Today I had the opportunity, the blessing, of being able to speak briefly about certain Scripture verses to an older woman, and to a man of about her same age. The man I spoke to was once, and is attempting to be again, a pastor of an Assembly of God church, one with charismatic bents. When I realized this, I did not rebuke him, but mildly, and in love, attempted to reprove and correct him, adjusting the conversation in hopes that he would see the error of certain beliefs he holds. And all that in about eight minutes time.
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” (1st Peter 3:15)
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” (2nd Tim. 4:2)
These are two verses that come to mind.
It is rare for me to be able to spend much time speaking to people these days, and so when I do, I get right to the point, I have little time for vain, worldly topics, and even the youngest men and women I meet do not seem to realize that the time remaining to them, even if it is yet decades, is also short.
There is only one reason that anyone would desire to start a church in any town, and that would be because they cannot come to an agreement with the, what could be called, established churches in the area. And that disagreement could not be established on whether the hair of Moses was grey or white when he got old, but on salvational issues.
This man, being of the charismatic opinion, believes in the necessity of some form of external signs to prove the truth of salvation in a person’s life. When he began to expound on that, I immediately offered the truths of the Word of God. I was not concerned with, nor was it necessary to hear his reasonings, whether it be speaking in tongues, handling snakes, or emotion based so-called proof, his doctrinal beliefs were easily refuted.
He may be studying the Scriptures, but he is unable to rightly divide them.
Now I will ask this question of you, in light of what this person believes, if others join him in his beliefs and what we call a church begins from it, who is calling these to join that church, the Living God or our adversary.
“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.” (2nd Cor. 11:15)
Does the Holy Spirit call people to the Roman Catholic cult? No, He does not, but people who do not pray, and that earnestly for truth, are easily led astray, they are for all purposes brainwashed. Satan does not care if he is able to take that seed away, leave it in the rocks, or water it in the weeds, as long as there is an opportunity for even the subtlest form of deception, he will take it.
My prayers toward this man are either that he will accept the truths offered to him, or that this church he is attempting to start will fail miserably.
“Let destruction come upon him at unawares; and let his net that he hath hid catch himself: into that very destruction let him fall.” (Psalm 35:8)
You must be prepared not only to give an account of your faith, the reason for it, to all who ask, but be prepared to speak the truths to those who are being led astray. That is called correcting and reproving, and if you serve the Almighty, it is your responsibility to do so.
Men of God who are not ashamed, who count their lives as nothing so that the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is glorified.
Just for your information, this man did not invite me to his church, I knew he would not, and he knew I would refuse.
Remember this my friends, those of this sort see us as the spots and blemishes.
