Contending for the Faith: The Struggle against False Teachers

Five years ago I gave a sermon on biblical justice that landed me in trouble. It was during a time of chaos in our society, at the height of the COVID pandemic and a summer of political riots. During that time I had observed the rise of an ideology called social justice that was beginning to infiltrate the church. 

Biblical justice is based on the scriptures and builds from there, but I saw that the social justice ideology was built on the oppressor vs. oppressed paradigm common in Marxist ideology. It was based on critical theory, a concept of criticizing and tearing down perceived oppressive structures in society. And I saw this ideology was infiltrating the church under the guise of justice ministry.

I became increasingly concerned, sensing God calling me to speak up in the struggle between biblical justice and social justice ideology.

On July 5th 2020 during the height of this societal chaos I gave a sermon on biblical justice that I titled "...And Justice for All." The sermon was live streamed. I spoke about the dangers of critical theory based ideologies. I spoke about the importance of unity in diversity among the body. And I encouraged the body of Christ to embrace biblical justice, which includes deep love and mercy.

Immediately after giving the message, the sermon had received over five thousand views and a mob had formed on social media with the goal of cancelling me. They lobbied leadership in The Salvation Army, and I was banned from preaching for a period of about one month. And for a moment it looked like I might be removed from leadership altogether. 

However, officers, soldiers, and leaders throughout The Salvation Army world spoke up on my behalf, and in the end, all the complaints were dropped and my preaching rights were restored. Leadership viewed the original text of the message and decided the message was not blameworthy after all.  

I remember when I was first writing the sermon this feeling came over me, I could almost sense what was coming next. I got on my knees in distress to pray. And I said, "Lord, would you like me to change this message in some way?" And I heard the Lord say to me: "Every word." 

It was a scary moment in my life as a new officer, just out of my first year, but God used it to mold and shape me, and I saw the army's approach to justice ministry begin to shift toward a more biblical approach. I knew that in some small way, God had used that sermon I gave that day to help guide the movement toward a more biblical path. But I was never treated the same in the movement after that day. I began to feel like an outsider. 

Yet it was worth it to see a real change in the struggle between biblical justice and social justice. Nevertheless, it is a continued struggle to this day in the body of Christ, such teachings are always attempting to infiltrate the church, teachings that divide people into disparate groups, sow distrust among believers, and encourage hatred and resentment instead of love. 

In the struggle against false teachings and false teachers, you may pay a price for the witness you bring, but if the Lord is calling you to speak up, speak up boldly. Despite the price you pay, remember our Lord paid an infinitely higher price when He died for you on the cross. 

Today we examine the book of Jude, in particular the last half of the letter. Jude was a brother to Jesus, his real name was Judas, but, we call him Jude, because that name Judas is more often associated with the disciple who betrayed Jesus.

Jude was probably one of the younger brothers of Jesus. He did not follow Jesus during his earthly ministry, but after the resurrection of Jesus, Jude became a leader in the early church.

Jude is writing this letter to a church that is struggling against false teachers. So Jude writes early in the letter, that he had hoped to write a letter about all the wonderful depths of salvation in Christ, but instead he has to write this letter challenging the church to “contend for the faith.”

And the Greek word for contend here is very strong. It implies to fight, as a combatant.

If we turn to the 1828 Webster’s dictionary, it says this about the word contend:

1. To strive, or to strive against; to struggle in opposition.

2. To strive; to use earnest efforts to obtain, or to defend and preserve.

3. To dispute earnestly; to strive in debate.

I like that word earnestly because it implies you have a good heart about it, you love the truth, you aren’t disputing because you want clicks or because you want to make some point, but because you love the truth. It’s honest disputing.

So that’s the challenge, to contend against false teachers. And these false teachers that Jude is dealing with are making a particular claim, that is very common in the modern church. Jude writes in verse 4:

“For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord.”

They take the concept that we are under the grace of God, to be a license, to practice and live in sin. They say, if we’re under the grace of God, we can do whatever we want.

What is a license? It gives you permission to do something. If I have a fishing license, I am officially allowed to fish in the area. They treat the incredible gift of the cross of Jesus, as a license to sin.

I had a Christian who was disputing me with, because he and his wife felt I was a teaching a works gospel, and they made the statement, “a Christian can sin as much as they want.” That my friends, is a false teaching.

This has been a theological dispute in the history of the church, a heresy we now call today antinomianism. The phrase antinomian breaks down into two words in Latin, "anti" meaning against, and "law" meaning moral good. Martin Luther wrote extensively against antinomianism, so did John Wesley.

So that’s our first point for today, contend for the faith. Keep your guard against false teachers who want to make the claim that because we are under Christ, we can live and sin however we want. This is very common today, so many ministries teach a grace-heavy gospel, that removes the need for holiness and for purity, and rebukes good works as attempts to earn your salvation.

So Jude spends the first half of the letter dealing with these false teachers and pointing out that we can know them by their fruit. We will know them by what their lives produce. Their words may seem very wise or powerful or seem right to our emotions, but their fruit will prove who they really are.

Second point, you can know a false teacher or a false Christian by their fruit. Does their lifestyle match what they say? Now, no ones lifestyle perfectly matches Christ, but, you will be able to sense, by the Spirit’s guidance, whether they are walking in the way of Christ or in their own way.

But I want to focus in on the second half of the letter. Which gives instruction from Jude about how to live, despite the false teachings around us.

But let me just say one more thing, we live in a time in the body of Christ, when there are false teachings everywhere. I believe we live in the era that Jude is about to talk about, where we see false teachers everywhere, and false teachings damaging the faith of millions. We live in those times now.

I’ve done research on the churches here in Traverse city, I would say nearly half of them are gay pride churches, churches that are teaching against the leading the Holy Spirit, against Christ, that is wild. This is up north traverse city of all places. But it’s true in every city I’ve been in, from Escanaba to Chicago to Owosso to Gary, there is always a big gathering of churches that are apostate, against the faith, against Christ, because they teach against his word.

So you may be sitting there thinking what do I need to worry about false teachers? Brothers and sisters, they are all around us. And on tv, and social media, and YouTube.

So Jude addresses this, verses 17-19: "17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” 19 These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.”

Notice that phrase, “in the last times.” Jesus spoke repeatedly about a period of time at the end of human history, known as the end times. He spoke about difficult times that would come on the Earth. And part of that story of the end times was, scoffers who would mock the idea of Jesus’ return.

There were signs of this even in the time of Jude. Jesus predicted that after he was crucified and resurrected, vicious wolves would sneak in among the flock and lead many astray.

Third point, be on guard in your thinking. Watch out for soothing, clever statements made by leaders. There are all sorts of clever arguments intended to sway you away from faith in Christ, or to get you to accept false doctrines. Their arguments will appeal to your emotions, and manipulate your emotions. They make statements like: "If God was really good, why would he send someone hell? If God loves everyone then why shouldn’t we accept all lifestyles? We just need to listen and learn from other peoples experiences. We can’t convert anyone that would be wrong, they need to stay in the religion they were raised in. There are many ways to God, not just one."

All of these statements can be so appealing to our emotions. But we can't let our emotions rule us. Not everything that sounds good, is good. Here’s my challenge to you, the best way to be on guard in your thinking is to let God’s word stand in authority above your emotions. Then we can’t be led astray, because we’ll say, well, what does God’s word say? There's a check and balance against our feelings.

Let God’s word stand in authority above your emotions, and you won’t be led astray.

So we understand we’ve got to contend, keep watch, keep our emotions in check, and resist and overcome false teachers.

Notice verse 19, they follow mere human instincts, they do not have the Spirit. That is one way to identify a false teacher, do you sense the Spirit working through their ministry? Certain speakers I've watched over the years in church, they would come up and speak and I would sense the Spirit moving through them. But numerous times a speaker would come forward, and my wife and I would say afterward, where was the Holy Spirit? We would listen and become troubled, grieved, even upset as they spoke because we sensed a different spirit, but not the Holy Spirit.

