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Gleanings From The Word

Category: 2 Peter

  • Spoiled Springs

    Beaver damage reminds me of the dangers of false prophets

    A beaver dam - the wtar covered over what used to be a fresg cold spring of drinking water

    Years ago, I had been fishing at a nearby lake. Not far away was a spring I had visited many times. The walk into the spring was about a mile. The water was always cold, refreshing and safe to drink. was always worth the hike.

    This time, things were different. An enterprising beaver had built a dam, and the spring was now underwater behind the dam. So much for cold. So much for refreshing. So much for safe to drink. 

    Where there have been beavers around, the water is likely contaminated with Giardiasis (or beaver fever as it’s called in these parts). Giardiasis is an intestinal illness caused by the parasite Giardia lamblia. Beaver fever will leave you with a great deal of ugly abdominal distress for weeks and is highly contagious. It’s not the sort of thing that you want to take a chance with.

    The promise of the refreshing water couldn’t be delivered on.

    Something similar happens with false teachers. They bring false gospels and lies. They twist the truth to serve their own ends and agendas. They seek to please man, not God.

    Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. Matthew 7:15 ESV

    I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
    Galatians 1:6-9 ESV 

    They promise what they can’t deliver. They promise living water, but provide empty wells. They promise freedom, but deliver bondage. They promise salvation but deliver damnation.

    These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved. For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those who are barely escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. 2 Peter 2:17-19 ESV

    How do we know which teachings are false? By knowing what we believe and why we believe it. By diligent study of the Word. By making sure that we look at Bible passages in context and in comparison to the Word as a whole. By learning some solid Christian doctrine.

    If you don’t know what you believe and why you believe it, then you may find yourself standing at the foot of a dry spring. You could be seeking living water but end up perishing of thirst instead.

    Read the Word. Read the Word. Read the Word.

    May you know the truth, and the truth of Jesus set you free.

    SUMMARY

    I hiked back into a spring I loved, only to find a beaver had dammed it and turned safe water into a health risk. It reminded me that false teachers work the same way — promising living water while handing us something contaminated.

    TAKEAWAY

    A once-safe spring, dammed by a beaver, becomes a picture of how false teaching corrupts something good

    Scripture (Matthew 7:15, Galatians 1:6-9, 2 Peter 2:17-19) warns plainly about false prophets and false gospels

    The safeguard against false teaching is knowing what you believe, studying the Word in context, and standing on sound doctrine

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  • What about the “new gospel”?

    What about the “new gospel”?

    manuscript fragment with the text "the Gospel of Thomas" superimposed

    My social media has been abuzz with a “newly found” gospel and claims that will revolutionize the church. It’s not the first time these things have gone around in circles. 

    What is this new gospel? It’s the gospel of Judas. Will it truly revolutionize the church? Let’s examine that claim.

    Despite the claims of some, this “gospel” is not news to the church. One of the early church fathers, Irenaeus, spoke of it around 180 AD. So, what did he have to say about it?

    “They declare that Judas the traitor was thoroughly acquainted with these things, and that he alone, knowing the truth as no others did, accomplished the mystery of the betrayal; by him all things, both earthly and heavenly, were thus thrown into confusion. They produce a fictitious history of this kind, which they style the Gospel of Judas.”

    This so-called gospel was already known to be fictitious 1800 years ago. It was the work of one of the groups of heretics known collectively as “Gnostics” from the Greek gnosis or to know. 

    Gnosticism was an early religious movement that taught salvation comes through secret, hidden knowledge (gnosis) rather than faith or grace. Gnostics believed the material world was not created by the true, highest God, but by a lesser, flawed divine being called the Demiurge — often identified with the God of the Old Testament. Human souls were seen as divine sparks of light trapped in corrupt physical bodies, longing to return to the true spiritual realm above. Salvation, in this view, meant awakening to one’s divine inner nature and escaping the material world entirely.

    The early Church firmly rejected Gnosticism because it contradicts core biblical truth — that God created the physical world and called it “very good” (Genesis 1:31), that Jesus came in real flesh (1 John 4:2), and that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone, not hidden knowledge (Ephesians 2:8-9).

    This pseudo-gospel was written by someone holding a faith that, from its inception, held differing beliefs from those of Christians. It is not Scripture, any more than many of the other false gospels that pop up periodically, such as the Gospel of Thomas, The Secret Book of James, The Gospel of Mary and many others. It was written by a false prophet.

    There is nothing “new” about these gospels. From the earliest days of the church, they have been recognized as non-Christian, heretical works at best, total fiction at the worst.

    The church will not be shaken to its core by this revelation. No doubt there will be some scholars who jump on the bandwagon and embrace it, but many of the same scholars already deny the authority of Scripture, many of Jesus’ teachings, and even the resurrection. They are Christian in name only.

    We need never worry about these attempts to “change” or discredit the faith. They are nothing new. Scripture warned us that these things would happen.


     And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.     Matthew 24:11-14


    For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds    . 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 


     But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed.     2 Peter 2:1-2

    God is not surprised by the “sudden revelation” of this “newly discovered” book. His Word is not suddenly void because of the uncovering of an old heretical document. He remains God. He remains in control of all things. His Word is still the measure of truth. 

    If the gospel of Judas does not match up with the inspired Word of God, then it is the gospel of Judas that is wrong.

    The Word is truth and that will bring attacks to try and discredit it, but God remains sovereign.

    Until next time, rejoice that we have God’s inspired Word available to measure the counterfeit against.

    Be blessed

    Kevin

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