Only You Can Decide: God has Already Decided that He Wants You – Sending His Son to Die for You! Do You Want Jesus?
“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mark 8:36-37
From an eternal perspective, no person who dies and goes to hell is/was a success but rather a total failure, a rebel who will never escape the conscious torment of the domain of the damned. Are you born again and presently abiding in Christ? If not, the flames of eternal damnation will feed upon your soul forever. Repent now sinner and believe on the LORD Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins – before it’s too late.
With no exception, each and every eternal soul who now and forever will occupy hell would do anything to be in your position – to have just one more opportunity to cry out to Jesus to be forgive, saved into His eternal kingdom! Today is the day of salvation – the moment to repent and put your full trust in Jesus Christ, before it’s too late. Making Peace with God now – before it’s too late.
What’s more important to you than the LORD? Who? What? What organization? What affiliation? What religion, religious affiliation? What family member? What friend? Is it really worth your eternal soul? Is Your Sin Really Worth Going to Hell for?
“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33
Jesus Christ will love you all the way into hell – because He gave you free will, allowing you to choose Him or sin and hell. He also died on that cross to forgive your sins and save you from eternal damnation (1 Timothy 1:15). Billions of souls this moment occupy hell irrevocably – there are no second changes (Hebrews 9:27). Are YOU going to hell?
The greedy moral cowards of today’s modern church world refuse to preach what Jesus preached – including the doctrine of hell. That’s why the true body of Christ is going organic!
WHY don’t most modern “pastors” preach hell?
Most of the new per-version “bibles” removed Jesus’ words recorded in Mark 9:43-49. Hell is literal and the suffering will be conscience and never – N E V E R – end. Pour over these words of Christ.
You call him “pastor” and the wolf isn’t preaching hell? Repent and run!!!
99% of modern pastors knocked out on this alone! YOU know he’s a wolf when he refuses to preach the holiness of God and His mandate for His own people to “be ye holy.” – Sin will damn the soul. God is “Holy, holy, holy” and no sin shall enter His holy presence (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8). “Be ye holy for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16). “Follow peace with all men and HOLINESS without which NO man shall see the Lord.” (Hebrews 12:14)
“Be ye holy for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16) But how? The cross is the solution Jesus gave us. “He that is dead is freed from sin.” (Romans 6:7)
All who follow Christ abandon all that offends him. Holiness is the work of God in a yielded, abiding born again saint (John 15; Romans 8:12-14; 1 Peter 1:15-16, etc.). Think about it: When the HOLY Spirit is ruling a person’s yielded life, that vessel will be HOLY.
Is the sinful pleasure you now enjoy worth spending forever in hell for? Jesus Christ made it crystal clear to both saint and sinner alike that any person who chooses even one sin to be more important to them than Him, will be doomed to the place He described as a dwelling place of gruesome, ceaseless torment:
“And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: Where their worm dieth not (denotes complete consciousness), and the fire is not quenched. For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.” Mark 9:42-50
What does “their worm dieth not” mean? This is an idiom meaning that the consciousness, the feelings of the damned will never cease.
Jesus used this term 3 times in Mark 9:43-49. In His severe warning, Jesus is refuting the idea of annihilation and teaching the facts that the conscience feelings and therefore suffering of all lost souls will never cease to be experienced.
In light of these penetrating words of the LORD Jesus, think ahead for a moment with me: Let’s imagine that you died in sin and it was 100 years into the future. There you are, in hell – experiencing excruciating pain and isolation (outer darkness – you can see nothing). You are fully conscious, and reeling in the agonizing remorse of the decision you made in your brief earthly life to retain your sin instead of repenting and forsaking it. During your short life on earth God granted several opportunities for you to turn fully to Him, but you chose to ride the popular, modern church wave of easy believism and eternal security, thinking everything was going to be fine because you said the sinner’s prayer and attended church services. Yet you retained a sin you knew God said would endanger your eternal soul (Gal. 5:19-21). You freely refused to cut off the hand and pluck out the eye of your sin and now you are trapped forever in incarceration – where “the fire is not quenched.” Is your sin really worth spending eternity in hell for?Is the sin you have chosen to continue in (retain instead of rejecting) really worth the everlasting pain of damnation in hell, while the righteous rejoice in sublime, unimaginable pleasure, joy, and bliss in Heaven with Jesus?
The world seeks to romance sin but if God says it’s sin, that’s what it is. Toning down the terms changes nothing. Judgment Day is on the way. Isn’t that the work of Satan – to tone down the wages, the consequences of sin? Yes it is (Genesis 2:17; 3:4).
The deception of our own deceitful, desperately wicked hearts and Satan, is that God is somehow going to overlook the sin we refused to confess, repent of, and die to. Not going to happen – doesn’t matter how special you think you are. If a person dies in sin – they are going to hell irrevocably. Gospel. The wages of sin is still death saints (Romans 6:23).
