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 |
Apostasy
Beware of the Hebrew Roots Judaizing Snakes! [podcast]
BEWARE of the Judaizing snakes of the Hebrew Roots (HR) movement.
Are YOU a law-keeper/Torah-keeper OR a Christ-keeper? (Colossians 2:14-19)
Some speak of sabbath, shalom, law-keeping, Torah, obedience to Moses’ law, etc above Christ. RUN!
God’s people are “justified by faith” in Jesus, not law keeping (Romans 5:1, etc.). The problem is not with the types and shadows given us in Scripture of the Messiah who was to come. No, the issue here is with those who would bring you back under the law.
LOTS of Judaizers in our midst saints…. vainly believing that Jesus was not enough to save and redeem but rather that we have to help God out by keeping the Old law….. which would mean they are not saved by grace (lost souls) but vainly believe keeping torah (books of Moses) is going to save them and by doing so they have blasphemously denied Christ, the only Savior (John 1:17). Judaizers Exposed
THOSE WHO SPEAK ABOUT LAW-KEEPING INSTEAD OF THE ONLY ONE WHO PERFECTLY KEPT THE LAW, then nailed it to the cross, taking it out of our way, ARE ANTICHRISTS FROM HELL! (Colossians 2:14-19)
Anyone who gets saved and then doesn’t drill down into the doctrinal letters and epistles and get grounded in grace through faith justification and living, will be susceptible to being deceived by the antichrist judaizers in our midst. It will cost many of them their eternal souls. There will be not 1 law-keeping judaizing snake in Heaven. If you don’t know that, you are biblically illiterate. Romans. Galatians. Ephesians. Philippians. Colossians. Hebrews.
Men are “justified by faith” and kept “by faith.”
“Justified by faith”
“Therefore we conclude that a man is JUSTIFIED BY FAITH without the deeds of the law.” Romans 3:28
“Kept by faith”
“Who are KEPT by the power of God THROUGH FAITH unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” 1 Peter 1:5
Justified by faith but sanctified by law keeping????
NOT. “The just (those justified by God) shall live by faith.”
Born again New Testament disciples are saved by grace through faith. They are saved, justified, and sanctified by faith. They live by faith and not by law or law keeping. See Hebrews 11:6.
“For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith (not law to law): as it is written, The just shall live by faith (not law keeping).” Romans 1:17
“But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live BY FAITH.” Galatians 3:11
“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back (go back to law keeping), my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” Hebrews 10:38
The False Teachings of the Hebrew Roots Movement
The Hebrew Roots (HR) movement is false, it’s a cloaked judaizing system designed by Satan to bring NEW Testament saints saved by grace back under the law… Galatians.
“The HRM (Hebrew Roots Movement) draws people away from the grace of God to a religion of works and legalism. Most of them I know are a bunch of Pharisees.” Jim Borge
Christ’s NEW Testament saints are saved by Him to love and keep Him upheld as the only Savior, LORD, and “Head” of His church (Colossians 2:14-19).
If you can read the following verse and still think you are going to be right with God by law-keeping or that you even can keep it perfectly, you are completely deranged, deceived, delusional, and hell bound.
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.” Galatians 2:16
Are You Keeping All the Law Perfectly All the Time? Yes or No?
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10
ONLY JESUS kept the whole law perfectly! Get over your sinful, pride-filled self… vainly thinking you can keep the whole law! (See James 2:10.) You’ve transgressed the law of God in many ways and all it takes is just one offense and you’re guilty of breaking all of the law! Repent and fall upon the mercy of God at the foot of the cross where Jesus bled to save your wicked soul. The law condemns you as a vile, depraved sinner! Only Jesus can save your wicked soul.
Those who put the law ahead of Christ are antichrists! (See Colossians 2:14-19.)
Without fail, one will find that each and every group that emphasizes the Jewish feasts, etc. are going to seek to suck believers back under the law. Book of Galatians! I stay far from these agents of Satan these days.
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1
YES the whole 66 book canon of the Bible is for us and yet, IT reveals that a NEW covenant superseded the Old one. The book of Hebrews reveals to us that a “BETTER covenant” with “BETTER promises” made the old covenant obsolete “for righteousness” (Hebrews 7:22; 8:6; Romans 10:4). The faith of the NEWWWW Testament saint, saved by grace, is not set upon trying to keep the law (“keeping Torah”) but rather set upon the only ONE to ever keep the law perfectly – then He – Christ, nailed it to the cross and “took it out of the way” (Colossians 2:14-19). It’s over so repent and get over it, now! The infinitely inferior old was a mere shadow of the infinitely superior NEW Testament that was to come and HAS come with Christ (Hebrews 10:1). Beware of the demonic Judaizing devils in our midst. They are snakes!
Those who pretend to “keep torah” openly reject Christ’s one perfect “It is finished” (paid in full) sacrifice and declaration (John 19:30).
What is a Judaizer? Simply put, a Judaizer is one who seeks to bring NEW Testament, saved by grace through faith saints back under the old law (Galatians 2:4-5).
Nothing has changed: As was the case in Galatia, these Judaizers are among us, actively seeking to bring saved-by-the-blood-and-grace of Christ, NEW Testament saints back under the law. These are the same demon-possessed wolves Paul dealt with repeatedly, most poignantly in Galatia. They come to spy out the liberty of the true, blood bought, saved by grace NEW Testament believers.
Christ told us that Satan has come “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). These ministers of Satan have no less of the same 3-tiered mission. They are “false brethren.”
“And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily (secretly) to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.” Galatians 2:4-5
Paul was a “shut down” preacher! He shut down Satan’s ministers who posed as representatives of Christ (2 Corinthians 11:12-15). The apostle shut the heretics down – hard and fast! (See Titus 3:10; Matthew 7:6.) How much time did Paul give Satan’s Judaizing agents who corrupted the Galatians? – “To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour” (Galatians 2:4-5).
