There is LIFE and Power in the “Precious BLOOD“of Jesus Christ
Beware of all who deny the redemptive, purifying power of the “precious blood“ of Jesus Christ.
Beloved saints of Christ, whatever you do, make it your immediate action and life goal to study all that the Bible, the Word of God says about Christ’s perfect blood sacrifice for the sins of the world.
“Of how much sorer (more severe) punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” Hebrews 10:29
Notice “the blood of the covenant” which refers to Jesus’ statement below. There is no separating of the blood of Jesus and the new covenant and “the remission of sins.”
“For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Matthew 26:28
Those who trodden under their evil feet the very blood of Jesus will be trodden down, stomped and sent to the lake of fire (Revelation 19:11-16)
“Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation(atoning sacrifice)through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.” Romans 3:25
The inheritance we have in Christ, is only via the “redemption through his blood.”
“Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: … And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” Colossians 1:12-14, 20
“’Without shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.’ Without remission of sins there is no life. But by the shedding of His BLOOD He has obtained a new life for us. By what He calls ‘the drinking of His blood’ He shares His life with us. The blood SHED in the Atonement, which frees us from the SIN, the guilt of sin; and from death, the punishment of sin; the blood, which by faith we drink, bestows on us His life.” Andrew Murray The Powerof the Blood of Jesus
“Life is in the blood! -Lev. 17:11 How can they not see this? It can’t get any simpler than Col. 1:14 …in whom we have REDEMPTION through his BLOOD, even the FORGIVENESS of sins.” Jon Crane
Salvation and the blood of Jesus cannot be separated. They are divinely, eternally inseparable.
There is no salvation without Christ’s blood (Matthew 26:28).
There is no redemption without Christ’s blood (Colossians 1:14).
There is no justification without Christ’s blood (Romans 5:9).
There is no escaping judgment without the blood of Jesus (Romans 5:9; Hebrews 2:9)
There is no forgiveness of sin without Christ’s blood (Matthew 26:28; 1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5).
There is no peace with God without “the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20).
There is no righteousness from God granted to fallen man with out the “precious blood“ (Romans 3:25; 1 Peter 1:18:19).
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
Jesus is “the mediator of the new covenant” and this came by way of His “sprinkling” His “precious blood” on the mercy seat in Heaven.
“And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” Hebrews 12:24
Only by Christ’s blood can our sins forgiven.
“And he is the propitiation(atoning sacrifice)for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2
To say that the “precious blood“ of Jesus is integral to the original Gospel, to the redemption plan of God, is an infinite under statement (1 Peter 1:18-19).
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood…”Leviticus 17:11
Adam Clarke on the BLOOD of Christ – the divine life in that “precious blood.”
“Christ not only died for sinners, but our redemption is everywhere attributed to his Blood, and the shedding of that blood; and that on the altar of the cross, this might make an atonement for the lives and souls of men, he not only bowed his head, and gave up the ghost, but his side was opened, the pericardium and the heart evidently pierced, that the vital fluid might be poured out from the very seat of life, and that thus the blood, which is the life, should be poured out to make an atonement for the life of the soul.”
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” Leviticus 17:11
“For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Matthew 26:28
Mankind fell into sin, by sin – separated hopelessly from our Holy God until Jesus reconciled us, re-stored us back to God by dying to expiate (atone) for our sin.
“It is the blood that unites the beginning and the end; that GLORIOUSLY RESTORES WHAT SIN HAD DESTROYED.”― Andrew Murray, The Power of the Blood of Jesus
“And now we also have liberty to enter through the Blood. Sin took away our liberty of approach to God, the Blood perfectly restores to us this liberty.” ― Andrew Murray, The Power of the Blood of Jesus
“That spirit of antichrist” that has control of you seeks to deny, to diminish, to rob Christ, who shed His blood, of His “one Mediator” crown (1 John 4:1-3; 1 Timothy 2:5-6).
“Much more then, being now justified by his blood , we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Romans 5:9-10
If there’s no power in the “precious blood“ of Jesus, why this?
“And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. 14 And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.” Exodus 12:13-14
Christ’s blood speaks in Heaven and will be celebrated “for ever.”
“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,” Revelation 1:5
“I want to show you in the Bible why it is necessary for the blood of Jesus to be shed and why without that blood you couldn’t be saved. You will learn why that blood has saving efficacy. I want you to follow me very carefully as we study together on the subject of the importance of the blood of Christ, and the fact that it does save.” Jack Hyles
More on “the blood thereof” being “the life thereof.”
“But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat.” Genesis 9:4
H.A. Maxwell Whyte on Power of the Blood:
“Though we know it to be true—because He told us, exactly how the sinless blood of redemption was imputed to sinful men is a mystery.
How Jesus transported His precious Blood from Calvary to heaven is not understood by mortal men, but the Scripture shows that He fulfilled the type, and therefore He must have sprinkled His own blood upon the mercy-seat (the throne of God) in heaven.” – H. A. Maxwell Whyte, The Power of the Blood. Springdale, Pa.: Whitaker House, pub, 1973, pg. 64
The false god of Hinduism and Islam had no son, much less the Son of God. The one and only true God sent His only begotten Son. The Son of God came and died for the sins of the world to redeem (buy back) us to the Father from our sins which alienated us (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 1:15; 2:4-6; 3:16; 1 Peter 3:18, etc.). Jesus Christ is King. Blood sacrifice…. Cain vs Abel. False vs true religion. The way of God has from the beginning been a blemish-less blood sacrifice (Genesis 3:15; 4:4; Leviticus 17; Matthew 26:28, etc.).
“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; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” 1 Peter 1:18-19
The claims of the Father’s justice to redeem mankind could only and exclusively have been satisfied by the perfect sacrifice of His only begotten Son (2 Corinthians 5:19). On the sole basis of the perfection of the LORD Jesus, the Lamb of God who shed His blood on that cross for our sins, lies our redemption.
There is power in the blood.
“Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There’s pow’r in the blood, pow’r in the blood;
Would you O’er evil a victory win?
There’s wonderful pow’r in the blood.
Refrain:
There is pow’r, pow’r, wonder-working pow’r
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is pow’r, pow’r, wonder working pow’r
In the precious blood of the Lamb.
