Armor, Warfare and False Teachers

(Go To Meeting)

Lyall Johnston—May 12, 2023

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I would like to recap on the subject from the message The Armor of God: Do You Need It?

1-John 1:1—talking about what is true fellowship with God in the Churches of God. We were concentrating on the group situation: Fellowship Groups showing that these are a blessing in CBCG (Christian Biblical Church of God). When the Church started, in the initial days, there were few elders. Today we a have a few more elders. Because of the scattering of these groups in many of these locations there are no elders to be there as overseers and spiritual guides.

Most of these groups will have a host. Fred has mentioned in an article that you can rotate the hosts. But there are dangers. So, this message is going to be rather strong meat for us, but it's necessary for us to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Not only are the Churches of God—regardless of which of the Churches they are—and all the small groups, fellowship groups, they're open to attack from Satan the devil!

Something we need to understand about Satan is that he does not rest, he does not sleep. Rev. 12 says that 'he is before God constantly day and night accusing you and me to God of our sins. We know that our backup is the testimony of Jesus Christ, and our repentance and faithfulness to the Word of God. Most of all, as it says, the blood of Jesus Christ! That has us covered!

However, if we are not fully protected with the armor of God, Satan can get into our 'Achilles Heel'; whatever our Achilles Heel is! Satan can snapping away, looking for chinks, holes, gaps in our armor. So, we need to be fully equipped!

We're only going to cover that briefly it's such a large subject. In fact, the entirety of the Bible is talking about the armor from God—Old Testament and New Testament. Even though we're not going to be looking into the O.T. today, there is a multitude of references and statements. All we have to do is read the Psalms and we can find many of the spiritual armor pieces that David had.

David was a warrior! And Paul is our main speaker of these things, spiritual armor in the book of Ephesians, here he was chained to a Roman soldier and moving around attached to this soldier while he was in prison. He became very familiar with soldier. I'm sure that the soldier, form time to time, would take off some of his armor to relax or for other reasons. Maybe to eat or whatever; we don't know.

So, Paul became very familiar with the armor of the Roman soldier, some of the most awesome soldiers, some of the most powerful, some of the greatest warriors that the world knew at that point in time. The Romans armies knew how to protest and to fight! Paul used the physical to explain the spiritual! We will go on and talk about the warfare, and I will spend a lot of time on the false teachers and false prophets!

In the Christian Biblical Church of God. We have so must material, so much that we haven't really had the time to look into. If we were to spend the rest of our lives on what material there is already, we're probably not able to exhaust it all. There's just so much there to imbibe with that we just can't get to.

So, why would we in a group want to invite in elders, ministers and speakers that we don't know? that have not been proved? which is part of the doctrine of the Church of God!

The first century was a little different. Today, because we have so many little splinter groups, it becomes a little difficult. We have a lot of these so-called teachers moving from group-to-group. Should we invite them in? NO! We don't know, but there's ample proof… some people might say yes. But if there's a but yes, take it to God! Ask God to reveal to you and to show you!

Satan is able to get in! Normally on the surface, looking at the outward appearance, it seems that these are fine people. This man is a fine elder. But is he a satanic plant? That's what we're going to have a look at.

There are many others that I mention in the other message, and some have asked to have links for that. They have been posted. The important point, the main point of fellowship groups is that our fellowship is with God the Father and Jesus Christ first!

1-John 1:3[transcriber's correction]: "…in order that you also may have fellowship with us; for the fellowship—indeed, our fellowship—is with the Father and with His own Son Jesus Christ."

If we don't have that, we don't have a fellowship group! All we have is a social gathering. Christ is not going to be present, the Father is not going to be present. If They're going to be present, don't you think we need to make sure that we take our spiritual shoes or sandals off (Exo. 3) where Moses was told to remove his sandals because he was standing on sacred ground.

When we're in the presence of God, which we are here right now—wherever we are gathered together in the name of Christ—and we're in fellowship with the Father and the Son, we're going to be here. He's feeding us through the vine.