Paul gave these vile Judaizers not even one hour. He cut them off swiftly in order to protect the sheep of Christ who shed His blood to purchase His people. Paul declared:
“I would they were even CUT OFF which trouble you.” Galatians 5:12
Here’s the Greek rendering for the term “cut off”:
“apokoptō
ap-ok-op’-to
From G575 and G2875; to amputate; reflexively (by irony) to mutilate (the privy parts): – cut off. Compare G2699.“
Make no mistake: “Cut off” is violent language. “Cut off” means to amputate, to mutilate ones private parts. Some believe Paul was saying that he would wish these agents of Satan who sought to lead astray Christ’s sheep to be castrated or killed. Such a stance doesn’t bode well with the more cowards we call pastors today who could care less if one of Christ’s sheep is led astray.
Those who tout “keep the Torah” mean to say “you have to keep the law to be righteous” and are antichrists….. They openly deny the full sufficiency of the one perfect sacrifice of the Son of God who as He bled on Calvary’s cruel cross cried “It is finished” which means that the price for mankind’s sin is “Paid in full” (John 19:30).
Those who get upset when Christ’s enemies who pose as His servants are exposed, are out of New Testament order. These blinded souls have no kingdom clue. They have been schooled by wolves who hide this self-evident Bible revelation. They read right over the mountains of Scripture dedicated to exposing false leaders and false teachings. Would to God we had more fearless men of truth such as was Paul and Christ’s other apostles!
PAUL, CHRIST’S apostle was no pansy when it came to false teachers!
Judaizers are to be rejected as heretics according to Matthew 7:6 and Titus 3:10-11. They are to be given no space – no platform.
“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” Matthew 7:6
“A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; 11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.” Titus 3:10-11
This Hebrew Roots delusion is no small matter. Eternal souls are in the balance. The Holy Ghost, through Paul reveals to us that Judaizers are operating in witchcraft, putting spells on people through demons and false teachings :
“O foolish Galatians, who hath BEWITCHED you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Galatians 3:1-3
The diabolical goal of Judaizers is to lead saved-by-grace Christians to fall from grace which means they become apostate – lost. – “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; YE ARE FALLEN FROM GRACE” (Galatians 5:4).
The true Jews?
“For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” Romans 2:28-29
DIVINE FILTER: All false movements and false teachers serve a divine purpose. They are allowed to snare all who don’t truly love Christ and therefore His Truth! Study 1 Corinthians 11:19; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 closely.
Keep Torah? No. Keep Jesus!
Paul says that there was “NO good thing” in him, that is, in his flesh and besides Christ (Romans 7:18). Being that we are all faulty, sinful, it’s pretty laughable that someone would trust their own ability to keep the law (which we’ve all broken) instead of trusting the only ONE – JESUS – who kept that law then nailed it to the cross and took it away (Colossians 2:14-17). It really is “finished” (John 19:30). For seeking to obtain righteousness, the law is over. It’s “the end” – “For Christ is THE END of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Romans 10:4).
The book of Romans is the ABC’s of the Christian faith. Read it thoroughly to be grounded.
Who and What is the Law for?
“Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. 8 But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully; 9 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine; 11 According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust.” 1 Timothy 1:7-11
The above text reveals how the Law applies to saints and to sinners.
Born again saints are temples of the Holy Ghost who enables them to fulfill all righteousness. They need no law other than the “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:2-4
Read the book of Galatians several times through. Pray before you begin and pray through reading these divinely inspired words and defense of the Gospel of the grace of God, asking Him to reveal His mind to you on this matter of justification.
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“We keep the law because we love Christ and His will is our joy.”
REPLY:
We keep Jesus, not the law. You are putting the law above CHRIST. You are in big trouble if you think that keeping the WHOLE law makes you righteous. Here’s the law true NEW Testament saints keep:
“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” Romans 8:2-4.
What you are doing is denying Christ openly, antichrist, by putting the law above Christ who alone kept the law perfectly – then nailed it to the cross, taking it out of the way! (See Colossians 2:14-19.)
The law is over for righteousness – done! “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Romans 10:4).
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“You misunderstand many things concerning the importance of the Jewish feasts.”
REPLY:
Sounds like you have a pseudo-superiority complex consistent with Hebrew Roots folk. You are camping on that which was a mere “shadow” that pointed to Christ who has ALREADY come! Hebrews 8-10. The NEW Covenant is infinitely superior to the infinitely inferior covenant it replaced….. True disciples of Jesus view the Old Covenant through the revealed knowledge (eyes) of the NEW Covenant which was ratified in the blood of the Messiah and not vice versa. You err and misunderstand many things. Jesus has come and is the all in all for His true disciples.
COMMON OBJECTION:
“He has not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it!”
REPLY:
“Fulfill” in Matthew 5:17 means to expire! When He died on the cross, fulfilling the law perfectly, Jesus nailed it to the cross and took it away! See Colossians 2:14-17. “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth” (Romans 10:4).
That “fulfill” thing in Matthew 5:17 is something I’d like us to explore. It would seem fitting that Jesus, as He says this BEFORE the cross, seems to possibly be saying that He is going to fulfill all the righteousness of the law (that the righteous law demanded) and then nail it to the cross in His death, and take it away. Couple this with Colossians 2:14-17.
“Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow (illustration, forth telling) of things to come; but the body is of Christ. 18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.” Colossians 2:14-19
Before He went to the cross, Jesus said:
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil (satisfy the claims of, expire). 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:17-18)
“fulfil” – Greek, definition … think of this in respect to Christ’s utter uniqueness in all of history – being the only One to ever keep/fulfill the Law perfectly.