Without fail, those who teach Satan’s OSAS/eternal security heresy never teach the essential Biblical truth that God is “Holy, holy, holy.” (Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8) They’ve been taught a “check your ticket at the door” “eternal security.” They are made to believe that they are free to live in sin and are still going to Heaven, no matter what. But this is not what Scripture teaches. “Be ye holy for I am holy” is Holy Scripture never heard among the diabolical perpetrators of the OSAS heresy (1 Peter 1:15-16)
“There comes a time when we must cut out that bad seed (all sin) less it spoil the whole bunch! If God hadn’t dealt with sin through the blood, death, life, and burial of His only begotten Son Jesus and caused Him to rise from the grave victoriously, there would be no salvation for man today. God is able to give us His grace to overcome all sin and to do what He’s commanded us to do. Amen.” Charles Pray
Fellow citizen of this world and Christ’s kingdom, if your life is not currently laid down flat before the LORD Jesus Christ in utter humility and brokenness for the immeasurable wickedness and depravity you have committed in the full and plain site of the omnipresent eyes of His holiness, you have no eternal security with Him. The flames of eternal damnation which will forever feed upon your separated soul await your arrival.
The daily cross/dying Jesus commanded that we take up is the only way He brings us into His holiness…. with our full participation in dying…… The Daily Cross
Description of the Eternal Home of All Who are not Presently Living in the Fear of God and in Faithful Obedience to Christ
DIVINE JUDGMENT, the “severity of God”, IS NOT GOING AWAY JUST BECAUSE YOU OR SOME FAKE PREACHER IGNORES IT!!! (Romans 11:20-22)
Hell is for keeps. No second chance. Irrevocable … A divine sentence, judgment upon all who die outside of Christ! Sure as you’re breathing, if you are not born again and presently in the middle of God’s will, abiding in Christ on HIS terms, get ready to be consciously, brutally burned world without end.
Violent flames rage like endless waves that roar in a fierce ocean tossed to and fro by hurricane winds. Deafening voices shriek, hopelessly tormented in the turbulent fire that dominates their defenseless souls. One million years have passed and yet there is not a trace of relief from the horrifying torment that has enveloped their helpless souls. Vivid memories of their earthly life, when they had precious opportunity to escape this horrible fate, torment their bitter and remorseful beings. Welcome to the world of departed souls who died after refusing to apply the only cure to their deadly disease. Behind the thin veil of life on earth lies a real world – a forever world. Welcome to a profile of the after life.
There is no pain in this life so cruel nor permanent that can possibly be compared to what the Son of God described and warned of when he spoke of hell – that dreaded place of God’s holy wrath. Here is a punishment profile of what lies ahead for all who die outside the real Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Unquenchable fire. Mark 9:45
Eternal Damnation. Mark 3:29
Everlasting punishment. Matthew 25:46
A place of everlasting burnings. Isaiah 33:14
Torment with fire and brimstone. Revelation 14:10; 19:20
A lake (ocean) of fire. Revelation 20:15
No 2nd chance to escape (utter hopelessness). Luke 16:26
Weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 8:12
A place of eternal remorse (regret). Luke 16:19-31
A place of complete consciousness. Luke 16:25
A furnace of fire with wailing. Matthew 13:42
No rest day or night forever (eternal misery). Revelation 14:11
Outer darkness. Matthew 8:12; 22:13
A place of sorrows (seething remorse and despair). Psalms 18:5
A place of everlasting destruction. 2 Thessalonians 1:9
A place of torments. Luke 16:23
All is recorded in Heaven (Heb. 4:13). God sees ALL your sins and will pull the curtains back and roll the tape of your life on Judgment Day. Every single thought and deed of your life is on file with God. He made provision to remove and desires to forgive all. If you die without His forgiveness, you will face the Almighty on Judgment Day in the Supreme Court of the Universe as a guilty sinner who refused to repent and be pardoned. In trembling ruins you will stand shameful and without excuse before a holy God.
Our Sins Include:
Cursing, Lying, Adultery, Hatred, Cheating, Slander, Strife, Idolatry, Dishonor, Murder, Stealing, Fornication, Unforgiveness, Not putting Him First, Taking God’s Name In Vain, Etc.
“The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good…” Proverbs 15:3
“And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15
Obedience Or Hatred?
Saving faith is always active and obedient. Of every one of those who claim to know Him and do not practically and daily deny themselves, take up their crosses of crucifying their earthly lusts, and perform His will, He foretells their destiny:
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.“ Matthew 7:21-23
Make no mistake: Hell awaits all who were once right with God and are now living outside of His complete Lordship over their personal lives:
“Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.” Ezekiel 33:12-13
As we see clearly in the above text, the Almighty judges your life by your current state of heart and all, yes all, of your past righteousnesses are not remembered if you are not completely bowed down under His holiness and Lordship at this moment.
