Sermon: Boldly Blasphemous 2 Peter 2:10b–22
Boldly Blasphemous 2 Peter 2:10b–22
Truth Taught- False teachers are boldly blasphemous and all who follow after them will meet with their destruction.
Introduction
We begin by acknowledging not just the possibility of false teaching, but the certainty of it. We should not be surprised to find false teaching in the church today. Jesus and the apostles are very clear that false teachers will arise. They promise it. As Jesus says,
Matthew 24:23–25 (ESV)
23 Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you beforehand.
I’m more and more amazed at how much of the New Testament addresses false teaching and false teachers. We are right in the middle of Peter’s section addressing the subject. Jude spends most of his short epistle on the topic. Galatians has the false teacher’s section, 1 Timothy and others.
Paul warns the Ephesian elders.
Acts 20:29–30 (ESV)
29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them.
He warns Timothy in 2 Timothy.
2 Timothy 4:3–4 (ESV)
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Here in the 2 Timothy passage Paul explains why false teaching is so successful is because in many cases, believe it or not, it’s what the people want. People want lies if those lies make them more comfortable sinners.
Peter joins the refrain to add another voice: “There will be false teachers among you” (2 Peter 2:1).
So, we should not be caught off guard that false teachers have arisen throughout church history and likely have multiplied in our day as well.
We must be able to spot them a mile away if we are to avoid their destructive teaching. What we might find surprising — both from Jesus and the apostles — is how revealing the everyday lives of false teachers are about their falseness. They are not just false in their teaching, but also false in their living. Beneath their doctrinal error, however subtle and deceptive, we will find ethical compromises as well.
This issue of doctrinal error and false teaching is an extremely important issue that we must consider if we are to remain a true and faithful Church.
2 Peter 2:10b–22 (ESV)
Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, 11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, 13 suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. 14 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! 15 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, 16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
17 These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. 18 For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”
1. The Arrogance and the End of False Teachers (2:10b-13)
Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, 11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, 13 suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing.
I want to consider today the very strange dynamic at work in the willful rebellion of sin. What Peter says marks the false teachers he was encountering. These people are God’s enemies and they will meet with eternal destruction.
Peter begins his scathing assessment of their schemes and character by addressing their pride. They are ultra-arrogant. As he puts it, they are boldly and willfully arrogant. Other words are brazenly, daringly arrogant.
We then are given an illustration to help us see what Peter is talking about…
they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, 11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord.
In their false teaching they are blaspheming angels. We see this today in the faith-healing movement. How many demons have supposedly been bound or removed from people. Beloved, don’t think for a second this is real. It’s staged. In their arrogant lies and deception, they actually blaspheme God by how they address demons. Even fallen angels still retain a hint of the glory they once had. They forget that these angels are far superior to them in power and even glory. They don’t care.
Even when Michael the Archangel was battling with Satan, he did not pronounce judgement on him.
Jude 9 (ESV)
9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”
According to what Peter is teaching here, all those today who seek to rebuke demons and cast them into the abyss or condemn them are blaspheming God. That is His place alone. One day He will cast them into the Lake of Fire but no human false teacher has the power to do that because even fallen angels are superior to us in many ways.
Even good angels will not do to the false teachers what they do to fallen angels…
11 whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord.
He goes on, the reckless blasphemy of these people show that they are more like brute animals than people.
12 But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, 13 suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing.
Twice here the word blasphemy is used to describe their activity. They are so arrogant in their destructive teaching that they just go on as if by some instinct to continue. They have no discernment nor do they see that their own end is the same as what they declare to be the demon’s end. They say they rebuke demons and they say they cast them out while they will be rebuked and cast into eternal torment with them.
2. False Teachers Are Bent Toward Deception and Greed (13b-14)
They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. 14 They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children!
So consumed with their activities and wickedness, these people were not even ashamed to practice their destructive debauchery even in the daytime. It’s like they have no shame or conscience. Most at least don’t commit certain sins in broad daylight. However, these evil teachers have no problem sinning and blaspheming in the daytime.
We are told here that they take pleasure in it. They are passionate for the perversion of truth.
Then, they take the next step and that is they bring their destructive teaching into the Church. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you. Feasting with you means a shared public meal…fellowship meal eaten together. While eating they discuss their heresies and blasphemies.
Pass the chicken…oh did you know that Jesus is just a created being? Can you hand me the gravy? Oh, by the way did you know that you must work for salvation?
Their goals are wealth and status. They have eyes full of adultery and sin and they entice others to go with them into their destructive doctrines.
They’re not good enough at it so they literally train themselves so they can be better blasphemers.
They have hearts trained in greed… trained is from the same Greek word we get gymnasium from. They train and lift weights and run if you will to be better swindlers. Their cons are not what they think they should be so they train to get better.
