problems with Deckard’s teachings and beliefs

There are many problems with Deckard’s teachings and beliefs some of which we will outline here. First, lets look a little closer at his association with Stan Johnson and the Prophecy Club. Deckard has not been merely another speaker on tour with the club, he has joined together with Johnson as a partner in Stan’s crusade scheme. 
During 2006, the Prophecy Club held several ‘Power of Jesus Crusade’s” in cities around the U.S. The first problem with the crusade was that it was not freely given. Johnson charged admission for the 2 day event, typically $100 per person for early registration or $150 after a certain date.  Would a true prophet charge money in exchange for the word of the Lord? How about a prophet like Balaam?
Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward……..Jude 1:11
So, what could you expect for your $100 at the crusade? Well, for one thing you could “learn to prophesy”.  Is this scriptural? Can a person actually teach you to prophesy as if you were learning a second language or some other skill?
For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake [as they were] moved by the Holy Ghost. 2Peter 1:21
Seems to me the gift of prophecy comes as not by the will of man but by the will of God. Paul does say in 1Cor 14:39 that we should covet to prophesy but he is talking here of speaking by revelation. He does not say we should covet the idea of becoming a prophet. All Christians can speak by revelation and in that sense all can prophesy but not all are called as prophets. Peter prophesied when he spoke by revelation the words “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Mat 16:16) but Peter was not prophesying in the way it is being promoted at this event. 
What else did Johnson and Deckard promise crusade attendee’s? How about a guarantee of a personal word of prophecy? That’s right, Johnson promised that if you would come to the crusade (and pay your admission fee) you would be able to get a personal word of prophecy from either Deckard, Johnsons wife, or Johnson himself.
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 2Peter 1:20
Once again we have Stan Johnson and Tom Deckard making a promise that they are not able to deliver. Prophecy comes by the will of God, not the will of man.
Let me make it clear that I am not a cessationist concerning spiritual gifts.  I believe that the gift of prophecy is available by the will of God in the true church today. I believe that the office of the prophet is still in effect in the church today, although I will say that 99% of those who claim to be prophets are nothing of the sort. But the idea that we can promise a person that at a certain time and in a certain place, God will speak something specific to that person and their situation is simply sorcery.
No where in scripture are believers instructed or encouraged to seek after personal words of prophecy from new covenant prophets. If you are a believer, you have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in you. (Romans 8:9). If you have been filled with the Holy Ghost you have the Spirit of the Living God himself dwelling in you (Romans 8:11). Why on earth would you think that you need to go to a man who claims to represent the God that dwells in you in order to hear from Him?  Oh foolish Christians who hath bewitched you?
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son......Heb 1:1-2
If God chooses to speak through a prophet so be it (Acts 21:10-11) but if you run after a man to get a word from the Lord you are coming dangerously close to denying the one who bought you. You deny the truth of the gospel that Christ dwells in you. 
But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. 1John 2:17
Now, let’s look at Deckard’s own words to determine what gospel he is teaching and what God he is serving. 
From Deckard’s website
Most Christians today think they no longer have to keep the covenant G-d made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They have been told they are under a new covenant. There is no place in the scriptures that tells us this. The only place anything is mentioned about a new covenant is in
Jeremiah 31:31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:
Is this true? Is Jeremiah 31:31 the only place in scripture that speaks of a new covenant? Well, not exactly.
The author of Hebrews certainly spoke of a new and better covenant.
But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first [covenant] had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second Heb 8:6-7 
In the verses 8, 9, and 10 the author quotes Jeremiah 31:31-32 
For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. For this [is] the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 
In verse 13 he says again that this is a new covenant.
In that he saith, A new [covenant], he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old [is] ready to vanish away. 
Further references to the new covenant are found in Hebrews chapters 9 & 12
And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions [that were] under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Heb 9:15 
The word translated here as testament is the exact same word that is translated covenant. It is the Greek word diatheke {dee-ath-ay'-kay}which means, a disposition, arrangement, of any sort which one wishes to be valid, a compact, a covenant, or a testament. The King James translators translated this word as both covenant and testament throughout the scriptures.
And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel. Heb 12:24 
So, it appears that the author of Hebrews disagrees with the prophet Deckard. Where else might we find reference to a new covenant or testament? How about the words of the apostle Paul.
Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. 2Cor 3:6
Here in 1 Corinthians Paul quotes the words of Jesus to establish a new covenant.
After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me. 1Cor 11:25 
Finally we have the words of the Lord himself establishing in his own blood the new covenant.
Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup [is] the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:20 
‘Prophet’ Deckard claims that nowhere in scripture do we find any reference to a new covenant other than Jeremiah 31:31. What do you think?

