Recognizing the Enemy
Series: Safeguard the Truth
July 14, 2024
Frank Foreman
One of the truly challenging things about Biblical teaching is being able to recognize the difference between sound teaching and false teaching. Of course, in addition, one must be able as well to ascertain whether a teacher is simply in error and open to correction or intentionally distorting the meaning of the Scriptures. When we consider that many of us assume the best in people’s intentions as they stand to teach in the church—plus, it isn’t as if false teachers wear a “Hi, I’m a False Teacher” badge. There is a genuine onus on each of us to know the Word of God in such a way as to recognize such false teaching. Jude gives us some warning signs to look for when listening to a teacher. Chief of those is an attitude of pridefulness. Pride motivates a lot of sinful behavior and is often the foundation of intentionally misleading and harmful teaching. Join us Sunday as we dive into this important topic in Frank’s message.
Episode Notes
Big Idea: You will recognize false teachers by their pride.
1. They claim authority through special revelation.
Jude 8-9, Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”
Deuteronomy 13:1-5, If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams…
2. They mock God by embracing worldly wisdom.
Jude 10-11, But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.
Romans 1:21-22, For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools.
3. They dangerously misrepresent the truth of Scripture.
Jude 12-13, These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.
1st Timothy 4:3-4, For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
Chuck Colson:
The American church is three thousand miles wide and one inch deep.
Next Step: Don’t be quick to accept the trends of shallow teaching.
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