Second Peter
2:1
The Bible says in Second Peter 2:1, But there were false prophets also among
the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall
bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them and bring
upon themselves swift destruction. At the end of chapter one, we are told about holy men whom
God had used to give us the Word of God. Now we are being told about other individuals
who are being used to teach against the truth. We have the Word of God in order
to stay well informed of the truth. But there are false teachers.
There are those who claim to be teaching the truth, but they are actually teaching damnable heresies. If people do not do the things listed in chapter one of Second Peter,
then they will fall prey to the false teachers mentioned here in chapter two.
In chapter one, believers were told to add to their faith knowledge. Those who have not added knowledge to their faith will
not recognize a false teacher. Someone might have a charming personality and be
a good speaker, but they still might also be a false teacher. Concerning the false teachers, the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans
16:18 But they that are
such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words
and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
What are the damnable
heresies that are taught by
these false teachers? The most obvious and most damnable of all false teachings
is given in the very next phrase in Second Peter 2:1 that says, even denying the Lord that bought them. The central truth of all truth has to
do with the question, Who is Jesus Christ? One common theme among all false
religion and all false teaching has to do with denying the divine nature of
Jesus Christ. Jesus asked this question, Whom do men say that I am? No matter what else they teach, whoever teaches the wrong
answer to this question is a false teacher. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is
God in the flesh. Jesus is the great I AM. Jesus said, Before Abraham was, I AM. Thomas fell at the feet of Jesus and
said, My Lord and my God. All false religion denies this truth.
The Jews deny it. The Moslems deny it. The Jehovah Witnesses deny it. The modernist
liberal Christians deny it. All of them are false. All of their writings that
have spoken against the deity of Christ are false writings and false teachings.
The false teachings are easy to recognize, if you have learned
well the scriptures. The scriptures shine as a light in a dark place. If only
people would learn the scriptures and what is the truth about Jesus Christ.
Sadly, many have not learned, and so Second Peter 2:2 says, And many shall follow their pernicious
ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. The word that is translated pernicious means destructive. It comes from the same word that is
used to refer to the devil as the destroyer. False teachers destroy. They
destroy faith, and they destroy lives. Of course, eventually they become known
for what they are by those who have some spiritual insight. Jesus said, You will know them by their fruits. Holy men of God spake as they were
moved by the Holy Ghost, but
these are unholy men. Once they are discovered, often it is too late to stop
much of the damage that they have done, and they will do damage because their
ways are destructive ways. Because they are in among the believers, they become
identified with believers, and because of this the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. Lost people will look for excuses to
turn from truth, and a great scandal caused by a false teacher will cause some
to speak against the way of truth.
How does it happen? How do these false teachers get in among the
believers? Remember that these are deceitful people. Churches have open-door
policies. Just about anyone who claims to believe is accepted as a believer.
Just about anyone of these can go to a seminary, get a degree, learn the terms
and definitions, and then be ordained as a teacher of Christian truth. These
false teachers privily
shall bring in damnable heresies. The word that is translated privily
means secretly. They do not reveal themselves as false teachers. They hide it
as best they can, by using language that often sounds very similar to the
truth, but is not the truth. If it is not the truth, then what is it? It is damnable heresies. The word that is translated damnable comes from the same word that is translated pernicious in verse two, and we have seen that it means
destructive. The word that is translated heresies
refers to the fact that these people have made a conscious choice to reject the
truth. They know what they are doing in the falsehood that they teach.
Why do false teachers do what they do? Why do they go to such a
great effort to hide what they really are? Second Peter 2:3 answers that
question. It says, And
through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you:
whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and
their damnation slumbereth not. Notice the words through covetousness. The word covetousness refers to having a lust for material
possessions. A covetous person often wants to get as much as possible of the
things that you possess. A false teacher uses religion to accomplish their
covetous desires. They want to spread their teachings and have a greater
influence in order to get more money. They are willing to say whatever they
have to say in order to get more money. The false teachers use feigned words. In other words they carefully form
their words in order to get the desired effect: to get people to give them more
money. Remember that the Word of God tells us that what the false teachers do
is a result of covetousness. When they see a human being, they do not
see a soul with spiritual needs. They see a source of money.
It is terrible what the false teachers do. They are deceitful.
They twist the Word of God. They are liars. They destroy lives. They take
advantage of people for material gain. In these last days it appears as though
the false teachers are gaining the upper hand. Vast multitudes follow them and
give money to them. But the Word of God makes it very clear what will be the
final outcome of these false teachers. The last part of Second Peter 2:3 says
that two things will come upon the false teachers: judgment and damnation.
