Hell or Hades? Fake “Bibles” Exposed

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by Will Kinney

The word Hell in the King James Bible

The Doctrine of Hell in the King James Bible

Hell or Hades or Sheol or the Grave?

The doctrine of Hell is getting a lot cooler in the modern versions.

In fact, a lot of theologically important words in the Holy Bible are being toned down or even lost entirely. As examples, here is a partial list of the frequency of certain words comparing the King James Bible Old Testament, with the NKJV, the NASB, ESV and the NIV Old Testament.

TRUTH KJB – 118 times; NKJV – about same; NASB – 92; ESV – 44; NIV – 41

GRACE KJB -38 times; NKJV – 20; NASB – 9; ESV – 7; NIV – 8

MERCY, MERCIFUL KJB – 288 times; NKJV -same; NASB – 51; ESV – 132; NIV – 85

SOUL KJB – 478 times; NKJV – same; NASB – 255; NIV – 110

LUCIFER KJB – 1 time; NKJV – 1 time; NASB – 0; ESV – 0; NIV – 0

JEHOVAH KJB – 7 times; NKJV – 0; NASB – 0; ESV – 0; NIV – 0

HELL KJB – 31 times; NKJV – 19; NASB – 0; ESV – 0; NIV – 0

Examples of other words in the whole Bible, both testaments.

DOCTRINE KJB – 56 times; NKJV – 42; NASB – 14; ESV – 13; NIV – 7

SAINTS KJB – 98 times; NKJV – 98; NASB – 68; ESV – 82; NIV 2011 – 0

FORNICATION KJB – 44 times; NKJV – 21; NASB – 8; ESV – 0; NIV – 0

DAMNATION, DAMNED KJB – 9 times; NKJV – 0; NASB – 0; ESV – 0; NIV – 0

HELL (whole Bible) KJB – 53 times; NKJV – 32; NASB -13; ESV – 14; NIV – 13

HUMAN – The word “human” is the gender-neutral, New Age, Evolutionary Buzz-word.

How many times does it appear?

In the King James Bible, Geneva Bible, ASV 1901 – ZERO times.

In the NKJV – 15 times

(a few examples)

Leviticus 5:3 – Or if he touches HUMAN uncleanness—whatever uncleanness with which a man may be defiled, and he is unaware of it—when he realizes it, then he shall be guilty.

John 16:21 – A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a HUMAN being has been born into the world.

Romans 6:19 – I speak in HUMAN terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.

1 Corinthians 2:4 – And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of HUMAN wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

1 Corinthians 4:3 – But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by a HUMAN court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.

Hebrews 12:9 – Furthermore, we have had HUMAN fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live?

NASB – 39 times

ESV – 65 times

Holman Christian Standard – 141 times

NIV – 214 times

Examples from Genesis 6 – “When HUMAN beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of HUMANS were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with HUMANS forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”

Dan Wallace’s NET version – 233 times

One Bible Critic, named Reese Currie, posts at his site this ignorant criticism of the KJB saying –

“Luke 16:23 KJV: And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

NKJV: “And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”

The Greek word is hades, which means, “the abode of the dead.” Here, the NKJV transliterates the Greek word hades to differentiate “Hades,” the abode of the dead, from “Gehenna,” the lake of fire. It is much more accurate to do so, since Hades is going to be thrown into the lake of fire in Revelation 20:14. The wording is Jesus’ wording and I have no issues with it. The NKJV is more accurate.” (End of his comments)

First, all this Bible Rummager and unbeliever in the inerrancy of ANY Bible is giving us, is his own personal opinion. Many others disagree with him.

And secondly, the word Gehenna is never translated as the “lake of fire” and he cannot prove from Scripture his assertion that Gehenna and the lake of fire are the same thing. He just made that up and gave us his opinion. That’s all he did, and his personal opinion cannot be backed up from the Bible.

Hell in the Modern Versions – hades, geenna and tartaros = A very mixed up and inconsistent mess

The words still translated as hell in the N.T. of these modern versions (NKJV, NIV, NASB, ESV) are geenna 12 times (Matthew 5:22, 29, 30; 10:28; 18:9; 23:15,33; Mark 9:43,45,47; Luke 12:5 and James 3:6) and tartaros 1 time (2 Pet. 2:4).

The 2001 – 2011 ESVs still translate hades as “hell” in Matthew 16:18 “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

The NIV editions of 1973 and 1984 translated hades as “hell” in Luke 16:23 “in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments”, but the 2011 “new” New International Version now has “hades”.

The ISV (International Standard Version) has translated hades as “hell” in Matthew 16:18 “the gates of hell”.

Petterson’s 2002 The Message has translated hades as “hell” in Matthew 16:18, Luke 16:23, Revelation 6:8, and Revelation 20:13 and 14.

Dan Wallace’s NET version 2006 is a study in confusion. He has “gehenna” as hell and “tartaros” as hell, but when it comes to “hades” most of the time he has the transliteration “hades” but in Luke 16:23 he goes with “hell” saying – “And in HELL, as he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far off with Lazarus at his side.”

And then he twice “translates” a word that is not hell as hell. He does this in Galatians 1:8 and 9 –

“But even if we (or an angel from heaven) should preach a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be condemned to HELL! As we have said before, and now I say again, if any one is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be condemned to HELL!”

The Catholic Connection

It is interesting to compare and contrast the ever changing Catholic bible versions. The other Greek word that is often translated as “hell” in the King James Bible and many others is hades. In the older Catholic Douay-Rheims version, every time the KJB has hades as “hell”, so did this older Catholic bible – See Matthew 11:23; 16:18; Luke 10:15; 16:23; Acts 2:27,31; Rev. 1:18; 6:8 and 20:13 and 14.

But the New Jerusalem bible (catholic) of 1985 has translated the Greek word hades as “hell” in Matthew 11:23 and Luke 10:15, as “the underworld” in Mat. 16:18, and as Hades in Mat. 11:23; Luke 16:23, Acts 2:27,31, and in Rev.1:18; 6:8 and 20:13,14. So we see that all these modern versions are consistently inconsistent.

This particular study will focus on the word Hell and how it is being air conditioned by degrees in many modern versions. There are many who criticize the King James Bible as being wrong for translating certain Hebrew and Greek words as Hell.

In the King James Old Testament the Hebrew word Sheol is variously translated as HELL – 31 times; THE GRAVE – 31 times, and as THE PIT – 3 times.

The modern versions disagree among themselves and have little room in which to criticize the KJB.

The NKJV transliterates this same word as Sheol 18 times, but then translates it as HELL 19 times, rather than the 31 times as in the KJB. It also has translated the word as the GRAVE and the PIT.

The NIV never translates it as hell or even as Sheol, but instead has the GRAVE 55 times, DEATH 6 times, the DEPTHS 2 times, the DEPTHS OF THE GRAVE 2 times, and as THE REALM OF DEATH once.

The NASB and the ESV on the other hand, transliterate rather than translate this word every single time as SHEOL. How many Christians know what Sheol is? It strikes fear in the heart, doesn’t it?

