In 1994 a 13 year old boy by the name of Nicholas Barclay, disappeared from his home in Texas. For 3 long years it was presumed by his family that he was the victim of foul play and likely dead. In 1997 through a series of unusual circumstances a young man is located in Europe, he identifies himself as the missing boy saying he had been kidnapped by US, EU and Mexican military officials for the purpose of sexual abuse. Eventually the young man is returned to his home in Texas and reunited with the family. However, Nicholas looks somewhat different, visibly older than 16, no longer does he have blonde hair, and blue eyes, but dark hair and brown eyes. He speaks with a French accent and is clearly not the Nicholas Barclay who went missing 3 years earlier. Astonishingly the young man is welcomed back into the family by those who loved him most.

In 2012 a documentary called “The Imposter” was released which detailed the events of this most fascinating story. The question asked and perhaps not clearly answered in the documentary is how it was the 23 year old Frenchman Frédéric Bourdin, came to be accepted into the family as Nicholas, when he was clearly an fraudster.

The account leaves one asking more questions than it answers, it was notable that those who knew Nicholas least, were also the least likely to have been fooled by his story. In an interesting twist, it is an investigative journalist who sets the bells ringing when he notes the shape of Nicholas’s ears in a childhood photo are significantly different from the ears of the man he was interviewing. The shape of ones ears being somewhat like fingerprints, so begins a process which will see Frédéric confess to his charade.

I couldn’t help thinking of the saying “love is blind”. Was that at least part of the explanation? Was it the pain of sorrow, grief and the sheer relief from the loss which caused them to look aside? And why were those who were least closest to Nicholas able to see that something was wrong, when the family did not? One thing’s for sure, the truth is stranger than fiction.

The perfect segway into perhaps one of the most remarkable stories in the history of the church age. The apostle Paul wrote;

But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. 2 Cor 11:3-4

How is it as Paul had noted, the tendency amongst those who love the Lord, to put up with another Jesus and another gospel. Is it love? Is it ignorance?

An interesting parallel which I’ve noted in my work with people outside of the church, a people who often know least about Christ, is their ability to spot the imposter. They are quick to reject the flashy big spending, money grabbing, self serving, boastful tele-evangelist preachers of evangelical Christendom, but we, we put up with it easily enough. They are able to discern the power driven, corporate like, hierarchical denominational movements which seek to divide and rule over the people, but we, we put up with it easy enough. They can spot the imposter, but we, we scarcely think to challenge the credentials of anyone.

What is that? and Why is that?

I imagine that this mystery is far more profound than I am able to understand after all, it was Christ who foretold that Christendom would be a combination of two kinds of people, those who were planted by God and those planted by the evil one.

The parable of the sower and the parable of the tares are, as far as I’m aware, the only 2 parables Christ explains to His followers. Both of these parables set forth the foundation as to how the gospel would be received amongst men. In the latter, the parable of the sower, it is made clear from the outset that His field will be a mix of both wheat and tares. The wheat being those who are His, and the tares being those who are planted by the wicked one.

Then Jesus told another parable “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away.When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’ “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. “‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked. “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do.Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’” Mat 13:24-30

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of this parable is the insistence by Christ that we are not to attempt removal of the weeds, those planted by the wicked one. Rather, let both grow until the time of the harvest.

In Christ’s teaching the foundation is clearly set forth that evil men and imposters, false prophets and false teachers will be granted a measure of influence and authority amongst His people. In stark contrast modern Christendom often leads us to presume that God would not allow any such thing to occur amidst His people.

Clearly the disciples/apostles understood the nature of this reality. The subject is not hidden in their letters to the believers as recorded in the biblical text. One such example from Paul as follows;

But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 2 Timothy 3:13

One could be forgiven for thinking that Paul spoke about evil which would occur outside of the church, until you note the word imposter, which designates those who come to seduce God’s people with a cleverly disguised error.

Furthermore, the apostle Peter outlines the fact that those things which happened to Israel must also happen to Christendom, spiritual Israel.

But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. 2 Peter 2:1

What are we to do when armed with this information? Perhaps it would be easier to express what we are not to do.

We are not to be deceived!

Jesus answered them, “See to it that no one deceives you, for many will come in My name saying “I am anointed” and deceive many. Mat 24:4

Why are we not to be deceived? Because the end result of believing the false and deceptive teaching which comes to Christendom is such that the agape love of many will grow cold.

