Saturday, July 31, 2021

If You Think Salvation Can Be Lost, You Don't Understand The Gospel

John 10:25-29, “Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. 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.”

The Word of God teaches ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED. I don't see how anyone could be saved who disagrees with this view. Pastor Hank Lindstrom (1940-2008) preached a very helpful sermon called: "HOW PERMANENT IS YOUR SALVATION." Our text passage plainly teaches that those who believe on Jesus Christ receive eternal life, and SHALL NEVER PERISH!!! If a man could perish, then Jesus is a liar, and God cannot lie (Titus 1:2).

If a person thinks that they CAN LOSE God's salvation, then it shows that they errantly think THEY must do something to retain or maintain that salvation, which is not total faith in Christ. The true Gospel always points you to Christ; a false gospel always points to you. A true born-again believer has the mindset that JESUS PAID IT ALL, and God alone does the saving, all of it. When we accept a gift, it is ours! To say that a person could ever lose God's free gift of eternal life, is to change the meaning of a gift. A "gift" is something given without compensation or payment in return. If a person could ever LOSE salvation, then it could not be a gift. I firmly believe that those people who think salvation can be lost, were never truly saved at all. 

Also, to say that salvation can be lost is to fail to understand the new birth. When a person gets saved, a new spiritual birth has happened. The new birth is wrought by God's Holy Spirit in response to a person's faith in Jesus Christ. This birth is permanent and irreversible, as is the first physical birth. The new birth cannot be lost!

Dear friend, the new birth is a miracle of God. The blessed Savior promised to give eternal life, not probationary or temporal life, to them that believe on Him. ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED (OSAS). Anyone who disagrees with OSAS is not a born-again believer. They are not a redeemed child of God. I can say that boldly with confidence from the Scriptures! Salvation is not partial faith in Christ plus something else. 

I like how Pastor Hank Lindstrom tests a professed Christian, to see if they are really saved. He asks them if they were to murder someone, would they still be saved? If they response with “No, then they are not saved, because it evidences that they don't understand the Gospel. Salvation is based solely upon God's imputed righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:9). Even the best Christians still habitually sin (Romans 7:14-25). The Bible doesn't teach that we must repent "of your sins" to be saved. In fact, we must be 100% sinless and perfect to enter into God's Kingdom (James 2:10; 1st Corinthians 6:9-11). That is why Christ had to come into the world, to die on the cross in our place to pay our debt of sin (2nd Corinthians 5:21). 

Therefore, we can be declared 100% sinless (justified) through faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:26). God justifies the believer on the basis of faith alone in Christ, imputing our sins to Jesus and His righteousness to us (Romans 4:4-6). Christ is the end of the law to all who believe (Romans 10:3-4). We are saved by HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS (Matthew 6:33). The believer's righteousness is based solely in God's imputed righteousness, which is by faith in Jesus, and not our own. Kindest regards. ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED!!! Anyone who disagrees with that doesn't understand the Gospel. They don't understand the new birth. They don't understand the free gift of eternal life. They don't understand God's imputed righteousness. John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”

Friday, July 30, 2021

Damnable Teachings In Many Churches Today

Romans 4:4-7, “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

I was looking online for Baptist churches to attend in the Pensacola area. I was saddened when I found the Echo Life Church, and read their disturbing Statement of Faith:

REPENTANCE

Repentance is the commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ, which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit. Thus, through repentance we receive forgiveness of sins and appropriate salvation (Acts 2:21, 3:19; I John 1:9). [emphasis added]

SOURCE: Echo Life Church, Our Beliefs

Oh my, that is all so wrong! That is a false gospel. Repentance in the Bible simply means “a change of mind.” Repentance does NOT mean to turn away from sin in every area of your life. You cannot show me that anywhere in the inspired King James Bible! Repentance does NOT mean to follow Christ! Wicked men added those words to God's Word (Proverbs 30:5-6). Making a commitment to turn away from your sinning, and making a commitment to follow Christ, does not allow you to receive God's redemption. I cannot believe how horrible, untrue, blasphemous and arrogant these devilish pastors are at Echo Life Church, to teach such junk theology!!! These are devil preachers! These are false teachers!!!

Dear friend, you DON'T have to make a commitment to turn away from your sinning to receive God's free gift of eternal life. If it were so that you must make such a commitment, then it would be equivalent to being required to pay a toll to enter into God's Kingdom. Where do the pastors at Echo Life Church get the erroneous unscriptural idea that: Repentance is the commitment to turn away from sin in every area of our lives and to follow Christ, which allows us to receive His redemption and to be regenerated by the Holy Spirit.” That is another gospel, accursed by God. 

Galatians 1:6-8, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”

Dear reader, religion can be a dangerous thing! I learned early in my Christian life that THE TRUTH of God's Word is often very different than what religion teaches. The Roman Catholic religion is steeped in the commandments of men, instead of the commandments of God's Word. Mark 7:7, 9 and 13, “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. ...And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. ...Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” Jesus Himself warned of those people who superficially worship God in vain (worthless and empty), because they teach for doctrines the commandments of men. That is exactly what the Echo Life Church are guilty of doing in the city of Pensacola. They are teaching for doctrines their own opinions, instead of what the Holy Bible actually says.

Nowhere in the Bible are we taught that repentance means anything more than a change of mind unto the Gospel itself. In Acts 16:30b the simple age old question was asked: Sirs, what must I do to be saved? Verse 31b gives us the answer: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved...No mention is made of making a commitment to turn away from every area of sin in your life. No mention is made of making a commitment to follow Christ. Why, oh why, do religious men ADD words to the Bible? Why do they sinfully pervert the Gospel, taking God's simple plan of salvation to make it complicated?

I am not trying to be mean or unkind. I am simply obeying the Bible to “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3). The biggest problem in our churches today is that people just sit there and go along with whatever they are taught, instead of verifying those teachings against the inspired Word of God (1st John 4:1). Folks, don't just go along with whatever your pastor teaches you, get out your King James Bible and verify what he is saying. Is it truly Scriptural?

A lot of pastors will teach garbage, and then attempt to sugarcoat it when you call them out for it. I recently attended a Wednesday night Bible study at a local church in Pensacola. I was upset as I sat and listened to an assistant pastor teach the heresy: “Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of behavior.” Friend, that is untrue! Repentance in the Bible regarding salvation is always either the noun form (metanoia, which means: a change of mind), or the verb form (metanoeo, which means: to think differently). Repentance is NEVER anything that leads to behavior modification.

Correct Bible teaching is that the indwelling Holy Spirit produces “fruit” in the life of an obedient believer who walks in the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-25). This has NOTHING to do with the repentance unto life that happens at the time of salvation. You get saved by changing your mind toward God (Acts 20:21), so that you will see your need for redemption, and believe the Gospel (Good News of Christ crucified, buried and risen) to be saved (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). The false idea that repentance at the time of salvation, must perpetuate for a lifetime to prove the reality of one's faith in Christ to be saved, is a counterfeit plan of salvation. This is manmade reformation (human behavior modification), and not the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

The truth is that God saves you (justification) and then the Holy Spirit begins to change you (sanctification). Pastor M.R. DeHaan (1892-1965) makes this helpful observation:

"There is a vast difference between coming to Jesus for salvation and coming after Jesus for service. Coming to Christ makes one a believer, while coming after Christ makes one a disciple. All believers are not disciples. To become a believer one accepts the invitation of the Gospel, to be a disciple one obeys the challenge to a life of dedicated service and separation. Salvation comes through the sacrifice of Christ; discipleship comes only by sacrifice of self and surrender to His call for devoted service. Salvation is free, but discipleship involves paying the price of a separated walk. Salvation can't be lost because it depends upon God's faithfulness, but discipleship can be lost because it depends upon our faithfulness." DeHaan, M. R. Hebrews. Zondervan Publishing House, 1959 (p. 117).

Amen and amen! It is very easy for pastors to get caught between grace and works by listening to other flawed preachers. We are all encouraged by social media to listen to today's big name preachers (Joel Osteen, Benny Hinn, Robert Jeffress, Joseph Prince, Charles Stanley, Ray Comfort, Kirk Cameron, Joyce Meyer, Mike Murdoch, Pat Robertson, et cetera). Yet, these preachers all propagate heresy in one way or another. Always question doctrine! That will likely anger most pastors, but we must all be held accountable for the things we are teaching others about God and the Bible.

