| (Copyright 2023) by Zac Poonen (Bangalore, India) |
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| Jesus and the apostles repeatedly warned that the last days would be characterized by widespread deception and a multitude of false prophets (Matt.24:3-5,11,24; 1 Tim.4:1) – and we have seen plenty of them in the last few decades. “Jesus is the Mediator of a NEW covenant and HE is our Example and the Author of our faith today – not David or Elijah.” Why are millions of Christians deceived by these false prophets and these counterfeit “revivals”? And why are so many preachers falling prey to immorality and greed? Here are some of the main causes: Most Christians today are not aware of what the New Testament teaches, because they have not studied it carefully; and so, they follow the teachings of their leaders and not the teachings of the New Testament. Miracles (supernatural gifts) have become more important to them than their character (a godly life). Material wealth has become more important to them than spiritual wealth. They are unable to distinguish between soulish frenzy or psychological manipulation, and the genuine moving of the Holy Spirit. The cause for this again is ignorance of the New Testament. They are unable to distinguish between psychosomatic healing (healing that comes by right attitudes of the mind), and supernatural healing in Jesus’ name. Emotional excitement and strange physical manifestations have become more important to them than the inward joy of the Lord. For the leaders, their ministry to people has become more important than their inner walk with God. The approval of men has become more important to these leaders than the approval of God. The number of people attending the meetings has become more important to these leaders than whether those people are totally committed to Christ. Building their personal kingdoms and their financial empires have become more important to these leaders than building a local church and making themselves servants in that local church “From the least of them to the greatest, everyone is greedy for gain; and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. (Jeremiah 6:13). All this is the VERY OPPOSITE of what Jesus taught. The opposite of Christ is called the “anti-Christ” in the New Testament. If Christians do not see this clearly, then when the Antichrist turns up on the world’s stage, with his false signs and wonders (2 Thess.2:3-10), they too will blindly accept him. To be led by the Spirit of Christ is to have the very opposite spirit to that mentioned in the points above. Here is a paraphrase of Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:13-27 (read in the context of Matthew Chapters 5 to 7): “Both the gate and the way to ETERNAL LIFE are very narrow – as I have just described (Matthew 5 to 7). But false prophets will come along and tell you that the gate and way are not narrow but easy and broad. Beware of them. You will be able to identify them easily by observing the fruit of their character: Do they live a life free from anger, free from lusting after women, free from the love of money and free from anxiously seeking after material wealth (as worldly people seek)? Do they preach against these things as I have done here? (Matt.5:21-32 and 6:24-34). These false prophets may exercise many supernatural gifts and do miracles and actually heal people in My name, but I will still send them all to hell in the final day, because they did not know Me (as THE HOLY ONE) and they did not give up sin in their private lives (Matt.7:21-23). So, if you want to build a church on a rock that will never shake or fall in time or eternity, be careful to do all that I have just spoken to you (Matt. 5 to 7) and teach your people to do all that I have commanded you too. Then I will be with you always and My authority will always back you (Matt.28:20, 18). But if you only hear what I say and don’t do it, then what you build may look like a large and impressive church to men, but it will surely crumble and fall one day (Matt.7:27).” How then shall we build an unshakeable church in these last days? We must live the sermon on the mount (Matthew 5 to 7) and preach it constantly. We must live in the new covenant and not in the old covenant. For this, we must know the difference between the two covenants clearly (2 Cor.3:6). We must also preach the new covenant. When preachers fall into serious sin today, they justify themselves by (and find their comfort in) the examples of Old Testament saints who also fell into sin. And then they re-commence their ministry after a period of silence. They quote the examples of David who committed adultery, and Elijah who got depressed, and they say, “But God still used them”! But they won’t quote the example of Paul who lived in victory and purity until the end of his life. What these preachers (and most Christians) have not seen is that the Old Testament saints are NOT our examples today. We have been given much more in this age of grace – and “to whom more is given, more is required” (Luke 12:48). Jesus is the Mediator of a NEW covenant, and HE is our Example and the Author of our faith today – not David or Elijah. The distinction between the Old Testament saints (listed in Hebrews 11) and Jesus, is made very clear in Hebrews 12:1-4. But very few live in the reality of this. Very few have seen that “God has provided something BETTER for us” in the new covenant (Heb.11:40). Any of us can fall in the way that many preachers have fallen if