BEWARE OF FALSE TEACHERS (2 Peter 2)
Dr. Paul Manuel—2015
It is important to know the facts before making an assertion that may prove not be true and that may leave you embarrassed...or worse. The following may be a true story.
Several of our primary beliefs are connected to the doctrine of Christ's second coming. Among these are the physical resurrection of the saints, the establishment of a physical kingdom on earth, and, of course, the expectation of the messiah's physical return. Well, I have run across new light on these issues from some ancient manuscripts that may change the way you view the future.
These documents include information about the resurrection of the saints. We read this in what is called Treatise on Resurrection (late 2nd c.):
These manuscripts also include information about the realm of the Lord. Here are excerpts from The Gospel of Thomas (2nd c.), which was also not written by that apostle:
These documents also include information about the return of the messiah. The Gospel of Thomas makes it clear that we have no need of his return, because we have the living Jesus ourselves.
This is exciting news, and it certainly requires us to rethink what we have been taught for many years. Now we know there will be...
This is not actually new information. These peculiar ideas were in circulation during the late-first century and have since come to be known as Gnosticism, the belief that by acquiring special knowledge a person could attain god-like status.3 When the apostle Peter heard about it, he was excited...but not in a positive sense. In a second letter to Jewish believers living outside the land of Israel, he exhorts them to pursue godliness in chapter 1, then warns them against being deceived by godlessness in chapter 2, describing how...
I. False teachers are putting them at risk.
He begins in v. 1 with an unfortunate and uncomfortable assurance:
If you wonder about some new or unfamiliar doctrine, before you accept it, check with two sources:
Having warned his readers about how false teachers are putting true believers at risk, by undermining what God is doing in their midst, Peter goes on to describe how...
II. False teachers are putting themselves at risk.
He does not say this out of sympathy for these purveyors of error but to warn his readers further that if they follow the same path, they will face the same problems, perhaps even the same punishment. Peter deals with the issues he listed earlier in reverse order here.4 beginning with how these men are fooling with their own fate, because...
In English, the word "if" (a conditional subordinating conjunction) often expresses uncertainty. Consider a sentence that shows Steeler fans' reaction to the outcome of a game.
If the Steelers won the game—which the fans here do not yet know—they will be happy.7
Now suppose the teams have already played, the fans here have not yet heard the result, but I have, and I know that the Steelers won. I can then make a fairly accurate prediction about the reaction of the fans here, and that first word "if" changes to a word that expresses certainty (a causal subordinating conjunction).
Greek keeps the first word "if" and shows a change in certainty differently, which can be confusing when the sentences in English translations start the same way, as they do in this passage.
Whether to deceive people with the impression that they have authority in spiritual matters or because these false teachers actually think they have authority...
For example, if the prince of Liechtenstein, a country on the border of Switzerland, decided for some reason that his nation would no longer sell oil to the U.S., the effect would be negligible. The Principality of Liechtenstein occupies 62 square miles, about the size of Washington D.C., has a population of less than 34,000, and imports ten times more goods from the U.S. than it exports to the U.S. Most importantly, though, Liechtenstein has no oil reserves, so such a decision would have no affect on the U.S. economy and, if it made the news at all, it would at most be a matter of curiosity not concern.
The same could be said about a derogatory assertion by these false teachers against "celestial beings." Such a statement, if it came to the attention of those beings at all, would at most be a matter of curiosity not concern. Nevertheless, it is not a good idea to insult a superpower, and it is certainly not a good idea to insult angels. Angels do not even insult other angels. Jude, addressing a similar problem confronting the readers of his letter, says...
When a person adopts his own view of theology, especially when that view does not agree with the biblical view, that person often adopts his own view of morality, one that also does not agree with the biblical view. That is the case with these false teachers. Having rejected God's standard of righteousness, they feel free to indulge their baser desires and, consequently,...
As I mentioned, one problem of aberrant views is that a distortion of theology often leads to a decline in morality, because what a person believes affects how he behaves. The Gnostics' goal was to achieve God-like capabilities in knowledge and power, but they saw no need for God-like qualities of "righteousness and holiness" (Eph 4:24). They wanted spiritual enlightenment without ethical entanglements, so they could believe what they wanted and behave as they pleased. This bifurcation between a person's religious views and his religious values can become an excuse for sinful activity.
