SOME SHALL DEPART FROM THE FAITH!

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. (1 Timothy 4:1)

This is a very interesting passage of scripture. The Jewish apostle Paul, the same one who was converted on the road to Damascus, and a former murderer of Christians, wrote those words. Paul knew what it was like to be deceived. Paul was a Jewish Pharisee, and if one were to examine his life they would probably find an extremely moral man. One might even call him “holy”, but in the sight of God he was religious but lost! He did not know the true and living God until he met Him that day on the road to Damascus.

Keep that in mind whenever you read the letters of Paul, because you are hearing from a man who was ever so grateful for the mercy shown to him on that day. His desire was that others would come out of deception and come to know Jesus Christ. In the passage above, which is from the first letter that Paul wrote to Timothy, Paul tells us that the Spirit had spoken, that in the latter times [the latter days] there would be some who would depart from the faith, and give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines [teachings] of devils.

The Greek word for DEPART in that passage is the word APHISTEMI and it is defined as follows: To remove, instigate to revolt, to desist, desert, depart, draw [fall] away, refrain, withdraw self. 

Now is this talking about people who truly knew the Lord at one time, or is it talking about those who merely professed to be saved, but in reality they were lost.

The passage above is talking about GENUINE believers in Jesus Christ, who get seduced by false teachers, and their doctrines, and depart from the faith.

An unsaved man cannot depart from the faith, because they never had faith to begin with.

Why on earth would the Holy Spirit [of truth] come forth with a warning about the unsaved departing from the faith?

How can the unsaved be seduced away from a place of faith that they were never at to begin with?

Why would the devil come with his doctrines to seduce the unsaved, who he already holds captive at his will? [2 Timothy 2:26]

Taking The Warnings Seriously

It is spiritually dangerous to attempt to make the scriptures say something that they are not saying. An example of what can happen, when you try to make the scriptures fit your own preconceived theology, can be found here:

In the book of Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus spoke about the parable of the talents. He is speaking on the subject of the “Kingdom of Heaven”. Jesus shows us the fate of the “unprofitable servant” in the following verse from that passage:

And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 25:30)

Charles Stanley, the well known Pastor and media minister from Atlanta, Georgia, said this concerning that same passage of scripture:

“Where is this place represented by the ‘outer darkness’ in Jesus’ parables? To be in the ‘outer darkness’ is to be in the kingdom of God but outside the circle of men and women whose faithfulness on this earth earned them a special rank or position of authority. The ‘outer darkness’ represents not so much an actual place as it does a sphere of influence and privilege.”

Concerning the “gnashing of teeth” Charles Stanley goes on to say that these people were “extremely frustrated with themselves” and “As some are celebrated for their faithfulness, others will gnash their teeth in frustration…” And “we do not know how long this time of rejoicing and sorrow will last. Those whose works are burned up will not weep and gnash their teeth for eternity.” [Charles Stanley: Eternal Security, Can You Be Sure? Pages 126-127]

So according to Charles Stanley there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in the outer darkness of Heaven! I don’t know about you but the place that he is describing sure sounds a lot like Hell to me. Do you know why?

BECAUSE IT IS HELL!

If you read the full parable in Matthew 25:14-30 you will see that the Lord Jesus Christ referred to the ‘unprofitable servant’ as “WICKED”.

Are the wicked going to enter the kingdom of Heaven along with the faithful? Not according to Jesus Christ, the creator of all things.

So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the WICKED from among the just, And shall cast them into the FURNACE OF FIRE: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. (Matthew 13:49-50)

Jesus said that the WICKED were going to be cast into the “furnace of fire” and that is where there is going to be ‘wailing and gnashing of teeth.’

The Greek word for WICKED in Matthew 25:26 is the word PONEROS and it is the very same Greek word used in Matthew 13:49 describing those people whom Jesus said would be cast into the “furnace of fire”.

The Greek word for WEEPING in Matthew 25:30 is the word KLAUTHMOS and it is the very same Greek word used for WAILING in Matthew 13:50 describing those people who Jesus said would be cast into the “furnace of fire”.

