A recent earth-bound Christian commented on an article which was focused on warning believers that false teachers often have a grain of Biblical truth in their rhetoric in order to add credibility to their lies. This reader offered his perspective that exploring the false would strengthen his faith in the truth of a Biblical Christian Worldview. His actual comment follows….

“So I just want to comment on what you said: “…Is that what God wants us to spend our time doing… trying to ferret out some measure of truth by exploring the false? Or, is this more the domain of Satan and his minions?”

“I understand everyone has limited time, but learning and reading about what others believe and understanding those views is what I wished my parents did and the leaders of my church did. Being sheltered and told “truths” without perspective is very detrimental to faith. 

“That quote of yours makes it sound like exploring and learning other perspectives is from the devil… or demonic. There’s nothing wrong with learning and knowing what’s out there. Ignorance is not bliss.”

My Response

To your first question, my point from the post was to be a caution for the believer and seeker to recognize that truth can be wrapped in a lie like a small amount of leaven (yeast) can contaminate the whole batch of dough. In this case, the leaven is the false destroying the truth and, since that is offered by False Teachers, it is something for us to be on guard against for its influence. 

Gal. 5:9 This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough!

To your point on “‘truths without perspective” being “detrimental to faith,” I would respectfully disagree. There is nothing wrong, and much that is right, with seeking Christian commentaries, theologically sound preaching, and Bible Studies in order to gain God’s deeper “truths”… in order to strengthen our “faith.” However, we don’t need to read the Hindu Vedas, the Quran, or the Book of Mormon; nor do we need to sit at the feet of Imams, or entertain the teachings of the Jehovah’s Witnesses who come to our door in order to gain “perspective” on our own faith. 

To your summary last paragraph… I would offer the point that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police study the Canadian Dollar rather than the counterfeit. As you said, we all have “limited time,” and God does not desire our spiritual teaching to be “learning what is out there” in the world, but learning what He has to say in His Word.

In the supernatural world there are only two forces, good and evil. In this world there are infinite shades of gray because of our sin nature and our lack of full understanding of God. However, as we struggle to do God’s will, in our most pure desire, there is also a binary choice as relates to spiritual knowledge and so, to your point, “exploring and learning other perspectives is from the devil… or demonic” as it can be nothing else if it is not from God.