May 15, 2013

  • Judgement comes, P4: When everyone “speaks” for God

    This marks the last post that I shall reprint, bringing up to date what I had previously said about Judgment from a Biblical point of view.  There was a reason for doing this, and I do feel it necessary to rehash old material before proceeding with new thoughts.  I have done some minor editing, so this is not entirely a rerun.  New thoughts will be in italics.

    In any case, this was originally posted on September 20, 2011 as “Judgement Comes, P4: A Presuming Spirit” and continued an unplanned series of posts which I will soon finish.  

    Prelude —

    There are very few things that scare me.  Honestly, I mean that. 

    1. Ghosts?  Don’t believe in them — It is appointed for man ONCE to die, and then for judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) 
    2. Monsters?  Don’t buy into them — there’s so very little of this world that man hasn’t seen that if there is a bigfoot or yeti or Loch Ness out there… they’re avoiding us for a reason. 
    3. Aliens?  I’ll quote Larry Norman on this one — If there is life on other planets, then I’m sure that He must know and He’s been there once already and has died to save their souls.
    4. Serial Killers?  If one happens upon me, he’d probably kill me quickly to shut me up from talking about the Grace of God and the forgiveness found in Jesus death on the cross.  I don’t fear death, nor do I fear the means by which I shall someday die.

    This universe may be big — but it’s not bigger than God, nor His grace, nor his ability to save.  I believe in the Sovereignty of God as well, which means I know that all things that happen — do so for an ultimate purpose…. and that’s nothing to be fearful of.

    No, there are seriously few things that scare me — yet this is one of them.

    In our day and age, information is wealth.  Those with the greatest knowledge at their disposal presume to have power.  And with the internet so freely available to one and all — the pride of man shows it’s ugly side time and time again.  I was just reflecting this morning on the fact that the more civilized a society becomes —- the greater it’s propensity towards sinful things becomes.  Today, we think ourselves not as sinners, but rather as good people who just happen to do bad things — occasionally… well, infrequently…. ok, hardly ever. 

    But it’s not information or knowledge that scares me, it’s the presumption that we can all be teachers…. that we all know God intimately and can pull Him out of our pocket at any time — we’ve all got this “god” thing figured out and can teach you how you, also, can know “the truth as I see it“.  (The link is to my post from April 2011 entitled “What’s wrong with American Christianity, Pt 2: Wiki-Bible-Pedia — it also goes to show that this topic has long been on my “hit list….” of things wrong in the Church.)

    There is a Bible verse that says that teachers (within the Church) will face a harsher judgment (James 3:1).  Ever wonder why that is?  When we teach, we presume to explain the Truth of God.  Who He is, what He’s all about, and more importantly (cause everyone loves to be a follower) what God expects of us.  We, in teaching, represent God —— or…. we MIS-represent God and lead people astray. 

    Wrap your mind around this for a moment.

    There are only two paths.  Heaven.  Hell.

    By speaking the truth, we lead people away from Hell and into Heaven.  BUT —- ONLY —- by speaking THE TRUTH.  Half-truths are weapons in the hands of our enemy to deceive and lead people astray.  If we only give half of the picture — we are not leading people to God…. we’re leading them to an IDOL we’ve named “God” and thus leading them into the sin of idolatry.

    Every cult and major religion was started by someone who presumed to teach FOR GOD.  Someone dissatisfied with God’s TRUTH who decided the Church had it wrong and he should set them straight.  Joseph Smith (Mormonism), Charles Taze Russell (Jehovah’s Witnesses), Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Science), Mohammed (Islam), Nimrod  (Founder of the Babylonian cults which still pollute and foul the world today) — the list of people who presumed to speak for God is massive, and every one of these people had one thing in common — they presumed to be teachers of / for / sent by the one true God when in fact, they spurned truth and spread lies in it’s place leading

    BILLIONS

    of people into Hell.

    Paul said that new believers ought not to be servants within the church. 

