New and Improved—Not!
1. “Suppose there are prophets among you or those who dream dreams about the future, and they promise you signs or miracles,
2. and the predicted signs or miracles occur. If they then say, ‘Come, let us worship other gods’—gods you have not known before
3. do not listen to them. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul.
4. Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him.
5. The false prophets or visionaries who try to lead you astray must be put to death, for they encourage rebellion against the Lord your God, who redeemed you from slavery and brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Deuteronomy 13:1-5
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New math. New philosophy. A new theory. New and improved. It seems as if everyone has something to sell, and they have to make it “new and improved” to make the sale. This approach is used in selling religion, too—false gods and phony worship can be packaged as brightly and promoted as aggressively as soap and cereal.
This may be one reason why God warns his people about false prophets and teachers. Moses explains how God’s people can approach God. Many of these instructions have much to say to all worshipers who care about worshiping God properly.
As you read, be on the lookout for other areas that affect your worship: resisting temptations that lure you away from God; worshiping together as a family; giving to God’s work; and helping the poor.
Moses warned the Israelites against false prophets who encouraged worship of other gods (Deuteronomy 13:1-3). New ideas from inspiring people may sound good, but we must judge them by whether or not they are consistent with God’s Word. Some people speak the truth while directing people toward God, but others speak persuasively while directing followers toward themselves. It is even possible to say the right words but still lead people in the wrong direction. False prophets are still around today. The wise person will carefully test ideas against the truth of God’s Word.
When people claim to speak for God today, check them in these areas: Are they telling the truth? Is their focus on God? Are their words consistent with what you already know to be true? When you hear a new, attractive idea, examine it carefully before getting too excited.
