Archive for the ‘False Doctrine’ Category

We Are Our Own Character Reference for God

Posted: August 28, 2020 in 2 Corinthians, Evil People, Faithfulness, False Doctrine, False Preacher, False preachers, false teachers, Uncategorized
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2 Corinthians 3:1-6 NIV [1] Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? [2] You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. [3] You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. [4] Such confidence we have through Christ before God. [5] Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. [6] He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

 You yourselves, are the document that you ask for. Let the results speak for themselves. Paul is saying, that the Spirit of God had written the law of God on the fleshly part of their hearts.

Because Paul did not want to allow the false teachers to accuse him of being proud, he began his defense by posing two questions rather than making any overt claims.

Some false teachers had started carrying forged letters of recommendation to authenticate their authority. In no uncertain terms, Paul stated that he needed no such letters. The believers to whom Paul and his companions had preached were enough of a recommendation. Paul did use letters of introduction, however, many times. He wrote them on behalf of Phoebe (Romans 16:1, 2) and Timothy (1 Corinthians 16:10, 11). These letters helped Paul’s trusted companions and friends find a welcome in various churches.

Paul is almost shaming them, in this chapter, that it is necessary for him to prove himself to them. He says, do I have to brag on my own accomplishments, or have someone else who you respect recommend me? They had accepted the message that he brought to them originally, why have they begun to doubt?

Paul’s point was that he did not need secondhand testimony when the Corinthians had firsthand proof of his sincere and godly character, as well as the truth of his message that regenerated them.

He is saying to them, look around and see all the people who received Christ as their Savior under my ministering. Let the Christian converts there be my recommendation. All men can look and see the Christians in the church at Corinth. That should speak to all men who I am.

No human being can take credit for this process of conversion. It is the work of God’s Spirit. We do not become believers by following some manual or using some technique. Our conversion is a result of God’s implanting his Spirit in our heart, giving us new power to live for him.

Does not your heart washed in the blood of the Lamb and filled with the Spirit, not witness for me? Paul is saying that the place they are now in, with Christ, is the result of him ministering Christ to them. He says the Christ within you is because you listened to the message Christ had given Paul for them.

God was writing His law on the hearts of those people He transformed. The false teachers claimed external adherence to the Mosaic Law as the basis of salvation, but the transformed lives of the Corinthians proved that salvation was an internal change produced by God in the heart.

3:4, 5 Paul was not boasting; he gave God the credit for all his accomplishments. While the false teachers boasted of their own power and success, Paul expressed his humility before God. No one can claim to be adequate without God’s help. No one is competent to carry out the responsibilities of God’s calling in his or her own strength. Without the Holy Spirit’s enabling, our natural talent can carry us only so far. As Christ’s witnesses, we need the character and special strength that only God gives.

GOD TOLD ME TO TELL YOU?

Posted: March 14, 2020 in False Doctrine, False Preacher, False preachers, false teachers, greed, Uncategorized
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God Told Me to Tell You?

We all know these people, and the first thing comes to mind is, why didn’t God tell me.

Let’s see what the word of God has to say about this.

2:1-3 Peter gives three warning signs for identifying false teachers:

(1) Depraved conduct. Do their lives contain or condone immoral practices? Does the group listening to the false teachers have a lot of immoral sexual relationships?

(2) Greed. Teachers have a right to financial support (1 Corinthians 9:1-14; Galatians 6:6; 1 Timothy 5:17-18), but is money the teacher’s or group’s prime motivation? Before you send money to any cause, evaluate it carefully. Is the teacher or preacher clearly serving God or merely promoting his/her own interests? Will the person or organization use the money to promote valid ministry, or will it merely finance further promotions or extravagant lifestyles?

(3) Lying. Is the leader offended when you ask for the scriptural backing behind his/her statements? Does he/she fudge on the facts when asked for evidence?     Believers today would do well to heed Peter’s warnings against false teachers; the danger is great.

2 Peter 2:1-4 False Teachers and Their Destruction

   1But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.  They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. 2Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 3In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.