The Father feeds Christ Who is the Vine and we are the branches, and the life blood of the Holy Spirit is flowing through Christ the Vine to each one of us. IF have fellowship in the Father and in the Son first and foremost. Then we can have fellowship with one another.

When we're fellowshipping with one another in the presence of the Father and Christ do we want to be bringing 'strange fire' into the midst, like the two sons of Aaron? The fire of God came down from heaven and turned them into cinders and smoke! The sons of the high priest! There was no fear of God!

The fear of God is to love God's Law and to hate everything that is evil, corrupt and polluted, done by Satan the devil! On the other hand, Psa. 133 says what blessed thing it is, how great it is when we can come together in unity. Why would we bring in somebody from an outside group to speak when we have so much material, volumes of videos, CDs, books, booklets, articles and papers? Why would you want to bring in somebody in that may well bring 'strange fire'? Somebody that we don't really know?

All the elders in CBCG have been proven by the brethren and by the other elders. They're known! These other people maybe we've know in the past, they may know the Word of God, but are they converted? Satan has the Word of God; he knows the Word of God; he knows everything about the Word of God. But is he converted? He can use the Word of God, he can even preach the Word of God, Christ, Who wrote the Word of God. Christ's answer was: "…it is written…" slam-dunking Satan every time!

2-Cor. 3 is a Scripture that we've looked a lot. All the elders quote this a lot.

2-Corinthians 10:3: "For although we walk in the flesh… [yes, we're flesh and blood] …we do not war…"

We are in spiritual warfare! Our is not the kind of spiritual warfare you might read in C. Peter Wagner's books. I've read some of them, and as a minister who had attended all of his classes told me at one stage:

It's really difficult to tell where spiritual warfare ends and demonism—satanism—begins. Running around the world driving Satan out by driving stakes into the ground.

Our spiritual warfare is different and we can read a lot about that. The first things in our spiritual warfare, we must have God's armor the spiritual armor that God gives to us. God supplies it, so we go to Him for each piece of that armor.

"…we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty…" (vs 3-4).

We can stop and think about that term mighty and ask ourselves: How much power does God have? It's interesting that through the James Webb telescope they're finding objects outside where they believe the edge of cosmos is.

What is that? Some of the top scientists say that 'we going to have to completely re-write to books of what we've understood about the universe.'

• Are they going to find the universe far larger than they believe it is?
• Could they think that they're going to identify God's Throne?

We don't know! But the point is that the universe is filled with the mysteries of God and man will never be able to search out the total mysteries.

When we just look at a tiny particle through this magnificent telescope of what is the known universe.

"…but mighty through God to the overthrowing of strongholds… [those are within] …casting down vain imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ" (vs 4-5).

Everything Satan wants to throw at us, we have the mighty power of God and Christ Who sustains the entirety of the universe. All that power is available to us to learn how to win the battle against Satan the devil and all his agents:

• the false ministers
• the false teachers
• the false prophets
• the false apostles

Paul had to constantly battle against them!

But some of the strongest opponents that he faced are the ones that we face today, which is Messianic Judaism! It's a contradiction in terms, because Judaism is in total opposition to the Word of God and the Law of God into the faith of the saints to us throughout the Bible. That has been addressed about quite a bit recently the messages that we have been receiving on the Sabbath.

In Eph. 6 we find the armor for our warfare. Let's have a look as to what this armor is all about.

Ephesians 6:10: "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord…"

• Is not the Lord strong toward us? He wants us to be strong toward Him!
• How are we going to do that?

"…and in the might of His strength" (v 10). Yes, this is available to us! We just have to:

• ask
• read His Word
• study His Word
• pray on a daily basis

—many times a day—constantly in contact with God ad we go through our daily lives.

Verse 11: "Put on the whole armor of God…"

Why? Because we're at war! We are the soldiers of Christ, the saints of Almighty God. There's no rest; Satan is not resting. He's attacking us day-by-day! Ought we also to be alert constantly? Absolutely!

"…so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (v 11).

