2 PETER – Chapter Two

Part Three

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

 

CHAPTER 2 – Beware of False Teachers

 

In the second chapter of 2 Peter we see Peter wishing to protect fellow followers of Christ from the false teachers who are in their midst. Christians at this time were not only living in a corrupt society, they were also surrounded by numerous false religions. The pagan Roman government ruled over them and openly demanded worship of Caesar as a god and promoted the worship of other false deities as well. The corrupt Roman empire was filled with decadence and debauchery and the cultures of the conquered nations they ruled were as well. In order to encourage Christians to be diligent in their faith, Peter instructed them to avoid false teachers and their teachings. He gave warnings and reminders for them to take to heart so that they could avoid being taken in by devilish doctrines. He also gave them encouragements to remember; that God is faithful and would protect them because of the promises He had made to rescue them from temptation. Chapter one spoke of moral corruption as a pressure on their commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. Chapter two speaks of false deceptive teachings as a threat to the foundation of their faith.

 

As we progress through this second chapter, notice how Peter denounces the character of the false teachers. This would enable the followers of Christ to identify those individuals who in heart and mind were deceivers (2:1-3, 10). He next illustrates the consequences of following false teachers and their deceptive doctrines (2:4-10). He also encourages the readers that God’s promises are sure and He knows how to protect and rescue those who belong to Him (2:9). The conduct of false teachers is also discussed; for by them they can be identified and avoided (2:10-19). Finally Peter condemns the false teachers and gives a vivid description of how their apostasy from truth has polluted their lives and led them back to their past sinful lives (2:20-22). We need these warnings of Peter for us today as well since the numbers and variety of false teachers has proliferated greatly.

 

The Doctrines of the Heretics Exposed – 2 Peter 2:1-3a

 

Peter begins his second chapter of this letter right from the start with warnings of false teachers and prophets.

 

“1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.”

 

Peter does not say that false teachers “may” infiltrate the church, he “guarantees” that they will. He does not say they will be open and honest about their false teaching, he warns they will “secretly” share destructive heresies. Heresies are thoughts, beliefs or ideas that are in opposition to the Truth of God contained in the Word of God. They are destructive for at least three reasons; because they threaten the core of Christian beliefs as it relates to the God we serve and worship, how we view the eternal life we possess as followers of Christ and lastly how we live out our holy calling. The New Testament writers used the word “heresy” to identify the inappropriate sinful choices or false religious ideas and practices that were outside the godly boundaries of apostolic teachings (1 Corinthians 11:19). Peter is the first apostle to use the term in a technical way related to false and incorrect Christian teaching (2 Peter 2:1).

 

These false teachers were “even denying the Master who bought them.” Michael Green in his commentary on this portion of verse one states; “The denial of the sovereign Lord who bought them is primarily ethical, not intellectual. It has two effects. First, it spreads to infect other people, which is why Peter is so vehement in his condemnations. Second, it brings discredit on the Christian cause. The theme of God’s name being blasphemed by the heathen because of the unsatisfactory life of his people is commonplace in the Bible (Romans 2:24, Isaiah 52:5)…they did not recognize the obligation of holy living imposed by the Crucified (Jesus Christ). By their lives they denied the Lord who bought them. Christianity is, indeed, a religion of liberty, but it also demands loving bondservice to Jesus the Redeemer.”

 

Charles Swindoll has some accurate things to say as well about false teachers and their methods.

 

“Appearing to be resourceful and real, they are empty and deceitful. Claiming to offer answers and hope, they bring lies and despair. Pretending to proclaim reliable information, they use the same words as believers but use a different dictionary. And acting like those who have embraced Christian freedom, they are enslaved by corruption and seek to enslave others.”

 

When he states, “The false teachers use our vocabulary, but they do not use our dictionary.” He is attempting to illustrate the fact that they use the words we might use to share our faith and truth, but the words don’t mean the same thing that we believe they do. In this way, they deceive and lead astray followers of Christ.

 

We see in verse one of this chapter one of the first traits of a false teacher is that they are secretive and deceptive in how they teach. We also see that the content and substance of what they teach is destructive and denies the very Truth that saves people, salvation made possible by the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Because of their skilled deceptive methods and reasoning; people can be led away into sin.

