1. The Escape, the Entanglement, and the End 2 Peter 2:20-22

2. The Escape The escape was real. Verse 18 says those who have actually escaped. The escape was complete. The escape came through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. These were saved people.

3. The Escape 1.Those who live in error. (2:18) 2.The pollutions of the world. (2:20) 3.The corruption that is in the world through lust. (2:1)

4. The Escape Apo - composition (as a prefix) it usually denotes separation, departure, cessation, completion, reversal, etc. - Strong's Pheugo - apparently a primary verb; to run away (literally or figuratively); by implication, to shun; by analogy, to vanish: Strong's The disciples fled from Jesus in the Garden. (Mark 14:50) The hireling flees when the wolf comes. (John 10:12-13)

5. The Escape We are to flee immorality. We are to run away from the love of money and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness. We are to flee youthful lusts.

6. The Entanglement Notice that they are again entangled in the pollutions of the world. They have gone back to their old way of life. He does not say that they were still entangled in the pollutions of the world. When you are entangled (or intertwined) with the pollutions of the world, you become polluted.

7. The Entanglement When you are polluted you become pollution to others. Not only are they entangled by the pollutions of the world, they are overcome by them. You are a slave and in bondage to the one who overcomes you. Most people who are entangled by the world don’t even realize they are slaves.

8. The Entanglement The Pharisees would do whatever they could to win one proselyte, yet what they were doing was making that proselyte a son of hell. Those who are entangled by the world are slaves of sin. Being a slave of sin leads one only to death. Being a slave of obedience leads to righteousness.

9. The Entanglement There will be false prophets among the people who will deny the Lord who bought them. Peter ends this letter by warning them not to fall from their own steadfastness by being led away by the wicked.

10. The End The re-entanglement is worse than the entanglement. Apostates, knowing they have rejected the only way of salvation, are often more evil than those who have never known the ways of the Lord. When you truly know who Jesus is, and then turn your back on Him, the guilt is unbearable.

11. The End We are powerless to persuade one who has been entangled again in the pollutants of the world to return to Christ. There is nothing we can say. They must come to their own senses. Those who return to the world re-crucify Christ and put Him to an open shame. When Jesus looked down from the cross, He said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do."

12. The End Jesus cannot say that about the one who turns away from the holy commandment. Jesus cannot say that about the one who escaped through the knowledge of Jesus Christ, only to choose to return to the pollutions of this world. Jesus cannot say that about the one who puts Him to an open shame.

13. The End Those who turn their backs on the only one who can save them are in worse shape than those who don’t yet know Jesus. They have no other options! If one is caught off- guard and trespasses, we are to attempt to restore that brother. Our efforts can bear fruit.

14. The one who is entangled again: Is often times more evil than those who never knew the way of the Lord; Brings more shame to Jesus; Suffers more guilt; Cannot be persuaded by others; Has rejected the only one who can save.