False prophets? What comes to mind when you hear about them? Quite disturbing. Right? But they are around. In Ghana, where I hail from, many people, including some staunch believers, have been deceived and keep getting deceived by these people. But thankfully, over a few years, many have grown in the knowledge of God, thereby reducing the effect these prophets have on them. In today’s study scripture release, I would like to talk about how believers ought to beware of false prophets in their walk with God from 2 Peter 2:1-3. I hope you’ll enjoy it. Let’s read the scripture first.
[1] “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. [2] And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. [3] By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” – 2 Peter 2:1-3 (NKJV)
…there will be false teachers among you
The 2nd Epistle of Peter was written when believers were already scattered across the face of the Earth, not when the early church was in one place – Jerusalem. So, for Apostle Peter to start the verse by saying that there were false prophets among the people, he referred to members of the early church. So, just as there were people spreading heresies about Christ during the early church days, these same kinds of people will keep emerging in the body of Christ from time to time. And since it is written in scripture, nothing can change it because God’s Word is fixed.
The truth of the matter is that even though false preachers are going to emerge, you, the believer, have to grow in knowing the truth. Why? Because if you know the truth, it will be easy to detect falsehood. One of the ways to know a preacher is false is that he denies Jesus as Lord and personal saviour. Run from such a person.
When you know God, you will understand His ways and, therefore, not follow the destructive ways of the false prophets.
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On following destructive ways
In verse 2, the Bible says some believers will follow the destructive ways of these false preachers, not even recognising that what they are doing is wrong. That happens when followers of pastors get so brainwashed by them that they believe everything they say without checking the truth of God’s Word, and that is dangerous.
Have you heard of the Bereans in Acts 17:10-15. Paul preached the Word powerfully to them. But they went to check the scriptures to confirm whether or not what Paul said was true. That is wisdom. It is not enough to hear the Word of God being preached. You must know God for yourself. When you know God, you will understand His ways and, therefore, not follow the destructive ways of the false prophets.
Be careful of deception
Deception lurks when people keep getting exposed to false doctrines. In an information-saturated age, it has become essential to filter one’s digital feed, whether it’s social media, television, radio or any other media outlet. Your ears ought to be protected from deception. So guard it.
You are a blessing.
