In February, I saw a short videoclip of a young, charismatic pastor preaching to members of his congregation. I want you to listen to what he said.
“I don’t beat nobody up for smoking, drinking and having sex and doing all that, not because I did it, but because I can relate. I can relate. If you ever notice, preachers who get up and beat people for doing it because conviction you into the presence of God. Condemnation pushes you out of the presence of God.
“I’m not the Holy Spirit. It’s not my job to convict you. I’m God’s servant and it’s my job to relate to you. And if I can relate to you, I can pull you out of depression. I can pull you out of pain. I can pull you out of homosexuality. I can pull you out.
“So this is why when I get calls and say do you know they’re living together and having sex, I say yeah and I don’t care, because I am the pastor, not their parent. It’s my job to cover you, not control you.”
Now don’t get me wrong. I understand the notion of relating to people but not because I did the same things. For example, I have never taken an illegal drug in my life. Does that disqualify me from ministering to someone who has? According to this pastor, it does. Jesus never committed any type of sin. None! Was He disqualified from ministering to people who did? According to this pastor, He was.
Ladies and gentlemen, this man is not a pastor. Now listen to me. I am going to tell you when you’re in the presence of a true pastor. A true pastor will use the Bible, not his or her own personal experiences, to teach about sin, to identify it in the flock, and then show the flock how to stop it.
What I have just described is what we see in 2 Timothy 3:16. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine (to teach what God expects of us), for reproof (to chastise us if we sin) and for correction (to show us how to stop the sinful behavior), for [which is] instruction in righteousness.”
But we don’t see this in this pastor and I pray for him because, if he continues down this road, he and those who follow him, are in danger of losing their salvation. Listen to me ladies and gentlemen. They will walk right out of their salvation into the lake of fire for all eternity. This is how horrible this type of teaching is.
Turn with me to Matthew 18. The disciples have asked Jesus who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. He says the one who humbles himself like a little child will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. But he didn’t stop there. I’m reading from the New King James.
(5) Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me.
(6) Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Do you see what Jesus is saying? He says it would have been better for the person who teaches a new convert or an immature believer to sin to have drowned before opening his mouth. Because, he would at least have had a chance to make to heaven. But once you start teaching something that Jesus didn’t teach, oh my God! The Bible says heaven will not be your final destination. Ladies and gentlemen, please let that sink in. Take it to heart.
Now this is what’s so sad. What this pastor said is not all that uncommon in the Church today – not by a long shot. Many Christians are buying what he, and others like him, are selling. And the more they buy this “altered gospel,” the more spiritual darkness they’re purchasing for themselves. And, if they continue this buying spree, eventually the “light of life” that they received from Jesus will be extinguished and they will once again be in eternal darkness.
I know I just hit a sacred cow. Far too many Christians believe that once they get saved, they will always be saved. If words many anything, “once saved always saved” is not true. We won’t get into that today but let say this: A Christian can walk away from God. Second Thessalonians 2:3 calls it “falling away.” Again, this is not my focus, but it begs the question: how can you fall away from something that you were never a part of? I leave that for you to think about. Let’s move on.
What we’re seeing in the Church today was prophesied over 50 years ago. In 1965, Stanley Frodsham, a personal friend of Smith Wigglesworth, spoke a prophetic word that’s unfolding before our very eyes. He warned of the spirit of deception coming to those who did not hold fast the truth of the Bible and walk in holiness and righteousness.
I’m going to share a portion of that prophecy. If you’d like to read the prophecy in its entirety, get on your computer and type “Prophetic Warning by Stanley Frodsham – Sermon Index.” I’ll repeat it.
Now the first things we’re going to see in this prophecy is that the first thing false teachers do is gain the hearts of the people, gains the trust of the people, before teaching error. I’m quoting from the prophecy.
“I warn you to search the scriptures diligently concerning these last days. For the things that are written shall indeed be made manifest. There shall come deceivers among My people in increasing numbers, who shall speak forth the truth and shall gain the favor of the people. For the people shall examine the scriptures and say ‘What these men say is true.’ Then when they have gained the hearts of the people, then and then only shall they bring out their wrong doctrines.”
