The Axe of The 'APOSTLES' Part2: Dominion as Divinisation

The Axe of The ‘Apostles’ Part2:

Dominionism as Divinisation

Now faith is the substrate of things hyped for, the edifice of things obscene

Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? Or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? As if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood. Therefore shall the Lord, the Lord of hosts, send among his fat ones leanness; and under his glory he shall kindle a burning like the burning of a fire (Isaiah10:15-16).

When I was a teenager within Pentecostalism, one of my dear, old pastors told me [that] ‘..whenever the things of God become more important & worthy of pursuit than The Lord Himself, we are in trouble.’ Well, I was in trouble then & he knew it. During that early period of my Christian life, I very stupidly set out to find my anointing & walk in it. Develop my God-kind-of-faith & exercise it. Access the key to God’s power & wield it. Although I didn’t know it at the time, Dominionism was the bit that I had clenched firmly between my teeth.

I had been convinced that it was God’s will & God’s way forward for all believers to be moving in supernatural, miracle working power, constantly. That had become my goal. I had swapped reading God’s Word for reading books by authors who had laid claim to the principles, keys & steps necessary to release the    …..blah blah blah. You know what I’m saying to you. Despite all of my reading, no matter how many tape series I bought & listened to & regardless of the countless services I attended, there was no talk of submission to Christ or biblical discipleship. Dominion was THE thing.

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that there is something oh so appealing about Dominion theology. I use the term theology loosely here because when viewed in the light of Scripture, the tenets of Dominionism are thoroughly man centred. This is nothing new & if you’ll bear with me, you’ll soon see this.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:

and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the

fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day (Genesis1:26-31).

Here we have the first recorded instance in which The Lord speaks of mankind having any dominion. This concerned the natural world. However, for most Dominionists, who believe in a restorative rhetoric, these verses from Genesis is where they’ll begin. By the way, I don’t know any believers in Dominionism’s systems that are vegetarian. Just sayin’.

This dominion of the natural world was not to be the wielding of Divine power, control & influence, but rather, it was to facilitate man’s role as representative custodian. If Dominionism’s first premise is wrong [at best] & blatantly false [at worst], what does that say about its progression? This is a rhetorical question.

*If your doctrine is off, then YOU are off & if you have NO formal & fundamental doctrine, you’re in freefall. This is where Dominionism & its many manifestations dwell. Enter the wild Charismatic Geese of circa 1948-1952. The chase was afoot.

At least during my heady days as a Pentecostal there were lines NOT to be crossed. I’d heard of The New Order of The Latter Rain & William Branham as of the many anecdotes Kenneth Hagin had shared about this man’s apparent prophetic ministry, but had never really gotten into Branham’s teachings because his newsletter comprised of his sermons set out in verses as if they were Scripture. Ding-a-ling-a-ling, alarm bells ring. Pentecostals were having none of that. No matter how anointed a man was, he was just a man. Furthermore, because of Branham’s subsequent unbiblical doctrines & revelations, he was held at arm’s length.

*This New Order of the Latter Rain is not to be confused with The Latter Rain movement of North Carolina & Tennessee during the 1880s, under the ministry of R. G. Spurling. This movement is well worth some study, but sadly, Spurling’s significance to Pentecostalism’s history has long since been forgotten or ignored. Latterly (no pun intended), the work of George Warnock -a close friend of Branham’s- on The Feast of Tabernacles, went some way in cementing the movement’s leanings towards biblical typology as a means of interpreting their role in the coming revival & Kingdom restoration to & through them. Theologically however, this will very well be the undoing of the movement, simply because Jesus has not fulfilled several Messianic prophecies concerning Himself & won’t do so until His 2^nd coming, including typology within The Feast of Tabernacles which speaks to The Millennium. Consequently, the core Doctrine of The Rapture has been both decried & denied by modern Latter Rainers. More of this in Part 3.

Aspects of The Holiness movement [which preceded The Latter Rain] had made inroads into Pentecostalism though, because Pentecostals LURVE holiness. Dominion, for Pentecostals, went as far as demons, disease & of course the flesh, but not world domination. This idea came later.

For Latter Rainers, their view of Pentecostals & Holiness adherents was that they were representative of the former rain, which had [to all intents & purposes] dried up. The Latter Rain was where it was at now. Similarly, during this period of time, Charismatics were soaking up Latter Rain’s experiential offerings & had cultivated a clutch of leaders who would absorb its teachings & practises seamlessly into the Charismatic wave. Branham’s shadow straddled both spheres of influence.

He had been the darling of The Voice of Healing movement during the 1950s & because of the similarities between Latter Rain & Charismatic expression, belief & practise, it wasn’t difficult to introduce & assimilate Branham into the mainstream of Charismania. In the eyes of BOTH movements, God was restoring, renewing & advancing His agenda in a tangible way. This is one of the ultimate goals of Dominionism. This is DIVINISATION.

The Latter Rain didn’t stand still & even today it remains in a state of flux. This movement wasn’t directly defined by its titles, by its leaders or indeed by its woeful failures. This movement was defined by its mandate. Whether it’s known as Joel’s Army, Post Millennialism, The Manifest Sons of God, Restorationism, Kingdom Now, Reconstructionism or New Apostolic Reformation, the mandate remains the same. Not only Dominion as Divine Design, but also as Divinisation.

As I write this, I also consider many, MANY of the folk who are on my back. The most common question I’m asked is ‘David, why do you have to attack & attack people who are doing nothing more than preaching The Gospel, healing, delivering, training and building et cetera?’ My answer is [that] I’m not doing that because it isn’t the case with the NAR. This movement is dangerous & poisonous. Selah’. I suggest a regular reading & study of Scripture, because I can guarantee that a low [or no] estimation of Scripture will lead individuals into the airy-fairy realm of experience.

There are any number of beliefs & practices that can be pointed to in order to identify this movement as a train wreck. However, by far the greatest indicator of the movement’s destination is its supreme lack of adherence to fundamental Doctrine. Within this movement, experience is prized more highly than anything else & certainly more highly than the blessed canon of Scripture that we have. Divinisation occurs when man decides that whatever HE has to say takes precedence over whatever God has ALREADY said & sadly this is the case in point.

