The Test Of A True Or False Christian

1 Timothy 6:2-3 BSB
“3 If anyone teaches another doctrine and disagrees with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and with godly teaching, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing. Instead, he has an unhealthy interest in controversies and semantics, out of which come envy, strife, abusive talk, evil suspicions”

The test of a genuine Christian is in what they believe, teach, and preach. If they adhere to another doctrine, alienated from that which Christ preached, and reject the core and fundamental message of the gospel with the rest of the New Testament, it reveals their spiritual condition. Tread lightly from such people, or they may entrap your soul with deceptive words.

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Does Colossians 1:15 Teach That Jesus Was Created?

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. -Colossians 1:15 BSB

The Jehovah’s Witnesses claim or interpret the word “firstborn” as being created. The word could mean that, but it does have another meaning, like preeminence: to be the chief or have the first place. When we read a passage, it cannot be isolated from the rest of its context. The Jehovah’s Witnesses are notorious for this. 

The word firstborn is describing something about Jesus in verse 15. What is “firstborn” telling us about Jesus? Was He the first creation of Yahweh? The only way to know how the Scripture uses the word firstborn is to keep reading verses 16-18, which we will see the same word used again with its meaning at the end of verse 18.

Verse 16…

16 For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities. All things were created through Him and for Him. -Colossians 1:16 BSB

The word “Him” refers to Jesus Christ. Verse 16 shows that Jesus is the one who created everything seen and unseen. The Jehovah’s Witnesses like to say that Jehovah used Jesus to create for Him. Well, what is the problem with that? If one accepts that interpretation, then we will make Jesus into a different deity or a god with a low “g.” They teach this with John 1:1. I won’t get into that in this post. The Scripture reveals Jesus as God, who exists as three separate persons, but all three persons are the same God called Yahweh. 

If we look at verse 16 closely, you will see the opposite of how the Jehovah’s Witnesses translates that verse. Let’s look at the last part of the verse, which says, “All things were created through Him and for Him.” So, if Jehovah is using Jesus to create the universe for Jehovah, then why does it says this, “All things were created through Jesus and for Jesus.” (the word “Him” refers to Jesus). Jesus created everything, the angels, humans, animals, the planets, etc., for Himself, not Jehovah. Mind you, I’m using this argument against the Jehovah’s Witnesses because they, not me, believe that Jesus and Jehovah are two different deities. If they are separate, why would God create everything through Jesus, and for Jesus and not for God? That is the dilemma that they have in verse 16 alone. 

In Isaiah 44:24, God said that He didn’t use anyone to create the universe but did it Himself. That also destroys the Jehovah’s Witness interpretation the God used Jesus to make everything.

Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who by Myself spread out the earth -Isaiah 44:24 BSB

Verse 17…

17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. -Colossians 1:17 BSB

“He is before all things” points back to the word firstborn, which has the meaning of having the first place. Jesus was not only there before angels, humans, and everything else, but He is the one holding everything from falling apart by His great power. Does that not sound like it’s speaking about God? Read below.

35 Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day, who sets in order the moon and stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the LORD of Hosts is His name: 36 “Only if this fixed order departed from My presence, declares the LORD, would Israel’s descendants ever cease to be a nation before Me.” -Jeremiah 31:35-36 BSB

Not only did Jesus create everything for Himself, but He is the one keeping all created things working as they should. Where is Jehovah in all this, if indeed, He is a separate diety? When a person understands who Jesus is, Yahweh, it all makes sense. Jesus, who is God, created all things by His word and made them all for Himself and by His great power keeps them where they should be (the sun, moon, and stars).

Verse 18…

18 And He is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning and firstborn from among the dead, so that in all things He may have preeminence. -Colossians 1:18 BSB

In verse 18, the word firstborn is used again, and it gives us an example of how Paul is using the word firstborn in the context of verses 16-18. Paul uses firstborn, as Jesus being the first one to resurrect from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20). Then he gives the meaning of it with the word “preeminence.” Nowhere do you see Paul using the word “firstborn” as creating someone, but it is specifically used, as when a father has many sons, all that the father has will belong to the firstborn son (Strong’s Greek 4415). 

In conclusion: Jesus was never created but always existed. We have to realize that to get the correct definition of a word, it must be read in its proper context, as it carries more than one meaning. So, Colossians 1:15 does not teach that Jesus was created but that Jesus created all things because He is the I AM.

