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Many of the individuals who lead
Christian educational institutions and churches
into apostasy are clever, articulate, and even
witty speakers and writers. They definitely have
a way with words. Many of them are personally
charming and engaging. Some of them have taken
on a celebrity status among their followers. The
undiscerning, focusing on these outward
appearances, let down their guard and open their
minds to heresy with hardly a second thought.
One wonders how those who focus
on outward appearances in our day would have
reacted to the Apostle Paul:
But as for myself, having come to
you, brethren, I came, not having my message
dominated by a transcendent rhetorical display
or by philosophical subtlety when I was
announcing to you the testimony of God, for,
after weighing the issues, I decided not to know
anything among you except Jesus Christ and this
very One as crucified. And as for myself, when I
faced you, I fell into a state of weakness and
fear and much trembling. And my message and my
preaching were not couched in specious words of
philosophy but were dependent for their efficacy
upon a demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
in order that your faith should not be resting
in human philosophy but in God’s power (1
Corinthians 2:1-5, from The
New Testament: An Expanded Translation by
Kenneth S. Wuest).
Paul too — by the inspiration of
the Holy Spirit — had a way with words, but it
was not an appeal to the flesh. He told it like
it is:
Now I urge you, brethren, note
those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary
to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid
them. For those who are such do not serve our
Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by
smooth words and flattering speech deceive the
hearts of the simple (Romans 16:17-18).
But evil men and impostors will
grow worse and worse, deceiving and being
deceived (2 Timothy 3:13).
For such are false apostles,
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 also transform themselves into
ministers of righteousness, whose end will be
according to their works (2 Corinthians
11:13-15).
The Apostle urges believers to
stand firm in Christ and in the Scriptures,
that we should no longer be
children, tossed to and fro and carried about
with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of
men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful
plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may
grow up in all things into Him who is the head –
Christ (Ephesians 4:14-15).
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