1-6 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
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7-11 But refuse profane and old wives' fables (superstitions), and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
(We are often reproached by others when we put our trust in that word given us by God.)
These things command and teach.
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12-13 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
(I see this as a very good pattern for us also ... reading, exhortation, doctrine.)
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14-16 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
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* and unto the doctrine
It is amazing how often doctrine is over looked by people who are looking for a church group to attend.
They should be inquiring about the doctrine of that church group.
It is very deceptive, for church groups often say, "Jesus is Lord", "we believe we are raised from the dead through Jesus, we believe Jesus paid for our sins". All true!
But Jesus said in the latter times, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Matthew 24:4-5
They say they believe in Jesus and HIS salvation. But they deny Jesus when they cast aside specific portions of doctrine and set up doctrines which are opposite to scripture.
So when we consider the doctrine before attending a church group, we must go into specific doctrines, such as:
* What do you teach concerning a man marrying a divorced woman?
Matthew 5:32 Jesus said: whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
* Is it approved by your church group for the divorced woman to remarry?
I Corinthians 7:10-11 (the commandment of the Lord) And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
* What does the church group teach concerning homosexuals and lesbians?
Romans 1:22-27 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
* The world is beginning to teach drunkenness is a disease. What does your church group believe? What do you do in your church group when you learn a "brother" is a drunkard?
I Corinthians 5:11, 13 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.... Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
(Also put away "brothers" who are fornicators, covetous, idolaters, railers, extortioners. Do not try to counsel them. Just put them out of the congregation, says Paul)
When you ask about doctrine at a church group, you will probably not need to go past the first point, for you will find they do not hold to this doctrine of the Bible.
We are living in the last days.
Paul explains:
II Timothy 3:1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
They deny the power of the scriptures to rule over the church.
Church groups will fall away from specific scriptures, setting up a doctrine contrary to these scripture. This is the end time apostasy told us in the Bible.
Paul says Jesus will not return unless this apostasy happens in the churches.
II Thessalonians 2:3-8 NASB Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed
That which "restrained" antichrist was the scripture.
When church groups removed scripture, even in part, antichrist moved into the church and lawlessness took over inside the churches.
This is the end time told us in Bible.
Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
* The world is beginning to teach drunkenness is a disease. What does your church group believe? What do you do in your church group when you learn a "brother" is a drunkard?
I Corinthians 5:11, 13 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.... Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
(Also put away "brothers" who are fornicators, covetous, idolaters, railers, extortioners. Do not try to counsel them. Just put them out of the congregation, says Paul)
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When you ask about doctrine at a church group, you will probably not need to go past the first point, for you will find they do not hold to this doctrine of the Bible.
We are living in the last days.
Paul explains:
II Timothy 3:1-5 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
They deny the power of the scriptures to rule over the church.
Church groups will fall away from specific scriptures, setting up a doctrine contrary to these scripture. This is the end time apostasy told us in the Bible.
Paul says Jesus will not return unless this apostasy happens in the churches.
II Thessalonians 2:3-8 NASB Let no one in any way deceive you, for it (the day of the Lord) will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then that lawless one will be revealed
That which "restrained" antichrist was the scripture.
When church groups removed scripture, even in part, antichrist moved into the church and lawlessness took over inside the churches.
This is the end time told us in Bible.
*****