Enduring Sound Doctrine

The Apostle Paul prophesied that there’d come a time when certain Messianic believers would not tolerate sound Yeshua-centric-Torah-based doctrine. Is the current wave of anti-Torah teachings making its way through the Messianic Community a manifestation of this prophecy? 

I am immediately alarmed by some of the anti-Torah and anti-Biblical garbage that is now being taught by certain so-called teachers and leaders of our Faith.

Some of the garbage that is now being pushed by these false teachers as truth include, but is not limited to the following.

I.  Torah Observant Believers are NOT obliged to keep the weekly Sabbath.

Certain Messianic teachers now contend that the command to keep the weekly Sabbath was only given to the ancient Hebrews who actually lived (or who currently live) in the Land of Israel.

We who are secure and grounded in Faith recognize that the weekly Sabbath was sanctified as holy by the Creator at creation (Gen. 2:2,3). Those of us who are familiar with the “10-Words,” or more famously the “10-Commandments” recognize that the 4th-Commandment given by YHVH to the mixed multitude at Sinai was to “remember the Sabbath Day, to keep it holy” (Exo. 20:10).

The Sabbath is one of THE foundational elements of our Faith. To me, one cannot truly call themselves a bible believing man or woman of YHVH if they do not recognize the holiness (ie., the set-apart nature) of the day. YHVH specifically called out the Sabbath as a day to be kept as holy by His chosen ones. He codified its nonnegotiable relevance by including it in His 10-Commandments.

As engrafted members of the “commonwealth of Israel,” Messianics don’t only enjoy the benefits that come with that engrafting, they are also required to adopt and vigorously obey all the ways of YHVH (Rom. 11:17-24).

To any Messianic to dismiss Sabbath-keeping and teach and encourage others to do the same is ludicrous and spiritual suicide.

II.  Torah Observant Believers should NOT keep Torah

Certain false Messianic teachers and prophets are now dividing Torah into two parts: the first part being composed of the Covenant and the 10-Commandments that they contend believers are supposed to keep today. These teachers contend that this section of Torah remains viable today because it is part and parcel of the covenant that was made between YHVH and Israel (both physical and spiritual Israel).

They go on to contend that the second part of Torah is composed of the Law of Moses that YHVH enacted to punish the people for the “golden calf” incident at Sinai. It is these laws, they say, that believers should avoid in order that they may escape the inherent curses that derive from not properly keeping the Law of Moses.

Consequently, when one unilaterally annuls the laws contained in Torah, for whatever reason, they are essentially at greater risk of violating not just the terms of the covenant, but also the 10-commandments. Why?

What is the Greatest Commandment?

Master was asked by a Torah expert (some English translations refer to him as a lawyer) which of the Torah commandments was the greatest. Master responded:

“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”

Yet, Master was not done answering the question. He tells the Torah expert that there is a second commandment which is similar to the one He’d just given. This second commandment according to Master is just as important and it too must be kept:

“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”

Master summarizes that it was on these two commandments that the whole Law and the Prophets hung (Greek=”kremannumi”=suspend) (Mat. 22:36-40; KJV).

Torah Instructs Us What It Means to Love God and Neighbor

Question:

How in the world does one know how to love YHVH with their whole heart, soul and mind, and love their neighbor as they love themselves if they don’t understand and keep Torah?

I would contend that it is impossible to truly know how another person wishes to have love expressed to them without first getting to know that person on a substantive level. For when one invests the time and effort to establish a substantive relationship with another individual, then one truly knows how that other person wishes to have love expressed to them.

How Does Someone Love God?

Is Father any different? How does one truly get to know the Creator and determine how He wants to have love expressed to Him?

The primary method of establishing a substantive relationship with the Father and discovering how He wishes to be loved is through His Word. Specifically and especially through study of Torah and the teachings of Y’shua Messiah.

For Torah defines what loving Father and neighbor actually looks like to YHVH. And our Master Y’shua, through His teachings and actions, introduced us to His Father and showed us how His Father wanted to be loved by His children.

