“Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully.” Jeremiah 48:10
Christ’s true “labourers” aren’t casually entertaining goats (counterfeit tares) on Sunday mornings in a so-called “church building” but rather diligently teaching them the pure Word of God daily (Matthew 9:35-38). A casual observation of Christ’s life and ministry and that of His apostles clearly reveals that when He commanded for His sheep to be fed, He wasn’t referring to the modern Sunday morning entertainment hour we see in the apostate modern church world that is a fulfillment of the foretold great falling away (Matthew 24:10-13; John 21:15-17; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; 2 Timothy 3:1-7; 4:2-4, etc.).
A building and gathering does not make the leader a true pastor. All in leadership must be tested against the Word of God beloved saints. “Be not deceived!” (Ephesians 5:6)
The car doesn’t make the man. The house doesn’t make the woman. The money doesn’t make the person. The building and pulpit don’t make someone a pastor.
If you went to Burger King every day for the rest of your life, would you become a hamburger? No. Neither is a man a pastor due to having a following, a pulpit, a committee, or a building. No divine authority is invested into any mere man other than that that man is regenerated, broken, humbled, and obediently living under the authority of Jesus Christ (John 3:34; 14:23; Acts 5:32; 2 Corinthians 10:6; 2 Timothy 2:20-21; 1 Peter 5:1-8).
What does God’s Word teach concerning the fruit and characteristics of a true servant-leader?
When speaking of “false prophets” Jesus said we would “know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15-16, 20) Let’s look at the fruits of a true apostle/servant:
“But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions …” 2 Timothy 3:10
Paul says here that “thou hast fully known my”:
- “doctrine”
- “manner of life”
- “purpose”
- “faith”
- “longsuffering”
- “charity”
- “patience”
- “Persecutions”
- “afflictions”
There are many things to meditate on here in this list and measure character by. Note the “persecution” and “afflictions” this apostle of Jesus suffered. Most men in leadership are in such compromise that they don’t draw any fire from the enemy of all souls. That alone points to their falsity. In fact, in this same passage, Paul tells us that “ALL that will live godly in Christ Jesus SHALL SUFFER PERSECUTION.” (2 Timothy 3:12) Preaching the true Gospel – the Gospel Christ and His apostles preached – will bring great persecutions in this life and unspeakable reward in the next life to come.
The Modern CEO-Type “Pastor” is a Fraud
What most don’t realize is that these guys have gone to seminars and school to learn how to build their church business because that’s exactly what it is to them–a business. They see themselves as the CEO and have no idea or heart to truly feed Christ’s sheep and watch for their souls (Hebrews 13:7, 17). For this reason, no true disciple should ever submit themselves to any such wolf. Read Hebrews 13:7, 17 closely.
Most people never discern whether or not that most men in leadership do not know the Word of God. They are biblically illiterate. Recently, a man who has been a pastor for years and has a college degree from a supposed “Bible” college, confessed to me that he does not even know the Word. He shows great and coveted humility! After several conversations concerning biblical truths on various topics, he admitted that he does not know God’s Word and is therefore unfit to be a servant-leader for Christ.
Could your “pastor” quote the Ten Commandments by heart? Does he know the six principle doctrines of Christ? (Hebrews 6:1-3) Is he “instant in season and out of season” to preach the Word? (2 Timothy 4:2) Is he filled with divine wisdom due to seeking and waiting upon the LORD and searching the Scriptures daily? Is he full of the Holy Ghost like the earliest believers where and Stephen? (Acts)
The goal of hirelings is to fill their seats and coffers. So, they farm their communities using marketing techniques such as postcards (without Scriptures on those cards) as they prey upon unsuspecting souls using the typical lite fanfare messages such as family relationships, success, coping, and prosperity to lure in more biblically illiterate prey.
“For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.” 2 Peter 2:18
DEAR “pastor” if you are not getting people into God’s Word for themselves, you are a fraud! Repent.
Those susceptible to these wolves and their tactics are those who are not truly seeking the LORD themselves and therefore not enduring sound doctrine (2 Timothy 4:3-4).
