I dont mean to be dogmatic here, as God can use anyone and anything to convict the soul of sin righteousness and judgement, I dont deny that or take that away, and I am not denying these teachers are doing good in thier ministries, as they are, I am just saying and just cannot understand how someone who says they are teaching truth and love it, can recommend and endorse many false teachers, who may be doing some good, but scripture exposes them in the end.
Hope this helps, its a work in progress.
IF YOU PREACH LIKE JOHN THE BAPTIST, BUT ENDORSE FALSE TEACHERS, FALSE DOCTRINES AND FALSE PROFITS, THEN WHAT DOES THAT MAKE YOU?
2Jn 1:9 Everyone transgressing and not abiding in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ, he has both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house, nor speak a greeting to him.
How important is it today, to adhere to sound doctrine, stand fast in the truth, and contend earnestly for the faith?
Jud 1:3 Having made all haste to write to you about the common salvation, beloved, I had need to write to you to exhort you to contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints.
I believe there are things in the word we can agree to disagree on, that have nothing to do with one’s salvation and eternal destiny, but can we mix and match blending in reformed teachings that were clearly NOT included in the early Greek manuscripts?
Gal 1:6 I marvel that you so soon are being moved away from Him who called you into the grace of Christ, to another gospel,
Gal 1:7 which is not another, but some are troubling you, and desiring to pervert the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from Heaven preach a gospel to you(another gospel) beside what we preached to you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, and now I say again, If anyone preaches a gospel to you (another gospel)beside what you have received, let him be accursed.
Many today that profess Christ, and stand wholeheartedly against sin, unrighteousness, and disobedience, has no problem mixing truth with error, proclaiming, it doesn’t matter as long as people are coming out of sin, and coming to Christ! But was this the norm for the early apostles and Christ Himself? Did they fudge on the truth in place of saving a few souls? Or was Jesus perfectly clear when he boldly said!
Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me.
Can one mix any truth with error and thus produce a true gospel message?
Rev 22:19 And if anyone takes away from the Words of the Book of this prophecy, God will take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which have been written in this Book.
Now this is the attitude of many sincere Christians who are fighting for the truth, in a lost and dying church, that has traded in any truth for fables and conjectures handed down over time from their favorite Bible teacher and scholars.
We are not to judge another’s heart, but clearly we are to judge their doctrine, and teachings. If they fail to line up with scripture, and you can prove it through the whole council of God, then we must defend it at all cost!
Gal 5:9 A little leaven leavens all the lump.
Some will concludes a little leaven is OK, as long as souls are being saved, and coming out of sin, and get defensive when you try to correct their false teachings. And many will not take the time to research their false premise, such as original sin, Substitution, OSAS, election, and where repentance fits into their plan!
Many will argue repentance must occur, but when? To most its after you get saved, receive the spirit of God, still defiled in heart and soul, then God will clean them up in His timing, but the unanimous claim by most is, no one can stop sinning against God BEFORE they get saved, and will argue passionately in defense of their precious saved in sin, born in sin message, ignoring any warning to them that they are not in line with scripture.
Many preach heavily against sin and disobedience, but will never admit the sin stops in repentance or the heart hardens,(before salvation) thus showing they have no concern what the word of God says about it, since(in their minds)man was born corrupt, or inherited their vile sin nature from Adam.
Isa 55:7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
Act 3:19 Therefore repent and convert so that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
God has made it clear in His word, when the sin stops, which leaves the choice in our hands, because we are not totally depraved, and have all the ability to stop sins that lead to death!
1Co 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor abusers, nor homosexuals,
1Co 6:10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.
You do not come into the kingdom still IN sin, which many will argue it doesn’t matter as long as the sin stops, but it’s not our opinion here, God laid it all down for us to follow and obey!
We all must be open to be corrected, rebuked, and teachable in all areas of scripture, as any error leads to more error in the future. Now there are some still IN the church, or receiving some truth where they are at, and I am not saying in any way they are lost. Many of us were there, BUT when you receive the spirit of truth, through genuine repentance and faith, your heart and mind will be opened up to truth, and the errors you are sitting under will prick their spirit, and should cause them to question and dig deeper for the truth in these confusing matters! God can use anything to draw the lost and searching to Him, and He does, but truly converted believer will soon realize they are under some deception, and will expose the error with the Word of God, and flee from any false ways. If they really love the truth (coming from a real conversion, through repentance and faith) 2 Cor 7-10-11.they will not accept mixing truth with error that can lead to more error and confusion in the end!
2Th 2:10 and with all deceit of unrighteousness in those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, so that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie,
Can one still produce good fruit, but believe, and teach false doctrine? Many say yes, sound doctrine is important, but not for salvation, as long as you are on the narrow path, following Jesus, and living a pure and holy life. Many cults live a holy and consecrated life, producing good fruit as we know it from scripture, but clearly teach another gospel, mixed with truth and error!
They conclude then that sound doctrine doesn’t save you Jesus does, which brings us back to thus saith the Lord:
Abide in my word, seek first my kingdom, love the truth hate the lies, my word is truth, the truth will set you free, sound doctrine produces a sound life, my word is a treasure not to be tampered with, all scripture is God breathed. Love the truth, Jesus is the truth, keep the word pure, dig deep, keep your foundation solid, do not be deceived, test all things, test the spirits, all scripture is God breathed, rightly divide the word of God, correct those in error, and dust you feet IF they reject truth, abide in me, reject false teachers, false doctrine, and false profits.
Now can one preach like John the Baptist, teach, and adhere to a mixed gospel, with clear error, plus promote and recommend false teachers and profits, and still be credible in the site of God!
2Pe 2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.
2Pe 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
I just don’t see this in scripture, those who are filled with the spirit of truth, will soon come to reason as I have many times, to see their clear error, and get back in line with the word of God! False doctrine can soon lead to more error, and confusion, it must be corrected, and brought under submission to God, and cast away!
Joh 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth. For He shall not speak of Himself, but whatever He hears, He shall speak. And He will announce to you things to come.
Joh 16:14 He will glorify Me, for He will receive of Mine and will announce it to you.
Truth matters, Jesus made it clear, as well as all the saints that proclaimed it and died for it. But God gives us all time to repent from false teachings and doctrines of men, He has given us all we need in His word, to rightly divide His truth, 2Ti 2:15 Study earnestly to present yourself approved to God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane, vain babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.Thus making no excuse for those who persist in their own way, ignoring us few you defend and contend as commanded!
1Jn 4:6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us. The one who is not of God does not hear us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
Heb 4:12 For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing apart of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Tommy 4-3-12