SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/17/2021 10:15 AM
My Worship Time Focus:
PT-2 “The Deception of False Prophets”
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Matthew 7:15
Message of the
verse: “"Beware
of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are
ravenous wolves.”
As we continue to look at false
prophets, especially the kind that are difficult to see if they are true
believers or not we find that for the most part they are pleasant and also
positive. They also like to be with
Christians, and to talk like a Christian, also to be identified as
Christians. Another thing is that they
know and use biblical terminology and they often appear highly knowledgeable
about the Scriptures. Here is one of the
most difficult things that they do and that is the doctrines they affirm are
seemingly biblical.
Paul warns us that “evil men and
impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” as he
is warning Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:13.
Now remember that this was the last letter that Paul wrote that is found
in our Bibles and soon after that He would be killed for the cause of Christ
and immediately be in the presence of the Lord.
John MacArthur writes about this passage “Being themselves deceived by
the ultimate deceiver, such people can be thoroughly convinced in their own
minds that their perverted beliefs are true.
They have become so deeply devoted to falsehood that darkness seems to
be light, and black seems to be white.”
I’m sure that is what happened to those 909 people who followed Jim
Jones to their death.
Now here is a question that needs to
be asked: “If they are so deceptive, how
then can they be identified?” MacArthur
answers “Most frequently they show their true colors by what they do not
affirm. In other words, they are
identified not so much by what they say as by what they do not say. They usually do not openly deny Jesus’
divinity, His substituionary atonement, the depravity and lostness of man, the
reality and penalty of sin, the destiny of hell for unbelievers, the need for
repentance, humility, and submission to God, and other ‘negative’ and uncomfortable
truths. They simply ignore them.” I think that we can safely say that for most
people who fall prey to these false prophets they will tell you that it is all
about the feeling that they have as they listen to them. There are many thousands of people who listen
or watch Joel Osteen teach things that may be true, but like what MacArthur
says he does not tell a person that they are lost and in need of salvation
through the blood of Jesus Christ, so that makes him a false prophet.
I am sure that Osteen lives a moral
and upright life on the surface which is a part of what false prophets do, but
like all people we do not know what is going on in the inside. John MacArthur writes “The great commentator
John Broadus wrote ‘that many of the false prophets have come from traditional
religious training, and because of the ingraining of early traditional
Christian moral values they find it difficult to overtly overcome the
restrictions of their minds by their early training.’ Outward morality helps give the impression of
spiritual genuineness and therefore helps perpetuate the deceit. But the truth is they are energized by ‘deceitful
spirits and doctrines of demons’ (1 Tim. 4:1-2). They are motivated by the desire for ‘sordid
gain’ (1 Pet. 5:2). Their false faith
cannot restrain their unregenerate flesh, so the true sensuality of those ‘slaves
of corruption’ (2 Pet. 2:19) often becomes known, and it is evident that ‘in
their greed’ they exploit people ‘with false words’ (2:3). They also have ‘eyes full of adultery’ and ‘never
cease from sin,’ possessing a ‘heart trained in greed’ (2:14).”
In his commentary MacArthur brings
up a very early book entitled “Didache,” one of the earliest Christian writings
after New Testament times, and we find in it a section devoted to dealing with
false prophets. He goes on to write “The
term used to describe them is Christemporos,
which means ‘Christ merchants.’ False
prophets used Jesus Christ and His gospel and church as means for serving their
own ends. They use the things of God as
mere merchandise to promote and dispense to their own advantage.” What I have to say about this is that this
practice continue to go on, and I’m sure has been going on throughout church history.
This book we have been talking about
gives several means for distinguishing true prophets from false. MacArthur writes “One was that a true prophet
would not remain as a house guest more than two days, because he would need to
be up and about his work. A false
prophet, however, would willingly stay indefinitely, since he had no real
mission to accomplish except serving his own interests. The second test was in regard to asking for
money. The true prophet, said The Didache, would ask for bread and
water, but nothing more—that is, only for necessities to keep himself
going. A false prophet, on the other
hand, is not the least averse to asking for or even demanding money. A third test was in the area of
lifestyle. A person who does not lead a
life that corresponds to the standards he teaches is clearly not a man of God. Still another test was in regard to
willingness to work. If a person wanted
to live off others and would not work for his own keep, he was a Christ
trafficker.” Well times have changed,
but the motives of false prophets are still seen in today’s world.
Now I have no problem in talking
about the false prophet Joel Osteen. I
found this on the internet which tells us about him. You know what they say that if it is on the
internet it has to be true.
Сеlеbrаtеd Nаmе: Јоеl Оѕtееn
Rеаl Nаmе/Full Nаmе: Јоеl Ѕсоtt Оѕtееn
Gеndеr: Маlе
Аgе: 57 уеаrѕ оld
Віrth Dаtе: 5 Маrсh 1963
Віrth Рlасе: Ноuѕtоn, Техаѕ, Unіtеd Ѕtаtеѕ
Nаtіоnаlіtу: Аmеrісаn
Неіght: 1.80 m
Wеіght: 72 kg
Ѕехuаl Оrіеntаtіоn: Ѕtrаіght
Маrіtаl Ѕtаtuѕ: Маrrіеd
Wіfе/Ѕроuѕе (Nаmе): Vісtоrіа Оѕtееn (m. 1987)
Сhіldrеn: Yеѕ (Аlехаndrа Оѕtееn, Јоnаthаn
Оѕtееn)
Dаtіng/Gіrlfrіеnd
(Nаmе): N/А
Рrоfеѕѕіоn: Раѕtоr, tеlеvаngеlіѕt, аnd аuthоr
Nеt Wоrth іn 2021: $110 mіllіоn
Lаѕt Uрdаtеd: Fеbruаrу 2021
https://www.wealthypersons.com/joel-osteen-net-worth-2020-2021/
MacArthur concludes this section talking about something
similar to what we have just talked about:
“Our day has more than its share of Christ merchants. Through books, radio, television, recordings,
in church, conferences, seminars, crusades, and by various other means they
package and sell the gospel in much the same way that Madison Avenue sells cars
and soap. They are insincere peddlers of
the Word of God who corrupt it for their own ends (2 Cor. 2:17).”
Our next SD should be very short as we will discuss “The Damnation
of False Prophets.”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: Be on the alert
for false prophets.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Trust the Lord to continue in my heart the
process of revival.
2/17/2021 11:01 AM
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