Beware of False Prophets!
By David & Tamra Lee
Christ is King Ministries
http://www.christiskingministries.org

An Overview: Signs of a False Prophet

1. They equate their leaders' words  with the Scripture.

2. They reject authentic doctrinal Christian teaching.  

3. They emphasize an experience over Scripture.

4. They require busyness from their members.

5. They demand absolute conformity.

6. They pressure often for funds. They often have a large overhead. The leaders tend to live lavishly.
7. They elevate themselves over others.

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1.  They equate their leaders' words with Scripture.

Of course this is the very most important point.  It is the point upon which a minister stands or falls.

Only the Bible is God's inerrant, complete and sufficient Word to man.  Here is God's testimony about His Word:

Psalm 119:9,89,97,105,130: "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?  By taking heed thereto according to Thy Word...For ever, O LORD, Thy Word is settled in heaven...O how love I Thy law!  It is my meditation all the day...Thy Word is a lam unto my feet, and a light unto my path.  The entrance of Thy Words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple."

Proverbs 6:23: "For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life"

Isaiah 40:8: "The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the Word of our God shall stand for ever."

Matthew 24:35: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but My words shall not pass away."

Matthew 28:19-20: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations...teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you."

2 Timothy 3:16-17: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

2 Peter 1:3-4, 20-21: "His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust...Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation.  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."

These seven passages are only a portion of the testimony God has given regarding the importance of His Word.  If we heed His call to submit reverently to His Word, we will not easily be deceived by false teachers.  However, if we begin to consider men's words on equal footing with Scripture, we are in danger of being misled by wicked men.  

It is true that God has given us elders to instruct us in the Scriptures (Eph 4:11-16; 1 Tim 3:1-7), but the content of their instruction must come straight from God's Word—not from philosophy or theological systems created by men!

The Holy Spirit of God indwells every born again believer  (1 Cor 12:12-13). He gives "the anointing" from God to understand the Scriptures (John 14:26; 1 John 2:27).  He gives us the craving for true spiritual food; and then feeds us of Christ's heavenly bread (1 Pet 2:2; John 6:27,32,35).  If we study the Bible prayerfully as taught by Jesus Christ and His apostles (Luke 24:13-27,44-48; John 17:8,20-21; Acts 2:42; Phil 4:9; 1 John 1:1-4) we will be taught of God; and not misled by the false systems of men.

  If you see or hear these things being taught by anyone, know that you have encountered false prophets:

1. Those who tell you the Bible is "dead letter"; a "dusty old book."  That you need a "fresh word from God."

2. Telling you that the Bible cannot be trusted regarding history or science; or that it mustn't be taken literally.

3. Those who say the Bible isn't God's Word until it "speaks" to you.

4. Those who insist that the Scriptures aren't enough to heal your emotional and mental problems.

5. Claiming "signs and wonders," "visions" and "words from the Lord" as proof of their authenticity.

6. Urging you to seek an experience to verify what they say is true.

7. Reliance on mystical books and practices (Contemplative/Centered prayer, yoga, labyrinths, books by monks and nuns, etc.).

8. Insisting that their "Confession of Faith," or the writings of "the church fathers" or "historic councils" support what they teach and is therefore correct; even if it is not supported clearly in Scripture (infant baptism, devotion to Mary and the "saints", etc.).

9. The claim that Jesus failed somehow or was incomplete in His mission.  Insisting there is a new Messiah, an exalted angel, or an avatar that will "enlighten" you past the Bible.

10. Telling you that you need to read their book(s) to really understand the Bible; that without their books, you can't know God's Word correctly. (Science and Health Keys to the Holy Scriptures, Book of Mormon, New World Translation, etc.)

11. Those who take the Scriptures out of context, applying God's Words wrongly to themselves.

12. Added by Steve Van Nattan, having seen many Fundamental Baptist false prophets:
Beware of those who "preach" long, scream and roar, run around the platform, strut about like a banty rooster, but their sermons are all clichés with no Bible to back them up. They often use themselves as sermon illustrations of desirable qualities. Also, beware of the evangelist who is raging mad all the time and has a web page with a photo of himself glaring at you in hate. Hate is the product of demonic religion.

2.  They reject authentic doctrinal Christian teaching.

A denial of the Triune nature of God (that God is three-in-one: Father, Son and Holy Spirit) is an ancient false teaching that still exists today in the Watchtower Organization (Jehovah's Witnesses), The Apostolic churches ("Jesus only"), Unitarian and other such false groups.
 

