Frequently Asked Questions About Christianity, Answered Honestly!

What Does It Mean That False Teachers
Deny The Lord, That Bought Them?

by Tony Warren

"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there
shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable
heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon
themselves swift destruction." -2nd Peter 2:1

he question that often is asked concerning 2 Peter 2:1, is, "How can Particular Redemption be justified, when these men who were 'purchased' by the blood of Christ, are false prophets who denied the Lord?" In other words, doesn't this verse declaring that these were bought, preclude limited atonement? It is a very good question. But when we consider all scripture, in harmony with itself, and within its proper context, the answer is an emphatic, no. There are simply too many Scriptures that preclude it. False prophets or teachers simply "cannot" ever have had all their sins bought and paid for by the shed blood of Christ, and then be condemned for their sins. If they had all their sins paid for by Christ, they would not be labeled false prophets or teachers and would have no sin left to be condemned for. And despite any commentary that might attempt to soften the word, there is no question that the Greek word [agorazo] that is translated "bought" there, means bought or purchased.

1st Corinthians 7:23

"Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men."

That's the exact same word, and the meaning doesn't change here. The problem is that many Christians don't consider that God is talking to the church collectively. The "ye are" is an address to the whole church. Will some in the church become servants of men even though God addresses them as having been bought? Yes, because even though the church was bought, many in it are merely professing to be bought but are not. This is in the same sense as some in the church calling themselves Christians (followers of Christ) and yet they are not truly Christians. Not truly even the church in the redemptive sense of the word. Yes, we fully understand that God is addressing the church as a collective and His word unambiguously declares that they were bought. That is to say, the church was bought, but not everyone who attends a church is bought. Many of those in the church ultimately prove themselves false. The only question is, in what way is this statement of being bought true? Because there is no question that it is true.

What we have is a misunderstanding of the context in which the term it is used. Clearly, the environment in which this is stated is where, some of them (meaning, in the church that he has bought) prove false. The church as a whole "represents" those who are bought because it is a symbol of the body of Christ. But that doesn't mean that every single individual in the church was purchased or bought by the lamb's blood. Just as the nation of Israel of the Old Covenant "represented" God's chosen people and was spoken of as being bought, and yet all the children within her were not truly purchased by Christ's blood. In the external covenanted congregational sense, they were partaking of the blessings (Romans 9:4-6) of those whom Christ bought, and so they collectively are spoken of as the group that was bought. However, true salvation is an individual process of redemption or purchase reserved for a remnant of the whole.

Exodus 15:16

"Fear and dread shall fall upon them; by the greatness of thine arm they shall be as still as a stone; till thy people pass over, O LORD, till the people pass over, which thou hast purchased."

Clearly, in some sense not relating to particular redemption, Israel, on a collective Covenant level, was spoken of collectively as having been bought. They were as a group redeemed or delivered from bondage to "represent" His purchased special people. And yet they were not all personally redeemed, nor spiritually bought in Christ's blood. The fact is, those who individually will never be saved by Christ, were never personally purchased by His shed blood. And yet they are designated in that group, among the people who were, and who lay claim to those promises.

You may read a commentary claiming that 2nd Peter chapter 2 supports the idea that Christians may lose their salvation. Nevertheless, the scriptures themselves are contrary to those inconsistent and indefensible beliefs. It may be somewhat popular in some church circles, but this doctrine is Biblically untenable and theologically contradictory. Moreover, it is a violation of the rules of sound hermeneutics and consistent exegesis. Because there can be no stain of sin or transgression before God on behalf of those who have truly been washed clean in Christ's blood. In a word, those "bought" and paid for by blood. On the other hand, false prophets who will never be cleansed of all sin by the shed blood of Christ, of necessity must still have their sin stain. They still belong to Satan's Kingdom "precisely" because they were not personally purchased by the shed blood of Christ's death and resurrection. They are thus explicitly "still" and always have been, under the wrath and condemnation of God. They were never actually purchased wherein they could have no more sin (1st John 3:9), having been made free of all condemnation. How ten could God speak of them condemned as false prophets and false teachers? Inconsistency is the hallmark of error.

