Is Peter saying that the backsliding cannot be forgiven?
Question:
Greetings!
I have a question concerning II Peter 2:20. Is it teaching that backsliding cannot be forgiven or is the “overcome” part speaking of someone who has completely fallen away and, in this case, they were overcome through the deception of these false teachers?
Thank you!
Answer:
"For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 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 handed on to them" (II Peter 2:18-21).
There are three groups of people being discussed in this passage: false teachers, followers of false teachers, and the worldly.
"For speaking out arrogant words of vanity [false teachers] entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, [followers] who barely escape from the [worldly] who live in error, promising [followers] freedom while [false teachers] themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. For if, after [followers] have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, [followers] are again entangled in [the world] and are overcome, the last state has become worse for [followers] than the first. For it would be better for [followers] not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to [followers]" (II Peter 2:18-21).
False teachers use pompous, empty words as they use sensuality to entice the weakest members – the ones who have not been Christians long enough to grow strong. There is a pretense of wisdom but none actually exists. The Greek word huperonka refers to excessive, bombastic, or verbose speech (I Corinthians 8:1). They give people what they want to hear (II Timothy 4:3-4). They promise freedom, but the false teachers are themselves slaves of sin (Romans 6:16-22; 8:15; Galatians 5:13). It sounds great to be free from moral laws but the shackles of sin are worse.
Anyone who escapes the corruption in the world through knowing Jesus and then returns to the world he left and is overcome by the world is now in a worse state (Matthew 12:43-45). He left the truth to return to the world and there is nothing else by which to save him (Romans 10:17). Someone who has never heard the gospel has a better chance of being saved than a person who had accepted the truth and then later rejected it (Hebrews 6:4-6; 10:26-39).
However, notice that Peter never said that fallen Christians can never be forgiven. He merely stated that they are in a more difficult position to return to God.