What we see here is that the very scholars who criticize the King James Bible for translating the word at times as HELL can’t seem to agree even among themselves as to what the word means in various contexts.

Let’s look at a few examples.

Psalm 9:17

King James Bible – “The wicked shall be turned into HELL, and all the nations that forget God.”

NIV – “The wicked RETURN TO THE GRAVE, all the nations that forget God.”

There are two big problems with the NIV rendering here. First, you can only RETURN TO someplace you have already been before. Does the NIV teach reincarnation? You can teach it using the NIV, but you cannot get the doctrine of reincarnation from the King James Bible.

Second, most everyone, the wicked and the righteous, go to the grave. So what else is new? The context is the fate of the wicked, and it is not the same as that of the righteous. The NIV rendering is silly at best, and diabolical at worst.

NASB, ESV 2001 – “The wicked will RETURN TO SHEOL, even all the nations who forget God.”

The NASB, ESV have two similar problems. How do people return to someplace if they have not been there before? Also what in the world is Sheol? Many criticize the KJB for being hard to understand, but how many of them know what Sheol is?

And again there is no distinction between the wicked and the righteous in the NASB rendering. The liberal RSV has: “The wicked shall depart to Sheol”, the ESV 2011 is similar with “the wicked shall RETURN to Sheol” and the Catholic New Jerusalem bible of 1985 has: “May the wicked turn away to Sheol.”

The Jewish translations differ among themselves as well. The 1917 JPS (Jewish Publication Society) says: “The wicked shall return to THE NETHER-WORLD, even all the nations that forget God.” The Jewish Family Bible 1864 – “Wicked ones shall return unto the GRAVE, and all nations that forget God.”

The Ancient Hebrew Bible 1907 and the 1936 The Holy Scriptures, Hebrew Publishing Company, say: “The wicked shall be turned into HELL” and the Complete Jewish Bible 1998 says: “The wicked will return to SH’OL, all the nations that forget God.”

Psalms 9:17 – “The wicked shall be turned into HELL”

The NKJV – “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” = the KJB here. Also agreeing with the King James Bible are Wycliffe 1395, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, Matthew’s Bible 1549, the Bishops’ Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1587, the Douay-Rheims Bible of 1610, the Bill Bible 1671, The Longman Version 1841, The Boothroyd Bible 1853, the Lesser Bible 1853, The Revised English Bible 1877, The Sharpe Bible 1883, the Douay of 1950 (Though the 1970 St. Joseph NAB says “to the NETHER WORLD” and the New Jerusalem bible 1985 says “turn away to SHEOL”) The Word of Yah 1993, the KJV 21st Century Version 1994, the Third Millennium Bible 1998, God’s First Truth 1999, The Revised Geneva Bible 2005, the Bond Slave Version 2009, the Catholic Public Domain Version of 2009, The Work of God’s Children Illustrated Bible 2011 and A Conservative Bible 2011 – “The wicked shall be turned into HELL, and all the nations that forget God.”, The Revised Douay-Rheims Bible 2012, the BRG Bible 2012.

In 1395 Wycliffe wrote: “Synneris be turned togidere in to HELLE; alle folkis, that foryeten God.”

And the 2002 Message paraphrases it in this way: “The wicked bought a one-way ticket to HELL.”

This online Hebrew Interlinear Old Testament – “shall be turned The wicked into HELL, all the nations that forget God.”

Jewish Virtual Library The Tanakh [Full Text] 1998

“The wicked shall be TURNED INTO HELL, and all the nations that forget God.”

Foreign Language Bibles

The Portuguese de Almeida of 1681, and the Portuguese La Biblia Sagrada and the 2000 O Livro all read exactly like the KJB saying: “Os ímpios seräo lançados no INFERNO, e todas as naçöes que se esquecem de Deus.” , as does the French Ostervald of 1996 – “Les méchants reculeront jusqu’aux ENFERS, et toutes les nations qui oublient Dieu.”, the Italian Diodati of 1649 – ” Andranno in volta NELL’INFERNO.” and the Conferenza Episcopale Italiana Bible – “ornino gli empi negli INFERI”, and the Spanish Cipriano de Valera of 1602, 1865, 1909 and the 2010 Reina-Valera Gomez Bible – “Los malos serán trasladados al INFIERNO.”, The Romanian Fidela Bible 2014 – “Cei stricaţi vor fi întorşi în iad împreună cu toate naţiunile care uită pe Dumnezeu.” = “the wicked shall be turned into HELL, and all the nations that forget God.”

Likewise Baptist Bible commentator John Gill states: “The wicked shall be turned into hell,…. Some render it, “shall return to the grave”, to the earth, the original dust from whence they came; but this is common to all men, to the righteous as well as the wicked; rather lwav here signifies the place of torment, commonly called HELL, where devils and damned spirits are; hither the souls of the wicked go immediately upon their departure from their bodies, Luke 16:23; and after the judgment is over, they will be remanded thither in soul and body; and their damnation is called the destruction of soul and body in HELL;… this is true of all the wicked, the beast and false prophet, who shall be cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone, Revelation 19:20″

The Hebrew word Sheol communicates nothing to us in the English language. There are many different views among the scholars themselves as to what this word signifies and it seems to vary with different contexts. Many Hebrew and Greek words have multiple meanings which change their sense according to the context and scholars argue over them all the time.

The 1987 Amplified Bible (Lockman Foundation) translates Psalms 9:17 as: “The wicked shall be turned back [headlong into premature death] into Sheol (the place of the departed spirits of the wicked), even all the nations that forget or are forgetful of God.” But we know from the New Testament that the place of the departed spirits of the wicked is called HELL!

The 2012 ISV (International Standard Version) translates Psalms 9:17 differently than most, saying: “The wicked will turn back TO WHERE THE DEAD ARE.”

There are times when the word simply means the GRAVE, as in Genesis 42:38 where Jacob says: “My son shall not go down with you (into Egypt)…if mischief befall him…then shall ye bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to THE GRAVE.”

At other times the word means HELL, as the place of the dead in the heart of the earth. Scripture tells us in both the Old and New Testaments that there are compartments or degrees of hell. Both Deuteronomy 32 and Psalm 86 speak of THE LOWEST HELL.

In Deuteronomy 32:22 God says: “For a fire is kindled in mine anger and shall burn unto the lowest hell”, and in Psalm 86:13 David says to God: “For great is thy mercy toward me: and thou hast delivered my soul from THE LOWEST HELL.”