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A Closer Look At The Cult Of Mormonism

The religion of Mormonism is very dangerous. It preaches another Jesus that is foreign to the Scriptures for the sole purpose of deceiving people—taking them to a different Jesus, one made up by Joseph Smith’s imagination. Joseph Smith is the founder of Mormonism. In their site they state…

“The Bible and Book of Mormon: another ancient record

Just like God spoke to Moses and Noah in the Bible, He also spake to people in the Americas. These men wrote down God’s word. Their writings were eventually gathered into one book, the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. The Book of Mormon is evidence that God loves all His children in all parts of the world.”

http://www.churchofjesuschrist.org

The Scriptures clearly warns us about believing in another gospel or “Testament of Jesus Christ” which, ironically, is the exact thing that the Mormons claim to believe.

6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel, 7 which is not just another account; but there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, even now I say again: if anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! -Galatians 1:6-9

Joseph Smith taught that he received another testimony of Jesus Christ from an angel named Moroni who came to him. He told him that Jesus Christ came to the Indians in the Americas after His resurrection 2000 years ago. Of course, you won’t find any such account in the Scriptures because it is all made up. But that is not the only book which is called the Book of Mormon. They have other “holy” books that say demonic things about God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

In one of their books called “Doctrine and Covenants”, section 27 in the title, it says the following.

“Revelation given to Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Harmony, Pennsylvania, August 1830. In preparation for a religious service at which the sacrament of bread and wine was to be administered, Joseph set out to procure wine. He was met by a heavenly messenger and received this revelation, a portion of which was written at the time and the remainder in the September following. Water is now used instead of wine in the sacramental services of the Church.”

As you can see, Joseph Smith received a new revelation or gospel of Jesus Christ from an angel, which in Galatians 1:8-9 says not to believe in another gospel even if an angel from heaven should tell you. I guess Joseph Smith forgot to read that portion of the Bible giving the warning. I say this because it is too blatant where the Scriptures says as a warning that if this or that happens, know that it is not from the Lord. Joseph Smith does exactly the opposite of what the Scriptures warn us not to believe and he goes right ahead and believes the fallen angel’s false gospel.

The Mormon’s Book “Doctrine and Covenants”

Doctrine and Covenants 27:5, “Behold, this is wisdom in me; wherefore, marvel not, for the hour cometh that I will drink of the fruit of the vine with you on the earth, and with Moroni, whom I have sent unto you to reveal the Book of Mormon, containing the fulness of my everlasting gospel, to whom I have committed the keys of the record of the stick of Ephraim;

The Word of God, the Bible

Paul warns the Christians in the church of Corinth to be careful not to fall into the devil’s trap and believe in a false Jesus, gospel and spirit.

3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his trickery, your minds will be led astray from sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, this you tolerate very well! -2 Corinthians 11:3-4

The Book of Moses which is another “holy” book for the Mormons

Look how twisted the Mormon’s book called “Moses” In Chapter 4 verse 1 is.

Moses 4:1 (one of the Mormon books) “1 And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying: That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from the beginning, and he came before me, saying—Behold, here am I, send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; wherefore give me thine honor.”

Here, it has Satan wanting to be the savior of the world and also to be the son of God. The Mormons make it so evidently clear that they have absolutely no clue why Jesus has to be the Savior of the world. It seems that the Mormons think that anyone can become the savior. But, as you will see, only God can be the Savior of the world.

In Isaiah 43:11 it says,

I, only I, am the LORD, And there is no savior besides Me. -Isaiah 43:11

And, in the New Testament of the Book of Acts 4:10, 12 it says,

10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health…12 And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved. -Acts 4:10, 12

We see that in Isaiah and Acts, there is only ONE Savior, yet two persons are named as the only Savior of the world, which is Yahweh and Jesus Christ. In Isaiah 43, the LORD makes it clear that no other Savior exists but Him alone. Now, in Acts 4, it is the same pronouncement. No one else can save people from their sins. Only by the name of Jesus Christ can men be saved. Basically, the LORD and Jesus are the same Savior. In other words, they are the same God. God existing as two persons—God the Father and God the Son, both being Yahweh (John 1:1-2, 14).

There is much more that the Mormons say that is twisted and demonic. But, for the sake of time, I cannot get into it now. With these few examples, I hope that it will make you see that Mormonism is not a Christian church and they do not worship the true Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. They worship a false Jesus.

Friends, there is an alluring quality to the Mormon church because they are family oriented. Be careful in reading their material and from going to a Mormon church because the moment you start attending, you are intaking poisonous doctrines which will slowly erode sound doctrine. They are a cult invented by Joseph Smith, who either lied about seeing the Father and the Son, having the false angel Moroni giving him a new gospel of Jesus Christ, or really was deceived by a demonic spirit parading itself as an angel of light.

No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. -2 Corinthians 11:14