Romans by the Book (Lesson 5)

Home Bible Study- Lutz, Florida

Established November 2007

Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth

(2 Timothy 2:15)

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. 1Timothy 2:3-4

 Romans by the Book

Lesson 5

We’ve put our study of Romans on hold for a short time to examine what the Bible has to say about what it means to “Rightly Divide the Word.” 

There’s just so much confusion and ignorance in the Body of Christ today as it pertains to this subject and that is the reason I chose to “park” on this topic for a time.

I’m not pointing the finger of blame at any one person or organization.

Ultimately it is the responsibility of every Believer to know what is in their Bible.

The command to “Rightly divide the Word” comes from God the Holy Spirit. 

And YES, this is a command. 

There are far more commands in Scripture than just the Ten Commandments.   

For example:

Ephesians 5

25: Husbands, love your wives…

That’s a command.  It is NOT a suggestion.

And the other thing I want to point out to you is God the Holy Spirit does not have a “junior” role in the Holy Trinity. 

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are Three in One.

They are EQUAL!

Scripture says,

2 Timothy 3

16: All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;

17: so that the man (and woman – adding this doesn’t harm the text) of God may (be what) adequate, equipped for every good work.

And the writings of the Apostle Paul are most certainly SCRIPTURE even though many in the church today do NOT recognize him or his apostleship.

The Apostle Peter wrote,

2 Peter 3

15: …as also in all his letters (Whose letters?  The Apostle Paul’s letters), speaking in them of these things (what things…  The MYSTERIES that were revealed to the Apostle Paul ONLY) in which are some things hard to understand, which the (who) untaught and the unstable distort (the same thing is going on in our churches today), as they do also (read carefully) the rest of the Scriptures (Peter just gave his stamp of approval on the Apostle Paul’s letters to the churches and included them in the “rest of the Scriptures.  And to those who distort or abuse Paul’s writings Peter gives this warning), to their own destruction.

Peter’s anathema for those who “distort” or ignore the Apostle’s Paul’s letters is still in effect today!

As you study your Bible, always keep in mind the Bible Timeline.  Why?

a.      This will help you rightly divide it.

b.      The Bible is a Progressive Revelation.

The things that God revealed to humanity were not all given at once.

His revelation was given in stages.  This is known as progressive revelation.

The Apostle Paul wrote.

Romans 16

25: Now to the One who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel (the Gospel of Grace) and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the (what’s the next word) mystery that was kept secret for long ages past,

26: (read slowly) but now is (what) manifested (disclosed – placed under the spotlight), and by the (what) Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God is made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith.

Paul made a distinction between the revelation which God formerly gave and that which He was presently giving.

The Old Testament Is Incomplete

Progressive revelation means that God did not unfold His entire plan to humanity in the Book of Genesis or, for that matter, in the entire Old Testament.

The Old Testament revelation, though accurate, is incomplete.

The fullness of certain teachings cannot be found in the Old Testament.

There are predictions (prophecies) that remain unfulfilled.

Why must we learn to “Rightly divide the Word?”

While the "Word of Truth" is written FOR all classes of people, and FOR our learning, it is not addressed to all peoples in general.  

Parts of the Bible are addressed to the JEWS, part to the GENTILES, and part to the CHURCH or the Body of Christ (a Pauline revelation).

These three constitute the THREE CLASSES into which humanity is divided.

I Corinthians 10

32:  Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God;

 

© Copyright 2011

GJ Heitzman’s Ministry

All Rights Reserved

Bonus Lesson (Rightly Dividing the Word By Clarence Larkin)

Dispensational Truth

Rightly Dividing the Word

By Clarence Larkin

We may be down for a bit but there’s no reason to “postpone” Bible study…as I’ve so often pointed out to you all this should to a regular activity in every Christian home. 

And Bible study is NOT Bible reading.

You read the newspaper but you study your Bible.

I have interrupted my teaching on the book of Romans to again talk about what it means to “Rightly Divide the Word of Truth.”  Les Feldick and I have been teaching on this subject for years and we’ve both mentioned how essential it is for accurate Bible teaching and comprehension.

  

Until you understand this concept, you will not be able to “…show yourself approved of God…rightly handling the Word of Truth.” 

And these are the words of the risen Lord given to the Apostle Paul.

Here is some background info on Mr. Larkin:

Clarence Larkin was born in Pennsylvania in 1850 and was converted to Christ at the age of 19. He worked as a professional draftsman for a period and was later ordained a Baptist minister.

