Many People Try To Complicate The Gospel

1st Corinthians 15:1-4, “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

Many people try to complicate the Gospel by adding THEIR self righteous works/human self efforts/self reformation/behavioral changes/good deeds. The Bible says we are saved by grace through faith in Christ alone plus nothing, when we simply BELIEVE how that JESUS Himself died on the Cross for all our sins, was buried and bodily rose three days later for our justification.

The Gospel does not include the following meritorious works of THE LAW:

Repent of your sins
Make Jesus the Lord of your life
Give your life to Jesus
Confess all your sins
Live a changed life
Join a church or denomination
Say a special prayer
Keep the Mosaic law
Get water baptized
Obey the Ten Commandments

THESE ARE ALL WORKS!

Read what God’s word says about His simple plan of salvation for mankind (John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Romans 1:16-19, 3:23-27 & 4:5; Ephesians 1:13-14, 2:8-9 KJB).

Here is a tremendous quote from Dr. Curtis Hutson (1934-1995):

“I maintain that anything short of truth is a lie. But I also maintain that anything beyond truth is a lie. If you tell a man he can be saved, without believing on Christ, you've come short of the truth; but if you go beyond the truth and tell a man he's saved by believing plus being baptized, plus keeping the Ten Commandments, plus enduring to the end, you've gone beyond truth. I say we ought to stick with what the Bible says, even if it doesn't coincide with what we've always thought it meant.” —Dr. Curtis Hutson, “The Determining Factor In Salvation” (MP3 sermon)

Dear friend, faith is the only righteous thing that you can do! Just come to God as an admitted guilty sinner and BELIEVE the Gospel. The Gospel is the “GOOD NEWS” that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God—the Christ—who died on a cross to pay for your sins and mine, He was buried and three days later Jesus bodily resurrected from the dead. BELIEVE IT, oh sinner, and the work is done! 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.”

Dear reader, everything you have you got one of three ways:

1. you earned it
2. you stole it
3. someone gave it to you

There's no other way to get things, and that applies to Heaven too! You cannot earn it (Titus 3:5). You cannot steal it (John 10:1). You can only freely receive it as a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8-9). God bless you friend and thank you for reading my blogs.

What I Feel God Is Telling Me When I Am Upset And Frustrated

Matthew 21:28-32, “But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.”

I frequently get so upset over the wickedness in our culture today, and the apostasy in today's churches, that I start getting a bad attitude. I find myself using four letter expletives and cursing at it all. I get upset at abusive pastors and the shallow sickening spiritual condition of places like Pensacola Christian College. I start to feel guilty about myself and like I'm a horrible Christian, but then every time the blessed Holy Spirit encourages me.

I can almost hear my dear heavenly Father lovingly say to my soul: 

"David, my beloved son, I am so proud of you! Do you remember the story in the Bible about the two sons? The father told them both to go work in his field. The one son told his father that he would gladly go, but then didn't go. The other son had a bad attitude, like you David, and he argued with his father, insisting that he wouldn't go work in the field. But afterwards that son with the bad attitude repented and went to work in his father's field. Do you remember David which son pleased the father? It was the son with the BAD ATTITUDE.

So you see my son, I know that you get really upset over Lordship Salvation, and so do I. You get mad at the uncaring pastors who have banned you from attending church, and I am against them. I will punish them one day, because what they are doing is terrible; they are disobeying my commandment to love one another, and to restore you with a spirit of meekness. They won't even talk to you, and I see what they are doing, which is wickedness. They will be dealt with, I promise you David. 

But for now I want you to continue preaching my Gospel to everyone you can. Please continue with your website ministry, because people are being reached and I am working through your ministry labors to make an eternal difference. You just keep working hard David, and leave the rest up to me. You cannot save anybody, but I can. I am God, you are the clay and I am the potter. Just trust me son, and I will be with you all the way. 

I know that you feel bad when you get angry and think you have a bad attitude, but I couldn't agree with you more in your frustrations and anger against lying pastors, the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation, the Devil's lie that repentance means to turn away from your sinning, the Devil's counterfeit Bible revisions, and all the other falsehoods that I also hate! We are working together David to make an eternal impact. Now is the time to work while you still can, and then we will be glorified together at the Judgment Seat, and I will avenge you of Pastor Marty Herron, Jeff Redlin and others who have done so wickedly by mistreating you because you TOLD THE TRUTH. They condemned you based solely upon slander that they heard from gossipers and off the internet, but they were wrong. Let them condemn you son, because I know the truth about who you are, and they will one day be judged by the same evil standard by which they have judged you. They are just as big a sinner as Jeffrey Dahmer (James 2:10). I am the only Judge, not them, so trust in me, and leave their fate to my judgment and wisdom. 

I am so proud of you for working so hard, for son long, for free, never expecting or asking or accepting payment from anyone, even though many have tried to give you money. All you've ever asked for is their prayers and to help share your ministry labors for me. I love you David and we're in this thing together, for now and eternity. 

I know that you are suffering now in constant chronic neck pain, but suffering is a part of life because of the fallen nature of mankind. I will give you a new and healthy body that is perfect, just like my only begotten Son's resurrected body, when I come to get you at the Rapture. I can't wait to meet you in person David, and I apologize for the horrible carnal pastors who have mistreated you so badly. I see your hurting heart. 

I see your often anger at falsehoods and abusive pastors who don't care about you. Don't feel bad, because you are HOT, and not LUKEWARM like the Pensacola Christian College camp is (Revelation 3:15-17). They sing their insincere sycophantic music at PCC, and they go through all the motions of playing church, and their plethora of rules without love, but their hearts are far from me. For if they truly walked closely with me, they would love you as their Christian brother and seek to restore you to fellowship at Campus Church. 

Sadly, PCC couldn't care less about you David, because they have the wrong priorities over there, putting money before people. You know that I would NEVER do such a wicked thing to you. You mean more to me than all the money and gold in the world. I am not a respecter of persons. The fact that they are standing hand-in-hand at PCC doesn't excuse or protect them from the consequences of how they have mistreated you. I will deal with PCC. 

They are doing some good, and I see their labors. But I also see that they are getting paid very well (6-digit salaries to their multiple leaders). But that is okay David, because they already have the only reward they will ever receive. In contrast, you have served me night and day, sometimes laboring for 37 hours strait without a break on your website ministry. I saw you sitting in front of your residence on Guam, night after night working in front of your home, laboring diligently from sunset to 4 am on your laptop. 

Yet you've never asked anybody for a single penny since you started your website ministry in 2001. You have an excellent spirit my son, like Daniel did in the Old Testament, and I am so proud of you. I will make this all up to you in eternity, you have my promise of it! For now just keep walking with me. I know you are far from perfect, and so also is everyone else on earth.

When I see you upset, frustrated and angry over false doctrine, fake bibles, false prophets, shady Bible colleges, bad churches and the rotten pastors who have thrown you under the bus, I jump up and down in excitement to see that you are HOT for the things of God. I wish I had many more children like you David, who care. You care because I care, and you abide in me and I in you. You love my precepts, therefore you hate every false way as I do. You hate the pride and arrogancy of PCC's shameful pastors and leaders, as I also hate pride and arrogancy. 

