Understanding God's Plan and Priorities for Our Lives

Our intentions are good, but as you know, our (New Year) resolutions rarely last. One reason they don’t stick is that the focus is often on our efforts, rather than on our God. The Bible says, “many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.” {Proverbs 19:21}

We must line up our plans with God’s plans … align our will with His will. 

What are God's plans and purposes for us? 

Look at God's plan and priorities for our lives:

1) God wants us to experience His great love for us. 

“See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” {1 John 3:1}.

2) God wants us to receive His forgiveness. 

“I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord. And you forgave the guilt of my sin.” {Psalm 32:5}

3) God wants us to know Him. 

“This is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent." {John 17:3}

4) God wants to conform us to be like Jesus Christ. 

“Those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son." {Romans 8:29}

5) God wants us to know His Word. 

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” {Joshua 1:8}

6) God wants us to talk to Him daily in prayer. 

“Pray in the Spirit (pray with the Spirit's help) on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." {Ephesians 6:18}

7) God wants us to trust Him in all things. 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and he will make your paths straight.” {Proverbs 3:5–6}

8) God wants us to love Him. 

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." {Matthew 22:37}

9) God wants us to love others. 

“Love your neighbor as yourself.” {Matthew 22:39}

10) God wants us to tell others about Jesus Christ. 

“We are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making His appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, ‘Come back to God!’” {2 Corinthians 5:20}

As we seek any change in our lives, remember God’s plans are always best for us. When our plans align with His plans, we'll receive lasting joy, inner peace, and strength to change. Remember, we aren't our own—Christ is our strength for change. Colossians 1:27 clearly states that it’s Jesus Christ in us the hope of glory (the hope of reflecting who He is).

What Jesus Christ Taught Concerning His Return (Part 5)

The Parable of the Sheep and Goats: The Final Judgment of Nations {Matthew 25:31-46}

The Final Judgment: We must guard against confusing the judgment of a nation's works with the judgment of individuals (sheep and goats). Judging nations is really judging the individuals within them. Jesus Christ was painting a picture of the final judgment of all men. The final judgment will include all nations of men; it shall be the judgment of the whole world.

It is important to see that Jesus was judging two types of beings, sheep, and goats. 

The sheep (true believers) serve with Jesus Christ's heart of love because they are sheep. The ministry they rendered came from within. It was a natural ministry performed by sheep. It arose from a selfless, Jesus Christ-centered nature. Goats do not serve with Jesus’ heart of love because they are goats. The acts of kindness identified the sheep as sheep. The neglect of the goats identified them as goats. 

The sheep acted like sheep, that is, they served because they were sheep. And the goats acted like goats because they were goats. This is the very point of the picture. When Jesus sets them at His hand, they are already sheep and goats. Judgment is passed upon the goats because they did not serve Jesus, and blessing is bestowed upon the sheep because they served Jesus Christ. Scripture says, "Show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith with my works" (James 2:18). 

The only faith that God knows and accepts is the faith that serves Jesus Christ by ministering to people. A man or woman who says they have faith and does not minister to people is only professing faith in Jesus Christ. The true believer is "God's workmanship" (creation), created in Christ Jesus unto [to do] good works" {Ephesians 2:10}. God knows no faith apart from good works, that is, apart from ministering to the needs of others.

• The Son of Man is coming to judge (verses 31-33).
• The judgment of sheep will occur (verses 34-40).
• The judgment of goats will occur (verses 41-45).
• The judgment is for eternity (verse 46). 

Jesus Christ, Return: the Son of Man is coming to judge. 

1) When Jesus comes, He is coming in glory. This means at least two things. Firstly, He is coming in His glorified body, that is, His transfigured body {Matthew 17:2}; in a body full of light and splendor; in a body shining as the sun in all the brilliance of God's glory. 

Secondly, Jesus is not coming in the humiliation which He suffered as a man, but He is coming as the Son of Man and as the King of the universe.

2) When Jesus comes, He is coming with His holy angels. An innumerable number of glorious beings will accompany Him, demonstrating the glory and honor of His person as God. The holy angels will be the attendants and ministers of His justice.

3) When Jesus comes, He is coming to be enthroned. When He sits upon "the throne of His glory," He sits in judgment. He will become the One before whom every knee shall bow {Philippians 2:9-11}. He will become the Judge of the whole universe, the Judge who is exalted above all {Revelation 20:11}.