For example, in the early seventies, the Jesus movement saw the creation of several groups, including one called the Children of God (a.k.a. Family of Love), whose sensual view of Christology9 affected the group's practice of evangelism, resulting in what Moses Berg, the group's founder, termed the "Flirty Fish" policy.10
Since the death of Moses Berg in 1994, the group, now called The Family, has attempted to present a more modest image under the leadership of his widow, the prophetess Maria Berg, but she has not repudiated her husband's aberrant views, and his doctrine of "sexual sharing" (partner swapping) is still practiced among consenting members (Lattin 2001).
Like Moses Berg, the false teachers Peter condemns have their own view of theology, a view that does not agree with the biblical view and that allows them to adopt their own view of morality, one that also does not agree with the biblical view. Having rejected God's standard of righteousness, they feel free to indulge their baser desires and, consequently, also like Berg, they have an unsavory reputation.
The apostle's final point, echoes his initial criticism, especially the danger false teachers pose to their own safety he mentions in v. 1: They are "bringing swift destruction on themselves." He elucidates that observation in vv. 17-22, stating...
The author of Hebrews also speaks to this issue.
How far does a person have to stray from the faith to be apostate? ...That is difficult to say.
The sin of apostasy is not a momentary lapse in obedience but a conscious and
repetitious decision to forsake a biblical view of God.14 Whether or not the false teachers Peter describes have passed the point of no return, they are perilously close to it.
Peter's purpose in describing the fate of these false teachers is that their destiny might serve as a warning for any of his readers who is tempted to believe the lies they are peddling. What these men are doing to themselves is bad enough; they must not be allowed to drag others down with them.15 Peter's warning still holds true. There are false teachers today whose destiny is the same. They profess to be God's representatives, but what they promote is not God's revelation. Watch for them, avoid them, and do not be deceived by them. The best defense against spiritual error is: Stay close to the biblical center.
The early church includes people with a variety of beliefs, some acceptable, others heretical. Peter warns his readers against thinking that all ideas are equally valid or that they should be tolerant of whatever anyone else believes.16 The Fox news mantra of "fair and balanced" does not apply here. Some ideas are not valid, and the apostle's readers should not be tolerant of beliefs that are contrary to what God has revealed. Such notions have no business in the church. Peter's warning to these first century Christians is one twenty-first century Christians also need to heed: Beware of False Teachers.
Two British traffic patrol officers were checking for speeding motorists. One of the officers used a hand-held radar device to test the speed of a vehicle approaching over the crest of a hill, and was surprised when the speed was recorded at over 300 mph. Their radar suddenly stopped working, and the officers were not able to reset it. Just then a deafening roar over the treetops revealed that the radar had in fact latched on to a Tornado fighter jet, which was engaged in a low-flying exercise, approaching from the North Sea. Back at police headquarters, the chief constable fired off a stiff complaint to the RAF Liaison office. A quick reply came in true laconic RAF style: "Thank you for your message, which allows us to complete the file on this incident. You may be interested to know that the tactical computer in the Tornado had detected the presence of, and subsequently locked onto, your hostile radar equipment and automatically sent a jamming signal back to it. Furthermore, an air-to-ground missile aboard the fully-armed aircraft had also automatically locked onto your equipment. Fortunately, the pilot recognized the situation and overrode the automated defense system before the missile was launched and your hostile radar installation was destroyed.... Have a good day."It is important to know the facts before making an assertion that may prove not be true and that may leave you embarrassed...or worse. This is so when relating what you believe. If not, you may promote erroneous doctrine, such as those whom Peter warns against in his second epistle, where he says, Beware of False Teachers.
Several of our primary beliefs are connected to the doctrine of Christ's second coming. Among these are the physical resurrection of the saints, the establishment of a physical kingdom on earth, and, of course, the expectation of the messiah's physical return. Well, I have run across new light on these issues from some ancient manuscripts that may change the way you view the future.
