Apostasy

Eastern Orthodoxy Is NOT The Scriptural Church Of The Living God

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by Jon Kragen of FaithfulServantsOfChristKJV

Eastern Orthodoxy is a branch of sacramental paganized Christianity that broke off from the Roman Catholic Church in 1054 A.D. The source of the contention between Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism was the Catholic papacy. While the Eastern Orthodox rejected the Catholic Pope, they still to this day hold on to much of the unscriptural heathen customs, doctrines, and idolatry of Roman Catholicism.

The contention between the Eastern and Western branches of Catholicism date as far back as 330 A.D. The Catholic Roman emperor Constantine moved his capital from Rome to Constantinople. Church leaders claimed authority over large regions and began vying for supremacy over those regions. The contention was centered around political power and control and not so much about doctrine (as seen by the fact that the Eastern Orthodox still share much in common with Roman Catholicism in terms of doctrine and customs, with only minor differences between the two).

Both Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism amalgamated pagan doctrines and heathen practices with New Testament truth to form an impure form of Christianity that is alien to the apostolic faith preached by the apostles. Pagan customs such as infant baptism, baptismal regeneration, idolatry toward Mary (i.e. mother goddess worship), prayers to dead Saints, prayers for dead people, and rosaries (i.e. vain repetitions condemned in Matthew 6:7).

Like Roman Catholicism, the Eastern Orthodox hold to the pagan custom of baptismal regeneration.

“First place among the Sacraments of the Orthodox Church is occupied by Holy Baptism, by which a man, who has come to believe in Christ, by being immersed three times in water in the Name of the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), is cleansed through Divine Grace of all sins (Original Sin and personal sins) and is reborn into a new holy, and spiritual life. This Baptism serves as the door through which man enters into the House of Eternal Wisdom the Church for, without it, a man cannot be united completely with the Savior, become a member of His Church, receive the other Sacraments, and be the heir to Eternal Life.” (These Truths We Hold – The Holy Orthodox Church: Her Life and Teachings, St. Tikhon’s Monastery, copyright 1986 by the St. Tikhon’s Seminary Press, South Canaan, Pennsylvania).

“Baptism is a new birth. It is being born to the life made new by our Lord Jesus Christ. It means to be alive in Christ. … Through Holy Baptism all become Christ’s. We become Christians and have the opportunity to inherit God’s Kingdom. Why in the world would any parents who claim to be Christians want to put off making their offspring Christians as soon as possible? Don’t they want their infants to share in the Kingdom of God? The baptized one becomes a member of Christ’s body–His Church.” (One Church, Russian Orthodox Church, 1981).

Baptismal regeneration is wrong, heresy, and unscriptural!

One becomes a disciple BEFORE he qualifies for water baptism (Matt. 28:19-20, cf. Acts 19:4-5). Disciples are saved people (Matt. 12:48-50) and then water baptized (Matt. 28:19).

Water Baptism happens AFTER salvation, it’s NOT for salvation!

The Gentiles received the Holy Ghost before they were baptized (Acts 10:44-48). The thief on the cross was never baptized but still went to paradise (Luke 23:42-43). The Philippian jailer was never told to get baptized when he asked Paul what he had to do to be saved (Acts 16:30-31).

Christ was sinless while on earth (1 Jn. 3:5; 2 Cor. 5:21). He didn’t need remission of sins or salvation, but yet he was still water baptized (Matt. 3:13-17).

The Ephesian twelve were ALREADY disciples when Paul found them (Acts 19:1), meaning they were ALREADY saved (Matt. 12:48-50; Luke 14:33). Paul’s first words were a question, further showing they were ALREADY saved believers (Acts 19:2). They were saved disciples BEFORE being baptized in Acts 19:4-5!

Immersion in water is associated with PHYSICAL purification of the FLESH (see Lev. 16:24-26; Lev. 14:4-9; Lev. 15:1-13; Nun. 8:5-7; Num. 19:16-22, 2 Kin. 5:10-14) but never spiritual purification.

Atonement from sin is through the shedding of blood (Heb. 9:22, cf. Lev. 17:11) even under the Old Testament (see Lev. 16:11-22; Lev. 16:27; Lev. 4:20-26; Lev. 4:31-35; Lev. 5:5-13; Lev. 8:14-19; Heb. 13:11-12).

