2 Peter 2:10-16 New International Version (NIV)
10 This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh[a] and despise authority. Bold and arrogant, they are not afraid to heap abuse on celestial beings; 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not heap abuse on such beings when bringing judgment on them from[b] the Lord. 12 But these people blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like unreasoning animals, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like animals they too will perish. 13 They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.[c] 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer,[d] who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—an animal without speech—who spoke with a human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
Thurs. December 17
Sin is not only immorality. Sin is anything that separates you from God. Ultimately, Sin is belief in something other than God. Many Christians are confused about different religious groups that claim to be Christian, such as the Mormons. The founder of the Mormon church, Joseph Smith, claimed to see a vision of God and then was supposedly led by an angel to a hole in the ground where he found “new” scriptures on tablets of gold. Now, the Mormon church claims that their current president is a “living prophet” who receives ongoing revelations from God. That prophet has more power and authority than the Bible, which was written by eye-witnesses of Jesus like Peter. Peter walked with Jesus, talked with Jesus, denied Jesus, was forgiven by Jesus, saw Jesus die on the cross and then rise again. He was not sharing “new” or “amazing” teaching. He “witnessed” or “confessed” that faith in Jesus Christ alone saves. Nothing else. When Peter describes “false teachers” he is talking about anyone who would “entice unsteady souls” in a direction other than faith in Jesus. There is nothing “new” that needs to be added. We do not need “living prophets” to know who Jesus is or what he has done for us.