Peter: True or False? - 2 Peter 2:1-4, 17-19

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In doing the work of understanding our relationship with Holy Spirit, we have much to learn from the example of Simon Peter, and the letters he wrote.  

He was our elder brother. One of the first generation of Spirit-filled believers. When he wrote these letters to the church, he had grey in his hair, and laugh-lines at the corners of his eyes: eyes that had also known grief. He had grown in his faith. Become wise. Become strong and humble. He had taken his position as Pastor, caring for the churches, while at the same time being a simple follower of Jesus. Peter stands for us as an example, 2000 years later, of how ordinary believers can rely on Holy Spirit.   

Simon Peter's churches were steeped in their culture: a largely Greek, Hellenistic, Platonic view of the world. Just like we are steeped in our culture. It's easy for us to miss how much of what we do on a Sunday morning is influenced by our culture today, and in years gone by. We, as individuals, function within the worldview of our time and our place. Which is not entirely a bad thing. There are some really good things about the worldview of our culture, as long as we can recognize the overlaps with our faith, and recognize when we need to separate truth from half-truth.  

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Just before our scripture focus, at the end of chapter 1, Peter talks about true prophets. People who: 

...spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21

These were people who opened their sails to the breath of His Spirit: the Spirit of life, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of wisdom.  

The same Holy Spirit that Jesus talks about: 

The Holy Spirit will come in my name and will teach you all things and will remind you of everything that I have told you. John 14:16

Peter is reminding us of something that we already know: that the enemy's most effective tool against truth, against people who want to follow Jesus, follow God, follow Yahweh God in the Old Testament—the enemy's most effective tool against truth is not prison doors. It is not stones and swords. The enemy's most effective tool is half-truth.  

That is the weapon that he used against Eve in the garden of Eden.  

It is the weapon that he tried to use against Jesus in the wilderness.  

It is a weapon that he continues to use today.  

Here are a few examples of teachings we can find online that require discernment. Where we need to pray, “Holy Spirit, give me wisdom to understand. Is this true, or is this half-true?”

Half-truths arise in sermons, blogs, socials posts, memes. They can be very attractive, and appealing, and engaging. But we need to be wise about what we take on board.  

(If I'm stepping on toes here, maybe that's not a bad thing.) 

• As a pastor, I encounter a lot of pastor bloggers, and vloggers. Lots of preachers online. I have heard preachers begin with the verse: 

Obey your leaders and submit to them. Hebrews 13:17

See? The Bible says that I'm the pastor, so I have authority. You should do what I say.  

But the Spirit of truth tells the rest of the story, pointing my heart towards: 

Whoever wants to be great among you will be your servant. Matthew 20:26 

The full truth is servant-leadership. 

• As a believer, just doing my best to follow Jesus from one day to the next, I encounter things like somebody posting a TikTok video about: 

Do not judge, or you will be judged. Matthew 7:1

See? The Bible says, ‘you can't tell me what to do. You should not be judging me. I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and I only have to listen to Him.’ Which sounds good. It fits with my culture's worldview. “I am enough.” 

But the Spirit of truth tells the rest of the story.  

If one of you in your family goes off the rails, bring them back with a Spirit of gentleness... Carry each other's burdens.. In this way fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6 various 

The full truth is that I am not enough. I'm not supposed to be trying to be enough.  

• Another half-truth: 

Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? 1 Corinthians 6:2

See? The Bible says that Christians should be in charge. We know what's right, we know what's wrong, and if people would listen to us, we wouldn't be having a lot of these problems. Which sounds good. It fits with the idea of meritocracy. It fits with the idea of ‘one nation under God.’  

But the Spirit of truth tells the rest of the story. 

(First of all, there's our own history as the Church. We know what impact political power can have on the Church. I am not a fan.) 

Rather, the Spirit calls us to account, and says, ‘you are burying the lede. The greatest commandment is not ‘take charge.’ The greatest commandment is not ‘wield power over people for their own good.’ The greatest commandment is not ‘use charisma and persuasion to get your own way.’’  

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a ringing gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1

 Holy Spirit, Spirit of truth, will remind us of Jesus' teaching: 

Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘love your neighbour as yourself.’  Matthew 22:37-39 

And of the ancient principle: 

When a foreigner resides with you in your land, you must not oppress them. You must treat the foreigner living among you as native-born and love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God. Leviticus 19:33-34 (see also Hebrews 13:2, Matthew 25:38-40) 

Holy Spirit will remind us that it's not our job to be in charge. It's our job to be salt and light where God places us in our communities.  

• One more: 

Ask and it will be given to you. Matthew 7:7

See? The Bible says Jesus wants me to be rich, and that verse proves it. So I'm going to name it. I'm going to claim it. And I am going to keep it. Buy my book, and you can too. Which sounds good. We want to be prosperous. We want to have enough. We want to care for our families. We want to provide for the people who come after us. But if you take it too far, it just becomes (as some have said) ‘greed with a Jesus mascot.’  

Because Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth, tells the rest of the story. No, we're not commanded to be poor. We're not commanded to be homeless and unsheltered. But neither did Jesus have a 1965 cherry red Mustang convertible (my own personal covetousness). Neither did Jesus have a $6 million mortgage.  

Holy Spirit-inspired scripture—New Testament and Old Testament—tells us if you have more than you need, don't just buy a bigger safe with a better lock. If God has been good to you, if God has blessed you materially, then hold it long enough to share it well. Yes, provide for your family. Yes, prepare for your future, but share well.  

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“Rapture Watch 2025” is a half-truth.  

Yes, Jesus has promised that He will return. We, the Church, look forward to that. One day we are going to see him, and it is going to be amazing.  

The rest of the story is that we're not supposed to know when. Holy Spirit-inspired scripture (again, Old Testament and New Testament) encourages us to live our lives well, to live our lives joyously. Make friends, love our family, plant gardens, follow Jesus, dance at the wedding, play Need For Speed.  

But while you're living that life, cherish every moment. Redeem every moment like it's your last... because it might be.  

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False teaching can come from without. It can also come from within, when we try to convince ourselves of things that we wish were true, things that we want to be true.  

We have to keep coming back. Back to Holy Spirit wisdom, asking for His discernment, His insight into what is true, and what is half-true.  

We have to keep coming back to our community of believers because we learn together. We learn from each other, and we unlearn together the things that we need to let go of.  

We need to keep coming back to the Bible. The whole text. Not just half a verse here and there taken out of context, but the whole picture of what God is doing, and where the glory goes... to Christ.  

We have to keep coming back to basics, being reminded of what we already know, discerning what is true and what is not.  

So that if someone says, “I had a dream, and Jesus says...” then we have the tools with which to measure, to weigh, to illuminate, and to understand whether it is true... or false. 

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