Would you be free from your passion and pride?
There’s pow’r in the blood, pow’r in the blood;
Come for cleansing to Calvary’s tide;
There’s wonderful pow’r in the blood.
Would you be whiter, much whiter than snow?
There’s pow’r in the blood, pow’r in the blood;
Sin-stains are lost in its life-giving flow;
There’s a wonderful pow’r in the blood.
Would you do service for Jesus your King?
There’s pow’r in the blood, pow’r in the blood;
Would you live daily His praises to sing?
There’s wonderful pow’r in the blood.”
2 John 9
“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth (continues, remains) not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.”
At the heart of “the doctrine of Christ” is the “precious blood“ He came to shed on that cross without which no sinner could be saved, washed, redeemed, reconciled to God! (1 Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 1:5, etc.) To insinuate that His blood was not the divine agent to redeem fallen mankind is to blasphemously indict the Almighty for sending His only begotten Son in vain. Those who do not uphold the doctrine of the blood of Christ are not saved, are no longer saved. Read 2 John 9 above once again. Get to know this Bible verse very well saints. You are going to need it often in this late hour, as we live in fervent expectancy for the return of our LORD Jesus.
“To not see this truth is to be completely blind. Heb 9:12; Matt. 26:28; amongst the other verses you shared should drive home the importance of Christ’s blood to any true disciple. Let the words of Galatians 1:8-9 be upon these wolves!” Jon Crane
WARNING: There is a growing roving group of antichrists, a veritable brood of vipers (snakes), who are going around perpetrating the lie that “there was nothing special about the blood of Jesus.” Some of them are authors and/or in the ministry with large audiences. The most popular of which is full-blown diabolical Calvinist heretic John MacArthur who blasphemously stated: “The only importance the blood of Jesus has is that it showed He died. There is no saving in that blood itself.”
It’s actually just the opposite: His body was broken so His “precious blood” could be poured out for the redemption of fallen mankind (Colossians 1:14).
John MacArthur’s ministry is a cult following and we know that because they don’t care how many heresies he perpetrates, they still defend and follow him. Sad. “Strong delusion” is upon them for putting any man or doctrine above God and His Word (2 Thessalonians 2:9-12).
A bloodless gospel is “another gospel,” a false, damning gospel, and anyone peddling such is “accursed” (Galatians 1:6-9).
“He says the Blood has no power. He says you can take the mark and go to heaven. Calvinist license to sin. He’s a wolf.” Tom Y.
Matthew 26:28
“For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
Notice: “shed” not spilled. It was intentional, not accidental. In fact, that is exactly why He came – to offer His broken body, His “precious blood” poured out for the sins of the world (Matthew 26:18; Luke 19:10; Romans 5:9; 2 Corinthians 5:19; 1 Peter 1:18-19; Revelation 1:5, etc.).
The Perfect Ultimate Blood Atonement of Jesus Christ
“IT IS THE BLOOD THAT MAKETH AN ATONEMENT FOR THE SOUL.” Leviticus 17:11
“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; 19 But with THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF CHRIST, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” 1 Peter 1:18-19
DID YOU CATCH THAT? – God calls the “blood” of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, “PRECIOUS” and anyone who says otherwise, it a blasphemous heretic and wolf from Hell.
“For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof … for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof …” Leviticus 17:14
“For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the REMISSION of sins.” Matthew 26:28
“Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (atoning sacrifice) through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the REMISSION OF SINS that are past, through the forbearance of God;” Romans 3:25
“Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” Romans 5:9
“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the FORGIVENESS OF SINS:” Colossians 1:14
“And, having made peace through the blood OF HIS CROSS, by him to RECONCILE all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” Colossians 1:20
“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but BY HIS OWN blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal REDEMPTION for us.” Hebrews 9:12
“The hidden value of His blood is the spirit of self-sacrifice, and where the blood really touches the heart, it works out in that heart, a like spirit of self-sacrifice. We learn to give up ourselves and our lives, so as to press into the full power of that new life, which the blood has provided.”― Andrew Murray, The Power of the Blood of Jesus
Jesus alone accomplished perfect redemption, as only He could. “It is finished” means paid in full (John 19:30). He paid for the sins of mankind all by Himself – on that cross, then was buried and raised again “for our justification.” (Romans 4:25)
“When he had BY HIMSELF purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” Hebrews 1:3
In Dialogue with a Man Who Sought to Inform me that there’s no Specialness about Christ’s Blood, the following response was given:
You stated that the only reason the blood is involved in redemption is because Jesus had to lose all His blood before He could die. Yet the truth is just the opposite. Jesus had to die in order to shed His “precious blood“– “It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul” (Leviticus 17:11.)
Redemption Through the Blood of Christ – The Infinitely Superior Blood of Jesus Christ the Lamb of God
Hebrews 9:11-16
“11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offeredhimself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this cause (because He shed His perfect blood) he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
To a Blood Denying Heretic, the Following Reply was Given:
You are dismissing the prophetic Messianic blood sacrifice which was to come, an essential link in the scarlet thread of blood redemption which began in Genesis 3:15 after the fall of man. This all culminated in the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the altar of His cross.
“For the life of the flesh is in the BLOOD: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the BLOOD that maketh an atonement for the soul.” Leviticus 17:11
Believer’s Bible Commentary on Leviticus 17:11:
“The eating of blood was likewise forbidden. The blood was for atonement, not for nourishment. ‘The life of the flesh is in the blood‘ (v. 11). The principle behind atonement is life for life. Since the wages of sin is death, symbolized by the shedding of blood, so ‘without the shedding of blood is no remission.’ Forgiveness does not come because the penalty of sin is excused, but because it is transferred to a sacrifice whose life blood is poured out. Verse 11 is one of the key verses in Leviticus and should be memorized.”
Re-deemed, being bought back by the life blood of GOD results in being liberated. You are seeking to diminish aught from the whole counsel of His Word.
“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; 19 But with the precious BLOOD of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” 1 Peter 1:18-19
“Redeemed”
λυτρόω
lutroō
loo-tro’-o
From G3083; to ransom (literally or figuratively): – redeem.
I want to exhort you to turn away from this course you are on for it is a damning denial of the lifeblood of the Lamb of God.
Adam Clarke writes:
“Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood – This sentence, which contains a most important truth, had existed in the Mosaic writings for 3600 years before the attention of any philosopher was drawn to the subject. This is the more surprising, as the nations in which philosophy flourished were those which especially enjoyed the Divine oracles in their respective languages. That the blood actually possesses a living principle, and that the life of the whole body is derived from it, is a doctrine of Divinerevelation, and a doctrine which the observations and experiments of the most accurate anatomists have served strongly to confirm. The proper circulation of this important fluid through the whole human system was first taught by Solomon in figurative language, Eccl. 12:6; and discovered, as it is called, and demonstrated, by Dr. Harvey in 1628; though some Italian philosophers had the same notion a little before. This accurate anatomist was the first who fully revived the Mosaic notion of the vitalityof the blood; which notion was afterward adopted by the justly celebrated Dr. John Hunter, professor of anatomy in London, and fully established by him by a great variety of strong reasoning and accurate experiments. To support this opinion Dr. Hunter proves: –
1. That the blood unites living parts in some circumstances as certainly as the yet recent juices of the branch of one tree unite with that of another; and he thinks that if either of these fluids were dead matter, they would act as stimuli, and no union would take place in the animal or vegetable kingdom; and he shows that in the nature of things there is not a more intimate connection between life and a solid than between life and a fluid.
2. He shows that the blood becomes vascular, like other living parts of thebody; and he demonstrated this by a preparation in which vessels were clearly seen to arise from what had been a coagulum of blood; for those vessels opened into the stream of the circulating blood, which was in contiguity with this coagulated mass.
3. He proves that if blood be taken from the arm in the most intense cold that the human body can suffer, it will raise the thermometer to the same height as blood taken in the most sultry heat. This is a very powerful argument for the vitality of the blood, as it is well known that living bodies alone have the power of resisting great degrees of heat and cold, and of maintaining in almost every situation while in health that temperature which we distinguish by the name of animal heat.
4. He proves that blood is capable of being acted upon by a stimulus, as it coagulates on exposure to the air, as certainly as the cavities of the abdomen and thorax become inflamed from the same cause. The more the blood is alive, i. e., the more the animal is in health, the sooner the blood coagulates on exposure; and the more it has lost of the living principle, as in cases of violent inflammation, the less sensible it is to the stimulus produced by being exposed, and coagulates more slowly.
5. He proves that the blood preserves life in different parts of the body. When the nerves going to any part are tied or cut, the part becomes paralytic, and loses all power of motion, but it does not mortify. But let the artery be cut, and then the part dies and mortification ensues. It must therefore be the vital principle of the blood that keeps the part alive; nor does it appear that this fact can be accounted for on any other principle.
6. He thinks this vitality farther proved from the case of a person who was brought to St. George’s hospital for a simple fracture of the os humeri, and who died about a month after. As the bones had not united, he injected the arm, and thus found that the coagulated blood which filled the cavity between the extremities of the fractured bones was become vascular, and in some places very much so, which vessels, had it been dead matter, it never could have produced.
This system has been opposed, and arguments have been adduced to prove that the principle of vitality exists not in the blood but in the nervous system. But every argument on this ground appears to be done away by the simple consideration that the whole nervous system, as well as every other part of the body, is originally derived from the blood; for is it not from the blood of the mother that the fetus has its being and nourishment in the womb? Do not all the nerves, as well as the brain, etc., originate from that alone? And if it be not vital can it give the principle ofvitality to something else, which then exclusively (though the effect of a cause) becomes the principle of vitality to all the solids and fluids of the body? This seems absurd. That the human being proceeded originally from the blood admits of no doubt; and it is natural and reasonable to suppose that as it was the cause under God which generated all the other parts of the body, so it still continues to be the principle of life, and by it alone all the wastes of the system are repaired. Two pointsrelative to this subject are strongly asserted in Divine revelation, one by Moses, the other by St. Paul.
1. Moses says, The Life of the flesh is in the Blood, Lev_17:11. This has been proved by the most indisputable facts. 2. St. Paul says, God hath made of One Blood all nations of men, Act_17:26. And this is demonstrated, not only from there being only one pair from whom all the nations of men have been derived, but also from the fact that every human being, from the first-born of Eve to the present hour, has been formed out of and supported by the mother’s blood; and that from the agency of this fluid the human body, after being born intothe world, has its increment and support.
The reason given by God for the law against eating blood is perfectly conclusive: I will set my face against that soul that eateth blood – for the Life (נפש nephesh) of the flesh is in the Blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar, to make an atonement for your souls (נפשתיכם naphshotheychem, your Lives): for it is the blood (because it is the Life, נפש nephesh) that maketh an atonement for the soul (בנפש bannephesh,for the life; for the word is the same in all these cases). By transgression a man forfeits his Life to Divine justice, and he must die, did not mercyprovide him a substitute. The life of a beast is appointed and accepted by God as a substitute for the sinner’s life (in reference to the life of Christ, which was to be given for the life of the world); but as this life is in the Blood, and as the blood is the grand principle of vitality, therefore the blood is to be poured out upon the altar: and thus the life of the beast becomes a substitute for the life of the man.
And it is well worthy of being remarked, that Christ not only died for sinners, but our redemption is everywhere attributed to his Blood, and the shedding of that blood; and that on the altar of the cross, this might make an atonement for the lives and souls of men, he not only bowed his head, and gave up the ghost, but his side was opened, the pericardium and the heart evidently pierced, that the vital fluid might be poured out from the very seat of life, and that thus the blood, which is the life, should be poured out to make an atonement for the life of the soul. The doctrine ofMoses and Paul proves the truth of the doctrine of Harvey and Hunter;and the reasonings and experiments of Harvey and Hunter illustrate and confirm the doctrine of Moses and Paul – Here then is afarther proof of the truth and authority of Divine revelation. See Clarke’s note on Gen_9:4; Dr. J. Corrie’s Essay on the Vitality of the Blood; and the article Blood, in the Encyclopaedias.”
Sister Karen Cochran testifies:
“Apart from the blood of Jesus Christ I was doomed and separated from Him.
Hebrews 9:28 My debt is paid once and for all.
Romans 5:9 I am justified.
Ephesians 1:7 I am forgiven
Romans 5:9 I am spared from the wrath of God
John 6:53 I am spiritually made alive.
Isaiah 53: 5 I am healed
1 John 1:7 I am cleansed.”
Kevin George said:
“A literal ransom and redemption payment results in absurdities if carefully thought through.”
REPLY:
You are an antichrist. God’s Word says that Jesus came and “gave himself a RANSOM for all”
“Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a RANSOM for many.” Matthew 20:28
“For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a RANSOM for many.” Mark 10:45
“Who gave himself a RANSOM (redemption price) for all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Timothy 2:6
To “ransom” would mean to buy back. By His very divine life blood, shed on the altar of His cross, Jesus bought back His own from the sin that separated them from He who is “Holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8).
G487
ἀντίλυτρον
antilutron
an-til’-oo-tron
From G473 and G3083; a redemption price: – ransom.
Total KJV occurrences: 1
“The hidden value of His blood is the spirit of self-sacrifice, and where the blood really touches the heart, it works out in that heart, a like spirit of self-sacrifice. We learn to give up ourselves and our lives, so as to press into the full power of that new life, which the blood. has provided.”― Andrew Murray, The Power of the Blood of Jesus
Blood Conversation with a man who is blasphemously denying the power and life of the Blood of Jesus…..
Notice you don’t speak of being WASHED by the “precious blood“ of Jesus but only “KEPT from sin” …. no man can be kept from sin until he is first washed in the “PRECIOUS BLOOD“ of Christ.
“And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and WASHED US FROM OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BLOOD.” Revelation 1:5
There is no life with God until Jesus remits the sins of the repentant:
“For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” Matthew 26:28
In an ongoing dialogue with a man who is denying that there is life and power in the blood of Jesus Christ, the following response was given:
“WE release”?
First off, what are your thoughts on heretic Charles Finney’s teachings? And that guy all over social media named Jesse? …. I’d like an honest answer to these 2 questions. Seems obvious you have bought an antichrist, an x-out Christ system of heresy.
You said: “This passage (1 Peter 1:18-19) is not about being bought from anyone, it is about being freed from the bondage of sin. To remit (Greek aphesis) is to release. What do we release? We release our bondage to sin when we become loyal to the blood covenant of Christ.”
“WE” don’t release anything until after Jesus finds and saves us. Did you find Jesus or did He find you? See 1 John 4:9-10, 19. Was He lost or were you lost? Read Luke 15. Jesus releases the truly saved child of God from sin and its penalty and power exclusively by His “precious blood“ (Romans 6:14, etc.). Such a declaration that you made is an antichrist statement and nothing less. You are not upholding Christ but rather seem to be denigrating Him and enthroning sinful man (Colossians 2:18-19).
Here’s the danger you are in:
“Of how much sorer (more severe) punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” Hebrews 10:29
Peter writes: “ye were not redeemed … But with the precious blood of Christ.” … and it’s only by the divine redeeming life blood that anything else can happen as fruit that comes exclusively by the “precious blood of Christ.” A blood-less gospel is “another gospel,” a false and damning gospel.
1 Peter 1:18-23
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; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21 Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.
DIALOGUE WITH A MAN WHO IS DENYING THAT THERE IS POWER OR LIFE IN THE BLOOD OF JESUS
You didn’t “think through” this heretical system of denying Christ and His very and “precious blood“ till you foolishly began reading the writings of a child of Satan. Please be honest and inform me of where you got these ideas, the idea that there is no special power in the blood of Jesus. I am expecting an answer, the name(s) of those you read or listened to who have this injected into your mind.
You give feigned admiration to the life that is in Christ’s “precious blood.”
You wrote:
“The blood of Christ is mighty precious because it is the basis of our covenant with Christ and our loyalty to him. In contrast, if blood is reduced to a mere substance for bartering with God, then it cheapens both the blood and the holiness of God. But I realize that most people have not thought through these implications. ‘Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.’ Deut. 27:25 ‘He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD. Prov. 17:15 ‘Keep yourself far from a false matter; do not kill the innocent and righteous. For I will not justify the wicked.’ Ex. 23:7″
REPLY:
Nothing, even these misused Scriptures does anything to diminish what the LORD informed us of concerning the “precious BLOOD” of Jesus.
You unthinkably stated that: “If blood is reduced to a mere substance for bartering with God, then it cheapens both the blood and the holiness of God.”
So, you have reduced, diminished aught from the very BLOOD of Jesus to just any blood (Deuteronomy 4:2). There it is – “that spirit of antichrist” true disciples are commanded to “beware of” (1 John 4:1-3). This is the only spirit that could possibly be behind this delusion, this attack on Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:18-19). How does exclaiming from SCRIPTURE, from GOD Himself what He has revealed about His “precious blood“ reduce or cheapen anything? You are guilty of what you accuse others of (Romans 2:1-3).
Your system of diabolically corrupting the blood of Christ is pure human and demonic reasoning. You are spreading a “doctrine of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1-2).
PRAYER: God, I want to know You. I come to You now as a sinner, calling upon the LORD Jesus to forgive me, to save me into Your eternal kingdom, to wash all my sins away in Your precious blood. I love You Jesus and thank You for coming to the earth to provide something no one else ever could – Your blood sacrifice on that cross where You died for my sins and the sins of the whole world before You were buried and raised again from the dead 3 days later. I love You LORD Jesus and will follow You from this moment forward and to the end of my life. Thank You for washing me clean of all my sins and of all the guilt, shame, and darkness those sins brought. Thank You for bringing me into Your eternal family by Your precious blood and filling me with Your Holy Spirit. Please use me LORD Jesus. In Jesus’ name, amen.
A Blood-Less Gospel is a False Gospel! “The aprons of fig leaves speak of man’s attempt to save himself by a bloodless religion of good works.” William MacDonald As the first man and woman quickly discovered after they sinned, the fig leaves of good works are not honored of God, will not cover sin from the eyes of He who is “Holy, holy, holy.” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8) Blood sacrifice is essential in divine redemption. “Without shedding of blood is no remission.” Hebrews 9:22 SATAN wants people trusting in water and not the BLOOD of Jesus. Beware. We are saved […]
Made Nigh by the Blood of Christ [podcast]
“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13 By the blood of Jesus, we are made one with the Father, Son, and body of Christ! Ephesians 2, 4 Only Jesus could have satisfied the claims of the Father’s justice to redeem, to forgiven men – and He did just that – when He shed His perfect, precious, sinless blood on Calvary’s cruel cross for our sins. “It is finished” means the price to bring us back to God, to forgive us, is now “paid in full” (John […]
John MacArthur Denies the Blood Atonement of Christ [video]
John MacArthur is being asked to give account for his statement on the blood of Jesus. In this first video, below, notice how John MacArthur doubled down instead of acknowledging his blasphemous error. Seems to me he’s denying the blood while explaining that he’s not denying it …. “The life of the flesh is in the BLOOD.” (Leviticus 17:11) “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the BLOOD that maketh an atonement for the soul.” Leviticus 17:11 […]
DOES THE BIBLE SAY TO PRAY FOR FALSE TEACHERS? The Answer May Surprise You.
DOES THE BIBLE SAY TO PRAY FOR OR DOES IT MANDATE THAT WE EXPOSE FALSE TEACHERS?
No, it’s not a sin to pray for the deceived. Yet, isn’t it time we obeying the command of God and stopped giving aid and comfort to the enemies of the LORD and cease caring for them more than the many they are deceiving?
A DIVINE COMMAND: “Now I beseech you, brethren, MARK THEM which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” Romans 16:17-18
Wolf worshippers are first and foremost self-worshipping counterfeits who could care less how many souls their celebrity wolf is leading to hell. All they care about is the sensual thrill they feel in worshipping their demon-possessed false prophet who tells them what they like to hear!
NEVER apologize for exposing false teachings and false teachers. You do such in obedience to the LORD and it results in the protection of the Great Shepherd’s sheep for whom He died (Matthew 10; Hebrews 13:20).
Did Jesus or His apostles ever pray for a wolf? No.
To the false leaders of his day, Jesus says this:
“Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers (snakes), how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” Matthew 23:33
Do nothing to “bid God speed” to the enemies of the LORD lest you be judged with those enemies of God (2 John 10-11). Bidding God speed means to condone, to support, or in any way to further the cause of the enemies of God, namely human agents who are teaching contrary to the Scripture.
So he’s not calling out the wolves and you still sit under that devil? You want to go to hell with him? (2 John 10-11) Repent and run now! (Matthew 7:15; 24:11; Romans 16:17-18; Jude 3, etc.)
Of the false teachers at Galatia, Paul says he wishes they, the false prophets, were “cut off.” Make not mistake, this is violent language.
“I would they were even cut off which trouble you.” Galatians 5:12
To “cut off” means to castrate, to mutilate, to amputate and so Paul is either saying that his God fearing desire is for false teachers to be castrated or taken out completely. There’s no getting around this appropriately violent language. It’s fitting for this situation because the eternal souls of men, the sheep of Christ’s pasture are at stake.
Many self-deceived people today have more compassion for Satan’s hell bound false leaders than they do for the beloved sheep who are being being misled by those wolves in sheep’s clothing! Repent now.
Beware of misplaced compassion. Compassion without discernment, compassion while ignorant, is dangerous.
The the false prophet Elymas, the apostle says:
“And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?” Acts 13:10
Can anyone find in this Acts 13 text where Christ’s apostle Paul pray for this Elymas, this named false prophet? I’m sorry, perhaps I missed something here.
There seems to be no end to the novices, perhaps well meaning, who argue out of their own ignorance to defend wolves who are devouring Jesus’ sheep. They come off as if they are highly superior in approaching, dealing with wolves with “love” and accuse those who expose as not doing so. Let’s take a look at who’s walking in true love, and who isn’t.
“Open rebuke is better than secret (hidden, concealed) love. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” Proverbs 27:5-6
Hebrew word for “secret” …..
סָתַר
sâthar
saw-thar’
A primitive root; to hide (by covering), literally or figuratively: – be absent, keep close, conceal, hide (self), (keep) secret, X surely.
As you will see below, it seems accurate to observe that we’ve never seen “love” like the love of prey for the wolf that’s tickled their ears and told them what their unrepentant hearts wish to hear (Isaiah 30:9-10; 2 Timothy 4:2-4).
Most wolf protecting enemies of Christ simply don’t know and don’t want to know what God says about this topic. They are under the control of Satan himself, covering for his agents and will be judged with them (2 John 10-11). God doesn’t like cowards (1 Corinthians 16:13; Revelation 21:8). The “fearful” are the first class listed as going to the lake of fire.
Those who defend Jesus’ enemy’s will be judged, damned with them (2 Pet 2:1-3; 2 Jn 10-11).
TYPICAL DEFENSE OF A WOLF BY HIS PREY:
“But wait, he’s led many thousands to the Lord!”
REPLY:
Jesus saves all by Himself, even using wolves at times. That is a front, intentionally taught to you by the wolf to cover, to keep himself from being detected, like sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7:15). After witnessing the “ministry” of this false teacher for years, I highly doubt most of those people truly were saved. He doesn’t even speak of the chasm their sin has caused so how can they truly be convicted and repent? They can’t in most cases. Luke 13:3…. If God truly did save some of them, it was in spite of White, not because of him.
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“I do applaud your zeal for truth! I personally just think it is wise exercising prudence about knowing the hearts of men or women, only God knows. He will separate the wheat from the chaff.”
REPLY:
Jesus commanded us to “KNOW (Gr. discern) by their fruits” and told us that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.” (Matthew 15-16, 20; 12:34) ALL men are known by the fruit of what they teach – either sound or false doctrine (Titus 2:1). Why would the Son of God told us to “KNOW” people by the fruit of their lives if He didn’t want us to discern, to “Judge righteous judgment”? (John 7:24)
God knows all men’s hearts yes and yet GOD commanded us to know people also. How? Jesus says to “know (discern) them BY THEIR FRUITS” and thereby we know that anyone teaching “another gospel” is “accursed” and is the very enemy of Christ and to be “earnestly” contended against and marked, scoped out and identified – so as to protect the body of Christ (Matthew 7:16, 20; Romans 16:17-18; Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Peter 2:1-3; Jude 3-4).
