Knowing That Man Behind the Pulpit

Identification of False Spirits

Book of 1 John Chapter 4 Verse 1-6

What is our spirit? Our spirit is that part of us that is not flesh and bones!

The words of Jesus: Luk 24:39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

What is the soul? It is our soul that controls the power of our spirit!

Pro 25:28 He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.

Pro 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

This is why the Lord saves our soul and fills us with His Spirit!

Php_1:19 For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,

In our bodies of flesh it is the spirit that can be said to be the breath of life!

Gen 6:17 And, behold, I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven; and every thing that is in the earth shall die.

This is why our own spirit must be replaced with the Holy Spirit who has the breath of eternal life!

Tit 3:3 For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

Tit 3:4 But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;

Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Having said all these things to get us started.

What are the traits of the Holy Spirit?

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)

Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

What are the fruits of our old spirit?

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Eph 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

Eph 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

Eph 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Eph 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.

Eph 5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.

We know that John has been teaching us about false teachers, apostasy, and false doctrine, and we must understand who and what we are and why!

It is in our own actions that we can determine if we truly love God!

It is in the actions of others that we can tell if they love God!

It is in our own truthful confession of the Lord, that we can know the "Spirit of Truth"!

1Jn_4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

Joh_14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

When we study the Scriptures, we will understand how the different spirits can influence our life:

On the Good side:

1) Spirit of God

2) Spirit of wisdom

3) Spirit of the Lord

4) Spirit of knowledge

5) Spirit of understanding

6) Spirit of counsel of His might

7) Spirit of humility

8) Spirit of heaviness

9) Spirit of Grace

10)Spirit of truth.

11)Spirit 0f holiness

12 Spirit of life

13)Spirit of meekness

14)Spirit of faith

15)Spirit of your mind (that has been renewed)

16)Spirit of the fear of the Lord

17)Spirit of glory

18)Spirit of life

19)Spirit of prophecy

On the bad side:

1) Spirit of jealousy

2) Spirit of the ruler

3) Spirit of judgment

4) Spirit of burning

4) Spirit of whoredoms

5) Spirit of the unclean devil

6) Spirit of infirmity

7) Spirit of divination

8) Spirit of slumber

9) Spirit of the world

10)Spirit of fear

11)Spirit of the Antichrist

12)Spirit of error

It is very important that we understand the spirit, because all of our functions are under the control of our spirit!

Ecc_3:21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?

*****1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

What is wrong with the modern-day church? The Church is not trying the spirits!

It is easy to say, "I'm a Christian" but the reality of that is, "whose rules do you follow"?

If those behind the pulpits do not speak according to the Word of God, then they are not of God. It’s just that simple!

If those who are teaching do not teach the actual Word of God, then they are not of God. It’s just that simple!

In the Word of God we are commanded not to sit in judgment of others so, instead of being judgmental then all we must do is look at the facts.

To try the spirit is to put to the test the principles they follow!

How can we tell if we really love God? We can tell by the Spirit of the preachers and Teachers we are following!

The "beloved", God's children, will not follow those who are not true believers themselves!

Jesus put it this way:

Joh 10:14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

The false teacher will present a way that seems like the truth but by seeing if they live by the true Word themselves, you will see the difference!

We can hear those things that say, "God did this and God did that", but we better hear that God is Jesus Christ!

We had better hear about the Triune God! God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit!

A false teacher may seem to preach all the right things without living as if he knows the truth.

They will use Science to teach us the things of nature.

They will teach that the laws of Science are based on facts and are absolutely uniform.

They will teach that the human race is elevated above all animals but in accordance to the laws of nature.

They will twist all these things around until all of a sudden you realize they have rejected a Divine Creator, so they are liars!

They will teach that the kingdoms of the world are necessary to maintain order and suppress violence, and repel wars but none of these things can work without the Church and the Holy Spirit, so again they are liars!

They are the great philosophers, and writers, and thinkers, who speak of great things, many in the mega churches of today, but if you read their works you will see that they speak many things against true Christianity. Very seldom do they teach their thoughts on Jesus Christ because they are all liars!

The religionist will teach great respect for Christianity, but they will be in opposition to Christian principles.

Well known, so called godly men, will say great prayers without mentioning Jesus Christ for fear they might offend someone.

If they are offended at the name of Christ, then they are antichrist. It’s just that simple!

