This is a must read for all born again Christians that have been deceived into thinking that Roman Catholicism is a valid Christian denomination. The testimony at the link below was written by my husband but it is also my testimony.
Just recently a woman in her 90’s told me she doesn’t come to our Christian services any more because she is afraid she would be blaspheming “Mary.” I was so grieved because she loved coming to the services. This sweet woman is in fact blaspheming the Holy Ghost and doesn’t even realize it. I once overheard someone, who claimed to be born again, say that God is not going to send a person to hell because they pray to “Mary.” But in reality, praying to Mary it is an indication that a person is not born again, not saved, and does not know the Lord.
Excerpt …
“Jesus was not even part of the equation in my prayers to Mary. She was the one who I called upon, and she was the one that the Catholic Priests taught me to call upon at the hour of my death.”
Read entire post here …
ROSARY NO MORE! WHY I STOPPED PRAYING THE ROSARY
1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
When we consider how far and wide the Scofield Study Bible has propagated false doctrine we ought to be amazed. When we consider how many born again Christians have believed the false teaching contained within the notes of the Scofield Study Bible we ought to be amazed … amazed and warned … that so many believers have bought the lies of a man and substituted those lies for gospel truth!
Read post here …
Who is our bible teacher? Is it the Holy Spirit or are we allowing false teachers to interpret the Scriptures for us?
John 16:13 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 shew you things to come.
Colossians 2:8 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.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary:
There is a philosophy which rightly exercises our reasonable faculties; a study of the works of God, which leads us to the knowledge of God, and confirms our faith in him. But there is a philosophy which is vain and deceitful; and while it pleases men’s fancies, hinders their faith: such are curious speculations about things above us, or no concern to us. Those who walk in the way of the world, are turned from following Christ. We have in Him the substance of all the shadows of the ceremonial law. All the defects of it are made up in the gospel of Christ, by his complete sacrifice for sin, and by the revelation of the will of God. To be complete, is to be furnished with all things necessary for salvation. By this one word “complete,” is shown that we have in Christ whatever is required. “In him,” not when we look to Christ, as though he were distant from us, but we are in him, when, by the power of the Spirit, we have faith wrought in our hearts by the Spirit, and we are united to our Head. The circumcision of the heart, the crucifixion of the flesh, the death and burial to sin and to the world, and the resurrection to newness of life … and by faith wrought in our hearts, prove that our sins are forgiven, and that we are fully delivered from the curse of the law. Through Christ, we, who were dead in sins, are quickened. Christ’s death was the death of our sins; Christ’s resurrection is the quickening of our souls. The law of ordinances, which was a yoke to the Jews, and a partition-wall to the Gentiles, the Lord Jesus took out of the way. When the substance was come, the shadows fled. Since every mortal man is, through the hand-writing of the law, guilty of death, how very dreadful is the condition of the ungodly and unholy, who trample under foot that blood of the Son of God, whereby alone this deadly hand-writing can be blotted out! Let not any be troubled about bigoted judgments which related to meats, or the Jewish solemnities. ... All the Jewish rites were shadows of gospel blessings.
I do not belong to the Mennonite denomination, and I know modern day Mennonites have strayed from some of their biblical roots, but I do believe they had a correct and biblical view on issues concerning government and war. They would not participate in armed conflict and violence, yet they were in all ways respectful to those in governmental authority and prayed for them. What a leap from the hostility we see coming from professed believers in our current day. I believe we can learn much from the peaceful Mennonite declaration found at the link below. If you can take a few moments to read it, I believe it will be time well spent.
Read here …
Do we listen to men who are not born again speak about God? Men like Glenn Beck who is a Mormon, and Sean Hannity who is a Roman Catholic. Do we read World Net Daily and other similar material? If so, we are being led into deception. These people do not speak for Jesus but rather they are drawing us away from Jesus.
John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary:
Art thou the King of the Jews? That King of the Jews who has been so long expected? Messiah the Prince; art thou he? Dost thou call thyself so, and wouldest thou be thought so?
Christ answered this question with another; not for evasion, but that Pilate might consider what he did. He never took upon him any earthly power, never were any traitorous principles or practices laid to him.
Christ gave an account of the nature of his kingdom …
Its nature is not worldly;
it is a kingdom within men, set up in their hearts and consciences;
its riches spiritual, its power spiritual, and its glory within.
Its supports are not worldly;
its weapons are spiritual;
it needed not, nor used, force to maintain and advance it, nor opposed any kingdom but that of sin and Satan.
Its object and design are not worldly.
When Christ said, I am the Truth, he said, in effect, I am a King.
He conquers by the convincing evidence of truth;
He rules by the commanding power of truth;
the subjects of this kingdom are those that are of the truth.
