SIGHT & SOUND OF FALSE TEACHERS (PART III)
By Akin Ojumu
Pop culture tells us that what you don’t know can’t hurt you. If you are unaware of something, they claim, it cannot negatively affect you or cause you harm. They even have a catchy phrase for it, “Ignorance is bliss.”
Now, I don’t know about you, personally, I really don’t see the bliss in not knowing. Intentional cluelessness, as a lifestyle, is a rather reckless way to live in my view. Such an approach to life is not any different from someone who ventures into a six-lane highway while blindfolded. You don’t have to be a prophet to know how that’s going to turn out.
Sadly, this glamorization of cluelessness has been taken to an art form among Church folks. When it comes to discerning between preachers who teach sound doctrine and impostors who propagate error, there are too many Christians who play dumb. They feign ignorance on making a judgment call on sound theology and flawed theology. As far as they are concerned, not knowing is bliss.
When it comes to making an informed judgment on what’s biblical teaching and what’s not, for some inexplicable reasons, Church folks always seem to put on their “ignorance is bliss” blinders. Perhaps not appreciating the destruction and devastation that erroneous doctrine brings, they seem to find reassurance in the flawed logic of pop culture that says, “what you don’t know can’t hurt you.”
Few people understand the peril of false teachers and their false teachings better than Apostle Peter, the leader of the First Century Christian Church. He was there at the beginning when the wolves in sheep’s clothing rose up within the ranks of the Christian assemblies to spread their pernicious teachings.
His second epistle to the Christians who were exiles scattered throughout the five Roman provinces of Asia Minor of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia was a stinging rebuke of these false teachers.
Not mincing words, Peter described the false teachers as lustful and arrogant, brazen and insolent. In their ignorance, they are quick to ridicule and blaspheme angelic authorities. Today, we’ll continue with Peter’s characterization of the false teachers.
4) Stains and blemishes
2 Peter 2:13
“They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you.”
False teachers are like dirty stains on a pure white dress of the Church. Like the ooze that comes out of the infected scabs and lesions on the body of a leper, false teachers are leprosy infecting the Body of Christ. Even though, on the outside, they present an image of piety and righteousness, inwardly, they are ravenous wolves. Their ethos and disposition are the very opposite of the character of Christ.
5) Revel in Deception
2 Peter 2:13
“…Reveling in their deceptions, while they feast with you.”
False teachers are masters of disguises, and smokescreen is the currency of their realm. These chameleons are highly skilled in the art of blending with the environment. They are so good at masking their true nature and character, they hardly arouse the suspicion of their victims.
Because they talk with such confidence and bravado, false teachers are undeservedly held in high esteem, and many consider them to be gifted teachers of the Word. By presenting a well curated image of themselves as “jim-jim” Christian, they are regarded as powerful men of God. Yet, these folks are nothing but charlatans with eyes full of deception.
Even as they sit with you in the love-feasts and other Christian gatherings, they can’t completely mask their depravity. Those who are keenly aware can easily pick up on the signals they send.
In spite of all their efforts to cover up their corruption with religious talks, those who pay close attention can easily detect that they are filthy defects on the gathering of the saints of God. Their stains and filth on the garment of the Church can be perceived by those who are biblically vigilant.
6) Waterless Springs & Storm-Driven Mists
2 Peter 2:17
“These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm…”
In this verse, Peter uses two poetic figures (springs and mists) which represent a precious commodity in the Middle East. A spring or well without water would be a major disappointment in the hot and dry land of Palestine. Likewise, false teachers have a pretense of spiritual water to quench the thirsty soul, but they actually have nothing to give.
When Peter compares false teachers to mists driven by a storm, he has in mind a picture of a coming cloud or mists which seem to promise rain, but which is quickly blown away by the storm leaving the land dry and hot.
False teachers may promise spiritual refreshment, but in reality, it’s all a show with no substance; they’ll always leave you disappointed. As they say in Texas, false teachers are all hats and no cows.
Stay tuned till next time.
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