1. Understand the Basics of Christian Beliefs

First things first. We must understand the basic foundation of our faith. That’s because if we don’t have this basic understanding, we can fall for anything, including counterfeits and false teachers. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is the confidence of what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see.

The foundation of our faith comes from our God existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit which is found in both the Old Testament and New Testament (Deuteronomy 6:4 and 2 Corinthians 13:14). His Word is a multifaceted gift that is inspired, inherent, and the true Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). Jesus came in the flesh to this world, died on a cross and rose again to fulfill a prophecy to save mankind. His love is wrapped in grace and forgiveness, and He provides the only way to eternal life (John 14:6, John 3:16).

2. Know God’s Nature and Character

The more we read God’s Word, the more we get to know Him personally. We must be able to discern God’s nature in order to distinguish when teaching goes against His character. As believers, we must first know that God will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). His love is unwavering and unending (Psalm 136:26). He is loyal (Deuteronomy 7:9), kind (Psalm 145:8-9), compassionate (Psalm 103:8), trustworthy (Proverbs 3:5-6), patient (2 Peter 3:9), just (Isiah 61:8), good (Mark 10:18), merciful (Exodus 34:6), and righteous (Zephaniah 3:5). He is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, eternal, sovereign, and holy.

Photo Credit: ©Pexels/Fallon Michael

3. Look for the Fruit

Galatians 5:22-23 lays out the spiritual virtues or “fruits” that show the character (and heart) of a transformed life by the power of the Holy Spirit.  As Christians, we are to abide in Christ, allowing Him to tend to us and our “spiritual fruit” just like with any good gardener. Because of God’s great love for us, He cultivates His love and allows us to produce good fruit, while also pruning us at the same time, removing bad fruit.

That said, God holds teachers and pastors to a much higher standard and they will be held accountable and judged according to the wisdom they share (James 1:3). If a pastor or teacher online is not displaying God’s love (Deuteronomy 6:5), exuding joy as a natural reaction of preaching the good news (Psalm 28:7), extending peace (Numbers 6:26), exhibiting patience (Revelations 14:12), being kind (Ephesians 4:32), showing mercy and grace through goodness and gentleness (Psalm 34:8 and Ephesians 4:2), and portraying great faithfulness (Luke 16:10-12) and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7), be leery of their message.  

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/diego_cervo

4. Pride Comes Before the Fall

It isn’t hard to see that many overzealous pastors and teachers are missing the mark when it comes to sharing the gospel. Add to that the fact that anyone can hide behind a screen and proclaim their own “relative truth.” Let’s just say anyone can share a YouTube video with award-winning smiles and gloat about how you must “follow” them in order to learn more. When it feels more like a gimmick than the gospel, or more worldly than holy, be very cautious. This is exactly where pride meets the fall of man. Sadly, absolute truth has gotten lost in the shuffle of dopamine hits and that all too infamous subscribe button. So, if something doesn’t feel right, it’s probably a prompt from the Holy Spirit to avoid it, rebuke it, and call it out for what it is – selfish misguidance!

5. Heed the Holy Spirit

Thankfully, as soon as we profess that our Christ as Lord, we have the honor and privilege of the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us, upon salvation, you are born again and become a part of the Body of Christ. How incredibly cool is that? From that point, the Holy Spirit permanently lives inside of you! John 14:16 holds a precious promise that proclaims that Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit as an Advocate and Helper to guide us as we navigate a sinful and broken world. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live a life according to God’s will. When we come across articles, posts, videos, or messages online, we must tune into the Holy Spirit and allow Him to lead us – or lead us far, far away.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Fizkes

6. Seek Wisdom from Trusted Mature Believers

Proverbs 27:17 tells us that iron sharpens iron. But did you realize that it calls out our need to be continually sharpened? That means if we aren’t being continually fine-tuned and shaped for the better, we are slowly dying and can easily be led astray.

Seeking mentors and those who are a little more mature in their faith can keep us on the right track. Some of the best mentors may be within your own fellowship circles or church friends. But it is invaluable to soften your heart and listen to their guidance, as a faith-filled mentor will hold you up, keep you accountable, and be one of your biggest prayer warriors.  

