The Berean Library features Shai Linne’s excellent, rich in sound doctrine, rap-expose entitled, “Fal$e Teacher$.” Linne’s work is done specifically in regard to Word-Faith heresy in love for our Triune God, the truth of His Word, His people and those sheep being mislead by ear-tickling false teaching, including the fal$e teacher$ themselves, that they may come to repentance by God’s grace, Word and Spirit. This is the proper motivation for anyone who wishes to warn others about wolves in sheep’s clothing (Mt 22:36-39; Jn 17:17; Jude 3; Eph 4:15; Acts 20:27-31; 2 Pt 3:9; 1 Tim 6:9-10; Mt 7:15; Titus 1: 10-13; 2 Pt 2:1-3).
Since the 1906 Azusa Street Revival, in Los Angeles, the movement of modern Charismatic Word-Faith/Prosperity fal$e teacher$ extends around the globe. A few other popular proponents include Joseph Prince (Singapore), Brian Houston/Hillsong (Australia) and Nicky Gumbel (UK), etc.
There are many other false gospels, counterfeits to the gospel of Christ, to beware of, beloved.
“Use your discernment, let the Bible lead ya!” ~”Fal$e Teacher$,” Shai Linne
Teach it and preach it, brother Shai! Grace & Peace to you!
“Mark Batterson’s The Circle Maker will have you praying circles around any situation you are facing.” -Craig Groeschel
“Honi the circle maker is a longtime legendary figure, and Mark Batterson is well on his way. You will love the freshness of this approach to prayer.” -John Ortberg
”Mark Batterson is a master storyteller. His stories illustrate important biblical truths that convict me in my heart.” -Ruth Graham
From the Velvet Brick Blog, Nancy Leigh DeMoss & True Women’s Conference ’12 Endorse and Utilize Batterson’s Teachings
A Christmas newsletter began going ga-ga over this book in that it “caused them to analyze, reassess and reaffirm their purpose in life” and “to develop a personal mission statement for the years to come.” After reading this positive recommendation for Buford, I was compelled to do some research. Just as we saw a raving promotion for this book in our personal mail, Dr. Gilley doesn’t miss to mention its numerous “great read” recommendations, in all its editions, for the believer in the Christian community.
Really? Can you imagine the backlash then if they were to remove all the false teaching on their shelves, too?
What this criticism is unraveling are the complaints from the liberal Christian sector, like this, who think they know best and speak for all Christian consumers, including the ones who do not want to be friends with this world (James 4:4) or promote false gospels (Gal 1:6-9).
I say, “Yay to the Lord,” for Lifeway’s decision! ”It’s a good start! Now, let’s keep it comin’! There’s a lot more work to be done! ”
Christian bookstores, including Lifeway, are businesses filled with an inkling of inventory of sound teaching but loaded with idolatrous, blasphemous, counterfeit false gospels. You will find emergent, ecumenical, seeker-sensitive, liberal, humanistic, socialistic, prosperity, motivational, mystic, pagan, signs and wonders, new prophets with new revelation, AND MORE, in the forms of books, memorabilia, and yes, movies! But! I love to visit my local Christian bookstore and exercise the discernment the Lord is providing to me through His Word and Holy Spirit. So thankful that I no longer find myself in a sea of unknown when I walk in. Plus, I like to pick up a nice framed picture or trinket for the house, from time to time.
I have seen the DVD and was very disappointed after hearing what “a great, new Christian movie” The Blind Side, with Sandra Bullock, was when it was first released. This from fellow believers. Then seeing its weak, watered-down, warm and fuzzy, you-can-be-a-success-in-life teaching about the gospel faith was a bummer, not to mention the blaspheming. If our family buys a DVD, like this one and there is blaspheming in it, in the garbage it goes with kids understanding why!
These kind of movies are packaged as a ‘Christian’ story. And when a Christian bookstore sells it, well, there ya go! Credibility and agreement of ‘Christian’ in an instant! These shows remind me of false teachers with their charismatic, show-business personalities and misguided Christian vocabulary and ideology promoting false teaching. Because that is what these kind of movies do. Made by either secular or Christian film producers, it doesn’t matter! They just add fuel to the false teaching fire as they are made to pander to as large an audience as possible, just like wolves in sheep’s clothing do.