America was once known as a Christian nation, but look what is going on in our streets, in our societies, in our politics and in our Churches, which tell an entirely different story!

Just how does God feel about that false preacher and that false teacher?

Deu 13:1 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder,

Deu 13:2 And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;

Deu 13:3 Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Deu 13:4 Ye shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.

Deu 13:5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee.

Has God changed for this stance He took a few thousand years ago? No, He never changes!

Jesus said these people were coming and believe me they are here!

Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

Mat 24:5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

So how are we to know them?

*****1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

Jesus Christ is the Messiah! Plant that in your memory!

So many are looking for some messiah and some great movement of God and it has already started!

Not quite 2000 years ago there was a babe born of a virgin in Bethlehem just as the Old Testament Scriptures had declared!

Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

His name was Jesus and this name was given to Him by the Holy Spirit, who is also God. The name Jesus means Savior!

Luk_1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

Luk_2:21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

You see it is what you believe about Jesus Christ that makes you a Christian or not a Christian. There is no other measurement!

You cannot just believe in Him you must believe on Him!

The Bible says Jesus fed 5000 with two small fishes and five small loaves of bread, you had better believe it!

Mat 14:19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

Mat 14:20 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.

Mat 14:21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

Jesus said Jonah was swallowed by a whale and three days later, he was spit out to preach in Nineveh, you had better believe it or you are calling Jesus a liar.

Mat_12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

Mat_12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

The Bible says Jesus died for my sins. I truly believe that this is true! You had better believe that He died for your sins because this is also the truth!

Rev_1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Jesus said he would rise from the grave in three days to prove He is God. I believe this is true!

Mat 27:63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

Mat 27:64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

Jesus said He is God and you had better believe this is true, because it is!

Jesus said there are no other gods and I believe this is true because it is!

You do not belong to God unless you are a home for the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit will never live in a house of sin!

If you cannot believe that Jesus is the Messiah that has come and will come again one day, then you cannot be filled with God, the Holy Spirit!

The only way for you to believe a lie is that you must reject the truth and every "word" about the Lord Jesus Christ is true. In fact every "word" is so true the Apostle John said He could be known as "the Word"!

1Jn_5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

Every spirit that confesses all these things are true are the children of God!

All those that reject the truth of Jesus do not belong to God!!!!!!!

*****1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

We live in a world full of counterfeits!

There is no Christianity without there also be hypocrites.

There is no gold without there also be tin.

There is not wheat without there also be tares.

There is no truth without there also be lies.

There is no Christ without there also be Antichrist!

We must understand that we cannot bow down to everything that resembles God!

This is the exact way the Antichrist will take over this world. He will appear to be the Messiah!

This will be in appearance only. If his spirit is tested, he will easily be seen as an impostor.

We already know the truth of the Messiah. He came in the flesh born of the virgin Mary.

We already know the circumstances of the return of the Messiah, our Savior. He will meet His Church in the clouds.

Any other counterfeit that does not measure up is exactly that, a counterfeit of the Antichrist.

Those that confess things other than these are also antichrist! Counterfeit Christians. Hypocrites!

There are many spirits in the world and most all of them are spirits who deny the truth of Jesus Christ!

The false teacher will not commit to Jesus Christ the Savior.

The false teacher will not commit to Jesus Christ the Messiah.

The false teacher will not commit to Jesus Christ, come down from Heaven, taking on the flesh of man, dyeing a sinners death, rising from that death as God and returning to His throne in Heaven, to give us time to believe or to not believe His wonderful plan of salvation for all mankind!

When the false teacher denies Jesus Christ, they have denied God and are bound for Hell!

The false teacher will destroy the truth of salvation when they are given the opportunity to do so!

The false teacher will destroy the hope of a lost and dyeing world if they are listened to.

All those who declare they are made of God but remain in sin are the disciples of false teachers.

The proof remains, are we trying to be like Jesus Christ and know that He is the God of Heaven come down in the flesh to save those who believe Him?

What did Jesus say?

Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Jesus came to separate the Christian from the Counterfeits!

We know for sure these false teachers are in the world and America is already feeling the damage from the works of their lyes.

These antichrists are raising up with a loud voice because it is almost time for the Antichrist to come out from his darkness into the light of man.

Remember our study of 2 Peter.

2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

2Pe 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

There has never been a time in all history that these things have been more truer than they are now!

