Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Look Beyond The Surface


This morning, a talk show mentioned that there are two new movies about Ted Bundy being released.   One of the hosts said that perhaps the thing we learned most from his life is that some of the most evil people are those we would least suspect.  As she said, he was a well-educated, polite, and nice looking man, and no one suspected he was a serial killer.   Because he seemed such a nice person, most of his victims went with him willingly, with no thought of danger until he attacked them. 

Sadly, false teachers are much like Ted Bundy.  In Matthew 7:15 Jesus warned, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”  They go out of their way to appear as the best and most believable Christians ever.  II Corinthians 11:13-15 tells us, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.  And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

Many times they appear to be more dedicated and holy than those who are serving God, but as we see in John 10:10, their purpose is different.  “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”  Christ came to give us eternal life, and that we should be able to enjoy it abundantly.  The false teacher’s goal is to prevent people from experiencing that life or enjoying it.  Second Peter 2:18-20 warns, “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.” 

They preach beautiful sounding messages with wonderful promises if their teachings are followed.  Unfortunately, many of the promises are only an illusion, but they are enough to get people following a lie rather than the truth.  When it doesn’t turn out the way they expected, some of the people reject Christianity completely, while others spend years trying to make it work, unwilling to admit they made a mistake.  In an effort to validate their choice, they try to get others to join with them, not realizing they are leading them away as well.  Ultimately they are worse off than they were when they began to listen to the false teacher, having wasted years of their life and vast amounts of money trying to obtain God’s favor.    

As II Peter 2:19 says, the false teachers themselves are slaves to corruption.  This corruption shows up in their private lives.  In Matthew 7:16-Jesus said, “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”  We need to look beyond that surface appearance and see what they are actually producing, because as Jesus said in Matthew 7:21-23, “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.”  Don’t let an illusion fool you. 

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