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False TeachingsPosted on Monday 11 June 2007 at 9:10 AM in Bible - Post CommentThe end of last week and over the weekend I encountered a woman joining a bunch of email groups I'm on for the purpose of discussing and spreading false teachings. While it was nice to see Christian's rise up against it, it was also eye opening to see others who chose to be accepting and accomodating. It's clear we are in the last days as all sorts of false teachings are being spread and accepted like wildfire. Sadly when people follow the teachings of man too closely, and they study the Bible in bits and pieces (or not at all), scripture can be pulled out and twisted to support many false teachings.As Christians we must study the Bible as a whole from Genesis to Revelation, and be like the Berean's testing what is said and taught against God's Word. Acts 17:10-11 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. The best way is to study the Bible as a whole: book by book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse. Let the Bible speak for itself instead of letting someone tell you what it says. Bible studies, commentaries and other teachings have their place, but don't let them smother what God's Word says. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. I recently found this statistic: Author Gary M. Burge pointed out that one-third of incoming freshmen at a religiously based college "could not identify Matthew as an apostle from a list of New Testament names" ("The Greatest Story Never Read," Christianity Today, August 9, 1999, p. 45). If we don't know the Word, we are unarmed. We must be in the Word daily...or we run the risk of being deceived ourselves. Please take care to know the Word well, especially now. 2 Timothy 2:14-19 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless the solid foundation of God stands, having this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” |
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