Romans 8:1

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

The man who has truly been bought by the blood of Christ cannot be a false Christian as that is antithetical to Biblical theology. The man who is truly and individually bought is not his own, and has Christ as His sin-bearer. He has been cleaned in His blood and thus it is impossible for him to have sin that would condemn him and bring upon himself swift destruction. The unmerited purchase of the Elect by the death and resurrection of Christ is not a hollow phrase that can be voided by sin, it is a substantive, immutable, and eternal promise. It is this spiritual confidence in God's Covenant, Oath, or Promise that gives us the hope and faith that we can never be forsaken of Him. It is our Spiritual recognition of the new birth in Him. For when we become servants (bond slaves) of our Lord wherein we were Spiritually purchased by His blood, it is impossible to have that blood be rendered ineffective or voided from covering sin that would bring us to destruction. It's not possible because we have the Spirit of renewal within us so that there is no judgment possible. We were already judged in Christ and He will never leave nor forsake us. This is exactly what God is illustrating in 1st John chapter 3.

1st John 3:9

"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

We cannot sin because having been purchased and regenerated by Christ's death, His Spirit remains within us so that we are sealed or secured (Ephesians 4:30) that we remain righteous (cannot sin) in God's eyes. No matter what sin we might commit, it is covered by the blood of the Lamb. We are in this sense sealed with that Spirit that we are "forever" unblameable. On the other hand, false prophets are not those who have been redeemed or purchased by Christ's blood, and they do not walk after the Spirit of God (Romans 8:1). However, there are those who dwell among us "who are bought with a price" as part of the sanctified body representing the purchased possession. In other words, they are corporately part of the Covenant church that was bought, but they are those who walk after the spirit of antichrist, rather than the cleansing Spirit of our Lord.

The most glaring neglect of this passage of 2nd Perer 2 is the clear context is one of false prophets or false teachers "en umin" or coming in among them. This illustrates that they were not of them, but were coming in among them. They were not those personally purchased (redeemed, having 'all' their sins paid for) by the work of Christ shedding His blood, they are pseudo-christians, counterfeit teachers, false prophets, who come into the Covenant body "that was bought," professing that same moniker, Christian.

2nd Peter 2:1

"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."

God warns there shall be false teachers among us. The "you" there is in reference to the church. These false teachers have become part of the Covenanted church of those who were bought, professing to be bought, but in practice denying it. They have become corporately part of the building (2nd Timothy 2:19-20), but not Spiritually. These are not the people of the world, they are the unsaved who come into the congregation falsely professing that they are bought and that they know God. They teach by private interpretations and personal opinions rather than by the word of God. The church members are the ambassadors of Christ, who bought them and these falsely profess to be Christ's church. We may not know who they are, but God is not mocked, as they are liars because they remain under His condemnation.

Jude 1:4

"For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ."

They didn't bring upon themselves swift destruction having been by Christ (which is nonsensical), they did so because they were not bought, and thus had no personal (Spiritual) relationship with Him (Matthew 7:22-23). They claim to be the Covenanted church that was bought, and yet by their works they deny Him who bought that church. And they were not bought and later rejected, they were ordained of old to this condemnation. Ask yourself, can God's grace be turned into lasciviousness? No, it cannot be turned into lasciviousness except in the sense that these false teachers represented themselves as those having God's grace, and acted in a lascivious manner in Christ's name. It all depends upon the sense in which we understand the phrase "turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness" and also this phrase "denying Him who bought them." Both are true, but only in the sense of those pseudo-christians falsely representing themselves as those under grace and those that are bought. i.e., you can't turn God's grace into lasciviousness, and you can't be bought, and yet unredeemed later. You can only feign or fake God's grace and feign or fake being bought. As it is written:

Matthew 7:15-18

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit."

