Cultural Christians and false teachers
I’m not going to make excuses for those who have ignored God’s calling, as Christ made it clear that if ye seek ye shall find (Matthew 7:7). But I do intend with this piece to remove some of the biggest excuses that people use to avoid seeking - Cultural Christians, false teachers or any others who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves (Mat. 7:15). I’ll start by simplifying what we’re called to do as Christians, which by default should show us what we are specifically instructed not to do, and then I’ll go through some very obvious examples that we will all be very familiar with and expose the wolves for what they are. As with all of my writing, I do not seek to avoid offence but instead be guided by the Holy Spirit, not my own ego, and share only truths so that I may be an agent for God. I expect this piece to mainly offend so-called Christians, but I also hope that it may cause them to look inward and get closer to the Word.
As with all questions regarding the faith, we need not read extensive books or listen to the teachings of men and other institutions, but rather go straight to the source and listen to what Jesus Christ told us. On the question of what we’re called to do, all of Christianity can be surmised in two sentences. “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Mat. 22:37-40). In Luke 10, Jesus also clarifies any confusion about who we might consider to be our neighbour and we can take from it that we are to love all people - friends and enemies. Christianity is about the reordering of our love - a non believer loves self first, neighbour second and God third. Whereas for a believer it is the opposite - God first, neighbour second and self last.
Additionally, those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24). In accepting Christ, we give up our fleshly desires and submit entirely to God by allowing the Holy Spirit to work within us - but to give up fleshly desires is more than just avoiding sin, it is avoiding the nature of our flesh to do works, even good ones, for our own self. This is the battle that we fight, even as believer, until the day we die (2 Timothy 4:7).
By extension, we can now consider what we are very specifically not called to do. We are not called to judge others - for in fact not even Christ (in His first coming) came to judge the world (Joh. 3:17, Joh. 12:47). We are not called to practice acts of self-righteousness so that we may be judged favourably by God, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled (Luke 18:9-14). We are not called to wrestle against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12) and the weapons of our warfare are not carnal (2 Corinthians 10:3-4). We are not called to seek or establish any sort of dominion or Christian paradise here on earth, but rather accept that our earthly lives will be the opposite in a whole world that lieth in wickedness (1 John 5:19). We are not called to pray in public so that we may be seen of men (Mat 6:5). We are not called to acquire lands or riches in the name of Christ and the only treasure we should seek is that which is in heaven (Mat. 19:21). We are not called to follow teaching for doctrines the commandments of men (Mat. 15:9). We should also remember that Christ Himself did warn us that many will come in His name and shall deceive many (Mat. 24:5).
As you read through these verses, quite possibly for the first time, there might be one particular institution that comes to mind which claims to be of Christ yet is seemingly in breach of most of these. Let me give you a hint - this institution is headquartered in it’s own sovereign country in the heart of Rome, the largest landowner in the world, the most active warmonger in the past 2,000 years, Western society’s most prominent arbiter of morality, the teacher of it’s own antichrist doctrines, has a penchant for child molestation and is led by exalted men who walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts (Luk. 20:46). Catholicism gained prominence in the 4th Century when Constantine adopted it as the official religion of the Roman Empire. The Catholic Church will say that Constantine was a convert rather than founder, but I will let the reader draw their own conclusion after reading just one of the Gospels as to whether Catholicism is the Church founded by Christ or simply a continuation of the Roman Empire in disguise (aka, wolves in sheep’s clothing). You can put the same microscope on any of the prominent so-called Christian Churches, starting with the Church of England and you will arrive in a similar place - therefore the only doctrine we should follow is that which comes directly from God, the Holy Bible.
I understand why so many people reject the doctrines of these institutions and as I’ve written about before, it was my very own experience. To conclude that our Creator would not have established these institutions as His representative on earth is a sign of our discernment, yet the sad part is that the light of the world that is Jesus Christ so easily gets tarred with the same brush. How many of us have formed our own uninformed opinions on who Jesus Christ is based on what we’ve learned from false teachers rather than His direct testimonies?
Now I want to turn my focus from the institutions that we can clearly see are motivated by evil to the individual believers or so-called believers who fail to give the correct testimony of Christ here on earth. In my introduction I stated all that we’re called to do - love God and love our neighbour. The Gospels also talk extensively about the need to believe with your heart, not just confess with your mouth (Romans 10:9). There are two very interesting verses where Christ talks about rejecting those who claim to believe in Him - where He does not commit Himself to men (John 2:24-45) and Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven (Mat. 7:21). These verses are seemingly opposed to the rest of the Gospel that tells us entry into Gods Kingdom is not defined by works, but rather the simple acceptance of Christ as Lord and Saviour with your heart and mouth (Acts 16:31, Eph. 2:8-9, Joh. 3:16, 14:6). The answer to this predicament lies in the understanding of cultural Christianity.
