God and People this Thanksgiving...

On January 1, 1795, the first United States President, George Washington, wrote his famed National Thanksgiving Proclamation, in which he says that it is…

"…our duty as a people, with devout reverence and affectionate gratitude, to acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God, and to implore Him to continue is… our duty as a people, with devout reverence and affectionate gratitude, to acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God, and to implore Him to continue and confirm the blessings we experienced…"

Many years later, on October 3, 1863, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed by Act of Congress, an annual National Day of Thanksgiving "on the last Thursday of November, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens." In this Thanksgiving proclamation, our 16th President says that it is…

"…announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord… But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, by the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own… It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people…"

Seems clear doesn’t it... two of America’s iconic leaders, indeed the majority of our forefathers believed that you could not call yourself an American if you ignored or subverted the Word of God.  Ignoring the Word of God would be undermining Biblical truths...changing things people did not like or want to hear.

Citing numerous Biblical violations of the oppressive regime of King George of England, over 50 signers of the Declaration of Independence who were active members in their churches put together and signed the declaration of freedom now revered world-wide as a model of freedom. 

The standards and ideals for government were raised, and it was not based on foreign ideology but on Christian principles and values.  Days like Thanksgiving were set aside for all to contemplate and remember that we are in every aspect of life “under God” and should live our lives in such a way as to honor those founding standards and ideals.

The origins of American independence were not atheistic or agnostic, not Buddha, not Islam, nor Hindu, none of these religious concepts were represented in the declarations of our revolutionary fathers.  In fact it was quite the opposite since they took great offense at the violations of their Christian grounded principles and values, to the extent that they endured a war of independence to free themselves from all forms of tyranny... both mental and physical.

Yes, one can find ideals similar in other fallen cultures as the Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek, and Roman empires, but nothing as the three forms of United States' government created to mirror God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the United States. Few Americans even know how the three branches of government were fashioned.  Many will think me delusional to even suggest that our constitution and founding forms of government was born of Biblical concepts and allegiance to the Divine.

Our framers set religious freedom as a high priority and included the practice of religion without interference from the government or anyone else in the wording of the First Amendment. Those either hating Biblical principles or religion in general will lie about the origins, the minds and hearts of the men who crafted United States Constitution. 

The Big Lie

Those touting “freedom from religion” have distorted what the First Amendment actually stipulates. Legislation or judicial rulings that restrict the practice or expression of religious freedom are committing violations to the US Constitution which is a guaranteed fundamental freedom. The job of the judicial branch is to decide if a law violates or reaffirms the Constitution, not create new laws or stretch the truth of the wording to where it becomes unrecognizable.

Which brings us to a serious question…are Bible believing Christians obligated to obey the government all the time? This is especially critical when a law or process is implemented which violates the word of God.

It becomes a matter of conscience regarding the choice of either offending God or offending the government. There is no grey area regarding God’s Word, you are either obeying or rejecting God’s Word depending on your choice and actions. Moral relativism does not exist in God’s Word, you either with Him or you are against Him... there is no middle ground or safe zone as many would like.  

Does God mandate compliance to the government?

It is in the nature of human beings not to obey authority, so declaring oneself a rebel is about as momentous as a duck declaring it can swim. One can cherry pick verses out of the Bible and find a verse to substantiate almost anything. Does it not say in Samuel that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness as the sin of idolatry? Our revolutionary fathers must have been some very bad people to rebel against the authority of the King of England.

People pontificate all the time about not paying their taxes to the government and many fail to pay their due to the IRS citing all types of ills the government may be doing with funds that are collected. What does the Bible say about THAT? Surely it is noble not to want your money to go to funding wars.

Those not paying taxes to America are violating the Word of God. The Bible says to submit yourself to civil authorities and to follow the law of the land no matter how inane they may seem to you.  The apostle Paul delivers God’s inspired counsel to us in Romans 13:1-7 where it is said... Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.  6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

 So not only is one rebelling against the government by not paying taxing, they are also rebelling against the Word of God by taking such independent liberties.

Government officials will answer to God for what they do with the funds that are not used properly under the banner of “to whom much is given, much is required.” (Luke 12:48)

There is a purpose to why some countries are raised up while others are pulled down and it is not for us to have total understanding of what role a country plays in the context of God’s providence.  His authority and activities are quietly carried out and seldom understood. God throughout history has used countries to execute His will for a season.

