APOSTATE CHURCH.....FALSE PROPHETS
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Posted:Mar 4, 2009 10:34 am
Last Updated:Mar 4, 2009 1:04 pm 46315 Views
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With so many voices out there how can we tell truth from error? Simply by judging according to the word of God. Lets take a look at what the bible says in identifying the false prophet from the true. Remember that the false is a counterfeit and mimics the true so test carefully!
Signs of a false prophet.
Mark 13:22
For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.
Signs follow the true and the false the scriptures say, so what now ?
What are the signs...healings, miracles that give glory to God or HYPE. DOES THE SIGNS DRAW ATTENTION TO MEN OR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST ?
2 Peter 2:1
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
False teachers preach a false gospel. They change Gods word into a lie. Very subtle. You have to add works to grace, no hell to shun, it is ok to fornicate, Buddhists and Muslims are saved too, so are idol worshipers, tolerance and love instead of truth and righteousness, God wants us to be rich and prosperous, who has to suffer? Faith will get you your hearts desire just confess positively, you need to be like the world to win the world to Jesus Christ,ect.ect.
Luke 6:26
Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
False prophets are always popular and have a great following. True prophets are hated and thrown in prison and have their heads cut off!
Matthew 24:11
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
The agenda of the false prophet is to deceive. Sometimes because they themselves are deceived but not always. Sometimes because they want to make disciples unto themselves. They are hungry for power and control.
Jeremiah 14:14,15
Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of naught, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
False prophets prophecies lies. They have hit and miss prophecies but a true prophets words will always come to pass for Gods word is in their mouth. They will not be rash to speak presumptuously for they spend time in Gods presence to hear the word of the Lord and speak only what they are told to in his name. For they know that God has said that a prophet who speaks presumptuously will be cursed by God and put to death. (very dangerous to be a false prophet)
I kings 18:4
For it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the LORD, that Obadiah took an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water.
True prophets are always persecuted by the false prophets. These false prophets operate under the Jezebel spirit. They are jealous of the true anointing and seek to destroy or discredit the anointed of God but God takes care of his own and Jezebel is thrown in a bed of sickness (Book of Revelation)
How can you tell if Jezebel is in your midst ....MUCH sickness...they always have an ailment and if a church operates in that spirit you will find sickness will be there in abundance.
Jeremiah 23:15-18
Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Hearken not unto the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD. They say still unto them that despise me, The LORD hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil shall come upon you. For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?
False prophets speak out of their own heart and not Gods heart. They say peace,peace,unity,unity.
God says no.....judgment is coming...division... as he is sifting the chaff from the wheat...the sword will devour the land because of iniquity.
Jeremiah 23:20-22
The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly. I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran: I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
False prophets are not sent by God but they are self appointed. How can you tell?
They exalt themselves. They want the praises of men,they want to be called master,teacher,wise man. True prophets preach repentance towards God and point people to relationship with Jesus Christ the King of Kings and Lord of lords. The false prophet wants all the attention and to have men in their admiration. They always have groupies!
Jeremiah 29:15-20
Because ye have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;
Know that thus saith the LORD of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity; Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:
Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the LORD. Hear ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon.
False prophets are from Babylon. They are Gnostic's who operate by the spirit of the power of the air working disobedience in those who follow them. Judgment comes on those who listen to and follow the false prophets.
1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
We are called to test the prophets. Judge them!
This is scriptural!
Zephaniah 3:4
Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.
The false prophets deal treacherously ...they lie, deceive,manipulate and profane Gods word.
Jeremiah 23:10-13
And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to err. I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land.
False prophets have secret sin in their lives and God will expose them in his time.
Matthew 7:15-18
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit
False prophets look like sheep, they pass off as christians but inwardly they want to devour the sheep,to kill,steal and destroy.
Ezekiel 33: 1-20
of man, speak to the of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman:
If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and warn the people;
Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall be upon his own head.
He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.
But if the watchman see the sword come, and blow not the trumpet, and the people be not warned; if the sword come, and take any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at the watchman’s hand.
So thou, O of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.
When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
Therefore, O thou of man, speak unto the house of Israel; Thus ye speak, saying, If our transgressions and our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
Therefore, thou of man, say unto the of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.
When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
Again, when I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; if he turn from his sin, and do that which is lawful and right;
If the wicked restore the pledge, give again that he had robbed, walk in the statutes of life, without committing iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.
None of his sins that he hath committed shall be mentioned unto him: he hath done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.
Yet the of thy people say, The way of the Lord is not equal: but as for them, their way is not equal.
When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.
But if the wicked turn from his wickedness, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.
Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. O ye house of Israel, I will judge you every one after his ways.
The true prophet speaks the word of the lord, he is a watchman that sees the sword comming,he warns of danger and judgment to come. He calls the sinner to repentance and stands accountable to God himself to obey and fulfill his calling.
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LAODICEA........THE RELIGION OF HUMANISM....#2.....he who has an ear to hear then let him hear.
