Click or Tap Icons to Share! Thank you!

Authored By  :
Published On :
Last Updated :

NOTE: This article or series has not been updated recently. As such, it may possibly contain some outdated information, and/or ideas and beliefs which I no longer embrace, or which have changed to some degree.



The following is an updated version of a series I originally wrote on August 3, 1999. The primary difference between the earlier version and this one, is a number of spelling corrections, as well some formatting to the Bible verse references, and some HTML code enhancements.

One of the biggest tragedies within our worldwide Christian family today, is that contrary to the inward desires of the Lord Himself, as well as of the Apostle Paul and others, in a doctrinal sense, we are more divided than ever before. From the simplest issues, such as the necessary requirements for Eternal Salvation, to the baptism of the Holy Spirit, to the necessity of water baptism, to more complex issues such as the validity of the Gifts of the Spirit in our modern day, to the proper interpretation of Endtime prophecies, it is indeed difficult to find very much agreement within the Christian body. Why is this? What is the root of the problem?

This vast difference in beliefs and doctrines over the centuries, has of course resulted in the formation of a plethora of different churches, denominations, organizations and ministries, each with their own set of doctrines, which may be in total contrast to what is being taught by a priest, pastor, minister or preacher down the street from us. The bad fruit of so many different doctrines being taught, is quite obvious; and that is that many Christians in the world today find themselves in total confusion regarding what to believe, as well as what not to believe. Everyone claims to be a voice of authority; so what are the poor sheep supposed to do? Again I ask, why is this? What is the real root of the problem?

In the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel of John, we find the Lord praying for the unity of His young fledgling flock, when He says in part:

"And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are . . . That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:"


In his various Epistles, the Apostle Paul also expressed his clear desire for Christian unity within the Church, in both a doctrinal sense, as well as in the proper exercise of the Gifts of the Spirit, when he penned such words as the following:

"Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."


"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints . . . Let all things be done decently and in order."


This idea of spiritual unity is not limited to the New Testament alone. In the Old Testament, we also find such verses as the following:

"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?"


"[A Song of degrees of David.] Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"


So again I ask, why do we lack this unity today? What is the real root of the problem? As I stated a moment ago, a major part of the problem lies in our doctrinal differences. As I point out in other articles, what few people may realize, is that these differences are not something which began a few years ago, a few decades ago, or even a few centuries ago. The truth of the matter is that they actually began at the very beginning of time, when Satan uttered his first lie, "Yea, hath God said . . .", in the Garden of Eden, thus challenging the Commandments and Statutes which had been spoken by the Most High God:

"Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?"


In spite of his many errors as a human being, why is it that King David found so much favor in the eyes of the Lord? It is because, not only did he recognize his own dismal human condition, and thus depend totally upon the mercy of the Lord, instead of upon his own righteousness or good works, but the king also had very high regard for the Divine Commandments, or Law, of the Lord. He was totally in love with the Word of the Lord. He knew fully in his heart that whatever God said or did, even if he didn't understand it, even if he was in the midst of tribulation or chastisement, was good and righteous. He knew that God's Word was truly infallible and perfect in every way. Allow me to share with you just a few verses written by this beloved king of Israel:

"The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb."


"Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word . . . Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee . . . Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path . . . Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."


"I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name."


As another clear example of the battle between God's Holy Word, and Satan's unholy rebellious word, we only have but to look at Jesus' time in the wilderness, prior to the start of His Earthly Ministry in the Gospel of Matthew. We are all familiar with the story of how Satan utterly twisted the truth of God's Word, in order to try to defeat Jesus in His moment of physical weakness:

"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him."


One thing we can learn from this particular story, is that Satan knows the Word. In fact, he knows it better than you or I; after all, he is a spiritual being; and he was there when it was first spoken and written. After thousands of years of practice, Satan has become a pro at twisting and perverting God's Holy Word, in order to trip up people with his lies and half-truths; just as he did with Adam and Eve; and just as he unsuccessfully tried to do with the Lord Himself. As I point out elsewhere, it isn't that the demons don't know the truth; it isn't that they don't know who Jesus is; it is simply that, in their pride and rebellion, they have rejected His Authority, as well as the Authority of His Father. They are in all-out war against Them. This may be why the Apostle James was inspired to write:

"Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."


While I can cite many more Scriptural examples, suffice it to say then, that this war of the Spirit, which manifests itself through the spoken and the written word, has been fiercely waged ever since Eden, as that vile serpent, and his Earthly, evil, human emissaries, have tried, and have successfully convinced I might add, many people, Christian and non-Christian alike, to listen to and believe in his false doctrines, as opposed to the pure, truthful Words, Commandments and Doctrines of the Living God.