As I read this, Matthew 24 came to mind. Let’s pick it up in verse 3.
(3) And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
(4) And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.”
When I was growing up, I remember the preacher saying that we will know that Jesus is coming back because of wars and rumors of wars and earthquakes and floods, etc. . And Jesus does say that in verses 6 and 7. But what do we see here? Verses 6 and 7 FOLLOW verse 3!
When the disciples ask Jesus about the signs of his coming and the end of the world, the first thing he says is guard yourselves, remember what I taught you, so that you will not be deceived. Jesus says we will know He’s coming back when deceivers are causing the flock to form false opinions or beliefs about what He has taught. Not wars. Not ruinous of wars. Not earthquakes. False teachers will be the indisputable sign! Do you see this?
Ladies and gentlemen, there will be some false teachers who will deliberately deceive people. I’m sure you’ve heard the name Jim Jones. Now, there will be others who will deceive Christians with incorrect information. I truly believe that most deceivers will be in this category because they are deceived themselves. They truly believe they are speaking for God.
The prophecy says the only way to protect ourselves from those teaching false doctrine is “to search the scriptures diligently.” We must understand, believe and be uncompromising in accepting the Bible as truth!
Now, I also want you to see what Jesus also says in verses 11 and 12.
(11) And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. (How will they be able to do this?)
(12) And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
“Iniquity” refers to all forms of immorality. And Jesus is talking about iniquity being IN THE CHURCH! – False prophets will increase because what they teach, now listen closely to me, what they teach will accommodate the sin in people’s lives.
Remember the pastor at the beginning of the message? Is this not what he’s doing? If members of his congregation are in sin and he’s not confronting them, is this not accommodating their sins? Absolutely!
You see, ladies and gentlemen, deception always leads to compromise. Always. Jesus says false doctrine will be the sign that He’s coming back. As you think about this, I want you to consider three definitions for the word “compromise.”
? To undermine or devalue somebody or something by making concessions.
? To settle a dispute by agreeing to accept less than what was originally desired.
? To expose somebody or something to danger or disgrace.
We’re seeing all three of these in the Church today, aren’t we?
Many Christians are undermining and devaluing the Bible when they make decisions that go against its teachings. For example, the Bible says fornication is a sin and yet, you have Christians who are living together as if everything’s all right.
There are Christians who are allowing society to make them cowards when they stay silent rather than loudly proclaim the Bible’s truth. Homosexuality, in all its forms, is sin and yet many blood washed believers act as if the Bible is silent on this issue. No. There’s the ones who are silent. And do you know why? Many of them have family and close friends who live that way. So they “go along to get along.”
Now, even more damnable than these is seeing Christians who are acting just like Adam did in the Garden of Eden. What do I mean? Christians are standing by and watching as their brothers and sisters get sifted by wrong doctrine and put on the path to the lake of fire. Yes, sifted. They sit back and never confront the wrong thinking and wrong actions in their lives.
Now, this next part of the prophecy focuses urges us to follow what the Bible says and not the vessel doing the talking.
“Therefore, I say that you should not give your hearts to man, nor hold people’s persons in admiration or adulation. For by these very persons, Satan shall gain entry into My people. Watch for seducers! Do you think a seducer will brandish heresy and flaunt it before the people? He will speak words of righteousness and truth and will appear as a minister of light, declaring the Word.”
In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul says false teachers are not who they appear to be.
(13) For such are false prophets, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
(14) And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
(15) 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.
RememberI said earlier, I don’t believe that many of the false teachers are purposefully misleading people. They’ve been compromised by seducing spirits and are deceived themselves. But what they say, oh my God, can simply destroy the Church.
Back to the prophecy. We’re going to see how the prophecy repeats a very important point: the false prophets will first gain people’s trust and then deliver the error.
“The people’s hearts shall be won. Then when the hearts are won, they will bring out doctrines and the people will be deceived. The people shall say ‘Did he not speak thus and thus? And did we not examine it from the Word? Therefore, he is a minister of righteousness. This that he has now spoken we do not see it in the Word but it must be right for the other things he spoke were true.”
Turn with me to Galatians 1. We’re going to read verses 6 through 9..
