Apostasy threatens the Body of Christ today.

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Apostasy, from the Greek word apostasia, means “defiance of an established system or authority; a rebellion; an abandonment or breach of faith.” In the first-century world, apostasy was a technical term for political revolt or defection. And just like in the first century, apostasy threatens the Body of Christ today.

The Bible warns about people like Arius (c. A.D. 250 – 336), a Christian priest from Alexandria, Egypt, who was trained at Antioch in the early fourth century. About A.D. 318, Arius accused Bishop Alexander of Alexandria of subscribing to Sabellianism, a false teaching which asserted that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were merely roles or modes assumed by God at various times. Arius was determined to emphasize the oneness of God; however, he went too far in his teaching of God’s nature. Arius denied the Trinity and introduced what appeared on the surface to be an inconsequential difference between the Father and Son.

Arius argued that Jesus was not homoousios (of the same essence) as the Father, but was rather homoiousios(of similar essence). Only one Greek letter – the iota (i) – separated the two. Arius described his position in this manner: “The Father existed before the Son. There was a time when the Son did not exist. Therefore, the Son was created by the Father. Therefore, although the Son was the highest of all creatures, he was not of the essence of God.”

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Arius was very clever and did his best to get the people on his side, even going so far as to compose little songs that taught his theology, which he tried to teach to everyone who would listen. His winsome nature and revered position as a preacher and one who lived in denial of himself contributed also to his cause.

With respect to apostasy, it is critical that all Christians understand two important things: (1) how to recognize apostasy and apostate teachers, and (2) why apostate teaching is so deadly.

The Forms of Apostasy
To fully identify and combat apostasy, it is important that Christians understand its various forms and the traits that characterize their doctrines and teachers. As to the forms of apostasy, there are two main types: (1) a falling away from key and true doctrines of the Bible into heretical teachings that proclaim to be “the real” Christian doctrine, and (2) a complete renunciation of the Christian faith, which results in a full abandonment of Christ.

Arius represents the first form of apostasy—a denial of key Christian truths (such as the divinity of Christ) that begins a downhill slide into a full departure from the faith, which is the second form of apostasy. It is important to understand that the second form almost always begins with the first. A heretical belief becomes heretical teaching that splinters and grows until it pollutes all aspects of a person’s faith, and then the end goal of Satan is accomplished, which is a complete falling away from Christianity.

A recent example of this process is a 2010 study done by prominent atheist Daniel Dennett and Linda LaScola called “Preachers Who Are Not Believers.” Dennett and LaScola’s work chronicles five different preachers who over time we’re presented with and accepted heretical teachings about Christianity and now have completely fallen away from the faith and are either pantheists or clandestine atheists. One of the most disturbing truths highlighted in the study is that these preachers maintain their position as pastors of Christian churches with their congregations being unaware of their leader’s true spiritual state.

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The dangers of apostasy were warned about in the book of Jude, which serves as a handbook for understanding the characteristics of apostates like those chronicled in Dennett and LaScola’s study. Jude’s words are every bit as relevant for us today as they were when he penned them in the first century, so it is important we carefully read and understand them.

The Characteristics of Apostasy and Apostates
Jude was the half-brother of Jesus and a leader in the early church. In his New Testament letter, he outlines how to recognize apostasy and strongly urges those in the body of Christ to contend earnestly for the faith (vs. 3). The Greek word translated “contend earnestly” is a compound verb from which we get the word “agonize.” It is in the present infinitive form, which means that the struggle will be continuous. In other words, Jude is telling us that there will be a constant fight against false teaching and that Christians should take it so seriously that we “agonize” over the fight in which we are engaged. Moreover, Jude makes it clear that every Christian is called to this fight, not just church leaders, so it is critical that all believers sharpen their discernment skills so that they can recognize and prevent apostasy in their midst.

After urging his readers to contend earnestly for the faith, Jude highlights the reason: “For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ” (vs. 4). In this one verse, Jude provides Christians with three traits of apostasy and apostate teachers.

First, Jude says that apostasy can be subtle. Jude uses the word “crept” (found in no other book of the Bible) to describe the apostate’s entry into the church. In extra-biblical Greek, the term describes the cunning craftiness of a lawyer who, through clever argumentation, infiltrates the minds of courtroom officials and corrupts their thinking. The word literally means “slip in sideways; come in stealthily; sneak in; hard to detect.” In other words, Jude says it is rare that apostasy begins in an overt and easily detectable manner. Instead, it looks a lot like Arius’ preaching in which, in a nonchalant manner, only a single letter differentiates his doctrine from the real teaching of the Christian faith.

