40 Serious Questions to Ask
“I will build my church (people).” Matthew 16:18
Jesus is building His revelation truth – that He is the Christ – in the hearts of all who are authentically born again and following Him. So, His remnant people are the church – the called out ones.
When we finally become exhausted enough in the journey of “finding a church,” we may then begin to realize that God just wants us to be His church. Church is not where are go but who we are! We perhaps should cease trying to find a church and just be Christ’s church. Yet, if one insists upon finding a church to go to, here are some things that should be considered.
Below is a list of questions to ask when seeking out the ever so rare and elusive, true New Testament fellowship. These same questions should be asked of the current fellowship you may be involved in.
Perhaps we should begin realizing that God is not impressed with our Sunday morning shows, pretensions, and plastic passifications which we perform in His name but not under His lordship (Matt. 7:19-23; Lk. 6:46; 2 Tim. 3:5). The early believers did not “go to church” they were the Church, and met house to house daily to fellowship. Certain specific elements made up their genuine fellowship with Christ and one another (Acts 2:42-47). Friend, read this passage at the end of Acts 2 closely and prayerfully and see how much of a difference there is between commercialized modern church business houses and the early Church model of authentic Christian fellowship.
“Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” Acts 2:41-47
The early Church setting was prior to the centralizing of “worship services” under the abominable roman religion of Catholicism which is where much of the structure of modern-day evangelical religion comes from.
It is my prediction that many house churches will result from the truth found on this page, which just may reveal that much of the modern church model is not according to the will of the LORD. Please proceed prayerfully.
If you are a pastor, please pray that the LORD will give your heart His gift of repentance, and bring forth fruits consistent with such change.
Perhaps the peril of finding a truth-seeking, truly God-fearing group of believers has never been so pronounced and critical as it is in this late hour, the hour of the foretold great falling away. Yet all wise-virgin believers realize that they must maintain fellowship with God’s true people. This leads them to leave most modern church settings which do not reflect New Testament Christianity see in the Word.
Looking for a good church? Join the club…. Well, on second thought, many whom God has called out of the visible, apostate church world, are simply being His Church in an organic fashion just as after Pentecost when the Church was born (Acts 2:42-47). Church-shopping can be a long and painful process. I gave that up and am now fellowshipping with the LORD’s people daily. Yet, if you insist …. To shorten your search, call the pastor of the church before you visit and ask the following questions. This will save you a lot of Sundays.
1. What is man’s biggest problem, sin or self esteem? Seeker-sensitive and felt-needs churches focus on man’s hurts and problems. The Bible says that man’s biggest problem is sin and depravity and that His need is to repent before a holy God to obtain His mercy and grace to be transformed. Beware of errant programs like Celebrate Recovery which do not honor the One who made man as the only One who can heal men’s lives. For a more in-depth study of the “seeker-sensitive” movement, get Deceivers & False Prophets Among Us 2 full chapters are dedicated to this movement and its practices.
2. What must a man do to inherit eternal life? Repent and trust fully in Christ alone is the Biblical answer. If the word “repent” is never used, say “thank you.”
3. How do you deliver the salvation message? Watch out for “asking for a decision” and “hand raising.” No one is going to sneak into the kingdom of God. Jesus wasn’t ashamed to come and suffer shame and crucifixion for mankind, and told us that anyone ashamed of Him or His Word will be rejected (Mk. 8:34-38). Also, ask the pastor to describe specifically his approach to the lost. Does he encourage people to simply say a prayer, or lay their lives down completely? Does he tell people to ask Jesus into their hearts, or fall upon His mercy in light of their utter sinful depravity, holding nothing back?
4. How hard is it to become a Christian? If the pastor says it is easy, he probably does not understand that dying to self is the hardest thing a person can do.
5. Pastor, How often do you talk about sin, righteousness, and judgment? Balance is key. This should not be the only emphasis, but it should be a regular emphasis as it was with Christ and His apostles which we read about in the Scriptures.