The True Gospel was no where to be found in this movie. Misplaced Christian terminology is not Christianity, but is in fact down right dangerous! Be as discerning of movies that claim Christianity as much as of pastors, teachers, books, blogs, seminars, conferences, contemporary Christian music artists, Christian DJ’s, etc.
It seems as though our family has seen a run of new Christian movies that are selling this bill of goods that the gospel promises success, health and wealth and every other kind of personal agenda. It makes my skin crawl when I hear people misuse the verse, Phil 4:13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” as a motivational, postive-thinking, “I-can-have-all-my-dreams-come-true,” kind of Disney deception.
That is not the exegetical meaning of Paul’s message to the Philippians. Paul’s context is about suffering and withstanding all things, by God’s grace and strength in saving faith for the gospel. This would be true for all believers who are persevered for every good work for the gospel to the glory of the Lord (Eph 2:10). Paul did not write this to inspire us to win a football game, master other athletic goals, or whatever desire one has to achieve or accomplish for their own status, reputation, bank account, etc. It certainly is not at all what the Bible is about, but what this movie teaches. Le’t be careful to accurately handle the truth of God’s Word (2 Tim 2:15). Let’s not incorrectly attribute strength in Christ to God-given natural, human abilities. Now, if being a star athlete has something to do with a true believer’s work for the gospel, for every good work prepared for them, then yes.
I don’t know for sure, but it’s worth a consideration since the movie is based on a true life story. It may have been somewhat edited for Hollywood, as is almost always the case for box office interest, and so forth, by the money making entertainment industry of the world. So much so that it may have actually done the true story an injustice, tampering with the heart of the story of the Lord’s will in this family’s life. Hopefully, the True Gospel is living in this family’s life. However, I did not get that impression from the movie.
I do know that Christians want their entertainment. Just put it to the Phil 4:8-9 test to see if it passes for partaking. Or, if your a parent like I am, to examine whether it is suitable for including your children without putting them into a shark’s tank. To make sure we’re not setting them before a foolish, parental example to catch-learn from us what is or is not condoned. This would be the case if submitting to the authority, sufficiency and supremacy of Scripture were absent.
The Philippians 4:8-9 Guide:
“(8) Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. (9) The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Now, the many other false teaching authors in Christian bookstores, including Lifeway, is a whole ‘nother topic and the more weightier issue for the church than fussing over this store’s decision about removing this movie. I think it is good that a Christian bookstore did remove it if they tether the right doctrine to why they did it! This lays the ground work for being faithfully consistent in potentially following through with the rest of the junk in there, leaving only the sound doctrine teaching. But will that ever happen? Not as long as the roaming lion of lies is unleashed and the love of money exists. Not as long as that is present and the Lord wants us to grow in all discernment in this time. And He does.
Keep on being a good Berean (Acts 17:11); growing in love, real knowledge and all discernment so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ (Phil 1:9-10); testing everything, holding onto that which is good and abstaining from every form of evil (1 Thess 5:21-22)… including movies you find in your local Christian bookstore.
Excerpt: ”As always, the problems with these stories is that they undermine the sufficiency and supremacy of Scripture while also being contrary to Scripture. One way this is so is the mere attempt to cite and write about such an ‘episode.’ In 2 Cor 12:1-10, Paul’s humble account was written in third person in obedience to God; to not brag or “be credited with more” while remaining controlled in the Spirit to not boast. Paul stated that even if he did boast he would not be a fool, for it really happened, as recorded in and for the Holy Spirit-inspired, authoritative writings of the Bible. Paul wrote of his experience that he “did not know if it was in the body or out of the body,” but that nonetheless, it assuredly happened, again as written in the Word of God. Later on, in the 2 Cor 12 passage, he was given a “thorn in the flesh” for further humbling purposes by the Lord, to keep him from “exalting” himself. The lesson from Paul’s thorn is that God’s grace is sufficient! We are to be content in our weaknesses and sufferings for Christ, which indicate that “Christ dwells in us.” For when we are weak then He is strong. Praise the Lord!
