“These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).
I love reading this passage of Scripture. It encourages me and points me back to the Word of God. Only the Bible is our measuring stick for truth. The truth of the Word is ABSOLUTE truth. In this passage of Scripture, the Berean church members were hungry to learn about God, but they knew that they must test all things told to them against the Word to see if what they were told was true.
We see preachers and teachers falling by the wayside today. Entire ministries which were once sound, are teaching opinions and politically correct rubbish. God does NOT change because people are boldly proclaiming being gay. He would not tell us by the Holy Spirit, to change our views on this subject. Jesus would have us show love to a gay person, but part of that love is telling them the truth.
Our Triune God: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, allthree are in agreement 100% with the Bible.
“Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner” (John 5:19).
Our Lord cannot contradict Himself.
Being under the Covenant of Grace is not a free license to sin. When He redeems a soul, that person wants to please Him; wants to obey Him. We desire to do good because we are SO grateful to Him for saving us.
Heresies Abound
There are myriad of reasons why so-called churches are teaching heresy. There is the itchy ear crowd, who seek out a false teacher:
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-5).
Our colleges – yes, even Christian ones, are FILLED with liberal professors. They teach our young people to question God’s Word. They tell them that truth is a relative term. They teach that what is good for one person, may not be for another. God and His Word are eternal, and NEVER change. The result of this are graduates who do not have a firm foundation in the Gospel, and many fall away.
Did you know that there are professors at Christian colleges who are teaching their students that our God is the same as Allah? To those of us who really know the Lord Jesus Christ, that is an unbelievable thought (that our children are being taught such an evil lie). But it’s happening more and more.
Seeker Churches
Come as your are: We’ll make you feel so comfortable. Are you fed up with the churches in which you grew up? Do you feel that church is not keeping up with the times – not relevant? Well, we are glad that you have joined us.
Those are a few of the statements made to lure people into the Seeker churches. They want their people to be comfortable just the way they are. I mean, who wants the pastor to preach about sin and repentance? That’s no fun.
The Emergent Churches
The devil is so crafty. These churches welcome New Age practices like meditation and mantras. And they teach that hell is not a literal place. Now if we look into the Word as good Bereans would do, we can see that hell is certainly real:
“But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:5).
“And another angel, a third one, followed them, saying with a loud voice, ‘If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or upon his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; and they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.’” (Revelation 14:9-11)
Out of Control Charismatic Churches
There is so much controversy about the gifts of the Spirit. But false teachers like Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn (among many others) make a spectacle of themselves by speaking gibberish and call it tongues. They tell their congregation that they MUST speak in tongues. The Bible is very clear about this:
“Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say ‘Amen’ at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue” (1 Corinthians 14:13-19).
As always, Scripture is clear. If people are going to speak in a tongue, they MUST have the interpretation. How would it edify the congregation if they cannot understand?
The slippery slope principle is applicable here as well, because Copeland and the others have strayed from Scripture, there are many other heresies preached. One of those heresies is the ever so popular Prosperity Gospel. The thing that the congregation does not understand is that their preacher sure does prosper!
Fear
Times are scary. Christians are being slaughtered in foreign lands by ISIS and other Muslim groups. Here in America, there is a fear that our churches will be closed by the government. Not the mainstream denominations – they are ok with the authorities. Not so with churches who teach and preach the Bible and its truths.
We may lose our churches. But don’t forget that YOU are the temple of the Holy Spirit if you are born-again. There may come a day when we worship only in our homes. Realistically, there may come a day when we are incarcerated, or even worse, we will be martyred for our faith.
God says DO NOT FEAR!
Memorize as much of the Word as you can. Pray without ceasing. Test all things against God’s Word. Share Jesus with others, and never forget that heaven is our real home.
I love the words to this famous song by Squire Parsons:
“I’m kind of homesick for a country
To which I’ve never been before.
No sad goodbyes will there be spoken
For time won’t matter anymore.
Beulah Land I’m longing for you
And some day on thee I’ll stand
There my home shall be eternal
Beulah Land, sweet Beulah Land”
MARANATHA!
Blessings in Yeshua.