Our number one desire for these
Bible lessons are for them to be understandable, defendable, and for the Holy
Spirit to bear witness that the conclusions are the true, and correct
interpretation of the Holy Scriptures.
Guidelines for our Bible studies on this website:
- We treat the living words of the living God as spoken by the Lord Jesus and given to the Apostle Paul for the Body of Christ the same importance, as the words of the Lord Jesus recorded in red letters in the books of Matthew – Acts Chp. 8, as what should be known as the instructions to the nation Israel.
- We will not be wresting the scriptures against each other, we will look at the verses in their context, and will not try to make the scriptures say anything, but what they say.
- We will be using the verses out of the Authorized Version, commonly known as the KJV. It is fine if you want to look the verses up in other translations if you like, but we will consider the Authorized Version as our final written authority.
- We do not and will not use the Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, or Latin languages to prove any points, or give any indication that the Authorized Version has been incorrectly translated.
Recently I was sharing with
some of my fellow Christians some verses that you rarely hear used or discussed
in Church. I would like to share some of these verses, and why I believe that
you don’t hear them taught today from the pulpits of America.
First up we go to 2nd
Corinthians, where our Apostle Paul speaks the following words:
2Cor.11 [13] For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming
themselves into the apostles of Christ. [14] And no marvel; for Satan himself
is transformed into an angel of light. [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.
Now I want you to think, when
was the last time you heard a preacher in your Church, on TV, or on the Radio
quote the verses above? I have been saved 42 years and do not remember them
being expounded or explained from the pulpit in all those years.
The verses seem to me to be very
simple as written, and certainly an important subject, as they point out that
there are false apostles, deceitful workers, who transform themselves into the
apostles of Christ. Surely this is important to the Body of Christ to be aware
of false brethren and how to spot them.
Gal.2 [4] And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in
privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might
bring us into bondage:
Paul warned the Galatians
about false brethren that had come into the Galatian assembly to bring them
back into the bondage of the Old Testament Laws. The reason he knew they were
false brethren is by their false teachings that the Galatian believers had to
follow the Old Testament Law! In Christ we have been set free, we have been
saved by Grace, and those Old Testament Laws have no hold on us. We live the
Christian life by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
2Cor.11 [14] And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of
light.
Again as we look these
verses they are simple to understand, Satan the enemy of the Lord Jesus and his
ambassadors (believers who have received the Holy Spirit), becomes an angel of
light. Satan looks like a Christian, a good
Christian!
2Cor.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.
Continuing with the same
line of thought the apostle Paul, speaking the words the Lord Jesus gave him to
give to us, he now informs us that it is no great thing if Satan’s ministers
also are transformed as ministers of righteousness. Satan and
his ministers can look like Christians, very good Christians!
The reason you will not hear
these verses expounded in Church today is because the preachers of today cannot
tell you how to distinguish between a false brother and a true brother, they cannot
tell you how to spot Satan, because a lot of them are his ministers. I know
this sounds strange and hard to believe but stay with me.
Many times I’ve heard
well-meaning Christians claim to be fruit inspectors. They look down at some
poor believer or lost sinner who may have a drinking problem, or some other
weakness. These self-proclaimed fruit inspectors typically
identify/label such people as Satan’s workers. Well nothing could be further from the truth. A
person’s works has absolutely nothing to do with being able to identify Satan
and his ministers today in the dispensation of Grace.
Satan and his ministers are
some of the best looking, respected, and well behaved people in the world. As
far as Christian works, Satan’s ministers appear as being good, and doing good things
for others.
Satan and his ministers
are focused and determined to corrupt God’s Holy word and deceiving people into thinking
that if they are a good person, do go works, etc. that they will go to heaven.
Eph.2 [1] And you
hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; [2] Wherein in time
past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince
of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of
disobedience: [3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in
the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind;
and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. [4] But God, who is
rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, [5] Even when we were
dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
[6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places
in Christ Jesus: [7] That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding
riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. [8] For
by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift
of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Today a person is not saved
by keeping the Old Testament Laws, or doing good works, but is saved by
placing one’s faith in the Lord Jesus, and believing that he died for our sins,
was buried, and three days later rose again! No works, just trusting in Jesus
for your salvation, and his shed blood, not works.
Back to the subject at hand
how to spot Satan’s ministers of righteousness. Let’s define what a minister of
righteousness is.
A minister: is someone who is authorized by a church or
religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs. Righteousness:
is an attribute that implies that a
person's actions are justified, and can have the connotation that the person
has been "judged" or "reckoned" as leading a life that is
pleasing to God.
So a minster of
righteousness, is a minister teaching people to live a good life that is pleasing
to God. There is nothing wrong with people doing good works, unfortunately that
is all Satan’s ministers teach, just be good, do good, you’re a good person God
is pleased with you.
Satan and his ministers
always teach salvation is by works, if you are good you go to heaven, if you
are bad you go to hell!
Satan and his ministers of
righteousness never teach the truth of God’s word for this dispensation. Salvation
is by grace apart from the deeds of the law.
