The Truth about Fellowship and Going to “Church” [podcast]
The Simplicity of Fellowship that Exalts and Glorifies Christ
“And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. ” Acts 2:42
MANY today peddle the importance of fellowship because they hear it from their pastors on a regular basis. Yet, much more important than man to man fellowship is God to man, and man to God fellowship. This is little spoken of. And, what passes and is pawned off as “fellowship” today doesn’t fit the biblical description, the prescription for fellowship (Acts 2:42-47; Colossians 3:16, etc.). It’s not even a faint resemblance.
Jesus sums up the divine order of priority for and in the lives of all who will know Him and the Father.
“Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40
WHAT’s more important 1. Fellowship with God, or 2. Fellowship with man? God! (Read Matthew 22:37-40.) In fact, your fellowship with man will only be according to your fellowship with our Maker.
The goal here is not to diminish the importance of fellowship with other members of Christ’s body but to ascertain the priorities of God and set them in their biblical order.
“Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.” Jeremiah 12:10
Pastors today (many of whom went to long-time apostate seminaries), are building a business instead of building the kingdom of Christ in the heart of those for whom He came and died. When Jesus said “I will build my church” He was speaking about building His kingdom in the hearts of His beloved people (Matthew 16:18).
Sister Nelline writes:
“I’ve recently left the organized church, couldn’t take it anymore. The pastor there used those tactics about coming to church and how you shouldn’t miss. Even threatened to stop the live stream because he felt people would rather stay home to watch instead of attend. But the one that really got me is, after I had been out sick a few weeks when I returned his first words to me were.. ‘How far back have you backslid?’ I told him I hadn’t backslid at all and added that I listen to preaching all the time. He said, it isn’t the same. Had to bite my lip from saying YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!”
Their prayer and goal and work does not center around Christ Jesus and seeing His people grow to know Him yet more and more and be established ever more deeply in His grace (Colossians 2:6-10). No, they seek to use any manipulating method they can to vest their prey in their ministry busine$$. They’ve turned the house of God, the place that is supposed to be for the worship of the LORD alone, into a den of thieves, and they are the thieves (Matthew 21:15-17).
“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” Philippians 3:1-3
“We Would See Jesus.” John 12:21
We are looking for, seeking Christ, not a church or a Christian “hero” or type of evangelical “pope.”
“Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” Isaiah 2:22
Yes, we fellowship and yet by order of divine priority, “truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ” (1 John 1:3).
“That 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.” 1 John 1:3
The sobering reality is that the vast majority of church gatherings once a week are simply businesses with a paid conductor and volunteer staff.
In today’s church world we do not witness people who live a life of prayer fueling a life filled with Gospel action as we see of the earliest believers beginning in the book of Acts. “There is no new thing under the sun,” and this is how it’s always been among those who profess, who pretend to know God. Zephaniah the prophet exposed the circus conductor leaders of his day and ours.
“Her prophets are light and treacherous persons: her priests have polluted the sanctuary, they have done violence to the law.” Zephaniah 3:4
Rather we see that “Christianity” today consists of merely attending church, being part of a club that meets weekly to mull over felt needs instead of knowing Jesus, true repentance, personal holiness, a denial of self, the crucified life, and getting into the Word. Christianity has been reduced to attending a one hour circus on Sunday morning, hearing a few stories and a few verses from a cotton candy fake “bible” and a psychology laced sermonette. The fruit of the lives of of its adherents tells the story.
Sad Sunday Saps
“‘Church’ fellowship is kind of a joke these days. I’ve observed nothing more than a networking event in some cases where realtors and other entrepreneurs are just looking for business leads while hanging out at the church coffee bar.” Jennifer
May the truth of God blast us out of the sink holes, the quick sand that has absorbed us downward.
Is that what our lives, your life has come to? Is this all there is…. a stale, mundane country club membership in a mutual admiration society where overcoming sin is mocked at, the cross of Christ and crucified life are never heard from the Word and by the power of the Holy Ghost? Where’s the life of Christ truly in our daily lives? What kind of Gospel action is transpiring in your personal daily life?
“Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.” Acts 8:4
In the New Testament canon we don’t see any such “Christianity” as we witness today and hence the use of the word “churchianity” where the extent of “Christianity” is reduced to church membership and attendance.
Deep is calling unto deep beloved…. God is speaking to the hearts of His people to cry out to Him, to come unto Him with tears of repentance, asking Him to do something deeper, to rescue them from the pit, the muck-laden miry clay of religiosity, a mere “form of godliness,” and to establish them in a genuine walk and life of His authentic disciple. The Holy Ghost via Paul prophesied of this very day which is upon us (2 Timothy 3:1-7-13). Instead of being about Christ and His people, it’s all about the self-absorbed, self-idolatrous, entertainment of the prey.
