Tag: False Teaching

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Week 11: Day 4- Deuteronomy 18:20

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Deu 18:20
(20) But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.

Deuteronomy 18:20

Explanation:
Most mornings when I sit down to write in my journal, it takes a little bit of time to study the context, a right interpretation, and an application that is faithful to the text and practical for today. Today’s text is rather straightforward.

There were those in the Old Testament that God called to be prophets. Moses states here that God’s standard for prophecy is that when someone speaks on behalf of God that there message is God’s message. When someone misrepresents their word as the Word of God, God would take that persons life. If the person spoke on behalf of other gods, making their false teaching equivalent with God’s teaching, God would take that persons life. The penalty for claiming to be a prophet was that clear cut.

Application:
This is something that all of us take into account. When we teach others about God, in Word and in example, we must make sure that our message is faithful to God’s message. This is spoken of in the ten commandments.

(7) Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Exo 20:7

When we use God’s name to say something He didn’t say, we are using God’s name for something for which He is not responsible. God says that the person that does this shall not be guiltless. When we teach our kids, share the gospel, or converse about God in any way, we must make sure that what we say is consistent with what God has said.
Also we need to be careful about false teachers and teaching. The Bible says that one of the roles of the church and church leaders is to equip the saints to identify false teaching.

(14) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
(15) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Eph 4:14-15

We must be careful to identify false teachers, reject their message, and call them to repentance. If they will not conform to the clear teaching of the Word of God they must be rejected.

Response:

  1. What are you saying about God to those around you through your words? by your actions? Is what you are saying consistent with how God has revealed Himself in scripture?
  2. Are you being careful about the teaching you are taking, both religious and non-religious?
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Galatians Day 5- The Gospel as a Compass

On By Ben JenningsIn Devotional1 Comment

5374308475_619de16a0aWas the apostle Paul a great leader?  I submit to you that he was!  We see this in an incredible way in today’s text.  To make sure you get a context for this proposition, lets refresh our memories for what we have seen already.

So far in our Galatians study we have seen that Paul was…

– …startled that they had so quickly walked away from the Gospel that they had received of the Lord via Paul. (1:6-7, 11-12).   This “other gospel” that the Galatians had begun to receive is really summed up in Acts 15:1-2.

Acts 15:1-2  And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.  (2)  When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question.

Paul was also…

– …communicating that the adding anything else to the Gospel made it another gospel and should be rejected regardless of the messenger. (1:8-10)
– …communicating in the last couple of verses in Galatians 1 about the last time He had been in Judea (Southern Israel) and specifically near Jerusalem.

Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.  (19)  But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.  (20)  Now the things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not.  (21)  Afterwards I came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia;  (22)  And was unknown by face unto the churches of Judaea which were in Christ:  (23)  But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed.  (24)  And they glorified God in me.
Galatians 1:18-24

Paul was communitating the Galatian believers, his readers, that He had virtually no personal (or political) relationship with the believers in Jerusalem.
He said:

– I spent around 15 days with Peter
– I saw no other apostles except for Jesus’ brother James (now a leader in the church at Jerusalem
– If the believers in Judea had seen me at the market they wouldn’t recognize me, although they did know my reputation as a persecuter of Christians turned missionary.

So now as we examine today’s text we see Paul elaborate on his further relationship with the churches in Jerusalem and we see why he is talking about this:

Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also.

It had been 14 years of ministry among the gentiles since Paul had been to Jerusalem and he said he took 2 men with him:

– Barnabas- Paul’s partner in ministry who had been instrumental in the believers accepting and trusting Paul after his conversion.
– Titus- a product of Paul’s ministry among the gentiles, and at this time evidence that God was bringing gentiles to the Lord.

To get another narrative of this circumstance that Paul is talking about, check out Acts 15:1-35.

(2)  And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.

