Hunger

Matthew 5:6 - "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled."

Evidence of Hunger
The Bible gives us a story of a great famine in II Kings 6:25-33. In this account, we are told that there was a famine in the land of Samaria. The famine was so bad that a donkey's head was sold for eighty pieces of silver. Dove's dung was sold for five pieces of silver. Now, I cannot imagine being hungry enough to eat dove's dung or a donkey's head. But, they say that if you get hungry enough, you will eat anything.

However, the famine gets even worse. We are told further that two woman make a pact. Their agreement is this: on one day, they will boil one of their sons, and eat him. On the next day, they will boil the other woman's son, and eat him. However, we are told they actually boiled and ate one of their sons on the first day. But, on the second day, the other woman hid her son.

Here, we are told about people actually eating a donkey's head. It is reported by God's Word that during this time, people actually ate dove's dung. As if that is not gross enough, we are then told that people were actually eating people. The chief sign of hunger is made clear in this statement: When you get hungry enough, you will eat anything. Many Americans know nothing about real hunger. Most of our hunger is "habit hunger." A good percentage of our eating is a direct result from boredom. But there are those in this world who know what it is to be genuinely hungry. There are those who give evidence that they are hungry when they are ready to eat absolutely anything.

A Hungry World
It is evident to me that we live in a world of people who are starving to death. I know they are starving because they will eat absolutely anything. The atheist and agnostic will laugh at my belief in God and His Bible. But then, I examine the pitiful theories they swallow. The Big Bang Theory, the theory of evolution, and even the theory that the universe came from nothing are all laughable explanations of the existence of the universe and mankind. If you believe in this nonsense, you are swallowing a donkey's head. But when you get hungry enough, you will eat anything. Atheists are starving, and the way that sit down and eat filthy slop proves it.

Some of the most confused people today are religious people. Religion never has satisfied the hunger of man, nor ever will. When I see Muslims with their face to the floor, bowing to their god, some of them willing to sacrifice their own life - and still have no assurance that their god is pleased with them, their willingness to eat a donkey's head reveals their true starvation. When I see Catholics keeping sacraments, observing traditions, reciting prayers, worshipping Mary, and praying to saints, their willing to eat slop shows how hungry they really are. Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and other cults who emphasize men other than Jesus Christ are so hungry they are willing to swallow anything!

I Am Satisfied
I can write with confidence that I am satisfied. I was starving at one time, but I found the bread of life. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." The key phrase is "after righteousness." I got tired of eating the donkey's head. I was sick of dove's dung. I finally cried out in my spirit "Just any piece of flesh won't do!" Then, the gospel was preached to me. It made me hungry and thirsty for righteousness! It may be wrong to be picky about what you eat when you are hungry, but I got picky! I got to the place where it had to be righteousness, or I wasn't eating it! Jesus is the bread of life, and He is the only substance that will satisfy. When I found Jesus, I found bread that stopped the hunger pains. I found water that quenched my thirst to the extent that I never thirsted again! I have found that there is always a vast supply! I'll never need to go back to the donkey's head, or the dove's dung. I'll never need to go back to unsatisfying religions and creeds. I'll never need to settle for the pitiful theories that some swallow. Once you've tasted of Jesus Christ, you'll never be deceived by something other than righteousness! I was at a church recently where someone got up and said, "Someone here has a headache." This man was supposed to be prophesying. God was supposed to be telling him that someone in the crowd had a headache. Let me shine a little light on this for you - In a crowd of four, someone's got a headache. That's not God! God had nothing to do with that man's "prophecy." When you have tasted of the real bread from heaven, dove's dung doesn't entice you! That night when that man prophesied that someone had a headache, would you believe that there were those who swallowed that mess? Yes, when you get to where you're starving, you'll eat anything!

Why don't you cast the dove's dung away and partake of the bread of life? One bite, and you'll never have to sit down to a plate of slop.

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled!"

I'm Not "Barely Saved"

I hope I have made it clear that I do not believe in salvation by works - AT ALL. Any type of a works-based salvation is an insult to Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. If I can be made righteous, be kept righteous, or be more righteous because of any work of my own, then Jesus suffered, bled, and died in vain. It is the blood and the blood alone that cleanses from sin. After I get through writing about salvation by grace, my intentions are to write about works. Works do have a place in the Christian walk. That place is not in salvation. I will show as plainly as I can where works fit in the Christian walk.

But for now, I am still stirred concerning the simplicity of salvation. There are those in Holiness churches who wish to make salvation hard. It is the spirit of religion that wants to do this. There is a vast difference between "God's plan of salvation" and "religion." Religion always has a long list of things to do in order to be saved. God's plan of salvation, however, is different. Yes, God the Father has a long list of demands as well. Just read Genesis through Deuteronomy if you don't believe me. The Father hates sin and demands righteousness and holiness. The law of Moses proved that man could not keep the demands of God the Father. The Bible says that the law was given "that the whole world might become guilty before God." The law shows us just how lost we are. Even though God the Father has very high demands, when man couldn't fulfil them, He sent His Son Jesus Christ, and Jesus fulfilled every demand of the Father. Now, to be saved, all that is necessary on our part, is to place our faith in Christ. This is God's plan of salvation - that the Father has high demands of holiness, and Jesus fulfilled every one of them to perfection. We just trust Christ to be saved. This is different than religion. Religion pulls out a list of rules, gives them to you, and expects you live every last one of them without fault in order to be saved. The religious man chokes at the thought of Christ fulfilling every law of God, and consequently, we just trust Him to be saved.

However, there are religious, Holiness folks who are ready to chain you up with demands, rules, and standards. Then, they make those standards the plan of salvation. Those who believe in a "hard" salvation that can only be attained by the skin of our teeth use a few scriptures to show how "hard" salvation is. One of those scriptures is found in I Peter 4:18 - "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" I have heard this preached this way - "If those who are righteous (i.e. keep a very long list of holiness standards) are just BARELY saved, where does that put those who don't keep all those standards?" The thrust of the message was this: If you live by every commandment in the Bible, you're just barely saved. I don't want to be critical, but there's a lot wrong with that.

First off, I am not saved by keeping any standards; I am saved by grace through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ! Secondly, the word, "scarcely" does not mean "barely." It means, according to Noah Webster, "with difficulty." When you exchange the word, "scarcely" for "barely," you do a serious injustice to the passage, as well as to the blood of Jesus Christ. If the blood saves me (and it does, according to I John 1:7), and I'm just "barely" saved, then the blood just "barely works." The One doing the cleansing, Jesus Christ, did a shoddy job, if I'm just barely saved. To be "barely saved" means that the work that Jesus did on the cross just "barely" pleased the Father. Is that what the Bible teaches? Absolutely not! In Matthew 3:17, the Father said, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am WELL PLEASED!" Dear friend, when I trust in the cross of Christ to save me, there's no way I can be "barely saved." The Father is extremely pleased with the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. By the blood of Christ, I am extremely saved! By His grace, I am saved through and through. I can say this because I am not trusting in my works to save me. As for people who use this verse to say that they're "barely" saved, someone needs to let them know - if you're trusting in your standards to "barely" save you, you're not "barely saved" either - you're not saved at all! Standards, rules, and works can't lift a finger to save you!

So, what does this verse mean? To understand it, you need to throw the word, "barely" out of the picture. Let's look at the verse piece by piece - "If the righteous..." Now, that does not mean, "If those who keep a bunch of standards." Standards do not make righteous; the blood of Jesus does. "The righteous" in this verse are those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb.

