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The Baptism with the Holy Spirit [podcast]


Powerless Modern Hirelings who Pose as Christ’s Representatives!

THE BAPTISM WITH THE HOLY GHOST AND THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD ARE VITAL, NON-NEGOTIABLE COMPONENTS OF OUR LORD’S NEW TESTAMENT CHURCH. ARE YOU BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT? DARE WE TAKE AWAY FROM THE LORD’S STATED, NEW TESTAMENT PROGRAM? See REVELATION 22:18-19

GOD wants you to be anointed with His Holy Ghost so He can use you to preach sinners and backsliders into His eternal kingdom! (See Acts 1:8; 2:38.) If you are going to follow Christ fully, you must do things HIS way. If you will be used mightily of Him you must ask Him to baptize with His Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).

We must be empowered by our LORD to do HIS work (Acts 1:8).  

Jesus came and died and rose again for you and that wasn’t so you could steep yourself in this fleeting world but rather to be His ambassador to participate in pouring forth His Word into the hearts of saints and lost souls alike (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20). Are you walking in the Great Commission beloved of the LORD? Do you desire to walk in Christ’s will?

HOW many people know that you and I have never once had the “problem” of having too much of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our personal lives?

Are you ready to be used to shake hell’s foundation in the power of the Most High?

It all begins at the foot of the cross, bowed down low in repentance and then Jesus’ command in Luke 24:49 and at Acts 1:8. As a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit, you are His temple. Yet, the LORD desires to give you the full measure of his spirit to be Christ’s witness. He’s calling you to tarry before Him till baptized with the Holy Ghost (Matthew 3:11-12; Luke 24:49). Are you willing to do things His way? That is, are you willing to humble yourself, forget the teachings you may have learned against this, and simply listen to Jesus speak to your heart from His own Word? That is, to learn the way prescribed by the unchanging LORD and Savior you claim to be serving? (See Hebrews 13:8.) Do you truly desire all that God has for you? Will you allow anything to stand in your way?

Just after Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon God’s people in the earliest days of Christianity, the LORD’s children were bold, divinely-empowered witnesses of Christ (Acts 1:8; 4:33). The lame man at the Gate Beautiful was healed of a lifelong ailment and the city of Jerusalem was in total pandemonium. The religious establishment was losing the control they had wielded over the people. Their Nicolaitan witchcraft was being broken, and why? Because the name and power of Jesus Christ were present in God’s people. In fact, of those who were instrumental in turning the world upside down, the Bible records something interesting of them – “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

Has God changed? Is Jesus Christ no longer “the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever”? See Hebrews 13:8.

LOTS of people attempt in vain to do God’s work without God’s power (Acts 1:8).

Jesus is always the same – divinely supreme and divine perfection. His Gospel program has not changed. It’s those pretending to be representing Him who are not enacting His pure Word and the instructions thereof. They are robbing Him and His people by their lives. Instead of humbling themselves in repentance and begging Him to break them to the core of their being, these hireling wolves go to seminary and learn all kinds of techniques as to farm (fleece) their communities and building their church business.

The Jewish leaders sought to stop the Holy Ghost-empowered ministry when He was poured out on Jesus’ disciples. Jesus had foretold that “the promise of the Father” would be given to His disciples, which is the baptism with the Holy Spirit that John had spoken of (Matthew 3:11-12; Luke 24:49; Acts 1-2).

The children of God were filled and began to have the boldness Jesus promised would come upon them “AFTER that the Holy Ghost” was “come upon” them (Acts 1:8). As Jesus foretold, they were endued or clothed upon with the power of God (Acts 24:49). THIS is exactly how and why so much divine power was in that city and Jesus has not changed one bit.

What’s the difference?

Why so many lame, powerless leaders?

Why so many pansies behind pulpits?

You see, many modern organizations draw upon the desire of Christians and well-meaning people. They seduce souls to join in while sacrificing the Savior for self – to make self feel and look good. However, those who truly serve the Savior, obey the Savior. Jesus Christ is the unchanging and only Savior from sin and hell, and He commanded His people to “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15).

