PENTECOST – 2000

“The Seven Church Harvest” #2 - Smyrna

Fred R. Coulter – May 5, 2000 

Now let’s continue in our study here.  We’re in Acts 13.  We are going to look at another false prophet.  Now let’s also understand that false prophets have false writings.  Counterfeiters, just like counterfeiting they like to get it as close as they can to the real thing, until you find out that it’s totally opposite.  And one of the things that we’ve encountered, one of the things that we have been doing through the years is that we’ve kept our noses in the Bible and every time there has been a false doctrine by a false prophet, that’s supposedly in the Church of God, we bring it out and we examine it by the word of God.  That’s how you test it, by the word of God.  You test it by their fruits.  You test it by what they preach.  And so part of what we’ve done in getting the Passover book done is all a result of that very thing, by following the admonition here that you have tested those who say they are apostles, and are not, and have found them liars.  Consequently then, their writings will be lies.

Now let’s see another example of this, Acts 13.  And you need to understand that in part of our Church experience in the past, we thought that whoever was a Jew was just like us except they needed Christ.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Most of Jewish belief is like we find here in Acts 13. 

Let’s begin in verse 4. “So they [that is Barnabas and Saul], being sent forth by the Holy [Spirit] Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.  And when they were at Salamis, they preached the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews: and they had also John to their minister [that is one who was helping and serving or assisting].  And when they had gone through the isle unto Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew, whose name was Bar-jesus…” (Acts 13:4-6).  Now what does Bar mean?  Bar means son.  The son of Jesus.  Now was he literally saying he was the son of Jesus?  You know what we have in the mythology today?  About Christ, that Christ supposedly had relations with Mary Magdalene and had children.  It just makes you wonder, you know, there’s nothing new under the sun. 

“Which was with the deputy of the country…”  Notice they always get in close proximity of high political power.  “…The deputy of the country, Sergius Paulus, a prudent man; who called for Barnabas and Saul, and desired to hear the word of God.  But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.  Then Saul, (who also is called Paul) [which by the way is the first time he’s called Paul] filled with the Holy [Spirit] Ghost, set his eyes on him, and said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” (vs. 7-10). Now notice, what were they perverting?  They were using the scriptures in perverting it.  And we will see that’s how they were doing all along.  So they really had a tremendous battle going on right from the start.  And what we’re going to see, what confronted the churches there is virtually no different than what’s confronting us today.  So that’s what they do, pervert the right ways of the Lord.  We’ll see a little later as Paul says the Gospel.

“And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season.  And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand.  Then the deputy, when he saw what was done, believed, being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord” (vs. 11-12).  Now let’s understand something.  Doctrine is important.  Doctrine does divide because it divides truth from error.  That’s very profound and very important to understand, and we will see that’s how you test the false prophets, false doctrines.  He was astonished at the doctrine of the Lord.

Now let’s come here and see some of the other things that developed.  Let’s come to….  Well there are many, many different things we could put in there.  Obviously I’m not going to cover all of the scriptures but we’ll also see something that’s a little ironic just a little bit later.  But let’s come to 2 Corinthians 11 because here is a real summary of how these problems grew, and grew, and grew, and grew to such a point that they were misleading those in the church of Corinth.  Now we have never heard what happened to the different elders that were there in Ephesus.  We never heard what happened in the case where Paul brings up Apollos in the book of 1 Corinthians.  But in the last part of 2 Corinthians he was sort of miffed at Apollos because Apollos didn’t want to come back to Corinth while Paul was there.  Now remember Apollos came out of Alexandria so we don’t know.  We just have to put a question mark.  Question:  did Apollos remain faithful?  We can’t answer the question.  We have no evidence he didn’t.  We have no evidence that he did.  But never the less under who’s ever influence it was, in Corinth they were not testing the false apostles like they should have. 

Let’s begin here in 2 Corinthians 11:1.  “Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.  For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy…”  That’s why you test these thing, see.  “…For I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.  But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled…”  That’s the same word that is used that Simon Magus beguiled the people.  And that means deceived Eve.  “…Through his subtilty…”  And how does Satan do it?  He always uses the word of God but twists it.  What did he say to Eve?  “Yea, has God said you can’t eat of any of the trees of the garden?”  And then she fell for it hook, line, and sinker.  “…So your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Cor. 11:1-3). 