Gal.2 [16] Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but
by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that
we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of
the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
Now the key to identifying
the truth is simple, we go to God’s Holy Word and judge all things by the Holy
Scriptures. This is how to determine who the false brethren are, who Satan’s
ministers are, it is by their doctrine by the things they teach and say, not their works.
Acts.17 [11]
These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the
word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether
those things were so.
I have a question for you
Christian brothers and sisters, are you searching the scriptures daily to make
sure what you believe is sound doctrine? If you never open your Bible, and read
it and study it for yourself, you make yourself an easy target for Satan’s
ministers of righteousness.
Now let’s look at a good way
to spot Satan’s workers.
1Cor.12 [3]
Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God
calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by
the Holy Ghost.
The verse above is a key
verse that we can use to distinguish a true brother from a false brother. If
you want to know if a person is saved, check their attitude or understanding of
who they believe the Lord Jesus is. Has the Holy Ghost revealed to the person that
Jesus is the Lord? Do they recognize Jesus Christ as the very God of Heaven who
indwelt a human body and walked among men? Do they recognize Jesus as the Lord
God of heaven and Earth? How a person answers these questions will help you
determine if they are in fact a true believer.
Matt.22 [41]
While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, [42] Saying, What
think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, The Son of David. [43]
He saith unto them, How then doth David in spirit call him Lord, saying, [44]
The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine
enemies thy footstool? [45] If David then call him Lord, how is he his son?
[46] And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that
day forth ask him any more questions.
Jesus asked the Pharisees a
few questions. What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he? How they answered these
questions is still one of the best ways to determine if someone knows who Jesus
is. The Pharisees answered, the Son of David, this seemed like a good answer to
them, but Jesus then asked them another question. If he is the son of David,
how does David then call him Lord? And we see that the Pharisees had no answer.
That’s because they did not
recognize Jesus as the Old Testament God in a human body speaking to them.
Jesus Christ is the great “I AM” (Exod.3:14) that lead the Children of Israel
out of Egypt. See the two verses below there are way too many verses to be put
in a single lesson. Jesus himself and his apostle Paul, in the verses below
clearly identifies Jesus as the Old Testament God, the great “I AM”.
1Cor.10 [1]
Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all
our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; [2]
And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; [3] And
did all eat the same spiritual meat; [4] And did all drink the same spiritual
drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and
that Rock was Christ.
John.8 [56] Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and
was glad. [57] Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old,
and hast thou seen Abraham? [58] Jesus said unto them,
Verily,verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, “I am”. [59] Then took
they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out
of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Notice after Jesus tells the
Jews that Abraham rejoiced to see his day, then Jesus tells them that he was
before Abraham. Here again clearly letting them know, although he was walking
around in a human body for approximately 30 years, the person inside that body
was in existence from eternity past. See verses below.
Old Testament Prophecy:
Mic.5 [2] But
thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah,
yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose
goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
New Testament Prophecy Fulfillment:
Matt.2 [1] Now
when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king,
behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, [2] Saying, Where is
he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east,
and are come to worship him. [3] When Herod the king had heard these
things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. [4] And when he had
gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded
of them where Christ should be born. [5] And they said unto him, In
Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, [6] And thou
Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda:
for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
Summary of this lesson;
Jesus Christ is God and
salvation is by grace, not works of righteousness! Satan’s ministers look like
and act like good Christians. The way to tell if they are false is by what they
teach concerning who Jesus the Christ is!
When you are confronted by professing
Christians of all names and denominations, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons,
Mohammad’s followers, Buddhists, Hindus, Confucius’s followers, and you want to
determine if they are false brethren, or one of Satan’s ministers of righteousness,
simply ask them what they think of Christ?
If the Holy Ghost has not revealed to them or given them the ability to
recognize “Jesus is Lord God of the Old Testament” manifest in the flesh, they
simply are not a true brother in the Lord.
The Apostle Paul speaking by
the Holy Ghost in 1Tim.3 [16] And without controversy
great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh,
justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed
on in the world, received up into glory.
The verse above clearly
refers to the Lord Jesus Christ, I must also tell you, in the new translations
the word “God” has been removed.
Brothers and Sisters in
Christ, your life is short and if you have been slack concerning Bible study, it
is high time for you to get back to studying the living words of the living God
or begin studying if you have not in times past.
"The crowd that will
not accept one truth will decay to the point that it does not accept one God:
many denominations, many translations, many gods."
All of the confusion among
Christianity/Christians today can be attributed to the simple fact that the
church, the Body of Christ, does not recognize the separate, distinct, and
unique apostleship, ministry, and message of Paul.
If you fail to understand, or fail to learn
how to rightly divide the word of truth, you can never come to the knowledge of
the truth, and sound doctrine.
Romans 10 [8] But what saith it? The word is nigh
thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we
preach; [9] That if thou shalt confess
with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God
hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man
believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation.
The words of our Apostle Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles!
2Tim.2 [15] Study to shew thyself approved unto
God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of
truth.
Come join with us as we study
God’s Holy Word!
Remember most unsound Bible Doctrine, is sound Bible
Doctrine misapplied to the wrong time period, or wrong group of
people.
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