Why Did the 1611 KJV Include the Apocrypha?
QUESTION: Didn’t the King James Bible when first printed contain the Apocrypha?
ANSWER: Yes.
EXPLANATION: Many critics of the perfect Bible like to point out that the original King James had the Apocrypha in it as though that fact compromises its integrity. But several things must be examined to get the factual picture.
First, in the days in which our Bible was translated, the Apocrypha was accepted reading based on its historical value, though not accepted as Scripture by anyone outside of the Catholic church. The King James translators therefore placed it between the Old and New Testaments for its historical benefit to its readers. They did not integrate it into the Old Testament text as do the corrupt Alexandrian manuscripts.
That they rejected the Apocrypha as divine is very obvious by the seven reasons which they gave for not incorporating it into the text. They are as follows:
1. Not one of them is in the Hebrew language, which was alone used by the inspired historians and poets of the Old Testament.
2. Not one of the writers lays any claim to inspiration.
3. These books were never acknowledged as sacred Scriptures by the Jewish Church, and therefore were never sanctioned by our Lord.
4. They were not allowed a place among the sacred books, during the first four centuries of the Christian Church.
5. They contain fabulous statements, and statements which contradict not only the canonical Scriptures, but themselves; as when, in the two Books of Maccabees, Antiochus Epiphanes is made to die three different deaths in as many different places.
6. It inculcates doctrines at variance with the Bible, such as prayers for the dead and sinless perfection.
7. It teaches immoral practices, such as lying, suicide, assassination and magical incantation.
If having the Apocrypha between the Testaments disqualifies it as authoritative, then the corrupt Vaticanus and Sinaiticus manuscripts from Alexandria, Egypt must be totally worthless since their authors obviously didn’t have the conviction of the King James translators and incorporated its books into the text of the Old Testament thus giving it authority with Scripture.
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WHY DID THE 1611 KJV INCLUDE THE APOCRYPHA? by Will Kinney
Early editions of the King James Bible, as well as many other English-language Bibles of the past, including the Wycliffe Bible (1382), the Coverdale Bible (1535), the Great Bible (1539), the Geneva Bible (1560), the Bishop’s Bible (1568), the Douay-Rheims Bible (1609), and the Authorized Version (1611), and the German Luther (1545), all contained the Apocrypha, but these books were included for historical reference only, not as additions to the canon of Scripture.
If you look at a copy of the original 1611 King James Bible, the book of Malachi ends with these words: “The end of the Prophets”. Then the whole Apocrypha, which itself means “unknown, or spurious” is clearly marked off from the rest of the Scriptures by the words “Apocrypha” twice at the top of every page throughout. It then ends with these words: “The end of Apocrypha”. Then on the next page is an elaborate woodcutting and it says: “The Newe Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.”
It is ironic and somewhat hypocritical of those who criticize the KJB for including the Apocrypha in its earlier printings, when they usually favor the modern English versions like the NASB, RSV, NRSV, ESV, and the NIV. These versions are based primarily on Vaticanus and Sinaiticus manuscripts, which actually contain the Apocrypha books and then some others as well mixed up within and scattered throughout the rest of the Old Testament Scriptures with no separation indicating that they are less than inspired and authoritative.
Alexander McClure, a biographer of the KJV translators, says: “…the Apocryphal books in those times were more read and accounted of than now, though by no means placed on a level with the canonical books of Scripture” (McClure, Translators Revived, p. 185). He then lists seven reasons assigned by the KJV translators for rejecting the Apocrypha as canonical.
The Thirty-nine Articles of the Church of England clearly states that the Apocrypha have no scriptural authority. “…[the Church of England] doth not apply to them to establish any doctrine.”
The Westminster Confession, which was written in England between 1643-48, only a few years after the publication of the King James Bible, says, “The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of the Scripture; and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of, than other human writings.”
