The Age of Apostasy

It can be very discouraging to see false teaching ramping up in these last days. Most definitely an age of Apostasy of every kind and variey. False teachers and prophets have always been, and different winds of doctrine. But as we look around us, we definitely see falsehoods increasing. And truth is relative to them, some claim to believe in the Word of God but twist the truth. They are wolves in sheep’s clothing.

My website on Facebook gets attacks from time to time, but the common ground often is lawkeeping of some kind. It’s hard to watch, because like the sinless perfection people think they keep the law. The Torah or Hebrew Roots people think they keep the law. And what they don’t seem to understand — they have no blood sacrifice left (Heb 10:26). And they are under a curse.

Lawkeeping as a means to justify just doesn’t save, in fact it perverts the truth, condemns them, curses them and puts them under bondage, and that is assuming at one time they were saved (Gal 1:6-10; 2:16; 3:10-14; 4:5).  For the ones who never simply believed on Christ and Him crucified for them, they are lost, accursed (Gal 1:6-10), and many sadly are blind leaders of the blind.

The flip side in those same passages, is that we were called into His grace through the good news of faith in Christ alone (not by works of the law). Christ took the curse for us, it is He who justifies.

I look at these sad souls, some of them wolves and false prophets themselves, ever learning and never coming to a knowledge of the truth (2 Tim 3:7-8). Yet I know Jesus loves them, and I yearn for them to stay off of the video-go-round, especially when they are not grounded in the truth (Heb 5:12-14) — or unwilling or not taking the time to be Bereans (Acts 17:11). When I see these who teach works for justification, I know what it is, seducing spirits with doctrines of demons (1 Tim 4:1-3). Many are addicted to these ‘teachers of the law’, who do not understand what they are even saying (1 Tim 1:5-7).

I watched one thin, austere looking woman with long hair, bob and weave with her head, while she attempts to bring people under the bondage she is under. We are not children of the bondwoman, but children of the free (Gal 4). She has hashtags like ‘whole Bible believer’ or Torah and Grace. She has a charming log cabin as her backdrop, and is a mother who is a homeschooler. Enticing to many who want to get it right, but poison they can’t see or smell (discern).

False Doctrine attacks our little children

I thought of our little children and the many attacks on them from the world. So much subtle and not-so-subtle error in ‘Christian’ homeschooling programs (O be careful little eyes what you see/hear/trust etc…).  People can see the more obvious frontal attacks, but sometimes miss the sneaky Trojan horse. I pray for this teacher of the law I’ve seen recently, and I pray for those she is bringing into bondage by her false teaching. I do pray the Lord will stop her mouth sooner than later. Even as I know He loves her and doesn’t desire she should parish. Even as I could see her demonically inspired deceit, her pride in her works, she may sincerely believe what she is saying (except doubt that must come when the fear attacks her when she is honest with herself (2 Tim 1:7). The Bible calls them evil seducers, deceiving and being deceived in these latter days (2 Tim 3:13) — and it is getting worse.  

The Rich Young Ruler and the Law

I fondly think on Jesus looking at the Rich Young Ruler and the Word noting, ‘Beholding him, He loved him’ (Mark 10:21). (See the passages Matt 19:16-22; Mark 10:17-30; Luke 18:18-30).

His Word reminds me He loves this false teacher too. But she is currently accursed for her false gospel (Gal 1:6-10). She thinks she keeps the law, while it only serves to prove her guilt (Rom 3:19). Jesus also loves the many out there who claim the same — but there will be severe consequences in this lifetime, and for sure in the next, if they don’t change their minds about these things (repent) and believe on Christ alone to save.

Remember this young ruler thought he kept the law, yet the Word testifies against him. It says that he is a liar (1 John 1:8; Prov 20:9; James 3:2; Rom 3:23). We know that no one has ever kept the law but Jesus. Without knowing, this young man was even bearing false witness against himself. He has just said he kept all the law since His youth. Think on the two greatest commandments, the second was to love others as himself. Jesus tells him to sell all his and give to the poor, if he loved others as himself he should have been able to. But he couldn’t do it. Do we love others as ourselves perfectly? We don’t. We all fall short of God’s Glory. Jesus is showing him his need for a Savior, he cannot do it himself, we have all missed the mark. He is using the law to point out his sinfulness.

