HOREMOW's Linda Rika "Knows" Whose Names Are in Book of Life

Most of you know by now that I have written a few articles regarding some serious issues and concerns about HOREMOW, the worldwide holiness movement based in Nigeria, which is led by Paul Rika and his wife Linda. Today I would like to share some things that a sister in Christ in Kenya shared with me. She wrote:

"I attended one HOREMOW meeting one Saturday...and was very tempted to join, but something is holding me back. I don't know what it is. I'm very afraid of getting myself into bondage...I witnessed a strange thing in the meeting, and it bothered me, including being told I have to rededicate my life to the Lord afresh, and hearing someone praying to the 'God of HOREMOW'. These are not Scriptural. I told them I have to seek God to know whether to join. 

"I was already planning a 3-day dry fast last weekend, and I did not major on praying for this, but I did ask God about it. But one of my fasting days I dreamt that I was with Nigerian men who were giving me Nigerian food to eat. They told me it is 'hot' as Nigerians put a lot of chili in the food, and I said I did not mind and ate it. When I woke up, I was horrified. I know being fed any type of food in a dream is witchcraft. I prayed against it, but I wondered why Nigeria. 

"I prayed against it, and a few days later I spoke with a servant of Jesus I respect from Tanzania, and he told me that dream is connected to me attending the Nigerian church I attended the previous week. (He doesn't know HOREMOW.). He had told me not to be quick to attend any churches or meetings and to wait on God. He helped me pray to renounce anything that happened there and to repent for disobeying the Lord and going there when I did not hear from him. 

"The teachings of Paul Rika are wonderful to be fair. He knows how to teach God's Word and make one desire holiness. But I'm troubled by the statements of them being 'the last ark' or him being a 'savior', and also the endless revelations sister Linda receives of people's name in the book of life or out of the book of life and being shown eternal destiny of members of their church etc. There's too much detail of who made heaven and who went to hell, which can lead to discouragement and also feeling like if you leave HOREMOW you're doomed for hell. 

"I know God speaks through prophecy but....either God has chosen her with a very unique calling, because I've never seen that level of revelation before, or something is off...I never want to offend Jesus by speaking against his servants...I do not believe Jesus would choose one man to lead everyone to heaven. It seems off and unlike how He works because the world has billions of people and Jesus has given gifts to all his kids. Something is strange.

"HOREMOW seemed to have a balance of Word and Spirit, but I still see some extreme of exalting one man and woman, and yet they say it is Jesus who had chosen Pastor Rika and who is leading this movement."

To anyone who is still considering joining this movement, I hope this has helped you to realize that the issues and concerns with HOREMOW have not gone away. They continue to persist, and you should very carefully wait upon the Lord to direct you regarding any decision to join that movement.

Attribution notice: Image may be subject to copyright and are used per the Fair Use Act for commentary and education purposes only.

Author's note:  I also recommend reading HOREMOW Issues and Concerns, Exposing the Darkness within HOREMOW, HOREMOW Descends to New Low, Holding Fast the Faithful Word, Avoid Becoming a Corrupted Christian, and Exposing Heresy.  You can access the Home page of this blog for more articles on Truth and heresy, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org

Is it Possible to Resist God?

Dear friends,

I want to address a myth that's very popular in the Church today that says you cannot resist the grace of God. The irresistibleness of God's grace is actually the "I" in the Calvinist acronym TULIP. Let's see what Scripture has to say about it. But first, you should stop and pray, asking God to remove all scales from your eyes, and illuminate your heart, allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you into all truth. I find that it's best to approach God's Word this way in humility, putting aside all your preconceived notions about Him. 

Choking the Word

In His parable of the sower, Jesus told about a farmer who went out to sow his seed, which ended up falling on four different types of soil. He said, "Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants." (Mat 13:7). Later He explained this to His disciples saying, "The seed falling among the thorns refers to him who hears the Word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the Word, making it unfruitful." (Mat 13:22). 

He taught that the Word can actually be choked, thereby making it unfruitful. The kinds of things that can choke the Word are the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth. Yet we know from John's gospel that the Word is God, because it says: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (Joh 1:1). If the Word is God, and the Word can be choked, making it unfruitful, then that means it is possible to allow things into your life that choke God out of it. 

Quenching the Holy Spirit

In another passage, the apostle warns the saints not to quench the Holy Spirit (1 Thes 5:19). The Greek word for quench in that verse (sbennumi) means to quench, extinguish, or go out. This means it's possible to extinguish the fire of the Holy Spirit, who is the third Person of the Triune Godhead. The Holy Spirit is not a thing or a force. He can be grieved (Eph 4:30), lied to (Ac 5:3), and quenched (1 Thes 5:19). He is referred to with the pronoun "He". Therefore, we know that He is a divine Person, and He is God. If it were not possible to quench Him, then there would be no need to warn us against doing so.

Resisting the Holy Spirit

In fact, right before the Jews who were about to kill Stephen actually stoned him to death, he said that they always resisted the Holy Spirit. He said to them, "You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!" (Act 7:51). Not only can the Holy Spirit be lied to, grieved, and quenched, but He can also be resisted. 

Refusing Him Who Speaks

We also learn from Scripture that it is possible to refuse Him who speaks, For the apostle wrote to the Hebrews: "See to it that you do not refuse Him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?" (Heb 12:25). If it were not possible to refuse the Lord when He speaks, then it would not be necessary to warn us not to do so.

Closing Words

Therefore, in light of the Scriptures showing us that it's possible to choke God and His Word out of our lives, as well as refuse Him when He speaks to us, and that it's possible to quench, as well as resist God's Holy Spirit, it seems quite reasonable to me that one could also resist the grace of God. Scripture is clear that you can receive God's grace in vain (2 Cor 6:1), so it is possible to mishandle it to your own detriment. Since God's grace is not God Himself, but something He gives, then it is a fallacy to teach or believe that it cannot be resisted, when Scripture says that God Himself can be resisted.

TULIP Calvinism is not biblical. If you still have any doubts about that, talk to the Lord about it, and ask Him to confirm it. He is faithful and He will do it.

Attribution notice: Scripture taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zondervan, used by permission. 

Author's note: If you enjoyed this article, you are invited to check out the series called The False Gospel of Eternal Security. If you would like to become a disciple, consider enrolling in our Doulos Training School. You may access my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Rhema vs. Logos – Is there truly a distinction in the word?

Some people use the Greek words rhema and logos in Scripture to teach that our focus should be on words spoken to us personally by God as a rhema or “now” word.  They use these Greek words to build an entire doctrine that is unscriptural and dangerous.  Yet it has been repeated so many times that many people believe it.

