As the Satanic attack on TRUTH and THE WORD OF GOD intensifies, so too must the Army of God continue to rise up in defense of God’s Word. Make no mistake: Satan IS out to DESTROY the TRUTH…whether by creating the illusion that the Bible is in error or by distorting the truths which are taught within its pages. And…we must recognize this truth: if it is not GOD revealing and speaking through men, then it is, instead, SATAN who is “revealing” and speaking through men. Of course, Satan’s “revelation” is simply LIE!
Many in the Church believe speaking out against false doctrine is “negative”. Many in the Church believe that God did not EVER tell ANYONE to speak out AGAINST anything…that we are NOT to point out doctrinal error, false prophets, false teaching, etc. In truth, that is the “revelation” of Satan…the LIE of Satan. Can I truly make such a bold statement?
(Note: all Scriptures are in the NKJV)
2 Peter 2 (Paul speaks extensively regarding false prophets)
1 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. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. 4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds)-- 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, 11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accusation against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. 15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet. 17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. 20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21 For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22 But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."
Jeremiah 14:14 (Jeremiah speaks against false prophets who promised good things while God was speaking the opposite.)
And the Lord said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.
Lamentations 2:14 (It is believed to be authored by Jeremiah. The author speaks out against false prophets who speak lies in opposition to the truth of God. The prophets are speaking good things to the people, which is actually contrary to the truth. Again, almost EVERY example of false teaching hinges on speaking GOOD THINGS to the people…saying things that they want to hear.)
“Your prophets have seen for you False and deceptive visions; They have not uncovered your iniquity, To bring back your captives, But have envisioned for you false prophecies and delusions.”
Ezekiel 22:28 (Ezekiel speaks out against those who prophecy falsely in God’s name, saying, again, GOOD THINGS that God had not spoken.)
“Her prophets plastered them with untempered mortar, seeing false visions, and divining lies for them, saying, 'Thus says the Lord God,' when the Lord had not spoken.”
Matthew 7:15 (Jesus speaks here, warning that false prophets will appear GOOD…yet they are EVIL.)
"Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”
Matthew 24 11, 24 (Jesus warns His Disciples about the rise of false prophets and their deceptive signs and wonders.)
“Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.”
“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
1 John 4:1-6 (John speaks out regarding false prophets and notes from where they derive their “prophecies”: from the world. John points out that the impetus for their words is the desires of the world, and he states that the “world hears them”. He also notes that the world does NOT hear the words of TRUE prophets…their minds are too carnal to accept the hard truth of the Spirit of God.)
1 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. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. 5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Revelation 3:14-22 The Lukewarm Church (Jesus appears to John on the Isle of Patmos and speaks, telling him to write to the 7 Churches. Here, Jesus tells Laodicea that they are deceived into believing that their wealth and riches are a sign that God’s blessing is on them. Instead, God says that they are spiritually blind and wretched and miserable and naked and poor! And this belief in false doctrines, teachings and theologies has caused them to be “neither hot nor cold”…and it makes God sick!)
“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write,
‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked— I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ' "
If I attempted to put every Scripture which speaks out against false doctrine, false teachers, false prophets and the like then I would have to print here almost HALF of the entire New Testament…and an OVERWHELMING portion of the Old Testament! I will refrain from doing that…for my sake and your sake!
Now…let me get specific: Joseph Prince and MANY others are now preaching and teaching doctrines of “grace” which are actually distorted lies of Satan. Let me make this PERFECTLY clear:
SALVATION IS BY GRACE ALONE, AND THAT THROUGH FAITH ALONE! SALVATION IS NOT AND CANNOT EVER BE RECEIVED BY WORKS!
Yet, the TRUE doctrine of GRACE as revealed to us through God’s Word is being distorted in such a way that creates a dangerous deception, resulting in the espousing of ideas that relegate OBEDIENCE, CONFESSION, and REPENTANCE to being UNNECESSARY in the life of the believer. Further, this false doctrine being espoused by Prince and many others is creating a false teaching which does not distinguish between what is required to receive Salvation (Grace ALONE) and what is required to WALK and LIVE the Christian life. This false teaching which is being propagated is creating a false doctrine which says this: when we, as sinners, confess and repent of our sins…allowing us to become Christians…then ANY AND EVERY sin that we WILL EVER commit is forgiven and taken care of at that point. This teaching and doctrine is FALSE!