HOW DID JESUS tell us to know/discern others? The FRUIT of their lives (Matt 7:16,20) THE FACT that JESUS told us to “know” (discern) people means He wants us to do so! (Matt 7:16,20) Same chapter as “judge not” v1-5 When Jesus taught us to “judge not” He is speaking in that context of hypocritical judgment and wrongly assigned condemnation. The JUDGE has spoken in a book called THE BIBLE. He’s calling us to pay attention when we read it. His written WORD records for us HIS judgments – the judgments of the Judge. So when a man preaches the Word, he is preaching GOD’s judgments, warnings, and not his own.
MESSAGE TO ME FROM A MAN ATTEMPTING TO CURTAIL THE MARKING OF A KNOWN WOLF:
“Dear Lord Jesus Please show Todd White your Holy Truth. May Todd White find peace and assurance in your wisdom and may he become a light upon a hill guiding others to Christ. Help him to leave behind his old self and ignite in him a desire to unashamedly make known Your Truth and disown and depart from the untruths he has held onto. In Jesus Mighty name we ask, Amen. Matthew chapter 5 verse 44’ 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;”
REPLY:
Can you give chapters and verses where Jesus or His holy apostles specifically prayed for a wolf? Ever read Matthew 23?
Interesting that you seem to hate all those precious many souls Todd White is misleading. Interesting. Why don’t all those precious souls matter to you? If you aren’t defending Todd White, why do you seem to care more for him than those many people he’s misleading?
How intense was Jesus’ apostle Paul about protecting Christ’s flock?
“For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. 28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” Acts 20:27-31
In Matthew 5:38-45 Christ is speaking of not retaliating against OUR enemies. Jesus is speaking of how we are to react to OUR ENEMIES, not HIS enemies in Matt 5:44. HIS enemies in specific are those who are misleading HIS people, the sheep for which HE bled to save on that cross. You are misguided and taking Scripture out of context. What did He mandate that His disciple do?
“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
GOD TOLD YOU TO “MARK THEM” – WOLVES – AND NOT DEFEND THEM! (ROMANS 16:17-18) YOU GOING TO OBEY GOD OR REBEL?
“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” Romans 16:17-18
Todd White is being marked, scoped out (Gr. skopeo) and named, identified as an enemy of Christ, a wolf in sheep’s clothing (Matt 7:15) so His people can be aware and escape being deceived…. no different than warning your children not to go near the street. Danger.
MESSAGE FROM WOLF JUSTIFIER:
“I believe we can still learn from (false) preachers and pastors biblical teaching, but we must test the spirits. Bring what is taught back to the word. Paul Washer, MacArthur, Spurgeon all preachers. Even today’s motivational speakers. I use what the Holy Spirit blessed me with, discernment, knowledge, wisdom.”
REPLY:
Good morning. Yes and yet, the LORD mandates that we separate ourselves from His enemies who pose as His ministers yet Paul says they are actually the ministers of Satan (2 Cor 11:12-15). Jude 3; Rom 16:17-18 …. we know all men, beginning with ourselves by the fruit…. false doctrine is bad fruit which means the root and tree is cursed. Matt 7:15-21; 12:33
Mat 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.
Paul Washer, MacArthur, Spurgeon are all calvinist heretics. Everything they say, teach is poisoned with this calvinistic system, a doctrine of devils.
The Holy Spirit blessed you with the Word and so why do you need to even listen to known false teachers? Why would you? (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21, etc.)
How would you feel if your own husband communed with a sworn enemy of yours? How does Jesus feel by what you’ve just said?
SETTING THE BIBLICAL RECORD STRAIGHT
Jesus commanded HIS people to “JUDGE righteous judgment” (John 7:24) And, He commanded us to know/discern others “BY THEIR FRUITS” and that’s exactly what we’re doing under the command of KING JESUS (Matthew 7:16, 20). Dare you interfere with HIS work and become His enemy? You are bidding Godspeed to evil doers, satan’s wolves in sheep’s clothing, and you will be judged with those enemies of Christ if you don’t repent (2 John 10-11).
Jesus and each of His apostles on record in the New Testament canon warned the flock of wolves who would devour! There is no instance where they prayed for an enemy of Christ, a wolf who was misleading the flock of God.
Here is the list of the 8 evil doers the great apostle was divinely inspired to justifiably identify by name in 2 Timothy – in order to protect God’s people:
1) Phygellus 1:15
2) Hermogenes 1:15
3) Hymenaeus 2:17
4) Philetus 2:17
5) Jannes 3:8
6) Jambres 3:8
7) Demas 4:10 (apostate)
8) Alexander the coppersmith 4:14
Read the book of 2 Timothy and underline these deceivers that the apostle was marking.
How to Pray Effectively for Your Friends and Family! [podcast]
Someone has wisely stated that “We are never more like Jesus than when we are praying for others.” Which of God’s people are on your prayer list? No greater way to serve another than to lift them up to the Father in the name of Jesus! “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Philippians 2:3-5 […]
"Warn them from Me": The 3 Things Paul did to Protect God's People [podcast]
The 3 Things Paul did to Protect God’s People [podcast] Jesus and His holy apostles often rebuked and exposed false leaders and false doctrine (Matthew 23; Acts 13:10; 20:29-31; Galatians 5:11-12; 2 Timothy 4:2-4; 2 Peter 2; 2 John 7-11; Revelation 2:6, 15, etc.). Therefore we know that part of following Jesus includes doing the same. In fact, the body of Christ is mandated to do just that (Romans 16:17-18; Philippians 1:17; Jude 3-4). PWT = Preach, WARN, Teach “Whom we PREACH, WARNING every man, and TEACHING every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in […]
SATAN'S SEMINARIANS [podcast]
Seminaries are the Invention of Satan WHEN Jesus declared “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you” (John 15:16), …. was Jesus speaking here of men who “earned” and paid big money for a degree, a piece of paper from a “higher learning” institution of mere men? No. Read John 15:1-16 and you will see that Jesus alone can choose, call, prepare, and ordain a […]
Spiritual Formation—A Dangerous Substitute for the Life of Christ [podcast]
Sometimes we think of spiritual formation as formation by the Holy Spirit. Once again. That’s essential. . . . But now I have to say something that may be challenging for you to think about: Spiritual formation is not all by the Holy Spirit. . . . We have to recognize that spiritual formation in us is something that is also done to us by those around us, by ourselves, and by activities which we voluntarily undertake . . .There has to be method.1—Dallas Willard
Aside from the fact that Spiritual Formation incorporates mystical practices into its infrastructure (remove the contemplative aspect and you don’t have “Spiritual Formation” anymore), Spiritual Formation is a works-based substitute for biblical Christianity. Let us explain.