Not only was Paul’s overall humble description of his account to heaven true as found in the Bible, and therefore “not foolish,” but also that his visit was “inexpressible.” Meaning that it was not for this apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, who wrote 13, or possibly 14 books, of the 27 New Testament books, to be permitted to share it beyond a godly restraint. It was not to be revealed with detail or pridefulness.
[Updated (10-27-11) with further admonishment to reject the tale in this book, and all others like it, as truth] Beware of trusting anyone who is claiming to have new revelation of truth from God. God has authored a closed Canon of Scripture. The Bible is His complete, authoritative, binding, infallible, inerrant, divine, sufficient, supreme and plenary revelation. And since the time it was closed (Jude 3), the 66 books of the Bible is how God speaks to us and allows us to experience the study and knowledge of Him (Eph 5:15-17; Col 1:9, 2 Tim 2:15). We are to turn to His Word, look to Him and trust Him for all truth (Jn 17:17), not anyone or anything or any experience that is contrary to His Book. The last revelation of Christ was given by God to another apostle, John, in the book of Revelation.
Consider, also, the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, from Luke 16:19-31, as another admonishment for Sola Scriptura, as well as what is not allowed by God. The rich man, who died and went to Hades, asked Abraham to send Lazarus, who died and went heaven, to warn the rich man’s family about how real the torment, God’s wrath, is and to repent. Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the Prophets (the Old Testament); let them hear them… If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets (another emphasis for Scripture, back-to-back), they will not be persuaded even if someone comes back from the dead.” (emphasis and parenthesis mine)
Further, after His resurrection from the dead, while on the road to Emmaus, Christ employed Sola Scriptura, not His experience, again with those who were being “foolish” and “slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken…. Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” (emphasis mine) Later their eyes were opened and they recognized Him while He was breaking and blessing the bread. Reflecting back while walking on the road with Jesus, they said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:13-32) What a profound illustration is “hearts burning within us” when one is hearing God’s truth and yet not understanding it or accepting it.
Paul said to be “imitators of me,” in 1 Cor 4:16 and again in 1 Cor 11:1 because he, himself, is an imitator of Christ. May we carry out this command as well for Christ’s sake, in every area of our lives, by the grace and truth of God, for His glory.”
Excerpt: ”As always, the problems with these stories is that they undermine the sufficiency and supremacy of Scripture while also being contrary to Scripture. One way this is so is the mere attempt to cite and write about such an ‘episode.’ In 2 Cor 12:1-10, Paul’s humble account was written in third person in obedience to God; to not brag or “be credited with more” while remaining controlled in the Spirit to not boast. Paul stated that even if he did boast he would not be a fool, for it really happened, as recorded in and for the Holy Spirit-inspired, authoritative writings of the Bible. Paul wrote of his experience that he “did not know if it was in the body or out of the body,” but that nonetheless, it assuredly happened, again as written in the Word of God. Later on, in the 2 Cor 12 passage, he was given a “thorn in the flesh” for further humbling purposes by the Lord, to keep him from “exalting” himself. The lesson from Paul’s thorn is that God’s grace is sufficient! We are to be content in our weaknesses and sufferings for Christ, which indicate that “Christ dwells in us.” For when we are weak then He is strong. Praise the Lord!
Not only was Paul’s overall humble description of his account to heaven true as found in the Bible, and therefore “not foolish,” but also that his visit was “inexpressible.” Meaning that it was not for this apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, who wrote 13, or possibly 14 books, of the 27 New Testament books, to be permitted to share it beyond a godly restraint. It was not to be revealed with detail or pridefulness.
[Updated (10-27-11) with further admonishment to reject the tale in this book, and all others like it, as truth] Beware of trusting anyone who is claiming to have new revelation of truth from God. God has authored a closed Canon of Scripture. The Bible is His complete, authoritative, binding, infallible, inerrant, divine, sufficient, supreme and plenary revelation. And since the time it was closed (Jude 3), the 66 books of the Bible is how God speaks to us and allows us to experience the study and knowledge of Him (Eph 5:15-17; Col 1:9, 2 Tim 2:15). We are to turn to His Word, look to Him and trust Him for all truth (Jn 17:17), not anyone or anything or any experience that is contrary to His Book. The last revelation of Christ was given by God to another apostle, John, in the book of Revelation.
