Excerpt from the book Predators in Our Pulpits.
“For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the Lord. Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said , We will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.” – Jeremiah 6:13-17
Just as we see in our day, in Jeremiah’s day, the people who once served the LORD had become “hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:12-14). They had become “lukewarm,” and were now damnably “at ease in Zion” (Revelation 3:15-16; Amos 6:1). The covenant people of God were now living in sin and the leaders of the people were further leading them down the path of darkness and destruction by giving them what they wanted and not what they needed—the divine prescription which is God’s written Word (Ezekiel 3:4; 2 Timothy 4:2-4; 1 Peter 4:11). These “blind guides” were shamefully leading the willingly blind further down the wide road and into the ditch of eternal demise (Matthew 23:16, 24; Luke 6:39).
These people who once knew the LORD, were now fallen away from Him (Luke 8:13; Galatians 5:4; 2 Peter 2:20-22). Have you asked Him to break you lately and grant you ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to you and His true church (people)? Keep in mind that the prophet Jeremiah rebuked the false prophets of his day for offering a fake solution—all in order to tickle the ears of the people, gain their allegiance, and exploit them for their money. “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14). True healing (namely heart healing) and a pure heart can only come from the LORD. He will only do this in response to our personal surrender in repentance to Him (Psalms 147:3; Jeremiah 29:11-13; Ezekiel 36:36; Hosea 10:12).
The false prophets “healed the daughter of my people slightly.” In other words, the wolves of Ezekiel’s day are the same as the conspiracy of wolves today who offer happiness and your best life now, to be purpose driven instead of Holy Spirit led, and all kinds of other self-centered, self-actualizing falsehoods that leave their victims empty, sinful, under judgment, and spiritually bankrupt. Hell awaits (2 Peter 2:1-4).
God always goes to the root to bring the healing and His healing is authentic, life-giving, tangible, and completely transforming (Jeremiah 1:10; Luke 4:18-19).
The prophet Isaiah also wrote of these false leaders when he wrote: “For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed” (Isaiah 9:16).
“The Old Paths”
“Ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls” (Jeremiah 6:13). Divine truth is not like clothing styles, it is always in vogue—divinely and eternally fixed, immutable, consistent, and unchanging (Psalms 119:89; Mark 13:31).
“The scripture cannot be broken.” – John 10:35
“For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.” – Psalms 119:89
“My covenant will I not break, nor alter (change) the thing that is gone out of my lips.” – Psalms 89:34
Like He who is “the truth,” divine truth is eternally “settled in heaven” and not like the fickle, gullible, and sinful hearts of mere men because “the truth is in Jesus” who is the eternal God, Creator, and Sustainer of all life, the very “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (Psalms 119:89; John 14:6; Ephesians 4:21; Colossians 1:15-18; Revelation 1:8).
Those who are “tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive,” jumping from one foolish fad to the next, are not grounded in the LORD (Ephesians 4:14). IF they were, they would migrate only to His holy truth, being relentlessly hungry for more of it in order to see Him more clearly, day by day (Proverbs 4:18; Colossians 2:6-7).
Those who do not seek out the LORD in the “old paths,” that is, the ancient immutable Word of God, will seek to change “the truth of God into a lie,” making it whatever they wish it to be in order to evade true surrender in repentance.
“Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen” – Romans 1:25
Of Christ it was said that He “teachest the way of God in truth” which today can rarely be seen in those feigning to be Christ’s servants (Mark 12:14; 2 Corinthians 2:17).
All who hold to and are diligent stewards of the Word of God in their own lives and in contending for the truth among men are manifestly of the LORD. “But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).
God’s true people are the keepers of His holy truth as they themselves are being sanctified by it daily. “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). God’s true people are known by their vigilant and diligent stewardship of His truth. It is the duty of every true believer to be the steward of the Word of God (1 Corinthians 4:1-2).
There are believers who gather together to “earnestly contend for the faith once delivered to the saints,” and that is a good thing. Yet, no organization has a monopoly on God’s eternal truth (Jude 3-4). It takes no organization of men to accomplish this. “The house of God” and “the church of the living God” speak of the people of God, which is the definition of Christ’s “church” (Matthew 16:18; 1 Timothy 3:15). Jesus’ church is not any specific organization of mere men, but rather is the very and authentic people of God—those who serve Him on His terms and not their own—those in whom He dwells— “a spiritual house” (Matthew 16:18; 1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 Peter 2:5). “Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:1-2).
