2 Peter 2:11-16

 

2 Pet 2:11 (KJB)

Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

 

Greater - Even more or greater degree

Railing - Slanderous or blasphemous

Accusation - A judgment, verdict, or decision

 

Peter continues his warning against the false teachers. They are so brazen and arrogant, they do not possess the common sense the angels have. The angels which have much more power and might than mere humans would not even bring a railing accusation against their own. When Satan rebelled against God, these angels did not bring any judgments against Satan before the Lord. The angels do not even bring any accusations against the false teachers which are leading people astray. This shows great constraint on their part but shows the foolishness of the false teachers.

 

2 Pet 2:12 (KJB)

But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

 

Brute - Absurd or unreasonable

Beasts - Living creature or being

Made - Having been born

Taken - Captured

They understand not - Ignorant

Shall utterly perish - Totally perish

Corruption - Destruction or ruin

 

Peter gives an excellent view of these false teachers because they pretend to be so intelligent yet they hold to unreasonable or absurd views. This is because they are equivalent to absurd beasts of the field. The animal knows just enough to survive but cannot read or write which equates to the false teachers knowing just enough to sound good but not enough to be real teachers. These were born to be captured and destroyed because they speak evil of the things they are ignorant of. If there is one thing a false teacher is ignorant of, it is the truths of Scripture. Since they are ignorant of Scripture, there is no way they can come to a true understanding about God and salvation. Ignorance is never a base to build intelligence on, in any realm, not just the spiritual realm. Their ignorance of truth will have consequences and that consequence for them will be to totally perish in Hell and their own corruption will be the catalyst for their judgment. The problem with following false teachers is that their false teachings have a ripple effect. Not only does their false teachings condemn themselves but it condemns others who follow them. (1 Tim 4:16 KJV) Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. On the other hand it behooves anyone who teaches the Bible to pay strict attention to what they teach, so they will lead no one astray.

 

2 Pet 2:13 (KJB)

And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

 

Reward - Payment or wages

Pleasure - Delight or strong desire

To riot - Self-indulgence, luxury, or softness

Spots - Stains, fault, or blemishes

Blemishes - Disgrace or defect

Sporting - Revel, carouse, or live luxuriously

Deceivings - Treachery or deceitfulness

Feast - To entertain or feast together

 

If there is one thing that can be counted on it is a day of reckoning that is coming for these false teachers. It is spoken of here as the reward of unrighteousness which will be eternal damnation for them. (Rom 6:23 KJV) For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. This judgment is in the future but for the present they count it as a pleasure to self-indulge themselves in the day time. It is interesting that God uses the term day time because they are so bold, they do not do their sinning only in the night under cover of darkness but their boldness has them doing their sins in the day, for all to see. False teachers love indulgent living just like the false teachers of today. How many of the prosperity preachers have multi-million dollar salaries, homes, and drive around in luxury cars? They do this right out in the open showing everyone their prosperity. God doesn’t look at them like they are blessed, in fact He calls them spots which are nothing more than stains.

 

If you have a stain on your favorite article of clothing, it makes it good only for the rag bag. Then God refers to them as blemishes which are better understood as a disgrace. This is what false teachers are to Christianity. It is unfortunate when a false teacher is finally exposed, that they get all the publicity and the hardworking Christians behind the scenes are never recognized for their work but normally catch the ripple effect of the sinning false teacher plus the church is then castigated for their wrongdoings. These false teachers also revel in their own deceptions because they think they are superior to everyone else. They believe that they have superior knowledge to all other Christians but their knowledge is steeped in deception. They sit among the Christians like they are superior and their understanding of Scripture is, in reality, inferior. The love feasts of the ancient church was where these false teachers would try to influence the Christians because it was an informal setting where much dialogue could take place. Today may false teachers use TV or radio because those who listen are normally more relaxed and will have their guard down a little and that may result in accepting a false teaching.

 

2 Pet 2:14 (KJB)

Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

 

Adultery - An adulteress

Beguiling - Lure, entice, or entrap

Unstable - Unsupported or weak

Exercised - Trained

 

Another characteristic of the false teachers is that they have unfulfilled lusts as they have only eyes of adultery whereby they covet the things of others, especially the rich. Their eyes do not cease from sin because they are constantly looking for more things in this world for themselves. They care not about the spiritual things but care only for the physical things of the world so they may acquire more goods for themselves. Their methods of teaching is to lure the Christians or unbelievers into their web of deceit but they do not go after those who are strong in the Lord and know the Scriptures, instead they go after those individuals who are weak in the faith or those unsaved who are at a weak or vulnerable point in their life. Their techniques for seduction are not natural but they have been trained to learn to seduce others. How many times I have seen false preachers on TV with their crocodile tears as they can create tears on cue. Then these tears begin to create emotionalism in the hearers and the next thing you know they are writing a check to the false teacher. The fact that they have trained themselves to seduce others have made them cursed children which are headed for divine judgment and damnation.

 

2 Pet 2:15 (KJB)

Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

 

Forsaken - Having left

 

These cursed children are defined as having forsaken or left the straight way and attached themselves to the ways of error. They have likened themselves to the false prophet Balaam who taught Balak that all he has to do, to win the Israelites is not to physically attack them but to live peaceably among them and then infiltrate them with false religion, little by little. It is a tactic know as “Fabian Socialism” in the political realm. The Fabian Society was founded in London in 1884 and is dedicated to advance the cause of Socialism gradually and not by revolution. This is what Balaam taught Balak, don’t do a frontal attack but instead, go in the back door and eventually you will conquer them. This is what the false teacher does, they do not put on a frontal attack on biblical doctrine, instead they add and modify it, to make it sound good and so it will be accepted by the people. Balaam had accepted money from Balak to curse Israel and these false teachers also seek money and the goods it will purchase.

 

2 Pet 2:16 (KJB)

But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

 

Iniquity - Wickedness

Madness - Insanity

 

(Num 22:28 KJV) And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times? Numbers 22:21-33 is the story of Balaam’s ass. God had opened the mouth of the donkey that Balaam rode and used it to rebuke Balaam for his insanity thinking that he was able to fight against God. This is the arrogance of the false prophet and teacher, they think that they have the authority and the strength to take on God and this is why the Scripture speaks of Balaam as being insane. Who can challenge God and win? Surely the episode with Balaam proved that a mere human cannot yet the arrogance of the false teachers prohibits them from seeing this.

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