In recent years, a resurgence of philosophies akin to ancient Gnosticism has emerged, gaining popularity through various movies and books. Though not identical to the heresy faced by the early church, this modern form poses a significant challenge, echoing the predominant source of error during the writing of the New Testament. Several biblical books, including John, I Corinthians, Galatians, Colossians, I and II Timothy, Jude, and I John, address elements of Gnosticism, while Revelation mentions related beliefs and practices linked to knowing the depths of satan and the Nicolaitans. Gnosticism, though rarely named explicitly in Scripture, influences contemporary thought, particularly within certain feminist movements that draw on texts like the Gospel of Mary, the Gospel of Eve, and the Pistis Sophia to promote ideas of the divine feminine and support claims for female leadership roles in churches. These texts are used to argue for equal access, participation, and claims to knowledge, often leading to practices like allocating clerical functions by lot and rejecting God-ordained roles and hierarchy within the church of God. Such egalitarian notions, while seemingly utopian, result in confusion and the undermining of doctrine, as individuals with Gnostic leanings often believe they possess superior understanding compared to the rest of the church and its ministry. God's pattern, however, is to establish doctrine and leadership through those He chooses.

There is a growing concern about idolatry within certain religious groups, particularly regarding the teaching of Comparative Religion courses. Such courses, offered by institutions like Armstrong College, are seen by some as a direct violation of God's warning in Deuteronomy 12:29-30, where He commands His people not to inquire after the gods of other nations or to follow their practices. The concern is that by examining the origins, practices, and teachings of major world religions—such as ancient Mesopotamian religions, tribalism, Buddhism, Shinto, Taoism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and various Christian denominations—students risk being ensnared by false beliefs. However, a closer understanding of God's command reveals that He is not forbidding the mere knowledge of other religious practices, but rather the intentional study of them for the purpose of adopting or engaging in idolatry. In the cultural context of the ancient Middle East, there was a belief that gods ruled specific lands, requiring acknowledgment through worship or sacrifice by those who entered. God's instruction to the Israelites was to reject this practice and worship only Him, regardless of the land they inhabited. Thus, learning about false religions as a matter of awareness is not the issue; the danger lies in seeking to observe or practice those false beliefs.

God's complaint against Israel's religion is that it had form but no substance. The people made pilgrimages to their shrines, but they did not grieve over their nation's sins. They went to church, but they continued to cheat, steal, and lie. They made a great show of being religious, but their religion caused no changes in their conduct. Israel talked the talk but did not walk the walk. Spiritual adultery had occurred as Israel turned their backs on God and followed the ways of other gods. God gave Israel many advantages—His law, His providence, His protection—to allow His people to live His way of life, but they rebelled against Him. When God looked on Israel, He saw a whole nation, from her culture to her government to her religion, organized around human self-concern. He saw no clear evidence of godly living to verify their claims of being His people. Israel's false religion, represented by the altars of Bethel, is at the root of her problems. The violence and injustice in Israelite society stemmed from the false teaching proclaimed from the pulpits. The religion of Israel began with a man, Jeroboam I, who changed the true worship of God. The people were not righteous, moral, or just in their dealings with one another, so their playing at religion, though sincere, was despicable to God. Since their rejection of the house of David under Jeroboam I, the Israelites had practiced a syncretic religion, mixing falsehood with the truth of God. This admixture of beliefs produces a foul mixture, no different from what Israel was doing in Amos' time. Through human nature, satan constantly attempts to displace the truth of God with error, leading to a subtle and gradual loss of true worship. God sent prophets to testify against the nation and expose the direction it was going, and He called Nazirites to exemplify pure living before His people. However, the Israelites forced the Nazirites to break their vow and muzzled the prophets, showing their intolerance for holiness. The more holy one becomes, the greater the contrast with the world, and the more likely persecution will follow.