The Possibility of Apostasy (3)

(II Peter 2:20-22)

Mike Johnson

2 Peter 2 describes particular false teachers.  Not only did they teach false doctrine (v. 1),  but they were very immoral.  Please read the entire chapter for a full description of these ungodly people.

Undoubtedly, they were in a lost state at the time of this writing.  The chapter speaks of their “swift destruction” (v. 1); it says their “destruction does not slumber” (v. 3) and points out they “shall utterly perish in their corruption” (v. 12).

Consider verses 20-22, which speak of these “slaves of corruption” (v. 19).

For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: ‘A dog returns to his own vomit,’ and, ‘a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.’

Again, most would agree that verses 20-22, in addition to the earlier parts of the chapter, describe someone lost.  However, the argument from the advocates of the doctrine of the impossibility of apostasy typically states that these verses do not refer to one who was ever a Christian— only to one who pretends to be.

Yet, verses 20-22 speak of them as having “escaped the pollutions of the world,” and they did so through the “knowledge of Jesus Christ.” After escaping, they became “again entangled in them and overcome.”  Peter describes their last state as worse than their first, and it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness (so they knew it) than, after knowing it, to turn from the holy commandment.  One described as having escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Jesus Christ and as having known the way of righteousness is indeed a Christian.  Also, verse one speaks of them “having denied the Lord that bought them,” and verse 15 reveals they had “forsaken the right way.”

These were not pretenders.  They were Christians — people who had entered into a proper relationship with God.  But, unfortunately, they become immoral and false teachers (13-14).  Consequently, they would be lost!

To counteract the teaching of this passage, some emphasize the fact that he mentions a “dog” and “sow” in the verses and not sheep.  Since he does not mention sheep, they say that Peter must not be talking about Christians in this text.  Consider the following quote from Ironside in his book, The Eternal Security of the Believer.

Does it say, “But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The sheep is turned to its own vomit again?”  No, it does not.  It says, “The dog is turned to his own vomit again?”  How many of these dogs there are!  They escape the pollution of the world temporarily by the knowledge that comes through the Lord Jesus Christ.  If you were brought up in a Christian home and taught the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ from your youth, you escaped a great deal of the pollution of the world.  But after you have known all these things, you can turn aside; you can take your own way into the world and live in its filth and pollutions.  What does that prove?  That you used to be one of Christ’s sheep but are no longer?  Oh, no.  What then?  It proves that, “The dog has gone back to his own vomit again, and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”

First, this response ignores the context, which clearly indicates these people previously had salvation.  Second, the point is not that the sow was still a sow, and the dog was still a dog.  The point is that a change had occurred, and then there was a return to that which was defiling.  The time the sow was dirty would represent when a person was not a Christian; washing the sow would describe a person becoming a child of God.  Finally, returning to the mire would represent that person returning to sin.

Can a child of God fall from grace?  This passage teaches one can.