What Does 2 John

Have to Teach Us about

Partnering with False Teachers?



Is it possible for us to

undermine

The gospel we preach

through

our ministry associations?


This last question seems to be a recurring one

in American evangelicalism.


It’s quite common for ostensibly

evangelical pastors, teachers, and authors to

share ministry platforms with those

who


preach a gospel


other than that

which

was “once for all delivered to the saints”

(Jude 3).


Many evangelicals find this pattern

of association to be dangerous, damaging, and confusing.


They argue that it’s not only 

unwise to share public ministry platforms

with false teachers,

​but that it is in fact sin.


Are these critics correct, or are they overreacting?

Thankfully, we don’t have to try and

use our own wisdom to try and untie this knot.



Scripture speaks

plainly and clearly

on the matter.




2 JOHN


Second John is a short letter, and it’s not at all complicated.

The children of God must strive to live out the

perfect harmony of love, truth, and obedience as they follow Jesus.

Those who love God and one another

will walk

(i.e. live in obedience)

in the truth

(v. 4, 6).

It seems that John set out to write to

the “elect lady” (v. 1)

because some teachers had come along


trying to lead the church

into a


brand of Christianity

that only required


​obedience and love,

but


not truth


Specifically, it seems like these teachers were lying about Jesus

 (v.7).

This leads John to warn his beloved children that their souls are in danger

(v.8).



When it comes to thinking well

about how

preachers and teachers of


God’s Word


can best steward

their public ministry platforms,


John’s letter

helps us in three ways.


It teaches us that


deceivers exist,

that

false teaching is a danger to our souls,


and

that we must not share public ministry platforms


with those who


​preach a different gospel.


Let’s take them one at a time.




DECEPTION


John couldn’t be clearer: Deceivers are real.

“For many deceivers have gone out into the world.”

These deceivers go out into the world with a teaching that is not “of Christ.” This teaching is perilous in that it separates men from God (v. 9). John says that these “deceivers” are “antichrists” (v. 7). That is, they are anti-Christ: Jesus came to tell us the truth about God, man, sin, and salvation, but these teachers come to tell lies about God, man, sin, and salvation—and so their ministry of deception is completely antithetical to Jesus’ ministry of truth.


Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life,” and no one can approach the Father but through him and his truth (John 8:32). It makes sense, then, that Satan would try to undermine the work of the gospel by sending out anti-apostles—deceivers—who go out and preach lies about who Jesus is and what he’s done to save his people. These deceivers are carrying out the Anti-Great Commission:


“All authority in heaven and on earth has been taken from our master, Satan. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in sin and lying to them  about the Jesus who came to save their souls.”
Do the deceivers know that they are deceivers? John doesn’t tell us. And it doesn’t really matter. What matters is that we know that deceivers are real, they have “gone out,” and they are leading people to hell by confessing a different Jesus.


CONFESSION

In the context of 2 John, the apostle is almost certainly addressing gnostic teachers who “do not confess the coming of Jesus in the flesh” (v. 7). Gnosticism may not be a prominent threat in your current context, but the spirit of the deceiver lives on in every teacher who lies about God by preaching a different Jesus (1 Cor 15:15). False gospels that preach fake Jesuses come in many different forms:

• The Prosperity Gospel Jesus, who just wants you to be happy, healthy, and wealthy.
• The Mormon Jesus, who is the half-brother of Satan.
• The Political Jesus, who supports every item on our political agenda and opposes everything on the other side of our partisan aisle.
• The Good Guy Jesus, who didn’t atone for our sins, but merely set a good example for the world to follow.

And the list could go on.

The church must remember that Jesus has revealed himself to us with abundant clarity. Over and over again. Throughout the entirety of his ministry. Jesus taught his own identity so clearly that the apostle John simply assumes that everyone reading or listening to his letter will know what the “the teaching of Christ” is. False teachers who confess a false Jesus are nothing new. But it seems like the church needs to reminded as often as possible that we can’t afford to get Jesus wrong. If we do, people will lose the only thing that matters, their souls (v.8–9).


PARTNERSHIP
In light of these realities, the apostle warns the members of his audience to guard their souls. “Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.”


But he doesn’t stop there. John also warns the church in verse 10 not to receive any of these false teachers—not even to greet them—for to do so would be to incur the bloodguilt of their wicked ways: “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.”


What John is warning against here is any kind of action that would lead the watching world to believe that we, as ambassadors of Christ and torchbearers of the true gospel, are on the same team as these deceivers. We must not allow any opportunity for the church or the world to be confused about the true gospel. If you publicly receive a false teacher, you may give watching eyes the false impression that the deceiver is not that dangerous after all.


What this means practically for those in ministry is that they should not, in any way, under any circumstance, lock arms with heretical teachers, pastors, authors, professors, or anyone in any capacity who comes to you bringing a different Jesus.
This includes:

• Conferences
• Prayer Breakfasts
• Bible Studies
• Pastors Coalitions
• Parachurch ministries
• Pulpit Swaps
• Book Recommendations
• Article sharing or website promoting
• And more

Wisdom will help us dictate when to draw the line, but the principle we ought to keep in mind is simple:
We must not align ourselves with false teachers and/or apostate churches (or any of their ministries) in any way that will confuse people about the truth of the gospel and the identity of Jesus.
Strict adherence to this principle will bring us into sharp conflict with those who don’t understand John’s logic. We will be called unloving. We will be charged with not upholding the unity of the church. We won’t be able to speak at certain conferences or partner with certain parachurch organizations. Let it be so, brothers and sisters. We must walk in the way of love. We must protect the flock. We must confess the true Jesus. We must not partake in wickedness. We must abide in the truth of our master.

“Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.


Matthew 7:15-20 (NET)

How can we recognize false teachers?


Previously, in Matthew 7:13-14, Christ called his listeners to decide which path they would follow. Would they follow the broad path that leads to destruction or the narrow path that leads to life? He challenges his hearers to not simply listen to the Sermon on the Mount and marvel. They must decide whether to follow his words and enter the kingdom of heaven or not.
Here in Matthew 7:15-20, he describes why some will not enter the narrow road. They will not enter because of false prophets. False prophets will usher them off the narrow road onto the broad path of destruction. He calls all listening to beware of them.

In the context, this must specifically apply to the Pharisees and teachers of the law. Since Matthew 5:20, Christ warned his hearers to not be like them. He said, “If your righteousness does not surpass that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven” (paraphrase). The prominent religious leaders of Israel were on the broad path leading to destruction, and they were ushering others that way as well.

This means that false teachers will not only come from recognized cults but often they will come from the prominent religious establishment. The truth, even in popular religious circles, will often be hard to find. It is easy to end up on the broad path if we don’t have a discerning heart.

In this study, we will consider false teachers and their characteristics so we can recognize them and not be led astray by their teachings.
Big Question: According to Matthew 7:15-20, how can we recognize false teachers—what are their characteristics?

To Recognize False Teachers, We Must Know

They Will Come


“Watch out for false prophets,

who come to you in sheep’s clothing
but inwardly are voracious wolves.

Matthew 7:15

Interpretation Question: What does Christ mean by the metaphor of wolves in sheep’s clothing?

When Christ calls for his disciples to be careful of false prophets, he describes them as wolves in sheep’s clothing. Christ probably wasn’t saying that the wolves were pretending to be sheep; the illustration probably refers to their pretending to be shepherds. In those days, shepherds typically wore woolen clothing which came from the sheep they cared for.1 False prophets pretend to be shepherds who care for the flock, but really are wolves that destroy the flock. They feast on unstable and immature believers—those not trained in and obedient to Scripture (Eph 4:14, 2 Tim 3:6).

 fact, sometimes false prophets mimicked the clothes of true prophets. In the Old Testament, prophets were known by their simple, uncomfortable clothing, which symbolized their forsaking the comforts of the world for the cause of God.2Like Elijah, they often wore animal clothes. Therefore, false prophets would wear similar clothes to deceive others. Zechariah 13:4 says, “‘Therefore, on that day each prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies and will no longer wear the hairy garment of a prophet to deceive the people.” They were wolves in shepherds’ clothing seeking to deceive others. No doubt, many of them even deceived themselves about their true intentions.
In the same way, false prophets are no different today. They often come in popular evangelical clothing. They went to prestigious seminaries, use orthodox lingo (like Gospel! Trinity! Kingdom living! etc.) and even appear godly. They often know Scripture well, for even the devil quoted Scripture when tempting Christ (Matt 4). However, their outward persona does not match their inward one—they are ferocious wolves who will hurt the flock.
In John 10, Christ used a similar shepherding metaphor when describing pastoral ministry. He talked about the good shepherd, the hireling, and the wolf. When the wolf comes, the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep—he protects them at all cost. However, the hireling runs when the wolf comes because he is only there for pay. Likewise, in churches there are good shepherds who aim to care for the sheep. They feed them the truth of God’s Word and aim to protect them by doing this. Hirelings are professional clergymen who see ministry primarily from a career stand point. They bounce from church to church seeking higher pay and better weather. They are in ministry only for the benefits. Therefore, they neglect the sheep and don’t really teach the Word of God—ultimately endangering the flock. Wolves destroy the flock by teaching error. Also, they tend to manipulate the flock for gain (cf. 1 Tim 6:3-5).

