WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.919
 So, I wonder if you've ever caught yourself just getting lost down an internet rabbit hole

00:00:06.919 --> 00:00:09.779
 just looking at optical illusions.

00:00:10.740 --> 00:00:13.240
 I find that optical illusions are really fascinating.

00:00:13.240 --> 00:00:20.820
 There is something strangely intriguing by the fact that my brain is getting tricked

00:00:20.820 --> 00:00:23.900
 into seeing something that isn't quite there.

00:00:24.140 --> 00:00:28.679
 You know that what you're seeing, or you think you're seeing, is not there,

00:00:28.679 --> 00:00:31.899
 and yet you think it's there.

00:00:32.280 --> 00:00:35.700
 You look at something and it's just not what it seems.

00:00:36.920 --> 00:00:43.380
 If we go to the next slide, for instance, the llama that you see there is not ringing a bell.

00:00:44.060 --> 00:00:48.280
 That leg holding a bell is actually just a llama behind it.

00:00:48.480 --> 00:00:50.159
 It's not what it seems.

00:00:51.120 --> 00:00:57.060
 And this lady in the next one, she's not hovering over the sand on some magic carpet.

00:00:57.060 --> 00:01:01.420
 Of course, that's just the shadow of a flag that's nearby.

00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:03.980
 So, it's not what it seems.

00:01:04.900 --> 00:01:08.900
 And the next one, the next lady, she's not a half-dog lady.

00:01:09.079 --> 00:01:13.500
 She's just wearing something as black as the dog behind her.

00:01:14.780 --> 00:01:19.320
 And then finally, believe it or not, that is not a 10-foot-long cow.

00:01:19.319 --> 00:01:22.000
 So, you might have guessed it.

00:01:22.239 --> 00:01:25.159
 I reckon there's probably two cows behind that building.

00:01:25.259 --> 00:01:26.659
 I put that one just to please Lisa.

00:01:29.099 --> 00:01:30.919
 So, it's not what it seems.

00:01:31.319 --> 00:01:33.839
 And it's not what it seems in the next slide is,

00:01:34.739 --> 00:01:40.280
 are the words that just kept coming to my mind as I started this passage in 2 Peter.

00:01:40.280 --> 00:01:48.320
 The more I read the passage, the more it seemed to me as if Peter was just screaming these words at every turn.

00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:53.480
 As he describes the character and the actions of these false teachers.

00:01:54.040 --> 00:01:56.219
 It's not what it seems, brothers and sisters.

00:01:56.819 --> 00:01:59.859
 They are not what it seems.

00:01:59.859 --> 00:02:04.120
 Now, if you listened to Archie's sermon last week,

00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:10.039
 you will know that the whole of this chapter, chapter 2, is a warning against false teachers.

00:02:10.819 --> 00:02:17.300
 And I think in chapter 1 already there were signs that Peter would have addressed the issue of false teachers.

00:02:18.039 --> 00:02:21.139
 Because he says there that he knows he's about to die.

00:02:21.240 --> 00:02:24.500
 And in verse 10, he worries that then people might stumble.

00:02:24.500 --> 00:02:32.699
 And then in verse 16, still in chapter 1, he reassures the church that he didn't follow any cleverly devised stories,

00:02:32.780 --> 00:02:36.080
 as he puts it, about Christ's future coming.

00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:44.420
 It sounds like someone had been disputing that and had been spreading rumors that Peter had been making things up

00:02:44.420 --> 00:02:47.280
 and that his second coming wasn't real.

00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:51.639
 And so, in the first half of chapter 2 that we looked at last week,

00:02:51.639 --> 00:02:55.339
 Peter introduced us to the problem of false teachers.

00:02:55.699 --> 00:03:00.399
 And he told us in no uncertain terms that there will be false teachers,

00:03:00.719 --> 00:03:04.579
 that they will seduce people, that people will follow them.

00:03:05.239 --> 00:03:13.000
 But also that the false teachers are condemned by God and will not escape judgment.

00:03:14.279 --> 00:03:18.399
 And in today's passage, he expands on all of this,

00:03:18.400 --> 00:03:23.980
 but giving us an incredibly helpful description of how these false teachers live

00:03:23.980 --> 00:03:28.740
 and how they act amongst the members of the church so that we can recognize them.

00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:34.300
 And he doesn't go into the details of what these false teachings are.

00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:36.460
 These false teachings are being spread.

00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:40.439
 There are hints like the denial of the second coming that I just mentioned,

00:03:40.439 --> 00:03:46.640
 but otherwise what we get from Peter is more of a list of common traits of false teachers,

00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:52.639
 which I think is great because I reckon that if we'd known exactly what those teachings were,

00:03:53.679 --> 00:04:00.500
 that these specific false teachers were spreading back then in the context of that culture at that specific point in time,

00:04:01.179 --> 00:04:06.799
 we maybe would have been tempted to only label those specific heresies as false teachings.

00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:12.140
 Whereas what Peter does here is equip us to identify different false teachings,

00:04:12.300 --> 00:04:18.639
 any false teachings, including the kind that we'd expect in this part of the world in this century.

00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:25.920
 And so what he does is give us a sort of identicate of the false teacher,

00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:33.080
 an identicate that will apply no matter what specific nonsense they happen to be preaching where we are.

00:04:33.079 --> 00:04:36.439
 And so as he puts together this identicate for us,

00:04:36.759 --> 00:04:41.539
 he warns us that false teachers are not what they seem.

00:04:41.819 --> 00:04:43.699
 And we look at this in three sections.

00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:48.319
 Verses 10 to 12, they're not as wise as it might seem.

00:04:49.019 --> 00:04:53.839
 Verses 13 to 16, they're not as righteous as it might seem.

00:04:55.120 --> 00:05:02.079
 And verses 17 to 22, they're not as free as it might seem.

00:05:02.079 --> 00:05:08.379
 And so Peter is telling them, these people will do all they can to sound wise to you.

00:05:08.579 --> 00:05:10.839
 And they might think themselves righteous.

00:05:11.079 --> 00:05:12.979
 Maybe they might even look the part.

00:05:13.879 --> 00:05:19.799
 And they'll want you to believe that their lives are free from any restrictions and any limitations.

00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:22.379
 But they're not any of these things.

00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:24.339
 It's not what it seems.

00:05:24.339 --> 00:05:30.299
 So if we look at the first section then, they're not wise.

00:05:31.099 --> 00:05:39.819
 Now one thing you might have noticed as Alistair read the passage is that Peter really does not hold back in attacking the false teachers.

00:05:40.299 --> 00:05:42.599
 He uses such strong language.

00:05:42.600 --> 00:05:48.960
 In just a couple of verses, he says to the false teachers here just in this first section alone,

00:05:49.280 --> 00:05:54.360
 that they're bold and arrogant, that they're blasphemous, that they're like unreasoning animals,

00:05:54.720 --> 00:06:00.400
 that they're creatures of instinct, that they are born to be caught and destroyed.

00:06:01.160 --> 00:06:04.780
 And in verse 12, that like animals, they too will perish.

00:06:04.779 --> 00:06:12.039
 And he will come time and time again in this passage to the fate of false teachers.

00:06:12.639 --> 00:06:16.019
 He'd already told us in last week's passage that they're under judgment.

00:06:16.619 --> 00:06:22.179
 And today he keeps reminding us of what awaits them here in almost every other verse.

00:06:23.339 --> 00:06:29.479
 So he clearly wants this, the way that they will end, just to really get into our hands.

00:06:29.480 --> 00:06:35.439
 So why are the false teachers anything but what you would expect of a teacher?

00:06:35.660 --> 00:06:39.879
 I'm sure one of the first words that comes to mind thinking about teaching and teacher is wise.

00:06:40.040 --> 00:06:42.280
 Why are they anything but wise?

00:06:42.400 --> 00:06:44.900
 Why are they like unreasoning animals?

00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:50.879
 It's because they're not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings.

00:06:52.680 --> 00:06:58.980
 Now we don't know exactly what it was that the false teachers said and about what celestial beings,

00:06:58.980 --> 00:07:02.980
 but the most common interpretation is that they blasphemed against fallen angels.

00:07:03.879 --> 00:07:08.020
 Peter did mention fallen angels just earlier on in the chapter in verse 4,

00:07:08.220 --> 00:07:10.300
 or perhaps against the devil himself.

00:07:10.900 --> 00:07:14.980
 But what we do know based on Peter's words is that they're showing incredible arrogance

00:07:15.640 --> 00:07:21.100
 by speaking of angelic powers in ways that the angels themselves won't.

