I have a "secret-admirer" ... No, I'm just kidding! Haha ... I have a blog visitor who wanted me to answer a question of why there are so many different religions claiming to be BIBLE (emphasized) Christians and we see them have varying names and doctrines followed. The question was to somehow drive the point that there should only be one true church of God and not have many denominations and the like.
I would not claim to be an expert to answer that question, but I will share what I have learned about "False Doctrines" in this post, hoping and praying that it will shed light to this particular issue and give us the chance to discern wisely if the teachings we are following is that of God or just one of the many false doctrines.
I would not claim to be an expert to answer that question, but I will share what I have learned about "False Doctrines" in this post, hoping and praying that it will shed light to this particular issue and give us the chance to discern wisely if the teachings we are following is that of God or just one of the many false doctrines.
~~~
The world today is loaded with gazillion of religions and philosophies that pose to be a way worthy of following because it will lead to some deliverance and/or peace in the end. Although a lot of religions and philosophical bodies blatantly oppose the Truths of the God of the Bible, many call themselves "Christians" just because they pledge allegiance with the Bible--which Christians consider the Word of God.
We see today a variety of these christian religions and denomination, and their varying doctrines of faith, and we come to wonder, which ones are teaching Truth and which ones are not? The Bible gives us many pictures of the so-called "False Teachers" that we are warned about. From Jesus Christ to the NT writers who echoed His words years later, one particular flag they always raised was the one that warns us of false teachers. They mention about many who would come to entice us of doctrines that our itching ears would want to hear, and they even tell us that many will be deceived to follow them instead of the True Way of Jesus Christ. And so, how are we to identify these false teachers when the Lord tells us they are going to be wolves in sheep's clothing, appearing as angels of light? We will let the Word of God guide us from here...
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)
We will start with the major or PRIMARY PROOFS:
1. False teachers DENY the full divinity and humanity of Christ.
- For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh... (2 John 1:7)
- Many religions, some even claiming to be "Christians," DO NOT acknowledge that Jesus Christ, as God, came in the flesh. One that comes to mind is the Jehovah's Witnesses. But the Word of God teaches us this truth also known as the "Incarnation." The Word of God guides us to this Truth--that those who DENY the Incarnation of Jesus Christ IS False Teaching.
- If you are holding on to this belief and religious doctrine, Jesus offers an invitation in His Word ... "RENEW YOUR MIND and Come, FOLLOW ME."
- If you don't know who Balaam is, you can know more about him in Numbers 22-24. He was a prophet, a diviner who was initially set on obedience to the command of the Lord. When the king of Moab (one of the enemies of Israel) sent men to ask for him to send a curse over Israel, this was his initial reply:
"Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could NOT go beyond the command of the LORD MY GOD to do less or more." (Numbers 22:18, emphasis added)
- BUT we eventually see Balaam traveling with the men whom the king Balak sent to fetch him. And three, yes three, times he ATTEMPTED to offer a curse to Israel as he was in the company of the Moabites. Although three times the curses were turned into blessings, we see Balaam compromising and believing that there is something he can do to change God's mind eventually. He never totally believed in his profession of faith in the "Lord his GOD." It sounded like a lip-service to me as we see him still attempt to bring a curse after God told him to leave the Israelites alone.
- Balaam's three attempts may not be his biggest mistake yet. In verse 25 of chapter 24 in Numbers, we read that Balaam rose and went back to his place. And Balak also went his way. This prophet, who professed faith in the LORD God, didn't do anything after what happened. He would have known and understood in his last attempt that God curses those who curse against Israel. Now, knowing THAT, he should have done something to the Moabites knowing that they uttered a curse already in their hearts. If he were genuinely obedient to God, he could have asked Him again if there was anything HE wanted to do with the Moabites. But Balaam just walked away from that scene, allowing the king of Moab to walk away as an enemy of Israel, and ultimately an enemy of God.
- This paved the way to Israel's whoring with the gods of Moab. The people eventually joined in the sacrifices of the Moabites and they ate and bowed down to their gods. Israel eventually "yoked" himself to Baal, the god of the pagans, the idol god. (see Numbers 25:1-3)
- This forsaking of the right way and embracing and incorporating paganism into its so-called Christianity is indeed the foundation of a religion that poses as that of Christ's Truth. The Roman Catholic Church is an example, where most of the rituals and its icons of deity worshiped/venerated in the church budded from the embracing of pagan cultures and "Christianizing" them.
- The Truth is found solely in the Bible. The Word of God IS TRUTH (John 17:17).
- The doctrines of Truth are found in the Word of God and whatever teachings are in CONFLICT with the teachings of JESUS, then we will know it is false teaching.
- Many other religions claiming to be Christians can easily be identified using this proof as the tool. Doctrines of Mormonism teach of things that are opposed to the Truth, including for example:
- Jesus and Satan are spirit brothers and we were all born as siblings in heaven to them both.
