2 Peter 2:1, commentary and pictures

As there were false prophets among ancient Israel, so there will be false teachers inside the Christian church among professed believers. They work not openly but secretly, bringing in by stealth teachings that are spiritually destructive and turn people away from God's Word and obedience to His law. The Lord they deny is Christ who bought them with His own blood, and to deny Him is to refuse Him as the Son of God, despise His sacrifice, and rebel against God's law. That denial is done most decidedly not only by open unbelief but by professing truth while practicing vileness, disobeying the law under claim of sanctification, and rejecting the light and grace He offers to pardon and sanctify. They bring upon themselves swift destruction under the wrath of God, many follow their corrupt ways to ruin so that truth is evil spoken of, and God's people escape only by searching the Scriptures, weighing every theory by the law and the testimony, refusing fellowship with the deceivers, and standing firmly for Christ and truth.

Wording and Historical Setting

As there were false prophets among ancient Israel, so there will be false teachers among professed believers within the Christian church. The disobedient class disloyal to God by transgressing His law stands in contrast to the obedient class approved by obeying all His commandments, and the false prophets of the past and the false teachers of the future belong to that disobedient company. Many believers will regard these teachers as true teachers, yet trusting them brings ruin. Their course fulfills the verse in those who receive light and warnings yet will not receive them, who exalt themselves, depart from the faith, seek influence to lead souls astray, and would deceive if possible the very elect.

Privily means not openly but secretly, introducing destructive heresies by stealth among professed followers. The ones meant are not those who openly claim no faith in Christ but those who profess to believe the truth while working within. The warning reaches from Peter's time down to the present, and indifference to it leaves souls to be deceived and ensnared. It exposes a special danger to the church in the last days through false teachers who secretly bring in damnable heresies, with many following their pernicious ways so that the way of truth is evil spoken of. One marked fulfillment is modern Spiritualism, a revival in new form of the witchcraft and demon-worship condemned of old. The verse presents the true condition of the world at this time and gives an admonition that must be heeded, while the passage in 2 Peter 2:1-9 means everything to God's people and must be understood, calling them out of darkness into marvelous light to understand the Lord's will, to seek heaven with all the heart, and to walk circumspectly rather than heedlessly.

The Lord who bought them is Christ who purchased people with His own blood. Denying Him includes refusing to acknowledge Christ as the Son of God, despising His shed blood, having no reverence for Father or Son, and standing in rebellion against God's law like their rebel chief, so that by denying Christ they have neither Son nor Father. Such denial is wicked unbelief that dishonors God, leaves the home prayerless with Jesus not invited as honored guest, puts the soul in immediate peril, and unless special efforts are made will cause the last ray of light to depart, though done without knowing what is done and though even such a denier may yet be saved by the only Lord God who offers an eternal weight of glory for humble obedience. Trusting finite human reasoning and baseless philosophies ensnares into rejecting His divinity and divine mercy, ending in destruction when falsehoods fail in affliction and death with loss of immortal life.

Against these false teachers Jesus is set as the pattern to be carried out as a rule. He did not exalt Himself but came meek and lowly in heart, traveling on foot from place to place, yet He was the greatest teacher who ever stepped on the soil. The verse means to learn from Him and be just what He would have, carrying on God's work sensibly with men and women connected in the work and each carrying their part so that God will be glorified.

Methods and Character Exposed

False teachers work secretly within the professed people of God, just as false prophets once worked among ancient Israel, quietly introducing teachings that are spiritually destructive, deceptive and fatal to the soul. These heresies turn minds away from God's Word and away from obedience to His law, denying Christ and His gospel while bringing swift destruction upon those who spread them. What is believed decides destiny, for truth received with love sanctifies, while false theories and another gospel are fatal, and the danger is especially marked in the last days when those departed from the faith seek to draw workers into controversy. Such deceivers may be regarded as godly people walking in the light and seeking to correct wrong practices, while in reality they are undermining faith and serving sin.

Their manner is smooth, fair and persuasive, using flattering words and skillful misrepresentation and speaking smooth things instead of upholding truth and righteousness. They promise liberty and freedom while concealing rebellion against God's will and leading into sin, though they themselves are enslaved. By this means they draw disciples after themselves, following seducing spirits and teachings of satanic origin. Their character is plainly laid open, so their teachings are to be compared with God's revealed will, weighed in the light from His Word, stood against firmly in the principles of the faith, and given no welcome, fellowship or support.

They mix error with truth, taking solemn testing truths already brought out, hiding where they obtained them, and claiming that God gave them the light. They profess great light on the Sabbath of the fourth commandment and kindred truths so as to appear led of God and gain confidence, and then begin their work of wresting the Scriptures. What they present as truths for this time is a confused mass of truth and heresy, even making void the seventh commandment by teaching that the adultery condemned in the law means something other than breaking marriage vows, to their own destruction and the ruin of souls. In the same spirit religious teachers misinterpret and misapply Scripture and call truth error, leading people away from obedience. Those unwilling to accept the plain, cutting truths of the Bible because they involve a cross are left to receive damnable heresy for religious truth, continually seeking pleasing fables to quiet the conscience and favoring doctrines that are less spiritual, self-denying and humiliating.