It takes a certain amount of daring or stupidity to make some of the bold claims that the leadership of this movement have, with nothing to show for their audacity. They write their own narrative. They make their own rules. They twist whatever they can & discard whatever they can’t. They are by far THE most dangerous threat to The Gospel right now because they are operating within The Church.

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works (2ndCorinthians11:12-15). Their boasting is not good.

This hasn’t happened overnight & what’s more, we have allowed it to happen. These men & women have cosied up to us as NEW Apostles & Prophets, often with more [assumed] apostolic umph than those who have gone before. They are Super-Apostles, careering through The Body of Christ like pied pipers, sweeping young & old along with their sweet tunes, glossy presentations & ‘thus saith The Lords’. Some of us ought to know better & some of us DO.

You can be sure that all of the bells & whistles apportioned to this ‘new’ movement are nothing more than window dressing that covers a supreme lack of substance throughout. Look at its pedigree!! This movement is nothing more or less than a Frankenstein’s Monster comprised of different cherry-picked parts, all thrown together & animated by a false spirit. The whole thing even has bolts in its head!!

As we will see, the speed with which this movement has gathered momentum is indicative of the apathy within The Church. I’m not suggesting that we put on a show. I’m suggesting that we feed the hungry souls in our fellowships with the truth we have come to know from the Apostolic Doctrine we’ve received. I was once there. I was once seduced by the bright lights & candy floss. However, the glass is always half full.

For Latter Rainers, God is always ‘about to do’ something brethren & after they’ve been hypnotised, mesmerised, anaesthetised, desensitised & pacified, they will be discarded. I say again, The Latter Rain didn’t stand still & even today it remains in a state of flux. This movement isn’t directly defined by its titles, by its leaders or indeed by its woeful failures. This movement is defined by its MANDATE. It is the extent to which the movement’s theology is emphasised in any particular church or fellowship, vision or doctrine, statement of faith or core values that will tell you how far this wasting theodemic disease has spread.

Let’s take a good look at the who’s who within the current New Order of these folk, as well as the doctrine they espouse & their progress towards world domination for Christ. This is going to be interesting.

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labor among

you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves (1stThessalonians5:12-13).

Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken

unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation…...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. (Hebrews13:7&17).

https://youtu.be/7WboWrp-Cwo Look out for the yawning lady around 12 & a half minutes in.

The Axe of The Apostles Part1: Dominionism as Divine Design

The Axe of The ‘Apostles’

 Part1:

Dominionism as Divine Design

Now, faith is the substrate of things hyped for, the edifice of things obscene

Thou art my battle-axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms; and with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider; with thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid; I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers (Jeremiah51:20-23).

Back in the 1980s, when I thought that I was finding my feet theologically, there was a lot of talk about authority, dominion, power & might. However, this wasn’t being attributed to The Lord. It was being ascribed to The Church. Our situation has not improved. Somehow, I think that we have gotten the order more than a little wrong.

Of course, the cry goes up ‘God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth’ (Genesis1:26). Well, it does say that. I mean, those words are printed on the page, aren’t they? Yes, they are. However, I’m yet to see anyone who believes this particular brand of things concerning dominion, pop down to their local zoo & jump into an animal enclosure or an aquarium, exercising their dominion over fish, fowl, wild animal or creeping thing successfully. On the contrary, God’s plan for man was expressed before the fall & only at the culmination of this age will we see the legitimate restoration of these things. The Wolf will indeed lay down with the Lamb.

Dominionism springs from [& is reinforced by] many of the common elements to be found within historic word-of-faith mythology, most especially the gnostic elements of teachings such as the authority of the believer & the Name of Jesus. This mythology in turn finds its root in an unbiblical mysticism, which fuels the current [so-called] New Apostolic Reformation. In reality however, it is The Lord Jesus Christ who holds ALL authority, dominion, power & might & not we ourselves. The moment that we think it is in our own power that we do things, we are in real trouble. I am in no way attempting to suggest that God cannot use us. He has. He can. He will. He does.

However, we are meant to submit to HIS authority, dominion, power & might. Instead, based on a series of twisted & badly stated theological diatribes, we attempt to exercise & wield these attributes as if they belong to us. They do not. They belong to Him & for the record, if you want that kind of authority, dominion, power & might, I suggest that you should be born of a virgin, live a sinless life & go to the cross. When you’ve accomplished that, complete a resurrection from the dead & ascend to The Father. Jesus said, ‘..All power is given unto ME in heaven and in earth (Matthew28:18). The writer of Hebrews describes Christ as being ‘..appointed heir of all things…the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power (Hebrews1:2-3).

Dominionism wouldn’t be so very bad if it were about The Lord Jesus Christ, but it isn’t. Classic Dominionism is about YOU. Dominionism is about YOU & what YOU can do. Funnily enough though, despite all of the positive confessions, declarations of faith & misappropriation of Jesus’ mighty Name, nothing [I repeat, NOTHING] has really changed within the ranks of the Word-of-Faith-Dominionist-New-Apostolic-Reformation camps. There are still things, it would seem, that ought to make all of us go, hmmmmmmmmm.

Notwithstanding, this movement's leaders & their followers still visit their doctors, opticians, dentists, general practitioners, surgeons & finally, their funeral directors. Dominionism, as stated, doesn’t work, yet multiplied millions continue to hold onto their glasses, which are always half full. They're told to hold on, press in, keep going, continue giving, confess & believe. In the economy of Dominionism, God is always about to do something & if you quit now, when you’re SO close, you’ll miss it. Well, personally I’m more interested in what God has already said & done. This is revealed to us in the closed canon of Scripture.

At the end of the day brethren, who do we really think we are? I'm being very serious here. A simple reading of Scripture tells us EXACTLY what we are in our humanity. We are a bunch of sinful & wretched rebels, completely unworthy of the amazing grace shown to us. Shouldn't that humble us? Shouldn't that make us overwhelmed with gratitude? Shouldn't that bring us to repentance? These are rhetorical questions, but valid questions nevertheless.

