Jim Osman examines one of the Old Testament's most troubling figures: Balaam, the prophet for hire who tried to curse God's people for money. Though God spoke through him, Balaam was driven by greed and immorality, making him the perfect example of the false teachers Peter warns against. This message walks through Numbers 22-24, answering questions about why God used such a wicked man and what it reveals about false prophets today. Balaam's motives exposed his heart—he loved the wages of unrighteousness and deliberately departed from the right way. His morals led him to scheme against Israel through sexual immorality and idolatry when his curses failed. His madness shows the insanity of pursuing money and sin at the expense of eternal well-being. The talking donkey is the least confusing part of the story. The real issue is how someone can speak truth while living a lie, and what that teaches us about marking and avoiding false teachers whose hearts are trained in greed. If you have Christ and nothing else, you're richer than the wealthiest false teacher.

Jim Osman continues his examination of false teachers in 2 Peter 2, focusing on their perversions and moral corruption. Opening with a sobering account of the Mike Bickle scandal and how charismatic leaders failed to discern his true character despite decades of abuse, Osman demonstrates why Peter's warnings remain urgent for today's church. He exposes three defining characteristics of false teachers: they are shameless in their debauchery, sensual in their unrestrained lust, and seductive in how they bait unstable souls. Osman explains how these teachers have eyes full of adultery and hearts trained in greed—applying the same discipline to their wickedness that athletes apply to their sport. He reveals how false teachers exploit people's desires for prosperity, sexual license, and spiritual pride to lure them into destructive heresies. The message includes a passionate call for believers to apply diligence in pursuing holiness and grounding themselves in truth, so they won't become easy marks for those who promise freedom while enslaving others in corruption. Osman shows that when false teachers fall into sexual scandal, it shouldn't surprise us—Peter warned us this is their nature and their consistent pattern throughout church history.

Jim Osman returns to 2 Peter 2 with a hard-hitting examination of false teachers and their defining characteristics. In verses 10-13, Peter paints a vivid portrait of those who infiltrate the church with destructive heresies, and Osman carefully unpacks what makes these teachers so dangerous. The passage reveals three striking indicators of their pride: they are insolent in their blasphemy of spiritual beings, irrational like animals driven by instinct, and ignorant of the very subjects they claim to master. Osman draws sobering parallels to modern movements within evangelicalism—from female preachers who defy biblical teaching roles to charismatic "demon slayers" who mock spiritual authorities with reckless presumption. He explains why even holy angels refuse to revile fallen demons, yet these false teachers rush in where angels fear to tread. The message includes practical guidance on identifying these teachers by their specific behaviors and attitudes, showing how Scripture equips believers to mark and avoid those who would lead them astray. Osman's exposition demonstrates that false teachers are not difficult to spot when measured against Peter's clear biblical criteria.