Wrong Doctrines: By James Lantz
It is very necessary to know the elementary doctrines of Christ so that we do not embrace wrong doctrines. God’s word clarifies the six fundamental doctrines for the church to become established in. Hebrews 6:1&2 . . . the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. The only way we enter the kingdom of God is with a repentant heart which acknowledges our lost and hopeless condition without Christ. Upon believing and confessing that Jesus is the Christ and the Lord of our life we are immersed by the Spirit into the body of Christ. Upon becoming a child of God we are commanded to be baptized in water and to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Additional baptisms are mentioned such as the baptism of fire. Laying on of hands is the fourth principal doctrine of Christ mentioned and yet many look at this as a side issue. Resurrection of the dead includes our being resurrected with Christ and eventually having our vile physical body being gloriously remade to be just like our Masters. Phil. 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. 1 Thess. 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: The last of Christ’ fundamental doctrines for His church that are mentioned in Hebrews six reveal the finality of God’s righteous judgement. Heb. 9:27
Know The Truth And Avoid Destruction!
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: There will be no leniency, no appeal for a new trial, no second chance, no such place as purgatory, only what is just and right for how we responded to God’s most gracious offer of eternal life through Jesus Christ. John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. There will be a different judgement for the believer than for the unbeliever, but everyone will be held accountable for what they did or didn’t do with our Lord’s commands during their time on earth. 2 Cor. 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. 2 Cor. 5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. Those who don’t want to obey and serve God with all their hearts tend to put God out of their thoughts or choose wrong beliefs that fit their loose and disobedient lifestyle.
The Spirit of God warns us that in the latter times some will depart from the faith believing wrong doctrines! 1 Tim. 4:1-3 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. Departing from the faith is as bad as it gets because we are saved through believing the Truth! 1 Cor. 15:1&2 YLT And I make known to you, brethren, the good news that I proclaimed to you, which also ye did receive, in which also ye have stood, through which also ye are being saved, in what words I proclaimed good news to you, if ye hold fast, except ye did believe in vain,
Perhaps one of the most damnable doctrines that is prominent today is the doctrine of once saved always saved. This teaching goes against the very nature and character of how God views sin and how He dealt with rebellion in the past and what He has declared in this New Covenant. God, in His righteousness, had Lucifer and one third of the angels expelled from heaven when they rebelled against Him. God’s tremendous love and desire for His man Adam and His girl Eve could not overlook their act of betrayal and righteous judgement was made. The penalty for their sin was spiritual death which separated them from their Father, God. The curse of the law came on them immediately which is spiritual death, sickness, and poverty. The Lord destroyed those of Israel who refused to believe to go all the way with Him after He delivered them from Egyptian bondage. Jude 1:5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. Some would say that it is different for those who have become new creatures in Christ because we have become one spirit with the Lord. This most gracious gift of forgiveness of sins and raising us from the dead with Christ is above and beyond what anyone could have asked, thought or imagined but Father God has not ceased to be the Almighty! God exalted the name of Jesus above every name that is named but not above Himself. (John 10:29 & John 14:28 & Eph.4:6 & 1 Cor. 15:27) No sin can be in the presence of the Almighty because light dispels darkness! Jesus Himself was cut off from the
How Can Light And Darkness Live Together?
Father when He became sin for us! Mark 15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, . . . My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? There is no inkling of God embracing any sin ever! God’s grace is an empowerment through Jesus Christ to walk free from the grip of sin! Rom. 5:21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. Each time we receive communion we are to examine ourselves so that we not eat of the bread and drink of the cup of the Lord irreverently and bring judgement on ourselves. God graciously gives us opportunity to judge ourselves and repent so that we not be condemned with the unbelievers of this world. If we refuse to acknowledge our sin, God in His mercy, passes judgement, which allows the destroyer to destroy our flesh giving us opportunity to turn back to Him in repentance before it is too late. 1 Cor 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
– Jesus declared that everyone in Him who refused to bear fruit would be cut off by the Father!
John 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Rev. 21:6-8 . . . I will give unto him that is a thirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
– Peter writes how judgement will be worse to those who received the truth and then turn away
2 Peter 2:20&21 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
- Paul writes to those who came out of Judism and gave their life to Jesus not to turn back!
It is impossible for a christian who experiences the following five things and then fall away to ever be able to come to that place of repentance again because there would be no more forgiveness for them without Jesus being crucified again and that is never going to happen.
1. They recognize their need of salvation.
2. They receive Jesus as their Lord!
3. They receive the Holy Spirit!
4. They mature enough to eat the meat of God’s word!
5. They taste of the gifts of the Spirit!
Heb. 6:4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb. 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb. 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.
The whole book of Hebrews was written to warn God’s people not to turn back or fall away but rather recognize the magnitude and the greatness of Christ’ salvation! Immediately after mentioning eternal judgement the Spirit of God through Paul clarifies that christians are not going to be able to fall away accidentally in a babyhood stage but only by refusing to continue in faith. Heb. 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. Our Lord has said that He will never leave us nor forsake us nor will He extinguish a smoldering wick. Mt. 12:20 A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.