Do we still wish to define truth based on how it fits our own lifestyle instead of how our eternal Judge gave it to us in His Word? What position is best for the long run?
We all know and can attest to the Bible truth that there is opportunity “to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” and yet “she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” (Heb. 11:25; 1 Tim. 5:6) Sin brings spiritual death and righteousness by the blood of Christ and enabling power of the Holy Spirit brings life and blessings untold now and forever (Rom. 5:17; 6:23; 8:13-14).
Security Check Point
Still not sure where you currently are with the LORD? Want to know? The Word says that “Without faith it is impossible to please him.” (Heb. 11:6) Heart faith that saves the soul is obedient to the One in whom its trust fully rests. If you are right with God, you are literally active and fruitful in the following things He commanded:
Boldly communicating His salvation to others, calling them to repent and believe upon Him or perish in hell – because you love Him and them more than self (Mk. 16:15-20; Phil. 2:3-5).
You are showing charity and love to all of the LORD’s children (Jn. 13:34-35; Gal. 6:10; 1 Jn. 4).
You assist others in any way possible (1 Cor. 10:24; 13:1-8).
You are abstaining from all appearances of evil or temptation to sin (Rom. 13:14).
You are living a life of godly repentance and the forsaking of any thought, word or deed that offends His holiness (Ps. 51; Mk. 9:43-49; 1 Jn. 1:6-10; Rev. 3:19).
You are fasting, praying and studying His Word (Isa. 58; 2 Tim. 2:15).
You are crying out to Him for brokenness and a clean heart (Ps. 51; 139:23-24; Matt. 5:6, 8; 1 Tim. 1:5).
You give all within your means to further the cause of the Gospel (Prov. 11:25-26; Phil. 4:15-16).
You are abolishing and staying clear of any idol of the heart as you burn with flaming love for Jesus Christ (Eph. 5:5-9; 1 Jn. 5:21; Rev. 2:4-5).
You are currently crying out and looking for the soon return of the Savior for His few who are on the narrow road that leads to life (Matt. 24-25; Tit. 2:13-14; James 5:5-7; 1 Jn. 3:1-3; Rev. 22:20-21).
The absence of these things from one’s life testifies to the backslidden state of the heart (Prov. 14:14). Such a person is under the judgment of a holy God who will soon return “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” (2 Thess. 1:6-9)
“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
According to God’s Word, judgment is always based on a person’s works because a person’s works are a clear manifestation of his inner heart and faith. No person will be judged on his mere profession of Christ but on the life he lived (Matt. 12:36-37; Jn. 5:29; Rom. 2:1-7, 13; 14:12; 1 Cor. 3:13-15; 2 Cor. 5:10; Eph. 6:7-8; Col. 3:25; Tit. 1:16; Rev. 2:23; 20:12; 22:12).
Who Are We Lying To But Ourselves?
“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.” 1 John 2:3-4
Only A Few Will Make It
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” Matthew 7:13-14
Friend, How many times have you been warned? How long will you harden your heart? How long will you deny Jesus Christ while embellishing yourself with temporal pleasure and comforts which have lulled you into a deadly stupor and sleep? Hell awaits. LORD draw us to You and grant holy repentance!
“Woe to them that are at ease in Zion.” Amos 6:1
There is not one unconditional blessing in the divine economy. Every blessing, including everlasting life in Heaven and missing hell, hinges upon the obedient faith (the only kind of authentic saving faith) of the recipient of the message.
“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” James 1:6-8
If one is not this moment crucified with Christ, he has denied Him and is serving the false god of self which indisputably incriminates one as an idolater, worthy of eternal damnation in His holy site. Those who do not surrender their will to Christ in whole hearted, first love devotion are not His and are divinely decreed as unworthy of His holy Heaven:
“But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 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. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them.” Galatians 5:5-7
The dismal punishment for choosing the selfish sinful pleasures in this fleeting life will never end.
“And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” Galatians 5:24
“No Man”
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24
Regardless of his past fellowship with Christ, the one who departs from the LORD, loses out.
Friend, are you serving Christ or self? According to Jesus, the answer is either one or the other – it is an impossibility to serve more than one master. Is it really worth it to “despise” Jesus Christ while serving self interests? To refuse outright and blatant obedience to Him is to deny Him and forsake all divine mercy.
“They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.” Jonah 2:8
To observe a teaching which supposes that one can live outside of the will of the One who is Salvation and still go to His holy Heaven is absurd at best.
Friend, are you going to “cover,” or confess your sins? Will you forsake, and flee from sin – that which displeases the LORD Almighty?
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13
Charles Pray writes: “So many want to hide their sins, especially those who like to appear Holy on the outside while inside they are dark, unholy ministers of the flesh. They have become a product of their own desires. Dear Lord, please bring them back to their first Love–Jesus! Amen.”
