The Devil's Conflict in The Church

[Davy]

There are too many conflicts within Christian theology today which should not be. We were told long ago that this would happen:

2 Peter 2:1-2
2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
KJV


How do we recognize those false prophets or false teachers? By some of the really crazy doctrines of men they push, that should be easy.

But it's because many brethren don't do Bible study for themselves that allows... those false teachers to exist, in my opinion.

The Word of God is not like some Quija board that each person can float a glass over and out pops a new interpretation. God's Word is very specific, even when God gives an analogy or metaphor that points to a literal Truth.

God's Word studied properly can be compared to a study in electronics. What would happen if we just skipped around in a study of electronics, never borthering to learn the basic principles of electricity? We'd probably injure ourselves or others around us.

This is the problem with men's doctrines in the Church today. We were already warned about the false prophets that would creep into the Church, which means there a doctrines of men being pushed today in the Churches, and brethren that don't know their Bible may not recognize them. Someone who dresses nice, has good looks, and speaks softly and sweet, is financially successful, can be one of the greatest deceivers of God's people, so those traits are not... true credentials of a God-called preacher/teacher.

The only way to know is for each one of us to pray and ask God to give us understanding of His Word by The Holy Spirit, and then discipline ourselves in His Word, chapter by chapter, line upon line, from Genesis all the way through.

 

[ChristIsSovereign]

There are too many conflicts within Christian theology today which should not be. We were told long ago that this would happen:

2 Peter 2:1-2
2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
KJV


How do we recognize those false prophets or false teachers? By some of the really crazy doctrines of men they push, that should be easy.

But it's because many brethren don't do Bible study for themselves that allows... those false teachers to exist, in my opinion.

The Word of God is not like some Quija board that each person can float a glass over and out pops a new interpretation. God's Word is very specific, even when God gives an analogy or metaphor that points to a literal Truth.

God's Word studied properly can be compared to a study in electronics. What would happen if we just skipped around in a study of electronics, never borthering to learn the basic principles of electricity? We'd probably injure ourselves or others around us.

This is the problem with men's doctrines in the Church today. We were already warned about the false prophets that would creep into the Church, which means there a doctrines of men being pushed today in the Churches, and brethren that don't know their Bible may not recognize them. Someone who dresses nice, has good looks, and speaks softly and sweet, is financially successful, can be one of the greatest deceivers of God's people, so those traits are not... true credentials of a God-called preacher/teacher.

The only way to know is for each one of us to pray and ask God to give us understanding of His Word by The Holy Spirit, and then discipline ourselves in His Word, chapter by chapter, line upon line, from Genesis all the way through.

Concise and on the point. Good observation.

 

[BNR32FAN]

There are too many conflicts within Christian theology today which should not be. We were told long ago that this would happen:

2 Peter 2:1-2
2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
KJV


How do we recognize those false prophets or false teachers? By some of the really crazy doctrines of men they push, that should be easy.

But it's because many brethren don't do Bible study for themselves that allows... those false teachers to exist, in my opinion.

The Word of God is not like some Quija board that each person can float a glass over and out pops a new interpretation. God's Word is very specific, even when God gives an analogy or metaphor that points to a literal Truth.

God's Word studied properly can be compared to a study in electronics. What would happen if we just skipped around in a study of electronics, never borthering to learn the basic principles of electricity? We'd probably injure ourselves or others around us.

This is the problem with men's doctrines in the Church today. We were already warned about the false prophets that would creep into the Church, which means there a doctrines of men being pushed today in the Churches, and brethren that don't know their Bible may not recognize them. Someone who dresses nice, has good looks, and speaks softly and sweet, is financially successful, can be one of the greatest deceivers of God's people, so those traits are not... true credentials of a God-called preacher/teacher.

The only way to know is for each one of us to pray and ask God to give us understanding of His Word by The Holy Spirit, and then discipline ourselves in His Word, chapter by chapter, line upon line, from Genesis all the way through.

I think we as Christians should have a hunger for the scriptures. Many people don’t and rely on others to tell them what the Bible says. And some claim their church knows better than the scriptures.

 

[AnticipateHisComing]

There are too many conflicts within Christian theology today which should not be. We were told long ago that this would happen:

I do not have such a fear for divisions in the Church. In fact scripture says it is needed. Think about a world where one church ruled the faith. History is not kind to such an ideal. Corrupt ideas came from religious leaders that are unchallenged. To name one, indulgences. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The good point of differences in the Church is accomplished in the debate of the differences. Scripture teaches us to test these teachings against scripture. So a good exercise of this is to study scripture and quote scripture to defend your position. If one church ruled all things doctrine, then they could introduce any teaching and it would be forced on all Christians.

