Second Epistle of Peter
FALSE TEACHERS LEAD ASTRAY
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 2:2 (KJV)
The prophetic statement of this second verse has also certainly come true. Many have followed such false teachers in their destructive heresies and ruinous ways. As a result, many are confused regarding the right way. They say, "Christianity is divided into so many different groups and we hear so many different things; how can we know the right way?" Then the lewd practices of some who profess Christianity bring reproach on the whole cause of Christ.
"many shall follow"
It seems hard to get people to follow the truth of God's Word, but crowds will follow after a false teacher who makes the way of life easy. The Lord says that only a few are saved, but many seem ready to follow any so-called teacher who comes along with almost any brand of fakery. A display of knowledge which does not demand a new birth and a clean life can quickly gain a huge following.
Heresy is like leaven. "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump" (Gal. 5:9) – how quickly evil doctrine can corrupt a whole work of God. In the past, various churches were called fundamental; today they are steeped in modernism. Let a modernistic preacher get into a fundamental place and soon the whole congregation is ruined. The weak and uninstructed are quick to follow in such ruinous ways.
The number of false cults today is legion and some of them have large followings. Truly, many have followed the way of error. There is great reward promised to those who win one soul to Christ. How great must be the punishment awaiting those who lead many to destruction.
All Christians need to be on guard lest they, too, be quickly led away by error. The safe thing is to keep close to the Lord Jesus. Let Him be our head and then no false leader, preacher or teacher will be able to lead us astray. If any are leaders, preachers or teachers let them be careful to teach only the truth as revealed in God's Holy Word, and by their daily walk set a good example to all of the Lord's people.
"pernicious ways"
The nearest literal rendering of the Greek word here translated "pernicious" is "ruinous." Some Greek manuscripts use a different word which would best be translated "lascivious" or "exciting lust." This would lay emphasis on their evil practices rather than evil teachings. We know from the rest of the chapter that in connection with these teachers Peter had this form of sin in mind (vv. 10, 14, 18, 19). Usually, false teaching leads to corrupt living.
One of the first things to notice about those who profess to be religious leaders, teachers or preachers is what they think of the Bible. Do they believe it to be the Word of God? Also, what do they think of Christ? Is He the only begotten Son of the Living God? Further, what do they think of the cross and the blood of Christ? Do they believe that He alone can save from sin and hell? Some think of the atonement as something completely out of date and Christ no more than a great man.
"by reason of whom"
Such unbelievers do the church much harm. The unsaved are not able to distinguish between a true believer and one who merely professes to be a Christian. A Jewish Christian told of his experiences: "I was born and raised in Austria where even as a boy I was hated and abused by professing Christians. I believed that all Christians were hard and cruel and that Christ must have been so, too. The Lord graciously showed me that Christ was different than I supposed and that true Christians were not hard and cruel." No doubt, the actions of false and so-called Christians cause many flee from Christ.
This is especially true when false doctrine leads to immoral action. An immoral man should never claim to be a Christian, because his actions bring reproach on the name of Christ. Even true Christians can do great harm to the work of the Lord by an immoral act. May the Lord keep our every word and action pure.
"the way of truth"
Peter here calls Christianity "the way of truth." "The way" is a very common title for Christianity in the Scriptures. Peter calls it so twice more in this chapter (vv. 15, 21). It is common in Acts (9:2; 16:17; 18:25, 26; 19:9; 22:4; 24:14). The Lord Jesus says in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." He also speaks of the narrow and broad way in Matthew 7:13, 14. Today, few seem to realize that the way into heaven is not in religious form or creed or even in a manner of life; but in the person of Christ, the Son of God.
If one surveyed various preachers of various beliefs, i.e., priests, rabbis, Baptist, Mormon, etc., there would probably be various ways offered? Yet, the Bible offers only one way – through Jesus Christ.
"evil spoken of"
The word here translated "evil spoken of" is blasphemo and should be translated "blasphemed." It is sad to think that because of false teachers and loose living professors of Christianity, the way of truth should be blasphemed. We cannot help what hypocrites bring about, but let each of us be on guard lest our actions give the enemies of truth an occasion to blaspheme. David did that because of his sin with Bathsheba and Uriah her husband. Nathan says to him, "By this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme" (2 Sam. 12:14). Paul says to the Jews in Romans 2:34, "For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you." So much of the world hates the Lord Jesus and is looking for an occasion to speak evil of Him. Let us not give them occasion to do this.
Scripture Reading: 2 Peter 2:3 (KJV)
In this verse we have the reason why these false teachers taught as they did, and also the means by which they would seduce their followers. It was because of covetousness, the desire to enrich themselves in this world, that they were ready to teach smooth and pleasing things. Oftentimes false teachers are excellent orators and very clever talkers. They will say and profess anything to gain and convinced listeners. The latter part of our verse emphasizes the fact that sentence upon these false teachers has been pronounced long ago, and that execution of it would soon come.
"covetousness"
Covetousness is a terrible sin. It speaks of being avaricious for gain; being even ready to defraud others for monetary advantage. It has even been a besetting sin, and is surely so today. Some will do most anything to obtain money. Paul says to Timothy. "The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (1 Tim. 6:10, R.V.). It is a bad sin in anyone, but unspeakably bad in a religious leader. Sometimes worldly men become ministers for no other reason than personal advantage. A young Christian college student was asked why he was studying to be a preacher. He replied, "It is a nice, easy job, with good pay, and folks look up to you."
