Excerpt from the book Lie of the Ages
“But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” Hebrews 3:6
In stark contrast to the deadly myth many in the modern church perpetrate, soul-saving faith is never conveyed as a one -time event on the pages of the 27 books which comprise the canon of New Testament Scripture. The Old Testament is the same – Ezekiel 33:12-13. In Holy Writ, we observe that the faith that pleases God begins with the born again experience and then is an ongoing believing, overcoming, and enduring experience and not just a one-time event. The individual’s salvation begins with a one-time experience upon repentance and faith in Christ and that same volitional trust is to be maintained by the believer and is left up to his own volitional will. The saint is enabled by the influencing and enabling grace of God.
Everything in God’s kingdom economy works through His mercy, grace and man’s faith-filled obedience. Salvation is undeserved not unconditional. The LORD requires initial saving faith and that the recipient of His salvation continue in that saving faith until the end of his life.
Concerning King Uzziah, in 2 Chronicles 26:4-5 we read:
“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah did. And he sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the visions of God: and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him to prosper.”
It was only as long as King Uzziah “sought the LORD” that
“God made him to prosper.”
Those who teach the heretical “once saved always saved” (OSAS) doctrine, consequently do not teach what Christ and His apostles taught concerning continuing in the grace of God during and to the end of one’s life. Unfortunately, many have bought into this myth not realizing that their eternal soul could be in jeopardy. Those who believe and teach this doctrine of men and devils divorce themselves from the full-counsel of God’s Word and make a god in their own image. One of the biblical doctrines ignored, neglected and rejected, is the absolute necessity of enduring or continuing in faith to the end of one’s life (Matt. 10:22; 24:10-13; Acts 14:22-23; Col. 1:23; Heb. 3:6, 12-15; Rev. 2-3).
Didn’t Jesus forewarn us that “the love of many shall wax cold”?
“And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 24:10-13
The only way for love to wax cold is for it to first exist. A love that does not first exist cannot possibly wax cold.
His joy is one of the dimensions of the “fruit of the Spirit” and the strength of His people (Neh. 8:10; Gal. 5:22-23). The LORD would have His people to be overcomers – those who victoriously come over all trials and temptations through divine grace and saving faith (1 Jn. 5:4-5).
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1 John 5:4-5
Those who do not stay in close relationship with Christ, will inevitably leave the faith for sin and will perish eternally if they do not repent before it is too late.
“But God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses.” Psalms 68:21
“For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.” Psalms 73:27
“And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed.” Isaiah 1:28
“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. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” 1 Corinthians 9:27-10:12
Here the Holy Spirit of God tells us that “all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition.” He reminds believers of the entire New Testament era to behold the historical record of how His covenant people defied Him, thinking He would automatically forgive them without their personal repentance and trust in Him. Beloved, heed this warning. Not only did the LORD not forgive or overlook their blatant and sinful rebellion, He judged them harshly, sending 2,500 of His own covenant people directly and literally into the fires of eternal damnation. Check out this vivid and horrifying account in Numbers 16:
“And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also. And there came out a fire from the LORD, and consumed the two hundred and fifty men that offered incense.” Numbers 16:31-35
Jeff Marshall writes:
“We need to look into the perfect law of liberty (God’s Word), see ourselves in truth (as God sees us, as we really are), and repent and call on Him to wash our filth away (just as He told Peter that if He didn’t wash his feet, he could have no part in Him. Peter said ‘wash all of me then’, and Christ explained that he was already clean, but his feet were dirty. In other words, you may already be saved and ‘baptized in the name of Jesus, for the remission of sins’, but if you walk through this world in these bodies of flesh, then you will pick up some filth along the way. If you don’t come to Christ, humbly, and have Him wash it away, then you ‘have no part in Him’ either.
‘Once saved, always saved’, Calvinism, and cheap grace are just not found in Scripture. There are tons of Scripture to show that truth, not just the one or two, taken out of full context to try to prove the opposite. This isn’t some minor ‘point of doctrine’ that is inconsequential and trivial/divisive, but this is truth that is missing and is deceiving masses of people into religion without relationship to Christ. The lie we hear today is: ‘Just say this little prayer and you’ll get your ‘get out of hell free card’, and nothing you do or don’t do after that can change it.’ When Christ Himself said, ‘Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only he who DOES THE WILL OF MY FATHER in Heaven.’ (Matt. 7:21) Also, read Jude 4-7; ‘turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ’, etc.)