Peter’s words are right to the point. He must have seen them over and over again. He, no doubt also saw the destruction they left in their wake. As you read this section, we see a little of Jesus coming out in Peter…righteous anger.
This word train means their lies and modes of operation were premeditated. These were not momentary lapses, mistakes, or accidental offences but done on purpose to deceive and to entice unsteady souls.
3. False Teachers Follow the Way of Balaam (2:15-16)
15 Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, 16 but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
The way of Balaam was speaking whatever prophecy paid the most. This was the problem in Judges 18 when the Levite hired himself out as Micah’s personal priest. Then the tribe of Dan convinced him it would be better and more lucrative to come with them and be a priest to them and the Levite went.
This is the problem plaguing so many churches and pastor’s today. Pastors are hirelings and switch churches whenever another one comes along that looks better and pays more. This is the methods of false teachers…go where the money is. Teach what pays the most.
The right way has been in the OT and in the NT a way of saying obedience to God’s Word.
Psalm 18:30 (ESV)
30 This God—his way is perfect;
the word of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.
The Prophet Balaam was motivated by personal gain. He was hired by Balak, the King of Moab. As a hireling Balaam prophesied whatever the King wanted, even tried to curse the Israelites. To combat Balaam and his madness, God raised up another prophet that day…Balaam’s donkey started to speak God’s Word…
4. False Teachers Boast with Great Sounding but Empty Promises (2:17-19)
17 These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. 18 For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.
God’s people need to drink deeply from the spring of truth. We need refreshed by God’s Word. When people go to what looks like a spring and find a false teacher, we go away thirstier than before. These are waterless springs.
Their gimmicks cannot quench.
In the middle east, mist sometimes rolls in off the sea, a type of fog. When this happens sometimes there is a short rainstorm that follows. The land is dry and any rain is welcome. However, most of the time the sea mist or fog is not followed by rain. So, Peter says, mists driven by a storm no rain to quench the dry ground. Their promises are just mirages in the desert.
The Apostle does not hesitate to announce that their judgement is coming…
the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved.
You might think Peter has said it all by now but he continues…
They speak loudly their foolishness. The louder they speak it’s as if they gain more followers. They promise freedom but are the ones entering into the net and bringing all who follow with them.
Romans 6:16 (ESV)
16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
They promise freedom but they themselves are enslaved to their own lusts. They have no freedom for themselves nevertheless for someone else.
There is freedom only in Jesus Christ. They reject Christ.
John 8:31–32 (ESV)
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
There is only freedom in Jesus Christ and they have rejected Christ and His truth. Truth and Jesus go together. They teach lies not truth. They are slaves and want to enslave others.
5. False Teachers Forsake the Way of Righteousness (2:20-22)
20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”
These teachers have entered into the Church and have escaped the world’s defilements or pollution. The Greek word means an ooze or excrement that creates sickness.
Peter tells us that they have some knowledge of Jesus. However, it is not a saving knowledge. Lost people can and do know many things about Jesus but simply head knowledge is not the same as saving knowledge or saving faith. They are not in Christ because they are entangled in the world.
They are not ones who persevere to the end.
1 John 5:4–5 (ESV)
4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Because these people are not truly born again, they have no spiritual armor for the fight and they drift back into the mire and muck of the world.
It would have been better to not know the way of righteousness than to know it and reject it or stay on the outside. They will face the greater condemnation because they knew the way but rejected it.
Here’s the final graphic depiction of the false teacher…
The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.
Conclusion
As we conclude this morning, we could go through some of the false teachers in our day, and there are many. We could look at their lies and blasphemies. Rather than doing a survey of all the false teaching around today, I’d rather look to God’s truth.
We are all sinners before God. God judges all sin. So, we are either judged for our sin or if we place our faith in Jesus Christ, then His death on the cross pays for our sin.
How does God judge the sinner who does not trust Christ and repent? The sinner spends eternity in hell’s torments under the wrath of God. We have all sinned against an eternal God and so it is just for God to punish us for all eternity.
Do you know what the worst part of Hell will be? God. Hell is called a place of separation from God. What this means is the sinner in Hell is separated from God relationally but not judiciously.
Revelation 14:9–10 (ESV)
9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
In God’s grace He has made a way so that those who love His Son and trust in Him by faith can be saved from God’s wrath in Hell.
We don’t work to get to heaven, we believe to get to heaven.
Acts 16:30–31 (ESV)
30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
Believe the truth today and be saved!
Resources Used:
1 & 2 Peter and Jude by Thomas Schreiner
Jude and 2 Peter by Gene L. Green
2 Peter and Jude by John MacArthur
The Letters of 2 Peter and Jude by Peter H. Davids
Word Biblical Commentary by Richard Bauckham
1&2 Peter by Alexander Nisbet
