There are two children’s stories that are alike but different. I want to tell you both and point out the morals of each

One is Chicken Little. In Chicken Little, a young chick is struck on the head by a falling acorn. Confused and very upset the young chick begins to tell the other animals that the sky is falling. Paranoia and mass hysteria set in because all the animals believe the world is coming to an end.

The farm animals, all upset, decided they needed an answer to the question, Is the world about to end? So they set out to find the king animal who could answer that question.

They found a fox and assumed he was the king. The fox assured them he was and would be glad to hear their concern, they only needed to go with him into his den. They did so and the fox killed all the animals and ate them.

What’s the moral of Chicken Little? Don’t believe everything you are told.

The other story that’s similar but different is the Boy Who Cried Wolf. In this story, a shepherd boy, bored with his job, decides to cry “wolf” although there was no wolf around.

When he cries “Wolf” the villagers come to his rescue only to find there is no wolf. The boy enjoys the prank so much he does it again and again the villagers come. Eventually, a wolf does appear. And when the boy cries “wolf” no one comes because he had lied the other times.

What’s the moral of the story? Liars are not believed even when they tell the truth.

Today I am going to share with you some lies and half-truths Christians are telling and believing. As we get deep into the message there is a chance that I will offend some of you. I want to ask for forgiveness now. But I think it is essential that you learn how to deal with lies and half-truths when they come your way.

We are studying How to Survive in a Post-Christian World.

Last week we learned how to use two tests to examine ideas, people, and organizations. These tests are:

1. The Jesus Test – Find out what they believe about Jesus.
2. The Bible Test – Find out what they think about the Bible and whether or not what they teach agrees with the Bible.

Our primary text was 1 John 4. Let’s return to that passage and read verse 1.

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

Take note of the term the Spirit of the Antichrist.

Turn to 2 John verse 7-11

 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. 8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.

9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. 10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him; 11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.

What is an antichrist or the spirit of the antichrist – anti means opposed. So an antichrist is someone or some teaching that is opposed to Jesus. It takes you away from Christ or it hides Christ from you.

Other than testing what else should we do about these false prophets that are in the world?

RESPONSE ONE and TWO

1. Do not believe everything you are told. 1 John 4:1
2. Do not encourage it or aid it. 2 John 1:10-11

David Guzik says this:

• John is not talking about all error, but only error which masquerades as true Christianity.
• John is not talking about all who hold the error which masquerades as true Christianity, but about those who teach those errors which masquerade as true Christianity.
• John is not talking about all teachers who err, but those who err in the most fundamental truths, and those who are active in spreading those fundamental errors.

Deuteronomy 13:1-5

Look Good but Sound Bad

I believe the Apostle John had Deuteronomy 13 and 18 in mind when he said: “to test.”

“If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, 2 and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ 3 you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. 4 You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. 5 But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.

In this passage, God warns us of false prophets who look good but teach evil.

They are able to perform miracles and do some interesting things but if you listen to the message it is opposed – anti – to the Lord – Christ.

What does God tell you to do when you come across such?

STEP THREE

Kill the source. We cannot take someone out and execute them today. But we can eliminate the source of this bad doctrine.

Deuteronomy 18:20-22

20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

How and Why Does this Happen?

Deuteronomy 18 raises a question. In today’s world, how is it we can wonder, “How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?” Or how can we tell truth from lies?

The reason believers today would say this is:

1. We are biblically illiterate.
2. We have swapped the Bible for showmanship, for celebrity, for feelings, for prophecy

Consider Jeremiah 23:25-28

I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ 26 How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, 27 who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.

28 “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream;
And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully.
What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the Lord.

 

According to verse 27, what are these false prophets attempting to do? People today have traded away wheat for chaff. People today want the sensations, the miracles, the prophecies that tickle their ears. They do not want the Bible.

 STEP FOUR

Review

1. Do not believe everything
2. Do not encourage it or aid it.
3. Kill the source
4. Fear or respect only God and His Word.

1.