This doctrinal war was in full swing at the time of Jesus Christ, as is clearly evidenced by the many verbal battles which the Lord had with the Scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees and other members of the Jewish religious hierarchy of that era. It is for this very reason, that both He, and the first Apostles and early Disciples, repeatedly warned their new converts to beware of the leaven, or false doctrine, of the hard-hearted and misguided Jewish Elders, who tried their best to totally discredit Jesus Christ, and His glorious Resurrection from the dead. Consider again these clear Scriptural examples of warnings concerning false doctrine, and false Jewish brethren, which I share in other articles as well:

"Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."


"That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:"


"Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein."


"As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do."


"Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way."


"Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."


"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him . . . For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."


"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed."


"And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:"


"If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself."


"But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself."


"Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds."


What we have learned thus far in this article, is that doctrinal wars are nothing new. They have been waged for literally thousands of years. The Apostle Paul fought many doctrinal battles during his lifetime. When some people at Corinth challenged the Resurrection from the dead, Paul was quick to expose the doctrinal lie, when he wrote in part:

"Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?"


When the false brethren tried to spread the false doctrine amongst the new Christians in Galatia, that circumcision was still a necessary requirement in order to merit Salvation, again, Paul was quick to expose the doctrinal error; and he rebuked the fledgling Church when he wrote in part:

"O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain."


When the false doctrine was apparently spread amongst the Thessalonian Church that the Day of Christ was at hand, Paul again exposed the doctrinal error when he wrote in part:

"Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;"


Why would Paul write these admonitions, unless someone was apparently already trying to deceive the Early Christians with their false doctrines? While these are only a few examples, it should be very clear to you then, that as responsible Christians, we are not to remain silent when we learn that a certain false doctrine is being preached, even if it is being done by our very own brethren. Maybe they are doing it out of ignorance, but nevertheless, the false doctrine must be exposed, no matter how many people may be offended by it; after all, we are here to be God-pleasers, and not menpleasers. As Jude wrote, we are to stand up for the truth, and to contend for the faith; and as Paul wrote, we are to reprove, rebuke and exhort those who fall into doctrinal error:

"Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints."


"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine."


I can tell you from personal experience, that if and when you choose to do this, you will be harshly criticized by your adversaries. Some people, even well-meaning brethren who do not yet fully understand the seriousness of the situation, will condemn you. They will accuse you of being harsh and unloving. They will accuse you of being overly legalistic in your views and inflexible in your doctrinal stance. In their blindness to the truth, some of them will mistakenly side with the enemy. In fact, one of the biggest deceptions to which some of these people will even yield themselves, is the false modern idea that we can all believe as we want, as long as we love each other. It doesn't matter what you believe, or what I believe, as long as we love each other, they claim. As we have now seen, this idea is nothing short of a half-truth and a deception. Yes, we are most certainly supposed to love each other; after all, Jesus did indeed teach:

"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."


However, this is not the full Gospel truth; it is only a part of the equation. As I explain in other articles, such as in "Love, Mercy, Forgiveness And Chastisement", Godly love expresses itself in many different ways; and rebuke and chastisement just so happens to be one of them. In the Book of Proverbs, as well as in Paul's Epistle to the Hebrews, we also find the following verses:

"Open rebuke is better than secret love."


"For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."


In short, while we are supposed to love the brethren, and to encourage, uplift and feed them because of the tender sheep that they are, we are also supposed to rebuke them sharply, and to correct them when they fall into serious error, be it doctrinal error or otherwise. If we fail to do this, then we are not fulfilling our obligation as responsible shepherds of the Lord; and God will hold us accountable; for as the Apostle Paul wrote:

"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."


To reiterate then, what we have clearly seen, is that while Jesus and His Apostles loved the sheep, they also did not hesitate to expose the doctrinal lies of the enemy; whether those lies originated from the enemy without, such as in the case of the deceitful Jewish hierarchy, or whether those lies originated from within; that is, from the enemy who had crept within their very midst, in the form of cunning, false brethren, or even true brethren, who had become ignorantly deceived by the false doctrines. In such cases, the Elders of the Early Church dealt with them swiftly, in order to maintain doctrinal purity within the flock. According to the Scriptures we have now read, in some cases, this included excommunication from the Body of Believers, if the accused did not repent of his false ideas.

In short, as we are clearly told in the Book of Proverbs, God simply hates those who sow discord and division amongst the brethren. He considers it an abomination; a filthy, ugly thing; and spreading false doctrine is one sure way of sowing discord amongst the Lord's flocks:

"A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren."


Sadly, in our modern day, many Christian leaders are not willing to take such a strong stand against doctrinal error. They have compromised so much with the enemy in their own lives, that they are more concerned about their public image, and what people will think if they say such and such, or if they do such and such. These false shepherds have become menpleasers instead of God-pleasers. Threatened by the possibility of losing their tax-free status, or losing certain large contributions made to their church, or being persecuted by the IRS, (Internal Revenue Service - tax collection agency in the USA), they have become victims of the sickening social disease known as political correctness. They sing the same tune, and dance the same dance just like everyone else. They are the rich, affluent false shepherds of our modern Christian era, just like those mentioned in Ezekiel chapter thirty-four, who fleeced the flocks of God; but the Lord will someday hold them accountable for their actions.

