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Have you ever been around someone who is easily influenced? Let’s be honest—at some point, all of us can be this way. Spend enough time in a particular place or with certain people, and you’ll begin to mimic the culture, habits, and personalities around you.

The same is true spiritually. This is why sound biblical teaching is absolutely crucial within the local church. Without it, believers can quickly be swayed and pulled away from truth into false teaching.

This was one of the central concerns of the New Testament writers. Again and again, Paul warned against false teachers and the damage they bring into local churches. In our digital age, however, false teaching doesn’t just creep in through the assembly—it often finds us through screens, feeds, and voices online.

So, if we are shaped by the teaching we hear, how do we guard ourselves from being led into unbiblical beliefs or unhealthy patterns? Here are three wise reminders to help us stay rooted in truth:

 

#1 – Not everyone on social media should be a meaningful voice in your life.

The rise of Christian “influencers” on social media has been massive. While some may be helpful, many are dangerously unaccountable. When we allow these voices to become our primary teachers, we risk adopting distorted interpretations that pull us away from Scripture.

God has already given us the local church for our equipping. Pastors and teachers are meant to shepherd us, not strangers on the internet who lack accountability and whose lives often provide little evidence of true spiritual fruit. Paul instructs us to examine a teacher’s fruit (Matthew 7:15–20), but the digital world makes this nearly impossible.

 

#2 – Don’t become such an “expert” that you ignore Scripture.

We are all tempted at times to cling to personal preferences so tightly that we reject the plain teaching of God’s Word. Sadly, many have even left faithful churches over secondary issues, elevating them above unity in Christ.

This is not about core doctrines like the deity of Christ or the resurrection. Instead, it’s about nonessential convictions that become idols in our hearts. When pride takes over, people refuse to let go and, as a result, damage their walk with Christ and their fellowship with His church.

Barna Research reports that about 10% of the U.S. population now identifies as those who “love Jesus but not the church.” But friends, this is impossible. We cannot love Christ while rejecting His bride. Many so-called “experts” have abandoned the Christ-ordained institution of the church simply because they believe they “know better.” That is not maturity—it is a sign of wrong belief and poor doctrine.

 

#3 – Don’t replace personal study with the insights of others.

Much of this article has emphasized the importance of gathering with the church and learning from pastors. That is good and necessary. But it does not replace your personal responsibility to study Scripture for yourself.

Stop depending solely on others to feed you spiritually. Learn to feed yourself. Paul uses the imagery of milk and meat (Hebrews 5:12–14) to describe spiritual growth from immaturity to maturity. New believers need the “milk” of instruction, discipleship, and guidance from more mature Christians. But that cannot be their lifelong diet. Eventually, every believer should grow to the point of eating the “meat” of Scripture—studying deeply and applying God’s truth personally.

Far too many have been deceived by false teachers simply because they never developed the discipline of personal Bible study. They were unprepared to discern error because they had no foundation in the Word. The best way to guard against this is to become a diligent, lifelong student of Scripture.

We are all moldable—but the question is, who is shaping us? If we are not anchored in God’s Word and faithfully connected to the local church, we risk being swayed by voices that lead us astray. Let us be people who are rooted in truth, fed by Scripture, and strengthened by the body of Christ.

Serving Together, 

Pastor Derek