Peter had heard these words, and at this time he was seeing them come true. Just as false prophets had contradicted the true prophets in Old Testament times (see, for example, Jeremiah 23:16-40; 28:1-17), telling people only what they wanted to hear, so false teachers were twisting Christ’s teachings and the words of his apostles. These teachers were belittling the significance of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Some claimed that Jesus couldn’t be God; others claimed that he couldn’t have been a real man. These teachers allowed and even encouraged all kinds of immorality, especially sexual sin. We must be careful to avoid false teachers today. Any book, tape series, or TV message must be evaluated in the light of God’s Word. Beware of special meanings or interpretations that belittle Christ or his work.

Matthew 24:11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people

The Old Testament frequently mentions false prophets (see 2 Kings 3:13; Isaiah 44:25; Jeremiah 23:16; Ezekiel 13:2-3; Micah 3:5; Zechariah 13:2).

False prophets claimed to receive messages from God, but they preached a “health and wealth” message. They said what the people wanted to hear, even when the nation was not following God as it should. There were false prophets in Jesus day, and we have them today. They are the popular leaders who tell people what they want to hear, such as “God wants you to be rich,” “Do whatever your desires tell you,” or “There is no such thing as sin or hell.” Jesus said false teachers would come, and he warned his disciples, as he warns us, not to listen to their dangerous words.

1st John 4:1-3    Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.  This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.  This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. 

“Do not believe every spirit but test the spirits” means that we shouldn’t believe everything we hear just because someone says it is a message from God. There are many ways to test teachers to see if their message is truly from the Lord. One is to check to see if their words match what God says in the Bible. Other tests include their commitment to the body of believers (2:19), their lifestyles (3:23-24), and the fruit of their ministries (4:6). But the most important test of all, says John, is what they believe about Christ. Do they teach that Jesus is fully God and fully man? Our world is filled with voices claiming to speak for God. Give them these tests to see if they are indeed speaking God’s truth.

Read the Story below from the Bible, this guy who was a Profit from God and got it confused of what God told him and it cost him his life.  It is so important that when God gives you instruction, you follow it and not let anyone else tell you differently. 

1st Kings 13:07-32 A Man of God from Judah

7The king said to the man of God, “Come home with me for a meal, and I will give you a gift.” 

8But the man of God answered the king, “Even if you were to give me half your possessions, I would not go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here. 9For I was commanded by the word of the LORD: You must not eat bread or drink water or return by the way you came. 10So he took another road and did not return by the way he had come to Bethel.

 11Now there was a certain old prophet living in Bethel, whose sons came and told him all that the man of God had done there that day. They also told their father what he had said to the king. 12Their father asked them, “Which way did he go?” And his sons showed him which road the man of God from Judah had taken. 13So he said to his sons, “Saddle the donkey for me.” And when they had saddled the donkey for him, he mounted it 14and rode after the man of God. He found him sitting under an oak tree and asked, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?”

      “I am,” he replied.

     15So the prophet said to him, “Come home with me and eat.”

16The man of God said, “I cannot turn back and go with you, nor can I eat bread or drink water with you in this place. 17I have been told by the word of the LORD: “You must not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way you came.” 18The old prophet answered, “I too am a prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the LORD: ‘Bring him back with you to your house so that he may eat bread and drink water.’ (But he was lying to him.) 19So the man of God returned with him and ate and drank in his house.

20While they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the old prophet who had brought him back. 21He cried out to the man of God who had come from Judah, “This is what the LORD says: ‘You have defied the word of the LORD and have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you. 22You came back and ate bread and drank water in the place where he told you not to eat or drink. Therefore, your body will not be buried in the tomb of your ancestors.’  23When the man of God had finished eating and drinking, the prophet who had brought him back saddled his donkey for him. 24As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was left lying on the road, with both the donkey and the lion standing beside it. 

13:7-32 This prophet had been given strict orders from God not to eat or drink anything while on his mission (13:9). He died because he listened to a man who claimed to have a message from God, rather than to God himself. This prophet should have followed God’s Word instead of hearsay. Trust what God’s Word says rather than what someone claims is true. And disregard what others claim to be messages from God if their words contradict the Bible.

(SIN) GET THE HELL OUT OF YOU (SIN)

Posted: March 2, 2015 in Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Evil People, False Doctrine, Forgiveness, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Proverbs 16, sexual sin, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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SIN

GET THE HELL OUT OF YOU! 

Proverbs: 06:16-19 (16) There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him, (17) haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, (18) a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, (19) a false witness who pours out lies, and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers. 