The Greek word for GNASHING in Matthew 25:30 is the word BRUGMOS and it is the very same Greek word that is used in Matthew 13:50 describing those whom Jesus said would be cast into the “furnace of fire”.

Are there people weeping and gnashing their teeth in Heaven?

When a Christian shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the unsaved, should they tell them that they have a choice between Heaven or Hell, as to where they can wail and gnash their teeth?

The answer to the questions above are obviously an emphatic NO!

In fact the whole idea of wailing and gnashing of teeth in Heaven is ludicrous.

The apostle Paul was truly speaking in the Spirit, all those years ago, when he told us that some “shall depart from the faith”, but the question is this: Is anybody listening??

On the back cover of the classic book on this subject, “Life In The Son” by Robert Shank, the following is written:

“Are the proof passages used to support eternal security possibly misconstrued? Dr. Shank convincingly argues that the question confronting us is not, Is the believer secure? but rather, What does it mean to be a believer? If apostasy is an actual peril for every Christian, the Scriptural warning passages must be frankly accepted rather than interpreted into irrelevance or circumvented by theological hypothesis.

“”Life In The Son” by Robert Shank was also endorsed by Dr. William Adams of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

AUDIO: “THE REALITY OF HELL”

Other books on this subject are:

“The Conditional Security Of The Believer” by Dan Corner”

The Gospel According To Charles Stanley” by Dan Corner

“The Myth of Eternal Security” by Dan Corner

ROME AND THE MISSING COMMANDMENT!

After I became a Christian I had an insatiable desire to read the Word of God [The Bible]. One of the first things that I noticed in my reading of the Ten Commandments, which can be found in Exodus 20:1-17, is that the Second Commandment was different from what I learned growing up as a Roman Catholic. I remember learning the Second Commandment as “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord Thy God in vain.” which you can read for yourself in the Catechism above.These are the Ten Commandments as found in the Roman Catholic New Saint Joseph Catechism, which has the Imprimatur of the Catholic Church. Having the Imprimatur means that they approve of the doctrine which is contained inside the Catechism. [Item #195, page 100]After I was born again, I went to the Bible and saw that the Second Commandment spoke about the making and worshiping of graven images. It is obvious that the statues, which I was so used to seeing in church when I was growing up, fit into that category. Here is the REAL Second Commandment as found in the King James version of the Bible. 

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:4-6)

Shortly before I came to know Jesus Christ I was involved in the worship of graven images, and I became more heavily involved in the worship of Mary as I became involved in the Catholic charismatic movement. I went shopping with the intention of purchasing a small statue of her, for I was going to build an altar to Mary in my finished attic. The prices were out of my range, so I never bought the statue, nor did I build that altar. I can say today that the Lord set me free with His truth, from the idolatry which had me ensnared.

If you take a look at the Ten Commandments in the Catholic Catechism you will notice that after removing the Second Commandment, the Third Commandment then became the Second Commandment, and the Fourth Commandment became the Third and the rest of them were slid down also. The Roman Catholic Church then took the Tenth Commandment, found in ONE verse [Exodus 20:17] and which deals with the ONE subject of covetousness, and they broke it in half, and made it into the NINTH and TENTH Commandments in their Catechism.

I point this out for the pupose of bringing some spiritual light on the subject of idolatry. There is an interesting portion of scripture in the book of Acts where the city of Ephesus went into an uproar because the apostle Paul had been preaching his heart out to the people, and warning them about such idolatry and the worship of graven images. This upset the merchants who were making a fortune by creating these graven images:

And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth. Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands: So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at nought; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. (Acts 19:23-28)

Do you see what happened there? There was an uproar because the apostle Paul was making inroads into the territory of the devil himself. Were the people of Ephesus worshiping God in Spirit and truth? Were they worshipers of Jesus Christ as the Jewish apostle Paul was? You know that they were not. They were worshiping a goddess named Diana, who had people throughout the whole world ensnared. As a Christian I know that these people of Ephesus were in gross deception [as I was] and the devil was going wild because he was about to be exposed.

