2 Peter 2-3; 1 John 1

2 Peter 2

Just as false prophets arose in Israel, false teachers will arise in the church.

They will:

• Secretly bring in destructive heresies.
• Deny the Master who bought them.
• Exploit people with false words.
• Lead many astray.

Their judgment and destruction will happen.  

Peter gives three Old Testament examples.

1.Fallen Angels

• God did not spare the angels who sinned.
• He cast them into hell

2.Noah

• God judged the world with the flood.
• God preserved Noah and 7 others 

3.Sodom and Gomorrah

• God destroyed the cities.
• God rescued Lot.

The Lord knows how:

• to rescue the godly
• to keep the unrighteous for judgment

 Character of False Teachers

• Bold
• Do not tremble/ Arrogant
• Ignorant
• Blots and blemishes
• Full of sin/ Immoral
• Greedy

Like Balaam, they love gain from wrongdoing.

False teachers are compared to:

• Waterless springs
• Mists driven by storms

They promise freedom while being slaves of sin.

• Proverbs26:11 : “The dog returns to its own vomit.”
• Secular proverb: “The sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” 

2 Peter 3

Peter reminds believers to remember:

• The Old Testament prophets
• The apostles’ teaching

In the last days people will mock: “Where is the promise of his coming?”

Peter says they deliberately ignore:

• Creation
  • “the earth was formed out of water and through water”
  • “that the heavens existed long ago”
• The Flood
  • “the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished”

Just as God judged the world before, He will judge it again.

• But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.

“With the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”

• Psalm 90:4
• God experiences time differently than we do.

God:

• Is patient
• Is merciful – not wishing anyone to perish
• desires people to repent.

The Day of the Lord will come like a thief (unexpectedly) 

• The present heavens and earth will burn and dissolve. 

Since this world is temporary, believers should live in holiness and godliness. 

We look forward to: “New heavens and a new earth.”

• Isaiah 65:17, 66:22
• And later Revelation 

Peter encourages believers to:

• Be diligent
• Be found without blemish
• Be at peace
• Guard against false teachers
• Be stable 
• Grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus 

Paul’s Letters

Peter refers to Paul the Apostle and recognizes that:

• Some of Paul’s writings are difficult to understand.
• The ignorant distort them.
• Paul’s letters belong alongside “the other Scriptures,”
  • one of the earliest indications that New Testament writings were recognized as Scripture! 

“But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

1 John 1

Background: 

The author is traditionally understood to be John the Apostle (style of writing)

Date: AD 85-95. It was likely written after the Gospel of John and before Revelation.

Place : Perhaps Ephesusas John likely ministered there during his later years.

Recipients: a network of churches in Asia Minor.

The Word of Life

• God is the beginning
• God came to earth, experienced by the apostles
  • God made human

John writes so that:

• His readers may have fellowship with the apostles.
• Their fellowship may be with the Father and the Son.
• Their joy may be complete.

“God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.”

• If someone claims fellowship with God while living in darkness,their profession is false.

“The blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

John gives three statements:

• False Claim #1:” We have no sin.”
• False Claim #2: “We have not sinned.”
• The Proper Response:“If we confess our sins…”
  • He will forgive
  • God is faithful and just

Application

We are called to be on guard against false teachers. Be on your guard as the Day of the Lord is coming and there will be judgment. God is true to His Word, even when His timing is not ours.  We have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, but God provides forgiveness to those who confess.