The Apostolic New Testament Program

“Apostolic” simply refers to Christ’s apostles who were carrying forward His Gospel. After Jesus rose from the dead and had returned to His seat at the right hand of the Father, Christ’s apostles made sure when Jesus saved souls, that those newly saved saints had the opportunity to receive the full measure of the Holy Ghost – an integral part of New Testament Christianity and without which the believer cannot and will not be powerfully used of God:

“Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God (got saved), they sent unto them Peter and John: 15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” Acts 8:14-17 

Here is Paul, the apostle of Christ in Ephesus:

“And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” Acts 19:1-6

These last days are littered with feel-good, politically correct messages and organizations that cater to the whims of sinful, unregenerate mere men while defying Christ. Some of them do so while claiming or feigning to be Christian. This is absurd hypocrisy and deceit.

“We must line up with the Word and stop attempting to relax or ignore the scriptures that we find ‘offensive’ so to speak.” Carol Zingale

Pentecostal Power is New Testament Christianity!

In the hours that ensued Pentecost, Jesus was being magnified and 8,000 souls were saved! (See Acts 2:41; 4:4.) Oh, and they were truly saved! They didn’t “make a decision” or “accept Christ” as so many false leaders speak of today concerning their altar calls. No, these souls were moved by God to genuinely repent and put their faith in Christ alone. This also happened because repentance, the very first word of the Gospel, was preached (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30). Repentance is nearly never heard today and anyone not preaching it is false. Osteen and seeker friendly emergent church wolves refuse to preach on sin and the necessity of repentance. Rick Warren wrote a book entitled “Purpose Driven Life” which sold tens of millions of copies and never calls men to repent. This alone makes Warren and anyone not preaching the imperative of repentance “accursed” for preaching another or false gospel (Galatians 1:6-9).

What’s the Difference?

In this first hour of the Gospel and New Testament church of Jesus, the religious pressure, persecutions, and attack were largely from without (from the Jewish religion). Now, perhaps much more subtly, the insidious persecution and desecration of oracles of God, are largely from within as we were warned of later in Acts 20:29-31 and Psalms 74:4, 7.

Because they were truly in a relationship with Jesus and full of the Holy Spirit as He ordained, in the pressure cooker of severe persecution, the earliest believers stood boldly. Today, many who claim to be Christ’s cower to Satan’s whims to stop the incorruptible, soul-saving Word of God from going forth. No Word, no salvation! (See James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23).

Modern attempts to stifle true Christians from communicating the Law of God and Gospel truth include terms such as:

-Bible Basher
-Proselytize
-etc.

This is the enemy’s attempt to hinder the transmission of God’s Word into the hearts of those He holds captive in their sins and has dominion over until such a time as they hear God’s Word and repent.

“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.” 2 Corinthians 4:4

It’s the Son of God alone who makes men free as they obey His truth and yet, if they don’t hear it from God’s people, they will not hear it and will perish (John 8:31-32, 36; Book of Acts; 1 Thessalonians 1:8).

Today we have lame, cowardly denominations and organizations which deceitfully claim to be Christian and yet refuse to follow and obey Christ. For example Compassion International refuses to give the soul-saving message of the Gospel of Jesus. Habitat for Humanity claims to be Christian and builds houses for people while making a home in hell for them by not preaching the Gospel to those very same people (Proverbs 24:10-12). The blood of guilt is upon their hands (Ezekiel 33). God will judge His people for such an atrocity. Jesus came and bled and we refuse to tell those we claim to be helping? Really?

