2 Peter: Week 4 (Wednesday 27th October 2021)
(from www.insightforliving.org.uk)
Chapter 2:1-3
The Heart Of The Matter
Almost as long as there has been the genuine, there has been the counterfeit. Whether art or money, authentic products or original publications, education or religion, phonies have been around. Such deception can lead to financial loss — as well as to destroyed lives. Any act of fraudulence is hurtful, but none is more hurtful than false prophets and phony teachers who present their lives behind religious masks. War stories abound of those who have fallen to these deceivers! To the surprise of many, the Bible reserves some of its severest words for those who act as though they are true but are indeed false . . . and the first three verses of 2 Peter 2 is a classic case in point.
Discovering The Way
1. The Original Counterfeit (2 Corinthians 11:1 – 3, 13 – 15)
Satan is the original deceiver, who targets the mind in order to cause doubts about Christ.
2. A Portrait of False Leaders (2 Peter 2:1 – 3)
False teachers are characterized by spreading heresy as truth, by denying the truth, by sensuality, and by greed.
Starting Your Journey
How do you spot false teachers? Here are three simple tips. First, STOP: deliberately refuse to follow a teacher just because he or she seems okay. Second, LOOK: make careful observations into the life of the teacher and his or her followers. Third, LISTEN: scrutinize everything you hear through the filter of the Scripture.