Beware of a Spiritual Cancer in the Body of Christ

A cancer is growing in the body of Christ, the church. It is a heresy that is spreading throughout the land. Many are being bewitched by a rather “righteous and holy” appearing doctrine. It is a false doctrine that seems true to the uninitiated and unlearned. It is the very same doctrine that was running wild throughout the era of the early church during the first and second century A.D.

This doctrine deceives people into thinking that by their own might and will they can keep the Ten Commandment Law–that by working to keep the law, they can be righteous in the Savior’s eyes. In fact, they are led to believe that by keeping the law, they will be justified by God; God will see that they are righteousness.

Someone will say, What’s wrong with that? Why are you putting them down? Keeping the Commandments is a good thing, isn’t it? Yes, the law is holy and good; it is the perfect law of liberty. The catch is that the old carnal nature cannot successfully keep it on its own strength. Only through the Spirit of God dwelling in us can we keep the law.

Paul writes about such matters. And because the apostle’s writings are diametrically opposed to this cancerous doctrine of trying-to-keep-the-law-on-our-own-strength-and-not-by-His-Spirit-dwelling-within, some people are rejecting Paul’s teachings! I have heard people say that Paul is in error! They reason that he could not be correct because he does not agree with their interpretation of scripture.

Well, God has news for them. Paul has a direct revelation from God, and the world would do well to take heed to what the Spirit through Paul is saying.

If You Throw Out Paul, You Must Throw Out the Rest of the NT Writings

If you get rid of his letters to us, then you will have to finally reject the rest of the New Testament. Peter will be the next one that the cancer consumes, for Peter believed that Paul was a prophet and an apostle of God (II Peter 3: 14-15). Peter said that Paul was a beloved brother, had wisdom from God, and that Paul was writing things that agreed with Peter’s thoughts. Peter did say that Paul wrote things that were hard to understand for the “unlearned and unstable,” who wrestle with his writings, “as they do the other scriptures.” Peter considered Paul’s writings of the same caliber and quality as the other inspired writings of the prophets and patriarchs.

Consequently, if you throw out Peter, you will eventually have to throw out James and John and Matthew and the other original disciples because they were all “in one mind and one accord” on the day of Pentecost in the upper room. They all saw eye to eye spiritually. And they all received the same immersion in the Holy Spirit and fire (Acts 2: 1-4).

The exploits of the early church are set forth in Luke’s book of the Acts of the Apostles. Luke, who had “perfect understanding of all things from the very first” (Luke 1: 3), vindicates Paul’s ministry, devoting 2/3 of Acts to it.

So let’s take an inventory. Those who throw out Paul must throw out also the gospels, Acts, Paul’s letters, James, the letters of Peter, John, Jude, and Revelation. Not much left of the Savior’s first coming and of His death, burial, and resurrection. All that is left is a looking forward to a first coming of the Messiah. This cancerous doctrine will leave you hopelessly  wandering to the nearest synagogue in search of others who are hopelessly trying to keep the 10 Commandments on their own strength.

This cancer is devouring the faith of many who have discovered the Sacred Names of Yahweh and Yahshua. Since they are names in the Hebrew tongue, the unlearned think that all things Hebrew is the answer, including getting into the Law of the Old Testament. The cancerous teaching is called “the works of the law” being our way to be justified, as if we could keep them in our own strength. The law leads us to Christ and His Spirit. After receiving His Spirit, His Spirit keeps the commandments by faith in the Christ of the New Testament.

As you explore the beauty of the sacred names of the Father and Son, beware of this cancer that is a “cunningly devised fable” that would deceive the very elect if it were possible. Oh, by the way, Paul and Peter warned us of it.                    Kenneth Wayne Hancock