January 13, 2019
Evening Service

This morning we began looking at Peter’s warning to the church about the false prophets and the blasphemous doctrine that they will teach.  He told us that they “bring upon themselves swift destruction.”  He gave three separate examples of the type of judgment God will bring upon them.  He spoke of God’s judgment of the angels that rebelled against Him in heaven, the flood at the time Noah, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in the time of Abraham and Lot.  He then also brought up the fact God made a way to deliver the righteous from that judgment.  He saved Noah and Lot from those destructions and He also has saved us from paying the price for our sins.  It is only through Jesus’ blood and the grace of God that we have been forgiven and rescued from “the wages of our sins.”  We ended this morning with this verse that promised both God’s deliverance for the godly and punishment for the unjust.

2Pe 2:9  then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,

            After this statement Peter goes on to describe these false teachers in depth.

 

2Pe 2:10  and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries,

            These teachers’ way of life is totally opposite of what Peter encouraged us to grow into in chapter 1.  They walk according to their own lusts as Paul says in Phil. “whose god is their belly and whose glory is their shame.”  They show no respect to authority and are even bold enough to speak evil of them.  They are self-centered, proud and arrogant thinking of only themselves.

 

2Pe 2:11-12  whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord.  (12)  But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption,

            These teachers slander the spiritual realities that they don’t understand taking Satan’s power lightly and claiming to have the ability to judge evil.  They are like children playing with fire, who have not ever been burned before.  They have no idea of the spiritual warfare that is taking place right under their nose and is actually using them as “tools of unrighteousness.”  They are running blindly down the wide road not knowing it is leading them to their destruction. 

 

2Pe 2:13-14  and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you,  (14)  having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children.

            These false teachers break the normal pattern of things and do their carousing during the day and not only at night.  They are “spots and blemishes” as they view others only as ways of fulfilling their own appetites for lust.  They prey upon those who are unstable and weak to fulfill unquenchable desire for sin.  It is their way of life and they know no other lifestyle.

            In a sad way this description can now be place upon those who today who have become “addicted” to the evils of this world.  Whether it be drugs, alcohol, power, greed or sexual sin their whole world revolves around the next “high.”  They only look at others as a vehicle to get what they want.  They too have a tendency to try to bring others down to the level they themselves have plunged into as “misery loves company.”  They see nor desire any way to get out of the destructive life style they are living because it is all they know.  It is a group of people we need to try to reach in some way or fashion.

 

2Pe 2:15-16  They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;  (16)  but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet.

            Balaam was a prophet of the Lord who was sought out by Balak, an enemy of the children of Israel, to bring a curse on them.  Balak promised to honor Balaam and grant any wish that he would have if he would come and place a curse on the Israelites.  God told Balaam not to go with them or curse the Israelites. When they continued to persuade him, he finally yielded and went.  The Angel of the Lord stood in his path preventing him from passing with a drawn sword in his hand, but only his donkey was able to see it and stopped refusing to continue.  Balaam unaware of the angel beat his donkey three times trying to move him along the path.  Finally, God allowed the donkey to rebuke him and his eyes were opened to the reality of the angel.  The point being God tried to hinder him from choosing disobedience, but the lure of the prize was too much for him to resist.  These false teachers are on the same path.  They desire the wages of unrighteousness more than the blessings of Christ.  Peter continues to describe them.

 

2Pe 2:17-19  These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.  (18)  For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error.  (19)  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.

            These teachers are like a well without water and clouds without rain.  They look very appealing for those who are thirsty, but do not deliver the desired results.  How disheartening it will be for the thirsty seeker to find the well empty and the clouds with no rain.  Their hopes are crushed because the promises only sounded good and were not the truth.  They “speak great swelling words of emptiness;” which means they tell you what you want to hear, not what you need to hear (the truth).  Though they promise others liberty and freedom, they themselves are slaves of their desires and lust.

 

2Pe 2:20-22  For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.  (21)  For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.  (22)  But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A DOG RETURNS TO HIS OWN VOMIT," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."

            Peter here is speaking of those who have learned of the saving power of Christ, but yet choose to reject it.  They return to their lifestyle of sin rather than accept the free gift of salvation and allow it to change their lives.  Their state at the end is far worse than if they had never known the way of righteousness.    He explains his statement by quoting from Proverbs 26.

 

Pro 26:11  As a dog returns to his own vomit, So a fool repeats his folly.

            Peter’s point is that it is a natural reaction for the animals to be cleansed and then return right back to whatever harmed them in the first place.  Here again this can easily be applied to those we now call “addicts.”  Though they can change their destructive lifestyles, there is always the deep down temptation to return to their old ways.  It is a battle they cannot overcome alone.  It is only by a divine healing are they able to be a true overcomer.

 

Here in this chapter Peter attempts to instruct us to be ready for these false teachers, because we will encounter.  He does a good job of describing them along with their motivations so we will be sure to recognize them and not allow ourselves to be deceived.  We need to continue to “study to show ourselves approved rightly dividing the Word of truth.”  The Word will empower you to discern what is truth and what is false teaching.

 

Heavenly Father use the Word to open our eyes to Your truth and allow the Holy Spirit in us to be able to discern these false teachers for who they really are.