The last three verses of II Peter 2 are perhaps more well-known than other parts of this chapter. This section of Scripture is used to show (correctly) that a Christian may fall away from God and be lost (also II Pet. 3:17). “Once-saved-always-saved” or the impossibility of apostasy is not a teaching found in Scripture. Therefore, let us take a look at this section and see what lessons we can learn.

First, II Peter 2:20 is talking about the people who had been fooled by false teachers (v. 19). The reason why Peter wanted to make sure that the Christians were grounded in “the present truth” (II Pet. 1:12-15) is that it was possible for one who had “escaped the pollutions of the world” to be “again entangled and overcome”! To be “again entangled” implies that these folks had, at one point, been “untangled!” Yes, false teachers can tempt us to return to error if we are not vigilant (II Pet. 3:17)! Therefore, if people become entangled once more, then “the latter end is worse than the beginning.”

I find this statement fascinating because if the impossibility of apostasy doctrine is true, then Peter’s last statement is not true. According to those who believe in “once-saved-always-saved,” a man who is “again entangled” never really was saved anyway! In that case, the latter end couldn’t be worse than the beginning for this person, because, from the beginning, this man was doomed and damned to Hell! At the same time, if the impossibility of apostasy doctrine is true for the saved person, then Peter’s last statement is still not true! This is because if a man is saved and bound for Heaven, then he stays saved regardless of what he does while on earth. So, from the beginning, this man was going to Heaven, and how could his destiny be any better? Can we see now how the “once-saved-always-saved” teaching contradicts plain truth? Let’s stop reading the Bible through a “filter,” and let’s accept the Bible for what it says!

II Peter 2:21-22 continues to describe this one who has fallen back into his old ways of sin. Included in this is Peter’s quotation of Proverbs 26:11. God looks upon the saved person who reverts to a life of sin like a dog that vomits and then laps it back up! If this is a disgusting description to you, then you got the point! The actions of a Christian who goes back into sin and the world are as repulsive to God as watching a dog eat puke! Similarly, it reminds God of a freshly-washed sow who rolls in the mire. For those reading who have not been around hogs, please understand that “mire” is not merely “mud.” There is something else in the mud that she is rolling in in order to stay cool! If we think that it is disgusting for a hog (or anything) to root and roll in their own waste, then you get the point! When God sees Christians leave Him and go back into sin, they are rolling in the filth once more!

God does not teach the “once-saved-always-saved” doctrine. The old dodge that says, “a man that falls back into sin never really was saved in the first place” can’t be correct. First, it is not correct because the statement is illogical. Someone who “never really was saved” was just that -- not saved! You can’t fall back into the mire if you never left! Second, we know that old dodge can’t be right because the text says the sow was “washed”! If she was washed, she was clean. She was free from the filth! Then she went back to the “wallowing.” She was out of the mire, washed and clean, and then went back. This is a picture of a person who was taught the truth, saved, cleansed from sin (I Cor. 6:11; Acts 22:16), and then went back to his life in sin. A living example of II Peter 2:20-22 is Simon (Acts 8:13-22). Peter witnessed that event.

Let the words from II Peter 2:20-22 stand as a warning to us. Christians can sin so as to be lost! What can saved people do to prevent this? Get our minds saturated in God’s word (II Pet. 1:12-15) and live it! Don’t listen to false teachers, those who lie to us about our souls (II Pet. 2:19), but listen to the truth of God and be faithful all of our lives (I Cor. 15:58)!

- Jarrod M. Jacobs

            “Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin” is a vivid description of false teachers (II Pet. 2:14). It reminds me of the description of the people before the Flood when “every imagination of the thoughts of (man’s) heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). To have one’s eyes “full of adultery” is a poetic way of saying these people see the perverse in everything. Purity and innocence are gone from them. Sin has perverted their minds.

