Defending Faith Against False Teaching
Introduction
This series will ultimately lead to a study on suffering, trials and tribulation. Before we
can effectively study what the Bible teaches about this part of life, we must first lay a
solid foundation. Why do Christian - even great men and women of faith - endure
hardship? If suffering is the result of sin and prosperity is a trophy of righteousness, then
why do so many wicked men prosper and have good health? The prophet Jeremiah was
bothered by this when he wrote the following passage:
Jeremiah 12:1 Righteous are You, O LORD, when I plead with You;
Yet let me talk with You about Your judgments.
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?
Why are those happy who deal so treacherously?
In Psalm 73, the psalmist said, "I was envious of the boastful when I saw the prosperity
of the wicked". Very seldom do we see these issues addressed in the church. Because
hardship makes us feel uncomfortable, churches sidestep the issue completely. Before we
can understand this topic, I feel it is necessary to clarify doctrines growing in popularity
that are not based on scripture, but on the desire of the human nature to have utopia on
earth. The church today is being blinded to eternity and focusing solely on the temporal.
The church is blind to the joy of suffering with a purpose greater than the pain. Churches
are making a shift because they are not willing to look beyond their immediate
circumstances and therefore, they turn away from God’s purposes and seek their own.
The Bible teaches us that in the last days, people will not endure sound doctrine, but will
instead pile in to teachers who will tell them what they want to hear. In other words, they
don’t want a gospel that asks them to deny self and conform to Christ, they want a gospel
that conforms to their lives and desires.
There are many competing doctrines and religions claiming to be truth, but there is only
one Spirit. The Spirit of God has no competing rival. His Spirit testifies with our spirit to
reveal truth. When someone hears the truth, they cannot be deceived without rejecting the
truth because His Spirit reveals it. Satan can only deceive us by appealing to our selfish
sin nature. Out of a desire for the lie we reject the truth. When someone has rejected God
by rejecting His truth, He will send a strong delusion so that they will believe a lie. God
will fulfill our desires. If we choose God and draw near to Him, He has promised to
reveal Himself and draw near to us. If we chose the lie over truth, God will give us over
to our desire for the lie. It is for this reason that so many false teachers have filled the
airways preaching self-fulfillment and turning God into a means to our ends. In this series
I will address these issues by comparing doctrine to scripture.
I know there will be many who will reject the idea that I will use scripture to reveal the
errors of ’God’s anointed’. However, the scripture is the authority over any who claim to
be spokesmen for God. If a preacher and the scripture disagree, one or the other is false.
The Bible states that God’s word is equal to His name. The scripture says that not one jot
or tittle will pass away and His word will remain forever. God’s word does not change
and God does not change. If someone stands in opposition to the Bible, either God is a
liar or the prophet is - or as Proverbs 30 states:
5 Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
6 Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.
One thing we must keep in mind is that it is not the heresy (or false teaching) that is the
focus, nor is it the teacher. The focus is on truth. If the truth of God’s word is proclaimed,
it will expose the lie that challenges it. If the teaching does not match the truth, the
teaching is a lie. If the teaching is a lie, the only hope for keeping the lie alive is for those
who love the lie to suppress the truth. They protect the lie from being exposed by
avoiding scriptures, mocking those who search the scriptures and discrediting those who
lift up the truth. Even though I will quote false teaching in order to expose it, the focus is
to uphold and teach the truth. If false teaching is not exposed in light of scripture, those
who are misled will never have the option to choose the truth. My goal is not to force
people to turn from the lie, but give people the opportunity to choose God and hold to the
truth He has revealed in His word.
Degrade Critical Thinkers
Creating shame and embarrassment is the easiest way to silence would-be critics and
prevent future ones. When someone knows that their position won’t stand up against
truth, their only hope is to make a mockery of the truth or discredit those who hold to the
truth. This is true in any area of life. Scientists who question evolution with evidence are
mocked. The evidence is seldom addressed. Instead, it is easier to make a mockery of
those who question their beliefs and then label the evidence as unreliable because those
presenting it are not credible. What happens to a ’whistle blower’ who exposes fraud or
abuse? Often times their careers are destroyed and reputations ruined by those in power.