Pilate put a good question, he said, What is truth? When we search the Scriptures, and attend the ministry of the word, it must be with this inquiry, What is truth? and with this prayer, Lead me in thy truth; into all truth. But many put this question, who have not patience to preserve in their search after truth; or not humility enough to receive it. By this solemn declaration of Christ’s innocence, it appears, that though the Lord Jesus was treated as the worst of evil-doers, he never deserved such treatment. But it unfolds the design of his death; that he died as a Sacrifice for our sins. Pilate was willing to please all sides; and was governed more by worldly wisdom than by the rules of justice. Sin is a robber, yet is foolishly chosen by many rather than Christ, who would truly enrich us. Let us endeavour to make our accusers ashamed as Christ did; and let us beware of crucifying Christ afresh.
To say that our fathers have inherited lies is not easy. To say that, we have to admit that our beloved parents were wrong and were deceived. Very few are willing to do this. Seems family ties make some unwilling to believe the Gospel. They don’t realize that a family that has a genuinely born again believer in the midst is the greatest blessing that could ever ever come to that family.
Jeremiah 16:19 O LORD, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.
Matthew Henry Commentary:
They shall acknowledge the folly of their ancestors, which it becomes them to do, when they were smarting for the sins of their ancestors:
“Surely our fathers have inherited” not the satisfaction they promised themselves and their children, but lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit. We are now sensible that our fathers were cheated in their idolatrous worship; it did not prove what it promised, and therefore what have we to do any more with it?
Their deliverance out of captivity shall be a type and figure of this great salvation to be wrought out by the Messiah, who shall gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. And this is that which so far outshines the deliverance out of Egypt as even to eclipse the lustre of it, and make it even to be forgotten. To this some apply that of the many fishers and hunters, the preachers of the gospel, who were fishers of men, to enclose souls with the gospel net, to find them out in every mountain and hill, and secure them for Christ. Then the Gentiles came to God, some from the ends of the earth, and turned to the worship of him from the service of dumb idols.
See … REMEMBERING MY MOTHER
Within the post at the link below is an excerpt from “Who Is My Brother.” The post is about the error of Christian Zionism, but the principle taught in “Who Is My Brother” certainly applies to many other areas of our lives. It’s an excellent teaching …
Read here …
Christians Gathered in Jersusalem to Show Support for Israel
Last Sunday, one of the nursing home residents told me she sent her visitors home early so she could attend the church service. I thought this can only be the Lord drawing this dear soul to Himself. During the service I noticed a certain look upon her face. I’m not sure how to describe it, maybe a look that said I don’t fully understand, a sort of troubled look. After the service I asked if she understood what was being said. She said she didn’t understand completely, but she understood that she needed to be born again if she wanted to go to heaven when she died. The fact that she had ears to hear that much is significant. She wanted to know if she became born again could she stay in the religion that she was brought up in. (Her religion is Roman Catholicism, the idolatrous religion that I came out of.) She said her mother taught her that everyone prayed to God in their own way and we would all find out more when we died. I said my mother taught me things also, but that both of our mother’s were wrong. But I also told her that my mother was born again when she was in her late 80’s. She said does that extend to the age of 92. I was surprised to hear how old she was. She said her “religion” was deep within her and it was going to be hard to change at her age. I ministered to her and encouraged her to have an open heart and to believe God’s Word. *
The Gospel is salvation’s call. Family can be a great hindrance to that call. Please pray for this soul if you are a born again Christian. We have been praying and hoping that we see an 11th hour salvation. Praise God! *
1 Thessalonians 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
Matthew Henry Commentary:
The effects of their faith were famous.
They quit their idolatry; they turned from their idols, and abandoned all the false worship they had been educated in.
They gave themselves up to God, to the living and true God, and devoted themselves to his service.
Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
Matthew Henry Commentary:
This call, though it was a very trying call, was the call of God, and therefore a sufficient ground for faith and rule of obedience. The manner in which he was called Stephen relates in Acts 7:2-3, The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia–And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I will show thee. This was an effectual call, by which he was converted from the idolatry of his father’s house, Genesis 12:1 ….
Hebrews 11:24-25 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
Matthew Henry Commentary:
How great a temptation Moses was under. Pharaoh’s daughter is said to have been his only child, and was herself childless; and having found Moses, and saved him as she did, she resolved to take him and bring him up as her son; and so he stood fair to be in time king of Egypt, and he might thereby have been serviceable to Israel. He owed his life to this princess; and to refuse such kindness from her would look not only like ingratitude to her, but a neglect of Providence, that seemed to intend his advancement and his brethren’s advantage.
[2.] How glorious was the triumph of his faith in so great a trial. He refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter lest he should undervalue the truer honour of being a son of Abraham, the father of the faithful; he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter lest it should look like renouncing his religion as well as his relation to Israel; and no doubt both these he must have done if he had accepted this honour; he therefore nobly refused it.
(2.) He chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, Hebrews 11:25. He was willing to take his lot with the people of God here, though it was a suffering lot, that he might have his portion with them hereafter, rather than to enjoy all the sensual sinful pleasures of Pharaoh’s court, which would be but for a season, and would then be punished with everlasting misery. Herein he acted rationally as well as religiously, and conquered the temptation to worldly pleasure as he had done before to worldly preferment. Here observe,
[1.] The pleasures of sin are and will be but short; they must end in speedy repentance or in speedy ruin.
