Who are Pretenders?
Ezekiel, Apostle’s Paul, and Peter describe for us what pretenders are. Let’s briefly look at what people were warned about in the past, and what we are warned about today as well.
Ezekiel 13:2 (NLT); “Son of man, prophesy against the false prophets of Israel who are inventing their own prophecies.” In verses 5 through 7 Ezekiel writes a description of these pretenders:
“They have done nothing to repair the breaks in the walls around the nation. They have not helped it to stand firm in battle on the day of the Lord. Instead, they say, ‘This message is from the Lord,’ even though the Lord never sent them. And yet they expect Him to fulfill their prophecies! Can your visions be anything but false if you claim, ‘This message is from the Lord,’ when I have not even spoken to you?” And in verses 17 through 19 we have another view of these false prophets: “Now, son of man, speak out against the women who prophesy from their own imaginations. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: What sorrow awaits you women who are ensnaring the souls of my people, young and old alike. You tie magic charms on their wrists and furnish them with magic veils. Do you think you can trap others without bringing destruction on yourselves? You bring shame on me among my people for a few handfuls of barley or a piece of bread. By lying to my people who love to listen to lies, you kill those who should not die, and you promise life to those who should not live.
In 2 Peter 2:1-3 (NLT) Peter tells believers that false prophets and false teachers will be around. Peter writes: “But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money…”
Paul also had to contend with false teachers (pretenders) who continuously tried to turn people away from him to them. Paul writes in Galatians 4:14 (NLT) “Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them.”
Paul further tells us about false believers in Galatians 2:4 (NLT) “Even that question came up only because of some so-called believers there—false ones, really—who were secretly brought in. They sneaked in to spy on us and take away the freedom we have in Christ Jesus. They wanted to enslave us and force us to follow their Jewish regulations.” Many of you are aware of the argument between Paul and Peter concerning Jewish rituals as revealed in Galatians 2:11-13 (NLT) “But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.” So, even the elect is being deceived until Paul stepped in and confronted them. The result was a compromise as recorded in Acts 21:25 (NLT) “As for the Gentile believers, they should do what we already told them in a letter: They should abstain from eating food offered to idols, from consuming blood or the meat of strangled animals, and from sexual immorality.” A remarkably interesting interaction because as I mentioned even the elect were being deceived by one of their own until the Lord sent Paul to make His intentions concerning the gentiles known. Fortunately, the elect in Jerusalem sided with Paul and Peter changed course–in other words repented his old ways. Peter is an interesting Apostle, he was rebuked twice by Jesus, then denied Jesus three times, and hid until Pentecost happened. He was filled with the Spirit as stated in Acts and then for some reason, he reverted to the old ways instead of following what Jesus taught. Peter’s not a bad person, his life was split between his family and Jesus, and I believe, that is what caused him to once again be rebuked by the Lord through Paul.
In 2 Corinthians 11:1-15 (NLT) Paul confronts false teachers (pretenders): “I hope you will put up with a little more of my foolishness. Please bear with me. For I am jealous for you with the jealousy of God himself. I promised you as a pure bride to one husband—Christ. But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one, we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed.
But I don’t consider myself inferior in any way to these “super apostles” who teach such things. I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I’m not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every possible way.
Was I wrong when I humbled myself and honored you by preaching God’s Good News to you without expecting anything in return? I “robbed” other churches by accepting their contributions so I could serve you at no cost. And when I was with you and didn’t have enough to live on, I did not become a financial burden to anyone. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that I needed. I have never been a burden to you, and I never will be. As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, no one in all of Greece will ever stop me from boasting about this. Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows that I do.
But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours. These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So, it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.”
There are plenty of other verses in the Bible that talks about false prophets, false teachers, false believers. Ezekiel is loaded with how those who have seen the mighty hand of God up close and personal turn away because of self-absorbed teachers and weak-minded individuals who sought more for themselves than they sought God. The nation’s people turned to idols, self-made gods to feel in control of those gods, and to feel good about their sacrifices made for their sins, and to gain favor and riches. Today is no different. False teachers, leaders, and self-proclaimed prophets surround us, and we need to trust in, and rely on Jesus alone when surrounded by wolves. We need to seek the sovereign God and obey His commandments. We do not focus on our personal needs, on our own strength to survive and overcome obstacles, we rely of Jesus. Psalm 23:4 says it all: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”
So, who are the pretenders? They are the false teachers, the false self-proclaimed prophets, and those people today who are like the people in Ezekiel 33:30-33 (NLT). “Son of man, your people talk about you in their houses and whisper about you at the doors. They say to each other, ‘Come on, let’s go hear the prophet tell us what the LORD is saying!’ So, my people come pretending to be sincere and sit before you. They listen to your words, but they have no intention of doing what you say. Their mouths are full of lustful words, and their hearts seek only after money. You are very entertaining to them, like someone who sings love songs with a beautiful voice or plays fine music on an instrument. They hear what you say, but they don’t act on it! But when all these terrible things happen to them—as they certainly will—then they will know a prophet has been among them.”
Now in the verse above change [Son of Man] to Elder or pastor; change the word [prophet] to evangelist, and [my people] to many believers and you will know who the pretenders are.
Let’s face it, most people go to church not because they love God and wish to hear what the Holy Spirit has to say, they go because it’s a social outlet; it’s a sense of belonging, a place to contribute and feel needed; a place to confess sins to feel better, or to go and ask for a healing that they never get, or it’s simply because that what has been done since birth. Think about this: How many pastors take a real interest in their congregation instead of their career and their ego? Look at Acts 20:29 (NIV) “Keep watch over yourselves and the entire flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which He purchased with His own blood.” Does your pastor keep watch over the flock? Does your Pastor and Elders shepherd God’s church? I bet not, and that most of the time, people are nothing more than walking money; people to help pay for the maintenance of the church and pay the salaries of the staff. There is no looking after the flock, only the bottom line, and those churches that do not shepherd God’s church as directed are fake, pretend leaders and followers of Christ Jesus.
Fake believers are even more insidious:
Isiah 29:13 (ESV) points out: “And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men…”
Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV) “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ “
1 Corinthians 5: 11-13 (ESV) “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
Prophecy News Watch: Compromised church leadership and preaching is contributing to our cultural rot. Click here to read.
Prophecy News Watch: When the church acts like the world – covering up sexual abuse. Click here to read.
There are many more verses to show both the false prophet, teacher, and fake believers. All I can say is: Pay attention (listen) to the Holy Spirit’s teaching as you read the Scriptures. Don’t just take what some teacher tells you as the truth. Find a congregation that displays humility, love, and that looks after its flock as directed by Scripture. Stay away from entertainment-based churches, and churches that seek your money instead of your commitment to serve Christ. And always see the truth at all costs. After all, TRUTH is a person, and that person is Jesus Christ whom we are to serve by serving others.
Shalom: May you be whole and complete and lack nothing.
Mike
25 May 2022
The Christian Underground Journal
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