False Teachers
“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
2 Peter 2:1-3
“For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error.”
2 Peter 2:18
“then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment,”
2 Peter 2:9
“suffering wrong as the wage for their wrongdoing. They count it pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you.”
2 Peter 2:13
“They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.”
2 Peter 2:19
Did you paint an ugly picture of this false teacher Peter is talking about? They’re not ugly. Jesus said, in Matthew 24:24 that false teachers would try to fool even the elect, or those who understand the gospel and have walked with God. False teachers are charming and persuasive. Their teachings make you excited about this new false truth you’ve heard. They build up your flesh without you even knowing it.
Why do you think Peter is warning believers? It would pay to read this chapter 2 of Peter carefully. When you give in to false teaching you are enslaved by it because it makes you blind to the Truth. Jesus is the Truth. Peter says they will secretly bring in destructive heresies. It won’t be in your face, no, it will be subtle. Destructive sounds like a strong word but it’s not. When we hear “destructive” we think of force and explosion, storms and violence. Destructive means that false teaching will deconstruct the truth. Teachings that do not include repentance, the main teaching of Christ, do just that. They build you up in all kinds of ways and “unbuild” your fear of the Lord.
Satan comes as an angel of light, like a gentleman, secretly deconstructing the truth of the Bible. If you are not in God’s Word carefully studying it then you are a sitting duck for false teaching. False teaching is the pill everyone wants to take to lose weight. We are lazy. Some will follow any new fad that sounds good as long as it doesn’t require them to read and memorize scripture or use it in their lives.
Peter says the Lord knows how to rescue you from these trials so take heart. But also take notice and be alert—they will even be eating with you at your table (2 Peter 2:13). The way you will know is by walking with God with a repentant heart, spending time with Him in His word, and obeying. If you live His Truth you will know it and it will set you free.