4) When Jesus comes, He is coming to gather all nations. All men will be gathered by the angels and brought before Him. The word nations stresses that every single country, place, nationality, race, creed, color, language—every living citizen will be gathered before Him in judgment.

5) When Jesus comes, He is coming to separate the nations.

a) Throughout history, there has been a mixture of sheep and goats, of good and evil. The tares and the wheat have grown together. The sinner and the godly have lived together:

•  in the same world
•  in the same nations
•  in the same cities
• in the same employments
• in the same churches
• in the same families

When Christ comes, however, there is going to be a separation—a separation of the good from the bad, of the sheep from the goats {Matthew 13:49; Ezekiel 34:17}.

b) The sheep will be placed on His right hand and the goats on His left hand. The sheep represent genuine believers. They are:

• the ones who believe in God's "only begotten Son" (John 3:16).
• the ones who are truly "born again" {John 3:3, 7)}
• the "good and faithful" servants {Matthew 25:21, 23}.
• the "righteous" {Matthew 25:37}.
• the ones who are "patient" and "continue in well-doing" {Romans 2:7}.
• the ones who "seek for glory and honor and immortality" {Romans 2:7}.
• the ones who "work good" {Romans 2:10}.

Note that God sets the sheep at His right hand, the position of honor, glory, acceptance, and favor.

The goats represent all unbelievers, those who never professed Christ and those who professed Christ but were not genuine believers. They are:

• the "unprofitable servants" {Matthew 25:30}.
• the "wicked and slothful servants" {Matthew 25:26}.
• the "cursed" {Matthew 25:41}.
• the ones who "are contentious" {Romans 2:8}.
• the ones who "do not obey the truth" {Romans 2:8}.
•  the ones who "obey unrighteousness" {Romans 2:8}.
• the ones who "do evil" {Romans 2:9}.

Thoughts to ponder:

1) Judgment is coming. It is inevitable; it cannot be avoided nor evaded. No person can escape the coming judgment of God. God is going to judge the world by His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

2) Very simply put, the day is coming when every citizen of every nation and tribe on earth will stand before Jesus Christ—stand either in His favor or in His disfavor.

3) The two claims to deity that Jesus Christ makes:

• He calls Himself "the Son of Man": He is the Ideal Man. As the Ideal Man, He is to judge the sons of men.
• He says that "the Son of Man shall sit upon the throne of His glory." He said this three days before He was killed.

4) Jesus Christ is now sitting on the throne at the right hand of God. There is a difference between the throne of grace and the throne of judgment pictured in this passage. We can now come to the throne of grace for help (Hebrews 4:16). But when Jesus Christ returns in glory, it will be too late to receive help. His throne will be a throne of judgment to which there will be no approach apart from judgment.

What Jesus Christ Taught Concerning His Return (Part 4)

Jesus Christ: The Lord's Return and His Judgment

The punishment for work not done will be stripping and separation. Jesus Christ covers three points in discussing this unprofitable servant. {Matthew 25:24-30} 

[Remember: Jesus Christ is speaking of a person who professes to be saved and is in the church]

1. The servant's reasons for not using the gifts his lord had entrusted into his care:

a) He misunderstood the lord. The unprofitable servant said that the lord was too demanding, exacting, stern, and unsympathetic. He was a lord who demanded too much and was too strict. He did not allow the man the right to enjoy this world and its pleasures enough. The servant felt that if he spent his time in the service of the lord, he would miss out on life. The demands of the lord upon his time and affairs were just too burdensome. The servant was too involved in the world and its affairs to give that much time and effort to labor for the lord and to concentrate upon his demands.

b) He added that he feared; he feared using and putting his talent to work for the lord. Therefore, he hid the lord's talent and did not use it to increase what belonged to the lord - what the lord had given him.

2. The reasons for the lord condemning the servant; note the vast difference between what the lord said and what the servant had to say.

a) The unprofitable servant was wicked and slothful. He was wicked because he went about doing exactly what he wished to do, spending his time and energy on his own thing. He transgressed the lord’s command and will. He was slothful because he did nothing with the lord’s gift. He buried and hid it.

b) The unprofitable servant was inconsistent, or perhaps a better description would be deceptive, double-minded, and self-contradictory. If he really believed the lord was harsh and stern, he would have labored and worked diligently. The servant was either lying or terribly deceived and self-contradictory, all in an attempt to justify his behavior.

c) The unprofitable servant failed to use his gift. The lord was direct: the servant should have used the gift and served (Matthew 25:27). He had no legitimate excuse.