Larkin was not a premillennialist at the time of his ordination, but study of the Scriptures led him to adopt the premillennial position.  Using his former drafting skills he began to make large wall charts for use in the pulpit.  These led to him being invited to teach in two Bible institutes.  During this time he published a number of prophetical charts which were widely circulated.

When World War I broke out in 1914 God laid it on his heart to prepare a work on Dispensational Truth (or God's Plan and Purpose in the Ages) containing a number of charts.  He spent three years of his life designing and drawing the charts and preparing the text.  The popularity it has received since its publication in 1918 seems to indicate that the world was waiting for such a book.

Larkin followed this masterpiece with other books: Rightly Dividing the Word, The Book of Daniel, Spirit World, Second Coming of Christ, and more.

During the last five years of his life, the demand for Larkin's books made it necessary for him to give up the pastorate and devote his full time to writing.  

He went to be with the Lord on January 24, 1924.

*****

I have copied an excerpt from the writings of Mr. Clarence Larkin and posted it below.

Mr. Larkin gives you a more “in-depth” teaching on the subjects of “dispensational periods” and “Rightly Dividing the Word.” 

Please take your time going over the material at hand.

Remember, this is a Bible study and not a Bible read.

There is a lot of information here.  Slow down…

Gary

*****

Clarence Larkin

Writing to Timothy, Paul said-
"Study to show thyself approved of God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth" 2Tim. 2:15.

The student of the "Word of God" is here spoken of as a "Workman" A workman cannot intelligently do his work without a plan.  He must have drawings and specifications.

God said to Moses as to the Tabernacle, "See that thou make all things according to the 'Pattern' showed to thee in the mount." Heb. 8:5.

The student of God's Word must understand "God's Plan and Purpose in the Ages,” or there will be confusion in his work of interpreting the Scriptures.

To this end charts are indispensable.  But care must be taken not to depend on them alone.  While the drawings and specifications of a building are separate they must correspond.  So a Biblical chart must correspond with the "Word of, God,” or it may lead to error.  The two must be compared.

St. Augustine said-"Distinguish the 'Periods' and the Scripture will harmonize.

“After an address by Rev. Dr. A. J. Gordon on "The Plan of the Ages,” a gentleman said to him, "Why, Doctor, you have a 'Pigeon Hole' for every text."

We must learn to "Rightly Divide the Word of Truth."

While the "Word of Truth" is written FOR all classes of people, and FOR our learning, it is not addressed to all peoples in general.  But part of it is addressed to the JEWS, part to the GENTILES, and part to the CHURCH.  These three constitute the THREE CLASSES into which humanity is divided 1Cor. 10:32. 

It follows therefore that while the whole Bible was written for the INSTRUCTION of the Church, it is not all written ABOUT the Church.  The Church is not mentioned in the Old Testament.  It was hid from the Old Testament prophets, and was a "Mystery" first revealed to Paul, and disclosed by him in Eph. 3:1-3. 

The Old Testament is mostly taken up with one nation, that of Israel. 

In the first five chapters of Genesis we gave the history of Creation, and 1700 years of human history.  In the next four chapters we are given the account of the Flood.          

The tenth and eleventh chapters give the account of 400 more years of human history, and then God singles out one man, Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3), and from there on the whole of the Old Testament centers on the Jewish Race. 

When we take the Old Testament promises and apply them to the Church we rob the Jew of that which is exclusively his.

For illustration, the prophecy of Isaiah is largely applied to the Church, whereas the very first verse declares that it is-"Concerning JUDAH and JERUSALEM" Isa. 1:1.

In the New Testament the Epistles of Hebrews and James are Jewish. 

The Epistle of James is addressed, not to the Church, but to the "TWELVE TRIBES scattered abroad" James 1:1.  Therefore the "Prayer of Faith" (James 5:13-15) for the sick, is not primarily a promise to the Church but to Israel.

In the Epistle to the Hebrews many Christians stumble at the words "fall away" (Heb. 6:4-6), and "if we sin willfully" Heb. 10:26.  But these words do not apply to Christians.  They were spoken to apostate Jewish professors of Christianity who had never been born again, and who, if they did not accept Jesus as their Messiah, practically crucified Him again, and were as bad as their brethren who did crucify Him.

Some books are general, as for instance the Epistle to the Romans. 

No one would apply Romans 8th to the Jews, or Romans llth to the Church, for in it Paul speaks not only to Israel but also to the Gentiles Rom. 11:11-13.