Christ warned of these false prophets because they were already present in Israel and had been there throughout Israel’s history. Jeremiah 23:6 says:
The Lord who rules over all says to the people of Jerusalem: “Do not listen to what those prophets are saying to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They are reporting visions of their own imaginations, not something the Lordhas given them to say.

Christ taught that in the last days false prophets would increase in number and lead many believers away from God. In Matthew 24:11, he said, “And many false prophets will appear and deceive many.” The last days began at Christ’s death and will continue until his second coming. False prophets have come and will continue to increase. There is a new Christian cult that begins essentially every day, and people are continually lured from the narrow way to the broad way by them. In fact, the majority of New Testament epistles were written to combat false teachers that were tearing the church apart. Consider what Paul said to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:29-31:
I know that after I am gone fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Even from among your own group men will arise, teaching perversions of the truth to draw the disciples away after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears.

Paul warned of these false teachers, and they eventually came. Even from the original elders of that congregation, men rose up and divided the flock. In his letters to Timothy, Paul challenged Timothy to warn the false teachers and to faithfully preach the Word in spite of them (1 Tim 1:3, 4:1-16).
Therefore, we must be warned as well—false teachers will come. They will arise from among us, and if we are not careful, we may be led astray by them, or even worse, become one of them, even as the Ephesian elders did.
In God’s sovereignty, these attacks on the church have been used by God to make the church focus on and clearly define truth.3 Their attacks raised a need to define what books were in the Canon, as many false books began to circulate. Their attacks provoked a need to clearly define the doctrines of Scripture such as: the Trinity, the hypostatic union of Christ (the union of his humanity and deity), the inerrancy of Scripture, etc. In the same way, being confronted by error has made many individual believers study God’s Word in a deeper manner, which kept them from being swept away into lies.

To recognize false teachers, we must recognize they are coming.

They may already be among us. If we don’t recognize this reality, we will be unprepared and possibly led astray.


Application Question: What experience do you have with false teachers?

Why are they so deceptive?


To Recognize False Teachers, We Must Know Their Fruit

You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will recognize them by their fruit.
Matthew 7:16-20

Because false prophets put on the clothes of a true shepherd, they are hard to detect; however, Christ says their fruit will ultimately manifest. A tree always produces fruit in line with its character. An apple tree produces apples—not grapes. In the same way, a minister’s fruit will eventually manifest. It may not be clear initially. It may require a lengthy and intimate inspection, but eventually the fruit will manifest—establishing whether the person is a true teacher or a false one.

Paul says something similar when warning Timothy about not ordaining people hastily. Consider 1 Timothy 5:22 and 24-25:

Do not lay hands on anyone hastily and so identify with the sins of others. Keep yourself pure….

The sins of some people are obvious, going before them into judgment, but for others, they show up later. Similarly good works are also obvious,

and the ones that are not cannot remain hidden.

Paul essentially calls for a diligent inspection of someone being considered for eldership—lest the wrong person be chosen, and we share in his sins. For some, their inadequacy for ministry is clear—they have the wrong temperament, unorthodox doctrine, a disorderly family life, etc. For others it’s not so apparent—their lack of fitness appears slowly. Similarly, with others, their good works are obvious—everyone would declare, “This person should be an elder!” And yet with others, their suitableness for ministry only becomes clear later in the inspection process. Either way, their fruit will eventually become apparent.
Likewise, this is true with false prophets. Their fruit will become apparent. Therefore, we must not hastily accept or reject someone. We must patiently inspect his or her fruit.

Interpretation Question: What types of fruits will identify a false teacher?


1. False teachers are identified by the fruit of their character.In Scripture, fruit often refers to character. In Galatians 5:21-22, Paul describes the fruit of the Spirit as love, joy, peace, self-control, humility, etc. False prophets will lack these fruits. They will often be identified by pride, anger, lust for money, discord, etc. Second Peter 2:3 says, “And in their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words.” Their teaching and ministry will primarily be about making more money and filling their pockets. In addition, they will commonly be identified by their abusive leadership. Second Timothy 3:6 (NIV) says,

“They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires.” They will seek to control people’s time, money, and relationships. Often, they will become abusive when others make their own decisions. They often claim, or at least act, as though they are the medium between God and their people, as if people can’t discern God’s voice and make their own decisions. Furthermore, they often are identified by their lusts—sexual harassment and multiple affairs, among other vile acts, tend to follow them. False prophets will be identified by their character or lack thereof.


2. False teachers are identified by the fruit of their teaching.Second Peter 2:1 says, 

But false prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. These false teachers will infiltrate your midst with destructive heresies, even to the point of denying the Master who bought them. As a result, they will bring swift destruction on themselves. 
They will be known by their destructive heresies, which not only destroy them but others.

Application Question:

What are some examples of their destructive teaching?

• False teachers tend to have unbalanced teaching.

Balanced teaching speaks about both God’s love and judgment. However, false teachers tend to focus on one or the other.

When they focus

on love alone,

it creates an undisciplined

people who don’t

fear God or hate sin.


One of the most popular teachers in the U.S. said that he wouldn’t speak on sin because his people needed to hear about God’s comfort more.

The problem is without understanding sin and God’s judgment, nobody can be saved. It is a crucial part of the gospel.

One cannot accept the good news without first

understanding the bad news.

In Jeremiah 6:14, God described false prophets this way: “They offer only superficial help for the harm my people have suffered. They say,

‘Everything will be all right!’ But everything is not all right!” Some versions say, “Peace, peace, when there is no peace.” These prophets focused on God’s love and blessing but neglected other aspects of his character.
Others only teach about God’s wrath, often creating a fear in people, which allows them to be controlled and manipulated.

Teaching about God’s wrath apart from his love and grace ultimately fosters a works-based salvation and turns people into Pharisees who condemn and judge one another.

• False teachers often have a heretical view of the doctrine of salvation.

This is implied by the immediate context of choosing between the broad road and the narrow road (Matt 7:13-14). The narrow road leads to life, while the broad road leads to destruction. (1) Some lead people down the broad road by teaching belief in Christ without repentance, Lordship, or taking up one’s cross. People can live any way they want (antinomianism). As long as they profess Christ, it is OK. Jude 1:4says they turn “the grace of our God into a license for evil.” Bonhoeffer called this “cheap grace”—a grace that doesn’t change us. Some even teach that one can take Christ as savior first and Lord later. Again, the road has been broadened. Christ said that nobody could be his disciple without hating mother, father, brother, sister, and even one’s own life. Whoever does not take up his cross cannot be Christ’s disciple (Lk 14:26-27 paraphrase). (2) Some teach the broad road of works salvation—one needs to be baptized to be saved, practice the Lord’s Supper, or do some other work. Every religion teaches the need of works for salvation except true Christianity. Salvation is by grace alone, through faith, and that not of ourselves. It is a gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast (Eph 2:8-9). With that said, true faith will always produce godly works (Eph 2:10). But we are not saved by these works. (3) Others teach the broad road of universal salvation. Christ is the way to heaven, but only one out of many ways. Buddha, Muhammad, and others all speak of the same god and heaven. However, Christ said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me” (John 14:6paraphrase).

• False teachers often have a heretical view of the doctrine of Christ.

In warning the Ephesian church about false teachers, John said:
Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to determine if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses Jesus as the Christ who has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God, and this is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming, and now is already in the world.
1 John 4:1-3
The cult attacking Ephesus twisted the doctrine of Christ—denying either his humanity or deity. Modern cults do the same thing. Prominent ones often teach that Christ was a created being and is not God or not eternally God. Some even say Christ was an angel. Beware of unorthodox teachings about Christ; they are the fruit of false teachers.

• False teachers often undermine the authority of Scripture itself.

Like Satan in the Garden of Eden, they challenge others with, “Did God really say?” They teach that one can’t believe everything the Bible says. One can’t believe the historicity and/or ethical requirements of the Bible. When Scripture is removed as the only basis for doctrine and living, other foundations can be established. The teacher himself can become the standard by which all things are tested. Beware of teachers who undermine the authority of God’s Word. When they do this, it is simply an opportunity to establish some other authority—including their own.

