Tag Archives: false teaching

God Said What!?

Church Bulletin, Preaching, , ,

It’s easy to prep a sermon when you don’t have to be bothered with things like honesty and truth. Sticking to the words of inspired Scripture forces a preacher measure his words and carefully present only what is actually in the text. It is a challenge. It’s especially frustrating when your wisdom dictates a sermon that cannot be taught from the Biblical text. What to do?

Some have taken to crafting their own message from their imaginations. Then they give it the imprimatur of truth by declaring, “God told me…” Recently a preacher wanted to weigh in on the homosexual marriage debate. I’ll not name him, ((I do not wish to promote or give any additional publicity to the man.)) but he said that God told him we should change our attitude toward the LGBT community and we should be accepting of them. I guess because God told him we should all hold our tongues and rejoice that the sin of the practicing homosexual is no longer sinful! God told him it was ok! Some have gone so far as to craft entire books of sayings and teachings given them by God, teachings that often directly contradict clear Bible teaching.

Sadly, some just follow along and accept whatever comes from the mouth of their preacher. Shame on them and their preacher! Let’s begin with a few passages.

“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.  As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8, 9).

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.  (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

“For God is not a God of confusion…” (1 Corinthians 14:33)

It is clear that anyone who brings “new” teachings, not found in Scripture, to the pulpit is to be accursed. It doesn’t matter how that supposed revelation came to be it cannot stand if it contradicts Bible teaching. ((We note that both Islam and Mormonism were allegedly brought by the angels Gabriel and Moroni.)) Paul declares that one who brings such teaching is to be “accursed.” This precept is so important that Paul repeats it again in the very next verse. This teaching parallels other similar thoughts in Revelation 22:18, 19, Deuteronomy 4:2, 2 John 9, et al. The false teacher is deceitful and knowingly brings his illicit teachings to the mind of the student. Paul notes that these teachers have disguised themselves so as to infiltrate churches and destroy from the inside (Acts 20:29-31).

Our final verse notes that God does not create confusion. The context is that of chaotic, charismatic worship, but the fact remains that God does not create confusion. One who brings a new or altered teaching because “God told him to” has created confusion and therefore proven himself a false teacher.

New revelation, when sent by God, was always confirmed by great signs, wonders and miracles. The miraculous deliverance of Israel from Egypt and the attendant wonders at Sinai confirmed the coming of the Law of Moses. Likewise, the miraculous manifestations on Pentecost (Acts 2) and again at the home of Cornelius (Acts 10) confirmed the new church age and the extension of the gospel to the Gentiles.

Unless and until modern preachers can confirm their new teachings with Bible-caliber miracles, let them be silent or preach only from the established truth of Scripture.

 

Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @jbevans.

 

Who are Jannes and Jambres?

2 Timothy, Doctrine, Exodus,

Jannes JambresJannes and Jambres appear only once, by name, in the Bible at 2 Timothy 3:8. While our knowledge is limited there some things that can be known and more importantly, some things that we should learn from them.

Jewish tradition taught that Jannes and Jambres were Pharaoh’s two magicians who stood against Moses in Exodus 7:11 ff. Moses was sent to demand the release of the Hebrews from Egyptian servitude. At the first meeting with Pharaoh Moses demonstrated his own bona fides by casting down his staff which became a snake. Two magicians countered with a trick that appeared equal to what Moses had done. But to the astonishment of all, Moses snake devoured the two belonging to the magicians. Tradition asserts that these two magicians were Jannes and Jambres.

While there is an extensive and often bizarre tradition about these two, there are some things that we can know for certain and most importantly, some things that we can learn from them.

Jannes and Jambres Are Examples of False Teachers

This portion of Scripture, at 2 Timothy 3:1-9, discusses the failing away that occurs in the last days. Paul has previously spoken of this heretical time in 1 Timothy 4:1. Paul talks of the same failing away in 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12. In both cases false teaching will occur. While Paul looks for the coming of the “man of sin” in his Thessalonian letter, he is more general in the letter to Timothy. But false teaching is in the forefront.

Jannes and Jambres are caricatures of the people detailed in the second Timothy letter.

“For men shall be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, haughty, railers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, implacable, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, no lovers of good, traitors, headstrong, puffed up, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding a form of godliness, but having denied the power thereof. From these also turn away” (2 Timothy 3:2-5).

As with all false teachers, these people love themselves more than God, appear righteous but deny the power and glory of the Lord.

Jannes and Jambres Failed Like All False Teachers

Jannes and Jambres gave the appearance of being godly. They opposed Moses and his message of truth. One ancient legion even calls them sons of Baal. They tried to demonstrate their other-worldly power through tricks but ultimately failed (Exodus 8:18-19).

False teachers today sweep millions, even billions, into the fold of deception and trickery. Yet, like these two, they will fail. Sadly, they will take untold souls into a Devil’s hell. Like Simon, their riches will perish with them apart from true repentance.

As Christians, we have the once for all revealed word of God (Jude 3) which sustains and supports all our needs (2 Corinthians 9:8). Through constant examination of the Scriptures (Acts 17:11) we can know the truth (John 8:32) and be prepared to discern truth from fable. As John wrote, let us test the spirits to see if they are from God (1 John 4:1).

 Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter @jbevans.

Devilish Piety

Church Bulletin, Doctrine, Homilitics, Satan, ,

Some people just look righteous don’t you think? They seem to have an angelic glow about them and always seem to have just left the throne on high. They appear to be people of near constant peace and joy. But we know that looks are not everything. We know the old cliché that “you can’t judge a book by its cover” is powerfully true. You may have been hoodwinked by someone who seemed so pious. Let us consider the question of whether the appearance of piety equals the reality of righteousness.

Arising from an old Latin word, piety simply means reverence for God or a completion of sacred duties or obligations. We can never fully know the quality of man’s heart or his actual devotion to God. But our question here centers on the appearance of devotion and whether or not we should be drawn to someone based only on that appearance.

Appearances Are Deceiving

One of the most chilling passages in the Bible is found in 2 Corinthians 11:11-15:

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. 

Not even the pulpits of our time are free of false teaching! To look only upon the outer behavior and conduct of a man is not sufficient. He may be a teacher of falsehoods ensconced in a satanic disguise. No one wants to believe their preacher, teacher or mentor is doing the work of the evil one but Scripture is clear that false teaching is found even among the church. Paul speak of false teachers who “slipped in” to the church to lead God’s people back into the slavery of sin (Galatians 2:4-5).

Rely on Truth

If appearances can be deceiving, how then can we choose the people who teach us and guide us in this life?

The only foundation is the faith delivered “once for all “(Jude 3). That foundation is the word of God, inspired (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and given by holy men without any private interpretation (2 peter 1:20-21). We cannot reply on any teaching, any creed or any confession not given by inspiration alone. Only the truth saves (John 17:17; Psalm 119:160) and any departure, regardless of the reason, is indefensible.

So as a practical matter, never trust a preacher, even this one. Place your entire confidence in God and in His ability to communicate to you. Listen carefully to your preacher, very carefully, but then test his words against the truth you possess in the Bible (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1).

Some things are priceless. Your soul is priceless. Never entrust your soul to anyone other than the Lord. Those who appear pious may be or they may not be. Only by comparing their words against the divinely inspired Scriptures can we know the truth that sets us free (John 8:32).

 Bryant Evans may be reached at bryant at bryantevans.com. You can follow Bryant on Twitter  @jbevans.