Martin Luther, whose German Bible version also included the Apocrypha between the Testaments, just like the King James Bible, said in a note on the Apocrypha: “These are books not to be held in equal esteem with those of Holy Scripture…”
It is also important to understand that in the early King James Bibles, the Apocryphal books were placed between the Old and New Testaments rather than intermingled within the O.T. itself as is done in Catholic Bibles. In the Jerusalem Bible (a Catholic Bible), for example, Tobit, Judith, and the Maccabees follow Nehemiah; the Book of Wisdom and Ecclesiasticus follow Ecclesiastes; Baruch follows Lamentations; etc.
The Apocrypha was never considered canonical by the Church of England or the KJV translators. It was only included in the Reformation Bibles (and not only in the KJV) for historical reference, much as notes, etc. are included in modern study Bibles.
Final Authority, p. 166-167, W. P. Grady, “Now of the many issues raised against the King James Bible, none is so hypocritical as that of the Apocrypha question. A typical example of Nicolaitan desperation is the sarcastic barb of Robert L. Sumner who wrote: “It is also interesting-and perhaps you are not aware of it-that the early editions of the Authorized Version contained the Apocrypha. Horrors!”
Although it is technically correct that the first editions of the King James Bible contained the Apocrypha, the complete picture is rarely given. What Dr. Sumner conveniently failed to mention is that the translators were careful to set these spurious books apart from the inspired text by inserting them between the Testaments. And to insure that there was no misunderstanding, they listed seven reasons why the apocryphal books were to be categorically rejected as part of the inspired canon.”
The Answer Book, p. 99-100, S. C. Gipp, “Question #34: QUESTION: Didn’t the King James Bible when first printed contain the Apocrypha? ANSWER: Yes. EXPLANATION: Many critics of the perfect Bible like to point out that the original King James had the Apocrypha in it as though that fact compromises its integrity. But several things must be examined to get the factual picture.
First, in the days in which our Bible was translated, the Apocrypha was accepted reading based on its historical value, though not accepted as Scripture by anyone outside of the Catholic church. The King James translators therefore placed it between the Old and New Testaments for its historical benefit to its readers. They did not integrate it into the Old Testament text as do the corrupt Alexandrian manuscripts. That they rejected the Apocrypha as divine is very obvious by the seven reasons which they gave for not incorporating it into the text. They are as follows:
1. Not one of them is in the Hebrew language, which was alone used by the inspired historians and poets of the Old Testament.
2. Not one of the writers lays any claim to inspiration.
3. These books were never acknowledged as sacred Scriptures by the Jewish Church, and therefore were never sanctioned by our Lord.
4. They were not allowed a place among the sacred books, during the first four centuries of the Christian Church.
5. They contain fabulous statements, and statements which contradict not only the canonical Scriptures, but themselves; as when, in the two Books of Maccabees, Antiochus Epiphanes is made to die three different deaths in as many different places.
6. It inculcates doctrines at variance with the Bible, such as prayers for the dead and sinless perfection.
7. It teaches immoral practices, such as lying, suicide, assassination and magical incantation.
If having the Apocrypha between the Testaments disqualifies it as authoritative, then the corrupt Vaticanus and Sinaiticus manuscripts from Alexandria, Egypt must be totally worthless since their authors obviously didn’t have the conviction of the King James translators and incorporated its books into the text of the Old Testament thus giving it authority with Scripture.”
Two of the most important Greek manuscripts for modern textual criticism are Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus. Vaticanus contains all of the Apocrypha with the exception of 1 and 2 Maccabees and the Prayer of Manasses. Sinaiticus contains all of the Old Testament Apocrypha books as well as the Epistle of Barnabas and the Shepherd of Hermas in the New Testament. (see A General Introduction To The Bible, by Geisler and Nix, Moody Press, pp.271-274; or The Text Of The New Testament, by Aland, Eerdmans Press, pp.107-109.)
QUESTION: Since the Greek texts of Vaticanus and Sinaiticus contain the Apocrypha as part of its text, and these two manuscripts are used for the basis of most modern Greek texts and English translations, is not your question a little misleading? Why would you reject the original KJV for having the Apocrypha between the Testaments while accepting ancient uncial manuscripts which contained the Apocrypha as part of the text?
