Truth or Deception?

Jude 1:4

“For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”

Praise the Lord, my friend,

The above verse was written by Jude as a warning to the early church, but it is just as real for us today.

He reminds believers that not everyone who looks spiritual is truly walking with God.

Some people twist the Gospel and God’s grace into an excuse to sin, living however they please, and yet claiming to belong to Him.

Even now, false teaching can slip in quietly in our day-to-day life, my friend.

It might be like an advice that sounds wise, online content that seems spiritual, or popular ideas that don’t line up with God’s Word.

At first, it feels harmless, but over time, it can slowly reshape our thinking and pull our hearts away from Jesus.

Hence, when we face confusing or convincing ideas, we need to test what we hear.

The Bible gives us clear guidance on this.

1 John 4:1

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.”

My friend, testing here isn’t about being suspicious of every person or teaching.

But it is about staying rooted in the truth of the Word of God at all times and letting God protect our hearts.

In real life, this can look like noticing when a teaching emphasizes comfort over God’s truth.

Or when advice downplays sin instead of pointing to our Lord and Saviour Christ.

But how do we identify if a teaching or advice aligns with God’s word or not?

Psalms 119: 105

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

This means that God’s Word is our guide.

Hence, whenever we are unsure about a teaching or advice, we should compare it with Scripture.

If it aligns, it is safe; if it contradicts God’s Word, we know to stay away.

It could be as simple as checking before accepting something you read online or a popular opinion that seems convincing.

For example, you might hear sayings like, “God gives His strongest battles to His strongest soldiers.”

At first, it sounds inspiring, right?

But when we check it with the Bible, it doesn’t hold up, my friend.

Because the idea suggests that God gives struggles only to the spiritually mature or strong, but the Bible shows the opposite.

God allows challenges in our lives so that His power can be revealed in our weakness.

Just as Paul has written to the church of Corinth:

2 Corinthians 12:9

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”

This teaches us that hardships are not a sign of us being strong soldiers; instead, they are opportunities for God’s strength to shine and His grace to guide us.

You see, while the phrase sounds encouraging, it is not fully biblical.

That’s why we need to test every idea against God’s Word, my friend.

And, we can do that by asking ourselves the following questions:

Does this match with what Jesus’s teachings? Does it honor God? Does it lead me closer to Him?

If the answer is no, even if that teaching feels comforting, it is not from Him.

John 16:13

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth.”

Along with His word, God has also given us His Holy Spirit to help us discern.

So, let’s regularly engage in prayer, read our Bible, and ask the Holy Spirit to help us recognize truth from deception.

By doing that, we protect our hearts, our faith, and experience God’s grace fully without being led astray.

Praise God, my friend.

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