How bad is sin? God hates it with extreme disgust and intense distaste! Sin is an abomination to the LORD! What men call faults, errors, or mistakes – God calls sin! He despises and abhors sin – He hates it! With our degraded concept of God’s holiness, we cannot know the full extent of God’s incredible hatred of sin. With a degraded concept of God’s character, foolish men imagine that God must be like them.

There is none holy as the Lord (1 Sam 2:2). Even the heavens are not clean in His sight (Job 15:14-16). Worship Him!

The blessed LORD hates all sin equally, with an infinite hatred, but Solomon sought to warn his son about several that destroy wisdom and leave man exposed before his holy Creator. The seven sins are pride, lying, murder, evil thoughts, mischief, false witnesses, and sowing discord.

The fear of the LORD, which is the foundation of wisdom and understanding, includes a God-like hatred for sin. Solomon wrote later in Proverbs, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the forward (difficult to deal with) mouth, do I hate” (8:13). David wrote, “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil.”

In an effeminate and compromising society, it is impossible to get a proper view of sin. Criminals are pardoned; sin is glamorized by the entertainment industry and justified by the educational system; and all levels of authority allow sin to go unchecked or punish it mercifully and slowly – so leniently and slowly it is no deterrent at all (Eccl 8:11 When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong).

How bad is sin? God condemned Satan to an eternal hell for pride (Is 14:12-15; Matt 25:41). God condemned mankind to an eternal hell for Adam eating the fruit from a forbidden tree (Gen 2:16-17; 3:1-7; Rom 5:12-14). And He drowned the entire world in a flood of water, without regard to age or sex, for their sin and wickedness (Gen 7:21-23).

How bad is sin? The LORD annihilated seven nations of Canaan for abominable atrocities like adultery and sodomy, two sins glamorized in America (Lev 18:1-30; Acts 13:19). A man was stoned to death for picking up sticks on the Sabbath (Num 15:32-36). And God killed a man and his wife in church for fudging their giving (Acts 5:1-11).

How bad is sin? God required capital punishment for disrespectful children (30:17; Deut 27:16). He required the death penalty for adultery (Lev 20:10), and He measures even the desire for another woman as adultery (Matt 5:28). He considers unjust anger and cruel words as implicit murder (Matt 5:21-26). And He counts the violation of one instruction as breaking the entire law, for even one transgression is of infinite evil (Jas 2:10-11).

How bad is sin? In order for God to accept any man in His presence, He had to send His only begotten Son to be tortured to death in a substitutionary payment for sin! In the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, we clearly see God’s hatred for sin, for He forsook His beloved Son, when the sins of the elect were laid to His charge (Matt 27:46). God is able and willing to love His elect, only because He views them in Christ Jesus (Eph 1-3-6).

One of the greatest character traits of the Lord Jesus Christ was His love of righteousness and hatred of sin (Ps 45:7; Heb 1:8-9). For this glorious attribute, the blessed God honored Him far above all other men. From His example, we can see that nobility of spirit and approval before God is in direct proportion to love of virtue and hatred of sin.

Reader, if your knowledge of God is from a sweet Sunday School teacher, you probably think God hates the sin, but loves the sinner. Guess again! David wrote, “You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors. (Ps 5:4-6). 

What should you do? Reorder your value system! Hate Hollywood and the NEA! Teach your children to abhor sin and evil. Teach them to love righteousness and holiness. Exalt good men and women; despise bad men and women. Punish sin severely; reward virtue generously! Love the whole Bible, not just pet verses! Choose to be like David, and hate all evil influences in your holy desire to walk perfectly before your God

 

(Ps 101:2-8) (2)I will be carful to lead a blameless life – when will you come to me? I will walk in my house with blameless heart. (3)I will set before my eyes no vile thing.

The deeds of faithless men I hate; they will not cling to me. (4) Men of perverse heart shall be far from me; I will have nothing to do with evil.

(5) Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him will I put to silence; whoever has haughty eyes and a proud heart, him will I not endure. (6) My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; he whose walk is blameless will minister to me.

(7) No one who pratices deceit will dwell in my house; no one who speaks falsely will stand in my presence.

(8)Every morning I will put to silence all the wicked in the land; I will cut off every evildoer from the city of the LORD.