They come with false dreams and visions and with messages of reproof that God has not sent, and some even come claiming to be Christ and apparently working miracles. Their teaching sets aside the law of God, declaring that the law is not binding and the Sabbath is not a test question and that all that is needed is to accept Christ. They utter predictions about the time of Christ's coming, the end of probation, and events to take place, and though some things they speak come to pass, many prove utterly false. When exposed they excuse failure by twisting their statements and giving them another meaning, going on deceiving and being deceived, and safety lies only in surrendering will and way to God, praying earnestly for wisdom, weighing every theory in the light shining from the Word, and rejecting whatever does not speak according to the law and to the testimony because there is no light in it.

Ways of Denying Christ

Denying the Lord who bought them includes refusing to acknowledge Christ as the Son of God, despising the blood He shed to purchase them, having no reverence for the Father or the Son, and standing in rebellion against God's law. By denying Christ in this way they deny both the Father and the Son, which marks their teaching as that of antichrist. This denial is identified especially with spiritualists in the last days, whose rejection of Christ and His blood fulfills the foretold danger to the church.

That denial is done most decidedly not by open unbelief in Christ but by professing to believe the truth and to be His followers while denying Him by vileness of character. The damnable heresy at the heart of it is licentiousness and adultery, with the delusion that there is nothing displeasing to God in such indulgence, a delusion loved by those who love not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness. It goes so far as to make void the seventh commandment by teaching that the adultery condemned in the law means something other than breaking marriage vows, even persuading wives that it is not offensive to God to be untrue to their husbands, to their own destruction and the ruin of souls.

Denying the Lord also happens by actions as well as by words, through disobedience and transgression of God's law, since sin is the transgression of the law. Those who live in such transgression while claiming sanctification deny Christ who redeemed them, prove they have not received His righteousness, and their claimed sanctification is false and spurious. Continuing in sin despite the light of God's Word is itself this denial and brings judgment and the wrath of God upon the disobedient.

Denial comes step by step, as accepting specious, fictitious ideas corrupts faith and experience unless they are rejected and the person stands for Christ and truth and breaks free from deceptive influences. It involves rejecting Christ's divinity in favor of finite human reasoning and baseless philosophies, trusting them until divine mercy is rejected and destruction follows. Some carry this to claiming superiority over Christ and leading others into presumption and sin.

Denial further includes hearing truths presented from God's Word yet neglecting to receive them into the heart and neglecting and rejecting Jesus who paid the price for them. The Jesus rejected is the one who wants to welcome sinners, pardon them and present them faultless to God, impart His great love and His righteousness, and sanctify the soul by the Holy Spirit through belief of the truth, so that no soul need perish and bring ruin upon himself. Such denial is wicked unbelief and infidelity that dishonors God, leaves the home prayerless with Jesus not invited as honored guest, puts the soul in immediate peril with the last ray of light about to depart, though done without knowing what is being done and though even such a denier may yet be saved.

Denying the Lord means rejecting light and evidence, exalting self, departing from the faith, and seeking influence to lead souls astray. It was the sin of Noah's generation, who long resisted and denied God's message given through Noah, mocking the warning, forgetting God and putting Him out of thought. They continued in idolatrous business, vileness, crime, eating and drinking, gratification of appetite, low carnal amusements and every kind of iniquity, schooling themselves to resist until reason was perverted and conscience became unimpressible and every avenue of the soul was closed to the Spirit of God.

Fulfillment Across History

The verse is fulfilled in those who receive light and warnings yet refuse to receive them, exalt themselves, depart from the faith, proclaim a misleading message, follow seducing spirits and teachings of satanic origin, use flattering words and skillful misrepresentation, speak smooth things instead of upholding truth and righteousness, and seek influence to lead souls astray and draw disciples after themselves, even to deceive if possible the very elect. As there were false prophets among ancient Israel so there shall be false teachers among God's people, who secretly bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring swift destruction upon themselves, while many follow their pernicious ways so that the way of truth is evil spoken of. Those who have been misled in this way must distinguish false teachers from genuine ones, humble themselves before God, repent for failing to recognize the true Shepherd's voice, and cease following a stranger.

The danger began early in church history, when false teachers brought heresies into the church and many believers were ensnared by false doctrines. Some faltered under trial and were tempted to abandon the faith under that pressure. Similar conditions faced the early church and must be met today, so God's people must be on guard against trouble arising from within.