Next, Jude is going to explain to us how to live, despite all the frightful things we see happening around us.

Verses 20-21: "20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life."

This is the key scripture for our message today. Build yourselves up in your most holy faith. But I thought it was God who was building us? That is true. We are saved by grace through faith, this is not of ourselves, it is a gift of God. Yet the word of God also says, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

So many people get annoyed with me in my preaching because I mention those pesky scriptures that no one likes to talk about, the ones that mention hell, and judgment and the fear of the Lord, falling away, and the call to holiness. Is it because I enjoy being controversial? Not at all.

But, it’s like we have this long list of our favorite scriptures, John 3:16, Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 29:11. And then we have this other list of scriptures, the challenging ones, that few preachers will talk about, because these scriptures make us feel uncomfortable. But if I only teach from the list of feel good scriptures, I am a false teacher, because by excluding the difficult passages, I’ve carved an idol out of God, making him all love and no justice. Now the converse is true as well, if I only preach on the tough verses, I’ve also made an idol, of all justice and no love, that is a false teaching as well.

We must teach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27), as one who must give an account, in accordance with James 3:1.

Point four, build yourselves up in the most holy faith. I’m on a journey, and I know you are too, to build yourselves up in your faith journey. We are people always seeking to grow, always seeking to learn new things, looking for opportunities to build our faith, and to go on into maturity.

And if you’re wondering, how do we as Christians overcome all these lies and falsehoods and false teachers and evil agendas around us in the world, the answer is to build ourselves up. We often think we must fight harder. But Jesus said, overcome evil with good.

One Christian who really seriously seeks to build themselves up in the faith, and become all God has called them to be, is greater than 450 false teachers (just ask Elijah). They can overcome all of it, and change an entire city. Because Christ is glowing within them.

Next it says, “And praying the Holy Spirit.”

Point five, pray in the Spirit. What does that mean? Pentecostals talk about that a lot, praying in the Spirit. Praying in the Spirit is when we allow the Holy Spirit to pray through us. It’s not necessarily praying in tongues, but it can be. But more so, it’s allowing the Spirit to guide your prayers. Sometimes I do this when I pray, I’ll say Holy Spirit please pray through me before I start.

I can tell when I’m praying in Justin, because it’s not too powerful, but when you start praying in the Spirit, you feel the Spirit surging through your being, and you get passionate, excited, and focused. Your prayers become powerful when you pray in the Holy Spirit. Keep that in your back pocket. Ask the Spirit to guide your prayers before you start.

Verse 21, "keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life."

What do you mean keep yourself in God’s love? Isn’t God the one who keeps us? God certainly does keep us, and we’re told in his word there is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. Nothing outside ourselves, nothing demonic that can separate us. But, we can choose to separate ourselves.

It’s all outlined in John chapter 15, Jesus said, "If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love." It’s the concept of abiding, remain close to Jesus, which keeps us in God’s love. But God’s love is also keeping us. It implies two entities interlocked together, God and you holding onto each other.  

Point six, keep yourself in God’s love as you wait. We are all waiting for something as Christians. We are waiting for the Lord Jesus to return, and bring us to eternal life. We are all waiting for that one day when Jesus will part the sky and take us home. In the meantime, abide in Christ, as Christ abides in you, keeping yourself in God's love as you wait. 

But in the meantime, as we wait, we receive instructions on how we should live. Verses 22-23: "22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh."

If someone is having doubts in their faith walk, don’t judge them, be merciful to them. Encourage them. Listen to them. Pray for them.

For others, snatch them from the fire. Many countless souls out there today, in this city, are perilously close to the eternal hellfire of damnation. And they need someone like you and me, to come and snatch them from the fires and show them to the feet of Jesus.

To still others, show mercy, mixed with fear. So a balance of mercy, along with deep concern for the sins they are in, hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh. That’s the concept of love the sinner, hate the sin. Some say it’s not scriptural, show them Jude 23.

Essentially, it’s saying as we wait for Jesus to come back, be at work in his field, as ambassadors to the community on His behalf.

So lastly, verses 24-25, “24 To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.”

Jude has just told us to build ourselves up in the most holy faith, but then he also reminds us, God is able to keep us from stumbling, and to present us before the throne of God the Father without fault.

It’s all very synergistic. God’s presence and help and power, connected with our prayers, obedience, faithfulness, and practice of purity. 

The entire Trinity is involved in preparing us for judgment day. 

Jesus makes us clean by dying on the cross for us, and covering us with his blood. Jesus goes with us on the journey, walking with us, and advocating for us to the Father. He also keeps us holy on the road.

The Holy Spirit sanctifies us, encourages us, convicts us, and helps us to hear God’s voice. He builds us in purity of heart.

God the Father, molds us, shapes us, loves on us, builds us, and protects us along the way.

All for the purpose of one day presenting us before the throne of God, faultless, and with great joy.

Point seven, trust that God our Savior will be do His part to present you faultless before God our Father’s throne.

Jude concludes by declaring, all glory to God, God the Father is our savior, through Jesus Christ, glory, majesty, power, and authority belong to God. Forever. Amen.

Review of Main Points:
1. Contend for the faith

2. You can know a false teacher by their fruit

3. Be on guard in your thinking

4. Build yourselves up in the most holy faith

5. Pray in the Spirit

6. Keep yourself in God’s love as you wait

7. Trust that God our Savior will be do His part to present you faultless before God our Father’s throne

In conclusion today, let’s wrap it all together. God is painting a beautiful canvass on our hearts. He’s molding and shaping us into people of incredible glory, from one degree of glory to the next. He’s creating something amazing. And it’s messy on the way, there are setbacks, and trauma and pain and tears and grief, but also victories, hope, healing and renewal.

As we engage in this journey, and we build ourselves up step by step with God, we must guard against false teachers that would smear their own designs all over the beautiful canvass God is painting. Their false teachings would ruining and sideline us on our spiritual journeys. The false teacher is great at getting us to stop on the road, and pitch a tent in a place where we were meant to keep going deeper and higher toward God. Keep your guard against their clever schemes and high sounding speech. Contend for the faith, speak up boldly, but also remember, we overcome false teachers by doing good, not by lashing out with anger. 

Apply your heart to building yourself up in the most holy faith. In so doing, you will grow and grow, praying in the Spirit, helping others who are in danger, and waiting patiently for the return of the Lord Jesus. On that day he will present you, God willing, faultless and with great joy before the throne of the Father.

As Jude writes, "Glory, majesty, power, and authority belong to God!" Amen.

How it Feels to be Rejected by People

 We know that Jesus was despised and rejected by the ruling elites of his time. That fact is beyond dispute. Should we be surprised then when we are rejected and despised by those around us?

I want to consider three main areas in regard to this topic: 

First, how it feels to be rejected.

Second, why it happens. 

Third, how to move forward. 

I've never shied away from sharing my beliefs openly in the body of Christ, and I will always continue to do so. Though I've learned over the years to be more cautious and prayerful about how and what I share. 

In all this, I've been involved in some controversies surrounding sermons I've preached, and ideas I've shared. 

How does it feel then, to be at the center of one of these controversies? It's stressful, and straining, yet there is also an assuredness, that God is there. Often, the end result is positive. The seed of it produces what it should. Yet at the same time resentments develop. And accusations are made. Soon, there is a result that is not positive. At least in my own heart. It is a sense of feeling rejected by people. 

There are three things I've heard spoken to me in the church, by leaders and heroes in the body.

The first is, "I know you." This often occurs when I first introduce myself to someone I've not met before. They usually will shake my hand, while glaring back at me, and declare, "I know you." What they are saying is, they've heard of me. And what I often see in their eyes, is hatred, or disgust. 

They've heard gossip about me. And they've already decided, without ever speaking to me, that they believe I am bad, or they hate me. This is one I hear often: "I know you." What's ironic, is that they don't know me. They've never spoken to me. But they've listened to gossip, gossip they should've rebuked or at least ignored, and they took that information and decided to reject me before ever getting to know me. 

This is always painful. We as human beings have an innate desire to be liked, to be valued, and to feel accepted. Many will even compromise some of their core beliefs in trade for a sense of feeling accepted. So it's a dark feeling to sense that you are rejected and even despised by another human being.

But more so, it makes me sad. Because I wish they would give someone a fair hearing, sit down and talk to them, before outright rejecting them. 

The second thing I hear is even more painful. This often comes from someone who honestly does agree with me on many of the things I've written and spoken about. Yet there remains a disdain. 

They say to me: "I don't know you." What they are saying is, "I don't recognize your right to speak into this group." They agree, but the rebuke remains, as they declare a sense of "who is this person who dares to speak?" They seem to imply, I agree with you, but I don't recognize your right to speak. 

What's ironic is that they do know me, our kindred perspectives as well as our unity in the body makes us brothers, family, but, they offer rejection none-the-less. 

How does this feel? It leads to a lot of hurt, and sorrow. But it's never made me question what I know: God has called me to speak His word. I dare to continue speaking. 

Honestly, this group is a minority among so many brothers and sisters who have come along side me, sensed the Spirit in my ministry, and encouraged me, believed in my authority to speak, and rallied around the causes I championed. 

Yet what I've learned is that there is a whole subset of the body of believers that feel this way. They feel odd, ignored, rejected, and unseen, because they don't have the right connections or the right ideas. 

Often these are capable leaders, yet they are overlooked because their best efforts go unseen. They've been tagged and marked as "one of those people." Yet how poorly the tag fits, for many perceived outcasts.

How can this problem be remedied? 

First, we have to be radically dedicated to the leading of the Holy Spirit. In the Spirit, we'll have a sense of total impartiality, as far as who should be where, the only question is talent level, ability, and most of all, the leading of the Holy Spirit. Where does God want this person to serve? This takes radical impartiality, a complete dedication to placing based on the Spirit.

Second, we have to change our mindset. In the world it's very normal, though it shouldn't be, that we target those we dislike, or those we perceive as a threat, and we do something called "gossiping, rallying, and shaming." 

We gossip about the person in question. We rally others to the claim that this person is wrong. And we shame the person publicly, they are bad, and here is why. 

Gossiping, rallying, shaming,. it's common in junior high, high school. We destroy those we dislike. It's common also in politics, polarize their name, claim they are controversial, and with those words, we polarize that person, so people draw away from connection to that person or cause, because it's socially costly to do so. 

This is not the way of Christianity though. The Christian pattern is found in Matthew 18. Go directly to the person, go to the person with one other, if they still refuse to listen, warn the church (group) publicly at that point. But not before that point. 

If you've found yourself the target of rejection and hatred from fellows in the church, understand that it's to be expected. Jesus was hated and reject. The Apostle Paul was hated and mistreated in the church. Moses was complained against. The prophets were rejected and persecuted. The judges were resisted. David faced constant danger, rejection, despair, yet one day he became King. 

Understand that disagreement is not rejection. We will in the church have discussions and disagreements. It's to be expected. I've never felt someone hated me just because we disagreed. 

We should hope that rejection and hatred would not occur at all in the church. But we also understand that it will happen. That doesn't make it OK, but it is a reality. We should fight against it and pray against it. But we should also have our armor on each day, the armor of God, so that it doesn't poison us and lead to discouragement. 

I confess, I've allowed rejection to lead in my life, to bitterness, resentment, and worst of all discouragement. And if you struggle with something similar, pray, seek God's help, and seek outside counsel for healing. We can't succeed in ministry carrying around bitterness or discouragement. Seek healing. 

In conclusion, a retired officer often comes up to me, draws me close to his eyes and says, "You matter." 

That's the idea I think we need to embrace. To the one who seems to be the outsider the words should be: You matter. You have a stake in this movement. You are a leader. Your anointing is the only test, not the name, not your history, not your connections, but the anointing that the Lord has placed on you. God's will is what matters most. 

You matter. Your ideas matter. We will have vigorous discussion and debate. But even if we disagree, as long as we both stand within biblical orthodoxy, we matter. And hopes matter, our dreams matter, and we need each other. 

You matter outsider, never forget that. Let us pray day and night that those insiders who are authorities can see and believe in and support and uplift the rejected outsiders who linger in our midst. 

Lord, have mercy on us. Thank you Jesus. Amen. 

The Power of Christian Community

I’ve been wrestling with God lately on some things, battling depression, anxiety, even questioning God, his will and purposes.

And I’m so grateful for my wife who has been there day in and day out challenging my poor thinking patterns. Reciting God’s word to me. She brings the truth up, and just keeps saying God loves you so much Justin.

So many people, members of the body of Christ, have encouraged me, Dennis and Barbara came over for Bible study last Thursday and that meant a lot to me. Yesterday my DC called and just talked with me and encouraged me. Not 15 minutes later the pastoral care officer for our area called to pray with me. My brother in law texted me some encouraging words. My friend Heston and I talked for about an hour on the phone.

I’ll tell you this, we need each other.

What if I didn’t have my wife, didn’t have my friend, didn’t have my fellow Christian leaders, my church members, what if? I would be in a much darker place.

We’ve talked about faith, healing, redemption, holiness, and service. Now we talk about community.

Too many Christians today operate as lonewolfs. They are an easy target for the enemy. But, when we surround ourselves with Christian community, we put ourselves in a position for success.

In Romans chapter 12 we see the apostle Paul telling us what it means to live in Christian community, and how to do it successfully.


The very first thing Paul does is give us a warning, he says this: “3 Because of the privilege and authority[c] God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”

The very first thing to remember in Christian community is to live at a radical level of humility.

Why does Paul mention this first?

It’s easy to get proud. It’s easy to want to show off. Its too common in the church. Instead, let’s choose to be very humble, serving each other gently.

It says be honest in your evaluation of yourself. Don’t get puffed up. Evaluate yourself based on where you’re at in your faith.

Next Paul writes in verse 4-5 “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.”

Secondly, we all have unique functions in the body of Christ. Your job isn’t the same as mine. You have skills I don’t.

You have a job to fulfill. You have an area where you can serve. And we need each other. We belong to each other it says.

What if we in this church really felt, we belong to each other? How would we serve each other differently?

Next in verses 6-8, “6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”

These are gifts. Wrapped up in beautiful paper with golden bows, and placed at your feet when you became a Christian. And God says, use this gift I’ve given you. Use it for each other. Isn’t that beautiful?

Is your gift prophesy? What an amazing gift. Use it to speak truth in love to each other.

Is your gift serving others? Then serve people earnestly.

Is your gift teaching? Then it’s time to take up your role as a teacher.

Is your gift encouraging others? I love the gift of encouragement. Use it generously.

Is your gift leadership? Be a godly humble yet strong leader.

Is your gift giving? Give generously.

Is your gift showing mercy? Show mercy to people that are hard to love.

Let’s Pray: Father, bring to mind and heart which of these gifts are for us. And keep it in our minds, prompt us again and again to use the gift you’ve given us. We are willing God, in Jesus name, amen.

How else do we go about living in community together?

We are the army of God! We’ve got to learn to march together as one. And we’re getting our instructions.

Verse 9, “Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them.”

It’s easy to pretend to be nice. It’s easy to pretend to love someone. Just smile, say some nice words, and say “I’ll pray for you.”

