BIG IDEA:
FALSE TEACHERS LURE OTHERS INTO THEIR FILTHY PIT BY PROMISING WHAT THEY CAN’T DELIVER
INTRODUCTION:
Original poem = a spoof of “Mary had a little lamb”; speaking of the wolf in sheep’s clothing that devoured the other sheep that were trapped in the sheepfold and helpless
I. (:17a) THEIR IDENTITY –WHO ARE THESE FALSE TEACHERS?
A. “springs without water” — cf. culture where finding water was very important
you look for these teachers to provide help for your soul; but they have nothing to offer; promises something valuable but fails to delivers
B. “mists driven by a storm” — tornado, hurricane — cf. loud rushing roar (like a locomotive) announcing the arrival of this great storm; imagine a farmer out on his porch waiting expectantly for the rainshowers that would enable him to save his crop and repay his loans; he hardly even gets wet from the mist that passes by; what a disappointment
II. (:17b) THEIR DESTINY — WHERE ARE THEY HEADED?
“for whom the black darkness has been reserved” — gloomy darkness
Illustration: “Motel Slicks Commercial” (spoof of Motel 6 and Tom Burdette) — all sorts of people check into this motel (fallen angels; wicked generation of Noah’s day; Sodom and Gomorrah; false prophets; etc.); they check in and are never able to check out — “We’ll leave the lights out…”
these false teachers already have their reservations for such a place
III. (:18) THEIR SENSUALITY — HOW DO THEY OPERATE?
“For” — giving an explanation of vs. 17
A. Big Talkers
“speaking out arrogant words of vanity”
great swelling words = big empty words
flattery, pride, empty promises
B. Fleshly Appeal
“they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality”
luring someone in by using bait; using their position to manipulate and get what they want
C. Deceptive Exploitation
“those who barely escape from the ones who live in error”
they prey on the weak and the vulnerable
Lenski: “The special victims of these vicious deceivers are the newly converted: ‘those just escaping from those conducting themselves in error,’ i.e., from the Gentiles living around them. The A. V. has translated with an aorist: ‘those that were clean escaped’; but the participle is a descriptive present: new converts just escaping. It makes no difference whether oligow is regarded as temporal or as local; the R. V.’s ‘just escaping’ has reproduced the correct idea. These new converts are just getting away from the old pagan life of their neighbors and associates. On such converts that are still tender, are not yet mature, strong, trained to defend themselves, these monsters pounce and by words, swelling and extravagant, such as no true teacher would dream of using, allure and dazzle their victims by telling them that they can be true Christians, yea, the best kind of Christians and yet indulge their lusts by excesses of the flesh. Can you think of anything more damnable?”
IV. (:19) THEIR SLAVERY — WHAT IS THEIR MESSAGE?
A. False Promises of Freedom
“promising them freedom”
cf. the health and wealth gospel — Sounds attractive what they have to offer; but they can’t deliver!
B. Harsh Reality = Slaves to Corruption
“while they themselves are slaves of corruption”
that is all that they can pass on no matter how pleasant they package up their message and make it sound attractive
C. Essence of Freedom vs Slavery
“for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved”
note use of Perfect tense here for verbs: “overcome”, “enslaved” — happened in the past with abiding results
IV. (:20-22) THEIR DEGRADATION — HOW BAD OFF ARE THEY?
A. Apostasy from Holiness is Worse Than Ignorance of the Truth
1. Initial Superficial Response to the Truth
“For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”
2. Subsequent Apostasy from Holiness and Bondage to Evil
“they are again entangled in them and are overcome”
3. Evaluation of Their Hopeless Condition
“the last state has become worse for them than the first”
4. Principle of Greater Judgment Based on Greater Light
“For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them.”
B. Two Examples of Their Degradation
“It has happened to them according to the true proverb”
1. “A dog returns to its own vomit”
2. “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire”
worse than before they were acquainted with the truth
not talking about the possibility of losing your salvation
cf. Luke 11:24-26
they have been cleaned up superficially for a short time, but no heart change; now they are in Big Trouble because they no longer have any fear of God and are just interested in living how they please
vs.21 — they went to “greeduate” school
didn’t get their Master of Divinity; but instead got mastered by corruption
we started off with a Pig; scrubbed him up and made him presentable; put him in the pulpit; put a diploma on his wall along with some other impressive credentials; but never changed his nature
Look at all the damage just 1 wolf can do in a sheepfold that is not protected
APPLICATIONS:
1) Don’t flirt with borderline temptations — put sin decisively behind you; don’t mess with it even a little bit
2) Don’t be discouraged when you see sensuality seemingly rewarded — they have their reservations in the gloomy darkness
3) Try to offer help to the weak and vulnerable so they are not suckered in by such charismatic leaders