We're not resting, we're fighting a war against Satan the devil, and all his human agents and demons:

Verse 12: "Because we are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against principalities and against powers, against the world rulers of the darkness of this age, against the spiritual power of wickednessin high places." That includes:

• world governments
• all of the teachers of philosophy
• all the various fake sciences

Inspired by none less than the chief of the demonic world: Satan the devil.

Verse 13: "Therefore, take up the whole armor of God so that you may be able to resist… [these attacks by Satan] …in the evil day, and having worked out all things, to stand"—before God!

Verse 14: "Stand, therefore, [#1]having your loins girded about with Truth, and wearing the breastplate of righteousness"—and Truth!

Once we know the Truth we understand what righteousness is, so these two are linked together.

Verse 15: "And having [#2]your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace."

When Stephen was being stoned, it was very clear that he had his life prepared! He feet were shod with the Gospel of Peace. It didn't matter what was done to him physically, he was at peace with God. Our feet need to be shod with:

• the peace of the Gospel
• the glory of the Gospel
• the message of the Gospel

With that, we're able to stand firmly on our feet! But also with our feet we're able to make the forward movement as we walk in the Spirit! As we obey the Spirit! But we're walking with that Peace of God no matter what happens to us, we have peace of mind.

There's more to be feared than those who can destroy our bodies; the real is the One—God the Father—Who can take our salvation from us.

Matthew 10:28: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but do not have power to destroy the life; rather, fear Him Who has the power to destroy bothlife and body in Gehenna."

Our fear is to be with God, not men. They can kill us, but they cannot kill the immortality that God has promised to us! They cannot kill the Spirit of God, which is connected with the human spirit within us. They cannot kill that! Only God can remove that!

Ephesians 6:16: "Besides all these, take up [#3]the shield of the faith, with which you will have the power to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one."

It's interesting that David talks about 'shield and buckler.' We need the shield out front so we can stop the arrows, spears and the fiery darts that Satan throws at us. But the buckler is a small one in fighting that will protect the body when fighting close up. The shield covers the whole body, but the buckler, that little shield, is for when we get up really close to the enemy. Maybe that enemy would be one of Satan's agents. Of course, for that we need the Word of God! Who is the Word of God? Jesus Christ!

Verse 17: "And put on [#4]the helmet of salvation… [the hope] …and [#5]the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God."

You might say that it's not really armor, but it is, it links all the other armor together!

Verse 18: [#6]praying at all times with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and in this very thing [#7]being watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints."

We don't use the armor to protect ourselves, we use it for the protecting every one of God's children. Paul was jealous for the brethren, that anyone would snatch them away from Christ. Our elders in the Body of Christ are shepherd for the sheep and servants of the sheep.

We have a jealousy to protect the sheep against these interlopers, against these agents of Satan coming in. Let's look at some of these enemies of the Body of Christ, the Church. I believe that we, with the power of the Spirit of God, are very jealous when they see the Fellowship Groups allowing in 'strange fire,' because they can destroy the Church from within.

We saw in the 1970s the Worldwide Church of God attacked from without from the Attorney General of Southern California. We were living in Ohio at the time and believe the conference the next year 1978 or 1979 couldn't be held in Pasadena. That attack was vicious, but that was from the outside. Then particularly in the 1990s—which actually began earlier, probably in the 70s—were from the inside of the Church! They totally destroyed the Worldwide Church of God from within.

If you're a host and you're inviting someone who is not a part of this part of the Body, you can be responsible for bringing Satan or one of his servants into the Body. The brethren in those groups need to approach you or any host that does that, then the faithful brethren need to leave that group. The name Christian Biblical Church of God needs to be removed from that group, because it no longer is a part of the CBCG. That's a fact and can be proved over and over with the writings, particularly of the Apostle Paul to those who went astray.

This is strong meat, but each one of us has a role. This is not just the elders. This is the entire Body of Christ. Do you and I want to be protecting the saints, the fellowship, the love of God, the unity of God.