- God used to be a man on another planet. God the Father had a Father. God the Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's.
- The book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible.
- After you become a good Mormon, you have the potential of becoming a god.
- The doctrines and teachings of Seventh Day Adventism that are opposed to the Truth, includes for example:
- Our sins will ultimately be placed on Satan.
- Jesus is Michael the Archangel
- The dead do not exist anymore--soul sleep.
- The soul is not immortal.
- Hell fire isn't for eternity.
- The doctrines and teachings of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ that are opposed to the Truth, includes for example:
- Jesus was the savior for the Jews and Quiboloy for the Gentiles.
- Quiboloy calls himself the Son of God.
- Eve had sexual relations with the serpent in the Garden to cause the Fall--Serpent Seed Doctrine.
- God's work of salvation was not finished at the cross.
- We can only have salvation by acknowledging "Pastor" Quiboloy as the Son of God.
- The doctrines and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church that are opposed to the Truth, includes for example:
- The sale of indulgences.
- Salvation through various sacraments AND Jesus Christ.
- Mortal sins and venial sins (major and minor sins).
- Infant baptism as a means of rebirth and regeneration.
- Doctrine of Purgatory.
- The doctrines and teachings of Oneness Pentecostal that are opposed to the Truth, includes for example:
- Denial of the doctrine of Trinity.
- Jesus is God the Father. Jesus is the Holy Spirit.
- Baptism is necessary for salvation.
- Speaking in tongues is a necessary requirement to demonstrate that a person has been baptized in the Holy Spirit, and is, therefore, saved.
- If you are holding on to this belief and religious doctrine, Jesus offers an invitation in His Word ... "RENEW YOUR MIND and Come, FOLLOW ME."
"For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8)
- We see this as religious doctrines imposed by many of the so-called "Christian" religions. They uphold the doctrine of salvation by Grace + good works.
- Take for example the following:
- They require abstinence from certain foods (either entirely or on certain days).
- They require completion of some religious rituals and ceremonies in order to be saved.
5. False teachers entice by sensual passions of the flesh.
For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error... (2 Peter 2:18)
- Greed is one of the primary passions of the flesh that is fed by these false teachers. They entice people toward PROSPERITY.
- Their gospel message is not dying to self and following Christ, but enjoying self while compelling Christ to bless.
- Professing Christian preachers teach multitudes of followers every Sunday about God's goodness, love and encompassing greatness, and that He wants us to have our "best life now." They preach about the power of the Holy Spirit in a Christian's life allowing one to accomplish ANYTHING we set our minds on. It's a "name it, claim it" fiasco!
- These are the likes of Joel Osteen, Joyce & David Meyer, Randy & Paula White, Benny Hinn, Kenneth & Gloria Copeland and Bishop Eddie Long, as well as many, many more.
The Bible, the Word of God is clear about them and their work. We are to be very careful to discern the kind of teaching we are laying our lives down to. The teachings of Jesus Christ offers an abundant life of joy and love, but it also offers persecution, trials and a whole lot of tribulations to refine us and mature us spiritually. Jesus Christ offers THE ONLY WAY to salvation BY FAITH... a FREE GIFT from God the Father. We are only to hear Him call our names and say, "Come! Follow ME"...
Hi Cookie,
ReplyDeleteYour secret Catholic admirer is here again! he he he....
Obviously, you only believe in "FAITH alone" for salvation. Are you a Protestant convert?
Isn't it true that Faith without (good) work is dead? In James 2:14-17 it says:
"What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
Further down in verses 20-24, it says:
"But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that FAITH WITHOUT WORK IS USELESS? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “and Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to Him as righteousness,” and he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and NOT BY FAITH ALONE." (NASB)(emphasis mine)
In Matthew 7:21-26
"Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you who practice lawlessness.“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and ACTS ON THEM, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and DOES NOT ACT ON THEM, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand." (NASB)(emphasis mine)
Romans 2:2-6:
"And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:" (NASB)
What about the following verses?
Matthew 19:16-22; Matthew 25:31-41
Galatians 5:6
1 John 3:21; 1 John 5:2
Clearly, doing good work is one of the paths to salvation and not just by "faith alone".
The TEN COMMANDMENTS are all good works to do by us.
I think it's important to remember that often those trials and tribulations are birthed from the same source that brings us abounding love and joy... being the hands and feet of Christ to a dying and oppressed world requires self-sacrifice certainly, but God beautifully blankets those who serve with His undying love and joy. It is the most fulfilling and gratifying thing we will ever do. All scripture hinges on love and when we use Jesus' example as a template to relating to others we've understood God's message... it's truly simple. God is not the God of chaos and confusion. He is the God of understanding and order. Very nice and thought out post!!
