The Warning Continues...Don't ignore the red flags...2 Peter 2:17-22

 


The red flag is a sign of severe warning.  The stop sign is red.  It is to get our attention and I believe Peter in chapter 2 has been waving a red flag before his readers.  There are false teachers among them and they have come in secretly with an agenda to turn them from God, His word, and His gospel to focus on themselves (the false teachers), on their words, and another way to benefit them.  These are the 6 red flags.

  • If someone makes God or Jesus less than what He is.
  • If someone presents some other way to God than Jesus Christ alone.
  • If someone twists God's words or replace them with their words.
  • If there is a display of arrogance, the promoting of themselves.
  • If there is a display of lust, the elevation of earthly desires.
  • If there is a display of greed, the focus on getting rather than giving.
These warning signs are so contrary to the true picture of one who is following after Jesus.  Luke 9:23-26 tells us to deny ourselves, to take up our cross, and to follow Jesus.  Our focus is not on ourselves but wholly on Him.  Our desires go from the earthly to the heavenly even if it means a bearing of a cross.  Our footsteps are in step with what Jesus has said and who He is.  The contrast is stark.

If it is so stark, how did the false teachers get in?  

Is it that we have adopted some other picture of what a Christ follower is that is in between their description and the description of a true teacher of God?  

Have we made excuses to have times when it is okay to be all about us?  Just this one time; it will be okay; and God will forgive me anyways.

Have we made exceptions that cater to some of our comforts or when consequences could make us experience some pain?  What about my pension; that's not my spiritual gift; and we need to make sure we love ourselves with comfort.

Have me elevated other voices that influence our decisions and actions?  They make some good points; they have such a following; and it sounds very logical.

The solution is to remember that we have a great salvation that has come from God.  We are to be actively living out that great salvation from God.  We are to keep coming back to the more fully confirmed words of our God.  When we wander from these actions, may the red flags of warning be waving vigorously before us.  May we also heed to warning and stay out of the false teacher water.  These warnings from Peter's writings which are God's words are out of His love for us.

The first sermon is the next in the 2 Peter series and given by the Associate Pastor of Waushara Community Church, Pastor Robert Timmermann.  He covers 2 Peter 2:4-16 and does a tremendous job with the text.  The second is from me covering 2 Peter 2:17-22.

Adam




A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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