Devotion:False Teachers/Abusive Religions

False Teachers/Abusive Religions

by Marsha Iddings

As I have been watching the events unfold down at the FLDS compound in Texas this past week, I have been reading the book Escape by Carolyn Jessop. It tells of her hair-raising escape from this polygamist religious group. It also tells of all the abuse she and others endured at the hands of it's leaders. False prophets and abusive religious groups are all around us in these last days, and I thought it would be good to take a look at what the Bible says and draw some conclusions about the identity of false and/or abusive church leadership so we might protect ourselves from the wolves in sheep's clothing. Below, I make a statement about what the false and/or abusive church leaders do and cite scriptures for you to read and think about in relation to the statement. At the end, I have listed several things I can think of that I saw in reading Carloyn's book that were signs of an abusive religious system. Sadly, one or two of those items are from my own experience in a couple of the churches I attended in the past.

Test of a prophet: If his prophecy doesn't come to pass he is false

Deuteronomy 18:22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

Teaching commandments of men instead of the doctrines of God

Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Deny the deity of Jesus Christ

John 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

Philippians 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (KJV)

Legalism--instead of liberty to make decisions based on the Bible, they bring their followers into bondage through their own set of rules & commandments

2 Peter 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.(KJV)

Galatians 2:4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage:

Galatians 5:1 ¶ Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

They appear harmless at first but eventually the real fruit will come forth and their true colors will be revealed.

Matthew 7:15-17 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

They tell you the Bible can't be trusted

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (KJV)

2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. (KJV)

They tell you that there is more than what is in the Bible--the Bible is not enough

Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
(KJV)

Signs of Spiritual Abuse:

• Threat of punishment (earthly or eternal) for not obeying the leader(s).
• Being told physical illness is a result of disobedience toward church commandments
• Pressure to conform without Biblical warrant
• Not being allowed to make decisions based on what the Bible says as apposed to what the leaders say even though the leaders may be going against Biblical teaching
• Being told by church leaders that you should not listen to anyone's advice but his/her's
• Being required to live one's life according to the requirement of the church leader(s) because they claim to be God's mouthpiece (we are to test all things by the rule of Biblical Scripture & if the leaders are departing from it, we are to try to correct them. Blind obedience is not Biblical Acts 17:11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.(KJV)

Books by Marsha
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