Some of the stories that I have heard, it's unbelievable that these things are happening. After what we've been through, these things are still going on. People are having their faith, trust and belief in the Scriptures—according to the Truth of God—have been seduced away from that by the 'strange fire' that's been brought in by these interlopers!

I understand that this will controversial for some people, but the argument is not with any man, the argument is with the Word of God, Who is Jesus Christ. Take you argument to Him if you have a 'yes but…' I don't think if you come face to face with Jesus Christ that you're going to win that argument!

1-Timothy 4:1: "Now, the Spirit tells us explicitly that in the latter times some shall apostatize from the faith, and shall follow deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons… [this is warfare and we need to full armor of God] …speaking lies in hypocrisy, their consciences having been cauterized with a hot iron" (vs 1-2).

Probably involved in sexual sins or other things; spiritual adultery at the very least. When we look at some of these major mainstream 'Christian' churches, and we look at their leaders, what do we find? The most perverted sex that you can imagine! There's a whole lot worse, but they're deeply involved in those events.

This is why we need to prove all things that we hear from the pulpit like the Bereans, because if they heard a message—even if it was today—we need to take it and check the Scriptures to whether what is being said is in fact the Truth and goes along with the Word of God. If it doesn't then we don't have to accept it! If it does, then you have a choice, and the choice is yours to accept it or not.

Verse 3: "Forbidding to marry; and commanding to abstain from meats…"—today it's the same principle, all kinds of evil!

Verse 6—Paul was telling Timothy: "If you are teaching these things to the brethren…"

Everything that Paul was telling Timothy up to this point going back to 1-Tim 1:1.

How many men who are ministers in the previous Church (WCG) who knew the Scriptures, great memories, but were they converted? In the past we've talked about 'the three day wonders': graduated one day, married the next and ordained the third day. No field experience! No checking. Yes, these were fine men, business types. They can make a great presentation to the people.

I remember one story of one of the ministers who had been to a Feast in the United States, and this young man stood up in the congregation and had lambasted the congregation. One of these three men were in a private room taking care of their personal needs, and he heard these two men saying, 'Did you hear what the minister said?' Yeah! I heard the boy!

Not exactly the result that we want. There was a elder:

• who hold the Word of God precious
• he wants to teach the Word of God as it is written, the Truth
• he wants to expound it, encouraging and exhorting

Yes, giving correction when necessary, but because we love the people, because we're jealous for the people, we don't want to see them separated from the Truth, or anyone to separate them from the Truth.

Verse 6: "If you are teaching these things to the brethren you will be a good servant of Jesus Christ, being nourished by the words of the faith…"

• no more travel logs
• no more personal histories
• no more personal stories

Preach the Word of God and give it's meaning! (Num. 8). Not all of the Churches of God have the understanding of the doctrines that God has blessed us with? That's not a criticism of them, but they came to the understanding as for CBCG. If there's something we don't understand and haven't learned, yet; that we will be humble enough to repent of anything that we have taught that's wrong and to change readily and accept what God shows us through His Word; through Jesus Christ!

"…and of the good doctrines that you have closely followed" (v 6).

How do we know, if we have not seen them on a regular basis, that they're following, that they are following the good doctrines. That's what we all have to do, follow the good doctrines.

Verse 7: "But refuse profane and old wives' fables; rather, exercise yourself unto Godliness." Then he talks about physical exercise!

Verse 9: "This saying is faithful and worthy of full acceptance. Now, it is for this reason that we are laboring, and we are personally suffering reproach because we have hope in the living God, Who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who are believers. These things command and teach" (vs 9-11).

Paul is talking to Timothy with very strong words! He's emphatic! "…These things command…" Why? Because they're part of the armor of God that will protect us from all attacks from Satan.

Verse 12: Do not allow anyone to despise your youth… [Timothy was a young man] …Until I come, devote yourself to reading, to encouragement, and to doctrine. Do not neglect the spiritual gift that is in you…" (vs 12-14).

1-Timothy 5:22: "Do not be quick to lay hands on any man… [Why?] …neither take part in the sins of others…."

