Many years ago I met a man who's job was to look for and identify counterfeit money in the hopes of getting it out of general circulation.
As we spoke I asked him "how many years of study of counterfeits did you have to undertake?"
He looked at me and chuckled.
"None" he said.
Perplexed about his answer I asked him "how do you know when you came across a counterfeit?"
He looked at me with a smirk and told me that he simply studies the original. Thus by studying the original, he can spot a false bill a mile away.
As we continued our conversation I was prompted to "bring this truth home".
Many Christians live by the motto "Know thy'n enemy!"
However when this overshadows "Know thy'n house!" there is a huge problem.
I have spoken to several Christians who can tell me more about the Illuminati, Free Masonry and the Skull and Bones society than they can the Bible. Often when I suspect this to be the case I will ask them to give me a verse or two concerning one of the essentials of the Christian faith. Using their lack of biblical knowledge to make a very critical point.
You want to be a robust defender of the faith?
You want to be a vibrant, bright light in the midst of darkness?
You want to be a witness to your Muslim, Mormon and Agnostic friends?
Study the Truth!
Don't overemphasize the counterfeits, but dive head long into the Truth!
To be sure there is value in knowing about other faiths and religions.
Purposeful study and investigation of them can be worth while.
But beware of balance!!!
Don't know someone else's house better than you know your own. For when a someone comes to plunder your house, you may not know quite how to defend it.
I can tell you from personal experience that this is a far better way to go. In my dealings with Jehovah's Witness' I found that I became a better defender of the faith the more I studied the Bible.
All too often we are caught up in mystery of false religion when we should be caught up in the mystery of the Gospel!
John MacArthur onces said "Error makes no contribution to the Truth."
A useful light is bright.
Good water is pure.
Likewise, any good Christian is biblical
Study the Original and you will keep from getting tossed to and fro by false winds of doctrine.