As true born again Christians must or should we name and shame heretics?

[DieAmartyr]

As true born again Christians who believe and obey the uncorrupted Gospel of the Lord Jesus and Salvation through his shed blood?
As a duty to Almighty God's, both name and shame obviously corrupt heretics?

Be Blessed
Alan McDougall

No never we should love them, and pray for them. That is the only answer really as a true Christian.

 

[Dave L]

Personal testimony is the best way to share Christ. Because it is easy to send people in the wrong direction trying to share our understanding of scripture. An example is, before getting involved with any church, I saw many converts to Christ just by sharing my experience. After getting involved with a church I focused on sharing the false doctrines they deceived me with. At the time I trusted they knew better than me but in the long run, they did not. It wasn't until after decades of study that I felt confident about what the bible taught. So my advice is, stick to the simple story of what happened to you and spend lots of time studying before saying too much about your bible views. Chances are you have been deceived too.

 

[DieAmartyr]

Personal testimony is the best way to share Christ. Because it is easy to send people in the wrong direction trying to share our understanding of scripture. An example is, before getting involved with any church, I saw many converts to Christ just by sharing my experience. After getting involved with a church I focused on sharing the false doctrines they deceived me with. At the time I trusted they knew better than me but in the long run, they did not. It wasn't until after decades of study that I felt confident about what the bible taught. So my advice is, stick to the simple story of what happened to you and spend lots of time studying before saying too much about your bible views. Chances are you have been deceived too.

Testimony is good but it is not scripture. Testimony is good because it gives modern account for ancient teachings showing the Bible is alive, worthy and relevant today.

 

[PloughBoy]

Testimony is good but it is not scripture. Testimony is good because it gives modern account for ancient teachings showing the Bible is alive, worthy and relevant today.

Dave L said: "Personal Testimony" not "Testimony" there is a difference. And I can testifiy by My "Personal Testimony" of the things he had said in His "Testimony" that I have found that this is True. And that it is agreeable in "holy Scripture" as well! Apostle Paul had also a "Personal Testamony" and when He gave his "Personal Testamony" often and it was Not scripture, neither had it been written but he declared what had Happen to him. And there was not a collection of "New Testaments" Books of Letters to backup His Testamony! But By "God's decree" "Millions have been save by the "Personal Testimonies" of a "Damascus Road Experience" and I am one.

I was smoking "Columbia Gold" and Told GOD, while I was Puffing, and holding it in. GOD, If you give me something Better that this, "I will serve you" for i don't believe in no Preachers , deacons, or churches. Looking at that Joint and holding it with 2 fingers! He DID, In that same moment, I went into a vision, saw Jesus with a crown of Thorns around His head, Blood dripping Down His Face, Blood coming out of the front side of His eyes, faced all scared up, The Sadness of HIS eyes, and He called me by name! "Chris, I died for you" It broke my Heart! and I cried out at Work on the JOB! Please LORD not me!! Don't die for me, I am to bad! he did it anyhow, My Heart crack Open and THE POWER Of The HOLY GHOST Burst My Heart, wide OPEN! more powerful than a "Nuclear" BomB! And set My SOUL on FIRE! for GOD, I threw all that "WEED" in the TOILET' and I been yelling "Jesus with a LOUD Voice every since 1977! and I am still on FIRE! But it has been times, I thought the World and some of My brothers and sisters in Christ had put it OUT! And before I knew it, I have felt The "Flicker of The Flame" and it Lit some "Reserve OIL" that someone Left in MY LAMP! And The Fire took BLAZE! and SET My SOUL on FIRE AGAIN! With No Smoke and burning "PURE OIL" "VIRGIN OIL"!

Now That is what you call a "Personal Testamony"! Like The One "Dave L" is talking about! And Dave, we Know, Those events are Written in a "Special "BOOK" in Heaven, That belongs to GOD, that is callled "The Book of Remembrance"! about some "Personal Testamonies"!

