Peter continues to describe the characteristics of false prophets and teachers. In verse 17 he called them waterless fountains and worthless clouds, in other words all hype and no substance. He said they speak lies and deception all the while taking advantage of people struggling with their own problems, saying its okay to succumb to lusts all while telling them what they want to hear. They even promise freedom that they themselves don’t possess, as Peter points out, they are still slaves to their own sin and lusts (verses 18-19). Peter then explains that their perversions will cost them in a way that should cause all Christians to take notice.
20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
Peter is saying that if these false teachers and prophets were exposed to the truth (knowledge of the gospel message) and were on their way to escape the defilements (Greek word also means pollution, foulness, and contamination, often believed to be the root cause of disease)[1] of the world. And were able to be free from the immorality and the grasp of an unbelieving world through the knowledge (here is that Greek word ‘epignosis’ again)[2] of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. On the surface they look like they were saved as they “knew” of God, but did not know Jesus. But when they once again get involved in those things of the world and became overcome by them (same word used here that was used in verse 19 referring to something that brings one down to be ‘overwhelmed’ or ‘overcome’ by something or someone else, to be made inferior, conquered)[3], the result will be that they become even more dependent on the way of the world and never come back to God. Making their “last state,” their final stage in life (not forgiven), worse than before, as they likely will not seek forgiveness or Jesus again.
This may be a bit confusing, so let’s break this down. Someone starts out as an unbeliever and then they hear about Jesus. They choose Jesus (or perhaps in their mind they are willing to give Jesus a ‘try’ even though they don’t understand it doesn’t work that way, more on that subject below) and then deny or wander away from the truth. Peter is essentially saying there is a difference between having an “awareness of Jesus” (see James 2:19, remember even the demons know of God) and having the saving knowledge of Jesus (salvation). This is true for all people, not just for false teachers and prophets. Peter then says that the last state (their current fallen state) is worse for them than the first (as an unbeliever, see Matthew 10:14-15; 11:22-24; 12:43-45; Mark 6:11; Luke 12:47-48). Judgment will be greater for those that have heard than those that have not, plus it is much harder to try something again (in this case come back to Jesus), especially if you believe that the premise (or someone) is wrong.
This discussion places us smack dead center into the “once saved, always saved” debate. We have all known people who claim to have known Jesus (calling themselves Christian) or people who were once Christian and later fell away or denied God. These people may have grown up in a Christian family but found science or the world more compelling, tried Christianity but found it didn’t meet their expectations, or perhaps they became Christians but found the life too restrictive, or they couldn’t handle the peer pressure. What happened? If the concept of “once saved” is true, then how did this falling away occur? So to better understand what Peter is teaching, we need to investigate some of these questions. This is often the subject of hot debate so I know that not everyone will agree (please bear with me nonetheless).
Point #1 – Jesus said that not everyone who claims to be a Christian really is one.
Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount offered the foundation of what we understand what it means to be a Christian. After speaking about how we are to respond to God’s love (living as a disciple of Jesus, see Matthew 5:1-7:14), Jesus warns us that we need to be diligent. Interestingly, He begins with the subject of false prophets saying they are like sheep dressed in wolf’s clothing. He also said that we would know them by their fruit. He is essentially calling Christians to be ‘fruit inspectors’, as good fruit comes from good trees and bad fruit comes from bad trees (read Matthew 7:15-20). Next, He informs us in what we described earlier (see chapter 37) as some of the most chilling words in the Bible, that not everyone who claims to be a Christian will enter heaven (read Matthew 7:21-23). Jesus concluded His sermon telling us we need to build our homes (our lives) on Him otherwise our homes will fall (condemned to hell).
Point #2 – Jesus tells us that the Word of God will not always change our hearts.
Later in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus told seven kingdom parables all recorded in chapter 13 (this chapter also explains why Jesus spoke in parables, see verses 10-17, see also Mark 4:10-20). The first parable is known as the Parable of the Sower, which is also recorded in Mark 4:3-8 and Luke 8:5-8. Here Jesus tells us how the Word of God, especially the gospel message, will be received. A sower of seed (an metaphor for the Word of God) scatters the seed over a path, on rocky ground, among thorns, and over good soil (verses 3-9). Jesus later explains this parable to His disciples (verses 18-23). The birds quickly gather up the seed that fell on the path, Jesus explained that the birds were agents of the evil one and snatched away the truth before it had a chance to grow. The seed that fell on rocky ground had only shallow ground to grow in preventing the seed from growing strong before withering; Jesus says that even though they grew with great joy, they were not strong enough to handle affliction and persecution. The thorny bushes choked out the seed that grew up around thorns, Jesus said these people, even though hearing the Word of God, worry about the world, falling for the world’s deceptions regarding wealth, etc., and end up becoming unfruitful. The fourth and final location is a reference to the good soil where it indeed produces 100, 60 and 30 times as much (if you relate this story to the concept of being fruit inspectors in Matthew 7:15-20, we would expect to see a lot of fruit here!)
