Mother’s Hands
A young mother laid her baby girl to sleep in her cradle. I’ll just go to the neighbors for a minute to visit, she thought to herself. I haven’t had time to talk to her for such a long time. But while she and the neighbor were chatting, the city fire alarm sent a chill through them both.
“Don’t worry,” said the neighbor. “Most likely it’s only a grass fire. There are lots of them at this time of year. I’m sure the fire isn’t anywhere near here.”
“But listen,” said the mother. “I think I hear the fire engine coming this way. Look! People are running down the street-running toward my house!”
Without another word she dashed into the street and ran with the gathering crowd. Then she saw it. Her own house was on fire! Smoke and flames were already pouring through the roof.
“My baby!” she cried frantically. “My baby!”
The crowd was thick around the house, but she pushed and shoved until she reached the door. A fireman stopped her and said, “You can’t go in there! You will be burned!”
But the mother cried, “Let me go! Let me go!” as she broke free and dashed into the flaming house.
She knew just where to go. Running through the smoke and flames, she seized her precious baby, then turned to make her way out. But by now the smoke made it very hard to see and breathe. Nearly overcome, she swayed and fell, and would not have made it out of the house safely if a fireman had not picked her up and carried her out.
What a cheer went up as they appeared! Baby Marjorie was not hurt at all! But the poor mother’s hands were terribly burned. Kind friends took care of the baby while the ambulance took her to the hospital. The doctors did their best, but her hands were terribly scarred.
Years later, when Marjorie had grown, she suddenly noticed something she had not noticed before. Her mother’s hands were so ugly! “Why are your hands so ugly?” she asked her mother when they were alone.
Tears filled her mother’s eyes as she remembered how frightened she was the day the house burned with Marjorie asleep and unaware of the danger.
“Have I said something wrong?” Marjorie asked when she saw the tears.
“No, my dear,” replied her mother. “But there’s a story I need to tell you.”
Then she told Marjorie the story of the fire. She told how the people tried to hold her back, how the fireman tried to stop her, how she battled the flames to rescue her, how she fell, and how they were rescued. Then she held out her scarred hands for Marjorie to see.
“They are ugly, in a way, aren’t they,” Mother said softly. “For me, the only thing that mattered was to save your life.”
Now it was Marjorie’s turn to shed a few tears. “Oh, Mother,” she cried, “You must love me so much! These are the most beautiful hands in all the world!”
Do you know there are hands that were hurt for you? The hands of Jesus. Soldiers drove great nails through His hands and hung Him on a cross to die so you could be forgiven of our sins and go to Heaven. Even when He comes again, the marks made by those nails will still be there. If you ask Him, He will show them to you. When you see them, you will know for sure how much Jesus loves you! You need to realize all Christ has done for you and cease being ashamed of Him. He suffered for you, in your place to save you from your sins and the fires of eternal damnation.
“Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.” John 20:27-29
Mother’s Face
Calvin Miller reminds us of the little girl whose mother’s face was hideously scarred from an early injury. As the little girl grew, made friends, and gained her own identity, she became more and more ashamed of her mother’s horrid appearance. As she walked down the street with her mother, she noticed people moving over to the far side of the walk or even crossing the street to avoid them. Gradually, the girl found ways to avoid being with her mother in public. Eventually, the girl became an adult, married, and moved to another town. Her lonely mother suffered financial setbacks and faced basic hunger. Her daughter continued to ignore her, even in such destitute circumstances.
One day the daughter discovered an old diary of her mother’s. It described a horrible fire that swept through their home. The mother rushed into the burning house, scooped her daughter into her arms, and ran back out, burning herself beyond belief. The truth dawned on the girl. Her mother’s horrific scars came from saving the daughter’s life.
A new kind of shame raced through her heart and soul. She went to her mother and threw her arms around what now appeared to be a beautiful face. In tears she expressed her gratitude for all her mother had done. A new love relationship controlled their lives from then on (Miller, Until He Comes, p. 139).
