Why Defend The Faith?

Text—1 Peter 3: 15; Jude 3

 

Introduction—

 

A. 7 Scriptures You need to know

1.                  Matt. 7: 15

a. “Hello, I'm a false teacher sent to steal your faith and lead you astray.”

b. More deceptive than that

 

2. Matt. 15: 9

a. Not all groups promoting a doctrine is approved by God.

b. They twist scriptures to promote own beliefs.

 

3.                  2 Tim. 2: 15

a. Be not ashamed

b. Rightly dividing the word of truth

 

4.                  1 Pet. 3: 15

a. Can you defend the truth?

b. Be able to distinguish truth from error.

 

5.                  2 Pet. 3: 14-18

a. When your grounded in the truth, you won't be decieved by error.

 

6.                  1 Jn. 4: 1

a. How do we test the spirits?

 

7.                  Jude 3

a. You can't contend for the faith without knowing what God expects of us.

 

b. “I'm okay, you're okay

 

B. Knowing these scriptures, you can be ready for anything.

1.      Satan has multiple weapons in his arsenal—1 Jn. 2: 16

2.      If we stick we the scriptures, we can defend against anything he throws in his path.

3.      Recipe for False religion—1) A pinch of error, 2) mixed with a lot of truth, 3) promoted by a charismatic person.

 

I.           It’s not new (Eccl. 1: 9)

A.    Dealing with False religion is old.

1.      OT Examples

a.       The Religion of Jeroboam—1 Kings 12: 25-32

 

i.                    Wrong cities

ii.                  Wrong Focus (golden calves, idols)

iii.                Wrong Feast Day

iv.                Wrong Priests

 

b.      Elijah VS. Prophets of Baal—1 Kings 18

 

2.      NT Examples

a.       Pharisees—Matt. 23: 1-4

b.      Sadducee—Matt. 22: 22-24

                                                                                                                                                              i.      Don’t believe in Resurrection

                                                                                                                                                            ii.      Challenged Jesus about marriage.

                                                                                                                                                          iii.      Jesus responded—vs. 29-31

 

B.     False Religion’s advantage

1.      Satan—2 Cor. 11: 13-15

2.      False teachers among brethren

a.       Paul—Acts 20: 28-30

b.      Peter—2 Pet. 2: 1

 

 

II.        Who are these people at my door?

A.    The Cult explosion

            1. Not just talking communes

            2. Mormons, JW, 7th Day Adventists, Pentecostals

 

B.     More than just sincerity.

1.      “I believe everyone’s going to heaven no matter what they believe—as long as they are sincere.”

                                                                          i.      Sincerely Wrong—1 Tim. 1: 13; Rom. 10: 2

                                                                        ii.      Saul was sincere—Phil. 3: 6; Acts 23: 1

 

2.      Noble—Acts 17: 11

a. Listened

b. check scriptures

c. didn't assume to be correct, due to speaker.

 

3.      Jesus’ claim—Jn. 14: 6; Acts 4: 12

 

III.      How do you define a “cult”?

A.    Popular definition—any religious group that differs significantly from the mainstream.

1.      Church of Christ?? (2 Cor. 6: 17)

a.       Don’t go with the flow

b.      Cut off from the world; Branch Davidians, Jonestown (Guyana, South Africa)

 

2.      Deliver the godly—2 Pet. 2: 9

 

B.     Another Definition—any religious group that fails to promote an ecumenical spirit of acceptance toward those who disagree.

 

1.      Church of Christ?? (Jude 3)

2.      Bible only—2 Tim. 3: 16-17

 

C.    Better definition—any group that follows after someone other than Jesus and accepts as inspiration teaching in addition to the bible.

Five Facts about Cults

1.      They tend to center around a leader other than Jesus.

a.       Jim Jones

b.      David Koresh

c.       Marshall Applewhite (Heaven's Gate)

 

2.      They tend to accept extra-biblical revelation.

a. JW—Judge Rutherford

b. Mormons—Joseph Smith, Brigham Young

c. 7th Day Adventist--Ellen G. White

 

3.      They tend to encourage blind acceptance.

a.      Whatever the leaders says goes

b.      Trust in the man, not the scriptures

 

4.      They tend to exert psychological pressure.

a. “No one understands you, but we do.”

b. “We won't turn our back on you.”

 

5.      They tend to use deceptive terminology.

a. Vicarious Baptism—baptism for the dead (Mormons)

           

IV.                                   Test the Spirits (1 Jn. 4: 1)

 

A.    When dealing with any false religion, it is essential to look at four things:

1.      The Source of their Authority—

a.       Scripture—2 Tim. 3: 16-17

b.      Representative of God?

                                                                                                        i.      1 Pet. 4: 11

                                                                                                      ii.      2 Cor. 11: 3-4

 

2.      The Subject of their message—coming to Jesus or someone else?

a.      Jesus warned—Matt. 24: 23-26

b.      Paul warned—2 Cor. 11: 13-15

 

3.      The Savior: Who is Jesus?

a.       Matt. 28: 18

b.      Acts 4: 12

c.       Jesus of the Bible

 

4.      Their teaching about Salvation

a.       Works only? Eph. 2: 8-9

b.      Even in God’s name—Matt. 7: 22-23

 

B. Beware! Matt. 7: 15

 

                        Tonight: 10 things we can learn from false religion.

Conclusion

            Can you defend the faith against false religion?