March 18, 2023: 2 Peter 2:3 - By Covetousness they will Exploit
“By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” - 2 Peter 2:3
“Covetous” is defined by dictionary.com as “inordinately or wrongly desirous of wealth or possessions; greedy.” What does the Bible tell us about the qualities of those who are shepherds, overseers, teachers and leaders of the flock? First, the apostle Paul made it very clear about men and women’s roles in the church:
“I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting; in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works. Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” (1 Timothy 2:8-14)
Paul then wrote in 1 Timothy 3:1-7:
“This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop [overseer], he desires a good work. A bishop then must be:
Blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach;
Not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle not quarrelsome, not covetous;
One who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?);
Not a novice [not a new convert], lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”
In Titus 1:7, Paul wrote:
“For a bishop [overseer] must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.”
Paul also wrote in the book of Acts as he spoke to the elders of the church:
“For I have not shunned [avoided] to declare to you the whole counsel of God. 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. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears. So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or apparel. Yes, you yourselves know that these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those who were with me. I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:27-35)
How many pastors, leaders of the church are adhering to what the Bible says are the qualities required of those who lead the church of God? In today’s world we have read time and time again of megachurch leaders owning massive homes, and sometimes more than one, airplanes, and dressing in expensive clothing, as they feed off those who attend their churches not to hear the message of salvation of God and the whole counsel of God but to be told that “Good things are coming for them” and “God wants them to be rich.” Oh, how far have we fallen and are continuing to fall. How many are storing up their treasures here on earth instead of heaven? The apostles Peter and Paul warned us this would happen, and so did Jesus. Thus, we must be very discerning to whom we choose to listen, even in the churches, and especially in the churches.
In 2 Peter 2:4-11, Peter describes the destruction of these false teachers if they continue in their ways, and I will discuss that in the new several daily devotionals. Needless to say, not only are the deceiving those who listen to them, they are deceiving themselves, to their own peril.
Jesus is the model, He is the good shepherd. He is the One any pastor should desire to be like, to imitate, but sadly, many are imitators of the world, of Hollywood. Those who follow the world are hirelings and are not following Jesus, the true Shepherd, but Satan, the thief. Let us heed Jesus’ words about them:
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.” (Jesus Christ; John 10:10-14) ✝️