Title: On False Freedom (2 Peter 2:17-22)
(Explanation to 2 Peter 7)
About false freedom (2 Peter 2:17-22)
It should be noted that among the members of the zealous heresies there are at least once members of the church who believed in the correct gospel of Christ. But they were led by delusion to believe in lies. Today's sermon describes such a process. We must resist the temptations of false teachers who come to us to give us freedom.
The word freedom is really important. However, not everyone understands what it means. Bullies see freedom as being free to use violence, and playboys understand freedom to live as they please. Each has a different definition of freedom. But one thing in common here is the ability and opportunity to do whatever you want.
Heretics and false teachers promise to give their converts total freedom. However, that promise is only a promise that can never be fulfilled. Rather, they are bound under a terrible yoke. The freedom they offer is false freedom. Today's text explains why the freedom claimed by heresy is false freedom through the Apostle Peter and presents three reasons.
1. Freedom of heresy is based on false promises (17-18)
Faith, which is an important element of believers, can be possessed by those who fall into heresy. But there is one important difference, that belief has no guarantee of fulfillment. When you believe in Jesus Christ, you will surely see fulfillment. Because God always keeps His promises. (1 Kings 8:56), "Not one of his good words (promise) is not fulfilled." Peter gives three vivid examples in the text to emphasize that the promises of heretics and false teachers are futile.
1) Fountain without water
A spring means a spring that springs up. A well is still called a well when it dries up, but a spring is no longer a spring if it does not spring water. A fountain without water is an appropriate expression for 'prophets without truth', 'workers without the gospel', and 'religious people without love'. A characteristic of this type of people is that their appearance is so plausible that people flock to them, but in reality they have nothing to offer them.
2) Fog pushed by the wind
Fog carried by the storm is a metaphor for the weakness and emptiness characteristic of fake teachers. Just as the mist blocks the light, but it is only temporary, and is driven away by a storm, so false teachers cover Christ the Light for a while, but eventually they and their teachings will disappear.
This is a description of a fog or cloud being pushed away by a gale from a lake or sea. Clouds usually bring rain. But these clouds only signal that a storm is coming. In other words, there is only fuss and commotion, nothing beneficial. People pray for rain to be sprinkled on the parched soil of the soul, but false teachers have nothing to give. Because they are originally empty inside.
3) A promise like darkness
In verse 18, emptiness is 'Mataiotetos', 'vanity', 'emptiness', 'emptiness', 'transience', 'freedom', 'emptiness', 'emptiness' )', etc. (Romans 8:20, Ephesians 4:17), and boasting is 'huperonka ( )', which means 'inflated', 'exaggerated', etc. The method of fake teachers to seduce church members who have barely escaped from the infidels is lewdness. Fake teachers lure less-believing members into carnal lusts by using vain and exaggerated remarks. Still, they prided themselves on giving people freedom.
2. The freedom of heresy only leads to corruption.(19-20)
Fake teachers misunderstand and abuse 'Christian freedom' (Galatians 2:4, 5:1, John 8:32, 36, 2 Corinthians 3:17). The seriousness of the misunderstanding and abuse of Christian freedom in the early church was, “Be free, but do not use your freedom to cover up evil, but act as a servant of God. Respect all people, love the brother, fear God, honor the king. '" (1 Peter 2:16-17) and "Brothers, you were called to freedom, but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another" (Galatians 5:13). You can tell by looking at the words. The purpose of Christ's gift of freedom to us by giving his precious life is not to disobey morals or indulgence, but so that we may live in slavery to love. Fake teachers who claim to give freedom while indulgence are actually servants of 'destruction'. For this reason, Peter explains the famous axiom, "For whoever the pendulum is the slave of the overcomer."
Jesus Christ's parable of the seven demons (Matthew 12:20) says, "If, after having escaped the defilements of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, you again become entangled in them and fall, the latter situation will be worse than the first" (verse 20). 43-45). It means that false teachers and other members of the church who knew and believed in the truth of salvation through Jesus Christ will be entangled in the sins of the world again and will be worse off than they were before they believed. They may still confess God with their lips, but their deeds are worse than they were before they believed, because they completely deny God's saving grace and every good gift of God through Christ. (Titus 1:16) says, “They confess God, but in deeds they deny him; they are abominations, disobedient, and forsake of every good work” (Titus 1:16).
3. The Apostate's Consequences (21-22)
As for the reason why the result of the apostasy is worse than before knowing and believing the way (verse 21), Peter said, “It is better for them to not know than to reject the holy command that has been received after knowing the way of righteousness. It is," he supplemented with explanations. A holy command is God's holy commandment given to those who believe in Jesus. It is better not to know at all than to not keep and forsake the holy commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ, which you have been taught as those who have believed in Christ and have been saved.
As it is said in verse 9, “The Lord will deliver the godly from temptation, but will keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment.” Never give in to the temptations of false freedoms of apostates and false teachers.