False teachers

[Michael37]

9 hours ago, Thornbird said:

Jesus said he taught in parables because not everyone was meant to understand the good news message and be saved.

They did reach those whom God intended to understand them.

Throughout Scripture there is a principle evident, willful disobedience to God results in His Judgment, Noah's Flood being a prime example, and the Babylonian Captivity another.

Willful blindness is followed by judicial blindness. This is not to say that God causes the original rebelliousness, stubborness, and hardness, but rather that He rules on its severity with appropriate punishment.

Mat 13:12  For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

[Michael37]

22 minutes ago, GandalfTheWise said:

The day a teacher ceases to be a learner they cease to be a teacher.  A teacher is first and foremost a learner and is simply a learner who has learned enough to have something to offer those who haven't learned as much.

Well said, @GandalfTheWise Would you like an honourary degree? 

[Heleadethme]

1 hour ago, Josheb said:

Then what were the earlier comments about the evangelical church's condition about? A call to be the Church? 

I guess I would say it's my little part in encouraging some soul searching and comparing what we're doing to the examples and instructions in scripture.  A call to wake up and re-examine that.  A call to change from the inside out, otherwise it would just be more man-made artifice instead of the life of the Holy Spirit.  Man can only imitate life.....only God can give life.  Speak the truth, point people to the truth, be built up and encouraged in the truth and let God work on our hearts through that by His Spirit.

[Michael37]

14 hours ago, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

At one church my wife and I were part of the preacher said that the parables actually happened in real life at some unspecified time.  That these situations Jesus brought up to make illustrations of what He was trying to get across to the people He was preaching to.  I am curious as to what others think.  I have no problem if they were made up parables but it kind of makes more sense to me that these were real life situations.

The illustrations are taken from every day life. 

We don't have to labour this point with the parable of the sower because we know it still happens that birds peck away seed on the wayside, plants wither in stony ground and get choked in weed patches, but plants nurtured and cultivated in fertile soil do well.

I think it is significant that the Bible does specify when the examples are parables, because this affirms the extant precedence and established practice of teaching by means of stories that take things from the natural realm and use them to teach about things in the spiritual realm.  

[Heleadethme]

10 hours ago, Josheb said:

Let me see if I can reframe some of that in a helpful manner. 

Everyone in this forum is in the mixed practice of critiquing, correcting, affirming to some degree or another. I, for example, am an analytical person. I have to work at being affirming because I've learned analysis is often perceived as criticism. The same perceptual problem applies to correction (even wrote and OP about it ) because it is quite common to perceive correction as rejection.....

.....even though it is no in my heart to diminish anyone in the forum (even those I think are pinheads ).

Nearly every thread in Worthy contains some form of competition, correction, and/or affirmation. Any of this can be perceived as small "r" reformation. Iron sharpening iron. Takes friction. It's my observation most take it in stride and do so because they/we understand we're imperfect creatures living in an imperfect world, all striving for God to hurry up and make us more like Christ ! Some don't possess that mindset, and some won't. They could but they don't and won't. 

 

Where does scripture direct us to begin?  

 

God and ourselves. 

 

NOT God and others with ourselves as the judge and arbiters of others. 

So, I commend the sentiment expressed in we being the Church rather than judging the Church. It is somewhat akin to the best apologetic being a life well lived . Our example can and should be a "light" to others, first in-house and then to outsiders, but that also visits the conflict upon us. 

John 3:19-21
"This is the verdict: the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."

 

Blessedly, we, the regenerate redeemed, have the light within us. We can actually walk in the light. We need not fear. Perfect love casts out fear because fear has to do with punishment and few of us are entirely without fear. What's the solution? "Walk in the light, Josh!" Yes, but that takes courage. Courage is the answer to fear because courage is doing what needs to be done in spite of the fear. So every believer in Christ must face his/her own darkness with courage. If we do so walking in the light, we can see God at work in our lives. Or, in your wording, we can be the Church. 

Christ did so up-close and person drenched in our sin.

All the way to Golgotha. 

And he did it for that guy who was having sex with his dad's wife . Presumably so that guy would stop doing so .  He knew his body would be messy. He lived with us and knew the human heart. 

 

Romans 7:15-8:1
For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate.  But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good.  So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.  For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not.  For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.  But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me.  I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good.  For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members.  Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 

 

Next time some preacher says the Church is corrupt.....

 

Psa 127:1

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

In Revelation we see the true Bride/Heavenly Zion as opposed to a false corrupt counterfeit (Babylon, mother of harlots...spiritual harlotry).  "Lord, Lord, didn't we do thus and such for you?  Away from me you who work lawlessness.  Only who does the will of my Father will enter the kingdom of heaven."  Mystery Babylon....mystery of lawlessness.  But the true church is built by Him and kept by Him and led by His Spirit, Christ as it's Head.  Counterfeits are built by man and follow man-made versions in His Name, doing their own will in His Name, deceived by the devil, led by ear tickling false teachers, false prophets and even can produce false miracles to deceive.

 

2Co 11:3-4

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

 

Act 20:28-30

Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

I'm not pointing out things in the word of God to condemn anyone but only in hopes that it will enlighten anyone reading as needed and help get us back to.....the simplicity of Christ.  

Edited January 5, 2022 by Heleadethme

[appy]

Even though there is latitude, diversity, differences of thought, belief and opinions of those seeking to honor God according to their consciences and their understanding of God's Word. There are core belief's that are agreed upon by mainstream Christianity. An individual is in serious error when he or she either removes, denies, or changes one or more of the essential core doctrines.