The books of the Apocrypha were included in the King James Version from the first as a matter of course, as they had been in all versions of the English Bible from the time of Wycliffe (c. 1384), including Miles Coverdale 1535, Matthew’s Bible 1537, Taverner’s Bible 1539, the Great Bible, Bishops’ Bible 1568 and the Geneva Bible of 1560.
Although the Apocrypha was found in Reformation Bibles (including the Geneva) since Wycliffe, it is clear that all of the Reformers opposed the Roman Catholic Church, and by the same token, rejected the Apocrypha as spurious. The feelings of the KJV translators, some of whom were Puritans, must necessarily be the same as those who produced the Westminster Confession of Faith (1645). In no uncertain terms, the Westminster divines wrote,
The books commonly called Apocrypha, not being of divine inspiration, are no part of the canon of the Scripture, and therefore are of no authority in the Church of God, nor to be any otherwise approved, or made use of, than other human writings (WCF 1:3).
Even today the same “Evangelical” Publishing Houses who print the NIV, NASB, ESV continue to publish Bible versions that contain the Apocryphal books. Zondervan publishers, who put out the NIV, also publish a combined New American Standard Bible – The Message edition that includes the Apocrypha. The New Living Translation (based on the same Westcott-Hort N.T. texts as the NASB, NIV, ESV) from Tyndale Press also contains the Apocryphal books. Zondervan also publishes the New Revised Standard Version, the RSV, and the New American Bible, all three of which contain the Apocrypha. You can even get a Today’s English Version Catholic edition 1992 put out by the same American Bible Society, and it contains the whole of the Apocryphal books in its pages.
It is more than a little hypocritcal of those who promote the modern versions like the NIV, NASB, RSV, NRSV, ESV, Holman Standard etc. to condemn the King James Bible of having at one time placed the Apocryphal books BETWEEN the two Testaments, when the very texts used as the basis for these modern translations contained the same Apocryphal books MIXED AND MINGLED among the other O.T. Scriptures themselves, and most “evangelical publishers” continue to this day to publish Catholic and Protestant editions that still contain these books.
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Was Jesus the “One and Only Son” OR the “Only Begotten Son”? [podcast]
Abiding
Jesus will Judge Us by Our Works
By Glenn and Dezi Langohr
JESUS — JUDGED BY WORKS
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father… Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied…? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:21–23
Our works clearly reveal what is in our hearts! Fruit.
“For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.” Matthew 16:27
“…all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” John 5:28–29
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: *the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” John 12:48
PAUL — CONTINUE IN GOOD WORKS
“Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life.” Romans 2:6–7
“For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.” Romans 2:13
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
“…they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.” Titus 3:8
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5:10
“…for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing…” Galatians 6:7–9
JAMES — FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD
“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” James 2:17
“Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” James 2:24
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” James 2:26
PETER — BE HOLY, DO GOOD WORKS
“And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.” 1 Peter 1:17
“Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” 1 Peter 2:12
“Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall.” 2 Peter 1:10
SUMMARY
Jesus said He will judge every man by their works (Matthew 16:27, John 5:29).
Paul taught that eternal life is for those who continue in well doing (Romans 2:7, Titus 3:8).
James declared faith without works is dead (James 2:17, 24).
Peter warned God will judge every man’s work (1 Peter 1:17) and exhorted us to abound in good works.
God’s people are called to endure to the end with living faith proven by works of obedience, love, and holiness.
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Another False Rapture Date [video]
by Glenn and Dezi Langohr
For months we’ve been warning that the Pretrib Rapture is a hive-mind delusion — just like the lies of “false trips to heaven” and the “false Trump prophets” . These movements feed each other, creating a spiritual frenzy not rooted in God’s Word. Sadly, the false Trump prophets already gave mainstream media plenty of material to mock. Remember Paula White calling for “angels from Africa” to come help Donald Trump win the election? The world laughed — and now the same is happening with failed rapture dates.