 

When we compare true prophets and teachers with false prophets and teachers we see the stark contrast between the words they speak in their teaching.

 

Words of a True Prophet

                                   

They are faithful to God’s Truth

They are firsthand accounts of what they witnessed

They must be heeded, believed and obeyed

They are light that shines in a dark world

They are inspired by the Holy Spirit

 

Words of a False Prophet

 

They are twisted words from their own scheming

They are cleverly devised myths and schemes 

They must be rejected and forgotten

They are darkness that can corrupt your spirit

They are human or demonic inspired doctrines

Wise godly advice is to use the three following steps of discerning truth.

 

First, step back, cautiously compare what is spoken, taught or presented.

 

Second, observe the lifestyle, expressions and thought patterns of the speaker.

 

Third, discern and evaluate what is said and how they relate to Holy Scripture.

 

The Holy Spirit will help you discern truth from error by using Holy Scripture. The deceptive and erroneous teachings promoted by false teachers are cleverly devised myths and man-made scheming philosophies. We tell our children when they are out in the world and face a questionable situation to “Stop, Look and Listen.” The same applies to us as followers of Christ.

 

We should “STOP” when confronted with questionable ideas, philosophies and ideas that seem contrary to what the Bible teaches. This means we do not take one more step until we have evaluated and checked out the veracity and dependability of what is being taught by someone. Seeking wise counsel from those more mature than us in the scriptures would be wise at this point.

 

We should “LOOK” at the lifestyle, actions and behavior of those who are teaching to see if they reflect a life in line with the life of Jesus Christ. Do they portray a godly life in both attitudes and actions that reflect that they are in a true relationship with the Father, Son and Spirit? Be wary that you are not swayed by someone’s supposed sincerity, intelligence or charisma. Evaluate their heart and their walk with the Lord. Observe how they treat others and what is important to them in daily living.

 

We should also, “LISTEN” closely to the words they use and how they state them. Also seek to discern what they are not saying as well as what they are saying. Often more can be discerned from what is not communicated than what is. Falsehood often is hidden by a few truthful statements. Be cautious of your emotions as you evaluate. Listen very closely and listen with your heart AND mind. Prayer during all three of these processes of evaluation helps because it enables you to listen for the Holy Spirit to advise and convict you as He uses the Word to help you discern truth from error. This process was modeled by the Bereans who in Acts 1711-12 it is said, “Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.”

 

Verse 2 continues with wise discernment as it gives us some insight into not only the lifestyle of the false teachers, but also of those who are caught up in their lies and deception.

 

“2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;”

 

Here in verse 2 we see something revealed about the lifestyle of both the false teachers and those who follow their teaching. When truth is not only ignored, but distorted, it affects the way you think and live. Those who promote lies are attempting to justify their lifestyle choices as well as draw others into their delusions. They say misery loves company. Well, sinful behavior loves company as well. Peter shares here that a sensual sinful lifestyle is a mark of the false teachers. When truth is denied or distorted, the result is a lie takes hold in the thought processes of your heart, mind and soul. This leads to sinful actions as these lies take root in your life and are lived out in your behavior.

 

In addition to this, when false teachers state they follow God and His Truth, but live the exact opposite, it ruins the witness of true followers of Christ and throws aspersions on the character of God and His Holy Word. Damage can be done causing people to mistrust the Lord. Deception is a tool of the Devil and he uses it to not only infect the false teachers but spread its poison among followers of Christ.

 

“3a and in their greed they will exploit you with false words;”

 

The first half of verse 3 gives us another motive behind the false lying words of these deceptive teachers. They seek to exploit people for their own personal gain, be it financial, material or relational. False teachers always have an angle behind their lies for lining their pockets with money or the acquisition of material possessions. Sometimes it also is to gain power over individuals or groups of people. The Greek word for “false” in this portion of verse 3 is “plastos.” “Plastos” means molded, formed, as from clay, wax, stone. “Plastos” is similar to our English word “plastic.” You can buy almost anything made of plastic because it can be molded into almost any possible shape. You might say that false teachers use “plastic” words that can be molded to mean almost anything other than truth. Thus deceptive teaching uses plastic words to deceive and influence people according to the hidden agenda and whims of the false teacher who speaks them.

