What do you think it means to "escape the pollutions of the world" then?
A fair question.
Notice verse 20 here of 2 Peter:
20
For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
Now notice Jesus referring to the same type people:
Matthew 12:43-45
An Unclean Spirit Returns
43 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds
it empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last
state of that man is
worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”
You see, this man is clean. His "temple" (body), is swept and
EMPTY.
You can also like these people to the 2nd soil where they had
NO ROOT IN THEMSELVES.
All these people are the same. they were cleansed, they escaped the pollutions of this world by the hearing of the Word,
BUT THEY DIDN'T HAVE SAVING FAITH, AND WERE NOT BORN AGAIN, FILLED AND SEALED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT!
As OPPOSED to these guys:
1 Corinthians 6
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were
washed, but you were
sanctified, but you were
justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the
Spirit of our God.
They were not only cleansed. They were justified, sanctified, and had the Holy Spirit.
So we see that it is not enough to merely give intellectual accent to the Gospel. We must completely believe it and receive Him.
The Prodigal son never for a moment disbelieved that his father wasn't who he said he was. He just believed HE was no longer worthy to be his son. And we all know nothing could have been further from the truth. He was ALWAYS his father's son.
Hope this helps.