Bible/Advice/Resources
By Summer Lane
Photo: Pixabay
In Matthew 24:24, the Bible says false messiahs and false prophets will arise in the end days and perform signs and wonders that will deceive even some elect Christians.
This is a chilling concept, but in today’s world, many false teachings are often wrapped up in beautiful packages with shiny bows. “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,” 2 Timothy 3:16 reminds us. Indeed, the Word is the sole standard by which we must measure all teachings in the public sphere. Does it contradict the Word of God? Does it add to the Word of God? Does it take away from the Word of God? Does it find new, special, or secret meaning buried within the text? These are all red flags when it comes to modern Christian pastors, preachers, and books.
But how do you identify the most cunning deceptions? The key, of course, is to immerse yourself in the truth so that forged versions of Scripture cannot fool you! “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ,” Colossians 2:8 advises.
False teaching may seem harmless at first, but it sows seeds of confusion and destruction that eventually take over your life and can even threaten the foundations of your faith. In fact, this is exactly what happened to Athena Dean Holtz, who escaped the clutches of a false teacher who ensnared many unsuspecting people in a deceptive religious cult disguised as a sort of “edgy” and “new” Christianity. Her story is an excellent example of how quickly – and how smoothly – anyone can be deceived by Satan’s lies.
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Athena Dean Holtz’s story:
Would you give up everything you have in pursuit of a lie disguised as a truth? This question may seem simple, but masterful manipulation and deception can fool anybody. This is a harsh lesson Athena Dean Holtz learned after being deceived for 13 years by a false teacher who convinced her to leave her husband, her children, and even her thriving publishing business under the guise of biblical teaching. She was exposed to extreme spiritual abuse due to unprocessed trauma in her life, but when she broke free, she founded Redemption Press, where she now helps other women tell their redemption stories by providing teaching, coaching, publishing services, and more. Athena discusses how she was deceived, how she escaped such deception, and what red flags alerted her to the awful truth about what was really happening.
Summer Lane is the #1 bestselling author of 30 books, including the hit Collapse Series and Resurrection Series. She is an experienced journalist and editor who is covering the White House and Trump administration. She owns Write Revolution News.
Summer is also a mom and wife who enjoys rural country living, herding cats, and gardening. She is passionate about writing on women’s issues, parenting, and politics from a theologically-grounded perspective that points readers to the good news of the gospel.
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