ALL Scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction, (2Tim. 3:16), and what happened to Israel was written for our LEARNING and ADMONITION, (1Cor. 10:11), but we must not apply to the Church what does not belong to it.

We see then that to misapply scripture is to not "Rightly Divide the Word" and tends to confusion and error.

While "Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth,” we must discern the work of Christ.            

We are told in the Scriptures that He is a "Prophet,” "Priest" and "King."                                     

 But He does not hold these offices conjointly but successively. 

From the fall in Eden to the Cross, He was a "Prophet."
He is now a "High Priest" and when He comes again He will be a "King."

From Eden to the Cross there was an "Altar,” from the Cross to the Crown there is a "Table" (the Lord's Table), and from the Crown to Christ's surrender of the Kingdom there is a "Throne."

In Heb. 1:1, we read-God hath spoken "at SUNDRY TIMES, " as well as "in DIVERS MANNERS, " and if we are to understand what He has spoken, we must not only distinguish between the class of people He has spoken to, as the Jews, Gentiles or the Church, but we must also note the "SUNDRY TIMES" at which He spoke, and the "DIVERS MANNERS."

We must also distinguish between the "TIME PAST" when He spoke by the Prophets, and these "LAST DAYS" in which He hath spoken to us by His SON Heb. 1:1-2.

We must not forget the "DIVINE CONJUNCTIONS" and "DIVINE DISJUNCTIONS" of the Word of God.  We must not separate what God has joined, as the "Word of God" and the "Spirit of God,” "Christ and Salvation…Faith and Works." 

Neither must we join what God has separated, as "Heaven and Hell,” "Baptism and Regeneration, ““Natural Heredity" and "Spiritual Heredity,” "Standing and State, " "the Church and the Kingdom."

We must also distinguish between the "TIMES" and "SEASONS" of the Scriptures.                   Daniel said of God-"He changeth the 'TIMES' and the 'SEASONS', " (Dan. 2:21), and Jesus said to His Disciples-"It is not for you to know the 'TIMES' or the 'SEASONS'"

Acts 1:7.                      

Job testified that the "TIMES are not hidden from the Almighty" Job 24:1.   And of the Children of Issachar it was said that they had "understanding of the TIMES" 1Chron. 12:32.

By the "SEASONS" we are to understand the climatic changes of the earth due to the movements and changing characteristics of the 'Sun, Moon and Stars, which God ordained to regulate the "Seasons." Gen. 1:14. 

As to the "TIMES" we have them designated as the "TIMES OF IGNORANCE, " (Acts 17:30); the "TIMES OF THE GENTILES, " (Luke 21:24); the "TIMES OF REFRESHING, " (Acts 3:19); the "TIMES OF RESTITUTION, " (Acts 3:21); and the "Dispensation of the FULNESS OF TIMES." Eph. 1:10.

From the statement, "The Times of the GENTILES," we see that when the "Gentiles" are in power the "Jews" are not.  And as the "Times of the GENTILES" is still running, the Church cannot be in this Dispensation a governing or Kingdom power.

The Times and Seasons

But it is not enough to classify the Scriptures in the manner already mentioned. 

We must learn to separate the Scriptures as to "TIME" and "ETERNITY" and the different "AGES' and "DISPENSATIONS" of "Time." 

The Scriptures mention "TWO AGES:" before "Time, “the "ALPHA" or "CREATIVE AGES, “and after "Time, “the "OMEGA" or "AGES OF THE AGES."  

In "Time" there are three "AGES" and seven "DISPENSATIONS."                               

The three "AGES" are-

1 THE ANTEDILUVIAN AGE.

This extends from the "Fall" to the "Flood."

2. THE PRESENT AGE.

This extends from the "Flood" to the "Second Coming of Christ."

3. THE AGE OF AGES.

This extends from the "Second Coming of Christ" to the "End of Time." This last "Age" is a "Dual Age" composed

1. The Millennial Age.
2. The Perfect Age.

The "Millennial Age" is also a "Dispensation" in its relation to the six preceding Dispensations.

An "Age" in Scripture is from one "cataclysmic" or "climatic “change to another in the earth's surface or condition.  This corresponds to what is called in Geology an "Age."    So we see that Science and the Bible agree as to the meaning of the word "Age."