The devil will leave a person alone in the darkness of their idolatry, and even allow them to make mega bucks in their spiritual fraud, because ultimately he is after their soul. When somebody gets near them with the Word of God, and the truth that can set them free he gets very angry, and will often create a distraction so that they do not hear the truth that can set them free.

That is why I am a firm believer that the Sword of the Spirit [God’s Word and Truth] must be used when you share the Gospel with people. Why? Because it is the Word of God and not merely a man made opinion. There is power in the Word of God. Here is another passage of scripture that deals on the subject of idol worship:

Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. (Psalms 115:1-8)

The Word of God could not be any clearer when it speaks on the subject of idolatry. Many people will dig in their feet to defend their worship of idols, but they are totally unaware that there are dark powers working behind the entities they THINK they are worshiping. There truly is a battle for their souls taking place.

THE CORRUPTION OF POLITICS, ZIONISM AND WAR IN THE CHURCH!

Almost two thousand years ago a warning came forth from the mouth of Jesus Christ and he used the example of leaven to press home his point. The Lord often used similar illustrations so that the people would understand what he was saying:

And he (Jesus) charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. (Mark 8:15)

Leaven is yeast which is able to work inside dough, causing it to rise rapidly.  When the dough is kneaded the leaven is spread to the rest of the dough, touching every part of it.  The Lord was warning his disciples about the corruption of the political system (Herod) and the corruption of the religious system (Pharisees) who had an outward form of righteousness, but did not truly want Jesus.  Leaven (yeast) can be added to a lump of dough and it will do its work without anyone even knowing it was put there.

This leaven of political and religious corruption that Jesus Christ spoke about has been at work within the “church” for a very long time now, and it is accelerating at a very rapid pace.  The “whole lump” ( 1 Corinthians 5:6) has  just about been leavened by the corrupting influence of these systems.

THE WAR IN IRAQ

When one looks at the war in Iraq, and the incredible support that came from Christian Pastors across America, you would have been hard pressed to find a Pastor who did not support the war. I remember reading an article, prior to the invasion of Iraq, about President Bush speaking to a large group of Christian leaders.  The overwhelming majority of leaders gave their heartfelt support for the invasion, with the exception of one unnamed Pastor.  He said he could not picture Jesus standing before a crowd and encouraging a nation to go forth into war.  In other words  he was saying that there was “something wrong with this picture.”

So here we are, more than five years later, with over four thousand American soldiers dead, thousands more serverely injured, and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi people dead, both insurgents and civilian alike. Millions of lives have been affected by what is taking place and yet there seems to be very little comment from the leaders in the church. There have been professional reports done to verify the high death toll of the Iraqi people, but they have been dismissed.  This is how the leaven of Herod works and it has entered the thinking of the church in a very big way.

I believe the absolute scandal of Abu Ghraib was a wake up call to those who saw it for what it was.  I personally believe that the Lord Jesus Christ allowed everybody throughout the world to have an opportunity to see what was going on behind the scenes.

Few voices were ever heard from the “Christian” community about that, simply because that leaven of corruption has worked its way deep inside the church. Where was the voice of the prophet during that scandal?  Where was the voice of the “anointed” ministers and Pastors who are supposed to be concerned with righteousness?  We entered another country based on false information and the results have been nothing less than chaotic, with millions of lives completely shattered.

Another thing that I have noticed is that the people in the “world” who are not Christians show more concern about the innocent civilians that are killed then do the Pastors in the churches in America. I can honestly say that I do not know of even ONE well known ”man of God” who preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ who has ever stood up and opened his mouth against the war in Iraq. Not even one!   I have seen the placards which say “WAR IS NOT PRO LIFE” and I agree with them. We as Christians are quick to fight against abortion and I am in full agreement with that, but we do not seem to have a problem with the slaying of the innocents of war, which are simply dismissed as “collateral damage” by the media. Pastors lay hands on their young missionaries on the one hand and send them off to other countries to win souls for Christ, and then they lay hands on young men and send them off to war with the full approval of the church.