we are not watchful and alert – for Satan is a cunning enemy. Our safety lies in obeying New Testament teaching exactly and in submitting to godly leadership. (And by “godly” leadership, I mean those who do not have even one of the wrong values listed in the ten points I mentioned earlier). If we learn from the mistakes of others, we can avoid making the same mistakes ourselves. So let us keep our faces in the dust before the Lord at all times – for it is there that we will receive Divine revelation, as John did (Rev.1:17). If we humble ourselves, we will receive grace to be overcomers (1 Pet.5:5). And when the Holy Spirit shows us the truth in God’s Word and the truth about ourselves, let us be totally honest and “love the truth, so as to be saved” from all sin. That way we will be protected by God Himself from all deception (2 Thess. 2:10,11). Amen. —————————————————————————————————- See Zac Poonens other articles at: Poonen, Zac – Church of God, Bismarck (church-of-god-bismarck.org) Reprinted with permission from: Christian Fellowship Church https://www.cfcindia.com/ —————————————————————————————————- |
| Iron Sharpening Iron In regard to: Counterfeit Revival Article by Zac Poonen Comments by Darwin & Laura Lee (Bismarck, North Dakota) |
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| II will agree with you that there are many false preachers (teachers) out there now days, however if you know what your bible says, hopefully you will not be fooled by them. Generally, I believe many of your articles are spot on, but this one, not so much. The New Testament is just as important as the Old Testament or the Bible would not be considered the inspired word of God. What I don’t understand is why so many people want to pretty much get rid of the Old Testament and build their entire belief system only around the New Testament. Maybe you have some insight on that. Technically if you do not understand the Old Testament then you will never fully understand the New Testament because the Old Testament is the foundation of the New Testament. After all would you pick up a book other than the bible and read the last four chapters and tell yourself you don’t have to read the first ten chapters because you have all you need to know from the last four chapters. Of course, you would not read any other book that way because you would not know what is going on or how they came to the conclusion they did in the last four chapters. So why do you study the most important book in the world that way? God’s law is in the Old Testament and that did not change with the New Testament. All of God’s law is to be kept and the law is all still in effect except for the animal sacrifices which will be brought back in when Christ returns. That is talked about in Ezekiel. The first five books of the Old Testament are considered the books of the law. In the New Testament, Christ himself says the following: Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. Mat 5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. What law do you believe Christ is talking about here? He is talking about His Law and His Law is all listed in the Old Testament. There is nothing burdensome about the Law of God. Here’s the thing, Christ fulfilled the law by keeping it himself and by being crucified and resurrected for us so we can live. He did not die so we could continue to sin. What Christ did was take away the death penalty for sin. On this earth today there are people defunding the police and letting criminals out on the street. Do you see what happens when there is no law or anyone to enforce the law? People just go out and commit as many criminal offences as possible with little or no consequence. Read verse 18 where it clearly says, “Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law.” Have heaven and earth gone anywhere or are they still here. If heaven and earth are still here then so is the Law of God still here. All people sin, David was no different than Paul and Paul was no different than David in the area of sin. The difference between the Old Testament (Covenant) and the New Testament (Covenant) is that very few people were ever given God’s Holy Spirit for one thing and even some that were only had it for a short time in order to fulfill something that God wanted done. God’s Holy Spirit was given on the first Pentecost after Christ was resurrected. And even since then, it is only given to those that God is calling now. The Holy Spirit is what helps us keep the Law of God. Another difference between the old and the new is that with the old if you murdered someone you committed a sin but with the new if you just think about murdering someone you have sinned. What the new covenant is, is made clear in Jerimiah 31:31-33. Jer 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Jer 31:32 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: Jer 31:33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. Those who have God’s Holy Spirit will be keeping God’s Law which includes a Saturday Sabbath, and all the Annual Holy Days as listed in the Law of God in Leviticus 23. You will not find God’s people keeping Easter, Christmas or any of those Pagan Days which are a part of most of Christianity today. I hope I have given you something to think about. Start at the beginning of your bible so you have the foundation for the New Testament when you get there and it will open up a whole new and wonderful world to you. |
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