[caic.org.au]


The Old Testament laws were a shadow to lead people to the body of Christ. Jesus is our substance and reality and life. Their are legalistic leaders in the church today who want to require Christians to practice some of the Old Testament laws in order to be 'fulfilled' Christians. When faith in Christ alone is the essential of salvation, only Christ retains control of His Body; so those who wish to control you will add something to your relationship with Jesus in order for you to be in their club. Don't be deceived.

False leaders have their mind on the things of this world, not on things of heaven where Christ is seated. They judge people according to their outward religious observances (shadows), and not according to works and character produced by faith in Jesus (substance).

Jesus said we would always have poor people with us, and we can help them whenever we please. The abolishment of poverty is not in God's plans for the earth. It is not a sin to be poor. A person's financial status does not reflect God's blessing or lack thereof. It is a sin to love money and to be greedy (1 Timothy 3:3-8 and 6:10); a sin which both rich and poor can commit. Jesus commanded us to love one another regardless of status (James 2:1-13).

Christian cults often begin with unhealthy relationships in which a deceptive form of 'submission' is used to enslave people (usually to the leader through a pyramid structure of obedience). The leaders "devour" the personalities of the ones 'under' them, creating obedient automatons who will often give whatever the leaders ask in order to remain in favor. (2 Peter 2:3 refers to exploitation and making merchandise of men's souls.) Cults are notorious for being one-man shows - "if a man exalt himself", and they may degenerate into physically and sexually abusing their members.\\

Jesus states a universal truth that a kingdom or house divided against itself can not stand, and then applies it to Satan. But let's apply it to God's kingdom which appears to be divided into many denominations. The false leader comes into a church (house) and binds the leader(s) with his legalism, and then the legalist can seize and plunder the sheep. This is the pattern the circumcision party used in Galatia (Gal. 2:11-13).

Avoid and disassociate from those who claim Christianity is a means to great wealth, or that their wealth proves God's blessing upon them. Remember Jesus and His disciples lived very simply. When people are motivated by greed, they might use the Bible, but their message will be devoid of truth.

These men and women extort money from their followers using guilt and threats of curses. They also use deception and fraud to obtain money; performing miracles which must then be acknowledged by a 'gift of faith'.

JESUS' RESPONSE TO FALSE LEADERS
Read Matthew 23:1-33

v2 "Pharisees sit in Moses' seat", assuming his authority, and demanding similar respect and obedience which they don't deserve.

v3 "for they say, and do not." They don't practice what they preach.

v4 They burden the people with legalism.

v5 "But all their works they do for to be seen of men." They are hypocrites.

v6 "And love . . . the chief seats in the synagogues," Some churches have unwisely adopted the policy to seat the leaders above the other members (James 2:1-4).

v7 "to be called of men, Rabbi" Run from anyone demanding to be called apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher, or any other title.

8-10 Jesus explains that only God is to be exalted; and we are brethren.

v11 "But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant."

v12 "And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted."

v13 "But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!" They aren't going to heaven, and they block the way of those who would.

v14 "Woe hypocrites! . . . ye shall receive the greater damnation."

v15 "Woe hypocrites! . . . ye child of hell"

v16-22 "Woe blind guides" who don't recognize it is God's presence which sanctifies the temple and the gifts offered therein.

v23-24 "Woe hypocrites!" who legalistically tithe spices (the only time Jesus mentions tithes) but omit the rest of the Law: judgment, mercy, and faith.

v25-28 "Woe hypocrites!" who put on an outward showing of righteousness without first being cleansed within.

v29-32 "Woe hypocrites!" who say you would not have killed the prophets, yet you are truly the offspring of those who did.

v33 "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?" Answer: they won't. Jesus was not a member of the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem, yet he boldly confronted them. He is our example of how to confront hypocritical leadership in the church. Even though Jesus was sinless, they accused him of being a glutton and a drunkard by association, and of being insane and demon-possessed. If we are standing against lies with the truth, we should expect all our sins to be paraded before us as well as false accusations. We must be assured of our forgiveness and boldly confront the hypocrisy of false leaders.

It is not unloving to rejoice in the fact that false religious leaders, who do not repent, will experience the fullness of God's judgment and wrath in Hell. What is unloving is to not fully expose false religious leaders by name in order to protect others from joining them in Hell.

Paul named false leaders to warn the brethren, and we should do likewise.

False leaders often prey upon the innocent and unsuspecting; therefore we must become wise unto God's goodness, then we will not accept evil wrapped in religious garb. We are commanded to look out for wolves in sheep's clothing and avoid them.

BRETHREN, MARK AND AVOID FALSE LEADERS
Romans 16:17-20 "Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil. And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."

False Teachers & False Prophets - Bible Scriptures - shows us the Main Scriptures in the Bible that warn us about the MANY False Teachers & False Prophets in our World today that Preach & Teach a different gospel other than the Teachings of Jesus Christ (Matt 7:15-20, Matt 24:11,23-26, Mark 13:22)

MONEY SCRIPTURES IN THE BIBLE - FALSE PROSPERITY GOSPEL

Rom 16:17 “MARK THEM which cause DIVISIONS & OFFENCES CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE which you have learned; and AVOID them.”

