DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM!

Jeremiah 23:9-11, 16

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Mine heart within me is broken because of the prophets;

All my bones shake;

I am like a drunken man,

And like a man whom wine hath overcome,

Because of the LORD, and because of the words of his holiness.

10 For the land is full of adulterers;

For because of swearing the land mourneth;

The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up,

And their course is evil, and their force is not right.

11 For both prophet and priest are profane;

Yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.

16 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.

Jeremiah 23:9-11, 16

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It is easy to point a finger at politicians. What many of us do not want to do is point a finger at religious leaders. Sure, there are the outspoken ones on social media and the news who draw too much attention to themselves and all too often come crashing down. But what about those who do not seek the limelight? We find preachers who are harsh about denominations to be judgmental. However, two diametrically opposed doctrines cannot both be true. For instance, if a denomination teaches that everyone is going to heaven, but the Bible very clearly states the opposite, it is a false "prophet". If a denomination teaches that you only get to Heaven by being a member of their "church", it is a false "prophet".

I cannot stand denomination elitism. However, I love Biblical truth. There is a big difference! I also do not subscribe to the view of "As long as we agree on the major points we should all get along." We should get along, but what are the major points and what are the minor points that we can just throw out as inconsequential? Sure, there are some things that we can question like "Pre-Trib Rapture verses Mid-Trib rapture", but most doctrines should be concrete based on the word of God. Why? Because every doctrine reflects the holiness and righteousness of God. Doctrines describe God to a lost and dying world.

I heard a man say, "It doesn't matter if you are Baptist, Methodist, Episcopal, or Muslim, we are all in it for the same thing." That idea will lead people straight to Hell. The Bible very clearly teaches that Jesus is the Son of God. It teaches that he is one with God. Yes, he because a man, but he was, and is, still God. This is a paramount doctrine of the New Testament. So, if someone believes that Jesus was only a good teacher and prophet, how do they get to Heaven? Two of the four groups listed above believe that living a good life based on their religious book and teachers will get them to Heaven. That is a far cry from what God's word says. The teachers of these groups are "false prophets".

In verse 16, God told the people "Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain" they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD." While God was going to judge these false prophets, he did not absolve the people of their accountability of what they believed. They were to judge their teachers based on the Word of God, not their own personal desires. God does not care what we want to hear. He wants us to hear what he actually says. He gave us this in the Bible. You cannot say, "Well I don't really read the Bible, but I believe it." How do you believe something that you do not know? It is the Bible that God will judge us by. Shouldn't we know it better than what religious leaders tell us. The Bible is what you should judge us by.

Finally, there are two approaches that we should take when dealing with a teacher or preacher who is saying something contrary to God's word. First, you try to correct them. Take them off to the side and with the Word of God, show them their error. If they hear you and change, great! What a blessing you have been to them. On the other hand, if you show them in God's Word that they are wrong and they do not listen, you have a different problem. Either the church needs to remove that person from an teaching/preaching position, or you need to find another church. If you can help the church correct the error, again, good. You have been a blessing to the church. However, if they too will not hear you, you should find a group of believers who teach and hold to the truth of God's word.

Father, help me to stand for the truth of you word. It might be a lonely stance at times, but may I be faithful to you above all else. Should I face opposition, strengthen me for the stand. Help me also to know when to walk away based on your will.