FORGET THE BONES - THE MEAT WILL KILL YOU!
© Daniel Valles 10/29/7   www. informedchristians.com

Every week I hear, or read, about some false doctrine or movement that is gaining a foothold in believers and ‘churches’. I see people who have a complete lack of discernment set up in their life and thinking, to where they accept any teaching that seems to be popular. They will say that if it is so widespread and being accepted, God must be blessing it. Well, drugs and other vices are popular too, so what’s your point? There are many times when talking with people, or listening to them speak, that you can tell they have no skepticism toward accepting what the latest ‘Christian guru’ prattles off. A Christian should have a courteous skepticism of any doctrine taught. The Bereans did well in double-checking even what Paul said with the Scriptures (Acts 17:11).

Two great quotes which sum up the danger we will be examining are: “The only true barrier to truth is the presumption that you already have it.” And “He who is unaware of his ignorance will be only misled by his knowledge.” (Richard Whately). The greatest danger for many Christians (and church-goers) is the misguided thinking that they should be able to recognize false teaching if they saw it. Many of them believe that (surely) they would not be led astray by false teaching. The majority of them think (or are taught) that if something is wrong, they would be able to identify it. An analogy which may help you visualize this would be for an home owner to think that their ventilation system is cleaning the air; yet they neglected to put in (or update) a filter. It is the misguided assumption that they somehow come pre-equipped to recognize Satan’s devices, to where they let him into their life without recognizing him. It is like a policeman who is told to apprehend a wanted criminal without ever getting him a picture of him.

Filters and discernment take work and study to build. Reading and becoming familiar with God’s Word is the best way to build a library filter that teachings are compared to when heard. Unfortunately, and sadly, the average Christian has not invested any time to build a filter for doctrine or practice. Yet, they still think that they are capable or discerning truth. The absolute greatest danger is when these naïve and ignorant people willingly subject themselves to dubious doctrine, erroneously thinking that their filter will catch the wrong! They have no filter! It would be similar to me going down to the local cow pond and taking a drink, knowing that it is filthy, yet bizarrely thinking that somehow my mouth would filter it for me. That is what most Christians are doing week after week! They go to so-called churches and places of false teaching, taking in deep drinks, thinking it is going to be filtered somehow, yet they have not endeavored to put in a filter!

I was casually talking to some brainwashed Ruckmanites not too long ago, and they asked me what I thought about the King James Version, whether it was better than the original. I told them that I believed it was the best translation in our language, and that it was not re-inspired when it was translated into the King James Bible. The KJV is just a translation – the best, most accurate translation, but still a translation. He disagreed, of course. I picked his brain about one or two other teachings that they had, and he wrapped up the conversation with the classic cliché: “Well, I’ll eat the meat and spit out the bones.” His companions all nodded in agreement. I felt so sad for them. Here they were going to a school with the attitude of blind acceptance of any teaching, somehow coupled with a false hope that if they heard something false, they would recognize it. However, because they had not studied and placed in their mind and life (let alone placing themselves in the situation), they readily accepted false, private interpretations.

Christians have been lied to by Satan into thinking that in every teaching there is good stuff and there is bad stuff. He tricks us into thinking that the bones cannot contaminate the meat, and that the meat is perfectly safe. Every time I hear that dangerous cliché, “…eat the meat, spit out the bones”, I immediately think about the pufferfish. The pufferfish contains lethal amounts of poison, yet it is regarded as a Japanese delicacy named fugu. What makes it so interesting is that only certain parts of the fish can be eaten, while others cannot. Furthermore, discerning between the edible and poisonous is so critical that only specially trained and licensed chefs can prepare this delicacy. These chefs have to apprentice for over two years before they get their license. It is so critical to be able to properly identify and discern between these meats, that only thirty percent of the apprentices pass the final tests for licensing. Out of tradition, even the knives used to prepare the fish are kept very separate from other knives. The poison is tetrodotoxin, which paralyzes its victims while they remain fully conscious, until they finally asphyxiate. Why this science lesson? Because most Christians naively think they are some form of fugu chef who can discern the subtle differences between downright poisoned meat, tainted meat, and edible meat. If someone gave me a whole pufferfish to eat, I would just burn it. I know: (1) I am not a fugu chef (2) The risk is not worth it (3) Even if I know what parts should be edible, I am not guaranteed they are not tainted. That is the greatest danger to deliberately subjecting oneself to dubious teachings! We may be able to identify vaguely what parts are ‘bones’ and which parts are ‘meat’, but we have no guarantees as to whether the ‘meat’ is tainted or not. There are many a book and source that I do not read or even consider because the danger of tainted and contaminated ‘meat’ is too high.