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith (Romans12:3).

Personally, I view the position of Dominionism within The Church as a boast against God because it reminds me of the actions of a certain [former] angel & the disastrous mess his blind ambition created. Please, prove me wrong in this regard. Please. Brethren if you want dominion over something, consider conquering your sinful flesh. If you want power, opt to exercise godly self-control. If you want to be mighty, then humble yourselves under the hand of God.

Even with the best of intentions, we'd have to ignore HUGE swathes of Scripture to reach the unbiblical conclusions that significant numbers of dominionists have. Yet, ignore them we have. Ignore them we do. Ignore them we will. Why? Because all of the tenets of Dominionism are highly attractive. I'll summarise.

1. In the new birth The Holy Spirit re-creates the human spirit.

2. ...blah blah blah...

3. ...blah blah blah blah blah...

4. The Holy Spirit fills our re-created human spirit.

5. ...blah blah blah blah blah...

6. ...blah blah blah...

7. We possess God's Divine Nature. We are gods with a small 'g'  ...blah blah blah...

8. Christ's authority, power & might are ours through The Spirit's indwelling  ...blah blah blah

9. We can do what Jesus did when He walked the earth  ...blah blah blah blah blah...

At a glance my summary's rather tongue in cheek, I know, but as is the case with Dominionism & its numerous derivatives, you have a series of ridiculous statements secured against another series of even more ridiculous statements. The blah blah blahs are nothing more than a representation of every sermon series, book, YouTube clip & conference built on these shaky & foolishly presumptuous foundations.

Perhaps we'd all be better off if we went back to The Bible instead of reading the plethora of books that have been written about it by men & women who claim a superiority to honest & thorough scholarship by regaling us with their experience led testimonies. In my day, I'd read all of Kenneth Hagin's books. I'd read all of E.W. Kenyon's books. I'd read some of Kenneth Copeland's, but by far, my favourite writings were those of Dr. John Graham Lake. Although there are similarities between Lake, Kenyon & Hagin et al doctrinally, it was Lake's subjective presentation of God's miraculous power, the dominion thingy, that was the hook for me.

I read Spiritual Hunger, The God Men & other sermons. His messages on Dominion over Demons, Disease & Death. Adventures in God. John G. Lake a Man Without Compromise. The New John G. Lake Sermons. At one time I was in correspondence with Lake's son-in-law's ministry & received a copy of Jesus, God's Way of Healing & Power to Promote Health. As well as this, their ministry sent me a copy of Lake's unpublished writings. I ate it all up.

To Dominionists, Lake remains highly quotable. He said: "The thing that was forfeited in the garden was regained. God gave him [Adam] dominion over the works of His hand. God made him His understudy, His king to rule over everything that had life. Man was master, man lived in the realm of god. He lived on terms of equality with God. God was a faith God. All God had to do was to believe that the sun was, and the sun was. All God had to do was to believe that the planets would be, and they were. Man belonged to God's class of being - a faith man, And he lived in the creative realm of God." – John G. Lake, Kenneth Copeland Publications, Fort Worth, Texas 1994, pg. 66.

"The power of God, the Holy Ghost, is the Spirit of Dominion. It makes one a god." – John G. Lake, John G. Lake, His Life, His Sermons, His Boldness of Faith, 1995, pg. 13.

This & other statements by Lake captured my imagination at the time. I SO wanted that power & might to be apparent in my life. This is the danger of Dominionism when it's not about Christ. I never once asked the question as to whether this & other statements were true. I believed them as if they were because I wanted them to be.  If I had taken my Bible & checked, I would have seen that this wasn't true at all.

The emphasis on dominion is a wrong emphasis. Lake's statement is typical of an all too common misconception among those who claim to be a part of Apostolic ministry & most especially the [so called] New Apostolic Reformation. Just what was it that was forfeited by Adam in Eden? What did man lose there that he magically regains when 'his human spirit is recreated' & when the new birth occurs, does man then become a god once again? Once he's a god again, does he then have the power to wield the dominion that his new, Divine status affords him?

This dominion that is SO highly sought after by SO many, is not the dominion that God spoke of in the beginning. When did Adam exercise his God-given dominion? At what time did the first man create anything? On what occasion do we see him using faith-filled-creative-words? When? When was Adam a god, a king or a master? Perhaps my reading of the Genesis narrative is wrong when I conclude that Adam was to be an obedient servant. He was placed in the garden to dress it & keep it. Having dominion but failing a test of obedience & allegiance? How does that even work?

Where was Adam's creative mastery when the Serpent, a beast over which we are told that he had dominion, questioned his wife concerning God's Word & tempted her into eating forbidden fruit? Where was Adam's godhood & Divine quality when his wife handed him the same fruit & he ate it too? Dominionism fails to address this biblically. Dominionism fails, full stop.

The usual response I get to these & other poignant questions is, "Dave, it's not as simple as that.", to which I reply, "ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha."

Do we really think for one minute that Almighty God is in the business of giving us His power & might, simply because we've been taught that it's our right? Some of us do. However, The One to Whom ALL power in heaven & on Earth has been given, gave His Apostles His Doctrine & they gave this Doctrine to The Church. He didn't say all power has been given to US. Even when The Holy Spirit is promised by The Lord Jesus, He says nothing about us taking over the world (Acts1:1-8). So where in the world does this unsafe doctrine of Dominionism come from & brethren, more importantly, just where is it going?

A Word to The Whys

A Word To The Whys

Now faith is the substrate of things hyped for, the edifice of things obscene

Furthermore Elihu answered and said, Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge. For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat. Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good (Job34:1-5).

With the usual electronic back, forth, cut, thrust & parry that accompanies blogs such as this one, come the inevitable questions about why I’m doing what I’m doing & the true definition of ‘discernment ministry’. I have to say, again, as I have said formerly, that what I write & publish on this blog is not a ministry per se. Neither am I a discerner. Rather, it is God’s Word that discerns. God’s Word is a discerner & the truth of this blessed, engrafted Word must be received with meekness (James1:21). Discernment is not for a selected few, but rather, it is the responsibility of all believers, everywhere.

