Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth

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How To Apprehend the Truth About Eternal Security – Every Time

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

In this important post we are going to visit a few Bible verses and doctrines as examples of how we have the opportunity to either rightly divide or to have a distorted understanding in the things of Christ’s kingdom. The apprehension of truth is all-important to the LORD (Prov. 2:1-22).

Regrettably it is rare to find someone who has and is taking time to truly, personally study God’s Word for themselves and actually knows WHY they believe WHAT they believe. They are sound in the faith, grounded in biblical truth. As is evidenced by the dialogues today, so very many insist they know the truth when they’ve never personally, thoroughly, honestly studied God’s Word for themselves (2 Timothy 2:15). All they’ve done is follow false teachers and are now regurgitating those lies on others. They are false teachers and hell bound if they don’t repent (2 Peter 2:1-3).

It’s very dangerous to go to seed on a certain truth to the exclusion of the whole of Scripture. Such always results in error.

Twisting Scripture, truth is fueled by the enemy of souls who is the first on record to do so as he misled the man and the woman in the Garden, causing their fall (Genesis 3). Did not Satan also tempted Christ using Scripture out of context? (Luke 4)

“As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest (pervert, twist, corrupt), as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” 2 Peter 3:16

“For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.” 2 Corinthians 2:17

Here’s the Greek word and definition for the word “corrupt” used here in the above verse of Scripture:

kapēleuō
kap-ale-yoo’-o
From κάπηλος kapēlos (a huckster); to retail, that is, (by implication) to adulterate (figuratively): – corrupt.

It’s interesting that included in this definition is the word “retail.” Peter speaks of those false leaders who would “make merchandise of you.” (2 Peter 2:1-3)This refers to ungodly men misleading their audiences with half-truths in order to buy them wholesale and sell them retail as the saying goes – to make dollars signs of the people for their own self-serving, greedy purposes.

WHY DO WE BELIEVE WHAT WE BELIEVE? DOES your basis for believing something hold biblical water? What is your basis, the reason you believe the doctrine you currently espouse? Is it 100% biblically air tight? If not, why not ditch it, be corrected, and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4b; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:15-17, etc.). Are you teachable? Are you correctable? Have we made an idol out of what we believe? Is Christ and the Bible truly top shelf or something else? Can we say with Paul “Let GOD be true and EVERY man a liar”, beginning with ourselves? (Romans 3:4)

Example of Doctrinal Corruption

Our example of misusing Scripture, taking it out of context, will address the un-conditional eternal security teaching we also know as “once saved always saved” or “eternal security.”

Many OSAS (once saved always saved) proponents seek to isolate John 3:16 as if it were more inspired than the rest of Scripture. This may be due to the fact that certain denominations have used it every Sunday morning for decades to win souls. These OSAS defendants get shook up when other Bible verses and texts are brought into the picture, because they have never been introduced to the whole counsel of God by their leaders. Their leaders simply do not truly embrace the truth that “All scripture” (not just some) has been God-breathed (2 Tim. 3:16).The apostle Paul was a complete full-counsel teacher of God’s truth (Acts 20:20, 27). He held nothing back that was profitable for the LORD’s people. The Psalmist was a full-counsel believer. Are we?

“Therefore I esteem ALL thy precepts concerning ALL things to be right; and I hate every false way.” Psalms 119:128

Personally, I wonder why some people are so insecure about what else Jesus stated about eternal life and the other things the Holy Spirit intentionally had recorded and canonized as divine and eternal truth in the Bible. Didn’t He tell us that “great peace” accompanied the embracing of His Word?

“Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.” Psalms 119:165

Why would any true believer shun any part of God’s Word? Could the fear of previously unknown Scripture stem from an incomplete personal knowledge of the whole of the Word of God? Have some stopped at John 3:16 and consequently possess a limiting and skewed view of the LORD and His truth due to lack of knowledge of the Word? Could it be that many are not being encouraged to study and know the whole of the written Word?

“Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous Judgments endureth for ever.” Psalms 119:160

Why would any believer ever be resistant to any portion of Holy Scripture? What would this indicate one is afraid of? Why would any true disciple of Jesus ever be afraid of something else from the Bible being revealed to their hearts, even if it violates what that person has previously been taught? In many evangelical circles, verses like John 3:16 have been presented to the exclusion of the whole counsel of Scripture. Even when John 3:16 is broken down, it clearly proves that the word “believeth” pertains to those who are presently trusting in Christ and not just a one-time belief. To those who are currently believing, eternal life is promised, and not to the one who once believed and was saved and yet is not presently walking with God. 1 Corinthians 15:2 says:

“By which also ye are saved, IF ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:2

Note the phrase “unless ye have believed in vain.” The Holy Spirit is saying here that anyone who has believed and been saved, yet is not “keeping in memory” the Gospel of Christ, is not saved, but rather their initial saving faith is counted to be “vain.” “In vain” means that it has no power to save them now due to their own personal decision to rid their heart “memory” of what they had previously “believed.” Initial saving faith has no effect on the present if one stops walking in the obedient faith that initially accessed God’s grace (Rom. 5:1-2). Saving faith must remain in one’s heart in order for him to continue to receive the saving grace of God and be wholly cleansed by the blood of Christ, without which no man will see God (1 Jn. 1:7-9; Heb. 12:14).

“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth (remains, continues) not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” 2 John 9

Looking only at John 3:16, to the exclusion of the whole of Scripture, in itself violates biblical interpretation laws (Isa. 28:9-10, 13; 1 Cor. 2:13). The same God who spoke John 3:16 spoke all that is in Holy Scripture which when taken collectively, clarifies itself. “All Scripture” has been given by the same one LORD God and must be considered as a whole in order to apprehend and rightly divide truth and avoid error (2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16).

Honest Interpretation, Apprehension of Truth

The true disciple of Jesus searches, studies, and considers, puts together “ALL scripture” in order to be correctly “taught of God.” (2 Timothy 3:16; John 6:45)And He lets the truth lead wherever it goes by divine design, holding on to no preconceived notions, philosophies, or doctrines of men and devils.

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

“Comparing spiritual things with spiritual” – in other words, we put together, we collate what we know to be divine truth – the written Word – by putting Scripture upon Scripture in order to learn and discern the perfect divine doctrine, mind of Christ, and will of God.

Beware of Being the “Back it Up” Bubbas

Personally studying God’s Word from Genesis to Revelation, organically, is ultra-important. | The Importance of Personal, Organic Bible Study

To “back up” a belief with Scripture seems to really mean: “I believe ABC doctrine and I’m hell bent on finding Bible verses to prove it!” In other words someone like this doesn’t really care what the whole of Scripture teaches as much as they care to hold on to some pet doctrine (it’s usually something to justify their sin such as the falsehood of eternal security).

Some put forth their subjective beliefs and defend those beliefs by saying “I can back everything up with scripture.” Satan can too as we see him do when tempting Jesus (Luke 4). The devil used Scripture out of context as many today do. Are we merely backing up what WE say and what WE currently believe with Scripture or are we simply reading and diligently studying the whole counsel of Holy Scripture and letting GOD speak for Himself as we “compare spiritual things (Scripture, known truth) with spiritual things”? (1 Corinthians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:15) Big difference. Think about that. Men and devils can deceitfully make the Bible say anything THEY want it to say but that doesn’t make it biblically sound and true. We must beware of our own tendency to espouse and hold on to philosophies, notions, and doctrines that do not line up with the whole counsel of God’s Word and we must be corrected (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

We must honestly examine our own selves to see WHY we believe WHAT we currently believe. Discernment, “rightly dividing the word of truth” seem to be concretely connected to searching the Scriptures as we see with the Bereans who tested Paul and all that he taught, right? (2 Timothy 2:15; Acts 17:10-11) Lots of people who talk about discernment trust their own subjective discernment instead of letting the written WORD be their two edged sword of discernment (Hebrews 4:12). Many believe they are discerning correctly and yet aren’t daily, diligently being grounded in the written Word, which God will never contradict (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21).

The Words of Jesus

Here is a sampling of Scripture truth spoken by the Son of God, which clearly reveals a conditional eternal security:

Matthew 10:22 “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.”

Revelation 2:10-11 “Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.”

Revelation 3:5 “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.” (written to the Church)

Matthew 10:32-33 “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”

Luke 8:12-13 “Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.”

Luke 13:24 “Strive (Greek – Agonize) to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”

Building a thorough theological understanding cannot be done with one or two verses, especially when all of the words of those particular isolated texts are not considered, much less the whole of Scripture. This is actually how cultic groups get started – on a verse which is extracted and isolated from the whole of the Word of God. The Bible is perfectly harmonious (in concert) with no contradiction. Each verse must be taken in light of its surrounding text and all of Holy Scripture. Prayerful study of God’s Word that seeks to understand divine truth must be done with the whole counsel of God being observed – “precept upon precept; line upon line.” (Isa. 28:10; Acts 17:10-11, 20:20, 27)

Jesus spoke of those who have “an honest and good heart” when it comes to hearing the Word of God (Lk. 8:15). Do you have “an honest and good heart” in your personal approach toward God and His Word?

