Is Believing In Eternal Security Essential To Salvation?

John 10:27-29, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.”

God does not give anyone temporary life, He only gives eternal life. Eternal life and eternal security are not two separate doctrines; they are one and the same thing.

I was reading one of Dr. John R. Rice's (1895-1980) books today and read something that didn't set right with me. Here is what the famous evangelist writes:

Is believing in eternal security essential to salvation?

No, the doctrine of eternal security is not essential to salvation. You understand, when I go to the doctor with a desperate illness, it is essential that I go to the right doctor for healing. It is not essential that I know all about the diagnosis of my case, or that I know all the details of the remedy. It is enough that I turn the matter over in loving faith to the doctor. That is the way it is about Jesus Christ. None of us really know all the depths of wickedness of our hearts. We do not know fully the disease which cures us. But we can know we are sinners and we can know we must go to the doctor. 

One does not even have to know fully the plan of salvation in order to be saved. You don't have to know the medicine if you go to the right doctor. He will decide the medicine. And even when we take it, by faith, we may not fully understand it. 

This is made clear by several Scriptures. First, the Scripture says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13). The publican in the temple who said, “God be merciful to me a sinner” (Luke 18:13), may not have known just how God had planned to pay for our salvation. But he called upon the Lord and went home justified. 

The dying thief in Luke 23:39-43 said, “Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” That was a very ignorant prayer, and yet Jesus saved him. The thing for a poor sinner to do is to come to Jesus and if he comes, Jesus does not cast him out, as is plainly promised in John 6:37.

One may be saved without knowing all about the plan of salvation. One can be saved without being even sure of salvation. I went for three years after I had trusted Christ without full assurance of salvation. But I had been saved and when the matter was cleared up by the Scriptures, then it became certain that I had been saved all along. You see, one does not have to be a graduate in theology to be saved. One who comes to Christ is saved. One who calls upon the Lord for salvation is saved. One who believes on Christ as Saviour is saved. These are all different ways of saying the same thing, They all describe how simple is saving faith.

Those who do not understand the matter of security of a believer are missing a great joy, I think, but that has nothing to do with whether or not they are saved. One who trusts Christ is saved and saved forever, whether he knows it or not not. —Evangelist John R. Rice, “Dr. Rice, Here Is My Question...,” p. 272-273

I agree with nearly everything that Dr. Rice wrote, with the exception that someone can deny the eternal security of a believer and still be saved. From Dr. Rice's viewpoint I would agree, if you simply mean that someone lacks the peace of knowing they are saved.

Not Knowing One is Saved Versus Requiring Faithful Living to Maintain a State of Salvation

However, there are many deceived religious people (e.g., Roman Catholics, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Church of God, et cetera) who sincerely think you can lose God's gift of salvation if you go into deep sin or abandon your Christian faith. In such cases it is absolutely paramount that someone believe in eternal security to be saved. So, it depends on the reason why someone doubts eternal security as to whether or not it is essential to salvation. Take a look at the damnable false teaching of Seventh-Day Adventists...

“The Assurance of Salvation”: Myth and Reality 

Adventist Today

by Pastor Steven Siciliano | April 8, 2022

Let me state three key premises at the start: 

1. An individual’s ultimate salvation depends on maintaining faith and faithfulness to the end (by which I mean either the individual’s passing or the second advent). 
2. None of us can predict the future or know for certain whether we will remain faithful to the end. Therefore, 
3. logically speaking, it is impossible to have assurance of salvation. That concept is either a myth or, at best, a misapplication.

So where did this phrase and its accompanying sentiment come from? Why are so many individuals wedded to it? What reality may the term be pointing to, perhaps ambiguously? And where can we begin sorting it all out? READ MORE

NOTE - Steven Siciliano is pastor of the Jackson Heights and Hartsdale churches in the Greater New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

Apostates had a profession of faith in Jesus Christ at one time, but not the possession of faith (i.e., they were never born again). Their mouths spoke something other than what their hearts believed. Apostasy is not loss of salvation, but evidence of past pretension. They were never saved at all. They may have joined a professed “Christian” organization; such as, the Roman Catholic church, but they were never born again.

You don't get saved by living the Christian life. Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born again. This is what the false prophets in Matthew 7:21-23 were guilty of doing. They boasted of having done “many wonderful works” in Jesus' name, but they had never completely rested in Christ's sacrifice on the cross for their sins. The true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU. If salvation is truly by grace, then you don't need to start or stop anything to be saved. Eternal life is a free gift from God (Romans 6:23). One is saved by God's grace through faith in the finished work of His Son on the cross as payment in full as our pardon for sin.

Dr. Rice Mistitled His Question

It is plain to see from Brother Rice's answer that he is not talking about Eternal Security at all; but rather, someone who sincerely lacks a full understanding of the theological workings of God's plan of redemption, or someone who has doubts about their salvation. In sharp contrast, Eternal Security is the doctrine that once you are saved, you are always saved. This Bible truth is commonly expressed as: “Once Saved, Always Saved” (OSAS).

In my humble opinion, Dr. Rice should have titled his question: “Is Knowing That You're Saved Essential To Salvation?” or “Is Fully Understanding Salvation Essential To The New Birth?” You really do need to believe in Eternal Security to be saved, because if you think salvation depends upon your human efforts, performance or faithfulness in the least degree, you are not fully trusting Christ and are not saved. If you are trusting in Jesus plus water baptism (just in case), you are not saved. You just need to believe that Jesus did it all for you.

If you are trusting in Jesus plus trimming your toe nails once every ten years, you are not saved. I am being facetious of course, but you get the point. Salvation is promised by God only to the sinner who wholly rests in the finished redemptive work of Christ (i.e., the Gospel).