 

Lets break these down 

Proverbs: 06:16-19 (16) There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him, (17) haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, (18) a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, (19) a false witness who pours out lies, and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

 (17) haughty eyes, a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood

God hates seven things, and here are three! Though pride, lying, and murder are accepted today, the LORD Jehovah hates them. He has not changed, even remotely, since eternity! If you want war with the great and terrible God, who is holy, then allow one of these sins in yourself or those around you (Ps 47:2; 66:3-5; 68:35; 99:3).

An effeminate society may try to outlaw hatred, but the God of the Bible despises political correctness and still hates sin and sinners (Ps 5:5; 11:5; Mal 3:6; Heb 13:8)! Do not deceive yourself! The dreadful God of heaven is not the senile old man painted by Michelangelo for popes and cardinals to dream about! He is angry at the wicked every day (Ps 7:11)! And He will soon cast His enemies into hell (Ps 9:17; Rev 20:11-15)!

Before excusing or justifying yourself in the condemning light of this proverb, remember three things. God hates more than seven sins – He hates all sin and sinners (Ex 34:7; Nah 1:3). The application is very broad and includes much more than meets the eye (Ps 119:96; Matt 5:21-22). And you will give a full account to Him shortly (Eccl 12:13-14).

The right sense is important here, lest the self-righteous try to escape (Neh 8:8). When the Bible condemns a proud look, a lying tongue, and murdering hands, it intends much more than a sinful face, speech, or actions. It includes every associated sin that would fall under that general category. For example, a proud heart with a humble look is damned!

The LORD hates a proud look! He cannot stand any kind of pride in angels or men. He cast Lucifer and his angels out of heaven for pride (Is 14:12-15; I Tim 3:6; Jude 1:6). He hates self-esteem, strife, haughty thoughts, self-promotion, proud anger, an irreligious life, selfishness, boasting, conceited eyes, and stubbornness among other sins (13:10; 14:3; 21:24; 25:27; 26:16; 30:17; Ps 10:2-6; Is 2:11-12; Rom 12:3; Gal 6:3; II Tim 3:1-5).

The LORD hates a lying tongue! He loves truth, and He hates any kind of deception. The devil is the father of lies, and his children are just like him (John 8:44; Eph 2:1-3). Liars are going to hell (Rev 21:8; 22:15). God hates exaggeration, fraud, misrepresentation, false witnessing, slander, flattery, silence under oath, and joking among other sins of lying (10:18; 12:22; 19:5; 20:23; 26:18-19,28; Ex 23:1; Deut 19:16-21; Job 17:5).

The LORD hates murderous hands! He loves life, for He is the living God, and He gives life and breath to all (Gen 2:7; Is 42:5; Acts 17:25). Life is sacred, not because man is special, but because God created it and defends it! The devil was a murderer from the beginning, and so are his children, who are all going to hell (John 8:44; Rev 21:8; 22:15).

God hates abortion, backbiting, bitterness, debate, envy, grudges, malice, manslaughter, negligent homicide, strife, foolish anger, neglecting child discipline, railing, foolish killing of animals, ignoring cries for help, lack of mercy, wrath, withholding capital punishment, and talebearing among other sins of murder (12:20; 13:24; 22:6-7; 23:13-14; 31:8-9; Ex 21:22-25,28-29; Deut 22:6-8; Matt 5:21-26; Gal 5:19-21; Eph 4:31-32).

God’s word is to be interpreted and applied broadly. Its commandments go far beyond what meets the eye, or the limitations your heart wishes were on them! These are things God hates, and yet they are hardly preached against today! Seeker sensitive types want you to think all is well! But you can see there might be one or two sins that condemn you! You need to teach these things to your children, and you need to humble yourself.

Reader! You are condemned! David put it this way, “If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? (Ps 130:3.) If God marks and records sins, then every man is doomed to eternal judgment. And He does just that! He will show you every violation of this proverb in a day fast approaching (Eccl 12:13-14; Rev 20:11-15).

But that is not the end of the story, for David wrote next, “But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared” (Ps 130:4). Without forgiveness, God would be unapproachable; but there is mercy for those that call upon Him, which only the elect will ever do (John 3:19; 5:40; 6:44; 8:45)! Faith is the result of predestination (Acts 13:48).