6. Do you preach on “sin” by name, or do you speak of “mistakes”, “addictions”, “disease”, and “shortcomings”? When is the last time you preached the 17 sinful “works of the flesh” named in Galatians 5:19-21? Is God’s Word, Holy Spirit, and true believers the answer, or a psycho-heretical, 12-step program of sinful men? See 2 Peter 1:3-4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17.
7. Do you believe and teach often that God is holy? If so, when is the last time you preached a whole message using the myriad of Bible passages which speak of the utter holiness of the Almighty and the necessity of such in the life of any person who will be with Him eternally? Hebrews 12:14
8. How “seeker-sensitive” is your church? Men who fear God are sensitive to Him first and foremost, and preach His original Gospel, recorded on the pages of holy Scripture, which begins with “Repent.” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17; Acts 3:19) The seeker-senstive message originates from the selfish motive of enterprising pastors, to grow their numbers by farming their communities, but only the LORD Himself can add to His Church. He does this by His Spirit, when His Word is preached and men come to repentance, laying down their lives for Him.
9. Who do you do church for, visitors or believers? Both is not acceptable. Church should be done for the body of Christ and pagans are welcome to watch and to repent when the call comes.
10. Do you dumb down your sermons? If the pastor says “yes” to this question, he is probably not trying to wean his members from milk to meat. Answers like, “We try to make our sermons relevant and accessible to everyone” reveal that he is not obeying God (Heb. 5:11-6:3). In other words, he is preaching “another gospel” to allure men to his little church business and in order to avoid offending those who give their monies to him. Instead of fearing God and preaching His pure and holy Word, this pastor is being “sensitive” to sinners while defying the Almighty (2 Tim. 4:2-5). He is building his own kingdom, not Christ’s.
11. What is your mixture of topical vs. expository preaching? Topical preaching is fine, but if a pastor never or rarely preaches expositionally (verse by verse), then you are going to be learning from the pastor and not God’s Word.
12. Do your sermons emphasize Bible theology, or are they just relevant? Are they meaty or full of filler stories and facts while purposely avoiding preaching line upon line Scripture truth? Many pastors will say their sermons are relevant. What you are looking for is whether or not they are afraid of biblical theology and sacrificing it on the altar of building their own congregation by withholding full-counsel Bible exposition (Acts 20:20, 27).
13. Describe your youth programs. If fun and games is the major (and usually first) emphasis, you have a youth program that is trying to compete with MTV, instead of calling the youth to repentance and making disciples of those who are born again.
14. Describe your evangelism programs. Don’t just accept, “We have an evangelism committee.” Dig. Are they serious about saving souls? If a local church fellowship is serious about obeying Christ in the Great Commission, they will be reaching those in their own community, first and foremost, not just sending money to Africa, India, or Russia (Acts 1:8).
15. Do you have a Gospel tract rack in your facility? If not, it may be that they are not interested enough in reaching the lost to have done so before now.
16. What church growth model do you follow? Hopefully they don’t have one. Churches should be reaching out to the lost with raw biblical truth, The LORD grows His true Church as He wills and as His people obey Him. Local fellowships that are plugged into new church growth models tend to follow man’s modern ideas rather than the Bibles. This they do because they seek to grow their own local business/agenda, not the kingdom of Heaven.
17. Do you espouse Rick Warren and His purpose-driven books? The Purpose Driven Lifeand The Purpose Driven Church or books by Warren that are full of error. Apostate local churches across the nation have gone crazy over this foolishness, making The Purpose Driven Life a national bestseller. What is most disheartening is that these same fellowships refuse to make God’s Word their Textbook. Rick Warren learned his church growth principles from notorious false prophet Robert Schuller who pastors the Crystal Cathedral. Schuller learned under Norman Vincent Peale, a deceiver posing as a Christian leader who has stated that it is not necessary to be born again and that he found his salvation at a shinto shrine – not Jesus Christ, who said “Ye must be born again.” (Jn. 3:3,7) More on Rick Warren.
18. Do you honor the LORD by celebrating the 66 books of His Word, or do you follow fad teachings via best-selling authors/books? What you are looking for is whether he is excited about and using the Bible as the Textbook of that local fellowship, and not poisoning God’s flock with deception-laced fad books.