Paul states that he went “by revelation” meaning he was lead by God to go to Jerusalem to share the gospel message to the Jerusalem church that he was teaching to the gentiles.  He also stated that he went first to some of the leaders of the church, “them which were of reputation”.  Paul was talking to these apostles, Peter James and John, first so that he could make sure not to have a public problem with one of the apostles that could be avoided and impact the gospel ministry that was happening among the gentiles.  It’s important to understand here that Paul was not looking for approval of the message to make sure that His message was correct.  Rather, Paul was looking for support from the apostles so that His ministry of the gospel would be supported by the believers and not undermined by the false teachers who were teaching the false gospel that someone should believe in Jesus and practice Judaism to be right with God.  This is his point in the last 3 verses of todays text:

(3)  But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised:  (4)  And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:  (5)  To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. (Galatians 2:1-5)

Application from today’s text:

– Our commitment to the gospel should be greater than our commitment to popularity or public acceptance.  Paul was not concerned about being accepted as an individual.  His popularity among people who were teaching a false gospel was at the bottom of his priority list.  In fact it wasn’t even on the list.  Proclaiming the gospel won’t necessarily make you popular, especially with some crowds, but it should be our unwavering commitment.
– Our commitment to the gospel means that we seek alliances with people in  the defense and promotion of gospel ministry. Paul sought to make sure that His relationship and message with Peter, James and John were supported privately before the public conversation about the gospel.  Paul was shrewd in this circumstance.  Private conversations lead to public support.  What a great leadership model!
– What governed Paul’s actions was this statement:  “that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.”  Paul’s focus was unwavering.  It governed every decision, every interaction, like a compass to a sailor.  Paul knew exactly what the wise actions were once he had made this priority.  The gospel should be our priority as well.

How could a commitment to the gospel be a compass for your decisions?

Galatians Day 3- Time for Some Intolerance!

On By Ben JenningsIn Devotional2 Comments

medium_9835315996If there is any value that is held up as an ultimate virtue in our culture today it is tolerance. When it comes to the gospel, what we learn in today’s text is a zero tolerance policy when it comes to teaching something other than the gospel. Check out what the scripture says:

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. (9) As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8-9)

It doesn’t matter who changes it.   The translation of “accursed” is the greek word transliterated “anathema”. It refers to committing someone to destruction in eternal hell. Kind of a big deal right? Paul says in effect, “I can’t change it. Even someone like an angel who seems supernatural can’t change it. The reason it is so serious is because it has eternal implications.” It does matter what we believe and teach because teaching the wrong thing could impact someone’s eternity.

Just so there is no confusion, God is willing that all should come to repentance. Even the false teacher has the opportunity on this side of eternity to repent and believe the gospel. Still, no one has the right to change the gospel.

We should have no tolerance for teaching that proclaims another gospel.

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Galatians Day 2- Abandoning the Gospel!

On By Ben JenningsIn DevotionalLeave a comment

Devotion for January 22, 2014

Warning- very male illustration ahead.

397621743_fc701db610Imagine walking through an incredibly humid jungle in the middle of war torn Vietnam. Your a soldier in a platoon working your way through the underbrush to meet up with another unit in a short period of time. You look behind you to see if your fellow soldier has your back and you realize that he is gone. He left! He abandoned you. Now you are exposed and unprotected. This is a picture of the word “removed” in our text for today.

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Paul expresses amazement at how far from the gospel they had gotten and how quickly it happened. They abandoned “him that called you into the grace of Christ”. They left. They abandoned the Lord, Paul and the gospel itself. Where did they go? What distracted them?

Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. (Galatians 1:6, 7)

False teaching and false teachers had drawn them away from the gospel that they had received. Notice that Paul says that this was on purpose. There were people who were trying to do this for multiple reasons.

False teachers and false teaching is not a new problem. Unbiblical preaching and teaching are easily found today. We have access to so much teaching on the Bible, and Paul gives us this warning- there are some who will teach the wrong thing for their own personal reasons.

Tomorrow we’ll be looking at how we respond to people who preach “another gospel” to us.

But for today think about this…

You and I have a responsibility to discern what we are being taught by the Truth of God’s Word.

This isn’t just true when someone is preaching or teaching. This is true of the “sermons” that we hear all the time from ourselves, tv, radio, blogs, podcasts, commercials, billboards, friends and family. And this is especially true when the teaching is dealing with the gospel itself.

Where are some of the places you hear these “sermons”?