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Sunday, July 16, 2023

Defending The Truth Against False Teaching?

By Wes Garland

 

    In the world today, many false teachings are being proclaimed and believed. What should our response be? Should we just stand by and allow these teachings to go on without saying anything or are we called to do something major? In this series of articles, we are going to look at what the Bible says are reasons why we are CALLED to defend the truth against error.

    First, we must see where God stands on false teaching. Because it is the case that God’s words are truth (Psalm 119:160, John 17:17), anything that is opposite of that IS NOT HIS! When something alters from the word of God, it is NOT what God has said. And if it is not what God said, then the intent for those words spoken by God is missed and overlooked. When we take what God says and try to replace it or misconstrued it, God IS NOT HAPPY with it because it is NOT what He said. We must realize that God says what He says for a reason, and it is for the fact of making us more like Him.

    God is also against false teaching because His word leads to everlasting life and anything different DOES NOT lead to everlasting life. This goes back to the purpose and the intent of His words for us. Do we realize that when we speak anything that differs from God’s word, we are affecting the eternal destiny of the hearers? In John 8:32 Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Truth intends to set free the ones who are willing to listen and obey it. If it is not the truth, NO ONE CAN BE SET FREE! If we are not set free, then we will still be in our sins and therefore will be lost for all eternity.

    God is also against false teaching because God’s word makes disciples of Christ, but error makes disciples of Satan. We see this in John 8:31 when Jesus says, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” The qualification to being a disciple of Christ is that we follow the word of God as our standard. If our standard is based on anything else, then it is a lie because it is not the truth. Now we know who the father of lies is from John 8:44 where Jesus says, “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.” If we don’t want to be disciples of the devil, we must change and follow the other standard – the word of God.

    God is also against false teaching because God’s word leads people to have a relationship with Him, but error drives a wedge in the fellowship of God and His people. We see this in 2 John 9 where John states, “Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.” God longs to have fellowship with His creation, but He makes the standard of fellowship based on the teachings of His word. When mankind wants to change the source of their teachings from what God says to say and teach another, we have to sacrifice our fellowship with God. We cannot change or alter our teachings from God’s word and be found to be in good standing with God. Galatians 1:6–9 teaches “6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”

    May we stand with God and not be against Him so that we can have Heaven as our home, and we can be in full fellowship with Him!

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