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The Book of
2nd Peter: Message Fifteen
By Dr. Michael Guido, D.D.
"You do so much
good in our community," gushed one of the Ladies' Aid to the
minister's wife, "that I think there ought to be a special
place in heaven for minister's wives." "That's kind
of you to say so," murmured
the woman modestly, "but I prefer to go with my husband."
"What," say you, "not all preachers and prophets will
go to heaven?" No, not all; and the apostle Peter tells us why.
Mark the wrongdoing. It's written
in 2nd Peter 2:1, "But there were false prophets
also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among
you, who secretly shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the
Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift
destruction." Have we any clue as to where these false teachers
come from? Three inspired writers inform us that they're from
"within." "Well," you ask, "how did they
get in?" They "wormed their way in," answers the
Bible. No, they don't admit that they're false teachers, but they
are. You know that wolves in wolves' clothing wouldn't succeed, but
wolves in sheep's clothing would. And what do they teach?
Destructive heresies. What's that? Perversion of the truth; such as,
putting the church in the place of Christ, depending on reformation
for salvation instead of regeneration, expounding theories instead
of the truth, advocating culture instead of conversion, promoting
sociability instead of spirituality, preaching benevolence instead
of the blood. Some years ago, after conducting an evangelistic
meeting in Kentucky, I boarded a train for the West Coast. Suddenly
we experienced a tremendous jar, for there was a head on collision.
Our engineer was pinned under his overturned engine. Just before the
fireman leaped to safety, it was reported that he heard the engineer
say, "I was given the wrong orders." Unsaved men and women
will stand before the Great White Throne Judgment, and they'll point
to the false teachers, and then to their doom, saying, "I was
given the wrong orders."
Mark the reasons. Why do they
teach that which is wrong? They're out for gold, not God; ambition,
not the Almighty; cheers, not Christ; fame, not faith. It's written
in 2nd Peter 2:3, "through covetousness shall they
with feigned words make merchandise of you." That means that in
their greed they'll do anything, and they'll tell you anything just
to get hold of your money. They'll tell you the tales that you want
to hear, not the truth that you need to hear. To them the ministry
is a means for making money. They present a religion of convenience,
not of conviction. No longer is preaching a calling to them, it's a
career. They've changed their churches from a soul-stirring pond of
salvation into a scum-covered pond of stagnation, from a force to a
farce, from an army to a nursery, from a remover of mountains to a
roller of marbles. In speaking of these false teachers, Dr. W. B.
Riley asked, "What would you think of a man who deliberately
took the foundation from beneath your house and removed the last
stone, and when you tried to reason with him, said, 'But see the
beauty of the paint, it's untouched; and see the shapeliness of the
ornaments, it's undisturbed. Count your untouched blessings and be
content. And if you still feel that you've been injured, wait until
the spring time, and I'll sow flower seeds at your front door.' What
would you think of the man who first killed your child, and then
afterwards sought to please you by offering a pretty coffin? The
time has come," he adds, "to part company with
infidels!"
Mark the results. What of the
false teachers who say they love Christ, but who loathe Him, who
ridicule the blood atonement instead of revering it, who deny the
Virgin Birth instead of declaring it, who belie the Bible instead of
believing it? They'll be destroyed. All who deny the Lord will be
denied by the Lord, and thus they'll bring their destruction upon
themselves.
Mark the reasoning. Some years
ago, as night approached, a missionary, making his way up the Congo
River, was looking for a place to tie up his boat for the night. He
knew there were cannibals in that area, and he was very careful. As
he was skirting the shore he heard voices. He stopped to listen, and
he heard:
"All hail the power of Jesus'
Name, let angels prostrate fall;
Bring forth the royal diadem and
crown Him Lord of all."
Instantly he turned his boat to
the shore whence the singing came. He knew he could land there in
safety and that he'd find sweet and happy fellowship. Why? They
loved the Lord that he loved, and they were honoring the Christ of
God, the Savior of the world. No place is a safe landing where
Christ isn't loved and lauded.
copyright 2000 Guido
Evangelistic Association
All Scripture
verses are quoted from the New King James Version..
Click here to go to the next Scripture Study on the book of Second
Peter from the Sower.
This series of
messages on the Books of the Bible were originally
written for broadcast on Dr. Guido's radio program,
"The Sower." They are collected and
reprinted here for your enjoyment and spiritual
edification.
