How to Discern Truth from Error 9-29-24
This message is in conjunction with what my pastor is teaching a series on, when it comes to knowing what a cult is. I have felt strongly that many born-again believers do not have enough understanding about the Word of God to determine what is true and what is false.
Therefore, they can be deceived. In my experience I have seen and heard of people leaving a church and becoming involved with a cult. The devil is a deceiver and he is very subtle and cunning.
I have attended certain quote on quote churches and found out their belief is contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It saddens me to know that many people in the church don’t know how to witness because they have not been taught properly. Handing out witnessing tracts are okay, but if the person needed someone to explain what they read, how would they understand?
Example-
So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading?” And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him (Acts 8:30-31, please Acts 8:26-40). The place in the Scripture which he read was from (Isaiah, chapter 53).
Also, pastors are shepherds who should protect their sheep from being influenced by erroneous doctrine by training them in the Word in the Word.
Below is enough to capture the attention of the readers so they will not be deceived by cults. What is a cult? Usually, a small group is devoted to a person. However, over the years that has changed; many have risen and they are multiplying rapidly.
False prophets shall rise: But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction (2 Peter 2:1).
If one is not rooted and grounded on the foundation of Christ they can be deceived. that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width, length, depth, and height—19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:17-19).
And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world (1 John 4:3).
Any time you put more emphasis on a leader than God, watch out! Any time a leader puts himself on a pedestal and want others to worship him, watch out! Any time a person says that Jesus is not God, watch out!
Who does the Word say Jesus is? He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation (Colossians 1:15). In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God [one cult say Jesus was a god- they deny that He is God in the flesh].
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth ( John 10:1, 14). My Father and I are one. (John 10:30). Jesus said to him, Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? (John 14:9).
If you are in a church the Word of God does not take preeminence (first place), over everything else, leave! Cults deny that Jesus came in the flesh, they deny His complete divinity even though He was also one hundred percent human. There are some who equate Him with Moses, as a prophet.
This is to be continued; it is a must!
His handmaiden, Betty A. Burnett ~ burnettministries.org
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