“Deeper knowledge of the truth of God requires knowledge of earlier simpler truths without which the deeper truths will never be revealed.” – John Walvoord. He made that statement in the context of biblical end-times prophecy and the reluctance for some people to accept what the Bible declares God will bring to pass in the end-times. At this point, may it also help us as God’s people to understand why members of various cults and false religions under Christianity’s banner so-called, don’t readily accept our message, the true gospel of Jesus Christ, when we proclaim it to them. They don’t, not so much because they won’t, but because they can’t.
For example, if you’re wondering why Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons have such convoluted doctrines (including end-times theology), it’s because they deny Jesus Christ is God Almighty Incarnate. And whilst I have no desire to downgrade that glorious reality to the realm of “simpler truths”, the simple fact is, those who deny it get no truths from God, let alone “deeper truths.” So when they come knocking at the door the first thing to remind ourselves without verbalizing it is, “God is with me, not with you. You don’t speak for God; you can’t. I speak for God; I can.” Arrogant? Not at all. Whoever denies the Son (Jesus’ deity) does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also 1 John 2:23.
Worse: Because they reject the true gospel message they reject God also, the One whom they say they represent. He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me Luke 10:16. It’s no wonder they deny God is a Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They have no Holy Spirit of truth within to guide them into all truth……. John 16:13. That’s the sole reason why they can’t hear the true gospel and that’s what makes arguing with them at the doorstep a fruitless exercise. In their mind, it is they who bring the truth to us, not us to them. My usual practice when they come knocking therefore, is to get them to read from their own Bible translation, the answer to my (limited to 1 or 2) questions.
Jehovah’s Witness example: For in Him (Jesus) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily Colossians 2:9. Their translation has been changed to read very differently, so I then ask them to read my translation. On the spot they will deny my translation is correct after having read it, but that’s okay; they’ve read it, the Holy Spirit wrote it so it’s now up to Him to do what He will to them with it. Next, I might ask them to read Revelation 1:8 from their Bible and tell me who it is who’s speaking?” They’ll say it’s Jehovah. Because Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End and First and Last all mean the same, I then ask them to read Revelation 1:17-18; 22:12-17. With these latter Scriptures they’ll see it’s Jesus speaking. Again, it’s now up to the Holy Spirit to reveal.
Before terminating the meeting, I give a short testimony of how I encountered Jesus Christ through two on-the-spot healings, and then briefly explain why the need to be reborn spiritually. I rarely see Mormons, but I do similar things with them. Like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, these people interpret passages from the Bible according to their preconceived theology – in this case the Book of Mormon, primarily. They don’t build from the Bible. Whilst treating such people with respect, I ignore whatever they have to say from their books and writings; the Bible is my starting and finishing point always, so I get to that first. To their mind our Bible translations are perverted, but no matter, if they read Scriptures from mine, the Holy Spirit can do the rest in His time.
Praise and thank God it’s not our job to convert people, but simply proclaim truth to them. There is only one reason those in cults and false religions can’t receive truth; they are spiritually dead. That was Nicodemus’ problem. He wasn’t a cultist but neither could he figure Jesus out until he humbly responded to Jesus’ word to him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God…… unless one is born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God….. Do not marvel that I said to you, You must be born again John 3:1-16. If members of cults and false religions are sincere about truth and cry out for it, Jesus will reveal Himself; they will repent, become born again and serve Him as Savior and Lord.
Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit they become tenacious servants too and fearless in the face of opposition. In fact that’s a remarkable attribute in cultists before they get born again. Like the Jews of old, they already have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge Romans 10:2. Let the Holy Spirit reveal the knowledge and truth of Jesus Christ to them and they’ll go at it with all spiritual guns blazing. For I delivered to you first of all that which I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. Sadly, Scriptures such as this often become ho hum in the heart of Christians. Not so with these people.
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has dawned Isaiah 9:2. Those from cults and false religions who’ve been delivered out of spiritual darkness into spiritual light have no interest in arguing the theology of that truth, they’re too busy living the reality of it. So much so, it becomes their desire that all would come to experience it. “How very different my life is now,” they’ll say. “No more darkness, no more night……… Praise the Lord, I saw the light.” I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life John 8:2. They won’t argue that one either! As for, You are the light of the world…. Matthew 5:14, they’ll not keep it hidden.
One of the sad things with the institutional church system is its lack of appreciation for the “simpler truths.” Those associated with it know Jesus is the light of the world, they’ve been hearing that for years. But many there are, sitting in the same pew week in week out, Bibles closed and arms folded! And to be told they too are the light of the world (that’s if they are told) goes in one ear and out the other! Take one of those with you out onto the streets and into the devil’s playground and you’ll wish you hadn’t. But take a born again one formerly from a cult or a false religion with you and the devil shudders twice without you even speaking a word! “Your gospel and your Christ are so out of date,” the arrogant say. Yeah? Let us knock on your door.
When two people, one from the devil’s playground and one from an institutional church system are together, there’s often no way of telling who’s who. They could talk all day enjoying one another’s company, but nothing of Jesus will come from the mouth of the institutional church person. For most, once they believe their soul is eternally secure that’s where appreciation for truth stops, “simpler” or otherwise. So God bless the born again ones formerly from cults and false religions! Whether we believe it or not, these are the people who will not only take the gospel up to the gates of hell here on earth, they’ll kick those gates in and go grab a few off hell’s highway right in the face of Satan and there’s nothing he can do about it. How’s that for a “deeper” truth!
Not all from institutional churches are happy to settle for “simpler truths”. There are those who would love the chance to grasp “the deeper truths” but for various reasons (family, work, health, time, finance) they’re hindered. Their greatest hindrance however is church leadership. Especially is this so with them wanting to learn more about Bible prophecy, the Rapture of the Church and the end-times. They might for example, want to learn what Old Testament Ezekiel, Daniel and New Testament Revelation says about such times. They see what’s going on in the Middle East and beyond, but when they ask their leaders about it, they get answers like, “It’s a controversial topic; there’s a variety of teachings on it.” Is that a religious way of saying, “I don’t know.”?
For you whose desire this is, ask the Lord to deliver you by way of a book, DVD, CD or Internet, some plain-sense teaching on the matter. Don’t go chasing it; let God bring it to you. A grand promise: we are blessed twice when we read or hear Revelation’s words. No other Bible book offers such a promise, which means God doesn’t bless confusion or “cleverness” here. Trusting in the Holy Spirit as Teacher, let Revelation interpret itself as you study, and “the deeper truths” will be revealed in God’s time. The same applies for Ezekiel, Daniel etc. That’s what I do and since we know God is no respecter of persons Acts 10:34, He’ll do the same for you too – guaranteed! Buy the truth and do not sell it, also wisdom and instruction and understanding Proverbs 23: 23. It is the (Holy) Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth 1 John 5:6.