Christians…and others…have often said “Jesus forgives all sins.” Yet, this statement is NOT true. What is the actual truth then? (I know some are thinking I have lost my mind!) Scripture actually teaches us this:
Jesus does NOT forgive ALL sins: Jesus forgives sins that we have CONFESSED and REPENTED OF! This confession and repentance of our sins then puts the sins which we had PREVIOUSLY committed BEHIND US…it places those sins in our PAST…of which the Bible tells us “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12)
Look with me at these modern day parables…which will then be followed by Scripture to affirm the teaching therein.
1. A young man falls overboard while on a fishing vessel in the North Sea. The waters are treacherous, and the crew is barely able to get the life preserver out to the flailing man. Once putting the ring over his head and under his arms, the crew of the fishing vessel is able to pull the man back to safety. The life preserver (a round, white flotation device) is wrapped around the man as he now stands on the deck of the vessel. The life preserver SAVED this young man’s life. After all the clamor of the situation is over, the young man removes the life preserver and is grateful for the efforts of the crew. In time, everyone goes back to work and things return to some semblance of normalcy. Suddenly, another TREMENDOUS wave strikes the vessel, and THAT SAME young man is AGAIN swept off the deck of the vessel. This time…the life preserver is again thrown out…yet the man cannot reach it: he has gone out too far! Thus, in a short time, the young man disappears beneath the waves.
Grace is the life preserver that saves us. When we accept the free gift of Salvation from God through His Son Jesus, we are pulled from the sea of sin. Yet, Scripture tells us that once we have received Salvation, we will not live a PERFECT life (although that is to be the goal we set…striving to NEVER sin) and we WILL sin in some way. When we find ourselves in the midst of sin, we must once again reach for the life preserver of GRACE. Just because the life preserver saved us PREVIOUSLY does not mean that it can save us NOW…UNLESS we have again taken it, received it, and wrapped it around us, allowing our Lord to pull us out of the sin into which we have fallen! This is accomplished through CONFESSION and REPENTANCE! It is in this way that we can realize that GRACE does indeed cover and take care of PREVIOUS sins at the point of Salvation…but GRACE does NOT cover and take care of PRESENT and FUTURE sins absent of CONFESSION and REPENTANCE. Any teaching that says GRACE covers PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE sins from the moment we pray “the sinners prayer” (as we call it) is FALSE TEACHING. This doctrine would allow us to claim “GRACE!” regardless of how we lived our lives after Salvation…and that is NOT what God was truly establishing through Jesus. Instead, what is TRULY established in Scripture is the OPPORTUNITY to once again reach out for GRACE from God through Jesus when we find that we have failed God and sinned! The doctrines of CONFESSION and REPENTANCE are repeatedly and consistently mentioned in Scripture…and it is spoken to THE CHURCH…to those who have ALREADY ACCEPTED Jesus as Savior!
1 John 1:5-2:6 (John is speaking to CHRISTIANS, as denoted by the phrase “my little children”…and he lays out the truth of sin: we are to confess our sins even AFTER salvation. And it also denotes that FORGIVENESS is given AFTER we confess…not BEFORE. This is noted by the wording of the passage: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us…”. Grace only allows us to continue living after we sin…allowing us the opportunity to CONFESS and REPENT. Grace did NOT cover the PRESENT and FUTURE sins…it simply allows us to take care of that sin AT THE TIME WE COMMIT IT…not BEFORE we commit it.)
5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. 3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
2. A young woman is headed to McDonalds. When there, she plans on buying and eating a Big Mac. While headed toward McDonalds with that goal and intention in mind, the woman CONFESSES and REPENTS of that desire. 5 minutes later…she is sitting at McDonalds eating a Big Mac!
Did the young woman REALLY repent? No…of course not! To repent means “to turn away from, to go in the opposite direction of”. The young woman COULD NOT end up at McDonalds eating a Big Mac if she had TRULY repented!
