2 Peter 2:6 ⁶and by reducing the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes, he condemned them to destruction, making them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;

The next negative example of sin jumps forward in time to the notorious story of Sodom and Gomorrah found in Genesis 19. Peter repeats the word ungodly (asebesin) as the primary evidence of the sin of these two ancient cities. These cities were full of immorality, homosexuality, and debauchery. The angels of the Lord told Lot, the nephew of Abraham, and his family to flee Sodom because God was about to destroy it for its wickedness, which God soon did. The warning is clear: sin has consequences. The ungodly will be judged for their sins and face destruction.

Why do people ignore God’s warnings of judgment? They may think this is only a story that happened long ago and won’t happen again. They may not think that God judges like this because God is love. Universalism is a dangerous doctrine that deceives people into thinking that since God is love, God will not punish sin or judge people and send them to hell. They might believe that if they just do enough good in the world, God will accept them. However, they can become so blinded by their sin and their hearts so hardened in rebellion that they no longer feel the conviction of the truth. Their minds become dulled to complacency by the culture around them. They follow the crowd until their behavior matches it. They no longer pay attention to what is right but become complacent and ignore or even embrace ungodly behavior. Their hearts are hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

Peter wrote to Christians who may have faced various challenges, one of which was false teachers who distorted the truth of the gospel. We must keep our focus and clarity on the person and work of Jesus Christ. Wandering from the faith will lead to sin and the enticements that trapped the citizens of Sodom and Gomorrah. A weak or distorted theology will deteriorate our morals and lifestyle, leading to judgment.