(Malachi 3)BSB
At that time those who feared the LORD spoke with one another, and the LORD listened and heard them. So a scroll of remembrance was written before Him regarding "those" who feared the LORD and honored His name.“They will be Mine,” says the LORD of Hosts, “on the day when I prepare My treasured possession. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.…

This is The One That Called My Name, in 1977 while I was "Smoking Weed" "Columbia Gold"! I saw HIs FACE I beheld HIS Blood, I saw His tears, I saw the sadness of HIs eyes. No one, Can Take that away From Me! No NOT ONE! No one cannot even explain it to Me! I became a "New Creature"! a New Being! and there is No one that can explain that to me! BUT GOD Himself! Now, that is what You call a "Personal Testamony"

One song writer wrote: "He Touch me"!
And another: "I come to the Garden alone, while the dew is still on the Roses, and the voice I hear falling on my Ear. The Son of GOD is Callling ! and He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am His Own and The Joy's we share as we tarry there no other has even known.

You know the rest.
Shalom

 

[DieAmartyr]

Dave L said: "Personal Testimony" not "Testimony" there is a difference. And I can testifiy by My "Personal Testimony" of the things he had said in His "Testimony" that I have found that this is True. And that it is agreeable in "holy Scripture" as well! Apostle Paul had also a "Personal Testamony" and when He gave his "Personal Testamony" often and it was Not scripture, neither had it been written but he declared what had Happen to him. And there was not a collection of "New Testaments" Books of Letters to backup His Testamony! But By "God's decree" "Millions have been save by the "Personal Testimonies" of a "Damascus Road Experience" and I am one.

I was smoking "Columbia Gold" and Told GOD, while I was Puffing, and holding it in. GOD, If you give me something Better that this, "I will serve you" for i don't believe in no Preachers , deacons, or churches. Looking at that Joint and holding it with 2 fingers! He DID, In that same moment, I went into a vision, saw Jesus with a crown of Thorns around His head, Blood dripping Down His Face, Blood coming out of the front side of His eyes, faced all scared up, The Sadness of HIS eyes, and He called me by name! "Chris, I died for you" It broke my Heart! and I cried out at Work on the JOB! Please LORD not me!! Don't die for me, I am to bad! he did it anyhow, My Heart crack Open and THE POWER Of The HOLY GHOST Burst My Heart, wide OPEN! more powerful than a "Nuclear" BomB! And set My SOUL on FIRE! for GOD, I threw all that "WEED" in the TOILET' and I been yelling "Jesus with a LOUD Voice every since 1977! and I am still on FIRE! But it has been times, I thought the World and some of My brothers and sisters in Christ had put it OUT! And before I knew it, I have felt The "Flicker of The Flame" and it Lit some "Reserve OIL" that someone Left in MY LAMP! And The Fire took BLAZE! and SET My SOUL on FIRE AGAIN! With No Smoke and burning "PURE OIL" "VIRGIN OIL"!

Now That is what you call a "Personal Testamony"! Like The One "Dave L" is talking about! And Dave, we Know, Those events are Written in a "Special "BOOK" in Heaven, That belongs to GOD, that is callled "The Book of Remembrance"! about some "Personal Testamonies"!

(Malachi 3)BSB
At that time those who feared the LORD spoke with one another, and the LORD listened and heard them. So a scroll of remembrance was written before Him regarding "those" who feared the LORD and honored His name.“They will be Mine,” says the LORD of Hosts, “on the day when I prepare My treasured possession. And I will spare them as a man spares his own son who serves him.…

This is The One That Called My Name, in 1977 while I was "Smoking Weed" "Columbia Gold"! I saw HIs FACE I beheld HIS Blood, I saw His tears, I saw the sadness of HIs eyes. No one, Can Take that away From Me! No NOT ONE! No one cannot even explain it to Me! I became a "New Creature"! a New Being! and there is No one that can explain that to me! BUT GOD Himself! Now, that is what You call a "Personal Testamony"

One song writer wrote: "He Touch me"!
And another: "I come to the Garden alone, while the dew is still on the Roses, and the voice I hear falling on my Ear. The Son of GOD is Callling ! and He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am His Own and The Joy's we share as we tarry there no other has even known.

