False Teachers Are Useless
Notes from Lance Shumake's sermon on Sunday, September 28, 2025.
Sermon text: 2 Peter 2:17-22
False teachers always promise something they can’t deliver:
—boastful, foolish, and empty words
—false sense of freedom
False teachers eventually show their true character
“They remained dogs and pigs inside. They may have washed up on the outside and appeared to be different, but fundamentally they were dogs and pigs. In other words, they were always unclean; they only seemed to have changed.”
—Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude
False teachings today:
Prosperity Gospel
—Name it and claim it
Hyper-Grace
—Easy believism
“Peter’s words remind us that walking the aisle, making a profession of faith, making a decision for Christ, or Christian baptism do not ensure a future destiny in heaven. Perseverance is the mark of genuineness, as Peter taught throughout the letter. Only those who continue to live a life of godliness will receive the reward of eternal life.”—Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude
Universalism
—All roads lead to God
Legalism
—we can earn God’s favor by following rules
Relativism
—truth is subjective and personal
Guarding ourselves against false teachings
–Focus on the gospel
–Know God’s Word
“If we don’t know the Bible, if we don’t know doctrine, if we don’t know theology, it is virtually impossible to identify false prophets.”
—Voddie Baucham
–Obey God’s Word
–Keep trusting Jesus
–Examine yourself often
John 4:13–14
[13] Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, [14] but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Discipleship Questions:
Sermon text: 2 Peter 2:17-22
False teachers always promise something they can’t deliver:
—boastful, foolish, and empty words
—false sense of freedom
False teachers eventually show their true character
“They remained dogs and pigs inside. They may have washed up on the outside and appeared to be different, but fundamentally they were dogs and pigs. In other words, they were always unclean; they only seemed to have changed.”
—Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude
False teachings today:
Prosperity Gospel
—Name it and claim it
Hyper-Grace
—Easy believism
“Peter’s words remind us that walking the aisle, making a profession of faith, making a decision for Christ, or Christian baptism do not ensure a future destiny in heaven. Perseverance is the mark of genuineness, as Peter taught throughout the letter. Only those who continue to live a life of godliness will receive the reward of eternal life.”—Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude
Universalism
—All roads lead to God
Legalism
—we can earn God’s favor by following rules
Relativism
—truth is subjective and personal
Guarding ourselves against false teachings
–Focus on the gospel
–Know God’s Word
“If we don’t know the Bible, if we don’t know doctrine, if we don’t know theology, it is virtually impossible to identify false prophets.”
—Voddie Baucham
–Obey God’s Word
–Keep trusting Jesus
–Examine yourself often
John 4:13–14
[13] Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, [14] but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Discipleship Questions:
- What are some ways you have seen false teachers unable to deliver on promises?
- What are characteristics of people that know the gospel, but are not really Christ followers?
- In what ways have your experienced or been lured by false teaching?
- How have you guarded against or stood firm against false teaching?
- What do you find to be most helpful in guarding against false teaching?
- What role does community play in guarding against false teaching?
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