There is a teacher who states:

"One translation says, 'For sword take that which the Spirit gives you – the words which come from God.'  The Greek word here for word is rhema, which means 'a saying, that which is uttered by the living voice.' This is the word made alive in our spirit as God speaks to us…Some make the mistake of thinking a mere confession of the Word of God has power in itself." 

He goes on to say that only the rhema will accomplish God’s purpose:

"This kind of word which goes forth from [God’s] mouth is a Scripture which the Holy Spirit makes alive to us.  This personal word to our hearts will produce an effective result.

Apart from the Spirit, the Word is the letter of the law, which causes spiritual death (2 Cor. 3:6).  However, the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power – making it active, operative, energizing and effective; it is sharper than any two-edged sword…(Heb. 4:12)….We cannot presume, however, that spoken words (even biblical ones) in themselves have power."

First of all, I believe he is mistaken on these points.  In this teaching, he places great emphasis on rhema as superior to that which is not rhema.  He defines rhema in the following terms: 1) a saying, that which is uttered by the living voice, 2) the word made alive in our spirit as God speaks to us, and 3) a Scripture which the Holy Spirit makes alive to us.  He teaches that only that part of the Bible that is rhema has power to accomplish God’s purpose.  Only a “personal word to our heart will produce an effective result.” Moreover, he teaches that not all biblical words have power. 

Conversely, the implication in his teaching is that if a Scripture is merely logos, then it does not have power to accomplish God’s purpose.  In fact, he clearly states that if it is not rhema, then “the Word is the letter of the law,” and it “causes spiritual death.”  He uses Hebrews 4:12 as a proof text for this.  Yet the Greek in the Hebrews 4:12 passage for the Word of God is logos.  So the Scripture does not support this teaching.  In fact, the very proof text he cites contradicts his own teaching.  The writer of Hebrews teaches us that the logos is alive and full of power, active, operative, sharper than any two-edged sword, dividing between soul and spirit, as well as between bone and marrow. 

Paul’s Teaching on the Word of God
In Paul’s letter to the Galatians, he says: "The entire law is summed up in a single logos: Love your neighbor as yourself" (Galatians 5:14).  If we follow the line of reasoning of the rhema teachers, we must incorrectly conclude that since “Love your neighbor as yourself” is a logos – not rhema – then it is merely “the letter of the law,” and it “causes spiritual death.” 

In Paul’s second epistle to Timothy, he urged the young man of God to “correctly handle the Word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).  The Greek here for word is logos.  If Paul wanted Timothy to focus on the rhema or “now” word, why would he direct him as he did here to correctly handle the logos? Some would teach that if it wasn’t rhema, then it was merely “dead letters of the law” “without any power” to accomplish God’s purpose.  But Paul made no such distinction.

Paul also stated: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus…I give you this charge: Preach the Word: be prepared in season and out of season: correct, rebuke and encourage – with great patience and careful instruction” (2 Timothy 3:16-4:2).  The Greek word for all in this passage is pana.  According to the Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich Greek Lexicon, in this passage pana is scarcely different in meaning from the word all. The lexicon states that pana here emphasizes the individual members of the class denoted by the noun every, each, and any.  So we can correctly interpret Paul’s words to Timothy to mean each and every Scripture is theopneustos or God-breathed.  Yes, any Scripture!  All of it is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. It’s all inspired, breathed forth from the mouth of God.  Thus Paul could exhort Timothy to devote himself to the public reading of Scripture, without distinguishing between reading rhema or logos (1 Timothy 4:13). 

Quite notably, when Paul said, “Preach the Word” in 2 Timothy 4:2, the Greek for Word is not rhema.  Paul charged Timothy to preach the logon without wavering.  Therefore, if we follow the line of reasoning used by the rhema teachers, we must conclude that before God, Paul charged Timothy to preach portions of Scripture that were merely “dead letters of the law” “without any power” to accomplish God’s purpose.

Paul went on to say in the context of that second epistle to Timothy cited above: “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine.  Instead, to suit there own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.  They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths” (2 Timothy 4:3,4).   One of the dangers of this heresy on rhema is that it gives leverage to those who will not put up with sound doctrine.  It creates a false illusion that parts of God’s Word are merely letters with no power, and which bring death.  To make it even more dangerous, the test to determine which parts of the Bible are rhema and which are logos is very personal and subjective.  In other words, if I feel a passage causes spiritual death, I may conclude it is logos to me, not requiring my attention.  This gives me an excuse to stay away from any portion of Scripture that makes me feel uncomfortable.  Those who embrace this heresy could incorrectly conclude the Bible is not the Word of God, but that only portions of it are the Word of God – only the rhema portions that have become personalized.  This is the very practice that leads men to refuse to put up with sound doctrine, turn away from the truth, and gather around them many teachers who say what they want to hear.

Peter’s Teaching on the Word of God
Peter also had a warning to his readers about the last days, the day of the Lord when scoffers will come.  These scoffers would come, scoffing and following their own evil ways.  In fact, in Peter’s day the scoffers had already emerged.  He said that these scoffers “deliberately forget that long ago by God’s Word the heavens existed and the earth was formed out of water and by water” (2 Peter 3:5).  Was it by God’s rhema that the heavens existed or the earth was formed?  Upon a careful examination of this passage, we find that the Greek for the Word of God here is logos.  It was by the logos that God powerfully created the universe!  Again the rhema teachers have not examined the Scriptures with great eagerness to see if these things are true before teaching them. 

Peter wrote both his epistles to remind his dear friends to “recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles” (2 Peter 3:2).  The Greek for the holy prophets’ spoken words here is proeiremenon rhematon (proeirhmenwn rhematwn).  In the context of this passage, it is clear that the use of rhema refers to “spoken words”.  This is an excellent example of how the word rhema is to be correctly understood.  The word logos would not make sense here, since Peter was referring to words the prophets had spoken. 

However, if we follow the rhema teachers’ rationale, we must interpret the use of the word rhema in this passage to mean Peter urged his dear friends to remember only the “Scripture which the Holy Spirit makes alive to” them.  Of course, this is not what Peter meant.  Peter used rhema to refer to words spoken in the past by the holy prophets, which had been written down in what was known then as the books of the Prophets.  To verify this is what he meant, all we need to do is look at the context. At the beginning of this epistle he refers to “the word of the prophets made more certain” (2 Peter 1:19).  What word of the prophets?  The Greek for word of the prophets here is propheticon logon.  In the context, it was the words of the prophets predicting the “power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” that had been made more certain by the apostles’ eyewitness of Jesus’ majesty (2 Peter 1:16).  By recalling “the word of the prophets made more certain” Peter’s friends would not be led astray by the false prophets and false teachers among them (2 Peter 2:1).  Thus it is clear that Peter’s use of the term the word of the prophets (propheticon logon) in chapter 1 refers to the same thing as his use of the term the holy prophets’ spoken words (proeiremenon rhematon) in chapter 3.  Peter’s use of the word rhema in one instance and logos in another are two different ways of saying essentially the same thing.  He certainly was not implying any of the things the rhema teachers of today would have us to believe.