I agree with Dr. Rice from the standpoint that a person can be saved who still doubts their Eternal Security, just so long as they don't trust in their own performance, good works or faithfulness to stay saved. You don't have to believe in Eternal Security in the sense that you don't need to know for sure that you are saved; but this is not Eternal Security, it is Assurance.

People Only See What They Want To See

Isaiah 56:10, “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.”

The old adage is true: People only see what they want to see.

A ministry friend recently shared his frustration with me in dealing with a Roman Catholic friar. They were debating over Saint Augustine's negative views and comments concerning women. As expected, the Catholic Friar spoke high words of praise in defense of Augustine.

I wrote back to my friend and told him that I go through the same frustrating phenomena with professed Christian clergy all the time, who bizarrely insist that Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a born again Christian, when Luther's catechisms (which were written in 1529, twelve years after his alleged conversion to Christ in 1517) all require Sacramental Salvation to get to Heaven.

Martin Luther Taught That Water Baptism Saves

Tragically, many church pastors and layman alike only see what they want to see. There is nothing more dangerous than the inspired Holy Bible in the hands of an incompetent preacher. Isaiah 56:10, “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.”

People tend to only see what they want to see due to motivated perception, where our desires and beliefs influence our interpretations of reality. That is to say, we all see through a selfish filter. This can lead to biases in how we process information, often focusing on aspects that align with our preferences, beliefs or expectations. This is why the old adage is true: To the man with a hammer in his hand, everything looks like a nail sticking up.

According to Psychology Today...

This phenomenon, called motivated perception, has been explored in psychological research for decades. Indeed, the world as we conceive it in our awareness is not exactly an accurate representation of what it truly is. Our perception is often biased, selective, and malleable. Even our desires can affect what we see by impacting the way we process visual information. READ MORE

In the Bible, the phrase “seeing they see not” refers to people who observe but fail to understand or perceive the truth. This concept is highlighted in Matthew 13:13b, where it states, “because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.” Jesus spoke in parables to reveal the mysteries of the kingdom of God to those who seek the truth, while concealing the truth from those who are indifferent or hostile.

Matthew 13:13-15 “Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.”

One of my favorite Bible teachers at Hyles-Anderson College (where I attended between 1985 to 1993 when I graduated) is Pastor Brad Strand in Texas, who writes:

Parables were given to illustrate doctrine, not to declare it.. In other words, it would be wrong to build a case for some doctrine on the basis of a parable. Parables were designed to teach a heavenly truth and to reveal some kind of character flaw within human nature, not exemplify doctrine. Only two of the forty-one parables given to us by Christ are explained by him (Parable # 5 - Mt 13:18-23 and Parable # 7 - Mt 13:24-30, 36-43), which sets the standard for the interpretation of all parables. 

Christ used parables for 2 reasons: 

1. To reveal truth (Mt 13:10-11) - Only the humble and spiritually awakened benefited from parables (Mt 11:25-26). As long as you were willing to admit having character flaws, you were able to benefit from parable
2. To conceal truth (Mk 4:10-12, Lk 8:9-10 and Acts 28:25-27) - Parables were used to hide truths from unreceptive hearts, which cared more about entertainment than salvation. 

NOTE  - Because there is no common accepted definition of the parable, it is difficult to say just how many parables are present in the Gospels. The exact number depends on one's definition of a parable. If the word parable is taken to include proverbs, riddles, and simple comparisons as well as those in story form, the number is about sixty in all. If one's interpretation of a parable does not include proverbs, riddles, and simple comparisons as well as those in story form, then Christ gives us a total of 41 parables.

While it is true that many of the Old Testament prophets and saints (righteous men) may not have understood the actual death, burial and resurrection of Christ (Lk 18:34 and 1 Peter 1:10A), it is also true that every Old Testament saint understood the “facts” behind the actual death, burial and resurrection of Christ, and it is the “facts” behind the Gospel that save a person (1 Cor. 15:1). —Pastor Brad Strand, 'The Strand Study Bible' (.PDF); commentary for Matthew 13:10, p. 1494

Bravo! That is beautiful. I bought five copies of The Strand Study Bible (2 new and 3 used). I wanted to get them before they're forever gone! I cannot recommend Brother Strand's study Bible enough. He is a brilliant Bible teacher, a sweet man and I cherish his work for Christ.

It is in our sinful human nature to only see what we want to see, which is why the inspired Scripture says in Proverbs 16:25, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

Pastor Jack Hyles Blew It At The End Of This Sermon

Matthew 13:24-30, “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

I am listening to a needful sermon by Pastor Jack Hyles titled, “The Parable Of The Tares And Wheat.” Our churches today are full of tares (unsaved people). With all the Devil's lies about repenting of your sins, inviting Jesus into your heart, inviting Him to become Lord of your life; and other junk to get to Heaven, it is no wonder why there are so many tares. Jesus made it very clear that the wheat and the tares look identical and you cannot tell them apart. There are lost religious people in churches everywhere today, who have never been born again.

Satan always imitates the real. Have you been born again dear friend? I sincerely hope that you will listen to Brother Hyles' sermon, it is so beautiful. Pastor Hyles mentions pianists, song leaders, deacons, Sunday School teachers, preachers and church members who came forward to be born again, after years of being involved in church.

Dear reader, have you been born again? I didn't ask if you are a member of a church. I didn't ask if you love Jesus. I didn't ask if you have prayed a prayer. I don't want to know if you are a good person. I don't want to know if you are familiar with Christianity. I am asking if you have been born from above by the Holy Spirit of God? You may fool everybody around you here on earth, but you cannot fool the angels and God. I was born again at age 13.

