And Many Shall Follow Their Pernicious Ways

Temple Baptist Church - 3-14-2018

2 Peter 2:1-9

Introduction:

A.  Though all of this has been prophesized for thousands of years, it still amazes this preacher that America has gone so spiritually “south.”  In my lifetime, I have witnessed the decline in every major denomination.

1.  Older people, who have seen this change come, have evidently gotten used to the dark because they refuse to “come out from among them.”  Just because Granny is buried in the church cemeteries, they remain faithful to these liberal churches and will be buried there too.

2.  Younger people, who have never known the old paths of their fathers, now run after these false prophets who are leading contrary to the Word of God.

B.  We know what time it is and, yet, lose so many to follow their pernicious (wicked) ways.  They speak evil of those who hold to the truth of God’s Word and the multitudes are in agreemet with them.

2 Timothy 3:13-17; 4:1-4  But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.  (14)  But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;  (15)  And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.  (16)  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:  (17)  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works … (4:1)  I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;  (2)  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.  (3)  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;  (4)  And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,  (2)  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.  (3)  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;  (4)  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.  (5)  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

1.  Lucifer beguiled the angels in heaven to rebel against God.

2.  The satanic serpent beguiled Eve in the beginning.

3.  False Prophets in the Old Testament led the people astray.

4.  Pharisees of the times of Christ found fault and led to the crucifixion of Christ.

5.  Judaizing teachers followed the Apostle Paul and led the people away from his teachings.

5.  False teachers in churches and seminaries have challenged the Word of God in our day and turned the multitudes from the Bible by undercutting its purity and authority.

C.  Why do so many reject the Truth?  You would think that everyone would follow truth, but this is not the case.  They follow those who speak evil of truth instead.  Why does the world choose to reject the truth of God’s Word. And follow these false teachers?

1.  They do not want an authoritative Bible.  If the Bible is God’s Word, and it is, then they would have to submit to that authority.  The world rejects the Bible without ever reading it.  They have no personal knowledge of truth and follow those who pervert the truth.

2.  They do not want a salvation that changes the heart and desires.  The world loves their sin and is not willing to give it up for a holy life.  The world rejects righteousness and chooses to follow those who promote unrighteousness.

3.  The god of this world has done a good job of blinding their minds to the gospel.  The gospel gives salvation to all who come to Christ by faith.  The world rejects the concept that few are going to heaven and the many are on the broad way to hell.  The gospel is exclusive!

4.  The false religions appeal to the flesh.  The world loves worldliness and false teachers who make their message appealing to the sinful.  Sinners are sinners by birth and sinners by choice.  The world wants a religion that requires nothing and judges nothing.  The Word of God condemns sin and judges it.

5.  The minds of the multitudes has been programed to think according to the philosophy of the world.  This world has gone mad.  Our children are being raised up in an ungodly world where common sense and right is labeled as the enemy of society.  Their thinking is perverted and that is the reason that our minds must be renewed through God’s Word.

D.  Why do so many professing Christians reject the truth?  People who have known truth, people who were raised in truth, follow those who attack and speak evil of the truth.  They leave good churches for ones that do not preach on sin, practical sanctification, and service.

1.  Because they reject God’s command of distinction!  We that are saved are not of this world!  We are new creatures, we are different, and we are the enemy.

Romans 12:1-2  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  (2)  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  (Transformation to Christ comes through the renewing of our minds and the renewing of our mind comes through the Word of God.  We are to love God, not the world.  People follow their pernicious ways because of their affinity with the world.)

2.  Because of their love for sinfulness!  God’s people love God!  But, as sinfulness comes, that first love begins to cool.

Matthew 24:11-12  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.  (12)  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.  (The preaching of our day is mostly exhortational and positive were as Biblical preaching is mostly reproving and rebuking.)

2 Timothy 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.  (Notice the Biblical order of preaching.  This does not mean that the pastor is hateful or always negative.  The key to reproving and rebuking is longsuffering and doctrine.  Longsuffering shows compassion while doctrine does the rest.  People do not want a church whose doctrine is right.)

3.  Because the world has changed their thinking!  We that are saved are being constantly bombarded with the philosophy of the world. 

1 Corinthians 2:14-16  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  (15)  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.  (16)  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Philippians 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  (We have the mind of Christ but have to allow that spiritual mind to operate within the realm of our thinking.)

2 Corinthians 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.  (I do not like to take a text our of its context but do want to make a spiritual application from this verse.  Satan is busily seeking whom he may devour.  He uses philosophy to get his work done.)

4.  Because of spiritual loneliness!  If you live for Christ in these last days, you will have to travel the road less traveled.  “Though none go with me, still I will follow” is easily sung but takes spiritual resolve to accomplish.  The sword of division brought by Christ is a reality.

2 Peter 2:2  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.