The fact that they refuse to even communicate with you shows that they don't care at all. PCC's day of reckoning is coming. No amount of good that they do can make up for or justify the evil that they are doing to you and Samantha Field. I know that people just want to be loved, but at PCC they are blinded by their worldly success, mistaking growth and financial wealth with godliness, from such you should turn away. 

I vomit at the sight of PCC! They are disgustingly LKUKEWARM. As a preacher you are HOT, so you make them look bad, doe which Pastor Redlin is jealous and doesn't want you in his church. It is their church, not mine. A real church loves sinners and doesn't ban them from coming to church to hear the preaching. I am so disgusted with PCC's carnal attitude. They may be growing in the world, but they are very little in my eyes. 

The nation is going to Hell, while PCC is preoccupied making money and playing church. So be strong in my strength David, I am with you. Your Mom and Dad dedicated you to the Lord at the Salvation Army at age one, to be used by the Lord for my glory and purpose, and I have honored that dedication David. You are my humble servant. Hang in there my son and keep your chin up, because your future is brighter and more full of blessings than you could ever imagine. 

But for now you must suffer, labor and endure the tribulations of this life until I take you home to be with me in Heaven. BE OF GOOD CHEER my son, because I have overcome the sting of death by dying on the cross, and after I was buried for three days I physically resurrected from the dead and am now interceding for you in Heaven. I've got you covered! One man plus God equals a majority. 

Please keep praying, because if you don't trust in me then I cannot help you like I want to, lest your spirit be lifted up in pride. Stay humble David! Stay grounded in my inspired Word and don't stray away from my commandments. I know that you fear me and that is good. Most people don't fear me today, so they don't obey my inspired Holy Word. I might come back today David! Keep watching for my return!!! I love you my son, be strong in faith in my strength."

Pensacola Christian College Are Not Worthy of Samantha Field

The Way Someone Treats You Reveals Their Heart; The Way You Respond Reveals Yours

Matthew 5:43-46, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?”

It is in our carnal nature to respond with hatred to those who hate us. It is natural to dislike people who dislike us, and to like those who do like us. Dear reader, that is so shallow! In our tremendous text passage of Scripture, our dear Savior Himself instructs us to be better than the average bear. Jesus Christ wants us to bless those who curse us, pray for those who despitefully use us, and to love those who hate us.

People Will Hurt Us

People equal pain! Sadly, life is about people hurting people. You can try to deny that, but it is nevertheless very true. I don't care who you are, you've been hurt by people, likely many times. Sometimes people don't intend to hurt our feelings, but they do anyway. It is our differences as human beings that cause conflicts. What we say in sincerity, may be taken the wrong way by someone else which deeply hurts their soul.

At a Baptist church that I was attending on Guam years ago, there was a woman with a big belly. I sincerely thought she was pregnant. So, I kindly asked her in front of her husband how many months along in her pregnancy she was. She was horribly embarrassed (and so was I) when she replied that she was just bloated. I felt so bad but I couldn't take back my words. I apologized profusely to her. She seemed to take it well, but I know that must have hurt her feelings. Do you see how our sincere misconceptions can lead to problems?

I watched a frightening documentary this week on YouTube about why doctors keep making mistakes and killing patients. You'll be shocked! But there is a big difference between honest and sincere mistakes, versus abusive pastors who mistreat and don't care about hurting people. I humbly don't think God wants us to merely walk away and let abuse go; but rather, we should express our negative opinion publicly to warn other people about abusive organizations like Pensacola Christian College (PCC).

Sadly, there is an ongoing abusive authoritarian culture of cultish abuse of people who question PCC's leaders or doctrine. I know because I personally was mistreated by Pastor Jeff Redlin, and also by PCC leaders who refused to even communicate with me in 2022. I have written numerous negative reviews online, dozens of articles and blogs to warn people about PCC's unchristian cult. I have been banned from attending Campus Church at PCC. Instead of having a biblical spirit of restoration at PCC, they have a heathen spirit of kicking people out. There is no love or compassion at PCC, only rules, rules and more rules.

The cult system always comes first at PCC, individual people do not matter. That is so wicked, ungodly and pathetic. If you attend PCC, you will not find loved, but you will be thrown under the bus the second that you make a mistake, question leadership or express your own opinions. That is what happened to me. Jeff Redlin is a religious punk, sad to say. The abusive way that PCC mistreated Samantha Field (who was assaulted on PCC's campus as a student), and the horrible way that they mistreated me, reveals what is in their heart.

All We Can Do Is Pray For Them And Try To Reconcile

God knows that I am still willing to make peace and reconciliation at PCC, but they have refuse again and again, to their own demise. Tyranny is rarely seen except by those who are oppressed by it. God hears the cry of an increasingly growing number of wounded PCC students and Campus Church victims who have been abused, hurt and shunned by their bigoted cult of religious weirdoes. The PCC camp is all about indoctrinating people with religion, but without possessing God's genuine love and compassion as a legitimate church would have. That is because they don't walk in the Holy Spirit. You need to understand that PCC are a bunch of academics who woefully lack God's love and compassion for people, because PCC are NOT church builders! They are a private selective cult. Unless you submit to the cult leaders at PCC, you will immediately be rejected, shunned and blackballed.

I have responded to the abuse at PCC with Bible preaching, love and a sincere willingness and desire to reconcile with the PCC camp, but they refuse. In so doing, they reveal that there is hatred, coldness and selfishness in their hearts at PCC. On the other hand, I am still willing to make peace, which reveals that I have God's love in my heart. You may contact Pastor Jeff Redlin and Campus Church, to ask them why they won't allow David J. Stewart to attend Campus Church. I would appreciate it...

jRedlin@campuschurch.com and info@campuschurch.com

They day that they contact me to make peace, I will gladly do what I can to reconcile with PCC. People just want to be loved. PCC refuses to love people. They just want to make money. Sadly, since they have thousands of people at PCC, who are willing to give them money in their carnal state, PCC couldn't care less about changing. As long as carnally-minded people support the carnal PCC camp, nothing will change. When they start losing thousands of students, only then will they search their souls and ask God what is wrong.

We see this situation in Revelation 3:15-17 concerning the Laodicean church. That horrible carnal church thought they were prospering and pleasing to God, but Jesus called them naked, wretched, poor and miserable!!! So also is PCC naked, wretched, poor and miserable!!! Unfortunately, they foolishness THINK they are pleasing to the Lord at PCC, while hundreds of victims like me are crying out to God to be avenged. Genesus 19:13, “For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.” PCC still hasn't learned the truth that, He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother! Only a dirty cult refuses to allow a person to come back to church. That is a private cult, not a New Testament church! I cannot warn everyone enough about Pensacola Christian College and their hateful yuppie type leaders.

I admit that I have not always responded in a Christlike way to mistreatment from pastors and fellow believers. I had used some sharp words against Pastor Redlin in some of my articles last year, which I have since edited and removed. I want to please the Lord. There is a fine line between faith and foolishness. God knows that in my heart I love everybody, and desire to get along and be friends with other preachers. Sadly, many preachers are selfish, carnal in their thinking, corrupt in doctrine and don't want to get along. That is so horrible!

