Chapter Two

Ten Heresies That Rob You

The Bible is a book about which I spend much time thinking regarding the truths it contains. While I do not possess the belief that it has magical powers, as some seem to claim, the Bible is an indispensable reference tool in my walk with the Lord. It is my road map for the journey I am taking. However, when reading it, I did not find Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior; this occurred when I sought to know Him in person. Nevertheless, the Apostle Paul informs Timothy that (not the New Testament, but) the Old Testament is able to instruct people how to be saved through faith in Christ Jesus. Salvation occurs through entering into a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father when encountering Lord Jesus Christ and being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, many people believe and teach differently. This is evident in the following discussion of ten heresies that cause people to lose out on what is rightfully theirs in the Kingdom of God.

John Piper appears to be a sincere man; at least, this is the impression I get from his treatise The Pastor as Scholar. [i] He eschewed the hypercriticism of the German theologians but forsook his Arminian leanings that everybody has the opportunity to be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as a matter of choice, for the limited atonement and double predestination of Calvinism, which he claims resulted from his pursuit of scholarly excellence.

However, in reading the ten things John Piper claims the Bible can do for us, I noted his premises are incorrect, and he is guilty of promoting bibliolatry, if not bibliomancy, as well. Bibliolatry is sin. Bibliolatry occurs if we put the Bible before God; or have excessive reverence for the Bible; or attribute to the Bible qualities that only our Lord Jesus Christ possesses.

Bibliomancy is the sin of seeking advice from the Bible by selecting random Scriptures and using these as the means of inquiring of God rather than seeking our Lord Himself. One woman was telling me, only the day before writing this, of a pastor she knew who would open the Bible and, on the page that it opened, he would find God’s message for him that day—okay, I did it too when I was a baby Christian and did not know any better. Divination of the Scriptures could also extend to the misinterpretation of Scripture, wherein we read what we want to read to fit our personal views. To put another perspective on the dangers of bibliomancy and how it can open a person up to receiving messages that are not from God, I will share an experience I once had when seeking God.

One day I was earnestly seeking the Lord in prayer about whether I should go and help a particular person, whom I knew was in need of assistance. As I was praying, I heard a voice say to me, “When you know what is right to do, you do not need me to tell you.” It just so happens there is a Scripture which states that if we know what is right to do and we do not do it, this has become sin on our part (James 4:17). Now if I know the will of the Lord is not to sin, then I resist sin (by doing what is right) and call upon the name of Jesus, so that He will rebuke the devourer, which is what God promises to do for all who tithe. Once we know the Scriptures, there is no need to go looking for mystical ways of discovering what God would have us do by divination of the Scriptures. In fact, a number of translations use the word “divination” when speaking about the sin of rebellion. For we read concerning King Saul of Israel, that the prophet Samuel said:

For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king.
(1 Samuel 15:23 RSV[ii])

The importance of knowing the truth of the Scriptures cannot be overlooked. It is so easy to fall into error and miss the mark. As soon as we do this, we become guilty of some form of sin that we inadvertently commit. Many well-meaning believers, who acknowledge the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, fall into error without realizing they are doing so. Meanwhile, the Devil rejoices. We can see why, when we realize the sin of bibliomancy is equivalent to witchcraft, sorcery, and divination. This sin emanates from not believing that the Scriptures bear witness to Lord Jesus Christ and the will of God. We need to have a genuine relationship; not a make-believe relationship, but an actual living relationship with our Heavenly Father through the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We shall look at each of the following ten claims regarding the Scriptures translated from the Hebrew and Greek that respectively form the Old and New Testaments; but first of all, notice the power and ability that John Piper[iii] claims the Bible possesses. These claims and the Scriptures that supposedly support them are:

The Bible awakens faith, the source of all obedience (Romans 10:17).
The Bible frees from sin (John 8:32).
The Bible frees from Satan (2 Timothy 2:24–26).
The Bible sanctifies (John 17:17).
The Bible frees from corruption and empowers godliness (2 Peter 1:3–4).
The Bible serves love (1 Timothy 1:5).
The Bible saves (Acts 20:26).
The Bible gives joy (John 15:11).
The Bible reveals the Lord (1 Samuel 3:21).
Therefore, the Bible is the foundation of my happy home and life and ministry and hope of eternity with God.

For the many people who believe the Bible to be the living Word of God, they would see little wrong with those assertions. But taken literally, according to John Piper, the Bible—like Mexican jumping beans—must be a thumpin’-jumpin’ kind of book, with pages that cannot stay still. But then, like so many who are looking for some fantastic view on life that transcends the mundane or the ordinary, John Piper attributes to a book miraculous abilities that belong in a fairy tale like Cinderella, where a pumpkin turns into horses and a carriage. John Piper is not the only one guilty of attributing mythical powers and abilities to the Bible. It is so common that many people turn away from discovering the truth the Bible contains. The truth contained within the Bible becomes evident when we read it with a desire to know what it is really saying. To help us out, we will consider what Jesus actually said concerning the Bible. This is what Jesus said:

You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and these are they which testify about me. Yet you will not come to me, that you may have life. (John 5:39–40) [iv]

The Bible is the foundation upon which John Piper holds dear: his home, his life, his ministry (whatever he perceives that to be), and his hope of eternal life. If the Bible itself is the hope of eternal life, then John Piper could have a problem. (If you think I am being hard on one man who is representative of many, bear in mind he is the one who has made the misleading claims.) Anybody who puts a stumbling block in the way of another from discovering Jesus Christ, by presenting them with an untruth, is guilty of sin. Either Jesus meant what He said or He did not. I accept what is written in the Gospel of John: the Bible bears witness to Jesus, and even though it is indispensable for now as an authoritative written testimony, it has no inherent power or ability at all. Jesus does! Amen!