ReplyDeleteMarisa http://www.meyouandcreamedcorn.com/
Hi Franklin (my no-longer-secret-admirer) Ahahaha! I praise the LORD for the time you spend on my blog and the time and effort you give to composing a comment for my posts.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, thank you for your comment. I totally appreciate it. Please allow me to start off by saying that I am not a protestant convert. I am not protesting against anything because if that was the case, it would only mean I am still in the same system and just "complaining" about things not going my way. I'd want you to understand that I have encountered God's Truth in HIS WORD (the Bible, Scripture, JESUS CHRIST) when I started reading my Catholic Bible like never before and that was when God convicted me to walk away from a religious system whose teachings were contradictory to what my LORD JESUS was teaching in Scripture.
Now, I understand what you are trying to emphasize here about James and the rest of the verses about works. May I share with you what it means, though? Because the Bible never contradicts itself, my friend. The Word of God is infallible, does not contain errors and will never have any contradictions in itself. God's Truth is the same from Genesis to Revelation and it will stand on the same ground of Truth from Genesis to Revelation.
Now, the Word of God teaches us that we are saved by FAITH ALONE. Ephesians 2:8 tells us that "For BY GRACE are ye saved THROUGH FAITH; and that NOT OF YOURSELVES: [it is] the gift of God..." and in Romans 3:24 we read that we are "Being JUSTIFIED FREELY by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus..."
The Word of God is clear that our justification, our salvation is through FAITH alone which is apart from works. In fact, the Bible tells us it is ONLY by the Grace of God and not our works in order that we may not boast (continue reading Ephesians 2:9). Now, if that was the case, was there then a conflict and contradiction when God included the book of James in the Bible which talks about works? He even mentions that "Faith without works is dead!" Is this then a proof that God's Word is contradictory in itself? By no means, my friend! Please allow me to share what I myself had learned through God's Word...
James wrote this letter to the believers who were actually Jewish Christians (see James 1:1). James didn't speak of another way of salvation which is in conflict with what Jesus taught and what the apostle Paul wrote in all his letters. In reality, James was trying to address many of those "believers/Christians" who PROFESS THEIR FAITH in JESUS CHRIST (the Word) but didn't show any marked change in their nature (think of being born again in Christ... 2 Cor. 5:17). They profess their FAITH but their works (fruit) were never evident of the NEW LIFE they were supposed to have in Christ.
See what James wrote in chapter 1:21-22 ... "Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that REMAINS of wickedness, in humility RECEIVE THE WORD implanted, WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE YOUR SOULS. BUT prove yourselves DOERS of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.
Even in this verse James shows us that it is only through the Grace of God and faith in JESUS CHRIST (THE WORD OF GOD) that our souls are saved. His stress about the "good works" is actually showing us that these are PROOFS of our becoming believers and followers of Christ! It is NOT a way of salvation. This goes the same with your quoted verse Matthew 7:21-26. God's Word does not contradict itself. Those who will HEAR AND BELIEVE in JESUS CHRIST and HIS WORD will be saved. That is what He meant when He said "act on them."
Romans 2:2-6 is actually a Truth that everyone should consider AND REconsider because it is indeed the end of every man alive. We are to face JUDGMENT (the Bible tells us it is appointed for man to die once AND THEN Judgment). Consider that the last verse quoted speaks about those who are unrepentant and stubborn because God will indeed JUDGE them in the end by their evil deeds. If we do not have the righteousness of CHRIST JESUS that we wear in the day of judgment (for those who put their Faith and trust in HIM alone), God will definitely render to us the judgment we deserve. The original word used for "render" is ἀποδίδωμι (apodidómi) meaning "give back or return."
ReplyDeleteThis should cause us to think about our end, then, because the Bible also tells us that the wages (what it deserves) of SIN is death. And the Word of God tells us that ALL have sinned... if we are not saved, we deserve the wrath of God in the end--the rendering of each person's deeds.
I would love for you to read Galatians chapters 1 to 3 before you pluck out Galatians 5:6, because the context is important my friend. Paul was using very strong words condemning those who are returning to slavery with "doing good works" and are forsaking the GRACE OF GOD. In fact, it was during this time that the apostle Paul called Peter (whom Catholicism teaches as the first pope and the foundation of the church) a "Hypocrite!"
There is only ONE way to salvation, my dear Franklin, and it is through FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST and the work HE has accomplished on the cross and upon rising from the dead. Our works are as filthy rags in the sight of God, my friend... (Isaiah 64:6) it CLEARLY is NOT a path to salvation. ;)
Encounter God's Truth IN HIS WORD... <3 Be blessed.
Hi Marissa and Brittany!
ReplyDeleteI praise the Lord for your visit. And thank you for your encouraging words. May you both be blessed now and always!
:)
Cookie, This is embarrassing, but are you following us at Me, You, and Creamed Corn? The reason I ask is we display our followers' buttons on our blog as our way of saying thank-you... If I missed you on our followers list, please accept my apology.
ReplyDeleteMarisa
http://www.meyouandcreamedcorn.com/
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