"...scarcely be saved..." The word scarcely means, "with difficulty." When someone is confronted with the message of the gospel, there are always difficulties present. You may say, "Wait a minute! I thought you said salvation was easy!" Yes, you're right. Thanks for paying close attention. The difficulties do not lie in the plan of salvation; they lie within the one hearing the message of salvation. When the gospel is preached, those who hear it will always think of many reasons to put it off. Circumstances in their life may make it easier (in their thinking) to stay lost. They may think, "I work around a lot of filth," or children may think, "No one in my house is saved and I may not be received at home if I get saved," and so forth. Others may let the crowd they hang around keep them from getting saved. These are the difficulties one must overcome to make up their mind to serve the Lord. "If the righteous scarcely be saved..." Those who have been made righteous by the blood of Jesus Christ had to overcome these difficulties to be saved.

The rest of the verse states, "...where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" Now, the point of the verse is this: The ungodly and sinner will present their inconvenient circumstances as excuses on the Day of Judgment. However, they will not be excused. Those who are saved had to overcome the same difficulties. When a man stands before God and says, "Lord, I would've served you, but I worked around so many people who were sinners," a man from the same workplace may rise and testify against him, and say, "Lord, I worked at the same place, but I served you." The man offering his circumstance as an excuse will be inexcusable. Whatever reason you give for not being saved - you've had a hard life, you've been mistreated, you've been sexually assaulted as a child, you were raised in a non-Christian home, etc. - do you really think these circumstances will serve as valid reasons when you stand before God? These circumstances are all horrible, and I'm not minimizing any of them. But, dear friend, do you think you're the only one that's ever went through these things? You're absolutely not the only one! As a matter of fact, every saved person in the world who has ever been saved had to overcome difficulties just like these to be saved. "If the righteous scarcely be saved," where does that put those who let these circumstances keep them from getting saved? LOST for ETERNITY!

Tearing Down One Bible Doctrine to Preach Another

To the Bible teacher who rightly divides the word of truth, there is no contradiction between any two Bible doctrines. To the Pharisee, however, the promotion of one Bible doctrine means the demotion of another. This, however, is a tremendous fallacy. If you feel the need to tear down one Bible truth in order to exalt another, then you are not teaching Biblical truth. Look what Christ said regarding the Pharisees:

Matthew 23:23 – “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.”

The Pharisees emphasized the paying of tithes, even down to the spice! In their opinion, you could not rigidly pay tithes AND promote judgment, mercy, and faith. So, their promotion of one teaching (tithes) demoted another teaching (judgment, mercy, and faith). Christ, however, makes it plain, that they need not tear down one doctrine in order to promote another. “These ought ye to have done,” Christ said, “and not to leave the other undone.” A minister can promote tithes AND mercy at the same time.

The reader should beware of these trends. They are everywhere. If you hear a teacher or preacher tear down one Bible doctrine so that he may promote another, steer clear! No Bible doctrine should ever preached at the sacrifice of another. Let me give you some examples of teachers today who tear down a Bible doctrine in order to exalt another.

Tearing Down Fellowship to Exalt Prayer

I recently read an article in the Miracles & Missions Digest written by Jack Skinner entitled “The Love of Christ ‘Constraineth’ Me.”* In the article, it is clear that Jack Skinner is an advocate of prayer. He believes that Christians and preachers should be men and women of prayer. I, too, believe this. There is no disagreement here. However, multiple times in the article, Mr. Skinner presented two options to the reader. Either the reader can have fellowship with man, or the reader can have fellowship with God in prayer. For some reason, these two options cannot co-exist with Mr. Skinner. Let his own words be quoted:

“Many have forsaken the prayer meeting before service and a lingering altar service in exchange for fellowship with man before and after their services.” (Skinner, p. 2)

Someone may state that, in this quote, Mr. Skinner does not condemn fellowship with man. It may be said that Mr. Skinner is only against exchanging times of prayer for fellowship with man. But Mr. Skinner does not stop here.

“While many seek fellowship of men and look for God to send in people (numbers), a true shepherd seeks the fellowship of God.” (Skinner, p. 3)

In this quote, it becomes quite apparent that some seek fellowship of men, but true shepherds seek fellowship with God. For some reason, a true shepherd, in the opinion of Mr. Skinner, cannot have fellowship with both God and man. Perhaps his most compelling quote on this subject is his advice to the new convert:

“After making peace with God, stay on your knees in prayer and find you a man of God who has paid the price to learn the importance of prayer, who will tell you the truth and not tickle your ears. If you cannot find one, pray and support some mission which is out seeking and searching for lost souls instead of building a kingdom here on earth for fellowship with one another.”

Could he be clearer? Mr. Skinner is convinced that the minister who has fellowship with man is not engaged in fellowship with God. Make no mistake about it. Our churches spend much more time in fellowship with one another than in fellowship with God. I have no desire to scrap the altar call and replace it with fellowship with one another. I have no desire to do away with our time of prayer in the mid-week service so that we may have more fellowship with one another. But what does the Bible say? The Bible certainly exalts prayer. But, in exalting prayer, does the Bible tear down the idea of Christians having fellowship with one another? Not one bit! As a matter of fact, the Bible emphasizes heavily the doctrine of fellowship with one another. In I John 1:3, John shows us a definite connection between fellowship with God and fellowship with God’s people! We can, and should, have them both! You do not have to sacrifice fellowship with God’s people in order to have fellowship with God. I John 1:7 tells us that if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another! There is nothing wrong with Christians getting together to enjoy each other’s company! Of course, it can be overdone. It should also be noted that not all socializing is fellowship. But when done properly, having fellowship with one another will enhance our fellowship with God. Christians are commanded to exhort one another (Hebrews 10:25), to pray for one another (James 5:16), to encourage one another (Hebrews 12:12), to love one another (John 15:17), to edify one another (Romans 14:19), to receive one another (Romans 15:7), to admonish one another (Romans 15:14), to serve one another (Galatians 5:13), to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), to forbear one another (Ephesians 4:2), to be kind to one another (Ephesians 4:32), and to comfort one another (I Thessalonians 4:18). Not one of these things can be done if we do not get up off our knees and have fellowship with one another! It is not God’s will to neglect these things in order to “stay on our knees” all the time. I am definitely in support of prayer; but I am just as supportive of Biblical fellowship. One should not be practiced at the expense of the other. We need them both!

Tearing Down the Resurrection to Promote “the Cross”

There is a movement today that preaches “the cross,” they claim. Their idea of preaching the cross is to say the words, “the message of the cross” every other sentence. Jimmy Swaggart and his circles of fellowship have promoted this type of teaching. When you first hear Jimmy Swaggart, or a minister like him, speak of “preaching the cross,” it sounds right and biblical. Certainly, I believe that Christ’s work upon the cross completely pays for the sins of mankind. When, while upon the cross, our Lord cried out, “It is finished,” that’s exactly what He meant! Nothing needs to be added for the payment of our sin.

Those who preach this so-called “message of the cross,” however, go further than this. They think that it is wrong to emphasize any other doctrine at all other than the cross. Although the Bible plainly states that Christ rose again for our justification (Romans 4:25), this is omitted from the theology of these teachers. Friend, listen carefully. Some will try to convince you that if a man preaches the resurrection, then that man is not preaching “the cross.” Peter, on the day of Pentecost, preached BOTH the cross (death of Christ) and the resurrection of Christ. Paul preached repeatedly the resurrection and stated plainly in I Corinthians that had not Christ resurrected, we would be yet in our sins (I Corinthians 15:17). Remember, genuine men of God see no contradiction in preaching BOTH the death AND the resurrection of Christ. Only Pharisees see a problem with preaching the doctrines of both tithes AND mercy.

Tearing Down Grace to Preach Holy Living

This is perhaps the most popular modern example of promoting one Biblical doctrine at the expense of another. Both grace and holiness are Bible doctrines. Both should be preached. One does not need to be minimized so that the other can be promoted. Yet, this occurs often in many types of churches.

I have noticed that some preach the need for holy living so strongly that they almost hate the word “grace.” Others seem to preach grace so strongly that they despise the word “holiness.” Both, however, are Bible doctrines, and neither should be promoted at the expense of the other.

