Pseudo-Christian Creeps

“For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning but never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth” (2Tim 3:6-7).

Some dudes just give you the willies. You know the ones. They try WAY too hard with the ladies and clearly up to no good. And these sleaze balls have a type. They’re constantly on the prowl for women who are weak and vulnerable. They’re really nothing more than self-absorbed sexual predators. Let’s call it like it is. They’re creeps.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking the natural habitat for the lowlife is limited to the singles bar. They’re not just lurking on Tinder. These dirtbags are anywhere and everywhere. I hate to say it but church is one of their favorite hunting grounds. If you’ve ever been to any singles ministry mixer, you know EXACTLY what I’m talking about!

Like the cockroach, the rat, and the shark, this species has been stalking the planet for thousands of years. For instance, did you know that Paul and Timothy had to deal with an infestation of creeps at the church in Ephesus? Yeah, you read that right. Creeps are literally in the Bible.

In his second letter to a young pastor named Timothy, the apostle spends a good bit of time addressing a team of false teachers and their impact on the Ephesian church. It’s obviously a VERY big deal. Why else would Paul take the time to address these slime balls in the last letter he will ever write?

You see, the man from Tarsus is walking the Green Mile. He’s on Death Row in Rome at the infamous Mamertine Prison. The apostle knows a date with the executioner is right around the corner (2Tim 4:6-7). He pleads with his protege to make one last visit before it’s too late (2Tim 4:9, 21). Paul spends the rest of this epistle passing the torch of spreading the Gospel to his spiritual son (2Tim 1:1-2; 2:1-4:5).

There’s no doubt that spiritual hucksters have weaseled their way into the Ephesian church. Their destructive message is spreading like an aggressive cancer (2Tim 2:16). Instead bringing people together, they tearing people apart (2Tim 2:14, 23). Instead of getting up in their grill, Paul tells Tim to treat them gently. You never know, “God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth” and snap out of it (2Tim 2:25-26).

If you think it’s bad now, just you wait. The apostle tips us off that things are going really go off the rails “in the last days” (2Tim 3:1). That’s when the false teachers and their followers become self-absorbed, self-centered, self-obsessed, self-worshipers (2Tim 3:2-5). Seen Instagram lately? Looks like we’re well on our way. Well, buckle your seat belts, boys and girls. Things will soon spiral completely out of control.

Paul lets us know that a significant percentage of these snake oil salesmen have something else up their sleazy sleeves. “For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women” (v6). The ESV uses the phrase “those who creep” as the translation for the Greek verb ενδυνω (enduno). It means to enter on the sly with ulterior motives, worm your way into, or secretly slip in.

One ancient translation of this verse in the Syriac language actually uses the word “weasel” here. A commentator by the name of Bloomfield says Paul is comparing them to snakes. These infiltrators can slither through the smallest openings. If you’re starting to get the willies, you get the drift. The apostle pulls no punches when talking about these pervs. He calls them creeps.

Not buying it? Don’t believe one of the writers of the Bible would stoop to this kind of name-calling? Well, take one look at who these lowlifes are targeting. They’re hoping to “capture weak women” (v6). Creepy enough for you? Paul uses a verb here (Gr. αιχμαλωτιζω/aichmalotizo) that’s actually a military term describing the capture prisoners of war.

Check out its other uses in the NT. Jesus paints a bleak picture of how the last days will go down when many “will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive (Gr. αιχμαλωτιζω/aichmalotizo) among all nations” (Lk 21:24). Paul uses it to describe his own internal firefight and it’s “make me captive (Gr. αιχμαλωτιζω/aichmalotizo) to the law of sin that dwells in my members” (Rom 7:23). The apostle tells the Corinthians that the followers of Jesus must win the war over the voices in their heads and “take every though captive (Gr. αιχμαλωτιζω/aichmalotizo) to obey Christ” (2Cor 10:5).

Is Paul comparing these First Century creeps to those van-driving dirtbags who kidnap young women and hold them hostage for years in the basement? I’ll let you make that call. One way or the other, the apostle is not exactly describing a guy looking out for a lady’s best interest. These false teachers look to control and manipulate their victims. It’s really no more than low grade human trafficking.

These sexual predators set their sites on “weak women” (v6). The apostle once again doesn’t waste his time with P.C. language. He dusts off a word (Gr. γυναικαριον/gunaikarion) that’s not exactly a compliment. It paints a picture of a frivolous and foolish female who is morally immature. You might say a desperate housewife. This is a woman whose situation in life has left her prone to temptation. Desperate for a little attention. Easily flattered. Emotionally available.

How long has this stuff been going on? A long time. A VERY long time! Flip back to our first parents first days on the planet. That’s when Satan duped Eve into believing God was holding out on her and Adam (Gen 3:1-7). From what we’ve seen in 2 Timothy, it should come as no shock that our enemy showed up as a talking snake. The devil used a little scriptural slight of hand to fool Eve into chomping into the forbidden fruit and then handing it to her husband.

Ever since, pseudo-Christian creeps have been twisting Scripture so that their victims will be “burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth” (v6-7). They overwhelm these women with all sorts of teaching that sounds like it comes from the Bible but is really nothing more than spiritual bondage. Their counterfeit gospel entices people further from our Heavenly Father, not closer. They pile on condemnation instead of leading them under the waterfall of God’s grace.

A word to the women and then to the men. Ladies, could there be a stronger encouragement to deepen your walk with Jesus and have a fuller understanding of God’s Word? That’s the best way to protect yourself from these creeps. When we know the Gospel, we much less likely to fall for something phony. Don’t let anyone try to convince you that he has the secret formula for salvation.

Remember, Jesus lived the perfect life we failed to live. He died the death for our sin we should have died. He rose to the glorious new life we don’t deserve. We place our trust in what He’s done on our behalf. We trust in His leadership and lordship of our lives. We obey God’s commands as an act of gratitude for what He’s done, not in order to earn our way into heaven. It really is that simple.

Ladies, don’t look for any other savior. Don’t subtly substitute the need for a boyfriend or husband for the place reserved only for Jesus. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with those relationships…EXCEPT when they become the ultimate object of worship. Idolatry is a lot more than bowing down to some handcrafted statue. Anytime we take a good thing and make it a god thing, that’s a bad thing.

Gentlemen, now can I have your attention for just a moment? First of all, if you feel like Paul’s getting personal here, now is the time to repent and ask for the forgiveness that only comes through Christ. We’re to see the women who follow Jesus as our sisters, not targets. As their brothers, we look out for their best interest. That means protecting them from creeps and any other sexual predators who are on the prowl.

And now a specific word for the husbands. Paul is not just talking about the single ladies here in 2 Timothy. Our wives need us to be fully involved in our marriages. That means our day isn’t done when we walk in the door from work. Instead of plopping down on the couch and watching SportsCenter, we love and serve our wives. She gets our best.

Just a reminder. God not only expects us to treat her the same way Jesus treated His bride, the church (Eph 5:25-33). I’m to love her. Give myself for her. Wash her in God’s Word. That does NOT mean guilting and manipulating her into doing what you want and when you want. When we do that, we’re really no better than the pseudo-Christian creeps Paul writes about.

Accept No Substitutes

“If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness” (1Tim 6:3).

It looks like the real deal. It sounds like the real deal. But there’s just something about it that doesn’t pass the sniff test. You know what we’re talking about, don’t you? A product is so wildly successful that many others want to get in on the action. Imitators crank out all sorts of phonies with the evil intent of fooling you and me. 

According to Paul, it’s no different when it comes to the Gospel. God’s incredible offer of grace, forgiveness, and abundant life in Jesus has turned the world upside down. The only way we access His salvation is through trusting in Christ and Christ alone. But spiritual con artists have been selling their snake oil for more than 2,000 years. They spin their counterfeit gospel by slapping a lot of Jesus on it and sprinkling in a few verses from the Bible.