So many think it is bad that we have so many different denominations. I say it is so much better than there being only one church. Lastly consider this, even in Jesus' day, there were two major "denominations". Jesus may have called out the Sadducees for not believing in the resurrection, but he never taught it so terrible that there were two factions of doctrine. To all that persist in their closed communion, consider that these two factions still worshiped side by side in the same temple.

Now there are false teachers that need to be guarded against and prevented from being in the Church, but there is a very specific test for the antichrist.

2 John 1:7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.​

The Word of God is not like some Quija board that each person can float a glass over and out pops a new interpretation. God's Word is very specific, even when God gives an analogy or metaphor that points to a literal Truth.

God's Word studied properly can be compared to a study in electronics. What would happen if we just skipped around in a study of electronics, never borthering to learn the basic principles of electricity? We'd probably injure ourselves or others around us.

I have studied electronics. I have studied God's word. They are not the same.
A calculator or computer can extrapolate rules and formulas in electronics and everyone with the same input will get the same answer. This is mathematics. Religion requires a heavenly/spiritual level of judgement that only God is perfect in performing.

 

[Davy]

I do not have such a fear for divisions in the Church. In fact scripture says it is needed. Think about a world where one church ruled the faith. History is not kind to such an ideal. Corrupt ideas came from religious leaders that are unchallenged. To name one, indulgences. Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

The good point of differences in the Church is accomplished in the debate of the differences. Scripture teaches us to test these teachings against scripture. So a good exercise of this is to study scripture and quote scripture to defend your position. If one church ruled all things doctrine, then they could introduce any teaching and it would be forced on all Christians.

So many think it is bad that we have so many different denominations. I say it is so much better than there being only one church. Lastly consider this, even in Jesus' day, there were two major "denominations". Jesus may have called out the Sadducees for not believing in the resurrection, but he never taught it so terrible that there were two factions of doctrine. To all that persist in their closed communion, consider that these two factions still worshiped side by side in the same temple.

Now there are false teachers that need to be guarded against and prevented from being in the Church, but there is a very specific test for the antichrist.

2 John 1:7 I say this because many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.​

I have studied electronics. I have studied God's word. They are not the same.
A calculator or computer can extrapolate rules and formulas in electronics and everyone with the same input will get the same answer. This is mathematics. Religion requires a heavenly/spiritual level of judgement that only God is perfect in performing.

I was not advocating a one-physical earthly denominational philosophy. There is only one True... Church, and it is in the spiritual, the foundation of it being the Apostles and prophets, with our Lord Jesus as The Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2). But it will manifest literally in the physical in full, when Jesus returns to this earth to gather His elect Church. Until then, we as believers on Christ Jesus, in all nations and nationalities, make up His spiritual Church today.

Likewise, there is only One true Word of God, One Gospel of Jesus Christ for His Church, so we all should be saying the same thing (1 Cor.1:10). As brethren do in-depth Bible study for themselves, their understanding of God's Word will become closer to each other, revealing that there is One true interpretation of God's Word, and not many various ones.

 

[thecolorsblend]

each person can float a glass over and out pops a new interpretation.

I really did lol at this, I'll be honest.

 

[Davy]

I really did lol at this, I'll be honest.

Sad, but true.

 

[Traveler 1]

The front lines.

I wrote this letter as an encouragement for a friend that is going though a hard time but thought that it may be of interest to others in the same boat as well.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

I have been looking at that word that the Lord gave you and I am now in the situation where the Lord is impressing upon me to give you a few examples out of my own life to demonstrate some points.

Lets ask a simple question about me. How much credibility do you think I have in the eyes of the regular Church body as a whole? Now lets face it, I not only wrote an article about Aliens but I refused to repent of it either.

When I first mentioned it a few years back everyone was blocking their ears so as not to be influenced by my blasphemy. And of course I was the focus of all the mock fests and the warnings would go out that you do not want to end up like me etc. But no one will forget me even if it is in a derogatory way and when the events do start to unfold those that mocked me and derided me will know that I was right and they will heed the warnings I gave even if they will never apologize for what they did and said to me and about me.

The same thing happened with my criticism of the prosperity teaching. I was first looked upon with shock then everyone started to distance themselves from me and to prove the point they even helped me to be poor. I have been labeled a false prophet even if I do not have the gift of prophecy, I have been shunned and ridiculed and held up as an example of what you do not want to become. and lectured too by total fools who think they have understanding but also think they look cool doing it. I have been able to look back over the years and as it turns out they are not doing too well after all. When the judgments come they are the ones that fall apart and I just breeze through like another day at the office.