For The Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged 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. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do (Hebrews4:12-13).

Therefore, it would follow that if there were any discerning to be done, it will have to be done in the light of Scripture. This & this alone is the benchmark that has been set by God. His Word is the only reliable litmus test for those who will read, believe & apply it. His Word is forever settled in heaven (Psalms119:89). His word is a lamp to our feet & a light to our path (Psalms119:105) & I guarantee that the flame of His truth does NOT flicker in the way that some would have us believe.

However, if we are not walking in the light of the truth, but find ourselves contrawise in error, then we are in darkness. Jesus said it best when He stated, ‘The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!’(Matthew6:22-23)

When The Good Lord saved me, I attended a small Pentecostal fellowship where The Bible was held in the highest regard as The Word of God. My Pastors resisted the more attractive, Charismatic elements presenting themselves, as the likes of Buddy Harrison’s Faith Christian Fellowship established a franchise in our city. They were the first of many to come. They were the first of many to go. However, with the Charismatic expression came a different view of God’s Word altogether.

Scripture [known affectionately as ‘The Word’ by Kenyonians, Haginites & Copelandians] was a ‘thing’ that worked & that had to be worked in order to achieve certain results, whether for healing, prosperity or anything one could imagine in between.

In many respects, those of us who followed the mainstream Charismatic teachings coming out of Tulsa Oklahoma & Fort Worth Texas, believed that we had a higher regard for Scripture than the [so-called] traditionalists we looked down upon. We believed that we had ‘revelation knowledge’ as opposed to the ‘sense knowledge’ that other believers possessed. As I write this article in retrospect, I can see quite clearly that it simply did not matter who said what by way of objection. We were sold out to the Word-of-Faith system, no matter how faulty their tentative hermeneutic.

This is one of the many, many problems with [what I like to call] a non-exegetical-experience-led-subjectivity. Simply put, it’s a very bad case of theological indigestion.

When believers place more credence on experience, whether it be theirs, or that of someone else, they’re on a path to trouble. What’s worse is the fact that the proponents of said non-exegetical-experience-led-subjectivity, will always be careful to tell their devotees that they shouldn’t seek after an experience & then proceed to lead them into an experience afterall. There is no true biblical barometer, not in the true biblical sense anyway. What has developed right under our noses is a gross caricature of The Church & this ethereal counterfeit, shamelessly masquerades as ‘the faith once delivered to the saints’, but, my dear brethren, I can tell you most sincerely that it is not. Our answers will only be found in The Scriptures. God’s Word is A Word to The Whys.

Whenever I’m asked WHY I do the things that I do, I go to Apostolic doctrine. The Apostles received their teaching directly from The Lord Jesus Christ Himself. I point to the admonition of the Apostle John, who said, ‘Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world’ (1^stJohn4:1). Whenever I’m asked WHY I say the things that I say, I point to the instruction of the Apostle Paul, who said, ‘And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them’ (Ephesians5:11). Whenever I’m asked WHY I believe the things that I believe, I refer to one of my favourite verses of inspired Scripture; ‘Prove all things; hold fast that which is good (1^stThessalonians5:21).

My Charismatic friends & detractors alike will agree that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word must be established. Therefore, in light of what The Bible says concerning the erroneous, I would ask my Charismatic friends & detractors to answer the fundamental questions being put to them. I answer their questions, but sadly they either cannot or will not answer mine. By the way, a reply, comment or response to something I have written, said or done, is not the same as an answer to a question.

Much Charismatic rhetoric bears a quality that’s often found within the teaching of groups such as The Watchtower or the LDS. It’s an ‘otherness’ that only becomes apparent when examined in the light of a genuine orthodoxy. However, this ‘otherness’ is very attractive. Be careful though. I’m not talking about comparing the teachings of men to a Church tradition. I’m talking about comparing said teachings to what Scripture actually says. I have often thought that at times it’s almost as if some leaders within the movement have deliberately courted controversy by actively kicking against the pricks of orthodoxy. This is then often dubbed as revelation.

https://youtu.be/sBzgbanAVVs Kenneth Copeland.

https://youtu.be/beiSK3kxh4U Benny Hinn.

https://youtu.be/kMpzmsTFyVU Kenneth Hagin.

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Beroea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Therefore many of them believed; also of honorable women which were Greeks, and of men, not a few. (Acts17:10-12).

The Bereans didn’t search the Scriptures in order to see whether those words Paul preached were THERE, they searched in order to see whether those things he preached were SO. There’s a marked difference in that.

It isn’t difficult to ask people to turn to certain places in their Bibles & read the words on the page, with no proper treatment of the passage or passages in question, except when it suits the individual preaching or teaching. Furthermore, with so many differing translations & versions available, it’s easier than ever to hop, skip & jump between readings & formulate whatever teaching you want to, whilst claiming that what’s being taught is ‘biblical’ simply because the words were taken from The Bible. Such are the tactics of the pseudo-exegetes of our time.

When it suits their purpose, they will use Greek or Hebrew. When it suits their purpose, they will examine context. When it suits their purpose, they will appeal to Church history. When it suits their purpose, they will find a Bible version or translation that says & supports whatever they want it to. When it suits their purpose, they will claim that The Lord has spoken to them. This is an untenable, but all too common orthopraxy among my Pentecostal & Charismatic brethren nevertheless.

In this, I’m reminded of an old comedy sketch by Morecambe & Wise, featuring Andre Previn. Many in Charismatic & Pentecostal leadership are playing all of the notes, but not necessarily in the right order. However, what we face now is not a comedy sketch. It’s a tragedy. At a very basic level, what we have is a scenario in which man is putting words into the mouth of God. Brethren, these things ought not to be so.

Over the last 30 years I have diligently watched the leading lights within Pentecostalism & Charismania build upon the false foundation laid by false apostles & false prophets. Their chief corner stone is not The Lord Jesus Christ. Orthodoxy seems to have been shelved adjacent to a conveniently open window, out of which it has been deliberately & continuously nudged. WHY? Because orthodoxy is boring? Because orthodoxy is so unfashionably last century darling? Because orthodoxy is associated with stuffy old [scholarly] men, whose insistence on a right division of God’s Word makes them the object of ridicule? Logical argument good, theological argument bad?