As has been the case in every generation, false prophets and false teachers apply a surface level, feel good, solution, or a band-aid to the problems sin causes in the lives of those who are supposedly God’s children. As we observe in what Jeremiah writes in chapter 6 of the book he was inspired to pen, these wolves tell the people that “everything is okay.” In this scenario, there is a reciprocation between the speaker and his audience. Sin is not dealt with in the biblical way by the leadership and is basically ignored or redefined. Predictably, there is no conviction or repentance found in the hearts of the people– “they were not at all ashamed” and will therefore “fall among them that fall” (v. 15).
Like the wolves of Jeremiah’s day, modern beguilers selfishly desire to have a vocation, to be applauded, and to garner ill-gotten gain. They will say what is expedient in order to advance their own self-serving cause. They are heroes in the eyes of the rebellious-hearted who love their lives in this fleeting world and refuse to lay them down at Christ’s command (Matthew 16:24-25; Luke 14:27, 33; 19:27; John 12:23-26).
As in the days of Jeremiah, the false prophets today say “Peace, peace” (even when those claiming to be Christ’s are living in sin) and God says, “there is no peace.” When men live in sin, vainly believing they belong to God, there is no true peace due to the rebellion He sees in the people (Isaiah 59:1-2). The LORD today calls for those who have back-slid or apostatized to “Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said , We will not walk therein” (v. 16). The LORD sends His servant “watchmen” to call people to repent by sounding the truth “trumpet” of His holy Word and still many “will not hearken.”
This is why the Bible tells us that only a few will ultimately be saved yet “many” name Jesus as their “Lord” (Matthew 7:21-23).
“Any Other Gospel” Will Do!
Paul wrote to the church at Corinth:
“Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” – 2 Corinthians 11:1-4
There is always a counterfeit for that which is true and genuine. The enemy of all souls has set up an endless variety of ways for men to rebel against God. This very often occurs when a person does not seek out the truth in God’s Word for themselves but takes man’s word for things. So when “another Jesus” or a false Christ is propelled and pushed out there by “another spirit” it leads men into a false or “another gospel.”
We are so very often warned to “Beware” of the reality and impending danger of being beguiled. In this late hour, so many are trading in the Savior who rescued them for some cheap, phony, and counterfeit substitute. It’s as if they are saying with their lives and actions “Any other gospel will do! We will take anything but the truth! We want everyone and anything except Christ! We don’t want to go to hell so that’s why we want just a little bit of Jesus but don’t want to be bothered with the details of serving Him in this life!” Make no mistake friends, this is “the spirit of antichrist” at work (1 John 4:1-6).
“To the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. … Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” – Colossians 2:2-4, 8-10
How Does a Person Become “Led Astray”?
Peter wrote: “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness” (2 Peter 3:17).
Those who choose not to love the truth that reveals the one and only Savior—Jesus Christ—will be sent by the LORD Himself a “strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.”
“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12
Desiring, loving, and obeying the truth is essential to remaining rooted and grounded in Jesus Christ—abiding in Him. The born-again disciple must never slack but rather must unrelentingly seek the face of the LORD daily, counting Him more important than even life. The following passage makes it more than obvious that those who “abideth (remain) not in the doctrine of Christ, hath (have) not God”:
“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth (remains) in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” – 2 John 1:9
Jesus says to “Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you,” which simply means that spiritual darkness will overtake all who do not walk in the light of truth, found only in His written Word (Psalms 119:1-5, 130; John 12:35).
“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans 1:21). There are those who, when they were shown (or knew) the light of truth, chose not to walk in it and therefore darkness came upon them. The choice a person makes regarding believing and obeying the LORD determines that person’s relationship with Him (John 8:30-32, 36). The LORD requires belief and obedience. Or, we could say that those who truly believe or possess saving faith, will obey Christ (John 15:1-16; 1 John 2:3-6; Revelation 2-3).