All the conditions are in place for the man of sin to step out onto the scene but there is another truth also.

2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

The Lord our Savior is far more powerful than any Antichrist.

All those He has given victory will remain in that victory!

How is this possible?

*****1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

All these things teach us the answers to our own questions! When we ask, do we belong to God? Then the answer lies in Jesus Christ.

Does Jesus have a home in our heart? Do we believe all the things of Jesus Christ? Do we trust our Savior?

Have we been born again into the family of God?

When we can answer these questions with Jesus, then we know we are in the family of God because we know the truth!

Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

These are the very words of our Savior.

When we know these things then we can overcome all the teachings of false teachers and false preachers!

You see the Holy Spirit cannot fail, when you cling to Jesus Christ!

Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

You see the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost) is much more powerful than the Devil!

The Holy Spirit will assist us in every purpose that is opposed by the Devil!

The Holy Spirit has more freedom to touch the hearts and the minds of man than the Devil can ever have!

There is nothing and no one, who has the power of the Holy Spirit, but He as God will never force His ways upon us!

We can only have access to His power by Jesus Christ!

We have only one thing we are to do, and this is, we must play by God's rules!

Jesus said:

Joh_14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Joh_15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

The reason we are on the winning side is because we have a Mighty Savior!

The Antichrist is no stronger than just a thought in the Mind of Christ Jesus, and he can be tossed into the Burning Lake of Fire by the smallest Angel in Heaven at any time God so chooses!

Joh 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

Our enemy has never been those who are lost. Our enemy has always been the Devil and his spiritual followers! His demons.

Eph 6:12 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.

Those who follow the Devil are those who have fallen into the lyes of the Devil's world!

*****1Jn 4:5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

You want to see the greatest test of false teachers? Look at those who follow them and see how they live!

And then see how the world responds to them.

Remember the world hates Jesus Christ and those who love Him.

If there is anything Satan is wise about, he is wise with the wisdom of those who are in Hell.

It is the wisdom of evil that is passed to those principalities, to those powers, to those rulers of darkness (Satan's demons, fallen angels), to those with spiritual wickedness in high places.

These are the voices we hear when we listen to the false news. These are the voices we hear from the United Nations. These are the voices we hear from all those who oppose Christianity. These are the voices we hear that oppose Israel. These are the voices we hear of all those who oppose the Church!

Luk 16:8 And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

These are the voices the world is listening to and these voices are drowning out the voice of the Church!

Jesus will return to do what the Church has not been able to do!

Rev 12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.

The Bible says Satan will keep them happy with things that affect their senses!

Mic 2:11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

This is the sort of stuff that the world loves to hear!

Luk_17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;

These are not to be the ways of the children of God!

*****1Jn 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

After becoming a child of God, the greatest advantage we have over those who reject God is the fact that we can speak directly to God Himself.

God ears are always open to hear His children!

God listens, God convicts, God leads us to do right. God will lead us away from those who choose wrong!

You see whenever we are in doubt, we can converse with God through prayer. We can converse with the Holy Spirit in the Word of God and it can be said we can converse with Jesus Christ through the red lettered words but understanding the Holy Spirit gave us all the Word of God.

You can see that we can know the truth and it is the truth that makes us free from the falseness of Satan.

Those that trust Satan are losers because Satan is a loser!

Those that trust the world are losers because the world follows Satan.

Those that trust nature are losers because God is Spiritual, and the natural world will perish.

Those who follow the spirit of error cannot speak or cannot be heard by the only One who can save them!

Those who trust anything, but God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit will never even get a smell of Heaven, but they will see plenty of ever-burning fire!

We should be able to look around at the people around us and see if they follow the spirit of truth or if they follow the spirit of error.

This is the thing that breaks my heart every day when I see some of my grandchildren following the spirit of error!

Joh 7:16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

Joh 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

Joh 7:18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

While Jesus walked upon this earth, even as God in the flesh, He said "even I follow all the Word of God"!

It is not hard to know the truth it may be hard to do the truth but by Jesus Christ even this is possible!

1Co 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

The truth comes by Jesus Christ who then seals us with the Holy Spirit!

There is only one Holy Spirit!

Amen

Let's Pray!