“G4137
πληρόω
plēroō
play-ro’-o
From G4134; to make replete, that is, (literally) to cram (a net), level up (a hollow), or (figuratively) to furnish (or imbue, diffuse, influence), satisfy, execute (an office), finish (a period or task), verify (or coincide with a prediction), etc.: – accomplish, X after, (be) complete, end, expire, fill (up), fulfil, (be, make) full (come), fully preach, perfect, supply.”
The Picture or the Person?
Are you embracing the mere shadow or the Savior? The picture or the Person?
Picture a Marine returning home from a long war deployment. After being gone from his wife for several long years, when he arrives home, his wife says “Hi baby! I love you! Welcome home! Listen, I’ve gotten accustomed to your picture (a mere shadow of who her husband is) and so I’ve prepared you your own bedroom upstairs so that you can sleep there while I sleep in the master bedroom with your picture!”
What would you think if you heard a story like that? This is an accurate illustration of the absurdity of those who put more emphasis on the mere shadows of Jesus in the Old Testament than in Jesus Himself! These are they are are “NOT (up)holding (magnifying) the Head” who is Jesus and who has COME and fulfilled what those mere shadows depicted before He came (Colossians 2:18-19).
Please prayerfully pour over the words of Hebrews 8-10 which contrasts the mere shadows of the Old Covenant with the reality of the infinitely superior New Covenant which was ratified in the very blood of the only begotten Son of God. Read these chapters several times.
One writer notes:
“When the believer has died with Christ he is then dead to the law. Rom 7. The unbeliever who is not positionally dead with Christ is still under the law.
Being dead to the law means the believer has been removed out from under the curse of, tyranny under and slavery to the law and its administrators, the principalities and powers.
The believer is out from under the accusation, condemnation, judgment, wrath and execution of the law. 2 Cor 3; Rom 8:1-4
The law is ‘taken out of the way’ (Col 2:14) of those who have died with Christ.
It is still a barrier between Christ and the unbelieving person.
The law killed Jesus and destroyed itself in so doing. John 19:7.
There are two ways in the Bible. The way of Law and the way of the cross. Law kills. Grace dies and is raised up free from the law. Law is for those ‘taken out of their way.’
The Law was a shadow or caricature of God/Christ. Agape love is the reality, body or substance of God/Christ. Jesus filled the caricature/shadow with His reality.
Would they rather have a caricature or the real person?
Would you rather have a picture of a home or a real home??
The Law still applies to unbelievers. 1 Tim 1. Love is the fulfilling of the law. Rom 13:10. Agape love has come to us through the pouring out of the Holy Spirit into our hearts. Rom 5:5. Agape (unconditional love) does not exist in the old Covenant (Old Testament). So love fulfills the law in that we are motivated to keep the law rules without a human effort focus on rules. Obedience to the rules is a spontaneous byproduct rather than a focus, obligation or result of fear of violating.
Example illustration: One driver slows down in school zone because he is afraid of the penalty. He is under the law. The other driver slows down (fulfills the law) because he loves children. He is keeping the law without being under the law. Agape is controlling him. Love ‘constrains’ him. 2 Cor 5:14″
Working for salvation by attempting to keep “the whole law” will bring great misery and end up in eternal damnation (James 2:10). Better just to admit you are not worthy, a vile, depraved sinner in need of the one Savior who paid the full price for your sins on that cross!
“Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” Romans 4:4-5
Apostasy
Direction in God’s Word? [podcast]
Nourished Up in God’s Word [podcast]
“Great podcast. Thank you. If you want to really fall in love with the scriptures, read Psalm 119. I spent probably a year reading, studying, and memorizing it. This Psalm was written for us, to begin to love God’s Word as much as the Psalmist did, which is what happened to me. My heart was truly transformed. The beloved David’s whole heart was dedicated to studying, obeying, meditating and learning all of the Word of God, so he could live a righteous and holy life, fully devoted to the Lord. We should live and breath the Scriptures and meditate on them day and night (Psalm 1:2).” Karen Cochran
“If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” 1 Timothy 4:6
Remaining “nourished up” in the Word of God is essential to enduring to the end. God’s Word is the divine fuel for all of His beloved saints.
Ingesting, devouring God’s words daily is invigorating to our spirits and essential to our lives in Christ!
Biblical Topics Sampling:
- Love/Charity: 1 Corinthians 13 “The love chapter”
- Origin of all Life/Civilization: Genesis 1-11
- 10 Commandments: Exodus 20:1-17
- Revelation 2-3: Christ addresses the 7 churches of Asia. There are many all-important truths and rebukes completely applicable to us now in being ready for Christ’s return.
- Fearing the LORD: Josh. 24:14; Ps. 2:11-12; 86:11; Prov. 1:7, 29; 8:13; 14:26-27; 22:4: Eccl. 12:13; Matt. 10:28; Lk. 12:4-5
- Sin: man’s core problem and dilemma: Gen. 3; 6:5; Jer. 17:5, 9; Rom. 3; 1 Jn. 1:7-2:2
- Proverbs: There are 31 chapters in Proverbs. 1 per day for a month complete the book.