God chose to forgive His elect before the world began by ordaining Jesus Christ as a perfect substitute to die for them (John 6:38-39; 10:26-29; 17:2; Rom 5:6-21; 8:29-39; Eph 1:3-11; I Pet 1:20). God owes His mercy and love to none; and He gives it to those He chooses (Ex 33:19; Rom 9:15). If you love Him, He loved you first (I John 4:19).

18) a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,

God is watching your heart and your feet. How well are you ruling your thoughts? He will hold you accountable for them in this life and the next. He hates the wicked imaginations and fantasies of your foolish heart. How well are you restraining and guiding your feet? He hates hasty and impulsive sinners who rush from sin to sin.

Contrary to popular opinion, hate is good. God hates seven sins and sinners, as our context clearly shows (6:16-19). God hates the foolish workers of iniquity (Ps 5:5); He hates lovers of violence (Ps 11:5); He will declare soon that He never knew them – He never had any affection for them (Matt 7:23). David also hated them (Ps 139:21-22). Two of the sins and sinners that God hates are listed in this proverb. Reader, are you guilty?

You cannot hide from Jehovah’s all-seeing eyes (15:3; Ps 11:4). The Creator God sees and ponders all you do (5:21; Jer 17:10). In His holy sight, foolish thoughts are sin (24:9; Ezek 14:4; Matt 5:28). He can divide between your soul and spirit, and every thought and intent of your heart is naked before Him (Heb 4:12-14). He sees where you go and what you do, no matter how well you hide them from others (Job 34:21; Ps 139:1-6).

What is a heart that devises wicked imaginations? It is a heart that forms sinful thoughts from lustful affections and emotions. God described Noah’s generation with very similar words (Gen 6:5). Do you allow lusts of your heart to form sinful ideas and thoughts? This is precisely how sin gets started (Jas 1:13-16). You must guard and rule your heart (4:23).

Do you have sexual fantasies (6:25; Job 31:1)? Do you surmise evil about others (I Tim 6:3-5)? Do you hold grudges (Lev 19:18; Matt 18:35)? Are you puffed up about yourself (Col 2:18)? Do you envy the advantages of others (Jas 3:14-16)? Do you hate anyone in your heart (Lev 19:17)? Do you curse authority at all under your breath (Eccl 10:20)?

What are feet that are swift in running to mischief? They describe a man who is hasty and impulsive to sin (1:16). He has a greedy desire for it; for he not only lacks conscience and restraint, but he also lasciviously craves sin (Eph 4:19). Revenge is sweet to him, and he races to exact vengeance. He is often in trouble, as he speedily goes from sin to sin.

If you have a temper, it is your duty to rule it, or your quick anger will offend the holy God (14:29; 16:32; Jas 1:19-21). Stay away from angry persons, for they will lead you to sin (22:24-25; 29:22). Are you cautious and slow in dealings, or do you rush impetuously ahead (19:2,11; 22:3)? If you have sinned in the past, then turn, run away, and stay away!

The all-seeing eyes of Jehovah are looking for faithful men, for He will put forth His might to bless them (II Chr 16:9; Ps 34:11-16). Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life (4:23). Love the true God with all your heart (Deut 6:4-5). Keep your feet in the way of understanding (21:19). Do not go near the strange woman (5:8). Avoid the wide gate and broad way that leads to destruction (Matt 7:13).

(19) a false witness who pours out lies, and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

Here are two of seven things and persons God hates (6:16-19). He hates liars who falsely witness against others, and He hates pests who cause division in a church. He could have said He hated the lies and discord, but He clearly said He hates the ones doing these sins.

God is holy (Is 6:3; Rev 4:8). He hates sin (8:13; Heb 1:9). He is too holy to love sin or sinners (Job 15:5; Hab 1:13). He hates sinners (Ps 5:4-6; 11:4-7; 139:21-22). In spite of effeminate objections, God hates sin and sinners. The Sunday school lie that God hates sin but loves the sinner is false. God hates sinners, and here He lists two of them.

He will tell the wicked in the last day that He never knew them – He never loved them (Matt 7:23; 13:47-50). He will tell them to get lost, and rightly so! He loves and accepts only those He made holy through Jesus Christ – His beloved elect (Eph 1:3-6; Rom 9:15).

