# 7 2021 Dev. 2 Pe.2. Truth! Read chapter 2. The purpose of these devotionals is to draw closer to God and grow spiritually by applying His Word to our daily living. All passages are taken from the NIV.
2 Peter 2:2. “Many will follow their depraved conduct (false teachers) and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.”
Peter ends chapter one with the reliability of the prophetic word in the Old Testament. He begins chapter 2 with “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.” Peter is addressing the emergence Gnosticism at this time. It is a difficult chapter to read and difficult to apply.
The first 3 verses show the reader how false teachers operate: They will secretly introduce destructive heresies…” they are greedy and “will exploit you with fabricated stories.” Peter condemns them in no uncertain terms, “their destruction has not been sleeping.”
Vs. 4-10 is a prelude of punishments for failures to the truth but protection for the righteous in the world, beginning with creation; fallen angels including Satan; Noah and the flood. Sodom and Gomorrah is “an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly” but he rescued Lot and family. Peter adds, if God saved those righteous people he will also save you. Peter does not mention any particular sin but he does say: “This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the flesh[c] and despise authority.” (see note c)
In vs.13-16 Peter is more specific, “carousing in daylight, adultery, seduce the unstable, experts in greed.” Here he also gives Balaam, God’s prophet as an example, “who loved the wages of wickedness.” He wanted to be paid so he gave the advice, mingled with the Israelites, and in the end we know what happened to him (Joshua 13:22).
In vs.17-22 Peter is even more specific: “they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.” New converts: I personally have experienced that travesty more than once and it is devastating. Peter here gives us a quote we need to do some serious thinking about: “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” Once persons taste salvation and latter rejects God’s grace, “It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness…” That action grieves the Holy Spirit and is not forgiven. This is a dark chapter but is absolutely applicable today!
I believe there are false teachings in the church of today, I won’t name them nor own them. Think again about this chapter, what do you want to name and own out of what your church believes? May God fill us with the Holy Spirit.
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