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Posted:Mar 3, 2009 9:14 am
Last Updated:Mar 4, 2009 9:49 am 43539 Views
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"Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing, and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked"
Christ condemns the church at Laodicea for being lukewarm and self-deceived. The religious person thinks he is something when he's not. Notice the contrast in verse 17 between "thou sayest" and "knowest not": "Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing ...." Does that sound like the statement of a Christian? Not at all. That's the statement of a religious hypocrite. Verse 17 then says, "... [thou] knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked." You say, "Couldn't God have used just one of those words to cover the situation of the hypocrite?" That's true, but He used them all to cover the scope of their lostness.
1. THE RELIGION OF HUMANISM
The Laodicean church says, "We're rich;" Christ says, "You're poor." They say, "We have need of nothing;" Christ says, "You're wretched." That illustrates the self-satisfaction in the religion of humanism. Religion today is humanism with God's name added. Man thinks he is going to run his own world. We live in the day of the humanist church. The church has become materialistic, content with its riches and its social atmosphere.
One day, two pastors were looking at a glorious new auditorium that had been built. One pastor said, "The church can no longer say, `Silver and gold have I none.'" And the other pastor said, "That's right, and neither can it say, `Take up thy bed and walk.'" The church has all the money, but no power. The self- deception is summed up in the two phrases, "thou sayest" and " [thou] knowest not". The Laodicean church was phony from beginning to end.
2. THE RESULT OF HUMANISM
Following humanism makes you ...
a. "... wretched ..."
The word "wretched" means "vile and sinful." Paul uses it in Romans 7:24 when he says, "Oh, wretched man that I am!..."
b. "... miserable ..."
The word "miserable" means "pitiful." The Laodiceans deserved pity, not praise. They were a sad, tragic mockery of the truth.
c. "... poor ..."
The word used for "poor" here (Gk. ptochos = "beggar") is the most extreme word for poverty in the Greek language. The Laodiceans claimed to be rich and fashionable, but they were beggars.
d. "... blind ..."
e. "... naked."
They were without the only garment that covers the cloak of righteousness. When Adam and Eve sinned, they immediately realized that they were naked. A man without God is not covered with the cloak of righteousness. It doesn't matter what garment he has; he is still naked before God.
The last three words in verse 17--poor, blind, and naked become the basis for ...
V. THE COMMAND (vv. 18-20)
A. Appeals from Christ
Christ makes the command in the way of an appeal because He's not talking to Christians.
1. REGARDING RICHES (v. 18a)
"I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich ..."
The Laodiceans thought they were rich, but Christ tells them that they are poor and that He can make them rich.
a. True Riches
Throughout the Bible, we are told of the riches that we have in Christ Jesus. True riches belong to Him. Even though a man might have everything that this world can offer, if he does not have Jesus Christ, he has nothing. Matthew 16:26 says, "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?..." True riches come from Christ. He says, "I counsel you to buy the real thing."
b. Divine Righteousness
What does Christ mean when He says, "... buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich ..."? In the Bible, gold often symbolizes divine righteousness, which only comes from Christ. Can a man establish his own righteousness before God? No. The only thing that allows us to be right before God is when He gives us the righteousness of Jesus Christ. When we receive Christ by faith, God imputes righteousness to us (Rom. 3:22). So Christ says, "Why don't you buy true righteousness?"
With all of their money, the one thing the Laodiceans needed, they couldn't buy. Righteousness can't be bought; only faith can apprehend it. If the Laodiceans wanted to be rich, they needed divine, positional righteousness.
2. REGARDING CLOTHING (v. 18b)
"... buy of Me ... white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear ..."
a. The Clothing of Nakedness
The Laodiceans were blessed with a great clothing industry. They were an extremely fashion-conscious society. Special garments were made in the city of Laodicea that were world famous. The Laodiceans often flaunted their clothing. But Christ says, "You may have all the clothing in the world, but you are naked. You may have all the money in the world, but you are poor." They were poor because they didn't have divine righteousness. They were naked because they didn't have the pure garments that God gives.
b. The Clothing of Righteousness
You say, "What is the white raiment?" The gold represents positional righteousness; the white raiment represents righteous deeds (practical righteousness). Revelation 19:8 says, "And to her [the church] was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of saints." The "righteousnesses" are the righteous deeds of the saints. First, the gold refers to their positional righteousness; second, the white garments refers to their righteous deeds.
Your position and practice are important elements in the Bible. Christ wanted the Laodiceans to put on His righteousness and then do righteous deeds. You can't put on the white raiment of righteous deeds until you acquire the gold of righteousness from Christ. You get divine righteousness by faith in Christ. Then put on the garments of righteous deeds.
3. REGARDING SIGHT (v. 18c)
"... and anoint thine eyes with salve, that thou mayest see."
a. Anointing with the Salve of Man
In the city of Laodicea, a medical school was located in the temple of Asclepius. A tablet called tephra Phrygia was made in the medical school. It became very famous throughout that part of the Roman Empire. You say, "What did they do with it?" The tablet would be crushed into a fine grain and mixed with a small amount of water. Then it would be used as an eye salve for any type of eye ailment.
b. Anointing with the Truth of God
Jesus is saying, "You may think that you are anointing your eyes with tefra Phrygia, but you are blind. If you want to anoint yourself so that you may see, forget the tablet and anoint yourself with the truth of God."
Only Jesus Christ, the Great Physician, can apply spiritual salve to blind spiritual eyes and make them see.