Knowing the False Teacher in the Church

Identifying False Prophets

Book of 2 Peter 2:1-22

How many of us truly know how to recognize the false prophet? This means the false pastor, the false preacher, the false evangelist, the false bishop and any other false messenger, who are not called of God, but call themselves or allow some other group of men or women to call them.

God calls those who He chooses to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ (the Messiah)!

1Co 7:20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called.

Rom 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

1Co 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

1Co 9:14 Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

2Co 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

Who is that false preacher?

Let's listen to the called messenger of God, the Apostle Peter.

*****2Pe 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.

We must remember Peter is writing to the Church. He is not talking about the world. Peter is saying these are men and women who are inside the Church!

Even Jesus warns of these people who are enemies of the Church.

Mat 7:22 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?

Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

In fact, as we see, these are false people who have made their way into the pulpits of the Church. This is even a sign of the soon coming Rapture of the Church, before the Second Coming of Christ.

Mat 24:24 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.

Mat 24:25 Behold, I have told you before.

It is the job of the Church to rid the Church of these evil people!

1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

1Jn 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

1Jn 4:5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

In the Church, heresy is departing from doctrine of faith that is in the works of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Heresy is any departure from the truth of the revelation of God!

Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Any departure from the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ and the truth of the Scriptures is "heresy", and those who do so must be removed from the church and it is the church body that has the responsibility to do so!

If you think that when you stand before the Lord Jesus Christ and this will not come up you are foolish, and there will be a terrible loss of rewards and if you stand before the Lord at the White Throne judgment you are fools if you try to use this as an excuse, that you were misled.

We all have the responsibility to study the Word of God to know that the men and in some case women (who already go against the Word of God) who are behind the pulpits, are preaching and teaching the truth.

Heresies are damnable, because it is only by the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, that we can avoid eternal damnation!

Many listen to these preachers of damnation, out of ignorance to the Word of God!

*****2Pe 2:2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

We must clearly understand that to go against the Word of God is sin and sin that is unrepented brings eternal damnation!

Anyone who teaches and encourages people to live an immoral and unrestrained sin is a false preacher or teacher who is certainly not looking out for your spiritual welfare, but are working for the devil!

They will teach that Jesus is not the true Messiah sent from God.

They will teach that there is no Triune God, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

They will teach that Jesus is certainly not any Lord and we have no Lord over our lives.

They will teach that there is no higher power and the best we can do is listen to the wisdom of the men from this world.

They will teach that there is no absolute truth and that we can live pretty much anyway we want to.

They teach lies that anyone with common sense can see straight through, but people just refuse to give up their sin and these liars just give them an excuse to do so!

I got news for you. If you belong to the Lord, you will give up all your petty sins or you are not His child!

These people speak evil of God and they teach those who are listening to them to do the same.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the early church:

Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.

These people only use the church to fill their pocketbooks and their bellies!

*****2Pe 2:3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

When we look up that word covetousness in the Strong's Dictionary of Greek and Hebrew words, we find the word "Avarice"

Avarice means the act of extortion, fraudulent, covetous, means to take someone elses money.

Avarice means seeking worldly wealth by any means possible, barely legal by loopholes and especially illegal or fraudulently.

We already known that wealth in itself is not a sin though the Bible does say Christians who have wealth were given that wealth to help the Church deliver the "Gospel of Jesus Christ" and also help the poor in the Church.

It is that craving for wealth that is such a sin!

The world operates under the rule of those who crave wealth and obtain it with any means possible!

It is that putting in place a means to extort that wealth from innocent victims that is such a terrible sin.

In fact it is that love of wealth that is obtained in this fashion that is sin!

1Ti_6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

God condemns this sin!

Isa 56:11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

Jer 5:25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.

Jer 5:26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.

Jer 5:27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.

Mic 3:11 The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.

Tit 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

Tit 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

These are just a handful of Scriptures warning the Church of false preachers and teachers.

This is exactly what the Apostle Peter is doing here. He is not only warning the Church, he is also teaching us how to know a false teacher when we see one, even knowing that they are deceivers who see Christians as easy pickings and an easy way to make great wealth.

They mold their words together to make them sound like what God has said.

They use artificial acts of kindness to lure their congregation.

They use fictitious results to entice the poor and the unhealthy into their audiences.

They devise their plans well to get maximum wealth from a people who are trusting in Jehovah God!

God has designed the Church to receive tithes and offerings and our wealth little or much, and it is never to be given to charlatans who care nothing for the things of God!