It’s the BLOOD OF CHRIST that washes away sins (1 Jn. 1:7; Rev. 1:5, cf. Heb. 9:22) and redeems the sinner (1 Pet. 1:18-19; Col. 1:14; Rev. 5:9; Eph. 1:7), NOT immersion in water.

Eastern Orthodoxy offers prayers for the dead.

“At every Divine Service, the Holy Orthodox Church offers up prayers for her departed children.” (St. Nektarios Church, Charlotte, North Carolina).

“But the soul of the deceased is aided by the prayers of the Church, of all those who knew and loved him, and also by acts of charity carried out for his sake. By doing good works for the sake of those who are dead, we are, as it were, completing what they left undone, paying their debts and offering our own sacrifice to the Merciful Lord on their behalf.” (The Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate, No. 10, 1976).

In Eastern Orthodoxy, traditions are exalted as equal in authority with the holy scriptures.

“To an Orthodox Christian, Tradition means the Holy Bible; it means the Creed; it means the decrees of the Ecumenical Councils and the writings of the Fathers; it means the Canons, the Service Books, the Holy Icons, etc. In essence, it means the whole system of doctrine, ecclesiastical government, worship and art which Orthodoxy has articulated over the ages.” (Timothy Ware, The Orthodox Church, p. 204).

“We take special note that for the Orthodox, the Holy Bible forms apart of Holy Tradition, but does not lie outside of it. One would be in error to suppose that Scripture and Tradition are two separate and distinct sources of Christian Faith, as some do, since there is, in reality, only one source; and the Holy Bible exists and found its formulation within Tradition.” (These Truths We Hold – The Holy Orthodox Church: Her Life and Teachings, St. Tikhon’s Monastery).

The Eastern Orthodox also engage in the same paganized mother goddess worship of Mary as Roman Catholicism does.

“In the theology and piety of the Orthodox Church, a special place of honor is given to the Mother of God the Most-Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, who is reverenced by the Orthodox as being more honorable than the Cherubim and more glorious, beyond compare, than the Seraphim. … If Mary is honored as Theotokos, so too, she is honored because she is Panagia All-Holy. …Thus Mary is seen by the Church as the New Eve (as Christ is the New Adam) whose perfect obedience contrasted the disobedience of the First Mother, Eve, in Paradise. As St. Irenaeus says, the knot of Eve’s disobedience was loosed through the obedience of Mary; for what Eve, a virgin, bound by her unbelief, that Mary, a virgin, unloosed by her faith [Against the Heresies, III, xxii, 4]. … As All-Holy and Most-Pure, Mary was free from actual sin, but, in the opinion of most Orthodox theologians, although not dogmatized by the Church, she did fall under the curse of Original Sin as does all mankind. For this reason by virtue of her solidarity with all humanity the Theotokos died a bodily death. Yet, in her case, the resurrection of the body had been anticipated; and she was assumed body and soul into Heaven; and her tomb was found empty an event celebrated in the Feast of the Falling-Asleep (or Dormition) of the Most-Holy Theotokos (Aug. 15). Thus, as the hymns of that Feast proclaim, she has passed from earth to heaven, beyond death and judgment, living already in the age to come. She enjoys now the same bodily glory all of us hope to share one day.” (These Truths We Hold – The Holy Orthodox Church: Her Life and Teachings, St. Tikhon’s Monastery).

It is clear that Eastern Orthodoxy is just another daughter of the harlot of Revelation 17-18!

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Apostasy

How is God’s Money to be Spent by His Church? [podcast]

Have you ever noticed when volunteers go to the mission field on a short term mission trip….

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” Ephesians 4:11-12

The highest paid position, calling in the church is what?

“the elders that rule well”

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:13-15

The love offerings of Christ’s saints are to be spent equiping His saints to spread His Word, His Gospel to the end of the earth. This is the Great Commission mandate Jesus gave us. Are you living it out?

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15

“Don’t bother me” with the needs of others is the crass, cold, calloused response of those who don’t step forward to contribute. Darkness consumes their life and Jesus is calling them out of that darkness and into His marvellous light! They are totally consumed in their own life—and that’s the problem, the sin. Repentance needed. Divine refreshing will only come after true repentance (Acts 3:19). God will never bless a selfish person (Matthew 20:20-28; Philippians 2:3-5). The LORD will always bless those who are given to Him and therefore giving to His work (Luke 6:38; 2 Corinthians 9:6-11).

When we spend all our money on self, who does that reveal we are serving—the Savior or self?

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24

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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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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.