How to Deal With the Deluded

I. ROMAN CATHOLICS.

1. Very few Roman Catholics have assurance of

salvation, indeed very few understand that it is

our privilege to know that we have forgiveness of

sins and eternal life. A good way then to deal

with a Roman Catholic is to ask him if he knows

that his sins are forgiven. Very likely he will

say that he does not, and that no one else knows

it either. Then you can show him that it is the

believer's privilege to know that he has

forgiveness of sins. For this purpose use Acts

13:39, "By him all that believe ARE JUSTIFIED,"

etc. and Ephesians 1:7:

"In whom WE HAVE redemption through his blood, THE

FORGIVENESS OF SINS, according to the riches of

his grace." Ephesians 1:7.

In a similar way, you can show him that it is our

privilege to know that we have eternal life. For

this purpose use 1_John 5:13. Oftentimes when he

is brought to see that it is our privilege to know

that we have forgiveness of sins and eternal life,

he will desire to know it too, and will begin to

see that we have something that he does not

possess. There is one point at which we always

have the advantage in dealing with a Roman

Catholic, namely, there are a peace and a power in

CHristianity as we know it, that there is not in

Christianity as he knows it, and he can be made to

appreciate the difference.

2. Another good way to deal with a Roman Catholic

is to show him the necessity of the new birth, and

what the new birth is. When the one with whom you

are dealing tells you that he is a Roman Catholic,

it is well to ask him if he has been born again.

Very likely he will say that he does not know what

that means {139} (though oftentimes Roman

Catholics do talk about the new birth). Show him

John 3:3-5,7, and emphasize what Jesus says, that

we must be born again. If he asks what the new

birth is, show him the following passages:

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new

creature: old things are passed away; behold, all

things are become new." 2_Corinthians 5:17.

"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and

precious promises: that by these ye might be

PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE, having escaped the

corruption that is in the world through lust."

2_Peter 1:4.

"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye

shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from

all your idols, will I cleanse you. A NEW HEART

ALSO WILL i GIVE YOU, and a new spirit will I put

within you: and I will take away the stony heart

out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of

flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and

cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall

keep my judgments, and do them." Ezekiel 36:25-27.

Many Roman Catholics understand the new birth to

mean baptism, and oftentimes if you ask a Roman

Catholic if he has been born again, he will say

"Yes," and if you ask him when, he will tell you

at his baptism. It will then be necessary to show

him that baptism is not the new birth. For this

purpose use 1_Corinthians 4:15:

"For though ye have ten thousand instructors in

Christ, yet have ye not many fathers: for in

Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the

gospel."

Here Paul tells the believers in Corinth that in

Christ Jesus he had begotten them through the

Gospel. If the new birth meant baptism, he must

have baptized them, but in 1_Corinthians 1;14 he

declares he had not baptized them.

Or you can say, "No, baptism is not the new birth,

for I can show you a person who we are told was

baptized, and yet St. Peter told him he had not

been born again." Then turn to Acts 8:13:

"Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was

baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered,

beholding the miracles and signs which were done."

When you have made it clear that Simon had been

baptized, turn to Peter's statement in the 21st to

the 23rd verses, to show that he had not been born

again. It is well to go a step further and show

the inquirer what the Biblical evidences of the

new birth are. For this purpose use the following

passages:

"If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that

every one that doeth righteousness is born of

him." 1_John 2:29. {140}

"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for

his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin,

because he is born of God. ...

"We know that we have passed from death unto life,

because we love the brethren. He that loveth not

his brother abideth in death. ...

"But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his

brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of

compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God

in him?" 1_John 3:9,14,17.

If the inquirer is sufficiently interested, he

will now want to know how to be born again. This

question is answered in:

"But AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, to them gave he

power to become the sons of God, even to them that

believe on his name." John 1:12.

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of

incorruptible, BY THE WORD OF GOD, which liveth

and abideth forever." 1_Peter 1:23.

"Of his own will begat he us WITH THE WORD OF

TRUTH, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of

his creatures." James 1:18.

3. A third way of dealing with a Roman Catholic is

to use Acts 3:19.

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your

sins may be blotted out, when the times of

refreshing shall come from the presence of the

Lord."

This shows the necessity of repentance and

conversion in order that our sins may be blotted

out. What repentance is will be shown by Isaiah

55:7 and Jonah 3:10:

"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the

unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return

unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him;

and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

"And God saw their works, that they turned from

their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that

he had said that he would do unto them; and he did

it not."

In a similar way Acts 16:31 can be used to show

that the way to be saved is by simply believing on

the Lord Jesus Christ; then to show what it is to

believe on the Lord Jesus Christ use John 1:12 and

2_Timothy 1:12.

4. Another good text to use in dealing with Roman

Catholics, and one which comes right at the heart

of their difficulties, is 1_Timothy 2:5:

"For there is one God, and ONE MEDIATOR BETWEEN

GOD AND MEN, the man Christ Jesus." {141}

The Roman Catholic, if he is a true Roman

Catholic, is always seeking some mediator besides

Jesus Christ, and this verse declares expressly

that there is but "one mediator between God and

men, the man Christ Jesus," and not the priests or

saints or the Virgin Mary or anyone else.

Sometimes it is well to follow this up with

1_Timothy 4:1-3, but it is not well as a rule to

use this passage until one has made some headway.

It is also well to show the advantage of Bible

study, for as a rule the Roman Catholic does not

study the Bible at all, and in many cases is

practically forbidden by the priest to study it.

For this purpose use John 5:39; 1_Peter 2:1-2;

2_Timothy 3:13-17; James 1:21-22; Psalm 1:1-2;

Joshua 1:8; Mark 7:7-8,13; Matthew 22:29. These

texts, except the one in 1_Peter 2:1-2 are all

practically the same in the Douay or Roman

Catholic Bible as they are in the several

Protestant translations.

5. Still another way to deal with these people is

to use the same method that you would with any

sinner who does not realize his need of a Savior,

and has no real concern about his salvation (see

Chapters Six and Seven), that is to awaken a sense

that he is a sinner and needs Christ. This as a

rule is the best way if you can get the Roman

Catholic to listen to you.

However, many people think there is no use talking

with Roman Catholics, that they cannot be brought

to Christ. This is a great mistake. Many of them

are longing for something they do not find in the

Roman Catholic Church, and if you can show them

from the Word of God how to find it, they come

very easily, and make some of the best Christians.

Always be sure of one thing, do not attack the

Roman Catholic Church. This only awakens their

prejudice and puts them in a bad position to be

helped. Simply give them the truth, and the errors

in time will take care of themselves. Not

infrequently our attacks upon the Roman Catholic

Church only expose our ignorance for oftentimes

they do not believe just what we suppose they do.

It is frequently desirable to use a Roman Catholic

Bible in dealing with a Roman Catholic. Of course

if one is going to do that, he should study up the

texts beforehand in that version. Very many of the

texts are for all practical purposes the same in

the Roman Catholic version of the {142} Bible as

our own. One of the chief differences is that they

translate "repent," "do penance."

II. JEWS.

A great many Jews today are inquiring into the

claims of Jesus the Nazarene, and are open to

approach upon this subject. The best way to deal

with a Jew is to show him that his own Bible

points to Jesus Christ. Among the most useful

passages for this purpose are:

Isaiah 53, the entire chapter.

"And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah

be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of

the prince that shall come shall destroy the city

and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be

with a flood, and unto the end of the war

desolations are determined." Daniel 9;26.

"And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon

the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace

and of supplications: and they shall look upon me

whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for

him, as one mourneth for his only Son, and shall

be in bitterness for him, as one that is in

bitterness for his firstborn." Zechariah 12:10.

"But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be

little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of

thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be

ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from

of old, from everlasting." Micah 5:2.

If the Jew objects that these passages are

different in his Hebrew Bible, do not allow

yourself to be put off in this way, for they are

not. He may say that Isaiah 53 does not refer to

the Messiah. In that case ask him to whom it does

refer. If he is a well-posted Jewish

controversialist, very likely he will say, to

suffering Israel. If he does say so, go through

the chapter and show that it cannot refer to

suffering Israel, because the one who suffers is

plainly suffering for the sins of another, Isaiah

53:4-5 and 8, and the other for whom he is

suffering is God's people Israel, so of course the

sufferer cannot himself be Israel.

The whole book of Hebrews is excellent to use with

a Jew, especially the ninth and tenth chapters,

and the seventh chapter, the 25th to the 28th

verses.

The great difficulty in the way of the Jew coming

out as a Christian, is the terrific persecution

which he must endure if he does. Undoubtedly it

costs a great deal today for a Jew to become a

Christian, but if he brings up this question as he

undoubtedly will, show him the passages already

given under the head of those who are afraid of

persecution, Chapter Seven, Section XII. {143}

There are a number of good tracts prepared

especially for Jews which can be had from various

missions to Jews in London, New York. Chicago, and

other large centers of population.

III. SPIRITUALISTS.

Many people who call themselves Spiritualists

claim to believe in the Bible. Such persons make a

great deal of Samuel's appearing to Saul, 1_Samuel

28:11-20. It is not necessary to deny that Samuel

really appeared to Saul, but to show the one with

whom you are dealing what the result was to Saul

of thus consulting one who had a familiar spirit.

A good passage to use in dealing with all

Spiritualists is 1_Chronicles 10:13-14:

"So Saul died for his transgression which he

committed against the Lord, even against the word

of the Lord, which he kept not, and also FOR

ASKING COUNSEL OF ONE THAT HAD A FAMILIAR SPIRIT,

to inquire of it; and inquired not of the Lord:

therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto

David the son of Jesse."

Another excellent passage is Isaiah 8:19-20:

"And when they shall say unto you, SEEK UNTO THEM

THAT HAVE FAMILIAR SPIRITS, and unto wizards that

peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek

unto their God? For the living to the dead? TO THE

LAW AND TO THE TESTIMONY: if they speak not

according to this word, it is because THERE IS NO

LIGHT IN THEM."

1_John 4:1-3 is also a useful passage, as it

brings out how not all spirits are to be believed.

2_Thessalonians 2:9-12 is also useful. All these

passages can be followed up by:

"Regard not them that have familiar spirits,

neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them:

I am the Lord your God." Leviticus 19:31.

"And the soul that turneth after such as have

familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a

whoring after them, I will even set my face

against that soul, and will cut him off from among

his people." Leviticus 20:6.

"There shall not be found among you any one that

maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the

fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of

times, or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer,

OR A CONSULTER WITH FAMILIAR SPIRITS, or a wizard,

or a necromancer. For all that do these things are

an abomination unto the Lord: and because of these

abominations the Lord thy God doth drive them out

from before thee." Deuteronomy 18:10-12.

"Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to

reign, and reigned fifty and five years in

Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hephzibah.

{144} And he did that which was evil in the sight

of the Lord after the abominations of the heathen,

whom the Lord cast out before the children of

Israel. ...

"And he made his son pass through the fire, and

observed times, and used enchantments, AND DEALT

WITH FAMILIAR SPIRITS AND WIZARDS: he wrought much

wickedness in the sight of the Lord, to provoke

him to anger." 2_Kings 21:1-2,6.

These passages all show how God regards consulting

spiritualists and mediums.

IV. CHRISTIAN SCIENTISTS.

Many people in our day are being led astray into

Christian Science, and we need to be ready to help

them. Most Christian Scientists claim to believe

the Bible. Take them to 1_John 4:1-3:

"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 the spirit of antichrist, whereof

ye have heard that it should come; and even now

already is in the world."