Jesus says to the Laodiceans, "You think you're rich, but you're poor. I can make you rich with divine righteousness. You think you're fashionable, but you're naked. I can clothe you in righteous deeds. You think you can see well, but you're blind. I can open your eyes." The Great Physician, Jesus Christ, can touch them and make them see. In each of those cases, Christ is saying, "Come to Me."
Laodicea was a lost, hell-bound church. And there are many of them that exist today. There are few passages in all the Bible that are more searching, condemning, and pointed than the message to Laodicea. No message in the Bible is more pertinent to the church today.
B. Admonishment from Christ (v. 19)
"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; be zealous, therefore, and repent."
1. REBUKING SIN
You say, "Is He talking about believers?" No. You say, "Do you mean that He chastens unbelievers?"
You better believe He does! I don't care if you are a believer or an unbeliever: When you sin, God's wrath falls on you (Gal. 6:17). In verse 19, Christ is literally rebuking, chastening, and punishing the church at Laodicea.
2. REQUESTING REPENTANCE
Christ says, "... be zealous, therefore, and repent." The Greek word for "repent" is metanoia. It indicates that we are to turn around one hundred and eighty degrees from sin to God.
a. False Repentance
Some people repent only when they get caught. Then their repentance isn't the right kind of repentance,they are sorry only because they got caught. For example, they will say, "Everything is going wrong. I must turn to God." But when things start going right, they say, "Goodbye, God."
b. True Repentance
In 2 Corinthians 7:9-10 Paul says, "Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry but that ye sorrowed to repentance; for ye were made sorry after a godly manner .... For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death."
The world can be sorry for its sin, but that's not repentance. A repentant person says, "I'm sorry and I'm turning to God"
So Christ says to the church at Laodicea, "Turn around." Salvation begins with repentance. It can't happen without it. Christianity does not make an appeal for you to jump on the Jesus bandwagon and have a happy life. There has to be repentance, or salvation isn't genuine.
(Repentance means to turn away from the sinful nature by salvation and towards God and his grace)
C. Access to Christ (v. 20)
"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me."
There are two doors in view.
1. THE DOOR OF YOUR HEART
The first door is the door of your heart. He is talking to individuals. When Christ says, "... if any man ...," He's not talking about a collective group, but about individuals instead. Christ is knocking at the door of your heart....He wants to come in.
2. THE DOOR OF YOUR FUTURE
There is a prophetic aspect in view in verse 20. Christ is knocking because He is coming soon. He says, "... if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come into him, and will sup ...." The word "sup" is deipnon in Greek. It was the last meal of the day. Christ is saying, "There is still time for you and Me to have that last meal."
Jesus pleads with individuals today, "I want to come into your life. I want you to open the door and let Me in." He was also pleading with individuals in the Laodicean church to let Him in before it was too late. Christ wants to come into your life and change it.
Will there be a world revival?
You say, "Will the Laodicean church let Him in? Is there going to be a great world revival when Jesus comes?"
No, I don't believe there will be. God is doing His work everywhere, and accomplishing fantastic things, but Luke 18:8 says,
(my note ....Rick Joyner is a false prophet...there will be no last days revival...sola scriptura...)
[SIZE 6]"... when the of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?" No, because He didn't find it when He came the first time. John 1:11 says, "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not." He won't find faith on the earth, but He continues to knock.
Christ is knocking on the door of your heart if you are an unbeliever. He wants to come in. He says, "It's time for supper. The next event is the night of judgment and the dawn of the Kingdom. If we don't have supper together, we won't be in that Kingdom together." If you have heard His voice, all you have to do is open the door and let Him in.
You say, "What happens if I let Him in?" Look at ...
VI. THE COUNSEL (vv. 21-22)
A. Reign with Christ (v. 21)
"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne."
If you let Christ into your life, and have supper with Him, you will reign with Him. You will rise at the dawn to sit on His throne with Him. Our Lord wants men to know Him.
B. Regard the Counsel (v. 22)
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."
God says that Christ is knocking on the door of your heart. He wants to gain entrance before the night of judgment comes, so that He might have that evening supper with you, awake with you in the dawn of the Kingdom, and allow you to reign with Him forever. What a promise! He knocks, but it's up to you to open the door....those God calls he saves to the uttermost
John MacArthur
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LAODICEA........HE WHO HAS AN EARTO HEAR THEN LET HIM HEAR #2
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Posted:Mar 3, 2009 8:44 am
Last Updated:Mar 3, 2009 2:55 pm 42664 Views
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Revelation 3:14-22
And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Laodicea was the chief city in Phrygia. It was situated in the Lycus valley about forty-five miles directly southeast of Philadelphia. It was an important city because it was located at the crossroads of three main highways. Trade columns marched along those highways. It was founded about 250 B.C. by Antiochus II and named after his wife, Laodicea.
Laodicea became a wealthy banking and financial center. In fact, it was the most famous banking center in that part of the worldThe city developed a certain type of wool that was raven-black and glossy. Laodicea became famous for the sale of this wool, and it made the city very wealthy. The people became very fashion- conscious.