7. Acknowledge the Reality of Spiritual Warfare

We may be human, but let me be very clear here: we are not waging war against other humans, but against demonic forces from another spiritual realm. Friends, we cannot turn a blind eye to this reality or approach it with naivety. We are in a war between good and evil, and the Bible does not gloss over this subject. In fact, it tells us to stay alert and watch out for the enemy (1 Peter 5:8), that the thief’s purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), and to put on the full armor of God to protect ourselves against the snares of the devil (Ephesians 6:11-12). False teachers hide in sheep’s clothing but are inwardly ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15). This is a very serious matter, my fellow believers. We must remain vigilant and question everything we read to see if it lines up with scripture.

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Jae Park

How Do We Respond?

The book of the Prophet Micah was written during a time of social injustice, political overreach, civil unrest, corruption, and division of Israel. Micah 6:8 lays out the divine wisdom of our God and His expectations for us when it comes to living in a world shattered by sin. We are to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

We can act justly when online teaching goes against God’s Word by avoiding it, rebuking it, and calling it out! Calling out and exposing evil comes with prayer and seeking God for guidance as you do so with truth, love, and grace.

We are commanded to love mercy by showing compassion and kindness, especially towards the vulnerable, suffering, lonely, and the lost. This can be done with outward expressions of empathy and sharing the goodness of Christ’s love and selfless sacrifice.

We walk humbly by recognizing our need and dependence on a Savior. Acknowledging God as the supreme power and seeking Him in all areas of our lives allows us not to be tempted to rely on our own strength and abilities. It also gives us the power to discern when messages do not align with God.

As our world continues to evolve and places more and more information right in front of us, we must be able to discern absolute truth from confusing words that fester lies, as even half-truths do not line up with God!

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Boris Jovanovic

This article originally appeared on Christianity.com. For more faith-building resources, visit Christianity.com.

1. Understand the Basics of Christian Beliefs

First things first. We must understand the basic foundation of our faith. That’s because if we don’t have this basic understanding, we can fall for anything, including counterfeits and false teachers. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is the confidence of what we hope for and the assurance about what we do not see.

The foundation of our faith comes from our God existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit which is found in both the Old Testament and New Testament (Deuteronomy 6:4 and 2 Corinthians 13:14). His Word is a multifaceted gift that is inspired, inherent, and the true Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). Jesus came in the flesh to this world, died on a cross and rose again to fulfill a prophecy to save mankind. His love is wrapped in grace and forgiveness, and He provides the only way to eternal life (John 14:6, John 3:16).

2. Know God’s Nature and Character

The more we read God’s Word, the more we get to know Him personally. We must be able to discern God’s nature in order to distinguish when teaching goes against His character. As believers, we must first know that God will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5-6). His love is unwavering and unending (Psalm 136:26). He is loyal (Deuteronomy 7:9), kind (Psalm 145:8-9), compassionate (Psalm 103:8), trustworthy (Proverbs 3:5-6), patient (2 Peter 3:9), just (Isiah 61:8), good (Mark 10:18), merciful (Exodus 34:6), and righteous (Zephaniah 3:5). He is all-powerful, all-knowing, ever-present, eternal, sovereign, and holy.

Photo Credit: ©Pexels/Fallon Michael

3. Look for the Fruit

Galatians 5:22-23 lays out the spiritual virtues or “fruits” that show the character (and heart) of a transformed life by the power of the Holy Spirit.  As Christians, we are to abide in Christ, allowing Him to tend to us and our “spiritual fruit” just like with any good gardener. Because of God’s great love for us, He cultivates His love and allows us to produce good fruit, while also pruning us at the same time, removing bad fruit.

