2Peter 2:10b-22 | The Fate of the False

SCRIPTURE READING

2 Peter 2:9–22 ESV

then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority. Bold and willful, they do not tremble as they blaspheme the glorious ones, whereas angels, though greater in might and power, do not pronounce a blasphemous judgment against them before the Lord. But these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed, blaspheming about matters of which they are ignorant, will also be destroyed in their destruction, 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. They have eyes full of adultery, insatiable for sin. They entice unsteady souls. They have hearts trained in greed. Accursed children! Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray. They have followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved gain from wrongdoing, but was rebuked for his own transgression; a speechless donkey spoke with human voice and restrained the prophet’s madness. These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. 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. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

INTRODUCTION

AFTER tonight, we only have one more lesson in 2 Peter. Is that wild? This letter is short and sweet.

Peter, pressed by urgency is like: Ya’ll I’m dying soon… SO: Here’s the Gospel, beware of those who don’t teach it, and know the Lord is coming soon.

That is 2 Peter, in overview form, in a single sentence.

†Presently, in chapter two, we’re in the middle of that sentence: “beware of those who don’t teach the Gospel,” part.

This might seem disconnected from us.

Like, I want stuff that’s super practical! Give me some of those Bible Life-Hacks.

… But Peter has a purpose that is important for everyone that would hear his words:

1) Have a Radar to detect False Teachers

2) Make us Lean fully into the Gospel of Jesus Christ

†Characteristics of False

†1) They unashamedly put themselves first

They “despise authority” - They scoff, they look down on others in authority, they think they’re on top.

Peter continues to show how messed up their perspective is.... they say things without fear, things that more powerful spiritual beings don’t even do!

Apparently these false teachers were speaking insults about demonic powers, and the good angelic powers don’t even do that, and they have more right to be able to.

†2) They are distinguished by sexual impurity

“lust of defiling passion” v10, “eyes full of adultery” v14, “they entice by the sensual passions of the flesh” v18

Sadly, we see this a lot in our present modern circumstance. We see many former pastors, teachers and leaders that we thought had a few things off theologically, to no surprise demonstrate that they also are deeply connected to sexual sin.

False teachers and false teaching appeals to us. Instead of teaching discipline it teaches indulgence. Instead of sacrifice it teaches false satisfaction. Instead of purity it teaches promiscuity.

And in every way, false teachings asks not for you to look more like Jesus, but to instead satisfy yourself.

The Gospel instead asserts that my self satisfaction is corrupted. That I would hurt others in the pursuit of self satisfaction, and I instead need righteousness that is outside of me, to correct my wayward heart and instill right affections and desires. Romans 1-3

†3) They are ignorant fools

We saw in verses 10-11 that they already clearly speak out of turn, not realizing what they are doing.

And then in v12 they are called “irrational” and “ignorant”

Probably worse than the fact that they are ignorant. They don’t think that they are!

This is how foolishness works though. Fools claim to be wise.

†4) They are trained in the way of unrighteousness

“reveling in their deceptions” v13 / Celebrating

“entice unsteady souls” v14 / Applied strategy, cunning

“insatiable for sin” v14 / Cannot stop, don’t want to stop

"trained in greed” v14 / Actively repeat in order to get better at it

It’s not that they just do things that are evil, they actually take time to get good at being bad.

†5) They are like beasts

“these, like irrational animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed” v12

Peter is tapping into a theme of Biblical Theology.

This is one of those things that starts on page one of your Bible and goes all the way to the end.

This theme goes by many different names, but the concept is this:

When humans give into sin, they cease to be human, they turn into animals.

Creation: Humans are created to take care of and rule over the animals.

Fall: Order is reversed, instead of ruling over animals, an animal rules over them, they are deceived by the Serpent.

Cain: His sinful nature within him is described as animal-like, and he succumbs to it.

Fallen Humanity: Worships creatures instead of the creator.

Nebuchadnezzar: Because of his pride he’s turned into an animal (His nails and hair grows out and he eats grass like an ox, until the Lord restores him)

Daniel & Revelation: The kingdoms of the earth and entities of evil are described as BEASTS.

In the midst of this story we wait for redemption to come from someone who sets the order right, a truly human one, who would truly rule!

Jesus: The Son of Man: The Truly Human One

Funny how Peter emphasizes this by talking about Balaam and his donkey in v15-16

For those of us who studied Numbers last summer we know this story!