[2.] The pleasures of this world, and especially those of a court, are too often the pleasures of sin; and they are always so when we cannot enjoy them without deserting God and his people. A true believer will despise them when they are offered upon such terms.
[3.] Suffering is to be chosen rather than sin, there being more evil in the least sin than there can be in the greatest suffering.
[4.] It greatly alleviates the evil of suffering when we suffer with the people of God, embarked in the same interest and animated by the same Spirit.
The song on this little video clip will surely lift your spirit!
Watch … here
1 John 5:8 And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.
This is so true …
“Who would wish to dwell among the nations and to be numbered with them? Why, even the professing church is such that to follow the Lord fully within its bounds is very difficult. There is such a mingling and mixing that one often sighs for “a lodge in some vast wilderness.”
Certain it is that the Lord would have His people follow a separated path as to the world and come out decidedly and distinctly from it. We are set apart by the divine decree, purchase, and calling, and our inward experience has made us greatly to differ from men of the world; and therefore our place is not in their Vanity Fair, nor in their City of Destruction, but in the narrow way where all true pilgrims must follow their Lord.
This may not only reconcile us to the world’s cold shoulder and sneers but even cause us to accept them with pleasure as being a part of our covenant portion.
Our names are not in the same book, …
we are not of the same seed, …
we are not bound for the same place, …
neither are we trusting to the same guide; …
therefore it is well that we are not of their number.
Only let us be found in the number of the redeemed, and we are content to be off and solitary to the end of the chapter.”
Numbers 23:9 For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations.
(C. H. Spurgeon, Among the Redeemed, Faith’s Check Book September 26th)
I sometimes wonder how different things would be if we Christians lived in a different period of time.
I wonder how different things would be if believers were not so influenced by the false teachings of the modern day church and the unbiblical practices of fellow believers.
Do we do things because “everybody else does them?”
Do we believe things because “everyone else is currently believing them?”
Are we really following Jesus or are we following man?
For example, in contrast to popular teaching and practice, what if …
- All Christians rejected “Christian Zionism” as a heretical teaching
- All Christians practiced separation of church and state
- All Christians were pacifists
- All Christians knew that the Roman Catholic Church preaches “another gospel”
- All Christians did not celebrate Christmas
I know it is very unpopular to speak about the above, but is the modern day church to be our standard?
Or should our standard be … “this I know for the Bible tells me so.”
This is a good tract.
Read here …
Go here to read testimony and other material …
A simple reading of the Bible will dispel many of the falsehoods of dispensational teaching and expose the grave error of Christian Zionism. For example …
Acts 3:22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
Acts 3:23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
Acts 3:24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
Acts 3:25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
Acts 3:26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
Family Bible Notes:
Verse 23. Will not hear that Prophet;] will not obey the Messiah.
Peoples New Testament Commentary:
Verse. 24. And all the prophets from Samuel … “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”
[Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.]
Adam Clarke’s Commentary:
Verse 25. Ye are the children of the prophets] … as ye are the children or disciples of the prophets, ye are bound to believe their predictions, and obey their precepts; and not only so, but ye are entitled to their promises. Your duty and your interest go hand in hand; and there is not a blessing contained in the covenant which was made with your fathers but belongs to you.
Now, as this covenant respected the blessings of the Gospel, you must believe in Jesus Christ, in order to be put in possession of all those blessings.
Verse 26. Unto you first, God, having raised up] As you are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant, the first offers of salvation belong to you, and God thus makes them to you. The great mission of Jesus Christ is directed first to you, that you may be saved from your sins. God designs to bless you, but it is by turning each of you away from his iniquities. The salvation promised in the covenant is a salvation from SIN, not from the Romans; and no man can have his sin blotted out who does not turn away from it.
1. We may learn from this that neither political nor ecclesiastical privileges can benefit the soul, merely considered in themselves: a man may have Abraham for his father, according to the flesh; and have Satan for his father, according to the spirit. A man may be a member of the visible Church of Christ, without any title to the Church triumphant. In short, if a man be not turned away from his iniquities, even the death of Christ profits him nothing. His name shall be called JESUS, for he shall SAVE his people FROM their SINS.
2. If Christ be the substance and sum of all that the prophets have written, is it not the duty and interest of every Christian, in reading the Scriptures, to search for the testimony they bear to this Christ, and the salvation procured by his death?
Ezekiel 13:10 Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter.*
Matthew Henry Commentary:*
Note, Those that deceive others will in the end prove to have deceived themselves; and no doom will be more fearful than that of unfaithful ministers, that flattered sinners in their sins.
Both the deceivers and the deceived, when they thus perish together, will justly be ridiculed and triumphed over. When the wall has fallen shall it not be said unto you, by those that gave credit to the true prophets, and feared the word of the Lord, “Now where is the daubing wherewith you have daubed the wall? What has become of all the fine soft words and fair promises wherewith you flattered your wicked neighbours, …?”