You know the rest.
Shalom

Guess I better get some " Columbia Gold" because I could sure use a vision of my own. Thank you.

 

[Dave L]

Testimony is good but it is not scripture. Testimony is good because it gives modern account for ancient teachings showing the Bible is alive, worthy and relevant today.

If you quote scripture it IS scripture. You don't remove scripture from your testimony. You just avoid the doctrinal twists false teachers put on it. An example of a false gospel is "everyone has a free will and it's up to you to accept Christ". This would be tantamount to saying God is a bully and you must say "uncle" or suffer the consequences.

But if you say for instants, "I believe in Christ and now I experience peace and joy I've never known before". He says whoever believes has eternal life. So not only is life better, he saves you too.

 

[PloughBoy]

Quote:
"Just tell people the way Christ changed your life. Everyone's testimony is powerful because it is a story about moving from death to life. Giving your personal testimony is a way to share the gospel with others by explaining your personal salvation experience. It gives other an example of how God changes lives."

But we do, Believe, many has decided that Our "Testimonies" is nothing but a bag of trash and deserve to be "MOCK"! and declared unfit. But we have been told, men and women, will look upon us as the Filth of the earth.

Weymouth New Testament
"when slandered, we try to conciliate. We have come to be regarded as the mere dirt and filth of the world--the refuse of the universe, even to this hour."


Anybody can change from being a thief to a trusted person, Anybody can change from a drug addict to not being one, anybody can change from being a drunk to a sober person, Anybody can change from a "fornicator" to a "clean living" person, Anybody can change from a liar to one that speaks the Truth!
But I will declare This Truth! Not Just AnyBody can change from a "Condemn SINNER" that Has been BORN of A WOMAN! can change themselves into A "Child of The Living GOD" Born Of His Spirit and Wash in HIS Blood! Laugh if you want to! There are No "ABRACADABRA" words that A Dead man or woman can speak or declare to be "Born of GOD"! For A Dead man has not "The Ability"! When God has said: You are DEAD, YOu are DEAD! And God does not need you, to explain what He has said: And English is not a hard "Language" for Him to speak and to convey to a corrupted being!

Only thing I see here, someone is trying to throw "water" upon our "Testimonies" and give Credit to the Devil! What God Has DONE! But let many be "warn" becareful when you pour "water" on "HOT OIL"! You have "HOT and You have COLD"! And If you need a "Interpreter" shame on you.

New Living Translation
"Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

And tell GOD, I said it! and If you don't , That is fine Too! It is recorded. and will be Presented at "The Bema Seat"! contributing my "Beatific Vision" of Christ dying on the Cross. Of High on Cannabis:

DieAmartyr
Your words: "Guess I better get some " Columbia Gold" because I could sure use a vision of my own. Thank you." I quess you are proud of those words you have spoken. I will warn again" "Be not deceived, GOD is Not Mock"! and if, you are His child, He will "discipline", and why? Because He Loves those whom HE "Disciplines"! And God is Love.

And maybe: you might not, meant for it to come out the way it did, if so, My apology. My words have been kind. But don't try me.

I have not come to fulll Perfection yet!

 

[backNforth]

[...should we] name and shame obviously corrupt heretics?

As always, we seek balance in scripture to understand application of doctrine. While it is true that much New Testament teaching, including the Lord's examples of "turning the other cheek", "forgive them for they know not what they do", etc. are the higher law to be practiced by Christians, we also note examples where believers are given authority to act in an offensive manner:

Read what Paul brought upon Elymas the sorcerer when he interfered with the work of the Gospel in Acts 13:

"9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

10 And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

11 And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thee, and thou shalt be blind, not seeing the sun for a season. And immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness; and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand."

