These are gleanings from Dr. Jack Cottrell’s little book Faith’s Fundamentals (1995, pg. 9–11). He is coming from the position that there is such a thing as truth and that “truth itself is fundamental.”
He says, “Satan works through various means, but the main weapon he uses against us is falsehood or false teaching.” (See Scriptures like John 8:44; Revelation 12:9.) “False doctrine is not just . . . [a] passive possibility that we can avoid as long as we do not actively pursue it. No! . . . It is something [Satan] chases us with, to throw over our heads like a net or a lariat.” My writing about false teaching in the church reflects, I believe, the idea that the church is being “chased” by the enemy with his lies and false teaching.
Dr. C’s scary assessment is followed by: “But we need not despair, for God has provided us with all the armor and weaponry we need.” The armor of God (Ephesians 6) is mentioned, and we’re reminded that the first piece of armor is the belt of truth and that another armor piece, “the sword of the Spirit,” is God’s Word. “It seems clear that knowledge of the truth is the primary means of defense against the great deceiver. . . . We must know the teaching of God’s Word, and we must believe it as truth. But we must also know that this truth is our only sure weapon against the deadly attacks of Satan, and we must love it . . . and guard it and wield it boldly.”
