Be Alert (2 Peter, 2 & 3 John, Jude): Beware of the Religious Impostors

The "Be" Commentary

by Warren W. Wiersbe

The study guide for life’s true or false questions
The world is filled with counterfeits. And the church is not immune, as false ideas and doctrines can infect believers and congregations. So when it comes to spiritual teachers, messages, and movements, how can we tell fact from fiction? The answers are found in 2 Peter, 2 & 3 John, and Jude, where the apostles provide practical insights for discerning truth.

 

Part of Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe’s best-selling “BE” commentary series, Be Alert has now been updated with study questions and a new introduction by Ken Baugh. A respected pastor and Bible teacher, Dr. Wiersbe shares how to spot spiritual errors and fallacies. You’ll discover foundational principles from God’s word that will help you determine the true from the false.

Genres: Christian, Reference, Nonfiction, Theology, Christianity, Christian Non Fiction, Religion

208 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1984

About the author

Warren W. Wiersbe, former pastor of the Moody Church and general director of Back to the Bible, has traveled widely as a Bible teacher and conference speaker. Because of his encouragement to those in ministry, Dr. Wiersbe is often referred to as 'the pastor's pastor.' He has ministered in churches and conferences throughout the United States as well as in Canada, Central and South America, and Europe. Dr. Wiersbe has written over 150 books, including the popular BE series of commentaries on every book of the Bible, which has sold more than four million copies. At the 2002 Christian Booksellers Convention, he was awarded the Gold Medallion Lifetime Achievement Award by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. Dr. Wiersbe and his wife, Betty, live in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Reviews

[Barbara Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

At first glance, it might seem like Warren Wiersbe collected leftover short epistles to review in Be Alert: (2 Peter, 2 & 3 John, Jude); Beware of Religious Imposters. However, as his subtitle indicates, these four books near of the end of the New Testament have a common theme.

Often we go to the Bible for comfort, affirmation, assurance that God loves us and will take care of us. Those motives aren’t wrong: we find all those things in the Bible.

But the Bible’s purpose isn’t just to make us feel warm and cozy. God is truth, and anything that isn’t in line with His Word is falsehood. Satan, as God’s enemy, works seemingly tirelessly to question and pervert what God said. Indeed, his first recorded temptation was to question Eve in the garden of Eden about what God said and then to twist it. Often Satan includes enough truth to hook unsuspecting individuals.

That’s one reason to know God’s truth well (the first being that we learn to know God by learning His truth). Paul warned that “Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them” (Acts 20:30). Peter shared that false teachers will “twist” the Scriptures (“wrest” in the KJV). “The Greek word translated ‘wrest’ means ‘to torture on the rack, to distort and pervert’” (p. 113).

2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, and Jude all share what false teachers do, what motivates them, and what judgement is coming to them.

We’re not to support false teachers in any way, not even allowing them into our homes (2 John 10-11), but we’re to help those who have been influenced by them. “And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh” (Jude 22-23).

While the call to beware of false teachers is meant to help us to be alert and careful, we don’t need to panic or live in fear. 2 Peter opens with the reminder that “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” (2 Peter 1:3-4) and closes with “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen” (2 Peter 3:17-18).

Likewise, Jude ends his warnings with “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (verses 20-21). Wiersbe comments, “He did not write, ‘Keep yourselves saved!’ because he had already assured them that they were ‘preserved in Jesus Christ’ (Jude 1). He wrote, ‘Keep yourselves in the love of God.’ Our Lord made a similar statement recounted in John 15: 9: ‘Continue ye in my love’” (p. 191). After several paragraphs on Christian love, he concludes, “We grow in our love for God as we listen to His Word, obey it, and delight in doing what pleases Him. That is how we keep ourselves in God’s love” (p. 192).

Finally, Jude concludes with this wonderful benediction: “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To ]God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen” (verses 24-25).

Here are a few more thoughts Wiersbe shared:

In his first epistle, Peter emphasized the grace of God (1 Peter 5: 12), but in this second letter, his emphasis is on the knowledge of God. The word know or knowledge is used at least thirteen times in this short epistle. The word does not mean a mere intellectual understanding of some truth, though that is included. It means a living participation in the truth in the sense that our Lord used it in John 17: 3: “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (italics Wiersbe’s) (p. 19, Kindle version).