A CHRISTIAN MAN NAMED MARCELLUS

What does the bible teach about the subject of war and the duty of the Christian?  What have Christians done in the past?  This excerpt from the book “They Loved Their Enemies, True Stories Of African Christians”, by Marian Hostetler, will give you some insight into the position of the biblical Christian.

“About thirty years after the death of Cyprian, the whole Roman Empire was celebrating the emperors birthday. In Tangier (in what is now Morocco) a certain Marcellus was not celebrating.

Now Marcellus was a centurion in the Roman army. (A centurion was an officer over 100 men.) He had become a Christian, a soldier of Jesus Christ.  How could he keep his oath and serve the Roman emperor? How could he earn his living by killing others?  He therefore decided he could no longer be a soldier for the Roman emperor.

So instead of celebrating, Marcellus carried out the decision he had made.  He stood in front of his hundred men, took off his soldiers belt and the badge showing his rank, and spoke to them. 

 ’I am a Christian.  I can no longer serve the emperor.’

In July of the year 289, Marcellus was brought before Fortunatus, the governor of the province. Fortunatus wanted to hush up the affair, but since Marcellus had publicly proclaimed his faith and his resolve to quit the army, he had no choice.  He had Marcellus arrested.  The last of October, Marcellus was brought to trial before Judge Agricola.

  ’Are you guilty of this deed you are accused of?’ demanded Agricola. 

 ’Yes answered Marcellus.’ 

 ’What madness has made you break your oath as an officer and has led you to believe this Christian foolishness?’ 

 ‘It is not foolishness to fear God’

 ’But you have laid down your weapons!’

 ’Yes, because it is not good for a Christian who serves Christ to serve other powers as well’ Marcellus answered.  

The judge sentenced him to death by beheading. 

Before leaving for his execution, Marcellus said one more thing to the judge. ‘May God bless you Agricola’.”

[They Loved Their Enemies, True Stories Of African Christians by Marian Hostetler, Herald Press, 1988, pages 19-20]

I was truly struck by the contrast between the testimony of Marcellus and the testimony that comes forth from the majority of “Christian” pulpits today.  Marcellus was so totally transformed by the Spirit of God that he totally abandoned his former life as a soldier and declared “I am a Christian, I can no longer serve the emperor.”  Now that is biblical Christianity at its best. The bible tells us that we should give honor where honor is due (Romans 13:7) and I honor that man for what he did.  The judge questioned Marcellus about believing “…this Christian foolishness” but Marcellus responded “It is not foolishness to fear God.” Wow, what a heart Marcellus had, to stand against the government of his day and refuse to kill anymore. What was the end result of it all? It cost Marcellus his head.  Marcellus was simply following in the footsteps of his new master, Jesus Christ.  I am sure that Marcellus suffered much but he knew where he was going when he left this earth.  Marcellus remembered the words of his Saviour Jesus while he was dying on the cross:

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. (Luke 23:34)

I am sure that Marcellus knew that the Jesus he served  just happened to be the creator of ALL things (John 1:1-3) and he knew that Jesus would be the one who would judge him one day also:

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

Marcellus went from being a child of wrath (Ephesians 2:3) to a child of God (Galatians 3:26) and the fruit of that change was that he laid down his weapons. Marcellus probably knew the following verse of scripture where Jesus equated the destroying of mens lives with that of a different spirit.

But he (JESUS) turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village. (Luke 9:55-56)

Now if this man Marcellus saw that it would not be Godly to continue as a soldier, then why is it that the majority of modern day Christians do not see it?  I believe that it is simply because the leaven of Herod and the leaven of the Pharisees has so permeated the church that it has become acceptable.

 COULD IRAN BE NEXT?

John Hagee, the preacher from San Antonio Texas, has been pressing for an attack on Iran and he has many enthusiastic supporters, both in political and religious circles.  I spoke about this in another blog entitled THE STRONG DELUSION OF CHRISTIAN ZIONISM.  I believe that the apostle Paul’s head would have been spinning if he was listening to Hagee and others speak at the CUFI convention.  He would have heard a “Christian”preacher calling for an attack on another country. WHAT?  Perhaps this should have been called the Guns-n-Moses Convention.  If Paul was there he would have stood up and faced the audience and told every Jew and Gentile that was present that  “… except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish. (Luke 13:3)  The warning about the leaven, that Jesus gave all those years ago, has been totally ignored and we are reaping the consequences in the present day church. 