The Bible, for those who can read, testifies of the Lord. In this respect the Bible is a special written revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ and the purpose of God. While one of the ten points about the Bible is true (depending on how it is interpreted), the other nine claims made by Piper are false. The Bible is powerless of itself. Yet Piper attributes to the Bible the ability to love, save, impart joy, free from corruption, empower godliness, sanctify, free from sin, and free from Satan.

Reading the Bible may awaken a realization that God exists. Reading about Jesus, the Heavenly Father’s love, and how He has shown mercy to people may awaken a realization about the existence of eternity; but maybe not faith as the source of obedience. For the people were reading the Scriptures but not coming to Jesus, which means they lacked faith.

The Apostle Paul, speaking about what has been written, distinguishes between the Spirit and the letter (that is, the written word), and states:

Such confidence we have through Christ toward God; not that we are sufficient of ourselves, to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God; who also made us sufficient as servants of a new covenant; not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:4–6)

Jesus and the Apostle Paul both state that the written word of Scripture is powerless of itself to provide life. People say that there is power in the pen, but only if people act upon what they read. Moreover, much depends on how people interpret what they read. Wrong interpretations lead people astray from what is meant by the author and, when talking about what is written in the Bible, this means being led away from Jesus. This is why Lord Jesus points out that people do not come to Him; instead, deluded, they exalt and revere the Scriptures as their source of life, love, joy, peace, freedom, and deliverance from the Devil. However, they have not been set free.

The reason we are going to look at each of these points is to provide a better understanding of how faith comes about and how we can truly develop a testimony that enables victory over the Devil.

Common sense, on the other hand, tells us from experience that we all seem to know right from wrong; we all have a conscience of sorts; we tend to make accusations and excuses at whim. The Apostle Paul, in the book of Romans, makes this point clear and attributes to human beings the ability to think and make decisions for themselves, according to their own thoughts. This is contrary to the Calvinist position. Nevertheless, this is what the Apostle Paul wrote:

But glory, honor, and peace go to every man who does good, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God. For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without the law. As many as have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it isn’t the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified (for when Gentiles who don’t have the law do by nature the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying with them, and their thoughts among themselves accusing or else excusing them) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men, according to my Good News, by Jesus Christ. (Romans 2:10-16)

God could not, and would not, judge these people according to their secrets if they had been preordained to be committed to hellfire and brimstone and eternal separation from Himself. There would be no need. Anyone suggesting that people are predestined for Hell but are going to be judged based on their free will is not a scholar of truth but a peddler of deception, perpetrating a lie of the Devil, which is “do not come to Jesus but find your salvation in the Book.”

The Bible bears witness to Jesus. It also bears witness to those who are walking in Jesus’ footsteps and those who are creating and promoting false teachings.

If a person is anointed to preach the gospel, then those who hear the words of the gospel will be hearing the Word of God that is alive and active. If the words are not anointed by the Spirit of God, then those words are the words of men and therefore not spiritually alive and active.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, he stated:

Our Good News came to you not in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and with much assurance. You know what kind of men we showed ourselves to be among you for your sake. (1 Thessalonians 1:5)

1. The Bible awakens faith, the source of all obedience.

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17 NASB)

Many will argue that faith comes by reading, and the above text is found by reading the Bible.

There is an argument that when we repeat what we read, we hear this in our thoughts or by our ears if we speak aloud. By reading the Bible aloud, we hear the word of God—this is the old argument produced by those who use the King James Bible. The World English Bible, which is used in this book, parallels the King James Bible in modern English and reads:

So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17)

In essence, this statement about the word of God is correct. The modern translations follow the Greek text, which has faith coming by the word of the “anointed one,” which is what “Christ” means. The anointed word of God brings forth faith. It possesses a quality that a word which is not anointed by God does not, and cannot, possess. It may seem strange to consider a word that originates from God as having no anointing, but it is like the Devil reading Scripture and Jesus quoting Scripture. One is anointed and the other is deceptive. One is designed to bring life, as Jesus said concerning His words—they were spirit and life; but the Devil’s words are designed to deceive unto death. Distinguishing between what is faith and what is not is very important. True faith is said to be the currency of Heaven. Counterfeit faith is fool’s gold, and, as they say, the pathway to hell is paved with deceptive thoughts and good intentions.

In saying that the Bible awakens faith, the writer is suggesting that faith is something lying dormant within all of us and needs to be awakened. This is somewhat surprising for a person who claims to adhere to Calvinism. Faith is an attribute that has worth. According to Calvinists, there is nothing of worth in a human being; in fact, they claim that we do not even have the ability to make a choice because our wills are enslaved by sinfulness, and we are all reprobates who are totally depraved, unable to exercise our volition or show faith toward God.

