But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.”

even denying

“Denying” is a term of disdain. False teachers say “no” to the One who paid for their sins. They refuse His payment for sin. They, in effect, renounce the cross of Christ.

Jude 4, “For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

These false teachers developed negative thinking toward God when they first encountered exposure to the Bible. This negative volition draws religion into their souls. People who are suckers for religion are people on negative volition toward God’s Word. This is cosmos diabolicus (the devil’s cosmology).

1 Ti 4:1, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.”

If you want to get a reputable doctor’s blood to boil, talk to him about phony doctors who jeopardize people’s health.

the Lord who bought them,

The word “Lord” here means Master, the absolute Lord. This term refers to the deity of Christ. These false teachers deny the deity of Christ. These religious leaders repudiate Jesus as God Almighty. They also deny Him a place in the Trinity.

These heretics denied both the person (“Lord” – Master) and the work of Christ (“bought” – paid for our sins on the cross). Their heresy was two-fold: First, they denied Jesus as Lord God Almighty. Secondly, they rejected the fact Jesus’ suffering on the cross was sufficient payment for sin. Thus, these false prophets and teachers were unbelievers, for they rejected the essential way of salvation.

The word “bought” means redeem. “Bought” connotes to purchase out of a slave market and refers to Jesus’ unlimited atonement for our sins (Mk 10:45; Ga 3:13; Re 5:9). There seems to be a conflict in some minds that if Jesus paid for the sins of these heretics, why are they not Christians if Jesus paid for their sins? Did they lose their salvation? John teaches that the moment a person believes, they enter into eternal life, not temporal life.

Jn 5:24, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

The obvious meaning is that Jesus paid for their sins in principle, but they never exercised faith in the finished work of Christ. This passage teaches that Jesus died for everyone, not just the “elect” (1 Ti. 2:6; He. 2:9; 1 Jn 2:2).

PRINCIPLE:

Jesus suffered all that is necessary to suffer for our sins.

APPLICATION:

Jesus has done it all. He paid for all our sins comprehensively.

It is our sin that recommends us to Jesus. Jesus is our only hope. From God’s viewpoint, there can be no neutrality toward His death for our sins.

Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Ac 20:28, “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”

Ga 3:13, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’).”

1 Ti 2:6, “Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”

Have you placed your trust in the death of Christ for your sins? Why not do it now?