Point #3 – Jesus said My sheep hear My voice…no one will snatch them away.
At one time during the Feast of Dedication, many Jews stormed Jesus and asked for a straight answer whether or not He was the Messiah. Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” (John 10:25-30)
Point #4 – Jesus said we can curse God but we cannot deny or curse the Holy Spirit.
On one occasion after Jesus healed a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute (something considered that only the Messiah could do, see Isaiah 35:5-6) Jesus was accused of being in cahoots with Satan. Jesus responded with the popular phrase, “if a house is divided against itself, it cannot stand” (see Matthew 12:25-27, also found in Mark 3:23-27). Beginning with Matthew 12:28 Jesus goes on to say “But if it is by the Spirit of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you” bringing the subject of the Holy Spirit to the foreground. He continues to say: “Or how can someone enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? Then indeed he may plunder his house. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” (Matthew 12:29-32) Simply put, if we sin against God or become angry with Him (such as being bitter over something that happened) He will forgive us, if we speak against Jesus we can also be forgiven. As pointed out earlier we all know people who have fallen away and perhaps we ourselves have at one or more times fallen away or spoken evil against God. Since we know first of all there is a God, secondly we know He is a forgiving God, and thirdly we know He will forgive us, then we know we are saved and forgiven, period. However, if we deny that God exists and deny His power (His Spirit), we are denying His love, and of course, His plan for salvation, thereby we are blaspheming the Holy Spirit and condemning ourselves to hell. A classic response to the question of someone being concerned they may have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit, is simply if you are concerned then you have not blasphemed Him, you know Him and His love!
Point #5 – We are sealed by the Holy Spirit!
The apostle Paul in his letter to the church at Ephesus states that we, once accepting Jesus as our Savior, have received something very special. “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14) The seal (the Greek word ‘esphragisthēte’ also implies being secured)[4] is something that was used to show authority (like a king’s signet stamped in wax) and that it would not be opened by anyone who did not have proper authority. Paul reminds us that only God has that authority and He’s not letting go! “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39)
Point #6 – We are a work in progress.
Paul told the church at Philippi that we are all essentially a work in progress. Unlike some projects that we might start, God always completes His! “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6) The process of sanctification may be rough at times but it is Jesus who will sustain us to the end (see 1 Corinthians 1:8).
Point #7 – Our inheritance is imperishable, kept in heaven.
In his first epistle, Peter greeted his fellow believers with a blessing that reminds all of us that our living hope is safe. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:3-5)
Point #8 – The book of Hebrews issues a warning about enlightenment without salvation.
The author of the book of Hebrews in chapter six pleads with his readers to grow in Christ, but he fires off a warning shot to unbelievers regarding the idea of rejecting God beginning with verse four. “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.” (Hebrews 6:4-6) First of all enlightenment, tasting, and sharing are not the same as knowing, eating, and possessing (see Psalms 34:8; 2 Corinthians 13:5). Understanding the forgiveness of God (see point #4 above), the author is saying it is impossible for someone that truly knows and loves Jesus, accepted Him as their personal Savior, repented of their sins, and have possession of the Holy Spirit, to fall away.
Summary
These are only a few points of several given to us in the Bible supporting that once we are saved there is no real way of going back to our old ways. So what about those that have fallen away? I have to ask another question to hopefully answer that question. Did that person actually believe and know Jesus? Only God knows, some so-called “Christians” have learned to sound and look like the real thing! I believe God is teaching us that there is such a thing as a superficial reforming of the heart (even though one might be trying through religion, tradition, and possibly ritual) but they unfortunately fail to possess genuine repentance and a saving faith. Bottom line, they do not have a relationship with Jesus. Now, if that makes you uncomfortable and you are possibly concerned for yourself or someone you know, you need to read 1 John 1:5-10; 5:13-15; John 20:30-31; 21:24; 2 Timothy 3:10-17, and understand that you can know that you are saved. Then pray, no special words or techniques are required, just say to Him that you want Him! Remember the comforting word of James 4:8, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Hallelujah!
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[1] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers. Strong’s Greek No. 3393
[2] See Lesson 31.
[3] Strong, J. (2001). Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon. Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software. Strong’s Greek No. 2274
[4] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The complete word study dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers. Strong’s Greek No. 4972