In his second epistle to Timothy, Paul records this insight:

"14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words. {our words: or, our preachings

16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge."

This verse is notable in how Paul, on one hand, acts in an imprecatory manner against the coppersmith, while interceding for those who failed to stand up for him (Paul). This same Alexander is also named in 1Timothy 1:20, along with Hymeneus as a blasphemer whom Paul there turns over to Satan.

What appears to be a rather consistent pattern in scripture is the model of those whom we would label "reprobate"---according to Webster, "one morally abandoned or lost". Imprecatory action would be preceded by much intercession, striving with and attempts to bring a person to right standing. This was the model given by Christ in Matthew 18:7-20.

As Christians we do not curse out of personal vengeance, hatred or malice, but strive with the person for a season until it becomes apparent that the person will not turn from unrighteousness. It also appears that there are special circumstances whereby we may deal with one in an imprecatory fashion:

1.) Where the work of the Gospel is impeded and the will of God would be opposed.

2.) Where there appears to be no repentance, contrition or desire to turn from a path of unrighteousness.

3.) Where legal remedies are exhausted WITHOUT justice and the work and/or will of God is opposed. In situations requiring examination of an imprecatory action, it would be my counsel to anyone to examine deliberately the scriptures and apply the examples outlined by Jesus and His followers. I believe the three points listed above will become obvious.

One final point: during the height of the tribulation, we see the two witnesses given power that:

" ... if any man will hurt them, fire proceedeth out of their mouth, and devoureth their enemies: and if any man will hurt them, he must in this manner be killed."

Depending on how you interpret WHO the two witnesses are, it becomes apparent that the power of Elijah will be restored in some fashion to tribulation saints (see 2Kings 2).

 

[Admon Mikha'el]

Greetings,

what does the Bible say?


Bless you all ....><>

Good question Mr Bear....The bible says we are to preach/teach the truth and let Him deal with the false ones.

 

[KingJ]

As true born again Christians who believe and obey the uncorrupted Gospel of the Lord Jesus and Salvation through his shed blood?
As a duty to Almighty God's, both name and shame obviously corrupt heretics?

Be Blessed
Alan McDougall

Gal 6:1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.

A brother teaching falsely is in sin. The above applies. Name and shame is neither gentle nor loving.

You can raise your concern for person's X teaching and ask your congregation / brothers and sisters to pray for them.

 

[backNforth]

You can raise your concern for person's X teaching and ask your congregation / brothers and sisters to pray for them.

The initial procedure to follow regarding an errant brother/sister is:

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. (Mat. 18:16-18)

Post #48 provides Biblical examples where believers are given authority to act in an offensive manner.

 

[KingJ]

The initial procedure to follow regarding an errant brother/sister is:

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. (Mat. 18:16-18)

Post #48 provides Biblical examples where believers are given authority to act in an offensive manner.

I acknowledge your point but there is more to consider.

1. Nobody today is close to the spiritual awareness and operating with the power Paul and the early disciples had. Nobody, fact.
2. There is a lot of false teaching today, many teaching falsely are doing so innocently.

For us to discern the depths of peoples hearts is impossible Jer 17:9.

As such, we have to give the false teacher the benefit of the doubt and follow the advice from Jesus in Matt 18:15-17 and Paul in Gal 6:1.

 

[Sue D.]

Sounds like you're getting church discipline mixed up with false teaching / false doctrine/ in the church.

False doctrine is teaching anything other than Jesus Christ as the Son of God -- His virgin birth, death, burial and bodily resurrection on the 3rd day. And that anything we can do can help our salvation. The blood of Jesus Christ being shed for us is sufficient.