Men bark against this holy doctrine, but let God be true! Does He love Satan, too? They don’t fret about the devil, because their profane and vain babbling is pure selfish pride and love for themselves. They are too arrogant to submit to a holy and sovereign God.

The LORD said, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour” (Ex 20:16). God hates this sin much, so He included it in the summary list of ten. He knew the terrible damage a wicked mouth could do to others, and how little defense there is against it, so He condemned it forcefully (19:5,9; 25:18; Ex 23:1; Zech 8:17). The Bible strongly attacks lying, false accusing, slandering, whispering, backbiting, and talebearing.

When men are tried for their lives, freedom, or fortune, it is imperative witnesses tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth; so our nation solemnly swears them to this duty before taking testimony or cross-examination. God required at least two witnesses in all cases to protect from false testimony (Deut 19:15); if a man testified falsely in Israel, he was punished with the very judgment at stake, no matter how horrible (Deut 19:16-21).

A lying and false accusing mouth can cause enormous harm, for rape of reputation and character is surely worse than that of the body (Ps 35:11-12). Physical violence is horrible, but allows for some defense and recovery; verbal slander and false accusations are worse, and there is very little defense with long lasting damage.

Readers beloved of God, it is your duty to be men and women of truth and principle (Ex 18:21). Carefully consider your thoughts, words, and intent before saying anything about others. Let your lips praise others rather than detract from them, and if you ever must testify of or for another, be scrupulously faithful and honest with every word (14:5).

God also loves unity, especially among His people (Ps 133:1-3; I Cor 1:10; Eph 4:3-4). He hates those who openly or subtly disturb fellowship and peace (6:12-15; 16:28; 26:20; Rom 16:17-18). He condemns variance, debate, envy, implacability, emulations, evil surmising, strife, sedition, tumults, and whispering. Instead He commands and commends peace (Matt 5:9; II Cor 13:11; Phil 3:16; Col 3:15; Jas 3:17-18).

A chord is harmonious blending of coordinated notes; accord is agreement and harmony; and concord is the state of peace and agreement between parties. All three words are related, meaning agreement, harmony, and peace. But discord is an antonym, meaning absence of concord or harmony. It is disagreement, variance, dissension, and strife. Is your church as harmonious as it should be? Do you labor to make all notes blend?

Wicked persons sow discord when they disrupt the harmony, agreement, unity, and peace of a church or other society by spreading the poison of division and enmity. They alienate the affections of men and stir up their passions against one another. They foment strife, contention, jealousies, and confusion by talebearing, insinuations, foolish questions, seditious doubts, forming of cliques, and other perverse means. These separatists are sensual enemies of true saints, and they have not the Spirit (Jude 1:19).

Beloved reader, let us be the peacemakers our Saviour blessed (Matt 5:9). Take every opportunity to promote unity and agreement; work hard to keep yourself and others in harmony with the congregation. Let us seek peace and pursue it (I Pet 3:11). Make the holy endeavour of peace and reconciliation a priority in your life (Eph 4:3; Matt 5:23-24).

Consider well our blessed Lord and His perfect conduct in light of these two sins. The Jews used false witnesses to condemn Jesus to death (Matt 26:59), but He is the faithful and true witness (Rev 3:14; 19:11). The wicked Jews divided over Jesus and stirred up the Gentiles against the apostles (John 9:16; Acts 14:2), but the Prince of Peace destroyed Jew/Gentile enmity and made both one by His cross (Is 9:6; John 11:52; Eph 2:11-22)!

SIN

KEEP THE HELL OUT OF YOU!

 

Spiritual Training 19 February 2015

Posted: February 19, 2015 in 2 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, debauchery, Encourgement, Evil People, False Doctrine, False Preacher, False preachers, false teachers, impurity, Inspiration, Personal Growth, sexual sin, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

2 Corinthians 12:16-21 16Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! 17Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? 18I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit?     19Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. 20For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 21I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.

Although Paul asked nothing of the Corinthian believers, some doubters were still saying that Paul must have been crafty and made money from them somehow. But Paul again explained that everything he did for the believers was for their edification, not to enrich himself.

After reading this catalog of sins, it is hard to believe that these are the people that Paul said possessed great gifts and excelled as leaders (8:7). Paul feared that the practices of wicked Corinth had invaded the congregation. He wrote sternly, hoping that they would straighten out their lives before he arrived.