3. False teachers are identified by the fruit of their influence.Second Peter 1:2 says, “And many will follow their debauched lifestyles. Because of these false teachers, the way of truth will be slandered.” The influence of a false teacher’s life and teaching will bear bad fruit in his or her converts. Paul said their “message will spread its infection like gangrene” (2 Tim 2:17). Like cancer, it rots beliefs, then character, and ultimately pulls people away from Christ and his church. False teachers will be known by their ungodly influence on others.
Application Question: What types of false teaching are spreading rapidly around the world and what are the effects of these false doctrines? How should the church respond to the rampant spread of false doctrine?

General ApplicationsApplication Question: What applications can we take from the reality of false teachers and their destructive influence on the church?
1. Because of false teachers and their destructive influence, believers must constantly test the teachings they hear with Scripture. Church members must be like the Bereans. Acts 17:11 said this about them, “they eagerly received the message, examining the scriptures carefully every day to see if these things were so.” God honors them in Scripture because they tested everything that Paul said to make sure it lined up with God’s Word. Each church must develop a culture of opening their Bible to test the teachings they hear, and not just accepting them. If the sermon is void of Scripture or not primarily based on Scripture, there is a problem. Our spiritual leaders must be held accountable for accurately preaching the Word. Good shepherds will appreciate this and encourage it. It means they are developing Bereans in their congregations!
2. Because of false teachers and their destructive influence, believers must be discerning without being judgmental.In Matthew 7:1, Christ taught that his followers must not judge lest they be judged. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t call out sin and false doctrine. It means we must call it out in ourselves first. We must take the plank out of our own eye before we take the speck out of another’s (Matt 7:3-5). Also, we must be careful of our attitudes. A judgmental attitude takes joy in the failures of others. It’s a way of exalting ourselves by pulling others down. Though Christ calls us to be discerning, he doesn’t give us freedom to become heresy hunters—attacking every doctrinal (or moral) failure of others. All of us have some doctrinal error. Personal sin affects our ability to always properly understand God’s Word (cf. John 7:17). Therefore, we must be gracious when others fail doctrinally and help them come to the truth. However, we must not tolerate heretical doctrinal errors that ultimately can be damning. When it came to the gospel, Paul said that anybody who taught another gospel should be accursed—condemned to hell (Gal 1:9).


3. Because of false teachers and their destructive influence, believers must become mature to protect themselves through deeply studying and knowing God’s Word.Scripture describes those who are commonly led astray by false teachers and doctrinal error as spiritual children “tossed back and forth by waves and carried about by every wind of teaching by the trickery of people who craftily carry out their deceitful schemes” (Eph 4:14). The spiritual child stage is a dangerous stage of life because like regular children, spiritual children lack wisdom and commonly endanger themselves because of it. This can lead them into various false doctrines that stay with them throughout their lives and potentially lead them away from Christ all together.

Whatever we learn in our early childhood often stays with us and that is true with spiritual adults. Many of us have corrupt areas of doctrine that are hard to root out, which were planted during our spiritual childhood. When Paul warned the Ephesian elders that some of them would become wolves that taught false doctrine, he closed that teaching with this:

Therefore be alert, remembering that night and day for three years I did not stop warning each one of you with tears. And now I entrust you to God and to the message of his grace. This message is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
Acts 20:31-32

God’s message will protect us as we study it deeply. Are you aiming to deeply study God’s Word?


4. Because of false teachers and their destructive influence, believers must not only become mature to protect themselves, but also so they can protect others.Though we all bear the responsibility to protect ourselves through deeply studying Scripture, God has specifically called spiritual leaders to protect the flock (Eph 4:11-14). Few of us will do this from the office of an elder, but many of us will do this from the role of a spiritual mother or father, or older brother or sister (1 John 2:12-14). If we never mature in Christ, we will never effectively protect others or deliver them when they are caught in sin. That is primarily what many of Paul’s letters do.

They are written to combat false doctrine, equip those fighting it, and deliver those caught in it. We must all develop Paul’s pastoral affection and skill to effectively help others. During spiritual infancy, we primarily care about ourselves and our welfare. During spiritual adulthood, we become consumed with others and their spiritual welfare. Jude said this in calling us to minister to those caught in false doctrine: “And have mercy on those who waver; save others by snatching them out of the fire; have mercy on others, coupled with a fear of God, hating even the clothes stained by the flesh” (Jude 1:22-23).


Are you willing to minister to those struggling with sin and false doctrine?
Application Question: What experience do you have with helping someone caught in false doctrine? Is there anybody God currently has on your heart to help?


Many are heading down the broad road to destruction, unawares,

because of false teachers and their teachings--

ones they met at a Christian university, seminary, church, or ministry.


​False teachers are dangerous



and therefore, Scripture commonly warns us about them.

Their appearance and influence are inevitable.

Can you recognize them and their fruits?

Being able to recognize them will protect you and others

​ from their destructive influence.

​

​​​Beware These

Seven

​Counterfeit Gospels



A friend of mine worked in a bank overseas for about a year,

handling large amounts of


​money


During training, she

studied various bills and learned

their details,

so she could easily discern


counterfeits


if they came along.

She studied the real thing

so she could identify distortions.


The same goes for the

gospel of Jesus Christ




We need to know the


true gospel

so we can identify


counterfeit “gospels”


and grasp how the truth applies to our lives.


But where do we start?



What Is the True Gospel

Romans 5 answers three questions that we can use as a

framework to help us grasp the true gospel:


Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand…God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. (Romans 5:1-2, 8-9)


Saved from what? The wrath of God.

There is no gospel apart from the wrath of God and his righteous judgment against sinners (v. 9). This is an uncomfortable reality, but one we must hold to because ignoring or belittling sin does not mean sin goes away. Jesus is the standard—each one of us has fallen short and sinned against him.

Saved by whom? Jesus Christ.Christians are saved from the wrath of God by the righteous blood of Jesus, the spotless sacrificial Lamb who absorbed the wrath on our behalf (v. 8). Only Jesus has the power to save desperate, dead sinners from God’s wrath by giving them eternal life in his Name, accomplishing what we never could.

Saved how? By grace through faith. 

True faith says,

​“I bring nothing to the table. I come empty-handed, but Christ gladly gives himself to me.” For, faith is trusting that when I was dead in sin, Jesus did everything to purchase eternal life for me by his death on the cross and his resurrection to new life. And faith is trusting that Jesus did this apart from anything I have done.



Seven Counterfeit Gospels

As we seek to believe and proclaim the true gospel, we should be aware of these seven counterfeit gospels about sin, Jesus, and faith:



1. The Good-People Gospel


This one says, “We’re all basically good people. We make mistakes – nobody’s perfect – but we’re good people at heart.”

This claim is wrong and dangerous. Ignoring sin does not make it disappear. Recognizing sin means there is Someone to whom we will be held responsible. Even though our pride doesn’t roll with that idea, sin is real, and it’s a power we need rescuing from. No one is good, not one (see Psalm 14:3).




2. The Self-Esteem Gospel

This distortion claims, “Believe in yourself! You might have some struggles and issues, but you’re resilient. There’s a Savior who will give all you need to solve your problems.”

This dangerous false gospel masquerades sin as “insecurity” or “negative self-image,” rather than calling it what it is. Remember, belittling sin does not make it go away. When we belittle sin, we lose the gospel. For Jesus says, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17).

3. The Expressive-Individualism GospelThis one claims that Christianity is all about “being true to yourself,” “following your heart,” and “living authentically.”

But this idea runs counter to everything the gospel says. We’re sinners who can’t trust our hearts because they’re deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). Apart from Christ, we’re slaves to sin, not free in ourselves (Romans 6:17). And our sin darkens our minds and blinds us to God’s reality so we’re unable to discover what’s authentic and true (2 Corinthians 4:4).

4. The Optional-Jesus GospelThis belief says, “Jesus is a way, not the way. A person can find their way to God through a number of different spiritual experiences.”

To say that Jesus is optional not only goes against the Bible’s teaching about who Jesus is (John 14:6; Acts 4:12), but it thwarts the gospel. For if Jesus is not really the holy, righteous Son of God, who came to bear sin, absorb God’s wrath, and make peace with God through reconciliation so I wouldn’t be condemned forever, there is no good news to believe.

Think about this: If Jesus is only “a way” to God, he’s either a lunatic or a liar for the divine claims he made, and his sacrifice on the cross was for nothing. It was a waste of a life. And if this is true, then “our faith is in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:14).


5. The Prosperity Gospel

This distorted view of Jesus says that he guarantees his followers a happy, healthy life with no troubles.

But the truth is this: Jesus suffered. Those who believe in him will suffer too. Jesus says, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34).

We must guard against the belief that Jesus is here to cozy up our lives and make everything easy for us. If we’re deceived into believing this, we won’t follow Jesus for long, for we will be disappointed, bitter, even hardened to God when things don’t go our way. The truth is, we follow a Suffering Savior in a fallen world affected by sin. Our Jesus did not avoid suffering, but entered into it to bring us salvation.


