What does 2 Peter 2:18 mean?

Many people are tempted by the idea of indulging every possible sexual sin, free from guilt and shame. The same people often want to be free from the earthly and eternal consequences of those choices. The lie of the false teachers seems to be just that: you can sin without remorse or consequence, keeping all the benefits of belonging to Christ, and with the full approval of God.

According to Peter, these liars use words as tools of deception. If you listen, he says, you'll notice their impressive-sounding talk is, in reality, simply boastful and empty. The sad truth, though, is that their words and invitation to sexual sin was very effective. Those who had just begun to escape from the lies of the culture, attracted by the gospel of Jesus, found the false teaching of these men hard to resist. Once again, the same is true in the modern world. Immature Christians in particular are easily swayed by these temptations.

No wonder Peter sounds angry. With their lies, these false teachers were attempting to snatch people away just as they were coming to Christ, all for their own arrogance and profit.