When the Accusers Become the False Teachers!
A strange sickness
There is a strange sickness in the modern Christian world. It is the sickness of talking about the truth without ever living it. A maelstrom of contradiction — where men and women carry the name of Christ, quote His Word, stand in pulpits, post on social media, write the books and run the channels — yet the very thing they argue about, they have never once put into practice.
And nowhere is this clearer than in the arena of the manifestations of the Spirit.
Listen carefully. The Holy Spirit was not given as decoration. He was given as power, as Comforter, as Helper, as the Spirit of truth who brings the believer into all truth. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth [John 16:13 KJV]. The Spirit was poured out at Pentecost, and He has not packed His bags and left.
But there is a loud breed of so-called Christian teachers today who will tell you the manifestations of the Spirit have ceased. They will tell you tongues are dead. They will tell you healing is finished. They will tell you the Spirit no longer moves the way He did in the book of Acts.
And how do they prove it? Not by Scripture in context — but by pointing the finger. They find someone misusing a manifestation. They find a charlatan on a stage. They find a stunt-driven service, and they hold it up as proof. "See? It's all false."
That is not Bible. That is not honest study. That is agenda dressed up as discernment.
The dishonesty of the argument
Think about what is actually happening. A man stands up and says, "The manifestations of the Spirit are not for today." Then he points at people misusing those very manifestations — manifestations he claims do not exist — and uses their abuse to prove his case.
Do you see the contradiction?
If they are not for today, why are you using examples of them to prove anything at all? And if you say they are real enough to be misused, then they are real enough to be rightly used.
You cannot have it both ways. Either the Holy Spirit still moves in His people as He did at Pentecost, or He does not. You cannot quote Scripture out of context to prove the manifestations are dead, and then turn around and use living examples of them as evidence in your case.
That is not teaching. That is twisting.
Stop taking the Word out of context
This is where so much modern teaching falls apart. Men and women come to the Bible not to listen, but to prove a point. They already know what they want to say, and they go hunting for verses to back it up.
But the Bible does not bend to our agenda. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness [2 Timothy 3:16 KJV]. Not for ammunition. Not for argument. Not for clever clips on a Sunday morning.
When you read a verse, read it in its chapter, in its letter, in its audience, in its context. Who is being addressed? Why is it being said? What does the rest of Scripture say on the same matter?
Skip those questions, and you will end up doing the very thing you accuse others of — handling the Word deceitfully. But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully [2 Corinthians 4:2 KJV].
The manifestations are real
Let this be settled in your heart. The body of Christ was given one Spirit, with nine manifestations of that one Spirit. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit [1 Corinthians 12:4 KJV]. Word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues — all flowing from the same Spirit, distributed as he will [1 Corinthians 12:11 KJV].
This is not showmanship. This is plain New Testament Christianity.
Other people abusing the manifestations does not cancel them. Other people performing for the camera does not nullify what the Spirit is doing in the secret place. Counterfeits do not exist for things that are not real. The very fact that someone is faking it is proof that the genuine is still out there.
Let the Spirit bring you into all truth
If you are a born-again believer, you have received the Spirit of truth. He is not in you to confirm your prejudices. He is in you to lead you out of them.
Come to the Word with an open hand. Lay your agenda down. Let the Spirit teach you what the Spirit Himself authored. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you [1 John 2:27 KJV] — meaning, you do not need a clever man to interpret Scripture for you when the Spirit Himself is willing to lead you through it.
Do that, and you will stop being a hearer of the Word and start being a doer. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves [James 1:22 KJV].
A solemn warning
To the men and women setting themselves up as the gatekeepers of doctrine while never practising the truth they preach — be careful. The Lord Jesus warned about those who outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity [Matthew 23:28 KJV].
If you stand up and call the genuine work of the Spirit false, while you yourself twist Scripture, ignore context, and weaponise the Word against the brethren — you are not exposing false teachers.
You are the false teacher.
Come back to the Book. Come back to the Spirit. Come back to the basics…
Key Takeaways:
- The manifestations of the Spirit have not ceased — [1 Corinthians 12:7–11 KJV]
- Misuse of a manifestation is not proof against it — [2 Timothy 2:15 KJV]
- Scripture must be read in context, not used as ammunition — [2 Corinthians 4:2 KJV]
- The Spirit of truth is given to lead believers into all truth — [John 16:13 KJV]
- Hearers who never become doers deceive themselves — [James 1:22 KJV]
Where to go from here:
Open 1 Corinthians 12 and read it through in one sitting, chapter and context together, before you take anybody's word for what it does or does not say — mine included. Then ask the Spirit of truth to teach you from it.
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That’s where we begin: who we are in Christ, in order. Then, Monday to Thursday, we take one truth and look at it from four sides. Fridays, we work through a series. One email on Sunday closes the week and opens the next.
➡️ Next in this week's theme — Wednesday: The Empty Prophecies!
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