Speaker: Dr. Harold J. Sala | Series: Guidelines For Living | They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 1 John 2:19

Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). But the problem is a lot of people don’t know truth when they see it, and settle for a mixture of truth and falsehood that is far more deadly than the stuff dished out by someone who is really off base.

In the Old Testament there was a man—a strange sort of prophet—who earned his living telling fortunes and putting hexes on people’s enemies–for a price, of course. His name was Balaam, and he lives in infamy because of his strange mixture of truth and falsehood. It resulted in his name’s becoming synonymous with false teachers.

Balaam caused Israel to stumble because he enticed the king of Moab whose name was Balak to send women to tempt the men sexually and introduce them to their gods—all in the name of religion. Are you beginning to see why the error of Balaam is still alive today?

When teaching has a mixture of truth and falsehood, people often buy into it, not knowing that the pollution is damning. How do you know the difference? Balaam’s teaching—along with a vast smorgasbord of religious choices today—was marked by some tell-tale indications. To be forewarned is to be forearmed:

Teachers who keep Balaam’s error alive today are strong, forceful personalities with a charismatic manner. Consistently they claim new spiritual insights. It was Balaam’s reputation as a spiritual guru which first sent Balak’s men to seek him out. “If it works, it must be OK,” they reasoned, as people still reason today. “But look at the number of celebrities who are involved in this,” cults and false teachers advertise.
The teaching of Balaam (false teaching) appeals to the good side of human nature. Who wants to believe that a loving God actually sends people to hell? Don’t we like to believe that a loving God couldn’t possibly reprove us for what we are doing?
Balaam’s error usually allows the devotee to do what he or she wants to do, usually giving a great deal of sexual latitude, something which traditional churches will not tolerate. It’s the “I’m OK; you’re OK as well” mentality. There is indulgence, not discipline, liberty but not freedom. The devotee becomes a slave to his passions.
Playing on the “we need new truth for a new era,” the teaching of Balaam rejects tradition, and certainly the teaching of the Bible, in favor of a new creed or new insights which (if you care to do some research) are as old as Balaam himself.
Balaam’s teaching is a strange mixture of truth and error. One of the remarkable things about New Age literature and, for that matter, the writings of cult leaders is that they quote long passages from the Bible, which leads people to say, “They use the Bible in their teaching.” But the Scripture quoted is usually lifted from its context and ends up with a twist which the writer never intended.
Teachers in the spirit of Balaam usually become wealthy, drive BMWs and Mercedes automobiles, wear Italian suits and sport homes on the Riviera, in Hong Kong, or the Florida coast. They haven’t earned their money. In the guise of religion, they have embezzled it from people seeking to find peace with God.

It is little wonder that the Bible so strongly reproves teachers who follow the error of Balaam’s way and warns God’s people against being snowed by their smooth talking and charming ways.   Jesus was right that the truth will set you free. Make sure you use the Bible as a standard for truth, and when anything contradicts its clear teaching, beware. The spirit of Balaam is alive and well today.

Resource reading: 1 John 2.