How to Deal with False Preachers

By: matt2122

No doubt, we are living in times when Satan is constantly spreading around false doctrines and false prophecies, trying to deceive as many lost sinners as possible so that they can join him in the lake of fire. For this reason, as followers of Christ, we are in a constant battle against evil. However, many of us tend to forget who it is we are fighting against. The Bible makes it quite clear that we should be fighting against Satan, not those who he controls. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 says, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds ;)” In other words, we are in a war with evil, not evil people. Martin Luther is a powerful and disturbing example of what can happen to a man who chooses to fight in a war against other men. Luther is most credited with translating the Bible into the German language, as well as the leader of the Protestant Reformation. However, most Christians have no knowledge of the hatred that this man was filled with. The “great reformer” and “national hero” not only published numerous writings trashing the Papists and Anabaptists, but also contain a large number of disconcerting remarks about Jews. His best-known anti-Semitic writing is entitled On the Jews and their Lies. This work basically talks about harassment of Jews, including burning of their homes and destruction of their places of worship. Luther spent his life attacking the views of others rather than defending the truth and using the power of God to persuade the lost. He was fighting a war against the flesh. Christians cannot win a war if they do not know who they’re fighting. The opponent is not the Jehovah’s Witnesses, or the Muslims, or the Mormons, or the Catholics, or the Jews. Our enemy is the Devil.

The Bible has never been clearer or more recurring than on how to combat the evils of this world. For Christians, it can stir up worry and even anger to know that there are so many groups of people in this world that are not only being deceived by Satan, but deceiving others, as well. We feel the need to retaliate against those who preach false doctrines. Religious groups such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Jews, and Catholics; who teach certain doctrines that are contrary to the Word of God; are deemed as accursed people, and should be stopped by any means possible. It is true that the Bible says they must be stopped. However, it is untrue that they must be stopped by any means possible. Throughout the Bible, there is one central theme of commands on how to defeat false teachers. It says in Titus 1:9-11, 13: “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers. For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumsion: whoso mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake…Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith.” In this passage, it is being said that in order to convert those who contradict the truth and stop them from speaking lies, you must preach sound doctrine and rebuke them harshly. In 2 Timothy 4:2-5, it states: “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 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; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” Once again, it is commanding us to continue to preach the Word of God, criticize and convince with patience, stay clam, serve God and work hard when people are turning to false teachers.

It is definitely obvious as to what we should do when false doctrines are being spread around. Still, there is the argument that we should not allow helpless sinners to be tempted by deceitful teachings; that as Christians, it is our duty to destroy spiritual counterfeits so that the lost are not turned toward fallacies. Consider this: did God not allow the serpent to tempt Adam and Eve, knowing what the consequences would be? He did. It is because He has allowed Satan to have free reign in the world we live in. God does not try to control the work of the Devil, so why should we? If we do try to regulate how Satan operates, we are essentially saying that God made a mistake by letting him have authority over the world. Rather than trying to prevent evil from spreading by wiping out false doctrines, and acting in malice and envy toward false preachers, we should be relying on the power of God to defeat evil. As followers of Christ, we are in spiritual warfare; therefore, we need to use spiritual weapons.

Ephesians 6:11 commands that we “Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” As I have said before, we are not in a fight against Jehovah’s Witnesses, or Mormons, or Jews, or Catholics; we’re not battling against evil men. We are trying to combat a spiritual enemy; Satan. The way to win a spiritual war is by simply using God’s power which is in us.

We have the truth, the Word of God. The Bible should be the chief weapon we use in our battle against evil. Hebrews 4:12 says that the Word of God is “quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…” We can combat evil by merely presenting the truth. In the book of Matthew, Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness. Each time the devil tempted Him, He responded with a different Scripture. In fact, in one of the temptations, Satan used the Bible, and twisted it around to deceive Jesus. This is a perfect example of how we ought to combat those who distort the Bible and try to deceive others. Just as Jesus did, we should preach the Word of God to contest the lies that are distributed.

The Bible also restrains us from using our rational will and our intense desires. For instance, it would make sense and would also fulfill our passion to destroy evil by taking false messages stuck in people’s doors by Jehovah’s witnesses, and throwing them away. It just feels right. Nevertheless, nowhere in the Bible does it indicate that we should take action against evil people, and destroy the work of the devil by resorting to fleshly weapons. We should live not according to what makes sense or what feels right, but according to what the Bible declares to be right. Plus, destroying the work of false teachers would be an act of maliciousness, envy, ill-will, anger, and wrath. Not only that, we would be doing evil to defeat evil. Romans 12:21 says “be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good,” and to “live peaceably with all men.” Remember: we are not fighting men, we are fighting evil. God wants us to live in peace with all men, not just those we agree with. Moreover, He wants us to rely on His power, and His power alone.
We should stay faithful to the Lord, and be confident in his promise that one day He will destroy the wickedness that rules the world. Psalm 37 talks about waiting for God, and not worrying about evil men. “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” (Psalm 37: 7) This verse is telling us that we must wait for God to do something. Notice the word “rest” in the beginning of the verse. When we are tired, we may sit down in a chair for rest; to support our distress. Evil is making us very distressed; it is making our lives hard. God wants us to rest in Him to relieve us of all our worries and concerns. The second part of the verse says not to worry about those who are successful in spreading wickedness. Why? “For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. We shouldn’t worry about evil people, because we know that one day God will wipe out the wicked. Of course, as Christians, we are deeply concerned about those who are on their way to Hell, and it can make us angry that they are being deceived by false doctrines. We want to concede to our rage and get rid of the cursed views that are being spread around. But the Bible says, “Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.” (Psalm 37:8) All we can do and all we must do to combat evil is trust in the Lord. “…be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.” (Ephesians 6:10)

So, we know from the Bible that our enemy is the devil, not men. We know from the Bible that the best and only way to defeat the devil is by reproving and rebuking those who contradict the truth, by staying still and waiting for God to take action, by not repaying evil for evil and conceding to our fleshly desires and our rationalizations, by trusting in the Lord, and by using the Word of God to retaliate against the deceivers of this world. We know all this from the Bible, and we must follow and preach His Word throughout our battle against evil.

Article Source: http://www.articles.narrowisthepath.com

2 Corinthians 10:3-4; Titus 1:9-11, 13; 2 Timothy 4:2-5; Ephesians 6:11; Hebrews 4:12; Romans 12:21; Psalm 37; Ephesians 6:10;

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