Pastor Tim Brown, Calvary Chapel Fremont, Sunday May 16, 2010

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Pastor Twoface

2 Peter 2:10-16  

Going around the internet lately is an alert: signs of someone having  stroke – VISION/NUMBNESS/CONFUSION/DIZINESS/HEADACHE.  You’ve got 2b able to spot the dangerous stuff in life.   

2P2 is an alert.  You need to beware of false teachers and you can spot them because they have defining characteristics.  Part of the application of a passage like this is to equip you 2b able to identify a false teacher and steer clear.  Another application is to examine your own life and see if these characteristics are true of you.   

10-11  False teachers have a contempt for the word of god/authority

The word angel isn’t in the verse, only glories.  Some older commentaries write that this is a reference to earthly authority.  Some newer ones point to angels, but not demons.  Fallen angels would have been stripped of any glory at the time of their punishment.  What is the glory of a prisoner?  Why revile angelic authority?  An angel was used in giving the law -  

This is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness together with the angel who was speaking to him on Mount Sinai, and who was with our fathers; and he received living oracles to pass on to you.  Acts 7:38

…you who received the law as ordained by angels, and yet did not keep it.  Acts 7:53

…if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?  Hebrews 2:2-3

Logic: angels brought the word of God/we are above angels/word & work of angels don’t apply to us.  Someone might say in response to a teaching of theirs: “But God said in Exodus…”  Reply: “That’s the word of angels, I have a word from the Spirit.” Ultimately, they are rebelling against anyone that would put any restraint on their behavior and therefore rebel against the messenger.  In having a contempt for the word of God they have a contempt for anyone bringing that word. The church/government/angels are representatives of God.  It is through these institutions/beings that God rules/exercise authority.

Being a citizen of the KOG doesn’t relieve you of the responsibility of being a conscientious citizen of the Kingdom of Man or relieve you of the responsibility of responding to those to whom the Word of God has been entrusted.

The angels will not blaspheme the image of God.   

12  False teachers live by instinct and not revelation

They revile in ignorance – passion, not principle reigns.  They justify adultery/greed/hatred…

13  False teachers live in constant drama

Suffering wrong isn’t a reference to eternal judgment, but points to the inevitable result of an unprincipled life.  False teachers live in constant drama as people move in/out of their lives.  Their sin isn’t just against God, but against others, too.  Divorces/lawsuits/broken friendships/denunciations from the pulpit… there’s always something churning around them – who’s in/out – fresh accusations /whistle blowers…

14  False teachers hunt for the insecure

They look for the ‘thorny ground’ believer.  This is the one who has received the word of God but is still overwhelmed by the cares of the world/deceitfulness of wealth.  This is the one who has received word of God/still clings to the value system of the culture.  It took one day to get Israel out of Egypt/40 years to get Egypt out of Israel – same thing happening here.  1K22 - King Ahab/Jehoshaphat/Micaiah. Ahab said of Micaiah:

There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil.  1 Kings 22:8

15-16  False teachers follow a predictable pattern

This passage points to Balaam as an example of the type of man that Peter is warning the church about.  Let’s acquaint ourselves w/ Balaam.   

Numbers 22:1-22a  Why was God angry if He gave him His permission?  This was a test of his heart – he failed.  One man said: “God, if it’s your will for me to have ice cream, let a parking space be open right in front of the ice cream shop.”  He said that on the 6th time around the parking lot a space came open. We can exert our will over against the will of God.  22b-31; 23:7-12; 31:8, 16

Balaam: swallower of the people/confounder of the people.

Balaam was a two-face.  Publicly, he prophesied blessing/privately, he counseled destruction.  Publicly he blessed and privately he cursed.  The real man wasn’t seen in his public ministry, but in the private moments of life.  He spoke God’s word publicly and his word privately.  His private word didn’t match his public word because his soul wasn’t in step w/ God.  He was judged by his private word.  He was not judged by his ministry, but by his character.

    * He was a creature of instinct – captured/killed
    * He reviled where had no knowledge
    * He suffered wrong for doing wrong
    * He counseled reveling in the daytime
    * He had eyes full of adultery/enticing unstable souls/having a heart trained in greed

Balaam was a two-face because he was a double minded man.  Draw out the contrast between the man who said, “I do believe, help Thou my unbelief,” (Mk. 16:9ff.) and the double minded man (James 1).  The 1st man wants one thing – “I want God to move in power in my life”.  The double minded man wants two things.  Even though the 1st man wants one thing weakly, he is still a one thing man.  The one-thing man may still be drawn to/buffeted by temptation/attraction to the world, but he cries to God to have this conquered in his life.  The double minded man is a two thing man.  He wants the things of God and the things of the world.  Augustine: “Give me chastity, but not yet.”  False teacher: “Give me chastity, not!”  Or it could be that Chastity is a woman’s name!

Balaam was a two thing man.  Balaam had a regard for truth that was swallowed up by his lack of regard for holiness.  He knew what God wanted, but for the love of money did the opposite.  He was Pastor Twoface.  And those who listened to him became like him or else they followed him because they are like him.   

“How can we tell if we have Twoface as our pastor?”  Time tests all things.  Time is the greatest test.   

Jesus was a one-thing man – He wanted to do the will of God.  You?