Ego – the sin of the church

Peter doesn’t hold back from those who teach heresy. They are heretics. They are not saved.

I watched a reel yesterday of a Lutheran Church service in America who recited a ‘sparkle creed’ to “worship a non-binary God, whose pronouns are plural”. “I believe in Jesus Christ their child” it continued in the most bizarre of ways. Hersey within the Church has always existed. It didn’t stop after Peter’s generation. It is here in 2023 seen in a variety of ways through creeds and practices. Peter didn’t mince his words ….

“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, revelling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 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,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.” (2 Peter 2 v 13-16)

So Peter’s criticism of the heretics was that the church were being led astray from within by teaching which was seducing and enticing them away from Jesus into idolatry (things we look to in order to find God, peace and satisfaction).

Churches/Christians may not be cursed today but they can be corrupted easily enough. The battle is that of their ego. I want. I deserve. I need. It is just this moment of fantasy. I should look after myself. Yet it is not leading towards Jesus but away.

It is worth reading Numbers 22-24 as I have done this morning but this is Balaam’s error – his ego:

1. Balaam’s ego was boosted when King Balak sent messengers to ask him to curse Israel. Be careful who comes to you because of your ability to fix things, they can leave you needing to be fixed.
2. Balaam’s ego ventured into his prayer life as he tried twice to get God to change His mind so that he could benefit from this opportunity. The focal point of prayer is to do His will not ours.
3. Balaam’s ego showed Balak that idolatry was the enticement for Israel’s downfall. (Rev 2:14) Idolatry is still here today. Consume food but don’t let food consume you. Sex doesn’t define you nor should it saturate your life. Use money, save money, give money but don’t love money. To love these or other things is to sept into idolatry.
4. Balaam’s ego led others astray from God (in v15 “left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer,who loved the wages of wickedness”). Do you ever wonder how the world got to where it is today? Balaam’s teaching!
5. Balaam’s ego is an easy permissiveness which says God has set you free so live how you want. God is good so there is no judgment. God is love so there is no hell.

In Churches around the world today there are strange gospels being preached and taught. It stems from ego. It is the sin of Balaam. It shouldn’t be in the Church nor the lives of Christians. It is but we need to call it out.