So often we depend on outward appearances as we choose our leaders and friends. We do not look behind appearances to find the truth about a person, a program, or an organization and their abilities to help us. Israel kept looking beyond her boundaries to find a strong ally to deliver her from enemies. Time and again God sent word to trust Him and let Him alone be the ally they needed. What does it take to reveal the truth to us about who can really help us and meet our needs? Who has proved true and faithful in our times of deepest distress? Are we ready to turn to the Faithful One, or will we seek yet another earthly ally?
Another was Marred for Us
“As many were astonied (stunned, shocked) at thee; his visage (form, appearance, countenance) was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:” Isaiah 52:14
“[visage] Hebrew: mar’eh (H4758), view; appearance; shape; visage. Generally translated “appearance,” referring to His outward form.”
“[marred] Hebrew: mishchath (H4893), to disfigure. Translated “marred” (Isa_52:14), and “corruption” (Lev_22:25). In His sufferings the Messiah was so bruised, beaten, and mutilated that His outward appearance was horrendous. He suffered so much that even wicked, hardhearted men were shocked at His treatment. He became so disfigured that men were disgusted at what they saw. The more perfect His body, the more marred He seemed in suffering.” Dake
“v1 Who hath believed our report? – The report of the prophets, of John the Baptist, and Christ’s own report of himself. The Jews did not receive the report, and for this reason he was not manifested to them as the promised Messiah. ‘He came unto his own, but his own received him not.’ Before the Father he grew up as a tender plant: but to the Jews he was as a root out of a dry ground. ‘He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.’” Adam Clarke
“v3 ‘Man of Sorrows,’ what a name
For the Son of God who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim!
Hallelujah! what a Saviour!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood;
Hallelujah! what a Saviour!”
—Philip P. Bliss
Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12
Prophetic Utterance of the Loving, Suffering Savior 700 Years Before He Came. He Was Pierced for Our Transgressions.
Isa 52:13 Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, he shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.
Isa 52:14 As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:
Isa 52:15 So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider.
Isa 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?
Isa 53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Isa 53:4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
Isa 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
Isa 53:9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
Isa 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Isa 53:12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Jesus’ hands were pierced. He was forsaken that we might be forgiven. He took the blow of death for us. We owe a debt we cannot pay. He paid a debt He did not owe, all to redeem us from the burning house of hell.
“To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:19-21
Jesus’ Scars
Like the loving mothers in these stories, Jesus loves us, too. He loves us enough that He carries scars from the day that He saved you and me and everyone in the world from the fire of sin. He has scars on His hands, His feet, and His side where the sword pierced Him. And likely He has scars on His back and on His head. Jesus could have gone back to His Father in heaven without dying for us, but He loves us so much that He could not bear the thought of spending eternity without us. He knew that if He did not die for us, we would all die without Him.
“For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” 1 Peter 2:21-25
“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:” 1 Peter 3:18
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:16-17
“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Psalms 22:1
“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46
“27:46 At about 3:00 p.m., He cried out with a loud voice, saying, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” The answer is found in Psa_22:3, “ . . .You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.” Because God is holy, He cannot overlook sin. On the contrary, He must punish it. The Lord Jesus had no sin of His own, but He took the guilt of our sins upon Himself. When God, as Judge, looked down and saw our sins upon the sinless Substitute, He withdrew from the Son of His love. It was this separation that wrung from the heart of Jesus what Mrs. Browning so beautifully called “Immanuel’s orphaned cry”:
Deserted! God could separate from His own essence rather;
And Adam’s sins have swept between the righteous Son and Father:
Yea, once, Immanuel’s orphaned cry His universe hath shaken—
It went up single, echoless, “My God, I am forsaken!”