The truth is false teachers and false preachers will be judged and destroyed.

We may ask ourselves, why do some seem to keep going and keep amassing wealth, but we must leave these things in God's hands.

They are already judged, and they will see damnation!

In fact it is the greed of gain that dominates all our world today!

You cannot pay for a higher knowledge than the Word of God given to all freely!

You cannot pay for a higher holiness than the salvation plan of God also given to each believer freely, without cost!

They would cease to exist if the Church would listen to what the Lord does teach us!

1Ti 6:5 Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.

Tit 1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

Tit 1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.

God will exterminate these false, so-called men of God and it will be a terrible thing!

*****2Pe 2:4 For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment;

Judgment is coming to all to reject the truth of God but even more so to those who would distort the Word of God for their own profit!

Destruction is not now in this world compared to the destruction that is forthcoming from our Holy God!

Before the time of Adam and Eve there was the rebellion in Heaven and Lucifer and a third of the angels in Heaven.

Eze 28:16 By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.

Eze 28:17 Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.

Rev 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.

Rev 12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.

We know that Lucifer, now called Satan, the Devil, the Deceiver, and other names is used of God to cause temptation along with a few of those angels now called demons, but the worst of those angels are already locked away in the depths of hell.

Jud 1:6 And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

There is no escape for those who sin!

For Lucifer and those angels that rebelled with him there will never be an opportunity for forgiveness and even Heaven will be made new because there will not even be a trace of sin in the New Heaven that is to be our home.

Rev_21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

These same angels will be placed into the burning lake of fire along with Lucifer!

Another example given to us is the destruction of the old world.

*****2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;

It amazes me that the climate alarmist speak of so many cities and coastlines that will be underwater by the time of 2030, yet artifact after artifact are discovered under our oceans almost daily.

There are always things going on in nature that we will never understand because we are not intended to understand.

Those could afford to have always built too close to shorelines.

There are roads, cities, foundations, pyramids and many other things from the past that are found under our oceans that were once on dry land when there were no automobiles.

When there were no power plants.

When there were no industries.

When there were no causes for greenhouse gases but nature itself and of course the animals who God chose to exist with us.

In the day of Noah, it was God who flooded this earth not because of greenhouse gases but because of sin.

Judgment is coming to all who reject the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****2Pe 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;

2Pe 2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:

2Pe 2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)

We are foolish not to realize the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah!

These same sins are running rampant in our societies of today.

Sin can bring down the most magnificent cities of today just as it did in the days of Abraham.

Not one of these cities did escape and if you study the Bible there were five of those cities destroyed along with Sodom and Gomorrah.

Gen 19:25 And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.

There is not one society of mankind that can hinder the judgment of God!

There is not one evil that can escape the destruction of God!

Only Lot and his two daughters escaped from Sodom.

Lot had been justified when He was with Abraham and this should be a lesson to us that Lot did not lose his salvation, but his godly testimony was ruined for the rest of his days. He had become useless in the work of God and became a drunk who was used of his two daughters whose lives were lives of confusion that brought to them damnation.

This is exactly what a false teacher will cause. Confusion that leads to damnation!

When you fall away from the truth of God after your salvation it can bring ruin to your entire family!

There is no one who rejects the truth of God who will not see damnation and at the same time, God will fulfill His promise to deliver everyone who has claimed the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

*****2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

We live in a world that has no respect for the knowledge of God and false teachers and false preachers take advantage of our laziness in the Scriptures.

The Bible was not just written for the preacher to study and give us his thoughts.

The Bible was written so we can learn and see for ourselves what God has actually said!

The true teacher and preacher will help us to understand what God has written!

God knows how to deliver us from all things, but we must pay attention to what He says and not what man says.

God also knows how to rid this world of the unjust. Those who have not been "justified" by the truth of God!

God does not cause our suffering.

God does not tempt us in any way.

God does allow us to go through some of these things to make us stronger!

God knows how to deliver us out of the conflicts of this life.

We must remember most of our problems come because we have given in to temptation!

Some of our problems come because of Christian persecution!

The remainder of our problems are the same problems that everyone else has in this life!

God explains to us everything pertaining to life! Where life began and where life will end and then God teaches us how to avoid the pitfalls of life.

God knows how to meet the needs of His people.

