Exhorting his people, “not to follow after false forms of Christianity,” the pastor said to them, “There is more false Christianity in the world than true Christianity. There are more false representatives of Christ than true ones. There are more false Christians than true Christians.” The question to ask is, how can we avoid being caught up in this? Answer: Stick to the plain-sense meanings of all Biblical Scripture. Of all the false forms of Christianity practiced, is there any worse than that which makes the Scriptures say what God never intended them to say?
I am not suggesting that all people whose practice this is are false representatives of Christ and I am not suggesting those who sit under them are all false Christians, but I am saying that if we want to avoid the dangers of becoming such, we must stick to the plain-sense meanings of Scripture. We may not win the respect of fellow Christians for our stand, but we will win the respect of the Trinity of God. Jesus stuck to the plain-sense meanings of the Old Testament Scriptures and the apostles and writers of the New Testament did the same. Take “marriage” for example. Everybody knew what it meant and who it was restricted to – one man and one woman at one time Genesis 2:24; Mark 10:7-9.
The same applies to “abusers of themselves with mankind” 1 Corinthians 6:9 KJV. Everybody knew that spoke of same-sex practice, a sin God called an abomination. It was not an unforgivable sin by any means, but to receive forgiveness, those practicing it had to see it as God sees it and turn from it. Nobody dared overlook the plain-sense meaning of that if they wanted God to forgive them, wash them from it and get released from it. Any preacher of that day who stood before the people with the intention of ignoring the plain-sense meanings of God’s word on these matters would be thrust from their midst immediately. Why doesn’t this happen today? This is the age of grace; but God is making a note of it all for the Day of Judgment.
Same-sex marriage and the possibility of it being legislated into law very soon is the primary topic of for most people here in Australia presently. And although we have no true idea of what Australian church leaders are telling their people about this, I am hearing that some have said nothing so far. One pastor told his church, “I will be voting, but I’m not going to tell you which way I’ll vote.” If that man hasn’t the guts to stand up and declare God’s word to his people on the matter, he is a false representative of Christ, not a true one. There is every chance he has more false Christians in his church than true Christians because he is the one making them so. If they will not endure sound doctrine 2 Timothy 4:3 it is because he will not.
I hear of another church whose leadership has remained silent altogether so far on the matter and nobody from the congregation has brought it to their attention publicly. This church doesn’t surprise me however, for although they may not ignore the plain-sense meanings of the Scriptures, being willing to compromise them has all too often been their practice in the past, hoping it’ll all go away! And for those who have been unwilling to remain silent, they have been told to go away. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind 2 Timothy 1:7. There is no such reality or blessing for the individual or group that compromises the Scriptures or ignores their plain-sense meanings.
How about this for a false representative of Christ: one who is hell-bent on ignoring the plain-sense meanings of Scripture to suit his Leftist, devil-inspired beliefs. An Anglican priest here, one among scores of “priests” elsewhere in the world, says sodomy is not about homosexuality. He says, “The sin of Sodom is greatly misunderstood by those who usually choose to do so, it has nothing to do with homosexuality, it is all about hospitality, or more to the point lack thereof, and particularly about the condition of the heart that leads to inhospitable behavior.” The context of Genesis 19:1-11 makes it very clear what the men of Sodom wanted. If it was merely hospitality they were seeking, why did Lot refuse their demand for the men (angels) and offer his two daughters instead?
If it was merely hospitality the men of Sodom were seeking, why the violence? Why was it they came near to break down the door! ? Better still. Why did the two angels strike those Sodomites with blindness? Why was it that the LORD rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, from the LORD out of the heavens Genesis 19:24? As far as the city of Sodom is concerned, it was because God couldn’t find any righteous people living there! And, if that Anglican priest doesn’t fall to his knees and humble himself before God and repent of his unrighteousness and his mishandling of Scripture, the lake of fire and brimstone awaits him at the Great White Throne Judgment, as it does for all who treat the word of God the way he has Revelation 20:10, 15.
One popular pastor here in Melbourne has made it very clear where he stands on this same-sex marriage matter: “The truth is, those of us who are gay or lesbian are wired differently from those of us who are not. Homosexual longing is as natural to some as heterosexual longing is to others.” Only a person willing to ignore the plain-sense meanings of Scripture could come up with a statement like that. Homosexual people are not “wired differently.” I wonder if he would say the same of fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, thieves, the covetous, drunkards, revilers and extortioners 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. They’re all lumped in with homosexuals in that Scripture, and unless they all repent of their sins, they will not inherit the kingdom of God.
When church leaders speak in terms of people being “wired differently” they do not speak the language of God, they speak the language of human psychology. In other words, they minister from the natural realm, not the supernatural realm. Those ministering from the latter do so under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Like all unredeemed sinners, the single most problem homosexuals and lesbians have is spiritual, not mental, so only the Holy Spirit is qualified to help them, which is why genuine repentance before God is so very necessary if one wants to be set free once and for all from their problem. Sadly, many Christians don’t want to be set free, which explains why sin is as rampant in the church as it is out of it.
This pastor is a false representative of Christ and going by his popularity it would appear he has false Christians supporting him. What is it Jesus said about the blind leading the blind Matthew 15:14? “Alas, for the blind teachers, who not only destroy their own souls, but those also of their flocks! Like priest, like people. If the minister be ignorant, he cannot teach what he does not know; and the people cannot become wise unto salvation under such a ministry – he is ignorant and wicked, and they are profligate…… But shall not the poor deceived people escape? No: both shall fall into the pit of perdition together; for they should have searched the Scriptures, and not trusted to the ignorant sayings of corrupt men, no matter of what sect or party……” Adam Clarke.
A spirit of depravity increasingly permeates our land and much of the church remains silent as a dormouse about it. Why is that? When one makes it their ongoing practice to ignore the plain-sense meanings of Scripture they have no spiritual power or spiritual authority when needed the most. So what else can one do but remain silent? False representatives of Christ and false Christians may consider themselves clever and deeply spiritual by making the Scriptures say whatever they want them to say when things are running along smoothly, but even some in the unbelieving world are beginning to see through them now. They don’t know the Bible but they do know right from wrong when they see it and they’re speaking out about the wrong!
False forms of Christianity will be running alongside the true form until the Lord Jesus Christ returns finally to deal with it. The same goes for false representatives of Christ and false Christians. And the exhorting pastor is right; there are more of these people in the church than there is the real deal, which has been the case since about 300 AD. There’s no excuse for anyone in this day and age though; God has given each of us everything we need to help us interpret the Scriptures correctly. All that’s required is a hunger and thirst for righteousness and God will fill us with it Matthew 5:6. By the way, outside of the Bible, the Lord God has nothing to say to us. Stick to the plain-sense meanings of Scripture. If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free John 8:31-32.