Here is a question for you. Can a man be a true 100% accurate prophet of God yet be so inaccurate in his teaching of God’s word?  What good is it to be 100% accurate in prophecy if you cannot even understand the most basic truths of Christianity?
Now we will begin to explore the real purpose behind Deckard’s false view of scripture. I have listened to many hours of Deckard’s teachings and several interviews with the man and I can tell you that he has virtually no regard for or understanding of the writings of the Apostle Paul as they relate to the fulfillment of the Law in Christ.
Again, here is a quote directly from Deckard’s website:
 Who are His Children…  
Revelation 12: 17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. 
Who are His Children? Those that keep both the Law and confess Yeshua (Jesus) as Moshiach (Messiah). These are His children and He will do whatever is needed to protect them.
But who does the scriptures say is a child of God?
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Rom 8:14 
What does the scripture tell us about trying to keep the law of Moses? 
Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. Gal 5:4
What was the purpose of the law?
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster [to bring us] unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. Gal 3:24-25
The law was given for the express purpose of bringing us to Christ. Once we have come to Christ we are no longer under the law. This does not mean that we are free to break the law. What it means is that the requirements of the law are fulfilled in us as we abide in Christ. It means that the law is completed in us and that if we will live in Him and be led by His spirit we will not have to worry about breaking the law either internally (in our hearts) or externally.
Christ said:
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. Mat 5:17 
Therefore if Christ be in us and we be in Him the law is fulfilled in us as well. 
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Romans 8:4 
The law was our schoolmaster pointing out the lusts that dwell in our flesh. But in Christ we no longer have to look at a set of rules to live by. All we need to do is learn how to be led by His spirit and we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. 
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Gal 5:14 
Even Peter, James and the other elders at Jerusalem knew that the Law was impossible to keep. They called it a yoke and specifically said that it was not God’s will to put the Gentiles under that yoke.
Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. Acts 15:10-11 
The elders of the church in Jerusalem gave a few instructions to the new gentile believers, none of which included keeping the Sabbath, the feasts, the new moon, the tithe, circumcision, or any of the other 613 laws of the old covenant.
Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and [from] fornication, and [from] things strangled, and [from] blood. Acts 15:19-20 
This was all that was required of new Gentile believers. ‘Prophet Deckard’ on the other hand wishes to add a portion of the law to those who believe. Here is another quote from Deckard’s website
Let me say that I do not believe that we are to keep all the law today. Many of the laws could not be kept because of the difference of times we now live in. The battle over whether the 10 commandments can be in our federal buildings is the law that G-d gave to Moses. The statutes and judgments were only explanations of the 10 commandments. Don’t get hung up on thinking I am advocating that the church keep all 613 laws. Paul is not where we need to focus our attention concerning this. Jesus is the one we need to turn to see what he has to say on the subject.
Deckard says that the only parts of the Law we must keep today are the feasts, the Sabbath, and the new moon.  What does the scripture say about keeping part of the law?
For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law Gal 5:3 
Now you know why Deckard tells us not to focus on the words of Paul. The words of the apostle Paul prove that Deckard's teaching is dead wrong. Paul is saying specifically that if one attempts to keep even a small portion of the law (as Deckard claims we must) he is obligated to keep all of it. 
For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all. James 2:10 
James here says that if you attempt to keep the law yet fail in any way to keep even the smallest point of law you are guilty of breaking all the law. 
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power Col 2:8-10.
Paul says we are complete in Christ.
Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ. Col 2:16-17
The feasts, Sabbaths, and new moons are just a shadow of the fullness which is in Christ Jesus. Which would you rather have, a picture of a sirloin steak or an actual sirloin steak? 
How can Deckard, if he is truly a prophet of God, claim that we don’t have to keep all the law but only a portion? The truth is he has no scriptural basis for his claim whatsoever. He is adding the works of the law to the grace of God. This is heresy.
Now we see where Deckard is going with this. Now it becomes clear that he is leading people to follow a false Jesus just as God warned in Deuteronomy 13.
From Deckard’s website
The Blood Must be Properly Applied...
The blood that Yeshua (Jesus) shed was our ticket to permit us to enter into Heaven. If the blood of Yeshua (Jesus) was enough in it’s self to protect us then we as Christians would not have to worry about sickness or plague. The problem is His blood was not enough. (emphasis added) Christians are sick and not protected as those who kept the Law were in the days before Yeshua (Jesus) came.

Do you see that? Deckard states outright that the blood of Jesus was not enough. If the blood of his jesus is not enough he is following a false jesus. The blood of the Jesus that I follow is sufficient to cleanse me from all unrighteousness and take away every sin and ultimately the effects of sin which includes sickness and disease.
Look at his statement again. He says that those who kept the law before Jesus came were protected from sickness and plague. If that were so, why did Jesus spend so much time healing sick people? The people he healed were law keepers. They were God’s covenant people. Deckard claims that keeping the law protected them from sickness but the very works of Christ make this claim manifestly untrue!
Why were those people not protected from sickness? For the same reason most of God’s new covenant people are not protected. They kept the law externally but they were unable to keep it internally. They failed to keep the law in their hearts and so do we today.
The vast majority of God’s people today walk not in the Spirit but strictly after the flesh. Therefore they reap the results of walking in the flesh which is death. 
For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not [in] the oldness of the letter. Romans 7:5-6 
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace. Romans 8:5-6 
When we fail to abide in Christ and allow Him to dwell in us we are walking after the flesh. Paul said that many are sick and some even die prematurely because we fail to discern the body and the blood of the Lord.
Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that] cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many [are] weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 1Cor 11:27-30 
This is the very essence of the new covenant. The covenant spoken of by Jeremiah. The new covenant in which God promised he would place his laws (instructions) in our inward parts, in our minds and hearts. He said each of us from the least to the greatest would be able to know our God and hear from him ourselves. This is the new covenant spoken of by Christ, and by Paul in which we are each able to be led by the Spirit of God himself.
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. John 16:13
By his own words we see that Tom Deckard is a false teacher attempting to bring God’s new covenant people back into the bondage of the old covenant law.
Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. Gal 4:21-24 
For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. Gal 4: 25-26
So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free Gal 4:31
Do not listen to anyone who attempts to add to the grace of the Lord Jesus. We are not saved by the works of the law but by faith in the shed blood of Jesus. Judaizers have been a problem for the church since the time of Paul. His instructions to the believers of Galatia are still valid for us today.
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Gal 5:1
For more information on this topic I suggest you listen to my audio messages entitled:
The Law is not Faith  and  Beware of the Judaizers

Steve Lumbley 2007 
ApostasyWatch.com
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