Category: cults

Educated Minds That Know Nothing

Sunday, October 23, 2011

“If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself” (1 Timothy 6:3-5 KJV).

Today’s Scripture uses some interesting phraseology:

  • “proud”
  • “knowing nothing”
  • “doting about questions and strifes of words”
  • “envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds”
  • “destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness”

These words perfectly describe most church leaders today! How did the Body of Christ ever reach such a sad, spiritually impotent state? For the past 20 centuries, much of its leadership has been teaching contrary to “the wholesome words of our Lord Jesus Christ” (see today’s Scripture). “The words of our Lord Jesus Christ” does not refer to the “red print” (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 14:37: “…the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord” (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:1,2,15; 1 Thessalonians 5:27.

While many church leaders today boast of their seminary degrees, let us remember that “distinguished” Hebrew, Greek, and Latin scholars, are not equivalent to Bible scholars. After all, even Satan knows Hebrew, Greek, and Latin and he even knows the Bible better than Christians! Satan quoted Scripture (Matthew 4:6; Luke 4:10-11); he just quoted Scripture incorrectly, like most “Christian” leaders today. While they all quote the Bible, how many know what the Bible actually says? How many believe what the Bible says? FEW!

In today’s Scripture, God’s Word says that if any religious leader (pastor, priest, pope, theologian, et cetera) does not instruct you according to the Apostle Paul’s epistles (the “rightly divided” Word of God), you are to flee from that person. Regardless of how many degrees those men have, the Bible says that “they are proud, knowing nothing.” So much for education!

The Bible is the Final Authority

Friday, September 30, 2011

“For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness” (Romans 4:3 KJV).

Most church members view their denomination/pastor/priest as the final authority. Satan uses religion to indoctrinate people with the “tradition of men” (Colossians 2:8). If the church says it is right, then it must be right. Right? WRONG! The written Word of God, not church tradition, is the standard by which we should measure spiritual things because the Bible alone speaks with God Almighty’s authority. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16).

In Isaiah 8:19 the prophet mentions “them that have familiar spirits” and “wizards that peep and mutter”—evil spirits and false prophets. God urged Israel to distinguish Satan’s false prophets from His holy prophets by comparing their teaching to His written Word: “To the law and to the testimony; if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (verse 20).

Even in Isaiah’s day (~2,700 years ago), God’s written Word was the standard by which everything was judged. The Bereans were notable for comparing their leaders’ teaching and preaching to the Old Testament (Acts 17:10,11). The Bible alone teaches God’s truth, so any contrary teaching was thereby exposed as satanic deception. According to Acts 17:2, the Apostle Paul always appealed to the Old Testament Scriptures when evangelizing Jews (recall no New Testament had been written yet).

The Lord Jesus quoted the Old Testament: “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Jesus Himself even read from the Bible in Luke 4:16-21! The New Testament quotes the Old Testament over 200 times (i.e., “as it is written…”).

According to the Bereans, Jesus Christ, the prophet Isaiah, and the Apostle Paul, the Bible is the final authority. God’s authority lies in the Holy Scriptures, not in any church hierarchy. No pastor, priest, or pope shares the Bible’s authority. The King James Bible is always the final authority, not religious tradition (Matthew 15:6; Mark 7:13).

The Holy Spirit: Person or Force?

Monday, July 18, 2011

“But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost? … Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God” (Acts 5:3,4 KJV).

Is the Holy Spirit a Person of the Godhead? According to the cults, the Holy Ghost is simply God’s “active force,” not God. Today’s Scripture says that the Holy Ghost is God. Will you believe God? (Will you believe the Holy Ghost?) Or will you believe the worthless, foolish tradition of men?

Furthermore, according to the Bible, the Holy Spirit exhibits the characteristics of a Person, not an inanimate force:

  • The Holy Ghost speaks, shows, and guides us into all truth (John 16:13).
  • The Holy Ghost can be blasphemed/spoken against (Matthew 12:31,32; Mark 3:29-31; Luke 12:10).
  • The Holy Ghost can be grieved/saddened (Ephesians 4:30).
  • The Holy Ghost teaches with words (John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:13).
  • The Holy Ghost speaks (2 Samuel 23:2; 1 Kings 22:24; 2 Chronicles 18:23; Ezekiel 11:5; Matthew 10:20; Mark 13:11; Acts 1:16; Acts 8:29; Acts 10:19; Acts 28:25; Galatians 4:6; 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 3:7; Revelation 2:7,11,17,29; Revelation 3:6,13,22; Revelation 14:13; Revelation 22:17).
  • The Holy Ghost reveals (Luke 2:26; Ephesians 3:5).
  • The Holy Ghost lives/dwells (John 14:17; Romans 8:9,11; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Timothy 1:14).
  • The Holy Ghost appoints (Acts 20:28).
  • The Holy Ghost invites or requests (Acts 11:12).
  • The Holy Ghost bears witness (John 15:26; Acts 5:32; Acts 20:23; Romans 8:16; Hebrews 10:15; 1 John 5:6-8).
  • The Holy Ghost makes intercession for us (Romans 8:26,27).
  • The Holy Ghost reasons/thinks (Acts 15:28).
  • The Holy Ghost has knowledge (1 Corinthians 2:10,11).
  • The Holy Ghost can be tested (Acts 5:9).
  • The Holy Ghost can be vexed/troubled (Isaiah 63:10).

The above verses are just a few examples of the Holy Ghost exhibiting the attributes of a Person. He is not simply “God’s active force,” as the cults suggest. The Holy Spirit is a living Person, one of the three Persons of the Godhead.