The
following is a sample chapter from the "Should You RUN From
Jesus Always?" book.
Available
on Amazon (click here)
Why Run From Jesus Always?
Im not a big fan of rap music. But every now and then I run across
a Christian rap song that catches my attention. In a song about false
teachers Shai Linne raps:
And you're thinking they're not the dangerous type
'Cause some of their statements are right?
That only proves that Satan comes as an angel of light. - from
Fal$e Teacher$
Satan comes as an angel of light. He hides the darkness of his true
nature with the appearance of being an angel of light. That is an accurate
description of Jesus Always.
False teachers hide their false teaching in truth. What they teach may
be 99.9% pure. But, that small 0.1% portion of poison can kill you.
A gallon of water with just 0.026% polonium 210 (1 gram) is poisonous
enough to kill 10 million people. One teaspoon of botulinum toxin is
enough to kill one billion people. And false teachers are even more
dangerous.
The invasion of false prophets, false teachers, false apostles,
false Christs has been something which the people of God have endured
through all the ages of time. Satan attempts to oversow the truth
with lies. He attempts to confuse the world so that they cannot perceive
the truth of God by drowning them in a sea of deceit. - John MacArthur,
The Danger of False Teaching (sermon), http://www.gty.org/resources/
sermons/55-9/the-danger-of-false-teaching
I assume you know, just from the title of this book Should
You RUN From Jesus Always, my message is that Sarah Young's
devotional book Jesus Always is false teaching that
should be avoided. In fact you should proactively run from it.
Jesus Always masquerades as a Christian devotional, but in truth
it is not Christian. It presents a false Jesus and New Age spiritualism
wrapped up in Christian words and phrases. The false Jesus of Jesus
Always leads people away from the true Jesus Christ (light) and toward
the inward focus and exaltation of self in New Age spiritualism (darkness).
Those are serious accusations, but they will be proven true in this
book.
What if you dont agree with my evaluation? We need to be biblical
and do what scripture tells us to do. Scripture commands us to test
and make evaluations to be sure a book such as Jesus Always is truly
Biblical. Have you done that? What tools have you used to help you with
that evaluation?
And, by the way, you should test my book also. There are no exemptions.
Apply the same tests I recommend for Sarah Youngs books to this
book. Be discerning. We are to evaluate all books, as well as other
forms of teaching, to discern whether they present true biblical teaching
or false teaching. False teaching is not something we are to take lightly.
Jesus even warned us that false Christs and false prophets
will come and will attempt to deceive even Gods elect:
For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show
great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.
- Matthew 24:24
Scripture warns us to be alert and test all teaching. This means ALL,
including the teaching in devotional books.
Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to
see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone
out into the world. - 1 John 4:1
But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;
abstain from every form of evil. - 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ,
does not have God; - 2 John 9
But, Why Run?
Why
do I say to RUN from Jesus Always? Why don't I just
say, Don't read Jesus Always? There is an important
difference.
Running is the biblical response. It means to actively avoid the Jesus
Always devotional. Not reading something is passive, and as
a result there is a possibility others may be harmed.
For example, lets say someone gives you a copy of Jesus Always
as a gift. You never open it. You just stick on your bookshelf. Some friends
come visiting, and one of them notices Jesus Always on your
bookshelf. They don't say anything, but they assume that since you are
a good Christian, and you have a copy of Jesus Always, it
must be a good devotional. So they buy a copy for themselves and make
it their daily devotional. You are responsible for harming that person
Running from Jesus Always means to be proactive.
It means taking action to ensure neither you, nor your family, nor anyone
else is harmed. That means do not ever have a copy in your home. Run from
it! If someone gives you a copy, throw it away.
Where In Scripture Does It Say To Run From False Teaching?
John wrote a letter to the chosen lady and her children
urging her to totally avoid false teachers:
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not
receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the
one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds. -
2 John 10 & 11
An article on the Got Questions web site explains what John is saying:
It is important to understand the context of Johns
epistle. John is writing to the elect lady and her children
(verse 1). This lady was engaged in a ministry of hospitality. In
the name of Christian love (verse 6), this kind-hearted woman was
receiving itinerant preachers into her home, providing room and board
for them, and sending them on their way with her blessing. John writes
this quick note to her to warn her about the many false teachers who
would gladly take advantage of her generosity. Her love needed to
be tempered by truth. Boundaries had to be drawn. Hospitality should
not be extended to charlatans, hucksters, and the devils own
emissaries. - http://www.gotquestions.org/allow-false-teachers-home.html
Then the Apostle John takes it even further, not only should she not
allow them in her home, she should not even greet them -- for the one
who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.
What is the principle John is teaching? Don't do anything that helps
false teachers. This includes doing things that might cause others to
believe you support or endorse their teaching. If you greet a false
teacher, someone seeing you do this might think you are in fellowship
with the false teacher and supportive of what they teach.
Yes, false teaching is that serious of a problem. You cannot take the
chance that someone will mistakenly think you support the false teaching.
Did the Apostle John practice what he preached?
Cerinthus, one of the early leaders of the Gnostic movement (a false
teaching) lived at the same time as the Apostle John. A story is told
about a time when John and some of his disciples were going to a bathhouse.
As he was entering John learned that Cerinthus was inside. John turned,
and ran from the building shouting, Let us flee, lest the building
fall down; for Cerinthus, the enemy of the truth, is inside!
John physically ran from the false teacher Cerinthus, not because he
feared Cerinthus, but to protect the truth. If John was seen in fellowship
with Cerinthus, that would have, for some people, put John's stamp of
approval on the heresy of Gnosticism.
