Exposing the Accuser of the Brethren

[saddened (saddened)]

Words and Prayer by
Francis Frangipane


More churches have been destroyed by the Accuser of the Brethren and its fault-finding than by either immorality or misuse of church funds. So prevalent is this influence in our society that, among many, fault-finding has been elevated to the status of a "ministry!" The Lord has promised, however, that in His house accusing one another will be replaced with prayer, and fault-finding with a love that covers a multitude of sins.

In an attempt to hinder, if not altogether halt the next move of God, Satan has sent forth an army of fault-finding demons against the church. The purpose of this assault is to entice the Body of Christ away from the perfections of Jesus and onto the imperfections of one another.

The fault-finder spirit will incite individuals to spend days and even weeks unearthing old faults or sins in their minister or church. The people who are held captive by this deceitful spirit become "crusaders," irreconcilable enemies of their former assemblies. In most cases, the things they deem wrong or lacking are the very areas in which the Lord seeks to position them for intercession. What might otherwise be an opportunity for spiritual growth and meeting a need, becomes an occasion of stumbling and withdrawal. In truth, their criticisms are a smokescreen for a prayerless heart and an unwillingness to serve.

Christ Himself could not satisfy the "standards" of this spirit when it spoke through the Pharisees. No matter what Jesus did, the Pharisees found fault with Him.

If you personally have not consulted with and listened to the individual of whom you are critical, how can you be sure that you are not fulfilling the role of the accuser of the brethren? Even the ". . . Law does not judge a man, unless it first hears from him" (John 7:51).

The enemies' purpose in this assault is to discredit the minister so it can discredit his message. I have personally listened to scores of pastors from many denominational backgrounds. The timing of this spirit's attack upon their congregations almost always was just prior to, or immediately after, a significant breakthrough. The unchallenged assault of this demon always stopped the forward progress of their church.

When this spirit infiltrates an individual's mind, its accusations come with such venom and intimidation that even those who should "know better" are bewildered and then seduced by its influence. Nearly all involved take their eyes off Jesus and focus upon "issues," ignoring during the contention that Jesus is actually praying for His body to become one. Beguiled by this demon, accusations and counter accusations rifle through the soul of the congregation, stimulating suspicion and fear among the people. Devastation wracks the targeted church, while discouragement blankets and seeks to destroy the pastor and his family, or other servants of God in the Church.

Nearly every minister reading this has faced the assault of the fault-finder spirit at one time or another. Each has known the depression of trying to track down this accusing spirit as it whispers its gossip through the local church: trusted friends seem distant, established relationships shaken, and the vision of the church quagmired in strife and inaction.

To mask the diabolical nature of its activity, the fault-finder will often garb its criticisms in religious clothing. Under the pretense of protecting sheep from a "gnat-sized" error in doctrine, it forces the flock to swallow a "camel-sized" error of loveless correction, attempting to correct violations of Scripture! Where is the "spirit of gentleness" of which Paul speaks in Galatians 6:1, the humility in "looking to yourselves, lest you too be tempted?" Where is the love motive to "restore such a one?"

The church does need correction, but the ministry of reproof must be patterned after Christ and not the accuser of the brethren. When Jesus corrected the churches in Asia (Revelation 2-3), He sandwiched His rebuke between praise and promises. He reassured the churches that the Voice about to expose their sin was the very Voice which inspired their virtue. After encouraging them, He then brought correction.

Is this not His way with each of us? Even in the most serious corrections, the voice of Jesus is always the embodiment of "grace and truth" (John 1:14). Jesus said of the sheep, ". . . they know His voice. And a stranger they simply will not follow but will flee from him" (John 10:5). Remember, if the word of rebuke or correction does not offer grace for restoration, it is not the voice of your Shepherd. If you are one of Christ's sheep, you will flee from it.

To find an indictment against the church, it is important to note, the enemy must draw his accusations from hell. If we have repented of our sins, no record of them nor of our mistakes exists in Heaven. As it is written, "Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies..." (Romans 8:33). Jesus is not condemning us, but rather is at the Father's right hand interceding on our behalf.

The second weapon this spirit uses against us is our past mistakes and poor decisions. Each of us has an inherent propensity toward ignorance. One does not have to read far into the history of the saints to discover they were not called because of their intrinsic wisdom. In truth, we all have made mistakes. Hopefully, we have at least learned from them and developed humility because of them. This fault-finding spirit, however, takes our past mistakes and parades them before our memory, criticizing our efforts to do God's will, thus keeping us in bondage to the past.