Common sense, on the other hand, tells us from experience that we all seem to know right from wrong; we all have a conscience of sorts; we tend to make accusations and excuses at whim. The Apostle Paul in the book of Romans makes this point clear and attributes to human beings the ability to think and make decisions for themselves, according to their own thoughts. This is contrary to the Calvinist position. Nevertheless, this is what the Apostle Paul wrote:

God could not, and would not, judge these people according to their secrets if they had been preordained to be committed to hellfire, brimstone, and eternal separation from Himself. There would be no need. Anyone suggesting that people are predestined for Hell, but are going to be judged based on their free will, is not a scholar of truth but a peddler of deception, perpetrating a lie of the Devil, which is, “Do not come to Jesus, but find your salvation in the Book.”

The Bible bears witness to Jesus. The Bible also bears witness to who is walking in Jesus’ footsteps and who is creating and promoting false teachings.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, he stated:

It is one thing to have words; it is another to have an anointed word. The reason for this is that the anointing breaks the yoke of bondage that the Devil may have on the individual. Without the anointing, the yoke is not destroyed. This is a reference to the power of the Holy Spirit, which is known as the anointing in the Bible. In the book of Isaiah we read: It will happen in that day, that his burden will depart from off your shoulder, and his yoke from off your neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing oil [i.e., the Holy Spirit]. (Isaiah 10:27)

This is not to say that all obey when they hear an anointed word. What this means is that with an anointed word, it is easier to respond to the gospel message and acknowledge Jesus as Lord. This is why there are preachers who have more success in seeing people respond to their gospel message than others, even though they are using the same Bible and preaching the same message. Unfortunately, becoming a Christian and walking in the ways of the Lord are not as easy as many people would like. The Devil is always seeking an opportunity to tempt us and bring us down, even if it is true that we are tempted when we acquiesce to our own desires.

Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things unseen. Expressed another way: faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen.

Understanding faith is difficult for most because the word is used so freely—and incorrectly at times—that one is left with the view that “faith” might mean merely “a belief in some wish.” Many people view faith as something based on a lack of evidence. This is because of the supernatural element attached to the idea of faith.

The term “people of faith” is an enigmatic concept applied to people who believe that God exists or that there is an existence beyond the physical limits of life on earth. Believing God exists is not a matter of groundless faith; neither is belief in the afterlife or the spiritual realm. The Bible tells us demons believe God exists (James 2:19). Faith is more a seed that is embedded securely in trust and possesses proven integrity and reliability that enables peace to prevail when mayhem looks imminent.

Those who possess faith do not define themselves by resorting to cultural distinctions based on any historical body of knowledge. Those who have faith toward God have come to a realization of their own inabilities and seek the truth about life. This is why faith embodies ideas of conviction, assurance, and certainty—it excludes doubt.

A belief, on the other hand, could change, because it is usually a strong opinion based on a conclusion that is not necessarily true, even though it may appear to be so. For instance, many people are of the belief that they will go to Heaven because they believe they are inherently good, contribute to charities, and are not drug addicts or criminals who have been found guilty of wrongdoing. However, they have no assurance that this is so.

If we believe something and act on it, we do so because we believe it to be true. This is because we have the capacity to conceptualize ideas. This capacity is an inherent capability that we humans possess, which distinguishes us from animals. The reason we possess this capability is because we have been given a spirit at birth that has the ability to process information and create imaginary images to which we can attribute significance and meaning.

This capacity we possess to make use of symbols to define abstract forms and theoretically engineer possibilities that could exist is what makes us like God, knowing right from wrong, good from evil, and what is true or false. The misapplication of this ability is what distorts truth, and people in error are like a confused surgeon attempting to pump blood through the lymphatic system rather than arteries. Consequently, we have people using biblical principles to foster self-esteem, personal growth, and business profits without acknowledging the Lord of Life and the real need to be saved from sin.

It is true that by listening to people and reading what they have written, we can be influenced. For us to be convinced of what we hear and read, we will need to have information that we consider to be true—even if it is not. Many Christians listen to the views of evolutionists and, after considering the information they have been presented, believe in theistic evolution. On the other hand, other Christians accept that the earth and the heavens were made within forty-eight hours of each other and subscribe to the days of Creation being twenty-four-hour days, even though the sun, which governs the days and nights, was created three days after the first day. Numerous children of people claiming to be Christians become atheists after reading and listening to atheistic material. But is being influenced to believe something the same as awakening faith?

We could say that reading the Bible and meditating upon what we have read may awaken a desire to reconnect with God, or provide fuel for the desire to stay connected with our Heavenly Father; but this is different from faith. Genuine faith towards God is the substance, or assurance, of things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1). This transcends mere knowledge of its existence. Since faith comes from the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the suggestion that it comes from the Bible itself would have to be a heresy—a falsehood.

2. The Bible frees from sin.

You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. (John 8:32 NASB)

The idea that we will know the truth by reading the Bible and that this knowledge of itself will set us free from sin is not what the Scripture actually states. This is a partial quote from Jesus, and this is how it should read:

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:31–32 KJV)

With some sleight of hand, the next thing we know, we have an illusionist before us. People often misquote this Scripture (like politicians are inclined to misquote their opposition in government or at election times), and give the impression that what they say is the gospel truth that frees from sin.