A tree is known by its fruits. So that one may say they are a good tree, but when they deny the Lord that is the Root of the good trees, then we know that they speak falsely. The real question I see here is this. Does the verse of 2nd Peter 2:1 teach that Jesus Christ went to the cross to die for all men without exception and has redeemed false prophets and teachers by purchasing them in His blood? Some commentaries and Theologians say yes--but logic, sound reasoning, Scriptures studied circumspectly, and the Spirit declare this unbiblical. Such a misinterpretation (no matter how scholarly it's presented) is a blatant denial of God's sovereignty, omnicience, particular redemption (full recovery, by payment), and is justifiable support for the heretical teaching of universalism. Because just as any doctrine that declares that everyone on earth will be redeemed or bought by Christ's blood is in error--likewise, any doctrine that declares that false prophets and false teachers are redeemed or bought by Christ's blood and then turn around and deny Him is in error. It is a very serious contradiction that doesn't lend itself to harmony of the scriptures.

2nd Peter 2:1

"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."

They come in among us and privately or surreptitiously bring in these heresies. They aren't bought Christians, they are false Christians who work their wickedness in the church stealthily, masquerading as those whom the Lord has bought. That's why when speaking to the church, God says these false teachers "deny the Lord that bought them." They don't deny Him that bought the church they profess by condemning Christ, they do it by denying His word is authoritative. By Rebellion against the truth. By putting man's words above the living word. It is speaking of these people who have come in among them secretly to deceive, yet insisting that they are those that are bought while rejecting the Word's words. Vis-à-vis, as part of the sanctified body set apart for the service of God, He speaks of them as denying Christ who (they porofess) bought them. Consider the example of God's people Israel:

Deuteronomy 9:26

"I prayed therefore unto the LORD, and said, O Lord GOD, destroy not thy people and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand."

Note they were all collectively as a body, "His People," and yet they were clearly not His all people in the spiritual redemptive sense (Matthew 1:21). Likewise, they were all collectively as a body, "His inheritance," and yet they were not all in the salvation sense (gALATIANS 3:18) the children who would receive the inhereitance. They were all collectively as a body, "His Redeemed" (Galatians 3:12=14), and yet they were not all redeemed or purchased in the sense of salvation. Because though they were redeemed and brought out of Egypt by the law as a sign, all were never really all brought out of the bondage of spiritual Egypt. All were not saved or redeemed in the spiritual sense. Yet they are collectively spoken of as His People, His Redeemed (bought), His Chosen, His Inheritance, His Children, etc., etc. This is just as God calls all the New Testament congregation by the exact same terms, even though all within the church are not His People, His Redeemed (bought), His Chosen, His Inheritance, His Children, Saved, etc. We can see another example of this principle in Christ's false disciple, Judas Iscariot. He was not chosen of God unto salvation, and yet he was sovereignly chosen of God to corporately be part of the body of the twelve Apostles as a sign or token. So in that sense, he can be spoken of as one of the chosen, and yet he was not chosen unto salvation.

John 6:70-71

"Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve."

Judas was one of the corporately chosen, but not chosen unto redemption in the blood of Christ since he was a false believer, a son or child of perdition.

Again, you may read a commentary or the writings of a theologian that declares that 2nd Peter 2:1 means that Christ, by virtue of his death and resurrection to reign, has become the Sovereign Lord and absolute despot of all things. In other words, He has bought the right to rule 'all men' by His death and ascension to the throne. While I certainly understand the opinions and commentaries of these learned men, there are several inherent problems with this understanding. Not the least of which is that scripture doesn't declare this. There are no scriptures that say Christ, by His death, bought or purchased the right to be ruler of every man in the whole world without exception. Christ bought or purchased the right to be ruler of every man in the whole world without distinction. In other words, every man "for whom" He died He became LORD and Ruler over so that now they serve Him. The fact is, Christ was, is, and will always be God, and God was Sovereign ruler of all things and all men both before and after the cross. Nothing has changed there. He didn't come to earth in the flesh to be Sovereign ruler of every single person (He already was), He came to earth 'in the flesh' to go the cross and secure His sovereign rule that the government "of His people" should rest upon His shoulders. He came to buy or purchase "them" to be subjects in His glorious Kingdom that He established by His death and resurrection. He came particularly to redeem or buy His chosen people. It was a limited atonement or particular redemption, not a universal one.

