Peter warned of false prophets and false teachers among the people, who will bring in damnable heresies (2 Pet 2:1). Many will follow their pernicious (destroying, wasteful, utterly destructive) ways (2 Pet 2:2). Through covetousness they will make merchandise of you with artificial, fictitious words (2 Pet 2:3). They are presumptuous and selfwilled (2 Pet 2:10). They speak evil of the things that they don’t understand and they will perish in their own corruption (2 Pet 2:12). They that count it pleasure to riot in the day time, and they sport themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you (2 Pet 2:13). They cannot cease from sin, beguiling unstable souls (2 Pet 2:14).
2 Pet 2:18-19 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
False teachers are enslaved to sin, and yet with flattery, they guarantee liberty for all. Paul also warned believers not to fall into their trap:
Gal 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Don’t take that liberty too far and run hog-wild into sin! Those who are saved should be good examples of the grace of God that worked in their lives. God designed for His saints to graciously minister to each other:
Gal 5:13-14 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
1 Pet 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
Some people say that Peter and James put believers "back under Israel’s law program." They think God will resume dealing with man by the law, rather than continuing to extend His grace. Well, Peter opened all of his epistles with ‘grace and peace,’ just like Paul did. And James specifically identifies that rule .... as the law of liberty:
James 1:25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
James 2:12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
Liberty is living like we should, not as we please:
Rom 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
The ‘liberty walk’ is a life of faith:
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
It is a principle from many years ago: God will honor those who honor Him (1 Sam 2:30). Faith is the requirement. Saints are encouraged to live like who we are:
1 Thess 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
When you take away all the clutter, faithfulness shines:
2 Tim 2:4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Let us not forget our ultimate allegiance is to the Lord:
Gal 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
This is David Dowell, saying, "Think about it!"
