They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Bezer, who loved the wages of wickedness.

2 Peter 2: 15

From the time we were introduced to Peter in the Gospels, we learned about a man who often spoke before he thought things through. He was a man of action and of mistakes, but Peter was also a man who was passionate about his faith and as we read these final words from one of the most prominent Apostles, we read the warning of a man who deeply cared for those who follow Christ. And so, as he describes the false teachers, he pulls no punches.

He describes them as men who hold on to sexual immorality, despise authority, and are bold and arrogant in their disregard for God (v.10). He continues, “With eyes full of adultery, they never stop sinning; they seduce the unstable; they are experts in greed—an accursed brood!”(2 Peter 2:14).

While Peter’s words are direct, these men are likely to be those Jesus warned about, wolves in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15). We think they should be easy to spot, but Peter points out that they are seductive and smooth in their approach that will deceive some.

He mentions the story of Balaam, the prophet from Numbers 22-24 whose greed was evident as he was willing to work for the highest bidder. Even though he was unable to curse Israel directly, he advised the king of Moab to entice the people of Israel to indulge in immorality (Numbers 25: 1-3, Revelation 2:14). While the methods may shift, the patterns of greed and immorality that destroy in every generation are still present today.

How do we avoid those leaders who have left the straight way? More than fifty years ago, A.W. Tozer offered this solid bit of advice to avoid falling to error –