Jesus cured all of them. This was in fulfillment of what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, "A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering (dimly burning) wick He will not quench."
(Excerpted from Matthew 12:15-20, the Amplified Bible)
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Jesus cured all of them. This was in fulfillment of what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah, "A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering (dimly burning) wick He will not quench." (Excerpted from Matthew 12:15-20, the Amplified Bible)
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Reflections:
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deceived
Watch Those Warning Signs! by Agnes C. Lawless
Christ warned us that in the last days, a proliferation of false teachers will, if possible, "deceive even the elect" (Matthew 24:24 NIV). Deceived by Satan themselves, they in turn deceive others. How is it possible for even the elect to be deceived? It usually happens gradually and as the result of following a persuasive but untrustworthy leader.
The lure of Shiloh Our family is no stranger to the enticement of such leaders. My husband's grandparents, T. Albert "Bert" and Carrie Field, with two young children, joined an exciting new spiritual community in 1899. When they arrived with their loaded horse-drawn wagon at the rural setting near Durham, Maine, what they saw reminded them of a medieval castle ruling a hill. Colorful flags whipped in the breeze. Two magnificent "gates of praise" topped a long staircase, and wide verandas wrapped around the main building. A gold-leaf crown capped a seven-storied tower. The Holy-Ghost-and-Us Bible School, later known simply as "Shiloh," was the largest institution of its kind in the U.S. at the turn of the last century. It covered 1,500 acres and included forty-four buildings and farms. Frank W. Sandford, a former Baptist preacher and evangelist, founded the school in 1896 to give his new converts additional teaching. Fueled by his paper Tongues of Fire with news of healings and miracles, flames of this new movement swept across North America and the British Isles. Sandford, a dynamic person with oratorical gifts, drew followers like candy draws children. He soon attracted families from as far away as Washington State, western Canada, and England. Shiloh grew into a commune of six hundred men and women, plus children. All were earnest Christians, eager to win the world for Christ in their generation. They sold all they had, gave the money to the leader, and moved into wooden, unheated dormitories. Bert and Carrie were excited to be part of this new movement. Bert had sold their home, furniture, and jewelry store in nearby Brunswick and then turned the money over to Sandford, along with their horses and wagon. However, he had given his parents some money to keep for them, just in case. Bert soon established himself as an important member of the community. As one of the few businessmen, he not only served as postmaster but also as water commissioner and the appraiser of jewelry, silverware, and other valuable items donated to the group. For the first few years, Bert and Carrie were happy in the glow of their "honeymoon" experience at Shiloh. They enjoyed meeting new people and talking about things of the Lord. The daily services and prayer meetings were stimulating.
Uneasiness grows As time passed, the Fields noticed gradual changes. Bible classes turned into lengthy harangues on Sandford's often revolutionary doctrines. They also observed that members considered his words as important as God's. Flushed with success and the adulation of his people, Sandford called himself first a prophet, then an apostle, and finally the restored "Elijah" who would prepare the earth for Christ's reign. The young couple became uncomfortable but didn't dare say a word to anyone else. They found Sandford's abusive actions disturbing--his angry confrontations with those who disagreed or questioned his authority. Bert and Carrie's Yankee thrift and sense of justice were bothered by his blithe spending of large amounts of money on everything from golden harps to boats instead of food for his hungry followers--especially the children. Deeply disillusioned, Bert, Carrie, and their growing family left Shiloh in 1904 under a cloud of rejection from their friends and Sandford's warnings of judgment. In fact, these warnings were so dire that the Fields had a family portrait taken soon after they left. With tongue-in-cheek, Bert told family and friends, "We want you to have something to remember us by--in case Sandford's judgments come true." With his parents' aid and the money he had left with them, Bert built another home and reestablished his jewelry business in Brunswick. He and Carrie helped others who fled Shiloh and hid them in their house, barn, or woods to protect fanatical members from hunting them down. They gave the escapees money to return to their homes and wrote letters of recommendation for those needing jobs.
Sandford’s legacy Sandford's visions of glory soon ended in tragedy. With two sailing vessels--a large yacht called The Coronet and a brigantine called The Kingdom--he and some followers made "missionary" trips to the Holy Land and other countries to spread his teaching. On a fateful voyage in 1910-11, the brigantine ran aground, and waves pounded it to pieces. Its passengers boarded the yacht and resumed their journey. Although the ship was badly overcrowded and short of supplies, Sandford refused to put into port for food or to return to the U.S. to face a lawsuit. They sailed on to Greenland where storms battered the ship. Seven crewmen died from sickness and starvation, and the rest demanded to go home. When the boat finally returned to Portland, Maine, authorities arrested Sandford, convicted him of negligent homicide, and sentenced him to seven years in a federal prison. By 1920, most of the group scattered, disillusioned and penniless. Meanwhile, the Fields joined an evangelical church in Brunswick where Bert served as Sunday-school superintendent for many years. He often led people in singing, " 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus," and his eyes would fill with tears. He and Carrie had learned by hard experience to trust in Jesus, not a leader. Author George Santayana wisely said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." We can avoid repeating the past by heeding...