These documents include information about the resurrection of the saints. We read this in what is called Treatise on Resurrection (late 2nd c.):
What is the meaning of resurrection? It is the uncovering at any given time of the elements that have "arisen...." [T]he world is an apparition... [Resurrection] is the revealing of what truly exists...and a migration into newness.... [W]hy do you not examine your own self and see that you have [already] arisen? (48:1-2, 13, 34, 36; 49:22)Indeed, The Gospel of Philip (late 3rd c.), although it was not really written by that apostle, supports this idea:
People who say they will die first and then rise are mistaken. If they do not first receive resurrection while they are alive, once they have died they will receive nothing. (73:1-3)In other words, when Jesus speaks about being raised from the dead, he is referring to the enhanced spiritual awareness that you experience now. There will be no physical resurrection of the saints sometime in the future.1
These manuscripts also include information about the realm of the Lord. Here are excerpts from The Gospel of Thomas (2nd c.), which was also not written by that apostle:
[T]he Kingdom is inside of you [cf. Luke 17:21]. And it is outside of you. When you become acquainted with yourselves, then you will be recognized.... His disciples said to him, "When... will the new world come?" He said to them, "That which you are waiting for has come, but for your part you do not recognize it." ...His disciples [again] said to him, "When is the kingdom going to come?" [Jesus answered,] "It is not to be waited for... Rather the kingdom of the father is [already] spread out over the earth, and people do not see it." (32:25-26; 42:7-10; 51:12-16)In other words, when Jesus speaks about the establishment of God's rule on earth, he is referring to the self-discovery of God within you.2 There will be no physical realm of the Lord sometime in the future.
These documents also include information about the return of the messiah. The Gospel of Thomas makes it clear that we have no need of his return, because we have the living Jesus ourselves.
Jesus said, "Whoever drinks from my mouth will become like me; I, too, will become that person..." (50:28-29)The Gospel of Philip makes the point more explicit.
People cannot see anything in the real [i.e., spiritual] realm unless they become it.... [I]f you have seen any things there, you have become those things: if you have seen the spirit, you have become the spirit; if you have seen the anointed (Christ), you have become the anointed (Christ); if you have seen the [father, you] will become the father....for you shall [become] what you see.... [T]his person is no longer a Christian but rather is Christ. (34:20-34; 67:26)In other words, there is no need for Jesus to come back and reign, because through special insight, we become kings and gods ourselves. (This is similar to the Mormon doctrine: "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man" [Smith 1938], and we can become like him.) Consequently, there will be no physical return of the messiah sometime in the future.
This is exciting news, and it certainly requires us to rethink what we have been taught for many years. Now we know there will be...
- No reviving of the dead,
- No establishing of the kingdom,
- No advent of the savior.
This is not actually new information. These peculiar ideas were in circulation during the late-first century and have since come to be known as Gnosticism, the belief that by acquiring special knowledge a person could attain god-like status.3 When the apostle Peter heard about it, he was excited...but not in a positive sense. In a second letter to Jewish believers living outside the land of Israel, he exhorts them to pursue godliness in chapter 1, then warns them against being deceived by godlessness in chapter 2, describing how...
I. False teachers are putting them at risk.
He begins in v. 1 with an unfortunate and uncomfortable assurance:
2 Pet 2:1a ...there will be false teachers among you.Then he explains the adverse affects their presence has on a congregation. The first affect is that...
A. They are dangerous (2 Pet 2:1b).
2 Pet 2:1b They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
The second affect of their presence is that...
- Their instruction is both heretical and harmful, harmful to others as well as to themselves. They are dangerous.
B. They are disreputable (v. 2).
2 Pet 2:2 Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
The third affect of their presence is that...
- Their conduct brings reproach on what (truth) they claim to represent. They are disreputable.
C. They are deceptive (v. 3a).
2 Pet 2:3a In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.
The fourth affect of their presence is that...
- Their appeal to authority is fabricated and has no basis in fact. They are deceptive.
D. They are doomed (v. 3b).
2 Pet 2:3b Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
There were false teachers in the first century, and there are false teachers in the twenty-first century. They are not necessarily present in every congregation, but every congregation must guard against their influence, which can arise when regular, well-meaning members adopt erroneous views and attempt to promote them.
- Their punishment is already determined and is certain. They are doomed.
If you wonder about some new or unfamiliar doctrine, before you accept it, check with two sources:
- Your first source should be the book you trust.
- Search the scriptures to see what light God's word might shed on the matter.
- Your second source should be the people you trust.
Do not accept something new or unfamiliar without investigating it first, and do not be in a hurry. Rarely is anything so urgent that it will not wait for careful reflection. When in doubt, check it out.
- Ask those whose understanding of God's work is greater than yours to see what perspective they might shed on the matter.
Having warned his readers about how false teachers are putting true believers at risk, by undermining what God is doing in their midst, Peter goes on to describe how...
II. False teachers are putting themselves at risk.
He does not say this out of sympathy for these purveyors of error but to warn his readers further that if they follow the same path, they will face the same problems, perhaps even the same punishment. Peter deals with the issues he listed earlier in reverse order here.4 beginning with how these men are fooling with their own fate, because...
