2 PETER 2:1-3,9
(Kenneth S. Wuest New Covenant Translation)
1-3 But there arose also false prophets (First Covenant Balaam in verse 15) among the people (Jews), even as also among you (New Covenant Christians) there shall be false teachers, who will be of such a character as to bring in alongside [of true doctrine] destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who purchased them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their licentious conduct to its consummation, on account of whom the way of the truth will be revealed. And in the sphere of covetousness, with fabricated words, they will exploit you (Christians), for whom from ancient times their (false teachers') judgment has not been idle [i.e. it is being prepared], and their destruction in not sleeping.
9 The Lord knows how to be delivering the godly out of testing and temptation but to be reserving the unrighteous for the day of judgment to be punished.
- FALSE TEACHERS : bringing upon themselves swift destruction
- PURCHASED : denying the Lord
- THE UNRIGHTEOUS : to be punished
Does it sound like a genuine Christian teacher...?
FALSE, PURCHASED, UNRIGHTEOUS : they will exploit you [Christian assembly]
At first Peter who wrote the letter established their character:
PURCHASED: (Greek definition) 59 AGORAZõ from AGORA (58), market place to buy, with the accus., to buy a thing
"Purchased" refers to the whole mankind. Peter was inspired by the Lord to put the word "purchased" instead of redeemed because everybody has been bought or purchased, but not everybody has been redeemed. The price has been paid only. Only those who repent and trust the Lord Jesus Christ are redeemed.Those who are redeemed belong to Christ who are saved.
Galatians 3:13:
"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us..." (KJV).
"Christ delivered us by the payment of ransom (redeemed) from the curse of the law by becoming a curse in behalf of us..."
(KSW)
REDEEMED: (Greek definition) 1805 EXAGORAZO from EX (EK 1537), out or from, and AGORAZõ 59 to buy. To buy or redeem from as applied to our redemption by Christ.
EK (EXAGORAZO) 1537 before a vowel: EX, a prep. governing the gen. with the primary meaning out of, from, of; spoken of such
objects which before were in another but are now separated from it, either in respect of place, time, source, or origin, etc.
Read further in verse 22:
"But it has happened to them according to the true saying: a dog returns to his own vomit, and a sow, having been bathed, to its rolling in mire."
The words "dog" and "pig" are figurative (impure animals) which refer to the false teachers. Dog and pig do not go to heaven. These false teachers have a temporary external change as a result of conformity to a false and temporary profession of faith. A sheep is designated as the one representing a true believer with a living faith in Jesus Christ and whose faith is indicated by the fruits of faith.
Remember that 2 Peter was written by a Christian Jew, and he was making sure of the distinction between Christians (saved) and false teachers (unsaved).
If I come to you and I give you a fake money, how much would it worth to you...? The answer would be "NOTHING!" So, false teacher could be called "evil teacher" worth nothing.
There is no such a thing as losing salvation in this context (and in the entire New Covenant). The biggest problem you will encounter in this chapter is the word "purchased". As we said earlier, purchased (not redeemed) is where the price has been paid for all mankind at the cross. But only those who repent from their sins are redeemed. The false teachers were purchased but not redeemed. Thus, they are not saved from the very start so they are not losing "salvation" because they never received it.
EVIL CHARACTERS ENUMERATED IN THE SAME CHAPTER:
- False
- Destructive heresies
- Covetousness
- Fabricated words
- Destitute of reverential awe towards God
- Ungodly
- Lawless works
- Unbridled lust
- The unrighteous
- Hot in pursuit of the flesh
- Passionate desire
- Disdain authority
- Presumptuous
- Arrogant
- Defaming those in exalted position
- Irrational preachers
- Creatures of instinct
- Blasphemies
- Ignorant
- Luxurious living
- Cravings
- Adulterers
- Unable to cease from sin
- Children of a curse
- Hire of unrighteousness
- Springs without water
- Blackness of the darkness
- Futile
- Craving of the flesh
- Slave of corruption
- State of slavery
Would you like to be taught by these false teachers...? Not only they are false teachers, they are unsaved as well. They did not start believers and end up unbelievers. They have always been outside of the grace of God.
Read Galatians 3:13 and 4:5 for reference.