00:07:22.520 --> 00:07:26.840
 And so they might try and appear wise to those that they want to entice

00:07:26.839 --> 00:07:31.219
 by speaking so boldly and by coming across as so confident,

00:07:31.339 --> 00:07:33.019
 like they know what they're talking about.

00:07:33.019 --> 00:07:39.539
 But verse 12 says that the truth is they blaspheme in matters that they do not understand.

00:07:41.419 --> 00:07:45.419
 And so if what they're doing is not wisdom, it's not wise,

00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:47.459
 what is wisdom according to the Bible?

00:07:48.319 --> 00:07:53.659
 I'll go to a verse that many of us will be familiar with in Proverbs 9, 10.

00:07:53.660 --> 00:07:57.740
 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

00:07:58.160 --> 00:08:01.340
 and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

00:08:02.939 --> 00:08:07.380
 So wisdom is realizing that the Lord is above everything else,

00:08:07.580 --> 00:08:11.520
 and that the Lord is as loving and merciful as he is just.

00:08:11.940 --> 00:08:14.500
 So we should fear the Lord and live accordingly.

00:08:14.500 --> 00:08:19.600
 And of course, if we are the Lord, we should only fear him.

00:08:20.339 --> 00:08:25.339
 Fearing God means recognizing his authority, his glory, his majesty,

00:08:25.339 --> 00:08:30.100
 and then as a result of this understanding, strive to live in obedience to him.

00:08:31.160 --> 00:08:35.139
 So of course, we should not fear the devil in the same way,

00:08:35.200 --> 00:08:39.440
 because our allegiance is to God, and he's already won the battle against Satan.

00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:43.740
 And yet, by behaving the way that they do, these false teachers,

00:08:43.900 --> 00:08:46.060
 by heaping abuse and celestial beings,

00:08:47.120 --> 00:08:51.500
 they're showing that they're actually not grasping the seriousness of evil.

00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:56.420
 The power that Satan still does have on humanity by way of temptation, of course,

00:08:56.820 --> 00:09:01.800
 at this point in time, while we still live in a broken world that is dominated by sin.

00:09:01.799 --> 00:09:07.439
 And so if we underestimate the devil, like they do, then we underestimate sin,

00:09:07.819 --> 00:09:11.219
 and that's how we open the door to it into our lives.

00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:17.719
 Someone at my old job underestimated the risk of this link that they got in an email,

00:09:18.439 --> 00:09:25.159
 and they did what they always teach you not to do at any training course about phishing emails,

00:09:25.359 --> 00:09:28.679
 and they clicked on the link, and then they got to this fake web page,

00:09:28.679 --> 00:09:32.099
 and they entered their password they thought they were getting into their inbox,

00:09:32.659 --> 00:09:34.779
 and they were in the scammers.

00:09:34.959 --> 00:09:37.739
 They were going through our emails, and they were emailing our clients,

00:09:38.139 --> 00:09:41.019
 asking for our invoices to be paid into our new bank account.

00:09:42.699 --> 00:09:46.939
 We underestimated the risk, and we let the scammers in.

00:09:48.019 --> 00:09:51.159
 And the false teachers behave just as scaredlessly.

00:09:52.139 --> 00:09:55.419
 They don't wash their mouth when they talk about the spiritual beings,

00:09:55.879 --> 00:09:57.859
 about things that they do not understand,

00:09:57.860 --> 00:10:02.500
 and in so doing, they're lessening in their mind the seriousness of sin.

00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:08.340
 So I think Peter is warning us that if we come across someone who's trying to convince us

00:10:08.340 --> 00:10:10.600
 that we can laugh in the face of the devil,

00:10:11.080 --> 00:10:13.220
 that we can think that he's a thing of the past,

00:10:13.620 --> 00:10:15.759
 someone that belongs in fairy tales only,

00:10:16.080 --> 00:10:19.779
 then we should run away before we too start thinking that way,

00:10:19.779 --> 00:10:24.080
 and we make ourselves even more vulnerable to sin than we already are.

00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:27.920
 And I think it's absolutely not uncommon for us, unfortunately,

00:10:28.080 --> 00:10:30.540
 in this country and in this day and age,

00:10:30.700 --> 00:10:32.920
 to come across people trying to convince us,

00:10:32.920 --> 00:10:34.780
 or maybe to convince our children in school,

00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:38.420
 that of course God exists, or maybe gods exist,

00:10:38.800 --> 00:10:42.720
 and, you know, they're pretty much just an anonymous someone,

00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:45.420
 someone, someone good living in the clouds,

00:10:45.420 --> 00:10:46.639
 maybe living in a tree.

00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:49.519
 But evil beings?

00:10:49.720 --> 00:10:50.600
 No, they're not a thing.

00:10:50.700 --> 00:10:52.879
 They're just something superstitious.

00:10:53.340 --> 00:10:55.620
 And as wise as these teachings might seem,

00:10:55.720 --> 00:10:58.220
 of course these people would be way more eloquent than have just been,

00:10:58.519 --> 00:11:01.560
 but they can sound intriguing sometimes and even wise.

00:11:01.559 --> 00:11:03.979
 It's not what it seems, Peter says.

00:11:04.099 --> 00:11:06.559
 That is not wisdom.

00:11:08.459 --> 00:11:15.619
 And if any of these teachings infiltrate in our heads,

00:11:16.119 --> 00:11:19.699
 if they get into our heads,

00:11:20.059 --> 00:11:24.059
 there are many ways that then as a result we can end up underestimating the power

00:11:24.059 --> 00:11:27.099
 that evil can have in our everyday lives.

00:11:27.100 --> 00:11:31.820
 There are a lot of ways that we can arrogantly believe and behave

00:11:31.820 --> 00:11:36.920
 that we have the strength in ourselves to overpower temptation.

00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:39.060
 And we all have different weaknesses.

00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:42.440
 We all have different ways that we let the guard down

00:11:42.440 --> 00:11:44.300
 and we open the door to sin.

00:11:45.159 --> 00:11:48.560
 And so for some of us, it will be about frequenting certain people

00:11:48.560 --> 00:11:50.399
 who have a negative influence on us.

00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:54.000
 For some others, it will look like getting too close to alcohol

00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:57.000
 or certain contexts where there's too much of it.

00:11:57.100 --> 00:11:59.740
 And I'm sure you can all think of your own examples.

00:11:59.899 --> 00:12:00.879
 It could be gossiping.

00:12:00.940 --> 00:12:01.680
 It could be lust.

00:12:01.800 --> 00:12:02.659
 It could be greed.

00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:04.860
 And so let's be watchful.

00:12:04.960 --> 00:12:08.019
 Let's not let the attitude of any false teachers

00:12:08.019 --> 00:12:11.240
 who are too casual about that spiritual war

00:12:11.240 --> 00:12:15.700
 that we know is definitely going on between God's army and the devil's.

00:12:16.040 --> 00:12:17.700
 Let's not then be contagious.

00:12:17.700 --> 00:12:20.940
 Let's not then let them infiltrate in our heads.

00:12:20.940 --> 00:12:24.340
 We want to be wise by fearing the Lord.

00:12:24.580 --> 00:12:27.200
 We won't fear the devil because we are in the Lord,

00:12:27.280 --> 00:12:30.500
 but we do take the devil's intentions seriously.

00:12:31.000 --> 00:12:34.260
 And if he was ready to tempt Jesus in the desert,

00:12:34.580 --> 00:12:38.400
 he's certainly here ready to tempt us at our every step.

00:12:39.080 --> 00:12:42.140
 And so we want to be ready for him by living wisely

00:12:42.140 --> 00:12:45.760
 and by fearing our Lord, by showing obedience to him.

00:12:45.759 --> 00:12:51.559
 In the second section in verses 13 to 16,

00:12:52.439 --> 00:12:55.480
 the false teachers are not righteous.

00:12:57.379 --> 00:12:59.220
 Again, Peter immediately reminds us

00:12:59.220 --> 00:13:01.960
 the false teachers are condemned by God.

00:13:02.039 --> 00:13:03.159
 If you look at verse 13,

00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:07.600
 they will be paid back with harm for the harm that they have done.

00:13:08.059 --> 00:13:10.179
 And then again, he will not hold back

00:13:10.179 --> 00:13:13.220
 when it comes to the language that he uses to describe them.

00:13:13.220 --> 00:13:17.300
 Their blots and blemishes, they revel in their pleasure.