- Prayer: Matt. 6:6, 26:41; Mk. 1:35; Phil. 4:6; Col. 4:2,12
- Overcoming Sin: Romans 6; 13:14
- The 7 Abominations: Prov. 6:16-19
- Forgiveness: Matt. 18:21-35; Mk 11:25-26
- The Crucified life: Lk. 9:23-24; 2 Cor. 4:10-12; Gal. 2:20; Col. 3:3
- Humility: Prov. 22:4; Matt. 20:20-28; James 4:6-10
- Spiritual Maturity: Heb. 5:11-14, 6:1-3
- Marriage/Dating/Divorce/ReMarriage: Deut. 24; 1 Corinthians 7
- The Written Word: Psalms 119; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21
- Sermon on the Mount: Matthew 5-7
- 6 Principle (foundational) Doctrines of Christ: Heb. 6:1-3
- Correction/Rebuke: Gal. 6:1-2; Prov. 25:9; Matt. 18:15-17; 2 Tim. 3:16
- Sin/Grace Righteousness: Romans 1-5
- Abstaining From Fornication: 1 Thess. 4:1-8; 1 Cor. 6:13-19
- False Prophets/Teachers: Jer. 23; Ezek. 34; Matt. 23; Jude 1; 2 Pet. 2
- Spiritual Gifts: 1 Corinthians 12, 14
- Love/Truth/Light: 1 John 1-5 First John Is Called ‘The Book of Certainties’
- Return of Christ: Luke 12:40; 21:34-36; 1 Thess. 4:16-18, etc.
- God of Restoration: Luke 15, 19:10
- Disciple’s Prayer Model: Matt. 6:9-12
- Riches: Matt. 6:19-21; Luke 12, 16; 1 Timothy 6:5-19
- The Divinity of Jesus Christ: Gospel of John (Hi-Lite & cross-reference every reference to Christ’s divinity); Jn. 1:1-2, 14; 8:58; 20:28; Eph. 3:9; Col. 1:16-17; 1 Tim. 3:16; 6:15-16; Rev. 1:8
- Wisdom: Prov. 8; James 1:5; 1:13-17
Putting God first in your day is a deliberate decision and act. It’s non-negotiable to the truth disciple. Such will never happen by accident. Take control of your time for Jesus or your time will continue to take control of you. Memorize 2 Timothy 2:15 and obey the LORD.
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
“Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail …” Isaiah 34:16
Read God’s Word itself, yourself (KJB). THAT is God speaking. Every time you read His Word, God is speaking to you.
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33
Becoming familiar with these texts will help you in your own walk with the LORD and in helping others (being able to teach and refer to these passages). You will be well on your way to a rich and full life of Bible literacy & usefulness in God’s kingdom as you begin to learn the above listed topics of truth. Hi-Lite, underline, cross-reference.
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
The KEY to understanding the mind of Christ being communicated in any book of the Bible: First, read that book 10-20 straight through to gain a knowledge of it, to begin to grasp the divine transmission. Then, go back and study it verse by verse in a more in-depth break down of the text.
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” 1 Peter 3:15
Let’s not come up empty handed any longer! Make the quality decision to learn God’s Word for yourself and stop depending on others. Embarking upon diligent topical and systematic Bible study is the answer.
“Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, 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 22:20-21
The Word of God is learned, one truth at a time, “But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” (Isaiah 28:13)
YOU cannot possibly be flourishing in Christ if you are not dwelling “richly” (abundantly) in His Word – both in your own personal, daily life and concerning Christ’s true body! (Colossians 3:16) If you are not surrounded with people you can have BIBLICAL conversations with, you have surrounded yourself with counterfeits!
“Presently, I am in 1 Kings, reading all the way through the Bible again, and also reading through Revelation backwards. Personally I like to read several chapters every morning to begin the day and like to include Old Testament, Poetic books, and New Testament chapter readings….. along with pouring over passages like 1 Cor 13; Phil 2:3-5; Col. 3:1-4, 12-14;” T.
“In 1 Thessalonians reading through the Bible.” Jason
“I am reading Mark.” Michele
“Philippians—Paul’s letter in prison—and joy.” Joe
“I’ve been Reading James And 1st and 2nd Peter This Week.” Connie
“Working my way through 1 Sam (ch 14 finished now) Psalms 77 and John chapter 4 finished. Trying to read through in 6 months. I enjoy listening (KJB on YouTube) while I read also.” Nathan
LET’S LEARN GOD’S WORD TOGETHER – ONE TRUTH AT A TIME: This message was sent out to each person who is on our Moments For My Master email devotional list. We would love to add you and have the privilege of nourishing your heart with God’s Word (1 Tim. 4:6). Sign up here.
