HETERODOX CHURCHES AND TRUE DISCIPLESHIP

By Gary Ray Branscome

Our Lord Jesus Christ does not want any church to teach falsehood, contradict His Word, or twist His Word in a vain attempt to make it agree with the opinions of men. What He wants taught is nothing “other than what you read” in Scripture (2Corinthians 1:13). Therefore, heterodox churches only exist because of sin. All of the errors being taught as the Word of God, or in place of the Word of God, are rooted in satanic deception, and a heart that “is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9).

The words, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth,” tell us that those who are truly Christ’s disciples will not depart from His Word (John 8:31-32). Because the Bible says, “Do not add to His words,” // “No truth of scripture comes from any private explanation,” they will not depart from His Word by adding man-made explanations to His Word [including man-made explanations of Bible prophesy] (Proverbs 30:6, 2Peter 1:20). And, because the Bible says, “If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them,” they will not depart from His Word by contradicting or explaining away anything it says (Isaiah 8:20).

The words, “The prophet, who shall presume to speak any word in my name, that I have not commanded him to speak… shall die,” tell us that passing man-made explanations of Bible prophesy off as the Word of God is a very serious sin (Deuteronomy 18:20).

The words, “I have also seen a horrible thing… they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one repents of his wickedness,” should be a warning to every church that condones immorality and homosexuality (Jeremiah 23:14).

The words, “I have heard what the prophets say, who prophesy lies in my name… they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart,” condemn all who add to God’s Word by claiming that the Holy Spirit told me this or that (Jeremiah 23:25-26). While the Holy Spirit does help us to understand His Word, He uses one passage of Scripture to explain another, not private explanations (2Peter 1:20).

The words, “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing,” should be a warning to all who look into their own heart for doctrine, instead of to the written Word of God (Ezekiel 13:3).

The words, “There must also be heresies among you, to reveal those who are approved by God,” tell us that God allows heresies to become controversial to expose those who are teaching falsely (1Corinthians 11:19). And, the words, “God will send them a powerful delusion, so that they will believe lies: That all who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness, might be damned,” warn us that God will destroy those who reject the gospel [believe not the truth] and refuse to repent (2Thessalonians 2:11-12).