Restricting prayer, worship, or the practice of religion by edicts from the government or corrupt local officials has already been addressed as a model by Daniel and followers of Christ in both the Old and New Testament. Daniel ignored the law of the king and continued with his religious practices. The Hebrew people refused to comply with a law compromising God's Word. It becomes a matter of personal conviction if somebody is willing to pay the price. There is a price for doing something and a price for doing nothing.

Persecution in many forms will result if somebody does not compromise to what an intrusive government may do in America or anywhere else on earth. Following a government declaration deemed lawful by the government that violates the law of God will not be excused concerning justice and judgment either by the government or the person complying with a law that mandates compliance. The consequences of breaking God’s law as a result of following a government law are not excused by God. That’s a real tough concept to swallow.

Unjust punishment does result when the law of God is followed when it conflicts with what the government declares. There is nothing new under the sun concerning persecution of those wishing a righteous standing with God. Every believer will face sanctions, some even going to their deaths when one violates government standards concerning the practice of religion.

Persecution separates the pretenders from the contenders. It will reveal where your faith really is.

Religious freedom is being circumvented in this country through poorly conceived legislation, corrupt judicial rulings, and enemies of religion intimidating ignorant or weak willed civil authorities into allowing the attacks against religion to stand. 

Regardless of what the government does or does not do regarding religious freedom, the ultimate responsibility to submit or resist religious restrictions rests with each individual.  

The word compromise is just not in the Word of God.  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Recognizing False Doctrine and Teachers...

Paul lists four telltale markers to help us identify false teachers... personal motivation, their message, their master, and their methods.  Let’s examine each marker carefully.

The Motivation of False Teachers is to Promote Themselves by causing Dissensions and Stumbling Blocks.

Romans 16:17 says... “Keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned….” We need to understand that Paul is not saying that true teachers avoid all controversy! Jesus Himself provoked a lot of dissension by confronting the hypocritical religious leaders (Matt. 10:34-36; 23:1-36). 

Paul contended vigorously with the Judaizers in Galatians, where he tells how he confronted Peter publicly because he had come under their influence (Gal. 2:11-15). When the gospel or other core biblical truth was at stake, Paul believed in the necessity to contend strongly for the faith. In fact he sums up his entire ministry by saying that he had fought the good fight (2 Tim. 4:7). He was not opposed to controversy when the integrity of the gospel was at stake.

But the word that Paul uses here translated “dissensions” is a deed of the flesh (Gal. 5:20). And these dissensions are “contrary to the teaching which you learned.” This dissension stems from self-centered, self-exalting motives. False teachers attempt to build a following because they love promoting themselves and being the center of attention. They’re after power, fame, money, or sinful sexual gratification. They don’t seek to exalt Christ and Him crucified. They don’t hold firmly to the gospel of justification by faith alone. By adding the word “stumbling blocks” (9:33; 11:9), Paul shows that these men created dissension by teaching damnable heresies.  Invariably, those who stood for the gospel would rightly oppose them. The result was dissension in the churches. But at the root of it, these false teachers were motivated by promoting themselves, not Christ.

The Message of False Teachers is to Contradict core Biblical Truth.

Their message was “contrary to the teaching which you learned.” Paul is mainly referring to the truth of the gospel which the Romans had believed and which Paul had set forth so clearly in his letter.  There are many areas of doctrine where godly Christians may differ and yet still be saved, such as various views of end-times prophecy, church government, music and other secondary issues.

But there are core doctrines where all true Christians must agree or you cease to be Christian in any biblical sense of the word.  All of the cults promote a way of salvation by works that detracts from God’s glory through the cross of Christ. All false teachers undermine the person and work of Christ through their self-promotion which leads to distortions of doctrine. If you abandon core biblical doctrines for the sake of unity, the unity you end up with is not Christian unity. So pay attention to the message.  IF it’s different than what the Bible teaches... there’s a BIG problem.

