Warning Against False Spiritual Guides

A sermon had been exposing the evil done by false spiritual guides and the stress had fallen on the uniqueness of Jesus as Saviour. The new moralists, together with the psychologists and scientists who belong to the antireligious schools, had all received attention, but the fact had to be faced that many false guides are sincere guides. They cannot do what they claim to do, but they really think they can. Therein lies the tragedy of it. Although they honestly believe they can save, you will follow them nonetheless at your peril.

The sermon had a terse illustrative end:

‘A few years ago, during ‘Navy Week’ at Plymouth, the festivities were spoiled by a distressing accident. A young sailor was put up to demonstrate a new and wonderful lifesaving apparatus and, in the midst of the demonstration, something went wrong and he lost his life.

‘The irony of it! He was demonstrating a lifesaving apparatus and he lost his life.

‘Spiritual quacks are like that. They claim to have a soul-saving method, but you will follow it at your peril. ‘None but Jesus can do helpless sinners good.’”