Salvation is by grace. This means that our salvation is solely achieved because God had favor upon us, a favor that we could never earn. Our salvation is by grace (Ephesians 2:8), through faith (Ephesians 2:8), and completely apart from works (Romans 4:6). Some say that they believe that all this is true INITIALLY, but after we are saved, we must then maintain our salvation by works. However, this is a complete contradiction to Romans 11:6, a verse dealing exclusively with our election:

Romans 11:6 – “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

This verse is plain – our salvation is either solely by grace and solely apart from works, or else it is solely by works and solely apart from grace. There is no mixing grace and works when it comes to salvation.

However, after we are saved, the grace that saves us then teaches us to live holy before God and man.

Titus 2:11-12 – “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.”

After God’s grace brings His salvation to you, you are then taught by the same grace to live pleasing unto the Lord. Hence, there is no contradiction between grace and holiness. True grace teaches holiness, and true holiness is first a partaker of God’s grace completely apart from works. There is no need to embrace one Bible doctrine while rejecting another. We can have both grace and holiness.

Let us beware of any teacher or preacher who emphasizes one Bible doctrine while tearing down another.

*Skinner, Jack. Miracles & Missions Digest. Volume 57, Number 4. June-July 2013. “The Love of Christ ‘Constraineth’ Me.”

False Teachers - Part 4

The Gainsaying of Korah

Jude 11 – “Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.”

As we have seen, some false teachers are like Cain in that they teach a perverted doctrine of salvation. Other false teachers are like Balaam in that they teach a warped principle concerning money. Jude, then, gives a third illustration to which to compare false teachers. They have perished in the gainsaying of Core (Korah).

What is meant by the term “gainsaying of Korah”? James Strong tells us that the Greek word translated “gainsaying” is antilogia, and he defines it as “dispute; disobedience.” Noah Webster, in his 1828 dictionary, defines “gainsay” with more detail – “to contradict; to oppose in words; to deny or declare not to be true what another says; to controvert; to dispute; applied to persons, or to propositions, declarations or facts.” From these definitions, it clear that the gainsayer is one who contradicts or disobeys. The false teachers who are like Korah have a problem with authority. To see this problem clearly illustrated, let us examine the story of Korah.

Korah’s Rebellion

The story of Korah is found in Numbers 16. In the beginning of the account of Korah and his rebellion, Korah and his company are identified.

Numbers 16:1 – “Now Korah, the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On, the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took men.”

So the men who were identified with Korah’s “gainsaying” was, of course, Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and On. These men who were set to rebel against Moses then gathered other men together – the famous, popular men of the congregation of Israel.

Numbers 16:2 – “And they rose up before Moses, with certain of the children of Israel, two hundred and fifty princes of the assembly, famous in the congregation, men of renown.”

At this time, Korah wishes to rebel against the authority of Moses. But he does not rebel alone. He brings with him a group from the congregation. He brings with him popular men. These men I would suppose have a charismatic personality. They are likeable fellows – well liked by most of the congregation. Rebels never do their work alone. Pastor, listen very carefully. When someone from your congregation has a bone to pick with you, but they will not discuss it with you alone, you have a Korah on your hands. Mark it down – Korahs are cowards. They will never sit in your office man to man, but instead will round up the most popular in the congregation to come against you. They are like Absalom, who only came against his father David after winning the hearts of the people. Their cowardice will never let them work alone.

Korah, after having gathered 250 men of the congregation, then makes his accusation against Moses.

Numbers 16:3 – “And they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron, and said unto them, Ye take too much upon you, seeing all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them: wherefore then lift ye up yourselves above the congregation of the LORD?”

Korah’s first accusation against Moses was that he “took too much on himself.” On this point, Korah knows nothing about which he is talking. Moses did not take any authority on himself. God placed Moses in authority over the people, and it was Moses who tried to escape such authority. At the burning bush, it was Moses who offered excuses because he did not want the job! So, Korah’s first accusation against Moses was as false as it could be. Korah’s next accusation against Moses is summed up in the words “…seeing all the congregation are holy.” Here, Korah makes the claim that the whole congregation is as holy as Moses and Aaron. Korah, in essence, is saying to Moses, “We’re just as holy as you are.” This statement, like Korah’s first accusation, is inaccurate. Actually, no one in the congregation was as holy as Moses in terms of authority. Moses was “holy,” or “set apart” for the job of leading God’s people out of Egypt and into the promised land. Not one other person in the congregation was “set apart” or “made holy” for that job. No one. There could have been someone in the congregation who lived as good as Moses lived; but not one member of that vast congregation was made holy for the purpose of leading God’s people. Only Moses possessed the authority by God to lead the people out of Egypt. This authority was given to him at the burning bush.

In the remainder of the story, God met with Moses, as well with Korah’s company. As the judgment of God, the ground opened up and swallowed Korah and his company. God, as He most often does, sided with authority.

Modern-day Korahs

Who are the Korahs of today? Sometimes, Korah represents the “lay preacher;” the preacher who goes to a church, but is not the pastor. Often, it is the lay preacher who rises against the pastor and makes the same claim that Korah made to Moses – “We’re just as holy as you are.” Sometimes, Korah represents a deacon, a Sunday School teacher, or a trustee. Whomever the individual is that is represented by the Biblical figure “Korah,” two things are certain: first, Korah is not the pastor; and second, Korah wants to be the pastor. Korah has no authority from God, but Korah wants authority from God. Korah has no calling from God to lead, but Korah wants to lead.

Let me say here that there is something very wrong with the individual who actually wants to be accountable for immortal souls. It is no wonder that Moses tried to escape being the leader of that vast Hebrew multitude; that Jonah fled to Tarshish when commissioned to go to Nineveh. Real men of God do not crave to be in authority. Real men of God, on the other hand, realize the weight that comes with being accountable for the souls of men. To a genuine man of God, the authority that comes with pastoring a church is frightening. When I hear about men who get angry because someone else got a pastoring job that they wanted, I shake my head. Such a man does not understand the burden and responsibility of having pastoral authority. Korah is that man – although he has no authority, he wants authority, because he does not understand authority.

Korah represents in some cases, the preacher who is not a pastor, but wishes to be pastor. He will not submit to authority, but he wants to be in authority. He won’t sit under the teaching of a pastor, but he thinks he is ready to take the mantle of the pastor. He has never lightened a pastor’s load, but is certain he is ready to take on the challenges of being a pastor. Modern-day Korahs are usually preachers who do not yet pastor a church, but they long to do so.

When Korahs Become Pastors

There are times when Korah gets his wish. He keeps demanding that he be pastor until he assumes the role of pastor. Usually this is done when Korah splits the church he attended and starts another. I can usually tell when a pastor is a “Korah.”

When I moved to Indiana, I learned a new term – “shepherding.” I had never heard it before. It was explained to me that “shepherding” is what a pastor does when he controls every aspect of his members’ lives. When a member of a church is expected to gain the pastor’s permission to buy a house, buy a car, or take a job, this is referred to by some as “shepherding.”

I am not sure that “shepherding” is a right term for this type of pastor. The word “pastor” means “shepherd.” It is the shepherd’s job to feed the sheep. The pastor does this through teaching and preaching. Sometimes, this involves correcting behavior of the sheep. A good pastor will correct his sheep when it is needed. Sometimes, feeding the sheep involves giving a warning to someone in the congregation who may be on the brink of making a wrong decision. However, it is NOT the job of the pastor to be the head of each and every household in the church. As a pastor, it is none of my business which house a family in my church buys. It is none of my business whether a man in my church takes a certain job (unless, of course, it is a job that would dishonor God or bring shame on our church). I do not control every aspect of the lives of the members of my church (nor do I want to). When a pastor is controlling to the degree of which we are speaking, some call it “shepherding.” I would call it “lording.” Look at what Peter says regarding elders of the church:

I Peter 5:2-3 – “Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.”