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” Hosea 4:6
WHEN DECEIVERS USE THE TERM “DON’T PUT GOD IN A BOX” WHAT THEY ARE REALLY SAYING IS “DON’T LISTEN TO HOW GOD DESCRIBED HIMSELF, HIS WILL, His divine attributes, sin, AND holiness, ETC. DON’T LISTEN TO HIS OWN WORD. LET ME SHOW YOU AN ALTERNATIVE, SOMETHING THAT CONTRADICTS HIS WORD!” THESE ARE SATAN’S WOLVES WHO SEEK TO SEDUCE YOU TO FORSAKE CHRIST BY FORSAKING HIS WORD. APOSTASY! RUN! SEE ACTS 17:10-11; PSALMS 33:11; 119:89, 105; JOHN 8:47; ROMANS 3:4; 2 TIMOTHY 3:16-17; 2 PETER 1:19-21.
With little or no use of Scripture references or Scripture, counterfeit men in leadership positions major in the “connecting point” or “life groups” or “recovery” gimmicks to get folks to become loyal to their programs and they social club they call church. They use new terminology for a deceived generation of biblically illiterate souls. It’s the lite generation. They want everything now. They don’t want to suffer or have to wait or seek the LORD in His process and according to His terms. So, these scam “pastors” cater to this. These business owner CEOs don’t desire or bother with being righteous in God’s eyes but rather “relevant” to those they wish to have patronize their “ministry.” From church to church it’s the same old lie with a slightly different colored wrapper. Their uniqueness lies only in the flavor. It’s the same old lies of the enemy in a new wrapping. “Life teams,” “life coach,” “life partner,” “accountability partner” are also buzz terms utilized by these scam leaders who resemble motivational speakers more than true men of God who declare the pure, unadulterated living Word of God.
These men almost never use the words of Holy Scripture, namely from the King James Bible. Why? They don’t know the Word and they don’t want God’s Word because they are not serving Him. Their position is more of a social organizer or marketing guru. They themselves are gullible dupes, captive to their own lusts to be somebody in this fleeting life (John 12:25). They follow wolves like Warren instead of the “wonderful counselor.” (Isaiah 9:6-7) They set aside the very “Prince of Peace,” trading the very Son of God in for pied pipers like Bill Hybels, Robert Schuler, Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, Rick Joyner, Bill Johnson, or Patricia King. Why? – Because they are lusting after the temporal “success” of these false prophets they have set up as idols in their hearts (Ezekiel 14:3).
To accomplish this goal of being a “success,” they follow their mentor-deceivers who have reached “success.” They subscribe to their newsletters and bring their pagan, new age theology into the fold via the poisonous books and media of their antichrist gurus. They attempt to set up some kind of building that has modern décor that appeals to the senses of people and makes them feel elated and comfortable in their flesh. Music is also a calling card they attempt to establish by bringing in “relevant” singers who are more like performers than true and broken worshippers. They themselves wear the latest trendy garb, smile, and give the people a Bible verse or two wedged in-between their stories, poems, and other “relevant” data about how to be a “success” in this brief life. These lite trimmings keep the wheels of the circus spinning.
They cast their visions and dreams that are not Scriptural. These false dreams originate out of the base, depraved nature of sinful men who pose as Christ’s representatives but are the very wolves in sheep’s clothing Jesus warned us to “Beware of.” (Matthew 7:15)
“Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the LORD, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the LORD.” Jeremiah 23:32
There is no fear of God in their message or personal lives. It’s all about fun and games, band aiding issues (coping), and being a “success” in the eyes of mere men.
Seeker-friendly wolves are not sober or temperate. These essential characteristics must be resident in the lives of those who lead. Nothing less than broken servants are able to be used of the LORD.
“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach.” 1 Timothy 3:2
“But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate.” Titus 1:8
The demeanor of the counterfeit leader is more of lightness, lavishness, and worldliness (Jeremiah 23:32).
MINISTRY is about feeding sheep, not entertaining goats (John 21:15-17). So, when you see a “minister” entertaining, you know he himself is a goat (1 Corinthians 1:29-2:5).
Notice that no list of qualifications for elders in all the Bible mentions being a good showman, charismatic personality, a good money-raiser, a good entertainer, or a good or eloquent speaker. Yet, this is what most “search committees” are looking for with no regard for what God’s Word says concerning the characteristics for servant leaders. They are worldly and looking for a man who can look good, make them feel good, and raise a lot of money and bring in more people. This is tragic!
The biblical qualifications for being an elder, a servant of God to oversee His flock are found in 1 Timothy 3. Go read it and notice that no where do we see that a pastor must be cool, be eloquent of speech, a good entertainer, wear fancy clothes, have a piece of real estate he calls “church,” run a choir, etc.
If a man is not truly concerned about you Christ, what He and His apostle said of His church and eternal kingdom, Jesus’ Great Commission commandment, and your eternal soul, then he’s counterfeit beloved. Now, that being said, it is YOUR personal responsibility to die to self, worship God, and obey the Word of God (Luke 21:34-36). There is no excuse. An overseer cannot seek the face of the LORD for anyone except himself. Yet, the person posing as a representative leader of Christ who is doing things other than preaching God’s pure Word, praying without ceasing, and watching for the souls of those they oversee, is not right with God himself. If an overseer is caring for his building fund, his life in this world by not telling the whole truth, his job, his latest marketing scheme, his wife and children, growing his “church” numerically instead of trusting God to do so, etc., he himself is not right with the LORD. If these things are more important to him than Christ, he is being called to repentance and has no business being in a place of leadership. When a man refuses to tell the whole truth or full-counsel of God’s Word, it is evidence that he is not wanting people to be offended because if they get offended they will cease patronizing his church business. Such a man does not fear the LORD and has no personal revelation of Christ and His blessed Gospel.
“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. 11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Galatians 1:10-12
True men of God are known in that they preach in the fear of the LORD to please the LORD, not men (Galatians 1:10). The true remnant people of God fear, obey, and say what GOD says. They cater to the LORD, not sinful men (Galatians 1:10). Those who are run off by the pure truth of God’s Word were unrepentant counterfeits.
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PLEASE show us where anyone in the New Testament Scriptures went around looking for an elder, a pastor, a church? YES, fellowship is essential and so is submitting to our elders in Christ and yet, perhaps today, far too much emphasis is placed on these things (Hebrews 10:24-25; 13:7, 17, etc.).
You don’t need a preacher because you have a Bible. Read it. You don’t need a preacher to tell you what the Bible says! Read it for yourself, learning yourself. Today is your day to take more personal responsibility to seek God for yourself! Jesus taught personal responsibility and the essential nature of it when He said “Take heed to yourselves” (Luke 21:34-36)…… Jesus is Coming.
Articles
The Communication of Thy Faith

Excerpt from the book Revolutionary Evangelism
“That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” Philemon 1:6
Is God concerned how much we sweat or hurt ourselves in order to communicate His truth? I think not. I believe that He is simply desirous that we communicate His Word, no matter what available legitimate method(s) we might choose. The key in the LORD’s economy is “the communication of thy faith.”
Captured in the verse below, seems like the beloved Job is referring also to the refreshment that comes from opening our lips and testifying of our LORD’s great goodness!
“I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.” Job 32:20
With this truth in mind does it not behoove each and every believer to find ways to confess Christ to others who need Him?
OSWALD J. SMITH stated: ”For more than thirty years I have prayerfully considered the problem: How can we evangelise the world in the space of one generation? I do not believe we ever can send out enough missionaries; but there must be a way. After travel and study in fifty-three countries, I have come to the conclusion, the only way we are going to be able to carry out the Great Commission – ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature’ (Mark 16:15) – will be by means of the printed page.”
The end is near. What seed have you sown to reach the lost? What will you tell the Master in the end about how you spent your life on this earth (the life He gave you)?
