Peter, Jude, and John have each left us sober warnings in the New Testament concerning Balaam. It is evident that God considers these warnings needed for Christians, even today!
Peter warned against “the way of Balaam” who loved to receive gain from doing wrong (2 Peter 2:15). Balaam had a readiness to, for personal gain, use his God given high spiritual gifts and privileges to preach contrary to God's Word. Jude warned against “the error of Balaam” who deceived people for money (Jude 1:11). He was willing to compromise, in his greed, his own standards of morality and truth to accommodate the standards of his pagan patrons. Plus, in Revelation 2:14, Jesus, through John, warned against “the doctrine of Balaam” “...who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin.” Even in John's day this doctrine was already infiltrating the church, causing His people to compromise their standards and “to commit fornication” with their idol-worshiping enemies.
In the present day, the infiltration of Balaam doctrine is so common as to be unrecognizable without close scrutiny, leading those who genuinely follow God into following after the world and it's traditions instead of God's ways which are clearly outlined in the Bible. We must be diligent to study the Word of God, breaking with the ways of the world to live by the ways of our Creator and Savior.
It is evident that these warnings against “Balaam-ism” are still urgently needed because of the The well-known corrupt state of much that is counterfeiting true Christian ministry today. Is it any wonder that the faithful prophet Micah urges God's people to remember Balaam and his tragic end in Numbers 31:8?
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