Our responsibility as ministers of the gospel is to tell people the truth exactly as God’s word says and not try to add to God’s goodness nor take away from His severity on the disobedient. Romans 11:22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. Some would say, God’s ways are too hard, but they are not looking at things correctly. The truth of the matter is that we were down for the count and with out Christ we were going to be spending eternity in hell. Jesus did not come to condemn us but we were already condemned through Adam’s sin. John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Jesus did not come preaching repentance just to bring social reform to us, He preached that we needed to repent and believe the gospel so that we could enter the kingdom of God. Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. No, living for God is not hard!
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light!
Living without hope of eternal life, without peace and joy, without our heavenly Father’s provision and loving protection, that’s what is hard! If you are not experiencing the peace and joy that Christ gives you can place your trust in Him today. Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
A Prayer For Salvation! Dear God: Please forgive me of all my sins. I believe that you sent Jesus from heaven to die on the cross and raised Him from the dead so that I might be saved. I receive Jesus as my Lord and Savior today. Thank you for saving me!
Pro. 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
Children of God confess their sin! 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Four Steps of repentance for the christian who sins!
- Acknowledge your sin! ( Refusing to acknowledge your sin does not mean the God doesn’t see. )
- Godly sorrow! ( with or without tears ) ( Sometimes we may need to ask others to forgive us )
- Confess your sin and stop it! (correct sins of omission) (Ask your Pastor for help if necessary)
- Build in a stopper so that you don’t do it again! ( This could mean confessing it publicly, staying away from certain people, places, or things, building yourself up in faith through the word & prayer )
Fifteen ways to dishonor the Lord, dishonor your Pastor, and ensure that Satan has continual access into your life!
- Pay no attention to God’s word, consider it to be unimportant and void of power!
- Resist all of the Holy Spirit’s impressions and thoughts that He brings to your mind!
- Resist those who are in authority over you!
- Do not bring God His tenth (the tithe)!
- Stay away from church so as not to be exposed to the anointed word and His anointing!
- Refuse to get involved with God’s prosperity plan (sowing offerings and reaping increase)!
- Pursue your carnal desires with all your might so that you have no time to serve in the church!
- Do your work half heartily because you know you are not getting paid what you are really worth.
- Withhold your love!
- Be quick to judge others because they should know better!
- Complain to others so your bitterness can spill over unto them.
- Keep account of all the wrongs that you perceive others have done to you.
- Continually worry about how in the world you are going to make it through your problems!
- Keep your mind tuned to the music of this world until your soul is totally sold out to the ways of this world!
- Always excuse yourself for not doing what God said because nobody else has it as hard as you do!
Fifteen ways to honor the Lord, honor your Pastor, and honor the body of Christ by closing the door to the devil and taking hold of the blessing of the Lord!
1 Sam. 2:30 . . . them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
Heb. 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.
Pro. 16:7 When a man’s ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
1. Follow God’s directions for they will cause you to succeed and abound with blessing!
Pro. 4:20-22 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Mt. 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.
Ps. 33:4 For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.
Heb. 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
2. By following the Holy Spirit’s leading we will accomplish our mission and receive great reward!
Pro. 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Rom. 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
3. It was God who established parents, leaders, and governments to protect us!
Rom. 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.
Col. 3:12 Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye service, as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God.
1 Pet. 2:13&14 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise . . .
4. The tithe is about honor and access!
Mal. 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
Mt. 23:23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Heb. 7:8 And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
5. Submitting to God’s word and those He appoints is submitting to God Himself!
Eph. 4:11&12 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
John 13:20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
Heb. 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
6. Offerings are a way for us to show our love and to establish the measure that God can multiply back to us!
Pro. 11:24 There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
2 Cor. 9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
Mark 4:26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
7. Walk in the spirit and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh!
Rom. 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Rom. 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
Heb. 12:1. . . lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race . .
8. Work whole heartily as unto the Lord because it is from the Lord that we receive the reward of the inheritance!
Col. 3:23&24 … heartily, as to the Lord, . . . ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
1 Cor. 3:8 … planteth and watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
Ps. 75:6&7 For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
9. Love one another as Jesus has loved us!
Jn. 13:34 A new commandment I give …, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
1 Peter 4:8 NLT Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.
1 John 3:23 . . . believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
10. Judge not that you be not judged!
Mt. 7:2 NLT . . . as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.
Rom. 2:1 YLT Therefore, thou art inexcusable, O man–every one who is judging–for in that in which thou dost judge the other, thyself thou dost condemn, for the same things thou dost practise who art judging,
Jam 2:13 … he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
11. Abound with thanksgiving and stay rooted and built up in Christ!
Phil. 2:14 NLT Do everything without complaining and arguing,
Ps. 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
1 Cor. 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thess. 5:18 NLT Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
12. Forgive others knowing that the Lord has graciously forgiven you all of you sins and short comings!
Mt. 18:28 YLT . . . and having laid hold, he took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that which thou owest.
Mt. 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
Eph. 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us
13. Trust in the Lord because He is your good shepherd!
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Rom. 4:19 . . . he considered not his own body now dead, . . . neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb:
Phil. 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
14. Meditate and speak God’s word through out your day so you will be thinking and doing the Father’s will!
Ps. 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. ( also Joshua 1:8 )
Phil. 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
15. We are not of those who draw back and suffer loss and destruction!
1 Cor. 10:13 NLT The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. … tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
1 Pet. 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing …
Mt. 5:48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Mk. 8:34 . . . Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
Rev. 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
