False Prophets Are Dangerous Because We Like Them

Romans 16:17-18, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”

I think people who read these Bible verses often think of troublemakers as being “those who cause divisions,” and they certainly could be; but sometimes causing division os good and necessary. Church splits can actually be a good thing, if a church has been formerly corrupted and going in the wrong direction spiritually. So what does the Bible mean by “mark them which cause divisions and offences”? The Bible answers that question for us—those divisions and offences which are “contrary to the doctrine which ye heave learned; and avoid them.” We're specifically dealing with doctrine here, not petty hurt feelings or a disagreement over whether the pastor should get a raise. Anyone who brings unbiblical teachings into a church should be identified (marked), and avoided. Ephesians 5:11 and Titus 1:10-13 teaches we should expose them as well. Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Matthew 24:11, “And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” There are MANY false prophets today! Sadly, many of those deadly false teachers have crept into the churches with their heretical Lordship Salvation, counterfeit Bible revisions, and the “turn from your sins” junk theology to be saved, and other garbage!

One of the most dangerous types of false prophets today is the new evangelical. They are dangerous because they look, talk and behave as do true Christians, but they are not born-again believers, because they preach another gospel of partial faith in Christ plus works. Dr. John MacArthur is the leading proponent of the damnable heresy of Lordship Salvation, which teaches that faith alone is insufficient to save a man; but in addition, a person MUST turn away from their sins, make full surrender to Christ as “Lord,” forsake the world, run and persevere to finish the race, follow Christ no matter what the cost, et cetera. This is another gospel, not the free gift of eternal life promised by God (Romans 5:15-18, 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 1:2). 

Dr. Steve Pettit (president of Bob Jones University since 2014) is another damnable heretic behind the pulpit today, teaching Lordship Salvation. These false teachers must be marked (identified), avoided and exposed. These men are known theologically as “neo-evangelicals.” Concerning the threat of neo-evangelicals, Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) says:

We call him the neo-evangelical. ...These false teachers are usually likable people, and once we learn to like them, their doctrine will not be quite so bad. ...It is not believing right within the movement that makes one a fundamentalist; it is the withdrawal FROM the movement and returning to the original dogma, practices and convictions of the apostate group that gives one the title of fundamentalist. The basic difference is the degree of importance that one places on the doctrine of separation. [emphasis added] —Pastor Jack Hyles, “New Evangelicalism.”

What a statement! Brother Hyles is so right! False teachers are usually very likable people, and once we learn to like them, their heresy doesn't seem so bad. That is why Bob Jones University went from preaching the Gospel while Dr. Bob Jones Sr. (1883-1968) was still alive, to preaching another gospel of accursed Lordship Salvation in 2020! I read this beautiful quote from Dr. Bob Jones Sr. this morning, about the Gospel: 

“Men are not saved by analyzing the truth of the Gospel. They are saved by accepting the truth of the Gospel. It is true, whether men believe it or not. It is as true as the multiplication table. Men use the multiplication table to do what the multiplication table is supposed to do. The Gospel will do what it is supposed to do. 'It is the power of God unto salvation unto every one that believeth.'” —Dr. Bob Jones Sr., “Comments On Here And Hereafter,” chapter: Preaching, Evangelism, page 123; Bob Jones University Press, Inc., © 1942

The “Gospel” is the Good News that Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, He was buried, and three days later He bodily resurrected from the dead for our justification (that is, that our faith in Him would be justified by a risen Savior). Anyone who receives the Gospel as their own is saved. Please make it your own dear friend! Claim it as your only way to Heaven! That is what BJU used to believe. A wicked man named Dr. Steve Pettit has corrupted BJU with his poison teachings on Lordship Salvation, who is very close friends with Pastor John MacArthur. 

My ongoing spiritual battle with Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, and the Bob Jones University camp, is rooted in 'THE BATTLE OF THE AGES' (MP3 by Pastor Jack Hyles, 1994) between FUNDAMENTALISTS and EVANGELICALS...

“This isn't over Jack Hyles, this is over fundamentalism! These are evangelicals fighting fundamentalists—that's what it's all about; and their effort is to destroy Hyles-Anderson College. Over my dead body they'll destroy Hyles-Anderson College; and their effort is to destroy the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana; and I'll go to the finish before I'll let it happen! That's what's going on!” —Dr. Jack Hyles, a truthful quote from the needful sermon, “Weathering The Storm!”

I am outside the gate with Jesus today!!! I am suffering reproach for the cause of Jesus Christ!!! I am the Dark Knight, and Harvest Baptist Church on Guam is “Two-faced Harvey Dent” from the 2008 Batman movie! Like the Dark Knight, sometimes you have to become the villain in order to be the hero and protect the people! That is me! At least I know what I believe! The Bob Jones' camp cannot choose which Bible version to use, or which preacher is correct on the Gospel, or which way is right. The man with two watches never knows what time it is! Neither does the man with more than one Bible know what the truth is!!!

False prophets are very dangerous because people like them so much. Remember, the Devil himself the Bible says is TRANSFORMED INTO AN ANGEL OF LIGHT, to deceive his victims. 2nd Corinthians 11:13-15, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.” If you saw Satan today, you'd think he was Jesus. That is how clever Satan is, able to masquerading even as Jesus Christ. The Devil knows all the right words to say, but he doesn't believe a word of any of it. In fact, the word “Antichrist” in the Holy Bible doesn't mean “against Christ”; but rather, “in place of Christ.” The heathen world is looking for their Devil's messiah, and he is coming soon! The Antichrist will claim to be God (2nd Thessalonians 2:4). 

“Everything that's hard and complicated about salvation is God's side of it!” —Pastor Jack Hyles, a quote from his MP3 sermon: “Yea, Yea, And Nay, Nay.”