Jesus said to endure to the end as part of salvation by following Him and not falling away. He warned about children of the devil who cannot hear His words, and about the increase of false prophets and false anointed in the last days. Paul also warned that many will not endure (2 Timothy 4, 1 Timothy 4), so there is no difference between Paul’s letters and Jesus’s words — despite the claims of OSAS and Pretrib teachers. In fact, OSAS and Pretrib rapture come from people twisting Paul’s writings, exactly as 2 Peter 3 warned.
Now millions expected a rapture on the Feast of Trumpets. What will they do now? Move the goalposts a little further, chase the next “sign” or false prophet, or finally be corrected by God’s Word that leads us to finish the race? God’s Word gives us eyes to see. Jesus warned the lukewarm church was blind and naked, and another church that only a remnant had not defiled their garments. He condemned false apostles, false Jews, Nicolaitan deeds, Balaam’s greed for fame, and Jezebel’s demonic teaching. These are the very obstacles He said must be overcome for salvation — and Pretrib is just one of many deceptions.
And the world is watching. BET mocked the false date with the headline: “10 Things to Do to Prepare for the Rapture on September 23 — besides panic-buying white robes.”
Dallas Weekly wrote: “The prophecy stirred a mix of humor and skepticism across Black social media spaces, where many mocked the ‘Rapture trend’ as another internet fad.”
AP News reported: “A doomsday prediction about the Rapture is spreading on TikTok, with some followers saying they expect a ‘fast-track getaway’ before the world collapses.”
This is exactly what 2 Peter 2:1–2 foretold:
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you … And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.”
Because of false rapture dates, adulterous pastors, and bad doctrines, the way of truth is mocked and blasphemed. But the Bible and early Church writings both warn: the last days will bring the greatest persecution ever seen — so of course the devil would love to bewitch millions into thinking they’ll escape. The truth remains: OBEY JESUS’S WORDS TO overcome IN SOUND DOCTRINE TO THE END OF YOUR SALVATION — for only the faithful will receive the crown of life.
A brother asked me: “Why focus on exposing Pre-Trib Rapture?”
- Because it blinds people .
- Because it causes shipwrecked faith .
- Because it rejects dozens of Scriptures .
- Because it preaches against Jesus Christ .
- Because it tells people you do not have to endure to the end .
- Because it preaches another Jesus, another gospel, another spirit (2 Cor 11:4) .
- And most of all… Because I love God and I love YOU enough to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3) .
Idolatry in Jeremiah was defined as worthless things, fetishes, and false worship — and that’s what false rapture dates have become. They fascinate people, make them feel chosen, but actually blind them to God’s plan. Like Israel trusting in idols, today’s church runs after “rapture prophets” instead of preparing to endure tribulation. Jesus told us clearly that Antichrist will make war with the saints (Daniel 7:21), that persecution will come, and that those who endure to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13). There is no crown for quitting early — the crowns are for those who fight, finish, and overcome.
Paul said to run the race to win the incorruptible crown (1 Corinthians 9:24-25), to fight the good fight of faith and lay hold on eternal life (1 Timothy 6:12). He said works will follow us (Revelation 14:13), that confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:10), and that by our words we will be justified or condemned (Matthew 12:37). The 5 crowns of Scripture — life, righteousness, glory, rejoicing, and incorruptible — are all given to those who endure, labor, and keep the faith.
Revelation’s “7 Blesseds” show blessing not for escape, but for reading, hearing, keeping, dying in the Lord, watching, keeping garments, entering the first resurrection, and doing His commandments. Jesus warned the churches: repent, overcome, be faithful unto death. He promised the overcomers rulership, white garments, a crown of life, and the right to the tree of life. But He said the lukewarm, the fearful, the unbelieving, the idolaters, and liars will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8). That is why pre-trib and OSAS are damnable heresies — they blind people to endurance and holiness, which is the true gospel.
Glenn and Dezi Langohr
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The Savior vs Self [podcast]
The Flesh vs the Spirit
“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” Romans 8:5
This life is a daily test of who we truly love (Matthew 6:24; 22:37-40; John 14:15; 15:14; Romans 6:16).
