December 29, 2004
There will be false teacher among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord.
--2 Peter 2:1
There’s a story of a New York City couple who received two tickets to an amazing Broadway hit through the mail. However, there was something strange about the gift—it came with a note. The couple obviously wanted to know who sent it, but they went along anyway and attended the production truly enjoying their evening together.
When they returned to their apartment, they discovered it had been destroyed—ransacked obviously by burglars. All of their electronics were missing, along with valuable pieces of jewelry, furs, heirlooms, and other expensive items. The husband noticed a note lying on the pillow of their bed that read: “Now you know.”
A false teacher knows exactly what people want to hear and appeals to their every wish just like the unknown thief. The false teacher doesn’t wear a big sign on his chest that discloses his true identity and he doesn’t openly warn of the lies he will tell. Instead, he insists that he will enrich the lives of those around him.
Those who follow this type of teacher very soon, and often to their disadvantage, learn of the deception when it is too late. However there is a teacher that we can trust—Jesus. He offers us eternal life and blessings abundant truly because He loves us. If you are a Christian, you have already taken the first step to protecting yourself from false teaching.
Don’t misunderstand, however, because even Christians can be fooled by a false teacher. During the upcoming year, I encourage you to spend time in the Scripture and grow in your faith. If you do this…you will be safeguarding yourself against deception and lies from others who are not Christ-followers. Don’t wake up one morning and discover that your spiritual life is in a mess because you have listened to someone other than the Savior.
LEARN TO GUARD YOUR HEART, SOUL, AND MIND WITH GOD’S WORD.
