[/b][b]The Evils of Strange and False Doctrines

Strange doctrines are extra-biblical teachings. These are teachings that are contrary to Scriptural truth. They are human philosophies and ideologies that have been embellished with biblical passages (usually quoted out of context) to appear as truth. A good example is the doctrine of first fruits being propagated by many churches. A teaching that believers should give all their salaries (and/or profits made from their business) in the first month of a new year or the first salary earned in a new job (and/or profits made from a new business) as an offering to the Lord. Yet this same group of people who propagate this first-fruits doctrine (which was practised only in the Old Testament times) are against the teachings of the Old Testament (also extended with more requirements in the New Testament) that require believers to obey the moral laws of God. They teach people that we are in a time of grace where Christians are not obligated to live holy and righteous lives.

Strange teachings could either be falsehood in its entirety or falsehood laced with some truth or truth mixed with falsehood. While some of these teachings are out rightly and glaringly demonic, for example the doctrine of eternal security and easy believism. There are also those regarded as human philosophies which some ignorantly think are not really harmful. For example, the teaching that tribulation shall take place before the rapture of the saints. The evil in this tribulation before rapture teaching, which many fail to understand is that it refocuses believers mind from looking forward eagerly to and preparing for the sudden appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ for the rapture of the saints (Matthew 24:36-44; Mark 13:32-37; Luke 12:42-48; Corinthians 15:51-53; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 2 Peter 3:10). Brethren, the passages quoted above clearly show that the rapture of the saints shall precede the tribulation period. Hence believers should prepare for the rapture by making holy and righteous living the highest priority in our lives and the epitome of the same.

It is important to note that any teaching that is outside of the foundation of the apostles and prophets with the Lord Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Corner Stone (Ephesians 2:20; 2 Peter 3:1-2; 2 Peter 1:19-21) is not of God. Such teachings are of Satan the devil (no matter who is preaching or teaching them).

Some of the strange teachings that have pervaded Christianity in this generation includes but not limited to:

i. Eternal security (also known as once saved always saved). This is the belief that a believer can never lose his or her salvation. No matter the lifestyle of a believer after receiving Christ, a place in heaven is forever guaranteed. This teaching is propagated by Evangelicals (Calvinists) and some Pentecostal churches.

ii. Easy believism is the belief that once somebody has accepted Christ as personal Lord and Saviour by praying the salvation prayer (usually without repentance), then the person remains a Christian, even when the person practices sin as a way of life.

iii. Teachings that holiness and righteousness as a way of life for believers are outdated and are no longer applicable in a changing world like ours. Embedded in this satanic teaching is that God's love covers a multitude of sins and His mercies endures forever.

iv. Teachings that the blood of Jesus Christ washes away all sins and makes provision for our future sins, so why bother about living a holy life? After all we are in a time of grace.

v. Teachings that seek to diminish the Person of Christ Jesus the Lord and elevate man. One hears some preachers teach doctrines like 'we are gods' and are expected to act as such. We find a lot of 'word of faith' teachers propagating this demonic teaching.

vi. Teachings that denigrate the sanctity of marriage and encourages divorce. We have many churches today that do not see anything wrong with married couples divorcing and remarrying while both divorced parties are still alive. In fact we know a couple of television evangelists who are in their second, third if not their fourth marriage.

vii. Teachings that material wealth and acquisition; and good health are the ultimate in our relationship with God and are signs of God's favour upon the believer.

Brethren the list is endless. God help the church!

Let us be reminded by dearly beloved in the LORD that strange or false teachings are demonic and portend a lot of dangers to believers. Some of its dangers are as follow:

i. They prevent believers from seeing and knowing the truth of God's Word (John 8:31-32; Romans 16:17-18; Colossians 2:4; Titus 1:9-11; 2 Peter 2:1-3)

ii. Due to lack of emphasis on holiness and righteousness, Christians in these churches can hardly live in victory over sin. They therefore remain in bondage to sin and cannot see the victory that Jesus Christ the Lord has granted those who trust in Him over sin (1 John 3:5-9; Philippians 2:12-13; Ephesians 2:10).

iii. They produce at best lukewarm Christians who never grow in the Lord and remain babes and carnally minded year in year out. This type of Christians are susceptible into becoming apostates without being aware of it (1 Corinthians 3:1-3; 2 Timothy 3:5; Hebrews 6:4-6; Revelation 3:14-17).

iv. False teachings lure many believers away from God and invariably turn their attention to man who in turn brings them into bondage (2 Peter 2:19; John 8:31-36).

v. Those who sit under false teachers are hardly able to decipher between what is acceptable or unacceptable spiritual standards. This is as result of the blurring of their spiritual understanding and insight (Matthew 6:22-23; Titus 1:14-16).

vi. Strange or false teachings is one sure way that the devil uses to deceive many into believing that they are children of God (1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 4:3-4; Revelation 3:1).

vii. False teachings will lead adherents to second death. They therefore produce candidates for hell and not heaven (Matthew 13:40-42, 47-50; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:.

Conclusion
As a result of the dangers inherent in believers accepting these strange teachings, believers have been forewarned in many passages of the Bible to be wary of strange doctrines and avoid pastors who preach or teach them. False teachers and their teachers should not be condoned. They are evil. They do not speak according to God's Word and therefore do not have the light of God in them (Isaiah 8:20). They are of the world and they speak of the world and the world hears them (1 John 4:5).

The Bible teaches us to expose false teachers (Romans 16:17-18; Ephesians 5:11). Due to the fact that such pastors are not ministers of God (but anti-christs like John the beloved prefers to call them) we are warned not to associate with them nor support their ministries. Those who support them in any form whether through financial assistance or contributions, attending their churches or programmes, watching or listening to their messages and promoting their programmes on social media are regarded by the Holy Spirit as partakers of their evil deeds (2 John 9-11).

The danger posed by false teachings was so deadly that Jude had to set aside what he wanted to write about the common salvation in order to address the evil of false teachings (Jude 3-4). The apostles Peter, John, and Paul through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit said so many things about false and strange teachings (1 John 4:1, 5-6; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 1 Timothy 4:1-2). Brethren be warned!!!

The exponential rise in false teachings and teachers is one of the sure signs that the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ is very imminent. Our Lord Jesus forewarns us as follows in Matthew 24:11 "And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many." For emphasis and in order to underscore the certainty of false teachers in the last days, He reiterated it again in verses 24-25 of same chapter of Mathew "For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before."

Brethren, miracles, signs and wonders are not signs of God's approval of a ministry. Don't be deceived. What determines God's approval of a ministry are the teaching of the truth of God's Word and the fruit of the Spirit manifested (Godly lifestyles) in such ministries. The early apostles emphasised so much on these two aspects of God's expectations.

False teachers be reminded that you stand accursed as long as you keep teaching heresy (Galatians 1:8-9) and nothing accursed or abominable will enter into the new heaven and the new earth (Revelation 21:27). Be warned that one day you will give account to the real Owner of the church, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself (2 Corinthians 5:10). You will account for those souls that you misled and their blood will be on your head (Ezekiel 3:17-18; Acts 20:26-28).

Brethren, one of the surest ways of knowing the truth from error aside the leading of the Holy Spirit is through the continuous study of the Word of God (the Bible). Paul told his son in the Lord Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Dearly beloved, think about what you have read in this message and act appropriately in order to be counted worthy of His Kingdom. Like our Lord Jesus said in John 13:17 "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."

I wish you a prosperous new year 2017.

God bless you.