In a letter to his protege, the apostle tells Timothy not to fall for the fake. He teaches the young Ephesian pastor how to identify their scam. “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sounds words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness” (v3). There are two warning signs of this religious ripoff. One, it doesn’t square with what Jesus said. Two, it sends folks further from the Father. When it comes to the Gospel, accept no substitutes.

The problem of a fake gospel was a clear and present danger for Pastor Tim and the church of Ephesus. A team of spiritual hucksters had weaseled their way into positions of influence and spread a crazy concoction of goofy myths, confusing genealogies, lies, and downright demonic doctrine (1Tim 1:3-7; 4:1-2). Just a few verses down the page, we’ll read that they were nothing more than money-grubbing windbags (1Tim 6:4-10). Paul has left Tim in charge of getting this church out of the ditch and back following Jesus again. 

The apostle alerts the young preacher to keep his eyes and ears peeled in case “anyone teaches a different doctrine” (v3). This phrase is actually one Greek verb: heterodidaskaleo. It means to teach something other than what should be taught, instruct error as if it was truth, or teach a false doctrine. This word only appears one other time in the Bible and it happens to be earlier in this very same letter. “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine (Gr. heterodidaskaleo)” (1Tim 1:3). These hucksters had duped believers into thinking they had to follow a certain set of rules to ensure their place in God’s family.

Don’t be fooled. There is only ONE Gospel. There is single message of Good News. The only way to have a relationship with God is by trusting in who Jesus and what He’s done for us that we could never do for ourselves. In case your keeping score, He followed God’s Law perfectly. I’ve failed miserably. He died the death on a cross for my disobedience. It’s the death I should have died. He rose to new life. I absolutely don’t deserve it. He does it all for me and you. There’s absolutely nothing left for us to do to seal the deal of our salvation. It’s the reason Jesus shouted for the world to hear from the cross, “It is finished! (Jn 19:30). Instead of counterfeit not-so-good news, we to place our trust in the “Gospel of the glory of the blessed God” (1Tim 1:11). Accept no substitutes.

The first way to recognize a rogue doctrine is when it “does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v3). In other words, our teaching must line up with the message of the radical Carpenter/Rabbi from Nazareth. In case you’re wondering where you might find that, God gave us four bios at the beginning of the New Testament called Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Interestingly, one of those writers is a physician. Dr. Luke uses the word we see here as “sound” (Gr. hugiaino) in a medical context, meaning healthy, strong, and whole. It comes from a root word describing healthy and vibrant growth.

When the religious police get their undies in a bundle at Jesus attending a party with a guest list loaded with sinners, the Lord says, “Those who are well (Gr. hugiaino) have no need for a physician, but those who are sick” (Lk 5:31). FYI, if you’re constantly pointing out just how sinfully sick everybody else is, you’re the one who needs to make an appointment to see the Great Physician. When Christ heals Roman army officer’s nearly dead employee, the good doctor describes how folks got back home and “they found the servant well (Gr. hugiaino)” (Lk 7:10).

Earlier in this letter, Paul made the point that God’s law is good when used properly, especially when applied to those who lived “contrary to sound (Gr. hugiaino) doctrine” (1Tim 1:10). Jesus’ teaching is the ultimate source of wellness. His Gospel causes us to grow in healthy ways. When we’re connect to Christ, we thrive. “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in Him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Did you catch that? We can’t do a single thing of lasting value without Him. When we stay hooked up to Jesus, He produces all sorts of fruity goodness in our lives. In case you’re wondering what that looks like, check out what Paul calls Holy Spirit fruit. “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal 5:22-23). Healthy teaching produces a healthy harvest.

That’s in sharp contrast to that sick stuff peddled by the false teachers. Their spiritual snake oil not only doesn’t heal but it makes actually makes people sicker than they were before. Any false gospel garbage not only stinks up the joint but is incredibly unhealthy for everyone around it. It can’t continue. It needs to be cleaned up and taken to the dump. Accept no substitutes.

Here’s an important part of church life that some of us don’t like to talk about. There are critical times when you have to confront folks who are teaching something other than the true Gospel of Jesus. Yeah, we want the church to be a place of love and grace. But in order to get there, evil and wrong must be dealt with. Jesus places pastors and church leaders in the position to protect His flock. When wolves infiltrate and start spreading their stinking thinking, drastic measures are required. They must be confronted. They must be shut down. Radical measures must be taken. 

The second warning sign of a garbage gospel is when it drives us and those around us further from the Father. The legit Good News is “the teaching that accords with godliness” (v3). Paul uses a Greek word for “godliness” (Gr. eusebeia) that means reverence toward God. It’s actually a compound word: “good (eu-) worship (-sebeia).” This is a powerful reminder that our worship isn’t limited to singing a few of our favorite songs on Sunday morning led by a guy in skinny jeans holding an acoustic guitar. We worship the Lord with how we live our lives, love our families, and work our jobs. That’s godliness. Good worship urges us to move closer to God.

Godliness is reverence toward God in all that we do. Everything we do is an act of worship to Jesus. It’s living life with our eyes on heaven. You’ve probably heard about someone who was so heavenly minded that they were no earthly good. Nothing could be farther from the truth. We become effective spreaders of His salt and shiners of His light when we remember all that He’s done for us that we could never do for ourselves.

The idea of godliness is one of the really big ideas in this letter. We’re to pray for our political leaders “that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly (Gr. eusebeia) and dignified in every way”(1Tim 2:2). Paul may have written a huge chunk of the NT, but even he can’t wrap his brain around the “mystery of godliness (Gr. eusebeia)” (1Tim 3:16). If you’re a follower of Christ, you should “train yourself for godliness (Gr. eusebeia)” because “godliness (Gr. eusebeia) is of value in every way” (1Tim 4:7-8). 

Spiritual hucksters have cooked up a scheme to make a fast buck because they think that “godliness (Gr. eusebeia) is a means of gain” (1Tim 6:5). What they’ve missed is “godliness (Gr. eusebeia) with contentment” is the key to true success and satisfaction in life” (1Tim 6:6). Instead piling up cash, we should be sprinting after “righteousness, godliness (Gr. eusebeia), faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness” (1Tim 6:11). Good worship draws us closer to God. Phony teaching drives us further from the Father.

The bad news is there’s a lot of crap out there. Two thousand years later, there’s still a ton of bad teaching that people peddle as truth. Want to know how to tell the difference between Jesus’ legit message of Good News and every fraud posing as real faith? Paul says listen for a couple of alarms. First, does it line up with everything Jesus said and taught in the Gospels? Two, does provoke a lifestyle of good worship or send folks further from the Father? When it comes to the Gospel, accept no substitutes.

The Spirit Called It

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1Tim 4:1).

Babe Ruth pointed to centerfield and called his shot in the World Series. Broadway Joe Namath guaranteed the Jets would pull the unthinkable upset and win the Super Bowl. Don’t say they didn’t tell you ahead of time. 

But that’s nothing compared to the Holy Spirit’s bold stone cold prediction of religious con artists duping folks into walking away from Jesus. In a letter to the pastor of Ephesus Community Church, Paul reminds him that the Third Person of the Trinity saw this coming. “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (v1). Members of the Ephesian church have bought their spiritual snake oil and turned their back on Christ. As heartbreaking as it is, the Spirit called it.

It wasn’t that long ago that the church in Ephesus was a shining city on a hill for God’s glorious Gospel. The Apostle Paul personally planted this congregation during his third international tour with the message of Jesus (Acts 19:1-41). He worked his tail off in the town, building into the lives of believers there for three years (Acts 20:31) before moving on to Europe. 

