Articles

“You Preach this Gospel JUST LIKE it’s written Young Man, You Understand Me!”

Paula White Exposed [video]

THAT’s My King! Pastor Lockridge [video]

Powerful Prayers from Children-This Will Shake You [video]

The Fear of the LORD is to Hate Evil: Pride, and Arrogancy #shorts [video]

Grounded in the Truth

Looking piercingly into my eyes, as if he was seeing right through me, staring a hole through my heart, this God-fearing man, possessed with holy conviction, sternly declared…..

“You preach this Gospel JUST LIKE it’s written young man, you understand me!”

This word went through me like a lightening bolt from Heaven… further instilling in me the fear of God. As a young man, newly saved, I was blessed to be charged just as Paul charged Timothy to preach only God’s Word (2 Timothy 4:1-4).

The world has never more needed men like this man who boldly charged me to preach the Word – just like it’s written.

ANYONE else ever had a man like this bless your life? Like Paul charged Timothy to “Preach the Word”, this man charged me! He lit me up.

If you aren’t engrossed in God’s Word today, you aren’t being prepared to be mightily used of God.

The last thing the world needs is another coward “minister” of death who refuses to preach repentance and hell, the holiness of God, the judgment of God, the cross, and the return of Christ! If he doesn’t use the King James Bible, he’s in darkness. Get a clue.

IF YOU DARE speak for God, it must of necessity be the WORD of God – letting God speak for Himself by speaking Scripture! Otherwise, you will be a false teacher, misrepresenting Him.

Memorize: Psalms 19:7; Romans 1:16; 2 Timothy 4:2; 1 Peter 4:11 and Isaiah 8:20.

ATTEMPTING to talk someone into getting saved will NEVER work. Let’s cease such and let God speak for Himself saints.

“Lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5

God’s Word is divine and eternal and converts sinners to Himself. Our own futile explanation is no patch on the words of Holy Scripture!

Divine truth is eternal, just like the One who spoke it. God’s Word “liveth and abideth for ever.”

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:23

This is YOUR hour to seek God and ask Him to use you! (Acts 1:8)

We can win the argument and lose the soul if we don’t wisely, lovingly speak the Word of God into the hearing of the precious eternal souls we encounter. “HOW shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14) Yes we do this in God’s love and yet we do it in obedience to the LORD who commands His people to “Preach the word.” (Ephesians 4:15; 2 Timothy 4:2).

“He that SPEAKETH truth (as opposed to hiding, withholding it) sheweth forth righteousness: but a false witness deceit.” Proverbs 12:17

Some who espouse a false love foolishly believe that loving others means hiding, withholding the truth from them. Yet the Bible informs us that such withholding of the words of God comes from a cowardly “enemy” who is “deceitful.”

“Open rebuke is better than secret love. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” Proverbs 27:5-6

Jesus says “Love your enemies” and by His life at times we know that the best way to “love” is to openly, harshly rebuke them. Compare Matthew 5:44 with Matthew 23.

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; … 15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” Matthew 5:44; 23:15

To withhold truth is devilish hatred!

Dear pastor, minister: IF you aren’t quoting and reading Holy Scripture (King James Bible) to your audience you have NO BUSINESS – NONE, ZERO – play acting like you’re ministering! Period! Repent and step down now until you are so full of God and His Word that’s ALL that flows from your life and lips! (2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Peter 4:11)

“No one ever went to hell for hearing the truth. For rejecting the truth, yes. For hearing the truth, never!” Phil Butler

Jesus sent no one to seminary – and NEVER will! Repent, learn the Word and walk in the Holy Ghost! THAT’s the divine prescription!

As is seen in the lives of the prophets and holy apostles of Jesus, authentic men of God are known in that they have no mercy on false doctrine. Rather, they plundered, dismantled and destroyed it with divine truth (Acts 17; Book of Galatians; 2 Corinthians 10:3-6, etc.). No, rather true men of God are men of holy conviction and “earnestly contend” against falsehoods! (Jude 3)

The true disciple has deep conviction. His conscience is captive to the Word of God which is the final authority of His life and therefore ministering. He says with Paul “Let God be true and every man a liar”! (Romans 3:4) The authentic disciple will be castigated by persecutors. He will be told that has a religious spirit, is judgmental, and is a legalist. Jesus says to “Rejoice.” (Matthew 5:10-12)

YOU can only be turned over to a “strong delusion” by God if you do not choose to love and devour and obey His truth! (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12) And you will be if you are not “valiant for the truth.” (Jeremiah 9:3)

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude 3-4

ANY minister or ministry that is not constantly calling you to repentance, to humble yourself, to lay down your life in this world, to live the crucified life, is misrepresenting Christ and is false. Run!

Men who are known of the LORD “HATE every false way.”

“Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.” Psalms 119:104

“Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.” Psalms 119:128

Those who preach anything except the original Gospel given us in the Word of God, are “accursed.”

“I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-9

Fake Ministries are Everywhere: WHEN you hear people in “ministry” continue to hem haw and use words such as “I think,” etc., you should lose interest real quick. You know they are not in the Word and so you know it’s a fake ministry and they have no business pretending to do “ministry” for Jesus. “Preach the WORD.” (2 Timothy 4:2) We all have a Bible and so there’s no excuse and real kingdom ministry is simply putting forth God’s Word. Peter wrote: “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles (written Word) of God;…Amen.” (1 Peter 4:11). God’s Word is the recording of the very “thoughts of HIS heart” and He’s not confused, amen? (Psalms 33:11; 1 Corinthians 14:33) Yet, the vast majority of “ministry” that goes on today is a lame, laughable excuse for kingdom ministry!

Un-repentant, sin-justifying compromisers want to act like we don’t have a Bible – to deny that God, the Judge, has spoken. So these children of Satan attempt to shut down the messengers of truth! Steam roll them with God’s Word and authority saints! SMH What ever we read in the Bible is from the JUDGE and if you don’t believe that, you are “not of God” according to Christ (John 8:47).

ARE YOU diligently and daily devouring, learning, and only preaching the WRITTEN Word of God? If not, cease all your false “ministry.” (2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17; 4:2; 1 Peter 4:10-11, etc.). God has not sent you but you have sent yourself. If you don’t repent you perish as a false prophet (2 Peter 2:1-3).

Hence the following WARNING:

“They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word.” Ezekiel 13:6

“Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.” Jeremiah 14:14

Speaking of earnestly, contending against the many false teachers today who add to, take from, twist, and preach anything except the Holy Scriptures …. Wolves patty cake with you because they want your money and could care less about your eternal soul (Isaiah 30:9-10; 2 Timothy:2-4; 2 Peter 2:1-3).

3 Strikes and You’re Out!

Recently, a local pastor quoted from and endorsed 3 heretical extra-biblical authors/books. First he quoted from and endeared his audience to a psychology based book and he was confronted about it. Then, a month later, with total disregard to truth and the warning the LORD gave him, he quoted 2 obvious heretics in one message. This showed that he is in darkness, refusing to repent:

The 5 Love Languages (psychobabble)
Norman Vincent Peale (Christ-denying heretic)
Mother Teresa (antichrist, works-based heretic who openly admitted she didn’t know the LORD – and spent her earthly life championing the cause of a false religion/cult)

Regrettably, so far, this “pastor” has refused to repent for selling out Christ for His very enemies. The man “bid Godspeed” to heretics and if he doesn’t repent, will perish with them (2 John 7-11; 2 Chronicles 19:2; 2 Peter 2:1-3, etc.). Those who in any way endorse an enemy of Christ will be going to the same hell as they are guaranteed (2 John 10-11).

YOU have no ministry other than to lay down your life – to be dead and buried – and only then will jesus raise you up and use you! Jesus will only conduct His ministry through obedient, crucified vessels! (2 Corinthians 4:10-12)

In other words, instead of pointing people to the unmatched books of the canon of Holy Writ – Genesis, Colossians, Ephesians, John, Matthew, Revelation, etc., (which he never does), this “pastor” pointed them to the rebellion of mere sinful men – to their failed human methods in books that are based on the antichrist rebellion of self-love.

“Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.” Jeremiah 7:8

“Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.” Jeremiah 17:5

Make no mistake: ANY man who is teaching ANY thing except the Holy Scriptures is “accursed” and the very enemy of Christ – hell bound sure as you are breathing this moment (Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Peter 2:1-3, etc.). Nothing could be clearer from Scripture.

The refusal to simply teach the Word of God and get others into it is evidence, the fruit of evil-hearted men – wolves in sheep’s clothing – who refuse to truly turn their own lives over to the LORD in repentance, and how they remain in darkness as they look elsewhere – outside of God’s Word. Were we not warned?

“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

EVERY DIVINE Fix is in the 66!

Where are you looking?

Any person pointing people to other sources, especially those which are not Scripture-rich, are false teachers. They are denying Christ – and denying He gave us all we need in His Word. Scripture reveals to us that all spiritual wholeness comes from God’s Word/the Bible, Holy Spirit, and people of God.

The divine solution for all things pertaining to God and our own salvation and wholeness, is given to us in the 66 glorious books of the canon of Holy Scripture, God’s Word, the Bible! “ALL things that pertain unto life and godliness” are contained in the “exceeding great and precious promises” of Holy Scripture (2 Peter 1:3-4).

“According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” 2 Peter 1:3-4

Why Did God Give Us His Word? What 4 divine purposes are given in 2 Timothy 3:16 for the written Word?

“Do you understand me?!”

Forcefully, in the holy fear of God, an older, true man of God deeply infused my bosom with the holy fear of God and mandate to preach only the Holy Scriptures. By now, I’m sure this blessed man God used that day is with the KING. I met this man at a weekend Christian conference in Florida. During our conversation about Jesus, as we sat fellowshipping, this God-fearing man looked over at me and with great, holy sternness and piercing eyes of fire, looking me straight in the eye, declared “You preach this Gospel just like it’s written young man! Do you understand me?!”

Whew! Well, as a young Marine, I knew how to take a commandment! He didn’t have to repeat himself! I knew as sure as I was breathing that the Almighty was speaking to me!

Beware of the flesh-flattering, the sin-coddling devils! Are you one of them?

God is watching you. You are 100% accountable to preach the whole counsel of His Word – regardless of what you think will be the results of the lack thereof. Die to self. Take up the cross. Lay down your life! Repent and preach the gospel or stop feigning to be a follower of Christ (Mark 8:34-38, etc.). Who do you live and preach to please – God or mere sinful men? (Galatians 1:10)

In your ministering, are you accommodating/pleasing God or sinful men? (Galatians 1:10) The answer to this question proves whether or not you are a true or false prophet! (2 Timothy 4:2-4)

Whose Life is God Using You to Shake Up and Bless?

Gentlemen, may God infuse us with His holy boldness to fearlessly preach and plunder the works of darkness in this late hour! (Jude 3; Ephesians 5:11; Proverbs 28:1; Psalms 94:16

Notice the second part of this verse and how those who do not use the sword, the Word, the declared judgments of God to expose, to plunder, to attack the enemies of God will be “cursed.” THIS IS WAR. “FIGHT the good fight.” (1 Timothy 6:12)

“Cursed be he that doeth the work of the LORD deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.” Jeremiah 48:10

ANY man who is afraid to offend you is a compromised moral coward (Galatians 1:10; 4:16).

“Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” Luke 6:26

ANY person who speaks the truth is controversial. Jesus was very controversial. Read the Gospels. Why was Christ controversial? Because some hate the truth and attack the messengers of truth. A very few love the truth and few love Christ who is “the truth” and from which truth proceeds – divinely transmitted and recorded from Genesis to Revelation. If you are not controversial – causing uproars among the unrepentant – you are not speaking the truth and are unlike Christ. The truth is pure and divine. The problem is not the truth but rather the dark, unrepentant hearts it lands on and rebel instead of repenting (John 8:47; 2 Timothy 4:2-4).

When Jesus spoke things happened! When true men of God speak today, things happen. God’s men are set apart in contrast with the epidemic of spineless moral cowards we call “pastors” today.

Darkness and Light will Always Clash and Light Always Wins!

The kingdom of God is a kingdom of conflict – “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” (Matthew 11:12)

WHO did Jesus tell us is “of God” and who is “NOT of God”? Memorize John 8:47 (King James Bible)

“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” John 8:47

Jesus told us exactly who is “of God” and who is “not of God.” Jesus told us that those who shut off God’s Word – who are not eagerly seeking to learn it and live by it, are “not of God.” (John 8:47)

There’s no such thing as a follower of Christ who doesn’t hold God’s written Word as final authority for all manner of life and faith.

“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 3:16-17

The LORD tells us that when a person doesn’t choose to love the truth, He will personally turn them over to “strong delusion” and that’s “after the working of Satan” himself (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12). Here is that all-important Bible passage:

“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

Quality, not Quantity

WHO do we seek to please?

“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.” Galatians 1:10

In our humanity, we tend to judge everything by numbers – the mere number of people who are responding positively, repenting and obeying God. This is unlike the LORD. Jesus preached, desiring all to repent and believe upon Him and yet He also told us that only a “few” would. Jesus is not after everyone because, whether you like it or not, everyone doesn’t want Jesus.

Jesus is not a liar and He told us that His flock is “little.”

“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” Luke 12:32

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and MANY there be which go in thereat: 14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and FEW there be that find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

“Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” John 17:17

NO, we do not seek to be controversial yet we are of Christ who is “the truth” and whose written Word “is truth,” and when we speak it, there will be conflict – dark hearts who do not wish to change, to get right with God, will rebel.

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.” John 3:19-21

Those who truly turn their hearts to the LORD will without exception see His holy face, in His Word. Any person who is not in God’s Word does not love Jesus and is rather rejecting Him for the false, futile god of self.

There are 4 types of soils God’s Word falls on. The condition, the state of heart soil is the choice, the decision of the individual (Luke 8:11-15).

Do You Love the Truth?

Who did Christ tell us is “of the truth”?

“Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” John 18:37

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105

“The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.” Psalms 119:130

God’s Word is Unchanging – and Anyone not Building their Life on it is Doomed to Eternal Damnation

Read Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:19-29.

“For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.” Psalms 119:89

“The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” Isaiah 40:8

“Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” Mark 13:31

The individual who we truly, authentically be Christ’s, will non-negotiably declare from his heart “Let God be true and EVERY man a liar.” (Romans 3:4)

God said it

I believe it

That settles it!

WHEN we lay down our lives, we are truly hid in Christ, we fear NO mere man!

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Colossians 3:3

Receiving and Giving the Truth

ANY ole dead fish can float downstream. It takes a live one to swim upstream. Stand in and speak the truth (2 Timothy 4:2-4).

When God’s Word is in us, God’s Word will flow through us. Here’s a rich passage from Proverbs 22 I believe you are going to fall in love with:

“Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. 18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. 19 That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. 20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, 21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?” Proverbs 22:17-21

When we get into God’s Word, God’s Word gets into us!

God’s Word is Final Authority

God’s written Word “is truth” and without exception, every individual who is truly in Christ, lives by His written Word and final authority for all matters of faith and doctrine (John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Romans 3:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, etc.).

Got saved? You better be continuing in the truth or you will fall away:

“Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, IF IF IF ye continue in my word, THEN are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32

THOSE who put aside the Word of God damn their own soul:

“Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.” Acts 13:46

The Duty of Believers is to Imbue Other Saints with God’s Word – Get Them into it!

“Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” Isaiah 8:16

“If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” 1 Timothy 4:6

“Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” 1 Timothy 4:16

When you see a man who is not getting others into God’s Word and I will show you a fraud who is not in God’s Word himself and is getting people trusting in himself! Is this not what we observe in the modern church world among those men posing as Christ’s representatives?

YOU GOT a King James Bible? Preach that only! Cease all additions and subtractions.

Puddle Jumping and Philippians!

On a short flight, a puddle jump flight, a dear fellow Marine who was an earnest believer, got me into Scripture memory. God richly bless that brother in Christ! This dear brother took up his duty as an “ambassador” for Christ by getting me into God’s Word (2 Corinthians 5:20). Before boarding that brief flight our unit was taking, this blessed minister of Christ lovingly and firming told me that I was going to memorize Philippians 4:13 on that flight, without exception. Man, that first and short memory verse took the whole hour and a half flight to memorize! I read it over and over and over out loud out of the King James Bible until it began taking root in my memory and heart. – “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

Beloved of God, IF GOD is doing a work in you, and you are acquiescing, it cannot and will not be stopped!!! “Abide” in Him! (John 15:1-6)

“Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24

Since that day, by the leading and grace of Jesus, I’ve hand written on index cards and memorized volumes of Scripture from God’s Word.

As I experienced and millions of other believers have discovered, that first verse is the hardest to memorize and then the ensuing verses become easier. It’s kind of like the mind needs the rust or cob webs knocked off.

I want to exhort the reader to always use the real Bible, the King James Bible – which is much easier to memorize and has nothing missing or diminished.

When we are learning and we know God’s Word, the LORD will be able to use us in a much more powerful fashion (2 Timothy 2:21).

Under the bless-ed weight of the true original Gospel, men are convicted, broken, and crushed to repentance! (Matthew 21:44; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 2:4; 2 Corinthians 4:20; James 4:8-10, etc.)

YESSSS JESUS!!!!! Beloved of God, IF GOD is doing a work in you, and you are acquiescing, yielding and abiding, it cannot and will not be stopped!!! “Abide” in Him! (John 15:1-6)

“Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:24

AS you learn the Word and walk in the Spirit – GOD is going to use you!

“Let thine heart RETAIN my words.” Proverbs 4:4

PRAYER: Holy Father in Heaven, I come to You in the name of my LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ. Here and now I ask You to grant my heart Thy holy fear and lead me into the memorization and meditation of Thy truth, just as You prescribed and commanded in Your Word. I love You Jesus and know that I can only get to know You better through Your Holy Spirit and Word You graciously gave us in the Bible. Grant my mind to be photographic in memorizing Your Word. In the name of Jesus Christ, I ask, amen.

Join Us

We saved a place for you to receive our weekly newsletter.

Please wait...

Thank you for signing up!

The Clown Show Many call "Church" [podcast]

Enduring Sound Doctrine Enduring Sound Doctrine Enduring “Sound Doctrine” Reveals that You are following Jesus, you are abiding in Christ, enduring to the end, and therefore you are not falling away… as God’s Word prophetically foretold that many would (Matthew 24:8-13; 1 Timothy 4:1-2, etc.). “Sound doctrine” reveals Christ, the perfect, permanent portrait of God! Does rejecting, neglecting to learn and know God’s Word bring blessings or cursings on our individual lives? “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 […]

Teach the Bible [podcast]

JESUS IS COMING AND THE TRUE BODY OF CHRIST IS “HOLDING FORTH (BOLDLY DECLARING) THE WORD OF LIFE” “Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.” Philippians 2:16 WHEN you speak God’s Word, you are speaking divine authority. “These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.” Titus 2:15 “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all […]

Message to those Called to Ministry [podcast]

Key and Primary Reason for Man’s Creation Are you teaching this? “And this is life eternal (the chief purpose), that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3 The ultimate, the primary reason God created us, you, is to know Him. Christ’s apostle Paul declared: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.” Philippians 3:10 As it has always been, the LORD has ordained that we enjoy a personal relationship with Him. All of our worship […]

Preach the Word [podcast]

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 The man who is truly faithful to God will search out, diligently study, devour, and learn the words of God and be used of Him to communicate them to others. “So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” Nehemiah 8:8 They read the Word itself. They gave the sense to help the people understand it. Phillip was able to give […]

Articles

The Truth about Tradition and Church Membership [podcast]

Is Church Membership Biblical?

Godly and Ungodly Tradition and True and False Church Membership

YOU KNOW you are in a fake church when they have “membership classes” to get you to join yet spend little or no time preaching the Word on the necessity of repentance, forsaking your life in this world, denying self, taking up the cross, and following Jesus daily! Run!

Membership means money to them!

They have a busine$$ plan.

“Prove (test) all things; hold fast (keep and do) that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21

Of the 13 times we find the word “tradition(s)” in Scripture, only twice is it used positively. The other 11 times it is used negatively because men put their foolish traditions above Christ.

History of Church Membership: The history of church membership in Protestant and Evangelical churches begins with the Catholic Church, which implements its discipline over all the baptized (christened, water sprinkled), through a tradition-based sacramental system, governing the lives of their captors from cradle to grave. Essentially, in this way the Roman cult corrals and coerces the insistence of membership upon every initiated, water-sprinkled/christened catholic child. Without that cult-initiation rite, that membership to the Roman religion, that person is considered outside of salvation, outside of the “one true church.” Through church membership in the Catholic church, the completely un-biblical sacramental system is enforced. The Catholic sacramental system is the creation, the strategy of devils, designed to strengthen the piety of the Catholic faithful throughout their lives, guiding them safely into the bowels of eternal damnation. Jesus died and rose again that He alone might have preeminence over His true worldwide body. Church membership to a local church or church organization is perpetrated by cross-less wolves and is a direct affront to the Headship of the one, nail-scarred Savior (Colossians 1:18; 2:18-19, etc.).

The vast majority of so-called pastors today are more interested in getting you to join their church club, to become a member of their church, than they are about truly feeding the flock of God with the whole counsel of Scripture, equipping you for ministry, and winning souls to Jesus (John 21:15-17; Acts 20:20-32; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 5:1-6, etc.). Prove it wrong.

Church membership today is nothing more than a device of wolves to corral and exploit the people! There’s no biblical justification for it.

Church membership is a tool to run a scam on the people – to number them as Satan led David to do (1 Chronicles 21). The LORD judged David for doing this and is judging the wolves today who coercively promulgate their church membership scam. God’s people belong to HIM and no other (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 7:23, etc.).

Church membership is for nobody’s good except those peddling it. Church membership is designed to make you loyal to their church club, not Christ.

APPLE CARTS FLYING: THE TRADITION AND DECEPTION OF CHURCH MEMBERSHIP: BEWARE!

Can anyone find church membership in God’s Word among the earliest followers of Jesus? No. If someone is concerned about you becoming a member of their church, that’s a red flag. Make no mistake: They are corralling you in order to control you. Think about it: WHY can’t they just love you as a member of the one blood bought body of Christ? (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4) Church membership as it’s done by the 501(C)(3) government churches is against Holy Scripture and is a device of evil men, wolves. Run.

Beware of the agenda saints. Church membership is a corralling of God’s people for the self-serving purposes of hirelings.

“Church membership” as it’s carried out in the modern church world, quenches the Holy Spirit in my opinion. It ruins the organic, spontaneous, pure fellowship true believers enjoy due to being in Christ. Church membership seems to be a learned device to coral believers in order to exploit them. Think about it: Seminarian pastors are taught this scheme to build their church busine$$.

Denominations or church organizations reinforce this to secure people and funds. It’s a business model. No such thing as church membership in the Bible except that membership Christ alone procured by His own blood. ALL of His saints’ names are written in Heaven (Luke 10:20). Jesus says that this is what we rejoice in!

“Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:20

We are Christ’s kingdom disciples. We belong to HIM.

“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” 1 Corinthians 7:23

Local level “church membership” diverts the heart affections of those corralled by hireling wolves! Beware.

Only Abiding in the Truth Protects

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield (protection) 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

Is church membership not adding to God’s Word?

God gave us His written Word so that we can be safeguarded from being misled. As we will see in a moment, the traditions of men have and will continue to lead many astray and into eternal damnation. Tradition is passed along from one religious, truth-despising generation to the next. Concerning rightly dividing the truth of God’s Word and how twisting Scripture transpires as a tradition and applies to interpretation of God’s Word, Charles Koller writes:

“There are pitfalls of interpretation into which devout believers may fall, resulting in distortions of the truth. A preacher may borrow an interpretation from a devout Bible scholar, who had previously borrowed it from another equally devout but perhaps misguided Bible scholar. And so the inventions of devout men may unwittingly be passed around as ‘the Word of God.’ Let the Bible speak for itself! What does it actually say? And what does it mean?” Charles W. Koller, How to Preach without Notes, p.65

“Tradition(s)” as it Appears in Scripture:

Matthew 15:2 Why do thy disciples transgress the TRADITION of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.

Matthew 15:3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your TRADITION?

Matthew 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your TRADITION.

Mark 7:3 For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the TRADITION of the elders.

Mark 7:5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the TRADITION of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

Mark 7:8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the TRADITION of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

Mark 7:9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own TRADITION.

Mark 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your TRADITION, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Galatians 1:14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the TRADITIONS of my fathers.

Colossians 2:8 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.

2 Thessalonians 2:15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the TRADITIONS which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.

2 Thessalonians 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the TRADITION which he received of us.

1 Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by TRADITION from your fathers;

Did you notice that in 2 Thessalonians 2:15, Christ’s apostle Paul says we are to “hold the traditions WHICH YE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT, whether by word, or our epistle.” The roman catholic cult deceitfully seeks to justify the use of its myriad of Bible-contradicting traditions using this verse. Yet read the words of this verse and carefully note that Paul taught these “traditions” and so they came from God who sanctioned the apostle to pen Holy Scripture (2 Peter 1:19-21). “Traditions” that glorify God are found in God’s Word, not in the writings of some religion of mere sinful men that diametrically contradicts what we read in Holy Scripture. Also, these “traditions” that we received from Paul are tangibly recorded in an “epistle.” The saints at the city of Thessalonica were receiving this divinely-inspired, written letter or “epistle.” This later became part of Holy Writ for all New Testament Scriptures and one of the books of the New Testament canon. What New Testament disciples “have been taught” is now canonized in the 27 books of the New Testament canon of Holy Scripture and is final authority for the faith and practice of all narrow way believers (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21, etc.).

Testing and Discerning what is True Tradition and What is False

All who cling to their religion and/or religious tradition in lieu of Christ and His Word, are as sure for hell as if they were already there (Mark 7:6-9).

We are warned in Colossians 2:8 to “Beware” of false “tradition” which leads us away from the pure worship of “Christ.”

“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

Many times people in local “churches” are seen or heard saying “That’s just how we do things around here!” Well, if what you do around you stupid “ministry” is not according to God’s Word, it’s time to repent and change it. Now!

Testing the Concept and Practice of Modern Church Membership

No such thing as church membership in the early church. Totally false.

Church membership is a tool of controlling leaders to corral souls for their own self-serving purposes! Beware! (Jeremiah 23; Ezekiel 34; Matthew 23) They discount your place in Christ by telling you that membership is important in the church business they are building to their own glory.

JESUS came to make captives free. SATAN’s agents seek to put you in bondage! (Luke 4:18; John 10:10; Galatians 5:1)

—- MOST “good church members” are lost due to following a pastor and program instead of truly following Christ on HIS terms. See Mark 8:34-38 and Luke 9:23-24 and you will see why Jesus says only a “few” will be in Heaven Matt. 7:13-14. Your pastor is not your judge, God is and so you better please Him according to what He told you in His Word or you will be cast into the lake of fire as a disobedient, idolatrous rebel (Matthew 7:21; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:4; Revelation 21:8, 27; 22:14-15, etc.).

Church membership as we know it today, is a tradition of mere sinful and self-serving men “whose god is their belly.” (Philippians 3:18-19)

“(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.).” Philippians 3:18-19

There is nothing found in Scripture that directly teaches people that they should “join a church.” So, did the Almighty, all-knowing God somehow forget to tell us something we needed to know, OR, has someone added something foreign to the practice of the Christian faith?

The Bible student must conclude that “joining a church” as we know it in this apostate age, is not by divine decree but is rather a tradition of sinful men and therefore a “false way” that we should “hate.” (Psalms 119:104, 128) So, church membership in an earthly organization is not a tradition any disciple of Christ should hold and should stay clear of such in order not to dilute his allegiance to the one and only “Head” of His true body, Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:18; 2:18-19; Ephesians 5:23). This is after the workings of sinful men to secure the allegiance and loyalty of men’s hearts, intercepting the affections of their hearts from the “Head.” Was it not rebellious Absalom who “stole the hearts of the men of Israel”? (2 Samuel 15:6) Is this not the subversive, insidious “spirit of antichrist” at work today to rob God of the glory due to Christ’s holy name alone?

Did Jesus or any disciple in the New Testament Scriptures ever instruct anyone to “join a church” or become a good church member as we know these thing to be today in westernized “Christianity”?

Such a question poses a threat to some pastors who are far too possessive, un-submitted, and un-abandoned to Christ. Though not truly submitted to the LORD, which would mean they trusted Him in all things, many of these same leaders seek for coerce others to submit to them, to join their church, to support them, etc.

Posing such a question as this one on church membership, is an example of testing all things against the counsel of Scripture like good Bereans (Acts 17:11). Testing what is being accepted in a local gathering of saints can shake up a leader who is not truly broken before the LORD. Testing all things helps us rightly divide the word of truth and begin to examine what is truth and what is tradition in the things we do as His body and as individual saints. We must live and oversee only as our LORD has revealed in the divine wisdom of His Word and as He enables and leads – which will always be in accordance with His Word (Psalms 11:105; 2 Timothy 3:15-17, etc.).

Jesus says “follow me” and if one is going to know and follow Him, that person must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Him “daily.” (Matthew 16:24-25; Luke 9:23-24).

Church membership as we know it today in the modern church system, is clearly a tradition of mere men and not a part of true, New Testament Christianity. At this point, many will say: “But brother, the Bible says we are to fellowship!” Yes, true, but remember that church membership is completely unneeded for true Christian fellowship as defined in the New Testament Scriptures (Acts 2:42-47; Colossians 3:16-17, etc.). Yes, the Bible teaches us that Jesus’ true disciples are to fellowship with one another and modern church membership is completely unneeded for such unless you factor in the hirelings who perpetrate such for their own personal purposes. In fact, self-serving ambition is the root of most traditions. The whole church-building centered modern church system is designed to benefit and profit the business-owner or franchisee (the pastor), not the LORD and His people. Christ’s true saints are not lukewarm weekly church members but rather, on fire disciples are fellowship daily and “exhort one another DAILY” and so much the more as His return draws nigh (Acts 2:42-47; Hebrew 3:13; 10:24-25).

You see, if a pastor can get you to sign his roster, he knows he has your allegiance and therefore you money.

Most people claiming to be Christians have this tradition in their minds that they need to find and join a church. Yet, it’s a nearly impossible task to find a body of true believers who are walking in the New Testament definition and revelation of what God calls fellowship where Christ is supreme. 99% of local churches are entertainment centers that offer little or no elements nor the spirit of the early church believers.

The test of true Christian fellowship is whether or not there are the following elements as found in the book of Acts (partial list):

continuing steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine (written Word)
breaking bread together
fellowship
prayer
sharing one to another whatever each member of the body of Christ needs – having all things common
ceasing not to teach and to preach Jesus Christ (Acts 5:42)

You see, when you find – if you ever find – a pastor who tells the people to give among yourselves, having “all things common,” you have found something very rare. Regrettably, the modern church is a business and that CEO pastor who refuses to truly pastor the people, needs to pay a mortgage and many other unnecessary expenses they are wasting. So, in his mind, following Christ has nothing to do with it – making the mortgage and building his church business is what matters to him.

Perhaps we should cease searching for a church and simply be Christ’s church.

The LORD Himself, nor any of His apostles ever hinted of or instructed anyone to “go join a church” or to “become a good church member” and yet this is the order of the day in the apostate modern church world which is piloted or hi-jacked by self-serving hirelings who are farming their communities to build their own local church franchise, competing against other CEO type entrepreneurs. Now grant it, being an entrepreneur is not a sin if done uprightly in the business world and yet, the Church of Jesus Christ is no place to employ entrepreneurial tactics. Christ’s church is not a business. Yet this is the way much of the modern church world is set up. Ecclesiastes 1:9 tells us that “There is no new thing under the sun” and so we know we can peer into history and see the same things happening as we see transpiring today.

“And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.” Matthew 21:13

God’s house or dwelling place in individuals and in groups is to be dedicated to the worship of Him alone and yet, many today are intercepting the worship due only to the LORD and exploiting His people for their own self-serving purposes (Isaiah 56:10-12; Jeremiah 23; Ezekiel 34; Philippians 3:18-19; 2 Peter 2:1-3, etc.).

Setting forth such an idea that subverts the modern tradition of church memberships may be scary to some. To make the case that true New Testament fellowship is what is important and not joining a church, makes some pastors nervous because they are entrenched in following tradition instead of Christ. Perhaps they are threatened by this because they have not fully released themselves and therefore the people to the LORD, acknowledging Him alone as their Maker, God, Redeemer, and “Head.” (Colossians 2:18-19) Today would be the best day to denounce these idolatrous sins and begin to “lean not to thine own understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5-7)

Please don’t read rebellion against God into this – but do read rebellion against man and satan into it please. You can put my name on that! It’s time to sift through and test every notion, philosophy, and practice of today against what we observe in Holy Scripture to be truth and according to the mind of Christ. See Acts 17:11 and Jeremiah 1:10. The erroneous traditions and contradictions to holy truth must FIRST be removed and torn down before a proper foundation can begin to be built. Study and memorize and put into action the divine principle and order of Jeremiah 1:10.

Christ and His redemptive work on that cross is despised by church membership. How? Well, church membership dishonors that Christ bled to make us members of HIS one body or church. Read Ephesians 2; 4; 1 Corinthians 12.

It’s only where Jesus Christ is upheld as the supreme KING, God, Counselor, Truth, Way, and Life that divine virtue flows from Heaven into His people! See Colossians 2:18-19.

Until we first put to the test the very reasons for which we assemble/meet and embrace the priorities set forth in Scripture, our assemblies will be limited at best.

Blindly following or going along with tradition instead of what is taught in God’s Word, always leads to dismal results as we have the pharisees for an example.

We should ask “What is the biblical precedence for ….” and “What saith the Scriptures?”

This doesn’t mean we won’t find things that are biblical, but how can we possibly have a clear heart about things until we do?

“Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.” 2 Samuel 15:6

Traditions of Mere Men are Meant to be Broken – Rooted Out

A reading of the Gospels reveals to us that Jesus often upset the religious bafoons of His day by breaking their foolish, man-centered, Christ-denying traditions. Their foolish traditions trumped divine truth.

“For laying aside the commandment (Word) of God, ye hold the TRADITION of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.” Mark 7:8

Do you know what Jeremiah 1:10 says? This verse gives us extremely valuable and necessary insight into the order and workings of the LORD.

“See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.” Jeremiah 1:10

What is the LORD’s order of working in our hearts?

“to root out”
“to pull down”
“to destroy”
“to throw down”
“to build”
“to plant”

First we should diligently examine why we do what we do. All teachings and practices must be acid tested against Holy Writ (Acts 17:11; 1 John 4:1). Questions to explore:

“What did the early church do” is a very good starting question.
And, “What do we see the apostles and Christ doing”?
“What does the Bible teach?”

Your Prayer: Holy Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, I come to You in the name of Jesus, asking that You would please begin to purge out any notion or philosophy or belief in this life You gave that is not of You – that is not according to the whole counsel of Your written Word. Please make me Your authentic disciple. Root out all from my life that does not glorify You and fill this vessel with the fruits of Your righteousness to bring glory to You and to serve others as unto You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sign up for free email devotional HERE… The Moments with My Master email devotional is sent out for the edification of the body of Christ.