When the enemy pits us against one another, it first provokes us to jealousy or fear. The security of our place in life seems threatened by another's success. Perhaps to justify our personal failures or flaws, we magnify the past shortcomings of others. The more our jealousy grows, the more this demon exploits our thoughts until nothing about the individual or his church seems right.

In the final stage we actually wage a campaign against him. No defense he offers will satisfy us. We are convinced he is deceived and dangerous; and we think it is up to us to warn others. Yet the truth is, the person whose mind is controlled by the fault-finder spirit is the one who is deceived and dangerous. For his own unrepentant thoughts toward jealousy and fleshly criticism have supplied hell with a "lumber yard" of material to erect walls between members of the body of Christ.

The fault-finders and gossips are already planted in the church--perhaps you are such a one! When the living God is making your pastor more deeply dependent, and thus more easily shaped for His purposes, do you criticize his apparent lack of anointing? Although he did not abandon you during your time of need, do you abandon him now, when your faith might be the very encouragement he needs to fully yield to the cross?

Those who are sympathetic to the accuser of the brethren fulfill, by application, Matthew 24:28, "Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather." The backbiting of these vulture-like individuals actually feeds their lower nature, for they seek what is dead in a church; they are attracted to what is dying.

When the accuser comes, it brings distorted facts and condemnation. Those who are trapped by this spirit never research the virtues in the organization or person they are attacking. With the same zeal that the fault-finders seek to unearth sin, those who will conquer this enemy must earnestly seek God's heart and His calling for those they would reprove.

True correction, therefore, will proceed with reverence, not revenge. Indeed, are not those whom we seek to correct Christ's servants? Are they not His possessions? Is it possible the works of which we are jealous, and thus critical, might the the very works of Christ? Also, let us ask ourselves: why has God chosen us to bring His rebuke? Are we walking in Christ's pattern?

These are important questions, for to be anointed with Christ's authority to rebuke, we must be committed to melt with Christ's love. But, if we are angry, embittered or jealous toward another, we cannot even pray correctly for that person, much less reprove him. Jesus, the great Lion of Judah, was declared worthy to bring forth judgment by virtue of His nature: He was a Lamb slain for men's sin. If we are not determined to die for men, we have no right to judge them.

Our attitude should be one of prayer and love, leaving a blessing for what we gained by our time spent in the church. If there has indeed been sin in the ministry, we should contact the church authorities and leave the situation with them.

Indeed, the Lord's word to us is that in the House of the Lord criticism must be replaced with prayer, and fault-finding eliminated with a covering love. Where there is error, we must go with a motive to restore. Where there are wrong doctrines, let us maintain a gentle spirit correcting those in opposition.

Lord Jesus, forgive us for our lack of prayer and the weakness of our love. Master, we want to be like You. When we see a need, instead of criticizing, help us to lay down our lives and meet it. Lord, deliver Your church of this fault-finding spirit! In Jesus' name. Amen.

[cybermom (cybermom)]

I guess if you can't stand the heat, start a new thread.

Cybermom

[gsrh (gsrh)]

lol

[saddened (saddened)]

This is actually the first thread I've ever started. I am entitle to do that here am I not?

[marta (marta)]

Francis Frangipane is a false teacher who opposes discernment ministries, comparing them to demons and accusers of the brethren.

"Judge With Righteous Judgment"
by Craig Branch (from The Watchman Fellowship)

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

A very discouraging and destructive trend has been growing in the body of Christ. The world has formed people into its mold rather than the minds and lives of people being transformed by God's word. Too many Christians have adopted pragmatism or substituted feelings and experience in place of the truth of God's word.

Theology and doctrine are regarded as being 1) reserved for the pastors, 2) boring and irrelevant, 3) not practical, 4) divisive.
As a result very few are developing the mind of Christ. As the writer of Hebrews admonishes the Christian congregations, "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses trained to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:12-14).

Too many Christians base their convictions on feelings, experiences, and the persuasive abilities of a preacher. If the word of God is used, it is merely a "proof-text" used (or misused) to support the preacher's teaching. Christians must be called back to the clear teaching of the Scripture and be committed to what the word of God says and means.