Laodicea had a very large Jewish population. Many Jews had migrated there and developed businesses that made them a great deal of money. Every year the Jews had to pay a temple tax. At Passover time, every Jew twenty-one years and older paid a half a shekel to the Temple. Even the Jews who had immigrated to different places still had to pay. History records that the Jews in Laodicea always paid their temple tax in gold. Consequently, over a period of years, the amount of gold in the city diminished. That shows that there were many Jews in the city.
Laodicea was similar to other cities in the region based on its pagan worship and idolatry.
From the time when Paul wrote Colossians (around +A.D. 61) until +A.D. 95, the church had rotted. Whatever true believers had been there had since vanished. The church at Laodicea had been corrupted by the time John penned the letter from Christ. It is a perfect illustration of every organized church that has no reality. The church in Sardis was dead, but a few members were still alive. The church in Thyatira was compromising, sinful, and idolatrous, but some of the people had demonstrated love and sound doctrine. But there was nothing good to be said about anyone in Laodicea. The tares had totally taken over the wheat (Mt. 13:36- 43). If any good did exist there, it was so insignificant that it wasn't even mentioned.
Who are the people that Christ spits out of His mouth? Are they are lukewarm Christians.... I don't think so. First, why would lukewarm Christians be in an apostate church? Those people can't be Christians. Second, God does not vomit up Christians. In John 6:37 Jesus said, "... him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." But Christ is referring to three different spiritual states: cold (Gk. psuchros, which means "cold"), hot (Gk. zestos, which means "warmth" or "fervor"), and lukewarm (Gk. chliaros, which means "tepid water"). What do these three spiritual states represent?
a. The Cold Ones
Who are the cold ones? In verse 15 Christ says, "... thou art neither cold ...." What does it mean to be cold? I believe that Christ is referring to the many people in the world who are totally cold to the things of Christ. The gospel leaves them totally unmoved. They don't respond at all. They are not hypocrites. They are blatant about being cold, ungodly, and unconcerned. They don't even make a pretense about knowing Christ. They are lost, unsaved, irreligious, and cold.
Those kind of people are easier to reach than the lukewarm. It is the sense of coldness that awakens a man to feel the chill of lostness, and to know that he needs to be found. If you don't think you're lost, you won't look for anyone to find you. God can reach the person who is cold and lost in sin. That is why Christ says, "I would rather have you cold so that you can sense your chill and lostness."
b. The Hot Ones
This refers to true believers. The hot ones are believers who show genuine spiritual fervor. There is no question about their eternal life, the sanctifying power and presence of the Holy Spirit in them, or their Christian testimony. They know Christ.
Salvation is the transformation from cold to hot. A man who is icy cold, freezing in his sin, and estranged from God, becomes hot when God redeems him. The new birth is a transformation from coldness to warmth. It happened to Paul on the Damascus road (Ac. 9:3-6). It happened to Moses, who chose "to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin ..." (Heb. 11:25). Salvation is a transformation from the coldness of sin to the warmth of godliness. That's what happens to all of us when we are given life while in spiritual deadness. There is nothing as cold as death, but life brings warmth.
c. The Lukewarm Ones
Who are the lukewarm? They are not believers because they have not been transformed from cold to hot. The lukewarm ones are professing Christians who play religious games with God, but are not really His. They have been touched by the gospel in some way, but they don't belong to Christ. They nauseate God because they know the truth but reject it. They live within the context of Christianity but make a mockery out of Christ.
There is more hope for one who has been untouched by the gospel and makes no religious or phony pretense of following Christ than one who makes the pretense of being a believer. No one is further from God than the one who makes an idle profession of belonging to God. This is Satan's big lie.... He wants to catch people in the lukewarm, nauseating environment of false religion. They actually think they sense some kind of religious reality. Apostasy nauseates Christ. The church at Laodicea was tragic. The false warmth of religion captures people, but Christ spews them out of His mouth.
John MacArthur
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THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST DO NOT LIVE IN SIN BECAUSE GODS SEED DWELLS IN THEM
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Posted:Mar 3, 2009 7:54 am
Last Updated:Mar 4, 2009 10:01 am 44264 Views
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Is trusting in Gods grace alone for salvation license to sin? No! However, neither is it license to go back under the law! What saith the scriptures on this matter?
THOSE BORN OF GOD DO NOT LIVE IN SIN BECAUSE GODS SEED LIVES IN THEM AND THEY CANNOT LIVE IN SIN!
No law keeping ....just life in the holy Ghost!
1 John 1:6-10
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his cleanseth us from all sin.
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
2 JOHN 22-29
Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the . Whosoever denieth the , the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the hath the Father also.
Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the , and in the Father.
And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce 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.
And now, little , abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
1 JOHN 3:8,9
He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
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THE BIBLE WARNS OF THE COUNTERFEIT LIGHT
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Posted:Mar 2, 2009 9:21 am
Last Updated:Mar 3, 2009 8:21 am 42209 Views
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II Corinthians 11:14 warns that Satan himself appears as guy, a divine messenger of truth.
