2 Peter 2:1-3 - "But false prophets also arose among
the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will
secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought
them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their
sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and in
their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long
ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep."
I was listening to the radio today and I heard someone talking about a poll that was taken of 7700 ministers of all different denominations throughout America, and the results of the poll shocked me. These ministers were asked 3 questions: 1) Is the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ a fact? 37% said no. 2) Was Jesus Christ born of a virgin? 41% said no. 3) Is the Bible the inspired, inerrant word of God? 72% of American ministers who took part in this poll said no, the Bible is not the word of God. These are people who stand up in "churches" every week and preach. More than half of the ministers in the church of England say that Jesus is not the only way to heaven. This is what Peter was talking about when he said "there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them." Paul talks about this in 2 Timothy 3 as something that characterizes men in the last days. He says in verse 5 that they are "holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power." And he warns us to "Avoid such men as these." And John uses some strong language when talking about these folks. In 1 John 2:18 he says - "Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour." and in verse 22 - "Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son."
With so much deception going on, with so many people distorting the Word of God and preaching lies, what can we do? How do we respond to this? After Paul gives a description of these false prophets in 2 Timothy 3 he goes on to say in Verses 13-17 - "But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."
Whatever we hear, no matter who we hear it from, we need to check it against scripture to see whether it is true. In Acts 17 we read about Paul and Silas going to a city called Berea and teaching the people there, and it says of the Bereans in verse 11 - "Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." Even though they were being taught by the apostle Paul, they are commended for checking the Scriptures themselves rather than just taking his word for it. And that is what we need to do.
Many are being led astray by false doctrine because they do not know the Word of God. Spending time in Gods word is essential. You can't know the Word of God unless you spend a good amount of time immersed in it.
Psalm 119:97-104 - "Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way."
I was listening to the radio today and I heard someone talking about a poll that was taken of 7700 ministers of all different denominations throughout America, and the results of the poll shocked me. These ministers were asked 3 questions: 1) Is the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ a fact? 37% said no. 2) Was Jesus Christ born of a virgin? 41% said no. 3) Is the Bible the inspired, inerrant word of God? 72% of American ministers who took part in this poll said no, the Bible is not the word of God. These are people who stand up in "churches" every week and preach. More than half of the ministers in the church of England say that Jesus is not the only way to heaven. This is what Peter was talking about when he said "there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them." Paul talks about this in 2 Timothy 3 as something that characterizes men in the last days. He says in verse 5 that they are "holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power." And he warns us to "Avoid such men as these." And John uses some strong language when talking about these folks. In 1 John 2:18 he says - "Children, it is the last hour; and just as you heard that antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour." and in verse 22 - "Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son."
With so much deception going on, with so many people distorting the Word of God and preaching lies, what can we do? How do we respond to this? After Paul gives a description of these false prophets in 2 Timothy 3 he goes on to say in Verses 13-17 - "But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."
Whatever we hear, no matter who we hear it from, we need to check it against scripture to see whether it is true. In Acts 17 we read about Paul and Silas going to a city called Berea and teaching the people there, and it says of the Bereans in verse 11 - "Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." Even though they were being taught by the apostle Paul, they are commended for checking the Scriptures themselves rather than just taking his word for it. And that is what we need to do.
Many are being led astray by false doctrine because they do not know the Word of God. Spending time in Gods word is essential. You can't know the Word of God unless you spend a good amount of time immersed in it.
Psalm 119:97-104 - "Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way."
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