Introduction
Believers are called to be guides of truth. Yet we must beware lest we become misguided heralds—confident in our knowledge and proud of our accomplishments. Spiritual familiarity can breed subtle arrogance. To remain steadfast in Christ, we must hold firmly to the foundational realities of our conversion. These are not mere entry-level doctrines to be left behind; they are truths to be walked out daily, hour by hour. Any deviation from this narrow path can erode our witness and, if left unchecked, endanger our souls.
Years ago, as a new Christian, someone told me I was well-grounded in the foundational principles of the faith and should teach them, as God might call me to do. I was unsettled by that statement. My heart longed for the “deep mysteries” of God. I wanted to uncover hidden revelations, to discover truths no one else had seen, and to proclaim them boldly. Though I may have understood the basics of the Gospel, I lacked the maturity required to teach. Spiritual maturity is not gained through curiosity alone; it is formed through time, trials, suffering, obedience, and perseverance. The operative word is time.
As the years passed, I discovered a profound truth: there is nothing deeper than the foundation. The foundation sustains you. It anchors you in storms, steadies you in blessings, and preserves you in calamity. It is the foundation that saves and sanctifies. These core truths are not elementary in the sense of being disposable—they are elemental, meaning essential. They are the very life of the believer and the substance of our witness to the world.
Therefore, beware of religious hype that promises to usher you into “greater things” while subtly leading you away from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:3). We see it often—self-proclaimed prophets and teachers who constantly offer something new, yet fail to understand or faithfully teach what is old – foundations. Novelty can be dangerous when it abandons orthodoxy. Such voices, if untested, can become a snare.
Remain rooted in the foundational doctrines of the faith. Study them continually. Dig deeply—not to move beyond them, but to understand them more fully. There is no depth in Christ greater than a true grasp of faith, repentance, baptism, and the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Spirit (Hebrews 6:1–2). These are not shallow waters; they are living depths. At the same time, we must acknowledge that all believers are vulnerable to false teaching—perhaps more so in this age of instant communication and unchecked platforms than at any time in history.
To tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is not merely a legal standard; it is a sacred obligation for every teacher and preacher of the Gospel. Integrity in doctrine is not optional—it is a moral and spiritual necessity.
This paper will explore discernment, authority, and deception in a fallen world, lest we too be led astray through ignorance or pride.
We need guides for our moral, spiritual, and doctrinal formation. Yet here lies a sobering paradox: some who claim to guide others into truth instead lead them into error. Scripture repeatedly warns that false guides will arise—not merely from misunderstanding, but from pride, corrupted authority, and rejection of divine revelation. The danger is not hypothetical; it is historical and ongoing. It is here today.
Key Scriptures
“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31–32 (ESV)
“Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” Matthew 15:14 (ESV)
Biblical Foundations of Truth and Authority
God is the ultimate source of truth. This truth is intrinsic to God’s nature. We often think that God doesn’t lie, but the fact is, He cannot lie. It is impossible for Him to lie. This is a part of His nature. Our translations of many scriptures do not define this part of His nature accurately. (I do believe this is a fault of the English language.) If God could lie, He would have to repent. Here, scripture redeems itself by saying just that.
Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good? KJV
John 14:5 “…I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” ESV
A genuine guide of truth will understand what I say. We must all beware of taking scripture out of context. All scripture must be researched for the one scripture to be understood. Even for as little a remark as above. It is often the best intention that causes us to do the most harm. If God is concerned about every jot and tittle, He is concerned about this. Matthew 15:8
Mental Conversion
One of the first foundational principles preached is “Repent”. Often, we feel we have repented, but this repentance is only a conversion of the heart. There may be conversions of the heart that are not conversions of the mind (James 1:8 “a double-minded man”). In these cases, we are sincere in our belief. We want to…but we are weak and do not follow through. The parable of the sower and the seed in Matthew 13 illustrates this well. The heart is willing but…. It is the mind that must be renewed for repentance to take hold, and this is done through a moral conversion, not a mental conversion.
Moral Conversion
“Unless you become as little children…” – Matthew 18:3 The mind of a child is where moral innocence begins. – A new nature. Present pleasure must be sacrificed for ultimate joy. Adam was created morally innocent. He did not know sin – until he did. Obedience to the Word and the Will must be our way of life. For this to happen, the Holy Spirit must be in you, and if the Holy Spirit is in you, He is at work – and it is work. God cannot do the change – we must do the change. He will provide the circumstances where you will see the light and change. But we must do the changing. To be Born Again and to receive the Holy Spirit is within our power, not God’s, ours. It is our choice. Obedience must come before understanding. Seeing is not believing. Believe first than you will see. This is not a “simple gospel”.
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 ESV
We Must be Born Again
Many of us were led to believe we are made in the image and likeness of God. We get this from the book of Genesis, chapter 1, verse 27. Many of us have not been taught correctly.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Note that it was Adam who was made in God’s image. Adam fell, and his relationship with God suffered severely. Hence, Adam’s offspring were born in his (Adam’s) image, not God’s. Genesis 5:3 uses the same words used of God’s image given to Adam at creation.