Matthew 1:21

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save His People from their sins."

So though all the Church is corporately His body and His people, they are not all truly His in the salvation sense (2nd Timothy 2:19-20). And as stated, God already has the right and was already sovereign Lord and absolute despot of all things before Christ came to earth as man. But by this act, He purchased the right to rule over 'all men' who were Elect, but who were chained and bound in spiritual bondage to sin. That is a decidedly different, 'all men' that He came to save. It is all men without distinction whom He has chosen, not all men without exception. He bought the right to rule the nations that they can now become part of 'His kingdom,' that was primarily simply the nation of Israel before His advent. There are two kingdoms and rulers in this world. When Christ went to the cross, He ransomed the Elect of the nations from the strong hand of Satan. For it was Satan that held the Gentiles/Nations captive in his kingdom, and it was Christ who came and delivered us from Him. He translated us into this Kingdom of God that we might be fellow heirs (Ephesians 2:11-13) in the Israel of God. Once anyone is sealed into the Israel of God by the Holy Spirit, there can be no relapse of denying of the Lord. Gecause that Spirit always remains within them, never leaving nor forsaking them. That's what the word sealed means, it means secured. Not for a while (Ephesians 4:30), but unto the day of redemption of that which was purchased.

Jeremiah 31:11

"For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he."

Matthew 12:28-29

"But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you.
Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house."

In other words, the alligory is that this strong monarch who had rule over all men was Satan, and by his defeat by Christ was his Kingdom spoiled (his possessions taken by conquest) . Christ ransomed and spoiled us from his kingdom by His shed blood, and as a result we are no longer nations in bondage and deceived. We are fellow citizens of the Israel of God who are bought and paid for. And obviously (from the Biblical standpoint) He purchased no one in vain. His blood is totally efficacious so that anyone bought by it, can never be lost. It is a limited atonement, a particular redemption of His people from the hand of that strong ruler, and that's why all are not saved. And beside this external Covenant congregation relationship, there is nothing in scripture that declares that Christ purchased, bought, redeemed, or paid for anyone who will remain unsaved or that might lose their salvation. False prophets or Christians claim to be bought and are part of the church that Christ did buy. Thus when Christ speaks of the church, He is speaking of those who were bought. Satan is still the prince or ruler of this world. That hasn't changed either. Which means this idea that Christ purchased a rule over all these unsaved (if that all means all without exception) is fatally flawed. Satan is still ruler of this world (Ephesians 2:2) and still has his army and is ready for spiritual war. God already had the title of 'The Sovereign Lord and absolute despot of all things' so that He didn't have to purchase this, and couldn't have purchased it by the cross. Nor is that a Biblical doctrine in my view, it's a convenient one. He will put down all rule and authority at His second coming.

John 12:31

"Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the Prince of this world be cast out."

Satan was bound and cast out, but for whom? Only the unsaved of the Gentiles/Nations who were deceived and now will ultimately become saved. This because they are the chosen of God. He purchased the right (by cleansing them from sin) to rule the Nations within His Spiritual kingdom. And they cannot be deceived where they are placed again under bondage of Satan's kingdom rule. Being bought, they are now serving within 'another' Kingdom and are under another rule, and that by right of the work of Christ's death and resurrection.

