Living withLiving with TroublemakersTroublemakers

Lesson Passage:Lesson Passage:

2 Peter 2:1-3, 12-14; 2 Peter 2:1-3, 12-14;

Jude 16-25Jude 16-25

Background:Background:

2 Peter 2:1-22; Jude 1-252 Peter 2:1-22; Jude 1-25

1.1. Beware of Beware of Deception Deception

(2 Pet. 2:1-3,12-13a)(2 Pet. 2:1-3,12-13a)

2.2. Beware of Beware of Sinful Sinful LifestylesLifestyles

(2 Pet. 2:13b-14; Jude 16-19)(2 Pet. 2:13b-14; Jude 16-19)

1.1. Be Be PositivePositive in Response in Response

(Jude 20-23)(Jude 20-23)

2.2. Be Be DependentDependent on God on God

(Jude 24-25)(Jude 24-25)

2 Pet. 1 says that God has given (through relationship with Christ) His divine power to help you escape destruction (i.e., be saved):3 His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. 4 By these He has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desires. Remember, in the parable of the sower, the shallow-rooted plant?

Peter lists “add-ons” for believers, to help them really secure their relationship in Christ. Once you have faith, add to it:

+ excellent character + knowledge

+ self-control + patient endurance + godliness

+ brotherly love + God’s Love

7 steps to develop Christ’s Life in your life!10 Therefore, brothers, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble. 11 For in this way, entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be richly supplied to you.

Lead-in from 2 Peter 1

Peter reminds them of the truth of his testimony, and that they should study God’s words that He has given – not extraneous “man’s” teachings:

“..you do well if you* pay attention to it as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 recognizing this above all, that every prophecy of scripture does not come about from one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men carried along by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

Lead-in from 2 Peter 1, cont’d

Can you imagine being a fireman,

sent on a mission to rescue trapped families…

… but finding you first had to work thru this maze, to reach them?

1 But there were also false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you also, who will bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, thus bringing on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their licentious ways, because of whom the way of truth will be reviled. 3 And in greediness they will exploit you with false words, whose condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

… 12 But these persons, like irrational animals born only with natural instincts for capture and killing, blaspheming about things they do not understand, in their destruction will also be destroyed, 13 being harmed as the wages of unrighteousness. … The OT had false prophets. How did they harm God’s people?Is it possible even for NT believers to be ‘untrue’? (2 Pet. 3:16-18)

Demonic doctrines are involved, straight from hell (1 Tim. 4:1, Rev. 2-3)Can people carry Demonic Diseased Doctrines? (Jam. 3:6)

We are to become teachers only carefully & accountably (Jam. 3:1)Do false teachers realize they are heretic, or are they blind to this? (Matt. 15:14, Rom. 1:32)

Angels/men who don’t keep their place are sent to hell (2 Pet.2:4,Jd.1:6

1. Beware of Deception (2 Pet. 2:1-3,12-13a)

2 Peter 3: 16 He speaks about these things in all his letters in which there are some matters that are hard to understand. The untaught and unstable twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures. 17 Therefore, dear friends, since you know this in advance, be on your guard, so that you are not led away by the error of lawless people and fall from your own stability. 18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ..

1 Timothy 4:1 (Demonic Influence) 4 Now the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will depart from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons…

James 3: (Controlling the Tongue) 3 Not many should become teachers, my brothers, knowing that we will receive a stricter judgment,… 6 And the tongue is a fire. The tongue, a world of unrighteousness, is placed among the parts of our bodies. It pollutes the whole body, sets the course of life on fire, and is set on fire by hell.

Matthew 15: 14 “Leave them alone! They are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”

Romans 1: 32 Although they know full well God’s just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die—they not only do them, but even applaud others who practice them.

Well, ..versed? (HCSB)

13… Considering reveling in the daytime a pleasure, they are stains and blemishes, carousing in their deceitful pleasures when they feast together with you, 14 having eyes full of desire for an adulteress and unceasing from sin, enticing unstable persons, and having hearts trained for greediness. Accursed children!

Rather than being and leading others in the Way of righteousness (dying to self with God’s help, Rom. 8:13), these ‘leaders’ enjoy their sinning (for a season), and entice others to follow (2 Tim.4:3)

Their ‘superiority’ carries a ‘license to sin’, not taking it serious/truthfully

– like the Pharisees who lusted on the back end of their lives, neglecting the real laws of God’s love.

Evil men and imposters will be found out (2 Tim. 3:13)Do you see “major” false leaders today, who fit this pattern?Do you see similar stains in local fellowships? What must we watch out for in our own behavior? How are we responsible to God to keep our garments clean? (Jam. 1:26-27. See also Eph. 5:3 true purity; 1 Tim. 5:2)

2. Beware of Sinful Lifestyles (2 Pet. 2:13b-14; Jude 16-19) [Lexham]

Romans 8: 13 for if you live according to the flesh, you are going to die. But if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

2 Timothy 4: 3 For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new.

2 Timothy 3: 13 Evil people and impostors will become worse, deceiving and being deceived.

James 1: 26 If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, then his religion is useless and he deceives himself. 27 Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Ephesians 5: 3 But sexual immorality and any impurity or greed should not even be heard of among you, as is proper for saints.

1 Timothy 5: 2 [treat] older women as mothers, and with all propriety, the younger women as sisters.

“Well, ..versed?” (HCSB)

20 But you, dear friends, as you build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, expecting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ for eternal life. 22 Have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; have mercy on others but with fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. :20 How do we ‘build ourselves up’? (2 Pet.1:4-11, Eph.2:22,1 Pet.2:5)How does praying in the Spirit help us? (Rom.8:26-27; Jn.14:26,16:13)How do we keep ourselves in God’s Love?

Love Him (Jn. 14:15, 21) and others (1 Jn. 4:8)

:21 Look forward to His ultimate mercy (1 Jn. 3:3)

The more you “try” to help others, the more you realize you yourself need to apply Mercy, the same you have received

Be on God’s Mercy Mission, to rescue others from eternal Fire!

3. Be Positive in Response (Jude 20-23) HCSB

Eph. 2:22 You also are being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit.

1 Peter 2:5 you yourselves, as living stones, are being built into a spiritual house for a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Romans 8: 26 In the same way the Spirit also joins to help in our weakness, because we do not know what to pray for as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with unspoken groanings. 27 And He who searches the hearts knows the Spirit’s mind-set, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

John 14: 26 But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit—the Father will send Him in My name—will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.

John 16: 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth. For He will not speak on His own, but He will speak whatever He hears. He will also declare to you what is to come.

John 14: (Another Counselor Promised) 15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commands... 21 The one who has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me. And the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father. I also will love him and will reveal Myself to him.”

1 Jn.4:8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 Jn. 3:3 everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself just as He is pure.

“Well, ..versed?” (HCSB)

24 Now to the one who is able to protect you from stumbling and make you to stand before his glory blameless with exultation, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time and now and for all eternity. Amen.

Consider your calling:

2 Timothy 2: 20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver bowls, but also those of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. 21 So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

2 Tim. 1:12-14 If you are committed to God, and guard the truths in your heart, then He will protect and keep you

4. Be Dependent on God (Jude 24-25)

(Backups)