[justinpeters.org]

Watch This Gentlemens Call For Discernment Video on the Health Wealth And Prosperity Gospel And Its foundation In The Metaphysical Cults

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THE GOOD OL' THREAT OF SPIRITUAL DEATH


[www.abc.net.au]


Former cult members, mostly young girls, have told police they were instructed to undress for health checks and to have sex with Jeong to remove their sins.

The girls said they were threatened with spiritual death if they spoke of what happened, according to previous media reports.


THE GOOD OL' END OF THE WORLD THREAT


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How many times have former and current TPCers been told they "are in a dangerous place" when discussing concerns and their decision to leave Turning Point Church in Marysville Washington? How has TPC utilized this form of control and manipulation? Does anyone have first hand accounts?

Various sources on spiritual abuse warn about the Can't Talk rule (or the Don't Talk rule) in abusive groups. In spiritually manipulative churches, leaders or pastors don't usually come right out and tell you not to talk about concerns in the church. They are much more subtle.

They might hint at "the enemy" who incites people to gossip, or they may denounce weak Christians who whisper. They might emphasize grumbling and complaining as among the gravest of sins. They might compare those who raise issues to scoffers in Moses' time, implying that if you dare mention a weakness of the church you are like the ungrateful Israelites that the good Moses ( read: church leader) had to put up with.

By whatever means available, abusive pastors will shut down discussion and prevent accountability for suspect practices. The unspoken "don't talk" rule makes this easy. Anyone who dares raise an issue to the light of day will be shut down, preached against, shunned, mistreated or shamed, either by open means or subtle means.

Perhaps some have left the church, and you have suspicions about why. Maybe the pastor has preached something that doesn't line up with scripture. Maybe someone has been kicked out of church or removed from a ministry. Perhaps these uncomfortable practices have been increasing. Maybe the finances are not open to public view; or business meetings are closed or nonexistent. Perhaps teachers or musicians have complained about mistreatment and you are not sure who to believe.

Those living under a Can't Talk or Don't Talk rule know not to ask questions. They have been manipulated into remaining silent, even though their active conscience urges them to speak up. The reluctance to speak up is often disguised as virtue. You're not a grumbler. You're not a trouble maker. It's someone else's place to ask questions, not yours. You're just a humble nobody. So the pastor or leader remains accountable to no one. He can do what he likes without opposition, no matter how questionable, unorthodox, ungodly -- or in some cases, illegal.

If this describes the mechanism in place at your church, make sure to do a little research into spiritual abuse and see if other signs might not also be present in your group. The Can't Talk rule is an unspoken rule meant to stifle and hide anything that challenges the control of a leader or that has the potential to put a leader in a bad light. It is often the tip of the iceburg.
Posted by Provender at Tuesday, April 28, 2009

[www.intotruth.org]

However, as so often in Church history, a movement that came to popular acclaim through such supposedly good fruit soon revealed its true nature as something more like a cult, with extremes of belief that brought the Name of the Lord into disrepute. Unfortunately, it seems this was inevitable - the roots of the doctrine were firmly planted in the soil of the metaphysical cults. The errors that produced New Thought and Christian Science had also produced Word-of-Faith as a Christianised version. (for more information, see the tract 'They Want Your Mind'.)

We also have to question the need for Ministers to live in great luxury, demanding millions of pounds for an ever-increasing number of projects, some of which never materialise.

The ultimate goal of such ministries also needs to be examined in the light of scripture. Are we witnessing a global awakening that will transform all nations and bring wealth and success to all the Church? Or is this triumphalism a delusion which will ensnare thousands of well-meaning believers in the satanic trap of the New Age, and cause them - unthinkingly - to set up a worldwide kingdom for the Antichrist?

Like the gnostic heresies all through the ages, Word-of-Faith needs special knowledge in order to be effective. Leaders see themselves as having a commission to bring new spiritual revelation to the Body, and they condemn 'sense-knowledge' as inadequate. In this scheme, it is not sin and disobedience that causes us to fail, but ignorance of the Word. Moreover, this revelation knowledge is limited to the few who can receive it; the less intelligent are at a disadvantage. This is elitism.

What we can learn from the Word-of-Faith doctrines is really no more than straight-forward biblical teaching in the first place - faith in God and in His Word, belief in divine intervention in our affairs, a positive outlook based on the promises of God, and a knowledge of the defeat of satanic powers in Jesus - all this and more is good and sound, but the Word-of-Faith movement today has gone far beyond these boundaries and created a monster that is devouring both its leaders and followers alike.

It is not necessary to buy into a Word-of-Faith system in order to benefit from the plain teaching of scripture. Any who are followers of Word-of-Faith ministers should think very carefully about their position as followers of men and of a dubious man-inspired system of formulas, and also should be wary of the manipulation to give gifts and tithes to these ministries. It would be better to support your own church, or more humble and doctrinally sound Christian works, and to seek for scriptural inspiration from the Holy Spirit who is our only Guide and Teacher.

