PART 11 CHURCH TEACHINGS

What should we do when someone claims to be Christ the Messiah, the Son of God?

PART 11 CHURCH TEACHINGS

TO LEARN ABOUT TEACHINGS THAT PREVENT A PERSON FROM RECEIVING THE INDWELLING SPIRIT                                

DOCTRINES OF DESTRUCTION

CHRIST IS NOT THE MESSIAH, I AM

I was recently watching T.V. about someone who called himself Yahweh Ben Yahweh, meaning “the Lord son of the Lord,” claiming that he was the reincarnate Messiah, the Son of God. From what I could gather about his ministry, it appeared that it was geared toward trying to rehabilitate the behavior of those who became his followers. As the ministry grew and the finances increased, he began to buy housing accommodations in depressed, poor areas with the goal of renovating them and bringing in tenants from the church who would spread the teachings of their leader to the neighbors.

It was found out by the authorities that some of the members of his church were involved in criminal activity. Furthermore, it was alleged that the leader orchestrated them to commit certain physically abusive measures against not only those who were members of the church that weren’t fully supportive but also against those who were non-members that were adversarial. He was eventually charged and convicted of these types of crimes in a court of law. After spending eleven years in prison, he died shortly after getting out of cancer. There were many questions that went through my mind as I watched this program. 

I wonder how many church leaders there are today who claim to be the reincarnated Messiah, the Son of God, or the Jewish Messiah who the Jews have been waiting for? I would assume that whichever one they claim to be, certain questions asked of them would have to be answered in the affirmative, such as the following.

Are any of them Jewish?

Does any of their teachings follow any of the tenets of the Mosaic Law that were given by God to Moses?

Are they here to establish God’s literal kingdom on the earth?

Are their teachings in accordance with the scriptural Jewish description of the coming Messiah?

As for the latter question, let’s take a look at the identifying characteristics of the coming Messiah of the Jews according to their interpretation of the Jewish Bible. The word Messiah comes from a Hebrew term [Maashiyach] that means "anointed one." Its Greek counterpart is Christos, from which the word Christ comes.¹⁴⁵

 

This appears to be the beginning of prophecies concerning the coming Messiah.

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

 

He was said to be born in Bethlehem.

Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

 

He would be born of a virgin.

Isaiah 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

But a Jewish translation renders this passage, “Assuredly, my Lord will give you a sign of His own accord! Look, the young woman is with child and about to give birth to a son.¹⁴⁶ The Jews would interpret the word virgin as meaning young woman. Therefore, the idea of this being a miraculous conception would not be considered by them.

 

He would be a king from the line of David that God promised shall reign and execute what is right and just.

Jeremiah 23:5 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.

 

He would be born of human parents.

2 Samuel 7:14 I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:

Psalms 2:7 I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

When King David said, I will be his father, and he shall be my son, he was referring to his son Solomon, who would be the next king after his death. Likewise, in the Psalms, the Jews anticipated someone from the line of David, who would be Israel’s future king, that was the begotten son of God, albeit figuratively. He, like Solomon, would be born of human parents.

 

He would be the one of whom two of Jesus’ disciples thought would redeem (deliver) the nation of Israel from Roman rule and establish in its stead his kingdom on earth.

Luke 24:21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

In Jewish thought, the Messiah would be the king of the Jews, a political leader who would defeat their enemies and bring in a golden era of peace and prosperity.¹⁴⁷

 

He would perform miraculous signs.

John 7:31 And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?

He will never die and thus rule forever.

John 12:34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?

If someone today proclaimed to be the Messiah, he would have to satisfy the conditions mentioned above, such as being born in Bethlehem from human parents, being from the line of David, performing miracles, establishing an earthly kingdom, and never dying thus reigning forever on the earth.

Let’s say that someone comes along and says that they fit the bill, then the Christ that we Christians know would be considered a false Messiah, and the following conditions on this earth would be in effect.

• The Jews would be operating under the tenets of the Mosaic Law.
• The temple at Jerusalem would be rebuilt.
• The payment owed to God the Father for the sins committed by the whole world would still be due.
• Heaven would remain closed for human inhabitance because the sin issue would still remain a barrier.
• Mankind’s sins would not be forgiven (wiped away; canceled; forgotten).
• Those who believed in God (Jehovah) at physical death would remain confined in hell at a place called Abraham’s bosom.
• There would be no resurrection and ascension from the dead for believers in God (Yahweh).
• There would be no church, no body of Christ.
• No one would be able to receive the indwelling Spirit.

