Testing the spirits

 

1.Tonight we close out our study of angels.

2.For this final lesson I want to consider some claims that people have made regarding angels.

3.Believe it or not, people make some outlandish claims.

4.One lady said she has an “angel” for a neighbor (and she did not mean a really nice person).

5.She claims this heavenly creature happens to have a child (a son).

6.How an angel can have a child is far beyond me, but this is the claim.

7.This alleged angel is also said to have counseled the woman after she lost her mtae.

 

8.Other claims that are even more spectacular involve “hailing” angels.

9.Some of us have hailed a taxi.

10.  It is said that we can “hail” angels.

11.    One author (John Ronner) said the way to get an angel’s attention is to color coordinate our wardrobe.

12.  He says soft green clothing will lure guardian angels into a person’s home.

13.  A deep sapphire wardrobe will get the attention of “healing angels.”

 

14.  Terry Lynn Taylor has also made some claims about guardian angels.

15.  She says guardian angels like special colors:  rose, pink, and soft green.

16.  Healing angels prefer deep sapphire blue; seraphim angels like crimson red.

17.  Cherubim like the color blue, and Michael likes deep green, vivid blue, gold and rose.

18.  Gabriel is attracted to tans, browns, and dark green.

19.  Wear the type of color and you can (it is claimed) attract the right type of angel to your life.

 

THESE (AND THE MANY OTHER CLAIMS WE HAVE NOT LISTED) PRESENT WITH A KEY FACT:  PEOPLE MAKE MANY FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT God, ANGELS, Christianity, AND EVEN THE Bible.

 

a)We live in a time when the promotion of error and false advertising have reached new heights.

b)      Not long ago I was flipping tv channels and saw an infomercial.

c)A man said he had a breakthrough weight loss program – this system really worked.

d)     I stopped to hear his sales pitch and he had a flawless presentation.

e)This man is really, really good.

f) He said the system was easy, anyone could do it, and after using it, you could eat whatever you want.

g)      On the scale of believability this man earned a 10.

 

2)      I didn’t want his product, but I did want to see what Google had to say about him.

3)      It didn’t take long for the word SCAM to pop up on the computer screen.

4)      Part of the man’s program (which are not in his advertisement) involves a series of injections.

5)      People need to get shots that are expensive, and most likely only available outside the U.S.

6)      It is very difficult to say that this man was telling the truth; he was a clever liar.

7)      If we use the Internet or e-mail, there are web sites fraudulent information and fake e-mails.

8)      People imitate banks, payment services, credit card companies, and well known corporations.

9)      Our world is filled with fraud.  Most of us see it in one form or another several times a week.

a)There is also fraud in the area of religion.

b)      People are being deceived one right after another.

 

10)  This is such a serious problem that the Bible warns about it in several different ways.

11)  A good beginning point is found in Mt. 24.

12)  In the September issue of the Gospel Advocate part of an article caught my eye.

13)  An article quoted from a Bible version authored by Eugene Peterson.

14)  Peterson paraphrased Mt. 24:24.

15)  Before we look at his paraphrase, I want to read verse 24 from the ASV – READ

16)  In this section of Mt. 24 Jesus was speaking about Jerusalem’s destruction in 70 A.D.

17)  Jesus said there would be “false Christ’s” prior to Jerusalem being overthrown.

a)People would say they were the savior.  Some might have even claimed to be God.

b)      We do not hear these types of claims everyday, but we do hear them from time to time.

c)A person will arise and claim to be a savior or a spokesman for God.

d)     A 60 year old man from Puerto Rico is right now claiming to be Jesus.

e)In 2005 this man declared himself to be the Christ.

f) Crowds have seen this man come on stage and shouted, “LORD, LORD, LORD!”

 

18)  We have had people arise who claim to be prophets—spokesmen and women from God.

19)  We have individuals who claim God the Father speaks to them.

20)  We find claims where people say they talk to Jesus, the Holy Spirit, or angels.

21)  All these claims are not new; they have been made for a long time.

22)  I said I would give Peterson’s paraphrase and here it is:

23)  “Fake Messiah’s and lying preachers are going to pop up everywhere.  Their impressive credentials and dazzling performance will pull the wool over the eyes of even those who ought to know better.”

 

24)  In other words, Jesus said there would be religious fakery about 2,000 years ago.

25)  There would be preachers who lied.  People would claim to be the messiah.

26)  Some making the claims would have impressive credentials.

27)  Stunning performances would be offered.

28)  Even some who knew the truth might be swept away by the trickery.

29)  Jesus warned His people to beware of all these things.

a)Today we need to know that there is religious error in the world.

b)      We need to know that much of this error is presented by very clever people.

c)We also need to know that no matter how slick this error is, we must avoid it at all costs.