“But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, KEEP IT, and bring forth fruit WITH PATIENCE (continuance).” Luke 8:15

The God of order (1 Cor. 14:40), who is perfect and not the “author of confusion”, has set up a simple system to protect His people from being deceived (1 Cor. 14:33). If one verse or text of Scripture seems to say one thing, yet violates other clearly revealed Scriptural truth, it must be interpreted in light of the clearly revealed Scriptural truth, as a whole. The LORD God cannot contradict Himself.

“ALL Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine…” 2 Timothy 3:16

The Bible has built-in interpretation laws which must be followed if one is to apprehend divine truth in the context the Author intended. It is important to hear and understand this. First, one must know the Author of the Holy Scriptures to properly understand them. Jesus stated:

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you…Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.” John 14:26; 16:13

Then, one must collate (compound, put together) Scripture with Scripture in order to comprehend divine truth: “Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept MUST be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” (Isaiah 28:9-10)

“Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing (to compound; put together) spiritual things with spiritual.” (1 Corinthians 2:13) Note the method that the Holy Spirit uses to teach us: “the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing (compounding; putting together) spiritual things with spiritual.” This refers to collating Scripture upon Scripture, that is, the line upon line stacking and learning of Holy Scripture.This method assures the establishing and rightly dividing of truth. Biblical truth must be placed upon biblical truth (collated – line upon line) in order to apprehend and understand the things of God. Truth must be compounded, that is, put together or compared with the whole. It is all-important for the one who desires to guard his heart against deception to cross-reference verses in his Bible. Both Jesus and the apostle Paul gave us this key to knowing the truth:

“But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” Matthew 18:16

“This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” 2 Corinthians 13:1

Each inspired Bible text is to be enjoined with the full-counsel of holy Writ. All individual scriptures must be interpreted in light of the whole of the Word of God.

“But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by EVERY WORD that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4

Let us cease weighing in, speaking out on topics we have no biblical understanding on – because we’ve not thoroughly studied that topic in God’s Word. You do not yet qualify to give input until you have fully studied all God’s says on a given topic. Your ridiculous opinion and human reasoning are rebellion and so are mine! Time to shut it! Study!

“He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly (foolishness) and shame unto him.” Proverbs 18:13

There are many people who act like they are “experts” on certain topics who are clueless….. It’s one thing to simply not know something. It is a completely different thing to argue your point when shown Scripture that contradicts it! The Bible says such a person is a fool to do so (Proverbs 18:13).

Those who are “of God” put God’s Word first and those who are “NOT of God” put their own opinion or human reasoning or anything else first, proving they are lost souls. They peddle “another gospel” and are “accursed.” (Galatians 1:6-8) Listen closely to Jesus:

“He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” John 8:47

Simply put, we should always interpret Scripture with Scripture. Who is it that “should not perish, but have everlasting life”? The ones who are believing – presently.

According to the Bible, to stop believing is to stop being justified by God. Can a true Christian stop believing? If he does stop believing, is he still justified?

“Now the just shall live (continuously) by faith: but if ANY man draw back (this is obviously possible), my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition (eternal destruction); but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:38-39

Matthew 24:13 “But he that shall ENDURE unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

Mark 13:13 “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall ENDURE unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

Hebrews 3:6 “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 3:14 “For we are made partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;”

Hebrews 6:11 “And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:”

Revelation 2:26 “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:”

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that everyone believing into Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

“By which also ye are saved, IF ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:2

“In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.” Proverbs 14:26-27

- “Strong confidence”
- “A place of refuge”
- “A fountain of life”

Fearing God

“The fear of the Lord is clean.” (Ps. 19:9) It is wisdom. It is right. It is holy. It is just. It is fair. Fearing God to obedience is the only thing that will bring divine peace. The fear of the LORD will keep our feet held fast on the narrow path that leads to life with the “few.” Note here that “strong confidence”, “a place of refuge”, and “a fountain of life” are exclusively promised to those who possess “The fear of the Lord.” Again, these are the 3 things promised to those who fear God.

