I recently had a conversation with someone who mentioned all the various denominations that exist, and questioned why. She talked about the well-known ones, as well as many independent churches, and asked me why we weren’t all one church as we were supposed to be. My view has often been that the various theologies of differing churches aren’t necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes I have likened it to the scripture in 1 Corinthians 12 where Paul uses the body as an analogy of how the Spirit works within each of us to have our gifts work together in harmony. I think of the various denominations and independent churches as parts of Christ’s body, and we all have an important function for His church. But something I read recently reminded me that not all churches teach truth.
We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:19-21, (New International Version or NIV).
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping. 2 Peter 2:1-3, (NIV).
False prophets and teachers have always existed. Their main purpose is to keep you from seeking after Jesus and the one true God. They are not interested in the truth spoken in the Bible, but they are masters at using it to deceive the innocent and I might add, the ignorant. Peter’s warning is relevant today as well. This is why reading and studying the Bible is so important to keep from believing the lies that certainly abound today. If you know your Bible, you will recognize the false doctrine they are trying to get you to follow. It is so easy to be deceived.
And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. 2 Corinthians 11:12-15, (NIV).
If Satan can emulate an angel, then he can certainly fool people into thinking that the teachings they hear and believe are correct in God’s eyes. The false teachers have learned well from their master, Satan. We must be persistent and diligent in knowing the truth to spot the lies.
“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. Acts 20:25-31, (NIV).
Paul is sailing to Jerusalem and doesn’t know what might happen to him there. He stops in Miletus and sends for the church leaders from Ephesus, he knows he might never see them again. He is giving them last-minute instructions as they meet together one last time. Notice the warning he gives about false teachers. Paul says bluntly that they will come from within the church groups and try to teach what is not true by twisting their words.
Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also. 1 John 2:18-23, (NIV).
John also gives a warning to his church leaders to be on guard for those who teach falsely. He also says they went out from within the church groups. There will always be those who want to lead the group but do not have the heart of Jesus on their mind. They want to lead to feel powerful and they will twist their words to fit whatever message people warm to rather than teach the truth. How many of us today know enough of the Bible and the teachings of Jesus to refute a false teacher? How many of us can recognize the untruth of Satan? We must take the time to learn and understand in order to guard our hearts against untruth.
We have now heard three who warned their churches that they planted and taught about Jesus give warnings of false teachers. Peter, Paul, and John have all warned us. Will we heed the warning? Will we seek truth for ourselves?
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. Philippians 2:12-13, (NIV).
It is your responsibility to seek truth and to recognize false teachings when you hear them. Your pastor, Sunday School teachers, and even I can help you through this blog to hear the truth, but in the end, it is part of your working out your own salvation based on truth and not falsehoods. So, study and know what you believe to be the truth.
On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” Luke 10:25-28, (NIV).
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:34-40, (NIV).
Seeking the truth is so important these days because we have so many lies around us. Jesus was asked what is the most important thing to know to have eternal life, and the answer involves Biblical knowledge.
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. 2 Timothy 2:15-17, (New American Standard 1977).
Until next time…Katherine
Katherine Speaks 