Christians can be theologically misled, which means they can fall for false theology. This is why truth, reason, and clear thought are essential. Ezekiel 34:1–7 says:
Ezekiel 34:1–7
1 Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, 2 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? 3 “You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. 4 “Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them. 5 “They were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered. 6 “My flock wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill; My flock was scattered over all the surface of the earth, and there was no one to search or seek for them.” ’ ” 7 Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord:
This passage clarifies that bad shepherds can hurt God's sheep and lead them wrong. Jesus also told His people to watch out for false preachers, who might look good on the outside but are wolves in sheep’s clothing. This can be seen in Matthew 7:15–16.
Matthew 7:15–1615
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?
If Jesus' disciples couldn't be fooled, why would He warn them to be careful? Jesus also told His disciples in Matthew 24:4,11 that they should be on the lookout for false prophets.
Matthew 24:4,11
4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you.11 “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.
Why would Jesus warn His people about this kind of trickery if they couldn't be tricked and believe a lie? Jesus further tells His disciples in Matthew 24:24 that it could be possible to deceive even the elect. Paul, an apostle of Christ, also said to those in Corinth in 2 Corinthians 11:2–3 that they could be led away from a genuine and unwavering devotion to Christ. We, as Christians, must be watchful for those who have the goal of deceiving others. Jesus gives us the best example of preventing deception in Matthew 4:4.
Matthew 4:44
But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’ ”
We must spend time with God and His word daily in order to grow in wisdom on how not to be deceived by the enemy’s tricks. As Christians, we need to read God's word as though our soul depends on it (which it does). We only get one chance; make it count.