So the questions are, am I that strange and bad. am I the dark horse that is not to be trusted, am I servant of Christ or an abomination to nature and the good order of the establishment. Well when the chips are down I have noticed that the creator of the entire universe is willing to listen to my prayer and help me out here and there while everyone else seems to be preoccupied with reciting their positive confessions until they drift away in a fallen state of disbelief as opposes of the gospels they once misinterpreted.

But the interesting thing to note is that most of the attacks that did the damage did not come from the world. The people in the world think that anybody that is religious is a little nuts anyway. In fact the world is surprisingly tolerant. The most harmful and hurting attacks came from inside the religious establishment. Now lets just think about that! There is the call for the unity of the saints but the battle fields are in fact located inside the religious establishments. That is where the front lines are. The battle fields are not found out in the world, that is satans home turf and no one there is interested in the gospels or what the saints are doing because it does not effect them.

But it is inside the religious establishments that the lines are drawn and the battle between good and evil takes place. That is where the interests in the gospels are to be found. When someone in the world is drawn to Christ they are brought into the religious establishments and that is where the battle to build them up or cause them to fall takes place. Bet you never realized that point, few want to look at it that way even though it is blatantly obvious.

Satan is opposed to the spread of the Gospels and the message of salvation whereby men are able to be reconciled to God. He wants to stop the spread of this information but he has a problem. Men have been given the authority through Christ to trample all over him and he is unable to defy that authority. The only way he can oppose this situation and retain a hold on his territory is to corrupt the gospel messages and cause the saints to fall into sin there by separating them from access to the authority they are entitled to if the remain faithful to their calling.

He cannot do this by leaving the church alone to train up the new converts in peace or the church will just grow stronger and stronger with each passing generation as their numbers grow. So he is compelled to take his battle right to the church leadership where he has to corrupt the teaching and introduce his deceptions so that the leadership will lead the flock astray thus enabling him to keep the church contained. Because of our short life spans he is able to practice this with each successive generation while keeping those that do come to the greater understandings isolated through peer pressures and in house politics motivated by power and greed. Hence the front lines of the battle is to be found in the upper ranks of the church itself. Satans weapons of choice is pride, ego and self esteem. Pump the higher ranks full of this until they are built up in self importance in their own sight and then insult them in the right way and all the negative emotions pour out to be manipulated in the right manner to tear the body apart from the top. Keep doing it over and over and disintegration starts to occur as the more skilled saints just get worn down.

So now the question becomes. How are you to conduct yourself in order to counter this and still be of service to the kingdom. The first thing to remember is that it is Christ himself that is the head of the church, not us. It is not our job to work out how to counter this and what strategy to employ where and when. That’s Christ’s job. We just worry about our own little area of responsibility, Jesus will worry about the bigger picture.

Then we have to keep ourselves out of the pride and self esteem trap. When we are going about serving the kingdom and someone that is supposed to be a part of the body just up and torpedoes all our work and effort how do we react? Or when we are falsely accused what is our emotional response? When we are labeled in derogatory terms and isolated from our fellow servants how do we react? If you start becoming an effective servant and moving in the spirit in any meaningful way all those things are going to be happening to you continually. Because that is the nature of the spiritual conflict that we are in.
The only way to counter this and defeat satans plans of engagement is by dieing to self. Dieing to self is not just some holy exercise to make you more spiritual. It is in fact the most effective and practical way to counter satans strategies of engagement in this spiritual conflict that is playing out all around us. Turning the other cheek is not all about being all Holy, it is a practical application of a defense strategy to counter satans negative emotional plays. It is achieved through an act of your own free will with deliberate intent of stopping the progression of division within the body. Yes you do stand up when you see deceptions being introduced and you do speak out against false doctrine etc but know when to stop before it becomes a case of hounding the person as opposed to stopping the spread of the heresy.

If correction comes your way do not allow your own ego to get bruised. Take a step back, examine and double check, if you are wrong correct, if not then stand your ground but defend your stand, do not attack the opposing person. If you are indeed right let the Lord vindicate you.

Anyway as you can see, serving the Lord is not a bed of roses. When I look back at my own life and then consider what the first Apostles wrote about their own lives I see little difference. In both cases it sucks. You cannot expect to enter a battle on the front lines and not expect to be pelted with the debris. You have to defend the flag and heal the wounded at the same time while rescuing the enslaved whom often do not even know that you are the good guy. Anyway I hope that helps you get things in perspective.