C U L T S S Part 9
How to Tell a False Religion
Here are some general rules any Christian can apply to
determine if a religion or a teaching is false
By R ichard C. Halverson
T he apostle, John, makes it quite clear that the Christian has no option in this matter of- false prophets (1 Jn. 4:1-3). The Bible warns us over and over again that there are many false prophets going out into the world masquerading often as angels of light, as servants o f Christ, taking portions of the Bible and using them in a way to deceive the children of God. So much of Christianity has been watered down that we have become infected with an innocuous climate that has generated a sickly, thin, anemic attitude of tolerance. W e’re supposed to tolerate everybody and everything. And if we raise our voice against anything we’re accused of being un- Christian. This, however, is not the spirit of the New Testament or of Jesus Christ Himself (as we shall see). He loved men but He was indignant against false teachers. "Better a millstone” . . . "Better never born” . . . said He concerning those who would lead astray. If one will not tolerate poison that can destroy a man’s body, how much less should one tolerate poison that can destroy a man’s soul? If we are careful of what we put into our stomachs, how much more ought we to be careful of what we feed our minds? Once in a while a good, strong, healthy dose of intolerance is legitimate for a Christian. We ought to be intolerant of sin. We ought to be intolerant of error. We ought to be intolerant of heresy. We ought to be intolerant of falsehood. We ought to be intolerant of false prophets and anti-Christs that do everything they can to lead people away from Jesus Christ and do it in His name. The Standard of Measurement Note that we do not judge false prophets, they judge themselves by what they teach. Jesus Christ said, "by their fruits ye shall know them,” and He was talking about false prophets when He said it. What we propose to do is not to judge any teacher or prophet (if the shoe fits, put it on ), but to lay down scrip tural standards by which the teaching of every prophet ought to be judged. At the outset, let it be understood that
we recognize the Bible to be the final authority— the final arbitor— the last word. What we say must square with the Scriptures also. I t’s not what someone else says the Bible teaches, not what some other book says the Bible teaches: it is what the Bible itself says about itself. The only correct interpretation of scripture is scripture itself. We com pare scripture with scripture, passage with passage until the balance of teaching is reached in the Scriptures. One is not qualified to say "this is what the Bible teaches” about any single subject until he has everything the Bible has to say about that subject. The Bible takes a very serious view of false prophets. Paul says in Gal. 1:8 "though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Those are strong words. Jesus 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” (Matt. 7:15, 16). Let us be reminded that Christians have been admonished to test for truth. We have no right to listen to any teaching, whatever it is, and accept it gullibly. We have been com manded to be sure to find out that what we listen to is true or false. That’s a command— that’s an order from the Lord! "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God because many false prophets are gone out in the world. Hereby know ye the spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is the spirit of antichrist whereof ye have heard that it should About the Author. The Rev. Richard C. Halverson is one of America’s leading young Presbyterian ministers. He has held preaching missions in China, Formosa and Korea, and is a popular conference and young peoples’ speaker.
THE KING'S BUSINESS
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