Now, as the trial progresses, part of the evidence given has to do with the fact that He is the only God—that He is the one Who is from eternity past is emphasized.  Isaiah writes,

No god was formed before Me, and there will be none after Me.

In the very passage from which Jehovah’s Witnesses obtain their name, it is made clear that no god will be formed after Yahweh. Yet, they are the very ones who say the opposite, calling Jesus “a God” Who was formed afterwards.

Moreover, in v. 11, we are told that “there is no other Savior but Me”.  And, yet, in Luke 2:11  Jesus is said to be the Savior!

How ironic it is that two of the false statements about God made by the JWs are refuted in the very passage from which they wrongly take their name! Next time they appear at your door, you might enlighten them of the fact, and point them to Christ as Savior.

The post My Witnesses appeared first on Institute for Nouthetic Studies | Biblical Counseling.

Rather, as someone has said, “Cults are the unpaid bills of the Church.” What does that mean? Simply this—whenever the church of Jesus Christ fails to emphasize some truth, and becomes imbalanced in one direction or another, it leaves room for a cult to creep in and take over that area of theology which it has neglected. You didn’t pay your bill, so someone else moves in to take possession of what was your God-given responsibility to teach in the first place.

Take the days in which there was little emphasis upon eschatology. The Adventist cults gained favor. The period in which there was little concern for pastoral care led to the beginnings of the healing cults.

The question today is what is the church neglecting, and what will this lead to? Clearly work in systematic theology and the faithful exegesis of the Scriptures is at an all-time low during the current generation. Where are the giant exegetes today? The outstanding systematic theologians? Those whose interest is in biblical theology abound; but where are the commentaries that deal in depth with the text rather than skipping around from place to place attempting to find similarities in various passages?

Moreover, application, as a result, is disappearing from the pulpits of those who are enthralled with the “discoveries” of some biblical-theological devotees. People are beginning to get essays from the pulpit in place of clear, substantive doctrine, proclaimed from well-exegeted passages, and applied to the daily lives of those who listen. There are even those who are questioning the biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone!

It’s time for preachers to wake up. We could easily have a new sort of cult emerging right before our eyes— one whose adherents look down their noses on “mere” exegetes and systematic theologians, and dismiss practical preachers of the truths of the Scriptures. Take heed!

The post One Way Cults Begin appeared first on Institute for Nouthetic Studies | Biblical Counseling.

It was a do-or-die moment for them since after that year the last of their so-called 144,000 heavenly class witnesses would take his final communion and die. That would be the end, and the prophecy would be fulfilled—only it wasn’t!

Listen to what the very passage from which they take their name has to say:

You are my witnesses,’ declares the lord . . . Before Me there was no God formed, and there will be none after Me. I, even I, am the Lord; and there is no savior besides Me.
Isaiah 43:10,11

Did you get it? The JWs claim that God created Jesus as “a god.” Yet, the 10th verse stoutly refutes the idea. The 11th verse likewise creates a problem for them since Luke 2:11 calls the Lord Jesus a “Savior.”

Now, of course, if they want to admit that there was no God or Savior other than God the Father—as Isaiah teaches—and settle for the logical conclusion that, therefore, Jesus is that God and Savior—one with the Father and the Spirit—great! But will they? Doesn’t look like it. They go on failing, holding to exegesis that is flawed, and so on. Pray for them, and when they come to the door, mention these facts to them. Who knows, you may be introducing them to our Great God and Savior for the first time!

The post JWs appeared first on Institute for Nouthetic Studies | Biblical Counseling.

I don’t say that it is always intentional—though it may be with some of the fringe groups out to make a buck—or a thousand!

Yes, it happens.

For instance, the Mormons are in the business of purporting to be Christians these days. But when the story of Mormonism is told, you discover that it is supposed to be the restoration of a faith that had been lost for centuries. That can’t be Christianity, or what the Bible talks about. Jesus said that the gates of hell cannot prevail against true Christianity. It didn’t disappear from the earth for centuries. Moreover, biblical Christians believe in one God; not in an infinite number of gods as the Mormons do. I could go on citing the differences. But you get the idea.

Now, as I said initially, it isn’t only the cults that do this. You can find it in other places as well. The liberals claim to be Christians but their writings and preaching make it absolutely clear that, as J. Gresham Machen, put it, they teach another religion. They are not Christians though they misrepresent themselves as such. To deny every major tenet of the Christian faith and then call yourself a Christian—especially if’s to reap the benefits that such deception provides—is a bait and switch maneuver of the rankest sort.

I could go on but you get the point. If you want to know what true Christianity looks like, and avoid the bait-and-switchers, then you need to determine whether or not what any given group teaches is biblical. That’s the Berean approach to the question, and if you are wise it will be yours.

What’s a Berean? Start your Bible search right there-read Acts 17:10-12 and find out.

The post Bait and Switch appeared first on Institute for Nouthetic Studies | Biblical Counseling.