Let's begin with 2 Peter chapter number 2 tonight. 2 Peter chapter number 2. We are living in great times of deception. Living in a day where false prophets are abundant and are leading many people astray. And Peter writes here about the marks or the characteristics of false prophets and teachers that that we should not only avoid, but we also should expose for their pernicious, that means their destructive or ruinous ways. How in the world can we discern if someone is exhibiting the traits of a false prophet or a false teacher so that we can avoid them? Well, the main way is to look at what the true source of their message is. Is it the Bible or is it something else? Now you're going to have a real problem if you don't know your Bible. Okay? If you don't know your Bible, you're not going to know if they're speaking the Bible or if they're not. And so it behooves us to study, to show ourselves approved to God. Christ warned that the end times would be full of deception, be marked by false teachers and false Christ, false prophets. Paul warned the same thing. Peter warned the same thing. And let's begin tonight taking a look at 2 Peter 2. verse number 1 through 3 here. And Peter says, but there were false prophets also among the people. What, what people is he talking about here? Well, if you look at the context of the previous chapter, then this is the, the context of it. He is talking about back during the days of the prophets of old. because in chapter number one, he says there in verse number nineteen, well, let's back up to verse number sixteen, chapter number one, verse sixteen, he says, For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. And remember, they, they actually saw the Lord Jesus Christ being transfigured They not only saw that, but they saw the resurrected Lord for 40 days after He arose from the grave, able to interact with Him, touch Him, know that they were not just seeing a spirit. He said, this is my body. They knew that Christ had arisen. He says there in verse 17, it says, for he received from God the Father honor and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard when we were with him in the holy mount, talking about the mount of transfiguration. actually were there, and that voice came from heaven, and their, their, the father put their attention on the son. It, you know, that the, the, the, the majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. But notice what he says in verse 19. He says, we have also a more sure word of prophecy. Okay. You're talking about more sure than what they saw up on the Mount of Transfiguration. We have a more sure word of prophecy, where unto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts, knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Keep on reading. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privilege shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you, whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. You know, it's important for us when we listen to someone to discern whether they are speaking the truth or not. Some folks are prone to use their own human reasoning. We're talking about religious people are prone to do that. and I call your attention to a passage of scripture in, in Mark's gospel chapter number two and just the example of this is a story when Christ healed the man with palsy who was carried by four men and was let down through the roof. Well this is that area of scripture there and the, the scribes sitting there, it says in, look at Mark chapter two, verse number five, and Jesus saw the faith of these four, and saw the faith of this one that was brought to these, and when Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But notice verse six, there were certain of the scribes sitting there, notice this, and reasoning in their hearts. Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only? True. He's God in flesh. They needed to search the scriptures to find out who Christ really was. They should have known, but they didn't recognize him. Proverbs 14 verse 12 and Proverbs 16 verse 25 both say the same thing. It says, there is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Seemeth right. Seemeth right. That's using human reasoning. Well, that just sounds right. That sounds good. I think I'll believe that. No? You better make sure it's backed up by the truth. Some folks use their own human reasoning as their source. Some folks use their religious background and teaching as their source. Look at Mark's chapter number seven. You're at Mark two. Look at Mark seven and we see where the Lord is dealing with the scribes and the Pharisees who are questioning him, questioning Christ about his disciples eating without what the scribes and the Pharisees thought was a proper method of washing their hands. Notice Mark 7 verse 1, together unto him the Pharisees and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say with unwashing hands, they found fault. For the Pharisees and all the Jews, except they washed their hands oft, eat not, notice this, holding the tradition of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, and of tables. We're talking, we're not just talking about wiping the table. We're talking about an elaborate thing that they had to go through, rituals they had to go through in order for it to be determined to be properly cleaned. And here in verse number six, let's look at verse number five. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, why walk not thy disciples according to the word of God? Is that what he said? No. According to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashing hands. answered and said unto them, Well hath Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines, notice this, the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, for well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. For Moses said, Honor thy father and thy mother, and whoso curseth father and mother, let him die the death. But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, A gift by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me, he shall be free. And you shall for him no more to do aught for his father or his mother, making the word of God of none effect through your tradition which ye have delivered, and many such like things do ye." Word of God is primarily important, of primary importance. Some folks use human reasoning, some use their religious background and teaching as their source. This is what I always heard as I was growing up. That's not a good thing. Some folks use extra-biblical sources as their source. Now, extra-biblical means outside of the Bible. We know the Mormons use the Book of Mormon as well as other writings of so-called Mormon prophets. What did Paul have to say? Those things are contrary to the scripture, contrary to the Bible that we preach out of. Paul said in Galatians 1.8, but though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. That's a good verse to share with when you've got some Mormons at your door. One of those is one that's learning, being taught by the other one. Probably don't know anything at all about that scripture right there. We are an angel from heaven. Where did the Book of Mormon come from? It came from an angel. Not angel from heaven, though. Angel Moroni, I guess is what Smith said where it came from. Paul said, if it's contrary to the gospel I preach to you, let him be accursed. I personally have some Seventh-day Adventist family. They use the writings of Ellen G. White. It's sad. because Ellen G. White didn't abide by the Scripture. Jehovah's Witnesses used the writings of their so-called prophets as well as their own false translation of the Bible. Beware of them when you're trying to reason to them from the Scripture, and they'll pull out their Bible and read from their Bible. Don't let them do that to you, because their Bible says a different thing than what your Bible says. Some charismatics use visions and dreams. When I was preaching for nine years, I guess it was nine and a half years, I preached in the prisons up in Middle Tennessee. We had to battle this constantly. Charismatics had gotten in there and got rooted and some of the fellows were deceived by the visions and dreams. I had one fellow back there that wanted, you know, he was sitting in the back and he described something he saw in a vision with me standing up there. I have no doubt that he saw what he saw. But what was the source of it? It wasn't God. You've got to understand, a lot of these guys were on drugs for a long time. Like I said, I have no doubt that he saw something, but what he was seeing was contrary to the Scripture. That's how I knew it wasn't of God. That's what you judge it by. Don't judge it by, well, they, you know, they believe that that happened and they saw that. How can you, how can you say anything against that? Well, if, if, if what is said through that goes contrary to the Word of God, it's false. It's false. Many other false prophets claim that they have received extra-biblical revelation and that the extra-biblical revelation is inspired by God. and should be on the equal plane with the Bible. Don't buy it, because it's not true. The Word of God is what we go by. Deuteronomy 4 and verse number 2 says, You shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall you diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. The Lord warned his people about that. In Proverbs 30, verse 5 and 6 says, Every word of God is pure, He's a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. Add thou not unto His words, lest He reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. Now, I want to share with you tonight, it's not a long message, I guess we'd be spending some time in some scriptures here to look at, but as far as the length of the message, it's not that long. First question, is the Bible the true source of their authority? Look at 2 Timothy chapter number 3 and 2 Timothy chapter number 4. 2 Timothy chapter 3 and 2 Timothy chapter 4. 2 Timothy 3 and verse number 16 and 17 We're familiar, you've heard this passage from me many times. In fact, when Paul was writing here to Timothy, he was warning him of evil men as seducers. Look back in verse number 13, second Timothy 3 verse 13 said, But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them. And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. That's why Scripture is what you can trust. It's a God-breathed book. It says, and it's profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. Well, what do we need? We need the book. We need the word of God. That's what we need. Look at chapter number four, verses two through four here. Paul encouraged Timothy to preach the word. There in verse two. Be instant in season, out of season. Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. Notice this, for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. That's called falling away, or apostasy is what that's called. Time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears, and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, that's apostasy, and shall be turned unto fables. One of the Baptist distinctives, one of the things that makes Baptists a Baptist, is that, and it sets us apart from others, is that we believe the Bible is the final authority for our faith and practice. The final authority. If the Bible says something different than what somebody's telling you, you go with the Bible. That's what you go with. Hebrews 4 verse 12, for the word of God is quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Look at Acts chapter number 17. Acts chapter number 17. Verse number 16. Acts 17. and verse number 16, and here we see where Luke wrote of Paul's encounter at Athens with some philosophers on Mars Hill. Look at verse 16, now, now while Paul waited for them at Athens, he's waiting on his, waiting on Silas and, and Timothy. His spirit was stirred. He's waiting in Athens and what he's looking around him and what does he see? His spirit was stirred in him when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews and with the devout persons and in the market daily with them that met with them. Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoics encountered him, and some said, what will this babbler say? Others, some, he seemed to be a setter forth of strange gods, because he preached unto them Jesus and the resurrection. They took him and brought him unto Aeropagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine whereof thou speakest is. For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears, we would know therefore what these things mean. And verse 21 is a very enlightening parenthesis here. For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear something new. Can I tell you that if you are in that kind of position of wanting to hear something new, somebody will give it to you? It is will. It says in verse 22, then Paul stood in the midst of Mars Hill and said, ye men of Athens, he said, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. That phrase too superstitious means you're more religious than others. He said, for as I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription to the unknown God. In other words, they're afraid they're going to leave a God out. Guess what? They did leave one out. They left the one true God out. He said, whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. The Lord wants us to know who he is. He don't want us worshiping an unknown God. Well, I just don't know who God is, and so I'll just make sure I worship and hope that my worship is successful. Well, it won't be. He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he's a rewarder, them that diligently seek him. Hebrews chapter number 11 there in verse, I think it's verse number six. We ought not to be looking for something new when we hear preaching and teaching. We should be looking to hear sound doctrine. I said this morning, A lot of a pastor's work is telling you things that you know, and encouraging you in that, and keep reminding you. Paul did the same thing. In Philippians 3.1, he told the Philippian believers, he said, Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord, to write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it's safe. Write doctrine, sound doctrine. It keeps you safe. That's what it does. What makes for sound doctrine? Well, does it line up with the Bible? If it does, then it's sound doctrine. If it does not, then it is not. It's just that easy. So we look at the true source of their message, what their message is. Is the Bible the true source of their authority? Second question, do they practice sound principles in their interpretation of the Bible? Now I know we're dealing, and this is one reason why I was hesitant to bring a message because I know we're dealing in the broad spectrum of that on Wednesday night. We've been dealing with this for some time, but I just want to remind you of some things here. 2 Timothy 2.15 says, Studies show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. Understand that the word can be rightly divided. That means it can mean what? it can be wrongly divided too. So make sure you're rightly dividing the word of truth. Several things that will help you to know whether somebody practices sound principles in their interpretation of the Bible. You need to watch out for inaccurate quotations. When a biblical text is referred to but is either not quoted in the way the text appears in the Bible or is wrongly attributed, that's stuff that Satan did. When Satan was with the Lord Jesus Christ there in the wilderness and tempting the Lord, he pulled portions of scripture. but he didn't pull it. He didn't look at the context, and he didn't quote the whole thing, and that's what Satan will do. He'll pull things out of context, and he'll quote what supports his twisted translation there, and that's another thing. Watch out for twisted translation. When the biblical text is retranslated, not in accordance with sound scholarship, whether it be Greek scholarship or Hebrew scholarship, but they retranslate it to fit a preconceived teaching of a cult. One good example of this is Jehovah's Witnesses in their translation of their Bible. is not trustworthy because they retranslate it based upon doctrine, not upon actual scholarship of the original languages. Number three, watch out for a biblical hook. When a text of scripture is quoted primarily as a device to grasp the attention of readers or listeners and then followed by teaching which is so non-biblical that it would appear far more dubious to most people had it not been preceded by a reference to scripture. You can prove just about anything you want to by quoting scripture out of context. You just can. Watch out for the context. That's number four. And we've already dealt with this on Wednesday night. When we first started out, we said, you know, context is primary. Consider the immediate context. The setting where it's at, the secondary context, the whole book, the broad context, where the section of the book is located, what kind of stuff is being dealt with in that particular scripture. topical context. What does the rest of the Bible say about what's being talked about? And consider the doctrinal context. Watch out for the context. Watch out for wrong definitions. You know, cults often use some of the terminology that we have. while they have their own meaning of the terminology, you really have to watch out. When you talk about sanctification, it means something different to you than what it does to them. Justification. You can't talk in those type of terms because they have their own terminology that is not biblical. Watch out. And I'll put it there three times. Watch out, watch out, watch out. Correct Bible interpretation does matter. Here's the third thing and the last thing we want to deal with. Does there message conflict with the whole of Scripture? Remember the supreme rule of proper Bible interpretation. I can't emphasize this enough and this is why I decided to go ahead and talk about it again tonight because it's so important and these days are so deceptive that we live in. Interpret scripture with scripture. Scripture is its own interpreter and its best interpreter. A passage of the Bible should be interpreted by first comparing it with other parts of the Bible. That's one of the reasons why I love the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, is it helps in that comparing Scripture with Scripture. It's really like an expanded center reference in your Bible, Treasure of Scripturology. I'm so glad that it's on the computer now. I don't have to worry with the text