—Elizabeth Barrett Browning
27:47, 48 When Jesus cried, “Eli, Eli … ,” some of those who stood by said He was calling for Elijah. Whether they actually confused the names or were simply mocking is not clear. One used a long reed to lift a sponge soaked with sour wine to His lips. Judging from Psa_69:21, this was not intended as an act of mercy but as an added form of suffering.” Believers Bible Commentary
“But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;” Hebrews 7:24-26
YOUR PRAYER TO GOD: Heavenly Father, thank You for the life, death, and burial of my LORD and Savior. Thank You Jesus for loving me and demonstrating that great love by Your perfect sacrifice on the cross where Your feet and hands were pierced with nails. I know it was Your love that held You to that cross more than those nails. I’m forever grateful to You my LORD Jesus for Your ultimate sacrifice for me, and the sins of the whole world. I love You dear LORD Jesus and am fervently watching for Your soon return. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit afresh right now and use me to help others to know You. In Jesus’ Name, amen.
Parenting | Making Peace with God | Fresh Start with God
Family | Godly Manhood | Women | Support | STORE | Podcasts | Christology |
Articles
7 Questions on Justification [podcast]
Justification by grace is the biblical doctrine that God freely declares sinners righteous, not based on their own merits, goodness, or works, but through faith in Jesus Christ’s redeeming work (book of Romans). It is an undeserved act of God’s love (grace) that forgives sins, reconciles believers to God, and imparts new spiritual life.
7 Questions on Justification
- How is fallen mankind made righteous, justified in the eyes of a holy God? (Romans 3:21-28; Galatians 2:16)
- What law makes New Testament believers “free from the law of sin and death”? (Romans 8:2)
- What could the law not do? (Romans 8:3-4)
- What is fulfilled in the life of the born again, Spirit-led New Testament follower of Christ? (Romans 3:31; 8:3-4)
- How does the Law apply to saints? How does it apply to sinners? (1 Timothy 1:9-11)
- Can anyone be justified by the works of the law, by law-keeping? Become intimately familiar with Galatians 2:4-5, 16; 3:1-3; 5:4.
- What is the over-arching divine revelation of Hebrews 8-10?
We owe a debt we cannot pay.
He paid a debt He did not owe!
Anyone who gets saved and then doesn’t drill down into the doctrinal letters and epistles and get grounded in grace through faith justification and living, will be susceptible to being deceived by the antichrist judaizers in our midst. It will cost many of them their eternal souls. There will be not 1 law-keeping judaizing snake in Heaven. If you don’t know that, you are biblically illiterate. Romans. Galatians. Ephesians. Philippians. Colossians. Hebrews.
ANY PERSON who teaches that blood-bought NEW Testament saints, saved by grace through faith, are under the law of Moses is an antichrist! Run!
“O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” Galatians 3:1-3
MANY who have refused to study and get grounded in the NEW Testament revelation of the saving grace of God in Christ, have now departed from the faith into the hell bound heresy of law keeping!
“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man (Christ) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” Acts 13:38-39
When Jesus told us the law would not pass away, He was in no way contradicting Himself by saying that one must keep the law to be saved (Matthew 5:17-18). That is a heresy. Paul picks this up in 1 Timothy 1 when he tells us that the law, law keeping is NOT for the righteous – “Knowing this, that THE LAW IS NOTTT MADE FOR A RIGHTEOUS MAN, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers…” (1 Timothy 1:9)
Dear law-keeper who thinks you can earn your own justification …. There is no justification in the law as pertains to fallen mankind and he cannot possibly fulfill it, and has broken it (Romans 3:10, 23, 28). Works mean nothing until one is first justified by faith in Christ alone and not the vain attempt to keep the whole law perfectly – which no one except Jesus did!
“For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10
ANY person who is trying to be justified by laughable law-keeping, is 100% a vile Christ-rejecting antichrist lost soul. As He died, shedding His precious blood on that cross for the sins of the world, Jesus Christ the only Messiah declared “It IS finished” which means simply “Paid in FULL.” (John 19:30) Law-keeping devils call Christ a liar, pretending that their own obedience and futile attempt to keep the law is needed for them to be saved – as they declare that Jesus’ sacrifice was not enough, was not sufficient. Blasphemy!
“Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 23 Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.” 1 John 2:22-23
“But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.” Acts 15:11
Gary Nygard writes:
“Trying to keep ONE IOTA of the law (to be righteous); ala, tithing, sabbath keeping, etc puts you under the bondage of the ENTIRE law and makes the Righteousness of God/GRACE completely and totally ineffective to you!
