The Duck Test: “If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck.”
Unfortunately, it isn’t that easy when it comes to what is and isn’t Christian.
They may look like a church, use Christian verbiage in their sermons, prominently display the Bible, meet on Sundays, sing songs about God, have the name of Christ plastered on their walls, but it doesn’t mean they’re God’s people.
This lesson is found in 1 Kings 12. “Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar” (1 Kings 12:32).
It looked and sounded like the feast of Tabernacles, but it wasn’t.
Jeroboam made every effort to have everything look and taste like the worship and sacrifices of God in the Temple, but they weren’t. They had changed it. It was in the wrong month.
Today, there are religions trying to look and sound Christian, which is the definition of a cult, but they’re not Christian. They’ve changed the truth ever so slightly. But a lie is still a lie even if it contains some portions of the truth.
They accept the Bible, but not completely because they add their own writings to it, thus changing who God is.
Further, they give a good first impression that they’re righteous and holy, having a great set of standards and good morals. But a lie is still a lie no matter how nicely it’s dress up.
Therefore, be careful not to get caught up the lies being taught thinking they’re truth. It may not be a duck after all.
Jesus said, “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matthew 7:22-23).
Dennis Lee is the senior pastor of Living Waters Fellowship located at 211 West 1st South, behind ACE Hardware.
This Sunday Pastor Dennis will be looking at the Faith of Abraham and what we can learn from his life to help our faith grow. The message is entitled, “Abraham: The Father of the Faith.”
Sunday morning service begins at 10 a.m. either in-person or on-line (Children and Youth ministry available). All services and teachings, including Sunday 6 p.m. service, are available on our YouTube Channel, “Mesquite NV Living Waters Fellowship.”
To find more about Living Waters Fellowship visit, “mesquitelivingwaters.com.”
In regards to cults changing the Bible, I am reminded of a time in witnessing to a Jehovah witness. The scripture they took out of context to try to prove their point that Jesus is not God was done by adding one word to John 1:1. Where it says “and the Word was God”, they added “a” after the word was from their New World Translation. I had a similar experience in witnessing to a Mormon some time later. But then I took them to Revelation 22:18-19,
“For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
Neither could not say another word; it went silent. My prayer is that as they left, God moved in their heart and that they received Jesus as their Savior and Lord as those seeds were watered. I had also through the scriptures tried to show the difference between working for their salvation and grace through faith in Jesus.
Thank you Debbie for your reply.
But it isn’t just to the cults as I have come to realize. Over my years as a pastor, I have also seen the same behavior from Christians. But the saddest is that it is also on the part of pastors. I have had three such experiences when pastors, who should know better, followed what they wanted to do without regard to what the Bible has to say, even knowing prior to the act that what they were doing was wrong. In other words, they are following an agenda rather than God’s word.
Now, I’m not saying they are not Christians, but what I find sad is that it’s sometimes hard to tell the difference.
We as believers in Jesus Christ, Christians, need to be example setters, where those who don’t know the truth or just have part of the truth, should be able to look at us and want what we have, and that is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. But if we don’t live the life we say we believe in, then we really don’t have anything they want, because they get plenty of that from the world.
I wholeheartedly agree that the same issue occurs within the body of Christ and that we need to be the example. That is what I have learned, both ministering to family members and others. Most recently, as a result, that is what has ministered to Abby, our great niece, and I am seeing a difference in my interactions with her, and she has come a long way. Also Jodi, Sammy’s staff from the group home has really had the desire to seek God through His word and looks forward to coming to church when she has that time frame off from work. I’m seeing her life being transformed bit by bit. That is what happens when we allow ourselves to be transformed by God’s word and not the world. (Romans 12:2)
Thank you Pastor Dennis for telling it like it is. Christianity is not a “If it feels good do it” way of life.It’s also not a “God is just waiting for you to mess up so he can zap you” life. It is a relationship with Jesus grown and mentored in a church like yours!
Thank you Linda,
Christianity is more than a religion, it is a way of life, it is having a relationship with Jesus Christ. We need to be faithful to His calling, and not our own. The writer of Hebrews says it this way, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.’ (Hebrews 12:2a)
Take care and God bless
What I have noticed lately is that people are not just adding or taking away from the Word but completely taking it out of context to fit their teaching or interpreting to their own understanding. Not seeking the true context and God’s understanding. I realize the Word is alive and active and can personally speak into our life’s but it never loses its context . Very similar to what many are doing to our Constitution today. It was a divine document written by men who loved the Lord and the Bible. It is a brilliant document yet as the times change people try to water it down to fit our times today. We should not water down God’s Words. We should not conform the Bible to the world but the world to the Bible. To Jesus. God Bless. Thank you Pastor.
Thank you Melissa,
I hope you guys are doing well. Thank you for your response. I hope it gives pause to people to consider the fulness of God’s word no matter what the subject is that is being discussed.
Take care and God bless