My Thoughts on the Greek Word "Plastos" Used to Describe False Teachers in 2 Peter 2:3

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I had done my Bible study on 1 Peter (and I may backtrack a bit on the writings) and got into 2 Peter. I was reading through Vernon McGee's "Thru the Bible Commentary" and found out about the Greek word plastos. Doesn't that sound like plastic? Plastic was something not invented yet in Peter's time yet the word plastos was already used. We do have the term plaster (not the band-aid) which is used to make sculptures. The word plastos would later give us the words plastic and plaster. Plastic is a synthetic material that's used in sculpting things. Today, we've got plastic stuff to go along with a lot of stuff though it concerns me at how too many plastics and its improper disposal (instead of recycling) can also be harmful to the environment.

The Greek word plastos is used in 2 Peter 2:3 for the word "feign" in the King James Version (KJV). Meanwhile, the English Standard Version (ESV) uses the word "false" and the New International Version (NIV) uses the words "fabricated stories". If you've heard of the word fiberglass then know it's not real glass. Rather, fiberglass is reinforced plastic material which is composed of a woven material that is embedded with glass fibers.

We have the modern English usage of plastic which is more than just the material which we use in plenty of our stuff. We're not talking about the plastic that is also used in our appliances or wiring. Ever heard somebody call a hypocrite as a plastic person? It's because the Greek word plastos is defined by Thayer's Definition as, "moulded, formed, as from clay, wax, or stone". Plastos was meant to describe forming. Meanwhile, Strong's definition also calls it molded, artificial, or fictitious. Thats' why we use plastic surgery to term as altering one's appearance - it's because it's not the real appearance of the person. The same can be said that a person is plastic not because he or she is made of plastic but because of one's falsifiable character.

To have a plastos personality means to be pretentious. There are pastors today who can be easily molded and shaped by the people that they serve. Many times, the most popular pastor is not the man of God. Ever noticed Jeremiah has condemned pastors so much because of their bad work? Consider Jeremiah 5:31 too where the priests were guilty of bearing rule by their means and the people love to have it so. The pastors in Jeremiah were guilty of misleading the people. In the New Testament, Peter strongly speaks against plastic pastors who make merchandise of people and that their judgment is sure in due time.

We could consider the role of the pastor as a preacher and teacher. It's his job to both teach and preach the Word of God. However, if the pastor isn't doing that job then you can consider him an apostate and a false teacher. How often it is that we meet people who claim to be Christians but what they teach is contrary to the Word of God. After I got saved, I used to think the Mormons were Christians until I read their official beliefs had some contradiction to the Word of God. A pastor who would rather make merchandise or exploitation (exploit means to take advantage) with false words. They would do anything to get their profit by any means necessary. They have some head knowledge but they have no heart knowledge when it comes to the Scriptures. Sure, they can quote the Scripture, know Greek, and then they might even claim some "supernatural insight" or twist the obvious meanings of the Scripture.

The cults run on a plastos platform. For instance, the Roman Catholic institution keeps changing colors. John F. MacArthur has called the religion a chameleon for blending in. Today, for Rome to expand, you've got the ecumenical movement. Both the late John Paul II and the late Teresa of Calcutta (both now declared "saints") have even declared that a person can enter Heaven as long as they do good the best they can. Some Roman Catholics have even gone as far as to say that even born again Christians can still enter Heaven if they live a good life. Others have gone as far as to dress themselves as formally as possible like any good Christian would. Sometimes, it becomes indistinguishable if the missionary was a Baptist or a Jehovah's Witness. Fortunately, the Mormons have their identification plates. However, Mormons have been so subtle you'd think that they're just another Evangelical group. Obviously, they are all in the category of plastos which means they try to sculpt themselves to look as Christian as possible when they're not. 

I should also mention some Evangelical churches today are indeed plastos too. How plastos can they get? Think about the deception behind the Jack Hyles story and how easy-believism wrecked the fundamental Baptist churches. I even ran across a Hyles apologist who decided to call me a "Jesuit" because I taught true salvation begets good works. He even had the habit of saying that he could do as much sin as he wanted and still remain saved. One could also think of David J. Stewart of Jesus-is-Savior who speaks with a forked tongue between Antinomianism and true conversion. Stewart is obviously doing double-talk such as when he condemned a lewd woman as a false convert while he earlier that a believer can still live like the rest of the world. I consider these fake Evangelical churches today to be even deadlier than the obvious trap of Rome. In fact, some of these plastos Evangelical churches today are doors to Rome. 

There are also these preachers who teach to despise authority. You can have that with Antinomianism. You also have preachers who incite sedition. The Roman Catholic institution has been inciting sedition for centuries even until today. I've seen some Roman Catholic priests and nuns who have been involved in destabilization plots. It's no surprise that Roman Catholic priests in the Philippines would rather have an anti-terrorism bill junked rather than revised if there are any provisions that could make it work better. It's no surprise that members of the Catholic Bishops' Conference in the Philippines (CBCP) are always staging their outrage against authority figures from its host country who don't agree with them. 

Not to mention that they are worldly, walking in the lust of uncleanness. How often is it that many of these false teachers are indeed very immoral people. It's no surprise that sexually immoral Evangelical preachers have a tendency to be openly holding hands with Rome - a reprobate preacher has no trouble holding hands with reprobate priests of Rome. After all, they have eyes full of adultery with a sinful lifestyle, they deceive the unstable, and that they are experts in greed - they are a cursed brood or cursed children. They are all walking in the way of Balaam. Balaam is mentioned thrice in the New Testament. Peter is the first writer to mention his name in the term "the way of Balaam" in 2 Peter 2:15. Jude 1:11 mentions the error of Balaam. Revelation 2:14 says of the doctrine of Balaam. This was where people indulged in sexual immorality and pagan feasts. Today, we've got preachers who are like Balaam. Balaam was a profit for profit. False prophets are prophets for profit. Any true prophet would only speak what God commands them to speak. False prophets only prophesy to get money or to drive attention such as the doomsday naysayers such as the December 21, 2012 Doomsday Hoax (or for some, it was a Rapture hoax).

Need it to be mentioned that a lot of false preachers today use great swelling words of vanity? The ESV uses the phrase "loud boasts of folly" which is in today's language. A lot of false preachers you can meet are extremely arrogant. One reason why I stopped watching Eli Soriano's TV program "Ang Dating Daan" (The Former Road) which uses Jeremiah 6:16 which talks about the old path which is a good way. Unfortunately, Soriano has frequently exposed himself as a false teacher with his arrogance. The Popes are no different either as their false humility is exposed when they declare what they aren't. Many times, an incumbent Pope speaks nonsense such as saying stuff like "I am the God of the Earth" or "The Pope is Jesus Christ under the veil of flesh!" - something Roman Catholic scholars want to either hide or say was just "taken out of context". 

What is worse is that these false teachers know the way of righteousness but they reject it. It's observable how the pseudo-Christian cults still speak of grace and righteousness yet they pervert it. Roman Catholicism can teach salvation by grace through faith in one moment then add works as a necessary condition to stay saved. The same can also be said about many of the other cults such as the Pentecostals who also teach a similar heresy. You can't trust both Christ and your own righteousness to get saved. It's either Christ or your own righteousness (Romans 11:6). Other false Evangelical teachers like Dan Corner apply the same kind of malice. Such people know salvation is by grace through faith and not of works yet they still add works. They have revealed themselves to what they are - they are plastos teachers. 

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