(ARTICLE) Jesus Said There Are Many False Converts

[creationliberty]

Jesus Said There Are Many False Converts

This is a completely new teaching to overwrite the old teaching I had called "False Converts vs Eternal Security." I go into much more detail about the parables of Jesus Christ, and His warnings to the church that there would be many false converts, and how to identify them.

[Rowan M.]

I really enjoyed this article, but I think there is an error in one section. This is on the Parable of the Marriage Feast. You say in that:

The king called to his servants to come to the wedding, but they would not come, meaning that there are those who claim to be the servants of God (i.e. in this case, the Jews), but they rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so they refused to have fellowship.

It should be noted that the grace of the king is made clear in this parable because the king has no obligation to invite his servants to take part in the celebration. Servants typically work during a celebration feast to serve others, but by the grace and joy of the King of Kings, He invited his professing servants to come and partake in the celebration, but in the pridefulness and hatred of heart, they rejected the King's grace.

Matthew 22:3 says:

And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

My understanding of this verse is that "them that were bidden" are the Jews, while the servants are the Old Testament prophets. So it is not the servants who are refusing to come, but them that are bidden. I would certainly agree though that they rejected God's grace due to their pridefulness and hatred in their hearts.

Moving on to Verse 4:

Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

Now here, your interpretation is correct. You rightly identify the "other servants" as Christians like John, Peter and Paul (basically, these other servants are the apostles and evangelists of the New Testament, who started out preaching to the Jews and then moved on to Gentiles). Likewise, you identify "them which are bidden" as the Jews. But with the previous verse, you seem to be identifying the servants as the Jews, whereas in fact the servants are the ones being sent out to preach God's message to the Jews. And the "other servants" in Verse 4 are doing likewise. So I believe that needs some amendment.

That one issue aside though, I was very edified by the article, and also found it sobering when I remember my own years as a false convert and consider people in my life who still are.

[creationliberty]

I fixed that. It now reads:

This king is God the Father, who has prepared a marriage feast (i.e. a wedding celebration) for His Son, the bridegroom, who is Jesus Christ in this analogy, and the marriage of the bridegroom is to the bride, which is the church. The king sent his servants (i.e. men like John the Baptist) to call his guests to come to the wedding, but they would not come, meaning that those who were bidden (i.e. in this case, the Jews) rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ, refused to have fellowship with God, the very God they claimed to serve.

It should be noted that the grace of the king is made clear in this parable because the king has no obligation to anyone, and these invitations to take part in the celebration are a kindness. These guests have no need to pay any cost for the festivities, and were simply offered to come and enjoy the marriage supper, but in pridefulness and hatred of heart, they rejected the King's grace.

[Joshua JZB]

That parrot picture is a fantastic summary of the issue. Speaks 1,000 words.

[Zoologistkid]

I found a very small typo at the beginning:

in a Jim Jones or David Karesh cult.

Chris, thank you for rewriting this. It is more powerful than before and like Rowan this was sobering. I thank the Lord for helping me find you and your works.

[Pilgrim Mike]

I'm going to read the article but I would first like to let be made known that the picture of the perrat great.. . I spoke with a guy yesterday handing out tracts from a church called pilgrim baptist church. It seemed to me that he was there promoting a business. I'm curious to know what some of you think when someone claims to be of Christ in that situation who says that nowhere in the Bible does Jesus say go stand on a street corner and rebuke sin while at the same time say you're supposed to. It was an unexpected conversation being as I was helping my wife at an event and when I saw this guy I was walking my son to the restroom. If more detail is given just let me know and I'll be happy to do my best. Thank you all.