CONFUSION WITHOUT BUT NOT WITHIN ~ EXPOSING HYPOCRISY ~ Part 38

Disorder; upheaval; tumult; chaos. Lack of clearness or distinctness; perplexity; bewilderment. Lack of understanding; uncertainty; the state of being bewildered or unclear in one’s mind about something. Those are definitions of confusion.

People everywhere are living in a perpetual state of confusion in our world today. People—outside…and inside the church. 1 Corinthians 14:33 tells us that God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. In all the churches of the saints is a key phrase here. It doesn’t say in all the churches. All churches are not “churches of the saints”, those whom God deems true saints.

God is not a God of confusion in all the churches of the saints, but He does confuse His enemies. God does not give peace to His enemies (unbelievers). In Exodus 14:24, the Lord brought the Egyptian army pursuing His children to confusion. God throws His enemies, and those who profess to belong to Him but who have forsaken Him, into a state of confusion. A quick word study on the word ‘confusion’ will show this principle found throughout the Old Testament, especially. (See Exodus 23:27; Deuteronomy 7:23; 28:20; 1 Samuel 5:9, 11; 14:20, Esther 3:15; Isaiah 22:5; Isaiah 30:3; 34:11; Micah 7:4) In Psalm 35:4, 26, we see the psalmist praying that God would confound or confuse his enemies. Psalm 35 was a prayer I prayed on a regular basis during my ‘prison trial’. Psalm 70:2, 71:1, and 109:29 are similar prayers. In Leviticus 18:23 and 20:12, God calls sexual distortion (anything other than what God ordained) as confusion. Isaiah 41:29 and 45:16 speak of molten images as wind and confusion, and all who are makers of idols shall be ashamed, confounded and go to confusion.

The world has been in an upheaval since Covid hit. Perhaps you have heard the phrase, “I just don’t know what to believe,” more regularly than in the past. I’ve had friends in a perpetual state of turmoil and uncertainty question my peace: “You’ve been through so much; how do you stay strong?” My answer is always, “I know what I believe and why I believe it.” They counter, “But, how do you know what to believe?” The answer, like that of the hymn writer, is: “I know whom I have believed.” The hymn was based on 2 Timothy 1:12—For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.

Sheep are easily confused. But not those sheep who belong to the Good Shepherd. Believers are led on the path of peace by a God who leads them to the truth away from all confusion.

False teachers lead their followers astray into confusion. Isaiah 9:16—For those who guide this people are leading them astray; and those who are guided by them are confused. The result is something we can easily see happening around us today. Isaiah 59:4—No one sues righteously, and no one pleads honestly. They trust in confusion and speak lies; they conceive trouble and give birth to disaster.

Unbelievers who listen to lies accuse believers as the ones who cause confusion and trouble.  Acts 16:19-20—But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was suddenly gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities, and when they had brought them to the chief magistrates, they said, “These men, Jews as they are, are causing our city trouble (confusion in NASB), and they are proclaiming customs that are not lawful for us to accept or to practice, since we are Romans.” Here, the word means to agitate, disturb wholly, or to trouble exceedingly. Acts 19:29, 32—The city was filled with confusion, and they rushed together into the theater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s Macedonian traveling companions…So then, some were shouting one thing and some another, for the assembly was in confusion and the majority did not know for what reason they had come together. Acts 21:31—While they were intent on killing him, a report came up to the commander of the Roman cohort that all Jerusalem was in confusion. James 3:16—For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder (confusion in the KJV) and every evil thing. Here, it means confusion, tumult, commotion, instability, a state of disorder, a disturbance. This is the same word used in 1 Corinthians 14:33 above.

You might remember the word Babel or Babylon meant “confusion (by mixing)”. In the context of 1 Corinthians 14:33, Paul was addressing the problems in the church at Corinth regarding speaking in tongues and prophesying when the believers were gathered for worship, prayer, and teaching. In a word, the order of the services there was out of control (the Spirit’s control, that is) and in a state of pandemonium. Paul said the “babble”—the confusion— was not proper, nor was it beneficial.

Summing up his objections to what was happening in these chaotic services Paul said, “…the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.” Their disorderly, unintelligible services (producing strife and confusion) were contrary to the character of God which is peace, harmony, order, and clarity. The worst part was that they were blaming or attributing this bedlam to the Holy Spirit! In their minds, this was the very evidence that He was at work among them!!!

It is worth noting John MacArthur’s commentary on verse 32. What does it mean that the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets? “Not only were the prophets to judge others with discernment, but they were also to have control over themselves. God does not desire out-of-spirit or out-of-mind experiences. Those who received and proclaimed the truth were to have clear minds. There was nothing bizarre, ecstatic, trance-like, or wild about receiving and preaching God’s Word, as with demonic experiences.”

