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Is there a connection between church membership and money?

“Her princes (leaders) in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.” Ezekiel 22:27

There is no evidence in the New Testament of what we see today perpetrated as “church membership.”  Church membership is merely a tool in the arsenal of modern pastors to capture the souls and the money of those ensnared by it.

“Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.” 2 Corinthians 1:24 

In the above verse, we see how Jesus’ apostle Paul expressly states that His calling from God is to help the joy, to bless the saints of Christ and never to control or manipulate them – as we see being done through the wolves who operate the church system today.

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

Corralling people using weekly “services” in a physical building doesn’t make any man a true prophet unto the LORD. The only thing this ascertains is that such a man is a real estate manager who is conducting a business.

Those with an agenda prove they are not “crucified with Christ” and will only use you! Beware. This is 99% of those in ministry today! Run.

Men who are truly serving the LORD do not seek to control or exploit GOD’s people (2 Corinthians 1:24).

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)

Yes God ordained that there be elders in His body to feed and equip His the members of the one church and yet, not as is many times positioned and performed in the modern church world (1 Peter 5:1-6).

CHECK THE FRUIT: What have the local churches with their church membership corralling ever produced other than a bunch of church goers who are part of a church club? Where are the voices for Jesus is the market places? Look at the fruit of today’s modern churches. It is not reconcilable with the authentic New Testament disciples we see on the pages of the New Testament canon. Acts 1:8; 4:29-31, and 8:4 anyone?

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.). They’ve discovered that “membership” into something causes people to believe they belong and therefore they are more willing to pay due$.

THINK: Let’s follow the money for a moment. In many cases, seminaries are connected to church denominations, right? Okay, so this incentivizes those seminaries to teach “church membership” to the future pastors because that sets the flow of money in motion. When the pastors teach, coerce, and obtain church membership, the money follows. Members feel obligated to give and support what they join, signed up for, and are participating in. There are now part of the club. Real simple business plan.

“Listening to your podcast about church membership. Really good message and I have left my church membership as I think it’s not biblical. The reason I went to this was because I was lonely and it was all for the wrong reasons. I find churches today are like a social club and lack of teaching. Thank you Todd and God bless you.” Penny

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. WHY can’t they just love you as a member of the one blood bought body of Christ? Church membership as it’s done by the 501(C)(3) government churches is against Holy Scripture. Run.

These church membership beguilers know that if they get the member$, the money follows! It’s a busine$$ to them!

CHURCH MEMBERSHIP SCAM BUSTED! Regrettably, millions have signed up to serve and fund a “church”, a false ministry which has as its initiation rite, the scam of “church membership” – something never taught nor enacted by Christ and His apostles. Once you agree to it, an evil spirit follows. This is the deeds and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which Jesus says He hated! (Revelation 2:6, 15) Nico-Lains; Nico means to conquer and laitans means the people. Nicolaitans means – conquer the people. Beware. Anyone who wishes to debate me on this topic public, come forward. email Todd at:  info@safeguardyoursoul.com

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

THINK: Let’s follow the money for a moment. In many cases, seminaries are connected to church denominations, right? Okay, so this incentivizes those seminaries to teach “church membership” to the future pastors because that sets the flow of money in motion. When the pastors teach, coerce, and obtain church membership, the money follows. Real simpe business plan.

“They want you to become members so you will be obligated to give to tithe to pay the pastor’s mortgage.” Darrel Moore

Many of today’s pastors are con men, marketers, salesmen. Seminaries today are heavy on marketing classes. These greed-driven nicolatain wolves use flattery to set the trap, to spread a net under the feet of their prey in order to snare them. They flatter their prey in order to get them to sign up for their church club where they are expected to participate by giving to fund the club.

“A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.” Proverbs 29:5

If you’ve seen what I’ve repeatedly witnessed, you have observed in some instances, that after the honeymoon period, after they’ve gotten you to sign up for their club, to become a member, the flattery subsides, unless they are dealing with the rich of this world.

