Christ came to make men free from the penalty of sin, from it’s shackles and the weights of this world.
Throughout the world, some men and women in “Christian” organisations, have constructed “religious” systems to manage the affections of others to their own perceived advantage. Some have no real respect for their followers, except a measure of respect for those who promote their leaders virtues. The followers are often kept from knowing and living in the real freedom that’s been bought for them by Christ, because this wouldn’t serve the purpose of the leaders. The opening picture above, depicts the condition of those who perceive that by submitting to a particular teacher or “religious organisation”, they’re being sheltered from worldly influence and religious error, but many are in fact living a life strenuously defending a doctrine of error to the perpetuating of their own detrement, as many of their leaders and themselves have either substantially departed from the truth or may never have known it. They may never have known the way of peace or the fruit of salvation and though the leaders may be teaching elements of the truth, they combine it with corrupt doctrine. But the ones who step out from under the corrupt teaching into the light of God’s truth, are freed from oppressive influence, as they take on the yolk of Christ and learn from Him.
Leaving such an organisation is seldom an easy decision, the subtle corrupt teaching of many years can leave it’s hearers with fears, and thoughts of self judgement, leaving is likely to result in the leaders spreading lies within the organisation to ostracise you from family and close friends, you may be called a heretic and/or Antichrist, you may receive hate mail, abusive texts and phone calls, you may have defamatory accusations spread to many about yourself, from leaders of the organisation who may even be your own family members, such as parents, brothers, uncles or grandparents… But don’t let any threat or actuality of breakdown in family relationship, rob you of the peace of God which passes all understanding and the stability of having your relationship to God being founded on trust in the promises of God through Christ Jesus, He will never leave you or forsake you, God will have you free and growing in wisdom peace and joy by His mighty and kind faithful hand, you’ve been bought with a price, don’t submit yourself to men’s chains. And there’s peace in trusting Him to work in those who are still caught up in the organisation, we’ve each got plenty to learn of our own need, and if God wants you to be instrumental in helping the others, He’ll make that so clear to you that you’ll know his peace and wisdom in doing whatever He calls you to do, and you’ll clearly know that you’d be rejecting his instruction if you don’t act, or alternatively He’ll give you peace in not acting. Remember that it’s not by man’s strength or power that God’s will is accomplished, it’s by His Spirit.
The Bible records examples, of men’s efforts to draw God’s people from His path of freedom, and on many of these occasions, the people have willingly submitted to their overseers corrupt ways, to satisfy their own fleshly desires for recognition within the organisation, or for financial or material gain, or simply out of fearing or respecting men more than God:
“This persuasion comes not of him that calls you.A little leaven leavens the whole lump.”
Galatians 5: 8-9
If a Saint doesn’t spend time in humility, meditating on God’s Word, he can fall prey to those who have a greater knowledge of The Word, and who know how to apply it to support their corrupt motives. Some of such a persuasion, are spoken of in scripture as using well turned words to lead men astray:
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness they shall with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingers not, and their damnation slumbers not.
2 Peter 2:1-3
“Also men shall arise from your own selves, speaking perverse things in order to draw disciples away after them.”
Acts 20:30
Man’s pride has no place in God’s kingdom, and it doesn’t bear fruit of the Spirit, so brings no satisfaction to God, and no peace to His people.
A substantial example of a man drawing people to himself instead of directing them to God, was king Jeroboam, son of Nebat, who set up gold calves as idols to keep the people in his land. You can read of him in 1 Kings 12
25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and dwelt there. Also he went out from there and built Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: 27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28 Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!” 29 And he set up one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. 30 Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 31 He made shrines on the high places, and made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi.
1 Kings 12: 25-31
Note that Jeroboam made his own “priesthood“ from every class of people “who were not of the sons of Levi“, they weren’t of the priesthood established by God, so they served Jeroboam’s selfish evil purposes.