The importance of being rooted and grounded in “sound doctrine” that establishes the believer in Jesus Christ cannot be over emphasized! That dark, prophesied hour is upon us where masses who have a mere “form of godliness” are not choosing to “endure sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 3:5; 4:3). Rather, they are giving ear to and migrating to false, ear-scratching teachers and thereby being led to eternal damnation.
In light of the coming reality of each of us standing before the Almighty to give account of our lives in this world, the apostle Paul charged Timothy and us with this:
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” – 2 Timothy 4:2-4
One believer noted: “People do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself, but because it contradicts them.” – (Unknown).
Lying against and/or twisting the truth is a serious offense. It emanates out of the desire to cover up sin, whether one is cognizant of such or not. Beginning with the first transgressor, we have all done evil and sought to evade the Holy One we have offended. People who lie against God do so to avoid their own personal responsibility to Him, and yet they have no sensible reason to do such—they “hold (suppress) the truth in unrighteousness” and are “without excuse” (Romans 1:18, 20). Such an attack on God and His Word emerges out of the heart which simply refuses to humble itself in true repentance. One who has a heart like this will not ask for His forgiveness and mercy for the myriad of offences against His holiness. God stands ready to forgive those who come to Him in brokenness and true repentance (Psalms 86:5,15).
There is no shortage in these last days of the variety or flavor of conspiratorial vipers who are influencing people to sacrifice Jesus Christ on the altar of what is immediately convenient, expedient, and self-serving (Ezekiel 22:25-27). Few leaders today preach the biblical truth of the laid down life. This is what Christ and His apostles taught (Luke 9:23-24; John 12:23-25; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12, etc.). The cross-less false gospel of most in leadership today identifies them as “enemies of the cross of Christ” (Philippians 3:18-19).
Ashamed or Adhering to His Words
The person who denies the Word of the LORD, denies the LORD Himself.
“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therfore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” – Mark 8:34-38
Putting aside the words of the LORD for any other or foreign philosophy, tradition, or system of man’s theology, is the height of rebellion, insult, and disdain toward the LORD. This is what the Pharisees did, and Jesus harshly rebuked them for this evil.
“This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition … Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” – Mark 7:6-9, 13
The enemy of all souls does not care what bait people take, as long as they take his bait instead of repenting and serving the LORD. Whether one trades Christ in for Calvinism or Catholicism, or any other system of falsehood, Satan is pleased because Jesus is rejected for “another gospel” (2 Corinthians 11:2-5; Galatians 1:6-9).
“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach ANY other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” – Galatians 1:6-9
What one and only true Gospel is the apostle Paul referring to here?
“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” – 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
Holy Hatred
“Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way” (Psalms 119:104). The central theme of all of Scripture which defines the true Gospel is the Person of Jesus Christ and no other. Because He is the Son of God, the work He did is the sole propitiation for all of mankind. Any other way is a “false way” and must be recognized that it is of Satan and hated by all true disciples. “Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way” (Psalms 119:128).
The religionists of Christ’s days on earth traded in their own Messiah for their traditions and doctrines of mere men. They betrayed their own Messiah as many are doing today and, as did Esau, are throwing their own eternal souls away for a bowl of soup (Hebrews 12:14-17).
God has chosen to reveal Himself through His own words. Those who put something else in place of His Word have rejected Him, be it the Catholic catechism or Calvin’s corruptions. These are systems of theology external to the Word of God and convey the image of a false Christ and a false gospel. They are initiated and perpetrated by “another spirit” (2 Corinthians 11:2-5).
As “the prince of the power of the air,” Satan has provided many choices, methods, systems, and varieties of poison for people to rebel against their Maker (Ephesians 2:1-3). If a person doesn’t choose to respond in repentance to the drawing of the Holy Spirit and conviction of their sins, they will migrate to one of the many Christ-denying false gospels and philosophies available and serve the god of self through that medium. In this sense, as the Bible tells us, God created evil (Isaiah 45:7). In other words, He gives every man the choice to choose Him or not (Deuteronomy 30:19; Joshua 24:15; Romans 6:16).