Shoel as HELL in the Old Testament

Among the various Bible versions that sometimes translate the Hebrew word sheol as “hell” are the following: Wycliffe 1395, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, Matthew’s Bible 1549, the Bishop’s Bible 1568, the Geneva Bible 1599, Douay-Rheims 1610, the Bill Bible 1671, Webster’s 1833 translation, Living Oracles 1835, The Longman Version 1841, the Lesser Bible 1853, The Boothroyd Bible 1853, The Revised English Bible 1877, The Sharpe Bible 1883, the Revised Version 1881, The Ancient Hebrew Bible 1907, the Jewish 1936 Hebrew Publishing Company translation by Alexander Harkavy into English, Luther’s German Bible 1545, Brenton’s translation of the Septuagint 1851, the Spanish Reina Valera 1569, 1602, 1909, the Italian Diodati 1602, the Portuguese de Almeida 1681, Portuguese O Livro of 2000, Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible 1902, the Douay 1950, the Bible in Basic English 1961 (2 Sam.22:6; Psalm 18:5), New Life Version 1969 (Pro. 5:5, 7:27, 19:18, 15:24,23:14), God’s Word Translation 1995, the KJV 21st Century Version 1994, New Living Translation, the NKJV 1982, Third Millennium Bible 1998, and the 2002 version called The Message in 2 Samuel 22:6; Job 26:6, Psalm 9:17, 16:10, 18:5, 31:17, 49:14, 55:15, 88:3, 89:68, 116:3, 141:7, Proverbs 5:5, 7:27, 9:18, 15:24, 27:20, and Isaiah 57:9!!!

Other Bible translations that have HELL in places like Deuteronomy 32:22 – “For a fire is kindled in mine anger and shall burn unto THE LOWEST HELL” are The Jewish Family Bible 1864 – “shall burn unto the lowest HELL”, The Word of Yah 1993, God’s First Truth 1999, J.P. Green’s ‘literal’ 2005, The Apostolic Bible 2006, Hebraic Transliteration Scripture 2010, Jubilee Bible 2010 – “For it is a fire that consumes unto HELL and would root out all my increase.” (Job 31:12; Psalm 88:11; Proverbs 15:11; 17:20), Conservative Bible 2011, The Work of God’s Children Illustrated Bible 2011, Names of God Bible 2011 – “My anger has started a fire that will burn to the depths of HELL.” (12 times in O.T. See Ps. 139:8; Job 11:8; Ps. 49:14,15; 83:13; 139:8; Pro. 5:5 “Her steps lead straight to HELL”, Pro. 9:18; 15:24; 27:20 – “HELL and decay are never satisfied”, the Biblos Interlinear Bible 2011 – “the lowest HELL”, The Revised Douay-Rheims Bible 2012, The New Brenton Translation 2012 – “shall burn unto the lowest HELL”, The Biblos Bible 2013, the Modern English Version 2014 – “Yet you shall be brought down to HELL, to the sides of the pit.” (Isaiah 14:9,15; 28:15; 28:18)

Hades or HELL in the New Testament

In the New Testament the same confusion among the various bible versions is seen in the manner in which they translate or not the word Hades. There are many Bible critics who tell us the King James Bible is in error for translating the word Hades as Hell. Yet, as we shall see, the “scholars” are in total disagreement among themselves regarding this.

Luke 16:19-31 is the classic case showing the division that existed in hell before the resurrection of Christ from the dead. There we see the beggar Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom being comforted and in contrast we see the rich man IN HELL being tormented. There was a great gulf fixed between the two sections dividing the righteous from the wicked.

The Greek word used here is hades – αδης. The King James Bible translated it as hell, while the NKJV and NASB have Hades.

A simple visit to the “Oxford Compact English Dictionary” would clear it up for all but the most rabid of ”scholars”! “Hades” is a proper noun for A MYTH!

The NIV is interesting in that it has variously translated this same word as “Hades -5 times, depths – 2 times, grave – 1 time; and as Hell only once and that is here in Luke 16:23!

Oh, but wait. Apparently that one time as “hell” in Luke 16:23 in the NIVs of 1973 and 1984 was one time too many. Now the late$t NIV revi$ion of 2011 has come out and they have now decided that this should “Hades”.

The ESV likewise translates Luke 16:23 as “and in HADES, being in torment”, yet they have inconsistently translated this same word as HELL in Matthew 16:18 – “the gates of HELL shall not prevail against it.”

Hell itself is not the final state of the wicked. After the great white throne judgment we are told in Revelation 20:14 “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”

Those who complain about this word being translated as “hell” should check out some other bible versions to see what others, who have just as much education as they do, have done with these passages.

Hades – αδης – as HELL in the New Testament

Even today in the modern Greek language, the word αδης (hades) means HELL. I have a hard copy of Divry’s Modern English-Greek and Greek-English Dictionary. If you look up the word “hell” is says αδης, and if you go to the Greek to English side of the dictionary and look up αδης it defines it as HELL; Hades. Hades is a transliteration and Hell is a translation into English of what the word means.

Online Greek Dictionary

Type in the word άδης and the first definition is “hell”

άδης

hell (proper) – in various religions, the place where sinners are said to go after death.

underworld – world of the dead

hades (noun)

inferno (noun)

Not only does the King James Bible translate the Greek word hades (αδης) as “hell” but so do the following Bible versions: Wycliffe 1395, Tyndale 1525, Coverdale 1535, the Great Bible 1540, Matthew’s Bible 1549, the Bishop’s Bible 1568, Geneva Bible 1599, The Beza New Testament 1599, The Bill Bible 1671, John Wesley’s N.T. 1755, Worsley Version 1770, Thomas Haweis N.T. 1795, The Clarke N.T. 1795, The Revised Translation 1815, Webster’s 1833 translation, The Longman Version 1841, The Hewett N.T. 1850, The Commonly Received Version 1851, The Revised N.T. 1862, The Alford N.T. 1870, the Smith Bible 1876, The Revised English Bible 1877, The Sharpe Bible 1883, The Clarke N.T. 1913, the Douay 1950, The Basic English Bible 1965, The New Life Version 1969, the New Living Translation 1996 (Mat. 16:18), Today’s English Version 1992 (Mat.11:23, Luke 10:15), Good News Bible 1992 (Mat. 11:23; Luke 10:15), Bible in Basic English 1961 (Mat. 11:23; 16:18, Luke 10:15, 16:23, Acts 2:27,31, and the 4 in Revelation), Living Bible 1971- “His soul went INTO HELL”, Contemporary English Version 1995 – “He went TO HELL and was suffering terribly”, God’s Word Translation 1995 – “He went TO HELL, where he was constantly tortured”, (Mat. 11:23, 16:18, Luke 10:15, 16:23, Rev.1:18, 6:8, 20:13-14), KJV 21st Century 1994, Third Millennium Bible 1998, and The Message of 2002 (Mat. 16:18, Luke 10:15, 16:23, Rev. 1:18, 6:6, 20:13-14), ESV 2011 (Matthew 16:18) Dan Wallace’s NET version 2006 in Luke 16:23, New Heart English Bible 2010 – “In HELL he lifted up his eyes, being in torment”, and the Names of God Bible 2012 – “He went to HELL, where he was constantly tortured.”

