How Reading the Bible Keeps Us from Believing False Teaching
By: Lynette Kittle
Bible Reading:
“But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.” - 2 Peter 2:1
Like art and jewel experts and dealers study real jewels and artwork to keep them from buying forgeries and counterfeits, studying the Bible keeps us from believing false teachings.
Disappointingly, the world, like never before, is full of scams, schemes, and false beliefs. Nowadays, there are countless emails, texts, and online offers and deals that look so convincing that before we know it, we’re ordering products that are never going to arrive.
Like phony offers, if we aren’t aware of and informed to know and understand that there are false teachings trying to draw us in, designed to deceive us, we can be duped and led astray. It’s why the Bible is such an important book to read and study, because by doing so, it protects us from being captured by the enemy of our souls.
2 Timothy 3:6-9 describes what they are like: “They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.”
The Bible Reveals Truth to Us
The Apostle Paul wrote, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).
He understood, as written in Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
The word of God not only gives us life, but it also helps to protect our faith by cutting through errors, manipulation, deception, and false teaching, revealing the truth to us of what we’re reading and hearing.
The Bible Equips Us to Recognize When Things Seem Off
Because I carefully go through each morning choosing vitamins for my husband and myself, it’s so familiar to me, that I can look down and instantly see if one is missing because the pile of pills looks off and different.
It’s like that when we know God’s word, when we’ve hidden it in our hearts. We come to know it so well that when we see, hear, or read something that’s off or different from the truth of His word, we instantly recognize it.
Psalm 119:11 teaches, “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You.”
Becoming so familiar with God’s word and establishing itself in our hearts, along with the help of the Holy Spirit leading us, helps us, without even thinking to recognize when we see or hear something that doesn’t line up with it. God’s truth hidden in our hearts alerts us to false teachings.
The reason so many believers are led astray is that they don’t know His word, so when a false teaching or doctrine is introduced to them, they don’t recognize it. For those reasons, it’s vital and critically important for us to read and study our Bibles, so that we aren’t deceived, misled, or led astray from the truth of God’s word.
We can be confident that when His word shines light on what we’re hearing and reading, we will not be misled, as Psalm 119:105 describes, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Intersecting Faith & Life:
How are you at knowing what is truth or error when it comes to God’s word? If you don’t know His word, find a Bible reading plan to help you know the truth of God’s word. Check out Biblestudytools.com for a free Bible app offering Bible reading audio, reading plans, and devotionals to help you know God’s word.
Further Reading:
7 Reasons to Read Your Bible
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Tinnakorn Jorruang
Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today’s Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV.
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