Episcopal Watch
An Ignored Command of God in the Churches Today
In 2010, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said in reference for the need to pass the bill on Obamacare, “We need to pass the bill so that we can find out what is in it.” Truly, a most incredible statement of idiocy that has ever been spoken. This bill, as we found out, completely duped the American people. Obamacare is a failure. According to a non-partisan office, it is estimated to cost the American taxpayer $110 billion. Both Nancy Pelosi and Barak Obama do not care. They are both extremely wealthy. Obama in his constant lies about health care and Pelosi in her constant support of Obama were without a spirit of truth in their relentless campaign to harm the American way of life and free enterprise. In other words, they lied.
Are church bodies any different in the blind acceptance of false teachings and teachers? In Jude 4 God warns us of things to come. It says, “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before ordained to their condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” The word “ordained” in this verse is key to its understanding. These men are there intentionally. The Greek word is prographo which means “to write previously.” This word is used to give the meaning of “before, evidently set forth and write—afore, aforetime.” This word does not mean that some guys suddenly showed-up and decided on their own to do something evil. They were as Judas Iscariot, chosen before to bring in heresies.
God gave us a command to help us against spirits that were not healthy for the church body. I John 4:1-6 says, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is the spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now is it in the world. Ye are of God little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.” Plainly, we see that God is warning us about false teachers to come and that those are not of the spirit of truth but the spirit of error. We should not be fooled because there are some false teachers that will say with their lips that they believe Jesus Christ came in the flesh but in their hearts (actions) they do not believe what He said. In fact, some “preach another gospel” (Galatians 1:8, 9). This spirit of truth is not in a list of other spirits of…whatever. The spirit of truth is the opposite of the spirit of error. Better said, the spirit of error attempts to replace the spirit of truth. The pope is called the Vicar of Christ. It means that he thinks his role is in the place of (vicarious) Christ on earth when in fact he is antichrist. The spirit of error is not restricted to the Roman Catholic Church, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Muslims, etc. It is alive and well within the so-called evangelical churches today.
Many church bodies allow literature and programs to enter their churches without truly researching the authors/groups. Some just grasp anything because the author or program may be popular. Because a person mentions God or Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit does not mean that their doctrine is sound. It does not mean that they interpret scripture correctly. God gave us a command in I John 4:1 to “try the spirits whether they are of God.” How many churches just believe what others say about popular preachers and jump on the “bandwagon?” Is this not letting men creep in unaware as Jude warned? The spirit of truth is for us because as it says “we are of God.” And if we are of God then we should believe what God says and heed the warnings He gives us without caving in to false teachers and teachings. The spirit of error abounds because church leaders ignore what God has said about such.
In the Purpose Driven Life book by the very popular Rick Warren, he says just the opposite of what God warns us about. On page 164 in his book, Rick Warren says that “God warns us over and over to not criticize, compare, or judge each other…” He further compares those who do to Satan who is the accuser (Romans 12:10). God, in fact, tells us to “try the spirits” and it is doubtful that He excluded Rick Warren’s teachings. In an interview on Larry King Live, Rick Warren compared Christian fundamentalists to Muslin fundamentalists by saying that “they’re all based on fear.” (Larry King Live, December 2, 2006). On page 88 in his book, Rick Warren says, “The Bible says, ‘He rules everything and is everywhere and is in everything.’” This is nothing less than a definition of the heresy of panentheism (God is in everything) that Warren espouses. The list could go on of the heretical and false teachings of Rick Warren but one more should suffice. He said that, “The future of the world is pluralism” (thehoya.com, February 5, 2008). Jesus Christ said just the opposite in John 14:6 which reads, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Apparently, Rick Warren and others also ignore II Timothy 4:2, 3 in which Paul tells Timothy to, “Preach the word; be instant in season, and 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 heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” A lot of people/churches ignore this because of their “itching ears.” It is no wonder that Rick Warren tells people to not criticize or compare. He certainly does not want people to compare his teachings to the teachings of Jesus Christ! Does Rick Warren preach a spirit of truth or a spirit of error?
Steven Furtick, pastor of Elevation Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, mocks the biblical doctrines of grace, yet, about 10,000 per week listen and support him. (youtube.com/watch?tv=dn67ZRvh0bk). He also supports women pastors, although the Apostle Paul does not (I Timothy 3). Does Steven Furtick preach a spirit of truth or a spirit of error?
The very popular televangelist and author, T.D. Jakes, denies the Trinity although the Bible says differently (Matthew 3:16, 17, 28:19, John 10:30, I Peter 1:2, etc.). Does T.D. Jakes preach a spirit of truth or a spirit of error?
Andy Stanley of North Pointe Church, Georgia, is quoted as saying, “If somebody can predict their own death and resurrection, I’m not all that concerned about how they got into the world.” (Pulpit & Pen, News Division, January 4, 2017). So, the virgin birth is not important to Andy Stanley? Does that mean that he is not interested in Jesus in the Old Testament, either? He also said of the Bible that “while you may be able to hang on to it, your kids and grandkids and the next generation will not” (828 Ministries, Andy Stanley Tries to Defend His heresy, 10.02.116). The Bible says, “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever” (Isaiah 40:8) “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away (Matthew 24:35). Does Andy Stanley preach a spirit of truth or a spirit of error?
Passion Conference leader and pastor, Louie Giglio, stood in line to greet the new pope with a holy kiss (youtube.com, Evangelical Apostasy-Louie Giglio Embraces Antichrist Pope Exposed! Servus Christi). That should be a “red flag” for any true Christian about the leanings of someone who claims to be a Christian evangelist. He also embraces the false teaching of contemplative prayer and the Lectio Divina. Does Louie Giglio preach a spirit of truth or a spirit of error?
In John 16:13 where Jesus Christ is speaking of the Holy Spirit He says, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: he will show you things to come.” Again, the spirit of truth, yet, so many churches follow the lead of the false teachers of today and their spirit of error. We have been warned of God. Paul further tells us in the last days that there will be those “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (II Timothy 3: 5). These are not casual warnings that God wants us to simply consider but we are to heed them.
Are we ignoring these commands of God? Will our stubbornness and pride prevent us from protecting the church body as God has warned? Are we being duped by so-called theologians as the politicians have also duped us? If so, why?