Fact or Fiction
Many voices are speaking today about end-time events. Things are being said which contradict what God says and what He inspired others to write in the Bible. 2 Timothy 3:16
By inspiration means that the Holy Spirit exerted His supernatural influence upon the writers of the Bible. The Scriptures are God’s inspired word. Every word is fully and equally inspired in all its teachings.
The Bible does not contain the Word of God; the Bible IS the Word of God. The writers of the Bible did not write by natural inspiration or by any act of human will. 2 Peter 1:20-21 tells us that the Scripture is NOT up for private interpretation because holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. David, the son of Jesse, said this in 2 Samuel 23:2.
It is the Spirit of God that moved upon men to write the Bible. The result is the infallible Word of God. The Word of God is pure, perfect, and complete because God is the author. Hebrews 12:2, Proverbs 30:5, Psalms 19:7
The Bible is free from error and is absolutely trustworthy. Psalms 119:89 You will never trust God more than when you trust His Word. Facts are statements of Truth from God out of the book we call the Bible. John 17:17 These facts will never change because God will never change. Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8, Psalms 90:24 God dwells in the eternal present.
Jesus told the Sadducees that they erred not knowing the facts of book, chapter, and verse. Matthew 22:29 The same is true today. Many preachers say that God has called them to preach and yet what they preach and teach is in error and not according to Scripture.
Much of what is preached today comes from “hand-me-down” religion and manmade doctrine. Mark 7:7-8,13 This creates an environment of deceit and deception among sincere-hearted people seeking a right relationship with God that is based on Truth.
There are many Churches all around the world where people simply believe everything their leaders say. There is no fact checking to see if such things that are taught are even in the Bible.
Their ignorance of not knowing the Scriptures then becomes their adversary. 1 Thessalonians 5:21 They find then their lives are not fulfilled and complete and they struggle with weaknesses hard to overcome.
Grace and knowledge produce growth; growth produces change. 2 Peter 3:18 If you are not willing to be changed by God’s Word, you then create the inability to grow.
You cannot do what you don’t know.
You cannot believe in something you don’t know anything about.
Jesus said this in Matthew 11:29. When you wear a yoke, this means you are committed to a certain person, place, or thing. Where there is no commitment to a person, place, or thing; there is no involvement. To learn means to get an understanding to seek and to search with all your heart. When we seek the Lord and His Truth with all of our heart, we will find Him. Jeremiah 29:13, Mathew 7:7
You will never find what you are not looking for. Knowing the Truth and being made free involves the process of continuing to study, to learn, and to grow. Don’t be afraid to ask God to show you, lead you, and guide you.
The more you look for Truth, the more you will find. The more Truth you find, you will begin to see that the Truth is a straight and narrow way; a way that only a few choose to travel.
It was religious Church people that had Jesus nailed to a cross. Stand up for the Truth, but when you do, realize that you will stand out. Truth has been and will always be challenging to that which is not true.
The title of this message is “Fact or Fiction”. The word “fact” here refers to what the Bible teaches. The word “fiction” is defined as something invented by imagination, an assumption of a possibility as a fact regardless of the question of its truth or legality. A fictioneer is one who propagates fiction which are things not true.
Let’s examine a few examples of subjects commonly taught across pulpits of many churches in our world today.
We will give each example the “fact or fiction” test: fact refers to its validity according to the Bible; fiction refers to something invented or made up and passed along as “truth”.
#1) Many churches practice the baptism of infants by sprinkling. Fact or Fiction?
The answer is fiction. The only way baptism was ministered in the Bible was by full immersion in water of a believer who was old enough to repent of their sins. Mark 16:16, John 3:3, Acts 2:37-38
#2) Many churches baptize by full immersion in the titles Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Fact or Fiction?
The answer is fiction. The Bible knows only one baptismal formula; that is in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin. Jesus is the one who died for us and remission only comes in His name. Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:48
#3) Many churches today believe in the Doctrine of the Trinity, that is, God in three persons, coequal, coexistent, and coeternal. Fact or Fiction?
The answer is Fiction. The word “trinity” does not even appear one time in the Bible. From end to end, the Bible is clearly a Oneness book declaring over and over again that there is only One God. Deuteronomy 6:4, Ephesians 4:5, 1 Timothy 3:16
#4) Many preachers today have potential “converts” repeat the sinner’s prayer. After this prayer is repeated, the candidate is pronounced “born again” or “saved”. Fact or Fiction?
The answer is Fiction. No where in the Bible is there any recording of a “sinner’s prayer” being repeated to become “born again” or “to be saved”. The Bible clearer states that a man must be born again of the water and of the spirit. Mark 16:16, John 3:3,5, Acts 2:37-39
#5) Many preachers in churches today state that after 2,000 years, Jesus has not returned yet. Fact or Fiction?
The answer is Fiction. John begins the Book of Revelation by stating that the things described in the Book of Revelation MUST shortly come to pass and that the time was at hand. Revelation 1:1,3 Jesus ends the Book of Revelation by saying several times “Behold, I come quickly” Revelation 22:7,12,20
#6) Many preachers in churches today say that the world is about to end. Fact of Fiction?
The answer is Fiction. The Bible clearly states that our physical Earth has no end and will abide forever. Ecclesiastes 1:4, Ephesians 3:21
#7) Many preachers in churches today say “Jesus is about to come!” Fact or Fiction?
The answer is Fiction. Jesus said in Matthew 16:27-28 that there were some standing there with Him that day who would not see death until they saw Him come in His Kingdom. Jesus also told the high priest that he would see Him coming in the clouds of heaven. Matthew 26:64
These are just a few examples of fiction being passed along to honest sincere-hearted people who are seeking to live for God and be saved. There are many more examples of fiction or falsehoods being preached and taught over pulpits all around the world.
We as followers of Jesus must not become fickle. The word “fickle” means inconsistent, unstable, given to erratic changeableness, easily deceived. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 warns against leaving sound doctrine and turning to fables or fiction.
Jesus gave us a strong warning in Matthew 7:15. It is the leaders in churches today who are at fault. Isaiah 9:16 Many times when the leadership in churches change, the church itself changes.
There are some 28,000 faiths in the world today. The fact is there is only one faith, that is the faith of the Bible. Ephesians 4:5 If all preachers would simply speak the Scriptures instead of fiction, all confusion would be erased. 1 Corinthians 1:10
Conclusion
Confusion can only come when the original meaning of Scripture is altered. Know what you believe and believe what you know. Make sure that what you believe is based on the facts of the book, chapter, and verse and by example of person, place, and event.
When everybody believes the same thing and everybody says the same thing, division is eliminated. No more confusion! Remember, it is only after all Scripture has been examined on any particular subject can true Bible doctrine be established.
It is up to each and every one of us to give our beliefs the “Fact or Fiction” test. If I want forever in my life, I must come God’s way.
