Dr. C. S. Lovett’s
MARANATHA FAMILY NEWSLETTER
January 2024
BEWARE OF FALSE TEACHINGS
“Pastor Lovett, I warned my husband not to go to that doctor in Texas, but he would not listen. He insisted this man had a machine that could analyze urine and prescribe a cure for cancer. So he went there and died within three months. That man was a quack, but I found out too late.”
I knew the victim in this case. He was a sweet Christian brother. The family physician said surgery might add years to his life, but he could not guarantee a cure. The doctor in Texas did. So my friend went to him, blindly trusting, desperately wanting to believe him. It all sounded so good.
SOMETHING WORSE THAN CANCER
Does it sadden you to hear of people dying because they’re deceived by a physician? There is a worse deception. These are cult teachers and false prophets who promise “cures” for sin, the greatest disease of all. Just as that doctor’s promise proved fatal to my friend, so did the teachings of false teachers prove deadly to those seeking salvation.
Have you noticed how much of the New Testament is devoted to warnings against false teachers? Entire books—Galatians, 2nd Peter, 2nd Timothy, Jude, and 2nd & and 3rd John. Jesus Himself predicted false teachers would rise in profusion:
“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matt. 7:15).
Jesus’ prediction was on target. False teachers abound today. These are people who do not love the Lord, yet realize religion works powerfully in the lives of others. False teachers seek to exploit this factor, using it to gain their own ends. They cannot preach a TRUE GOSPEL, for then men would receive Christ and be sealed by the Holy Spirit. So to deceive, they come as close to the real thing as possible.
CLOSE BUT DEADLY
Let’s say you have a glass of 100% pure orange juice. Delightful, refreshing, good for you. But then you add 1% strychnine. Such a tiny amount, but enough to kill you. It’s like that with many false teachers. Their presentations sound like PURE GOSPEL, but they add just enough error to make it fatal. It’s amazing how little error it takes to produce a deadly message. That is why we have to be so careful when we listen to men. Still, there’s an encouraging note. It is possible to recognize a false teacher even if you are brand new in the Lord. A baby Christian can equip himself with a few insights that will help him recognize a phony. I’ll list a few of the telltale signs.
1. CLAIMS THE ONLY TRUE CHURCH
If you are talking with someone you suspect is a phony and he wants you to join his group, ask him directly if he feels this is the only TRUE church and you must belong to it to be saved. He may be reluctant to give you a direct answer, but you should press him. Many of the major cults insist no church but theirs offers genuine salvation to anyone.
Let that be a warning. On the other hand, he might represent one of the Mind science groups or an Eastern Meditation cult (Gurus and Yogis), and would then reply, “Truth is universal. Anyone seeking truth is already a part of God or involved with the cosmic oneness of the universe.” Do not waste your time on him. Sure, some are deceived, but most are in cults because they do not want Christ.
2. OFFERING CANNED BIBLE SCHEME
“We’d like to have a Bible study group in your home.” Nothing wrong with that. Home Bible studies are terrific. The false teachers know that. So, whether it is in your home or someone else’s, watch for the “canned pitch.” That is, is the teacher really studying the Bible with you or merely trying to get you to embrace his system of theology?
The cults already know what they want you to believe. They have their system carefully worked out. Then they ask you to turn to certain Bible passages that seemingly prove their claims. This is what they mean by Bible study. Unfortunately, ANY DOCTRINE can be confirmed by this method. You can start with almost any theory and find Bible verses to support what you are saying. But you have to take them out of context to do so.
The only way to study the Bible is book-by-book. And you must come to it with an open heart, ready to let God speak to you. That is very different from coming to the book with preconceived ideas and then finding verses to back up your notions. So when a teacher works in this fashion, he is NOT conducting a Bible study. He’s giving you the “canned pitch” of a cult.
3. PRESENTING A DIFFERENT CHRIST
The Christ of the cults is quite different from the Christ of the Bible. These teachers will insist that Jesus is NOT God. Their estimates of Him will range from a “good man” (prophet even) to the SON of God, who is inferior to the Father. Those who refer to Him as “the Son,” do so merely to accommodate the Bible. They argue that He is God’s Son in much the same sense that we are—flatly denying He is equal to God. And they seek to prove this with isolated Bible passages. Ask him, “Do we find Christ worshipped in the Bible?”
If the worker knows the Bible at all, he’ll have to reply “Yes.” He’ll know Jesus was worshipped at birth by the visiting Magi (Matt. 2:11), by a synagogue ruler (Matt. 9:18), by the blind man (John 9:38), by Mary at the tomb (Matt. 28:9), etc. It’s all over the New Testament.