The Master of False Teachers is their own Appetites, NOT the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul explains in Romans16:18... “For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ, but of their own appetites.” False teachers are in the ministry for their own profit and gain. They take people’s money so that they can live lavishly. They love power and being in the limelight. Often false teachers take advantage of women in their congregation for their own sexual gratification. But they do not preach or live in submission to Christ as Lord. To the contrary...True teachers seek to submit every area of their lives to Christ as Lord and God.

The Method of False Teachers is to use Smooth and Flattering Talk to Deceive the HEARTS of the NAÏVE.

False teachers are usually nice, likable, and gregarious folks. They flatter you by telling you what you want to hear. They smile as they tell you how great you are and how you can have your best life now. They don’t talk about anything negative, like sin and God’s coming judgment. They say... “People are beat down enough as it is. When they come to church, they need to hear a positive message, like God’s love and acceptance” (apart from repentance, of course). They use biblical verses, often out of context, and biblical language, but they [intentionally] change the meaning of the terms. For example, both the Mormons and the Jehovah’s Witnesses talk about believing in Jesus as Savior and Lord, but their “Jesus” is not the Jesus of the Bible.

Important to remember, false teachers speak to the desires of the heart.  That’s the key to their deception, it takes place in the heart, which involves both the mind and the emotions. Deceivers know how to manipulate people’s feelings. They tell you stories that tug on your heart. They get you laughing. They often ridicule those who stand firm for biblical truth and portray them as mean, angry, and unloving. They appeal to greed and the desire that we all have to be healthy. If you’ll just send them a gift, they’ll pray for your prosperity and healing. By preying on your feelings, they lure you into their web of deception. So to recognize false teachers, watch their motives, their message, their master, and their methods.

Therefore, knowing how false teachers operate, what should our response to them be?  Paul says... “Keep your eye on them and turn away from them.” The noun related to the verb “keep your eye on” is used in Ezekiel 3:17  to refer to the watchman on the wall. His job was to keep his eye peeled for the enemy and to sound the alarm when he saw them coming so that they could prepare for battle. Since these false teachers often disguise themselves as “servants of righteousness” (2 Cor. 11:15) or as “wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Matt. 7:15), you have to be discerning and always on-guard to spot them.

Paul does not tell us to engage in dialogue with them or to invite them into our church to see if we can find some common ground as we discuss their heretical ideas. Sometimes division or separation is both the necessary and the godly thing to do. Christian leaders especially have to be careful. For example, when Billy Graham invited Roman Catholic leaders to sit on the platform with him at his crusades and he used the Catholic Church to follow up with those from Catholic backgrounds who responded to his message, he sent a strong message to the untaught that the Catholic Church preaches the same gospel taught in the New Testament. The problem is, Catholics don’t teach what the Bible teaches. They preach salvation by grace through faith plus works, which is precisely the Galatian heresy. Paul preached salvation by grace through faith alone. The difference is not minor, because Paul said that the Galatian heretics were damned (Gal. 1:6-9)!

Should you invite cultists who knock on your door to come in and discuss their beliefs so that you might lead them to Christ? Maybe, but be very careful! The cults do a very good job of training their people to overcome objections. They can take you to every verse that seems to support their heretical teaching. If you’re not knowledgeable, they will confuse you and draw you into their heresies.  Be kind, be polite but don’t engage in pointless debates and arguments.  

Obedient Christians especially need to be on guard against false teachers as Paul counsels in Romans16:19...“For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.” Why does Paul begin this verse with “for,” which seems to be explaining the warning of verse 18? The sense seems to be that Paul rejoiced to hear about the obedience of the Roman believers to the gospel, but that obedience also made them a prime target for these false teachers. False teachers rarely make converts out of pagans. Rather, they go for unsuspecting Christians who lack discernment.

Paul also says, “I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.”  Or, in Jesus words (Matt. 10:16, ESV), “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” In the context, “good” refers to sound doctrine in line with the gospel. “Evil” refers to the corrupt doctrine of the false teachers. While it’s helpful to have a basic knowledge of what the cults and other false religions teach so that you can avoid their errors and witness to them, it’s not edifying to study these errors in depth. Some who are targeting a particular false religious group may need to study their teachings more thoroughly. But generally our focus should be on being wise in the Scriptures. Knowing the truth will equip you to refute the errors of false teachers.