Too often, the Church has failed to preach REPENTANCE. In some cases, I would even say this: Some preachers who continue to preach do not continue to defend the faith. Under the guise of GRACE, many in the Church are espousing doctrines that allow those who CONFESS and REPENT to end up WITH the very things they have supposedly CONFESSED and REPENTED of. That is NOT possible! Yet…we realize that God is “faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us” if we simply TRULY follow His Word…which tells us that we must TRULY repent.
This is a POWERFUL truth: We CANNOT repent of something and still HAVE it! If we keep what we REPENT…then it is as if we hand that sin to God and then IMMEDIATELY pull it back out of His hands, deciding that we actually WANT TO KEEP IT! How many times have we heard the term “Indian giver!” God WILL take our sins and cast them away from us…IF we let Him. The decision is NOT forced upon us…we must WILLINGLY give those sins to God, putting them under GRACE and FORGIVENESS.
Ezekiel 18:30
"Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord God. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin.”
Matthew 4:17
“From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’"
3. A man commits murder. He and another man were both involved, both active in the perpetration of this crime. Once the man is caught, the police are unable to establish a firm case against this man, yet they are able to verify and prove that the other man is guilty with the testimony of this man. Eventually, due to the need for the man’s testimony, the police offer a plea deal: if the man will confess to the crime and testify against the other man, they will not sentence him to prison time. (Probably unrealistic in our day and age, of course!) Thus, the man CONFESSES, even claiming to have “changed his ways”, announcing that he has REPENTED. The man is then set free under a plea deal of PROBATION. The next day, the man kills again!
Did the man TRULY repent? And…does CONFESSION actually mean change has taken place? In many circles of the Church today, CONFESSION is mistaken for SALVATION. A person can CONFESS they are a murderer and yet they REMAIN a murderer! The measure of a CONFESSION is seen in REPENTANCE!
To understand Salvation, we MUST get a Biblically COMPLETE picture of ALL that Scripture says regarding the issue. Scripture reveals Scripture…Scripture explains Scripture…Scripture proves Scripture. We could take ONE Scripture to “prove” something…but that “proof” must be evaluated by OTHER SCRIPTURE on the subject. If we do not properly evaluate the TOTALITY of Scripture on a subject, we can OFTEN begin to MISUNDERSTAND and MISREPRESENT Scripture. Thus…we make the truth of God and lie!
GRACE…AMAZING GRACE! Wonderful in its totality! Perfect in its application!
And it is THAT grace which allows us the time and opportunity to CONFESS and REPENT of our sins! Unlike the Old Testament, we are allowed to LIVE even though we have been immoral: we are not STONED when found to be in sin and rebellion to the moral laws of God. Instead, we are allowed the TIME to “deal with” our sin…and we do this through CONFESSION and REPENTANCE. When we obey God and follow His ways, it is THEN…and ONLY then…that He can apply FORGIVENESS through GRACE to our lives and to our sin!
Far from being a burdensome life of fear and worry over our failures (sins), it is actually very simple: when we sin, just talk to God and CONFESS that we HAVE sinned, asking His forgiveness. In doing so, God WILL forgive us! Then, we turn away from the sin that we committed…REPENTING!
So remember…do not end up with a Big Mac!! Ok…a little humor there. Haha
Jude (Jude beseeches BELIEVERS to “contend earnestly for the faith”, noting that some have begun to teach a GRACE absent of OBEDIENCE. He reminds the people that, although once delivered, returning to living in sin is dangerous and destructive. He also reveals that they will speak “great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage”. False teachers/prophets speak NOT by revelation of the Holy Spirit…instead, they speak out of selfish motives, hoping for profit and a large following: “For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit…”
1 Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, To those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: 2 Mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day; 7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. 8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries. 9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" 10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves. 11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. 12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; 13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever. 14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, 15 to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." 16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage. 17 But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: 18 how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. 19 These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. 22 And on some have compassion, making a distinction; 23 but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh. 24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, 25 To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.
God bless!
Ron
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