3. The judgment of the unprofitable servant (Matthew 25:28-30). The lord pronounced a twofold judgment upon him:

1) The unprofitable servant was stripped of what he had. All that he had was taken from him. The servant's responsibility—the glorious privilege of working for and serving the lord—was not to be his anymore. He was to have nothing else to do with the lord. His responsibility was taken from him and given to the one who proven most faithful.

2) The unprofitable servant was cast into outer darkness. He was cast out of the lord's presence and banished forever. And there was no joy there, nothing but outer darkness and weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Thoughts to ponder:

1) Many people think God is hard, stern, demanding, and unsympathetic. They are unwilling to follow such a hard, narrow way. So they bury, hide their God-given gifts and travel along the easy, broad way.

2) Others think that what they have is their own, and they can use it and live as they please. They think that what they do is no one's business except their own, not even God's.

3) Many of us don’t feel any responsibility to God for what we have; we don’t feel the necessity to serve God faithfully and diligently.

4) Slothfulness, doing nothing for God, is one of the great sins of professing Christians.

5) Sins of omission are as serious as sins of commission. Being idle and slothful, being complacent and doing nothing, being lethargic and self-satisfied—all are condemning sins: sins that condemn a person to outer darkness where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

6) We deceive ourselves. We rationalize our comfort, ease, and slothfulness by minimizing our gifts. We think that we will be excused by downing or denying our gifts.

7) Inactive righteousness is as condemning as active wickedness.

8) Idle service is as condemning as a busy sin.

9) Sleepy concern is as condemning as stimulating flesh.

10) Indulging comfort is as condemning as assault and robbery.

11) Being unprofitable is as condemning as being evil.

What Jesus Christ Taught Concerning His Return (Part 3)

Jesus Christ: The Lord's Return and His Reward

After a long time, the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them. {Matthew 25:19}

The Return: the day of reckoning came, but it was only "after a long time." By the time Jesus Christ returns, it will have been a long time in the eyes of men. However, it will have been only a short time to Jesus Christ: "Lo, I come quickly" (Revelation 3:11).
Please note: Jesus Christ says the Lord did return, and He returned to reckon with His servants, not with the world. Christ is talking about His servants in this passage—professing believers and church members, some genuine believers and some only professing believers, who are making a false profession (Matthew 25:30).

We must always remember this: the Lord is not slack concerning His promise to return. He is ready to judge the living and the dead (1 Peter 4:5). He is ready now, but He is longsuffering, wanting more and more to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

The Reward: the reward for work well done will be more work to do. Note that the experience was the same for the first and second servants.

1) They both acknowledged God's gifts and graces: "Lord, thou delivered unto me." All that the servant had was given to him by Christ. There is appreciation, thankfulness, privilege, and a sense of responsibility expressed. The two servants had counted it a privilege to serve their Lord. He had given them purpose and meaning in life and the greatest privilege in all the world: the privilege of serving the Lord Himself. They were appreciative and thankful.

2) Therefore, they were bold in approaching the Lord: "Behold, I have gained." Their boldness was not in a boastful spirit, but in a spirit that knew it had been faithful in what the Lord had said to do.

3) The Lord commended the two servants and gave them great rewards: rulership and joy, the joy of the Lord. The Lord commended them for being good men (kind, gracious, moral, disciplined) and faithful in the trust (gifts) He had given them. They had worked and worked hard. They had been the kind of men He had wanted them to be and they had done the work He had wanted them to do. They were both good and faithful servants. 

[The point is this: the first two servants worked at full capacity, exerting 100% energy and effort. Both increased the Lord's goods 100%. 

Note the reward: both received responsibility over many things.]

The Lord rewarded both servants greatly. He gave them a twofold reward.
Firstly, they were given rulership: the responsibility and rule over many things after the Lord returned.

Secondly, they were given entrance into the joy of the Lord. The servants were to be ushered into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, where there is nothing but joy. The joy is the joy "of the Lord" Himself—a joy which He Himself possesses within His very being. Joy is the state of the Lord's being because He is perfect; His perfection gives rise to a fulness of joy. Believers also experience this joy because of heaven, for heaven is perfect; and where perfection is, there are no tears, pain, or sorrow. There is only joy.