Paul concludes his warnings with a promise and a blessing as he states in Romans 16:20... “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.”  Ultimately, it’s the God of peace and His grace that protect us from falling prey to false teachers. This passage was Paul’s first mention of Satan in Romans. He is no doubt thinking of the first temptation in the garden, when the serpent deceived Eve. God promised that her seed (Christ) would crush the serpent’s head (Gen. 3:15). The implication is that Satan is behind all false teachers who deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting, just as he deceived Eve. Remember, in this context of spiritual warfare, where God will crush Satan, Paul calls HIM “the God of peace.” He makes peace both between us and Him and peace between believers through the cross of Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:14).

Satan was defeated at the cross (Col. 2:15). But until Christ returns the battle rages as the enemy seeks to deceive and devour Christians. We win the battles against him as we put on the full armor of God and resist his evil schemes (Eph. 6:10-20; 2 Cor. 2:11; James 4:7; Rev. 12:11). He will be finally defeated when Christ throws him into the lake of fire (1 Cor. 15:25; Rev. 20:10). 

While we should not ignore Satan and we should respect his cunning and power, we should not fear him. The Bible is clear that God will finally triumph and Satan will lose (1 John 4:4).

“Grace” takes us back to Romans 1:7... “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” God’s grace is at the heart of the gospel. False teachers invariably subvert the grace of God, either by teaching salvation by works (legalism) or by promoting licentiousness. Knowing and experiencing God’s grace sustains us in the battle against the enemy. His grace motivates us to study His Word of truth, which protects us against the deceptive lies of false teachers.

Recognizing False Doctrine and Teachers – Part I

Many church leaders today think that proclaiming truth loudly and vigorously is the best alternative to rebuking error.    Rather than wrestling with false teachers and their heresies, they’re content to cover their eyes, plug their ears, and “stay positive” in their teaching.  Big mistake!

When it comes to preaching the truth and confronting unbiblical error anything less than direct confrontation contradicts the examples we see throughout Scripture. In his letter to Titus, the apostle Paul made it clear that both responsibilities are fundamental to the work of a church leader.... For the overseer must be above reproach as God’s steward, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not addicted to wine, not pugnacious, not fond of sordid gain, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, just, devout, self-controlled, holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict. (Titus 1:7­–9)

Pacifism has never been an option in the war for people’s souls. Any preacher and pastor who teaches faithfully is called both to exhort believers in sound doctrine, and to refute those who oppose sound doctrine.  It’s time to call out those who spread life-threatening false doctrines!

If you are a shepherd in God’s Church, you have the God-given obligation to cultivate truth discernment among your flock. That discernment is needed to enable your flock to understand the truth of God’s Word.  Knowing the difference between truth and falshood is essential to protect them from the false teachers and their heresies that are running rampant in today’s world.  The Greek word Antilegō (to refute) means literally “to speak against.” The Lord’s true preachers and teachers are to be warriors against unsound doctrine that lurks under the guise of biblical truth.

Not long after Paul himself ministered in Crete, “many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers” were causing trouble and confusion in the churches there (Titus 1:10-16). They were not to be ignored, much less tolerated, but were to “be silenced because they were upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach, for the sake of sordid gain” (v. 11). They were particularly dangerous because they arose from within the congregations. “They profess to know God,” Paul said, “but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient, and worthless for any good deed” (v. 16).

Even the spiritually mature church at Ephesus was not immune to false teaching. “I know that after my departure,” Paul warned elders from that church, “savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:29–30).

Although false teachers in the church exist under many guises, they all, in one way or another, contradict biblical truth. They are the enemies of sound doctrine and, therefore, of God and His people. Simply to accept Scripture as the inerrant Word of God does not protect against its being misunderstood or even perverted. Positioning personal insights, alternative interpretations and decisions of church councils as authority equal to Scripture is to contradict God’s Word—just as surely as is denying the deity of Christ or the historicity of His resurrection. 

Remember and tremble..  the final warning of Scripture is... “I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God shall add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18–19).

The dual role of the godly preacher and teacher is to boldly proclaim and to defend God’s Word. In the eyes of the world and, tragically, in the eyes of many genuine but untaught believers, to denounce false doctrine, especially if that doctrine is given under the guise of evangelicalism, is to be unloving, judgmental, and divisive.  Truth teachers are viewed as mean-spirited and hostile to any other beliefs but their own.  Not true.  The genuine teacher and preacher of truth, has no personal beliefs other than those learned from the Word of God.  