Oh, how things have changed in less than ten years. False teachers weaseled their way into leadership positions in the Ephesian church. They suckered the gullible with a false gospel that has nothing to do with God’s grace. Paul begins the massive reform of the fellowship by kicking out the despicable duo of Hymenaeus and Alexander (1Tim 1:20). 

Before he could complete the cleanup, the Lord sends the apostle on his next assignment in Macedonia. He passes the baton and the broom to his protege Timothy as the new lead pastor in Ephesus. Tim’s to-do list has just two items. Two incredibly important items. First, stuff a sock in anyone who continues to distract folks from following Jesus (1Tim 1:3-7). Second, find godly people to fill the immediate leadership void (1Tim 3:1-13). 

The sad thing is that Paul saw it coming a few years back. As he was swinging through the area on his way back to Jerusalem, he met with elders of the church to warn them. “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away disciples” (Acts 20:29-30). Read those words again: “from your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things” (emphasis added). He knew he was face-to-face with some of the very men who would one day tear down all that God had used him to build. This was going to be an inside job!

So how did Paul know way back when this was going to go down? The Holy Spirit tipped him off. “Now the Spirit expressly says” (v1) this would happen. If you’re not familiar with the Spirit, or as some people call Him the “Holy Ghost,” you may be a little freaked out right about now. Don’t worry. We’re not headed into weird world of seances and spirit guides. The writers of the New Testament make it clear the Holy Spirit isn’t a heaven sent poltergeist. 

A few VERY important points about the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is a Who, not a what. He is a person. He’s not an impersonal Force that needs to be awakened, my young padawan. He’s fully God. Just as much God as the Father and the Son. Once Jesus returned to heaven, the Spirit comes to each live in each and every person who places their trust in Christ (Rom 8:11). 

The Spirit on a personal mission to empower God’s people and shine the spotlight on our Savior. The Apostle John says there’s one unmistakeable litmus test of God’s Spirit at work. “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God” (1Jn 4:2-3). So if someone tries to convince you the Son of God never became human, run away. Run away FAST!

The Third Person of the Trinity is all about making the Second Person universally famous. Jesus knew the Spirit of God would be a game changer when it comes to His teaching. He told His posse how the Spirit will “bring to remembrance all that I have said to you” (Jn 14:26). And the Spirit is still reminding followers of Jesus about God’s truth two thousand years later.

But can we really believe the Holy Spirit? Jesus personally attests that He’s totally trustworthy. As a matter of fact, He gives the Third Person a little nickname. “The Spirit of truth” (Jn 14:17). According to Christ, the Spirit of God is just passing along to you and me what He hears the Trinity chatting about. “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify Me, for He will take what is Mine and declare it to you” (Jn 16:13-14).

God’s Word has tons more to say about God’s Spirit but hopefully that will give you a better perspective on the One who’s called the shot in Paul’s letter to Pastor Tim. In this particular case, the Spirit has tipped the apostle off about how “some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (v1). If there’s any good news in all this, it’s the fact that only “some” will give the Heisman to the Gospel, not all. Work with me. I’m trying to find a shred of hope here. 

Some percentage of folks “will depart the faith” (v1). The verb here is aphistemi, which is to fall away, stand off, stand aloof, go away, or withdraw from. It’s a compound word that literally means to be separated (ap-) and firmly established (-histemi). We get the word “apostasy” from it. Think of someone who’s tossed in the towel for good. They’ve quit. Punked out. They’ve made up their mind and they’re not coming back, no matter what you tell them.

Paul personally knew all it. Remember when John Mark bailed on the apostle and Barnabas when he “had withdrawn (Gr. aphistemi) from them in Pamphylia” (Acts 15:38). We find out later that John Mark may have gone AWOL on the mission trip but never turned away from Jesus. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been around to write the Gospel of Mark! The man from Tarsus begged Jesus to take away a painful thorn. “Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave (Gr. aphistemi) me” (2Cor 12:8). He prays that it’s gone and never coming back! 

The writer of Hebrews actually warns us about the possibility of similar apostasy as the Spirit predicted to Paul. We’re alerted to the danger of “an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away (Gr. aphistemi) from the living God” (Heb 3:12). These are not people who simply have doubts. Let’s face it. We ALL have questions. Don’t pretend you don’t. So relax. Every believer has some bit of unbelief on this side of eternity. That’s why we need to preach the Gospel to ourselves every single day. But we’re warned about folks who’ve tossed in the towel for good. They’ve quit. Punked out. They’ve made up their mind and they’re not coming back, no matter what you tell them.

This all happened when folks were “devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (v1). Lying spirits. Demon doctrine. In case you’re wondering, these are NOT the kind of voices you want whispering in your ear. What makes this garbage so dangerous is that they sprinkle just enough Jesus on it to make it seem biblical. Sadly you can find some of this tripe at your local Christian bookstore. Anything that ultimately takes the focus off of what Jesus has done and tells you what you have to do is demon doctrine. 

Jesus Himself saw these con artists coming. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Mt 7:15). Hmm. Let’s see. Who wears “sheep’s clothing?” Shepherds! They’re infiltrating the church and licking their chops like bloodthirsty wolves. These phony pastors draw you in with their nifty slight of hand and draw you away from Jesus. If we don’t have a clear view of who Jesus is and what He’s done, these false teachers can sucker you and me as well. 

But that’s part of the genius of the Holy Spirit. He saw it coming from a mile away. He tells Paul who tells Pastor Tim and every reader of this letter. The Spirit totally called this one. 

Back on Track

“The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1Tim 1:5).

I am SO easily distracted. If there’s a bright light in the room, it’s got my attention. So many times, I’ve devoted myself to prayer and then suddenly something sidetracks me. Lord Jesus, thank You so much for all that You’ve…LOOK! A bird! Here in his letter to Timothy, Paul does his best to have the young pastor get the church in Ephesus refocused on what’s most important. Or in the words of the great philosopher and theologian Matt Foley, “How can we get you…BACK ON TRACK?!?!?” 

This is a REALLY big deal for Tim and the folks of the Ephesian church. There’s a team of hucksters who have hornswoggled believers and distracted them from the mission Jesus has for them. Just in case they’ve forgotten, the apostle reminds Pastor Tim of the original focus. “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (v5). Remember the goal. Love. Paul tells Tim it’s time to get folks…BACK ON TRACK! Let’s shut down sales of spiritual snake oil and get back to our main job of loving God and loving people.

This city of Ephesus and the church in the city have a special place in Paul’s heart. He and his posse first hit town during his third tour of the Mediterranean Rim. Dr. Luke spends an entire chapter going into great detail about how the Gospel of Jesus absolutely turned this seaport on its ever lovin’ head (Acts 19). That’s the kind of crazy stuff that happens when God’s Spirit falls. Local Jewish rabbis kick the apostle out of the synagogue after Ephesian Jews start following Jesus as Messiah. That’s when Paul sets up shop at a local meeting hall and teaches about Christ for the next two years. There’s a bizarre scene where a demon kicks the butt of seven dudes and steals their clothes when try a little amateur exorcising. I’m pretty sure they missed the “don’t try this at home” disclaimer. Eventually tons of people start following Jesus and burning their books of black magic. There’s another citywide riot. They seem to follow the apostle wherever he goes. 

Sometime later, Paul has a tearful meeting with elders from the church outside of town to encourage them to keep on keeping on (Acts 20:17-38). The man from Tarsus keeps in touch with the Ephesians regularly throughout the years. When he hears about the threat of counterfeit gospel headed their way, he writes them a letter from his prison cell in Rome to warn them. You’ll find that note tucked in your New Testament between Galatians and Philippians. After his release from the joint, the apostle drops off his trusted sidekick Timothy to pastor this growing megachurch (1Tim 1:3). Apparently those religious con artists were still able to dupe Jesus’ followers into buying their not-so-good news. While there doesn’t seem to be anybody living in a van down by the river, it’s Tim’s job to get the Ephesians…BACK ON TRACK! It’s time to shut down sales of spiritual snake oil and get believers back to their main job of loving God and loving people.