Watchman Fellowship urges the reader to look up cited passages and study them in context. Be instructed by the word of God, whether in this magazine or in any other message. Like the Berean Christians, test what is read by God's word. (Acts 17:11).

Sound teaching, doctrine, accompanied by the Holy Spirit is essential to healthy growth. Jesus said to the Father, "sanctify them in thy truth: thy word is truth" (John 17:17, 8:32).

John emphasizes this essentiality by warning about those who abide not in the doctrine of Christ (2 John 9). Paul repeatedly drives home this point as he teaches that our transformation (sanctification) is directly tied to the renewing of our minds by God's truth (doctrine) in the word of God (Romans 12:1-2; Colossians 3:9-20, 16; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Peter concurs (2 Peter 1:2-3).

Another important means that God has ordained in our sanctification is the opportunity of "watchman on the wall" to protect the flock from false doctrine (Ezekiel 33:1-7; Isaiah 62:6; 1 Timothy 6:3; Titus 1:9-11).

Moreover, God stresses the need that teachers, leaders, and those who operate in that position (including T.V. evangelists) must exercise great care and responsibility as they will "receive the greater condemnation [judgment]" (Titus 2:7-8; 1 Timothy 4:6; James 3:1).

Christians must take heed concerning the importance of doctrine and "study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth", especially in view of the warnings (2 Timothy 2:15; 2 Timothy 4:3-4).

It is a half-truth (lie) to believe that how one lives is more important than what one believes. How one behaves is ultimately and directly linked to what one believes.

Most Christians today do not understand the significance and importance of church history as it relates to the early councils. The church has had to "contend earnestly for the faith" (Jude 3) against heretical attacks in the setting forth of time-proven doctrine and tradition (2 Thessalonians 3:6). Someone once insightfully said, "he who doesn't learn from the past is doomed to repeat it".

Some followers of the word-faith movement have been ministered to by the truth which is mixed with the error. In discussion with many word-faith followers, it has been discovered that they have either not heard these leaders teach certain heretical doctrines, or have not understood what those teachers meant.

Today, many are blindly following the heretical teachings of the leaders of the word-faith movement without realizing the pattern of how cults begin and grow. Many cult leaders began within orthodoxy and then they began to introduce novel doctrines (destructive heresies), twisting the Scripture to teach their doctrine (Acts 20:30; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 1 John 2:19; 2 Peter 3:16).

Hiding the Heresy
Just as Adam and Eve had tried to hide from God when their sin was exposed to them, man continues to try and hide his sin from God and others. This pattern is certainly present with many word-faith teachers.

The most common dodge used by both Christians and non-Christians is to misapply Matthew 7:1-5. The misguided focus centers on verse one, "Judge not, that ye be not judged". Yet instead of teaching that it is wrong to call attention to sin or error, the passage, in context, actually teaches that Christians should judge (verse 5).
Their warning is not to judge unrighteously or hypocritically. The implication is that when anyone judges, God will judge using that same standard.

In fact, the New Testament emphatically teaches Christians are to judge truth from error, both individually and corporately (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1-2; Ephesians 5:11-13; 1 Corinthians 14:29).
But whoever judges needs to be sure that their motives are right. The responsibility is to first go to the offender(s) with the evidence. If they do not acknowledge the error or sin, take others and eventually the church (Matthew 18:15-18; 1 Corinthians 5:9-13; Galatians 6:1).

There is only one major problem with this process, which is one reason why this problem continues. Most of the word-faith teachers have no real accountability. So when we "tell it unto the church" (Matthew 18:17), we must expose the error to the church at large.

Watchman, along with many other solid ministers and ministries, have repeatedly gone to these teachers with documented evidence and often have been attacked in return.

God's instruction in "telling the church" is to publically name them (2 Timothy 2:17, 4:10; 1 Timothy 1:20). Paul even publically rebuked Peter (Galatians 2:11-14), because the error was serious enough, and Peter was influential enough, that the welfare of the body needed to be protected. The high visibility and influence of these teachers warrant the need for public exposure.

Not only have many ministers and ministries specifically called these teachers to account, but the general consensus of the church and the voice of the church councils and church history cry out against the word-faith errors.