00:13:17.820 --> 00:13:19.240
 They never stop sinning.

00:13:19.660 --> 00:13:21.620
 They seduce those who are unstable.

00:13:22.040 --> 00:13:23.519
 They're experts in greed.

00:13:23.860 --> 00:13:25.320
 They're an accursed brood.

00:13:25.720 --> 00:13:28.019
 It's like Peter really wants his readers

00:13:28.019 --> 00:13:31.060
 to just feel disgusted at the thought

00:13:31.060 --> 00:13:32.840
 of what these people are doing.

00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:36.740
 And if the false teachers are trying in every way

00:13:36.740 --> 00:13:40.160
 to pass for good people who can't show us the way,

00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:44.059
 then Peter is doing all he can to make it absolutely clear

00:13:44.059 --> 00:13:48.100
 to the church and to us that they are just scum.

00:13:48.860 --> 00:13:50.439
 That's not what it seems, people.

00:13:51.019 --> 00:13:53.679
 Whatever nonsense these teachers are telling you

00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:55.899
 about themselves and about God,

00:13:56.299 --> 00:13:59.279
 verse 14, they never stop sinning.

00:13:59.799 --> 00:14:01.899
 They're experts in greed.

00:14:03.899 --> 00:14:05.959
 And so he, Peter, might not tell us anything

00:14:05.960 --> 00:14:08.120
 about these teachers' doctrines,

00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:10.300
 but he tells us a lot about their strategies

00:14:10.300 --> 00:14:11.840
 to entice people.

00:14:12.500 --> 00:14:14.100
 They attend church events

00:14:14.100 --> 00:14:16.379
 because he says they will feast with you,

00:14:16.540 --> 00:14:17.400
 in verse 13.

00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:19.180
 And so maybe that's one of the ways

00:14:19.180 --> 00:14:20.320
 that they want to appear righteous,

00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:22.019
 by going to church.

00:14:22.400 --> 00:14:26.220
 But the motives behind their attendance of church

00:14:26.220 --> 00:14:30.300
 should send a chill right down our spine.

00:14:30.299 --> 00:14:33.500
 While people are enjoying fellowship together,

00:14:33.620 --> 00:14:34.799
 while they're eating together,

00:14:34.799 --> 00:14:36.819
 like we do at our church lunches,

00:14:36.879 --> 00:14:37.319
 for instance,

00:14:37.459 --> 00:14:39.500
 those wonderful opportunities we have

00:14:39.500 --> 00:14:40.919
 to just enjoy fellowship together,

00:14:41.019 --> 00:14:43.439
 to take more of an interest into each other's lives,

00:14:43.500 --> 00:14:46.259
 to encourage each other as we walk with the Lord.

00:14:46.599 --> 00:14:50.219
 It's at these times that these cowards come in

00:14:50.219 --> 00:14:53.620
 with their eyes full of adultery,

00:14:53.719 --> 00:14:57.199
 verse 14, seducing the unstable.

00:14:57.200 --> 00:14:59.840
 And so these words here specifically

00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:02.020
 paint a picture of sexual sin,

00:15:02.460 --> 00:15:06.320
 of people who have stopped even trying to resist sin.

00:15:06.560 --> 00:15:08.700
 And they use even church meetings

00:15:08.700 --> 00:15:11.620
 to try and satisfy their desires

00:15:11.620 --> 00:15:14.060
 and to prey on the vulnerable.

00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:16.160
 And so who knows,

00:15:16.220 --> 00:15:17.440
 maybe they were convincing people

00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:18.480
 to join in their sin

00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:20.960
 by preaching that it doesn't matter how much you sin

00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:22.759
 because we're already saved,

00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:24.900
 or maybe going back to the second coming

00:15:24.900 --> 00:15:26.360
 that it doesn't matter how much you sin

00:15:26.360 --> 00:15:27.899
 because there's no second coming.

00:15:28.300 --> 00:15:29.500
 We've been left to ourselves.

00:15:29.800 --> 00:15:30.560
 Jesus is gone.

00:15:30.720 --> 00:15:31.539
 He's not coming back.

00:15:31.620 --> 00:15:33.139
 Just live and be merry.

00:15:33.480 --> 00:15:35.240
 No judgment day for anyone.

00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:38.379
 And then in verses 15 and 16,

00:15:38.500 --> 00:15:41.180
 Peter compares them to Balaam.

00:15:41.620 --> 00:15:43.460
 Now, Balaam was a prophet that we read about

00:15:43.460 --> 00:15:44.980
 in the book of Numbers,

00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:46.700
 in chapters 22 to 24.

00:15:47.800 --> 00:15:49.600
 Balak, the king of the Moabites,

00:15:50.100 --> 00:15:51.720
 knocks at his door repeatedly,

00:15:51.720 --> 00:15:55.040
 asking him to please go and curse

00:15:55.040 --> 00:15:56.759
 the people of Israel for him.

00:15:57.980 --> 00:16:00.220
 Now, Balaam is not a false prophet

00:16:00.220 --> 00:16:02.000
 because he does prophesize

00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:04.779
 what God tells him to in the end.

00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:06.080
 He won't curse Israel.

00:16:06.279 --> 00:16:07.440
 He will only bless Israel

00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:08.759
 as God commands him to.

00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:12.800
 However, his heart is not right with God.

00:16:13.259 --> 00:16:15.540
 And God sees right through him

00:16:15.540 --> 00:16:17.600
 as he accepts Balak's invitation

00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:19.759
 to go and prophesize

00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:22.779
 because Balaam's mind is clearly set

00:16:22.779 --> 00:16:26.460
 on the money that comes with this service.

00:16:26.940 --> 00:16:28.639
 And so God will humiliate him

00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:30.779
 by letting his donkey rebuke him.

00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:32.379
 That's what Peter is referring to.

00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:35.060
 Just when Balaam is very close

00:16:35.060 --> 00:16:37.200
 to being killed by this angel for his actions

00:16:37.200 --> 00:16:39.159
 and the donkey actually saves him

00:16:39.159 --> 00:16:41.240
 by refusing to go near the angel.

00:16:41.820 --> 00:16:44.399
 And so since Peter compares

00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:46.480
 the false teachers to Balaam,

00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:48.120
 it's fair to think that perhaps

00:16:48.120 --> 00:16:51.159
 the false teachers were getting money

00:16:51.159 --> 00:16:53.860
 in exchange for their services

00:16:53.860 --> 00:16:56.539
 that they were offering people.

00:16:58.340 --> 00:16:59.940
 And so again, it's not what it seems.

00:17:00.100 --> 00:17:01.379
 These false teachers will try

00:17:01.379 --> 00:17:03.320
 to make people believe that they're righteous,

00:17:03.500 --> 00:17:04.200
 but they're not.

00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:05.120
 And in verse 15,

00:17:05.460 --> 00:17:06.920
 the opposite of being righteous,

00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:09.519
 Peter will say that

00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:11.839
 they have left the straight way.

00:17:12.380 --> 00:17:14.579
 They're lustful, greedy people

00:17:14.579 --> 00:17:16.960
 who have left the straight way.

00:17:18.899 --> 00:17:20.759
 Now, of course, for the sake of clarity,

00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:23.980
 none of us are righteous in themselves.

00:17:24.379 --> 00:17:28.119
 But 2 Corinthians 5.21 tells us,

00:17:28.379 --> 00:17:29.279
 for our sake,

00:17:29.679 --> 00:17:32.480
 he made him to be sin who knew no sin.

00:17:32.679 --> 00:17:36.039
 God made Jesus to be sin who knew no sin,

00:17:36.339 --> 00:17:38.299
 so that in him we might become

00:17:38.299 --> 00:17:40.399
 the righteousness of God.

00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:41.800
 And so through Jesus,

00:17:42.040 --> 00:17:44.440
 we become the righteousness of God.

00:17:45.080 --> 00:17:46.940
 And what we're called to do is,

00:17:46.980 --> 00:17:48.740
 if we look at 2 Timothy 2.22,

00:17:49.100 --> 00:17:50.860
 flee the evil desires of youth

00:17:50.860 --> 00:17:52.620
 and pursue righteousness,

00:17:53.360 --> 00:17:54.940
 faith, love, and peace,

00:17:55.259 --> 00:17:57.080
 along with those who call on the Lord

00:17:57.080 --> 00:17:58.360
 out of a pure heart.

00:17:58.920 --> 00:18:02.140
 So we're called to pursue righteousness.