When I see & hear what passes for exegesis nowadays, I flinch. My stomach turns with every twist & spin placed on God’s Word. Moreover, with each successive generation of men & ministries purporting to bring us a fresh & new revelation from ‘The Word’, there are also countless others who shamelessly ape them. Because of this, I have asked a lot of questions. Because of this, a lot of questions have been asked of me.

The core doctrines of our faith are Apostolic. The Apostles received said doctrine from The Lord Jesus Christ Himself. However, with the popularity of certain men & certain ministries [which I will happily name & reference], parts of The Church have leaned more towards the writings, tapes, DVDs & beliefs of these individuals & in this they have become almost Patristic. These heretics have become the new Church Fathers & they are making a comfortable living at it. Today we see doctrine being rapidly replaced by ‘spiritual laws & principles’ that bear more resemblance to that which is found within metaphysical cults & mind science religions, than they do to anything found within Holy Writ. WHY? The answer is in The Scriptures. The Bible has A Word to The Whys.

Of course, Charismatics & Pentecostals will claim that they are indeed adhering to ‘The Word’. Which word? Whose word? Those of my friends with whom I regularly speak about these things, spend more time filtering Scripture through the lenses their leaders provide, rather than coming to an understanding of Scripture itself, as it is. WHY? The Bible is revelation, yet my Charismatic/Pentecostal friends & detractors will contend that The Word in its written form is the ‘basis’ for revelation knowledge.  There’s a less than subtle difference between these two statements, but I recognise its source. For them [& most certainly for those to whom I speak], God’s Word isn’t revelation knowledge per se, but rather it contains it. I’m less interested in what certain men [& women] have to say about Scripture & more interested in what Scripture itself has to say, particularly when the aforementioned regurgitate demonstrably false teaching & notable heresies.

In the fellowship that I attend, we go through The Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, book by book. In this way, we receive both an overview & an in depth look at God’s Word, in a way that many of my counterparts do not. Among some Charismatics & Pentecostals however, the sufficiency of Scripture has been side-lined in favour of [so called] ‘revelation knowledge’ & this is a dangerous substitute for what God has already said. If it is indeed the case, as it has been stated to me before, that ‘The Word in its written form is the ‘basis’ for revelation knowledge’, there is no need to study it. It will not matter what the original languages state, what history accords or what context The Scriptures are in. WHY? So-called ‘revelation knowledge’ rises above & beyond these things …apparently. The ramifications of this belief & its tendency to take people beyond Scripture is an enormous danger. God’s Word has the answers. The Bible is A Word to The Whys.

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds (Hebrews1:1-2).

Nowhere in Scripture do we find the prescribed & primary teachings of movements such as the ‘Word-of-Faith’, unless we’re being warned concerning them. Despite the claims of certain men in certain ministries that Martin Luther’s ‘revelation’ concerning the just living by faith, began a restoration of a lost truth to The Church, there is no evidence to support this. Faith in Christ alone for salvation, apart from works, yes. Faith as a spiritual force released through words that have creative power, no. Yet multiplied millions believe these things to be true. WHY? Fundamental doctrine is officially old hat. WHY? Because we have moved away from Scripture. God’s Word, is A Word to The Whys.

Be careful brethren, because much of what we believe to be & have been taught emphatically is meat, is actually milk. Beyond this, a significant portion of the blended, spoon-fed teaching that drips from the teats of much of modern Charismatic & Pentecostal ministry, is nothing more or less than formula. I mean this quite literally. All of it comes, of course, at a price & for your love gift of any amount, you can have it.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: [WHY?] that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. [WHY?] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; [WHY?] but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, [WHY?] having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry (2^ndTimothy3:16-4:5).

The Bible has the answers. Scripture is A Word to The Whys. The words of men, however, have come to dominate & muddy doctrinal waters. WHY? A supreme lack of proper biblical leadership & scriptural discipleship within The Church has given rise to a myriad of satellite & para-church ministries, all of which are claiming to preach & teach ‘The Word’. They travel the world, constitute broadcasts on radio & television, transcribe their sermons into books & produce glossy magazines. They encourage you to partner with them, to follow them, to believe them & of course, they encourage you to donate. What a sweet deal. There’s no need for you to read or study God’s Word, because they will do all of the hard work for you. All you have to do is sit back, relax, press play & drink it all in. WHY?

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not (2^ndPeter2:1-3).

Within The Church there are those who are telling their lies very well & unfortunately, there are also those who are telling the truth very badly. Our discernment begins & ends with The Scriptures.

And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God (Philippians1:9-11).

We’re very good at wanting the love to abound, but we’re rubbish when it comes to knowledge & judgement, or discernment. These are not mutually exclusive elements of our walk with God & if we are not spending time with God’s Word we lay ourselves open to error & heresy.

The ‘revelation knowledge’ that’s so eloquently harped on about by popular figures in Charismatic & Pentecostal leadership, is nothing more [or less] than a subtle mixture of lies & mysticism. It isn’t the faith once delivered to the saints. It is [what I like to call] Gnostianity. This is not what Scripture teaches. This is not the doctrine of Christ. This is not our Apostolic faith. We have to get back to The Bible. The Bible is A Word to The Whys.

An Open Message to He or She Who Hath an Ear to Hear

Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.

A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself.

(Proverbs18:1-2)

One year ago, I began writing this blog, not really knowing where it would go, but believing that The Lord had prompted me to do it. Well, 12 months, almost 20 articles & close to 38,000 views later, I am privileged to publish an anniversary piece written by my Pastor, Matthew Fisher. He, his family & I have shared many cups of coffee, conversations & meals, during which he has exercised a biblical & pastoral oversight of my life [as a member of his congregation] & of this work. Wherever & whenever necessary, my Pastor has gently [but firmly] removed my big foot from my equally big mouth. I am extremely grateful to God for Matthew, his family & our fellowship, Calvary Chapel, Yeovil, so, without further ado…

An Open Message to He or She who Hath An Ear To Hear

Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

(Somewhere in Hebrews)

Whereas David can spend several blog posts building a case in detail about the Word-of-Faith movement and unbiblical non-Christianity, I do not have such a privilege.  As the main teacher in Calvary Christian Fellowship, Yeovil, I can spend several sermons teaching and reaffirming the same point; I do not have that ability here. 