One clear proof of this is that Peter also exhorted his dear friends to recall the “command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles” (2 Peter 3:2).   The Greek here for command is entolas (entolhs).  We know that the command he was referring to includes that which the apostles had written down and which is found in what has come to be known as the New Testament Bible.  This includes the command given by our Lord and Savior through the apostles Matthew, John, and Paul.  So we know the command given by our Lord and Savior is not rhema, it is entolas.  Thus if we follow the rhema teachers’ line of reasoning, we must come to the following conclusions: 1) Since the command of our Lord and Savior here is entolas, it is not rhema, and 2) In urging his dear friends to recall entolas, Peter was urging his dear friends to recall written portions of Scripture that are merely “dead letters of the law” “without any power” to accomplish God’s purpose.  Of course, nothing could be further from the truth. 

Jesus’ Teaching on His Word

Jesus said a number of things about his Word.  Here are a few of them:

• “I know that His command [entolas] leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say” (John 12:50). 
• "Heaven and earth shall pass away but my Logos shall not pass away" (Matthew 24:35.)
• “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my Logos and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24). 
• “Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear my Logos” (John 8:43).
• "I have given them Your Logos; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." (Joh 17:14)
• “Therefore everyone who hears these Logos of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who hears these Logos of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash” (Matthew 7:24-27).  Jesus explicitly taught that we must hear his Logos and put it into practice if we want to survive the storms of life and avoid perishing in hell. 

It is a mistake to teach that Jesus words are dead letters and powerless to bear fruit unless they are rhema.  To the contrary, His logos brings eternal life to those who believe.

Peter’s Teaching on the Word of God
Peter clearly taught that the holy prophets who spoke did so by divine inspiration.  He said, “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation.  For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20,21).  The term “prophecy of Scripture” here is propheteia grapha.  According to the Bauer-Arndt-Gingrich Greek Lexicon, grapha means writing, and here in this passage it is specifically used as a “designation of Scripture as a whole” (p. 166).  Peter states here that the men spoke as the Holy Spirit was carrying them along.  The Greek for being born along is pheromenoi. According to the BAG lexicon, pheromenoi here means to be moved, to be driven, or to allow oneself to be driven (p. 855b). This means Peter’s intent here is to uphold the Scripture as that which was uttered by men while the Holy Spirit was moving them.  In other words, Scripture originated with the Holy Spirit, not with men.  He contrasts this in the very next sentence with the words of “false prophets” and “false teachers” who “secretly introduce destructive heresies” (2 Peter 2:1).

Peter went on to say, “By the same Word the present heavens are reserved for fire, being kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of ungodly men” (2 Peter 3:7).  The Greek here again is logos.  If it is logos and not rhema, how could it have such power to bring down fire and judgment to destroy ungodly men?  Those ungodly men about whom Peter wrote were the scoffers, false prophets, and false teachers who scoffed and said, “Where is this ‘coming’ He promised?” (2 Peter 3:4).  To these scoffers, the logos Peter referred to (or Scriptures about the Lord’s return) were something to be scoffed at.  Yet their scoffing and unbelief does not render the logos any less powerful.  In spite of their refusal to believe the logos, they will be destroyed by it. 

John’s Teaching on the Word of God
Jesus Himself is the Word of God.  Was He the Logos or the Rhema?  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made” (John 1:1-3).  This passage obviously refers to Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh.  The Greek here for “word” is logos.  Thus if we follow the rhema teachers’ line of reasoning, since Jesus is the logos and not the rhema of God, he is merely “dead letters of the law” “without any power” to accomplish God’s purpose.  How blasphemous is this logical conclusion to their reasoning, even though they may not teach this explicitly or intentionally.  We know that in Him is Life (John 1:4), and all who believe in Him have eternal life (John 3:36).

Luke’s Teaching on the Word of God
Luke wrote of the incident where Peter preached to those in the home of Cornelius, the Gentile centurion.  "While Peter was still speaking these rhema, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the logos" (Acts 10:44).  While both rhema and logos are used in the same sentence, the Scripture says it was those who heard the logos who received the Holy Spirit.  In other words, correctly interpreted, this passage means that the Holy Spirit came on those who heard the word that Peter was speaking. If the logos produces death, then how could those who heard it be baptized with the Holy Spirit?

Mark’s Teaching on the Word of God
Mark wrote, “After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat down at the right hand of God.  Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord confirmed His logos by the signs that accompanied it” (Mark 16:19-20).  The Lord confirms the logos! He stands behind His Word.

James’ Teaching on the Word of God
James teaches that we should not “merely listen to the Word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like” (James 1:22-24).  The Greek here is logou, not rhema. So James taught that we must be doers of the logos, not just the rhema.

James went on to say “the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it – he will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:25). The Greek here for law is nomos, not rhema.  In the context, James used logos and nomos almost interchangeably to say that if we do what it says, we will be blessed.  This flies in the face of those who would have us believe we will not be blessed unless it is the rhema we seek to obey.  To them, the logos and nomos are merely “dead letters of the law” “without any power” to accomplish God’s purpose.

James did not use the word logos in this way at all.  In fact, he taught that the Father “chose to give us birth through the word of truth” (James 1:18).  The Greek here is not rhema, but logos through which the Father gave birth to us.  How could the Father give birth to us through dead letters devoid of any power?  Of course, we know He could not.

Paul’s Teaching on the Word of God
Now let us turn to the second epistle of Paul to the Corinthians.  The rhema teachers use the third chapter to teach that apart from the Spirit, the Word is the letter of the law, which causes spiritual death (2 Cor. 3:6).  In the next sentence, they contrast this with the rhema, “the Word that God speaks”.  In doing so, the implication is that any portion of Scripture that is not rhema word is “the letter of the law, which causes spiritual death.”  If we follow that line of reasoning, we must conclude that logos (word), entolas (commands) and nomos (law) are all “the letter of the law, which causes spiritual death.”  In fact, we would have to conclude that all Scripture, aside from rhema as defined by these teachers, is “the letter of the law, which causes spiritual death.”  Is this really what Paul taught?

On the contrary, like James, Paul taught, “the Law is good if one uses it properly” (1 Timothy 1:8).  The Greek here for the Law is nomos.  He went on to say, “the “Law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murders, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers – and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which He entrusted to me” (1 Timothy 1:9-11).  And in Paul’s letter to the Romans, he explained the purpose of the law to lead us to Christ as a schoolmaster or a tutor that shows us we fall short of God’s glory (Romans 7). In that passage, he states, “the Law is spiritual” (Romans 7:14).

