Posts Tagged ‘false teachers’

Scripture reading for December 8th: Jude 1-25

The short letter of Jude, a brother of James and half-brother of Jesus, is a call to spiritual battle against false teachers and deception.  Where the truth is taught, the enemy of God’s people will send opposition.  We are in a spiritual war and the battle is sometimes within the church!

“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write to urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.  For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you.  They are godless men, who change the grace of  our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.” (Jude 3-4)   Jude’s letter is a call to battle!  This battle is for the believer’s faith.  Satan has sent false men into the church to try and get the church to deny their faith in Christ and His word by seducing them with immorality!  This was warned of long ago!

God has judged immorality severely in the past.  Jude cites the Israelites who died in the desert because of God’s judgment on their idolatry and immorality.  (Jude 5-7)  He reminds them of the destruction by fire of Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns because of their perversion.  “They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire.” Jude plainly warns the church of God’s wrath against sexual sin.  He is the Lord who does not change!

“But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold.  They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.”  These are men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and  do not have the Spirit.  But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in you most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.” (Jude 17-20)  A good way to counteract the false teachers is to stay close to the words of the apostles–the Holy Scriptures.  Along with this, praying in the Holy Spirit also builds up the spiritual man and keeps us in the faith and love of Jesus Christ.  Jude’s advice is a good word for us today!  We are reading God’s word, now let’s pray in the Spirit!

Scripture reading for October 26th: Titus 1:1-16

Titus was a Greek convert of Paul’s who was called by God to be a leader in the church.  Paul recognized God’s call on this young man and worked with him to help him mature and learn how to lead and organize an effective church in a pagan culture.  He left him in Crete to continue the work that Paul had started there.  Paul considered Titus a ‘true son’ in the faith that they shared in Jesus Christ.

Leaders in the church must meet certain character qualifications in order to be effective.  The goal of good leadership is to see people won to faith in Jesus Christ through the Gospel and then to see people live godly lives as they expectantly work and wait for the soon return of Jesus.  Paul listed these qualification again for Titus as he did for Timothy, his other son in the faith.  Good elders must be blameless and have their families under control.  They must be free from moral vices and love what is good, according to Scripture.  They must be hospitable and able to teach others what they know and live out from God’s word.  They must be able to refute those who oppose the truth as well as encourage those who are open and growing.  (Titus 1:5-9)

Being a pastor involves working with people of all backgrounds and maturity levels.  Pastoral ministry requires patience and persistence in doing good.  A pastor must always realize that they are representing God and His word to the people in how they teach as well as how they live.

Paul cautioned Titus to beware of some rebellious people who were of the circumcision party.  These people really did not  believe but were using their religion for gain.  Paul told Titus to rebuke them sharply that they might be delivered from the Jewish myths that they were pedaling.  (Titus 1:10-13)  These people were really not believers in Jesus Christ or the Gospel.  Their minds and consciences had been corrupted with the false teaching of legalism.  “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny Him.  They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything good.”

The Gospel of Christ produces faith which leads to obedience to the truth and godly living.  False teaching leads to strife and division.  Pastors must be strong to teach and live the truth by faith.

Scripture reading for December 22nd: Jude

“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for he faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” Jude 3

Jude was the half-brother of Jesus Christ.  His letter was written to the church as a wave of false teachers were enticing believers to live in worldly ways and enticing them to sexual immorality and idolatry. (Jude 4)   He planned to write about their common salvation, but instead wrote a letter of encouragement and warning about the need to contend earnestly for the faith! We are in a spiritual conflict and the enemy of our souls is trying to steal our faith!

Jude points God’s people back to God’s past dealings with His redeemed people.  God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.  They all experienced God’s grace but not all believed and they were destroyed in the desert.  (Jude 5)  Lot and his children were delivered from Sodom, but God destroyed these towns because of sexual immorality and perversion (homosexual behavior). (Jude 7)  These towns were destroyed by fire and serve as examples for us today of eternal fire that will consume the enemies of God.

Jude’s strong warnings were meant to help those in the church to resist these false teachers and stay on the path of righteousness.  Jude gives some positive instruction to the church to help them.  They are to remember the teaching of the Apostles who had warned about these scoffers of the last times who would seek to divide the church.  (Jude 18-19)

The best way Jude suggested to build yourself up in your faith was to pray in the Holy Spirit.  By doing this, a believer could keep himself in the love of  God and wait patiently for Jesus Christ to come.  While waiting, each believer should be merciful to those who are doubting or weak in their faith and show mercy to others by snatching them from the fires of hell.  They must be careful to keep their faith and focus on Jesus.  He alone could keep them from falling.

“To Him who is able to keep you from falling and present you before His glorious presence without fault and with great joy–to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen!” Jude 24-25

Dear Friends,

Wow, only one more day of rest in this year!  Where has it gone?  What a journey through God’s word we have enjoyed!  Only three more letters and we will finish this year’s trip and prepare for another!  Our goal has been to find Jesus speaking to us in each book and letter of God’s word.  I am amazed at how each time I sit down to read and write, the Holy Spirit opens up some aspect of the passage for me.

Because of a small slip-up on my part, we end up needing to read the last five  Sunday’s of the year so that we can finish.  Earlier, we were able to read six days and rest one.  This week we have the short letter of 2nd John as our reading.  Here are a few Scriptures that speak to me from this short letter.  May they minister to your heart as you rest this day.

“Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.” 2nd John 3

“It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning.  I ask that we love one another.  And this is love:  that we walk in obedience to His commands.  As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love. “ 2nd John 4-6

‘Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world.  Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.” 2nd John 7

“I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink.  Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.” 2nd John 12

Have a great day of rest–talk to the Lord face to face and be filled with His joy and peace!  In His Love, Pastor John

Scripture reading for December 18th: 2nd Peter 1-3

Does the sin and degradation of this world ever get to you?   Do you become so tired of the constant bombardment of sex, lies, materialism, war, pollution, and lusts that you long for an escape?  Peter offers some advice to those who have the righteousness of Christ by faith.  We are to live in grace and peace in abundance through our knowledge of God and Christ Jesus, our Lord!  (2nd Peter 1:1-2)

“His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.  Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.” (2nd Peter 1:3-4)

What do we know about Jesus Christ and God our Father that helps us to escape this corruption?  We know Jesus was good!  He went about doing good and healed all those oppressed by the devil, because God the Father was with Him. (Acts 10:38)  We know that Jesus promises to be with us always!  (Matthew 28:20)  We know that God the Father spoke from heaven and confirmed Jesus as His Son.  (Matthew 17:2-5)  We also know that Jesus is coming back the same way He left–in a cloud of glory!  (Acts 1:9-11)  Peter was there and an eyewitness to Christ’s glory when He was transfigured and when He ascended!  (2nd Peter 1:18)

We have Peter’s eyewitness account, but God’s word is even more certain according to Peter.  (2nd Peter 1:19-21)  God’s word contains the precious promises that we cling to.  It came not from man, but holy men spoke from God under the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit!  God’s word is Spirit and Life–impregnated with the life of God and able to cause us to be born again.  (1st Peter 2:23)  The life it brings endures forever!  The Spirit is a guarantee of what is to come!  The earth and heavens will pass away with a roar and intense heat, but God’s word will never pass away!  (Matthew 24:35) (2nd Peter 3:10)

Faith and rest in God’s ability to bring His promises to pass enables us to escape the world’s corruption caused by our lusts.  We are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth where righteousness will be complete!  Peter concludes his second letter with encouragement. We do our part and God will keep His word!  “So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.  Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation…”  But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” (2nd Peter 3:14-15, 18)