Colossians 1:13

"Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:"

Delivered "us" from the spiritual prison that kept us in spiritual darkness, but He has not delivered everyone. I feel that many good Theologians are so intent on defeating the error that Christ died for the sins of all men, that they have jumped to conclusions in stating that 2nd Peter chapter 2 means Christ bought all men without exception in some way. Many of these fine men are forcing the "bought all" view, simply because they can see no other alternative. Which I believe is the wrong way to come to a correct understanding of scripture. It's an assumption, not a doctrine that is solidly built upon the firm foundation of Scripture. We must keep in mind that our Lord became man to set up the kingdom of God rooted in Christ's work of redemption. His purchase was for a reason, and that reason was our security. That's the hope of Israel. And it indeed is a God-chosen "particular redemption" grounded in His limited atonement. That means that it is only the Elect who have been redeemed by Christ's blood to have the privilege of citizenship within this kingdom. Christ paid the ransom for His "elect" only, and delivered "them" from the spiritual prison of Satan. Consequently, we now are secure, belong to him, and owe Him our allegiance.

1st Corinthians 6:20

"For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

Look at what is being said there. We are bought with a price, and therefore our body and our spirit belong to God and we will glorify Him in it. Does this pertain to everyone? Not at all, it pertains only to those who belong to God. It pertains to those who will glorify Him, having been bought and secured to do so with the price of blood. Those having the seal of His Spirit that enables them to glorify Him and to persevere unto that day of redemption. By the same token, if a professing Christian claims to be bought of God, and yet by their works they are actually denying that God, he is in this sense denying the Lord that bought him. That doesn't mean that Christ actually purchased him in His blood, rather it means he claims Christ purchased him and yet He contradictorily denies Him. And this is nothing new, the house of Israel did the exact same thing.

Isaiah 48:1-2

"Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, which are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah, which swear by the name of the LORD, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness.
For they call themselves of the holy city, and stay themselves upon the God of Israel; The LORD of hosts is his name."

Likewise many today call themselves the body of Christ, claim they were bought, swear by the name of the LORD of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness. For They were not bought and saying "Lord, Lord, haven't we..." will not help them in the time of their condemnation. For the death of Christ was for His people, a specific people, and it was not for the purpose of being ruler of the unsaved, it was to allow Him to rule in the hearts of the Elect. To establish a new rule that was different from the one 'we' were under when we were in bondage to sin and held captive of the strong task master, Satan. He came to set up a different Kingdom from the one that all men are ruled over by Satan. And He didn't come for everyone, but to redeem "His People" (Matthew 1:21).

One might then retort, 'but the wording of 2nd Peter clearly says these false prophets are denying the Lord that bought them, and thus bring upon themselves swift destruction.' Am I contradicting these scriptures? Not at all. For God is speaking of 'them' as those coming in to be part of the church whom the Lord has bought, and they are professing Christ who they say bought them. Thus the "them" is these false teachers of the church who profess to be bought, and yet in practice deny Him. Even as the examples I have already given. Like a messenger of Satan appearing as a messenger of light. When God addresses the church, He addresses the whole church as one, both good vessels and bad. He says do this and live, do this and die. Consider what God says to the seven churches of Asia. He declares to the Messenger of the church of Ephesus that he's done some good things, but he's done many things that if he doesn't repent of, He will be condemned and judged. These are truly messages addressed to all the messengers of all churches, good or bad, down throughout time, and this signified by the number seven to be the "complete" or universal church.

Revelation 2:4-5

"Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent."

It's to the messenger of God's church comending him for all the good, and warning him about all the bad in all these seven churches. He's addressing them all as messengers of God, even though many are not truly messengers of God but of Satan. That is the only way to understand passage like thos coherently and in harmony with all of scripture. That He is speaking to the whole church as those bought (or as messengers of God), and not declaring that this one professing Christian was actually bought. He's speaking as the church was purchased, and you profess to be that purchased.

