Don’t Let False Teachers Take You Down the Wrong Road.

May 24, 2023

We hadn’t used our new Garmin for directions to the NC coast before. But my present to Sarah for our anniversary in December had given us accurate directions many times over the months leading to the spring trip. This was before many of the mobile maps available for your phone.

The Garmin told us to turn left off Hwy 74 onto a smaller road. The road didn’t seem quite right to me based on previous trips to visit my sister and her family. I figured the machine knew better than me.

As I made the turn, the small sign that read something like ‘Ferry, This Way’, caught my attention. I don’t remember if I said anything to Sarah or not, but I do remember thinking, “That’s odd. Why would there be a ferry this far inland?”

I continued following the Garmin’s directions, eventually turning onto Elwell Ferry Road just before stopping at the Cape Fear River’s Elwell Ferry crossing.

Sarah and I both laughed at our situation. Neither of us had ever taken this ferry. It wasn’t something we sought out and while I’m not sure if the route was the quickest or not, it worked out just fine. The ferry was open and while it may have been a little inconvenient to have to embark and disembark, we were glad to have had the experience. My sister still jokes and asks if we came by way of ferry when we visit.

Thing is, it could have been a fairly big trip buster. The ferry operated only during certain hours for certain months. It often closes due to high waters. We didn’t know any of those things and would have been surprised and probably irritated instead of pleased if it had been closed when we got there.

Today, the small sign has been replaced with a larger sign giving the days and hours of operation, along with a big lit ‘Open’, or ‘Closed’ sign. You see this sign before you turn onto Elwell Ferry Road off of Hwy 87.

Life can be a lot like our trip that day.

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Had Sarah and I used a paper map where we could see our trip from beginning to end, we would have probably not taken the route we did. Or, had we known the ferry only operated on certain days and hours, or under certain weather conditions. Maybe if had we known there was a ferry at all, we would have taken a different route. (Even though I was given fair warning. I saw the ferry sign and mentally scoffed, not giving the sign any weight in my decision-making.)

You and I are going to be approached by false teachers. Those who, intentionally, or not, peddle wrong or misleading information. They will imply their words as true and maybe even of God. But it isn’t.

Matthew warns us of false teachers.

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15-20, NASB)

It is on us to be aware and to test what we hear, read, or say against the Bible. Does the teaching line up with God’s Word? Does the teacher exhibit qualities of someone following God’s Word?

Like following our Garmin without knowing how it aligned with the goals of our trip, we can get into big trouble. It could be easy to take bits and pieces from someone without knowing how they compare to the whole truth of the Bible (much like our not seeing the trip entirety at one time).

Have you ever let a navigation system take you down the wrong road? Let’s not do that with our lives.