I realized years ago that I had grown in the Lord beyond most other preachers, so that they could not reciprocate my love. The Apostle Paul experienced this same frustration with people. 2nd Corinthians 12:15, “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” Most pastors simply cannot reciprocate the level of love that I have for them. Unfortunately, PCC took the matter too far by banning me from attending their Campus Church, which is evil to the core. Jeff Redlin is a hateful person who hides behind the façade of religion. He is a devil in the pulpit, masquerading as someone who actually gives a damn, but doesn't. Redlin gets paid a disgusting undeserved 6-digit salary, parasiting off of the churches. Redlin already has the only reward he'll ever get. PCC are not leading people to Christ, they are merely playing church without the power of the Holy Spirit, because they are carnal and indifferent toward truth and people. PCC wickedly bid Godspeed to false prophet Ken Ham, who blatantly preaches another gospel of partial faith in Christ plus turning away from your evil ways to get to Heaven.

What a lot of people do is that when someone hurts their feelings, time and time again, they withdraw socially into their shell like a turtle. Words can hurt more than bullets, leaving painful scars on one's soul. These hurting people put up an imaginary wall in their mind to protect their heart from being hurt again. I know because I have a scarred soul, from the many wounds inflicted upon me over the years by people. Some of the scars were inflicted by unsaved heathens. Some were left by family members and friends. Other were inflicted by church pastors, coworkers, staff members and carnal saints. Those scars are permanent and hurt still even today, years and even decades later. All I can do when those painful memories from the past surface in my mind is to lay them at Jesus' feet at Calvary's cross. ..

Colossians 3:13, “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. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

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.”

I love those beautiful passages of Scripture! The day that we got saved (i.e., born again), in God's sight we became one with Christ. That is, God the Father sees Jesus' imputed righteousness when He looks at us, He doesn't see our sins anymore (as far as our POSITION in Christ is concerned). Our CONDITION is a separate matter of obedience and discipleship. The inspired Holy Bible says that my life as a believer is hidden with Christ in God. Matthew 25:40 helps to explain Colossians 3:3. The Lord is essentially saying to us as redeemed saints: “We are in this called Christianity together. Whatever someone does to you, whether it be good or bad, they have also done it unto me, because we are one now.”

John 14:18-20, “I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.”

We are not God, but God lives inside of us as His children, in the form of the blessed Holy Spirit (John 16:13; 1st Corinthians 3:16-17; 1st John 3:24).

God Will Punish the Pensacola Christian College Camp For Their Hatred

It was because of Pastor Jeff Redlin's abuse and hatred toward me that I had no church to attend for over a year, and I still have nowhere to go on Sunday evenings. I've feel nothing but cruelty and hatred from the pastors of Campus Church and PCC leadership. They are so wicked and far away from God! My soul is comforted by God's promise to avenge me of their hatred and mistreatment at PCC (Romans 12:19-21; Matthew 12:36). They are arrogant right now, because they are large in numbers and united in rebellion against God. No so-called “church” is right with God who refuses to make a way of RESTORATION for anyone! ...

Romans 14:10-13, “But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.”

They are condemning me as a divorce man at PCC, refusing to provide a way of restoration so that I can return to fellowship with the friends that I made at PCC. Jeff Redlin is a little man who is is bog trouble with God! As long as they have tens of millions of dollars coming in, and thousands of new students enrolling to pursue a money-making career, PCC's leaders won't care. They don't care! Just ask their former student Samantha Field. PCC ought to be ashamed of themselves!!! I offered to make peace with them, but they sinfully refused, just like they threw Samantha Field under the bus! God will deal with their stiffnecked pride at PCC. 

They can never point a dirty finger at me on Judgment Day, because PCC are the ones who refuse to reconcile with me, which I am still trying to do to no avail. They people at PCC are rotten to the core! They are blinded by their phony religious singing, sycophantic sermonettes and merely playing church three times a week. Religious authoritarianism is cursing America, where men elevate themselves as some type of “authority” over normal everyday people like me. God is no respecter of persons, which is why He openly welcomes EVERYONE to freely receive His gift of eternal life by faith alone in His only begotten Son. Sadly, at PCC only certain people are welcome, but not people like me or Samantha Field. I care! If nothing else, my response to PCC's hatred and rejection shows plainly that I CARE!!! GOD CARES!!! What will it take for God to cause PCC to start caring? People just want to be loved. ALL LIVES MATTER!!!

What Does James Mean By "The Devils Also Believe"?

James 2:15-20, "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"

When interpreting any particular passage of Scripture, the worst thing we can do is lift the text our of context to create a new pretext. That is, teaching something that the Bible does not teach. This is what some in the New IFB have done with Romans 10:13, basing their heresy that you cannot be saved without praying to be saved. They lifted this one verse out of context, while ignoring the entire Gospel of John. In John we find the word "believe" mentioned 85 times, without any requirement to "pray" to be saved. Faith is enough. We are saved by receiving Christ, not by praying (John 1:12-13).

My humble opinion of James 2:19 is this. First, let me quote the passage. James 2:15-20, "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?"

The Apostle James says that if you have food and housing, and a brother in Christ comes to you asking for food or a place to stay, but you don't help him, you have a poor testimony as a child of God. When I attended Campus Church on July 4th, 2021 at the church picnic and told Pastor Jeff Redlin that I was homeless, sleeping in Walmart's parking lot, he couldn't have cared less. Pastor Redlin could have easily helped me, with all their resources at PCC. There were several hundred church members present that day at their 4th of July picnic. He could have made a simple phone call for someone to put me up for the night.

I didn't ask nor expect his help, but in hindsight he should and could have helped me. I saw the startled look on his face when I kindly told him that I was homeless, so I know that he heard me. PCC has thousands of empty dorm rooms during the summer. Pastor Redlin cruelly walked away, because he didn't care, which is exactly what James is talking about here. When you have the ability and opportunity to help a hurting Christian brother, but you don't, you don't have God's love or compassion, and you have a horrible Christian testimony!

Anyway, the Apostle James goes on to say that your testimony is only as good as your works as a saint. The issue here is NOT salvation. In the Epistle of Romans, the Apostle Paul speaks of being justified in the eyes of God BY FAITH (Romans 4:1-7). However, the Apostle James in speaking about being justified in the eyes of men, BY WORKS.

So James says that if you see a brother in need, and you refuse to help him (like Pastor Redlin refused to help me in 2021 and still today), your testimony is tarnished because of your lack of good deeds (works). Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." When we don't do the right thing as believers, we become toxic to those around us (Hebrews 12:14-15).

So James uses the fallen angels as an example of having a poor testimony. They also believe in God, but tremble in fear knowing that the time of their judgment is coming. Again, the issue here is NOT salvation, it is how we choose to live as believers. James says, "Look, even the devils profess faith in God, but look at how evil they are, phonies. And likewise when you fail to love and help your Christian brother in need, you are no better than the demons. You are a phony too!"

To properly interpret this passage, you need to understand that everything James is saying is premised upon a Christian brother who refuses to help another Christian brother in need. Read the passage again and you will see. This passage of Scripture has Pastor Jeff Redlin's name written all over it. When I asked and needed his help, he just walked away. And now that I have been pleading just to attend Campus Church, he still cruelly refuses. The guy won't even communicate with me, because he is a rich man full of sinful pride and arrogance. What does that say about him? It plainly says that he is no better than the demons, who believe in God but do evil, trembling in fear in their rebellion.