The Bible warns of a counterfeit of the true Light. What is the true Light? The Word of God is the Light, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105)
The Gospel is the Light, “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” II Corinthians 4:4
Jesus is the Light, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” John 8:12
John 9:5 “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Christians shine with the Light of Jesus, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid” Matthew 5:14
“In him (Jesus Christ) was life; and the life was the light of men.” The Light is the Truth, and Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” John 14:6
Satan tries to imitate the Light, he is a master counterfeiter. Satan’s spirit works in the unsaved Ephesians 2:2 and some of them even become Satan’s ministers, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.”
Carefully notice the phrase “transforming themselves“. The Greek word for “transforming” is “metaschematizo“, which means, “to change self“.
There are many people today who have never been changed by the saving power of the Gospel but rather, they have only changed themselves to look like genuine men of God.
MOST religious law keepers today have only changed themselves, in their own self-righteousness. They have never submitted to the righteousness of God found only in Christ Jesus.
There can be NO salvation apart from the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which absolutely forbids any self-righteousness whatsoever! “Ye must be born-again“
Many ministers today are IMPOSTERS! They are going about to establish their OWN righteousness, instead of the righteousness which is of God “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”
Here we see the opposite response of changing ourselves SUBMITTING OURSELVES. Do you see the difference? The foolish person tries to change their OWN SELF to please God, going about to establish their OWN righteousness Isaiah 64:6 but of God submits in obedience to the Gospel II Thessalonians 1:8
A true believer in Jesus Christ undersatnds they are a sinner under the condemnation of God’s Law (Romans 3:10,19), deserving of Hellfire II Thessalonians 1:8 trusting upon the finished work of redemption ( the shed blood of Jesus Christ) to take away their sins (1 Peter 1:18-19). “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” Romans 10:13
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EVEN SATAN CLAIMS TO BE A CHRISTIAN
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Posted:Mar 2, 2009 9:08 am
Last Updated:Mar 3, 2009 8:22 am 41871 Views
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“And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” 2nd Corinthians 11:14
The Devil himself professes to be a Christian in order to deceive his victims. Satan never appears in his true form, lest he would be exposed for the evil person he is.
John 8:40-47
But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God.
Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Revelation 2:12,13 says that Satan dwells in the Church, “And to the angel of the church in Pergamos… where Satan dwelleth.” Satan works relentlessly to CORRUPT the church, the Word of God, to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10).
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APOSTATE CHURCH- ECUMENICISM
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Posted:Mar 1, 2009 10:42 am
Last Updated:Mar 2, 2009 8:28 am 42063 Views
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Satan’s Spirit Of Ecumenicism Penetrates Christ’s Church
In his video presentation Billy Graham, The Man and His Message Cecil Andrews of Take Heed Ministries points out that “when he appeared on the Christian scene in the late 1940’s he certainly did not, at that stage, compromise on the uniqueness of the Person and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ, in fact in 1948 [Billy Graham] made this statement. He said: ‘the three greatest menaces faced by orthodox Christianity are Communism, Roman Catholicism, and Muhammadism,’ which we know is Islam today.
The sad thing is that having made that very commendable statement he then subsequently proceeded to retreat on all fronts.”
Dr. John MacArthur then adds the following salient comments concerning the path that this kind of inclusivism, into which Graham would get caught up, took to arrive within the evangelical church:
This has certainly leaped from Aristotle to the [Roman] Catholic Church into evangelical Protestantism. Now we have a kind of Protestant viewpoint that says Muslims and Hindus and whoever are going to be in the Body of Christ, in the Kingdom, in Heaven, with salvation whether they ever get a Bible or whether they ever hear the Gospel or whether they ever know about Jesus Christ. The Billy Graham organization affirmed that this position is the same as the one articulated in an article in Decision magazine which Billy wrote in 1960, so this is not something new. (transcript on file)
Now we consider these examples not long after the Decision article to which MacArthur refers:
Oct. 29th 1963 Dr. Graham admitted to the 'Daily Journal' of International Falls, Minn., that at a Graham Crusade in San Paulo Brazil the Roman Catholic Bishop stood beside him and blessed the converts as they came forward. Graham said that this illustrated 'something tremendous, an awakening of reform and revival within Christianity' was happening. ('New York Times' Nov. 9th, 1963)
5th July 1968 in 'Christianity Today' Billy spoke of cooperation with apostate Romanism and said, 'I don't think we have all to unite and be one big church to do the work of God, but there are areas where we can cooperate'
That would be news to Luther and Calvin, not to mention scores of powerful men of God such as Charles Spurgeon. And then as indicitive of Graham’s policy regarding the apostate Church of Rome we consider a letter from Cardinal Roger Mahoney to his priests. It states that Billy Graham will not prostylitize his Roman Catholic parishoners, which has always been Billy Graham's compromised policy in this area. Cardinal Mahoney says:
These officials [from BGEA] have assured me that, in keeping with Dr. Graham’s belief and policy, there will be no proselytizing [of Roman Catholics], and that anyone identifyiing him or herself as a Catholic will be referred to us for reintegration into the life of the [Roman] Catholic church… Dr. Graham preaches the Gospel with great eloquence and with a true ecumenical spirit.
So as you should now be able to see this apostasy by Billy Graham has been happening for quite some time now and apparently Christ has had enough of it. Because the tragic result for those following Graham’s Reformation-denying example is an inclusivism which has now slithered its way into an evangelicalism that had never renounced her humanism.
