Today, there are more and more people getting tired of the hype, the bogus scripture twisting and the secular humanism taking prominence in many of today's pulpits and Christian programming. With the multitude of temptations coming against us daily enticing us to compromise our faith and values; there has never been a better time for holding fast to God's Word than right now!
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)
This verse should be a big part of our lives. Those who rebel most against strong doctrinal preaching and conversely support many of today's popular "health & wealth" gospels do so oftentimes innocently, out of their own lack of understanding of Scripture. While we often do things out of ignorance, we must recognize that God does not put any premiums upon such scriptural illiteracy.
You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others, but instead you have dropped back to the place where you need someone to teach you all over again the very first principles in God's Word. You are like babies who can drink only milk, not old enough for solid food. And when a person is still living on milk it shows he isn't very far along in the Christian life, and doesn't know much about the difference between right and wrong. He is still a baby Christian! You will never be able to eat solid spiritual food and understand the deeper things of God's Word until you become better Christians and learn right from wrong by practicing doing right. Hebrews 5:12-14 (TLB)
What Scripture plainly teaches is that we should work hard to study and to know God's Word. "Sound bites" and favorite verses are simply not enough. In order to be best prepared for ministry, we must be able to teach the "full counsel" of God, not just our favorite themes or ideas. Many people today handle God's Word the same way a new age follower chants a mantra. God's Word must be mixed with our love for God, love for His Word, love for Holiness and a burning zeal for Jesus Christ. Our passion must not be simply self-serving, but rather one of servanthood. We must not fall into the all too familiar trap of standing on God's promises and simply ignoring His commands.
Today, there are many "wolves" today going about teaching whatever they will. Sadly, many folks jump on the bandwagon because these "false prophets and teachers" never fail to tickle ears and appeal to the flesh. Know this, the more worldly the teaching, the more that "self" and "personal gain" are taught and promoted, the more false and untrue you will find the doctrine! Please understand that these teachers most likely are very sincere people, they're just deceived. Please, don't talk badly about them, don't hate them, but rather pray for them and recognize their teaching for what it is...Scripture twisting, dangerously out of context, mixed oftentimes with equal bits of truth and poison. Man's agenda rarely parallels with God's. Man's idea of a good sermon or Bible study may be distinctly different than our Father's in Heaven.
These arguers-- their minds warped by sin-- don't know how to tell the truth; to them the Good News is just a means of making money. Keep away from them. 1 Timothy 6:5 (TLB)
With many "Christian" television stations, you can rarely find anything taught but how to get rich as a Christian. Let me say here and now that God's financial plan of tithes and offerings with a cheerful heart along with God's provision and protection are quite Biblical and true. The new age humanism gospel of prosperity, name it and claim it..., is again without Biblical precedent or authority. We dare not dilute the truth with a flesh pleasing politically correct, socially correct and even a "religously" correct gospel.
Incidentally, if we truly believe that God's Word is true, that there is indeed tremendous blessing in God's financial program and that God does not need prosperity programs, books and tapes to provide for us...one might rightly wonder how much faith one has by immersing themselves in this type of teaching day after day!? To my way of thinking, it is much more Scriptural to be obedient, trust God and to get on with the Lord's business of being a DOER of the WORD than simply waiting for God to bless us more and more with health and wealth. I simply fail to see Scripture to support such teaching and thinking. Perhaps a good dose of Biblical balance is in order.
Forget your fleshly emotions. Cling fast to sound, Biblical teaching!