Paul points Tim back at the original target by reminding him of “the aim of our charge” (v5). “Aim” is the Greek word telos. It describes the goal, the end, termination of a trip or project, or even ultimate fulfillment. This is their original purpose and intent. Let’s face it. Once you get on the road, it’s easy to get off track. There are plenty of distractions. Tourist traps along the interstate trying to suck you in. If you’ve ever made the drive down I-95, you know exactly what I mean. The ticky tacky signs for South of the Border sing their siren song. It just takes one driving diversion to sidetrack you from your schedule and real destination. False teachers have distracted Ephesian believers. Like a GPS on the dashboard, the apostle recalculates the trip. Remember where you’re headed. Remember the aim. 

Their goal is “love” (v5). But he’s not talking about working up a warm fuzzy feeling. This is what the NT describes as agape. Paul’s describing a one-of-a-kind attitude of affection which results in action. It’s a choice to act in a way that is loving and beneficial to another. Agape is all about sacrifice. Agape is all about action. It’s love that does. Love with arms and legs. Love with hands and feet. The apostle paints a spectacular (and convicting!) picture of it in 1 Corinthinans 13. It’s the kind of love Jesus poured out for you and me. He lived the perfect life of obedience to God’s commands when we totally failed. He died the brutal death on a cross that had our names on it. He rose from the graveyard to a glorious new life we don’t deserve. That’s love in action. That’s love that does.

One of Jesus’ enemies try to pull a fast one on the Rabbi/Carpenter. Let’s just be clear on this. You’re fooling yourself if you think you can outfox God. You’ll lose. Every. Single. Time. Anyhoo, this dude asked Christ what he thought was an unanswerable questions. You know the ones. Can God build a wall so high that even He can’t step over it? This goober thought he had the drop on Jesus and asked Him which commandment in the OT is the most important. Our Savior never batted an eye. Love God and love people. When we do that, we’re obeying everything God commanded at the same time (Mt 22:37). The night before His murder, Jesus washed His disciples filthy, stinking feet. When He was done, He told them this is EXACTLY the kind of love in action His followers are to express. “Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (Jn 13:34-35). Jesus’ best buddy John was sitting right there that night. Later he will write, “We love because He first loved us” (1Jn 4:19). Love is the purpose. Love is the goal. Love is the end game.

Paul then tells Tim about the Triple Crown source of this love. It comes “from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (v5). A clean heart. A clear conscience. A legit trust in Jesus. See something that each of the Big 3 has in common?  Purity. They’re all legit. They’re all squeaky clean. Nothing fake. Nothing counterfeit. That’s in huge contrast to the bogus gospel the false teachers have been spreading. Let’s take a quick look at this Trifecta of Love.

Let’s start with a “pure heart” (v5). King David wrote a hit song about how God loves to bless “those who are pure in heart” (Ps 73:1). In the most famous section of His most famous sermon, Jesus says His Father will shower His blessings on the “pure in heart” and allow them to see God (Mt 5:8). In his second letter to Timothy, Paul tells his protege join other worshipers “who call on the Lord from a pure heart” (2Tim 2:22). For the record, Jesus is the ONLY One to have a 100% sin-free clean heart. fThat’s in contrast to the absolutely a jacked up joint inside me. “The heart is deceitful above all things” (Jer 17:9). Yeah, that’s not good. Not good at all! 

The only hope for my rotten heart is receiving treatment from the Great Physician. David knows the only One who can fix is his filthy heart is Yahweh. “Create in me a clean heart, O God” (Ps 51:10). Only God has the surgical skills to pull off a supernatural heart transplant. “And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezek 36:26). Only Jesus when gets involved in my life can I even dream of producing real love for God and others. If you’re wondering, folks with rock hearts don’t have a thimbleful of compassion for anyone other than themselves.

Next up is a “good conscience” (v5). The conscience (Gr. suneidesis) the part of the soul God gives to every person allowing us to distinguish between good and evil. That innate sense of right and wrong. The writer of Hebrews asks his readers to pray for he and his friends “that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things” (Heb 13:18). Paul’s friend and personal pastor Peter says that “having a good conscience” is key when it comes to telling others about our faith in Jesus (1Pet 3:15-16). 

When we have a strong inner sense of moral law, that’s a clear indication there’s a Moral Law Giver. Otherwise, who makes the call on whether doing bad things to puppies and kittens is a bad thing? Who decides whether Hitler’s so-called Final Solution is the wrong answer? Who’s to judge Syria’s president for killing his own people with chemical weapons? Is it you? Is it me? Is that up to the talking heads on CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC? It’s the ultimate Source of our conscience. If you haven’t figure out Who that is at this point, it’s God, the Righteous Judge. Can’t think of anyone else who’s more qualified, can you?

A key component in loving others is “sincere faith” (v5). Paul’s describing a trust in Jesus that’s the real deal. It’s not a put on. It’s not just for show. It’s not just showing up at church in order to pull the wool over the eyes of others. This is a bona fide belief in who Jesus is and what He’s done. It’s trusting in what He’s done that I could never dream of doing for myself. That kind of faith runs in Tim’s family. Paul will later write about how it all started with me-maw. “I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well” (2Tim 1:5). While it’s awesome when faith runs deep in your family, we need to remember that God doesn’t have any grandchildren. Your faith needs to YOUR faith. And it needs to be legit. It needs to be sincere. 

Now it’s time for a little Gospel math. “Pure heart” + “good conscience” + “sincere faith” = sacrificial and selfless “love.” In other words, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. They don’t just add up, they multiply! When you put each of them together, God does something incredible, something supernatural. He pours His love through us and transforms us into fire hydrants of His grace. That’s what happens we get focused back on the main purpose. Once Tim shuts down the sales of spiritual snake oil, the Ephesian believers can get back to what Jesus calls us to do…loving God and loving people.

What’s hijacked you from the main mission? What has weaseled it’s way into your heart and polluted your desires? How about your conscience? Is there something that’s got the warning lights flashing down at quality control? Do you have something you need to get off your chest and confess? And what about your faith? Is it the real deal? Or is it phony? Are just trying to fool folks into thinking you’ve got your stuff in one bag with a twist tie? Don’t freak out. Forget Matt Foley. Jesus is ready and waiting to get you…BACK ON TRACK!

Snake Oil in E City

“As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine” (1Tim 1:3).

Radical problems call for radical measures. A diagnosis of cancer probably means treatment involving chemo, radiation, or even surgery. The driver who suddenly finds himself behind the wheel of skidding car on ice, has to take action NOW! That’s the scene in Ephesus as Paul writes to his buddy Timothy with important instructions about what to do next. The apostle had to leave for his next assignment and handed the reins of leadership of the Ephesian megachurch. Things may be at DEFCON 1 in the congregation, but Tim is to hang tight in E City with some very specific instructions. “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain in Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine” (v3). You see, there are certain situations which demand immediate and drastic action. 

It’s really easy to read these books of the New Testament as pie-in-the-sky theological treatises that have nothing to do with real life. These original churches back in the first century must have been perfect. Everybody gets along. The preaching is pure. The worship is awesome. Yeah, right. These expansion franchises dealt with much of the same garbage your church does today. Paul’s note to Timothy is a perfect example. This is a real letter to a real person in a real place dealing with real problems. It’s a snapshot in time which God has included in His Word that not only describes what they faced in Ephesus but godly instruction on how we roll up our sleeves to fix the same problems 2,000 years later.