One reason for this evil omission is the refusal to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Such leaves even true believers powerless to make Christ known as they war against the evil spirits who oppose Jesus and His blessed Gospel. If the twelve disciples, who literally walked with Jesus and heard His teaching and saw His miracles first-hand, were not fit to minister before being filled with His Spirit, why would anyone today be? That’s right, Jesus told them to “tarry” or wait till they were baptized with the Holy Ghost before they attempted to go forth (Luke 24:49). This Bible truth is covered up by Satan’s false ministers in today’s false church system (2 Corinthians 11:12-15). Satan loves this attack!

Why were the earliest Christians successful in serving their LORD? Due to obeying Him and refusing to lean on their own feeble, depraved understanding (Proverbs 3:5-7). They simply sought, served, and obeyed what their Savior said. They tarried or waited until He poured out His Holy Ghost on them. They didn’t seek some other way like the beguilers today who circumvent Christ for seminary sickness.

Watch this and wonder why not today?

Acts 4

“But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.

19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.

20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

21So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.

…29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,

30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.

31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.”

The earliest believers were full of the presence and power of God and therefore refused to cower to Satan’s plea. They refused to compromise and be traitors. They used the persecutions as springboards for more boldness, forged by their conviction to worship and obey their LORD and Master, Jesus. They cried out for more of the Holy Ghost and more of His power to give witness to the risen Savior!

If we refuse to obey the LORD’s New Testament program, which includes the baptism with the Holy Spirit, there will be feeble results at best. Look at the modern, so-called “evangelical” church world and you will see a powerless, lame, social club that entertains its members.

Now, read Acts chapters 1-4. Submit your life to Jesus unreservedly and seek His face for the baptism with His Holy Spirit.

Now, if you go to a church that isn’t preaching repentance and the baptism with the Holy Ghost, you are not going to a New Testament church. Run for your life!

Do things God’s way or suffer defeat as a rebel. There will never be breakthrough in your life until you reckon with and obey divine truth.

“Buy the truth and sell it not.” Proverbs 23:23

“Let God be true and EVERY man a liar.” Romans 3:4

Make no mistake: The withholding of this essential truth (the baptism with the Holy Spirit) is a conspiracy of Satan and his false leaders who pose as and hold positions as “Christian” leaders (Ezekiel 22:25-27; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 11:12-15). Satan’s most effective ministers are operating within the professing church. This is exactly why that which calls itself “evangelical Christianity” displays no resemblance to that Christianity seen in Acts and on the pages of the New Testament Scriptures. There is no holy boldness or power in the modern church which alone shows its apostasy (Proverbs 28:1; Acts 1:8, etc.). Church members today are not disciples – because those leading them aren’t disciples (Isaiah 9:16).

Jesus says simply: “Follow me.”

Who are you following?

“And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Mark 8:34

We need the divine Person of the Holy Ghost to make us holy as Jesus is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). We must have more of Him!

Are you ready to be baptized with the Holy Spirit? Holy Ghost Baptism (thorough study guide for individual or group use) | Holy Ghost Baptism (audio)

MESSAGE RECEIVED:

“All modern day pentecostalism is witchcraft.”

REPLY:

So Peter and all of Christ’s apostles and the whole 120 on the Day of Pentecost were under witchcraft? Repent sinner. Jesus hasn’t changed (Hebrews 13:8) and the promise of the Holy Ghost is to ALL under the New Testament era (Acts 2:38-39).

Support | STORE | PodcastsBecause You Care Page | The Greatest of these is CharityBe Ready in the Morning [podcast]The Sure Mercies of David [podcast]That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached [podcast]At His Feet | Prepared to be Used of God  | Holy Ghost Baptism

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Articles

Grounded in Grace [podcast]


“What a powerful message! Life changing for sure. It truly blessed me. Every believer should listen to this video! But God! Two little words that I missed. And found this phrase used at least 44 times in the KJB. Those little words takes the focus off us! If it wasn’t for God coming to save our wicked souls we would be doomed forever to burn in hell. Psalm 49:15 “But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for He shall receive me. Selah.” We are saved by the grace of God and kept by the power and grace of God. To which none of us can boost! (Ephesians 2:8, 1 Peter 1:5).” Karen Cochran | Grounded in Grace [podcast]

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) :  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:4-10

Satan continues to pick off people with the same exact law-keeping deception he snared the Galatians with. They become in unbelief about Christ’s perfect sacrifice and begin to add law to salvation’s equation. This is deadly. Having begun in faith, in the Spirit, they fall away from the faith by trying to help God save them through self-effort, law-keeping (Galatians 3:3; 5:4). Many of those snared are seduced into this by way of the sabbath keeping deception, foolishness.