We don't know these interlopers, these strangers that either come in or are brought in.

"…Keep yourself pure" (v 22). Keep the fellowship group pure also!

Verse 24: "Some men's sins are open to public view, going before to judgment; and some men's sins follow after."

If we have someone coming that we don't know, how do we know there's not sin there; that's the point.

Verse 25: "In a similar manner also, the good works of some are openly seen; and those that are otherwise cannot be hidden."

After all Paul says to Timothy, notice 1-Timothy 6:20: "O Timothy… [pleading with Timothy; encouraging him, exhorting him]: …guard the doctrine, which has been entrusted to you, avoiding profane, empty babblings, and contradictions…"

This 'strange fire' coming in, controversy. They're going bring in contradictions because they're proud, filled with pride; the pretentious pride of physical life! They've got an agenda! Not all, but we're warned! Be on guard!

Jesus said to 'guard the door of you mind!' (Matt. 24).

"…avoiding profane, empty babblings, and contradictions of false knowledge that is called science; through which some, who are personally professing these false views, have missed the mark concerning the faith. Grace be with you. Amen" (vs 20-21).

Again, just another warning in the strongest of language; Paul teaching and instructing a younger elder!

2-Timothy 4:1: "I charge you…"

You can't get anything much stronger than that! Is not the mind of Christ behind Paul? Paul who gave up everything and clung to nothing of this life so that he might gain the resurrection! Paul says, 'Everything was an advantage and I count it all as dung that I might gain Christ and the power of His resurrection.'

Verse 1: "I charge you therefore, in the sight of God, even the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is ready to judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His Kingdom: Preach the Word!…." (vs 1-2).

We've got so much of the Word in videos, CDs and all the literature, enough to last us more than a lifetime to exhaust it. Good, true, faithful, the words of eternal life! We don't have to go looking on the other side of the fence and find that when we get there the grass and flowers are all dried up. So, we got looking for another one and another one.

"…Be urgent in season and out of season; convict, rebuke, encourage, with all patience and doctrine" (v 2). Why? We're fighting a battle against Satan who wants to take our eternal life away from us!

Verse 3: "For there shall come a time when they will not tolerate sound doctrine…"

If you bring strangers in and you begin that process! Now, listen to this very carefully; we all need to understand this:

"…but according to their own lusts they shall accumulate to themselves a great number of teachers, having ears itching to hear what satisfies their cravings" (v 3).

Like the Athenians! 'Oh, here's this man called Paul come and teach us something new.' Why would we want to hear something new, some new doctrine or prophecy?

Verse 3 is crux of the issue: "For there shall come a time when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own lusts… [lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and the presumptuous pride of physical life] …they shall accumulate to themselves a great number of teachers, having ears itching to hear what satisfies their cravings."

How about the Word of God, His Truth and the simplicity that is in Christ and Him crucified. They hope of eternal life, our salvation! How about Col. 3—setting our mind on those things above. If we're in Christ, those things of the spirit, not the things of this world.

Verse 4: "And they shall turn away their own ears from the Truth… [this is the danger: bringing in false teachers—'strange fire'—that you don't know] …and they shall be turned aside unto myths."

One of the big problems, of course, has been this Messianic Judaism! It's a contradiction of terms! It's also an attempt to present this Jewish Messiah that they have, I think it's the Jewish book of John, which is advertised regularly on YouTube, trying to promote Judaism and the Jewish race.

They will come to repentance the same was as the rest of the tribes of Israel, and all the Gentile nations. In fact, many of the Gentile nations readily received Paul's writings to them; they were fervent for the Truth!

Verse 5: "But as for you, be vigilant in all things, endure hardships, do the work of an evangelist

Verse 7: "I have fought a good fight… [Are we fighting a good fight?] …I have finished the course; I have kept the faith."

We want to do that so that when we meet the Father and Christ we get our just reward and not judgment.