God had to do some work on me in this area. I like ideas, thoughts, philosophy, theology, apologetics, but God had to train me to love people deeply. Just love them. Stop, and let your heart feel for them. Slow down, and see people, engage with people, talk with people, and learn their stories.

Where are you at with this? Do you genuinely love people? Not just your family. But your Christian family. Love them dearly.

Pray about this. Say God, I need you to help me love more deeply. And he will.

But also notice the second part of verse 9, it says, “Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.”

Hate what is evil. Hate what is wrong in the world. Don’t hate the person. But hate evil.

Recently during the opening ceremony of the Olympics there was a display mocking the last supper of Jesus. Do I hate the person that decided that was a good idea? No I don’t. I disagree with them, but I don’t hate them.

And it’s unfortunate, as soon as the world does something like that, you’ll have Christians who jump up and start attacking other Christians. How dare you notice that the world did that? How dare you hate evil? But we’re supposed to hate evil.

Many of these incidents very quickly become an excuse for Christians to attack other Christians. We have to stop shooting our own. Can’t we stand united when something like a mockery of the last supper happens? Unfortunately, many of us prefer to sling arrows at our own. It makes us feel superior, like we’re showing how merciful we are to the world. Yet we’re told by God, to hate evil, and love good.

Love the person, but hate the sinful attitude or action. Don’t be afraid to speak out against evil. But make it about the evil itself, not the person behind it. Jesus died for that person. But evil is still evil, and it’s ok to call a spade a spade.

So how do we prosper in Christian community? We love each other with genuine love. And we call out evil. We expose the deeds of darkness, and do not participate in them.

Many Christians will attack you if you speak out against evil in the world. But ignore them, they are wrong. They are mixing up mercy with truth. Mercy doesn’t erase truth. Mercy draws us toward the truth. But the truth needs to be in it’s place too. It can’t be hidden. And Christians can’t be silent in the face of evil. So if a Christian calls you judgmental, you tell them, I’m not judging anyone, I’m speaking up against evil. Why aren’t you doing the same?

Next, verse 10, “Love each other with genuine affection,[e] and take delight in honoring each other.”

Brotherly love, it says in the Greek, enjoy a sense of brotherhood, sisterhood in the church. I’m a salvationist, you’re a salvationist, let’s be excited about that. We’re the army of God, get excited! And enjoy honoring each other. That’s why we brag about each other, I saw so and so serving someone. I saw them volunteering at the food pantry. We honor each other, above ourselves.

Next verse 11, “Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.”

How do we live in community? Don’t get lazy. Keep serving. It’s easy to start saying well I served the last year I’m going to take a break for a while. No, keep serving. Don’t get lazy. Work hard for God’s kingdom.

I’ve been so tired lately, and stressed, and I have to remind myself, keep serving God Justin. Keep speaking up for Jesus. Keep standing firm for Him.

And be enthusiastic, I like the footnote in verse 11, it says the Greek could be rendered, “Or but serve the Lord with a zealous spirit; or but let the Spirit excite you as you serve the Lord.”

Let the Spirit within excite you as you serve the Lord.

I love that. Get excited about serving God. I think it’s exciting. Doing God’s will is exciting!

There are so many great concepts here, next verse 12: “Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.”

Christian community, next keep looking back at the confident hope we have of eternal life that Jesus Christ has paid it all and made us new. Rejoice in that.

At the same time, be patient when troubles happen. I can relate to that. When we enter a problem, a struggle, a suffering, we instantly want it to be over fast. Can anyone relate? Be done now!

But God says be patient. And yes it’s on a clock. But wait patiently for God. These things take time to work out, by God’s action in the situation.

In those dark times, keep on praying, return to prayer over and over. I like to go sit outside on my back deck, or in Owosso it was on the front porch, and I just pray. Get alone with God for a while and talk to Him.

If you can train yourself to do that in difficulties you’re gonna rise up on eagles wings in those hard times. Get away from the phone or the tv or the computer, and sit with God in nature.

So many good instructions!

Verse 13, “When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.”

Just be willing to help someone in need. When you see a need, say, you know what, I think I could help. Get messy in their situation. Get into it and help.

I remember there was a situation, messy situation at the corps, and this lady who was volunteering in our food pantry, she liked to get into those situations and she brought this family into my office and there was all this drama and I thought I don’t want to get into all this. Talking to the police, talking to the family, trying to find the truth, dropping off paperwork, this and that. But later the daughter joined our church, and I thought thank you Lord that she brought them into my office. As messy as it was sometimes you have to get into the situation and try to help.

It also says practice hospitality. Invite someone over for dinner. Take someone out to lunch, guys with guys, women with women, thank you. But yes, let God prompt you to do that. Invite someone over. Take them out for coffee. Get to know their story. Learn more about them. Invite your pastor over for dinner, he might not be a very good cook. You never know.

Here's a tough one, “Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.” (v.14)

Street preacher Cliffe Knechtle was being interviewed by Jake Paul online, and he shares this story about when he was playing division 1 basketball, but he was the worst player on the team, and there was a guy who would always make fun of him, and he hated this guy. It was Cliff’s dream to be a basketball player and this guy would always mock him and his basketball skills. And Cliff felt he would always hate this guy. So he went to God in prayer and said Lord I don’t think I can ever forgive this guy, but he asked for God’s help and sure enough God did a miracle in his heart, and he was able to forgive that person.

Is there someone who hurt you very badly, and you need God to do a miracle? First of all, believe it’s possible. Second, ask God for help. Third, pray and say, Lord I forgive him or her. And watch the miracle begin to happen. But remember, forgiveness for others is a command, not an option, it’s so important God even says if you don’t forgive someone their sins against you, God will in turn not forgive some of your sins. And we know what happens when sins are not forgiven. They must be punished.

Pray for people who have hurt you, pray that God would bless them, and God will deal with them. I’ve seen that happen. I pray for God to bless them, and God does something huge to deal with them. He heaps burning coals on their head. Why? Because I gave up my hate. I forgave them. I even prayed they would be blessed. Now I’m off the judgment seat, and God gets in the judgment seat, and he takes action. It’s biblical, look it up, Romans 12:20.

Next, verse 15-16, “Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!”

This concept is really interesting in scripture, it’s the concept of empathy, of literally “feeling with” someone.

If someone is mourning you literally enter into that emotion with them, and mourn with them.

If someone is celebrating you literally enter into that emotion with them, and celebrate with them.

It’s a profound truth of scripture, it says about someone in prison, Hebrews 13:3, “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.”

Join in with someone emotionally. Remember that one. Celebrate with a Christian who is celebrating, and mourn with a Christian who is sad.

Also it adds, live in harmony. Enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know everything.

I’ve met a few know-it-all Christians. And it’s very off-putting. That’s why we return to verse 3 that says stay very humble. Don’t act like you know it all. Because no one does.

Verses 17-20 continue like this, “17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord.

20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap
burning coals of shame on their heads.”

But I want to draw your attention to verse 21, “Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.”

Yes, we want to call out evil. We want to call evil for what it is. And we want to love people even those caught in sins. But, at the same time, we can only overcome evil with good.

Sometimes we as Christians get so stuck on fighting and reacting to evil, we lose focus on building the good. As you build the good, the world becomes better.

I recall when the whole controversy with the Olympics took place, the television show the Chosen, they put out a picture from the show’s upcoming season of the last supper, a beautiful picture of purity and holiness. And that kind of beauty it a great response. Refocus on goodness. Overcome evil with good.

Main Points:

Remember the question was, how do we live in community?