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved. Mathew 24:11-13

Heretical doctrines and teaching must come to the body of Christ, this fact is established beyond any reasonable doubt. To suggest that God only allows truth to be taught to His people, and all who belong to this or that particular denomination are walking in the truth is a flawed concept which sets up the faithful to believe a lie. Their guard down, believers will gladly receive everything which comes to them in the name of Christ, they will embrace all manner of deceptive and misleading teachings, even, doctrines of demons.

For the benefit of labouring this point let me list a few examples from scripture;

For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am anointed,’ and will deceive many. Mat 24:5

And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. Mat 24:11

For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Mat 24:24

I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.So be on your guard Acts 20:29-31

Now the Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.1 Timothy 4:1

When the foundations of the christian faith are whitewashed with a denial of this truth. We are in effect asking the congregation to shut their eyes. Ultimately this error will lead Christendom to a place in which the majority have no ability to discern, or believe that there is a need to discern truth from error, within the church. In the greater scheme of biblical prophecy, it is the rejection of truth (rebellion) which sets Christendom up for a fall and furthermore, to embrace of the man of sin, who comes in the name of Christ, deceiving the many.

Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day (the day of the Lord) will not arrive until the rebellion comes and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction. 2 thess 2:3

In contrast, the Christian, armed with this truth as a foundation of their faith, will seek God for both wisdom and understanding. The need to be wise as serpents, but gentle as doves. The need for watchfulness and preparedness. Most importantly an awareness of the dangers of complacency and self reliance in a world in which all is not as it seems. Christ clearly alludes to this reality and warns His followers accordingly ;

“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap.For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth.Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36

In the end, many who have heaped up to themselves teachers, to satisfy their itching ears will be in a worse condition than the world.

Don’t believe me, the evidence for it is out there already. The world can spot the imposter, they know the Christ was meek, gentle, lowly in heart, humble, selfless and demonstrated sacrificial (agape) love. He did not lust after earthly power, the adoration of men, or the things of this world.

In contrast we see Tele-evangelist’s and ministers in our day who are the epitome of antichrist, yet are embraced as a long lost members of the family. How can that be?

Many people will follow their immoral ways, and because of them the way of truth will be maligned. 2 Peter 2:2

Because we have rejected knowledge, in the end the many will no longer be followers of the way, but followers of the immoral ways of false teachers. The works of the flesh will be cloaked in righteousness;

Greed, covetousness and selfishness labelled; The blessing of God.

Boasting, envy and selfish ambition; Your destiny in God.

And the reverse, works of righteousness will be labelled sin. To walk in the agape of God with selfless and sacrificial service ; a work of the flesh.

The benchmark of the faith will be a confession of one’s lips, in contrast to Christ’s standard ; you will know them by their fruit.

Trials of the faith and suffering will be reckoned as simply a work of the devil and of no value concerning Christ-likeness.

And so is fulfilled the words of Isaiah the prophet;

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Isaiah 5:20

When the fulness of the gentiles has arrived, the tables will have turned full circle, many will be like the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes and Teachers of Israel, who are absolutely certain that they know God in Christ, how He would think, what He would say, and what He intends to do concerning humanity in the age to come. But their refusal to walk in the light of His word brought upon them a working of error, a deluding influence. They believed an imposter, a pseudo Christ.

For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false,in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love (agape) 1 John 4:8

Source

Segeggs: Some of the imposters are the daddy GO's, oyedepo's, the two chris' and all other highly placed MOG's in naija cos they harbour false doctrines. How can you claim to have the spirit of God and still support so much false doctrines of demons? Dont the spirit minister anymore?

frosbel: Thanks for contributions brethren.

Not one of us can have the whole truth, we are to correct, rebuke, exhort and build each other up with the holy scriptures.

Even I can be wrong, hence before I take a position , I spend a lot of time studying, reading and researching to avoid setting a trap for myself and others, even at that I constantly reexamine what I believe in when corrected or new information arises.

One thing is certain, the days of listening to all and sundry without question is over, everything MUST be tested with the WORD of God and the spirit with it's purpose has to be verified , otherwise we might be teaching, preaching and believing in vain.

Peace.

truthislight:

Yahweh does not fear face.

Any body, he or she that does not want to make sure of all things should hang on to falsehood and wait and see if Yahweh will fear his face at the end.

frosbel:

Problem is , people think the bigger the status of the MOG the closer he must be to God , and hence he must be God's mouth piece, when in fact the contrary is mostly the case. God is no respecter of persons like you said.