Like the man who possessed a heart after the LORD, we should quickly confess any sin we might commit – “For I will declare (confess) mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin.” (Ps. 38:18)
Be not deceived: If experiencing the things of this fleeting world is more important to you than literally fellowshipping with and performing the will of God, you have denied and defied Him and are in love with the world and are the enemy of God (1 Jn. 2:15-17). If one loves this present world and the things in it, he is living in a state of death – the state of spiritual adultery. Such a person will go to the eternal dwelling place of all those who make themselves the enemy of God – regardless of what one professes with his mouth:
“Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” James 4:4
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15
Will You Obey The Truth?
One might say “Hey I made peace with God long ago. I am secure and safe, based on that one confession and act of faith toward Christ.” Nonsense! “Once saved always saved” is a sinful and hellish cop-out! If you will miss hell and be in Heaven, you must trash this lie like the cancerous plague that it is and march forth unreservedly in obedience to the soon to return LORD of all lords, whom “out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall Rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” (Rev. 19:15)
Neither Jesus Christ nor His holy apostles taught such a license to sin doctrine. In Holy Scripture, such a doctrine is associated specifically with “ungodly men” who “turn the grace of God into lasciviousness” and “deny(ing) the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Jude 4) The Son of God told His own 12: “He that endureth to the end shall be saved.” (Matt. 10:22) What explanation does this statement from “the Almighty God” need? (Rev. 1:8) I suppose none to the honest hearted. Any attempt to explain away or around such would be subversive, sinfully wicked and evil manipulation.
Listen to what Jesus tells the saints at Smyrna:
“And unto the angel of the church (not the lost) in Smyrna write…Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” Revelation 2:10-11
Our LORD’s words here are of course consistent with all of Holy Writ. Also consistent is the complete and purposed ignorance of so many who have to ignore volumes of texts like this to make their false grace message palatable. Here are two phrases that especially stand out in His message of warning to these believers in Smyrna and also His disciples today. When you read these see if you see conditions here. See if His blessing of eternal life has conditions attached:
“be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” (v 10)
“He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” (v 11)
Why would very believers be warned here by Christ if there were no possibility of them losing out? Is Jesus a lunatic or did He place conditions upon the final reception of His salvation?
We must choose to “endure sound doctrine” and not turn aside to fables if we are going to be with the Truth Himself in eternity (Jn. 14:6; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 4:1-4). I know that these truths are hard truth and yet they are the very truths of the One we will be judged by on that Day (Isa. 30:10; Rom. 3:4). So, we all make the choice to ignore or wax over these Bible truths, or face them and fall flat upon the mercy of the LORD we so desperately are in perpetual need of.
Did the very Son of Man not indiscriminately level a severe warning concerning readiness for His return? Jesus forewarned that all those who were at one time in His kingdom would not make it to eternal glory:
“And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting (over indulgence), and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares (suddenly, without warning). For as a snare (trap) shall it come on ALL them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” Luke 21:34-36
Will you be “accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man?” How can you know if you are ready?
Here are the main elements of this all-important passage in Luke 21:
“Take heed to yourselves” – take personal responsibility for your life and all that you think and do.
“Lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting (over indulgence)” – avoid overeating, overindulgence and reveling in this fleeting world; fast and pray often.
Do not live in “drunkenness” – be sober and do not become intoxicated with wine, strong drink or spiritual deception
Do not be caught up in the “cares of this life” – count Christ the supreme Prize of your whole existence and sever yourself from anything in this world that does not contribute to this all-consuming pursuit.
“Watch” – never allow yourself to doze off or fall asleep. Remain on guard at all times and let not any sinful thinking have dominion over your life.
“Pray always” – ceaselessly commune with the Savior. Live moment to moment in fellowship with Him.
Denying any thought or activity that doesn’t draw you closer to Christ is essential in preparedness for His glorious return.
That overcoming believer who endures to the end of his trial will receive the blessed crown of His righteousness (James 1:12). Now is the hour. Today is the day – to throw back the veil that blinds us and binds us to that chain of darkness!
Jesus told us that He came “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.” (Acts 26:18)
Jesus Christ came to grant us redemption and complete forgiveness, delivering us from all the power of darkness.
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” Colossians 1:13-14
Make no mistake: If we do not draw nigh to Him in repentance of life and cultivate a heart after Him, darkness will inevitably overtake our lives.
Be deceived no longer friend, if your life is not laid down before Christ, your eternity is sealed by your self-serving idolatrous decision to deny the nail-scarred Savior. If He is truly LORD of your life, He is reigning supreme in all you think, say and do. He is risen! Rejoice and give glory to the One who bled for your sins on Calvary’s cross and rose from the dead.
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption (eternal damnation)…” Galatians 6:7-8
“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Romans 6:16
If you haven’t heard this type Gospel communication, it may be time to flee for your life and from the wolf in charge of your current local church and find a true servant of Christ who preaches the Word! We must bathe and gird ourselves in His holy truth and become surrounded with those who are fervently seeking His face. There will be no excuse in that Great and Terrible Day.
