Podcast 109, 2nd Peter, “Pt 7, Ch 2”

One of the roles or responsibilities of the quorum of the twelve apostles is to keep the doctrine pure. Even as early as the days of Peter, false teachers began to emerge in the church and to lead the people astray.

2nd 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.

False teachers have always been a curse to truths taught by the true prophets. Even in the days of Isaiah, we read

Isaiah 9:15-16

The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.

It is incumbent upon all of us to look to Christ, the Bishop of our Souls, to keep us on the straight and narrow path. Even when Christ walked among the apostles he taught,

Matthew 7:15

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

And those false prophets and false teachers will find success among some members of the church.

2nd Peter 2:2

And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

We, of course, know the true way.

John 14:5

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Peter teaches us how to discern the good from the evil.

2nd Peter 2:3

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.

He warns against those who “make merchandise” of religion. In Micah we read.

Micah 3:9-11

Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.

Micah was a contemporary of Isaiah and like Isaiah his prophecies were both for Judah and Ephraim, both past and present. Like Isaiah Micah prophesied of the birth of the Savior in Bethlehem.

Micah 5:2

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah... out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel.

Peter makes an interesting analogy. He uses three images: (1) He refers back to the war in heaven in which Lucifer and his followers were cast out. (2) He refers to the flood of Noah. and (3) He refers to Sodom and Gomorrah.

2nd Peter 2:4-7

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:

Peter’s powerful warning is not just for his day but for all time. Peter is speaking of the law of justice. Angels that rebelled against God were cast out. The entire world, save Noah and his family, was destroyed. The entire cities of Sodom and Gomorrah save Lot and part of his family were destroyed. In other words, none of the wicked are exempt from the justice of God except those who repent or those like Lot who live righteously among wicked people.

2nd Peter 2:8

(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

We learn from that that grace is for those who seek grace. Grace, though always freely and generously available to everyone on this earth, is not imposed upon anyone against their will or that would take away their agency.

However, those who seek grace will freely receive it; those who do not seek it must answer to justice.

2nd Peter 2:9

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Peter defines those who are reserved unto the day of judgment to be punished.

2nd Peter 2:10-16

But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

Peter continues to describe the nature of those false teachers that we may avoid their lies.

2nd Peter 2:17-18

These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

Peter hits on target those of our own day who promise liberty but deliver only captivity.

2nd Peter 2:19

While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

One must only listen to the news to see clearly that he is not only prophesying of his day but of our day as well. How many today are promising liberty but delivering communism and socialism; promising freedom but taking away the freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion; promising liberty but are destroying the balance of power, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights; promising liberty but are robbing the rich to give to the poor, using tax payer money to bribe for votes, condemning the innocent and protecting thieves, murderers, child molesters, kidnappers, drug dealers, rapists, human traffickers, destroying the lives of innocent children by urging sex changes, denying gender, denying God, denying morality, denying the Ten Commandments, attacking Christians and Jews, punishing the righteous and letting the wicked go free?

Again Peter saw our day. Our nation was founded on Christian values, yet now all Christian symbols are being removed from government property, including the halls of congress. Even after 250 years of freedom, “the latter is worse than the beginning.” As Peter so brilliantly said,

2 Peter 2:20

For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

Peter is a true prophet of our day. He further warns.

2nd Peter 2:21-22

For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

We must understand that all true scripture and the words of all true prophets was meant to be applied to one’s own present, to one’s own self, to one’s own time and circumstances. If scripture applies only to the past, it is of historic value only. The purpose of true prophets is to be a warning for all times and all places and all peoples. Truth stands regardless of temporal circumstances, regardless of culture, governments, beliefs, languages, religions, or traditions. As we should be wary of wolves in sheep’s clothing so should we be wary of those who promise liberty but are of themselves servants of corruption. If we allow them to trample on our Constitution, our Bill of Rights, our Declaration of Independence, our liberty, they not only destroy themselves but they will also bring us into bondage.