“When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.” Genesis 5:3 ESV
None of us, after Adam was born bearing the image of God; we were all born bearing the image and resemblance of Adam, which was a damaged, distorted form of the image of God.
Therefore, we must be Born Again, giving us the ability to be “transformed” through “the renewing of our mind” (a mental conversion) into the image and likeness of God.
The new birth is not a moral improvement but a spiritual regeneration. It is the work of God, in our lifetime, that restores what was lost in Adam. Through the Holy Spirit, we are made alive, and through the renewal of our minds, we are progressively transformed into the likeness of Christ.
As the apostle Paul writes in the Epistle to the Galatians 4:19: “…for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!”
The goal of salvation is not merely forgiveness, but formation—Christ formed in us. We must change, and the new birth grants us the capacity for transformation, and through the renewing of our minds, we are conformed to the image of God as revealed perfectly in Christ. It is in this image that Adam was created. It is in this image, the image of God, that we are to be transformed
Therefore, being born again is not optional. It is essential. What was damaged in Adam must be restored in Christ. Only through new birth can the image of God, once distorted, be renewed and rightly reflected in us.
I cannot emphasize this more. This is not just a prayer repeated at salvation (Repeat after me and you will be Born Again). We must change, or we will perish.
Faith
Scripture declares that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). Yet we often select only what we want to hear. The common refrain is, “Preach us the simple gospel. Don’t make it complicated.” But the gospel, while clear in its message of salvation, is not shallow. It confronts the heart, exposes sin, and calls for repentance and transformation.
When we ask only for what is familiar, we risk becoming spiritually complacent. A message that merely repeats what we already know can lull us into comfort rather than awaken us to obedience. It is only the “milk” of the Word. The true gospel does not leave us unchanged. It summons us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Christ (Luke 9:23). That call is not complicated—but it is demanding.
Let’s face it, nobody wants change, much less to be changed. Change requires surrender. It requires the mortification of the flesh and submission to the Spirit. Such transformation is often uncomfortable because it challenges our pride, our habits, and our desires. Yet without this refining work, faith remains stagnant.
Many continue in unbelief not because the truth is unclear, but because obedience is costly. It is easier to remain as we are, or yield in part, rather than to yield fully to Christ. Living faith is never passive. It hears the Word, receives it with humility, and acts upon it. Only then does faith mature and bear fruit worthy of the One who has called us.
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.” James 1:22-25 ESV
Repentance
In the King James Version, the word repent first appears in the book of Exodus:
“And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God led them not through the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest peradventure the people repent when they see war, and they return to Egypt.” — Exodus 13:17 (KJV)
In this passage, and many others, repentance is portrayed as a turning back—a change of direction prompted by fear or difficulty. Biblically understood, repentance always involves change. Not doing something again is not repentance. Repentance is not merely sorrow or regret; it is a decisive turning of the heart and will, a distinct change that can be seen by yourself and others.
True repentance requires transformation, and transformation requires intentional obedience. Repentance is an ongoing work within our whole nature that requires every thought, every motive, and every action, whether public or hidden, that stands contrary to the will of God, to change. Scripture consistently presents repentance as a turning away from sin and a turning toward righteousness.
If a person continues willfully in the same sin without struggle or conviction, there has been no genuine repentance. While we acknowledge that the Holy Spirit is our Helper—convicting, guiding, and strengthening us—His work in us calls for faith. And biblical faith is never passive; it produces obedience. Obedience, in turn, requires effort and submission to God’s authority.
Salvation is by grace through faith, not by human merit. Yet repentance is inseparable from that faith. Where there is no repentance, there is no real change; and where there is no change, there is no evidence of saving faith. Repentance is therefore not optional—it is the doorway through which grace transforms the sinner into a new creation in Christ.
Our Incarnation
We must not equate the flesh with sin itself. Many of us do this. Don’t! Scripture does not teach that the physical body is inherently sinful. Rather, the flesh is part of God’s created order and serves as the means through which the Divine may be expressed within the created world.
Consider this analogy: a coin made of pure gold is too soft to function effectively in commerce. It bends easily and can be damaged or exploited—historically, individuals even shaved small amounts from gold coins for dishonest gain. To fulfill its purpose, gold must be alloyed with another metal, forming a substance strong enough for practical use. The purity of the gold is not diminished in value, but its usefulness is strengthened through its union with another element.
So it was in the Incarnation. In Jesus Christ, God was manifested in the flesh. This was necessary so that the invisible God might be revealed, known, and encountered by humanity. As Scripture declares, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). In taking on humanity, Christ did not cease to be fully God, nor did He assume a sinful nature. He remained fully divine while becoming fully human—God united not with sin, but with true humanity according to His redemptive purpose. The Incarnation did not compromise the Divine nature; it displayed it within the arena of human life.
In a corresponding sense, we experience a kind of incarnation in reverse through the new birth. By the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, we are made new creations. We are no longer governed merely by the impulses of fallen flesh, nor are we disembodied spirits detached from physical existence. Rather, the Spirit of God indwells us, bringing life and obedience to our mortal bodies. The believer becomes a living vessel through whom God’s will is enacted in tangible ways.
