By Apostle Richard Wright
I want to look at the following passage of scripture in light of what I believe Holy Spirit is saying to the Church today.
Matthew 24:3-5 says, “As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives,the disciples came to Him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age? And Jesus answered and said to them, See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ, and will mislead many.”
The two words “name” and “Christ” stood out to me and after looking at the original language, I found the following: “Name” also means “authority” and “Christ” also can mean “anointed”. Therefore, we could say many will come in My authority, saying, I am anointed, and will mislead many”.
Let’s now do a study on the apostolic attitude toward false anointings.
I. 2 CORINTHIANS 11:12-15 says, “But what I am doing, I will continue to do, that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting. (13) For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. (14) And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. (15) Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their deeds.”
“…that I may cut off opportunity…”
Definition: “Opportunity” = 1. A place from which a movement or attack is made, a (Strong’s #874) base of operations 2. That which gives occasion and supplies matter for an undertaking, the incentive. 3. The resources we avail ourselves of in attempting or performing anything.
II. PAUL’S METHOD FOR THIS OCCASION: To cut off all financial support for the “false apostles” of whom he is speaking. Now, let’s look at the Wuest literal translation of this passage:
“Moreover, that which I do I will also continue to do, in order that I nay cut off the particular occasion from those who desire an occasion, that in the matter of their boast (namely, that since they had apostolic rank they possessed the right to be financially supported) they may be found even as also we are. For such men as these are false apostles, crafty workers, changing their outward expression to one which does not come from within and is not representative of their inner character but is assumed from without, masquerading as Christ’s apostles. And no marvel, for Satan himself changes his outward expression from one that comes from his inner nature and is representative of it, to one that is assumed from without and not representative of his inner being, masquerading as a messenger of light. Therefore it is no great thing if also, as is the case, his servants change their outward expression from one that comes from their inner nature and is representative of their inner character, to one that is assumed from without and not representative of their inner being, masquerading as servants of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:12-15, Wuest translation)
III. IS THIS SORT OF ACTION RELATIVE TO TODAY? Is this kind of talk and action conducive to Christian ministry? Does this public statement slander Apostle Paul’s character?
IV. TITUS 1:10-11 says, “For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, (11) who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not {teach}, for the sake of sordid gain.” (See also verses 1-9.)
To whom is he writing this letter? To his true child, Titus! What is his purpose in making this statement? To silence false teachings! Who should take action and apply this apostolic doctrine? The elders!
V. GALATIANS 1:6-8 says, “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; (7) which is {really} not another; only there are some who are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ. (8) But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed.”
Definition: “Distort” = “pervert” (KJV), (Wuest) Notice the action that is to be taken! “Let him be accursed.” Definition: “Accursed”: “A thing devoted to God without hope of being redeemed, and if an animal, to be slain; therefore a person or thing doomed to destruction” (Strong’s Greek word study)
VI. FROM WHERE DO FALSE MINISTRIES COME?
A. Matthew 7:15: “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
B. Acts 20:29-30: “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; (30) and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.”
C. 2 Corinthians 11:26: “{I have been} on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from {my} countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren…”
D. Galatians 2:4-6: “But {it was} because of the false brethren who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. (5) But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you. (6) But from those who were of high reputation (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)– well, those who were of reputation contributed nothing to me.”
E. 2 Peter 2:1-3: “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. (2) And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; (3) and in {their} greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.”
From these passages, we can see that they come in sheep’s clothing and that they come from among your own selves. We also see that they are false brethren and that they arose from among the people, those who are among you.
The passage in 2 Peter is especially frightening and discloses their ways when it says, “They will secretly introduce destructive heresies”…That they will use sensuality and will revile, or malign the truth. We are also warned that they will exploit with false words and that they are greedy.
VII. WILL THEY ALSO DISPLAY SIGNS AND WONDERS?
A. Matthew 24:24: “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.”
B. 2 Thessalonians 2:8-10: “And then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; (9) {that is,} the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, (10) and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved.”
VIII. WHAT ARE THEY LIKE?
A. Romans 16:17-18: “Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. (18) For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting.”
B. 1 Timothy 1:3-7: “As I urged you upon my departure for Macedonia, remain on at Ephesus, in order that you may instruct certain men not to teach strange doctrines, (4) nor to pay attention to myths and endless genealogies, which give rise to mere speculation rather than {furthering} the administration of God which is by faith. (5) But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (6) For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, (7) wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.”
C. 2 Timothy 3:7: “…Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
D. 2 Timothy 4:3-4: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but {wanting} to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires; (4) and will turn away their ears from the truth, and will turn aside to myths.” (I call such things “Christian fairy tales” and the Church is full of them!)
IX. WHAT DO YOU DO?
A. Matthew 7:15 again; “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
Definition: “Beware”, Wuest, “constantly be guarding yourselves”
B. Colossians 2:8: “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.”
“Philosophy” here refers to the reasoning of the natural, carnal mind.
C. 1 John 4:1: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
D. 2 John 1:9-10: “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching (doctrine) of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. (10) If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into {your} house, and do not give him a greeting…” Have nothing to do with him!
E. Revelation 2:2: “I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot endure evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them {to be} false…”
X. WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM?
A. Revelation 19:20: “And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone.”
B. Revelation 20:10: “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.”
XI. WHAT ARE THE RESULTS?
A. Ephesians 4:14: “As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming…”
This is definitely a time to be on the alert, that we watch over the house of God with all diligence. We are to be praying and giving ourselves to developing spiritual discernment.
It’s a kingdom thing!