APPLE CARTS FLYING: THE TRADITION AND DECEPTION OF CHURCH MEMBERSHIP [podcast]
Church Membership and Money (below)
Is Church Membership Biblical? (below)
BEWARE! INCESTUOUS
This eye-opening message will give you an increased discernment concerning the operation of modern wolves. All are invited to invite Todd on for a public debate on this topic or any other. email todd: info@safeguardyoursoul.com
EXPLOSIVE EXPOSE’ OF “CHURCHIANITY”
Where does it begin? Where is the inception of the undue control, the intercepting of the LORD’s children by usurping the Headship due only to Christ? Where do the “roaring lion(s)” claws begin to sink into the prey? – Church membership.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” 1 Peter 5:8
“No more membership of man’s fellowship club.
God is the Savior of all men, especially
those who believe. God has ushered in by holy blood fellowship
in the Spirit and there is only one way to enter.
John 14:6” David Taylor, pastor
Never allow anyone to coerce you to believe that your commitment to Christ is equal to your commitment to a local church. Such is heretical nonsense and not seen done in the New Testament. Each and every born again disciple of Christ is a member of the one universal body of Christ, the one Church Jesus has (Ephesians 2, 4; 1 Corinthians 12, etc.).
The churches that coercively perpetrate the “church membership” on their prey push the notion that Christ requires His saints to be a member of some self-appointed local church. The victim is supposed to assume that God is the Author of that local fellowship and that they are conducting themselves in doctrinal truth in the practice of the Christian faith.
Christ only has one Church and membership into it is by Him alone – by being born again, washed in His blood (John 14:6; 1 Corinthians 12; 1 Timothy 2:5, etc.). Those who cast doubt on your “commitment” to Christ when you resist signing up to be their member, are dangerous. Blending making a decision to join some church with commitment to Christ is something no where found in Scripture. In some cases these days, the church membership churches grossly overuse and misuse the word “commitment” and love to use this to guilt trip manipulate people to join their church club. Personally, I prefer and am led to live an organic life in Christ, as His disciple, free from the toxins usually found in today’s church world.
Recently, I left a local church due to the false doctrine. And, guess how many of the several people I had been fellowshipping with stayed in touch? You guessed it – zero. Why? Because being members of the one body of Christ isn’t important in most local churches today. No, the membership of that local church is what matters and such is clear in that they hold no integrity of relationship in Christ’s kingdom. Their allegiance is that that local church organization. Sound cultish? It does to me.
Church membership today is nothing more than the ploy of wolves to corral and exploit the people! There’s no biblical justification for it.
It is my experience and opinion, that an evil spirit is given place to those who submit to “church membership.” And it makes biblical sense that this would be allowed by God – because to sign on a dotted line to be a member of a “church” instead of honoring the truth that the blood of Jesus made you part of the one church, one body of Christ, is to sin, to transgress, to err. Your thoughts welcome here saints.
“They want you to become members so you will be obligated to give to tithe to pay the pastor’s mortgage.” Darrel Moore
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 designed to make you loyal to their church club, not 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.).
Jesus Christ didn’t come and die for you so that you could be somebody’s good church member. Jesus saved you to be His disciple, His ambassador – to follow Him! (2 Corinthians 5:17-20)
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. God’s people belong to HIM and no other (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 7:23, etc.).
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.
Like cattlemen do with their cattle when they corral and brand them, today, local church pastors gather and require their prey to make a horizontal covenant in lieu (in place of) a vertical identity. This they do in order to make you become a member of their church club! Beware. Jesus wants the gatherings of his people cleansed from the hireling wolves who monetize his name and his church!
SACRED COW SLAM!
Church organizations, perpetrating church membership, are throwing their lasso around God’s people! Beware.
Through Christ’s apostle Peter, the Holy Ghost addresses those who will SERVANT-lead the flock of God – “God’s heritage” – and warns us in the process.
“Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” 1 Peter 5:3
Is not church membership an over stepping, a control tactic, a lording it over the very blood-bought heritage, flock of God?
The body of Christ and it’s members are “GOD’s heritage” – paid for with the highest price. ANY man who dares usurp HIS place will be judged both now and eternally.
Is it time to take the hands off “God’s heritage”?
LIKE Jesus, truly God-fearing men today, speak forth with His divine authority, flipping the tables of the modern greed-driven charlatans of the modern church world! (Matthew 7:29)
MAN didn’t die for you and man didn’t call you! GOD did! You are beholden to HIM – only!
What does Jesus’ cleansing of the temple mean to us today?
We are to keep our own hearts purified of wickedness and also the gatherings of His saints to worship Christ in Spirit and in truth.
“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
The above passage clearly reveals that one of the things to be cleansed is the grace-perverting false doctrines of eternal security/OSAS/calvinism. These are peddled by “ungodly men.”
“knowing that I am set for the defence of the gospel.” Philippians 1:17
Is Church Membership Biblical?
Is Paul or Peter or John ever once seen signing people up to be church members of a certain organization in the cities they ministered in? Not once.
We as men can find Scripture to justify nearly anything. This is called “proof texting” where people find verses to “prove” something instead of simply reading the Bible thoroughly and letting it speak for itself. We must ask: Did Christ and His apostles and the early church teach or practice _________?
Extrapolating (lifting) something from Scripture and seeing the apostles actually doing it in the Bible are 2 different things. Obviously seeing Christ’s apostles doing something or teaching something, takes precedence in the highest authority and is what the Bible terms “the apostles doctrine.” (Acts 2:42)
Most people have no clue what’s behind the system of local churches. Trace the Root, the Foundations – Lineage: Satan – Headquarters – Seminaries/seminarians. What goes behind the establishing of these franchises escapes the innocent. These church clubs are set up to corrupt the image of Christ and the pure worship of Him all while claiming to be His representation. This is exactly how “the spirit of antichrist” works – while claiming to represent Jesus Christ they subvert Him, His truth (1 John 2:18).
ATTN: Hireling “pastor’: No one needs your little church organization or you to worship, serve, and obey God! Repent sinner.
Paul told us that there are “many” and not a few who use God’s Word deceitfully, twisting it for their own self-serving purposes.
“For we are not as MANY, which corrupt (twist) the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:17
Men can make the Bible say whatever THEY want it to say in order to manipulate people but that doesn’t make it biblical. It must be directly communicated in God’s Word, expressly taught by “two or three witnesses.” (Deuteronomy 19:15; 2 Corinthians 13:1)
Concerning church membership, the question is: Did or did not the LORD’s apostles, the earliest followers of Jesus, ever sign people up as members of a church, as we do today? Chapters and verses? Church Membership Exposed
Church membership produces church members with no good fruit. Being truly born again and humbly abiding obedient in Christ produces the good fruit that clearly proves one is in truly Christ (John 15).
The church system, including church membership, has produced horrible fruit, counterfeits, backsliders. Fellowship and seeking God is limited to their so-called “church attendance.” Instead of being the church (people of God), they replace it with “going to church” or “service.” It becomes what people trust in. Their “worship” is simply going to church. This is completely un-scriptural. Jesus says “This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” (Matthew 7:6) Modern Church Exposed
The student of Christ, studies God’s Word, and, begins to see that not only are these clubs many call “church” not officially church, they are officially apostate!
Anna L. writes:
“When a person becomes a member of a man-made religious organization… that membership is a FAKE membership to the FAKE body of Christ… and it gives a FAKE appearance of having a relationship with God and a FAKE appearance of holiness!
Also, most churches are 501(c)3 organizations under the government, so the government is their head, NOT God. They have betrayed God and are Judases!”
Organized religion includes these sham local churches which perpetrate a membership which diverts believers from Christ and the purity of knowing Him and loving His body due to their relationship with Him.
FLASH POINT: There is no biblical precedence of church membership in the New Testament canon. There is no teaching or example of church membership the way its perpetrated by modern hirelings. They have their hands all over God’s people. Not one instance. The membership of Christ’s saints is bought with the price of His blood. Their names are written in Heaven! The Great Shepherd of the sheep doesn’t need mere men to feed and organize His people. What modern wolves have developed and done is far outside the scope of His instruction to elders (Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 5:1-6, etc.).
OBSERVATION: Jesus, the prophets, and Christ’s apostles never sought to change or reform the false leaders. They rebuked and exposed them and went about the Father’s kingdom business. Jeremiah 23; Ezekiel 34; Matthew 23; Acts; 2 Peter 2; Jude 1
For the most part, It’s a futile endeavor, a waste of the precious resources of our time and energy.
“Den of Thieves”
To establish His zeal for holiness, at the beginning and at the end of His ministry, Jesus cleared His gatherings of “thieves.” But who are these robbers today? (Matthew 21; John 2) The false leaders who were cheating the people, robbing them, were operating in the system that was handed down to them, a system all truth-seekers then and now will escape (John 8:31-32).
