Don't be fooled by false preachers
Deception of this kind had caused the apostles to be alarmed as reflected in Apostle Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians:
“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”
(Reference: II Cor. 11:3 New International Version, Emphasis Mine)
A time came when Apostle Paul feared that the first-century Christians might be led astray from their sincere and pure devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ. He foresaw that they might be deceived or tricked by that deceitful snake (II Cor. 11:3, Contemporary English Version)— the devil (Rev. 12:9). The devil’s trickery caused the apostles to be apprehensive that a great deception would come. So, what has it got to do with the influx of religious teachers today? Indeed, that had made the apostles raise this warning:
“The Wicked One will come with the power of Satan and perform all kinds of false miracles and wonders, and use every kind of wicked deceit on those who will perish. They will perish because they did not welcome and love the truth so as to be saved.”
(Reference: II Thess. 2:9-10 Today’s English Version, Emphasis Mine)
Satan used the serpent when he deceived Eve. This time, his instruments are humans whom he uses to perform all kinds of false miracles and wonders and who conceive all kinds of deceit. Aside from this, the devil also employs riches to tempt men, which he tried but failed to do to the Lord Jesus Christ (Mt. 4:8-10). Hence, we should be wary of preachers who persuade people into their fold through miracles and wonders such as the healing of sicknesses. Nor should we readily be enticed into joining religious groups or movements simply because of promises of material prosperity. True miracles and wealth are not evil in themselves, but the devil uses false miracles and the lure of wealth to disguise his lies and false doctrines.
Satan and his servants trick people by masquerading as angels of light and ministers of righteousness (II Cor. 11:13- 15). So, when a preacher comes along claiming to be of God and basing his authority on his power to do miracles or if he promises material rewards, we must be cautious enough lest our souls be doomed.
DON'T BE FOOLED
Unwary people easily fall prey to false preachers. To them, good is evil and evil is good. False tenets of false teachers become “truth”:
“You are doomed! You call evil good and call good evil. You turn darkness into light and light into darkness. You make what is bitter sweet, and what is sweet you make bitter.”
(Reference: Isa. 5:20 TEV, Emphasis Mine)
The “truth” is the word of God written in the Holy Scriptures (Jn. 17:17; II Tim. 3:15). False prophets, though they may have a Bible in hand, teach the opposite. Woe to such preachers for they are unaware that they are being used by the devil to spread his big lies. They themselves were deceived and misled and, worse, they not only believe in but propagate what is contrary to biblical truth. “But these are Bible-bearing religious leaders showing salvation through Christ,” one might say. But, Apostle Paul says otherwise:
“I am amazed that you are turning away so soon from God who, in his love and mercy, invited you to share the eternal life he gives through Christ; you are already following a different ‘way to heaven,’ which really doesn’t go to heaven at all. For there is no other way than the one we showed you; you are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth concerning Christ.”
(Reference: Gal. 1:6-7 Living Bible, Emphasis Mine)
Don’t be fooled! Evil is cloaked in goodness. False prophets may even cite the Bible but they misguide people to a different way, a way that doesn’t lead to heaven at all. Apostle Paul warns that there is “no other way than the one we showed you.”
THE TRUTH
The great truth written in the Bible is that which applies to Christ and His Church, that is, the Church and its relation to Christ:
“As the scripture says, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and unite with his wife, and the two will become one’. There is a deep secret truth revealed in this scripture, which I understand as applying to Christ and the church.”
(Reference: Eph. 5:31-32 TEV, Emphasis Mine)
The true Church is the body of Christ, which bears His name, Christ being its head — Church of Christ or Iglesia Ni Cristo (Col. 1:18; Rom. 16:16). The Lord Jesus Christ commands man to enter or join this Church. He promised that anyone who comes into the fold through Him will be saved:
“So Jesus spoke again: ‘In very truth I tell you, I am the door of the sheepfold.
“I am the door; anyone who comes into the fold through me will be safe.”
(Reference: John 10:9 REB, Emphasis Mine)
The fold or flock is the Church of Christ, which He redeemed with His blood:
“Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased with his blood.”
(Reference: Acts 20:28 Lamsa Translation, Emphasis Mine)
Therefore, the only way to heaven taught by the apostles, which they learned from the Lord, is for man to join the Church of Christ. To those who refuse to accept this truth and instead believe that it is enough to have faith in Christ as their Lord and Savior, the apostles warn, “you are being fooled by those who twist and change the truth.”
It is true that faith is important, but without works it is useless (Js. 2:14). Joining the one true Church is significant not because the Church acts as the savior but because it is the one that the Savior will save (Eph. 5:23). This is the work that must accompany faith — the truth that will lead to salvation. On the other hand, those who do not believe the truth or those who refuse to accept the true gospel will be condemned (II Thess. 2:11-12).
THE TRUE PREACHERS GOD SENT
Therefore, we should not instantly believe anyone we hear but must carefully examine what we hear from them. With whom then should we consult to know the will of God so as not to be deceived? The answer is written in Malachi 2:7:
“It is the duty of priests to teach the true knowledge of God. People should go to them to learn my will, because they are the messengers of the LORD Almighty.”
(Reference: TEV, Emphasis Mine)
So, those who say that a messenger is no longer necessary for salvation definitely do not have the true knowledge about the will of God. It would be a glaring contradiction for such preachers to claim to be spokesmen of the true faith when they don’t believe in God’s commissioning of messengers to preach His words. The Bible makes it clear that it is God’s policy to send a messenger to proclaim the gospel to turn people from darkness to light:
“I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes and in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.”
(Reference: Acts 26:17-18 New King James Version)
Here, Apostle Paul recounted how the Almighty God, through His Son Jesus Christ, sent him to bring the Good News to the Gentiles, to open their eyes, to deliver them from the power of Satan, and for them to receive forgiveness of sins and inheritance.
Apostle Paul revealed to the first-century Christians that the Father has qualified them to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light and has delivered them from the power of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of His love “in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:12-14, Ibid.).
The true preacher is known by what he teaches. He does not deviate from the teachings of God, of Christ, and of the apostles that the only way by which man will be saved come Judgment Day is by joining the Church of Christ or Iglesia Ni Cristo.
Thus, the members of the Church of Christ or Iglesia Ni Cristo are certain that they have not been led astray but have been spared from becoming victims of false preachers. They have been taken out of darkness having received God’s righteousness, the true gospel they have heard from God’s messenger (Rom. 1:16-17). They have been enlightened by the gospel, cleansed of their sins, and assured of attaining salvation for they are now of God and of Christ.
IN CONCLUSION
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WE CORDIALLY INVITE our guests to delve into the pristine, unadulterated teachings of Christ and His apostles as they were taught in the first-century Church Of Christ. We caution against being misled by contemporary preachers who propagate divergent biblical doctrines. Don’t allow yourself to be “…fooled by those who twist and change the truth.“:
The Truth About Salvation
CHRISTIANITY IS A RELIGION with over 2.4 billion followers worldwide. It is composed of diverse faiths with thousands of denominations, such as Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Adventist—the list goes on. The Center for the Study of Global Christianity estimates that there are over 45,000 denominations globally, with more than 200 in the United States alone. Each denomination has its own unique set of beliefs and doctrines, especially when it comes to how one can achieve salvation. Do any of these religions truly teach the proper way of salvation?
Reach Out
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(Eph. 4:29, Amplified Bible)
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(1 Corinthians 13:4-5, Amplified Bible)