Have you ever heard anyone use smooth talk and flattery?  There are—and always have been—people who verbally proclaim their faith in God while simultaneously living a life that denies him.  Often, they are the popular, trendy, fashionable people and our human nature wants to follow them.  They seem happy, rich, adored; they have it all.  But Paul reminds us that is a lie.

These people cause division and confusion in the church.  They are being used by Satan, whether they know it or not.  We are called to continue in obedience, be wise about what is good, and be guileless—innocent–about evil. 

How can we know when someone is not from God? Paul tells us: they teach in opposition to what we learned from Christ.  It is that simple.  Follow Christ and you will not be led astray.