00:18:03.100 --> 00:18:04.940
 And the false teachers we're seeing

00:18:04.940 --> 00:18:07.580
 are doing anything but pursue righteousness.

00:18:07.579 --> 00:18:10.019
 They've let all inhibitions go

00:18:10.019 --> 00:18:12.460
 and are pursuing only pleasure.

00:18:12.939 --> 00:18:15.240
 And in broad daylight, Peter says.

00:18:16.339 --> 00:18:18.439
 So I've got a couple of direct applications

00:18:18.439 --> 00:18:19.139
 for us here.

00:18:19.500 --> 00:18:19.939
 Number one,

00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:21.579
 are the teachers we're listening to

00:18:21.579 --> 00:18:22.539
 pursuing righteousness?

00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:23.759
 And number two,

00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:25.579
 are we pursuing righteousness?

00:18:26.379 --> 00:18:27.779
 So when we decide to listen

00:18:27.779 --> 00:18:28.819
 to someone online,

00:18:29.220 --> 00:18:30.720
 someone who's allegedly a Christian

00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:32.960
 telling us how to live a Christian life,

00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:34.199
 are we considering

00:18:34.199 --> 00:18:36.879
 if they're walking the walk themselves?

00:18:37.580 --> 00:18:39.160
 This is a point that Archie made

00:18:39.160 --> 00:18:40.060
 last week as well,

00:18:40.120 --> 00:18:41.540
 but I think it's worth making it again.

00:18:41.660 --> 00:18:44.600
 I think it applies to these verses as well.

00:18:45.540 --> 00:18:47.280
 Online resources are amazing

00:18:47.280 --> 00:18:48.860
 on so many levels.

00:18:49.020 --> 00:18:51.140
 They give us access to so much knowledge.

00:18:51.820 --> 00:18:53.480
 And we've seen during the pandemic,

00:18:53.640 --> 00:18:54.540
 one of the amazing things

00:18:54.540 --> 00:18:55.780
 that they can do is make church

00:18:55.780 --> 00:18:57.080
 at least partially accessible

00:18:57.080 --> 00:18:59.060
 to those who are housebound.

00:18:59.160 --> 00:18:59.580
 And of course,

00:18:59.580 --> 00:19:02.080
 I myself have used resources

00:19:02.080 --> 00:19:04.620
 to put together this talk.

00:19:04.619 --> 00:19:06.759
 But they do come with a warning.

00:19:06.899 --> 00:19:08.199
 And the same is valid for books

00:19:08.199 --> 00:19:09.079
 or really anything else

00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:09.919
 that comes from people

00:19:09.919 --> 00:19:11.500
 that we don't know personally.

00:19:11.959 --> 00:19:13.199
 Because the danger is that

00:19:13.199 --> 00:19:14.500
 these are people

00:19:14.500 --> 00:19:17.519
 that we don't do life together with.

00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:19.339
 We don't get to spend time with them,

00:19:19.399 --> 00:19:20.639
 to enjoy fellowship with them

00:19:20.639 --> 00:19:21.899
 in the same way that we do

00:19:21.899 --> 00:19:23.459
 with our fellow brothers and sisters

00:19:23.459 --> 00:19:25.079
 in our local church.

00:19:25.719 --> 00:19:26.959
 And so we want to make sure

00:19:26.959 --> 00:19:27.619
 that we're exposed

00:19:27.619 --> 00:19:28.779
 to the message of people

00:19:28.779 --> 00:19:31.179
 who are pursuing righteousness.

00:19:31.180 --> 00:19:33.240
 Because words can be deceiving.

00:19:33.620 --> 00:19:35.259
 Bible verses can be twisted

00:19:35.259 --> 00:19:36.019
 to fit around

00:19:36.019 --> 00:19:37.660
 what people want you to believe.

00:19:38.420 --> 00:19:39.779
 And rubbing shoulders with someone

00:19:39.779 --> 00:19:41.299
 can be a very effective way

00:19:41.299 --> 00:19:44.140
 to see past those deceiving words.

00:19:44.600 --> 00:19:45.680
 Of course, it can be

00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:46.660
 a very effective way.

00:19:46.820 --> 00:19:47.860
 We can all hide our sin

00:19:47.860 --> 00:19:48.920
 in our personal life.

00:19:49.180 --> 00:19:50.440
 We can deceive

00:19:50.440 --> 00:19:52.220
 by way of appearances too.

00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:53.560
 But I'm sure that,

00:19:53.700 --> 00:19:54.259
 for instance,

00:19:54.560 --> 00:19:55.660
 finding out that

00:19:55.660 --> 00:19:57.100
 a certain pastor

00:19:57.100 --> 00:19:58.100
 is buying himself

00:19:58.100 --> 00:19:58.960
 a private jet

00:19:58.960 --> 00:19:59.559
 with the money

00:19:59.559 --> 00:20:00.420
 that he's making

00:20:00.420 --> 00:20:02.140
 out of preaching,

00:20:02.420 --> 00:20:03.279
 that would make us

00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:04.400
 probably second guess

00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:05.420
 what he was preaching

00:20:05.420 --> 00:20:06.420
 in the first place.

00:20:07.259 --> 00:20:08.079
 And while this is

00:20:08.079 --> 00:20:09.079
 an egregious example

00:20:09.079 --> 00:20:10.019
 from the world

00:20:10.019 --> 00:20:11.160
 of the prosperity gospel

00:20:11.160 --> 00:20:11.980
 false teachings,

00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:13.700
 and it won't always be

00:20:13.700 --> 00:20:15.200
 as easy to know

00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:16.319
 if those that we listen to

00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:17.140
 live in accordance

00:20:17.140 --> 00:20:17.980
 with the gospel

00:20:17.980 --> 00:20:19.799
 in pursuit of righteousness,

00:20:20.019 --> 00:20:20.980
 I think we should

00:20:20.980 --> 00:20:23.519
 always do our due diligence

00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:24.640
 as much as possible

00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:25.799
 when we're reading

00:20:25.799 --> 00:20:26.980
 or listening to strangers.

00:20:26.980 --> 00:20:27.720
 And we should look

00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:28.339
 for evidence

00:20:28.339 --> 00:20:29.779
 of a godly life.

00:20:30.460 --> 00:20:31.099
 And then, of course,

00:20:31.140 --> 00:20:31.880
 we should look also

00:20:31.880 --> 00:20:33.500
 for real knowledge

00:20:33.500 --> 00:20:34.319
 of God.

00:20:34.620 --> 00:20:35.339
 Are the teachings

00:20:35.339 --> 00:20:36.279
 that we're listening to

00:20:36.279 --> 00:20:37.539
 rooted in the Bible?

00:20:37.880 --> 00:20:38.380
 And that's why

00:20:38.380 --> 00:20:38.839
 at Bransfield,

00:20:38.920 --> 00:20:39.620
 you'll always hear

00:20:39.620 --> 00:20:40.500
 anyone who's speaking

00:20:40.500 --> 00:20:41.299
 from the front

00:20:41.299 --> 00:20:42.880
 ask you to please

00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:43.940
 keep your Bible open,

00:20:44.039 --> 00:20:44.900
 to follow along

00:20:44.900 --> 00:20:45.480
 in the passage.

00:20:45.620 --> 00:20:46.220
 We'll be referring

00:20:46.220 --> 00:20:47.819
 to verses all the time.

00:20:47.860 --> 00:20:48.400
 And that's really

00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:49.240
 the bare minimum

00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:50.259
 that we should expect

00:20:50.259 --> 00:20:51.980
 of those that we listen to.

00:20:53.980 --> 00:20:54.819
 So are the people

00:20:54.819 --> 00:20:55.579
 we're listening to

00:20:55.579 --> 00:20:56.579
 pursuing righteousness?

00:20:56.579 --> 00:20:57.679
 And then when it comes

00:20:57.679 --> 00:20:58.539
 to our own lives,

00:20:58.679 --> 00:20:59.659
 are we ourselves

00:20:59.659 --> 00:21:01.279
 in pursuit of righteousness?

00:21:02.059 --> 00:21:02.919
 Do we strive

00:21:02.919 --> 00:21:03.939
 to live lives

00:21:03.939 --> 00:21:05.379
 in obedience to God

00:21:05.379 --> 00:21:06.240
 with Jesus

00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:07.299
 as our model?

00:21:11.699 --> 00:21:13.960
 And then in our third section,

00:21:14.980 --> 00:21:16.159
 Peter now warns us

00:21:16.159 --> 00:21:18.220
 that it's not what it seems.