The rejection of truth in some is so brazen that it produces a hatred against God and is manifested in violent persecution of His messengers. Acts 7 records the evil-hearted hatred of those who have a mere “form of godliness” and yet, simultaneously reject the reign of Christ in their personal lives:
“Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. 52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: 53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. 54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, 58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man’s feet, whose name was Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” – Acts 7:51-60
The result of this aggressive, murderous persecution against this messenger of Heaven was, for Stephen, a glorious entrance into the very presence of the Almighty who stood to receive him into eternal bliss. As His disciple, Stephen was making a stand for Him and His truth, and “Jesus” was “standing on the right hand of God” to welcome him.
Stephen declared the truth of Holy Scripture to the religious audience who then killed him. Today, many shun and slander and seek to discredit those who hold to the original Gospel given us in the written Word (Jude 3-4). While many claim to be Christian, only a few have a true relationship with Jesus which is tested by either the acceptance or rejection of His precepts. Christ told us exactly who is “of God” and who is “NOT of God.” In a conversation with the religionists of His day, the Son of God said:
“Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God ‘s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.” – John 8:46-50
These Jewish religionists are no different than the deceived today who vainly believe they are God’s children and yet have no desire, taste, hunger, or diligence for His Holy Word. According to Jesus, this alone proves that they are “not of God.” In many cases, they migrate to and embrace a system or school of theology that is external to the Holy Scriptures. This then causes them to see the words of Holy Scripture through the lens of the theology of mere sinful men. Millions of souls are already in hell for this same deliberate rejection of their only Hope–Jesus Christ–who gave us His Word to save and protect us (Acts 20:27-32; James 1:21).
God did not leave us without the clear and full knowledge needed to be His child (saved) and live pleasing to Him in this life, ready to be with Him for eternity. Jesus made it clear that the Word of God — “Moses and the prophets”—is fully sufficient for these things (Luke 16:19-31).
It is clear from the whole counsel of God’s Word that who a person looks to is exactly who they are serving. The source of a person’s allegiance identifies exactly who that person is serving. If a person does not search God’s Word for themselves and rather looks to their priest, pastor, or religious organization for answers, that is exactly who they are serving. No man or religion can save any soul from eternal damnation.
You know you are dealing with a lost religious person when they consult with their organization instead of God’s Word. When challenged, so many today run to their religious organization to find answers instead of the LORD by searching the Scriptures. This identifies that person as “not of God” according to Jesus who said, “he that is of God heareth God’s words” (John 8:47).
Unity’s Only Foundation is Jesus Christ–The Truth
“There are two types of unity: the man-made variety, and that which can only be given by God and will always have the cross as its foundation. The unity predicted in this prophecy (noun: prophecy, verb: prophesy) will be accomplished by the HOLY Spirit, and yet cannot be perfected until the coming of the Lord. A lack of unity is because of a lack of fidelity to the Bible. Fidelity to the Bible brings about the commanded blessing of its divine Author.” – Carol Burke
God did not leave us without specific instructions and doctrine concerning “ALL things that pertain unto life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3-4; 19-21). So, to negate the authority of Holy Scripture is to defy the Almighty—to thumb one’s nose in His infinite face.
“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.” – 1 Corinthians 1:10
This passage and many others make it clear that the true unity of all disciples of Jesus is founded and possible only upon the bedrock of His Holy Word. Every single true disciple of Christ declares with Paul the apostle, “Yea, let God be true, but every man a liar” (Romans 3:4).
There cannot be, nor is there, any true unity outside of the truth of the One who is “the truth” and the very Word of God. He is the One who gave us His written Word, instructing us to “search the scriptures” (John 5:39; 14:6).
Displacing the written Word leads to one becoming spiritually deluded and drunken with “another gospel,” which is the doctrine of devils (2 Corinthians 11:2-5; Galatians 1:6-9; 1 Timothy 4:1-3). Many are being seduced and swept onto the wide road that leads to destruction by personal neglect of the truth of Holy Scripture (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12; 1 Timothy 4:1-3). This is the great falling away foretold to occur just prior to the soon return of our LORD.