            This statement, “cannot cease from sin,” doesn’t meant they physically couldn’t stop sinning. They could change if they desired (II Pet. 3:9). It means that these folks won’t stop. They have “exercised” their hearts to where they think of only the wicked, the ugly, the sinful, the impure, the dishonest, and the godless. It has become such a habit for them that it is like “second-nature.” It’s like breathing to them. Paul similarly described the Gentiles in Romans 1:18-32. Do you know people like this? Have you seen people like this in the mirror? I pray not!

            It is these people that Peter says promise folks “liberty” though “they themselves are the servants (slaves) of corruption” (II Pet. 2:19)! These people are in bondage to their sin and wickedness, and they want others to go with them down the same road! This is the nature of those in bondage to sin. They don’t want people “judging” them, but joining them! They don’t want people to instruct them in the way that is right and cannot be wrong (Rom. 1:16-17; Jn. 8:31-32). They want consequences ignored as they think about all the “freedom” and all the “fun” they are having in sin!

            As an example, this is the practice of any alcohol ad. The commercials focus on the “fun-times,” or the “sophistication,” or just quiet introspection as one thoughtfully drinks alcohol. At the end, we read the disclaimer to “Think when you drink” or a reminder to have a designated driver, or there is the fine print where a toll-free number for “A.A.” is offered. Why the disclaimers? I thought alcohol brings good times and sophistication! Why a designated driver? Doesn’t alcohol make you smart? Apparently, alcohol promises one thing (liberty) but brings something else (bondage). If you are not sure about this, ask why it is that alcohol commercials never include winos or the people whose marriages were destroyed because of alcohol. Why do we never see ads showing the people having “DT’s” when coming off of a weekend bender? “When shall I awake? I will seek it yet again” (Prov. 23:25). This is the mantra of the addicted person, i.e., the one who is fooled into thinking he is free when he is actually in bondage.

            Other examples of spiritual bondage abound, but the point is that a man can sin so much until it is “second-nature.” He can lie so frequently that he no longer knows what the truth is! Someone who cannot cease from sin is in slavery and needs to get out! The only One who can free us from the bondage of sin is Christ (Jn. 8:31-32, 36). He makes it possible for us to “escape the pollutions of this world (II Pet. 2:20). The question is, will we accept His cure? He sacrificed His life for all (Matt. 20:28), but not everyone accepts it (Matt. 7:13-14, Acts 17:30-34).

            What will you do? Will you continue in bondage, or will you accept freedom in Christ? When we believe on Christ (Jn. 8:32), repent of our sins (Lk. 13:3, 5), confess our faith (Rom. 10:10), and are baptized, we can be made “free from sin” (Rom. 6:17-18; Acts 22:16). The sin that was once “second-nature” we can drop and can accept true freedom in Christ! Why are you waiting?

- Jarrod M. Jacobs

Peter warning against false teachers is a major theme in II Peter 2. After reminding the Christians that God knows how to punish false teachers while delivering the godly (v. 3-9), he focuses on the consequences of the false teacher’s work. It isn’t pretty. One thing we see is that false teachers’ actions are compared to Balaam. Peter says that these people are, “Cursed children 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; but was rebuked for his iniquity ...” (II Pet. 2:14-16). Balaam’s sinful actions are also referred to by Jude (Jude 11) and Jesus (Rev. 2:14).

Who was Balaam, and why should false teachers be compared to him? Balaam was a Gentile, and also a prophet. It’s apparent that God talked to him and told him what to say to the representatives of Balak (Num. 22:6-14). Perhaps God had talked to him on other occasions, but we’re sure He spoke to Balaam in this context. In fact, Balaam even spoke a Messianic prophecy (Num. 24:17-19)! Numbers 22-24 and chapter 31 record Balaam’s work and ultimate end in the greatest detail. Please spend some time reading Numbers for a deeper understanding of Balaam.

Balaam’s command from God was, “Don’t go with the elders of Moab and Midian to Balak’s house, and don’t curse Israel.” Throughout this event, Balaam was quick to say that he wouldn’t curse Israel even if he could receive Balak’s house “full of silver and gold” (Num. 22:18, 23:24-26, 24:11-13). At the same time, it is apparent that the “wages of unrighteousness” (II Pet. 2:16) had a strong appeal to him. Therefore, after refusing to go with the elders the first night, when they returned, and he talked to God again, he was ready to go with them the next morning (Num. 22:21) even though this wasn’t what God had allowed (v. 20).