I humbly think this passage in James chapter 2 is all about being justified in the sight of men, not God. What saith the Scripture? 1st Samuel 16:7, "But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." Do you see? The Lord seeth not as man seeth. The Bible says man looks on THE OUTWARD APPEARANCE, but the Lord looks upon THE HEART. It is because men cannot see our heart that they judge us by our WORKS.

Clear evidence of this is James' own words in James 2:18, "Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works." Notice that James says "𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘦" and I will "𝘚𝘩𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘦." James is speaking about being justified by works in men's sight, not God's.

Genesis 4:9, “And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother?  And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?” Yes, Cain, you are your brother's keeper. The 1960's singing group, The Hollies, had it right in their popular song: “He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother”...

The Hollies: “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother”

(2019 Remaster Video)

It is so sad that the secular world understands the importance of looking out for each other, and carrying one another's burdens when we are down and needy, while many shameful independent Baptist pastors throw hurting people under the bus. Shame on Marty Herron, Joe Hensen, Jared Baldwin, Gary Walton and the Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, for ostracizing and banning me from attending church for 7 long years (2014 to 2021). I finally moved 9,000 miles away from Guam to Pensacola, Florida in 2021.

Shame on Pensacola Christian College (PCC) and Campus Church. I chose to attend Campus Church at Pensacola Christian College (PCC). Sadly, I learned when I attended PCC's Campus Church that they are in bed spiritually fornicating with the Bob Jones University (BJU) cult on Guam at Harvest. It is WICKEDNESS!!! BJU today preaches hardcore Lordship Salvation! Birds of a feather flock together. SHAME on PCC!!! At PCC their Christian brother is too heavy to carry, so they just left me for dead. They have huge egos at PCC, which means only God can humble them. PCC is as the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:15-17, whom the Lord called “lukewarm.” PCC is neither hot nor cold. They think they are prospering at PCC, but the Lord knows that they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. ...

Revelation 3:15-17, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:”

Pastor Redlin mistreated me as a hurting divorced person, made insensitive remarks in front of his wife one Sunday morning, and made me feel like garbage. When I humbly emailed Pastor Redlin to let him know that he made me “feel like garbage,” his cruel reply was: “That is your reality.” He might as well have said: “You feel like garbage because you are garbage!” Campus Church needs a MUCH better pastor, one who actually walks with God and loves people with God's unconditional love. There is no compassion at PCC. Read what their own alumni are negatively saying about PCC....

“Don't go here if you're a Christian; they don't actually follow the Bible. They just use it as an excuse to treat people like trash.” —Danielle Tate (2016)

“This institution did more to harm my personal development than any other. As a 38 year old professional, I still bear the scars of how I was treated by this harsh, unloving, uncaring college.” —Greg S (2015), a former abused PCC student

“17 years later and I'm still shaking off the trauma. So many extra-biblical rules it'll make your head spin. Great place for Pharisaical training if your into that. The rule book has more rules than the Bible.” —Jorn Anderson (September 2022), former mistreated PCC student

“Pcc is the worst school ever. It was a complete waste of my time and money. They kicked me out for going to the wrong Sunday school class. And that was a year ago. They still will not release my transcripts which has put me behind in my college career. They schools not be called a Christian college if they cannot even live by what the Bible has to say. If I was able to take it all back and not go there I would in a heartbeat. I am warning you if you are thinking about going DONT DO IT!!!!” —Gavin Bufford (2017), abused former PCC student

“I'm a 2018 graduate of PCC and I went here for all 4 years. It's really sad that this place calls itself Christian, its legalistic places like pcc that give Christians a bad name. They do have a lot of rules regulating most areas of life. I was treated very poorly and rude by several "Christians" on staff and faculty and I saw many of my friends treated the same way. I've personally seen people who were once people I would hang out with, when given positions of leadership become legalistic monsters taking joy in getting as many students in trouble as possible, and this is done in the name of Christ! As a student you are guilty until proven innocent and can be kicked out just because someone accuses you of something.” —Nick Harrison (2019), a mistreated PCC alumni

“It is NOT a friendly environment. All they care about is rules instead of encouraging and building you up in your Christian walk.” —Hannah Elizabeth Kirchhoff (December 2022), mistreated former PCC student

“They call themselves Christians, but Christians are supposed to show compassion and patience.” —Angela (January 2023), mistreated former PCC student

“In retrospect, I thank God for not having the opportunity to attend here (Pensacola Christian College) and myself for not making the decision to enroll.” —Richard Deuto (January 2023)

“Crackpot unaccredited school.” —Meryl Montgomery (November 2022)

SOURCE: Google reviews 

This is what the inspired Word of God is condemning in James 2:15-21, throwing your brother under the bus when he needs your compassion and help. Where dwelleth the love of God? It is tragic that the cult system always comes first at PCC, but individual people do not matter. Dear friend, people just want to be loved. When Judas betrayed the dear Savior to be crucified, the first thing Jesus said to him was: “Friend” (Matthew 26:50b). The test of our Christian character is not whether we love Jesus, but do we love Judas Iscariot? Either you love everyone, or else you love no one!

“There are a lot of people tat just need somebody to care. That's all! A warm hand—listen—You'll never know. You'll never know in your life, how hard it is for somebody that's gone into deep sin, to come back to church and get right! You'll never know!” —Pastor Jack Hyles, a precious quote from the great MP3 sermon, "A Smoking Flax Shall He Not Quench" (preached in 1986)

I truly wish that the unloving, cold and uncompassionate pastors and leaders at Pensacola Christian College (PCC) would learn this important truth. They are blinded by their worldly success, having more money and people they they need, which has hardened their hearts at PCC. One of the hardest things for a newcomer to any church is just taking the first step to go there. I was nervous and felt like a fish out of water the first week that I attended Campus Church at PCC in July of 2021.

Sadly, Pastor Redlin scolded me 2 days after I first met him, for kindly mentioning that as a divorced man for 15 years, I finally hoped to move on with my life and find a wife at Campus Church. That is a bad pastor! Mr. Redlin never once told me that he cared about me. He never offered to pray with me, nor did he tell me that he was praying for me. Jeff never told me once over several months that God loves me, or that I am welcomed at Campus Church. He never said he was glad that I came to their church. Redlin never showed any compassion or regard for the stenosis and radiculitis in my spinal cord, which afflicts me with neck and body pain, radiating pain in my arms and legs, causes both arms to feel inflated with air all the time, and incessant burning nerves 24/7. I kindly told Pastor Redlin of my health afflictions, but he didn't care one bit. Jeff Redlin was brash, insensitive and unkind, just like the Devil.

Pastor Redlin didn't care about me as a hurting human being, and shamefully he still doesn't care, even though I have pleaded with him and PCC, for their love and help. All I want is to come to Campus Church! Is that so much to ask? Yes, their brother is too heavy to bear at PCC and Campus Church. What ungodly religious hypocrites!!! The problem goes much deeper than just a coldhearted, carnal and uncompassionate pastor at PCC, it indicts the entire PCC camp because they all sanction this type of unchristian hatred, mistreatment and arrogant pride. I know God will be their Judge, but someone needs to expose the abusive culture at PCC, so others will steer clear of going to their cult. Any so-called "church" that bans people from coming to church is a CULT!