1. Be radically humble toward each other

2. You have a unique role to fulfill in the body

3. Discover your spiritual gifts and use them

4. Genuinely love each other

5. Expose evil in the world, hate evil

6. Enjoy honoring each other

7. Don’t get lazy, keep serving enthusiastically

8. Be patient in dark times

9. Be quick to meet a need for someone & hospitality

10. Forgive one who hurts you, bless your persecutor

11. Join in with someone mourning or celebrating

12. Overcome evil by building good things

Seven Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ

When examining the human body, there are numerous systems all working at the same time to regulate, protect, strengthen, and heal the human body. There is the respiratory system which brings oxygen into the body and expels carbon dioxide. The brain communicates instructions to the rest of the body. It is amazing how the entire body works together as one to allow us to live.

Similarly, think of a city. All sorts of systems work together. Massive networks of underground pipes distribute water. Electric lines channel power. Supermarkets bring food. Cell towers communicate telephone signals. And it all works together.

Think of a football team, certain players block. Others run the ball. Others go out for passes. Others are defensive. Others have special functions, like kickers or punters. One player leads on offense, another on defense. It all works together for the team to fulfill it’s function, to win games.

It’s similar in the military, an army has frontline soldiers, it has cavalier units who specialize in speed and firepower. They have artillery units that stay further back. They have air units that fly overhead. They have generals who strategize and lead. They have scouts, they have guards, and all sorts of other roles to make a powerful, mobile force that can fulfill it’s mission, to defeat the enemy.

We as Christians are also part of a whole. We are not lone-wolves prowling about by ourselves looking for prey. Instead, we are part of a vast body of believers, all working together to win the world for Jesus, and disciple one another on the journey home.

Along those lines we’ll be looking at Romans 12 today, starting in verse 3, which says, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment…”

We’re told very quickly that it’s important that we look at ourselves with very sober judgment. To me that means firm humility. In our service in the body of Christ we will tend to want to think of ourselves as indispensable to the group. As the worker sometimes says to himself, “Without me this place would fall apart.” But it usually isn’t true. View yourself with humility. Your job isn’t the end all be all. I know that. God can easily replace me, if I were to decide to go back to the sin life. I’m just a small part of the whole.

Notice also that we have our place in the body of Christ ‘by grace.’ It’s not that we worked our way in by being awesome or something. No, we were sinners. And Christ saved us, by his death. So have sober judgment about yourself in this equation.

So Paul says to think soberly… second part of verse 3, “in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.”

So we have this measure of faith within us, manifested as trust in God, commitment to God, allegiance to God, and this faith is how we’re connected to the whole. It’s through faith in Jesus that we are part of the body.

Next in verses 4-5, “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

I have a body with hands, shoulders, feet, knees, eyes, ears, and all sorts of different parts. They do not all have the same function, do they? My feet do very different things from my hands.

Yet they are all part of my body. They work together, not against each other.

And we as Christians form one body, though we’re many different people. Often I’ll meet a Christian, from another church, in another city, and I instantly know they are family. I can sense they are one with me, with all Christians. And we instantly connect. That’s why wherever I go, I meet family in Christ. Because that’s what we are. We are connected.

Each member belongs to all the others.

Then it says in verse 6, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.”

We each have giftings, areas that we are passionate about, and get excited about when we help others. These passions, these gifts were given by God through faith to you, to be used to bless the body.

But they are very different from each other. One person has a gifting of exhortation, you see them calling out the sins of the world, calling people to repent. Another person has a gift of showing mercy, and they have great compassion for the lost. The two may sometimes be tempted to argue. The one showing mercy says hey stop calling out all those sins that isn’t nice that isn’t going to win people to Jesus. The one giving exhortation says back, this is my gifting, to call out sin and righteousness boldly, and it is a message that is needed. So the two must understand, don’t fight, understand you have different giftings.

Second portion of verse 6, “If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith”

Notice again it says in accordance with your faith, or the faith. We want to make sure we’re using our giftings in alignment with God’s will and purpose.

What is the gift of prophecy? This is when God gives you a word to share with someone. You may not even realize you’re doing it at the time, but you’ll say something they need to hear. You simply let the Spirit lead. Other times you may know you have a word for someone and it will burn within you, and then you’ll go and give them that word.

Amos 3:7 says, “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.”

Some churches say basically the prophet role doesn’t exist anymore. Neither does the apostle, the only problem is it doesn’t say that anywhere in the Bible. So I tend to believe prophets and apostles still exist today.

One example from scripture of a prophet acting was in Acts 21:11, “Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”

He gave a prophecy to the Apostle Paul about his arrest.

Do you have a gifting in the prophetic area? This can be a ministry as part of the five-fold ministry. It can also be a gifting for any believer to carry. Paul held a high regard for the gift of prophecy, Paul said desire many spiritual gifts, but most of all ask God to give you the gift of prophecy (1st Cor 14:1).

From the “Outline of Biblical Usage” the Greek word for prophesy means to “speak forth by divine revelation.” So you receive a word from God, something to tell someone that they need to hear, and then you tell them.

You can see how powerful this can be. Someone who doesn’t know God, and you tell them something only God would know, has the power to show them the supernatural is real. Similarly with another Christian, they are greatly edified when they receive a word, they may remember it for years, for the rest of their lives, the word you spoke to them, because it was from God, specifically for them.

Prayer: Lord, we ask for the gift of prophecy, for those of us who should have it, please give abundantly in Jesus name, amen.

Next in Romans 12:7, “if it is serving, then serve…”

Serving is a gifting for various highly valuable activities, preparing food, cleaning a widows house, stacking chairs, holding the hand of someone who has just been injured, getting an event ready, preparing a food box, or numerous other ways of general service.

What would the church do without people gifting in serving? The church wouldn’t do anything. We’d be motionless. They are like the muscles and bones of the body if you ask me!

Prayer: Lord, if you are calling me to serve, please prompt me with opportunities in Jesus name, amen.

Next, in Romans 12:7b, “if it is teaching, then teach.”

Teaching is not just a role in the five-fold ministry, it’s a general spiritual gift for all believers. Is this a gift of yours? Are you talented from God, in explaining the Bible to others? That is a valuable gift. Use it. Mentor someone. Sit down with a friend and go through the Bible together. Write about the word of God. Use your talent, volunteer here for Bible study or Sunday school.

What would we do without our teachers? Teachers in the body help us see the word of God from new angles. They help us to go from hearing to application. They are wonderful.

Prayer: God, if you want me to teach the word, show me how, and I will do so Lord, in Jesus name, amen.

Next in Romans 12:8, “if it is to encourage, then give encouragement…”

The gift of encouragement is a beautiful thing. One of the worst things for a Christian is when they are feeling discouraged. They are exhausted with life. They are frustrated with difficulties. They are tired of being sick, tired of health problems. They can’t stand any more persecution or trauma. They can’t make ends meet. And they face discouragement.

Then it takes a faithful Christian in the body to come along and give them encouragement. They come and give them hope from the word of God. They read them a scripture. They recite a verse. You will rise up on eagles wings. Do not grow weary in doing good. I can do all things through Christ. God works all things together for the good of those who love God. When you are tempted God will provide a way of escape. And this gives us encouragement. We get hopeful once again. We bear up under our problem and remember how much we have to be grateful for.

Is this your gifting? We need encouragers so bad in the body.

Now it’s interesting also to note that the word used here in Greek, paraklēsis, for encouragement is the same as the word for exhortation. So exhortation is calling someone toward good deeds. Calling someone to make a change. Calling someone toward the right. So I think it also implies speaking a hard truth as well, not just a bubbly flowery word of comfort, but also a word of truth.

Prayer: Lord, I desire the gift of encouragement/exhortation. Lord please grant me that gift if it is your will, to build up the body, in Jesus name, amen.

Next, still verse 8, “if it is giving, then give generously…”

The gift of giving is beautiful. I think Jesus said it well, in Luke 3:11, if you have two coats and see someone without a coat, give them a coat.

If you see someone without food, provide food for them, if you can.