“Neither as being lords over God’s heritage.” Pastors are not “lords” over God’s heritage. Godly pastors do not dictate every aspect of the lives of those in his congregation. Usually, pastors that are very controlling in this unbiblical manner are pastors who exactly like Korah. Chances are, such a pastor has never submitted to the authority of a godly pastor. They have probably never taken orders, so they are very hard when they give them.

Let me speak a moment to the pastors. I understand that a pastor must, at times, be very firm. Pastors must take a stand for right. Pastors must identify what is sinful and wrong. However, if you take pleasure in being hard, you are nothing more than a Korah. If your idea of leading the flock involves telling your congregation, “I’m the pastor and you’ll do this or that because I said so,” you are a Korah. You have no understanding of authority. If you expect your members to gain your permission before buying a house, buying a car, adopting a child, taking a job, or other personal matters that have nothing to do with the church, then you are a Korah. The authority you have is not God-given; it is usurped. You wrongfully took it upon yourself.

It would do well for all of us pastors to examine our ministries. We should lead and feed the flock of God with the humility and the firmness of Moses, not with the rebellion of Korah.

False Teachers - Part 3

The Error of Balaam

Jude 11 – “Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.”

Previously, we saw that some false teachers are like Cain; they teach a false doctrine regarding salvation. Other false teachers, however, are like Balaam. Jude tells us that they “run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward.” In order to identify these false teachers, let us examine the life of Balaam.

The Story of Balaam

We find the story of Balaam in the book of Numbers, chapter 22. In this chapter, Balak, the king of Moab, sent men to Balaam, the supposed prophet of God. They were sent to Balaam with a purpose. They had heard that Balaam was such a man that, whoever he blessed was blessed, and whoever he cursed was cursed. So, Balak sent men to him so that Balaam would curse Israel, that Moab might have a military victory over Israel.

Balaam, like Cain, is religious. As soon as the men show up, Balaam prays about whether or not he should go with these men.

Numbers 22:10-11 – “And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying, Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.”

As a result of Balaam’s prayer, God answers his prayer plainly and explicitly.

Numbers 22:12 – “And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.”

The answer could in no way be plainer. “Don’t go with the men,” and “don’t curse Israel.” The story of Balaam and Balak should have ended right here. There is never a need for a story to continue when we have a clear-cut answer from the Lord. Sadly, however, the story does not end here.

Balaam, in apparent obedience to the Lord, sent the men away. When they came to Balak, they told Balak, “Balaam refuses to come with us.” Balak, then has a plan.

Numbers 22:15 – “And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.”

Balak sent more princes to Balaam, and these princes had more honor than the first group that came to Balaam. Balaam, at first, seems to give them the right answer. He states that he cannot go beyond the word of the Lord. Since God told him not to go, he cannot go.

The story, however, does not end here. This is the point in the story where Balaam makes his first error. He decides to have another prayer meeting. He already had a definite answer from God, but the honorable position and the wealth that he could acquire began to tempt him.

Numbers 22:19 – “Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.”

He asked the men to tarry with him for the night, while he learns what else the Lord may say unto him. This was a terrible mistake. There was no need to hear anything else from the Lord. He had his answer. Yet, he prays again. The Lord, then, speaks to Balaam a second time. The Lord tells Balaam, “In the morning, if the men ask you to go with them, then go.” The morning came. The men speak nothing to Balaam. What does Balaam do? He goes with the men to Balak, although the men did not ask him to do so, thoroughly disobeying the word of God.

How Are False Teachers Like Balaam?

False teachers have greedily run after the error of Balaam in several ways. First, Balaam, like most false teachers, was religious. The first activity in which we see Balaam engaged is that of prayer. It becomes clear, then, that just because someone prays, that is not an indication of the degree of their spirituality.

Second, Balaam sought additional revelation than the word he had already received from God. Let me say plainly here, when the written word of God is not enough for an individual, that person is a false teacher. If a teacher must have additional revelation, then you do not need to hear anything else that person has to say; they are as false as Balaam. Balaam represents the teacher who is seeking more revelation than what he has in the scriptures. Balaam represents the teacher who places a higher value on visions, dreams, tongues, interpretation, prophecy, and voices than on the written word of God. If you are a teacher who thrives on these things more than on the written word of God, you are a modern-day Balaam.

A question must be asked. “Why did Balaam disobey God by going with the men?” We do not have an answer in the book of Numbers, but we do have an answer in the word of God.

II Peter 2:15 – “Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness.”

Peter gives us great insight into the story of Balaam, stating that Balaam loved the wages of unrighteousness. When the “more honorable” men came to Balaam, they appealed to Balaam’s love for money. This brings me to my next point.

Third, false teachers are like Balaam because they love money. The key word when studying Balaam is “money.” Some false teachers are like Cain in that they have a wrong teaching on salvation. Some, however, are like Balaam because they have a wrong teaching concerning money. If you hear someone teach or preach, and their entire ministry centers around you giving them money, then they are false teachers, according to the word of God. Listen to Paul’s stern warning:

I Timothy 6:3-5 – “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.”

Paul plainly marks those who “teach otherwise.” He states that the man who teaches contrary to godliness is proud, knowing nothing. He then gives us the chief characteristic of the man who teaches contrary to godliness – “supposing that gain is godliness,” Paul says. False teachers, like Balaam, associate “gain” with “godliness.” “Gain” is material blessing. “Gain” is money, wealth, riches, houses, lands, cars, clothes, and other material goods that money can buy. Paul said that those who teach contrary to godliness are teaching that “gain is godliness.” False teachers, according to the apostle Paul, teach that how godly you are can be seen by how much “gain” you have. “If you are really godly,” they say, “you will be rich.” This false gospel is propagated throughout the media church of today – and everyone who preaches it is nothing more than a modern-day Balaam who should be avoided.

Those who preach this false prosperity gospel preach it this way: “Give to my ministry,” they say, “and God will bless you!” “Give me one dollar, and God will give you ten.” Or perhaps they say, “Call right now with your gift of $_________, I will send you a handkerchief with my sweat on it.” All types of nonsense go along with this perverted gospel. I have no doubt that prosperity preachers believe in prosperity, but one thing is certain – they believe in their prosperity much more than they believe in yours. While they take advantage of people’s ignorant gullibility, they are getting rich. Any man who makes money by using the gospel to take advantage of people is a false teacher, a modern-day Balaam. Look at what Peter says regarding false teachers such as these:

II Peter 2:3 – “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.”

Peter says that these false teachers “with feigned words make merchandise of you.” The word “feigned” means “fake.” They are as fake as a nine-dollar bill, and using their feigned words, they “make merchandise,” or “make money” of you.

Now, I understand that it takes money to have a radio ministry. I understand that it takes money to have a television ministry. But I also understand that God promises to provide every need. If God really called these men, He would take care of the finances without them having to beg for it. If the majority of their ministry is begging you to send them money, then they are not of God. Spending most of their time begging for money is not the same as preaching the gospel. If one reader of mine spends one red cent on these clowns, then I must tell you with love that you are displeasing the Lord. What did Paul say about those who teach that “gain is godliness”? Look at it again:

I Timothy 6:5 – “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: FROM SUCH WITHDRAW THYSELF.”

If they are preaching a prosperity gospel, Paul said, “Withdraw thyself!” Get away from them! Do not support them! The further away you stay from these extortioners, the better off you will be.

Modern-Day Balaams*

I could name so many examples of preachers and teachers who fall under the category of modern-day Balaams. The so-called “faith movement” is full of them. Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Oral Roberts, E.W. Kenyon, Charles Capps, Frederick K.C. Price, Paul and Jan Crouch, and many others just like these fit into the category perfectly. For the sake of time, I will give only a couple examples of modern-day Balaams.