19. What version of the Bible do you preach from and why? This is ultra important. If a man has no more discernment than to see and know that the new versions are corrupted, how can he be seen as one who is truly in the fear of God and captivated by His Word and Holy Spirit? Some leaders will even reveal the depth of their blindness by seeking to justify the tens of thousand of words removed from the new versions and numerous perversions of the essential, pillar doctrines that make up the Christian faith. See Bible Versions.
20. How much money do you give to missions and the hungry? Again, this reveals the heart of the church. While most churches give to missions, many never consider the poor, widows and fatherless. Most local churches have a token or photo op outreach program or two, yet their hearts do not burn to help the lost, hungry and hurting, because they are in the ministry for themselves, not Christ. Many local church leaders refuse to help fund the genuine ministries within their own fellowship, overlooking the need to minister to their own communities. In many cases this refusal to support godly people among them who do ministry is due to their own condescending perspectives of those they shepherd (they vainly imagine that their useless seminary/Bible College degree grants them authority, while those who do not have such are inferior. If we read the words of Christ, we will discover that usually, the opposite is true).
21. This is not a question. If you ask for the pastor and the receptionist says, “She will be right with you,” hang up before you get transferred. No woman could possibly be the “husband of one wife” which is one of the requirements for an elder (1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:6).
22. Do you believe the Bible contains no errors or contradictions?
23. Do you believe in a literal 6 day creation?
24. Do you believe in a literal hell and eternal punishment? Diary of a Dead Man Tract
25. When you distribute the Lord’s Supper, do you emphasize the need to examine yourself and repenting of all sin?
26. Can a practicing homosexual, fornicator or adulterer inherit eternal life? 1 Cor. 6:9-10
27. Does your church exercise church discipline? (Matt. 18:15-17) Do you have examples? For example: what if a married couple divorces for non-biblical reasons? What if there is someone fornicating, greedy or stealing? (Eph. 5:5-9)
28. What would be your response to a homosexual couple attending your church?“Repent”? or, “God accepts all the way they are”? What would be your response if that couple requested membership?
29. Do you know those who labor among you? (1 Thess. 5:12) This would include those who teach, nursery workers, and youth volunteers. Do you require beforehand that they answer questions about their core beliefs and salvation, or are all volunteers accepted because of a lack of volunteers?
30. Pastor, do you personally win souls? (Prov. 11:30) Is every Christian suppose to win souls? Do you equip your body to win souls? (not necessarily street evangelism, but not just “Friendship Evangelism” either, but talking to strangers, friends, and family about Christ)
31. Do you, the pastor, fund and promote the propagation of the Word through the printed page/tracts? Do you invest in local souls by supplying Gospel tracts for those who gather to use? Many a leader sends money to help those overseas while letting those in his own community perish. For some pastors, their thought is that the perceived impact in the minds of his congregation will help his own image/cause, making it look like he really cares for people because he sends money overseas. But why not this nation? Is there a nation more in need of truth than America. Where does the Bible tell us to start ministering? See Acts 1:8.
32. Do you (the pastor) believe “Once Saved Always Saved”? If he says “Yes” you may want to introduce him to a few verses of volumes of Bible truth that refute this fable. If he is not teachable, you will be best to part ways quickly. Anyone teaching this doctrine is deceived at best and fulfilling the prophesy in Jude 4 by “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness.”
33. How important is it for the believer to abide (remain in) in the fear of and obedience to the LORD? (John 15) If he doesn’t fully live in worship of God, will he forfeit all like the foolish virgins, or still go to Heaven and just lose his rewards? See also Ezek. 33:12-13; Heb. 3:12-15, etc.
34. Do you believe the gifts of the Holy Spirit are still for today? (tongues, interpretation of, prophecy, 1 Cor. 12,14)
35. When community outreaches are done, is the original Gospel preached? This includes: the holy law to bring conviction of sin, repentance, eternal damnation to all who don’t repent, Heaven, and turning from sin & faith to the end.
