How to Spot a
False Teacher - #1
Because of the times in which we live, and the
incredible opportunity we have as believers to make a difference in people’s
lives, I am finding it necessary to begin a series of articles that will help
people concerned with understanding truth to be able to locate the identity of
false teachers … wherever they reside.
The Bible tells us to be aware because …
2 Co 11:12 But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut
off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may
be found even as we.
2Co 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves
into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the
ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
2Co 11:16 I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if
otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
We must be aware of Satan’s tactics if we are
to protect truth … 2Co 2:11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for
we are not ignorant of his devices.
Satan’s greatest attack, in my
opinion, is the attack he is perpetrating upon the Word of God … the attack
that seems innocent in and of itself, but in actuality is a horrendous
attack. Satan’s greatest attack is to
cast doubt upon the words of God, and he has found an open door through corrupt
revisions of the Word of God that are being accepted wholeheartedly into the
fabric of mainstream churches.
Example of false teacher’s
tactics:
A few Sundays ago a preacher by
the name of Steve Furtick was “teaching” about the call by God upon the life of
Abram (not Abraham yet) to leave Ur and go to a land that He (God) would show
him. This is one of the greatest
examples of faith in an unseen God in the entire Bible, and Steve Furtick
preceded to inform his cult followers that God had “tricked” Abraham (remember
… his name is not Abraham as of yet) into going … and that he was tricked
because God didn’t show him what the mortgage payments for that trip would be.
Well … There are more than A LOT
of problems with this line of thought that he places on the “meaning” of the
Word of God. I will just state a few,
and then leave the rest up to you to search out on your own … as the Bereans
did in that they searched the scriptures to see if it (teaching) was so.
So … have you caught a glimpse of
why what Steve was preaching is heresy yet?
The biggest issue is that God did not “trick” Abram … God was calling
Abram out of Ur to be the father of the greatest nation upon this earth … the
Jewish nation … the wife of God … the nation that would give us the Messiah …
the Savior of the world. God was NOT
TRICKING Abram into a fancy house for which he was not aware of the
mortgage payment; he was asking Abram to
walk by faith as He (God) led (step by step) him in his (Abrams) journey to
begin a great nation of people … a people that would be part of defining the
theme of the Bible – a kingdom.
This is NOT A SMALL GAFFE … this
is a HUGE WRESTING (WRESTLING In the Greek) OF SCRIPTURE OUT OF ITS PROPER
CONTEXT. And a true minister of Christ
would understand the true context of the meaning of the passage. Let’s look at it so you can see what is
happening ….
Gen 12:1 Now
the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy
kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
Gen 12:2
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make
thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
Gen 12:3
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee:
and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
Gen 12:4
So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with
him: and Abram was seventy and
five years old when he departed out of Haran.
Gen 12:5
And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their
substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran;
and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan
they came.
Gen 12:6
And Abram passed through the land unto the place of Sichem, unto the
plain of Moreh. And the Canaanite was
then in the land.
Gen 12:7
And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give
this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
Gen 12:8
And he removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of Bethel, and
pitched his tent, having Bethel
on the west, and Hai on the east: and there he builded an altar unto the LORD,
and called upon the name of the LORD.
Gen 12:9
And Abram journeyed, going on still toward the south.
Gen 12:10
And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to
sojourn there; for the famine was
grievous in the land.
I’m not going to exegete this entire passage … I just
wanted to give you a taste of how badly Steve WRESTLED / TWISTED / CORRUPTED
this passage out of its proper meaning.
The phrase in vs. 1 “unto a land I will shew thee” is the challenge upon
Abram to live by faith … the same challenge that is given to us when we accept
Christ as our personal Savior. This is
followed by, “so Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him.” There is absolutely nothing in this passage
or any other passage in the entire Bible to validate that Abram was
TRICKED. What does that mean, that means
that Steve Furtick is teaching heresy.
How do we know that Abram was not TRICKED? Let’s look at the Bible for the answer …
Heb 11:1 Now
faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Heb 11:2 For by it
the elders obtained a good report.
Heb 11:3 Through
faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that
things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Heb 11:8 By faith
Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after
receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he
went.
Heb 11:9 By faith
he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling
in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
Heb 11:10 For he
looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is
God.
The Bible tells us, unlike Bro. Steve Furtick, that Abraham
(that was his name after he proved himself out by faith) went out, not knowing
whither he went because he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose
builder and maker is God!
The word “looked” in the Greek means to EXPECT! Abram was EXPECTING God to honor His word …
therefore … he was not TRICKED BECAUSE HE DIDN’T UNDERSTAND THE MORTGAGE
PAYMENT. He knew the mortgage payment,
and it was a city WITH FOUNDATIONS. He
knew he (we) was a pilgrim on this earth and it is NOT OUR HOME. If Bro. Steve knew how to rightly divide the
Word of truth then he would not be used as an angel of light to twist scripture
for personal gain.
Why is this article important … it is important because
if one is to call themselves a “minister of the Word of God” is it not
important to stay true to that Word. The
answer is yes. I challenge anyone who is
part of the Elevation camp to challenge Furtick when he WRESTS Scripture to put
forward his (Steve Furticks) own agenda.
2Ti 3:16
All scripture is given
by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness:
2Ti 3:17
That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good
works.
Live OUT LOUD!
Mark Harrell – Habakkuk 2:2