I want to repeat the precious earlier quote again, because it is so true and needful in churches today...

“There are a lot of people that just need somebody to care. That's all! A warm hand—listen—You'll never know. You'll never know in your life, how hard it is for somebody that's gone into deep sin, to come back to church and get right! You'll never know!” —Pastor Jack Hyles

And so, I have elaborated on James chapter 2, relating it to my own life. PCC sees my need, but I am too heavy for them to bear enough to allow me just to attend church services. Yet those stiff-necked hypocrites will sit there and sing religious songs, play church, and never give a second thought about me (their needy brother) that they just flushed down the toilet. Real great testimonies at PCC, huh? This is what the Apostle condemned in James 2:15-21, not loving and having compassion on one another. Did not our blessed Savior make a big deal of loving one another? Yes, Jesus sure did! ...

John 13:34, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” 

John 15:12, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”

John 15:17, “These things I command you, that ye love one another.”

There is no love or compassion for hurting people at Campus Church or PCC, there is only strict rules, rules and more rules. The system always comes first at PCC, individual people do not matter. People just want to be loved. The problem is not that Campus Church is TOO BIG, but that Pastor Jeff Redlin's heart is TOO SMALL.

Most Bible students read James 2:18-21 without ever paying attention to verses 15 and 16 to get the context of this passage. James is making all these statements to elaborate on helping our Christian brother in need. Please don't miss the great heart of God in this passage. If we fail to have compassion on one another, and don't love each other with the same love wherewith Christ loves us, then we are just like the phony devils, who believe in God but do evil. John 15:12b, “That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”

I'm thinking that you've probably never heard James chapter 2 interpreted this way before, but you can read it for yourself. In verses 15 and 16, James says that if you see your Christian brother in need and you fail to help him, your don't have good works to validate your faith in the sight of your fellow human neighbours. Your faith is dead. It is faith (meaning you are saved), but your faith is lifeless, your Christian testimony is dead and ineffective for God. You are just like the fallen angels, who believe in God but have no works.

James is not relating carnal saints to the damnation of the fallen angels; but rather, to their hypocrisy. This is what I humbly believe James is teaching. How is your testimony dear reader? What do people say about you? Your reputation is what men know about you; your character is what God knows about you. Thank you for reading my blogs. Jesus is precious!!!

Genesis 4:9, “And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother?  And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?”

The Eternal Security Of The Christian Believer

John 10:25-30, “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. I and my Father are one.”

Is the person who puts his faith in Jesus Christ eternally secure? Yes, dear reader, they are! Believers have (present tense) eternal life! Here are two wonderful Bible studies from one of my favorite Bible preachers, Dr. Curtis Hutson (1934-1995).I love this dear saint of God. The Lord took Brother Hutson home in 1995 from prostrate cancer. I thank God for a simple country boy Curtis Hutson, whom God used to turn many lost sinners to the righteousness of God by faith (Daniel 12:3)....

• ETERNAL SECURITY - PART ONE
• ETERNAL SECURITY - PART TWO

These two Bible studies are the best I've heard , hands down! I hope that you will take the time to listen to them. John 10:28, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” A skeptic of eternal security once said that the Bible doesn't say you cannot get out of God's hand. As a rule you don't base doctrine on what the Bible does NOT say, but upon what the Bible does say! The Bible says that no man can pluck us out of God's hand.

1. God Purposed Eternal Life. 2nd Timothy 1:9, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,” Acts 13:48, “And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” They were ordained unto eternal life. This does not mean God predestinates anyone to salvation. The Bible never says that God predestinates people to salvation; but rather, believers are predestinated to be conformed into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). God knows who will be saved (by our own freewill, not prechosen), and He predestinates those saints to ultimately be conformed into Jesus' holy character (which is sanctification).
2. God Promised Eternal Life. John 3:14-16, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” There might be some doubt about what God meant, but there is no doubt about what He said. God said that whosoever believes on His only begotten Son has everlasting life. Titus 1:2, “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;” 1st John 2:25, “And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”
3. God Produced Eternal Life. 1st John 5:10-11, “He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” We are not going to have everlasting life someday, we already have it right now! 1st John 5:13, “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”
4. Believer's Have Precisely What God Purposed, Promised And Produced.

I read this amazing Bible verse the other day. Daniel 11:33, “And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.” I am just a humble sinner. I don't profess to know everything, I certainly don't. Albeit, I have been greatly blessed by God, since I got saved at age 13, to be introduced and taught by some of the greatest men of God; namely, Jack Hyles, Curtis Hutson, Max D. Younce, J. Vernon McGee, A. Ray Stanford, Lee Roberson, Hank Lindstrom, Mark G. Cambron, Harry A. Ironside, Ralph Yankee Arnold and John R. Rice, to name the major influences upon my life and doctrine. Is the person who puts his faith in Jesus Christ eternally secure? Yes, dear reader, we are!

Here are some important observations on eternal security made by Dr. Curtis Hutson:

1. God makes His promise of eternal security doubly sure. John 10:28, “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” Here we see double security—not only shall we never perish, but also no man can ever pluck us out of God's hand. Likewise in John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” Not only is the man who believes promised everlasting life, but also, he shall never come into condemnation, he is passed from death unto life. Amen and amen!
2. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith. Hebrews 12:2, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The Lord will begin what He has started. Philippians 1:6, “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”
3. We are saved by God's grace, not our own works. 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.”
4. Believers are kept by God. If we as saints had to keep ourselves saved, we would all be lost 10,000 times a day. My life is hid with Christ in God. Colossians 3:3, “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” Think of this truth as 3 barrels. God the Father is the biggest barrel. Jesus is the medium-sized barrel. The born again child of God is the small barrel inside the two bigger barrels. In order for the Devil to get to the smallest barrel, he must first break through the biggest barrel, and then the medium-sized barrel. We are safe in God the Father and His dear only begotten Son, Jesus.
5. We have an inheritance in Heaven. 1st Peter 1:4-6, “To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:” Would God reserve something in Heaven for you, if there was any doubt whether or not you were going to go to Heaven? The fact that the Lord is reserving something for you, indicates that He knows you are going to Heaven. Would that make any sense? No, it would not. We have an inheritance reserved for us in Heaven, and God is reserving us for our inheritance. We're not kept by our own power; We are kept by the power of God! What an awesome Savior!!!
6. Jesus prays for our security. John 17:11 and 20, “ And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. ...Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;” Here we see that Jesus is not only praying for those who were alive and trusting Him at the time, but also those in the future who will believe upon Him. Jesus prays for our security! If the Father always hears the prayer of Jesus, and Jesus has already prayed for His Father to keep us, then the Father Has to keep us (and He has promised to keep us). Hebrews 7:25, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Jesus prays for our security.
7. The Holy Spirit seals the believer. Ephesians 4:30, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” The “day of redemption” here refers to the Rapture, when our mortal bodies will be changed into an immortal body, fashioned like unto the Lord's resurrected perfect body (Philippians 3:21). Ephesians 1:13-14, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” If a believer could ever be lost, it would mean that Jesus would speak falsely at the judgment.
8. The Lord knows who are His. 2nd Timothy 2:19, “Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” How does this passage compare to Matthew 7:22-23,  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” If Jesus at some future point were to ever say: “I never knew you,” to someone who had previously been saved, but then lost salvation, Christ would be lying. Jesus could say: “I once knew you, but then you were lost,” but He would be a liar to say “I never knew you.” Dear reader, the Bible is abundantly clear that salvation can NEVER be lost.
9. If a lost sinner could ever be saved but then lost, it would make the sinners better than Christians in some respects. Many skeptics of eternal life use Hebrews chapter 6 to justify their false doctrine. Hebrews 6:4-6, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” For someone who errantly thinks that if they get saved, but then lose their salvation, they can never get it back, they won't want to get saved until their death bed. According to their flawed understanding, it would be better to never have been saved at all, then to get saved by lose it. Dear friend, it should be clear to you how silly the idea is that you can be saved, but then lose it somehow. The Holy Bible teaches: IF SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED!!!
10. If you could lose salvation by sinning, how much sin would you have to commit to lose it? No one can answer this question. The truth is that a man is not lost by the number of sins he commits, but by the nature of sin. Sin is rebellion! Sin is self will! Sin is going away from God. Isaiah 53:6, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” The emphasis in Isaiah 53:6 is not where you went, but what you went away from. Sin is sin! If you had to pay for even one of your sins, you'd have to be cast into Hell and burn forever (James 2:10; Revelation 29:11-15).