MORE TOPICS
Adultery Matthew 5:27-28, 32
Adversity Romans 8:28
Afraid Psalms 34:4, 56:3
Alcohol Ephesians 5:18
Anger Ephesians 4:26-27, 31-32
Anxiety Philippians 4:4-7
Apprehension Matthew 6:31-33
Astrology Deuteronomy 18:9-14
Backbiting Hebrews 12:14-15
Backsliding Psalms 51
Bereaved 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Burdens 1 Peter 5:6-11
Conceit Luke 18:9-14
Contention Proverbs 13:10. 22:10
Confusion 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
Covetousness Exodus 20:17, Romans 7:7
Crisis Psalms 121
Criticism Romans 12
Cursing James 3:10
Daydreaming 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
Deceit Colossians 2:8
Defeated Romans 8:31-39
Depression Isaiah 61:1-3. Psalms 34
Despair 2 Corinthians 4:8
Destruction Psalms 103; Proverbs 18:12
Disaster Threatens Psalms 91
Discouragement Isaiah 42; Psalms 23
Disobedience John 15:14
Divorce Mark 10:2-12
Doubt Proverbs 3:5-6; Hebrews 11
Drugs 2 Corinthians 7:1
Drunkenness Luke 21:34-36
Envy Proverbs 14:30
Excuses Luke 14:15-24
Faith Falls Psalms 42:5
Fantasy 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
Fatigue Isaiah 40:31
Fault finding Matthew 7:1-5
Fear 2 Timothy 1:7; Luke 12:5
Fear of Rejection Ephesians 1
Fornication 1 Corinthians 6:18-20
Friends Fail 2 Timothy 4:16-18
Gluttony Proverbs 23:2
Gossip Proverbs 13:3
Greed Matthew 19:24
Grief Isaiah 53:3-4
Guilt Romans 8:1
Hatred 1 John 2:11
Heartbreak Psalms 147:3
Heaviness Isaiah 61:1-3
Hurting John 14
Idleness Proverbs 19:15
Idolatry 1 John 5:21
Inadequacy Philippians 4:13
Incest Leviticus 20:11,12,14
Inferiority Philippians 4:13
Impure Thought 2 Peter 2:10
Insomnia Proverbs 3:24
Intolerance 1 Corinthians 13
Irritability 1 Corinthians 13
Jealousy Proverbs 6:34
Judging Romans 14:10-13
Laziness Hebrews 6:12, Proverbs 19:15
Legalism Galatians 3
Lethargy Proverbs 21:24-26
Loneliness John 14; Psalms 23
Lying Revelation 21:8
Lust Matthew 5:28
Manipulation 2 Peter 2
Masturbation Romans 1:24-28
Materialistic 1 John 2:15-17
Mocking Proverbs 17:5
Murder Exodus 20:13
Negativism 2 Corinthians 1:20
Nervousness Philippians 4:6
Obsessive Behavior Galatians 5:16-25
Occult Deuteronomy 18
Overly Sensitive 1 Corinthians 13
Passivity Matthew 10:33
Pouting Matthew 6: 14-15
Prejudice James 2: 1-13
Pressure Proverbs 3:25-26
Pride Proverbs 16:18
Profane 1 Timothy 1:9
Protection Psalms 27
Quarreling Ephesians 4:25-32
Rape 2 Corinthians 7:1
Rebellion 1 Samuel 15:23
Rejection John 14
Resentment Hebrews 12
Restlessness Psalms 46:10
Retaliation Romans 12
Revenge Matthew 5:43-48
Sadness Nehemiah 8:10
Scorning Proverbs 22:10
Selfishness 2 Corinthians 9:1-14
Self-pity Philippians 4:8-9
Self-righteousness Luke 18:9-14
Self-rejection Psalms 139:14
Self-will Isaiah 53:6
Sensuality Galatians 5:16-26
Sexual Impurity Proverbs 6:24-35
Sin Psalms 66:18; 1 John 1:9; John 8:34-36
Slow to Forgive Matthew 18:21-35
Sorrow Isaiah 53
Spite Isaiah 50:6
Stealing Exodus 20:15
Strife James 3
Stubbornness 1 Samuel 15:23
Submission 1 Peter 2:13-17
Suicide Exodus 20:13
Suspicion Exodus 20:16
Swearing Colossians 3:8
Temper 2 Peter 1:5-8
Tempted Matthew 26:41
Too Quick to Speak James 3:1-13
Unbelief Hebrews 3:12-13
Unforgiveness Matthew 18:21-35
Vanity Galatians 5:26
Violence Ezekiel 45:9
Weariness Hebrews 12:3; 2 Thessalonians 3:13
Witchcraft Galatians 5:20
Workaholic Romans 10:3; Ephesians 2:8-9
Worldliness 1 John 2: 15-17
Worry Isaiah 35:3-5; 26:3-4
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Articles
False Apostles Exposed!
Ever notice today who everyone and their uncle’s dog is supposedly an “apostle”? Laughable. Heretical. Holy Scripture specifically addresses “false apostles” two times.
“For such are FALSE APOSTLES, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
Any man pretending to be an “apostle” is one of the “false apostles.”
To the Ephesian assembly of believers, Jesus said:
“I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried (tested) them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:” Revelation 2:2
Those who falsely claim to be apostles “are evil.”
Below is a specific exposé of a network of false apostles. Most deceivers use similar schemes and methods to prey upon the unlearned.
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” Romans 16:17-18
Reasoning away the blatant error and deception of these self-appointed so-called “apostles” is unwise and will result in being misled and damned ultimately (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; 2 Peter 3:17). It doesn’t matter how many good things are on their site and presented in their ministry, it’s a false ministry based on the fact that they are elevating themselves as “apostles” and deceitfully manipulating people with mind control to believe they need these wolves for spiritual maturity. This is a classic, easily discerned deception (2 Peter 2:17). This is classic Nicolaitan deceit. Jesus says He hates these deeds and doctrines (Revelation 2:6, 15).
“In fact it would be the same as attempting to elevate oneself in the power of the self, over other believers, as Jesus told us we are not to be doing. Reference where the disciples were arguing with each other over which of them was the greatest. Same would be true of a a person elevating themselves as a Pope.” Trevor Gamble
Most deception is simple mind control which is witchcraft to get gullible people under their spell and false leadership by making them think they need these “living apostles.” It’s a scam.
“Beware lest any man spoil (ruin) you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power.” Colossians 2:8-10
These “false apostles” will verbally agree with the fact that all true believers are “complete” in Christ and yet, they add to His Word and plan by insisting that THEY are Christ’s appointed “apostles” whom the LORD has sent to perfect them (those they are preying on). This is nonsense folks. This is no different than the Catholic cult convincing their prey that Peter was the first pope. We know that isn’t biblical and yet, when someone is convinced of this lie, they then wrongly believe that the Roman religion is the one true religion that extends from Christ and Peter. So, like Rome, these “false apostles” add themselves into the simple equation given us in the original Gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Timothy 2:5). More on this below …
We hope that these men will contact us with proof that they have repented and are bringing forth tangible fruits consistent with that true repentance (Matthew 3:7-8).
Self-Appointed “Apostle” John Welty Exposed
Any man calling himself a prophet or apostle is a fraud.
