Category: Toxic Faith

What one listens to, obeys, and meditates upon day and night, is what will influence him (Psalm 1:3, Matthew 6:22-23, Galatians 5:16-24). Therefore, one must make a choice concerning what he will abide in. Will it be the world, and its philosophies and traditions of men (1John 2:15-17, Colossians 2:8)? Will it be the media, and its multitude of lies and propaganda, that brings people under its influence? Or will it be the word of God, that leads people to the light of truth, and makes them wise concerning salvation through faith in Christ Jesus, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, so that he will be complete, and thoroughly equipped for every good work (2Timothy 3:14-17)?

Remember that those who do not abide in Jesus, the true vine, in whom there is no darkness, will be plucked out by the Father, and thrown into the fire of his wrath and burned, and the smoke of their torment will go up forever and ever (John 15:1-6, 1John 1:5, Revelation 21:7-8). But those who abide in Jesus will be like trees that bear their fruits in their season (Psalm 1:1-3). It is the fruit of the Holy Spirit which they will bear, and they will not be controlled by the sway of the spirit of this world, which is the spirit of antichrist (Galatians 5:16-25, Ephesians 2:1-3, 1John 4:1-6). The media will not dictate their actions, or their morality. They will be grounded in the faith of Christ, and they will not be deceived (Matthew 6:22-23, John 8:12). Instead, they will have discernment; knowing good from evil, truth from error, and true teachers from deceivers.

Discernment does not come from the media, and its websites, television programs, radio shows, or even podcasts. Nor is discernment acquired through being taught by wise teachers, theologians, or revered philosophers in or outside the church. Instead, discernment comes through following Jesus Christ, by studying God’s word for one’s self, and by being instructed by the Holy Spirit to correctly apply the word of God to one’s life, and being one who obeys God’s commands without partiality (Hebrews 5:12-14, 1John 2:26-27, 2Timothy 2:15, James 1:21-25). But in order to do this, one must sanctify the Lord in his heart, and trust his clear teachings from Scripture, more than anyone, and more than popular opinion; even popular Christian opinion (1Peter 3:15, Romans 3:4). One must be willing to separate from the crowd when Scripture reveals that the group he is apart of is not following God but men who appear godly, yet leavens the truth of the gospel with a little leaven, which leavens the whole gospel, or who change the nature or character of the true God (Galatians 1:6-10, Galatians 5:7-9, 1John 2:21-23, 1John 4:1-3, Romans 16:17-19).

There is only one God, and there is only one gospel, and no group, no matter how godly they may appear, has the right to pervert the gospel, nor change the true teaching of who God is. Nor is any website, television program, radio show, nor podcats, an authority on truth. God’s word alone is the authority (Matthew 4:4, John 17:17, 2Tiomthy 3:14-17. Nor does any preacher or philosopher have any authority to subject the clear teachings of Scripture to his own private interpretations, regardless of his high reverence among Christ’s church, because men, or any well respected group, has no authority to validate truth (2Peter 1:20-21). Scripture alone validates truth, and Scripture alone validates, or disqualifies, men. Therefore, if they speak not according to the true God, and the true gospel of salvation, and, instead, reject correction from Scripture by clinging to their private interpretations, it is because their is no light in them, and they are antichrist (Isaiah 8:20. They are not of God, but of the world. If they were of God, they could not bear bad fruit, but would only bear good fruit, and they would prove it by submitting to the church’s correction from Scripture (Matthew 7:15-20, Romans 16:17-19, John 3:7-9, John 4:5-6).

Good fruit is not only the teaching of the true God, and the true gospel, but it is also submission to the truth (John 15:14, John 14:6).

The world says that a little leaven, concerning the true God and the gospel, does not leaven the whole lump, but God says that it does (Galatians 5:7-9, John 4:1-3).

One must decide, “Who will I believe?” and “Who will I follow?”

Let it be the word of God, because this is the covenant that God has made with his people:

Hebrews 8
10    For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
11    None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them.

And remember…

John 15
4    Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
5    “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
6    If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.
7    If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.
8    By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
9    “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
10    If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
11    “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

1John 2
24    Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.
25    And this is the promise that He has promised us — eternal life.
26    These things I have written to you concerning those who try to deceive you.
27    But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him.
28    And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming.

James 1
5    If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

2Timothy 3
14    But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them,
15    and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16    All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
17    that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.