# How to Profit From False Teachers



## Backwoods Presbyterian (Feb 5, 2015)

David Murray from Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary is going through Joel Osteen's first book "Your Best Life Now" in a series of blog posts which begin here. 

Tuesday he posted an article that kind of summarized why he was going through a ten year-old book and I have found these articles helpful and thought I would share with the PB. 

How to Profit From False Prophets | HeadHeartHand Blog


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## timmopussycat (Feb 5, 2015)

I hope it's the article you found helpful (as did I) and not the book!


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## Jack K (Feb 5, 2015)

I've been following his posts too, and the series has been good. His point that false teachers are quick to sniff out and address what the culture is already thinking is an excellent observation. We do well to pay attention and be ready with intelligent and timely responses. It beats being a few decades behind the discussion.


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## Free Christian (Feb 5, 2015)

I often listen to radio programs that have false teachers on them, wises me up to them, often SDA, or now and then watch one on TV which are mostly like Osteen.
I heard a SDA one the other night say that, words to this effect, "if your church has any remnants or things in it that can be linked to the RC church then your church is one of error, pagan" I almost burst out laughing when it came to my mind the images , so called images, of Christ they use in their literature. Hmm, link there perhaps?? He then went on to say how they were the Protestant Remnant church. They have some truly bizarre preachers.
How about what Osteen's wife said a while ago "When you come to church, when you worship Him, your not doing it for God really. Your doing it for yourself, because that's what makes God happy"


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## Herald (Feb 5, 2015)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> David Murray from Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary is going through Joel Osteen's first book "Your Best Life Now" in a series of blog posts which begin here.
> 
> Tuesday he posted an article that kind of summarized why he was going through a ten year-old book and I have found these articles helpful and thought I would share with the PB.
> 
> How to Profit From False Prophets | HeadHeartHand Blog



I visited David Murray's blog and I liked what I saw. However I have a pastoral concern about encouraging the average Christian to study false teachers even for apologetic purposes. It seems that David Murray is doing a good job of unmasking Osteen's errors and providing the correct biblical reply. In the absence of such guidance studying false teachers could be a dangerous proposition. Call me overly cautious.


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## MW (Feb 5, 2015)

Herald said:


> I visited David Murray's blog and I liked what I saw. However I have a pastoral concern about encouraging the average Christian to study false teachers even for apologetic purposes. It seems that David Murray is doing a good job of unmasking Osteen's errors and providing the correct biblical reply. In the absence of such guidance studying false teachers could be a dangerous proposition. Call me overly cautious.



I was thinking along the same lines. The mature and discerning can sometimes forget that they were not always mature and discerning. Also, that the Lord may indirectly give insight into truth by means of erroneous teachers is no reason to tempt the Lord in the use of means which He has not appointed.


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## timmopussycat (Feb 6, 2015)

MW said:


> Herald said:
> 
> 
> > I visited David Murray's blog and I liked what I saw. However I have a pastoral concern about encouraging the average Christian to study false teachers even for apologetic purposes. It seems that David Murray is doing a good job of unmasking Osteen's errors and providing the correct biblical reply. In the absence of such guidance studying false teachers could be a dangerous proposition. Call me overly cautious.
> ...



Since lay Christians are required to give an answer for our hope, we will need to be informed of biblical materials that refute errors of false teachers. This would seem to make it part of a pastor's work to be familiar with and able to refute such. Both RE's and those mature Christians in our churches who can teach the truth may also need to do some study in this area in order to help safeguard the flocks.


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## earl40 (Feb 6, 2015)

timmopussycat said:


> MW said:
> 
> 
> > Herald said:
> ...



I found Walter Martin's Kingdom of the Cults to be enlightening in that he contrasted the false teaching with the true. It has been an invaluable lesson (studying the false) that has been invaluable in my life to witness to the real Jesus.


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## Cymro (Feb 6, 2015)

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good 
to the use of edifying, that it may minister good to the hearers." If it should not be
in our mouths, then eyegate and eargate should be closed as far as young believers
are cocerned. If they are taught the truth then they will have a ready answer to the
deceiver.


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## Jack K (Feb 6, 2015)

It should be pointed out the Dr. Murray is in no way advocating that the average believer should read the works of false prophets. He's merely noting that his study of some bad teaching has helped him see what itching ears long to hear, so that he can confront it. I would think most readers of his blog are pastors or discerning believers, and in any case he does not suggest that his readers should study bad teaching. If fact, he says, "That would be a foolish waste of time for most, and a dangerous path for many."


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