Cedric Fisher: "earnestly contending for the faith."

Is God About to do Something New?

The following 700 Club post appeared in my news feed, “God Is About To Do Something New.” I do not follow 700 Club or watch any of their programming. Usually I ignore posts by people and groups that I don’t follow. However, I responded to their claim with, “God is not about to do anything new. Anyone who believes that He is has their spirits wide open for diabolical deception.”

It’s not the first time I have heard that false prophesy. It is a prophesy of Isaiah who wrote as God spoke through him to apostate Israel. Anyone who utters those words today, and to the entirety of Christianity, has prophesied a major prophesy. However, it is a major false prophesy because the prophetic structure of the New Testament does not sustain it.

Here is truth. Everything new that occurs during the final great deception and apostasy is of Satan. The nature of the apostasy is people departing from the faith and everything it encompasses. Thus, they no longer walk in the path that God has set forth and have forsaken all of the ancient elements of His truth. Why would God do a “something new” when the great majority of professing Christians haven’t even experienced every thing old to the maximum?

However, Satan is doing plenty of new things. I have spoken and written that professing Christians should avoid everything new during this period. Why do they even want anything new? They remind me of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers in Acts 17.

“For all the Athenians and the foreigners who were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing.” – Acts 17:21

The custodian of 700 Club page might protest by saying the prophecy was meant for certain people individually. The same principle applies. Do they need healing?   Comfort? Shelter, clothing, or food? Godly direction in their lives? What could they possibly need that God has not provided innumerable times for other people?

People want something new either when they tire of something old, or they determine that something old does not perform well. What has God revealed and given to the church that is insufficient? Did He leave anything out when He endowed the early church that He now wishes to give us today?

The fact is heretics, and professing Christians who unwittingly parrot heretics, frequently offer this false prophecy. It is most commonly used to cover a new heresy. Prophesying that it is “God’s new thang” is for the purpose of easing the concerns of people in who remains some modicum of sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s warning. The false prophecy has been used to sanctify “God’s new way of doing church,” or “God is sending a new wave of glory,” or “God desires a New Christianity.” Practically every new heresy has been offered as God’s “new revelation.” Further, the heretics warn that if we question it we will miss the “new thing” God is doing.

People had better walk in the old paths. They had better bind themselves to the time-honored ways of God, especially His biblically sustained truth.   This is not the time to “discover” a new way to pray (Contemplative Prayer), and new way to receive the words of Christ (Jesus Calling by Sarah Young), a new Christianity (Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren), a new way of God working through us (The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson), or a new depiction of God and salvation (The Shack by W.P. Young).

That is not even the tip of the iceberg. Jimmy Swaggart has a “new” message of the cross. James Robinson and associates has a “new” ecumenical approach to the Roman Catholic Church. Many Christian colleges and universities offer a “new” spirituality based on heretic Richard Foster’s book, Celebration of Disciplines. Kenneth Hagan borrowed from E. W. Kenyon a “new” way of acquiring the power of God for people to use autonomously. Robert Schuller borrowed from Napoleon Hill (Think and Grow Rich) a “new” way of acquiring power and wealth via imagination. Bill Hybels and Brian McLaren have decided on a “new” way of “doing church.” Joel Osteen and T.D. Jakes are supporting Oprah Winfrey’s “new” religious path. Numerous ones have accepted that God now has a “new” view of homosexuality (God repents for torching Sodom?).

The list goes on with numerous doctrines and practices all of which have arrived with the insistence that they are God’s “new” revelation. 700 Club has been responsible for some of the deluge. Charisma Magazine, God’s TV, PTL and TBN networks, Daystar, Lifeway, Zondervan, et al, are also vehicles for spreading the heresies.

However, there is one way to avoid all of these “new” things, which in effect epitomizes the great and final deception and apostasy. That way is to pray and to trust in an ancient book of truth, the Bible.

Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. – 2 Timothy 1:13

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; – 2 Timothy 4:3

Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle. – 2 Thessalonians 2:15

Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. – James 1:16

22 Comments

  1. Cheryl

    Excellent and Spot on! Days of great deception we are in!

    • Paul Worden

      Only one problem with this article,…Swaggart goes out of his way to stress that the Message of the Cross is nothing new. It was preached by Paul all through the New Testament on every one of his journeys. Every animal sacrifice that occurred in the Old Testament pointed forward to Jesus and the Cross. Nothing new there. The OT has forever pointed forward to the Cross while the New Testament has forever pointed back to the cross.

      • C.H. Fisher

        That is not true. Swaggart’s Message of the Cross is a “new revelation” that mingles truth with error.

        • Paul Worden

          Be specific with the ” includes error.”