Notice that Balaam tried to figure out a way “around” God’s word when he joined the elders who took him to Balak. He would do a similar thing when he told Balak how to harm the Israelites without actually pronouncing a curse on them (Num. 31:14-16; Num. 25; etc.).

What can we learn from this? One thing is that false teachers try to find ways “around” God’s word. Many are quick to agree with what the Bible says, but they try to maneuver themselves into a position where they can do what they want as well. This was Balaam. No, he would never blatantly curse God’s people, yet he found a way to cause them to be punished by God whereby 24,000 died in a plague. Did this not play into Balak’s plans? Men today do a similar thing when they twist God’s word to their own destruction (II Pet. 3:16). When we follow after false doctrines, then we will be punished (Ezek. 18:20). The false teacher will answer for his wrong, and so will we when we follow after him!

Peter says, do not end up as a “cursed” instead of a blessed child! Don’t walk in the way of Balaam, looking for “loopholes” or ways around what God has said. Accept what the Lord has said, believe it and obey it and tell it to others, and watch your blessings increase!

- Jarrod M. Jacobs

            This article is not easy to write. The reason is that reading the phrase “righteous Lot” seems contradictory. How can we think that a man who chose to live in Sodom is righteous (Gen. 13-19)? How can we believe that a man who defended strangers in town (who later revealed themselves to be angels) by offering his daughters to a mob is righteous (Gen. 19:1-12; Heb. 13:2)? How can we fathom that a man who was made drunk so his daughters might commit incest with him is righteous (Gen. 19:30-38)?

            Calling Lot “righteous” might be hard for us to do, but it wasn’t hard for God to do (II Pet. 2:7-8). How can God say this? Is He ignoring sin? I am not saying I have the “one and only answer,” but could I suggest a few thoughts I have had concerning Lot in this context?

            First, God is the biographer who presents His characters “warts and all.” He is a true journalist, telling us only the facts about people. What did they do? Where did they fail? God lets us know, and this is the way it is with Lot. II Peter 2 affects me because when I read this chapter, Lot becomes “real.” He becomes “human” to me. He is not someone who went into Sodom in ignorance (Gen. 13:10-12). The “men of Sodom were wicked and sinners,” and I am sure Abraham and Lot knew this. Since we are not told Lot’s thought process beyond the attraction of the land (v. 10), we can only assume his reasoning. Since God called Lot righteous, and a man “vexed” at the people’s wickedness, I have to assume that he thought he might be able to change the people when he moved into the city (Gen. 14:12). He even became someone of prominence in the area (Gen. 19:1, 9). Did he think that this position might make it possible for him to turn the people to God? God says their wickedness “vexed his righteous soul” daily (II Pet. 2:8). “Vexed” means torture or torment (Strong’s). Therefore, in Genesis 13-19, we read about a man who was agonizing over the people, and no doubt agonizing as he thought he might be able to change them.

            Sadly, we see how this did not work. Lot and his girls left Sodom, but Sodom never left the girls (Gen. 19:30-38). By the end of Genesis 19, we read of a broken man, and might I say a depressed man as well? He’s lost everything but his girls. While having your children is a great blessing, I see a man focused on loss. He came into Sodom a rich man, and left a pauper (Gen. 13:5-7, 19:15-29). He came in married and left a widower (Gen. 19:26). Might I venture to say Lot entered this area and idealistic man, and left in depression? Notice how the angels had to drag Lot and his family out of town (Gen. 19:16)! Could he have thought that one more day might have made the difference? Thus, now sitting with his daughters in a cave, he has given up! When we think about this perspective, Lot takes his place with many righteous people in the Bible who became depressed at the reality of sin that surrounded them.  