You were born spiritually dead, and so was I (Romans 5:12, Ephesians 2-12). The second death (Revelation 21:8) is not the same thing as being spiritually dead. The second death is to spend eternity burning in Hell (Revelation 20:11-15). Although we were all born spiritually dead (alienated from God), you don't have to die the second death. If you're born once, you die twice; if you're born twice, you die once. Is your name written in the Book of Life?

Since we were born spiritually dead, that is why we all need to be born again for the second time. You get “born again” by coming to God as a guilty sinner and by faith (taking God at His written Word) accepting Christ's sacrificial death on the cross as full payment for your sins, believing that Jesus was buried, but then bodily resurrected from the dead three days later. This is the Gospel according to 1st Corinthians 15:1-6. Your faith in the Gospel equals eternal life. Nothing more is required.

It doesn't matter if you are Baptist, Lutheran, Church of Christ, Roman Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Seventh-Day Adventist or any other religion, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Please trust Jesus Christ now for what He did to pay your debt of sin on Calvary's cross and be saved.

Pastor Hyles Perverted The Gospel In This Sermon

Unfortunately, I need to mention something about what Dr. Hyles said at the end of his sermon that is blatant damnable heresy. Here is the suggested sinner's prayer given in his invitation:

Oh God, be merciful to me a sinner. Save me now. This moment. This moment I receive the living Christ into my life, by faith. Would you do it? —Pastor Jack Hyles, 'The Parable Of The Tares And Wheat'

That is not the Gospel. That is not how a lost sinner gets to Heaven. Judas Iscariot received Jesus into his life, becoming one of His very apostles. Yet, Judas went to burn in Hell forever in his sins and unbelief. No one has ever been saved by inviting Christ into your life. Where is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus? Where is the preaching of the cross? Hell is full of misled people who heard some preacher give them a shoddy presentation of the Gospel. 

Ironically, Dr. Hyles' very purpose for preaching this beautiful sermon is because churches today are full of unsaved religious people who are living the Christian life without ever having been born again; and yet he is guilty of mishandling the Gospel himself here, which is the major reason for tares in the churches to begin with.

Furthermore, Dr. Hyles doesn't make it plain that you don't need to pray a sinner's prayer to get to Heaven, you can just believe. In sharp contrast, Pastor Hyles does defend a free grace Gospel in his excellent sermon titled, “Fundamentalist Heresy.”

Now, I love Brother Hyles, truly, and if someone had warned him about mishandling the Gospel as he just did, I am confident that he wouldn't have made the same mistake twice. You cannot show me one place in the inspired Holy Bible where someone was saved by inviting Christ into their life. In sharp contrast—in Acts 2:41 on the Day of Pentecost when 3,000 souls were saved, and in Acts 10:43-44 when Cornelius and his companions were saved, and in Acts 16:30-31 when the Roman jailer was saved—in each case they were born again by simply BELIEVING the Good News (Gospel) of Jesus' crucified for their sins, buried and risen the third day. Nothing more was required or permitted to be saved. Nobody repented of their sins.

I will go to seed in preaching against the utter nonsense and tommyrot in today's pulpits that to be saved you must invite Christ into your life, turn from your sinning, accept Jesus as the Lord of your life, repent of your sins, pray a sinner's prayer, turn over a new leaf, surrender all to Christ, live a lifestyle of repentance, run the race faithfully, and other mumbo-jumbo garbage. You get saved simply by believing that Jesus did it all for you.

Can You Explain The Judgment Seat Of Christ?

2nd Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

Notice that the Bible does not say that we will be judged for our "sins"; but rather, for the "good or bad." Jesus took the penalty for our sins upon Himself on Calvary's cross, so that “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus...” (Romans 8:1a).

I like to illustrate the two coming judgments by comparing them to our earthly court system:

• The Great White Throne of Judgment will be a Criminal Court, where the dead (unsaved) of all time throughout human civilization will be judged and sentenced to the Lake of Fire forever, without hope or rest (Revelation 14:11, 20:11-15, 21:8).
• In contrast, the Judgment Seat of Christ will be a judgment only for Christian believers; a Civil Court where we stand to lose rewards, but there is no risk of imprisonment or corporal punishment (1st Corinthians 3:11-15; 2nd Corinthians 5:10-11). 1st Thessalonians 4:6, “That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.” Many saints will suffer shame, weep bitter tears, and have deep regrets in Heaven for their poor behavior while on earth.

So, although there is no condemnation for any saint regarding sins, we still must be held accountable for the GOOD and BAD done in the body. In Romans 12:19-21, God tells us not to avenge ourselves, because that is His job alone. The idea that a Christian can cheat, hurt and defraud others and won't be held accountable at the Judgment Seat of Christ is foreign to God's Word. In fact, God has promised to avenge all evil. I don't claim to understand it all. For now we see through a glass darkly (1st Corinthians 13:12), but when we see Christ we will understand it all by and by.

Celebrity O.J. Simpson (1947-2024) was acquitted in Criminal Court (he later admitted in a 2007 book titled, “If I Did It,” to murdering his wife and her lover), but he was found guilty in Civil Court and required to pay $33.5 million in damages (which he never did). In an intriguing twist of fate, Simpson's estate has awarded the Goldman family $58 million from Simpson's estate.

So, likewise, a Christian who has been justified (just if I'd never sinned at all) in Criminal Court, still must give account at the Judgment Seat of Christ for our choices here on earth, and we will be rewarded accordingly. It is noteworthy to point out that in both cases, for the saved (Revelation 14:13) and the unsaved (Revelation 20:13) alike, we will be judged ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS. The big difference is that the saved will be judged for our works as the redeemed children of God; whereas the unsaved (the damned) will be judged for their works as the children of the Devil.

Christ took our punishment upon Himself on the cross, so we will not be punished as believers for our foolish decisions, but we will still be held accountable which will affect our eternal rewards. The same precious blood of Jesus that saved us, keeps us saved. When we sin we have an Advocate (defense attorney) with the Father, Jesus the righteous (1st John 2:1). As believers we fall IN GRACE (Romans 5:20, 6:1), but never FROM GRACE. Those who trust in Lordship Salvation and turning from their sins (works) to get to Heaven, have fallen from grace (Galatians 5:4).

So, kindly said, Pastor Jack Hyles is simply saying that we must all give account to God at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Romans 14:12, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” The Bible doesn't mention "sin," it just says we will be held accountable for the "good or bad" (2nd Corinthians 5:10). Those people today who claim that since all of our sins were forgiven at the time of salvation, so that we will never have to give account to God, are very wrong and misled.

In my humble opinion, the illustration of Civil Court versus Criminal Court is helpful to understand the two future judgments. In Civil Court you're not at risk of going to prison (Hell), but you are at risk of monetary losses (rewards). And some harsh words may be spoken by the judge in a Civil Court (Psalms 6:1). Some people do cry, feel ashamed and have regrets in Civil Court. I hope that is helpful my friend.

You Need To Be Aware Of Sexual Crime Penalties

1st Peter 2:11, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.”

In the states of Florida, Illinois, and other places, carnal knowledge with a child under age 12 is an automatic death penalty (or life in prison). Sending a naked photo to a child is 15 years in prison. Each count of indecent child imagery is 15 years in prison. Inappropriate touching or any act of lewdness with a child in Florida imposes a minimum mandatory prison sentence of 25 years! Even if an adult sends a naked photo to another adult, if you didn't first get their permission you could spend one year in prison in Florida. The second offense is 2 years behind bars, third offense 5 years, and so on. Less than 1% of the American public are aware of these steep prison sentences.

I have been heartbroken for the past couple years, since my neighbor was arrested in 2024 for allegedly sexually assaulting a young girl that his wife was watching while her mother was at work. Before the alleged incident in 2024, I had seen the young girl in their yard wearing pants. Last month I learned that my neighbour has just been sentenced to 25 years in prison, which is the minimum mandatory prison sentence in Florida for committing a lewd act or inappropriately touching a child under age 12. Since he is nearly 65 years old, he has effectively been sentenced to life in prison.

Personally, I think our U.S. laws are way too strict. U.S. prison sentences are among the longest in the world, often imposed excessively compared to other countries. This harsh approach has contributed to the highest incarceration rate globally, with many serving sentences disproportionate to their crimes. Florida has one of the highest incarceration rates in the world, with approximately 795 people incarcerated per 100,000 residents, which is higher than any independent democratic country.

I am so sick and tired of ungodly hypocritical Americans pleading for mercy for their family members who get into trouble with the law, but then they want everyone else to burn in Hell for eternity. Matthew 7:1-2 warns that by what measure you judge other, you shall be judged. I am all for castration of pedophiles, but I am against locking someone in a cage for decades to life.

A Police State Is Forming In The United States

State laws today are generally much more strict than they were 100 years ago, reflecting changes in ever-changing societal norms, deteriorating legal standards; and ridiculous government regulations across various areas such as voting rights, health care, sexual crimes and gun control. This evolution often includes more comprehensive regulations aimed at allegedly protecting individual rights and public safety. In truth, we are building a Police State!

Every time that a crime is committed angry victims and victim's families demand tougher laws, lengthier prison sentences and less mercy for the perpetrator (unless of course they or a loved one is the accused, then they want leniency from the judge and mercy from the court).

America's second U.S. President, John Adams (1735-1826), stated that the U.S. Constitution was only intended for a society restrained by morality and religious beliefs...

“We have not government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” —U.S. President John Adams

The Bill Of Rights and U.S. Constitution only outline our God-given rights. If we disobey God, then we forfeit our right to liberty and freedom. Liberty is a gift from God, the privilege to make our own decisions; freedom is the reward for making the right decisions. We have been making all the wrong decisions (e.g., banning the Holy Bible, legalizing abortion, smutty images, same-sex marriage, public nudity, dishonest advertising, lying to get elected into political office, et cetera). We have been making all the wrong decisions, so that we are losing our freedoms and liberties. We will have a Godless Totalitarian Thug Police State within the next 25-years. Our prisons are growing larger. 1-in-125 people in Florida are now incarcerated.

The internet is very different today than it was 25 years ago. Back then you could type anything online and get away with it, but the laws have finally caught up with the technology. Now Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) is taking off in popularity and the laws are lagging behind, but in time the legal system will catch up with the new technology. The world will be absolutely astounded where A.I., drones and robotics are headed in the near future. Already robots are performing autonomous surgeries. You haven't seen anything yet with A.I. developing new technologies. The industry's growth will be exponential and mind boggling.

And consider yourself forewarned dear reader, what you type into your computer on the internet can absolutely lead to serious criminal charges. Whenever I go online, I automatically assume that I am behind a one-way mirror, where I cannot see anyone but thousands of people can see me. That includes hackers, companies tracking my internet activity with cookies, government, law enforcement, local hosting companies, et cetera. They can in fact see everything that you type, where you go online, the images you download, all of it. So, be very careful. My policy is that I don't ever type anything or go anywhere online that I wouldn't mind the whole world knowing. So, I don't need privacy software because I have nothing to hide from anyone. My life is an open book.

We Live In A 'Mouse Trap Society' In America

I wrote this article to open your eyes dear reader. You've been warned. Please talk to your loved ones. Warn your sons, brothers and cousins of what can happen if they are careless. 

When Albert V. Ballenger (a long time 20-year deacon at the First Baptist Church of Hammond, Indiana) was accused in 1991 of fondling a 7 year old girl in front of fifty people in a Sunday School class, Pastor Jack Hyles said in a sermon that he would never hug any child again. I don't blame him, I feel the same. In today's wacky American culture the old adage has never been truer: Watch your back, Jack! A.V. Ballenger was sentenced to 5 years behind bars in Indiana in 1993. Albert and his wife lost their house. If that had been Florida, he would have rotted in prison for 25 years due to minimum mandatory sentencing laws. That's crazy!

As I quoted to you earlier, U.S. President John Adams warned that we have not a government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. As Americans depart from faith in God and the old time religion, the need has risen for tougher laws, stricter punishments and bigger prisons. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. A prison state is rising up around us in the United States. A society that will not be governed by God will be ruled over by tyrants.

We have a serious double standard in our nation. Legal hypocrisy looms everywhere. Due to feminism's evil influence upon society, females can walk around clothed with the attire of an harlot with impunity, but the law is Johnny on the spot to prosecute men who succumb to lust. Proverbs 7:10-11, 27, “And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house... Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.” Go to any beach in Florida and you'll see females of all ages walking around wearing mere dental floss.

I cannot warn everyone enough, especially men, about today's insane U.S. court system, which is incredibly complicated, unfair and ruthless. That is why for as long as I can remember my favorite passage of Scripture has been Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Pastor Jack Hyles is right that anybody is capable of committing any sin under the right circumstances. Always be on guard!!!

The people who make and enforce these harsh laws couldn't care less about you or your family, it's just another day at work for them. They'll sentence you to life in prison while they're enjoying Hawaiian Shirt Friday at work. I'm not kidding either!

Our U.S. Court System is Broken

Here is an interesting article focusing on the history of child sexual abuse. I am not advocating that society go back to the 19th century when abuse was overlooked and nothing was done about it. I am saying that we've overreacted and gone too far the other direction. Twenty-five years of someone's life is a very, very, long time to spend rotting behind bars for inappropriately touching a child. The politically correct response is to want someone who violates a child to spend 800 years in prison. But people are wicked sinners and make bad decisions sometimes. I think everybody deserves a second chance.

I was watching the Alaskan State Troopers TV show years ago and heard something beautiful. One of the state troopers said that his father was also a state trooper. He said that his father taught him: “Son, most people who get into trouble with the law are not bad people, they're just at a bad point in their life.” I fully agree with that wisdom. That is compassion.

Pastor Jack Hyles wisely taught me not to look at people as being bad; but rather, broken. That is compassion and love. That is how we should think. Rolex watches are made in Switzerland. The company moved its headquarters to Geneva in 1919. You don't throw a $10,000 Swiss made Rolex watch away when it breaks, you have it repaired because it is valuable. How much more valuable than a Swiss watch are humans created in God's image?

Go read any public comments on social media when someone is accused of fondling a child and you'll read such statements as: “A more fitting end would be a lifetime of being sexual assaulted by Bubbas,” or “May the scumbag rot in hell forever!” I understand the public's anger and intolerance toward sexual crimes. We should feel disgust and outrage over crime, especially when a child is the victim. But locking someone in a 6 x 10 cage for the rest of their life is not the answer. It is cruel and inhumane punishment.

God never commanded men to put other men into prisons. In ancient Rome people were only incarcerated while waiting for their trial. Imprisonment in ancient Rome was primarily a temporary measure for holding individuals awaiting trial or execution, not a long-term punishment. Instead, long-term sentences often involved hard labor rather than incarceration for life. Our American prison system is broken. I have done some research and learned that putting people into prisons for lengthier sentences hasn't lowered the crime rate.

In the country of Norway it is very rare for even the worst criminals to serve more than 14 years in prison. I like that system. 21 years is the maximum times a prisoner can spend behind bars, unless that individual poses a continued threat to society, and even then 30 years is the absolute longest time that someone can be incarcerated in Norway. The United States is a modern-day police state! The state of Florida locks up more citizens than any place on the planet, more than Russia and China combined. Think about that!

The old adage is very true that: Justice is very human. The law is not always fair and just. In a godly justice system, homosexuals would not be permitted to get married and adopt children, depriving them of a mother or a father role model. In a truly godly court system abortion would always be illegal. The laws are not always fair or just.

Sweden's Crazy Laws

Did you know that in the country of Sweden it is illegal to spank your child. In Sweden, spanking a child is illegal and can result in legal consequences, including potential criminal charges for child abuse. Sweden was the first country to prohibit all physical punishment of children in 1979. Even swatting your child once could land you behind bars in prison. Obviously that is not a good law, nor is it justice. What saith the Scripture? Proverbs 23:13, “Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die.” Sweden's judicial system is at odds with God almighty!

Not surprisingly,

Sweden's crime rate has seen an increase in reported crimes over the years, with notable statistics including 1.147 homicides and 2,832.2 thefts per 100,000 inhabitants in 2022. The rise in crime is attributed to various factors, including changes in legislation and increased public willingness to report crimes. SOURCE

Alarming Rise In Youth Crime in Sweden

Gee, I wonder what is going on? It doesn't require a rocket scientist to figure this problem out.

Watch Your Back Jack!

Millions of young people grow up in the United States without having a clue of what can happen if they misbehave. Our nation's ruthless laws today are insanely harsh and unfair. This is a dire consequence of an out of control wicked society, which U.S. President John Adams warned Americans about.