So if Paul did not teach that all non-rhema Scripture is merely dead letter which kills, then what did he mean when he wrote his second epistle to the Corinthians?  In the context of that passage, Paul refers to some apostles who had come into Corinth with letters of commendation (2 Cor. 3:1).  He also referred in that same verse to men who had ministered among the Corinthians and asked them for letters of commendation, so that they would be able to enter other towns where the Corinthian believers had connections.  The word for letters there is epistolon, from which we get the English word epistle.  Paul goes on to say that he did not need such commendatory epistles, since the Corinthians were his epistle.  He said, “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everybody.  You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts” (2 Cor. 3:2,3).  Paul was saying that these believers who resulted from his ministry were his letter.  They were written on the tablet of his heart by the Spirit of God, not with ink or on tablets of stone.  This is the first reference to letters written on tablets of stone.  Paul emphasized the work of the Holy Spirit in the Corinthians over and against ink and paper.

He then goes on to refer to the confidence he and Timothy had due to the competence given them by God as ministers of a new covenant (2 Cor. 3:4,5).  He pointed out to them that this new covenant of which he and Timothy were ministers was not of the letter, but of the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:6).  For the first time in this passage, Paul uses the word grammaton, which also means letter.  At this point we observe here Paul’s repetition of the concept of “letters” which he had just begun discussing.  We might ask why this repetition occurs here.  Perhaps the answer is that there is a parallel between the remarks about epistolon and the remarks on grammaton, both of which are translated by the English word "letter".  The table below shows the parallels observed.  Compare and contrast each line item in the left column with its corresponding item in the right column:

Epistolon Passage (2 Corinthians 3:1-5)	Grammaton Passage (2 Corinthians 3:4-17)
Letters of commendation written with ink	Old Covenant engraved in letters
Letters of commendation needed by those who commend themselves	Old Covenant and those whose minds are made dull
Corinthians were written on the tablet of his heart	New Covenant was written on the tablet of the heart
Corinthians written on heart reflects work of Holy Spirit	New Covenant written on heart reflects a ministry of the Spirit, too.

Having now observed a parallel between the written letters relative to the Corinthians and written letters pertaining to the Old and New covenants, we may observe how Paul begins to contrast and compare the Old and New Covenants.  In the following table, compare and contrast each line item in the left column with its corresponding item in the right column:

Old Covenant	New Covenant
Of the letter (v. 6)	Of the Spirit (v. 6)
Kills (v. 6)	Gives life (v. 6)
Engraved in letters on stone (v.7)	Ministry of the Spirit (v.8)
Brought death (v. 7)	Gives life (v. 6)
Condemns men (v. 9)	Brings righteousness (v. 9)
Came with glory (v. 9)	Came with glory (v. 9)
Fading (v. 11)	Enduring (v. 11)
Has no glory now (v. 10)	Much greater, surpassing glory (v. 10,11)
Moses (v. 13)	“We are not like Moses”, referring to Paul & Timothy (v. 13)
Put a veil over his face (v. 13)	Boldness, no veil on Paul or Tim’s face (v. 12,13)
Veil remains to this day covering their hearts when Old Covenant is read (v. 14, 15)	Only in Christ the veil is removed whenever anyone turns to the Lord (v. 14, 15)

Having used these tables to show the observed contrast and comparison of the Old and New Covenants and the preceding parallel between the living epistles and the letters of commendation, let’s go on to ask some questions.  First of all, why did Paul draw such parallels?  What was his point in doing so?  My answer to these questions is that he wanted to point out the difference between the Old and New Covenants was just as radical as the difference between men’s letters of commendation and the living epistle the Corinthian believers were to Paul.  If we correctly handle this passage, we will not draw the false conclusion that “apart from the Spirit, the entire Word of God is the letter of the law, which causes spiritual death.”  Nothing could be further from the truth.  It is plain to see what Paul meant in 2 Corinthians 3:6, when he said, “for the letter kills but the Spirit gives life.”  He was clearly referring specifically to the Old Covenant of Moses here, as those outside of Christ, who have not turned to the Lord, read it.  He is not referring to the entire Word of God.

Putting it All Together
In conclusion, I want to be clear that there is some truth in what the rhema teachers proclaim.  Here are the points where I agree with them:

• Rhema in the Greek New Testament refers to a word that proceeds out of the mouth, or a spoken word, when that is the connotation the writer wishes to convey. 
• God speaks to people today through the Holy Spirit and through the Scriptures.
• When the Holy Spirit illuminates a passage of Scripture, it seems to come alive.  At those moments, we may be encouraged, comforted, strengthened, edified, or convicted of sin.
• The Holy Spirit reminds us of Jesus’ words.  He gives us what we need from a practical viewpoint for what is happening in our lives currently.
• When we have ears to hear what the Holy Spirit says to us, we obey and see the good fruit of it.

Here are the points where I believe the rhema teachers are in error:

• The Scriptures do not teach us that rhema is more spiritual, more important, or more powerful than commands (entolas) of Jesus, the logos (word), or the perfect law (nomos) that gives freedom.
• There is no teaching in Scripture to focus our attention on rhema or emphasize it rather than logos.
• The Scripture does not teach that unless it is rhema the Word of God is dead letter.  We cannot section off parts of the Word as dead letter, because we consider them not to be rhema.

Here are some other points on the subject that are abundantly clear from a straightforward examination of Scripture:

• We are to recall the commands (entolas) of Jesus, and His words (logos).  We are to practice them, since they save us from destruction and lead to eternal life.
• He Himself is the Word (logos) and gave us the Father's Word (logos).
• All Scripture originated with the Holy Spirit, whether God speaks it to me personally or not.
• The entire Bible is God-breathed (theo-pneustos), and it’s all the Word of God whether I believe it or not.
• While all Scripture is found written in our Bible today, the first step in the inspiration process for all Scripture was that God breathed forth His Word.  Therefore, it was all a spoken word from the Holy Spirit initially.
• The Word of God is our sole rule of faith, not our subjective feelings and not just certain passages that we select because we consider them rhema.
• The Word of God does not need to be changed, I do.  If there is a portion of it that I am supposed to be practicing and am not practicing, then I am not to disregard it as dead letter that I am free to ignore.  Instead, I must acknowledge that I fall short of the glory of God.  I must admit that I am spiritually depraved apart from God, and completely incapable of obedience to His Word apart from walking in the Spirit. My salvation must rely daily on the grace of God in Christ by faith.
• Every born again believer in Christ has the Holy Spirit dwelling within.  So the ministry of the Spirit should be a regular part of the believer’s time in the Word.
• The Spirit has to reveal to you the thought or concept behind what is being said. 
• Those who espouse this rhema teaching should be careful, because "every idle rhema (word or utterance) that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment" (Matthew 12:36.)

