Mood:
a-ok
By: Pastor, John Neal
You might could say this river of lies began flowing in the days of the Apostles. Oh, I know that we are living in a modern day age, but a lie is a lie and if you tell it long enough, people will start believing it. But the Apostle Paul said, “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.” (Acts 20: 29) They did and they have.
Valentinus of Rome, began to teach the Trinitarian concept. He was a second century church leader of Rome who had some affiliation with the Roman Catholic Church. He and his followers believed in merging Greek pagan Philosophy with Christianity. He and his followers also endorsed a non-immersion form of Baptism. They taught that the world was created from pre-existent matter by the angels. “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Gen. 1: 1) That Jesus was really not made flesh, that He was a defect, that man was not fashioned from the earth. (Gen. 2: 7) “and the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.” And this river of lies keep right on flowing.
Over time Pagan, heresy and false teaching have mixed themselves with Christianity, for so long that if one does not know God and who He is, they too, will find themselves drifting down this river of lies, and only Jesus can show us the truth and help us escape this river of lies that get swifter as time goes on. He is trying to throw you a life-line. Are you too stubborn to reach out and take hold of it? False teaching is one of Satan’s main weapons against the church of God. If he cannot destroy the church from without he will try to destroy it from within. But Jesus said, “I will build MY church and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it.” Matthew 16: 18.
Paul tells us in II Cor. 11:13-15, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” Satan’s servants masquerading as apostles of Christ. Compromising with the world was taught back in the old testament times. This heresy is one that all God’s people are tempted with throughout church history, it is nothing new. But you can’t compromise with the world and be the bride of Christ.
Jesus said, “REPENT” if you do not repent from compromising with the world, then, He said, “I will fight against you. (Rev. 2: 14-16)
We need to wakeup and heed what Jesus is saying to us. We have become a group of self-satisfying people, with the feeling we have got it made. But remember, God spared not the natural branches (Jews) because of their unbelief, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Roman 11: 21 You cannot compromise with the world and live for God. You may be rich in the things of this world, but you will be poor in the eyes of God. Spiritually poor.
Churches today are attending to the ceremonies and forms of religion, and neglecting the truth of God’s word. But the word of God is, “Quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword.” But tell me, what better way to confront false doctrine, then to use the rightly divided word of God to correct? (Rev.1:16) This world today is faced with enticement and corruption, Drugs, women, men, parties, and good times. People we use to trust, we could look-up to, like our police force, our pastors, or our church leaders, we can’t even trust our boy scouts leaders anymore, for many of them will abuse our children.
The devil has two ways of approach. If he cannot make you knuckle under with hostility and persecution, he will begin to entice you and lure you into some kind of trap that he has laid in front of you. Don’t be deceived, God will judge this world system itself. There is a struggle going on between the world and the children of God. There always was and there always will be until Jesus says enough is enough. The Apostle Paul said, “When I would do good, evil is ever present.”
False teaching today is still as bad as it has always been. Maybe even worse. The river of lies just keeps on flowing. For example: Gays are permitted to preach and teach in the churches today, everyone says, “that alright.” But Jesus tells us that is not alright. They teach that Jesus was not born of a virgin birth, that you don’t have to be baptized. Etc. False teachings. Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” St Luke 16: 16. These kind of teaching show no reverence to God. All the while they are tolerating the things that Jesus has so clearly designated as an abomination to Him.
Although Satan has tried to destroy God’s true church, he could not, nor can he, so he has infiltrated it with pagan worship. Like Easter, Christmas. Halloween, etc. And has brought people into compromising with the world. There is no harm, they say. Jesus said, “I am a jealous God.” The Bible says, “I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.” I Cor. 10: 20.
When members of a church begin to compromise it is the (Pastor) or ministers duty to declare the word of God to them. Their teachings today suggest that a Christian could come to term with the world and still be faithful to God. But you can’t do it. Jesus said, “Come out from among them,” If you listen to these kind of teachings you stand in danger of falling into the depths of a spiritual pit that Satan has dug. He knows what his end is, and he don’t mind taking you down with him.
They are teaching today that it is alright to participate in the things of this world, to go out into the world, live as the world lives. We are allowing almost anything and everything to go on in the church, and we go on and act as if nothing is wrong and everything is alright. But its not. There has to be a separation from the true church of God and the world. The things of this world are, “The lust of the eye, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. Shake it loose. Don’t get caught up in this river of lies.