Describing this aspect of apostasy and its underlying danger, A. W. Tozer wrote, “So skilled is an error at imitating truth, that the two are constantly being mistaken for each another. It takes a sharp eye these days to know which brother is Cain and which is Abel.” The apostle Paul also speaks to the outwardly pleasing behavior of apostates and their teaching when he says, “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:13-14). In other words, do not look for apostates to appear bad on the outside or speak dramatic words of heresy at the outset of their teaching. Rather than denying truth outright, apostates will twist it to fit their own agenda, but as pastor R. C. Lensky has noted, “The worst forms of wickedness consist in perversions of the truth.”

Second, Jude describes the apostates as “ungodly” and as those who use God’s grace as a license to commit unrighteous acts. Beginning with “ungodly,” Jude describes eighteen unflattering traits of apostates so his readers can more easily identify them. Jude says the apostates are ungodly (vs. 4), morally perverted (vs. 4), denying Christ (vs. 4), ones who defile the flesh (vs. 8), rebellious (vs. 8), people who revile angels (vs. 8), who are ignorant about God (vs. 8), those who proclaim false visions (vs. 10), self-destructive (vs. 10), grumblers (vs. 16), fault finders (vs. 16), self-satisfying (vs. 16), people who use arrogant words and false flattery (vs. 16), mockers of God (vs. 18), those who cause divisions (vs. 19), worldly-minded (vs. 19), and finally (and not surprisingly), devoid of the Spirit/unsaved (vs. 19).

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Third, Jude says apostates “deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” How do apostates do this? Paul tells us in his letter to Titus, “To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed” (Titus 1:15-16, emphasis added). Through their unrighteous behavior, the apostates show their true selves. Unlike an apostate, a true believer is someone who has been delivered from sin to righteousness in Christ. With Paul, they ask the apostates who promote licentious behavior, “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?” (Romans 6:1-2)

WHEN SOMEONE HAS ITCHING EARS, THEY DON’T CARE WHO SCRATCHES THEM!

JUST SCRATCH AND MAKE THE ITCH GO AWAY!!!!!——-AND HURRRRRY!

Ever had an insane itch on your back or in your ear and had to drop everything to itch it? It’s like I MUST ITCH or I can’t go on!!!!!

That’s exactly how millions of people are with these positive, all-inclusive it’s your best life now messages. These people are addicted to relieving the itch. They will listen to anyone who will affirm the self-centered life they want to live. They line up around the building and will camp out overnight just to hear those messages of “breakthrough” and “live your dream”—-they will fight over good seats so they can see their favorite idol preacher tell them “God knows your heart and his blessings are about to overtake you-just hold on!!! God is about to bring you up to a level!”

No take up your cross and deny yourself.
No, repent and turn from sin.
No suffering and persecution are sure.
No, come out from the world.
No transformation, or be like Christ or study to show yourself approved. No real truths.
No real gospel. Source

The apostates’ false teaching also shows their true nature. Peter says, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves” (2 Peter 2:1). Another aspect of true believers is that they have been delivered out of spiritual darkness into light (Ephesians 5:8) and therefore will not deny core truths of Scripture like Arius did with the divinity of Jesus.

Ultimately, the sign of an apostate is that he eventually falls away and departs from the truth of God’s Word and His righteousness. The apostle John signifies this is a mark of a false believer: “They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us” (1 John 2:19).

Ideas Have Consequences
That God takes apostasy and false teaching seriously is evidenced by the fact that every New Testament book except Philemon contains warnings about false teaching. Why is this? Simply because ideas have consequences. Right thinking and its fruit produce goodness, whereas wrong thinking and its accompanying action result in undesired penalties. As an example, the Cambodian killing fields in the 1970s were the product of the nihilistic worldview of Jean-Paul Sartre and his teaching. The Khmer Rouge’s leader Pol Pot lived out Sartre’s philosophy toward the people in a clear and frightening way, which was articulated in this manner: “To keep you is no benefit. To destroy you is no loss.”

It should be remembered that Satan did not come to the first couple in the Garden with an external armament or supernatural weapon; instead, he came to them with an idea. And it was that idea that condemned them and the rest of humankind, with the only remedy being the sacrificial death of God’s Son.

