C.A.C SUNDAY SCHOOL MANUAL FOR JUNE 19, 2022 UNIT THREE, LESSON ELEVEN : TOPIC – GUARD AGAINST MISREPRESENTING GOD’S WORD (2 Peter 3:1-18)
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CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH WORLDWIDE
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
THEME: GROW IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF OUR LORD
JANUARY – JUNE, 2022
UNIT THREE: GROWING IN THE GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST
JUNE 19, 2022
LESSON ELEVEN : GUARD YOURSELF FROM ERROR AND DESTRUCTION
DIVISION II.
GUARD AGAINST MISREPRESENTING GOD’S WORD (2 Peter 3:1-18)
The best tool in the hands of false teachers and prophets is misrepresentation, which is to describe something in a false way, especially in order to deceive. False gospellers give fake and misleading information about the Person of Christ to redirect, arrest and captivate their minds. The Bible says, “Come out from among them and be separated” (2 Cor. 6:17).
A. AVOID MISREPRESENTING SCRIPTURES (vv. 1-16)
Knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts (v.3).
i. vv. 1-3: Apostle Peter warned the 1st century believers against the advantage (cf. Psa. 56:5), and eventual disaster, having rejected God’s knowledge (cf. Acts 20:29ff; Jude 4).
ii. vv. 4-9: They scoffed primarily about Christ’s personality and purpose. They challenged truths, such as the promise of His coming. We shouldn’t be burdened about such; it is a sign of the end-time (1 Tim. 4:1ff).
iii. vv. 1-2: The best way to be on guard against such false gospellers is to be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and the Apostle of the Lord.
iv. To be mindful, here, is to be actively, or deliberately keeping something in mind. It is to be watchful, i.e. to think about (NCV), recall (NIV), the words the holy prophets and Apostles spoke, i.e. what God’s prophets said would happen (CEV).
v. v.5: …(NCV), means that they deliberately suppress this fact (NET); they are deliberately ignoring one fact (GWT). This analysis point to the fact that the scoffers deliberately misrepresent God’s Word. They try to give natural meaning to supernatural events, and conclude wrongly.
vi. vv. 15,16: Of course, there are some things hard to understand in the Scriptures. Yet, we must take God’s Word by faith (1 Cor. 16:13; 2 Cor. 5:7; Heb. 11:6), as it is infinite and inexhaustible. We must do everything to avoid misrepresenting the Word. “Do not be too familiar”. The word is new everyday and every morning.
vii. Don’t think you know all about God or His Word. Instead of deceiving people and dragging them into error, why not stop where the Bible stops for now, until we get to heaven where all things shall be absolutely clear and open to us? (cf. 1 Pet. 1:4; 1:4; 1 Jn. 3:2).
B. ALIGN NOT WITH ERROR (vv. 17-18)
You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked (v.17).
i. It is no longer news that error has crept in unnoticed in the body of Christ (Jude 4). However, the invasion by these miscreants and subversion against such.
ii. v.17a: Since you know this beforehand. Knowledge is power. Knowing the truth is the key to silence error/falsehood (Jn. 8:31ff). Knowing beforehand that false gospellers (scoffers) are here on the rise should make us less vulnerable to falling into their errors. This coupled with sound knowledge of God’s Word helps to tackle them. Remember Jesus (Matt. 4:1-11).
iii. v.17b: Beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness. Let us constantly guard our hearts against their errors (Prov. 4:23; Rom. 12:2), lest we are lured into them (Lk. 21:36; 2 Tim. 4:5ff). Test all spirits before they deceive you into believing errors (1 Jn. 4:1-4). Never be unsuspecting of their wiles, lest you are easily swept away (2 Cor. 2:11).
iv. v.18: The prior knowledge implied by v.17a, earlier discussed, means that we must be wholly committed to growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The more of Him we know (cf. Phil. 3:9ff), the more of His grace we have to combat these errors (cf. Eph. 6:10,11).
v. Your daily intake of God’s Word, correctly, would determine how well you are prepared to tackle errors in our society and churches (cf. 1 Pet. 3:15,16). The more versed we are in the truth of God’s Word, the more we can rightly and appropriately divide it, to combat error (2 Tim. 2:15).
vi. Do you have the right materials, time and discipline to build up your own spiritual house? Remember, those who think they stand must watch else, they fall (1 Cor. 10:12). Wholly align yourself with, and be found in Him to the end (Phil. 3:9).