So annulling Torah makes it impossible for any would-be Truth-seeker to truly love. For Torah defines what loving Father and neighbor looks like in the eyes of YHVH.

Torah Defines What Sin Is

Annulling Torah prevents the Truth-seeker from recognizing what sin against YHVH and neighbor looks like.

Let us not forget that Paul, in commenting on the relevance and efficacy of Torah to the disciple of Y’shua Messiah’s life, that Torah is essential for defining sin.  As an example, Paul said that he would not know what it truly means to lust in the eyes of YHVH, were it not for Torah.

Any talk of abandoning the “Constitution of our Faith,” which essentially is Torah, is an outright ploy by hasatan to turn the eyes, hearts, minds and souls of Messianics from YHVH and His Ways.

Abandonment of Torah is a Form of Humanism

It is an “humanist” ploy to suggest that humans innately know how best to love God and love one another. Truth be told, humans don’t inherently know how to love God or one another. As a race, we’d certainly be in a much better place.

Man’s natural concept of love for God and for others (ie., “neighbor”) is sadly based upon his depraved nature and filthy heart. When describing the heart of man Jeremiah wrote:

“It is deceitful above all things and desperately sick…” (Jer. 17:9; ESV).

To think we, depraved creatures that we are, can adequately satisfy the Creator in terms of our love for Him and for others, based on our skewed, carnal concepts of love would be quite presumptive on our part. For Father quite clearly stated that,

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa. 55:9; KVJ).

Even Paul brilliantly expounded on this issue of knowing Yah’s Ways by penning:

“God has imprisoned all human beings in their own disobedience, only to show mercy to them all. How rich and deep are the wisdom and the knowledge of God! We cannot reach to the root of His decisions or His ways. Who has ever known the mind of the Lord? Who has ever been His adviser” (Rom. 11:32-34; NJB)?

For anyone to tell a member of the Torah-keeping Body of Messiah that they should abandon Torah because it’s not for them; or that Torah is only for the Jews; that Messianics or Christians are supposed to be under the renewed covenant now, which nullifies the keeping of Torah on one’s part; or that we’ve been freed from the curse of Torah; or that Jesus kept Torah perfectly so we don’t have to is a pathetic example of “libertine gnosticism.” 

III.  Some Advocate Selective Abandonment of Torah

Not all of these false teachers are advocating that Messianics abandon the whole of Torah. Instead, some are suggesting that Messianics tailor their abandonment and keeping of select Torah commandments.

For instance, some teachers are now encouraging Messianics to not wear tzitzits. These teachers erroneously contend tzitzit (or tassel-wearing) was a commandment given only to the Jews. They support their claims by teaching that believers have been given the Holy Spirit to remind us of Torah. (In other words, there’s no longer a need for the people of God to wear tzitzits, despite the commandment having been given by YHVH to His people.)

IV.  Some Call For An Abandonment of Sabbath Keeping

Some Messianic leaders and teachers are now calling for the abandonment of weekly Sabbath-keeping. They contend that the command to keep the Sabbath given only to the Jews. This, despite the sacredness of the weekly Sabbath being established by the Almighty at the time of Creation.

And if doing away with the weekly Sabbath weren’t enough, we have Messianic-members criticizing other Messianic-believers who keep the weekly Sabbath on S-turdays. These individuals contend that one must adhere to their non-biblically-based calendar in order to determine the correct day of the Gregorian Calendar week that the weekly Sabbath is supposed to fall. In particular I’m referring to Lunar Sabbatarians and other such groups. Certain of these teachers contend that any who refuse to adhere to their understanding of when the weekly Sabbaths fall are deceived and are not true Believers in Messiah.

V.  Some Advocate the Keeping of Pagan-Linked Holidays

And as recently as this past winter holiday season I once again saw a push by some in the Faith advocating Messianics keep Christmas (or at the very least, not bring up any pagan-links to Christmas. Advocates in favor of Christmas-keeping contend and defend the belief that there’s no proof that Christmas is of pagan origin.