Thoughts to ponder:
1) Two things are highly commendable among God's servants:

• To acknowledge that their gifts are of God.
• To be so faithful and diligent that they can be bold in the day of judgment.

2) Just how wise we are is shown by how much work we do for God and how well we use our gifts.

3) Our works will follow us.

4)  A precious, precious truth: God will be accepting both our person ("thou good...servant") and our labor ("thou...faithful servant").

What Jesus Christ Taught Concerning His Return (Part 2)

The Parable of the Talents: The Believers Gifts {Matthew 25:14-30}

(Faithfulness— Unfaithfulness: the servants treated the Lord's goods differently)

1. Two servants were responsible, very responsible. They went to work immediately; they wasted no time and began their work immediately - speedily.

a) They were faithful and diligent. They used their abilities and energy immediately. They exerted themselves, expended their energy and effort to use what the Lord had given them.

(Please note: the less gifted servant worked and labored as much as the more gifted servant. He did not have as many gifts, but he exerted the same initiative, energy, and effort. Again, the picture is that of a business transaction, but the point is that the two servants used what the Lord had given them; and they used their gifts faithfully and diligently.)

b) They were successful. Each one gained and doubled what the Lord had given him. Each servant's gifts bore fruit in proportion to his gifts. The one given more (five talents) bore more (ten talents). The one given less (two talents) bore less (four talents). However, they were equally successful, doubling what the Lord had given them.

2. One servant was irresponsible. He simply did not use the Lord's gift. But note: he was somewhat active. He spent time and energy to go out and bury the Lord's gift—he hid it. His days, his time, and his energy were to be the Lord's; but he took his life and days into his own hands. What was he doing? We are not told, however, his efforts were not spent in the Lord's cause. He served only himself. He was worldly, lusting after the flesh and possessions of this world. He was out to serve himself instead of God

Thoughts to Ponder:

1) Immediate work—immediate action—immediate use of God's gifts are expected. Each hesitation—each hour—each day where maximum energy and effort are not given is a lost opportunity. Each lost opportunity equals unfaithfulness and slothfulness. What a strong example the two faithful servants were.

2) The efforts of the faithful and diligent will bear interest (fruit). The servant who uses his or her gifts faithfully and diligently will witness a manifold increase in the goods of their Lord.

3) The person with one talent is as responsible to use their gift as the person with many talents.

4) Too often, a person who is gifted with little feels his or her service matters little, that it is not really worth the time and effort it takes. This attitude forgets something: the gift is not ours; the gift is the Lord's. It is to be used, and full energy and effort are to be exerted in its use. The use of a single gift is to occupy what days and hours we have on earth. We are to be faithful, even in the single gifts—always faithful and always using what we have for the Lord, even if it is a single gift.

5) For the child of God there are two important things:

• Find out what God wants us to do; that is, determine what the talent is that He has given us.
• Be faithful in the use of it.

What Jesus Christ Taught Concerning His Return (Part 1)

The Parable of the Talents: The Believer's Duty to Work (Matthew 25:14-30)

This parable must not be confused with the Parable of the Pounds (Luke 19:11-27) though the two parables do have similarities. Please note that each servant in this parable was given money (a talent was worth about twenty years' wages) according to his ability. The man with much ability was given five talents; the man with average ability received two talents; the man with minimal ability received one talent.

The talents represent opportunities to use our abilities. If five talents were given to a person with minimal ability, he would be destroyed by the heavy responsibility. But if only one talent were given to a man of great ability, he would be disgraced and degraded. God assigns work and opportunity according to ability. 

The three servants fell into two categories: faithful and unfaithful. The faithful servants took their talents and put them to work for their Lord. The unfaithful servant hid his talent in the earth. Instead of using his opportunities, he buried them!

Jesus Christ said that the point of this parable was twofold. First, while He is away, the believer is to do something: work (work faithfully and diligently). Secondly, while He is away, the believer is to know something: his or her work will be greatly rewarded or severely judged.

Again, Jesus Christ was dealing with His return. He went "into a far country" (Matthew 25:14), and "after a long time, the Lord" returned (Matthew 25:19). Jesus Christ was teaching a much-needed lesson: we must be faithful and diligent, for if we are not when He returns there will be severe judgment.

• The Lord went to a far country (verse 14).
• The Lord entrusted His goods to His servants (verses 4-15).
• The servants treated the Lord's goods differently (verses 16-18).
• The day of reckoning came (verse 19).
• The reward for work well done: more work to do (verses 20-23).
• The punishment for work not done: stripping and separation (verses 24-30).

