False Teachers in the Last Days (2 Peter 2:1–3)
From the encouraging heights of chapter 1, Peter turns to a sober warning: “just as false prophets arose among the people, there will be false teachers among you.” The danger is not outside the church but within it. In this sermon on 2 Peter 2:1–3, we consider their existence—as it was under the Old Covenant, so it is under the New—and their exposé: they secretly bring in destructive heresies, many follow their sensuality, and in their greed they exploit the people of God with false words. Yet Peter also assures us their condemnation is not idle. Growing in grace and knowledge is our immunity against their teaching.
Introduction
Peter’s last letter is an exhortation to grow in the grace and knowledge of God as we live in the last days.
Theme
After encouraging us with the certainty of the Christian life based on the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophetic Scriptures, he know transitions to warn us about false teachers within the church.
Their Existence (v. 1)
Peter begins with their existence: but false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you (v. 1). How did we go from the encouraging words of chapter 1 to this? Instead of going 0 to 60 in 2.2 seconds, we’ve gone from 60 to 0! Note the connection back to 1:16–21. Peter said before he left this life, he wanted to remind them of the truth he’d proclaimed to them. This truth was not the “cleverly devised myths” that some were preaching. He was an eye witness and ear witness to the Transfiguration of Jesus. But even more, we all are witnesses of “the prophetic word [that is] more fully confirmed” (1:19).
What is that? The prophecies of hundreds and thousands of years before that Jesus has fulfilled in his life and ministry. We are to “pay attention” [to these Scripture] “as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day [of Christ’s return] dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” (1:19). These “prophec[ies] of Scripture” did not “come[…] from someone’s own interpretation” or “the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (1:20, 21). The Old Testament fulfilled in Jesus are the words of true prophets. And just as false prophets also arose among the people of God in the Old Covenant there will be false teachers among you in the New Covenant (v. 1). As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, sadly.
Ancient false prophets
There were false prophets among the people of God in ancient days. New Testament scholar Richard Baukham summarized what characterized a false prophet then:
they did not speak with divine authority
their messages were only of good, such as peace and security, but never of repentance and judgment
they showed themselves to be worthy of condemnation.
Present false prophets
Note how Peter makes a parallel: just as. In the same way, there will be false teachers among the people of God in the last days.
But why does he use the future tense there will be false teachers among you? Is he warning them of false teaching that hasn’t yet affected them and by application, we are to read this as a far-off warning of the “end times?” Later in 3:3 he says “in the last days scoffers will come.”
But we know based on how Peter interpreted the “last days” prophecy of Joel 2 in Acts 2, that we are already in the last days. In fact, here in 2:10–22 Peter speaks in the present tense of false teachers and in 3:4–13 in the aorist tense, which often times is past, to give us realistic depictions of these false teachers.
So why the future tense? Peter is quoting early Christian prophecy of false teachers.
First and foremost, he’s referencing Jesus’s words in Matthew 24: “many false prophets will arise and lead many astray” (v. 11); “false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect” (v. 24 cf. Mark 13:22).
He’s also referencing Paul’s words to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20: “I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert” (vv. 29–31a cf. 2 Tim. 3:1–6). In fact, we know that Peter knew the writings of Paul according to 2 Peter 3:15–16. Fierce wolves will come into the church from the outside, but from within our own ranks, there will be false teachers among you.
So what’s the application? Be alert! (Acts 20:31) This is not just my task as a pastor and doctor in the church; this is not just the elders’ task as watchmen of the church; this is all of our task. “But this couldn’t happen in my church. The people are way too nice.” Brothers and sisters, in 24 years it has happened and it will continue to happen. Be alert!
Their Exposé (vv. 1–3)
Then Peter gives us their exposé. When there’s a crime but the culprit gets away but there are witnesses, the police detectives can utilize a trained sketch artist. Have you seen a sketch of a suspect? “Breaking News: after a series of break-ins, the police have released this sketch.” Then they show the grey and white sketch on screen. It’s not an exact representation of an individual, but it gives you characteristics: ear shape, eye placement, cheek structure, hair, lips, etc. Peter does the same here as he sketches the outlines of false teachers.
They are devious
First, they are devious: secretly bring in destructive heresies (v. 1). “Secretly” is the same word Paul used of the Judaizers, who secretly came into the church. Later in this same chapter, Peter will describe these false teachers as arrogant, so it seems it’s not so much that they’re hiding their teaching, but they expose the parts that sound biblical and plausible, but cover up the rest.
