What do we know about the Word of God?  If you were to ask anyone in the USA, professed Christian or not, what the Word of God is, no doubt the answer would be “the Bible”. To the multitudes, owning the Bible is the symbol of Christianity. To some, it is the centerpiece on the coffee table in the Living Room. To some, a dusty ornament on the fireplace mantle. And to some, well, you get the point. Many carry one to church on Sundays, yet it goes unopened. Many people simply use an app on their phone to access a scripture when needed. To a few, it IS the Word of God. In remote areas of the continent, we know many people are not Christian. In the remotest of villages, they may never have heard of the Bible.

According to the internet, approximately 100 million Bibles are sold or given away worldwide each year. That’s a whole lot of Bibles! Fact! The Bible is proven to be the best-selling book of all time, with estimated all-time sales reaching five billion. Recent data indicate a major surge in sales, particularly in the United States. In the US, sales have increased from 9.7 million in 2019 to 14.2 million in 2023, and exceeded 13.7 million in the first 10 months of 2024. This increase is attributed to various factors, including societal anxieties and a renewed interest in spirituality among younger generations. 

We could delve into several questions about these facts, but let’s examine just one question – the recent surge in purchases. Why is there such an increase in sales year over year, and why are the younger generations showing a renewed interest in God’s Word?

It is common to hear Christians say the “end times are near.” They hear of earthquakes, disasters, and wars, all foretold in the Book of Revelation. Young adults get caught up in the hype of “we must be ready!” While it is true, we must be ready at any moment, generation after generation has been lax in knowing what scripture says, knowing what it means, and teaching their children. For every generation that passes, less and less is understood correctly and taught to the upcoming generation.

Whether they know anything else about it, we could venture a guess that half of the population, conservatively, are aware of some foretelling of end times. Some people say we are in the end times now. How many people do you think are aware that there are “end times” foretold in the Bible? How many assent to a place called Heaven but suppress the reality of Hell? People who don’t have a Bible or are not churchgoers might obtain one just to see if what they heard is right. Let’s say half of that population knows that the Book of Revelation foretells what will happen at the “end times”, and they know enough about it to think that we may be entering the end times, but they do not know what to look for. If you are in that last group of the population, it would be no wonder that you would be curious and want to know more about how to avoid those “end times” or, at least, to know what to expect.

So, even with the facts on sales given above, we could not help but wonder how many of those Bibles purchased are actually read by those who buy them or receive them as a gift. Furthermore, how many of them would understand and correctly discern the truths within those pages? Sadly, most people will not understand much of the “Good Book” without someone to assist them in correct interpretation. This is where and why false teaching is rampant across, not only the United States, but the world.

Another sad fact is that many people rely on the once-a-week visit to a church trusting that teachers and preachers will tell them the proper interpretation. Many of the “Sunday Christians” never open the Bible they carry to church. It seems they rely on osmosis to give them understanding. Osmosis does not work.  

In today’s society and culture, we are a lazy people, a People uncommitted to studying God’s Word of their own volition. Deep truths of Doctrine and Theology are lost,  while the average Christian desires only to be spoon-fed for minimal spiritual growth. It is too much work to study and learn for ourselves. Ignorance of truth, and people being people who are easily swayed by whatever “sounds” right, church leaders seeking self-glory prey on the ignorant; thus, they are not above or immune to teaching incorrect doctrines. Whether taught by lack of true discernment or from an intentional effort to direct the hearers to a self-proclaimed agenda, thousands upon thousands of people are being taught false doctrines.

False doctrines are a HUGE problem around the world. Pastors or preachers use the pulpit for personal gain, whether monetarily or selfish pride, and the unsuspecting audience just follows along because the pastor or preacher SHOULD know the truth and is relied upon to teach the truth. Most of the preachers have a biblical degree from a highly respected seminary. Some may have even achieved a Doctor of Divinity or other highly acclaimed status.

This is not to say that there are some pastors or preachers who honestly believe they are teaching correctly. Why?  Because that is what they were taught. Sure, they study the scriptures and prepare for their Sunday services, but they will stick to a false teaching like a tick on a dog. They are always right, and anyone who questions or disagrees is just a trouble-maker.

According to one writer, “A grave danger in churches today is the possibility of a wolf in the pulpit. Inasmuch as congregations sometimes painstakingly endeavor to select their under-shepherd for the position of teacher and overseer, the enemy’s purpose is to deceive as many of the decision-makers as possible; to place his representative in this position of prominence. Jesus spoke of a wolf in sheep’s clothing, warning us to “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” Matthew 7:15. What better place for the enemy to place his disciple?” The Author goes on to say Satan deceives many with the mindset that they were born to be a preacher/pastor/overseer. That they are God’s gift to the church. That they are the World’s foremost expert in translating Scripture, while they are only experts in deceiving the multitudes. Have you heard of one or more of these? After all, Satan is known as the deceiver and presents himself as an angel of light. Paul emphatically addresses such:

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 — “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore, it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.” NASB.

So, what can we do? That’s the question. What would you think you would need to do to avoid being led astray?  Let’s see what the Word of God tells us to do.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 KJV

Study is the answer. Not just read, but study. Read, meditate, pray, and find the contexts to assure you are discerning truthfully. Repeat, and repeat, until you are sure you have the correct interpretation. Back up your understanding with Scripture throughout the Bible. The Bible is it’s own BEST commentary. You may read other scholars and theologians, but just because they are famous doesn’t always mean they have it right. Take what you think you already know, and find supporting Scriptures. Do the same thing for what you hear in church or what you read in books. Verify, verify, verify.

The bottom line for today is this. You cannot determine if what you hear or read is truthful if you don’t already know what the truth is.  Every individual is responsible and accountable to God for their own understanding. Don’t be led astray.