 

The Doom of the Heretics Revealed – 2 Peter 2:3b-9

 

“3b their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”

 

We see also in the second part of verse 3 that Peter informs us that the judgment that hovers over these selfish deceivers is waiting for the God-ordained moment of judgment to strike. The deception in any wrongdoing is that when immediate judgment does not come, it is assumed you have gotten away with your evil deeds. In actuality what has happened is God has allowed you to do the evil you wish to do so that in the future you will reap the penalty for your transgression and from that horrible lesson hopefully repent of your wicked ways. Galatians speaks to this fact when it states in Galatians 6:8, “For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” God in the wisdom of His will and plan allows evil to exist for the moment and evil deeds to be done by despicable men and women. He will judge eventually in the future and leave no action done, nor any thought considered, go without receiving appropriate reward or penalty. We should never think that because God is patient and merciful in His judgment that He will not allow consequences to manifest  for our evil deeds. There are times when God in His mercy holds back the horrible consequences of our misdeeds. Praise God for that, but we must remember that it is because of His mercy that sometimes no immediate judgment or penalty takes place. This does not that our Heavenly Father doesn’t care about what we do or think, it simply means there are times He wishes for us to suffer the consequences for our bad choices and therefore, hopefully we won’t make the same sinful choice again. We know that the power of God can turn us back from sinful deeds and thoughts when we choose to allow it to affect our heart, mind and soul. It is a choice that God allows us to make as we grow in our understanding of His word as well as grow in our relationship with Him.

 

In the next few verse we see three segments of God’s will in situations of judging the rebellious and protecting the obedient. In verses 4-6 we see God’s warning to those who rebel. In verse 7-8 we see God’s promise to those who trust and obey His commandments. And, in verse 9 we see the promise and hope of God for those who see judgment approaching.

 

Verse 4 through 6 give us examples where God patiently waited for the appropriate time to act. He was patient, waiting for men and women; and even angels, to turn from their evil ways. When they failed to respond to His mercy and instruction, He eventually took action through judgment.

 

“4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;”

 

In the first example we see that the limit of God’s patience can be reached, which in this situation resulted in godly judgment. Discussed in verse 4 is the example of the angels who sinned and whom God cast into hell, holding them there for future judgment. There are several theories as to who these angels were. The most likely is that these wicked angels spoken of here in this passage were part of the group of angels who rebelled against God with Satan, but in addition also committed additional sins so horrible that it was necessary for God to administer additional punishment and isolate them from mankind. The holding place for them is called “hell” and the word here for hell is rather unique. It is “Tartarus.” Other words for hell are “hades” (Matthew 11:23) and “gehenna” (Matthew 5:22). “Tartarus” according to the Greek world was understood to be a place of torment and punishment deeper than the typical hell or “Hades.” You might call it the “hell of hell” or “worse than typical hell.” Charles Swindoll calls it the “hellhole of hell.” Whatever we might call it, “Tartarus” is the place where the most wicked and evil spirits wait for God’s judgment. It is possible the sins of these fallen angels were committed after the rebellion of angels in Heaven with Satan but before God’s judgment of the flood upon mankind. Peter is making a point, that if rebellious heavenly angels do not escape God’s wrath, then false teachers will not either.

 

Peter now continues with another example of God’s judgment.

 

“5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;”

 

The sins of mankind had reached such a fever pitch in Noah’s day God could endure it no longer. His holy justice was needed to punish mankind for their pervasive and continual sinning. God’s judgment was to destroy all of mankind as well as all creatures and plant life with a world-wide flood. God’s mercy was granted to Noah and his family because they were the only humans who remained faithful to Him. This illustrates God’s ability to discern the rebellious from the obedient. You hear of surgical strikes in war time, where innocent non-combatants are spared while enemy soldiers are destroyed. This is how God serves out His judgment. He preserves the innocent and obedient while destroying with judgment the rebellious and disobedient. God, in His perfection, is able to absolutely judge righteously and accurately who is guilty and who is not. Our Heavenly Father is always fair in His judgments.