As a Christian, I know that it is the Lord Jesus Christ who will judge me one day. I also know that it was the Lord Jesus Christ who spilled his blood on the cross for my wretched and sinful soul, so I take him at his word. After Jesus rose from the dead he said:

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Jesus told his closest followers that ALL power has been given to him both in heaven and on earth. Now if that does not speak of authority then what does?  I call Him King Jesus because the bible calls him “… King of Kings and Lord of Lords…”(Revelation 17:14, 19:16) 

Now listen to King Jesus again on the subject of war:  

Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (John 18:36-37)  

Jesus prophesied of a time when the love of many would wax (grow) cold and we  most certainly are living in those days:

And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (Matthew 24:12-14)

Here is a link to  some very interesting:   PEACE VIDEO CLIPS

Jesus Christ: His Prophetic Parable For Israel!

In the parable of the LORD’S VINEYARD [Matthew 21:33-46] we gain much insight into how the Lord dealt with the Jewish people of His day, regarding their rejection of not only Him, but of the prophets through the ages. This parable was given by the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of the world, almost two thousand years ago:

Matthew 21:33
Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

The householder in this parable is the Lord God Almighty, and the  husbandmen are the gardeners who were responsible for the vineyard.  In this case the husbandmen [gardeners] are the children of Israel who were entrusted with the Word of God down through the years.  The children of Israel were the ones who were instructed by the Lord, and they often had His prophets sent to them. In fact the book of Isaiah shows us clearly that the vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel.

Isaiah 5:7-8
For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.  Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth!

Matthew 21:34-36
And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.

In this part of the parable the Lord is describing the history of the children of Israel and how they treated the servants of the Lord.  These servants were beaten, persecuted and even killed at times.  In fact if you read chapter seven in the New Testament book of Acts you will hear Stephen, a man of faith and power, rehearse the history of Israel in great detail. In fact this chapter is one of the clearest testimonies in the whole New Testament of how the Jewish people were confronted regarding their rejection of JESUS their MESSIAH.

At one point Stephen addressed the Jewish leaders who were standing before him and said the following:

Acts 7:51-52
Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.  Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One [Jesus Christ]; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:  Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.  When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.

Stephen told the Jewish leaders that they were resisting the Holy Ghost just as their fathers did. Stephen also made a point of telling these Jewish leaders that they were responsible for killing the prophets who prophesied of the coming Christ [MESSIAH].  We know the Messiah is Jesus. Stephen was stoned to death a short time later, like so many others of the Lord’s faithful witnesses. [Acts 7:55-60]

Matthew 21:37-39
But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.

This part of the parable describes what happened when Jesus Christ arrived on the scene. He was rejected by the majority of the Jewish people, especially the chief priests and the elders, and they wanted Jesus Christ to be put to death. The scriptures below testify to the truth that they were surely involved in putting Christ [MESSIAH] to death.

Matthew 27:1
When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death:

The Lord was not surprised by what was coming and He told His own disciples that His death was the fulfillment of prophecy. The Word of God is truly amazing in its accuracy regarding the prophetic word.  The scriptures foresaw what took place here, and declared it hundreds of years before.

Luke 18:31-33
Then he [Jesus] took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.

Matthew 21:40
When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?

Here the Lord Jesus Christ asks the Jewish religious leaders, who were listening to Him tell this parable, what should be done to those who did all of those things to the Lord’s servants. Jesus was now getting to the very heart of the matter, as He always did, and He wanted them to give Him the answer to His question.

Matthew 21:41
They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.

The Jewish religious rulers responded and told Jesus that those who did those things were wicked and they should be destroyed! Not only that, but they said that the vineyard should be let out [given over to] to other husbandmen [gardeners] who would bring forth the fruits in their seasons. They had no idea that their answer played right into the meaning of the parable.  They were able to see the unrighteousness of what was done to the servants in that parable, but they did not realize that they were the very ones whom the Lord was describing.