And I think today the whole thing concerning the Passover is an example of how complicated false doctrine makes things when you have to straighten it out.  Look at all the things that I wrote in the book, “The Christian Passover”, and all of them deal with all of the false doctrines.  And understand this, the very first thing that Satan the devil goes after is the Passover, because he knows that that is the covenant with Christ.  Very important.  That’s what he always goes after.  Did they have trouble with the Passover?  Yes, 1 Corinthians 11.  Did they misunderstand the Feast of Unleavened Bread?  Yes, 1 Corinthians 5.  Has the influence right there.  Then that’s only the start.  And so you remove from the simplicity of Christ into the complicated mind twisting doctrines of Satan the devil.

Now notice what happened, verse 4.  “For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus…”  So they had a different Jesus then, didn’t they?  Now we’ll see what that is in just a little bit.  Preaching any other doctrine than Christ came in the flesh.  And when we get to the book of Hebrews we’re going to see how so important that is.  And the very emphasis on what Christ did.  “…Another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel…”  And there is another gospel of the Gnostics.  And there are many versions of this.  So here it is right there.  So Paul is doing what he should do in withstanding it, in warning them.  “…Which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him [or that is, the Greek really means, You count this as a wonderful thing.].  For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles” (vs. 4-5).  Now those are the false apostles.  This has nothing to do with Peter because Peter was never the chief apostle.  You read through the book of Acts, it’s Peter and John.  Peter, James and John.  Peter, John, and the apostles all together.  Now Peter did exert some leadership, that is true.  But when we get to the story of the Nicolaitans we will see that he never exalted himself in any way to become the chief apostle.  As a matter of fact, when you get to 1 Peter 5, he just says “I am an Elder.”  So that’s how he thought of himself. 

“But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things.  Have I committed an offence in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the gospel of God freely?  I robbed other churches…”  That’s a whole different thing here concerning tithing.  We won’t get into it now.  “…Taking wages of them, to do you service. And when I was present with you, and wanted, I was chargeable to no man…” (vs. 6-9).  Why?  That was Paul’s way of finding these false apostles.  That was Paul’s way of putting them to the test.  “Let’s see if you false apostles can get along without asking for money like I am not asking for money of the Corinthians.” 

He says, “…for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied: and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you, and so will I keep myself.  As the truth of Christ is in me, no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia.  Wherefore?  [that is “why”] because I love you not?  God knoweth [that is, I do love you].  But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion…”  Lesson we can learn with this, among many.  False prophets like to come in and have dialogue so they can have an occasion.  Does that smack a little thing of truth concerning  the ecumenical movement?  Yes.  Now Paul didn’t mince words.   “…That wherein they glory, they may be found even as we.   For such are false apostles [there they are, being put to the test, being exposed for what they were], deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ” (vs. 9-13).     Because they were not the apostles of Christ.  And when you read of the early Church fathers of the Catholic  church that is the end result of it. 

“And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.  Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (vs. 14-15).  So that’s what they were doing.  They were coming, preaching another Jesus.  They were coming preaching another gospel.  They were coming bringing another spirit, which was what?   Satanic and demonic, not of God.  Coming right into the congregations of God, here in the church of Corinth right where…  in the days of the apostles Paul.  I mean when you understand how fierce this was, and how the battle started early, it’s amazing. 

Now let’s continue on and see what he says about them.  Let’ come down here to verse 22.  “Are they Hebrews [they weren’t Synthians or Barbarians]?  so am I.  Are they Israelites?”  Notice what they were doing.  They were going by their genealogy, their pedigree, right?  “Are they the seed of Abraham?  so am I.”  And I’ve often wondered: from where did they come from?  Obviously from the area of Palestine, correct?  So I have to put in a few questions here.  I wonder how many of them were in the crowds that followed Jesus and saw the miracles?  Where they could go around and later say, “Well I was there with Jesus…”, and then bring in their false doctrines.  Why else would it say Hebrews, Israelites, seed of Abraham? 

