Exposing False Prophets in Grand Marais (and beyond)
Why are we to expose false teachers?
Why are we to expose false teachers? We are supposed to watch out for them. Matthew 7:15: "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.". We are to be alert for false teachers because they outwardly make themselves look like Christians, but their aim is to destroy and devour the Church. Physical persecution rarely accomplishes Satan's desire, because physical persecution is often purposed by God to spread the gospel (Acts 8:1-5). No, Satan (and those he works through) is crafty, but unoriginal. He works through distorting the word of God, as he has from the beginning. Genesis 3:1: "Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” (emphasis mine). The word of God is what divides. The word of God is what has power. If you want to have any chance at thwarting God's purpose (which you can't), you have to deny or distort his living and active and eternal word. Hebrews 4:12: "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." The word of God exposes the believing from the unbelieving. The word of God exposes false teachers.
Matthew 7:15-19: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. 18 A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits."
What happened?
Recently, I was at an event in Grand Marais, Minnesota, that was designed to support and affirm LGBTQ practices, that which God charges as sexual immorality (Porneia). Porneia is a Greek word that essentially means “illicit sexual activity.” It is important here to broadly identify sexually illicit activity as being condemned by God (regardless of sexual orientation) because those who attempt to distort God's word today are making claims like, "the word homosexual is not in the Bible". Though untrue, we have more than a simple disagreement over translation of a word. We have a clear description of the activity. In Romans 1, Paul teaches about God's judgement against mankind. God responds in judgement against those who actively suppress the truth by giving them over to their deprived minds. Romans 1:26-27: "For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions. Their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 The men in the same way also left natural relations with women and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error." It's important to note that Romans 1 implicates all humanity, not just a particular group of people. It's also important to note that there were believers in the church that practiced homosexuality (among other sins) that had since repented and been forgiven of their sin. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11: "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." From a heterosexual male and female living outside of the covenant of marriage, to those living within homosexual and other illicit lifestyles, it's all unlawful works that God condemns.
People want to portray these movements today as "progressive" and "inclusive" movements. But they've been around and celebrated by cultures since the beginning of time.
God designed marriage, a permanent covenant between one man and one woman, to display the love of Jesus to his church. Any sexual activity outside of this marriage covenant is sin, as it distorts his image in his creation. Ephesians 5:31-32: “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.
What does sexual immorality have to do with false teachers?
There were those present at this event that were among a professing church... in support of the sexual immorality and attempted indoctrination of the youth of the city! They need to be named for the sake of the Church and the clarity of the gospel. We need to know them so that we can avoid them (Romans 16:17). They are liars and blind guides. Jesus says, “Leave them alone! They are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:14). They are First Congregational United Church of Christ Grand Marais, MN. And one of the leading antagonists at this event? "Pastor" Enno Limvere. Not only was he making a mockery of the word of God being spoken, but he consistently watched his prey during the entire event, the gathered youth that were present.
The gathering that makes up First Congregational United Church of Christ are "openly affirming" of transgender, homosexual, and other illicit sexual activities.
Yes, sinners come to Christ in their sin, but they come to him in repentance, seeking forgiveness. Acts 13:38-41: "Therefore, let it be known to you, brothers and sisters, that through this man forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you. 39 Everyone who believes is justified through him from everything that you could not be justified from through the law of Moses.”
Jesus went to the cross to pay for the sin of many (Hebrews 9:28). He was lifted up and now draws all people to himself (John 12:31-32). "The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30). Jesus proclaimed, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15). "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." (John 10:27-28).
The Bible teaches repentance and faith. The false teachers of this "church" proclaim an empty "faith" without repentance, without change. They are like the teachers warned about in 2 Timothy 4:3-4: "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths."
A Call To Repentance
I appeal to those being deceived and those doing the deceiving here: repent and believe the gospel and you will be saved. Continue in your unbelief and you will perish. "For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins" (Hebrews 10:26).
Romans 6:15-18: "What then? Should we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Absolutely not! 16 Don’t you know that if you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of that one you obey— either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But thank God that, although you used to be slaves of sin, you obeyed from the heart that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over, 18 and having been set free from sin, you became enslaved to righteousness."
Those who live in their sin, die in their sin. When you teach others to embrace their sin, you are leading them down a road to destruction and judgement.
Colossians 3:1-4: "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.