(1) Jesus Christ’s Ascension and Exaltation (Matthew 25:14)

Jesus Christ foretold that He was like a man who was traveling to a far country, and what He foretold happened. He traveled away from the earth and ascended into heaven for a specific purpose: to sit at the right hand of God. He is to sit there until His servants complete the work, He has given them to do. When He returns, it will be the time for reward and for judgment.

(2) Gifts (Matthew 25:14-15)

The Lord has entrusted His goods (gifts, abilities, responsibilities) to His servants. There is a verse that says it all: "Wherefore He saith, When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men" (Ephesians 4:8).

In this particular point Jesus Christ says three things:

1) The Lord called His own servants. The word for servant is bond-slave. He called those who were supposedly His own and who were supposedly faithful and responsible to His service. He had bought them. They were to be His own and to serve Him.

Note why He called them: to put His goods (gifts) into their hands while He was away. His property had to be looked after and increased and bettered while He was away. The property of the Lord means the world and the souls of men. The servants are given the very same mission and work that Jesus Christ had: to minister to the souls of men and to the desperate of the world.

2) The Lord gave each servant a different portion of His goods to look after. The point is that each person was given a special talent (gift or responsibility). No one was left out. Each servant was therefore expected to work and serve.

3) The Lord gave to each servant according to his ability.

Four factors are important here:

a. No two servants have the same ability; each one of us is different.

b. God endows His goods (gifts) as He wills, knowing each servant perfectly.

c. Each servant receives all the gifts he or she needs and can use.

d. Each servant has an equal opportunity to be faithful in using what God has given him or her. We are to be judged on our faithfulness, not on the number of gifts or the size of the work we are assigned.

Thoughts to ponder: there are three precious and wonderful facts here:

1) We are "His own." We are God's; we’re His possession.

2) We are taken care of by Jesus Christ. Each one is given "His goods," very special gifts, abilities, and responsibilities to look after for God. God gives us exactly what we need to fulfill our lives and to give us purpose, meaning, and significance in life; to conform us to the very image of Jesus Christ Himself.

3) The church is taken care of by Jesus Christ. During His absence, He has provided all that is necessary to care for and to advance the church.

4) Every believer has at least one gift.

What and How We (believers) Should Judge

Contrary to the mistaken idea that believers - followers of Jesus Christ should never judge (often wrongly attributed to Matthew 7:1), people who serve God are told to judge many things. However, Jesus did teach that we must avoid the "hypocritical - dishonest judgment" of each other.

Here are a few issues and areas of life that require us to make judgments:

Doctrine: 

Is it sound or flawed? (1 Timothy 4:1, 16; 2 Timothy 4:3-4)

Religious teachers: 

Do they teach truth or error? (Matthew 7:15; Acts 20:29-31; Colossians 2:8; Revelation 2:2)

Morals: 

Do we accept and live by godly standards or those of the world? (1 Thessalonians 4:1-7; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

Friends: 

Do we choose them wisely? (Proverbs 12:26; 22:24-25)

Culture: 

Do we strive to live godly lives or to be accepted by the world? (1 John 2:15; Revelation 18:4)

Others:

It is not our job to judge people in the sense of condemning them (2 Corinthians 13:5). The responsibility for that kind of judgment is given to Jesus Christ, and His judgments are completely fair and merciful (Psalm 96:13; Acts 17:31; John 5:22). However, God does expect us to discern what is godly and what is ungodly so we can live in obedience to His good, pleasing and perfect - complete will.

Learn to Discern: How to Recognize and Respond to Error in the Culture

The enemy of truth is subtle and cunning. We should not be surprised by the increase in lies and spiritual error as we near the return of Christ. The Bible says this will happen {Matthew 24:11}, and God wants us to be aware of false teachings and teachers so we can stand firm in His Word. We must be discerning and not simply accept what people say is true.

Be Discerning (Learn to discern between truth and error)
Wisdom is the application of the truth of Scripture to our lives {James 1:5}, and God wants us to ask for wisdom. But discernment takes that one step further. Discernment is the ability to judge or distinguish between two things using the wisdom of God’s Word. This kind of judging is not wrong. Indeed, it is crucial if we are to make wise choices.