  2. Lydia

    “Were they ashamed because of the abomination they have done? They were not even ashamed at all; They did not even know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; At the time that I punish them, They shall be cast down,” says the LORD. Thus says the LORD, “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; And you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ “And I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’…”
    Jeremiah 6; 15-17

    Sound familiar?

    Yup, another great summary. Heresy in a shiny “new” wrapping, with a big red bow on top! But oh, wait… it’s not really new. It’s the same forbidden fruit from the Garden of Eden! That ‘something new’ just for Adam and Eve. Hmmm. How did that go again…?

    Here’s something new for them: Try sticking to orthodox biblical Christianity!
    Like you said, every time they roll out something new from their factory, it is a forbidden fruit with the poison of heresy hidden inside, one after the other until it got the church… where it is today; total apostasy. But they are too deceived to perceive it. That is one of the consequences, they fall asleep and will not listen.

    Thanks for the post!
    ( :

  3. Peter Foster

    What you say is so true! I wonder if any of these organisations or individuals would prophesy that God is going to do something OLD, such as restore the Scriptures in their churches as the only word of God? The old ways that Paul, Peter, James, John and others preached are good enough for me. And getting back to true biblical Christianity is what is needed now. When so many churches and preachers are leaving the Gospel behind and following after error, we need something old, not something new.

    • Hope Wingo

      Well said.

    • Stacy strother

      Amen brother!

  4. Ron DeMitchell

    Sadly, I once watched CBN as an undiscerning believer. By the way, which Francis Shafer are you talking about? I watched a video series he made called How Then Should We live and I have a book with a similar name by him. Could there be multiple Francis Shafers? I’m just confused on which one you are referring to if there is more than one. Please clarify.

    • C.H. Fisher

      Thanks for pointing out that typo, Ron. I have corrected it. It was supposed to be Robert Schuller, not Francis Shaffer. My editor scanner must have been blurred.

  5. Paul Worden

    Swaggart goes out of his way to stress that the Message of the Cross is nothing new. Its all Paul preached in his New Testament travels. Every animal sacrifice in the Old Testament pointed forward to the Cross and Christ crucified. The New Testament points back to Christ crucified at the Cross. The Message of the Cross is as old as the Bible.

    • C.H. Fisher

      That is not true. Swaggart’s Message of the Cross is a “new revelation” that mingles truth with error.

  6. Ron DeMitchell

    Thanks for the update. It seems that the closer we get to Christ’s return, the more false prophets will proclaim that God will do something new; only it will be the same old lie that the serpent told our first parents in Eden. (Gen. 3:5).

  7. Mike

    Amen to the fact that there is nothing “new” under the sun!! (BTW is that a “new” Bible version you’re using?) Have been independent for the last 27 years and my first Bible was the NIV. But have been led to the conclusion that these “new” versions are a Big part of the Apostacy which was prophesied and is coming to pass as you mention. Sincerely, http://www.saltandfire.com

    • Lydia

      The NIV was one of the first watered down versions. The ESV is another one. They leave out bible verses and place them in the footnotes, replace the strong meanings with weaker ones, and all but the KJV leaves out 1 John 5; 7-8 about the Trinity. Now there is the ‘Message’ Bible which is totally perverted and some other similar ones like it.

      The best Bibles in my view are the New King James Version, the Old KJV, and the NASB. There are other good ones too but I find those to be the most solid.

      Blessings!

    • Peter Foster

      Mike, are you suggesting that all of the “new” Bible translations are part of the apostasy? I apologize if I have misunderstood you but are you inferring that the only legitimate version of the Bible is the KJV? Though you do not specify which Bible you read or consider correct, I get a little worried by blogs, Christians and websites which try to condemn every version of Bible except the KJV. I grew up the with the KJV many years ago. At the time it was a struggle to read because of the archaic language. But I do find it fairly easy to understand now even though it was very off-putting back in my youth. But those who insist the KJV is the only “true version” have their heads in the sand. Jesus didn’t speak in King James Aramaic or Hebrew. And Paul didn’t write in King James Greek. So why would God expect us to study the Bible in a version which is basically foreign to most English speaking people? Even if the KJV is the most accurate translation, which I don’t think it is, why make the Bible harder for people to understand by insisting that that they read a version that is full of archaic words and expressions? When I study Bible passages I refer to as many translations as I can. The best ones will agree in some way or other. However, there are some as you would agree, like The Message, which are basically evil and should be avoided at all cost.