The great tragedy is, whether knowingly or unknowingly, the apostate teacher dooms his unsuspecting followers. One of the most frightening verses in all of Scripture comes from the lips of Jesus. Speaking to His disciples about the religious leaders of His day, He said, “Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit” (Matthew 15:14, emphasis added). This verse is alarming because Jesus affirms that it is not only the false teachers that go to destruction, but their disciples also follow them. Christian philosopher Søren Kierkegaard put it this way: “For it has never yet been known to fail that one fool when he goes astray, takes several others with him.”

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Conclusion
In A.D. 325, the Council of Nicea convened primarily to take up the issue of Arius and his teaching. Much to Arius’s dismay, the end result was his excommunication and a statement in the Nicene Creed that affirmed Christ’s divinity: “We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only-begotten of his Father, of the substance of the Father, God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, begotten not made, being of one substance with the Father.”

Arius may have died centuries ago, but his spiritual children are still with us to this day in the form of cults like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and others who deny Christ’s true essence and person. Sadly, until Christ returns and every last spiritual enemy has been removed, tares such as these will be present among the wheat (Matthew 13:24-30). In fact, Scripture says apostasy will only get worse as Christ’s return approaches. “At that time [the latter days] many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another” (Matthew 24:10). Paul echoes Jesus in his inspired writings as well. The apostle told the Thessalonians that a great falling away would precede Christ’s second coming (2 Thessalonians 2:3) and that the end times would be characterized by tribulation and hollow religious charlatans: “But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be . . . holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these” (2 Timothy 3:1-2,5).

It is critical, now more than ever, that every believer prays for discernment, combat apostasy, and contend earnestly for the faith that has once and for all been delivered to the saints.

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StevieRay Hansen
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MY MISSION IS NOT TO CONVINCE YOU, ONLY TO INFORM…

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18 Comments

  1. ron on April 20, 2019 at 6:20 am

    The church like Saul believes it has obeyed the Commandment of the Lord { 1 Samuel 15 ]. Many like Saul will find out in that day ” the end does not justify the means” Matthew 7:21-23.

    Strong Delusion

  2. ron on April 20, 2019 at 4:46 am

    We too like the children of Israel of old have erred greatly not by worshipping a golden calf this time around but by changing the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man. If 40 days that Moses was away up on the mount produced a golden calf what might 2000 years produce?

    Another Jesus possibly [2 Corinthians 11] ?

  3. Jay on April 19, 2019 at 3:30 pm

    Why are we discussing Roman Catholicism as if it had anything to do with Christianity? Roman Catholicism has done nothing but murder the saints, chain the scriptures to the altar so the common man couldn’t read them and worship Mary while taking payments for future sins. What a mockery of the Gospel. RC stamped out the original underground Churches whenever they were discovered and burned at the stake those who preached the truth, bypassing the Pope. The Bible says that the Beast would hate the great harlot and would eat her flesh and burn her with fire. I believe we just witnessed a portion of that at Notre Dame this week. Muslims and corrupt governments are burning church buildings around the world every day. The Pope has played the harlot and accepted Islam while embracing all world religions under one umbrella just as many mainline Protestant denominations have done. Paul realized that he was a sinner in the book of Romans and asked who would deliver him from his body of sin. Today’s apostate Churches don’t even recognize that they are sinners and the Catholics try to make money off of sin.

  4. Arizona on April 19, 2019 at 12:51 pm

    THE US MILITARY has destroyed the planet,ALL the soil is ruined because of their spraying on every country,THE FATHER is going to restore the planet BACK to the way it was in the begining,EVERYONE HAS TO LEAVE,for this to happen,a few will go to Heaven,but most have chosen poorly and will go to hell,REPENT OF YOUR SINS,STAY GLUED TO THE LORD,NEVER TAKE THE MICRO-CHIP OR THE MARK OF THE BEAST,if your left behind,DO not look into his eyes,or have Any followship with his minions,they will betray you,STAND UP AMERICA,and do what your commanded..PREACH THE NEWS OF THE LORDS RETURN,HES coming to get HIS people and that will be very few,most will be left behind,this will be a time of testing for those who weren’t taken,BUT don’t give up hope,YOUR BEING TESTED,and many will die,then you’ll be taken….

  5. nam marine on April 19, 2019 at 11:17 am

    Pray everyday with all your heart and soul !!!

  6. Scott on April 19, 2019 at 10:33 am

    One major heresy: is the Pre Tribulation rapture.

    Truth:. PostTrib PreWrath, we go up at Revelation 6 Seal 6 which also includes chapter 7.

    Prepare to be persecuted, Don’t deny Jesus.

  7. James Borowy on April 19, 2019 at 9:52 am

    Thank you for this honest look at apostacy throughout the Church’s existence. In the true love and Spirit of Christ, I must take exception to your overall point. First of all, I am a Catholic, not one like today as I am aware like everyone else with eyes to see that this so-called pope is an anti-christ. I belive in what the Church taught up until the masonic takeover in 1958. That is the year that our true Pope, Gregory XVII was set into exile. Now to the point I wanted to make. It is exactly apostacy that the whole protestant movement is based upon. Do the ressearch and you will find that the whole Church belived in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The exact time the Church was dealing with Arianism. Also, the whole Church belived in confession to a priest. As to the Biblical basis of these 2 sacraments, the Eucharist is best described in John 6, and John 20 talks of confession. Lastly, I would offer to you this mental argument, If the “Church” got it wrong about communion nd confession, then why would Our Lord wait for over 1500 years to correct man with Martin Luther? If you still hold onto your arguments, then you are basing the truths you speak on idolaters! I know this may sound harsh, but believe me when I tell you I speak for love of my Christian brothers and sisters. Our Dear Lord is coming back soon, but it will not be as most people think. It will be in the miraculous form of the Holy Eucharist!

    • StevieRay Hansen on April 19, 2019 at 9:53 am

      Be Bless !…

    • StevieRay Hansen on April 19, 2019 at 11:25 am

      Short Answer: Unfortunately, Luther said some shameful things in criticism of the Jews, including one particularly harsh tract published in 1543. Luther died in February 1546.

      Martin Luther is an influential figure in church history, and Lutheranism still thrives today. Luther certainly was not flawless, but his emphasis on the authority of the Bible and on salvation by grace through faith has proved foundational to Protestantism. Luther recognized that only God’s grace, not good works, could save him (Ephesians 2:8–9). His courage and commitment to the Word literally changed the course of history.

      Truth:The Roman Catholic Church considers itself the only “true” church and traces its beginnings to Jesus and the apostles. It maintains that all other denominations or branches of Christianity are aberrant and have fallen away from the true teachings of the “mother church” and therefore from Christianity. But is this true? Our website contains many articles related to Catholicism, its origins, and practices. So this article will deal specifically with whether or not the Catholic Church is, in fact, Christian or a separate religion altogether.

      Christianity, considered as a major world religion, has several branches: Catholicism, Orthodoxy, and Protestantism. Defined this way, Catholicism is one division of Christianity. But true biblical Christianity is not a religion in the sense that one “joins” it by becoming a member of an organization. Jesus simplified what it means to be a Christian when He told Nicodemus that one must be “born again” (John 3:3). That new birth is an individual experience between God and a repentant heart and is not dependent in any way upon a priest’s blessing, baptism, or any other outward action we take. Ephesians 2:8–9 is clear that salvation is by grace through faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as full payment for our sin. When we enter into that saving relationship with God, we become “new creatures” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Our new nature is not a slave to sin as we once were (John 8:34; Romans 6:16). This new nature produces righteous living, not in order to become saved, but because we have been saved (1 John 3:7–10).

      In the Catholic Church, many extra-biblical practices have been added that create a different religion out of Christianity. While those who consider themselves Catholic can also be truly born again, one does not inherit eternal life by being a good Catholic (Titus 3:5–7). One can be a Christian in spite of being Catholic, just as one can be a Christian in spite of church attendance of any kind. However, Catholic teaching has gone far awry from strict adherence to the Bible, adding human ideas and “teaching as doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7). The Pharisees of Jesus’ day had done the same thing with God’s Law, and it appears that Catholic tradition follows more closely in the footsteps of the Pharisees than those of the apostles.