Early in the pandemic, I watched Pastor John and the elders at Grace Church calmly lead their congregation on a clear path in an orderly, intentional, God-honoring, God-glorifying way with fortitude that only comes through following the Good Shepherd. Staying focused on the truth of Scripture gave the flock of Grace Church (and beyond) a settled peace and clarity to continue walking worthy of her calling. I also watched others in weaker churches completely fall apart in an utter state of devastation and confusion, not knowing which way to turn in the storm. As good leaders rise to the call of their Master in times of trouble, their greatest hope in any storm is to hear the voice of the Shepherd and follow Him as they lead the flock He has entrusted to them.

We have seen with our own eyes those false Christs and false prophets of whom Jesus warned who have come attempting “to deceive even God’s elect” (Matthew 24:23-27, 2 Peter 3:3 and Jude 17-18), a foreshadow of what is to come on a larger scale in the future.

How can we recognize a false teacher or false prophet? The best way is to know the truth. Correctly handling the word of truth and carefully studying God’s Word gives clarity to those who encounter false doctrine enabling them to identify it quickly.  The second thing that goes hand in hand with this ability to discern accurately between truth and error is to be a fruit inspector. What is the message taught? Specifically, what does this one say about Jesus? Is the true Gospel presented? (It is NOT, God loves you and wants you healthy and wealthy.) Paul told the Galatians that there were some who had come into the church who were teaching things that were disturbing (troubling-KJV; throwing you into confusion-NIV) them wanting to distort (pervert) the gospel of Christ. The true Gospel cannot be watered down, mixed with human ideology, or made more palatable in any way to our depraved flesh and still be the true Gospel that saves. The Gospel mixed with anything is Babel/babble/confusion. Lastly, what character is exhibited by the teacher? Jude 11 says a false teacher is known by pride (seen in Cain), greed (seen in Balaam), and rebellion (seen in Korah). Jesus let us know that we would know false teachers by the fruit they exhibit— fruit such as pride, greed, and rebellion.

We can sum up these warning signs even in those who are difficult to spot by saying: (1) They appear to speak God’s message, but they do not live according to His principles. (2) They water down God’s message to make it more palatable. (3) They encourage their listeners, often subtly, to disobey God. (4) They tend to be arrogant and self-serving, appealing to the desires of their audience instead of being true to God’s Word.

Then, we can apply similar tests of true faith to those sitting in the pews. There are those who sit in good churches with good shepherds who listen politely to the message but have no intention of heeding it. These are those of whom Jesus did not entrust Himself, because He knew all people (John 2:24). They are filling the pew only to fulfill their weekly ‘religious duty’, but they listen only to hear what they want to hear or to be able to fire off these truth arrows to someone else they know ‘who needs to hear the message’. On the surface, they might appear to be turning to the Lord. They want to hear what the Lord has to say (His promises), but they have no intention of obeying Him. They want to be associated with the sheep, but they don’t want to actually follow the Shepherd. They never apply hard truths to themselves. They are in every church, both good and bad. This is not the fault of the shepherd who shepherds well.

Ezekiel 33:30-33—“But as for you, son of man, your fellow citizens who talk about you by the walls and in the doorways of the houses, speak to one another, each to his brother saying, ‘Come now, and hear what the message is which comes forth from the LORD.’ And they come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people, and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain. And behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they do not practice them. So when it comes to pass—as surely it will—then they will know that a prophet has been in their midst.” These crowds were coming for whatever reason. We can never let a crowd deceive us. Big is rarely better in Christendom. Just because the people are coming does not mean they are heeding the message. But those who fall into this category sitting in large churches that are faithfully led proves that unbelief is willful.

Ezekiel 34

2-3—“Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock.” 4-5—“Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them. And they were scattered for lack of a shepherd, and they became food for every beast of the field and were scattered.”

God expected the shepherds He had placed over His sheep to:

-   feed the flock

-   strengthen the sickly

-   heal the diseased

-   bind up the broken

-   bring back the scattered and protect them

-   seek the lost

-   care for them

-   lead the flock to rest

-   rule with love

-   give their best for the sheep

 

These shepherds: 

-   fed themselves, not the flock (vss. 2-3)

-   had not taken care of the weak, not tended to the sick, not bound up broken bones, nor sought the lost (vs. 4)

-   had allowed the sheep to be scattered with no shepherd (vs. 5), the sheep then became prey for wild animals

-   would be punished (vs. 9), they would not themselves be fed by the Great Shepherd (vss. 9-10)

-   would be judged and destroyed (vs. 16)

 

These religious leaders/false shepherds were only interested in themselves and not the welfare of the sheep and taking care of themselves while neglecting and even abusing their people by ruling harshly. The sheep scattered. What was to become of these shepherds? Certainly, they were to be removed from office. The Old Testament prophets spoke about false prophets. In Matthew 23, Jesus, Himself, gave a scathing rebuke in what should have been received as the most horrific diatribe in all of Scripture against the Scribes and Pharisees, the religious elite of His day. This rebuke was also a warning to beware of following false religious leaders. 

