2 Peter 2:10b-19 – How to recognize false teachers

It is one thing to know the presence of false teachers and quite another to be able to recognize them. But what is more important is having recognized them, what do we do? Peter’s intention was to paint the deplorable characters of the false teachers clearly so that believers can identify them and shun them and their teachings.

Verses 10b-11 tell us that they were disrespectful. The clearly evident egotistical pride made them felt as if they were more powerful than angels. They showed inappropriate and disrespectful behavior that even good and powerful angels would not do to the evil angels. In verse 12 Peter tells us that they would behave like animals and would not reason like decent human being. They were only accustomed to follow their basal instinct. In so doing, they would also perish like animals. As trapped animals led by their eagerness to satisfy their appetite, their self-indulgence would lead them to their ruin. God would punish them according to their crimes.

Verse 13 points us to the fact that they were blatantly immoral. They would not even keep their revelry in the cover of darkness but would brazenly practice their immorality in broad daylight. In ancient time, the pagans in their worship of false gods would indulge in such practices. Temple prostitutes were involved in their worship. These left stains on the moral fiber of the Church and tarnished her good image. While the committed Christians did not indulge in the revelry, the false teachers did it under the guise of the Christian community. Since those who practice such things claimed to be Christians, they were carrying on with this practice and obviously nonchalant about it. In that sense, they were reveling in their deceptions.

We are told in verses 14-16, that they were also adulterous and unruly. These false teachers had eyes full of adultery. They would only think of fornication when encountering the opposite gender and sinned without measure. Furthermore, they would entice uncommitted people not firmly established in Christ to join them. They were expert at practicing greed. They would behave like unruly, undisciplined and self-absorbed children and would even depart from the right path and had strayed.

In discussing about straying from the right path, Peter brought in Balaam, the son of Beor to illustrate his point. The story of Balaam is recorded in the Book of Numbers. The story tells of how this false prophet counseled Balak, the king of Moab to get the Israelites to come for a feast to honor Moab’s gods (Numbers 31:16). Balaam led the people astray for personal gain. Like Balaam, the false teachers sought to lead the people of God astray to participate in immorality and idolatry. Like Balaam, the rejection of God’s Word would cause one to be undiscerning, and not able to distinguish between right and wrong. He was so numbed that finally God had to speak to him through a donkey.

Furthermore Peter revealed in verse 17 that they were empty talkers. These false teachers were described as spring devoid of water meaning they were devoid of truth. They were like empty mists or clouds that were easily driven and were destined to experience the divine judgement of God. They would boast and brag, promising more than they could deliver. Their words were vain and without substance. They mainly made their appeal to the lustful desire of the fallen nature of man of both young and new converts. Hence, Peter said that they preyed on those who had only just escaped from people who live in error. What Peter meant was that their target was people who were turning away from their pagan idolatry. These false teachers would promise their followers freedom from judgment, while they were still slaves to corruption. For that reason, he suggested that they were enslaved by their evil desires that had gained a mastery over them.

Let’s heed the Word of God and pay greater attention to the truth. Let us not be attracted by deceivers and drift away from God to share a destruction prepared for them! 

2 Peter 2:4-10a – The impending judgement of false teachers

To ensure that the believers avoid those false teachers and their teachings, Peter then dealt with their consequences in verses 4-10. He illustrated from records of God’s past judgements on fallen angels, the apostates and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. They all deviated from the truth and were condemned.

In verse 4, he talked about the fallen angels. Their sins were not spared, they were cast into hell and committed to the pit of darkness, reserved for the judgment. The word “hell” is not referring to the ultimate place of judgment but to “Tartarus”. A term borrowed from Greek mythology that described a holding place of darkness and bondage.

 

In verse 5, he talked about the apostates in Noah’s days. God also did not spare those apostates in the days of Noah. Hence, there was no ground why God should spare sinners now. However, God did spare Noah and seven others, his family members. Noah is here described as a preacher of righteousness. His life and testimony witnessed for God and reflected His righteousness. Peter was implying that in Noah a new order had begun. The old world, the world of the ungodly, was destroyed in the judgment of the Great Flood.

In verse 6, he referred to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. In using the illustration of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, God had indicated that He would judge ungodly sinners with fire. What was seen in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah should serve as a warning to all who would continue in their life of ungodliness. 

While He would judge the sinners, Peter showed in verses 7-9, that God would preserve the righteous. Lot’s life as well as Noah’s should serve to assure the readers of God’s justice. He would not lump the righteous with the ungodly. Peter actually described Lot as a righteous man. He could have seen this in comparison with the licentious sinful people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Here, Peter seemed to indicate that Lot was tortured by what he saw. He was tormented by the unrestraint evil carried out by the people of that twin-city. In verse 9, Peter assured them that the Lord is just. He would judge those who blatantly pay no attention to His commands but would protect and preserve those who remained faithful to Him. Those who deliberately disregard His Word and continue in their indulgent lifestyle, pandering to their carnal desires and despising His authority, God will definitely punish them.

