2 Tim 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
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FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU
LORD’S DAY, JUNE 14
2 Peter 2:1
Ezekiel 13:1-23
“For there are many unruly
and vain talkers and deceivers.”
FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU
The Word of God before us is the truth. That is wonderful news. But among us there are “false teachers” (2 Pet 2:1) and that is really bad news. These men are capable of taking the truth in their hands and distorting it to teach us false doctrines. This is a danger that has been creeping around since the time of Adam. Peter said, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you.”
God warned Israel through Moses: “If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams…” (Deut 13:1-3). Regardless of this warning, the Israelites allowed the false prophets to flourish in the land and to lead them astray.
There were good prophets like Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel who constantly laboured to expose the false prophets. However, people at large followed the counterfeit ministries of the false prophets. The attraction was mainly the soothing and non-confrontational messages they preached. They promised God’s blessings without requiring a change from their sinful lifestyles. They preached false peace (cf. Jer 6:14). They offered the message that people wanted to hear.
Though the teachings of the false teachers may be popular, the Apostle Peter warned us that their teachings are “damnable heresies.” How would the false teachers manage to propagate their falsehood, when the Bible can easily expose it? Peter told us that they shall bring in the heresies “privily.” In other words, they will bring them in secretly alongside the truth. Not all that they say will be false. They will not throw out the truth immediately. But before long, they will replace the truth with error.
THOUGHT: False teachers will be in my church too. Am I vigilant?
PRAYER: Lord, give me grace to test every teacher and his teaching, that I may guard my soul and others’ from damnable heresies.