2 Peter 2:20

2 Peter 2:20 ‘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 if after they have escaped' -There is some question concerning whether the “they” in this verse applies to the false teachers just mentioned or their converts. Woods notes, ‘the antecedent of the pronoun “they” is the false teachers of the preceding verse' (p. 176). And yet the same truth would apply to their followers who had also escaped from defilements in the world (2 Peter 2:18).

‘escaped' -Clearly these false teachers had been faithful Christians at one point in their lives.. Christian can fall away, in fact, Christians in positions of leadership can also fall into error (Acts 20:29). And carefully note that these people are going to end up lost, if they don't repent. At times we just think that God is going to give former faithful Christians, who go into error,. break. But God didn't give the angels. break!

‘defilements' -‘polluting influences'(TCNT).

‘by the knowledge of the Lord' -‘Knowledge'-full and correct knowledge, accurate and precise knowledge (2 Peter 1:2; Hebrews 10:26). The knowledge that liberates, is the knowledge of Jesus Christ, which includes rules (John 14:15) that one must keep and. lifestyle that one must live. Again, people are always looking for some sort of doctrine or slant of the Scriptures that will enable them to feel wonderful about themselves and at the same time make no demands upon them. Advocates of once-saved-always-saved try to argue that these people were never Christians in the first place, or simply marginal Christians. But the above word “knowledge” means full knowledge. They had escaped from the world by the full knowledge of Jesus Christ.

‘they are again entangled in them' -like fish caught in. net. ‘The word-picture is of. gladiator caught in the thrown net of his opponent.' (Lucas/Green p. 120)

‘and are overcome' -These false teachers, like some Christians think that they now ‘know better' and ‘know enough' to go back into the world and yet not get into trouble, like they did before they became. Christian. The arrogant attitude is, ‘I can now do those things, without becoming addicted, etc..' But such in impossible. Sin will always enslave.

‘the last state has become worse for them than the first' -‘A servant who willfully disobeys his master is far more culpable than one who disobeys through ignorance…(Luke 12:47).' (Green p. 119) Jesus taught the same truth (Matthew 12:45; Luke 11:26). ‘It is also true….. that the apostate frequently goes deeper into sin, and with less restraint, than he did formerly.'