    Greek word: Diakonos — translated by the King James Crew as “Deacon” … a word created specifically for the King James Bible….  but in reality the word simply means “servant”… someone, anyone, who works in and for the church. 

    There was good reason for that — new believers don’t know enough lead and teach…. they have zeal, but it is not tempered by knowledge. (Romans 10:2)  They are prone to error and as such, prone to leading others astray.  There is good reason why James told us to be quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19).  Our words will someday judge us.

    Our words
    will someday
    judge us.

    Have you ever fully thought about that?  There is a judgment of believers (1 Corinthians 3:11-14).  Judgment STARTS WITH believers (1 Peter 4:17) and then moves onward to non-believers. 

    Footnote — Consider for a moment the parable of the Sheep and Goats (Matthew 25:31-46).  WHO was dealt with first?  The sheep.  The blessing comes to the faithful ones, then… judgment for all else.  Even the parable of the Wheat and the weeds (Matthew 13: 24-30) shows that there will be a separating of true and false believers someday…

    Jesus said that for every idol word that comes out of our mouths  —- we WILL be judged (Matthew 12:36 — the word “WILL” makes that a promise).  I honestly don’t believe that we believe this any more.  I honestly believe that we still buy into the whole “well, I’m really pretty decent and surely God sees my efforts for him and will consider that in my favor” attitude that stinks of trying to buy grace.  I say we don’t believe this because far to many of us presume to be teachers — speaking forth on God’s behalf without taking the time or effort to make sure we’re speaking T-R-U-T-H.  (2 Timothy 2:15)

    Unless the LORD builds the house,
       its builders labor in vain.
    Unless the LORD watches over the city,
       the watchmen stand guard in vain.
     In vain you rise early
       and stay up late,
    toiling for food to eat—
       for he grants sleep to those he loves.  (Psalms 127:1-2) 

    That was one of the greatest problems in Israel — prophets who spoke for the Lord abounded…. and not one of them was called to be a prophet.  They just wanted the title, prominence, importance, or maybe they just liked having power over people —- esp. the king.  But time and again God would send a true prophet to correct the false ones and you know what — the false prophets never once repented.  They all still presumed  to speak for God, even when faced by the truth.

    Bear all of this in mind for the next sentence.

    For every 450 prophets of Ba’al — there was only 1 prophet of God.

    For every 1,000 false teachers, who presume to represent God — there’s only a few, a handful out there, who are really doing the harder work of staying faithful and true to God’s Word and seeking to represent God faithfully, honestly and without creating yet one more “god” idol.   Billions across this planet follow some man’s teaching ABOUT God — from men who do not know God, and only serve to led men to hell…. In God’s name. 

    Consider for a moment the next few verses in light of what I am saying

    The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.  Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. (1 Timothy 4:1-2)

    For the time will come when men will NOT put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.  (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

    Today, we presume to speak for God…. to teach His word…. to know His mind…. we all want to share what we presume to know about God… without taking the time to honestly get to know God first.  We’ve become like Israel during the time of Ahab… and one of the more common indicators of judgments approach was when everyone assumed the role of prophet and presumed to speak for God.

    Judgment comes… are we ready?


    Postlude #1

    If you are asking me what makes me assume that men presume to speak for God and do so in a manner which greatly misrepresents God and causes men to fall away into Idolatry — simply look at the list of “Christian” (So-called) Best-selling books and music over the last 10 years.


