00:00We live in a time when not every church that names the name of Christ
00:04is preaching the Christ of Scripture.
00:07Jesus warned us in Matthew 24 that many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.
00:15And tragically, it's not just happening in obscure cults or fringe movements.
00:21It's happening in churches with steeples, choirs, and crosses out front.
00:26There is a false light that looks like Christianity,
00:30sounds like Christianity, and even quotes Scripture.
00:33But it's a deception that leads straight to hell.
00:36There are denominations, entire systems,
00:39that invoke the name of Jesus but deny His Lordship,
00:43twist His message, and redefine His mission.
00:46They elevate man, distort grace, and repackage the gospel to suit cultural tastes.
00:52That is not Christianity.
00:54That is apostasy.
00:55The Apostle Paul told the Corinthians that Satan disguises himself
00:59as an angel of light, 2 Corinthians 11, 14.
01:03And His ministers, beloved, are often dressed in robes,
01:07smile behind pulpits, and speak of love and unity,
01:11while betraying the very truth they claim to uphold.
01:15This message is not an attack, it is a warning, a call to discernment,
01:21a plea to come out of deception and anchor your soul to the unchanging word of God.
01:261. Truth must be measured by Scripture alone.
01:30Truth is not subjective, it is not fluid, and it is certainly not determined by majority vote within a denomination.
01:38The truth is fixed, revealed by God through His inspired, inerrant, and sufficient word, the Bible.
01:452 Timothy 3, 16-17 reminds us,
01:50All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.
01:59That's the standard.
02:01Not traditions, not counsels, not emotional experiences.
02:05Yet countless denominations today have drifted from this foundation.
02:09They elevate human reason, cultural trends, and even extra-biblical revelations above the authority of Scripture.
02:17They rewrite doctrine to accommodate modern morality, dismiss uncomfortable passages, and mock the idea of absolute truth.
02:25That's not faithfulness, that's rebellion wrapped in religion.
02:29When the word of God is no longer the sole authority, anything becomes permissible.
02:35Doctrine becomes negotiable.
02:37Sin becomes tolerable, and the gospel becomes unrecognizable.
02:42But as Paul warned in Galatians 1-8,
02:46Even if an angel preaches a different gospel, let him be accursed.
02:51It doesn't matter how ancient or popular a denomination is.
02:55If its teachings contradict or dilute the Bible, it stands in opposition to God.
03:01The call is simple, return to Scripture.
03:04It alone is the light by which we see.
03:082.
03:09A false Christ is still idolatry.
03:12It is entirely possible to believe in Jesus, and still be damned.
03:17How?
03:18By believing in a false Christ.
03:20Paul warned in 2 Corinthians 11,
03:234, that some will come preaching another Jesus whom we have not preached.
03:28Just because a denomination uses the name of Jesus doesn't mean it presents the Jesus of Scripture.
03:35Many denominations today exalt a Christ who tolerates sin, who never judges, who offers salvation without repentance, and who exists only to enhance yourself by esteem.
03:48That is not the Son of God.
03:51That is a Savior crafted in man's image.
03:55The real Christ, the biblical Christ is Lord.
03:58He is holy.
03:59He calls sinners to repentance, not affirmation.
04:03He didn't die to make us feel better about ourselves.
04:06He died to make us new, righteous, and holy in Him.
04:10The Jesus who only comforts but never confronts is an idol, not a redeemer.
04:15Worshipping a false Christ, even sincerely, is still idolatry.
04:19That's why doctrine matters.
04:21That's why we must proclaim the true Christ.
04:24The one who is fully God, fully man, crucified, risen, ascended, and returning in glory.
04:32Any other version is a lie dressed in religious language.
04:363.
04:36Religious systems can mask rebellion.
04:40Religious systems can be the most deceptive instruments of spiritual rebellion.
04:45People assume that if something looks Christian, it must be aligned with Christ.
04:51But Scripture tells a different story.
04:54In Matthew 7, 22-23, Jesus declares that many will say,
05:00Lord, Lord, and He will respond, I never knew you.
05:04That's not atheists.
05:05Those are religious people.
05:08Entire denominations can function as institutions of rebellion while maintaining the outward appearance of godliness.
05:17They have robes, rituals, and reverence, but deny the power of the gospel.
05:242 Timothy 3.
05:255 describes them having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.
05:32Avoid such people.
05:34These churches preach social justice, but reject substitutionary atonement.
05:39They talk about love, but never mention sin.
05:43They perform sacraments, but deny saving faith.
05:47What's worse?
05:48They do it all in Christ's name while leading people away from Him.
05:54Religious rebellion is often cloaked in tradition, emotion, and unity.
05:59But unless a denomination submits to the lordship of Christ and the authority of His word,
06:06it is no different than paganism.
06:09Rebellion investments is still rebellion.
06:11We must not confuse religiosity with righteousness.
06:16External forms are meaningless if the heart is far from God.
06:21Just like the Pharisees, modern denominations can honor God with their lips while their hearts remain in defiance.
06:29Every distortion of the gospel leads souls away from the truth and straight into eternal judgment.
06:44In Galatians 1.6-9, Paul says that if anyone preaches a gospel contrary to what the apostles taught,
06:51let him be accursed.
06:52That's not disagreement.
06:54That's damnation.
06:54Yet, false gospels fill pulpits across the world.
07:00The gospel of works, which says you must earn salvation.
07:04The gospel of prosperity, which says God exists to make you rich and happy.
07:11The gospel of inclusion, which redefines sin and declares everyone saved.
07:17These are not gospel variations.
07:19They are lies that rob Christ of His glory and men of salvation.
07:26When a denomination replaces repentance with self-improvement,
07:30or the cross with psychology, or holiness with tolerance,
07:35it no longer offers hope, it offers hell,
07:38dressed in stained glass and sanctimonious smiles.
07:42We must recover the true gospel.
07:45Man is sinful.
07:47Christ is holy.
07:48The cross is necessary.
07:51And salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
07:58Anything else, anything else, is a gospel of death.
08:025.
08:04The call to discernment is urgent.
08:05We are not living in spiritually neutral times.
08:09We are surrounded by wolves in sheep's clothing,
08:11by churches that mislead, and by doctrines that destroy.
08:14That's why the call to discernment is not optional.
08:18It is urgent.
08:19Hebrews 5.14 says that mature believers have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice.
08:28But too many Christians today are biblically shallow, emotionally driven, and theologically naive.
08:35They chase experiences, personalities, and emotional highs instead of truth.
08:41Discernment is not about being critical.
08:44It's about being faithful.
08:46It's about knowing the word of God so clearly that anything false immediately rings hollow.
08:53It's about testing the spirits, 1 John 4, 1, examining doctrines, and rejecting what does not align with God's revealed truth.
09:05Entire denominations have fallen into apostasy because Christians failed to discern.
09:11They allowed compromise in the name of compassion.
09:15They tolerated error in the name of unity.
09:18But Scripture never tells us to unify with lies.
09:21It tells us to contend for the faith once for all delivered to the saints Jude 3.
09:27This is the time for watchfulness, for courage, for unwavering commitment to truth.
09:35Not every church that looks alive is alive.
09:39Not every denomination that speaks of Jesus knows him.
09:44Discernment will protect your soul.
09:47Indifference may cost it.
09:49Discernment will protect your soul.
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