Indeed, we must be very careful in the way we handle the original Greek and Hebrew languages of the Bible.  We should be very careful not to add to the Word or teach things based on meanings of words in the original languages that were not taught in Scripture. As with the Biblical languages, there are also English words that carry similar meanings but have different connotations.  For example, take the words vehicle and car.  A car is always a vehicle, but a vehicle is not always a car.  Similarly, an oil painting may be considered a picture, but a picture is not always an oil painting.  While I admit they have different connotations, I would also be mistaken to exaggerate or misuse the grammatical differences between these words to make distinctions that were never intended in the English language.  For example, it would be incorrect to state that all vehicles get poor gas mileage, but all cars get good gas mileage.

Likewise, one can also show that these two words – logos and rhema – have different and distinct connotations.  But one would be mistaken to exaggerate or misuse the grammatical differences between these words to make distinctions that were never intended in the Greek language.  The Scripture does not teach all of the points being made by the rhema teachers, nor does it create this false separation of itself into the rhema and logos categories.  It’s my responsibility as an individual to combine the Word with faith.  But my lack of faith or lack of hearing does not make the Bible or any passage of Scripture any less the Word of God. 

By once again embracing all Scripture as useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness, we are free to Preach the Word, not just certain portions.  When this begins to happen, the Holy Spirit will move in a mighty way in our lives and in the Church, so that the people of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Most other Scriptures taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®, unless otherwise noted. "Wise and Foolish Builders" painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm, all rights reserved by the artist.

Author's note: I also recommend my other articles, Deleted Scriptures in the Bible?, Is Obedience Optional?, The Scripture Must Be Fulfilled, The Bible is the Word of God, Scripture Alone, The Law of Christ, Faith Works!, What Then Must We Observe?, Obedience by the Spirit, Read the Bible for All Its Worth!, The Rise of Antichrists, Called to be Blameless, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Ask for the Ancient Paths, and What's Wrong with the Prosperity Gospel? See the Home page of this blog for more. You can also find my complete collection of blogs at Writing for the Master.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org

The Cult of Mormonism

Today I would like to expose the cult of Mormonism. Regrettably, I don't think preachers in churches are exposing cults like this. If preachers don't warn people about cults, then they will become easy prey to those who actively work to bring people into these false religions.

One thing that makes the Mormons even more deceptive to unsuspecting Christians is that they claim to be genuine Christians. In fact, they call themselves the Church of Jesus Christ, the Latter Day Saints (LDS). Therefore, I would like to give you some solid proof that Mormonism is indeed a cult, in order to remove any doubts you may have about that. Just before my conclusion below, I have posted three videos that are well-worth watching, and are the highlight of this article. But first let me make a few brief points in preface to the videos.

Another Testament of Jesus Christ
They do believe in Jesus Christ and in the Holy Bible, God's Word, "as far as it is translated correctly." However, they do not believe the Bible has been correctly translated, but that it has been corrupted. That essentially negates the Bible as far as they are concerned, since they don't believe it is reliable.

Moreover, they have added another book -- the Book of Mormon, which they claim is "another Testament of Jesus Christ." However, that is a lie. It is not another testament. It was written by Joseph Smith, the founder of their religion, who is a false prophet that claims he received an angelic visitation with this revelation.

The Book of Mormon is full of lies that contradict the Word of God, and the Word of God is our sole rule of faith. The reformers referred to this guideline as Sola Scriptura. For more on this, please read my article, Scripture Alone.

The Bible warns us about adding to Scripture.

The apostle Paul said, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!" (Gal 1:8-9)

In the Book of Revelation, the final book of the Bible, we are warned not to add to or take away anything from the words of that prophecy. "I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book." (Rev 22:18-19)

Little gods

Mormon Temple in Utah

They believe we can become gods in the afterlife. This goes completely against Scripture, which says there is one God. Jesus answered, "The foremost is, 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord...” (Mar 12:29). The apostle Paul said, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." (Eph 4:4-6). For more on this, please see my article, Are We Really Little gods?

Mormonism teaches an infinite regression of causes.  This means it teaches that each god was made a god by a previous god. This is refuted by Matt Slick: Logical Proof that Mormonism is False.

Polygamy Required to Become Gods
Although Mormons have abandoned the practice of polygamy in order to attain Utah's statehood in the United States, polygamy and eternal marriage are still required to become gods. For more on this, you can read about their beliefs on polygamy here.

Furthermore, while polygamy is still technically illegal in Utah, according to the state's constitution, the law has been changed there, so that it is not longer considered a crime. It is illegal in a similar sense that speeding or failing to stop at a red light are illegal. It is now a minor infraction and not a criminal act.

Lucifer and Jesus
They believe Lucifer was Jesus’ brother. This is a lie, because Lucifer is a created being, originally created as a high-ranking cherub angel. Jesus is God and was not created. So there is no way they can be brothers. Please see my articles: The Origin of Sin, Satan, and Secular Music and The Rise and Fall of Lucifer the Musician.

Adam was God
Brigham Young is Mormonism’s ‘prophet,’ who taught in his official capacity that the first man Adam, and God the Father, were one and the same being. That is also false, according to the Bible, since Adam was a created being, who fell into sin. On the contrary, God is eternally existent and holy, without sin. This topic is covered by Let Us Reason (my sharing the link to this article does not constitute endorsement of the "Let Us Reason" ministry).

Jesus a Created Being

They believe that Jesus is a created being and worked His way to godhood. That is false, according to the Bible. Scripture says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (Joh 1:1). This passage is clearly referring to Jesus the Word of God who was God in the beginning, before the world was created, prior to His incarnation. He declared of Himself that "before Abraham was born, I AM." (Jn 8:58). The expression in the original Greek is ego eimi, "I AM". That is the same name that God used when He identified Himself to Moses at the burning bush as the Great I AM. Also in Colossians 1:15-20, Paul clearly states that Jesus is the image of the invisible God. And the apostle wrote in Hebrews 1:1-3 that Jesus is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being. There are countless other passages we could site to prove that Jesus was not a created being who worked His way to godhood as the Mormons falsely teach. Please see my articles: Is Jesus God? and The Holy Trinity.

Official Doctrines Not to Be Questioned

The LDS Scriptural Canon

Its early leaders made it very clear that the doctrines they taught were official doctrines, and were not to be questioned as Mormonism’s leaders do today. This topic is covered by Let Us Reason (my sharing the link to this article does not constitute endorsement of the "Let Us Reason" ministry).