Other English Bibles that have the word HELL in places like Luke 16:23 – “and in HELL he lift up his eyes, being in torments” are The Word of Yah 1993, Lawrie Translation 1998, God’s First Truth 1999, Last Days Bible 1999, The Evidence Bible 2003, Bond Slave Version 2009, The Public Domain Version 2009, The Hebraic Transliteration Scripture 2010, The Work of God’s Children Illustrated Bible 2011, Conservative Bible 2010 – “And he reopened his eyes in Hell, being in torment there”

Many foreign language Bible translate the Greek word hades as HELL. These include Luther’s German Bible 1545 (Luke 16:23) -“in der Hölle”, the Spanish Sagradas Escrituras 1569, Cipriano de Valera 1602 – “en EL INFIERNO, alzó sus ojos, estando en tormentos, y ve a Abraham lejos, y a Lázaro en su seno.”, Reina Valera 1909, and 2004 Reina Valera Gomez Bible (infierno), the NIV Spanish edition Nueva Versión Internacional 1999 – “ En EL INFIERNO, en medio de sus torments” = “in HELL, in the midst of his torments”, the Portuguese de Almeida 1681 “E no INFERNO, ergueu os olhos estando em tormentos” – “and in HELL, he lift up his eyes, being in torments””, the Italian Diodati of 1649 and the New Diodati of 1991 and the 2006 La Biblia della Gioia – “essendo tra i tormenti nell’INFERNO”, the French Martin 1744 and the French Ostervald of 1996 – “Et étant en ENFER.”, the Maori Bible – “A i te reinga ka titiro ake ia, i a ia e whakamamaetia ana” = “and in HELL he looked up in torments”, the Chinese Union Traditional Bible – 他在陰間受痛苦 – “IN HELL”, the Hungarian Karoli Bible – “És a pokolban felemelé az õ szemeit” = “IN HELL he lift up his eyes”, the Polish Updated Gdansk Bible 2013 – “A będąc w piekle i cierpiąc męki” = “and being IN HELL and suffering torment”, the Romanian Cornilescu Bible – “ Pe cînd era el în Locuinţa morţilor, în chinuri” = “while he was IN HELL in torment”, the 2006 Russian Slovo Zhizny Bible – “В аду, где богач терпел мучения” = “the rich man, IN HELL, being in torment”, the Afrikaans Bible 1953 – “En toe hy in die doderyk sy oë ophef” = “And IN HELL he lift up his eyes, being in torment”, the Danish Bible Det Gamle Testamente 1931 – “Og da han slog sine Øjne op i Dødsriget” = “IN HELL he lift up his eyes”, the Czech Kralicka Bible – “Potom v pekle pozdvih očí svých” = “IN HELL he lift up his eyes in torments”, the Swahili N.T. – “Huyo tajiri, alikuwa na mateso makali huko kuzimu” = “Rich man, he was IN HELL torments”, the Ukranian N.T. – “І в пеклї зняв він очі свої, бувши в муках” = “IN HELL he lift up his eyes being in torment”.

Wordsmyth Dictionary defines Hades as:

in Greek mythology, the underworld inhabited by the dead, or the god who rules there; Pluto. 2. in the New Testament, the state or home of the dead. 3. the place of punishment for the wicked after death; HELL.

The American Heritage Dictionary 2000 defines Hades as:

Greek Mythology a. The god of the netherworld and dispenser of earthly riches. b. This netherworld kingdom, the abode of the shades of the dead. 2. also hades HELL.

Notice that the first definitions given refer to Hades as myth, or merely as the place of the dead, without any reference to suffering or torment. For a preacher to say: “Repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ or you will go to Hades” seems to lack the visceral impact of “or you will go to Hell.” What do you think?

The American Heritage dictionary defines hell as: 1. Hell – The abode of condemned souls and devils in some religions; the place of eternal punishment for the wicked after death. b. A state of separation from God; exclusion from God’s presence. 2. The abode of the dead, identified with the Hebrew Sheol and the Greek Hades; the underworld.

The New KJV is not the same as the King James Bible. Here are some examples:

Matthew 16:18

KJV: “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of HELL shall not prevail against it.”

NKJV: “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of HADES shall not prevail against it.” Luke 16:23

KJV: “And in HELL he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”

NKJV: “And being in torments in HADES, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”

The New KJV is inconsistent in the Old Testament in that it does render the word sheol as “hell” 19 times, yet it transliterates this same word as Shoel 18 times to match the NASB rendering. The word Hell is removed in 2 Samuel 22:6, Job 11:8, 26:6, Psalm 16:10, 18:5, 86:13, 116:3, Isaiah 5:14, 14:15, 28:15,18, 57:9, Jonah 2:2, Matt. 11:23, 16:18, Luke 10:15, 16:23, Acts 2:27, 31, Rev. 1:18, 6:8, 20:13,14.

Some Bible critics, mockers and others who would try in vain to do away with the doctrine of hell appeal to the book of Jonah where Jonah prays to God from the whale’s belly saying: “out of the belly of HELL cried I, and thou heardest my voice.” “See”, they say, “Jonah wasn’t literally in HELL, so no such place really exists. It is just a figure of speech.”

Well, in part, they are right. It is a figure of speech here. Most older and more correct Bibles have the word “hell” here, like Wycliffe, Coverdale, Great Bible, Matthew’s Bible, the Bishops’ Bible, the Geneva Bible and even the Douay Rheims bible. Newer versions like the RSV, NKJV, ESV, NASB have “Sheol” while the NIV has “the grave”, but Jonah was not literally in Sheol (the realm of the dead) nor in a literal grave.

The story of Jonah (real history, not an allegory) is a type or prophetic picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Jonah the “type” is figurative, but in the anti-type or the fulfilled reality, the language is literal. Jonah pre-figured the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Himself tells us in Matthew 12:40 “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Jesus Christ did literally die, spent three days and nights in the heart of the earth and was then literally raised from the dead. “He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in HELL, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.” Acts 2:31-32.

It seems that our Lord visited both sections of this realm of the dead. He told the dying thief on the cross who believed in Him – “Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:43 It appears that the section referred to as “Abraham’s bosom” is the region of the Old Testament saints who had faith in God, and was also referred to as “paradise”.

But it appears from Scripture that our Lord also visited the section called “hell”, but we are not told how long He stayed there. This seems to be alluded to in 1 Peter 3:18-20 where we read: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.”

It does appear that our Lord did go to the “prison” side called Hell where he perhaps announced His victory over death and hell. Bible commentators have lots of different opinions about where He went and what He did when he got there, but as I presently understand the Scriptures, I think this explanation makes sense.

Hell | Is ‘Hell’ Missing from Your “Bible”? | Soul Sleep Exposed | Fake Bibles Exposed

A PLACE CALLED HELL

SATAN Wants Your Eternal Soul!

Articles

Is Your Church Your Idol? [podcast]

Is Your Church Your Idol? (below)

Is Church Membership Biblical? (below)

SO, YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR CHURCH, THE PASTOR, THE PROGRAM, AND HOW YOU LOVE IT AND THE MUSIC AND EVENTS…YET THE NAME OF JESUS NEVER FLOWS FROM YOUR LIPS IN PRAISE? WOW! IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO REPENT, RETURN TO CHRIST, AND COME OUT FROM AMONG THE WICKED BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE! (2 CORINTHIANS 6:14)

EVER stop to ponder how we’ve commercialized, monetized, and grossly complicated what God ordained to be a time of rejoicing and blessing? Fellowship! Read Acts 2:42 and Colossians 3:16. Study the biblical model. Real fellowship with other saints is so simple, biblically. The bureaucracy of wolves has completely ruined such simplicity and that’s why so many no longer patronize their church busine$$e$ (2 Peter 2:1-3).

