December 2, 2012
SOVEREIGN GRACE BAPTIST
CHURCH
LOCATION
Rocky Hill Firehouse, 2nd
Floor
150 Washington Street
Rocky Hill, New Jersey, 08553
Clay Curtis, pastor
Telephone: 615-513-4464
Schedule of Services
Sunday 10: 15 AM Bible Class
Sunday 11:00 AM Morning Service
Thursday 7: 30 PM Midweek Service
Order of service, announcements, etc, are in
attachment. All articles in the bulletin
are by the pastor unless otherwise noted.
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“My trust is not in the
donkey or the elephant but in the Lamb!”—copied
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There
is no good in this life but what is mingled with some evil; honors perplex,
riches disquiet, and pleasures ruin health. But in heaven we shall find
blessings in their purity, without any ingredient to embitter, with everything
to sweeten them.
John
Bunyan
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FRUITS AND MOTIVE OF FALSE TEACHERS
2 Peter 2: 1-10
All false teachers will either deny or diminish the truth that God in Christ
is Just and the Justifier of his elect people and at the same time exalt the
sinner in some way. True teaching declares
always: ruined by the fall, the successful redemption accomplished by Christ
Jesus the GodMan who laid down his life for his sheep (Is 42: 4; Jn 10: 15; Heb
9: 12, 26; 10: 14) and the necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:
3-8; 6: 63). True teaching declares: “Thy God reigneth
and all flesh is grass.” (Is 40: 6; 52: 7)
This text gives us some of the fruits and the end of false teachers.
A Large Following
Many shall follow false teachers. (Mt 7: 13-14; Rev 13: 3; 2 Tim 4: 3-4) We live in a day when many are religious. Man is religious by nature. It is not difficult for false teachers to
attract a following. Preachers listen
for what men want them to preach and oblige.
Always test what we hear by the scriptures.
Evil Ways
In verse ten we are told false teachers walk in the lust of
uncleanness. If a man’s cleanness came
by him washing himself rather than having been washed by the blood of Christ in
regeneration of the Holy Spirit then the man will live his life for his flesh
rather than God.
False teachers despise
government. When the doctrine is that
man has power to allow God to save him they give the church power over God, the
bride power over the Husband, the child over the Father. They speak great swelling words about church
government but exercise power over men as lords refusing to submit to the LORD
of heaven and earth.
False teachers are presumptuous. Where
there is no fear of God, men presume that hearing the preaching of the gospel and
the fellowship of the saints is not important. They presume they were saved by
an act of their will now they can get on with their lives.
False teachers are self-willed. When a man preaches salvation by man’s will
rather than the will of God the life is marked by pride. There will be continual boasting of their
great success in converting sinners as if they are adding to the church daily
such as should be saved rather than Christ our Head.
False teachers are not afraid to
speak evil of dignities. Where God is
not ruling the heart men speak flippantly of God, of Christ and of the powers
that God has ordained in the church, in the home and in civil government. (Rom
13: 1)
Brethren, God
does not save his child to continue in sinful ways but he turns us into Christ
the Way from our sin. We are yet
sinners; men will say evil things about us.
Yet, in all our conduct strive to follow after godliness, walking by
faith, in love and patience and meekness.
We do not want the way of truth to be evil spoken of. (2 Pet 2: 2)
Covetous
Hearts
The souls of
men are a way to enrich self to false teachers.
Men even think they have enriched themselves so that they can come to
God. Brethren, give YOU to Christ. True
preachers would rather see you present seeking Christ and your money absent
than your money present and you absent. God’s preachers are to be supported and
they are thankful for that support. But true
preachers will gladly decrease that the gospel might continue with you that you
might increase through the riches of Christ.
This is the heart God gives his servants, “I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the
children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children.
15: And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more
abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” (2 Cor 12: 14-15)
The End of False Teachers and Their Followers
The
end will be destruction and damnation by the judgment of God. God did not spare the angels that sinned or
the old world before the flood or Sodom and Gomorrah. God is reserving the unjust
unto the Day of Judgment. (Pro 16: 4) These
words make the true servant of God hit his face in reverence and sober-mindedness.
The Lord Knows How to Deliver the Godly
We are comforted in that God saved Noah and Lot. Though evil abound as false teachers
increase, though many go after them and the way of truth be evil spoken of, the
word of God is not bound! Our God has a people chosen by him who he has made
just by the precious blood of his Son. God
is able to bring the truth to his child like he did to Noah and Lot. God is
able to make his word effectual in their heart.
God is able to deliver his own and keep them from falling. It is impossible for the elect of God to be
deceived and impossible for one of God’s sheep to be lost, God will not allow
it! (John 10: 27-29)