If someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted….such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. (2 Corinthians 11:4, 13–15, NIV 1984).
My Musings – Satan has been the master of deception from the beginning, when He tempted Eve. “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1, NIV 1984). So, it should come as no surprise people will misrepresent Jesus and preach a different gospel from what we first received. “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” (1 Corinthians 15:3–4, NIV 1984).
They will challenge His deity; His resurrection and the words He left us with. Paul, in his Epistle to the Galatians had some strong words about this. “Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:8–9, NIV 1984). For those who do are subverting God’s plan of salvation, leading people astray, with their eternal destiny at stake.
My Advice – We must be careful about the things we hear or read and guard against false doctrine by “[examining] the Scriptures every day to see if what [others are saying is] true.” (Acts 17:11, NIV 1984).
The Brew Is A Musing 