How should believers respond to false teachings, considering Jeremiah 23:34? God’s Fierce Stand Against Deceptive Words • Jeremiah 23:34: “If any prophet or priest or anyone else claims, ‘This is the burden of the LORD,’ I will punish that man and his household.” • The Lord equates misrepresenting His message with a punishable offense; He promises personal accountability, extending to the offender’s household. • The verse sets the tone: God expects His people to defend His revealed truth and reject every distortion. Recognize False Teaching Quickly • Test every message (1 John 4:1). • Compare it with the whole counsel of Scripture—like the Bereans who “examined the Scriptures every day” (Acts 17:11). • Notice the fruit: are teachers exalting Christ or themselves? (Matthew 7:15-20). • Be alert to any gospel “contrary” to the original (Galatians 1:8-9). Guard Your Heart with Scripture • Daily intake of the Word inoculates the soul against error (Psalm 119:11). • Sound doctrine anchors us so we’re “no longer… carried around by every wind of teaching” (Ephesians 4:14-15). • Hold firmly to what you’ve been taught (Titus 1:9). Refute and Correct with Love and Courage • “Preach the word… correct, rebuke, and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 4:2). • Contend earnestly for the faith (Jude 3), yet “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). • Silence persistent deceivers for the health of the flock (Titus 1:10-11). Separate from Persistent Error • If a person refuses correction and continues in falsehood, Scripture commands distance: – “Turn away from them” (Romans 16:17-18). – “Do not receive him into your home or greet him” (2 John 10). • Withdrawal protects the church and warns the erring teacher. Stay Humble, Spirit-Led, and Watchful • Depend on the Spirit who guides “into all truth” (John 16:13). • Remember, testing times reveal genuine devotion (Deuteronomy 13:3). • Christ commends churches that expose false apostles (Revelation 2:2) and rebukes those tolerating error (Revelation 2:20). Rest in God’s Certain Justice • Jeremiah 23:34 assures us that God Himself will judge every false claimant. • Our task: be faithful watchmen; His task: exact righteous punishment. • “The Lord knows how to rescue the godly…and to keep the unrighteous under punishment” (2 Peter 2:9). Living It Out Today • Saturate your mind with Scripture daily. • Stay in accountable fellowship where doctrine is taught accurately. • Lovingly confront error as soon as it appears. • Withdraw from teachers who persist in deception. • Trust God to vindicate His truth and guard His people. |
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