Swelling Words

Bible Reading: II Peter 2

Key Verse: Verse 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.”

Key Words: swelling words

In order to get the full impact of the key verse, three things are necessary.  First, we must know who is being written about, and that is false teachers. Secondly, we must read the entire chapter. Thirdly, we must understand the word swelling. It means to bloat up or expand. These false teachers are speaking words which do not grow or mature a person spiritually. They simply bloat them.

Peter is warning people to be cautious of false teachers that bloat you up but do so for their personal gain. It is important to be able to identify these false teachers (see verses 1 and 2) in order to both avoid them and save yourself from their heresy.

A Chinese boy who wanted to learn about jade went to study with a talented old teacher. This gentle man put a piece of the precious stone into his hand and told him to hold it tight. Then he began to talk of philosophy, men, women, the sun and almost everything under it. After an hour he took back the stone and sent the boy home. The procedure was repeated for several weeks. The boy became frustrated. When would he be told about the jade? He was too polite, however, to question the wisdom of his venerable teacher. Then one day, when the old man put a stone into his hands, the boy cried out instinctively, 'That's not jade!'" 

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”  John 8:32.

 

                                                                                                    Dr. Mike Rouse

What to do:

✞ Live for truth, not personal gratification.