When one becomes born again (“that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9-10), having given his or her life and heart over to Christ as Savior, Jesus Christ says He will come in and live in that surrendered heart:
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:27)
If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:11; emphasis added)
When God, through Jesus Christ, is living in us, He begins to do a transforming work in our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:18). Not only does He change us, He also communes with us. In other words, we have fellowship with Him, and He promises never to leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
This life of God in the believer’s heart is not something we need to conjure up through meditative practices. But if a person does not have this relationship with the Lord, he may seek out ways to feel close to God. This is where Spiritual Formation comes into play. Rather than a surrendered life to Christ (through repentance and faith), the seeking person begins practicing the spiritual disciplines (e.g., prayer, fasting, good works, etc.) with the promise that if he practices these disciplines, he will become more Christ-like.
But merely doing these acts fails to make one feel close to God—something is still missing. And thus, he begins practicing the discipline of silence (or solitude), and now in these altered states of silence, he finally feels connected to God. He now feels complete. What he does not understand is that he has substituted the indwelling of Christ in his heart for a works-based methodology that endangers his spiritual life. Dangerous because these mystical experiences he now engages in appear to be good because they make him feel close to God, but in reality he is being drawn into demonic realms no different than what happens to someone who is practicing transcendental meditation or eastern meditation. Even mystics themselves acknowledge that the contemplative realm is no different than the realm reached by occultists. To understand this more fully, please read Ray Yungen’s book A Time of Departing.
Bottom line, it is not possible to be truly Christ-like without having Christ inside of us because it is His righteousness that is able to change our hearts—we cannot do it without Him. It is His righteousness we need:
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. (Romans 3:22)
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. (Philippians 3:9)
It is interesting to note that virtually every contemplative teacher has a common theme—they feel dry and empty and want to go “deeper” with God or “become more intimate” with God. But if we have Christ living in us, how can we go any deeper than that? How can we become more intimate than that? And if going deeper and becoming intimate were so important, why is it that none of the disciples or Jesus Himself ever told us to do this? As Larry DeBruyn states:
Why are Christians seeking a divine presence that Jesus promised would abundantly flow in them? . . . Why do they need another voice, another visitation, or another vision? Why are some people unthankfully desirous of “something more” than what God has already given to us? Why is it that some Christians, in the depth of their souls, are not seemingly at rest?2
Is There a “Good” Spiritual Formation?
One of the most common arguments we hear defending Spiritual Formation is that there is a “good” Spiritual Formation done without contemplative prayer. To that we say, we have never yet seen a Spiritual Formation program in a school or a church that doesn’t in some way point people to the contemplative mystics. It might be indirectly, but in every case, if you follow the trail, it will lead you right into the arms of Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and other contemplative teachers.
Think about this common scenario: A Christian college decides to begin a Spiritual Formation course. The instructor has heard some negative things about Richard Foster, Henri Nouwen, and Brennan Manning, and he figures he will teach the class “good Spiritual Formation” and leave those teachers completely out. But he’s going to need a textbook. He turns to a respected institution, Dallas Theological Seminary, and finds a book written by Paul Pettit, Professor in Pastoral and Education Ministries. The book is titled Foundations of Spiritual Formation. The instructor who has found this book to use in his own class may never mention Richard Foster or Dallas Willard, but the textbook he is using does. Within the pages of Pettit’s book is Richard Foster, Philip Yancey, N.T. Wright, Dallas Willard, Thomas Aquinas, Lectio Divina, Ayn Rand, Parker Palmer, Eugene Peterson, J.P. Moreland, Klaus Issler, Bruce Demarerst, Jim Burns, Kenneth Boa and Brother Lawrence’s “practicing God’s presence.” You may not have heard of all these names, but they are all associated with the mystical contemplative prayer movement and the emerging church.
Another example of this is Donald Whitney’s book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Whitney is former Associate Professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and currently at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. While his book does not promote contemplative mysticism, he says that Richard Foster has “done much good”3 in the area of Christian spirituality (which we believe is blatantly untrue).
Our point is that even if there is a sincere attempt to teach Spiritual Formation and stay away from the mystical side, we contend that it cannot be successfully accomplished because it will always lead back to the ones who have brought it to the church in the first place.
Spiritual formation is sweeping throughout Christianity today. It’s no wonder when the majority of Christian leaders have either endorsed the movement or given it a silent pass. For instance, in Chuck Swindoll’s book So You Want to Be Like Christ: 8 Essential Disciplines to Get You There, Swindoll favorably quotes Richard Foster and Dallas Willard. Swindoll calls Celebration of Discipline a “meaningful work”4 and Willard’s book The Spirit of the Disciplines “excellent work.”5 In chapter three, ”Silence and Solitude,” Swindoll talks about “digging for secrets . . . that will deepen our intimacy with God.”6 Quoting the contemplative poster-verse Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God,” Swindoll says the verse is a call to the “discipline of silence.”7 As other contemplative proponents have done, he has taken this verse very much out of context.
Roger Oakland sums it up:
The Spiritual Formation movement . . . teaches people that this is how they can become more intimate with God and truly hear His voice. Even Christian leaders with longstanding reputations of teaching God’s word seem to be succumbing. . . .