Most churches today are mere playhouses for the leaders and those who attend (2 Tim. 4:1-5). Entertainment is the order of the day, not true biblical Christianity which seeks to glorify God exactly the way He told us to in His precious Word.
According to God’s Word to us (Ezek. 33:12-13), all of your past fruit or relationship with Christ is null and void (forgotten by God) if you are not submitted fully to His glorious Lordship at this moment. If you refuse to lay it all down and follow Jesus in truth, on that Great Day of Judgment He will grant you what you chose on earth – to live separated from Him. The one who lives his earthly life outside of an intimate abiding in Christ, can expect to be separated from Him for eternity in the lake of fire where the dense, horrid and ferocious flames of the literal ocean of fire will torment his helpless, conscious soul forever. Hell is for keeps. This eternal prison of fire is the point of no return and we should all consider that damnation is the eternal home of all who are not fully submitted to Christ, the only One who can rescue the depraved soul from the flames of the domain of the damned.
If one reading these words is now ready to be fully right with God, he should bow his head and heart and cry out to the One who loves him and was crucified to save and bless him. Never mind the slightest questioning or excuse – ARE YOU READY TO LAY IT ALL DOWN? OR, will you turn away and forsake what is perhaps your last call and opportunity to make things right with your Maker and Judge? To refuse to fully come to repentance upon reading these words, is to kiss the gates of Heaven and turn and militantly march through the gates of hell.
“Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7
Your Prayer Of Complete Surrender And Repentance:
Father in Heaven, I have sinned against You grossly and have no one to blame except myself. I have rebelled and done things my way and not Yours. Holy Father, I hasten to repent. I now beg You in this very instant to forgive me and cleanse my soul of all the iniquity and sin I have committed. Wash me with Your sinless, holy blood Jesus and make me a new creature in Christ. From this moment forward I will follow You to the end of my life! I am ready to suffer persecution for Your precious Name Jesus, my LORD and my God. I lay my life in Your hands, never to take it up again unto myself. Father, Into Thine hands I commend/commit my spirit. From this moment forward I will never be ashamed of You again but will proclaim Your salvation to others as I eagerly look for Your soon return. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
If you truly desire to know more about how to really know the LORD, go here okay: Born Again: What is It?
Spiritual Formation—A Dangerous Substitute for the Life of Christ [podcast]
Sometimes we think of spiritual formation as formation by the Holy Spirit. Once again. That’s essential. . . . But now I have to say something that may be challenging for you to think about: Spiritual formation is not all by the Holy Spirit. . . . We have to recognize that spiritual formation in us is something that is also done to us by those around us, by ourselves, and by activities which we voluntarily undertake . . .There has to be method.1—Dallas Willard
Aside from the fact that Spiritual Formation incorporates mystical practices into its infrastructure (remove the contemplative aspect and you don’t have “Spiritual Formation” anymore), Spiritual Formation is a works-based substitute for biblical Christianity. Let us explain.
When one becomes born again (“that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9-10), having given his or her life and heart over to Christ as Savior, Jesus Christ says He will come in and live in that surrendered heart:
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:27)
If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:11; emphasis added)
When God, through Jesus Christ, is living in us, He begins to do a transforming work in our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:18). Not only does He change us, He also communes with us. In other words, we have fellowship with Him, and He promises never to leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
This life of God in the believer’s heart is not something we need to conjure up through meditative practices. But if a person does not have this relationship with the Lord, he may seek out ways to feel close to God. This is where Spiritual Formation comes into play. Rather than a surrendered life to Christ (through repentance and faith), the seeking person begins practicing the spiritual disciplines (e.g., prayer, fasting, good works, etc.) with the promise that if he practices these disciplines, he will become more Christ-like.
But merely doing these acts fails to make one feel close to God—something is still missing. And thus, he begins practicing the discipline of silence (or solitude), and now in these altered states of silence, he finally feels connected to God. He now feels complete. What he does not understand is that he has substituted the indwelling of Christ in his heart for a works-based methodology that endangers his spiritual life. Dangerous because these mystical experiences he now engages in appear to be good because they make him feel close to God, but in reality he is being drawn into demonic realms no different than what happens to someone who is practicing transcendental meditation or eastern meditation. Even mystics themselves acknowledge that the contemplative realm is no different than the realm reached by occultists. To understand this more fully, please read Ray Yungen’s book A Time of Departing.
