Have you ever unexpectedly fallen into a conversation with someone who is determined to convince you of something?  They may be quite persuasive and even charismatic.  Part way into the conversation you started to hear some things that made you vaguely uncomfortable but you were intrigued and curious.  Yet something just seemed off.  Perhaps the conversation started off with complaining about some circumstance and it gradually, or not so gradually! turned into a monologue.    This is probably harmless unless the conversation is about God.  If the person was trying to persuade you to believe something erroneous, it could negatively impact your entire life.

This week a young couple we are close to had a four-hour conversation with a religious outlier.  He tried to convert them to a particular theology that is clearly against the teachings of Scripture.  Then yesterday we had an hours-long conversation with another religious outlier who exhibited signs of delusion.  I’ve been trying to sort out where those two outliers got off track in their beliefs and how we should have responded to them.  Perhaps our experiences will help protect you from deception the next time you encounter someone trying to convince you to believe something false.

There were some similarities between the man our friends encountered and the one we met.  Although their twisted theology was nothing alike, these were the red flags that warned us to be on guard:

They did all the talking.
They talked about themselves a lot, more than they talked about God. 
Expressing their ideas was more important than caring about their listeners.
They were self-isolated.  They weren’t attending a church or getting teaching from other sources.  They had no input, and no accountability.  They were not being helped by the gifts of others, nor serving others with their gifting.  They had few relationships.
They had an inflated sense of self and were particularly self-centered.
They imagined themselves to be possessors of special knowledge that other people didn’t have. 

How we could have responded differently

We should have acted sooner on the red flags we heard instead of listening to more and more trash.  No use arguing, but we could have spared ourselves a few hours of time by asking for clarification on his statements that concerned us.  Then it would have been clear that he was espousing erroneous ideas.  But we were trying to find common ground and be polite, giving him the benefit of the doubt.  Yet why fill our minds with garbage? Next time we won’t wait to bring up our questions.

What we did right

So glad we have studied and memorized Scripture so we can spot heresy.  We can see deception because it doesn’t line up with the one sure standard we have to discern what’s right and wrong- the Bible.

“And the people of Berea . . .  searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Paul and Silas were teaching the truth.”  Acts 17:11

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.”          2 Timothy 3:16 

What we learned

So very thankful we could discuss the man’s monologue afterwards with each other.  It’s easier to sort out deception when you can talk it over together.  Two heads are better than one.  Four ears are better than two.  So grateful for the protection of a husband with spiritual wisdom.  I advise you not to get into spiritual conversations alone with strangers.

“The godly offer good counsel; they teach right from wrong.”  Psalm 37:30

 

Ego is fed by thinking you know a lot.  But knowing a lot isn’t what matters.  What matters is loving God and others.  When we love, we receive God’s recognition which is far better than recognition from others.

“knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God.”
Another translation reads:
“But while knowledge makes us feel important, it is love that strengthens the church.  Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn’t really know very much.  But the person who loves God is the one whom God recognizes.”  1 Corinthians 8:1-3

Good fruit or bad fruit?  During our conversation or more correctly, his monologue, it became more and more evident that the man was unhappy, fearful, suspicious, proud, and negative.  There wasn’t any evidence of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control that the Holy Spirit brings into our lives. 

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?  Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. .  .  Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.  Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”  Matthew 7:15-21 

What’s the point?

We must be on our guard for error.  Not for the purpose of shooting down those in error, but for the purpose of keeping our own hearts pure.

“ But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.  You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.”  2 Corinthians 11:3-5

Loving God and others is our ultimate goal, not impressing others with our knowledge.

“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. . . serve one another humbly in love.  For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.””  Galations 5:6, 13-14 quoting Leviticus 19:18

Make being with other believers a high priority.  Both friendship time to informally discuss what’s on your heart and formal teaching time to learn from those who are spiritually mature are of great importance.  God’s plan is for believers to be together so each one can benefit from the others.  We are incomplete without each other.  We need to serve and also receive.  We’re not meant to be loners.  We need each other.  We are too vulnerable without the protection of leadership, accountability, and the teaching of the Church.

 “Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.  And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”  Hebrews 10:24-25