On This Day: The Many Deceivers Who Build Our Faith

As he sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them, “See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray.” (Matthew 24:3-5)

   I just completed a long journey “down the garden path” (as I call it) through a book of false teachings called “A More Christlike Word”, by Brad Jersak. I am now struggling through writing some concluding thoughts trying to balance brevity with thoroughness (something that does not come naturally to me!).

   However, all the way through this book, God has given me the Scriptures to use in rebuttal of the false teachings. Some came through my morning time in his word that I share in my “On This Day” posts. And others came as I was listening to Scripture from an audio Bible during my exercise mornings a few times a week.

   Just last night I organized my thoughts into five concluding posts that will summarize my discoveries about this book. They will also serve to give people a synopsis of my concerns should they not want to read all my previous interactions with the garden path. And then I came to this verse just this morning and feel God’s provision once again.

   When I say that this encourages me in my faith, I do not mean that it encourages me in the fact. I hate it that I have seen this reality. In fact, what I had to pay just for a digital copy of that book so I could critique it, and then the amount of typing I had to do to put direct quotes into my rebuttals (once I had reached the copy/paste quota), made it easy to feel disdain for how easily false teachers sell their wares. Or, as Paul put it, they are “peddlers of God’s word”, selling for profit their “Did God actually say…?” deceptions.

   But what I share for your encouragement today is that the narrow way to eternal life is still open. There is an “against the flow” journey to life itself. We only need “two or three” gathered in Jesus’ name for him to be among us. So, if you hear his voice, follow him in “the obedience of faith” as you put into practice whatever God teaches you from his word each day.

   No matter how alone we ever feel on the journey of life, Jesus’ Spirit is with us, and our heavenly Father is working everything we go through for the good of making us more like our Shepherd. Plus, we never know how our persevering in faith will encourage a few others to do so as well.

  

© 2024 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8

Email: in2freedom@gmail.com

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.)