2Peter 2:1
The theme of the book is BE PREPARED.
I. \\#2Peter 1:1-21\\ Christian Character
A. \\#2Peter 1:1-2\\ Salutation
B. \\#2Peter 1:3-11\\ Growth in Christ
C. \\#2Peter 1:12-15\\ Goals of Peter
D. \\#2Peter 1:16-21\\ Grounds of Belief
II. \\#2Peter 2:1-22\\ Condemnation of False Teachers - It was Peter’s desire
to prepare his readers for whatever the world and Satan would throw at
them. Such a preparation would require instruction about false teachers.
A. \\#2Peter 2:1\\ Danger of False Teachers
B. \\#2Peter 2:2-3\\ Deception of False Teachers
C. \\#2Peter 2:3-9\\ Destruction of False Teachers
D. \\#2Peter 2:10-22\\ Description of False Teachers
II. \\#2Peter 2:1-22\\ Condemnation of False Teachers
A. \\#2Peter 2:1\\ Danger of False Teachers
1. "false prophets… false teachers" - As the Old Testament is littered
with those who pretended to be God’s prophets, so the church will
be plagued with false teachers.
2. These false teachers shall effect the church in various ways.
a. They "privily shall bring in damnable heresies."
(1) "privily… bring in" - Means they will secretly bring their
false doctrine into the church.
(2) "damnable" - Means destructive.
(3) "heresies" - Means a sect or fraction.
(4) Heresies are groups who hold to man-devised doctrines which
destroy the people. Usually the word heresy is reserved
for a false teaching that alters the gospel to the place
where following it would damn the soul.
b. They "deny the Lord that bought them." These false teachers have
been purchased by the blood of Jesus the same as the saved.
Their curse is that they have not applied the payment.
c. They "bring upon themselves swift destruction." Peter makes a
point of emphasizing that judgment will come upon these false
teachers soon \\#2Peter 2:3\\. This emphasis would indicate
that God will shorten the lives of these false teachers,
hastening their damnation.
B. \\#2Peter 2:2-3\\ Deception of False Teachers
1. \\#2\\ "Many shall follow" - Sadly, many will be deceived by these
false teachers.
2. "the way of truth shall be evil spoken of" - And since anything related
to Jesus Christ is considered Christian (no matter how far removed
from the Biblical Jesus), these cults will damage the testimony of
the true gospel.
3. \\#3\\ "through covetousness shall they… make merchandise of you"
These false teachers shall use lust and desire to make a profit off
of God’s people. This will be one of Peter’s main points in
discussing false teachers.
C. \\#2Peter 2:3-9\\ Destruction of False Teachers
1. \\#2Peter 2:3\\ "whose judgment… lingereth not" - Peter again
emphasizes the SOON coming judgment of the false teachers
\\#2Peter 2:1\\.
2. \\#2Peter 2:4-6\\ Peter gives examples of those whom God has judged
in the past to illustrate how SEVERE God’s judgment can be. This
list is very similar to Jude’s \\#Jude 5-7\\.
Jude 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how
that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward
destroyed them that believed not.
6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own
habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the
judgment of the great day.
7 Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving
themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for
an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
a. \\#4\\ "the angels that sinned" - These are the angels that Jude
says "kept not their estate" \\#Jude 6\\.
(1) Revelation describes what many believe to be the origin of
demons.
Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red
dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to
the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered,
for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
(2) Satan is the great red dragon and this passage is thought to
describe how Satan took 1/3 of the angels with him in his
fall. It is supposed that these fallen angels became demons.
(3) "God spared not… but cast them down to hell" - Peter says
that God has judged the fallen angels by casting them into
hell ("tartaros" - the only time this Greek word is used
in the Bible). The Jews used this word to describe the
lowest, worst part of hell.
(4) "delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto
judgment" - Jude makes almost the same statement, " he hath
reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the
judgment of the great day" \\#Jude 6\\.
(5) These verses make it sound like these fallen angels are
already cast into hell, chained away until a great day of
judgment comes. If that is the case, this would not be a
reference to the demons the Bible describes as roaming the
earth and afflicting human kind \\#Matt 4:24, 8:16\\.