We are reconciled to God only through his “death” (the atonement for sin), and we are presented “holy and unblameable and unreproveable” when we belong to Him through rebirth. It has nothing to do with works, rituals, or mystical experiences. It is Christ’s life in the converted believer that transforms him.8
“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Romans 5:10
What Christians need is not a method or program or ritual or practice that will supposedly connect them to God. What we need is to be “in Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:30) and Christ in us. And He has promised His Spirit “will guide [us] into all truth” (John 16:13).
“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” 1 Corinthians 1:30
In Colossians 1:9, the apostle Paul tells the saints that he was praying for them that they “might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” He was praying that they would have discernment (“spiritual understanding”). He said that God, the Father, has made us “partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (vs 12) and had “delivered us from the power of darkness [i.e., power of deception]” (vs. 13). But what was the key to having this wisdom and spiritual understanding and being delivered from the power of darkness? Paul tells us in that same chapter. He calls it “the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints” (vs. 26). What is that mystery? Verse 27 says: “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (emphasis added).
For those wanting to get involved with the Spiritual Formation movement (i.e., contemplative, spiritual direction), consider the “direction” you will actually be going.
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel. (Colossians 1:21-23)
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. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2: 8-10)
This article is an extract from the Lighthouse Trails booklet, Is Your Church Doing Spiritual Formation? (Important Reasons Why They Shouldn’t). To order this booklet, click here.
Endnotes:
1. Dallas Willard, “Spiritual Formation: What it is, and How it is Done” (https://dwillard.org/resources/articles/spiritual-formation-what-it-is-and-how-it-is-done).
2. Larry DeBruyn, “God’s Present of His Presence” (https://www.guardinghisflock.org/gods-present-of-his-presence/ ).
3. Donald Whitney, “Doctrine and Devotion: A Reunion Devoutly to be Desired” (http://web.archive.org/web/20080828052145/http://biblicalspirituality.org/devotion.html).
4. Chuck Swindoll, So You Want to Be Like Christ: 8 Essential Disciplines to Get You There (Nashville, TN:W Publishing Group, a div. of Thomas Nelson, 2005), p. 15.
5. Ibid., p. 13.
6. Ibid., p. 55.
7. Ibid.
8. Roger Oakland, Faith Undone (Eureka, MT: Lighthouse Trails Publishing, 2007), pp. 91-92.
This has been an extract from our booklet Is Your Church Doing Spiritual Formation? (Important Reasons Why It Shouldn’t). To order this booklet, click here.
The Dangers of Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Disciplines
The Dangers of Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Disciplines A Critique of Dallas Willard and The Spirit of the Disciplines by Bob DeWaayPractices called “spiritual disciplines” that are deemed necessary for “spiritual formation” have entered evangelicalism. Recent encounters with this teaching narrated to me by friends caused me to investigate these practices. The first experience involved my friend and co-worker Ryan Habbena who went back to seminary to finish his masters degree. Here is his experience in his own words: I recently took a seminary course on the book of Luke. It was a summer intensive and was one of only […]
SHOCKING List of Spiritual Formation Ministries
More Catholic Witchcraft Infiltrating the Apostate Seminaries, Ministries, and Churches “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” 1 Timothy 4:1-2 WHAT is spiritual formation / contemplative prayer or centering prayer? Spiritual formation/contemplative prayer/spirituality is just another self-centered, Christ-denying, self-righteous, works-based, occultic, pagan lie from hell! Seminaries teach it and now many churches today are practicing new age witchcraft called contemplative prayer, or centering Prayer which is part of spiritual formation. […]
“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” Ephesians 1:4
Holiness comes by the Savior in self denial (death and burial – the cross), not by self will or effort. Surrender is the cross – “NOT my will but thine be done” (Lk. 22:42) and “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). We surrender to Christ by saying “Not my will but thine be done” dear Lord, by Your grace and the deliberate act of my own will I submit to the cross, the crucified life – where You alone reign supreme in this vessel (Luke 22:42; Galatians 2:20, etc.). I love You LORD Jesus! You must increase but I must decrease! (John 3:30)
Holiness, not happiness, is the divine command, the chief purpose and end of Christ’s salvation.
Of holiness, one disciple writes:
“Holiness speaks more to nature than it does conduct. Good conduct is the spontaneous byproduct of the new nature of the new creation man thru the cross and death to the old nature. We are new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-18). To preach holiness as conduct without the new nature thru the cross understanding is legalism. Holiness is actually derived from ‘wholeness’ meaning the thorough transformation of the whole tripartite man (1 Thess 5:23). So many of these ‘holiness’ preachers are preaching nothing but conduct under law. Law arouses sinful passions and causes sin to increase and was given in order to provoke transgressions (Rom 7:5; 5:20; Gal 3:21). They are enemies of the cross!”
Holiness comes by way of the cross, not by way of the flesh. Just as sin was conquered by the cross of Christ, so sin in the life of the saint is conquered by the daily cross – the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3, etc.). It’s time to stop trying harder and to simply die deeper.
NOTICE: When a believer or group of believers backslides, they no longer separate from the transgressors who are unrepentant:
Fornication Defiles
“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have (Gr. possessed and wouldn’t repent) his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:1-2
The Glorious Church Jesus is Returning for [video]
WHAT church/people is Jesus returning for? “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-27 “a glorious church” “not having spot (no sin)“ No “wrinkle” “or any such thing” “but that it should be holy and without blemish” WHAT’s the use of talking about end times […]
Can a True Believer Overcome All Sin? [podcast]
Yes. In the church world, there’s an abundance of talk about sin and it comes with the notion, the inflection, the false assumption that somehow, born again believers are relegated to sinning, as if there’s no other choice. Is that true? Is this the biblical perspective? What I want us to do is make sure we are looking at the whole of Scripture and be blessed to gain a godly confidence that our Savior provided a perfect salvation that includes more than just the initial washing away of our sins. This “great grace” that He provided in His “so […]
The Truth about Holiness [podcast]
“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” Exodus 15:11 As we just read, divine “holiness” is “glorious.” Holiness is not what most of us think it is. Holiness in the divine economy is something of great “beauty” and utterly refreshing (Psalms 96:9). It seems that holiness is not merely a divine attribute but rather the divine nature of the Almighty. Are we ready to allow our LORD, who alone is “Holy, holy, holy,” to define what holiness truly is and how He brings it […]
