How To Know When A Teaching Is False

False teachers of the way of life use flowery words.

Bruce Lee

December 2019, my husband and I got pregnant. It was a cheerful and delighted moment for us. And it was my first pregnancy, I searched for books that might guide me. Then I came across a book by Jackie Mize entitled “Supernatural Childbirth”. It caught my attention because they categorized it as a Christian book for pregnant women.

Jackie Mize wrote about her pregnancies and miscarriages. She mentioned that childbirth will not be that painful if you have faith in Jesus. She even linked Bible verses about it to support her doctrine. As per Jackie, if you feel pain or if you miscarry, it means that you did not have enough faith in Jesus Christ.

Reality and Faith

I was very wrong when I fell for the contents of that book. She used the Bible, but that does not mean she was right about her interpretation of the verses. I had a missed miscarriage the following month. I was bewildered and was grieving for the death of our baby. But praise God, I did not think that I miscarried because I had a lack of faith.

My husband was supportive and kept reminding me that God is sovereign above all our situations. God gives, God takes, and what He does is for our good even when we do not understand.

Do you think Christians are exempted with the sufferings and pains in this world?

Bible Reading

Today’s devotional reading is from the book of Jude 1-4. Please, read our recent devotional from the Book of Matthew 2: How To Search For The Truth And Where To Find It.

History to Understand God’s Word

The book of Jude is the fourth shortest book in the New Testament. But the relevance of this book is clear in today’s society. The Author of this book is Jude, “Judah” in Hebrew and “Judas” in Greek. Do not mistake him as Judas Iscariot, the apostle who betrayed Jesus.

Jude is the brother of James (writer of the book of James) as seen on verse 1. They are the half brothers of Jesus. You read it right, my Catholic friends 🙂 Jesus has half siblings and Matthew named four of his brothers. “Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?” (Matthew 13:55 ESV).

Even though Jude has only 24 verses, we will look into this book as detailed as we can to get the important messages that we can equip ourselves with God’s words.

Identifying False Prophets

In verse 4 we read, “For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” Jude has stated a simple example of what false teachers are.

They are ungodly; they pervert God’s grace and deny Jesus Christ. This is a straightforward explanation. But the problem nowadays is that these false preachers are using the name of Jesus for their own gain. They have crept inside the churches and have been covertly corrupting the people.

Matthew writes, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matthew 7:15 KJV). They may sound like they are teaching about Christ, but they are not.

How Would We Know?

The entire Bible has a lot of books and chapters dealing with false prophets. From the Old Testament to the New Testament. Prophets warned people in the Old Testament about the danger in idolatry brought about by false teachings. These teachings came from foreign nations that were pagan and worshipping gods that were contrary to God who saved them from Egypt.

While in the New Testament, Jesus and the apostles have been warning believers of teachings that are coming within the church and leading believers away from the Gospel of Jesus.

Jesus explains it in Matthew 7, “¹⁶Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? ¹⁷ Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” (KJV).

How To Test Information?

As Paul Washer said, “You meet with the Lord in Word and in prayer.” It cannot only be prayer alone, for you will never know what God will say as written in the Bible. Nor it cannot be only reading the scriptures, for you cannot reflect on the Word without praying.

Additional, and this is not an optional, is fasting. We eat to strengthen our bodies physically. We fast to strengthen our spiritual bodies. It is important to strengthen our spirit than our body, because our bodies are corrupt and will always want what the world wants.

(Please visit the Weekly Insight on God’s Word is the Foundation of What is TRUE. To know more about the Truth to help you discern false teachings.)

Reflection

This is the time for your journaling. Reflect on these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit to test your faith and your walk with Christ.

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? — 2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV

1. Did you know that Jesus had brothers and sisters?
2. What was your reaction upon knowing this?
3. Can you recognize false information when you hear one?
4. How is your prayer and Bible reading time?
5. Do you fast?

Prayer

O Lord Almighty, the source of truth and life. We beseech thee to show us the way that leads to you. May the Holy Spirit help us discern the teachings we hear that we may only digest what is honourable, true, and based on Jesus’ Gospel.

Let us not be astray from your teachings, and the Spirit may guide us always. All these we ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.