2 Peter 2:15-19 FALSE TEACHERS ARE LIKE SPRINGS WITHOUT WATER

Passage :

2 Peter 2: 15-19

15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey--a beast without speech--who spoke with a man's voice and restrained the prophet's madness. 17 These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity--for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.

Truths:

1. False Prophets are like Balaam , who knew God and his commands, yet his love for money over powered him.

2. God used a donkey to stop Balaam's wicked ways.

3.The False Preachers may look like springs and a comfort but they do not have a source of water. Doom awaits them.

4 They lead astray, with their lustful talks, the new believers who have just  been saved and was escaping from those who live in error.

5. They teach about freedom to the believers and lead them into sinful desires.

6. The Teachers who speak of this freedom are themselves slaves to their own selfish and sinful desires.

Application : 

 Whenever I am exposed to a preaching or teaching, I have to be careful to understand the characteristic of the words spoken. I have to make sure that I am not being misled. I cannot do this on my own but can do it only by comparing it with the Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to interpret to me.The preachers may speak about current blessings and happiness but in the long run we might be misled from the right track. The believers are easily misled only because they are not rooted in the word. We need to meditate on the word and understand what God speaks to us. Here in the example the donkey was used to open Balaam's eyes. In this way, when we are being misled, God gives us opportunities to turn back but if we overlook this and again be misled then we too are going into doom along with the preachers who misled us.

Prayer:

Abba Father, Thank you Lord for speaking to me through the scriptures and making me understand that there are a lot of teachings which can lead us to the wrong path. I seek your guidance to judge the correctness of what I hear and go back to your word in case of doubts. Help me to meditate on the word regularly and be deeply rooted in it. I pray for all the believers around me and especially for the new believers to be guarded of these kind of wrong teachings. Thank you Lord for your mercies.

In Jesus' precious name I pray

Amen