False Prophecy

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    The definition of the word Christian means to be Christlike and Romans 8:29 tells us that God Himself predestines believers to be conformed to the image of His Son, indicating that becoming like Christ is part of God's plan.  Yet the modern church has falsely convinced itself that there are more than 200 ways to be like Jesus Christ when common sense tells us that Jesus was only one man. As a result many believers are being led away from the Kingdom of Heaven because they aren't practicing Christianity at all. They are playing follow the leader, and not only are they following the wrong leader, but the one they are following isn't even close to the path that leads to everlasting life. Jesus Himself confirms this in Matthew 7:21-23 when He explicitly states that He will turn many believers away at the gates on Judgment Day.

    The mistake most Christians make is having the false assumption that false prophecy only comes from those who are evil and that is simply not the case. Most, if not all of the false teachings that exist in the modern church actually come from good people who are trying to be good Christians. However, they have made the catastrophic mistake of accepting their own interpretations of Jesus' teachings as fact. How many times have you heard someone say that their interpretation must be the way God wants them to understand?

    This line of thinking is very dangerous because it is only an opinion and isn't based on biblical fact. We tell ourselves that Jesus spoke in parables that are open to interpretation and use that as justification to tailor Christianity to our own desires based on our false interpretations which suit us. The Apostle Paul warned us of this in 2nd Timothy 4:3.

    In Matthew 24:4 Jesus tells us to "Take heed that no one deceives you..." and in John 8:31-32 He states, "If you hold to my teachings, you are truly My disciples, then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free." However, finding the truth when our religious leaders cant even agree on what the truth is can be challenging unless you know exactly where to look.

    In order to find the truth there are several things to consider. The first is understanding that Jesus wants His people to be of a singular mind. Once we realize this we must then concede that it is impossible for all of our different interpretations to be correct. So if we are going to be of a singular mind we absolutely must find exactly what Jesus meant in His teachings. 

   To find the true meaning of Jesus' teachings, it is important to understand that in the latter part of His Earthly life Jesus was doing two things simultaneously. First, He was teaching us how to be Christians and properly serve our Father in Heaven. Secondly, and even more importantly, He was showing us how to do it through His actions. There isn't one thing that He taught us to do that He didn't show us how to do firsthand. 

    To find the truth we must first remove the source of contradiction, which are the parables that are open to interpretation. Then we must look for an example of our interpretation in His actions. If we can not find a reflection of our interpretations in His actions then we must be willing to accept that our interpretations are incorrect and abandon them. For if we teach something that is not supported by His actions, we have delivered false prophecy. 

    An example of this can be found in Ephesians 2:8-9 which states... "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God,  not by works, so that no one can boast." This is the passage that many leaders in the church use to falsely claim that works aren't important which is a blatant lie. They tell this lie because in their interpretation of the verse they failed to realize one simple fact. While it is true that we are saved by grace which is a gift from God that we didn't have to earn, being saved is only how we become a Christian and has absolutely nothing to do with the responsibilities that come along with being a Christian, which most definitely include doing God's work.

    To see this one only has to read the Bible and examine the actions of Jesus Christ. Did He not perform God's work every single day? How can we claim to be "Christlike" and not practice Christianity the way Jesus did? 

•     Ephesians 2:10 says "we are created in Christ Jesus for good works..."
•     1 John 2:17 states that, " the way of works is the way of life."
•     Titus 3:8 says that as believers in God we should "be careful to maintain good works."
•     In Revelation 22: 12 Jesus Christ Himself tells us... “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me to give to every one according to his work.”
•     James 2:26 puts it best by saying that, "Faith without works is dead!"

   Any religious leader who claims works aren't important and all you have to do to walk in the Kingdom of Heaven is just believe is actually leading you away from the Kingdom of Heaven because they are discouraging you from your responsibilities as a Christian by contradicting both the Holy Bible as well as the words and actions of Jesus Himself.

    As Christians, who value our eternal souls, it is imperative that we look at the churches we attend with discerning eyes. Jesus told us to “Watch out for false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are voracious wolves. You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree is not able to bear bad fruit, nor a bad tree to bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will recognize them by their fruit." (Matt. 7:15-20)

     Does your church regularly go out into your community and bring God's love and grace to those less fortunate the way Jesus did? Is the culture of your church building disciples who strive to be "fishers of men" to expand God's family? Is your church consistently showing love, kindness, compassion, and generosity to those in your community outside of church walls? Can you see the "good fruit" your church has produced when you are traveling through your community? If the answer is no, it is important to understand that your church isn't practicing Christianity because you cant practice Christianity unless you have adopted the practices of Jesus Christ.  It's kind of in the name!

    We at ArchAngel Ministry don't even like to say that we "practice Christianity the way Jesus did." Simply because we understand that there is no other way to practice Christianity. It is in that spirit that we are committed to being "fishers of men" by being active in our communities, seeking out those less fortunate, and reflecting God's character through acts of love, kindness, compassion, and generosity. We pray you will join us on this incredible journey.