Understanding the setting is a pretty big deal. Paul is finally out of Caesar’s Supermax after waiting around five years for a hearing over his role in a riot at the temple in Jerusalem. Dr. Luke spends almost eight chapters in his sequel writing all about the apostle’s legal troubles and how Jesus uses them to spread His message of grace across the Mediterranean to the capital of the Roman Empire (Acts 21:27-28:31). While he’s behind bars, Paul writes a series of letters to various churches helping put out fires in the fellowship. 

The apostle writes one of those epistles to the Ephesian church. There’s false teaching just down the road in Colossae that’s almost certainly headed their way (Col 2:16-23). A team of spiritual hucksters are telling Christ followers that Jesus may have gotten them into God’s kingdom but they have to follow some VERY specific rules in order to stay in. Once he’s released, Paul makes a point of dropping by to see his friends in E City, a cross cultural crossroads and important seaport on the west coast of what is now modern day Turkey. It certainly appears that despite his previous efforts, a doctrinal cancer is growing in the church he planted about ten years ago (Acts 19). So you may want to see 1st Timothy as 2nd Ephesians. The only difference is that Paul and his buddy Tim have had boots on the ground and seen the situation firsthand. It doesn’t take long to find out the Colossian cancer has spread the 100 plus miles to Ephesus.

Right out of the chute we see Paul’s not there. But he gives detailed instructions “as I urged you when I was going to Macedonia” (v3). The apostle has hit the road to handle stuff just across the Aegean Sea in Europe. Jesus used Paul to plant Macedonian churches in Philippi (Acts 16:12-40), Thessalonica (Acts 17:1-9), and Berea (Acts 17:10-15). While the apostle certainly has a ton of friends in Macedonia, he also made an army of enemies. Folks got so ticked off at him that huge riots erupted in each of those cities. He’s not exactly going to kick back for a few days of R&R on a beach chair holding a drink with an umbrella in it. When the Gospel gets ahold of your heart, you’re like a first responder. You run INTO trouble, not away from it.

Paul tells Tim to “remain in Ephesus” (v3). In giving his instructions, he uses the Greek verb prosmeno. It means to hold fast, continue with the current situation, stay, or endure. Throughout the NT, this term doesn’t describe hitting the pause button for a few seconds. We’re talking about endurance and faithfulness. Barnabas did his best to fire up the church in Antioch “to remain faithful (Gr. prosmeno) to the Lord with steadfast purpose” (Acts 11:23). Paul hung tight at the church in Antioch and “stayed (Gr. prosmeno) many days longer” (Acts 18:18). Later in this letter, he tells Tim how a truly godly widow “continues (Gr. prosmeno) in supplications and prayers night and day” (1Tim 5:5). 

Hang in there, Tim. Hold what you’ve got. Stay…just a little bit longer. How about you? Are you thinking of bailing on your current situation? Thinking of pulling the rip cord? Maybe God has placed you in that circumstance to be the one to spread His salt and shine His light during these difficult days. Maybe He’s doesn’t want to deliver you from what you face but deliver you THROUGH it. Hey, I’m not exactly the poster boy of perseverance myself. I’ve punked out when times got tough. But God’s Spirit has also given me the strength in the storm more than once. Maybe, just maybe Jesus wants you to hang in there. Stay…just a little bit longer.

The apostle tells Tim he’s to hang in E City “so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine” (v3). There’s a pretty good chance these are probably the same spiritual hucksters who stirred up trouble down the road in Colossae. Paul tried to inoculate them from this false teaching in his letter from prison to the Ephesians. Clearly this rotten gospel has jacked up these believers in a big way.

Before the apostle hit the road for Macedonia, he tossed Hymenaeus and Alexander out of the church (1Tim 1:20). They were probably the ring leaders of this posse of religious snake oil salesmen who had weaseled their way inside the fellowship. Interestingly, John MacArthur believes these goobers held official leadership positions in the Ephesian church. That may explain why he gives very specific instructions about the qualities and characteristics of elders later in the letter (1Tim 3:1-7) as well as what to do when an elder sins (1Tim 5:19-22). These two knuckleheads may be gone, but their influence remains. 

Paul tells Tim to shut it down right here and right now. He’s to stuff a sock in anyone who would “teach any different doctrine” (v3). This phrase is actually one Greek verb: heterodidaskaleo. It means to teach something other than what should be taught, instruct error as if it was proper, or teach a false doctrine. This word only appears one other time and it happens to be later in this very same letter. “If anyone teaches a different doctrine (Gr. heterodidaskaleo) and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing” (1Tim 6:3-4). These hucksters had duped believers into thinking they had to follow a certain set of rules to ensure their place in God’s family.

Don’t be fooled. There is only ONE Gospel. There is single message of Good News. The only way to have a relationship with God is by trusting in who Jesus and what He’s done for us that we could never do for ourselves. He followed God’s Law perfectly. I’ve failed miserably. He died the death on a cross for my disobedience. I certainly should have. He rose to new life. I absolutely don’t deserve it. He does it all for me and you. There’s absolutely nothing left for us to do to seal the deal of our salvation. It’s the reason Jesus shouted for the world to hear from the cross, “It is finished! (Jn 19:30). Instead of counterfeit not-so-good news, we to place our trust in the “Gospel of the glory of the blessed God” (1Tim 1:11). Accept no substitutes.

False gospel garbage not only stinks up the joint but is incredibly unhealthy for everyone around it. It can’t continue. It needs to be cleaned up and taken to the dump. Here’s an important part of church life that some of us don’t like to talk about. There are critical times when you have to confront folks who are teaching something other than the true Gospel of Jesus. Yeah, we want the church to be a place of love and grace. But in order to get there, evil and wrong must be dealt with. Jesus places pastors and church leaders in the position to protect His flock. When wolves infiltrate and start spreading their stinking thinking, drastic measures are required. They must be confronted. They must be shut down. Radical measures must be taken.

Fakes, Imitations & Cheap Knockoffs

“no devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth” (v14)

My wife and I were walking through the funky, cool neighborhoods of lower Manhattan a few years ago. We love Greenwich Village, Little Italy, and Chinatown. But something surprised us when my wife was looking at purses one tiny shop. The lady behind the counter made her an offer. “We can make it Fendi for you.” What’s she talking about? My lovely bride said, “No, thank you” and we walked out the door. I didn’t have a clue what was going on. Deb let me know that the woman was willing to turn one of the store’s generic purses into a designer bag. Yeah, I’m a little slow on the uptake. For just a few dollars, my wife could have walked out with purse with a Fendi logo. Well, at least one that LOOKED like a Fendi. That was just one of many stores that had to be making a fortune selling fakes, imitations, and cheap knockoffs. 

Here in this letter, Paul tells Titus to shut down a team of false teachers that are peddling a message that sure sounds like the Gospel. It sounds religious. As a matter of fact, it sounds VERY religious. They’re talking about all sorts of Jewish stuff. They sure seem to know what they’re talking about. There’s only one problem. It’s NOT the Gospel. It’s NOT about Jesus. Using a lot of religious mumbo jumbo, these snake oil salesmen aren’t drawing people closer to Christ but farther away. They are selling fakes, imitations, and cheap knockoffs.

One factor that makes any false teacher dangerous is when they seem to know what they are talking about. That’s the case with these Cretan con artists. You see, they’re members of what Paul calls the “circumcision party” (Titus 1:10). They’re Jewish Christians who believe that non-Jews must convert to Judaism before they can even think of following Jesus. This isn't the first time the apostle has run into such crazy talk. It happened in Galatia. Even Paul’s pals Peter and Barnabas got caught up in that mess (Gal 2:7-13). It’s hard for us to wrap our brains around what a huge controversy this was for the new church. Eventually they called a meeting at the home office in Jerusalem to figure out what to do (Acts 15). The leadership team decided that if God was bringing in Gentiles without making them become Jews first, who were they to get in His way.