In light of what we have seen would happen to those who had departed from God and did evil, we need to be circumspect in our living. Periodically, as soon as we know we are at risk of falling, let’s learn to pray the words of Psalm 139:23-24 -

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

Try me and know my anxious thoughts;

And see if there be any hurtful (sinful) way in me,

And lead me in the everlasting way.

2 Peter 2:1-3 – The rise of false teachers and the dangers of heresies

In chapter 1, Peter started by telling believers the importance of building up spiritually. Here in chapter 2, he wrote to warn them of the false teachers. His intention was clear: to keep them from being influenced by the false teachers, and their contradictory teachings. 

In verse 1, he began by pointing out the presence of false teachers among the people of God. He said that just as there were false prophets present among the people of God then, there were also false teachers present amongst the people of God in his days. This is also true in our day. Just as the false prophets did, the false teachers would also lead the people of God astray. The former would lead people of God away from the revelation of the true prophets, whilst the latter would lead believers away from the truths that the Lord and the apostles had taught.

Undeniably, what Peter said then is also proven true today. As there were false teachers, and their heresies were present in the community of believers then, they are also present in the church today. The false teachers “secretly introduced” destructive heresies. The word “secretly” suggests that the false teachers introduce their heresies subtly and covertly. Today we also see them introducing skillfully disguised deviant teachings, and add them to the body of truths taught by the Lord and His apostles. In so doing, they denied the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Master, Who by His death paid for the redemption of mankind, even these false teachers. By denying the truths, these false teachers were candidates for the inevitable swift destruction.

In verse 2, Peter talks about their questionable morality. They were led by their sensual impulses. Having abandoned the truth, they pandered to lower standards of morality. And as they continued in their sensual ways, they caused the truth to be maligned, and be brought into disrepute. The Christians and God’s truths would be spoken evil of because of their sensual behavior. In their desire to gratify their own lust, they would mislead believers with false words. They would use Christian terms but non-Christian definitions. Peter assured the believers that these people were marked for judgment and destruction. He wanted them to know that while God exercises patience, His judgment will be on time and certain.

In Peter’s day they acted subtly, but in our day false teachers are more blatant and overt. They can say falsehood and not bat an eyelid. It pays for us to be discerning. We must learn to listen to teachings with an inquisitive and evaluative mind. We should not just swallow teachings hook, line and sinker without verifying with the Word of God. Better still, be selective about what we hear and from whom to hear. Stick to proven ministry. Don’t develop an itching ear for entertaining teachings that tickle the ears, but subtly lead us down the path of destruction.   

2 Peter 1:19-21 – The Scripture is totally reliable

Peter had asserted that what he and the other apostles of Christ had said were truth and not myths. Here he emphasized that fact and assured his readers on the reliability of the Scriptures. He provided the reason for why he said that the Scripture is reliable by telling his readers the source of revelation. He did all this to help his readers make the choice between accepting God’s Word or the teachings of the false teachers.

In saying “… we have the prophetic word made more sure …,” Peter was appealing to what they had witnessed on the Mount of Transfiguration. Was Peter implying that what they had witnessed affirmed the writings of the Old Testament prophets concerning Christ’s Deity? Some students of the Bible seem to think so.  However, it appears more likely that the reverse was intended. That is, the Old Testament prophets and their testimonies affirmed what the apostles had witnessed concerning Christ’s Deity on that mountain.

The fact is that both the Old Testament prophecies and the apostles’ witness affirmed the truth of Christ’s Deity. Hence, he called on them to pay attention to this truth. They should closely investigate the Old Testament prophets because they pointed to Christ. They are likened to a lamp shinning in a dark place. Believers should continue to pay attention to the truth till they have the revelation and the truth of Christ’s return settled in their hearts. They must pay attention till the darkness gives way and the light breaks through.

In verses 20-21, Peter gave some clarifications concerning Old Testament prophecies. In the phrase “… first of all …,” Peter was referring to what is of primary importance. He wanted them to know that Scriptures were not the opinions of the prophets. They were what God wanted them to say. The prophets, as God's mouthpieces, proclaimed His thoughts in words. They accurately represented what God wanted to say. Furthermore, the prophets did not speak from their own will but according to the workings of the Holy Spirit. In other words, the source of the Scriptures was not men but God.

