The Teaching of a False Religion

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by

Robert Piña
in

Introduction: A false religion has beliefs that are contrary to the Bible. A false religion is a group of people gathered about a specific person or person’s misinterpretation of the Bible.  

1. New Revelation– They don’t have traditional doctrine, God only gave it to them and to no one else, it’s a special secret. An angel appeared in a dream or vision to a person and told them to write certain things. Or God will speak through a man and that becomes church doctrine. 

  • Colossians 2:2-3 “In whom are hid all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge”. All the hidden treasure of wisdom and knowledge are hid in God and God doesn’t share it with anyone.
  • Hebrews 1:1-2 “Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son”. John 1:1; 1:14. God speak to us through this King James Bible. 

2. New Interpretation– They have a new look at old scripture. They don’t righty divide the Bible. This is where most religions trip up and come up with their own false doctrine.  

  • II Timothy 2:15 “rightly dividing the word of truth”. They don’t rightly divide, and they don’t know who certain verses apply to.
  • Who is speaking? God, Man, or Satan
  • Who is being spoken to? Jew, Gentile, or Church
  • What is being said- National message, Individual message.
  • II Peter 1:19-21 “no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation”. It’s not private.  

3. Non-Biblical Source of Authority– Sacred writing in additional or replacement to the Bible. These are thing they themselves or wrote into their own Bible. (New World Translation/Ancient Writings/ Watch Tower Society, etc.) 

  • The KJB is written by God and everything else is written by man.
  • Psalm 119:89 “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven”. 
  • Psalm 119:160 “Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever”. 
  • Proverbs 30:5-6 “Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. 
  • Revelation 22:18-19 Don’t add or take away from this Bible. 
  • Matthew 4:4 “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God”. 

4. Salvation by Works– They work to get saved and they work to stay saved. We work because we are saved. They believe in getting saved the way they say to get saved and not the way the Bible says to do. 

  • Ephesians 2:8-9 “Not of works, lest any man should boast”. 
  • Titus 3:5 “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost. 
  • Galatians 1:6-7 they have another gospel, not the true gospel- I Corinthians 15:1-4. 

5. They Have an Earthly Leader– They believe God sent an earthly man or woman to them and they have power of God and represent God on this earth. 

  • Ephesians 5:6 “Let no man deceive you with vain words”. 
  • II Thessalonians 2:3 “Let no man deceive you by any means”. 
  • I John 3:7 “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous”. 
  • JW’s- Charles Russell, Christian Science- Mary Baker Eddy, Mormons- Joseph Smith, Catholics have a Pope.  

6. They Have another GOD– They don’t believe that God is part of the trinity. 

  • They believe he was a god or a created being but not God manifested in the flesh- John 1:1; 1:14. I Timothy 3:16 “and without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory”. 
  • They believe that God created Jesus Christ at some point and was not God. I John 5:20 “This is the true God, and eternal life”. 
  • They believe he was a good man or a prophet but not God. 
  • Matthew 7:21-23 In the name of God apparently, but they don’t believe.     

7. They have a Changing Theology– They change their beliefs along with society. As societies change, religions change. 

  • Some hold no dogmatic belief or position. They are wishy washy. 
  • Ephesians 4:14-15 “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive”.  
  • People today don’t know what the Bible says because they don’t read it, meditate, and study it. Get to know and love your Bible. 
  • 2 Timothy 3:7 They are “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth”.  

Conclusion: This is lesson will hopefully help us understand false religions and some of their characteristics. Many of these people don’t know or understand they’re in a false religion. Treat them with love and respect but show them the truth from the Word of God. Lesson points incorporated from Dr. Brad Gross.