Hindrances to Obedience to the Lord

(Part III)

Charles G. Maples, Sr.

A WARNING FROM THE LORD, HIMSELF! “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as THERE WILL BE FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU…” (2 Peter 2:1) The Lord had already warned (while here with His disciples) of the danger posed by those false teachers! We read in Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves…!”

In our two previous studies of this theme, we have considered, as “HINDRANCES,” Lack of Interest and Lack of Knowledge/Understanding; and surely those are “Road Blocks” that Satan often uses; but no less so than this topic, “FALSE TEACHERS.” We see this “device” at work early in the history of the Lord’s church. When the apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth, he declared false teachers to be, “…deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.  And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if HIS MINISTERS transform themselves into ministers of righteousness…” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). In that same letter; chapter four; he described SATAN’S OBJECTIVE, relative to the preaching of the gospel of Christ: “But even if our gospel is veiled (hid – KJV), it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds THE GOD OF THIS WORLD HAS BLINDED, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Where the gospel has gone, and has been fruitful (as in the lives of many, if not most who will read this), Satan does not give up! His “big thing” is “SOWING TARES” (Matthew 13:24ff) and “SIFTING (disciples) AS WHEAT!” (Luke 22:31), and this he accomplishes through “False Teachers,” just as he does with his many other “devices”(2 Corinthians 2:11), in tempting us to sin! The apostle Paul warned the elders of the church at Ephesus that after he would leave them, “..SAVAGE WOLVES WILL COME IN AMONG YOU, NOT SPARING THE FLOCK. AND FROM AMONG YOURSELVES MEN WILL RISE UP, SPEAKING PERVERSE THINGS, TO DRAW AWAY THE DISCIPLES AFTER THEMSELVES. THEREFORE WATCH…” (Acts 20:29-30) In our opening paragraph, the Lord’s early warning through the apostle Peter (2 Peter 2:1), Inspiration continues, “(those false teachers) will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who made them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousnes they will exploit you WITH DECEPTIVE WORDS…”

“From the beginning,” whereas “LIGHT” has symbolized righteousness, godliness, fellowship with God, “DARKNESS” represents separation from Him who is “LIGHT” (I John 1:5). If we would “HAVE FELLOWSHIP” with Him, we must “WALK IN THE LIGHT, AS HE IS IN THE LIGHT…” (v.7) and so the devil is determined: (1) To prevent us from turning “FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT.” (Acts 26:18) (2) If we do turn to walk in the light, then he does all that he can to tempt us to, at least “compromise,” and have some “FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD.” In the first case; being, “the god of this world,” he seeks to “veil our hearts/minds, lest the light of the glorious gospel should shine unto (us)…” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4) In the second, the apostle John warns, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many FALSE PROPHETS have gone out into the world…” (I John 4:1)

But, as we have said before, it makes no difference which “device” Satan might use; whether LACK OF INTEREST, LACK OF KNOWLEDGE/UNDERSTANDING, OR FALSE TEACHERS; HIS ULTIMATE GOAL IS SINGULAR: The souls of you/me in hell with him, and that throughout eternity! Whereas the Father of our spirits, Jehovah God, “…IS NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, BUT THAT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.” ( 2 Peter 3:9)