6. The Faith-And Gospel

This distortion claims that “faith and” something else is sufficient to save me: Faith and my good works; faith and enough self-loathing; faith and a right understanding of God.

It’s hard to believe that God would give salvation as a free gift without requiring that we earn it. Because our sin-nature screams for independence and control, we want to have something to do with our salvation. But we cannot add one thing to the work and person of Jesus Christ. “It is finished” (John 19:30); death is defeated; evil is overcome.
​


7. The Faith-So Gospel

This opposite end of the spectrum is what theologians call “cheap grace,” which says, “Jesus is my righteousness and perfection, so I can live however I want because in the end, I’m saved!”

Yes, it is for freedom that Christ has set us free (Galatians 5:1), but we are set free from sin’s power to live for Christ, not to remain in our sin and live any way we want. To take wrong advantage of God’s grace and forgiveness that “sin may abound” belittles what Christ did and cheapens his free gift of grace. Faith does not give us the freedom to stay in sin; it frees us from sin so our lives increasingly point to Jesus.


Grasping the Gospel

Friends, though we need to know the truth of the gospel from its counterfeits, we must know that the gospel is about the person of Jesus Christ and his grasp on us.

You can intellectually assent to the gospel—you can “know it”—without ever grasping it, without ever marveling at what a miracle Christ has accomplished, without it ever transforming your heart.
But Jesus came so you would love him, walk closely with him, worship him, and see him at work in the realest moments and seasons of your life.





That Satan labours might and main,

by

false teachers,


which are his messengers and ambassadors, to deceive, delude, and for ever undo the precious souls of men (Acts 20:28-30; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; Eph. 4:14; 2 Tim. 3:4-6; Titus 1:11,12; 2 Peter 2:18,19): 'I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.' (Jer. 23:13). 'The prophets make my people to err.' (Micah 3:5). They seduce them, and carry them out of the right way into by-paths and blind thickets of error, blasphemy, and wickedness, where they are lost forever. 'Beware of false prophets, for they come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves'. (Mat. 7:15). These lick and suck the blood of souls: 'Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.' (Phil. 3:2). These kiss and kill; these cry, Peace, peace, till souls fall into everlasting flames, &c., Proverbs 7.

Now, the best way to deliver poor souls from being deluded and destroyed by these messengers of Satan is, to discover them in their colors, that so, being known, poor souls may shun them, and fly from them as from hell itself.
Now you may know them by these characters following:


1. False Teachers are Men-Pleasers

False teachers are men-pleasers (Gal. 1:10; 1 Thess. 2:1-4). They preach more to please the ear than to profit the heart: 'Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophecy no unto us right things: speak to us smooth things; prophecy deceits'' (Isa. 30:10). 'A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land: the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so. And what will you do in the end thereof?' (Jer. 5:30,31). They handle holy things rather with wit and dalliance (playful come-on) then with fear and reverence. False teachers are soul-undoers. They are like evil chirurgeons, that skin over the wound, but never heal it. Flattery undid Ahab and Herod, Nero and Alexander. False teachers are hell's greatest enrichers. Non acerba, sed blanda, Not bitter, but flattering words do all the mischief, said Valerian, the Roman emperor. Such smooth teachers are sweet soul-poisoners

(Jer. 23:16,17).


2. False Teaches Throw Dirt at Christ's People

False teachers are notable in casting dirt, scorn, and reproach upon the persons, names, and credits of Christ's most faithful ambassadors. Thus Korah, Dathan, and Abiram charged Moses and Aaron that they took too much upon them, seeing all the congregation was holy (Num. 16:3). You take too much state, too much power, too much honour, too much holiness upon you; for what are you more than others, that you take so much upon you? And so Ahab's false prophets fell foul on good Micaiah, paying of him with blows for want of better reasons (1 Kings 22:10-26). Yea, Paul, that great apostle of the Gentiles, had his ministry undermined and his reputation blasted by false teachers: 'For his letters'' say they, 'are weighty and powerful, but his bodily presence is weak and contemptible' (2 Cor. 10:10). They rather contemn him than admire him; they look upon him as a dunce rather than a doctor. And the same hard measure had our Lord Jesus from the Scribes and Pharisees, who laboured as for life to build their own credit upon the ruins of his reputation. And never did the devil drive a more full trade this way than he does in these days (Matt. 27:63). Oh! the dirt, the filth, the scorn that is thrown upon those whom the world is not worthy. I suppose false teachers mind not that saying of Austin, Quisquis volens detrahit famae, nolens addit mercedi meae, He that willingly takes from my good name, unwillingly adds to my reward.



3. False Teachers are Driven by Their Own Heads and Hearts

False teachers are venters of the devices and visions of their own heads and hearts. 'Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent then not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophecy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart (Jer. 14:14); 'Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Harken not unto the words of the prophets that prophecy unto you; they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord' (Jer. 23:16). Are there not multitudes in this nation whose visions are but golden delusions, lying vanities, brain-sick phantasies? These are Satan's great benefactors, and such as divine justice will hang up in hell as the greatest malefactors, if the physician of souls does not prevent it.



4. False Teachers Pass Over the Law and the Gospel for Other Things

False teachers easily pass over the great and weighty things both of law and gospel, and stand most upon those things that are of the least moment and concernment to the souls of men. 'Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned; from which some have swerved, have turned aside unto vain jangling, desiring to be teachers of the law, and understand neither what they say nor whereof they affirm' (1 Tim. 1:5-7). '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' (Matt. 23:2,3). False teachers are nice in the lesser things of the law, and as negligent in the greater. '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 strife of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself' (1 Tim. 6:3-5). If such teachers are not hypocrites in grain, I know nothing, Romans 2:22. The earth groans to bear them, and hell is fitted for them, Matt. 24:32.


5. False Teachers use Clever Language and Appearances to Disguise Themselves

False teachers cover and color their dangerous principles and soul-impostures with very fair speeches and plausible pretenses, with high notions and golden expressions.

Many in these days are bewitched and deceived, viz. illumination, revelation, deification, fiery triplicity, &c. As strumpets paint their faces, and deck and perfume their beds, the better to allure and deceive simple souls (Gal. 6:12; 2 Cor. 11:13-15; Rom. 16:17,18; Mat. 16:6,11,12; 7:15), so false teachers will put a great deal of paint and garnish upon their most dangerous principles and blasphemies, that they may the better deceive and delude poor ignorant souls. They know sugared poison goes down sweetly; they wrap up their pernicious, soul-killing pills in gold.



6. False Teachers Strive to Win People to Their Opinions by Winning Debates

False teachers strive more to win over men to their opinions, than to better them in their conversations. 'Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves' (Matt. 24:17). They busy themselves most about men's heads. Their work is not to better men's hearts, and mend their lives; and in this they are very much like their father the devil, who will spare no pains to gain proselytes.

​

7. False Teachers Gain from Their Followers

​False teachers make merchandise of their followers. 'But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 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' (2 Peter 2:1-3). They eye your goods more than your good; and mind more the serving of themselves, than the saving of your souls. So they may have your substance, they care not though Satan has your souls (Rev. 18:11-13). That they may the better pick your purse, they will hold forth such principles as are very indulgent to the flesh. False teachers are the great worshippers of the golden calf (Jer. 6:13).

​
Now, by these characters you may know them, and so shun them, and deliver your souls out of their dangerous snares; which that you may, my prayers shall meet-yours at the throne of grace.


