Skip to main content

How to guard against false teachers

 2 Peter 2. 1-3 “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among   you, who will surely 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.”
Learning to discern truth from error is more and more important these days. Our culture is increasingly interested in spirituality, and numerous groups seek to influence and control those who are not grounded in Scripture. That is why it is absolutely important that we know false teachers and teaching, and how to guard against their lies. False teachers do prey on the Church from without, but they can also arise from within (Acts 20.28-30).
The surest way o protect my family, friends and Church from false teaching is to make sure they are grounded in the Scriptures. To spot a counterfeit, study the real thing. Any believer who ‘correctly handles the word of truth’ (2 Timothy 2.15) and makes a careful study of the Bible can spot an error. The Berean (Acts 17.10, 11) attitude to Scripture should be adopted by all who seek to be protected from false teachers and their teachings.
In my teachings, I will not only stress the importance of Scripture but their certainty. In contrast to the clearly devised tales of false teachers the Scriptures are a more “sure word of prophecy,” which comes from men who have witnessed the power and glory of the resurrected Christ. These Scriptures must be interpreted correctly, through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, and in a way consistent with the interpretation of godly saints throughout history.
I will be much more comforted by knowing that their understanding of a biblical text agrees with the interpretation of a saint of old, who suffered and dies foe his faith, than by embracing the modern day interpretation of a Range Rover preacher whose only suffering is measured by the number of listeners his last scandal cost him.
     “Let us be on guard against false doctrine. Unsound faith will never really be the mother of really sound practice, and in these latter days, departures from the faith abound. See then that your lions be girded with truth, and be very jealous of receiving anything which cannot be proved by the Bible. Do not think for a moment that false doctrine will meet you face to face, saying, “I am false doctrine, and I want to come into your heart.” Satan does not go to work in that way. He dresses up false doctrine like Jezebel – he paints her face and attires her hair, and tries to make her like truth. Do not think that those who preach error will never preach that which is true. Error will do little harm, if that was the case. No! Error will come before you mingled with much that is sound and Scriptural.” J C Ryle in Consider Your Ways.


.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS

Like an eulogy at a funeral the book of Lamentations is meant to mourn a loss, the loss of a nation. Author, Recipients. Jeremiah, the author was of priestly descent and lived in the little village of Anathoth, a short distance north of Jerusalem. He was called whiles still young. The prophet’s call took place in the 13th year of the reign king Josiah, 626 B.C. and five years before the Book of the Law was found in the Temple. He is also the author of the book that bears his name, Jeremiah. The Prophet’s mission was a sad one; his office was like a minister obliged to accompany a criminal to the scaffold. Judah had disobeyed God and turned a death ear to all invitations and warnings to return; the end was approaching. Divisions. The book consist of five independent poems, each an expression of grief. It deals with the calamities that befell the people of Judah and Jerusalem in consequence of the siege and capture of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. I.     ...
Post a Comment
Read more

SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD, by Jonathan Edwards.

Their foot shall slide in due time. Deuteronomy 32.35. In this verse is threatened the vengeance of God on the wicked unbelieveing Israelites, who were God's visible people, and who lived under the means of grace; but who, notwithstanding all God's wonderful works towards them, remained void of counsel, having no understanding in them. Under all the cultivations of heaven, they brought forth bitter and poisonous fruit. Our text, THEIR FOOT SHALL SLIDE IN DUE TIME seems to imply the following things, relating to the punishment and destruction to which these wicked Israelites and all wicked men are exposed. 1. That they were always exposed to destruction: as one that stands or walks in slippery places is always exposed to fall. 2. It implies that they are always exposed to sudden unexpected destruction. 3. Another thing is, they are liable to fall of themselves, without being thrown down by the hand of another; as he that stands or walks on slippery ground needs nothing but...
Post a Comment
Read more

An Allegorical Re-interpretation of the Book of Ruth in light of the Present Day Inattentiveness of the Church to the Great Commission.

“Now it came to pass in the days when the Judges ruled there was famine in the land………” It is not the mandate of Judges to rule, but rather to carry out the decrees of Kings. Yet, in the time of this story, Judges ruled in the land of Israel. Their ruler ship brought about famine in the house of bread, their rule brought about lack in the place of fruitfulness.      We need to understand that when kings refuse to do their duty – which is to rule - there will always be famine in the land. Anytime there is famine in any area of life, it signifies a break in ruler ship. God created us in such a way that we always need an external agent to help us enforce even that which is for our own good.  The Church has been made an agent of reconciliation [1] , because in this age of the New Covenant, we are the Kings [2]  and if we refuse to rule, ‘strangers’ to the throne will rule. We also need to know that the Church is our Bethlehem. It’s only in the Churc...
Post a Comment
Read more