Dec 2009
Doctrine...
25/12/09 11:30
The amount of confusion taking place among those who claim to be God’s People is mind boggling! It seems that there is a certain mindset that wants to immediately latch onto any new doctrine that is introduced, or put into circulation. It does not seem to matter whether there is any evidence or proof to support these supposed new doctrines, just that it is “new light” or “new truth”. Many of these supposed new doctrines, are really just more of the same old deceptive doctrines that have been passed around for years! Why do people want to go after false doctrines and deceitful claims that are not biblically based and contain no truth of the Word of God?
2 Timothy 4:3
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers, 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
Paul warned Timothy long ago that this very thing would come to pass. People are more willing to believe in false interpretation and doctrine than in the pure truth of the word of God! We must be very careful and ever vigilant, we must guard our minds against false doctrine and against those who would deceive us. The deception is going to grow worse and worse and there are those who will try to convince you that what they have to say is the truth. The ONLY TRUTH we need is to be found IN God’s Word!
This deception has been going on from the very start of the church. There were those trying to pervert and subvert the true gospel from the very beginning! Paul warned Timothy about this very thing:
2 Timothy 2:16
16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and the overthrow the faith of some.
Here were two men right from their very midst that had begun preaching a radical new doctrine, that the resurrection had already occurred and people were actually believing them and their faith was being overthrown and corrupted! You do not need anyone to convince and persuade you that something is right! God’s Spirit dwelling in you will lead you and guide you if you are in tune with it and allow it to work in your life.
John 16:13
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
God did not intend for us to have to rely on others to know and understand what His Truth is and what His Word says! That is why God provided His Word to be written, preserved and recorded for us in the bible. We have God’s Word to educate us, we have God’s Holy Spirit to lead us and speak to us, and guide us to truly understand God’s Word! There are those whom God does provide to bring the truths of His Word to us, but it is our responsibility to prove what we are being told and to sort out truth from fiction. We will each be held accountable! The Bereans did not just take Paul at his word, they searched the scriptures to prove whether what they were being told was the truth, or not.
Acts 17:10
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
It is our responsibility to know why we believe, what we believe, and that we have proven it from God’s Word. Deception and false doctrine will continue to increase and many are going to be deceived and will be worshipping God falsely, blindly believing that they are worshipping and following God in truth. God will not allow us to be deceived if we are truly seeking and listening to Him!
1 John 2:27
26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. 27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
This does not mean that we have no need for teachers. God provides those whom He has truly called to teach His People. To those whom God calls to teach, He also gives an insight and greater understanding of His Word. It is up to each individual to discern the truth of what is being said and taught, and to verify it by using God’s Word as the standard by which all things are measured and filtered. Paul was clearly called and specially set aside for the ministry, but the Bereans did the correct thing and checked what he was teaching them using God’s Word to verify and prove the truth for themselves. It is your eternal life that is at stake!
Paul also warned the Galatians; many of them were being deceived and following false doctrine.
Galatians 1:6
6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, of anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
There is only one true gospel! Jesus Christ became our Passover Lamb for all time and gave himself that we might be cleansed of our sin and inherit the Kingdom of God and eternal life. God’s Kingdom is coming and you can be there!
1 Timothy 4:1
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that int latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
Do not be deceived! Prove all things and turn to the Word of God for all truth.
Until next time...
2 Timothy 4:3
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers, 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
Paul warned Timothy long ago that this very thing would come to pass. People are more willing to believe in false interpretation and doctrine than in the pure truth of the word of God! We must be very careful and ever vigilant, we must guard our minds against false doctrine and against those who would deceive us. The deception is going to grow worse and worse and there are those who will try to convince you that what they have to say is the truth. The ONLY TRUTH we need is to be found IN God’s Word!
This deception has been going on from the very start of the church. There were those trying to pervert and subvert the true gospel from the very beginning! Paul warned Timothy about this very thing:
2 Timothy 2:16
16 But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness. 17 And their message will spread like cancer. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of this sort, 18 who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and the overthrow the faith of some.
Here were two men right from their very midst that had begun preaching a radical new doctrine, that the resurrection had already occurred and people were actually believing them and their faith was being overthrown and corrupted! You do not need anyone to convince and persuade you that something is right! God’s Spirit dwelling in you will lead you and guide you if you are in tune with it and allow it to work in your life.
John 16:13
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
God did not intend for us to have to rely on others to know and understand what His Truth is and what His Word says! That is why God provided His Word to be written, preserved and recorded for us in the bible. We have God’s Word to educate us, we have God’s Holy Spirit to lead us and speak to us, and guide us to truly understand God’s Word! There are those whom God does provide to bring the truths of His Word to us, but it is our responsibility to prove what we are being told and to sort out truth from fiction. We will each be held accountable! The Bereans did not just take Paul at his word, they searched the scriptures to prove whether what they were being told was the truth, or not.
Acts 17:10
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
It is our responsibility to know why we believe, what we believe, and that we have proven it from God’s Word. Deception and false doctrine will continue to increase and many are going to be deceived and will be worshipping God falsely, blindly believing that they are worshipping and following God in truth. God will not allow us to be deceived if we are truly seeking and listening to Him!
1 John 2:27
26 These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you. 27 But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
This does not mean that we have no need for teachers. God provides those whom He has truly called to teach His People. To those whom God calls to teach, He also gives an insight and greater understanding of His Word. It is up to each individual to discern the truth of what is being said and taught, and to verify it by using God’s Word as the standard by which all things are measured and filtered. Paul was clearly called and specially set aside for the ministry, but the Bereans did the correct thing and checked what he was teaching them using God’s Word to verify and prove the truth for themselves. It is your eternal life that is at stake!
Paul also warned the Galatians; many of them were being deceived and following false doctrine.
Galatians 1:6
6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, of anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
There is only one true gospel! Jesus Christ became our Passover Lamb for all time and gave himself that we might be cleansed of our sin and inherit the Kingdom of God and eternal life. God’s Kingdom is coming and you can be there!
1 Timothy 4:1
1 Now the Spirit expressly says that int latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
Do not be deceived! Prove all things and turn to the Word of God for all truth.
Until next time...