And Many Shall Follow Their Pernicious Ways - Part 3

Temple Baptist Church - 4-4-2018

2 Peter 2:1-9

Introduction: 

A.  Last week, we began a contextual look at “their pernicious ways” and why the “many shall follow them.”  I stand amazed, though I know what the Bible says about the “falling away” of the last days.  To fall away from something, you must first have stood there.

B.  We looked at the angels that sinned in heaven because of Lucifer’s rejection of God and their loss of their first estate.  Then, Satan used a serpent to attack God’s Word and beguile not only the serpent but also Eve.  The first step toward a reprobate mind is that “when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God” and became unthankful.

C.  In verse 5, Peter gives our second example of false teachers and those who follow them.  Noah’s day!  Genesis, chapter 4-6.  Let us tie this verse with the second step to a reprobate mind in Romans, chapter. 

Romans 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

D.  How did they change the truth of God into a lie in Noah’s day?

1.  Genesis 4, Cain, without any outside influence humanly speaking, heard and rejected the truth of God’s Word.  “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?” tells us that he knew and understood truth.  The only answer that I have is that the satanic influence that beguiled Eve beguiled Cain!

Genesis 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

2.  Cain was a grown man before Seth was born and the ungodly lineage in chapter 4 was in full swing.  God had separated Cain from the godly line.

Genesis 4:16  And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden.

3.  Adam lived until Lamech was 56 years old.  Methuselah was 243 years old when Adam died so Adam died 726 years before the flood.  I personally calculated this for a reason: During Adam’s life, he watched as the two lines, Seth and Cain, were separated by God—these two lines began to mix and mingle.

E.  In Genesis, chapter 6, we find:

1.  The multiplication of the ungodly line of Cain.

Genesis 6:1  And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them,  (The rejection of God and His truth was in full swing in the days of Noah.)

2.  The rejection of truth by the Messianic line of Seth.

Genesis 6:2  That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.

3.  The wickedness of both the Messianic line of Seth and the ungodly line of Cain.

Genesis 6:5  And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

4.  The few who embraced truth verses the many who rejected truth.

Genesis 6:8-9  But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.  (9)  These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

F.  The truth of God had been turned into a lie.  Romans 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

G.  I said all of this because, behind all of the sinfulness of Noah’s day, lies the false prophets and teachers who influence both the saved and lost to reject truth and follow the ways of the world.

1.  They Rejected The Paths Of Their Fathers. Genesis 5:22  And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

2.  They Rejected God’s Command Of Distinction – Genesis 6:2  “sons of God . . . daughters of men” 

2 Corinthians 6: 14-18  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?  And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

3.  They Rejected God’s Morality – Genesis 6:5 “wickedness . . . evil continually”

Romans 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

Romans 1:26-27  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

4.  They Rejected God’s Structure For The Family – Genesis 6:2  “they took . . . all which they chose”

Genesis 2:24  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Genesis 4:19   And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah.  

Matthew 24:38  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark.

5.  They Rejected God’s Companionship – Genesis 6:9  These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.

6.  They Rejected God’s Offer Of Grace - Genesis 7:9-10  There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah.  (10)  And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.  (God left the door of the Ark open for seven days, the number of completion, and anyone could have changed their minds and gotten on board.)

7.  They Reaped God’s Judgement - Genesis 6:7  And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.

Genesis 7:21  And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: