Jeremiah 23:17
They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you.
Jeremiah 23:17 marks the false prophets by their promise of peace and safety to those who despise and reject God, and of no coming evil to everyone who walks after the imagination of his own heart and desires. Their message comes from their own heart and thinking and not out of the mouth of the Lord, consisting of smooth things and lies crying peace and safety. By contrast, the true prophets of God faithfully reprove sin and call sinners to repent and submit to God.
The flattering promise soothes sinners and their predictions of prosperity and of peace leave them unturned from their evil ways, and make them resist the call to repentance. Even actions that soothe sinners in careless indifference to God's claims give false comfort, saying in effect that no harm will come to them. Worldly approval in this way encourages pride and love of pleasure and makes sins God abhors appear harmless. That pleasing message of peace and safety is loved by unconsecrated professors, as seen in the delusion of Spiritualism.
Such false assurance does not prevent God's judgment, for he sees even what is hidden and his anger will fall on the wicked. In the judgment the unfaithful teachers are exposed as having deceived their hearers, encouraged them to set aside God's law, and led them to persecute those who kept it. Then the people recognize the deception and condemn the teachers who assured them of safety while leading them to ruin.
To reassure persistent sinners that all will be well while concealing their sin, calling sin holiness, and promising peace where there is no peace is false charity that cloaks and covers evil rather than helping the sinner. Genuine charity loves the sinner, hates sin, and warns faithfully of danger. Genuine charity points the sinner to Christ instead of cloaking evil. Taking the side of an offender instead of supporting a needed reproof effectively tells a person doing wrong that he is right and need not be troubled, even when the wrongdoing has harmed God's cause and led others from the truth. Treating a person who dishonors God as trusted and giving him influence falsely reassures him while he continues in wrongdoing and keeps him in blindness, whereas God's servants must warn him of the consequences of sin.