Many will come in the name of Christ that could deceive
even the elect (the elect are those chosen by God). Not that the elect will loose their salvation
but rather their reward (their honor in Heaven). The Bible says that many of the elect will
stand ashamed at the judgment seat of Christ.
This, to my understanding, means that false teaching had robbed them of
their crowns (their rewards for doing what is right and good).
I have searched through the Bible for warnings about false
teachers and false prophets. The
following sited verses are only the ones from the New Testament: Matt 7: 15 and
21-28, Matt 12:43-45, Matt 13: 3-30, Matt 16:6-12, Matt 23:13-36, Matt 24:4-5,
Matt 24:11-13, Matt 24: 23-26, Matt 24: 45-51,John 7, John 15 9-10, Acts 13:
6-8, Acts 20:29,2 Cor 11: 3-4, 2 Cor 11: 13-15, Gal 2: 4-5. Gal 4:17, 2 Peter
2: 1-3 1 Tim 1:3, 1 Tim 1:20, 1 Tim 4, 1 Tim 6:3-10, 2 Tim 3:1-9, 2 Tim 2:8, 2
Tim 2:17-18, 2 Tim 3:13, 2 Tim 4:3-4, Titus 1: 10-16, Titus 3: 10-11, 2 Peter
2, 1 John 4: 13, 2 John 1: 7-11, Jude 1:
3-16, Gal 2:4-16, Rom 6: 1-23, 1 Cor 5: 11-13, Rev 2:2, Rev 2:9, Rev 2:15, Rev
2:20 and there are others.
If a new convert is ‘born again’ and is not instructed
properly in humbly growing as a servant of the Lord, he could be worse off than
before he saw the truth[1]. The teacher in this case will be subject to
even more condemnation for having misled the new convert. “A
farmer went out to sow his seed. As
he was scattering the seed, some fell along the sidewalk, and the birds came
and ate it up (conversion was not real). Some fell on rocky places, where it
did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But
when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they
had no root (conversion was stunted due to lack of Bible instruction). Other
seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants (due
to false teaching). Still other seed fell on good soil, where it
produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has
ears, let him hear.”[2]
“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in people’s
hearts. But while everyone was spiritually
sleeping, the enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.” Isn’t
this what false teachers do? The
difference in the soils defines the difference between spiritual growth and
spiritual death. Anyone who is truly
‘born again’ will make it into heaven; however, false teaching can rob them of
their heavenly rewards. I heard the
other day that 80% of new converts are not attending church a year later. Dr. David Jeremiah said, one of the most
discouraging things a pastor can face is that a new convert be seduced into one
of the ‘Christian’ cults. This is not a condemnation of the convert, but rather
the church. We, as the ‘body of Christ’
(the church) have a responsibility to recent converts to establish them in the
Bible as the way they should go. We also
have a responsibility to our fellow Christians to aid them in their walk and
shield them from danger. This is what I
am attempting to do here.
Just
as in the Old and New Testaments, if we accept what God has for us we will
prosper, but if we reject God we will be destroyed. “This, know also,
that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of
their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false
accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors,
heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form
of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this
sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly people laden with
sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these
also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith. But
they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.”[3]
If it turns out that my teachings are thought to be false,
I fully submit to the authority of the Bible for correction[4]. False teaching and false prophecy are
definitely to be categorized as sin. 1
Cor 6 9-11 states that we shouldn’t judge the person because they might be
saved from their sin just like we were, however, we are told in 1 Cor 5: 11-13
to ostracize an evil person and remove them from our presence, if they knowingly
continue in the practice of sin.
There are things in this life that you just don’t do. “You don’t ‘spit into the wind, Pull the mask
off the old Lone Ranger, and you don’t mess around with Him”[5]. Accept what God freely gives you, and you are
saved. Mock God and you are left to your
own abilities. Unless you are as self
absorbed as Satan, you will take the former.
If you came to me hungry and thirsty and I offered you a
sandwich and a drink at no cost, would it be my fault if you refused to eat and
drink? Would you scoff at me and deny my
existence? If I put the offer in writing,
complete with witnesses, would you still refuse to believe it? If you do accept my offer, we can discuss
your table manners later. In the same
way, Jesus is waiting for you in your hour of need. Whether you recognize it or not, this is that
hour. If you accept what He offers, He
will work with you as you grow in the faith.
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