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“THE VANITY OF RELIGION” 2 Peter 2:17-19 There is a HUGE difference between religion and Christianity. · Christianity is salvation, then the Holy Spirit changing your life to become more “Christ-like”. Christianity is the difference between the lost and the saved.
· Religion, on the other hand, is a miserable expression of self-goodness that ends up in spiritual poverty. Religion is the merging of the lost and the saved! I want us to see the vanity of religion. Religion leads a person, not to heaven, or to a victorious Christian life, but rather it leads back to a person’s own vomit, verse 22.. 1. RELIGION IS BASED ON FALSE PROMISES. verses 17-18 All faith is not valid. There are things that people may have the most sincere faith, but the object of their faith is illegitimate. Therefore their faith is no good. Many people hope in the stock market. They have all the faith in the world, yet if the market collapses, their faith is empty, having no object upon which to rest
A--“WELLS WITHOUT WATER”, verse 17a I know this feeling, a couple of years ago, our well went dry. You will be surprised how much your lifestyle changes without the most basic of human necessities. So many times, Jesus likened salvation to a drink, with the woman at the well, also in John 7:37 · The message of salvation and the gift of the indwelling Spirit of God are likened to water. Yet these false teachers are wells, on the outside looking effective, but on the inside they do not bear the living water that is able to salvage people from their sins!
· In every person there is a thirst for God, and that thirst can only be satisfied through Jesus Christ! How many times do we lead men to the broken cisterns of this world, where their needs can never be met! B--“CLOUDS THAT ARE CARRIED WITH A TEMPEST” verse 17b Have you ever seen the clouds begin to form and almost begin to roll, but then they blow on by, not leaving a drop of rain? Jude 12. Once again the description is given that these preachers and teachers who ignore the Word of God, have nothing better than the world has! C--“TO WHOM THE MIST OF DARKNESS IS RESERVED FOR EVER” verse 17b These teachers and preachers who purposely corrupt the truth of the Word of God are not saved! John 3:34.John 16:13 Exodus 10:21, 22 Any man who can knowingly go contrary to the Word of God without the punishment of God has for himself reserved a place in the mist of darkness! If God can perform this darkness upon earth, then surely he can produce it in a place called Hell!
2. IT IS OFFERED BY FALSE CHRISTIANS. verses 19-20
A-These people are headed for hell, lost without God, and in this state, they have reserved for themselves a place in Hell.
B-These people have never been set at liberty by the Spirit of God. Therefore, they cannot offer that liberty to someone else. When God saves someone, they are made free!
John 8:32, 36 - “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
· Salvation brings with it freedom!
· Religion offers nothing but bondage!
A--“THEY THEMSELVES ARE THE SERVANTS OF CORRUPTION” verse 19
We have seen in 2 Peter already that they are: 1-Servants to money. 2 Peter 2:3
2-Servants to pride. 2 Peter 2:10-12
3-Servants to lust. 2 Peter 2:14 So they are overcome of these sins, how can they then preach deliverance from sin? It is impossible, they know not the way! John 8:34 - “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”
“FOR OF WHOM A MAN IS OVERCOME, OF THE SAME IS HE BROUGHT INTO BONDAGE”
The word “bondage” used here carried the meaning of a “total loss of freedom”. Not just loosing the battle of that particular sin, but I believe the Bible is teaching that when we give in and are overcome of one sin, we open up our lives for every sin!
Just like with local law enforcement, matters not who the arresting officer is, you will end up in the same place! One sin in our lives which gains the mastery of us, will lead us into a bondage to all sins! |