A Daily Walk

John Randall: When you turn from the truth, you're in danger of embracing the lie. When the foundation is the flesh and the pursuit of the flesh, it's so easy to begin to wander. In fact, the writer of Hebrews in chapter 2, verse 1 gives us a similar warning when he says, "Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away."

Guest (Male): Jesus warned there'd be many false teachers in the last days, and it's not hard to see how true that is as we look around. False teachers pose a grave danger to the unsuspecting or the uninformed.

We're glad you joined us today for A Daily Walk. Our hope today is that you'll be led to an even greater commitment to the teaching of sound doctrine so you'll be able to identify and resist the false teaching you're bound to encounter. In Second Peter, chapter 2, here is Pastor John Randall with the characteristics of the false teacher.

John Randall: Still in our study through the book of Second Peter, chapter 2. Today, we're going to be picking up in verse 12. As we consider, and Peter's been emphasizing it, the characteristics of the false teacher.

Second Peter, chapter 2, looking at verse 12, if you'd follow along with me. "But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime.

They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, having eyes full of adultery, and they cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices and are accursed children. They forsake the right way, gone astray, following the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever." As we come to the second chapter in this epistle, Peter began to warn the church about the danger of false teachers among them.

He gives us a description. He points out the hallmarks of some of their heresy, demonstrated in the things that they said and also the way that they lived. Peter's portrayal unmistakably revealed the identity of these charlatans. They were wolves in sheep's clothing. They were dangerous. They needed to be avoided.

It was back in verse 10 that Peter gave to us the character of the false teacher. The character of the false teacher. He said these false teachers walk according to the flesh. The foundation of their ministry is the flesh. They live according to the fallen nature of man.

They are dominated by sin, in bondage to it. The teachings that they bring, the work that they do, ultimately is a work of the flesh. The Apostle Paul spoke on this subject of the flesh. He said in Romans chapter 8, in verse 8, "Those that are in the flesh cannot please God." It's impossible.

Again, in Romans chapter 8, in verse 13, Paul added, "If you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live." These false teachers were characterized by the fallen nature. They lived according to it, they were in bondage to it, and it affected everything that they preached.

But in addition to the character, he also mentions the conduct. That is the way that they lived. He tells us in verse 12, "But these, that is the false teachers, they're like brute beasts, made to be caught and destroyed. They speak evil of the things they don't understand, and they will utterly perish in their own corruption."

When Peter refers to the false teachers as brute beasts, he's suggesting that they live on an animal plane. They don't possess the ability to reason. There is a difference between humans and animals. We've been created in the image of God. We have this ability to have a free will.

We can reason, we can think, we can make decisions. But false teachers, they live like animals. They're irrational, unthinking, unreasoning. They're not guided by true godly wisdom, but solely by the debased desires within their flesh.

Therefore, they are reduced to an animalistic existence, just living for the body appetites. That is what fuels them. That's it. There's nothing spiritual about them at all. The Apostle Paul made a similar comment concerning those that were opposed to his ministry.

You remember in writing to the Corinthians in First Corinthians chapter 15, in verse 32, Paul said concerning his own adversaries, "If in the manner of men I have fought with the beasts at Ephesus." He's contending with the same group of people. They're like beasts.

Interesting, isn't it, that the Antichrist is called the Beast? That's what he is. Matthew Henry gave an explanation concerning what Peter describes here. He said this, "They are men who are under the power of sin, and they are so far from observing divine revelation that they do not exercise reason nor act according to the direction thereof."

A brute beast is a danger to all that it comes in contact with and has the potential to completely destroy all who enter its path. Peter says that's what these false teachers are like. But he also highlights what they say. What are they saying? What are they speaking?

What are they teaching? That is a way to be able to discern what a false teacher is. Whether he's teaching the truth or some of the truth that is mingled with false teaching. Typically, that is how they operate. But he says this is what they say in verse 12. "They speak evil of things they do not understand."

That is, they rail against those who stand for the truth. At the same time, they claim to have this deep knowledge, but they don't know what they're talking about. Have you ever encountered someone of this nature? They know everything about everything, and you realize they don't know anything.

They want to counsel you on what the Word of God says, but they've never read it. "Oh, this thing's full of contradictions." Really? Show me one. "Well, I don't really read it." Of course, you don't. You don't know what you're talking about.

