Can We Hear the Warning?
Notes
Transcript
DANGER WILL ROBINSON
Lost in Space show of the 60s
Robot warning a clueless kid about some imminent peril
If we had such a robot—for dangerous doctrine, would we take the warning?
Peter may not be flapping his arms; but he’s sounding a warning
Jude did the same thing
For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
John did the same; though more subtly
Read 1st John again with the thought of false teaching in mind
Chapter 1 just concluded
For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
But…false prophets had appeared in the OT
Carried along by their own motivation
Brought false messages to the Jewish people
Implicit in the destruction of the Northern kingdom
…in the captivity to Babylon for the Southern
Insert commercial for M4M, study on Hosea
Word-nerd warning!
Infiltration
Infiltration
Just as it had then, it will happen again
The OT had psuedoprophetes
I often say pseudo-scholars
crypto-biologist…science doesn’t stand up to real science; so with the pseudo-scholars
There will secretly come false teachers
Secretly implies to lead in by one’s side
Often the damaging portion of the teaching is hidden because it is so close to the truth
A local pastor bringing a “church planter” to a pastors’ meeting
Unification church’s “we attend ABC Baptist Church
False teachers, constructed similarly to false prophets psuedodidoskolos
Didactic. (Miriam-Webster)
1a: designed or intended to teach
b: intended to convey instruction and information as well as pleasure and entertainment, e.g. didactic poetry
2: making moral observations
Bringing destructive heresies
Concept of destruction linked to all manner of destruction
Heresies: sect, faction, party (e.g. Pharisees), divisions
Denying the Master, despotes (think despot, not really a bad word)
Who bought them; aorist, competed
Best understanding: not saved; but the price had been paid
May have denied His ability to save, …other components of His being
Certainly denied His claim as Lord…one who has ownership
Multiple statements of Christ’s ownership
Apostles self-identification as servants/slaves doulos
Explanation
Explanation
A switch from their teaching to their behavior
Though directed at the false teachers, followers become the next teachers
Follow sensuality
Other terms: licentiousness, sinful abandon, unconstrained
Generally implying rampant sexual immorality in any form
“…reckless and hardened sexual immorality...”
Way of truth will be blasphemed
Injurious to the reputation of the cause of Christ
They will exploit with false words
Becoming prophets for profit
Not earning a righteous wage for righteous labor
Bleeding their followers for their own wealth
Possibly exploiting sexually
Cults with a single strong male leader (or core of leaders)
Condemnation
Condemnation
They brought it upon themselves
Implied in v.1
…bringing upon themselves...
We’ll see the nature of the destruction next week
Also in the tense; implies a continuing action—won’t stop
Also implied is that this is hanging over their heads like an ax
Details next week
Application and Exhortation
Application and Exhortation
Be aware of, and heed, the danger signs
If you need to have an image of Pastor Sean or me as a robot wildly flailing our arms, that’s OK
Suggest Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, Johnathan Edwards
Means of false teaching; remember the intention:
...intended to convey instruction and information
Likely to be incredibly subtle, not in a formal teaching setting
Obvious example is the media
Lies are told so frequently they become accepted
“news” reports before facts are in; never corrected
Education
Conservative voices are being silenced
Christian voices being gagged
Case working its way to SCOTUS on that
…then, there’s the church
Not going to take the easy route of same-sex marriage, gender issues, etc
We’ll deal with them in time and in more depth
Not going to deal with the prophets for profit—yet
Let’s just look at denying the master who bought them
Imagery is of the slave markets; bought from the slavery of sin
Again, not looking at the truly saved
Those for whom the blood of Christ was shed, but ignored
…for whom the penalty of sin had been paid, but the payment rejected
…by whom the way of truth is being blasphemed
bring the cause of Christ into disrepute
Those churches teaching that Jesus was a good man
…He came to teach us how to be good, love one another
…His death was an example
…His resurrection may or may not have really happened...
…God is not really sovereign
Those churches that teach no transformation
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Those that teach cheap grace—”just keep on sinning”
That is spitting in the face of the Almighty and Perfect God
What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?
By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?
Those who give false hope in salvation
Being in church every Sunday will not save you
We are to be here for many reasons…but not for salvation
Baptism does not save
And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
That applies to adult and child
Baptism is a mark of obedience…nothing else
It is the belief that saves; there is no force of the act of baptism
Many questions to be answered another day
If we follow that narrative, we find that they were baptized right away—AFTER their belief
Church membership does not save
We require that only baptized believers can be members
“regenerate membership”
Commercial for membership & upcoming SS lesson
Giving generously—even sacrificially—does not save
No amount of money can buy God’s favor
Yes, giving is part of our worship
It should be regular, proportional, and cheerful (sometimes sacrificial)
…and you cannot out-give God (Malachi, “test me in this…)
…but it doesn’t save
He owns the cattle on a thousand hills; He cannot be bought
Taking communion does not save
“I just drink my cup of juice and eat my cracker…
Again, no force of the act
It is a commemoration of an event, the night before Jesus died
He and the 12 were eating what we know as the Last Supper
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you,
for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
A simple understanding of the language tells us this is symbolic
There is no magic in the bread; …in the juice; each is what is is: each a symbol
Again, other questions to answer on other days
It is only for believers…only those who are “right” with God and fellow man
Many warnings in 1 Cor. 11...
If you are not a believer, not “right” please don’t take it—no one will think any less of you
Salvation is available right now—if you are not saved
Confession and repentance are available right now
Lack of reconciliation inhibits worship