2 Peter 2:1 1But false prophets also were among the people, just as false teachers will be among you, who will introduce destructive heresies and denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction,
The topic of prophecy continues into the second chapter but shifts to the negative by way of warning. During the divided kingdoms that began with the reign of Rehoboam, the people of Israel and Judah began to turn away from God’s laws and break the terms of the covenant, particularly by worshiping idols. The worship practices became compromised, which led to moral decay and social collapse. Two prophetic voices were heard, particularly just before the destruction of Jerusalem in 587 B.C. The false prophets proclaimed peace and security, going against Jeremiah’s warning that judgment was about to come. They spoke peace and tickled the ears of the people with false hope, while Jeremiah called for repentance and obedience to God’s laws (Jeremiah 6, 8, 14, 23, 27–29).
False prophets and false teachers emerge in every generation. These teachers have different interpretations of the gospel, often cloaked in persuasive language and writing. Peter is especially concerned about those teachers who deny the sovereignty and power of the Lord Jesus or the Triune God. Many such teachers emerged in the first century, as many New Testament letters indicate, which were written specifically to address this issue.
How do these people get a foothold in the church? Sometimes it starts off as quite innocent. They want to be creative and innovative in their ideas. They try to be culturally relevant. Sometimes they appeal to traditions developed by false teachers over the centuries. Just because something has been taught by parts of the church for many years does not make it correct. Their ideas may be viewed as “progressive,” which is a mask for rejecting the old and deviating into something new.
The best defense against false teaching is to know the truth of the gospel and be firmly grounded in our faith. We must have a standard upon which we stand. The best and clearest source for our faith is the Bible. Many problems arise when we use human logic or tradition as sources for our faith. The Bible is a complex document that requires careful thinking (reason) and consultation from those who came before us (tradition), but it must remain our source for theology and ethics. Peter wrote this letter as authoritative teaching to remind his readers of their core beliefs and values. We would do well to return to the basics of our faith on a regular basis. We will find our strength in study and meditation upon God’s revelation through the Bible.