You have promised sinners life in their sinful ways, have told them that they shall have peace though they go on, by which their hands have been strengthened and their hearts hardened.
Nor can anything strengthen the hands of sinners more than to tell them that they may be saved in their sins without repentance, or that there may be repentance though they do not return from their wicked ways.
John Wesley’s Commentary:
Peace – They told sinners, no harm would happen to them. And those are the most dangerous seducers, who suggest to sinners that which tends to lessen their dread of sin, or their fear of God. These are compared to men who build a slight tottering wall, which others daub with untempered mortar; sorry stuff, that will not bind, nor hold the bricks together: doctrines not grounded on the word of God.
Every true believer has a testimony. This summer marks 20 years since I met the Lord. I’ve known the Lord for 1/3 of my life on this earth, the other 2/3 were spent in darkness. Praise God who called me out of darkness into his marvellous light! Praise His Holy Name!
I think about how seldom I hear a testimony of a genuinely changed life. The thought was especially prevalent recently because I listened to Keith Green’s testimony again. How often do we hear a testimony like his? Then there was the fruit in his life. Jesus did say that we would know them by their fruits.
Over the past twenty years I’ve seen a famine for the true word of God. Bold proclaimers of truth are few and far between. I have discovered that you cannot please God and man. Impossible. You either take up your cross and follow the Lord or you compromise. No compromise.
Read …
I’m going to a city,
To a place I’ve never been,
The Lord is now preparing,
For the day I’ll enter in.My family there is waiting,
What sweet fellowship there’ll be,
With God’s children round His throne,
All in perfect harmony.I’m going to a city,
Where all trials and troubles cease,
No one is ever lonely,
A great throng lives there in peace.There is no need for sun there,
‘Cause God’s glory is bright light,
The Lamb is always shining,
In that city there’s no night.I’m going to a city,
And it’s only by God’s grace,
I’ll join those gone before me,
I’ll see Jesus face to face.by Cathy White – 2009
(Hebrews 13:14) For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.(Hebrews 11:16) But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.
Horatius Bonar said over 200 years ago:
“I looked for the Church and I found it in the world, and I looked for the world and I found it in the Church. A worldly Church will never win the world.”
***
“THE CHURCH WALKING WITH THE WORLD
(Author Unknown)
The Church and the World walked far apart. On the changing shore of time;
The World was singing a giddy song, The Church a hymn sublime.
“Come give me your hand,” said the merry World, “And walk with me this way,”
But the good Church hid her snowy hand, And solemnly answered, “Nay;
I will not give you my hand at all, And I will not walk with you;
Your way is the way of eternal death, And your words are all untrue.”
“Nay, walk with me a little space,” Said the World with a kindly air,
The road I walk is a pleasant road, And the sun shines always there.
Your way is narrow and thorny and rough, While mine is flowery and smooth;
Your lot is sad with reproach and toil, But in rounds of joy I move.
My way, you can see, is a broad, fair one, And my gate is high and wide;
There is room enough for you and me, And we’ll travel side by side.”
***
Half shyly the Church approached the World, And gave him her hand of snow;
And the false World grasped it, and walked along, And whispered in accents low,
“Your dress is to simple to please my taste; I have gold and pearls to wear;
Rich velvets and silks for your graceful form, And diamonds to deck your hair.”
The Church looked down at her plain white robes, And then at the dazzling World,
And blushed as she saw his handsome lip. With a smile contemptuous curled;
“I will change my dress for a costlier one,” Said the Church with a smile of grace;
Then her pure white garments drifted away, And the World gave in their place
Beautiful satins, and fashionable silks, And roses and gems and pearls;
And over her forehead her bright hair fell. And waved in a thousand curls.
***
“Your house is to plain,” said the proud old World, “I will build you one like mine,
With kitchen for feasting and parlor for play, And furniture never so fine.”
So he built her a costly and beautiful house – Splendid it was to behold;
Her sons and her daughters met frequently there, Shining in purple and gold.
The Angel of mercy flew over the Church, And whispered, “I know thy sin;”
Then the Church looked sad, and anxiously longed. To gather her children in.
But some were away at the midnight ball, And others were at the play;
And some were drinking in gay saloons, So she quietly went her way.
***
Then said the World in soothing tones, “Your children mean no harm-
Merely indulging in innocent sports,” So she leaned on his proffered arm,
And smiled, and chatted, and gathered flowers, And walked along with the World,
While countless millions of precious souls. Over the fearful brink were hurled.
“Your preachers are all to old and plain,” Said the gay World with a sneer;
“They frighten my children with dreadful tales, Which I like not for them to hear.
They talk of judgments and fire and pain, And the doom of darkest night;
They warn of a place that should not be. Mentioned to ears polite!
I will send you some of a better stamp, More brilliant and gay and fast,
Who will show how men may live as they list. And then go to heaven at last.”
***
“The Father is merciful, great, and good, Loving and tender and kind;
Do you think He would take one child to heaven, And leave another behind?”