There are many popular and prominent pastors and writers who preach and teach what is known as “The Prosperity Gospel.” It is also commonly called “the health and wealth” gospel and essentially teaches that if you have faith in God, you will experience material blessings like good health and much wealth. This teaching seems to have really grown in prominence in America over the past couple of centuries and has become an unfortunate export from America to places such as Africa, where it now permeates the church as well (For more on the how and why of its growth in America, see Russell Woodbridge’s article “Prosperity Gospel Born in the USA.”) Because it is so widespread and a dangerous misrepresentation of the Christian message, it is important for us to know about it and what makes it so problematic. Here are four reasons why this teaching does not reflect the truth found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Problem #1 – It Ignores (and Contradicts) Many Passages in the Bible
I am not sure how someone can believe that we will have healthy and wealthy lives on this earth after reading what Jesus says in John 16:33: “In the world you will have tribulation.” Or Paul’s words to Timothy: “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). Or these words from Peter: “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 1:12). I think you get my point. The Bible features many, many stories of people of God who have neither good health nor much wealth (think of the Apostle Paul and all his sufferings in ministry), and Jesus teaches us to take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23)! In fact, Jesus (who I think we would all agree was the most faithful person who ever lived on earth) did not have wealth or even a home, as he said, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head’’(Luke 9:58). We should be prepared to deal with hardships, not being ashamed or fearful of them, but rather to see how God is still with us and growing us through them (see passages like James 1:2-3). The number of times the Bible teaches about godly people still experiencing suffering could almost make us wonder if something is wrong if we are not experiencing suffering; suffering, not happiness and protections from ill, seems to be the normal Christian life. In summary, the Bible does tell us that we will not avoid suffering, but will encounter it and God will grow us through it. The Prosperity Gospel either ignores these clear teachings…or blatantly contradicts what God has told us. 
Problem #2 – It Takes Many Verses Out of Context
Prosperity Gospel advocates seek to use the Bible to justify their teachings, but they are only able to do so by teaching passages of Scripture out of their specific and overarching context. It might be through taking a particular example – such as Abraham who “was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold” (Genesis 13:2) – and then saying this is God’s desire and plan for all who are faithful. Or it might be by taking promises connected to the covenant that God made with the people of Israel concerning the blessings their land would receive if they remain faithful (such as Deuteronomy 28:1-14) and then applying these to Christians today who stand in relationship to God via another covenant. Another form of literature that is misused are wisdom texts, especially Proverbs but also various Psalms (such as Psalm 1 that speaks about one prospering in all one does when faithful to God), as the nature of wisdom literature is to teach principles and not issue promises or guarantees with no exceptions. It is not just Old Testament passages that are taken out of context, as various verses that speak about Jesus’s work can then be used to claim that all blessings and promises are given now. For example, some say that Jesus’s work brings complete physical healing to people now because of Matthew 8:17 and that Jesus’s words in Mark 11:24 mean that God must give us anything we ask for in faith (see Mark 11:24). These claims ignore the reality that our salvation is achieved now in part but not in full. In addition, they do not recognize that these promises of prayer have various disclaimers such as obedience (John 15:7) and right motives (James 4:3) or that individuals like Paul and even Jesus did not always receive what they requested.
Problem #3 – The Nature and Timing of our Ultimate Hope is Forgotten
The Prosperity Gospel seems to make the nature of God’s gift of salvation more akin to the American Dream than to the Kingdom of Heaven, and that this is something that happens today rather than at the return of Christ. The focal point appears to be achieving health, wealth, and prosperity as a result of faith in God, rather than having a restored relationship with God through the forgiveness of sins. In some ways, it is as if knowing God is not enough as we are looking for more. It would be similar to entering into a relationship with someone because of what they can give to you as opposed to for the relationship itself. In addition, by emphasizing that we receive blessings now (or as some might call it, “our best life”), we forget the nature of hope that the truly best will come later when Christ returns. Of course we do receive some benefits now from what Christ has done for us, but not the full benefits, and this is only a glimmer of what is to come. Christ will end all suffering and cure all illness, but not until His return. Therefore, the Prosperity Gospel is defective in that it focuses too much on the gifts instead of the giver and too much on the “already” element of salvation (which we receive now) and not enough on the “not yet.” In the Christian life, this tends to minimize the hope for Christ’s return when the resurrection of the dead and the transformation of this broken world will occur. 
Problem #4 – It Emphasizes What We Do More Than What God Has Already Done
Another problem in Prosperity Gospel teaching is that it often elevates what we do over what God does and in particular what He has done for us. There is a stress by Prosperity Gospel teachers that the path towards the health and wealth they claim God has promised is found in thinking and saying the right things.This is why it is often also called “name-it and claim-it” theology or the “word of faith” movement. Rather than originating from the Bible, this idea comes from what was known as the New Thought philosophy, but it was adopted and adapted by early prominents of the Prosperity Gospel. While we are encouraged our thoughts reflect what is noble and right (Philippians 4:8) and to believe and ask for God to do amazing and impossible things, the focus should always remain on God and not our faith. It is the object of our faith, not the strength of it or our own virtues that lead to God answering our requests. This emphasis on our faith shown in words and thoughts can also reduce the importance of what God has done for us in Jesus and what He will do in the future. 
Responding to this Problematic But Popular Teaching
There are many other issues and problems with the Prosperity Gospel that I can’t include in this post due to space; I have only tried to highlight those I found most central. We need to both recognize its errors and also seek to resist them in our lives and refute them when we see them. That will require us to really know our Bibles – not just Bible verses, but the overarching teachings of the Bible. We need to develop what is often called a “biblical theology” (what the Bible teaches through its storyline) about various things like suffering, wealth, illness, and many other things. This will help us retain a proper perspective, not falling into the errors of this false teaching or other potential dangers (such as a faith that overdelights in suffering or does not think it can enjoy any blessings in this world). We need to remember the importance of contentment and also the dangers of wealth and possessions, as our hearts are susceptible to seek treasures on earth rather than treasures in heaven. Above all, let us keep our eyes focused upon Jesus, remembering both his sufferings and the salvation that we experience in him in part, not but in full until his return and our resurrection.



The doctrine of the prosperity gospel states that material wealth and possessions are the right of every Christian. It states that if correct spiritual practices are followed, those who profess Christ are guaranteed prosperity in this life. However, it is Jesus who tells us that “you cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24).
One would have expected that the word “devil” would have been used by Christ instead of the word “money,” but He knew that devil-worship cannot be as appealing as worshipping God. When it comes to money, that’s a different story. In the same verse, Jesus gave us two choices: to love God and hate money, or hate God and love money. The enemy cleverly introduced the worship of money into our churches through the concept of the prosperity gospel.
The prosperity gospel promotes idolatry. Through the messages preached in some churches, money has become the object of worship with God being nothing more than a means to an end. The reason why some people identify as Christians today is that they were told that coming to Jesus would make them rich.
In some African churches, pastors instruct worshipers to tithe with the scope of receiving returns on their money in the future. Many people who went to church in search of riches, returned home poorer because they have been shortchanged. In return, they receive unrealistic prophetic words which most often never come to pass. The result is that these people end up being angry with God Himself. Many of them have abandoned their faith altogether. This is not healthy for the Christian Church!



This ideology distracts Christians from the cross and focuses their attention on money and wealth. It negates the doctrine of Christian suffering that is the gateway to the Kingdom of God (Acts 14:22). It makes believers concentrate all their physical and spiritual strength in search for wealth and comfort. It diminishes the value of eternity and the soon-coming Kingdom and makes people believe that the things of this world should be prioritized.
Moreover, this teaching distracts us from the glories of Heaven. It says that when Christians give generously, God will compensate them here on earth. But Christ promised us rewards when He returns. “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:13-14).
Christ’s teaching on heavenly treasures stands in stark contrast to all of this: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Mathew 6:19-20).



The law of positive confession of the prosperity gospel places the will of man above the will of God. Believers are encouraged to demand whatever they want from God, and God is obligated to deliver, if these requested are made in faith. This completely ignored the fact that the will of God is superior to the will of man and always prevails — no matter the volume and the length of positive confessions.
Jesus asked for the will of the Father to be done in His life even when He knew that His Father’s will was not what His flesh wanted at that particular point in time (Luke 22:42). Why didn't Christ confess positively so that the cup be taken from Him by the Father? He knew that God’s will cannot be subservient to man’s will.

Many of the prosperity gospel advocates are selfish and lack compassion for others. They believe that the poverty of the poor is attributed to their inability to follow the formula of the law of tithing, sowing and reaping.
According to Gordon Fee, a foremost expert on textual criticism of the New Testament: “Prosperity gospel is an insidious disease which has little of the character of the Gospel in it.” I agree. And the only way to immunize the Church from the disease according to Fee is with a good healthy dose of biblical theology.
The central message of the Gospel is Christ and Him crucified. The apostles never preached prosperity. This teaching is exploitative, manipulative, and fundamentally wicked.  This is no Gospel at all and should be discarded by every heavenly bound believer in the Church.




​

Not having the Holy Spirit is a product of Yourself

not his nature

You aren’t accepting the Holy Spirit

So he will not inhabit you


It is entirely dependent

on your

relationship with the Word,

how you

treat the Word



Mishandling the Word will never

​produce spiritual Fruit
​

Continuing to Preach a False Doctrine is Worse


Spreading False Doctrine is a Disease


​In Gods Ways which is


Authoritative

​

Preaching a False Doctrine

is continually rejecting the Spirit and a

Serious Offense


Its Really offensive to God

He can not Bless you this way, 

if you think you are blessed, it’s not from  

​the

True God of Israel




Merely stating

that conversion has occurred

does not make it so

​

You are not accepting the sacrifice of Christ

Its Grievous to the Spirit 

and unforgivable until ​it’s corrected 

​

To convert is to change from

one character, type, or purpose to another.


Our bodies convert food into energy.

We can convert inches to centimeters, pounds to kilograms,

​and dollars to euros.



Our hearts

can undergo similar

conversions



We can change direction

morally, psychologically, emotionally,

and spiritually



We are what we think

(Proverbs 23:7).


In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated

“converted” means


“to turn back or return.”