To make our faith more certain and keep on growing in the Lord, we cannot afford not to spend time to investigate and study the Word, the truth of God. This is how the Psalmist in Psalm 19 tells us of the impact of the Word of God:

⁷              The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

⁸               The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

⁹              The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.

¹⁰            They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

¹¹             Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.    

2 Peter 1:16-18 – Firmly secured in the truth

In these verses, Peter assured his readers that what he had narrated to them were not myths which he and the other apostles weaved together. What he shared were accounts of the Lord’s earthly ministry, a historical event that they had witnessed with their own eyes. His purpose was to contrast his teaching with that of the false teachers.

They together with the other apostles saw the power of the Lord in action as the Anointed Christ. In verse 17, he recounted the scene at the Mount of Transfiguration recorded in Matthew 17:1-8. He told them that they (meaning he together with James and John) saw the Lord Jesus Christ being honored and glorified by God the Father. In that incident, they also heard the majestic words of God which affirmed that Christ is His Son.

Peter’s intention was clear. He was underscoring the truth that Jesus was the Christ, God’s promised Messiah. God had affirmed Him at the Mount of Transfiguration where God announced clearly Jesus was His beloved Son. He specifically referred to this event to establish the credibility of his witness and that of the other apostles.

Praise God! Our faith is solidly founded on the Lord Jesus Christ – His blood and righteousness and nothing less. So let’s stand unwaveringly on Christ the Solid Rock and leaving no room for vacillation.    

2 Peter 1:12-15 – Never forget what’s important

aThere is this reality in life. We have the tendency to forget where we were and where God has brought us from. With time, people soon forget what took us from our past and made us progress to be the person that we are. Hence it is important to be reminded of the foundational block of our faith over and over again, and be reminded of what it took to bring us here.

Peter realized that what he had said to believers was so important that he felt it necessary to remind them periodically of the truth. This he did with the aim to help them remember the true teachings. His particular concern was to stir up the readers to develop personal holiness. So he told them that as long as he was still alive, he would continue to remind them. The two words, “earthly dwelling”, were used to described his physical body.

In verse 15, Peter was conscious of the fact that his death was imminent. Here, he even alluded to the kind of death the Lord Jesus Himself told him that he would had to undergo. He was also concerned that after his departure from them, he could leave behind a legacy as a permanent reminder to them.

There is a necessity to set aside time each day for a moment of solitude, reflection and some self-examination. The first step to change is self-awareness. We can never change when we don’t know where our flaws are. Hear the words of a song calling us to return to the basics:

The things that I love and hold dear to my heart

Are just borrowed, they’re not mine at all

Jesus only let me use them to brighten my life

So remind me, remind me dear Lord.

Roll back the curtain every now and then

Show me where you’d brought me from

And where I would have been

Remember I’m human and human forgets

So remind me, remind me dear Lord!

2 Peter 1:5-11 – The nature of a true Christian

Peter had already assured genuine Christians that they had become partakers of the divine nature. This being the case, there would also be an ongoing transforming process. They should progress from being an effective Christian to being an eternal one. Every believer must actively participate in this growth process. They should make every effort with the help of God to become effective in their lives. From verses 5-9, Peter showed what the believers must be determined to do.

With all diligence, they must add goodness to their faith. Goodness is best defined as moral excellence. And to their goodness, they must seek to add knowledge. Knowledge is experiential and practical. They must add to their knowledge self-control. This is the inner strength to control one’s craving. To self-control one must add perseverance. What is perseverance? It is the mental strength that enables one to endure hardship without caving in. Next, effective believers would add godliness to their perseverance. Godliness is the quality of being able to show reverence and obedience to God. On top of godliness, a believer must have brotherly kindness. This refers to a kindness that enables one to carry another person’s burden. Finally to brotherly kindness, love must be added. Love is the deliberate desire for a person’s highest good. When these qualities are indelibly etched into a person’s character, he would be both useful and fruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, if these qualities are lacking, it renders that person spiritually sick; blind; short-sighted; or forgetful. 

Peter’s concern was also for the believers to take the responsibility of persevering to the very end, for the hope that they have begun in Christ. Hope here is defined by two terms, “calling and election”. Election is referring to God’s will before the foundation of time. The calling is referring to the anchor of the believer’s hope. It’s an anchor securely fastened in Jesus, who had called them to follow Him. The genuine believers must make all efforts to ensure their election and calling. If believers take the efforts defined earlier, they would never fall into the errors of the false teachers. When believers lay hold of Christ by faith and in obedience to Him pursue to the end, they will prove the durability of their salvation. When he reaches the end of his faith journey, that believer would be assured that he would never be turned away. Like Paul, we must make it our primary concern to press towards the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus!