Beware of the Denial of Christ’s Exclusivity and Atonement and the No-Sinful-Nature Heresy and Heretics
Does mankind have a sin nature, a bent toward evil? If so, where did that come from? What really happened at the fall? Can fallen mankind, by his own “natural ability”, self-will to overcome all sin? If so, WHY did Jesus come? (Galatians 2:21) | Charles Finney was a false teacher.
As a side, note: I’ve had people disown me for exposing Charles Finney which seems to a cult-like indoctrination and the corresponding devils (demons) that come with espousing “doctrines of devils.” Remember that “seducing spirits and doctrines of devils” are inseparable. Any person who believes a doctrine of devils has evil seducing spirit, a demon in his/her life.
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;” 1 Timothy 4:1-2
No one is guilty for someone else’s sin. God holds each individual guilty, fully responsible for their own sin (Ezekiel 18). Yet that in no way negates or changes the fact that something bad happened when man sinned against God in the Garden. If so, rip Romans 3, 5, and 7 out of your Bible. To deny such, to ignore such is the path to delusionment. This has tripped up many otherwise truth-seeking people today. The main source of this poison has come through the heretical ministries of men like Charles Finney.
“Salvation is the work of man.” Charles Finney
The no-sin-nature (“old man“, “flesh”)-to-crucify heresy is just another cross-less lie. It’s peddled by those who refuse to die and who pretend to be sinless perfection by means of their own “natural ability.” Beware of these antichrists.
If there were no inherent sinful bend, bent, iniquitous nature…. WHY O WHY would Paul have repeatedly taught that Christ’s disciples must “keep under” their “body” or flesh, the old man? (1 Corinthians 9:27) Why the cross if there is nothing to daily crucify? Someone is lying and it’s not Jesus and His holy apostles. Beware. Think biblically. | Judgment to Come Necessitates the Crucified Life [podcast]
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“My question is if Ezekiel says the sins of the father are not the sins of the son and vice versa how does God count Adam’s sin against us?”
REPLY:
No, Ezekiel says the sins of the father are not the responsibility of the son and vice versa. That’s different. In other words the sins the father chooses to commit or walk in he shall long bear the judgment for. God says in Ezekiel 18:4 that each individual soul is HIS and will be rewarded according to the choices he makes while on earth. The father will not give account for the son nor the son for the father. Read Ezekiel 18. There were wicked kings with good children such as wicked king Abijam vs his son Asa who chose to do right. 1 Kings 15.
Ezekiel 18 is the same teaching as this:
The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, neither shall the children be put to death for the fathers: every man shall be put to death for his own sin.” Deuteronomy 24:16
Have you read Romans 5 lately? v12, 18-19
“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:22
All men are born after Adam and then choose Christ or to reject Him. Matthew 12:30; Mark 16:16, etc.
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“So, you believe that God has made us fallen? Back to my point, why IF we are made perfect by God Ps 139 then how are we born into a sinful nature? It is either constituted or practiced unto unto total depravity.
My other point was that the moral neutrality that God has given us at birth with the knowledge of good and evil swirling all round us. The weakness of the flesh to temptation and then sin, and then death is easily revealed.”
REPLY:
I would exhort you to put off the things you’ve learned and read Romans 7 afresh. Also Galatians 5:17-18. Call it what you wish, something is raging within, there is a war within. The Bible calls it the flesh, the old man which can only be put off by the crucified life (Romans 6; 8:11-14).
‘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.’ Galatians 5:17-18
Why would Jesus mandate self must be denied if there were nothing to deny, to be crucified? (Luke 9:23-24)
You keep saying or asking if I believe God made us fallen. Sorry but I have repeatedly stated that God made us perfect. Genesis 1:31; Eccl 7:29 etc. Of his own God-given free will, man chose to sin against God – all by himself (Genesis 6:5, 12; Romans 3; James 1:13-15, etc.).
You don’t seem to realize that there was a fall in sin-less paradise, in the Garden. And you won’t until read Romans 3 and 5 and believe it. Begin with a prayer, asking the LORD to remove the poison you’ve been indoctrinated with by wicked men such as Charles Finney. v12, 18-19 of Romans 5 for sure.
What happened at the fall? Is the wages of sin not death? Romans 6:23 In the divine economy of God who is “Holy, holy, holy,” does sin not have a profound effect? Are you denying that sin affected mankind? Such would be diametrically opposed to and against the clear teaching of Romans 3, 5, 7.
You are only half way to the truth with the idea of “moral neutrality.” Such would deny lots of what Scripture informs us of concerning our heart being “only evil continually,” “desperately wicked,” etc. Genesis 6:5, 12; Jeremiah 17:9
Those who do not study and know God’s Word thoroughly are susceptible to being deceived by the “many false prophets” that “are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). Example: There’s a group of heretics that run around boldly declaring the lie that there is no sinful bent in believers. Nonsense. Mike Desario and Charles Finney were both false teachers.
These dialogues should help clear up the misconceptions and deceptions of those who have been beguiled into this evil theology which denies Christ’s uniqueness, atonement, mankind’s fallen sinful state, and what God has said about fallen mankind.
Lots of gullible dupes buying this package. Beware! Charles Finney’s falsehoods are being regurgitated. This system of falsehood is on the rise. Due to these heresies showing their ugly head as of the last few years, we have addressed this extensively. Here’s a new post with an intriguing dialogue that is sure to clue you in to the way these people have believed and been deceived. Where is your Christology friends? – Please share this page to help others.
SELF-RIGHTEOUS DEVILS will be in hell first according to Christ (Matthew 21:31)! There are lots of novices acting like they have the answers because they learned their heresies from now-in-hell wolves like Mike Desario and Charles Finney. Beware. These are the vilest of devils.
YES God requires genuine faith which always produces good works and yet, GOD ALONE SAVES US – not our own good works! Rightly divide! Synthesize the whole truth! (2 Timothy 2:15)
Some deny that there is a flesh nature to be crucified. Utter heresy.
God made us one way, perfect. But then we sinned and something bad happened.
“And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.” Genesis 1:31
God made mankind and said “it was very good.” Then man sinned and incurred death (Ecclesiastes 7:29; Romans 5:18-19). The details of the curse that came upon mankind when Adam and Eve sinned against God, are given to us in Genesis 3. Death came into man at the fall. Something happened, and it wasn’t good. Read Romans 7.
“Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.” Ecclesiastes 7:29
God made us perfect but WE chose sin and fell and there are consequences for sin, right? And there’s also salvation, redemption, regeneration, choice, the cross, victory that we can choose to receive and walk in.
“Total depravity” is a false doctrine of calvinism which says “we are so sinful and we have no choice about anything. We have no ability to turn to God in repentance and faith to be redeemed, regenerated, made new creatures, temples of the Holy Spirit in Christ.” False.
We have the choice, the privilege to choose Christ and His cross to overcome all depravity, sin.
The Word says things like we are “desperately wicked” right? See Jeremiah 17:9. How about Genesis 6:5, 12 too, right? There’s Romans 3, 5, 6, 7 for the effects of sin, and 8 for the victory of Christ.
The no-sin-nature people are missing the cross. The Mike Desario’s, the Charles Finney’s, and the Jesse Morrell’s of the world peddle the no-sin-nature heresy and also do not preach the cross, the crucified life. They rag on endlessly about “stopping all sin” but never mention the crucified life which is the only divine prescription for overcoming sin (Romans 6, etc.). That alone makes them false, peddlers of “another gospel” (Galatians 1:6-9). This is why they can’t understand this. They do not realize that God gave us the solution to this sin bent (iniquity), this inherent in fallen man sin – and that answer is the crucified life which is at the heart of the original Gospel.
In my understanding…. the no-sin-nature doctrine does not stand the test of the whole counsel of God’s Word. It is vehemently peddled by some today (Proverbs 14:12).
Saints, we cannot possibly begin to appreciate this “so great salvation” that is Christ until we understand how lost, helpless, and alienated we were in our sin (Ephesians 2:1-10; Hebrews 2:3). We must study to understand the biblical doctrine of inherent sin, fallen mankind, and the holiness of God …. in order to begin to be able to appreciate the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.
Sin sure is a living entity called the “old man” which is ever with us and must be daily crucified – put to death (Romans 6; Colossians 3:9-10). If there were nothing to “put off” why would the LORD have told us to do so, so often? Read Romans 3, 5-7 afresh, carefully.
If there were nothing to “put off,” this divine command would not exist (Ephesians 4:22; Colossians 3:8-9). All the Scriptures on the cross, the crucified life, would be useless if there were nothing to crucify – there would be no cross to “take up” which would mean we call Jesus a lunatic and liar for having commanded us to take up the cross, to live a crucified life (Luke 9:23-24; 14:27).
Fallen man’s utter depravity and need for the saving mercy of Jesus Christ!
How can we possibly begin to understand and appreciate why Jesus came to the earth to die if we still see ourselves as anything except “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” before a holy God? See Isaiah 6:3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 7:18; Revelation 4:8.
Mankind’s fallen state:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9
The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.
What do we truly deserve in and of ourselves, being that “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6)?
“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6
“O wretched man that I AM” sounds like he’s presently dealing with the “old man” which must be perpetually crucified with Christ in this life – which is a test of who we truly love, self or the Savior (Romans 7:18, 24). This discourse in chapter 7 is leading to the following ultimate solution for sin….
“For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” Romans 8:19-21
Acknowledging that the Bible says there’s a war between the new creature and the tendency to sin in no way means we are captive to it. NO! We have been given complete victory over it through Christ and doing what He told us to do “daily” – take up the cross and follow Him (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6; 1 Corinthians 15:57; 1 John 5:4-5, etc.).
Because they don’t view the old man as a sinful nature, those who teach this “no sin nature heresy” don’t see the need to crucify it as Scripture commands repeatedly.
“By nature through the fall of Adam, are we the children of wrath, heirs of the vengeance of God by birth, yea, and from our conception. And we have fellowship with the damned devils, under the power of darkness and rule of Satan, while we are yet in our mother’s wombs; and though we shew not forth the fruits of sin [as soon as we are born] yet are we full of the natural poison, whereof all sinful deeds spring, and cannot but sin outwards, (be we never so young,) [as soon as we be able to work,] if occasion be given: for our nature is to do sin, as is the nature of a serpent to sting… By grace (that is to say, by favour) we are plucked out of Adam, the ground of all evil, and grafted in Christ, the root of all goodness.” William Tyndale, A Pathway into the Holy Scripture
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“I don’t claim to know every secret of God or of human nature and I could even be wrong about some things. But I know this. I will never say that Christ did not come in the flesh (1 John 4:2). For He was made in every way like us (Heb 2:17) Tempted in all points like us (Heb 4:15) and yet without sin.”
REPLY:
Yes but you are doing the same thing (equivalent) by denying His atonement … which is the only atonement. “Atonement” is huge with God and appears 81 times in Scripture. The OT references were pointing to Christ who was to come – “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the ATONEMENT” (Romans 5:11).
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“So we have the same flesh as He had. I think we create our own Old Man that needs to be put off.”
REPLY:
Jesus Christ is unique in all of history. He had no earthly father which is the way contamination of sin is transferred via the blood. Study the significance of the phrase “only begotten Son” and you will begin seeing the uniqueness of Christ. He was all God and all man – sinless due to His Father and exercising His will to please Him alone. We though have earthly, sinful fathers whereby death passed upon us (Romans 5). Read Romans 5. You are missing some vital things in your body of truth.
Jesus was tempted and had a personal will (Luke 22:42), but He was more than just a man and this is what the Bible calls “the mystery of godliness.” Read 1 Timothy 3:16 and 6:15-16 closely.
You “think”? Don’t you have a Bible? “Let God be true and EVERY man a liar,” beginning with yourself. Your theology is a concoction at this point – a mixed bag of confusion.
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“On the other hand I can point out sin to the lost and put the blame solely on the sinner and persuade men knowing the fear of God myself.”
REPLY:
You have sinned and so have I. We must beware of self-righteousness which was the sin of the hell bound Pharisees. This no-sin-nature heresy seems to foster self-righteousness and pride in self… Jesus says that the harlots will be in Heaven before the self-righteous (Matthew 21:31). What I mean by “sin nature” is the potential, inclination, and temptation to sin.
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“I’m not emailing you to support Finney. I’m emailing you because I work with the woman who is Lutheran and I know that she is deceived. I gave her a gospel tract that talked about how Jesus saves FROM sin, not IN sin. And one of her excuses was that she had a sinful nature. In other words she defined ‘sinful nature’ as a permanent thing that was inescapable. You define the term as escapable.
I become frustrated at times when I hear nominal Christians with an attitude that they can’t escape a nature they were born with or that they are saved no matter what they do. I’m frustrated out of love for their souls and not to prove some selfish doctrine. I hope you can forgive me if I have made you stumble in any way.
I was hoping to get some insight into someone who held to ‘sinful nature’ and yet believed in crucifying the flesh with its passions and desires.
In terms of my own beliefs I don’t totally subscribe to any theologian, whether it be Finney, Augustine, Edwards, Grudem, Luther, Wesley, Spurgeon, etc.. I feel it is important to study entire church history because it helps me understand where people are coming from.
As far as my own beliefs I believe Christ has freed me from the bondage that I sold myself into. It’s nothing more or less than that.
Again I call anyone a brother who worships Christ in spirit and truth.
I just wanted to poke a bit and see what you thought. Thank you for your videos on YouTube and I appreciate your time.”
REPLY:
God saves first – He regenerates. Then sin is forgiven and He grants His power to overcome. Salvation is not only about sin but about salvaging the relationship between Himself and mankind. The woman taken in adultery was first and foremost forgiven by Christ and THEN and only THEN told to “go and sin no more” (John 8). You have learned from deceived men to reduce Christ’s salvation to only overcoming sin which has taken the worship focus away from Him (Colossians 2:18-19). The spirit of antichrist is behind this. God is not interested in you feigning to be overcoming sin if you are not engaging in an abiding cross relationship with Him (John 15). Salvation is about restored relationship and fellowship with the Father and Son and not only about the removal of sin although that is essential to the reconciliation of that vital relationship (Colossians 1:12-14).
You said: “she defined ‘sinful nature’ as a permanent thing that was inescapable.” You define the term as escapable.” I define it as being “present” and essential to crucify via that “daily” cross Jesus commanded (Luke 9:23-24). But you are denying it against the clear teaching of Scripture. Paul the apostle wrote: “I find then a law, that, when I would do good, EVIL ISSSSS PRESENT WITH ME” (Romans 7:21). “Is” here makes it plain that after Paul’s conversion, sin was still “present” with him and had to be “put under” or mortified (Romans 6:-8; 1 Corinthians 9:27).
I agree that Calvinistic theology is completely false and yet, we cannot base truth on what others are falsely teaching. Truth is God’s Word (John 17:17), and we must honestly and objectively engage in “rightly dividing” it by thorough “study” of it (2 Timothy 2:15). What you are saying is clearly contradicting known truth. The sinful nature is only escapable at death. As long as we are in the body, we shall be tempted to conform to that evil nature, and given the opportunity to put it off (“put off the old man” and to “put on the new man”) (Ephesians 4:22-24; Col. 3:5-10). Listen closely to Paul here: – “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time (including mortifying the sinful nature/flesh-v. 13) are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain (under the curse caused by man’s sin) together until now. 23 And not only they (the lost), but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” Romans 8:18-23
This passage above further makes it crystal clear that we, “which have the firstfruits of the Spirit,” are groaning and travailing under sin’s gravity, “waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God” when we die or Christ returns. It’s then when “4 God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful” (Revelation 21:4-5).
Romans 8:21 says that “the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption” and in the context of this passage, that’s clearly in eternity, not now.
Here’s your problem – you are basing your doctrine on 1) what you’ve heard from other mere men, and 2) what others are saying … instead of going only by the whole counsel of Scripture. You state: “I become frustrated at times when I hear nominal Christians with an attitude that they can’t escape a nature they were born with or that they are saved no matter what they do. I’m frustrated out of love for their souls and not to prove some selfish doctrine. I hope you can forgive me if I have made you stumble in any way.” First off, the LORD has blessed me to minister to individuals for 30 years now daily and I hear the same thing. No, I am not moved by this false system of theology and dealing with what people we minister to say (making excuses). The answer is not to deny what God’s Word clearly says is “present” with us (Romans 7:21), but rather to be instructed by the LORD and His holy apostles to “keep under” and to “crucify” and to “mortify the deeds of the body.” That’s God’s answer – not denying that evil is still present with us.
You said: “I was hoping to get some insight into someone who held to ‘sinful nature’ and yet believed in crucifying the flesh with its passions and desires.” This is correct actually – we have an evil nature and it must be daily mortified.
It is my opinion that you are being routed by the enemy by even giving place to and wasting time studying any person after Christ and His apostles. Let’s admit that we don’t even know God’s Word nearly as we should and could and so are wasting His precious time in our lives He gave us looking at what mere men said, taught, and believed. You said: “In terms of my own beliefs I don’t totally subscribe to any theologian, whether it be Finney, Augustine, Edwards, Gruden, Luther, Wesley, Spurgeon, etc. I feel it is important to study entire church history because it helps me understand where people are coming from.” ALL you need is God’s Word, and so reading, studying, and memorizing it bring ALL the answers (Psalms. 119:42; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:15-17; 4:2-4; 1 Peter 3:15; 4:11; 2 Peter 1:3-4, 19-21, etc.).
Again, this is dangerous: “As far as my own beliefs I believe Christ has freed me from the bondage that I sold myself into. It’s nothing more or less than that.” If you have truly repented and put your faith in Christ (Acts 20:21), He regenerated you, made you a new creature in Christ, and gave you His “divine nature” (John 3:3, 7; Titus 3:5-7; 2 Corinthians 5:17-18; 2 Peter 1:3-4).
You seem humble and that’s a good place for us to be and to remain… teachable (Proverbs 1:5; 6:23; 15:32, etc.). He has much for us to learn.
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“One additional thought. I’m not sure how you arrived at the fact I subscribe to Charles Finney. I specifically said when we repent God puts us “In Christ” (kind of like being put into Noah’s Ark) and thus are sanctified through Christ and his faith and righteousness. Someone isn’t a Finneyist because they deny sinful nature. I see that someone is a Finneyist if they subscribe to his systematic theology, moral government etc.
I just read in the bible that David said “I am fearfully and wonderfully made” and that babies in the womb know neither good nor evil. And I see that people “go astray”, meaning that they leave of their own volition. And I believe that God forgives small children if they sin. 1 John2:12 I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake.
Also I don’t subscribe to any atonement theory whatsoever. Subscribing to an atonement theory only divides the brethren. It’s a source of division only. I do believe Christ frees from the captivity of sin, and I know that’s no theory. I’ve felt it personally in my life.
And if your point of calling out Finney is to correct error of sanctification by works then I support you in that cause.”
REPLY:
You have bought into and are overreacting to the error of others (mainly Calvinists) and thereby make an equally damaging, false error yourself and are openly denying Christ the only Redeemer.
Where did you get this teaching? It came from man and not God. You didn’t learn this from just and only reading Scripture. I know you say you just read the Bible but I am certain you have arrived at this via some man or mere men. You are forcing Scripture to say what you have concluded, holding to your tradition and setting God’s Word aside (Mark 7:6-9). You are allowing your tradition to trump Scripture.
What does “fearfully and wonderfully made” really mean? Does that cancel the meaning and revealed divine truth of other Scriptures? No. After God created man He said it was “good” and yet that was BEFORE man fell. After man fell He says we are “corrupt,” and “desperately wicked,” and have sinned against Him and are shown to be (concluded) guilty (Romans 3:19; 11:32). Without Christ’s “regeneration” (“born again”) we are “dead in trespasses and sins” and by “NATURE” the children of wrath (Ephesians 2:1-3; Titus 3:2-7).
Paul used the phrase “MYSTERY of iniquity” and so perhaps there is a mystery. Romans 7 may lend to that thought also. There IS a struggle within which seems to indicate two, not one nature – one that must be crucified and dominated by the power of the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:17-18; Romans 8:13; 1 Corinthians 9:27). Paul didn’t say “O wretched man that I WAS” but rather “O wretched man that I AM” (Romans 7:24). This seems to further demonstrate that he still had an evil nature to overcome – to mortify daily. That’s the whole purpose of the daily cross – so that the LORD will increase and we decrease (John 3:3o). It seems clear from Scripture that we should cease to deny the sin nature and simply obey God’s Word by crucifying it daily (Luke 9:23-24). We as His children have a personal will as even Jesus did and must choose His will over ours – “not MY will but thine be done” (Luke 22:42). Jesus had a will and we have a will – which we all choose to exercise as we choose in obeying or disobeying God.
Are you going to deny the war Paul spoke of? “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.”
“But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.” Galatians 5:17-18
“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
To overlook the reality of this war within is to reveal our limited view of the full counsel of Scripture or refusal to acknowledge it. I want to encourage you to take a step back prayerfully to seek the LORD’s face – asking Him that your heart would be established with His grace and not with meats (Hebrews 13:9; Ezekiel 36:24-26).
Now I am wondering if you are truly saved and I say that with all carefulness and concern. To quote you: “Also I don’t subscribe to any atonement theory whatsoever. Subscribing to an atonement theory only divides the brethren. It’s a source of division only. I do believe Christ frees from the captivity of sin, and I know that’s no theory. I’ve felt it personally in my life.”
Atonement is a “theory”? Forget dividing the brethren – you are denying Christ wholesale and calling God a liar. You are able to save yourself and atone for yourself? So, God sent His only begotten Son in vain? There was no need for at-one-ment? This is exactly what Finney taught and is antichrist – it exes out Christ, says that “Christ is dead in vain” (Galatians 2:21). It says that man can make his own way to God and that overcoming sin is the pinnacle of being right with God instead of Christ being the only Mediator between God and man. The Bible teaches us that salvation is in a Person – Jesus Christ – and not in what we can do to rid ourselves of sin. Such a notion replaces Christ with self (definition of antichrist) and makes us Luciferic. This is a deadly and damnable heresy – “even denying the Lord that bought them.” (2 Peter 2:1-3)
You said: “I do believe Christ frees from the captivity of sin, and I know that’s no theory. I’ve felt it personally in my life.” – So, what came first: 1) freedom from sin or 2) atonement and regeneration? Making you one with Him through regeneration/being born again and given a new nature – made a new creature in Christ? In your mind salvation is simply being freed “from the captivity of sin” and not in knowing and being known of God (John 15:14; 17:3; 1 Corinthians 8:3; Philippians 3:10). This is Gnosticism where personally knowing the LORD is subtly denied and replaced with mere head knowledge. You are reducing “salvation” to something far less than God reveals it to be by denying Christ right out of the picture which is the workings of “that spirit of antichrist” and “the spirit of error” (1 John 4:1-6).
It is my opinion that God is giving you the opportunity through this conversation to come to Him in honesty and sincere humility, returning to Him in repentance.
God sent His only begotten Son to be the only (exclusive) offering for fallen mankind’s sin to bring His atonement for mankind’s sin (Isaiah 53). The LORD Jesus Christ was the prophesied, exclusive Lamb of God who came to take away the sins of the world (Matthew 1:21; John 1:29). He alone made atonement and to teach that we have no sin to be atoned for is to deny Christ openly. Jesus alone “taste(d) death for every man” (Hebrews 2:9). Denying or feigning to overcome sin (a farce) without Jesus’ atonement and regeneration is brazen denial of the whole plan of God in sending His only begotten Son. This makes one lost and antichrist.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (atoning sacrifice) through faith in his blood (not faith in ourselves), to declare HIS righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27 Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” Romans 3:23-28
God alone justifies and He made that exclusively through Christ Jesus, the only “propitiation” or atoning sacrifice for our sins. This is exactly what He depicted in Leviticus 16-17 with the scapegoat. He alone fulfilled this picture when He came as “THE Lamb of God” to take “away the SIN (not just the sins) of the world” (John 1:29). The singular use of “sin” here is telling.
If we are not born with a sinful nature, WHY does God regenerate us – make us born again, new creatures in Christ? Why does He change our nature? (2 Corinthians 5:17-18) Are we not “partakers of the divine nature”? (2 Peter 1:3-4)
todd
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Notes:
As should be obvious, we continue to war against this Charles Finney system of lies that denies Christ’s atonement and what He instructed us to do in taking up the cross and deny self
No propensity toward sin?
Yes there is an evil in us, a potential, an inclination toward evil that must be crucified …. To say or to insinuate that there is nothing to be denied or crucified daily, always, perpetually, we are saying that Christ and His apostles are fools ….. because they said that such were essential (Lk. 9:23-24; John 12:23-25; Gal. 2:20; 5:24; Col. 3:3; Rom. 6, etc. ….. Seems to me that sin had an horrible effect on human nature …. Rom. 5:18-19. ….When we “were dead in trespasses and sins,” we “were BY NATURE the children of wrath, even as others” (Ephesians 2:1-3). See also Romans 7.
The answer is not to deny the sinful tendencies but rather to obey Christ by crucifying that nature…..
God doesn’t expect you to sin. He commands and expects you to live holy and gives you totally mastery over all temptation to sin through the power of His Spirit and the crucified life (Romans 6:14; 8:12-14, etc.).
There’s no excuse for sinning. If a Christian sins it is always that Christians fault, never God’s fault (James 1:13-15).
1 John 2:1-2
Like the heretic they follow, they teach that it’s your own “natural ability” that you overcome and not by the power and saving grace of the LORD Jesus Christ. Gal 3:3
Are there sinful tendencies in fallen man? Yes.
Does this mean he is captive to those sinful bents after regeneration? No. In fact, redeemed men have been given complete grace and divine power over all sin (Romans 6; 8:12-14, etc.).
Are sinful men captive to sin before regeneration? Yes. Unregenerate man has no saving grace to overcome sin or to “stop sinning” as some foolishly assert. Sinners “by nature” serve their sinful dictates and the enemy of souls (Ephesians 2:1-3).
Unregenerate man cannot “stop sinning” until he personally meets the only One who came and died to redeem and regenerate him (Galatians 2:20-21; Titus 3:2-7, etc.).
The ability to conquer all sin is the stated will of God and yet that divine ability (Grace = divine ability) does not enter the saved person until he is first saved. So how can someone “stop all sinning” before being saved by grace? Impossible. And, that is unmitigated idolatry, antichrist – putting self before, in place of Christ who alone is Savior and LORD. Repentance is first and foremost turning TO GOD and not turning from sin. If you get these out of order, you are a heretic.
***These people are under the spirit of antichrist. They are touting their own “natural ability” to make the right decisions while denying the need for Christ’s regeneration and present saving, enabling grace (divine influence on their hearts and empowerment in their lives). They deny Christ in that they believe they overcome by their own personal will alone and not by the power and grace of Jesus Christ. John 1:12-13
Hosea 4:6; Colossians 2:18-19
One writer notes:
“The recognition of the sin nature is exactly why must take up the daily cross. The branch cut away from the wild olive tree and grafted into the new tree still has a residue of the old sap and bark.”
Articles
How to Spot a Fake Bible [podcast]
Please don’t balk till you read these 3 verses. This is indefensible to the sane mind! “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” (Proverbs 18:13)
Satan loves to borrow from the authentic. This is so he can attempt to borrow credibility from the real and he pawns off, he promulgates his counterfeits. This is why one of his fake “bibles” is called the “New King James Bible.” The Word “Berean” immediately evokes the truth of the disciples there who stood on God’s written Word and compared everything to it to prove it was true or false (Acts 17:10-11). In 2016 the Berean Study Bible (BSB) was introduced. Sounds good, right? Not! There are 4 verses we use to acid test “bibles”: Matthew 17:21; Acts 8:37; Romans 8:1; and Colossians 1:14
As usual, this BSB was taken from the known corrupted manuscripts instead of the Textus Receptus from which the KJB comes from. In the BSB, typically, we find:
- Matthew 17:21 was removed and so was Acts 8:37,
- Romans 8:1 was chopped in half, and
- The blood of Jesus was removed from Colossians 1:14.
Many times I hold people’s feet to the fire on Colossians 1:14 and ask them if they truly believe they are washed in Christ’s blood and if they believe they could be saved without His blood (Hebrews 9:22). Then when they agree that our LORD’s blood is the only way they could have been and are saved, I ask them how they could possibly agree with, condone the removing of His precious blood and bring in Revelation 22:18-19.
“The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” Psalms 12:6-7
“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” Proverbs 30:5-6
People are constantly bragging about “their” translation they love and swear it’s the best. So, all you have to do to blow up their little deception is to go online and find that version and go to the following 3 verses: Matthew 17:21, Colossians 1:14, Romans 8:1
IF you are going to dare still argue to defend the fake news new “bibles” after being told that the BLOOD of Jesus is removed from Colossians 1:14 and Matthew 17:21 is removed and Romans 8:1 is chopped in half…. I have no more responsibility to communicate truth to you according to (Matthew 7:6; Titus 3:10-11; Revelation 22:18-19; Proverbs 30:5-6). You are not a man of truth.
You have to wonder if professing Christians actually know and take this severe warning seriously by the crass attitude we see concerning the fake “bibles” which deliberately butchered God’s words and changed major doctrines (Revelation 22:18-19). Where O where is the holy fear of God?
“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19
Compare to the KJB which came from the Textus Receptus manuscripts which make up 98% of all manuscripts in existence and agree with each other. The underlying manuscripts are most important. When you compare these 3 verses you immediately see if their version is accurate. There’s more to it though because apparently some of the fake “bibles” use both sets of manuscripts. Yet, usually the fake “bibles” come wholly from the corrupted manuscripts and comparing these 3 verses reveals such.
The new versions of the Bible are rooted in rebellion no matter what the sales pitch they put on gullible minds. They are man’s thoughts and philosophies inserted into God’s (Isaiah 55:8-9). Total rebellion. Read Revelation 22:18-19. They are cursed at the root. The Holy Ghost is our Teacher not the Hebrew, Greek, or supposed, self-appointed “experts.”
90% of the time you will find that their “bible” version came from the corrupted manuscripts.
Personally, I cannot endorse what are clearly Satan’s CORRUPTIONS, cheap substitutes, and counterfeits of God’s Word and therefore cannot recommend them. I definitely encourage any and all believers, no matter the maturity level, to read the King James Bible.
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Abiding
How do We Know Who is “of God” and Who is “Not of God”? [podcast]
Scripture vs Subjectivity/Human Reasoning
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Colossians 2:8
There are many people pretending to be representing Christ. Many pretend to speak for God but how do we know who is truly “of God” and who is “not of God”? Jesus gave us the answer to this important question because He desires His people to be protected by proper discernment. He has warned us repeatedly to “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know (discern) them by their fruits. … And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many” (Matthew 7:15-16, 24:11).
Jesus says to use that we shall “know” (discern) others “by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:16, 20)
“You’re taking things out of context” is what unrepentant heretics throw at you when you state the Word. And they say “rightly divide the word of truth,” using it out of context for their own self-serving agenda because they don’t like what the plain truth of God states in His written Word. They are clearly “not of God” according to Christ who also said “by their fruits” we are to “know” (discern) others (Matthew 7:16, 20).
Here’s the clear proof that most of the “church” is not Christ’s church, not His people at all. They falsely claim to be, as did the Jews of Jesus’ day. Memorize John 8:47 – who is “of God” and who is “NOT of God.”
“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” John 8:47
Simply put: We know who is truly “of God” and who is “NOT of God” by how they treat God’s Word.
True Heaven bound disciples of Jesus follow God according to the Bible (Psalms 119:105). All others follow a false god they concocted in their own deceived imagination (John 8:47).
One of the examples in this late hour of those who pose a threat to believers is the New Apostolic Reformation movement which has produced and sent forth an army of false prophets. Their false insinuations and claims include that their prophetic words, visions, apostles, prophets, and prophecies are equal to the divine authority of Holy Scripture. More on the New Apostolic Reformation Cult and its false teachings and false prophets is here.
When you or I or any other mere human claims to be hearing from the Holy Spirit, such is purely subjective and must be tested against the Holy Scriptures (1 Corinthians 2:13; 1 John 4:1, etc.). THAT’s WHY we have the written Word – to protect us from being misled from the “MANY false prophets” who are deceiving “MANY” as Jesus forewarned would be the case (Matthew 24:11). Final divine authority is the written Word, not some mere sinful man or woman posing as God’s voice.
The LORD gave us His Word in order that we could know Him who is “the truth” and not be “led away (from God) with the error of the wicked” by following “cunningly devised fables” (John 14:6; 2 Peter 1:16; 3:17).
2 Peter 1:16-21
16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.
17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
19 We have also a MORE SURE WORD of prophecy (the written Word); whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
The Word of God is sure and steadfast as is its Author who is eternally perfect and unchanging in His divine nature. Our faith is not based on mere fables or stories, but rather on the Word of the very One who created and sustains all life in His vast Universe (Colossians 1:16-17).
“The apostasy is here. Everyone is a Christian until it gets biblical.” F.
You wanna know who is really “of God” and who is “NOT of God”? John 8:47 – memory truth.
“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” John 8:47
Every person who is “of God” has their conscience captive to His Word. Any person who is casual about God’s Word instead of fervently attentive, is “not of God.” When the true follower of Jesus hears Scripture, they hearken, are comforted, corrected, edified, etc. They love God and therefore change to conform to the Word. His words are the highest authority of their lives.
Is God’s Word your final authority or not?
IF God’s WRITTEN Word is not the final authority of your personal life, we have nothing in common – you are not saved. Jesus says you are “NOT of God” (John 8:47).
LOTS of biblically-illiterate guys hanging out on social media arguing using subjectivity, lies, and false notions when they should be diligently studying and speaking only the Word. The problem is not only “lack of knowledge” but also the pride that underlies their refusal to be teachable (Hosea 4:6).
The godly man will own the truth – he will surrender and allow it to own him – even when it is correcting him (Proverbs 1:5; 15:32; Romans 3:4; 2 Timothy 3:16-17, etc.).
IF you refuse to allow God’s Word to correct you, you are “not of God” (John 8:47).
The righteous declare with Christ’s apostle Paul to “Let God be true and EVERY man a liar” (Romans 3:4).
IF you don’t love God enough to voraciously study His Word, you do not love Him!
“Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” Job 23:12
We know who is truly “of God” by their resolved, unwavering love for God’s Word.
Those who preach the Word of God continue sending a whole slew of ungodly men packing! These ungodly men who vainly believe they are of God, prove their rebellion by their refusal to be corrected by God’s Word (Romans 3:4; Matthew 7:6; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Titus 3:10-11; 2 John 7-11).
“And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:15-17
IF it is discovered that God’s written Word is not your absolute final divine authority, you will be rebuked and sent packing if you don’t repent. You are “NOT of God” (John 8:47). Time to clean house! Time to flip the tables of the hypocrites.
The only way to be rooted and grounded in Christ is to be an ardent student of His Word. There are no shortcuts and all who are not rich in His Word will be misled for not loving Jesus enough to prayerfully, daily pour over, learn, apply, and walk in His Word.
“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:” Colossians 2:6-10
We are “complete in Christ” and Christ is revealed to us in His Word (John 5:39-40, etc.).
IF you are living by human reasoning instead of strictly by God’s written Word, you are a lost soul in need of repentance. Repent now and when you do, the proof will be that God’s Word will become the authority of your life (John 8:47). Those who truly repent are in Christ and live by His Word and nothing else.
There are so very many people today acting like they know Jesus while His Word is not the final divine authority of their lives – which clearly proves they have either never repented or have since backslidden and are lost!
“Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
Satan is able to master the lives of those who “received not the love of the truth. … for this cause God shall send them strong delusion.”
Not getting into God’s Word will cost us everything. Those who do not love God’s Word, clearly prove they do not love Him.
“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
Many modern “pastors” are little more than those who entertain goats/counterfeits and we know this because they are not fervent but rather casual about the Holy Scriptures and most of them use fake “bibles.”
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2 Timothy 4:2-4
Jesus told Peter to feed his sheep (John 21:15-17). Christ never instructed Peter or anyone else to merely hold church services. Of course believers are to gather and yet, when we gather, what’s most important is feasting on God’s word (Nehemiah 8:8; Acts 2:42, etc.). Instead though, today most gatherings called “church” are little more than an hour of empty entertainment, void of the fear, the holiness, and the Word of God.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly (abundantly) in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16
Hireling wolves aren’t getting people into the Word for themselves because they want people to need, to depend upon THEM instead of God so they can build their own brand, church, club! They are using people, building a busine$$ on the gullibility of their prey! (John 21:15-17; 2 Timothy 2:15; 4:2-4; 1 Peter 4:11).
Sink or swim! Get into God’s Word daily for yourself and stop trusting entirely on your Sunday morning gathering – which if you attend such, should be just one of many times you are fellowshiping with God and His people in a week’s time frame and not an end in itself -which inevitably it becomes!
After Pentecost, the birth of the New Testament church, the earliest believers are seen in temples (Jewish church buildings) for a time. They are also seen fellowshiping “house to house.”
“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine (the Word) and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 2:42-47
Jesus told Peter to “feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17). Perhaps more like “Go feed them” as Jesus and His apostle did. They went to the people (Matthew 9:35-38; Acts 1:8; 8:4; 10:38, etc.), and not “Go get them to come to you for their weekly entertainment and so you can fleece them with your church membership program and system you’ve set up to catch unsuspecting souls.” Gathering together is God’s will and yet, being corralled to be preyed upon is something about which we see warnings throughout God’s Word.
Corralling and entrapping unsuspecting souls is one of the schemes, devices used by beguilers. In my opinion, this is what the apostate modern church world has become – a baited trap, a stage performed on by pied pipers who use music, bands, and story-telling to seek to capture, to ensnare souls.
Those who allow themselves to become indoctrinated and ensnared in this system become “twofold more the child of hell” and continue this campaign of evil for generations (Matthew 23:15).
“And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. 3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. 4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Revelation 18:2-4
PRAYER: Holy Father in Heaven, I come to You now solely on the basis of Christ’s perfect sacrifice for my sins. Please forgive my sin of self-idolatry and spiritual adultery where I have not put You first but had other false gods before You. In this very instant, right now, I repent. I turn back to You dear Jesus and ask You to wash my sins afresh in Your precious blood. I love You LORD Jesus and from this moment forward, I am relishing, worshiping, loving, obeying, and seeking Your holy face relentlessly. Please fill me afresh with Your Holy Spirit and use me dear LORD. Also, please give me the deep desire for more of You and for a photographic memory of Your words. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Articles
Mug Shots and Mercy Moments! [podcast]
The LORD Delights
in those who Trust in His Mercy
and not their own Merit-less, Sinful State
As an eternal memorial of the mercy of God in Christ, Jesus showed mercy to a man who was likely a lifelong criminal sinner.
After rebuking the other thief for his unbelief, the penitent thief on the cross next to Jesus asked our LORD to remember him.
“And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43
So, if the Son of God freely forgave and took to glory the repentant, seeking criminal next to Him on the cross, why would anyone believe He’s changed? Who is it that would deny that Christ would and is doing the same today?
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8
WHEN you see people get arrested… it’s likely that God is setting them apart so He can save, so He can transform them. Pray for them. Jail is death and burial…. which must precede resurrection. Jesus is coming and eternity is all that matters!
—- We all get various spam emails and see ads for many things, including background checks. NEVER MIND mere man’s “background checks” … How does our background check out with Him? Isn’t that all that matters? The Almighty has the full version of the “background check” of our whole lives – including every thought and motive of our hearts (Proverbs 15:3; Hebrews 4:13). And He’s the only Judge before whom we shall all stand to give account ….. WHO do you fear? … David cried “Let my sentence (verdict) come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.” (Psalms 17:2) In other words David was only concerned about how the LORD viewed him and had no concern for what mere sinful men thought or said about him. ….. The apostle Paul wrote:
“Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Romans 8:33-37
“The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.” Psalms 147:11
According to Psalms 147:11, just WHO did your Maker and Judge say that He takes “pleasure in”?
- “them that fear him”
- “those that hope in his mercy”
Those who truly fear God will repent to be saved and will continually repent as needed (2 Corinthians 7:9-10; 12:21, etc.). “Repent” is the very first word of the Gospel (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30, etc.).
UNTIL, as an individual, you begin to realize just how wicked you really are, you will never begin to appreciate what our KING and Savior did on that cross!
Concerning your initial thoughts when you see that mug shot, examine yourself for a moment by answering the following questions:
- Do you hold out mercy and understanding for yourself while harshly judging others in your attitude, never knowing the shoes they walk in?
- Do you understand that Jesus promised that His children will be accused of “all manner of evil against” them “falsely” and instructed them to “rejoice” when this happens? (Matthew 5:10-12) Do you rejoice at persecutions?
- Do you know that Psalms 17:2 says our “sentence” ultimately comes from the LORD and not mere men?
Holding out mercy for others is important. Having a mercy-filled disposition is godly.
NO MATTER how hurt or mad you may currently be with someone, remember, Jesus died to save that person and is not willing that such a person perish (Luke 9:56; John 3:17; 2 Peter 3:9).
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7
“Refusal to pray because of the guilt of your sins is like refusing to take you bath because you are dirty. Pray.” Augustine Mario
Bible Hint: God says that if you want mercy, you must show mercy. In many cases, in eternity, things will reverse completely as the Bible teaches. Many of those in positions of authority in this brief life will be in hell for eternity (Ezek. 21:26; Lk. 16:19-31; Rev. 5:10; 20:4, 6, etc.). Many who are judges today and send people to prison, will themselves be submitted irrevocably and eternally to the prison of fire by the Judge of their eternal souls. as As they sat in their high seats (benches) and hundreds and even thousands of times sent souls to jail, they themselves ignored their own need to repent before a holy God and Judge against whom they has grossly sinned.
The fires of eternal damnation shall forever feed upon the hopeless souls who leave this earth without having received and walked in (to the end) the mercy of the Almighty which He offers all men through His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.
THE SINS THAT SHOULD CONCERN US MOST ARE OUR OWN SINS! why then do we wrongly judge others in our attitudes when the one who needs Jesus most is us? To his friends who wrongly judged him, Job said: “But ye should say, Why persecute we him, seeing the root of the matter is found in me?” (Job 19:28)
Hell’s Mug Shots are Forever!
The Word of God tells us that anyone living in sin, upon death, is going to hell, immediately upon death. Luke 16:19-31; Hebrews 9:27; Ezekiel 33:12-13, etc Those who are born again and abiding in Christ will be with Him immediately upon death (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:21-23). You have to be born again to be in Christ.
“And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27
The Bible establishes the inherent sinfulness of all men and that would include you, my friend.
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one … For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:10, 23
May the only final law enforcement Judge who sits atop the Highest throne in the supreme court of the Universe show us our own mug shot today – the fact that we ourselves are completely guilty of sinning against Him and that we are in utter need of the One who came and bled that we might be forgiven.
The Bible establishes that the whole world – every human being, without exception – is “guilty before God.” (Romans 3:19)
Those whose mug shots we often see of those caught for their sinful activities and whose sins are made public are just like you – sinners! Just because our sins aren’t known to the mass public does not make them any less a violation to the holiness of our Maker and Judge. If you have ever stolen anything, lusted or hated in your heart, you are no less a sinner than the mug shot guy or girl. The only difference here is that they have been caught and are in jail for a temporary time in this brief life. When you die your doom or bliss is sealed. Don’t wait friend – turn to the Good Shepherd today. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts 16:31)
“Some men’s sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after.” 1 Timothy 5:24
God sees/knows ALL sins. He knows ALL of the sins you have committed in your heart and then those you committed in action. Nothing escapes Him.
Do you realize that if you die in sin that you will spend eternity in the lake of fire?
“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15
Will your mug shot be forever posted for all to see as you sizzle in the flames of eternal damnation?
Getting Off the High Horse
Here’s a Bible passage to prayerfully each morning this week:
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:5-7
The LORD delights in His people and wants them to see things the way He sees them (Romans 12:2). His first desire is to restore and show mercy and He does so when the sinner repents.
All is recorded in Heaven (Hebrews 4:13). God sees ALL your sins and will pull the curtains back and roll the tape of your life on Judgment Day. Every single thought and deed of your life is on file with God. He made provision to remove and desires to forgive all. If you die without His forgiveness, you will face the Almighty on Judgment Day in the Supreme Court of the Universe as a guilty sinner who refused to be pardoned. In trembling ruins you will stand shameful and without excuse before a holy God.
Put your own face in that mug shot! Admit to your own sins! Own up to your vile thoughts, meditations, lusts, adulteries, fornications of heart! And then begin praying for God to show mercy on others as He has shown upon your own filthy soul! Beg Him for a pure heart so that you can see Him! (Matthew 5:8; Proverbs 20:9)
Why do you self-righteously and arrogantly boast as if you have no need for divine mercy this very hour?
“Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” Proverbs 20:9
If you will be in Heaven eternally, you had better get in touch with your infinite need for divine mercy (Matthew 5:20; 21:31).
Let’s ask: Where are “the eyes of the LORD”? – “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3
What does God behold? – “beholding the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3
What did Jesus tell us is going to be “covered”? – “nothing.”
“Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. “ Matthew 10:26
Word to the wise – You better get off that high horse or the flames of eternal damnation shall forever feed upon your helpless, conscious corpse!
It’s time to dismount from the high horse of pride and mount the lowly donkey of humility. God is going to eternally bless the lowly, humble souls who live to celebrate His Majestic, blessed only begotten Son who bled for our sins. Don’t miss this eternal celebration and bliss!
“And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” Matthew 23:12
“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” James 4:10
Back to the Mug Shots….
The thieves on the crosses that flanked our blessed Savior were mug shot criminals! What is your view of them? What is your view of mug shot criminals today?
When is the last time you lifted the mug shot person in prayer? What about the flashy story on TV about some evildoer? Did you pray for them?
What is your very first thought concerning mug shots you see in print in your mail box or on TV or the internet?
Firstly, it’s time to get a clue! Do you know how many false arrests go on in this nation? Staggering! Do you know how many false imprisonments go on in our injustice system? Staggering! Do you know that many Christians are in jail right now serving sentences as a result of persecutions and false evidence fabricated against them in order to jail them? Many of the LORD’s most blessed patriarchs of Christ were jailed! Joseph, several of the prophets, John the Baptist, Paul, etc.
God does not forget people in this earth’s jails but he does forget those who left the earth outside of a relationship with Christ – those who chose to “forget” Him. They will forever be vanquished into the fires of damnation (Psalms 9:17; 50:22).
Concerning this matter, Mark McIntosh writes:
“Sometimes it’s BETTER to be in a PRISON and be found by JESUS and TRULY REPENT of our SINS than to be free in a world where your SOUL is in BONDAGE and hell is pending! Repent and BE FREE INDEED …. in jail, prison or in society … it doesn’t matter where … AMEN?”
But just what if that next person in a mug shot you see is truly guilty? Are they beyond God’s hand to redeem and forgive? Is God’s hand shortened? (Isaiah 59:1-2) Is God’s Word lying when it tells us that Jesus is alive and well at His blessed Father’s right hand and able to save from the uttermost to the uttermost? (Hebrews 7:24-25) Where is your faith? Repent of such evil thinking that is emanating from an uncircumcised heart! (Mark 7:20-23)
Think like a disciple of Christ, friend. Memorize Romans 12:1-2 today!
Are you still so very blinded by your own sin that you join the depraved hearts of the world’s sinners in condemning criminals? The reality is, that in the “Holy, holy, holy” eyes of the Almighty, you are in need of no less mercy that the vilest of criminals in this fleeting life (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8).
What did Jesus do to the two criminals who were at each of His blessed sides while He hung for YOUR sins? He gave both of them the full privilege to be saved into His eternal kingdom of bliss and praise God one of them received Him!
“And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:42-43
Looking for Mercy!
“Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7
Do you realize that gutter prostitutes and the vilest of criminals in this world have a better chance at going to Heaven than self-righteous religious people who pastor churches, cast out devils, speak with tongues, serve in their church, sing in the choir, go on missionary trips, and do many wonderful works in Christ’s name?
The Son of God says to the religious leaders of His day:
“Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots (whores, prostitutes) go into the kingdom of God before you.” Matthew 21:31
Who did the LORD tell us will receive the full strength of undiluted judgment upon their own heads?
“For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against (triumphs over) judgment.” James 2:13
Did you catch what James says here?
Read it again and answer this:
- Who will receive to themselves “judgment WITHOUT mercy”? – Those who “shewed no mercy” to others in their thoughts and out of their mouths!
Some self-righteous soul may still be saying “But, but, but that criminal did this or that…” … Jesus died for unholy criminals like you and me! He found and saved your wretched soul didn’t He? Does He love that mug shot soul any less?
My advice to you is to genuinely surrender to Christ, to die to self completely, to cry out to Him to break you to the core of your being. Then, you will cease sitting in the seat of the scornful, and truly be able to be used of Him. Get low or to hell you also will go (Psalm 1). Whatever you do, read Psalm 51 and take special note to every word this time!
God’s Word tells us that those who will be saved are “looking for the MERCY of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” They do not stand in their own self-righteous, filthy, sinful rags but rather they stand looking to the LORD for His blessed mercy!
“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the MERCY of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.” Jude 1:21
Just what are believers to be “looking for” in light of the fact that we shall all meet our Maker soon? – “mercy”!
Live and Preach this – The Pharisee and the Publican
“And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14
The only one of these two guys who was justified and ready to survive the holy wrath and judgment of God was the one who cried from his needy heart “God be merciful to ME a sinner.” (Luke 18:13)
If you are being convicted by the truth and the Holy Ghost of God, it’s time to repent and truly turn to the LORD and be broken, crying out to the LORD for His mercy upon your own wretched, self-righteous and evil heart before it’s too late.
Read Psalm 51 and beg the LORD to forgive you as you cry out to Him to search YOU, to cleanse YOU … it’s only “THEN” that He can use you.
“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12
Just because the mass public doesn’t know about YOUR sins doesn’t mean that your sins are hidden! The LORD saw your evil thoughts, lust, covetousness, and hatred! God saw you do it! What shall you do?
***We must make sure we are walking in the “true holiness” that is only possible by the mercy of God shown to us through Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:23-25). Please beware of the false holiness that is being taught all around us. True or Feigned Holiness?
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