2 Peter 2:20 – 22 “If indeed they have escaped the corruption of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, only to be entangled and overcome by it again, their final condition is worse than it was at first. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than to have known it and then to turn away from the holy commandment passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,”and, “A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud.”
For years, this passage has raised fears for Christians, who wonder if they can lose their salvation. Peter is still speaking about false teachers and those who follow them.
Here is a lucid explanation from Bible (https://bible.knowing-jesus.com)
“In this passage Peter is raising concern that those, who for a time escaped the pollution and defilement of the world, when they heard about the Lord Jesus, end up in a far worse state when they return to the world’s entanglements. This verse has caused many Christians to think their salvation is lost if they become discouraged; walk away from their faith for a time or become engage in worldly carnality. It is therefore increasingly important to read every verse in context and identify who is being referenced in a passage, and to whom the word is addressed.
This letter is written to Christians, who have the same precious faith as Peter, and this verse is exposing the danger of false teachers and the devastation they can cause to those that are ignorant of God’s Word. Paul is warning his readers of the increasing numbers of apostate teachers who distort the Person and work of Christ, and encouraging them to have a closer walk with God and an ever deepening understanding of their faith.
Peter insists that knowledge of the Lord and paying heed to Scripture are two important elements in identifying a false teacher and discerning their destructive lies. In his earlier letter he assured his readers that God’s mighty power will protect all who have come to saving faith in Christ and will guard their hearts against such lies, while Paul reassures us that when God starts a good work in the life of a Christian, He promises to bring it to completion.
These final verses of chapter 2 are not talking about losing one’s salvation. There is no question that the salvation of a truly born-again individual can be lost. However, Peter is expressing his concern for unbelievers, who are brought to a superficial knowledge of Christ, without being saved by faith in Him. Such people quickly become entangled back into the world, through the influence of false teachers,who twist the truth for their own evil ends, with no concern for the eternal destiny of those they teach.
False teachers play havoc in the lives of their listeners – both the saved and the unsaved, because they deny God’s word and discredit His truth. They deceive their listeners with sugar-coated lies and challenge the authority of Christ and His appointed apostles. But those who allow their ears to be tickled without ever coming to the knowledge of the truth, by faith, are in serious spiritual danger – and their last statebecomes worse that at the beginning.”
HOW CAN YOU TELL FALSE TEACHERS FROM REAL ONES?
1. What content is this person teaching? Is the person teaching Scripture or something less with a thin veneer of fine – sounding phrases? Business owners train their employees to detect counterfeit money by teaching them what real money looks like. There are lots of Satanic counterfeit teachings out there, but the Bible remains the Word of God. If a teacher is promoting something that does not agree with the Bible, follow the Bible.
2. Is the teacher leading people to a faith in Jesus Christ or to a faith in himself/herself? If the teacher is promoting his/her powers of healing, miracle – working, prophecy, etc., rather than exalting Jesus Christ, run in the opposite direction!
3. What is the actual purpose of the teaching? Are people being encouraged to trust God and to seek His face, or are they being encouraged to follow some program?
False teaching is like the inflatable rafts that non -swimmers might rely on. Those toys might be all right as long as you are paddling around in a small pool, but if you get into a larger body of water and they deflate, you will sink because you never really learned how to swim properly.
PRAYER: Father God, we confess that we are sinners and that nothing we can do will pay for our sins. We thank you that Jesus paid the blood price for our sins when he died on the cross at Calvary. We are trusting in Jesus for our salvation. Help us to study your Word and to follow hard after you all the days of our lives. Help us not to become confused by false teachers. Thank you that you have promised to lead us and guide us. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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