Modern Spiritualism is a marked fulfillment in the last days, a revival in new form of the witchcraft and demon-worship condemned of old and a manifestation of antichrist. Its teachers refuse to acknowledge Christ as the Son of God and despise His blood shed to purchase them, having neither the Son nor the Father and no reverence for either, and like their rebel chief they are in rebellion against the law of God. By denying Christ they deny both the Father and the Son, secretly introduce destructive heresies, deny the Lord who bought them with His own blood, bring swift destruction on themselves, and lead many to follow corrupt ways by reason of whom the way of truth is evil spoken of. Their character is plainly described even when their words are smooth, fair and persuasive, so believers must compare their teachings with God's revealed will, avoid their circles and fellowship, and not be swayed by smooth words.

All who neglect the word of God to study convenience and policy so as not to be at variance with the world will be left to receive damnable heresy for religious truth. This falls on those unwilling to accept the plain, cutting truths of the Bible because they involve a cross, who continually seek pleasing fables to quiet their consciences and favor doctrines that are less spiritual, self-denying and humiliating. The papacy gained its power over the minds of men in this way, and Protestants rejecting truth for the same reason follow the same path. The people before the Flood illustrate denying the Lord who bought them, for they rejected the warning through Noah and by persistent unbelief and indulgence trained themselves to resist it until conscience could no longer be impressed. Their rejection did not avert the announced destruction, for they perished in the Flood.

Consequence and Faithful Response

False teachers bring swift destruction upon themselves and fall under the wrath of God upon disobedience, for denial of the Lord who bought them with His blood and rebellion against His law ends in judgment according to works. Their denials include refusal to acknowledge Christ as the Son of God, irreverence toward Father and Son, despising Christ's blood, and vileness of character in licentiousness and adultery while professing to believe the truth. Trust in finite human reasoning and baseless philosophies ensnares, leads to rejection of divine mercy, and ends in destruction, for such falsehoods fail when tested by affliction and death and the rejecter loses immortal life.

Many will follow their pernicious and corrupt ways, and those who trust such teachers can be ruined by them. By reason of this following the way of truth is evil spoken of and reproach is brought upon the truth. This fulfills the warning in those who receive light and warnings yet will not receive them, who exalt self, depart from the faith, seek influence to lead souls astray, and would deceive if possible the very elect, while many believers regard them as true teachers though their teaching brings destruction.

God's people must therefore be on guard, for similar conditions faced the early church and must be met today. They must stand consecrated with lives spotless without wrinkle, be circumspect rather than heedless, make the work a business and seek heaven with all the heart and understanding, that grace may reveal light so mistakes are not made and mistakes confessed are overcome. This requires searching the Scriptures for eternal life, coming into sacred relation to Christ, and by beholding His life and character becoming partakers of the divine nature having escaped worldly corruption through lust, as a peculiar people called out of darkness into marvelous light who show forth His praises apart from worldly sayings and customs, accountable for light given and going to neighbors with the Bible to teach the truth as it is in Jesus.

What is believed matters, for truth received with love sanctifies while false theories and another gospel turning people from God's Word and obedience are fatal to the soul. Every theory must be weighed in light shining from the Word of God, compared with Scripture and with the law and the testimony, and whatever does not speak according to them must be rejected because there is no light in it. Ministers and believers must carefully and prayerfully investigate and compare Scripture with Scripture rather than condemning truth without examination, yet firmly oppose those who misinterpret and misapply Scripture, call truth error, and lead away from obedience, as Elijah, Jeremiah and Paul opposed those who led away from Scripture. Protection is found in surrendering will and way to God and praying earnestly for wisdom.

Believers are to compare such teachings with God's revealed will and test claims by Scripture. They are to stand firmly for the principles of the faith and avoid being drawn into controversy by those departed from the faith who would draw workers into dispute. Those misled, having failed to know the true Shepherd's voice and followed a stranger though the elect may be endangered, should humble themselves before God, repent, and return.

Fellowship with such teachers is to be avoided, their circles not attended, and them given no welcome or support. They are not to be invited into houses nor bidden Godspeed, for obedience to that injunction leaves no sympathy with them and no need to investigate further what God has already investigated and given definite instruction about. Their claims, however smooth and fair, are not to be given publicity through public debate or controversy, since public discussion may spread the heresies and lead souls astray and deceive people.

Escape from ruin requires rejecting deceptive influences and the specious fictitious ideas that corrupt faith and experience, and standing for Christ and truth lest one move step by step toward denying the One who bought them with His blood. Those accepting such ideas must break free from them, for hearing truths from God's Word and neglecting to receive them into the heart and rejecting Jesus who wants to pardon, present sinners faultless, impart His love and righteousness, and sanctify by the Holy Spirit through belief of the truth brings great and terrible responsibility and ruin upon oneself, though no soul need perish. Deliverance comes by making straight paths for the feet so the lame are not turned out of the way by example, believing with simple faith in Jesus, resisting the devil and his suggestions, drawing nigh to God and cooperating with Him who will draw nigh and lift a standard against the enemy, confessing mistakes and overcoming them.