He knew he would soon die and felt a sense of
urgency to strengthen the believers with the truth of the gospel because Christians
face many trials throughout life and need to be prepared for whatever may come.
Simon Peter wished to remind the Lord’s people of truth they already knew—to
stir up their minds, which is to say, their hearts. By rehearsing great and
awesome truths the Apostle strengthens Christ’s loved ones. Do we not need to
be stirred by the truth?
Is there something important that you should say to
someone before you die? Are there people for whom you care who need one more
gospel word? At this moment I can think of numerous people for whom I care and
I would wish to leave them with a clear word before I die. I do not want to
leave this world before telling them the one thing that might be of lasting, even
eternal, benefit to them?
It is reasonable to think that Simon Peter wrote
the second letter bearing his name to the same believers as the first. He was
concerned for them, that their belief in Christ would be true and sound and
saving for every one of them—and that none of them be deceived by “false
teachers” that inevitably come among any assembly of Christians at some point.
Just as had happened in the history of old
covenant Israel, Peter warns that even so “false teachers” would be found among
the new covenant Israel, Christ’s church, His bride. And by the designation “false
teachers” Simon Peter does not refer to well-meaning Bible expositors who
happen to be in error about some fine point of biblical teaching. He refers to
people who falsely claim belief in Jesus Christ, who falsely claim that Jesus
is their Master and falsely claim that they are blood-bought believers like
every true Christian. They falsely claim that they are Spirit-anointed,
Spirit-led heralds of the gospel—but they are none of those things. Their claims
are not true. They are not motivated by love for Christ or His gospel. They
have other motives.
The Apostolic era passed by the end of the first
century. The men who had lived and walked with Jesus had died by then. But the
gospel they preached had been widely heralded and Christ was believed on throughout
the known world. And Christ has been building His church upon the truth of the
gospel ever since, as Jesus promised (Matthew 18:13-18). Yet the peril of
“false teachers among you” remains until now.
With charm and swagger and smiles and personality
and deception “false teachers” make prey of those who are disobedient to the
Word. And even those who have honest hearts, who sincerely desire to please
Christ, may find themselves deceived and exploited because they have not heeded
and obeyed Scripture’s warning—“To the law and to the testimony: if they speak
not according to this word, it is because there is no light in
them” (Isaiah 8:20).
The more we know the Scriptures, the more we know
the character of God. The more we know of God’s Word, the more we will know of
His mind, His thoughts, His goodness, His perfections. And the more we know of
Him, the easier it will be to recognize a counterfeit teacher when we see one.
But we must be careful at this point; the fact that a teacher is wrong about
something does not make him a “false teacher” by the Apostle’s definition. The
most careful student of the Scriptures may occasionally err in understanding
and pass that error along to others. But all Christians are responsible to
“search the Scriptures” for themselves and to test and confirm every teaching
by the Word of God; obedience to Christ in this matter provides us a large measure
of safety. Disobedience results in potential spiritual devastation. Sola
Scriptura!
Consider the words of Simon Peter as he warns true
Christians to beware those who have a false confession, a covetous heart and a
willingness to make prey of Christ’s loved ones. Despite their eloquent profession
of love for Jesus, they are headed for judgment and destruction in an endless hell.
1But there were also
false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers
among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the
Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And
many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will
be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with
deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their
destruction does not slumber. (2 Peter 2:1-3 NKJV)
Remind me, again and again—for in hearing and
believing the Word of God there is great safety and greater joy. Do you also
relate to that line of the old song sometimes sung, “I love to tell the story
for those who know it best, seem hungering and thirsting to hear it like the
rest”? –Timothy