The Need to Address Alternative and New Religious Movements

Introduction: There is a list of essential Christian doctrines that are non-negotiable by which it is the foundational to the faith and life of the church today. The church must never sacrifice biblical faith in place what will be acceptable in those who are professing believers. Many professing Christian leaders will contend that the church was not "divide" over doctrine, but to demonstrate "mere" love for the sake of unity. Whenever the church sacrifice the faith of the church for the sake of unity it "divides" people than to give them a robust understanding of the foundations of the Christian faith. Our understanding of essential Christian theology strengthen believers by which to share their faith with others. We are called to give people biblical answers to their Bible questions simply because of the fact that they wants to know with all that is going on in the world today: that of racial strife and social disparities. (1 Pet. 3:15) Foundations of the...

 There are "coded" languages that are communicated with those who are within the world of the health and wealth gospels known as the prosperity faith movement! First, we would think that by the prosperity faith movement being exposed by those who critical of this particular outside of the Word of Faith movement that it would have settled the case. Even though there are books that are critical of the "health and wealth" gospel for example the Health, Wealth & Happiness authors David W. Jones and Russell S. Woodbridge address the historical, biblical, and its theological analysis. But, yet, the "coded" language of this particular movement have not been addressed. (2 Cor. 11:3)  In order to reach those who are entrap within this particular movement known as the "health and wealth" that comes in the form as the Word of Faith is to break into its "coded" language. The only people who can understand such "coded" language is that...

 Just on today I heard on a local radio station here in Atlanta that the Host interviewed a guest on its program. It was the particular guest promotion of her book promoting but utilize such memorable statement "It is your health the promotes wealth." I thought about it for a moment by which the guest distorted the biblical text of 3 John 2. She's going further to talk about spiritual laws, principles by which she encourages her listening audience to follow. In so many words in order for people to be prosperous or to be "healthy" is to follow such principles and spiritual laws. What immediately came to my memory in how many Faith televangelists will contend that God is subject to the laws of the spiritual by which to create the universe. In turn many Faith Christians must utilize the same spiritual laws by which to create the world of their own desires. Also, in so many words what you say is what you create. You must speak such faith-filled words in order to cre...

 There is a misunderstanding of the gospel message! There is in no way that the gospel message is equated with the law or that of the law and the gospel. The law reveals to who we are in light of our own self-righteousness: that we are not able to live up to the standards of the law. The purpose of the law is to reveal the sinfulness of the hearts of people. The law is our schoolmaster by which it leads the self-righteous person to Christ, but that the law cannot save. We are justified by trusting in Christ for our salvation. As if things doesn't get any worse is that many legalists within the professing church will convince believers that even though they are saved there are steps by which maintain that of our salvation by keeping man-made rules and regulations. (Gal. 3:1) It goes to say that we can live perfectly by the law by the Spirit's indwelling. Moral perfectionism, moral plank, sanctimoniousness, and sacreligious are apostate doctrines by which it is taught by demons. ...

 The church's responsibility is to guard the truth! In turn God have also entrusted the elders who are undershepherds in preserving the message of the gospel. The reason for such is that there is an array of false teachings that are circulating throughout the church today by which contemporary evangelicals have in fact followed suit. Paul to Timothy says that there are going to be people who are not going to put up with sound doctrine but they will be selectice of false teachers who are going to tell them what their itching ears wants to hear. As a result of not desiring to hear solid biblical truth that they will turn away from it be giving heed to falsehood. (2 Tim. 4:3-4) It is unfortunate that many pastors who because of pressure cave into telling people what they want to hear; not what they need to hear. Whenever churches especially church leaders are committed to teaching the truth of God's Word will in fact anticipate persecution and sufferings.  When it comes to guardi...

Text: 2 Timothy 3:16 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." There are many professing Christians who would challenge whether scripture is inspired by God! There is a frontal attack upon the authority and inspiration of the Bible. Such an attack comes in the form-critical analysis, deductive approach, deconstruction theory, and a wave of neo-orthodoxy.  The progression by which there is an attack upon the Bible strikes at the heart of the authority of scripture and its inspiration.  First, what is the normal text by which scripture is "inspired" by God? According to 2 Timothy 3:16, it says, "Every scripture is given by inspiration of God." In so many words "Scripture is God-breathed out by God." Every word of scripture is in fact inspired by God by which the Holy Spirit is the Author of the Bible (v. 16) Once again proof of the inspiration of sc...