A. They face an assured condemnation (1 Pet 2:4-10a; cf. doomed in v. 3b).
Much of what the future holds is unknown and unknowable to man. However he might like to predict what lies ahead for him, he cannot. There are exceptions, of course, especially where God has explicitly made the outcome clear, as He has about the doom of the wicked, and Peter expresses that certainty here.2 Pet 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell, putting them into gloomy dungeons to be held for judgment; 5 if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others; 6 if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly. .. .9 if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.5
In English, the word "if" (a conditional subordinating conjunction) often expresses uncertainty. Consider a sentence that shows Steeler fans' reaction to the outcome of a game.
- If the Steelers win the game—which is not guaranteed— their fans here will be happy.
If the Steelers won the game—which the fans here do not yet know—they will be happy.7
Now suppose the teams have already played, the fans here have not yet heard the result, but I have, and I know that the Steelers won. I can then make a fairly accurate prediction about the reaction of the fans here, and that first word "if" changes to a word that expresses certainty (a causal subordinating conjunction).
- Because the Steelers won the game—as that team did—the fans here will be happy!8
Greek keeps the first word "if" and shows a change in certainty differently, which can be confusing when the sentences in English translations start the same way, as they do in this passage.
- If God did not spare angels....
- If God did not spare the antediluvians...
- If God condemned Sodom and Gomorrah....
- Because God did not spare angels....
- Because God did not spare the antediluvians...
- Because God condemned Sodom and Gomorrah....
- Because all "this is so"...
Whether to deceive people with the impression that they have authority in spiritual matters or because these false teachers actually think they have authority...
B. They make an insolent accusation (2 Pet 2:10b-12; cf. deceptive in v. 3a).
It is easy to speak against those who are unlikely to respond. Because angelic beings occupy a different realm, they have little interaction with people in this realm. If someone wants to appear important, he can speak against those who are so far above him and so far removed from him that they would not normally even notice him.2 Pet 2:10b ¶ Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings; 11 yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord. 12 But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.
For example, if the prince of Liechtenstein, a country on the border of Switzerland, decided for some reason that his nation would no longer sell oil to the U.S., the effect would be negligible. The Principality of Liechtenstein occupies 62 square miles, about the size of Washington D.C., has a population of less than 34,000, and imports ten times more goods from the U.S. than it exports to the U.S. Most importantly, though, Liechtenstein has no oil reserves, so such a decision would have no affect on the U.S. economy and, if it made the news at all, it would at most be a matter of curiosity not concern.
The same could be said about a derogatory assertion by these false teachers against "celestial beings." Such a statement, if it came to the attention of those beings at all, would at most be a matter of curiosity not concern. Nevertheless, it is not a good idea to insult a superpower, and it is certainly not a good idea to insult angels. Angels do not even insult other angels. Jude, addressing a similar problem confronting the readers of his letter, says...
Jude 9 ...even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not dare to bring a slanderous accusation against him, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" 10 Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand...these are the very things that destroy them.Moreover, while the spiritual and physical realms are separate now, they will eventually come into close contact, and these false teachers will pay a steep price. They "will perish," because they make an insolent accusation.
When a person adopts his own view of theology, especially when that view does not agree with the biblical view, that person often adopts his own view of morality, one that also does not agree with the biblical view. That is the case with these false teachers. Having rejected God's standard of righteousness, they feel free to indulge their baser desires and, consequently,...
C. They have an unsavory reputation (2 Pet 2:13-16; cf. disreputable in v. 2).
Immorality is bad enough when it infects a society; it is far worse when it infiltrates a church. Evidently, these men have no shame, for they make no attempt to conceal their actions:2 Pet 2:13 ¶ They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you. 14 With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood! 15 They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. 16 But he was rebuked for his wrongdoing by a donkey—a beast without speech—who spoke with a man's voice and restrained the prophet's madness.
- They "carouse in broad daylight,"
- They indulge themselves at congregational meals,
- They behave this way regularly not just occasionally, and
- They encourage others in the church to join them.
Num 25:2b The people [of Moab] ate and bowed down before these gods. 3a So Israel joined in worshiping the Baal of Peor.That incident almost destroyed Israel before the people even reached the Promised Land. The same danger exists for the church, if it allows these false teachers to corrupt the members by flaunting an immoral lifestyle.
Rev 2:14c [The prophet] Balaam. . . taught [King] Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.
As I mentioned, one problem of aberrant views is that a distortion of theology often leads to a decline in morality, because what a person believes affects how he behaves. The Gnostics' goal was to achieve God-like capabilities in knowledge and power, but they saw no need for God-like qualities of "righteousness and holiness" (Eph 4:24). They wanted spiritual enlightenment without ethical entanglements, so they could believe what they wanted and behave as they pleased. This bifurcation between a person's religious views and his religious values can become an excuse for sinful activity.