[www.preparehisway.com]


If there was a book written "Were You Ever Deceived?", I could fill in a few chapters:

-I was deceived by prominent national ministries in regard to the Y2K not-a-disaster.
-I was deceived by the twisting of scripture in regard to manmade "holiness" doctrines and legalisms.
-I was deceived into respecting the leadership of men even when it departed from the Word in the name of "covering", "obey them that have the rule...", and "submission".
-I was deceived into accepting women in spiritual authority.
-I was deceived into following many church-growth programs as an act of supporting our church.
-I was deceived by the desire for material gain.
-I was deceived by our "doctinal statement".
-I was deceived into thinking there was a "Pre-Trib rapture".
-I was deceived by the scripture itself when I looked at it through eyes veiled by religion.
-I was deceived by having "respect of persons" who "beguiled" me with "enticing words".
-I was deceived by my pastors, prophets, and others in regard to tithing and other matters.

Proverbs 16:25 There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Matthew 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. (Jesus referring to the religious leadership of his day)
Mat 7:14 ...strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
Isaiah 56:11 ...they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter.

As part of a denomination that claimed to be "apostolic" we took on legalisms and pharisaical practices that had no support from the new Testament Covenant Christ gave us.

As we transitioned into a non denominational assembly, we were conditioned to accept many unscriptural practices in the name of "seeker sensitivity" and we became heavily influenced by apostate ministries with the appearance of success. (we now believe our own leaders were infected with spirits imparted to them from the Pensacola "Revival". The fruit that came later was strife, financial corruption, and even death).

2. And because of the very corruption within our fallen nature.
Greed, fear, pride, lust of the eyes, respect of persons, ego, desire to please men, and following after Old Testament laws and legalisms. All or any of these may become an idol or stumblingblock within our heart. Obadiah 1:3 The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock..

Mark 7:20 And he said, That which proceedeth out of the man, that defileth the man.
21 For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries,
22 covetings, wickednesses, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness:
23 all these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

3. There are trials and snares God desires us to overcome in order to inherit His kingdom. In Revelation 2,3, and 22 God's children are told over and over "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna" . We are to overcome our own sin nature, and the apostate, Nicolaitane error-filled church world. Enter the phrase "he that overcometh..." in the Bible search and you will get 9 verses in the NAS:
www.htmlbible.com/cgi-bin/search/search.pl

Put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, -not in church, -not in the men who claim to speak for God, and -not in me. In every case and every deception I have ever swallowed, it was because of accepting the words of man rather than the sure Word of God.

See the "NOT in Scripture List" and decide for yourself....

[www.preparehisway.com]


NOT EVEN ONE VERSE?
Are you prepared for a shock?

These should be obvious, but the truth is the MAJORITY of Christians have swallowed many a lie. How simple and easy it should be for a person who reads the Bible to see the obvious traditions and practices of Christianity which HAVE NOT A SINGLE VERSE to support them.

Yet the majority of Christians willingly accept the following as "Christian". Many of these subjects are further developed in articles on this site. In order to help you think in scriptural terms, here is a short list of unscriptural practices within apostate Christianity:

It is impossible to show these as a verse or phrase in our Bibles:

"add thou not unto His Word lest He reprove thee and thou be found a liar" "that ..ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written; ..." -1Cor 4:6

[www.preparehisway.com]

True Confessions and Repentance of an Elder

Because of all this, I need to repent and ask your forgiveness. I was wrong. I thought wrong things. I believed wrong things. I modeled wrong things. I taught wrong things. I was wrong. I have sinned against you and the others and against my grace loving, mercy giving, all powerful, all loving God.

-I repent for teaching and modeling that the “covering” of our church is scriptural. I repent for going along with the “24 hour rule” which is not only contrary to New Testament grace, but cultivated a “secret police” circle within the organization.

-I took your private conversations and passed them on to the pastor if I thought there might be a problem. I told myself that this was an accepted practice to gain wisdom in dealing with your situation. Now I see it was probably mostly to garner, in some twisted way, the favor of my leaders, to show my loyalty, and to fill my own need to feel important.

-Nor did we see anything wrong with the obvious financial irregularities, extravagant lifestyles, or blatant desire and pursuit of financial gain by various ministers. The auctions, bake sales, Valentines Day sales, books, jewelry, peanut brittle and "stuff" that went to pay for building remodels, supplies, and electronics were merely the works of a group trying to maintain their own kingdom. There were people on the church payroll who should never have received financial renumeration for their "ministry" or services. We defended, justified, and enabled the self-indulgent lifestyle of God's servants whom we hired and paid.

I taught, modeled and practiced tithing. In private meetings it was said if you didn’t tithe you were not "sold out" and things could happen to you and/or your finances. Those who did not tithe were viewed as less than commited to Christ and some who tithed from fear or desire for gain were critiqued. Now I understand the fallacy of this. It is a practice never given to any Christian or any church in New Testament scripture and it is not of God.

No pastor in scripture is given sole authority over elders and we allowed this to the hurt of many.
I wanted to be seen by leaders as important, loyal, and wanted to be in the “inner circle" of leadership.