      One of the most blatant examples of the Catholic Church becoming a separate religion is in their extreme overemphasis on the importance of Mary, practically treating her a fourth member of the Trinity. Scripture tells us very little about the woman chosen to bear the Son of God (see Luke 1: 26–56; 2:16–52), yet Catholic doctrine has recreated Mary and given her an exalted place that the Bible never implies. Pope Leo XIII wrote, “By the will of God, Mary is the intermediary through whom is distributed unto us this immense treasure of mercies gathered by God, for mercy and truth were created by Jesus Christ. Thus as no man goeth to the Father but by the Son, so no man goeth to Christ but by His Mother” (Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII, On the Rosary, Octobri mense, September 22, 1891).

      Jesus never said any such thing about coming to Him through Mary. Instead, Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Jesus declared that no one comes to the heavenly Father except through Him (John 14:6). Every bit of Jesus’ communication was related to His oneness with the heavenly Father, not His earthly mother (Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22; John 7:28–29). His only references to His mother actually relegated her to the level of everyone else (Mark 3:32–34) and also assured that she would be taken care of after His ascension to His Father (John 19:27). That’s it. Nothing about venerating Mary or praying through her. If Pope Leo’s words were accurate, wouldn’t Jesus have told us so?

      Pope John Paul II added to the heretical deification of Mary. Quoting Pope Pius XII, he said, “Preserved free from all guilt of original sin, the Immaculate Virgin was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory upon the completion of her earthly sojourn. She was exalted by the Lord as Queen of the Universe” (Encyclical of Pope John Paul II, On the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Life of the Pilgrim Church, Redemptoris Mater, March 25, 1987; cf. Pope Pius XII, Apostolic Constitution Munificentissimus Deus, November 1, 1950). The Bible does, in fact, refer to the “queen of the heavens,” but it is in rebuke of the idolatrous Israelites for offering sacrifices to other gods (Jeremiah 7:18). The teaching that Mary is the Queen of the Universe is idolatry, although the Roman Catholic Church does not want to see it that way. At the very least, the statement of Pope Pius and Pope John Paul is complete fabrication and a departure from true biblical Christianity.

      Another strong departure from orthodox Christianity is the Catholic insistence that an earthly priest is necessary as an intermediary between us and God. According to the The Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent: Canons Concerning the Most Holy Sacrament of Penance, “If anyone denies that sacramental confession was instituted by divine law or is necessary to salvation; or says that the manner of confessing secretly to a priest alone . . . is at variance with the institution and command of Christ and is a human contrivance, let him be anathema” (Canon VI). The official Catholic teaching, then, is that people who do not confess their sins to a human priest cannot be saved and are, in fact, cursed for eternity. This doctrine contradicts 1 Timothy 2:5, which could not be clearer in renouncing the Catholic doctrines of Mary and the priesthood: “There is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.”

      While there are sincere Catholics who love the Lord and do not worship Mary or the pope, the doctrines themselves suggest a separate, works-based religion rather than a simple denomination within Christianity. This departure from truth is nothing new. When Paul and Barnabas were in Antioch, “certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: ‘Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved’” (Acts 15:1). These false teachers had mixed grace with works and were creating an aberrant faith that was leading many astray. The Catholic Church has done the same by creating a religion filled with laws, sacraments, and the undue adulation of other human beings—things God never sanctioned. None of us have the right to add to or take away from the revealed Word of God or the sacrifice of Christ Jesus on our behalf, and to do so creates a false religion.

      • Gordon C. Brownlee on April 19, 2019 at 12:24 pm

        “many extra-biblical practices have been added that create a different religion out of Christianity”
        Sadly we have to say the same thing about every denomination. When men gather around a false foundation, doctrine or ritual in faith it appeals to the good but fallen nature of man. In essence its a return to the tower of Babble “let us reach heaven on our own terms and in the process make a name for ourselves. With every step towards natural reason we leave behind walking by the Holy Spirit and the power of God to build His own church.

      • Edwitness on April 19, 2019 at 1:24 pm

        The main issue of departure(apostasy) from the teachings of the apostles is the rcc’s adherence and promotion of the Gnostic beliefs of original sin/sin nature(evil flesh). These doctrines were adopted by the e/p churches as well because they believe Augustinian Gnosticism that says the flesh is evil. And that at “the fall” man lost his free will so that he can not help but to sin. These doctrines fly in the face of the teachings of the Word of God. Because they either make Jesus a sinner, or must deny his true humanity.

        None of the apostles nor Jesus taught any such thing.
        Blessings:-}

  8. Gordon C. Brownlee on April 19, 2019 at 9:25 am

    The root of apostasy begins and ends right here.