On January 4, 1987, Oral Roberts launched his most notorious campaign. He told his “prayer partners” that if he did not raise a total of $8 million by March, God was going to take his life. Some time later, Richard Roberts (Oral Roberts’ son) sent out letters to their followers. Richard writes, “Without the additional $4,500,000, God will not extend Dad’s life.” He goes on to say, “Partner, we cannot let this man of God die. There is no reason for him to die.” Richard goes on to show that this is not an idle threat. “When he [Oral Roberts] says God speaks to him, he’s not bluffing.” A casual Bible reader can easily see that this was nothing more than a money-making hoax.

Then, we have the “hundredfold return” bunch. In Gloria Copeland’s book God’s Will is Prosperity, she states the following:

Give one house and receive one hundred houses or one house worth one hundred times as much. Give one airplane and receive one hundred times the value of the airplane. Give one car and the return would furnish you a lifetime of cars. In short, Mark 10:30 is a very good deal.**

There is so much wrong with this, it is difficult to know where to start, or if I even should start. For one thing, Mark 10:30 deals with those who give everything for the kingdom of God. It does not apply to the one who “gives ten dollars” or who “gives one car.” It is taken so grossly out of context. To Gloria Copeland’s credit, somebody did receive a “hundredfold return.” Copeland’s listeners gave, and Kenneth and Gloria Copeland received the “hundredfold return.”

Mark 10:30 is not the only place in scripture where the “hundredfold return” is mentioned. It is also mentioned in Matthew 13. Jesus tells a parable about a sower who sows seed. Some seed falls among thorns, some by the wayside, and some on stony ground. Some, however, falls on good ground and brings forth fruit. Some of the seed that falls on good ground brings forth thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some a hundredfold. The seed in this parable, however, is not money. The seed is the word of God. The hundredfold return, therefore, has nothing whatsoever to do with money. To preach it that way is to take it grossly out of context.

I could write so much more regarding modern-day Balaams. I could write concerning the “point of contact” hoax, the “seed-faith” hoax, and so many other ways that these teachers “make merchandise of you,” as the apostle Peter puts it. There is no doubt that many teachers have run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward.

*Some from this section taken from Christianity in Crisis by Hank Hanegraaff. Harvest House Publishers. Eugene, OR. ©1993.

**Copeland, Gloria. God’s Will is Prosperity. Harrison House. Tulsa, OK. ©1978. p. 54.

False Teachers - Part 2

The Way of Cain

Jude 11 – “Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.”

Jude writes his small, yet powerful epistle to those who are preserved in Christ. Jude explicitly states his purpose for writing the epistle. “It was needful for me to write unto you,” he says, “and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” This epistle was written to provoke the people of God to earnestly contend for the faith. Webster defines “contend” this way – “to strive; to use earnest efforts to obtain, or to defend and preserve.” We are called to defend the faith. “The faith” that we are defending is not our personal faith in Christ for salvation, but rather the truths that were delivered to the church through the written word of God. And we cannot stand up for doctrinal truths without standing against those who promote doctrinal error. If you have the mentality that says, “Can’t we all just get along?” then you are not an earnest contender for the faith!

Now, before I get into this, let me say that when I first meet an individual who claims to be a Christian, I always look for reasons to fellowship, not reasons to not fellowship. You may belong to a different church than I do. You may not see eye to eye with me on everything. I do not require that in order to have fellowship. But when it comes to the fundamental truths of the Bible, these will affect our fellowship. You need not agree with me on every point of Bible prophecy, as long as you believe that Christ is coming to this earth visibly and bodily. We can differ on various points of doctrine, but when you conclude that there is no literal, burning hell, then our fellowship will be affected. When we contend for the faith, we do not have to cut everyone off who sees something differently than we do. But we must stand up for the fundamental truths of God’s word.

In identifying false teachers, Jude uses three Old Testament examples. First, he tells us that they, the false teachers, have gone in the way of Cain. Let us see from the scriptures what is meant by “the way of Cain.”

Cain was the firstborn son of Adam and Eve. Shortly after Cain was born, his brother Abel was born. The notable account of Cain and Abel is found is Genesis 4. Cain and Abel, though brothers, were very different from each other. Two contrasts between them are seen early in the fourth chapter of Genesis:

Genesis 4:3-4 – “And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.”

Two contrasts in these verses are noticed. First, there is a difference between Cain’s offering and Abel’s offering; and second, there is a difference in the Lord’s response to the two offerings. Cain brought the fruit of the ground as an offering to the Lord; Abel brought the firstlings of his flock as an offering to the Lord.

There has been much preaching and teaching regarding these two offerings. I have heard some say that there was nothing wrong with Cain’s offering; it was his attitude, they say. I beg to differ with this way of thinking, for Genesis 4:3-4 plainly tells us that “the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: but unto Cain and his offering He had not respect.” There was something wrong with Cain’s offering as opposed to Abel’s offering.

Cain Was Religious

False teachers of today, like Cain of old, are very religious. Cain brought an offering to the Lord. But his offering was not accepted. Make a mental note of this and never forget it – a person can be religious and be dead wrong. Being religious never saved anyone. There are a great number of religious people who have never been saved by the grace of God, and if they die in that unregenerate state they will end up in hell.

Cain’s Religion – A Religion of Works

So, let us examine the two offerings, and why the Lord accepted Abel’s offering but denied Cain’s offering. I can understand, to a degree, why Cain was so angry when his offering was denied while Abel’s offering was accepted. I believe I am correct in saying that Cain’s offering involved much more work than did Abel’s offering. Abel brought a firstborn sheep as an offering to the Lord. Abel had very little to do with the raising of this lamb. For a period of time, this lamb would be fed by its mother. Occasionally, Abel may have led the sheep to greener pastures. No doubt Abel fed the sheep. But outside of that, Abel had very little to do with keeping the sheep alive. The business of keeping the sheep alive was God’s business.

Cain, on the other hand, worked very hard for his offering. He began by tilling the ground. In the heat of the day, Cain walked in his field behind the oxen, guiding the plow. Then, after the ground was tilled, Cain again walked the field, planting the seed. Cain may have spent a good deal of time digging a trench that would carry water to the field so that the crop may be watered. There is no telling how many hours in the humidity of the summer Cain spent on his knees, pulling out the weeds, perhaps fertilizing the crop. Then, Cain spent a great deal of time harvesting the crop. Then, after cultivating, maintaining, watering, and harvesting the crop through the hottest season of the year, he finds that his offering is not accepted. How disappointing!

Abel, on the other hand, worked very little to give a lamb to the Lord for an offering. I know people who raise both cattle and a garden, and they spend much more time in the garden than in the pasture! I am convinced that Cain worked far more for his offering than Abel did for his. When it came time for Abel to bring his lamb for an offering, Abel shed the blood of the lamb. The lamb lay on the altar as the blood ran down. Ultimately, Abel suffered very little for the offering he presented. The lamb did the suffering.

Can you see Cain as he watches Abel present his offering to the Lord? I can see him seething with anger. He is already upset because Abel has worked very little for his offering to begin with. And now, Abel again suffers very little as the dying lamb suffers instead of Abel, after Cain himself suffered through the summer’s scorching heat.

Cain’s Religion – A Bloodless Religion

Cain watches his brother present his dying lamb to the Lord as an offering, seething with anger. Not only was Cain’s offering the result of hard hours of labor, but Cain’s offering was bloodless. This was a prime reason his offering was unacceptable to the Lord. I have heard it preached that Cain’s offering was not denied because it was bloodless. In the Old Testament law, there were offerings that were bloodless, some say. True, there were bloodless offerings. But when Israel was saved from the bondage of Egypt, it took the blood of a lamb to save the life of the oldest male child in the house! When Israel’s sins were forgiven, it took blood on the Day of Atonement to cover such sins! And we are told that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22)!