I have a British Berkefeld water filter at my home - one of the best filters you can get. I could put skuzzy cow pond water it and have it filter it – but I don’t. Why? Because I don’t want to have to clean the skuzzy stuff out of my filter. I know my filter can clean out the junk. I know the water will then be safe to drink. But, common sense tells me that there is probably a whole lot better sources of water than a skuzzy cow pond to get water from in the first place. I use this example to illustrate how many people go to dubious sources for ‘water’ where there is a bunch of junk that needs to be filtered out, instead of going to better sources. When I talk with people about certain numerous errors in a popular teacher’s writings, for example, I often get the same cliché again: “…eat the meat, spit out the bones.” I have yet to understand how most of these people expect to recognize a bone, let alone recognize if they are choking on one! I feel like grabbing these people and shaking them, saying they should pick something not quite so bony! There are many types of fish in our lakes and ponds that the fishermen just skip over or throw back. Why? They are so bony they are not worth the trouble! Yet, many people seem to find no problem finding and devouring the ‘boniest’ teachings and teachers they can get a hold of. You can tell a novice fisherman from an experienced one. A novice fisherman will catch a bunch of brim and think they are doing great. An experienced fisherman will catch a bass, trout, or salmon, and throw the brim back.

Matthew 16:6 says, “Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” Jesus did not tell his disciples to beware of the bones of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and to only eat the meat. No, He used the picture of leaven to illustrate that once even a little bit of false teaching gets into good teaching, it can taint the whole. You cannot eat the bread and spit out the leaven. Jesus was telling His disciples that it is best to just skip the whole loaf of ‘bread’ to avoid the false doctrine. If we use Christ’s word picture about avoiding the leaven (and hence leaving the loaf), we will do much better than using the dangerous cliché of meat and bones. There are numerous varieties of bread. Some are unleavened, some are leavened. Christ, and His Word, is the Bread of life. When a false teacher adds his hot air to the Bread of Life, we are to avoid it.

I John 4:1-3 says, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” The first thing we observe from this passage is that we should exercise courteous skepticism to all sources of teaching that we hear. We are to be Bereans, double-checking to see if the teaching (or teacher) lines up with God’s Word. Secondly, we are given a warning that there are already many false prophets. If you are driving on the road and see a sign warning you about fallen limbs on the road, you are going to keep an eye out for them. Likewise, Christ warns us about the many false teachers and teachings that are on the road of life, and warns us to watch out for them, and avoid them. Thirdly, He gives one way to quickly narrow down who is a false teacher. He tells us that if they deny that Jesus was indeed God come down in the flesh, then they are guaranteed to be a false teacher. That eliminates from our consideration all cults that claim the He was just a man, or that He was just a great prophet. God, in His Word, tells us that if this one, single piece of leaven is in a teacher/teaching, then we are to stay away. Fourthly, the passage again reminds us that the spirit of antichrist (teachings that are against Christ) are already throughout the world. We need to be wary and cautions at all times.