As stated in Point #1, attaching anything to the Bible as equal authority diminishes from the sufficiency and reliability of Scripture.  This problem is everywhere in Christendom: from the Roman Catholic writings and pronouncements, to Reformed traditions (The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Westminster Confession of Faith, Belgic Confession, etc.), the nearly-rabid allegiance of many to Dispensationalism, the psychology-loving "Christian Counseling" movement, and so on.  

The way and means of salvation is always attacked by false prophets.  Rome claims that you must go through their myriad rituals to hope for salvation; including infant baptism, confession to a priest, penance, purchasing indulgences, last rites, and so on.  The Church of Christ insists that you must be baptized by them in order to be saved.  United Pentecostals insist you must speak in tongues before you are saved.  Mormonism teaches a long maze of rituals for hope of salvation by way of godhood (for men only): marriage in the Temple, faithfulness to the Ward, going on mission trips, baptisms for the dead, etc.  

Robert Schuller teaches "any creed, any biblical interpretation … that assaults and offends the self-esteem of persons is heretically failing to be truly Christian no matter how … undergirded it might be with biblical references." (Robert Schuller, Self-Esteem The New Reformation.)  

Reformed churches teach that only their type of church is a true church.  If you leave it, you are leaving God's Kingdom on earth; and are outside of His blessing.  Many Reformed teachers say that if you do not agree with the 5 tenants of Calvinism, you are not saved.  

Many preachers give half of the gospel; omitting essential doctrines like hell (John R. Stott and others deny a literal, eternal hell; as do 7th Day Adventists and the Jehovah's Witnesses).

Many neglect to preach that ‘faith' is a committing of life to the Savior—not just a mental idea.  (This "easy believism" has been made popular by Billy Graham, Charles Stanley, and others.)

In short, false prophets add to Christ's command to repent and believe the gospel in order to be saved.  They add religious works, obligations of money and life commitment to them (saying it is to Christ); they chain people to their organizations and make it very difficult—terrifying, even!—to leave, for fear of damnation.  

A false system of "holiness" replaces the Biblical definition of purity, modesty, and separation from the world.  Rome requires fasting for Lent.  The 7th Day Adventists require their people to adhere to Old Testament law; including keeping the Saturday Sabbath.  They also urge vegetarianism on their people, more restrictive than Jewish kosher food laws.  Bill Gothard tells men they should not wear beards or moustaches; and insists that those who use his home school materials dress according to his dictates.  He also has a list of food restrictions, and urges his followers to refrain from going to medical doctors.  

A multitude of other false prophets deny holiness altogether!  Pursuing the misuse of the Scripture, "ye are not under the law, but under grace" (Rom 6:14); they conveniently deny the first part of that verse, which says, "sin shall not have dominion over you."  These preach a message of license; proclaiming that it is good to look and act like the world, so that the people of the world can "relate" to us and we can have a "place to speak" to them!  These liars promote worldly music, hating reverent hymns and gospel songs because they cannot gyrate to it.  Their attitude is expressed well by Rick Warren, who brags that their church "rocks" and uses very loud music to do so.  

Such false teachers make disparaging comments against "fundamentalists" who stand against worldly music, dress and lifestyles. They hate teaching on doctrine, and ridicule it as "divisive and unnecessary."  Scorning those who stand against occultic and ecumenical practices that are flooding Christendom; these deceivers say such a stand is legalistic, judgmental and harsh.  Their total disregard for Jesus' call to holiness shows they do not love the holy Lord God! (1 Tim 2:9-10; 1 Thess 5:22; 1 Pet 1:15-16, 5:5; 1 John 2:6,15-16)   

Not only do they refuse to be separate from worldliness, false teachers refuse to separate from false religions, as well.     John and Joy Dawson, Loren Cunningham, Rick Joyner and plethora of others promote their own "words" on an equal standing with Scripture, insisting that God will come with a fury and judge those Christians who oppose their teaching.    

