© 2007, Martha K. Miller
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It's bad enough when secular humanists come against the accuracy of the Bible using their so-called scientific methods (which have a long money trail, if you know what I mean). But when those professing to be "Christians" begin to doubt the true court-worthy, eyewitness accounts of the Biblical events, then you know that the "great falling away" prophesied by Paul (2 Thess. 2:3) is in full swing.
DEFINING CHRISTIANITY
In Acts 11:26 you will see that the term "Christian" was first used as an insult toward the disciples, by those in Antioch. The term Christian (Christianos) means: "Follower of Christ" (not "little Christ"). Christianity was originally called "The Way" (not to be confused with the cult, The Way International). It's believed it was called this because of Jesus stating that He was "the way, the truth, and the life." (John 14:6).
However, Christianity is neither a "belief" nor a "religion"; it is a restored relationship between God and man, by God the Creator, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, His Son. It requires belief and faith in the God of the Bible. It requires recognition and repentance of our sins and acceptance of Jesus' sacrifice for our sins. But Christianity itself is based in factual documentation of the eyewitnesses who saw Jesus, spoke with Him, ate with Him, and saw Him die, and even raise from the dead. They saw Him, along with over 500 other witnesses (1 Cor. 15:6), walking around in the same body He died in. He still had the scars to prove it. (John 20:24-29) They also saw Him ascend into heaven. (Acts 1:3,8 )
Christian "doctrine", and instructions on how to live the Christian life are contained in the pages of the Bible, and only the Bible. I'm not saying that people can't write books and "expound" on the Bible to make it clearer to those who don't understand. But people, like the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Kenneth Copeland, Rick Warren, Brian McLaren and such the like, place their writings and teachings up as "new revelation" and equal to or superior in authority to the Bible. That's a "red flag" to identify a cult and/or a false teacher.
The definition of a cult (for this article) is anyone that teaches any doctrine contrary to the core Biblical doctrines, which are:
Anything else undermines the gospel and makes the sacrifice of Jesus of no effect, as if it was done in vain. By rejecting these truths you are rejecting Jesus (Jesus spoke of all these including the creation account and the flood). Rejecting Jesus is the epitome, or pinnacle, of pride, thus that rejection is punishable by an eternal hell (which Jesus also said was real).
CHRISTIAN UNBELIEVERS
Can someone be a professing Christian yet still be an unbeliever? Those two terms are an "oxymoron," or in direct opposite of each other, but there are professing Christians who believe they are saved, but are not. They also claim to believe the word of God (the Bible), but their lives don't show it.
For example, anyone practicing the sin of divorce (other than for the two Scriptural reasons given) is a "Christian unbeliever". By even mentioning divorce, they clearly reveal that their heart has been hardened. (Jesus said it, I didn't). They demonstrate that they are unwilling to listen to the Holy Spirit by submitting to God's word. They show no regard for the sacrifice Jesus made to give them the grace to make their marriage work. Thus, they are spitting in His face and mocking His word. Therefore, anyone who does not "deny himself, take up his cross and follow Jesus" is an unbeliever. They do not truly "believe" the word of God, or they would love it and live it. Jesus Himself said, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word." (John 14:23a). How much more plain can Jesus be?
That doesn't mean you will be perfectly sinless. Nor does it mean you will have to do penance (which is a false doctrine), or become "righteous" by your own works (another false doctrine). You can only do this by the grace of God, and God only shows grace to those with a humble heart (Prov. 3:34; Jas. 4:6) and contrite spirit (Ps. 34:18). God resists the proud (those who harden their hearts against Him) (1 Pet. 5:5). He hates a prideful heart (Prov. 6:16-19) and will stand against those who exalt themselves against Him or His word (Psalm 101:5).