We know that at the time of the Flood there were great "cataclysmic" and "climatic' changes, for the "fountains of the great deep were broken up." Gen. 7:11.  That is, there was a subsidence that resulted in great physical changes that affected the climate of the earth, and divested the atmosphere of some of its life-sustaining properties, so that the length of life was reduced from 900 to 100 later to threescore and ten.

At the beginning of the Millennium all this will be reversed, for when Christ returns -

"His feet shall stand in that day (Millennial Day) upon the Mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north and half of it toward the south."  "All the land shall be turned as a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem and it shall be lifted up." Zech. 14:4, Zech. 14:10. In verse eight we read- Living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the 'former sea' (Red Sea) and half of them toward the 'hinder sea' (Mediterranean)."

That means that the Dead Sea, that is now 1200 feet below the Mediterranean, is to be elevated, and its water flow south to the Red sea, and that it shall lose its saltiness and be filled with fish, for we read in Eze. 47:1-3, that fishermen shall spread their nets upon its shores.  This great "cataclysmic" change is going to make a great change in the climate and restore the life-sustaining power of the atmosphere like unto that before the Flood, for we read in Isa. 65:20, that in the Millennial days that are to follow- "There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days; for the child shall die an hundred years old."   That is, a person a hundred years old shall only be considered a child, which means that men shall live again in the Millennium to the age of Methuselah.

The Chart is divided into 3 "Ages, " corresponding to the Divine number "Three" (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) ; and into 7 "Dispensations, " to correspond to the Perfect number "Seven" composed of the Divine number "Three" and the World number "Four" -Winter Spring, Summer and Autumn, or the four elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water.

The difference between an "AGE" and a "DISPENSATION is that an "AGE" stands for a period between two great physical changes in the earth's surface, while a "DISPENSATION" stands for a "moral" or "probationary" period in the world's history.      

The form of "Administration" is different in each "Dispensation." 

For illustration, the Administration of the Jewish Dispensation was that of "LAW," the Administration of the present Dispensation is of "Grace," and of the on to follow is "Righteousness."                                                   

                                              
 All the confusion about the "Ages,” "Dispensations, “and "End of the World" is largely due to the mistranslation of two Greek words in the New Testament.

The first word is "Kosmos."  It means the external arrangement and beauty of the natural world, and includes the thought of nations, peoples, and worldly possessions, as in Matt. 4:8 "Again the Devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them."

Also Matt. 13:38, "The Field is the World."  And Luke 11:50, "That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the 'foundation of the World, ' may be required of this generation."      

This word "Kosmos" occurs 170 times and is always translated "World."

The second word is "Aion" and means "Age," "Dispensation," Indefinite Time."

This word occurs 28 times, and is translated "World."        

To show how misleading this translations is we need only cite a passage or two.      

Take Matt. 13:39, Matt. 13:40, Matt. 13:49 "The enemy that sowed them is the Devil; and the harvest is the end of the world."  It should read-the "end of the Age."                         

"Be not conformed to this world (Age)" Rom. 12:2.

"In whom the god of this world (Age) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not" 2Cor. 4:4.

"Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world (Age)" Gal. 1:4. 

"Charge them that are rich in this world (Age)." 1Tim. 6:17.                                 

"Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds (Ages).” Heb. 1:2.                                                                            

"Through faith we understand that the worlds (Ages) were framed by the Word of God (Jesus).” Heb. 11:3. 

From this we see that Jesus not only made the "earth-worlds,” John 1:1-3, but He also made the "time-worlds,” that is, He planned the "Ages" and "Dispensations."

Bonus Lesson 1 (False Teaching in our Churches)

New Age Impact on the Church: Infiltrating Heresies

by Nathan Jones

Who are some of the main heretics from the New Age Movement?

Dr. David Reagan and I were delighted to have as our guest on Christ in Prophecy Warren Smith, the author of the book The Light that Was Dark.  This fascinating book tells Warren's touching story of how in his search for a Savior he got sidetracked into the occultic darkness of the New Age Movement.  From his many years of experience under that influence, Warren now has dedicated his life to warning Christians about the dangers of the New Age and helps us recognize how we can avoid these satanic influences from creeping into our churches.

Infiltrating Heresies

Nathan Jones: Warren, you have such an extensive background in the New Age Movement, and so can easily recognize its teachings when you spot them.  How then do these occultic teachings influence and even penetrate churches?