The false teachers are dazzling these new Cretan Christians with a lot of scriptural hocus pocus. One of the rabbits they pull out of their hat are “Jewish myths and commands of people who turn people from the truth” (v14). They talk at length about stuff that sure sounds churchy and religious. They drop a lot of important sounding theological words. There’s just one little problem. It’s NOT true! It’s NOT God’s Word! And the same thing is still going on today. You’ve heard about this stuff. Kabbalah. The Bible Code. The Daniel Diet. The Search for Noah’s Ark. Folks get caught up in a lot of crap that sure seems religious but actually has very little to do with the Gospel. They’re just fakes, imitations, and cheap knockoffs.

We all need to take a step back and take a long, hard look at what’s being taught. Ultimately, is the message focused on Jesus? Is it telling us who He is and what He’s done? Is it drawing deeper and deeper into a relationship with our Savior? Are we being encouraged to focus on the Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2)? Or are we simply being fed a big pile of religious sounding hooey? Is it all just spiritual smoke and mirrors? Here’s the bottom line, the entire Bible is about Jesus. He’s THE Hero of THE Story. Don’t major in the minors. As Stephen Covey says, “Keep the main thing, the main thing.” And the Main Thing is JESUS! When we spend all of our time looking at the trees with a microscope, we miss the beauty of the forest of the Gospel! Don’t fall for fakes, imitations, and cheap knockoffs.

A Spiritual BOLO

“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand; take care that you are not carried away with the error lawless people and lose your stability” (v17).

“Calling all cars. Calling all cars. Be on the look out for…” The cops call this a BOLO. That’s short for “be on the look out.” It’s the warning to every officer to keep their eyes peeled, usually for bad guys. Known suspects or criminals are in the area. Law enforcement hopes they can spot ’em and stop ’em before they commit another crime and do more damage. As he wraps up his second letter, Peter issues a spiritual BOLO. He sends out one last alert for folks to keep their eyes peeled for a crew of con artists. Don’t fall for their flimflam. Don’t let them knock you off your pins. 

Be on the look out.

The apostle warns his readers because they are very dear to him. For the fourth and final time in this letter, he calls them by his favorite nickname (3:1, 8, 14). “Beloved” (v17). It’s a term of endearment for his deep affection for them. This letter hasn’t shown up addressed to “occupant” or “current resident.” Pete knows these folks. He has a soft spot in his heart for them. Chances are he traveled through this part of Asia Minor at one point and planted churches in places like “Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bythina” (1Pet 1:1). The term also tells us that these are followers of Jesus and loved by God. The Lord loves them so much that He not only rescued them from their own sin but sends them a warning this former fisherman. He saves us because He loves us. He warns us because He loves us.

Be on the look out.

Pete not only warns us but hands us a scouting report for this team of spiritual snake oil salesmen. He spends an entire chapter telling us all about them. Now he wants us to use this intel and keep our heads on a swivel, “knowing this beforehand” (v17). This is the Greek verb proginosko, which means to know in advance or to have foreknowledge. It’s where we get our word “prognostication.” He’s no psychic or palm reader. He can predict the future because it’s already happened to other churches. And he wants us to be warned.

Be on the look out.

Once more, Rocky points to the purpose of this letter. He’s sounding the alarm about a posse of false teachers who infiltrated local churches and destroy them from the inside out with their malignant message (2:1-3). They’re money-grubbers looking to bilk believers for an easy score (2:3, 14-15). They’re viscous sexual predators (2:2, 6-7, 10, 14, 18). The apostle doesn’t want his friends to be caught off. He desperately wants them to know in advance that these con artists are on their way. Pete’s made it clear that the Great Shepherd will defend His flock from these wolves (2:9). 

While Christ will most certainly come to the rescue of His church, we need to know ahead of time that trouble is on the way. We’re suckers for these hucksters if we take the attitude of “what I don’t know can’t hurt me,” we’re in BIG trouble. Two thousand years later, false teachers are still sneaking into local churches and doing damage. If they haven’t hit your doors yet, it’s only a matter of time. Get your head out of the sand. Pete’s given us a scouting report. He’s sent out an ABP. Be ready. Be on your guard. 

Be on the look out. 

So what do we do when these false teachers hit town? “Take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability” (v17). I’m not crazy about the ESV’s use of “take care.” That sounds very passive and wimpy compared to what we’re called to do. The original text uses the Greek verb phulasso. This is the idea guarding closely, protecting, defending with vigilance. Picture an armed guard standing watch at crucial military installation. He wont’ just “take care.” This sentry is on high alert. He’s locked and loaded. He’s more than ready for whatever his attackers have in store.

The apostle also lets us in on the consequences of a spiritual security breech. Our enemy could sweep us away with and cause us to doubt in the very Gospel that Jesus used to save us in the first place. Don’t get “carried away” (v17). Don’t “lose your own stability” (v17). Our foundation gets shaky when we fail to follow Jesus’ commands. “Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and does them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Mt 7:24). False teachers dupe believers into disobedience. When that happens, our foundation begins to crack. If we’re truly followers of Jesus, it doesn’t mean we lose our salvation. But it does mean that we won’t live the overflowing life of goodness that God has for His followers (Jn 10:10). Don’t get carried away. Don’t lose your foundation.

Two thousand years later, this BOLO is still in effect. False teachers are out there. They’re still up to their same old con. Be on guard. Be locked and loaded. Be on the look out.

What in the World is He Talking about?

“as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures” (v16)

Have you ever been talking with folks about a topic when you suddenly realize you’re in WAY over your head? The conversation suddenly headed into the deep end of the pool. You have absolutely no clue about what’s going on. Do you knowingly nod and pretend to understand? Or do you come clean and ask, “What in the wide world of sports are you all talking about?” Well, the Apostle Peter tells the world that some of the stuff that his old pal Paul has written is hard to wrap his brain around. 

Pete loves his old buddy Paul but admits that sometimes he just doesn’t understand what he’s talking about. By the time the former fisherman wrote his sequel, Paul had gone home to the Lord. He says that the letters from his friend can be “hard to understand” (v16). This is the Greek word dusnoetos. It’s a compound term that literally means “hard thinking.” Some of the stuff that comes from Paul’s pen makes Pete’s head hurt. But let’s be clear, Peter doesn’t say he simply blows it off and doesn’t try to figure it out. It’s “hard to understand” but not impossible. Just because you can’t figure out what a certain verse or passage means doesn’t mean you should simply shrug your shoulders and ignore it. Dig deeper. Be a Berean. New believers in the town of Berea heard Paul teach in person. They took what the apostle said in his sermons “with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). Don’t just punt. Be a Berean.

Even Paul apparently knew that his discussions of the Gospel could get a little thick. He asked his friends in Colossae to pray that he “may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak” (Col 4:4). A couple of great reminders here for us. We should all do whatever we can to make the Good News of Jesus clear. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t use big theological words or ideas. We simply need to explain them. We also need to remember that while God handpicks human authors like Peter and Paul, the Holy Spirit is the one really writing every word of Scripture. The Spirit inspires every bit of your Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. Some will say that’s everything from Table of Contents to Maps. Not sure I would go THAT far!

Pete makes it clear that he certainly sees what Paul writes as Scripture. He may have had his issues with the former Pharisee, including a nasty but necessary confrontation back in Antioch (Gal 2:11-14), but Pete admits that God has used his old friend as a human author of His Word. Remember, what we know as the New Testament hasn’t been assemble yet as Pete writes. It’s around 67-68 AD. When the apostle refers to “the other Scriptures” (v16), he’s talking about the Old Testament. That’s the Hebrew Bible or as the Jews still call it, the Torah or Tanakh. 