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition … Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” – 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, 9-12
“The working of Satan” is involved in this “falling away” and yet cannot override the will of the individual when he is truly submitted to God (James 4:7). The devil is our enemy and not a fictional character, but rather a very real and extremely dangerous being who aggressively hunts and seeks to devour souls; namely the people of God (1 Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:7-12). Satan does not care what flavor of false gospel one may choose among the many available. He only cares that men and women choose something other than the original Gospel of Christ and His apostles. The arsenic in any other gospel will curse and kill many (Galatians 1:6-9). In their rebellion against the LORD and gross neglect of the study of His precepts, many today are grabbing onto and buying into things foreign to the original Gospel “once delivered to the saints” (Jude 3-4).
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Jude 1:3-4
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I ask You to forgive me for not diligently searching, believing, and doing Your Word. Please forgive my unbelief. I now denounce any rebellion against You—whether I realize that rebellion or not. Wherever I have not embraced Your holy Word and/or migrated with itching ears to false shepherds, please forgive and purge me Jesus. I here and now denounce any system of theology that I have ever heard and abandon myself to Thy truth. In the name of Jesus I pray. I love You LORD. Amen.
Capture Points
- Write out John 8:47 and begin to meditate upon and memorize
- Read 2 Thessalonians 2 and ponder and discuss what the Bible prophesies to be the sequence of apostasy and falling away.
Predators in Our Pulpits [book]
Spiritual Warfare | On the Truth Can Make us Free | Neither Give Place to the Devil | Resist the Devil and He will Flee from You
Support | STORE | Podcasts | Christology | Judging Prophecy | A Generation of False Prophets Unleashed [podcast] | Prophetic or Pathetic? | The Holy Spirit | Beware of False Gifts |



Abiding
LIE OF THE AGES: From the Garden to Glory [podcast]
Excerpt from the book Lie of the Ages
The First Lie and the Fall of Man
“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” ~ Genesis 3:1-5
Have you ever wondered what the first lie ever told was? Who told it? Why was it told? What was the result of it? Can the fruit be seen and felt today? Can its effects be traced throughout history and even into the future?
According to the Genesis account, the Garden of Eden was the sanctuary of the Most High, where He communed with the first man and woman He had made in His very own image. The Garden was a sinless, guiltless sanctuary of unimaginable relational bliss between the LORD Almighty and the man and woman. The Garden of Eden was the place of pure truth and love—a place where lies were not even suspected.
Enter Satan.
Enter the lie.
Enter the seduction.
Enter no fear of God.
Enter stolen restraint.
Enter sin.
Enter the fall of man.
Enter alienation from the Creator.
Garden Scene—The First Lie
Do you think this first lie may hold some insight into the work of Satan and his war against God and His treasured people today?
“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die…(Now here’s what the woman said:) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (Now here’s what Satan said:) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.” ~ Genesis 2:16-17; 3:3-4
In the book of origins (Genesis) where every major biblical doctrine is rooted (has its beginning), there can be found the keys and answers to life. Mankind’s Maker, his beginning, his ultimate enemy, temptation, sin, the resulting fall, and the redemption of man are revealed in the first chapters of this all-important first book of the Holy Bible.
Perhaps there could be no greater occupation than for the student of Scripture to undertake, pour over, pray over, and dismantle the first three chapters of the book of Genesis. In this endeavor, he will gain insight into the origins and purpose of creation, pitfalls facing mankind, divine restoration, and the keys to living a victorious life in harmony with his Creator.
Sin entered the human experience through the temptation and fall of the first man (Rom. 5). By this the enemy gained a foothold and has warred with that sole creation made in the image of the Maker Himself. But it is sin that is man’s problem, not circumstance or self-esteem nor any other diagnosis. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (See Jer. 17:9.)
Someone has wisely stated: “The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.”
From the very beginning, Satan has tempted man to believe that breaking the commandment of His Maker was not to be feared or avoided and could not harm him. The temptation for man is if he is going to determine truth on his own terms and how it fits his own lifestyle, or repent and humbly accept and obey what God says.
Cain was a religionist. He refused relationship with the LORD because he chose to do things his own way instead of God’s (Gen. 4:1-7). In his pride, Cain wanted to make up his own rules – he was lawless. Religion is where men have created a god in their own image and follow those teachings which render obedience to that false god. The most deceptive and evil form of religion is that which is close to the truth and uses Bible Scriptures out of context to make up that doctrine which circumvents obedience to the plain truth of God. (See Jesus rebuke the Pharisees in Matt. 23.)