Balaam was a sorcerer that was hired by the king of Moab to curse Israel. Although in Numbers he is the protagonist, the story and the surrounding context shows us that he’s not a good guy, and hoped to selfishly gain from this opportunity.

This story is SO great because of the use of IRONY. Balaam is so foolish, that he needs help from his donkey (what tends to be considered a dumb animal) to be corrected and see things correctly.

So if Peter is riffing off of this theme that the unrighteous are sub-human, then see how brilliant this reference to Balaam is.

He’s saying, you know what these false teachers are like, they are so beastly in their sin that they need a donkey to show them the right way.

They are so animal like, that they need a donkey to be more human than them.

That’s a good ‘ole Apostolic Roast right there. That’s Peter throwing hard shade!

†The Fate of the False Teachers

Now that we have seen their characteristics, Peter has a final point to make as really a part 1 - part 2 dynamic.

What is the Fate of the False?

First...

†They have no life in themselves

“These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm.” v17

Water is connected to life source constantly in the Bible. Surely Jesus himself is known as The Fount of living water.

These false teachers give the perception of life but it’s not there.

They are springs of water that don’t actually produce water. An oxymoron that shows they don’t have life.

They are a mist that gives the perception of water but isn’t substantive enough to do anything, worse yet, it’s due to a storm. They are chaotic, shaded, and destructive.

Continuing Peter mentions that they promise freedom but they are not free themselves, they are actually “slaves of corruption” v19

Because they have no life in themselves, then they will...

†They will fade into death

Peter speaks plainly and severely.

He states that for false teachers in the church, those who know intellectually about the Gospel and in some ways have even benefitted from it. That if they turn away from the Gospel, it would have been better if they just never knew about the Gospel in the first place

“the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back” 20b-21a

This can be a little scary. Because this isn’t just about false teachers specifically, but all that turn away from the Gospel.

†IMPORTANT: We know that those who are saved by the Gospel are saved NOT because of themselves, but the ASSURANCE of Jesus’ FINISHED and COMPLETE work.

We saw this in 2 Peter 1:1-5!

Philippians 1:6 ESV

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

John 6:37–40 ESV

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

It’s not that these false teachers, or others were saved and then turned away from, it’s that while remaining unsaved they tasted the benefits of righteousness but were disconnected themselves.

THAT’S Peter’s point!

v22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

Just like a Dog stays a dog and turns back to its vomit, and a pig stays a pig and goes back in the mud, those who refuse the Gospel for love of sin will ultimately turn away from the Gospel and stick to sin.

1 John 2:18–19 ESV

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. But they went out, that it might become plain that they all are not of us.

This is a warning for us to heed, but it’s meant to wake up the unrighteous, not scare those who are assured in Christ.

Which leads well to our final section...

†APPLICATION

If the reality of the false is death now and death later...

For the Christian, reality NOW and fate LATER is completely opposite.

†The Christian is opposite the false teacher!

We could do a breakdown of every single element in this passage, but we’re going to stick to 4 main categories.

Now when I talk about the Christian being opposite of the false. There are 2 Peoples I’m talking to, those who are presently Christian, and those who are not.

Congratulations, every person falls into those categories, so I’m talking to YOU

For the Christian this is an encouragement of what our lives reflect. For the non-Christian it is what you are invited to today, the benefits of the Gospel. This is no special club for the privileged, no one is saved by virtue of themselves, everyone is saved in spite of themselves by the generous, sufficient love of the God of Israel, displayed in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

†1) Not Slaves to Sin / Contrasted with 2 Peter 2:19

Romans 6:15–18 ESV

What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

†2) Practice Righteousness / Contrasted with 2 Peter 2:14

Romans 8:12–15 ESV

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

†3) Live Sexually Pure / Contrasted with 2 Peter 2:14,18

1 Corinthians 6:17–20 ESV

But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

†4) Reflect the Son of Man / Contrasted with 2 Peter 2:12

1 Corinthians 15:49 ESV

Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

2 Corinthians 3:18 ESV

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Ephesians 4:11–13 ESV

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

Romans 8:29–30 ESV

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

In Jesus we don’t live in death and we don’t fade into death. We live in TRUE ETERNAL life now and for forever!

If you do not trust in the Gospel your life looks like the false and will have the same fate as the false. But in Jesus these benefits are yours, and even in the thick of the struggle of life, are increasing by the power of His Spirit