Jesus also said he trusted in his riches. So was this about a rich man never entering the Kingdom? No, it’s that he “trusted in his riches.” Jesus takes this young man through the truth that we fail the greatest two commandments, that no one is good. He told him if we were to ‘enter eternal life’ we’d need to keep the commandments. Hold up! Is Jesus preaching justification by the law? No, His Word does not contradict itself, no one is justified by the law (Gal 2:16; 3:10-14; Acts 13:38-39). We must be perfect to enter heaven (Rev 21:27) and not one of us is and neither was this young man.  After this lesson, His disciples rightly ask, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus makes it clear with men it is impossible, but with God it is possible. Believe on Him to save you, do not trust in yourself. This is what these people are doing:

And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Luke 18:9

The law is good and has a purpose. It is a tutor (or schoolmaster) to point us to our need for Christ Gal 3:24. The law convinces us of our exceeding sinfulness (Rom 7:13). Again, we all have sinned, but no one has ever kept the law (Rom 3:23; John 7:19). As Jesus said, no one is good. Attempting to keep the law to be justified is bewitching people — simply putting a person into bondage (Gal 3:1-5; Gal 4).

Galatians 4 likens the law of Moses to Hagar. The one that was cast out into the wilderness. The conclusion at the end is to ‘cast out the bondwoman.’ That is a violent throwing out. The law was added 430 years after God made the promises (Galatians 3:16-19). We know Abraham was saved, so was Isaac, so was Jacob, and they were not under the Mosaic law. The law does not contribute to receiving eternal life, in fact it can keep you from it (Rom 4:3-5). Christians are now under the perfect law of liberty, stick with that (James 1:25). We are not under the law, but grace. The law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death (Mosaic law – Romans 8:2; 6:14; 10:4). Lawkeeping is prison (Gal 3:23-25), and believers in Christ are no longer imprisoned, instead, Christ is my Sabbath and I am at rest (Heb 4:9-11). They want to judge you concerning festivals or Sabbaths, but the Word says, don’t let them (Col 2:16; Rom 14:15-16), because He nailed all these ordinances that were against us to His cross (Col 2:13-15). Ephesians 2:14-16 says He abolished the law of commandments.

Back to the false woman lawkeeper, who is seducing others to go back under the law. On this on video she said, “We’re going to be together, IF we just hold on.” She has a basic misunderstanding of the whole counsel of God, (even though she identifies herself as a ‘whole Bible believer’).  What she means by that is she believes the Law of Moses is to be followed to be saved. She is still seeking to establish her own righteousness through the law though Christ ended it (Rom 10:3-4). I know I am dead to the law through the body of Christ, and I am married to another (Rom 7:4). I have been ‘delivered from the law’ (Rom 7:6). It seems like a foreign concept to these people, they just repeat that not one jot or tittle will pass from the law until all be fulfilled. He came to fulfil it, the only one to do it perfectly. On the road to Emmaus, Jesus explained how He fulfilled the law through His death and resurrection (Luke 24:44-49).

They usually accuse you of wanting to sin like the devil (or some such accusation from the adversary). It’s not about sinning that grace might abound (Rom 6:1), but the understanding that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness for those of us who believe (Rom 10:4). They strive with others, causing confusion and commending themselves for their wisdom. But is it His?

Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace. James 3:13-18

Friend, are you certain where you would go if you died tonight? Not one of us are promised tomorrow, please take a moment to read this.

Remember we are in a spiritual battle. Keep your armor on (Eph 6:10-18). Stay in Prayer. Don’t engage long with these types.

Stay in His Word, first of all, mark and avoid them (Rom 16:17-18). Once you realize a ‘teacher’ (prophet) — one who claims to be speaking God’s Word yet it doesn’t line up, stay away.

I think most important is any sermon or video we listen to that claims to teach God’s Word, is that we need to be Bereans (Acts 17:11). We should be checking to see if what they are saying lines up with His Word. Test or prove everything by His Word (1 Thess 5:21).

If you are confused or in fear, seek the counsel of several who have made their doctrine, manner of speech or behavior, known to you over time, who will carefully show you where things are found in His Word (Prov 11:14; 2 Tim 3:10). In the multitude of Counsel there is safety.

Notice who uses their own words, vs. sharing His Word patiently, and being willing to discuss it in context (without angst, anger, condescension and even name calling). Lots of ‘Torah teachers’ out there use God’s Word, even declaring to be the teacher of the ‘whole Bible’. But they use prooftexts, often do not consider context and they go beyond what is written (1 Cor 4:6) — often they’re puffed up. They twist His Word to their own destruction (2 Pet 3:16). Be careful of the leaven friends.

Final thought. Paul said these people who tried to bring the Galatians back under the law, were bringing another gospel and that they were accursed (Gal 1:6-10). Don’t yield submission to them for even an hour. Here was his instruction:

And this occurred because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage),  to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. Galatians 2:4-5