Test the Teacher - Part 2

Do we test what we hear within our church? Every sermon? Lesson?

What about the teachings we see on TV? In popular books? On Blogs? The Internet? School?

It has amazed me how many people I encounter who will defend the teachings of popular figures whose teaching is either directly opposed to the Bible, biblically unbalanced, or biblically weak.

Two teachers who I am consistently impressed with their accuracy and balance in handling the Word of God and applying it to social and cultural issues are Dr. Al Mohler (Author, Blogger, Radio Host, and President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary)and Hank Hanegraaff ("Bible Answer Man" and President of the Christian Research Institute). I think they would be the first ones to admit their own fallenness and imperfection, but day in and day out you will be hard pressed to find an argument or defense they give that is not firmly rooted and balanced in Scripture.

Here are some "teachers" that I feel that many are all too quick to listen to without testing them and their teachings against what Scripture teaches....there are many more out there; these are just two quick examples.

Oprah Winfrey
YouTube Video
Dr.Mohler's Articles
"Oprah and Her Self-Help Saviors - Making the New Age Normal"
New Age Movement Overview - A Biblical Perspective and Answers

Joel Osteen
Dr.Mohler's Articles
Book Review of Your Best Life Now
Trancript from Interview with Larry King on CNN (many excerpts of this interview and others on YouTube as well)

Helpful Biblical Passages...
The Book of Jude

2 Timothy 4:3-4 "3For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."

Matthew 7:15 " 15"Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves."

Also I highly recommend the below book on this topic!

Test the Teacher - Part 1

James 3:1-2 " 1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check."

I am amazed at men and women of God who have taught the Word of God consistently and accurately for years. Even the greatest of preachers and teachers are prone to mistakes though, and need others around them to be accountable to the content of their messages. The foundation of all Christian teachings must be the Bible...not personal experience, opinion, or philosophy.

The examples of the Bereans should always be on our mind when we open ourselves up to teaching and instruction.

Acts 17:11 "11Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."

We must examine the Scriptures EVERY DAY and measure any teacher and their teachings by God's Word to make sure they are true.