They hide the evidence my discrediting the bearer of the truth. There does not need to be
merit to the rumors that destroy a reputation. One person’s words can destroy the
reputation of the innocent without evidence to support the slander. This is no different
with teachers who masquerade as evangelicals and promote anti-biblical doctrines. As we
will see, many so-called evangelicals are teaching New Age, Buddhism, Tritheism,
Mormonism and other doctrines while using Christian jargon. To keep their followers
from considering reason, they discredit those who expose the truth and discourage others
from thinking critically or looking at the scriptures for themselves. Before I give
examples, let’s see what the Bible teaches about truth.
1 John 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they
are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
How do we test the spirit to see if the teacher is false? Acts 17 answers this question:
10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea.
When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 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.
Notice, those who compared the doctrine of Paul to the known scripture were called
noble. Paul was truly God’s anointed apostle, yet believers were honored for comparing
what he taught to scripture. In spite of this clear principle, countless times I have heard
people say, ’touch not God’s anointed’. We are not to question, criticize or oppose
modern day ’prophets’ and those claiming to be God’s apostles. This is pollution of 1
Chronicles 16:21-22. The context of this passage is that man does not have the right to
destroy those whom God has appointed. When a prophet would proclaim the word of
God, wicked kings would often seek to destroy them in order to suppress the word, which
convicted their sin. God is proclaiming His divine protection and rebuking the kings that
sought to destroy those God sent to expose their evil deeds. This does not mean that you
cannot question those who call themselves prophets but whose teaching does not line up
with the already revealed word of God. The people were commanded to test Old
Testament prophets as well. False prophets have always been around. That is why the
Bible commands us to know the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who
does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
How are we to be diligent? By knowing how to rightly divide the word of truth. We study
the word so that we know how to discern truth. Those who seek the word of God will be
a worker without shame. Not only are we told to know how do discern truth, but we are
commanded to stand up for the truth. Look at Jude:
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common
salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly
for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this
condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and
deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Critics argue that we should all just get along. This may be the world’s view of truth, but
it is not God’s. The Bible warns that ungodly men will pervert the truth and we are
commanded to search the scriptures, know the truth, and defend it. 1 Peter 3 tells us to be
ready to give a defense. We are not passive bystanders, but we are warriors called into
action to defend the truth in love. Silently watching people be led down the path of deceit
is not love. Revealing the lie by shining the light of truth isn’t hate. Proverbs 27:5 says,
"Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed". We have seen how the Bible
commands us to know the truth, test the spirit of the prophets by the word and contend
for the faith, now let’s see how false teachers silence critics.
"There are some spend a lifetime - we call them apologist - they spend their whole
lives apologizing for the scriptures". - Paul Crouch
Interesting quote. Let’s take a moment to look at the word ’apologists’ or ’apologetics’.
This word comes from the Greek word, ’apologia’. This is found in 1 Peter 3:15 where
we are told to be ready to give an answer. ’Apologia’ literally means to speak in defense
with a well reasoned argument. What Paul Crouch calls ’apologizing for the scriptures’,
the Bible calls, defending the faith. Why are apologists mocked by Crouch? As we will
see later, it is because his doctrine does not align with scripture. Instead of defending his
doctrine, he is mocking those who question it. This same sentiment is echoed by John
Avanzini
I’m not impressed with the apologists. I might as well get it out - I used to be one,
God forgive me and I promise never to do it again.
How can anyone ask God to forgive them for defending their faith with reason and
searching the scriptures as commanded by God? There are many more examples, but my
only intention is to show how teachers discredit those who hold the Bible as absolute
truth dissuade others from becoming reasoning the scriptures. I also want to show that in
the foundational issues of scripture, there is a marked difference between the fastest
growing sect of the church and historic Christianity.
Cult Doctrine
There are many sincere Christians in the so-called ’Word-Faith’ movement.
Unfortunately, most people do not realize that the Word Faith movement is based on cult
doctrines as you will clearly see. I realize that everyone who follows the movement does
not intentionally subscribe to cultic teaching. However, because of lack of biblical
knowledge, pressure from friends, charismatic leaders and many other factors, they
unknowingly accept teaching that directly challenges scripture. The leaders of this
movement do subscribe knowingly to these doctrines. If the leaders are in error, then the
movement is in error regardless of how well intentioned the followers may be. In this
section, I will show that these teachers do not have the same heaven, hell, God, or Christ
that true Christianity holds to based on scripture.
