ELDER DIRKES ON FALSE TEACHERS 1...

[ed. This article was taken from brother Tom Adam's website and republished here.]

Question on 2 Peter 2:1

Hello Elder Chet,

Will you please give me your thoughts on 2 Peter 2:1. We know that it cannot mean that these “False teachers,” have been “bought” by the Blood of our precious Lord. One commentator said, it has to do with being reminded by Peter that the former Israelites were delivered out of the bondage of Egypt, by the Father, and does not refer to the redemption by the Lord Jesus at all. That the believers Peter was writing to, were mainly Jewish converts.

Please let me know what you think when you get time.

Thank you, In Hope of LIFE,
March 9, 2010

Thank you for your inquiry. I shall attempt to give what I have upon this question but I readily acknowledge I am not sufficient. May the Spirit guide and teach.

The context of this verse begins with Peters addressing the skeptics and critics. “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty”. Whatever was being circulated by the enemies of the truth was directed at the credibility of the account. This is a direct reference, since it comes from the Jewish community, to the word of a prophet; for if a man give a word of prophecy and it does not come to pass he is to be stoned to death as a false prophet. Several years had passed since the ascension of Jesus and the events of Pentecost and just like today, people were looking for an earthly kingdom. What shall be the sign of your coming is what the disciples asked the Lord referring to His coming in His Kingdom. The skeptics were accusing the brethren of following a false prophet since the word of prophecy had not come to pass, (or should it be better said that they did not see the signs and wonders in the heavens?).

“We have a more sure Word of prophesy unto which ye do well to take heed....Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.”

Scripture answers scripture and the truth of the scripture is the revelation of Jesus Christ which is the Spirit of Prophecy. No one has the right to try to give any interpretation of any prophesy but that it comes from the proof of the scriptures. This was the M.O. of the Pharisees as they incorporated the traditions of the elders and opinions the Rabbi as valid translations and interpretation for the scriptures. Not that they invented such a thing, Eve did it in the garden as she was directed to not rely solely upon the Word of God when she said that God said we shall not eat thereof NOR TOUCH IT. God did not say that! Throughout the ages, “An appalling and horrible thing is committed in the land, the prophets prophesy falsely and the priest bear rule by their own means and my people (national Israel) love it so; and what will ye do in the end of it?” (Jer. 5:30).

So we have two manner of people; one being ‘holy men of God’ who speak the truth being taught by the Spirit and the other who speak falsely, like their father the Devil. Just as in the type of Israel unto whom God gave the pattern of truth and Holiness there arose false teachers that would break up the family rather than attend to the righteousness of the judgment of the law, so today there are false teachers who bring in destructive opinions to break the body and care nothing for the sheep of the fold. These have no regard for the master with whom they have to deal and would even seek to denounce and deny His very existence. The fool has said in his heart, there is no God. The phrase that is translated, “denying the Lord that bought them” is better understood as, “denying the master with whom they do business”. Jesus spoke a number of parables about the evil and wicked servants and their dealings with their master, who say in their heart, “My lord delayeth his coming”.

God had raised these false teachers up to a place of prominence and respect and rather than being the shepherds of the flock they became the lords over them (Ezek. 34) and when in the fullness of time, the hand of God brings them out He also enacts His swift judgment upon them. Not that it is swift to us, even David asked, Why do the wicked prosper? But it is swift in that it is exact, decisive and thorough and none can stay His hand. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of an angry, jealous and living God.

These false teachers are with the church even today and shall be until the last child who became a partaker of the earthen vessel is removed into final glory. They speak great swelling words, having a form of godliness and are ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the truth and the carnal man loves them. They invent systematic theologies and fanciful theologies such as ‘Trinitarianism’, ‘dispensationalism’, ‘soteriology’, ‘lapsarianisms’, ‘Zionism’ and ‘millenialisms’ to name a few. They draw many after them and cast aspersions against the little flock of two or three huddled together. But they like the Pharisees have their reward and when they stand before the throne they indeed shall say, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not preach thy word, cast out devil and heal the sick. Yet He will say, ‘depart from Me you workers of iniquity, I never knew you’. They call themselves by the name of the Lord but they are not of the general assembly of the CALLED OUT ASSEMBLY of the First Born.

Lest we take liberties where they are not afforded and stand like the Pharisee before the Publican, to thank God that I am not like one of these, I readily attest that were it not by the grace of God and by His Spirit, I should be just as one of these.

Your servant in Christ,
chet

March 9, 2010