Joy Dawson and Loren Cunningham created a new phrase and religious category: Messianic Muslims. Messianic Muslims supposedly accept Jesus as their Savior, but do not believe He is God.  They continue to read the Koran, say ritualistic Muslim prayers and are in reality Muslims; yet Youth With A Mission considers them "believers" in Christ — in total opposition to how the Bible defines a believer!  YWAM has also been working with Hindu holy men to make a "bridge." (Charisma News, March 2000)

Rome has embraced Jews & Muslims as "brethren." While Pope John Paul was alive, he received the Hindu sign of the Shiva upon his forehead from a "Christian" Hindu.

RC Sproul is a chameleon; claiming to believe the Bible and yet adhering to Rome's teachers. He acknowledges that he clings to Thomas Aquinas and Augustine (both of them the fathers of Roman Catholic teaching), as well as adhering to Roman Catholics such as Martin Luther and John Calvin.

Sproul has been a welcomed guest speaker at Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral, and yet is close friends with John MacArthur (a reformed Baptist) and a guest speaker at his church!

Franklin and Billy Graham, Paul Crouch, Benny Hinn, Richard Foster, Luis Palau, Jack Hayford, the Alpha Course, Campus Crusade for Christ, Wycliffe Bible Translators...on and on you can go through out "Evangelicalism" and find union with Rome.  From Southern Baptist to Charismatic to Presbyterian, you can see social activism and united worship and "evangelism" taking place between so-called Bible believing Christians and Rome.  

This unity with false religions  is a sure sign of a false prophet!

3. They emphasize experience over Scripture

Benny Hinn waves his suit coat and hundreds fall over, supposedly "slain in the Spirit."  Kenneth Copeland struts the stage, pompously claiming his own doctrines under the shield of "thus saith the Lord."  (In the 1980's) Oral Roberts claimed that a 900 foot Jesus told him to get millions of dollars for his Faith Center, or else Oral would "go home." The late Ruth Heflin claimed God sent gold dust and filled teeth with gold, to show His glory.  John Piper asserts that tongues are for today because his many years of associations and friendships with Charismatics convinced him that they are.

Amid all of these assertions, not one is backed up with solid Biblical evidence!  The Charismatic Movement in particular is experience-driven; but so is much of the rest of Christendom.

Bruce Wilkinson claims that you can and should have visions and that God will fulfill them as you seek Him.  Rick Warren promotes the "vision" of his world P.E.A.C.E plan; which conveniently coincides with the United Nations plan for global provision and control.  Richard Foster, John Ortberg,  and Philip Yancey and others of the Renovare′ group promote the experience of Contemplative Prayer; which is simply Transcendental Meditation with a Christianized name. One Brethren pastor defended his emphasis on the practice of foot washing not because he believed it was Scriptural but because it is a wonderful experience; you have to experience it!

Recently an acquaintance from seminary visited us for an evening.  As Dave explained to him the error of Charismatic worship, he defined how Charismatic "praise and worship choruses" go on repetitively in order to get the people into a state of altered consciousness.  "What's wrong with that?" asked this man, educated at one of the most respected seminaries in the U.S.  This man has no understanding that to go into emotional realms of non-thinking, there is an inability to do what the Scripture commands: discern!   "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1)  

Our ability to discern must come from clear thinking about the Word of God; to put our minds in neutral is to open ourselves up to deception from the devil!  This is why Jesus insisted that we are to worship with our minds, as well:  "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind." (Luke 10:27)  

Despite all of the anti-intellectual rhetoric that is popular today in Christendom, our minds are to be used for the glory of God.  The Lord does not by-pass our minds—rather, He instructs our minds with the Scriptures so that we may think with the mind of Christ! "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that He may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Cor 2:16)  This is why we are commanded to "be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (Rom 12:2)  We are also reminded that we "walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor 5:7); that is, we live by faith in what God says in the Scriptures, not by circumstances, feelings, or experiences.

Anytime you hear people expound upon their favorite spiritual practice and say, "You just have to experience it to know," recognize that theirs is an experience-based religion, not Biblical Christian faith!

Are we saying there is no feeling to the Christian life?  No times of intense emotion or expression of great joy or tears?  No, we are not saying that at all!  Rejoicing over the goodness of God, tears of sorrow over sin, knowing the peaceful presence of the Lord are all part of life in Christ.  However, we do not determine God's pleasure and blessing by the presence or absence of certain feelings or experiences.  

Many of our "dry times" (times where we feel little or nothing in prayer and reading of the Word) are actual blessings because they teach us to trust God regardless of our circumstances.  The growth that takes place during a "dry time" is far greater than the growth we experience when we are "on the mountaintop" (when everything seems to go right for us, and we have feelings of warmth and joy).