that was so small and used Roman numerals. I don't do well with Roman numerals. I had to figure all that stuff out. I can go directly, just click, and boom, I go and can see all these scriptures in all different places. It's a wonderful tool. One of the three tools I always have open whenever I am studying for a message, whether I'm teaching or preaching, I have my concordance, my Greek Hebrew concordance, the Strong's, I have my King James Bible, and I have the Treasure of Scripture Knowledge. Those are the three basic tools that you can learn to use Those three tools, it will enhance your Bible study efforts, I can assure you. Scripture is its own interpreter and its best interpreter. A passage of the Bible should be interpreted by first comparing it with other parts of the Bible And all teaching should be subjected to biblical scrutiny. If somebody's teaching you something, they say, well, don't worry about looking that up. Warning, warning, danger. Remember, lost in space? You better beware. I've had independent fundamental preachers sometimes say some things that put the warning signs out. You just need to listen to me is what you need to do. No, we need to listen to God is what we need to do. We need to listen to God. God speaks to us through His scripture with the aid of the Holy Spirit living within. Amen. Christ said in John 539 to search the scriptures. He's talking to some religious folks here. Search the scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life and they are they which testify of me. Like I said, the scribes and the Pharisees, they were supposed to be people of the book, were supposed to be, they should have been able to recognize the Messiah But they didn't. They didn't. We need to study the Scripture, search the Scripture. We just read there in 2 Peter 1.20 a while ago, knowing this verse that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. A private interpretation can be one in which a Scripture passage is isolated or kept private from and interpreted without any reference to the rest of Scripture. We must compare Scripture with Scripture. Look at 1 Corinthians chapter number 2. 1 Corinthians chapter number 2. Look at what Paul said here. 1 Corinthians 2 and look at verse number 12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God. Talking about the Holy Spirit and believers. The Corinthians, they believed on Christ. They were saved. They had the Holy Spirit just like Paul did. And he said, and we have received the Spirit, which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. In other words, the Holy Spirit is the one that opens the Scripture to our understanding. Verse 13, which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth. comparing spiritual things with spiritual. Make sure you're not going by your own personal reasoning. Use the Spirit of God. Notice verse 14. The natural man, that's talking about the man in his unregenerate state. He's lost. That's a natural man. A natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. A private interpretation can also be one whereby the interpreter himself establishes the meaning of scripture according to his own definition. Private means pertaining to self, that is, one's own self. Just know that if a teaching does not line up with scripture, then it is heresy. That's what it is. It's heresy. Christ linked up, lining up the word of God with being a true disciple. John 8, 31, he said, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. Listen, if you don't continue in the word, how can you follow Christ? You can't. You've got to know the truth if you're going to follow Christ in the right way. Look out for anyone who is at conflict with the truth of Scripture. They're not true disciples of the Lord. They don't have anything that will make you free if they're not in agreement with Scripture. If you haven't believed on the gospel, then this book's not going to open up to you. But if you know the Lord Jesus Christ is your Savior, That is when the book, other than the gospel, the Holy Spirit will take that gospel and enlighten you so that you can get saved so you can understand the rest of it. You'll not understand the other great truths of Scripture until you're first born again and have the Holy Spirit of God living within. If you're saved, you need to get into the Bible. and you need to be in church at every chance that is given for you to get grounded in the scripture. I don't make any apology for saying in this day and time which we live, we record the services, we record pretty much everything we do as far as the teaching and preaching. If you're not here to get it, You need to get it later. Listen to it. I mean, watch it. Watch it. Listen to it. You can watch the video. You can listen to audio. You can even get a copy of my personal sermon notes, Bible study notes, and study it on your own. It's all available. Got no excuse. None. So, why do I do that? There's a lot of guys who will not put their material online. They're afraid somebody's going to steal it. They would rather put it in a book and sell it. I'm about getting folks to know the truth is what I'm about. I'm not about making money. My messages are used by folks who don't have the ability to study like I do. in third world countries. People take my outlines and study them, comparing it with scripture and preach those. I give God the glory. God gave it to me as I have received. Freely I receive, freely I give. That's what I do. But we need to be grounded in the scriptures. Don't be deceived by smooth talking false prophets. and teachers. Don't go looking for something new because somebody will give it to you. Look for that which is tried and true. Look for the Word of God. I know there's some scripture up top there that we didn't take a look at. Let me encourage you to go look at Deuteronomy 13 and 18. It talks about how to how to determine false prophet, and talked about how the prophet that was to come, and I was talking about the Lord Jesus Christ, how he was going to come, that would speak the truth, and would need to be listened to. Well, I hope I've been a help to you tonight. I don't want you to be deceived. Let's pray. Father, we thank you tonight for the truth of Scripture.