Church discipline would involve other people in the church observing something in another believers life that is obviously non-Scriptural and damaging to the testimony of the church. But to approach the other person in a loving, concerned way -- privately. Not shaking your finger at him/ her in a judgemental way. If the other person continues to do 'whatever' , then share your concern with the adult Sunday School teacher or a deaconess and then approach the person again - - just the three of you. Showing concern for their spiritual well-being. Showing from Scripture your concern. Hopefully that would be enough to either see a change in their behavior or they'd choose to go to another church. It doesn't usually to before the board of deacons for dismissal.

Do Not give a false teacher the benefit of the doubt. When a teacher / pastor is allowed to continue teaching contrary to God's Word, they cause damage to the congregation -- lead the people Away from God's truth.

A person who teaches the Word of God -- needs to Know the Word of God. Reading / studying it. If the teaching is Wrong, someone needs to challenge the teacher privately. Show the Correct teaching. And we are Told to do that. If we have a question -- Ask the pastor Where he finds the teaching he is attempting to teach. A person / pastor Should be able and willing to do that.

 

[backNforth]

1. Nobody today is close to the spiritual awareness and operating with the power Paul and the early disciples had. Nobody, fact.
2. There is a lot of false teaching today, many teaching falsely are doing so innocently.

For us to discern the depths of peoples hearts is impossible Jer 17:9.

As such, we have to give the false teacher the benefit of the doubt and follow the advice from Jesus in Matt 18:15-17 and Paul in Gal 6:1.

Thanks for the astute response.

Concerning #1 above, your statement is a generalization that tends to pander to the lowest common denominator and thus denies the Power. For example, in the authority of Jesus Christ, I have cast out demons from believers. How "close" or how far such is to my "spiritual awareness" is not the issue, but the decision to do God's will is. Ditto with discerning the depths of people's hearts.

Concerning #2 above, I could not agree more. And still there is no excuse for those who "are doing so innocently." Most have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof: from such turn away.

His commission remains.

 

[KingJ]

Thanks for the astute response.

Concerning #1 above, your statement is a generalization that tends to pander to the lowest common denominator and thus denies the Power. For example, in the authority of Jesus Christ, I have cast out demons from believers. How "close" or how far such is to my "spiritual awareness" is not the issue, but the decision to do God's will is. Ditto with discerning the depths of people's hearts.

Concerning #2 above, I could not agree more. And still there is no excuse for those who "are doing so innocently." Most have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof: from such turn away.

His commission remains.

Just to nitpick a bit. We are not to cast out demons unless the individual in question wants us to. Otherwise seven times more will come. Someone asking us to pray for them to have their demons cast out is likely 1/100 on the spiritual scale of discerning a false teacher is from the devil and needs to be cursed and made blind by our words.

There is not a single person on this planet since the disciples that has blinded a false teacher. There is not a single person who has a shadow that heals the sick.

I feel you missed my point here. The point was that Paul and the disciples were 100% in tune with the Holy Spirit. Not that we are not to do God's will and walk in the footsteps of Jesus.

Example, I pray for God to deal with someone I believe is a false teacher and leading others astray. I encourage my friends not to attend such a place / listen to the individual. Paul walks up to a false teacher and puts blindness on him.

 

[KingJ]

Sounds like you're getting church discipline mixed up with false teaching / false doctrine/ in the church.

False doctrine is teaching anything other than Jesus Christ as the Son of God -- His virgin birth, death, burial and bodily resurrection on the 3rd day. And that anything we can do can help our salvation. The blood of Jesus Christ being shed for us is sufficient.

Church discipline would involve other people in the church observing something in another believers life that is obviously non-Scriptural and damaging to the testimony of the church. But to approach the other person in a loving, concerned way -- privately. Not shaking your finger at him/ her in a judgemental way. If the other person continues to do 'whatever' , then share your concern with the adult Sunday School teacher or a deaconess and then approach the person again - - just the three of you. Showing concern for their spiritual well-being. Showing from Scripture your concern. Hopefully that would be enough to either see a change in their behavior or they'd choose to go to another church. It doesn't usually to before the board of deacons for dismissal.