The hireling thieves many call pastor are robbing Christ of the glory due His holy name alone! This is just what false teachers do and He promises them “damnation.”
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” 2 Peter 2:1-3
The perpetrators of this system, the hirelings who make their living using it, functioning within it, insist that you need their system to carry out the instructions of Scripture such as church discipline, making disciples, tithing, etc. But the Bible says no such thing. The only religious systems in the Bible are seen being exposed as false, antichrist. We need CHRIST to obey any and all parts of God’s Word – not man or man’s organizations. Stolen glory (Colossians 2:18-19).
WE are “looking unto JESUS” not mere men. Hebrews 12:1-2
“I am not a member of the church that I worship and serve in because I’ve NEVER had the conviction to join!” Kina King
Enterprising, unrepentant hirelings have systematized and monetized their church operation and thereby corrupted it from God’s plan for His people.
There are many books written by the system hirelings which teach the sheeple how to be good students, pawns of the system.
Hint: Today’s pastors, most of them, are franchise owners. Think about that: If you purchased the rights of a national restaurant franchise in your town, do you realize you’d have to follow their strict guidelines on everything in that operation? When you paid them, you’d be signing a contract to follow their exact pattern and also purchasing all products from them. Now, is this not what goes on behind the scenes with these local churches? Yes, the pastors are following the men who are above them in the hierarchy of that church organization – the franchiser. That’s just how it works. The doctrines they teach, true or untrue, are part of the franchise agreement.
Note: A secular business franchise is simply a proven business system that works. It makes money if done like the parent company prescribes. It’s a busine$$ model. So, the franchisee who bought in, simply operates the system according to franchise guidelines, and a desired result is produced. That’s all well and good for secular business and yet, is not at all the way Christ’s true church is to operate.
The goal of a secular business model is to make the people happy and to keep the people happy – return customers! This is exactly and intentionally why the “eternal security” teaching is at the center of the vast majority of evangelical churches. It’s the golden calf teaching producing mere “form of godliness,” the “at ease in Zion,” the “will not endure sound doctrine,” counterfeits. This “once saved always saved” message that has produced a “lukewarm,” hell bound generation to Satan’s glory (Amos 6:1; 2 Timothy 3:5; Revelation 3:15-16).
What could possibly be the purpose or intention of signing people up for church membership other than leadership’s desire to indoctrinate, control and use them? Am I missing something here? If leadership was truly trusting in God, being among the saints to merely serve them as unto the LORD, why would they be corralling, unduly over-organizing? Do they not honor the fact that each individual believer at their gatherings are already members of the one blood-bought Body of Christ? Isn’t that the only membership that matters? Why do God’s people and their gatherings need to be corporatized? Who seeks to capitalize on the gatherings of God’s people? Is this not the very thing Jesus was furious about when He overthrew the tables of the money changers because they had made His gatherings a “den of thieves”? (Matthew 21; John 2)
“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 (robbers).” Matthew 21:13
“Den” here means cave, hiding place, cavern, den. This also seems to add to the idea of corralling like the sheep of His pasture are being herded, gathered, and exploited for the purposes of hirelings.
God made us and found and saved us to worship Him, for His good pleasure, and not to allow the quenching or hindrance of any kind to that relationship (Exodus 25:8; John 17:3; Revelation 4:11).
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:11
God is calling out the Pharoah’s who’ve used the devices of Egypt, the world, to entrap His people, to “Let my people go.” (Exodus 5-10) Will plagues come upon the hirelings who refuse?
Here below is but one of the LORD’s scathing rebukes to false shepherds and citing how they operate. Read this passage closely and note how the LORD points out and exposes them for using HIS sheep for their own selfish purposes – “Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?”
Ezekiel 34
“And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3 Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. 4 The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. 5 And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. 6 My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. 7 Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 8 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; 9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.”
Remember saints, you were purchased by the very blood of the Son of God – for HIS purpose, not man’s.
“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” 1 Corinthians 7:23
Using the Name of the LORD in Vain
“Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.” Exodus 20:7
The LORD commanded His people never to use His holy name in vain – which means to never use His name for anything except pure worship to Him and never for our own self-serving purposes. Modern church membership is used to “make merchandise” of the people – to make money off of them (2 Peter 2:1-3). In this passage, the context is “false teachers” and “false prophets” and the divine promise for them is “damnation.”
Christ’s saints are to love one another for their common relationship with the Savior and not because they go to a certain so-called “church” building on Sunday mornings. Many modern pastors show “love” to people with dollar signs in their eyes! Beware. This is exactly what the Holy Ghost is pointing out and warning us to beware of in 2 Peter 2:1-3. Motives!
Dear hireling, true disciples don’t need your little church building and organization to richly exist in Christ. Their lives are not dependent upon little ole you. They are saved, sanctified, and upheld by the only “HEAD” of His body – Christ (Colossians 2:18-19). Jesus died for and keeps HIS abiding sheep, not you.
Beware of the agenda saints. Discern. Church membership is a corralling of God’s people for the self-serving purposes of hirelings. It’s a control tactic used by enterprising Nicolaitan pastors.
Notice who it was who was behind David’s sin of numbering Israel:
“And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.” 1 Chronicles 21:1
If you read this chapter (1 Chronicles 21), you will see that God severely judged king David for this sin.
Is the modern practice of pastors in pushing church membership not a type of numbering the people so as to coral and use, exploit the people?
God made all men and despises when mere human leaders usurp the position reserved for the Creator alone and begin to exercise controlling dominion over His people for their own self-serving purposes. Jesus says He hates this when He addresses the Nicolaitan hirelings in Revelation 2.
Stolen Glory
Colossians 2:18-19
The worship of Christ has clearly been intercepted.
Believers are exhorted to become established in CHRIST and to beware of the Nicolaitan leaders who steal the glory of Christ by robbing Him of the glory due to His holy name alone. After all, Jesus Christ alone bled to purchased His church.
“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
False leaders make up virtually the whole visible organized modern church world, Their measures and schemes are all we’ve ever known. They sell us on the false notion that they are need – that individual Christian need THEM to grow and function as Christ’s people. But the Bible says differently.
“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrew 12:1-2
Is church membership not like spiritual incest? Does it not facilitate a type of spiritual in-breeding?
Church members or prospective will hear message after message concerning their membership in that local organization and yet hear little or nothing about the blood of Jesus that makes His true people members of His one body, whose names are written in Heaven.
The supremacy of Christ is what Scripture reveals.
‘God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” Hebrews 1:1-3
Ephesians 2
13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.
19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
Stolen Liberty
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1
“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$$.
The church membership tool is a device, is part of a system of control. It creates an environment of coerced fellowship where the now falsely obligated members feel guilty if they miss a meeting or don’t agree with something being said or done. They are no longer free. Their individuality is stolen. They signed it away unknowingly. Obligation now rules and spontaneity is robbed.
Maintaining ones good standing in the church club requires perpetuating, or ‘keeping the party line’ as Mary Beth articulates:
“If the spirit in you prompts you that something is wrong, and you do or say something contrary to what is ‘accepted’ one is ostracized! Been there done that!!!” Mary Beth
Hirelings love church membership because it procures to them people who won’t question or hold them accountable to the Word of God. They are building their church business and don’t want to be questioned. The glory of God is not their aim. This was never God’s design. Notice how the Berean Christians questioned the apostle Paul.
“And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:10-11
These individual saints were not afraid to test Paul. In fact they were bold and assertive to do so. Also, the apostle didn’t balk at their testing him. In fact, we know it pleased him because he said “Prove (test) all things; hold fast that which is good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) The Holy Ghost also divinely inspired Paul to pen these words:
“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 going to church habit makes people put God aside till Sunday mornings. Following Christ is the crucified life – “daily.” (Luke 9:23-24)
Stolen Allegiance
Church membership classes for new prospective members is designed to indoctrinate the new visitors into that church organizations ways as they explain the plan. The plan is usually not God’s. Very little Scripture is given unless it’s being used to promulgate something they want to perpetrate. Scripture is not being following strictly but rather sprinkled in as coinciding with and confirming what the plan of that church is.
In most local churches in this apostate era, there’s little to no celebration of the only membership that matters – that which is purchased by the blood of Jesus and makes all of His people, worldwide, one body.
Think about when your family gets together: Just as siblings rejoice to be from the same parents, so should individual members of the LORD’s body celebrate as they share in the uniqueness of being children of God, purchased with the highest price ever.
By signing up for church membership, you are signing up to shut up. Your input, biblical or not, is not welcomed. You are never to dare question the pastor(s). The leader(s) are the final authority and anyone who dares question them or their doctrine is scorned, shunned, or removed.
Dear reader: Are you part of a church club or are you a kingdom disciple?
It’s like contract law. When you lay aside your blood bought relationship with Christ to become someone’s church member, you actually sign up for and covenant, agree to obey that church organizations by laws which means you’ve checked your brain at the door and don’t discern or question what’s being taught. Instead, now that you signed up, you have to simply go along with everything taught and done like herded cattle.
Instead of simply teaching what God’s Word teaches about the need for regular fellowship and letting the Holy Spirit work in the hearts of the people, hirelings seduce the people to sign up to be a member of their church business, club. This they do instead of prayerfully teaching the whole of Scripture to foster in individual believers an abiding relationship with Christ. They now patronize that church business. Those who sign the roll to be a member now feel obligated to be faithful to the organization, not Christ and His body. They also agree to the bylaws of that organization, not the Word.
Stolen Purity
The purity of worship has been robbed from the dens of thieves churches of today. This does not include fellowships that are doing things God’s way – keeping Christ first, keeping things organic, simple.
In Matthew 21 and John 2 we read of Jesus flipping the carts of the false leaders who’d made the gatherings of God’s people a den of thieves as they extorted from the people, exploiting them for their own self-serving gain.
Systems in religion have been around for thousands of years. The prophets were called out and quickened of God to expose the false leaders, false systems, and sin of God’s people. Have you read and apprehended the words of the Old Testament Scriptures?
In Matthew 23, we have Jesus on record, lambasting the false priesthood of His day for the evil they perpetrated on the people. In this discourse, we observe Christ referring to the system they used. Here’s an example:
“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 23:15
In the modern churches, the system created and operated by the hirelings has been passed down. That system’s function and purpose is to enable to church business to function, to prosper. Not the kingdom of Christ but rather the church system of mere men. Intruders. Infiltrators.
Of this generational system of deception, Debbie Lord writes:
“We’ve been brainwashed by our ‘church culture’ and so we have the young men who aspire to become ‘pastors’ thinking what they have seen modeled as ‘pastor’ or ‘leader’ is the way to serve God and His church. That is a noble calling and needs to be lived out according to God’s ways — not man’s ways. We all should be immersed in God’s Word, just as the Bereans took on that individual responsibility and didn’t allow any man (or institution) to be their ‘funnel’ for the Truth — but God and His Word alone. Yes, we are to be in fellowship with the saints, but not by ‘quenching the Spirit’ who will guide us into all truth. God’s Word is truth.”
Denominations or church organizations reinforce this business scheme in order to secure people and therefore their 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 into it by hireling wolves! Beware.
Ever notice how this Bible verse is used to preach Sunday morning church? No such content!
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25
Did you see “Sunday morning in an apostate ‘church'” in that verse?
Does church membership not divide the body of Christ?
Father, in the name of my LORD Jesus, please fulfill Your perfect will in my life concerning true fellowship with Your saints. I love You LORD Jesus.
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Abiding
LIE OF THE AGES: From the Garden to Glory [podcast]
Excerpt from the book Lie of the Ages
The First Lie and the Fall of Man
“Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” ~ Genesis 3:1-5
Have you ever wondered what the first lie ever told was? Who told it? Why was it told? What was the result of it? Can the fruit be seen and felt today? Can its effects be traced throughout history and even into the future?
According to the Genesis account, the Garden of Eden was the sanctuary of the Most High, where He communed with the first man and woman He had made in His very own image. The Garden was a sinless, guiltless sanctuary of unimaginable relational bliss between the LORD Almighty and the man and woman. The Garden of Eden was the place of pure truth and love—a place where lies were not even suspected.
Enter Satan.
Enter the lie.
Enter the seduction.
Enter no fear of God.
Enter stolen restraint.
Enter sin.
Enter the fall of man.
Enter alienation from the Creator.
Garden Scene—The First Lie
Do you think this first lie may hold some insight into the work of Satan and his war against God and His treasured people today?
“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die…(Now here’s what the woman said:) But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. (Now here’s what Satan said:) And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.” ~ Genesis 2:16-17; 3:3-4
In the book of origins (Genesis) where every major biblical doctrine is rooted (has its beginning), there can be found the keys and answers to life. Mankind’s Maker, his beginning, his ultimate enemy, temptation, sin, the resulting fall, and the redemption of man are revealed in the first chapters of this all-important first book of the Holy Bible.
Perhaps there could be no greater occupation than for the student of Scripture to undertake, pour over, pray over, and dismantle the first three chapters of the book of Genesis. In this endeavor, he will gain insight into the origins and purpose of creation, pitfalls facing mankind, divine restoration, and the keys to living a victorious life in harmony with his Creator.
Sin entered the human experience through the temptation and fall of the first man (Rom. 5). By this the enemy gained a foothold and has warred with that sole creation made in the image of the Maker Himself. But it is sin that is man’s problem, not circumstance or self-esteem nor any other diagnosis. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (See Jer. 17:9.)
Someone has wisely stated: “The heart of the human problem is the problem of the human heart.”
From the very beginning, Satan has tempted man to believe that breaking the commandment of His Maker was not to be feared or avoided and could not harm him. The temptation for man is if he is going to determine truth on his own terms and how it fits his own lifestyle, or repent and humbly accept and obey what God says.
Cain was a religionist. He refused relationship with the LORD because he chose to do things his own way instead of God’s (Gen. 4:1-7). In his pride, Cain wanted to make up his own rules – he was lawless. Religion is where men have created a god in their own image and follow those teachings which render obedience to that false god. The most deceptive and evil form of religion is that which is close to the truth and uses Bible Scriptures out of context to make up that doctrine which circumvents obedience to the plain truth of God. (See Jesus rebuke the Pharisees in Matt. 23.)
Who are we going to believe and trust? Whose report will you believe? Since the LORD and the devil stated something in direct opposition to each other, we know that one of them is a liar. As He gave the first man and woman the option, so the LORD gives us the choice to trust and obey Him or not to obey Him. Each of us will decide who it is that is going to be a liar in our hearts—the Almighty, or Satan.
God said (Gen. 2:17): “But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof THOU SHALT SURELY DIE.”
Satan said (Gen. 3:4): “And the serpent said unto the woman, YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE.”
The lie of the ages began in the very cradle of creation. The aim of the enemy of all souls was the first man and woman who were uniquely created in the image of the One who made all things. Adam and Eve were the subjects of Satan’s deadly lie—the first lie ever told. Apparently, this cunning enemy understood that if he could cause the man and woman to take things into their own hands and violate the instruction of their Maker, they would be ushered out of His Garden (presence) and forfeit their place with Him.
Mankind’s enemy led him to believe that he could violate the instruction of his holy Maker and still remain within His approval. Like Adam and Eve, it is readily observed that men naturally internalize this philosophy as “I can sin with no fear of consequences.” Is it possible that this lie is still leading men and women to believe that they “shall not surely die” if they live in direct opposition to the LORD?
Concerning this most insidious and destructive lie of the serpent, the Life in the Spirit Study Bible states:
“‘YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE’…The first lie proposed by Satan was a form of antinomianism (lawlessness), denying the judgment of death for sin and apostasy. One of the basic sins of humankind is unbelief in God’s word. It is believing that somehow God does not really mean what He says about salvation, righteousness, sin, judgment, and death. Satan’s most persistent lie is that unrepentant, deliberate sin and rebellion against God will not necessarily bring separation from God and eternal condemnation.”
As he did with the first man and woman, the adversary tells us “Ye shall not surely die” (Gen. 3:4).
Escaping the judgment of a holy God has long been the vain imagination of depraved men, fueled by the enemy of all righteousness who has come “to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (Jn. 10:10).
“Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” ~ Ecclesiastes 8:11
“Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God? he hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.” ~ Psalms 10:13
Question: “Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God?
Answer: “He hath said in his heart, Thou wilt not require it.”
The hearts of those who are not in fellowship with the LORD say “The LORD will not ‘require it’ of me. He will not bring me into accountability for my life in this world. After all, He has not done anything to me for my wrongdoing thus far. I am okay in my sins; God will just overlook them.”
Lucifer’s lure capitalizes on the sinful nature of men, preying upon his desire to be his own god, controlling his own destiny. Somehow, according to this revelation and others, it is within man’s makeup to believe that because his Creator is not presently executing tangible judgment for his sin, he believes that God is not going to judge him at all. So, unregenerate man goes on sinning with reckless abandon, not realizing that that Great and Terrible Day of Judgment lies just ahead.
The first man and woman bought into the first lie that claims there is no consequence for violating the command of the one true God. Such self-deception is no new thing. Since the first man and woman, people have sought to define right and wrong on their own terms instead of simply acknowledging what the LORD says. As the first couple found out, it is a losing endeavor to determine truth by how it fits one’s lifestyle instead of by God’s non-negotiable counsel given us in His Word (Jn. 17:17; Rom. 3:3-4; 2 Tim. 3:16). Defining truth on one’s own terms is buying into the lie of the ages presented to every man by the evil one who “walketh about seeking whom he may devour” (1 Pet. 5:8).