(6) There are several possibilities:
(a) Some believe the demons, although condemned to hell, are
not altogether bound there, but still have some freedom
to roam the dark places of this world, afflicting
humans while they do. Several demons indicated that
their torment had not yet begun:
Matthew 8:29 And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee,
Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?
Mark 1:24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of
Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of
God.
Mark 5:7 And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee,
Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me
not.
(b) Others suggest that some demons, because they were so
powerful, have been chained until either their day of
judgment from God or until God uses them in a day of
judgment upon mankind \\#Rev 9:1-12\\.
(c) It is likely that both of these are true.
b. \\#5\\ "And spared not the old world, but saved Noah"
(1) This is a reference to the flood of Genesis \\#Ge 7:11-12\\.
(2) Jude did not mention this judgment, but it demonstrates that
God’s judgment is severe and can shorten life.
c. \\#6\\ "turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes"
(1) \\#Ge 19:24\\
(2) Another "ensample unto those that… should live ungodly"
to illustrate both how God’s judgment is severe and
shortens life.
3. \\#2Peter 2:7-9\\ Peter deviates to give an example of how God can
also deliver the righteous from judgment.
a. \\#7-8\\ "And delivered just Lot" - Lot is a specific example of
a larger principal.
(1) While thinking of the judgment of Sodom, Peter naturally
thought of Lot who lived in Sodom and was delivered.
(2) Peter describes Lot as a righteous man living in a sinful
place.
(a) \\#7\\ "just Lot" - The term "saved" or "born-again"
does not aptly apply to Old Testament followers of
God. Those terms signify the supernatural, New
Testament work which God does through the person of
Jesus Christ. A better term for the Old Testament
saints is JUSTIFIED. Both New and Old Testament saints
are justified or made just in the eyes of God. Peter
describes Lot as a "just" man; that is, one whose sins
were forgiven and who was accepted by God.
(b) "vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked" - Lot
was troubled and agitated at the wicked lifestyle of
Sodom and Gomorrha.
(c) \\#8\\ "that righteous man" - Righteous means to be
right with God.
b. \\#9\\ Here is the principal.
(1) "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly… and to reserve
the unjust… to be punished."
(2) Like a two-edged sword, God can protect the godly and destroy
the wicked at the same time.
(3) The point is that God will protect His flock by dealing a
swift and harsh judgment upon false teachers who threaten
them.
D. \\#2Peter 2:10-22\\ Description of False Teachers - Peter will give a
prophetical description of some of the "CHIEF" or main characteristics of
the coming false teachers. Mixed in with the descriptions will be
illustrations and judgments to help us better understand them. Most
of these descriptions will center on the false teachers disrespect for
higher authority and their inability to control their flesh.
1. \\#2Peter 2:10\\ They will "walk after the flesh." These deceivers
will not possess a spiritual heart or spiritual discernment, neither
will they have the spiritual interests of those they lead in mind.
2. "…walk… in the lust of uncleanness" - They will build desires in areas
they pollute and defile the Christian.
3. "despise government"
a. Peter strongly rebukes the false teachers’ for their disrespect of
civil government. Most of what he says in \\#2Peter 2:10-13\\
relates to their arrogance and hostility toward government.
b. The false teachers’ contempt for government is likely due to the
government’s role in persecuting Christians in the early church.
Those persecutions no doubt ignited scorn in the hearts of some
believers which was easily spread.
c. The Scriptures make it clear that even though government may be
unjust, Christians are to submit as much as possible and remain
respectful.
Romans 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there
is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God:
and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou
then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt
have praise of the same:
4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that
which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is
the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for
conscience sake.
6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers,
attending continually upon this very thing.
Titus 3:1 Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers,
to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
1 Peter 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s
sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment
of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence
the ignorance of foolish men:
16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but
as the servants of God.
17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
4. "Presumptuous"
a. To be PRE-SUMPTUOUS means to ASSUME SOMETHING BEFOREHAND.
b. False teachers make assumptions which lead them into false truth.
c. From the context, it is likely that these false teachers will
assume that rebellion against an unjust government would be
sanctioned by God.
5. "selfwilled" - They are also DETERMINED BY THEIR OWN WILLS. The false
teachers will not be Scripturally motivated but will be driven by
their own agendas and viewpoints.
