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.
Within this chapter, we encounter false prophets and teachers in verses 1-2, who, driven by covetousness, exploit and manipulate others. Our world, being under the influence of evil, contains a limited number of individuals who will claim faith in Jesus Christ. While cults may succeed in leading the unsuspecting astray, it is essential to heed the warning of this chapter, which emphasizes their efforts to target individuals who profess faith and are in sound churches. They can only grow their movements by leading otherwise sincere believers away from the churches to which they belong.
I am particularly concerned about a specific group that exploits people within churches like my own, Independent Fundamental Baptist congregations. These individuals exhibit a high degree of presumption and self-will (vs 10) and do not hesitate to malign church leaders, even those with far more years of faithful ministry experience (vs 10). They have strayed from what I consider to be the right path (vs 15) and use pompous yet empty words (vs 18) to promise liberty to their followers, only to ensnare them further (vs 19).
Their actions have lured once-devoted believers from sincere churches into a quagmire from which escape may be challenging (vs 20-22). I recently heard of a man who served in a ministry at a sound church but became disillusioned when the church could no longer support him. He joined this deviant group known as the NewIFB, becoming one of their so-called “boots on the ground.” While he initially appreciated their zealous evangelism, he soon discovered that the group’s leadership was rife with dangerous egotism. When he attempted to expose their issues, he was ostracized and faced vicious attacks.
The primary concern, in my view, is that although he recognized the faults within their character, they influenced his beliefs. Instead of repenting and returning to his original church, he became involved in another faith, potentially straying further from the truth. It is essential to acknowledge that none of us possess perfect understanding, and we may all be susceptible to error. However, we must exercise caution and sound the alarm against those who exploit and manipulate those who are already part of a sound local church for their own gain.
#BewareFalseProphets #GuardYourFaith #SpiritualDeception #ProtectTheFlock #FalseTeachersExposed #ecclesiology
The Merchants of Spiritual Manipulation: Exposing the Deceptive Tactics of False Teachers
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