Our previous chapter explained that prophecy needed interpretation, but Peter now explains that false teachers will come with “destructive” (apōleia) teaching.
2 Peter 2:1
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
When those teachings deny the depravity of man, the sufficiency or necessity of the sacrifice of Christ Jesus on the cross, their damnation is quick.
“Master” is despotēs (from which we get despot), which denotes the relationship of master and slave (doulos) and “bought” is agorazō, which happens in the marketplace (agora).
That to say, this is not denote the relationship between a lord (kyrios) and a bondservant (See for example Romans 1:1). This is the relationship of a purchased slave, who has run away from their master.
This passage indicates that the sacrifice of Christ is sufficient though not applied to the damned. So, atonement is not limited in its sufficiency only in its application.
Calvin wrote a commentary on 1 Peter, but not on 2 Peter. Though he cited other verses in 2 Peter, in all his writings he did not cite these verses as they do not appear to fit within the standard model of Calvinist thinking (TULIP).
This verse stands in opposition to the Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 8 section 8, which reads “To all those for whom Christ hath purchased redemption he doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same”.
Yes, damnation must be understood within the doctrine of election. Yes, it is God’s sovereign choice. But it is too strong to say, Christ’s work was in some way limited only to the elect.
Damnation is always brought upon oneself. The Gospel is always rejected.
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