Bottom line, it is not possible to be truly Christ-like without having Christ inside of us because it is His righteousness that is able to change our hearts—we cannot do it without Him. It is His righteousness we need:
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. (Romans 3:22)
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. (Philippians 3:9)
It is interesting to note that virtually every contemplative teacher has a common theme—they feel dry and empty and want to go “deeper” with God or “become more intimate” with God. But if we have Christ living in us, how can we go any deeper than that? How can we become more intimate than that? And if going deeper and becoming intimate were so important, why is it that none of the disciples or Jesus Himself ever told us to do this? As Larry DeBruyn states:
Why are Christians seeking a divine presence that Jesus promised would abundantly flow in them? . . . Why do they need another voice, another visitation, or another vision? Why are some people unthankfully desirous of “something more” than what God has already given to us? Why is it that some Christians, in the depth of their souls, are not seemingly at rest?2
Is There a “Good” Spiritual Formation?
One of the most common arguments we hear defending Spiritual Formation is that there is a “good” Spiritual Formation done without contemplative prayer. To that we say, we have never yet seen a Spiritual Formation program in a school or a church that doesn’t in some way point people to the contemplative mystics. It might be indirectly, but in every case, if you follow the trail, it will lead you right into the arms of Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, and other contemplative teachers.
Think about this common scenario: A Christian college decides to begin a Spiritual Formation course. The instructor has heard some negative things about Richard Foster, Henri Nouwen, and Brennan Manning, and he figures he will teach the class “good Spiritual Formation” and leave those teachers completely out. But he’s going to need a textbook. He turns to a respected institution, Dallas Theological Seminary, and finds a book written by Paul Pettit, Professor in Pastoral and Education Ministries. The book is titled Foundations of Spiritual Formation. The instructor who has found this book to use in his own class may never mention Richard Foster or Dallas Willard, but the textbook he is using does. Within the pages of Pettit’s book is Richard Foster, Philip Yancey, N.T. Wright, Dallas Willard, Thomas Aquinas, Lectio Divina, Ayn Rand, Parker Palmer, Eugene Peterson, J.P. Moreland, Klaus Issler, Bruce Demarerst, Jim Burns, Kenneth Boa and Brother Lawrence’s “practicing God’s presence.” You may not have heard of all these names, but they are all associated with the mystical contemplative prayer movement and the emerging church.
Another example of this is Donald Whitney’s book Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. Whitney is former Associate Professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and currently at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. While his book does not promote contemplative mysticism, he says that Richard Foster has “done much good”3 in the area of Christian spirituality (which we believe is blatantly untrue).
Our point is that even if there is a sincere attempt to teach Spiritual Formation and stay away from the mystical side, we contend that it cannot be successfully accomplished because it will always lead back to the ones who have brought it to the church in the first place.
Spiritual formation is sweeping throughout Christianity today. It’s no wonder when the majority of Christian leaders have either endorsed the movement or given it a silent pass. For instance, in Chuck Swindoll’s book So You Want to Be Like Christ: 8 Essential Disciplines to Get You There, Swindoll favorably quotes Richard Foster and Dallas Willard. Swindoll calls Celebration of Discipline a “meaningful work”4 and Willard’s book The Spirit of the Disciplines “excellent work.”5 In chapter three, ”Silence and Solitude,” Swindoll talks about “digging for secrets . . . that will deepen our intimacy with God.”6 Quoting the contemplative poster-verse Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God,” Swindoll says the verse is a call to the “discipline of silence.”7 As other contemplative proponents have done, he has taken this verse very much out of context.
Roger Oakland sums it up:
The Spiritual Formation movement . . . teaches people that this is how they can become more intimate with God and truly hear His voice. Even Christian leaders with longstanding reputations of teaching God’s word seem to be succumbing. . . .
We are reconciled to God only through his “death” (the atonement for sin), and we are presented “holy and unblameable and unreproveable” when we belong to Him through rebirth. It has nothing to do with works, rituals, or mystical experiences. It is Christ’s life in the converted believer that transforms him.8
“For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” Romans 5:10
What Christians need is not a method or program or ritual or practice that will supposedly connect them to God. What we need is to be “in Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:30) and Christ in us. And He has promised His Spirit “will guide [us] into all truth” (John 16:13).
“But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:” 1 Corinthians 1:30
In Colossians 1:9, the apostle Paul tells the saints that he was praying for them that they “might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” He was praying that they would have discernment (“spiritual understanding”). He said that God, the Father, has made us “partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light” (vs 12) and had “delivered us from the power of darkness [i.e., power of deception]” (vs. 13). But what was the key to having this wisdom and spiritual understanding and being delivered from the power of darkness? Paul tells us in that same chapter. He calls it “the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints” (vs. 26). What is that mystery? Verse 27 says: “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (emphasis added).
For those wanting to get involved with the Spiritual Formation movement (i.e., contemplative, spiritual direction), consider the “direction” you will actually be going.
And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel. (Colossians 1:21-23)
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2: 8-10)
This article is an extract from the Lighthouse Trails booklet, Is Your Church Doing Spiritual Formation? (Important Reasons Why They Shouldn’t). To order this booklet, click here.
Endnotes:
1. Dallas Willard, “Spiritual Formation: What it is, and How it is Done” (https://dwillard.org/resources/articles/spiritual-formation-what-it-is-and-how-it-is-done).
