by Ed Decker
The world of apologetics and the confrontation with the false teachers of our times is not a popular theme in the church today. It was just as unpopular in the early days of the church.... The twisting around of God's Word by man has been going on about as long as man has walked the earth.
Today, I am going to take you for a walk through the Word and deal with some matters of grave importance.
I rarely speak publicly today because of the effects of some heart problems and a stroke, but I have come out of retirement mode to bring you this message today. I'm going to be talking about God's expectation of the true believer.
Please forgive me for using notes. I'm not accustomed to using them, but I need them to get through this 9 point teaching. in something less than three hours.
I've spent a lot of time preparing it and I pray that you will follow along with me in your Bible and take some notes.
2 Cor. 5: 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God.
Eph. 6: 19 -20 Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
2 Tim. 2: 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
1 Pet. 3: 15 -16 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.
Jude 3 Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
We are in battle for the souls of the lost
Matt. 24: 3-5 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, `I am the Christ,' and will deceive many.
Matt. 24: 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.
Matt. 24: 23 -24 At that time if anyone says to you, `Look, here is the Christ!' or, `There he is!' do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect --if that were possible.
1 Tim. 4: 1 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons.
2 Tim. 3: 1 -5 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
2 Tim. 4: 1-5 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage --with great patience and careful instruction.
For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
VERSE 5: But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
Titus 1: 9 -16 He (WE SERVANTS OF THE LORD) must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he (WE) can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.
For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach --and that for the sake of dishonest gain. Even one of their own prophets has said, "Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons."
This testimony is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith and will pay no attention to Jewish myths or to the commands of those who reject the truth.
To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good.
Matt. 7: 15 -23 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?
Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
"Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, `Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, `I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'
2 John : 7-10 Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.
Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him.
2 Pet. 2: 1 -3 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them --bringing swift destruction on themselves.
Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
1) Pseudo (False) Christian Cults
Jehovah Witnesses At every door in the US
Mormonism At every door in the US
Christian Science get newspaper article
Unity Auras
Unification (Moonies) Street testimony
2) Oriental Cults (From Hinduism and Buddhism)
Transcendental Meditation (Fresno)
Hare Krishnas
Yoga, Zen, etc.
3) Human Potential cults
New Age our vacation
Scientology my visit
EST
TM again (yoga etc.) again
4) The Occult -Spiritist cults
Spiritism
Astrology
Witchcraft
Satanism
Native American/ Shamanism
Not what we say, but what It says!
Mal. 3: 6 "I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.
Rom. 1: 16 -25 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.
Rom. 1: 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities --his eternal power and divine nature --have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator --who is forever praised. Amen.
1 Cor. 1: 17-18 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel --not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Remember Hawaii story
1 Ths. 5: 18 -24 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.
2 Tim. 3: 16 -17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Pet. 1: 20 -21 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Hebr. 4: 12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebr. 6: 17 -20 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged.
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
I never met a con artist I didn't like: It's their stock in trade!
The beautiful 'love' people and the LDS missionaries
2 Cor. 11: 3 -4 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. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
2 Cor. 11: 13 -15 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
Watch out what they say about Jesus!!!
JWs: He is Michael the Archangel, the 1st creation of God. He came as a man, died and rose an invisible spirit. His death on the cross did not pay the debt for man's sin. Mans' role is to be a witness for the father god, not Christ
Mormons: 1 god in a crowd of gods. The Spirit brother of Lucifer, deny the virgin birth by Holy Spirit, blood does not cover all sins. Earned his own salvation. Our elder brother, shows the way not THE way.
Christian Science: A divine Idea!@
Armstrongism WWRCOG: He was the first man to perfect himself.
Sun Myung Moon: Unification Church: A man who failed. Moon is the Second Coming, the perfect messiah.
Bahai: Just 1 of 9 great world manifestations.
Freemasonry: A bringer of light, with Zoraster, Buddha, Mohammed and other great reformers. Not the son of God whom they identify as Jao-Bu-Lon.
Unitarians: A good man - whom his followers erred in deifying.
Spiritists: Advanced medium in the 6th sphere of astral projection.
Rosicrucians: A manifestation of cosmic consciousness
TM: An enlightened Guru who never suffered for anyone
Islam: One prophet preparing the way for the true and last prophet. Not God in the flesh, not born of a virgin, not resurrected.
1 John 4: 1 -3 Dear friends, 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.
This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.
John 1: 1 -14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
ALL THE CULTS DENY the full divinity of JESUS CHRIST
...........BUT..........
While they might have a choice in who they say He is,
they don't have any options on who God says He is!!!!!
Phil. 2: 9-11 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
They will bow and they will be judged for what they have said!
Gal. 1: 6-9 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!
Rev. 20: 11 - 15 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.
The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
1 Cor. 15: 1 - 9 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time,
most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James,
then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally
born. For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle,
because I persecuted the church of God.
Sounds Like Ed Decker's story.......
hardly a Paul, but.....
Mormon Elder, teacher
Member of the Melchizedek priesthood
temple Mormon
gloriously saved in the midst of my sin
......set free....
turned by God into a zealot...
Eph. 6: 11 - 20 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,
and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.
those words seem to perk up any church audience in the world. I do mean it....
I wouldn't kid you about a thing like this
I love that old hymn, Onward Christian Soldiers.....
I remember my good friend, Dr. Walter Martin every time I hear it!
Onward Christian Soldiers
Going as to War
With the Cross of Jesus
Going as before....
Oh we need more zealots
Set Free
Sold out
sent forth
sanctified
soldiers of the King
Maybe you were birthed a zealot like I was
You hit the ground running for the mark,
waving the banner of your King
But today, the spark is gone
the flame has gone out
you avoid spiritual conflict
the battle is too dangerous to your relationships
you fear relighting those flames of zeal...
Maybe you have never really turned in your personal gods, the ones that keep you from serving the King of Kings. You have never surrendered your life, your sin to Christ who died so you can be set free in Him. It's time to let go of that old self and reach out for what Jesus has for you.
Altar call
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