Category: heresy

Replacement Terminology Theology #4

Friday, February 8, 2013

“For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him” (1 Corinthians 8:5,6 KJV).

Satan deceptively employs terms that the Bible uses—“God,” “Lord,” “Jesus,” “Christ”—but he does not always apply them to the same individuals the Bible does. What ingenuity!

For instance, the name “Jesus” certainly sets God’s only begotten Son apart from the world’s religious leaders, for it means “Saviour” (Matthew 1:21). There are many rabbis, philosophers, gurus, imams, popes, and ministers, but there is only one Saviour—Jesus Christ. “Jesus Christ… neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:10,12). But, there are false Jesuses too. Paul spoke of “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4), one whom Satan would use to corrupt our minds. Even today, we hear about a “Jesus” in religious circles—one who is “too loving” to send anyone to hell, one who dwells in the church “sanctuary,” one who appears in the form of common bread for his followers to consume, one who died for only some rather than all, one who will come to usher us into Israel’s earthly kingdom, one who gives all of Israel’s blessings and promises to us, et cetera.

Another example is Satan’s corruption of the term “Christ,” which is the name and title of Jesus, a unique office that He fulfills in God’s purpose and plan for heaven and earth. The Bible warns of “false Christs” (Matthew 24:23-26). Even today, some religious leaders claim to be “Christ;” some male religious leaders claim to be “the Son of God!” (Blasphemy!)

Using the Bible’s terms, redefining them, and/or completely eliminating them are Satan’s most effectual methods to deceive mankind, especially regarding references to Deity that distinguish the God of the Bible from pagan “gods” and “lords” (today’s Scripture).

But, there is much, much more deception in “replacement terminology theology….”

Honesty or Flattery?

Friday, January 25, 2013

“He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue” (Proverbs 28:23 KJV).

Which will ye?

Which type of person would you “favour” more? Someone who told you a feel-good message, that which “tickled your itching ear,” or someone who was honest with you, and rebuked you when you did something wrong? Do you prefer a lie, or the truth? Behold, Satan’s lie, and God’s truth. Choose ye!

LIE #1: Do your best, and then God will do the rest.
LIE #2: Do your best, and then God will do the rest.
LIE #3: Do your best, and then God will do the rest.
LIE #4: Do your best, and then God will do the rest.

While the lie appeals to our flesh, and is thus very popular, it is vain flattery. We enjoy hearing, “You are good enough for heaven if you do the best you can.” Yet, we know deep in our hearts that our shortcomings are our “best.” If they are our “best,” then we are headed to anywhere but heaven!

TRUTH #1: “There is none righteous, no, not one… For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:10,23).
TRUTH #2: “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
TRUTH #3: “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:4,5).
TRUTH #4: “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:24,25).

The truth, although it hurts our fleshly ego, is still in fact, the truth! Christ’s finished crosswork is a testament to our sins. This “offence of the cross” (Galatians 5:11) insults our self-righteousness, and demolishes any notion that our religious performance can give us a right standing before God.

In what have ye trusted? The truth, or the lie? Honesty, or flattery?

The Virgin Conception of Christ

Monday, December 17, 2012

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14 KJV).

While Christendom speaks of the “virgin birth of Christ,” according to today’s Scripture, a more accurate term would be the “virgin conception of Christ.” There was nothing unusual about Christ’s birth; it was His conception that was unique because there was no human father!

Interestingly, today’s Scripture has been the point of controversy for over a century (to Satan’s delight!). Some modern Bibles (RSV, NRSV, et al.) translate the Hebrew word here translated “virgin” as the vague “young woman,” thereby leaving room for the heretical idea that Joseph was Jesus’ biological father (and denying Christ’s deity)! If someone ever tells you almah (the Hebrew word translated “virgin”) can mean “young woman” or “virgin,” they are right, but point out that the key to choosing the right translation is not up to a translator, but rather the Holy Ghost!

The author of Matthew’s Gospel, filled with the Holy Ghost, knew which translation—“young woman” or “virgin”—was what God had intended in Isaiah 7:14. If we want to know what God meant in Isaiah 7:14, why not ask God?

“Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, “Behold a virgin shall be with child…” (Matthew 1:22,23a). The Greek word translated “virgin,” parthenos, can only mean “virgin,” not “young woman.” Isaiah was prophesying a virgin, indicated by the words “firstborn son” (Matthew 1:25; Luke 2:7) and “Joseph knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son” (Matthew 1:25). Isaiah 7:14 meant “virgin,” as indicated by Luke 1:34, for Mary “knew not a man.” Again, the Bible is clear that Joseph was not Jesus’ biological father.

Matthew 1:23 indisputably proves that almah in Isaiah 7:14 did not simply mean a “young woman,” who may or may not be sexually pure, but “a virgin,” a woman who never had any sexual intercourse. The Holy Ghost, not Joseph, was the Father of Jesus’ body (Matthew 1:18-20).

Wilt Thou Serve the Denomination, Or the Lord? #2

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23,24 KJV).

Beloved, we have a choice—we can serve a theological system (which is worthless), or we can serve the Lord (which is priceless).

When someone who is searching for the true and living God eventually does find out about Jesus Christ and trusts Him alone as personal Saviour, he or she then has a spiritual minefield to navigate. Deciding which denominational church to join is not as easy as it initially seems. After all, these 38,000-plus groups claim to be “Christ’s followers,” but they each teach something radically different. How will this poor Christian soul ever learn the truth? Which denomination, if any, is right?

Satan’s apostate religious system accomplishes exactly what he intended it to—it deters the Christian from serving the Lord. Soon, the person becomes loyal to the denomination and its (faulty) theology. Eventually, the issue is no longer, “What saith the scriptures?,” but “What saith the denomination, preacher, or statement of faith?”

We are not to serve man, nor seek to please him—we are to serve the Lord, not some (man-made) denomination! Today’s Scripture declares, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;….” Ephesians 6:6,7 confirm: “Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:”

“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, throughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16,17). If we want to do God’s will in our lives—if we are to be “throughly furnished [equipped] unto all good works”—the complete revelation is within “all scripture.” “Scripture” (“writings”) restricts the authority to a Book, thus excluding popes, teachers, theological systems, preachers, and seminaries….

Arrayed in Hypocrisy

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:27,28 KJV).

“Looks can be deceiving” is not only true during Halloweentime, but confirmed year-round within Christendom.

Today is Halloween, when children dress up and feign themselves to be creatures they are not. Likewise, many church leaders today wear “Christian” garbs, but their ministries do not bring the Lord Jesus Christ glory and honor. They promote their denomination, and seek to perpetuate it, rather than serve and exalt the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The Bible manifests these who appear to be good, as “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”

In today’s Scripture, Jesus Christ exposed Israel’s corrupt religious leaders who misled the nation in His day. In His Parable of the Tares, Matthew 13:24-30,37-43, Christ explained how just as He had sown good seed (wheat, believing Jews) in Israel, Satan had also sown tares/weeds (unbelieving Jews). Tares resemble wheat; unbelieving Jews resemble believing Jews. The unbelieving Pharisees and scribes, for instance, looked like God’s people (believing Israel). Judas Iscariot was another example of Satan’s tares—the apostles never realized who Judas really was until it was too late!

But Satan’s counterfeit believers are not confined to Israel’s program. Today, within local assemblies of the Body of Christ, there are people feigning themselves to be Christians: For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

Beloved, beware of the church leaders who are arrayed in hypocrisy, “and avoid them” (Romans 16:17b). If their teaching does not agree with the rightly divided King James Bible, you have no business as a child of God to be following them.

*This is excerpted from a larger Bible study with the same name. The Bible study can be read here or watched here.

The Propensity to Acquire Our Currency

Friday, August 31, 2012

“For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face” (2 Corinthians 11:19,20 KJV).

Sinful mankind naturally seeks dishonest material gain, and today’s Scripture explains that clerics are no exception.

