13:5
Now we get the punishment to be applied to the false prophet. He is to be put to death! We can get all het up about this being harsh treatment, and asking “does it apply today?”. Let’s take a more sensible approach. First, we are not to apply the death penalty to false teachers or prophets. This was not done nor advocated in the New Testament. However, we are to take the matter of false teaching and prophecies very seriously. This is something we often do not do today. The latter half of the verse gives the reason why the matter is treated so seriously. The Lord is the One who released them from slavery, He is the giver of life. Following any other way will not bring life, only slavery. The parallel today is that the gospel brings life, and Jesus is the only way of salvation. Every other way leaves us in slavery to sin. So we need to treat false teachings and prophecies with the seriousness that they deserve.
13:6,7
We now move on to the case of family members, or very close friends, seeking to lead us to worship false gods. The text reminds them that they have never known these gods, whereas they have had encounters with the Lord and have experienced what He has done. We are not to follow the gods of the people around us.
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