    1. My Best Life Now (Joel Osteen) — This man does not know the difference between a Mormon and A Christian…. outright stating that “They serve the same Jesus I do”… and yet his books top the list of “Christian” best-sellers?
    2. The Shack (William P Young) — this little tome presumes to put words into the mouth of God APART FROM SCRIPTURE.  Makes me wonder who died and made the author the newest Pope.
    3. Love Wins (Rob Bell) —  Sure, there is no Hell, and a loving God is just that… a LOVING God.  I guess Jesus got it all wrong, poor Jesus.
    4. The Harbinger (Jonathan Cahn) — playing fast and loose with Scripture (i.e. using a prophetic verse of Scripture intended for the nation Israel and making it apply to America today), this book likewise presumes to speak for God BEYOND the pages of Scripture.
    5. Fearless (Phillips, Craig & Dean) — This trio of gentlemen, who have consistently topped the Christian Radio Charts over the last 20 years, are Oneness Pentecostals who reject the trinity and simply state that Jesus IS the Father, Jesus IS the Holy Spirit.  There is no God, there is no Holy Spirit, there is only Jesus — in both roles.  This is actually called Modalism and is heresy.  Please tell me what Jesus are they preaching to us on our Christian Radios and Ipods?!?!?
    6. The Collection (Jennifer Knapp) — when her record label knew there was a problem, that she had gross sin in her life regarding her Lesbianism, did they pull the product or did they simply release a greatest hits collection to market further off her popularity before everyone eventually did find out? 
      Oh, and as for her calling herself a “Christian Lesbian” — The pharisees thought they had it right too, didn’t they.  You can’t hold on to your sin and Christ also — no man can serve two masters.

    My point in all of this is to say just this —- we assume that any one who mentions the name “Jesus” to be a Christian now-a-days, regardless of what other truth(s) they might reject, obscure, or flat out deny.  We’d prefer to bury our heads in the sand and enjoy some light reading and peppy music — than to do the harder work of discernment — because everyone presumes to speak for God.…. and we unquestionably listen.


    Postlude #2:

    Before anyone comes forward and says “Ya know… what you just wrote… it applies to you as much as anyone else…”  I want to say that I completely understand that — and live in fear of it.  One of my biggest fears is that I might in someway mis-represent God, Christ or the Word of God in some way so as to lead people astray.

    Years ago I led a daily bible study with some guys.  In order to do the one hour bible study, I spent SIX HOURS A DAY IN STUDY.  Six hours.  Every day.  Just to teach one.  I stood fearful of misrepresenting God, His Truth, His Word or His Son to those men — and I stand equally as fearful today, some 21 years later…. even though I know quite a bit more than I did back then.

    Am I “God’s spokesperson?”   Am I a mouthpiece for God.  Am I some exalted teacher / preacher / pastor / prophet that everyone should pay extra special attention to. No.  I am a servant, pure, plain and simple.  No better than the next guy.

    Humorous footnote: Someone in the Charismatic movement once said of me “God is going to form new religion through you — to bring the world back to pure Christianity.”   I laughed in the guys face and told him that was the last thing this world needed, one more religion.  That was nearly 30 years ago, and in all that time I have never felt that “prophecy” to be anything more than a joke.

    Do I represent the Word of God faithfully?  I do my best…. even when what I say cuts me as well as everyone else. 

    When I was leading the Bible study 20 years back, I once stopped in the middle of the study and told the guys I couldn’t continue for the lesson — I needed to ask forgiveness from someone I had offended and couldn’t teach with that sin not dealt with. 

    I live under no pretense of being perfect… of knowing everything… and there have been many times I have been rebuked by others and have had to remove a post for a time in order to do more study or prayer to make sure what I said was right.  @Ehrinn_l, for instance, has faithfully and patiently sought to keep me on the straight and narrow over the years, and I respect that.  Her rebuke is always “iron sharpening iron…”

    Nevertheless, what I said is true… and you can verify it against the Bible… in fact, I strongly recommend it.   Be like the noble Bereans (Acts 17:11) my friends…. Check God’s word for what is and isn’t true…. and do your best to live by what you read there.

Comments (2)

  • Good post!  There are a few things within the church doctrines today that bother me and they are considered iron clad by most who teach.  First of all is tithing…….the new testament says to give as you purpose in your heart and if you give abundantly you will reap abundantly and if you give sparingly you will reap sparingly……..but EVERYONE, almost everyone, teaches tithing……..and in the old testament, the tithe was to be brought to the temple and eaten there by those who brought it as they learn…….every third year it was to be brought to the storehouse and distributed among the widows, the fatherless, the stranger in the land, and the levites.  The atonement offering was for the tabernacle and it was half a shekel for everyone twenty years and older…….the rich were not to give more and the poor were not to give less……..and the scriptures used in Malachi to convict the church of tithing, are written to the religious leaders of the temple, it was they who were robbing God…….probably by not doling out the tithe to the others as they were supposed too………but context in this case is highly ignored……..furthermore, the law was given to Israel…….it was never given to the gentiles.