False prophets emphasize experience over Scripture.  They may use a twisted passage here and there, but they belittle sound doctrinal teaching, deny the crucified life, and reject Biblical thinking to embrace circular reasoning based upon tradition or experience.

4. They dominate the lives of their members.

The Watchtower Organization (Jehovah's Witnesses) have a mound of paperwork that would make the government jealous.  They keep strict tabs on all of their people, requiring them to fill out a constant array of forms for their weeks' activities.

The Hare Krishna and other cults keep their people busy from morning until night, working for their organization.  When they are finally finished serving the religion at the end of the day, they fall into bed, exhausted.

In Evangelicalism, the Church Growth phenomena began pushing "busyness" on people back in the 1970's.  One Assembly of God church had a huge paper tree on a wall in its auditorium.  Every time someone brought a friend to church, the bringer could get a leaf up on the  paper tree with his name on it.  The person with the most leaves on the tree won a bicycle.   

Many churches say that "you don't have to attend all of our services; these are only opportunities to worship and fellowship."  But they show their true colors as they withhold fellowship and encouragement from those who don't attend the various meetings.  Those who desire to minister in such churches must be there "whenever the church doors are open" or they are considered "unreliable" and "uncommitted."  

We have experienced cultic churches that have gone so far as to lock the back door of the sanctuary during the gathering of offerings and tithes.  Testimonies were given of "repentant" members who "came back to the fold" when they "realized the danger of God's judgment for leaving."  

This is intimidation and coercion rather than voluntary involvement in church activities that the members feel individually called to.  Our actions within the church must be that of faith and faithfulness to the Spirit of God who calls us individually to do the will of our Father.

These churches violate the scriptures which clearly teach that the church is a spiritual entity, not a physical kingdom, especially kingdoms of man's own making.

Rick Warren boasts that in his Purpose Driven Church, everyone must be plugged into various groups and places of commitment.  The emphasis of the Purpose Driven life and church is involvement in the programs of the church.  Anyone who doesn't want to be in the programs can go elsewhere; because they are clogging up the works of a Purpose Driven church.

The "keep 'em busy and happy" mentality has gotten so ridiculous that one Episcopal church actually had circus week!  The priest dressed up as a clown (appropriately), and many of the members donned red clown noses during the "service."     

False prophets want to keep people so busy they don't have time to think, pray and read the Scriptures.  Sleep deprivation (as practiced by many cults and false religions) is a form of mind control.

The brain cannot think clearly when it is extremely tired; and false teachers know this.  It is difficult to witness to someone in such a "busy" cult, for they have little time to think things through; less time yet to sit down and read a forbidden Bible passage, or book which explains the Biblical truth.

Is this the way Christ runs His Kingdom?  Jesus said, "The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do; for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." (John 5:19)

Jesus didn't try to keep up with the Pharisees.  He could care less about the agenda of the Sanhedrin.

His consuming drive was to do what the Father told Him.  Nothing more; nothing less.  Then Jesus told His disciples: "Peace be unto you: as My Father hath sent Me, even so send I you." (John 20:21)  Jesus assured the Apostles that His agenda had not changed.  He would direct them to do only what the Father had in mind.  They needn't worry about impressing people.  They didn't have a quota to fill each month.  They need only do as the Father directed them, by the Son, through the Holy Spirit.

The true pastor, the true church, and the true child of God seeks God daily as to His priorities for the day.  Some are obvious and set in stone: prayer, reading and meditating on the Scriptures, ministering to one's family.  But sometimes the Lord has us put other normal things "on hold" in order to do an aspect of His work that is special for that day: invite a homeless person in for dinner, take time to witness to someone at the store, go visit a person at the hospital.  

People with lives locked into programs don't have time for such ministry. They miss doing what the Father would have them to do!  Family time is put to a minimum for the sake of the "larger purpose," and the responsibility of parents to teach and admonish their own children is delegated to the cult.

Christ has called us to be His church, listening for His voice in active, faithful service, not to be manipulated by religious power brokers who usurp Christ's authority.

5.   They intimidate;
demanding absolute conformity.

"Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.  Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church." (3 John 1:9-10)  

False prophets demand absolute conformity to their dictates. This is very different from those who teach the Scriptures and command believers to adhere to the Word of God.  False prophets make a list of things to believe, do, wear, speak and be that oppose the commands of Christ.  Their demands often differ from other false prophets.  Some demand obvious evils: like shared marital relations amongst the group (ie: the Jesus people, Sun Myong Moon, and David Koresh).  Others are rigidly moral.