We learn to distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil, sound and unsound, and truth and error through the work of the Holy Spirit within us. The Spirit of God uses the Word of God to reveal and teach the truth that is from Him {John 14:26; 16:12–15; 1 Corinthians 2:13–14}.

God praises discernment in His children. In the Old Testament, the sons of Issachar understood the times and knew what Israel should do—they were discerning {1 Chronicles 12:32}. In the New Testament, Jesus told the Pharisees that they should be able to understand the signs of the times, but because they were more concerned about adding to the law, they were unable to discern God’s truth {Matthew 16:1–3}.

Adding to God’s Word is always a sign of false teaching. Proverbs 30:6 and Revelation 22:18–19 tell us clearly that we are neither to add to nor take away from God’s Word or else we will be found to be “a liar.” Whenever we incorrectly handle the Scriptures, we will end up in deception and destructive teaching.

It is the responsibility of every Christian to be discerning, but our attitude in discerning and confronting error is also important. We must not be hateful, argumentative, or angry, but we must instead expose false teachings with love, kindness, and hope for change {Ephesians 4:15; 2 Timothy 2:24-26}. We must listen carefully to what is said {Proverbs 18:13} and then confront with the faithful Word {Titus 1:9}, not our own opinions. God hates evil, but He also despises pride and arrogance, so our attitude in discernment matters to Him {Proverbs 8:13}.

Be Alert (Notice the corrupting pull of the culture)
The Bible instructs us to “walk circumspectly” (looking around), “not as fools but as wise … because the days are evil,” and to “understand what the will of the Lord is” {Ephesians 5:15–17}. In other words, we need to be alert. We must be aware of the error we encounter in literature, the news, and other media. We need to increase in the knowledge of God and His truth so we will have His “wisdom and spiritual understanding” {Colossians 1:9–10}.

God’s people need knowledge of His will, Word, and ways so they will not be destroyed {Hosea 4:6}. It is dangerous to add opinions and human philosophies to God’s wisdom, just as it is foolish to substitute man-made rules and teachings for true, biblical holiness. Second Timothy 3:1–5 describes the kind of people who will live in the latter days—people who will have “a form of godliness” while denying the power of God. People are hungry for spirituality today, but they refuse the holy standards in the Scriptures.

False prophets bring in “destructive heresies,” deny the Lord and blaspheme the truth, exploiting people with deceptive words {2 Peter 2:1–3}. These false prophets, like the secular world system, want us to adopt unbiblical values, gain approval based on those values, and pursue ungodly goals.

One of the keywords in the culture that confuses people today is the word tolerance. We must remember that tolerance is how we treat people, but rationality is how we are supposed to treat ideas—and for the Christian, that is biblically-based rationality. We are not to tolerate false ideas. Rather, we are to sort truth from error and then expose error.

Two worldviews are in conflict. One worldview is biblical; the other is antibiblical. Christians are often called narrow-minded, but having distinctions requires a narrowing of thought. Jesus spoke of a narrow gate {Matthew 7:13–14}, and we see throughout the Scriptures that there is no gray area when it comes to receiving Christ’s salvation and obeying His commands.

We are to expose and cast down anything that rises up against the knowledge of God in the Word because someday every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord {2 Corinthians 10:3, 5; Philippians 2:10–11}. Jesus must be the Lord of our minds. He exercises His authority through the Word, so we must be sure we are thinking biblically.

Be Biblical (Know and teach the truth, and show it in your life)
Bank workers study genuine money, not counterfeit bills, so they will recognize bogus money. Similarly, if we want to recognize wolves in sheep’s clothing, we must know what a true sheep looks like! Because evil disguises itself as truth—and remember, Satan disguises himself as an angel of light {2 Corinthians 11:14}—we must study God’s Word so we can quickly recognize error. Even in some evangelical churches, people are not being taught the whole counsel of God. It’s important to anchor our lives in God’s character {2 Peter 1:3}, and know His standards for unchanging truth, so we will not be cast adrift by the empty, always-changing philosophies of the world {2 Timothy 2:15}.

God does not want us to be spiritual babies. He wants us to mature in Christ so we will not be “tossed to and fro” by foolish, crafty schemes and teachings {Ephesians 4:13-15}. He wants us to grow in understanding and discernment because he hates “every false way” {Psalm 119:104}.

