Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Sunday May 2, 2010

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The Antichurch

2 Peter 2:1-22

We’ve all heard of the antichrist, but Peter writes of the antichurch.  Anti – not ‘against’, but ‘in place of’.  Even as the antichrist is a substitute for Christ whom many will follow/antichurch is a substitute for the real church to which many belong.  You can attend CC Fremont and yet be a member of the antichurch.   

Even as there were false prophets in Israel, there will be false teachers in the church.  Peter has related in C1 that his teaching isn’t a cleverly devised tale originating from his imagination – he is bringing them the word that is from God.  But there will be those who will seek to replace the word of God w/ their own imaginations.  When the imaginations of men displace the revelation from God, the result is the antichurch.  Many belong and don't even know it.

How can you know if you're a member of the antichurch or have been influenced by its teaching?  The leaders of the antichurch have some very definite characteristics.  We see this in vv1-3.  Do you see these same characteristics in you?

The leaders of the antichurch have a heretical message – v1

Heresy – to choose for oneself/a preference in a field of options

These men are more committed to their opinions than to revelation because not liberated from their passions.  For the antichurch, desire determines doctrine. If ura thief, which doctrine would you prefer?  #1 It’s OK to steal if you really want it and they won’t really miss it.  #2 It’s always wrong to steal.   

They consider their word more valuable than God’s word.  Since their word is of more value than God’s word, their word undoes God’s word.  They are their own masters, and not God.  The price Christ paid to make them His own has no meaning for them and holds no influence over them.

Deny Master - I don’t think they outright denied Jesus, that His death was not sufficient to save/unnecessary.  Denying the Master is the result as people ignore word of Jesus/minimize His claims on their lives.

The message of the antichurch isn't presupposed by the lordship of Jesus.  My message has the assumption that Jesus is Lord/Master.  Their message: You can come to the cross of Jesus, but don’t have to take up your cross and follow Him.  This ruined them and brought swift destruction down on them and those who followed.  You can come to the Holy One and hate holiness.  This brings judgment.   

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.  Hebrews 12:14

We begin our study by saying, “Open your Bible to…”  They begin, “Close your Bible and listen to me.”  The authentic church explains the Bible.  The antichurch explains away the Bible.   

The leaders of the antichurch have a hedonistic manner of life  v2

They don’t deny themselves – they live sensual lives.  Aselgeia – Basil: a condition of soul which cannot endure the torment which discipline makes for it. | Those under the control of this sin do not care what others say or think, as long as they can satisfy their desires.”  complete biblical library.  Cf. v7 – public, flagrant, violent homosexuality in S & G.  The meltdown of our economy can be traced to this sin.

Since there is not a master to please, they please themselves.  They live lives of pleasure/indulgence.  The spiritual responsibility of holiness is trampled under the individual right to happiness.  This can be seen in the abortion industry.  'My individual right to happiness is more important than my personal responsibility to bring my baby to term.  Pregnancy is not about the baby, it’s about my body.'  10 Books That Screwed Up The Word and Five More That Didn’t Help - #3 is Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes: I have a right to anything I want and if anyone stands in my way, watch out!   

We live in a culture of rights and not responsibility/politics and not principle/happiness and not holiness.  Both the leaders/members of the antichurch are more shaped by culture than by Christ.  The antichurch is drawn to the message of salvation, not sanctification/ attracted to the power of Jesus, not the person of Jesus/want to go to heaven, don’t want heaven to come to them.  As a teenager I was thankful to have parents to go home to, but didn’t want my parents to come to me.  I wanted the safety of home w/o accountability to parents.

Follow their sensuality – These men are false, not in their teaching, but in their living - undisciplined/untamed life. Your example is more influential than your doctrine.  The way they lived denied Jesus – not their words, but their walk.  Way/truth/life – we stop at truth and don’t touch life/don't manifest life.  Truth w/o life is doctrine and doctrine w/o life is religion.  

The teaching/influence of the false teachers didn’t impart a vision of holiness to those who followed them – no hunger for Christ.  Vision for holiness brings responsibility/accountability/discipleship.  There is no discipleship w/o discipline and no discipline w/o denying self.  This is the antichurch - cannot endure the torment of discipline.

The antichurch doesn’t deny itself and take up its cross and follow Jesus; it denies the cross and follows its own desires.   

The leaders of the antichurch have an unholy motive  v3

They are all about money – exploit you…  They seek to make a profit from you… They're not after God, but after you. They turn you from the amazing love of God and make you followers of themselves.

What lay beneath a heretical message/hedonistic manner of life/ unholy motive?  A heart never surrendered to the cross – a heart that won't relinquish self.  A love of self more than a love of God.

The antichurch  has a spirituality w/o holiness/accountability/ responsibility.   

From C1: Peter writes so that the living Word, Jesus Christ, will be your hero/the written word, the Bible, will be your handbook.  The antichurch replaces Christ/Bible – watch out!

Jesus bought you – He paid a hefty sum for you.  The real church starts w/ Jesus and stays w/ Jesus.