Masonic Handshakes and Penalties

In Mormonism, they are taught that the only way you can live in the presence of Heavenly Father is to participate in temple worship. But in order to participate in temple worship, something known as a temple recommend is required before a Mormon can go through a two-part initiation called a temple endowment ceremony. The person who participates in the temple initiation ceremony is called a participant in the endowment.

During this endowment ceremony, someone pretending to be God stands hidden behind the veil of what is supposed to be the Holy of Holies, asking the participant certain questions, as well as reaching out their hand to do certain secret handshakes with the participant, which are the same kind used by Freemasons. That is occult behavior. 

Moreover, during the ceremony an oath was formerly made that was essentially a "blood oath" like that of the Freemasons. The participant was required to perform a slashing hand gesture with the thumb sticking out like a knife across the throat, stating that this is what should be done to them if they ever revealed the secrets of the endowment ceremony. They were also required to make a similar hand gesture across their gut with the same sort of oath. These were known as penalties (i.e., penalty of death) for those who broke secrecy, but they have since been removed, as the LDS has sought to appear more like a mainline Christian denomination and less like a cult. 

The information in this section was shared by a former Mormon high priest named Michael Wilder, who testified on Delafe Testimonies that he had been a dedicated Mormon for over 30 years before coming out and being born again as a new creation in Christ. He reported that he felt physically ill when he went through the endowment ceremony, and others in the comments likewise shared that they also felt ill with nausea and/or headaches while being initiated into the temple.

The participants who go through the endowment are basically trying to save themselves, so that they can be pure and clean, and so they can have the knowledge necessary to live with Heavenly Father. Then once they complete the ceremony they are encouraged to come back again and again to repeat the ceremony on behalf of their ancestors, in order to endow the dead who are in "spirit prison" so that they can be saved, too, and get to live with Heavenly Father. Saving the dead is an unbiblical practice along with the secret handshakes, blood oaths known as penalties, and saving yourself.

Saved by Grace After All You Can Do

Mormons teach that you are "saved by grace after all you can do." However, the Bible teaches us that salvation is a free gift that God has given us in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 6:23; Eph 2:8). You cannot earn it, but can only receive it. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (Joh 3:16).

Salvation Only Through the LDS Church

The Mormons will tell you that salvation comes only through their church and in no other way. In fact, Christ is not even in the whole Book of Mormon, except for one little section of third Nephi. Yet Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (Joh 14:6). It is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior that you are saved, not through a religion. You don't need to be a member of the Mormon Church in order to receive salvation. In other words, you don't need the Mormon authority in order to make it to heaven.

No Cross or Blood of Jesus Preached

Moreover, Michael Wilder also stated that in over 30 years as a Mormon, he never once heard a sermon on the cross or the blood of Jesus. He said that the Mormon religion believes the atonement happened in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus' sweat was like great drops of blood. The reason they don't preach the cross or the blood is because that is the power of God unto salvation. "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God" (1 Cor 1:18).

Many Titles

Since it is a religion that caters to and appeals to the ego (especially male ego) and pride, there are many offices and titles, most of which are unbiblical. Depending on which denomination of Mormonism you are talking about, here is a list of titles used:

Aaronic priesthood, Melchizedek priesthood, High priest, Apostle, Bishop, Stake president, Deacons, Presiding Bishop, Presiding Bishopric (a council of three men), President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, President of the Church, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Assistant President of the Church, Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Branch President, Common Council of the Church, Council of Fifty, Council of the Church, Council on the Disposition of the Tithes, Mission President, Prophet, seer, and revelator, Temple President, Regional representative of the Twelve, Elder, Patriarch, Seventy, Presidency of the Seventy, General Authority Seventies, First Counselor, Second Counselor, Senior President, Area President, Second Quorum of the Seventy, General President, High council, High council of Zion, Traveling High Council, Stake Council, Ward Council, Ward Youth Council, Ward Young Single Adult Committee, Missionary Coordination Meeting Relief Society President, Bishops' Welfare Council, and Common Council of the Church.

Moreover, it is an abomination in the sight of God to call any man a high priest, since we have only one High Priest, who is our Lord Jesus Christ (Heb 4:15). And as the Scripture says, "For there is one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time." (1Ti 2:5-6).

Christian or Cult?
Biblical Discernment Ministries has an excellent article refuting Mormonism and proving that it is a cult (my sharing the link to this article does not constitute endorsement of "Biblical Discernment Ministries").

The Bible vs. The Book of Mormon
The following video is a thorough and scholarly analysis that puts the book of Mormon to the test against the Bible. In the following video documentaries, both books are examined. Geography, archaeology, history and geology are some of the points analyzed in these documentaries.


MP4

How Mormonism Contradicts the Bible


MP4

I highly recommend watching these videos. I cannot see how any true Christian could continue to be a Mormon after seeing these.

Putting it All Together
In this article, I have provided you with irrefutable proof that the Mormon religion is a cult. Joseph Smith was a false prophet. Anyone who is a part of this religion will not see God's face. It will take you down to hell. If you are a Mormon, then please repent right now and give your life to Jesus.

I challenge you to read the Bible as a child and ask God to show you the whole truth and nothing but the truth. See if you can prove solely from Scripture that the gospel of salvation by grace through faith alone is not true, and that Mormonism is the true Church.

There is the only one way to be saved. The Lord Jesus Christ said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (Joh 14:6, NIV). You must be born again by repenting of your sin and putting your faith in Him to save you. He died on the cross for you and shed his blood for your atonement. But your faith must be solely in Him, and not in anything else to save you, including your own good works. Repent and give your life to Jesus now before it's too late. And if you know someone who is a Mormon, please share this article with them, too.

There is no hate here or malice, but only love and the hope that precious souls whom the Lord Jesus died for will be saved.

See The Cult of Mormonism - Part II  

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, except where noted otherwise. The photos are in the public domain.

Author's note:  I also recommend reading You Must Be Born Again, Are We Really Little gods?, Scripture Alone, Accurately Handling the Word of Truth, Exposing Heresy, The Rise of Antichrists, The Origin of Sin, Satan, and Secular Music, The Rise and Fall of Lucifer the Musician, Michael Thomas Sambo's Revelation of Heaven and Hell, By Grace Alone, and Righteousness by Faith not Law. You can access the Home page of this blog for more articles on Truth and heresy, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Not Enduring Sound Doctrine

The apostle Paul prophesied of a time that would come when people would not put up with sound doctrine, and we are living in that period now.

