Dr. Bradford Reaves
Crossway Christian Fellowship
Hagerstown, MD
www.mycrossway.org
Introduction
Over the last several weeks in our study of Revelation, we have been looking at the world religious system that will be used by the Antichrist in his effort to oppose God, demand global worship, and control the masses. Revelation 17:5 identifies the origin of this abomination as “MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” This is really the root source of all false religions and heresies that we see today and it is leading the world today toward the culmination of the final false religion.
Now, why is that important today? Because the Bible tells us clearly that there will be false teachers and false prophets in the last days that will many astray and this is not going to come outside of the church but within the church itself. Many in the church will be deceived because they don’t know their Bible, they are apostates, following the doctrine of demons, and seeking out a religious experience that satisfies their own desires. Look at how the Apostle Paul describes the Laodicean Church in 2 Timothy:
But know this, that in the last days, difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, without gentleness, without love for good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Keep away from such men as these. (2 Timothy 3:1–5)
I want to be clear. There is no middle ground when it comes to your faith. Jesus is not looking for fence-sitters or tire-kickers. He is looking for, especially in these last days when the church is full of tares for believers who are all-in; a remnant church filled with the Spirit and living by His every Word. I want to make sure that those who call Crossway Christian Fellowship their home have the biblical literacy to stand firm against false teaching and not be led astray.
See to it that no one deceives you. (Matthew 24:4 (LSB)
See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8 LSB)
This means that we have to be strong in our biblical understanding, discerning in books we read, teachers we listen to, the music we listen to, and songs we sing as part of our worship. Many of you know that I am not afraid to name those who are teaching heresy and leading people astray. Some people push back at me on that, but not only is this necessary, but it is also biblical. And I mean not only those teachers but the use of music in the church from these churches.
Paul, in his letters to the churches, identifies people by name and clearly tells the churches not to have anything to do with these false teachers:
Demas, having loved this present age, has deserted me (2 Timothy 4:10 (LSB)
keeping faith and a good conscience, which some, having rejected, suffered shipwreck in regard to their faith. 20 Among these are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan, so that they will be taught not to blaspheme. (1 Timothy 1:19–20 LSB)
But now I am writing to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he is a sexually immoral person, or greedy, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler—not even to eat with such a one. (1 Corinthians 5:11 LSB)
Likewise, Jesus clearly and publically identifies and rebukes the Pharisees more than once: Matthew 23:27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness.” Likewise, he overturns the money changer’s tables in John 2 and Matthew 21. In his letters to the 7 Churches of Revelation 2-3, Jesus calls out the heresy that existed in the churches, some by name. All of this was for an important purpose:
To correct false doctrine
To publically identify those who were teaching false doctrine
To protect the flock from being deceived through false doctrine
To provide a means of repentance for those who were teaching false doctrine
So when someone says that it is not Christ-like to publically identify or correct false teachers, they are not giving biblical counsel. In fact, it is our mandate to clearly teach and uphold the sound doctrine and identify false doctrine (1 Timothy 6:3-5; Titus 1:10-11; 2 Peter 3:17; 1 Timothy 1:3-4)
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to the gospel we have proclaimed to you, let him be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is proclaiming to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be accursed! (Galatians 1:8–9 LSB)
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. (2 Peter 2:1 LSB)
The Bible is very clear that the results of false teaching and doctrines are deadly. To tell someone that it is not nice to say what they believe, what they are teaching, or what they are doing is wrong is to ignore what could lead to another’s destruction. We cannot turn a blind eye to destructive heresies and teachings, nor can we make everything that people don’t “feel like they agree with” a gray area. The Bible leaves us to wrestle with some issues, but it clearly teaches many more things that are right and wrong.
False/Counterfeit Christianity or Cult will:
Diminish/Usurp Authority of Scripture
Perverted view of Jesus’ Humanity and/or Divinity
Have an Unscriptural understanding of End-Times
Teach a Salvation includes works in addition to faith in Christ alone
The necessity of the intervention of a mediator
The threat of punishment if one should question or desire to leave the organization
You can’t be open-minded & tolerant when it comes to God and sound doctrine. Even smart people ought to realize this has got to be true. In just about every other serious field of knowledge – broad-mindedness is not allowed.
