00:05Day 5. Defending Truth Without Writing People Off
00:09As we continue reflecting on how to discern false teaching and protect the church from wolves,
00:16we must also remember an important truth. Only God has the final judgment over a person's heart.
00:22Scripture reminds us that it is the spirit within a person that truly knows what is in that person's
00:29heart. While believers are called to defend the truth and guard the church from deception,
00:34we must also recognize our human limitations. We see only in part. Our understanding is incomplete
00:42and our perspective is limited. Because of this, defending truth must never lead us into the habit
00:49of writing people off completely. No one is beyond the saving power of God. A powerful example of this
00:56is the thief who was crucified beside Jesus Christ. In his final moments of life, when everything
01:03appeared lost, he turned to Jesus in faith. That man had no opportunity to perform religious work.
01:10He was not baptized, he did not preach, and he did not live a long, visible Christian life. Yet Jesus
01:18responded with mercy and declared that he would be with him in paradise. This moment reminds us of a
01:25humbling reality. Salvation ultimately belongs to God. From a human perspective, many may have assumed
01:32that the thief's life had reached its tragic conclusion. Yet even at the edge of death, God
01:38extended grace. Because of this, believers must be careful never to close the door that God may still
01:45choose to open. When we defend the truth, we must do so with conviction, but not with condemnation.
01:52Our responsibility is to proclaim truth and warn against deception. Final judgment, however,
01:59belongs to God alone. The scriptures do show that there are moments when false teaching must be
02:05confronted directly. Writers such as Paul the Apostle warned believers about harmful doctrines and
02:12sometimes even disciplined those within the church who refused correction. In one instance, Paul spoke about
02:19handing someone over to Satan so that their sinful behavior might ultimately be confronted. Even
02:26this kind of discipline, however, was meant to lead toward repentance rather than destruction.
02:32Another example appears in the parable of the prodigal son told by Jesus Christ. The father allowed his
02:39son to leave and experience the consequences of his choices. Yet when the son finally returned in
02:45humility, the father welcomed him back with open arms. These examples remind us that God often works in
02:53ways we cannot immediately see. Some people may remain in error for a season before eventually turning
03:00toward truth. Intercession is a vital part of understanding this process. There are times when
03:06God may lead us to pray fervently for someone caught in deception, and other times, as mentioned in 1 John
03:135,
03:13where a sin may be unto death, and the Spirit provides a restraint. This is why wisdom and spiritual
03:21discernment are essential. If we stand on the text alone without the Spirit, we risk falling into a
03:28legalism that hurts people and misrepresents God's heart. Believers must remain rooted in Christ,
03:35continually seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When correction is attempted without humility,
03:41love, and spiritual guidance, it can easily produce unnecessary harm. Even within the early church,
03:49we see that understanding developed over time. Peter the Apostle later acknowledged that some of Paul's
03:55teachings were difficult for people to understand, especially for those whose thinking had long been shaped
04:01by strict legal traditions. Growth in truth often requires patience. At the same time, believers must remember
04:09that there are also people who deliberately choose deception. Some seek spiritual benefits without
04:16desiring a genuine relationship with God. Instead of seeking God's presence, they look only for what they
04:23can gain from Him. In such cases, the responsibility of the church is to continue proclaiming truth
04:29clearly so that those who truly belong to God will recognize His voice. As Jesus taught,
04:36His sheep know His voice and follow Him. Finally, brethren, defending truth and showing mercy are not
04:43opposing ideas. Both must exist together. While we fiercely oppose the hirelings who do not have the
04:50best interest of the sheep at heart, we must never descend into hatred. The believer must remain
04:56zealous for truth while also remembering that God alone knows the final story of every soul.
05:06word to says a transcendentalism. How happens to other people who live in the fields, would
05:06weed melamy and הצ
