Verse: 2 Timothy 2:16-19
16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. 19 Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.”
Devotion
Has your maps app ever led you astray? Have you ever followed it, fully trusting it, and ended up in the wrong place? It's happened to be several times, and it is so frustrating! This is the warning Paul is giving Timothy, and us, about "false teachers" in this passage.
There were people in their time, just as there are today, who mishandle and distort the truth of God's Word. Notice he says they "departed from the truth." So, they started with the truth, but then slowly began to depart in certain areas. I'm sure it would have been tempting to believe them. I'm sure it sounded true. They had enough truth in their messages to make it sound like Christian teaching, but ultimately they led people astray. Sadly it says they destroyed the faith of some!
How do we guard against being duped in the same way? We have to compare what people are teaching with scripture. We always must go back to the Word. You may hear a teaching that seems popular, and even seems true. It will probably appeal to you in some way. But the key is to say, "yes, but does this line up with the historic teaching of scripture?"
Don't believe everything you hear. Be a student of the Word! If you hear people teaching stuff that doesn't seem right, challenge them! Ask questions. Don't just accept it, especially if it seems off. It very well could be!