SO MANY TODAY WILL TALK ABOUT THEIR “CHURCH,” THEIR PASTOR, OR FAVORITE MINISTER – BUT NOT JESUS! THEIR WOLF HANDLERS ARE INDOCTRINATING AND USING THEM AS THEIR SALES AGENTS! SPIRITUAL ADULTERY. IDOLATRY.

Looking for the church means simply looking for other true members of Christ’s body! WE are HIS church – called out ones. Amen Jesus. Fellowship, Gatherings

“Church” today has become a staged event with a cast, crew and light show to entertain the members and seekers.

ANY thing you won’t give up for Christ – including religion – is a soul damning idol.

Are you doing the “church” thing or is your heart and life all about JESUS?

WHO is to have the preeminence? Church? The pastor? The organization? NO! Repent!

Colossians 1:18 says:

“And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

WHO, WHAT holds the ultimate “preeminence” in your heart? Colossians 1:18

IF you are not hearing that the ALMIGHTY commands you to lay down your life, you have placed yourself under a false prophet ministry and God is not going to bless you but rather going to turn you over to “strong delusion” so that you believe the cross-less lie and ultimately perish, all the while believing you were saved (Matt 7;21; 2 Thess 2:9-12; Titus 1:16; 1 John 2:4).

Is your “church” or is JESUS your “first love”? (Revelation 2:4-5)

So let me get this straight…

You run around telling people how much you love your church and pastor but never testify of the saving mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ? God is calling you to repent and be saved for real!

“Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33

The vast majority of “churches” that meet in “church buildings” are simply and merely conducting “church services” where they entertain their prey. They are not equipping the saints for the work of the ministry and therefore discerned as being counterfeit (Ephesians 4:11-13). If they were, there would be salty disciples in their midst who go forth to minister Christ’s kingdom blessings where ever they went. Not even a trace of this transpiring in the apostate modern church world. Run. Run. Run.

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

Jenn W. writes:

“That’s exactly why I left the church I grew up in. It turned into a social club almost like a cult that was more focused on people and the ‘church’ but none of it was centered around Jesus Christ at all. They all beg me to come back, but every time I pray asking God, ‘Do you want me to go back there, Lord?’ I always hear Him flat out tell me ‘NO!’ God is not the author of confusion, He gives us confirmation and full rest and peace in our spirit about decisions. Whenever I even think of going back there I feel anxiety and panic because I know God doesn’t want me there. We can’t people-please just because they want us to do something or tell us to ‘not forsake the assembly.’ They will use all types of guilt trips to make you try to conform down to their lukewarm level and fit in. I refuse to do that. The church is extremely carnal, and everyone is concerned with money and building mega-churches. They say when you’re too holy or sanctified that you are ‘legalistic,’ and they hate when you are set apart.”

Holy Ghost anointed preaching will ALWAYS lead you to fresh repentance.

Brett Gibney writes:

“Many small churches are more like businesses with employees to maintain. The member becomes a customer and the church entertains them for donations and offerings. The pastor is the boss and manager operating within a strict budget. Big business in today’s Christian movement. Jesus Christ has never been to the place they call ‘church.’ He would flip their book, DVD and CD tables over! When money and theatrics are involved, God isn’t! Nowhere in the Bible is the pastor called to run the church. They appoint themselves. The only difference between a calling and a occupation is a salary.”

We are going back to Acts 2:42-47.

Church is what you are, not somewhere you go!

PLEASE show us where anyone in the New Testament Scriptures went around looking for an elder, a pastor, a church? YES, fellowship is essential and so is submitting to our elders in Christ and yet, perhaps today, far too much emphasis is placed on these things (Hebrews 10:24-25; 13:7, 17, etc.). None of this matters if the individual disciple is not engaged in seeking the face of the LORD personally.

You don’t need a preacher because you have a Bible. Read it. You don’t need a preacher to tell you what the Bible says! Read it for yourself, learning yourself. Today is your day to take more personal responsibility to seek God for yourself! Jesus taught personal responsibility and the essential nature of it when He said “Take heed to yourselves” (Luke 21:34-36) …… Jesus is Coming.

WHEN a person truly repents, he clears all idols from his life and Jesus Christ is truly reigning – on the throne of His heart. 1 idol will eternally damn the soul the same as a million idols!

DENOUNCE THE IDOL OF SELF.

DENOUNCE THE IDOL OF RELIGION, A PASTOR, A CHURCH.

BE CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST.

NOW!

Memorize:

“Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” Isaiah 2:22

Repent afresh. Seek God for real. Lay down your life in this world and follow Jesus. Cry out to Him to make you His authentic disciples, to strip all hypocrisy, deceit, depravity, and hatred in your heart. | Fresh Start with God

Many who initially believed will ultimately and eternally be damned for their idolatry…..

“Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: 43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” John 12:42-43

“And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand: 15 There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.” Mark 7:14-15

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. 24 Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. 25 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. 26 Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.” Matthew 23:23-26

MESSAGE RECEIVED:

“It is Godly to have a church building to meet in. Jesus does not speak against it. If there is one, just one church that preaches the Gospel, and there is, then this comment is leading people astray. Go visit, til you find the right church…don’t be lazy and loose your soul…Amen! But that is a half truth to deter people if there is one church preaching the Gospel. You are trying to be God!”

REPLY:

I don’t agree with it being godly necessarily….. A physical building is not a necessity and is usually a great hindrance and worse. Jesus didn’t specifically speak against a physical building but He DID speak against the wolves operating in those buildings. Jesus also didn’t practice it (erecting physical buildings) because He is divine and knows all things and how men make themselves kings and rich off of the people usually as they use that central meeting place for self-serving purposes….. and no, a physical building is not a sin in and of itself. It can’t be, yet what is going on in those apostate “churches” is usually not the New Testament biblical model but rather for the self-serving purposes of those Paul says are “enemies of the cross of Christ” (Philippians 3:18-19). Any Berean, discerning Bible student sees that.

You don’t seem to be Bible intensive and perhaps that’s because the wolves who are misleading you want to keep you ignorant so they can continue to use you (Hosea 4:6; Acts 17:10-11). When Jesus spoke of building His church (called-out ones), He was not speaking of something physical like a “church” building but rather the revelation truth of Himself in the hearts of His people (Matthew 16:17-19). You are not yet a discerning person but rather gullible and this is foolish….. Question: Did Jesus and His apostles ever collect one penny to building physical “church” building? yes or no please.

Most organizations, the vast majority functioning in buildings are misleading people and not preaching the original Gospel (Jude 3) You are deceived. The real Church – people of God- don’t need to go find a church because they are the church. Where does the Bible say to go find a church, to visit till you find one? And where does God’s Word say that you will lose your soul if you don’t find a church building to go to? Nowhere. There it is: You are being led to believe that attending the church building is salvation and not Christ – WHOM you have not once mentioned so you are an idolater.

