Originally published Tuesday, 09 July 2019.
A couple weeks ago, I reviewed over 130 blog posts that I wrote for this website and deleted any that lined up with false doctrine that I used to adhere to for many years.
As a Christian writer, I never want to cause anyone to stumble on their journey of gaining understanding of the truth of God’s Word. In America (and perhaps even around the world, thanks to television and social media), the gospel of Jesus Christ has become extremely muddied by false teaching full of false gospels, New Age/occult/pagan practices, lying signs and wonders, and distractions from worldly desires that are all leading many to false Christs.
My husband and I were among those believers who were believing lies from the result of the twisting of scripture and emotional, mental, and spiritual manipulation from leaders in ministry whom we trusted.
Although God began removing “the scales” from our eyes about four years ago, the road has been humbling, painful, frustrating, and difficult, among many other things. The wounds of deception can run deep and can time to heal; the longer you are deceived, the longer this process is probably going to take, we are finding.
God, in His sovereignty (a term we knew very little about, if we were honest), has been so incredibly faithful to us. The Holy Spirit has illuminated truth to us and has helped us cast down lies we were believing. Renewing our minds with God’s Word has been quite the healing experience (although painful to be sure), and I am so thankful for ministries who not only preach truth and exegete scripture so beautifully, they expose the lies of false teachers that seem to be all around us today.
This shouldn’t catch us by surprise because both Jesus and the Apostle Paul gave us proper warning that this would happen:
Jesus came out from the temple and was going away [a]when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him. 2 And He said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down.”
As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the [b]end of the age?”
4 And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the [c]Christ,’ and will mislead many.
Matthew 24: 1-5, NASB
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
2 Timothy 4:3, NASB
Although my husband and I’s journey into discovering truth began several years ago, this past winter, we were reminded the depth of our deception after watching the documentary American Gospel: Christ Alone. I cannot recommend this film enough. Seriously, go watch it. The first hour is free on Youtube. What are you waiting for?? Go. Watch. It. Now.
Since watching this film, we have experienced a conviction so deep that it lead my husband to quit his job at an infamous world-wide ministry because he did not want to be associated with helping propagate false doctrine, known as the prosperity gospel. Resigning from his position there was cutting the last tie to his past involvement in the Word of Faith/Prosperity Gospel movement.
Before his last two weeks were over, he witnessed to as many coworkers as he could, hoping their eyes would be opened to the heresy of this false gospel. His boss, an executive at the ministry, requested a meeting with him to share his reasoning of why he was leaving. He came equipped with examples of the false teaching comparing it to God’s Word. To say I am proud of him is an understatement. We continue to pray for eyes to be opened for those in leadership and the employees at this ministry.
Over the last few months, I have also connected with others (online mostly) who have had similar experiences as Paul and I of walking out of deception. Feeling alone in this journey is one of the hardest parts to walk through. Our friends at our church have been extremely supportive, but they were never involved in this false teaching, so it is hard for them to truly relate experientially.
Some of these people I have met are quickly becoming good friends of mine, and I am so thankful for God’s kindness by allowing friendships to unfold that are centered around this similar experience and a love for truth.
There is a great need for boldness to speak the truth in love today, and I pray the Lord would use our experience to help lead others out of deception. Perhaps, there will be more to come regarding this, if the Lord wills.
As far as this platform is concerned, I pray God would receive all the glory from the words written and that I would always point you to truth.
To all my readers, thank you for your graciousness and forgiveness if I have ever lead you astray. I count it a privilege to be a writer and I don’t take any influence the Lord gives me lightly. Blessings.
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