Matthew 7:15-16 warns, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits…”   Many Christians have the naïve notion that surely they would recognize a false prophet/teacher. Not so. A false prophet/teacher can very easily pass himself off as just one of the sheep. A false prophet can have all of the appearance of a sheep. It is not like the wolf’s tail is sticking out of the sheep costume and that is how we will recognize them. No. Christ tells us that for many of the false prophets, the only way we can tell a difference from them and a true teacher is by examining their fruits and teachings. Too many Christians rely on a teacher’s charisma, energy, and good looks to be the judge of whom they will take heed to. Many a naïve Christian follows the poisoned cotton candy salesman. We should look at what they are teaching. Examine and compare it against Scripture. A false prophet/teacher is simply one who systematically does not teach the truth about what Scripture teaches. We may only see the outside sheep appearance, but by examining the fruits and teachings can reveal the ravening wolves. Many of the hawkers of prosperity gospel, gospel-lite, purpose-driven-drivel, etc. appear to be harmless oracles (or at least that is how they are treated). The flashy styles, warm smiles, and fishing-buddy casualness catches many off-guard.

Christ gave His disciples a proverb to help them in discerning who is true and who is false. John 7:24 states, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” I have met so many Christians whose judgment is almost entirely by appearance. “Well, it appears to be ok…. Well, it appears like God is blessing him… It appears that he is nice, harmless kinda guy…” Ignorance. Jesus Christ told His disciples that appearances can affect your judgment. We should not rely on appearances, but whether their teachings line up with God’s Word. More Christians need to close their worldly eyes, and start looking through the spiritual eyes of discernment in making righteous judgments about whether these charlatans are touting God’s Word or leaven. What about us? Have we familiarized ourselves with God’s Word to where we can more effectually be mentally flagged about false teaching and leaven – or do we just go by the author’s glossy picture on the cover of their latest book?

You might, if that is what you are comfortable with. Most people have just enough religion to make them feel comfortable. Jeremiah 5:21 warns, “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” Many people confuse an author’s agreeing with the reader’s worldly flesh as ‘discernment’ and ‘confirmation’. They confuse that warm, fuzzy feeling as confirmation that it must be OK. Accustomed to not discerning, they retreat when their toes get stepped on by true teaching. It was true back then, and it is true today. There are multitudes of people that actually enjoy the cotton-candy ‘christianity’. In Jeremiah, God is asking the people a rhetorical question about what their false faith will do for them in the end. At the end of their life, or when judgment and hard times come on earth, they will find what their ‘faith’ has reaped.

Lamentations 2:14 again warns, “Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment.” There are many smiley, happy-faced, positive ‘preachers’ in our land today that deliberately and knowingly only focus on the feel-good junk. Joel Osteen and Rick Warren are two of the more well-known charlatans. God’s Word tells us that these false teachers will actually make up false reasons and distractions about why bad things were coming upon a people instead of telling them that it was their sin! When we step back and see this same plight sweeping across our pulpits today, it should fill us with horror that Satan is deceiving many ‘professing’ Christians about what is happening to our land! These false teachers and dens of iniquities offer countless days of community, financial empowerment seminars, marriage seminars, social gospel issues, ad nauseum, distracting people from the true source of trouble in their lives - sin. Our nation is being spiritually prepped for plucking by convincing people that God’s signs of judgment on our land are not signs of judgment, but social ills that can be remedied if we somehow have some pathetic ‘purpose’! These are liars damning people to Hell!

II Peter 2:1-3 vehemently warns, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you…” Many shall follow their pernicious ways. What about you? Have you determined to serve God first and highest above all? Have you purposed in your heart that no matter what your ‘church’ and friends may follow, you and your family will follow Christ and His Word instead of some pipsqueak, false teacher who conceals people’s iniquity from them? Their followers are merchandise. False teachers love followers. That is why they are always announcing some new program or book. They love the attention. Their mock-humility is merely a mask for their craving for attention. Attention that is due to Jesus Christ. That is why Christ warned us that there would be many antichrists in the end times. These are those false teachers who turn people away from what God teaches, to gather their follower’s attention to themselves.