2. Larry DeBruyn, “God’s Present of His Presence” (https://www.guardinghisflock.org/gods-present-of-his-presence/ ).
3. Donald Whitney, “Doctrine and Devotion: A Reunion Devoutly to be Desired” (http://web.archive.org/web/20080828052145/http://biblicalspirituality.org/devotion.html).
4. Chuck Swindoll, So You Want to Be Like Christ: 8 Essential Disciplines to Get You There (Nashville, TN:W Publishing Group, a div. of Thomas Nelson, 2005), p. 15.
5. Ibid., p. 13.
6. Ibid., p. 55.
7. Ibid.
8. Roger Oakland, Faith Undone (Eureka, MT: Lighthouse Trails Publishing, 2007), pp. 91-92.
This has been an extract from our booklet Is Your Church Doing Spiritual Formation? (Important Reasons Why It Shouldn’t). To order this booklet, click here.
The Dangers of Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Disciplines
The Dangers of Spiritual Formation and Spiritual Disciplines A Critique of Dallas Willard and The Spirit of the Disciplines by Bob DeWaayPractices called “spiritual disciplines” that are deemed necessary for “spiritual formation” have entered evangelicalism. Recent encounters with this teaching narrated to me by friends caused me to investigate these practices. The first experience involved my friend and co-worker Ryan Habbena who went back to seminary to finish his masters degree. Here is his experience in his own words: I recently took a seminary course on the book of Luke. It was a summer intensive and was one of only […]
SHOCKING List of Spiritual Formation Ministries
More Catholic Witchcraft Infiltrating the Apostate Seminaries, Ministries, and Churches “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; 2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” 1 Timothy 4:1-2 WHAT is spiritual formation / contemplative prayer or centering prayer? Spiritual formation/contemplative prayer/spirituality is just another self-centered, Christ-denying, self-righteous, works-based, occultic, pagan lie from hell! Seminaries teach it and now many churches today are practicing new age witchcraft called contemplative prayer, or centering Prayer which is part of spiritual formation. […]
“So mightily grew the word of God and prevailed.” Acts 19:20
See picture below.
I recently, “accidently” drove up this very narrow street only to realize that there was no turn around at the end. As God would have it, this man helped me back out of that street and received the spoken Word and a JESUS tract. Romans 8:28 right?
“Ephesians 3:20 was the very verse I prayed for you and the ministry this morning! And v16 as well. May the Spirit of God manifest His full grace and peace upon you today! And give you fruit, more fruit and much fruit! Amen.” Karen Cochran
(see picture below)
It dawns on me afresh today as it has since arriving here in Mexico, that these precious people so deeply hunger for Christ. Today, upon ministering to Victor and Juan and having Victor incessantly asking me about Christianity, Jesus, and being saved…. this was a fresh reminder of the great hunger and openness of the Mexican people. They want Jesus. Plain and simple. “HOW shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14)
These two men were excited to know that you would be lifting them in prayer.
Victor and I are now connected by phone. So he will now be fed the Word of our God and be introduced to Spanish speaking disciples of our LORD Jesus.
Being limited in Spanish, I preached the Gospel, the Bible truth I am able to in Spanish and that including exhorting them both, today to repent and receive Jesus and did this while pointing to the prayer (oracion) on the back of the JESUS tract.
Would you like to kindly pause to lift these 2 dear men in prayer to our LORD?
JUST got a call from sister Teri in FL and had the opportunity to speak with brothers Scott and Jorge who were both recently saved by Jesus. Was also blessed to speak with a brother named Raymond who is a flourishing disciple of Jesus!
Thank you for your prayers and support which include our bless-ed opportunity of helping this group of disciples in FL.
Jesus is coming!
Recently…… Many received God’s Word today.
Brother Mark has recently joined in helping with our LORD’s Gospel in Mission Mexico and was amazed when he saw three grown men walking together who were ministered to and walk away, each of them with the JESUS tract open, as they walked read the message. They are that hungry.
The Mexico people deserve to hear our LORD’s glorious Gospel!
“I bet brother Mark is amazed at the response of the Mexican people when you guys go out and minister to them. To have so many hearts open and poor in spirit would be a shock at first. Total opposite of America—who say ‘I am rich, increased with goods have need of nothing!’ Revelation 3:17.
Praise God for the blessed ones who heard the engrafted word of our Lord, which is able to save their souls.” Karen
REPLY:
Yes He is amazing. They WANT it. They DESIRE it. They are like the woman who desires a man and so he marries her and they have a super blessed marriage for life. Instead of the wicked Jezebel woman who just wants to self-servingly shop for the man she can use to accomplish her selfish agenda.
