2 Peter 2

Bible Passage:  2 Peter 2

To whoever it may concern

Greetings Agent XYZ,

Congratulations! You have just been recruited to be a defender of the truth, a believer of the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

As you may have heard/seen, there had been the proliferation of many bogus teachers and their so-called doctrines all around the world. These people/organisations have been deceiving many people into believing their teachings, proclaiming themselves to be the true way to salvation, even calling themselves as the Christ of this modern age, sometimes gods even. And as we speak, someone out there is falling prey to these false prophets.

Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many…

– Matthew 24: 11

As the defenders of the truth, we have to be on the lookout for such false teachings and prophets who could be in our midst. They may be out there spreading heresies to the public. Or they could even be right under our nose (no need to look down), that is to say among us believers of the true church. This is a most tricky times of the world indeed…

Be on the alert for the following characteristics of such heresies:

•  Seems to teach correct things, but are actually found to deviate from the truth upon further inspection and referencing with the truth (2 Peter 2: 1-3);
• Brings radically new (and by radical, we mean like the really “mind-bending” kind) concepts to the table that contradicts our true doctrines (Deuteronomy 12: 32);
• Promotes the satisfaction of the lusts of the flesh and all things carnal (2 Peter 2: 18); and
• Uses godliness for his/her own benefit (1 Timothy 6: 3-5).

With the aforementioned points in mind, listed below are some courses of actions that we would have to take to equip ourselves with the necessary skills and knowledge to detect these things and protect ourselves from falling prey:

•  Read the Bible everyday (Psalms 1: 2);
• Diligently study the truth and the doctrines;
• Be very familiarised with the teachings of the Bible;
• Do not just base our faith solely on miracles, signs and wonders;
• Pray everyday for spiritual wisdom (Ephesians 1: 15-17); and
• Cultivate a discerning mind (Hebrews 5: 14).

That is all for now Agent XYZ. Here are some verses to prep ourselves for this task:

…Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge…

– 1 Timothy 6: 20

Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour…

– 1 Peter 5: 8

Now get out there and do your best for the Lord. And may the guidance of God be with us!

God bless…

A fellow believer in Christ