Being established in the saving grace of God is the only defense against the many deceptions creeping in among God’s people.

When the self-righteous legalist hears someone preach that Christians are saved by grace and not under the old testament law, they react – because they are still trusting self and have not truly repented/surrendered and putting their whole faith in christ. Law and grace don’t mix! You MUST choose! (John 1:17) Either you are saved by Jesus or your own law keeping works. There’s no in-between! It’s time to get into God’s Word, asking Him to give you a NEW Testament clue!

Especially with the upsurge of Judaizers and the law-keeping doctrines they perpetrate, every true born-again believer should pray, seek out, and study to be grounded in God’s saving grace in Christ.

SAINTS, we are saved by the LORD Himself, by His grace and not our own works. People who are still self-righteous, thinking THEY are earning their own justification, get very uneasy when the saving grace of God is preached. They are not yet students of NEW Testament truth. WE MUST have an ever-deepening biblical revelation of God’s justification by grace and faith! Please begin by memorizing Romans 5:1-2. AND, please read Romans chapters 3-5 prayerfully and over and over, this week.

To the Galatians, when Paul said “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump”, he was saying that trying to mix even “a little” law keeping into the equation of salvation Christ alone 100% earned for us, ruins your whole relationship with God (Galatians 5:9). In fact, you don’t have one if you don’t 100% trust Jesus Christ!

Remember when Jesus saved you? He found and saved our wretched soul alllll by Himself!!!!! Right? Please pause and let that soak in. …. In light of this reality, this sheer mercy, how is it that we still strive in the flesh, thinking we are going to earn divine forgiveness, merit His blessings, etc. – “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” (Romans 4:4-5)

“But God”

“But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,” Ephesians 2:4

After hanging the backdrop (vv. 1-3), reviewing our alienation, our past life of trespasses and sin, how we are now found and rescuedbrought back to life from our dead stateby the LORD, the writer now transitions upward.

Of Ephesians 2:4, William MacDonald writes:

“The words, But God, form one of the most significant, eloquent, and inspiring transitions in all literature. They indicate that a stupendous (astonishing, stunning) change has taken place. It is a change from the doom and despair of the valley of death to the unspeakable delights of the kingdom of the Son of God’s love.

The Author of the change is God Himself. No one else could have done it, and no one else would have done it.

One characteristic of this blessed One is that He is rich in mercy. He shows mercy to us by not treating us the way we deserved to be treated (Psalm 103:10). Though it has been expended by Him for six millennia, and myriads and myriads have been partakers of it, it is still an unexhausted mine of wealth, as Eadie remarks.

The reason for His intervention is given in the words, for his great love wherewith he loved us. His love is great because He is its source. Just as the greatness of a giver casts an aura of greatness on his gift, so the surpassing excellence of God adds superlative luster to His love. It is greater to be loved by the mighty Sovereign of the universe, for instance, than by a fellow human being. God’s love is great because of the price He paid. Love sent the Lord Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, to die for us in agony at Calvary. God’s love is great because of the unsearchable riches it showers on its object.” William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 1917

Satan attempts to make God out to be an unloving Father. Only mankind is created in God’s image, and He loves us beyond words (Ephesians 2:4-9). He loves us so much so that He gave His only begotten Son to die a horrible yet redeeming death on the cross, raising Him from the dead three days later to fully, completely justify us (John 3:16). God still has a remnant who trust Him and not self (Romans 5:6-8).

