Peter Warns All Believers Against False Teachers Within and Exhorts Us to be Steadfast Volume 24

Peter says these False Teachers are Willfully Sinning Stains to any Church 2 Peter 2:13 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 deceiving's while they feast with you; KJV Note: NLT=New Living Translation; NKJV=New King 👑 James Version The Apostle Peter begins this next passage with a very alarming concept and that is these false teachers of God's Holy Word will 'receive the reward of unrighteousness' (2 Peter 2:13). Now we are always inclined as human beings to think of a reward as something very beautiful and bountiful and beneficial to its recipient, however, in this case the reward these very people will receive from God is daunting and damaging and deadly. Why? Because they forsook the right way and went their own way. The English word 'reward' is translated by the Greek word misthos which means to be paid for your services by God good or bad service, as it is written by the Apostle Paul with these words concerning all of us human beings, 'For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) (NKJV). In other words, these false teachers of God's Word chose to be paid for their sin instead of repentance (turning from sin) from their sin to God and receiving His free gift of eternal life. They were the very opposite of Moses as the Word of God reveals Moses's design and desire in His inner man 👨, as it is written, "It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God's people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king's anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible." (Hebrews 11:27) (NLT). You see the reward or recompense or retribution for wrongdoing, that is, sin is death, first spiritual death which we all are born into and then physical death which also is the result of our sin. These false teachers of God's Holy Word rejected, refused, and resisted Him and His Word of Truth and instead turned to false gods, that is, doctrines or teachings of demons and in so doing were themselves deceived and they went about deceiving others. The Apostle Peter also said that these false teachers counted it and considered it and called it pleasure to riot in the daytime. They had no shame or self-reproach or sorry for the willful sinning they carried on even in the middle of the day. The English word 'pleasure' Peter uses here in verse 13 is translated by the Greek word hēdonē which means sensual delight; by implication desire: - lust, pleasure; sensualism is the (philosophy) the ethical doctrine that feeling is the only criterion for what is good. The English 'riot' is translated by the Greek word truphē which means (to break up or [figuratively] enfeeble, especially the mind and body by indulgence); effeminacy, that is, luxury or debauchery: - delicately, riot. In other words, these false teachers parade their debauchery, their sensualism, their lust, that is, their acts of sexual immorality of any kind out in the open for all to see, for they have been deceived by the Wicked one (the devil 😈) to believe that there is no inherent evil 😈in their beliefs and practices. You see Satan has only one way that he can hurt our Lord Jesus Christ and that way is to deceive as many human souls to follow his slogan and saying and system of 'Do what thou or you will', that is, not to do what God/Jesus wills. The Apostle Peter calls these false teachers spots and blemishes in the Church of God. The English word 'spots' is translated by the Greek word spiloō which means to stain or soil; to defile. The English word 'blemishes' is translated by the Greek word mōmos which is used this one time only in the entire New Testament and it means a flaw or blot, that is, (figuratively) disgraceful person. In other words, Peter who knows that he and every regenerated born again son and daughter of God/Jesus back then and throughout the history of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ is not perfect nor is the physical body of believers in any Church, however, he declares these false teachers and false believers to be dirt and a defilement and a disgrace to any true Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he says they boast themselves among true believers as if they are the most favorite son or daughter of God/Jesus as they continue to willingly live openly and unashamedly against the will of God while they revel with true believers as if they themselves are true. They are like a pure white wedding gown that has been contaminated with motor oil spilled in various places on the dress 👗. The pure white wedding dress represents the True Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and these false teachers and false believers are the motor oil 🛢, dirty and grimy and ruining the dress making it useless, unclean, and unwearable. As Adam Clarke said of these, 'Forming opinions which give license to sin, and then acting on those opinions; and thus rioting in their own deceits.' Here is what the Pulpit Commentary had to say of 2 Peter 2:13, 'The false teachers shall receive its final reward in the world to come. Whichever reading is preferred, this clause is best taken with the preceding verse. As they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime; literally, counting the revel in daytime a pleasure. St. Peter has hitherto spoken of the insubordination and irreverence of the false teachers; he now goes on to condemn their sensuality. The words ἐν ἠμέρα cannot, with some ancient interpreters, be taken as equivalent to μαθ ̓ ἡμέραν, daily (Luke 16:19). Many commentators, as Huther and Alford, translate 'delicate living for a day'—enjoyment which is temporal and short-lived. But when we compare 1 Thessolonians 5:7, 'They that are drunken are drunken in the night,' and St. Peter's own words in Acts 2:15, it seems more probable that the Apostle means to describe these false teachers as worse than ordinary men of pleasure. They reserve the night for their feasting; these men spend the day in luxury. The word τρυφή means 'luxurious or delicate living' rather than 'riot.' Spots they are and blemishes. (For σπίλοι, spots, St. Jude has σπιλάδες, sunken rocks.) The word for 'blemishes' (μῶμοι) occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. But compare 1 Peter1:19, where the Lord Jesus is described as 'a Lamb without blemish and without spot (ἀμώμου καὶ ἀσπίλου).' The Church should be like her Lord, 'not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing' (Ephesians 5:27); but these men are spots and blemishes on her beauty. Sporting themselves with their own deceivings; literally, reveling in their deceivings. The word for 'reveling' (ἐντρυφῶντες) corresponds with τρυφή, used just above. The manuscripts vary between ἀπάταις, deceivings, and ἀγάπαις, loves, love-feasts. The former reading seems the best-supported here, and the latter in the parallel passage of St. Jude (Jude 1:12). It is possible that the paronomasia may be intentional (compare the σπίλοι of St. Peter and the σπιλάδες of St. Jude). St. Peter will not use the honourable name for the banquets which these men disgrace by their excesses. He calls them ἀπάτας, not ἀγάπας—deceits, not love-feasts. There is no love in the hearts of these men. Their love-feasts are hypocrisies, deceits; they try to deceive men, but they deceive not God. While they feast with you. The Greek word συνευωχούμενοι occurs elsewhere only in Jude 1:12. The false teachers joined in the love-feasts, but made them the occasion of self-indulgence. Compare the similar conduct of the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 11:20-22)." If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...