Acts 20:28

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

Here our lord says it plainly that it is the church of God that has been purchased. So anyone coming into the church of God is clearly claiming to be bought of God. 2nd Peter is speaking of "them" as part of the external or corporate church. Even though they are unsaved, they have entered in as part of that Covenant church that was bought, and denying Christ means they deny Him that bought them as the church. It is important to understand that the topic here is not the purchase of the individual Christian by the death of Christ, but the topic is the deception of false Christians who by private interpretations, lies, and man-made doctrines bring damnable heresies into this church, thus "denying the Lord who bought them." Remember, these warnings are being addressed to the church. In other words, beware--for a tree is known by its fruits. It is not saying Christ bought false Christians, rather, that they profess to be Christians bought by the Lord, and yet by their heresy, they deny Christ who bought the church.

Looking at the context of 2nd Peter bears this out. You'll note that Peter urges the church in the preceding chapter (verse 10) to make their calling and election sure, and then throughout chapter 2 speaks of those in the external Covenant church who are professing Christians, but are not truly saved.

2 Peter 2:20-22

"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire."

This is the very same type language, where God is speaking of these false Christians 'as if' they were truly saved--as if they were bought. The reason is because they have joined the church, profess God, and are corporately identified as bought with them. Covenantally, they are the church the same as all Israel were God's Children in a sense, but only a remnant were truly bought as children. Likewise these are are co-existing with the truly Elect, having escaped the pollutions of the world temporarily, but like those of Israel, these were "never" truly part of God's indivisible church. Is it an oxymoron that there is a church that is not the church? No, because one is the external visible corporate church, and the other is the indivisible eternal church. The eternal church is the one that the gates of hell shall never prevail over. Not the church body or building down the street. It is the indivisible church that these false teachers and professed Christians can never be part of, even though they are part of the visible Covenanted body of the church. Like branches grafted on to the olive tree representation of the Covenant with Israel, or broken off of that great Olive tree. Branches may reside in the tree, be called branches of that tree, but still may never have been truly sealed and secured into that tree so that they can never be broken off.

1st John 2:18-19

"Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."

They looked as if they were part of the true Church, but ultimately it was revealed that they were "never" truly of those who were bought with the price of blood. And just as 2 Peter 2:20-22 is not speaking of people who were really saved and then lost their salvation, neither are these other verses speaking of people who were actually bought by the blood of Christ and then became un-bought. That would be a contradiction of countless other scriptures. It is speaking of those who 'come in' to the Church which was bought, and deny Christ's purchase of them by their works. How is that possible? Because by the Spirit of God they have never become a new creature/creation in Christ, and so they can return to just what they always were. In accord with 2 Peter 2:20-22, they were Sows (pigs) and Dogs that return to what they like doing. They were never translated into this new and life changing Kingdom of Christ. By contrast, when we become truly saved, we are no longer looked upon as sows and dogs, but have Spiritually become a new creature. These who come in, but are unregenerate, remained what they were, and so can go back to doing what was, and still is, their true nature to do. These are spiritual pictures for us to learn from. Parables in which are manifest certain Spiritual truths for the elect.

Indeed the whole context throughout the chapter of 2nd Peter 2 is of this external Church relationship. Anyone can call themselves the Church, bought of Christ, but it's what is internal and Spiritual that counts. Have they been given a new heart, and have they had their stony heart removed, does the Light of Christ illuminate their way? Again, tree is known by it's fruits and scripture interprets scripture.

Titus 1:16

"They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."

With their mouth they profess, but it's what's in their heart that tells the real tale. These are unbelievers, professing to know God, but of whom God says 'in works' they deny Him. The fruit must match the tree, else it is not of the tree. Christ bought and paid the price for all true Christians, and not one did He buy in vain. His work on the cross was effectual for all to whom it was intended. All who were redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, were redeemed by Grace, which means false prophets were not bought (redeemed) by the blood of the Lamb. Else, there could be no merit of bad works thwarting God's Grace. For Grace is unmerited favor. The fact that they are ultimately not favorerd of God, means they were "never" under grace. All those bought by Christ have unconditional justification by His work on the cross. It is a Free Gift which is unmerited by maintaining good works. Else it is not Grace (Romans 11:6).