00:21:18.859 --> 00:21:19.579
 False teachers

00:21:19.579 --> 00:21:20.859
 are not free.

00:21:21.759 --> 00:21:22.879
 They're not as free

00:21:22.879 --> 00:21:23.879
 as they would like us

00:21:23.879 --> 00:21:24.379
 to think.

00:21:24.899 --> 00:21:25.759
 Far from it.

00:21:26.579 --> 00:21:27.179
 Again,

00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:28.599
 he's got very strong words

00:21:28.599 --> 00:21:29.439
 for the false teachers.

00:21:29.599 --> 00:21:30.879
 He has two very powerful

00:21:30.879 --> 00:21:31.519
 illustrations.

00:21:32.159 --> 00:21:32.839
 The first one

00:21:32.839 --> 00:21:34.000
 is that these people

00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:35.019
 are like springs

00:21:35.019 --> 00:21:36.639
 without water.

00:21:37.379 --> 00:21:38.879
 What is more disappointing

00:21:38.879 --> 00:21:40.000
 than a spring

00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:40.720
 without water?

00:21:42.159 --> 00:21:43.299
 You think you've finally

00:21:43.299 --> 00:21:43.960
 found the water

00:21:43.960 --> 00:21:45.019
 and then there's none.

00:21:45.500 --> 00:21:46.819
 You walked all the way

00:21:46.819 --> 00:21:47.619
 to that spring

00:21:47.619 --> 00:21:48.639
 in the heat

00:21:48.639 --> 00:21:49.379
 of the desert.

00:21:49.740 --> 00:21:50.399
 You're sure

00:21:50.399 --> 00:21:51.179
 of that relief

00:21:51.179 --> 00:21:52.000
 that it's finally

00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:52.539
 to come

00:21:52.539 --> 00:21:53.519
 and now you're

00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:55.240
 back to square one,

00:21:55.659 --> 00:21:56.539
 still parched

00:21:56.539 --> 00:21:57.659
 and not knowing

00:21:57.659 --> 00:21:58.720
 where to go from here.

00:21:59.420 --> 00:22:00.599
 That's what false teachers

00:22:00.599 --> 00:22:01.200
 are like.

00:22:01.559 --> 00:22:02.680
 They promise solutions.

00:22:03.259 --> 00:22:04.460
 They promise freedom,

00:22:05.159 --> 00:22:05.500
 joy,

00:22:06.180 --> 00:22:06.519
 wealth,

00:22:07.099 --> 00:22:07.500
 health,

00:22:08.059 --> 00:22:08.460
 peace,

00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:09.119
 whatever it is

00:22:09.119 --> 00:22:09.759
 that they're promising

00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:10.859
 and they have

00:22:10.859 --> 00:22:12.019
 none of it.

00:22:12.879 --> 00:22:14.019
 In second illustration,

00:22:14.180 --> 00:22:15.079
 they're like mists

00:22:15.079 --> 00:22:16.819
 driven by a storm.

00:22:17.480 --> 00:22:19.240
 There's just no weight

00:22:19.240 --> 00:22:20.200
 to their words

00:22:20.200 --> 00:22:21.079
 where they say

00:22:21.079 --> 00:22:21.839
 it's empty,

00:22:22.099 --> 00:22:23.039
 it doesn't stick

00:22:23.039 --> 00:22:24.339
 and it just disappears

00:22:24.339 --> 00:22:25.159
 in the air

00:22:25.159 --> 00:22:25.960
 because there's just

00:22:25.960 --> 00:22:27.059
 no truth to it.

00:22:28.299 --> 00:22:28.899
 And now compare

00:22:28.899 --> 00:22:29.960
 what Peter is saying

00:22:29.960 --> 00:22:31.019
 about the false teachers

00:22:31.019 --> 00:22:32.659
 here with what he said

00:22:32.659 --> 00:22:33.579
 in his previous letter,

00:22:33.720 --> 00:22:36.439
 1 Peter 1, 24, 25.

00:22:36.839 --> 00:22:37.200
 Again,

00:22:37.379 --> 00:22:38.359
 a verse that we'll

00:22:38.359 --> 00:22:39.359
 be familiar with.

00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:40.740
 The grass withers

00:22:40.740 --> 00:22:42.419
 and the flowers fall

00:22:42.419 --> 00:22:44.159
 but the word of the Lord

00:22:44.159 --> 00:22:45.819
 endures forever.

00:22:45.819 --> 00:22:47.559
 What a contrast.

00:22:49.259 --> 00:22:49.939
 Then again,

00:22:50.019 --> 00:22:50.879
 Peter reminds us

00:22:50.879 --> 00:22:52.000
 in verse 17

00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:53.839
 of what the false teacher's

00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:54.519
 fate is.

00:22:55.019 --> 00:22:56.460
 These dried up springs

00:22:56.460 --> 00:22:57.159
 are destined

00:22:57.159 --> 00:22:58.639
 to eternal death.

00:22:59.019 --> 00:23:00.399
 Blackest darkness

00:23:00.399 --> 00:23:02.559
 is reserved for them.

00:23:03.099 --> 00:23:03.659
 There's a lot of

00:23:03.659 --> 00:23:04.379
 creative language

00:23:04.379 --> 00:23:05.059
 he's telling us

00:23:05.059 --> 00:23:05.839
 that they're going to hell

00:23:05.839 --> 00:23:07.139
 in like 20 different ways.

00:23:08.179 --> 00:23:09.779
 So why are they not free?

00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:12.119
 Because as they claim

00:23:12.119 --> 00:23:12.879
 to be able

00:23:12.879 --> 00:23:14.799
 to free from your poverty,

00:23:14.960 --> 00:23:15.639
 to use another

00:23:15.640 --> 00:23:17.060
 prosperity gospel example,

00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:18.340
 they're slaves

00:23:18.340 --> 00:23:19.160
 of their own greed

00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:20.060
 at the same time.

00:23:21.100 --> 00:23:22.040
 As they promise

00:23:22.040 --> 00:23:22.640
 to free you

00:23:22.640 --> 00:23:24.060
 from your sense of guilt

00:23:24.060 --> 00:23:25.180
 by not putting

00:23:25.180 --> 00:23:26.220
 any restraints

00:23:26.220 --> 00:23:26.980
 on the desires

00:23:26.980 --> 00:23:27.900
 of your flesh,

00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:29.660
 they're slaves

00:23:29.660 --> 00:23:31.440
 of their own lust.

00:23:31.880 --> 00:23:32.580
 This is the example

00:23:32.580 --> 00:23:33.700
 of someone telling us

00:23:33.700 --> 00:23:34.560
 that we're saved

00:23:34.560 --> 00:23:35.160
 so we can do

00:23:35.160 --> 00:23:35.980
 what we like now.

00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:37.560
 Or maybe

00:23:37.560 --> 00:23:38.880
 they'll do the opposite

00:23:38.880 --> 00:23:39.640
 as they promise

00:23:39.640 --> 00:23:40.240
 to free you

00:23:40.240 --> 00:23:41.120
 from your sadness

00:23:41.120 --> 00:23:42.080
 for the mourning

00:23:42.080 --> 00:23:42.880
 of a close

00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:44.500
 him relative

00:23:44.500 --> 00:23:45.540
 by praying

00:23:45.540 --> 00:23:46.740
 X number of prayers

00:23:46.740 --> 00:23:47.600
 to X number

00:23:47.600 --> 00:23:48.380
 of saints.

00:23:48.920 --> 00:23:49.520
 They're slaves

00:23:49.520 --> 00:23:50.140
 of their own

00:23:50.140 --> 00:23:51.140
 legalism.

00:23:51.580 --> 00:23:52.580
 That's people telling us

00:23:52.580 --> 00:23:53.760
 that we're saved

00:23:53.760 --> 00:23:54.800
 by actions.

00:23:55.300 --> 00:23:55.740
 And the list,

00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:56.240
 of course,

00:23:56.380 --> 00:23:57.340
 can go on.

00:23:58.220 --> 00:23:59.100
 So verse 19

00:23:59.100 --> 00:24:00.000
 is key here.

00:24:00.340 --> 00:24:01.140
 They promise

00:24:01.140 --> 00:24:01.820
 freedom

00:24:01.820 --> 00:24:03.320
 while they themselves

00:24:03.320 --> 00:24:04.400
 are slaves

00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:05.840
 of depravity.

00:24:06.300 --> 00:24:07.580
 For people are slaves

00:24:07.580 --> 00:24:08.060
 to whatever

00:24:08.060 --> 00:24:09.080
 has mastered them.

