In verse 3 Peter not only speaks of the indulgence in lusts; he also includes “unlawful idolatries.” Wherever there is the indulgence in lust there will be idolatry. Some may say, “We live in a modern, scientific country. The people here are not superstitious. We do not have any idols.” It is a fact that everyone who indulges in lust has an idol.
In verse 3 Peter speaks not only of idolatries but of unlawful idolatries. The King James Version and the American Standard Version use the adjective “abominable” instead of unlawful. Darby uses the word “unhallowed.” But in the Recovery Version we use the word “unlawful.” The adjective “lawless,” used in at least one version, may be an even better rendering. After further study of this verse, I believe that lawless is a better translation than unlawful. The point here is that idolatry always causes people to be lawless. A person who worships an idol or practices idolatry will be lawless. He will do certain things without any restriction. Therefore, I believe that the word Peter uses in verse 3 refers to lawlessness. Here Peter is saying that idolatry makes people lawless. He does not mean that it is unlawful to worship an idol. He is saying that idolatry causes people to be without regulation or restriction; it causes them to live without being governed by any kind of law. In China I saw idol worshippers who truly were lawless in their living.
In verse 4 Peter continues, “In which they think it strange that you are not running together with them into the same flood of dissipation, blaspheming.” The Greek word rendered “strange” is xenizo. It means to be a host or a guest, to be foreign, alien; to entertain, to lodge, to think it strange. To live in the flesh in the lusts of men (v. 2) is common to unbelieving Gentiles, who are running together into the flood of dissipation. But to live a holy life in the will of God, not running together in the indulgence of lusts, is strange to them. It is a foreign thing, alien to them. They are surprised and astonished at it.
Literally, “running together” means rushing on in a crowd like a band of revelers. This is to live in the flesh in the lusts of men to work out the desire of the nations (v. 3) in the vain manner of life.
In Greek “flood of dissipation” is anachusis meaning a pouring forth, a pouring out upon (as in a tide); hence, a flood (ASV). It denotes here the overflowing indulgence of lusts, the excess of moral corruption and degradation like a flood, into which one sinks when running into it.
Worldly people think it strange that we do not run together with them into the same flood of dissipation. Here all the indulgences listed in verse 3 are compared to a flood. This flood is a current, a trend. Whenever the weekend comes, worldly people follow this current to indulge themselves in their lusts. They think it strange that we, as believers, would not run together with them into that flood of indulgence. It seems as if we are aliens to them. They may look upon us as foreigners, citizens of another country. For example, if you live in the United States and receive some guests from abroad, they may be strange to you, and you to them. You both would be conscious of being with foreigners. The principle is the same with our not running together with unbelievers and worldly people into the flood of dissipation. Our refusal to do this is strange, foreign, alien to them.
Your colleagues at work may think it strange that you do not use the weekend to indulge in worldly entertainment. Toward the end of the afternoon on Friday, some of them may ask about your plans for the weekend. They may boast of what they intend to do in the way of indulging themselves in their lusts, and they may eagerly press you to tell them what your plans are. Then you may explain that over the weekend you will be involved with the meetings of the church. Perhaps on a particular weekend you will be going out of town to attend a conference. Your colleagues may think it strange that you would do such things on the weekend. Some may even say to you, “Where did you come from? Are you from another planet? You are a stranger to us. You are an alien.”
Instead of “think it strange” the King James Version renders the Greek here “astonished.” Other versions say “are surprised.” We do not agree with these translations, for they are too far removed from the meaning of the original. It is best to use a literal translation and say, as the Recovery Version does, “think it strange.” Unbelievers will think it strange that we do not care to participate with them in fleshly indulgences. In particular, they may think it strange that we do not celebrate Christmas or care for Christmas parties. The way of this corrupted world, the way of this crooked, perverted generation, is to follow the trend of indulgence and dissipation. But we would not run together with them according to this trend.
The word “dissipation” in verse 4 also indicates indulgence to excess. We all need to eat, but we should not eat in excess. We all need to drink, but we should not drink too much. Paul once told Timothy that, for the sake of his frequent illnesses, he should take a little wine. It is all right for someone with a special need to take a little wine for his health, but that one should not go too far and drink to excess. If we go too far in eating and drinking, that is indulgence, excess, dissipation. As believers, we should not have any kind of dissipation. In our eating, drinking, shopping, and spending of money, we should have a limitation, a restriction. In none of these things should there be any dissipation. The worldly people follow the flood of dissipation to indulge in their lusts, but we do not go that way. They are following the current of this age, but we are moving against the current. To them, this is very strange.
As the unbelievers run together into the flood of dissipation, they blaspheme the believers. This means that they speak evil of us, speak injuriously of us (Acts 13:45; 1 Pet. 2:12; 3:16). During the days of the Roman Empire, the believers, whose behavior was thought strange, were slandered unjustly and accused of all manner of crimes.
The blaspheming in verse 4 is directed not at God but at us, the believers. Many of us have experienced the blasphemy of unbelievers at school, at work, or in our neighborhoods. Some have even been blasphemed by their relatives. Those who follow the trend of this age often will blaspheme the believers.