What the Scripture is really saying is this: if we continue in the words of Jesus after having believed in Him, we will become His disciples. Now a disciple is someone who applies the words, and what they mean, to his life; not someone who simply reads them. Furthermore, it is through the application of these words to our lives that we will begin to know the truth. This is very important to realize because this is what tithing is about: the application of the Scripture to prove God’s word to us. This is also what the Apostle Paul was expressing when writing about proving the will of God through the transformation of our mind, that is, the way we view the world. If it is true that Jesus rose from the dead, by putting into practice what He has said, we should also prove the truth of His words. If Jesus’ words are true, then we will know the truth from an experiential perspective; that is, from applied knowledge rather than theoretical constructs or propositions that we feel the need to argue as being true.

However, continuing in Jesus’ word alone does not free us from sin. For Jesus said to those who believed that there was still one more thing required to be free from sin. Those who believed were those who accepted what He was saying as true and were willing to trust Him and adhere to Him. Importantly, we need to understand that knowledge, even applied knowledge, is insufficient for us to be set free from sin. More is required.

Some of the Jews became offended at the idea that it is possible for people to be set free because they believed their heritage alone gave them automatic access to the throne of God at death. Many people believe that this is the case for them today, even though they persist in their secret sin, yet believe they are saved by grace alone. The following is an incident recorded in the Gospel of John about what Jesus had to say to those who believe the lie that grace alone is sufficient:

They answered him, “We are Abraham’s offspring and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do you say, ‘You will be made free’?”
Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin. A bondservant doesn’t live in the house forever. A son remains forever. If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:33–36)

As is evident, we are not free until the Son sets us free. Interestingly, once we understand that Jesus is the one who sets us free, what the Apostle Paul states in the book of Romans regarding how our hearts are being searched starts to make sense. If we were predestined before the foundation of the world to be saved, then it does not make much sense for Jesus to search our hearts so that we might be free from sin. But once we realize that responding to the words of Jesus and acknowledging our desire to become one of His disciples, by applying His words to our own life and seeking to prove the will of God, then it makes sense that those who are set free from sin have had their hearts searched. For we read:

And he [Who is He?] who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:27 ESV[v])

In this text from Romans 8, which is embedded between two oft-quoted significant texts—so it is often overlooked—we do see three aspects of the Divine. There is the One who searches the hearts, there is the Spirit’s mind, and there is God. What this implies is that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are working together. The One who is searching the hearts of men is our Lord Jesus. He searches our hearts before He chooses us to be set free from sin. This is not earning salvation; rather, this is the result of exercising obedience of faith. This is because we have returned to God and demonstrated this in our tithes and offerings; or Jesus knows that we will do this once enlightened.

The idea that we can actually be set free from sin is difficult for many people to grasp. They are always quoting the Scripture that states all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and the one that says if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. Nevertheless, they overlook Scripture that says, “Whoever is born of God doesn’t commit sin, for He who is born of God keeps him, and he can’t sin,” and “Whoever is born of God doesn’t commit sin because God’s nature abides in him” (1 John 5:18; 3:9).

Either the Bible is true or it is false. If the Bible bears witness to the truth and to Jesus Christ in particular, then what appears contradictory is simply misunderstood. This is why Jesus said that those who continue in His word would be His disciples and know the truth, and those whom He sets free from sin will be set free indeed. For being set free from ignorance is not the same as being set free from sin. If we read the Bible and seek to understand what it means, we will be set free from our ignorance, but not our sin. To suggest that the Bible itself sets us free from sin is false. To teach such a thing is heresy—designed to deceive.

3. The Bible frees from Satan.

The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the Devil, having been held captive by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24–26 NASB)

We have already established that the Bible cannot free us from Satan because it cannot set us free from sin. However, as we read the above, we notice that it speaks of people having been held captive by the Devil to do his will. For those who believe we do not have free will, this is an important Scripture for them, because they claim that we cannot exercise our free will. Surprisingly, Piper says the Bible enables free will. Ironically, when we read what the Apostle James has to say about resisting the Devil and join it to this text, we arrive at a different conclusion from the idea that the Bible frees us from Satan:

Be subject therefore to God. But resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7)

James tells us, first submit to God, then resist the Devil, and he will flee from us. We have not got the power to overcome the Devil in our own strength. We might be able to deny the lusts of the flesh, but in doing this we will more than likely become self-righteous like the Apostle Paul was before he became a Christian. The road of self-abasement is not an uncommon practice today among eastern religions. The Buddha sought the road of self-denial. Many Buddhists and Hindu holy men make a genuine effort to walk the path of self-denial; however, they are not being set free from the god of this world. We might have the capacity to deny the flesh, but we need to realize that we do not have the power to overcome the Devil. However, even though we do not have the power to conquer the Devil in our own strength, we have the right to exercise our own will and call upon the name of the Lord in an act of submission to Him. If we call upon the name of the Lord, we need to return to Him so that He can rebuke the Devil. James says that faith without works (that is, without action) is dead. This is what James and the writer of Hebrews have to say:

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself. Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without works, and I by my works will show you my faith. (James 2:17–18)

Now it is impossible to please God without faith, and those who would please Him must first believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Reading the Bible might inform us about the existence of Satan, the Devil, but it will not set us free from him. If we are talking about being free from Satan and his hold on us, firstly, we need to identify how he has a hold on us. Many people do not believe Satan has a hold on them because they are not drug addicts, alcoholics, nor suffer from any of the vices and addictions other people do. For instance, there is no mention of smoking cigarettes being prohibited in the Bible, even though we know they are addictive. There is no mention about marijuana being prohibited, or other drugs that are consumed by many people today—only to wreak havoc on families. Some people see nothing wrong with drinking wine regularly throughout the day because it has got a tick of rectitude by the Apostle Paul (1 Timothy 5:23). Yet the Bible states drunkards have no place in the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:10). As is often said, one person’s pleasure can be another person’s poison.

If one person finds the marijuana plant provides leaves of healing for a medical condition, but another person who consumes the chemicals those leaves contain is led down a path of crime and psychosis, does this mean both people are in the grip of Satan? Some would say this is so. Others would say this is not the case. In fact, one pastor in California makes a habit of reading his Bible to his congregation, who are all using marijuana as leaves of healing (including himself). These people all read their Bible, yet some would say that they are under the bondage of Satan because they are addicted to the effects of marijuana. If we are in bondage to Satan, we are in bondage to the flesh. In fact, the Apostle Paul states:

Now the deeds of the flesh are obvious, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lustfulness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, strife, jealousies, outbursts of anger, rivalries, divisions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these; of which I forewarn you, even as I also forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit God’s Kingdom. (Galatians 5:19–21)

In the above list we have a number of reasons why people will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of these are rivalries and heresies, while others are of a more seemingly grotesque nature and are such that we know they leave obvious social disharmony. The words “such things” can include anything that is addictive and destructive to our own body or relationships. This is where we need to return to God and have Him rebuke the devourer on our behalf.

For us to return to God requires a decision, and then an action based on that decision. In the event that we are so entrapped by the Devil that we feel we cannot escape, there is always a way out. God always provides a way of escape. The question is whether we are willing to take it or not. There is no question asked as to whether we are chosen at this point in time; rather, there is a question of how much we desire to be free so we can be chosen. Sometimes the pain is not enough because our conscience has become so seared by our sin that we do not feel any pricks from wrongdoing. No matter what we hear other people say about sin, we are not prepared to come to our senses. Self-righteousness resides in rebellion and stubbornness, which, respectively, result from unbelief and doubt.

Reading the Bible will provide us with knowledge of Satan but it will not free us from him. People read the Bible and do not believe that Satan exists. However, if they have a sense of right and wrong, and good and evil, then they have hope, because they may begin to see that the kindness of God is not found in the sin of the world.

The only way we can be free from Satan is when he is rebuked by the Lord. This only happens when we return to the Lord and begin to put Him to the test (Malachi 3:10).

To suggest that the Bible sets us free from Satan and has the power to do so of itself is a false teaching—a heresy.

4. The Bible sanctifies.

Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth. (John 17:17 NASB)

Sanctification is an interesting topic, and those who uphold it can be construed as practicing a form of elitism. But there is nowhere in the Bible that says we are sanctified by Scripture itself. We have already seen that the Bible testifies of itself as a dead letter and is powerless to impart eternal life, so what hope has it got for sanctifying the believer of itself?

To be sanctified means to be set apart from the world and sin. Sanctification is separation from the environment one might live in because of a protecting barrier or agency. The idea that the Bible sanctifies of itself is to attribute qualities to a book that it does not possess. This does not mean we could not be sanctified if we were to meditate on the law of God day and night and call upon the Lord and not consider the ways of the wicked, nor stand in the streets with sinners, nor sit in the seats of scoffers. The first of the Psalms states that if we were to do this, we would have blessing in all that we do and we would prosper greatly. Of course, the blessing, along with any sanctification, comes only if we act on what we are meditating regarding the law of God.

As we discussed earlier about continuing in the word of Jesus and becoming His disciples and knowing the truth, it would be reasonable to say that, at this particular time, we would be sanctified in the truth. If we apply the word of God to our lives then we will become disciples of Jesus. However, if we grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, grace and peace will be multiplied to us because we will know the truth. There is a slight distinction between applying something and growing in something. When we talk about application and growth, the latter seems more natural and effortless, while the former seems like effort.

Somehow there seems to be an effort required at a certain point because we are advised to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, even though God is at work in us (Philippians 2:12–13). At the same time, when we read Scriptures that state we are to receive with meekness the word of truth by which we were given birth (James 1:18), for it has the capacity to save our souls (James 1:21), this suggests a lack of effort. For many this is a conundrum—only it need not be.

When Jesus was talking to Nicodemus and told him that he needed to be born from above to see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3), this is the initial acknowledgment of the existence of the Kingdom and reception of the word of truth into one’s own spirit. This is what many people call being born again, when in fact it is what Jesus described (in the parable of the Sower and the Seed) as the seed that falls on the ground. This seed is the word of truth sown in the heart of a person who begins to believe that God loves them—or in any one of us who reaches out to God and expresses a desire to know Him.

This is what happens when we pray to our Heavenly Father and ask Him to come into our own lives and forgive us our sins, as we forgive others for the sins they have committed against us. The Spirit of God begins to wash us from the inside. The book of Titus informs us:

But when the kindness of God our Savior and his love toward mankind appeared, not by works of righteousness, which we did ourselves, but according to his mercy, he saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. (Titus 3:4–5)

When we receive the truth about God, acknowledge Him, and seek Him out, we will discover Him more fully when we are genuinely desirous to establish contact and enter into an enduring relationship with our Heavenly Father. This happens as the word of truth—that God exists and loves us—begins to grow in our hearts. This is what Jeremiah had to say to the Israelites, and it is just as applicable to us:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says Yahweh, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future. You shall call on me, and you shall go and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You shall seek me, and find me, when you shall search for me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:11–13)

The closer we draw near to God, the more we begin to believe that our Heavenly Father desires to reward us and demonstrate His love for us. Naturally, as an outcome of God’s love and unmerited favor toward us, we become more willing to testify of His goodness to others. We do this because of the truth that when we return to God through the tithe, He rebukes the devourer and our blessings begin to multiply, and we grow in the knowledge of the One who is our Savior.

The truth that sanctifies us is the experience we have with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ—not because we read the Bible. We can read the Bible and learn that we are sanctified by faith (Acts 26:18), but this needs to grow; for we learn that Abraham grew in faith as he gave glory to God (Romans 4:20[vi]). When we read the Bible, we also learn that we are sanctified by the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:16) in Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 1:2), through the anointed word of God and prayer (1 Timothy 4:5). It is the will of God for us to abstain from sexual immorality and control our bodies so that we might be sanctified (1 Thessalonians 4:3–4) through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:10). We are sanctified through His blood (Hebrews 13:12), providing we are baptized into the body (Hebrews 2:11), which has been sanctified by the washing of the water of the word (Ephesians 5:26), so that our spirit, soul, and body might be sanctified and preserved blameless at the second coming of Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23).

The truth sanctifies us in this respect: Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Jesus is the truth. In saying that we are to be sanctified in the truth, and the word of God is truth, it needs to be understood that Jesus is the Word of God.

While the Bible does bear witness to how we are sanctified, it does not sanctify of itself. This is a heresy—absolutely false.

5. The Bible frees from corruption and empowers godliness.

His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. (2 Peter 1:3–4 NASB)

Since we have established that the Bible, of itself, is impotent, it seems pointless to refute the obvious falsehood that the Bible itself frees us from corruption and empowers godliness.

All the Bible does is bear witness to what we do, as to whether it is right or wrong, true or false. Yet, for the Christian, the Bible is an indispensable resource because it contains the written code for how our lives ought to be lived and provides a means by which we can gauge our walk. More than this, the Bible is a written record that bears witness to the ways of the world not being in accordance with the dictates of God. In the Bible, we read the only words that God is said to have written. These words are called a dead letter, even though they have been written by the finger of God. They, nevertheless, are a guide for us. The words written by God’s finger provide a standard that measures righteousness. Not only is righteousness measured; in particular, this applies to our righteousness. When we consider these words, we realize that our righteousness falls short of God’s standard, because we ourselves know we have violated it—not just once, but many times. Since we desire what is right and recognize the wrongs we have done, we repent and ask God to help us overcome that into which we have been born by being born a second time of the Spirit.

When Jesus was talking to Nicodemus, He told him that that which is flesh is flesh and that which is Spirit is Spirit. Except we are born of water and the Spirit, we cannot enter the Kingdom of God. This is not the Bible freeing us from corruption and empowering us to be godly; rather, this is an act of the Holy Spirit. While we are born into corruption when we are born of the womb in the flesh and by means of water, it is also by means of water that we are born of the Holy Spirit. Evidently, other beings that do not have the flesh experience cannot be born into the Kingdom of God, as rebirth into the Kingdom is reserved only for those who are born of the flesh. This precludes angels from being born into the family of God. They are merely created beings.

In saying that God’s divine power has granted this to us, provided we make the decision to accept what our Heavenly Father is offering us, this is not something that is conferred upon us from reading the Bible or touching the book or eating its pages. This comes only from the Spirit of God, in conjunction with our desire to know the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ. Indeed, we find God only when we search for Him with all our heart.

We could say that the Bible empowers us because, when we read the Ten Commandments, we are able to know right from wrong. The only problem with the Ten Commandments is they do not empower us to live up to the standard required by them. This is the case, even though it is important for us to know what they are, so that when we break them, we can repent of our wrongdoing and ask forgiveness from our Heavenly Father through Jesus Christ our Lord and be empowered by the Holy Spirit to overcome our tendency to fall prey to the wiles of the Devil.

At best, the Bible informs us; it does not empower us of itself, nor does it set us free from corruption. To suggest that it does is heresy—a misleading falsehood.

6. The Bible serves love.

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment. (Philippians 1:9 NASB)

But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (1 Timothy 1:5 NASB)

While we know the Bible cannot serve anything of itself, we can make use of it; this is why the Bible is a useful resource. Being a useful resource is not the same as providing goods and services for us. We might be able to use the Bible as a resource to provide information and instruction to others, but this is different from suggesting the Bible actually serves of itself. To suggest that the Bible serves love makes it sound like the book is being equated to God Himself, when it is merely a dead letter that bears witness to Him.

God is love. Love is a state of being. Love is an active force that enables a harmonious relationship to exist. The Bible informs us that this is the unity of the Godhead, and love is what the Holy Spirit places within those who are recipients of His presence. For we learn that if we have faith in Jesus Christ, we have peace with God, and the love of the Holy Spirit is poured into our hearts (Romans 5:1–5). This is not the Bible providing love. Love only comes from God Himself.

