Beware…You may wonder how Christians can be deceived. Paul speaks of this very thing in: 2 Timothy 4:3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear (NLT). The scriptures also state, in: Matthew 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs (a different Jesus – that of a branch of Christianity veers from the clear teaching of God’s Word and tries to define Jesus as other than He is), and false prophets (teachers speaking false truths), and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect (NLT). (See also Matt.13: 21-22 Thess. 2:9).
These new movements don’t deny that Jesus died for us on the Cross, or deny that this is why we are saved. But they do deny the Cross as the means by which God deals with us as Christians. Instead, they have fashioned a way AROUND the Cross – through the baptism with the Holy Spirit. They claim that through this, “second blessing,” or “another experience” we receive the fullness of the Spirit and that this power and authority is our power/ authority to use as we will. It is not and will never be our own power or our own authority; for it is Christ in us, His power, and His authority.
Don’t get me wrong, I firmly believe in the baptism with the Holy Spirit and the infilling of the Holy Spirit, this “second blessing,” or “another experience”. Yes, I believe the Baptism of the Holy Spirit gives us the boldness to be a living witness and testimony of a living Savior, Christ Jesus in us. I believe it is necessary to have the in-filling of the Holy Spirit to live as an overcomer. Over Satan and His deceptive ways. But the Bible teaches that all of these dimensions are nothing more than CHRIST IN US – His resurrection life coming to be manifested in and through us.
Yes, it will take daily dying out of self-ideology and self-desires to do God’s will in our daily walk as a believer “Christian”. Again, let me say, yes, I do believe in “another experience” that of the infilling of the Holy Spirit Baptism with evidence of speaking in tongues, as stated in Acts. It is to be a very vital part in a believer’s life; which the Bible teaches that the MEANS by which this is made possible is through the ongoing work of the Cross through Christ in us. The complete Gospel is truly about the Father, God, being glorified in His Son, Jesus. When we see this, we will see the TRUTH.
Some of these new movements only state the 1st part of Romans 8:16. Some of these new movements only states the 1st part of Romans 8:16, But let’s finish the passage as stated in Romans 8, Apostle Paul writes in Romans 8:16-17 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ, we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering (NLT).
What an oversight? In fact, the entire meaning of the passage is changed once we read the entire passage. Now, instead of the believer being able to exercise unconditional authority simply because we are in Christ, there is a BIG CONDITION laid down. Paul gives a CONDITION to the possession and exercise of our inheritance: “IF SO BE that we suffer with Christ.” Note that phrase: Suffer WITH Christ. Not, “suffer because of Him.” There may be a time we will have to do that too, but that isn’t what Paul is saying of the results in being a joint-heir with Christ. No. He says, “Suffer WITH Christ.”
So, let’s ask: What was the primary means by which Christ suffered? As we answer this, it will tell us what we must do to suffer WITH Him. The primary means of Christ’s suffering was the Cross. Thus, can we see that Paul IS talking about the work of the Cross? Just as Christ died out daily to His own will so we must also die out daily of our own will and follow God’s will. Yes, picking up the cross of Christ is saying yes to Christ on a daily basis, dying out of our selfish desires and making the things of God our priority. So, we see the new age movements today, leaving out the Cross – leaving out the very MEANS by which the power of Jesus comes to be manifested through us. You NEVER hear it in their teaching.
Over the past few mornings, my thoughts have been on false teachings in which the Bible warns of this type of deception throughout the church. I will continue on this subject for a few more mornings. …
Yes, you may hear them talk about the blood of Jesus, the resurrection and eternal life but they will not tell you the process of the cross, the need to die out daily of our own selfish desires. They bypass that completely and make spiritual authority a THING God gives us apart from any necessity of us being formed together with Christ. If Christ is in us, then sure, all the power of Christ is in us – as a potential of growth and process. But only as Christ comes to govern us can His power really work through us. This is where our faith lies in Christ.
The MEANS by which Christ comes to govern us is the crucifixion of the SELF life that seeks to weaken HIS rule over us! Unless this is happening in an ongoing way, the exercise of true spiritual authority is impossible. I cannot think of anything worse than a person who has developed no submitted relationship with Christ, and who has no knowledge of the Truth, and who has not himself come under the rule and governing power of the Holy Spirit – but who has been given unbridled power and authority! Do we really believe that God would make it possible for us to exercise all of His power and authority but with no necessity of OUR submission to God Himself? What you would have, are a bunch of extremely arrogant people. It would end up destroying them.
As believers, we have a new spirit, Christ in us, working through us, with the power of the Holy Spirit. We are simply the vessel, the instrument, or you might say the conduit that Christ uses to flow through us. Faith is a relationship word – an indication of our relationship with God. But these new movements have taken realities like faith, speaking the Truth with your mouth, that of giving, healing, and so much else, and made them into laws that work for us if we do the right thing.
Thus, some of these false teachers’ state, “You can have what you say.” But there is no consideration given as to whether what we say is the will of God.
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