“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12
Scripture reveals that true fellowship is essential, not faithfulness to a certain group that meets in a certain building once or more weekly.
When told about good preaching at a certain local church, one disciple responded this way (sobering and true):
“So did my pastor preach the whole truth but nothing ever stuck, no revival meeting or guest ‘evangelist’ ever taught me anything that made any significant change in me. It was only when I invested my time and money into knowing what’s between Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 22:21 that I really began to know my Bible. It all started with Proverbs 8:17 where I took God at His word and held Him accountable for keeping his end of the bargain as I kept my end.”
Saints, many have been sold the bill of goods concerning “church” attendance and membership. Like trained monkeys they’ve been indoctrinated to be faithful to the local church, not Christ. The whole scam is set up to benefit the frauds who designed and who perpetrate it. They push people to be loyal to the system, not the Savior. Run.
THERE are so many who will be shocked to be separated from Christ in the end and it’s because they were told all their lives and believed that being faithful to their local church and pastor meant they were being loyal to God. In most cases, faithful church members are wasting their energy, heart affections, and money as they have pushed Christ aside to serve their wolf pastor and that local church and its agenda.
“But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.” 2 Peter 2:1-3
“For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.” Romans 16:18
One follower of the KING writes:
“So many in the ‘church’ world have no idea what it means to truly follow Jesus. I know that I fall short all the time too and yet am blessed to repent daily and do my best to be obedient to His Word as well as share His truth with others. I long to know Jesus and His Word even more daily.”
The biblical definition of “Official” would grossly differ from the commercialization of the den of thieves many call “church” today. Jesus is calling His remnant to “come out of her” or be consumed with her (2 Cor 6:17; Rev 18:4-5). I don’t know even one regular “church” attender of the modern church who is on fire for Jesus, who is winning souls, who is in the Word daily, fervently, who is prayed and fasted up, who is feeding Christ’s sheep. And those false churches don’t even use the real Bible, the King James Bible, they use fake “bibles,” lame.
Monetizing the Ministry
False leaders have long ago used their position over the people for their own self-serving benefit. They gather the people to garner their funds. They push for the people to gather, getting them to become a member, and yet are not fulfilling the ordained role of an overseer – to feed the flock and watch for their souls – yet received pay for such (Hebrews 13:7, 17). See Isaiah 56:8-12; Jeremiah 12:10; 23; Ezekiel 34; Zephaniah 3:4; Matthew 24:4-5; 2 Peter 2:1-3. Misuse of funds. Misappropriation.
Jesus exposed them…. by showing how they put on a big show to rob the people:
“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. 15 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” Matthew 23:4-5
“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?….. 10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.” Ezekiel 34:1, 20
TRUE NEW TESTAMENT FELLOWSHIP DOES NOT EQUAL GOING TO A “CHURCH BUILDING” ON SUNDAY MORNING – SPECIFICALLY IF THAT GATHERING IS NOT CHRIST-CENTERED, FIERCELY BIBLICAL, AND FULL OF GOD’S LOVE AND STRICT ADHERENCE TO HIS HOLY, WRITTEN WORD.
When you are seeking Christ daily, you don’t need a Sunday morning pep rally.
Looking for the church means simply looking for other true members of Christ’s body! WE are HIS church – called out ones. Amen Jesus. Fellowship, Gatherings
Do the 4 simple elements seen in Acts 2:42 exist in the fellowship you attend? Also, what’s been added?
The WORD will always be front and center and not salaried frauds pretending to be true elders of the remnant body of Christ (Colossians 3:16).
As He did twice when He walked the earth, if Jesus were here today in the flesh, He would be flipping 99% of “churches” who’ve made the place of worship a den of thieves – to rob the people of their pure worship of God, of their time, of their money, of their place with God, etc. (Matthew 21; John 2). He’s still doing it through His servants who fearlessly preach His Word (Romans 16:17-18; Galatians 2; Jude 3-4; etc.).
Connie Hatten
“Our church went Purpose Driven too! I remember noticing THAT’S when it all changed for the worst. Rick Warren used MULTIPLE modern Bible perversions, and his online ‘network’ of resources can be accessed by pastors to download Sermons, etc! What happened to studying God’s Word and going to the HOLY SPIRIT?!”
Barbara H Kuks
“I noticed a change in the Bible study classes. I heard the church Pastor and staff actually went to visit Warren’s church back then. It was kept quiet but the changes were obvious. No more time or room for the Holy Spirit or words of knowledge in the services. They started television the Sunday morning service and limiting time etc. Became very theatrical and not spontaneous at all.”
“Since leaving church 9 months ago, I have grown by leaps and bounds in my faith. And in the knowledge of his word. Bless you brother!” C.