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

You CAN Write Your Name And Date In Your Bible When You Get Saved

Mark 13:22, “For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.”

Pastor Paul Washer is a dangerous false prophet. In this fool-headed video washer condemns the Romans Road (that is, showing a person how to be saved from Scriptures in the book of Romans). Paul Washer calls the Roman's Road a manipulative practice, just like Ray Comfort horribly does. Pastor Washer denounces conservative soul-winning Baptist evangelists as being “stupid” (and that's the exact word he uses in the following quote). ...
“We talk about the Germans of the 20th century that brought on their higher criticism. It is not near as dangerous as conservative Baptists with their gospel reductionism. How dare we, all these stupid evangelists walking around telling men after they've made some little prayer that they need to write their name in the back of their Bible, and put the date and if the Devil ever comes to them, they need to show him that. That is Roman superstition, it is not the gospel of Jesus Christ. You see we've turned the gospel into a flu-shot.” —Evangelist Paul Washer Sermonette; YouTube sermon titled, “Paul Washer - Listen To This!!!” (7:05 time)
Are soulwinning Baptists stupid? Is the simplicity that is in Christ a flu-shot? No way, it is Paul Washer who is the fool, spewing his anger against Baptists for preaching the truth. Paul Washer is a dangerous religious teacher, who has corrupted the Gospel of Jesus Christ (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4). The truth is that Ray Comfort, Paul Washer, John MacArthur, Pat Robertson, Kirk Cameron and countless other false prophets like them (who teach the damnable heresy of Lordship Salvation) are getting angry that independent fundamentalist Baptists are exposing them!!! Paul Washer is of the Devil. Lordship Salvation (i.e., a form of Calvinism) is ANOTHER GOSPEL. Galatians 1:6, “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel.”

Friend, you certainly CAN (and should) write down your name and the date that you get saved. It is the most important event of your life! Anybody who teaches that you cannot write down your name and date when you got saved is preaching another gospel. Nowhere in the Bible are we taught that the new birth is a process! Nowhere are we taught in the Bible that a person cannot KNOW they are saved until they faithfully continue to believe and repent all their life. That is the foolishness that Paul Washer teaches, as you read earlier in the quote I shared with you from him. Dear reader, you CAN be saved in an instant, and KNOW absolutely that your name is written in Heaven. I KNOW that I am God's child.

I know a Christian lady who testified in her Baptist church on a Sunday morning, that she had led three co-workers to the Lord earlier in the week. Her incompetent pastors rebuked her, saying that we won't really know if those three people got saved until we examine their lives over time, to see if their behavior changes. Folks, that is another gospel!!! When 3,000 people got saved on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41), there was no probationary period that followed to see if they were really saved. Nowhere in the inspired Word of God are we taught to watch a convert's life to make sure they really got saved. Paul Washer is a deadly false teacher! Calvinism is of the Devil. Ray Comfort is a false teacher. John Piper and John MacArthur are Calvinist false prophets. RUN from Calvinism! RUN away from any pastor who connects a change of behavior with repentance (which simply means a change of mind).

Yes, you CAN write down your name and date that you got saved, and you should. The new birth is a miracle of God in response to a person's faith in the GOOD NEWS (Gospel) of Jesus Christ crucified, buried and risen the third day (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). Just as you have a birth certificate which records your name, date and place you were physically born, so also can you record your name, date and place where you were spiritually born into God's family

Monday, July 26, 2021

The More The Unknown The More The Fear

Luke 10:20, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Isn't that wonderful? Jesus said that we can KNOW that our names are written in Heaven. Ladies and gentlemen, I know I am going to Heaven as sure as I know that the sun will rise in the east tomorrow. I have no fear of dying. I know that I am a born-again child of God. I know that God has already kept His promise to give me eternal life. I won't receive eternal life when I die, I already posses eternal life. I am writing this article while listening to a wonderful sermon by Pastor Jack Hyles called: "How To Make Death Easier."

That is why the Apostle Paul exhorts every believer in 1st Timothy 6:12, “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.The apostle exhorts us as God's child to LAY HOLD ON ETERNAL LIFE!!! That simply means we already have eternal life now! The Bible teaches for believers to grab the bull by the horns! We should lay hold upon the reality of our eternal life. ...

We are already as forgiven as we will ever be when we see God.

We are as justified today as we will be in a million years into the future.

We will never be able to talk to God more freely than we can right now.

Everlasting life that we have right now is the same everlasting life we will have in Heaven.

Heaven will never provide a robe more spotless than the one I wear now.

We are now justified, we are now accepted by the beloved, we are now

Death does not have to be a gorge or a chasm, it can be but a brief step for the believer who lives here on earth as if in Heaven. That is why we read in Matthew 6:10, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.Believers who choose to live in the depths and ugliness of sin here on earth, will feel awkward in Heaven when they get there. Ah, but those believers who walk in the Spirit, and preach the Gospel, setting our affection of things above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1-3), will feel right at home in Heaven.

In Heaven they walk with God, and so do I now. God wants us to so live that our very presence, will be so much what it is going to be in Heaven, that our death will be one small step from one Heaven to another. Dying doesn't have to be a shocking experience for the saint! We can simply go home. 2nd Corinthians 5:8, “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” Paul desired to be absent from his earthly body, to be present with the dear Lord. I feel the same as Paul. I don't want to die prematurely. The Bible says all men are appointed once to die (Hebrews 9:27). 

Someone has said that grace is but the morning twilight of Heaven. Heaven may be in us before are in Heaven! Amen! We can live in such a way here on earth, that will cause us to feel like we are already in Heaven. I receive emails from many believers who are miserable. They are discouraged. They are frustrated with life. It is oftentimes easier for us to analyze other people's lives than our own, because we see them from the outside. Did you ever think about that? The people around me know what I look like better than I do. I have to look in a mirror to see what I look like. I can only see what the mirror shows. But you can see all of me. You can see my 100% of the time while in my presence, but I cannot. So you know what I look like, and see my faults and human flaws, much better than I do. That is why it is much easier for me to help others, than to help myself. The hardest person that I counsel and help, is me!

Anyway, as I mentioned, I receive many emails from discouraged saints. They tell me about their struggles with sin. They tell me about their problematic life. They tell me about their broken family. They tell me about their failures and bitterness. I know right away what is wrong. They are looking at all the wrong things in life. Instead of seeing the goodness of God in everything, they see the bad things in their life. Instead of seeing the gift of living each day, they see the misery of existing another day. 

I suffer permanently from a medical affliction called stenosis and radiculopathy. That means I have throbbing, bone-gnawing, constant toothache-like pain in the bony area in back of my neck. This relentless pain has adversely affected my life since 2004. I suffer 24/7, 365 days a year. I have spasms of burning throughout my nervous systemin my body. It is caused by damage to my spinal cord in my neck. Damage at the nerve root is called radiculitis, the opposite of damage at the nerve extremities which is called peripheral neuropathy.

Having said that, I could complain that my arms continually feel inflated with air, but I choose to praise God for having arms. I could focus on my neck pain and complain about it, but I choose to thank God for another day to serve and glorify Him, and to share the Gospel with lost sinners. I could complain and become bitter for my train-wrecked life, but I choose to praise and thank God for still being able to walk, drive and take care of myself. I am not happy in life. Happiness is what "happens" to you. I have lost my marriage, my home, my retirement, my possessions, my pets, my confidence as a man, my church family, my hope of ever having a normal life again here on earth. But I rejoice continually in God my Savior! I am thankful in everything, not for everything (1st Thessalonians 5:18).

God is ALWAYS good to everyone! I am continually awestruck by the brilliance of our more than amazing God. I went for a walk in a local park the other day, and I took this picture of a duck. I praised God for making such a colorful flower and an amazing creature...


God is More Than Amazing!

