2 Peter 2:20, commentary and pictures

Those who have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ can become entangled in them again and be overcome, and their latter end is worse than the beginning. Knowing the way of righteousness does not make salvation unconditional, for one can turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them and be lost, and it had been better never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn from it. Mere profession or acceptance of the theory of the truth without living experimental religion is of no value and leaves the condition worse than if the truth had never been heard, so each person must have individual consecration and personal conversion with Christ enshrined in the heart. Returning to sin shows the conversion was not thorough, for truth was accepted only partly and not put into practice, its light was soon quenched and left greater darkness, and when sin still seems pleasant its pleasures are soon yielded to again. Yet corruption can be overcome and escaped in the strength of Jesus through sharing in His divine nature, which enables obedience to God's commandments and keeps pure those who maintain living faith, earnest communion with God, and resistance to inclination.

The Warning Explained

Escape from the pollutions of the world comes through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, yet those who have so escaped can become entangled in those pollutions again and be overcome, and then the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. The defilements escaped are the corruption of the world, and the return is a re-entanglement that overcomes the person and leaves the final condition worse than the former one before escape. Mere profession or reception of truth does not protect against this outcome, for self-righteousness and failure to remain with Christ leave a person vulnerable to deception and spiritual ruin.

Knowing the way of righteousness does not make salvation unconditional, since one who has known it can turn back from it and be lost. Turning is turning from the holy commandment delivered, from the way of righteousness received, and for such it had been better never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn from it. The worse latter end is therefore especially tied to turning away after light has been known and the holy commandment given.

The warning describes false teachers who deny the Lord and lead others astray, and it applies to those who were given light and messages of warning but would not receive them and exalted themselves. They speak great swelling words of vanity and allure through the lusts of the flesh and through wantonness those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. They promise liberty while they themselves are the servants of corruption, brought into bondage by that by which they are overcome.

Return to sin shows the conversion was not thorough, for truth was accepted only partly and was not put into practice, so its light was soon quenched and left greater darkness. When sin still seems pleasant and its pleasures are not truly rejected, what was gained through conversion is soon lost and the person yields again to temptation. Without genuine conviction and truth that cleanses the heart, worldly thorns take root and choke the truth, whereas a cleansed heart leaves them less able to take root.

Keeping From Relapse

Merely accepting the theory of the truth without experimental religion is of no value, and leaves the condition worse than if the truth had never been heard or embraced. Each person must have individual consecration and personal conversion, a living experience with Christ for themselves, with Christ enshrined in the heart and His Spirit controlling the affections. Ministers must keep their own souls in the love of God while pressing this necessity upon others.

Faith must be carefully cultivated, with persistent effort to remove evil tendencies, or worldly cares, riches, forbidden desires and other sins will act as thorns that choke faith and leave it unfruitful until overcome. Those who receive knowledge of Christ yet let faith be thus choked can fall into a worse condition than before they heard the truth. Genuine conviction and truth that cleanses the heart leave those worldly thorns less able to take root, while without that cleansing they choke the truth, and return to sin shows the conversion was not thorough because truth was accepted only partly and not put into practice, so its light was soon quenched and left greater darkness.

The warning stands alongside the possibility of overcoming corruption through Christ's merits and sharing in His divine nature, which enables obedience to God's commandments. The pollution of the world is a defiling power, the pollutions of the last days, which must be escaped and resisted in the strength of Jesus. God Himself preserves life and keeps pure those who maintain personal living faith, a high purpose to glorify God, resistance to inclination, faithfulness to duty and to pure principles of right, earnest communion with God, prayer with constant watching, unfailing love for the truth that never wanes for an hour, clinging to God by living faith, and nearness to His divine presence.

Turning away when obedience requires self-denial, such as in the matter of tithing, brings the worse latter end. Wealth and other circumstances can lead to sinful indulgence, intemperance and vice, and some who fall into these practices once possessed wealth, so those beginning the same downward path need earnest efforts to warn and help them. The warning applies especially to intemperance, for habits of appetite are difficult to unlearn and resisting the pollutions of the last days requires moral strength in Jesus. Firmness of character and moral control prevail when right principles in regard to temperance are implanted in youth, and parents should form temperate habits in children from infancy.