DANGER TO BELIEVERS

Their Danger to Believers

"And many shall follow out their destructive ways, because of whom the way of the truth shall be evil spoken of."  2 Pet. 2:2

          "Follow" in vs. 2 is the next touchstone of this passage. This word means more than at first is implied. The sense is that of following out to the ultimate conclusion. It is clear that many are deceived into following the false message to its bitter end. If that were as far as the influence would reach, it might not be so overwhelming, although even that is tremen­dous. However, once the process is begun it moves, gaining momentum as it goes. Hence, the way of truth is destroyed and blasphemed, and many within the folds of the professing church are defrauded of their precious heritage of faith by plastic words of these subtle seducers.

THEIR DENIALS (FALSE TEACHERS & TEACHING)

Their Denials

"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." 2 Pet. 2:1

          Denying in vs. 1 is the first key unlocking the thought of this passage. By its appearance in the verse the extreme to which false teachers will go is marked. The divine message so infallibly recorded in the book of God stands unshaken through the years, and the maneuverings of false teachers will not so much as phase it. Yet, if they are allowed to serve as the channels of the message to the people, while conveying that message, they can cleverly corrupt it. It will then appear to the people lo say what it does not say and a denial of the truth has been accomplished. This is a stroke of strategy on the part of Satan that is carried to dangerous extremes and is matched only by the method employed to realize the end.

False Teachers with Their Message

"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. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 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. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." 2 Pet. 1-9

          False teaching is the first subject in this second division (2:1-9). The key to this portion is the expression "false teachers" appearing in vs. 1. With this as a departure he de­velops the thought by pointing to the denials made by the false teachers (vs. 1), the dangers thus menacing the church (vv. 2-3), and the damnation merited by these teachers (vv. 3-9). Several key words in this portion quickly expose the trend of thought.

PERILS TO SALVATION

PERILS TO SALVATION
(2 Pet.  2:1-22)

          While growing in grace is accomplished through the medi­um of positive knowledge of the Lord, imparted to the be­liever, it is evident that a certain protection is exercised over the believer by warning him of the perils which beset the way. At this point in the epistle Peter may properly intro­duce the most insidious peril that has ever beset the people of God. He has just pointed out the fact that the more sure word of prophecy passed on to the people of God by the prophets of God was not an invention of the prophets but an impartation from God. It originated in His will, and holy men of God spoke as they were borne along by the Holy Spirit. Therein lies its power. It was the word of God spoken to the people of God pointing out the plan and purpose of God. Be­cause of this, the great adversary of the people of God read in this his own dimensions and doom, and unless the word of God could be corrupted and the people of God could be confused, Satan's nefarious schemes would come to nothing. Therefore, he corrupted the message by raising up false prophets among the people.

          However, Peter intimates that the days of prophets are about over, and the canon of Scripture is about to be com­pleted. Because of this, the same Scripture given by prophets will be taught to the people by teachers, and Satan's next move will be to raise up false teachers among the people of God and lead them astray.

          Hitherto, the great danger of the church has been trial and persecution from without. In his first epistle Peter wrote to warn the people of these dangers and to offer them encour­agement. Now he writes to warn them of a more insidious evil working from within. This is the same leaven that has permeated the entire church across the ages and threatens to­day to sweep away all that remains. These false teachers and their fleshly living are treated in the 2nd chapter.

Reliability of Faith

"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts." 2 Peter 1:19

 

 

 

          More sure word in vs. 19 is the final key to this section. Herein, Peter strikes at the very heart of the whole matter so far as believers are concerned who have not had opportunity to be firsthand observers and participants in the great rock foundation truths whereon their feet were placed in sovereign grace. Believers may be evangelized, pastoralized, and stabil­ized. Yet the firmness with which believers stand and the fruitfulness they display will depend absolutely upon the re­liableness of the word of prophecy to which they give heed. For the assurance of the believers, this word of prophecy was not only guaranteed as the direct revelation of God, but it has also been made surer by the credible experiences of Peter and his companions.

Reality of Faith

 

 

"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty." 2 Pet. 1:16

          Not . . . fables in vs. 16 are the second key phrase for scrutiny. While Peter may detect a slight reluctance on the part of his audience to receive these truths as realities of the faith, he hastens to assure them that so far as he and his fel­low apostles are concerned, they had not followed cunningly devised fables. To the contrary, they were eyewitnesses to His majesty and ear witnesses of the message from heaven. It may be possible for one to be deceived. However, when there is more than one and all testify to the same experience, then the message moves into the realm of reality.

REPITITION OF BASIS OF FAITH

Repetition of Basis of Fruit

"Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth."  2 Pet. 1:12

Present truth in vs. 12 fittingly serves as the first key expression. These things of which he has been speaking are not new teachings, nor false teachings, nor teachings of his own invention. They are teachings which constitute the great body of present truth, teachings of which they know and teachings of which they need to be reminded. These truths made up much of that body of truth with which they were evangelized, that body of truth with which they were pastoralized, and that body of truth with which they were cir­cularized in Peter's first epistle. Yet, with such frail memories, they need to be reminded again of these same truths.