Rather than preach the full truth of God's Word, these men compromise their ministry, and tone down their message, and join the wayward crowd who say, "You can believe what you want to believe, and I can believe what I want to believe, as long as we love each other, and have compassion for each other". Isn't that precisely what Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama teaches? Well, guess what? The Dalai Lama is not a Christian!

In fact, from what I have heard and read, some of those Christian preachers and church leaders, have now gone so far in their spiritual waywardness, that as I point out in the article "Modern False Prophets And Worldly Ecumenism", they are now saying, and actually demonstrating, that it is now okay for we Christians to pray right along side of Buddhists and other false religionists; and that the antichrist Jews should be treated as our brethren; and that there isn't really that much difference between we Bible-believing Christians and the idol-worshipping, Mary devotees of Roman Catholicism; and that we can all be one big happy family under one religious umbrella; if we are just willing to compromise our beliefs a little, and not tout Jesus as the only Saviour of mankind. Yes, folks; why don't we just lay aside our "minor" religious differences, and be one big happy world family with One World Religion? Wouldn't that be nice?

Of course, I speak in jest. As sincere, Bible-believing Christians, we should all know that this sort of spiritual compromise is totally in contradiction to what is really taught in the Holy Scriptures. There can be no compromise! We are at war against the enemy of our souls! We must all contend for the Christian faith; even when our spiritual leaders are not willing to lead the way! Even when it means standing alone as a solitary pillar of truth! Not only are these modern false shepherds not willing to do these things, but they are leading their flocks astray with their false ideas and wayward doctrines which condone such things as worldly compromise, ecumenism and secular humanism!

What we have also learned thus far in this series, is that the author of this doctrinal war, is none other than Satan himself, because our God is definitely not the author of confusion, as stated earlier by the Apostle Paul. In fact, as I have pointed out many times before, Jesus quite clearly told the Jewish Elders of His day, that they were the children of the Devil; and that he, that is, Satan, is a murderer, and the father of lies:

"Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."


"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves."


What odd statements for Jesus to make when today some modern preachers tell us that the Jews are our friends and fellow brethren! Obviously, someone must be wrong; and it certainly isn't the Lord! So again, God's Word is the sure, immutable, unchanging Word of prophecy; and not one single one of His Words shall fail! Only Satan is a liar! All of God's Words will be fulfilled, as we see in these verses:

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."


"For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled . . . Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled."


"For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled."


"God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?"


"I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him. That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past."


"Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:"


"God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged."


"In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;"


"We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts . . . For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost."


Being as God's Word is so sure, so immutable, so unchanging, should not we all make absolutely certain that our lives, and our doctrine, is solely based upon it, and upon nothing else, despite what anyone might say?

What we have also learned through earlier verses in this series, is that, being as he is a spiritual entity, Satan must work from behind the scenes to accomplish his purposes, through his human emissaries who have rejected the truth concerning the Birth, Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the necessity of His Blood Atonement for the remission of our sins. Sometimes, these people even feign to be our Christian brethren, when they most certainly are not! They are ravenous wolves in sheep's' clothing, as both Jesus and the Apostle Paul taught, who come in to maim, kill and devour the flocks:

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."


"Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves."


"Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves."


"For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock."


Finally, we have been issued serious warnings to beware of such people, and to have absolutely nothing to do with them once they are discovered and exposed. Why is this? It is because if they are admitted to one's flock, and left to their own devices, they will poison that flock with their subtle lies and poisonous leaven of false doctrines. As the Apostle Paul wrote, all it takes is just a little leaven, just a small root of false doctrine, in order to pollute the minds and hearts of the entire flock:

"Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?"


"A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump."


Now, lest some of my readers erroneously think that the Scriptural warnings I shared earlier concerning false brethren and false doctrine only pertain to the past, and that they no longer apply to modern Christianity, allow me to share several more admonitions with you, which were also issued by the Apostle Paul in his first and second Epistles to his beloved son in the faith, Timothy. Please note that these particular warnings pertain to a time in the future. In fact, Paul very specifically tells us that certain false doctrines will be taught "in the latter times"; that is, in the Endtime; the time in which we now find ourselves:

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;"


"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;"


Wow! What spiritual insight the Lord had given Paul into the far future! Do not these words perfectly describe our very times of chaotic doctrinal confusion within the worldwide Christian body? Do they not describe the many false teachers who are paid a nice salary so that they will compromise their message, and just teach what they are ordered to teach so as not to make waves and upset the status quo?

In the second part of this four-part series, we will take an even closer look at exactly how Satan has worked over the long centuries; and expose one of the biggest tricks he has used to totally destroy unity within the Christian body. There is still a lot of information to come. I trust that you will join me.

⇒ Go To The Next Part . . .

Click or Tap Icons to Share! Thank you!

---

---

Please avail yourself of other areas of the Bill's Bible Basics website. There are many treasures for you to discover.