"Well, pretty much all religions lead to one, they all believe the same thing." Actually, they don't. You don't know what you're talking about. "Christians are so..." That's wrong. They just don't know. They're basically regurgitating what they heard from somebody, maybe some professor, maybe some agnostic or atheist.

They speak, but they don't really know, and they speak evil of it. That's not what we're like. That's not how God is. That's not what the Bible reveals. You don't know what you're saying. That was these false teachers. In fact, it was Paul that wrote to Timothy, and he talks about this kind of a person.

In Second Timothy, chapter 3, verse 7, Paul said, "They are always learning, but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." You're always learning it, or you think you know it, but it's never really... you've never really come to the truth. You never truly acknowledged it.

So, Peter says their speech betrays them. What they say, the fruit of their lips. In addition, he also highlights where they go. So, this is what they say, these are the words they speak, but where do they go? Where do they hang out? Where do they end up?

That tells you something about them. He says in verse 13, "They count it a pleasure to carouse in the daytime." Twice, Peter tells us that these individuals like to carouse. They carouse in their deception, they carouse in the daytime. Most of us don't typically use that word, "carouse."

What did you do after church? "I was going carousing." Have a great time. Let me know how it goes. What does that even mean? Carousing typically has something to do with evil. You're carousing, you're scamming, whatever your thing is.

Normally, when you carouse, it's usually at night. You don't want people to know who you're carousing with or what you're doing. "So we're going to carouse tonight when nobody can see us." These guys were so brazen. They just caroused during the daytime.

It's not even an issue. We don't really care what people think. We just like to carouse, and don't judge us. That was their thing. False teachers, no thought of it. Nothing was shameful. They just, out in the open. "That's what you're like out in the open? I'd hate to see what you're like behind closed doors."

That is something messed up. Something's wrong. They went around living off the people. They were lying in broad daylight. It says that it was a pleasure for them to do so. They enjoyed it. It was a highlight of their day, carousing.

The word "pleasure" is where we get our English word "hedonism." Hedonism expresses itself in pleasure being achieved by complete gratification of all of one's sensual desires. That is the word that is used, hedonism. There's a lot of isms today, everywhere.

Hedonism says, "Isn't sin wonderful?" Or you have humanism that says, "Isn't man wonderful?" You have materialism that says, "Isn't money wonderful?" Relativism, "If it's wonderful for you, that's wonderful." Pragmatism, "If it works, wonderful."

Universalism, "There are no differences. Isn't that wonderful?" Ecumenism, "Overlook all the differences. That's wonderful." Syncretism, "Mix it all up. That's wonderful." Listen, these false teachers are characterized as brutal beasts. They speak with willful ignorance, carousing in the daytime.

It says here they're going to receive their just reward. They're going to perish in their corruption. They're going to receive the wages of their unrighteousness. At some point, what they're doing will be stopped. It'll come to an end. They're going to reap what it is they're sowing.

So, Peter describes the character, the conduct. He also says concerning their conduct, let me tell you what they're like. They're like, verse 13, "spots" or the word is "blemishes," again, carousing in their own deceptions while feasting with you, but their eyes are full of adultery.

Spots and blemishes. The depiction is that the Apostle tells us everywhere these men go, they tarnish the work of God. It's like they just put a stain on it. Everywhere they show up, it's like, "Oh man, they just tarnish it." They leave an indelible mark that's difficult to get out.

Paul, in writing to the Ephesians, shared about the Father's desire for the church. He said in Ephesians 5:27, that it would be "without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish." That's God's desire for the church.

That's what He desires us to be. But they come in and they bring the blemish, they bring the spots. They just infect everything. When these false teachers were given the freedom to move among the congregation unchecked, they would discolor and blemish the work of Jesus.

They'd show up at the feasts, at the church, have a good meal, but the purpose of it all was to get in with the people to lead them astray. That's why they came to the potluck. They had a desire to meet somebody and take them the wrong direction.

The blemish of their character was seen. This is what they do, where they go. But also he tells us what they see. What is the vision of the false teacher? He says they have eyes, and this is scary, "eyes that are full of adultery." That is their vision.