“Okay, sharing one of my biggest mistakes. We had family devotions when the kids were young. My sister and her husband and kids lived with us and we all took part in family worship. Then . . . my husband always liked this Pentecostal church near us and decided we would go there. They had something almost every night and that was the mantra, ‘Be in church whenever the doors were open.’ Our family devotions were so GOOD, but we dropped it for being in church, not realizing at the time that it was a bad decision.” Arlean
“I been out of “organized religion“ for many years now and I am closer to God than ever before.“ Tracy Parker
Not all fellowships and yet….. organized religion can many times seduce us AWAY from Christ and not endear us to Him. See Colossians 2:18-19.
Sharon Matthews writes:
“The modern church keeps their flock dependent on them. They also keep them busy doing different things instead of giving them the Word of God regarding becoming a disciple of Jesus. Following Jesus will cost them their way of life. Obedience is a byword, not a reality for most. It’s easier to go somewhere to listen to men instead of searching the Scriptures for real life in Christ. Many fill their mind with Scripture but don’t care to act on it—give up their own life in exchange for the life of Christ in them. Sloppy grace is everywhere! Churches (not all) don’t want to lose people, or teach children God’s Word, they might get offended and leave. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. He said, come follow Me.”
The Bible truth is assembling to fellowship (Acts 2:42; Heb 10:25). As was the case when Jesus got here, the organized church was completely apostate. We have virtually (at least) the same today. There were no church buildings in the early church. Not a penny was collected to build a physical building either – especially not to build the real estate property for a man or men to use as their headquarters to make merchandise of the people, turning the house of prayer into a den of thieves (2 Peter 2:1-3; Matthew 21:12-17, etc.).
Jon Crane writes:
“I think the day the church sold itself to the state was when it became a 501c3. That very act of treason yoked them to mammon and divorced them from Christ. Just something I have been thinking about when I look at how God had to chasten Israel many times in the Old Testament. It always happened when they would forget God and chase after the things of this world. If I behaved this way in my marriage…well, I’m pretty sure I would get served. Yet, so many believe that God is okay with them cheating, as if they can force Jesus to bring the filthiness of their sin into His holy presence!
To the godly, seeing Jesus face to face in heaven will be the greatest joy, but I dare say; to never have to see my sin again will be a close second!”
All organized religion is false. Jesus and His apostles did not start any organization nor did they collect a penny to build a so-called “church” building – such is usually the work of wolves who exist to make “merchandise of you” (2 Peter 2:1-3). The Son of God and His holy apostles and the early church operated autonomously and were led and empowered by the Word and Holy Spirit of God. 501(C)(3) “churches” are stated owned, totally compromised, apostate. Run. Denounce. The Savior never sent anyone to sign up with the state to get permission to do His work.
“My kingdom is not of this world.” John 18:36
“Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men.” 1 Corinthians 7:23
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-18
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“I got out of the apostate “church” about 3 or 4 years ago now. Can’t fellowship with any of those people now.” D.
REPLY:
This is the direction of Christ for His remnant. 2 Cor 6:17; Rev 18:4-5
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“The church comprises born again believers not a building. There are some great churches. DL Moody was used by God in a church in Chicago and in many churches in America and the UK. I have never been to a church that is controlled by the state. You can not say all churches are comprised many ARE but been to many that preach the Word without comprise and state control. I have heard many who preach repentance and hell. Attended a church, before his message the preacher got on his knees and prayed and ended every prayer to preach in the power of the Holy Spirit, that Sinners would not go to a place called hell. The Methodist recently had a split and came out from the United Methodist that are very comprised. Now they are independent Methodist.” Paul
REPLY:
You err here: I didn’t say all churches are controlled by the state but rather all 501C3 churches ARE. And that’s 100% truth. They signed a contract, they signed allegiance to the gov’t of mere men. Did Jesus, the prophets, or the apostle do such? No. You bear false witness as you state: “I have never been to a church that is controlled by the state.” EVERY church you’ve been to that is under a 501 C3 is state controlled without exception. For example, name even one of the churches you’ve been to that didn’t conform to the demonic, God-despising mask and 6 foot rule…. waiting. Yeah, I thought so – zero.
Whatever Wesley and Moody were, is all long gone. Moody institute was long ago taken over by the Vatican and I’ve got lots of personal experience with that. The UMC is also ecumenical, totally false, apostate.
——————–
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“This is called catastrophising. There’s a fair amount of truth in what you say, but you are making absolute statements that can’t be be absolutely true.
The biblical standard for absolute truth is that it must be absolutely true and your post just isn’t. Sorry.
I’ve been in churches for most of my six decades of walking with the Lord and I agree with much of what you say, but I draw the line at making this kind of sweeping generalisation and then implicitly condemning anyone and everyone who is part of a church. That is not biblical.
Go read what God said to Elijah on Mt Horeb, about how many people in Israel God had reserved for a remnant.