Jeroboam is spoken of later in scripture, as an example of the evil character of drawing people away from God to men, as in: 1 Kings 16:19, 26, 31, 22:52, 2 Kings 3:3, 2 Kings 10:29, 2 Kings 13:2, 2 Kings 13:6, 2 Kings 13:11, 2 Kings 14:24, 2 Kings 13:2, 2 Kings 15:9, 2 Kings 15:18, 2 Kings 15:24, 2 Kings 15:28, 2 Kings 17:22.
This act of leading the people into idolatry hasn’t stopped since Jeroboam, it’s still happening around the world and in a town near you, (maybe even in your town), it was clearly occurring (to those who had eyes to see) at the time of John writing Revelation 2:
18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write, ‘These things says the Son of God,who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass:19 “I know your works, love, service, faith, and yourpatience; and as for your works, the last are more than the first.20 Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her sexual immorality, and she didn’t repent.22 Indeed I will cast her into a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of their deeds.23 I will kill her children with death, and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts. And I will give to each one of you according to your works.”
Revelation 2:18-23
The remainder of the passage gives instruction to the righteous…
24 “Now to you I say,and to the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they say,I will put on you no other burden.25 But hold fast what you have till I come.26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end,to him I will give power over the nations— 27 ‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’— as I also have received from My Father; 28 and I will give him the morning star. 29 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Revelation 2:24-29
The New Testament gives example of similar characteristics expressed by men for their own “fleshly gain”, robbing the Saint of the freedom of Christ’s work on Calvary: This is often done by way of applying Mosaic law (“religious” do’s and don’ts), or corruptly applying New Testament instruction to the Saints (Satan used this approach when tempting Christ). These impositions are opposite to building up each other in love, but just as satan attempted to use scripture against Christ and to destabilise Adam and Eve, scripture is sometimes quoted in an effort to gain submission/control of the Saints, such as:
- Ephesians 5:21 “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
- Hebrews 13:17 “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.”
The Israelite’s should certainly not have submitted themselves to obey Jeroboam, nor are the Saints to submit themselves to the evil directions of anyone.
These scriptures are of substantial value when applied according to righteousness, but when scripture is quoted from roots of selfish gain…
18 “Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God. 20 Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— 21 “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” 22 which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men?23 These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.”
Colossians 2:
Scripture guides the Godly enquiry of Saints in so many places; another example of this guidance in relation to being led by those who have their hearts fixed on God rather than those desiring to corrupt the teaching for their own benefit, is found in Hebrews 13:7
“Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.“
If the outcome of their conduct is divisive, reducing or enlarging others, for self advancement financially or socially, or leading people to depend on them rather than God …; Then it’s a clear that their teaching which maintain those types of outcomes, aren’t to be followed. Look for, and listen to those who walk in humility & Godliness, who teach full dependence on God through Christ, and obey God’s instruction to get well away from the rest.
17 Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them. For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.
Romans 16:17-18
Reject a divisive man after a first and second admonition, knowing that such a man is corrupt and sinful; he is self-condemned.
Titus 3:10-11
And this verse contributed by a brother is a great encouragement, and so relevant, it’s from Galatians 2:4-5: “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: To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.“
James 1:27 “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”
The above verse expresses the simplicity of living a Christian life. God doesn’t oppress His children, Christ came that we might have life, and have it abundantly.
But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.
Don’t submit to evil, either in yourself or others, “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.” So be filled with the Spirit and overflowing to the glory of God.
Awake, O north wind; and come, you south; blow upon my garden, that its spices may flow out. Let my beloved come into his garden, and eat its pleasant fruits.”
Song of Solomon 4:16
May God grant us to bear fruit for His glory, having fellowship with righteousness, and growing in the knowledge and fear of God as we look forward to Christ’s return. Until then, we’ll praise Him, and we’ll see His gracious hand in our lives, and in all the Saints, in those who he turns from their own ways to His marvelous light, through Christ our Lord!
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
We’re children of light, children of The Living GOD.
Don’t submit to any shadow of darkness, not even for an hour!
Study like a Berean! 