2 Peter 2:1-10 – The Destruction of False Teachers

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

Pastor McCrary teaches from 2 Peter 2:1-10 to encourage those who speak against God’s salvation to turn from the grave sin of false teaching.

Introduction

The greatest threat against one today is not the dropping of a bomb or the bullet fired from a gun.  No, the greatest threat facing mankid today is the lie that can keep one from entering the kingdom of God.  In this Sunday School commentary, we will see the chilling warning that Peter shared to those who minister against Christ’s salvation. This week’s Sunday School commentary will cover scripture from 2 Peter 2:1-10a. 

The Betrayal of False Teachers

Our lesson this week opens with Peter stating, “There were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them (2 Pet. 2:1).”

When Peter says that the Lord “bought them”, let’s understand that Peter was referring to the price the Lord paid to redeem mankind.  Salvation is free, but it came at a price.  Jesus once told the disciples, “Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).”

The fact that Peter highlights that false teachers were also bought a price, highlights the betrayal that false teaching is to the Lord.  Let’s be very clear, sin is a betrayal, and certainly more after God gave the world His only begotten Son, who shed blood, laying down His life for all people.  False teaching betrays the love God has shown. 

After the death and resurrection of Christ, there was a surge of false teaching against Christ and His resurrection.  Those who taught false doctrines about Christ are mentioned throughout the New Testament scripture.

For example, in 1 John 2:22; 4:3, we can see that John spoke of those who denied that Jesus was the Christ, and pushed their false doctrines.  John referred to them as antichrists because they denied Christ and His salvation.  

Who were those false teachers who moved with such a spirit?  In his epistle, Jude explained that many of the false teachers were apostates, who at one point walked with them but betrayed the way, speaking against Christ (Jude 3-4).  

Throughout his ministering years, Paul was hounded by the same religious leaders who hounded Christ.  He would often have to return to a place because the religious leaders of the Jews would share harmful doctrine, especially to Gentiles, to push them away from God.  Paul wasn’t the only apostle whose work was impeded by the religious leaders, as Peter and John often found themselves under arrest by those same religious leaders.

Jesus warned that there would be false teachers.  A sign of the end of age, Jesus said, would be many coming in His name, deceiving people (Matt. 24:4).  Jesus warned, saying, “Beware of false prophets (teachers), who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves (Matt. 7:15).”

The Destructive Work of False Teaching

Let’s make no mistake about it, the work of false teachers is a work intended to impede one from inheriting the heavenly kingdom.  Such work is destructive work, as it keeps one away from the Lord and in the chains of sin.

With that in mind, Peter rightly points to this work being blasphemy (2 Pet. 2:2).  The teaching that is done with the intent to keep one from heaven is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.  Why so?  Well, the work of the Holy Spirit is to lead mankind in all truth, so that one can inherit the heavenly kingdom.  When one preaches against the heavenly kingdom, leading others to follow in their way, there is no return from such work.

Keep in mind that Jesus warned, saying, “Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come (Mark 12:32).”  It is from the teaching of Christ that Peter said that the false teachers will bring “swift destruction” upon themselves (2 Pet. 2:1).  

How to Spot False Teachers

In 2 Peter 2:3, Peter helps to point out how to spot the false teacher.  Let us notice that Peter said that they work out of covetousness.  I don’t think many of us take into consideration that false teachers work out of covetousness, but let us consider that for a moment.  

What does the false teacher covet?  Simon, the magician, was a false worker who used his “sorcery” to deceive the people of Samaria into following him.  One day, Philip, one of the apostles, came ministering to the Samaritans through the Holy Spirit, healing the sick, revealing the power of God.  

This caused the people to turn away from Simon’s “sorcery”, and turn to the Lord.  Philip baptized the Samaritans, and when Peter and John arrived, they laid hands on the people.  It was truly a wonderful occasion to see Jews helping Samaritans to know the way of Christ.

Seeing the power of the apostles led Simon to covet “their power”.  Simon believed he could use “their power” to regain his fame.  So, he went to Peter, John, and Philip with money to purchase the Holy Spirit, but was turned away by Peter because of his misguided thoughts.  You can read about Simon the Magician/Sorcerer in Acts 8:9-24.

The scribes and Pharisees, the religious leaders who adamantly antagonized Jesus and the apostles, were also false teachers.  In Matthew 23, Jesus warned His followers not to do as the scribes and Pharisees did (Matt. 23:3).  While they may have spoken the law, Jesus warned that they did their works to be seen and praised by man, rather than by God (Matt. 23:5). 

Because of the way they moved, Jesus admonished the scribes and Pharisees for being hypocrites.  Jesus condemned them for shutting the kingdom of heaven against men, devouring widows’ houses, and making long prayers for pretense (for show) (Matt. 23:13-14).  In return, the scribes and Pharisees moved against Jesus because they saw Him as a threat to their power. 

I want you to notice what the false teachers I just used as examples had in common.  Both Simon and the scribes and Pharisees desired power and to be praised and glorified by man, not by God.  Not only that, but we often think of false teachers only as those who will speak against God, and while yes, several false teachers are built in that mold, there are many more who will use the name of God.