Compromising Scripture in order to make it more palatable and acceptable, whether to believers or to unbelievers, is not “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).  It is speaking falsehood and is the furthest thing from godly love. It is a subtle, deceptive, and dangerous way to contradict God’s Word. A faithful pastor must have no part in such thinking. He himself tolerates, and he teaches his people to tolerate, only sound biblical doctrine.

All Christians share the biblical mandate to cultivate biblical discernment. Remaining passive in the church and ignoring the cancerous effects of false teaching is a serious dereliction of our duty as believers. We are to be equipped with the biblical tools necessary to identify, expose, repudiate, and excommunicate all wolves who sneak into the church. 

Out of love for Christ, His people, and the pure exclusive gospel that He delivered, each of us must take up arms in the ongoing war for the truth.  The apostle Paul gave us a sound foundation on which to build our arsenal and strategies to defend truth.

Paul makes three important points that should be the basis for our defense of truth: First, believers need to be on guard against false teachers (Romans 16:17-18). Second, even obedient Christians need to be on guard against false teachers (Romans 16:19). Third, ultimately, it’s the God of peace and His grace that protect us from falling prey to false teachers (Romans 16:20).

Paul's warning are for believers and he shows us how to recognize false teachers and how to respond when we encounter them. Paul’s warning is generic enough, elastic enough, that it applies to a wide range of false teachers.

In the next installment we will examine Paul’s warning.. specific "markers" that we can use to identify false teachers.    

Wrestling with False Doctrine

Maybe you know this... maybe you don’t...  If you work your way word-for-word through the New Testament, categorizing every area of truth to determine how many times each area is addressed, with the goal of finding which teaching is emphasized more than any other, you will likely be amazed at your discovery.  In the New Testament, the single most dominate teaching is a repeated warning against false doctrine.  To be on guard against false doctrine and the teachers of false doctrine is emphasized more than any other aspect of the Christian life.

Jesus warned in Matt. 7:15... “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” Much of His ministry consisted of confronting the false teaching of the religious leaders of His day (Matt. 16:11-12; 23:1-39). In His discourse on things to come, He warned in Matt. 24:4-5... “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.”

The apostle Peter devotes most of 2 Peter to warning against false teachers. Jude devotes his entire short letter to the same theme. John in his epistles repeatedly warns of false teachers. 

Paul’s final words to the Ephesian elders warned them in Acts 20:28-30... Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

His final letters to Timothy and Titus repeatedly emphasize the need for sound doctrine. He told Titus (1:9) that an elder must hold “fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” He goes on to explain that there are many empty talkers and deceivers who are upsetting whole households through their false teaching. In his final charge to Timothy, after telling him to preach the word, he explained in 2 Tim. 4:3-4... ^“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

So it should not surprise us that as Paul concludes his letter to the Romans, in the midst of giving and sending warm greetings to the saints, he breaks in with this warning to beware of false teachers. Some liberal commentators have thought that this paragraph is so abrupt and out of context that it must have been added by a later scribe. But Paul was constantly battling false teachers who hounded his steps and perverted the truth of the gospel. He was writing from Corinth, where false apostles posing as servants of righteousness had caused much damage among believers (2 Cor. 11:3-15). As he thought of his many dear friends in Rome, he didn’t want them to be led astray. He had heard that they were doing well in the Lord (16:19a), but the present is no guarantee for the future. So his love for them prompted him to insert this warning against the dangers of false teachers.

The Apostle Paul’s words to first century Christians are totally out of sync with our current modern culture that holds up “tolerance” as the chief virtue. Even many professing Christians argue that we should set aside all doctrinal differences, even with the Roman Catholic Church, and come together in the areas where we agree. They say, “Jesus didn’t say that the world will know we are Christians by our correct doctrine, but by our love.” And so they hold unity services with those who deny the gospel and other core biblical truths. In its most extreme form, they hold interfaith services with those who believe in other religions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam.

