Why does God allow false prophets to run around proclaiming this, that or the other in violation of His word? Why all the splits? Why all the preachers who misspeak things in His name? Why does God allow shenanigans within His Church, anyways?
Sad to say, many times people allow themselves to be swayed by a man. HWA, even when he was wrong about some things, swayed people to his point of view. His successor, even though he increasingly veered away from the truth, swayed people to his point of view. Sometimes, false teachers are nothing less than wolves in sheep’s clothing, whose primary aim is to draw members away to follow them.
Why? Why would God allow this?
We are all a mixture of good and evil. That was the legacy that Adam and Eve left their descendants. Even men of God are such. The difference, hopefully, is that they are using God’s Spirit to overcome the evil within themselves.
Does being a “man of God” or a “minister” excuse one from wrong thinking and wrong conduct? It should not, of course. That does not mean it will not happen, though.
Let’s think this through, shall we? What is our potential? What is going to be our job designation in the Millennium? Ruler? King? Priest? What do people in those positions do? They make decisions, right? They make decisions not only about themselves, but they make decisions that affect other people as well.
OK, so what is required to make good decisions? Knowledge? Attitude? How about discernment?
11Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
14But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. (Hebrews 5:11-14, King James Version)
How does God know we are using and exercising discernment correctly? How does anyone do quality control? He or she tests the product!
2And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. (Deuteronomy 8:2, King James Version)
3Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 13:3, King James Version)
7But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7, King James Version)
17I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee. (1 Chronicles 29:17, King James Version)
This entire life is made up of forming, molding and testing. God wants to see whether we will follow Him or follow someone else. Why? Well, when you think about what happened during Satan’s rebellion, it shouldn’t be difficult to see why.
How do we know when someone is preaching falsehood? It is not by something as subjective as a gut feel, instinct or our opinion. If what they say is not firmly rooted in God’s word, we have every right, nay the obligation, to question it.
20To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:20, King James Version)
Good comments. Church is a mixed bag; always has been and always will up to the very end (See Matt 25).