FALSE ELDERS

By Rick Mathes

1 Timothy 6:3 (NASB77) ³  If anyone advocates a different doctrine, and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness,

One of the most divisive sins that can destroy the best intents of the church elders is envy. Religion is looking out at man to size up what a relationship should be with the ideal god you have invented and accepted. Christianity is looking up to the real deal and modeling every move after His. When you look out you size yourselves up after with others that are looking at you and doing the same. Inferior modeling after inferiority; a bad copy of a bad copy!

To do so you then speak negatively about those who your sense is a challenge to your elevated self-image. Speaking evil breeds more evil and isn’t that exactly what the devil wants. Have you noticed how Lucifer has redefined Christian words and language? We can hardly talk to each other much less other in what was clear Christian English just a few years ago.

When others are saying lies about you, you soon join them in evil suspicions. Faith and trush soon degrade to doubt and fear, the keys to hell! How much easier can you make it? Just live your life to show the world that really cares that the lies are not true. Lies are the diarrhea of the soul.

Waling in a society that loves sin will raise up leasers of like kind. This also leads to evil suspicions. Paranoia sets in where no matter who you turn to may be from hell. If Jesus is not their Lord your suspicions will be validated by how they walk a different talk: strange fire!

This leads to van arguments that are not for reconciliation but for division of the Body. The old joke goes like this, “Whenever you have two believers you have a church. When you have three, you have two churches!” There is a devil in the leadership of every church hat is hell-bent on spitting it up and causing dissension.

What results is a doctrine of lies that always demands more than the Bible, Jesus, faith or grace. Two glaring examples are the Pope of Roman Catholicism and the second baptism that requires speaking in tongues to be valid. Both are inventions of man. The bottom line for false elders is the personal gain or prestige, power and material gain. Beware of false teachers by knowing the truth. The truth will set your church free!