I want to share with you how I happened to consider this subject. It continues to be a matter of great concern to me because I encounter these issues daily in my own reading and study whether in books or on the Internet.
While I was preparing The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge I encountered two verses that alerted me to the seriousness of this subject:
Ezekiel 14:10 And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him; (KJV, King James Version)
Eze 14:9 “If any prophets are deceived into giving a false answer, it is because I, the LORD, have deceived them. I will remove them from the people of Israel.
Eze 14:10 Both prophets and anyone who consults them will get the same punishment. (GNB, Good News Bible)
Reading this passage and compiling additional cross references convinced me that following the teaching of false prophets and mistaken teachers will result in our being rewarded with the same punishment that God awards the false prophets or teachers.
I came across another passage that relates to this concern, Jeremiah 14:14.
Jeremiah 14:14 Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. (KJV)
Jeremiah 14:14 Then the LORD said to me, “Those prophets are prophesying lies while claiming my authority! I did not send them. I did not commission them. I did not speak to them. They are prophesying to these people false visions, worthless predictions, and the delusions of their own mind. (NET Bible)
I believe God is warning each of us to be very careful about the claims and teachings of those individuals, religious organizations, churches, and denominations that serve to teach us about God and the Bible. Whether knowingly or unknowingly these sources may be teaching a “false vision.” We must be vigilant and take heed to what we hear and how we hear. There is a standard God has given us by which to judge the correctness of any source of teaching. That standard is found in the Bible.
The Bible is such a vast collection of written divine revelation that no single person can ever hope in a single lifetime to master all there is to know about it. Just the same, the significant truths and doctrines we must believe are quite plainly revealed. Each of us from our own traditions, reading, and experience may know some important facets of truth that many of us have missed.
I look forward your responses to some of the issues that have concerned me because they are often misunderstood. Our combined insights and concerns should prove to be a learning experience for all of us.