FALSE TEACHING
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction” (2 Peter 2:1). “Whose mouths must be stopped…” (Titus 1:11). We stop their mouths by giving out the truth. Some have been taught that it does not matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere, but this is a false teaching. Be sincere, but with the truth: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). There are two rails on this track of worship. One is truth and one is spirit, and if we emphasize one over the other, the train of worship will jump the track. There are some whole denominations that have so emphasized right doctrine that they have become cold and put little faith in God’s Spirit to work. On the other hand, there are those who avoid sound teaching and only speak about the Spirit, love, or being sincere. The Bible said we “must” (it is not optional) worship Him with both “spirit” and “truth.” There are also those who base right or wrong or truth on experiences and their opinions.
Suppose someone is driving his car and is pulled over by a police officer. He asks the officer, “What is the matter?” The policeman responds, “You ran a light.” But the man says to the policeman, “Sir, I understand that in your religion it is wrong to run a red light, but it is OK in my religion as long as I am sincere, and though I respect your right to your beliefs, you must have respect for my religious beliefs also.” But the policeman is not going by his beliefs or the man’s beliefs but the law. The driver will receive a ticket because the policeman does not want him to get killed or kill someone else, not because he is being disrespectful to his religion. If the driver argued with the policeman and said, “But, sir, I do not believe we can be sure what the truth is,” then the policeman would probably ask the driver to exit his car and make him walk a straight line. As ridiculous as this story is, it happens every time one is witness to a person who says, “As long as you’re sincere, that is all God asks of us.” But there are sincere people in hell.
The Bible says there are “doctrines of men” (Colossians 2:22), and “doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1). What should we do with cults and their false teachings and those who teach them? The Bible says, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Romans 16:17). “Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge” (Proverbs 19:27). What about leaving your church if it is teaching false doctrine? First, one should be spiritual enough to realize he will never join a church that he is 100 percent in agreement with; your own spouse does not agree with you all the time. And not every teaching has the same importance. There are some things that are “weightier matters,” as Christ said (Matthew 23:23). To argue about how often one should take the Lord’s Table is not the same as to whether or not the Lord’s Table could save someone. I do not believe in the Gap Theory (see GAP THEORY), but I would not break fellowship with those who do. However, if I went to a church and the preacher did not believe in the Deity of Christ (see JESUS), I would leave immediately. If a church teaches that Jesus Christ alone is not sufficient to save you, then I would get out. And if someone tells you that “Leaving the church is the greatest sin one can commit,” then say to him, “Show me that in the Bible.” The Bible teaches that we should “come out” from a false religious system. Such is the context of Revelation 18:1–4, which talks about “kings of the earth have committed fornication with her” (spiritual idolatry), “her” being the future Babylon (v. 2; compare with Revelation 17:1–5). And God said, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins” (Revelation 18:4). There are good people who know Christ as their Savior in churches that do not tell others how to be saved. By staying there, they are teaching by example, and in effect saying to their lost relatives and loved ones that their church is correct, and they become partakers of that church’s sins.
How do we know who is telling the truth? (See STUDY.) “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few” (Acts 17:11–12). “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth” (John 8:31–32). Jesus said we can know what truth is from the Bible “If ye continue in my word.” Christ went on to say, “And the truth shall make you free.” Truth makes people free from false teachings, superstitions, fears, worry, and the like.
A man left a false religion one time, but the minister told him, “Once in our religion, always in our religion.” The man responded to the minister and said, “Sir, I have learned the truth from the Bible, and I am free!”
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction” (2 Peter 2:1). “Whose mouths must be stopped…” (Titus 1:11). We stop their mouths by giving out the truth. Some have been taught that it does not matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere, but this is a false teaching. Be sincere, but with the truth: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). There are two rails on this track of worship. One is truth and one is spirit, and if we emphasize one over the other, the train of worship will jump the track. There are some whole denominations that have so emphasized right doctrine that they have become cold and put little faith in God’s Spirit to work. On the other hand, there are those who avoid sound teaching and only speak about the Spirit, love, or being sincere. The Bible said we “must” (it is not optional) worship Him with both “spirit” and “truth.” There are also those who base right or wrong or truth on experiences and their opinions.
Suppose someone is driving his car and is pulled over by a police officer. He asks the officer, “What is the matter?” The policeman responds, “You ran a light.” But the man says to the policeman, “Sir, I understand that in your religion it is wrong to run a red light, but it is OK in my religion as long as I am sincere, and though I respect your right to your beliefs, you must have respect for my religious beliefs also.” But the policeman is not going by his beliefs or the man’s beliefs but the law. The driver will receive a ticket because the policeman does not want him to get killed or kill someone else, not because he is being disrespectful to his religion. If the driver argued with the policeman and said, “But, sir, I do not believe we can be sure what the truth is,” then the policeman would probably ask the driver to exit his car and make him walk a straight line. As ridiculous as this story is, it happens every time one is witness to a person who says, “As long as you’re sincere, that is all God asks of us.” But there are sincere people in hell.
The Bible says there are “doctrines of men” (Colossians 2:22), and “doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1). What should we do with cults and their false teachings and those who teach them? The Bible says, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Romans 16:17). “Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err from the words of knowledge” (Proverbs 19:27). What about leaving your church if it is teaching false doctrine? First, one should be spiritual enough to realize he will never join a church that he is 100 percent in agreement with; your own spouse does not agree with you all the time. And not every teaching has the same importance. There are some things that are “weightier matters,” as Christ said (Matthew 23:23). To argue about how often one should take the Lord’s Table is not the same as to whether or not the Lord’s Table could save someone. I do not believe in the Gap Theory (see GAP THEORY), but I would not break fellowship with those who do. However, if I went to a church and the preacher did not believe in the Deity of Christ (see JESUS), I would leave immediately. If a church teaches that Jesus Christ alone is not sufficient to save you, then I would get out. And if someone tells you that “Leaving the church is the greatest sin one can commit,” then say to him, “Show me that in the Bible.” The Bible teaches that we should “come out” from a false religious system. Such is the context of Revelation 18:1–4, which talks about “kings of the earth have committed fornication with her” (spiritual idolatry), “her” being the future Babylon (v. 2; compare with Revelation 17:1–5). And God said, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins” (Revelation 18:4). There are good people who know Christ as their Savior in churches that do not tell others how to be saved. By staying there, they are teaching by example, and in effect saying to their lost relatives and loved ones that their church is correct, and they become partakers of that church’s sins.
How do we know who is telling the truth? (See STUDY.) “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honourable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few” (Acts 17:11–12). “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth” (John 8:31–32). Jesus said we can know what truth is from the Bible “If ye continue in my word.” Christ went on to say, “And the truth shall make you free.” Truth makes people free from false teachings, superstitions, fears, worry, and the like.
A man left a false religion one time, but the minister told him, “Once in our religion, always in our religion.” The man responded to the minister and said, “Sir, I have learned the truth from the Bible, and I am free!”