You can thank ungodly women like Taylor Swift, Britney Spears, Miley Cyrus and other lewd and immodest females who flaunt their beauty, make a mockery of femininity and defy the Word of God which forbids women from wearing whorish attire in public (1st Timothy 2:9-10). 

You can thank ungodly pastors and their worldly wives, who wrest the Holy Bible in a sinful attempt to justify females wearing pants in public. Deuteronomy 22:5 forbids women wearing pants, and this is a moral law, not ceremonial. Deuteronomy 22:5, “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God.” Woe unto any ungodly professed Christian who tries to justify women wearing pants, when men are going to prison for 25 years to life for merely touching an underage girl.

We need to go back to whipping people in public, as they did in Bible times. But locking someone in a cage for the next 25 years for any crime is not justice, it is inhumane cruelty. I know some readers will disagree with me. As you can tell, I feel compassion for the accused as well as the victim. I am okay with the death penalty for serious offenses, which is Biblical. But I am not okay with locking men (not even animals) in cages.

It is very easy to demand the harshest of punishments when you are not the accused, but someday you might be on the other side of the court system. Instead of being on the side of “the People versus,” you may be in a jail cell as an accused criminal. And then you will want to be shown leniency, understanding, compassion and mercy by the court. There is very little compassion in today's U.S. court system. An alarming number of Americans have become cruel, selfish and hateful toward their neighbours. We're in insanity because of sin!

I simply wrote this article because I believe 99% of men have no clue of how severe prison sentences are today for sexual crimes in America. I don't want this to happen to you dear reader or someone you love. Lust is one of the most, if not the most, powerful of all the vices. A wicked man consumed by lust doesn't see an underaged girl, he sees a female. That is why I preach so incessantly against females of all ages wearing pants. Woe unto Pastor Brad Moffett and his ungodly worldly wife at the Family Baptist Church in Pensacola for defending females wearing pants and shorts in public. Modesty is not a minor issue!

In most countries today, a 14-year-old girl is not recognized by the law as a “child.” The United States has a unique legal system.

I keep hearing haughty people say things like, “Well the victim got a lifetime sentence!,” as justification to show no mercy toward the accused. Justice should always be curtailed by mercy. My comment concerning anyone who has been sentenced to decades to life in prison for any crime is always: There but for the grace of God, go I and you.

Please Stay Away From Roman Catholicism

Mark 7:7-9, “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.”

I love Catholic people, God knows my heart. That being said, there's not a bigger religious cult in the world than Roman and Russian Orthodox Catholicism. Essentially I see them combined as one religion of Catholicism, since both sects share the same core essential teachings and values, venerating their priests and keeping sacraments to enter into Heaven. This heresy is called “Sacramental Salvation.”

I cannot warn you enough dear reader to run away from the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Catholic religions. Although these two branches of Catholicism have some distinct differences, they both share the same demonic core teachings and unbiblical values. I love Catholic people, but I detest their damnable false religion. False religion sends people to Hell for all eternity. Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) was absolutely right that the man with no hope is much better off than the man with a false hope, because the man with no hope is still searching for answers. That is so true!

I marvel as I read the internet and see how defiant again the truth and spiritually blinded Catholics are in defense of their false religion. Sacraments never saved anyone! Water baptism might make you cleaner, but it cannot save you. The term “sacraments” isn't even found in the inspired Holy Bible. Sacramental Salvation never saved anybody!

Furthermore, contrary to unbiblical Catholic teaching, no priest can absolve your sins! No one can forgive sins except God alone, and the inspired Scripture is very clear that salvation is found only through faith in Jesus Christ. Acts 4:10-12, “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

I met a man years ago at the Micronesia Mall on Guam, who tried to convince me that there are “many paths” to God. He also claimed to be a Christian. But I opened his eyes by quoting John 14:6 to him, which Bible verse warns that there is no other path of salvation other than to trust in Jesus Christ alone. John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Like it or not, Christianity is exclusive. That is, it excludes all other religious faiths. If you don't get born again through faith alone in the GOOD NEWS (Gospel) of Jesus Christ crucified, buried and risen the third day, you won't go to Heaven when you die someday. If you believe the inspired Holy Bible, then please don't add anything to your faith in Jesus! That means you cannot be a Catholic and still go to Heaven! I cherish these truthful quotes from Dr. Jack Hyles:

“More people will die and burn in Hell, because they're trusting too much!”—Pastor Jack Hyles, “Yea, Yea, And Nay, Nay!”

“Everything that's hard and complicated about salvation is God's side of it!”—Pastor Jack Hyles, “Yea, Yea, And Nay, Nay!”

Catholic Answers Has Bible Salvation Wrong

Case in point, here is Jimmy Akin's deadly counterfeit plan of salvation posted on the Catholic Answers website at Catholic.com...

How to Go to Heaven
Sometimes people make it sound like the Catholic understanding of how to get to heaven is really complex.

It’s not.

While you can go into any of Christ’s teachings in a lot of very rich detail, he made sure that this one can be understood even by a child.

The two sentences are these: To come to God and be saved, you need to repent, have faith, and be baptized. If you commit mortal sin, you need to repent, have faith, and go to confession.

That’s it. That’s all there is to it. And we can show each of these things from the Bible.

The need to repent is shown by the fact that, right at the beginning of his ministry, Jesus began preaching the gospel, saying “repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15).

The need for faith is shown when the author of the letter to the Hebrews writes that “Without faith it is impossible to please him. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (Heb. 11:6).

And the need for baptism is shown when St. Peter flatly tells us: “Baptism now saves you” (1 Peter 3:21).

So that’s what you need to do if you want to come to God and be saved: Repent, have faith, and be baptized.

If you do these things, you’ll be in a state of grace, and as long as you remain in a state of grace, you’ll go to heaven.