John Welty is a part of the “Second 8th Week Ministries.” Their website reads: “Living Apostles Today | Restoring the Church Back to Her First Love.” This clearly indicates that they believe that no one alive today among the true servants of Christ are able to do this work of Christ except them – the “living apostles.” This statement infers that until now, the body of Christ has not been able to grow into full maturity but now it can since they are on the scene. Another false apostle involved is self-appointed “apostle” Eric Vonanderseck.
“The apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers of the Second 8th Week welcome you. Hear what God is saying to the church through His apostles and prophets. If God has been preparing your heart for transition and change, be ready to be ignited by the Spirit to the fulness of the hope of Christ. This is a time of separation, a time of challenge, and a time of rejoicing. (Isaiah 42:16)”
This is a network set up to entrap and ensnare souls (Ezekiel 22:25-27). Note the typical buzz words and terms used by false ministries such as “transition and change” and “ignited.” This witchcraft, manipulation, and mind control is being wielded over the minds of men and women.
Note: A warning has been sent by us to these men in hopes that they would see the light of truth and turn to the LORD before it’s too late. No reply back was received to date. It is our prayer that these men will repent and turn their lives over to the LORD afresh in humility and brokenness. If they do, they will become genuinely broken, drop their titles, and begin serving God’s people instead of exploiting them for personal gain. Yet, for now the alarm must be sounded so that others can escape the snare of their falsehoods and counterfeit pretentious “ministry.” Our desire is not to condemn or be harsh. These things must be done in obedience to our LORD to protect precious souls (Romans 16:17-18; Hebrews 13:20; Jude 3-4, etc.).
Yet, we pray these guys themselves will turn to the LORD
At the top of the page on his personal website, John Welty didn’t even pay enough attention or purposely used a lower case “c” when referring to Jesus Christ. Keep this in mind as you read the following concerning this ravening wolf (Ezekiel 22:25-27; Matthew 7:15).
Did you notice this paragraph on this guy’s site? I high lighted some things…..
“Truth, which comes through living apostles, makes all the necessary connections so that we may recognize the pattern God set for our faith to follow. With truth in the heart, we learn how to meet God’s expectations through sanctified faith in Christ which joins our faith perfectly to Him that we may experience the power and fullness of Christ.”
Typical tricky and deceit-filled language used here. Welty is positioning himself by conditioning the reader to believe there are “living apostles” and that those apostles have the same amount of kingdom authority as did Paul and the original twelve and that we are to submit to them. Not quite! Though I do believe there are apostles today, I don’t believe they fulfill the same function or place in God’s kingdom as did the original twelve and Paul, and that if they are an apostle and a true one, they are probably humble enough not to refer to themselves as an apostle. They simply go about humbly serving.
You see, if wolves like John Welty can convince the unlearned that they need him then he’s got them in his grip. After all, John Welty is a “living apostle,” right? Wrong!
We are often warned in Scripture of beguilers like John Welty.
Read and commit to memory the following verse and it will keep you till the end beloved in this time of great and treacherous apostasy:
“For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” 2 Peter 2:17
Read it one more time please. This is key.
When you allow a man to “overcome” you with a lie such as Welty is peddling, then he will bring you under his “bondage” to the lies he perpetrated upon your life.
When we are truly submitted to Jesus Christ, rooted and grounded in Him and therefore His love and truth, we will escape such beguilers.
Notice how these so-called “apostles” have inserted themselves in the equation? Didn’t God tell us that there is only “ONE Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus”? (1 Timothy 2:5). Did you catch the word “necessary” Welty used? This is classic, typical Nicolaitan (conquer the laity by convincing them they need you) usurping. Jesus says He hates this (Rev. 2:6, 15). “False apostles” is one of the perils Paul faced (2 Corinthians 11:13).
These so-called “apostles” need to repent and begin obeying Jesus by not using titles and calling themselves mere servants who do not merit being saved much less ruling unwarranted over God’s children (Matthew 20:24-28; 23:8-12; Ephesians 3:8; 1 Timothy 1:15).
The 5-fold eldership giftings are to be used to glorify God was SERVING HUMBLY among His people and not to use as a title to build ones own brand in self-promotions (Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Peter 4:10-11). This is a direct contradiction of what Christ taught about the necessity of humility among His people (Matthew 20:20-28; 23:8-12).
Another clue to his smoke-blowing scam is that he is a cloud and wind without rain or without any substance (Proverbs 25:14).
“These are wells without water (no substance), clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. 18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.” 2 Peter 2:17-18
This guy is very long winded to make little simple points that aren’t even biblical and he really doesn’t make those points well if at all. Doesn’t the Bible tell us that the LORD is not the author of confusion? See 1 Corinthians 14:33. It would seem, at least in part, that John Welty is striving in the flesh and wanting “job security” as it’s called today. In other words, he wants people to think they need him which would assure his rule over them and being funded. So he’s deliberately not upholding the “Head” but instead he’s usurpingly intercepting the worship due only to Christ, the only Head of His body from which all divine virtue flows. See Colossians 2:18-19.
These “false apostles” give themselves away by never mentioning the very “the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” Jesus alone is “the Apostle and High Priest of our profession.”
“Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;” Hebrews 3:1
Isn’t it interesting how much time and energy these circus clown wolves spend claiming and touting their own self-appointed, supposed apostleship and say little or nothing about the very “Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus”? Now that’s a huge red flag, waving profusely!
The “Apostle” that matters is Jesus Christ, not modern men who wish to elevate themselves among other men by touting titles and thereby deceiving and snaring souls.
Paul, a known servant and true apostle of Jesus, appointed by Christ Himself, stated:
“Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” 1 Corinthians 1:13
Inserting so-called modern “apostles” into the equation is Nicolaitan domination over other souls which is witchcraft, which Jesus says He hates (Revelation 2:6, 15). JESUS Christ is building HIS true church as He promised and warns us about false prophets and false apostles, especially in these final days.