Such pronouncements were particularly prominent on social media. Not only were these pro-Christmas, so-called Hebrew Roots innovators nowadays speaking favorably of Christmas-keeping by any and all, they were bashing any who simply hinted at widely known pagan-links to Christmas.

Tragically, many folks who are not well-grounded in the Faith are falling for their tactics and teachings, lock-stock-and-barrel.

Why is this Happening Now?

Why is this happening now and why does any of this matter?

Well, I believe there’s a multitude of reasons why these things are happening today. A few of those reasons include (but aren’t limited to): The challenging times we’re living in today. Then there’s the lack of unity that exists in our Faith Community which makes it especially inviting to false teachers and prophets. I would also include in this list of reasons the fact that so many of our Community’s members are without any viable fellowship opportunities. The serious lack of fellowship in the Hebrew Roots/Messianic Community gives false teachers an uncontested platform to ply their evil wares to Messianics.

The Itchy Ear Syndrome

I believe probably the biggest reason false teachers are taking so much ground in the Hebrew Roots/Messianic Community was actually foretold by the Apostle Paul who wrote:

“I charge thee therefore before God (writing specifically to Timothy), and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Tm. 4:1-4; KJV).

• Endure=anechomai=to continue to accept as valid or true (Louw-Nida Lexicon). To accept something as valid or listen to (Friberg Lexicon).
• Sound=Hugiaino=to be sound or correct (cf. 1 Tim. 6:3; 2 Tim. 1:13; Tit. 1:9; 2:1) (Gingrich Lexicon); true and incorrupt doctrine (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon).
• Doctrine=didaskalia=that which is taught, doctrine (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon).

• Itching ears=knetho tan akoe=literally itch with respect to hearing (ie., crave to hear what one wants to hear) (Friberg Lexicon); idiom, literally ‘to itch with respect to hearing’ to have one’s ears tickled by what is heard-’to have itching ears, to desire to hear what one wants to hear, to be desirous of hearing (Louw-Nida Lexicon); desirous of hearing something pleasant (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon).

On this issue of “itchy ears” and Messianics “NOT enduring sound doctrine,” Paul further elaborated:

2 Tim. 1:13—”Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus” (KJV).

In defining the attributes of a true overseer, Paul wrote:

Tit. 1:7-9—”Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers (ie., those that contradict it; those that argue against or speak against it)” (KJV).

Tit. 2:1—”But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine…” (KJV).

Yeshua and Torah

Yeshua came to expound upon and correctly interpret Torah for us. In so doing, He instructed that no follower of His was to “annul a commandment or dissuade others from observing the commandments” (Mat. 5:19).

According to Master, those that annul or teach others to annul Torah will be called “least in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Essentially, those who do so will be ranked low in the Messianic Era—the 1,000-year reign of Master Y’shua over this planet. Conversely, those that keep and teach the efficacy and validity of Torah to others will be considered great in the Messianic Era.

In Matthew 23, Master praised the Pharisees for tithing their mint, dill and cumin. But He then criticized them for neglecting to keep the “weightier matters of Torah” that involved justice, mercy and faith” (vs. 23).

“The reward for observing God’s commandments will not be revealed until the Kingdom. In that day, those faithful disciples who have kept even the least of God’s holy commandments to the best of their ability will receive the greatest reward.”

Thus, as Messianics, we are wise to continue living and walking out Torah to the best of our ability as the Holy Spirit gives us the wherewithal to do so.

Many Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing Lurking Among the Flock

In recent years, many false teachers and prophets (ie., wolves in sheep’s clothing) have found warm and welcoming homes within Messiah’s flock. Sadly, they will continue to come in at ever-increasing numbers and intensity in the days, months and years ahead.

I recall that it was about four or so years ago when I recognized a similar period of rampant false teachings in the Community. Two leaders of our Faith, who I greatly admired and respected at the time, downplayed all known pagan links to Christmas. They contended that there was no known proof (neither biblical or secular) of ANY pagan-links to Christmas. One of the two went so far as to encourage his Hebrew Roots followers, through a series of blog posts on his highly visited website, to keep Christmas in honor of their families who deserved to enjoy the holiday, and to honor the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He went on to discredit Alexander Hislop’s work (ie., author of the book “The Two Babylons”). He took umbrage with any who would criticize the Catholic Church’s role in the bringing of Christmas to Christianity.