Warren Smith: 
You can go all the way back to someone like Norman Vincent Peale and his book The 

Power of Positive Thinking.  I think it is on page 40 of his book where he says, "God is in you."  Robert Schuller in a 2003 television program also said similarly, "Yes, God is alive and He is in every single person."  That is classic New Age teaching.  Some of today's really well known preachers and pastors are using some of these new Bible versions.  There is one from the New Century Version that say, "God rules everything, is everywhere, and is in everything."  And so people say, "Oh, God is His universe."

Nathan Jones: And yet, God is omnipresent.

Warren Smith: Yes, but like Schuller said, "God is alive and is in every single person."  That "in every single person" is very specific.  Then there are translations like The Message which just waters down God's Word.  I was surprised to see in The Message right away the first time I read it where oneness is added to Ephesians 4.  Oneness is a code word.  "Oneness pervades everything you are and think and do."  That feeds right into the whole New Age concept.

I would just like to say that, yes, I see these things maybe a lot more because I was involved in the New Age, but anybody that is reading their Bible learns that as Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my Words will never pass away."  The Bible describes and warns about every deception I was involved in.  It is describing everything that is coming into the Church that people try to explain away, like with The Shack.  People will even say it's a good book to give to unbelievers. No it's not!  It's not because of the New Age teachings that are in there, such as God dwells in and around and through all things.

Nathan Jones: The author is a stated Universalist, right?

Warren Smith: He calls himself a Christian.

Nathan Jones: Well, they all call themselves Christian.

Warren Smith: Oprah calls herself a Christian, too. Therefore, you've got to look at just what kind of "Christianity" they are talking about. The Scripture that comes to my mind is, "A little leaven, leaveneth the whole lump."  You cannot have these false teachings inserted into these supposedly "Christian" books, surrounding Satan's lies with a little truth. Some in like say the Emerging Church, they will say, "all truth is God's truth," but then they will take some teaching from out of A Course in Miracles and use that as the "truth."

New Age Church

Dr. Reagan: One of the things about the Emergent Church Movement that really concerns me, and I would say is a fundamental characteristic of that movement, is that they deny that there really is absolute truth, which ironically in and of itself is an absolute statement.   If you are going to say discuss the issue of homosexuality, it's not what the Bible has to teach, but you go with it because it's what you think should be accepted.  Emergent s are always asking, "What do you think?   

What do I think?"  There is an exchange of questions all about this or that, but no one comes out and draws the line saying, "Here's what the Word of God says."  Emergent Church teaching is not a belief in absolute truth.

Nathan Jones: Apologist Eric Barger had some great statements which maybe you can confirm for me.  He says, "The New Age or the Emergent Church follows this: experience over reason, spirituality over doctrinal absolutes, images over words, feelings over truth, earthly justice over salvation, and social action over eternity."  Is that the definition of a New Age Church?

Warren Smith: He's done a good job of covering a lot of that.

I think one of the most significant observations that he mentioned there is something that people need to be aware of, and that because of the acceptance of New Age teachings, spiritual experience is trumping the Word of God in the Church, especially in the Emerging Church.

Contemplative Prayer

Warren Smith: Throughout these churches, people are having spiritual experiences that will bring in hopefully from the Devil's standpoint "new revelation" which will end up providing a new worldview.  The way they are seeking new revelation is mainly through contemplative prayer.  It's a code really for meditation.

Dr. Reagan: What is contemplative prayer?  We hear a lot about that lately.  What is it?

Warren Smith: The way contemplative prayer is presented is you recite Scripture, and then you close your eyes or you are still and listen to see if God will speak to you.  Basically, it's almost like a technique.  They wouldn't say that you don't empty your mind since you are reciting Scripture, but it's pretty close.  You wait to hear what God would tell you.

The dangerous thing with contemplative prayer, and Richard Foster for one talks about this when he says basically, "You can always tell the voice of Satan because it is foreboding and dark," is that's just very bad advice.  What I never have heard with any of these people who are talking about contemplative prayer is to test the spirits, as 1 John 4:1 instructs.  Believers need to remember that these admonitions were directed to believers.  Just because we are following the Lord, that doesn't mean that we cannot still be mislead.

There are a lot of deceptive voices out there, and a lot of these voices are now coming in through books like The Shack.  People just don't realize that the author of The Shack told a small group that met privately in a house church that he had real conversations with God and that the teachings in his book were from God, but he just put them in a novel form.

Nathan Jones: That's rather like Joseph Smith who founded the cult Mormonism, or Mohammed who founded Islam.  They all claimed to be hearing from God.