Heaven
Let’s start with the Word Faith view of heaven based on the teachings of Kenneth
Copeland. Copeland describes heaven this way:
"Heaven has a north, south, east and west. Therefore, heaven must be a planet".
"This [the earth] is all a copy of home. It’s a copy of the mother planet. Where
God lives, he made a copy and put us on it".
This is a derivative of Mormonism. Mormonism teaches that as man is, God once was;
and as God is, man can become. The Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints
(Mormons) teaches that highest achievement of man is to one day have his own planet
and populate it just as God has this planet. Copeland teaches that God created the earth
by speaking words filled with the force of faith and made it a copy of the planet He lives
on and is replicating Himself in the earth. But how does the Bible describe heaven, as a
planet? Look at Revelation 4
1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And
the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come
up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this."
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat
on the throne.
’Immediately I was in the Spirit’ gives a strong clue. In the 1960’s a Russian cosmonaut
entered space and reported that he has been to the heavens and did not see any God. For
Christians who understand, this is not surprising in the least. John was caught up in the
spirit and then he beheld heaven. He did not land on a planet as Copeland believes
heaven to be. Also look at Matthew 6
19 " Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy
and where thieves break in and steal;
20 "but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust
destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
21 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Why don’t the treasures we store in heaven corrupt? Because it is not our physical world
we cling to, nor do we look for a physical world to come. Our treasures are sown in the
spirit and reaped in the spirit (Galatians 6).
God
Here is Kenneth Copeland’s description of God. As we review this teaching, keep in
mind the words of Joseph Smith, "As man is, God once was. As God is, man shall
become".
Copeland
The Bible says [God] measured the heavens with a 9 inch span. Now the span is
the distance of the hand between the tip of the little finger and the thumb. My
hand is 8 and 3/4 inches. That means God’s hand is 1/4 of an inch longer than mine.
He stands somewhere between 6 feet to 6 foot 2 and weighs a couple hundred
pounds. When God spoke, it wasn’t some monster - but out of a heart of a being
that is uncanny like you and I.
It is interesting that Copeland took a passage which was intended to show how small man
is and twisted it to show how small God is. Kenneth Copeland’s passage comes from
Isaiah 40. Let’s examine this passage in context and see if the Bible agrees with
Kenneth’s interpretation of Isaiah 40:
12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven
with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the
mountains in scales And the hills in a balance?
13 Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has taught
Him?
14 With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, And taught Him in
the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of
understanding?
15 Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small
dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing.
16 And Lebanon is not sufficient to burn, Nor its beasts sufficient for a burnt
offering.
17 All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than
nothing and worthless.
18 To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to
Him?
If you read the book of Isaiah, God’s people were turning away, becoming proud and
arrogant and God is showing the foolishness of their pride. God is not saying the heavens
were measured with a 9 inch span. God is asking a redundant question: Who can hold the
waters in the hollow of their hand; who can measure the heavens with a span (no mention
of 9 inches); who weighs the mountains on scales; who can teach God or counsel Him;
who can do anything God does or even question what God does? The answer obviously is
no one. It is ironic that God ended His questions by asking what likeness will you
compare to God? The correct answer is that nothing is comparable to God. The irony is
that Word Faith teachers remove the majesty and liken God to a man.
Kenneth Copeland is not alone. Jerry Seville echoes the same message when he also
describes God as measuring the heavens with a 9 inch span. Paul and Jan Crouch along
with Benny Hinn describe God as being a man. They declared that he whistles, therefore
God must have lips. They claim that the Bible says He has hands, legs, muscles and a
body. The problem with these teachings is a failure to understand the Bible’s use of
metaphors. Throughout the Bible, God uses metaphors to reveal spiritual truths. Psalm 91
says, "He shall cover you with his feathers and under His wings you shall trust". Jesus
looked out over Jerusalem and cried, "how long I have desired to gather you as a hen
gathers her brood, but you would not come". The metaphor is intended to describe God’s
protection - not to describe God. What about Revelation 4:3 where John grapples with
the words to describe God on His throne; "He who sat [on the throne] was like a jasper
and a sardius stone in appearance", or when the Bible calls God our Rock? Is God a stone
or a gem? Of course not.
In the last section, we looked at how false teachers errantly use scriptures to try to
conform God to their image. This section will begin by looking at how the Bible
describes God.
Eddie Snipes
Exchanged Life Outreach
http://www.exchangedlife.com
