My intent in this study is to cause you the reader to think, to pounder and hopefully awaken if you are walking down the wide path.
In actuality it begins in 2 peter 1 verses 19 -21, a preamble of what is to follow in the next chapter:
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Here the author informs the reader of this letter this he has and is going to give a prophecy and that it is for all to know. Not a limited few on even the one as is the practice of charlatans which he explains in the first verse of chapter two.
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.
He also explains that false teachers will sneak their way into the church through deceit and will fool those that are not careful, but the fate of these “false teachers” will not last long and be seen for what they are and will fall upon ruin. Prime examples The 700 Club and Jimmy Swaggart.
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 exsample 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;)
Here in detail the author speaks of what it will be like for those that followed these false teachers and their ways. Many falling for their lies and thinking of them as truth when in fact it was lies meant to deceive and gain them worldly goods and satisfaction. As is witnessed by the mentioning of those before the flood and of Sodom and Gomorrha. At the same time he is relating the fate of those that following these false teachers and that their fate shall be the same. For God had cast out the angels that sinned against Him then why should not he also cast out those that do not listen to the truth and facts within the Bible, our training manual to God.
In the verses that follow the author goes into great detail on what to look for in those that willfully turn from God. If you read carefully you the read can discern what is the truth about those that sin around you and can turn from it.
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
In verse ten the sentence is explained as follows in with a Strong’s Concordance and a dictionary:
But mainly those that go after and follow the carnal human form in a longing, especially for what is forbidden and results in moral contamination by acting upon these desires.
The carnal human form is described as follows in Mark 7: 21- 23:
For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
He also states that they despise government, they wish to live without laws or be governed by them. If you look closely about you, you will see this evident throughout the United States at this time. There are those that openly pursue all these acts and think they are still working for God when in reality they are working solely for themselves and their own lust for power, control and desires of the human flesh.
The author goes on to call them Presumptuous and self-willed which means that they are extremely bold in there action not caring what any others think for they are self-pleasing and arrogant. Again you can see these actions form many. Even from those that profess to be “Christian.” When in fact they are not for this clearly states that they are not following the Bible but their own desires.
The author continues in more detail how they will act and think and what their destiny is to be:
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.
Now what is to follow I strongly advise you to read it carefully and see the truth within them for they are extremely important:
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 Savior 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.
They are promise liberty or freedom. Freedom to do whatever you want, but as a result they are servants of corruption and in fact in bondage to their sins.
Then the author goes and says that there will be those that became saved through the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ and that they say become entangled in the words of those professing they freedom and they shall return to this sin that they had escaped. Suffering a worse fate then before because they had known what is true and righteous unto God. These are the Lukewarm Christian, those living in the grey thinking that there is no longer a black and white world, but one that is grey.
But Jesus makes it perfectly clear in Revelation 3: 16 that those that are lukewarm or grey will be spit out by Him. So to think that you can live in the grey is not the way of true Christianity, but a fate that is worse than if you were a sinner as is shown in verse fifteen of the same book and chapter:
“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.”