This repugnant ecumenical spirit of compromise has actually entered the very sanctuary of our Lord through the Ecumenical Church of Deceit with its Purpose Driven new evangelical message of Rick Warren and the Emergent “twist to universalism” offered by men like panentheist Spencer Burke of TheOoze and the sinner sensitive self-esteem “whichever way the wind blows” message of Joel Osteen .
So you can now see that Billy Graham’s apostasy isn’t really so new after all, is it? However, the devastating effects upon the Body of Christ are only now being brought to light by God the Holy Spirit:
For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)
He who has an ear, then let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches…
Ken Silva
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Does Christianity Need to Be Reinvented? APOSTATE CHURCH GOES BACK TO ROME
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Posted:Mar 1, 2009 10:35 am
Last Updated:Mar 2, 2009 8:46 am 44041 Views
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One of the major influences that is paving the road back to Roman Catholicism is The Emerging Church movement. Proponents say its time for Christianity to be reinvented for a new generation. It must become more relevant to a postmodern generation. They say the best way to reinvent Christianity for the present generation is to reintroduce ideas and experiences from the past. Emergent leaders say God's Word no longer holds the answers to life's questions. Experience must become the key factor to encounter spiritual reality. The experiential attractions which are being promoted by the Emerging Church include: statues, prayer stations, incense, liturgy, candles, icons, the sacraments and calling communion the Eucharist. It is easy to see how this movement complements and encourages the Vatican's "new evangelization program" to win the "separated brethren" back to the "true church."
A New Kind of Christian??????
One of the most influential leader in the emergent church movement is Brian McLaren, a pastor and author from Maryland who wrote the controversial book, A New Kind of Christian. Time Magazine recently named McLaren one of the 25 most influential evangelical leaders in the world (2/7/05). In another one of his books, A Generous Orthodoxy, McLaren describes himself as the new kind of Christian, with labels such as: catholic, evangelical, post/protestant, liberal/conservative, mystical/poetic, biblical, fundamentalist/calvinist, anabaptist/anglican and methodist.
How can he hold to all these labels at the same time? It is because he rejects the Word of God as the objective authority for truth. McLaren writes: "How do you know something is true? First you engage in spiritual practices like prayer, Bible reading, forgiveness and service. Then you see what happens; you remain open to experience. Finally, you report your experience to others in the field of spirituality for their discernment to see if they confirm your findings or not."
Mystical Feelings Replace Doctrine
It is appalling to see what McLaren and other leaders of the Emergent Church are really promoting. In A Generous Orthodoxy, McLaren writes that he "is consistently over sympathetic to Roman Catholics." Other leaders tell us we need to emulate Roman Catholicism to become more mystical in our reverence of God. Chuck Smith Jr., in his book, There is a Season (foreword by Brian McLaren), provides insight into this mystical experience. He writes: "What would happen if we allowed people to "feel" what we cannot explain, to know with the heart and not with the brain? We would open the door of faith to a wider audience than if we continued to insist on a rational belief in the facts as the only legitimate starting point of the Christian faith." Unfortunately, the wider audience Smith will reach are people without discernment, who uphold "truth" that is subjective and believe a gospel that is compromised. These are people who have no biblical roots and will constantly be blown away by every wind of doctrine. Some will be fatally duped into believing there are no eternal consequences if or when they convert to Roman Catholicism.
The Alluring Power of the Eucharist
Another leader of the Emergent Church is Dr. Robert Webber who is recognized by many as the authority on worship renewal. He taught at Wheaton College for 32 years as Professor of Theology and has authored over 40 books. Dr. Webber had a "life changing experience" at a Catholic conference center when he decided to receive the Eucharist . His testimony is recorded in a book entitled Signs of Wonder. Following is part of his experience in his own words:
"Closing my eyes, I allowed my life in the church to pass before me. My prejudices rose up within me: What are you doing here? You never worshiped in a Catholic setting, let alone received the bread and the wine from a Catholic priest! Then I heard my Catholic friends speak of their love for Christ, pray with fervency, and express a real desire to know the Scriptures and live by its authority. Those memories said, 'Go ahead. After all, there is only one Lord, one church, one faith, one baptism, one Holy Communion.' In that moment, God broke through the walls I had allowed to separate me from my brothers and sisters of different denominations. I am convinced the prejudices we hold and the walls we build between ourselves and other communities of Christians actually block our experience of God's presence in our lives. Our biases cut us off from the spiritual communion of the fullness of the body of Christ. God dwells in his church, and to reject a part of God's church is to reject him. Furthermore, rejecting apart of God's church keeps us from experiencing what the creed calls "the communion of the Saints." When God broke down my walls, he brought me into richer fellowship with the body of Christ throughout the world. You might say I was surprised by joy! I had never had an experience like that in my life. In that Catholic chapel, a new worship experience had bumped up against that old prejudice of mine, and a new attitude was born. I had taken into myself the experience of another tradition, I had been in dialogue with another worship tradition, and I was surely the richer for it."
