"So you see, the Lord knows how to rescue godly people from their trials, even while keeping the wicked under punishment until the day of final judgment. He is especially hard on those who follow their own twisted sexual desire, and who despise authority.
These people are proud and arrogant, daring even to scoff at supernatural beings without so much as trembling. But the angels, who are far greater in power and strength, do not dare to bring from the Lord a charge of blasphemy against those supernatural beings.
These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed. Their destruction is their reward for the harm they have done. They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight. They are a disgrace and a stain among you. They delight in deception even as they eat with you in your fellowship meals. They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse. They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong. But Balaam was stopped from his mad course when his donkey rebuked him with a human voice." 2 Peter 2:9-16
2 Peter 2 is a strong warning against false prophets and teachers, and the dangers of falling victim to their schemes. Peter talks in depth about the appeal these teachers make to our fleshly desires, but he warns strongly that they are ultimately full of empty promises and entanglement to corruption.
A true godly teacher appeals from the Word of God, a false teacher appeals to our flesh. But how do we recognize which is which? In verses 12 through 14 the author gives us examples of how false teachers peak our sinful interests. A tell-tale sign of a false teacher is that your flesh is enticed.
Peter refers to these teachers as “irrational animals, creatures of instinct” (verse 12). Without Christ, we all have natures that are sinful! Verses 13 and 14 explain that false teachers blaspheme and deceive, and that they’re adulterous and greedy. Verse 15 says they have forsaken the right way and have gone astray and they lead others with them. They can only do what is natural to them, this means these false prophets are not creative in their deception. For the Christian, that means that we do not have to fall to these age-old deceptions.
Also, according to the Scriptures, these false teachers “entice unsteady souls.” This is key for us to remember; if false teachers entice unsteady souls, then the only way for us to respond as believers is to be steady in the truth of Christ.
Even Jesus was tested by the enemy in the desert. In Matthew 4:1-11 we see Satan tempting Jesus and twisting the words of God to accomplish his own evil purposes. Jesus combats everything Satan says with the truth of Scripture. Jesus is the best possible example of resisting false teaching and He fought lies with truth. We have to know the true word of God in order to distinguish the counterfeit!
As we continue to study and write the word, let’s remember the importance of deeply knowing truth so we are not lead astray.
Lord, thank you that, if we know Your Word, we know life and truth. Please help us to recognize these false teachers - and the schemes of Satan - as the lies that they are, and help us to combat evil with the truth of Scripture. Let us be steady in Your truth, never shaken by the enemy - keep us in Your truth. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
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