In the same way this morning, I would rather focus on what is true instead of what is false for a couple of reasons. First, what is false is constantly changing. Granted, there are some consistent characteristics but there is so much variety of false teaching as we discovered when we looked at the various religions several months ago. Second, concentrating on false teachings and false teachers has a tendency to make us see it everywhere. It is like the common syndrome of medical students thinking they have every disease they study. In other words, everyone with whom we disagree becomes a false teacher or a heretic. So, let’s look briefly at some of the common features of false teachers described by both Paul and Peter and then spend the rest of the time focused on what is true.

But, let’s look first at the different levels of false teaching because they are not all the same.

Let’s look at what is straight before we talk about what is crooked. Orthodoxy, literally straight belief, is defined as whatever is commonly held to be true by most people in a tradition or belief. It does not mean what is absolutely true – just what is considered true by the majority of people. For instance, we hold these truths to be self-evident is an orthodox statement of belief of our founding fathers but it would not be universally true. So, orthodoxy is relative. Some beliefs about Scripture are orthodox within some Christian traditions but not in others.

Heterodoxy is a term for opinions or doctrines that vary from orthodoxy – the official position. Heterodoxy differs from the orthodox view of the church, but the church is not infallible, and something heterodox is not automatically heretical or wrong. At times, heterodox views are more biblical than the prevailing orthodox view. You could even say that some of Jesus’ beliefs were heterodoxy compared to what was being taught by the Jews of his time. For instance, eating and healing on the Sabbath, associating with sinners and Samaritans – just to name a few.

For example, Martin Luther’s views on salvation by grace through faith stood in direct opposition to Catholic doctrine, and his writings were considered heterodoxy. His ideas challenged the orthodoxy of the time and were a better, more biblical alternative to the established church’s dogma.

Heresy is more serious. It is denying the doctrines God has given and creating divisions and schisms in the Church. Often it is simply a modern version of an old heresy. For instance, Pelangianism denied the doctrine of original sin and it also entailed a denial of the necessity of divine grace for salvation. Another example would be Arianism that taught that while Jesus was a great moral teacher and example he was not divine. You can find these same heresies in different forms among people in the Church today.

Finally, there is apostasy. As to the forms of apostasy, there are two main types: (1) a falling away from key and true doctrines of the Bible into heretical teachings that proclaim to be “the real” Christian doctrine, and (2) a complete renunciation of the Christian faith, which results in a full abandonment of Christ.

We had an example of apostasy in the news recently. “There is not one mention of God during the 70-minute service at Toronto’s West Hill United church. Bibles are nowhere to be seen. The large steel cross – one of the few remaining religious symbols in this church – is hidden behind a cascade of rainbow streamers.

But that is perhaps to be expected in a church led by an avowed atheist.

“I do not believe in a theistic, supernatural being called God,” says Gretta Vosper, the United Church of Canada minister who has led West Hill since 1997. “I don’t believe in what I think 99.99% of the world thinks you mean when you use that word.” Tor her, God is instead a metaphor for goodness and a life lived with compassion and justice.

The synod has decided to review her credentials for ministry and the decision to carry out the review upsets many at West Hill. “It’s disgusting,” says Wendy Hyland. Her husband, Jim Hyland, calls it hypocritical, given that the congregation is one of the few in the area that has managed to buck the wider trend of declining attendance. “West Hill is the future of what religion will be like,” says the 65-year-old, highlighting its metaphorical interpretation of religious symbols and emphasis on environmental and social justice. “We’re thinking and saying what the rest of the world is scared to, but moving towards.”

Some, such as Eve Casavant, 44, recently started attending West Hill after hearing about Vosper among atheist circles. She was delighted to find the same sort of church she had been raised in, save the burden of belief. “It’s like that sense of community without the barriers,” she says. “It’s a beautiful thing and it is too bad it’s not being as embraced as it should be.”

2. What, according to Peter, are the outward signs of false teachers?

Greedy. They find a way to turn their ministry into a way to make money.
Flatterers. They find ways to be with important or influential people.
Boasters. They are self-promoters.
Rebellious. They are independent and refuse authority.
Seductive. They “seduce the unstable”.
Selfish Ambition. They are never content.

They are springs without water and clouds without rain.

But this doesn’t mean everyone who is ambitious is a false teacher. Not everyone who is a people pleaser is a flatterer and not everyone who likes seeing their name at the top of the list is a false teacher. I know many people in ministry who have these foibles but they are not false teachers. But, every false teacher will have at least several of these symptoms.

3. But, let’s look at what is true and unchanging. If we see what is real we will be prepared to see what is false and stay away from it.