Since Hurricane/Tropical Storm Isaac has passed through my area, police and other state officials are cautioning residents to be wary of phony contractors who are going door-to-door and “offering” their (fraudulent) services of rebuilding and demolition. These persons, like false religious teachers, prey on the weak and desperate, and we need to guard ourselves against them.

The Corinthians, although Christians, had precious little understanding of God’s Word rightly divided. Hence, they were vulnerable to doctrinal error (heresies), which abounded in their assembly (the Apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to reprove them): “For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be manifest among you” (1 Corinthians 11:19). Now, sometime later, Paul wrote today’s Scripture, and evidently the Corinthians are still “approving” these false teachers.

Notice Paul’s sarcasm in today’s Scripture: “Ye suffer [allow/permit] fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.” Essentially, “You Corinthians are so ‘wise’ that you gladly listen to a bunch of fools!” (Unfortunately, Paul would write this to Christendom today!) These false teachers discouraged the Corinthians from heeding and obeying the Lord’s Word through the Apostle Paul, and the Corinthians gladly allowed themselves to be deceived (cf. Galatians 3:1-4; Galatians 4:15-21). Today’s Scripture shows these false teachers acquired both the Corinthians’ trust and their income!

Saints, let us be “perfect” (spiritually mature) and “edified” (spiritually built up, strengthened) in God’s Word rightly divided, “that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight [trickery] of men, and cunning craftiness [scams], whereby they lie in wait [secretly] to deceive;…” (Ephesians 4:12,14).

Let us be wary of false teachers, who have “the propensity to acquire our currency.”

Myriads of Itching Ears #2

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3,4 KJV).

Beware of the megachurches, for they teach mega error!

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly [clearly], that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (1 Timothy 4:1,2). False teaching within professing Christianity is nothing new: these verses (including today’s Scripture) foretold an explosion of it. Ever since Paul wrote these Scriptures almost 20 centuries ago, literally tens of thousands of apostate religious systems, denominations, creeds, and ceremonies have been devised.

Furthermore, the rise of megachurches in the past few decades has exacerbated this false teaching. These monstrous congregations have incorporated a mishmash of the aforementioned doctrinal errors in order to accommodate just about anyone. Sadly, it is “hypocrisy” (it professes to be Christianity, but it is everything but, and it deceives Christians and lost people alike). So many good, sincere souls are “bewitched” by religion, especially in megachurches. They, seeking entertainment, are under a satanic spell, as described in Galatians 3:1-3 and 2 Timothy 2:24-26, and many are oblivious to it.

In Paul’s final epistle, written just prior to his martyrdom, he admitted—2,000 years ago—that the Body of Christ was in apostasy: “This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes” (2 Timothy 1:15). Two false teachers, Phygellus and Hermogenes had convinced “all they which are in Asia [that is, present-day Turkey]” to “turn away” from Paul. Basically, Phyllegus and Hermogenes had undone everything that Paul had labored so hard to accomplish with these Christians in Asia.

With the doctrine Jesus Christ committed to the Apostle Paul now forsaken, the Christians in Asia had only one way to go spiritually—down, down, down, down, down! This is true of Christendom today, especially within the megachurches. Beware!!!

Myriads of Itching Ears #1

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:3,4 KJV).

Beware of the megachurches, for they teach mega error!

Lately, I read a news article about megachurches, churches that have a weekly attendance of at least 2,000 people. According to the reporter, “Americans have less faith in religion than any time in the last three decades, but megachurches are on the rise.” Megachurches in the United States have multiplied from only 350 in 1990 to over 1,200 today!

According to the sociology researcher who contributed to the article, megachurch members feel a sense of “belonging.” These dear souls, most probably sincere, literally get so excited when they see thousands “worshiping” “God” that they have to join them. These members then often form smaller groups based on nonreligious activities and hobbies (knitting, fishing, cooking, et cetera). In addition to their “social club” atmosphere, megachurches are appealing because of their charismatic (charming) preachers and their feel-good messages. Megachurches capitalize less on sound Bible study and more on entertainment, which our sinful flesh gravitates toward.