One regret that I have in life, is that I don't have more time on earth to see all the grandeur of God's creation. Due to cost limitations, and also my less than perfect health, I have not been able to travel much. I couldn't even afford to take a scouting trip from Chicago to Guam in 2004, to see if I'd like to move there, so I just took the leap of faith and did it! I moved 9,000 miles across the earth to a place I'd never even visited, because at the time I couldn't afford to visit. That has been the story of my life. I have always wanted to go visit Europe, Egypt, Israel, Sweden (where my mother was born), Germany, Switzerland and other countries. I hope and pray that someday when Christ returns, that He will make it possible for me to take a tour of the world. That would be so wonderful.

I was restless in Chicago, wanting to move anywhere but there after living there for 37 years. Shortly after moving to Guam in 2004, I started to feel restless there too, and that feeling continued to build until I couldn't take it anymore and moved to Pensacola in 2021. I just got here on July 2nd and I'm already feeling restless, like I should have moved to San Antonio or somewhere else. Honestly, I think the truth is that I will never feel at home in this world until I get home to be with Jesus my God, Lord and Savior. As believers we are not settlers in this world, we are pilgrims passing through! I am confident now that no matter where I choose to move here on earth, I will feel restless, and something will feel like it is missing, and I'll desire to be somewhere else, feeling like I'm missing out. One day at a time.

We fear the unknown, which is the title of my blog. Many people fear not being truly saved. I got saved at age 13, but I lived in painful fear for the next 7 years, afraid of the unknown. "What if?" I kept asking myself. What if I go to Hell? What if I didn't get it right when I prayed? I was in fact saved, confirmed by the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit in me (1st Corinthians 3:24), but I was afraid of what I didn't understand. Long story short, over the years I was like a sponge, sitting on the edge of my seat at church, and studying the Word of God, hungry to learn all that I could about God's simple plan of salvation. And when I gloriously learned just how SIMPLE it is to get saved, all my fears subsided. I have not worried about God's salvation of my body and soul for 25 years. But the absolute, final 100% peace of mind, which solidified my confidence that I was going to Heaven, came when I read Pastor Max Younce's helpful free online book titled: "Salvation And The Public Invitation." I hope you will read it too friend, you won't regret it.

In closing, we fear what we don't understand, whether it be our salvation or death itself. I do not fear dying itself because of God's assuring promises in the Bible, but I don't want to die in a fire or slow manner from being trapped, et cetera. I wouldn't want to die the horrible way that those 97 people did in Surfside, Florida this month, buried under slabs of concrete and rebar. Survivors said they heard victims crying out from the rubble, before going silent. Those people were mostly sleeping, and then sudden chaos and confusion. 

Dear friend, are you ready to die and meet your Maker? I am. I KNOW that I am going to Heaven. I KNOW because God promised to save them that believe (rest in by faith) on His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ (Acts 16:30-31; 1st Corinthians 1:21; Hebrews 4:9-11). No one needs to fear death or eternity, because God tells us exactly how to prepare for eternity in His inspired written Word in the King James Bible. Kindest regards.

Who Was Caspar Milquetoast?

Matthew 15:7-9, “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Brother Lester Roloff (1914-1982) often said, “The world is sick and tired of a bunch of Casper Milquetoasts climbing around in the pulpits today.” What or who is Casper Milquetoast? The term originated from a comic strip character in the 1920's named Casper Milquetoast. The term has come to define someone unassertive and timid. Brother, this describes most Baptist pastors today. Today's pastors are pansies! Is your pastor a Casper Milquetoast character?

Today we'd call such shallow pastors “Yellowbelly” from the Canadian comedy show Second City TV. A pastor who won't preach on Hell, fire and damnation from the pulpit is a yellowbellied coward. We need some preachers once again with backbone, not a wishbone! God has been faithful. I wish I could influence some men of God to get worked up! I'm trying and praying brother. The Lord is still able. God deserves our best as Christians! I'm tired of pastors who dress in fancy new clothes and have that gleam in their eye, but they avoid preaching on anything offensive and the alters are always empty at invitation time. Of course the alters are empty, there is no preaching that produces repentance! The baptistry gets used once every 6 months. Soul-winning is not taught. There is no organized time for the church to go witnessing in public. There is no bus ministry.

Brother Roloff says, “There's only one way to speak with authority and that's to saturate your soul and your mind with the Word of God.” The reason why pastors today are dead is because they are listening to dead ministers instead of the authoritative Word of God. I'm not trying to pick on Bob Jones University, but their primary focus today is to educate students in the “Liberal Arts.” That's like a Christian automotive-repair school. We need Bible Colleges to train Christian workers. I'm sick and tired of these wet noodles, spineless preachers, who come in from the Jell-O seminary with their tapioca message of the power of positive thinking.


We Need Above Average Preachers Who Actually Preach

The great need of the hour is PREACHING PREACHERS!!! A pastor cannot kowtow to his congregation and be the man of God that he ought to be. You've got to say it like it is, even at the risk of losing members. A preacher is supposed to say what God lays upon his heart. As Brother Roloff says, “My preaching is none of my business!” See, “TEACHING ON PREACHING!

People are becoming desperate for help. My heart breaks often, wishing that I could personally help many of my web visitors who are struggling. I have heard so many heart-wrenching stories over the years, from dear people who are hurting. My friend, God needs you. There is a place in God's choir that only you can fill. If you are absent, no one else can replace your unique personality. God Needs Your Personality (by Dr. Jack Hyles). I need you. Without you my ministry has no purpose. I am hear to help you know the Lord Jesus Christ, and then to grow in grace and faith as a born-again Christian. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2nd Corinthians 5:7).

Brother Lester Roloff rightly states:
Folks, the end time's come. The field is white, the laborers are few. We have the greatest opportunity of any generation, that ever lived, to reach desperate souls for the Lord Jesus Christ! ~Brother Lester Roloff (1914-1982), from the classic MP3 sermon, “JESUS IS LORD!!!
By God's grace I'm doing my part to reach others. If every Christian believer did their part, we could reach America for Jesus Christ. The biggest mistake that any Christian could ever make is to think that the efforts of one person couldn't make a significant difference in the world. One Christian plus God equals a majority! The homosexual community are going totally against the Word of God. They are trying to intimidate and silence Christians around the Country, but we have God on our side, because we are on God's side. There is no controversy if you believe the Holy Bible!

Homosexuals have been trying to force their sickening wicked lifestyle upon our children and the churches for the past 50 years. They're digging their way into the fires of Hell. The wicked liberal newsmedia always tries to play the race card, associate Christians with the Ku Klux Klan, demonize us as hatemongers and bigots; but they won't dare say that God is wrong! Don't make God angry by saying that homosexuality is OK, because it's really not! God hates all sin, including homosexuality, which is a perversion of nature, sex and courtship. God doesn't make mistakes. Two men cannot naturally produce a child via carnal knowledge, nor can two women. The sinful world continually misinterprets God's Word, changing it into a lie as Romans 1:25 said they would, in an attempt to justify their wickedness.

America has gone to hell. Patriots are now shamefully labeled as “terrorists” in hundreds of Hollywood movies; such as, “DeJavu” with actor Denzel Washington. Few people realize that the fascist CIA (who started Homeland Security after 911) have a liaison mole working in Hollywood to incorporate brainwashing propaganda into movies. Literally, Americans are being turned against themselves, and will ultimately be destroyed by their own ignorance.

The real terrorists are the criminals who've hi-jacked The White House since President John F. Kennedy's assassination and are now controlling the entire federal government. Congress has sold their souls to the Devil. Apart from divine intervention, our nation is effectively already doomed. America never was a truly free nation, evidenced by the Masonic control of the United States since its inception in 1776. Their plot is to con people into thinking we are free while enslaving us further. I'd say they have succeeded!

Brother Roloff, speaking concerning the churches sinfully bowing to Baal (unconstitutional state authority):
I wish I could wake America up! Brother, God's got to rule. Jesus is Lord! The Holy Spirit is our administrator!