So she called for pleasing and gay divines. Deemed gifted, and great, and learned;
And the plain old men that had preached the cross, Were out of her pulpits turned.
Then Mammon came in and supported the Church, And rented a prominent pew;
And preaching and singing and floral display. Soon proclaimed a gospel new.
“You give too much to the poor,” said the World, “Far more than you ought to do;
Though the poor need shelter, food, and clothes, Why need it trouble you?”
“Go, take your money and buy rich robes. And horses and carriages fine;
And pearls and jewels and dainty food, The rarest and costliest wine.
My children, they dote on all such things. And if you their love would win,
You must do as they do, and walk in the way. Which they are walking in.”
* * *
Then the Church drew tightly the strings of her purse, And gracefully lowered her head,
And simpered, “I’ve given too much away, I will do, sir, as you have said.
So the poor were turned from her door in scorn, She heard not the orphans’ cry;
And she drew her beautiful robes aside. As the widows went weeping by.
So they of the Church and they of the World. Journeyed closely, hand and heart,
And none but the Master, who knows all, Could discern the two apart.
Then the Church sat down at her ease and said, “I am rich and in goods increased;
I have need of nothing, and naught to do, But to laugh and dance and feast.”
***
The sly World heard her and laughed within, And mockingly said aside,
“The Church is fallen, the beautiful Church, Her shame is her boast and pride.”
A voice came down from the courts of heaven, From Him who sat on the throne;
“I know thy works and what thou hast said, But alas! thou hast not known
That thou art poor and naked and blind, With pride and ruin enthralled;
The expectant bride of a heavenly Groom. Is companion of the world!
Humble thy heart, confess thy sin, Let shame now cover thy face;
Or else, alas! I must cast thee out, And blot thy name from its place.”
James 4:4-5 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?
Source … Sermon Index
False doctrines like “once saved, always saved” mock true Christianity. The grace of God has been redefined to mean something other than “the grace of God in truth.”
Story at … USA TODAY
Colossians 1:5-6 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:
Family Bible Notes:
In all the world; wherever the gospel was embraced it produced the same effects as in Colosse. The gospel, wherever preached, influences all who embrace it in truth, whatever may have been their past character and condition, to lives of holy obedience; and inspires them with a hope which tends to purify them, even as Christ is pure.
1 John 3:3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.
People’s New Testament Commentary:
Bringeth forth fruit. It always bears fruit in holy lives wherever received.
Galatians 5:19-24 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
FALLING AWAY FROM THE FAITH vs. ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED
FALLING AWAY FROM THE FAITH vs. ONCE SAVED ALWAYS SAVED & WAR
Isaiah 49:7 Thus saith the LORD, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nation abhorreth, to a servant of rulers, Kings shall see and arise, princes also shall worship, because of the LORD that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.
Isaiah 49:8 Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;
John Wesley’s Notes:
V. 7. His Holy One-The Holy One of Israel. To him-To Christ, to whom, in the days of his flesh, this description fully agrees: for men, both Jews and Gentiles among whom he lived, did despise him from their hearts; and the nation, of which he was a member, abhorred both his person and his doctrine; and he was so far from being a temporal monarch, that he came in the form of a servant, and was a servant of rulers, professing subjection and paying tribute unto Caesar. Kings-Though for a time thou shalt be despised, yet after a while thou shalt be advanced to such glory, that kings shall look upon thee with reverence. Arise-From their seats to worship thee. Faithful-Because God shall make good his promises to thee. Chuse thee-And although thou shalt be rejected by thine own people, yet God will manifest to the world, that thou, and thou only, art the person whom he hath chosen to be the Redeemer of mankind.
V. 8. The Lord-God the Father unto Christ. Heard thee-Though not so as to deliver thee from death; yet so as to crown thee with glory and honour. For a covenant-To be the Mediator and surety of that covenant, which is made between me and them. To establish-To establish truth and righteousness upon earth, and subdue those lusts and passions, which are the great disturbers of human society. Desolate heritages-That desolate places may be repaired and repossessed. That Christ may possess the Heathen, who were in a spiritual sense in a most desolate condition.
Jesus is the only covenant for Israel. Without Jesus, Israel, and all unbelievers who reject Jesus Christ the Messiah, have the wrath of God abiding on them.
Love tells the truth.
(John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.)
I go to the nursing home and the visiting family members who are Christian very often have John Hagee’s program on the television. Others I know also listen to him, and still others have bought the products he sells.
He is mainstream.
Mention his name to warn believers of his false teachings (I have) and no one seems to listen. Perhaps the post below will bring clarity and discernment regarding the danger of dispensational teaching.
Read here …
JOHN HAGEE TEACHES “ANOTHER” GOSPEL
Material from pjmiller at Sola Dei Gloria
Below is a short excerpt from a U.S. News & World Report interview with John Hagee. Seems John Hagee’s idea of Catholic outreach is not evangelism, but rather to convince everyone that he loves Roman Catholics and that Catholics are Christians. From the standing ovation referred to in the article it appears that he is being quite successful in his endeavor. Hagee has already convinced multitudes that the Jewish people do not need to be evangelized. Now it’s the Catholics too.