“Are they ministers of Christ?  (I speak as a fool)…” (vs. 23), and the Greek there means “I speak as one insane”.  In other words it’s insanity to consider that false apostles could possibly bring you the truth of Christ.  Then he goes on showing all that he went through as compared to them.  You know, Paul had to go around, walk around in all the travels that he did. 

Here, let’s come to 2 Corinthians 2.  Let’s see what they did, verse 17.  “For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God [that’s what they were doing, corrupting it, twisting it]: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.”  Now chapter 4, and all of these things just in this one epistle.  Now we’ll go to Galatians here in just a second.  Then we’ll see the warning that he gave there.  2 Corinthians 4:1, “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness [that is having a secret agenda], nor handling the word of God deceitfully…”  That tells you something very profound.  Have you ever sat in a congregation where a minister gets up there and he starts speaking and he’s handling the word of God deceitfully?  And the truth is twisted and turned.  Now if he has an NIV Bible, or a New American Standard, that’s very easy to do.  Because he has a corrupted version of it.  And yes in our experience, that is exactly what happened to Worldwide Church of God.  That is exactly what is happening to the Seventh Day Adventist right today, because they are not fighting against the false apostles that have snuck in.  And they are bringing their teachings. 

Now let’s go to Galatians 1.  Now a lot of these scriptures we have already covered.  We have covered them in different ways.  But I want to cover it from the point of view that Christ commended the church at Ephesus because they withstood the false apostles.  Now as soon as the original apostles died then the onslaught began and it was just almost within just a few years everything was completely, completely upside down.

Now, Galatians 1:6.  “ I marvel that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.”  So there were many gospels coming around.  “Which is not another [cause there can’t be any but one gospel, you see, that’s what he’s saying]; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ” (Gal. 1:6-7).  What did we see that Elymas the sorcerer did?  He was perverting the right way of the Lord, correct?  Here we have it now perverting the gospel of Christ.  How do you do that?  We’ll see that in just a minute. 

“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”  Quite different from the Corinthians.  They said, “Oh, well let’s hear this man out.  That sounds interesting.  He’s a good speaker.  He’s using the Bible.”  Paul says let him be accursed.  “As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.  For do I now persuade men, or God?  or do I seek to please men?”  That is in their sins and in their corruption and in their perversion of the gospel and the handling of the word of God.  “…For if I yet please men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (vs. 8-10). 

And I know I’ve experienced that too.  Some people get upset with me because I’m not an ecumenist and I don’t go along with all of these weird and strange doctrines that a lot of people have.  Now there’s one congregation that I know of down in Texas where they have almost anybody speak.  One man gets up there and says, “Now I want all of you to know I’m a Trinitarian and we never bring it up.”  See.  Another man gets up and says, “I want all of you to know I’m a 15^th Passover keeper”, and they never bring it up.  Let’s all get along, let’s all go along, and what are you doing?  You’re walking down the broad way.  You’re corrupting everything and you’re going to have those problems. 

Now let’s come here to Titus 1.  Let’s see how Paul handled those things.  And let me ask you a question.  Do you think we can go wrong if we follow Paul’s example?  No, no.  That’s why the church at Ephesus was commended.  Because they put them to the test.  They found them to be liars and rejected them.  How else can you keep the purity of the truth of the gospel of Christ.  Now let’s pick it up here in verse 9, speaking of those who were to be elders.  “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine…”  We’re going to see how much doctrine comes up in this.  “…Both to exhort and to [convict] convince the gainsayers.”  And there are a lot of gainsayers.  “For there are many [now notice – many] unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision [Jews].”  Now we’re going to see a little later on how could it be Jews that were doing this.  Very simple.  “Whose mouths must be stopped….” (Titus 1:9-11).  That’s a command of Paul, which then he said these things are the commands of Christ.  So when there is false doctrine that comes up it should be addressed, it should be tested and the mouth should be stopped.  Now we may not be able to stop them literally, but at least what we can do, we can have our knowledge of the scriptures correct.  We can have the literature, we can have the studies, we can have the sermons available, which then bring the truth, which when a person hears it, it will stop their mouths. 