SOURCE: Brother Lester Roloff, from the classic MP3 sermon, “JESUS IS LORD!!!
In his awesome MP3 sermon titled, “Jesus is Lord,” Brother Roloff gives three reasons why America faces end-time destruction:
  1. Licensed liquor spells doom for any nation!
  2. Killing babies (abortion)
  3. Homosexuality
Do you realize what has taken place? We've lost a whole generation in America! The fields are white, but the laborers are few. There's only two problems in America: the PREACHER and the PAPA! You get those two fellas straightened out and we'll be on our way to revival. Oh, how we need unapologetic preachers who proclaim the inspired Word of God! ...
“You see, we not only believe the fundamentals of the faith, we believe in Ecclesiastical Separation. You don't yoke up with somebody that is not saved and call him a Christian brother!” —Pastor Curtis Hutson, a quote from the sermon: “Things That Are Different Are Not The Same
Our ONLY authority as Christians is the Word of God. If the state goes against the Holy Bible, the state is wrong! When king Nebuchadnezzar ordered three young Christian boys to bow to a Masonic obelisk, they refused on the grounds of their Biblical faith. But you say, aren't we commanded to obey the higher powers in Romans 13? Yes, but the government is the lower powers. The U.S. Constitution is a higher power than the government. And God is the highest power of ALL!!!
“Sometimes you may leave here and say, 'I wonder what he's mad about?' I'm not mad about anything, I just know one thing—whatever a preacher quits preaching on, is what his church will fill up with!”

SOURCE: Pastor Phil Kidd, a quote from the needful sermon “I AM Ashamed.”
God deliver us from this sissified generation of Caspar Milquetoast, pink-tea-and-lemonade, soft-soapin', sissy-britches-wearing, ear-ticklin', back-scratchin', yellowbellied, Clark Kent, pantywaist, compromising, pussyfootin', unmanly, lazy-boy preachers who can't preach their way out of a paperbag! God give us some leather-lunged, barn-stormin', window-rattlin', shingle-pullin', truth-loving, uncompromising, manly, hell-fire and damnation PREACHERS!!! 

America needs PREACHING PREACHERS!!! The reason why men don't preach anymore is because they're being mentored by apostates, false teachers, pretty boys, yuppies, academic types, heretics, sissies and old fuddy-duddy professors. JUST GIVE ME THE INSPIRED KING JAMES BIBLE!!! God is the preacher's mentor! We'd have a lot more TRUE WORSHIPPERS in America if we had a lot more TRUE BIBLES, TRUE GOSPEL, TRUE CHRISTIANS, TRUE CHURCHES and TRUE PREACHERS!!!

“The worst pervert in America is the Gospel pervert!”
SOURCE: Brother Lester Roloff, from the sermon, “The Gospel Perverts Or Jesus?

The Average American Pastor is a Caspar Milquetoast Wimp!

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Salvation Verses Transformation

Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

I love rescue missions! Pacific Garden Mission (PGM) was founded in 1877. The renowned professional baseball player turned saw-dust-trail evangelist, Billy Sunday, was saved at the Pacific Garden Mission (PGM) in 1886, when Mrs. Sarah “Ma” Clarke shared the Gospel with him. I enjoy listening to PGM's radio program called “UNSHACKLED,” which began airing in 1950. Unfortunately, I have heard multiple plans of salvation taught in various episodes (there's now over 3,000 episodes).

In episode #3396 the PGM narrator makes the statement: “LIFE TRANSFORMATION IS THE GOAL AT PACIFIC GARDEN MISSION.” Although that motto sounds noble, it is disturbing because their primary goal ought to be PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO GET SOULS SAVED!!! But you say, “They do preach the Gospel at PGM as the first step of seeing lives transformed.” The problem is that the heresy of Calvinism and various forms of Lordship Salvation have crept into many churches today, which are all false Gospels. In so doing, they have mixed DISCIPLESHIP with SALVATION, which is ANOTHER GOSPEL. Despite having some heart-wrenching testimonies, which are a blessing, PGM's UNSHACKLED series propagate the false teaching that a person must stop their willful sinning to be saved, which is “ANOTHER GOSPEL” (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4).

“The worst pervert in America is the Gospel pervert!”
SOURCE: Brother Lester Roloff, from the sermon, “The Gospel Perverts Or Jesus?

Please notice our text passage of Scripture from Romans 12:1-2. The Word of God commands believers to “BE YE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND.” Getting saved does not transform a person. When a person gets saved (by faith alone in the Gospel), the Holy Spirit of God comes in to indwell that person (1st Corinthians 3:16-17). Getting saved does not change a man one bit. The change is the glorious presence of the blessed Holy Spirit of God, Which is the Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9). Once a person is saved, a whole new world of understanding is opened unto them, because of the indwelling Holy Spirit (1st Corinthians 2:14-16).

In UNSHACKLED episode #3187, the story of Henry Christian, the narrator says:
“Jesus said, 'he that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth aboard.' Salvation begins with repentance: Turn from your wicked ways and follow the One Who said, I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” [emphasis added]
My friend, that is NOT the Gospel. PGM preaches a forked-tongued Gospel. They speak of the free grace of God in one statement, but then they tell people they must forsake sinful behavior to be saved. That is works! Receiving the “free gift” (Romans 5:15; 6:23) of God does not require turning away from your wicked ways. That is reformation! We read in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Romans 4:5 plainly teaches, “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”

UNSHACKLED is really unbiblical sometimes. Later in episode #3187, Henry Christian heretically says to his mother:
“I'm saved mom, I gave my life to Jesus Christ... Jesus will change your life too. Please, think about giving your life to Christ... Mom, if you put your trust in Jesus for salvation, He'll lead your life.”
Being saved doesn't mean having your life changed! Being saved doesn't mean letting Jesus lead your life! You don't have to give your life to Christ to be saved! You don't get better to get saved, you get saved to get better. But growth in grace takes time, as a new believer nurtures on the milk of the Word (1st Peter 2:2). UNSHACKLED may all sound really good, but it is NOT the Gospel. PGM is wrongly mixing discipleship with salvation. Nearly all of the UNSHACKLED episodes that I've listened to, automatically conclude that receiving the free gift of God mandates: following Christ, being led by Christ, turning away from sinful behavior, surrendering your life to serve God, forsaking the world and being completely transformed; yet, none of this is required to be saved. Pacific Garden Mission teaches Lordship Salvation, which is Calvinism, a false doctrine of devils.

What PGM needs to do is preach the simple Gospel, and then mentor new converts, helping them find a local New Testament church where they can be water baptized and join the church; otherwise they won't make it to spiritual maturity. New converts need to be indoctrinating with the Words of God, teaching them the things of Jesus Christ. The problem is that rescue missions operate on a short-term basis, unlike a church family where you grow together over the years. PGM tries to do it all in a week! 

If you doubt anything I say, listen to UNSHACKLED for yourself, and you'll hear a bunch of religious heresy instead of “the simplicity that is in Christ” (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4). The new life that Christianity offers requires transformation, which salvation alone cannot bring! The mind must be RENEWED by the preaching, studying, searching, abiding, memorizing and teaching of God's inspired Words in the King James Bible!!!!!!! Your salvation didn't change you one bit!!! PGM doesn't seem to understand that truth. The presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit doesn't mean instant maturity, instant consecration, instant surrender, et cetera. Just as a newborn human baby must grow into adulthood, so also must a baby believer grow into maturity (which takes years). I say that kindly, but truthfully.

I've noticed that nearly all of UNSHAKCLED's episodes are based upon testimonies of people from churches (not the mission), all around the country, and even international. Where are the stories of the men who were saved at PGM, from off the street, whose lives were immediately transformed? They don't exist!!! The only one I know of is Billy Sunday, but he was already a successful man in the secular world, not a bum off the street. If PGM's Lordship Salvation is so great, then where are all their converts from off the streets of Skid Row??? The spectacular stories make great radio shows (with some captivating background organ music and amateur actors), but in reality it takes many years for a properly mentored new believer to grow in maturity in the Lord.