Who are we going to believe and trust? Whose report will you believe? Since the LORD and the devil stated something in direct opposition to each other, we know that one of them is a liar. As He gave the first man and woman the option, so the LORD gives us the choice to trust and obey Him or not to obey Him. Each of us will decide who it is that is going to be a liar in our hearts—the Almighty, or Satan.
God said (Gen. 2:17): “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof THOU SHALT SURELY DIE.”
Satan said (Gen. 3:4): “And the serpent said unto the woman, YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE.”
The lie of the ages began in the very cradle of creation. The aim of the enemy of all souls was the first man and woman who were uniquely created in the image of the One who made all things. Adam and Eve were the subjects of Satan’s deadly lie—the first lie ever told. Apparently, this cunning enemy understood that if he could cause the man and woman to take things into their own hands and violate the instruction of their Maker, they would be ushered out of His Garden (presence) and forfeit their place with Him.
Mankind’s enemy led him to believe that he could violate the instruction of his holy Maker and still remain within His approval. Like Adam and Eve, it is readily observed that men naturally internalize this philosophy as “I can sin with no fear of consequences.” Is it possible that this lie is still leading men and women to believe that they “shall not surely die” if they live in direct opposition to the LORD?
Concerning this most insidious and destructive lie of the serpent, the Life in the Spirit Study Bible states:
“‘YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE’…The first lie proposed by Satan was a form of antinomianism (lawlessness), denying the judgment of death for sin and apostasy. One of the basic sins of humankind is unbelief in God’s word. It is believing that somehow God does not really mean what He says about salvation, righteousness, sin, judgment, and death. Satan’s most persistent lie is that unrepentant, deliberate sin and rebellion against God will not necessarily bring separation from God and eternal condemnation.”
As he did with the first man and woman, the adversary tells us “Ye shall not surely die” (Gen. 3:4).
Escaping the judgment of a holy God has long been the vain imagination of depraved men, fueled by the enemy of all righteousness who has come “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (Jn. 10:10).
“Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” ~ Ecclesiastes 8:11
“Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.” ~ Psalms 10:13
Question: “Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God?
Answer: “He hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.”
The hearts of those who are not in fellowship with the LORD say “The LORD will not ‘require it’ of me. He will not bring me into accountability for my life in this world. After all, He has not done anything to me for my wrongdoing thus far. I am okay in my sins; God will just overlook them.”
Lucifer’s lure capitalizes on the sinful nature of men, preying upon his desire to be his own god, controlling his own destiny. Somehow, according to this revelation and others, it is within man’s makeup to believe that because his Creator is not presently executing tangible judgment for his sin, he believes that God is not going to judge him at all. So, unregenerate man goes on sinning with reckless abandon, not realizing that that Great and Terrible Day of Judgment lies just ahead.
The first man and woman bought into the first lie that claims there is no consequence for violating the command of the one true God. Such self-deception is no new thing. Since the first man and woman, people have sought to define right and wrong on their own terms instead of simply acknowledging what the LORD says. As the first couple found out, it is a losing endeavor to determine truth by how it fits one’s lifestyle instead of by God’s non-negotiable counsel given us in His Word (Jn. 17:17; Rom. 3:3-4; 2 Tim. 3:16). Defining truth on one’s own terms is buying into the lie of the ages presented to every man by the evil one who “walketh about seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).
When men seek to redefine truth on their own terms, they unwittingly create a god in their own image—one who accepts them in their sins with no judgment. They then migrate to pastors and teachers who will tickle their itching ears with smooth messages void of the full-counsel revelation of Holy Scripture (Jer. 5:30-31; 2 Tim. 4:2-4).
After Adam and Eve, it was their son Cain who sought to make up his own way to God on his own terms. He failed. To Cain and to all who seek through religion, whether self-styled or organized, the Almighty would ask: “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door” (Gen. 4:7).
