This morning I came across some crazy ideas online. There was the guy arguing that Christians do not sin. Another said the Apostle Paul was a deceiver who ruined the faith. A preacher argued James (brother of Jesus and author of the Book of James) did not understand the gospel, and that his book contains errors. Then there was a woman wearing a clerical collar who announced that Jesus sinned when he told Martha that Mary was right to listen at his feet. This would-be influencer says Jesus should have told everyone to pitch in and help Martha. She then went on to say that she would be holding Jesus accountable for this error when she meets him in heaven. (Wait, what?)
I suppose for every truth in the Bible there is someone out there who will argue it is false. But God has little patience for false teachers.
“And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, ‘Son of man, prophecy against the prophets of Israel that prophecy out of their own hearts, ‘Hear ye the word of the Lord, Thus saith the Lord God, WOE UNTO THE FOOLISH PROPHETS, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! … Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, the Lord saith it, though I have not? … Because ye have spoken vanity and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you” Ezekiel 13:1-8.
Ezekiel explains these false prophets have built a wall out of their lies. But God will destroy that wall and the false teachers with it.
“Therefore, thus saith the Lord God, I will even rend [the wall of lies] with a stormy wind in my fury, and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it … it shall fall and you shall be consumed in the midst thereof, and ye shall know that I am the Lord” Ezekiel 13:13-14.
In a world swimming in lies, how do you discern truth from falsehood?
Two tips: 1) Study the word. They say FBI and Secret Service agents responsible for fighting counterfeit currency do not spend as much time studying the counterfeits as studying the real thing. The way to recognize the false is to be more familiar with the true. We need to learn the Bible so well that we are not taken in and deceived by lies. Some lies are obvious and rather easy to reject. But others are subtle and will appeal to you just enough that they lure you in. But solid knowledge of scripture will protect you.
2) Second, pray for God’s discernment. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. We live in a world filled with many loud, deceptive voices. There are lies everywhere. Be humble enough to realize you do not know everything—and ask God to guide you. Seriously! Pray for wisdom.
Pray that you will “rightly divide the word of truth” 2 Timothy 2:15. The Bible is a huge text and can be extraordinarily challenging. It is not a children’s book and certainly not an easy read. It is fascinating at times, but it can also be difficult and perplexing. It will require all your reading skill and all your education. And even then, it will also require the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Ask Him to help you every day! “The Spirit of Truth will … guide you into all truth” John 16:13.
AΩ.
Household Words: 