By Smooth Talk and Flattery

[Christsfreeservant]

“I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (Romans 16:17-20 ESV)​

So, who are these people today who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that we all should have been taught, i.e. that Jesus and his NT taught, in full context? They are those who are teaching that we can profess faith in Jesus Christ once in our lives and that all our sins are now forgiven (past, present, and future), that heaven is secured us, and that nothing can take it away from us, but regardless of how we live. And some are even taking it so far as to claim that God requires no repentance and no obedience to him and no holy living, for us to have eternal life in him.

And it appears that the majority of those claiming faith in Jesus Christ here in America are following after that teaching rather than the teachings of Christ and of his NT apostles, taught in their correct context. For so many of them are being taught the lies today, and not the truth. In fact, there appears to be an all-out deliberate effort to saturate the internet and people’s minds and hearts with what is deceptive and only partially biblical, and it is working, as the masses seem to be flocking to this altered gospel message which does not lead people to eternal life with God.

So, what is the true gospel message that we all should be being taught? It is that Jesus died on that cross that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, and so we will live for him and no longer for self. It is that he shed his blood for us on that cross to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of slavery to sin so that we can now honor God with our bodies (our whole being). So sin is to no longer to be what we obey, for if sin is what we obey, it will lead to death, not to life eternal with God.

[1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Romans 6:1-23]

And Jesus said that if anyone would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to our old lives of living in sin and for self, we will lose them for eternity. But if for the sake of Jesus we deny self, die daily to sin, and follow him in obedience, we have the hope of eternal life. For he also said that not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING the will of God the Father (Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

And then we read that if sin is what we practice, and not righteousness, holiness, godliness, and obedience to our Lord and to his commands, that we are not in fellowship with Christ, we do not know God, he does not know us, we are not his sheep, and we are not born of God, so we do not have forgiveness of sins and salvation from sin and eternal life with God, regardless of whatever faith in Jesus Christ we profess with our lips. For if we live for sin, we will die in our sins.

[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-24; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

So, it is important that we are students of the Scriptures who read them in their full context and who do not rely on the teachings of other humans to tell us what the Scriptures teach. For there are so many liars and deceivers and con men in our pulpits today teaching lies and not the truth of what the Scriptures teach if taught in context. And this is one reason why I supply so many Scriptural references for my readers, because I want you to see that what I am sharing with you here is what the Scriptures teach, in context, and that this is not something that I am creating in my own mind.

And the only way that we are going to be able to discern these liars from those who are truly serving the Lord is if we are testing everything and everyone against the Scriptures (in full context). And this is the only way that we will be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil is if we know what the Scriptures teach regarding good and evil, for these charlatans can be so convincing with their smooth talk and flattery and deceptive manipulative tactics. So please test everything so that you know the truth from the lies so that you follow the truth and not the lies.

The Lord’s Anointed

An Original Work / December 16, 2011
Based off Isaiah 61

The Spirit of the Sov’reign Lord on me;
Anointed to preach the Good News;
Sent me to bind up the brokenhearted;
Proclaim freedom for the captives.
He sent me to preach release for pris’ners
Who are walking in sin’s darkness;
Proclaim God’s grace to all men who’ll listen;
And tell them about God’s judgments;
Comfort all who mourn;
Give crowns of beauty;
Oil of gladness and thanksgiving.

They will be called oaks of God’s righteousness,
A planting of our Savior, God,
For the display of our Lord’s splendor, and
They will rebuild God’s holy church.
God will renew them, and will restore them,
And you’ll be called priests of the Lord.
You will be ministers of our God, and
You will rejoice in salvation.
The Lord loves justice;
He is faithful to
Reward those who are seeking Him.

I delight greatly in the Lord;
My soul rejoices in my Savior, God.
He has clothed me with His salvation,
And in a robe of His righteousness.
He has given me priestly garments to wear,
As the bride of Jesus Christ.
As the garden of our Lord and Savior,
He causes us to grow in Him.
He makes righteousness,
Praise, and thanksgiving
Spring up before all the nations.