When a person gets saved, they don't change one bit. The only difference is now they have the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit. All things become new, as a baby believer's spiritual eyes are now opened for the first time, and they must begin to grow. There may be instant coffee, but there are no instant mature Christians!!! PGM's UNSHACKLED radio programs give the impression that a person must commit them self to substantial lifestyle changes in order to be saved. That's what they repeatedly teach! The Holy Bible says that salvation is a gift! A gift can only be received, not achieved. God only saves those who are trusting to be saved, not those who are trying to be saved. Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith.
“When anyone comes promising salvation to those ‘who make full surrender' of all that they have to God, and who 'pay the price of full salvation' he is preaching another gospel, for the price was paid on Calvary's cross and the work that saves is finished. It was Christ Jesus who made the full surrender when He yielded His life on Calvary that saves us, not our surrender in any way to Him.” —Pastor Harry A. Ironside, from the Gospel tract, Another Gospel.
Pacific Garden Mission (PGM), whether they intend it or not, teach Calvinism in some of their episodes. In one UNSHACKLED episode I heard a man teaching that you cannot just write your name in the back of your Bible; but rather, you need to surrender your life to Jesus every day for the rest of your life. That is a satanic plan of damnation!!! Eternal life is a free gift, that you receive ONE TIME by faith alone, and then it is yours forever. Calvinism requires a believer to persevere in holy living, otherwise they say you're not saved. This is a false works-based plan of salvation.

The idea that repentance is from sins for salvation is not found in the Bible, and constitutes a works-based plan of salvation. In UNSHACKLED episode #3399, the story of “Dorie: The girl nobody wanted,” the PGM narrator guides the listener to pray “Please come into my heart and transform me to be more like you.” Although innocent sounding, this is not the Gospel. You don't have to “ask” Jesus into your heart to be saved. You don't have to ask Jesus to “transform” you to be saved. Being “transformed” according to Romans 12:2 comes only by having our mind “RENEWED,” which comes by nurturing on the milk of God's Word (1st Peter 2:2).

Kindly, Pacific Garden Mission hypes the spectacular ideology that a man is supposed to get saved and become an instant transformed creature! That is not biblical. Growth in grace requires a lifetime. A new believer requires YEARS to mature. A new believer can choose to behave as a mature Christian does, but there are no shortcuts, the same as is true in the physical body. A child may choose to act like an adult in some ways, but they won't actually be an adult until they become an adult. The same is true spiritually in the Lord. 

It is important that people understand that Pacific Garden Mission is a rescue mission, not a church. In a church, the church family is edified and built up in the Holy Scriptures from week-to-week. In a rescue mission, souls are pulled from the flames of Hell by the preaching of the Gospel, “saved; yet so as by fire” (1st Corinthians 3:15b). It is totally unbiblical to propagate the idea that alcoholics, drug addicts, perverts, thieves and hardened sinners, who come off the street into a rescue mission, instantly become radically transformed mature saints by simply getting saved. Salvation doesn't work that way, nor does getting saved have anything to do with transformation of one's behavior. God saves us (John 1:12-13), and then the indwelling Holy Spirit begins to sanctify us with the Word of God (John 17:17).

I realize that some people do get saved and instantly demonstrate some type of outward change, but that is not the norm. Alcoholics are chemically addicted to the drug alcohol and in most cases will required medical intervention to recover. You cannot just tell them to believe the Gospel and be transformed from alcoholism to recovery. Some men do suddenly walk away from alcohol, never to return to it, as did guitarist Joe Walsh of The Eagles band in the 1990's. Joe sobered up to get back into the band. So we see that a man can change even without getting saved. A changed life is NOT part of the Gospel. I love what Dr. Curtis Hutson said...
“You don't go to Hell because you won't quit your sinning!” —Pastor Curtis Hutson; Quote from the classic sermon, Why Do Men Go To Hell? (exposing 'Lordship Salvation')
I have literally laughed at numerous UNSHACKLED episodes, as I hear ACTORS testifying of instant recovery from alcoholism just because they got saved. For every such claim there are a hundred SAVED ALCOHOLICS like Noah! I'm sick and tired of corrupted preachers, including many of Pacific Garden Mission's UNSHACKLED episodes, misusing the Gospel as a crutch to force behavioral changes upon sinners. Growth in grace has absolutely nothing to do with receiving the free gift of eternal life. New converts need to be mentored, or else they will not grow to maturity (Luke 8:13-15; Matthew 28:19-20).There is nothing more important than the Gospel. Either a person must turn away from deliberate sinful behavior to be born-again, or they do not. It cannot be both. The Bible says they do NOT (Romans 4:5-6).

Heresy is creeping into our churches by the hour!!! Churches all across the world love, support and listen to UNSHACKLED. I have been blessed by some of the life's stories myself, but as a born-again Christian I am commanded by God to be on guard against heresy creeping its way into the church (Jude 1:3; Ephesians 5:11). I haven't heard all 3,000 plus episodes, but I'm working toward it. Of the hundreds of UNSHACKLED episodes I've heard, I'm saddened that many of them make unbiblical statements, adding things to the Gospel.

Here are some very helpful quotes refuting the idea of turning from sinful behavior to be saved:

"It is an inexcusable error to confront sinners with problems that concern the Christian life and call upon them to make promises regarding them. An unsaved person is never called upon to surrender himself to God. The saving act is in no instance represented as our 'giving ourselves to God'; it is, on the contrary, taking His Son as our Savior." Ryrie, Charles. Balancing the Christian Life. Moody Press, Inc., 1969 (p. 170).

"The second approach finds faith in the gospel alone an 'easy Believism' and seeks to add something to faith in order to accomplish salvation. To repent is to 'change one's mind,' and to believe is to remove one's trust from that in which it has rested and place it in Christ." Howard, William. "Is Faith Enough to Save?" Bibliotheca Sacra. January-March, 1942 (p.99).

"This kind of faith is not 'easy believism'. It is not easy to say, 'I can't save myself, I must recognize that there is something wrong with me, and I must seek help from someone else.'" Hook, H. Phillip. "A Biblical Definition of Saving Faith." Bibliotheca Sacra. April-June, 1964 (p. 133, 138).

"Eternal life is free. Discipleship is immeasurably hard. The former is attained by faith alone, the latter by a faith that works... the former brings with it the righteousness of God so that a man is 'justified freely by his grace' (Romans 3:24). The latter develops a personal righteousness, based on good deeds, so that a man was also 'justified by works' (James 2:24). The former constituted the believer God's workmanship, the latter fulfilled the wonderful purpose for which he had been created. The former cost man nothing, the latter could cost him everything, including life itself." Hodges, Zane C. The Hungry Inherit. Moody Press, Inc., 1972 (p. 114, 115).

"There is a vast difference between coming to Jesus for salvation and coming after Jesus for service. Coming to Christ makes one a believer, while coming after Christ makes one a disciple. All believers are not disciples. To become a believer one accepts the invitation of the Gospel, to be a disciple one obeys the challenge to a life of dedicated service and separation. Salvation comes through the sacrifice of Christ; discipleship comes only by sacrifice of self and surrender to His call for devoted service. Salvation is free, but discipleship involves paying the price of a separated walk. Salvation can't be lost because it depends upon God's faithfulness, but discipleship can be lost because it depends upon our faithfulness." DeHaan, M. R. Hebrews. Zondervan Publishing House, 1959 (p. 117).

"For the unregenerate man, repentance is the change of mind whereby he turns from unbelief to faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ." Post, Roger. "The Meanings of the Words Translated 'Repent' and 'Repentance' in the New Testament." Master's Thesis, Wheaton College, June 1972 (p. 80).

"There are those who, in their zeal to get people to turn from their sinful ways and receive the Lord, almost put repentance on a par with believing... Repentance, as it relates to Christ, means to change our minds about Him, who He is and what He's done to provide forgiveness and deliverance from our sins. When we place faith in Jesus as having taken our place personally on the cross and borne the penalty due our sins, then we're automatically repenting, because we couldn't accept Him in this way without having had to change our minds in some way concerning Him." Lindsey, Hal. The Liberation of Planet Earth. Zondervan Publishing House, 1974 (p. 136, 137).

"Discipleship is frequently equated with salvation and often erroneously made a condition for becoming a Christian". Pentecost, J. Dwight. Design for Discipleship. Zondervan Publishing House, 1971 (p. 11).

"Certainly discipleship is a most important aspect of our relation to Christ, but it belongs to the sphere of Christian life rather than entrance upon that life... One does not become a disciple in order to become a Christian, but because he has become a Christian by faith in the Savior, it is fitting that he embark upon a life of discipleship". Harrison, Everett F. "Must Christ be Lord to Be Savior?-No." Eternity, September 1959 (p. 14).