You mustn’t condemn people en masse this way. And you must not make absolute statements that don’t match the biblical standard of absolute truth. That is a sin.” Alan Heron
REPLY:
Apparently, there are no absolutes in your faulty thinking. There’s a spiritual undercurrent to your influences…. and such is not going unnoticed. Again, you err. Notice, contrary to your false statement alleging that I condemned people en masse, notice that the original post stated that all ORGANIZED RELIGION, not people, is false. Did this post say all groups who assemble are false OR that all who minister are false? That is a yes or a no. Waiting. Let me help you: No, it said all organized religion, all that is religiously organized 501c3 etc… is false and I stand on that as the truth. Your years of serving God as you allege, have nothing to do with the truth, so you may wish to leave such out next time.
Jezebel’s Table – ORGANIZED RELIGION – compromised, took the bribe to be paid, receive a salary, are under contract to tickled ears, to dodge, to purposely evade the hard truths of Scripture…. ALL false.
The 7,000 God speaks of were all like JTB and Christ and His apostles and prophets… independent of the entanglements, the corporatized conspiracies (Ezek. 22:25-27) of mere men and “there is no new thing under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Remember how early in this chapter (1 Kings 18), the beloved Obadiah fed the non-corporatized 100 true prophets who refused to come under the fraud banner of state religion? They refused to organize with the fraud religious leaders who tucked their feet under jezebel’s table which means they were bought and paid for by the state, the religion of the 501 C3 type contract of their day. The 100 true prophets were independent, autonomous, more safe from the heard mentality and conformity – just like Jesus, the prophets, and apostles.
“Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal (ALL the organized religionists did bow!), and every mouth which hath not kissed him. 1 Kings 19:18
“Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at JEZEBEL’S TABLE.” 1Ki_18:19
Arlean Benedict Kelley
“Yes. I’ve been to many state conventions and it’s like going to a business conference. Which church has added the most members, etc. But they are trying to do good with the best they know, I think.”
Elton Mishoe writes:
“I pastored 12 years in a “church” of 200. Tried to teach that every service. Higher ups couldn’t stand me. Lol. Finally gave a 10 year lease on that brick and mortar to another ministry and let them have it. Brick and mortar will perish and is only a meeting place. Church is where 2 or 3 are gathered in his name. Want to know the truth? go to the pastors, the higher ups in a denomination and ask to see salaries and benefits lol. Almost impossible to get the truth. Get involved with pastor meetings and watch them talk about nothing but ways to get more money into the church. I’ve Been there done it.
Most organized religion is 100% business and if a pastor bucks the system he is blackballed until he finally leaves or they get something to try to charge him with.
YES there are some pastors that give their life for the calling because they don’t consider it a job. But to most it’s a job. They use churches as stepping stones to get to the next bigger paying church. But it’s also the people’s fault they want all the bells and whistles and programs and the prestige of a huge church.
Worthy Pastors with no other income should be taken care of that’s biblical. Church of God is crooked as crooked gets, this one I know for a fact (1 Corinthians 9:1-14; 1 Timothy 5:17-18, etc.). Others are the same I’m sure. Want a good church? Good luck.”
One disciple of Jesus writes:
“At the last church I attended the pastor frequently said something like, “if you were a real Christian you would want to be in church every time the doors were open.” Goodness! that laid a huge guilt trip on me and others!
Being “in church” all the time took me away from learning about my God and Savior.
When I measured the time spent getting dressed and ready for church, driving to church, being in church, driving home from church, stopping at the store on my way from church and changing clothes after being in church I found that “church” consumed more of my time than Bible study.
I’m so thankful the Lord put an end to that for me and my husband. We now spend a LOT more time studying and getting to know our heavenly Father better than ever before. We have a home Bible study where we reach folks who would never “go” to a church but still love God, or one sister who thought she was being a good Christian and doing what God expected of her only to realize how far off base she’s been all these years.
Hallelujah!”
Clare R. Watts writes:
“Standing in the garage doesn’t make you a car. Hiding in the pantry doesn’t make you a jar of pickles, either. Going to church doesn’t save you, let alone make you a Believer! Surrendering to the Lord, obeying, trusting and following Jesus does.”
Jenny Douglas writes:
“Sadly with the rise of apostasy, false teaching, losing freedoms, etc., more and more of the remnant may have ‘church’ as the early followers did, from house to house. I see it coming.”
“Cry Aloud, Spare Not, Lift Up Thy Voice Like a Trumpet” [podcast]
Abiding
Jesus’ Counsel to the Lukewarm [podcast]
Laodicea: How Jesus Instructs the Backslidden to be Restored
Jesus’ Letter to the Church at Laodicea
“And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;
15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
The cross, the crucified life is the cure to the curse of sin—sin dominating our lives.
Romans 6
Inflation is part of the judgment of God upon a wicked people, nation. We see such in Sodom and in Laodicea (Ezekiel 16:49-59; Romans 1; Revelaton 3:14-22).
“It appears that in this scarcity each might be able to obtain a bare subsistence by his daily labor; but a man could not, in such cases, provide for a family.” Adam Clarke
Your money doesn’t go far….. inflation
“Revelation 6 describes the opening of the first six seals, which represent God’s judgment, often called the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The third seal, broken by a “black horse,” is interpreted to show hyper-inflation and famine, where a day’s wage (a denarius) buys only a quart of wheat. The judgment includes a command to preserve the oil and wine, which some interpret as luxury goods, while essential food becomes scarce and expensive.”
“6:5, 6 In obedience to the third living creature, a rider holding a set of scales came forth on a black horse. This represents famine, which often follows war. A voice in the middle of the four living creatures announced that wheat and barley were being sold at prohibitive prices. The scales were used to weigh the rationed grain and were thus a symbol of famine. The expression do not harm the oil and the wine is difficult. Some say that these were the food of the poor. If they were staple items, then they must be protected in order to preserve life. It seems more likely, however, that the luxury items of the rich are contemplated here: historically, even in famine the rich can get some luxuries.” Believer’s Bible Commentary
The only thing needed to go to hell is to not be on fire for Jesus—to be “lukewarm” (Revelation 3:15-16).
Jesus instructed the Laodicean church… to obtain, to “buy of me….
“3:18 The people were counseled to buy from the Lord gold refined in the fire. This may mean divine righteousness, which is bought without money or price (Isa_55:1) but received as a gift through faith in the Lord Jesus. Or it may mean genuine faith, which when tested in the fire, results in praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1Pe_1:7).
Also the people were counseled to buy white garments, that is, practical righteousness in everyday life. And they should anoint their eyes with eye salve, that is, gain true spiritual vision through the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. This counsel was especially appropriate, since Laodicea was known as a center for banking, textiles, and medicines—especially eye salve.” Believer’s Bible Commentary
“Revelation 3:18
I counsel thee – O fallen and deceived soul, hear Jesus! Thy case is not hopeless. Buy of me.
Gold tried in the fire – Come and receive from me, without money and without price, faith that shall stand in every trial: so gold tried in the fire is here understood. But it may mean pure and undefiled religion, or that grace or Divine influence which produces it, which is more valuable to the soul than the purest gold to the body. They had before imaginary riches; this alone can make them truly rich.
White raiment – Holiness of heart and life.
Anoint thine eyes – Pray for, that ye may receive, the enlightening influences of my Spirit, that ye may be convinced of your true state, and see where your help lies.” Adam Clarke
Warning
“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” Revelation 16:15
Coming forth as Purified Gold
“But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” Job 23:10
To “come forth as gold” refers to the finished product, where gold has been purified of all its impurities.
“That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:” 1 Peter 1:7
“The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.” Proverbs 17:3
Idolatry is Sin
Putting, having anything or anyone before Christ in our lives is the soul damning sin of idolatry. Such a person has rejected Christ for something, anything else.
One such idol, one such cause today is patriotism for one’s earthly country. See Hebrews 11:14-16.
SO, you are fighting to save America (impossible) and not see souls saved for and by Jesus? Yet you claim to be following Christ who said “I MUST be about my Father’s business”? See Luke 2:49. You are deceived and in need of repentance before it’s too late. You left your “first love” and are in sin, in darkness (Revelation 2:4-5).
“And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 33 And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days. 34 Now when they shall fall, they shall be holpen with a little help: but many shall cleave to them with flatteries. 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 11:32-35
“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.” Daniel 12:10
PRAYER: Father in Jesus’ name, please grant to my heart Your gift of repentance and the deep desire to have Your righteousness, to not be deceived by sin, Satan, or counterfeits and false teachers. Please forgive all my sins afresh, here and now by Your precious blood LORD Jesus. Unite my heart to fear Your name. Fill me with Your Holy Ghost and use me LORD. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Abiding
The Lying Vanity of “Eternal Security” [podcast]
WHY was Satan expelled from God’s presence, from Heaven? What happened the last time sin was found in Heaven? Did God coddle it or kick it out? Jesus told us:
“And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” Luke 10:18
Oh and will we lose the ability to choose in Heaven? One man recently stated: “Even if you are in Heaven you do not have eternal security.” Interesting and apparently true…. because as I am sure you were alluding to, lucifer and a third of the angels still had choice in Heaven, they chose sin and were expelled (Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:13-19; Luke 10:18).