For example, in the early seventies, the Jesus movement saw the creation of several groups, including one called the Children of God (a.k.a. Family of Love), whose sensual view of Christology9 affected the group's practice of evangelism, resulting in what Moses Berg, the group's founder, termed the "Flirty Fish" policy.10
COG male and female members alike [were] admonished to "go to bed...if necessary" with potential converts and donors in an effort to "win their souls for Jesus." (Hopkins 1978:44)As you can imagine, this expression of "free love" not only misrepresented the gospel, it resulted in many illegitimate births among COG women. It also gave the group a bad name among Christians, who generally viewed Children of God as a cult.
Since the death of Moses Berg in 1994, the group, now called The Family, has attempted to present a more modest image under the leadership of his widow, the prophetess Maria Berg, but she has not repudiated her husband's aberrant views, and his doctrine of "sexual sharing" (partner swapping) is still practiced among consenting members (Lattin 2001).
Like Moses Berg, the false teachers Peter condemns have their own view of theology, a view that does not agree with the biblical view and that allows them to adopt their own view of morality, one that also does not agree with the biblical view. Having rejected God's standard of righteousness, they feel free to indulge their baser desires and, consequently, also like Berg, they have an unsavory reputation.
The apostle's final point, echoes his initial criticism, especially the danger false teachers pose to their own safety he mentions in v. 1: They are "bringing swift destruction on themselves." He elucidates that observation in vv. 17-22, stating...
D. They risk an irreversible separation (2 Pet 2:17-22; cf. dangerous in v. ib).
What is especially troublesome to Peter about these false teachers is that they are not strangers to the truth of God. Quite the contrary, they once accepted the gospel, but they have since come to reject it, preferring instead to fulfill "the lustful desires of [their] sinful human nature" and to persuade others in the church to join them. This is a description of unpardonable sin. Although all unrepented sin is unforgiven sin, the term refers specifically to transgression so pernicious and persistent that the individual will not repent, thereby placing himself beyond the pale of God's pardon. The biblical authors identify two sins that are outside the scope of God's forgiveness.122 Pet 2:17 ¶ These men are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them.... 20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.11
- Blasphemy against the Spirit
- Apostasy from the faith
The author of Hebrews also speaks to this issue.
Heb 6:4 5 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6 if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.The author is describing regenerated believers, as Peter does. These are people who have received the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit. They have experienced the power and purpose of changed lives. Nevertheless, they willingly abandon their commitment to God so they may go their own way.
How far does a person have to stray from the faith to be apostate? ...That is difficult to say.
- Did Mary Baker Eddy, who was raised as a strict Congregationalist, become an apostate when she published Science and Health (1875), the book that became the primary authority for Christian Science?
- Did Charles Russell, who grew up in a Presbyterian home, become an apostate when he began Zion's Watch Tower and Tract Society (1884), the organization that later became the Jehovah's Witnesses?
- Did Sun Myung Moon, who grew up in Presbyterian and Pentecostal churches, become an apostate when he claimed that Jesus appeared to him in a vision (1936) and commissioned him to complete the unfinished work of redemption?13
The sin of apostasy is not a momentary lapse in obedience but a conscious and
repetitious decision to forsake a biblical view of God.14 Whether or not the false teachers Peter describes have passed the point of no return, they are perilously close to it.
Peter's purpose in describing the fate of these false teachers is that their destiny might serve as a warning for any of his readers who is tempted to believe the lies they are peddling. What these men are doing to themselves is bad enough; they must not be allowed to drag others down with them.15 Peter's warning still holds true. There are false teachers today whose destiny is the same. They profess to be God's representatives, but what they promote is not God's revelation. Watch for them, avoid them, and do not be deceived by them. The best defense against spiritual error is: Stay close to the biblical center.
The early church includes people with a variety of beliefs, some acceptable, others heretical. Peter warns his readers against thinking that all ideas are equally valid or that they should be tolerant of whatever anyone else believes.16 The Fox news mantra of "fair and balanced" does not apply here. Some ideas are not valid, and the apostle's readers should not be tolerant of beliefs that are contrary to what God has revealed. Such notions have no business in the church. Peter's warning to these first century Christians is one twenty-first century Christians also need to heed: Beware of False Teachers.
For a pdf including Bibliography and Endnotes see here.
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Jim Skaggs