00:24:09.460 --> 00:24:10.040
 And he's already

00:24:10.040 --> 00:24:10.520
 told us,

00:24:10.580 --> 00:24:10.920
 hasn't he,

00:24:10.920 --> 00:24:12.660
 what masters them.

00:24:13.240 --> 00:24:13.820
 It's lust,

00:24:14.220 --> 00:24:14.840
 it's greed,

00:24:15.220 --> 00:24:15.860
 it's arrogance.

00:24:17.640 --> 00:24:18.400
 And then,

00:24:18.580 --> 00:24:19.600
 to add to this

00:24:19.600 --> 00:24:21.019
 already bleak picture,

00:24:21.620 --> 00:24:22.560
 they entice people

00:24:22.560 --> 00:24:23.519
 who are just escaping

00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:24.600
 from those

00:24:24.600 --> 00:24:25.640
 who live in error.

00:24:25.900 --> 00:24:26.519
 Verse 18.

00:24:26.920 --> 00:24:27.680
 People who are just

00:24:27.680 --> 00:24:28.580
 escaping from those

00:24:28.580 --> 00:24:29.140
 who live in error

00:24:29.140 --> 00:24:29.960
 are new converts.

00:24:31.180 --> 00:24:32.100
 And in verse 14

00:24:32.100 --> 00:24:33.519
 in the previous section

00:24:33.519 --> 00:24:33.860
 he said,

00:24:34.019 --> 00:24:35.100
 they're seducy and stable.

00:24:35.840 --> 00:24:36.779
 And so the sad reality

00:24:36.779 --> 00:24:38.300
 is that these false teachers

00:24:38.300 --> 00:24:39.440
 know exactly

00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:40.180
 what they're doing.

00:24:40.180 --> 00:24:41.900
 They're very intentional

00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:43.799
 when they go about

00:24:43.799 --> 00:24:45.120
 identifying their victims.

00:24:45.580 --> 00:24:46.299
 They prey

00:24:46.299 --> 00:24:47.640
 on the vulnerable.

00:24:48.940 --> 00:24:50.140
 And Peter knows it

00:24:50.140 --> 00:24:51.340
 and he's warning

00:24:51.340 --> 00:24:52.400
 the church.

00:24:52.680 --> 00:24:53.019
 And we,

00:24:53.160 --> 00:24:53.640
 members of

00:24:53.640 --> 00:24:55.000
 Brunsfield Evangelical Church,

00:24:55.080 --> 00:24:56.240
 we should take this warning

00:24:56.240 --> 00:24:57.299
 just as seriously

00:24:57.299 --> 00:24:58.320
 as hopefully

00:24:58.320 --> 00:25:00.680
 Peter's original audience did.

00:25:01.720 --> 00:25:03.160
 We have a duty

00:25:03.160 --> 00:25:04.240
 to look out

00:25:04.240 --> 00:25:04.920
 for our brothers

00:25:04.920 --> 00:25:06.060
 and sisters.

00:25:06.060 --> 00:25:07.080
 If we know of anyone

00:25:07.080 --> 00:25:07.640
 who's going through

00:25:07.640 --> 00:25:09.220
 a particularly vulnerable

00:25:09.220 --> 00:25:10.500
 time in their lives

00:25:10.500 --> 00:25:11.680
 or if we have

00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:12.460
 new converts

00:25:12.460 --> 00:25:13.200
 amongst us,

00:25:13.320 --> 00:25:14.900
 we must look out

00:25:14.900 --> 00:25:15.360
 for them.

00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:17.060
 Did we hear

00:25:17.060 --> 00:25:17.520
 that they're reading

00:25:17.520 --> 00:25:18.280
 a book with some

00:25:18.280 --> 00:25:19.180
 questionable teachings?

00:25:19.360 --> 00:25:19.800
 Did we hear

00:25:19.800 --> 00:25:20.440
 that they're listening

00:25:20.440 --> 00:25:21.759
 to that misleading podcast?

00:25:21.980 --> 00:25:22.380
 Did we hear

00:25:22.380 --> 00:25:22.840
 that they're going

00:25:22.840 --> 00:25:24.060
 to that Christian

00:25:24.060 --> 00:25:25.420
 student association

00:25:25.420 --> 00:25:26.860
 even in meetings

00:25:26.859 --> 00:25:29.519
 that are infamous

00:25:29.519 --> 00:25:30.619
 for being particularly

00:25:30.619 --> 00:25:31.879
 lenient when it comes

00:25:31.879 --> 00:25:33.419
 to tolerating sin?

00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:34.839
 Let's go speak

00:25:34.839 --> 00:25:35.299
 to them

00:25:35.299 --> 00:25:36.379
 in love

00:25:36.379 --> 00:25:37.979
 but without beating

00:25:37.979 --> 00:25:38.819
 around the bush.

00:25:39.179 --> 00:25:39.859
 Let's expose

00:25:39.859 --> 00:25:40.719
 those false teachings

00:25:40.719 --> 00:25:41.839
 for what they are

00:25:41.839 --> 00:25:43.059
 for their sake

00:25:43.059 --> 00:25:43.759
 because they might

00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:45.339
 need just that.

00:25:47.019 --> 00:25:48.479
 Because the false teacher

00:25:48.479 --> 00:25:49.899
 is offering to them

00:25:49.899 --> 00:25:50.799
 and to us

00:25:50.799 --> 00:25:51.919
 an idea of freedom

00:25:51.919 --> 00:25:53.099
 that is entirely

00:25:53.099 --> 00:25:54.259
 worldly.

00:25:54.259 --> 00:25:55.900
 And that type

00:25:55.900 --> 00:25:56.259
 of freedom

00:25:56.259 --> 00:25:57.660
 is so tempting

00:25:57.660 --> 00:25:58.559
 to all of us

00:25:58.559 --> 00:25:59.440
 because it appeals

00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:00.819
 to those same instincts

00:26:00.819 --> 00:26:02.319
 that made the first man

00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:03.539
 and the first woman

00:26:03.539 --> 00:26:04.000
 sin.

00:26:04.440 --> 00:26:05.400
 It appeals to our

00:26:05.400 --> 00:26:05.900
 arrogance.

00:26:06.279 --> 00:26:07.099
 It appeals to our

00:26:07.099 --> 00:26:08.279
 desire for independence.

00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:09.259
 It appeals to

00:26:09.259 --> 00:26:11.099
 our desire to be

00:26:11.099 --> 00:26:11.819
 independent even

00:26:11.819 --> 00:26:13.000
 from God.

00:26:14.119 --> 00:26:15.180
 And so a false teacher

00:26:15.180 --> 00:26:16.779
 will promise joy,

00:26:17.579 --> 00:26:17.920
 freedom,

00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:19.240
 but in reality

00:26:19.240 --> 00:26:20.420
 all they're offering

00:26:20.420 --> 00:26:21.619
 is judgment.

00:26:22.099 --> 00:26:22.859
 That judgment

00:26:22.859 --> 00:26:23.599
 that Peter keeps

00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:24.059
 telling us

00:26:24.059 --> 00:26:24.779
 their run

00:26:24.779 --> 00:26:25.460
 into words.

00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:29.659
 And then Peter

00:26:29.659 --> 00:26:30.480
 concludes the chapter

00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:31.259
 by pointing out

00:26:31.259 --> 00:26:32.440
 that the sad reality

00:26:32.440 --> 00:26:34.440
 is that these teachers

00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:35.700
 seem to have

00:26:35.700 --> 00:26:36.639
 accepted the gospel

00:26:36.639 --> 00:26:38.039
 at least from the outside.

00:26:38.740 --> 00:26:39.460
 They were certainly

00:26:39.460 --> 00:26:40.559
 exposed to it

00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:42.460
 and yet

00:26:42.460 --> 00:26:43.700
 they got entangled

00:26:43.700 --> 00:26:44.720
 in that corruption

00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:45.200
 again

00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:46.659
 and they went

00:26:46.659 --> 00:26:47.799
 right back

00:26:47.799 --> 00:26:48.419
 in.

00:26:48.759 --> 00:26:50.019
 Just like a dog

00:26:50.019 --> 00:26:50.980
 going back

00:26:50.980 --> 00:26:51.659
 to its vomit,

00:26:52.099 --> 00:26:53.139
 just like a pig

00:26:53.140 --> 00:26:54.100
 going back

00:26:54.100 --> 00:26:54.500
 to rolling

00:26:54.500 --> 00:26:54.980
 the mud.

