A new man
2 Peter 2:22 says, “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 passage is commonly used by those who support the idea that the “born again” (Jn 3:7), children of God can lose their “eternal salvation” (Heb 5:9), after trusting Jesus as their Lord and Savior by faith (2 Tim 2:10). A careful study of this chapter reveals that it is dealing with false teachers who deny the Lord (v. 1). They are unjust and are reserved “unto the day of judgment to be punished” (v. 9). Although these false teachers may have known “the way of righteousness” (Prov 12:28), and had learned that Jesus is the Only Savior (Jn 14:6); they have never really “come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim 3:7).
Therefore, they were never truly saved! Peter illustrated a dog turning “to his own vomit;” and a pig that “was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” They do such filthy behaviors because that’s their nature. The unsaved have no conviction from the Holy Spirit (Jn 16:13). They can easily return to their evil ways because they have never been regenerated (Titus 3:5). They act naturally since they “receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God” (1 Cor 2:14).
Just like those who received God’s word on the wayside, stony, and thorny grounds, that bore no fruit (Mk 4:19)! Sadly, there are many who make professions of their faith in Jesus (Mt 7:21), but they have never been truly changed (Eph 2:10); and their bodies never became “the temple of the Holy Ghost” (1 Cor 6:19). However, a true child of God is “a new creature” (2 Cor 5:17), in Christ; and “have put on the new man” (Col 3:10). We no longer have the same nature before getting saved. And because we have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus (1 Jn 1:17), we now obey His voice (Jn 10:27), and no longer return to the vomit and mire! God bless you!
-Pastor Melito Barrera
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