Thursday, 26th April 2007
Recently, I heard a warning about there being the prevalence of false doctrine and heretic teachings in the endtimes.
I appreciate the heed and need for caution because Jesus, and even Paul did mention about this in the Gospels and in the letter to Timothy respectively. The devil knows that his time is running out, so he is working overtime to lead people astray.
However, what I do not appreciate is when such labels are being placed on fellow labourers in the harvestfield, just because the doctrines being expounded upon goes against the so-called "mainstream establishment". When doctrines such as the gospel of grace and the finished work of the cross (which encompasses prosperity and healing) are being rendered as "cultic" by these religious people, they do not realise that they are the ones who have instead become instruments of the evil one, to deprive believers of what should rightfully be theirs.
One fundamental characteristic of "Christian cults" is that the founder is central to the belief system, while the person of Jesus is relegated at best, or totally ignored at worst.
How can a church with 15,000 members and counting be considered a cult when the preachers mention Jesus at least 50 times in a sermon, gives all glory and honour to no other but Him, and dozens respond to accept Jesus each time an altar call is held at the end of every service?
Such labelling is ludicrous, and if I may say so, reflects a certain amount of envy on the part of the critic.
In fact, we see a parallel in the life of the early church as recorded in Acts. The disciples went about preaching that Jesus was alive and He was the Messiah that was promised in the Scriptures. They faced opposition from the religous establishment of the day, namely the Pharisees, scribes and chief priests. It is ironic and sad that history repeats itself and this is still taking place this very day.
[I thank the Lord that the person who was the Pharisee of Pharisees, and who prided himself of knowing the Law inside out and outside in, became the very person that God used to bring across His message of grace, and went on to write 2/3 of the New Testament. ]
So before we accuse any other church of being a cult, let us ask ourselves whether Jesus is being magnified and exalted by that church. If He is, then we may unwittingly be advancing satan's cause instead of our Lord's.
Recently, when Benny Hinn was in Singapore healing hundreds of people and glory was being given to Jesus, there were also sceptics who said that it was the work of the devil. Do you think the devil will allow Jesus to take the credit if he was the one who was behind it?
This state of confusion is also not new. We read in Mark 3:22-29
22And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons." 23So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan?
24If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
26And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.
27In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house.
28I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them.
29But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."
Let us heed the warning in verse 29, lest we be guilty of blapheming against the Holy Spirit!!!
Shalom
Malcolm
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