Could a Pastor or a Teacher Be Deceiving You? How Can You Tell?

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A Pinch of Truth and An Ounce of Deception

You got to admit, it's nice to just sit back and have someone else (like a Pastor) tell you what the Bible says. After all, he's the Pastor...he's the expert in this little black leather book. He's got all the answers and all you have to do is sit back and listen, consume and do what he says. If this is all you're doing, do you see a problem in this system? I do. It makes you blind to the truth and keeps you comfortable in sin.

Sure, it's easy to spot a lie if the Pastor goes outright and says, "according to the Bible, it's great rape and steal!!" But the Devil doesn't work in such obvious ways. The best lie always involves mixing some truth and error. Like in the movie "The Infiltrator", the main character, Robert, explains to his undercover "wife", Kathy, that their story needs to be believable. In order to do this, it needs to be nearly exactly to the real story of how he met his real wife in college. [2]

Here's A Shocking Example

In this sermon, Pastor Creflo Dollar is encouraging his followers that it's the Devil's wish that you keep the law of God. He adds that if there is no law, there is no sin, therefore we can conclude that we shouldn't keep the law, because doing so would save us from sinning.

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He compared the law to the law of "speed limits." He says, "if we have no speed limit laws then you can't get a ticket!" Shockingly, everyone in his audience ate this up. Now, lets use some common sense here, since he compared it to driving laws. How safe would you feel today if you got on the road and there were no traffic laws? I know I wouldn't get on the road.

How to Detect Biblical Deception?

Read your Bible. Our only source of defense against the Devil is to arm ourselves with the Word of God. When Jesus was at His weakest, the Devil chose that time to try to get Jesus to sin. How did Jesus defend Himself? With scripture, the Word of God saying, "...it is written..." Shouldn't we also do our best to arm ourselves with the Word of God?

The Bible has some warning for us about teachers.

1. Matthew 7:15: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
2. Matt. 16:11-12; Jesus warns about the false doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
3. Matt. 24:4-5: Jesus warns to watch out that no one mislead you.
4. 2 Tim. 2:1-3: Paul warns of deception, rebellion and the man of lawlessness.
5. 2 Tim. 4:3-4 : Paul warns a time will come where the people will not tolerate sound teaching.
6. 2 Tim. 7-11: Paul explains how lawlessness is at work, how Jesus will reveal the lawless and destroy them at his return. The work of the lawless is helped by Satan in giving false signs and wonders, with deception.

What does the Bible say about those who teach or don't teach the commandments?

1. 1 John 2:4: He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
2. Matthew 5:19: Don't break any commandments, and if you keep and teach others to keep it, you will be called great in heaven.
3. Revelation 12:17: The devil infuriated with the woman that keeps the commandments. In other words, in the last days, God's people will be keeping the commandments of God.
4. 1 Timothy: Tells God's people to keep the commandments of God until He returns.
5. John 14:21: God acknowledges we love Him when we keep His commandments and He will love us for it.
6. John 15:10: To abide in God's love, we need to keep His commandments.
7. 1 John 2:3: Only those who keep the commandments can say they know God. But those, like this pastor, who says to NOT keep the commandments (the law), he is a liar and the truth is not in him.

So what does the Bible say about the law? Let's read.

1. Deuteronomy 28:1,2: Blessings of obeying God's law.
2. Psalm 19:7-11: Psalmist describes God's law as perfect and wonderful.
3. Jeremiah 31:31-33: God's new covenant: His law inside us, in our minds and hearts.
4. 1 John 5:3: God's law is not a burden.
5. Matthew 5:17, 18: Jesus came not to destroy, but to fulfill the law. Note: If Jesus was keeping the law, then according to Pastor Creflo Dollar, Jesus was doing the will of the Devil.
6. John 14:15: If we love Jesus, we will keep His commandments.
7. Romans 7:12: Paul indicated it was still in effect.
8. 1 John 2:3-6: John indicated it was still in effect.
9. Romans 3:31: Law not made void by faith in God's grace.
10. Romans 7:22: Paul delighted in the law.
11. Hebrews 8:10: How the law can be kept.
12. James 1:22-25: Function of the law is to reveal sin not changed after the Cross.

Is Lawlessness True Freedom?

First I want to say what the Bible says about those who rather live outside of the law. 1 Timothy 1:9 lumps the lawless with the disobedient, the ungodly, for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers.

Second, I want to use a very practical approach to this. I live in the United State of America and here we have TONS of laws. Mostly to protect us by providing civil stability. We define what is good conduct while driving on the road and we have laws that will punish us if we steal, murder or start a fight. Now imagine for a moment that all these laws would be suspended for 1 year. Meaning this country would be 100% lawless...you can do anything you want and you will not be punished for it. How long do you think this country would last? Would you feel safe going outside to do groceries? How about to go to the bank? Or just a walk on the street? I think you would feel you have less freedom without the law than with. Because it's the law that provides safety and comfort in knowing you can go outside, and not be raped, murdered or robbed. To be free of God's law, is not true freedom.

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Image Sources:

1 - Joel Osteen
2 - The Infiltrator
3 - Pastor Creflo Dollar
4 - My Image

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