Cain’s Religion – A Religion that Kills

Because Cain was so angry that his offering was unacceptable, he slew his brother Abel.

I John 3:12 – “Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.”

Abel, the one whose offering was accepted, was killed by the one whose offering was denied.

“The Way of Cain” and False Teachers

What does the story of Cain and Abel have to do with the false teachers that have plagued Christianity through the centuries, as well the false teachers of today? In one word, the story of Cain and Abel is an illustration regarding the doctrine of salvation. Listen to me closely. If a man has a perverted view of salvation, that man is a false teacher. The most important doctrine in the Bible is the doctrine that answers the question, “How can fallen man become righteous before God?” If a teacher answers this question incorrectly, then you should not listen to anything else that teacher has to say.

Cain answered the sin question by offering his works as a solution. But good works never produce genuine salvation. The vast majority of churches in the world today teach salvation by works. If you think that every building that has a steeple is getting people to heaven, you are a novice in the area of truth. Some teach that baptism saves from sin. Others teach that we must be faithful to obey the law of God in order to be saved. Others teach that you must belong to a certain church or organization in order to gain salvation. Like Cain, who stood before God, presenting his offering that he had worked so hard to obtain, false teachers of today will find out that their list of works will save no one. Like Abel, who shed the blood of the lamb, those who are trusting only in the blood of Jesus Christ for their salvation will be accepted.

There is no doubt that Cain was religious. But he was as lost as he was religious. Because his offering was not accepted, Cain slew his brother Abel, as we have seen. So it is in the religious arena today. Those who are trusting in the shed blood of Christ for their salvation are always the ones who are persecuted for their faith. Surprisingly to some, those who are persecuted for their faith are almost always persecuted by the religious crowd. Persecution in the early church was done by religious Jews who denied Christ. Stephen was killed in Acts 7. It was a religious Pharisee named Saul who consented to have Stephen killed. It was the religious crowd who had Paul beaten, whipped, and stoned. Today, Christians are persecuted throughout the world. As I type this, Pastor Saeed, an American citizen, is imprisoned in Iran for his faith. Who is persecuting this pastor? It is none other than the religious crowd; a Muslim regime. God chose Isaac, not Ishmael. God spoke through His Son, Jesus Christ, not Mohammad. And the Muslims can’t stand it. They, like Cain, are seething with anger. Consequently, there is no such thing as a Muslim country that promotes freedom. Such an idea is a fairy tale. In countries where Muslims rule, Christians are persecuted heavily. The religiously wrong almost always do the persecuting; true Christians are almost always the persecuted.

If you should acquaint yourself with a minister or church, the first thing you should find out is how they preach salvation. If they preach that we are either saved or kept saved by anything other than faith in Christ, then they are a false teacher who has departed from the faith and have gone in the way of Cain.

False Teachers - Part 1

Introduction

II Peter 2:1 – “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.”

The next few posts will be occupied with false teachers. It is not my goal to identify every false teacher. Instead, I will rather teach principles from the word of God so that every reader can identify a false teacher when they see one. Not everyone who is teaching in front of a camera with their Bible open is a man of God. Not every man who stands behind a pulpit is of God. Not every Tom, Dick, and Harry who carries a Bible under his arm is obedient to the heavenly calling. Some men are men of God who are preaching truth; others are the devil’s ministers who are preaching lies. The importance of identifying false teachers cannot be overstated.

There are three principles at which we will look. These principles regarding false teachers will help us identify false teachers and avoid their poison. These principles are found in the eleventh verse of the book of Jude:

Jude 11 – “Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.”

Jude gives three Old Testament illustrations that serve as an example of false teachers. Some false teachers can be identified because they go in the way of Cain; others because they run after the error of Balaam; and others because they bear the marks of Korah. Beginning with my next post, we will look at these three Biblical illustrations and how they relate to false teachers.

Doctrine is Supremely Important

When you hear a preacher or a teacher, you should be able to clearly identify what he or she is teaching. We call a man’s teaching his “doctrine.” In the day in which we live, doctrine takes a back seat to almost everything. However, that which a teacher is teaching is the most important trait about him. If he is teaching false doctrine, he is a false teacher, regardless of his personality, his use or abuse of “gifts,” or the size of his ministry.

MIRACLES

Suppose that there are two churches in your town. The first church has a pastor who performs miracles on a regular basis. His congregation speaks regularly of seeing the miraculous. The second church has a pastor who never does anything counted as miraculous, but instead he preaches the word of God. He teaches sound doctrine from the Bible, equipping his church to win souls, and feeding his people with the bread of heaven. Which pastor would you say has the superior ministry? If your answer is the pastor of the first church, the miracle-working pastor, you are set up to be deceived. Let me educate you.

In the Bible, we are told that a false prophet is coming to this earth during the Great Tribulation. Revelation 13:11 speaks of the false prophet, saying, “And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon.” Notice – this beast coming up out of the earth, the false prophet, had two horns like a lamb, but notice how he speaks – “he spake as a dragon.” Keep this in mind. I will expound on it in a moment. Notice what else John says about this beast.

Revelation 13:13-15 – “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.”

This beast does great wonders. He makes fire come down from heaven. He even DOES MIRACLES, and John says he deceives people with those miracles! One of the first things John says about the false prophet is that he “speaks like a dragon.” He does miracles, but he speaks like a dragon! It does not matter how many miracles he does; notice what he SPEAKS! What is he SAYING? That is the important question to ask regarding those who are teaching. It doesn’t matter how many miracles they do; it matters what they are teaching. If their teaching does not line up with the Bible, then stay away from them! If they are speaking like a dragon, that is, their teachings do not line up with God’s word, then you’d be better off to steer clear of them!

So, which pastor is more spiritual? The one who is doing the miracles, or the one who is teaching sound doctrine from God’s word? Clearly, a man may do miracles, and yet may not be sent from God. In your Bible there is a man by the name of John the Baptist. Two things are true of John the Baptist. First, it is true that John the Baptist was the greatest man who ever lived, according to Christ.

Matthew 11:11 – “Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.”

Second, it is true that John the Baptist never performed a miracle.

John 10:41 – “And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.”

John did no miracle, but the things he SAID were true. John was a true prophet. He performed no miracle, but in Matthew 3:1, we are told that John the Baptist came PREACHING! He preached truth, and was therefore superior to every minister who thinks his ministry is validated because he works miracles.

PROPHESYING

Suppose again that there are two churches in your town. The first church has a pastor who spends much of his ministry prophesying. That is, he points people out in the congregation and tells them what God has told them. The second church has a pastor who never prophesies in this manner. Instead, he simply preaches the word of God. Which pastor would you deem more spiritual than the other? If you think that the man who prophesies is more spiritual than the man who merely preaches the word of God, you again are set up to be deceived. Notice carefully what Jesus says.

Matthew 7:22-23 – “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

What could be plainer? A man or woman is not spiritual because he or she prophesies. As a matter of fact, Christ plainly states that on the Day of Judgment, some will be lost in spite of their prophesying! When men say, “Lord, I have prophesied in your name,” He will respond with the words, “I NEVER knew you!” Can you not see it? It is possible for you to prophesy, cast out devils, perform miracles, and do it all as an individual who has never been saved a day in your life! Clearly, the pastor of the second church, the man who never prophesies, but who preaches the sound doctrine of the word of God has the superior ministry.

DREAMS, VISIONS, AND SO-CALLED REVELATIONS

Suppose again that there are two churches in your town. The first church has a pastor who is always hearing voices via dreams and visions. He has so many visions that he is constantly referring to “the last vision I had.” The second church has a pastor who never speaks of dreams or visions, but preaches the sound doctrine of God’s word on a regular basis. Who, in your opinion, has the greater ministry? No doubt, some of my readers would be impressed with the pastor of the first church mentioned. Let us turn to the word of God to see whose ministry is greater.

