In 2 Peter Chapter 2, Peter warns his readers against apostates and prophets who are false. He claimed that these false prophets will only bring about their own perdition, even as they collect followers. If his readers follow these false prophets, they will also be lost.
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God Cleanses from Sin
Peter reminded the people that God even cast the rebellious angels out of heaven, and caused the flood to cleanse the sin out of the world, though he saved Noah and his family. He went on to say that God burned Sodom and Gomorra to make examples of them to people who persisted in sin, even as he saved Lot and his family, who had had to live with these types of wicked people.
God’s Judgment on the Ungodly
Peter told his readers that God knows how to separate righteous people from ungodly people, and He will hold the ungodly apart until the Judgment Day. Peter claimed that God would especially punish people who are lustful and self-willed.
He said that even the powerful angels will not loudly condemn these people, but these people will disparage things they know nothing about and eventually be destroyed by their own rottenness. Peter reviles their lust, dishonesty, and lack of discipline and claims they are no better than blotches even as they would dine with his readers.
Recounting the Story of Balaam
In 2 Peter Chapter 2, Peter recounted the story of Balaam, who these people made their leader. He talked of how he was so unrighteous that even his donkey spoke to rebuke him. Peter went on a bit more about the corruption of these apostates and he warned his readers against them because there was nothing good in store for them.
Peter also explained that if they once believed in Jesus Christ and then turned away from Him, their end would be even worse. It would have been better if they had never heard of Christ in the first place and that they were no better than a dog that ingests its own vomit or a washed pig that runs back to the mud if they turned their back on Christ.
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2 Peter 2 (King James Version)
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.
4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;
5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.
11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.
12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;
13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:
15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;
16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.
17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.
18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.