The Apostle Paul might remind us that love comes with knowledge, discernment, a pure heart that possesses a clean and sound conscience from which a sincere faith is expressed toward God, but this is not love itself. The Apostle Paul is just writing a reminder to believers not to forget their first love and remain true disciples of Lord Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, many do forget their first love.

What becomes evident from these points raised by John Piper to express that the Bible is on a par with God, when it is not, is that we have free will and there is an adversary who is keen to enslave us in sin if we do not call out to God to protect us. We need to walk in the power of God’s love and not wander from the provision that is ours in the Holy Spirit. For this is what the Bible actually states:

Hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. For while we were yet weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:5–6)

Love comes when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit. The suggestion that the Bible serves love is a pious heresy—false.

7. The Bible saves.

Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. (1 Timothy 4:16 NASB)

Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. (Acts 20:26 NASB)

They will perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. (2 Timothy 2:10 NASB)

We know the Bible does not save; therefore, this claim is an absolute falsehood. The Bible bears witness to Jesus Christ, who gave His life that all might be saved through Him (John 5:39–40; 3:14–16). Yet look at the texts from Scripture provided by this preacher of heresy to claim that salvation is attainable by the Bible itself. These could be written by anybody to promote their own book as the means of salvation. Either we direct people to Jesus Christ or we lead them astray. Much depends on our own experience. Even Muslims, Hindus, and Buddhists could say that their Scriptures save; but the same problem exists: the dead letter is unable to save anyone.

Naturally, if we do not know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, because we do not have a personal relationship with Him, having been baptized in the Holy Spirit, we will not lead people to the truth. We will take them another way, rather than the way that leads to life through Jesus. Those who do this are doing the work of the deceiver.

Satan deceived Eve. When Jesus was in the wilderness, Satan attempted to deceive Him. How? By quoting Scripture. Jesus repudiated Satan. Satan left Him, the Bible says, for an opportune time; which is what we read in the book of Luke:

And when the Devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:13 ESV)

Just because Jesus was the Son of God and never sinned when He was on Earth, this did not mean that the deceiver was going to leave Him alone. If the deceiver was not prepared to leave Jesus alone, should we think that we would be exempt from his ploys of deception? Subtlety is the means that the deceiver uses. This is how he deceived Eve. This is how he tried to deceive Jesus. Only his ploy did not work with Jesus, because the Holy One had no inclination to sin.

How did the Devil attempt to tempt Jesus? By appealing to His sense of self. But as we have noted earlier, Jesus was the preexistent Son of God who had already humbled Himself by becoming a human being. When the Devil used Scripture to tempt Jesus to prove that He really was the Son of God, it did not work. Jesus understood Who He was and did not doubt His relationship with the Father; He had never broken it. Jesus simply quoted Scripture to repudiate the Devil’s claim. This does not impute any power to the Scriptures; it merely lets us know that when we understand what they mean, by utilizing them within our thoughts, we can exercise authority because they bear witness to the truth. However, while the Scriptures might bear witness to the truth, they can also be used to derail us from discovering the truth when used wrongly.

This is what occurs when people attribute salvation power to the Bible, which is misleading. Only Jesus has provided salvation, and the power comes from the Holy Spirit—not from the dead letter.

Many people claim that the Bible is alive and active. They claim it is the Living Word of God and this is what it says within its own pages. Those who argue that the Bible is alive and active point to the following Scripture in the book of Hebrews:

For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

There is nothing incorrect with what this Scripture states. If we possess a thorough knowledge of Who the Word of God happens to be, then we do not have a problem with what this Scripture states. However, if we were to claim that this is proof that the Bible is alive and active and has the power to impart life and salvation from sin, then we would be doing the work of the Devil. There is a major difference between lifting a Scripture on its own from the Bible to emphasize a correct teaching and doing it to disguise a lie, only to be found doing the work of the Devil.

If we were to teach that the Word of God, which is alive and active, is the preexistent Son of God, and that this is Who is being mentioned here, we would be teaching the truth, and there is no harm in lifting this Scripture out of context. We know that in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God, and the Word was with God (John 1:1). When we read of the One on a horse who is clothed in a garment sprinkled with blood and His name is called the Word of God (Revelation 19:13), we know this is not the Bible, but our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the Son of God. And when we read that Scripture in context, which people claim refers to the Bible and supports the doctrine that the Scriptures are the Living Word of God, we learn that this is not the Bible. The Word of God here is really Lord Jesus Christ.

Let us look at this Scripture from Hebrews in context and see whether this claim that the Bible is the Living Word of God is what is being taught here:

Let us therefore give diligence to enter into that rest, lest anyone fall after the same example of disobedience. For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. There is no creature that is hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and laid open before the eyes of him to whom we must give an account. (Hebrews 4:11–13)

Firstly, the Bible does not give us rest—Jesus does. Secondly, the Bible does not possess eyes—Jesus does. Thirdly, only the Son of God is the Living Word, before Whom all have to give an account.

This falsehood that the written word of God is the LIVING WORD of GOD becomes a stumbling block for many, who assert that the Bible is their salvation. The Bible teaches very clearly that faith in Lord Jesus Christ is required for salvation, and rather than entering the rest of God that is provided through the death and resurrection of our beloved Savior, those who believe that their salvation comes from reading the Bible strive in vain to overcome sin.

The falsehood that the Bible provides salvation of itself is a damnable heresy.