We have seen conclusively the apostasy that occurred in Judaism. I have alleged that the same action that caused the Jews to depart from the only religion God ordained is exactly the action that caused apostates to depart from the only Church Christ established. That fatal error which is common to both took place when religious leaders replaced the authority of God with their own authority. The Pharisees used the Chair of Moses to distort God’s word with their own traditions and the Roman Catholic Church has used the Chair of Peter to do the same. It is astonishing when familiar with both systems to see just how much the Catholic clergy resembles the Pharisees of first century Judaism.

Matthew 23:1-2—Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples, saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses…”

The first thing we need to observe is the simple fact that Jesus wanted His disciples to be able to recognize false spiritual leaders.

The scribes were official teachers of the Old Testament. The Pharisees were a theological party within Judaism. Some scribes were Pharisees, but not all Pharisees were scribes. They explained the law of Moses and enforced obedience to it. But they had ‘seated themselves in the chair of Moses’. The word for chair is kathedra.

You will remember I told you that Matthew 23 was a chapter I studied intently after having come out of the Roman Catholic Church. This one word grabbed my attention immediately. I knew I had heard the phrase ex cathedra associated with Catholicism. It means ‘from the chair’. It is applied to decisions made by Popes from their thrones. According to Roman Catholic doctrine, a Pope speaking ex cathedra on issues of faith or morals is infallible. The First Vatican Council in 1869-70, in its Pastor Aeternus decree, declared that the pope was infallible when he spoke “ex Cathedra” – or from the papal throne – on matters of faith and morals.

For instance, in 1854, Pius IX decreed the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception to be infallible in his bull Ineffabilis Deus. Many people mistakenly believe that the Immaculate Conception refers to the conception of Jesus Christ. Many die-hard Catholics believe this to be the case. The Immaculate Conception, however, does not refer to Jesus at all. The Immaculate Conception is a doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church in regard to Mary, Jesus’ mother. The official statement of the doctrine reads, “The blessed Virgin Mary to have been, from the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of Almighty God, in view of the merits of Christ Jesus the Savior of Mankind, preserved free from all stain of original sin.” The IC is the belief that Mary was protected from original sin, that Mary did not have a sin nature and was, in fact sinless. You can read more here: Immaculate Conception - Got Questions  It is also noteworthy for the Roman Catholic to know that this statement came with a warning if anyone “dare think otherwise than has been defined by us, let him know and understand that he is condemned by his own judgment; that he has suffered shipwreck in the faith; that he has separated from the unity of the Church…”

In 1950, Pius XII defined the doctrine of the assumption of Mary in an infallible “ex Cathedra” statement in his Munificentissimus Deus papal bull defining the doctrine of the assumption of Mary. “By the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma: “That the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.” “Hence if anyone, which God forbid, should dare willfully to deny or to call into doubt that which we have defined, let him know that he has fallen away completely from the divine and Catholic Faith.”

These are the only two officially recognized cases of a Pontiff speaking infallibly ex cathedra. Interestingly, these ‘Vicars of Christ’ only speak infallibly regarding Mary, not Christ. Neither of these declarations were earth-shattering to Roman Catholics because these beliefs had been nurtured through devotion, prayer, and local teaching for centuries before becoming official papal teaching.

In Matthew 23:1-2, we see the scribes and Pharisees taking upon themselves an authority that had not been given to them by God. They saw themselves as Moses’ legal successors with all the authority Moses had been given by God. The emphasis here is on the fact that their authority was an imaginary authority they claimed for themselves.

Catholic priests fiercely hold onto a sacrificial priesthood that Christ terminated over 2000 years ago when He made the once-for-all sacrifice for sin saying, “It is finished!” God tore the veil that prevented access to His holy presence by anyone other than a sanctified priest who had been ordained as a mediator of the people. Hebrews 10:19-22 says that all believers “now have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.” I spoke about this a lot in my book, Living Beneath the Tapestry and Within the Veil.

As the sheep of His pasture, we MUST choose our leaders wisely! When we do, we can trust them to lead us to the truth without any confusion. We can obey our leaders and submit to them knowing they keep watch over our souls as those who will give an account. (Hebrews 13:17a) Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21)