            The Bible says the reason God had the angels drag this man and family out of town is that the Lord was “merciful unto him” (Gen. 19:16). For a long time, I thought mercy was shown because of his uncle. Perhaps this was a factor. Based on II Peter 2, however, I believe God is merciful because of Lot’s righteous soul. God saw and knew what Lot had been doing for years (Prov. 15:3; Jer. 23:24; Heb. 4:13). Thus, God extended mercy to a man “vexed” at the wickedness of the people and powerless to change them!

            Is this the quintessential answer to II Peter 2:7-8? Of course, not, but I do believe Peter’s second letter demands we look at Lot again and see him as a three-dimensional person, as we all are. God, knowing all sides, shows us how to be merciful. Let us follow that example. Yes, people need to repent of their sin, and yes, we will answer for unrepented sin (Acts 17:30; II Pet. 3:9; Lk. 13:3, 5). However, let us not be so quick to judge people’s decisions when we do not know their motivation or other factors that led to their decision. For the record, I do not agree with Lot’s decisions, especially those highlighted in the first paragraph! However, why did he do these things? Except for the drunken incest, I believe God, through Peter, gives us insight into a flawed man’s motivation. I might not have done what Lot did, but then again, maybe I am doing what he did at times. Perhaps I am holding out hope on a situation that is hopeless? Do I think “one more day” is what is needed? What do I do after that day has come and gone, and nothing has changed? Perhaps I am waiting on someone or on a situation that has passed me by? Maybe it is time for me to face reality on some situations in my life because things are not changing and are not going to change?

Friend, When you reach the point where you can understand you have acted like Lot, then please don’t act like Lot and descend into a depression, which can lead to even more sin (Gen. 19:30-38). Please look to God for strength (Ps. 110:1-2), for courage (Josh. 1:6, 9), for hope (Rom. 8:24), for forgiveness (Acts 2:38), and acceptance (Jas. 4:8). Remember, God has not been able to preserve all of His children for Heaven. Therefore, let us not think we will have a 100% success rate. Let us remember our responsibilities before God and make sure our righteous souls are prepared for Heaven and look for those who will listen, who will obey, and who appreciate the truth of God’s word (Mk. 16:15; II Tim. 2:2).

- Jarrod M. Jacobs

            When Peter warned the Christians about the false teachers they would face, he said that these people would bring with them “damnable heresies” (II Pet. 2:1). “Damnable” in this verse means something that brings destruction or ruin.  “Heresies” in this passage is a reference to the opinions or dogma that these false teachers espoused. While the KJV (Bishop’s, Geneva, etc.) uses the term, “damnable heresies,” other versions use such phrases as:

• “Destructive heresies” (ASV, NAS, ESV, ISV, NET, RV, WEB)
• “Wrong teachings for your destruction” (BBE)
• “Harmful lies” (CEV)
• “They will teach things that are wrong—ideas that will cause people to be lost” (ERV)
• “Destructive, untrue doctrines” (GNB)
• “Fatal divisions” (Weymouth).

            I list these versions for a side-by-side comparison. There is no Bible version I am aware of that says that false teachers would bring in harmless teachings, or teach doctrines that had no eternal consequence if followed. In every case, we see that false teachers were teaching things that had horrible implications for the hearers.

            When we read passages like II Peter 2:1, we become aware of God’s attitude toward false teachers and false teaching. God makes it clear that there is such a thing as right and wrong or truth and error. In the post-modern world we live in, the majority deny that right and wrong exist. Not so with God! He doesn’t say, “Everyone has their truth, and we need to let them express it.” He doesn’t say that all people’s actions are equally valid and deserve our respect. Instead, He says there were some people in the long ago, and some today who were false teachers and brought damnable, or destructive heresies (doctrines). He further teaches that Christians ought not to listen to any of it! He said they had ulterior motives (v. 3) and their “damnation slumbereth not”!

            Let us be on guard for false doctrines and the destruction that follows. Let us spend time in God’s Book daily, so we know truth from error (Jn. 17:17) and can prepare ourselves for an eternity with God one day!.

- Jarrod M. Jacobs