Now I got a nice letter from someone who explained their whole odyssey trying to find the truth.  And they and several others were keeping a 15^th Passover.  They got a hold of the Passover book and really went through it, and they all kept the 14^th Passover and they said it was such a wonderful thing to do, because after doing it on the 15^th we did not have the experience on the 15^th that we had on the 14^th and we now know not only by knowledge, but by experience that the 14^th is the Passover.  So at least we can stop some mouths.  Not all.  Notice, “…Who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake” (vs. 11).

Now since we’re here in Titus let’s go back to 1 Timothy and let’s see what Paul did.  I got castigated just the other day because I named some people in one of my letters that were preaching false doctrine.  “Why you’re divisive, why you’re judgmental, why you, you’re not kind, you’re not loving.”  Ok, well tell that to Christ when He pours out the seven last plagues. 

1 Timothy 1:3, “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus…”  Now here, isn’t it interesting, Timothy is at Ephesus.  So Timothy carried it on until John when he was…he had to leave the area of Palestine.  He came up to Ephesus.  “…When I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.  Now the end…”  A lot of Protestants take this, which is Gnosticism… “the end of the commandment”.  That means commandments are all done away with.  No this means the end purpose of the commandment.  “…Is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: from which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, now whereof the affirm” (1 Tim. 1:3-7).  So you have these false prophets coming along.  They don’t even understand what they are saying, what they’re affirming. 

Let’s come over here to chapter 4:1.  Here’s how these things come along.  “Now the Spirit speaks expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of [demons] devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;…”  Then he goes on to explain about some of the teachings of Gnosticism, which is what they were fighting.  “Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth” (1 Tim. 4:1-3). Commanding vegetarianism, asceticism, all that sort of thing.  Boy, I tell you it’s something.

Notice, come over here, chapter 6:3.  “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness…”  Now that’s a perfect description of how I felt in Pasadena for quite a few years, seeing all the things that were going on there.  Notice what it says, “…from such withdraw thyself” (1 Tim 6:3-5).  See, you can’t associate with that kind of thing.  You can’t do it.  It will backfire on you. 

Now let’s come to Acts 20.  Paul could see this coming.  Let’s look at the ironic warning that he gave them in Ephesus, which then ties right into the church of Ephesus and false apostles.  Verse 28, he’s talking to the elders. “Take heed therefore unto yourselves…”  Now that’s something all of us need to do, but especially those who are elders and teachers.  We need to take heed to ourselves.  We don’t need to get carried away with the self.  We don’t need to get carried away with anything and look to any abilities that God has given us as though it’s something that we have on our own.  And that’s why Paul told the Corinthians there in 1 Corinthians 4:7, “You have nothing you didn’t receive.”  And brethren, when we start…if any teacher, if any elder starts relying upon personality, eloquent speaking – that is speaking techniques to move and generate peoples responses…those are all carnal things.  If God blesses, thank God for it.  Don’t get carried away with anything.  And I tell you I take this to heart.  Believe me, I do.  I do.  “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock…”  Be about the business of God, serving and loving the flock of God.  As Christ told Peter, “Do you love Me?  Feed My sheep.  Do you love Me?  Feed My lambs.  Do you love Me?  Feed My sheep.”  “…Over which the Holy [Spirit] Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God…”  With what?  The truth of God, the word of God, that you may grow thereby.  “…Which He hath purchased with His own blood.” See all of those who are Christ’s belong to Him.  His blood brought them in.  His Spirit through God the Father and Christ working jointly together has called that individual, has led them to repentance, has brought them the truth.  Now if we can have a part in that, that’s fine. 

But it’s, you know, always remember the attitude of Nebuchadnezzar.  And we saw this happen too didn’t we, within the Church of God.  Nebuchadnezzar said, “Look at this great Babylon which I have built.”  And when he was warned a year before through the parable, “Don’t do it”, and bam as soon as he said that he was struck insane.  And the lesson was, when you get lifted up in vanity God will set over you the basest of men.  Have we seen that happen within the Church of God?  Yes, yes.  All you need to do is look and see who’s leading it today and you’ve got the same thing, you see.  So no one can be lifted up.  Christ is the One Who has done it. 