Lets Bring it Home: We must live differently than unbelievers, not letting secular society dictate how we are to treat others. Don’t let culture influence your behavior or invade your practices at church.

Spiritual Training 11 February 2015

Posted: February 11, 2015 in Bible Study, Bragging, Encourgement, Evil People, False Doctrine, False Preacher, False preachers, false teachers, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

2 Corinthians 11:12-15 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

One Jewish writing (the Apocalypse of Moses) says that the story of Eve’s temptation includes Satan masquerading as an angel. Paul may have been thinking of this story, or he could have been referring to Satan’s typical devices. In either case, nothing could be more deceitful than Satan, the prince of darkness (Ephesians 6:12; Colossians 1:13), disguising himself as an angel of light. In the same way, these false apostles were pretending to be apostles of Christ, “servants of righteousness,” while in reality they were agents of Satan.

Satan and his servants can deceive us by appearing to be attractive, good, and moral. Many unsuspecting people follow smooth-talking, Bible-quoting leaders into cults that alienate them from their families and lead them into the practice of immorality and deceit. Don’t be fooled by external appearances. Our impressions alone are not an accurate indicator of who is or isn’t a true follower of Christ; so it helps to ask these questions: (1) Do the teachings confirm Scripture (Acts 17:11)? (2) Does the teacher affirm and proclaim that Jesus Christ is God, who came into the world as a man to save people from their sins (1 John 4:1-3)? (3) Is the teacher’s lifestyle consistent with biblical morality (Matthew 12:33-37)?

Paul reminds the Corinthians that for the false teachers and hypocritical leaders, “their end will be what their actions deserve.” The principle of judgment applies to all who speak on God’s behalf. The apostle James said that teachers will be judged by the Lord with closer scrutiny than will those who sit under their teaching (James 3:1).

Lets Bring it Home: If it is not already your practice, each time you sit down with the Scriptures to prepare a lesson or a sermon, spend some quiet moments in prayer asking the Holy Spirit to guide your preparation.

 

Spiritual Training 10 February 2015

Posted: February 10, 2015 in 2 Corinthians, Bible Study, Encourgement, False Doctrine, False Preacher, False preachers, false teachers, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

2 Corinthians 11:7-12 7Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. 9And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to your in any way, and will continue to do so. 10As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. 11Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about.

The Corinthians may have thought that preachers could be judged by how much money they demanded. A good speaker would charge a large sum, a fair speaker would be a little cheaper, and a poor speaker would speak for free. The false teachers may have argued that because Paul asked no fee for his preaching, he must have been an amateur, with little authority or competence.

Paul could have asked the Corinthian church for financial support. Jesus himself taught that those who minister for God should be supported by the people to whom they minister (Matthew 10:10). But Paul thought that asking for support in Corinth might be misunderstood. There were many false teachers who hoped to make a good profit from preaching (2:17), and Paul might look like one of them. Paul separated himself completely from those false teachers in order to silence those who only claimed to do God’s work.

Lets Bring it Home: Believers today must be careful not to assume that every speaker, preacher, or evangelist who is well known or who demands a large honorarium necessarily teaches the truth.

 

Spiritual Training 06 February 2015

Posted: February 6, 2015 in 2 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, False Doctrine, False Preacher, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

2 Corinthians 11:1-3 I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness, but you are already doing that. 2I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. 3But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Paul asked the Corinthian believers to bear with him as he talked a little “foolishness.” In other words, Paul felt foolish rehearsing his credentials as a preacher of the gospel (11:16-21). But he thought that he had to do this in order to silence the false teachers (11:13).

Paul was anxious that the church’s love should be for Christ alone, just as a pure virgin saves her love for one man only. By “pure virgin” he meant one who was unaffected by false doctrine.

The Corinthians’ sincere and pure devotion to Christ was being threatened by false teaching. Paul did not want the believers to lose their single-minded love for Christ. Keeping Christ first in your life can be very difficult when you have so many distractions threatening to sidetrack your faith. Just as Eve lost her focus by listening to the serpent, you, too, can lose your focus by letting your life become overcrowded and confused.

Lets Bring it Home: Is there anything that weakens our commitment to keep Christ first in your life? How can we minimize the distractions that threaten your devotion to him?