Those who deal with the eternal securists know that it’s observable that these self-serving idolaters, counterfeits, want the assurance of salvation via lies instead of obedience. They campaign, promote, and defend their “eternal security” idol doctrine. If they spent the same time and energy seeking and obeying the LORD they claim to serve, there would be great fruit born.
No one is going to walk in peace and assurance just because they speak of it, claim it, or because they desire to have peace and assurance. No, it’s only when we obey the Word of God that His peace and assurance flood our being. There’s no short cut to obedience (1 John 3:16-18).
The assurance of salvation, of eternal glory with Christ, abides only in those who obey God. The OSAS wolves speak nothing of obeying the LORD. No, instead they spend all their time indoctrinating people with the heresy that they are eternally secure no matter what they do after being saved. Those who give more than cliche’s and lip service to God, enjoy the assurance of His salvation.
“My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 19 And hereby (by obedience) we know that we are of the truth, and shall ASSURE our hearts before him. 20 For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” 1 John 3:18-21
Assurance of salvation in our hearts comes from abiding in and with Christ, from obeying Him – not sitting around convincing ourselves and others that we are “eternally secure” (John 14-15). Such is the occupation of moral coward counterfeits who are lost hell-bound souls.
Convincing people who aren’t abiding in Christ that they are eternally secure is criminal, sinful, and perpetrated by the grace-perverting “ungodly men” Jude warned us about (Jude 3-4). Instead of teaching them that God requires that they love and obey Him, they sidestep this unpopular truth and evilly, insidiously tickle the ears of their prey (2 Timothy 4:2-4).
Of 1 John 3:19, Adam Clarke writes:
“Hereby we know that we are of the truth – That we have the true religion of the Lord Jesus, and shall assure our hearts – be persuaded in our consciences, that we have the truth as it is in Jesus; as no man can impose upon himself by imagining he loves when he does not: he may make empty professions to others, but if he loves either God or man, he knows it because he feels it; and love unfelt is not love, it is word or tongue. This the apostle lays down as a test of a man’s Christianity, and it is the strongest and most infallible test that can be given. He that loves feels that he does love; and he who feels that he loves God and man has true religion; and he who is careful to show the fruits of this love, in obedience to God and humane acts to man, gives others the fullest proof that he has the loving mind that was in Jesus.”
The crux concerning the eternal security counterfeits is that they simply refuse to die – to deny self, take up the cross daily, and follow the Savior they claim is their Savior.
Believing that God requires man to participate in an abiding relationship with Him is not works salvation, it’s Bible 101. The only people who call an abiding walk with Christ “works salvation” are those who are vainly thinking they’re going to use Jesus to get them to Heaven, out of hell, without engaging in a relationship with the Great Bridegroom. These are antichrists. They teach contrary to Christ. Read John 15:1-6. Doesn’t their reasoning, their doctrine sound like the foolish virgins who were shut out of Christ’s kingdom? Yep. Read Matthew 25:1-13.
Instead of using that energy to lay down their lives, to be truly crucified with Christ, the OSAS defenders have endless energy to argue to justify sinning. Why? They simply do not love the LORD. They love self and they love their life in this world and will perish with it (1 Corinthians 2:9b; 1 John 2:15-17).
Eternal securists preach “grace, grace, grace” and yet they have more faith in sin, in sinning, than they do in God’s grace to keep them…. free from sin. They are “(…the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things)” (Philippians 3:18-19).
“For he that is dead is freed from sin.” Romans 6:7
Let me get this straight …… Jesus’ grace was enough to save you but is not strong enough to keep you from the sin He died and rose again to deliver you from?
MESSAGE RECEIVED:
“Romans 14:1-3. This post (exposing the heresy of OSAS) continues division among God’s people. God has chosen not to reveal all of Himself to any person. We are all in a broken state of incomplete revelation.”
REPLY:
Not true. You are quoting Romans 14 which is speaking of NON-essentials, not essential doctrine of the original Gospel given to us by Christ and His holy apostles. Those who do not continue in sound doctrine, in the teaching of Christ and His apostles, “hath NOT God” and are to be exposed (2 John 7-11).
The only one causing division is you – a false teacher who is perpetrating the same lie of Satan himself from the Garden of Eden, the original doctrine of devils (1 Timothy 4:1).
Believers are specifically mandated to “earnestly contend” against “ungodly men” who are “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness” such as Satan’s first lie, his first teaching – OSAS/eternal security.
Jude 1:3-5
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. 5 I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.”
Divisions are needed – the divining between the truth-loving remnant of Christ and the counterfeits who espouse falsehoods (Romans 16:17-18). See also Matthew 10:34.
God has clearly, plainly revealed to us the OSAS/eternal security is a lie from His arch enemy and actually led to the fall of mankind in the Garden (Proverbs 22:17-21; Genesis 2:17; 3:4). The warnings against this heresy exist throughout His Word. You may wish to cease using the cop-out position.