Humbly Bowing Down Brings us to Study and Know His Word for Ourselves Lest We be “Destroyed for Lack of Knowledge.” (Hosea 4:6)

“Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge. For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips. That thy trust may be in the LORD, I have made known to thee this day, even to thee. Have not I written to thee excellent things in counsels and knowledge, That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?” Proverbs 22:17-21

What we choose to believe directly affects how we live. What we belief determines our future – our destiny. Knowing God and rightly deciphering His truth is an all-important undertaking in the keeping of one’s soul before the LORD. Lack of knowledge is a deliberate choice as is knowing His Word. Misunderstanding God, by not choosing to fervently gain the understanding of His Word, can have eternal consequences. For example, the Scriptures above have revealed that the ultra popular doctrine of “once saved, always saved” (OSAS) is a very misleading lie at best. The myth of OSAS robs from the believer the fear of God. This lie of lawlessness fosters rebellion and gives way to sin, the enemy, delusion, and disobedience. This is exactly what it did the first time it was told – by Satan. Adam and Eve proceeded to sin against God when they believed this lie of the ages (Gen. 2:17; 3:4). It is the “ye shall not surely die” lie (Gen. 3:4).

Beloved, we must avoid this error at all cost. It could cost one his eternal soul. Here is another verse the OSAS proponents have purposely excluded from their thinking: Jesus stated that “In your patience (endurance) possess ye your souls.” (Lk. 21:19) The Greek word for “patience” is HUPOMONE which is defined in the Strong’s Concordance as “cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy:-enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting).” The doctrinal examples used in this chapter reveal the danger of not including the whole of Scripture when drawing conclusion on any doctrine. In summation, those who believe and teach OSAS fail to acknowledge the plethora of Biblical texts which clearly state man’s responsibility before God and that He has designed that His salvation grace is contingent upon such. OSAS proponents seem only to acknowledge God’s grace in saving men, but never the truth that men have free moral agency. The Bible teaches us that men have a divinely-granted free will to exercise – for or against the LORD. God is perfect and has done His part through Christ and left the appropriation of His salvation up to the individual (Joshua 24:15; Deut. 30:19; Isaiah 1:19-20; Jn. 1:12; 3:16, 36; Rom. 11:19-23).

John 6:66 “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.”

Luke 8:13 “They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.”

Ezekiel 33:12-13 “Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth. When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.”

Remember the Old and New Testament verses about the just LIVING by faith? This truth is found in Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38. Here is yet another text which clearly reveals the need to keep on believing to the end – to keep on clinging to the Lord. There are many Bible verses revealing this truth.

A Peek Into Greek

Let’s look at John 3:16 along with some other biblical texts. I am going to pull out my Textus Receptus Greek Interlinear Bible (The Received Text is the real Word of God, from which the King James Bible was translated). The literal Greek reads: Note the phrase “that everyone believing into Him should not perish.” The Greek word translated “believing” is a present participle – used as a verb; “everyone believing (currently) in Him”, not everyone who has at one time in the past believed. This is confirmed by many other clear texts. Here is but one: In the literal Greek rendering above, notice the term “believing into.” The Greek word for “into” is EIS (pronounced “ice”) which is defined in the Strong’s Concordance (1519) as such: EIS – to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time or (fig.) purpose (result, etc.); throughout, till, to (be, the end, -ward), (here), until (to-)ward. Often used in composition with the same general import, but only with verbs (etc.) expressing motion (literally or figuratively). The John 3:16 promise (eternal life) is not made so much to the one who has once believed, but to the ones who have and are presently believing. Yes, eternal life is eternal, yet the possession of it can be forfeited if the person who once believed upon Christ to salvation neglects His walk with God and then does “cast off their first faith.” (1 Tim. 5:12) See also Luke 8:13; Col. 1:23; Heb. 2:3; 3:6, 12-14; 10:26-39.

Let us cease arguing about the things of God when you don’t THOROUGHLY KNOW HIS WORD. You are a novice (IF you are truly saved) and have no business arguing doctrine.

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Abiding

The Book of 1 John Narrated [podcast]

Love. Truth. Know.

Note: The Book of 1 John has at least 3 power words and truths to behold: 1. Love, 2. Truth, 3. Know

“Love” appears 44 times in 1 John.

“Truth” appears 10 times in 1 John.

“Know” appears 28 times in 1 John.

Some have called the book of 1 John “the book of certainties” as Christ’s apostle John is blunt, curt, strong, forceful in/with the truth, and loving – a true man of steal, and velvet.

Reading any book of the Bible 10-20 times, reading straight through it, is powerfully effective in getting that Word of our God and its divine thoughts into our heart and mind.

Chapter 1

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; ²(for the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) ³that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

⁵This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. ⁶If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: ⁷but if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. ⁸If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Chapter 2

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: ²and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. ³And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. ⁴He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. ⁵But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. ⁶He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

⁷Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. ⁸Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. ⁹He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. ¹⁰He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. ¹¹But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

¹²I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. ¹³I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. ¹⁴I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.

¹⁵Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. ¹⁷And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

¹⁸Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. ¹⁹They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. ²⁰But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. ²¹I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

²²Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. ²³Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. ²⁴Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father. ²⁵And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

²⁶These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. ²⁷But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. ²⁸And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. ²⁹If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

Chapter 3

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. ²Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. ³And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

⁴Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. ⁵And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin. ⁶Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. ⁷Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. ⁸He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. ⁹Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. ¹⁰In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

¹¹For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. ¹²Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous. ¹³Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. ¹⁴We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. ¹⁵Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. ¹⁶Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. ¹⁷But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

¹⁸My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. ¹⁹And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him. ²⁰For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. ²¹Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. ²²And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. ²³And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. ²⁴And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Chapter 4

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. ²Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: ³and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. ⁴Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. ⁵They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. ⁶We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

⁷Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. ⁸He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. ⁹In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. ¹⁰Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ¹¹Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. ¹²No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. ¹³Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. ¹⁵Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. ¹⁶And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. ¹⁷Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. ¹⁸There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. ¹⁹We love him, because he first loved us. ²⁰If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? ²¹And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

Chapter 5

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. ²By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. ³For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. ⁴For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. ⁵Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? ⁶This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. ⁷For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. ⁸And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. ⁹If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. ¹⁰He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. ¹¹And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹²He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

¹³These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. ¹⁴And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: ¹⁵and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

¹⁶If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. ¹⁷All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. ¹⁸We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. ¹⁹And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. ²⁰And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. ²¹Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Here are a few of the key words in 1 John:

Outline of the Book of 1 John
Scriptures and Topics Covered:
Fellowship with God – Chapters 1-3
Brotherly Love – Chapter 4
Victory over the World – Chapter 5

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“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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Fresh Start with God

You can Have a … Jesus is the Great Shepherd of His Sheep (Heb. 13:20; Lk. 15) A FRESH START WITH GOD (First, if you are not certain that you are genuinely born again, please go here first) Let’s get something straight…. the disciple, the mere man writing this message is more in need of JESUS than anyone who ever lived! No one needs Jesus more than I do and yet, we must do things HIS way, not our own (Ephesians 3:8). “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs […]

Bride of Heaven vs Harlot from Hell [podcast]

How Do We Know, Right Now, Who will be Seated at the at the Table, at the Great Supper of the Lamb? (Matthew 22; Revelation 19) The remnant, those who will be present at the Great Supper of the Lamb in Heaven, are ALREADY feasting at the banqueting table of His Word. All others whom Jesus has saved in the past, are not fueled or flourishing but are rather famishing, fainting, and falling away. The “little flock” of Christ desires to be with Him both now and forever, not just forever (Luke 12:32). They’ve been born again and present “abide” […]

Will Everyone Jesus has Saved be in Heaven?

Heaven Guaranteed to all who have Received Jesus? When Jesus said “It is finished,” He was speaking of HIS perfect sacrificial payment for the sins of mankind (John 19:30). The fact that Jesus offered the perfect sacrifice, in no way negates HIS instructions to those who would enter His eternal kingdom. The answer is clearly given to us in Scripture as to what God’s initial and ongoing conditions are for men to appropriate Christ’s salvation. The answer is 1.) repentance and genuine faith and 2.) faith to the end of that recipient’s life on this earth (Matt. 10:22; 24:13; Acts 14:22; 20:21; […]

Articles

The Communication of Thy Faith

Excerpt from the book Revolutionary Evangelism

“That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.” Philemon 1:6

Is God concerned how much we sweat or hurt ourselves in order to communicate His truth? I think not. I believe that He is simply desirous that we communicate His Word, no matter what available legitimate method(s) we might choose. The key in the LORD’s economy is “the communication of thy faith.”

Captured in the verse below, seems like the beloved Job is referring also to the refreshment that comes from opening our lips and testifying of our LORD’s great goodness!

“I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.” Job 32:20

With this truth in mind does it not behoove each and every believer to find ways to confess Christ to others who need Him?

OSWALD J. SMITH stated: ”For more than thirty years I have prayerfully considered the problem: How can we evangelise the world in the space of one generation? I do not believe we ever can send out enough missionaries; but there must be a way. After travel and study in fifty-three countries, I have come to the conclusion, the only way we are going to be able to carry out the Great Commission – ‘Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature’ (Mark 16:15) – will be by means of the printed page.”

The end is near. What seed have you sown to reach the lost? What will you tell the Master in the end about how you spent your life on this earth (the life He gave you)?

“I believe our Gospel literature is having a greater impact for Christ on Africa than the coming of five thousand new missionaries.” Dr. Guy Playfield – Sudan Interior Mission

For nearly 500 years now, Gospel tracts have been used to reach the lost with the message of the Good News. No doubt that salvation tracts, also referred to as Gospel or silent messengers, are ordained by God as one of the primary methods/tools to evangelize the world.

“Unquestionably the most economical and effective method of world evangelism is the printed page. Ninety percent of the reported conversions to Christianity in Latin America are the result of sound Gospel literature. One good Gospel tract or Bible study booklet given careful, prayerful, wide distribution may easily reach more people than all the sermons one could preach in a lifetime. And after we are gone, they remain, like Longfellow’s ‘Footprints on the Sands of Time’ streams of blessing that will flow on forever.” J.E. McKEE

By divine inspiration, the modern printing press was invented about the time of the great reformation in order to communicate the grace of Jesus Christ to the world. As a result, in the 16^th century, the Gospel message blazed across Europe, evangelizing those who were previously locked up by the devil in the dark ages of false religion. The great reformer stated:

“Printing is God’s latest and best work to spread true religion throughout the whole world.” Martin Luther

Today, more Word tracts are printed and distributed in the world than any previous time in human history. Could this be as a result of the orchestrating of the Holy Spirit due to Christ’s soon return?

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.” Proverbs 11:30

Are you a soul winner? Do you have a systematic program to distribute God’s Word via the printed page? Do you have a willing heart? Need Gospel literature?

The message of salvation through Christ, printed in a brief format and easy to distribute, makes it more than feasible for every true Christian to “confess” Christ (Lk. 12:8-9) while communicating His message. With this in mind, will there be any excuse on Judgment Day for having ignored the Great Commission command and the precious lost souls for whom Christ died?

Good News for the disciple: Gospel tracts, which contain the salvation message of holy Scripture, make it possible for every believer to “Do the work of an evangelist.” (2 Timothy 4:5) Good tracts are available to those who desire to be about their Father’s business in winning the lost. Beware of tracts without the direct life or death message Jesus and His original apostles presented (Lk 13:3,5; Mk 16:16, 2 Cor. 2:16, etc.).

You can order Gospel tracts on this site which present the most important elements of Scripture to the lost; Holiness of God, sinfulness of men in breaking His holy law, the necessity of repentance and being born again into the body of Christ through Jesus Christ alone.

PRAYER: God, in the name of Jesus we ask You now to grant this world more Gospel workers (Matt. 9:37-38). Cause each of us to be obedient in this matter LORD. Forgive our coldness and selfishness in disobeying your Great Commission command and for not being considerate to those who don’t yet know you by hiding You from them in not sharing Your message with them. Forgive us for the excuses we have made up and how we have been ashamed of You towards those who need Your love so desperately. I am Yours LORD, please use me, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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Jesus, Light of the World

Shining His Light: Recently, while in Alabama, I was recommended to a coffee shop and so went to visit. There are men in two fellowshipping and praying together across the coffee shop. I reached out to one guy who works here and after we talked he asked if we could pray together. We did. Amazing. Let’s turn on the light of Christ in this dark world saints – where ever God has us. FRANK TELFORD WRITES: “I SEE A LOT OF MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS SPENDING A MAJORITY OF THEIR TIME RESEARCHING THE DARKNESS BUT YOU WON’T FIND JESUS THERE BECAUSE […]

"Cup Runneth Over" Heavenly Evangelism [podcast]

YOUR PRAYER: Father in Heaven, in the name of Jesus, please prepare me, use me. Make me a consummate soul winner. In Jesus’ name. “Let the word of Christ dwell in you RICHLY (abundantly) in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16 WHEN our LORD’s Word is running rich in your spirit via daily deposits, it’s going to overflow from your life—a crucified life that’s truly anointed, filled with His Holy Ghost and Word, a “vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the […]