    Romans 8:5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.

    http://www.shadow-free.com/the-shadow-of-the-spiritual-introduction/

  9. Edwitness on April 19, 2019 at 9:19 am

    Love the article. But, Arius was not the only one that was wrong. So too was Augustine. The doctor of theology for the roman religion the rcc. His trinitarian belief that God is one ontologically is also not Biblical. One in essence, made of the same “stuff”, yes. One being with 3 personalities in him, no.

    Those Paul in 2Tim.3, and John in 1John and 2John, and Jude were referencing were Gnostics. They believed that one could be spiritually pure while behaving/living any way they wanted to and still be a believer because they believe the body is evil(sin nature) and that will never change. So to them asking forgiveness was unnecessary as well because it would not cleanse the flesh of it’s sin nature.

    But, John refuted this in 1John1:9 saying we must confess our sins when we come to faith in Jesus and God will indeed cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Past, present, and future. We know this because Hebrews tells us that Jesus’ sacrifice purges man from even the consciousness of sin. Heb.9:14. It did this by removing the law(Heb.10:9) which gave sin it’s power.1Cor.15:56. It is Gnostics that have a form of godliness(spiritual) but deny the power thereof by believing the flesh is evil.

    But, because they received the Gnosticism of Augustine, the rcc and e/p church have taken this heresy to themselves hook, line, and sinker. And it has perverted everything the church believes about who God is and what the atonement was for. Because they have believed that Augustine, the doctor of theology for the rcc, was right. The apostles were fighting against Gnostic heresies like these Augustine brought into the church. So they would have rejected Augustine’s Gnosticism as well.

    It has also spawned such unBiblical beliefs as Jesus’ having different flesh than we have, in rejection of Heb.2:14,15 and 4:15. By way of teaching Jesus’ having not been born of an earthly father in order that He not have the sin nature that Gnostics believe all men have from Adam. A lie that is exposed in John’s 1st and 2nd letters to those who were being deceived by these Gnostics. 1John4:1-3- “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” and 2John1:7-11.

    As you said in your article we must recognize these heresies and reject them. Because believing these heresies causes us to “hath not God” as John said in 2John1:9. These Gnostic heresies the apostles fought against have been foisted upon the church from the rcc harlot religion. So those who have been deceived by these must heed the admonition given in Rev.18:4.
    “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”

    Blessings:-}

    • Bob on April 20, 2019 at 6:50 am

      Great replies and I too recognize the gnostic influence. However, it sounds like you are saying that once you confess with your mouth that you are “good to go” so to speak. Be careful how you phrase responses. John also stated that “the one who says, ‘i have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him”. We are to check ourselves daily and remain in right relationship with the Father. If we have truly accepted Christ in out heart, yes all our sins are forgiven us. But too many people state the words and show no change in their lives, showing they never truly believed. Willfull sin that is not checked will lead to falling away and showing that the Son was never in the heart. I know you know this but your response sounded like you were disregarding this possibility – which I’m sure you do not. Blessings

      • Edwitness on April 20, 2019 at 8:48 am

        Great advice. I agree completely. Salvation from death first and then sin will reveal itself in what we do as well as what we believe. Causing the believer to not only believe Jesus. But, to act like he believes Jesus as well. He can’t help it. Because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Rom.5:1-5.
        Blessings:-}

  10. Stewart on April 19, 2019 at 9:00 am
    • Edwitness on April 19, 2019 at 9:36 am

      The man giving testimony in the link you gave has believed the Gnostic lies that were brought to the church through Augustine. He shows this when he says he is a Christian but he is also still a sinner. Paul never taught any such thing. He taught that sin no longer has dominion over you. It is a Gnostic belief that says the flesh is evil. And Paul, John, and Jude all rebuked the heretical teachings of the Gnostics.

      We are righteous by the faith of Christ according to Gal.2:16. So when we trust Jesus as He trusted the Father we are righteous. And we are no longer sinners because of Rom.6:14. Because sin has no dominion over us. We are free from sin’s power by the death of Christ. Rom.6:7. We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

      Don’t be deceived by the Gnostic heresies taught in the churches for centuries because they believed Augustine. Believe your Bible.
      Blessings:-}

  11. Bless me club on April 19, 2019 at 7:10 am

    I have been one thing to say…..PROSPERITY DOCTRINE!
    Case closed.

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