Matthew 21:42
Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

The Lord Jesus Christ then quoted Psalm 118:22 regarding Himself as being that STONE which the builders [Israel] rejected and who had become the head of the corner [or cornerstone]. The Lord was basically telling the leaders of Israel that the very one standing before them was the very one whom they needed. The Lord was and is the chief cornerstone in the Kingdom of God, a Kingdom which would be made up of Jewish and Gentile believers.

HERE IS THE VERSE I WANT YOU TO SEE!

Matthew 21:43
Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Could Jesus Christ, the creator of the earth [John 1:1-3], have been any clearer in His pronunciation against the leaders of Israel.  The Lord made His point that Israel had rejected the prophets who were sent to them, and they would end up killing Him too.  Yes, the Lord was prophesying of His very own death but He was also telling Israel that the Kingdom would be taken from them, and it was! The nation that the Lord said would be given the Kingdom is simply that “holy nation” of believers described by Peter. [1 Peter 2:9-10]  This gospel is not about Israel but it is all about Jesus Christ. The prophets prophesy about Jesus Christ because it is all about HIM. The Lord is going to have a people who serve Him and worship HIM with all of their heart, and those people are going to come from every part of this large world in which we live.  If a person has not been born again then they are not part of the Kingdom of God [John 3:1-8] because entrance into this Kingdom is only through Jesus Christ. Do not let anybody replace the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a false gospel, because a curse comes along with a false gospel. [Galatians 1:8-9]

WHO ARE GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE?

They are those who believe the testimony that God gave of His Son Jesus Christ! [Jewish and Gentile]

WHO IS THE APPLE OF GOD’S EYE?

It is those who have put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ! [Jewish and Gentile]

God is not a respector of persons, and any person who desires salvation in Christ will not be turned away. Does that mean that a person who has led a life without the Lord, and who has lived in absolute decadence their whole life can be saved? Absolutely YES.  That very same person can also be called the apple of God’s eye, and one of God’s chosen people as much as any person who has received the Lord since the beginning of the world.  This gospel is not about Israel, but it is all about Jesus Christ!

Do you remember what the Lord Jesus Christ told that  Gentile woman of Samaria concerning the worship of God?

John 4:21-26
Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias [Messiah] cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

Jesus told this Gentile woman that He was in fact the Messiah that she was looking for, which clearly shows us that the Lord will reveal Himself to anyone who truly desires to know Him.  This woman had been married many times, and she was living with a man at the time, but the Lord offered her mercy. Do you remember what the angel said to the apostle John, in the book of Revelation, when John went to bow down and worship him?

Revelation 19:10
And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

If a person does not have the testimony of Jesus in their heart, and on their lips, then they are not true worshipers of God. The angel made that very clear to John. The angel also let John know that the spirit of prophecy will put the testimony of Jesus within a persons heart. If a person truly wants to know what the Word of God is about, then they will find out very quickly that it is Jesus Christ who is the central figure in the Bible, and the redeemer whom they need.

Matthew 21:44
And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Jesus Christ did not mince words when He spoke, and here he tells the Jewish leaders that those who reject Him would end up as powder.  The word of God still stands true today for both Jew and Gentile. It is either Christ or nothing, and there are no back doors, side doors, or any other door you might think of in this plan of salvation. Jesus said this:

John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Matthew 21:45-46
And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet.

At this point the Jewish priests and the Pharisees caught on to what Jesus was telling them, and they realized that He was speaking about them. They would have grabbed Jesus right then and there but they feared for their own lives so they did not take Him at this point.

ACTUAL QUOTE FROM JESUS CHRIST

John 3:16-18
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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

This message can now be heard on AUDIO HERE

THE MURDER OF MICHAEL SATTLER AND HIS WIFE!

