False Teaching Is Real - 2 Peter

2 Peter 2:1-3 (ESV)

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

Peter is about to die.  He knows it because men die and Jesus said something about it:

2 Peter 1:14-15 (ESV)

since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things.

Prior to his death he wants to warn them of the false teachers who will be among them.   In the above passage he tells them that their are some earmarks of the false teaching:

1. False teaching has a track record.   As they have been in the past, they will be in the present and future.   We do not get away from the thought of false teaching.  
2. False teaching will attempt to come in secretly.  That does not mean we won’t see it (this is the point of #1 above) but that it will not be flagrant. It will be subtle and deceptive.   
3. False teaching will be destructive.  Make no mistake, there is no false teaching that is not destructive to our faith.  
4. False teaching, at its core, denies something about the Godhead.  It will even deny the Master who bought them, Peter states. 
5. False teaching is not for the minority.  It is for the masses.  Peter states that many will follow them.  Since it is based upon sensuality, many will follow.  
6. False teaching denies the truth.  It literally denies the Word of God.   
7. False teaching will met with certain judgment.  False teaching and false teachers will be destroyed. It is not idle.   

Peter, in his end of the life, was worried that false teaching would lead younger believers away from Christ.  That is a worthy concern as we get closer to our death.