Bad Gifts

Bad Gifts

Bible: 2 Peter 2:1-19

There will be false teachers among you (V.1).

Two students had two tickets to the cinema posted through their door. Strangely, the gift arrived without a note; they had no idea who had sent it. But they went to the cinema and had a good evening.

Returning to their flat, they found that it had been broken into. All their stuff had been pulled out of their drawers and cupboards. The TV, their laptops, tablets and some jewellery was all gone. On one of their pillows was this simple note: “Now you know.”

Like that thief, a false teacher is someone who knows what people want to hear, and tells them those things, rather than the truth of the Bible (2 PET. 2:1-3). False teachers don’t have a uniform or a name badge. They look just like anyone else in our churches—but the difference is they are there to do damage and lead us away from Jesus.

Jesus, however, is a teacher we can trust completely. He offers us the gift of true and unending life because He loves us. Taking hold of His gift of salvation is the first step in protecting ourselves from the fake ‘gifts’ that false teachers offer. But even Christians can be misled by false teaching. That’s why we need to check whatever we’re told or taught against the Bible’s words, to see if it’s true or not (1 JOHN 4:1). That way, we won’t suddenly find that our walk
with Jesus has been hijacked.

Thinking it over . . .

Do you check what you are taught about Jesus against the Bible?
Are you regularly reading the truth of the Bible for yourself?

NOT ALL GIFTS ARE FREE; SOME HAVE HIDDEN PRICE TAGS.

Youth Edition – Our Daily Bread Ministries