John Kuhn Bleimaier
Many of today’s churchgoers do not comprehend the significance of the Biblical admonitions pertaining to false prophets. They assume that the multiple of references to false teachers relate to some obscure heresies of the distant past. It should be pointed out that all Scripture is of eternal and everlasting value, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16. We are treading on slippery ground if we conclude that any of God’s Word was directed to people living at a distant time or place. The human condition has been established since the fall. Humankind disregards specific Biblical warnings at its peril. The Reformation represented Luther’s response to the false prophets in the Roman church of his day. In the 21st Century we must be vigilant and challenge the false teachings of some contemporary theologians. We must never be at a loss to stand up for the Truth.
From the dawn of the Common Era, anni Domini, we have faced the threat of corrupted doctrine which has infected various groups who profess to be Christians. Saint Peter has said: “…there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies… And many shall follow their pernicious ways… 2 Peter 2:1-2. Martin Luther elucidated that the Apostle Peter has warned us “against the false teachers who are to come… and depicts them so clearly with their avarice, pride, wickedness, fornication, and hypocrisy that one must plainly see he means the clergy of today.” Luther’s Work volume 35, pages 391-392.
On this issue I would quote from the writings of another Reformer, John Calvin, who attempted to face down the prince of darkness. “As weak consciences are usually very grievously and dangerously shaken, when false teachers arise, who either corrupt or mutilate the doctrine of faith, it was necessary for the Apostle, while seeking to encourage the faithful to persevere, to remove out of the way an offence… we must contend against false doctrines, that our faith ought by no means to be shaken on account of discords and sects, because the truth of God shall remain unshaken notwithstanding the violent agitations by which Satan strives often to upset all things.” John Calvin, Commentaries on the Second Epistle of Peter.
Luther makes reference to “clergy” and Calvin talks about “sects,” when identifying the sources of errant doctrine. In our time the exponents of deviation from Christian orthodoxy have mostly arrogated unto themselves the appellation, “theologian.” This term derives from two Greek words: “Theos,” meaning God and “logos,” referring to discussion. Thus, theologians use philosophical discourse to comprehend the nature of the Divinity. Faith, grace and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit are apparently not requisite components of the work of some theologians. Yet it is precisely faith, grace and the Holy Spirit which represent the core of Christian doctrine leading to salvation.
In the 21st Century whole congregations and component parts of historic denominations have been subverted into making accommodation with sodomite pride, wickedness, fornication, and hypocrisy. False theologians have deceived the weak into believing that God’s love compels us to embrace conduct which the Scriptures have declared to be an abomination. Leviticus 18:22. Truly this is a damnable heresy as defined by Saint Peter.
Jesus warned us to beware, “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets…” Matthew 24:24. We have become complacent because, by and large, nobody has come forth claiming to be Jesus Christ. Similarly, we have not witnessed contemporary “luminaries” expostulating while wearing sandals, wrapped in cloaks and bearing stone tablets. But we should realize that Jesus was not predicting a forthcoming masquerade. The “false Christs” to whom He made reference are pretenders who would presume to set forth a new message, at variance with that enunciated in the Holy Scripture. False Christs promulgate a false scripture. Similarly, false prophets would have us believe that they can authoritatively extrapolate, interpret and contradict doctrines derived from the Word of God.
The false Christs and false prophets of the 21st Century do not call themselves Jesus II or Nouveau Elijah. They are rather theologians who use philosophical dialogue to subvert the plain meaning of the Holy Scripture. With the gravitas of academic titles, they would attempt to deceive the very elect. The vulpine exponents of an inclusive religion which extols the practitioners of an abomination are the false Christs and false prophets of whom we have been duly forewarned. Indeed, we must beware of these errant spirits which do not derive from our triune God.
The Apostle John clearly instructed us as follows, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” John 4:1. We try the spirits forthcoming from modern theology by holding them up against the instruction which we have received from God in His Good Book. Only the Scripture, sola Scriptura, is our infallible guide in evaluating theologians.
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