Likewise, God does not want His children to fall into the traps of the Enemy. If we will meditate in the Scriptures, we will be less likely to fall for the counsel of the wicked {Psalm 1:1–2}. It is important to come to the Word of God in humility—as a little child—without any ulterior motives and biases, asking our heavenly Father to teach us {Matthew 11:25; 1 Corinthians 1:19–20}. It is also important to sit under solid, biblical church teaching and to fellowship with strong Christian believers. God wants us to “exercise” our senses and faithfully seek how to live for Him {Hebrews 5:14}. We need daily exposure to the Word of God so we will be able to “discern what is best” and live holy, blameless lives {Philippians 1:10}.

Truth is the most powerful corrective to error. Once we know the truth, we will want to share it with others who have fallen into error, those who are deceived by false teaching. We must teach and live out the truth of God. We can help other believers stand in the liberty of Christ and “not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” {Galatians 5:1}.

Be Courageous (Identify and expose the works of darkness)
God wants us to defend the gospel {1 Corinthians 15:1} by exposing lies. We must identify the sources of error that may be influencing our lives or the lives of those we love. Perhaps it is a cult or New Age thinking or theological errors. First John 4:1 instructs us to test the spirits, attempting to determine whether they are from God. Whatever their words—whether they are spoken by preachers, teachers, psychologists, authors, talk show hosts, or radio speakers—all teachings are to be judged by the eternal Word of God {John 17:17b}.

The character and methods of false teachers are exposed in the Scriptures:

1) They preach another gospel and a different Jesus from the one revealed in Scripture {1 Corinthians 16:22; 2 Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 1:6–9}.

2) They speak “a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the LORD” {Jeremiah 23:16}, and prophesy lies in God’s name, trying to make His people forget about Him and His Word {Deuteronomy 18:20–22; Jeremiah 23:25–27}.

3) They dismiss guilt and justify sin, calling evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20).

4) They “make captives of gullible women” who are loaded down with sinful lusts—women who are “always learning” some new “truth” but never embrace the truth {2 Timothy 3:6–7}.

5) They “secretly bring in destructive heresies” {2 Peter 2:1}.

6) They speak great “swelling words of emptiness” and entice people through the flesh, promising them liberty but enslaving them {2 Peter 2:18–21}.

7) They cause dissension in the Church {Romans 16:17} as “untaught and unstable” people follow their example and twist Scripture for their own purposes {2 Peter 3:16}. False apostles often appear to be apostles of Christ {2 Corinthians 11:13}.

In the end times, false prophets will be joined by false christs, who will “show great signs and wonders” to deceive many {Matthew 24:24}. Christians are warned to have no fellowship with these teachers and their “unfruitful works of darkness” but rather to “reprove” them {Ephesians 5:11} and be careful not to be “spoiled” (taken captive or cheated) by their false doctrines {Colossians 2:8}. False teachers are empowered by Satan, and we must be courageous and vigilant against this cunning enemy who seeks to “devour” us {1 Peter 5:8–9a}.

Be Prayerful (Intercede for those caught in Satan’s snare)
Prayer is often the forgotten element in the battle against false teaching. Beyond gently and firmly sharing the truth, we can pray—from a heart of compassion and concern—that God will correct those “who are in opposition” and “grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will” {2 Timothy 2:24–26}.

We can also pray for those who have fallen prey to these teachers, that they will recognize the error of false teachings and embrace the truth of the Word of God. We must be alert and keep on praying for believers everywhere, that they will stand for truth and righteousness {Ephesians 6:18}.

We must be “serious and watchful” and develop keen discernment in our prayers {1 Peter 4:7}. Just as King Solomon asked for wisdom so that he could discern wisely and govern his people well {1 Kings 3:5–14}, so we need to pray for understanding as we seek wisdom and truth in the Word {Psalm 119:125, 130}.

Be Proactive (Protect yourself against the poison of error)
There is no such thing as a safe dose of poison, so we must be careful about what we allow to enter our lives. It is wise to surround ourselves and those we love with a clear understanding of what God teaches in His Word. After we pray for protection, we can stand firm with the “belt of truth” {Ephesians 6:14a}. In fact, we should put on the whole armor of God, for our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the “powers of this dark world” {Ephesians 6:12–17}.