LESSON DERIVED
1. There are people deliberately misrepresenting God’s Word to fulfill Satan’s agenda of worldwide deceit. Resist them in the Lord!
2. Never Join the false gospellers. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The more of God you know, the less vulnerable you become.
QUESTIONS
1. How prevalent are scoffers in this generation?
2. In spite of the cry against false gospellers in churches and the media, why are people still falling for their baits, losing their first love for Christ? Any way out?
SUGGESTED ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
ANSWER TO QUESTION 1:
i. According to Webster dictionary, the word prevalent means accepted, done, or happening often, over a large area at a particular time; dominant, widespread.
ii. The Bible says, “In the latter days, perilous times shall come…” (1 Tim. 4:1-2; 2 Tim. 3:1-5). Now it is here.
iii. Falsehood has entered the Church, and gospel ministers are being recruited, and altar being desecrated daily.
iv. They have taken the music industry, where youths are in their numbers.
v. Messages on the pulpit are being sieved to meet the carnal needs of the people than their spiritual needs.
vi. The Word of God is gradually being pushed aside; the result we see in the low turnout at Bible studies, Sunday school classes and other Christian educational fora.
vii. If we are praying, we may not be praying right.
ANSWER TO QUESTION 2:
* The rate at which false gospellers perpetrate their nefarious, iniquitous activities is on the increase, even in the face of Church and media counterattacks.
* The dog that will be lost will not hear the hunter’s whistle.
* For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pieced themselves through with many sorrows (1 Tim. 6:10, KJV).
* Are people born again truly as they claim? Some came to the Church for material. Things.
* Many are in Church but not in Christ, and so know not that ungodly and illegal treasures will soon perish.
* The spirit of Balaam is here with us (Num. 22; Rev. 2:14)
* Many Christians lack the Spirit of sensitivity, Holy Spirit, thinking they stand, but are not.
* Are we in love with the Word of God?
* It is the effect of the lust of the flesh, remember, the body profits nothing (Jn. 6:63).
Way Out
i. Intensifying awareness about the importance and indispensability of the Word of God.
ii. Intensifying attention on heaven and the shortness of life, no matter how long.
iii intensifying awareness about the importance of the Holy Spirit, holy living and exhibition of fruits of the Spirit.
iv. Intensifying awareness about the importance of love against lust amongst God’s people.
v. Intensifying the understanding of the fact that the reward of every action, good or bad, is how and in eternity.
LIFE APPLICATION
Your growth depends on your nutrition. Whether you will have stunted or rapid growth depends on what nutrition you commit to. Experts have traced the causes of some abnormalities in children such as conjoining brain cancer, swollen stomach, swollen head, etc. to nutritional deficiency. As it is in the physical, so it is in the spiritual. Some have incurred infections diseases due to what they consume while some others die because of poisonous foods. If you want to live the fullness of your potentials in life, you must watch out for quality meals of the Spirit. It is a pity that some who are once on the path of righteousness and truth are drifting away into falsehood and ungodliness, and some are dead by now. Some are sick spiritually because they ate poison. A child of God must examine critically what messages he listens to, where he goes, and whom he associates with in order to hold on to the truth he already received. Leaders must eat well and good so they can give others the right and quality Word of God. You will not die on the way in Jesus’ name.
CONCLUSION
Many people, including many Christians, live as though this life will not cease and the reason they fall into error if they can get some relieve, succour or situation to the problem of their lives. But man must know that he is adding sorrow upon sorrow the moment he forsakes the truth of God’s Word for falsehood, especially for the perishables of this world. Anything outside God is like committing suicide. Be sensitive, be warned, and be ready for the glorious call!
DEVOTIONAL BIBLE READINGS FOR WEEK 2
Mon. 20: You Must Fight The Good Fight (1 Tim. 1:18-20)
Tue. 21: You Must Avoid Heresies (Rom. 16:17,18)
Wed. 22: You Mustn’t Learn Or Teach Heresies (1 Tim. 1:3,4)
Thur. 23: You Mustn’t Tolerate False Gospels (Gal. 1:8,9)
Fri. 24: You Mustn’t Fall For False Prophets (Matt. 24:23-28)
Sat. 25: You Mustn’t Perish With The Devil (Rev. 20:7-10)