Ultimately, false teachers covet power.  False teachers desire to be believed so that they may be praised and glorified by man.  False teachers will do anything that will help them to be praised and glorified.  Let’s note that Peter said, “They will exploit you with deceptive words.”

Yes, false teachers will exploit by either using the name of God or speaking against the name of God – whatever works to gain a following.  For the child of God, it is easier for us to avoid those who speak against Christ; however, many Christians are fooled by those false teachers who will use God’s name.  

There are many today who say that they are of Christ, that they’re “Christians”, moving in His name, but their character doesn’t align with Christ-like values, nor do their actions.  The defining character of the Lord is love.  When one’s words or actions are of anger, hate, bitterness, and division, one must recognize that such traits are not of the Lord.

God’s Judgement Against False Teachers

From 2 Peter 2:4-10, we will not only see Peter speak of God’s judgment against false teachers, but we will see Peter speak of God’s deliverance from such.

Warning through the fallen angels

In warning to the false teachers, Peter spoke of God’s judgment against the angels who sinned and were cast down to hell (2 Pet. 2:4).  The angels that Peter referenced in this verse were the angels that followed Satan in his rebellion.  Revelation 12:7-9 tells about how Michael and his angels fought with the dragon (Satan) and his angels.  

Michael, the Archangel, often nicknamed the “war angel,” defeated Satan and his army, and then Satan and the angels that followed him were cast to the earth.  Jesus spoke of how He saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven (Luke 10:18).

Now, Peter’s point was that if God did not hold back judgment against heavenly beings that sinned, why would the Lord hold back His judgment from sinful creatures?  Think about it:  why would God hold back His judgment from those who betray His love?  

There is this belief that God held back his judgment against Iscariot, therefore forgiving him.  Where does such a belief come from?  Some believe that because scripture foretold of Jesus being betrayed, that Iscariot had no choice in the matter.  The idea being that because Judas “didn’t have a choice”, the Lord forgave him.

Now, let me correct this misunderstanding.  All of the twelve had the same opportunity to turn from the world and to the Lord.  Iscariot made a choice, and his choice was to continue to love the world.  Iscariot does not escape judgment because when he had the opportunity to repent, he chose not to.  Instead, he chose to hang himself.

Iscariot is no different than the fallen angels because they also had the opportunity to live in obedience.  However, they made a choice, and they never walked back from it.  Rebellion against the Lord is blasphemy, as rebellion lives in defiance of the Lord.  Should we really think that the Lord is going to hold back His judgment from those who live in open defiance against Him?

Warning through Sodom and Gomorrah

With open rebellion in mind, in 2 Peter 2:5-6, Peter referenced the world’s rebellion during the days of Noah, and he also referenced the rebellion of Sodom and Gomorrah.  

Peter wrote, “[God] did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly.”

Mankind was nearly destroyed during the days of Noah because God saw that mankind’s every intent was wicked (Gen. 6:5).  Noah and his family lived because he listened and followed the Lord’s instructions.  Others drowned in the flood because they chose to live in open rebellion against God.

Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because, rather than living in holiness, the people of the cities lived in open rebellion.  Only Lot and his two daughters were saved because of Abraham’s intercession, and because Lot and his daughters heeded the angel’s instructions (Gen. 18:16-33; 19:17-29).  

As many of you may know, Lot’s wife did not make it because she did not follow the angel’s instructions.  Again, Peter’s purpose of referencing these examples is to show that there will be no escape from God’s judgment of condemnation for false teachers.  If the false teacher does not repent, then condemnation is the only thing that awaits.

Responsibility of Self

Any time we see such warnings in scripture about God’s judgment, they serve as a reminder that one must hold oneself accountable for how they choose to live.  

Something that must be clearly stated in this lesson is that there is no escaping judgment for anyone.  As the Lord said through the prophet Isaiah, “The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, that to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath (Is. 45:23).”  To be clear, both the righteous and the unrighteous will be judged by the Lord.

In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad ( 2 Cor. 5:10).”  

In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul wrote, “Each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.  If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.  If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire (1 Cor. 3:13-15).”

Knowing that just because you believe in God does not mean you will escape His judgment ought to encourage you to put forth your best effort of obedience.  It is the fear of His judgment that ought to help us live responsibly, and not in a manner that would see us fall back into sin.  

In Revelation 19:19-21, John wrote that he saw the beast captured, along with the false prophet who deceived many, speaking of the Antichrist.  John watched as the two were cast alive into the lake of fire.  Then, in Revelation 20:10, after his rebellion will be crushed, John, in that future day, saw the devil join the beast and prophet in the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:11-15 is arguably the saddest scripture you will read in all of the Bible.  In that scripture, John tells us that he saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, judging all who chose to live in the rebellion of Satan.  The blasphemers were all cast away from God into the same eternal condemnation of Satan, the beast, and Antichrist.  

The reason this scripture is so sad is that they had the opportunity to escape condemnation, but instead chose to live irresponsibly.  You and I have a great responsibility today in that we are to live responsibly so that we may, yes, inherit eternal life, but at the same time, lead others to the kingdom as well.  The responsibility of Christians everywhere is to be good stewards (representatives) of God who help to open the gates to the kingdom, rather than shut them, as false teachers do.