II Peter 2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
The word "but" here shows us that a contrast is being made with the end of chapter 1: that God had sent His word, His truth, His revelation through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As in all of history, when God says or does something good and creative, there is a negative reaction which is false and destructive. It happened at the fall, after Mt. Sinai, and in the early church, and it happens yet today. People want their own way; they are greedy, and they do not want a Lord and Master. Such a path leads to destruction, and they will want to take God's people out along the way. They will want to make God's people look like the bad guy and do everything possible to make our lives miserable. Peter goes on to give a very descriptive picture of what things are like for these false teachers (the rest of the chapter is a worthy read), but in the end their threat is empty. Do not be discouraged by them. Remain true to God and His Word.
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