2 Peter 2:2 Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
I was reading a news story this morning about the fall of another influential pastor in Australia. He did not keep the door closed on his own desires and longings, and those desires and longing led to their inappropriate conduct. After the discovery and investigation, they left their position at the church. If this were the first time an influential Christian leader had fallen, I would just say it was an outlier, that this was the exception.
But we know of others who have likewise fallen, leaving scores disillusioned in the faith. The moment overtook them and then they followed up on the moment of weakness with many other chosen moments. And because of the insular nature of pastoring large churches, they were able to continue the behavior for years.
Two things pop up for me as I read our text today. While our text is specifically addressing false teachers of Peter’s day, an age very different from our own, the human heart has not changed. These same issues rise up today.
One of the issues that often doesn’t get addressed is the differing standards of the world’s conduct and the holy life the LORD calls us to live. It is acceptable, at least to some degree, if stock brokers, lawyers, politicians, doctors or corporate executives engage in this behavior, as long as it is kept secret and doesn’t affect the bottom line. If people don’t care about the behavior, they are free to engage in it, or at least that is the party line answer.
But we are not ruled by the standards of this world. There are things in which Christians just should not be engaged. Some things are out of bounds. Not so with non-Christians, although there are still things that are out of bounds, if they affect the bottom line or bring negative publicity to the organization.
But Christians are called to a very different standard. Our conduct affects not only our own lives, but our conduct can reflect poorly on Christ Himself. This connection to Jesus and His reputation is what moves depraved conduct into another category of behavior. What we do says something about who Jesus is to us, and ultimately who Jesus is and does.
The false teachers that Peter rebukes in these verse in this letter preached that certain behaviors weren’t actually sin. Their minds had become so corrupted that what was evil was now labeled good. And even non-Christians can see the hypocrisy in this, and they choose not to explore the Christian faith any more.
Our conduct can turn people on to Jesus or drive them away for the Truth. One of the big areas where leaders get into trouble is in greed. Greed is easy to spot if you are looking for it. Everyone, just about, can spot greed, so greed can become the achilles heal for many leaders.
Conduct does matter. Believing and professing is not enough. Our beliefs get displayed to the world by what we do. And this is why being a pastor is such a difficult task. They and their families are in the spotlight 24/7. And everyone messes up occasionally. And when you are the leader, your mess up gets seen and magnified.
Bet even as a non-leader, if we claim the claims of Christ for our own, then what we do matters, not just for eternity, but for here and now. Our conduct matters. We can’t let greed, or any other sin, sidetrack us from living a life of holiness before the LORD.
The Arnold Journey 