It is imperative that we read the Scriptures. At this time there are many false gospels (Galatians 1:8-9), false christs (Matthew 24:24) and false christianities (heresies) that are deceiving people. From the prosperity gospel that promises monetary gains to follow Jesus the Messiah to Network Christianity which is political movement to take seats of power in countries but not preach the Gospel, and beyond; deceptions are creeping about like scorpions to induce poisonous heresies and doctrines, “But there were also false prophets among the people, as there will be false teachers among you also, who will stealthily introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master having bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction,” (2 Peter 2:1), “Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times (last days) some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils,” (1 Timothy 4:1), “For the time will come when people 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 abandon the Truth to follow myths,” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
In order to guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus we need to discern what is True Gospel and correct doctrine and what is not. The easy way is to know true gospel and doctrine is to know the Holy Bible. Within the pages of Old and New Testaments, a Christian can discover what true religion, and Christian belief and living should be. We have a Manuel from God written by his prophets and apostles to act as a measure, guard, scope, microscope, and tester for all phenomenon we behold in churches, in the world, and all words preached. The question is do the powers, spiritual experiences, and words spoken and preached align and agree with Scripture? If they do not then you are in danger of being deceived (see 2 Corinthians 11:2).
It is not that we don’t have revelations, experisnces, third heavens (2 Corinthians 12:1-12), words from the Lord to our minds, or personal encounters and conversations with Christ that have details just for us. But these manifestations and experiences must conform (adhere to, agree with) the Holy Scriptures (especially the New Testament). For instance if you see Jesus and He hugs you in a spiritual vision or third heaven experience to assure you that He loves you, that can be supported by third heaven experiences (2 Corinthians 12:1-11), by the fact God is love (1 John 4:8) and that Jesus wants to be so close to us He lives in us and we in Him (John 17:20-23, 1 John 4:15). However, if a vision of s Christ was to say that Jesus is only prophet, then it is a liar, a false Christ as proved by the fact that Jesus is God and Son of God (John 1:1-17, Matthew 3:13-17, 2 Peter 1:1, Titus 2:13, Colossians 2:9, 1 John 4:15, and etc).
Scripture allows us to fact check whatever vision we see, dream we dream, third heaven experience, revelation we receive or hear someone teach. For instance if a pastor gets up and states “you must never judge anyone ever,” you can say back, “it is necesssary to judge those in the Church, “It isn't my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning,” (1 Corinthians 5:12), and “Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!.” (1 Corinthians 6:3). We are permitted to judge people’s fruit: deeds and behaviors but not there hearts and minds. Only God the Trinity judges the inner person, we however may judge the inner that comes to the surface and we are judges who can judge because Christ lives in all Christians (Colossians 1:27, 1 John 4:15) and so we all judge or test each other, to sharpen one another (Proverbs 27:17).
What if an angel or christ look alike (false Christ disguising as Jesus) appears in a vision and wants to have sexual relations? The answer is in The Holy Bible, “Then the people began to multiply on the earth, and daughters were born to them. The sons of God saw the beautiful women and took any they wanted as their wives. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with[b] humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.”In those days, and for some time after, giant Nephilites lived on the earth, for whenever the sons of God had intercourse with women, they gave birth to children who became the heroes and famous warriors of ancient times.The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart. And the Lord said, “I will wipe this human race I have created from the face of the earth. Yes, and I will destroy every living thing—all the people, the large animals, the small animals that scurry along the ground, and even the birds of the sky. I am sorry I ever made them.” But Noah found favor with the Lord.” (Genesis 6:1-8). The response to the wicked sexual relations between angels and humans was God making men live a shorter life and to Flood the earth! If that it God’s response, then you know a tempting fallen angel or nymph is hated of God and is evil.
Another example is if a cult is starting and the new revelation is that you must always be positive and never speak negative things. This contradicts Scripture and whole persons in Scripture: Jeremiah the prophet alone confronted Judah over idolatry, Paul the Apostle confronted and told churches negative statements like, “if you believe the works of the law can save you then you are cut off from Christ? You have fallen from grace,” (Galatians 2:4). Jesus Himself said, “Woe to your Pharisees, you cross the seas to make one convert and make him twice the sons of hell as you are.” (Matthew 23:15).
What about people who mix and match spiritualities. What if someone says I can pray to Yesu (Jesus) and do Yoga. Well Yoga is a tenant and acts of worship to the Hindu gods and a major worship enlightenment spirituality of Buddhism and Jainism. To this cite,”You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons,” (1 Corinthians 10: 21), “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (Mammon, Satan see Ezekiel 28:11-18), “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth,” (Revelation 3:15-16), “Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing.” (1 Kings 18:21) and, “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft (all magic users), idol worshipers, and all liars--their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). Anyone who would have you do magic, is also in this category (see Revelation 21:8).
If a church forbids marriage show them, “Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.” (1 Timothy 4:2-3). If a church forbids the gifts of the spirit show them, “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams,” (Acts 2:17). If a church says you can be saved by feasts and laws show them Paul’s words (Galatians 5:2, Galatians 5:4, Philippians 3:4-12, Colossians 2:1-23).
Scripture is our microscope, our fire poker, and tester for anything we see, experiences, or hear. We must be well versed in the Scriptures so that we may take every vain philosophy captive, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,” (2 Corinthians 10:5), thwart every false Christ, “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather,” (Matthew 24:23-28), and dismantle all false and non-scriptural gospels, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 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!,” (Galatians 1:8-9) and, “For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband—Christ. But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.” (2 Corinthians 11:2-4, 14-15).
We must stand firm in the true faith as seen in the New Testament: Matthew to Revelation! We need to be like the Bereans whom Paul admonished, “Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.” (Acts 17:11). Amen.
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