The church system, including church membership, has produced horrible fruit, counterfeits, backsliders. Where are the soul winners? No where to be found in the modern church. Satan has succeeded through our rebellion. 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

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).

“Church” attendance was never ordained by God to displace, to replace the personal study of His Word and the natural, daily, organic fellowship of individual saints. Church membership endears the people, the prey, to the organization and it’s leaders and members and not to the LORD Himself. This has displaced the individual priesthood and fellowship God ordained for each and every individual believer. Lots of people replace personally diligently seeking the LORD with going to “church.” They either merely dabble with or don’t even personally study God’s Word for themselves and yet are members in good standing at these local entertainment centers many call “church.” The pastors have sold them on this lifestyle by promoting and emphasizing church membership and not discipleship.

“Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.” 1 Peter 5:3

If the members of Christ’s body are “GOD’s heritage”, what can be added? What did Jesus leave undone? Why do some insist upon getting them to sign up for something else, some club? Is this not a clear example of lording it over “God’s heritage”? Perhaps much evil can be traced back to this trap, this cursed root, practice.

You are bought by the blood of Jesus and the property of God, not man! Get off the roll call of church membership now! Sever the yoke of bondage! By doing this you are denouncing trust in the flesh, in mere men, and declaring that you are Christ’s! You belong to He who bought You with His blood on the cross!

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

“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

Do God’s People Need to Join a “Church” in Order to “Love One Another”?

“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35

Have these words of our LORD and Savior been hi-jacked? Recently I read the subtitle of a pro-church membership pastor’s book which read: “How the world knows who represents Jesus.” These words seem designed to convince people that they must join his or a local church organization to walk in God’s love toward His people. Nonsense.

It’s interesting that some of the proponents of formal church membership to their local “church” are now teaching that the world knows God’s people by their connection to what they call “church”, local church membership. Being knowing of Christ, purchased by His precious blood and therefore in His one church isn’t enough so they say. Loving one another doesn’t seem to apply to those who aren’t signed up on their church roll call.

In the above verse, did Jesus say anything the the blood-bought members of His body about signing up to be a member of a local church? Did you read that in John 13:35 or anywhere in the New Testament? No. It’s not there.

In the teaching, the theology of these enterprising wolves, somehow being purchased by the very blood of Jesus is not enough if one doesn’t join a local “church.” They take what Jesus plainly taught a step further by adding to what He taught. Where is church membership as the false church promotes found in John 13:35 or any part of the Scriptures? Nowhere. They say that church membership is required in order to show the world how much love Christians have “one to another.” (John 13:34-35) This is clearly an example of adding to the Word of God (Revelation 22:18-19). Dangerous. Erroneous. Since when was Jesus’ cross not enough to save then unite His people who are full of His love for Him and each other? I’d ask them to use Scripture to demonstrate that Christ’s cross wasn’t enough and how being a part, a formal member of their “church” club is somehow even important, much less necessary. This is trickery being used by greedy, self-serving wolves who are making merchandise of God’s people for their own self-serving purposes (2 Peter 2:1-3). Are these pastors not using the name of the LORD in vain by using His holy name, His holy Word in vain, to coercively manipulate people to believe they have to join their local church?

Fellowship with the people of God is commanded and a necessity for every born again saint. Yet, such doesn’t require being a roll call member of a local church club. There’s no end to the number of ways many pastors manipulate the minds of the people, convincing them that going to their church club is a necessity and that fellowship is defined as being a part of that group. Utter nonsense.

The salesmen we call “pastors” today have to sell you on the notion that you need them. But the Bible informs us that we need 1. Jesus, and, 2. His true body, not those who are practicing the witchcraft of making you a member of their “church” instead of honoring the truth that when God saved you, through the blood of Jesus, He already made you a member of His one true body/church (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 2, 4). 11 times the New Testament uses the term “one body.” And, the apostle Paul severely rebuked the Corinthians for sectarianism – “For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?” (1 Corinthians 1:11-13)

FLASH POINT: You were purchased at the highest price – the very precious blood of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19). You are first and foremost the servant of the Most High, who paid the highest price to purchase you to Himself. You are accountable to Your Maker, Your Redeemer, not mere men who deceitfully pose as His elders and yet act outside of His stated will, His Word. Church membership into a local body, becoming a member, is not of God, period. There is not one instance of Jesus or His apostles practicing church membership into a local church group as is done today.

