Any other belief besides this unique faith is not allowed by the apostles (Gal. 1:7-9). Galatians 1:8 says, “But if even we or an angel out of heaven should preach to you a gospel besides that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” Paul taught us in Romans 12:14 to bless and not curse those who persecute us, but here Paul tells us that some people are to be accursed. The apostles were very strict in their teaching, that is, in the New Testament teaching, the contents of the full gospel of God and the constitution of our Christian faith.
All teachings different from the unique revelation of God’s New Testament economy were considered by the apostles as winds of teaching (Eph. 4:14). In this regard the apostles were very strict. These winds of teaching are in the sleight of men’s cheating. The Greek word for “sleight” refers to the playing of dice in gambling. The different teachings are like the playing of dice for the purpose of cheating us. This sleight is in the craftiness of men’s deception. The differing teachings are a deception, cheating, and falsehood. They are with a view to inducing men into the satanic system of error. Behind men’s sleight, men’s craftiness, in teaching things different from the New Testament economy, is the satanic system. Satan has a system, and if it were possible, he would induce all Christians into it. The goal, the aim, the purpose, of his system is to carry the saints away from the central lane of the divine revelation with the intention of frustrating and even tearing down the building up of the Body of Christ. Some winds of teaching do not appear to be evil. However, the factor of evil is there to induce the saints into the satanic system of error, to frustrate them from building up the Body of Christ, and even to tear down the building up of the Body of Christ. The winds of teaching also cause the babes to be tossed by waves and thereby to suffer uneasiness in the church life.
There is a good test for discerning the winds of teaching. Certain teachings cause us to be cold and even deadened. After listening to such a teaching, we are deadened within. A certain teaching may also take away our morale for following the Lord, caring for His interest, and loving the church and the Lord’s recovery. If any teaching, regardless of how good or scriptural it may appear to be, has any of these negative effects, this is strong evidence that this teaching is a wind that will blow us away from the central lane of God’s New Testament economy. Many of us have suffered the blowing of the winds of teaching. We may have had the morale to follow the Lord, to love the church, to love the Lord’s recovery, and to love the Bible, but after listening to such a teaching for half an hour, the morale was gone, and we were deadened.
If the teachings differing from the unique revelation of God’s New Testament economy did not appear to be good, no one would accept them. Teachings may be compared to seafood, but according to the typology in Leviticus, certain foods from the sea are unclean. Leviticus 11:10-11 tells us that aquatic animals without fins and scales are unclean. The guarantee of cleanness is in the fins and scales. The “fins” and “scales” of the New Testament teaching are the Triune God, the all-inclusive Christ, and the church as the organic Body of Christ. By these we can measure others’ teachings. If a teaching is not related to these three items, it does not have “fins” and “scales.” Regardless of how good such a teaching may appear to be, for safety’s sake we should not take it.
The New Testament only contains twenty-seven books, but within it there are many facts. One might emphasize a particular point, such as speaking in tongues in 1 Corinthians 14, claiming that it too is a part of the New Testament teaching. Although such a teaching may seem scriptural, it may not have “fins” and “scales.” We must learn to have discernment in our “eating,” in our receiving of teachings. We must not receive any teaching so easily. Those who bring the winds of teaching often appear to be very loving, apparently showing care and concern for us. However, we should not quickly receive their word. We must consider whether their teaching has “fins” and “scales.”
The apostles’ teaching, the New Testament teaching, is very crucial. Whenever we hear something differing from the apostles’ teaching, we should not be bothered or affected. We should simply come back to the apostles’ teaching. However, if we are not able to properly discern a teaching, we should fellowship with certain saints to receive some help. In God’s New Testament economy, there is only one kind of teaching revealed and recognized by God—the teaching of the apostles. We need to continue steadfastly in this teaching (Acts 2:42).