Do Not give a false teacher the benefit of the doubt. When a teacher / pastor is allowed to continue teaching contrary to God's Word, they cause damage to the congregation -- lead the people Away from God's truth.

A person who teaches the Word of God -- needs to Know the Word of God. Reading / studying it. If the teaching is Wrong, someone needs to challenge the teacher privately. Show the Correct teaching. And we are Told to do that. If we have a question -- Ask the pastor Where he finds the teaching he is attempting to teach. A person / pastor Should be able and willing to do that.

False teachers are people who preach error when knowing the truth. They are liars.

There is no separation between their discipline and that of any other member gone astray. They meet all the criteria of previously being a member as they know the gospel of Jesus.

Mature Christians who love Jesus will identify error. My argument is that nobody can rebuke a false teacher as Jesus, Paul and the early disciples did. We are not as close to God as they were.

Calling someone a false teacher is a serious charge. There is no such thing as false teachers in heaven. We can't go around calling anyone preaching differently to us a false teacher. That is what is happening today.

False doctrine is teaching anything other than Jesus Christ as the Son of God

This is true. Paul says this in 1 Cor 2:2 when he preached. The issue is broader though. We have false teachers today teaching this and error. Paul looked to refine teaching to be Christ centred.

 

[Sue D.]

@KingJ -- there is a distinction in Scripture between preachers/ elders / bishops, and teachers and the congregation. A preacher / teacher Should know Bible well-enough to be able to teach it to children or adults. And those who are listening to them should Also be getting encouraged to read / study Scripture on their own so as to be able to recognize false teaching. False teaching is described as teaching anything beside Christ being Son of God and His rising from the dead bodily on the 3rd day. Salvation through the blood of Christ on the cross + nothing else needed for a person's salvation.

There's no reason that a born again believer can't be just as close to Jesus Christ Now as His disciples were back in those days.

Jesus was here as the Son of God -- diety -- God in the flesh -- I'm curious -- you list Paul and then the early disciples. Paul was just as much a man as the disciples were. While it Is true that he wrote a lot of the New Testament -- he Also was working Against the believers. God called him on the road to Amaus -- he Thought he was doing a Good thing -- very mistaken. He was challenged and repented and God used him to author the prison epistles. But he suffered a great deal.

Paul was not writting on his own accord. That seems to be what a lot of people think. That somehow Paul's 'word' was almost More inspired than the rest of the New Testament. God chose to give people of His choice -- through the Holy Spirit -- exactly the words to write.

You commented that "mature Christians who love Jesus...." sounds like there could be mature Christians who Don't love Jesus. It's the Holy Spirit that teaches us as we are reading / studying God's Word. Every born again believer is to be reading His Word in order To be growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Being aware Of what God's Word Is teaching will enable a person to recognize bad / false teaching when they hear or read it (literature from other belief systems). Pastors Can get side-tracked as can S. S. teachers. We need to be able To question what they are teaching -- and they Should be able to defend their teaching from God's Word.

And, of Course teaching other than the Bible is serious business. The only people In heaven will be born again believers -- having accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

We absolutely Do need to be realizing that someone is teaching bad doctrine and approach them - in private -- with our concerns. And when we hear preachers on TV teaching a 'prosperity Gospel' we know that That is Wrong. Do Not listen to them. Joel Osteen is one of them. And there are others.

Salvation Is Christ-centered. Not 'Paul' centered. And, yes, preaching has gotten farther and farther Away From Bible and more to 'feel good' preaching.

God Is love / providing our salvation, HOWEVER -- He is also The God of justice -- consequences Of our sinning.

 

[backNforth]

KingJ, your post is good, because it explores the mechanics of spiritual warfare, which is so lacking in the mainline evangelical "churches" today.

