The Need to Address Alternative and New Religious Movements

   Just several months ago I wrote an article on The Legacy of the Prosperity Gospel by which it is associated with New Thought metaphysics: that of changing one's thoughts in order to bring about positive outcome. Even though many prosperity teachers utilize as their proof-text 3 John 2 to accumulate wealth at the expense of their followers, but beneath the origins of the prosperity theology is that of hedonism and utilitarianism: that of a pleasure seeking religion at the avoidance of pain and suffering. As one African American Word of Faith televangelist Leroy Thompson of Ever Increasing Word Ministries of Darrow, Louisiana says explicitly, "Money Cometh to Me Now." I will never ever be broke again in my life. Such utilitarians will convince themselves as well as others that to avoid the reality of pain and suffering is to psychologically rehearse within their own mind that they will be prosperous by living such an robust lifestyle. In reality the only ones who wil...

It is so important that believers are taught properly God's Word.  Whenever believers are improperly taught God's Word that it will in fact impact their lives spiritually.  For example whenever there is a distortion of the truth of God's Word so as to "redefine" biblical meaning of biblical terminology in accordance to one's own cultural understanding that it does unjustly to the message of the Bible. To clarify and reinforce what was just mentioned in the previous statement is that biblical words have meaning (e.g the "anointing"), but to systematically distort such meaning as to say the "anointing" is only for a select "few" whom God have given "specific," or "special" revelation is a mishap so as to interpret its biblical meaning. The anointing of the Holy Spirit is solely for believers; not a select "few" so as to discern truth from error (1 Jn. 4:6).  Every believer are anointed by God (1 Cor. ...

Attitude determine one's aptitude!  What must be our attitude towards interpreting God's Word? It is the goal of the interpreter of the Bible is to seek the plain meaning of scripture? Or should we seek to "personalize" God's Word as it relates to our present situation?  Why is it that there is no interest in sound biblical doctrine in place one's own personal interpretation of the Bible? Throughout this article I will begin to address such questions in light of the Bible; not the Bible in light of one's own personal preference when it comes down to interpreting scripture within a person's culture understanding in "how" they interpret God's Word. Even though there are some who wonder why are there is many interpretations of the Bible have not consider the fact that it is due to the sinfulness of man's heart (Jer. 17:9).  Man because of his sinfulness have such unbelief whose attempt is to go against the clear teaching of scriptu...

The language of the Bible must be defined according to the standard definition of the Bible (1 Cor. 2:13).  Why is it so important that we define "key" biblical terms in light of the Bible? What are ways by which many of the cults and new religious movement "redefined" such biblical terminologies? What are the causalities that comes with people who have systematically "distort" the "wording" of the text of scripture? Throughout this article I will begin by addressing such questions in light of its historical, biblical, and theological analysis.  First, what are those "key" biblical terms by which many cult system utilize as they appear to be apart of true biblical Christianity and the historic Christian church (1 Jn. 2:18).  There are many languages of the Bible that many of cults and new religious movements utilize so as to insist that they are Christians, but I will name a few that will shed light upon the matter. For example th...

It is so important that we are properly taught God's Word, especially when it comes to interpreting the Bible. The reason for such is that there are those who are leadership that are poor biblical scholars, poor Bible readers, and poor interpreters of scripture. For example when it comes to the basis of biblical interpretation is that instead of the speaker seeking to understand the plain meaning of the context of scripture is that many of the portions of the Bible have been interpreted spiritually: that of the resurrection of Christ have been interpreted as to the "appearance" of Christ being risen, thus deny Jesus Christ glorified physical body as being resurrected from the dead (2 Tim. 2:16, 17). The apostle Paul declares that if Christ be not risen our faith is in vain, yet we are still in our sins (1 Cor. 15:1-4).  In order for the Church to experience to anticipate the resurrected hope of believers appearing before God's presence is to have the confidence and ...

The Bible is "incomplete" without the revelation knowledge of many charismatic leadership today.  Even though they claim the "backing" of the Bible; it is only said in principle, but not in practice.  The Bible according to charismatic theology is that the Revelation Knowledge of its own leadership is to shed light upon the Bible; not the Bible in light of charismatic erroneous understanding of the "canon," or rule of scripture.  There is no difference between that of the Charismatic movement doctrine of the revelation of the Bible and that of Mormonism understanding of the "revelation" of scripture (2 Pet. 1:20).  Therefore both Charismatics and Mormonism understanding of the Bible is a "continual" revelation of scripture as to be incomplete.  In so many words the Bible is an open-end Book whereby it is necessary for "further" revelations to shed light upon the character and nature of scripture.  Also, both Charismatics and...

There are Black sects among us, especially within many of African American churches and its own community.  For example the controversial movement of The Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International claim to restore that of primitive biblical Christianity: that of the gifts of the Spirit, speaking in tongues, and the "five-fold" ministry gifts, but, what makes this particular "sect" questionable is the foundation from which it is built (1 Tim. 6:20).  The movement in and of itself have "borrowed" heavily from different religious traditions and that of its philosophical ideology:  that of Baptist, Charismatic, Pentecostalism, and the Word-Faith movement.  Also, the philosophical ideology of "Full Gospel" Baptist is from an Gnostic source which is embedded with such "syncretism" of Hellenistic and Greek mythology.  In so many words when it comes to interpreting the biblical text of scripture is through such "allegory," ...