The Holy Spirit taught Paul that Christians can be lured away from Christ by false teachers. These people mislead believers; they are hypocrites themselves and are not telling the truth. They have not followed Christ although they pretend to be part of the church, but really they are being manipulated by demonic spirits. They appear devout because of their strict way of life but they demand that their followers behave in ways that are not part of the essential Christian lifestyle.
The truth is that when people come to Jesus for mercy and grace, He opens their eyes to the truth and sets them free from bondage. But Satan and his demons want to enslave people, dictate their basic human choices and deprive them from living as free people under God’s grace. We must be alert to recognise such people, and ensure that we are not sucked into their error ourselves.
It is good to have clear leadership in the church, and most people want to follow a strong leader. But when a strongly opinionated leader gathers a following which leads people away from the church, remember these verses. But also remember the truth that God is not a ‘kill-joy’. He freely provides us with everything for our enjoyment (1 Timothy 6:17) so we should receive and give thanks. As Paul says (Galatians 5:1), “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