Changing weight and getting older make you more conscious of mirrors…and they are not all the same. They come in different sizes and shapes. They are sensitive to light and placement. Some are slightly concave or convex and make us look different. Some are purposely designed (like in fitting rooms) to make us look thinner. We tend to find those we like and avoid those we don’t.

And we have other kinds of mirrors in our lives but none reflect how we look spiritually.

Media Mirrors: Compared to everyone we see on reality shows or the reports of crimes in the newspaper we look great.
Social Circle Mirrors: We look normal. We are fitting in…because we tend to find friends who look and think like us.
Career Mirror: We are moving along with others for the most part.
Religion Mirror: While all my needs are not being met and I’m probably not Billy Graham, I’m as regular as most of my friends. The most recent survey of our church – called REVEAL – showed that the majority of the people who took the survey are content with the church. “It Is Well With My Soul”

But we don’t have a spiritual mirror – except in Scripture. Turn to 2 Timothy 3:14-17 and we’re going to look at the spiritual mirror for our lives.

4. First, it is God breathed. It is the same word as was used in Genesis to describe God’s breathing life into Adam. Scripture is alive and it breathes into us.

How does carbon monoxide work? First, it puts us to sleep by depriving us of oxygen. Carbon monoxide prevents the body from getting oxygen. It’s bonding power with hemoglobin is 200 times stronger than oxygen. It does not attack. It simply prevents the blood from getting what it needs. Only Scripture creates the oxygen we need because we are surrounded by monoxides in our lives – things that are putting us to sleep and have strong bonding power. Even our attraction to common sense and worldly wisdom can become spiritual monoxides when they lull us into sleep. That is why Peter says “Rouse yourselves”. He knew first hand what it was to fall asleep – both on the Mt. of Transfiguration and in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Pure oxygen is not the ideal. We don’t have to have Scripture only but without it we are painlessly and gradually poisoned.

5. Scripture has the ability to literally make you wise. The power to change you and undistort your image. It is not passive. It is, as Hebrews says, living and active.

What if your mirror at home had the power not just to reflect to make changes in your face and figure? Scripture has that power. As we look into it, it works a change in our lives – to remake us into what we were created to be.

This is why Scripture talks about being conformed to the image of Christ. We can see what is true and it affects us.

6. The word here for useful is “Ophelia” and it means that Scripture has a built-in advantage over any other teaching. Only Scripture can teach the whole truth for which we were designed.

We surround ourselves with quotes and wise sayings – even Christian authors talking about Scripture – but only Scripture can work its way into the tiniest crevices of our souls to bring health and life. Someone has said it well, “It is the soul’s first language”

7. It is good for reproof. This does not mean fault finding or finger pointing. It is more along the line of helping someone re-think their confusion and to find clearness of mind. The Quakers have something called the “Clearness Committee” and it serves the same purpose.

Picture someone patiently untangling a knot in a string. That is what the word means.

There are knots in our lives that need untangling and they do not need anger or blame but a patient hand. Scripture is that kind of person.

8. It is good for correction. This does not mean shame or anger – it is more like a constant series of course corrections or nudges. Think of it as a fleet of tugboats in our lives.

We have a tendency to drift – and that word used in Hebrews means to “slip away unnoticed.” It’s not visible for a while. People don’t “fall” as much as they drift. Most ships because of wind and current are off-course 85% of the time and need nudging and course correction in small doses. We don’t drift, typically, due to hard turns or unexpected swerves but from an accumulation of small choices.

But the same word means to alter. When do we alter something?

Scripture has the ability to keep us flexible, to let us out or take us in at times in our lives. It keeps us from becoming rigid. It helps us respond to changes and not lock up.

9. Finally, Scripture’s intent is not just salvation or wisdom or untangling or course correction but it is to make us fit for good works. Ephesians 2:10. We are fit for good works which are fit for us.

The word for instruction or training is “paideia” and it was used for the tutor who began teaching a boy when he was young and stayed until he was a man. A life long tutor is the image here.

Today, we have many teachers but no long term tutor – someone who is with us for ten years to bring us to maturity.

What did Duncan Campbell find with Friends of The Children? It takes ten to twelve years in the life of a child to create a pattern.

Scripture is our tutor to move us from salvation to maturity.

As long as we stay away from Scripture on a regular basis our lives will never be as full of wisdom, direction, clarity, flexibility and energy as they are designed to be. We’ll be saved but little else.

Why do we resist and trade that for worry, drift, confusion, entanglements and a gradual slipping away unnoticed? Why do we choose sleep over life?

You might want to check the monoxide levels in your life this week. What is preventing you from getting oxygen and God’s breathing into your life. What small course corrections do you need? What patient hand to help you untangle some knots? What mirror to help you conform to the image of Christ?