Brother Raphael King writes:
“If once saved always saved is correct, then why does Satan tempt saved Christians? What is the aim of the tempter if not to entice the saved ones to sin?
If once saved always saved is correct, why did Jesus tell the man he healed of his infirmity to go and SIN NO MORE? John 5:14
Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.
I need your views on these if you think once saved always saved is correct, or you have believed a lie all long!”
According to man’s school of thought, eternal security (also known as “once saved, always saved”) is the belief that from the moment anyone becomes a Christian they will be saved from hell and will not lose their salvation.
But according to the Bible, someone that was once saved can still fall into sin, die in their sins and go to hell!
2 Peter 2:20-22: “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.”
Let’s analyze some examples:
Judas was once saved! One cannot fall away from a place he has never been. So, accepting this falling away as truth, the conclusion is that one can be saved and then “fall away” or lose his salvation. How can a fallen man fall again if he was never saved at first?
Acts 1:25: “That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.”
Judas Iscariot was standing in the Lord, and a follower of Christ before he fell into transgression.
Demas was once saved…
Colossians 4:14: “Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.”
Philemon 1:24: “Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers…” These are saved laborers that Paul referred to.
But Demas later backslid to love the world….
2 Timothy 4:10: “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.”
1 Corinthians 5 was written to believers who had fallen into fornication. “It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife.” Paul would not be preaching like this to those that are not yet saved.
The seven churches in Revelation were saved believers before they fell. The Bible recorded their good works. The remedy for them was repentance. Mind you these happened after Pentecost. The church at Ephesus backslid and left its first love. God out of His infinite mercy, sent a message of warning to them. Can you then say that these Churches are not truly saved at first? Then read Revelation 2:1-5 and see their stand before they fell.
Revelation 2:5: “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.”
David once fell into sin, Saul once fell into sin, Solomon once fell into sin, Ananias and Sapphira once fell into sin, Lucifer once fell into sin! The lists are endless. These people were saved but somewhere along the line they fell into sin. Some had the grace to repent and utilized it while others wasted it, some didn’t have the grace to repent.
Those that said these people were not truly saved at first should bring evidence from the Bible and not self-assumption. You don’t assume the Bible, you believe it!
If once saved forever saved is true, why did the apostles write to believers that they should not commit sin and warned them to flee from fornication? The Bible talks about repentance in various chapters.
Eternal salvation is for those who always obey God. Once you disobey God, you will lose it just like King Saul in the Bible. The only way to reclaim it is through repentance.
Hebrews 5:9: “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;”
Saved by Grace to Obey God
The OSAS counterfeits want to say that any obedience or good works for Jesus mean you are seeking to earn your own salvation. But the Bible tells us that we are saved by grace through faith which will always produce the fruit of good works. In fact we are created in Christ to do them!
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:8-10
He saved us by His grace to be “his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Any questions?
Jesus requires that we overcome in order to reign with Him.
“And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:” Revelation 2:26
Those who keep His works to the end are those who trust and worship Christ and not self – He is their “first love.” (Revelation 2:4-5) Their works do not save them and yet they clearly prove they are His.
“Unto the end” is a requirement for eternal glory, otherwise you will be vanquished into the bowels of eternal damnation irrevocably. Faith is required by God to receive Christ’s salvation, and true saving faith always produces good works (Ephesians 2:8-10).
Isn’t our obedience to Jesus our LORD an expression of our love for Him?
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” John 14:15
What did Jesus say concerning our lights shining and “good works”?
“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16
“Be careful to maintain good works”
“This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.” Titus 3:8
O the endless stream of cowards who seek to evade personal accountability ….. In dealing with yet another heretic, I recently wrote concerning a man who believes he has no personal responsibility to worship, walk with, obey, and engage in an intimate abiding relationship with the Savior He claims saved him (John 15:1-6). He assumes no accountability because he seeks to use Jesus to get him to Heaven but has no interest in the cross Jesus says one must take up daily to truly follow Him-otherwise such a counterfeit is not following Him (Luke 9:23-24). Repent now sinner.
Moral cowards migrate to the “eternal security” heresy because they simply do not want to genuinely repent, to change. They want the crown but not the cross. They vainly believe they are going to use the Savior to get them out of hell yet want nothing to do with a worship-filled, engaged, abiding, fruit-bearing, obedient relationship with the Son of God while on earth. These are the rebels who will hear the LORD declare to them “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:” (Matthew 25:4. Read John 15.)
In the biblical model of salvation, you’re not free to sin, you’ve been saved from sin, blessed to live free from sin.
“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Romans 6:14
You are now the servant of God, not sin.
“But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” Romans 6:22
Those who go back to sin after being saved, are in danger of hell fire – unless they repent and return to the LORD:
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23
The wages of sin is STILL death (Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23). God’s grace never changed His definition of sin. God will judge, will damn the souls of every person who dies in sin – whether they were saved in the past or not (Ezekiel 33:12-13; Revelation 22:11, etc.).
Lawless Workers of Iniquity
This warning below from Christ clearly tells us that “MANY” today who call Jesus “Lord”, who claim they are saved, are not.
“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. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (lawlessness).” Matthew 7:21-23
Joe Mann writes:
“When a person does what CHRIST JESUS HIMSELF tells them to not do or do…. it’s not their own work’s…..is it???
Besides a person is not in the PROCESS of being SAVED BY & until BELIEF in WHO & WHAT?
Luke 6:46-49
46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: 48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.”
Simply put, those who teach OSAS/eternal security/Calvinism, are sin-justifying, grace-perverting heretics.
The 5 points of Calvinism are utterly false, each and every one of them. Personally, I wear the scorn of the wicked eternal security and calvinist hereticks, as a badge of honor. According to the Holy Spirit’s warning through Jude, these have perverted the faith of the original Gospel of Christ and call it “the doctrines of grace” while they specifically pervert the grace of God. These are “ungodly men” who are “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness” (license for sin) (Jude 4). We are to “earnestly contend” against them (Jude 3).
You could openly curse the Son of God and they’d say little or nothing. Yet, soon as you expose the lying falsehoods they hide behind and use to justify their sins, those devils behind those “doctrines of devils” manifest (1 Timothy 4:1-2).
Calvinist/osas heretics insist that one is devaluing the perfect payment of Christ on the cross for our sins…. are they?
Jesus’ work was perfect and this same JESUS gave conditions for man to appropriate His salvation. To say otherwise would be to say that everyone is going to Heaven, not matter what which is the heresy we call universalism. Yet some wish to ignore those conditions, those things God requires of anyone who will know and walk with Him. Many have bought lies, half-truths and aren’t being honest with the whole counsel of God’s Word. Jesus told His own 12 they had to “endure to the end” to be “saved” (Matthew 10:22; 24:13).
“Saved by grace through faith. Lets break this down for those who don’t understand… Its by Gods grace we’re offered the gift of salvation; yet that gift of salvation is activated through faith!! Without faith no man can please God. And if people think for one second they’re forced to abide or remain in the faith, they better get back in the word. Jesus even said that he is the true vine, and if we don’t remain in him, we are cut off… OSAS teaching is a lie! We must work out our salvation in fear and trembling before the Lord daily!! Endure unto the end!” Cristina
Specifically speaking to HIS own, Jesus says they must “abide” in Him or they will be cast into the fire (John 15:6).
“If a man abide not in me (does not remain with 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
Response to a proponent of OSAS:
Please explain to all of us why EVERY person in the world isn’t automatically saved…. after all, Jesus paid the full price for their sin…. And, show us all in God’s Word how men don’t have free will. “Doctrines of grace” to you are actually the corruption of God’s saving grace and Jude warned us about vile wolves, “ungodly men” like you who turn the saving grace of God in Christ into a license for sin.
“For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness (license to sin), and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude 4
Here’s a Scripture text on true saving grace that you are allergic to and that your phony “grace teachers” never mentioned….
“For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;” Titus 2:11-12
Every false teacher is going to hell (2 Peter 2:1-3).
Calvinists speak of “doctrines of grace” while intentionally ignoring and evading Bible passages on grace such as Titus 2:11-12. Calvinists are con men. They are fulfilling the Holy Spirit’s prophecy through Jude as they over emphasize grace while deliberately evading certain grace Scriptures and mountains of truth (Jude 4). What about holiness – God’s holiness, and the truth that He said “Be ye holy for I am holy”? See 1 Peter 1:15-16. You purposely ignore it because you simply don’t want to die, to lay down your life in this fleeting world, to be crucified with Christ. Counterfeit. | Grace vs Holiness
Much more explosive truth on the topic of the mythical “eternal security” |
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Apostasy
The Goal of the Ungodly Eternal Security Teachers [podcast]
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness (license to sin), and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude 3-4
“This is AWESOME! You got all over it. It really flowed. Excellent! In the delivery, your excitement and passion for this subject are unmistakable. How can ANYONE listen to this and not want to check out the Word of God for themselves?” Debbie L.
“Thy prophets (false leaders) have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered (exposed) thine iniquity (have not uncovered your sin), to turn away thy captivity (to get you set free from it); but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment (ultimate termination into hell).” Lamentations 2:14
COUNTERFEITS who hide behind their OSAS fairy tale HATE this biblical reality and are willing to call the LORD a liar in order to retain this heresy – “And he that overcometh, and KEEPETH my works UNTO THE END, to him will I give power over the nations:” (Revelation 2:26)
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