There is no room for broad-mindedness in a chemical laboratory. Water is composed of two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen. The slightest deviation from the formula – is not allowed.
There is no room for broad-mindedness when it comes to music. The skilled director will not permit his first violin to play even so much as 1/2 note off from what is written in the music.
There is no room for broad-mindedness in the mathematics classroom. Neither geometry, calculus, nor trigonometry allows any variation from exact accuracy, even for old times’ sake. The solution to the problem is either right or it is wrong.
There is no room for broad-mindedness in biology. If they are investigating a theory and – if one results out of a thousand are different from the rest – it will invalidate an entire theory.
There is no room for broad-mindedness on the athletic field. The game is to be played according to the rules with no favors shown for "charity’s sake."
There is no room for broad-mindedness in the garage. The mechanic says the piston rings have to fit the cylinder walls within one-thousandth of an inch – and that’s the way it has to be. Even between friends, there cannot be any variation if the "motor is to run smoothly." (Credit: Jeff Strite, Sermon Central)
Every other serious field of knowledge refuses to allow for a tolerance of truth. We can be both humble and gracious while speaking the truth in love and unwavering from that truth and that is what the Bereans did when Paul came to them:
And the brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12 Therefore many of them believed, along with not a few prominent Greek women and men. (Acts 17:10–12 LSB)
Nowhere is a perversion of sound doctrine more clear than in one of the fastest-growing movements in the church today, known as the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR). It is also under the names of Dominionism, Latter Rain, Kingdom Now, 7-Mountain Mandate, and Five-Fold Ministry. The tenants of this movement are based on prophetic experiences and extra-biblical revelations by leaders to identify themselves as Apostles and Prophets who have these revelations that they claim to supersede the authority of Scripture.
Some of the prominent figures and churches in this movement are Peter Wagner, Bill Johnson (Bethel Church), Brian Houston (Hillsong), Kenneth Copeland, Rick Joyner, Steve Furtick (Elevation Church), and several others. The key tenant behind this movement is that God is using certain modern apostles and prophets today that will establish the Kingdom of God here on earth which will usher in the arrival of Christ. These ‘anointed’ men have a special divine revelation that supersedes the authority of Scripture.
Just by its very name, the NAR identifies itself as unbiblical. According to the Bible, an Apostle is one who had to physically (not spiritually) have met one or all of the following requirements:
1. Been an eyewitness and with Jesus during the whole three years that Jesus was among them (Acts 1:21).
2. Been an eyewitness of Jesus’ baptism when the Heavenly Father validated Jesus and His work (Acts 1:22).
3. Directly heard Jesus speak and been an eyewitness to His healings and other miracles (John 17:6; Acts 1:22).
4. Been an eyewitness to Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross (Acts 1:22).
5. Been an eyewitness to Jesus walking, talking, and eating among the disciples again after His resurrection (1 Cor 9:1; Matt 10:1-4; Heb 2:3-4).
6. Needed to have been selected and appointed by God Himself (Mark 3:14-15, 6:40; Acts 1:24–25; 9:15, Rom 1:1).
7. Their calling was authenticated “by signs and wonders and miracles” (Acts 2:43, 8:6-7; 2 Cor 12:12.)
The whole movement is built on the premise that God is restoring the offices of the Apostle and Prophet and the entire Body of Christ is to submit to their authority for a “new move of God.” The Church was established on the teaching of the Apostles trained by Jesus and there was never an intention for that to be eroded, but instead, it is to be the foundation that the church was to rest upon until the Rapture of the Church and the subsequent return of Christ to establish his throne here on earth.
One of the most recognized NAR Churches today is Bethel Church in Redding, CA. A major reason for their notoriety is the emergence of their music with songs including “No Longer Slaves,” “Reckless Love,” and “Raise A Hallelujah.” The Church is led by Bill Johnson and is non-denominational after it was removed from its affiliation by the Assemblies of God. In addition, the church has the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry where they teach thousands of young people how to perform miracles and be prophets. In the words of one student, “I went to BSSM for half a year. Went in grounded in the Word. Left, utterly confused and headed on a one-way path to utter destruction.”