It’s like how a magician wants you to see what’s going on in front of you, so he waves his hand and you’re mesmerized; all the while with his other hand, behind his back he’s hiding the key to the trick. In other words, we have to be aware of what teachers are saying but ask more questions about the implications to make sure they’re not hiding anything.
They deny the Lord
Second, they deny the Lord: even denying the Master who bought them (v. 1). That word Master is despotēs, from which we get “despot.” It underscores Jesus’s sovereign Lordship and the seriousness of this denial.
The word bought (agorazō) is redemption language. So, how did they deny the Lord? It could be theological, as they were at a minimum doubting if not denying the Second Coming as we’ll see in chapter 3. Most importantly, they were denying not merely with words but in deeds. The parallel passage to this is in Jude 4, where we read about that “certain people have crept in unnoticed…ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” To put it bluntly: most false doctrine is a cover for false living. People want to give theological justification for their sinful desires.
“But Houston, we have a problem!” No doubt you’re wondering: “how can they deny the Sovereign Lord who redeemed them? If Jesus redeems someone, they’re redeemed!”
To cut to the chase, yes this is a difficult saying given what we believe. Yet, the simplest way to make sense of it is that just as he’s paralleling false prophets and teachers in the Old and New Covenants, so too there’s a parallel with the Old and New Covenant people of God. Was Israel redeemed out of Egypt? Were they all called a “chosen nation” and “royal priesthood?” But what happened to an entire generation? They died. They were all God’s covenant people who received all God’s covenant promises and in the judgment of charity were all called elect, redeemed, forgiven, saved, etc. Everyone looked like a believer, walked like a believer, and talked like a believer. They were members of the covenant. Yet, the false teachers denied the Lord. We know that “not all Israel are Israel” (Rom. 9:6). It’s the same among us.
They are destructive
Third, they are destructive: secretly bring in destructive heresies (v. 1). Heresies is hairesis, and it’s not being used in the technical sense we think of in terms of condemned doctrines. It’s being used in its early sense of dividing a group into parties or factions. In other words, false teachers introduce opinions that divide us: many will follow according to verse 2.
This can be a lot of things, so let me as your pastor encourage you as I always do; let’s keep the main thing, the main thing. We have creeds, a catechism, a confession, and a series of canons that are our approved and authorized official doctrine. Let’s focus on those. If they don’t speak to an issue, there is freedom among us to agree to disagree, but do it gently and in love. Amen?
These heresies or divisions are destructive now among the church: many will follow their sensuality (v. 2). For example: if you deny the Second Coming, as we’ll see in chapter 3, then there’s no foundation of ethics in this life. As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15, if there is no resurrection of the dead at the end of human history, “eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die,” meaning, this life is all there is!
These heresies or divisions are destructive now among the world: because of [the false teachers] the way of truth will be blasphemed (v. 2). As we say, “the proof is in the pudding.” False teachers destroy our witness to the world.
Their destiny
Fourth, their destiny: swift destruction. These heresies or divisions are destructive eternally. The idea of swift is not fast, but certain. This destruction is hell: the loss of the hope of mercy, grace, fellowship with God, restoration, and repentance. There is no second chance.
Today is the day to be saved, my friend. Follow the way of truth in Jesus with us.
These false teachers’ condemnation [is] from long ago [and] is not idle…their destruction is not asleep (v. 3).
Their defrauding
Fifth, their defrauding: in their greed they will exploit you (v. 3). How? With false words. Just like the “cleverly devised myths” of 1:16. These false words (plastois loyois) are forgeries of the true words of God.
There is truth and there is error, my friends. We live in a pluralistic society and you are free to believe or not to believe all this.
We believe there is absolute truth and we can find that in Jesus Christ who is revealed in the words of the Bible. We pray you’ll explore these words with us and grow into the same conviction.
But we live in an age that tells you to “speak your truth.” That’s a claim to an absolute truth, by the way. “There is no absolute truth.” Like the absolute truth you just parroted back to me?
“Don’t think, just feel.” Yes, our feelings are given by God, but they’re also mutable depending on chemicals, environment, circumstances; you need something more that is outside your feelings because your feelings can betray you.
Conclusion
Peter wants us to be alert in these last days that false teachers may spring up among us. The remedy is to love Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life. Let’s be so enamored with him, that no false ideas enter our minds; let’s be so familiar with his voice, that no false voices affect our life together; let’s be so familiar with him as the genuine article, that every counterfeit will be easily spotted and rejected. Amen.