Beware of false teaching · 3:39am May 2nd, 2019
We must beware of false teaching and those who preach false things. Often, these false teachers will successfully mimic true teachers to the point where they are nearly indistinguishable. When Judas went to betray Jesus, most of the disciples, despite having been told mere moments before who was going to betray Him, didn't realize what he was going to do (John 13:21-30).
The word "nearly" is appropriate, because there's something about false teachings that fails somehow; it causes division in a church or group, it allows for unholy things like adultery, fornication, or substance abuse, or it could lead to a lack of respect for rules. These are just a few examples of the results of false teaching, Rather than leading people to Jesus and bringing about good behavior caused by loving one's fellow man, it causes people to fall away from these things, and quite often leads to materialism/worldliness.
One should, as the Apostle John wrote in his sermon/letter, "test the spirits to see whether they are from God (1 John 4:1)." As Jesus says elsewhere, "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit (Matthew 7:18)." Something will be off about the false teaching, and will not produce good fruit. It will often, if not always, pander to something people want or are predisposed to believe as opposed to what is true. Early heretical teaching included the Judaizers (Jewish people who claimed to be Christian, but then claimed that Gentiles could only be saved if they believed in Jesus AND fulfilled Old Testament laws, like circumcision; Acts 15 and Paul's letter to the Galatians in particular discuss this party) and the Nicolaitans (who taught that licentiousness and eating food offered to idols, among other things, were okay; cf Revelations 2:6, 2:14), both of whom twisted the true teaching of God into something false and evil.
It is good to be discerning. We necessarily shouldn't reject something out of hand, but we should give it careful study, see into the mindset behind a teaching, as well as into its results. And, of course, there will be things so obviously evil that we should say "NO!" to them at once.
May the Lord Jesus Christ watch over and keep you all.
Ok... I'm gonna be that ONE person. :) Sorry ahead of time.
But how do you know your teachings ARENT the false teachings?
5052413
No one really CAN be sure. That's why different religions/denominations go at each other's throats constantly.
The best thing any individual can do is have faith that the one they agree with most is the correct one, and then live by those teachings as best as they can.
5052428
What about just being like Screw it, I'm gonna just sit back and what happens happens? If I'm doing good things and hey I get to heaven, sweet. Of I still go to hell, oh well. And if there is neither, well ok then.
5052521
There is no "Right" or "Wrong" answer to the question of Religion. You could make the choice to join any of them in the world, or make up your own system of beliefs, or you could just decide to not get involved. One way or another, what you want to believe is your choice, and NO ONE has the right to force you to believe something.
Like I said in my previous response: No one really knows what happens after we die. The best thing you can do in this life is that you find (or create, or ignore) whatever system of beliefs you most agree with, and then live as best as you can.
5052614
That is a pretty fair answer, you get a follow for that. Thanks!
5052632
Well, thank you!