Sex Sells

“And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed” (v2).

Sex sells. No matter where you look, it’s there. Hot bodies. Tight clothes. NO clothes! We’re not just talking about marketing porn. We’ve sunk to the point where a fast food joint uses a very attractive young lady suggestively eating a cheeseburger in their commercials. They’re asking a lot more than if we want fries with that. That’s because sex sells. And it’s been a hot commodity for centuries. The false teachers that Peter warns about are using sex as a huge selling point. Why? Because it works. 

Sex sells.

Pete lets us know that these spiritual hucksters are leading by example. And what’s their example? They’re sleeping around. “And many will follow their sensuality” (v2). The apostle lets us know that they aren’t just looking at a few girlie magazines. When he selects the Greek word aselgeia, he’s talking about their outrageous sexual behavior. The term generally describes a life without moral restraint. Paul was very worried that some of his friends in Corinth “have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality (Gr. aselgeia) that they have practiced” (2Cor 12:21). The man from Tarsus also encouraged Roman believers to live for Jesus and “not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality (Gr. aselgeia)” (Rom 13:13). Here Pete gives us a XXX-rated picture of erotic and slutty behavior. Simply put, these dudes are horny and don’t try to hide it. They know that sex sells.

Because these false teachers are sleeping around, so will their followers. A lot of folks will fall for their lies. They’ll not just listen to what they teach, they’ll do what they do. Some believers will get sucked into this lewd lifestyle “follow” (Gr. exakoloutheo) these spiritual con artists. Pete uses a word that means to follow out, conform as a follower in a detailed and dependent manner, or tread in one’s steps. This word only shows up three times in the New Testament and they’re all here in this little letter. The apostle says that he and the boys “did not follow (Gr. exakoloutheo) cleverly devised myths” but instead followed Jesus (1:16). Later he lets us in on the fact that these lying teachers “have followed (Gr. exakoloutheo) the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the gain from wrongdoing” (2:15). And now they have their own followers who are following in their filthy footsteps. Because sex sells.

One huge effect of all of this is that “the way of truth will be blasphemed” (v2). “The way of truth” is the jaw-dropping Gospel of Jesus. This is the Big Story of the Bible. God graciously crafted His creation. We quickly jacked it up through our own selfishness and rebellion. He sends His very own Son as the Hero. Jesus comes to rescue us from our own sin and restore the broken universe. But these false teachers want nothing to do with the Good News. They trash God’s truth. Slander it. Insult it. And in doing so, they throw Jesus under the bus. Pete just told us how they are “denying the Master” (2:1). They refuse to acknowledge Jesus as Lord. He’s not their Boss. He’s not going to tell them what to do. And that comes to their sex lives. 

Can I be blunt (as if I haven’t been so far)? Most of the time when people reject Jesus, it’s because they want to sleep around. They want nothing to do with what God says about sex. First of all, sex is His idea. He invented it. Who says God isn’t good?!? It’s not just for making babies. He wants us to enjoy it. Hey, He included the Song of Songs in Scripture. That’s some of the steamiest stuff you’ll read anywhere. But God designed sexual intimacy for husbands and wives. Anything outside of marriage will hurt us. Sexual sin damages us in ways that other sin doesn’t (1Cor 6:18). Christ is protecting us from ourselves. He knows that sex sells. He knows that our libido can be a bulldozer. But we don’t want anybody to tell us who we can’t sleep with. That includes Jesus. 

Why do I know the selling power of sex? I’ve fallen for it. From time to time, I still do. But God has given me the surging power of His indwelling Holy Spirit to free me from own horniness. Do I still have a sexual appetite? No question. But Jesus empowers me to stay true to my marriage. He knows sex sells. He gives me the supernatural strength not to buy what sexual sin is selling.