David has asked me to write this anniversary blog post and I agreed without really thinking about what topic I was going to cover.  In our fellowship, we study through the Scriptures systematically, meaning that those of us who teach are rarely required to 'think up' the topic for the sermon as each week begins where the previous sermon left off.  It turns out that thinking up a topic to discuss is difficult; I have wavered several times. In the end, I decided the scatter-gun approach is probably best; not just one main topic but several smaller issues, though not unimportant, that have burdened me for a long time.  I also want to be totally honest with you and tell you my conclusions as part of the introduction.  Here they are (and like a good preacher there will be 3 points).  

Firstly, read the Bible; secondly, find the least-worst church within your travelling abilities then attend and commit; thirdly, support and encourage your church leaders to “lean not on their own understanding” rather to teach diligently the word of God.

At present our fellowship is studying the book of Revelation with the stated aim of encouraging members of the congregation to read it for themselves. If I could encourage the people who read this blog to do anything, it would be to read the Bible.  You are free to stop reading here and start reading the Bible, I really don’t mind!  When I was about 30 I remember being asked by a friend if I had read through the whole Bible, I answered that of course I had.  As I returned home I figured out that I had never read all of it.  So, I began!  Having attended church since I was a kid I had great confidence that I knew the Bible and what it contained.  I was amazed to make it only to Genesis 19 before I read something that I had never even heard of. Don’t just turn to Genesis 19, start in chapter 1, that is where it begins!

Turning to the other end of the Bible (please read the 64 books in-between) and the reader finds the only writing from Jesus in the whole of the Scriptures.  I agree with David Pawson in that there appear to be two types of Christian when it comes to the book of Revelation, those “you can’t get out of it” and those “you can’t get in to it”.  Since the Bible has been available in English Revelation appears to be the most neglected book in the whole of Scripture.  Read what the reformers said about it and perhaps that explains why?  Jesus writes to seven churches, this is not the time to debate whether the dispensationalists, or others, are right in their reading of these letters.  If you are reading from a “red-letter Bible” then you will see that this section is in red; these are messages that Jesus has for churches.  Here is the second point I want to encourage you to do and think about. Apologies if this is sounding like hard work.  Nowhere in these letter, or in any Bible book, is it considered acceptable  not to attend a fellowship.  Throughout the messed-up-crazy-churches written to in any of the Epistles, no one ever writes “It’s ok just give up and stop going”.  

Certain strains of Christianity are filled with people who consider themselves to be discerning or having discernment ministries.  Those who adhere to the continuation of the gifts, of which I am one (please do not align me with the money-grabbing-mansion-owning-get-rich-quick-best-life-now-fraudualent-falling-over-barking-like-a-dog bunch of heretics!) are most guilty of this concept of discernment.  Read 1 John 4 and 1 Thessalonians 4 and you will see that nowhere is anyone ever told that you should listen to something and see how you feel about it and then make your decision as to whether it is true.  Read it for yourself and you will see it is about “examining carefully” and that we should be wary as false prophets were in the world already during the time of the Apostles (the real Apostles not the modern fake ones).  It is my experience that those who talk about discerning the most tend to be the ones who, in direct disobedience to Scripture fail to fellowship with the saints.  As a side note look at the book of Acts along with what Paul says to Timothy and Titus about the function of the church and it becomes extremely fair to say that fellowship is not sitting in your living room where no-one has prepared anything and chatting; or even worse going to a curry house and just hanging out with each other as believers.  I am reminded of Proverbs 18:1 which states “A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; He rages against all wise judgment”, or “all sound wisdom”.  May a recommend that we avoid being that guy as much as possible!

These same people use the beginning of Hebrews 10 to attack (correctly) the Roman Catholic Church and their concept of the Mass and yet fail to allow their correct doctrine to infiltrate their lives refusing to let there ‘believing what is right’ cause them to ‘do what is right’.  Hebrews 10 tells the reader what needs to be done in response to the fact that the body of Jesus was offered “once for all” (Hebrews 10:10 – oh how we love that verse!).  Hebrews 10:19-25 is the sucker punch…"do not forsake the assembly of the saints", that is in church; in a fellowship; with people who are like us, broken and sinful; and right in some areas yet wrong in others. If Hebrews 10:19-25 is the sucker punch, ending with how much more important it is to assemble as His body as the time for Christ to return draws nearer, then the following verse is like being hit with a mallet!  A person who claims to be a mature Christian not attending a fellowship deceives themselves, they are not mature and they are in rebellion (the Bible knows nothing of people who are believers and not part of a fellowship).  My prayer is that this would not be us.  If that is you, please find a church; the least-worst one…I know there are some real stinkers.  Read the letters to the churches in Revelation 2-3 and highlight the part where Jesus says “if you are in one of these mental churches – even the one Jesus had nothing good to say about – then leave and get out and run”, you will find that your highlighter pen cap stays on.   If this is in the context of a city only having one church, surely you can find one in your local area.  If not, think about moving.  That may sound extreme, but we must decide what is most important in our lives. If it is anything but Jesus, then let us at least be honest about that.

Once you have found the least-worst church in your area then please don’t turn into the heresy police, always looking for what the preacher phrases badly or makes a slight error on.  I have preached many times and I can assure everyone that the effort and toil that it takes to prepare and preach one is the hardest thing I do every week.  Now, would I want people to point out what I have said that they disagree with? Of course I would, and they do!  However, there are ways to do this.  Firstly, try introducing a 24-hour rule when the preacher says something you don’t like.  That is, don’t say anything as you are shaking hands at the end of the service, rather, leave it until the next day.  I attended a church a few years ago, and had to use this rule a lot.  The preacher said things I did not like every sermon.  If I had addressed them all do you think he would have listened to me?  I found that only the important issues remained after a night’s sleep and those are the ones I addressed and where I could I encouraged him when he tried to exegete a passage as best he could, this is also a good plan.

