April 9: A SPECIAL TRUST: TO WINSOMELY STAND FOR TRUTH

“Repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.” Revelation 2:16

The fact that these false teachers are in the church actually places them in a favorable position to hear the undiluted Word and accept correction. The wake of damage to church members under their tutelage certainly breaks the heart of Jesus. At the point in time that the letter was issued, notice that Jesus is still speaking to the faithful ones: you. He knows that you are the ones inclined to hear, heed, and follow through, for the benefit of them.

Beloved, the commitment to stand for truth applies everywhere, both inside and outside the church. The ones who know and follow the Scriptures are responsible for voicing the needed corrections to benefit those in error. The ones who know better are called upon to repent from tolerating false teachings in the church! Those in error are also intended to hear this message, that they might recognize themselves in this picture. Their urgent need is to see the precarious situation that their compromises are creating for the church as a whole, and especially in the lives of individuals who look to them for instruction.

In a loving relationship of mutual trust, we should see that Jesus has placed a special trust in His followers to present the everlasting gospel (Revelation 14:6), and not a different gospel (2 Corinthians 11:4, Galatians 1:6) to the world. In what is identified as unconditional prophecy, the righteous judgement of the Lord is a sure thing. It will happen – and soon! What a wonderful advantage to understand this fact ahead of time. The opportunity to repent and come into alignment with the God of Heaven is a priceless gift, for He cannot allow even the thinnest sliver of sin into His kingdom. Do not let it be said of you that you knew this and did not tell it to someone who needed to know! *

The words “or else” bring to mind the dreadful consequences of rejecting the loving warnings of the Savior. It sounds like a threat because it is! Such rejection removes the rejectors from His protection, a mercy presumptuously taken for granted by them. Error and sin are directly connected; and others are always hurt by it. False doctrine is one of Satan’s main tools for causing people to misunderstand the character of God. Balaam was unsuccessful in cursing Israel, but, in his greed for money, he evidently advised Balak of a way to influence Israel to fall into error and thus bring curses upon themselves. Balaam’s actions resulted in his own death and also the deaths of those who were willingly led astray (see Numbers 25:9, 31:8).

And the Angel of the LORD said to [Balaam], “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me.” Numbers 22:32

*Ezekiel 3:18, 3:20, 33:8