Concerning the judgment of the false teachers, like everyone else they will
give an account to the Judge of what they have done. Referring to this great
judgment that will surely come, Revelation 20:11-15 says And I saw a great white throne, and him
that sat on it, from whose face the earth and heaven fled away; and there was
found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;
and the books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of
life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the
books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it;
and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were
judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into
the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written
in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
The false teachers will receive judgment, and they will also
receive damnation according to Second Peter 2:3. Something
very interesting is that the word that is translated damnation was also used in Second Peter 2:1 that spoke of the damnable heresies of the false teachers, and was used in
Second Peter 2:2 that spoke of the pernicious ways
of the false teachers. These two phrases mean the destructive heresies and
the destructive ways of the false teachers. They destroyed others by their
false teachings, but they will receive the just compensation of their deeds:
they will be damned. In other words, instead of destroying others, they will be
destroyed by God.
That is the clear teaching of the Bible. There is a judgment
coming, and some people are not going to survive the judgment. Some people are
not going to be allowed into heaven. Actually, Jesus taught
that many people are not going to make it into heaven. He said, Narrow is the way that leads to life,
and few there be that find it; but broad is the way that leads to destruction,
and many there be that go in thereat. There is a heaven and a hell, and there is a judgment. Justice
will be served. Even though the numbers of false teachers is
increasing and even though their influence is growing, they are heading to
judgment. Turn to Jesus for salvation while you can.
In all of the ages of human history, God has judged false teachers
and other creatures who have opposed the truth. Several examples are given in
the rest of this chapter concerning those who opposed the truth and the
judgment that came upon them. The examples given were fallen angels, all the
world during the time of Noah, the cities of
There are two things that can be discovered about hell from this
verse. Once someone is put in hell, they stay there. The words chains and reserved tell us that. Jesus indicated the same
thing when He spoke of a rich man who had been sent to hell. Jesus said that
Abraham was in paradise and Abraham said to the rich man, And beside all this, between us and you
there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that
would come from thence. Hell
is a place of eternal torment. The chance to escape from hell is now: before
you go there. Today is the
day of salvation. Now is the accepted time. Jesus said, Except
ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Hell is a place of darkness. In
hell there will be no light. Jesus is the Light of the world. In the world in
which we live, the sun gives light and all biological life is dependent upon
the light. The same is true in the spiritual world. All spiritual life is
dependent upon the One who is the Light. In this world, all human beings are
blessed by their creator. All share and partake of the blessings of human life.
But there will come a day when the blessings of life will be taken away from
those who do not have a Savior.
Notice carefully the reason that creatures are sent to hell.
Second Peter 2:4 says that the
angels that sinned were cast
down to hell. Human beings will go to hell for the same reason: sin. God is
holy. Nothing sinful nor unclean will enter the gates of heaven. It will be a
terrible thing to stand before the holy and righteous Judge without a Savior.
How much He loved us to send His Son to die in our place! But those who have
turned from the truth do not have a Savior, and so they are heading for the
place that was prepared for the devil and his demons, and has also become the
abode of sinners. Of course, the one exception to this is sinners who have been
saved through faith in Jesus.
At least we know that justice will be served. That is the emphasis
of these prophecies. Yes, the world is going crazy. Yes, there are many false
teachers. Yes, many have turned from the truth to lies. But the judgment is
coming. Justice will be done. The right thing will be done by the great and
holy God when He chooses the time.
Turning back to our examples of Gods judgment, we see that Second
Peter 2:5 tells us that God spared
not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of
righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly.
One thing to notice about the time of Noah is that the vast
majority of people did not get saved. They could have been saved. God wanted
them to be saved. But the vast majority made spiritual decisions against the
truth. God has given all human beings free will, and He has always done that.
He sent His Son to die for the world, but every human being has a free choice
to turn to Christ or not. During the time of Noah, most human beings chose
no. For everyone that chooses no, the consequences will be to face the righteous
and powerful Judge of the whole earth. Judgment is coming against sinners. Do
not end up in the place that was prepared for the angels that sinned. Do not
end up in the place where the false teachers are going. Say yes to Christ.
Turn to Him for the forgiveness of your sins while you still have time.
___________________________________________________
Copyright; 2006 by Charles
F. (Rick) Creech
All Rights Reserved