2 Peter 2

Do we want to be a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness? People seem happy entangled in all the depravity this world offers but that should bring us torment! We should not fit in here once we know God’s ways and we should not trust the words and teachings of the world when we know the truth of the Gospel. I was struck by verse 20
“If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.”
It is the knowledge of true freedom in Christ, away from the bondage of addiction, sin, and idolatry. Once we know that true freedom and feel that love and mercy from Christ going back to our old ways should feel even more uncomfortable.

It is clear in Chapter 2 that God protects the righteous and “knows how to rescue the godly from trials” if it is His will. The unrighteous and corrupt, however, have only judgement to look forward to. Christians need to remain steadfast in what we know. How’s that for an understatement.

False teachers evil people. And those that mock the supernatural. Jesus warned the apostles that this would happen. And at this time it was coming true. Judgement awaits them. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. Can’t even imagine. We see it today with colored flags in front of churches. Or worshiping of nature instead of God who created it. Watered down preaching to appeal to itching ears. I love being challenged and hit right between the eyes by the word of God. What a waste of time going to a liberal based Church. Even denying the validity and deity of Jesus and the trinity of God. Baffling to see Churches go so far off from our first love

If we were to preach this, we would be called “judgmental” and “unchristian”. We would be told, “judge not lest you be judged”. We should be sharing the gospel with these people, not judging them….right? I think we have slowly allowed the world to define love and allowed it to creep into our own minds. We are afraid that if we challenge the behavior of a brother in Christ, we are somehow slamming the door to the Kingdom. This brings up a question, what do we “tolerate” for the sake of the gospel? Do we?

Peter does not mince words regarding false teachers. Is this just official false teachers, or could this be any believer who is leading people astray or validating sin?

He speaks of the judgment of angels cast into hell, held with chains of darkness reserved for judgment (that isn’t even the punishment! They are just there waiting!) The flooding of the ancient world to punish the ungodly. The burning of Sodom and Gommorah to ash.

He calls false teachers:
brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed
They are spots and blemishes
are accursed children
madness
These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

“For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”
This portion makes me concerned for some who have walked away. It makes me sad.