What you think enhances your walk with God actually DESECRATES it!
The works of the law are the arch enemies of GRACE!
The law worketh WRATH!
Romans 4:15
Because the law worketh wrath!
It makes those who attempt to keep it self righteous religious zealots like Apostle Paul BEFORE he got saved!
He warned the Galatian Church that they were like he was and they better take heed “lest they bite and devour one another.”
And we wonder why our churches have become a dysfunctional self righteous mess?!?”
It’s pride in the hearts of self-righteous men who want to believe THEY are meriting their own salvation by their own works! Nonsense! Read Romans 3-5 over and over and over again!
SAINTS, we are saved by the LORD Himself, by His grace and not our own works. People who are still self-righteous, thinking THEY are earning their own justification, get very uneasy when the saving grace of God is preached. They are not yet students of NEW Testament truth. WE MUST have an ever-deepening biblical revelation of God’s justification by grace and faith! Please begin by memorizing Romans 5:1-2. AND, please read Romans chapters 3-5 prayerfully and over and over, this week.
The highest insult to a holy God is to say that the sacrifice of his only begotten Son is insufficient! Is Christ dead in vain? Did He come for nothing? WHY did Jesus even bother coming if men could be justified by their own futile attempt at law keeping or trying to keep the whole law? James 2:10 anybody?
“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” Galatians 2:21
IF the law was sufficient, why did God replace it with an infinitely superior covenant, paid for, ratified in the blood of His only begotten Son? (Hebrews 8-10) WHY O WHY did Jesus come and die if the law was sufficient? (Galatians 2:21) Are you denying Christ and don’t realize it – by saying you can personally keep the law while despising His perfect sacrifice as He nailed the law to the cross and took it out of the way in His death? (Colossians 2:14-19) If you name the name of Christ, you’d better study until you understand this – biblical justification! We are saved and overcome by grace and not law – the law simply magnifies sin. Only JESUS can save! Read Romans 6-8 over and over and over, prayerfully.
One is justified immediately upon believing, true saving faith (John 6:47). Then, as that person chooses to abide, to continue with Christ, good fruit will be produced including obedience and yet, those things do not save, they are only the proof that such a person has been saved and is enduring to the end, abiding, continuing in Christ (John 8:31-32; 15:1-6, etc.). Attempting to add the law and keeping it to the NEW Testament message of Christ and His apostles is a gross, insidious addition to the original Gospel. The Old Covenant was infinitely inferior and had to and was replaced by the infinitely superior NEW Covenant which was ratified by the very blood of the one the old merely foreshadowed (Hebrews 8-10, etc.).
Obedience as an expression of our relationship with and love for our Savior – not to save us. We know that saving faith will always result in good works, good fruit (Ephesians 2:8-10, etc.).
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9
The law is not completely removed but rather present to convict, magnify the sin, and bring sinners to the Savior (Galatians 3:24).
“Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. 6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not…” 1 John 3:4-6
And we keep the “law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus” we is impossible without the saving grace of God and Holy Spirit (Rom 3:31; 8:2-4). New Testament believers are the only ones able to fulfill the law as did the Savior perfectly. The law demands perfection which it does not provide the divine, saving, enabling grace to fulfill. –“For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17)
ARE YOU justified by sinful self or the Savior? Good luck flashing those “filthy rags” at the Throne of the Almighty who sent His only begotten Son to die for you! (Isaiah 64:6) Righteousness comes from knowing and trusting the only One to ever keep the law perfectly and not from trying to keep the law (Galatians 2:16). Though the law be righteous, there is NO righteousness in the law other than repenting of your own efforts and putting your full trust in the only One who ever kept the law! (Romans 10:4) You deserve judgment and hell – you have nothing to offer God except a deeply repentant, honest, contrite, humble heart! (Psalms 34:18; 51:17; Matthew 5:3) You are a guilty sinner and must trash your religious fig leaves which are a sham at best!