00:26:56.180 --> 00:26:56.520
 And it would

00:26:56.520 --> 00:26:57.280
 have been better,

00:26:57.400 --> 00:26:58.040
 strong words,

00:26:58.120 --> 00:26:58.759
 verse 21,

00:26:59.220 --> 00:26:59.860
 it would have been

00:26:59.860 --> 00:27:00.800
 better for them

00:27:00.800 --> 00:27:02.040
 to not have known

00:27:02.040 --> 00:27:02.940
 the way of righteousness

00:27:02.940 --> 00:27:04.020
 than to know it

00:27:04.020 --> 00:27:05.020
 and turn their

00:27:05.020 --> 00:27:05.840
 backs on it.

00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:07.280
 What a sad

00:27:07.280 --> 00:27:08.240
 reality.

00:27:10.660 --> 00:27:11.520
 And just for the

00:27:11.520 --> 00:27:12.040
 sake of clarity,

00:27:12.040 --> 00:27:12.560
 I don't think we're

00:27:12.560 --> 00:27:13.240
 talking about losing

00:27:13.240 --> 00:27:14.060
 salvation here.

00:27:14.120 --> 00:27:14.700
 We're talking about

00:27:14.700 --> 00:27:15.920
 someone who was a dog

00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:17.020
 and remained a dog.

00:27:17.100 --> 00:27:17.860
 We're talking about

00:27:17.860 --> 00:27:19.160
 nominal Christians.

00:27:19.160 --> 00:27:20.040
 Because hopefully

00:27:20.040 --> 00:27:20.820
 we all know

00:27:20.820 --> 00:27:21.779
 that being a church

00:27:21.779 --> 00:27:22.880
 member does not

00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:23.900
 save us.

00:27:23.980 --> 00:27:24.640
 Being a church

00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:25.900
 goer does not

00:27:25.900 --> 00:27:26.540
 save us.

00:27:27.560 --> 00:27:28.180
 The change

00:27:28.180 --> 00:27:28.860
 has to be

00:27:28.860 --> 00:27:29.440
 within.

00:27:31.279 --> 00:27:31.880
 And so let's

00:27:31.880 --> 00:27:32.560
 conclude by looking

00:27:32.560 --> 00:27:33.120
 at the real

00:27:33.120 --> 00:27:33.580
 freedom.

00:27:34.360 --> 00:27:34.960
 If the false

00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:35.660
 teachers cannot

00:27:35.660 --> 00:27:36.779
 offer us

00:27:36.779 --> 00:27:37.120
 freedom,

00:27:37.320 --> 00:27:37.900
 who can?

00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:39.640
 1 Peter 2,

00:27:39.720 --> 00:27:40.180
 16,

00:27:40.500 --> 00:27:41.259
 leave as free

00:27:41.259 --> 00:27:41.660
 people,

00:27:42.060 --> 00:27:43.000
 but do not

00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:43.640
 use your freedom

00:27:43.640 --> 00:27:44.340
 as a cover-up

00:27:44.340 --> 00:27:44.779
 for evil.

00:27:45.240 --> 00:27:46.660
 Live as God's

00:27:46.660 --> 00:27:47.220
 slaves.

00:27:47.220 --> 00:27:48.500
 Leave us

00:27:48.500 --> 00:27:48.980
 free people,

00:27:49.440 --> 00:27:49.920
 leave us

00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:51.120
 God's slaves.

00:27:51.480 --> 00:27:51.779
 Very

00:27:51.779 --> 00:27:52.480
 counter-cultural,

00:27:52.700 --> 00:27:53.420
 maybe even

00:27:53.420 --> 00:27:54.180
 counter-intuitive.

00:27:55.100 --> 00:27:55.980
 Being God's

00:27:55.980 --> 00:27:56.839
 slaves is

00:27:56.839 --> 00:27:57.279
 freedom.

00:27:57.700 --> 00:27:58.460
 Freedom from

00:27:58.460 --> 00:27:59.079
 the power of

00:27:59.079 --> 00:28:00.360
 sin and

00:28:00.360 --> 00:28:00.700
 from the

00:28:00.700 --> 00:28:01.600
 power of

00:28:01.600 --> 00:28:02.160
 the law

00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:03.000
 because of

00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:03.339
 Jesus.

00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:04.279
 And we're

00:28:04.279 --> 00:28:04.839
 not saying

00:28:04.839 --> 00:28:05.200
 that we're

00:28:05.200 --> 00:28:05.880
 free to

00:28:05.880 --> 00:28:06.339
 sin as

00:28:06.339 --> 00:28:06.740
 much as

00:28:06.740 --> 00:28:07.920
 we please

00:28:07.920 --> 00:28:08.400
 just because

00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:08.759
 there's

00:28:08.759 --> 00:28:09.420
 Jesus up

00:28:09.420 --> 00:28:10.160
 there interceding

00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:10.600
 for us.

00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:11.360
 But we

00:28:11.360 --> 00:28:12.100
 are free

00:28:12.100 --> 00:28:13.039
 from eternal

00:28:13.039 --> 00:28:13.980
 death because

00:28:13.980 --> 00:28:14.819
 he's already

00:28:14.819 --> 00:28:15.480
 died in our

00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:15.960
 place.

00:28:15.960 --> 00:28:16.860
 And so

00:28:16.860 --> 00:28:17.299
 we as

00:28:17.299 --> 00:28:17.819
 Christians

00:28:17.819 --> 00:28:19.600
 decide to

00:28:19.600 --> 00:28:20.140
 become a

00:28:20.140 --> 00:28:20.600
 slave of

00:28:20.600 --> 00:28:21.400
 Christ and

00:28:21.400 --> 00:28:22.059
 we do that

00:28:22.059 --> 00:28:22.740
 with joy

00:28:22.740 --> 00:28:23.799
 because we

00:28:23.799 --> 00:28:24.640
 recognize that

00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:25.279
 it's God who

00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:26.160
 created us and

00:28:26.160 --> 00:28:26.840
 he knows way

00:28:26.840 --> 00:28:27.519
 better than us

00:28:27.519 --> 00:28:28.100
 what it is that

00:28:28.100 --> 00:28:28.579
 we need.

00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:31.019
 So we're going

00:28:31.019 --> 00:28:31.600
 to remember

00:28:31.600 --> 00:28:32.620
 later Jesus'

00:28:32.860 --> 00:28:33.500
 death on the

00:28:33.500 --> 00:28:34.000
 cross by

00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:34.720
 taking communion

00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:35.720
 together and

00:28:35.720 --> 00:28:36.519
 that's exactly

00:28:36.519 --> 00:28:37.759
 how he

00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:38.680
 bought us.

00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:39.799
 That broken

00:28:39.799 --> 00:28:40.319
 body,

00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:41.460
 that spilled

00:28:41.460 --> 00:28:42.980
 blood is how

00:28:42.980 --> 00:28:43.720
 we become

00:28:43.720 --> 00:28:44.940
 slaves of

00:28:44.940 --> 00:28:45.940
 Jesus if

00:28:45.940 --> 00:28:46.519
 we accept

00:28:46.519 --> 00:28:47.160
 his sacrifice

00:28:47.160 --> 00:28:47.940
 and if

00:28:47.940 --> 00:28:48.559
 we surrender

00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:49.120
 to him.

00:28:51.460 --> 00:28:52.180
 Let me

00:28:52.180 --> 00:28:52.920
 conclude by

00:28:52.920 --> 00:28:54.140
 acknowledging that

00:28:54.140 --> 00:28:54.759
 this is a

00:28:54.759 --> 00:28:55.779
 tough passage

00:28:55.779 --> 00:28:56.460
 just like

00:28:56.460 --> 00:28:57.840
 last week's.

00:28:59.120 --> 00:28:59.680
 Peter just

00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:00.360
 keeps reminding

00:29:00.360 --> 00:29:01.160
 us of the

00:29:01.160 --> 00:29:02.000
 end that

00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:03.100
 awaits these

00:29:03.100 --> 00:29:03.860
 false teachers

00:29:03.860 --> 00:29:04.620
 and it's sad

00:29:04.620 --> 00:29:05.039
 because we

00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:05.840
 never rejoice

00:29:05.840 --> 00:29:06.779
 when hearing

00:29:06.779 --> 00:29:07.559
 about lost

00:29:07.559 --> 00:29:08.600
 souls and

00:29:08.600 --> 00:29:09.120
 it's sad

00:29:09.120 --> 00:29:09.600
 because of

00:29:09.600 --> 00:29:10.220
 the damage

00:29:10.220 --> 00:29:10.700
 that these

00:29:10.700 --> 00:29:11.480
 false teachers

00:29:11.480 --> 00:29:12.820
 can do to

00:29:12.820 --> 00:29:13.480
 churches all

00:29:13.480 --> 00:29:13.940
 over the

00:29:13.940 --> 00:29:14.700
 world to

00:29:14.700 --> 00:29:15.759
 lives that

00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.220
 were going

00:29:16.220 --> 00:29:16.480
 in the

00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:17.200
 right direction

00:29:17.200 --> 00:29:18.000
 and were

00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:18.740
 sidetracked

00:29:18.740 --> 00:29:19.299
 by them.

