Weekly Devotional: Staying Away From False Teachings

During our time on this earth, we are constantly distracted by different things that take our focus away from God. Some of this can be turned into our own idols that we worship and put all our focus on instead. God continues to teach us to not be persuaded by false teachings and idols because only He can give us truth so that we can abide in Him. You can be persuaded by anything that stands in the way of your relationship with God. People within the church can be a part of this as well and use God’s Word to make their false teachings seem believable, as humans we are easily convinced.

Apart From God We Can Do Nothing

“If someone spreads false teachings and does not agree with sound words (that is, those of our Lord Jesus Christ) and with the teaching that accords with godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing, but has an unhealthy interest in controversies and verbal disputes. This gives rise to envy, dissension, slanders, evil suspicions, and constant bickering by people corrupted in their minds and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a way of making a profit.” – 1 Timothy 6:3-5

Being involved with false teachings, whether you spread them yourself or believe the lies they present, causes you to be corrupt and tears down your Spirit. Anything apart from God never can fully satisfy our lives. However while we take other advice from teachings we believe to be easier and decide to follow other things we believe are good for us, only God truly knows what is good. We need to understand that if we abide in God, He will reveal the truth to us through His Spirit and through His Word.

Taking the Narrow Path

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” – Matthew 7:13-14

In our lives, whenever we face difficulties or are stuck in a situation we do not know how to resolve, we tend to take the wider path, meaning the easiest way out. This can mean the path we choose is not in the direction toward God and following His Word. Rather, we choose the path that we think is best for our well-being. God tells us to take the narrow path because, although it is presented with more hardships, it will give you life rather than destruction. When we take the harder way out of situations and learn to abide in God’s truth, we will learn that this is the only way, truth and life that we need.