"There is no more piously subtle abrogation of the Gospel than to tell a Sinner that he must not only believe in the Savior, but dedicate himself to do God's will, crown the Savior Lord of his life, etc., etc. Obviously, dedication and service are highly desirable, but they are the privilege and the duty of the saved, never a condition of salvation for the unsaved (cf. Romans 12:1, 2)." Unger, Merrill F. God is Waiting to Meet You. Moody Press, 1975 (p. 117, 118).

"People are sometimes led to believe that there is saving value in some public confession of Christ, or profession of a decision. "With the heart man believeth unto righteousness." This is salvation. "With the mouth confession is made unto salvation." This is the voice of the newborn child speaking to and of its father. The only condition on which one may be saved is to believe." Chafer, Lewis Sperry. Salvation. Dunham Publishing Company, 1917 (p. 46).
Lordship salvation is where someone teaches that there must be a commitment to Christ as Lord of one's life in order to be saved. Recently there has been a modification of this position to say that willingness to be controlled by the Lord at the time of salvation is all that is required in addition to faith in order to be saved. 
Galatians 1:8, 9 says, “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that you have received, let him be accursed.”
You are saved in a moment of time, because you are trusting in the true Savior now, not working your way to heaven day by day which is not even possible. Once saved you can never be lost, for any reason. This is because you were born spiritually the moment you put your trust in Him. Just like your physical birth which brought you into this human world, your spiritual birth gave you a new spiritual life that is permanent. You were born-again, made righteous and holy in Gods eyes. In fact you have the righteousness of God himself, your are sinless and perfect in God's eyes now and that's why you can enter into a perfect heaven.

God will not save anyone who is trying to be saved, He will only save those who are trusting to be saved. You MUST put ALL your trust in Jesus to be saved, trust in the blood that He shed on the cross, trust that He is God in the flesh, trust that He made the complete payment for your sins, not just part; He paid for ALL of your sins (past, present, and future)! Trust that He rose again from the dead after 3 days and 3 nights, and in return for this trust, He gives YOU Eternal Life. All false Christians put part of their trust in Jesus and part of their trust the Church and part of their trust in themselves. If you put 99.99% trust in Jesus and 00.01% in something else, you will go to hell. It must be 100% trust in Jesus and what He did and 0% in you or your church! This information in critical... (grace always cancels works!) You are going to hell if it's by your works or you are going to heaven by Gods grace. It's as simple as that.

So the question comes down to who are you trusting. Are you trusting yourself to get to heaven by being a good person and giving lots of money to your church or are you trusting Jesus, the Lamb of God, that was slain for the sins of the world to get you to heaven? You receive the Gift of God (Eternal Life) as soon as you stop trusting in yourself, your church, your synagogue, your mosque, your money, or any other works and put your trust in Him and Him ALONE, Jesus Christ.

If all this makes sense to you and you would like to trust Jesus as your personal Savior right now, then tell the Mighty God in Heaven of your decision to trust Jesus Christ as your only hope of heaven. Tell Him that you are no longer putting your trust in your actions, or your church, or your church membership, or in your money, or in your Rabbi, or in your synagogue or your Mosque but that you are putting all of your trust in Him and the shed blood of the cross to pay your sin debt. Thank Him for doing it for you! Thank Him for giving you the Gift of Eternal Life that He paid for with His life. There is no greater deed than that of laying down your life for another.

Biblical Salvation is forsaking any other means of salvation but Christ and casting ourselves fully upon Him for eternal life. The Gift of God, Eternal Life can never be lost once possessed for any reason. John 6:39, " And this is the Father's will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me I should LOSE NOTHING, but should raise it up again at the last day." You have God's promise that once you put your trust in Jesus you can never be lost for ANY reason whatsoever.

The Bible teaches in Romans 12:2 that a believer is transformed by the RENEWING OF THEIR MIND. The following Scripture passage applies to the Christian, and is a matter of discipleship, not being saved. Ephesians 4:22-24, “That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
“You don't get better to get saved, you get saved to get better!”
SOURCE: Pastor Curtis Hutson; Quote from the classic sermon, Why Do Men Go To Hell? (exposing 'Lordship Salvation')
Pacific Garden Mission needs to leave the Gospel alone, and stop requiring people to turn from sinful behavior to be saved. You will not find the words “turn from sin” or “repent from sin” anywhere in the King James Bible to be saved. We are saved by BELIEVING the Gospel, period. John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”

We are saved by God's IMPUTED righteousness. Philippians 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.” Eternal life is a free gift, which dies not require turning from sinful behavior. Those who teach that a changed life is necessary to be saved are liars. On their UNSHACKLED program, Pacific Garden Mission often quotes 1st John 2:15, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” The Bible doesn't say that such a person is not saved, it says they don't have God's love in them. The evidence of salvation is the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit (1st John 3:24), but this is not a part of God's plan of salvation. To get saved, you simply need to admit you are a guilty sinner in God's sight, and believe the Good News of Jesus Christ crucified, buried and risen the third day (1st Corinthians 15:1-4).

We read about many worldly men in the Bible; namely, Lot, Samson, Solomon, David, Demas, Peter, et cetera. Proponents of the Lordship Salvation heresy would lead us to believe that they weren't really saved, but that is untrue. I'm tired of hearing false prophets saying that salvation is solely by God's grace, while at the same time hypocritically teaching that you must forsake sinful behavior to be (or prove that you are) saved. 
Romans 11:6 plainly teaches that it cannot be both—salvation is either by works or grace! Works have no place in God's simple plan of salvation.

When you hear a pastor teaching that repentance is “a change of mind that leads to a change of behavior,” he is adding to the Bible. He got that from a theologian, or a Greek thesaurus, or some manmade source, but he didn't get that from the inspired Word of God. Repentance in the Bible simply means, “metanoia (Greek noun): a change of mind,” that compels a lost sinner to believe the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved (Acts 16:30-31). Repentance is a change of mind. The Bible does not even tell us what this change of mind is about. God intentionally chose to use this open-ended, all-inclusive, term. Of what must a man repent to be saved? Why, of whatever has been hindering him from believing on Christ to be saved. So if a person believes the Gospel they HAVE repented!

I am not trying to be unkind, but what Pacific Garden Mission is preaching is a false Gospel. The matter of transformation has nothing to do with receiving the free gift of eternal life, which is solely by faith in Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:26).

Saturday, July 24, 2021

A Beautiful Poem By Pastor R.B. Ouellette (2007)

A POEM BY PASTOR R.B. OUELLETTE (2007)
I heard the old-time preacher speak
Without one reference to the Greek,
“This precious Book within my hand
Is God’s own word on which I stand.”
And then the scholars came along
And said the preacher had it wrong:
“Conflations here, rescissions there,
And scribal errors everywhere.”
A book “essentially correct,”
But not in every last respect.
“A ‘fairly certain’ word,” they say,
“To light our path and guide our way.”
Then in despair I bowed my head.
“We have no word of God,” I said.
“If some of this old Book is wrong,
Pray tell, what else does not belong?”
Will still more manuscripts be found
To make us go another round?
Correcting, changing, taking out;
Creating questions, fear and doubt?
Must more discoveries come to light
Before we finally get it right?
Will precious doctrines fade away
Because of what the scholars say?
How many “errors” must we purge
Because of what the scholars urge?
How many versions must we make?
How many changes can we take?
How will we ever know we’re through —
That we possess a scripture true?
If man must find God’s word, my friend,
When will the changes ever end?
Then to the Book again I fled
To find out what my Father said.
“Forever settled… never fade” —
This promise God the Spirit made.
A thousand generations hence —
That seems a pretty strong defense.
A “perfect Book?” Then it must be
Man can’t improve what God gave me.
We have a Book completely true,
Instructing us in all we do.
Preserved by God, not found by men,
Inscribed by God the Spirit’s pen.
If God or scholars you must choose,
Be sure the “experts” always lose.
Don’t give to them a second look;
Just keep believing this old Book
Psalm 12:6-7, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”

Psalm 19:7, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.”

Jeremiah 23:29-30, “Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the LORD, that steal my words every one from his neighbour.”

Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

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

2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Committing Sin Versus Evil

Luke 11:4, “And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.” 1st John 3:4, Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” James 4:17, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

There are two categories of sin:

  1. Sins of COMMISSION (doing what we ought not do) - 1st John 3:4, Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
  2. Sins of OMMISSION (not doing what we ought do) - James 4:17, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Sin is transgressing God's Law (1st John 3:4). Evil is premeditated sinning. Therefore, all evil is sin, but not all sin is evil. For example: Getting angry in the heat of an argument might lead someone to commit a crime of passion, assaulting or even God forbid, killing the other person involved. That is a horrible sin. 

However, if a person gets mad, takes a bus home to get their gun, comes back on a different bus an hour later with the gun, and ultimately shoots the person they were arguing with—that is evil (premeditated murder). An abortion is evil because it was scheduled. It was premeditated murder. A sinister plan was contrived to murder a human being in the safety of the child's mother's own womb. Please say it isn't so!!!

When Moses got angry and smote the rock twice, that was a sin. The Lord had instructed Moses to strike the rock once, for the water to flow to quench the thirst of the Israelites. Yet they still complained again, moaning about this and that, and everything else too. Moses snapped in anger and smote the rock twice. Well, that was very unfortunate. God had originally intended to use that rock as an Old Testament type (illustration) of Christ, Who was smitten only once for our sins (Hebrews 10:10). Christ was not smitten twice, only once. The Epistle of Hebrews makes this truth very clear. 

Roman Catholics pervert this fundamental truth with their Sacrament of the Eucharist. Catholics believe that every time a Catholic partakes of The Eucharist (i.e., communion), Jesus is being crucified again. Catholics are taught something weird called Transubstantiation (how that for a big word?). My oh my, what does that intimidating theological word mean? It simply refers to the false idea that the communion juice once consumed, literally turns into the blood of Jesus in the human body, giving the recipient spiritual life. Likewise, the unleavened bread is said to literally convert into Christ's physical flesh. None of this is true in the Bible, it is a vain ritual. The Lord's Supper is simply done in REMEMBRANCE of Christ's blood and body sacrifice on the cross.

In the Lord's Prayer, we are taught to pray in Luke 11:4, “And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.Carefully notice that Jesus didn't say to ask God to deliver us from sin, but from evil. You cannot be delivered from sin. We all sin. But we don't have to do evil (planned sin, willful sin). I cannot avoid sinning, but I can avoid plotting to sin. I cannot prevent sinning, but I can stop going to a sinful place to deliberately commit sin. I cannot avoid lusting, but I can avoid looking at something unholy that will cause me to lust. Do you see the big difference? The Lord teaches us when we pray, to ask God to deliver us from EVIL. I don't want to do wrong. I want to think right, do right and live right. That is my constant mindset.

This little Bible study will help you. May we all purpose in our heart as believers not to do evil. Psalm 11:7, “For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.” I love that Scripture. The righteous Lord loveth righteousness, and so do I as His redeemed child. It feels good to do good! It feels great to be right with God. I praise the Lord for His righteousness, which is by faith alone. The only righteousness that I have is the righteousness of God which He has imputed to me by faith.

 And then as His redeemed child the Lord is pleased when I try to do right. But when and where I utterly fall and fail, GOD'S FREE GRACE DOTH MUCH MORE ABOUND. It is free to me and you, but grace came at a high price to God and His only begotten Son. Romans 5:20-21, “Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen! The only way to obtain God's grace is He must give it to you freely, and He does so only through faith in His only begotten Son, Jesus.

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Loving People Unconditionally Means Looking At The Big Picture

Ephesians 4:30-32, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

The more time that we spend around other people, the more they will rub us the wrong way, as we them. The more time that we spend with humans, there will be conflicts because of our differences. We all think differently. We all have different personalities. 

Here's an example: I have an answering machine. I never answer my phone, I let the machine filter all my calls. So if you call me at 3 am in the morning, you won't wake me, because my answering machine gets the phone call. So years ago, when I lived on Guam, I called a man who built steel guitars in Tennessee. I was so excited about inquiring, that I called to leave him a message. I never expected for him to answer his phone at 3 am, BUT HE DID. Oh no! He wasn't too happy about it either...lol. I would never want to wake somebody up at 3 am, God forbid. But in my thinking, since I always use an answering machine, I sincerely expected to get his answering machine. This is one example of how our differences in thinking can cause conflict.

As believers we are taught in the Bible to unconditionally love everyone, because God is love, and every believer has God living inside of them as the blessed Holy Spirit (1st Corinthians 3:16-17; Romans 8:9; 1st John 3:24). When people offend us, and hurt our feelings, and pick on us, and say hurtful things (both intentionally and unintentionally), we have to make a choice. We can either focus on their human inferiorities and retaliate against them with more mistreatment, or we can LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE and love them unconditionally, faults and all. That is how Jesus was able to say, “Father, forgive them” on the cross, concerning the wicked men who had just crucified Him (Luke 23:34). People will also crucify us, usually day by day, slowly, making our life miserable. We CAN love them, if we think LOVE toward them. By focusing on God's love for the world (John 3:16), and Christ's sacrifice for ungodly sinners (Romans 5:6-9), we can always take the higher road and love even the worst of people unconditionally (Jude 1:22).

I have had my feelings hurt more times than I can remember throughout my life. I have many painful memories engrained into my brain. I could become very bitter, and some Christians do, which is unfortunate. So what so I do? I take all those painful memories and I place them at Jesus' precious feet at the foot of the cross! I give them to the Lord, and hide in Him. Colossians 3:1-3, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

That is why Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. When someone hurts us, whether they be saved or unsaved, they have also done it to Jesus, and He feels and shares our pain (Hebrews 4:15-16). When people hurt me, and they always do in various ways, I choose not to focus on the offense with Horse Blinders and a magnifying glass. Instead, I chose to LOOK TO JESUS, the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:3). 

Dear friend, if you will adopt this simple practical Bible truth, it will transform your life. I'm talking about living above the clouds of life, where the SON is always shining. Bring everything to the Lord in prayer (Philippians 4:6-7). Don't look at people with their quirks, faults and sins; but rather, LOOK TO JESUS at all times!!!

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Beware Of Joseph Prince's Demonic Speaking In Tongues

1st Corinthians 14:23, “If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?”

Joseph Prince (born 1963) is the theologically corrupt evangelist and senior pastor of New Creation Church based in Singapore. He is one of the church's founders in 1983. Pastor Prince has become very popular in the Charismatic Word of Faith Movement, which is full of false teachings. One of their most damaging heresies is the witchcraft of speaking in tongues.

Those who operate in witchcraft speak in tongues to cast spells or release evil spirits upon a person, church or wherever they seek to gain dominion. I watched someone in church service one time and heard her speaking some unknown language but her spirit was under the guise and control of witchcraft.

SOURCE: Mocking Spirits That Mimic The Holy Ghost and Unknown Tongues

Speaking in Tongues as taught and done by Charismatics is demonic. No one at any time in the Bible ever spoke jibber-jabber in an unknown language. The learned Bible student must differentiate between the miracle of tongues in Acts chapter 2 on the Day of Pentecost, and the gift of tongues in 1st Corinthians chapters 14. Neither the miracle nor the gift of tongues involved speaking in some unknown dialect.

Here are a few important observations about the miracle of tongues:
  1. Men did not initiate this gift, God did! You can't show me one place in the Bible where a Christian decided to speak in tongues. Rather, it was always initiated by God at spontaneous times of God's choosing. This is very different than what Joseph Prince is teaching, that any believer can speak in tongues on a whim while praying.
  2. The miracle of tongues was for the purpose of soulwinning, the gift of tongues (speaking in a foreign language) was for edifying the saints. Thousands of people were saved at Pentecost (Acts 2:41). The ridiculous practice of speaking in the Charismatic's mumbo-jumbo "tongues" is of the Devil. They've created a form of entertainment that attracts carnally-minded people. Proof of this is in the Bible itself. Do you realize that the ONLY church in the New Testament which Paul ever addressed concerning tongues is the carnal church at Corinth? ...THE CARNAL CHURCH!

    Paul plainly stated in 1st Corinthians 3:1-3, "And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal..." Pentecostals meet in their religious buildings and behave as fools—falling on the floor, barking, howling, babbling, shaking, et cetera. This is carnality and not in any way related to the miracle or gift of tongues in God's Word, which were always used to relay the Gospel or edify the saints.