The LORD says to Cain “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?” This simply means “If you will do things the way I prescribed, will I not fully accept you as I did your brother Abel?” Cain hardened his heart and refused to do things God’s way by offering the type of sacrifice God requires. Due to his own choice to rebel against the Most High he became so filled with the enemy that he killed his own brother (Gen. 4).
This is a classic example of how the enemy led this man Cain to believe that he could make up his own rules, violating the holy Creator and still escape His just judgment. Like Cain, millions of faithful religionists today have a mere formula of godliness while denying the power of a truly surrendered life to the one true God who sent His only begotten Son as the only sacrifice for the sins of men (2 Timothy 3:5).
When he was able to successfully persuade the first man to violate the command of the LORD, Satan gained access to authority over the man by the sin of the man (Isaiah 59:1-2; Ephesians 4:27; James 4:7). Jesus re-gained that authority for His highest and prized creation and all those who come into relationship with Him experience the abundant blessings that come along with being saved by His precious blood (Jn. 10:10; Rom. 5:17; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).
“For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)” Romans 5:17
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” ~ John 3:16-17
PRAYER: Father in Heaven, please unite my heart to fear Thy name and keep it from falling prey to this same lie that led to Adam and Eve’s fall. Quicken my heart in the fear of the LORD. Please teach me that there are many harsh consequences for disobeying You, by not doing what You say, by sinning against You. Convict my heart of sin, and I beg You to make my conscience extremely sensitive to Your conviction and leading. Change my heart, O LORD. Grant me a heart of flesh that delights to live in Your presence and do Your perfect will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Apostasy
“The Certainty of the Words of Truth” [podcast]
Nicholas, the Apostate Deceiver
Historians say that Nicholas (Acts 6:5), a deacon in the first century church, backslid, and led his followers to believe that living in sin would not affect one’s relationship with Christ. The term Nicolaitans is said to come from those who followed Nicholas. Nico-laitans is a compound Greek word. Nico means “to conquer,” and laitans means “the laity.” Satan used Nicholas to conquer his followers through the lie of lawlessness. The evil spirit of Nicholas lives on today through many lawless leaders who operate in the church world in this late hour.
Nicholas taught free love. He and his followers taught that the deeds of believers could not affect their relationship with God. This is antinomianism, which means lawlessness. The Bible clearly refutes such a lie as we will witness in our walk through the Holy Scriptures.
“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:19
“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Titus 1:16
The Bible states here, that those who “profess that they know God” and yet “deny him…in works,” are “abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”
By this lie of lawlessness, the enemy of souls conquered the people.
“But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans (means “conquer the laity”), which I also hate…So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” Revelation 2:6, 15
Here is some modern terminology for this age-old doctrine:
- Once Saved, Always Saved
- Eternal security (unconditional)
- Calvinism, perseverance of the saints doctrine
In Revelation 2, Jesus Christ tells us that He “hates” two things — “the deeds” and “doctrine of the Nicolaitans.” The Son of God despises the doctrine that teaches that the deeds of men have no effect upon their relationship with Him.
The Scriptures continuously reveal the divine hatred for the acceptance, and even doctrinal authorization, for living in the sins which the LORD tells us violate His holiness, reveal a wicked heart, and will prevent one from entering into the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8, 27).
The word “lasciviousness” appears six times in the Bible and means “lack of restraint (from sinning); license for sin; licentiousness.”
To underscore the utter, divine hatred against this lie of lawlessness, it should be noted that this is the only place in Scripture where Jesus Christ, Himself, states that He hates something.
Though they may vary in packaging, these are all kin to the same lawless “ye shall not surely die” lie, which is the lie of the ages.
“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” Deuteronomy 4:2
“For ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.” Jeremiah 23:36b
“Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word.” Jeremiah 26:2
“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19
“Hath God said” ?
Always remember that whenever you have someone casting doubt on God’s Word, words, you are dealing with a person who is under Satan’s control, is a rejecter of the LORD, and therefore His truth, and is a child of the devil. Every time.
Notice what we see Satan doing in the Garden of Eden just before he changed, altered, added one word to God’s words:
“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Genesis 3:1
Then, in verse 4 we read how Satan added just one three-letter word which changed the meaning of what God said and changed world history.