Justification

ARE YOU justified by sinful self or the Savior? Good luck flashing those “filthy rags” at the Throne of the Almighty who sent His only begotten Son to die for you! (Isaiah 64:6) You have called Him a liar! (Galatians 2:21) Righteousness comes from knowing and trusting the only One to ever keep the law perfectly and not from trying to keep the law (Galatians 2:16). Though the law be righteous, there is NO righteousness in the law other than repenting of your own efforts and putting your full trust in the only One who ever kept the law! (Romans 10:4) You deserve judgment and hell. You have nothing to offer God except a deeply repentant, honest, contrite, humble heart! (Psalms 34:18; 51:17; Matthew 5:3) You are a guilty sinner and must trash your stupid, ridiculous, laughable religious fig leaves which are a sham at best! True NEW Testament saints are dead to the law (Romans 7:1-4). Law keepers, do-gooders, and moralists are completely self-righteous antichrists who’ve put themselves in place of Jesus Christ as their own savior – denying Christ that place while vainly believing they can earn their own justification before a holy God and Judge of their eternal soul (James 2:10). Anti in the biblical word “antichrist” means “in place of.” Selah (meditate on that) God doesn’t want His children trying to keep the old law but rather to choose to worship, love, trust, and obey Him who is the only One to keep it and then nailed it to the cross and took it out of the way!

Revelation 2:8 “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.”

Revelation 3:9  “Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.”

William MacDonald writes:

“His kindness toward us (2:7)

“His grace in His kindness toward us (2:7)

“The riches of His grace in His kindness toward us

“The exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us

“Now it follows that if God will be disclosing this throughout eternity, then we will be learning throughout eternity, then we will be learning forever and ever. Heaven will be our school. God will be our Teacher. His grace will be the subject. We will be the students. And the school term will be eternity.

“This should deliver us from the idea that we will know everything when we get to Heaven. Only God knows everything, and we will never be equal with Him.

“It also raises the interesting question: How much will we know when we get to Heaven? And it suggests the possibility that we can prepare for the heavenly university by majoring in the Bible right now.

“2:8 The next three verses present as clear a statement of the simple plan of salvation as we can find in the Bible.

“It all originates with the grace of God; He takes the initiative in providing it. Salvation is given to those who are utterly unworthy of it, on the basis of the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“It is given as a present possession. Those who are saved can know it. Writing to the Ephesians, Paul said, ‘are ye saved.’ He knew it, and they knew it.

“The way we receive the gift of eternal life is through faith. Faith means that man takes his place as a lost, guilty sinner, and receives the Lord Jesus as his only hope of salvation. True saving faith is the commitment of a person to a Person (Christ).

“Any idea that man can earn or deserve salvation is forever exploded by the words, ‘and that not of yourselves.’ (2:9) Dead people can do nothing, and sinners deserve nothing but punishment.

“‘It is the gift of God.’ A gift, of course, is free …. The gift of God is salvation by grace and through faith. It is offered to all people everywhere.

“2:9 It is not of works, that is, it is not something a person can earn through supposedly meritorious deeds. It cannot be earned, for instance, by:

Confirmation

Baptism

Church membership

Church attendance

Holy communion

Trying to keep the Ten Commandments

Living by the Sermon on the Mount

Giving to charity

Being a good neighbor

Living a moral, respectable life

“People are not saved by works. And they are not saved by faith plus works. They are saved through faith alone. The minute you add works of any kind or in any amount as a means of gaining eternal life, salvation is no longer by grace (Rom. 11:6). One reason that works are positively excluded is to prevent human boasting. If anyone could be saved by his works, then he would have reason to boast before God. This is impossible (Rom 3:27).

“If anyone could be saved by his own good works, then the death of Christ was unnecessary (Gal 2:21). But we know that the reason He died was because there was no other way by which guilty sinners could be saved.

“If anyone could be saved by his own good works, then he would be his own savior, and could worship himself. But this would be idolatry, and God forbid it (Exod. 20:3).

