Too many of us think reading the Bible is boring or too difficult. And too many of us are content in simply showing up at church on Sundays and believing anything the pastor or preacher tells us. They tickle the ears, by telling us what we want to hear. They say we can do anything we want and still be right with God.
False teachers are nothing new. In the first century, Paul sternly warned Timothy about certain preachers who know how to slice and dice God’s Word to make it fit what people want.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 Paul wrote: “For the time will come when people will not endure sound doctrine, but they will gather to themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires, have itching ears, they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn to myths.”
The warning is clear. Be careful what you listen to!
There are many false doctrines being peached today, they are spread widely in churches all across the world. While we may no be able to stop the person who is preaching these heresies. We should never submit to theses teachings or supports them financially. And don’t ever believe their lies.
Have you ever seen a church with the parking lot completely full. I do, and I wonder why all these people are going their. Is the teacher tickling everyone’s ears. With there so much of that going on today. An expensive building and many vehicles in the parking area. I do not judge anyone but, I can’t help what I think. especially in small towns.
Here are a few things to watch out for when going to a new church.
Lie # 1: You don’t need to repent of your sin or focus on sin. While it’s true the many Believers don’t understand God’s love and forgiveness. We can’t swing the pendulum to the extreme and portray God as being lax about sin. Yes, God is holy, and His grace gives us the power to live a holy life. But if a preacher minimizes repentance, or says you shouldn’t worry about sin in your life, you should run out the door.
Lie # 2: You can live however you want to live sexually. Jesus Himself warned us in Revelation 2:20 about the influence of “Jezebel “ in the church. He said she was leading Believers to ‘commit acts of immorality.’ You can see tolerance of sexual sin in many segments of the church today. In some we hear of preachers commit child sexual abuse, and many have embraced same-sex marriage. And there are those who’s error is not worse than preachers who minimize or ignore the sin of adultery and cohabitation among straight people. We should never evaluate a minister just by what they preach, take note of what they say from the pulpit.
Lie # 3: You can buy God’s blessings. I do not believe in a poverty gospel, but the prosperity gospel that emerged in this country in the 1980s almost ruined the church. The greedy televangelist who manipulated audiences to give in the offering so he could buy airplanes or mansions will give an account for every soul he turned away from Christ. Never give to any ministry who promise people healings, spiritual gifts or salvation of loved one in exchange for a $$$ seed. God’s blessings are free. God should not be merchandised in His anointing.
Lie # 4: God never calls us to suffer. Whenever the church enters time of prosperity and ease, messages tend to get soft. In the 1980s preachers in silk ties told people they could name and claim whatever we wanted in Jesus Name. And while the verses they quoted about faith certainly apply to prayer, they mixed the message with the idea that life with God is like a bowl of cherries and that whatever hardship that came third way was from Satan. These preachers avoided 1 Peter 4:1, which says: “Therefore, since Christ had suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same purpose.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t trust a arrogant preachers who says they have never struggle with problems. Don’t follow anyone who has a Lexus or a four-car garage. Look for a broken minister who doesn’t own fancy cars, or fancy houses. A preacher who say’s believers don’t suffer has never felt the fire of God’s testing. And doesn’t know a Father’s discipline.
God is cleaning up His church today, and He is refining the message of His teachers. Don’t elevate or support false teachers or doctrines of the past. Don’t let them influence your life by speaking lies about who God really is. Embrace the true gospel. Which calls for each of us to take up our cross. It’s time to die to our own desires and be mature followers of Christ. Don’t let preachers tickle your ears, but telling you everything is fine when it’s not.
We need to be prepared when Jesus comes back.
From Pity to Praise 