Subjective Experiences vs. Objective Truth
Webber's words are echoed by other Protestants who have experimented with the Eucharist and then converted to Catholicism because of their "joyful experience." It comes as no surprise that these apostates, who have converted to a false religion, have been influenced by subjective experiences. Probably the best known Protestant convert to Catholicism is Scott Hahn. His subjective experience was participating in the ungodly pagan practice of praying the rosary
Hahn was convinced "Mary" performed a miracle after he prayed the rosary. By contrast, those who have been gloriously converted to the Lord Jesus Christ have believed the objective truth of His Word (Eph. 1:1314; Rom. 10:17). Now sealed with the Holy Spirit, they can never again be ensnared by the deceitful schemes of the devil's religion (2 Tim. 2:23-25).
A common characteristic of Protestants who have converted to Romanism has been a dissatisfaction with their former Christian experience. One convert cited several things that drove him away from his evangelical church live bands playing loud music consisting of praise choruses repeated over and over again, no place for quiet reverence an( prayer, theological shallowness, movie clips drama and plays. He said, "After a few yearn of the raving about how much fun the} had and not learning anything, we tried the Catholic Church across the street and immediately enjoyed the formal liturgy, the religious rituals and a reverence for God." What a tragedy for this family. They left a shallow worship experience and replaced it with an idolatrous worship experience. There is an instructive lesson here for evangelical pas torn churches which emphasize entertainment over the preaching of God's Word will always have people looking for a more satisfying experience. Whatever you win then "with" is what you win them "to."
What Can We Do?
Let our voices be heard! Expose the evil deeds of darkness with the glorious light of God's Word. Lovingly confront those who are promoting the Emergent Church and embracing Roman Catholicism as a valid expression of Christianity. Call Roman Catholicism what it is - a false religious system that is holding over 1 billion people in bondage to deception.
To those who have committed themselves to Satan's lies and his evil religious system, we must have a sense of urgency. There is no time for beating around the bush. God doesn't promise anyone tomorrow. Jude wrote: "save others [with the Gospel], snatching them out of the fire" (Jude 23). We need to be prepared to offend them with the truth, knowing that the Gospel will offend those who are offensive to God.
Finally, don't be deceived. Hold onto our supreme and objective authority for truth - the Word of God! It, along with the Holy Spirit, is the only security we have in these days of great deception and compromise.
Mike Gendron is a world-wide evangelistic outreach to Roman Catholics
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Arminianism: The Road to Rome
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Posted:Feb 28, 2009 10:42 am
Last Updated:Feb 28, 2009 5:19 pm 41698 Views
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"My sheep, saith Christ, hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish. O, most worthy Scriptures! which ought to compel us to have a faithful remembrance, and to note the tenor thereof; which is, the sheep of Christ shall never perish.
"Doth Christ mean part of his elect, or all, think you? I do hold, and affirm, and also faithfully believe, that he meant all his elect, and not part, as some do full ungodly affirm. I confess and believe assuredly, that there shall never any of them perish: for I have good authority so to say, because Christ is my author, and saith, if it were possible, the very elect should be deceived. Ergo, it is not possible that they can be so deceived, that they shall ever finally perish, or be damned: wherefore, whosoever doth affirm that there may be any (i.e. any of the elect) lost, doth affirm that Christ hath a torn body."1
Arminianism " came from Rome, and leads thither again." Julian, bishop of Eclana a contemporary and disciple of Pelagius, was one of those who endeavoured, with much art, to gild the doctrines of that heresiarch, in order to render them more sightly and palatable. The Pelagian system, thus varnished and paliated, soon began to acquire the softer name of Semipelagianism. Let us take a view of it, as drawn to our hands by the celebrated Mr. Bower, who himself, in the main, a professed Pelagian, and therefore less likely to present us with an unfavourable portrait of the system he generally approved. Among the principles of that sect, this learned writer enumerates the following:
"The notion of election and reprobation, independent on our merits or demerits, is maintaining a fatal necessity, is the bane of all virtue, and serves only to render good men remiss in working out their salvation, and to drive sinners to despair.
"The decrees of election and reprobation are posterior to, and in consequence of, our good or evil works, as foreseen by God from all eternity."
Is not this too the very language of modern Arminianism? Do not the partizans of that scheme argue on the same identical terms? Should it be said, "True, this proves that Arminianism is Pelagianism revived; but it does not prove, that the doctrines of Arminianism are originally Popish:" a moment's cool attention will make it plain that they are. Let us again hear Mr. Bower, who, after the passage just quoted, immediately adds, "on these two last propositions, the Jesuits found their whole system of grace and free-will, agreeing therein with the Semipelagians, against the Jansenists and St. Augustine."
The Jesuits were moulded into a regular body, towards the middle of the sixteenth century: toward the close of the same century, Arminius began to infest the Protestant churches. It needs therefore no great penetration, to discern from what source he drew his poison. His journey to Rome (though Monsicur Bayle affects to make light of the inferences which were at that very time deduced from it) was not for nothing. If, however, any are disposed to believe, that Arminius imbibed his doctrines from the Socinians in Poland, with whom, it is certain, he was on terms of intimate friendship, I have no objection to splitting the difference: he might import some of his tenets from the Racovian brethren, and yet be indebted, for others, to the disciples of Loyola.