“Even if someone could be saved through faith in Christ plus his own good works you would have the impossible situation of two saviors – Jesus and the sinner. Christ would then have to share the saviorhood with another, and this He will not do (Is. 42:8).

“Finally, if anyone could contribute to his salvation by works, then God would owe it to him. This, too, is impossible. God cannot be indebted to anyone (Rom 11:35).

“In contrast to works, faith excludes boasting (Rom 3:27), because it is non-meritorious. A man has no reason to be proud that he has trusted the Lord. Faith in Him is the most sane, rational, sensible thing a person can do. To trust one’s Creator and Redeemer is only logical and reasonable. If we cannot trust Him, whom can we trust?

“2:10 The result of salvation is that we are His workmanship – the handiwork of God, not of ourselves. A born again believer is a masterpiece of God.  When we think of the raw materials He has to work with, His achievement is all the more remarkable. Indeed, this masterpiece is nothing less than an new creation through union with Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passes away; behold, all things have become new (2 Cor 5:17).

“And the object of this new creation is found in the phrase, for good works. While it is true that we are not saved by good works, it is equally true that we are saved for good works. Good works are not the root but the fruit. We do not work in order to be saved, but because we are saved.

“This is the aspect of the truth that is emphasized in James 2:14-26. When James says that ‘faith without works is dead,’ he does not mean that we are saved by faith plus works, but by the kind of faith that results in a life of good works. Works prove the reality of our faith. Paul heartedly agrees: ‘we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.’ (2:10)

“God’s order then is this:

“Faith->Salvation->Good Works->Reward

“Faith leads to salvation. Salvation results in good works. Good works will be rewarded by Him.

“But the question arises: What kind of good works am I expected to do? Paul answers, Good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. In other words, God has a blueprint for every life. Before our conversion He mapped out a spiritual career for us. Our responsibility is to find His will for us and then obey it. We do not have to work out a plan for our lives, but only accept the plan which He has drawn up for us. This delivers us from fret and frenzy, and insures that our lives will be of maximum glory to Him, of most blessing to others, and of greatest reward to ourselves.

“In order to find out the good works He has planned for our individual lives, we should: (1) Confess and forsake sin as soon as we are conscious of it in our lives; (2) be continually and unconditionally yielded to him; (3) study the Word of God to discern His will, and then do whatever He tells us to do; (4) spend time in prayer each day; (5) seize opportunities of service as they arise; (6) cultivate the fellowship and counsel of other Christians. God prepares us for good works. He prepares good works for us to perform. Then He rewards us when we perform them. Such is His grace!” William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary, p. 1918

“Riches” appears five times in Ephesians

Ephesians 1:7 – “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”

Ephesians 1:18 – “The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,”

Ephesians 2:7  – “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 3:8  – “Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;”

Ephesians 3:16  – “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;”

Ephesians 2:1-10
WHAT GRACE HAS DONE by FB Meyer

“Evidently dead men may walk; that is, they may be dead to the eternal world but alive to this world, which is moving past like the films of a moving picture. The death of the spirit is compatible with much active interest in the course of this world. Behind the shifting scenes of the material is the great enemy of souls. As the Spirit of God works in the obedient, so does the evil spirit work in the disobedient. Note this trinity of evil-the course of this world, the lusts of our flesh, and the prince of the power of the air. If we desire to save men, we must be in living union with the all-conquering Spirit of Christ.

Notice, also, the past tense which describes the finality of Christ’s work, Eph_2:5-6. In the purpose of God we have been raised from the grave of sin and are seated with the risen Lord in the place of acceptance and victory. We were one with Christ when He lay in the grave and arose. In God’s thought we have already taken our seat with the glorified Christ upon the throne; only the pity is that we do not believe this or act as if we had done so. All this is the gift of God’s unmerited love. By grace have we been brought into this position, and by grace are we maintained in it. We are of God’s “making;” such is the Greek word for workmanship, Eph_2:10. We have been created for good works; they have been planned for us and we have only to walk in them.”

