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Writer's pictureGhee Zuzkreist

False Teachers

A main identifier of a cult is the exclusivity. Everyone else is wrong. It appeals to pride and people who lack an identity and community too. It also appeals to fear, obviously.


You can call the devil many things but an idiot would be the height of arrogance. But if these fringe cult groups are right, then satan is going after a whole bunch of people for no reason. Christianity has been the most persecuted religion for a long time but the death toll is on orthodoxy.


You have to go broader than individual verses as everyone has already come up with an explanation for them. Unless, you can find the ones where they haven't which is unlikely. For example, JW's argue Michael must be the only archangel but when you point out that he is also "one of the chief princes" they throw their hands in the air and say we can't know what that meant. They have to do that because the idea he is 'one of' many things, equalizes him with others and they have to exalt him because they say he is Jesus.


You could gather as many verses as possible and show the true explanation to have better explanatory scope and power.


Or go on to the fruits of such teachings. The influence that Christianity had on the world has been astounding as historians like Tom Holland will point out, but it hasn’t been by Christians who believe culty exclusivist doctrines. Cults often point to the negatives of the mainstream (like the lack of zeal and evangelism in churches) to show why they must be right, and even if you were to doubt them, it creates the impression there’s nowhere else to turn even if the cult is wrong. 


If it's a Christian cult calling everyone else wrong of the many problems they face, on is the fact that it is clearly not a clear bible teaching otherwise more would believe it. You can go into one of their gatherings and ask them all how they came to it, and if they don't realize what you're getting at they will tell you in their testimony how someone had to TELL them this is what the bible teaches. Which also means they believe in a God either incapable or unwilling to make the salvation message clear and simple. Actual Christians do not have this problem. I've made this point and had the "how will they know unless someone tells them" verse thrown at me, they obviously don't care about the context because it is a call to witness to unbelievers! I can throw a better and more relevant verse at them "you have received the Holy Spirit so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true."


Often times people will go to the early church fathers on issues to see what they believed, this seems somewhat reasonable.


There is a fundamental misunderstanding of the Gospel. People sin and are worthy of punishment. They are worthy of punishment because they knew it was wrong. They knew it was wrong because the moral law is on our hearts and our consciences convict us. Our sins are forgiven because of Jesus’ death. When we change our ways and give our lives to him out of gratitude, that is a clear indication we have faith in Jesus. None of this matters to [insert cult].


Or if they have any supernatural backing like Moses, Jesus or the Apostles. This is very important if you're claiming to be the only one able to speak for God. Miracles are still very real as well as extreme answered prayer with many testimonies and evidential cases, the problem for all cults is that this happens to standard Christians. This should not be so if they are right because God would just be leading people on in their deception.


There will be an emphasis on the individual to learn or do something that contributes to their evolution or enlightenment or salvation. Rather than the standard Christian understanding that Jesus did everything and your gratitude should be the motivator for a changed life.


What I have found most frustrating in talking to Jehovah's Witnesses and Muslims and people who think you're not saved unless you speak in tongues and many others, is that if you come extremely prepared and they realize you can get into the nitty gritty, they will simply accuse you of being argumentative and dismiss you and try to disengage. I think for me it's when I start pointing out logical fallacies, this annoys people. They say "oh we could argue all day", the people who say this, clearly cannot. I could argue all day because I'm prepared but if they say something like this they are trying to end the argument because they are not prepared.


They are under this illusion that arguing is inherently bad. One reason is because it is like alcohol, easily abused and made sinful by humans. Another reason is because if done correctly it leads to truth and they have probably seen people leave the fold through reasoning. Truth has a way of revealing itself to those who want it. And they also completely rip the 2 Tim 2 verses about arguing out of context. It tells us not to have foolish, meaningless, arguments over words and trivial things. You think salvation is meaningless and foolish? No? Then stop using these verses. Tit 3:9 is another one echoing this and taken out of context.


The verses that are actually relevant are:

1 Pet 3:15 Be prepared to give a defense.

2 Cor 10:4-5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God.

1 Tim 1:3 Paul urges Timothy to command false teachers to stop.

1 Tim 4:1-3 Calls them demonically inspired.

2 Tim 2:24-26 The Lord's servant must not be argumentative but able to teach and patient when wronged, gently correcting opposition.

2 Tim 4:2-4 (two chapters after the main verse they go to, to run away from the very thing this tells us to do) Be ready to spread the word whether or not the time is right. Point out errors, warn people, and encourage them. Be very patient when you teach. Another translation: Preach the word, be ready in and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with great patience and instruction.

1 Kings 18:27 Elijah the Prophet being as sarcastic as you can be mocking someone's false god, yet he is a Prophet of God that very soon after this gets vindicated.

Acts 20:29 Paul calls them vicious wolves just trying to seek a following.

2 Pet 2:12 Calls them unthinking animals. The whole chapter is about them, goes on to say they brag about themselves with empty foolish boasting.

Jude 1:3 Also could have gone in section above but its about urging us to defend the faith that has been entrusted to us. And verses 22-23 show mercy to those whose faith is wavering and cautiously rescue them.

Titus 1:9-16 He must hold fast to the word and be able to exhort in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict it.

Titus 2:7-8 Show yourself to be an example of good deeds with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame."

Acts 17:11 The Bereans received the word with eagerness and examined the scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

Rom 16:17 Does say to avoid them. But could be reconciled with the idea that they are probably tempters in some way.


Find which verses David Wood uses when he talked with Capturing Christianity


You can almost see God’s incredible wisdom and foreknowledge in the verses that are throughout the bible that look as though they are clearly there to refute future misconceptions and attacks. Like Jesus commanding his followers to love him and this is what the world is going to look at to see if they are his followers. Then when Christians throughout history disobey this, the unchristian world judge Christians on this.  



They are also probably forced into the idea that the flesh can fight against itself and you can walk in the Spirit without having it because all the fake Christians in the world DO get convicted of sin and try to walk in the spirit. To the point of COMPLETELY IMITATING a saved and regenerate Christian. This violates countless passages. Many overlap with allusions to salvation. This is because it constantly reinforces the idea that your outward behavior will be the proof of salvation.


Luke 10:

The man answered “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength and all your mind.” And ‘love your neighbor as yourself’. “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live.”

11:13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will your heavenly father give the holy spirit to those who ask him.” 28 Jesus replied “But even more blessed are all who hear Gods word and put it into practice.”

12:8 I tell you the truth everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, the son of man will also acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels. 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”


John 14: just believe that I am in the father and the father is in me. Or at least believe because of the work you have seen me do. 17 He is the holy spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. 21 Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.” Criteria of obedience indicating love. 26 But when the father sends the advocate as my representative-that is, the holy spirit-he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

16:8-9 and when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgement. The worlds sin is it refuses to believe in me. 13-14 When the spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 27 for the father himself loves you dearly because you love me and believe that I came from God.

20:23-23 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

 

Acts 3 Then Peter took the lame man by the right hand and helped him up. And as he did, the man’s feet and ankles were instantly healed and strengthened. 16 Through faith in the name of Jesus, this man was healed-and you know how crippled he was before. Faith in Jesus’ name has healed him before your very eyes. 19 now repent of your sins and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.

4:2 These leaders were very disturbed that Peter and John were teaching the people that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead. 4 But many of the people who heard their message believed it, so the number of men who believed now totaled about 5000. 8-9 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? 13 The members of the council were amazed when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, for they could see that they were ordinary men with no special training in the scriptures. They also recognized them as men who had been with Jesus. 25 you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying ‘Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans? 31 After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.

5:9 And Peter said, “how could the two of you even think of conspiring to test the Spirit of the Lord like this? The young men who buried your husband are just outside the door, and they will carry you out too.” 12 The apostles were performing many miraculous signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers were meeting regularly at the temple in the area known as Solomon’s Colonnade. 14 Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord-crowds of both men and women. 15-16 As a result of the apostle’s work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by. Crowds came from villages around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those possessed by evil spirits, and they were all healed.

6:3 And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility. 5 Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (an earlier convert to the Jewish faith). 8 Stephen, a man full of God’s grace and power, performed amazing miracles and signs among the people. 10 None of them could stand against the wisdom and the Spirit with which Stephen spoke.

8:7 Many evil spirits were cast out, screaming as they left their victims. And many who had been paralyzed or lame were healed. 12-13 But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good news concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. As a result, many men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself believed and was baptized. He began following Philip wherever he went, and he was amazed by the signs and great miracles Philip performed. 29 The Holy Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and walk along beside the carriage. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away. The eunuch never saw him again but went on his way rejoicing.  Cults like this one.

9:31 Then the church had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers. 40 But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up! 42 The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord.

10:19 Meanwhile, as Peter was puzzling over the vision, the Holy Spirit said to him, “Three men have come looking for you.” 43 He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name. 44-45 Even as Peter was saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles too. 47 Can anyone object to their being baptized, now that they have received the Holy Spirit just as we did?” 38 And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

11:15 As I began to speak,” Peter continued, “the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning. 18 When the others heard this, they stopped objecting and began praising God. They said, “we can see that God has also given the Gentiles the privilege of repenting of their sins and receiving eternal life.” 24 Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And many people were brought to the Lord. 28 One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.)

13:2 One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” 9 Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye. 12 When the governor saw what had happened, he became a believer, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord. 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers.

14:3 But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. And the Lord proved their message was true by giving them power to do miraculous signs and wonders.

15:1 While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers: “Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 7 At the meeting, after a long discussion, Peter stood and addressed them as follows: “Brothers, you all know that God chose me from among you some time ago to preach to the Gentiles so that they could hear the good news and believe. 8 God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. 19-29 And so my judgement is that we should not make it difficult for the gentiles who are turning to God. Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality. If you do this you will do well.

16: 6 Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time. 7 Then coming to the borders of Mysia, they headed north for the province of Bithynia, but again the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them to go there. 15 She and her household were baptized, and she asked us to be her guests. “If you agree that I am a true believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my home.” And she urged us until we agreed. 18 This went on day after day until Paul got so exasperated that he turned and said to the demon within her, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And instantly it left her. 31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” 33 Even at that hour of the night, the jailer cared for them and washed their wounds. Then he and everyone in his household were immediately baptized.

17:4 Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women. 12 As a result, many Jews believed, as did many of the prominent Greek women and men. 34 but some joined him and became believers. Among them were Dionysius, a member of the council, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

18:8 Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, and everyone in his household believed in the Lord. Many others in Corinth also heard Paul, became believers, and were baptized. 25 He had been taught the way of the Lord, and he taught others about Jesus with an enthusiastic spirit and accuracy. However, he knew only about John’s baptism.

19:2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No”, they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. 18 Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices.

20: 21-23 I have had one message for Jews and Greeks alike-the necessity of repenting from sin and turning to God, and of having faith in our Lord Jesus. And now I am bound by the spirit to go to Jerusalem. I don’t know what awaits me, except that the Holy Spirit tells me in city after city that jail and suffering lie ahead. 26 I declare today that I have been faithful. If anyone suffers eternal death, its not my fault, for I didn’t shrink from declaring all that God wants you to know.

21:4 These believers prophesied that Paul should not go on to Jerusalem. 11 He came over, took Paul’s belt, and bound his own feet and hands with it. then he said, The Holy Spirit declares ‘So shall the owner of this belt be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the gentiles.’

22:16 What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized. Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord.

26:18 to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.

 

1 Peter 4:14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. (Vast majority of persecuted Christians-orthodox).


2 Peter 1:10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things and you will never fall away. 2:20 And when people escape from the wickedness of the world by knowing our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and then get tangled up and enslaved by sin again, they are worse off than before. 21 It would be better if they had never known the way to righteousness than to know it and then reject the command they were given to live a holy life. 3:9 The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent.


Romans: 10 and 14


1 Cor 12-14

 

Hebrews: 5:9 In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him.

 

2 Timothy 1:9 “For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time-to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

 

1 John 1-4


 2 John 1:9 anyone who wanders away from this teaching has no relationship with God. But anyone who remains in the teaching of Christ has a relationship with both the Father and the Son.

 

3 John 1:3 Some of the travelling teachers recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth. 11 Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God.

 

Jude to execute judgement on the people of the world. He will convict every person of all the ungodly things they have done and for all the insults that ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 19 These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.

 

Revelation 1:11 It said. “Write in a book everything you see, and send it to the seven churches in the cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. 2:19 I know all the things you do. I have seen your love, your faith, your service, and your patient endurance. And I can see your constant improvement in all these things. 3:2 Wake up! Strengthen what little remains, for even what is left is almost dead. I find that your actions do not meet the requirements of my God. 21:8 But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars-their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. 22:15 Outside the city are the dogs-the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie.



Galatians 3:13-14


Galatians 4:3-7 Similar to Romans 8



Ephesians 1:12-14 Again the word earnest (arrhabōn) is used. The downpayment of our inheritance of eternal life. 


Ephesians 2:18-19 Through the Spirit we have access to God and are part of His household.


Ephesians 4:30 The Spirit is how God seals or "sets his mark upon" His people.



Philippians 3:3 In the Old Testament the circumcision was the mark of the Covenant. If someone was uncircumcised Genesis 17:14 says "that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant." In the New Testament we have the sign of the New Covenant when we are filled with God's Spirit and are able to "worship in the Spirit". 



2 Thessalonians 2:13



Titus 3:4-6 - We are saved by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.



Hebrews 10:14-17 Perfected & sanctified by the Spirit. The Spirit is our witness that we are part of the New Covenant. The Spirit being the "Witness" is a worthwhile bible study in itself; see Acts 15:8 (read in context) where Peter is explaining the salvation of Cornelius and his household in Acts 10.



1 Peter 1:9-12 The New Testament gospel message of salvation comes with the Holy Spirit. Something that the Old Testament prophets and even angels desire to look into.




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