Last night I got home to find one of my sisters back from the village and she had an interesting story to tell.
Apparently, someone has started a church who's teachings are very unbiblical. One of the teachings is that Jesus said that your mother, brothers and sisters are those you pray with and not your biological ones and so you do not have to honor your biological parents and you can cut off any of your relations. This teaching has caused some havoc in the communities surrounding the church with families breaking down and relationships being destroyed.
When I was being told this, there were several scriptures that were running through my mind that would dispute that teaching, I did not even have to go and get a Bible to search them, I just knew them. I could not remember the exact verses off the top of my head but I knew what they said. For example, there is a scripture in Matthew where Jesus was asked by the Pharisees why His disciples did not follow the traditions of the elders and wash their hands before eating and Jesus responded by asking them why by their traditions they were breaking the commandments. He gave the example of a tradition that said one could tell his/her parents that everything he/she would have given them, he/she has given as a sacrifice to God and this would relieve them of the duty of honoring their parents... and even a close reading of the scripture from which this false teaching is based would reveal how flawed the argument is... or the scripture in Luke 2 where we are told that Jesus grew in wisdom and favor with men and He, Jesus Himself, was obedient to His parents.. if Jesus was against the teaching that relieved people of the duty to honor their parents and He Himself honored His parents..why should one not do so today? I mean I have just shown 2 scriptures directly related to Jesus.. who said the words from which the false teaching is based.. so it is already 2 scriptures against 1... not that it is just about the numbers.. but here is the point I am making..
The problem with a lot of Christians/church goers today is that they do not take time to read the Bible for themselves and discover whether the teachings they are receiving are true or not. As a result they are liable to accepting any teaching wholesale. Remember the Bereans... the people Paul preached to in Acts 17:10-14... the Bible tells us that they received the message that was preached, but they went further and examined the scriptures.. CAREFULLY EVERY DAY to see if the things they heard were really true. That is what we should be doing... the Bible tells us that in the last days (and we are in the very last of these) there shall be many false prophets.. teaching false doctrines.. what Paul calls doctrines of the devil.. and we ought to be on our guard against them.. but also be ready to refute them... I am encouraged by what Jesus said concerning the false prophets... He said they would try to deceive even the elect IF IT WERE POSSIBLE (Matthew 24:24)...now I am not going to go into the whole theology of election.. but the point is.. Jesus did not see the possibility of those He called being led astray.. why, I believe it is because they would have given themselves to the study of the scriptures and would be able to discern a false teaching from a mile off...
All this to say that we need more Bereans in the church today... people who will take time to study the Bible and not leave it to those who are Pastors or leaders in the church... Christianity is bout a relationship with God through Christ... Christ is the only medium.. and not your Pastor.. as much as he/she has been sent to help you with that relationship... develop a personal relationship with God.. He has given the Holy Spirit specifically for that purpose... make good use of Him..
with that... have a blessed day
Apparently, someone has started a church who's teachings are very unbiblical. One of the teachings is that Jesus said that your mother, brothers and sisters are those you pray with and not your biological ones and so you do not have to honor your biological parents and you can cut off any of your relations. This teaching has caused some havoc in the communities surrounding the church with families breaking down and relationships being destroyed.
When I was being told this, there were several scriptures that were running through my mind that would dispute that teaching, I did not even have to go and get a Bible to search them, I just knew them. I could not remember the exact verses off the top of my head but I knew what they said. For example, there is a scripture in Matthew where Jesus was asked by the Pharisees why His disciples did not follow the traditions of the elders and wash their hands before eating and Jesus responded by asking them why by their traditions they were breaking the commandments. He gave the example of a tradition that said one could tell his/her parents that everything he/she would have given them, he/she has given as a sacrifice to God and this would relieve them of the duty of honoring their parents... and even a close reading of the scripture from which this false teaching is based would reveal how flawed the argument is... or the scripture in Luke 2 where we are told that Jesus grew in wisdom and favor with men and He, Jesus Himself, was obedient to His parents.. if Jesus was against the teaching that relieved people of the duty to honor their parents and He Himself honored His parents..why should one not do so today? I mean I have just shown 2 scriptures directly related to Jesus.. who said the words from which the false teaching is based.. so it is already 2 scriptures against 1... not that it is just about the numbers.. but here is the point I am making..
The problem with a lot of Christians/church goers today is that they do not take time to read the Bible for themselves and discover whether the teachings they are receiving are true or not. As a result they are liable to accepting any teaching wholesale. Remember the Bereans... the people Paul preached to in Acts 17:10-14... the Bible tells us that they received the message that was preached, but they went further and examined the scriptures.. CAREFULLY EVERY DAY to see if the things they heard were really true. That is what we should be doing... the Bible tells us that in the last days (and we are in the very last of these) there shall be many false prophets.. teaching false doctrines.. what Paul calls doctrines of the devil.. and we ought to be on our guard against them.. but also be ready to refute them... I am encouraged by what Jesus said concerning the false prophets... He said they would try to deceive even the elect IF IT WERE POSSIBLE (Matthew 24:24)...now I am not going to go into the whole theology of election.. but the point is.. Jesus did not see the possibility of those He called being led astray.. why, I believe it is because they would have given themselves to the study of the scriptures and would be able to discern a false teaching from a mile off...
All this to say that we need more Bereans in the church today... people who will take time to study the Bible and not leave it to those who are Pastors or leaders in the church... Christianity is bout a relationship with God through Christ... Christ is the only medium.. and not your Pastor.. as much as he/she has been sent to help you with that relationship... develop a personal relationship with God.. He has given the Holy Spirit specifically for that purpose... make good use of Him..
with that... have a blessed day
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