You are not relegated to the flesh, to live after it, or be defeated by it.
“Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:12-14
How does Christ’s victory work in our lives?
“I die daily (death) … But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (resurrection). 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. … But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” 1 Corinthians 15:31, 57-58 …10
Those who are crucified with Christ are walking in His victory – the victory He alone grants. And they are laboring by His grace in His work.
There was no other way to redeem fallen mankind but the cross. And there’s no other way to walk with the Savior who went to that cross for us – except by way of the cross He prescribed that we take up daily (Luke 9:23-24).
The War Within
“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:16-25
The Flesh or the Spirit: Which shall ye allow to reign?
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24
Agreeing with the divine declaration of condemnation on our fallen state is essential to victory, otherwise the temptation to compromise and have mercy on the old man will be present (Romans 1-3).
Adam is the father of the old man the fallen man. Jesus is the King of the new man the new creation. Romans 5
“And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. … 12 And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth.” Genesis 6:5, 12
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9
“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. … 24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:18, 24
We are not good, not one of us (Romans 3:10). If we don’t understand and own what the Bible states concerning the universal fall of all men in Adam, that there’s “no good thing” in us, we will not recognize the need for the daily cross – to be truly crucified with Christ.
The “old man,” the flesh, can not and will not ever be reformed (Romans 6: Colossians 3). It must be daily crucified. There’s no hope of a chance or possibility that the flesh can be reformed. It’s a lost cause and that’s why Jesus came.
“The truth is that while Christ dwells in the believer’s new nature, He has strong competition from the believer’s old nature. The warfare between the old and the new goes on continually in most believers.” AW Tozer
You can’t negotiate with a terrorist.
Kill or be killed. Kill the flesh or be killed by it.
There is no negotiating with the flesh and there can be no mercy afforded to it.
Allowing the flesh a foot in the door is the inroad to total destruction.
“Either you will crucify sin out of your life or sin will crucify Christ out of your life.” Burt Clendendon
“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” 1 Corinthians 9:27
The flesh must be sentenced to death.
2 Corinthians 1:9-11
“But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
11 Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.”
- v. 9 – Sentence the self life to the death of the self life.
- v. 10 – Past, present, and future deliverance, victory over sin, can only come by way of the cross.
- v. 11 – we must pray for each other in this regard – that we would be conformed to the crucified image of Christ our LORD.
Perhaps the best prayer we can pray for each other is that we’d be crucified with Christ…. because this guarantees the resurrection, the raising up of that life!
God is waiting for you to lay it all down – to be truly crucified with the Savior, to own it, to wear it, to embrace that your life is over in this world and now it’s all about Him, about King Jesus.
“And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:9-12
(v. 9) Being found in Christ and not outside of Him (and lost), not having our own filthy-rag righteousness “through the faith of Christ.” (v. 10) & (John 17:3) Knowing Him is the very reason we are created by Him – “That I may know him.” Experiencing “the power of his resurrection” is preceded by “being made conformable unto his death.” (vv. 10-11) Seems the apostle here is intimating that he is not perfect in taking up the cross, realizing the utter need for such.
The LORD is “Holy, holy, holy” and commands you to “be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8; 1 Peter 1:15-16)
Recently, had a conversation with a long time friend who is a dear brother in Christ. We mourned together over the sin he’d been walking in. And, we discussed the only solution – the cross. I was able to share with him that the only victory I have ever been able to walk in is via the cross life.
The life of the disciple is a crucified life and this is what our water baptism is supposed to depict and yet the follow up, the messages we hear in local churches, regrettably is anything but the cross (Romans 6; Colossians 2:12). Scarcely if ever can the message of the cross be heard or even mentioned, much less talked of continually by preachers today. This is the fulfillment of end times prophecy (Philippians 3:18-19; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:1-7; 2 Timothy 4:2-4, etc.).
Read Romans 6 each morning this week. Pray and ask the LORD to teach you His way – the way of the cross. Ask Him sincerely to anoint your life to be dead and buried with Him and raised up by Christ – that you would be conformed to His holy image (Romans 8:29).
