Today, it is becoming increasingly difficult to know what might be fake and what might be authentic.

The struggle to know what is actually true has become more real than ever before.

Wanting someone to feel good about themselves seems to be the crowning value for some, while others seem to desire the opposite and do all they can to make others feel miserable about themselves.  It seems as if each side of this pendulum claims to be the one who is about the truth.

Both extremes will claim to be free of the fear of man, and thus, they claim to be speaking the truth.

So, how can any believer know who to listen to or what to believe?

This is where the word of God comes in, and rightly dividing it becomes important.

2 Timothy 2:14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers. 15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

There is a good deal of extra-Biblical teaching floating around nowadays, and it is ministering confusion.  The two extremes seem to be one of a gnostic foundation where the only thing that is said to matter is that which is spirit, so what someone does in their bodies is of no real significance.  The gnostic-rooted view leads to universalism, which says everyone will be saved no matter what. All will be okay anyway.  With that type of view, I am not sure why they even feel a need to preach anything because if all will be saved no matter what, why would there be any need to preach at all?   The other extreme is that all that matters is what is done in the body, and thus, one will be accepted by God and loved by God based on their works and make it into heaven based on their works or not make it for that same reason.

Which is true?  Neither one!  Both are rooted in fundamental error and devoid of rightly dividing the word of truth.

Some act as though the New Covenant Scriptures are cult-like coded messages that can only be tapped by the superspiritual.  While others treat the Bible like they would any other book on the shelf and think it can be understood by merely following the basic rules of interpretation with no help at all from the Holy Spirit.

There are some today who speak as though what they say is just as inspired as the Scriptures and equal in authority to the Scriptures, and they avoid the use of Scripture while claiming to support it.  Likewise, some use Scripture, but they twist it to support their positions and to control others.  But a misuse of Scripture or the lack of using it should never be allowed to diminish the importance of it.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.  4:1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

Scripture is meant to be a solid, sure, and reliable means for us to be able to test what is true.  It will assure us, challenge us, correct us, and even rebuke us based on where we are at in our journey with the Lord.  It is never meant only to tell us how amazingly wonderful we are, nor is it going always to tell us we are awful and horrible.  But it will reveal and expose the truth concerning us as to who we are now in Christ and what that is meant to look like in the expression of our lives.  More importantly, when rightly divided, it reveals the authenticity of who Christ Jesus is to us.  Never forget,

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

I rely on Scripture and meditate on it, asking the Holy Spirit for the right interpretation of it.  I never wish to diminish the importance of it in my own life or the lives of others.