To Be Punished

2Peter 2:9-15 The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness 

‘To deliver the godly out of temptation’ the godly are not preserved from temptations, but delivered out of them (1Cor. 10:13; Jas. 1:2, 12-15; 1Pet. 1:7; 4:12). These include trials of any kind, not necessarily temptation to sin (Jas. 1:2-4, 12; 1Pet. 1:7).

‘To be punished’ this is the 4th New Testament prophecy in 2Peter that is unfulfilled. It is clear from the Word of God that the wicked will be punished eternally in hell (Isa. 66:22-24; Matt. 8:12; 13:42-43, 50; 18:8-9; 25:41, 46; Mark 9:43-49; 12:40; Luke 3:17; 12:4-5; Rev. 14:9-11; 20:11-15; 21:8; 22:15). Let us have grace and serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for God will punish by fire (Heb. 12:28-29).

‘Them that walk after the flesh’ here it refers to the sins of sodomites (please note that even though a specific sin is discussed here, those who commit for example adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness (Gal. 5:19), are mostly guilty of the same attitude and arrogance): they commit homosexual sins (2:10; Rom. 1:1-32); they despise government and law (2:10); they are presumptuous, bold, daring, headstrong and reckless (2:10; Rom. 1:29-32); they are self-willed and self-sufficient in their own eyes (2:10); they speak evil of lawful authority (2:10); they live like brute beasts (2:12); they speak evil and blasphemy (2:12); they commit sins in open daylight and without sense of shame (2:13); they make sport of their deceptions (2:13); they have eyes full of adultery (2:14); they beguile innocent and unstable souls leading them into perversion (2:14); they have forsaken the right way (2:15-22); they live in covetousness (2:14-15); they are braggarts and boasters (2:18); they seduce and allure others to surrender chastity and live in lusts (2:18); they promise people liberty from sin but they themselves are sinful (2:19).

Such are the chief ones reserved for punishment in eternal hell (2:10). ‘Lust of uncleanness’ this is definitely the homosexual sin (Rom. 1:24-27).

‘Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them, before the Lord’ the idea here is that the holy angels who are given the responsibility to report to God of the actions of fallen angels and wicked men, do not rashly accuse or condemn, but merely report facts as they are without bitterness and railing. They are courteous in their reports (Zech. 3:1; Jude 1:9).

‘As natural brute beasts’ like animals that are void of reason, following depraved instincts. ‘They feast with you’ they attend your love feasts and pose as godly men while in your midst.

‘Eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin’ the images of sinful acts are continually lingering before their eyes. They revel in imaginations of lustful acts. ‘Beguiling unstable souls’ they seduce the innocent, unwary, inexperienced, light, and trifling women and even men to surrender chastity.