August 7, 2008
Defeating False Teachers
2 Peter 2:1-3

Outside a grocery store one evening, I watched two young men confronting shoppers with an erroneous statement about scriptural teaching. Anyone who seemed vague about Christian faith was invited to learn “what God really said” at a Bible study. I was not invited. In fact, the men abandoned me quickly when I used the Word to defend my beliefs.

A false teacher wants to create uncertainty in his listeners. In order to gain followers, he must persuade his audience that he possesses knowledge they lack. The people who accept this misleading information as absolute truth will usually return to the false teacher for more. Having followers strokes his ego and provides “proof” that he is right.

Those who have a sound doctrine won’t be led astray. That’s why it is so important for our faith to rest on biblical truth—for example,  Jesus Christ died for the sins of mankind, the Holy Spirit dwells in believers, and Christians will be resurrected bodily. Defeating false teachers takes more than “my pastor says . . .”When confronted, we must defend our faith with Scripture we ourselves have studied. By regularly reading and applying God’s Word, we will be better prepared when confronted with untruth.

Building a sound doctrine protects believers from misleading messages and arms them to defend the faith. Do not be caught unprepared. If you haven’t already started, begin to study the Bible today. Should you need help, ask your pastor or a godly mentor for guidance.

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