Consider, also, the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, from Luke 16:19-31, as another admonishment for Sola Scriptura, as well as what is not allowed by God. The rich man, who died and went to Hades, asked Abraham to send Lazarus, who died and went heaven, to warn the rich man’s family about how real the torment, God’s wrath, is and to repent. Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the Prophets (the Old Testament); let them hear them… If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets (another emphasis for Scripture, back-to-back), they will not be persuaded even if someone comes back from the dead.” (emphasis and parenthesis mine)
Further, after His resurrection from the dead, while on the road to Emmaus, Christ employed Sola Scriptura, not His experience, again with those who were being “foolish” and “slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken…. Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” (emphasis mine) Later their eyes were opened and they recognized Him while He was breaking and blessing the bread. Reflecting back while walking on the road with Jesus, they said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:13-32) What a profound illustration is “hearts burning within us” when one is hearing God’s truth and yet not understanding it or accepting it.
Paul said to be “imitators of me,” in 1 Cor 4:16 and again in 1 Cor 11:1 because he, himself, is an imitator of Christ. May we carry out this command as well for Christ’s sake, in every area of our lives, by the grace and truth of God, for His glory.”
Excerpt: ”As always, the problems with these stories is that they undermine the sufficiency and supremacy of Scripture while also being contrary to Scripture. One way this is so is the mere attempt to cite and write about such an ‘episode.’ In 2 Cor 12:1-10, Paul’s humble account was written in third person in obedience to God; to not brag or “be credited with more” while remaining controlled in the Spirit to not boast. Paul stated that even if he did boast he would not be a fool, for it really happened, as recorded in and for the Holy Spirit-inspired, authoritative writings of the Bible. Paul wrote of his experience that he “did not know if it was in the body or out of the body,” but that nonetheless, it assuredly happened, again as written in the Word of God. Later on, in the 2 Cor 12 passage, he was given a “thorn in the flesh” for further humbling purposes by the Lord, to keep him from “exalting” himself. The lesson from Paul’s thorn is that God’s grace is sufficient! We are to be content in our weaknesses and sufferings for Christ, which indicate that “Christ dwells in us.” For when we are weak then He is strong. Praise the Lord!
Not only was Paul’s overall humble description of his account to heaven true as found in the Bible, and therefore “not foolish,” but also that his visit was “inexpressible.” Meaning that it was not for this apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, who wrote 13, or possibly 14 books, of the 27 New Testament books, to be permitted to share it beyond a godly restraint. It was not to be revealed with detail or pridefulness.
[Updated (10-27-11) with further admonishment to reject the tale in this book, and all others like it, as truth] Beware of trusting anyone who is claiming to have new revelation of truth from God. God has authored a closed Canon of Scripture. The Bible is His complete, authoritative, binding, infallible, inerrant, divine, sufficient, supreme and plenary revelation. And since the time it was closed (Jude 3), the 66 books of the Bible is how God speaks to us and allows us to experience the study and knowledge of Him (Eph 5:15-17; Col 1:9, 2 Tim 2:15). We are to turn to His Word, look to Him and trust Him for all truth (Jn 17:17), not anyone or anything or any experience that is contrary to His Book. The last revelation of Christ was given by God to another apostle, John, in the book of Revelation.
Consider, also, the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, from Luke 16:19-31, as another admonishment for Sola Scriptura, as well as what is not allowed by God. The rich man, who died and went to Hades, asked Abraham to send Lazarus, who died and went heaven, to warn the rich man’s family about how real the torment, God’s wrath, is and to repent. Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the Prophets (the Old Testament); let them hear them… If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets (another emphasis for Scripture, back-to-back), they will not be persuaded even if someone comes back from the dead.” (emphasis and parenthesis mine)
Further, after His resurrection from the dead, while on the road to Emmaus, Christ employed Sola Scriptura, not His experience, again with those who were being “foolish” and “slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken…. Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” (emphasis mine) Later their eyes were opened and they recognized Him while He was breaking and blessing the bread. Reflecting back while walking on the road with Jesus, they said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:13-32) What a profound illustration is “hearts burning within us” when one is hearing God’s truth and yet not understanding it or accepting it.
