False Teachers -- The false teacher is the core weapon used against the body of Christ to try and woo them off the narrow path. False teaching ranges from the subtle, such as Joseph Prince's antinomianism to the absurd like holy laughter or getting drunk in the spirit. The responsibility of the teacher is to break down the word of God so that the sheep can grow through hearing and learning. In the Garden the devil asked Eve incredulously -- did God really say? He continues to ask the same question through false teachers today. Consider these words from peter:
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. -- 2Peter 2: 1-3 (ESV)
Before the advent of the Bible, the people of God relied upon the prophet of God in order to hear thus sayeth the Lord. Thus the false prophet was one who lied about hearing from God. He twisted the word. Even though there remain false prophets, Peter is drawing a distinction here to not be overlooked. In the New Testament era, the one who twists the word of God is the false teacher. Word Faith heretics like Joel Osteen take the verse that says God calls things that are not as if they were and pretends it applies to all of us. Prosperity pimps take proverbs out of context to pretend that God wants everyone rich. The purpose driven movement is built largely on a verse that was not even written to the church -- Jeremiah 29:11. Abusive tithing teachers rely upon poor Malachi who was speaking to the priests about robbing God. When Jesse Duplantis makes an argument for a 54 million dollar plane, the way of the truth is blasphemed among the unbelieving world for while the things of God are foolishness to them they have no problem identifying the things of Satan.
So you have the genuine four pillars of building up the body of Christ and their counterfeits. Going back to the key verses we must understand Satan's end game here. The true four pillars are designed to bring is to full unity but that unity is grounded in two things -- true faith and true doctrine. That is what it means when it says to attain unity in the knowledge of the Son of God. The counterfeit seeks unity in the opposite. It seeks unity for the sake of unity. The reasons are carnally based. It is politically expedient to unite with Rome so who cares if we do not share the same faith or doctrine? That beloved is how the road to a one world government gets paved. The reality we must embrace today is that when the apostate church calls for unity it is a unity in apostasy that they seek. A near perfect example of this is Bethel Church as there are literally no false teachings they will not embrace. Prosperity, false signs and lying wonders, word faith, Joel's end time army, NAR -- you name it and they have claimed it. This will be the model moving forward because it is better to unite with other apostasy than to split doctrinal hairs when you are both wrong.
To finish up the key verses we see the result. The result of adhering to biblical principles is maturity in Christ. The measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. This serves a purpose beloved. It will prevent us from being tossed about by every wind of doctrine, human cunning, and craftiness in deceitful schemes. That is the reward for growing into maturity in Christ through proper doctrine. So when the next Mark Batterson comes along and says to stand in a circle to demand things from God we will see that for the human cunning it really is. When we see an itinerant "prophet" at our local church tell wild stories about seed sowing quid pro quo arrangements with God we will be able to see the craftiness behind the deceitful scheme. When the apostate church cries out for unity we will see they are only seeking unity with other apostasy and we will say no. do not be deceived beloved. Do not be deceived.
Reverend Anthony Wade -- June 12, 2018