Warren Smith: Their followers are also being directed to listen for God's voice.  I've even seen some recent conferences where they have well known Bible teachers and church leaders that are inducting a whole audience by saying, "Okay, let's see what Jesus would tell us right now with no warnings."   

But, remember 2 Corinthians 11 where Paul chided the Corinthians that if another Jesus, another Gospel, or another spirit comes through here, you might just fall for it.

There is another "Jesus" out there.  I just need to tell people to make sure that it is Jesus Christ of Nazareth who are consistent with the Bible, because there are a lot of Jesus' out there who Paul was warning about.

Experiential Faith

Dr. Reagan: Is this simply a reflection of the Post-modern Age, which we are supposed to be in right now, where people are turned off by the idea of reading the Word of God and finding out what God would say to them, as opposed to having a touchy-feely experience?

Warren Smith: This teaching is sort of being advocated in the Church, that it's kind of hip to skirt around the Bible a little bit and instead have some spiritual experiences.  There is nothing wrong with doing things a little bit differently when it comes to you trying to reach people where they are at.  I can just tell you, I was really alternative!  I was out in San Francisco, where if you really look at the Jesus Movement, those people were hippies.

But, today we're being taught that you have to change everything you do in church to reach people now.  The Word of God when I stood in that fraternity house and I was convicted by the Holy Spirit that was just the power of God and His truth.  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me."  It is a narrow way, and oneness is a broad way.

This voice from the Enemy that is trying to come into the Church, and is doing a fairly good job through contemplative prayer, is trying to bring in this very simple bottom line teaching that we are all connected.  There is that big word - connected.  We are all connected.  We are all one.  We are all God.  And, if we don't subscribe to this belief, we could hinder world peace, because those that don't subscribe to divinity could be hindering world peace and would have to be dealt with in the future.  I see that threat to Christians being set up right now.

Nathan Jones: So, the New Age is teaching peace through tyranny... under the Antichrist.           Is that the eventual goal?

Warren Smith: Jeremiah said, "Peace, peace, but there is no peace."  Peace is a great code word, just like love and happiness.  Peace, love and happiness.  But, we might just ask, “What are the bottom line teachings that come with this quest for peace?”

In the fourth and last segment of our interview with Warren Smith on how New Age teachings have infiltrated the Church, he'll explain the push towards Universalism and what Christians can do to protect ourselves from being deceived.

*****

 Hello HBS Group,

The surgery went well, and I am comfortable. 

Thank you for your prayers.  June bought me ice cream.

I copied this information above for you.  It comes from a reputable website I visit often.

I included some of this data in a recent teaching series which was posted to my website recently, so when I read this article it of course caught my attention.

It’s “good” for you have another person's viewpoint or perspective on these topics that hinder the spiritual growth of the Body of Christ.  It’s also good for you to know that I’m not coming to you from left field with the material(s) I write about or talk to you about. 

For instance we’ve talked about the book, “The Shack” during our discussion period some time ago.  At that time, I said this book was New Age philosophy and I didn’t recommend the reading of it. 

During a recent conversation, I was asked, “What’s wrong with a little bit of “prosperity teaching?  We all could use some encouragement from time to time?” 

My response was simple and to the point. 

Besides being false teaching, Jesus Christ isn’t concerned with “our wants.”

The prosperity gospel, although very popular in the church today, is false teaching.

Here’s my longer answer:

The smallest lie may cause a person to make wrong decisions leading to dire consequences.

Eve took a bite of a piece of fruit and so did Adam – and where are we today?

The Apostle Paul wrote this to the Believers in Galatia after the Judaizers came in, after he left, proclaiming another gospel than the one he preached to them.

Galatians 5

7: You (Galatians) were running (the race) well; who hindered you from obeying the (what’s the next word folks) truth? 

8: This persuasion did not come from Him (the Lord Jesus Christ) who calls you.

9: (Read slowly) A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.

10: I have confidence in you in the Lord that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you will bear his judgment, whoever he is.

What’s going on in verse 9?

For those of you who are not baker’s: YEAST is used as a LEAVENING AGENT where it converts the fermentable sugars in dough into the gas carbon dioxide.  This causes the dough to expand (rise) as gas forms pockets or bubbles.

One “lie” told in church infiltrates the entire congregation. 

If the “lie” is told often enough and elaborated on, which it most often is, then the lie becomes believable especially if it is mixed with a bit of truth.

If the “lie” affects only one person in that congregation great damage has been done.

Have a great weekend,

Gary