Among other heretical practices at Bethel and other NAR churches is ‘Grave Sucking’ where people will lay over the grave of church leaders in order to absorb the anointing of the deceased’s spirit. Students at BSSM and members of the church are also taught how to take trips to heaven to visit Jesus through out-of-body experiences. In a bizarre service, in order to “cast out the spirit of racism” from the church, leaders of Bethel used a wizard’s staff and chanted like Gandalf from Lord of the Rings and declared “You Shall Not Pass!”
Johnson, like many NAR teachers, teaches that, like Jesus, we are all supposed to be gods who have control of the spiritual realm. In his book, When Heaven Invades Earth, Johnson states that while on earth, Jesus was not Divine and only obtained his divinity through faith and righteous living. Clearly, what Johnson and other self-proclaimed Apostles of this movement are promoting is not biblical Christianity, but a cult.
The other office that the NAR movement is falsely exploiting is of a modern-day prophet. Bill Hemmon said that God told him that God is bringing a company of prophets in the spirit and the power of Elijah that supersedes the office of John the Baptist as the Church prepares the way for the second coming of Christ. NAR churches ‘train’ people to unlock their prophetic gifts in order to bring Heaven to Earth.
Unfortunately (or fortunately) these so-called ‘prophets’ have a terrible track record. At the very start of COVID, these leaders in prophecy were claiming COVID was going to go away and not cause any harm. Likewise, during the 2020 elections, Kris Valloton and other NAR prophets were prophesying that President Trump would be re-elected by a landslide. Obviously, none of these (and many other utterances) came to pass. They offer a false hope when the Bible clearly tells us that as we draw closer to the tribulation things will get increasingly difficult.
The Bible says that these kind of prophets only harm God’s people when they bring false utterances of optimism:
“They have healed the brokenness of My people superficially, Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace. (Jeremiah 6:14 LSB)
While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman who is pregnant, and they will never escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:3 LSB)
The prophets of NAR attempt to excuse their mistakes with the excuse of looking at the spirit of the prophecy instead of the letter of the prophecy. They will say, “As long as I give a prophecy compatible with Scripture, it’s ok.” However, there are absolutely no legitimate examples in the Bible where a true prophet of God is given a pass for mistakes. If they are to claim to be a mouthpiece of God then they must be 100% accurate. This was so imperative in the Old Testament that Deuteronomy 18:20 tells us that a false prophet is to be put to death.
‘But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ (Deuteronomy 18:20 LSB)
The Bible also says that we are to have nothing to do with false prophets and teachers along with false doctrine and to stay close to the Word of God already given through Scripture, the Lord, and His Apostles
that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles, 3 knowing this first of all, that in the last days, mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, (2 Peter 3:2–3 LSB)
For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 4 LSB)
There are three tests to determine if a Prophet’s words are from God. The first is whether it lines up with the Bible (Isa 8:19-20). Second, if it comes “to pass” (Deut. 18:22, Ezek 12:25, Jer 28:9). Third, if it does not cause divisions or upsets one's faith by teaching things contrary to sound biblical doctrine, they have been taught (Rom 16:17). If the answer is 'no' to any of those three questions, Christians are commanded to “turn away from them” (Rom 16:17).
We cannot pick and choose. Either we are 100% submitted to the sovereign, supernatural work of the Holy Spirit or we pick pieces of paper out of a hat to decide what we believe and do in our lives. One is the narrow gate rooted in God’s authoritative Word that has been proven with the test of time and the other is the wide gate based on emotionalism and our feelings.
What you can know for sure and what you can absolutely put your full faith in today is that God’s Word as given to us in the Bible is fully complete and authoritative. So much so that you can have unwavering hope.
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and confirmed (Hebrews 6:19 (LSB)
May we stay committed as a church to the truth that’s been given to us, steer away from the false teachings that the enemy desires to use against us, and look forward to our eternal home with Jesus. That is the mark of the Noble Church.
