TAKE HEED
And Jesus answered
and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive
you. For many shall come in My name, saying, I am
Christ; and shall deceive many" Matthew
4:4-5.
This warning by
Christ has special relevance in these latter days
when there are multitudes of "false Christs, and
false prophets"
Matthew 24:25
,
not only in the so-called "New Age" movement but
also (in view of the fact that "Christ" means
simply "anointed") in all kinds of religious,
political, and educational areas of influence, and
are, as Jesus warned, deceiving many. Therefore
His urgent warning:
"Take heed!"
This is a frequent
emphasis in the New Testament. For example, Paul
warned the Ephesians elders: "Take heed therefore
unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the
which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers. . .
. For I know this, that after my departing shall
grievous wolves enter in among you" Acts 20:28-29.
Note also the
warning to the Hebrew believers: "Take heed,
brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil
heart of unbelief, in departing from the living
God" Hebrews 3:12.
To anyone who feels
overconfident in his own ability to withstand such
deceptions and temptations, Paul warns: "Let him
that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall"
I Corinthians 10:12.
Many similar
warnings exist, and therefore we do well to take
heed also to the safeguards that God has provided.
"Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine;
continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt
both save thyself, and them that hear thee"
I Timothy 4:16.
Continue in sound Biblical doctrine!
For "We have also a more sure word of prophecy;
whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a
light that shineth in a dark place" II Peter 1:19.
HMM
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