I do thank David for this opportunity to share this on his blog and encourage you to pray for him and us a small fellowship in a small town in Somerset. I am happy to answer or clarify anything that I have written, just ask. However, if I have really made you cross then give it 24 hours. May the Lord bless you in all that you do for Him.  Let us keep our eyes fixed firmly on our great Saviour, Who paid in full the price required for our salvation. He is our God and we are His people.  If we love Him then we must find out what He requires from us and that is found in Scripture, let’s read it and do what it says!

Prosperity Mythology and the Systematic Robbery of The Saints Part Two: Prey Without Ceasing

Prey Without Ceasing

Now faith is the substrate of things hyped for, the edifice of things obscene

But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works (2^ndCorinthians11:12-15).

Believe it or not brethren, there are men in The Church who love the people of God. There are men who lay their lives down for their congregations. There are men who labour in God’s Word & endeavour to feed the flock of God. There are men who fear The Lord & take their call to service very seriously & quite literally. However, there are also men in the ministry who bear none of these qualities whatsoever.

I have to be honest with you. I have to be candid & tell you that every now & again, more out of frustration than faith, I have to ask The Lord why it is that faithful men of God [that I know & know of], who love, live & preach the truth, seem to struggle so in their bodies, in their circumstances & in their finances. Yet the wicked, lying, deceitful, false & self-seeking abusers of God’s people, seem to hop, skip & jump their merry way through life without a care in the world. They’re getting away with crimes akin to murder. On this point, I’ve been accused of perpetuating gross exaggerations & perhaps my critics are right. I do have a tendency to take matters [like demonstrably false doctrine & its lying, thieving, scheming, grinning, scamming, coat waving propagators] far too seriously. However, in answer to the question I have repeatedly asked The Lord, there are abundant I-told-you-so statements in Scripture.

We willingly engage in attempting to name & shame groups like The Mormons or The Watchtower when it comes to that which is false. We point out their doctrinal unorthodoxy & questionable orthopraxy without hesitation. Yet within our own ranks there are men who are heretics! We tolerate them. We laud & applaud them. We fawn over them. We hang on their every word without a second thought. Why? Because we are downright daft, that’s why.

The Apostles Peter & Paul said some hard words to The Church & in this, I believe they took their lead from Christ Himself. Jesus said to His disciples, ‘…Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?’ (John6:70). Lord, is it I? Lord, is it I? He told His disciples quite clearly, ‘…Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.’ (Matthew26:21). Lord, is it I? Lord, is it I? He informed Peter [that] ‘…this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.’ (Matthew26:34). I can just imagine the chorus of protests, but Jesus was right. Hard though it was for those men to hear, He said it & what’s more, He said it to their faces. Lord is it I? Lord is it I? Lord, will you stop verily-verilying & just tell us, please!!

Of course, Mr. Iscariot knew full well what he’d arranged in return for thirty pieces of silver, but he donned his cloak of maliciousness & joined in with the other disciples anyway. ‘Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.’ (Matthew26:25). Don’t try to tell me that men of this ilk don’t know that what they’re perpetrating & perpetuating, is pure falsehood. They know. Like Judas, they’re in it for the money & they make a fair show in the flesh. ‘But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived (2^ndTimothy3:13).

When Paul was leaving Ephesus, he called the Elders of The Church to him & gave them an impassioned exhortation, saying, ‘Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.’ (Acts20:28-30). That isn’t an off-the-cuff remark. There were men who were right there, listening to Paul speak. Men who knew that he was speaking about them, but they hugged his neck before he left, they kissed him & patted him on the back all the same. They were chomping at the bit, waiting for him to go so that they could attend to their own agendas.

Just like Jesus, Who had said ‘Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits.’ (Matthew7:15-20), the Apostle Paul speaks the truth to these men & he speaks it to their faces. He gives them an I-told-you-so statement for reference, then lo & behold, when The Lord Jesus Christ Himself drops them a line in Revelation, it seems that some of the elders had taken Paul’s strong words of Apostolic admonition.

The Apostle Peter gave no quarter either. He had heard The Lord speak those words concerning false prophets & told The Church quite clearly, ‘... there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.’ (2^ndPeter2:1-3). Lord, is it I? Lord, is it I? Peter is telling it straight as he writes his epistle, inspired by The Holy Spirit.

Despite these [& other] warnings given to us in God’s Word, some of us still find ourselves dazzled & hypnotised by men [& women] who make extravagant claims to & even more extravagant demands of, us. Just like Judas, it seems that EVERYTHING comes down to money. Do you want to be blessed? It’ll cost you. Just sow a seed! Do you want to be healed? It’ll cost you. Just sow a seed! Do you want the latest revelation? It’ll cost you. Just sow a seed! Do you want to be a part of what God is doing? It’ll cost you. Just sow a seed! Go to the ‘phone with your credit card details & it’s all yours!

Do you know what it means to be viewed & treated as a mere commodity? Do you know what it is to be viewed & treated as a means to an end? ‘And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you.’

The prosperity message is a biblical one. It’s biblical in that Scripture contains references to prosperity. However, does The Bible teach us that God will bless us financially in return for our giving money to ministries? Does The Bible teach us a ‘law’ of prosperity? No, it does not. If we listen to some proponents of that message today, we will have another impression though. We will be told something completely different to that which Scripture actually says. These men [& women] preach & teach a false gospel. They are greedy dogs who are never satisfied & they will lie to you in order to tease money out of your pocket into theirs.

Covetousness.

Feigned words.

Merchandising.

This is their stock-in-trade & yet despite the wagging finger of God throughout His Word, hundreds, thousands & millions of believers fall for the rhetoric of these evil, seductive, deceitful workers. They fall for it hook, line, sinker, fisherman, boots n’all. Lord have mercy.

I really like what Paul says to the Corinthians in his second epistle to them. He tells them straight, declaring [that] ‘…what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion…’ (2^ndCorinthians11:12a). What was it that the Apostle was doing & was determined to continue doing? What was the occasion or opportunity that he wanted to ‘..cut off..’ from the infamous ‘..them..’ he refers to? This theme is threaded throughout his epistle. This appears time & time again as he hints at, alludes to & then bluntly points these individuals out as false apostles, deceitful workers & ministers of satan himself. How unloving & judgemental of Paul. I had another look at what the Apostle stated before making his statements in verses 12-15.

Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me. For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles. But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things. Have I committed an offense in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely? I robbed other churches, taking wages of them, to do you service. And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man: for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself. As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Wherefore? because I love you not? God knoweth.  (2^ndCorinthians11:1-11).

It’s after these statements that Paul says ‘..y’know what you Saints down there in good old Corrie, I love you lots & I do what I do & will continue to do what I do in order to chop the legs out from under those lot you’ve been giving your tithes, offerings, time, attention & energy to, so that they end up even as we are..’. Extremely bad paraphrase mine.

Those who we listen to more readily that we do to our own God-ordained leadership, are not jealous over us with a godly jealousy. They are NOT. It’s my opinion & belief that Paul said the same things that he’d said to the Ephesian eldership, to every church he established, ‘..guys, as soon as I’m out the of here, I know that there are going to be wolves sniffing around the door & some of you are going to go nuts too..’. Again, the extremely bad paraphrase is mine. He spoke to the Galatians concerning another gospel. Here, he admonishes the Corinthians concerning another Jesus, another spirit & another gospel. Didn’t they stop to check what was being taught to them? Didn’t anyone ask questions? Didn’t they remember anything Paul had said?

Paul reiterates in words what his manner of life had demonstrated & it is diametrically opposed to that of the ‘super-apostles’ who had swept through town, captivating the hearts & minds of those willing to listen. Lord have mercy. Where are those who will swing the crosier in order to fend off predators today? Where are those who will oversee their flocks & see off internal power struggles, or see the wolf coming & stand to defend the sheep instead of running like a cowardly hireling? It is a travesty, an indictment, a shame & a disgrace that there seem to be more wolves than ever, attempting to steal, kill & destroy & fewer true shepherds than ever, who will jealously guard the flocks over which The Lord has made them overseers.

Paul continues to pour his heart out, saying, ‘..I won you to Christ, I won you for Christ. You lot are in danger of becoming a bunch of nutcases & going down the same road as Eve if you allow yourselves to be deceived by the devil into abandoning the simplicity that you’ve found in Jesus. Why do you put up with these idiots who preach such demonstrably false claptrap..’. Yes, the paraphrasing is shameful, I know, but bear with me in my folly.

Paul continues, saying, ‘..when these blokes come along teaching & preaching another completely different Jesus, another completely different spirit & another completely different gospel, y’all willingly roll over, nod away & put up with it. Goodness me, what’s wrong with you? I’m not in any way, shape, form or fashion inferior to those flimsy charlatans & even though I might be a bit rough in the way I speak, there’s nowt wrong with what I know & teach..’. By the way, when Paul refers to these men as ‘..the chiefest apostles..’, it isn’t a compliment.

Just stop & think for a moment. Stop & think about what The Holy Spirit is saying through Paul to the Corinthians & to us by extension. Y’see, the very same thing has happened in our day & age because we’re just as stupid. Because of our itching ears, we like to hear new things. Doctrine is so boring & study is so inconveniently time consuming. Prayer is so labour intensive. If only there were some way of simplifying the whole process so that we didn’t have to put as much time & energy into… hmmmm.

Before you & I know it, we’re reading books & watching DVDs by so-& so, who teaches such-&-such, offering their keys to unlocking the things of God & steps to guaranteed success. All of these ‘principles’ are available for a love gift of any amount. Just go to the ‘phone or pop your money into an envelope & God will bless you thirty, sixty or a hundredfold. Covetousness. What’s even more distressing is the fact that we’re blinded to their avarice by our own! We drift away from sound, biblical Doctrine & we begin consuming the detritus of men [& women] who simply don’t care for the flock of God & see The Church as a means to an end.

Most of these people couldn’t run a hotdog stand outside in the street, but they can readily employ theatrics, wax lyrical & drizzle their eloquence in order to rinse a few quid out of the you & I. Feigned words. Lies. Paul tells The Church at Corinth, ‘..we’re not like those lot, we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.’. 

He then goes on to catalogue the difference between himself, a true Apostle & those others, the ‘super-apostles’. He says, ‘..have I done something wrong by going without so that you can be lifted up & so that I could preach the Gospel to you for nothing? I feel as if it was robbery to accept money from churches just so that I could continue serving you & even when I was there & needed stuff I didn’t raise an offering. As a matter of fact, the guys down the road in Macedonia sorted me out, not you. I didn’t give anyone a bill. No one reimbursed me. I wasn’t a burden then & I never will be. Hand on heart, no one is going to top me or stop me blowing my trumpet because of my track record. Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows I do, ya dummies!’.

The ‘super-apostles’ then & the false teachers now, are exactly the same. They are diametrically opposed to true Apostleship. They exalt themselves, they don’t preach the Gospel freely, they’re chargeable to all men wherever they go. They don’t consider it robbery to take their extortionate wages or exploit their compensation packages. Indeed, they view it as a right & a privilege. They are a financial burden, because when the money slows down or stops coming in altogether, it’s YOU they reach out to. Their dear friends & dear partners have to bail them out. Why don’t they practise what they preach? If what they teach & preach is true, they ought to believe God instead of sending out begging letters & making appeals for cash. Why don’t they sell their houses & downsize? YOUR money pays their salary. YOUR money pays for their homes. YOUR money pays their expenses. YOUR money. Why don't you open your eyes? These are all rhetorical questions. They’re making merchandise of you.

After saying all of that, Paul quite clearly makes his statement, telling the Corinthians that he does what he does & will continue to do what he does, in order to remove opportunity from those who seek the opportunity to equate themselves with true Apostolic ministry. Sadly, there are few who will do this today. We bear with these fools & suffer their insufferable deceits gladly. We give them occasion. We believe their boasts with no proof whatsoever of their validity & we give them our money. As long as we allow ourselves to be victimised, lied to, robbed blind, manipulated & deceived, these people will continue to prey without ceasing.