“The spirit of antichrist” opposes Christ by replacing Him who told us He is the only way (John 14:6). Those possessed with “the spirit of antichrist” don’t antichrist” don’t “consider” or esteem and factor in the only true Christ – Jesus Christ. They factor Him out of their message and your mind and life. That’s the very job of “the spirit of antichrist” who is Satan himself who has come to “steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (John 10:10). The “spirit of antichrist” is that evil spirit that works to replace Christ with something or anything else, derailing those who once knew Him (Colossians 2:8; 18-19; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; Hebrews 3:12-14; 1 John 4:1-3). Anti means in place of and so “the spirit of antichrist” replaces Christ with a false Christ or anything else (1 John 4:1-3). So, this evil spirit, working through false apostles like John Welty, seeks to replace Christ with himself in the lives of the people he preys upon.
You see, this guy is not preaching Christ but self. Paul said “We preach Christ crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:23). Welty distorts and throws out smokescreens with lots of fluff and stuff that goes undetected by those who have chosen to reject Christ in their own personal lives and therefore don’t study diligently His written Word. They therefore find it intriguing to hear all this acrobatic language that makes him appear as if he is a guru who has a special line to God and yet, in reality, what he says amounts to nothing.
Paul says: “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Galatians 6:14
You will most likely never hear John Welty say those words and if you do, he will twist them. Welty is glorying in self, not the Savior. Those snared by this man’s ministry of deceit will be like Welty – self-serving and Savior-rejecting.
1 John 4
“1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”
Glory intercepted: This fellow is under “strong delusion,” even having been sent by God this “spirit of antichrist” (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12). If you look at large segments of this guy’s work, you will not see him preaching and confessing Jesus Christ who came in the flesh because he is purposely x-ing Jesus out of the message in order to be able to elevate and establish himself and give job security to himself. The spirit of antichrist comes on those who want to reign over their own lives as Lucifer vaunted himself against the Almighty but was cast down for doing so.
If you are going to understand how the enemy works, you must understand the following passage which holds the key to understanding and being able to detect the work of the enemy of all souls:
Isaiah 14
“12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!
13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.”
Did you see the 5 “I”‘s of Lucifer?
In Heaven in eternity past, Lucifer, who is now Satan, appointed himself to be “like the most High.” This is exactly what the self-appointed, so-called “little gods” of today do as they seek to wield their manipulation over the people just as Lucifer did and was successful at garnering a third of the angels in Heaven who joined him in rebelling against God (Revelation 12:7-12). The first rebel, Lucifer, was cast out of God’s presence violently and permanently because “God resisteth (sets Himself against) the proud” (James 4:6).
Ezekiel, the servant of the LORD, was told by God to “Speak WITH MY WORDS unto them” (Ezekiel 3:4). Timothy was charged to simply and only “Preach the word” (2 Timothy 4:2).
Note what the elders of Israel did in ministering to God’s people:
“So they read in the book in the law (written Word) of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” Nehemiah 8:8
They simply read God’s Word to the people and helped them “understand” GOD’s Word. ANY person in “ministry” who is not doing this is a bona fide wolf on this basis alone.
As the video goes on, Welty speaks of “tools we can use daily.” I don’t like this word “tools” for more than one reason but firstly, I don’t like it because it’s not biblical language. What’s wrong with using the word “tools” and other non-scriptural terms and words? Well, lots. The premise from which he speaks is that WE use God and the things He has given us instead of being LED by and of Him. In this guy’s Luciferic theology, we take what God gives and use it as we see fit. He’s an enemy of the cross of Christ (Philippians 3:18-19). When we obey Jesus, we lay down our lives and deny self, take up the cross and follow Christ who is “the resurrection” and raised us up in His power, humbled before Him and simply following His lead. “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14). Do you see the difference here of being led by the Spirit and taking things into our own hands, even the “tools” God gives us? In this guy’s corrupted theology, God isn’t in control but he is.
Then he speaks of these so-called modern apostles whom he says “God” has called to “steward these things to you.” In other words, you need THEM. THEY are essential, not Christ, but them. You seeing this baiting and switching? This is slight of hand friends of Christ, so beware!
He says “this is what Christ is doing….. not apart from my stewardship but through it.” So, according to this wolf’s deranged theology, you must have him to have the work of God done in your life. It’s through him, not Christ but him, that God is doing His work. Absurd!
Then he says Christ was not our substitute but rather did what He did for “our benefit.” There we go again – he is making everything revolve around man when God’s Word teaches us that man is utterly depraved, corrupted, and sinful and that Jesus Christ is the propitiation for our sin. This man has replaced who the Messiah revealed in Holy Scripture with a false Christ that simply does all he does for the benefit of man. He’s like some cosmic bellboy who has come to give man tools to do his (man’s) own bidding as he sees fit as his own little god.
He uses more code language here such as “sanctified contact.” No such term or language appears in Holy Scripture. It’s like these guys create their own language to hoodwink the unlearned who refuse to study God’s Word and seek His face.
“Nine spiritual tools”? There are nine “GIFTS” of the Holy Spirit given to the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:4-12) and nine dimensions of “the FRUIT of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23); but never are nine or any “tools of the spirit” mentioned. What spirit is this man speaking by and of? The answer should be obvious.
Ouch, then he digs himself deeper with this feigned idea and worn out scheme of “learning the language of the covenant.” But his use of the words “language of the covenant” is not referring to simply learning the language given us as Holy Scripture which would be the language of God’s covenant if you will. You see, by his whole new language, he has to complicate the simple Gospel, the original Gospel, in order to establish his own position and profession and make people believe he is above them; and that they need him to know all these useless things he is putting forth and making sound fancy. To the contrary, Paul speaks of “the simplicity that is in Christ”:
2 Corinthians 11
“2 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.
