Denigrating the Authority of What is Written in the Bible is a Sure Sign of a Deceiver

Here is a quote from Prosperity Gospel preacher and New Apostolic Reformation figure Bill Johnson which illustrates what we are dealing with here.

(Begin quote) “Much of today’s church relies more on a book the early church didn’t have, than the Holy Spirit they did have.” (End quote- Johnson, Bill and Beni, Walking in the Supernatural: Another Cup of Spiritual Java, ch. 26, “Read to Have a God Encounter,” Destiny Image Pub., 2012)

It is rather a tragedy that not fully relying on what is actually written in the Bible defines modern churches (though more than a few do understand and admit that the Prosperity Gospel and the New Apostolic Reformation are deceptions).

The New Testament is actually the product of the early church being guided by the Holy Spirit (by early church, I mean the churches founded by the Apostles of Christ in the first century as they followed what they were taught by them). The Apostles of Christ gave heed to, and were instructed by, the Old Testament. The writings of what is known now as the Old Testament now were the already existing Scriptures in the first century, because its content had already been inspired by the Holy Spirit. God had not, and has not since, changed from Old Testament times (because He is unchanging).

There is no reliable way to know what is of the Holy Spirit, and what is not, without the written Word of God to judge that. This reality also exposes the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Mormons, and any church which has extra-biblical teachings which it regards as authoritative. These analyze and scrutinize the Bible in accordance with their church’s own tradition. They thereby exalt their own tradition and make the written Word of God of none effect in doing so (see Mark 7:13).

1 John 4:1-3 says: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.”

The word pertaining to confessing or not confessing that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh in 1 John chapter 4 is “homologeo” in the Greek text. It means “same word.” Consider how John chapter 1 teaches that Jesus is the Logos who is from the beginning and who was made flesh. The word “logos” goes deeper than spoken words, yet its definitions having to do with thought, reason, logic, etc. don’t negate the necessity to speak in agreement with, and not deny, what the written Word teaches, Since obviously, one who is led by the Spirit of Christ (the Holy Spirit) would speak in agreement with His written Word and not deny nor suppress, anything in His written Word (which was inspired by the Holy Spirit– see 2 Timothy 3:15-17).

In relation to Johnson’s quote, here is another one from Todd White (who has a similar false gospel to Johnson- it is no surprise that he has a lot of just Biblical scrutiny towards himself which he sees it necessary to discredit).

(Begin quote) “And if you are a religious without relationship person, you will study the Word, to find the ways that you can expose all the false teachers that are out there and not realize that you’re actually leading people to hell. I say that, again. It feels so good inside as you study religion, but you do not have intimacy or relationship. God did not create you to have a relationship with a book. God did not create you to have relationship with a book. I am not to have a relationship with a book.” (End quote- From a message titled “Religion Hates Relationship”)

Note the clear inference from this quote that those who take heed to “the book” do not have a relationship with God. However, it was the devil who did not want Jesus to reference “the book” (the Bible; the written Word of God) when he tempted Him in the wilderness.

Matthew 4:3: “And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.”

Jesus didn’t take the bait precisely because He referenced “the book”and fully relied on what is written therein.

Matthew 4:4: “But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

No one will go to hell for calling a false teacher a false teacher. The Bible is on the side of the righteous (who are only righteous because they have really submitted to the Bible’s authority- and if they believe anything contrary to what it teaches, they really want to know better and adjust accordingly).

Isaiah 8:20: “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.”

The Apostle Paul told the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:26-31: “Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God (my note- he had taught them out of “the book” and had used “the book” to expose false teachers; he is telling the Ephesian elders here to continue doing the same). Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood (by the way: we see the Trinity implied here). For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.”

You can know a grievous wolf for certain when someone criticizes others for referencing what is written in the Bible and/or entices others by decrying and/or downplaying what is written in the Bible.