When men seek to redefine truth on their own terms, they unwittingly create a god in their own image—one who accepts them in their sins with no judgment. They then migrate to pastors and teachers who will tickle their itching ears with smooth messages void of the full-counsel revelation of Holy Scripture (Jer. 5:30-31; 2 Tim. 4:2-4).
After Adam and Eve, it was their son Cain who sought to make up his own way to God on his own terms. He failed. To Cain and to all who seek through religion, whether self-styled or organized, the Almighty would ask: “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door” (Gen. 4:7).
The LORD says to Cain “If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?” This simply means “If you will do things the way I prescribed, will I not fully accept you as I did your brother Abel?” Cain hardened his heart and refused to do things God’s way by offering the type of sacrifice God requires. Due to his own choice to rebel against the Most High he became so filled with the enemy that he killed his own brother (Gen. 4).
This is a classic example of how the enemy led this man Cain to believe that he could make up his own rules, violating the holy Creator and still escape His just judgment. Like Cain, millions of faithful religionists today have a mere formula of godliness while denying the power of a truly surrendered life to the one true God who sent His only begotten Son as the only sacrifice for the sins of men (2 Timothy 3:5).
When he was able to successfully persuade the first man to violate the command of the LORD, Satan gained access to authority over the man by the sin of the man (Isaiah 59:1-2; Ephesians 4:27; James 4:7). Jesus re-gained that authority for His highest and prized creation and all those who come into relationship with Him experience the abundant blessings that come along with being saved by His precious blood (Jn. 10:10; Rom. 5:17; 1 Pet. 1:18-19).
“For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)” Romans 5:17
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” ~ John 3:16-17
PRAYER: Father in Heaven, please unite my heart to fear Thy name and keep it from falling prey to this same lie that led to Adam and Eve’s fall. Quicken my heart in the fear of the LORD. Please teach me that there are many harsh consequences for disobeying You, by not doing what You say, by sinning against You. Convict my heart of sin, and I beg You to make my conscience extremely sensitive to Your conviction and leading. Change my heart, O LORD. Grant me a heart of flesh that delights to live in Your presence and do Your perfect will. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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Apostasy
“The Certainty of the Words of Truth” [podcast]
Nicholas, the Apostate Deceiver
Historians say that Nicholas (Acts 6:5), a deacon in the first century church, backslid, and led his followers to believe that living in sin would not affect one’s relationship with Christ. The term Nicolaitans is said to come from those who followed Nicholas. Nico-laitans is a compound Greek word. Nico means “to conquer,” and laitans means “the laity.” Satan used Nicholas to conquer his followers through the lie of lawlessness. The evil spirit of Nicholas lives on today through many lawless leaders who operate in the church world in this late hour.
Nicholas taught free love. He and his followers taught that the deeds of believers could not affect their relationship with God. This is antinomianism, which means lawlessness. The Bible clearly refutes such a lie as we will witness in our walk through the Holy Scriptures.
“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:19
“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Titus 1:16
The Bible states here, that those who “profess that they know God” and yet “deny him…in works,” are “abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”
By this lie of lawlessness, the enemy of souls conquered the people.
“But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans (means “conquer the laity”), which I also hate…So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” Revelation 2:6, 15
Here is some modern terminology for this age-old doctrine:
- Once Saved, Always Saved
- Eternal security (unconditional)
- Calvinism, perseverance of the saints doctrine
In Revelation 2, Jesus Christ tells us that He “hates” two things — “the deeds” and “doctrine of the Nicolaitans.” The Son of God despises the doctrine that teaches that the deeds of men have no effect upon their relationship with Him.
The Scriptures continuously reveal the divine hatred for the acceptance, and even doctrinal authorization, for living in the sins which the LORD tells us violate His holiness, reveal a wicked heart, and will prevent one from entering into the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8, 27).
The word “lasciviousness” appears six times in the Bible and means “lack of restraint (from sinning); license for sin; licentiousness.”
To underscore the utter, divine hatred against this lie of lawlessness, it should be noted that this is the only place in Scripture where Jesus Christ, Himself, states that He hates something.
Though they may vary in packaging, these are all kin to the same lawless “ye shall not surely die” lie, which is the lie of the ages.
“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” Deuteronomy 4:2
“For ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.” Jeremiah 23:36b
“Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word.” Jeremiah 26:2
“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
“Hath God said” ?
Always remember that whenever you have someone casting doubt on God’s Word, words, you are dealing with a person who is under Satan’s control, is a rejecter of the LORD, and therefore His truth, and is a child of the devil. Every time.