It is also translated "restore," as in Psalm 23:3, "He restores my soul."


The picture the Bible paints of the word 


convert is to return

to what we were

initially created to be


Since the fall of mankind, every human has been

born with a sin nature.


Our natural tendency is to

please ourselves

 
rather than God.


Our human attempts to be good

fall far short of the


perfection of God


(Romans 3:10, 23; Isaiah 53:6).


We cannot please God through our own efforts and

are destined for eternal separation from Him

(Romans 6:23, 8:8; John 3:16-18);


we cannot convert

ourselves
​

That’s why Jesus came to earth, died in our place, and

rose again to conquer death and sin

(1 Corinthians 15:3-4).


He took the punishment


our sin deserves


He offers to trade His perfection for our

imperfection

so

that we can be

seen as righteous before God

(2 Corinthians 5:21).



When we

admit our helplessness

apart from Christ,

 we are ready to embrace

Him

as Savior and Lord


(Acts 3:19; Romans 10:9).


Conversion happens

 when we trade

our old sin nature for the


new nature Christ

provides.



When we come to


Him humbly,

confess our sin, turn away from it,

and

​seek His ways,

our

entire perspective changes.



The Holy Spirit

moves into our spirits

and transforms

our

entire way of life


(Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20)


We are converted--restored to the

relationship

God intended us to have

with Him


Second Corinthians 5:17 says,


"If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:

old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."


This is more than a human attempt

to "clean up your act."



It is a wholesale

change

of direction.


You were going east; now you are going west.

Conversion changes the

human heart from sinful to righteous,

from hell-bound to heaven-bound.


The Bible has many examples of people who were

converted by the grace of God.

The Christian-hating Saul became Paul,


who devoted the rest of his

life to serving the


church he

once tried to destroy


(1 Corinthians 15:9; Ephesians 3:7-8).


The impetuous and condemning

John was transformed into the “apostle of love” (see 1 John 4:7-21). The demoniac of Gerasene, after meeting Jesus, was “dressed and in his right mind” and begging to follow Jesus (Mark 5:15-18).


The Holy Spirit

has lost none of His power.

​Modern conversion stories include the amazing transformations of John Newton, Mel Trotter, David Berkowitz, and Chuck Colson.


This is all accomplished

through faith.


Faith is placing your whole life

into the hands of Someone

your spirit recognizes

but your

physical senses cannot confirm

(Hebrews 11:1). 


Hebrews 11:6 says that



"without faith

it is impossible to please God,

because anyone who

comes to him

must believe that he exists and that

he rewards those

who earnestly seek him."


We are saved from our old sin nature and the penalty of that sin

through faith in Jesus Christ.


But even that faith is a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9).


God gives us the faith to believe in Him,



but we must

receive it and

act on it.


Exercising that gift of faith results

in conversion.


Conversion begins

in the heart

and radiates outward to

affect everything

we think, say, or do


(James 2:26).


​Merely stating that conversion

has occurred does not make it so.


Real conversion is obvious as a person

switches direction, changes allegiance and moves from

self-worship to God-worship.


As the heart is transformed,

the actions follow until

the entire life has been converted

from sin-filled to


God-honoring

(Romans 6:6-7).

​

“open your heart and be a brand new person”


is not at all

conversion in Christ


saying you repent is not the act of repenting

​words are not actions


​You do not respond,

you are not there,

you don’t answer


​

YOU CAN NOT FOLLOW


GODS WORD


IF YOU DONT KNOW


​GODS WORD



YOU HAVE TO KNOW

THE TEACHINGS BEFORE

YOU TEATH THEM



YOU HAVE TO KNOW THE LAW

OF CHRIST

BEFORE YOU KNOW

​CHRIST


WHEN YOU KNOW

CHRIST

THEN YOU KNOW

HIS LAW




DEAF AND BLIND



FALSE GOSPEL
​



Confused!!
​

Ponzi scheme is Correct!


UNTRUE





YOU ARE FIGHTING


GOD
​

AND

NOT HEARING


​​THE
​

​HOLY SPIRIT 



You can not worship or Pray to a False God

He will not Hear You

you have not done what God is asking of you

you are not honoring him

​

It is ONLY Words




opposing the one true Gospel

Gods Rebuke is an offense to Non Believers


Jesus offends those

who don’t know him



​You have to Repent before .god will

​Redeem .you ​​In Christ
​

you are not speaking to the


True God

​

supernatural understanding

can only

come through
​
supernatural guidance





What does 2 Corinthians 4:3 mean?



​This passage deals with apparent allegations

from some among the

​Corinthians that Paul has been false in some way.


They may have suggested

he has some hidden agenda.


Or, that he and his friends have not been completely honest.

Paul has declared in the previous verse that the opposite is true.

They present the message of the gospel

to everyone

with openness and honestly.


They are committed to

never deceiving

anyone or manipulating


God's Word.


They invite everyone who evaluates them, before God,

​to see if they can find any falsehood in them, at all. 

In this verse, Paul adds an important clarification.

​There is a difference between being

deceptive about the


gospel 
​
of  

Jesus Christ ​and being  misunderstood.


Truth is Misunderstood 


Deception is Falsehood

​
He will more clearly describe in the next verse that unbelievers are simply unable to see the glory of God. Their minds are hardened by sin. A veil of misunderstanding separates them from God's glory. That veil can only be removed through Christ by the power of God's Holy Spirit. 


Those who are perishing are the ones who

have not

Come to God by faith in Christ


They remain hardened in their sin, unforgiven by God.

Their current destiny is eternal death and separation from God.


They are truly dying


and unable to understand even the


clearest teaching about

God's glory,

​
as Paul further describes in the following verse. 
​

This verse is often cited by those pleading for believers to
​

present the gospel in an upright

and

unobstructed way
​

Taken out of context, it seems


to be a plea to be

more ethical and clear

in explaining

truths about salvation
​

That point is not unreasonable; in fact, the points

​Paul makes here are tied to the need for
simplicity, transparency, and honesty.
​ Strictly speaking, though,

the "veiling"

​referred to here is something caused by

​

​unbelievers' hard hearts,

not

our own failures.


​
Doctrine is “a set of ideas or beliefs that are

​taught or believed to be true.” 

Biblical doctrine refers to teachings that

align with the revealed Word of God,

the Bible. False doctrine is any idea that adds to,

takes away from, contradicts, or

nullifies the doctrine given in

God’s Word



As followers of Christ, we have

no excuse for remaining ignorant of theology

because we have the “whole counsel of God”

(Acts 20:27)

available to us—the Bible is complete.


As we “study to show ourselves approved unto God” (2 Timothy 2:15),

we are less likely to be taken in by smooth talkers and false prophets.

When we know God’s Word, “we are no longer to be children,

tossed here and there by waves and carried about by


every wind of doctrine,


by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming”


​ (Ephesians 4:14).


It is important to point out the difference between
​


false doctrine


and denominational disagreements.

Different congregational groups see secondary issues in Scripture differently.

These differences are not always due to false doctrine on anyone’s part.

Church policies, governmental decisions, style of worship, etc., are all open for discussion, since they are not directly addressed in Scripture.

Even those issues that are addressed in Scripture are often debated by equally sincere disciples of Christ. Differences in interpretation or practice do not necessarily qualify as false doctrine, nor should they divide the Body of Christ

(1 Corinthians 1:10).

​

One line in the familiar

hymn “Amazing Grace” says,


“I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.”


We may have sung it a thousand times without realizing what lost means. The term lost is used in the Bible and in Christian circles to refer to people

who have not yet

found

eternal life in Christ.


Jesus said,


“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost”

(Luke 19:10).


Those who are spiritually lost are

separated from God

and unable

to find their way back to Him.
​

To be lost is to have wandered away

and to be helpless to find the way back.


A hiker may be lost when he takes a wrong path and does not know how to return to the right one. A child may be lost when he wanders too far from his parents and does not know where they are.


Human beings are spiritually lost because we have

wandered away from God

and we do not know how to find Him again.


Isaiah 53:6 says, “All we like sheep


have gone astray;

we have turned every one to his own way,

and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

The Bible compares human beings to sheep

(Psalm 23; John 10:11–14)

because sheep are, by nature, defenseless.



They are not overly bright

and tend to


follow a leader,


regardless


of where that leader is

taking them.



Sheep need a shepherd to survive.


A shepherd protects them from attacks, guides them to good grazing, and keeps watch so that none are lost.


Sheep tend to wander from the herd and can
become easy targets for predators. In a spiritual sense,
people are prone to wander and become
easy targets for our enemy, Satan.


Without Jesus, our Good Shepherd,

we are spiritually lost

and unable to find God on our own.


Jesus told a parable about a lost lamb to explain the
Father’s heart for lost people (Luke 15:3–7).

The Good Shepherd was willing to leave the ninety-nine sheep in the fold to go in search of the one lost lamb.

