All moves of the Spirit, all insights, all “whispers in the heart” should be checked against Scripture. There is a reason why God besides sending us His Son & His Holy Spirit, also gave us His written Word. How can we know for sure something is from God? By reading the Bible. Our final authority in doctrine & practice is the Word of God, not men. If any doctrine, manifestation, spiritual exercise (activation), etc. is NOT in the Scriptures, then beloved we should avoid it, we don’t need it! Be very careful with those teachers who say they have new revelations from God! 2 Tim. 3:16-17 says:
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When we put aside the Truth of the Bible in exchange for the uncertainty of feelings & emotions we are essentially leaving ‘faith in what God said’ over to what our easily deceitful hearts dictate, just like Adam & Eve did in the garden.
Dominion Theology is the believe, that it is Christians’ job to to take control or exercise dominion of the world, imposing a ‘biblical’ rule. They said ‘Christ will not return, until the church had claimed dominion over ALL of the world’s governments and institutions‘, meaning the 7 mountains or spheres: 1. Home, 2. Religion/Church, 3. Education, 4. Government & military, 5. The media, 6. Arts, entertainment & sports, 7. Commerce, science, & technology. They say God gave us the mandate in Genesis 1:28.
Sound doctrine is very important to God, in His Word He directs us to teach it, & hold fast unto it ( 2 John 1:9-11, Titus 2:7, etc.). For that reason it should also be important to us & it needs to be guarded and contended for. (Jude 3-4, Rom. 16:17-18). More often people depart from the truth (apostasy) because they did not have sound doctrine as their basis.
We as Christians follow the teachings of Jesus (sound doctrine) that are found in the Bible, unsound doctrine is the teaching that contradicts or disagree with the Word of God.
Galatians – Part 2
By Brian Franco (Used with permission)
But when Peter came to Antioch, I withstood him face to face, because he stood condemned. Before certain men came from James, he ate with the Gentiles. But when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the other Jews, likewise, joined together in hypocrisy with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.
But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, why do you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” 2:11-14
Galatians – Part 1
By Brian Franco (Used with permission)
Paul’s letter to the Galatians gives us a brief glimpse into Paul’s theological beginnings and deals with an issue regarding justification and its relation to our inheritance as the children of God. There are 6 chapters in total, so let’s go through ’em! Part 1 will mostly cover the introductory portions of Chapter 1.
Whosoever transgresseth (G3845 = depart, leave, be turned from), and abideth (G3306 = remain, stay, continue) not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. 2 John 1:9-11 .
See more on the Doctrine of Christ
Even many think the ‘Emergent Church movement‘ already past, the truth is their unbiblical doctrines still continue today around the world and it has infiltrated ALL denominations.
If Jesus is the Author & Finisher of our faith Heb.12:2 , the Beginning & End, the Alpha & Omega (Rev.1:8), the only way to the Father & heaven (Jn.14:6), then we really need to know who is Jesus if we don’t want to fall into the deception of false religions or cults.
“But I fear that somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve through his trickery, so your minds might be led astray from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if you receive another spirit,. . .” 2 Cor.11:3-4
Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at My hands. Put your hand here and place it in My side. Do not be faithless, but believing.”28 Thomas answered Him, “My Lord and my God!”29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have yet believed.” John 20:27-29
We need to understand that Thomas was a Jew. Jews only believed in one God, YHWH the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, & were very careful not to use His name in vain. By the Scriptures of the Old Testament they new about the Messiah, but didn’t have a complete understanding or revelation about Him, until Jesus came.
The prophets of the Old Testament said in referring to their coming Messiah, that He is God or Divine:
Most pseudo-Christian sects & some denominations are based in misunderstandings of the Old Testament. In the New Testament we found the revelation of many things that were just shadows of Christ or a mystery in the Old Testament. People can find salvation & the simplicity of Christ by reading the New Testament alone, but that won’t happen by reading the Old Testament by itself.
Reformed/Calvinist theologians & Catholics teach the church replaces ‘Israel‘ (Replacement Theology), but that’s NOT what the New Testament teaches, please check in that link the 73 times the word ‘Israel’ is used int he NT.
Also with some variations the Church of God & many of their splinters like Israelite Church of God (a.k.a Black Hebrew Israelites) & Hebrew Roots movement, teach another replacement theology as well, & it’s that Christians are or become ‘Israelites’.
These sects also teach Jesus only came to save the house of Israel by twisting Matt.15:24, & say for that reason we believers have to be Israel, otherwise we are not saved. But in the original Greek there is no word ‘only‘ neither the word ‘save‘:
” ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν Οὐκ ἀπεστάλην εἰ μὴ εἰς τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου Ἰσραήλ” –
The but answering [He] said, not I was sent, if not to the sheep – being lost of [the] house [of] Israel. (check here or here).