Who is next?
Why evangelize anyone?
Exclusive: Pastor John Hagee on Zionism and John McCain
July 20, 2009quote..
Question: CUFI has recently stepped up outreach to Catholics. What precipitated that , and how is the effort going so far? What are your goals for that outreach?
Hagee’s answer: Yes, we are reaching out to Catholics. These efforts started last year, during the presidential campaign, when Bill Donahue of the Catholic League claimed that I had slighted the Catholic Church while teaching from the Book of Revelation. He was mistaken on this point. But he and I handled this disagreement the way that Christians should. We met. We had fellowship. We learned from one another. A few months after the controversy, he came to our Washington, D.C., Summit as my guest. When I recognized him during my keynote address, he received a rousing ovation from our CUFI audience. I consider him a friend.
Bill and I decided that we should turn our personal reconciliation into a broader reconciliation. We decided to try to bring Catholics and Protestants together on behalf of Israel. Some of Israel’s best friends and strongest defenders are devout Catholics. They should be a part of this movement.
Entire article at U.S. News & World Report
Information from Sola Dei Gloria
Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
***
By embracing Christian Zionist teachings many believers have drifted from “… the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 1:3)
Believers have become involved in politics and war, and have become respecter of persons.
Romans 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
Geneva Bible Notes:
God does not judge men either by their blood or by their country, either to receive them or to cast them away.
Christian Zionist teaching has caused many a believer to stray from their main purpose on this earth … preaching the gospel to every creature and evangelizing a lost world. Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
See …
1 John 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
Verse 15. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer] He has the same principle in him which was in Cain, and it may lead to the same consequences.
Adam Clarke’s Commentary:
No murderer hath eternal life] Eternal life springs from an indwelling God; and God cannot dwell in the heart where hatred and malice dwell. This text has been quoted to prove that no murderer can be saved. This is not said in the text; and there have been many instances of persons who have been guilty of murder having had deep and genuine repentance, and who doubtless found mercy from his hands who prayed for his murderers, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do! It is, however, an awful text for the consideration of those who shed human blood on frivolous pretences, or in those wars which have their origin in the worst passions of the human heart.
We need not fear being faithful to the Lord for therein lies many a blessing.
Read here …
Isaiah 41:18 I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water.
Isaiah 44:3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:
Isaiah 51:3 For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.
A great sermon by Spurgeon for the afflicted Christian. May the Lord use this sermon to comfort your heart as he has mine.
Go here …
Romans 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Romans 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Romans 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Romans 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Romans 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Romans 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Romans 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
Romans 6:8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Romans 6:9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
Romans 6:10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Romans 6:11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Romans 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
Romans 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
Romans 6:17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
Romans 6:18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Romans 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
Romans 6:21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.
Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Many times I have spoken to individual believers about the need to evangelize Roman Catholics. I’ve shared my testimony and told that Rome preaches “another gospel.” For the most part, what I have said has not been received. The gravity of the situation just doesn’t seem to hit home with today’s believer, and at times I have even been viewed as divisive rather than evangelistic.
Why?
I believe we’ve arrived at this point of “hardness of heart” because of the ecumenical teachings of people like Rick Warren, Billy Graham, and the many others who have gone down the ecumenical road.
Go here for one example of what I’m saying …
Compare what you just read with this excerpt from Spurgeon’s “Travailing For Souls” …
“The like living zeal and vehement desire have always been perceptible in the Church of God before any season of refreshing. Think not that Luther was the only man that wrought the Reformation. There were hundreds who sighed and cried in secret in the cottages of the Black Forest, in the homes of Germany, and on the hills of Switzerland. There were hearts breaking for the Lord’s appearing in strange places, they might have been found in the palaces of Spain, in the dungeons of the Inquisition, among the canals of Holland, and the green lanes of England. Women, as they hid their Bibles, lest their lives should be forfeited, cried out in spirit, “O God, how long?” There were pains as of a woman in travail, in secret places there were tears and bitter lamentations, on the high places of the field there were mighty strivings of spirit, and so at length there came that grand revulsion which made the Vatican to rock and reel from its foundation to its pinnacle. There has been evermore in the history of the church, the travail before there has been the result.”
Spurgeon Sermons: Travailing For Souls
2 Timothy 4:1-5 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 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. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Numbers 11:27 And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
Numbers 11:28 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, [one] of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them.
Numbers 11:29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD’S people were prophets, [and] that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!
Spurgeon Commentary:
Jealousy for his master’s honor moved Joshua to stay the irregular ministry of Eldad and Medad; and still there are many who are zealous to put down those who presume to prophesy, because they are “men authorized by God alone,” as if that were not authority enough.
Moses was of a noble spirit. If the men were really moved by the Spirit of God, he had no desire to restrain their unusual procedure; but far otherwise, he wished that all the Lord’s servants had the same gifts and graces. Irregular ministries have been the means of the salvation of thousands, and therein we rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.