This is why we need to run from false teaching such as Jesus Always.
Biblical truth is precious and brings life to the lost. We must be willing
to sacrifice ourselves to protect the truth. We must be proactive in
running from false teaching (including lectures, videos, books, magazines,
music, sermons, etc.) so that we never, even inadvertently, do anything
that might give the appearance we approve of the false teaching.
False Teachers Isn't The Problem Obvious?
False teachers, and false teaching such as Jesus Always,
can be difficult to spot because they disguise themselves as teachers
of righteousness
as the source of new truth and insights
as the source of spiritual light. Thats what Sarah Young does
in the Jesus Always devotional:
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves
as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself
as an angel of light. - 2 Corinthians 11:13-14
False teachers are difficult to spot because their false teaching
is always mixed with truth. The prosperity preachers on TV talk about
the importance of scripture. They will call on the name of Jesus.
They will describe the multitude of missionaries they support and
the on-going good work they do. They pray. They quote Jesus. They
sound so spiritual and religious
but its all just to get
you to pull out your credit card and send them money.
False teachers often appear to be nicer, more spiritual, and
more loving than true preachers of the gospel. They usually have great
smiles, a friendly attitude, and they dress well. But, they are like
the Pharisees, it is all external. It is nothing more than the sugar
coating on a poison pill. Writing to Timothy about false teachers,
Paul described them as,
holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its
power; Avoid such men as these. 2 Timothy 3:5
False teaching, such as the teaching in Jesus Always,
is particularly difficult to spot. It is hidden by biblical sounding
language and references to scripture. This makes it very difficult
to detect.
That's why we must always run from books with false teaching, least
we lead someone else to fall into the trap, or even we ourselves are
deceived. Even with our guard up we can fall into the trap of believing
the false teaching. We must always be focused on truth and the glorifying
God, and reject all that is false.
For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show
great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.
Matthew 24:24
Not only are we to run from false teaching ourselves we are to help
others escape false teaching. Jude writes:
And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching
them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even
the garment polluted by the flesh. - Jude 22 & 23
Commenting on these verses in Jude, John MacArthur points out they
tell us to come to the aid of a Christian trapped in false teaching.
He says that false teaching is:
like a prairie fire with its malignancy. That's why in Jude
23 it says when you get near anybody in a false system, snatch them
like a bran from the burning and watch out that you don't get your
garment spotted by that stuff. It's a malignancy, it eats up the neighboring
tissue and spreads its corrupting doctrine to infect other people
rapidly. It runs rampant. - John MacArthur sermon The Danger Of
False Teaching, http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/55-9/the-danger-of-false-teaching
The Dangers of False Teaching
The
danger of false teaching is that it makes empty promises and gives false
hope, using spiritual sounding words and phrases. In Matthew 7:13 &
14 Jesus describes the wide and the narrow gates. The wide gate is the
easy way, and it leads to destruction. The narrow gate is the way to
eternal life. Then the next verse (15) warns about false prophets.
Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheeps
clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
What did shepherds wear? They wore wool clothing. The person wearing
sheeps clothing, in other words wearing what sheep
wear, was a shepherd. So Jesus is warning about false shepherds in verse
15.
Both gates have the same signs pointing to them, This way to salvation.
Both gates promise they are the way to heaven. But, the promise of the
wide gate is the promise of a false shepherd. It is a lie. The reality
is the wide gate is the road to destruction.
False teachers direct and lead people through the wide gate. They seem
to be nice, loving, and very spiritual people, and their message is
not offensive
but they point to the broad way that leads to destruction.
Run from them!
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves
from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the
fear of God. - 2 Corinthians 1:1
We need to walk, think, and live according to what scripture teaches,
following the examples given in scripture. Don't follow false teaching
masquerading as light.
Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who
walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom
I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies
of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their
appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on
earthly things. - Philippians 3:17-19
Jesus warns us to be careful about who we follow. Those who are false
teachers are blind to the truth, and it is impossible for the blind
(such as Jesus Always) to lead you to the light of truth.
And He also spoke a parable to them: A blind man cannot
guide a blind man, can he? Will they not both fall into a pit?
Luke 6:39
Scripture continually warns us to be on our guard and not be deceived:
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit,
according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles
of the world, rather than according to Christ. - Colossians 2:8
Why Run From False Teaching?
Scripture repeatedly warns about false teaching. For example, it warns
about the harm that can come to believers. While you cannot lose your
salvation, you can lose some of your rewards:
Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished,
but that you may receive a full reward. - 2 John 8
Scripture also warns us that, if we pay attention to false teaching,
we may pass on that false teaching to others. If you are a pastor, elder,
or teacher, scriptures tells you that one of your responsibilities is
to instruct the men in your church so that they do not teach what is
empty or false.
As I urged you [upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at
Ephesus so that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange
doctrines, nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies,
which give rise to mere speculation rather than furthering the administration
of God which is by faith. - 1 Timothy 1:3-4
Adam and Eve were not fallen, yet they were deceived by false teaching.
(Did God really say? Surely you will not die.)
We are fallen and very easy to deceive. We need to be diligent in protecting
ourselves from false teaching.
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;
but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves
teachers in accordance to their own desires. - 2 Timothy 4:3
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall
away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines
of demons, by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own
conscience as with a branding iron. - 1 Timothy 4:1-2
For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do
not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver
and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we
have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward. Anyone
who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does
not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the
Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this
teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him
a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his
evil deeds. - 2 John 1:7-11
Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly
and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called
knowledge which some have professed and thus gone
astray from the faith. - 1 Timothy 6:20-21