Lies that Pastors and Priests Tell
by James Jester
Christians go to church nearly every Sunday expecting to hear the truth yet most pastors tell some very big lies. They claim to teach the Bible yet teach and say things in total contradiction to the scriptures. They may not even realize they are telling lies to their congregations because they are just ignorant of what the Bible says. However, it is their job to know the scriptures; and why hasn’t their training from the colleges and seminaries taught them properly? Now that is a big question!
Lie #1: That we give gifts on Christmas because it is Christ’s birthday.
In the first place, we really do not know positively when Jesus was born. This designation of the holiday was given to us by the Catholic Church. That is why it is called Christ’s Mass.
Secondly, there is nothing wrong about giving things to our friends and family on their birthday, but to say we do it because of another persons birthday is ludicrous. This is the claim of most churches; that we give gifts because of Jesus’ birthday (assuming that Christmas is a memorial of His birth). What is wrong with this picture? If Christmas really is His birthday, then why don’t we give the biggest and best gifts to Him? Why are we giving to each other?
Finally, it is true that Jesus Christ got gifts from some very important and wise men from the east. But why? Were these birthday gifts? No!
Matthew 2:11, And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.
This scripture does not say Jesus was a baby in a manger, but rather, a “young child” in a house. It also does not say how many men there were. It took quite some time for these men from the east to reach their destination, maybe up to two years. In verse 16 of the same chapter we see that Herod ordered the killing of all children 2 years or younger. In verse 3 we see that both Herod and all of Jerusalem were “troubled” over these men. Why would they all be troubled if there were only three men? Very likely, this was a large delegation since they traveled a great distance and carrying valuable gifts.
These were not birthday gifts. It was the custom of those days to pay homage to a new king or descendant of a royal family. This was true of Jesus since He was a descendant of King David. These men from the east figured that this Jesus might well be the next ruler over their country! There is evidence that this was the case, and that these men were from the Parthian Empire. They were the descendants of the formerly scattered Israelites who were deported 7 centuries earlier.
Lie #2: That Jesus Christ has abolished the Law.
What did Jesus Himself say?
Matthew 5:17-18, “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”
The Law of God is still valid. There are many preachers today who misunderstand what the apostle Paul was saying when he mentions that the law has been “done away” or abolished. The Law was only abolished in the ritualistic sense of the Old Testament; for throughout the New Testament the moral Law (Ten Commandments) is repeated.
John 7:19, “Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?”
John 7:49, “But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.”
Cursed people? This leads me to the next lie.
Lie #3: That God loves everybody.
What does the Bible say?
Romans 9:13, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” (Repeated in the O.T.)
Psalm 139:21-22, “Do not I hate them, O Lord, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.”
Lie#4 That all races are created equal.
What does the Bible say?
Deuteronomy 7:6, “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.”
“Special people?” “Above all people?” Is this not clearly a racist statement? Of course it is, and there are many such passages in the Bible if one will just look. If a particular group of people is chosen by God, special, and above all the other races, how can all races be equal?
Lie #5: That the Jews are God’s Chosen people.
This false assumption is not found anywhere in the Bible. As you read these Bible verses, ask yourself, “Is the word ‘Jew’ found in these statements?
Isaiah 45:4, “For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.”
1Chronicles 16:13, “O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.”
Psalm 105:6, “O ye seed of Abraham his servant, ye children of Jacob his chosen.”
Isaiah 41:8, “But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.”
Since the word “Jew” is not found in these passages, there is no biblical grounds for saying the Jews are God’s chosen people. The words Semite, Hebrew, Israel, and “Jews” are not synonymous. They all have different origins and time frames. In fact, the word “Jew” did not exist until recently (about two centuries ago). There was not even a letter “J” with which to make the word.
Someone might object and say that “Israel” is mentioned in these verses. However, the modern political nation called Israel is not what is meant here. Israel is Jacob’s new name that God gave him. Therefore, it refers to a people descended from him. The Jews are not descended from Jacob/Israel, but rather from Esau/Edom. This is an admitted fact even by Jews themselves.
Lie #6: That we cannot help but sin.
What does the Bible say?
Matthew 5:48, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”
John 8:34, “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.”
1Peter 1:16, “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”
It is true that we cannot help but sometimes make mistakes; that is part of being finite and human. God does not judge us for errors. But sin is a different issue; and God will certainly judge us for deliberate known sin. We are not sinlessly perfect but we should be perfect in our intentions; and that is all God requires. A sincere and devout Christian wants to please the heavenly Father.
