2 Peter 2:1-10a
There will be false teachers in this world
(The People's Bible, James ll,2 Peterll,2,3 John/Jude, pages 169-178)
Discuss
- It becomes clear why Peter wants to remind his readers about the truth.
One has to admit that the truth is absolute and stand for it or they are against it. – Martin Luther
“It is not enough for Christians to grow in appreciation for God’s Word, brought to us by the true apostles and prophets. It is necessary also to grow in awareness of the presence and danger of false teachers who will afflict the church until Jesus returns. In fact, you might say that you aren’t fully following the truth unless you are also rejecting lies.
- What danger would soon threaten their congregation?
False teachers, corruption of the Word from within!
- Peter expresses the sad truth that false teachers will seek to undermine the Word of God. This was true in Old Testament times, as well. Peter mentions three examples from the Old Testament of those who were punished for rebelling against God, as well as examples of those who were protected through that punishment. This demonstrates his point that we can depend on God for deliverance.
Who were punished? Who were delivered?
Example One: Evil Angels were punished – Good and holy Angels still abide with God in heaven.
Example Two: The Flood at the time of Noah – The whole Ancient World was destroyed and Noah and his family were saved.
Example Three: Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed and Lot and all of his family with the exception of his wife were saved. Lot’s wife disobeyed God’s command not to look back and was turned into a pillar of salt.
- What point does Peter want to make in (2 Peter 2:9), which encourages us to stand firm and resist false teachers and wicked men?
He has ways and means to deliver the godly, those that fear Him and walk righteously before Him, out of the temptations which are due to their surroundings, to the unbelievers in whose midst they are living. But, on the other hand, the fact that He will not be mocked, but that He knows how to avenge any offense to His honor is seen in His keeping the unjust, the unrighteous, in punishment and pain until the great Day of Judgment, (Psalm 16:4); (Hebrews 2:15). Just as the evil angels are even now condemned to the darkness of hell, so the unrighteous will enter the same damnation, according to their souls, just as soon as they die. And they will be kept in this suffering until the Day of Judgment, when the sentence upon them will be confirmed and their sufferings will continue according to both soul and body throughout eternity. This punishment will be especially severe in the case of such unbelievers that live in open sins of the flesh, in the various forms of immorality, in unnatural lusts as practiced in Sodom, whereby both soul and body are polluted, (Romans 1: 26-32) and at the same time openly despise all authority, divine as well as human, particularly the Lordship of Christ.
Apply
5. Sometimes the worst damage to the Christian church comes from its members.
6. Give an example of one of the following:
- Something spoken in the name of Christ that is not true (2 Peter 2:1)
- Someone discrediting the message of Christ with an improper lifestyle (2 Peter 2:2)
- Someone who has sought to exploit Christians for financial gain with stories they have made up .
(2 Peter 2:3)
7. Comment on the description of Lot's turmoil over the godlessness that surrounded him.
( 2 Peter 2:7-8) What lesson can we learn from his example?
It was a misery and affliction for him to be in the very midst of so much lawlessness and immorality. But God again made a distinction between the just and the unjust by delivering the righteous Lot, thus affording a great measure of comfort to the believers, of all times, ( Malachi 3:13-18).
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