Ardent American Patriot and Lover of Israel
Posts tagged false prophets
Identifying False Prophets
Jan 14th
"Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His voice, and ye shall serve Him, and cleave unto Him" (Deuteronomy 13:4).
Our text for today seems somewhat out of place, for it is tucked into a passage dealing with false prophets: instructing the people of Israel in ways to detect one who would lead them into false worship. The penalty was death, "because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt" (v.10). The purpose was both purification and example, for "all Israel shall hear, and fear, and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you" (v.11).
The chief test of a prophet was not his ability to perform signs and wonders (v.1). Elsewhere the test of total, lifelong accuracy was applied.
"When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously. . . . that prophet shall die" (Deuteronomy 18:22,20).
A more immediate test lay in the absolute harmony of the prophet’s message and deeds with the revealed Word of God, and the wholehearted commitment to the Lord Himself. This test takes the form of the holy standard set forth in our text.
Note that an inward attitude will be expressed, as given in the six action verbs. If we are to please God, we must "walk after" or "pursue" Him, and "fear" or "reverence" Him in all things. Furthermore, we must "keep" His commandments, striving to "obey" Him on every issue He addresses. He expects such a one to "serve" Him: to do His bidding. Finally, we must "cleave" or "cling" to Him, holding fast to Him in an ever deepening relationship.
To do less is to fail the test used to discern false prophets, incurring at the least His displeasure; at the most His wrath.
18 Areas the American Church Has Been Deceived – part VI
Oct 20th
Continued from our series,
“18 Areas the American Church has been Deceived – part V”
“18 Areas the American Church has been Deceived – part IV”
“18 Areas the American Church has been Deceived – part III”
“18 Areas the American Church has been Deceived – part II”
“18 Areas the American Church has been Deceived – part I”
Proof Number 16: False Teachers Practice Division by Their Claims of Personal “Revelations from God”
How important is “Thus saith the Lord” to you? Will you hear from a false teacher or from God? We are to expose false teachers, not join them.
“Doctrine” safeguards the flock. “Tears” mark the seriousness of defective doctrine. The devil wants to get false teachers into the church (Acts 20:28-32; 2 Timothy 3:16).
Unity that lacks doctrinal purity is not of God. “Mark” and “avoid” those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to true “doctrine.” They may sound good, but they serve their own belly (Romans 16:17-19).
We are to separate from immoral Christians (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).
We must not unify with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1).
Some believers at Galatia joined the renegades who were already busy adding, subtracting, complicating, and corrupting the gospel – a practice that remains fearfully wicked.
Perverters face condemnation (Galatians 1:6-9)! God means exactly what He said!
We must separate from the program of the unsaved. Expose them and oppose them! Show them to be guilty (Ephesians 5:10-13).
We are to separate from fellow Christians whose behavior is contrary to TRUE doctrine. Censure them (2 Thessalonians 3:6-15)!
False “doctrine” is divisive. The response to those who teach another Jesus? “Withdraw” and “flee!” Those that practice divisiveness are the false teachers, not the separatists.
False teachers may be exciting and eloquent; but they are conceited and ignorant. We are not asked to make the judgment about their character; God already has! Their heretical teachings results in strife. Such teachers often cut down, intimidate, and judge. They have a propensity for gain ill-gotten gain of wealth from religion (1 Timothy 6:3-5, 11).
Like Hymenaeus and Philetus, the babblers destroy people’s faith. “Depart” (2 Timothy 2:16-19)!
In the last days, the “corrupt” and “reprobate,” like Jannes and Jambres, APPEAR godly while they resist TRUE “doctrine” (2 Timothy 3:5-10).
Those with “sound doctrine” will want to deal with “deceivers,” stop their mouths and follow God’s directive to “Rebuke them sharply!” Don’t be timid (Titus 1:9-13).
“Reject” divisive Christians who foster ideas contrary to Scripture. “Heretick” comes from the word schism. Our divisions come as error is introduced. Inclusivism allows heretics to win control of the group, then to force cooperation toward apostasy. In the end accepted heresy excludes a biblical position and whole groups of churches fall into condemnation (Titus 3:10-11).
Those who leave the LIE, turning to TRUTH, may discover old friends preaching love to all the world will turn to persecute them (1 Peter 4:4).
“Love” does not overlook bad doctrine! Betrayers pose as biblical teachers. No base of operations or encouragement is permitted to be given to them (2 John 6-11).
“Contend” or fight for “the faith,” our body of TRUTH (Jude 3)!
Any erring preacher, teacher or evangelist indifferent to integrity and holiness, needs to remember that Jesus is prepared to do battle against them (Revelation 2:14-17).
Believers are responsible to “come out” from apostasy (Revelation 18:4)!48
Should our “great work for God” be to “unify the churches” or “usher in the Kingdom?” No! We are to do as Paul exclaimed long ago:
“And I, brothers, when I came to you, did not come with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear, and in much trembling.” I Corinthians 2:1-3
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