PLEASE SHARE THIS POST: Church membership in a local gathering is a huge sacred cow that must be exposed for the tyrannical device that it is. It’s Satan whom Jesus says has come “to steal, to kill, and to destroy.” (John 10:10)

Church membership is nothing more or less than a device to control, manipulate, and exploit people.

Modern church leaders claim to be the LORD’s elders and yet they’re doing something Christ and His apostles, the original New Testament elders, never once did – church membership tyranny.

Modern wolves often use Hebrews 13:7, 17 to convince their prey to submit to them. Yet, a close reading of those verses, when you see the conditions, disqualifies most would-be elders as frauds. Why? Because they’re not truly leading you in the Word nor honestly overseeing your soul. If they were, they wouldn’t be practicing church membership to exploit you.

Modern church leaders sell people on how they have to have their membership into the church club in order to give them (the people) the benefits of THEIR leadership, to train them, to oversee them, to teach them. But did Jesus or His apostles practice “church membership”? No. What further price needs to be paid on top of the already shed precious blood of Jesus for God’s people to be His church and to function as His church? Are you beginning to smell a rat? There’s more….

SEEMS to me that God wants His people, first and foremost, to operate as individual disciples of HIS …. read this closely saints….

“For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant. 23 Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. 24 Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God.” 1 Corinthians 7:22-24

WHY can’t they just let you be your own person? WHY do they feel the need to bring you under their leadership? Did the LORD address this in His Word? He sure did. Take a close look at this verse and capture it for your knowledge, safety, and liberty in Christ:

“While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” 2 Peter 2:19

It’s through the lie that they teach you that you need to become a member of their church that they bring you into bondage. This is how they operate. The lie is the bait to get you to take it, to join, and then the hook is set. They throw the net to catch your feet as they set the hook in you to bring you into their boat.

Memorize this, meditate on this nugget of divine truth. The LORD told on His enemies by showing how they operate: of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” 2 Peter 2:19

How are people “overcome”, that is, how are they brought under the rulership of other mere men? How are they brought into servitude to other men? Via church membership, initiation and indoctrination into a system that is not the kingdom and doesn’t come with the blessing of Jesus Christ, the only “Head” of the true church.

Greek for “Overcome” in 2 Peter 2:19:

to make worse, that is, vanquish (literally or figuratively); by implication to rate lower: – be inferior, overcome.

QUESTION: Why do cattle ranchers capture, corral, and brand their cattle?

ANSWER: To exercise control over them. To make money off of them. Right? Yes.

QUESTION: Are you cattle, an animal or are you created in the very image of God? Why then do you allow yourself to be under the bondage of sinful men instead of directly submitted to the only “Head” of the true church?

Wolf Lies Leads to Wasted Lives

Also, have you ever stood back and wondered by the modern church system is not producing true disciples? What is the issue? There’s lots of church-membership, church attendance transpiring. So why so little kingdom fruit is being produced?

Case in point:

How many people do you know who are good church members and also astute biblical students who can earnestly defend and contend for the faith?

Do we really think that what we see, the wasted lives whose life is sucked out via the modern local church experience, is what God intended for His New Testament saints? What God had in mind when He sent His only begotten Son, looks much different than what the apostate modern church world is producing – which is basically perpetual church goers.

ARE you seeking to get people to your “church” or to JESUS?

What is the fruit of your life? Are you merely a church member who attends a so-called church “service” weekly? Are you truly a disciple who is bearing the fruit consistent with true repentance and kingdom living?

Churchianity vs Biblical Christianity-a real walk with Jesus. Which do you have?

Have you read the books of Acts lately? THAT’s God’s will for His New Testament church. It would do us well to studiously read and pour prayerfully over this great book of Acts. Among other things, the book of Acts is a historical record of the earliest followers of Christ after Pentecost which marks the beginning of the New Testament church.

