Character of Teachers

 

"For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. ²¹ For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. ²² It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”  2 Pet. 2:20-22

 

          Dog and sow are the terms unloosing the meaning of vss. 20, 21, and 22. These words, appearing in vs. 22, both lay emphasis on character, and their usage in the Scrip­ture denotes sinful character. Out of character comes con­duct, and very shortly this same character invents a creed to rationalize its conduct. Character may take on outward de­meanor that deceives, but not for long. For character must finally revert to type. If it is dog-character, there is bound to be the vomit; if it is sow-character, there will inevitably be the wallowing in the mire, no matter how much the exterior has been bathed and luxuriously clothed.