    Another church doctrine that bothers me is this Catholic notion that the horsemen released by the opening of the seals in Revelation are antichrist spirits……..Jesus said he could not send the Holy Spirit to the apostles unless he ascended……and the ONLY thing Jesus could do in heaven that God would not do, is open that scroll……..it had to be opened by a man, a worthy man……..and Jesus was that man…….so logically one would have to assume the spirit the Lord sent out conquering and to conquer was not the antichrist, but the Holy Spirit…….I believe the first horseman was the Holy Spirit sent out to believers and he arrived here on the day of Pentecost, I believe the other three spirits are the Holy Spirit sent out to deal with the rest of the world, as Jesus said the Holy Spirit would CONVICT the world of sin, righteousness and judgment……..and surely we have had enough war, disease and hatred in this world based on people hating Christians because they are convicted of their own unbelief by watching the lives of those who believe to prove this point…….Jesus said he did not come to bring peace, but a sword……and division……..and nothing divides like the conviction of the Holy Spirit……..I have seen people get vicious before to protect their lies and wickedness…….as though if they could convince the whole world they are in the right it would make it so……..the very idea that God would divide his house by sending out an antichrist spirit, which John said was already at work in this world, not waiting to be sent out, makes me nauseous……..that is not the God I know who says he is not willing that any should perish but that all come to the knowledge of the truth……..why, the very idea that God would send out an antichrist spirit, calls into question the very character of a God who sent his son so that people could be saved……….I hate this doctrine.  I understand that the Catholic church has been under attack in the past and people were tired of the pope being called the antichrist………but that is no reason to tweak the Bible to suit their purpose.

  • @alterb4ego - Here’s a link for you — I dealt with Tithing 2 years ago when ReveLife (which, for the record, I despise with almost every fibre of my being…. the editor’s there are intent more upon keeping the peace and being popular than they are on presenting T-R-U-T-H and it shows) posted up a horribly bad post on Tithing that was written by a new-believer who had no clue what he was talking about.  I reprimanded him at his Xanga site…. he promptly deleted my comment, but not before I had copied and pasted the comment over to the ReveLife re-posting.  Anyway, here’s the link, and it’s a solid biblical review of Tithing and giving and explains WHY (key word there…) the Tithe was important for Israel, but not for the Church.

    Remember two things from the Old Testament — (A) God ALLOWED Satan to tempt Job, in order to prove his faith.  Thus, Satan was God’s pawn, nothing more.  (B) Satan was again used in the life of David when David counted the fighting men of Israel in order to know his “Strength” (forgetting of course that his strength wasn’t in mighty men, but in God.)   Again…. Satan was God’s pawn.

    Thus, I have no problem accepting that these judgments are spirits used by God to affect the lives of men.  What purpose does ANY….. let me repeat that word…. A-N-Y….. circumstance for good or evil…. what purpose does ANY of it have in the life of a NON-Believer?   Romans 2:4

    Or do you despise the kindness of God, not knowing that it is God’s kindness that leads you to repentance?

    Everything that happens in the life of a non-believer is aimed at making them see (A) the grace of God in his Goodness and (B) the judgment of God upon their sin…. all with the aim and intent of moving them into a position of repentance.   And this includes the time of the Great Tribulation wherein the greatest revival known to mankind will take place.  (I can write more on that later if you wish…. it’s pretty fascinating….)

    If God can use a donkey to speak to a FALSE prophet  (Balaam was never a true prophet of god!!) — then who are we to limit him as to what he can or cannot use in moving the hearts of men and exposing them to the fact that “Judgment comes” (To borrow the very key point to all these posts I’ve been re-printing.)

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