Even the highly respected evangelist Billy Graham fell into this serious error. He was always known for cooperating with Roman Catholics in his crusades. But even worse, as far back as 1978 McCall’s magazine quoted Graham as having said these words... “I used to believe that pagans in far countries were lost if they did not have the gospel of Christ preached to them. I no longer believe that.” In May, 1997, in a TV interview with Robert Schuller, Graham said these words...  “I think that everybody that loves or knows Christ, whether they are conscious of it or not, they are members of the body of Christ…. God’s purpose for this age is to call out a people for his name. And that is what he is doing today. He is calling people out of the world for his name, whether they come from the Muslim world, or the Buddhist world or the non-believing world, they are members of the Body of Christ because they have been called by God. They may not know the name of Jesus but they know in their hearts that they need something they do not have, and they turn to the only light they have, and I think that they are saved and they are going to be with us in heaven.”

Schuller was surprised by Graham’s words and asked for clarification... “What, what I hear you saying, that it’s possible for Jesus Christ to come into human hearts and soul and life, even if they have been born in darkness and have never had exposure to the Bible. Is that a correct interpretation of what you are saying?”

“Yes, it is,” Graham responded decidedly. At which point, Schuller exclaimed, “I am so thrilled to hear you say this... “There’s a wideness in God’s mercy”.’ To which Graham added, ‘There is. There definitely is.” 

Of course there is a wideness in God’s mercy.  As Romans 10:13 states... “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” But Jesus Christ is that Lord and He said in John 14:6... “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” So when a Christian leader as respected and popular as Billy Graham says that people of other religions will be in heaven apart from faith in Christ, it shows why we need to pay close attention to Paul’s warnings to be on guard against false teachers. 

Paul knew how easy we can be lured by smooth sounding words from respected church leaders.  He is wisely saying to all of us that even faithful and obedient Christians need to be on guard against false teachers who deceive others for their own gain.

BEWARE of FALSE TEACHERS!

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”  (Matthew 7:15)   “See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many.”  (Matthew 24:4-5)

The apostle Peter devotes most of Second Peter to warning against false teachers. Jude devotes his entire short letter to the same theme. John in his epistles repeatedly warns of false teachers. 

Paul’s words to elders warned them to be on guard... Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. (Acts 20:28-30)

His final letters to Timothy and Titus repeatedly emphasize the need for sound doctrine. He told Titus (1:9) that an elder must hold “fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” He goes on to explain that there are many empty talkers and deceivers who are upsetting whole households through their false teaching. In his final charge to Timothy, after telling him to preach the word, he explained  in 2 Tim. 4:3-4... ^“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”

Recognizing a false teacher is important to our relationship with and respect for the precision of God’s Truth.  Sometimes, what a false teacher preaches is so appealing that many people are duped into believing what is spoken.  The distortions of truth are alluring and appealing because what is being spoken frees people from their personal responsibilities to change their lives and live according to the “absolute” truths found in God’s Word. 

Such a false teacher, is televangelist Joel Osteen.  Joel has a problem with the New Testament.  Joel has a problem with the words of

the writers of much of the New Testament.  Evidently, Joel must have a problem with God, who by “inspiration” directed and guided the writing of the words that comprise the New Testament.  So, what’s the problem Mr. Osteen?

According to Joel Osteen – Pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, these first century apostles are wrong and outdated and he has come out boldly to infer indirectly that Apostles Paul, Peter, and John who wrote much of the New Testament were wrong and need to be corrected and rebuked.  Follow closely now, as I highlight Mr. Osteen’s views on Biblical Truth... the New Testament... and the men of God under divine inspiration who penned His message to humanity.

When asked directly if people who are openly practicing homosexuals are accepted into the Kingdom, Joel Osteen responded with “Absolutely, anybody is.”

Joel does acknowledge that some things are “sin” but says, “I don’t address these things from the pulpit. They only come up in interviews.” When asked if openly practicing gay/homosexual people will be accepted into heaven, Joel Osteen responded, “I believe they will.” He makes no mention of the need for repentance and change.

Joel Osteen is teaching the false and unfounded doctrine of Universalism.  The teachings of universalism is the belief that all people are “saved” no matter who you are or what you’ve done.

Mr. Osteen is preaching a new, updated and from his perspective an improved version of the “good news” that is MUCH BETTER than the message that Jesus and the Apostles preached 2,000 years ago.  That message was far too narrow according to the way Joel Osteen explains his new and improved “message.”