Hint: The only reason someone would want you to sign up as their church member is because they have an agenda. Plain and simple.

Paul said he didn’t exercise dominion over the faith of others. So, why do nearly all local churches today seek to do so by conquering their prey via the right of passage, through church membership into their system? Let’s read again the words of Christ’s apostle Paul who insisted that individual saints be left autonomous:

“Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.” 2 Corinthians 1:24 

It’s through church membership that the people are brought into the system so the wolves can exercise “dominion” over Christ’s sheep. Then it by the system that they exercise dominion over the people. The system is the oppression. This is why the earliest saints operated autonomously – outside of the system. They system we see in the New Testament Scripture were the worse enemies of our LORD and we know that because they received the hardest rebukes from Him (Matthew 23).

The initiation is the obtaining of membership. Then, under that deceiving spirit, people are fearful to go against the system, the church rules and regulations and the leaders. So, they’ve surrendered their rights if you will. They’ve surrendered to the system and dropped their God-given ability and responsibility of reasoning. Remember how the Berean believers took Paul to task as they weighed all he spoke against the final authority of the Scriptures? (Acts 17:10-11) Now, when the captor is under the system, he’s now a yes man, a man who won’t go against the grain and like every good cult, when someone questions the system, they have to be disciplined and excommunicated if necessary.

Further evidence of the cultic nature of this scenario where leaders indoctrinate and put a spell on the people, is that even good men who are biblical are prone to fall into this heresy, to be led into it, and say nothing as they simply go with the flow (Exodus 23:2). This is proof of an evil spirit at work, just as it happened to the Galatians who were “bewitched.” (Galatians 3:1)

“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?” Galatians 3:1 

Modern wolves who perpetrate the practice “church membership”, which is never seen in Holy Scripture, do so because they want you to check your discernment, your God-given reasoning faculties at the door. Why? They want to control you and they don’t want to be questioned or exposed.

Now, WHY do we think they call their meetings a “service”? The Bible never calls the gatherings, the assemblies of God’s people a “service.” WHO are the people really SERVING? Under whose servitude have they submitted? See 2 Peter 2:19.

Did the Early Church Practice Church Membership as it’s Practiced Today?

Nearly anything can be extrapolated using Scripture out of context and yet, the test is whether or not Jesus and His apostles and the early church practiced such. And, they didn’t practice it. Church membership, as we see it in the modern church world, began with the roman catholic church and is not biblical. Also, it causes sectarianism which Jesus rebuked (Luke 9:49-50). Church membership is all about corralling and controlling the sheep of Christ’s pasture.

Let’s not deceive ourselves – most churches, church organizations are a business and operate according to a busine$$ model:

  • Membership = Money
  • Connection = Coin

“Once all the apostles were killed off, this system, including church membership, was set up, denying the headship of Christ.” David Taylor (pastor)

Obtaining new members, church membership, new members classes are a part of the church busine$$ $ystem to corral, control, and con the members and most diabolically, to intercept their reasoning, their resources, and their rightful place with Christ, the only “Head” of His body (Colossians 1:18; 2:18-19).

“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

Most modern local churches are busine$$e$ for the profit of men, not God.

The church membership push is the push perpetrated by greed-driven beguilers to corral, to unduly leverage, to wield ungodly control over God’s people and their resources – time and money. Beware. Run.

Here’s a pitch I ran across on a church website:

“Being a member is your way of saying, ‘I’m all in with the _______ Church Family.’ Membership at _______ Church is a commitment to our family, and a commitment from our family to you.”

Note that the basis, the measure of being “all in” is being sold as joining that local church. And so it’s all about that church family and not the whole body of Christ. It’s about that so-called church “family” instead of the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” (Ephesians 3:15)

The assembling of God’s people is to be for fellowshipping with God and His people (Acts 2:42). Since the early church, a whole system of antichrist interceptions has been perpetrated by a priesthood of wolves. Anti means in place of. Notice the origins of this system of pushing Christ out.  …….  Colossians 3:1-4. Putting ANYTHING in place of Christ is antichrist.