Is that adding works to salvation? No, that is what Jesus said, so who cares what that preacher on TV tells you? Was he there when the earth was formed? Did he write the Bible? Does he hold the keys to death and hell? Did he die for your sin? Then you better listen to Jesus and quit listening to his ‘easy believism’, ‘we are all going to heaven’ type preaching before it’s too late. The final end of that is to cry out, ‘Lord, Lord….’ and hear ‘Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness, I never knew you.’ Nothing is more important than this.”
Being prepared to meet Christ at all times should be a central concern of every saint. “Strong delusion” has already been released into the hearts of many “because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” This is also done “That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thess. 2:10-12) The wrath of God will be soon poured out upon all who suppress or hold His truth in unrighteousness (the disobedient). See Romans 1:18.
“Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired; Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you. Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.” Zephaniah 2:1-3
God’s promises to man are conditional. Here in this Zephaniah passage, the promise of being “hid in the day of the LORD’s anger” has requirements:
- “Gather yourselves”
- “Seek ye the LORD”
- “Seek righteousness”
God’s covenant people are told they must meet these requirements in order to avert divine wrath. Here is the impending threat: “the fierce anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of the LORD’S anger come upon you.” (Zeph. 2:2)
Below is another exhortation for us to “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near.” (Isa. 55:6)
“Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.” Psalms 2:11-12
We are here instructed to place our full trust in the LORD and “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.” (Ps. 2:11)
Must a Christian Continue in Obedient Faith to the End of His Life to be Eternally Saved?
To His very own disciples, Jesus stated: “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth TO THE END shall be saved.” (Matt. 10:22) If you really want to know exactly who the Savior was speaking to here, read Matthew 10:1-22. Hint: He was speaking to His very own disciples. See Matthew 10:1.
We must ask: Why would the Master warn His very own disciples about something that wasn’t possible? Dare one who claims to know Christ impugn or call the very Son of God a lunatic and liar?
Let’s break down the conditional promise made by the LORD Jesus to His own 12 in Matthew 10:22:
- “Ye shall be hated…for my name’s sake” – persecution
- “He that endureth to the end shall be saved” – promise
- “Endureth to the end” – condition
Christ said told His twelve “ye shall be hated” and not “ye shall be honored.” He never promised His people financial prosperity but rather persecution (Matt. 10:25; Jn. 15:20). Jesus also never guaranteed that one once saved was eternally secure no matter how he lives but rather that “He (that has once been saved) that endureth to the end shall be saved.” The Son of God had all the opportunity in the world here to tell His very twelve that they were unconditionally, eternally secure and didn’t. No, instead He told them they would be hated of all men and persecuted and that only those of them who endured to the end of their lives would be ultimately saved. At the time He spoke these words to them, all twelve were in right standing with Him and yet one of the twelve ended up in hell (Acts 1:25). Since we know He was speaking to His very own disciples, we know that Jesus was speaking of the necessity of all who have been made right with God to remain in fellowship with Him or lose out. There is no legitimate, honest way to explain away the fact that Jesus was talking specifically to His very disciples in this passage. The LORD was not speaking to the lost or the Jews and we know this because the first verse in this passage reveals who Christ was addressing:
“And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease…And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” Matthew 10:1, 22
Another view of this text:
“…he had called unto him his twelve disciples…he (among you) that endureth to the end shall be saved.” Matthew 10:1, 22
What was Jesus getting at here when He stated “he that endureth to the end shall be saved”?
If enduring to the end were automatic and didn’t involve the individual’s personal will and obedience, why would Christ ever have bothered to make this statement?
What was Jesus saying here if there were no possibility of His disciples forfeiting their place in His eternal kingdom if they didn’t “endure to the end”? Was He simply filling space on the pages of the New Testament Scriptures? Was He violating the words He previously spoke in the Sermon He spoke from the mountain?
“But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” Matthew 5:37
Why would Jesus say “He that endureth to the end shall be saved” if there were no possibility of one not enduring to the end and therefore not being ultimately saved from eternal damnation in the “end”?
If you are still supposing that the Lord is speaking to lost people here, there is a question that begs to be answered: What is it that a lost person should “endure to the end” about or in? If he is not right with God in the first place, what is he going to “endure” to the “end” of or in? If a person does not already possess saving faith, how can he possibly be expected to endure in that faith? Can you see the ridiculous nature of such a notion? Would it not be dishonest, ridiculous, and groundless at best to attempt to pawn Christ’s statement off on a group that is not God’s people? Not only was Christ speaking to His own people, these are the very twelve He prayed to select and serve Him and have a special place in His eternal kingdom (Matt. 19:28).
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 7:21
Are you beginning to see why only people who are taught OSAS (by misled men) embrace the unconditional eternal security teaching? I have yet to meet a person who studies the Bible for themselves, with no preconceived notions or taught doctrines of men, who believes such a foreign doctrine. Paul never taught such. Our LORD never taught such. John never taught such. Peter never taught such. Jude never taught OSAS. Not one of the prophets, apostles or Gospel writers taught an unconditional eternal security, but rather that those saved by His grace must endure in faithful obedience to the end of their lives to be eternally saved. Either the Bible is final authority or it’s not.
Here’s God’s promise to those who endure to the end:
“And he that overcometh (essential), and keepeth my works UNTO THE END, to him will I give power over the nations.” Revelation 2:26
Who’s going to be with Jesus when He defeats the rebellious?
“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.” Revelation 17:14
Those who will be in eternity with Christ are those whom He has “called, and chosen” and who were in their earthly life “FAITHFUL.” (Rev. 17:14) God does the calling and choosing and men must be “faithful” to receive His eternal reward. We see everywhere in Scripture, the initiating grace of God and the condition given to men – to be “faithful” to God to the end of this earthly life. Any person seeking to eliminate or deny the involvement of the personal will of men is not dealing honestly with the LORD and His Word.
Jesus Christ promised that only those who know and obey Him will be with Him eternally (Matt. 7:21; Mk. 8:34-38; Lk. 6:46; Rev. 2-3).
Power to Overcome
The divinely-given promise is to strengthen and bless each and every believer with His Spirit in their inner man, empowering them to be blessed and a blessing. Paul prayed:
“That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” Ephesians 3:16-21
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8
According to the biblical record of the early Church, receiving the baptism in the Holy Ghost is the single most important experience after being born again. Jesus instructed His very own disciples to “tarry (wait) ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” (Lk. 24:49) Christ said His followers would “receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon” them. Notice that the Son of God said it would be “after” and not before the Holy Ghost came upon His disciples that they would “receive power” and “be witnesses” of His at home and abroad.
The apostle Peter went from wavering to witnessing. After being baptized in the Holy Spirit, just days after he had denied even knowing Christ, Peter was bold and powerful in the LORD. Peter, empowered now by the Spirit, preached and 3,000 then 5,000 people got saved. This same baptism in the Spirit of God is promised and available to all believers.
“I (John the Baptist) indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” Matthew 3:11
My own life was dramatically transformed after being baptized in the Holy Spirit. The LORD saved me and I began to walk with Him and was experiencing inconsistency in my walk, so I cried out to Him to help me. Jesus heard this cry in Heaven.
Shortly thereafter I met a godly pastor who began to take me through the Scriptures concerning this New Testament experience of being baptized in the Holy Ghost. That beloved pastor invited me to pray to receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit. We prayed. I went home and began to commune with the LORD in a way I hadn’t previously know or experienced. He filled me and His witness from then on emanated and the power of God was there. The increase in boldness was tremendous and so was the kingdom fruit that began to be produced. There is a complete topical study on this ministry site on the STUDY GUIDES page. See the Holy Ghost Baptism study guide.
“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink (outward religion); but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Romans 14:17
PRAYER: Father, cause my heart to be cleansed of all iniquity and filled with Your Holy Spirit! Change my life Jesus! Thank You for shedding Your precious blood for my many sins. This very moment, I ask You to baptize me in the Holy Ghost and take over my life completely. Embolden me to declare Your Word in this late hour and to rejoice firm to the end. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Abiding
“Seven Women shall take hold of One Man” [podcast]
Two Types of Believers – the mere professor and the possessor.
God created us and sent His only begotten Son that we might know Him.
“And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” John 17:3
THE POSSESSORS
“In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel.” Isaiah 4:2
The LORD Jesus is “the branch … beautiful and glorious” shall He be and shall be His reign. One commentation of this passage is as follows:
“Isaiah 4:2
a [In that day] In that day—the Millennium (Isa_4:1-6).
b [branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious] Christ is the Branch of the Lord that shall be eternally “beautiful and glorious” in the Millennium and New Earth periods (Isa_9:6-7; Isa_11:1; Jer_23:5; Jer_33:15; Zec_3:8; Zec_6:12; Zec_14:1-9; Rev_11:15).
c [fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely] The earth will be restored to normal fertility and productivity when Christ comes (Isa_35:1-7; Isa_58:11-12; Joe_2:21-27).
d [escaped of Israel] A remnant of Israel shall escape the future tribulation and battle of Armageddon (Isa_4:2-3; Zech. 13:8-14:14; Mat_24:31; Mat_25:31-46).”
“Them that are escaped of Israel” refers to those who come out of her, that is, they come out from among the tares or counterfeits who merely profess to be serving God and yet aren’t, and therefore do not have the fruit to prove they are truly Christ’s (Titus 1:16; Matthew 3:7-10). Those who escape the judgment to come upon the hypocrites “take root downward, and bear fruit upward” and that means they are complying with Christ and being crucified, that is dead to the self-life, buried, and raised up by Christ, bearing fruit “UPward.” Here’s the whole verse: “And the remnant that is escaped of the house of Judah shall again take root downward, and bear fruit upward” (Isaiah 37:31).
Eternal resurrection blessings untold await those who are “accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man” (Luke 21:34-36).
The Branch of the Lord Glorified
“In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. 3 And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: 4 When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. 5 And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. 6 And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.” Isaiah 4:2-6
Only a remnant will remain. And Isaiah is saying here that God will bring these few through “…the spirit of judgment, and…the spirit of burning” (same verse, Isaiah 4:4). This great separation is coming.
The LORD is purifying a people for Himself. In Daniel we read:
Daniel 11:35 And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed.
Daniel 12:10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
Those who are truly Christ’s fellowship with other of His true disciples and also with elders who like Christ’s apostle Paul, jealously brood over God’s people, to protect them. They discern and gather with those who embrace and preach the original Gospel and expose those who preach and espouse “another Jesus … another spirit … another gospel.”
“For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.” 2 Corinthians 11:2-4
THE MERE PROFESSORS
“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” Titus 1:16
Please explain….What kind of relationship is based on the participation of only one of the parties? A non existent dying relationship. The eternal security heretics are self-serving. They could care less about Jesus but rather simply wish to use Him to get them out of Hell without any kind of a real and abiding, fruit-bearing vital union relationship with Him (John 15:1-16). Seems this is what the Holy Spirit is getting at when He led Isaiah the prophet to pen these words:
“And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.” Isaiah 4:1
In other words, “We want to use your name but don’t wish to have any kind of an intimate relationship with you.” Or, “We want the ring, the provision/money, the marriage, but we don’t want the commitment. We don’t want to be faithful to you! We want the crown but not the cross.”
And in the USA today, the woman can “get bored” and divorce her husband and get half of what he has and be grossly over-charged on “child support.” To further make the point, divorce lawyers inform us that when there is a prenup involved, the divorce rate goes down to nearly zero. hmmmm
THOUGH NEVER HEARD IN THE APOSTATE MODERN CHURCH WORLD, THE ORIGINAL GOSPEL INCLUDES….. from the Gospel of Luke
Only those who repent will be with Christ. Everyone else is going to hell irrevocably.
“Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3
The crucified life is a must, a condition for overcoming sin and being in Heaven instead of hell.
“And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:27
You must forsake all to follow Jesus
“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:33
You must lose your life to know and walk with Jesus and be in glory.
“Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” Luke 17:33
Christ’s “enemies” are those who don’t let Him reign over their lives.
“But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.” Luke 19:27
In this late hour we have so very many women who simply do not want to be unmarried and so they will deceptively manipulate their way into a marriage to a man they have no intention of being a virtuous God-fearing wife to. We also have so many who want to believe the notion that they are going to Heaven because they said a prayer way back, yet they want zero to do with truly following Jesus, the Great Bridegroom, daily. They want nothing to do with the cross, the crucified daily life, living a life of prayer, repenting as needed, being holy as He is holy, etc. No desire for commitment, for intimacy, for an intimate relationship.
“And don’t we see this in today’s modern church world? They want Jesus to take away the reproach of their sin, but refuse to live according to His righteous ways. The continue wearing their religious garb, outer religiosity which is filthy rags, a mere ‘form of godliness.’ (2 Timothy 3:5) Counterfeits don’t want Christ to rule over them. On the day of His return they will expect to be invited into the marriage supper and yet will be rejected.” Karen Cochran
In like fashion, do we not have millions of church-attending counterfeits today who manifest no proof of knowing Jesus today? This was all prophesied of this last day. Read 2 Timothy 3:1-7. They have an “I go to church” mere “form of godliness” arrangement.
Many want the blessing and benefits of marriage but they don’t want the marriage commitment – and so they live in fornication. And, as was foretold of these final days before Christ’s return, there are so many who have a mere “form of godliness, but (are) denying the power (the authority) thereof” (2 Timothy 3:5). They do not want real commitment to the LORD because they are “lovers of their own selves … lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (2 Timothy 3:1-7).
Two verses before this revelation (4:1) the Scripture tells us of the men of Israel being killed off due to the wars:
“Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.” Isaiah 3:25
While this is physically speaking of the loss of the men in Israel, there’s a deeper, a prophetic conveyance to us in this late hour – “They are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Corinthians 10:11).
“Seven women shall take hold of one man” – In other words these women described above wanted to be married to a man but they would do their own thing within that marriage arrangement. They didn’t want any responsibility to the man but rather just wanted the reproach of being an old maid removed from their lives. Mere professors are self-serving instead of Savior-serving.
The “seven women” spoken of here are like many today who merely want an arrangement with the Great Bridegroom yet don’t want the real relationship which involves the unreserved giving of oneself to the other party but rather simply want the benefit of the removal of the reproach, the scourge of being without that bridegroom/husband and the possibility of bearing fruit, children. Like the five foolish virgins of Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins, these counterfeits refuse the responsibilities of a real relationship and therefore forfeit the virtue, the substance enjoyed by those who have a real relationship with the Bridegroom. This is a prophetic utterance concerning the church, the division between the wheat and the chaff, the tares in the last days where some were real and others had a mere “form of godliness.” Many today who were initially saved say in their hearts: “Thank You Jesus for saving me but I will live the rest of my life on my own terms, doing as I please. Don’t bother me with the cross, but I will be expecting the crown. I’ll do what I please and that’s why I simply want an arrangement and not a real marriage and the associated involvement.” See Luke 6:46.
The false bride of Christ professes to know Him and yet they don’t want to commit to Him but they want Him to commit to them, to be that false Christ many preach today that keeps them even in their sin of fornication and spiritual idolatry. They want Christ to be faithful to keep them eternally secure yet they are not faithful to love, seek, worship, trust, walk with, abide in, and obey – as He requires!
“Isaiah 4:1 “And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach.” These women want to use Jesus to keep them out of hell but don’t want a commitment. And don’t want to be faithful! They want to live as they please and take care of themselves. They only want the stain of sin removed from them. They want to be the bride of Christ with no responsibility. But they fully expect Him to take them with Him to live eternally.” Karen Cochran
OUR LORD is calling His people to daily present to Him their “bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1
Notice how these seven arrangement “brides” say “We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel.” In other words, “We’ll make our own money and buy our own food and clothes”….. “We don’t need you too involved in our lives other than an occasional hook up, when it’s convenient.” ….. Yet unless we seek and ingest the bread of Heaven, the Word of God Himself and His Word, how can we be nourished, how can our vessels, our lamps be full of His divine virtue, the oil of His presence to make it to the bridal chamber of eternal glory in this dark, fallen world? See Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins which has never been more relevant than it is in this final hour before His return (Matthew 25:1-13).
Also, the mere professors, represented by the seven women here, say “We will … wear our own apparel” (Ephesians 5:25-27).
“Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” Revelation 19:7-9
The apparel of “fine linen” is only given to those who choose to engage in a genuine relationship with the Bridegroom, Jesus.
Of this “seven women shall take hold of one man” in Isaiah 4:1, David Wilkerson wrote:
“Scripture Always Refers to The Church in the Feminine Gender, in Many Cases As a Bride. The seven would-be brides Isaiah mentions are clearly a type of the characteristics of many in the last-days’ church. These seven would-be brides are seeking to lay hold of one man, whom I take to be Christ. Yet these brides are not interested in loving Him. On the contrary, they have only one thing on their minds – the removal of their reproach! ‘We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach’ (verse 1). I see here seven women approaching a man and saying, ‘You don’t have to provide food for us. We’ll take care of our own bread. And you don’t have to provide any clothes for us. We’ll provide our own robes… Sure, these women want to be the bride of Christ – but only on their own terms. They want an arrangement without intimacy, love or devotion. The number seven is used in regard to these brides to remind us that in every church system there are such people. They attempt to ‘take hold of one man’ – Christ – only to get relief from the guilt and condemnation of their sin. They don’t want intimacy with Him. They want nothing more than forgiveness – to have the reproach of sin removed. I call this the church of forgiveness only.'”
Today those with a mere outward “form of godliness” who are “lovers of their own selves” and “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” refuse to “endure (hold themselves accountable to obey) sound doctrine” but rather want “smooth things” (Isaiah 30:9-10; 2 Timothy 4:2-4). This seems to be what is prophetically conveyed here through the prophet Isaiah for these last times. Paul foretold of these “last days” where he says “perilous times shall come” and as we know, are here now.
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
John Wesley on Isaiah 4:1:
“In that day – In that calamitous time. Seven – Many. A certain number for an uncertain. One man – Because few men shall survive that dreadful stroke. Only – Own us for thy wives. Our reproach – Virginity was esteemed a reproach; children, the usual fruit of marriage, being both an honour to their parents, and a blessing of God, especially to that people, from some of whose loins the Messiah was to spring.”
Ignoring the inconvenient truth concerning readiness for Christ’s return will bring irrevocable damnation! (Read Mark 4:17-19; 1 John 2:15-17.) Hell is right now filled with those who ignored the warning signs. While on earth they refused to stop their life and look upward to their Maker, to make things right with Him. When He drew them they snubbed Him, relishing their darkness rather than His light and love (John 3:19-21).
“When Jesus came to the Earth the first time, His people were completely unprepared and did not recognize their Messiah was with them. But there were wise men who did recognize that He was here. They were not wise because of their intellect. They were wise because they were watching and paying attention to the signs of the times. Jesus then told us His second return would be met with both wise and foolish brides. The difference between the two is the wise are prepared and are waiting and watching. The foolish are paying no attention at all and are caught up living their best life now. Out of ten, Jesus said five are wise and five are foolish. That would mean half of the church today is completely unprepared. So ask yourself a question, ‘Am I being wise or am I being foolish?’ Because there are consequences for our actions.” Frank Telford
Make no mistake, The Great Bridegroom of Heaven is not coming back for a lukewarm, and uninvolved, a casual-love Bride who only want the reproach of their sin removed yet don’t want to give themselves to the Great Bridegroom. He’s not returning for those who treat Him like a second class citizen, a mere hobby, casually getting around to communing with Him. No, the Son of God from Heaven is coming out of the eastern sky for His bride – those wise virgin saints who are in love with Him, who daily attend unto Him, sitting at His feet to learn of Him.
DOOR SHUT IN FACE: Distinguishing between the wise and foolish virgins is quite simple. Those who seek God in His Word are the wise and all others are the foolish – upon whom the door of the Bridegroom shall be shut (Matthew 25:1-13). Anyone whom Christ has previously saved who is not nourishing his spirit in the Word daily, has already backslidden and is not prepared to meet Christ.
The vast majority of those falsely claiming to be saved have no heart for the Word of God and no fruit to demonstrate, to prove they are truly following Jesus – on His stated terms which begins with the crucified life (Luke 9:23-24). They don’t have time for God because in truth, many of these have never repented, truly. Their life is all about themselves and all their stupid trinkets they are adulterously choosing over Christ. Make no mistake: they are as sure for eternal damnation as if they were already there (Mark 4:17-19; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15; Revelation 2:4-5; 3:15-16, etc.).
YOU keep it, guard it, till it, fill it with the Word, etc.
“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23
It’s your personal responsibility to keep your heart perfect before the LORD (Psalms 34:18; 51:17; Matthew 5:6, etc.). Praying Psalm 51 is a great place to camp. Oh yes JESUS! Do Your purifying work in us, Your people. I love You dear LORD Jesus!
JESUS says to those saved that they must “endure to the end,” they must “abide” which means to remain, to continue (Matthew 10:22; 24:13; John 15:6). Jesus says that those who do not “abide” with Him will be cast into the fire and He is specifically speaking to those who are in Him (John 15:1-6). Scripture teaches initial and final salvation throughout, including the parable of the ten virgins where all ten were engaged to the bridegroom (Jesus), and yet only five made it into the bridal chamber of eternal glory and the other five were shut out (Matthew 25:1-13). God put conditions on His gift – initial and perpetual. The man who gets engaged to a woman who then begins consorting with other men, would be a fool to still marry her. The Son of God who is the Bridegroom of Heaven would never marry a whore – nor remain married to an adulterous woman (Revelation 19:7-10; Ephesians 5:25-27).
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” 2 Corinthians 13:5
So God wants a bride that is not engaged in participating with Him in a relationship, doing His kingdom work? Not.
More light flooding into our hearts is needed perpetually… “The entrance of thy word giveth light” (Psalms 119:130). Think and declare: “I am a wise virgin believer who is eagerly anticipating the coming of my Bridegroom from Heaven” (Matthew 25:1-13; Revelation 19:7-10). ALL who got saved in the past and yet are not devouring God’s Word daily, are of the foolish virgins and will be irrevocably shut out of the eternal kingdom of Christ. Get in the Word or perish. You CANNOT sustain a life with Christ without the daily fuel of His Word. Obey Him or you prove you do not love Jesus (John 14:21). Talk is cheap (1 John 3:18).
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Abiding
A Fresh Look at Jesus’ 7 Letters to the Churches [podcast]
Did Jesus tell even one of the seven churches He addressed that they are as sure for Heaven as if they were already there due to being initially saved by Him?
Did Jesus give conditions for being with Him in eternal glory?
Can someone please help me figure out where un-conditional eternal security/OSAS fits in with the 7 letters of Jesus to the churches of Asia? Is it anywhere mentioned? No.
Can anyone find OSAS/eternal security in Jesus’ 7 letters to CHURCHES in Revelation 2 and 3? No. No such thing. Instead He gives conditions to overcome, to endure to the end, to abide, remain, and continue in Christ, in faith and obedience.
No such thing as “eternal security” in Christ’s kingdom until AFTER you are in Heaven. Such heresy is the bait of Satan as it was in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:17 > 3:4). Only moral cowards who make excuse for sin instead of being crucified with Christ daily as Jesus commanded. Bite on this bait (Luke 9:23-25). Eternal hell awaits. Time to repent and get “honest” (Luke 8:15).
Satan’s First Doctrine is a Lie. Yet Many Claim it’s Part of the Gospel of Jesus. Beware of these Wolves.
No such thing as a born again AND presently abiding saint who is not fruitful, who is not bearing good fruit. Otherwise why did Jesus instruct His people to know themselves and others “by their fruit”? See Matthew 7:16, 19. Such a notion as is heretical. Anyone who Jesus saves and then they don’t endure to the end, they don’t continue abiding in Christ, is no longer the LORD’s and going to hell. Read John 15:1-6 and stop believing the Devil’s very first lie—OSAS (Genesis 2:17; 3:4).
“If a man abide (continue, remain) 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
WHEN YOU ARE IN YOUR MIND beginning to make excuse for sin, you KNOW it’s your un-crucified flesh and Satan that are in control. You know then that repentance, re-turning to the LORD who is Holy, is necessary.
“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
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13
When you are tempted to believe in the satanic heresy of “eternal security,” otherwise known as “once saved always saved (OSAS),” you know SATAN is seeking to seduce you (Genesis 2:17; 3:14).
Concerning these 7 letters of Jesus to the churches, one source notes the following:
“Revelation chapters 2 and 3 contain seven individual messages from Jesus Christ to seven historical churches in Asia Minor. The letters share a common pattern: an address to the church’s angel, a description of Christ, an evaluation of the church’s spiritual state, a call to repentance or perseverance, and a promise to those who overcome.”
Overview of the Letters
- Ephesus, Pergamum, Sardis, and Laodicea receive direct rebukes for forsaking their first love, tolerating false teachings, dead orthodoxy, or lukewarmness, alongside urgent calls to repent.
- Smyrna and Philadelphia face intense tribulation or persecution yet receive no rebuke, and are encouraged to hold fast to their faith.
- Promises to Overcomers: Each letter concludes with eternal assurances for “him that overcometh” such as the tree of life (Revelation 2:7), the crown of life (Revelation 2:10), and exemption from the second death (Revelation 2:11).
The Notion of Eternal Security Expelled
Some interpret the repeated conditional commands to “overcome” and “hold fast” as evidence that eternal salvation requires ongoing faithfulness and endurance to the end, suggesting that warnings against unrepentance involve real spiritual risk rather than unconditional security.”
For Example, Jesus’ letter to the church at Sardis:
“And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” Revelation 3:1-6
Also:
“… confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” Acts 14:22
“And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved …. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 10:22; 24:13
Concerning Jesus’ 7 Letters and OSAS, once commentator notes:
“The seven letters of Jesus in Revelation 2-3 challenge absolute eternal security (“once saved, always saved”) by repeatedly commanding repentance, warning believers that unfaithfulness carries severe consequences, and conditioning eternal promises on actual endurance.
Warnings and Conditions in the Letters
- Ephesus: Jesus warns that if the church does not repent for leaving its first love, He will “remove thy candlestick out of his place” (Revelation 2:5). [1]
- Smyrna & Philadelphia: The promise of the crown of life and inclusion is explicitly tied to being “faithful unto death” (Revelation 2:10) and holding fast what they have “that no man take thy crown” (Revelation 3:11).
- Thyatira: Jesus warns He will cast those committing adultery into great tribulation and will “kill her children with death” (Revelation 2:22-23).
- Sardis: Jesus tells those who do not watch that He will come upon them “as a thief” (Revelation 3:3).
- Laodicea: The lukewarm church is threatened with rejection: “I will spue thee out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:16).
The Promise to the Overcomer
- In every letter, rewards like eating from the tree of life or being clothed in white raiment are promised specifically “to him that overcometh” (Revelation 2:7, 3:5).
- Supporters of eternal security point to Christ’s assurance in Sardis—“I will not blot out his name out of the book of life” (Revelation 3:5)—as proof of permanent keeping, while critics argue the conditional phrasing implies names can be blotted out for failing to overcome.”
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Exhort One Another Daily [podcast]
“But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.” Hebrews 3:13
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 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 10:22-25
Saints, let’s always remember that other disciples have the SAME exact iniquitous flesh to deal with daily as we do (Genesis 6:5, 12; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3, etc.). They are just like us – absolutely wicked and depraved without the present working of the saving grace of our God at work in us! (Romans 7) Each of Christ’s followers are like us, working out their own salvation with fear and trembling as the LORD works in them both to will and to do of His good pleasure (Philippians 2:12-13).
“We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” Romans 15:1
“Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:1-2
Let’s lift up our LORD’s disciples instead of wrongly judging them in our attitudes, etc. Seeing and treating them with God’s love is important ( 1 Peter 4:7-8; 1 John 4:7-8, 16-18; 5:1, etc.).
“And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.” Zechariah 7:10
“Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” Romans 14:19
“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11
DOES the Bible tell us to “Go make disciples” OR to “Teach others God’s Word”? Interesting. Does the Bible Ever Say “Go Make Disciples”?
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