United By Our Devotion To The Apostles' Teachings #2 - The Apostles' Teachings On False Teaching

From Lesson One, “Jesus’ Take on Truth, Error, and Eternity”

#1 – The apostles' teachings are the teachings of Christ.

[On the night before Jesus’ crucifixion, He told His disciples:] “I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. For he will not speak on his own, but he will speak whatever he hears... He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything the Father has is mine...”

John 16:12-15 CSB

#2 – Devotion to the apostles’ teachings protects me from false teaching.

…in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and in all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 NIV

#3 – Jesus warned me about false teaching; I should take him seriously.

In the last days, “many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray… many false prophets will arise and lead many astray… false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray.”

Matthew 24:4–5, 11, 24

They worship me in vain; their teachings are human rules. You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.

Mark 7:7-8 NIV

TODAY: The Apostles’ Doctrine (teachings), On False Doctrine (teachings).

● THE APOSTLE PAUL’S TEACHINGS ON FALSE TEACHING.

Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

1 Timothy 4:16 NIV

Application: False teaching is damning to the teacher and the student.

Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.

2 Timothy 4:2-3 NLT

Application: Desiring truth protects me from distorted truth.

● THE APOSTLE PETER’S TEACHINGS ON FALSE TEACHING.

False prophets were among God’s people in the past, as false teachers will be among you. They will secretly bring in their own destructive teachings. They will deny the Lord, who has bought them… Many..,will follow them in their sexual freedom and will cause others to dishonor the way of truth. In their greed they will use good-sounding arguments to exploit you. …their destruction is not asleep.

2 Peter 2:1-3 GW

Application: False teaching may “sound good” to me, but it is destructive.

Some things in his (Paul’s) letters are hard to understand. Ignorant people and people who aren’t sure of what they believe distort what Paul says in his letters the same way they distort the rest of the Scriptures. These people will be destroyed. Dear friends, you already know these things. So be on your guard not to be carried away by the deception of people who have no principles. Then you won’t fall from your firm position.

2 Peter 3:16-17 GW

Application: Being on my guard can keep me from being carried away.

● THE APOSTLE JOHN’S TEACHING ON FALSE TEACHING.

I say this because many deceivers have gone out into the world. They deny that Jesus Christ came in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked so hard to achieve. Be diligent so that you receive your full reward. Anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.

2 John 7-11 NLT

Application: God wants me to be aware that…

There are many deceivers (false teachers) in my world.

I must “watch out” and “be diligent" to receive my full reward.

Accepting false teachers/teaching makes me a partner in “evil work.”