in verse 20. At least by profession, for if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So they gave at least acquiescence to the Scriptures and to the truth, and yet they are again entangled therein in the pollutions of the world. There's talking about the pollutions of the religious world, of works being mixed with grace, a little leaven, leavening the whole lump. They are again entangled therein in what? Overcome. And the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. Why is that? Well, because they become more hardened. I will tell you that in my experience I've never found people that are more hardened against the gospel of free grace in the Lord Jesus Christ than those that for a while sat under it or at least heard of it and then left. It seems like it's a turning point that they don't even realize. But they become indifferent. They become hardened. Gospel hardened. In their minds they say, I've already heard that. It makes no difference to me. And they become hardened. Peter relates it there in verse 22 to a dog returning to his own vomit again. That's a pretty disgusting image, but that's how it's described. And so that's why we need to warn people not to turn away. Not to make up their mind to refuse to hear the message of God's free grace in Christ. unmixed with men's will, unmixed with men's works, unmixed with men's ways. Giving all the glory to Christ alone. It's a very solemn and important message that we have. And Balaam is given as an example. You know, what was it that caused Balaam ultimately to keep going even though the Lord had purposed to stop him? Well, wasn't it the promise of great reward? Wasn't the promise of honor, as we read in Numbers 22? And the thing that I find interesting, if you go back there to Numbers 22, while we're reading it, I wanted to read through and not stop, but even though Balaam acknowledged that he was wrong, where he said in verse 34 of Numbers 22, he said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned, for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeaseth thee, I will get thee back again. I'll turn and go back. And the angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, go with the men. See, this is where some will find some contradiction. They'll say, well, the Lord said to go with him. And yet, when he went, he chastened him for going. What the Lord is doing is showing Balaam what his true nature is. If he had truly been taught of the Lord, he would have said, hey, I'm going to go back. I'm not going to continue to walk with these men. Look at the end of verse 35. So Balaam went with the princess of Balaam. Why did he go with him? Because his heart was still with him. He was still hoping for that reward. You know, it reminds me of some who, you know, on the one hand, they give lip service to the message of grace. They give lip service to Christ and Him crucified. On the one hand, they will profess to believe it and say, Amen, that's the truth. And yet, they continue to walk with men that deny. They continue to associate with preachers and men that deny. They can't give it up. And that's what I believe Peter is talking about here when he says, they cannot cease from sin. In verse 14, having eyes full of adultery. There's too much at stake for them to give it up and to identify with a small number and a very exclusive message. And it's because of their covetousness. That's why they forsake the right way, the way of truth, the gospel of truth for what are called rewards of unrighteousness. Basically, you know, self-glory or self-gain. are the two reasons why people continue the way they do. But there's a third characteristic coming back here to 2 Peter chapter 2 and verse 17. Here's the real problem, they're unconverted. They have a form of godliness that impresses men but no power thereof. Godliness in the sense of fearing God. Here they're described as wells without water. They dig deep and yet there's no water in those wells. In the end, they prove to be empty and dry. Why? Because Christ is the well of living water. And to drink of Him is never to thirst again. do not have Christ. In fact, you'll see in verse 17, it again describes them as clouds that are carried with the wind. Large, we've seen this before, dark clouds overhead. You expect some rain on a parched land, but then you discover that the clouds are nothing but empty and only driven by a dry wind. These men excite in people and there hears some hope and expectations, but only to disappoint. Because it cannot bring peace. And that's why you see people just bouncing from one place to another. Because after a while, you hear them talking about it. Got tired of the preacher. They realized afterward there was nothing to him. So they move on, trying to find someone else. But they go from the frying pan into the fire. You know, when I read these things, I'm thankful for the grace and mercy of God. I'm thankful that He did not leave me alone. And I'm thankful that He gave me the grace and continues to give me the grace to walk away from men and associations whenever in the end it's proven that they're nothing but wells without water. or clouds that are carried about that have no water to water. Verses 18 and 19, again, these are great orators. You can go out on Sermon Audio. You can go out on the Internet and Google and listen to a lot of preachers that are great orators. They bestow flattering words and titles. I came across one the other day that I'd listened to years ago. We used to listen to and think was a great preacher. And I listened to about 20 minutes of this man now that the Lord has taught me the gospel. And I couldn't finish. It was a joke. It was somebody that had always been elevated in our minds and eyes to be a great speaker. He was invited everywhere, well known. And that's what verse 18 speaks of. They speak great swelling words, but of what? Vanity. They allure through lust of the flesh, in their style, in their manner, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. What they do is attract people who live in error. Error attracts error. And that's why they have such followings as they do. They promise them liberty, verse 19, but they themselves are the servants of corruption. In other words, again, unconverted. They prey upon the ignorant and the untaught. And they have outwardly perhaps reformed lives, but inwardly They're just, they're whited sepulchers, is the way Christ speaks of them. They go about to establish a righteousness before God, but cannot and will not preach the one righteousness that God has ever accepted, and that is the righteousness of His Son that He came to work out. They attract people who are themselves in great bondage, because they are in bondage. Like attracts like. I'm having this sort of dealings right now with a particular preacher that, you know, he's back and forth. He will contact me every once in a while. And when he's with me, we'll talk about the things that rejoice my heart. And I'll think that, you know, the Lord has truly taught him. And yet, given some time, hear about some of the associations that he has and where he's going and who he's identifying with and I'm in my mind trying to put two and two together. How can he say one thing when he's with me and yet identify with these others who are clearly opposed to the message of Christ and him crucified? But that's what it is to be double-minded. A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways. And these preachers are just like the people that follow them. They return again under the vomit and become entangled therein. Verse 20. The grace of God doesn't entangle, it frees. To know and understand that when Christ laid down his life and paid that debt, that my sin was put away forever. And that God, in seeing the death of His Son, was satisfied, and that righteousness imputed to the account of every one that He had given to His Son. That's a freeing message. That's one that gives me peace, knowing myself to be a sinner, and eyes to behold Christ and to see Him. But there's so many that will give lip service to it, and yet there's leaven. There's conditional preaching. They'll tell you something you need to do to continue to keep your standing before a holy God. It says there in verse 21, a truth, for it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness. This is talking about people that have thought about it, heard it, thought about it, but then gone another way. It would have been better if they had not known the way. You say, why? Well, not being the Lord's and being cast into utter darkness in judgment of God, men's minds will not stop functioning. We are the worm dieth not. Those who are separated from God and cast into the hell, they'll never stop existing. And the very point of their grievance that caused them to walk away in this life will continue to be a point of disagreement in their minds and hearts throughout eternity. They will not bow. And there's nothing they can do about it. Because the sovereign God has put them exactly where they deserve to be. Separated from this very God that they despise. And this Christ that they despise. By putting their works up with His. Or adding to in any way. Making conditional any part of His work upon something they do. It's a serious matter. So, let's be in prayer. I pray for everybody that comes to hear me, especially with this truth in mind. It had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, and yet I'm accountable to preach it. And unless the Lord gives them repentance to bow, they're going to go their way, some angry, mad, upset. Ultimately, if the Lord doesn't deliver them, that's how they'll die. And they'll continue throughout eternity. As the Scripture says, weeping and gnashing of teeth. It's not in repentance, but it's in anger. Anger over this very God who is sovereign and does His will. If He gives us grace to remove us from a false refuge, and truly to look to Christ alone. And we bless His name. We bless His name. All right, let's take our hymn books and sing hymn number 309.