So you have to wait till Sunday morning to preach the Gospel? Wow. There it is again – false church – where most pastors don’t want you doing the work of the ministry daily but rather to patronize their church business. You are telling on yourself. You are a product of a ministry based in a building that is misleading you. Not all are but it seems you are being misled by what you are saying which is a dead give away of what you’re being taught (Matthew 12:34; 5:16, 20). You didn’t mention Jesus Christ one time so obviously Heaven’s nail-scarred risen soon coming KING is not your first love nor being taught in your building based church (Colossians 2:18-19). This proves the point.

I don’t know what I am saying while I give you Scripture? Flash Point: Reading God’s Word and living by it is not “trying to be God.”

MESSAGE RECEIVED:

“I’ve had people tell me that, even attending and supporting a church for over a year, that the church they were attending would not help them in a time of crisis because they were not members of that church.” M.

REPLY:

YES, have seen this same respect of persons many times brother! Sad! (Matt 25.) We shall all give full account to the One who said:

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.” Matthew 25:40, 45

The Simplicity of Real Fellowship [podcast]

Satan thinks he has Stolen the Fellowship of the Saints “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Revelation 12:12 Exhorting God’s People “Daily” – not weekly. “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing […]

Is Church Membership Biblical? [podcast]

Churchianity vs Christianity Many use the term “very involved in church” instead of deeply rooted and in love with Jesus Christ. See the difference? Beware. Christ Jesus is your identity. “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Galatians 6:14 What is your identity? Why have you chosen such to be that which you identity with? Most pastors make a big deal out of belonging to some organization, church, or group—because this puts them in charge—instead of Jesus. Beware. […]

The Truth about Tradition and Church Membership [podcast]

Is Church Membership Biblical? Godly and Ungodly Tradition and True and False Church Membership YOU KNOW you are in a fake church when they have “membership classes” to get you to join yet spend little or no time preaching the Word on the necessity of repentance, forsaking your life in this world, denying self, taking up the cross, and following Jesus daily! Run! Membership means money to them! They have a busine$$ plan. “Prove (test) all things; hold fast (keep and do) that which is good.” 1 Thessalonians 5:21 Of the 13 times we find the word “tradition(s)” in Scripture, only twice […]

Articles

Neither Give Place to the Devil! [podcast]

“Neither give place to the devil.” Ephesians 4:27

“This is a really good message!” CB

— MANY have been blinded and duped to believe that either 1) there is no devil, or 2) there is a devil but he’s not active. But God’s Word tells us that Satan, the archenemy of Christ and mankind, is active and has an organized kingdom structure: “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Warning:

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

The Bible tells us not to be ignorant of Satan’s devices and if we are not even aware of “the wiles of the devil,” how can we possibly discern and overcome them? (2 Corinthians 2:11; Ephesians 6:11).

Communism, any communistic form of government arrangement, is an example of the work of Satan and we know this because it steals money and freedom from the people, kills people who don’t agree, and destroys everything good.

ANY person participating in the work of Satan is a child of the devil. Satan’s work is “to steal, to kill, and to destroy.” (John 10:10) Any questions? Any activity, operation, or plan to steal the freedom or money or anything from another, is the work of Satan himself. So is to kill or destroy people or property unjustly.

—- PEOPLE EVER MAKE UP THINGS ABOUT YOU? Jesus told us we would be falsely accused (Matthew 5:11) and He also tells us never to participate in a “false report” in any way (Exodus 23:1-2). The Greek word for “Satan” means accuser. ….“for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night…” (Revelation 12:7-12)

NEVER EVER DRAW CONCLUSION ON ANYTHING BEFORE YOU’VE HEARD THE WHOLE STORY

“He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.” Proverbs 18:13

“He that is first in his own cause seemeth just; but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him.” Proverbs 18:17

Are not our laws in this country crafted after this truth? “Innocent UNTIL PROVEN guilty.”…

God gave us these truths for the protection of all. If, as a disciple of Jesus, you have not yet been slandered, lied about, stick around, your time is coming. David had his Shimei, Jesus had His Judas, Paul had his Alexander the coppersmith.

“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” Matthew 5:11

Slander includes bringing up a sin God has already forgiven someone, and/or repeating something you have no proof of.

Beloved saints, based on what Jesus foretold us of in Mathew 5:11, we’d actually better be concerned if no one is making up lies about us …. that just means Satan is upset with the fruitful relationship you have with Jesus who says “Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Luke 6:26) In light of this truth, should we not be concerned if everyone likes us, if no one is slandering us?

It’s time to “rejoice” – to obey Jesus – when we are persecuted for that only proves that we are His!!!!!!

“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Matthew 5:10-12

If someone is not being lied about, persecuted, and afflicted, they are suspect. That person is very possibly a counterfeit, a tare among Christ’s wheat.

Learn the resurrection power of Jesus by learning a bit more about laying down your life! Get this volume and also I Die Daily.

Rejecting the Swine: Swine Among Us! [podcast]

Jesus’ Protocol, and Parameters are for Our Protection What does the Bible say concerning allowing a departed person to come back into your life or into a group of believers? God only forgives those who repent and when they repent, they will acknowledge their sin and make restitution to those they’ve harmed. They will “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for (consistent with) repentance.” (Matthew 3:7-10) True repentance is proven by good fruit demonstrated to prove it, or not. If there’s no honest, open admission and restitution, there’s no true sorrow or repentance. “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass […]

Jesus Conquered Sin, Satan, and Death by Dying [podcast]

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Hebrews 2:14-15 Jesus conquered sin and death (separation) by dying on His cross. Because of this, we need never live outside of an abiding relationship with Christ. His grace is sufficient to provide everything He died to purchase for us – and all these blessings are appropriated […]

Loving not our Lives unto the Death [podcast]

Just WHAT do we need to “remember” about “Lot’s wife”? (Luke 17:32) “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” Revelation 12:11 Will you finish with joy? “But none of these things move me, neither count I my […]

Consider and Build [podcast]

Consider Your Ways (below) Resting to Build (below) “Whew thank you for that rebuke I needed that ! What a magnificent powerful biblical gospel message.” Cassandra IS GOD (His work and people) important to you? Is the LORD Jesus Christ first place in your life? Is furthering His Gospel a priority to you? Have you scheduled Him into your financial distribution? OR, is the LORD, who bought you with His blood, a second class citizen to you? Well, think about it – we never thought twice to budget for the cable company, the electrical company, the gym, the […]

Apostasy

Wolves who Weaponize and Monetize! Beware! [podcast]

Wolves who Weaponize and Monetize! Beware!

Church membership as perpetrated today was never supposed to be. It’s not found in the Scriptures. Each of His people are members of His body, His one church. Real fellowship and assembling, getting together, is biblical and yet as has always been the case, sinful men use it to exploit those who gather to worship their LORD. At the beginning and end of His ministry, Jesus destroyed the wicked leaders who were robbing the people.

“And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. 14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. 15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, 16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? 17 And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.” Matthew 21:12-17

They are making merchandise of you just as Peter foretold! Read 2 Peter 2:1-3.