The gift of giving is beautiful. It can be giving money as well to worthy causes. Many Americans have a gift for giving, in fact the only reason The Salvation Army exists at all is because so many Americans give weekly, monthly, annually to support our mission.

Do you have a gift for giving? It can be a coat, a meal, a bag of groceries, clothing, gas money, many different things.

Giving could be time as well. Giving could be an act of service, repairing an appliance or replacing a door. These are all acts of giving.

Prayer: Lord, grant us the gift of giving. Grant us opportunities to give. Help us to plan to give, set aside finances and resources for that purpose, and then use them to give, in Jesus name, amen.

Again in Romans 12:8c, “if it is to lead, do it diligently…”

Leading is not simply something done by the five-fold ministry. A leader is someone who others gather around. Someone others trust and look to for support and guidance. Many of you are leaders and you don’t even realize it.

The Greek word used for leader is not the same as used for government leaders. So this is leadership in a different way. I think it can mean leadership in the church as part of the five-fold. But I think it also means leading in the way of being a guardian or protector of others.

Prayer: Lord, if it is your will, give us the gift of leadership. Help us to lead those around us toward the good, toward necessary resources, and most of all toward you God, in Jesus name, amen.

Last but not least, still verse 8, “…if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”

Often in the ministry of Jesus, someone who was blind, or unable to move their legs, or deaf, would cry out to Jesus and say, “Lord have mercy on me!” It pictures someone in a state in which they are hopeless. They can’t help themselves. They are doomed without help.

Similarly, some of us Christians are gifted in the area of showing mercy to those who are in desperate circumstances.

I think I most often think of someone who ministers to the worst kinds of sinners.

Many Christians would find it uncomfortable or difficult to minister to someone addicted to crack, or someone who is a prostitute, or someone who has had five abortions, or someone who has committed adultery. It’s difficult. They hate those sins, as they should, but it’s then hard for them to minister to that person.

However, many Christians are gifted in showing mercy. They are able to look beyond the horrid sins, and see the person there made in God’s image. That is the gift of showing mercy, a miraculous ability to look past the sins and see the worth of the person.

Do you have that gifting? The body needs heroes like that. They are beautiful in their mercy.

What did God say? I desire mercy rather than sacrifice. Show mercy to your neighbor. Show mercy to someone who has wronged you. It’s a little miracle when it happens.

Desire this gift, if you dare. God will provide.

Prayer: Lord, grant us the gift of showing mercy, for those whom you’ve called to it, to have mercy on those who are in sin and evil, help us to see their worth, in Jesus name, amen.

There are other listings of spiritual gifts in the scriptures, particularly in 1st Corinthians 12, but other areas as well. The scriptures seem to imply that God gives us these gifts, and that we develop these gifts through experience and growth in the Holy Spirit.

All of these gifts together form us into the body of Christ. And as the body we use these heaven-sent gifts to bring forth the kingdom of God on Earth, in the will of Jesus Christ, who is the head of the body. Jesus gives the orders, just as the brain gives the orders to the human body.

Now what happens if we don’t use our gifts? Nothing happens. And that’s not good.

Also understand it is your obligation to use your gifts. That’s why you have them. Remember the parable of the talents, the one who didn’t use his talents, but hid them, was rejected. And Jesus said those who don’t produce fruit are not of Him. They are like branches that wither and fade away, and such branches are gathered up, and burned. They are worthless. Remember the fig tree that was found without fruit for several years. Christians who don’t produce fruit are showing they have no faith, because faith without works is dead. Is your faith living or dead?

I’m trying to impress upon you how important your gift is. But in conclusion let’s put it all together.

I’m a new Christian say, freshly born again. God uses a prophet to speak a word into my life, challenging me to grow and build. What would happen without the prophet? No prophet, then I miss that blessing. I’m now getting complacent.

Next, I go to an evening meal service, a dinner church, but the doors are shut when I get there. People with the gift of serving never stepped up to serve, so the dinner church shut down many months ago.

Next, God calls an older man to mentor me in the Bible, sit down with me once a week or so, and go through the Bible over coffee and donuts in his den. But this man never does so, he's too lazy, decides he’d rather watch the price is right in the mornings. He has a gift of teaching but he doesn’t use it.

This new Christian is really being neglected! He’s starting to get discouraged. So God calls a woman to go and encourage him after church. But she decides not to. She has other things she wants to do, go shopping, get a Starbucks. So this new Christian leaves church discouraged and alone.

Now, we see this Christian is on his way to work, but his car breaks down. God sends a Christian who is driving by to stop and help them. But they just keep going. They have a gift of giving, but they don’t do it. Now this Christian loses his job.

This new Christian is going to a church, but the leader decides he doesn’t want to be a leader anymore, he resigns the ministry, and the church shuts down. Now this new Christian has no church to attend nearby.

He drifts off, and becomes homeless. Yet he still hungers for God. He still has hope that maybe someone will help him. God sends someone with the gift of showing mercy along to minister to him, invite them to their church, to a new church, and to help them find a place to stay, maybe drop them at the local shelter. But instead this person sees him, but just keeps walking, she’s too tired that day.

Then that night he commits suicide.

This is a graphic example of the value of the body of believers. We need each other. Do I believe God could still help someone, even if they miss some of these ministry opportunities? Of course.

In this scenario could God easily bring someone else with that same gifting over to help them? Absolutely.

So I don’t think it necessarily will end that way. But many a time I’ve felt I needed something, but it never came. Can you relate? You matter. Your gifting is not optional. And no, someone else won’t just magically do it for you. I think we get that idea in America, well, there’s another person who will do this for me. Maybe back in the 70s and 80s during the Billy Graham crusades, not anymore. If it’s going to happen it’s got to be you. Take responsibility, and serve in your place. It’s not too much. It’s not overwhelming. It’s quite natural actually. You'll do great! 

Review of Main Points:

1. View yourself with Sober Judgment, as one saved by grace through faith

2. Members of the body have differing functions, but belong to each other

3. The gift of prophesy means to speak word from God

4. The gift of teaching is explaining God’s word

5. Encouragement/exhortation is to help a believer stay strong

6. Giving is meeting someone’s need

7. Leading is being a guide or protector to other Christians

8. Showing mercy is seeing the value in someone caught in sin

9. Other Spiritual gifts exist as well (see 1 Cor 12)

10. Your Gifting is necessary to the body, use your gift faithfully

How do you overcome False Teachers in a Movement?

"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves." -2 Peter 2:1

Every church movement, every denomination has false teachers that they have to deal with. As Jesus taught, the wheat and the tares are growing together. Ravenous wolves, he predicted would rush into the flock. 

I've often wondered about different denominations of the body of Christ. Some have stayed on track over the hundreds of years of their existence. They still faithfully preach the gospel. Others have drifted into false teachings and currently reflect little to nothing of their original values.

What causes the drift? What causes a once proud denomination that faithfully taught the gospel to become something years later that hardly mentions the gospel? 

I recall when I lived in Chicago I would see churches in the depths of the city, positioned in such critical locations to spread the gospel, but instead they had gay pride flags on the doors and windows, and promoted secular social justice ideologies and universalism. The gospel wasn't even an issue to be mentioned. Instead of the church ministering to the city, the city had ministered to the church and converted it to secularism.

What causes the ELCA to drift away from it's own biblical teachings? What causes the United Methodist Church, a holiness movement church based around the teachings of John Wesley, to split over the issue of homosexuality? What causes Congregationalists and UCC and dozens of others to have gone from the most fundamental perspectives on scripture, to outright heresy? 

It reminds me of when Al Mohler took over as the Dean of the SBC seminary. The SBC, one of the most biblically conservative Christian movements was getting off track. Their seminary had been taken over by activist theologians promoting unbiblical ideas. But one man, Al Mohler took a stand. He cleared out the activists and extremists, and re-centered the seminary on the gospel of Jesus Christ.