Paul said to be “imitators of me,” in 1 Cor 4:16 and again in 1 Cor 11:1 because he, himself, is an imitator of Christ. May we carry out this command as well for Christ’s sake, in every area of our lives, by the grace and truth of God, for His glory.” ~(excerpt) Karla Tadler
Excerpt: ”As always, the problems with these stories is that they undermine the sufficiency and supremacy of Scripture while also being contrary to Scripture. One way this is so is the mere attempt to cite and write about such an ‘episode.’ In 2 Cor 12:1-10, Paul’s humble account was written in third person in obedience to God; to not brag or “be credited with more” while remaining controlled in the Spirit to not boast. Paul stated that even if he did boast he would not be a fool, for it really happened, as recorded in and for the Holy Spirit-inspired, authoritative writings of the Bible. Paul wrote of his experience that he “did not know if it was in the body or out of the body,” but that nonetheless, it assuredly happened, again as written in the Word of God. Later on, in the 2 Cor 12 passage, he was given a “thorn in the flesh” for further humbling purposes by the Lord, to keep him from “exalting” himself. The lesson from Paul’s thorn is that God’s grace is sufficient! We are to be content in our weaknesses and sufferings for Christ, which indicate that “Christ dwells in us.” For when we are weak then He is strong. Praise the Lord!
Not only was Paul’s overall humble description of his account to heaven true as found in the Bible, and therefore “not foolish,” but also that his visit was “inexpressible.” Meaning that it was not for this apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ, who wrote 13, or possibly 14 books, of the 27 New Testament books, to be permitted to share it beyond a godly restraint. It was not to be revealed with detail or pridefulness.
[Updated (10-27-11) with further admonishment to reject the tale in this book, and all others like it, as truth] Beware of trusting anyone who is claiming to have new revelation of truth from God. God has authored a closed Canon of Scripture. The Bible is His complete, authoritative, binding, infallible, inerrant, divine, sufficient, supreme and plenary revelation. And since the time it was closed (Jude 3), the 66 books of the Bible is how God speaks to us and allows us to experience the study and knowledge of Him (Eph 5:15-17; Col 1:9, 2 Tim 2:15). We are to turn to His Word, look to Him and trust Him for all truth (Jn 17:17), not anyone or anything or any experience that is contrary to His Book. The last revelation of Christ was given by God to another apostle, John, in the book of Revelation.
Consider, also, the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, from Luke 16:19-31, as another admonishment for Sola Scriptura, as well as what is not allowed by God. The rich man, who died and went to Hades, asked Abraham to send Lazarus, who died and went heaven, to warn the rich man’s family about how real the torment, God’s wrath, is and to repent. Abraham replied, “They have Moses and the Prophets (the Old Testament); let them hear them… If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets (another emphasis for Scripture, back-to-back), they will not be persuaded even if someone comes back from the dead.” (emphasis and parenthesis mine)
Further, after His resurrection from the dead, while on the road to Emmaus, Christ employed Sola Scriptura, not His experience, again with those who were being “foolish” and “slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken…. Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” (emphasis mine) Later their eyes were opened and they recognized Him while He was breaking and blessing the bread. Reflecting back while walking on the road with Jesus, they said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:13-32) What a profound illustration is “hearts burning within us” when one is hearing God’s truth and yet not understanding it or accepting it.
Paul said to be “imitators of me,” in 1 Cor 4:16 and again in 1 Cor 11:1 because he, himself, is an imitator of Christ. May we carry out this command as well for Christ’s sake, in every area of our lives, by the grace and truth of God, for His glory.”
Really? Can you imagine the backlash then if they were to remove all the false teaching on their shelves, too?
Biblical Resources:
