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We are warned against false teachers.
Evangelists and teachers have toured the world for years gathering followers but how many of them were working for the Master?
Jehovahs Witnesses and Mormons go door to door.
Now television evangelists show their wares internationally , gather huge and devoted flocks and and become rich.
But what of their fruit?
Hi Nick,
I believe that scripture is ultimate in showing us the way of the truth concerning God and his son, the context in which the world is to be understood. His holy spirit bears witness of the same cultivating fruit in our lives that are consistent with or else challenging us to be more like Christ.
Hi cubes,
I agree. But the fruit of such men is rarely seen apart from the occasional scandal.
We need to be able to see the kingdom ourselves to be able to judge whether their words are building up and adding to our building or tearing it down.Billy Graham, I understand, teaches salvation by intellectual assent and inviting Jesus into our hearts, which is quite unscriptural. I guess that makes him a false teacher?
I think there's the danger of holding on to a portion of truth and making it a principle, and pursuing it rather than the quest to know and love God, e.g. prosperity and/or “word of faith” messages.
Hi cubes,
Yes. We are told to seek first the kingdom and the rest will be added.
Sometimes too I think these men remind me of the birds who snatch up the seed planted before it has a chance to put down roots in the saved too.We must first learn to feed on the bread of life, the Word of God.
I grew up on a ranch where I learned the quickest way to determine the nature
of any beast is to look at its teeth.So now, when I want to know who is of GOD and who is following the fallen I look at their teeth figuratively speaking of course
if they preach peace and harmony among all they have the teeth of sheep,
if they accept or preach any of the many paths of violence
they are presenting the teeth of a wolf.Quote (TJStarfire @ May 12 2006,14:30) I grew up on a ranch where I learned the quickest way to determine the nature
of any beast is to look at its teeth.So now, when I want to know who is of GOD and who is following the fallen I look at their teeth figuratively speaking of course
if they preach peace and harmony among all they have the teeth of sheep,
if they accept or preach any of the many paths of violence
they are presenting the teeth of a wolf.
Hi TJS,
Do not the Hare Krishnas and Buddhists teach peace and harmony amongst all?
Did not Jesus say we must hate our own family to follow him?Proverbs tells us
“there is a way that seems right to man but it ends in death”Quote Do not the Hare Krishnas and Buddhists teach peace and harmony amongst all?
Nick, I thought MOST religions TEACH peace and harmony amongst all. Whether they follow that teaching themselves is another matter.“But what of their fruit,” as you say in your opening remarks.
Quote Did not Jesus say we must hate our own family to follow him? “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own soul, he cannot be my disciple.” (Lu 14:26)
It appears so Nick. Obviously Jesus did not mean that his followers were to feel hostility or loathing toward their families and toward themselves, as this would not be in agreement with the rest of the Scriptures.—Compare Mr 12:29-31; Eph 5:28, 29, 33.
The Bible sometimes employs the word “hate” to mean loving to a lesser degree. (Ge 29:31, 33; De 21:15, 16)What are you trying to say Nick?
Morality, kindness, charity, good works, lovingness, peacefulness… are not fruits that tell you too much, as they can be expressed by many different kinds of people with many different values and opinions of God, some even denying that there is a God.
These are all fruits that follow a believer, but there are many others that they follow as well.
But belief of the Truth, faith in the only True God and Jesus Christ who He sent, these are fruits that identify a believer.
In my humble opinion.I believe all of us have beeen guilty of some false teaching at times, I have. But the ones who have no love for the truth and who make of “religon” what they want, are the ones we should hate what they do. Besides a warning of the consequences, God did little to prevent the wolves amoung the sheep (I'm not advocating that it should be tolerated, but it must come but woe to whom it comes by).
I believe God allows this since He demands that all of us be individually responsible for working out our own salavtion. Our only defense against false teaching is through a lifelong pursuit of God by which the Holy Spirit can led us into all truth. I know I don't have all truth yet, but I am seeking it. In some ways this forum is an area where false teachings are confronted with truth and while searching out what is true, we are led to even more truth (or at least I am).
Hope it makes some sense.
Quote (david @ May 15 2006,06:28) Quote Do not the Hare Krishnas and Buddhists teach peace and harmony amongst all?
Nick, I thought MOST religions TEACH peace and harmony amongst all. Whether they follow that teaching themselves is another matter.“But what of their fruit,” as you say in your opening remarks.
Quote Did not Jesus say we must hate our own family to follow him? “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own soul, he cannot be my disciple.” (Lu 14:26)
It appears so Nick. Obviously Jesus did not mean that his followers were to feel hostility or loathing toward their families and toward themselves, as this would not be in agreement with the rest of the Scriptures.—Compare Mr 12:29-31; Eph 5:28, 29, 33.
The Bible sometimes employs the word “hate” to mean loving to a lesser degree. (Ge 29:31, 33; De 21:15, 16)What are you trying to say Nick?
Hi david,
I agree with you.Humanism, or the love of man, is a popular religion in itself preaching love among all.
But we can learn from the commandments quoted by Jesus:
Matt 22.38
“'You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind'
This is the first and foremost commandment.
The second is like it
'You shall love your neighbour as yourself''”Beware of those who only preach the second.
Hi,
Jesus proved who he was and his ministry and his teaching by constant reference to the Scriptures. He disproved and illuminated false understandings too by proper use of the scrolls.Paul and Peter too used scripture in the way that it was in ultimate truth against which all logic and derivation and reasoning must be measured.
Why do so many here instead prefer to quote men and their infantile theologies when the same resource of proven truth is available to us?
Why do they troll through the ocean of truth looking for coelocanths instead of feeding on the cod?
Why do they listen for skylarks and cicadas in the winter?
Is their search really only for scientific purposes to upbuild themselves?
that is not our mission and distracts from our Godgiven goals.
Quote Did not Jesus say we must hate our own family to follow him? Matt 10 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
My version doesn't say Hate but you can't put family above Christ if they choose not to follow.
Hi,
Trees are known by their fruit.
By their fruit you will know them.
Some claim to be figs but bear thorns.
Wolves in sheeps clothing.False teachers either seem to be soothsaying sweet talkers who tickle the ears of the listeners and pick their gullible pockets.
Or they are harsh and dominating Pharisaic judges who condemn all and sundry claiming the only high and righteous ground.
The Master is truth, but he is also meek and humble, and his yoke is easy.
Listen for his voice.
God knows those who are His.
Paul was not upset by those who taught Christ out of selfish ambition for he said: “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ, is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice. (Philippians 1:18)
Now I do understand he was speaking of untrue motives, not an untrue message. Obviously these preachers are preaching another gospel which is no gospel at all. They are also preaching another Christ, that would be God the Father in human flesh when scripture clearly says God is not a man. (Hosea 11:9) However, we should not underestimate the power of God's spirit to teach those whom HE has called. Our Heavenly Father can put such a burning desire in your heart that you will literally dig for hours for the truth. Our reward is a faith built on the solid foundation of love of God and His Son, Christ Jesus. Bless ya!
Seminarian
Quote (seminarian @ June 27 2006,05:14) Paul was not upset by those who taught Christ out of selfish ambition for he said: “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ, is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice. (Philippians 1:18) Now I do understand he was speaking of untrue motives, not an untrue message. Obviously these preachers are preaching another gospel which is no gospel at all. They are also preaching another Christ, that would be God the Father in human flesh when scripture clearly says God is not a man. (Hosea 11:9) However, we should not underestimate the power of God's spirit to teach those whom HE has called. Our Heavenly Father can put such a burning desire in your heart that you will literally dig for hours for the truth. Our reward is a faith built on the solid foundation of love of God and His Son, Christ Jesus. Bless ya!
Seminarian
Amen! God will use a jackass if He wants to get His message across, sometimes He does
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