    When Abraham was old, he sent his eldest servant, Eleazar, back to his native land to find a Christian wife for Isaac. Eleazar took with him, as gifts, many expensive items and ten camels, and set out for Mesopotamia. Notice that the PURPOSE of the the "gifts" was to bring back a BRIDE for Isaac. If Eleazar would have come back without the bride, he would have failed. This is a good illustration of how foolish Charismatics are today. Pentecostals make the gifts an END in themselves. Do you think Abraham would have been pleased if Eleazar gave all the gifts away, but came back WITHOUT the bride? Abraham would have been very angry. This is what the Charismatics are doing today. Instead of focusing on the main issue, which is SOULWINNING, they have focused on the gifts.
  3. Peter knew what he was trying to say. Pentecostals openly admit that they don't know what they're saying when they speak in tongues. Thus, Charismatic "tongues" is demonic. There is absolutely NOTHING in the Word of God about speaking in some "unknown" language. Acts 2:6 plainly states... "every man heard them speak in his own language." The Biblical evidence against the Charismatic Movement is solid and damning.

It is also important to understand that when the Apostle Peter preached at Pentecost, he only spoke in one language, likely Greek. Peter didn't “speak” in tongues, the people “heard” in tongues. Acts 2:6, "Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language." God worked a miracle by His Holy Spirit, so that the Jews present from 16 different nations all HEARD the Gospel preached in their own language, so they could be saved by gladly receiving that Good News of Jesus Christ crucified, buried and risen from the dead three days later.

The problem with Pastor Prince is not his teaching on grace. He teaches correctly that it is only the work of Christ on our behalf that saves, not our works. He also makes it clear that the Law has no power to make us holy. However, there are huge theological problems with his teachings. One of the biggest problems is that he preaches a heretical Prosperity Gospel, mixing the satanic Word of Faith Theology with free grace. 

The Prosperity Gospel is a false gospel. So even though Pastor Prince is right when it comes to the work of Christ for sinners, he errantly preaches that because of Christ’s work the sinner is not only forgiven and accepted and loved by God, but is also entitled and should pursue obtaining health, wealth and prosperity. This is blatant false teaching! This is mixing the Word of Faith prosperity heresy with the Gospel. 1st Timothy 6:5, “Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.” Please RUN away from any corrupt preacher who associates financial gain with godliness!!! This eliminates over 95% of televangelists!

I do not find anywhere in the Scripture where we as believers are taught to seek the gift of tongues. You cannot show it to me. What saith the Scripture? ...

1st Corinthians 12:27-31, “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

The Apostle Paul makes it very clear that not all believers speak with tongues (known earthly languages). The apostle continues in chapter 13 teaching that love is most important (1st Corinthians 13:1-2), and that love rejoices in truth (vs. 6). Nowhere are we taught that every Christian should speak with tongues. Therefore, we know that Joseph Prince and the Word of Faith Movement are teaching utter heresy! 

Here is a satanic video clip of Joseph Prince speaking in jibber-jabber at 7:07 time in the video, and in the moments to follow (see 7:47 time). He sounds like a weirdo. This is of the Devil, not the Holy Spirit of God. Something is very wrong with this man's alleged walk with God. No one knows the babbling things he is uttering, not even himself...


Examples of Satanic Speaking in Tongues (see 7:07 time)

The Apostle John wrote the Epistle of 1st John to help individual believers know that we are saved (1st John 5:13), that our joy may be full (1st John 1:4). The key verse of the epistle is in 1st John 3:24, “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us. So, here we plainly learn that the evidence we are God's child (saved) is the presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Pastor Jack Hyles has authored a helpful book which you may freely read online called: "Meet The Holy Spirit." 

Carefully notice in the epistle John wrote that he never mentions anything about speaking in tongues. John said he wrote his epistle that our JOY MAY BE FULL as God's redeemed children, yet he doesn't even mention tongues. This goes 100% contrary to false prophet Joseph Prince, who teaches that every believer must speak in tongues to be spiritual and right with God. Beware of the Charismatic Movement. Pastor Max D. Younce has authored a helpful book on the subject titled: "Face To Face With Tongues."

The Bible does NOT emphasize speaking in tongues. The Bible emphasizes soulwinning. Mark 16:15, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” 1Corinthians 9:16, “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” The biggest mistake that people make is to listen to men instead of SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES to verify the things they are being taught! (John 5:39; Acts 17:11). 

Did you know that Joseph Prince gets paid $600,000 a year as a pastor? It is true. That is sickening!!! 2nd Timothy 4:3-4, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” I am wearied with unlearned believers following the heretical teaching of false teachers, attempting to legitimize them because they get grace right. Renee Roland is one such example, who gets the Gospel right but denies the Bible truth of an eternal Hell. 

Likewise, Joseph Prince is a false teacher! Just because Prince gets grace right doesn't mean that he is trustworthy as a Bible teacher! I also do NOT recommend Dr. Peter S. Ruckman, nor Robert Breaker, who both errantly teach that people were saved by works in the Old Testament. They are theologically corrupt!!! There has always been only one Gospel, which is salvation through faith in Christ (Acts 10:43). Men complicate everything that God has made simple. Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do!

Dear friend, this matter of speaking in demonic tongues is no trifle issue. I want to now share with you some YouTube quotes that people left in response to Joseph Prince's heretical video titled: "The Powerful Benefit Of Praying In Tongues." These comments are truly sad and show just how dangerous Prince really is in his theology (the following typos are theirs, not mine):

Nella Omar | 6 months ago
This happened to me my son was on life support Dr's told me he will not wake up I went home and for the first time in my life I started praying in a different language and my son woke up the next day the Dr's could not believe it but I knew once I started praying he would be heald hallelujah.

What you just read is totally unbiblical. This person is sadly deceived by Satan. Joseph Prince is just another demonic Benny Hinn. How in the world does praying in a different language bring healing to one's child? It doesn't. It is hard to grasp that any thinking human being could embrace the insane idea that God is pleased by this kind of junk. Folks, please don't clap your hands for Satan's ministers like Joseph Prince, Benny Hinn, the 700 Club and TBN. Here's another shameful YouTube quote about Prince's video on tongues...

Tracy Oduwa3 months ago
I had this experience when I caught the fire of speaking in tongues about a month ago, my whole body was empty I began to see things differently and pray tirelessly, my dream life change immediately. Speaking in tongues guide one to all truth. Thank you sir for this wonderful teaching.

Her dream life changed immediately? What in the world is a "dream life"? Tracy foolishly thinks that speaking in gibberish tongues guides her into all truth. John 17:17 teaches that God's Word is the truth that sanctifies the believer. Folks, RUN from Joseph Prince!!!

Lionel pereira10 months ago
Amen! Theres power when we pray in tongues! very true pastor its beyond all human understanding. Awesome teaching.

I triple-dog dare you to show me in the Holy Bible where it says that speaking in any form of tongues gives us power. You cannot! What Prince is teaching is not awesome, it is AWFUL!  Liar, liar, pants on fire!

Monaliza Graciadaz4 months ago
Really speaking in tongue gives me many benefits in my physical and spiritual life !To God be the highest GLORY !amen

How does speaking in some bizarre jibber-jabber benefit a person in any way? It doesn't. What it does do is confuse ignorant people, leading them away from God and truth. This is so sad that millions of religious people are being deceived. Of the 308 comments for this particular video, I found only ONE that spoke the truth, refuting Joseph Prince's demonic false teaching on praying in tongues...

liv4JESUS Godsluv1 month ago (edited)
All do respect. There is benefit in praying while walking in righteousness. There is no benefit in making up gibberish sounds that doesn't come from God. God understands your native language just fine. Scripture (KJV) explains it very simply. Amen ?

Yes, amen! There is no benefit in making up some ridiculous gibberish that doesn't come from God. Folks, Joseph Prince is teaching witchcraft. In fact, speaking in tongues has its origin in pagan witchcraft. If you speak in the bizarre unknown tongues of Charismatic nuts, you are practicing an evil form of witchcraft, which is a familiar spirit and not the Holy Spirit!

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