Friday, April 29, 2011

If we are going to believe part of God's word, let us with faith in the power of God to raise the dead, believe in all of his word.

So if the gifts of the spirit are promised us, what then is a false prophet?

Mar 16:16"He who believes and is baptized will be
saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
Mar 16:17"And these signs will follow those who
believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
Mar 16:18 "they [fn] will
take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt
them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

So a false prophet is someone who comes claiming to represent a different Christ. A Christ that is now alive in the flesh, but different from the son of God who was crucified, and was resurrected to walk among the living, and ascended into heaven to be with his father, who is alive in spirit and resides in heaven with his father.

Mat 24:23 At that time if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or, 'There he is!' do not believe it.
Mat 24:24 For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect--if that were possible.
Mat 24:25 See, I have told you ahead of time.

So the teachings of the power of the spirit, are they false?

Mar 9:38 "Teacher," said John, "we saw a man driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us."
Mar 9:39 "Do not stop him," Jesus said. "No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me,
Mar 9:40 for whoever is not against us is for us.
Mar 9:41 I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.

And in this passage, is it not the condition of the heart which is in question, and not the gifts of the spirit?

Mat 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
Mat 7:16 "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?
Mat 7:17 "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
Mat 7:18 "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor [can] a bad tree bear good fruit.
Mat 7:19 "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Mat 7:20 "Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
Mat 7:21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Mat 7:22 "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'
Mat 7:23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'

For in reading that passage, I am also reminded of this passage, which clearly demonstrates love is more powerful than even the gifts of the spirit.

1Cr 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
1Cr 13:2 And though I have [the gift of] prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
1Cr 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed [the poor], and though I give my body to be burned, [fn] but have not love, it profits me nothing.

So what are we to say then? Is the word of God against itself? Can the gifts of the spirit be evil? Or are the gifts of the spirit Godly, and the hearts of deceitful men wicked? Was it not Jesus himself who proclaimed this?

Mat 12:26 "If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 
Mat 12:27 "And if I cast out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your sons cast [them] out? Therefore they shall be your judges. 
Mat 12:28 "But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. 
Mat 12:29 "Or how can one enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house. 
Mat 12:30 "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad. 
Mat 12:31 "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy [against] the Spirit will not be forgiven men. 
Mat 12:32 "Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the [age] to come. 
Mat 12:33 "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by [its] fruit. 
Mat 12:34 "Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. 
Mat 12:35 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart [fn] brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. 

Let us all pray for understanding. Where there is no faith, let us pray for faith. Where there is little faith, let us pray for more faith. Where there is malice in our hearts, let us pray for love to enter. Where there is contempt for others, let us pray for understanding. Where there is sin, let us pray for forgiveness. And where there is flesh, let us pray for the spirit to come and dwell. So now let us all be led by the spirit of Jesus Christ, who was risen, and has ascended into heaven. Who has given us his counselor to be our guide and show us approved before God. Let us therefore be zealous for the Lord God in all that we say and do.

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