3 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.
4 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.
5 For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles.
6 But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.”
John Welty is the typical esoteric clairvoyant channeler or medium who feigns to have some special line to God; and be a modern apostle of Jesus in order to trick people into submission to his high and mighty calling and Luciferian self. This man is a self-appointed false apostle and false prophet just as we are warned about in Holy Scripture (2 Corinthians 11:13). As we are doing here in identifying and exposing this false apostle. So did the Ephesian believers. Jesus said to them:
“I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried (tested) them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:” Revelation 2:2
Welty is a classic and typical example of a man who does not memorize God’s Words but rather has learned a simulated certain type of terminology in order to feel as though he has something unique that people need to learn. That’s his purpose for not preaching God’s Word – so he can introduce and seduce. Instead of simply teaching the written Word of God, false ministers try to come up with something different or something other than just the Bible so that they have their own brand of ware to peddle and make themselves seem unique and a needed commodity. But the Bible instructs us to “Preach the word” and to “speak with MY words unto them;” and “If any man speak, let him speak as of the oracles (written Word) of God” (2 Timothy 4:2; Ezekiel 3:4; 1 Peter 4:11).
I don’t sense the Holy Spirit in this man’s life at all which would be evidenced by “the fruit of the Spirit” or that Christ-like evidence produced in the life of the true disciple who is dying to self and being conformed to the holy and humble image of the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself for us (Romans 8:28; Galatians 5:22-23). A self-serving man is a man who is separated from Him who “is love” (1 John 4:8, 16). With no exceptions, those who are possessed with the fruit of God’s love live their lives to serve others and not exploit them for selfish cause.
Welty’s use of the words, “being in submission to my stewardship as an apostle,” gives his whole gig away. To the contrary, the Bible says:
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
Submitting to God is what is important, not submitting to mere sinful men. And, we are commanded to only submit to those servant elders who preach only God’s pure Word, and diligently watch for our souls (Hebrews 13:7, 17). Such a servant is very rare and nearly impossible to find in this late hour.
Welty’s system of submission is no different that that used by the catholic church which has added itself to the equation of salvation, falsely claiming that there is no salvation outside of Rome. But the true believer knows there’s only one Hope, one Way, one Truth, one who is eternal Life, one Mediator, and one great Intercessor!
Listen to what the apostle of Jesus, Paul, said concerning his place as an apostle:
“Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith (faith in God not Paul) ye stand.” 2 Corinthians 1:24
Yet Welty, and deceivers like him, claim to possess some great authority that believers should submit to. Nonsense!
Paul said that the Corinthian disciples of JESUS were only to follow him AS he followed Christ, and not if he departed from the faith and ceased to follow Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Paul was protecting the people even against himself, of whom he said he must “KEEP under” his body and bring it into subjection lest he also become rejected as a reprobate or one who is “castaway” from God (1 Corinthians 9:27). The apostle Paul, a true apostle of Jesus Christ said to the Galatians, that even if a very angel from HEAVEN (not hell), or if he (Paul) ever told them anything different than what he gave them in giving them the Gospel of Christ, that they were to consider him “accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9).
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach ANY other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach ANY OTHER gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8-9
This guy is a false as they come. I stopped the video here. It should be more than clear that John Welty is a child of Satan himself, posing as a minister of righteousness.
2 Corinthians 11:12-15
“12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.
13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
This guy is so obvious that part of me wants to burst out laughing, and the other part is very sad that there are so many severely lost and unlearned souls who would follow this error; and are one step away from the Lord’s wrath and don’t even realize it.
Paul, a true servant and God-fearing overseer, cried with literal tears for three years day and night, because he knew devouring wolves were going to enter in from among the people of God to lead away and destroy souls. He therefore commended them to the Word of God which is our only protection – but only as we ourselves seek His face and study what He told us in His Word.
Acts 20:27-32
“27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.”
In verse 32 Paul gives you and me the solution and safeguard to deceit and wolves – “the word” which is able to grant us a heavenly “inheritance.”
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“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11 For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” 2 John 9-11
Concerning apostles, one servant writes:
“I believe the scripture bears out that the use of the title of apostle should be reserved for those first apostles who were taught directly from the mouth of the Lord. That would include the eleven, plus Mathias, and Paul. Those apostles will forever be held to a greater position of respect since God chose them to be firsthand representatives of the message and Messenger He sent, Jesus Christ. Their revelation of Him and His message should never be added to, but it may be expounded on by the Spirit who continues to give us understanding of those things. Thus, those men stand alone in their call, and the bearing of the title should be reserved for them alone. That title makes that distinction clear. To strengthen this by the scripture, let us remember that while Barnabas and others were apostles, they were NEVER referred to as apostles by title. (Apostle Barnabas?) This was to distinguish them from second generation apostles who did not learn directly from Jesus Christ, but followed the first generation apostles and continued in the apostle’s call of teaching among the scattered sheep, establishing churches, and walking in the way of the Lord as examples to the whole flock. Yes. Genuine humility is essential in our walk and call, regardless of our particular position for edification in the body; but it is a particularly important characteristic for those who are entrusted with the call of a second generation apostle since we minister to the whole body. Our example should be the life walk of the High Apostle of us all, even Jesus Christ (Hebrews 3:1).
Finally, Some may argue that they need to use the title as Paul did, so that they will be given proper respect. However, the use of the title does not necessarily give respect and usually turns true believers off (thankfully). Paul was indeed a first generation apostle and even his use of the title did not always work to his favor. There was a lot of pain that went with his authentic title. I dare say, not many who call themselves that today would be willing to pay the price that he did – which was another PROOF of his apostleship.
In His grace,” M.
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SHOCKING List of False Prophets Most Believe are True
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