Jump Start # 102 

2 Peter 2:14 “having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children.”

  In our passage, Peter is giving a detailed description of false teachers that preyed upon the souls of the early Christians. It is a lengthy look into the character, heart and motive of these evil people. Peter calls them “unreasoning animals,” “they are stains and blemishes,” “forsaking the right way.” Peter acknowledges that if God did not spare angels when they sinned, neither will these false teachers be spared. The warnings are stern and serious.

  God does not tolerate the mishandling of His word for any reason. Some do it to get a crowd to follow them. Some do it because they want the sinful way to be the right way. And what happens is they turn God’s way upside down and inside out and wrong appears right and right appears wrong. Those who don’t know, get all mixed up, confused and generally become lost once again. How sad! How tragic! Our salvation is based upon continually walking with the Lord.

  Our verse today is a look into the soul of these false teachers. Peter exposes what is in their eyes and heart. The picture isn’t pretty. Their eyes are full of adultery that never cease from sin. This is similar to Noah’s day when the people sinned continually. Back then, every thought was evil continually. Here, they never cease from sin. “Eyes full of adultery,” what a descriptive expression. I have heard people say that they had red eyes, tired eyes, sand in their eyes, but never heard anyone that had eyes full of adultery. Jesus, in the sermon on the mount, said, “everyone who looks at a woman  with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into Hell” (Mt 5:28-39).

  Eyes full of adultery. Suggestive shows on the TV, immoral movies, immodest clothing, inappropriate web sites feed the appetite of those whose eyes are full of adultery. They look for the wrong. They thrive on the wrong. God approves of sexuality within the parameters of marriage. God made us with passion, feelings and the desires that are fulfilled in sexuality. Those whose eyes are full of adultery are not concerned about parameters, God, rules or what is right. They pervert, corrupt and abuse. They are selfish. They are set on doing what they want to do, not what is right, nor what God has said. They justify such behavior by saying “I can’t help it,” or, “I’m just a normal person.” In their twisted eyes and hearts, they do not know what “normal” is anymore.

  It is hard for righteous people to understand how some people can only think bad, see evil and corrupt everything that is good. You hear their loud and obnoxious voices at ball games. They shout filthy and immoral things without any reservations. Those that are close enough to hear, laugh and join in the immoral thinking. The righteous are embarrassed and offended. “Have they no decency” we wonder? And the answer is, “No.” Their eyes are full of adultery that never cease from sin. Crude talk happens at work. Somehow it finds a gathering and others join in with hearty approval. Weak brethren can be the source of this sometimes. It should never happen, but it does.

  God doesn’t approve. He never will. It is during these dark moments that our lights shine the brightest. Don’t be a part of such baseness. Stop it when you can. Walk away. Pray for strength. There are many folks whose vision needs checked by Jesus Christ.

Roger