False Prophets Also Arose
“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.”
The Apostle Peter is near the end of his life. He is very concerned for the believers to whom he is writing. He is probably in Rome at this point and his martyrdom is close. He says in 2 Peter 1:13–15: “I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.” We know from John 21 that the Lord Jesus told Peter that he would suffer and die for him (John 21:18, 19), so this is not something surprising to Peter. His main goal in his letter is to encourage the saints to trust in the grace of God. They have received this grace and Peter instructs them that God’s grace has a transforming power that will enable them to please God through godly living. This is the goal or aim of every Christian’s life. We desire to please God through righteous living. We are very conscious of how often we fail. This is why we need God’s grace to sustain us and motivate us to keep pressing on. We cannot in our own strength. Like the Apostle Paul, Peter knows that difficult times lie ahead for the Church (cf. Acts 20:29, 30). It would appear that false prophets and teachers were already in the churches. False prophets existed in the Old Testament. Wherever there are true prophets, false prophets are bound to arise and challenge God’s Word. This has always been the case. Christians are to be vigilant and alert to this ever-present danger. Jesus warned his disciples to do the very same thing (Matt. 24:4, 10, 11, 23–25; Mark 13:5, 6, 22, 23).
What is it that Peter warns these Christians of? First, we note that these prophets and teachers are false. They are not true. Therefore, what they speak is not the truth. They may camouflage their falsehoods with some truth, just as wolves wear sheep’s clothing, and as Satan masquerades as an angel of light (Matt. 7:15; 2 Cor. 11:14), but it is still false. Ever since the creation of man, truth and lies have existed. Satan is a liar and a murderer and has been so from the beginning (John 8:44). There is no truth in him and he does not stand in the truth. He is the father of all lies. Therefore, we must say that these false prophets and teachers have Satan as their source. The true prophet and teacher stand in the truth and for the truth. He does not stand for himself. He stands for God, and God is truth.
Second, these false prophets and teachers bring their false teaching in secretly. Wolves and thieves operate in the dark. They need the darkness to hide their true colors (or skin). Darkness is a euphemism for evil and sin. It is a condition apart from light. Just as there is no truth in Satan, so too there is no light in Satan. Jesus is the true light that enlightens men (John 1:9). The light shines in the darkness, according to John, and the darkness does not overcome it (John 1:5). False teaching is darkness bringing destruction. You cannot find your way in the dark without some light. What marvel electricity is! With a flick of the switch, the darkness is gone. Let the truth in and the darkness is penetrated and overcome. So, these false prophets and teachers have come in secretly. Jude 4 says “For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” In secret and unnoticed, false prophets and teachers come in. They appear suddenly after gaining some standing among the congregation. Satan rarely tries the direct approach. It is not necessary most of the time. He is subtle. He comes in the back door. He says a few good things (tickles our ears), promises great rewards and then strikes with his poisoned arrows. He always brings great destruction.
Third, Peter says these false prophets and teachers “bring in destructive heresies.” Their teaching and words are destructive. A heresy is a false word. The word in the context suggests the wrong content. Not just wrong in an innocent way, but destructively wrong. If you believed their heresies, you would be devoid of the truth, and in grave danger. Their teaching brings division (this is always their aim). Divide and conquer is their maxim. The KJV translates the word “destructive” as “damnable.” Peter uses this word six times and it always refers to ultimate condemnation or damnation (2 Pet. 2:1–3; 3:7, 16). “Damnable” is the right idea. Their teaching leads to damnation. Heresy is always destructive and damning. It must be avoided at all costs. How do we avoid heresy? We must know the truth. We must walk in the light. Just as Paul taught the Romans that in the area of the essential or fundamentals faith is absolutely primary (Rom. 14:1–15:13). Paul tells Titus to be on the lookout for such things: “But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.” (Titus 3:9–11). Paul warns Timothy to watch out for the “teaching of demons” (1 Tim. 4:1).
False doctrine always comes back to the person and work of Jesus Christ. Peter says these false prophets and teachers “deny the Master who bought them.” The word “bought” is the word we use for to redeem, and redeemed people are always Christians. Is Peter saying these false teachers and prophets are actually Christians? First, they cannot be true Christians because they are called “false.” Second, as far as other believers in the congregation are concerned, they appear to belong to Christ (the Master) because they say so. It is their profession that they are Christians, but as Jude says in Jude 4, they “were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” Peter confirms this when he says, “denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.” Their denial is a denial of who Jesus is and what he has done. Both Peter and Jude speak of their condemnation, and that is something for unbelievers. Is Peter teaching that you can lose your salvation? No, these are false prophets and teachers – they always have been. Just as Judas professed to be a disciple, but in the end betrayed Jesus and revealed his true colors, so too, do these prophets and teachers. It is a fearful thing to preach and teach God’s Word. Peter emphasizes the Lordship of Jesus by using the word “Master.” This is the word for a despot. Peter is stressing that Jesus as Lord requires allegiance and submission, and if you are false to that, then you are bound for “swift destruction;” and, as Peter says at the end of verse 3, “Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
Two more characteristics are mentioned in verses 2 and 3. False prophets and teachers are sensual (vs. 2), and greedy and exploitive (vs. 3). The sad thing is that many follow their ways, and the truth is blasphemed. The truth gets a bad reputation. Christ’s name is blasphemed. The Church loses credibility when it plays with the truth. Water it down and Jesus is blasphemed. Try to twist it and Jesus is blasphemed. The truth is, therefore, to be most precious to us. It is our most holy faith and worth contending (Jude 3, 20). Let us love and guard the truth. Shallow preaching waters down the truth, just as false preaching does. We will not do this, nor should we. We love God’s Word.