Church membership = control. They want control of you so they can control your resources, your money. Satan has a much larger plan – to control your mind, to quench the work of the Holy Spirit of God in your life.

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.).

Church membership, as Satan would have it, produces the fruit of wasted lives who bid Godspeed to the wolves Christ and His apostles often warned us about (2 John 7-11). So many “Christians” today are not kingdom disciples who are bearing fruit daily for the glory of God. They’ve pigeonhole themselves into a local so-called church and spend all our resources and energy on a self-perpetuating religious club. Some call it churchianity as opposed to biblical Christianity.

Church membership inevitably leads to idolatry, where the allegiance is to the local church which becomes an idol. The church organization begins to take precedence, preeminence.

When someone signs up to be a member of the “church” club, inevitably, they begin to trust the club, to rely on their leaders and the organization, and their attendance at its “services.” Their trust in God, their reliance, their desperate crying out to Him, their dependency upon the LORD wanes.

“My walk got even stronger with Christ when I stopped submitting to local churches, because I looked for HIM to give me the answers instead of going to a man.” Veronica

The gathering of the saints of Christ to worship Him together is never to be monetized – used for the self-serving purposes of wolves. This is exactly what we see in the modern church business, just as it was when Jesus cleared the temple (Matthew 21; John 2).

Everything becomes about the church activities, curriculum, people, and leaders, instead of Christ (Colossians 2:18-19; 3:1-4, etc.). The curriculum of weekly church services, a program, a system, causes people to trust in that and not in Christ, daily, moment by moment. Individual accountability and participation in an abiding oneness with Christ is the biblical mandate (Luke 21:34-36; John 15, etc.). Inevitably, church membership and participation in that groups activities becomes the thing people become enthralled in and not Christ. The spontaneity is lost.

“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. 44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, 47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 2:42-47

Only the LORD Himself can add to His blood-bought church in the earth. Notice “THE LORD ADDED TO THE CHURCH daily such as should be saved” in contrast to false leaders building their own nickels, noses, and numbers via church membership, etc. (Acts 2:47) Mere men who seek to “church the unchurched” are self-willed rebels operating under their own self-serving greedy agenda, using the name of the LORD in vain to build their own empires – void of essential biblical truths such as the virgin birth and divinity of Jesus Christ, hell, judgment to come, the imperative of repentance, holiness, etc. Only Christ, the Head of His body, can add to HIS church which He promised He would “build.”“I will build MY church.” (Matthew 16:18) While enterprising antichrist’s build their own “churches”, Christ is building His one remnant body, organically!

Read Colossians chapters 1 and 2 closely. Ask God to open the eyes of your understanding as you begin.

Church Membership Exposed

Support | STORE | PodcastsBecause You Care Page | The Greatest of these is CharityBe Ready in the Morning [podcast]The Sure Mercies of David [podcast]That Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached [podcast]At His Feet | Prepared to be Used of God  |

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Adultery

“Flee Fornication” [podcast]


One of the greatest fears any parent in our day should have, would be for their child to grow up and NOT have a genuinely God fearing mate. Pray saints. Pray parents. Sanctify yourselves. “Come out of her” (Revelation 18:4).

“Do not prostitute thy daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness.” Leviticus 19:29

Example of prostitution: Whoring out one’s daughter would be to send them to college to learn the ways of the world, of Satan who is “the god of this world,” where they are taught how to fulfill the role of the man—and not a woman (1 Timothy 5:14). No godly parent does such.

Having seen you buy his lies, Satan is laughing you all the way into hell, the bank of unrepentant sinners.

Whoredom has and does today destroy nations. We are seeing a once strong America brought to its knees for the whoredom, namely of those who vainly claim Christ as Savior.