When a man says, “I have seen a vision,” there is no way for me to verify it. It could be that he has seen such a vision; it could be that he is mistaken. However, I know that the apostle Peter saw a vision. In his second epistle, he writes about it.

II Peter 1:16-18 – “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.”

“We were eyewitnesses of Christ’s majesty,” Peter recalls. Peter is able to tell the reader how, on the Mount of Transfiguration, he saw the glory of God. He saw Jesus speaking with Moses and Elijah. He heard a voice of heaven. I do not know if you have had a vision or not, but I know Peter had a vision. He testifies of it in the word of God. After Peter tells the details of the vision on the mountain, look at his very next words:

II Peter 1:19 – “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.”

Immediately after telling of his vision on the Mount of Transfiguration, Peter tells us that we have a more sure word of prophecy! What could be more sure than a vision? Perhaps my reader is saying, “If I had a vision like Peter had, I would be sure of my salvation.” Someone may be saying, “If I had a vision like Peter had, I would know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I am living a life that is pleasing to God.” But Peter said that we have something more sure than the vision he had! What a thought! I do not know about you, but if there is something that is surer than a vision, I want it! In the next verses, Peter tells us what it is that is surer than his vision on the mount. Read it carefully:

II Peter 1:20-21 – “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.”

Look at Peter’s first words in these verses – “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture…” He goes on to tell how the scriptures were written by “holy men of God” as “they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” The written word of God, according to Peter, is superior to the vision Peter had on the Mount of Transfiguration!

Since it is plain that the written word of God is far superior to visions, why, when I have the written word, would I take a step down to seek for visions, dreams, and such? I have something much higher than that!

Dear reader, let me ask you a question. Which is more valuable to you, dreams and visions or the Bible? Which is superior to you, prophecies or the Bible? Which do you deem more important, the written word of God or miracles? If the Bible is not far superior to these other things in your eyes, then you are probably already deceived by false teachers. You probably already think that some man is a man of God when his teachings blatantly contradict scriptures.

What about these individuals who claim to have dreams, see visions, and hear voices? I do not have to give any answer regarding them. Even if a man really has a vision where an angel from heaven comes to him, notice Paul’s strong words:

Galatians 1:8 – “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.”

Paul, in essence, does not care about what an angel told you in a vision. If an angel tells you something that does not line up with scripture, let that angel be accursed – let him go to hell! It is therefore clear that God’s written word is far superior to anyone’s vision.

Conclusion

To put it plainly, I couldn’t care less about how many miracles a man performs. I am in no way moved by a man’s word of prophecy, or by his dreams and visions.

I mention these things because there are many today who run after false teachers because they prophesy. Many of these teachers do not know soup beans from apple butter about the Bible, but they prophesy. They are always having dreams and visions. They are always hearing voices. They don’t pay tithes; they don’t have a home church; they wander from place to place; they sit under no pastor; and what little they do teach is not sound doctrine.

Dear reader, when you hear a man teaching, find out what he is teaching. Just because he sees miracles performed does not mean he is a man of God. The antichrist will do miracles. The fact that he prophesies is no indicator of spirituality. Many, according to Christ, prophesy who have never been saved a day in their lives. Just because they have dreams and visions – even if angels visit them – does not mean that they are spiritual. If an angel comes with another gospel, Paul said to let that angel from heaven be accursed. The written word of God is far superior to miracles, prophecies, dreams, and visions. If they are not preaching the word of God, then they are false teachers.

The Sermon on the Mount - Part 4

Verses Misused and Abused – Continued

Together, we have studied two verses in the fifth chapter of the book of Matthew, in Christ’s Sermon on the Mount, that are very often misused. Those verses are Matthew 5:17 and Matthew 5:20. The former is misused in order to place the believer under the Old Testament law; the latter is misused in order to teach a works-based salvation.

Today, I wish to examine a verse misused by believers and non-believers alike. This verse is the first verse of the seventh chapter of the book of Matthew.

Matthew 7:1 – “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”

Whether it is a believer or unbeliever misusing this verse, there are some common facts regarding that individual. First, those who misuse this verse often know little about the Bible. I am in no way trying to sound arrogant. There are Bible passages I do not understand. There are questions concerning the Bible that I cannot answer. There are verses in the scripture of which I simply do not know the meaning. If any individual in the world needs to gain a better understanding of the Bible, I will be the first in line. I say that honestly and with a pure heart. But those who misuse Matthew 7:1 usually know little or absolutely nothing about the Bible. Second, most people who quote Matthew 7:1 usually cannot quote another single solitary scripture. Third, most people who know Matthew 7:1 usually know nothing else Biblically.

Matthew 7:1 is usually quoted in a heated discussion about the scriptures. Usually, the verse is pulled out when a certain SIN is being discussed. When a person becomes uncomfortable about their activity being called a sin, then they pull out Matthew 7:1 – “Judge not, that ye be not judged.”

How Matthew 7:1 is Usually Presented

The words of Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that ye be not judged,” are most likely the most misused and abused words of scripture. Those who quote it most have a very twisted understanding of its meaning.

To the ones who often quote Matthew 7:1, this verse means that several things; first, that no preacher should preach against sin, for naming specific sins is judging; second, that no Christian should make any judgment regarding what is right or what is wrong; and third, that preachers and teachers should not be identified as true or false teachers. You can see clearly that, usually, those who use this verse do not want sins, wrongdoings, and false teachers exposed. However, all of these conclusions contradict Biblical truth regarding making judgments.

The Bible Commands us to Judge!

Let us see what the Bible says to us about making judgments.

First, the Bible teaches that the preacher, the man of God, is to rebuke sin! This means that any activity that is condemned by the Bible is to be openly named and rebuked by the man of God. II Timothy 4:2 says, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, REBUKE, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” The word, “rebuke” means “to reprehend for a fault.” Before a fault can be corrected, it must be judged and identified as a fault! As a pastor, I cannot correct the actions of Christians sitting on the pews until I judge those actions to be wrong! It’s not rocket science. The preacher who will not judge an activity, naming it sin and correcting it, is not a man of God.

Second, the Bible teaches, not only that ministers are to judge sin and rebuke it, but also that those who sit under a minister are to judge the message of that minister. II Peter 2 and the book of Jude were written to identify false teachers. Paul said in I Corinthians 11:1, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” The only way a person could have obey Paul’s command, “Follow me as I follow Christ” is to JUDGE whether Paul was following Christ. In the same chapter where Christ said, “Judge not,” he also commanded the people to know who the false prophets were by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-16)! If an individual is a false prophet, Christ expects you to identify them as such by examining their fruit, and avoid them.

Third, Christians are commanded in I John 4:1 to “try the spirits” to see “whether they are of God!” The word, “try” means to “put on trial!” Put those spirits on trial, and see if they are of God or not! When an evangelist comes to town prophesying and blowing on people, claiming that he does so under the influence of the Holy Ghost, you are not to run to the meeting and hear everything he has to say. On the other hand, when you hear what such evangelists are doing, you are to determine whether the activities of such evangelists are Biblical or not. Once you discover that the words, “slain in the Spirit” are nowhere in the Bible, you should stay away from places that practice such.

Fourth, Christians are commanded to discern (judge) between good and evil (Hebrews 5:14). The Christian, if he is living by the Bible, will do some things because he has discerned, or judged, them to be good things to do. He will avoid some things because he has made a judgment that those things are evil. This is not suggested for a Christian to do; this is COMMANDED for a Christian to do. Amos 5:15 tells us to “hate the evil, and love the good.” How do we know the difference? We are to make a judgment!

Fifth, when a young man is interested in finding a wife, how should he go about doing so? He should read Proverbs 31, where Solomon paints a picture of the virtuous woman, and see if the prospect measures up! He is to make a judgment! Young ladies thinking of marriage should do the same. They should read the book of Proverbs regarding the sluggard and so forth, and see if their prospect measures up! A lot of marriages have ended in divorce because someone wanted to refrain from being “judgmental.” So, “no judgment” was preferred over “good judgment” and it resulted in “bad judgment!”