Here are some of my own observations regarding eternal security:

1. There are no examples in the Bible of anyone who lost salvation. Search the Scriptures and you will see, that no one ever lost God's free gift of eternal life. Some saints sinned so woefully, like Samson and King Saul, that it cost them their earthly life, but there are no recorded incidents of any saint losing salvation.
2. King David lost the “joy” of God's salvation, not salvation itself. Psalms 51:3-4 and 12, “For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. ...Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.” David had lusted upon Bathsheba as she bathed on the roof. I do not think for one second that she didn't know exactly what she was doing. I am fully convinced that she put on a naked show for David, knowing that the king might be looking from his palace rooftop (and he was). Women have a sixth sense about this kind of stuff!
   
   Long story short, David commit adultery together with her and she became pregnant, which David didn't intend. David ended up deciding to murder Bathsheba's husband, Uriah, to hide his sins with Uriah's wife. If anyone ever had a reason to lose salvation, it was David for what he did. Yet, the Bible in Psalm chapter 51 records his prayer of repentance to God (this was actually a song which the Jews sang, strangely enough... lol). David asked God to restore “the joy of thy salvation” (verse 12). I love what Evangelist Luke Bishop said: “You can live it UP, but you cannot live it DOWN!”
   
   David lived it up in sin with Bathsheba for a short time, but then paid for it dearly for the rest of his miserable life on earth. His family fell to pieces. David's kingdom was torn away from him by Absalom, his own rebellious angry son. David's half-children children raped and murdered one another, resenting their father's sin and hypocrisy. Ahithophel, David's most trusted advisor, joined with Absalom in the rebellion against David. It is obvious to understand why when you learn that Ahithophel was Bathsheba's grandfather! Oh, how sin weaves its ugly thread. The Devil's apples all have worms! Satan is a beautiful liar. Sin thrills and then it kills. Sin fascinates and then it assassinates. The middle letter in the word “sin” is “i.” Just like the Devil, we all have “i.” problems! Isaiah 14:13-14, “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” Five times in these two Old Testament verses we find Satan putting himself before God. David got his priorities wrong and it led to sin. The guilty king lost the joy of his sweet fellowship with the Lord for several months, but he never lost free gift of God's salvation, which is by faith alone.
3. Just like the first physical birth, the new spiritual birth is irreversible. Just as the first physical birth cannot be undone, neither can the second spiritual birth be undone. Jesus said: “Ye must be born again” in John 3:3b. He didn't say that you have to be reborn again and again. Not one verse in the Holy Bible says anything about losing one's salvation, or of needing to be reborn again and again into God's family. Jesus plainly said in John 5:24, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” The moment that you come to God as a guilty sinner, and put your childlike trust in the 'GOOD NEWS' (Gospel) that Jesus is the only begotten Son of God—the buried and risen Christ who died on a cross to pay for your sins, you are forever saved. Nothing more is required or allowed by God. If you're born twice you die once, if you're born once you die twice. It is that simple friend.
4.  If salvation could ever be lost, then it is dependent upon our faithfulness, which means God owes us a debt. Romans 4:4-5, “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.”

It is my hope, pray and privilege for God to use a broken humble sinner like me to help teach others for Christ. There is much heresy on social media; such as the lie that God's free gift of salvation can be lost, or must be maintained to stay saved. The Bible teaches: ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED (OSAS). To God alone be ALL the praise, credit and glory.

Is Abraham's Bosom A Strange Doctrine?

Luke 16:22, “And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom : the rich man also died, and was buried.”

There is much debate in churches today, particularly Baptist churches, concerning where the saints went after they died in the Old Testament.

Scholars like Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980) believed that the saints went straight to Heaven.

Other Biblical scholars, like Dr. Oliver B. Greene (1915-1976) believed that the Old Testament saints weren't allowed into Heaven yet, because Jesus hadn't died on the cross yet. Instead, the saints went to place called “Paradise” (or, “Abraham's Bosom” as it is often referred). This is based upon the Lord's promise to the repentant thief on the cross in Luke 23:43, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” If Jesus meant Heaven, it would seem logical that He would have said Heaven, but He said Paradise.

However, we also read in 2nd Corinthians 12:4, “How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.” The apostle Paul said that He was CAUGHT UP into Paradise. That would certainly seem to indicate Heaven, which is always thought of in terms of being upward from the earth. And that would make sense, because Jesus had ALREADY died on the cross, risen and ascended into Heaven. So now Paradise was transferred from Hades to Heaven, which is what Dr. Merrill Unger teaches in his Unger's Bible Dictionary. Also, Halley's Bible Handbook teaches Abraham's bosom (Paradise).

'Unger's Bible Dictionary' Teaches OT Saints Went to Paradise

Here's what Dr. Merrill Unger teaches about Abraham's Bosom:

“The Rich Man and Lazarus, Luke 16:19-31.

This is not a parable, but an actual historical illustration, also aimed at the sneering, unbelieving, self-righteous, Pharisees. They boasted in their alleged law-keeping (cf. 15-17), and considered their wealth, which they covetously garnered, as evidence of this. Jesus proved the fallacy of this reasoning. The rich man's great wealth was, on the contrary, not the evidence of divine favor, for he went to hell (Hades, Sheol, Intermediate abode of departed human spirits between death and the resurrection). Lazarus, a penniless beggar, nevertheless went to 'Abraham's bosom,' 22, i.e., paradise, where the souls of all OT saved went. He had no chance to make friends for himself by using 'the mammon of unrighteousness' (Jesus epithet for money), so as to welcome him to the 'everlasting habitations' (Heaven) (cf. 9). Yet he was there! And between him and the rich man was an impassable gulf, separating the lost from the saved. Let the covetous Pharisees take warning!”

SOURCE: Unger's Bible Handbook, Dr. Merrill F. Unger, p. 531, Moody Press, copyright 1966

Jesus assured the repentant thief on the cross with a promise, that they would both be in PARADISE that very day. Luke 23:43, “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” How can this refer to Heaven, since Christ had not yet died, been buried, raised up, nor sprinkled His liquid blood upon the heavenly Mercy Seat?