 

In verse 6 we are given another example of God’s ability to both judge appropriately as well as carry out fair judgment for sin.

 

“6 and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter;”

 

The sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were many, but it is evident that the sin of homosexuality was so pervasively engrained in the society of these cities that it brought down the wrath of God. Recently many proponents of gay rights have questioned this interpretation of this passage. For this reason I wish to quote Greg Koukl (Founder and President of Stand to Reason a Christian Ministry whose education includes Talbot School of Theology, Simon Greenleaf University and Biola University) states the following regarding God’s judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 19.

 

“We know the men of Sodom and Gomorrah were homosexual, “both young and old, all the people from every quarter” (19:4), to the point of disregarding available women (19:5-8). After they were struck sightless they still persisted (19:11). These men were totally given over to an overwhelming passion that did not abate even when they were supernaturally blinded by angels. Homosexuality fits the biblical details. It was the sin that epitomized the gross wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah—the “grave,” “ungodly,” “lawless,” “sensual conduct of unprincipled men” that tormented Lot as he “saw and heard” it “day after day,” the “corrupt desire” of those that went after “strange flesh.” In their defense, some will cite Ezekiel 16:49-50: “Behold, this was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food, and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me.[8] Therefore I removed them when I saw it.” No mention of homosexuality here. Clearly, the general wickedness of Sodom and Gomorrah was great. That’s not in question. Our concern here is whether homosexuality was part of that wickedness. Our analysis of Genesis shows that homosexuality was the principle behavior at issue in that passage. Ezekiel simply enumerates additional sins. The prophet doesn’t contradict Moses, but rather gives more detail. Stinginess and arrogance alone did not draw God’s wrath. Ezekiel anchored the list of crimes with the word “abominations.” This word takes us right back to homosexuality. The conduct Moses refers to in Genesis 18 he later describes in Leviticus as an “abomination” in God’s eyes.”

 

God’s grace, mercy and longsuffering are great, but there comes a time when God says enough is enough. This was the case with Sodom and Gomorrah. We see in this instance it the Old Testament His patience and mercy had reached its limit and He chose to express His fair and complete judgment. But we also see He also rescued the righteous few from His wrath.

 

“7 and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men 8 (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds),”

 

God choose to save Lot from the horrible judgment because of his faith in God. Lot was not perfect for he chose to live in the midst of a sinful city. He also had to be led out by the city’s influence and destruction by angels. But despite his inconsistencies God granted him and his family mercy and rescue from the righteous judgment of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

 

Verse 9 demarcates two groups of individuals, the godly and the unrighteous. It verifies that God knows how to rescue those who are committed to living according to His Word because of their intimate relationship with Him. The Greek word for “temptation” in this verse is “peirasmos” and can refer to tests that challenge the integrity of a Christian’s faith (1 Peter 1:6) or to “temptations” that appeal to our sinful tendencies or challenge our moral integrity (Luke 4:13, James 1:2-4). This verse also can be tied to Revelation 3:10 where Jesus promises that believers will be kept from the coming judgment. This idea is also related to Paul’s passage in 1 Thessalonians 1:10 where he states that Jesus will rescue us from the wrath to come. Verse 9a communicates to us several facts concerning God’s righteous judgment.

 

“9a then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation,”

 

In verse 9a Peter first assures us that those who respect and obey God, who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will be rescued from temptation. We know this first because we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and have been forgiven from all our sins. We also know this because when we walk according to God’s Word (John 14:14, 23) we demonstrate our love for Him. When we keep in step with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18) we are walking in holiness. When we walk as Jesus walked (John 8:12, 1 John 1:7, 2:6) we are living in fellowship with God. Such thoughts, actions and behaviors are evidence that we love and worship our Heavenly Father with all our being. Thus He will rescue and preserve us from the judgment to come upon the world for sin and rebellion.

 

In verse 9b to we hear from Peter what awaits those who fail to accept Christ as Lord and Savior and continue to live in sin. As long as they rebel against God and reject the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, they live under a continual punishment that will be culminated on the day of judgment.