Sixth, the Bible continually commands us to judge. Read the following verses very carefully.

John 7:24 – “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”

I Corinthians 2:15 – “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.”

I Corinthians 6:2 – “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?”

I Corinthians 6:4 – “If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.”

So, it is clear that the individual who refuses to participate in judgment is living contradictory to scripture. We are make solid, sound judgments in the living of our daily lives.

The Meaning of Matthew 7:1

When Jesus said, “Judge not,” He was not at all meaning that we should not judge right and wrong. He was not asserting that we should not put a minister’s message to the test, to see whether or not it aligns with scripture. He was not suggesting that we make life-changing decisions without making solid judgments. Anyone who interprets this verse in this manner is ignorant of many Biblical teachings.

The meaning of Matthew 7:1 is simple – it means what it says, as all scripture does. Now, let us look at what Matthew 7:1 SAYS, but let us not look at this verse alone. Let us read the whole passage, and see what this verse says along with the four verses following it. Please read the following very slowly and carefully.

Matthew 7:1-5 – “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”

You will notice near the end of the passage, Jesus speaks directly to the hypocrite. “Thou hypocrite,” He says. The hypocrite is the one who has a beam blocking his own vision, but he is concerned about the small speck in his brother’s eye! He will condemn someone for not eating healthy while he cheats on his wife.

If you think that I am judging by rebuking sin, or that I am judging for I identify what is good and what is evil, then you are the hypocrite to whom Christ is speaking in these verses. You have no right to judge anyone! If you point your finger at me and say that I am doing wrong because I am judgmental, then you are a hypocrite because you just judged me! You are upset because I make judgments, so you call me “judgmental,” making a judgment about me! Why is it wrong for me to say that homosexuality is wrong but it is okay for you to say that being judgmental is wrong? I am calling an activity (homosexuality) wrong. You are calling an activity (being “judgmental”) wrong. Why is it okay for you to make a judgment about my activity of being judgmental, but I am sinning by making a judgment regarding someone’s activity? The only answer is that the person who calls a person judgmental is a hypocrite. According to this passage, Christ teaches that the hypocrite who judges someone else will be judged in the very same manner. The person who has a beam in his own eye has no right to point his finger at the person who has but a speck in his eye. He will be judged as harshly as he judges. C.H. Spurgeon, concerning Matthew 7:1-2, said, “When I stand before God, can I honestly say, ‘Lord, judge me just exactly like I judged everyone else’?”

False Teachings of the Charismatic Movement - Part 1

The Prosperity Gospel – A False Gospel

Galatians 1:8, 9 – “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. 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.”

I Timothy 6:3-6 – “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. But godliness with contentment is great gain.”

II Peter 2:1-3 – “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who…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.”

In the above passages, the prosperity gospel is spelled out for us very clearly. As a matter of fact, the verses above describe the prosperity gospel so clearly that it is as though the writers lived in the twenty-first century. Let us examine each of the above passages briefly to see what God says concerning the prosperity gospel.

Galatians 1:8, 9 – Any Other Gospel is Accursed
As we begin our study on this prevalent subject, it is essential to note that the first of the above three passages gives us a solemn warning. This warning is that if any being, whether a preacher from earth or an angel from heaven, preaches any other gospel than that which is firmly laid in the scriptures, let that creature be accursed (i.e., go to hell).

The first of the above passages, Galatians 1:8, 9, is the reason I am so adamantly against this false gospel. False gospels lead precious souls to hell by the masses. Dr. Harold Sightler stated it correctly when he said, “Hearing another gospel is as fatal as hearing no gospel.” I hear people say concerning their loved ones who attend liberal churches, “Well, at least they’re in church!” Friend, your loved ones can go to hell from the pew of a liberal church as quickly as they could go from a bar stool! Bro. Lloyd Cheek provided a great analogy. He asked the question, “What if your children came home from school, and they told you that they had learned that 2+2 is 5? What if they told you that they learned that 5-1 is 3? Would you say, ‘Well, at least they’re in school’”? No we wouldn’t! But we say that about our loved ones who go to liberal churches! Friend, it is eternally dangerous to hear another gospel, and this prosperity gospel is as false as it can be!

I Timothy 6:3-6 – Preachers Who Think That Gain is Godliness
In the second of the above passages, I Timothy 6:3-6, Paul writes concerning ministers who have drifted from the truth. He then gives characteristics of these preachers. They are proud; they know nothing; they dote about questions and strifes of words. But in addition to these traits, Paul says that they SUPPOSE THAT GAIN IS GODLINESS. The word “gain” refers to any material thing that is obtained. Money is gain. Property is gain. Wealth, an inheritance, bank accounts, vehicles in one’s possession, houses, lands, boats, and all the rest of it, is GAIN! Paul is writing concerning preachers who preach that gain is godliness! And do we ever have preachers like that today! They preach that if you are spiritual, you will be rich! As a matter of fact, I have heard prosperity preachers preach that if you do not have riches, something is wrong with your walk with God! Simply put, these preachers are liars. Many of them are crooks. They preach that if you give (to their ministry), God will give back in terms of money. And while the poorest of the poor watch these “wolves in sheep’s clothing” on their television and mail them a check, these preachers get rich while the ones supporting them continue to do without! It doesn’t take an Einstein to figure this out!

As for these who preach that gain is godliness, notice what Paul says in I Timothy 6:5 – “…supposing that gain is godliness: FROM SUCH WITHDRAW THYSELF!” If the preacher on the T.V. screen is preaching that wealth is a symbol of godliness, don’t send that clown a check! Paul said plainly to get as far away from that trash as possible! If your pastor preaches a “give so you can get rich” doctrine, it is time for you do as the Bible says and WITHDRAW YOURSELF! It’s time for you to find another church – a solid, Bible-believing church!

II Peter 2:1-3 – Those Who Make Merchandise of the Saints
Peter, in his second epistle, dedicates the second chapter to false prophets and false teachers. He gives characteristics concerning these false teachers. One leading characteristic is defined this way: “they shall with feigned words MAKE MERCHANDISE OF YOU.”

The word “minister” means “servant.” This is the true minister. This describes the man of God. God’s man asks, “What can I give?” Satan’s man, the man of whom Peter wrote, asks, “What can I get?” These false teachers MAKE MERCHANDISE of the saints! The false teachers described by Peter are not interested in making saints out of sinners; they are interested in making money out of saints! When a preacher is all about money, BEWARE! When a minister speaks more of money, wealth, and prosperity than he does the cross of Jesus Christ, look out! We have a false teacher on our hands!

Conclusion
The Bible speaks in II Corinthians 8:9 that Christ was made poor that we might be made RICH. John wished above all things in III John 2 that we would be in health and PROSPER, even as our soul PROSPERS. Joshua was promised good SUCCESS in Joshua 1:8. When I read words like “rich,” “prosper,” and “success,” in the Bible, I think of, as John said it, my soul prospering. When a Charismatic reads these verses, he thinks of materialistic prosperity. This is a great revelation of the Charismatic heart. The heart of the true minister of God is on treasures in heaven – souls being saved. Charismatics, on the other hand, are more interested in materialistic prosperity – being rich on the earth.

Matthew 6:19-21 – “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

Certainly, I am not against someone being rich. Abraham was faithful in the eyes of God, and was very rich. Job was among the richest of all the earth. On the other hand, to preach that earthly riches are promised to everyone who serve God is sheer ignorance. No such promise is made in the Bible. Quite frankly, if your heart is right, you do not demand that God give you a new car. If your heart is right with God, you do not need the finest home. A man whose heart is right with God seeks God and His righteousness first and foremost, and he lets the Lord bless as He sees fit.

Matthew 6:33 – “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”