God has not only given us all that we need for life and godliness, but He has also given us His Word to enable us to develop this life and godliness. These promises are great because they come from a great God and they lead to a great life. They are precious because their value is beyond calculation. If we lost the Word of God, there would be no way to replace it. Peter must have liked the word precious, for he wrote about the “precious faith” (2 Peter 1: 1; cf. 1 Peter 1: 7), the “precious promises” (2 Peter 1: 4), the “precious blood” (1 Peter 1: 19), the precious stone (1 Peter 2: 4, 6), and the precious Savior (1 Peter 2: 7) (p. 22).

God gives His children all that they need to live godly lives, but His children must apply themselves and be diligent to use the “means of grace” He has provided. Spiritual growth is not automatic. It requires cooperation with God and the application of spiritual diligence and discipline. “Work out your own salvation.… For it is God which worketh in you” (Phil. 2: 12–13) (pp. 22-23).

It is a frightening fact that many people who are now zealous members of cults were at one time attending churches that at least professed to believe the Christian gospel (p. 79).

And with that, I have finished all 50 of Warren Wiersbe’s “Be” commentaries!

[Sagely · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a firm believer in accessing all of the resources on has to hand. Somewhere along the line I picked up a copy of Warren Wiersbe's popular commentary on 2 Peter, 2 & 3 John, and Jude. I pulled it off the shelf when I started leading our seniors Bible study through what I'm calling our "Short Book of the Bible" series. We started with Jude and our working our way back to Ruth.

In general, I appreciate Wiersbe's commentaries. His volume on 1 John helped introduce me to serious Bible study toward the end of my teenage years. He has a very friendly approach--he'd make a great pastor, I bet.

However at times he weighs in dogmatically in places where Scripture doesn't. His agenda, the fight of the day, sometimes clouds what's otherwise decent commentary.

These short books offer plenty of opportunity to do that, focusing as they often do on false teachers and prophetic promises. I think I'd still recommend this series to the church librarian, but there'd be paragraphs scattered here and there that I'd worry about.

[Frans Kempe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bibelstudy of 2 Peter, 2 & 3 John and Jude. A topical study of religious imposters.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Be Alert" is a commentary on 2 Peter, 2 & 3 John, Jude. It's written more like a sermon series than a Bible reference book. While you can go to a certain chapter and verse reference and read the entry for more information, the book was designed to be read from start to finish. The book was easy to understand. Overall, I'd recommend this book for use as a personal devotional/Bible study.

The author tied in relevant Old and New Testament verses, pointed out the meanings of Hebrew words that don't fully translate into English, and explained background historical information that helped to bring out the full impact of the verses. There were 9-10 questions at the end of each chapter. Some tested to see if you remembered/understood what the author had said, but others were reflection questions about how you could apply what you had just learned.

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is my first read on 50 series. the commentary not that detailed and rich in thelogy, but the strength point is that this is perfect for bible study or ordinary person to learn more about passages in bible. this book about warning for false teachings in every aspect and circle of community in our life.

[Rachelle Bachiu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives you insight on what God's truth is regarding falsie doctrine and imposters that seek to create chaos in churches. Keeping our focus on Him will help each one of us on the right path and the Holy Spirit will continue to convict us when we do stray away from the truth. Keep reading the Word and the truth will keep us from falling when someone is doing the enemies bidding.

[Mike Eccles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've gone slowly with this Wiersbe title because of circumstances rather than content. It took me to some of the smaller New Testament letters that I had not paid much attention to in the past. I enjoyed reading them and Warren Wiersbe's insightful observations.

[Mike Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Continued growth in the Word

Once again, I continue to gain better insight
into God's Word as I read through these "Be Series" commentaries. I will begin the final book of the Bible and its commentary tomorrow and seek to continue to grow.

[Brenda Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent exposition of 4 New Testament books warning of religious imposters and how to identify them. Very timely for today!

[Jan Norton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spiritual depth

I always enjoy the spiritual death that I received when I read one of Wiersbe’s commentaries. My next one will be on the book of Galatians

[Matthew Prydden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wiersbe predominantly tackles false teachers and their teaching in his commentary on 2 Peter, 2 & 3 John and Jude with his usual pastoral wisdom and warmth.

[Keshia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. My hubby and I did this book as a Bible study together. Not our favorite of the series we’ve read so far but still some good in depth information.

[Marcus Goncalves · Rating 5 out of 5]

As with all his books, this one, covering 2 Peter, John, and Jude is also an excellent read. It helps you better understand these epistles.

[Carolee DeWitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very insightful, Warren Wiersbe has a wonderful way of opening up God's Word.

[Maui Rochell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started this way back in 2023 then I was reminded to revisit it and finish it this year. Being alert and discerning in this day of confusion is really a must.