“I’m for everybody” says Joel Osteen, “I’m not into excluding people. Jesus can reveal himself to anybody.”

The idea is that since no one would be accepted if we are called to be “holy” then all have to be accepted. So goes his logic. This doctrine also teaches that all roads lead to heaven so there is no one “way, truth, and life that leads to the father.”  Jesus was in Mr. Osteens opinion... wrong when He said... “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life... no one comes to the Father, except through ME!”  

According to Joel, “sin means to miss the mark” which, while technically correct, stands in contrast to the teachings of many writers of the Bible that teach that sin is violation of God’s Holy Laws so if by missing the mark Joel means violating God’s ways, then yes, sin is missing the mark.  According to the out of date writers of the Bible, the “wages of sin is death” for which blood is required and for which a sacrifice was presented... in the person of Jesus Christ’s death on a cross.

It sounds a lot more harsh to say SIN is TREASON punishable by death than to say it is “missing the mark” which is only half the message, incomplete. Sin is also “to incur guilt, incur penalty” which according to the scripture is death.  Romans 6:23 says... “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

When asked about people who live in open sin, Joel smilingly said, “I’m not going to bash those people. I’m not going to be against those people. They’re good people.”

So by contrast, the Apostle Jude is “bashing people” when he said in Jude 1:14-16... “Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” These people are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage.”

Joel’s wife recently said in a televised interview... “It’s the people that we’re after. We’re not trying to judge their sin. We want to encourage them and love them. You’re only going to win people by reaching out to them.”  (Really...?  It’s their MONEY you are after!)

The Osteens are all about the people [and their money]! They want “hears of their words” to be accepted without having to discuss anything like repentance or righteousness. These are “judgmental” subjects that we just don’t need in the context of church.

These modern day ministry giants have gone on national television to correct Apostles Peter, John, and Paul by boldly saying… they are wrong … if you believe what Joel Osteen teaches. So many people, more than 45,000 at his church on any given Sunday are so proud of this Pastor and his courage in confronting those misguided writers of the New Testament and declaring them wrong!  

According to Joel Osteen, the Apostle Paul incorrectly stated this warning to the Corinthians as recorded at 1 Corinthians 6:8-10 which says... “Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters. Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

In saying this, according to Joel Osteen, the Apostle Paul is being “exclusionary” and should be rebuked and corrected.  He is obviously wrong and should never have said these things to the Corinthian church.  Corinth was known for its sexual openness and promiscuity, so for Paul to “condemn” all these “good people” was completely out of order and he needs to be rebuked.

When Paul wrote to the Romans he also was in complete error in stating the following in the first chapter of his letter, according to Joel Osteen.  Romans 1:27...  In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

According to Joel Osteen, Paul was absolutely incorrect and to state that being a homosexual is a sin is being “judgmental” and should not be tolerated. It is just wrong according to Joel Osteen. Many people agree with Mr. Osteen’s views today and so, the Apostle Paul is apparently misguided and incorrect in his letter.  In fact everything Paul wrote [under divine inspiration] to the Romans is undoubtedly “wrong” counsel.  

Osteen goes on to point out the additional errors in the words Apostle Paul as summarized in Romans 1:32... “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” Paul‘s letter to the Romans, according to the words of Joel Osteen, is deeply misguided and mistaken.

That scoundrel Paul should repent for saying such things according to Joel Osteen. A growing number of people in America agree with Joel that the Apostle Paul should be rebuked for ever saying such things because Paul isn’t accepting of people like Joel Osteen is.

Equally misguided and incorrect according to Joel Osteen is Paul’s words to the Galatian church. In his writings, the Apostle Paul made stunning comments that were clearly exclusionary statements concerning the Kingdom and those who are accepted, and in so doing made grave error, according to Joel Osteen.

See if you can detect the absolutely false statements that Apostle Paul made to the Galatians church according to the stated doctrine of Joel Osteen.

Galatians 5:19-21 says...  The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;  idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

You can clearly see what has Joel Osteen so unhappy that he’s gone on national television to correct! It is this type of rhetoric, according to Joel Osteen, that is completely false and misrepresents the God “he” serves.