“I was reading Mathew 21:23 this morning and it went through my mind that is what God said to America! ‘The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.’ And that nation is Mexico!“ Karen
“Truly amazing what God is doing in the hearts of the Mexican people. And now He is raising up disciples to bring into the harvest. He is LORD of the harvest. Have you heard of Chick Publications? I just read that they have sent 200,000 tracts to a Mexico missionary and more being ready to be sent. Southern Mexico. So God is sure flooding Mexico with His Word!” Karen Cochran
While walking over to get a haircut, I happened to spot a JESUS tract someone had placed on this vehicle. No it was not me. I didn’t put that tract there. Someone else did.
Then, 5 minutes later, after arriving at barber and sitting down in the chair, straight ahead in my line of sight, there’s a JESUS tract purposely set on display by the barber.
No matter how high prices get in Mexico, your cost of living will always be MUCH less than the USA. A raise awaits you, soon as you cross the border. Is God prompting you to “Go”? (Mark 16:15)
God is good all the time as you well know and thank you.
Your prayers to the Father in the name of our LORD Jesus are the heavenly fuel He uses to bless and empower and supply His people to do His work.
“For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,” Philippians 1:19
Yes Jesus is saving souls—the very mission He came to accomplish for all who will, right?
“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17
Every man in the picture below gladly received the spoken and printed Word (JESUS tract Spanish).
Beloved Maria.
HINT: There is plenty of opportunity to contribute to Mission Mexico. We are going to continue to feed the poor and minister Christ’s Gospel – regardless of the fumes we are presently operating on. Thank God for those who are praying and supporting. This opportunity to obey God, lies in front of each of us. What shall we do?
“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35
To say that this ministry is under-funded is an understatement.
GOD is our Maker and Redeemer and He knows where He has and wants each of His children to be—where you already are or otherwise. The LORD is in control (Psalms 24:1). “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” Psalm 37:23 Last week Jesus saved this beloved woman, Katherine! See more on that salvation story here. Recently I commented under a Mexico video…. which received nearly 100 likes to date…. After leaving the USA and now living in Mexico, I began to see just how un-free and vulturous it was […]
“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:” Ephesians 1:4
Holiness comes by the Savior in self denial (death and burial – the cross), not by self will or effort. Surrender is the cross – “NOT my will but thine be done” (Lk. 22:42) and “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). We surrender to Christ by saying “Not my will but thine be done” dear Lord, by Your grace and the deliberate act of my own will I submit to the cross, the crucified life – where You alone reign supreme in this vessel (Luke 22:42; Galatians 2:20, etc.). I love You LORD Jesus! You must increase but I must decrease! (John 3:30)
Holiness, not happiness, is the divine command, the chief purpose and end of Christ’s salvation.
Of holiness, one disciple writes:
“Holiness speaks more to nature than it does conduct. Good conduct is the spontaneous byproduct of the new nature of the new creation man thru the cross and death to the old nature. We are new creatures in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17-18). To preach holiness as conduct without the new nature thru the cross understanding is legalism. Holiness is actually derived from ‘wholeness’ meaning the thorough transformation of the whole tripartite man (1 Thess 5:23). So many of these ‘holiness’ preachers are preaching nothing but conduct under law. Law arouses sinful passions and causes sin to increase and was given in order to provoke transgressions (Rom 7:5; 5:20; Gal 3:21). They are enemies of the cross!”
Holiness comes by way of the cross, not by way of the flesh. Just as sin was conquered by the cross of Christ, so sin in the life of the saint is conquered by the daily cross – the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3, etc.). It’s time to stop trying harder and to simply die deeper.
NOTICE: When a believer or group of believers backslides, they no longer separate from the transgressors who are unrepentant:
Fornication Defiles
“It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have (Gr. possessed and wouldn’t repent) his father’s wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:1-2
The Glorious Church Jesus is Returning for [video]
WHAT church/people is Jesus returning for? “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-27 “a glorious church” “not having spot (no sin)“ No “wrinkle” “or any such thing” “but that it should be holy and without blemish” WHAT’s the use of talking about end times […]
Can a True Believer Overcome All Sin? [podcast]
Yes. In the church world, there’s an abundance of talk about sin and it comes with the notion, the inflection, the false assumption that somehow, born again believers are relegated to sinning, as if there’s no other choice. Is that true? Is this the biblical perspective? What I want us to do is make sure we are looking at the whole of Scripture and be blessed to gain a godly confidence that our Savior provided a perfect salvation that includes more than just the initial washing away of our sins. This “great grace” that He provided in His “so […]
The Truth about Holiness [podcast]
“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?” Exodus 15:11 As we just read, divine “holiness” is “glorious.” Holiness is not what most of us think it is. Holiness in the divine economy is something of great “beauty” and utterly refreshing (Psalms 96:9). It seems that holiness is not merely a divine attribute but rather the divine nature of the Almighty. Are we ready to allow our LORD, who alone is “Holy, holy, holy,” to define what holiness truly is and how He brings it […]