      • ken hall

        Peter,
        “When I study Bible passages I refer to as many translations as I can. The best ones will agree in some way or other.” (from your comment)

        Coming to a consensus by using a bunch of newer translations is a recipe for deception, sir. It is not meant for us (God’s human creations) to re-invent His Word to suit our fancy. “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation forever.” (Psalm 12:8,9 KJV). “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away”. (Luke 21:33) Those 3 verses, and many others, tell me that God Himself is going to preserve and keep pure His Word. Does it make any common sense to you that different bibles from different manuscripts that use different words and phrases that mean different things to the logical human mind, can each be right and still be God’s unadulterated Word? To me that is impossible! You put the onus on yourself to figure out what “God has said”. That is a mighty high task and one that I would be afraid to take on and then defend my position in front if the world (the internet!) There can only be one true meaning of Scripture (though many applications), therefore, logic and reason say that using bibles that relay different messages to our brain cannot be right and accurate. I am sticking with the King James, translated from the Textus Receptus (received text, majority text). There are grammatical errors in anything done by man, including the KJV. I believe the manuscripts which were used in the newer translations starting in the 1800’s are corrupted. They are deceptive concerning Christian doctrine and Christian instruction on how to daily live in obedience toward God. Again I say, both sets of manuscripts cannot be right. There is only one true Word of God. Common sense tells us that!

        Peter, if you will honestly study the facts about the scholarship behind all the new translations that use the Wescott/Hort Greek New Testament OR the Nestle/Aland GNT you will find some amazing differences between their Greek New Testaments and the Textus Receptus (received text, majority text). If you will do an honest comparison between some key verses, KJV versus NIT, ESV, or any of the “modern” versions, I think you will see that the deletion (sometimes addition) of words and phrases in these bibles are faulty and do not contain the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will show you that the King James translation is Scripture and the newer translations are “diabolically” flawed!! The KJV is not the only bible translated from the TR. The Geneva bible is still widely available (I don’t use it because of it’s Calvinist footnotes). I will say it is God’s Word, like the King James bible.

        I apologize if this rebuke has sounded personal, but I have a job to do for the Lord. Defending His Word is a ministry for me (Jude 3, “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness”. 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. I take seriously my job from the Lord as a teacher and defender of His Word and these sort of replies are the result. I see them as a “teaching “ opportunity to the Church universal, who use the World Wide Web. I do not use “social media” myself, so replying to commentary by C.H. is a vehicle for me to use to get out THE WORD OF GOD. I also have my own blog, Hey, Jude 15 (WordPress), where you can comment to what I write for the Lord.
        Blessings.
        Ken Hall

  8. Aaron

    Thanks Steve, spot on and very timely message

  9. Ron DeMitchell

    As for me personally, I read the NASB now. That’s my favorite translation because I think it conveys the best sense of what the original authors meant in the original languages. The Message Bible is one of the worst translations of our day. For anyone looking for a solid Bible translation, I would recommend the NASB or the NKJV.

    • VictorS

      NASB Col 1:14 omits “through his blood”, which is an effect of the manuscripts used.

  10. Ron DeMitchell

    I see your point. Frankly, I wonder how Young’s Literal Translation translates that verse. It’s the most literal of all the translations of the Bible in English.

    I think, though, that we are missing the point of what our brother Cedric was saying in this post. He’s saying that all the claims that God is about to do something new are repackaged versions of the same old lie that the devil has told from Eden onward. I agree whole-heartedly that certain newer Bible versions like the Message promote that lie. However, as one of our other brothers said, the best translations will agree with each other in some way. That’s where I will leave it for now.

    • ken hall

      “However, as one of our other brothers said, the best translations will agree with each other in some way. That’s where I will leave it for now.”

      In some way, sir? In what way should they agree in your “opinion”? You are putting yourself as the judge of what God has said. That is a dangerous position, I believe, to take.

      All that would be necessary for you to do to understand what these modern translations have “deleted” would be to get a book that compares the newer translations vs, the old ones in key verses in the New Testament, and you can see for yourself what harm the translations from the 1880’s on, do to the deity of Jesus Christ and other doctrines of historical Christianity. It will be “plain to see”, if you have the eyes to see.

      There are many books that compare the old versions to the new ones. I recommend “Which Version Is The Bible? by Floyd Nolen Jones. He defends the Textus Receptus very well in his scholarly book. That book will also show you who Brooke Foss Westcott and Fenton John Anthony Hort are, and what they believed about God and doctrine. These men’s adaption of the Greek New Testament taken from a few manuscripts that were “supposedly found in Egypt and the Sinai at a much earlier date than those used by the King James, Geneva bible, Bishop’s bible and others, is heretical, to the max degree. You will see that if you do an honest search of modern bible history. These reprobate men’s scholarship (so called) is the basis of the may of the newer translations. Two guys named Eberhard Nestle and Kurt Aland have expanded on the work of Wescott/Hort and their “textual criticism ” (read: coming to a consensus about what God has said) is “folly” and a recipe for “delusion”!!! Be forewarned, we are accountable to God for what we read, believe, and teach others.

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