I would define cultural Christianity as a lifestyle and culture that is closely aligned with the teachings of the Catholic or Anglican Churches. It is culturally conservative, focused on not only doing good works but also preaching them and seeking dominion over the rest of society through the implementation of these doctrines. On just about every cultural issue that is debated in society, it is what we would generally expect to hear from the conservative right. It is the arguments we would hear in favour of traditional family values and patriotism over progressive globalism, or the opposition to LGBTQ normalisation in our society as opposed to those who wish to promote it. Cultural Christianity might be seen as the perfect antithesis of modern wokeness. Don’t get me wrong, I totally reject the doctrines of the progressive left but, equally, I reject the doctrines of the conservative right. My why is simple - because it’s not Biblical. I am first to admit that I haven’t always been this way, but God’s Word has led me here.
The far left activist who burns the national flag and whose pronouns mismatch their sex is leading an equally unbiblical life as the far right conservative who is married with kids, sits on the school board to fight against progressivism and proudly hangs their national flag in the front garden. Find me the Bible verse that shows love of country is anything but idolatry, or that we should establish a society that’s based upon Christian values. Perhaps the most Biblical life that existed post Jesus was the Apostle Paul - a man who never married, never had kids, never pledged allegiance to his country, told us to lead a quiet life and to mind our own business (1 Thessalonians 4:11) and declared himself the chief of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). A man who tries to enforce their conservative worldview upon another man is guilty of the exact same thing they are complaining about - a leftist saying that we must accept LGBT values is exactly the same as a rightist saying we must adhere to socially conservative family values. Titus 3 tells us to to speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men and to avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
Every societal debate that dominates non-believers views of Christianity are cultural in nature, not Biblical. A perfect example of this is the dominance of LGBT discussion in recent years. To be clear, LGBT behaviour is quite clearly a Biblical sin and for a significantly more sophisticated discussion on the topic I recommend checking out this interview with the formerly gay Hollywood set designer Becket Cook who has since turned to Christ. But the breach of Biblical truth isn’t what’s driving the ‘Christian’ side of the debate, instead it is the breach of their cultural norms. Recently, there’s been a lot of noise from Cultural Christians about the supposedly family friendly Disney now promoting and normalising LGBT behaviour. Yet these same critics were seemingly happy with their kids watching blatantly occult storylines that are in clear breach of the hundreds of Bible verses that speak against sorcery and worshipping of other gods. Disney has never been a Christian friendly company, the only reason we hear so much about it now is because it is culturally insensitive to conservatives, not biblically insensitive. When practicing yoga, participants excitedly proclaim ‘the divine in me honours the divine in you’ when they say namaste, a comment that clearly breaches at least 2 of the 10 commandments and sounds exactly like the devils deception that ye shall be as gods (Genesis 3:5). But how often do we see Cultural Christians parading outside yoga studios with banners and loud profanities to participants?
When I discuss this topic with Christian dominionists (that is, those who seek to establish a Christian heaven on earth that is characterised by their own values) they have a hard time justifying their position using the Scriptures. They can’t, because in fact the opposite is true. 2 Timothy 3 tells us 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. The Book of Revelation couldn’t be more specific about the return of Christ being proceeded by a world thats ruled by the antithesis of Christ (ie The Antichrist). When telling His disciples about these times, Christ tells us to see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass (Mat. 24:6). The cultural Christian is the one who accepts Christ by their mouth, but not with their heart. If Christ tells us that these things must come to pass and we fight against them, have we truly accepted Christ in our hearts and submitted entirely to God’s will, or is Christ just a convenient figurehead that allows us to pursue our own will?
The Holy Spirit desires to save their souls, the flesh desires to win arguments. One who preaches in the name of Jesus with offensive banners and profanities is one who is being led by their own wicked desires, not the Holy Spirit. Those that live this style of ‘Christian’ life may find themselves saying to Jesus: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’. And then will He declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’ (Mat. 7:22-23).
Remember, as I wrote previously, that opposing the Holy Spirit in the battle to win our souls is Satan and he has a million and one ways to capture it. Satan doesn’t care whether he wins a soul through luring us into the occult or Christian dominionism - it’s all the same to him. This is what is spoken about in every single verse of the New Testament that references a battle or a fight - it is always against the snares and the deceptions of the Devil. We must Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (Eph. 6:10) and fight against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12). The Apostle Paul feared, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ (2 Cor. 11:3). There’s certainly no Biblical evidence, nor is it logical, that a mans soul could ever be saved through violent force or aggression. The perfect example of the opposite is the conversion of Paul (Acts 9), who despite persecuting Christians was convicted of the Light through the love shown to him by Jesus Christ Himself. I am forever thankful for the work of E511 Ministries who led me to this revelation in my faith, because until I received it I was not yet truly born again (Joh. 3:3).
I pray that in my writing I continue to submit to the Holy Spirit and do not let my wicked flesh rise to the surface so that I might try to win arguments and satisfy my own ego. My preaching, as with any other true Christian, though confrontational and often offensive should always come from a position of love. To share the Gospels is the most loving thing a man can do, because sharing the truth on how to save our souls is like yelling at someone who is about to jump out of a plane to put on their parachute. I don’t care if you hate me for sharing it, in fact I expect to be hated because Christ told me so (Mat. 10.22). But I know that once you’re out of the plane you’ll either realise how lucky you are that I told you to put on the parachute, or wish that you had listened to me. When you’re seeking the truth, avoid the ravenous wolves. Look for people whose hearts are filled with the Holy Spirit and who come to you with love.
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