So I thought to myself, what's the difference? What will save denominations from ideological destruction, denominations that are wavering now, like the church of the Nazarene, or Wesleyans, or The Salvation Army, or a dozen other denominations fracturing over theological issues? 

It will take a small group or groups of biblically sound watchmen and watchwomen who are willing to stand up and say no to bad ideas. That's all it takes. When honorable men and women take a stand, faithfully, honestly, truthfully, without hatred or rage, but firmly, then the denomination will stand. 

They become a Gideon's army of sorts within the denomination. They speak up boldly, clearly, with love and truth, without hatred or rage, but firmly, and God is with them. They win the victory. They oppose the false teachers. And they pray. The false teachers can't stand against prayer. God moves in those prayers. And their defeat is certain. 

So I want to look at a few keys to victory in the battle against false teachers and unbiblical theology in your denominational movement. Follow these steps, and you will see victory rise from the ashes of defeat. 

1. Target the False Teacher with Specific Prayers - Don't skip past this one. This may be your single greatest asset. Begin praying for the false teacher, pray that God would give them every good thing in life. Pray for their health, pray for their family, pray for their goals, pray for blessings, not curses for them. Also pray that God would guide them away from false ideas, and toward the truth. But also pray that if they do not repent, that God would remove them from the movement. Pray and keep praying, then fast and pray. You'll be amazed at what happens, if you truly believe.

2. Organize with others in the Movement - Develop a network of heroes, start a Facebook group, or meet in person, to discuss the issues and concerns you notice. It's important for others to know they aren't alone. Encourage one another. Avoid forming a faction or spreading dissensions, instead emphasize loyalty to Jesus Christ, unity, and oneness with the current denominational structure as it exists now. Loyal members standing for truth, not a faction fighting against the whole. 

3. Work in the Chain of Command - If you notice concerns with false teachers at a seminary or at a particular church, alert leaders in your movement. They may not do anything about it. But at least the truth is where it belongs. Do be cautious, if your movement is way off, you may actually find yourself a target after reporting someone for false teachings. It's worth it though, because again, the truth is where it belongs. You did what you could. Now return to prayer. 

4. Go Directly to the Person - God may afford you opportunities to speak directly to that person and correct them. Do so gently, with wisdom and tact. They may not receive it or listen, but again, at least the truth is where it belongs. Approach them not as one looking to clobber them, or destroy them, but approach as a brother or sister in Christ who honestly wants to be helpful. Attitude is everything. Do it with honest love. It may feel more emotionally appealing to slam someone with the truth, but love is merciful and kind. 

5. Innovate Past the False Teachers - Sometimes we try to fight false teachers with anger and accusations and rumors and factions and rivalries, but this only causes the evil and strife and wickedness to grow stronger. We can't fight fire with fire. We are in fact told in scripture that evil cannot be overcome with evil.  As the word says, "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."  Jesus didn't smash everyone surrounding him when he was on the cross. He died for them. That paradoxical love of enemy started the greatest revolution of biblical truth in world history. 

We can't overcome false teachers by yelling and screaming and spreading accusations. And the worst possible thing we could do, is become a "faction" that causes division and chaos in the movement. We've got to emphasize loyalty to the movement and an attitude of unity. God hates those who sow division (Proverb 6:19) so we've got to learn to walk that line VERY carefully. Speak up boldly, yet also be intensely loyal and particularly submissive to the leadership of the movement. 

We can overcome false teachers by spreading the gospel, teaching biblical truth, and praying vigorously. As revival grows from biblical heroes teaching biblical truth, hundreds and thousands will turn to Christ. The false teachers will look like mushrooms on logs compared to the bursting light and love and truth of thousands turning to Jesus Christ.  Innovate past them. Spread the gospel with such zeal and power that no one listens to the false teachers, they are too focused on the gospel movement growing up around them. 

In the end, God will judge false teachers. May we always pray that they repent honestly and return to their Lord and Savior. But in the meantime, we can't allow these people to destroy entire movements. They can't be allowed to lead entire denominations astray from the Master. It will take small gatherings of bold people seasoned with biblical love, to pray intentionally and stand firmly, but God-willing, they will win the day. It may seem impossible. It may seem like the denomination is too far gone. But God can do anything. Believe, and stand, and watch God do a miracle. Then again, maybe it is too late. Maybe the denomination is too far gone. But let it not be said that we didn't stand up, let it be said we went down fighting, letting the denomination fail only at the end of our greatest efforts in Christ to bring hope once again. 

Either way, God will reward those who are faithful to the end, who do not allow themselves to be seduced by worldly ideas and ear tickling reinterpretations of biblical truth. But we know the end for false teachers, as it is described in 2nd Peter chapter 2. 

2 Peter 2:17-21 "These people are springs without water and mists driven by a storm. Blackest darkness is reserved for them. 18 For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. 19 They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” 20 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them."

What is the Most Important Command of God?

"A lighthouse along a bleak coast was tended by a keeper who was given enough oil for one month and told to keep the light burning every night. One day a woman asked for oil so that her children could stay warm. Then a farmer came. His son needed oil for a lamp so he could read. Still another needed some for an engine. The keeper saw each as a worthy request and measured out just enough oil to satisfy all. Near the end of the month, the tank in the lighthouse ran dry. That night the beacon was dark and three ships crashed on the rocks. More than 100 lives were lost.

When a government official investigated, the man explained what he had done and why. "You were given one task alone," insisted the official. "It was to keep the light burning. Everything else was secondary. There is no defense." -Source Unknown.

What is the highest priority in your life? That is the key question today. What is the most important thing? There are so many things that pull at our attention daily, our finances, our family, friends, commitments, chores, laundry, running errands, getting a haircut, going on vacation even. All these things pull at our attention. What is most important in life?

We all know the Sunday school answer: God should be first in your life. It’s easy to say that. But is it true? Or do we need to make an adjustment to our daily schedule? Do we need to carve out times to read the Bible, attend a small group, to pray and talk to God?

That is the challenge. If you can carve out those times in your busy schedule though, you will be one of those rare Christians who really glow with the power of God. The Holy Spirit will lead your life. And you’ll be securely on your way to heaven.

If you can’t quite carve out those prayer and bible reading times, and if you can’t quite make it to small group and church, then you’ll be one of those Christians who is unstable in their ways. You will be double-minded. You will be often confused and upset. You’ll be unsteady, and you’ll be liable to shipwreck.

Which do you want to be?

Conquer yourself. That is the challenge isn’t it? We’re not talking about something outside ourselves. We’re looking right into our own heart. Conquer yourself, he who can conquer himself is greater than he who can conquer a city.

The first step to conquer yourself: Realize you can’t. Surrender to that reality. I can’t do it alone. I can’t force myself to get there by pulling myself up by my bootstraps. I need God’s help. The first step is surrender. Honestly, that’s where I started when I couldn’t seem to get into a rhythm of praying and reading my Bible. I was too distracted by TV, my favorite series on Netflix, too distracted by videogames, and social media, and my laptop and my cell phone. I’d sit there knowing I should be praying as I stared at the TV, as I stared at the videogame or the computer screen or the cell phone screen, I knew, I should be praying, I should be reading the word.

But I felt held captive by the device. So, my first step was to stop, and pray and ask God for help with breaking free: God, help me please, I can’t seem to break away, please God do it in me, give me the power I need to carve out a prayer and Bible reading time each day. In Jesus name, amen.

And I found this new power in me, that had not been there before, and I was able to shut the lid on the laptop, put down the phone, and sit down on my floor, and talk to God in the dark at night. And later, in the mornings as well, and soon, it grew and grew over time, and when I wanted the time to grow, I would again turn to God, surrender, and ask for His help.

That process, of surrender, first, then turning toward God, then believing that God really can, and then watching him do it in you, as your cooperate with him, is a process that you can see repeated over and over again in your life.