Titus 1:4: "To Titus, a true son according to our common faith: Grace, mercy and peace…"

Paul doesn't just rattle those off. He knew exactly what he was saying with every one of those words:

• the grace of God
• the mercy of God
• the peace of God

"…from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior…. [Paul meant that we every ounce of his being from the very bottom of his heart] …For this cause I left you in Crete, so that you might set in order…" (vs 4-5)—as an elder, as Titus was!

A host does not have the responsibility. In fact, by bringing in different speakers, he's actually usurping the role of shepherd. That's why, to do so, he's causing the group to no longer be a part of the Christian Biblical Church of God. They need to go their own way. At the very best, answer the call to change and return to the faith of the Scriptures, which we can be certain of.

It's interesting that God scattered the WCG and there's an interesting statement in the marriage covenant: What God has joined together, let not man put asunder.

How about a little bit of a change on that: what God has scattered let not man try to reunite! God scattered the Church for a purpose. If God scattered it, don't you think it's His responsibility, if He wants, to bring it together again. Think about that!

That's human thinking and reasoning, but I think that a Biblical principle. God scatters it for a purpose, isn't He the One Who would reunite us? If we're trying to reunite us, aren't we, in fact, working against God. Doesn't God want to keep us in our individual groups, like Rev. 2 & 3; yes, they were all part of the Church of God. But in a sense that's a type of where we are today. We've got these different groups of the Church of God. Each one is separate doing it's own work, it's own ministry as God leads them. Why would we want to bring them together if God scattered them? Think on that!

"…the things that needed to be done, and might ordain elders in every city, as I commanded you" (v 5).

Then Paul goes to give the conditions. You don't just ordain a man because of what it says here. He has to be qualified so that he can lead the group. He has to be know by the group, approved by the group. The group must know him. That's why Fred, at this stage, is exposing us to the rest of the Church, so you get to know us and whether you can trust us or not.

God's Spirit will help you and guide you on that,  whether we're speaking the Truth or not. You may reject us as an individual, but if we're speaking the Truth, you better accept the Truth. That's one of the ways we can hear our speakers.

Jude 3: "Beloved, when personally exerting all my diligence to write to you concerning the common salvation, I was compelled to write to you, exhorting you to ferventlyfight for the faith…"

We need the armor of God to fight the battle of faith, which is war against Stan the devil and his agents!

"…which once for all time has been delivered to the saints. For certain men have stealthily crept in, those who long ago have been written about, condemning them to thisjudgment. They are ungodly men who are perverting the grace of our God, turning it into licentiousness…" (vs 3-4).

Maybe not yet, but to continue to allow them to do their work… You know that the sin doesn't come out in at the first, it takes some time. "…perverting the grace of our God…" is the work of Satan working through these men!

"…and are personally denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ" (v 3). They're against the Lordship, the rulership of God Himself!

Verse 5: "But I myself want to remind you, though you once understood this, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, the second time destroyed those who did not believe."

Then it talks about the angels, about Sodom and Gomorrah and how God destroyed that.

Verse 8: "In the same way also, these dreamers of filthy dreams are defiling the flesh, and are declaring as invalid the Lordship of God…"—the pretentious pride of the physical life of vanity, desire for control so they can bring in their personal teachings.

"…and are blaspheming the Divine powers" (v 8). That's what it comes to!

Verse 10: "As for these, whatever things they do not understand, they blaspheme…"

The contradictions, the arguments that should not be in any of our fellowship groups. The Truth comes from God the Father, from His Word. Whether it's taught by video, an elder present, or by one of the men in the group who is sufficient and able to present the Word of God in a faithful manner.

"…but whatever things they understand by instinct, as irrational brute beasts… [using that as a synonym] …they are corrupting themselves in these things. Woe to them! For they have walked in the way of Cain; and for gain, they have wholly given themselves up to Balaam's delusion…" (vs 10-11).

• compromise of the Truth of God
• bringing 'strange fire'/strange speaker

Oh, it's okay, that's what God's Law says, but it doesn't mean it exactly the way it is'

"…and haveperished in the rebellion of Korah. These are subversive stains in your love Feasts, feasting in person together with you…" (vs 11-12).