“I believe our Gospel literature is having a greater impact for Christ on Africa than the coming of five thousand new missionaries.” Dr. Guy Playfield – Sudan Interior Mission
For nearly 500 years now, Gospel tracts have been used to reach the lost with the message of the Good News. No doubt that salvation tracts, also referred to as Gospel or silent messengers, are ordained by God as one of the primary methods/tools to evangelize the world.
“Unquestionably the most economical and effective method of world evangelism is the printed page. Ninety percent of the reported conversions to Christianity in Latin America are the result of sound Gospel literature. One good Gospel tract or Bible study booklet given careful, prayerful, wide distribution may easily reach more people than all the sermons one could preach in a lifetime. And after we are gone, they remain, like Longfellow’s ‘Footprints on the Sands of Time’ streams of blessing that will flow on forever.” J.E. McKEE
By divine inspiration, the modern printing press was invented about the time of the great reformation in order to communicate the grace of Jesus Christ to the world. As a result, in the 16th century, the Gospel message blazed across Europe, evangelizing those who were previously locked up by the devil in the dark ages of false religion. The great reformer stated:
- “Printing is God’s latest and best work to spread true religion throughout the whole world.” Martin Luther
Today, more Word tracts are printed and distributed in the world than any previous time in human history. Could this be as a result of the orchestrating of the Holy Spirit due to Christ’s soon return?
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30
Are you a soul winner? Do you have a systematic program to distribute God’s Word via the printed page? Do you have a willing heart? Need Gospel literature?
The message of salvation through Christ, printed in a brief format and easy to distribute, makes it more than feasible for every true Christian to “confess” Christ (Lk. 12:8-9) while communicating His message. With this in mind, will there be any excuse on Judgment Day for having ignored the Great Commission command and the precious lost souls for whom Christ died?
Good News for the disciple: Gospel tracts, which contain the salvation message of holy Scripture, make it possible for every believer to “Do the work of an evangelist.” (2 Timothy 4:5) Good tracts are available to those who desire to be about their Father’s business in winning the lost. Beware of tracts without the direct life or death message Jesus and His original apostles presented (Lk 13:3,5; Mk 16:16, 2 Cor. 2:16, etc.).
You can order Gospel tracts on this site which present the most important elements of Scripture to the lost; Holiness of God, sinfulness of men in breaking His holy law, the necessity of repentance and being born again into the body of Christ through Jesus Christ alone.
PRAYER: God, in the name of Jesus we ask You now to grant this world more Gospel workers (Matt. 9:37-38). Cause each of us to be obedient in this matter LORD. Forgive our coldness and selfishness in disobeying your Great Commission command and for not being considerate to those who don’t yet know you by hiding You from them in not sharing Your message with them. Forgive us for the excuses we have made up and how we have been ashamed of You towards those who need Your love so desperately. I am Yours LORD, please use me, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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Abiding
The Weapons of Our Warfare [podcast]

Fighting Vertically (seeking His face continually) Guarantees that God will take care of the Horizontal
Your ground game will never work until you push praise to the One who made and saved you. Today is your day to train upward. The outward will follow. Verticaly praise to our LORD guarantees horizonal victory. The cross.
“Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; 8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.” Psalms 149:5-9
Dealing a crushing blow to your enemies – sin and Satan – requires kisses blown to Jesus Christ, the “first love” of your life! (Revelation 2:4-5) Like David, it will be the worshippers who will be God’s warriors!
“Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.” Psalms 2:12
Seeking the face of the LORD is to be “continually.” The victory Jesus died to procure for you, to bless you to walk in, will evade all who do not “seek his face continually.”
“Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11
The only way to get up swinging, get up winning, is to set your heart to seek the face of your Savior! Simple prescription. Do it. Your plan is set in stone. You arise each morning with joyful praise, hands and heart and tongue pointed, aimed at Heaven, lifting the name of Jesus Christ!
“Now set your heart and your soul to seek the LORD your God; arise therefore, and build ye the sanctuary of the LORD God, to bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and the holy vessels of God, into the house that is to be built to the name of the LORD.” 1 Chronicles 16:22
The only ones the LORD is going to powerfully use to “build” His kingdom in the hearts of men, are those who “set” their soul to seek His holy face.