So when men, like Paul Crouch of TBN, begin their diatribes against the "heretic hunters who pick at the little doctrinal specks in word-faith teacher's eyes, instead of the logs in their own", he must be asked to name in which doctrinal areas Watchman Fellowship, other counter-cult ministries, and the church must be repentant.
The other two major attempts to dodge the spotlight of truth is to threaten the admonisher with the warning "do not touch God's anointed", and with the red herring, "these people are anti-charismatic". These two false arguments are covered in other articles in this magazine.

And finally, a charge sometimes laid at the feet of Christian apologists (defenders of the faith) is that they are causing divisions in the body of Christ. But the Scripture makes it clear that those who are causing divisions are the ones teaching novel false doctrines.

Watchman's (and many others) original concern was the misguided and harmful teaching of what is called "name-it and claim-it" or "positive confession". But we know that what may seem to be a less important error can be symptomatic of outright heretical beliefs. For example, faulty anthropology (doctrine of the nature of man) can negatively impact the doctrine of the gospel.
The Watchman staff began to lift the lid and look, and was appalled to see that the word-faith teachers are teaching fundamentally heretical doctrines on the nature of man, Christ, God, and the atonement.

It is because of this that Watchman Fellowship has joined with others in Matthew 18, which has resulted in this magazine. We pray for the correction of these teachers, the defense of the faith, and the protection of the flock.

[turtle (turtle)]

I thought I was long winded.

"Christians must be called back to the clear teaching of the Scripture and be committed to what the word of God says and means. "

I agree on this one hundred precent because i feel very few people know what the bible says.
But find a few verses that mean what they teach and thus take in out of context. Leading to false teachers and preachers.

[easeltine (easeltine)]

Saddened,

What has gone through my mind all today is that a spirit of criticism has descended upon the Body of Christ, like a cancer. Then I read your thread.

The book "Heresy Hunters" talks about this.
The sad fact is that the Church of Jesus Christ is no longer holding a standard against cults such as Jehovah Witness, Mormons, The Way International, Christian Science etc. No greater example exists then CRI, just compare what Dr. Walter Martin started to what CRI has become. http://www.factnet.org/discus/clipart/sad.gif

[saddened (saddened)]

Yes, I agree about the spirit of criticism. I just think Christians need to be looking at their own hearts rather than focusing on others, myself included. We have to give an account of our own life not anyone elses.

Christians should be motivated by love in everything they do, including online message boards. I am sorry but I am not finding too much of that at this website and that is why I need to not partake of these discussions much longer. I don't think I'm the only one who has signed on and has since left. I no longer want to read false accusations from anonymous posters. I think my time would be better spent elsewere. Maybe there are some that do belong here ministering, but I don't think I am one of them. I don't think I'm going to come back here after tonight. God bless. 1 Cor 13:1-13

[easeltine (easeltine)]

Marta,

It is amazing to me how many ministries are attacked on Factnet, and I am not just talking about odd ones like Benny Hinn. Jack Hayford was attacked, not by a Fundamentalist, by a Charismatic, and I was ridiculed for defending Jack Hayford. The person attacked Jack Hayford for defining a Word of Knowledge as Word of Knowledge rather than Prophecy. See the topic Funny Papers and you will find that they attack the Baptist denomination, and when I defend the Baptist I get it, and no Baptist defends their own denomination. Individual ministers are being attacked constantly without the love found in 1 Cor. 13. That is the difference between what CRI used to be and what it is now, and the cults get a free pass!

Erich

[cybermom (cybermom)]

saddened

Of course, you're free to say or do whatever you want. Lighten up. You don't need to be so defensive.

As I've said before, that's the beauty of free speech and sites like this. And I also have the freedom to ignore or respond.

Marta,

Good article.

It is so important in these days to press in even closer to God, and to dig deeper into His Word to test every teacher and doctrine we come across.

Cybermom

[david_munson (david_munson)]

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This must of course be balanced with church discipline.
The flock must be protected.

If a damaging practice is continueing,it must be dealt with by the laity if the leadership will not do it.
It must,like you say,be done in Love with the intent of restoration and reconciliation.

Dave

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[turtle (turtle)]

What is sad is you do not see restoration happening. You do not see unity in the body of Christ as it should be. I have seen more ministers leave the ministry over the last twenty years due to the fact people rather have their ears tickled. And any memmber that supports a good minister is bashed.

[david_munson (david_munson)]

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I hear you there Turtle.

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