Spellbound! #7

Friday, August 25, 2023

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17,18 KJV).

Let us analyze these “good words and fair speeches.”

Addressing Israel in the ages to come, the Holy Spirit guided the Apostle Peter to write: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not” (2 Peter 1:20–2:3).

In the above excerpt, we observe good spiritual teachers (God’s prophets or spokesmen) contrasted with evil spiritual teachers (Satan’s prophets or spokesmen). There is sound doctrine (from the Lord) and there is false doctrine (the Devil’s cheap counterfeit or imitation). Concentrate on 2 Peter 2:3: “And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you….” False teachers, motivated by “covetousness” (greed), target the spiritually naïve, those who have not mastered sound Bible teaching. They methodically use “feigned words” (make-believe or fiction; something artificial, pretend, or invented) to “make merchandise of you” (exploit you, take advantage of you, obtain something from you).

These are warnings for Israel in the future, when the Antichrist and his false religion arise and deceive innumerable souls. Still, the same evil world system is here with us now (albeit in a milder form). False teachers plague today’s world by means of the strategies Peter described 20 centuries ago. We would do well to also heed today’s Scripture, which our Apostle Paul penned for our spiritual health now….