2 Peter 2: 1-16 Beware of Counterfeits

Peter is warning here about false teachers in the church.  One paragraph can sure give us pause:  “Promoting a party spirit in a church is one of the works of the flesh.  Whenever a church member says to another member, ‘Are you on my side or the pastor’s side?’ he is promoting a party spirit and causing division.  A false teacher forces you to make a choice between his doctrines and the doctrines of the true Christian faith.”

False teachers use feigned words – “words that can be twisted to mean anything you want them to mean.  They use our vocabulary but they do not use our dictionary.”

Peter’s aim was to prove “that judgment does finally come, no matter how secure the sinner might feel … God judges rebellion and will not spare those who reject His will.”

Peter also encouraged the true believers, showing how God protects us from pollution in the world and from the judgment He will someday bring to the world.

The words my commentary used to describe Lot’s problems are telling for us today:  “Abraham took Lot out of Egypt, but he could not take Egypt out of Lot … It is difficult for us to understand Lot … Lot was saved (‘Lot … that righteous man’) … All the while Lot lived in Sodom, his soul was tortured and greatly troubled by the filthy conduct of the people … Peter assured his readers and us that God knows how to ‘be delivering the godly out of testing and temptation’ so that we may live victoriously … Lot had entered Sodom, and then Sodom had entered Lot and he found it difficult to leave.”

Even today, many believers have abandoned the place of separation and are compromising with the world, my commentary says.  “God’s people, as weak as they are, will be delivered from judgment by the grace and mercy of God.”  We just need to see what’s around us and how it affects us, so that we won’t get away from it only by the skin of our teeth.

Father, remove any blinders that Satan places on us, and help us to see what’s really happening and where we are in the whole equation.  Separate us and protect us from evil.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford