Real Spiritual Maturity Must Become the Christian’s Priority

Paula White Exposed [video]

THAT’s My King! Pastor Lockridge [video]

Powerful Prayers from Children-This Will Shake You [video]

The Fear of the LORD is to Hate Evil: Pride, and Arrogancy #shorts [video]

This Last Days church will never survive without it.

The power of the gospel to save is as real today as it ever was. Its power to heal our hurts, to comfort our hearts, and to do all kinds of tangible miracles is still available, too.

But what about the power of the gospel to actually mature believers, particularly to bring spiritual maturity to the collective members of a local body so that we are led to measure up to the stature that belongs to Jesus Christ? Is that power still available? Yes! It is still available, too! But it must be believed and appropriated in order to be realized in the same way that the gospel’s power to save, heal, comfort, and do miracles must be.

We are so far from understanding the theme of spiritual maturity that many believers do not even know that it is a part of the gospel message. This is true even among many who believe in spiritual gifts. Only a tiny percentage of Christians really have a vision for the fullness of Jesus Christ in the body, or even see it as a part of the gospel message. But the gospel is a whole life message. It brings change immediately, it saves ultimately, and between the two it grows us up.

How We Got Here

There are several contributing factors which have led to our present spiritual dilemma. The primary one is that for the last 500 years we have prioritized preaching for saving over teaching for spiritual maturity. Another one is that it is much easier to preach the saving part of the gospel than it is to submit to the maturing part of the gospel. And finally, the natural man likes things that can be measured and boasted about, and preaching for saving usually yields a headcount. But there are no immediate grand results from submitting to the power of the gospel for spiritual maturity. They come over time.

Even though Christianity today is accustomed to prioritizing salvation over spiritual maturity, this does not change the fact that we are spiritual creatures, born after God Himself. As spiritual creatures, whether we feel like it or not, our new default is to be spiritual. But the natural man fights the spiritual man for all he is worth (which is not very much, by the way). As born-again believers, we are reprogrammed away from the natural man altogether, but we are all too familiar with how difficult it is to keep him in check. Nonetheless, our new spiritually advanced DNA leads us to preach not only the gospel that saves, but also the gospel that grows us up into the full measure of the stature that belongs to Jesus Christ. I do not discount the great importance of preaching the gospel that saves, but only advocate that we also teach and practice spiritual growth by it, too; and it is through our growing up spiritually that we will see more people saved, anyway.

Reformation but Not Spiritual Maturity

I mentioned earlier that a major contributing factor to our lack of spiritual fitness is that for nearly 500 years we have prioritized numerical growth, giving very little attention to spiritual maturity. Allow me to give an overview to show you what I mean.

By the time of the death of the beloved apostle John, the center for the church for all practical purposes had moved to Rome, under the leadership of Clement of Rome, who was later named the bishop of Rome. Within just a few short generations, succeeding church leaders began dominating Christian thought and doctrine entirely. Having left the Spirit’s leadership and fallen captive to Satan’s religious bondage, the early church evolved into a damning religious institution. Roman Catholicism purposefully set out to bring all people everywhere under its thumb. Its leaders interpreted the scriptures to say that all souls who wanted to claim Christ would have to come under the established church. Thus they taught that any hope of salvation had to come from the Catholic Church; and their dogma reigned supreme throughout much of the world for nearly 1400 years.

Amazingly, it still enslaves more than a billion souls today!

Then, about 500 years ago, God loosed Truth that resulted in the freeing of countless souls throughout the institution’s horrid domain around the world. Whole families and even nations had been under the Roman religious system for generations, but finally God raised up Christian reformers who, in the face of papal authority, established soundly through the scriptures that anyone could be saved by grace through faith in Christ alone – apart from the Catholic Church or any other institution. And with that, the battle for proclaiming Christ alone through open evangelism had begun!

A dozen years or so later, after Martin Luther openly challenged papal supremacy, new authority was assumed by King Henry VIII over the Church of England, and he continued the fight against any unbridled Christian who preached that souls are saved by faith alone. But the cat was already out of the bag; and by the grace of God, within just a few decades, multitudes of people who had lived in the darkest dungeon of humanity’s existence for centuries burst into the glorious light of the gospel! Countless numbers of people were set free to read the Bible for themselves for the first time (at least as quickly as they became available) and to evangelize. And for the first time in more than 1000 years, the world discovered that any and every man, woman, and child was a priest in his or her own right through faith in Jesus Christ. Surely the heavens shouted in delight when, after so many centuries of hellish religious bondage, earthly humanity realized that it was not in Jerusalem, or “in this mountain” (John 4:20-24), or under Rome’s Catholicism, or the Church of England, or anywhere else that they would have to worship! But as wonderful as that was for the gospel to have been loosed, the road to spiritual maturity had only just begun. At this point, the deeper understanding of the believer as a new creation and his enablement by the Spirit to actually grow up into Christ’s image was not even known, much less pursued on a large scale. And since so much of our modern-era evangelical doctrine finds its base in Reformation theology, I dare say that, in spite of great spiritual awakenings around the world over more recent centuries, today’s most vocal voices in Christianity are more influenced by John Calvin from 500 years ago than by the Spirit of God of eternity past! Authentic spiritual understanding for authentic spiritual maturity is provided for by Christ in us, the hope of the glory of God on earth; but mainstream evangelicalism is still in the dark ages on this truth.

The apostle Paul knew this revelation was deep and easy to overlook. He prayed earnestly that believers everywhere would come to an understanding of all that had been accomplished through the work of Jesus Christ for His glory to be revealed in us here and now, as well as for our eternal glory (Ephesians 1:15-23)! It is in knowing and appropriating those benefits which we have received for this age that we are made a truly spiritual people in this age – something that only segments of Christianity have touched in recent centuries.

Is there any wonder why we are not growing up into the image of Christ? And what about taking on the demonic battles that are lurking at our doorstep? How many among the Christian community are ready to take on Satan’s spiritual forces as he marches against this Last Days church? Can you not hear the Spirit of the Lord crying out to you and me that we MUST become a spiritually mature church if we expect to endure victoriously the times in which we live? Let us look at more evidence of why we are still spiritual babies, not ready for this late hour.

Great Awakenings but Not Spiritual Maturity

The Great Awakenings of the 1700s and 1800s boosted preaching for salvation and renewal for those already saved – and it was very effectual. God used a few inspired men to call the world to attention. Men such as Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and John Wesley started, followed in the next century by Charles Finney, James McCready, Barton Stone, and others. These led tens of thousands into repentance from sin and faith toward God. Their preaching set on fire hundreds of other fiery preachers, then thousands. From England to America, makeshift pulpits popped up on busy streets and in the open fields, wherever there were people. And this was wonderful! Oh, how many of us would love to see this kind of revival preaching now! But it would have to happen on the streets and in the fields, since the churches far and wide, large and small, are in their own Dark Age and will NOT let God in! And many do not even realize it! Again our point is made that, as wonderful as this power preaching for salvation was then, there was still no knowledge of or emphasis given to spiritual maturity as it relates to the whole body coming into the image of Christ.

In the same way, there is lack in that area today. In the largest denomination in America, in fact, the call for salvation (watered down though it usually is) is still the focus of preaching every Sunday – even to those who are already saved! Is there any wonder why the body of Christ is so spiritually immature? Oh, what a spiritual awakening we need to get us out of the nursery! Limiting ourselves to the traditions and priorities of revivals past will not allow God’s people to come into lasting spiritual maturity – which was God’s goal from the beginning, and which is an absolute MUST if we are to endure these last chapters of these Last Days, not to mention our need to become His spotless, glorious bride!

Sunday School / Bible Studies but Not Spiritual Maturity

In the continuing evolution of evangelical Christianity, Bible study was first given emphasis through what came to be known as Sunday School. Most historians attribute its origin to Sunday Bible-reading lessons for children that took place in England, starting in the 1780s. As a part of the industrial revolution, thousands of young children were forced to work in awful conditions and for unthinkable hours six days a week, making it impossible for them to attend school; so God raised up a man named Robert Raikes, an Anglican evangelical, to start teaching these underprivileged children to read the Bible on Sundays, their only day off. From that was born Sunday School, which eventually spread to America. From that humble beginning, Bible study became a regular part of early elementary education. Then approximately 100 years later, when the state began to take over the responsibility of educating children, Bible training began to be moved out to the churches for Sunday study only, where it became a mainstay for the next 100 years. More recently, evangelicalism has largely turned from authentic Bible study in Sunday School to opinion-based discussions about God, with perhaps an accompanying Bible reference or two to support free thinking. Even so, the early Sunday School program set the pattern for regimented Bible study among 20th century evangelicals. Of course, there have been many other outstanding programs for Bible study that have contributed to excellent Bible training as well. But the point is that even 200 years of consistent Bible study has not solved the believer’s handicap of Spirit-life underdevelopment. Again, this is primarily due to our unwillingness to progress beyond doctrines and traditions established in centuries past.

There are those believers who, in their earnest pursuit to walk with the Lord, have returned to the land where He and His apostles walked. They have gone to Israel, as well as to the lands of Paul’s missionary journeys. Other believers have pursued a closer walk with Him by going back to get seminary training, and some have even learned a little Greek and/or Hebrew, so they can read the Bible in its own language; but few have come away from any of those things having grown deeper in their spiritual understanding of all that has been accomplished through Christ for us in real time. To truly walk as Jesus walked still seems far away; and to pursue the fullness of Christ in the body is, for all practical purposes, foreign. Once again, Christianity as a religious practice has failed to actually yield Spirit-filled Christ-likeness on a large scale. Millions and millions of genuine believers today have been kept in the state of the natural man by traditional thinking and doing which can be traced back to early religious ideas since the Reformation. Oh, if only we could break out of the nursery and enter into Bible study and fellowship with spiritual understanding that would lead us all to spiritual maturity! Indeed, the world is waiting!

Pentecostal Denominationalism but Not Spiritual Maturity

Consider the Pentecostal denominations. Their origins can usually be traced back to truly authentic spiritual awakenings at the turn of the 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s. Some churches that considered themselves Pentecostal genuinely sought to allow the Spirit to have His way. Their meetings were obviously accompanied by the Spirit’s presence, evidenced by the activity of spiritual gifts just as was the case with the church of Corinth. The opportunity was certainly there for believers to develop into spiritual maturity and deep Christ-likeness. In the end, however, they followed in the footsteps of the church at Corinth, too. They had all the gifts but never reached spiritual maturity. Eventually they gave in to a religious form, and the Spirit’s power faded; but they continued to duplicate the habits and practices of their early stages, nonetheless, not knowing that the Spirit had moved out.

The largest Pentecostal denominations in the world have become nothing more than giant religious institutions. Just like their more spiritually conservative brothers and sisters in Christ have done, their system is tiered, weighty, and burdensome on local churches. They have long snuffed out any hope for true spiritual development. Here again, the effort of the Spirit to bring about deep spiritual understanding that leads to a deep spiritual walk was overwhelmed by Christianity becoming religious.

The Charismatic Movement but Not Spiritual Maturity

I should not neglect to mention a genuine move of the Holy Spirit that started in America in the 1950s and spread around the world, called the Charismatic Movement. The Spirit of the Lord moved afresh on God’s people of every denomination. Tens of thousands of churches were started in America alone by believers who came out of traditional churches which refused to allow the Spirit His liberty in their meetings. Many of those newly organized churches sought to mature spiritually – not only in their worship meetings, but also as corporate bodies growing up into the measure of the stature of Christ. But they experienced burnout when too many became so emotionally driven that they moved away from a truly Biblical foundation. Today, theology among the remnants of the Charismatic Movement, for the most part, is about as emotionally exaggerated and theologically twisted as it could ever be. Yet when evaluating that movement along with all the others, we must separate what men have done from what God was trying to do through men. If we discern between God’s way and men’s results, we can take the good and grow while leaving the bad behind.

Even though God’s work in that season of spiritual awakening did not lead to widespread spiritual maturity, it was certainly an authentic work which impacted the body of Christ around the world on a scale that no previous move had done. Yet we still groan within ourselves to become more like Him. God has not failed; we have. And even though we know there is something missing, and we read the scriptures spelling it out, we have yet to make the connection for the long-term. Oh, that God would take us to the fullness of Christ’s measure soon!

But Jesus Said: “I will build My church.”

Regardless of the tremendous spiritual warfare that keeps the body of Christ as spiritual babies, our Lord said that He would build His church. Any true believer who honestly evaluates the general spiritual condition of Christianity today would have to concede that the Lord is not the one who put this mess together. He has built the church indeed, in that He is the author of our salvation individually; but we have built ourselves together corporately. Nonetheless, based upon His promise, He will build His corporate body His way; and just like many of you, I can hardly wait to see it come together!

We have all the ingredients. The scriptures declaring what we should become are clearly seen in the Bible. The example of how we are to follow the Father’s perfect way was set by His Son. His aid and guidance are freely offered by the grace of His Spirit within. And His promise is sure.

We need only to ask Him to show us every area in our thought and practice that should be removed, and then remove it, or allow Him to do so. We should seek a continuing infilling of His Spirit and provide a place that is wholly hospitable for Him within. We should abide in His Word and believe it completely. We should come together when He calls us to. We should wait patiently on Him and be sensitive to obey. We should not lose hope but instead take heart. We can appropriate and facilitate His work by doing these things, but only HE can do the work itself. Let us not frustrate His Spirit but yield. This Last Days church will never survive without Him!

Do you want to get deeper into God’s Word? If so, send a reply requesting the “Moments with My Master” email that is sent out to edify the body of Christ.

Articles

Which Came First? Faith or Regeneration-Monergism Maniacs Exposed [video]

Just saw a video of Paul Washer speaking in a slight of hand fashion of how “it’s not about calvinism”, and how he can commune with non-calvinists due to regeneration. Yet, like all cults, calvinists intentionally hide their definition, their gross redefining and perversion of the doctrine of regeneration, being born again. Notice that Washer never denied he is a calvinist, because he is.

The whole concoction of the cancer called calvinism is to convince the moral coward counterfeit that no matter what he does he’s chosen, he’s the elect, he’s predestined, and he has no personal responsibility to trust and obey God. False. Whom we serve – sin or righteousness – is exactly who our master is.

“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

What we sow, we shall reap.

“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Galatians 6:7-8

When those claiming to be God’s people were in sin, the LORD spoke the following to them through the prophet Isaiah:

“Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; 17 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. 18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. 19 IF ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: 20 But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.” Isaiah 1:16-20

Here’s what they really believe about regeneration.

Calvinist Define their Un-biblical, Extra-biblical Belief System with the Acrostic TULIP:

T – Total Depravity

U – Unconditional Election

L – Limited Atonement

I – Irresistible Grace

P – Perseverance of the Saints

In Reformed theology, “regeneration precedes faith.” Samuel Storms writes that, “Calvinists insist that the sole cause of regeneration or being born again is the will of God. God first sovereignly and efficaciously regenerates, and only in consequence of that do we act.”

Another calvinistic quote:

“Monergism is the view within Christian theology which holds that God works through the Holy Spirit to bring about the salvation of an individual through spiritual regeneration, regardless of the individual’s cooperation.”

Is this true?

Monergism, the idea that God shakes down, hijacks, and forces His “elect” to be born again, is a doctrine of calvinism, a doctrine of devils (1 Timothy 4:1-2). In contrast to Monergism, Synergism is a cooperative venture, a working together of two or more parties. Synergism would better fit what God’s Word teaches whereas Monergism is just another diabolical invention of the heretical system of calvinism. The god of calvinism is a demon, or the devil himself, and it’s clearly seen in this forced entry, hostile takeover theology. In contrast to the one whom the LORD says came “to steal, to kill, and to destroy”, Jesus says to all of mankind …

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

“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

The calvinists isn’t taught the biblical truth that God calls men to come to Himself and that He gave all men the choice to come to or reject Him. Instead, calvinists teach that man is so depraved that he cannot make the decision to receive and follow Christ. Hence, or therefore, they get away with teaching that God hi-jacks the lives of the elect, forcing them, even if against their will, to be regenerated.

Lawrence Brown writes:

“I’ve heard the Calvinist response to monergism, James White uses this. They say God has a revealed will and a prescriptive (secret) will LOL. So according to them God says things in Scripture but his prescriptive will maybe different. That makes God a liar so their explanation is even worse.”

Here’s another heretical quote calvinists throw around:

“Without the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit no man could ever believe.”

Once again this puts regeneration ahead of faith.

CALVINISTS ARE “DECEIVING THE HEARTS OF THE SIMPLE”

Calvinism is a wholesale rejection of the original Gospel, personal accountability, and a diabolical mockery of God’s good, loving character.

At all costs, the calvinist refuses to repent. He denies the obvious, that he has a personal will, in order to evade truly, personally repenting.

Monergism and the so-called “perseverance of the saints” heresy go hand in hand. The “perseverance of the saints” lie says that if one is truly overtaken by and made to be saved by God, that such a person will automatically endure to the end with Christ. If such a person falls away, the coward’s cop-out used by calvinists is that that person wasn’t actually saved to begin with. So, “perseverance of the saints” is generally the same doctrine of devils as OSAS (once saved always saved) otherwise called eternal security. A refusal to truly repent, lay down ones life in this world, deny self, take up the cross and follow Jesus on His terms, are the root reasons sinful men migrate to and adopt these sin-justifying heresies (2 Timothy 4:3-4; Jude 4, etc.).

Backslidden counterfeits are willingly deceived moral cowards, “enemies of the cross of Christ”, who want nothing to do with anything that involves giving up their lives in this fleeting world and so they hide behind the prophesied grace-perverting false doctrines of eternal security and Calvinism (Philippians 3:18-19; Jude 4).

Calvinism is for moral cowards who refuse to face God honestly in true repentance, lay down their lives in this fleeting world, and follow Jesus for real (Luke 9:23-24; 14:33; 17:33, etc.). So, they hide behind the grace-perverting, sin-justifying heretical system of calvinism which came through a murderer who got it from a catholic named Augustine. Jude specifically forewarned of this very thing (Jude 4). Calvinism by Ken Rieske

In the diabolical delusionment of calvinism, God doesn’t require or want your personal participation. To conclude such would be to ignore and dismiss the hundreds of commands from God to man. No honest Bible reader comes away with this idea that God does it all in the relationship without the consent or participation of the person He’s in a relationship with. Only a calvinist could believe something like that. This is the danger of a system. When people are seduced and sold on the system (calvinism, dispensationism, etc), they are indoctrinated into seeing everything through that man-made demon concocted system lens. Once someone is delusioned, indoctrinated by calvinism, everything then revolves around the tenets of the system (TULIP) and so they then ignore Holy Scripture that contradicts it – which means they are “NOT of God” according to Jesus (John 8:47). Without exception, every child of God holds God’s written Word and every word of it, as the highest divine authority (Psalms 119; Mark 13:31; Romans 3:4; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21, etc.). In contrast, like the hell bound pharisees of Christ’s day, calvinists sacrifice divine truth to keep their own tradition (Mark 7:6-10).

God sure is sovereign, yet according to the whole counsel of His Word and such is not subject to the delusions of calvinism. Divine sovereignty is defined by the whole counsel of holy scripture, much of which the calvinist cowards despise.

The calvinist has created a false god in his own depraved image where he simply, intentionally ignores scriptures that call for true repentance and the crucified life in order to concoct, erect in his unrepentant heart this imaginary idol. it won’t fair well in the end.

Unrepentant evil men have always sought to cloke their rebellion with an alternate view of God, that is, false doctrines, doctrine that contradicts the whole of Scripture – does not stand the biblical test. This is exactly why calvinists can crassly dismiss mountains of Bible truth. They are serving the god of self, not the one true God revealed in the Bible. If they knew and were serving the LORD, they’d submit to the whole counsel of His Word (John 8:47). | The terrible TULIP of calvinism exposed.

“(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly (carnal appetites), and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.).” Philippians 3:18-19

Those who serve the god of self instead of truly repenting and worshipping Jesus in the crucified daily life He commanded, are “the enemies of the cross of Christ” and will twist and manipulate the Bible to justify them in their sinful lifestyles (Jude 4).

The calvinist migrates to these flesh-flattering lies because he wants an excuse to dismiss his sin instead of dealing with it the only way God’s Word prescribes – through the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24; Romans 6; 2 Corinthians 4:10-12; Galatians 2:20; Colossians 3:3, etc.).

“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12

The goal of the calvinist is not truth but rather to justify his sins using a distorted theology where certain Bible verses are hyper-interpreted, hyper-emphasized while mountains of other Bible verses are completely ignored, denied, and/or explained away.

Calvinism is a cover-up for sin. Buying this package will damn the soul. The central goal of this heretical system of theology is to dismiss man’s personal responsibility to obey God.

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

There are 2 types of professing Christian – 1 is Heaven bound and 2 is hell bound:

Those who face the LORD honestly in true repentance with their own utter depravity and sin, fasting and prayer, the cross (crucified), fighting the good fight of faith in a grounded, daily walk with Jesus, and then there’s …
Those who choose to be dishonest and deceitful of heart, unrepentant, and so migrate to false teachers and false teachings to justify their sin, to attempt to hide from them, dismissing all personal responsibility before God, and make a false god out of, in the image of their own wicked hearts. This is the whole construct and system of calvinism and the eternal security/OSAS and the hiding place for moral cowards who refuse to present themselves honestly before the LORD.

Was this not all prophesied of this last hour by the Holy Spirit?

“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure (hold themselves accountable to) sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2 Timothy 4:2-4

Those who espouse calvinism’s grace perverting, sin-justifying falsehoods do such because they refuse to hold themselves accountable to truly, honestly, worshipfully obey God (2 Timothy 4:3; Jude 4).

Calvinists spend their time and energy philosophying about what the Bible says and using flesh-flattering, grace-perverting, sin-justifying systemization instead of simply, personally reading and studying the Bible honestly.

“For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” 1 Samuel 15:23

False doctrine always and only finds its home in the deceitful heart.

Calvinists somehow believe they have permission to ignore Bible verses, divine truths that contradict their delusional heresies.

Keep in mind that wolves like Paul Washer, John MacArthur, RC Sproul, and Charles Spurgeon are all calvinist heretics. Everything they say, everything they teach is poisoned with this calvinistic system, a doctrine of devils. “A LITTLE leaven (false doctrine) leavens the whole lump” and calvinism perpetrates far more than a just “little leaven.” It’s a thoroughly poisoned pond. The Idiocy of Calvinism

An honest view of the whole of Holy Scripture reveals that Jesus died for all men, God draws all men to Himself, initiating the relationship, granting the sufficient grace, and yet leaves the final decision to the individual.

If man has no choice in the matter of being the LORD’s child, salvation, why would calvinists ever evangelize? They wouldn’t and they don’t. So Jesus’ Great Commission command is a mute point with them. If God just arbitrarily comes upon one of the “elect”, takes over their life and regenerates them, WHY did Jesus command His people to “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to EVERY creature.” (Mark 16:15) Why would there be any evangelism in the kingdom economy? There wouldn’t be. After Jesus commanded His disciples to go preach the gospel to EVERY creature, then He said that some will believe and “shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:15-16)

God sent His only begotten Son Jesus to die for the sins of all men and Jesus told us, His people, to go preach to “every creature” because He desires to save all men from sin and hell!

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

Why did God want “EVERY creature”, all men, to hear His Gospel preached? – Simple: Jesus “for the sins of the WHOLE world”, because He desires to save all men into His eternal kingdom! (John 12:32; Hebrews 2:9; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 John 2:2, etc.)

Calvinists love to misread Romans 9-11. They reject the knowledge of God here where it is once again revealed, as is repeatedly the case, that God desires to “have mercy on ALLLLLL.”

“For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon ALL.” Romans 11:32

The LORD saves souls through “the foolishness of preaching.”

“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” 1 Corinthians 1:21

When lost souls hear the Gospel preached, God saves “them that believe”, which is a choice.

Biblically speaking, the fact that salvation requires the direct act of God in no way negates that GOD sovereignly stated that He requires the individual to repent and believe on the LORD Jesus Christ to be saved (Luke 13:3; John 1:12-13; 3:16; Acts 3:19; 2:38; 20:21; Romans 10:9-10, 13, etc.).

Calvinism falsely teaches that man has nothing to do with salvation and that God saves whom He chooses without their consent (monergism). Calvinism also teaches that the LORD’s atonement is limited to a certain elect few (of which every calvinists claims to be, conveniently). God’s Word says that Jesus died to save “all men”, is “NOT willing that ANY should perish.” (1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9) The Son of God told us that when He went to the cross He was going to “draw all men unto me.” (John 12:32) It’s lunacy to say that Jesus doesn’t intend and desire to save “ALL men” even though we just read that He draws “ALL men” to Himself and “is the propitiation (atoning sacrifice) … for the sins of the WHOLE world.” (1 John 2:2)

DID JESUS DIE FOR ALL MEN OR JUST SOME MEN?

RECENTLY I had a lengthy phone conversation with a man I grew up with. He called to attempt to convince me, using a twisted (calvinistic) view of Scripture, that a person is first born again BEFORE they actually believe. John 1:12-13 is one of the passages he asked me to read. Read it here below closely and see what comes first, faith or becoming a son of God, the choice to receive Christ or being born of God. ….It got so bad and went on so long that I found my red button getting off point (hung up and blocked his number) with the passage he was using to “prove” his erroneous point…..here it is:

John 1:12 But as many as received him, TO THEM (that receive and believe) gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
John 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Receiving, believing upon Christ comes BEFORE being born of God.

WHO is it that is born of God? – “as many as received him”. This passage in John 1 first speaks of receiving Jesus, synonymous with believing on Him. Only AFTER receiving Christ which is a choice, does it speak of being born of God.

Those who at the hearing of the Gospel and conviction of the Holy Spirit chose to receive Christ, were born of God. “As many as received Him” clearly denotes a God-given choice.

This man who had called me was on a rampage to prove that God chooses men He wants to be His and those men have zero choice in the matter. They have no free will, to choice in the matter according to this deranged calvinistic heresy.

“Choose you this day whom ye will serve.” Joshua 24:15

Think how delusional it is to claim that a just God is going to punish people who had no choice in committing the sin that sent them to hell. That’s a “another Jesus”, a demon. Anyone teaching such is a wolf (2 Corinthians 11:2-5).

If the LORD warned us: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7-8) How is it then that man has no choice, no ability to exercise his own God-given personal will to sow good or bad seed, to make decisions?

Simple question: How, why would a just God punish those who CHOSE to do evil if they had no choice, free will in the matter? He wouldn’t. To claim such is to say God is not just. “God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.” (James 1:13)

This following passage ends the calvinistic delusion for all honest Bible students:

“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” James 1:13-15

Calvinism blasphemously makes God out to be an accessory to and agent of evil.

He called to make his point and therefore was not interested when I sought to read Scripture. I could hardly get a word in and after hearing him go on at length, would find an opening and be shut down by him. He forcefully spoke over me loudly and would not let me read certain Scriptures. I told him that was a red flag and quoted the words of Jesus in John 8:47. – “He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” (John 8:47) This man knows the Scriptures well yet is choosing to ignore certain, many Bible verses and passages which contradict his false doctrine.

The calvinist does not want to find out and evades the hard truths of Scripture because if he embraces “ALL scripture” it will require that he truly repent, lay down his life in this world, and truly follow Christ for real (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Luke 9:23-24, etc.).

The job and work of the calvinist coward is to run from, knock down, twist, take out of context, and negate every Bible verse of warning, severity, obedience, the daily cross (crucified life), and the divine command to “be ye holy.” (1 Peter 1:15-16). He does this to escape all personal responsibility. Instead he wants to live after his sinful lusts and justify it all by saying he’s one of the “elect”, saved by the grace of God and has no personal responsibility to take God at His Word and obey Him.

The calvinist is willingly indoctrinated and intentionally, deceitfully selective in the way he interprets Scripture. The calvinists interpret Scripture in order to prove their heretical points and not to apprehend the truth. In fact, the calvinist is inoculated from believing any Scripture that the cult of calvin hasn’t pointed out to them. They refuse Bible truth, mountains of Scripture which contradict the 5 poisonous points of Calvinism.

Beware of the “private interpretation” of modern beguilers in our midst. Contrary to the self-worshipping, wishful thinking calvinists, one Scripture never cancels another. “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God” and must be assimilated in its immediate and whole Bible context (1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17). Those who do not follow this biblical rule enter into what Peter calls “private interpretation.”

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:19-21

No Bible verses are to privately interpreted for the self-serving agenda of any individual. Such is the work of deceivers and their prey.

“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing (collating, putting together) spiritual things with spiritual.” 1 Corinthians 2:13

Calvinist apologists are simply those who have been dishonest before God for many years and instead of getting honest and coming to complete, real repentance before the LORD, they built this paper castle they vainly believe is hiding them from God and from His coming judgment. False security. They search high and low and borrow, parrot the intentionally falsely interpreted Bible verses which seem to justify their position. They will do anything but repent. They will spend endless hours searching for, and digging up Scriptures to “prove” their position – all while purposely ignoring the mountains of Bible truth that is in direct opposition to their false doctrines.

What’s tragic is when heretics are shown volumes of Scripture, mountains of God’s Word which contradict their beliefs and choose to ignore and set aside God’s Word in order to keep their heretical tradition – just as Jesus cited the hell bound pharisees for doing (Mark 7:6-10). What is the disciple of Christ to do after showing Bible truth and yet the hearer ignores it?

“A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject; 11 Knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself.” Titus 3:10-11

To subvert is to undermine the power and authority of God who has an established Word of truth concerning salvation.

“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 2 Timothy 3:5

Though in the ministry and engaging men with the Word of God daily, I was somewhat caught off guard by this childhood friend who had called – wasn’t expecting a call of that nature. Enraged, he insisted that I was intentionally ignoring verse 13 of John 1. Being that I do not ever wish to ignore one verse over another because “ALL scripture is given by inspiration of God”, we read those verses aloud together (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Together, mostly at his beckoning and leading, we went all over the Bible on this topic. We ended up back at John 1:12-13 at his leading and under his condemnation of me. So, we read those 2 verses together again and I asked him this question: What comes first in this passage, believing/faith OR being born of God? He was momentarily quiet and I pointed out that receiving Christ came first (v12) and then the person was born of God (v13).

Over his angry words I told him kindly that I was “done with this phone call.”

Of course, instantaneously upon receiving Christ, God saves the person, justifies, and regenerates them. They are born again. Jesus says “He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” (John 6:47) Scripture states “without FAITH it is impossible to please him.” (Hebrews 11:6) The LORD requires faith. Period. And not only initial but ongoing faith to the end of one’s life (Matthew 1:22; 24:13; John 15:6; Colossians 1:23; Hebrews 3:6, 12-14; 10:26-39; Revelation 2-3, etc.).

Jesus said to the blind as He healed them “According to YOUR FAITH be it unto you.”

“Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. 30 And their eyes were opened …” Matthew 9:29-30

In the divine economy, we appropriate God’s blessings by faith and forfeit them by the sin of unbelief (Hebrews 3-4, etc.). God requires the faith of men who will know and walk with Him.

Being born of God is a biblical truth and yet not without man’s involvement, man’s individual choice. The delusional calvinists conflate many things, including the erroneous notion that because it’s God that draws and saves, man is not at all involved and has no choice in the matter. Is that true? Not at all.

During this conversation the caller pointed out Romans 9 which is a passage that spans Chapters 9-11 in Romans. He was not happy and ignored what Scripture teaches in Romans 11:20-22. After I was finally able to get a word in edgewise, we read Romans 11:20-22. Being that he was clinging to heresy and not interested in apprehending the mind of Christ on this matter, this man didn’t like the threat the LORD gave to all Gentile believers of being “cut off” just like God did the Jews, His own people. Here it is:

“Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For IF God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity (judgment); but toward thee, goodness, IF (denotes condition) thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” Romans 11:20-22

Notice the utter essential of faith – the truth that God requires faith, initially and perpetually – “because of unbelief they were broken off.” (v20)

Jesus also told us that cast into the fire any man IN HIM who doesn’t remain, abide, continue in Him:

“If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.” John 15:6

Conclusion: Monergism, the regeneration before faith heresy, is just another twisted, perverse lie of the cult of calvinism. All calvinists are heretics who have corrupted the original Gospel message and character of God in their vain attempt to claim justification by Him with no involvement of their own.

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude 3-4

The sober minded will find that calvinists are arrogant, pretending that they, the special “elect,” possess esoteric, secret knowledge that others aren’t privileged enough to possess. When you give a calvinist heretic Scripture upon Scripture that clearly refute the lies he’s espoused, he will convey to you that because you aren’t one of the special “elect,” you can’t possibly understand. Calvinists are not men of truth but rather dishonest and deceitful in heart, hanging their hats on hellish doctrines of devils to justify living as they so choose in this fleeting world. Scripture clearly reveals that the “grace” they claim to be saved by is a farce. If they were truly saved by divine grace, here’s what their lives would look like:

“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” Titus 2:11-12

If Paul was overtaken and forced by the LORD to be saved, and therefore had no danger of falling away and going to hell after being saved, why did he tell us he had to “keep under” his body – live the crucified life – or he would be a “castaway” in the end?

“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway (a reject).” 1 Corinthians 9:27

If the Laodicean church, the people of God were forced to go to Heaven and were not in any jeopardy of being vomited, rejected from Christ’s body and suffering eternally in hell, why did the Son of God warn them that they were in danger of being rejected for being lukewarm? (Revelation 3:15-16)

Why did Jesus warn us all that if we didn’t overcome all sin, no matter what it took, or be cast into hell, if such were not a real and present danger? (Mark 9:43-50 KJB – Satan’s new fake “bibles” altered or removed this passage)

If those whom Christ saves (when they choose to obey His drawing and receive Him) why did Jesus warn each and every one of the seven churches of Revelation 2-3 that they had to overcome to be with Him in glory?

Jesus invented the phrase “fall away” and so we know it’s possible and we also know that someone who falls away was previous in Christ’s kingdom (Luke 8:13).

God “commandeth all men every where to repent” and yet the calvinist says man has no choice in the matter (Acts 17:30). How is it that the LORD says one has to repent to be saved if an exercise of one’s own will isn’t involved and if repenting is not possible or not required by God?

CRUX – WHY THEY DEPART FROM GOD’S WORD AND MIGRATE TO THIS HERETICAL SYSTEM:

Calvinists are among the vilest of counterfeits who love their sin, spending endless hours reading the works of mere sinful men, who they call the “reformers”, who offer an alternative to the cross, the crucified life. These are the very “ungodly men” Jude warned us about who are “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God.” (Jude 4). They will do anything on earth except truly repent and lose their life in this world (Luke 9:23-24; 14:27, 33; 17:33; Galatians 2:20, etc.).

Calvinism is extra-biblical, a system of theology devised by mere men and devils. John Calvin, the pope of Geneva, had over 60 people murdered and admitted to getting his teachings from a catholic bishop named Augustine. All 5 points are poison.

Support | STORE | Podcasts |

Calvinism’s Origins by Ken Rieske | Eternal Security / OSAS DEVILS Slammed! 1 John 2:19 | DOES Mankind Have Free Will? | The Heretical System and Doctrines of Calvinism | UN-Limited Atonement [podcast] | Eternal Security/OSAS Perseverance of the Saints Busted and Exposed | John Wesley on Calvinism, Once Saved Always Saved, and Conditional Security

The Sovereignty of God as Defined by Calvinism vs Scripture [podcast]

Of the “sovereignty” claim of calvinism, Ken Rieske writes: “Calvin’s Sovereignty Doctrine Distorts the Attributes of God Calvinists are proud to proclaim, “The basic principle of Calvinism is the sovereignty of God.” This doctrine allowed John Calvin to misinterpret Scripture in any manner he desired in order to fit his Institutes theology. He simply claimed the sovereignty of God allowed it. God’s other attributes such as love, justice, mercy and grace became irrelevant so long as sovereignty reigned. John Calvin’s extreme definitions of sovereignty and sin (Total Depravity or Total Inability) laid the foundation for a religion that bears his name, […]

Calvinism's Origins and Historical Roots [podcast]

Calvinism’s Origins and Historical Roots How did Calvinism Come about? Where did John Calvin derive his teachings, doctrines which many hold to today? False Doctrines of the “Pope” of Geneva Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints. HERE’S WHERE THE TULIP, THE 5 SOLAS, THE 5 POINTS OF CALVINISM CAME FROM. IT’S A CURSED ROOT AND THAT’S WHY CALVINISM CAN BRING FORTH NOTHING EXCEPT CURSED FRUIT (Matthew 12:33). Calvinism was cursed from the beginning, at the root. Calvinism is “another gospel,” a false gospel, and a totally heretical system of theology spawned from […]

Calvinism Demolished [podcast]

Calvinists Define their Un-biblical, Extra-biblical Belief System with the Acrostic TULIP: T – Total Depravity U – Unconditional Election L – Limited Atonement I – Irresistible Grace P – Perseverance of the Saints Romans 2:11 and 1 John 2:2 immediately prove that all of Calvinism is demonic heresy. ANY fraud who is teaching calvinism is “accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-9) Calvinists falsely teach that Jesus only died for a certain elect few people. But God’s Word says – “And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John […]

Articles

Video Update Mission Mexico [video]

You can help us minister to the people of Mexico. Your prayers and financial support is needed. It’s a grand evangelism opportunity. | Support Mission Mexico

Mission Mexico

Mission Mexico – See more here.

Download. Read. Print out your supply of the JESUS tract – English and Spanish.

Abiding

Laying Up Treasure in Heaven 60 second video #shorts

“but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike.” 1 Samuel 30:24

A financial investor takes your money and multiplies it for your last few years in this temporal life, right? In contrast, laborers for Christ take your support and multiply it for Christ and themselves for all eternity. In Christ’s eternal kingdom – everybody wins, all the time, forever. King Jesus reigns forever!

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” Luke 6:38

Paul was not coveting any man’s money – “I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel.” (Acts 20:33) No! He wanted God’s people to invest in Christ’s eternal kingdom – into eternal souls – and by doing so fill their “account” in Heaven. – “Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.” (Philippians 4:17)

God gives the increase of lost souls as “For we are labourers together with God.”

“I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. 9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:6-9

Gospel train rolling. Team Jesus! We must obey our LORD Jesus’ Great Command saints. You are not alone – God is with you, and us!

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

Stewardship of God’s Resources

See all shorts videos here on ministry youtube channel.

Money, Material Wealth, and Riches [podcast]

“Hath nothing” vs “Hath great riches” “There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches.” Proverbs 13:7 Who is the man who has “nothing” though he appears to have much in this world? Who is the man who has nothing in this world yet “great riches” awaiting him in glory? The clear proof that God is working in our lives, that we are truly following Jesus, is that we are becoming less and less vested in this fleeting, fallen world and gaining an eternal perspective (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17; […]

Dollar Dialogue [podcast]

Holes in Your Money Bags? [podcast] Curing the Dilemma of Diminishing Returns. If we want to see Heaven’s floodgates opened, we must examine what compliance, what agreement, what obedience the LORD may be leading us to render. The Reason Your Bag has Holes in it [podcast] (below) YOUR own bank statement tells you exactly who you are. Matt 6:21 A financial investor takes your money and multiplies it for your last few years in this temporal life, right? In contrast, laborers for Christ take your support and multiply it for Christ and themselves for all eternity. In Christ’s eternal kingdom […]

PARABLE OF THE TALENTS [podcast]

The Eternal Consequence of Obedience vs Neglect A parable is an earthy story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus’ parable of the talents is a teaching and severe warning of stewardship and the eternal consequences of obeying or disobeying God in the matter of our handling of His resources in this fleeting life. “And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.” 1 Corinthians 7:31 It is said that of the 38 parables Jesus taught, 16 of them involve stewardship. To further underscore the divine importance placed on stewardship, we should note […]