God’s way is the cross. No one will be in Heaven who didn’t walk His way – which is the way of the cross, the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3, etc.).
Jesus taught diametrically opposite to Satan’s message of the world to love self.
So many people claiming Christ as LORD continue to peddle lies. Beware of them (Colossians 2:8-10). Their memes and messages say things like: “Love yourself,” “take care of yourself,” “treat yourself,” “forgive yourself,” etc. …. Hmmmm I don’t remember reading any such thing in the Bible. No, in fact, the Bible says we all already, innately love ourselves and THAT’s our biggest problem and where our sin is rooted – pride! – “The pride of life” (Ephesians 5:29; 1 John 2:15-17). We are never instructed to pamper our “desperately wicked” self but rather Jesus commands us to “deny” or die to self – to live the crucified life.
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.” Luke 9:23-24
People who are propagating these diabolical lies, encouraging others to love self instead of to crucify self, are clueless, walking in darkness, have no clue of who Christ is or His Gospel message – which begins with the essential command to “repent,” to lay down our lives in this world and obey Him – to follow Him, His example by preferring Him and others above ourselves (Philippians 2:3-5, etc.).
Recently a saint of Christ send this message:
“Never change Todd. Keep lifting JESUS up as you do. Keep dying, so you will not be cast away in the end. Keep increasing in humility and love. At any moment, you could jeopardize your place with Christ, when just a little pride slips in, self glory, lust… Keep that humble place until You see your Lord face to face. I want Todd to enter Heaven, my dear Todd, a wretched man, as I, who trusted Christ’s Sacrifice and lived, until the end, for His Name.”
“Jesus needs to Increase and I need to decrease. I am nothing without Jesus Amen.” David Reeves
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30
Do you desire and love God above self?
Get low.
Stay low.
“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3
Go down deep into death and burial and let the LORD Himself raise your life upward.
“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. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:10-12
HOW will you finish? It’s really how you finish that matters most! (2 Timothy 4:7-8) Finish strong beloved – lay down your life (death and burial) so that the strength of your life is Christ’s resurrection grace!!!!! Read 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. Go down deep.
“And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward:” Isaiah 37:31
Read the verse above again, looking for the death, the burial, and raising up!
The context of Isaiah 37:31 concerns Assyria seeking to seize Judah and yet out of that evil attempt to conquer God’s people came a “remnant.” Yet it’s those who submitted to the LORD in death, those who took root downward (death and burial) who were reciprocally raised up out of that snare and destruction. Resurrection grace wins every time, with no exception! The cross is the divine prescription for absolute victory in every situation.
The depth you allow God to bury you determines the height of His resurrection, His raising up in you! (2 Corinthians 4:10-12).
As we submit to Him, to His way, God liquidates us, putting away our sin, our past, and weaknesses and raising us upward in His power while granting us a clear conscience.
“God salvages the individual by liquidating him and then raising him again to newness of life.” AW Tozer
The cross is always God’s way – the blood of Christ’s cross, His death, burial, and resurrection, and daily our own (2 Corinthians 4:10-12).
“And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 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 your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:10-11
The raising up cannot and will not come before the laying down of one’s life.
God is not going to raise up the rebel but He is going to raise up the humble, the truly poor in spirit saint.
“The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.” Psalms 145:14
The soul, the spirit, the life of the true saint must be nourished in this essential cross message. A little dab will not do it – you must be saturated. You must be ever bowing downward in worship to the LORD. As your life is bowed down, the reciprocal divine raising will transpire!
If you are not learning the cross Jesus taught, you are fallen away.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I come to You now as a sinner. I am away from You and I do not want to remain alienated from You. Holy Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I here and now ask You to take me back, to wash me clean in the blood of the Lamb, and to have Your way in my life. This moment, I lay my life into Your holy hands and rest in You, in Your love, by faith. Thank You for finding and saving me dear LORD. From this moment forward, I will follow You LORD Jesus till the end of my life on this earth. I pray all these things in the name above all names, the name of Jesus Christ! Sobeit dear LORD!
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