Anyone breaking the code of the false prophet is chastised; often publicly.  

Thought control is demanded of those within the Purpose Driven churches.  Anyone who is a "resister", someone who does not agree with the plan of the Purpose Driven Church is castigated as a cancer.  Warren wrote in his book, "When a human body is out of balance we call that disease...Likewise when the body of Christ becomes unbalanced, disease occurs...The task of church leadership is to discover and remove growth-restricting diseases and barriers so that natural, normal growth can occur." (Purpose Driven Church, pg 16)

Those who call attention to the inconsistency of teaching of false prophets are vilified.  Their words are turned against them, and they are accused of being divisive, and slandered by the leaders to the congregation.  Like Diotrephes, they prate against preachers of truth with terrible maliciousness, and insist on taking the preeminence among the people.

A good example of this is an Orthodox Presbyterian pastor in Utah.  A member there realized that infant baptism is unbiblical, and addressed this and other unbiblical teachings of the denomination with the pastor. Enraged, the pastor published a scathing letter to his congregation, and posted it on their church website.  The pastor claims no one has tried to deny his letter thus far; but the truth of the matter is that he will listen to no one, and claims that an attack on him and his doctrine is an attack on the church of Jesus Christ.  He harasses former members who left, threatening them with God's wrath if they do not repent and return to that church and receive church discipline.  

Another Orthodox Presbyterian pastor in California constantly verbally beats his congregation with the Law. It has been reported that he considers no one in his congregation saved, saying it is not "safe" for him to do so.  He teaches that no one can truly know that salvation has occurred until the time of their death, when they face Christ.  Only then, he insists, will the merits of grace be known; and the person's faith be judged.  This flies in the face of Romans 8:15, when Paul declares that "ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father."  How can we cry "Abba, Father" if we don't know Him?

These "pastors" seems to agree with Rick Warren's "Rules for Growth", which states, "Never criticize what God is blessing, even though it may be a style of ministry that makes you feel uncomfortable." (Purpose Driven Church, page 62)

In the Charismatic Movement for anyone to denounce a teaching or teacher as being in heresy is "unloving" and "judgmental."  The Charismatics also equate worldly success (growth in numbers, popularity, and increase of wealth) as a sign of God's blessing.  They insist that those who look for doctrinal purity are "heresy hunters"; trouble makers who are "tares" among the "wheat."  "Touch not Mine anointed" they misquote when believers challenge the Biblical validity of a teacher.    

What they don't want to see is that much of Christ and the Apostles' teaching dealt with pointing out the difference between truth and error.  They were not quiet about rejecting error; and did not worry about the Jewish leaders calling them ‘divisive' heresy hunters!  Rather, they diligently sought to support the truth of God's Word, and keep a soundness of teaching within the body of Christ (See 1 Cor 11:19).

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood.  For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." (Acts 20:28-30)

False teachers resist all confrontation as attacking "the anointed of God" (referring to themselves).   

6. They are greedy and live lavishly.

Most churches preach that believers are to give a tithe (10%) of their income to the church.  While this is widely accepted, it is not a New Testament teaching (For NT teaching on giving, see 2 Cor 9).  False prophets use it  as a means of getting rich.

The Mormon church sends out a "bill" for their peoples' tithe.  Tithe-teaching churches regularly preach on tithing to pressure their members; saying they aren't even giving to Christ until they give more than 10%!

Oral Roberts' "seed faith" teaching has been used by dozens of false teachers.  They insist that if you send a portion of your income to them—a generous portion—coupled with faith, that you will receive back 100-fold what you sent to them.  Marilyn Hickey preach that God intends for Christians to be rich.  Hickey said "What do you need?  Start creating it...Speak to your billfold.  Say, 'You big, thick billfold full of money.'  Speak to your checkbook.  Say, "You big checkbook, you.  You've never been so prosperous since I owned you.  You're just jammed full of money."  (Marilyn Hickey, "Claim Your Miracles," audio tape #186.)  Creflo Dollar insists that the wicked are getting rich just so that we can have their money.  