Nine warning signs of false teaching and practices
1. Dynamic leaders venerated by their people. Charismatic leaders can attract followers with persuasive speech, an air of authority, and idealistic goals. Their people often idolize them. Yet God says we should worship him alone: "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only" (Matthew 4:10). "I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another" (Isaiah 42:8).
2. An authoritarian structure shaped like a pyramid. This type of organization is characterized by one leader at the top with a few immediately under him, exercising excessive control over the personal lives of the followers. Such leaders demand honor, unquestioning obedience, and submission. Fear of public reprimand or excommunication is used as a weapon to prevent complaints and defection. Jesus, however, denounced such misuse of authority when he told his disciples, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. No so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant" (Matthew 20:25-26).
3. An emphasis on horizontal rather than vertical relationships. People in these groups are urged to form "covenant" relationships with others in the movement. Much teaching from the pulpit revolves around this. Yet personal fellowship with God is not emphasized in the same way. The Lord said, however, that we should keep our eyes on him rather than on other people. They may disappoint us; God will never fail. The Bible says, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2).
4. A lack of emphasis on Bible study and prayer. Authoritarian leaders often warn their people of the danger of biblical head knowledge. They put little emphasis on a personal time with the Lord. Thus, new Christians often neglect both Bible study and prayer. Just as prisoners of war are kept docile through starvation, these believers become weak from spiritual malnutrition and are easy prey to false teaching. They go along with whatever the leaders say, scriptural or not. Remember that the Dark Ages were brought about in part by a state church discouraging Bible reading by the laity. Leaders insisted that their people accept the church's teaching. We become spiritually strong not only by listening to biblical preaching but even more by personal Bible study. The apostle Paul told the Ephesian believers, "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up" (Acts 20:32). The Berean Christians compared Paul's teaching with Scripture: "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts 17:11).
5. "New" revelation. Often unwilling to accept traditional interpretation of scriptural truth, leaders may call their teaching a "new revelation" from God or "the now word for today." Such leaders thus train their people to depend on their counsel or personal prophecy rather than Scripture. Regarding this practice, Jesus said, "They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men" (Matthew 15:9). Paul also warned about such teachers: "Evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived" (2 Timothy 3:13). He urged Timothy to continue in what he had learned because "from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures" (v. 15).
6. Exclusivism. Fringe groups cut themselves off from Christians who disagree with their doctrinal stances, so they do not fellowship with others in the evangelical community. Sometimes they form communes so they can further separate themselves from "corrupting" influences. Jesus' prayer for all his people, however, was for unity: "Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one" (John 17:11).
7. Greed for money. Authoritarian leaders often insist that their followers give liberally to them and the movement. Those who do not are confronted about it. Giving to other organizations may be forbidden. Leaders of communes may demand that their followers turn over all possessions and money when they join. Such leaders do not use money for God's glory. They make sure they themselves are well taken care of, and they usually live on a higher level than their people. The Bible warns against such greed: "From the least to the greatest, all are greedy for gain, prophets and priests alike" (Jeremiah 6:13).
8. Confrontation with those who disagree. Authoritarian leaders often become angry with those who question their teaching, even when such questions are honest. They may hurl verbal abuse or use physical violence when crossed. The offended persons either submit or leave the group, hurt and disillusioned. Regarding anger, God said, "A quick-tempered man does foolish things" (Proverbs 14:17). "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger" (Ephesians 4:31).
9. Ties broken with defectors. When people leave authoritarian groups, the leaders usually cut them off completely. In Shiloh, the organization my husband's grandparents joined, Sandford told members to have nothing to do with defectors, even if they were members of their own families. He said that terrible judgments would befall any who dared to depart from his "true" church.
Truly, we see the proliferation of false teachers that Christ warned us about. It pays to heed God's warning signs. None of us is exempt from being deceived.
©2008 Agnes C. Lawless. This article is adapted from The Drift into Deception: The Eight Characteristics of Abusive Christianity by Agnes C. Lawless with John W. Lawless (Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Resources, 1995).
Prayer: Almighty God, keep me from falling into deception, and open my eyes to see warning signs so that I might remain firm in my faith. Amen.
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