Aug. 16, 2026

“WATCH OUT”

“WARNING, WATCH OUT, BEWARE OF COUNTERFEITS”

                                          2 PETER 2:1-9

Satan is the “great imitator.”

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. 15Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.”

Jeremiah 6:14 “They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace.”

The apostles and prophets laid the foundation for the church and then passed from the scene 

Ephesians 2:20 “Having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.” 

*Three Aspects About False Teachers:

1.  The False Teachers Described- 2 Peter 2:1-3

*Deception- 2 Peter 2:1

2 Peter 2:1 “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.”

"destructive heresies” vs.1- The word heresy originally meant simply to make a choice, but then it came to mean a sect ,a party.

Galatians 5:20 “idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies.”

In verse 3 false teachers used "deceptive words". The greek word is plastos, from which we get our English word plastic.

*Denial- 2 Peter 2:1  "Denying the Lord”

*Sensuality- 1 Peter 2:2

1 Peter 2:2 “And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed.”

"destructive ways" simply means licentious conduct, the ways of immorality.

Jeremiah 23:14 “Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem: They commit adultery and walk in lies; They also strengthen the hands of evildoers, So that no one turns back from his wickedness. All of them are like Sodom to Me, And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.”

*Greed- 2 Peter 2:3

2 Peter 2:3 “By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.”

1 Thessalonians 2:5 “For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness—God is witness.”

Micah describe these false prophets in his day. 

Micah 3:11 “Her heads judge for a bribe, Her priests teach for pay,
And her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the Lord, and say, “Is not the Lord among us? No harm can come upon us.”

2.  The False Teachers Destroyed- 2 Pet. 2:3-6,9

Judgment was sure, it will come, no matter how secure the sinner might feel. He used to three examples to verify this truth:

*The Fallen Angels- 2 Peter 2:4 

2 Peter 2:4 “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment.”

Revelation 12:4 “His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth, to devour her Child as soon as it was born.”

Revelation 12:9 “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”

Where are these fallen angels now?

*The Old World- 2 Peter 2:5

2 Peter 2:5 “And did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly.”

Genesis 6:3 indicates that God waited 120 years before He sent the flood. All during that time Noah ministered as a "herald" of Gods righteousness.

Hebrew 11:7 “By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”

Luke 17:26-27 “And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: 27They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.”

2 Peter 3:3 “knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts.”

*Sodom and Gomorrah- 2 Peter 2:6

2 Peter 2:6 “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly.”

Peter applies this lesson to the false teachers. The false teachers may seem successful, but in the end they will be condemned.

3.  The True Believers Delivered- 2 Peter 2:5-9

*Noah- 2 Peter 2:5

2 Peter 2:5 “and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly.”

*Lot- 2 Peter 2:6-8

2 Peter 2:6-8 “And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8(for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)”

The Lord is using both Noah and Lot to warn us to be prepared for His return. (Luke 17:26-37)

1 Peter 3:14 “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.”

1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.”