Pastor J. Vernon McGee Teaches Old Testament Saints Went to Paradise

I have always been a big fan and admirer of the man of God, Pastor J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988). Dr. McGee believed and taught the doctrine of Abraham's Bosom, which you can freely hear for yourself in this link to MP3's of the complete 'THRU THE BIBLE' 5-year series by Pastor McGee. Please listen to the MP3's for Luke 16:19-31 about the rich man and Lazarus.

John 3:13, “And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.”

Here is a wonderful explanation of John 3:13 by the great man of God, Pastor J. Vernon McGee (1904-1988):

And now He says, "No man hath ascended up to heaven." That is the answer to those today who feel that Elijah and Enoch went to heaven when they were translated. I don’t think so because up to this point the Lord Jesus says that no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven. In other words, He is saying that He is the only One who can speak about heaven because He is the only One who has ascended up to heaven. Now it is true that there are a host of folk who have gone to heaven after Christ, but in the Old Testament, when a saint of God died, one of God’s own, he went to a place that is called Paradise or Abraham’s Bosom—our Lord called it that (see Luke 16:22). It was not until after Christ died and ascended to heaven and led captivity captive that He took those who were in Paradise into the presence of God in heaven. Since then, for the child of God, it has always been "… absent from the body … present with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8). But when Jesus was here, no other man had ascended to heaven.

SOURCE: Thru The Bible, with Pastor J. Vernon McGee

I am inclined to agree with Dr. McGee's teachings concerning Paradise. For an excellent detailed explanation of Hell, please read the free online book A Biblical Examination of Hell by Pastor Max D. Younce.

Psalms 16:10, “For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” Death is separation from God. Unsaved people are spiritually dead while they live, because they are separated from God. Now there is a second death, which is separation from God for all eternity. If you are not saved, you are already dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-2). If you die in your sins, in your spiritually dead condition, there is no place for you to go except Hell (Greek: Hades). You will die the second death, which is the Lake of Fire (Greek: Gehenna). Revelation 20:15 teaches that death and Hades will one day be cast into Gehenna (the Lake of Fire). Revelation 20:14, “And death and hell (Hades) were cast into the lake of fire (Gehenna). This is the second death.”

This is a hotly debated issue in our churches today (and has been for centuries).

Luke 16 is perhaps the clearest Biblical account of what happens when a person dies. In Luke 16:22-23 we read, “And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments...” So there you see where the idea of Abraham's bosom comes from. We learn from this fascinating passage of Scripture that the believer in Christ is escorted by angels at death to a place of peace. In my humble opinion, to be carried to Abraham's bosom simply meant that when a saint died in the Old Testament, the angels carried them to the same place where Abraham lived, in Paradise. That is what the Bible says, Jesus went to Paradise (Luke 23:43). The Bible also says that Jesus went to Hell (Acts 2:27-32). The only sensible deduction is that Paradise must be in Hell, and the place of Torment is on the other side of Hell, with a great gulf fixed between. This is exactly what we learn in Luke 16:19-31. So why should “Abraham's bosom” (i.e., Paradise) be such a difficult doctrine to accept?

Tragically, we also learn that the unbeliever goes straight to a place of torment. “Abraham's bosom” is another term for the Old Testament place called Paradise. Hell (Hebrew: Sheol, Greek: Hades) is located inside the earth. It is believed by most theologians that Hades is compartmentalized into two distinct places: Paradise and Torment.

For much more Biblical exegesis on Heaven versus Paradise, please read “WHERE ARE THE DEAD?”

“There is power in this Gospel message. Most people just don't know how to present it... The clarity of the Gospel is what makes it easy for them to believe.” —Pastor Yankee Arnold, a precious quote from the excellent MP3 sermon titled, “WHY GRACE CAN SAVE THE WORST MAN!”

“No one's ever saved by cheap grace, they're saved by priceless amazing grace! We have a miracle salvation provided and preserved by God Himself. Let's give out the Good News of this salvation, simply and faithfully for His glory. Salvation is not cheap. God sent His Son to pay for our sins. It wasn't cheap—very expensive—He just made it free. And when you and I try to add one work to it, we cheapen it! That's when you cheapen it, when you think that it wasn't enough, I've got to add something to it!” —Pastor Yankee Arnold, a precious quote from the excellent MP3 sermon titled, “CAUGHT BETWEEN GRACE AND WORKS!” | VIDEO | MORE HELPFUL SERMONS

Caught Between Grace And Works! (AWESOME TRUTH! By Pastor Ralph “Yankee” Arnold | MP3 - Please share with OTHERS!!!)

“And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” —Revelation 20:14-15 

Church Discipline Should Be A Matter Of Restoration

Galatians 6:1-3, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.”

The pastor of the church I am now attending, made a precious statement in his Sunday morning sermon today, that I have never heard any preacher say. He said that church discipline should be a matter of RESTORATION, not kicking people out of church. I love that truth!!! Church discipline is literally a restoration process. It's not removing somebody—it is literally wanting them to come back, trying to restore them back to the brethren, trying to bring them back into fellowship with Christians—that's the point of church discipline.

That explains in a nutshell why I have been at war with the Harvest Baptist Church on Guam since 2014, and now Campus Church at Pensacola Christian College (PCC) since 2021. Instead of trying to work with me to restore our fellowship with one another, they just forced me out the door by mistreating me, and then banned me and threw me under the bus for dead. God will deal with those ungodly pastors who are respecters of men (James 2:1).

People just want to be loved. Sadly, they have so much money and power of influence over their people at PCC, that they have lost sight of the needs of individual people. I sure did need their love, understanding and help in 2021 and 2022, but they couldn't have cared less. Kindly said, Pastor Jeff Redlin is a little man who only cares about those he is paid to care about, which makes him a terrible pastor and a phony man of God. No man is worthy to be a pastor who doesn't unconditionally love people. It's just a damn job to him. Loving Jesus is not the test of our faith as believers, it is loving Judas Iscariot. Either you love everybody or else you love nobody! They are sinfully selective at PCC whom they care about.

The horrible pastors at the Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, whose ringleader was Marty Herron (senior pastor from 1999 to 2018) refused to even talk with me. They forced me out of church for kindly showing them the errors of Lordship Salvation, the Devil's bibles and wrong repentance. When I started attending Harvest in 2014, I saw that they were a confused house. They had the King James Bible alongside the Devil's bibles. They had some free grace believers like me, while their unsaved senior pastor preached the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation.

I thought I was part of an imperfect church family, so I embraced that attitude. Unfortunately, when I tried to help them see THE TRUTH (as a true friend does), they killed the prophet and banned me from returning. I lost my church family, which felt like another divorce (my former wife abandoned me in 2006). I went into a deep depression and didn't go to church for years because of Marty Herron and his accomplices, for which they will give account to God. My blood is upon their cruel neo-evangelical hands.

