Beware of Wolves in Sheep's Clothes!
A few days ago, we took our children to the dentist; so that meant I was going to have to sit in the waiting room for a while. As a normal practice, I like take a book when I have to sit in a waiting room or wait for an appointment. That particular day I didn't bring anything to read so I had to resort to the magazine rack.
Before I sat down, I picked up a certain "Christian magazine." Within 10 seconds of opening the magazine, I realized there was something terribly wrong. While the magazine looked and read much like any orthodox Christian publication, this one was anything but orthodox: it was actually published by a CULT known as the Philadelphia Church of God.
What concerns me is that being willingly ignorant abounds in modern American "churchianity." I am alarmed at how many professing Christians don't even know basic truths of Scripture. Because of this, I doubt very seriously that some Christians would have even noticed anything wrong with the magazine. In fact, I suspect a number might have even taken the cult's offer of a free 1 year subscription.
Though I do not claim to be the most intelligent guy in the world, I am very concerned about the ignorance I see in so many professing Christians. I believe many are ripe for deception by such cults. I am grieved by how many Christians are experts when it comes to sports, current events, and politics; yet many of them cannot even articulate basic Christian teachings!
While I think it is good for Christians to have a basic understanding of what cults, heretics, and other world religions believe; I believe more importantly we must commit ourselves to understanding the truth of God's Word, so that with the help of the Holy Spirit, we will be able to instantly recognize falsehood anywhere we encounter it. Those of us who teach, preach, or are church leaders need to be sure we are going the extra mile to be equiped in these areas so that we can help other Christians avoid being caught in a Satanic trap.
Before I sat down, I picked up a certain "Christian magazine." Within 10 seconds of opening the magazine, I realized there was something terribly wrong. While the magazine looked and read much like any orthodox Christian publication, this one was anything but orthodox: it was actually published by a CULT known as the Philadelphia Church of God.
What concerns me is that being willingly ignorant abounds in modern American "churchianity." I am alarmed at how many professing Christians don't even know basic truths of Scripture. Because of this, I doubt very seriously that some Christians would have even noticed anything wrong with the magazine. In fact, I suspect a number might have even taken the cult's offer of a free 1 year subscription.
Though I do not claim to be the most intelligent guy in the world, I am very concerned about the ignorance I see in so many professing Christians. I believe many are ripe for deception by such cults. I am grieved by how many Christians are experts when it comes to sports, current events, and politics; yet many of them cannot even articulate basic Christian teachings!
While I think it is good for Christians to have a basic understanding of what cults, heretics, and other world religions believe; I believe more importantly we must commit ourselves to understanding the truth of God's Word, so that with the help of the Holy Spirit, we will be able to instantly recognize falsehood anywhere we encounter it. Those of us who teach, preach, or are church leaders need to be sure we are going the extra mile to be equiped in these areas so that we can help other Christians avoid being caught in a Satanic trap.
Soli Deo Gloria!
(Photo: A Soviet propaganda poster from World War II, using the "wolf in sheep's clothes" fable to allude to German treachery in Operation Barbarossa -from Wikipedia)
1 comment:
Your right. People even Christian people don't appeal to the Bible. I went to James White's website today and saw a clip of a debate he was
in. The issue was homosexuality and Christianity. He actually had to hand his opponent the Bible! His opponent was speaking about the Scriptures and yet he didn't bring the Word nor did he know it!
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