In the year 1527 AD Michael Sattler, a former Roman Catholic monk, was sentenced to an absolutely horrible death. Here is the true account:

“In the case of the Governor of his Imperial Majesty versus Michael Sattler, judgment is passed, that Michael Sattler shall be delivered to the executioner, who shall lead him to the place of execution, and cut out his tongue; then throw him upon a wagon, and there tear his body twice with red hot tongs; and after he has been brought without the gate, he shall be pinched five times in the same manner”

This true account goes on to say:

” After this was done in the manner prescribed, he was burned to ashes as a heretic. His fellow brethren were executed with the sword, and the sisters drowned. His wife, also, after being subjected to many entreaties, admonitions and threats, under which she remained very steadfast, was drowned a few days afterwards. Done the 21st day of May, AD 1527″  [Martyrs Mirror, van Braght Pages 416-420]

What was their crime? What did they do that would cause them to put to death in such a cruel and inhumane manner? They simply refused and rejected the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. They refused to remain silent. They stood up for truth and it cost them their very lives. What were the charges against Michael Sattler?

A] He taught and believed that the body and blood of Christ are not literally present in the sacrament.

B] He taught and believed that infant baptism does not contribute to salvation.

C] He rejected the need for Mary and other “saints” as mediatiors.

 DO NOT BE FOOLED!

The doctrines [teachings] of the Roman Catholic Church , which Michael Sattler, and many others rejected, and for which they were killed, remain the same today. The Coucil of Vatican II made some surface changes, but the major doctrines remain the same. Most people are completely unaware that Vatican II also upheld the Council of Trent which included over 100 anathemas [curses] against Protestant believers. Here are just two of the anathemas [curses] from the book: “The Canons And Decrees Of The Council Of Trent” [TAN Books 1978]

Canon Number One [Page 149]

“If anyone says that in the mass a true, and real sacrifice, is not offered to God … let him be anathema [accursed]“

Canon Number Three [Page 149]

“If anyone says that the sacrifice of the mass is one only of praise and thanksgiving; or that it is a mere commemoration of the sacrifice consummated on the cross but not a propitiatory sacrifice; or that it profits him only who receives, and ought not to be offered for the living and the dead, for sins, for punishments, satisfactions and other necessities, let him be anathema [accursed]“

The back cover of this book says the following:

“That meeting – the Council of Trent -produced a large number of canons and decrees, condemned the errors of the Protestant reformation …”

This book also has the Roman Catholic Imprimatur which means that everything in that book is the official doctrine of Rome. I remind you that Vatican II also upheld the Council of Trent.

The Roman Catholic Church still teaches that a child is born again at infant baptism.

They still teach that the Mass is the “perfect sacrifice continued.”

They still teach that there is a Purgatory, and Catholic Masses are still said for those who reside in Purgatory.

They still exalt Mary to an unbiblical position that is not found in the Word of God.

They still put their tradition on an equal level with the scriptures. According to God’s Word, the Roman Catholic gospel qualifies as a false gospel, and a true biblical anathema [curse] rests upon those who proclaim it. [Galatians 1:8,9]

IT’S TIME TO WAKE UP!

Leonard Ravenhill was a bold and uncompromising outdoor evangelist, whose street preaching sometimes caused traffic jams in Britain. In his well known book “Why Revival Tarries” [1959]  he wrote this concerning Roman Catholicism:

“… America would shake from coast to coast in twenty four hours if some preacher anointed with the Holy Ghost, gave the Roman Catholic Church a broadside! …these priests who dope mens souls, these idolatrous “masses”, these Calvary eclipsing prayers to Mary, these miserable millions cheated in life and death by the greatest forgery Lucifer ever made” [Why Revival Tarries by Leonard Ravenhill, Bethany House Publishers, Pages 39-40]

Why is it that we hear so little of that kind of preaching today? Why is there such a deadly silence from the pulpits, and from the Christian “leaders” of our day?

Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. (Acts 20:26-31)

The Jewish apostle Paul preached with such a passion because he was delivered from religious deception, and he obeyed the Word of God which called him to warn others. Paul was able to say that he was “pure from the blood of all men,” because he had not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God. Paul suffered much for the sake of the Gospel because he did not hold back the truth. There are few who stand in the pulpit in modern times [in "Protestant churches] who could make the claim that Paul made. What about YOU? Is there blood on YOUR hands?