In 1 Timothy 4:1 God warns His saints/church about false prophets who would “… depart from THE faith and deceive others into following “seducing spirits and doctrines of devils,” many of which are listed in the introduction to this website. Because of church apostasy, those who truly seek God lament that “our fathers have inherited lies, vanity and unprofitable things” (Jer. 16:19). God warned that “ministers of righteousness” following “the angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14,15), would deceive the unlearned by quoting Scripture and doing religious works. It is for this reason that those who serve the Lord are commanded to MARK (identify) those false prophets (99% of religious ministers) and avoid them (Rom. 16:17). We are also to MARK those who speak God’s Truth (Phil. 3:17) and follow them. These are those minutely few ministers who “contend for THE faith once delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3,4). Note that He speaks of THE (only) faith. There are many “faiths” in Institutional Christianity but God is involved in only one–the one the whole of professing Christendom rejects–the faith put forth in His Word. The Institutional Church has never heard God’s Truth, but rather a smorgasbord of selected sound-bytes designed to massage the ego of the listener. For this reason God’s messengers and His message are rejected by the religious masses.
Jesus warned God seekers that false prophets would proclaim that He is indeed the Christ, then, having gained the people’s confidence, would deceive them (Mat. 24:4,5). They would claim to be His sheep, but would in fact be wolves in sheep’s clothing (Mat. 7:15). For this reason He commands believers to TEST THE SPIRIT of anyone claiming to represent Him (1 Jn. 4:1). This can only be done by comparing the minister’s word to God’s Word–the only sure mode of testing. “You shall know them by their fruit.” Their words are their fruit. As in all things relative to one’s walk with God, how we feel, etc. has nothing to do with where we stand with God. Proof of our standing is in His Word. Everybody feels saved. Everyone gets that warm, fuzzy feeling when religion is involved. Feelings are easily manipulated by Satan or the person him/herself. The only way to know where one stands with God is through His Word. Feelings, people and circumstances change, making them unreliable. God’s Word does not change. Men, however, have changed it.
Satan, knowing that he cannot overcome man’s natural spiritual inclination, diverts him away from God’s strait and narrow way and path and into his wide and broad ways and paths (Mat. 7:13,14) known as Catholicism and Protestantism, the latter having subdivided into hundreds of various sects in a vain attempt to scratch the itching ears of all people. Each of these sects (actually cults), known as denominations, was founded by a false prophet seeking a congregation. Having gathered a following by presenting a “new and improved version” of the Word, the false prophet calls his group “church,” gives it a name and proceeds to speak “the truth” to the world. Multiply this scenario hundreds of times and the end result is so-called “Christianity”–a morass of conflicting, contradicting, competing “faiths,” not one of which remotely resembles the New Covenant church established by Jesus Christ. Why the different churches and doctrines? Each sect, whether Catholic or Protestant, rejects those parts of the Bible that contradict its theology. The offending Scriptures are either ignored, altered or removed in order to justify that sect’s doctrines, methods, customs, etc.
Because God equates His Word with His Son (Jn. 1:1-4,14/Rev. 19:13), Jesus said that to reject/alter/void any part of His Word is to reject Him (Jn. 12:48). By rejecting the Biblical God and Jesus, the Counterfeit Church has had to create a new father and son that fit into their religious schema. The various gods and saviors of the church(es) not surprisingly teach exactly what each sect deems to be the “truth.” God condemns these “churches” and their “truths.”
Notice that in the Bible God almost always refers to His Word in the singular–the Word, the faith, the church, the ministry, etc. This is because there is only one Way, not many ways as we are told from pulpit and podium, radio and television, book and movie. In the face of man’s (Satan’s) multi-headed religious conglomeration known as “Christendom” flies God’s word: “There is ONE body, ONE Spirit, ONE hope, ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism, ONE God and Father of all.” This ONENESS is designed by God to result in the “… perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edification of THE (one) Body of Christ, till we all come in the UNITY OF THE FAITH, and of THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE SON OF MAN, to a perfect man, to THE MEASURE OF THE STATURE OF THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST.” God then warns against following the teachings of men who would divide the Body, thereby creating DENOMINATIONS. To do so divides the Head of the Body–Jesus (Eph. 4:4-14). Is Christ divided (1 Cor. 1:13)? God forbids the dividing of His Son’s spiritual Body–His church. Man, under the direction of Satan, divides its version of the church at will. In the Corinthian passage Paul warns the church against following the theologies of men who create denominations based on their rejection of God’s Word, thereby denying Him (Jn. 12:48). Religious men have judged God’s WORD and have found HIM wanting (Rom. 3:4). Unfortunately, the religious masses have blindly followed them into religious darkness. Unfortunately for such men and their followers, God has total recall and an endless supply of vengeance (Heb. 10:26-31). All one hears from pulpit and podium today concerns sweet baby Jesus in the manger and what He will do for the believer. One is hard pressed to hear about the Lion of Judah and His commanded obedience to His Father’s Word. The baby has long since grown up. The Lion now lives. Have questions or comments? Contact: lpj4142@gmail.com or P.O. Box 2352 Athens, Tx 75751 USA or (903) 677-5642.
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