When folks like Pete and Paul taught, these were the Scriptures they used. They opened the scrolls of the OT and proved that Jesus is the Hero of the entire story.  Jesus Himself said so before His crucifixion (Jn 5:39, 46) and after His resurrection (Lk 24:27). While the OT has some incredible stories about some amazing people, the coming Christ is the point of the ancient pages. And now Peter pulls no punches by letting us know that God has used Paul just as he did heavy hitters like Moses, David, Solomon, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. Paul wrote a huge chunk of the NT. His fingerprints are on thirteen books. How would you like to have THAT on your resume!

Just because you can’t wrap your head around particular passages, don’t let some spiritual huckster use scriptural smoke and mirrors to fool you. Remember that Jesus is the Hero of the Bible. Don’t forget that the core of the Gospel is trusting in who He is and what He’s done. There are folks out there that intentionally misuse and mangle God’s Word. Pete tells us not to fall victim to their biblical hocus pocus. God will handle them. These snake oil salesmen are headed “to their own destruction” (v16). Just because we can’t wrap our brain around something doesn’t mean it’s not true. Be transparent. Don't be afraid to let folks know when you don't have a clue what you're reading in Scripture. Do what Pete does and admit what you don’t know. Let that motivate you discover more about Jesus and dive deeper into Gospel.

Who You Gonna Believe?

“They will say, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation” (v4).

“The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior,” the great theologian Dr. Phil likes to say. Many times, he’s right on target. If you want to know what somebody’s going to do, see what they’ve done before. Well, the false teachers are using the same argument when it comes to Jesus’ second coming. They taunt His followers with the fact that He promised to return but hasn’t showed up. They go so far as to say everything is exactly the same as it was from Day One of creation. “You want proof of what’s going to happen?” they ask sarcastically, “Nothing, because nothing like that has happened before.” It’s true that Christ hasn’t returned. But it’s also true that He promised He would.

So who you gonna believe? 

These false teachers used ridicule and sarcasm to talk smack about the fact that Christ hasn’t come back. “Where is the promise of His coming?” (v4). If Jesus guaranteed to return, why isn’t He here? That’s the 800-pound theological gorilla in the room. If these con artists are right about something, this is it. Look around. Jesus isn’t here. He may have promised to return, but He certainly hasn’t pulled it off yet. According to the false teachers, that means it’s a stone cold, lead pipe lock that He’s NEVER coming back. They use this fact to talks trash to the followers of Jesus. They make turn His promise into a punchline. 

Pete makes it clear that the early church expected Jesus’ big comeback. This idea is a huge theme in lots of Paul’s letters to local churches (1Cor 15:51; 1Th 1:10; 2:19; 4:15-18; 5:1-2). And there’s a huge reason why: Jesus said He was coming back! He personally promised He’s not done yet (Mt 16:27; 24:36-42; Mk 13:34-36; Lk 9:26; 21:34-36). Why should we trust the radical Rabbi/Carpenter on the second coming? I’m so glad you asked. He not only predicted His own death, He told everybody exactly how it would happen. EXACTLY. He also predicted His own resurrection exactly how it would happen. Anyone who can do that, has serious cred. If Christ can make the call on His own death and resurrection, I’m siding with Him on His final comeback. 

So who you gonna believe?

These spiritual hucksters try to sell their message by wrapping it in the Bible. They flip open the OT and talk about “the fathers” (v4). They’re the heavy hitters of the Hebrew Torah. Abraham. Isaac. Jacob. They go back to the beginning of the Jewish faith. It all started when God reached down and handpicked Abraham and his family to be the firehose of blessing for a lost and dying world (Gen 12:2-3). God was faithful to keep His promise to Abe’s boy Isaac (Gen 26:3-5) and grandson Jacob (Gen 28:13-15). This lets us know that these con artists are Jewish. They claim the same spiritual dads. Peter is writing to Jewish followers of Jesus, “who are the elect exiles of the dispersion” living in what we now know as Turkey (1Pet 1:1).

Hey, these guys must not be so bad. They’re just like us. They believe what we believe, right? WRONG! We need to be very careful not to fall for every person who comes our way talking Jesus talk. Just because some smooth talking teacher quotes a few Bible verses, it certainly doesn’t mean they’re part of the family. Don’t forget how the folks in Berea cross checked everything Paul told them. “They received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so” (Acts 17:11). 

Don’t fall for biblical smoke and mirrors. One sure way to do that is to become more and more familiar with God’s Word. Another red flag is the focus of the message you’re hearing. Does it point you to Jesus? Does it point to the Hero of the story? Does it set your eyes on “Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith” (Heb 12:2)? The Son of God said Himself that He’s the focus of every page of Scripture (Jn 5:39). After His resurrection, He led a blockbuster Bible study explaining how He’s THE Point of the story (Lk 24:27). Just because somebody says they follow Jesus and quote a few verses doesn’t mean a flying flip. It could well be part of the con. As the old saying goes, a verse out of context is a pretext for a prooftext. In other words, just because something is in the Bible, it may not have diddly to do with how it’s being used. Be careful. Be very careful.

The false teachers try to use history as a way to talk smack about what Jesus’ followers believe. Ever since Abe and his boys died, it’s same as it ever was. They even have the gall to back even further than that. “All things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation” (v4). They’re teaching that since no worldwide cataclysm has happened before, there’s no reason to expect one this time. The con artists weren’t afraid of any sort of eternal judgment because they didn’t believe  in the idea of a apocalyptic encore and Jesus’ punishment of evil. They get lots of laughs by making Christ and His followers the butt of the joke. There’s just one little problem with their routine. They’re wrong. Things aren’t the same. Things have happened. God flushed the toilet with a worldwide flood (Gen 6:17; 7:17-24). God also did some urban renewal by knocking over the Tower of Babel and creating all the languages of the world (Gen 11:9). And the biggest thing He did was send His Son on the greatest rescue mission the universe has ever seen. Just because you don’t believe in Noah and the flood, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Jesus sure believed it happened (Mt 24:37).

But the biggest evidence against these false teachers is that Jesus came once. Even unbelieving historians agree in the fact that the Roman government executed a homeless Galilean Carpenter for claiming to be a king. The hucksters ask, “Where is the promise of His coming?” (v4). It’s in His first appearance. During His earthly ministry, Jesus predicted His betrayal. Check. He predicted His death. Check. He predicted His resurrection. Check. And He predicted His return. That’s the only thing left on His “to do” list. The con artists make jokes that Jesus hasn’t come back. Our Savior made a promise.

So who you gonna believe?

Spiritual Hokey Pokey

“For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them” (v21).

Moles are the worst. No, not the critters digging around in your flower bed. Yeah, those can be annoying. But I’m talking about secret agents working from the inside to take down their enemies. Infiltrators. Traitors. The threat from the inside is much worse than the outside. They know your secrets. They know your schedules. They know your priorities. They’re in a position to do great damage to governments or corporations. 

The Apostle Peter warns his readers about the threat of moles infiltrating local churches.  A team of false teachers has weaseled they way into the hearts and lives of people following Jesus. And in many ways, it was easy to do. They’ve been here the whole time. They’ve grown up in our churches. They’ve gone to Sunday school. They’ve attended prayer meetings. They’re in our worship services. Shoot, they may even serve as an elder. But there’s one HUGE difference between fellow believers and these moles. They’ve heard the Good News but they’re not following Jesus. To paraphrase the old saying, “You can lead a lost person to the Living Water but you can’t make him drink.” 

