The spirit of Error

Too many people are claiming that "God said" or "God told me" when in truth they should be saying "the devil made me do it." Satan, the great imitator, is continually speaking to us in an attempt to tempt us to sin. Christians on the path to spiritual maturity are required to build the ability to discern the devil's voice from the voice of God (Leviticus 10:10; Ezekiel 44:23; Hebrews 5:14).

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. (1 John 4:1-6)

God provides a method, documented above and explained in the prior "My Sheep Hear My Voice" section, to determine the source—try the spirits—of the voice(s) in our head. This test can be used in a similar fashion to detect doctrinal error as it is being spoken. "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" (Colossians 2:8). "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him" (2 Corinthians 11:3-4). There are many false religions, many that call themselves "Christian," that invariably deny, in some way, that Jesus Christ (God) is come in the flesh (see "The Anointing: The Mojo of God On Earth"). "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son" (1 John 2:22). These generally fall into one or more of the following categories:

  1. Deny that Jesus Christ is God (1 John 5:6-8; John 8:58; John 10:30).
  2. Deny that Jesus Christ is eternal; that is, claim that he was created (John 1:1-2; Hebrews 9:14).
  3. Deny that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh (John 1:14; 1 John 4:3).
  4. Deny that Jesus was a man (Galatians 4:4; 1 Timothy 2:5; Luke 1:35).
  5. Deny that Jesus Christ is the only way to God (John 14:6; Acts 4:12).
  6. Claim that they are Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:24; Mark 13:22; Luke 21:8).
  7. Deny the validity of the New Testament (2 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 1:1-2; 2 Peter 1:20-21). See also the section titled "Justified by the law?" that examines the false practice of following only parts of the law of Moses.

Several times in the New Testament, scriptures denote that Jesus and God are one: "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30). "And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are" (John 17:11). Even in the Old Testament you can "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of [Jesus]" (John 5:39). Compare the next set of scriptures, Old Testament versus New Testament; the conclusion is obvious: the Old Testament indeed testifies of Jesus.

And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. (Exodus 3:13-14)

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. (John 8:58)

Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God. (Isaiah 44:6)

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw ... Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last ... (Revelation 1:1-2, 11)

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. (Isaiah 45:22-23)

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Did you notice both Jesus and God the Father in Isaiah 44:6 above? Jesus is "the Lord the King of Israel" and God the Father is "his redeemer the Lord of hosts." Moreover, the Old Testament prophesies of the coming New Testament (covenant) in the book of Jeremiah:

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

These religions (cults) are often very aggressive in their evangelistic (recruiting) efforts. They often can be seen on street corners handing out their newsletters/pamphlets, in neighborhoods going door-to-door spewing their false doctrine, at convenience stores handing out their errant magazines, in private bookstores selling their dogma, and on television reading from their corrupt bibles. "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist" (2 John 1:7). "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also" (1 John 2:22-23). Therefore, "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds" (2 John 1:9-11). In addition to these false religions, there are many popular Christian ministers that have moved away from the fundamental Christian belief of a triune God. They often use modern bibles that do not contain the following definitive verse: "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one" (1 John 5:7). These antichrist ministers have put forth the following false interpretations:

  1. There is one God with three manifestations.
  2. There is one God with three functions.
  3. There are three Gods working in unison.
  4. Each person of the godhead is a triune God making a total of nine gods.

These antichrists often try to refute "the Trinity" by claiming that Jesus could not be God because "clearly Jesus, who was on earth, was praying to God, who is in heaven." For example, "These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee" (John 17:1). They with an antichrist agenda are applying a physical rule to a spiritual phenomenon. We know from the law of physics that "two objects cannot occupy the same place at the same time"; however, "God is a Spirit" (John 4:24): and he fills heaven and earth. "Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD" (Jeremiah 23:24). Is it such a stretch then to believe "that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh?" How then can he proclaim, "he that hath seen me hath seen the Father" (John 14:9)?

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. (2 Peter 2:1-3)

These antichrists are using their natural minds—carnal minds—to try and understand the things of God; forgetting that "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:14). "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" (Romans 16:17-18). Be not deceived; if you deny the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God made flesh, the doctrine of Christ, you deny God (2 John 1:9). "But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven" (Matthew 10:33). We pray that you "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:21): "the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). Therefore, be led by the Spirit of God not by a spirit of Satan: "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of" (Luke 9:55).

LED BY A SPIRIT

Many people "praying in tongues" or "speaking in tongues" actually have no spiritual gift; rather, because of the pressure to fit in, to conform, they are simply imitating someone else: they are using false tongues. Tongues are supposed to be a language either of men or of angels. Using Merriam-Webster's definition of language, tongues are audible, articulate, and meaningful sound: the words, their pronunciation, and the methods of combining them used and understood by a community. Thus, these false tongues are often easy to detect: the "language" spoken has no form or structure; it sounds more like stammering or repetitive drivel—vain repetitions. "Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain" (Proverbs 25:14). A film Marjoe (directed by Sarah Kernochan and Howard Smith), which won the 1972 Academy Award for best documentary, depicts a self-proclaimed atheist operating as an evangelist, "speaking in tongues" and laying hands on people to "stir up" their gift. Christians speaking in a false tongue may be doing more than just imitating (lying); they may invariably be hypnotized or worse they may be unwittingly chanting and channeling evil spirits. "But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of" (Luke 9:55). After all, speaking in unknown tongues—tongues of angels—is not exclusive to speaking in the tongues of holy angels.

Channeling is the act of a person being a conduit for messages from a spiritual entity. This entity can be a deity, angel, saint, deceased holy person, someone famous or someone unknown. The person who acts as this conduit, the channel, supposedly enters a trance or altered state of consciousness prior to receiving these otherworldly communications. Historically, channeling derives from shamanistic practices whereby the shaman, often as a result of intense fasting, chanting, hardship, isolation, and/or the ingestion of hallucinogenic plants, makes pronouncements of a spiritual or healing nature which the people of his or her community believe to be divine ... Many contemporary channels claim that they prepare for the channeling experience by prayer, meditation, sleep deprivation, chanting, or dancing ... Many channeling performances are done as quasi-religious exercises in front of a large group of sympathetic people. In these and other situations where one is around those thought of as peers, there is the subtle but pervasive pressure to conform to the thinking of the group. This concept is called 'social proof'. Social proof is often a valuable survival tool in normal life situations but it is potentially quite damaging when manipulated by someone advocating false or inaccurate doctrine or information (Cialdini, 1993, 127). In such situations, the urge to conform and to believe often takes precedence over reason.100

One of the reasons many Christians, who do not have the gift of unknown tongues, fall into this trap is the false belief marketed by the Pentecostal movement that the gift of unknown tongues is the sign that a Christian has been filled with the Holy Ghost. We have dealt with this lie in the previous "Baptize with the Holy Ghost and with Fire" section and we adjure you by the Spirit of God to renounce this false doctrine. "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron" (1 Timothy 4:1-2).

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