The Law said, "Thou shalt not covet" (Ex. 20:17). It evidently was prevalent in Old Testament times. Verse 15 of our chapter tells of Balaam's covetousness. We have the story of Achan in Joshua 7. What trouble he brought on the children of Israel through his covetousness. The prophets complain a great deal of this sin. Isaiah says (56:11) of the watchman of Israel, "They are greedy dogs which never have enough...they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter." Then in Micah 3:11 we read, "The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money" (See Jer. 6:13; Ez. 13:19).
Covetousness was also a prevalent sin in New Testament times. This sin, plus a desire to be highly thought of, constrained Ananias and Sapphira to hold back part of the price of their land (Acts 5:1-11). In 1 Timothy 6:10 Paul says, "...which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith..." And in Romans 16:18, "For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceived the hearts of the simple." How similar this is to our verse in 2 Peter.
No man who serves the Lord in any capacity should be an avaricious, covetous man. One of the qualifications of both elders and deacons is that they be "not greedy of filthy lucre"
(1 Tim. 3:3, 8). Paul could say, "I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel" (Acts 20:33). He also asks the Corinthians, "Did I make a gain of you by any of them whom I sent unto you...Did Titus make a gain of you?" (2 Cor. 12:17, 18). Rather than be accused of being covetous or greedy, Paul went to work making tents to supply his own needs and those of his co-workers.
How utterly without covetousness was our Lord Jesus. The whole world was His by right, and yet we never hear the slightest word that would indicate He expected the least thing from anyone whom He helped. Those who are servants of the Lord should never do a thing that savors of covetousness. Like Paul, let us seek to serve the Lord as He would have us do it – leaving the fact of remuneration entirely up to His care. Today, there is far too much concern placed on "salary" levels of preachers, buildings, social affairs, comfort. If we serve Him faithfully, He will see to it that our needs are met. Let us seek not our own profit, but the profit of those who hear.
It's been said, "Back of every system of error is the sin of covetousness." Our verse in 2 Peter would seem to bear this out. In Titus 1:11 we read of some who were "teaching things they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake." It might not always be lust for money which causes some to advocate error; it might be lust for power or honor which are but other forms of covetousness. If the money question were left out, many false cults would soon cease to exist. Are we to believe the richest religious organizations in the world got that way because they teach the truth?
"with feigned words"
The word "feigned" is one which literally means "molded," and by implication "artificial" or "false." These heretics were deceiving their followers with cunning formed words, which sounded very nice and plausible, but were actually deceiving and destructive, with no solid foundation. They talked and acted as though they wanted to be of help to their hearers, while fleecing them. They were like Absalom in 2 Samuel 15, who stole the hearts of the children of Israel with sweet words in order to steal the kingdom from his father. Absalom really did not have the children of Israel's welfare in mind, but was only thinking of his own welfare. These false teachers of our portion were like Judas, pretending to love the Lord Jesus; throwing their arms around Him, kissing Him, while betraying Him for money.
Heresy is usually linked with hypocrisy. The untruth is dispensed in eloquent language. Heretics are not Christians, but they wear the clothes and use the language of the Christians. They are like pirates who hang out the flags of other nations in order to deceive the unwary. They are like a man offering a piece of meat to a dog which has been saturated with poison. The special heresy of those mentioned in our chapter seems to have been offering their hearers licentious living in the name of Christian liberty. There are foul teachers even today who use fair speeches to lead the simple astray.
"make merchandise of you"
What an awful thing we have pictured here: wicked men by fair speeches selling souls, as a merchant sells his wares. Joseph's brethren sold him into slavery for twenty pieces of silver. There are those who would sell the souls of their fellow men into hell for little more. Speaking of the merchandise of Babylon, we read in Revelation 18:12, 13, "The merchandise of gold, and silver...and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men."
When one thinks of the value of a soul, how serious it is to mislead. To destroy a soul through wrong teaching is terrible, to say the very least.
Today, more than ever, there is a great danger even to true Christians and faithful preachers of the Gospel being overly influenced by money. Some seem to be afraid to tell the whole truth or to speak against sin for fear it will in one way or another influence their income or position. Let us be bold to stand firm for the Lord and His Word, trusting that He will be with us and take care of us. Certainly, let us never give our Lord occasion to say, "Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise" (John 2:16). Anything done for money which has a tendency to lower man morally or spiritually can be called making merchandise or man. Of course, nothing is as bad as the sale of souls.
"whose judgment...lingereth not"
The Revised Version has this last part of our verse thus, "Whose sentence now from old lingereth not, and their destruction slumbereth not." The thought seems to be that these sinners were sentenced a long time ago, and the carrying out of the sentence was soon to take place. We all know how this sometimes goes on in a court of law; the sentence comes long before the execution. Men are sentenced to die, but the time of their death is set for later. Now the sentence pronounced against these false teachers is about to be executed.
The expression "lingereth not" is literally "is not idle" and could be translated "is not delayed." The sinners of our portion were living prosperously and when their judgment did not speedily come they probably thought they would go free. Men under sentence often hope something will arise and they may go free, but our verse says nothing about pardon. Only judgment awaits these sinners. "For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape" (1 Thess. 5:3). No doubt if individuals among them did repent and turn to Christ for forgiveness, even this heinous sin would be forgiven.
"their damnation slumbereth not"
"Damnation" would be better translated "destruction" as in the Revised Version. "Slumbereth not" is literally "does not nod;" figuratively "is not delayed." God's judgment will not sleep. The Lord does not slumber nor sleep when it comes to watching over His own (Ps. 121:3, 4). Neither will He be found sleeping when it comes time to execute judgment upon guilty sinners. Men probably said in Noah's time, "Look how long Noah has been telling us of that flood. It will never come." But when the appointed time arrived it came. Let all sinners beware; God makes no idle threats.