This is what they see. This is how they see things. Their view, as it were. The eyes of the false teacher were used as instruments for their own lusts. Their minds were so corrupt and so warped that everything they saw visually was twisted and skewed and defiling.

It's like a man who cannot see a woman without impure thoughts. They were in bondage to their flesh. With their eyes, they've exposed themselves to things that are debased, that are defiling. When that comes through the eyes, and when you allow it to come through the eyes, it comes into the mind, it filters into your heart, and eventually, it makes its way out in your actions.

But it comes through the eye gate. Even through the ear gate. Jesus talked about when these things come through the eye gate what it produces. He said in Matthew chapter 6, verse 23, from the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declared, "If your eye is bad, that is what you're bringing through the eye gate is bad, then your whole body will be full of darkness.

And if therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness?" If you're observing and taking in that which is visibly, visually defiling and you are meditating on it and you are embracing it, it's not long before your mind, your conscience is warped.

You see things with that perspective through that lens of which you are feeding yourself with. And so it ends up developing and what ends up happening. What is the next step? He tells us here, "They cannot cease from sin." Do you know what that describes?

That describes someone who is in bondage. That's what sin does. Jesus said, "Whoever commits sin becomes a slave of it." So, if you are feeding that and fueling that, before long you just can't stop sinning. You just are in bondage to it.

You just keep going back to it. You just keep practicing that, and it's ruining you. But I want to say to you, listen to me carefully on this. If that describes you today, I've got great news for you, and that is this: Jesus can set you free.

Jesus can deliver you from bondage. No matter what you're involved with, and you think, "I just can't stop. I don't know how." Listen, call on the name of the Lord. He is a Savior, He is a Deliverer. He can pull you out of bondage.

He breaks chains. That's what God does. But you've got to call on Him. I think about that man, you remember him on the other side of the Galilee in Gadara. A man who lived among dead things. He lived in the tombs. He was chained, but they couldn't keep him bound.

He cut himself, harmed himself because of everything he demonically was being influenced by. He would scream night and day. He lived by himself. He was a detriment to himself and a danger to everybody he came in contact with.

When he saw Jesus, he came and fell at His feet. You remember the demonic spirit spoke through the man, but Jesus delivered him. That man was clothed, put in his right mind, and his response was, "Jesus, I want to follow You wherever You go."

Friend, God can do that for you too. That's His heart. He sets the captives free. And whom the Son sets free, the Bible says, is free indeed. So you don't need to be condemned, but you need to be free, and Jesus can set you free.

Well, these men that were taking in this visually and they couldn't cease from sin, what their pursuit of sin led them to was to, it says here, "entice unstable souls." That is their operation. This is what they were doing.

As they would make their way into these feasts where Christians were fellowshiping, their eyes were full of adultery, and so they would come in and they would look to entice who? Who were they seeking to entice? The unstable ones.

By unstable, meaning they did not have a solid foundation in their walk with the Lord. They wanted to entice, to ensnare, to beguile somebody, deceive them, like a fisherman baiting a hook or a hunter setting a trap.

The ones that they were... that were the soft targets were the unstable. Just look for those ones. Look for the ones that don't... they're not grounded, they're not really solid in the Lord, maybe they're new believers, and you're going to lead them astray.

Perhaps the charisma or the conduct of this person or the flattery, whatever it was, they would use it for the purpose of enticing unstable souls. Paul, in writing to the Galatians, was concerned about this for the churches that he had planted.

In fact, he writes about this concern in Galatians chapter 1, verses 6 and 7, when he said, "I marvel, I'm in shock, in other words, that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who would trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ."

Paul recognized there were people coming in and leading people astray. They were going after the unstable souls. I want to say this to you that through the years, over three decades of having the pleasure and the joy of serving Jesus, I've observed many things.

But something that concerns me that I've seen from time to time is watching people within the body of Christ that never really get rooted and grounded in the truth and read God's Word, and they get easily swept up into the latest whatever's coming through.

I would say every wind of doctrine that blows through. Some latest thing, some YouTube thing, some TikTok, some whatever nowadays, that whatever it is, they get into the thing and "Have you seen this?" And they're just wide-eyed and I'm like, "No, I've never heard of that."