Is your obedience being fulfilled? Are you filled with love and therefore obedience to the Savior?
The “weapons of our warfare” are:
- The Word of God (Ephesians 6:17).
- Prayer and persistence in prayer (Luke 18:1-8; 1 Thessalonians 5:17).
- The name of Jesus (Acts 14:13-14; 16:23-24; Acts 3:16, etc.).
OUR GREATEST WEAPON IS THE WRITTEN WORD, PRAYER, AND THE NAME OF JESUS SAINTS. FRET NOT.
In the wilderness Jesus defeated the enemy by speaking forth the Word (Luke 4). He pulled out specific ammo for the enemy to address specific attacks, On all points, against every weapon of the enemy, Jesus had ammo with the devil’s evil name on it. And in doing so, He gave us the knowledge and example of how the enemy is defeated in our own lives. The Word of God is “mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds” and is “sharper than any twoedged sword” (2 Corinthians 10:4; Hebrews 4:12).
Studying, knowing the Word of God is like building the military, the arsenal of your life, in order to defeat the enemy. Without a strong arsenal of weapons and ammo, and the expert ability to use those weapons, you will be naked in the battle and lose. God’s Word is your arsenal – that which you have in you – the knowledge and performance thereof. Nothing is more important to your life today than seeking God in His Word and prayer. Jesus is Heaven’s Mighty Warrior, He is “a man of war” and is coming back “in flaming fire…” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 19:11-16, etc.).
“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12
We are in a war and must fight to win! “FIGHT the good fight….”
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 6 And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
Jesus demonstrated exactly what “the weapons of our warfare” are when He faced Satan in the wilderness. That weapon is the Word of God.
David, who was first a worshipper, was also an expert warrior. His life is a great example to the New Testament saint. David was learning to walk with the LORD, faithfully seeking Him in the pasture as he tended to sheep. He was building up his arsenal. And because he truly knew and sought the LORD, having been diligently training for warfare, the LORD, who is “a man of war,” directed him in choosing the specific ammo from His arsenal to take out Goliath (Exodus 15:3).
The “good soldier of Jesus Christ” is entrenched in the business of war, of winning the war. His Master, Jesus Christ, has never lost – and never will. Yet that blessing is reserved exclusively to those of His saints, His holy soldiers, who “strive lawfully.”
“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. 5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.” 2 Timothy 2:3-5
Striving “lawfully” simply means striving or working God’s way, according to His instructions and wishes, and not your own. Such includes to:
- “endure hardness.”
- realize you are a “soldier” which means you are in a war.
- not be entangled with this world.
- seek to please the LORD, who is “a man of war” and has chosen you to be His “soldier,” waging His war.
The LORD has and is bringing His true disciples to the understanding that this truly is a WAR, a fight to the death. You must “FIGHT the good fight of faith” or you will be a needless casualty of war! (1 Timothy 6:12) And so a military, a militant stance, posture, must be assumed by the disciple who will endure to the end (Matthew 10:22; 24:10-14, etc.).
Spiritual Warfare | Fake Bibles Exposed
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Abiding
A Fresh Look at Jesus’ 7 Letters to the Churches [podcast]

Did Jesus tell even one of the seven churches He addressed that they are as sure for Heaven as if they were already there due to being initially saved by Him?
Did Jesus give conditions for being with Him in eternal glory?
Can someone please help me figure out where un-conditional eternal security/OSAS fits in with the 7 letters of Jesus to the churches of Asia? Is it anywhere mentioned? No.
Can anyone find OSAS/eternal security in Jesus’ 7 letters to CHURCHES in Revelation 2 and 3? No. No such thing. Instead He gives conditions to overcome, to endure to the end, to abide, remain, and continue in Christ, in faith and obedience.
No such thing as “eternal security” in Christ’s kingdom until AFTER you are in Heaven. Such heresy is the bait of Satan as it was in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:17 > 3:4). Only moral cowards who make excuse for sin instead of being crucified with Christ daily as Jesus commanded. Bite on this bait (Luke 9:23-25). Eternal hell awaits. Time to repent and get “honest” (Luke 8:15).