If the joint verdict of Arminius himself, and of his English proselyte Hoord, will not turn the scale, let us add the testimony of a professed Jesuit, by way of making up full weight. When archbishop Laud's papers were examined, a letter was found among them, thus endorsed with that prelate's own hand: "March, 1628. A Jesuit's Letter, sent to the Rector at Bruxels, about the ensuing Parliament." The design of this letter was to give the Superior of the Jesuits, then resident at Brussels, an account of the posture of civil and ecclesiastical affairs in England; an extract from it I shall here subjoin:
"Father Rector, let not the damp of astonishment seize upon your ardent and zealous soul, in apprehending the sodaine and unexpected calling of a Parliament. We have now many strings to our bow. We have planted that soveraigne drugge Arminianisme, which we hope will purge the Protestants from their heresie; and it flourisheth and beares fruit in due season. For the better prevention of the Puritanes, the Arminians have already locked up the Duke's (of Buckingham) eares; and we have those of our owne religion, which stand continually at the Duke's chamber, to see who goes in and out: we cannot be too circumspect and carefull in this regard. I am, at this time, transported with joy, to see how happily all instruments and means, as well great as lesser, co operate unto our purposes. But, to return unto the maine fabricke,OUR FOUNDATION IS ARMINIANISME. The Arminians and projectors, as it appeares in the premises, affect mutation. This we second and enforce by probable arguments."
The "Sovereign drug, Arminianism," which said the Jesuit, "we (i.e. we Papists) have planted" in England, did indeed bid fair "to purge our Protestant Church effectually. How merrily Popery and Arminianism, at that time, danced hand in hand, may be learned from Tindal. "The churches were adorned with paintings, images, altar-pieces, & etc. and, instead of communion tables, alters were set up, and bowings to them and the sacramental elements enjoined. The predestinarian doctrines were forbid, not only to be preached, but to be printed; and the Arminian sense of the Articles was encouraged and propagated."
The Jesuit, therefore, did not exult without cause. The "sovereign drug," so lately "planted," did indeed take deep root downward, and bring forth fruit upward, under the cherishing auspices of Charles and Laud. Heylyn, too, acknowledges, that the state of things was truly described by another Jesuit of that age, who wrote: "Protestantism waxeth weary of itself. The doctrine (by the Arminians, who then sat at the helm) is altered in many things, for which their progenitors forsook the Church of Rome: as limbus patrum; prayer for the dead, and possibility of keeping God's commandments; and the accounting of Calvinism to be heresy at least, if not treason."
The maintaining of these positions, by the Court divines, was an "alteration" indeed; which the abandoned Heylyn ascribes to "the ingenuity and moderation found in some professors of our religion." If we sum up the evidence that has been given, we shall find its amount to be, that Arminianism came from the Church of Rome, and leads back again to the pit whence it was digged.
by Rev. Augustus Toplady, PURITIAN.
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GENUINE SAVING FAITH IS NEEDED FOR SALVATION
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Posted:Feb 28, 2009 9:43 am
Last Updated:Feb 14, 2015 3:13 pm 41732 Views
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It is possible to believe a set of true propositions about God, and even to respond to those propositions intellectually and thus to genuinely "believe" those propositions and yet not have "trust" or saving "faith
James tells us that, "the demons also believe and shudder." The non Christian knows, and believes, the truth about God , but suppresses it in unrighteousness Romans 1:18-20
Human Faith can be believing certain propositions but does not necessarily make it saving faith. The response which is associated with true, living, or saving faith is producing the fruit of the holy Spirit in their lives.
Profession with one's lips the belief in certain propositions and trusting within your heart those propositions determines the kind of faith one has.
For instance: "with the heart a man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" Romans 10:10
When one believes in biblical truth they will live out that biblical truth because they have saving faith. This saving faith results in a new creature in Christ. However, what a person professes is not an infallible indicator of his beliefs or his heart attitude. It is possible to honor God with one's lips and yet have a heart which is far from Him Matthew 15 -9, where Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13 One can profess religion and "say" he "has faith," and yet be self-deceived James 1:22-27, 2:14-26
"Unbelievers" who do not to believe in God or believe that God has a certain characteristics are "believers" who suppress the truth of the gospel and having "unsaving faith" they believe in a proposition about God that is not based on biblical knowlege. They respond with disobedience and refusal to profess the truth, relying rather of predispositions of the mind.
Faith is not religion. It is not having religious ideas and doctrines, rituals or traditions. This is not the Biblical faith. Faith is not mental assent. It is not agreeing with your mind. Many professing Christians believe mentally that the Bible is the Word of God, but this faith does not change the way they live. It is not a faith that can save. James 2:14
Even demons have that kind of faith. They know and believe that God exists James 2:19 and tremble. They have no loving confidence in God for their salvation.
Faith is not a way to manipulate God. It is not a power by which we make God do what WE want when otherwise He would be unwilling to do that thing. It is not some kind of magic through which we make God into our servant. Faith is the power of God. Faith is assurance of all that we hope in God for. Is is to know that you know that you know! Without any doubtful dispensations. One who wavers in faith does not have true genuine saving faith!
Someone asked, "Will the heathen who have never heard the Gospel be saved?" It is more a question with me whether we who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not can be saved. Charles Spurgeon
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