Notice what we see Satan doing in the Garden of Eden just before he changed, altered, added one word to God’s words:
“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Genesis 3:1
Then, in verse 4 we read how Satan added just one three-letter word which changed the meaning of what God said and changed world history.
“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:” Genesis 3:4
“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:17
“Thou shalt surely die” from God was then changed by Satan to “Ye shall NOT surely die.”
This is the first time we see what’s known as the “eternal security” lie. It’s also known as “once saved always saved” or “perseverance of the saints” heresy. Any person teaching or believeing this lie has partnered with Satan himself.
Knowing “the certainty of the words of truth”
“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
“that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth” – and how can we “know the certainty of the words of truth” if we aren’t even reading them – if we are not reading the preserved Word of God but rather a cheap counterfeit?
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Apostasy
8 Classes of Sinners Guaranteed to Spend Eternity in the Lake of Fire [podcast]
8 Classes of Sinners Guaranteed to Spend Eternity in Hell
“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8
“The second death”
[which is the second death] The second death is the lake of fire, or the second separation from God in hell (Rev_2:11; Rev_20:14; Rev_21:8).
Of Revelation 21:8, Adam Clarke writes the following:
Revelation 21:8
But the fearful – Δειλοις· Those who, for fear of losing life or their property, either refused to receive the Christian religion, though convinced of its truth and importance; or, having received it, in times of persecution fell away, not being willing to risk their lives.
And unbelieving – Those who resist against full evidence. And sinners, και ἁμαρτωλοις, is added here by about thirty excellent MSS., and is found in the Syrian, Arabic, some of the Slavonic, and in Andreas and Arethas. On this evidence Griesbach has admitted it into the text.
The abominable – Εβδελυγμενοις· Those who are polluted with unnatural lust. (sodomites, lesbians Romans 1)
And murderers – Φονευσι· Those who take away the life of man for any cause but the murder of another, and those who hate a brother in their heart (.
And whoremongers – Πορνοις· Adulterers, fornicators, whores, prostitutes, and rakes of every description.
Sorcerers – Φαρμακοις· Persons who, by drugs, philtres, fumigations, etc., pretend to produce supernatural effects, chiefly by spiritual agency.
Idolaters – Ειδωλολατραις· Those who offer any kind of worship or religious reverence to any thing but God. All image worshippers are idolaters in every sense of the word.
And all liars – Και πασι τοις ψευδεσι· Every one who speaks contrary to the truth when he knows the truth, and even he who speaks the truth with the intention to deceive; i.e., to persuade a person that a thing is different from what it really is, by telling only a part of the truth, or suppressing some circumstance which would have led the hearer to a different end to the true conclusion. All these shall have their portion, το μερος, their share, what belongs to them, their right, in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. This is the second death, from which there is no recovery.
“21:8 But not all are overcomers. Some are cowardly, afraid to confess Christ; unbelieving, unwilling to trust the sinner’s Savior; sinners, all those who remain in their sins, whether guilty of the gross iniquities listed here or not; abominable, given over to disgusting immorality; murderers, malicious and savage killers; sexually immoral, practicing fornication and other forms of sexual sins; sorcerers, those who traffic with evil spirits; idolaters, insulting God by worshiping images; and all liars, compulsive deceivers. These will be assigned to the lake of fire as their final destiny.” Believer’s Bible Commentary
“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. … 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:10, 14-15
One source notes the following:
“Brimstone and fire” refers to the fiery imagery of divine judgment and eternal punishment found in the Bible. It symbolizes God’s wrath, often describing the fate of sinners in hell, and is a phrase used in religious sermons and literature. “Brimstone,” an old word for sulfur, is a key component of this imagery, evoking a smell and heat associated with inescapable, fiery destruction.
Biblical origins
Old Testament:
The phrase originates in the King James translation of the Old Testament, used to describe God’s destruction of enemies. A key example is the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.
New Testament:
The imagery is used to describe eternal damnation, a common theme in both the Old and New Testaments. In the book of Revelation, for example, it describes those who worship the beast being tormented in a lake of fire and brimstone.
Etymology:
The phrase is a calque of the Biblical Hebrew and Ancient Greek words for “sulfur and fire”.
Geological evidence:
Archaeological and geological evidence of sulfur deposits and charred formations in areas like the Dead Sea region have been noted as consistent with biblical descriptions of fire and sulfur-related events.”
“But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 8:12
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