Satan’s First Doctrine is a Lie. Yet Many Claim it’s Part of the Gospel of Jesus. Beware of these Wolves.
No such thing as a born again AND presently abiding saint who is not fruitful, who is not bearing good fruit. Otherwise why did Jesus instruct His people to know themselves and others “by their fruit”? See Matthew 7:16, 19. Such a notion as is heretical. Anyone who Jesus saves and then they don’t endure to the end, they don’t continue abiding in Christ, is no longer the LORD’s and going to hell. Read John 15:1-6 and stop believing the Devil’s very first lie—OSAS (Genesis 2:17; 3:4).
“If a man abide (continue, remain) not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:6
WHEN YOU ARE IN YOUR MIND beginning to make excuse for sin, you KNOW it’s your un-crucified flesh and Satan that are in control. You know then that repentance, re-turning to the LORD who is Holy, is necessary.
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” James 1:13-15
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13
When you are tempted to believe in the satanic heresy of “eternal security,” otherwise known as “once saved always saved (OSAS),” you know SATAN is seeking to seduce you (Genesis 2:17; 3:14).
Concerning these 7 letters of Jesus to the churches, one source notes the following:
“Revelation chapters 2 and 3 contain seven individual messages from Jesus Christ to seven historical churches in Asia Minor. The letters share a common pattern: an address to the church’s angel, a description of Christ, an evaluation of the church’s spiritual state, a call to repentance or perseverance, and a promise to those who overcome.”
Overview of the Letters
- Ephesus, Pergamum, Sardis, and Laodicea receive direct rebukes for forsaking their first love, tolerating false teachings, dead orthodoxy, or lukewarmness, alongside urgent calls to repent.
- Smyrna and Philadelphia face intense tribulation or persecution yet receive no rebuke, and are encouraged to hold fast to their faith.
- Promises to Overcomers: Each letter concludes with eternal assurances for “him that overcometh” such as the tree of life (Revelation 2:7), the crown of life (Revelation 2:10), and exemption from the second death (Revelation 2:11).
The Notion of Eternal Security Expelled
Some interpret the repeated conditional commands to “overcome” and “hold fast” as evidence that eternal salvation requires ongoing faithfulness and endurance to the end, suggesting that warnings against unrepentance involve real spiritual risk rather than unconditional security.”
For Example, Jesus’ letter to the church at Sardis:
“And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Revelation 3:1-6
Also:
“… confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved …. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 10:22; 24:13
Concerning Jesus’ 7 Letters and OSAS, once commentator notes:
“The seven letters of Jesus in Revelation 2-3 challenge absolute eternal security (“once saved, always saved”) by repeatedly commanding repentance, warning believers that unfaithfulness carries severe consequences, and conditioning eternal promises on actual endurance.
Warnings and Conditions in the Letters
- Ephesus: Jesus warns that if the church does not repent for leaving its first love, He will “remove thy candlestick out of his place” (Revelation 2:5). [1]
- Smyrna & Philadelphia: The promise of the crown of life and inclusion is explicitly tied to being “faithful unto death” (Revelation 2:10) and holding fast what they have “that no man take thy crown” (Revelation 3:11).
- Thyatira: Jesus warns He will cast those committing adultery into great tribulation and will “kill her children with death” (Revelation 2:22-23).
- Sardis: Jesus tells those who do not watch that He will come upon them “as a thief” (Revelation 3:3).
- Laodicea: The lukewarm church is threatened with rejection: “I will spue thee out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16).
The Promise to the Overcomer
- In every letter, rewards like eating from the tree of life or being clothed in white raiment are promised specifically “to him that overcometh” (Revelation 2:7, 3:5).
- Supporters of eternal security point to Christ’s assurance in Sardis—“I will not blot out his name out of the book of life” (Revelation 3:5)—as proof of permanent keeping, while critics argue the conditional phrasing implies names can be blotted out for failing to overcome.”
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