That said, God holds teachers and pastors to a much higher standard and they will be held accountable and judged according to the wisdom they share (James 1:3). If a pastor or teacher online is not displaying God’s love (Deuteronomy 6:5), exuding joy as a natural reaction of preaching the good news (Psalm 28:7), extending peace (Numbers 6:26), exhibiting patience (Revelations 14:12), being kind (Ephesians 4:32), showing mercy and grace through goodness and gentleness (Psalm 34:8 and Ephesians 4:2), and portraying great faithfulness (Luke 16:10-12) and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7), be leery of their message.  

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/diego_cervo

4. Pride Comes Before the Fall

It isn’t hard to see that many overzealous pastors and teachers are missing the mark when it comes to sharing the gospel. Add to that the fact that anyone can hide behind a screen and proclaim their own “relative truth.” Let’s just say anyone can share a YouTube video with award-winning smiles and gloat about how you must “follow” them in order to learn more. When it feels more like a gimmick than the gospel, or more worldly than holy, be very cautious. This is exactly where pride meets the fall of man. Sadly, absolute truth has gotten lost in the shuffle of dopamine hits and that all too infamous subscribe button. So, if something doesn’t feel right, it’s probably a prompt from the Holy Spirit to avoid it, rebuke it, and call it out for what it is – selfish misguidance!

5. Heed the Holy Spirit

Thankfully, as soon as we profess that our Christ as Lord, we have the honor and privilege of the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us, upon salvation, you are born again and become a part of the Body of Christ. How incredibly cool is that? From that point, the Holy Spirit permanently lives inside of you! John 14:16 holds a precious promise that proclaims that Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit as an Advocate and Helper to guide us as we navigate a sinful and broken world. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live a life according to God’s will. When we come across articles, posts, videos, or messages online, we must tune into the Holy Spirit and allow Him to lead us – or lead us far, far away.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Fizkes

6. Seek Wisdom from Trusted Mature Believers

Proverbs 27:17 tells us that iron sharpens iron. But did you realize that it calls out our need to be continually sharpened? That means if we aren’t being continually fine-tuned and shaped for the better, we are slowly dying and can easily be led astray.

Seeking mentors and those who are a little more mature in their faith can keep us on the right track. Some of the best mentors may be within your own fellowship circles or church friends. But it is invaluable to soften your heart and listen to their guidance, as a faith-filled mentor will hold you up, keep you accountable, and be one of your biggest prayer warriors.  

7. Acknowledge the Reality of Spiritual Warfare

We may be human, but let me be very clear here: we are not waging war against other humans, but against demonic forces from another spiritual realm. Friends, we cannot turn a blind eye to this reality or approach it with naivety. We are in a war between good and evil, and the Bible does not gloss over this subject. In fact, it tells us to stay alert and watch out for the enemy (1 Peter 5:8), that the thief’s purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), and to put on the full armor of God to protect ourselves against the snares of the devil (Ephesians 6:11-12). False teachers hide in sheep’s clothing but are inwardly ravenous wolves (Matthew 7:15). This is a very serious matter, my fellow believers. We must remain vigilant and question everything we read to see if it lines up with scripture.

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Jae Park

How Do We Respond?

The book of the Prophet Micah was written during a time of social injustice, political overreach, civil unrest, corruption, and division of Israel. Micah 6:8 lays out the divine wisdom of our God and His expectations for us when it comes to living in a world shattered by sin. We are to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.

We can act justly when online teaching goes against God’s Word by avoiding it, rebuking it, and calling it out! Calling out and exposing evil comes with prayer and seeking God for guidance as you do so with truth, love, and grace.

We are commanded to love mercy by showing compassion and kindness, especially towards the vulnerable, suffering, lonely, and the lost. This can be done with outward expressions of empathy and sharing the goodness of Christ’s love and selfless sacrifice.

We walk humbly by recognizing our need and dependence on a Savior. Acknowledging God as the supreme power and seeking Him in all areas of our lives allows us not to be tempted to rely on our own strength and abilities. It also gives us the power to discern when messages do not align with God.

As our world continues to evolve and places more and more information right in front of us, we must be able to discern absolute truth from confusing words that fester lies, as even half-truths do not line up with God!

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Boris Jovanovic

This article originally appeared on Christianity.com. For more faith-building resources, visit Christianity.com.