Day 14. 2 Peter 2 - Part 1

2 Peter is going to take 2 parts! There's a lot of rich material in there! I hope you will stay tuned for both parts. You won't regret it!

In true Peter fashion, he doesn't tiptoe into this chapter! He blows in with full force in verse 1 warning there will be false teachers among you. This is a big deal, because he isn't talking about false teachers from the outside, he's talking about people inside our own communities, in our own churches. People who sound right, look right, and possibly started out just fine, but somewhere along the way, something began to outweigh their devotion to the truth.

Maybe their preferences began to replace actual scripture and their confidence in their ability to "get it right" grew faster than their character and went beyond their humility. It can creep up on us in myriads of ways. That's why this chapter sounds an alarm, a valuable warning: Guard you hearts so we don't become one of the false teachers he warns us about.

It's really easy to read this chapter and immediately point our fingers to "those people", some deceitful villain out to ruin the church in some diabolical scheme. But that's not usually how this goes. False teaching often begins when good intentions are married with poor doctrine, or no doctrine at all. Sometimes a half-truth shared confidently or more sinister, an opinion given the inappropriate status of conviction or truth.

Now, to be fair, Peter is speaking to those who are motivated by ambition, greed, or self-exaltation, not merely those who "get a little wrong" on this teaching or that. My point is, it doesn't always begin with malevolent intentions; sometimes it's a slippery slope with meager beginnings.

Peter reminded us in chapter 1 to keep growing, keeping adding. Chapter 2 paints a picture of what can happen when someone stops learning and stops maturing. They open themselves up for the sly recruitment of our enemy to join forces with teachings outside of God's intent.

Maybe the most sobering line in this chapter is this: “Many will follow their depraved ways…”  

People are always discipled by someone or some thing — either toward Christ or away from Him. And that means every one of us who teaches, leads, counsels, or posts “Bible thoughts” online bears a holy responsibility:

Here are a few things for us to remember:

• Before we become confident, become careful.
• Before we get loud, bring ourselves low.
• Before we preach it, study it.
• Before we teach it, let it teach us.
• And above all, cultivate humility.

Humility is the fertile ground where Truth flourishes while dogmatism cultivates the quiet growth of falseness.

If God has entrusted you with influence—whether a pulpit, a classroom, a small group, a social feed, or one friend—hear Peter’s warning as a gift, not a threat.

Guard your doctrine by guarding your heart.
Guard your teaching by submitting to His Word.
Truth flows best through a humble vessel.