“Beware of Wolves”

Intro

2 Peter 2:1-3            

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. ² And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. ³ By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.

A false teacher is someone who intentionally teaches erroneous or errant doctrine with the intent of deceiving the people of God.  False teachers won’t necessarily teach a complete lie, but they will generally merge the truth with inaccurate or flawed information from other sources.  Many false teachers are masterful story tellers who have mastered the art of dramatization with the intent of appealing to the emotions of the listener.  In some cases, they may incorporate music with their teachings in order to cause the listener to become more receptive to the message they are conveying. 

Some teachers will teach poor or false doctrine as a result of insufficient study time or inaccurate research.  Therefore, these teachers are generally teaching out of ignorance.  There is, however, a difference between false teachers and those who teach from a lack of knowledge.  While both are dangerous, it is the INTENT of the person that distinguishes the false teacher from the ignorant teacher.   

Unfortunately, even people who may be knowledgeable and actually have a heart for God can be negatively influenced by false teaching if caution is not exercised while listening to others.  When we listen to different sermons or lessons, it is very important for us to investigate the origin of the teaching.  If the teaching is not a sound biblical exposition, we need to question the source of it.  Does it promote a false religion or a societal view that conflicts with God’s values? 

Half-truths are still lies, even though they may contain a large portion of truth.  Once someone has listened to and accepted a lie, they tend to become resistant to the truth.  But Jesus has revealed in His word that the Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth.  It is essential that we remain faithful to searching out and studying the truth of the Word of God; even when it offends us.  ACCEPTANCE of the truth will SET and KEEP us free.

 

“Bad Decisions” Conclusion

Conclusion

We have multiple examples in the Bible of people experiencing the consequences of bad decisions.  But we can also observe the consequences of poor choices that were made in recent history.  In our current time, we have the ability to choose from a smorgasbord of church denominations.  Unfortunately, the creation of different denominations has caused division within the body of Christ.  Some of the denominations were founded in response to people being hurt or disappointed by another denomination.  While the founders of the newly formed denomination may have had good intentions or may have desired to point the denomination in a positive direction, we have nonetheless witnessed the damage that those good intentions has had.  In the majority of examples that we could use to illustrate the consequences of bad decisions, one theme is resoundingly clear:  the consequences of bad decisions are rarely ONLY felt by the ones who MADE the decision.

There are times when people lack the insight to make sound decisions.  Sometimes decisions were made emotionally and because the person failed to see the big picture at the time, they fought against anyone who differed in opinion or belief.  For example, there have been many complaints because some do not appreciate the idea of men using the same restroom as their wives or daughters.  However, when the church was voting against the LGBT community receiving SPECIAL rights, we were accused of discriminating against them.  

While many are uncomfortable with the idea of the opposite sex having access to the same restroom or locker room as them, they have to understand that it is a right that has been afforded to the LGBT community, and for many of the people who take issue with this arrangement, it is a right that they voted in favor of.  The problem is that many people do not understand the subtlety and deceptiveness of Satan.  So while they were supporting special rights for the LGBT community, they were not fully informed of what some of those rights would consist of.  Stanley Monteith stated, “When liberty leads to the loss of order, the demand for order will lead to the loss of liberty.”  In other words, in order for us to get men out of the ladies room, it may come at a cost to some of the freedoms we currently enjoy.

Finally, as history has shown us, it is important for us to make good and sound decisions.  Unfortunately, poor choices do not always present themselves as such, and as Proverbs 14:12 warns us; “There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.”   So how do we place ourselves in a position to make the best decisions possible? 

First of all, we have to be willing to obey His WRITTEN instructions.  Some assume that they are following God when they have not taken the time to read what He expects of us.  Secondly, we have to be humble enough to place ourselves under the instruction of people who have a proven record of being sound in the faith and making wise decisions. God will either speak to us through His word or He will allow us to receive wise counsel from others.  Decisions should never be made based on how we FEEL concerning an idea.  Feelings do not make wise counselors. 

 

“Bad Decisions” Part 3

David

2 Samuel 6:1-7

 Again David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand. ² And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called by the Name, the Lord of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. ³ So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. ⁴ And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark. ⁵ Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the Lord on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals.

⁶ And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. ⁷ Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.

When David became king, the Philistines decided to attack Israel and end his reign.  After God gave David victory over the Philistines, his next order of business was to retrieve the ark of God from the house of Abinadab where the ark was being held.  He decided to allow Uzzah and Ahio, who were sons of Abinadab, to drive the cart that was transporting the ark.  At one point during the journey, the oxen stumbled and it appeared that the ark might fall.  So Uzzah grabbed the ark to secure it and he immediately died.  Now why would God, who is supposed to be a good and loving God, kill someone for attempting to do a good deed?  Well, in Numbers 4, God lays out the specific order for how His things were to be transported.  He gave instructions that the Kohath family of the tribe of Levi, were permitted to carry the ark.  But the only ones permitted to actually touch the ark were Aaron’s sons.  God was specific and He was serious about these duties and He did not care about good intentions.  His instructions were, unless you have been authorized; do not touch My holy things! 

Although David intended to do a good deed by returning the Ark of the Covenant to Israel; his method for transporting it was improper.  His failure to follow the instructions that God had already provided proved to be a deadly error.  While there were almost 400 years between the time when Moses died and David was born, the rules that were mandated through Moses still applied to David.  In like manner, it would benefit us to follow God’s prescribed way for living our lives.  For example, in matters of marriage, God’s instructions are that believers are restricted from marrying unbelievers.  The price for disobeying God’s instructions in this matter or in any other can be costly!

 

“Bad Decisions” Part 2

Joshua

Joshua 9:1-20

 And it came to pass when all the kings who were on this side of the Jordan, in the hills and in the lowland and in all the coasts of the Great Sea toward Lebanon—the Hittite, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite—heard about it, ² that they gathered together to fight with Joshua and Israel with one accord.

