No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon (Matthew 6:24).
This is a very important verse in the Bible, like all other verses. It is one that touches on an issue that many Christians deem to be a 'minor' issue. One modern evangelical has derided me and scorned at me for speaking out about this issue in a very indirect way, let alone showing vehement aggressive opposition to all I have been trying to do to expose evil, as if exposing mammon and false doctrines was a abominable sin.
I will be examining in this series of posts how yielding to the spirit of mammon leads on to adopt and practice earthly doctrines and philosophies.
Ephesians 6:12 says:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 says:
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
Ephesians 5:11 commands the Christian to "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them".
This is a very important verse in the Bible, like all other verses. It is one that touches on an issue that many Christians deem to be a 'minor' issue. One modern evangelical has derided me and scorned at me for speaking out about this issue in a very indirect way, let alone showing vehement aggressive opposition to all I have been trying to do to expose evil, as if exposing mammon and false doctrines was a abominable sin.
I will be examining in this series of posts how yielding to the spirit of mammon leads on to adopt and practice earthly doctrines and philosophies.
Ephesians 6:12 says:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 says:
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
Ephesians 5:11 commands the Christian to "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them".
There is a clear command to expose evil works. The evil in the world comes from the human heart. However, there are evil demons that manipulate people who practice such things just as there are demons behind false doctrines. 1 Timothy 4:1 warns: "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils". It refers to 'doctrine of devils' which are real doctrines that come from real demons, not demons that some crazy heretic is trying to make up to excuse sin, as one modern evangelical implied about me in an extremely sarcastic and derisive manner. No! Demons are real and are responsible for false doctrines. This is in no way to deny responsibility of people who heed these false doctrines.
'False doctrines' are any doctrines, whether secular, religious, philosophical, cultural, political, economical or social, that contradict or distort the Word of God. As long as a doctrine distorts or undermines the Bible even in the slightest, it is a false doctrine - a doctrine of demons. As long as it is against the Truth with a capital 'T, that is Jesus Christ, it is a false doctrine. Indeed, doctrines of demons can and do often fully affirm the existence of the God of the Bible. Hence James 2:19 says: "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."
As long as a person is not for Christ, the person is against Christ (Matthew 12:30; Luke 11:23).
The devil appeals to 3 things to seduce people away from hearing the Gospel in the case of the unsaved, or from being able to of maximal use to God in the case of the saved:
- Lust of the eyes, to cause attraction to specific aspirations or visions, some of which can be good and righteous with the intention of trying to serve God, for example, fighting human trafficking or abortion. Satan tries to twist these 'causes'.
- Lust of the flesh, to cause attraction to a way of life that lives out those specific aspirations of visions. Satan uses this to deceive the Christian into thinking what he is doing is God's will for him
- Pride of life, using philosophies or doctrine to justify one's deeds. These doctrines or philosophies ultimately come from the flesh. It may be mainly based on the Bible, but be slightly borrows from human philosophy, for example, "cultural sensitivity". This contaminates the doctrine by borrowing even the slightest bit from humans philosophies such as secular doctrines.
Comments
Post a Comment