The Sifting of Messianics

Upon expressing my dismay about this on one of my social media accounts, someone who I had previously befriended wrote something that put all of this stuff into a proper prospective for me. Her simple statement has stuck with me to this very day. She simply wrote that I should not be worked up or upset by these gentlemen’s pro-Christmas position. She went on to say that that our Community at the time was going through a period of “sifting.” That’s it. And it was that simple Truth that has carried me through these periods of uncertainty and division in our Faith Community.

Folks, we are still going through a period of sifting in the Hebrew Roots/Messianic Community. And I believe that sifting is not only going to continue in the days, months and years ahead leading up to our Master’s return. I also believe that sifting is also going to intensify to the point that some Messianics are going to end up abandoning the Faith altogether for the lies of the enemy.

Open to Believing the Lie

In describing the coming “Man of Lawlessness,” Paul wrote:

“Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way. For the Day will not come until after the Apostasy has come and the man who separates himself from Torah has been revealed, the one destined for doom. He will oppose himself to everything that people call a god or make an object of worship; he will put himself above them all, so that he will sit in the Temple of God and proclaim that he himself is God…For already this separating from Torah is at work secretly, but it will be secretly only until he who is restraining is out of the way. Then the one who embodies separation from Torah will be revealed, the one whom the Master Y’shua will slay with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the glory of his coming. When this man who avoid Torah comes, the Adversary will give him the power to work all kinds of false miracles, signs and wonders. He will enable him to deceive, in all kinds of wicked ways, those who are headed for destruction because they would not receive the love of the Truth that could have saved them. This is why YHVH is causing them to go astray, so that they will believe the Lie” (2 The. 2:3-11; CJB).

Do you see the inherent dangers associated with not enduring sound doctrine my friends? When one’s ears are easily tickled by the latest and greatest teachings by false Hebrew Roots/Messianic teachers as I’ve described in this teaching, he or she is in a sense cursed. They are cursed from the perspective of their itching ears leading to the position of “believing the Lie(s)” that the evil one brings to this world. Consequently, the Truth that would have saved them, having walked away from the Truth—the sound doctrine—then gives way to the cursed that will ultimately lead to destruction.

Sifting Defined

Stepping back for just a moment, I want to look at the verb “sift.” In the Hebrew, to sift something or someone is to be shaken such as one would do to grain that is shaken in a sieve (Holladay, Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the OT & Harris Theological Wordbook of the OT).

We find in Isaiah 30:28 where the prophet writes about Father putting the nations of the world in a sieve and shaking them back and forth for purposes of judging them.

In Amos 9:9, we find the Prophet Amos prophesying that YHVH would shake the House of Israel among the Goyim (the nations) like one does grain in a sieve.

And then in Luke 22:31, we find recorded where Master Y’shua reveals to Peter that the enemy had petitioned the Almighty to sift him—Peter—like one sifts wheat in a sieve.

In other words, Father uses various issues and events to sift—to shake—to agitate–or in today’s parlance, to test His people.

The Greek term for sift is “siniazo,” which denotes not only a shaking or sifting in a sieve, but a winnowing. Winnowing is the process of separating chaff from grain. The Friberg Lexicon further defines sifting when used by Luke, in a figurative sense, whereby a would-be believer undergoes a period of refinement or testing out. This refinement or testing is really for purposes of separating the bad from the good in a believer.

Consequently, the process of winnowing or sifting results in some of the good grain falling to the ground and by the wayside. And this was explained in Amos 9:9 in a somewhat counterintuitive way as it related to Father sifting the House of Israel. In that sifting process, Amos prophesied that in Father’s sifting of Israel, “no grain would fall to the ground.”