Jealousy for his master’s honor moved Joshua to stay the irregular ministry of Eldad and Medad; and still there are many who are zealous to put down those who presume to prophesy, because they are “men authorized by God alone,” as if that were not authority enough.
Adam Clarke Commentary:
ELDAD, they said, and MEDAD there,
Irregularly bold,
By Moses uncommission’d, dare
A separate meeting hold!
And still whom none but heaven will own.
Men whom the world decry,
Men authorized by GOD alone,
Presume to prophesy!
***
How often have I blindly done
What zealous Joshua did,
Impatient to the rulers run,
And cried, “My lords, forbid!Silence the schismatics, constrain
Their thoughts with ours t’ agree,
And sacrifice the souls of men
To idol UNITY!”
***
Moses, the minister of God,
Rebukes our partial love,
Who envy at the gifts bestow’d
On those we disapprove.We do not our own spirit know,
Who wish to see suppress’d
The men that Jesus’ spirit show,
The men whom God hath bless’d.***
SHALL we the Spirit’s course restrain,
Or quench the heavenly fire?
Let God his messengers ordain,
And whom he will inspire.Blow as he list, the Spirit’s choice
Of instruments we bless;
We will, if Christ be preached, rejoice,
And wish the word success.***
Can all be prophets then? are all
Commission’d from above?
No; but whome’er the Lord shall call
We joyfully approve.***
O that the Church might all receive
The spirit of prophesy,
And all in Christ accepted live,
And all in Jesus die!
“Little as they might be able to do, they could at least protest, and as far as possible free themselves of that complicity which will be involved in a conspiracy of silence.”
Charles Haddon Spurgeon
and
Ecclesiastical Separation
Compiled by G. Archer Weniger
“Long ago I ceased to count heads. Truth is usually in the minority in this evil world. I have faith in the Lord Jesus for myself, a faith burned into me as with a hot iron. I thank God, what I believe I shall believe, even if I believe it along.” (C.H.S., October 16, 1887, Sermons, 33, 575.)
“A chasm is opening between men who believe their Bibles and the men who are prepared for an advance upon Scripture. The house is being robbed, its very walls are being digged down, but the good people who are in bed are too fond of the warmth, and too much afraid of getting broken heads, to go down stairs and meet the burglars . . . Inspiration and speculation cannot long abide in peace. Compromise there can be none. We cannot hold the inspiration of the Word, and yet reject it; we cannot believe in the atonement and deny it; we cannot hold the doctrine of the fall and yet talk of the evolution of spiritual life from human nature; we cannot recognize the punishment of the impenitent and yet indulge the ‘larger hope’. One way or the other we must go. Decision is the virtue of the hour.” (C.H.S., September 1887, The Sword and the Trowel)
“Believers in Christ’s atonement are now in declared union with those who make light of it; believers in Holy Scripture are in confederacy with those who deny plenary inspiration; those who hold evangelical doctrine are in open alliance with those who call the fall a fable, who deny the personality of the Holy Ghost, who call justification by faith immoral, and hold that there is another probation after death . . . Yes, we have before us the wretched spectacle of professedly orthodox Christians publicly avowing their union with those who deny the faith, and scarcely concealing their contempt for those who cannot be guilty of such gross disloyalty to Christ. To be very plain, we are unable to call these things Christian Unions, they begin to look like Confederacies in Evil . . . It is our solemn conviction that where there can be no real spiritual communion there should be no pretense of fellowship. Fellowship with known and vital error is participation in sin.? (C.H.S., November 1887, The Sword and the Trowel.)
“It is a great grief to me that hitherto many of our most honored friends in the Baptist Union have, with strong determination, closed their eyes to serious divergencies from truth. I doubt not that their motive has been in a measure laudable, for they desire to preserve peace, and hoped that errors, which they were forced to see, would be removed as their friends advanced in years and knowledge. But at least even these will, I trust, discover that the new views are not the old truth in better dress, but deadly errors with which we can have no fellowship, I regard full-grown ‘modern thought’ as totally new cult, having no more relation to Christianity than the mist of the evening to the everlasting hills.”
“Let us see to it that we set forth out Lord Jesus Christ as the infallible Teacher, through His inspired Word. I do not understand that loyalty to Christ which is accompanied by indifference to His words. How can we reverence His person, if His own words and those of His apostles are treated with disrespect? Unless we receive Christ’s words, we cannot receive Christ; for John saith, ‘He that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.’” (C.H.S., An All-Round Ministry, 373.)
“The day will come when those who think they can repair a house which has no foundations will see the wisdom of quitting it altogether. All along we have see that to come out from association with questionable doctrines is the only possible solution of a difficulty which, however it may be denied, is not to be trifled with by those who are conscious of its terrible reality.” (C.H.S., July 1889, The Sword and the Trowel.)
