Strange Teaching

“Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings…” Hebrews 13:9

I was recently watching a video of a man—a “preacher” of sorts—who made the bold assertion that true Christians do not sin and that, if they do sin, they are not really Christians. Even bolder was his claim that he had not sinned in over two years! I suppose the sin of pride doesn’t count in his mind. His demeanor and message were quite strange, using biblical and religious language but in a way that blurred the truth to support his point. He presented his message as if you either believed him or were wrong—there was no middle ground or willingness for discussion. Sadly, he had quite an audience, though I’m not sure how many subscribed to his theology. One person would be one too many.

It’s tempting to dismiss him as a religious quack on the fringe with little influence. But in today’s social media-driven world, every quack has as much influence as the next person. The accessibility of social media has created a platform where anyone can have an audience, exposing people to all sorts of teachings. Are we prepared for this influx of strange ideas?

This is a serious matter. Throughout Christian history, the church has had to confront a multitude of false teachings. From Docetism to Modalism, Gnosticism to Open Theism, and Universalism to Pelagianism, the list of deviant theological perspectives goes on. I believe we’re in a new age of false teaching, one that we are not fully prepared for. Today’s era of false teaching is fueled by technology and an audience that craves novelty—something new or “hidden.” Many of these teachings are disguised as “secret knowledge” or insights “hidden” from the masses. In reality, these teachings are nothing new; they are simply repackaged in trendy ways. There is, after all, nothing new under the sun.

So, how do we keep ourselves and others from being drawn in by these aberrant doctrines?
Here are a few ways to stay grounded in the truth:

1. Test Everything by the Word of God. This may seem simplistic, but it requires deep commitment. To test everything by God’s Word, we must know God’s Word. We need to be willing to study, learn, and grow so that we are equipped to contend for the truth. When someone uses a verse to “prove” their point, we should be able to respond with the whole counsel of Scripture. Thankfully, we have a long line of Christian thinkers who have done a lot of the biblical legwork to discern truth. As the saying goes, “The best defense is a good offense.” We must be proactive in learning God’s Word, for false teachers gladly exploit biblical illiteracy.
   
   
2. Pray and Trust the Holy Spirit. If we strive to live by the power of the Holy Spirit and are committed to prayer, we’ll be better equipped to spot false teachings. If a certain teaching seems odd, that may be the Holy Spirit prompting us to look more closely. It’s important to pray over everything we read, hear, or watch and to ask the Lord to protect us from anything that is not of Him.
   
   
3. Read, Read, Read. There are many excellent resources available to help us navigate the range of false teachings today. These resources span from technical, scholarly works to accessible books for all readers. Through these, we can learn from those who have studied these topics deeply and who can help us understand the issues at play. A good author can bring clarity to complex topics.
   
   
4. Do Your Homework. One of the simplest ways to discern whether a teaching is false is to check the source. Often, a quick search will reveal the background or controversies surrounding a teacher or teaching. Websites like GotQuestions.org and CARM.org are excellent for this kind of research.
   
   
5. Stay Rooted in a Local Church. The people most vulnerable to false teachings are often those not grounded in a local church. It is through a faithful, Bible-believing church that we hear God’s Word and learn to “rightly divide the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). A local church provides a pastor and other spiritual leaders who can help us discern if something is biblically sound. A good church is a spiritually safe place to guard our hearts. In my experience, those drawn to false teachings are often those who have distanced themselves from the local church for various reasons. An isolated Christian is a vulnerable Christian.