2 Peter 2:18
“For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.”
It is hard to believe that someone who has tasted of the right way would forsake it. Yet, God says that there are those who have forsaken the right way for the “way of Balaam.” It is a strong word that God uses to say that someone hath “forsaken the right way.” This means that they have purposely forsaken the right way to go in a wrong way. Something caused them to purposely forsake the right way. Someone told them that the “wages of unrighteousness” were better than the rewards of righteousness. Somehow, they were charmed into believing that paying a price for unrighteousness is better than receiving a reward for doing right.
God shows us what causes someone to forsake the right way for the “wages of unrighteousness.” He says that they left the right way because they were allured. The word “allure” means to be charmed or flattered. In other words, someone flattered them with the “wages of unrighteousness.” Someone flattered them in such a way that the “wages of unrighteousness” looked better than the right way. God shows us how someone is allured away from the right way.
First, they are charmed “through the lust of the flesh.” In other words, they attract you by appealing to your flesh instead of allowing the Holy Spirit of God to do a work in the hearts of an individual. Friend, we are not to attempt to attract the people by appealing to their flesh. Any religious worship that appeals to the flesh is wrong. When we change the music to appeal to the flesh, it is wrong. When we change the services to attract people through their flesh, it is wrong.
Second, when they use grace as a license for compromise, then it is wrong. The word “wantonness” means to abuse the acts of grace. It is giving people a license to do whatever they want to do because they say we live in the day of grace. My friend, grace does not give you a license to sin. You must be careful about abusing grace for the sake of lowering God’s standard of holiness for the sake of attracting a crowd.
Third, they promise one a Christianity that has liberty. In other words, they attract people by telling them they can come to their church and not have to worry about the “rules and regulations” of church. These are trying to lower God to man’s standard instead of trying to challenge man to rise to God’s standard. It is time that Christians stop believing the lie that God is so restrictive. The standards of holiness are there to restrict you from the “wages of unrighteousness,” but those restrictions will also give you joy.
The danger in going back to the world is that “the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.” In other words, God warns the Christian that if they forsake the right way for the “wages of unrighteousness,” then they can expect their life to be worse than it was before they got saved. There is a steep price to pay for forsaking the right way.
Let me give you a friendly warning not to be charmed by these things. Any person who uses these things to lure you away from the right way should be avoided at all costs. They may sound charming, but their ways always end in heartache.