6. "they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities"
a. Their assumptions and strong selfwill will give them a boldness to
speak against DIGNITIES.
b. DIGNITIES would be higher power. In the context, it could be
any power from government officials up to Satan.
c. The word itself is used in relation to heavenly powers.
d. It is translated GLORY 145 times in the King James Bible.
e. Hence, Christ lends a term to earthly and demonic powers which
is normally reserved for the heavenly, thus signifying that
government leaders, even unjust ones, are His servants just as
Paul says \\#Romans 13:4\\.
f. \\#2Peter 2:11\\ "Whereas angels… bring not railing accusation
against them" - Peter contrasts the brash behavior of false
teachers to the angels which serve God. God’s angels, being
far GREATER IN POWER do not behave so toward God’s appointed
leaders. Because they are appointed by God, the angels show even
the unjust leaders respect.
7. \\#2Peter 2:12\\ "as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and
destroyed"
a. The context is still dealing with false teachers and their
disrespect of higher power.
b. In being disrespectful, they are like BRUTE BEAST. Beasts have
no knowledge or understanding. They simply act and react as
their strength gives them ability.
c. "made to be taken and destroyed… and shall utterly perish in
their own corruption" - As such a rampaging beast must be put
down. It is a danger to itself and others, so the false teacher
will force his own demise.
d. \\#2Peter 2:13\\ "And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness"
Destruction is the due reward for their unrighteous sin.
e. "as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time" - As those
who are foolish enough to rebel and riot against governments in
the daylight (especially in a monarchal government) will soon
receive the reward of their deeds, so false teachers will receive
their reward.
8. \\#2Peter 2:12\\ "speak evil of the things that they understand not"
Like the beast has no understanding of what he does, so the false
teacher has no understanding of what he speaks.
9. \\#2Peter 2:13\\ "Spots they are and blemishes"
a. Peter seems to move away from what has been his main thought in
the false teachers’ description; namely, they are disrespectful
of higher authority.
b. Now, in more general terms, Peter describes them as a spot or a
blemish.
c. How disturbing it is to have a beautiful garment ruined by a
single blemish. Everyone eye’s are drawn not to the beauty of
the garment but to the blemish! So false teachers mar the beauty
of Christ’s church. All the good works they do are not seen for
the wickedness of the false teacher.
10. "sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with
you."
a. To SPORT means to live in luxury, to live delicately, to revel in
such living.
b. While these false teachers live and feast around believers who
must work hard for their money, they themselves live like royalty
off the money they have taken swindled from the believers they
have deceived.
11. \\#2Peter 2:14\\ "Having eyes full of adultery"
a. This may not or may not be meant literally. Sadly, some of the
sin common among these fleshly false teachers is sexual in nature.
b. However, the word may be taken figuratively, in that false teachers
have an insatiable appetite for all things fleshly.
12. "cannot cease from sin" - Their fleshly appetite makes it impossible
for them to abstain from sin. Not being spiritual beings, they can
not stop themselves.
13. "beguiling unstable souls" - Yet, their unstoppable sins are not just
sexual in nature. They cannot stop themselves from defrauding those
who are not strong enough to know better. Even if their conscience
were to bother them, their lust for the rich life compels them to
continue their wicked practice.
14. "an heart they have exercised with covetous practices"
a. When a muscle, such as the heart, is exercised, it becomes strong
and does with ease what it has been trained to do.
b. So a heart, exercised to covet, will perform that habit without
effort or strain. Covetousness becomes a habit or impulse to a
false teacher.
15. "cursed children" - All of this makes these false teachers CURSED.
God will deal with them in judgment.
16. \\#2Peter 2:15\\ "Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone
stray"
a. False teachers will not be able to claim total ignorance. This
verse implies that they knew enough of THE RIGHT WAY to forsake
it. Peter will mention this again in \\#2Peter 2:20-22\\.
b. "following the way of Balaam… who lived the wages of
unrighteousness" - False teachers are following a Biblical example
when they, for money, turn away from truth. Peter noted that
was Balaam’s sins (Numbers 22).
c. \\#2Peter 2:16\\ "But was rebuked for his iniquity" - Peter
summarized how God rebuked Balaam, allowing his donkey to speak
and correct Balaam.
d. "forbade the madness of the prophet" - The talking donkey
temporarily set Balaam on the right path, although he eventually
turned again to be a prophet for hire.
e. It is interesting that Peter called Balaam’s act MADNESS. To turn
from the truth is always insanity and foolishness.