He said, "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths." (2Ti 4:3-4)

Rather than endure sound doctrine, most Christians these days want to have their ears tickled. In other words, they have their own desires, lusts, and passions that they want to fulfill. They love their sin too much to part with it. So in order to suit their desires, they accumulate for themselves teachers, who will say what their itching ears want to hear. Since they have turned aside from the truth, they surround themselves with teachers who do not preach against sin or offend them, but tickle their ears with myths.

They listen to these teachers in their church, on the TV, the internet, and the radio. Any time they want to be soothed, comforted, or made to feel good, they listen to one of their favorite teachers. They also read the books and online articles of these teachers, too. They buy their DVDs or watch them online.

These are the teachers that have departed from sound doctrine and rather than teach the truth, they say what is popular with people. Their teachings include things like the following: once you are saved, you are always saved (eternal security); prosperity messages; antinomian messages; grace (as a license); freedom (from the moral laws of God); self-help messages; no-hell messages; social action; equality; human rights; social justice; world peace; being relevant to the world; adopting the world's cultures; tolerance; acceptance of all lifestyles, orientations, and religions; New Age; one-world religion; and ecumenism. There are many more myths they teach, but this list will suffice to give you the basic idea.

Not only do they fail to preach against sin, they fail to emphasize holiness, righteousness, and truth. They defile the Lord's pulpit by no longer carrying their Bible but using a phone instead. They no longer uphold the Word of God as supreme. Popular opinions and feelings have taken a much greater place of importance. It's no wonder the Church has gone astray with teachers like that.

The remedy to all this is Paul's solemn charge to Timothy in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus to "preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction." (2Ti 4:2). We need to return once again to preaching the Word. We need to reprove as necessary, which is to express disapproval. We need to once again rebuke those who need it, who are practicing sin in the house of God. We need to exhort the Body. And we need to do all of these things with great patience and instruction.

In order for teachers and preachers to do these things, we must watch our lives and doctrine closely. Keep your doctrine accurate and true to the Word. Keep your life pure and free from sin. This will save both you and your hearers, too (1 Tim 4:16). There are two aspects to this, one being your life, and the other being your doctrine.

This will require diligence on your part. As Paul said, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth." (2Ti 2:15). You don't want to be ashamed when you stand before God, but approved as a workman who accurately handles the Word of truth. Learn to rightly divide the Word of truth. Preach it just as it is without adding to it or taking away from it.

And as you watch your life, in order to keep it pure, here is an important admonition. "Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, 'The Lord knows those who are His,' and, 'Everyone who names the name of the Lord is to abstain from wickedness.'" (2Ti 2:19). You personally need to abstain from wickedness. That means you need to revolt against sin. You need to remove it from your life, withdraw yourself from it, depart from it, cease and desist from it, and refrain from it (Strongs). And that is what you need to teach your hearers to do, so that they can reach heaven.

You need to become a vessel for honor that is holy and useful to the Master. Paul said, "Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work." (2Ti 2:20-21). In order to become a holy vessel of honor for the Lord, you need to cleanse yourself from everything in your life that dishonors Him. And then you need to teach your hearers to do the same.

I am not going to deceive you and tell you that this is going to make you very popular or attract crowds. This is not by any means a popular message. It is not a recipe for developing a mega church. In fact, it may bring suffering and persecution into your life. But as Paul said, "Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus." (2Ti 2:3)

Becoming this kind of preacher may bring persecution into your life. But after all, that's expected if you desire to live godly in Christ. As Paul said, "Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." (2Ti 3:12)

While others are being foolish, silly, and taking everything in the Word lightly, you need to be serious in all things. You need to do the unpopular work of an evangelist. Paul said, "But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." (2Ti 4:5). If you have been called to teach or preach, you will need to endure hardship for the King. You and I must fulfill our ministries. Discharge all the duties of your ministry.

As we do so, our hope and prayer for those to whom we minister is that "they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will." (2Ti 2:26).

So although we live in a day when people will not endure sound doctrine, there is hope as long as there are still those ministers who will do these things. As long as the servants of the Lord live like this, and conduct their ministries this way, there is great hope. While most people will rebel and not listen to you, that is not what determines your success or failure. Your success will be determined by whether you do the will of God.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. The "Deception" painting © 2012 Danny Hahlbohm all rights reserved by the artist. Please view it on his official website, Inspired Art.

Author's note:  I also recommend reading Ask for the Ancient Paths, Holding Fast the Faithful Word, Avoid Becoming a Corrupted Christian, What's Wrong with the Prosperity Gospel?, The Law of Christ, Deleted Scriptures in the Bible?, Costly Grace, Is Obedience Optional?, Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth?, Practicing Your Righteousness, Sins That Will Keep You From Heaven, Faith Works!, The Ways of Life, Keeping Sundays Holy - Part I,  Scripture Alone, Accurately Handling the Word of Truth, Exposing Heresy, Are We Really Little gods?, The Rise of Antichrists, The Origin of Sin, Satan, and Secular Music, The Rise and Fall of Lucifer the Musician, Michael Thomas Sambo's Revelation of Heaven and Hell, Striving to Enter the Kingdom of God, The Cult of Mormonism, and Righteousness by Faith not Law. You can access the Home page of this blog for more articles on Truth and heresy, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master."

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_________________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org

Accurately Handling the Word of Truth

The Scriptures have much to say about the need to teach sound doctrine, and to abide in the truth, although many people today downplay the importance of these.

Teaching
The apostle Paul wrote to Titus about the qualifications for an overseer, saying that he must be devoted to the faithful word, which agrees with the teaching. “Holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.”  (Tit 1:9)

The Greek word for teaching in this verse is “didache,” meaning “instruction (the act or the matter): - doctrine, hath been taught.” (Strongs).  This word is also found in the following Scriptures, where it is sometimes translated “teaching” and other times it is translated “instruction,” depending on the context.

We must beware of false teaching. “Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Mat 16:12)

People were amazed at Jesus’ teaching, because He taught with authority. “They were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.” (Mar 1:22)

The teaching of Jesus was not His own but the Father’s. “So Jesus answered them and said, ‘My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.’”  (Joh 7:16-17)

The early disciples devoted themselves continually to the apostles’ teaching. “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”  (Act 2:42).  It’s still appropriate and wise to be continually devoted to the apostles’ teaching.