False teachings and false doctrines always take the emphasis and focus off of Jesus, his life, death and resurrection and place it somewhere else. 

Our Christology must line up with scripture as a whole. And when it does NOT, there is a problem. A person's validity comes from the doctrine of Christ. He or she will affirm that Jesus Christ is God in flesh, and they will place emphasis on Jesus, and direct others to Him. A person that affirms Christ as the bible teaches, strives after these things; Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control

[debrakay]

19 hours ago, GandalfTheWise said:

If the people you are ministering to are growing in Christ with visible growth of spiritual fruit and changes in their lives, you're doing something right.  There is always room for improvement and change and moving forward as a teacher.  

Thank you for writing all of this!  In the years I have been hosting this ladies bible study I have asked them all several times, "Is there anything you would like to change or add to our time together?"  It has always been a resounding "No!  We love it just the way it is."  Our group is called Power of Twelve and our tag line is Twelve Women. Twelve Words. Twelve Months.  We meet once a month and discuss one encouraging word and scripture which we then take back to family and friends for all to focus on and use throughout the month. Each woman commits to attend for one year.  More than half the women have been attending since the Lord pulled the group together in 2018.  The Lord asked me to host and facilitate so here I am.  It's been an amazing journey and the whole story of the formation of the ladies group is a miracle which happened after I had a brain tumor removed. 

Again thank you for your thoughts, advice, and time! 

[Starise]

21 hours ago, debrakay said:

I could not say no then but today I question whether I am truly qualified to speak and help guide 12 women in scripture even though I have had over 50 years of experience with God and His word.  Being called a false teacher has wounded my heart and confidence but I would like to hear thoughts and advice from the actual teachers here. 

What do you do if and when someone tells you that you are wrong in your teaching, that you are wrongly interpreting certain scriptures, and proceed to say you should not be teaching others?

From reading the first part of your post, I believe the Lord has led you into this ministry and used you for His work. 

I know it can be very damaging to anyone who puts time and effort into using the gifts God has given them for His purposes only to have someone come around and make very hurtful accusations.

Unfortunately I have been on the sending end of that in the past. I was in a church that was not teaching properly according to everything I knew. We were loosing families over some of these things in addition to some behavior issues. I won't go into great detail but it was serious.  I kept kept my thoughts to myself for over 5 years thinking I was being too critical of people. When we would loose families they were all being 'polite' by simply going away and not creating a stir.No one knew why they left or they made up polite excuses because they liked the people and didn't want to make any trouble. I had determined I was going to do the same thing and just leave with no trouble. Then one day I received a heated call from the pastor over something I had done or didn't do. I was in a tense situation at work and his call could not have been at a worse time, so I  said a few things I wish I could take back that were true about him but could have probably gone unsaid. We were and are still friends but what I said was damaging to him. So much so, that I later learned he took some time off at another location all alone because of it. Was God really in that exchange? Or did I just let myself say some things I should not have said? I believe God probably used my ineptness that day.

Up until then I had been dealing with a type A personality that had yes men around him all the time. I have been told since that the series of events had been good for that church overall, but at the expense of saying some things that really hurt this man deeply. In other circumstances I probably would have never said anything but that day was the perfect storm.

I have since apologized for the way I said it. 

In your case, there can be many motives and since I don't know this person or even if I did know them, I wouldn't make a judgement on why they said what they said. 

I perceive you are a person of the spirit, so I'm guessing you have a good feeling for the spirit in which this was delivered and if this could have been useful of not. If there REALLY ARE concerns, I might look inward first. If you can come up totally clean on this and can find zero reason why anything like this would have been said, then it was likely done in the wrong spirit. If the Lord led you to do this and if you have no reason to doubt it, then I would carry on because He has more work for you to do and this was Satan's way to discourage you.

If the person blew up on something and walked off, this means they had no intention to work things out and might have just been pulling at straws as an excuse to go away from the group. I would reach out to this person to maybe get a better feel for the situation unless you are aware of it already. Even if things will never be the same again, at least you parted peacefully or did your best to do so.

Any group that invites one and all within the Christian community will often have different views and I think we need to be sensitive to that. God takes longer to bring some people around and sometimes I am the one that needs to be brought around.

Forgiveness and forbearance towards a brother or sister are key teachings in the bible. Even if they don't forgive us. I know that's a very hard pill to swallow sometimes.

-Tim

[B-B]

On 1/4/2022 at 4:35 PM, Heleadethme said:

Everyone has been gifted with something and as we grow and mature we can be more edifying in sharing or "teaching" what the Lord gives us, just in simplicity and not necessarily in any office.

I agree, yes. 😊

[B-B]

On 1/4/2022 at 4:35 PM, Heleadethme said:

I have a vision of "church" that is not mainstream.  People often don't grow in churches because they are not allowed to by those who would lord it over them.  Hope this isn't wandering too far off your point.  

(It's fine with me to wander from the point, I don't mind) 😃

My point was more in relation to the Scripture I posted about the gift of teaching. Not everyone is called to teach, but those who are called to teach, God would provide the gift of teaching. And they would hopefully be a blessing to their hearers, and teach correct doctrine/true teaching.

However, yes if one feels suffocated/oppressed/lorded over by TPTB in any gathering, then it would probably be a very difficult place to grow, for sure. I suppose if leaders are dictatorial etc. and don't want to listen to folks concerns, within their gatherings, then it is probably not a very healthy environment to be in anyway. (It could end up being  a gathering which has revolving doors...people attend, but then, shortly after, they leave, as they become wise to the shenanigans within. I guess this sort of gathering would be constantly filled with new people/new faces).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 5, 2022 by B-B