GUARD THE TRUTH

Rom. 16:17 And now I make one more appeal, my dear brothers and sisters. Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things that are contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them.  NLT

       There are those in the Church who are natural trouble makers.  They have a knack for disrupting the fellowship of the church.  They stir up people and often divide people over matters of faith.  They have a knack for teaching things that are not true, even using truth to do it.  Some people are very skilled in distorting what God has said and using it to their advantage.  Divisions in the Church are common whenever man preaches another Gospel message.

      We must always be on guard for those who are not preaching and teaching truth.  We must always examine what we hear in light of the Scriptures.  We must not blindly accept what we hear just because someone in a position of authority is speaking to us.   There is a great need in the Church for people to think for themselves Biblically.  

       We need to examine the Word for ourselves and strive to understand it through the Spirit of Christ.  Understanding comes from much prayer and study.  Wise is he who will not believe what he hears until it is verified by the Spirit through the Word.

       We dare not let others think for us.  We must be discerning listeners for there are many false teachers in the Church today.  If we can’t discern the truth for ourselves, we must then seek out those who can help us.  Stay away from those who cause division in the Church or who teach things contrary to God’s Word.  Pray for discernment in what you hear.  Take heed when you sense the Spirit telling you something is not right. 

      It is imperative that you think clearly and Biblically about God and His workings in the world.  It is imperative that you know correctly the truth.  Don’t settle for anything less than the truth and the whole truth as revealed to us in the Scriptures by God.