36. Why are you in the ministry? Are you consumed with the love and fear of God and moved by His Spirit daily in the care of souls, or is your position merely a profession? Are you crucified with Christ? (Gal. 2:20) What is your daily goal? (Phil. 3)
37. According to the New Testament apostolic pattern, do you preach, warn and teach? (Col. 1:27-29) Do you warn of deceivers and false teachings abounding, and the danger of being spoiled? See Col. 2; Rev. 3:11. Most pastors preach and teach something, but few seek to protect God’s flock by warning them of the many wolves operating in the midst and media world of the modern church.
38. Do you often stress and preach God’s Word concerning the essential nature of personal holiness, a crucified life, and the soon return of Christ? See Lk. 21:34-36; 1 John 2:24-3:3. The return of Christ is the most prevalent doctrine in the New Testament cannon and yet is rarely ever mentioned in the modern church. Astounding omission! For more on the return of Christ, see This Hope.
39. Are you or your affiliated religious organization final authority? Or, is God’s Word? Do you fully and completely possess and teach this revelation? If not, he is a deceiver and false teacher and to be marked and rejected as a heretic. See Rom. 16:17-18; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 4:2-5; Tit. 3:10.
40. Do you give yourself continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word, or are you busy administrating and marketing your local church business? Is the LORD adding to your local fellowship, or are you adding to it by worldly marketing schemes? Are you daily immersing your heart and mind in God’s holy Word, and have you renounced all the falsehoods taught you by men (in seminary or Bible College)? Acts 6:4; 1 Tim. 5:17
Could it be time to go back to the early church model of in-home meetings? Read Acts afresh and pray for understanding and repentance.
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Articles
“A Just Weight is His Delight” and Gouging is Sin
Gouging is Ungodly – and God is Watching, Sees All, and will Repay Accordingly
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Galatians 6:7-8
Scripture informs us of the LORD that “true and righteous are thy judgments” and God requires that those who know Him will deal justly – in just weights and measures (Revelation 16:7).
“He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:8
Doing justly before God would mean dealing equitably with men. When you read the following passage, keep justice, greed, and fearing God in mind:
“A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight. 2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. 3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. 4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death. 5 The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness. 6 The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness. 7 When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth. 8 The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.” Proverbs 11:1-8
Wicked unrepentant people forge ahead in their sin, continuing to live separated from God, vainly believing that because He hasn’t yet judged them that He won’t in the future. Justice is a death march to the irrevocable fire of eternal hell.
“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
So when you go to a store, who has decided the pricing on each item? you or them? obviously when 2 individuals negotiate for the sale of an item between themselves, they come to an agreement on the price. the fact that a person in a situation like this, can pay whatever they wish for something if it has value to them, in no way negates just weights and measures as begins with God Himself …. There are standards to be measured against in determining the value of something. you can’t blank out what we find originating in Scripture. So, have you ever heard of real estate appraisal? If so, what’s this field of work for? What does it measure? What’s its purpose?
Charging more than the actual value is sin unless the buyer requests to pay more for it perhaps in order to obtain the item before someone else does.
Gouging arises from wicked hearts who greedily covet the things of this fleeting world. Greed is not a virtue, it’s a soul damning sin.
“Labour not to be rich (the sin of greed): cease from thine own wisdom. 5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. 6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: 7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. … 17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long.” Proverbs 23:4-7, 17
The utmost fear and wisdom of God must be observed from His Word when setting prices for products and services. Seems best to under price a bit rather than over price, gouge. In the flesh, is it not easy to get greedy when setting prices for the product and/or services your company offers? Yet what is the long term affect on your community, your clients?
Think about those people you’ve done business with who price fairly and how that made you feel about them and how it affected your repeat business with them. Seems to me that those who fairly price their product/services are exponentially more likely to be established in a community with good reputation and honor.
“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” Proverbs 22:1
In every economy there are standards of measure and appropriate pricing or prices set accordingly…. The further a people distance themselves from God, from the instruction of His Word, the deeper in rebellion that nation plunges, the more skewed are the weights and measures. John Quincy was instrumental in laying the foundation for just weights and balances in America.
