“Run Away From Error!”

“Run Away From Error!”
(II Pt.2:10-16).
“The church of Christ does not listen to the voice of a stranger.” The problematic is how to identify the stranger. It may seem easy as we generally take for granted that a stranger is a guest or visitor, in which case we conclude that a stranger is from without. But when we consider that a stranger is “any person whom one does not know,” we can conclude that a stranger can be from within. One can live with a person for long without knowing the person in the true sense of knowing.
Little wonder that false teachers come from within and not from without. False teachers own the voice of a stranger from within. “The enemy in the house!”
It is historically established that over the years the church has constantly been led into error through the manipulation of falses teachers. They “despised authority” to the extent of criticising even celestial beings. A feat which even powerful angels dare not do.
Authority here should not be understood to be “an office holder who excercises a certain degree of ‘sovereign power.'” Rather, authority should be viewed and understood as “something that serves the purpose of ensuring the collective good.” This explains why an office holder is respected only in so far as he holds the office. In my village when you enter the palace in the absence of the Fon you greet the stool because the stool incarnates the institution and the person sitting on that stool is honoured only in so far as one who is on the stool.
The office holder can also be a false teacher who despises or distorts the authority of Scriptures, which can likeky lead the church into error with destructive heresies that deny the Sovereign Lord. The American declaration of independence captured this very well: “Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” In this case a despise of authority is when government fails to acknowledge that she derives her power from the consent of the governed.
What easily identifies the false teachers: They are bold and arrogant! They have eyes full of adultery. They never stop sinning. They seduce the unstable and they are experts in greed!
Their end: “They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done.”
However, the compassionate God takes no pleasure in the death of a sinner. Rather this is a clarion call to all of us who have been entrusted with the secret things of God to be diligent and disciplined as we handle the affairs of the Lord. Let us not be blind guides, otherwise we lead the people into a ditch.
It also means that christians should always crosscheck with Scriptures to see whether what they are told is in agreement with Scriptures.
Weekend prayer: Holy Spirit help me to hold fast to the gospel of Christ and guide me to right interpretation. Amen!
Have a blessed weekend! Peace be with you!