Beware of Smooth Talk and Flattery
Beware of Smooth Talk and Flattery
There is so much smooth talk and flattery that has characterized the age we live in. The advertisements and commercials whether on TV or paper are all smooth talks and flattery with one intention to make us believe that we have need that we may not even have or even necessary for living. Webster Dictionary has the following for the word `flatter’. “To compliment excessively and often insincerely, especially in order to win the favor of; to court; blandish. 2. To please or gratify; feed the vanity of; 3. To portray favorably; 4. To persuade (one self) that something one wants to believe is the case.” Unfortunately, there is a lot of sweet talks and flattery in the Church of today. Surprisingly, it was also present in Apostle Paul’s time. As he concludes the letter to the Church in Rome, Paul sternly warns us to look out for people (false teachers and preachers) who deceive with such words.
Romans 16: 17-18
17-18One final word of counsel, friends. Keep a sharp eye out for those who take bits and pieces of the teaching that you learned and then use them to make trouble. Give these people a wide berth. They have no intention of living for our Master Christ. They're only in this for what they can get out of it, and aren't above using pious sweet talk to dupe unsuspecting innocents. (The Message Bible)
17I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. (The NIV)
The art of deception has never changed from the beginning. Satan is the originator and he perfected it in the garden with Adam and Eve. It is close to the truth but is not the truth. It is taking bits and pieces but not the whole truth. Unfortunately, deceivers do not wear a sign announcing to us that they have come to deceive and mislead us.
We are to watch out for teachings “contrary to the teachings we have learned” which is the gospel. The real question is what is the gospel that we have learned? When we do not understand and comprehend the gospel, we can easily be deceived by those who are looking out for themselves. Romans 5: 1”Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a]have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” To me, this is the summary of what the gospel is.
Unfortunately today, there are people who are adding to the gospel and trying to make us believe that we are justified by our works and the amount of money we give. It feels good (but it is a lie) to think we have done something that bridges the gap between us and God. We have all sinned and can only be made right with God by believing in the death (penalty for our sins) and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Moreover, we have learned that God first loved us and chose (elected) us to be His own. It is all his doing and not mine nor yours. All our good works are in response to God’s mercy and grace to us. We therefore do all things for God to bring Him glory and honor. Stop striving and enjoy God’s grace.
The “prosperity gospel” is a false gospel and we are to run from anyone who preaches and teaches it. We were not saved just to “break-through” and become “rich” as if that is the only goal in living. We are saved to bring pleasure to God. Our faith is to “please God” (Hebrew 11:6) and not ourselves. Take a look at the “who is who of faith” listed in Hebrew 11. Some experienced great miracles from God (women received back their dead, raised to life again) and others pleased God in their suffering (tortured, wearing sheepskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated). Will God the Father take care of His own? Certainly yes, but in His own way for “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” Romans 8:28.
Jesus told us in John 16:33, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world”. But the false teachers will miss-quote and only state that Jesus has come to give us “abundant life” meaning everything that will make us happy. This is sweet talk and flattery. Of course deceivers are looking out for themselves first and that is why they want you to “sow seed faith” as if to bribe God. We are to give and support the work of God out of our joy of expressing Thanksgiving for the mercy and grace we have received and not for “break-through” purposes. I know am stepping on some toes but it is the truth.
How do we then “keep a sharp eye” for those false teachers? It is by knowing the gospel and preaching the true gospel. Let’s not tell people to come to Jesus so that all their problems will disappear. People know that it is a lie because our own problems have not disappeared. Let us check out any teachings we receive or hear and subject such to the sound interpretation of the Word of God. When you find a false and flattery teacher, run from him or her because they will “dupe” you before you realize what is happening. I do not know about you but I have been duped in the Church a couple times by some smooth talkers. Learn from my mistakes. May God grant us discernment, Amen.
There is so much smooth talk and flattery that has characterized the age we live in. The advertisements and commercials whether on TV or paper are all smooth talks and flattery with one intention to make us believe that we have need that we may not even have or even necessary for living. Webster Dictionary has the following for the word `flatter’. “To compliment excessively and often insincerely, especially in order to win the favor of; to court; blandish. 2. To please or gratify; feed the vanity of; 3. To portray favorably; 4. To persuade (one self) that something one wants to believe is the case.” Unfortunately, there is a lot of sweet talks and flattery in the Church of today. Surprisingly, it was also present in Apostle Paul’s time. As he concludes the letter to the Church in Rome, Paul sternly warns us to look out for people (false teachers and preachers) who deceive with such words.
Romans 16: 17-18
17-18One final word of counsel, friends. Keep a sharp eye out for those who take bits and pieces of the teaching that you learned and then use them to make trouble. Give these people a wide berth. They have no intention of living for our Master Christ. They're only in this for what they can get out of it, and aren't above using pious sweet talk to dupe unsuspecting innocents. (The Message Bible)
17I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. (The NIV)
The art of deception has never changed from the beginning. Satan is the originator and he perfected it in the garden with Adam and Eve. It is close to the truth but is not the truth. It is taking bits and pieces but not the whole truth. Unfortunately, deceivers do not wear a sign announcing to us that they have come to deceive and mislead us.
We are to watch out for teachings “contrary to the teachings we have learned” which is the gospel. The real question is what is the gospel that we have learned? When we do not understand and comprehend the gospel, we can easily be deceived by those who are looking out for themselves. Romans 5: 1”Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a]have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand.” To me, this is the summary of what the gospel is.
Unfortunately today, there are people who are adding to the gospel and trying to make us believe that we are justified by our works and the amount of money we give. It feels good (but it is a lie) to think we have done something that bridges the gap between us and God. We have all sinned and can only be made right with God by believing in the death (penalty for our sins) and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Moreover, we have learned that God first loved us and chose (elected) us to be His own. It is all his doing and not mine nor yours. All our good works are in response to God’s mercy and grace to us. We therefore do all things for God to bring Him glory and honor. Stop striving and enjoy God’s grace.
The “prosperity gospel” is a false gospel and we are to run from anyone who preaches and teaches it. We were not saved just to “break-through” and become “rich” as if that is the only goal in living. We are saved to bring pleasure to God. Our faith is to “please God” (Hebrew 11:6) and not ourselves. Take a look at the “who is who of faith” listed in Hebrew 11. Some experienced great miracles from God (women received back their dead, raised to life again) and others pleased God in their suffering (tortured, wearing sheepskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated). Will God the Father take care of His own? Certainly yes, but in His own way for “in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” Romans 8:28.
Jesus told us in John 16:33, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world”. But the false teachers will miss-quote and only state that Jesus has come to give us “abundant life” meaning everything that will make us happy. This is sweet talk and flattery. Of course deceivers are looking out for themselves first and that is why they want you to “sow seed faith” as if to bribe God. We are to give and support the work of God out of our joy of expressing Thanksgiving for the mercy and grace we have received and not for “break-through” purposes. I know am stepping on some toes but it is the truth.
How do we then “keep a sharp eye” for those false teachers? It is by knowing the gospel and preaching the true gospel. Let’s not tell people to come to Jesus so that all their problems will disappear. People know that it is a lie because our own problems have not disappeared. Let us check out any teachings we receive or hear and subject such to the sound interpretation of the Word of God. When you find a false and flattery teacher, run from him or her because they will “dupe” you before you realize what is happening. I do not know about you but I have been duped in the Church a couple times by some smooth talkers. Learn from my mistakes. May God grant us discernment, Amen.
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