Contending for the faith | Making Disciples | Equipping the Saints for Ministry

   by Jeannette Haley

Last month the question was asked: “Does it really matter what a person believes in order to gain an entrance into    heaven?”

A simple formula was presented showing how to test some of the popular false gospels from the word FALSE as follows:

F – Fun, Fantasy, Feel-good “gospel”

A – Antichrist spirit; apostles and prophets of the Manifest Sons of God, Kingdom Now “gospel”

L – Love, love, love, man-centered “gospel” and Latter Rain gospel

S – Self-centered, self-esteem, self-exalting, (“selfisms”) and sinless “gospel”

E – Easy-believism, emergent church “gospels”

The true Gospel of Jesus Christ was presented in Part 1 along with the “Fun, Fantasy, Feel-good ‘gospel” whose widespread influence is gaining momentum because of its seductive appeal to the flesh. The fruit of this false “gospel” is shallowness, carnality and spiritual ignorance. This is not to say that Christians cannot have fun, or present special programs to attract young people, so that the Gospel can be presented, but there is a clear difference between such specialized activities and churches whose goal is merely to attract and keep numbers for the sake of appearing successful.

Another “gospel” that has swept the world comes packaged in the Kingdom Now (Manifest Sons of God) message with its false “apostles” and “prophets.” The agenda of these self-appointed “apostles” and “prophets” is to reestablish the foundation already laid by the New Testament apostles, and to twist prophecy as recorded in the Scripture through “new revelations” and so-called “prophecies” that out-shadow and overrule those which have already been established by God in His Word.

These false “apostles” and “prophets” deceive undiscerning people who have never been properly discipled into believing that there will be a great, world-wide revival before the return of Christ. Revival, along with signs and wonders are sought after and emphasized. They teach that Jesus can’t return until “all things are restored” (i.e., the Church is ruling the world) by the Manifested Sons, or the “apostles” and “prophets.” This is also known as Dominion Theology.

Within these false systems is Replacement Theology which embraces the erroneous belief that the Church has replaced Israel, and that the Church, not Israel, is in line to receive the covenant promises God made with that nation. This movement sees themselves as “Joel’s army.” They are dangerously militant, and are gaining numbers by appealing to people’s religious pride. Two good apologetic Internet Sites for further research are: http://www.seekgod.ca/warnock.htm http://www.letusreason.org/Latrain1.htm. Another very good read can be found at    http://www.agetwoage.org/JustFacts3.htm. A careful study of the Manifest Sons of God teachings and agenda reveals a movement that is not only frightening, but very much akin to Mormonism.

The Positive Confession movement, which is daily broadcast around the globe via TBN and Satellite, often dovetails with these other false belief systems. Disguising itself as a “hyper faith” or “word-faith” movement, it has nothing to do with real faith, and a lot to do with mind-science beliefs and practices straight out of the occult. The perverted mouthpieces of this “other gospel” prey on ignorant and gullible supporters, promising them wealth and earthly blessings if they empty their pockets for the benefit of the false teacher. This ungodly movement has left the faith of multitudes shipwrecked in its wake.

Then there is the “love gospel” (often referred to as “sloppy agape”) that by its very nature erodes the true Gospel of Jesus Christ which calls for people to come to grips with the fact of their fallen condition, lost and hopeless state because of sin, the necessity of brokenness and true repentance, belief and faith in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross as the only means of salvation, and the fact that He must be Lord of our lives as we work out our salvation in “fear and trembling” through obedience to the Word.

The “love gospel” perverts the character and nature of God (His holiness) and places the focus on ourselves (and how wonderful and worthy we must be). This false gospel, through deliberate avoidance, denies the reality of the trials, tribulations and suffering that Jesus told us would be part of a true believer’s life in this world. The judgment to come and the reality of hell are rarely, if ever, preached. It’s basically all fluff and no solid stuff—a sugar-coated bunch of slop that has nothing to offer anybody when it comes to the true Christian life and how to live it.

The end result of a steady diet of this phony gospel is a spiritually anemic person who floats through life quoting little fluffy platitudes about a love that has nothing to do with “the way, the truth, and the life” as presented in the infallible Word of God. People who embrace what is also termed “sloppy agape” have built their spiritual house on shifting sand. It’s only a matter of time before the whole structure collapses and is washed away by the storms of life.

Akin to the “love gospel” is the “self-esteem gospel.” Everything in this belief system is focused on self, and what makes self feel good. There is no mention of sin, accountability for one’s attitudes or actions, or anything, for that matter, that might upset self. It’s all about self-exaltation, self-love, and the other entire gamut of gunk that has polluted the “faith once delivered to the saints” through psychology and New Age propaganda.

Finally, there is the new phenomenon of the “emergent church” whose platform is 100% man-pleasing (not God-pleasing.) The politically correct, non-offensive emergent church with its false gospel of “user-friendly-purpose-driven” propaganda is the latest religious tsunami to wash over the entire globe. It has swept through and carried away in its devilish undertow many, if not all, in the aforementioned false movements who now have a double dose of poison to feed unsuspecting, ignorant sheep.

The “emergent church,” as well as all the other false gospels in the world today, possess “another Jesus, another spirit, and another gospel.” The Jesus all of these false movements offer is a Jesus of man’s own choosing. He can be a “fun” Jesus who demands nothing more from us than to have fun in His name. He can be the Jesus of today’s “apostles” and “prophets” who is helplessly watching from heaven until the Manifest Sons take over the world, and set things in order so He can return. Or, He can be a Jesus who oozes and gushes love over us, and who accepts anything we offer Him by way of how we live, what we do, or don’t do, and how we perceive Him and honor Him. He can be the Jesus whom we simply tack on to our list of selfisms—a Jesus we can’t ever know, love or obey because we can’t see past self.  Finally, He can be the Jesus who is molded and shaped to fit into the concept of the “seeker-friendly” emergent church—a Jesus who poses no threat to anyone, regardless of their lifestyle or spiritual state, and who is content to remain in the non-threatening little box that man has put Him in. Hence, we have not only another gospel, but another Jesus and another spirit. That spirit, by the way, is a substitute or antichrist spirit.

All of these systems, or movements, along with the countless others that are preaching another gospel, another Jesus and another spirit, are idolatrous. People are bowing down to the god of pleasure, pride, power, and riches. They are bowing down to the god called “church.” No longer do Christians have a burning passion for lost souls. Instead, they have been derailed into viewing people as “unchurched” (as if any church, pastor, or religious activity, belief system, emotional hype, or experience can save a soul!)

What about you? Which Jesus, what Spirit, and which Gospel have you received?

“And we know that the Son of God is come,

and hath given us an understanding that we

may know him that is true, even in his Son Jesus

Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Little children, keep yourselves from idols” 1 John 5:20, 21