The Bible is very clear that one of our major tasks IS to "Expose" the deeds of darkness.
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
--- In the new testament the elders were commanded to correct severely and to rebuke for sin publicly.
Titus 1:13 Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith
1 Timothy 5:20
Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear.
--- They were also instructed to correct in "meekness"
2 Timothy 2:24-26
And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
Rebuke publicly
--- Paul rebuked Peter publicly for his hypocrisy:Galatians 2:11-14
Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?
Jesus rebuked openly
--- Jesus rebuked Peter openly in Matthew and whipped the sellers out of the temple publicly in Mark.Sometimes Paul wrote to everyone that he was turning people over to Satan for correction.
1 Corinthians 5:3-5
For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already JUDGED as though I were present him who has so done this deed. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, DELIVER SUCH A ONE to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
1 Timothy 1:20
of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I delivered to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
---- Apostle Paul used BOLDNESS when he rebukes and he said that he would not spare ANYONE.
2 Corinthians 13:2-3
I have told you before, and foretell as if I were present the second time, and now being absent I write to those who have sinned before, and to all the rest, that if I come again I will not spare 3 since you seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, who is not weak toward you, but mighty in you.
I can NOT agree that PUBLIC DECEPTION is only to be opposed behind closed doors. This is very strategy of deceivers to claim private corrections.
Many such approaches have been made by true Christians to these leaders over the year but they have basically BEEN IGNORED.
Remember the false teachers and false prophets in Acts were rebuked very bluntly and Paul even NAMED NAMES in some of his letters to the Churches. Surely we must speak out (in the right spirit) and even name names if we see real danger to the Body of ChristDeception will become so great that "IF POSSIBLE IT WOULD DECEIVE THE VERY ELECT"
False teaching and false prophets are never treated "nicely" or "sweetly" in the New testament.So we can not claim that this is all Matthew 18:15 it is NOT the same situation.
By Jana Hager
Every Christian Should Watch THis!!
What is a "false prophet"?
ReplyDeleteFor most believers, the term "false prophet" conjures up images of leaders of strange cults and of heretics who distort the Word of God and found religions that are contrary to the traditional faith. When studying the Bible, however, we find that the term "false prophet" has a much wider and deeper meaning. There are many false prophets within the "traditional" Christian Church, and God has declared through His prophets in Scripture that the day will come when these false prophets will be driven out of the Church and a new prophetic Church will be raised up, a Church that will transform the world. But, in order for this to happen, the Holy Spirit will raise awareness about the true meaning of the term "false prophet". This article will deal with how the Scriptures describe a "false prophet" so that we, as believers, may be able to identify them and not to be false prophets ourselves...
Lord twice but not thrice
ReplyDeleteIn Matthew 7:15, we find the Lord warning us about "false prophets":
"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matthew 7:15)
Then, in verses 22 and 23, the Lord adds the following:
"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:22-23)
Linking these two passages together, we can see that verses 22 and 23 describe the "methodology" of a false prophet. Notice, first of all, how the false prophet calls the Christ "Lord" twice. Why twice? To answer this, we have to remember that our soul is comprised of three parts:
The heart: According to Ephesians 6:6, the heart is where our will resides. This is the part of the soul that makes decisions.
The emotions: This is the most predominant part of the soul. The heart many times "hears" through the emotions to discern what the mind cannot "see". The heart and the emotions, however, are not exactly the same, contrary to popular belief.
The mind: This is the center of our thoughts and logic. Judgments are made through the moral laws and principles that are stored in our mind...
The first "Lord" in Matthew 7:22 refers to their acceptance of Christ as Lord in their minds. Practically all believers accept Jesus intellectually as the "Lord of Lords and the King of Kings", but the book of James declares that
ReplyDelete"You believe that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble" (James 2:19)
In other words, intellectual acceptance of Jesus as Lord is good, but that is not enough....
The Law of False Prophets--Part 1
ReplyDeleteDeuteronomy 18:20-22 gives us part of the law dealing with prophets who speak presumptuously in the name of the Lord or in the name of other gods. It says in verse 20, "that prophet shall die." Verse 22 gives the added feature, "if the thing does not come about or come true," then we will know that God did not really speak through that prophet.
Deuteronomy 13 is an entire chapter devoted to this subject, and it adds the feature, "because he has counseled rebellion against the Lord your God." Primarily, the concern was about prophets attempting to get people to serve other gods (vs. 2, 13).