The Riddleblog

“The Armor of Light” (2 Peter 2:10b-22) – Words of Warning and Comfort from Peter to the Pilgrim Church (Part Five)

“Here They Come!”

In the first three verses of chapter two of his Second Epistle, Peter warns the churches that false teachers will arise throughout the course of the age and disrupt the church. They will do so until Jesus comes back a second time–which is, ironically, a doctrine which the false teachers denied. According to Peter’s warning, false teachers and false prophets will arise within the churches and secretly introduce destructive heresies, utter false prophecies, and speak blasphemies against God. Peter warns us that their motives are sinister–because of their greed, false teachers and prophets seek to exploit the people of God. The apostle tells us that these false teachers and prophets are like the angels who rebelled against God in the days before the great flood. They are like those evil men who mocked Noah as he built the ark. They are like the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah–men who lived to gratify the lusts of the flesh. Such false teachers and prophets will say and do anything to exploit the people of God. But their ultimate destruction is as sure as is the prophetic word (Scripture) given by God.

Peter Does Not Hold Back

In the last half of the second chapter of 2 Peter 2, Peter describes these individuals in the harshest of terms. The reason why Peter can speak so harshly when referring to them is the damage these people do is not slight. They disrupt the peace of the churches. They despise Christ’s authority and his word. They place their own made-up prophecies above the authority of Scripture. They seduce others so as to steal their chastity, their money, and their reputations. The methods and attitudes of these false teachers and prophets are so callous and deceitful that Peter can say of them that it would have been better for them to have never known the way of the truth, than to turn their backs upon Jesus (the master, who they claim “bought” them), while seeking to abuse and exploit Christ’s sheep. Peter minces no words when describing these people, their shameful ways, and their inevitable destruction.

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2 PeterKim RiddlebargerOctober 9, 2023False teachers, Dealing with False Teachers, Opposing false doctrine Comment

“Make Your Calling and Election Sure” (2 Peter 1:3-11) – Words of Warning and Comfort from Peter to the Pilgrim Church (Part Two)

Sound Doctrine — Dealing with Truth and Error

There is a reason why Peter’s second epistle is not well-known, or widely read and preached upon in the churches. In this letter, we find emphatic warnings about false teachers and the dangers of false doctrine they spread. For those who embrace the church-lite ethos of American Christianity, the message of 2 Peter will not be appreciated, nor warmly received. While many preachers and churches wish to emphasize the positive, 2 Peter reminds us of the negative. There is truth and there is error. It is a biblical reality that if we believe the one (truth) we will encounter the other (error). When our contemporaries tell us that doctrine does not matter, 2 Peter reminds us that it does. If our contemporaries seek unity and avoid controversy to the point of fostering a willingness to make peace with false teaching, then 2 Peter warns us of the great dangers of doing exactly that.

This is not to say unity is a bad thing–Christians are to seek unity around the truth of those doctrines passed down to us by Jesus and his apostles in the pages of Holy Scripture. Reformed Christians identify our own doctrinal standards as the “Three Forms of Unity” for a very important reason. We believe particular doctrines, and unite around them by confessing a common faith–a faith which we believe to be biblical and which is clearly and concisely summarized in our confessions. Unity is very important, so long as it grounded in the truth of those things taught in God’s word.

The Psalmist tells us “behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!” ( Psalm 133:1). Jesus prays that his people would be one (John 17:11). Paul likewise speaks of Christians standing together because we are one body and indwelt by the same Holy Spirit. We have one common hope, one Lord, one faith, and one baptism (Eph 6:4-5). We may each be different parts, but we are all members of the body of Christ. This is precisely why false doctrine is so dangerous–it is as though one part of the body has cancer, or has become gangrenous. Such serious illness in one part of the body must be dealt with immediately when it arises, and even perhaps removed, to maintain the health of the whole.

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2 PeterKim RiddlebargerAugust 28, 2023Partaking of the divine nature, Opposing false doctrine, The ground of godlinessComment