“For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have COMMITTED FORNICATION with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.” Revelation 18:3

“And the kings of the earth, who have COMMITTED FORNICATION and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning.” Revelation 18:9

“But he answered and said unto them, An evil and ADULTEROUS generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas.” Matthew 12:39

1 Corinthians 6:12-20

Flee Fornication

“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
13  Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body.
14  And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
15  Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
16  What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
17  But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
18  Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
19  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

“The Pure in Heart”

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8

Only those who are born again and die with a pure heart will be with the LORD.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”  Proverbs 4:23

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.” 1 Timothy 6:12

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” 2 Timothy 4:7

“Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:” 1 Timothy 1:19

Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11

“And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.” Matthew 11:12

On the topic of fornication brother Allen Campbell writes:

“Someone asked me if it’s okay to have relations with a person you love. No, having relations with your boyfriend or girlfriend is called fornication and is a serious sin, because it’s a sin against your own body. Your body is a temple for the Holy Ghost that is in you. Since your body belongs to God, for it has been bought with a price, we must glorify God with our bodies. If you’re committing fornication or adultery and do not repent, then you will not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 KJV – Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 KJV – Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

Revelation 21:7-8 KJV – He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 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.

Let’s LEARN Scripture, BELIEVE and OBEY our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ of Nazareth.”

Fornication of Many Forms—all life-destroying and condemned by God

The word “immoral” appears exactly ZERO times in God’s Word, the King James Bible.

“Fornication” appears 36 times.
“Adultery” appears 40 times.
“Lust(s) appears 43 times.
“sodomite(s)” appears 5 times.

Let’s never use the words “sexually immoral” again. Let’s use God’s words for such sin. After all, the use of the phrase “sexually immoral” is subject to sinful man’s definition while the Bible words listed above are clear and convicting.

It’s not “promiscuous”—a word found no where in God’s Word (KJB). The Bible calls all sin outside of the marriage between one man and one woman “fornication.”

“For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should ABSTAIN FROM FORNICATION:” 1 Thessalonians 4:3

Say it with me out loud:  “call it what it IS!”

WE often hear of counterfeits, pretending to be Christians, say things like “Well, I don’t care what you do behind closed doors.” To one such lost soul, the following reply was given:

GOD cares about the souls of men for whom He sent His only begotten Son to die (John 3:16). He cares about all “sexuality,” that is, as it pertains to “fornication” which is any and all sex outside of the marriage bed between one man and one woman. ALL, every fornicator is going to burn in the lake of fire (Revelation 21:8, 27; 22:14, etc.).

Sex is Only Safe in Marriage – between one man and one woman.

“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” Hebrews 13:4

All fornication is sin.

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

ALL sex outside of that which is between one man and one woman in marriage, is sin. “Fornication” includes every form of sexual perversion.

All forms of fornication is sin. Fornication is any sexual activity with self or anyone outside of ones opposite sex marriage partner.

MESSAGE RECEIVED:

“What about people who are in a relationship and live together and supposedly are not having sex?”

REPLY:

Good morning sister. I didn’t quite understand the first part of your question but as far as living together, cohabiting, such should be for married people only. “FLEE fornication” right? It seems that our LORD’s Word hems us in…. either marry or flee. Seems we have to determine if we truly desire to marry that person and if so, move into doing so, or flee.

“Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.” 1 Corinthians 6:18

As we see exemplified by the beloved Joseph, when tempted by Potipher’s wife, he dashed! Why? Fornication cannot be overcome otherwise or by staying in the fire and expecting not to be burned (Genesis 39).

“Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.” 1 Corinthians 7:1-2

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8

“3  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
4  That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
5  Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
6  That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
7  For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
8  He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.”

God has a beautiful plan. – If we will simply do things HIS way and no other. HE is able. HE is greater than anything you face today. Memorize Ephesians 3:20 and Mark 10:27, now.

1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
A Life Pleasing to God
1  Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
2  For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
3  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
4  That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
5  Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:
6  That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
7  For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
8  He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.”

God has a beautiful plan. Perhaps, at least in part, God’s “Thou shalt” nots mean Don’t hurt yourself”!

Marriage Not Fornication

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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?

Bible Versions Category

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