8. The Bible gives joy.

These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
(John 15:11 NASB)

When we enter God’s rest, we possess the joy of salvation. The Bible does not provide the joy of salvation because it does not save anybody. It merely points the way and provides instruction on how we can be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (2 Timothy 3:15).

In fact, the Bible tells us very clearly that if we are saved, we will possess the joy of salvation. The reason people who do read the Bible do not possess the joy of salvation is because they are not saved. They have not been set free from their sin. They have not entered into the rest of God.

The psalmist at one stage knew the joy of salvation but evidently lost it, because he writes that he cries out to the Lord to restore to him the joy of salvation (Psalm 51:12). Isaiah also speaks about the joy that comes when the waters of living water begin to well up within our hearts once we have been saved (Isaiah 12:3). This, Jesus said, happens when we possess the Holy Spirit (John 7:38–39).

Reading the Bible is not what gives us the joy of salvation. If anything, reading the Bible will convict us of our sin and reveal our need to repent if we do not possess the joy of salvation. But even then, it is the Holy Spirit who convicts—not the Bible (John 16:8).

To suggest that the Bible of itself gives the joy of salvation is a heresy.

9. The Bible reveals the Lord.

And the Lord appeared again at Shiloh, for the Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord. (1 Samuel 3:21 NASB)

The Bible definitely bears witness to Jesus Christ, the Lord of Creation and Savior of all mankind, providing we accept the inheritance that has been made available through His death and resurrection.

Just because it states that the Lord revealed Himself to Samuel at Shiloh, this does not mean that reading the Bible is the same thing that happened to the prophet. When the Lord appeared and revealed Himself to Samuel in person, this was not a Bible reading.

Clearly Piper is saying that the reading of this account is the equivalent of the Bible revealing the Lord in person. This contributes to the sin of bibliolatry, by attributing more to the Bible than it actually is—a written witness to the plan, purpose, and requirements of the Lord God for humankind. To attribute more to the Bible than what is attested to within its pages is to bear false witness. By going beyond the truth, Piper’s claim is heresy.

10. Therefore, the Bible is the foundation of my happy home and life and ministry and hope of eternity with God.

According to the Bible, there is no other foundation than that which is already laid, which is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11). While some might like to say that we are splitting hairs, the truth is we are not, for to suggest the Bible is Jesus Christ is error.

If anyone preaches any other gospel other than Jesus Christ is Lord—the Living Word of God, Who has the power to save—then they are to be accursed (Galatians 1:8–9). Now this is a terrifying thought. Fortunately, God overlooks the ignorance of the ignorant. But woe to the hypocrites who rely upon their own insights for salvation. Instead of being humble, the hypocrites are puffed up by their knowledge of what they believe the Scriptures say, only to find they are like Saul of Tarsus—blind to the truth, and always struggling with sin when they could have been set free, had they truly desired to experience the love of God in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

While it is true that people who apply the principles found in the Bible to their lives will fare better than those who do not, this does not mean that people who do not read the Bible will not enjoy success in this world and have a happy home. For I have met scores of people who have degrees of success socially, with happiness in their homes, who do not read the Bible.

As Paul the Apostle said regarding those who do not possess the Law, when they do what the Law requires, they show they have the knowledge of the Law of God written on their hearts, even without having learned or heard the Law. This is because we all know that to live at peace with one another, we have to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Only this does not guarantee salvation, even if it helps us find a successful career or enjoy a relatively happy home. As Jesus said, “My mother, brothers, and sisters are those who do the will of God” (Mark 3:35).

We could say that anybody who teaches anything other than what Jesus taught is teaching biblical heresy.

Another heresy that is not mentioned in the ten heresies above, which also robs us, is the claim that Jesus did not teach tithing. However, this is not true, because when speaking about the weightier matters of the Law, Jesus also said that we ought to tithe, while at the same time practicing the weightier matters of the Law of God (Matthew 23:23).

There are those who argue that Jesus was speaking only to the Jews at the time and therefore what He said does not apply to us today. Some will say that Jesus was only talking to the hypocrites and therefore what He said does not apply to us. Either we accept the truth of Scripture or we play games. Religionists, deceivers, and other agents of the Devil twist Scripture to suit themselves. If we want the truth, we accept what the Scripture states and then do what it says.

In a nutshell, so to speak, this is what the Scriptures teach:

First, we need to seek out the Lord God to find Jesus and be baptized in the Holy Spirit.
Secondly, we need to return to God by giving our material substance to the work of ministry, so we might bring glory to His name.
Thirdly, we share what God is doing in our lives with others.

If we do this, we will find ourselves doing the will of God, because we have truly returned to God and have learned how to give Him the glory.

[i] John Piper and D.A. Carson, The Pastor as Scholar and The Scholar as Pastor. Crossway Wheaton. Ill 2011.

[ii] Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.—some of the other translations are New American Standard Bible, International Standard Version, New International Version.

[iv] A Calvinist who claimed I needed to clean the dust of my Bible, open it and actually read what it says, told me that this Scripture says nothing about coming to Jesus..

[vi] Not all versions translate the Greek in such a way that this is obvious. The Amplified Bible draws out the meaning of the Greek, here, better than most, although ESV; RSV;CJB; DLNT clearly indicate that we grow in faith when we give glorify to God.

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