“For I know this, that after my departing [that means after his death] shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things…”  Now that’s about the third time we’ve seen that word, isn’t it?  Pervert the gospel, pervert the way of the Lord.  Now, “…speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.  Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years…”  Now you think of that.  This statement of Paul is not what some people would say is a hyperbole.  That is an exaggerated statement for exclamatory effect.  This is, “…I ceased no to warn [you] every one night and day with tears” (vs29-30).  Now he knew what was going to happen.

Let’s come to 2 Timothy 1, and let’s see that it happened.  It happened.  Verse 13, “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.  That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy [Spirit] Ghost which dwelleth in us.  This thou knowest, that all they were are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes” (2 Tim. 1:13-15). He names them.  Now you think about that.  How was it, and we’ll see what happened here, we’ll see it a little later, how was it that they were able to turn all the churches in Asia away from Paul.  That’s why when we read Revelation 2 and 3, we look at all of the false doctrine that is there.  And all the things that have taken place. That’s amazing.  That is truly an amazing thing. 

So you need to understand this brethren, to really have the Spirit of God, which you do.  To really be of the firstfruits, which you are, is truly an amazing miracle in itself.  You need to think on that, cause there are a lot of people playing church.  A lot of people playing religion and that’s how all these false prophets got in there, and they quit testing them.  So they left.  That’s incredible.  We said the same statement too.  Where have they all gone?  An amazing thing, isn’t it?  And sometimes you sit back and you think, “Lord, who will be saved?”  But I think this: there will be more saved if we get the doctrine straight and follow the example of the church at Ephesus and put all the teachings and teachers and apostles to the test to find out whether they’re from God or not.  Then we can at least have something to fight with, and it’s a spiritual battle.

Now come over here.  2 Timothy 2:16, “But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will [Sounds like the church of talking in tongues, right? Yes.] increase unto more ungodliness.  And their word will eat as doth a canker[or cancer]: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus.”  So there we have it again now.  “Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some” (2 Tim. 2:16-18).  So here, what do we have?  We have the teaching of the immortality of the soul, that you’re going to heaven.  Straight out of Gnosticism.  So this will really be something.  Ok

I just call your attention to 2 Peter 2.  You can read the whole thing.  And what these false prophets were doing, and also to Jude verses 3 and 4.  Let’s just stop by there at Jude just before we get back to the book of Revelation.  Jude 3 and 4, and let’s see the admonition here, cause it’s really quite a thing what happened.  And this battle brethren, it started then and it’s continued right on down to this day.  And then we will see when we come to the church of Smyrna, that other forces enter into it.  But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  Let’s come here Jude verse 3.

Now he was the brother of Christ. “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend…”  Now that means that you have to really put forth an effort, right?  Yes.  It is a fight.  Now that’s what the days of Unleavened Bread shows us all about.  We have to fight against self, against Satan, and this world.  “…Contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”  So that was the battle that was there. 

Christ commended the church at Ephesus.  Now let’s come back to Revelation 2.  He commended the church at Ephesus for trying and testing them who were saying and claiming they were apostles, and found them liars.  Now they worked, they had patience, verse 3, they labored.  “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love” (Rev. 2:4).

Now what does it mean to leave the first love?  Now some people understand the first love  being this:  when they first come to the knowledge of the truth and they begin to understand the truth they have a love and a zeal for the truth.  They say that is their first love.  That is one interpretation of it.  Just like with the ones here at Ephesus, they had the gospel preached to them, the truth was there, they loved God, they worked, they strived, and all of this, but something happened.  There’s another aspect of first love, which is more profound, which is this: the Greek word for first is protos.  So the first love is to love God with all your heat, and mind, and soul, and being.  That’s the first commandment.  That’s what they were losing.  In other words they were beginning to get themselves into a position where it was more important to be with people than to fellowship with God.  So they began to lose their first love. 

Now another way of losing your first love…let’s go back here to Deuteronomy 5 and we will see there’s another way that it begins to happen.  And it has to do with the second commandment.  Let’s ask the question: when into the Christian Church, did idols and images begin to creep in?  Let’s read it here, verse 8.  “Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing…” Now question: is that all inclusive?  That sounds very complete to me, right?  “…Of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me, and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me and keep My commandments” (Deut. 5:8:10).  So if you lose your first love, what happens?  You begin having idolatry of some kind.  You begin slacking off in keeping the rest of the commandments of God.