We must be obedient to the sound, biblical teaching to which we were committed. “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,” (Rom 6:17)

We brethren must keep our eyes on those who cause hindrances and dissensions contrary to the sound teaching of Christ and the apostles, and turn away from such people.  “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them.” (Rom 16:17)

When we assemble together, someone should have a teaching for the purpose of edification. “What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” (1Co 14:26)

The minister of the gospel must reprove, rebuke, exhort with instruction. “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” (2Ti 4:2)

One can actually be carried away by strange teachings, so we must avoid this. “Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.” (Heb 13:9)

We must abide in the teaching of Christ, in order to have both the Father and the Son, because those who do not abide in the teaching do not have God.  “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;”  (2Jn 1:9-10)

The Lord Jesus had a warning message specifically for those in Thyatira who were following certain false teachings. “'But I have a few things against you, because you have there some who hold the teaching of Balaam, who kept teaching Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols and to commit acts of immorality. So you also have some who in the same way hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans.’”  (Rev 2:14-15)

But for those in Thyatira who did not hold to those teachings, the Lord placed no other burden on them. “'But I say to you, the rest who are in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not known the deep things of Satan, as they call them--I place no other burden on you.’” (Rev 2:24)

Also see Mat. 7:28; 22:33; Mark 1:27; 4:2; 11:18; 12:38; Luke 4:32; John 18:19; Acts 5:28; 13:12; 17:19; 1Co. 14:6; Heb. 6:2.

There can be no doubt that teaching is important to the Lord.

Doctrine
Equally important as the teaching is the sound doctrine. In the passage I opened with at the top of this article, Paul told Titus that an overseer is to exhort others in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict. “Holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict.” (Tit 1:9)

In the same sentence, Paul refers to both teaching and doctrine.  Since we have already covered the word “didache” in the first half of this message, let’s look at the Greek word “didaskalia,” meaning “instruction (the function or the information): - doctrine, learning, teaching.” (Strongs).  While “didache” refers to the act or the matter of teaching, “didaskalia” refers to the function or the information given in the instruction.  The word “didaskalia” is sometimes translated “doctrine” and other times it is “teaching.”

Some teach the precepts of men as doctrines. 'But in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.'" (Mat 15:9) 

There are winds of doctrine, which the mature disciple will not be carried away by. “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;” (Eph 4:14)

There are deceitful spirits that teach doctrines of demons. “But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,” (1Ti 4:1)

Sound doctrine nourishes you and you should follow it. “In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following.” (1Ti 4:6)

We are to give attention to teaching. “Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching.” (1Ti 4:13)

The minister of the gospel must pay close attention to himself and to his teaching in order to ensure his own salvation and the salvation of his hearers.  “Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.”  (1Ti 4:16)

Elders who work hard at teaching are consider worthy of honor. “The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.” (1Ti 5:17)

It is important that our lives are consistent with our doctrine, so that our doctrine is not spoken against. “All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against.” (1Ti 6:1)

The doctrine we advocate is the doctrine conforming to godliness. “If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.” (1Ti 6:3-5)

These are the times when they will not endure sound doctrine.  “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,” (2Ti 4:3)

An overseer is to teach what agrees with sound doctrine. “But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine.”  (Tit 2:1)

An overseer must maintain doctrinal purity and be dignified.  “In all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified,”  (Tit 2:7)

When we show all good faith, it makes the doctrine of God attractive. “Not pilfering, but showing all good faith so that they will adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in every respect.”  (Tit 2:10)

Also see: Mark 7:7; Rom. 12:7; 15:4; Col. 2:22; 1Ti. 1:10; 2Ti. 3:10,16; 2:1,7.

The Truth
The truth is not popular but that doesn’t change what it is.  It’s still the absolute truth.

The Truth is not merely information.  The Truth is a Person. “Jesus *said to him, ‘I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.'” (Jn 14:6)

Jesus Christ is the Truth.  Many people mistakenly think that the Lord Jesus has a casual attitude toward sin.  However, there is no "in-between" with Him.  Just as we read in the gospels about His life on earth, He is still the same yesterday, today, and forever.  He said what He meant, and He meant what He said. Everything is either black or white with Him.  There are no "grey areas."

Truth is absolute.  Two plus two will always be four.  What Jesus said cannot be changed or annulled. Here are a few passages about The Truth, which is not open to revision.

Paul said God desires all men to come to the knowledge of the truth.  “This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time. For this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.” (1Ti 2:3-7)

He said that the church of the living God is the pillar and support of the truth. “But in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.” (1Ti 3:15)

We must accurately handle the word of truth, which requires diligence. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (2Ti 2:15)

“Men who have gone astray from the truth saying that the resurrection has already taken place, and they upset the faith of some.” (2Ti 2:18)

It is God who grants repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth. “With gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,” (2Ti 2:25)

Some people are “Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2Ti 3:7)

Others actually oppose the truth, “Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith.” (2Ti 3:8)

“And will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.” (2Ti 4:4)

The truth is not something to simply know, but it must be practiced. “If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;” (1Jn 1:6)

The one who knows the Truth keeps His commandments. “The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;” (1Jn 2:4)

“We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” (1Jn 4:6)

John said the Spirit is the truth.  “This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.” (1Jn 5:6)

"In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise," Eph 1:13)

The new self one received when one is born again has been created in the likeness of God in righteousness and holiness of the truth. "And put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth." (Eph 4:24)

"(for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth)," (Eph 5:9)

"But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (Joh 4:23-24)

“And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." (Joh 8:32).  This is what happened to me when I came to know Jesus, which you can read about in The Truth Set Me Free!. It changed my whole life!

"When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,” (Joh 15:26)

"But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” (Joh 16:13)
 
Putting it All Together
So from these passages of Scripture, we learn that teaching and sound doctrine are important to the heart of God. This is why we must hold fast to the faithful Word and guard the trust we have been given. 

Many will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires.  They advocate a different doctrine and do not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness.  They are paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons.  They are carried away by strange teachings. Some of them teach the precepts of men as doctrines, which are merely man-made and artificial teachings, not from the Lord.

However, the faithful minister of the gospel must pay close attention to himself and to his teaching in order to ensure his own salvation and the salvation of his hearers. We must all abide in the teaching of Christ, and devote ourselves to the apostles’ teaching, as is faithfully recorded in Scripture.  Instead of coming up with messages that people want to hear, in order to remain popular, we must preach the Word just as it is written, not dissect it into little pieces or twist it to say what we want it to say.  We need to proclaim the whole counsel of God, and not just our favorite topics that we are comfortable with. 

In a day when Truth is being rejected, I intend to continue teaching in faith and truth. Let me admonish every minister of the gospel to be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Image courtesy of Entitled to Revelation in their article What is Absolute Truth?

Author's note:  I also recommend reading The Top Ten Things Jesus Taught, Tradition vs. Truth, What is Truth?, An Open Mind that Loves the Truth, Is Practical Righteousness a Lost Truth?, Holding Fast the Faithful Word, and Unbiblical Practices of the Catholic Church. You may access more of my articles on the Main Directory of this blog, as well as my complete blog directory at "Writing for the Master.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

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Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.