The result is not good. Not good at all. Pete tells us that “it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness” (v21) to begin with. But it was right there for them. They were offered the opportunity to take the on ramp onto the Narrow Way. But they made the decision to stay on the broad road. When you’re not on the Right Road, you’re going the wrong way. You can be very close without being on the way of righteousness. It’s like using the access road that follows alongside the interstate. You might be headed in a very similar direction but you’re certainly not on the same stretch of asphalt. It will NOT get you where you want to go.

The false teachers knew where they should go but actually did a u-turn on the Gospel. They “turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them” (v21). The apostle describes this 180 from Jesus with the verb hupostrepho. It means to return, turn away from, go back, abandon, or turn round about. If repentance is turning from our sin and turning to our Savior, then this is the anti-repentance. These moles have spun from their sin, taken a long look at Jesus and spun right back around. Think of it as some kind of spiritual Hokey Pokey. They’ve put their whole self in. They’ve put their whole self out. They’ve put their whole self in and they’ve turned themselves around. In the end, they reject Jesus and His gracious offer of salvation. The false teachers have turned back to where they came from because they had never really left. Matthew Henry writes, “A state of apostasy is worse than a state of ignorance.” And, sadly, that’s NOT what it’s all about.

These con artists are tearing apart the church from the inside (2:1-3). Despite what many believe, the biggest threat to the church aren’t attacks from the outside. The greatest menace comes from inside. That’s exactly what made these false teachers an enormous hazard. Their training in the Bible and theology made them even more dangerous. They’re able to twist Scriptural truth to their advantage. Wasn’t that exactly what the satanic snake did when it whispered into Eve’s ear (Gen 3:1-5)? And worst of all, they set their sites on the weak and vulnerable. “They entice unsteady souls” (2:14). They’re not going after folks following closely after Christ. They look for low hanging fruit.

So what’s the personal application? First of all, it’s a reminder to each and every one of us that we can be all around Jesus and never really know Him. We can hear the Good News but never make it part of our lives. We can pull right up to the turn onto the Right Road and never get on. So very close and so very far away all at the same time. Have we heard just enough about Jesus that we are immune to Him? Second, we need to realize that just because someone goes to our church, that doesn’t guarantee that they’re a member of God’s family. Keeping the message of the Gospel fresh within the walls of the church is vital. We all need Jesus. You. Me. Them. Let’s encourage EVERYONE to grow in their relationship to Christ. Believers will move closer. Unbelievers may meet Him for the first time. Third, let’s keep our radar up for false teachers. Watch out for moles who seem to talking about Jesus but only use churchy talk as a way to tear us apart.

The false teachers have put their whole selves in. They put their whole selves out. The put their whole selves in and turned themselves around. They’ve ant-repented. Sadly, that’s NOT what it’s all about.

Tangled up in "Eww"

“For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first” (v20).

We’ve all heard the stories. Someone who’s apparently beaten addiction falls off the wagon and plummets deeper into the darkness than they’ve ever been before. Maybe it was someone you loved. Shoot, maybe it was you. It’s heartbreaking to know that a person can taste freedom from their demons only to get tangled up again. In many ways, this is worse. They’ve experienced sobriety but have made the choice to return.

The Apostle Peter wants us to know there’s a similar back story for these false teachers who are making the rounds. A posse of spiritual snake oil salesmen are infiltrating local churches and teaching a message that rots these fellowships from the inside out (2:1-3). If it’s not bad enough that they’re out to make a fast buck (2:3, 14-15), these hucksters are also sexual predators (2:10, 13-14, 18). But even worse than that, they’ve heard all about Jesus. They know the Gospel. They’ve heard the Good News. They’ve learned some Bible. However, they’ve chucked any chance at a deep and personal relationship with Christ for a life without Him. “Nah, we’re good,” they say. “That stuff might work for you, but not for us.” Sound familiar? As a result, they’re worse off than they were before hearing about Him.

In the midst of this gut-wrenching story, Pete drops a powerful reminder of just who Jesus is and what He’s done. The Son of God provides us with a way to free ourselves from “the defilements of the world” (v20). Only through Him have we “escaped” (Gr. apopheugo). This Greek word only appears three times in the New Testament and all three of them are right here in Pete’s sequel. Check for yourself (1:4; 2:18). It means to flee from or become safe from danger. The former fisherman opens this note with a spectacular fanfare of the amazing benefits of a relationship with Jesus. One of those is we become teammates “of the divine nature, having escaped (Gr. apopheugo) from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” (1:14). Only our Savior can bust us out of the joint of our own sin.

Our prison reeks. Can’t you smell it? The apostle describes how Jesus frees us from “the defilements” (v20) and uses the word miasma. It means contamination, pollution, or corruption. According to MacArthur the term carries the idea of putrid or poisonous vapors. In the words of those great philosophers and theologians Lynyrd Skynyrd, “Can’t you smell that smell? The smell of death surrounds you.” It’s nasty. It’s noxious. Tangled up in “eww.” The problem is that we’ve been in that stank so long we can’t smell it. 

A personal relationship with our Savior delivers us from all of the slimy stench.  Once again, Pete pleads with us to experience “the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (v20). This is the third time in this letter that the leader of the apostles invites to know the resurrected Rabbi from Nazareth. Only when we know Jesus personally that He multiplies His “grace and peace” in our lives (1:2). Only when we know Jesus personally does He give us everything we’ll ever need for “life and godliness” (1:3). Here’s the deal. Pete wants us to know that the same deep relationship he had with Jesus is available to you and me. 

Don’t fly right by who he says Jesus is. He’s “our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (v20). As our Lord, He’s in charge. Jesus is our Leader. Let’s follow Him and do what He says. As our Savior, He’s our Hero. Jesus left the indescribable comforts of the heavenly palace to go dumpster diving for you and me. He came to our rescue when we couldn’t rescue ourselves. As Christ, He’s God’s long-promised One. Christ is the New Testament equivalent to the Old Testament Messiah. Pete’s reminding us that Jesus is the point of the entire story. The One God promised the satanic snake in the garden would eventually crush his demonic head (Gen 3:15). Leader. Hero. Messiah. That’s the One who has come to save us!

There’s just one problem for the false teachers. They’ve heard all about Jesus but “are again entangled” in the same crap all over again (v20). The filth of the world has once again kicked their tails. They are “overcome” (v20). A closer look at the original text paints a picture of people who are entwined in a massive knot. They’re bound up. The stuff they’re involved in severely restricts what they can do. That makes sense. Earlier Pete describes these hucksters as “slaves of corruption” (2:19). They may promise freedom while at the same time are actually entangled in their own sin.

As the apostle tells us their back story, he warns us of what happens when we don’t have a relationship with Jesus. These false teachers know ABOUT Christ. They know ABOUT the Gospel. They ABOUT the Bible. But they don’t really know our Lord and Savior. You can spend a ton of time in church or around Jesus’ followers without ever truly experiencing salvation. Some folks will talk about “once saved, always saved.” If that’s the case, how can these con artists be worse off than they were before? That’s because a better way to understand the idea of eternal security is through the phrase “IF saved, always saved.” The false teachers were all around Him but never knew Him. They were never saved to start with. Think of it as an inoculation. It was kind of like they had just enough of Jesus to keep from getting Him. 

Do you know Him? I mean REALLY know Him. A relationship with Jesus is more than knowing a bunch of facts about Him. Have you gotten a taste of His amazing rescue? In many ways, this is my story. I was so close to Christ but really didn’t know Him. I was perilously close to being like the addict who successfully completes rehab only to fall deeper down the rat hole of abuse. To paraphrase Bob Dylan, I was tangled up in “eww.” Only then, did I really meet and fall in love with my Savior.

Do you know Him? REALLY know Him? Are you re-snarled in your sin? Is the knot worse than before? Can you smell that smell? The smell of death surrounds you.