Assembling as believers is commanded by God and yet not in order to be exploited by the devouring wolves we’ve been warned to beware of (Matthew 7:15; 24:11; 1 John 4:1-3, etc.). When God’s people gather, assemble, it is rather to be edified in Christ, richly blessed in the Word of God (Acts 2:42-47; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 10:24; 2 Peter 2:1-3).

“If you go to the brick and mortar buildings and you don’t give your money then you’re nobody to them. I was out searching for a place where I could stay and hear the true gospel but that’s not happening in these brick and mortar buildings. These people need to truly repent.” Veronica

Church membership is just another attempt, lure, and seduction to misplace the faith and allegiance and identity of Christ’s saints away from Christ Himself (1 Corinthians 1:29-2:5; 2 Corinthians 4:5; Colossians 2:18-19). Beloved of God, you are bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 7:23). This highest price—the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on a cross —was paid by the Son of God to purchase you to Himself and the Father (1 Timothy 1:15; 2:5-6; Titus 2:14, etc.). HE is your identity and thereafter His true remnant body who live for Him daily, who are crucified with Christ perpetually, not counterfeit church goers/members. Memorize Galatians 6:14. For more on the body of Christ, read Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 2 and 4. God’s Word is your final divine authority, not mere men or organizations of mere men (Mark 13:31; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21, etc.).

“Thank you for exposing this. I used to attend an assembly of God here in Olympia and I found it to be false. After a couple years my eyes were opened and I left because a lot of it was a new apostolic reformation or something similar to that they were just off, and at one point they had a homosexual male on the platform scolding the church for how they are mean and nasty to homosexuals because they think they’re better than them. I was attacked for forsaking the assembly and received other statements urging me to come back so I wouldn’t be sinning.” Bella

Anyone trying to get you to become a member of their church is seeking to monetize you to build a church business at your expense.

The reason why many professing Christian do not see the things we are seeing in the Word today in this message, is that they are not in God’s Word for themselves.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

Most who claim Christ don’t know His Word and many don’t want to know it, otherwise they’d be in it and it would be in them.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” Hosea 4:6

QUESTION ASKED:

“What if someone is born again, biblically baptized by immersion, but not a formal member of any local church, however they attend church regularly. Could they partake in the Lord’s supper?”

REPLY:

Yes, who else is a higher authority than the Most High who saved you into His church/family? WHAT other “membership” would be needed as if Christ’s saving you and putting you into His family as a member of His body wasn’t enough? Read 1 Corinthians 12. You are a member of the one universal blood bought, born again body of Christ. Any other so-called church membership is a fraud and an afront to Christ. He didn’t die and rise again to then hand over the reigns to a bunch of self-serving enterprising, greedy pharisaical nicolaitan wolves. Read Jeremiah 23; Ezekiel 34; Matthew 23; 2 Peter 2:1-3; Revelation 2:6, 15. Oh and this isn’t even to mention that these fake “churches” are 501(C)(3) corporations. They have entered into an unholy alliance with the state and by doing so have affronted, rejected the Savior. They entered into a contract with the state unnecessarily and are now under the antichrist dominion of the state, who can tell them where and what they preach and can’t preach.”

“This church membership topic riles me up! Many judge us because we don’t go to church. I want nothing to do with how apostate they have become. Most are in willful sin and could care less. Jesus is not there!” Karen Cochran

One dear sister in Christ shared this:

NEARLY EVERY LOCAL “CHURCH” IS A COMPLETE SCAM IN THIS LATE HOUR, JUST AS WAS FORETOLD.

“Partnership, as defined by most ministries, today, is you send them a check every month & they send you a letter with some Scriptures. Very sad. However, I take refuge in this Scripture – 1 Peter 4:17. It’s not a political problem, it’s a spiritual problem. During the scamdemic, I suggested we give groceries to those who needed them, have a cookout with burgers & hotdogs, offer healing to those who needed it, fellowship among the people. The church had a wonderful full circle drive so the people could pull in, we’d fill their trunk with groceries, etc. I was told “NO.” I offered to handle all of it, pay for it, still “NO.” The pastor wanted to remain shut down. I went ahead & did it from my home. I hired a Christian group to sing, we preached the Word, fed the people, prayed for anyone who wanted it. Quitting should never be a part of our vocabulary. The religious manipulation is off the charts. Filling seats & manipulating people for financial gain is repulsive.” Charlotte

The fact that most brick and mortar church building based churches are not run biblically in no way negates the need for essential, real, biblical fellowship. To this point, a brother in Christ named Peter writes:

“People want faith community even if there is church membership and mandatory tithing. People want social life with other believers. It’s safe and not that sinful. Yet, I’m against church buildings but I believe in accountability to one another and God.” Peter

Church membership ropes you into an unholy alliance with the state and a state owned church. Example:

“During the scam-demic, many churches hid behind Romans 13 and said they must obey the government. Yet there are many examples in the Bible where God’s people did not obey because it went against God and was evil. Just as in modern day with all the covid supposed mandates. Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego did not obey. Daniel, and the apostles. And many more disobeyed civil authorities when they demanded things that went against God and His will. The fake churches used Romans 13 because really they were afraid of standing for Jesus! So they cowered in fear! Hiding behind masks, closed doors and vax’s. But wearing masks was not such a big deal because most already are wearing them. Hiding behind their pharisaical and self-righteous attitudes pretending to holy.” Karen Cochran

God exposed these fake “churches” and fake “Christians” for all to see. “Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men“ (Acts 5:29). The false churches had already sold the Savior down the river for the state when they signed up for their 501C3—which is a contract with lots of small print. That contract they chose to enter into, makes those “churches” the government’s, the state’s churches. As we saw with the scamdemic, the state tells what they can preach, where they can preach, and when they can preach. I walked into a “church” to visit some friends during this period and was shocked that they all had on masks, were doing the 6-foot satanic ceremony rule etc. I departed. Sickening sacrilege.

“God’s true church can’t be contained in a building…God’s true church is being led out of these lukewarm businesses labeled as churches….God’s true church isn’t a man led organization ….it’s a relationship with GOD Himself. God’s true church isn’t a temple made by hands….their very own body is where God resides.” Kathy Lemonds

A MEME FROM A SNAKE “PASTOR”

In a meme, “Pastor” HB Charles Jr. is promoting Michael Foster, who writes:

“Nothing grows a Christian like a serious commitment to a single church week in and week out for years and years. Not conferences. Not social media. Not even personal devotions. The local church is where mature Christians are slowly forged in the fires of mundane faithfulness.” – Michael Foster

Notice “a serious commitment to a single church.” This is something God never commanded and it contradicts the essential responsibility He gave anyone who would be HIS disciple. The fruit of good church attenders makes it more than abundantly clear that this whole church attendance, church membership push is diabolical. It’s irrefutably producing bad fruit (Matthew 7:15-21). Let’s further test ‘pastor” Michael Foster’s statement, shall we? So John the Baptist, the apostles Paul, John, Peter, etc., didn’t attend church weekly or “week in and week out” and so you are saying they didn’t grow? Wow. Michael Foster is a typical programmed pawn—an indoctrinated dupe. He reeks of pride and greed (2 Peter 2:1-3). He’s building a church busine$$. Read his words again and think $ and how he is bearing false witness against the LORD he deceitfully pretends to represent as he is seeking to ensure his income for a long time to come. Wolves are making merchandise of their prey (2 Peter 2:1-3)!