Text: John 10:4 Preface: Knowing "How to" Discern Biblical Truth Acknowledgment  Introduction:  God's Written Word? Or God's Spoken Word? Outline of Message I. "Christian" Mystics with the Church Today (Col. 2:18)    A. Take pride in the superiority of knowledge (v. 18)    B. They entertain angelic beings. (v. 18)    C. Intruding into the spirit world. (v. 18)     1. Entertaining such divine personage ("Jesus")     2. Visitation into the "third" heavens   D. They claim to have seen something; they ain't seen nothing. II. God's Elect: Chosen by God (Jn. 6:37, 44)    A. God's foreknowledge and predestination of the saved (Eph. 1:3-11)    B. God has chosen "certain" individuals unto salvation (Jn. 10:2, 4)    C. The sovereignty of God, predestination, and election. III. The Marks of Professing Believers (Matt. 7:15ff)    A. They are wolves in sheep's clothing. (v. 15)    B. Th...

 Different things mean to different people! There are many professing Christians who throw along biblical words like throwing away toilet paper. It is so important to define such biblical concepts with the standard definition of the Bible (1 Cor. 2:13). The most basic of Bible interpretation is comparing scripture with scripture. When it comes to the biblical concept of the "secret things" of God or the hidden things of God is that there are numerous passages of scripture that will shed light upon its biblical meaning.  The question is what is the biblical meaning of the word "secret things?" According to Proverbs 25:2, it says, "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter." When it comes to the secret things of God is that the glory of our Lord is to conceal a thing (v. 2) The Sovereign Will of God is to conceal that which is not made accessible to ordinary men. There are spiritual vandals within the church...

 As we begin to look at John chapter 3 verse 29 where it says, "The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and is now complete." It is very important to know the historical background of this particular verse under study simply because of the fact that there is so much misunderstanding when it comes to God's Word. There is a lot of biblical ignorance among those who called themselves Christians by which they professed to be saved (Matt. 7:15-24). Professing believers are those who claim to be saved by which they do not know the Lord. They appear to be saints but they are saints in sinner's clothing (Matt. 7:15). Those who are truly saved are those whom God has chosen unto His election of grace (Jn. 6:37, 44). First, Christ is Sovereign Lord over the church by which the Spirit indwells (Eph. 5:25; 1 Cor. 6:19). Christ is the head of ...

Compiled By Pastor Darryl L. Miller 1. The History of the Word of Faith movement : New Thought metaphysics, Christian Science, and Unity School of Christianity (1 Tim. 6:20; Col. 2:18) 2.  Understanding of God : God is a "faith" Being; not a Sovereign Creator (Rom. 1:21-23) 3. Understanding of Jesus : Jesus is a product of God's spoken word of faith (Heb. 11:3) 4. Understanding of the Bible : Personal revelations, "special" revelations, personal prophecies (2 Pet. 1:19-21; Col. 2:18-19) 5. Understanding of the Fall of Man : Adam lost his divinity in the Garden of Eden (contrast Gen. 3:1-7 with Romans 5:12) 6. Understanding of the Atonement : The Born-Again Jesus who died spiritually and physically (2 Corinthians 5:21; 2 Pet. 2:1; Jude 4) 7. Understanding of Faith : The force of Faith spoken by words. It's a container. God is an impersonal force by which the "Faith" Christian can manipulate through ...

It is so important to do research on alternative and new religious movements. The reason why it is important to study sects and cults is its opposition of traditional religious establishments and the whole of the political government. These are groups and organization whether extreme fundamentalist groups, neo-Nazis, or right wing political organizations that pose such challenge and threat society and human institutions. Just recently I watch on CNN News today concerning two white Nazis whose attempt was to bomb Black churches and to create a race war in the United States as well as the assassination of political officials. The White Nazis attempt to go through with their threat was interrupted by the FBI.  It is a fact that because of racist ideology, curious beliefs, practices, and apocalyptic vision of  self proclaimed Messiah of these dangerous cult groups that at will they will say and do anything that will silence the mouths of its critics as well as religious scholars...