And if I've never heard of it, maybe I just haven't heard of it, but a lot of times it's like it's probably something repackaged, redone, but here it is for another generation. And you see these things come in and people just gravitate toward the sensationalizing of something.

It's like, "Oh, that's like..." And again, I don't have a lot of examples, you can think through them, but one that comes to mind, and again, there are many that I've observed through the years, but one was... "Are you familiar with the blood moon? Are you familiar with that? The blood moon?

You mean when the moon turned red that one time? Yeah. Yeah, it was cool. It was red, it was something." "No, no, Pastor John, this is the thing! This is going to lead to this and the that and Israel and the..." I'm like, "It's okay. It's red. Just take a picture of it and post it, it's great, you got a good shot."

But they want to just jump on the bandwagon. "Hey, did you hear?" "What?" "They found a red heifer." "No way! Fantastic! Do you know what that means?" "It's red? What do you want me to tell you? It's good beef, what?"

"No, this is for the sacrifice of the thing, and they found the red heifer, and they've really got the guys..." "Yeah, I just don't get caught up in it." I'm thinking... and those are some poor examples, but other things that come through and people just gravitate on, they jump on the bandwagon and then they ride it out and then they get to the end of it and thought, "I think I'm going to come back to this."

Listen, stop looking up at the blood moon and start looking at the Word of God. This is going to help you understand the truth. This is what we need to know. And again, I'm not saying there's not good information out there, but just make sure that the information that you're taking in and you're watching and you're receiving, you run it all through Scripture.

That way you won't be unstable. You watch people get taken advantage of, and sometimes you even find that there are... men or women, and in much cases, it's been men. Men who come into the body of Christ and look for women who are struggling, who are unstable, and they jump and take advantage of the situation and lead these women astray.

I've observed that many times, and I've had to rebuke many men through the years for those kinds of behaviors. It's not like I'm excited about doing that. It just happens. Listen, I hope you come in here looking for Jesus. That's who you're looking for, looking for the Word.

If you're coming in here scoping out trying to find out where... the Lord gives eyes to shepherds and discernment. Just a warning, lovingly, but just be careful about that. That's what these guys were doing. That's what their eyes were full of.

That's what they were chasing after, that's what they were pursuing. Peter says, "Watch out when you see that. Just mark it, make a note of it." He's warning them. False teachers, this is what they were doing. Why were they so good at it?

Peter tells us in verse 14 the reason why is because they have a heart that's trained in covetous practices and are accursed children. The false teachers had actually trained themselves in doing this. The word for "trained" is where we get our English word "gymnasium" of all things.

These guys were working out in the gym of greed and lust and the flesh, and they showed up. They were ready, they were prepared. They were trained for this moment. Professionals in the area of greed and guile. Peter points out their eyes, their actions, their hearts.

They're corrupt, they're covetous, they're deceptive. And what is the reason? How does somebody... why would somebody do this? Why would somebody even think about taking advantage of somebody else in that way or preying on unstable souls in order to... what's the reason behind it?

I believe it's found in verse 15 when Peter says here, "They, that is these false teachers, this is the problem: they've forsaken the right way and they've gone astray." That's how it happens. They've forsaken the right way. It means they've left it behind.

They've wandered off the right path. The devil provided the detour, and they took it. Reminds me of what Paul said concerning one of his former co-laborers named Demas. Three times he is mentioned in Scripture.

But the last time he's mentioned, Paul says concerning him, "Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world," and he's left. They got off track. They forsook the right way and they had gone astray. They kept going astray. They were, in other words, wandering, having departed.

There is an application, I believe, to be made here that when you turn from the truth, you're in danger of embracing the lie. When the foundation is the flesh and the pursuit of the flesh, it's so easy to begin to wander. In fact, the writer of Hebrews in chapter 2, verse 1 gives us a similar warning when he says, "Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away."

Guest (Male): Pastor John Randall is leading us through the Bible right now on A Daily Walk. I'd imagine some of you would like to hear this message again. Maybe you joined us late. Go online to adailywalk.org and have a listen when it's more convenient. Or listen wherever you get your podcasts and at oneplace.com.

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Well, our time together sure goes by quickly, doesn't it? We'll pick up where we left off in our through-the-Bible study next time. This has been A Daily Walk with Pastor John Randall, where you'll never have to walk alone.