Timothy, in the Bible, expresses this reality as follows:
“Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself (through repentance) from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” 2 Timothy 2:21 ESV
The goal of salvation is not mere moral improvement but the formation of Christ within us. As His life takes shape in our own, we become instruments through which God’s character and purposes are revealed in the world.
The result is that we will become the creation that God intended us to be if Adam had never fallen.
Thus, the flesh is not the enemy in itself. When redeemed and governed by the Holy Spirit, it becomes the arena in which the glory of God is made visible and His purposes accomplished. Where God became flesh, we must become like Christ.
Who Are These Misguided Guides of Truth
They are false prophets and teachers who:
- Leaders who lack spiritual discernment while claiming insight.
- They are those who are prone to self-deception and spiritual arrogance
- They speak from imagination rather than revelation (Jeremiah 23:16-20)
- They offer signs, charisma, and popularity as substitutes for truth (Matthew 7:15-20)
- They express doctrinal deviation masked as enlightenment (2 Peter 2:1-3)
- They substitute external compliance for inward transformation
- They burden others without offering redemption. (Matthew 23:4)
- They have worldly wisdom as opposed to divine wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:29-25)
- They are influencers of prevailing cultural narratives on theology
- They employ Syncretism to be acceptable to all. (Colossians 2:8)
World Views (tares among the wheat) are the Root Cause of their perspective.
- By suppression of truth in unrighteousness (Romans 1:18)
- They have a preference for autonomy over submission. They want control.
- They desire to be seen as wise or authoritative. (Isaiah 14:13-14)
- They require Power to replace servanthood (Mark 10:42-45
- They teach what is palatable rather than what is true (Galatians 1-10)
- They compromise, driven by acceptance, influence, or relevance.
- They are spiritually blind and have hardened hearts (Isaiah 6:9-10)
- They are morally confused, having ethical decay (Judges 21:25)
The Need for Truth
We must understand that truth is not merely a concept to be taught or a principle to be debated; it is a reality that transcends our understanding. In Scripture, truth is revealed as a Person. Truth is incarnate. As it is written:
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” — John 1:14 (ESV)
Truth did not remain abstract. The eternal Word took on flesh and entered human history. In the person of Jesus Christ, truth walked among us, spoke, suffered, and revealed the Father. Biblical truth is therefore not simply information to be learned but life to be received and followed.
When standing before Pilate, Jesus made this unmistakably clear:
“Then Pilate said to him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born, and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.’” — John 18:37 (ESV)
Christ’s kingship is inseparable from His testimony to the truth. He did not come to manipulate, dominate, or exploit. He came to reveal what is real, righteous, and eternal. Those who belong to the truth recognize His voice and submit to His authority.
True guidance, therefore, is rooted in sacrifice—not exploitation. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. Biblical leadership reflects this same pattern: it serves rather than consumes, gives rather than takes, and sacrifices rather than manipulates.
If we seek truth, we must seek Christ, for He is the only truth. And if we follow Him, we must be willing to embody truth in the same self-giving way He did.
As Hearers of the Truth, We have Responsibilities
- Employ the Berean model of testing teaching – especially foundational truths. (Acts 17:11)
- Embrace the sufficiency and clarity of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
- Remember the Spirit as guide to all truth. (John 16:13)
- Distinguish between illumination and new revelations
- Have discernment in an age of information overload
- It is the responsibility of we believers to grow in maturity and wisdom.
Conclusion
As a teacher, I must recognize that prophets, priests, and teachers are stewards—not originators—of truth. Truth does not belong to us. It is not ours to invent, reshape, dilute, or soften for convenience or acceptance. It is an absolute because it proceeds from God Himself. Therefore, those who handle it must do so with reverence and fidelity.
Scripture repeatedly affirms the solemn accountability of listoners and teachers alike before God.
“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” 2 Timothy 4:3-4 ESV
This time is now! This scripture is written for today! Likewise, in Epistle of James 3:1 (ESV), we are warned:
“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”
These warnings are for me and for you who are hearers and teachers of the Word. They are also for all who stand in pulpits, speak over the airwaves, or write for others to read. We are accountable not only for what we say but also for how we live. Our responsibility extends beyond public words to private actions, whether seen by the world or known only to God.
In the preceding narrative, I have sought to express foundational truths. Some of these may differ from what you have previously been taught. Perhaps you were taught these principles in another framework, or perhaps some were presented incorrectly. Nevertheless, I have shared what I believe the Lord has revealed through Scripture and careful study. Foundational teachings are not shallow; they are profound and inexhaustible. The elementary instruction given to new believers is necessary and good, yet it is only the beginning. There is immeasurable depth in the Word of God and in their foundation.
The true foundation of Christianity is not mere surface doctrine but the deep instruction of the Holy Spirit as He illumines the Scriptures. We must guard against becoming misguided guides—blind leaders of the blind—as our Lord warns in Gospel of Matthew 23:16–26.
Therefore, be careful what you hear, what you teach, and whom you follow. Listen for the voice of the Good Shepherd rather than the noise of the crowd.
Enough Said
“Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16 ESV
