You are driving down the road and you see that yellow and black sign “Caution: Men at Work”. It is a sign to warn you to drive carefully. But even more importantly, there is a more dangerous warning that needs to be heeded. That is the caution sign of false teachers out there.
Jesus, in His monumental Sermon on the Mount, warned of false teachers.
“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
Matthew 7:15
Paul also issued a similar caution in his farewell address to the Ephesian elders.
“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert; remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears.”
Acts 20:28-31
One such current false teacher is Creflo Dollar, who posted the following this past week on his Facebook page.
“Jesus bled and died for us so that we can lay claim to the promise of financial prosperity.”
Creflo Dollar
What would you expect from someone of his likes who hangs around the Word of Faith teachers such as Richard Roberts, son of Oral Roberts?
But what makes his post even more blasphemous(yes that is what I intended to say, no Freudian slip here) is that he hashtags it to abundant life.(#ProsperityInChrist #WealthyLiving #AbundantLife). In so doing he misinterprets the words of Jesus Christ. And that is because his hermeneutical lens by which he interprets all Scripture is the false prosperity gospel.
“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
John 10:10
What did the Jews, the original audience, understand Jesus meant by abundant life? Their understanding was of course based on their knowledge of the Old Testament. King David talked about green pasture that the LORD, his shepherd provided for(Psalm 23:2). Here Jesus says that the one who is saved, because he enters through the door, namely Jesus, will find pasture(John 10:9).
Sheepherders would provide green pasture for their fold to enjoy and protection from thieves. When thieves would climb to steal the sheep(John 10:1), the sheep would flee because they did not recognise the voice of a stranger (John 10:5). Thus, the only way the thief would be able to take the sheep was to slice the sheep’s throat(John 10:10). Unlike the thieves, as the Good Shepherd, Jesus provides eternal life that begins here and now for His own to enjoy and protection from losing that life He has granted them.
The context of John 10 makes that very clear. Jesus said that His sheep…
…hear and know His voice(John 10:3-4; John 10:27).
…follow Him(John 10:4; John 10:27).
…will not follow a stranger, they will actually flee, for they do not know his voice(John 10:5).
…did not listen to thieves and robbers(John 10:7).
…know Him, the Good Shepherd(John 10:14).
Jesus also said that He, as the Good Shepherd…
…calls His own sheep by name(John 10:3).
…leads them out(John 10:3).
…laid down His life for His sheep(John 10:11; John 10:15).
…knows His sheep(John 10:14; John 10:27).
…gives His sheep eternal life(John 10:28).
What provision! What protection! What abundant life! What assurance! What security!
“I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
John 10:28-30
God is against Creflo Dollar, and other false teachers, who distort the Word of God for personal gain by preying upon souls like the ravenous and fierce wolves that they are.
“The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy, and say to them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord God: Ah, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat ones, but you do not feed the sheep. The weak you have not strengthened, the sick you have not healed, the injured you have not bound up, the strayed you have not brought back, the lost you have not sought, and with force and harshness you have ruled them. So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered; they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them. “Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: As I live, declares the Lord God, surely because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild beasts, since there was no shepherd, and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep, therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I am against the shepherds, and I will require my sheep at their hand and put a stop to their feeding the sheep. No longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, that they may not be food for them.”
Ezekiel 34:1-10