“John Quincy Adams, sixth President of the United States, liked to measure things – the width of a river, the distance between two points – by counting his steps…. When Adams became Secretary of State in 1817, his fascination with measurements coincided with the desire of Congress to establish a uniform standard for weights and measures across the United States. After three-and-a-half years of obsessive work (which frustrated his wife, Louisa), John Quincy Adams produced his Report Upon Weights and Measures. He thought it would be his most important literary accomplishment.
Fixing the Standard of Weights and Measures
The importance of everyone in the country using the same system of weights and measures was recognized by the founders of the United States. The Constitution gave Congress the power to ‘fix the Standard of Weights and Measures’ (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 5). However, there was no agreement as to which weights and measures should become the national standard. Each of the original thirteen states was using its own weights and measures, which differed from those used by other states. No Congressman wanted to be blamed for changing his constituents’ customary way of measuring things.
All of the early presidential messages to Congress included an appeal for legislation to establish a uniform system of weights and measures. In 1790, at the urging of George Washington, the House of Representatives asked Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson to draw up a plan. Jefferson put forward two options: one a refinement of the existing English system of weights and measures; the other a new decimal system based on the foot. Jefferson’s report was transmitted by the House to the Senate, where a select committee concluded that, since Britain and France were each considering national standards of measure which could become a universal standard, it was not desirable, ‘at present, to introduce any alteration in the measures and weights which are now used in the United States.’ (2) In 1796, the House passed ‘An act directing certain experiments to be made to ascertain uniform standards of weights and measures for the United States,’ but the bill was never taken up by the Senate.”
Applying a higher or lower price for what something is actually worth is the definition of unjust weights and balances. Today we see the greed of men manifested when they overcharge or gouge their neighbor by charging more than what is just for a service or product.
Gouging is sin, it’s a form of not loving your neighbor, it’s taking advantage of your neighbor, your fellow man.
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12
“Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Matthew 22:39
“Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Romans 13:10
A friend of mine told me: “Those in business today who gouge people by overcharging them do it because no one stands up and holds them accountable.” In other words, as long as they can get away with it, they will do it.
He is correct. As I think back, there one particular example that comes to mind of recent, where in my estimation, I was the victim of gouging, of unjust weights and balances.
$22 for a plate lunch, a to-go lunch which was not a large volume of food and no drink was included (which I personally never get anyway) and they didn’t even have empty cups or water available.
These gougers have all kinds of ways, sayings, they use to “justify” their charges, such as “it’s industry standard pricing,” or “standard price charged by everyone in our industry.” etc.
After being gouged, I contacted them, their leadership, and sought to reason. Neither budged and so I exposed them with one star reviews and an explanation as to why I viewed their charges as gouging, as an unjust weight and balance.
“Just balances, just weights… shall ye have.” Leviticus 19:36
“A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.” Proverbs 11:1
We usually quote the first part of this verse and apply it to spiritual balance, which is fitting and true. Yet the application of this statement involves charging our neighbor equitably for goods and services.
Isn’t it best to charge fairly and sleep well?
Stealing from others, gouging, unjustly greedily overcharging others, brings curses which includes not being able to sleep soundly. Listen to the wisdom of our God in Solomon:
“The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. 13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt. 14 But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand. 15 As he came forth of his mother’s womb, naked shall he return to go as he came, and shall take nothing of his labour, which he may carry away in his hand. 16 And this also is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so shall he go: and what profit hath he that hath laboured for the wind?” Ecclesiastes 5:12-16
Covetousness and greed run rampant among fallen men and yet greed and covetousness will reap the just reward of eternal damnation.
“For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.” Ephesians 5:5-7
“Thou shalt not steal.” Exodus 20:15
Overcharging another, gouging, is stealing. Any person who is perpetrating thievery on others, and this includes overcharging/gouging, is ungodly and cannot sleep well. Such is an unrepentant sinner. Is it really worth and unclean conscience? Is it worth spending eternity in hell? Though completely ignored by the professing apostate church world today, all sin must be cut off from our lives, must be crucified (Mark 9:43-49).
“Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it. 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36-37
“Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Leviticus 19:36
“A just weight and balance are the LORD’S: all the weights of the bag are his work.” Proverbs 16:11
“But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.” Deuteronomy 25:15
PRAYER: Father You are holy. Please forgive any greed in my heart. Please, from this moment forward, bring deep conviction of sin to my conscience LORD. Break me to the core of my being and grant that all stony places in my heart be replaced with an heart of flesh. Please unite my heart to fear Thy name dear LORD. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
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Articles
Faith in Resurrection [podcast]
When we die downward and are dead and buried with Christ, we can be assured that God is going to raise us upward.
“But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” Romans 8:11
Romans 6:1-14
“1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed (brought to naught, nullified), that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
The Crucified Life | Travis Bryan III
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Apostasy
“The Certainty of the Words of Truth” [podcast]
Nicholas, the Apostate Deceiver
Historians say that Nicholas (Acts 6:5), a deacon in the first century church, backslid, and led his followers to believe that living in sin would not affect one’s relationship with Christ. The term Nicolaitans is said to come from those who followed Nicholas. Nico-laitans is a compound Greek word. Nico means “to conquer,” and laitans means “the laity.” Satan used Nicholas to conquer his followers through the lie of lawlessness. The evil spirit of Nicholas lives on today through many lawless leaders who operate in the church world in this late hour.
Nicholas taught free love. He and his followers taught that the deeds of believers could not affect their relationship with God. This is antinomianism, which means lawlessness. The Bible clearly refutes such a lie as we will witness in our walk through the Holy Scriptures.
“Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” 2 Timothy 2:19
“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Titus 1:16
The Bible states here, that those who “profess that they know God” and yet “deny him…in works,” are “abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”
By this lie of lawlessness, the enemy of souls conquered the people.
“But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans (means “conquer the laity”), which I also hate…So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” Revelation 2:6, 15
Here is some modern terminology for this age-old doctrine:
- Once Saved, Always Saved
- Eternal security (unconditional)
- Calvinism, perseverance of the saints doctrine
In Revelation 2, Jesus Christ tells us that He “hates” two things — “the deeds” and “doctrine of the Nicolaitans.” The Son of God despises the doctrine that teaches that the deeds of men have no effect upon their relationship with Him.
The Scriptures continuously reveal the divine hatred for the acceptance, and even doctrinal authorization, for living in the sins which the LORD tells us violate His holiness, reveal a wicked heart, and will prevent one from entering into the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Galatians 5:19-21; Revelation 21:8, 27).
The word “lasciviousness” appears six times in the Bible and means “lack of restraint (from sinning); license for sin; licentiousness.”
To underscore the utter, divine hatred against this lie of lawlessness, it should be noted that this is the only place in Scripture where Jesus Christ, Himself, states that He hates something.
Though they may vary in packaging, these are all kin to the same lawless “ye shall not surely die” lie, which is the lie of the ages.
“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.” Deuteronomy 4:2
“For ye have perverted the words of the living God, of the Lord of hosts our God.” Jeremiah 23:36b
“Thus saith the Lord; Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word.” Jeremiah 26:2
“For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19
“Hath God said” ?
Always remember that whenever you have someone casting doubt on God’s Word, words, you are dealing with a person who is under Satan’s control, is a rejecter of the LORD, and therefore His truth, and is a child of the devil. Every time.
Notice what we see Satan doing in the Garden of Eden just before he changed, altered, added one word to God’s words:
“Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Genesis 3:1
Then, in verse 4 we read how Satan added just one three-letter word which changed the meaning of what God said and changed world history.
“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:” Genesis 3:4
“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:17
“Thou shalt surely die” from God was then changed by Satan to “Ye shall NOT surely die.”
This is the first time we see what’s known as the “eternal security” lie. It’s also known as “once saved always saved” or “perseverance of the saints” heresy. Any person teaching or believeing this lie has partnered with Satan himself.
Knowing “the certainty of the words of truth”
“Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.
19 That thy trust may be in the Lord, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee.
20 Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge,
21 that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee? Proverbs 22:17-21
“that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth” – and how can we “know the certainty of the words of truth” if we aren’t even reading them – if we are not reading the preserved Word of God but rather a cheap counterfeit?
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