Peter warns the church that false teachers are marked not only by what they say, but by what they love—arrogance, sensuality, and greed that enslave both them and those they influence. As the passage exposes their emptiness and promised “freedom,” it also makes plain God’s certain judgment on those who know the truth yet turn back to corruption. Believers are called to stay on guard, hate their sin, and keep their eyes on Jesus by following leaders whose lives are being shaped by the Word.