If chapter one of the letter is a positive rendition of the elect, then chapter two is the negative picture painted of the non-elect. Chapter two speaks of the false teachers and from verses 17 to 22, the author continues his tremendous denunciation of these evil men.

The author says that these false teachers spoke words of emptiness. They were like waterless springs and mists blown past by wind. Imagine a traveller in the desert, desperately in need of water and was pointed to a direction where there is water. He arrives at a spring only to realise that it had dried up. Imagine a farmer who was waiting in great expectation for the huge rain clouds approaching to water his crops, only to realise that they were just useless mist with no true water content. The false teachers could lie through their teeth, sounding like great and charismatic teachers, but delivering only empty promises.

They distorted the understanding of freedom which the apostles were teaching. Indeed, there is freedom in Christ, since Paul said that it was for freedom that Christ has set us free, and we are no longer burdened by the yoke of slavery to sin. (Gal 5:1) However, the false teachers might have twisted the teaching to say that since we are free, we can do whatever we want with our body and enjoy the sensual passions of the flesh. (v18). But Paul reminds us that we were called to be free, but do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love (Gal 5:13).

Verse 21 tells us that it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. The purpose of this verse does not attempt to explain if God’s elect can lose their salvation. It is true that the author said that people who knew God could turn away from Him and be lost. But if we pay attention to the proverb pertaining to the dog and pigs, we will see that dogs by their nature, return to their vomit and no matter how clean pigs are, they will return to roll in the mire. What the author is trying to say here is that, no matter how “Christian” you look externally, if you leave the way of righteousness and never ever return, it means your inner nature had never been changed. The better way to understand the verse is that these false teachers appear to be true Christians, but does not have the true characters of a follower of Jesus Christ.

That is why you should count it all joy, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. (James 1:2-3) The tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:7)

Dear brothers and sisters, let us continue to search ourselves daily and be glad when there are trials that comes our ways so that we can make sense of our own hearts, and be confident of our own faith in this journey of sanctification.