“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:” Genesis 3:4
“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:17
“Thou shalt surely die” from God was then changed by Satan to “Ye shall NOT surely die.”
This is the first time we see what’s known as the “eternal security” lie. It’s also known as “once saved always saved” or “perseverance of the saints” heresy. Any person teaching or believeing this lie has partnered with Satan himself.
Knowing “the certainty of the words of truth”
“Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
19 That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
21 that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee? Proverbs 22:17-21
“that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth” – and how can we “know the certainty of the words of truth” if we aren’t even reading them – if we are not reading the preserved Word of God but rather a cheap counterfeit?
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Apostasy
8 Classes of Sinners Guaranteed to Spend Eternity in the Lake of Fire [podcast]
8 Classes of Sinners Guaranteed to Spend Eternity in Hell
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8
“The second death”
[which is the second death] The second death is the lake of fire, or the second separation from God in hell (Rev_2:11; Rev_20:14; Rev_21:8).
Of Revelation 21:8, Adam Clarke writes the following:
Revelation 21:8
But the fearful – Δειλοις· Those who, for fear of losing life or their property, either refused to receive the Christian religion, though convinced of its truth and importance; or, having received it, in times of persecution fell away, not being willing to risk their lives.
And unbelieving – Those who resist against full evidence. And sinners, και ἁμαρτωλοις, is added here by about thirty excellent MSS., and is found in the Syrian, Arabic, some of the Slavonic, and in Andreas and Arethas. On this evidence Griesbach has admitted it into the text.
The abominable – Εβδελυγμενοις· Those who are polluted with unnatural lust. (sodomites, lesbians Romans 1)
And murderers – Φονευσι· Those who take away the life of man for any cause but the murder of another, and those who hate a brother in their heart (.
And whoremongers – Πορνοις· Adulterers, fornicators, whores, prostitutes, and rakes of every description.
Sorcerers – Φαρμακοις· Persons who, by drugs, philtres, fumigations, etc., pretend to produce supernatural effects, chiefly by spiritual agency.
Idolaters – Ειδωλολατραις· Those who offer any kind of worship or religious reverence to any thing but God. All image worshippers are idolaters in every sense of the word.
And all liars – Και πασι τοις ψευδεσι· Every one who speaks contrary to the truth when he knows the truth, and even he who speaks the truth with the intention to deceive; i.e., to persuade a person that a thing is different from what it really is, by telling only a part of the truth, or suppressing some circumstance which would have led the hearer to a different end to the true conclusion. All these shall have their portion, το μερος, their share, what belongs to them, their right, in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. This is the second death, from which there is no recovery.
“21:8 But not all are overcomers. Some are cowardly, afraid to confess Christ; unbelieving, unwilling to trust the sinner’s Savior; sinners, all those who remain in their sins, whether guilty of the gross iniquities listed here or not; abominable, given over to disgusting immorality; murderers, malicious and savage killers; sexually immoral, practicing fornication and other forms of sexual sins; sorcerers, those who traffic with evil spirits; idolaters, insulting God by worshiping images; and all liars, compulsive deceivers. These will be assigned to the lake of fire as their final destiny.” Believer’s Bible Commentary
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. … 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:10, 14-15
One source notes the following:
“Brimstone and fire” refers to the fiery imagery of divine judgment and eternal punishment found in the Bible. It symbolizes God’s wrath, often describing the fate of sinners in hell, and is a phrase used in religious sermons and literature. “Brimstone,” an old word for sulfur, is a key component of this imagery, evoking a smell and heat associated with inescapable, fiery destruction.
Biblical origins
Old Testament:
The phrase originates in the King James translation of the Old Testament, used to describe God’s destruction of enemies. A key example is the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
New Testament:
The imagery is used to describe eternal damnation, a common theme in both the Old and New Testaments. In the book of Revelation, for example, it describes those who worship the beast being tormented in a lake of fire and brimstone.
Etymology:
The phrase is a calque of the Biblical Hebrew and Ancient Greek words for “sulfur and fire”.
Geological evidence:
Archaeological and geological evidence of sulfur deposits and charred formations in areas like the Dead Sea region have been noted as consistent with biblical descriptions of fire and sulfur-related events.”
“But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 8:12
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