Joel Osteen’s God loves everybody and there are “no exclusions” because then, according to Joel, “none of us would be saved.” So again, Apostle Paul was completely incorrect and should never have written such harsh and insensitive words to the Galatian church according to Mr. Osteen.  I can imagine Joel Osteen saying... “shame on Paul for ever writing such hateful words!”

Now, not only is Osteen out to correct the misguided Apostle Paul, but Apostle Peter was also brought into serious question for clearly being exclusionary when he wrote these words in 1 Peter 1:14-16... As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance,  but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior;  because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

According to the “Osteen doctrine” now shared with the world, “his message,” is clearly more evolved and enlightened than the archaic words of the Apostle Peter.  NO ONE  can be holy. We are left to conclude that Peter is misguided and is being judgmental. What a terrible yoke and condemnation Apostle Peter is trying to put on the good people he is writing to.

Additionally, Apostle Peter goes on to say things that are completely against the Lakewood Church Pastor’s God when he stated the following in 2 Peter 2:6-9...  if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless  (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to hold the unrighteous for punishment on the day of judgment.

According to Joel Osteen’s public comments, one could conclude that the Apostle Peter was in complete error and deceived when he wrote such things. What a terrible condemnation. Peter clearly did not know the “doctrine of Joel Osteen” or he would never have said such awful, critical and threatening things.

Joel Osteen indirectly implies (subtly) that these apostles were false teachers – critical and judgmental, and should NOT be listened to in America today. We all need to listen instead to Joel Osteen and and his interpretations of the Bible.

Now... the Apostle John, [the closest friend of Jesus] made even greater errors.  Osteen says that his words of condemnation including the book of Revelation are simply not true.

It takes a lot of courage for Joel to stand against these writings but he believes strongly in his “uplifting and encouraging” doctrine that does not endorse such harsh and judgmental statements as written by these ancient Apostles.

Under divine inspiration John wrote in Revelation 21:8... “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

According to Joel Osteen in a recent interview, “God doesn’t see any sin as worse than another” and all are going to heaven. Apparently in Joel Osteen’s Bible, he has redacted the unpardonable sin. If you’re a follower of Joel Osteen’s interpretation of the Bible then this inspired statement by the Apostle John must seem just plain wrong.

Osteen, albeit in a subtle way, says the Apostle John doesn’t know what he’s talking about and people need to listen to his wisdom and discard the threatening words written by John, Peter and Paul 2,000 years ago.  The Apostle John clearly was in error and should be rebuked for suggesting that people who tell lies are going to spend eternity in the lake of fire.

What was the Apostle John thinking writing such judgmental things???  That’s a terrible thing to say and no one, certainly not the Apostle John, should be allowed to say such things. As Osteen says, “there’s enough condemnation in the world” and we don’t need anymore.

Additionally, in his letter, Apostle John says things like this in 1 John 3:8-10...  “The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.”

Now, according to Joel Osteen and the thousands that agree with his “message,” this entire passage should be removed from the pages of the Bible and no one should be saying such things. In fact, Osteen goes on to share that it is this exact kind of preaching that will hinder “church growth.” 

HEAR YE, HEAR YE One and All... Joel Osteen rebukes the divinely inspired words of Apostles Paul, Peter, and John! Joel Osteen rebukes you all!!!

Now listen... listen carefully to the Word of God:

Galatians 1:9... As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!

Matthew 7:15-16... "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them...”

John 14:6... Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Proverbs 30:6...“Do not add to HIS words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.”

2 John 7-11... “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;  for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.”

Revelation 22:19... And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

Who are you going to LISTEN to... Almighty God in his divine message to humanity... or the twisted doctrine of Joel Osteen? 

Joel Osteen... is taking a REALLY BIG RISK because … if he’s wrong and he is, and the Apostles are right and they are … then Mr. Osteen stands in direct opposition to the Word of God.  He has willfully challenged the Holy and Righteous God.  He stands on the path leading to eternal condemnation! Of course, he won’t listen to “these words” either, because they are just to harsh and unacceptable for Mr. Osteen’s version of Almighty God.

IF you listen and embrace Osteen’s message of universal acceptance and lawless living without any condemnation no matter what lifestyle or choices you make... then you will find yourself on the same road to eternal misery.  

Nuff said... you decide.