As for the last point, there is a verse in the book of John that exemplifies the Devil’s desire for mankind in terms of salvation.

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.    

The thief, synonymous with the Devil, comes not for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. The Pulpit Commentary describes the word thief as the thief of souls; he whose pretension to be a way to God is based on no inward and eternal reality.¹⁴⁸ The evil one wants us to believe in and follow any spiritual leader other than Jesus for eternal life because of such there would be no inward reality of the Holy Spirit, no inward transformation, and no assurance of eternal life.

I thought I was finished with this Doctrine of Destruction, but one more thought came to my mind. If you are Jewish and you believe that your Messiah has not yet arrived, then this will probably not help you. However, if you are a Christian and you happen to stumble upon someone as described in this study who is the leader of a church and claims to be the Messiah or the reincarnated Messiah, there is one easy way to prove that they are not who they say they are.

There is only one thing that we need to use as a measuring stick in respect to our Jesus, our Messiah/Savior that we could compare this pretended Messiah’s life to. Here is a verse that tells us what this is.

Hebrews 4:14-15 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Do you see what this is? It’s that our Messiah was without sin. So, if someone proclaims to be the Messiah or a reincarnated Messiah, they would have to live a sinless life in their thoughts, words, and deeds. How would we know if they sinned? They would exhibit sinful behavior in their words and deeds. Do they slander others? Are they jealous? Do they tell the truth? Are they verbally or physically abusive? Do they commit adultery, fornication, homosexuality, incest, pedophilia, or polygamy? While I could mention more and more sinful behavior, I think there is enough here to make an easy decision that this person is a false Messiah.

2 Corinthians 11:4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

I don’t care how eloquent their words are. I don’t care how soft-spoken they appear to be. I don’t care how many times they say they love and care for you. They are preaching another Jesus, a worldly Jesus. Don’t remain in their periphery because of their seemingly godly intentions to help others that are used for personal gain, their delusional declarations about themselves, and their demand for utmost devotion in the name of God.

Matthew 24:3-5 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

When Jesus’ disciples asked Him what would be the sign of thy coming (return), and of the end of the world, one of the first things that He said would signify these times are that many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. The word deceive in Koine Greek means of causing people to believe wrongly or even to do something that is not right.¹⁴⁹ So, if we’re being taught properly by church leadership, then we should not be surprised when someone comes forward claiming that they are Christ, or the reincarnated Christ, or even a supernatural being such as an angel from God.

I have an article for us to look at that briefly mentions some of the false Messiah’s that have surfaced in the past decade. Having already read this, I guess I shouldn’t be disturbed by it, but I have to admit that I am.

 

THE RISE OF FALSE MESSIAHS: WHAT YOU MUST KNOW

By Christine Yount Jones October 14, 2021

When the disciples asked for signs of the end times, Jesus warned them about false messiahs. Jesus responded to the disciples: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ [Don’t] follow them. When you hear of wars and uprisings, [don’t] be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end [won’t] come right away.” (Luke 21:8-9)

The end time could very well be near if we look at the number of people around the globe who are rising up to say that they are indeed the Messiah. Since 1979, Alvaro Theiss has been proclaiming that he is Jesus Christ reincarnated. Alvaro changed his name to INRI Cristo (a tribute to the inscription “Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaerum” that Pontius Pilate posted on the cross where the true Messiah died). INRI lives with [twelve] followers in a compound in Brazil. INRI wears white robes and a crown. His devoted followers dress in all blue and push their leader around on a rolling pedestal.

 

Other False Messiahs Claiming to Be Jesus Christ

According to news.com.au, at least six other men have claimed to be Jesus Christ reincarnated in the last decade.

Mitsuo Matayoshi of Japan claimed to be God and that he would execute his last judgment through the political system�"if elected. However, Matayoshi died from illness on July 20, 2018, and faced a different judgment (Hebrews 9:27).

Moses Hlongwane of South Africa has set himself up as the reincarnation of Jesus Christ in a compound with a dozen disciples in KwaZulu-Natal town.

