false doctrine

False Doctrine

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Today, we will look at false doctrine, the signs, and examples of the present-day Church.

About twenty years ago, a Church in South-Western Uganda’s Kanungu district believed that the world would end at the turn of the millennium.

What happened next turned out to be one of the deadliest massacres ever recorded. Shocked?

What is even more shocking and terrifying was that the members numbering about 700 people were locked inside a Church with the doors and windows nailed shut from the outside and set on fire.

I remember vividly many prophecies that came out in the year 2000 that Jesus would come back again, many believers sold all their properties waiting for Jesus to appear in the Sky.

Lo and behold nothing happened, their hope dashed to the wall, they hid their faces in shame and some even denounced the faith, if these things don’t make you wonder, I do.

Another horrifying tragedy that shook the world and still does today is the infamous 1978 mass murder-suicide of more than 900 Americans – members of a San Francisco-based religious group called the Peoples Temple.

They all died after drinking poison at the urging of their leader, the Reverend Jim Jones, in a secluded South American jungle settlement.

I know you are bewildered and asking, how? Don’t they have a mind of their own?

When I hear people say that what they listen to doesn’t matter, I shake my head because the words you hear often, will eventually believe, and what you believe will become your reality.

The Bible says in Proverbs 4 vs 23: Guard your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of Life.

The dangers of wrong bible interpretation have done enormous damage to the body of Christ, we can’t keep quiet and fold our hands, Paul always admonished Timothy to guard the Gospel and wage a good warfare, I Timothy 1 vs 18.

Notice that the two stories above were carried out by men, angles don’t preach the gospel but men, the scriptures are taught by men.

Hence, we should pay attention to what we hear, Jesus said in

Mark 4 vs 24: And he said unto them, take heed what ye hear; with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.

Luke 8 vs 18: Take heed therefore how you hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which seemeth to have.

MEANING OF FALSE DOCTRINE

false doctrine

False Doctrine is any teaching that does not take its authority from the proper interpretation or explanation of the scriptures.

Ephesians 4 vs 14:

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (KJV).

SIGNS AND EXAMPLES OF FALSE TEACHING IN THE CHURCH TODAY

Today, many teachers profess to teach the Gospel but when you diligently check the scriptures with what they teach it’s a great mismatch.

Most of these teachings have secretly crept into the church and because we have heard them often it sounds like the truth but they are not. See a few below:

  • Any teaching that places salvation (the finished work of Christ) and the keeper of salvation on the work of man instead of Christ is false.
  • Any teaching that magnifies the work of devils above the work of Christ is false.
  • Placing faith in things such as oils, candles, clothes, etc. as doctrinal instead of the Spirit is false.
  • Using material success as a sign of God’s approval is also false.
  • The presentation of God as transactional, killer, and destroyer of man is also false.
  • Preaching you must give God money or sow seed before he moves on your behalf is false.
  • Any teaching that says we are made and kept righteous and holy by works instead of the sacrifice of Christ is false.
  • Any teaching that says that only those who pay tithe will go to heaven is FALSE.
  • Any teaching that says that the deliverance we have received from the kingdom of Darkness into Light isn’t complete and there are still things you must do to be delivered is wrong doctrine.
  • Any teaching that says that Christ is not the Son of God, just a Prophet and he didn’t come as Man to pay for the sins of the World is false.

The list goes on and on. As one grows in Christ and allows the leadings of the Spirit, God can create circumstances for you to encounter the truth being taught.

When you encounter the truth that challenges your already deceived stand, you must be meek enough to make a turn to drop the falsehood and pick the truth AND STAY WITH IT EVEN IF IT IS NOT POPULAR.

I am still growing in the Word, I have dropped many wrong teachings that have held me from advancing and when I encounter the truth in God’s Word, all lies get burnt up like hot potatoes.

SCRIPTURES ABOUT FALSE TEACHINGS

Here are some examples from the Bible where the apostles warned people against false doctrines:

In Acts 20 vs 28-31:

Verse 28: 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 that purchased with his own blood.

Verse 29: For I know this, that after my departing shall grevious wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Verse 30: Also, of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

Verse 31: Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.

1 Timothy 4 vs 1-2:

Verse 1: Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times, some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

Verse 2: Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

2 Peter 2 vs 1-3:

Verse 1: 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.

Verse 2: And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

Verse 3: And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

1 John 4 vs 1:

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

These are just a few examples of the apostles warning the early church against false teachers and false doctrines that would seek to lead believers astray. The apostles emphasized the importance of discernment and staying true to the sound doctrine they had received.

Here are some additional scriptures where the apostles warned against false doctrines:

Galatians 1 vs 6 – 9:

Verse 6: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Verse 7: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Verse 8: But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Verse 9: As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Colossians 2 vs 8:

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

2 Thessalonians 2 vs 3: Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

1 Timothy 1 vs 3-7:

Verse 3: As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

Verse 4: Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: [so do].

Verse 5: Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and [of] a good conscience, and [of] faith unfeigned:

Verse 6: From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

Verse 7: Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.

2 Timothy 4 vs 3-4:

Verse 3: 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;

Verse 4: And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

2 John 1vs 7-11:

Verse 7: For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

Verse 8: Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

Verse 9: Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

Verse 10: If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into [your] house, neither bid him God speed:

Verse 11: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

Jude 1 vs 3-4:

Verse 3: Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Verse 4: For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

A very good example of false doctrine in the Bible is in the book of Jude 1 vs 4 – ungodly men who tuned the grace of God (the gospel) into unrestrained, excessive, or morally uncontrolled behavior, especially related to sexual immorality.

This teaching was brought in by evil men which they used to corrupt many but Titus 2 vs 11 – 12 corrected this false teaching:

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.”

These passages demonstrate the apostles’ urgent concern to protect the church from false teachers and false doctrines that would lead believers astray.

They emphasize the importance of sound doctrine and remaining faithful to the gospel.

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CONCLUSION

Again, scriptural teachings are done by men. The Bible contains the documented teachings of men.

Jesus is a man; the apostles were men.

Men are God’s method of reaching other men.

In salvation, men have to preach the gospel, in spiritual growth, men have to teach the message of Christ from the scriptures.

The gifts of the Spirit function in men. You can never successfully grow in Christ without the influence of men.

Immediately you begin to isolate yourself from men in your understanding of the scriptures and begin to seek “spirits” to teach you the bible, you allow yourself to be deceived into all sorts of religion or experiences by the devil. 

The Spirit of God will guide us to the truth. He will create circumstances that will cause us to encounter men that will teach us the truth.

The Spirit of God will also help us to understand what men are teaching us. He opens the eyes of our understanding to know and understand the things that He teaches us through men or apostles.

John 14 vs 26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you”.

The job of the Spirit is to bring what Jesus has said to our remembrance. The documented teachings of Jesus and the apostles supersede any teaching from any supernatural experience.

We must also know that the world and the devil also use men for their purpose. Truth is taught by men and falsehood is also taught by men. 

Finally, we should all have the attitude of the Berean Christians who were not only open-minded and eager to learn but also verified and examined the scriptures they were taught, they didn’t just take the Apostle’s word at face value. Acts 17 vs 10 – 12.

God bless you!

Brother James
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