Beware of False Prophets

“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” (2 Peter 2:1-2)

Today like no other time on earth we must be aware of false prophets. The Word of God and our Christian faith are being attacked as never before. Our wonderful Christian Israel lands which were founded on God’s laws and God fearing people are being destroyed from within. Yes, we have many enemies outside our borders but our greatest threat comes from within. We as a people, along with our culture, our values and our virtues are being destroyed. “Unprincipled men and women, disdainful of their moral heritage and skeptical of truth itself, are destroying our civilization by weakening the very pillars upon which it rests.” (Against the Night, Living in the New Dark Ages by Charles Colson.) If the pillars are weakened, how long will it be before our civilization collapses?

We have many false teachers around us today. Unfortunately a large number of these teachers are also in our churches and they are chipping away at the foundation of our beliefs. Peter warns us against these teachers saying that they “ walk after the lusts of the flesh and despise authority”. They “speak evil of the things that they understand not”. They are corrupt and destructive, bringing Christianity into disrepute. They are vain and boastful and by appealing to our sinful natures are able to entice those who are weak in their faith, as well as many new Christians.

We must heed Peter’s words and be wary of those who may lead us astray. They are like a dry spring that does not bring forth any water. Paul says to Timothy “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” (2Tim. 2:15-16)

This world is becoming a very uncomfortable and dangerous one for those who stand for the principles upon which our lands were formed. God’s words to “that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds” are that “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgement to be punished.” (2Peter 2:8-9)

In our world today we are no longer guided by virtues and moral traditions. We have become a selfish people and “Since any absolutes are an impediment to self-realization, man’s ‘noble’ goals are freedom, choice, and tolerance. Gone are any notions of duty to our fellow man and to the Creator.” (Against the Night, Living in the New Dark Ages by Charles Colson.)

We must not lose hope. We are living in the days just before the return of Jesus Christ and we know that these things must happen. We must have faith in the Word of God, knowing that Jesus Christ is the only way and that knowing this can bring us hardship in today’s world. We must turn aside from these false teachers and if we keep our eyes on the straight and narrow path, God will help us and see us through.

Jesus said, “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:14)