“Never heard of the church building places of ‘worship’ until Constantine came along, the father of that demonic religion called ‘Catholic.'” Mark Owen

Seminarian marketing to farm the community—not to preach the whole counsel of God but rather gain more church members. They push for their pawns to invite others in order to get them more members which means more money. They campaign for more money for their unbiblical “church” projects, and yet never push for more personal Bible reading, evangelism, more of the crucified life, more worship of God, repentance, holiness, the fear of the LORD, etc…. and you still don’t see what’s going on?

Wow!

Okay so you go to a church building on Sunday morning yet don’t seek God in His Word and prayer daily? You are backslidden—which means you are away from God. Any person saved in the past and yet who is not presently hungering and thirsting after more of Christ, of His righteousness, has backslidden and in need of true repentance before it’s too late.

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6

“The activities and ‘fellowship’ only among themselves can be a big distraction to serving the Lord and doing His work and will. Not to mention keeping you enslaved to the false unbiblical doctrines they preach there. No one is allowed to disagree with the pastor(s) and leaders.” B.

Totally disagree with these “pastors” who are wolves building church businesses. How many “good church members” do we see winning souls, evangelizing, feeding Christ’s sheep His Word, denying self, taking up the cross, devouring God’s Word, living the crucified life, talking about judgment, repentance, overcoming all sin, and being ready for Christ’s return daily? None. Jesus says we know them “by their fruit” (Matthew 7:16, 20). 99% of local churches = bad fruit. The LORD’s true under shepherds are preparing and equipping Christ’s disciples “for the WORK of the ministry” not to do THEIR (the pastor’s) bidding, work in his little Sunday morning circus gathering where he performs and collects money. Only counterfeits prop up, support counterfeits (Ezekiel 22:25-27; Hosea 4:9; 2 John 10-11).

“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

Here’s a biblical perspective: Being a good church member at a local “church” is never once taught in the Bible. No it’s something false prophets push for their own self-serving purpose and agenda. It’s for their benefit, not yours.

1 Chronicles 21:1 David was influenced by “Satan” in numbering the people …. this is a tool in order to control, manipulate and monetize the people…

GOD never called you to be a “good church member.” No, He called you to repent, to deny yourself, to live the crucified life, to seek His holy face daily with reckless abandon, to fellowship daily with His people, and to obey His Great Commission mandate.

THE FACT that you have no Great Commission involvement, no personal evangelism, no real fruit of good works in your life…. doesn’t this clearly reveal that you, as a good church member, are merely propping up a church busine$$, funding a fraud?

Can a man or woman of God sit back and just allow lost souls to go to hell without doing something about it, without having great conviction of conscience toward repentance, refreshing, and Great Commission Gospel action?

The next time some churchianity dupe begins to preach to you about “going to church”…. Tell them you don’t wait till Sundays, you fellowship in prayer and the Word daily with other saints of Christ (Acts 2:42). Ask them when the last time was that they personally preached the Gospel, fed the flock of God the Word of God, and led someone to Jesus…. mic drop, crickets.

“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6

The Truth about Fellowship and Going to “Church”

Perhaps a simple observance of the earliest followers of Jesus would inform us that they weren’t always “in church” serving some wolf but rather they went “every where preaching the word,” etc. (Acts 8:4), right? Oh and their gatherings were quite simple with no religious gold gathering bureaucracy! See Acts 2:42.

What they do is basically make you their good church member then get you to go tell others so that their church busine$$ grows that way. Notice how no one is being equipped “for the work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:11-14) by being taught to minister and to do it out in the world daily…. to bring the blessing, the bless-ed Gospel to the people. No. Instead they become like little agents of their local church which is now their idol. They are sent out to invite folks to church instead of bringing the KING to those same people.

Wake up. Repent before God of wasting His time and resources on such wolves in sheep’s clothing. Deny self, take up the cross, follow Jesus (Luke 9:23-24).

“Being a Christian isn’t about making a weekly trip to a so-called church building. No, it’s about BECOMING the church, an actual place where Jesus lives.” Matt McMillen

“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” John 14:23

“God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.” Psalms 89:7

Good Church Member or True Disciple of Christ?

Wolves can be known in that they don’t get their prey in the Word for themselves (2 Timothy 2:15).

Going to be entertained on Sunday mornings as what some call “church” does not replace daily Bible reading and prayer and the cross (Luke 9:23-24; 2 Timothy 2:15; 1 Thessalonians 5:17, etc.).

Anyone not in God’s Word and living a life of prayer every day as they seek His holy face fervently, has told the LORD that He is not important to them … and they will not make it (Matthew 25:1-13).

There is NO work, no-thing transpiring on the earth more important than the work of our LORD’s Gospel. Most of the other things are vying for your affections. Read Luke 21 and Colossians 3:1-4. JESUS is coming.

Summation:

The instruction of Hebrews 10:24 is from God and yet never intended to give license to men to build their own kingdoms, to exploit and use the people for their own self-serving and greed-driven agenda.

Yes there are elders ordained in Christ’s body and they are to feed (John 21:15-17), to warn (Colossians 1:28), to teach sound doctrine to the members of Christ’s body (Titus 2:1), to teach them discernment (Ezekiel 44:23), etc. This can be in a regular meeting time and place. That’s not a sin. The sin comes in when we don’t see biblically stated things being accomplished and that’s how we know those are false shepherds and this would involve most local brick and mortar based “churches” today.

The truth is self-evident. Fruit. Not all but the vast majority of local churches are absolutely apostate as the Bible foretold (2 Timothy 3:13; Matthew 24:11; 1 Timothy 4:1-2, etc.). There is no blood of Jesus, no cross, no crucified life, no judgment to come, no sin, no repentance, no holiness, no readiness for Christ’s return, no KJB, etc. Apostasy. Fellowship as defined by Holy Writ is essential, not church attendance. Saints, people do not need us. They do not need our fellowship. They need Christ and His people and that should be 24/7. The headquarters of the true saint is the throne of our God, right? (Jeremiah 17:12; Hebrews 4:14-16; 7:24-26). That doesn’t mean that attending a fellowship weekly is wrong and yet, is it a real fellowship? One should examine the fruit and ask: Am I growing in Christ? Am I growing to know Him (John 17:3)? Do I live a repented life and a crucified life? Is the extent of my relationship with the LORD going to church/church attendance? Do I care for and help the body of Christ? Do I evangelize? etc. The professing church has largely misused Hebrews 10:25. Fellowshipping, assembling is essential, is commanded, and that would be according to how Scripture defines assembly fellowship, not the modern church (Acts 2:42-47; Colossians 3:16, etc.). If one is part of a rare truly Christ-centered, Scripture-rich fellowship, that’s a blessing. The problem is that most aren’t. And they must be exhorted to “try the spirits” as 1 John 4:1 instructs.

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