Recently I viewed a Reverend on You Tube speaking of Jesus. The Jesus she spoke of however, is not the Jesus revealed to us in the Bible. This was no surprise to me though given the increasing disrespect many Reverends have for the Bible these days, but had I been there, still my challenge to her would be, which Jesus are you speaking of? Where did you get this theology from? To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them Isaiah 8:20. What word? The word of God revealed solely from the Bible!
New Christians, this post is written especially for you. Avoid Reverends and others like them who do not limit themselves to the Bible when speaking of Jesus. Fail to avoid them and soon you will be deceived by them, as they are deceived. Jesus warns: Take heed that no one deceives you Matthew 24:4. The apostle Paul warns: Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partakers with them Ephesians 5:6-7. Those who speak outside the Bible speak with empty words! But evil men and imposters will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived 2 Timothy 3:13. Many such Reverends come into churches for one purpose – to drive the biblical Jesus and His truth out!
How do they set about doing that? Easy; they present a Jesus who is always on your side; an understanding Jesus who is everything you want him to be. You can be a liar, a thief, a sex pervert, a pedophile, you can be given to all sorts of addictions, perversions and violence, but no matter, this loving, tolerant, non-judgmental Jesus loves you too, just the way you are. Unlike the biblical Jesus, there is no requirement for a spiritual rebirth. This Jesus is all about heaven, everybody gets to heaven when they “pass.” Hell is never in the vocabulary of this Jesus; there is no such place to him. There’s no eternal lake of fire to end up in either, so there is no judgment for you to fear. So, when “a fundamentalist” Christian quotes the biblical Jesus, he or she is preaching “hate speech.”
Where did the expression “hate speech” come from? It came from the one who fears “truth speech” – the one whom the biblical Jesus made a public spectacle of at His death and resurrection, Satan the devil, perhaps formerly known as Lucifer. How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations Isaiah 14:12. Satan is also biblically known as the accuser, but when he’s not personally accusing he uses his human emissaries, the ignorant and the gullible, but also the religionists, the atheists, the humanists, the Socialists, the Marxists and the Communists to do the job for him. How does one know which is which? It doesn’t matter, presently all of them are deceived and running from God.
The new Christian reading thus far says, “But we are not supposed to judge others.” That is true; rash, harsh, uncharitable and unforgiving judgments are wrong, as are superficial, hypocritical and self-righteous judgments. But we are called to discern and then call it for what it is. Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment John 7:24. The key is righteous judgment, judgment from God’s biblical viewpoint. That’s why the biblical Jesus was able to speak of certain people as serpents, vipers, dogs, pigs, liars, hypocrites and false prophets. The Jesus the Reverend spoke of, would never use such language; it’s offensive, it’s hurtful. “It’s hate speech!” Stay within the confines of the Bible under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and He will teach you how to judge correctly.
Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all long-suffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires (lusts), because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth and be turned aside to fables (fictions, myths) 2 Timothy 4:1-4. The Reverend on You Tube, dressed in black, was wearing a white clerical collar, one of those stiff, starched, upright things common to most Reverends. One can only assume then that when she ministers from the pulpit she dresses herself with all the additional religious garb that goes with that. What is wrong with that? It adds to the deception.
Ministers titled Reverend, dressed in religious garb are highly unlikely to be thought of as ministers of unsound doctrine, ministers who teach fables. They are likely to be thought of as highly certificated and devout men and women of God, devoted to God and the Bible. Too, they are highly likely to be thought of as being far closer to God and more favored by Him than you and I could ever be. That’s most people’s perception of them and many (not all praise God) Reverends are happy for them to have it! That’s why they can get on TV airing their thoughts and opinions on the Bible and Christianity and nobody questions them as to the soundness of what they’re saying. Those in churches who don’t bother to question, develop itching ears and return regularly to have them scratched.
As a new Christian you may be wondering where the You Tube Reverend got her theology from on the Jesus she spoke of. It may have come from her own imagination, or, that of someone else. When church ministers dismiss the call to limit themselves to the confines of the Bible they’re free to let their imaginations run wild! And when they become teachers and lecturers in Bible Colleges that’s what they pass on to their students. Students enter the College believing they’ll be studying doctrines confined to the Bible, but they’re told the Bible is only part of how one should view God. To enlarge the view they’re told they also need to study all manner of extra-biblical writings and other books and teachings such as the Koran, Eastern religions/mystics and secular Philosophy.
After 2 or 3 years of studying all that, who knows what “theology” a new Reverend is going to bring into a church! What we do know, the Bible once honored by the student will now be much less honored by him and her. That’s how false doctrines and teachings have always gotten their strong foothold into Christianity. When Reverends are in possession of low and false views of God and Jesus, members of that church will come to possess them too. But that won’t stop the former from quoting Scriptures of the Bible to support whatever it is they want to get across. They need the Bible; again, like the title “Reverend” and the religious garb, it adds to the deception! But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness 2 Timothy 2:16.
Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ Matthew 23:9-10. In the context Jesus uses the words father and teacher here, they belong to the Father and the Son alone. I would add “Reverend” to the list! It’s certainly one way Church leaders can help people shy away from developing inflated opinions of them. In the church we are all equal. Holding inflated opinions also takes away their dependence on both God the Father and Jesus. I might add, new Christian, should your church leader require you to address him or her as Reverend (or Pastor!), it could be an indication he or she is more in love with their position and title than they are with the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the Bible, “reverend” is mentioned once and refers to God alone. He sent redemption unto His people: He hath commanded His covenant for ever: holy and reverend is His name Psalm 111:9. Quote: “The name of God is holy; it is his nature, and appears in all His works; and in which He is glorious, and so is reverend; He is to be feared and reverenced by all His creatures, and among His saints, as He is by the angels in heaven.” – John Gill. Yet again, based on that explanation, “Reverend” is a title church leaders should stay clear of regardless of their qualifications and denominational traditions if for no other reasons than those mentioned above, the false perceptions. What’s wrong with using one’s own name? It was good enough for Jesus, Peter, Paul and John!
New Christians: How to know if your Reverend speaks for Jesus. Ask: Is the Bible from Genesis to Revelation the sole, inerrant, inspired word of God? Is there only one God? Is Jesus Christ God Almighty Incarnate? Is Jesus the one and only way to God? Did Jesus die on the cross for our sins? Did Jesus rise again? Will Jesus return to rule? Will the wicked face Jesus for judgment? Does hell exist? What is the significance of the blood of Jesus? What is the unforgivable sin? What does it mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit? The Reverend who does not respond with a resounding, “Yes,” to the first eight questions, and who does not explain from a biblical perspective, the last three questions, does not speak for Jesus. Jesus said to them,”Most assuredly I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” John 8:58. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever Hebrews 13:8.