This is what the Lord GOD says: “Woe to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing! Ezekiel 13:3 NASB
It’s important to get advice and be open to teaching and counsel, but we must be careful whom we are listening to. Proverbs 13:20 says, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm” (ESV). Simply put, surround yourself with quality people, and your life will improve, but if you do the opposite, you’ll pay the price.
Both the Old and New Testaments warn us against listening to false prophets or teachers. Ezekiel 13 gives these warnings to false prophets. “’Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Because of your false words and lying visions, I am against you, declares the Sovereign LORD” (v. 8 NIV). “My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations….” (v. 9) “It is definitely because they have misled My people by saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace. And when anyone builds a wall, behold, they plaster it over with whitewash” (v. 10, NASB).
If people think that Jesus’ teachings were all sweetness and light, they are wrong. Jesus could be stern, and He reserved some of his harshest condemnations for fake religious leaders. “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to” (Matt. 23:13 NIV).
Dishonest, manipulative people tend to prey on those who are naïve, trusting, and lack self-confidence.
Just because someone is speaking inside a building with a cross on the steeple or “church” in the name, or they have the title “Rev.” or can quote scripture or have a popular podcast or TV program, don’t just swallow everything they say like a blue whale swallows krill. Use discernment, and always test what the speaker says against what the Bible says.
Go deeper: Make a daily habit of reading the Bible for yourself, so over time you’ll internalize the messages and can more readily evaluate what you hear and winnow truth from error.
S.D.G./S.G.D.