Peter begins his second epistle by establishing the need for spiritual growth (sanctification) which is based in the sufficiency and inspiration of Scripture rather than personal experiences, feelings, or beliefs. Upon that foundation for faith and practice, the aged apostle begins describing the character and doctrines of false teachers. Israel was plagued with false prophets and Christian churches will be plagued by false teachers; implying that prophets and prophecy were no longer elements of the Church.

SERMON SUMMARY NOTES:

Satan seldom approaches with temptation or false doctrine as the Lord of Darkness (Gen 3:1; 2 Cor 11:3-4, 13-15). He is much more subtle and deceptive than that (Gen 3:1; 2 Cor 11:3).
Satan doesn’t come offering a packaged blatant lie smelling of rottenness and oozing with evil. He brings us a lie wrapped in a pleasing bright-colored package topped with an attractive shiny bow on top. The last place he’s expected to be at work is the local church, but that’s his primary sphere of influence (Acts 20:29-31). He already controls the world and unbelievers (2 Tim 2:26; 1 Jn 5:19), but the assembly of believers is ripe territory for deception (1 Pet 5:8-9). He works to deceive believers because he knows that it is pure, true doctrine that converts sinners and grows saints.

I. Prophets (2 Pet 2:1). The Bible was given to us by God through holy men (2 Pet 1:21). These prophets spoke and wrote as they were inspired or moved by the Holy Spirit. But (2 Pet 2:1) at the same time there were false prophets moved either by the desires and motives of their own hearts and minds (Jer 14:14; 23:16; Acts 17:11) or by demons (I Ki 22:6, 19-23; 1 Tim 4:1). Truth is essential in the life of believers and God has never tolerated false prophets (Is 9:15; Mic 3:5-7; Mt 7:15-20; 1 Tim 6:3-5; 2 Tim 3:1-9; 1 Jn 4:1-3; 2 Jn 7-11), nor should we.
Israel’s history was ripe with true and false prophets (pseudoprophetes) claiming to speak for God (1 Ki 22:1-28; Jer 5:30-31; Ezek 13:1-7, 15-19). Since the time of Moses, Israel waited the coming of a final prophet who would speak with God face-to-face as Moses had done. Jesus is that promised final Prophet (Deut 18:15, 17-19; Acts 3:22-23).
A genuine prophet’s interest was always the glory of God and the godliness of God’s people; while false prophets cared about neither. Peter doesn’t linger on false prophets, but turns his attention to the dangers of false teachers in the church (pseudodidaskalos). His transition reveals two foundational points in the church 30 years after the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus: (1) The ministry of the prophet had come to a close in the church (Heb 1:1-2); and (2) the primary ministry in the local church was Bible teaching (1 Tim 1:3, 10; 2:7, 12; 3:2; 4:1, 6, 11" class="scriptRef">11, 13; 5:17; 6:2, 1, 2, 3; 2 Tim 1:11; 2:2, 24, 25; 3:10, 16; 4:2, 3; Tit 1:9, 11; 2:1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 15, ; 3:10).

II. Prophets in the Early Church. In the early church, the ministry of prophets was common (Acts 11:27-28; 21:10-11; Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 12:10, 28-29; 13:9; 14:1-6, 24, 29-40; Eph 4:11). These prophets spoke on behalf of God, judged the accuracy of one another’s prophecies, and even foretold future events (1 Cor 14:29-33). They, along with the apostles, laid the doctrinal foundation of the church (Eph 2:20; 3:5). When Scripture was completed, the need for apostles, prophets, and prophecy ceased (Heb 1:1-3). The Bible is the foundation for the Church, and once the foundation was finished, foundation-layers were unnecessary; the Church needed teachers to build on the existing foundation through the gift and ministry of teaching.

III. Teachers. The term teacher (didasko) refers to one who imparts information for understanding and application that affects and changes the heart, mind, will, and lifestyle of the student (Neh 8:1-13).
The pastor must be a Bible teacher (Eph 4:11; 1 Tim 3:2; Tit 1:9). He is a guardian of truth and warrior against doctrinal lies in the local church; while false teachers lay doctrinal and moral waste to the church from within.
False teachers always know the truth, but deliberately distort, change, withhold, or add to it. There are others, who teach falsehood from ignorance. Apollos is one such example who had an incomplete and faulty knowledge of Jesus and the Christian walk (6" class="scriptRef">Acts 18:24-26). He was taken aside from preaching by a husband and wife, corrected and taught. False teachers must be silenced; ignorant preachers must stop their ministry until they’re taught doctrine (1 Tim 3:2, 6; Tit 1:9).