Seek Truth

I've been mulling over this for days, trying to figure out what I wanted to say...

Recently, a book came out that has become quite controversial (at least in Christian circles), & for good reason.  It has spurred conversations & made me worry about people who I know did know Truth.

Do you realize that there are false teachers out there?

Things are taught under the name of Christianity that are not biblical at all.

Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh & is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.  This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming & even now is already in the world.  [1 John 4:1-3]

Jesus warns us against these false teachers:

Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.  You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act... [Matthew 7:15-16]

The Bible also tells us the consequences for false teachers:

Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!" will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.  On judgment day many will say to me, "Lord! Lord!  We prophesied in Your name & cast out demons in Your name & performed many miracles in  Your name.'  But I will reply, 'I never knew you.  Get away from me, you who break God's laws.' [Matthew 7:21-23]

Let God's curse fall on anyone, including us or even an angel from heaven, who preaches a different kind of Good News than the one we preached to you. [Galatians 1:8]

I believe that, just as we believe that Heaven is real, we have to also believe that Hell is real & that it is the consequence for not accepting Jesus as the Way, & the Truth, & the Life.  Just because someone is a "good person" by our human standards, doesn't mean that they go to Heaven.  Just because they feed the hungry & care for the poor, doesn't make them deserving of Heaven.  None of us deserve Heaven, but are allowed to live there eternally, glorifying God, because we have accepted Jesus & have been washed clean by His blood that atoned for our sins.

All this to say, don't take something as Truth just because you read it in a book, or hear it from the mouth of a pastor, no matter how reputable he may be.  Hold everything up to the Bible & search it, test it, & know that it is Truth.  Not only is your life at stake, but all of those that you minister to, even anyone who just knows that you are a Christian.