We are not to cast out demons unless the individual in question wants us to. Otherwise seven times more will come.

That's straight scripture. Demons hate walking through dry places. BTW, the angels that rebelled (Gen. 6) were cherubim i.e. winged. In mating with earthly women, their offspring were of rather large stature i.e. giants. And after the flood, the spirits of those drowned giants (i.e. demons) were of a wingless class, thus today they continually seek a body with which to act out their wicked nature. Point: angels would be "restricted" in a human host, while demons would be "liberated" in a human host. Example: the demons in the Gadarene man asked to be let into the swine (which, btw, were unclean!), rather than be simply cast out. Of course, after the swine drowned, the demons left the carcasses and moved on to who knows where/who.

I don't waste time dealing with people who do not want to be delivered. As a result, those I deal with are largely already in severe bondage and they know it and they want to be set free. However, getting them to that point of repentance is always the greatest challenge. As we all know, the four-walls (i.e. mainstream) "churches" do NOT preach repentance (hurts the numbers, cramps their building projects, ad nauseum). Not only do they NOT set the demonized free, but rather they set the demonized outside the church! This is abominable before the Lord!

And is there one instance in scripture where Jesus cast demons out of someone who did not impress or express faith, or who was not already a believer?

Someone asking us to pray for them to have their demons cast out is likely 1/100 on the spiritual scale of discerning a false teacher is from the devil and needs to be cursed and made blind by our words.

Yep, there are many fakirs out there, and worse yet, no one understands how to apply the power of the blood and the vehicle of repentance to get from bondage to freedom.

There is not a single person on this planet since the disciples that has blinded a false teacher.

Did you know that there are at least 5 "new" bible version editors who have lost their ability to speak? Taylor, Schaff, Tregelles, Westcott, and Phillips.

And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak,... because thou believest not my words...Luke 1:20

[H]e was casting out a devil and it was dumb. . .when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake. . . Luke 11:14

I feel you missed my point here. The point was that Paul and the disciples were 100% in tune with the Holy Spirit.

I didn't miss it. Rather, WE are also to be "100% in tune with the Holy Spirit" and we largely are not. The question is, WHY are we NOT? Answer: Because virtually no one is teaching the body what the Holy Bible says about how God's people are to conduct effective spiritual warfare (e.g. confession, repentance, forgiveness, appropriation of the blood of Jesus, casting our demons).

Example, I pray for God to deal with someone I believe is a false teacher and leading others astray.

Of course. Yet a believer has so much more authority, if only he knew how to appropriate it. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

I encourage my friends not to attend such a place / listen to the individual.

Encouraging your friends so, is not sufficient; it is not a solution.

Paul walks up to a false teacher and puts blindness on him.

I have not blinded anyone (yet), but I have set them free from demons (not I, but Christ through me).

The world (and its internet forums) are full of those who are powerless, largely because they have been conditioned by the god of this world to think they do not need to repent of anything.

 

[JerryfromMass]

As true born again Christians who believe and obey the uncorrupted Gospel of the Lord Jesus and Salvation through his shed blood?
As a duty to Almighty God's, both name and shame obviously corrupt heretics?

Be Blessed
Alan McDougall

Jesus warned us about those that are "obvious corrupt heretics", i.e., beware false prophets, and Peter, John, and Paul all write warning us about the same. What are we to do? Avoid them, tell others to avoid them, and give reasoned arguments for avoiding them. If confronted by them, correct and reprove them. In the end, truth prevails and those that seek truth will find it.

 

[Brother Paul]

JerryfromMass is on the right path. Due to the fact that you probably will not know this person and may not realize that God COULD BE having this person in a position to learn (or have the proper seeds planted) the "reasoning" with appropriate arguments (like Paul did at Mars Hill) is the way to go. However, not all are called to be apologists and we must be careful we are not incorrectly judging them based on our denominational theology.