2 Peter 2 - Introduction

ANALYSIS.

When prophecies were made to the world, even in those times there were false prophets. So in your time false teachers will come among you, slyly bringing to and urging upon your attention hurtful heresies heresies that will condemn; going so far as to deny Jesus Christ as Lord, who bought them by his death. These bring upon themselves certain and fast destruction. Many will be persuaded by these false teachers to accept and act upon their teachings. By reason of those who go after these false teachers, the truth will be scandalized. These false teachers being avaricious, by hypocritical speeches they will try to win, so they can thereby make gain of you. To show you that their punishment is certain, I call your attention to God's dealings with angels that sinned, with the wicked in the days of Noah, and the fate of the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah: they were all overthrown for unrighteousness. Noah was righteous, and so was Lot. Both of these were saved. God knows how to save the good, while the punishment of the wicked comes upon them. Men that are wicked exhibit their characters by walking after the dictates of fleshly desires. They are presumptuous, depending upon their own powers. They speak against officers in authority. In this angels even never indulged, but these wicked act as beasts that perish. They are spots and blemishes on the body politic. So disposed are they that they can not cease from sin. They beguile unstable souls. Their hearts are set on doing everything that will bring them gain. They are children of the curse, having given up the right way to act. In this respect they are like Balaam, who was anxious to receive pay for a bad act. His action was that of madness, and was reproved by the beast he rode. These wicked are fountains having no water, and clouds that give no rain a cheat. To these the blackness of darkness is reserved as their final portion. They allure by appeals loudly made to the desires of the flesh. They promise liberty, while they themselves are in the veriest bondage. One escaping from all these pollutions through the gospel of Christ, and becoming again entangled, is worse off than if he had never believed. He is like a dog who goes back to his vomit, or a sow once washed to wallow again in mud and mire.