False teachers

November 21, 2008 (20th at home)

Yesterday we found our way to our granddaughter’s workplace, met her director, some fellow teachers, and some students. We played word games with the class and enjoyed the energy of 9-11 year-olds learning how to speak English. Then to our surprise, the director handed our granddaughter his credit card and told her to take us and one of the other teachers out for a “nice” dinner. We did have a nice dinner with these two delightful young women who laughed and teased one another as if they had been friends forever, not a mere three months.

Today’s devotional reading has little if no relationship to our experiences yesterday, but it does relate to another family member. I have a brother who belongs to a cult, and the reading is from 2 Peter, a section about false teachers. It says:

The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the njust under punishment for the Day of Judgment, and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. (2 Peter 2:9-11)

To understand this passage, some definitions are required. According to my study Bible, the word ‘temptations’ can also mean ‘an attack with intent to destroy.’ In this context, it refers to severe divine judgment. God’s plan is to rescue or deliver the godly before His severe judgment falls on the wicked. While theologians disagree how He will do that, the pattern began early in the Old Testament. God delivered Noah before He destroyed the wicked with the flood. God also rescued Lot out of Sodom and Gomorrah before He destroyed the people in those wicked cities.

This passage also says that the unjust or wicked are kept also, but not from judgment but for it. They are like prisoners waiting for the execution of their sentence against them, a condemnation that will send them to an eternal prison where they will be separated from God forever.

These wicked people are those that live according to the desires of their flesh. They also hate authority, having decided that no one, including Almighty God, is going to tell them what to do. They are their own authority and they presume to be authorities on everything.

They also speak evil of dignitaries. This word probably refers to wicked angels in this context. The attitude of these wicked false teachers is casual, even flippant, toward Satan and his demons. While to speak well of these demonic beings isn’t a good idea, the Bible makes it clear that they are powerful beings that no one should take lightly. By their arrogance toward them, false teachers reveal how far their arrogance is lifted up. They have no respect for good or even evil authorities.

This point is illustrated by the last verse. Peter says even the holy angels are so reverent toward the Lord that they will not speak against Satan or demons, but call on the Lord to do so. In other words, Christians should never mock or command the power of supernatural spirits, including Satan.

This brings me to the daily question: how is this practical for my life? The first thing I think of is how do I relate to my brother? Apart from the doctrine that he teaches, he is not a wild and evil person in the way he lives. He loves his wife and family and is generous and helpful to others. Most people would be impressed with him. Yet God says he is condemned. This is hard to think about and accept.

However, I don’t really know his heart, or what he does when I am not around. There are clues. He does mock Christian teaching. On one occasion he said that Jesus actually deceived His disciples, so he mocks the One who is called the Truth. He speaks evil of government and civil authorities too.

I fear for his soul. Is anyone beyond the redemptive power of God? I don’t think so, but at the same time, I realized that unless God is merciful, this brother of mine is condemned. He is condemned by his rejection of Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of his life. He is condemned by his decision to earn his salvation according to the dictates of the cult to which he belongs. He is also condemned by his attitude toward authority.

I don’t pray for him every day, but often. I’ve tried to talk to him, but of course anyone who takes a position of authority is despised, so can only ask him questions and hope that he also will wonder about those same things.

Most of the time I trust the Lord to do right in his life, but after reading this verse, whatever the Lord may do is not very pleasant. Hating evil is one thing, but applying verses like these to someone who is close is neither an easy nor a welcome task.