(6) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
(7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
(8) But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
(9) As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Do you see the phrases “let him be accursed”? I’m going to put it in language you’ll grasp very quickly: anyone who perverts the gospel – anyone who alters it – will not make it into Heaven. They will spend an eternity in the lake of fire. That’s what “accursed” means. Total and absolute separation from God. We’re talking about false teachers folks.
Back to the prophecy.
“Be not deceived. For the deceiver will first work to gain the hearts of many, and then shall bring forth his insidious doctrines. You can not discern those who are of Me and who are not of Me when they start to preach. But seek Me constantly, and when these doctrines are brought out you shall have a witness in your heart that these are not of Me.
“The minister of righteousness shall be on this wise – his life shall agree with the Word, and his lips shall give forth that which is wholly true; there will be no mixture. When mixture appears then you will know he is not a minister of righteousness. The deceivers speak first the truth and then error, to cover their own sins which they love. Therefore I exhort and command you to study the scriptures relative to seducing spirits, for this is one of the great dangers of these last days.”
I want to share with you two passages that keep me grounded and at the feet of the Holy Spirit, The Teacher.
The first is found in I Corinthians 4, verses 1 and 2.
(1) Let a man so account of us, as the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God.
(2) Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful (having proved himself worthy of trust).
The second is found in 2 Corinthians 4, verses 1 and 2.
(1) Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
(2) But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
Ladies and gentlemen, you know that I’m a teacher of the gospel. And every time I stand before you and deliver the mind of Christ, I stand accountable. Every single time. So I stay at the feet of The Teacher because I don’t want to deliver anything that will lead you away from the gospel. And that’s why I give you notes and that’s why I encourage you to check me out to make sure that what I’m teaching agrees with scripture.
What we’re going to read next really zeros in on being firmly established on the Word of God.
“I desire you to be firmly established in My Word and not in the personalities of men, that you will not be moved as so many shall be moved. I would keep you in the paths of righteousness. Take heed to yourselves and follow not the seducing spirits that are already manifesting themselves. Diligently inquire of Me when you hear something that you have not seen in the Word, and do not hold people’s persons in admiration, for it is by this very method that Satan will hold many of My people.”
The primary reasons Christians are being deceived and living in compromise is repeated in this portion of the prophecy.
The first reason Christians are deceived and living in compromise: They have given their hearts (and ears) to the false teachers. They accept what they hear and don’t see the need to see if scripture, left in context, supports it.
Remember the believers in Berea? Acts 17:11 says “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”
It wasn’t enough for the Christians in Berea to hear the word. They went home, and to bring it into 2019, they pulled out their Bibles and went back over the passages to make sure that they were not taken out of context and taught to mean something they did not mean. That is exactly what we’re supposed to do ladies and gentlemen. Exactly!
Do you think that pastor’s congregation is “fact checking” what he’s teaching?
The second reason Christians are deceived and living in compromise: They hold the person in higher esteem than they do the Word of God. Paul had to address this same issue with the believers in Corinth.
Turn to I Corinthians 1. We’re going to read verses 11 and 12.
(11) For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
The word “contentions” essentially means divisions and we see this in verse 10. “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions (no schisms, no contention) among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
We find out in verse 12 why there was division in the Church at Corinth.
(12) Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
Do you see this? There was a “Paul camp.” There was a “Apollos camp.” There was a “Cephas camp.” There was even a “Jesus camp!” Talk about following personalities!
Ladies and gentlemen, when there’s deception in the camp, there will be division in the camp. The enemy of the soul continues to deceive and divide the body of Christ through wrong teaching and through charismatic personalities.
We don’t have to fall pray to Satan’s deception. But we can’t be complacent either. We must keep our eyes focused on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith as scripture says in Hebrews 12:2. And one of the best ways to do that is stay focused on His Word and we see how to do this in 2 Timothy 2:15 and why it’s important in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
Let’s end by repeating the first line of the last paragraph of the prophecy: “I desire you to be firmly established in My Word and not in the personalities of men, that you will not be moved as so many shall be moved.”
Let the Church say “I will not be moved! Yes and Amen (so be it)!”