In 2018, Gary Walton became the new senior pastor at Harvest Baptist Church on Guam, who also threw me under the bus, backing up over me a few times to make sure I was dead. He wouldn't even talk with me. I took my own money and purchased 3-year Sword Of The Lord subscriptions for both Marty Herron, and then later for his successor, Gary Walton. I took my own money and shipped 500 Gospels of John to Harvest Baptist Church on Guam—two different orders to both pastors, years apart, just to show them my sincerity of heart, love and willingness to reconcile and make peace, just so I could have a church family. They never thanked me, didn't care and wouldn't even acknowledge me as a hurting human being. Thankfully, our great God sees (Hebrews 4:13).

Again, in hindsight, I never should have tried to go back to that mess. After my former wife abandoned and then divorced me in 2006, my life went sideways and still hasn't recovered. The silver-lining in it all has been that my wonderful God continues to use a broken sinner like me to help feed Jesus' sheep, and rescue others with the broken pieces of my life. To God be the glory, great things He is doing! One of my favorite MP3 sermons by Pastor Jack Hyles is titled, what else?... “Some On Broken Pieces.” Daniel 11:33a, “And they that understand among the people shall instruct many...”

I begged to come back for 7 long lonely years, but they refused. That is hatred, not God's compassion and love. All they had to do was come across the street and talk with me, seeing that they were my neighbours. They refused to even wave back at me for 7 years. Marty Herron wouldn't even try to reconcile with me, so that I could just attend church again. In hindsight I now realize that it was best that I didn't go back (lest I be corrupted), and perhaps God was protecting me all along. 2nd Corinthians 6:17b doesn't say try to change a corrupt institution or church, the Bible says to “come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord...” Loneliness has made it difficult for me to think clearly over the years, often seeking love in all the wrong places, like Johnny Lee's popular country song called: “Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places.” Neo-evangelical Lordship-Salvation-preaching Baptist churches is not the place to find love.

So I didn't go to church for all those many lonely years. My church family ostracized me because their rotten selfish pastors told them to avoid me, and everybody else did too. Guam is a small island. Those wicked pastors didn't want to seek restoration, because they just didn't like nor want me in their church cult, which is shameful and sinful. My blood is on their hands. People just want to be loved. Jeremiah 10:21, “For the pastors are become brutish [lacking good sense], and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.”

The same is true of Pastor Jeff Redlin, and his sidekick Timothy Zacharias at PCC, who refuse to seek restoration with me. They wanted me gone, so they axed me like a turkey on Thanksgiving Day. They refuse to even speak with me. I gave them my mobile phone number, email and mailing address, but they are too sinfully proud to seek peace in this matter. Evidently they'd rather be enemies and have me preach against the ungodly PCC camp, so I will do that for the rest of my life on earth, God willing. I am in the same boat as Samantha Field, victims of PCC's hatred and bigotry.

So by God's grace I will help fight with Samantha to expose the rotten hateful cult at Pensacola Christian College (PCC), until they seek restoration. Samantha is hurting. I don't believe for one second that she is a queer, as she claims. I think PCC deeply wounded her and that is what she wants the world to see—a homosexual graduate of PCC! But even if she is a homosexual, I am her friend in her cause against PCC, who abuse and ostracize hurting people like us. Jesus called Judas, “Friend.” Christ died for the ungodly!

At PCC, you are only welcome if you idolize and submit to their arrogant self-willed leaders, who do not posses God's unconditional love. As a divorced man (since 2006), I was mistreated, wounded and shunned by Pastor Jeff Redlin in 2021, and the cowards at PCC stood idle and did nothing when I pleaded to come back to Campus Church in 2022, just like they did nothing to help Samantha in her suffering, wounds and pain. At PCC the cult system always comes first, individual people do not matter.

God knows that I am not trying to be a troublemaker. Wicked king Ahab accused the prophet Elijah of causing trouble. 1st Kings 18:17-18, “And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.” Elijah simply told THE TRUTH, for which he was falsely accused of being a troublemaker. The same wicked type of shameful pastors today wrongly accuse me of causing trouble, but I have only TOLD THE TRUTH.

God knows my humble heart, that I truly want to be friends with these pastors, but they don't want to be friends. I think God doesn't want me to be corrupted by them. They are arrogant, high-minded and have huge egos. I am just a humble broken sinner wanting to be loved in my suffering. I am very lonely, since my beloved wife abandoned and divorced me in 2006. I have tried to find a wife for the past 10 years, to no avail. I suffer from constant chronic neck pain, burning nerves, numbness in my left leg, the right side of my body feeling half asleep all the time, and radiating pain in my arms and legs. This is the consequence of a series of accidents and failed surgeries.

Truly, I am thankful to God for my remaining health and have no complaints. A lot of people have it worse than I do. I survive in constant relentless agonizing toothache-like neck pain. I wish all those hateful pastors who refuse to allow me to attend church, could feel my pain of body and soul. They are so cruel and selfish! They have never truly suffered a day in their life, so they have no humility, although they are in denial and falsely think they do. THEY DON'T! They haven't a clue what it means to really suffer, I mean, for decades. They are spoiled rotten, receiving praise from their thousands of brainwashed cult followers, getting paid a sickening 6-digit annual salary (three to four times more than what the average U.S. citizen is paid annually). America is going to Hell because of bad pastors!

Church discipline should be a matter of RESTORATION, not kicking people out of church. Shame on the pastor and church congregation who are quick to show people the door and kick them out. The Bible says in our text passage to have a spirit of meekness and humility toward fallen brothers and sisters, while we work and pray to RESTORE THEM to fellowship with the local church. Oh, how we need this in churches today!

I remember when Garret Kirchway, Pastor Steven Anderson's former assistant pastor, was discovered in the church going behind the pastor's back, teaching the heresy of Modalism, which denies the Godhead (aka, Trinity). Pastor Anderson didn't just fire and kick him out the door. Brother Anderson talked with Garret and gave him a chance to repent of his false doctrine, but Kirchway refused. So Pastor Anderson did the only thing that he could do, with which I agree 100%, he fired him. But Pastor Anderson tried to restore Garret, who is NOT a born again Christian. No one is saved who, having been shown the truth of the Godhead from the Scriptures, still denies the Trinity. Modalism is of the Devil. Modalism errantly teaches that God wears many hats (i.e., goes into different modes, hence, Modalism). Modalists believe that when a saint gets to Heaven, we will only see God the Father, and not Jesus. Colossians 3:1 refutes Modalism, teaching that God the Father and God the Son sit upon separate thrones.

Regarding my website ministry, I have received countless emails in recent years from hurting people who have been either kicked out of their local church, were mistreated by their pastor, or told to go see a psychiatrist or just go away. Only carnally-minded pastors mistreat people like that. I love the Gospel hymn which has the lyrics: “He [Jesus] looked beyond my faults and saw my need.” Yes Sir! That's the answer! That is what we need today—pastors and church members who look beyond people's faults and instead see their needs, so that we will tolerate their unpleasantries and in a spirit of meekness and humility try to restore them.

Galatians 6:1-3, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.”

Samantha Field is hurting deep in her heart of hearts. PCC is shunning her, just as they are shunning me too! Campus Church pastors and PCC leaders are full of sinful pride. Church discipline is a matter of restoration, not throwing people under the bus like Pensacola Christian College and their Campus Church have done to me and Samantha. SHAME on Harvest Baptist Church on Guam! SHAME on Campus Church and PCC! People just want to be loved.