To be proactive, we can learn to correctly handle the Scriptures, knowing these truths about the Word of God:

a) It is eternal and unchanging {Psalm 119:89}.

b) It is trustworthy {Psalm 119:137–138}.

c) It is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness {2 Timothy 3:16}.

d) It originates in God Himself by the Holy Spirit {2 Peter 1:20–21}.

e) It will be fulfilled—unlike the prophecies of false teachers {Deuteronomy 18:22; Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:44}.

f) It is understandable through the Holy Spirit’s teaching {John 14:26; 16:13; 2 Corinthians 1:13}.

g) It means what it says and is not to be altered {Deuteuromy 4:2; 12:32; Proverbs 30:5–6; Ecclesiastes 12:11-12; 1 Corinthians 4:5–6; Revelation 22:18–19}.

h) It is unified, neither contradictory nor inconsistent {Numbers 23:19; Psalm 119:160; Matthew 4:4; Acts 20:27}.

i) It is the standard for testing all spiritual teaching {Acts 17:11; 2 Corinthians 11:4; 1 Thessalonians 5:21; 1 John 4:1}.

We test teachings by asking questions. Does the teaching present Jesus biblically (John 8:24; 10:33)? Does the teaching represent truth from the Spirit of God—as portrayed in the Word of God—or from another spirit? Is the message consistent with the Scriptures that teach the physical death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and salvation by grace alone {1 Corinthians 15:1–4; Ephesians 2:8–9}?

With the increase of spiritual error in these perilous days, we must be courageous to confront false teachings in confidence, with compassion and wisdom. We must know, share, and live the truth, prayerfully asking God to use us to change the hearts and minds of those ensnared by Satan’s lies.

Prepared to do good work!

"That the man or woman of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." {2 Timothy 3:17}

The apostle Paul describes what the Word of God does in our lives in Second Timothy 3:16 and 17, he uses a Greek word ("exartidzo") that describes a well-decked boat like a boat. These verses say, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Let’s notice the phrase “thoroughly furnished” in verse 17. This phrase contains a “gem” that reveals what God’s Word can do if we give it top priority in our lives. We’re about to discover that there is no replacement for what God’s Word can do in us and for us.

The phrase “thoroughly furnished” means to completely deck out or to fully supply. It was used to depict a boat that had previously been ill-equipped for traveling, however, because its owner had decked it out with new equipment and gear, this boat had become thoroughly furnished to sail anywhere in the world. This boat was fully supplied, completely equipped, or thoroughly furnished.

Paul uses this word to tell us that we are not prepared to set sail in life until the Word of God has done its work in our hearts and souls. When we first come to Jesus, we are like the first ship - just beginners who hardly know enough to get by in life. Yes, we are saved and on the way to Heaven, however, we haven’t had enough of the Word placed into us to fully equip us for sailing through all kinds of weather.

We can be sure that we will encounter all kinds of weather in our journey through life — including strong storms. Therefore, if we’re going to make it all the way to our destination, we will need all the equipment and gear we can get!

Paul’s words in Second Timothy 3:17 could be interpreted this way:

“That the man (gender neutral) of God may be perfect - completely outfitted and fully supplied, decked out, furnished, and equipped unto all good works.”

When a believer never reads the Word of God, never meditates on the truths of the Word, and doesn’t regularly renew his or her mind with the Word of God, they're like a simple ship that isn’t equipped for long-distance sailing. We might be able to make it across a little lake; however, in order to victoriously make it across the sea of life and through all the storms we will encounter along the way, we will need major equipment.

That equipment is imparted to a believer when the Word becomes an integral part of our lives. God’s Word working inside our heart and mind actually outfits us, decks us out, equips us, or furnishes us, with all the spiritual gear we need to take the adventurous trip God has planned for our lives. With God’s Word fitted tightly in place, that believer is ready to set sail and follow wherever the Holy Spirit leads!

So, we have a choice. If we choose to not make God’s Word a priority in our lives, we are still headed to Heaven, but we’re like that first simple, plain, basic boat. In other words, we are just believers who have only enough spiritual equipment to make it across the little lakes of life. On the other hand, if we choose to take God’s Word deeply into our minds and hearts and then apply it to our lives, that Word will release its supernatural power to transform us from simple, basic believers to super-believers - endowed with everything needed to successfully make the long-distance journey the Holy Spirit has planned for our lives!

So how far do you want to go in life? Your answer will determine how deeply you need to take God’s Word into your heart and mind. If we are just in this for a little jaunt across a lake, we will be satisfied with a low level of God’s Word in our lives. However, if we’re planning to take a long, adventurous, exciting faith journey, we must dive into the Word of God. As we do, that anointed Word will deck us out with all the provisions we need to make it all the way to our destination.