Acts 20:30

"and from among your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them"From among your own selves": So much for the doctrine of once saved, always saved. Even elders are not immune from going astray. Note, these elders are at this time faithful and sincere, but one who is faithful and sincere can become. false teacher. "Shall men arise": They need to be prepared for this, for this will happen. This verse reveals that even studied, learned, aged and experienced men can never be viewed as the "standard" of truth, because even elders can become the promoters of false doctrine. Here we also need to remind ourselves that there is no position or work in the church which places one over the Bible instead of under its teaching. "Perverse": The word "perverse" infers that the Word of God contains one true meaning which can be twisted by those with less than godly motives. If every verse in the Bible meant anything and everything (no absolute truth), then there could be no such thing as false doctrine, or. false teacher. Some. years later when Paul writes to Timothy, who is preaching in Ephesus, we find that false teachers have plagued this congregation (1 Timothy 1:3; 1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Timothy 2:17). "To draw away the disciples after them": Notice the motive. Unfortunately, there is money to be made in religion, and people who desire the center stage (instead of pointing men and women to Jesus Christ), will always find people willing to follow them. At this juncture let us remind ourselves that what Paul said here and in other places (1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 4:2), concerning. coming apostasy, happened. From reading the above verses the true student of the Scriptures should not be surprised when they realize that the vast majority of religious bodies that claim to be Christian--do not follow the teachings of Jesus Christ. Paul did not believe that every person who professed to be. Christian was one or was going to heaven, neither did he teach that one church is as good as another or that we are all just taking different roads to heaven. Notice carefully that Paul taught that teaching the wrong doctrine--places you in the wrong!