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DITC e-Newsletter Volume 30, Issue 1
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Dear All,Discernment Is Essentialby Sandy Simpson, 8/29/10 I want to offer a concrete suggestion on how to stem the tide of leaven coming into the churches. I do this in light of criticism often leveled at discernment ministries that they are only interested in criticizing. Though we as believers are to use discernment and be critical of false teaching (Phil.1:9-10, comparing everything to the ultimate authority in the life of the believer, the written Word (Heb. 4:12), you will find that most discernment and apologetics ministries do a very good job of offering both Biblical true teaching and practical suggestions on how to implement it. What I am going to suggest to you is something some churches are doing but I would like to see every church do ... that is to start a "Berean" class or apologetics class geared especially for church leadership. I am not talking about focusing on the same stuff that has been done to death such as how to witness to Mormons & JWs, though that is certainly important. What I am suggesting is for churches to avail themselves of a discernment ministry in their own area and ask them to come in and teach a Bible study in discernment at least monthly, if not weekly, and highlight heretical teahcings that are inside the churches along with those outside in the cults. Many pastors do not have the time to keep up on the latest things to avoid in Christianity, so it makes sense to ask those who have done the research and know the topic area to come in and (1) teach the basics of discernment and (2) keep the leadership informed so they will be aware of what maybe filteriing into their congregations. I have seen this implemented in some churches with great benefits. One of the first benefits is to watch those in the Berean class grow to maturity in Christ. The idea is ... "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fulness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming." (Eph. 4:12-14)
The Biblical definition of maturity in Christ is to be taught to discern the difference between good and evil. "But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil." (Heb 5:14)
There are so many false teachers, false prophets, false apostles and false "Christs" around today and every Christian has had at least minimal exposure to them. Yet they are leaven that we are to get them away from the bread of the body of Christ or else become leavened with false teaching. We are to "purge out the old leaven" of liberalism and sin (1 Cor. 5:7) as well as get rid of the leaven of legalism (Gal. 5:9). That means we have to keep ourselves informed because we do not want to be unaware of Satan's schemes (2 Cor. 2:11). Let us never forget the repeated warnings from Jesus Christ to avoid being deceived (Luke 21:8, Mark 8:15, 13:6, 22). Paul commended the Bereans for checking what he was teaching with what is written in the Word (Acts 17:11) daily. How much more then must we understand what the servants of the enemy are teaching and be ready to demolish arguments and strongholds established by false teaching. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Cor. 10:4-5).
So I am offering the services or the myriad of good biblical discernment ministries, as listed on my site, to help your church leadership to be armed and dangerous in the war against false teaching. Let us be good soldiers in Christ, not backing down from a fight, but standing up for the truth in love. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (2 Tim. 2:3) Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. (Eph. 4:15)
To speak the truth in love you must know what truth is and how to counter the arguments of the enemy and protect your family and your church. --- We continue to be in need of your help financially. Please consider ordering one of our products or making a donation. As always, you can see the DITC e-Newsletter archive here and sign up to receive this newsletter or unsubscribe there as well. |
Inside
the Insider Movement and More | by Gary Gilley Think On These Things August/September 2010 - Volume 16, Issue 4
There are wide differences of definition and application within
the Insider Movements; the above has merely been an introduction to the
discussion. At stake however is whether, and to what degree, an individual
can remain within his former false religion and still legitimately be considered
a disciple of Christ. While certain cultural and traditional practices
can be viewed as neutral, certainly the core issues such as the gospel,
Scripture, the identity of God and the person and work of Christ cannot
be compromised.
Click here to read this article!
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The Temporal
Delusion - Part 1 | by The Berean Call, 9/1/10
Kingdom-Dominionism took on a new form in the 1940s in Saskatchewan,
Canada. An alleged spiritual revival broke out that spawned the "Manifest
Sons of God," or, more commonly, the Latter Rain Movement. The eschatology
of this movement shifted from the dispensational view, which is the Rapture
of the church followed by seven years of tribulation and ending with Armageddon.
The movement promoted a more "positive," even triumphant, scenario, looking
for God to pour out His Spirit in a great worldwide revival, which would
produce "Manifest Sons of God," a.k.a. Joel's Army. These would be believers,
continually filled with the Spirit, who would manifest the same signs and
wonders that Jesus did and would judge and conquer the world as they ushered
in the 1,000-year reign of Christ.
Click here to view this article!
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The
Next Great Awakening. . . . or Great Deadening? - Part 1: Rallying Around
the Seven Mountains
| by Herescope, 8/27/10
In defending his recent activities with Glenn Beck, David Barton
wrote "By Their Fruits," in which he explained his belief that "no one
has yet been to point to any instance where Glenn has attacked or undermined
Christ or Christianity on any of his programs." He then suggests that Beck
is a Christian (Glenn is a Mormon), by asking "Is God using Glenn to help
recover our national strength and health, both politically and spiritually?
If so, why would God be using him?" Apparently Barton doesn't consider
Glenn's denial of Jesus Christ as the ONLY way to heaven (salvation) as
bad fruit. If this is Barton's attitude about working with Glenn Beck,
then it is no wonder that he has no moral, ethical or spiritual cognitive
dissonance when working with Lance Wallnau, who is also openly promoting
another gospel. These leaders of Dominionism who are fervidly patriotic
seem to have gone into as much error as those Emergent leaders who are
embracing the contemplatives. Each group is going back to the faulty foundations
of historical traditions and human wisdom to build their new doctrinal
structures. Like the Emergent/Contemplatives who direct us back to the
Desert Fathers instead of the original Apostles, these patriotic Dominionists
point back to the Founding Fathers rather than honoring the Creator, God
Almighty, through repentance, and by delivering the true Gospel. Click here to read this article!
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The
Two Mysteries
| by Pastor Bill Randles, 9/1/10
The very essence of Biblical spirituality is this, God had to come
down to us, in the flesh, God became a man, to save us from sin. The very
antithesis of Biblical spirituality is this Mystery of Iniquity, this principle
of man ascending up unto God's class. The polarization of Christians along
these lines is upon us, and the choice is becoming increasingly stark!
In closing, Jesus poses a question which I believe is directed to the last
generation of believers, that on the one hand, to some incurs serious heart
searching, but on the other hand, to the "new breed," the question is almost
irrelevant in the light of the great and mighty "revival" of signs, wonders
and power sweeping the earth. The question is: "Will the Son of Man find
faith when He comes to the earth?" Click here to read this article!
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May the Lord bless you as you continue to be a Berean!
In His hands,
Sandy Simpson
Apologetics Coordination Team
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