|
Be on your guard against false teachers!
'But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgement has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.' (2 Peter 2:1-3)
Notice that there will be false teachers AMONG us that will bring in heresies. We cannot turn a blind eye or sweep it under the carpet! The King James Version uses a stronger word "damnable" heresies but
derives from the same meaning 'literally of destruction'. Heresies are self chosen doctrines not emanating from God. Note I am not advocating going on a witch hunt! I am not encouraging us to be unnecessarily critical of those in leadership. Not at all as Teachers, Elders and Pastors should receive our support at the very least! What I am saying is that we should be on our guard and not just read everything the papers say and particularly be vigilant when heresies are being preached at the pulpit or on television.
Christians should be careful what they read, what they listen to and who they listen to. Sometimes wolves appear in sheep's clothing. Jesus warned us 'For false christs and prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible even the elect.' (Matt 24:24) False teachers will obviously mix true and false teaching! If all they said were false I wouldn't need to write this because we would all be able to spot false teaching a mile away! Remember a few drops of cyanide in a cocktail is enough to cause you serious injury, possibly worse and that's why believers need to compare what they hear preached with the scriptures continually.
We need to wake up and be on our guard! 1 John 4:1 reads 'Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the Spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.'
How do we test the spirits or someones teaching? Do we just believe what we hear because someone is dressed nicely and they are standing behind the pulpit or because they tell us what we want to hear, or if it is comfortable with our lifestyle? Or do we examine what is being taught and compare it with the Bible. The Bible is authoritative as 'no prophecy or scripture is of private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.' (2 Peter 1:20-21) When Paul ministered at Berea the Bereans were more fair minded than those who Paul taught in Thessalonica. Why? 'in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.' (Acts 17:11)
The Bible teaches unequivocally that it is the duty of elders to convict those who contradict sound doctrine and we should also eagerly contend for the faith.
Titus tells us that an elder should be 'holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict.' (1:9)
Jude 'found it neccessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.' (v3)
So what destructive heresies should we be wary of at present? How about the view that following Jesus death and resurrection we have regained the dominion that Adam once had and that we are now little 'gods' or little 'messiahs' The idea that Jesus descended to hell for three days and was tormented by the Devil, took on the Devil's nature and defeated him. The theory that since Jesus resurrection we can name and claim anything we want and we can have guaranteed health, wealth and prosperity. And that if we are not healed we don't have enough faith and that if we give a certain amount we receive massive financial benefits very soon. Is all the above content in this paragraph Biblical or is it a clever concoction or truth and heresy? Maybe you think these beliefs are extravagant or extraordinary. If though you watch certain television networks and look at what some popular teachers are saying today and examine their doctrinal statements they will endorse what I have just mentioned!
So have we as believers become little 'gods' or 'messiahs' ? Strangely enough Mormons argue that we become 'gods' when we get to heaven and quote Scripture out of context. Isaiah doesn't agree with this view...
'I, even I, am the LORD, and besides Me there is no Saviour. I have declared and saved, I have proclaimed, and there was no foreign god among you; therefore you are my witnesses, says the Lord that I am God. (Is 43:11-12)
'Thus says the LORD,the King of Israel, and His Redeemer, the LORD of hosts; "I am the first and the last; Besides Me there is no God.' (Is 44:6)
'I am the LORD, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me.' (Is 45:5)
Did Jesus go to hell for three days? What did Jesus say to the man on his right being crucified who admitted that he deserved his punishment but that this Man had done nothing wrong? 'And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43) Paradise is not hell! Paradise in this context is the place of those, for those who will go to heaven. Even the figurative or the Persian definition of Paradise relates to a 'Garden of Eden type existence!'.
Was Jesus tormented by the Devil in Hell and did He take on the nature of Satan? There's no Biblical support for that view. Did Jesus render the Devil out of action? Not according to Romans 16:20 and Revelation 20: 7-10) 'And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly.' which also agrees in correspondence with the first prophecy of deliverance and prototype of the Gospel in Genesis 3:15 'And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.'
Revelation 20: 7-10 teaches that Satan will be released after the Millennium and then thrown into the lake of fire shortly after Satan's rebellion.
Are we guaranteed health, wealth and prosperity, can we name and claim it? Some faith teachers have claimed perfect health for decades and their medical records prove otherwise. Again there are similarities with this teaching and (Christian Science which is not a Christian organisation) Well it is true that Solomon was granted tremendous wealth in addition to the wisdom he requested and Malachi encourages us to bring the tithes into the storehouse and we are actually encouraged to try God in this. But Paul didn't have his thorn in the flesh removed despite asking God to remove it on three occasions. Are we supposed to believe that those who are not healed don't have enough faith? I know that we don't know the details of what Paul's thorn in the flesh was but I wonder what Paul would have said to that?
What about the persecuted church who are in dire financial poverty? Are they not giving enough to be financially blessed or are they laying up for themsleves spiritual treasures that can't be destroyed? I suspect they are laying up spiritual treasures and will be glad to see them receive their just reward.
Worse still there are people preaching their own version of the Gospel and they are making serious money out of their followers. Paul has strong words on this subject in his letter to the Galatians in Chapter 1:8.
'BUT EVEN IF WE, OR AN ANGEL FROM HEAVEN, PREACH ANY OTHER GOSPEL TO YOU THAN THAT WE HAVE PREACHED TO YOU, LET HIM BE ACCURSED.'
2 Peter 2 verse 3 in the KJV tells us 'And through covetousness words shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you' There are T.V evangelists making serious profit from selling supposedly special 'healing water' for health or who for example say that if you give them £100, God will give you £1000 back. If that really is the case these same people could just give to say 1000 Christian organisations and they could be millionaires or even Billionaires. Maybe the motive is wrong or maybe the motive and principle is just not Biblical! Maybe 'No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.' (Matt 6:24)
Where do we go from here
'Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you there to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." '(John 14v1-3) |