THE BIBLE
If you don't have the Bible as the plumbline, you don't have true Christianity. The word of God has been tested and tried over and over for centuries (always passing each test). One major test is the Biblical prophecies. The Bible has 27% of its contents dedicated to prophecy. Jesus fulfilled 300 of the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah. To fulfill only 8 prophecies is a ratio of 1:1017; for non-mathematicians that's 1 in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000. 1 So, yes, Jesus is God and He is Messiah. And yes, the Bible is true. It is the ONLY book where specific prophecies either have come or are coming true. Prophecies in the Qur'an, the Book of Mormon, the Hindu Vedas, the Bhagavad-Gita, and the sayings of Buddha and Confucius have NEVER come true. 2 The Jehovah's Witnesses have had a 100% failure rate for 100 years with their prophecies. 3
For example, the Apostles themselves refute the prosperity doctrine (which TBN whole-heartedly supports) (1 Pet. 5:2; 2 Pet. 2:3). The Apostle Paul stated that preaching for gain is ungodly. Those who do so are proud and "destitute of the truth" (1 Tim.6:3-5). Yet, they are still preaching their heresies. Basically, these false teachers and cults are telling fairytales and teaching fables as truth. But the false teachers are not the only ones who will be punished, their followers will suffer the same fate, because they choose to believe the lies of men over the truth of God (Jer. 14:16). The Bible speaks of those who have "itching ears, heaping up for themselves teachers, turning away from the truth to fables." (1 Tim. 4:3-4) That applies to the followers choosing to believe the lies. So every Christian is responsible for studying the Bible, as the Bereans did (Acts 17:11).
Joseph Smith was a known pathological liar in his day. An eyewitness, named Peter Ingersoll testifies,
"Smith told me the whole affair was a hoax; that he had no such book and did not believe there was such a book in existence; 'But,' said he, 'as I have got the damned fools fixed, I shall carry out the fun.'" 4
Dr. John C. Bennett testified:
"Shortly after I located in Nauvoo, Joe proposed to me to go to New York and get some plates engraved and bring them to him, so that he could exhibit them as the genuine plates of the Book of Mormon, which he pretended had been taken from him, and "hid up" by an angel, and which he would profess to have recovered. He calculated to make considerable money by this trick, as there would of course be a great anxiety to see the plates, which he intended to exhibit at twenty-five cents a sight." 5
Another eyewitness, Levi Lewis, stated about Smith,
"Know Smith to be a liar. Saw him intoxicated at three different times while pretending to translate the Book of Mormon." 6
Yet there are millions believing the lie of Mormonism. Just because it's popular, and the leader is charismatic, doesn't mean it's right. Rick Warren and Brian McLaren are more recent examples of how feel good gospels and a "charismatic" leader can lead people into destructive heresies. Jesus calls these false teachers "ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:15-17). (Remember, the Antichrist is going to be very "charismatic".)
Why are professing Christians being sucked up into these false doctrines? Jesus said it Himself when He prophesied of the false prophets who would come. He said that even those who are Christians (the elect) would possibly be deceived (Matthew 24:24). Another reason is, what Paul said about our time, that they "are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God." (2 Timothy 3:4). Some of these teachings "feed your greed", and make people feel "all warm and fuzzy inside." Sensationalism is destructive unless the experience lines up with the Bible. (Isaiah 8:20)
CONCLUSION
No matter what anyone may believe about the Lord and the Bible, that isn't going to change the fact that He is still God and we're not. It's not going to change the fact that we are sinners in need of salvation by grace. It's not going to change the fact that Jesus shed His blood for our sins (1 Pet. 2:24), and He is the only way to be restored to a right relationship with God. His righteousness is "credited to our account" (2 Pet 1:1;), justifying us before God once we receive Jesus by faith (Gal. 3:8,11; Titus 3:7). Faith works only when you trust someone who is true. 7 The God of the Bible is not only true but also, faithful and reliable. He will not forsake those who are His.
The truths of Christianity are as follows:
If you want to be assured of the forgiveness of your sins and have peace with God, then you must realize that you have sinned against God (Rom. 3:23, 5:12), and are separated from Him (Isaiah 59:2). Then, ask Jesus into your life; ask Him to forgive you of your sins, and save you. He will (John 1:12; Rom. 10:9-10). He is Savior and Lord and He is as close as the call of your heart. Then read your Bible and go to a Biblical church. Eternity is a long time to be wrong. 7
SOURCES
[A] Quote from http://www.bibleteacher.org/Dm063h.htm
[1] Charlie Campbell, Evidence of the Existence of God DVD
[2] A Biblical Timeline of End Time Events by Charlie Campbell -- www.alwaysbeready.com
[3] Jehovah's Witnesses Prophets, Promises…and Problems by American Tract Society, Garland, TX
[4] Cake, Lu B., Peepstone Joe and the Peck Manuscript, p. 52 Old acquaintance. [Found in the Library of Congress archives]
[5] Wyl, Dr. W., Mormon Portraits, p. 21 Joseph's Nauvoo Accomplice. [Found in the Library of Congress archives]
[6] Wyl, Dr. W., Mormon Portraits, p. 20. Neighbor. [Found in the Library of Congress archives]
[7] Quoted from www.carm.org Warning tract