17. \\#2Peter 2:17\\ "These are wells without water, clouds that are
carried with a tempest"
a. These are two illustration but with one message.
b. Both are images of something that should satisfy the thirst but
do not, for they both lack any water.
c. "to whom the midst of darkness is reserved for ever" - This is a
reference to future damnation of the false teacher.
18. \\#2Peter 2:18\\ "they allure through the lusts of the flesh"
a. "they speak great swelling words" - False teachers promise a lot.
b. "through much wantonness" - Their words stir up lust and desire
in their victims.
c. "those that were clean escaped from them who live in error" -
Their intended victims are those Christians who had victory over
their lusts and desires. They had escaped from others who lived
in error and had tempted them.
19. \\#2Peter 2:19\\ "While they promise them liberty, they themselves are
the servants of corruption"
a. False teachers not only enslave their victims to lust. They
themselves are slaves.
b. "for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he… in bondage"
Peter has mentioned that these false teachers are not able to
keep themselves from sin and lust \\#2Peter 2:10,14\\. They are
therefore in bondage to sin.
c. \\#2Peter 2:20\\ This verse takes up where \\#2Peter 2:15\\ left
off.
(1) "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world
through the knowledge of… Jesus" - These false teachers
cannot claim ignorance, for they not only knew of Jesus as
\\#15\\ says, but have experienced some of His power. They
had received some measure of help and freedom from Jesus
Christ.
(2) Someone might ask, "Doesn’t that make them a Christian?" The
answer is, "Not necessarily." Jesus healed many people of
diseases and demons while He walked upon the earth, but not
all of them received Him as their Savior.
(3) The invitation is given in \\#Psalm 34:8\\, "O taste and see
that the Lord is good…."
(a) To taste something, one would have to experience a small
bit of it, but that doesn’t mean they are going to take
it all.
(b) For many, coming to Christ is a process.
(c) They step forward and obey some portion of the Bible to
see if it works or not. It does, but they still are not
committed to Jesus. This "sample" may convince them
that the Bible is real, but they still walk away.
(d) Such people do not get saved. They just "tried" or
"tasted," or "sampled" Jesus.
(4) John says anyone who walks away from salvation, does so
because they were never apart of salvation.
1 John 2:19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been
of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they
might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
(5) This is the same condition being discussed in \\#Heb 6:4-6\\.
(a) The writer of Hebrews says of these apostates that they
had been "enlightened," had "tasted of the heavenly
gift," and even "were made partakers of the Holy
Ghost."
(b) ENLIGHTEN means they were made to understand the truth.
This was accomplished by a work OF THE HOLY GHOST in
revealing truth to them. That act made them PARTAKERS
WITH THE HOLY GHOST. It also gave them a TASTE of
the heavenly gift God offers to us.
(c) Yet, the writer says, they can still FALL AWAY. All of
this still does not make a person a Christian. They
must repent (turn away) of their sin as well as believe.
God is willing to give so much, even experientially,
to help a sinner make the correct choice!
(d) However, this writer also says, "it is impossible… to
renew them again unto repentance." Once you get that
close to salvation and walk away, you will never get
that close again.
d. \\#2Peter 2:20\\ Peter says they become "entangled" in sin again
and the "latter end is worse… than the beginning." Their hearts
are harder and their opportunity for salvation is gone.
20. \\#2Peter 2:21\\ They "have known the way of righteousness," but
turned "from the holy commandment delivered unto them."
a. This is the practical definition of an apostate. "One who has
known the truth of salvation, but walked away." Such a person will
never come to Christ.
b. Apostates make good false teachers. They are knowledgeable of the
truth, having known and experienced the power of it; but they are
eternally lost and hardened to the work of the Holy Spirit.
c. \\#2Peter 2:22\\ Peter gives two illustrations to describe why a
false teacher behaves the way he does.
(1) "The dog is turned to his own vomit again" - A dog behaves
in this disgusting manner because it is in the dog’s nature.
(2) "the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire" - A
cleaned pig returns to the mud again because it is his
nature.
d. The answer as to why a false teacher behaves the way he does is
because it is his nature. He (or she) has an unregenerate nature
and so does what comes natural to him.
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