The designers of the catalogues know this, because everything and everyone in those catalogues look fantastic. The implication is that if you wear this outfit, you too will look this great and happy. But when you actually order something, which we have done on occasion, the product often does not measure up to the picture of perfection in the catalogue. It is a case of the reality not fulfilling the promise. This can also be true in the realm of spiritual truth.
Many people claim to have the truth.
But deciding between various claims of spiritual truth is more difficult than choosing clothes. Peter, in his second epistle, wrote to Chris- t ians who had been challenged by pagan intellectuals about the truths of the Christian faith. These pagans claimed to have greater spiritual insight and a better grasp of spiritual truth than the Christ ians. Peter encouraged his readers not to be deceived by this false spirituality and showed them how to discern true spirituality from its counterfeit. At the same time, he was concerned that his readers be sure that, in their own lives, they had not bought into pagan concepts of spirituality that were contrary to Christian teaching.