Romans 3:24

"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:"

It is personal redemption, our being bought with a price, that makes us justified befor God. What would Christ's shed blood have to do with the wicked, whom it does not cleanse or justify? It is only a witness against them in judgment. So it's simple. If false Prophets were washed clean in Christ's Blood, then they have no sin. Period! Thus there is no condemnation. Ever! These false prophets have their sin remain because they call themselves the bought, when by their heresies and fruit, they deny the Christ that bought the Church. Not at all unlike that spoken of in Hebrews chapter 6:

Hebrews 6:4-6

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."

On the surface, it might appear that God is saying that these people were once saved (once bought), and then lost their salvation, but in fact they were never saved, never bought with a price, and Christ never died for their sins. Because all for whom Christ died, has no sin left. These of Hebrews 6:4-6 were simply externally tied to the Church in that they professed being bought (being Christian), and were there among the Holy Spirit of the Church, and had heard the word of God by it, but had in all this mercy 'turned away' from the true Christ and put Him to open shame by their lawlessness. It's the same principle in 2nd Peter of them denying Christ who bought them, as in Hebrews of them crucifying Christ afresh, after being enlightened. The very same principle in all these chapters, speaking about the very same things. They weren't bought anymore than these actually could crucify Christ afresh. Shall man protest we are denying the word because we say these people can't literally crucify Christ afresh? No, because these crucify Christ again in the sense they do it spiritually. It's man's denial, it is his misunderstanding of what it means to crucify Christ afresh that is flawed, not the word itself. It simply means they professed Christ, having been partaker of the word, Spirit and external Church blessings, and yet put Christ to open shame by their works. They take His name, yet deny Him who bought 'them,' (Christians). Yes, they are part of the Church Christ bought, but no, Christ did not buy them personally. indeed, they were never ever known of Christ!

Matthew 7:22-23

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

He didn't buy them and then forget He had purchased them, He never knew them. In doctrine, they were serving another Christ, a false or antichrist, which is a substitute for the real Christ who bought them (Christians). Remember that this whole epistle of Peter is addressed to the Church, warning them of these Church members that will come in and who are really false teachers. This is why it says 'them' (meaning Christians, or the Church). Because they profess to be the Church, bought of Christ.

1st John 2:22

"Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son."

2nd John 1:7

"For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."

Antichrist, that deceiver who comes in as a wolf in sheep's clothing, is he who denies the Christ that bought them, of whom he 'claims' to be. It is written, Satan comes as a messenger of light and his ministers as ministers of righteousness. That is the warning to the Christian Church. ..that there shall be false teachers among 'them,' who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought 'them,' and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

The Greek word bought is [agorazo], meaning something has been purchased by a price paid. There is no way (in my humble opinion) that we can look at this as Christ by the cross having shed His blood to 'pay the price' to redeem or buy the wicked of the world (except it be us, true Christians). Buy them for what? Why was payment required for them? There is no rational, logical or biblical answer, and it makes no sense whatsoever. I believe it is really a stretch to conclude that without one shred of sound Biblical evidence. Show me where it says His blood was shed, that every man (without exception) was bought by it in some way, and I'll humbly accept it. Otherwise it is mere speculation and assumptions based on a misunderstanding of these verses. Christ did not redeem or purchase false prophets, of whom 2nd Peter is warning the Church about. He redeemed the Elect, of whom these false prophets claim to be. Thus it speaks of them as denying Him that bought them. It's a matter of comparing scripture with scripture (all of it) to understand just what God says was bought by the cross, and what God 'does not say' was bought by the cross of Christ. i.e., one doctrine is somewhat speculative, while the other is written clearly throughout scripture. We belong to Christ, bought as hired servants, we are not our own. Just as we previously saw in 1st Corinthians 6:20. Likewise we read in chapter 7:

1st Corinthians 7:22-23

"For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant.
Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men."