Yes, megachurches read Bible verses and they shout, “Praise Jesus!,” but these activities are not necessarily godly. Satan quoted the Bible to Jesus (Matthew 4:6; Luke 4:10,11), so preaching Bible verses is not necessarily of God. Crying “Jesus is Lord” and someone speaking about God with their lips is not necessarily godly, either. Before Jesus Christ will cast lost people into hell, they will call Him “Lord, Lord” and He will declare they work “iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23). He also mentioned people who “draw nigh unto [him] with their mouth, and honoureth [him] with their lips, but their heart is far from [him]” (Matthew 15:8).

When the Holy Spirit moved the Apostle Paul to write today’s Scripture, He undoubtedly foresaw and foretold of our day, when megachurches and their damnable doctrines would arise, and the clarity of the Bible would be further complicated. Heed the warning!!!

Sifting Through the Silliness

Monday, August 20, 2012

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21 KJV).

Seeing as to I am returning to college today, we admonish ourselves: “Have an open mind, but use it not to vacuum!”

It is almost six years to the day that I began college to study environmental geology (the study of the earth and its natural processes). I can testify firsthand that, in a realm where God’s wisdom (the Holy Bible) is deemed “foolishness,” man’s idiocy is (unsurprisingly) termed “scholarly.” Frankly, some of the most absurd, vulgar, and blasphemous statements I have heard and read in my life were encountered in the college setting!

Today’s Scripture instructs us to “prove all things,” to test (verify) everything we hear, see, or read. “We search [study!] the scriptures daily, whether those things [are] so” (Acts 17:11). Once we use the rightly divided King James Bible to identify teaching that is “good,” we “hold fast” (seize, possess) it, and NEVER relinquish it. Any teaching to the contrary is sifted out, and mentally relegated to a permanent, inferior status.

We Christians should have an open mind, but we are not to use our intellect as a vacuum cleaner. We do not “suck up” everything, believing anything and everything. God’s Word has established parameters and principles, and it would be utter stupidity to ignore them as though we knew better, as though we were God.

To college students just beginning the first semester, and to high school students considering college, you would do well to memorize today’s Scripture and repeat it to yourself through your collegiate experience. Your young mind is pliable, meaning that it is easily persuaded. Thus, God’s Word admonishes us to be careful what we believe. In college, you will learn a lot of interesting information, teachings that do not contradict the Holy Scriptures. Yet, you will also hear, see, and read a lot of nonsense. You need to be able to use God’s Word rightly divided to discern (judge) that which is good, and filter out that which is garbage.

I wish you all the best for the upcoming school year! 🙂

Be Not Pierced By the Sword of the Spirit #3

Monday, August 13, 2012

“And take… the sword of the Spirit, which the word of God:” (Ephesians 6:17 KJV).

Take heed—it does matter what Bible version you read!

The Apostle Paul’s least spiritual Christian assembly was at Corinth. These saints were “carnal,” spiritual “babes,” people who had little understanding of God’s Word (1 Corinthians 3:1-3), whose ungodly lifestyles resembled their heathen (pagan/lost/hell-bound) neighbors! Paul had spent 18 months in Corinth teaching them God’s Word (Acts 18:11), but they had since abandoned the Lord’s grace doctrines, preferring to follow the “wisdom” of the pagan Greek philosophers.

Therefore, Paul warned these Corinthians: “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no may lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:9-11).

In our Dispensation of Grace, God is constructing a house for Himself—we, the saints, are that house (Ephesians 2:21,22)! This house is constructed upon a foundation, “the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery” (Romans 16:25); that is, Jesus Christ according to the special ministry He gave only to the Apostle Paul. Paul warns us to be careful how we “build thereupon;” that is, the doctrine we use/learn/believe must be God’s Word rightly divided (Pauline-dispensationally believed).

He continues in 1 Corinthians 3:12,13: “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” This describes “the Judgment Seat of Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:10), when we Christians stand before Jesus Christ, and He will examine the doctrine we learned and believed.

Friend, it matters what Bible version you use, for if it is corrupted by man’s philosophy, the doctrine you believe will be unacceptable to God!