Isn't that interesting? It's talking about your fellowship group potentially. I'm not saying that this is the way it is, but you have to check and prove it for yourself as a saint of the Most High God.

"…fearlessly they are feeding themselves. They are clouds without water, being driven by the winds…" (v 12).

Isn't God a God of love? Yes, but He's also a jealous God! He wants to preserve us. That's why He offers us the armor. ''Come to Me,' he says, 'I'll give you the armor, every piece you need so that you are protected' from these types He's mentioning! "…clouds without water…" They are words to say that you still end up spiritually thirsty even starving!

"…trees of late autumn, without any fruit, uprooted, twice dead" (v 12). Who's he talking about?

• agents of Satan
• false teachers
• false ministers

A constant problem for the Church!  That why we have to be, as Jesus said, beware, be on guard!

Verse 13: "Raging waves of the sea…"

Always argumentative. Some I have dealt with have some of the strongest arguments, those who are trying to profess and to push this Messianic Judaism within the Church of the Living God. They will do it often times secretly behind the elder's back so he doesn't see it.

But there are faithful members who will tell the elders that this is what's going on. They don't like it! They don't want to be dealt with!

"…casting up like foam their own ignominious shame; wandering stars…" (v 13)—wandering from group to group!

• Why are they wandering?
• Why don't they have their own group and fellowship?
• Teaching and encouraging speaking to them?

Maybe it's because they've been rejected there; maybe it's because they're not welcome there. Think about that!

"…for whom has been reserved the blackest darkness forever!" (v 13).

Then he talks about Elijah's prophecy, how that Christ is coming:

Verse 15: "To execute judgment against all, and to convict all who are ungodly of all their works of evil ungodliness that they have impiously committed, andof all the hard things that ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."

This often explains what happens in these fellowship groups, unless the fellowship is first with the Father and Jesus Christ! If the fellowship is not with the Father and Jesus Christ this is what will happen:

Verse 16: "These are complainers and critics, who are walking after their own personal lusts, while their mouths are speaking great swelling words, flattering persons for the sake of advantage. But you, beloved, remember the words that were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; because they said to you that in the last time there would be mockers, who would be selfishly walking according to their own ungodly lusts. These are the ones who cause division…" (vs 16-19).

Where? The context is the Church of God!

"…they are psychic… [with demons] …not having the Spirit of God. But you, beloved, be building up yourselves on your most Holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, so that you keep yourselves in the love of God while you are personally awaiting the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life" (vs 19-21).

It shows that these people actually come in and fellowship with us at our love Feasts! So, we have the recognize them. There's a Scripture that says that we must rebuke them and cast them out!

We haven't gotten to that particular Scripture today, but it's there. This is a strong message, yes, but Scriptures that are essential to us. Let's make sure that we're putting on the armor of God, every piece, prayer-by-prayer! Take that list before God and ask Him on our knees for those various armor pieces:

• Truth
• Righteousness
• Hope
• Love of God

Each piece is put on with prayer, which is the essential item God has given to us. They cement it and lock it in and secure us so that no matter what fiery darts, what Satan will throw at us, that we are totally protected in the arms, love, peace and the grace of God!

Scriptural References:

• 1-John 1:3
• 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
• Ephesians 6:10-15
• Matthew 10:28
• Ephesians 6:16-18
• 1 Timothy 4:1-3, 6-7, 9-14
• 1 Timothy 5:22, 24-25
• 1 Timothy 6:20-21
• 2 Timothy 4:1-5, 7
• Titus 1:4-5
• Jude 3-5, 8, 10-13, 15-21

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

• Revelation 12
• Exodus 3
• Psalm 133
• 1 Timothy 1:1
• Numbers 8
• Matthew 24
• Colossians 3
• Revelation 2; 3

Also referenced: GTM Message:
            The Armor of God: Do You Need It?

LJ:bo
Transcribed: 5/30/23

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