Teaching for Doctrine the Commandments of Men

We expect false doctrine in what has traditionally been considered the cults. But we rarely expect it where it is most common, in the church. Groups like Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and the former World-Wide Church of God, etc. I once was in a United Methodist Church and I asked for prayer for my brother, who is a Jehovah's Witness. The pastor, who was leading the group study that day, basically said "so what". And this is a common occurrence in the modern American Church. We don't care to witness to the cults any more. False Doctrines are commandments of men.

Self-Esteem: Self-Esteem is a doctrine introduced into the church by Dr. James Dobson. It is a form of pride and any one who tells you it is not is lying. In John 2:16 the older Strong's Concordances included in their Greek Dictionaries (Lexicons) the term "self-esteem" as part of the definition of the word pride translated "pride of life". Zondervan's so called Strongest Strong's changed this definition to fit the modern doctrine of self-Esteem by removing that term "self-esteem from the definition. If a preacher tells you that "humility does not mean thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less." This is a half-truth. We should think of ourselves less, no doubt, but we should also think like the apostle Paul that we are the chief of sinners. So, we should think less of ourselves. Any of the older Strong's concordances with a dictionary or lexicon that uses the Strong's numbering system will have self-esteem as part of the definition used in 1^st John 2:16 to translate the word "pride" in the term "pride of life" found in the previously referenced verse. Self-Esteem is a form of pride and a form of selfishness.

The redefined Forgiveness: Forgiveness has been redefined by the modern American church to not mean forgive and forget. It still should mean forgive and forget as it did years ago. The redefining of forgiveness panders to the self-Esteem lie.

Jesus is only one of many ways to heaven : There are not many ways, Jesus is the one and only way to heaven, scripture teaches that Jesus the Christ is the only way is to heaven. There is no other name under heaven whereby men must be saved.

Salvation by works: Salvation is by grace alone through faith (trust, belief) alone in Jesus Christ alone. Adding baptism to end of the plan of salvation is a false doctrine and borders on cult-doctrine.

Sin means missing the mark: This is a false doctrine, scripture teaches that sin is transgression of the law.

Instrumental is not allowed: Unless it's a pitch-pipe or it's at funerals or weddings. A passage in Ephesians which talks about worshiping in spirit and truth. Many who teach this false doctrine allow instruments at home, and can worship using them in their home. The fact that it allowed in the house indicates clearly that they believe worship is not only at the church building, but every day, every where at all times and that fact alone invalidates their excuse, which is really based on twisting the scripture.

Claiming that instrumental music is against God's will in a church worship service is an outright flagrant lie!

The Holy Bible is not literal. If a person can not answer "yes" to the following question you have a cult and not a Bible-believing church. "Do you believe that the protestant Bible, without the Apocrypha, as written in the originals languages, is the literal, inerrant, infallible, inspired,

meaning God breathed, written Word of God?"

Some want to say that not everything in the scripture is literal and this is true, but it is still literally the written Word of God and still literally the infallible Word of God and still literally God-breathed to the apostles and other authors (inspiration) of the written Word. Jesus the Christ (Messiah) is the living Word.

The King James Version of 1611 is the only right and accurate translation: Sometimes the church may not limit itself to the KJV of 1611 but still limits itself to the KJV, not because of personal preference, but as a matter of doctrine. I use and prefer the King James Version (KJV) and have a preference for the KJV and other word for word translations, I think thought by thought translations, such as the New International (NIV) and the New Living Translation are at best commentaries. However, to claim that the KJV is the only right translation is arrogant and denies the power of God.

God does not work miracles today: I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God still works miracles today. No, I don't work miracles, but God still does, In 2008 I was riding a bicycle and a car sped out of a Wal-Mart parking lot and hit me, breaking my left clavicle (collarbone). I could of died in that situation. It is true that some of today's modern miracle workers are not from God, but God most definitely still works miracles today. It is not an ordinary thing for a bicyclist to survive a car, it is not ordinary for an accident to cause the bone to be severed in just the right place. Just surviving such situations is miraculous. Like limiting God to the King James Version, denying that miracles still happen today is to deny the power of God.

Closed Communion : Apparently, this is a common thing among many of today's modern American Churches. John 3:16 teaches very plainly "whosoever will" may come to Jesus and it is not the business of human leaders to determine who is sincere in their faith. It is basically an arrogant and selfish doctrine of men disguised as protecting the membership.

This is not a complete list of the doctrines of men. Stranger Danger and requiring covenants between members are among the commandments of men I have not covered in this article.