00:29:20.460 --> 00:29:21.099
 But the

00:29:21.099 --> 00:29:21.519
 good news

00:29:21.519 --> 00:29:22.380
 is that while

00:29:22.380 --> 00:29:23.319
 Peter reminds

00:29:23.319 --> 00:29:24.140
 us of the

00:29:24.140 --> 00:29:25.000
 death that

00:29:25.000 --> 00:29:25.599
 awaits the

00:29:25.599 --> 00:29:26.259
 false teachers

00:29:26.259 --> 00:29:26.920
 in doing

00:29:26.920 --> 00:29:27.819
 that he

00:29:27.819 --> 00:29:28.860
 also reminds

00:29:28.860 --> 00:29:29.500
 us of the

00:29:29.500 --> 00:29:30.700
 life that

00:29:30.700 --> 00:29:31.519
 awaits us

00:29:31.519 --> 00:29:32.620
 if we remain

00:29:32.620 --> 00:29:33.360
 faithful to

00:29:33.360 --> 00:29:33.720
 God.

00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:36.140
 We must not

00:29:36.140 --> 00:29:36.860
 feel like we're

00:29:36.860 --> 00:29:37.400
 immune to

00:29:37.400 --> 00:29:37.900
 false teaching

00:29:37.900 --> 00:29:39.500
 we must be

00:29:39.500 --> 00:29:40.039
 in communion

00:29:40.039 --> 00:29:40.759
 with God

00:29:40.759 --> 00:29:41.559
 to know what

00:29:41.559 --> 00:29:42.160
 true knowledge

00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:42.779
 of him is

00:29:42.779 --> 00:29:43.080
 and to

00:29:43.080 --> 00:29:43.960
 recognize that

00:29:43.960 --> 00:29:44.259
 in other

00:29:44.259 --> 00:29:44.640
 people.

00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:45.800
 But as we

00:29:45.800 --> 00:29:46.540
 do live in

00:29:46.540 --> 00:29:47.259
 communion with

00:29:47.259 --> 00:29:48.140
 him let's

00:29:48.140 --> 00:29:48.960
 not forget

00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:49.560
 that we're

00:29:49.560 --> 00:29:50.240
 getting closer

00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:50.759
 and closer

00:29:50.759 --> 00:29:51.980
 to the day

00:29:51.980 --> 00:29:53.000
 that we will

00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:54.000
 be in his

00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:54.380
 glory.

00:29:55.460 --> 00:29:56.279
 Let's pray.

00:29:59.500 --> 00:30:00.259
 Father we

00:30:00.259 --> 00:30:00.720
 thank you for

00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:01.980
 these words

00:30:01.980 --> 00:30:03.800
 these words

00:30:03.800 --> 00:30:05.700
 by a wise

00:30:05.700 --> 00:30:06.060
 man

00:30:06.060 --> 00:30:08.820
 because he

00:30:08.820 --> 00:30:09.480
 feared you

00:30:09.480 --> 00:30:09.960
 these words

00:30:09.960 --> 00:30:11.319
 by a man

00:30:11.319 --> 00:30:11.940
 who was

00:30:11.940 --> 00:30:12.779
 in pursuit

00:30:12.779 --> 00:30:14.460
 of righteousness

00:30:14.460 --> 00:30:15.000
 who wanted

00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:15.700
 to do

00:30:15.700 --> 00:30:16.299
 right by

00:30:16.299 --> 00:30:16.579
 you.

00:30:19.860 --> 00:30:20.880
 We just

00:30:20.880 --> 00:30:22.160
 thank you

00:30:22.160 --> 00:30:24.940
 because we

00:30:24.940 --> 00:30:26.259
 know that

00:30:26.259 --> 00:30:28.259
 being Jesus'

00:30:28.620 --> 00:30:29.160
 slave,

00:30:29.299 --> 00:30:29.920
 being bought

00:30:29.920 --> 00:30:30.519
 by Jesus

00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:32.259
 is the

00:30:32.259 --> 00:30:32.600
 real

00:30:32.600 --> 00:30:33.620
 freedom.

00:30:33.619 --> 00:30:35.000
 God

00:30:35.000 --> 00:30:36.659
 and we

00:30:36.659 --> 00:30:36.839
 pray

00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:37.319
 Father that

00:30:37.319 --> 00:30:37.719
 you will

00:30:37.719 --> 00:30:38.259
 protect

00:30:38.259 --> 00:30:39.559
 every single

00:30:39.559 --> 00:30:40.699
 person who

00:30:40.699 --> 00:30:41.479
 comes through

00:30:41.479 --> 00:30:42.199
 these doors

00:30:42.199 --> 00:30:42.539
 Father

00:30:42.539 --> 00:30:44.599
 from false

00:30:44.599 --> 00:30:44.979
 teachings.

00:30:45.119 --> 00:30:45.619
 Help us be

00:30:45.619 --> 00:30:46.259
 a church

00:30:46.259 --> 00:30:47.179
 that is

00:30:47.179 --> 00:30:48.239
 rooted in

00:30:48.239 --> 00:30:48.719
 your word.

00:30:48.879 --> 00:30:49.359
 Help us be

00:30:49.359 --> 00:30:50.399
 a church

00:30:50.399 --> 00:30:52.299
 that has

00:30:52.299 --> 00:30:53.119
 discernment

00:30:53.119 --> 00:30:53.919
 and knows

00:30:53.919 --> 00:30:54.639
 how to

00:30:54.639 --> 00:30:55.759
 spot false

00:30:55.759 --> 00:30:56.219
 teachings,

00:30:56.459 --> 00:30:57.059
 anything that

00:30:57.059 --> 00:30:57.719
 deviates

00:30:57.719 --> 00:30:59.659
 from the

00:30:59.659 --> 00:31:00.439
 real gospel

00:31:00.439 --> 00:31:00.879
 Father.

00:31:00.880 --> 00:31:01.800
 help us

00:31:01.800 --> 00:31:03.300
 just stay

00:31:03.300 --> 00:31:04.580
 close to

00:31:04.580 --> 00:31:04.740
 you.

00:31:04.820 --> 00:31:05.140
 Help us

00:31:05.140 --> 00:31:05.920
 be a light

00:31:05.920 --> 00:31:07.100
 to those

00:31:07.100 --> 00:31:07.800
 around us,

00:31:07.880 --> 00:31:08.240
 to those

00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:08.880
 within us

00:31:08.880 --> 00:31:09.380
 who are

00:31:09.380 --> 00:31:10.380
 vulnerable.

00:31:12.060 --> 00:31:12.900
 Father may

00:31:12.900 --> 00:31:13.520
 your spirit

00:31:13.520 --> 00:31:15.120
 keep doing

00:31:15.120 --> 00:31:15.560
 the work

00:31:15.560 --> 00:31:15.980
 that it's

00:31:15.980 --> 00:31:16.420
 doing in

00:31:16.420 --> 00:31:16.940
 us Father

00:31:16.940 --> 00:31:18.180
 and may

00:31:18.180 --> 00:31:18.540
 it really

00:31:18.540 --> 00:31:19.280
 help us

00:31:19.280 --> 00:31:20.660
 just pursue

00:31:20.660 --> 00:31:21.220
 righteousness

00:31:21.220 --> 00:31:22.300
 by

00:31:22.300 --> 00:31:25.740
 using

00:31:25.740 --> 00:31:26.460
 Jesus as

00:31:26.460 --> 00:31:27.260
 a model

00:31:27.260 --> 00:31:27.640
 Father

00:31:27.640 --> 00:31:29.040
 in our

00:31:29.040 --> 00:31:29.360
 everyday

00:31:29.360 --> 00:31:29.840
 lives.

00:31:30.520 --> 00:31:30.720
 Amen.

00:31:30.880 --> 00:31:31.100
 Amen.