Go ahead and take your Bible and turn to 2 Peter 2. I'm not going to read Matthew 7 tonight. We've used it the past two weeks. Where Jesus warns about false teachers, false prophets. And here in 2 Peter 2, you see Peter's warning as such the church age. It says there in verse number 1, 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, whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not." We're going to pick up where we've spent two weeks looking at introduction of the Scripture-twisting methods of the cults. And over to this week and next week, We're going to be taking a look at 20 methods. These are not something I came up with. There's a book called Scripture Twisting by James Sire. It has a chapter devoted to each of these methods that we're looking at. And this material actually comes from the appendix of that book. And we're just going to take a look and summarize what he has in his in-depth treatment of each of these points. I just want you to be aware of the methods that are being used. First of all, we see inaccurate quotation. And this is where a biblical text is referred to, but it's either not quoted in the way the text appears in the Bible, or it's wrongly attributed. And a good example of that is Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of the Transcendental Meditation movement. He's quoted as saying, Christ said, be still and know that I am God. Whereas that text is only found in Psalms. The Lord says for us to be still. But Christ is not the one that said that. Twisted translation. And this is a good one here. The biblical text is retranslated, not in accordance with sound Greek scholarship, to fit a preconceived teaching of a cult. And we know the Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe in the deity of Christ. They don't believe in the Trinity. And they take John chapter number 1 and they have re-translated that in their own way. And when they come to you, they'll come with their Bible and quote it from their Bible. And they translate John 1-1. We know John 1-1 says, In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. This is how they translate it in their so-called Bible. In the beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, And the word was a little g, God. Not correct. They twist the translation that is not in accordance with sound Greek scholarship. When they do that, it's to fit their preconceived teaching. Also, we find that a lot of cults will use a biblical hook. They'll take a text of scripture and they'll quote that as a device to grasp the attention of readers or listeners. And then they'll follow that teaching with a teaching that's so non-biblical that it would appear far more dubious to people had it not been preceded by a reference to scripture. And we give an example here. Mormons, of course, they believe that We all existed before, okay? And just like Father God took a body, they say we all are going to become a God one day. It's really weird. But Mormon missionaries quote James 1.5. Look at James 1.5 for a moment. Just a few pages there. Back to your left. I think most of us are familiar with it. James 1.5. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God. give it to all men liberally, and that braideth not, and it shall be given him." Well, they quote this passage here, which promises God's wisdom to those who ask Him. And they follow that by explaining that this is exactly what Joseph Smith did. And he was given a revelation from which he concluded that God the Father has a body. That's kind of funny because it goes in direct opposition to the rest of the Bible. God is spirit. They worship Him as worship Him in spirit and in truth. God the Father is a spirit. It doesn't have a body. We know that the Lord Jesus Christ was God in the flesh. the Lord Jesus Christ is separate from a separate person from God the Father. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Three in one. They don't believe in the three in one. And so what they do is they get to watch when folks take and begin with a scripture quotation and then they come with their They're teaching. They're trying to hook you with thinking that they are biblical when they're not. And also, look at John chapter 5. John's Gospel chapter 5. And here, we'll see I want to give you an example of ignoring the immediate context. A text of scripture is quoted, but removed from the surrounding versage, which form the immediate framework for its meaning. Now, when we studied biblical interpretation, one of the things that we pointed out is how important it is that you look at things in context. What does it say in the verses that come before, the verses that come after, in the chapter as a whole, in the book as a whole, and how does it compare with what you see in the rest of scripture? That's context. And what they do is this Alan Watts fella, he's into the Eastern stuff, the Eastern religions like Buddhism, Hinduism, Pantheism, those things, and he wrote a book called Eastern Philosophy, And he misquotes the first half of John 5.39. Look at John 5.39, where Jesus is talking to some spiritual leaders of the Jews, and he says, search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and they are they which testify in me. Well, he conveniently just quotes the first part of that. He says, search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life. And he does that and claims that Jesus was challenging his listeners over emphasizing of the Old Testament. But the remainder of the context He makes it clear that He's wanting them to search the Old Testament Scriptures so they can learn more about Him. How do you learn about Jesus? Well, I've heard some good, well-meaning folks say, well, you know, I just don't worry with the Old Testament. I like the New Testament because the New Testament's about Jesus. I've got news for you. The whole thing's about Jesus. From cover to cover, it's about Jesus. And Jesus, He was challenging them to search the Scriptures in order to come to the knowledge of who He was. He was upholding the value of the Old Testament as a testimony to Himself. And all of the Old Testament does testify to the Lord Jesus Christ there. And let's make sure that we understand that. And he goes on to say in verse number 40, after he tells them to search the Scriptures, and that those Scriptures would testify, the Old Testament Scriptures would testify to him, he says, and you will not come to me that you might have life. They should have recognized Jesus. They should have recognized who He was. But from the Old Testament Scriptures, which they claimed to know, but they didn't recognize Jesus. And that's because of the blindness of their own hearts. A lot of times self-winded. Then we see collapsing contexts. And this is where two or more verses have little or nothing to do with each other, but they're put together as if one was a commentary on the other. Look at Jeremiah chapter 1. Jeremiah chapter 1. This is one they like to use here. Jeremiah 1, verse number 5. Let's look at verse 4 and 5. Jeremiah is saying here, in the Word of the Lord, it came unto me saying, and these are the words of the Lord right here. Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations." Now they'll take that and say, see we all had a life before we were born. That's not what it's saying. That's not what it's meaning. They'll take that along with the What we see in John 1 verse 2 says, "...the same was in the beginning with God." When they say, "...in the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, the Word was God." It says, "...the same was in the beginning with God." Jesus just had a pre-existence. We have a pre-existence before He was born. That's not what it's talking about. and then John 1.14, and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Well, Jesus did that because He was God. He was God in the flesh. That has nothing to do with, has everything to do with God's foreknowledge of Jeremiah in Jeremiah 1.5 has nothing to do with His premortal existence because there is no such thing as us having a premortal the existence. And Jesus did not begin His life at Bethlehem. He has no beginning. He is the pre-existence of God. He always has been. He's eternal. Always has been. Always will be. And the pre-existence of God the Son and not to human beings. to human beings in general, where it says that he was with God. All right. Overspecification number six. A more detailed or specific conclusion that is legitimate is drawn from a biblical text. And the Mormon Missionary Manual quotes the parable of the virgins, which I hope you're familiar with. I'm not going to take time to turn over there tonight. Matthew 25, verses 1-13. gives that parable of the virgins, and they'll try to use that and document the concept that mortality is a probationary period during which we prepare to meet God. But the parable of the virgins means something far less specific, more, for example, that human beings should be prepared at any time to meet the Lord. We don't know when He's coming. I mean, we need to prepare. Be careful how folks use the word God. Wordplay. A word or phrase from a biblical translation is examined and interpreted as if the revelation had been given in that language. This is laughable. It's so sad it's laughable. Mary Baker Eddy, a Christian science lady, says the name Adam consists of two syllables. A-dam, which means an obstruction. in which case Adam signifies the obstacle which the serpent Sin would impose between man and his creator. The name Adam simply means man. In Hebrew, and that's what it was written in, it means man. It means nothing else. Like I say, it's laughable for somebody to take and to try to pull something like that. The figurative fallacy. And this is either mistaking literal language for figurative language or mistaking figurative language for literal language. And again, we refer to Mary Baker Eddy. She interprets the word evening. She gives it a mystical meaning, a mistiness of mortal thought, weariness of mortal mind, obscure views, peace, and rest. Silly. The Mormon theologian James Talmadge interprets the prophecy. Look at Isaiah 29. This is very clearly a prophecy. In no way does it relate to anything having to do with the Mormons. They'll take this prophecy and it tells us what the stick of Judah and the stick of Joseph are. and why they became one in the context. And what they do is this passage from Ezekiel 37 verse 15 through 23. Let's look at verse number 15. Ezekiel says, The word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Moreover, thou son of man, take thee one stick, and write upon it for Judah. for the children of Israel, His companions. And then take another stick and write upon it, for Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, His companions. And join them one to another in one stick, and they shall become one in Thine hand." Well, they'll take that right there and interpret that to mean that the Bible and the Book of Mormon is going to come together as the Word of God. Well, let's read on. That's not what it's talking about. Verse 19 says, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. He's talking about them being one nation again. "...And the sticks there whereupon Thou writest shall be in Thine hand before their eyes. And saying to them, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen..." This is what the meaning is. "...Wherever they be gone, and will gather them on every side and bring them into their own land." That's it. That's the boat coming in there. And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel, and one king shall be king to them all. There shall be no more two nations, and neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions, but I will save them out of all their dwelling places wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them, so shall they be My people, and I will be their God." What is referred to? The millennial reign. The millennial reign. When the Lord Jesus Christ rules Israel to be back in the land. One nation. And being under Him. Let's see here. Speculative. Let's see if we've got that to take care of. Look at the last one, number 10. Saying but not citing. A writer says the Bible says such and such, but does not cite the specific text, which often indicates that there may be no such text at all. I hear people who are ignorant do this very same thing. They're not part of a cult, but they'll Well, you know that God helps those who help themselves. That's in the Scripture. You want to give me a chapter and verse on that? God helps those who help themselves. It's not found in the Bible. And so be careful about someone saying that something's in the Bible when it's not. Amen? We're going to drive a peg right there. It's a good place to stop. We've got time enough to pray now, and we'll pull back out our prayer list. That's our Bible study for this evening. We'll come back and take a look at the last ten next Wednesday, Lord willing. Now let's pull that back out of our prayer list. We'll pray for the needs that we've mentioned before, and we'll be dispensed with this prayer. Thank you for being here tonight.