I am going somewhat off topic for a moment, but the following is still relevant. I was sent a web article by a friend and asked my opinion. (My friends and I do this with odd and unusual articles frequently just for intellectual dialogue.) The article in question had some truths in it, but there were a few things that set off bells, and I decided to look further into this person's teachings. In doing so I realized more than ever the need for people to be Bereans when reading material written by man (as opposed to just studying the Bible which is God's Word). I would even caution you, the reader, to take everything I write straight to Scripture and see if I am dividing the Word of God accurately. Some of you have done so, and I applaud you doing so. I hope I have defended myself well in those encounters using the Scriptures. And to those of you who did not have your comments published, I have a policy of not publishing blasphemous or threatening things, nor will I act as your advertiser. I do not mind discussion and dispute, but I will not allow unacceptable things. Anyhow, back to my reason for writing this. I would like to take the opportunity to show how you need to be careful and look at all of a person's teachings.
As said above, the article that I did read had truths in it, but other things rang bells. One of the things that I saw was that this person decided that to accommodate the theories he was espousing, there needed to be a world previous to the present one. And I am not talking the antediluvian world. He created out of Genesis 1:1 a previous world in which all of us existed as spirit beings (versus our fleshly beings now). This world was necessary in his theory to accommodate a time for Satan to fall taking a third of the host with him. In his case, the third did not represent angelic host, but a third of all of us spirit beings. As God could not bring Himself to destroy His children, he destroyed the world with a global flood (not Noah's which according to him was not global) and created a new world wherein Adam and Eve were created. Now Adam and Eve were only new in the sense of having bodies, as they were really two of the previous spiritual beings from the previous world, as are all of us (according to this author). They and we have merely had our memories wiped. The purpose of this new world is to give us a second chance to choose whom we would follow.
I'm hoping all of you see the problems with this theory and that I don't have to explain why there are problems here, such as ...where in the world did he get this idea from? Certainly not the Scriptures. We were not pre-existent, nor do we do not have multiple incarnations. Nor was there a previous world. The entire fossil record can be accommodated by Noah's flood. Of course, his not believing in a global flood does cause some problems for him with the fossil record, which is why he had to create another global flood.
The theories only get worse from there, such as Cain was really Satan's biological son. Where all of this became relevant to our Revelation study was when I checked out his interpretation of Matthew 24 and the parallel passages in Mark and Luke. As I am going to quote some of the article, although I do not endorse anyone going to this person's website, I do feel the need to acknowledge from where I got the material so that I do not infringe upon this person's copyright. It is Biblestudysite.com.
At the time that the antichrist is in power on the earth, the Elect will be a small minority voice proclaiming that the antichrist (whom stands in the Temple of God says he is the True Christ [2nd Thess 2:3-5]) is actually the impostor. These misguided family members and friends of the Elect go to the antichrist (who they think is the True Christ) and petition him (antichrist) to have mercy and patience with the Elect and show them that they are wrong and that he is the True Christ come to save the world. The antichrist says: "where are they that I may speak to them and teach them and save their souls." This is the means that God's Elect will be identified and betrayed into the hands of satan (the antichrist)......And don't let the words 'kill you' and 'deliver you up to death' scare you, for 'death' is simply one of satan's many names, and he is not allowed to kill anyone by God. In fact God reassures the Elect with these wordsMark 13:11-13
11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death.
13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (KJV)
Luke 21:15-19
15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
16 And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
18 But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
19 In your patience possess ye your souls.
I have to ask, did the author even read the Scriptures he is quoting? It says that family will betray family to have them put to death. Nowhere does it say that they will petition for mercy for their loved ones that they might be shown the "truth" of antichrist being the "savior". They betray their loved ones so that they may be put to death. They knowingly hand them over to death. They cause them to be put to death. And they will be put to death. It blatantly says so. The promise that not a hair of your head shall perish obviously refers to them keeping their souls intact and imperishable, as the words following the statement about their hair and head implies. Yes, a few of the elect who endure to the end in faith will be allowed to survive by God to reach the rapture, but most will die. Nor do we read anywhere in Scripture that the beast will be this gracious monarch who says, "where are they that I may speak to them and save their souls." Or that he will not be allowed to kill anyone. On the contrary, Scripture tells us that he will go after God's people to murder them and without impunity. What does he think "shall cause them to be put to death" and "and they shall fall by the edge of the sword" and "and except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved" mean? And in Revelation that multitude no man could number on the sea of glass who came out of the Tribulation are not there because they are still alive. This is fantasy on the part of the author, plain and simple. There is no basis for this interpretation whatsoever. Yet I am bound to believe that there are people who will swallow this stuff hook, line, and sinker, because they do not crack open their Bibles and check out what he is teaching. Nor can they even discern that the very Scriptures he is using to prove his point actually teach the very opposite of what he is saying.
I challenge anyone reading this. Check out what I teach. Go ahead. Challenge me if I need to be corrected. I am not afraid as some are. If I can't defend what I teach, and only with the use of Scriptures, (and without twisting them) then I shouldn't be teaching it. Study to see if what I am saying is correct. If you don't think so, then correct me. I will certainly do my best to defend what I have written, but I am not so stubborn that I can't be corrected. However I will go after your defense the same way I just went after the example above. It has to line up with Scripture or I will dismiss it. Remember, when you stand before God, you cannot use anyone else as an excuse for ignorance or wrong beliefs. You answer for yourself. As I see more and more false teachings abounding (as Scripture says will happen in these last days), I feel more and more the need to shake people and tell them to get off their lazy derrieres and open God's Word for themselves, not just drink in what any old person is teaching. The unbelievable trash that is being taught (as supposedly God's Word) is abounding more and more, and worse, people are accepting this garbage as being true. This is going to lead to gross deception and death in the days ahead. Be forewarned, God has stated that His people will perish for lack of knowledge. This is a foregone conclusion. Don't be one of them.
Anyhow, this is my thought for the day.
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