Then you reply, “But doesn’t the Bible clearly forbid the worship of anyone but God?” The cult worker has to agree, for this is the first commandment (Ex. 20:3-5). “Then how,” you ask, “do we find God Himself saying ‘Let all the angels of God worship Him (the Son)’ in Heb. 1:6.”
The fact is, Jesus did accept the worship of men. If He were not God, He would have been a phony Himself, obliged to tell people not to worship Him, as did Peter at the house of Cornelius (Acts 10:25, 26).
This is perhaps the greatest error of the cults. They never offer the real Jesus, but one who is less than God. And what should you do with people who depreciate Jesus in this manner? John tells us. See 2 John 7-11.
4. TEACHING SALVATION BY FAITH PLUS
The false teacher insists a person cannot be saved by faith alone, that he must DO SOMETHING in connection with his faith to be saved. The fact is a man can no more save himself by work than a brain surgeon can operate on his brain. A sinner can no more make himself righteous by his efforts than a leopard can change his spots.
The New Testament insists that salvation is a FREE GIFT, “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). All anyone can do with a gift is take it or leave it. But if any part of it is secured by human effort, then it is NOT a gift but earned. The apostle Paul insists “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8,9).
SUBTLE TEACHERS ARE THE TRICKIEST
Once you know what to look for, it’s not hard to spot a false teacher. The one who insists his is the only true church, the one who comes with a canned system of religion, or those who present a different Jesus, are easy to detect. Where it gets tricky is in dealing with those who present the Word with respect and accuracy and still weave in error. Then you’re down to one test, one sure test.
The distinguishing mark of a cult is that it CANNOT help you to know Christ personally. It is unable to draw you close to Jesus so that you develop an intimate relationship with Him. Yet, that is what Christianity is all about. It is a fellowship with the Lord (1 John 1:3). At best, the cult can only teach you things ABOUT HIM and how to live the kind of life that might please (or appease) God. But to bring you to the place where you can enjoy the Lord as your personal friend is impossible for them. They don’t know Him that way.
To make the test, simply ask the worker to share with you his personal relationship with Christ. Have him tell you how he enjoys the Lord. Unless a man knows Jesus personally and intimately, he cannot share something he doesn’t have.
THEN WHAT?
There is only one answer. Study God’s Word for yourself. God intends for every believer to study the Bible himself and there is no shortcut. If we take the trouble to open the Bible and read, He promises He will teach us by His Spirit (1 John 2:27). No man should come between you and God’s Word. I write this to help God’s people lay hold of His Word that HE will reveal, which no man can teach you. If you don’t open the Book, you’ll never know what you missed. If you study the Word, then no cult or false teacher can deceive you! Become intimate with God in this fashion and you’ll be able to . . .
RECOGNIZE ANY FALSE TEACHER!
C. S. Lovett
Copyright © 2024 Personal Christianity. All rights reserved.
RESOURCES
LOVETT’S LIGHTS ON ACTS (2023 edition): 407 pages. Available on Amazon.com and sells for $15.99 HERE.
LOVETT’S LIGHTS ON THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT (2022 edition): 372 pages. Available on Amazon.com and sells for $15.99 HERE.
LOVETT’S LIGHTS ON JOHN (2021 edition): 381 pages. Available on Amazon.com sells for $15.99 HERE.
DEALING WITH THE DEVIL (2018 edition) 242 pages. Available on Amazon.com for $14.99 HERE.
WITNESSING MADE EASY (2019 edition): 213 pages. Purchase on Amazon.com for $14.99 HERE.
THE PREPARED LIFE (2017): 159 pages. This book is available on Amazon.com and sells for $13.99 and is also available in Kindle form for $7.99 HERE.
TESTIMONIES
PRAYER ANSWERED: “Your book, DEALING WITH THE DEVIL, was an answer to a recent prayer in which I asked the Lord to show me why I have such a difficult time remaining faithful and putting Him first. Within days a friend loaned me your book. I put your exercise into practice, and it works! The best part was when I caught Satan in the act, rebuked him, sent him away, gave him Scripture and immediately the Holy Spirit filled my mind. How exciting victory in Jesus really is!” (D.P.—GA)
SHED LIGHT: A friend introduced me to your book, DEALING WITH THE DEVIL. You are so right; a copy needs to be in every Christian home. I am impressed, it sheds so much light on Satan. We need to know the acts of our enemy to resist him. Surely you were led by the Holy Spirit. I thank the Lord for your obedience. (I.C.—LA)
CONTACT US
Please keep in touch and send us your prayer requests. You may contact us for more information regarding our ministry at:
Personal Christianity, PO Box 918, Middleton, ID 83644
626.338.7333
www.cslovettbooks.com
info@cslovettbooks.com
“Preparing for His Appearing” Since 1951