There is much difference in the "unjust" and those who have been "justified" (the just)!

*****2Pe 2:10 But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

So what do these false teachers and false preachers do? How can we know them besides the things that they teach?

They walk after the flesh! They walk just like those of the world!

The flesh in itself is not evil, it is what we do in that flesh is evil!

We are spirit and we are flesh.

The spirit will seek spiritual things and lead us to the Holy Spirit who will lead us the Lord.

The flesh will seek food, recognition, love, companionship, and the necessities of life and these are normal desires that we all have.

False teachers walk in the lusts of the flesh, which is covetousness, an evil desire for all things of the flesh, especially monetary things!

False teachers teach to satisfy the flesh and their message is to gain recognition and livelihood and that message will change according to their own best interest!

Just like the lost, because they are lost, they want to do things their own way!

They neglect the Lordship of Christ!

They neglect the truth of God!

*****2Pe 2:11 Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord.

False teachers despise authority especially the authority of God!

They stress rights.

They stress freedom.

They stress liberty.

They stress the right to live in any way you want to.

The evidence of this truth can be seen in most every denomination today, who are led by false teachers!

These false teachers will question spiritual things.

They will have nothing good to say about the things of Heaven.

They will question the work of the angels even their existence.

They will question all the spiritual world.

They will doubt that there is a spiritual world that going on around us.

They openly reject that there is a Devil!

In doing so they are calling the Lord a liar.

Col 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

Col 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

Col 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

Col 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Col 2:14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

Col 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

What does God actually think of false preachers and false teachers?

*****2Pe 2:12 But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

2Pe 2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;

2Pe 2:14 Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:

2Pe 2:15 Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;

2Pe 2:16 But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

It is easy to see God does not think anything good about these foolish men and women.

We must keep in mind Peter is writing to the saints of God! "to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" 2Peter 1:1

When we look out across a field at magnificent bulls of the herd, we see brute beast who do not have a clue to the meaning of life and certainly not eternal life. Who are raised to be destroyed for their meat.

Much, Much, different from that under-shepherd who are guardians of God's flock.

These brute beasts only speak evil of the things of God they have no understanding and they never will, because they do not have the Holy Spirit living within them!

They will perish in their own corruption.

You know there could still be at least one more great awakening for the Church of God, where the truth of God will come back to the top.

Let's pray for this to happen!

But these will receive their reward!

What do we see of false teachers who are reaping great monetary things from God's people?

They openly show their wealth. Their jet plains. Their lifestyle. Making friends with the unbelievers of this world while rejecting the standards God has set for His people.

They share in the social affairs of the world still rejecting the Lordship of Christ.

They make great prayers without mentioning the Lord.

They in fact blemish all the things of the Lord Jesus Christ.

God has only one request for His people!

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

They are not pure in their relationship with the Lord because they have gone to bed with the world.

We need only look at the major denominations of the Church to see that these things are true!

They cannot cease from sin.

They do not condemn abortion, but they endorse it.

They do not condemn the sexual relations of two men.

They do not condemn the sexual relations of two women.

They do not condemn all sexual relations outside the marriage.

In fact they do not condemn sin at all, because they have not repented themselves and their names are not written down in the Lamb's Book of Life and they have condemned all relationships with the Lord Jesus Christ.

They have cursed the next generation of the Church (our children) because they do not teach the truth of the Scriptures.

I should say "all the truth" because they do teach just enough of twisted truth to keep you giving to them!

They then turn right around and accept the teachings of the world.

They condemn our Creator and the teachings of the Book of Genesis!

In the Bible, we see Balaam did have some knowledge of God, but at the same time he thought he could stand up to God and talk God into going against His own Words.

Balaam could not curse Israe, but he did give King Balak a plan that would cause Israel to stumble when he sent all numbers of women into the camps of Israel where fornication occurred.

Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

Balaam was so caught up in his deceit that even the jackass he was riding was far smarter than he was in the things of the Lord!

Num 22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

Num 22:29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

Num 22:30 And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.

Num 22:31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

Num 22:32 And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

Balaam was no more than a false teacher for hire just like those false teachers of today!

The Lord is not thorough in His condemnation of false teachers.

*****2Pe 2:17 These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever.

2Pe 2:18 For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.

Water is the most necessary ingredient for all living beings, along with the air we breathe!

