April 28, 2023
True and False Teachers
“So Jesus answered them and said, ‘My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?’”
John 7:16-19 (NASB)
There are those who are religious motivational speakers and those who are Biblical pastors. I see and hear both each week through television, services, or podcasts. The difference is clear though between the two. Clearly there is a difference. The motivational speaker wants you to know things you want from this life are absolutely possible, if you “just believe or think positively.” They use stories to entertain people and promise them things which are completely unbiblical. These are known by the Bible as false teachers. Three quarters of the New Testament warns of these wolves in sheep’s clothing and how to identify them. We need to be aware of them each day or we will find ourselves following the god of this world (Satan) and his lies.
When Jesus said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him” He wanted those who heard Him to know, the source of His teaching was from the Father. The difference between what was being taught in the synagogues was different than that of His Father’s message. The rabbis relied on the authority of others (through tradition). Jesus’ authority was centered in Himself. The Pharisees who taught were those who felt separate from the elitists, commoners, and Gentiles of their time. They adhered to strict Mosaic Law but added to it to secure religious purity. The Pharisees created an additional 613 laws which were added to Mosaic Law. 365 of these laws were negative commands or warnings. 248 laws were positive commands. This made the life of the average Jew nearly impossible to live by obedience. Many times the average Jews would not know he broke a law. Because of this, the average Jew risked chance of excommunication from the temple if these laws were violated. These laws were to “seek his own glory,” not God’s.
When I hear pastors saying you can live your best life now, I wonder what Bible they are teaching. I don’t know about you, but our best life is to come. It’s called Heaven. When we talk about all the happiness we can have every day, I know that reality is contrary to this type of teaching. The reality is our world is filled with pain and suffering. The Bible teaches more about suffering and pain, than rewards, money, and happiness for thinking positively. The writers of scriptures teach more on how to deal with the issues of life, how to respond, than all the goods we can receive if we “just believe or think positively.” The next time you hear someone telling you can have God’s best right now, don’t believe it. Don’t be fooled by someone who says your life can always be filled with happiness. This is false teaching. It comes from the pit of hell. Today our world is getting worse each year. Don’t dismay. Jesus said it would get worse before it got better. It is the culmination of His plan. He knows the future, so trust He knows how we should respond. We do this by reading His Word and preparing now and for the future!