The lamb would never have found the Shepherd on its own.


This parable demonstrates God’s tender concern for every individual.

He stops at nothing to find those who need Him and
bring them safely into His presence.

Just as lost sheep cannot find the Shepherd on their own,

lost people cannot find God on their own

(Psalm 53:2–3; Romans 3:11)



Religion

is man’s attempt

to

find God on his own.


Religion creates a goal,

which may be a deity or a

higher plane of existence,

and then declares certain steps

necessary to reach that goal.


Because of religion,

lost people

consider themselves

not lost.


Imagine a hiker who has lost his way.

After hours of fruitless searching for the right path,

he decides to set up camp in an unknown forest and

declare that he is now home.


He will no longer

try to be rescued.


Although he still does not know

where he is,


familiarity with his

immediate surroundings

gives him the

illusion of being found.


Christianity does not follow that pattern.

Christianity teaches that it is futile for the

lost to attempt to find God,

and that’s why God sent Jesus to find the lost.


God did for us what we could not do for ourselves

​ (Romans 5:8).

Even when we do not even realize we are lost, He knows our condition.

So the Son of God left heaven to find us and bring us home

(Philippians 2:5–8; Matthew 18:11; John 3:16–18).


We are born lost because we have a sin nature

inherited from our first parents

(Genesis 3)

that drives us to rebel against our Shepherd

(Romans 3:23).

We were created

to be at home with Him,

walking in

harmony and obedience.


But because of our sin, we are lost

(Isaiah 59:2)


. The gulf between us and God is

impossible for us to bridge,

and we cannot find our way back into His presence.


Spiritually lost people are bound by their sin and condemned to hell


(Luke 12:5; Romans 6:23).

But when the lost place their

trust

in the death and resurrection

of Jesus Christ,

a

bridge opens up before them.


Because of God’s mercy and love,

the lost can come home

(1 Peter 2:25).
​

Every human being is either
​

lost

or found.


We all belong to one of those two categories.

The first step in becoming found is to

admit that we are lost.


We agree with God that our sin deserves punishment,

and we acknowledge that the punishment Jesus suffered

was sufficient to pay for it.

We humbly receive that gift through faith


(Ephesians 2:8–9)


. In a divine exchange,

God transfers our sin to the

cross and transfers Christ’s righteousness

to our account (Colossians 2:14).


​
We then enter into a new relationship with God

as His own beloved children.

We are no longer lost.

We have been found, forgiven, and given a fresh start

(2 Corinthians 5:17).

That’s why Christians can joyfully sing,


“I once was

​
lost,


but now am found;


Was blind,


but now I see.”


​

Raising Holy Hands does not Praise God

Honoring God the way

he asks according to his will and word


Honors him

Honoring his revelation and work and Glory

According to


The Word of God


We put aside self pride and


Focus on Gods Will​


​you need to know Who god is and what is law is First



mangling gods word



your understanding of god is who you are


YOU NEED THE CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF

​WHO GOD IS


VISION NEEDS TO BE THROUGH THE


CORRECT LENS

OF CORRECT THEOLOGY WHICH IS


GOD




False gospel




According to Deuteronomy,


a false prophet

who has no message from God,

and advocates worshiping

other gods, can still successfully


perform miracles and predict


the future.


​END TIME

Doctrine Needs to be Correct

​you are not in Christ

​yet


Do not blasphemy the work of the Holy Spirit

Focus on Gods Word

God does not Bless Finances

God will only Redeem you if you Realize and Repent

​the offenses of the Holy Spirit



“Coming to Jesus”


is false doctrine 


In Christ is Correct





FIRST THING FIRST



​You are arguing
​


WITH GOD

​

The only thing that matters in achieving

Gods Plan is is the



Word of God

and


What God Says

and 

What God


Is asking of You



First


God brings Judgment

when you

need to identify the lie and repent and

open your eyes

before he can heal you



Humble yourself and Repent

​and Seek his face

​and
​

He will Heal


You


You are under the influence


of a


FALSE Spirit
​


Look


at the



BIG PICTURE



In Gods Good Name,


​hello anyone home?!!?


​

WAKE UP
​

You can do this,

he’s not

mad at you, he’s speaking

the


​TRUTH you are


confused and deceived


​he’s



correcting


You



he’s not accusing you of


being an evil person, he is


identifying the lie


wake up 




SLAVERY


SYMBOLISM 


GOSPEL



Do not personalize

biblical concepts

with



worldly affairs 
​

you are

missing the point


​The Bible indicates that there will be a


​great apostasy

during the

end times


The

“great apostasy”


is mentioned in 2 Thessalonians 2:3.


it the “


falling away


while the NIV and ESV call

it “the


​ rebellion.”


And that’s what an apostasy is: a


rebellion, an




abandonment

of the


TRUTH


The end times

will include a


wholesale rejection

of


God’s revelation,


a further



“falling away”


​of an

already


fallen world


The occasion of Paul’s writing

to the Thessalonians


was to correct some of the errors concerning

the end times

that the believers had heard from



false teachers



In 2 Thessalonians 2:3,


will not transpire until two things happen.


First, the


falling away, or great apostasy,


must occur.


Second,

the


​“man of lawlessness” must be revealed,

he who is called

the “son of perdition,” also known as the Antichrist.


Once this person makes himself known,

the end times will indeed have come.


Numerous speculations about the identity

of the man of sin,

beginning in the first century, have included

Caligula, Caius Caesar,

Mohammed, Napoleon, and any number of Roman popes.

None of them were the Antichrist.



The man of lawlessness, according to 2 Thessalonians 2:4, is the one


who

“will


oppose and will exalt himself

over

everything that is

​
called God or is worshiped,


so that he sets himself up in

God’s temple,

proclaiming himself to be God.”


Paul assures us that it will not come until the


falling away comes first.


The Greek word translated “rebellion” or “falling away”

in verse 3 is apostasia, from which we get the English word 


apostasy.


It refers to a general defection from


​
the true God,


the Bible,


and the Christian faith.


​Every age has its defectors, but the falling away at the end times

​will be complete and worldwide.




The whole planet will be in


rebellion against


God and His Christ.


Every coup requires a leader, and into this global apostasy will step the Antichrist. We believe this takes place after the church has been raptured from the earth.

Jesus warned the disciples concerning the final days in Matthew 24:10–12: “



At that time many will

turn away

​from the faith

and will betray and hate each other,

and many


false prophets will appear and

deceive many people.


Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of

most will



grow cold.”


These are the characteristics

of the

great apostasy of the end times.
​



Blasphemy against the 


Holy Spirit 


has to do with accusing


Jesus Christ 


of being demon-possessed 

instead of 


Spirit-filled







CONFUSION


Christ ​Righteous Judge 


Blasphemy 


The concept of




“blasphemy

against the


Spirit”



is mentioned in Mark 3:22–30 and Matthew 12:22–32.

Jesus has just performed a

miracle.

A demon-possessed man was brought to Jesus,

and the Lord cast the demon out,


healing the man of blindness and muteness.


The eyewitnesses to this exorcism began

to wonder if Jesus was indeed the Messiah

they had been waiting for.

A group of Pharisees,

hearing the talk of the Messiah, quickly

quashed

any budding faith in the crowd:


“It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons,

that this fellow

drives out demons,” they said

(Matthew 12:24).


Jesus rebuts the Pharisees with some logical arguments for why


He is


NOT casting out demons

in the

power of Satan!!


HELLO



(Matthew 12:25–29).


Then He speaks of the blasphemy against the

Holy Spirit:

“I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven,

but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.

Anyone who speaks a word against the

Son of Man will be forgiven,

but anyone who speaks against the

Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this

age or in the age to come”


(verses 31–32).

The term blasphemy may be generally defined

as “defiant irreverence.”

The term can be applied to such sins as cursing God or willfully degrading things relating to God. Blasphemy is also attributing some evil to God or denying Him some good that we should attribute to Him.

This particular case of blasphemy, however, is called


“the blasphemy against the

Holy Spirit”


in Matthew 12:31.

The Pharisees, having witnessed irrefutable proof
that Jesus

was working miracles in the power of the

Holy Spirit, claimed instead that the

Lord was possessed by a demon

(Matthew 12:24).

Notice in Mark 3:30 Jesus is very specific about what the Pharisees did to commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit: “He said this because they were saying, ‘He has an impure spirit.’”



Blasphemy against the


Holy Spirit


has to do with


ACCUSING


Jesus Christ


of

BEING “demon-possessed”

instead of



SPIRIT FILLED




​You SEE. ?!?!?!



Never before in the history of the world
had so much divine light
been granted to men; if anyone should have recognized
Jesus for who He was, it was the Pharisees.


Yet they chose defiance.


They purposely


attributed


the


work of the


​Spirit



to the devil,


even though they


knew the

truth and had the proof.