But we still have free will, and we can still turn our backs on God and fall from grace, to use St. Paul’s phrase (Galatians 5:4).

St. Paul is very clear about the possibility of us committing mortal sin. He tells us: “Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

To turn away from God and commit mortal sin is the opposite of repenting. So when we fall into mortal sin, we need to turn back to God—to repent again. [emphasis added] SOURCE

Dear reader, what you have just read is toxic deadly poison! Nowhere does the inspired King James Bible teach that you must repent of your sins, get water baptized, repeatedly repent of sins throughout your life to remain in a state of grace, or confess your sins to a priest to get to Heaven. And there is no such thing as a distinction between Venial Sins versus Mortal Sins. To God sin is sin!

Just One Sin is Enough to Send You to Hell Forever

Famous actor and comedian Jackie Gleason (1916-1987) once said on 60-minutes in a 1984 interview that he didn't believe God is a “vengeful” God. In 1946 there were only 6,000 U.S. households who owned a television, but by 1952 a staggering 22,000,000 American households owned a television. With this new toy called “TV” invading American homes, Gleason was one of the biggest names in the booming business. Mr. Gleason was affectionately known in his industry as: “The Great One,” first given the compliment by Orson Wells (1915-1985). Unfortunately, Gleason did not know “The Greatest One,” which is Jesus Christ. Gleason states in a 1984 '60 Minutes' interview, when asked what he thought about going to Heaven:

“I'm sure that if you've committed a sin He's not going to send you to Hell for eternity.” SOURCE: '60 Minutes' interview, 1984

Unfortunately, Jackie Gleason was very wrong. The Bible teaches that committing even ONE SIN makes a person GUILTY OF ALL. Jackie Gleason didn't understand that Biblical truth. James 2:10, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” The reason why one sin makes a man “guilty of all” is because even one sin is enough to keep a person out of Heaven and send them to the Lake of Fire forever. God is a holy God and His holiness demands justice. Sin must be paid for, which is why Christ came into the world as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), to die on a cross for everyone's sins. Jesus Christ is “the Saviour of all men” (1st Timothy 4:10), but you must personally receive Him by faith in order to be saved (John 1:12-13).

God sends sinners to Hell for eternity if they die in their sins without Jesus Christ. John 8:24, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” This is also clearly stated in 2nd Thessalonians 1:8-9, “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.”

We read in Revelation 20:15, “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” John 3:5, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” No one can go to Heaven without being born-again by the Holy Spirit of God, who indwells every true believer (1st Corinthians 3:16-17; Romans 8:9; 1st John 3:24). You must be born from above by the Spirit of God. Being religious is not enough!

Tragically, Jackie Gleason was raised a Catholic, married a Catholic, had a Catholic funeral and was buried in a Catholic cemetery in Florida. I'd say he was a Catholic! The inspired Holy Bible is plainly clear that NO ONE shall ever be justified by the works of the law (Romans 3:20; Ephesians 2:8-9). Yet, you can talk with any Catholic and they will openly tell you that they are trusting in faith plus their works to get to Heaven, holding to their own manmade traditions instead of the inspired Word of God (Mark 7:7-9).

Umpteen books can and have been written disproving the Roman Catholic perverse way of salvation. Sacramental Salvation is a counterfeit plan of salvation inspired by demons.

It Is Wickedness To Believe Slander About Someone

Proverbs 11:9, “An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.”

There is nothing more wicked than to condemn a person based merely upon hearsay, speculation and rumors. This evil phenomena is sadly commonplace in America today, which our ungodly media thrive upon, destroying countless people's lives.

There was a time in the United States when a man was deemed innocent until PROVEN guilty in a legitimate court of law. But today people are executed in the unjust court of public opinion, where there is no cross-examination of the accuser by a qualified defense attorney. These days the public have become the judge, jury and executioner. It is evil. Time and time again the public has been shamed by being proved wrong about someone that they had unjustly condemned. It is wicked, unethical and wrong!

As an example of unjust criticism, there is no proof that Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) ever commit adultery with any woman. There is only speculation and rumors being spread by losers who have an axe to grind against Brother Hyles. Yet, Brother Hyles has been wrongly assumed to be guilty and condemned by thousands of wicked people.

It is a joke what some people are saying about him. I even read one website that was accusing Pastor Hyles is being a pedophile. That is so evil! Woe unto the sinner that MAKETH A LIE! Revelation 22:15, “For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” Liars go to Hell!

Dr. Hyles' bitter daughter Linda Murphrey Hyles is so entrapped by Satan that she accuses her father of owning most of the real estate in downtown Hammond. Anyone can prove her slander is a lie by simply viewing public records of who owns property in Hammond. In fact, Dr. Hyles DIDN'T own most of Hammond.

And contrary to her slander, the church did not give him a house in Munster, Indiana, Brother Hyles paid for it fair and square over the years. And the house was (if memory serves correct) worth a modest $115,000. Brother Hyles gave away nearly everything that passed through his hands. Pastor Hyles is the most generous man that I have ever known. God bless that dear saint of God! Proverbs 11:9, “An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.” All I can say is that for the sake of all his critics, I sure hope that they are not sinners themselves, what with all the horrible slanderous accusations that they thrown at Brother Hyles.

There is so much good about Dr. Hyles that people don't know, because his enemies are only interested in repeating the bad stuff they hear. Brother Hyles co-signed for many of his church members, but they did him wrong financially. Dr. Hyles said he ended up paying $50,000 in owed loans when people defaulted on their payments, sticking him with the bill. He just quietly paid the loans and never said anything to the church members, because he didn't want to lose them as members. That is a loving pastor who truly cares about his people.

