Daily Encounter: A Week-day Devotional by a staff of ACTS International.

Friday, September 7, 2012

"These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith. But they won't get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as with Jannes and Jambres."¹

In a takeoff regarding certain political adherents CINOs are Christians in Name Only. They are people who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, but, like Jannes and Jambres in the time of Moses, they had a counterfeit faith.

Wayne Blank wrote about Jannes and Jambres saying that they "are mentioned only once in the Bible by the apostle Paul…. Although they are not identified by name in the Old Testament, Rabbinic tradition holds that Jannes and Jambres were, or were among, the magicians who opposed Moses and Aaron at the time of the [Israelites'] Exodus [out of Egypt]…. Jannes and Jambres obviously had 'miraculous' powers, but unlike Moses and Aaron who were empowered by God, the Pharaoh's magicians were fraudulent and/or Satanic."²

In today's world there is never a shortage of counterfeit Christians, and counterfeit so-called "Christian" leaders who may have magnetic personalities, great oratory skills, and who are able to attract many followers, and in so doing deceive masses of people. Sad to say, this kind of person is found in every aspect of life be it in religion, in pseudo-science, in education circles, in business, and in politics.

As Christians we need to be like the people of Berea who are recommended by the Bible: "Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."³ Even though the Apostle Paul was the great leader of the early church, the Berean believers wanted to make sure that everything Paul taught was in harmony with the Word of God, the Bible. I suggest you do the same regarding all of my writings too.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please help me to be an authentic follower of Jesus and grant that my life and words will always be in harmony with your Word. And please give me a spirit of discernment so that I will always recognize false teaching. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus' name, amen."

1. 2 Timothy 3:8-9 (NLT).
2. www.keyway.ca/htm2000/20001210.htm.
3. Acts 17:11 (NIV).

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