 

“9b and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,”

 

This passage of scripture also establishes the fact that God never forgets the unrighteous acts, thoughts and behaviors of the unrighteous who fail to repent of their sins.  Just as He preserves His spiritual children who walk in the ways of Jesus Christ, He keeps those who are rebellious and unrighteous under a judgment of punishment until the day of reckoning unless they turn and repent. Peter mentions here especially heinous sins which include indulging in fleshly and corrupt desires as well as those who despise God’s authority.

 

The Deeds of the Heretics Described – 2 Peter 2:10-22

 

Peter now continues by describing the deeds and actions of the heretics who rebel against God and seek to pull others into their deceptive beliefs and lifestyle.

 

“10 and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, 11 whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord.”

 

Peter goes on to state that these sinful individuals, especially the false teachers, are daring in their sin and self-willed in their pride. The Greek word for “daring” is “tolmetes” and speaks of the reckless daring that defies God and man. The Greek word for “”self-willed” is “authades” and is used for an obstinate person who is determined to please themselves at all costs. Peter states that they are so puffed up with pride and ego, they do not tremble in the slightest when they revile angelic beings. His point is illustrated later in verse 11 where he states that even the angels who obey the Lord do not even judge the rebellious demonic angels. They leave that judgment up to the Lord. These false teachers are so full of themselves they have no respect for God, nor of angelic beings who are much more powerful than them. While we are not to honor demonic angels, we are to respect their power and understand God is the one who will judge them. In demonic spiritual battles, our authority against their influence and temptations are not within ourselves, but rest solely in the power of God and His judgment  that hovers over them.

 

Lets summarize some of the traits Peter has described that are manifested in the lives of false teachers.

 

1. They purposely and deceptively introduce heresies.

    

2. They deny the Lordship of Jesus Christ who died for their sins on the cross.

    

3. They invite destruction and judgment upon themselves

    

4. They indulge in sensuality.

    

5. They cause the truth to be maligned and twisted.

    

6. They exploit believers for greed and profit.

    

7. They indulge in corrupt desires and practices

    

8. They despise all forms of authority.

 

William Barclay has an even longer list of traits of false teachers;

 

1. They twist Scripture to make it suit their own purpose (1:20; 3:16.

    

2. They bring the Christian faith into disrepute (2:2).

    

3. They are covetous of gain and exploiters of their fellow-men (2:3; 2:14, 15).

    

4. They are doomed and will share the fate of the sinning angels (2:4), men before the flood (2:5), the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah (2:6), and the false prophet Balaam (2:15).

    

5. They are bestial creatures ruled by their brute instincts (2:12), and dominated by their lusts (2:10, 2:18).

    

6. Their eyes are full of adultery (2:14).

    

7. They are presumptuous, self-willed and arrogant (2:10, 18).

    

8. They spend even the daylight hours in unrestrained and luxurious revelry (2:13).

    

9. They speak of liberty but what they call liberty is unbridled license and they themselves are the slaves of their own lusts (2:19).

    

10. Not only are they deluded, they also delude others and lead them astray (2:14, 2:18).

     

11. They are worse than those who never knew the right, because they knew what goodness is and have relapsed into evil, like a dog returning to its vomit and a sow returning to the mud after it has been washed (2:20-22).

 

Before we continue with Peter’s evaluation of these false teachers. Do you see the contrast between the traits of a followers of Christ we examined in Chapter one? Here in chapter 2 do you see the sharp contrast between the godly and the ungodly, the obedient and the disobedient, those who worship and serve Christ and those who degrade His character and words?

 

Remember the faith we have received through grace from God. Remember the grace and peace bestowed upon us. Remember that God’s divine power has granted you everything pertaining to life and godliness. Remember He called us to be His by His own glory and excellence. Remember He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises and that by them we can be partakers of His divine nature. Remember how we have escaped the corruption of this world.

 

Do you remember the divine mandate that He laid out for us in how we are to pursue holiness and godliness through Christian diligence in our faith by moral excellence, spiritual knowledge, self control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love? There is a sharp contrast between the holy calling of a follower of Christ and the lifestyle and character of these false teachers. Never forget that as you live in this evil world today!

 

In our next segment of this series Peter continues in his righteous evaluation of these false teachers.