This passage strikes at the very foundation of

Christian Science. Christian Science denies as one

of its fundamental postulates, the reality of

matter, and the reality of the body, and of

necessity the reality of the incarnation. Show

them by this passage that the Bible declares that

every spirit that confesses not Jesus Christ COME

IN THE FLESH, is not of God, but is the spirit of

antichrist. Christian Science also denies the

doctrine of substitution. Of course many Christian

Scientists are not aware of this fact, for it is

the common practice in leading one into Christian

Science, not to let him see at once, all that is

involved in it. Therefore take the one with whom

you are dealing to such passages as the following:

"For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew

no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of

God in him." 2_Corinthians 5:21.

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the

law, BEING MADE A CURSE FOR US: for it is written,

Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree."

Galatians 3:13.

"Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on

the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live

unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were

healed." 1_Peter 2:24. {145}

"And almost all things are by the law purged with

blood; and WITHOUT SHEDDING OF BLOOD is no

remission." Hebrews 9:22.

In these passages the doctrine of substitution is

clearly brought out.

The average Christian Scientist in defending his

position, makes a great deal of the fact that the

Christian Scientists have physical cures. Of this

there can be no question. Many people are better

physically because of Christian Science treatment,

so it is neither necessary nor wise to deny the

reality of all their cures. Admit the cure, and

then show that the fact that one cures sickness

proves nothing for the truth of the position he

holds, or for his acceptance before God, Use for

this purpose the following passages:

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have

we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name

have cast out devils? and in thy name done many

wonderful works? And then will I profess unto

them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that

work iniquity." Matthew 7:22-23.

"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the

Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth,

and shall destroy with the brightness of his

coming: even him, whose coming is AFTER THE

WORKING OF SATAN WITH ALL POWER AND SIGNS AND

LYING WONDERS." 2_Thessalonians 2:8-9.

"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed

into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great

thing if his ministers also be transformed as the

ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be

according to their works." 2_Corinthians 11:14-15.

V. FOLLOWERS OF FALSE PROPHETS.

New false prophets are constantly rising, and it

is impossible to mention them all by name,

furthermore they oftentimes disappear as rapidly

as they appear, but practically the same method of

treatment will serve to help.

1. First show the deluded one Christ's own warning

that false Christs and false prophets would arise.

For this purpose use Mark 13:22-23:

"For false Christs and false prophets shall rise,

and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it

were possible, even the elect. But take ye heed:

behold, I have foretold you all things."

Dwell upon the point that the fact that they heal

the sick and perform other wonders is no proof at

all that they are not false {146} prophets, that

Christ distinctly foretold that the false Christs

and the false prophets would do these things.

2. Then give them the following five rules by

which they can escape every snare of the false

prophet.

(1) The first rule is found in John 7;17, A WILL

WHOLLY SURRENDERED TO GOD.

"If any man will do his will, he shall know of the

doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak

of myself."

Make this point very clear, for many of these

people claim to have wholly surrendered their

wills to God, but question them unsparingly on

this point, and oftentimes you will find that the

will is not surrendered.

(2) The second rule is found in 2_Timothy 3:13-17.

This rule is _a careful study of the Word of God,

and a thorough comparison of any one's claims to

be a prophet, or a Christ, or the Messenger of the

Covenant, or John the Baptist, or anything of that

sort, with the teachings of the Word of God._ The

followers of false prophets generally make a hobby

of some few verses in the Bible, and do not study

the book as a whole.

(3) The third rule is found in James 1:5-7, PRAYER

TO GOD FOR WISDOM.

"If any of you lack wisdom, lit him ask of God,

that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth

not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in

faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is

like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and

tossed. For let not that man think that he shall

receive anything of the Lord."

Of course the prayer must be sincere, with a

readiness to follow the leading of God. Many pray

for guidance and still go on in delusion, but the

prayer is not sincere. They ask for guidance, but

do not utterly renounce their own wisdom and wait

upon God for His wisdom. Very many have been led

out of the error of following various false

prophets when they in utter self-distrust have

gone to God for light and guidance.

(4) The fourth rule is found in Matthew 23:8-10,

CALL NO MAN MASTER.