Jesus declared their


willful blindness


to be


unpardonable


Their blasphemy against the Holy Spirit was their final rejection of God’s grace. They had set their course, and God was going to let them sail into perdition unhindered.

Jesus told the crowd that the Pharisees’ blasphemy against the Holy Spirit “will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:32). This is another way of saying that their sin would never be forgiven, ever. Not now, not in eternity. As Mark 3:29 puts it, “They are guilty of an eternal sin.”

The immediate result of the Pharisees’ public rejection of Christ (and God’s rejection of them) is seen in the next chapter. Jesus, for the first time, “told them many things in parables” (Matthew 13:3; cf. Mark 4:2). The disciples were puzzled at Jesus’ change of teaching method, and Jesus explained His use of parables: “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. . . . Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand” (Matthew 13:11, 13). Jesus began to veil the truth with parables and metaphors as a direct result of the Jewish leaders’ official denunciation of Him.

Again, the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit cannot be repeated today, although some people try. Jesus Christ is not on earth—He is seated at the right hand of God. No one can personally witness Jesus performing a miracle and then attribute that power to Satan instead of the Spirit.

The unpardonable sin today is the state of continued unbelief. The Spirit currently convicts the unsaved world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). To resist that conviction and willfully remain unrepentant is to “blaspheme” the Spirit. There is no pardon, either in this age or in the age to come, for a person who rejects the Spirit’s promptings to trust in Jesus Christ and then dies in unbelief. The love of God is evident: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). And the choice is clear: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36).

​Doctrine is “a set of ideas or beliefs that are taught or believed to be true.” Biblical doctrine refers to teachings that align with the revealed Word of God, the Bible. False doctrine is any idea that adds to, takes away from, contradicts, or nullifies the doctrine given in God’s Word. For example, any teaching about Jesus that denies His virgin birthis a false doctrine, because it contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture (Matthew 1:18).

As early as the first century AD, false doctrine was already infiltrating the church, and many of the letters in the New Testament were written to address those errors (Galatians 1:6–9; Colossians 2:20–23; Titus 1:10–11). Paul exhorted his protégé Timothy to guard against those who were peddling heresies and confusing the flock: “If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing” (1 Timothy 6:3–4).

As followers of Christ, we have no excuse for remaining ignorant of theology because we have the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27) available to us—the Bible is complete. As we “study to show ourselves approved unto God” (2 Timothy 2:15), we are less likely to be taken in by smooth talkers and false prophets. When we know God’s Word, “we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14).

It is important to point out the difference between false doctrine and denominational disagreements. Different congregational groups see secondary issues in Scripture differently. These differences are not always due to false doctrine on anyone’s part. Church policies, governmental decisions, style of worship, etc., are all open for discussion, since they are not directly addressed in Scripture. Even those issues that are addressed in Scripture are often debated by equally sincere disciples of Christ. Differences in interpretation or practice do not necessarily qualify as false doctrine, nor should they divide the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 1:10).

False doctrine is that which opposes some fundamental truth or that which is necessary for salvation. The following are some examples of false doctrine:

• The erasing of hell. The Bible describes hell as a real place of eternal torment, the destination for every unregenerate soul (Revelation 20:15; 2 Thessalonians 1:8). A denial of hell directly contradicts Jesus’ own words (Matthew 10:28; 25:46) and is therefore a false doctrine.

• The idea that there are “many paths to God.” This philosophy has become popular recently under the guise of tolerance. This false doctrine claims that, since God is love, He will accept any religious effort as long as the practitioner is sincere. Such relativism flies in the face of the entire Bible and effectively eliminates any need for the Son of God to take on flesh and be crucified for us (Jeremiah 12:17; John 3:15–18). It also contradicts Jesus’ direct words that He is the only way to God (John 14:6).

• Any teaching that redefines the person of Jesus Christ. Doctrine that denies the deity of Christ, the virgin birth, His sinless nature, His actual death, or His physical resurrection is false doctrine. A group’s errant Christology readily identifies it as a sect or cult that may claim to be Christian but is actually teaching false doctrine. Even many mainline denominations have begun the rapid slide into apostasy by declaring that they no longer hold to a literal interpretation of Scripture or the deity of Christ. First John 4:1–3 makes it clear that a denial of biblical Christology is “anti-Christ.” Jesus described false teachers within the church as “wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Matthew 7:15).

• Teaching that adds human religious works to Christ’s finished work on the cross as necessary ingredients for salvation. This teaching may pay lip service to salvation by faith alone but insists that a religious ritual (such as water baptism) is salvific. Some groups even legislate hairstyles, clothing options, and food consumption. Romans 11:6 warns against attempts to mix grace with works. Ephesians 2:8–9 says we are saved by the grace of God, through faith, and nothing we do can add to or take away from it. Galatians 1:6–9 pronounces a curse on anyone who changes the good news of salvation by grace.

• The teaching that presents grace as a license to sin. Sometimes called “easy-believism,” this false doctrine implies that all one must do for right standing with God is to believe the facts about Jesus, pray a prayer at some point, and then resume control of one’s life with the assurance of heaven at the end. Paul dealt with this thinking in Romans 6. In Matthew 7:21–23, Jesus warned those who adopt this doctrine that they did not know Him at all. Second Corinthians 5:17 states that those who are “in Christ” become “new creatures.” That transformation, in response to a believer’s faith in Christ, changes the outward behaviors. To know and love Christ is to obey Him (Luke 6:46).

Satan has been confusing and perverting the Word of God since the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:1–4; Matthew 4:6). False teachers, the servants of Satan, try to appear as “servants of righteousness” (2 Corinthians 11:15), but they will be known by their fruits (Matthew 7:16). A charlatan promoting false doctrine will show signs of pride, greed, and rebellion (see Jude 1:11) and will often promote or engage in sexual immorality (2 Peter 2:14; Revelation 2:20).

We are wise to recognize how vulnerable we are to heresy and make it our habit to do as the Bereans did in Acts 17:11: “they . . . examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” When we make it our goal to follow the lead of the first church, we will go far in avoiding the pitfalls of false doctrine. Acts 2:42 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Such devotion will protect us and ensure that we are on the path Jesus set for us.

In the prosperity gospel, also known as the “Word of Faith Movement,” the believer is told to use God, whereas the truth of biblical Christianity is just the opposite—God uses the believer. Prosperity theology sees the Holy Spirit as a power to be put to use for whatever the believer wills. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit is a Person who enables the believer to do God’s will. The prosperity gospel movement closely resembles some of the destructive greed sects that infiltrated the early church. Paul and the other apostles were not accommodating to or conciliatory with the false teachers who propagated such heresy. They identified them as dangerous false teachers and urged Christians to avoid them.


Paul warned Timothy about such men in 1 Timothy 6:5, 9-11.

These men of “corrupt mind”

supposed godliness was a means of gain and their desire for riches was a


trap


that brought them


“into ruin and destruction”

(v. 9). The pursuit of wealth is a dangerous path for Christians and one which God warns about: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (v. 10). If riches were a reasonable goal for the godly, Jesus would have pursued it. But He did not, preferring instead to have no place to lay His head (Matthew 8:20) and teaching His disciples to do the same. It should also be remembered that the only disciple concerned with wealth was Judas.

Paul said covetousness is idolatry (Ephesians 5:5) and instructed the Ephesians to avoid anyone who brought a message of immorality or covetousness (Ephesians 5:6-7). Prosperity teaching prohibits God from working on His own, meaning that God is not Lord of all because He cannot work until we release Him to do so. Faith, according to the Word of Faith doctrine, is not submissive trust in God; faith is a formula by which we manipulate the spiritual laws that prosperity teachers believe govern the universe. As the name “Word of Faith” implies, this movement teaches that faith is a matter of what we say more than whom we trust or what truths we embrace and affirm in our hearts.

A favorite term of prosperity gospel teachers is “positive confession.” This refers to the teaching that words themselves have creative power. What you say, prosperity teachers claim, determines everything that happens to you. Your confessions, especially the favors you demand of God, must all be stated positively and without wavering. Then God is required to answer (as though man could require anything of God!). Thus, God’s ability to bless us supposedly hangs on our faith. James 4:13-16 clearly contradicts this teaching: “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” Far from speaking things into existence in the future, we do not even know what tomorrow will bring or even whether we will be alive.

Instead of stressing the importance of wealth, the Bible warns against pursuing it. Believers, especially leaders in the church (1 Timothy 3:3), are to be free from the love of money (Hebrews 13:5). The love of money leads to all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). Jesus warned, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). In sharp contrast to the prosperity gospel emphasis on gaining money and possessions in this life, Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). The irreconcilable contradictions between prosperity teaching and the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is best summed up in the words of Jesus in Matthew 6:24, “You cannot serve both God and money.”


​
​