“For Christians to be linked in association with ministers who do not preach the gospel of Christ is to incur moral guilt. A Union which can continue irrespective of whether its member churches belong to a common faith is not fulfilling any scriptural function. The preservation of a denominational association when it is powerless to discipline heretics cannot be justified on the grounds of the preservation of ‘Christian unity.’ It is error which breaks the unity of churches, and to remain in a denominational alignment which condones error is to support schism.” (C.H.S., The Forgotten Spurgeon, Murray, 164-165.)
“Separation from such as connive at fundamental error, or withhold the ‘Bread of life’ from perishing souls, is not schism, but only what truth, and conscience, and God require of all who would be found faithful.” (C.H.S., 1888, The Sword and the Trowel, 127.)
“That argument I have heard hundreds of times when people have been urged to come out of false positions and do the right. But what have you and I to do with maintaining our influence and position at the expense of truth? It is never right to do a little wrong to obtain the greatest possible good . . . You duty is to do the right; consequences are with God.” (C.H.S., 1868, Sermon at Metropolitan Tabernacle.
“Failure at a crucial moment may mar the entire outcome of a life. A man who has enjoyed special light is made bold to follow in the way of the Lord, and is anointed to guide others therein. He rises into a place of love and esteem among the godly, and this promotes his advancement among men. What then? The temptation comes to be careful of the position he has gained, and to do nothing to endanger it. The man, so lately a faithful me\an of God, compromises with world lings, and to quiet his own conscience invents a theory by which such compromises are justified even commended. He receives the praises of the judicious; he has, in truth, gone over to the enemy. The whole force of his former life now tells upon the wrong side . . . To avoid such an end it becomes us ever to stand fast.” (C.H.S.,1888, The Sword and the Trowel).
“Ah, my dear brethren! There are many that are deceived by this method of reasoning. They remain where their conscience tells them they ought not to be, because, they say, they are more useful than they would be if they went ‘without the camp’. This is doing evil that good may come, and can never be tolerated by an enlightened conscience. If an actg of sin would increase my usefulness tenfold, I have no right to do it; and if an act of righteousness would appear likely to destroy all my apparent usefulness, I am yet to do it. It is yours and mine to do the right though the heavens fall, and follow the command of Christ whatever the consequence may be. ‘That is strong meat,’ do you say? Be strong men, then, and fee thereon . . .” (C.H.S. Sermons 1891, 37, 426.)
“As soon as I saw, or thought I saw, that error had become firmly established, I did not deliberate, but quitted the body at once. Since then my counsel has been ‘Come out from among them’. I have felt that no pretest could be equal to that of separation.” (C.H.S., The Sword and the Trowel.)
“One thing is clear to us, we cannot be expected to meet in any union which comprehends those whose teachings on fundamental points is exactly the reverse of that which we hold dear. Cost what it may to separate ourselves from those who separate themselves from the truth of God is not alone our liberty but our duty.” (C.H.S., The Sword and the Trowel.)
“No lover of the Gospel can conceal from himself the fact that the days are evil. We are willing to make a large discount from our apprehensions on the score of natural timidity, the caution of age, and the weakness produced by pain; but yet seem to be, and are rapidly tending downward. Read those newspapers which represent the Broad School of Dissent, and ask yourself, ‘How much further could they go? What doctrine remains to be abandoned? What other truth to be the object of contempt?’ A new religion has been initiated, which is no more Christianity that chalk is cheese, and this religion, being destitute of moral honesty, palms itself off as the old faith with slight improvements, and on this plea usurps pulpits which were erected for Gospel preaching. The Atonement is scouted, the inspiration of Scripture is derided, the Holy Ghost is degraded to an influence, the punishment of sin is turned into fiction, and the resurrection into a myth, and yet these enemies of our faith expect us to call them brethren, and maintain a confederacy with them.” (C.H.S., Quoted by Russell H. Conwell, 1892 in “Life of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the World’s great Preacher.”)
“It now becomes a serious question how far those who abide by the faith once delivered to the saints should fraternize with those who have turned aside to another gospel. Christian love has its claims, and divisions are to be shunned as grievous sins; but how far are we justified in being in confederacy with those who are departing from the truth? It is a difficult question to answer so as to keep the balance of the duties. For the present it behooves believers to be cautious, lest they lend their support and countenance to the betrayers of the Lord. It is one thing to overleap all boundaries of denominational restriction for the truth’s sake; this we hope all godly men will do more. It is quite another policy which would urge us to subordinate the maintenance of truth to denominational prosperity and unity. Numbers of easy-minded people wink at error so long as it is committed by a clever man and a good-natured brother, who has so many fine points about him. Let each believer judge for himself; but, for our part, we have put on a few fresh bolts to our door, and we have given orders to keep the chain up; for, under color of begging the friendship of the servant, there are those about who aim at robbing THE MASTER. We fear it is hopeless ever to form a society which can keep out men base enough to profess one thing and believe another; but it might be possible to make an informal alliance among all who hold the Christianity of their fathers. Little as they might be able to do, they could at least protest, and as far as possible free themselves of that complicity which will be involved in a conspiracy of silence.”