"But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your

Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And

call no man your father upon the earth: for one is

{147} your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be

ye called masters: for one is your Master, even

Christ."

Call no man Master, acknowledge no man as an

absolute and final authority, accept the authority

of no one, and nothing but Christ and the Bible,

in matters of faith and religion. It is well to

dwell upon this point, for this is the very point

at which many are led astray, the swallowing of

some man whole, with all his arrant pretensions.

The natural, selfish heart of man craves some man

to do our thinking for us in matters of religion,

and this makes men ready to swallow whole the

teachings of some man. It is this that gives power

to popery, priestcraft, Christian Science,

Mormonism, and all similar delusions.

(5) The fifth rule is found in Proverbs 29:25, BE

AFRAID OF NO MAN.

"The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso

putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe."

Many a false prophet keeps his power over people

through fear. While they do not more than half

believe in him, they are afraid if they leave he

will in some way bring sickness or some other

curse upon them. Very likely the one with whom you

are dealing will be in this very position. Show

them how clearly they are in a wrong position, the

very fact that they are afraid of the man proving

this. Show the deluded man that the Holy Spirit is

"not a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love,

and of a sound mind." If the deluded person

insists that the false prophet does his work in

the name of Christ and succeeds, and therefore

must be accepted of God, turn him to Matthew

7:22-23. This shows very clearly that one may even

cast out devils in the name of the Lord, and yet

be one whom He never knew.

It is well in dealing with those who are under the

spell of a false prophet to be able to show them

what the marks of a false prophet are. The first

and most common of these is a greed for money. To

show this, use Titus 1:10-11, and 2_Peter 2:3:

"For there are many unruly and vain talkers and

deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole

houses, teaching things which they ought not, FOR

FILTHY LUCRE'S SAKE."

"And THROUGH COVETOUSNESS shall they with feigned

words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now

of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation

slumbereth not." {148}

Make it very clear if the pretended prophet is

trying to get money from the people (as usually he

very clearly is), that that in itself is a mark

that he is a false prophet. A second mark of the

false prophet is vaunting one's self. To show the

deluded one this, use Jude 16 and 1_Corinthians

13:4 RV:

"These are murmurers, complainers, walking after

their own lusts; and THEIR MOUTH SPEAKETH GREAT

SWELLING WORDS, having men's persons in admiration

because of advantage."

"Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth

not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up."

A third mark of the false prophet is the claim to

an authority that Jesus Christ forbade any man

ascribing to himself. To show this to some person

who is in the snare of the false prophet use

Matthew 23:8,12.

A fourth mark of a false prophet is a false

application of Scripture either to himself, or to

places with which he is connected. Thus, for

example, the Mormons take passages which apply to

Israel, and apply them to their own Zion. When any

place under the false prophet's control is named

for some Bible place, and Scriptural promises

referring to the literal Bible place are applied

to the place under the prophet's control, just

show the one who is being deceived by this sort of

thing how utterly unwarranted such an application

is.

Fifth, there is usually an untrue note somewhere

in the doctrine taught by the false prophet. He

may teach a good deal that is Biblical and true,

but somewhere he betrays his Satanic origin. The

points at which this false note of doctrine are

most likely to be found are on the doctrine of

future punishment, the matter of the use of meats,

or upon legalism of some form -- the observation

of the seventh day, the matter of tithes, or

something of that sort. In the matter of future

punishment, false prophets generally go off sooner

or later into either annihilationism or

restorationism or a combination of the two.

After all the most important thing to do in

dealing with one who is under a delusion, is to

bring forward the fundamental, saving truth of the

Gospel, salvation through the atoning work and

upon the single condition of faith in Jesus

Christ. Oftentimes error, like typhoid fever, has

to be left to take its course and work itself out.

I know many men today who are out in a clear

Christian experience, who for a while were

completely under the control {149} of some of

our modern false prophets, even thinking that all

who did not agree with them were utterly wrong,

and saying so in the most bitter terms; but in

answer to prayer, and the study of the Word of

God, God has led them out of the darkness into the

light.