The fruitfulness of any land depends on the quantity and the quality of water that is available.

This is the reason that God has placed more water on this earth than there is dry land.

Water brings life!

A false teacher cannot bring life!

They are only empty wells that look refreshing from a distance, but only contain no water or poisoned water that is undrinkable.

We see great clouds sometimes that are pushed by the winds in which we see the opportunity of life-giving rain to nourish our lands, but some just blow on by having released none of moisture that is in them.

They looked like a great promise of life, but in the end, they kept it to themselves.

A false teacher may seem to carry the Words of Life, but in the end, they carry only death!

They may be great speakers, but their words are empty!

Their allure appeals to the lusts of our flesh, but they offer nothing for the soul, but the promise of God's judgment!

They lure the "Babe in Christ" and those who refuse to study the Word of God themselves, with great promises of truth that are only lies that destroy families, that destroy nations and then bring eternal death and they do these things intentionally.

In trials it would be called premeditation and they are true murderers who will answer to the Almighty God and they will be destroyed themselves!

If we are not rooted and grounded in the Word of God ourselves, we can fall into the traps of false teachers who are only seeking earthly wealth but bring only death to themselves and those who listen to their message!

They make great promises!

*****2Pe 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

The Lord Jesus Christ has released us from the bondage of sin, but these false teachers who make that same promises only involve those who listen to them in corruption and again make them servants of lies.

This is the one great goal of Satan.

Satan cannot touch the saint of God, but he will enlist false teachers who make the promise of life that is in actuality the promise of death or in the least, useless in the plan of God!

Their lie is that we are all entitled to a life of freedom, but that freedom is a life of selfishness.

A life of greed, a life of desire, a life of lust.

Freedom to seek their own pleasures anywhere they can find them.

It is in our sinful nature to desire more and more and the false teacher will expound on these things and we can notice that the pews are full of those who fall into this trap of the devil.

The message of God is real! If we are overcome by lies that lead to sin, then we have again become servants of sin and no longer the servants of God!

What is the truth?

*****2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

We can see that we have a strong warning from the Lord. Again the Holy Ghost is writing to the church!

"Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ":

Any false teacher who once knew the Lord and has returned to the world, his fate will be much worse than if he had never begun a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we base our lives on the message of these false men and women, we will not be any better off than them!

We must understand we live in a polluted world and I am not talking about the filth of polluting nature. I am speaking of a world polluted with sin.

Pollutions in this Scripture speaks of immorality. We live in a nation that at this time is polluted with immorality!

It is immoral pollutions right now that come from indulging in the sinful pleasures of this world, which are not pleasures at all, but just rejection of the truth of God.

We cannot allow ourselves to be drawn back into the foolishness of this world and this is what will happen if we allow false teachers to get a foothold in our church!

It is only by the laws of God and the knowledge of God that we can escape these things.

God would not tell us these things if they were not true!

*****2Pe 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

2Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

If a dog returning to its vomit is not repulsive to us, then think in the mind of Christ of that one who said they loved Him, but have now rejected Him and returned to their sinful life.

What about the old hog that won a prize at the fair, but at its first opportunity will rush back to that mire to wallow in its own filth.

These things should sink in, because the Holy Ghost is warning us, the church, the saints of God.

God will deal with those false teachers and it will be extremely harsh, but here God is warning the Church the backbone of Christianity.

It is easy to fall back into sin!

It is more difficult to recover each time you allow this to happen!

God used that word entangled for a reason, because sin has its traps and snares, the more we struggle in these things the more we become in bondage again to sin!

Sin has always been terrible, but we are foolish if we cannot see that sin in this world is growing tremendously and we may not recover if we sink back into this sinful world today!

The world is full of moral corruption. To escape this corrupt world is of the greatest importance!

To fall back into the traps of sin can be devastating!

Our only escape is the knowledge of Jesus Christ and accepting His Word as the truth!

What did Jesus say?

Mat 12:44 Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

Mat 12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

We will never be able to clean ourselves up!

We must be washed in the blood of Jesus Christ.

We must be washed by the Holy Spirit and this washing begins when we are washed in the Word of God!

1Co_6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

After we are washed, we must to our very best to remain clean!

If we depend on the Word of God, then we must beware of those who distort the Word of God.

Not only by wicked men and women but also by those who continuously bring forth distorted Bibles.

Amen.

Let's Pray!