Waist Deep 2018 - July 22


Ezekiel 13: 10 “They lead my people astray, saying, ‘Peace,’ when there is no peace, . . . and when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash.” (NIV)


Are we going to preach a biblical message or a popular message?*


A coat of whitewash might improve the appearance of a wall but it doesn’t add to its strength. Likewise, we think we are being nice when we tell people what they want to hear. While there is nothing wrong with being sensitive to another’s feelings, lying to them is inexcusable.

One of God’s least favorite things is prophesying falsely. False prophets wanted to make everyone happy and to be liked, while true prophets told it like it was going to be, regardless of how they may have dreaded their audience’s reaction. Watering down the message to make it more palatable wasn’t going to change their fate.

Do all false prophets know that they are leading people astray? Perhaps not always. But teachers and preachers beware! Paul says in Galatians 1: 9 that if anyone is preaching any other gospel, “let him be eternally condemned.” He doesn’t make special provisions for those who misspeak out of ignorance. 

How do we recognize false prophets? We can recognize a counterfeit by knowing the truth. And we don’t come to know the truth by passively allowing another to feed us the only nourishment we receive; we have to get out our knives and forks and dig into the meat for ourselves. Compare every message (including this one) to God’s word to determine its truth.


Those are the most dangerous seducers, who suggest to sinners that which tends to lessen their dread of
sin, or their fear of God.*


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