I believe similar process is ongoing in the Body of Messiah today. As more and more false prophets and teachers besiege our Community, touting their latest takes on how we are supposed to live out our Faith without any true biblical basis, we are collectively and individually being sifted by Abba to determine whether or not we will endure sound doctrine and ultimately whether we’ll keep and walk out His Ways.

On a smaller scale, Abba is sifting some of us to purge out the nasty, undesirable character traits and strongholds that remain unchanged in our lives (eg., anger; hatred; lusts; prejudices; rebellion; etc.) and that if not properly addressed and ultimately removed by YHVH, may cause us to falter and ultimately fall out of Faith.

Protection From False Teachers and Prophets

To protect us from those that ply their false teachings upon the Body of Messiah, Master instructed us to pray to the Father always that:

“He lead us not into temptation (Greek=pierasmos=an experiment or trial), but deliver us from the evil one” (Mat. 6:13).

When in Doubt Refer Back to Yahoshua and the Bible

Master kept Torah. As His disciples, are we not required—by the very definition of “disciple”—to imitate and obey our Master Y’shua Messiah?

We know Master kept Sabbath. He kept Torah and instructed that we not annul any of Torah in our keeping and teaching of it.

Yet we have so-called Messianics who are proposing to the Body of Messiah that maybe we should not keep Torah. How in the world does anyone, who claims to be a Torah Observant Believer in Y’shua Messiah, even put two-brain-cells together to articulate such teachings that are obviously rubbish emerging from the very pit of hades?

When a disciple of Master Y’shua leaves his/her first love—that of embracing a Y’shua-centric Torah lifestyle with all his/her heart, mind and soul—they stand the risk of Messiah saying to them:

“I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity” (Mat. 7:23).

We Are Not Our Own

It comes down to each us recognizing that “we are not our own as we’ve each been bought with a price” (1 Cor. 6:19, 20). In that we are not our own, we do not have the authority, whatsoever, to change the tenets of the True Faith Once Delivered. (And I’m speaking now to any who would get online or on social media to teach foolishness to the Body and Assemblies of Messiah that is not biblically-based.)

Furthermore, no one has the authority to teach others to reject Torah (Mat. 5:19). Master was clear:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law (ie., Torah) until all is accomplished. (Last time I checked not everything has been accomplished.) Therefore, whoever relaxes (KJV=breaks; CJB=disobeys) one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Mat. 5:17; ESV).

Master did place over His flock apostles, prophets, teachers, preachers, etc to ensure that His teachings be maintained and taught perpetually to the Body and Assemblies of Messiah (1 Cor. 12:28). But it appears that some of these leaders are sorely derelict of their duties and when it comes time to account for their works, they will be held accountable. And those found guilty of dereliction of duty will hear Master Y’shua say to their faces:

“I never knew you! Get away from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Mat. 7:23).

Warning For Messianic Teachers

The Bible teaches that any would be Messianic—Torah-teacher will be held accountable for every word that they put forth to the People of YHVH. And yes, even I am included in that lot.

James taught: “Only a few of you, my brothers, should be teachers, bearing in mind that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (Jam. 3:1).

And to us those of us who consume the content and teachings of Hebrew Roots/Messianic teachers, I would only encourage each and everyone of us to rely—to lean—upon the Holy Spirit that dwells within each of us to aid us in discerning Truth.

Master revealed: “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about me…For when the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come” (Joh. 15:26; 16:13; ESV).

The Role of the Holy Spirit in the Life of a Messianic

Let us not marginalize the necessity of the Holy Spirit operating in our day-to-day walk with Messiah. We cannot effectively walk out this Faith without the Ruach HaKodesh. Sadly, there is insufficient teaching about the Holy Spirit in the Messianic/Hebrew Roots community today.

For it is the Holy Spirit that, when allowed to operate daily in a believer’s life, will immediately assist him/her in discerning all teachings.

It Must Line Up With Scripture Every Time

Any teaching that does not line up with Scripture should be rejected and dismissed outright.

Furthermore, Messianics must not tolerate false teachers in their midst.

So What Then?

