2 Peter 2:3, commentary and pictures

False teachers arise among professed believers, secretly bringing in destructive errors while denying the Lord by a lawbreaking, impure life that loves unrighteousness rather than truth. Driven by covetousness they invent smooth, deceptive words to exploit people for selfish gain. Many follow their corrupt and licentious ways, so that the way of truth is slandered and brought into disrepute. Their judgment was decreed long ago and does not linger or fail, and their destruction does not slumber but will come swiftly when forbearance is exhausted, while the Lord still knows how to deliver the godly out of trial. The same danger meets the church today whenever grace and mission are turned into commerce for profit and Scripture is twisted to undermine the faith once delivered to the saints.

False Teachers and Exploitation

The verse describes false teachers who rise up inside the professed people of truth, not among open unbelievers. They come in secretly, bringing in destructive heresies that deny the Lord who bought them, denying Him not only by doctrine but by character and conduct. This is the disobedient and disloyal class, set opposite the obedient who are approved for keeping all His commandments.

Their disloyalty is law-breaking, for sin is the transgression of the law. They love not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness, and are given up to strong delusion. Their vileness of character and works of licentiousness deny Christ, even to the point of teaching that licentiousness and adultery are not displeasing to God.

Their motive and method are covetousness and greed, working through feigned, fabricated, made-up and deceptive words. By such speech they make merchandise of people and exploit followers for selfish gain, turning them to selfish and licentious ends. This exploitation for profit is the central mark of the class described.

Their pernicious and corrupt ways do not remain isolated, for many are led to follow their destructive course. By that following and by their own vileness, they bring reproach upon the cause, so that the way of truth is slandered, spoken evil of, and brought into disrepute. Corrupt teaching and corrupt practice thus work together to mislead many and dishonor the truth.

The verse belongs to the broader warning given in the second and third chapters of the letter. There the danger is false teaching joined to corrupt practices, leading many astray and bringing certain judgment.

Judgment That Never Sleeps

Their condemnation was decided and fixed long ago, already certain and sure, and it does not linger, fail, or wait indefinitely, while their damnation and destruction do not slumber or sleep but remain awake. Driven by covetousness and greed, they use fabricated, made-up and deceptive words to make merchandise of people and exploit them for selfish gain, and for that their judgment will not be delayed and their destruction is already sure. The verse is fulfilled when one who had light rejects warnings, exalts self, departs from the faith, and seeks to win the confidence of believers in order to lead them astray, bringing swift and certain punishment.

What looks like delay is not forgetfulness, for judgment will soon take effect as swift destruction brought upon themselves. God keeps a record of the sins of nations and individuals, and when sins reach their full measure and reach unto heaven and His long forbearance is exhausted, justice and divine wrath do not linger and do not slumber. That end comes upon those given up to strong delusion because they love not the truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness.

While the unjust are reserved unto the day of judgment to be punished, the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation. The disobedient under judgment are disloyal through transgression of His law and stand opposite the obedient who are approved for obeying all His commandments.

History and Present Application

The verse describes men who caused much trouble in the early church and whose kind must be met again today, so all are required to be on guard. They are men who feel their opinions must never be given up and regard their own judgment as infallible, who would spoil the church through their plans. They confuse minds with pleasing sophistries presented by deceiving angels, and receive and seek to immortalize theories injurious to the work. In this they follow the pattern of Lucifer, who cherished and strengthened wrong ideas and refused to change until he became unacceptable to God.

The verse is fulfilled when one who had light rejects warnings, exalts self, departs from the faith, and seeks to gain the confidence of believers in order to lead them astray. Its warning applies to turning salvation into commerce, as the sale of indulgences did, making a business of people and making merchandise of God's grace for profit through greed and deceptive words. Their condemnation is certain and will not be delayed, so apparent success does not mean escape from judgment. Their pursuit of profit exposes their errors and deceptions and brings divine judgment upon them.

The same warning applies to opposition that seeks to undermine the faith once delivered to the saints, including the third angel's message. It applies to those who twist Scripture and the spirit of prophecy to advance human ideas and schemes. It applies to the promotion of false and misleading theories, even when their promoters pay others to spread them, as a way of making merchandise of people through feigned, made-up words driven by covetousness. Their corrupt teaching leads many to follow destructive ways and brings truth into disrepute, yet their judgment is certain and will not be delayed and their destruction is not asleep.

The verse also warns against using attractive, deceptive words and beautiful language to gain influence and cause people to lose their souls. This includes heresies presented in books that allure and deceive, as illustrated by fallen angels who sought a place above Christ and use knowledge gained in heaven to allure and deceive. It likewise forbids turning God's saving work into personal gain and making merchandise of God's plan to reach people in need while disguising selfishness as medical missionary work, which violates the trust given to the church.