“The aprons of fig leaves speak of man’s attempt to save himself by a bloodless religion of good works.” William MacDonald
True NEW Testament saints are dead to the law (Romans 7:1-4). Law keepers, do-gooders, and moralists are completely self-righteous antichrists who’ve put themselves in place of Jesus Christ as their own savior – denying Christ that place while vainly believing they can earn their own justification before a holy God and Judge of their eternal soul (James 2:10). Anti means “in place of.” Selah (meditate on that) God doesn’t want His children trying to keep the old law but rather to choose to worship, love, trust, and obey Him who is the only One to keep it and then nailed it to the cross and took it out of the way!
Are you under the law or under Christ? Can’t be both (John 19:30). The law for righteousness is over and to deny such is to deny Christ, to deny that His one sacrifice satisfied the righteousness of the law, that the law of Moses demanded, and the claims of the Father’s justice to redeem fallen man (Romans 8:2-4; 10:4).
The law is still in force for the unbeliever and for those who backslide (1 Timothy 1:9-11). Yet Believers are not under the law – the law convicted them and they ran to the foot of the cross, falling prostate upon the mercy of God poured out to us in the blood of Jesus (John 19:30; Romans 5:6-9; 2 Corinthians 5:19, 21). Jesus’ New Testament saints are under the law of Christ who fulfilled the law perfectly and nailed it to the cross and took it out of our way (Colossians 2:14-19). It’s all about JESUS to true New Testament believers, not law.
MAKE NO MISTAKE: The vain attempt of law-keeping for righteousness is the highest insult to the Almighty who sent His only begotten Son to die for our sins! (Galatians 2:21) Torah-Keeping Judaizing Devils Busted and Exposed as Hell Bound Frauds!!!
The “circumcision” Lives to Deny Christ and Destroy Souls!
Titus 1:10-11
“For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.”
One thing we should take heed from James is:
Acts 15:19-21
“Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God:
But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood.
For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.”
Galatians 2:1-10
STAND FIRM FOR TRUTH by FB Meyer
The great controversy in Paul’s career was over the initial rite of Judaism. It would have been comparatively calm, if he had been willing to admit that Christianity was a sect of Judaism, and that men must become Jews before becoming Christians. His contention was that the ceremonial aspect of the Law did not apply to converts from heathendom. Gentile sinners had the right to go directly to Jesus Christ for salvation, without traveling around the circuitous route of Judaism. When men insisted on the outward rite, he resisted it with all the fiery vehemence of his nature, Gal 2:3; Gal 2:12. But when his opponents were willing to admit that circumcision was not essential, he administered it to one of Jewish blood, as a concession to the weak and uninstructed, Acts 16:3.
Galatians 3:1-10
RIGHTEOUSNESS BASED ON FAITH by Life in the Spirit Study Bible
The strong tendency of the Galatian Christians to depend upon ceremonies or upon legal obedience, in addition to their faith in Christ, elicits in this chapter a magnificent demonstration of the simplicity and sufficiency of faith alone.
Faith had underlain the commencement of their Christian life, Gal_3:1-5. They had found peace with God through faith. Through faith they had received the fullness of the Holy Spirit. As they had begun, so let them finish!
Faith had been the means, too, of Abraham’s acceptance with God, Gal_3:6-10. From the first the gospel of faith had been proclaimed to him by the divine Spirit. Long before he had become a Jew by the initial rite of Judaism, he had been a humble believer in God’s promise, on the basis of which he was reckoned righteous. Simple faith was the only condition that he had fulfilled, and the promise that all flesh should be blessed through him had been given when he was still a believing Gentile. Surely what had sufficed for the father of the faithful was good enough for his children! Let each reader see to it that he does not merely believe about Christ, but believes in Him, so as to be no longer under the curse, but within the blessing.
Justification | Judaizing Devils Busted and Exposed
Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison Ministry | Mexico Mission here | Zambia Mission | All Ministry Updates |
Articles
Psalm 141 [podcast]
A Psalm of David. LORD, I cry unto thee: make haste unto me; give ear unto my voice, when I cry unto thee.
2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
3 Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.
4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties.
5 Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.
6 When their judges are overthrown in stony places, they shall hear my words; for they are sweet.
7 Our bones are scattered at the grave’s mouth, as when one cutteth and cleaveth wood upon the earth.
8 But mine eyes are unto thee, O GOD the Lord: in thee is my trust; leave not my soul destitute.
9 Keep me from the snares which they have laid for me, and the gins of the workers of iniquity.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets, whilst that I withal escape.
Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison Ministry | Mexico Mission here | All Ministry Updates | 100’s of Christ-centered Podcasts | Bible Books Narrated | Bible Study Helps | The Book of James Narrated [podcast] | The Book of Revelation Narrated [podcast] | Colossians Overview [podcast]
Abiding
The Danger of Joining a Modern Church [podcast]
Fruit. Fruit. Fruit.
“Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit.” Matthew 12:33
Speaking of the pattern of one’s life, Jesus taught that a good tree cannot bear bad fruit. A bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
“Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16 Ye shall know (discern) them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” Matthew 7:15-20
Jesus commanded His people to “know” which is to discern all “by their fruits”—to be fruit inspectors—first in their own lives and then in all others (1 Corinthians 11:31-32; 2 Corinthians 13:5).
Personally, I fail to find anywhere that Jesus or His apostles instructed any saints to “go find a local church and plug in.” Hebrews 10:25 is peddled by pastors today who seek a loyal following instead of seeking to fulfill their God-given duties to establish their hearers in the faith, to ground them in God’s Word, to equip them for the work of the ministry, etc.
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:25
Read that again please. Does it say to find a church? No. Those who are born again ARE already God’s “church” which simply means His called out people. More biblically, should we not simply be His church—His people, daily? This seems to be the pattern we see among the earliest followers of Jesus (Acts 2:42-47; 5:42; Colossians 3:16, etc.).
The authentic remnant elect of Christ do not patronize or bid Godspeed to false leaders (2 John 9-11; Revelation 2:2).
Refusing to sit under, condone, bid Godspeed to the false gospel, false doctrines, false teachers and wolves of the modern church … is not forsaking the assembly! Instead, it’s obedience to God who mandates that we “mark them,” that we “earnestly contend” against them, and warns us that anyone who bids Godspeed to them will be punished with them (Romans 16:17-18; Jude 3; 2 John 10-11).
If you are prone to cite Hebrews 10:25 to advocate for going to church weekly, consider where you learned that. In churches, right? Funny you probably don’t even have 10 Bible verses memorized and yet, to the benefit of the pastor, you know that one. What does this tell us? What does this reveal? What’s wrong with this picture?
What happens when people get loyal to a local church especially in this late hour where great apostasy was foretold? Here are a few obvious things that happen when someone “joins a church.”
- Most people who join churches today are not even born again, are not told they must repent and believe on Jesus to be born again. They become proud of their pastor and friends at that gathering (Zechariah 11:17).
- Church members are not learning the Word of God itself because they are simply being led by a wolf who is fostering their allegiance toward himself, not Christ (Colossians 2:8-10, 18-19; 3:1-4).
- They are not becoming soul winners (Proverbs 11:30; Luke 19:10).
- Attenders of modern churches are seldom if ever taught, established with personal knowledge of the Scriptures, the paramount truth that God’s Word itself is the final divine authority on all matters of the Christian faith and the practice of it (Deuteronomy 4:10; Psalms 119; 138:2; Isaiah 40:8; Mark 13:31; John 10:35; Romans 3:4; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21).
- The Bible message, warning to “love not the world” is seldom or never heard. Those who live worldly are separated from God (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17).
- Fake pastor do not teach people to get into God’s Word for themselves and so church attenders today are not in the Word daily for themselves which is by satanic design and therefore have no biblical foundation (Psalms 11:3; Matthew 7:19-29; 2 Timothy 2:15).
- When do we hear in modern churches that Jesus Christ is the Grand Subject of all of Holy Scripture? We don’t (Psalms 40:7-8; Luke 24:25-27, 44-46; John 5:39-40; 2 Peter 1:19-21).
- They are never taught the value God places upon good works in those He saves by His grace (Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 1:16; 3:8; 1 John 2:4).
- The Great Commission Jesus gave to His people is never mentioned and when it is, they’ve turned it into just another way of promoting themselves, their own brand, ministry (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-20; Luke 24:47; Book of Acts).
- They are not being equipped “for the work of the ministry” which is the duty being carried out by every authentic overseer of Christ’s church (Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Peter 5:1-6).
- Never taught in the modern churches is the fact that God holds each person He saves personally responsible, personally accountable for following Jesus daily (Deuteronomy 24:16; Joshua 24:14-15; Luke 21:34-36; 2 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 3:6, 12-14; 10:26-39; 12:14; Revelation 2-3, etc.).
- Modern day church members are not in the Word for themselves and the pastors have led them to this biblical illiteracy because they are building a church busine$$ and dumb people are easy prey/targets to rob (Isaiah 9:16; 56:8-12; Jeremiah 23; Ezekiel 34; Matthew 23; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; 2 Timothy 4:2-4, etc.).
- Church goers are barely or never heard the essential cross message which Jesus requires to follow Him (Matthew 16:24-25; Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20; 5:24; Colossians 3:3, etc.).
- They are never warned of going to hell if they die in sin (Ezekiel 33:12-13; Matthew 10:22; 24:13; Hebrews 3:6; 10:26-39; Revelation 21:8, 27).
- They are never taught that God is “Holy, holy, holy” and that He requires that those who are His be holy as He is holy (Isaiah 6:3; 1 Peter 1:15-16; Revelation 4:8).
- Those who attend a church are never informed that only those who overcome sin and Satan will be with Jesus eternally which is exactly what Christ told each and every one of the seven churches of Asia minor (Revelation 2-3).
- They are never taught that saving grace without exception results in the saved living according to the Scripture: “Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; (Titus 2:11-12).
- Members are taught the demonic lie of eternal security/once saved always saved , which is Satan’s first teaching and irrefutably led to the fall of mankind in the Garden (Genesis 2:17; 3:4).
- The mountains of warnings in Scripture are intentionally hidden from the congregational dupes who are willingly biblically ignorant, having rejected the knowledge/Word of God (Ezekiel 3:7; Hosea 4:6; 2 Corinthians 5:11; Colossians 1:28; Jude 3-4, etc.).
- Most church members are not taught that only those who remain in Christ after being saved will be with Him eternally (Matthew 25:1-13; John 15:6; Romans 11:20-22, etc.).
- Modern church attenders are seldom if ever warned to come out from this sinful world in the way they live (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1).
- They are lukewarm which means hell bound if they don’t repent (Luke 3:15-16).
- The original Gospel essential, the command to “repent” is never heard, even though it was the very first word spoken by John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostle Peter in their ministries (Matthew 3:2; 4:17; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30).
- Modern church members are merely a participant of a “Christian” social club seen nowhere in Scripture (Cp. Acts 2:42-47).
- Their loyalty and allegiance is toward the pastor, singing group, and fellow congregants (Proverbs 21:16).
- They are never taken through the volumes of Holy Scripture where God judged His very own people who backslid (Numbers 16; 25; Romans 11:20-22; 1 Corinthians 10:1-12; Hebrews 3-4; Jude 1).
- Church members are taught to become dependent on their church affiliation, connection, and attendance and not the LORD (Matthew 15:8).
- They are not daily seeking the face of the LORD (1 Chronicles 16:11; Psalms 27:4, 8; 57:7; 63:8; Matthew 6:33; Luke 9:23-24).
- Seminarian led church members are seldom if ever taught that for eternal glory with Him Jesus requires the decisive cutting off of the hand and plucking out of the eye of any sin that defiles them in the eyes of a holy God (Mark 9:43-49).
- When the Bible is literally read, 99% of the time it’s from a vatican corrupted fake “bible.”
- Most are barely if at all different from any lost soul around them in their daily life (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
- Due to their own refusal to truly repent and walk with Jesus daily, they were sent strong delusion, are in darkness and deception, and therefore “remain in the congregation of the dead” (Proverbs 21:16).
“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
The words “leader” and “leaders” appear 6 times (total) in God’s Word. It is always to be in context of servant leading (Matthew 20:20-28; 23:8-12; 1 Peter 5:1-6). In the following and most popular times “leaders” is used, it’s in the negative, as in false “leaders.”
“For the LEADERS of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.” Isaiah 9:16
“Let them alone: they be blind LEADERS of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” Matthew 15:14
They love their darkness rather than the light of His truth and therefore craft, they erect the image of a false god in their wicked unrepentant hearts.
“Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
“Jeremiah 7. The people were wicked and evil, placing their trust in the temple, instead of God, and believing their religious activities would be pleasing to the Lord. But they were committing all kinds of sins, deluding themselves into thinking that they were secure. God said, I will cast you out of my sight! And instructed Jeremiah not to pray for them. They refused to obey the Lord God nor receive correction, and the truth had perished, so God said, I will cut them off from my mouth! Wow! Isn’t this exactly what we are seeing in this late hour? There comes a time when the Lord has had enough and cuts them off! And judgment falls upon those who don’t want the truth.” Karen Cochran
Support | STORE | Podcasts | Jail/Prison Ministry | Mexico Mission here | All Ministry Updates | The Return of Christ | Stewardship | Apostate Modern Church Exposed | Beware of the BUZZ WORD Bandits [podcast] | Preach the Word | Wolves Exposed | Church Membership Exposed | 100’s of Christ-centered, Scripture-rich Podcasts | Knowing God | The Cross Life | Christology = the Study of Christ
7 Questions on Justification [podcast]
Psalm 141 [podcast]
The Danger of Joining a Modern Church [podcast]
Jesus Conquered Sin, Satan, and Death by Dying [podcast]
JT with Todd Tomasella of SAFEGUARD YOURSOUL – Evangelism Encouragement [video]
7 Ways to Forgive [podcast]
Christ’s Non-Negotiable Original Gospel Imperative [podcast]
The Book of Proverbs Alexander Scourby [video]
TORAH Keepers Slammed
What is our Highest Priority as we see Christ’s Return Nearing? [podcast]
“But God, who is Rich in Mercy” [podcast]
Dancing on Hell’s Grave: Why We Need not Fear Death: Resurrection Joy – Fearless in Death [podcast]
Young’s Literal Translation YLT Exposed
Jacked Up Jezebel Rebuked [podcast]
Gospel Action in Mexico Part 36 [video]
4 Verse KJV Comparison [podcast]
Dancing on Hell’s Grave: Why We Need not Fear Death: Resurrection Joy – Fearless in Death [podcast]
Young’s Literal Translation YLT Exposed
TORAH Keepers Slammed
The More Blessed Life [podcast]
Racism: Nation Rising Against Nation [radio]
7 Questions on Justification [podcast]
Jesus Conquered Sin, Satan, and Death by Dying [podcast]
Overcoming Whoredom [podcast]
The Book of Romans Narrated [podcast]
When God Says to STOP PRAYING! [podcast]
LESS than the Least! Filthy Rags Fellowship! [podcast]
What’s Wrong with the Modern Church World? [podcast]
Full of The Holy Ghost [podcast]
Christ’s Non-Negotiable Original Gospel Imperative [podcast]
7 Questions on Justification [podcast]
Psalm 141 [podcast]
The Danger of Joining a Modern Church [podcast]
America1 year agoThe Drugging of America: The Pharmakeia Sorcery Deception [podcast]
- Articles2 years ago
Children being Rescued in Tunnels: Happening Now – UPDATE!
- Articles8 years ago
Self-Examination in Preparation for the Lord’s Return
- Apostasy2 years ago
SHOCKING List of False Prophets Most Believe are True
Providing Christ-centered Scripture-rich resources to feed, edify, and equip the body of Christ (John 21:15-17; Ephesians 4:11-15).
Navigation
Quick links
Newsletter
Stay updated of the ministry operations. We saved a spot for you on the ministry email list.
© 2025 Safe Guard Your Soul. All Rights Reserved