Some will be heading back to classes soon. Surrounded by mostly anti-Christian sentiments and pervasive secular thinking, finding a group of peers who are spiritually focused may seem like a refuge in a storm or an oasis in a desert. But just be careful.
Consider this scenario:
Josh: “We have a blast when we’re all together. I look forward to being with them each week. No one else around here wants to talk about God or discuss the Bible, so for me – having a bunch of peers who have spiritual interests – well, it’s a breath of fresh air!”
Tara: “But you really need to be careful. I’ve met some very nice people, but some of the things they were saying bothered me. I worried about what influence they would have on my thinking if they became my inner circle of friends.”
Josh: “Nah! Tara, you don’t get it. There’s nothing wrong with hearing new stuff that you haven’t heard where you go. It’s good to be challenged in your thinking. You need to be more open-minded.”
What would you inject into their conversation? Josh is not entirely wrong. Being challenged in your thinking can be healthy – provided you are walking closely with the Lord and allowing His Word to be the final authority as you dig for answers. 
Also, as you connect with new friends, maintain an open line of communication with older believers you respect – mentors and shepherds in your local fellowship. The local church was designed to be a safe haven and a safeguard for individual believers. Going rogue with your understanding of the Word of God was never the New Testament way.
When the Apostle John first met Christ, he was young. After Christ’s ascension, the Gospel spread; thousands were saved, local churches were established, and things were booming. But when things are happening for God, you can be sure Satan will be busy too.
By the time John wrote his first Epistle, wrong teaching was being taught by some pretty impressive people. Satan was doing his best to worm his way into the heart of Christian testimony to corrupt, spoil, wreck, dilute, divide, obstruct, impede and weaken the work of God.
Godly old John issued a warning to believers not to be gullible. Don’t fall for every new thing you hear just because someone has a charming personality and an engaging way of reaching your heart and mind.
Click here to read Son of Sam – David Berkowitz’s story.
Some have an innate ability to make things sound so convincingly good that you wonder why you never saw it that way before. Of course, that ability is not unique to Christian teachers. Car sales specialists can make you question why you have never owned their brand before. “Why am I just seeing the light now – after all these years?!!”
Have you ever found yourself favouring teachers or teachings that merely align with some of the thoughts you have been having lately – voices that seem to echo the unspoken thoughts you haven’t shared with others yet?
Also, this note of caution should be mentioned: be conscious of your own state of mind and your own feelings. If you feel alone, you will be more vulnerable and more susceptible to those who reach out to you – for whatever reason.
Be very cautious and discerning when it comes to matters related to the Word of God. Be on guard constantly.
When someone tells you: “Hey, let’s unite around evangelism or let’s rally around the cause of Christ and let’s not get bogged down on our doctrinal differences” – beware. It sounds appealing, and it seems honourable and even safe. But, since when were we ever encouraged to cherry-pick what we wanted out of the Bible or what truths we wanted to emphasize or deemphasize?
You may not be up against the type of teaching the Apostle John was combatting. He was dealing with grave error that struck at the very core of the Christian faith.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1John 4:1
John’s message was clear: never give an inch on truth. Don’t compromise. He gives us at least two ways to test what someone is teaching.
- First of all, do they believe in the full humanity and full deity of Christ? That’s 1 John 4:3. Perhaps most in your group agree with that. But the next test may be more challenging:
- Are they committed to what the Apostles taught throughout the New Testament? That’s verse 6.
When John said ‘test the spirits,’ he wasn’t merely suggesting that we think twice about what our Christian friends are telling us. He was saying: rigorously test what you hear, as if you were a metallurgical engineer responsible for discerning the purity and value of precious metals. That’s the thought. Go to your Bible and diligently search it out.
Click on image to watch this short Gospel “idioms” video
Don’t treat differing points of view lightly – when it comes to what the Apostles taught. It might just be the ‘small’ beginning of something that could take you a ‘great’ distance from New Testament truth. Seemingly minor differences could lead to great departure.
Online pastoring is common. Maybe your favourite ‘pastor’ has become someone you watch and listen to and follow – but whom you only ‘know’ online. The elaborate packaging of their media presentation, along with their online persona (personality and style) may disarm you and leave you spiritually vulnerable to unbalanced or even wrong teaching.
It wasn’t just the Apostle John who urged caution and discernment. Paul said to Timothy – study and be diligent about rightly dividing the word of truth. (2Timothy 2:15) In the same letter, Paul wrote:
For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear what they want to hear. (2 Timothy 4:3 CSB)
Paul also wrote to the Thessalonian believers about proving or testing or evaluating everything they heard and to only keep what is good. (1Thessalonians 5:21). In other words, be extremely careful.
In addition to studying your Bible, if you hear something that challenges your thinking or conflicts with what you have been taught, run it by an older Christian whom you respect or one of the shepherds in your local gathering of Christians.
Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today.
Warmly in Christ,
Peter Ramsay
UPDATED 20 Online Lessons for Brand New Believers Covering the Basics Easy sign-up
Free vehicle magnet 9″X2.5″” (22.5cmX6cm) A quiet Gospel witness. “Let your light shine.” An inoffensive way to help promote the Gospel in traffic and parking lots. Unlike decals, magnets can be removed easily.
Tabernacle 101 Once-a-week-email study – short and to the point.
Automatic Signatures work! If you include www.heaven4sure.com in your automatic email signature, you will increase the number of visitors to the Gospel site. This is particularly relevant if you are in contact with those who do not yet know Christ.
FACEBOOK or social media link to heaven4sure? Links really do work! People are finding the site through such links.