³ But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and Ai, ⁴ they worked craftily, and went and pretended to be ambassadors. And they took old sacks on their donkeys, old wineskins torn and mended, ⁵ old and patched sandals on their feet, and old garments on themselves; and all the bread of their provision was dry and moldy. ⁶ And they went to Joshua, to the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the men of Israel, “We have come from a far country; now therefore, make a covenant with us.”

⁷ Then the men of Israel said to the Hivites, “Perhaps you dwell among us; so how can we make a covenant with you?”

⁸ But they said to Joshua, “We are your servants.”

And Joshua said to them, “Who are you, and where do you come from?”

⁹ So they said to him: “From a very far country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God; for we have heard of His fame, and all that He did in Egypt, ¹⁰ and all that He did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan—to Sihon king of Heshbon, and Og king of Bashan, who was at Ashtaroth. ¹¹ Therefore our elders and all the inhabitants of our country spoke to us, saying, ‘Take provisions with you for the journey, and go to meet them, and say to them, “We are your servants; now therefore, make a covenant with us.” ’ ¹² This bread of ours we took hot for our provision from our houses on the day we departed to come to you. But now look, it is dry and moldy. ¹³ And these wineskins which we filled were new, and see, they are torn; and these our garments and our sandals have become old because of the very long journey.”

¹⁴ Then the men of Israel took some of their provisions; but they did not ask counsel of the Lord. ¹⁵ So Joshua made peace with them, and made a covenant with them to let them live; and the rulers of the congregation swore to them.

¹⁶ And it happened at the end of three days, after they had made a covenant with them, that they heard that they were their neighbors who dwelt near them. ¹⁷ Then the children of Israel journeyed and came to their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kirjath Jearim. ¹⁸ But the children of Israel did not attack them, because the rulers of the congregation had sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel. And all the congregation complained against the rulers.

¹⁹ Then all the rulers said to all the congregation, “We have sworn to them by the Lord God of Israel; now therefore, we may not touch them. ²⁰ This we will do to them: We will let them live, lest wrath be upon us because of the oath which we swore to them.”

In this account of Joshua, the elders of Israel made a covenant with the Hivites and they swore by God that they would not harm them.  This placed them in a catch 22.  First of all, in Numbers 30:2, the Israelites were instructed not to break any agreement that they had made.  So they were obligated to fulfill everything that they had agreed to do.  However, God also commanded them in Deuteronomy 7:1-2 to completely destroy everyone who was living in the territory that God had given them.  God specifically named the Hivites as one of the groups that they were to wipe out.  He also said that the Israelites were NOT to make any covenants with these people.  Now, because they failed to seek the counsel of God, they were guaranteed to disobey one of God’s commands.  They were faced with the choice of breaking His law which said not to fail to fulfill the agreement that they swore to; or they would have to honor their covenant with the Hivites and violate God’s command to destroy them. 

Is it necessary to consult God in the small simple matters?  After all, what could be wrong with making a covenant with people who are from a faraway country?  They’re not part of the group of people that God gave specific instructions to destroy; or are they?  But we could also ask if it is necessary to consult godly counsel when it comes to the seemingly innocent decisions we have to make on a regular basis.  What could be wrong with moving into a house that is too expensive for my annual salary if the bank is willing to approve the loan?  Unfortunately, in 2008, many people experienced what it was like for the economic bubble to burst around the country and for the property value to decrease tremendously.  

Luke 14:28 teaches that there is a cost for following Christ in a world that rejects Him.  Even as we should be aware of what it means to follow Christ and the price that we will have to pay for doing so, it is equally important to understand that we should not enter into a long term agreement with a short term mind set.

“Bad Decisions” Part 1

Proverbs 14:12

¹² There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.

In many instances, people in the body of Christ do not set out to make poor choices.  But some of the bad decisions that God’s people make are the result of them failing to seek godly counsel prior to making the choice.  God will provide us with wise counsel when we seek it.  Sometimes He will speak to us through His Word.  Other times, He will supply others with the advice that we need. 

We also tend to make poor decisions when we believe that we have a better way than God’s prescribed way, and it causes us to disobey what God has already established.  Sometimes when we weigh God’s way against our logic, our logic just seems to be a better option.  While some decisions that we make may appear to be harmless or intelligent choices on the surface, our inability to see what lies beneath the surface is normally what causes us to pay the price in the end.  Proverbs 14:12 has already warned us that although our way may appear to be right, it may ultimately lead us into destruction.  Over the next few weeks, we'll take a look at some biblical and present day examples of decisions that has caused people to pay hefty prices.

Abraham

Genesis 16:1-4

Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. ² So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. ³ Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. ⁴ So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her eyes.

Abraham and Sarah decided that since Sarah could not have children, Hagar would be a stand in for Sarah by being impregnated by Abraham and producing the child that would carry on the family’s bloodline.  Since this was a culturally accepted practice, it appeared to be a good idea but Abraham failed to consult God for His guidance before moving forward with this decision.  As a result, it caused Sarah to be viewed as insignificant by her own servant.  In the end, Abraham became estranged from his son after Sarah had him to evict Hagar and Ishmael. 

While Abraham and Sarah’s decision to produce a child through the use of a surrogate was culturally acceptable, God does not look to societal norms to determine how He should resolve an issue or accomplish what He desires to do.  Sometimes, the consequences of using our own judgment instead of God’s judgment cannot be immediately realized.  During his time, Abraham witnessed contention between his first born son and his son of promise, but we recognize throughout history, that much of the Israeli and Arab conflict is a result of fighting between the descendants of Isaac and the descendants of Ishmael.