Lie #7: That we should always obey the government.
This is a misunderstanding of Romans chapter 13. The context of this chapter reveals that only good government (in accordance with God’s Law) is to be obeyed. A corrupt government (outside of divine law) is to be shunned and disobeyed when called upon by conscience and faith.
Acts 5:29, “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”
Lie #8: That we should pray for peace.
Matthew 10:34, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.”
Luke 12:51, “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:”
Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”
As long as there are descendants of “thy seed” and “her seed” living on this planet there will never be peace.
Lie #9: That the word gentile means non-Jew.
“Gentile” is simply a word for “nation.” It is not necessarily the designation of a non-Jew. Here are a few examples:
Mark 10:33-34 “…the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles; and they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.”
Here, Romans are referred to as Gentiles.
John 7:35 “Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? Will he go unto the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?”
Who were “the dispersed among the nations?” The ancient Israelites were captured and dispersed by Assyria some 700 years before Christ appeared; and long before there were any Jews. So Israelites are referred to as Gentiles.
Acts 13:47 “For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee [Paul and Barnabas] to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.”
So Paul and Barnabas were to be a light to the nations of Israel who were scattered to the ends of the earth. Once again, early Israelites are referred to as particular Gentiles or nations.
Is there any other confirmation in scripture that “gentiles” means Israelite nations? Yes:
James 1:1 “James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes [of Israel] which are scattered abroad, greeting.”
Simply put, James is saying, “Hello, Gentiles.” Or, “Hello twelve tribes of Israel.”
Gentiles simply mean nations. It must be determined from the context of scripture which nation (or family of people) it is referring to. To assume that Gentiles are always non-Jews is ludicrous. It just so happens that in most cases, Gentiles means non-Jew (properly, non-Judean) because it is referring to a location outside of Judea.
Lie #10: That Christ died for everybody.
Jesus Christ died only for the “lost sheep” sometimes called the Elect in the Bible. Contrary to popular opinion, the Elect are not the ones arbitrarily selected by God out of all the nations of the world whom He has determined to save (Calvinism), nor are the Elect those who will be saved of all nations who have decided to follow Jesus (Arminianism).
The Bible clearly tells us who the Elect are:
Isaiah 45:4, “For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect…”
A very plain statement by God himself that no one can deny, “Israel my Elect.” A verse that most theologians do not even know is in the Bible. Because of this verse, there can be reconciliation between the two theological systems that have debated about the Elect over the many centuries since the Protestant Reformation. Now all we need to ask is; who is Israel?
Most people think that Israel is a country in the Middle East. Does the Bible say that? No. Israel is not a country; it is a people. The word “Israel” first appears in Gen 32:28:
“Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.”
Jacob’s name was changed to “Israel” by God. From this point on Israel refers to Jacob’s descendants and them only. No other race qualifies for the redemption that is in Christ. What race is Israel? What race has carried the gospel message for centuries? What race has built churches, hospitals and great western civilizations? No other race but the Caucasian (White) race, the former “lost tribes” of Israel.
Lie #11: That Christians should always be peaceful.
It is alleged by most pastors and priests that Christians are never to resort to violence because “the weapons of our warfare are spiritual” (see 2 Cor. 10:4). But this passage and others do not mean we are in a spiritual warfare only. It is not one or the other; it is both. Consider the following scriptures:
Ecclesiastes 3:8, “A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.”
Jeremiah 51:20, “Thou art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms.”
Matthew 10:34, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.”
Sometimes we, as Christians, are forced by providence into actions that we would not do under normal circumstances.
Lie #12: That the kingdom of God is spiritual.
Preachers and Christians, for the most part, teach that the kingdom of God is not a literal physical kingdom but it is spiritually within all believers. If this were true then many other scriptures would not make sense. Such as:
2 Samuel 7:13, “He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.” (See also 2 Samuel 7:16)
Psa 89:36, “His seed shall endure for ever, and his throne as the sun before me.”
These verses alone say the kingdom is to last “forever” and there are many others which state the same thing.
Isa 9:6-7, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.”
This verse confirms the above verses with the words “no end” and “even for ever.” Note also that the government shall be upon this literal throne of David. Jesus himself strongly implied the benefits of God’s kingdom:
John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”
Notice that Jesus said He is the “door” to this kingdom and that His sheep would find “pasture.” This implies land and safety.