 

30)  One of the writers who warned about false teachers was Peter.

a)Much Peter’s second letter deals with religious error.

b)      In 2 Pet. 2 a whole chapter is devoted to this topic.

c)Peter said that false teachers and their doctrine is destructive (2 Pet. 2:1-3).

d)     He said false teachers are doomed to destruction (verses 4-9).

e)Then he claimed false teachers are depreaved (verses 10-17).

 

31)  The chapter opens with a contrast.

32)  Peter said “there had been false prophets” in the past.

33)  His readers would find that “false teachers” would exist and would want to teach people.

34)  Today prophets are no more—there are no living prophets.

35)  Some make this claim.

36)  Right now a man named Warren Jeffs is in the news – he is in the hands of authorities.

37)  Jeffs has been charged with a crime and he claims to be a prophet of God.

38)  He claims to be a blood relative of Jesus Christ.

39)  This is just one more false religious claim.

40)  Listen to 2 Pet.2:1-3 – READ

a)Peter associated sexual sin and greed (covetousness) with false teaching.

b)      Both of these issues just happen to be associated with Mr. Jeffs.

c)He is by no means the only example.  Too,

d)     Some false teachers may not be involved with these sins.  Many are.

e)Even if these sins are not what false teachers are doing, they are guilty of other wrongs.

 

41)  God will destroy false teachers and their teachings – verses 4-9 – READ

42)  False teachers promise great things.  They make religious error sound so good.

43)  They are just like the weight loss advertisement I described earlier.

44)  Verse 19 – READ

45)  False teachers are experts in deceit and trickery.  Jesus said they are like wolves.

46)  Wolves are dangerous creatures.  If we see a wolf we should associate that animal with danger.

47)  In the case of spiritual wolves, false teachers do not look like wolves.

48)  False teachers and their doctrine look like sheep.

49)  This is what Jesus said in Mt. 7:15 – READ

50)  Throughout the Bible we have words of warning.

a)There are passages that being with words like, “Watch, beware, take heed, guard.”

b)      In the first century some of the false ideas came from the Pharisees and Scribes.

c)Jesus said to “beware” of these men and their doctrines (Mt. 16:6).

 

51)  Paul told the Colossians (Col. 2:8) to “take heed” and stay away from what is “not after Christ.”

52)  At the end of 2 Pet. 3 (3:17), Peter said, “Beware lest ye be carried away by the error of the wicked.”

53)  John was even more to the point (1 Jn. 4:1):  “Believe not every spirit.”

54)  In 2 Thess. 2 Paul spoke of false teaching.

55)  He referred to “lying signs and wonders” (2 Thess. 2:9-11).

56)  Paul knew all about false doctrine and false teachers and he issued many warnings.

57)  Paul told Timothy to stay in a certain place (1 Tim. 1:3).

58)  His purpose in saying this was that men would be taught to reject false doctrine.

59)  If you would like to do a interesting study, focus on the books to Timothy and Titus.

a)Look up the word “godliness” and the word “doctrine” in these three books.

b)      See how many times godliness and doctrine go together.

c)Right doctrine is absolutely necessary to being a child of God.

d)     This was not a special message from Paul.

e)Jesus said in Jn. 4:24 – quote – READ

f) God does not want people to worship Him in error.

g)      God does not welcome or sanction religious error or false teachers.

 

60)  For this reason we will be cautious about the claims people make.

61)  When the claims are false, we reject them and warn others about them.

62)  Acts 17:11 says there were Christians who “search

63)  ed the scriptures daily.”

64)  Why did these brethren do that?  Were they bored? 

65)  Did they search the Bible daily because they didn’t have t.v. and the Internet?

66)  Luke tells us:  they searched to see if what they were being taught were true.

67)  They realized that doctrine matters.

68)  In Mk. 4:24 and Lk. 8:18 Jesus said, “take heed what ye hear.”

69)  What we hear and accept matters—it matters a lot.

70)  In the context of religious truth and false teaching Paul said this (1 Thess. 5:21):

71)  “Prove all things and hold fast that which is good.”

a)God knows that much of what is claimed and taught is wrong (erroneous).

b)      We live in a time when things are so outlandish, people believe we can call angels with the right color clothing.

c)Since our soul depends upon what we learn and obey, we must know and follow the truth.

d)     If we follow a man who does not know the truth, he will destroy us.

e)If the blind guide the blind, both shall fall into the pit (Mt. 15:14).

 

72)  Jesus said in Jn. 8:32 “the truth shall set you free.”

73)  If the truth frees us, what must be said about religious error?  It binds people.

74)  When error is preached, heard and believed, people will not obey the truth.

75)  God’s people are called to watchfulness, study, and concern about what they hear and accept.

76)  Do we search the scriptures daily to be sure that we are not being led astray?