So let me ask you: Who does the Bible define as God’s people? (For a more detailed teaching on who or what a Messianic Torah Observer is, read/listen to my post entitled: “Who or What is a Messianic Torah Observer.” 

John, in his Revelation of Y’shua Messiah, defined them as:

“…those that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Rev. 14:12; KJV).

Although I’ve been demoralized by the onslaught of so much opposition for the once held sacred elements of our Faith by, admittedly, a relatively small handful of false teachers and prophets, I am very much mindful that this journey is not—was never meant—to be a broad way to heaven, so to speak.

Torah-The Road Map For Holiness

Torah serves as a guideline for holy, righteous living. Yet many Messianics are will not endure sound doctrine and are being led astray by false teachings advocating the annulling of Torah.

Father ultimately desires for us to be like Him. Thus, Father in His perfect and infinite wisdom sent us His Son Y’shua, who came to expound upon and demonstrate for us how to walk out Torah. He is the prototypical human being that Father has sanctioned—placed His stamp of approval on–us to imitate (cf. Mat. 3:17; 17:5; Mar. 1:11; Luk. 3:22).

And Y’shua was a staunch Torah-keeper and He Himself taught that we must keep Torah.

When we strive with the help of the Holy Spirit to keep and live out Torah to the best of our ability, we become that “peculiar treasure” that Father has always wanted from the human side of His creation (Exo. 19:5; Deu. 14:2). And it is because of YHVH’s abundant grace that we have become his favored children through the tutelage of Torah and our Master Y’shua Messiah. Without Torah, we exist as prodigal rebellious children, subject to the Creator’s judgment.

When we choose to annul or when we are encouraged by others to annul Torah, we become disobedient and rebellious children. Sure, there are many commandments in Torah that we no longer physically practice (eg., the purity and temple worship laws) because of the atoning work of Y’shua. But even those non-practiced commandments are still relevant to us today. For these non-practiced commandments teach us the importance of being holy and they remind us that Father demands of us strict obedience and holiness as He Himself is holy (see Exo. 22; 29; 30; 40; Lev. 5; 11; 19; 20; 21; 23; 25; 27; Num. 5; 15; 16; 18; 23).

Keeping Torah Does Not Bring About Curses

When we refuse to honor and keep the spirit of Yah’s Torah, we risk judgment. Keeping Torah and keeping the spirit of Torah does not bring curses nor does it nullify the grace that has been given to us through the atoning work of Y’shua.

What Torah does is show us how far away we truly are from the perfection and holiness that Father requires of every soul who seeks to become his chosen child. Torah is a looking glass/a mirror. Thus Torah provides us instruction on each of us needs to do to walk perfectly before YHVH as He has commanded.

Yeshua Will Judge All

But it should be remembered that Master Yahoshua will judge who makes it into the Kingdom. And He will judge not just actions (or lack thereof) of each soul. More so, He will judge each person’s heart. And if one’s heart is found not to be true; to be wicked-to have disdain for the Ways of YHVH, Y’shua will say to him/her:

“Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Mat. 25:41; ESV).

Safeguards Against Deceptive Teachers

In closing, as a safeguard against false teachers and prophets, I would counsel:

1. Get grounded in the Faith first and foremost.
2. Affiliate with a fellowship if at all possible. At the very least, have accountability brethren who you can consult and who can help you stay centered and grounded. Having an accountability brother or sister affords you the opportunity of running questionable doctrines by them and prevent you from being led astray.
3. Pray without ceasing, asking Father for a greater unction of His Holy Spirit so as to expand your ability to discern truth and error when it’s presented to you.
4. Trust that you are in Father’s Will for your life. If you’re not sure, seek Abba’s certification through prayer and fasting and study.
5. Commit fully to the tenets of the Faith without wavering to the right or left and hold fast to the doctrines that have been passed down to us by our Master and His anointed Apostles. (In other words, always stick with Scripture over any teacher.)

I believe, from personal experience, that if you follow these simple steps, the likelihood that you may fall prey to false teachers and prophets will be significantly reduced.