False Prophets and Teachers

[2 Peter 2:1] But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privacy shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the L-d that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
Peter notices some of their characteristics, or some of the doctrines which they would hold.
They would deny the L-rd that bought them.
They would be influenced by covetousness, and their object in their attempting to seduce others from the faith, and to induce them to become followers of themselves, would be to make money.
They would be corrupt, beastly, and licentious in their conduct. It would be one design of their teaching to show that the indulgence of gross passions was not inconsistent with religion. That walks after the flesh, in the lust of uncleanness; as natural brute beasts; shall perish in their own corruption; having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; the dog has returned to his own vomit again.
They would be proud, arrogant, and self-willed; men who would despise all proper government, and who would be thoroughly radical in their views; and despise government; presumptuous are they and self-willed, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities; and they speak great swelling words of vanity.
They were persons who had been formerly of corrupt lives, but who had become professing Believers. But as having turned again to their former corrupt practices and lusts; it has happened to them according to the true proverb, etc. There were various classes of persons in primitive times, coming under the general appellation of the term Gnostic, to whom this description would apply, and it is probable that they had begun to broach their doctrines in the times of the apostles. Among those persons were the Ebionites, Corinthians, Nicolaitanes, etc. We have such teaching still existing today.
They would certainly be punished. A large part of the chapter is taken up in proving this point and especially in showing from the examples of others who had erred in a similar manner, that they could not escape destruction.
1. The case of the angels that sinned, and that were cast down to hell. If G-d brought such dreadful punishment on those who were once before His throne, wicked men could have no hope of escape.
2. The case of the wicked in the time of Noah, who were cut off by the flood.
3. The case of Sodom and Gomorrah.
4. The character of the persons referred to was such that they could have no hope of escape.
a. They were corrupt, sensual, presumptuous, and self-willed, and were even worse than the rebel angels had been--men that seemed to be made to be taken and destroyed.
(b.) They were spots, blemishes, sensual, and adulterers, emulating the example of Balaam, who was rebuked by even a dumb ass for his iniquity.
(c.) They allured others to sin under the specious promise of liberty, while they were themselves the slaves of debased appetites, and gross and sensual passions. From the entire description in this chapter, it is clear that the persons referred to, though once professors of religion, had become eminently abandoned, and corrupt.
This chapter, therefore, possesses great value as containing important warnings against the arts of false teachers, and the danger of being seduced by them from the truth. The fact that false teachers would arise in the body is often adverted to in the New Testament. Matthew 24:5, 24; Acts 20:29, 30.
Beware whom you study under or listen too!