Perhaps one of the more blatant and egregious mishandlings of Scripture used today by false prophets is Joel 2:28. “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions…” As I trawl through the Internet looking for various godly resources and news insights, I very often come across various ‘christians’ or ‘ministries’ that have the latest dream or vision that their leader has had happen to them. Whenever I see them start to mention such baloney, I just roll my eyes and go work on something else. To many of them, their dream and vision is right up there with divine Scripture from God. I put zero stock in dreams and visions, and I will show you why. If, perchance, someone had a dream that came remotely and partially true, it can be chalked up as coincidence. Plus, if someone thinks about something long enough, they will dream about it. Granted, the Lord does impress upon us things we should be doing, or need to do urgently. However, He does not use our mental televisions powered by spicy foods and soft drinks. I say this because Scripture reveals in Acts 2:16-18 “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel [2:28]; and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy…” Many professing Christians rip the Joel and Acts passage completely out of context, quoting it by itself as justification for their enchilada visions. However, when we exercise righteous judgment, and read the Acts passage in context, we find that the Joel passage is not being fulfilled today, but had come to pass for the time when the Apostles and disciples were on the earth. The Acts passage had just finished retelling the story of the miracle at Pentecost, where the disciples spoke in foreign languages (not some pathetic, demonic gobblegook as is touted today) to the crowd of internationals. Scripture then records that that event was the fulfillment of the Joel prophesy. Scripture was recording that the signs the disciples and Apostles were given were to testify to their witness of Christ – that was the fulfillment, and that is where it stopped! Dreams and visions today are not in Scripture! Jeremiah 29:8-9 also warns, “For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.” There are many self-proclaimed prophets (and prophetesses) touting their visions to fawning audiences who fixate on every word their guru states. They are false prophets and teachers. Avoid them. God will not send any more special Divinely-appointed prophets until He sends the two witnesses of Revelation. And unless your favorite prophet-puppet can send fire out of his mouth to devour his adversaries and cause plagues, etc. like Revelation 11 foretells, then you got a faker. God has already given us His Word. His Word is more than sufficient for our daily walk with Him and living for Him. Your relationship and walk with Him will determine your communion and fellowshipping with Him. Stay in His Word, meditate on His Word, pray and speak with Him, and you will find that He will become more real in your life than some fleeting dream.

Here is a short (certainly not complete) list of bony meats, poisonous meats, and leaven to avoid:

• Any book/version labeled as Bible that is not the King James Bible. They are undiluted Poison.
   

• Any Purpose-Driven book or derivative; Tainted/Long-term poisoning. (See our resources on the Purpose-Driven Lie)
   

• Any book that uses multiple ‘Bible’ versions as references; A book, or source, that uses a version other than the KJV would be considered bony. As you read it, you must reference any verse in the KJV. Do not even read the ‘version’ verse as printed. It may contaminate your filter and lead to confusion in the future.
   

• Any source on the occult that is not from a godly, doctrinally sound Christian. You are not a ‘fugu chef’; Poisonous, Lethal.
   

• Profane Fables such as Lord of the Rings, Chronicles of Narnia, etc.; Tainted, Long-term poisoning. (See our resources on Profane Fables)
   

• Any ‘Christian’ movement that declares itself new and radical. Emerging Church, Cell-groups, etc.
   

• Any source that claims to have extra-special access to God i.e. hearing from Him on a regular basis with a special message, dreams and visions, etc. Self-proclaimed prophet as God’s anointed.
   

• Any source that relies almost 100% on moral storytelling (fables) instead of Biblical teaching, especially if they are trying to convey what they think God is like.
   

• Any source that stresses human deeds and needs, not doctrine. Stresses only God’s Love, etc. Prosperity gospel, Your Best life now, etc. ‘Churches’ that mostly focus on only the ‘practical’ stuff (finances, marriage empowerment, crisis resolution, etc).
   

• Any group or source that emphasizes and tries to instill the moronic unity through diversity.

In closing, Christian, time is too short to have itching ears. Our land and world is already reeling from God’s judgments; they are increasing exponentially as our land and world reject Christ willingly and ignorantly. Let us not be counted among those that would rather hear false reasons. Let us cleanse our hands and hearts as faithful and discerning stewards in our Lord’s service.

1 John 3:2-3 exhorts us, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”

Maranatha!