Using this opportunity for his own wallet, Dollar says, "According to the Word of God, the wicked are accumulating wealth to hand over to the righteous!  Increase your expectation by sowing diligently and confessing God's Word over your finances." (Creflo Dollar's Daily Devotion, October 2)  Fred Price says he drives a Rolls Royce because he's following in Jesus' steps!  (Fred Price, "Ever Increasing Faith," TBN, December 19, 1990).  

TBN telethons are some of the phoniest things outside of Las Vegas.  Paul and Jan Crouch make millions of dollars from this "non profit ministry" each year, and live opulent lifestyles.  Yet, according to them, each year TBN could experience the lights going out, and the gospel won't go around the world anymore!  They badger people with unbelievable hubris, saying things like "'Well I'm on the little fixed income.  I can't afford— "You can't afford not to do something, to plant something.  If you're going to obey the command of Jesus Christ and go into all the world and preach the gospel, the only way many can do that is to send someone else...to give so that others can go." (Spring Praise-A-Thon, April 1991)

False teachers want your money!  Don't give it to them!

7. They elevate themselves over others.

The Pope claims to be the representative of Christ on earth.  Sun Myong Moon claims to be the new Messiah, who was able to complete the work that Jesus "failed" to do.  Word of Faith teachers, Rick Warren and others claim to be "the anointed of God", above criticism and scrutiny by the body of Christ.

Robert Schuller claims to have brought in the New Reformation, shunning any criticism of his gospel of self-esteem.  Calvin, Luther, Sproul, and others claim the "clear" writings of the Patristic fathers over the truly clear teachings of the Savior Himself.

One of the tools of their trade is to discount truly biblical discernment as attacks upon God's truth and His anointing.  Yet when the clear teaching of Scripture is brought to the fore′, anger and ungodliness spew out like poisonous venom.  

The Lord Jesus warned that "there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."  (Matt 24:24)

There is only one Lord, one Faith, and one Baptism (Eph 4:5).  Jesus is the only Lord of the Church and has given us His Word to follow.  He has given us His Holy Spirit to reside within us to cleanse us with the truth of His Word.  This is our only hope.  It is not in the traditions and writings of men who often contradict each other and pervert the words of Truth.

Those who teach damnable heresies, trying to deceive the Elect of God will reap the fruit of their own corruption.  The Apostle Peter  said, "But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; and shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceiving while they feast with you; having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices…" (2 Pet 2:12-14)

Do not give in to the ranting of these false teachers.  Instead, immerse yourself in the Bible, prayer and truly Christian fellowship.  This will protect you from these ravenous wolves that prey upon foolish minds and tickling ears.  The soundness of biblical teaching uncovers their evil hearts.  Cling safely to Jesus' arms and the comfort of His Spirit.

If any of this sounds familiar:

"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of." (2 Pet 2:1-2)

If any of the things that we've stated thus far sound familiar to you, be encouraged; the Apostle Peter tells us, "the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." (2 Pet 2:9)

If you have been caught in a web of deceit, there is hope for you!  First, repent for aligning yourself with teaching that opposes the truth of Jesus Christ.  Recognize that you've gone the wrong way, and that God is not pleased with your holding to a false religion.  Accept that God's judgment is right; that you were under chastisement as long as you served the lie.  

Realize that the truth lies fully in God's Word: the Bible.  Repent by rejecting any teaching that does not line up with it.  Throw out all the books and tapes (CD's, DVD's) that promote false prophets!  To "repent" is to leave your sins, grieving that you disobeyed the Lord.  Then go in God's direction (obedience to His Word): Study carefully: Leviticus 26:40-46; Isaiah 1:10-20; Acts 3:19-26; 1 John 1:6-10.
Don't be quick to run out to another church, nor bury yourself in another group's writings. Get to know Jesus Christ and His Word, so you aren't easily deceived again!  Study diligently, prayerfully, daily; beginning with the New Testament.  Commit yourself to following after Christ, regardless of the scorn you may receive from the group you just left.  Stop your ears to their lies, and look to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith (Heb 12:1-2)!  Christ is faithful, and will guide you as you seek Him according to His Word.

Study these Bible passages:  

Deuteronomy 13:1-5; Matthew 7:15-27; 24:24; Acts 20:26-35; 1 Timothy 6; 2 Peter 2                        
The book of Galatians; 1 John 3-4; The epistle of Jude

MORE STUDIES BY DAVID AND TAMRA LEE

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