If you struggle with drinking, or smoking, or porn, or lust, or stealing, or lying, or manipulation, or hatred, or unforgiveness, repeat this simple pattern:

First, surrender to God. God, I can’t do it alone.

Second, begin to believe God can do a miracle.

Third, turn it over completely to God and put it in His hands.

Fourth, watch as in His power, you overcome by the Holy Spirit victory in you.

It’s absolutely amazing. Time and time again when I get stuck in my walk with God in some area, some sin, some struggle, I return to that process of surrender and turning it over, and in time, in His time, suddenly, a see a miracle happen, and God gives the breakthrough. It’s astonishing.

So if you’re struggling to keep God first, well, realize you can’t. Surrender, ask humbly for God’s help, right now, pray, I challenge you, pray, and watch what he does, if you follow that simple process.

But that brings us to our scripture today, from Mark 12:28-31: “One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

Notice this is a teacher of the law asking this question. So they aren’t all bad. Some of the teachers and Pharisees and officials and elders really did honestly love God and want to understand what was happening around Jesus the messiah.

What is most important?

Jesus quotes two scriptures here:

The first is called the Shema by Jews, it’s from Deuteronomy 6:5, which says, ““And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

And the second portion, Leviticus 19:18: “‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.”

The single most important thing that we should do as Christians is to learn to love God with all that we are and all that we have. That happens through deep relationship with God. That deep relationship happens through personal prayer, bible reading, group bible study, prayer meetings, singing and praising, Sunday worship, and every aspect of personal and corporate worship of God. So the more you want to love God deeply, and obey this command of Jesus, the more you should participate in the body of Christ, and have one on one time with God. Plain and simple. As your pastor I can’t do that for you, you have to make that happen with God’s help.

Secondly, Jesus also indicates, to love each other is second most important. Love God first, love others as well.

After hearing this the teacher of the law responds this way: Verses 32-34:

32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.”

This man Jesus says was not far from the kingdom of God. He understood that what God wants is for us to love Him first and love our neighbors, more so than any sacrifice. Love is central to everything.

Second section today, we see Jesus provoking an important question: Who is the messiah really? Truly?

In verses 35-37 it says this, “While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? 36 David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
“Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
under your feet.”’

37 David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”

The large crowd listened to him with delight.”

Jesus quotes here from Psalm 110, where it says, essentially God said to God, Sit at my right hand. So God is talking to God, telling God to sit at his right hand and wait until he puts his enemies under his feet.

In this time the Pharisees and religious leaders believed that the messiah would be a man born in the lineage of King David. And that part was true. The messiah would be in the line of David. Jesus our messiah was born into the family line of King David.

But, Jesus is pointing to a key fact to understand: The messiah was not just a man. The messiah was God in human form. The messiah was God dwelling in human flesh. Jesus was God in human form.

King David wrote that in Psalm 110, I’m sure not fully understanding what he was writing, but he was writing by the Holy Spirit, pointing to the coming of the God-man Jesus Christ.

Jesus was explaining to the crowd that the messiah would be the Lord himself, on Earth, to save us.

Section three, the true character of a Christian. Jesus warns against the attitude of the Pharisees and teachers of the law.

So what we read here, we should do our best to do the opposite of.

It says in verses 38-40: As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, 39 and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. 40 They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

The Lord Jesus is telling us to not be like that. Don’t act in that way, as a Christian. Don’t try to show how important you are. Don’t try to show how knowledgeable you are. Don’t try to wear fancy outfits for the purpose of being greeted with respect by others. Don’t try to find the most important seat at get togethers and events. Don’t make lengthy prayers to show how wonderful you are at praying.

Frankly, just as much as it was true two thousand years ago, today, many, pastors, priests, and everyday Christians make a show of their faith.

I listen to different preachers and pastors and teachers on Youtube and online and on TV and such, and one thing you can always sense very quickly is arrogance or pride. It is so incredibly common among preachers and pastors today, pride, ego, arrogance, pre-madonna, look at our important I am, look at how great my ministry is, look at what I’m doing, and we’ve got to guard against that. Most people can sense it though. I can sense it. If someone is prideful or arrogant or doing it out of self, I get a sense in my Spirit, something is off here, my fiancé Chelsey can sense it very quickly, if a song or a speaker is “off” she can sense something here is off.

The Spirit is not here. Or the Spirit is being hindered. Or self is being displayed, not God. It’s an easy thing to slip into. I often wanted to show how creative I could be, how deep I could go, and how important I was, and I still have to fight that, to want to show myself, instead of simply showing God in His glory. Lord help us to resist that spirit of selfish ambition and to glorify God, not self.

Jesus ends this section saying that these leaders, these teachers, who were entrusted with the very words of God himself, would be punished “most severely” because they made it about themselves, and not about God. May we always keep the focus on God, not on self. That is hard when hundreds or thousands of people are listening to you speak or listening to you sing or play guitar, or the cameras are pointed at you, or millions of followers are hanging on your every word, that’s when we gotta get on our face before God and plead with Him to keep us humble, and deliver us from pride of every kind. Lord help us!

The character of a true Christian, which is opposite of the teachers of the law described here, is this: To have no desire to be seen by others, but simply have a heart of love, wanting to be helpful to others who need to know Jesus and know God’s word. A simple desire to be helpful. A desire to get God’s word out there. A desire for others to be saved. An honest, genuine love for the real God who is here. It’s so simple, but if we’re consumed with love for God and love for others, a simple honest love for God and people, then pride is choked out in humility and love. Keep this motto: “I’m not that important, God is, I’m simply a servant of God, nothing more.”

So that’s the true nature of service to God. Now, last section, section four, the true nature of giving.

Here we see in verses 41-44 it says, “41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

The nature of giving is not actually what we might think. We might assume, well, the billionaire who gives 20% of his wealth to support world missions has giver a greater offering than the poor man who gave his last 2 dollars. But that actually isn’t true. According to God’s kingdom, the man who gave his last 2 dollars has in fact, given more.

Which tells us something very simple, but profound: God is looking at the heart of the giver.

But just as much, he’s looking at the level of trust of the giver. The widow gives her last two coins, all she had to live on, she is now broke, she won’t be able to pay for her next meal, but she is trusting God, trusting that God will provide for her.

So there are two things at work here: God looks at the heart, and God looks at the trust level.

Particularly if you give when it hurts, when you know you won’t be able to make ends meet otherwise, that is the a faithful offering to God. Giving when it hurts is the key to matching the heart of the widow who gave her last two coins. Now God won’t always call you to do that. But when he does, you should do it. But don’t assume that every time you have only a little left you are required to give it over to God. That’s not necessarily true. Go by the Spirit’s leading. Don’t make it into a 24/7 law. But give as God inspires you to.

But I think that’s best seen by tithing, most people assume with their finances being so tight, they couldn’t possibly tithe 10% of their income to God. But if they would simply trust God, and trust that God will provide in the lack, they would be blessed as they give 10% and greater and greater. But if God can’t trust you to give 10% and you refuse it, how can he ever trust you with more? That’s the question you should ponder. This widow gave her last two coins. Can we trust God and give even in tight finances? Pray on this, and seek God’s help again, just like we talked about it, if you’re afraid to go 10% in, start with surrender to God, and ask for God’s help. He will help you. Give it to Him.

So in conclusion, let’s look at our application points today:

1. Struggling to build relationship with God? When you can’t, Surrender it to God in Prayer

2. Use the “Surrender to God” process with other problems

3. Loving God & others is built on relationship

4. Jesus is both God and man (Son of God, son of Man)

5. Don’t be the teachers of the law, don’t show off

6. Have a sincere desire to be helpful in the background

7. Give to God financially, willingly, and out of lack to be blessed (Trust God in giving)