Here as clear as day, God is contrasting us who are bought with a price being his servants, and the servants of men, which were 'obviously' not bought by Him. In other words, he is saying, the others serve men, but you were bought of God 'to serve Him.' We need to consider all these things wisely which scripture declares. as I say, I would gladly change my view (as it doesn't matter to me which is correct, I just want to hold to the truth) if I found doctrine teaching Christ redeemed (bought) damnable heretical false prophets in any salvation way. I don't see any such scripture. One might say, in 2nd Peter 2. But taking all scripture into consideration, reading this in context and not looking at it through 'tunnel vision,' it seems clear to me what this means, and what it cannot mean. According to the Bible, we understand that men who ultimately proved false, denied the Lord who bought them. How he did this is really what is in question, not if He did it. Did Christ buy them by actually paying for "all" their sins individually, becoming their personal Savior? Absolutely not!!! Obviously these men will go into eternity without ever having had these sins paid for. Else they wouldn't go. The Lord is addressing them as bought only in the sense that they are a sanctified part of the body of Christ, which has been bought. They profess to be bought, are sanctified or set apart from the world, even though they are not (1st Co 7:14) saved by Christ's blood, because in works deny the Lord that bought them. Proving they were never truly of the body. Just as we read that all Israel was not Israel, in the same manner, all the church is not the Church of Christ. The word of God is like a gigantic spiritual picture puzzle, and when every piece is not in it's correct place, there is inconsistency, with the picture out of alignment 'alerting' us that something is not right. Remember, Judas was one of the twelve, one of the Apostles of Christ, one of the Chosen, and yet Christ said that he was the "ONE" among them who was 'not clean.' Meaning, he was never truly saved, even though he was among them and partaker of the spirit of God.

John 13:10-11

"Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean."

i.e., yes, he was part of the external representation of the Church. But no, He was never bought, purchased, cleansed in the blood of Christ. He was washed in water like the Church, but he was the one out of twelve that was still not clean because he was never bought by being washed in the Spirit. He was part of the external covenant Church, but not of the eternal Covenant Church.

And this indeed addresses the Church of our day more than ever, as there are many who have entered in, trampling God's Word under foot with their heresies, and private interpretations, deceiving the Church, denying the Lord that bought them. When Christians say universalism is in the word, they are denying the Lord that bought them. When Christians say that marriage is not till death do us part, and that we can divorce and separate what God hath joined together, they are denying the Lord that bought them. When Christians say we are saved by our own good works, they are denying the Lord that bought them. When Christians say women can be the rulers of the men in the Churches, they are denying the Lord that bought them. When Christians deny the authority of the word, and place it in their leaders hands, they are denying the Lord that bought them. ..all because they profess to be the Church bought of the Lord, when in works they deny the Lord who bought that the Church. These indeed are the last days, when those of the Church profess Christ, but in works deny Him.

2nd Timothy 3:1-5

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."

When the Church is offended by truth, denies the Word of God, reviles those who are faithful, and in practice mocks God's authority, they have a form of Godliness, but deny the power thereof, which is the Spirit of truth. They are dishonest professing Him in words, but in works they deny Him, bringing in damnable heresies and private interpretations. As the Church, in doing so, they truly deny the Lord who bought them. The phrase of 2nd Peter 2:1, "denying the Lord that bought them," refers to them being of the Church, that was bought? i.e., they were corporately part of the Church that was bought by Christ, and yet they deny that very same Christ. Even as there are false teachers among us today, who privily bring into the Church damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them. They too shall being upon themselves swift destruction.
May the Lord, who is gracious above all, give us the knowledge, wisdom and understanding, that we might discern and better understand His most precious Holy word, and endure in truth 'Til He Come.'
Amen!
Peace,

Copyright ©2001 Tony Warren
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Created 5/22/01 / Last Modified 9/13/08
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What Does It Mean That False Teachers Deny The Lord, That Bought Them?

by Tony Warren

What Does It Mean That False Teachers
Deny The Lord, That Bought Them?