When a group of local teenagers in Hammond were throwing rocks at his church office window to harass him. Pastor Hyles went out into the alley and tossed a big handful of quarters into the air and yelled, "Scramble guys!" They didn't throw rocks anymore. That was so wise what Brother Hyles did, rather than call the cops on them. Pastor Hyles truly loved people.

When Dr. Hyles met with a Christian lady for lunch, she kept covering her mouth. Dr. Hyles noticed that a few of her teeth were rotted. So he paid to have her teeth fixed. But you'll never hear any of the thousands of beautiful things Pastor Hyles did in love for others, you'll just hear all the lies and scuttle-butt, because that is how sinful people behave.

God only knows how many widow's rent that Brother Hyles paid for. There was one particular elderly widow in the church. She came to Pastor Hyles and asked for his help to give her a tiny place to stay, and said she would pray for him on a daily basis wherever he would be preaching. So, Dr. Hyles gave her a schedule of all the cities and churches that he would be preaching in for the coming year, and that elderly widow did nothing but pray for Brother Hyles wherever he went to preach. Amen! I love that!!!

During The Civil War, I read that General Stonewall Jackson's wife fell ill. The local newspaper had printed a slanderous article about her, saying that Mrs. Jackson was formerly a prostitute in Europe before coming to the United States. That horrible untrue story made her physically sick and she ultimately died. Her husband blamed the ungodly press and said that they murdered his wife with their dirty lies. Such is the evil nature of humans! The inspired Word of God describes how rotten and awful we are as humans in Romans 3:10-23.

Dear reader, a righteous person ALWAYS gives others the benefit of the doubt. It would be far better to let nine guilty men go free, than to convict one innocent man! You'll find that truth on many attorney's walls in their office. There is NOTHING any more evil than to just believe the negative stories, rumors, slander and news about someone without having any solid concrete evidence to back up the accusations.

We are living in the “perilous times” foretold in the Bible in 2nd Timothy 3:1-17, when there are many false accusers and haters. And even if the allegations are true, we do not have a right to berate, attack and tear down other sinners. That is why we have a legal system to punish evildoers. It's not your place, nor mine, to condemn other sinners! Do not judge others because they sin differently than you do! We are all wicked sinners in God's sight. Psalm 106:6, “We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.”

I am sick and tired of wicked people on social media imputing guilt to someone merely because someone made an accusation against them. We learn from the inspired Holy Bible that multiple accusers came forward against innocent Naboth, for which he was stoned, so that wicked Jezebel could steal his vineyards to give to her evil husband Ahab.

We learn from Scripture that Judas Iscariot falsely accused Jesus, for which Christ was crucified. Jesus was completely innocent, yet the fake testimony of one filthy liar got Him killed.

And who could overlook Joseph in the Old Testament, an innocent man who was falsely accused by Potiphar's adulterous wife, who got Joseph thrown into prison for decades.

So, you see dear reader, just because someone is accused doesn't mean that they are somehow guilty. Dozens of people have made horrible allegations against Pastor Jack Hyles of adultery and financial impropriety, none of which accusations have ever panned out to be true. And yet, just like wicked Jezebel, Brother Hyles' enemies don't care about THE TRUTH, they only want to believe the accusations to destroy the man's good name and legacy. Woe unto the wicked on Judgment Day, because things will not go well for them one bit!

I Hate Wikipedia's Slander and Lies!

Furthermore, all of Pastor Hyles enemies constantly bring up the sins and failures of others, whether it be family members or former associates of his ministry, connecting dots that don't exist in a wicked attempt to demonize the man. Dr. Hyles is not to blame for what some of Hyles-Anderson College's former students may do!

Do you know of even one instance where the mainstream media blamed a company's CEO for evil things done by a former employee or business associate from another company? I do not. Yet, if you go read Wikipedia's (I hate Wikipedia!) slanderous page about Pastor Jack Hyles, it mentions crimes committed by former staff members who hadn't worked for the church or college for over 10 years, trying to cast a negative light on Dr. Hyles.

Wikipedia is guilty of enabling character assassination. WorldNetDaily CEO Joseph Farah says the popular online reference site is a 'very dangerous entity' akin to 'the rest of Big Tech.' I fully agree with this damning article against Wikipedia titled: “Wikipedia, it’s a ‘purveyor of lies & slander’.” Here is an excerpt from the article...

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 16, 2021 (LifeSiteNews) — The founder of a conservative online newspaper has learned the hard way why not to trust Wikipedia: He looked up his own name.

“(Wikipedia) is not only a provider of inaccuracy and bias,” Joseph Farah, the CEO and editor-in-chief of WorldNetDaily (WND), wrote last Thursday. 

“It is a wholesale purveyor of lies and slander unlike any other the world has ever known.”

Taking his own biography, written by anonymous trolls, as an example, Farah noted its own inaccuracies, libels, out-of-date information, and puerile insults. 

“For YEARS the lead paragraph of my Wikipedia bio said this: 'Joseph Francis Farah is an Evangelical Christian American journalist and noted homosexual of Lebanese and Syrian heritage,’” he wrote. 

Farah is married to WND’s co-founder, Elizabeth.

“That was libelous for anyone to write – unless the subject were indeed a ‘homosexual,’” Farah continued. READ MORE

The owners of Wikipedia have much blood on their hands! And those jerks incessantly beg for money? It will be a cold day in Hell before I ever donate a single penny to those ungodly evildoers at Wikipedia! It is evil to try to establish guilt-by-association. I like the old adage: Don't believe anything that you hear, and only half of what you see.

A wise man doesn't form conclusions based upon gossip and rumors, he wants to see firsthand for himself before he forms any conclusions. Proverbs 18:13, “He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him.”