A TURNING AWAY

 

A TURNING AWAY

I Tim. 4:1-2 Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from what we believe; they will follow lying spirits and teachings that come from demons. These teachers are hypocrites and liars. They pretend to be religious, but their consciences are dead. NLT

Sobering, isn't it? Paul tells Timothy that in the last times, there will be some who will turn away from the truth of the Gospel message and follow after false teachings. Whether we are actually in the last days of life on earth as we know it or not, I don't know, but I believe we are. Regardless, there are those who turn away from the truth of the Gospel. There are church people everywhere who are walking away from the Church. There are those who are embracing false teachings as if they were the Gospel. There are those who listen to lies that come straight from hell.

Many of those who turn away from the Gospel are people who are in the Church. Many are church leaders who appear to be good people. They sound convincing in what they say. They live "good" lives. Many of them are in the pulpits and teachers in the classrooms. They have no problem with spewing their lies. Some are able to get a large following.

If there ever was a time for us to be discerning regarding the truth of the Gospel, it is now. We must carefully examine what we believe in light of what the Scriptures proclaim. We must study the Scriptures to make sure that what we think we understand it to say is what it actually says. We must not waver in our conviction that the Scriptures are from God. We must stay true to the Word of God at all times and expose false teachings when we encounter it.

It is so easy to believe what isn’t true. Just because someone says it is so doesn’t make it so. We must listen carefully to what God says before we believe. Open your Bible and study it for yourself. Just because someone is popular and successful does not mean they are correctly handling the Word. No one has perfect understanding on all things. No one lives so close to God that he becomes the absolute authoritative voice for the Church. Stay close to the heart of God, read the Word with an open heart, and let the Spirit of God guide you into all truth. And, what you can’t understand accept, it as truth because God said it and move on by faith. What you need to understand you will. God never leaves His children in the dark on things they need to know for their walk with Him.

There is a great turning away from the truth in the Church today. Satan has infiltrated the Church, and many false teachers have risen to prominent positions in her. They are wolves in sheep clothing. Stand guard over your mind and soul lest you, too, turn away from the truth.