Don’t Legitimize False Teaching

Today, educators, political figures, preachers and religious groups are encouraging us to adopt their standards rather than God’s.   We need to remember that God is the creator, and he makes the standards.  Wrong does not become right just because a certain group accepts it any more than a man becomes a woman because he decides he is a female in a man’s body.   No amount of sex change surgery and hormone therapy changes the fact that he is still genetically a man, because that is what God made him to be.    In the same way, God has declared certain things to be right and others to be wrong, and they cannot be changed no matter how hard we may try to justify a different standard. 

Different standards produce confusion and cause conflict, and as we see in I Corinthians 3:3-4 tells us, conflict is a sign of a carnal state.  “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?  For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?”  That we are focused on a man’s teachings indicates we are in a carnal state and missing the spiritual things.  The conflicts actually help us to know who is actually serving God, as I Corinthians 11:18-19 tells us.  “For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.   For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.”  

Understanding this fact, in Romans 16:17-19, Pauul warns, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.  For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.  For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.” 

Though they may be very religious and consider their standards higher than those God has set in the Bible, or teach things that are more compatible with modern scientific beliefs or social mores, we need to realize they are not serving God when their teachings and practices are contrary to the scriptures.  They are out to benefit themselves, whether by appealing to a larger audience and more money, or by justifying some moral position or practice.  As Christians we need to be aware that not everyone who claims to be a Christian is following the Lord, and not be misled by their claims, but stay true to what God has commanded. 

In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus warned, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”  Some of those who put on the biggest shows of being Christians are not Christians at all.  We ought not associate with those who cause divisions by insisting we follow their teachings.   If we go along with the false teachings we make them appear legitimate. 

In II Thessalonians 3:14-15, Paul commanded, “…if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.  Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”  We are not to attack them for believing or practicing something that is not right, but are to try to show them what God says, in a gentle and respectful manner.  If they refuse to listen to reason however, we are not to waste our time trying to get them to change.  Titus 3:10-11 commands, “A man that is an heretic after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.”  He has made it clear he is not interested in what God says.    Fighting against them only calls attention to their false teachings and may result in people believing them.