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Abiding

5 Soul Damning Sins Named! Learning from History! [podcast]


THE 5 SINS THAT KEPT ISRAEL (God’s own covenant people) OUT OF THEIR PROMISED LAND OF BLESSINGS and will keep us out if not relinquished. Friend, please read 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 with all your might. Make this text your meat.

The world seeks to romance sin but if God says it’s sin, that’s what it is. Toning down the terms changes nothing. Judgment Day is on the way.

We are fighting the good fight of faith, “striving against sin” and “more than conquerors” over sin through Jesus who loves us and bought us with His own blood! (1 Timothy 6:12; Hebrews 12:4; 13:12; Acts 20:28; Romans 8:37)

There are the 5 sins listed here that kept God’s people out of His blessings. We all need to L.I.F.T.M. up to the LORD in repentance and for His perfect forgiveness and cleansing. God the Holy Spirit warns us here through Paul’s pen (1 Cor. 10:1-13), that Israel and these sins are “examples” (vv. 6, 11) to all NT believers. God destroys those who go back on Him after knowing Him (transgressors – Ps. 68:21; 73:28; 125:5, etc.). If not ridden out of our lives, any one of these 5 sins WILL keep us out of our promised land. God is holy (Heb. 12:14). As taken in order from 1 Cor. 10:6-10, here are those 5 sins:

  • Lust

  • Idolatry

  • Fornication

  • Tempting Christ

  • Murmuring

This simple acronym should help us to remember these sins and remain separate from them as we grow today to know and love our Savior more fervently. “Keep thyself pure” (1 Timothy 5:22).

Committing the sin is one thing (1 John 1:8-10, right) and refusing to repent of it is yet another. Refusing to acknowledge, repent, confess, and cease is what snares the soul and ousts us from Christ (Proverbs 28:13).

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

If the Holy Spirit has quickened any offences of your heart, simply L.I.F.T.M. up to Christ the Redeemer, Forgiver, Cleanser, and Transformer of lives.

WHATEVER it takes – those who choose to get real with God will sever themselves from anything and anyone who causes them to sin. This is what Jesus says about sin and hell:

“And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 
44  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 
45  And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: 
46  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 
47  And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: 
48  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 
49  For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. 
50  Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.” Mark 9:43-50

NOTICE: When a believer or group of believers backslides, they no longer separate from the transgressors who are unrepentant:

Fornication Defiles

“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have (Gr. possessed and wouldn’t repent) his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:1-2 

1 Corinthians 10 completely destroys the OSAS / eternal security argument.

Notice the word “OUR” in verses 6 and 11. This is directly spoken to warn NEW Testament saints that they are going to hell if they live and die in sin.

Case closed.

1 Corinthians 10:1-12

1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;

2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;

4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

6 Now these things were OUR examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also LUSTED.

7 Neither be ye IDOLATERS, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

8 Neither let us commit FORNICATION, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

9 Neither let us TEMPT CHRIST, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.

10 Neither MURMUR ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.

11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for OUR admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

Eternal security is a false teaching. 1 sin separated Adam and Eve from God and “The wages of sin is (still) death” because God is Holy (Rom 6:23, etc.). Moral coward counterfeits hate, despise the Gospel essential of the cross, the crucified life. They want Jesus to save them to Heaven but not from sin. These are the sin-justifying, grace-perverting “ungodly men” Jude warned us about (Jude 4).

The divine declaration that “The wages of sin is death” which means separation from God, appears throughout Scripture (Romans 6:23).

“He that keepeth the commandment keepeth his own soul; but he that despiseth his ways shall die.” Proverbs 19:16 

Die or death always means separation.

