You were running well. Who prevented you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did not come from the One who called you.    Galatians 5:7-8 HCSB

As Christians we are expected to run well. Our Christian lives are a marathon, not a sprint. We have to be able to go the distance. We have to have the proper discipline regarding what we take in as some things we digest can inhibit our performance. We have to train properly and build strength and endurance. In our Scripture passage for today, Paul has founded a church in Galatia, and they were doing well until some false teaching crept in.

This false teaching was preventing them from obeying the truth. We tend to like false teaching because it typically tells us we can do as we please and God will be okay with it. People flock to these types of teachers because they tell them what they want to hear. In doing so, however, they lead them into disobedience.

When we are fooled by false teaching, we are more apt to sin. Sin in the Bible is often referred to as stumbling. You may have heard it said that someone has fallen into sin. We’ve all watched the movie where the beautiful, young female is trying to escape her tormentor and falls and is captured. That’s kind of what sin is like. It’s like this scary thing coming after you. We should run from it.

The really scary thing about sin, however, is it looks good. It seems like a great idea at the time. If sin wasn’t desirable, no one would ever do it, right?

False teaching affects the Christian mind just as consuming chocolate bars and sodas affects the runner’s performance. False teaching fills the Christian mind with junk.

So, the big question would be, how do you know when it’s false teaching? Well, simply put, the Bible tells you so. Our pastor often encourages us not to take his word for it but to see what the Bible has to say. Of course, he teaches straight from the Bible so that helps. Many teachers just throw a verse in here and there and you have to be careful with this. They put a lot of themselves and feelings and emotions into their so-called sermons. Many of today’s evangelists are really just motivational speakers and should be considered as such.

If you want to be able to determine when a 100-dollar bill is counterfeit, you must study a genuine 100-dollar bill so you can notice any differences. If you want to be able to recognize false teaching, you must study your Bible, so you know when teaching contradicts what is in Scripture.

Know what’s in your Bible. This can only be done through Bible study. Pray continually for wisdom and discernment. God will gladly give wisdom to those who ask as we are told in James 1:5.

My friend, if you were truly saved, you have begun your marathon. Don’t let the devil cause you to trip and fall. Don’t let preachers motivated by fame and fortune lead you in the wrong direction.

Are you running well? Are you praying and studying your Bible? Do you attend church regularly to praise God and study His word? If so, keep up the good work.

If you have allowed false teaching or complacency to sideline you, get up and begin again. In 2 Timothy chapter 4 Paul is talking about false teaching and how people will not endure sound doctrine because they like being told what they want to hear. In verse 7, as he knows his end is near, he says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” Can you say the same?

My prayer for you today is that you are running well and you will have the strength and endurance to keep the faith and finish the race.

Have a great day!