Vissarion of Siberia claims to be the second coming of Christ and teaches reincarnation, vegetarianism, civility, ecology, and apocalypse. He lives with [four thousand] of his followers and has [ten-thousand] followers worldwide.

David Shayler of England declared himself the Messiah in 2007 and sometimes preaches as his cross-dressing alter ego, Delores Kane, according to news.com.au. 

Bupete Chibwe Chishimba of Zambia started claiming he was Jesus Christ in 2013 and was quickly beaten by townspeople. Chishimba claims that he fell from heaven in 1999.

Alan John Miller of Queensland is the founder of the Jesus Cult. Miller claims he is the reincarnation of Jesus and his partner is the reincarnation of Mary Magdalene. Miller makes doomsday predictions and holds “Divine Truth” seminars where he teaches what he calls the “Divine Love Path” which focuses on “Emotional Clearing,” according to news.com.au. 

 

Use Discernment When It Comes to False Messiahs

Up to [ten thousand] cults still exist today in the United States, according to Steve Eichel, a psychologist and cult expert with International Cultic Studies.¹⁵⁰

I know. I shouldn’t be surprised by this. Are you? These people are luring others into their web of deceitfulness. If you are an unbeliever, then you probably won’t know any better. However, if you are a Christian, you and I should have some idea as to how to identify someone who is a false Messiah. We already mentioned one characteristic, and that of them saying that they are the Messiah or the reincarnated Messiah. I found at least three other traits that are presented in an article about false teachers and false prophets that we’ll take a look at next. These would also apply to a false Messiah.

 

HOW CAN I RECOGNIZE A FALSE TEACHER / FALSE PROPHET?

Jesus warned us that “false Christs and false prophets” will come and will attempt to deceive even God’s elect (Matthew 24:23-27; see also 2 Peter 3:3 and Jude 17-18). The best way to guard yourself against falsehood and false teachers is to know the truth. To spot a counterfeit, study the real thing. Any believer who “correctly handles the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15) and who makes a careful study of the Bible can identify false doctrine. For example, a believer who has read the activities of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in Matthew 3:16-17 will immediately question any doctrine that denies the Trinity. Therefore, step one is to study the Bible and judge all teaching by what the Scripture says.

Jesus [said,] “a tree is recognized by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33). When looking for “fruit,” here are three specific tests to apply to any teacher to determine the accuracy of his or her teaching:

1) What does this teacher say about Jesus?

In Matthew 16:15-16, Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am?” Peter answers, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” and for this [answer,] Peter is called “blessed.” In 2 John 9, we read, “Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.” In other words, Jesus Christ and His work of redemption [are] of utmost importance; beware of anyone who denies that Jesus is equal with God, who downplays Jesus’ sacrificial death, or who rejects Jesus’ humanity. First John 2:22 says, “Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a man is the antichrist�"he denies the Father and the Son.”

2) Does this teacher preach the gospel?

The gospel is defined as the good news concerning Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). As nice as they sound, the statements “God loves [you, God] wants us to feed the hungry,” and “God wants you to be wealthy” are not the complete message of the gospel. As Paul warns in Galatians 1:7, “Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ.” No one, not even a great preacher, has the right to change the message that God gave us. “If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” (Galatians 1:9).

3) Does this teacher exhibit character qualities that glorify the Lord?

Speaking of false teachers, Jude 11 says, “They have taken the way of Cain; they have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error; they have been destroyed in Korah’s rebellion.” In other words, a false teacher can be known [for] his pride (Cain’s rejection of God’s plan), greed (Balaam’s prophesying for money), and rebellion (Korah’s promotion of himself over Moses). Jesus said to beware of such people and that we would know them by their fruits (Matthew 7:15-20).

For further study, review those books of the Bible that were written specifically to combat false teaching within the church: Galatians, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, and Jude. [It’s] often difficult to spot a false teacher/false prophet. Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14), and his ministers masquerade as servants of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:15). Only by being thoroughly familiar with the truth will we be able to recognize a counterfeit.¹⁵¹

 

Sound advice! May we keep these thoughts in our mind and be equipped with spiritual discernment so that we’re able to recognize deception and respond with clear and concise scriptural truth.

Are you ready to move on and take a look at another Doctrine of Destruction? This one focuses on denying the deity of one of the members of the Trinity. Any idea who would fit the bill? Let’s turn the page and find out.