OSAS/eternal security is a lie from hell. OSAS was Satan’s first lie and so it’s blasphemy to teach this doctrine of devils and claim it’s part of the Gospel. You are attributing Satan’s lie to the LORD Jesus. Repent now sinner. See Genesis 2:17; 3:4; Romans 11:20-22; 1 Timothy 4:1; Hebrews 3:6, 12-14; 10:26-39; 2 Peter 2:20-21; Jude 4, etc..

The concept of an un-conditional eternal security is not established in Scripture … Except for it being Satan’s first teaching, His first lie – the “Ye shall NOT surely die” lie (Genesis 2:17; 3:4).

Eternal Security/Once saved always saved is a lie from hell.

PEACE with GOD

Support | STORE | | Podcasts | Eternal Security/OSASAccounted Worthy to Escape [podcast] | Eternal Security Exposed | Sealed?The Return of Christ | SupportLie of the Ages [podcast]10 Questions about Eternal SecurityIs Salvation Eternal?The Damning Myth of Unconditional Eternal Security [podcast]The Essential of Fearing God | The KING is Coming [podcast]Sound Doctrine for a Glorious Church 

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Abiding

“The Unalterable Basis of an Open Heaven is a Grave” [podcast]


Concerning the raising up process of the Gospel of God, T. Austin-Sparks wrote:

“The unalterable basis of an open heaven is a grave, and a crisis at which you come to an end of your own self-life. It is the crisis of real experiential identification with Christ in His death.”

Though we entered into His death upon initial salvation, accepting and experiencing that death is still a daily choice, an individual decision to be made on an ongoing basis. One’s choice to continue to persevere, following Christ as He clearly prescribed, will determine his eternal destination (Luke 9:62; 19:13; 21:19; Romans 6:16; Galatians 6:7-9).

The insidious circumventing of the cross can come in many clandestine ways that are masked with pious outer garb. Today, while refusing to utter the full counsel of the One they claim tobe representing, smiling and charismatic men stand in sheep’s clothing, promising heavenly life to those who live in sin. They only prosper due to the volitional biblical illiteracy of the masses. Ignorance of the truth is a choice with eternal consequences (Hosea 4:6; Matthew 22:29; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.” John 12:24-25

Of seeds, one source notes:

Seeds do not technically ‘die’ when planted; rather, they germinate, transforming from a dormant state into an active, growing plant. While the outer shell breaks and the original form changes, the embryo inside remains alive.”

Just as nothing in hell could have held Jesus in that grave, NOTHING in hell can hold down the crucified saint! The divinely volcanic resurrection life of Christ bursting forth in the life of the crucified consenting disciple will be utterly unstoppable!

“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken (make alive, raise up) your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:11

The true disciple is always “delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake” (2 Corinthians 4:11). He has “crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” (Galatians 5:24). He is daily putting to death “the deeds of the body” and being “raised up” by the power of the same Holy Spirit “that raised up Christ from the dead” (Romans 8:11, 13). He rejoices in “Christ Jesus” and has “no confidence in the flesh” (Philippians 3:3).

“I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31)

“Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake … that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. So then death worketh in us, but life in you” 1 Corinthians 15:31; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12.

The disciple who is dead and buried with Christ is “dead to sin” (Romans 6:2). There are tell-tale symptoms in one whose self life has not been terminated, put to death. When we justify the sinful things we do, and call those who point them out “legalistic,” it is symptomatic of a life that is not crucified with Christ. The Bible says, “Lie not against the truth” (James. 3:14). If we argue against the truth when we are shown it, we are manifesting rebellion. The “corn of wheat” must be planted and remain planted in order to bud and bring forth new life. The one whose life is laid down does not make excuses when he realizes that he harbors sin. No, instead he rejoices to be yet more sanctified and dwelling in the place of blessing and holiness with the One He delights to please and serve.

Prayer: LORD Jesus, I am crucified with You. I am dead and my life is hidden with Christ in God. Here and now I lay my life in Your holy hands, this moment. Please use me now and here forward in the Father’s business of the Great Commission as we eagerly look for Your soon return. I love You LORD Jesus. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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