A different gospel is no gospel
Jesus rebuked the “religious” crowd of His day for their false worship which is vain worship and of no effect. Such worship is as phony as a three dollar bill, looks good, sounds good but it is fake and cannot help you. The false gospel prevalent in modern-day churches is as phony as a three dollar bill. Jesus was an expert at identifying counterfeit religion and He judged righteous judgment out of love and told people the truth even though they rejected Him (the truth) and His message.
Matthew 15:3-9 He answered and said to them, “Why do you also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God commanded, saying, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 5 But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God”— 6 then he need not honor his father or mother.’ Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying:
8 ‘ These people draw near to Me with their mouth,
And honor Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me (an impure heart)
9 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
Understand this. God saves people not men or church organizations. God saves people out of churches that teach a different gospel and worship another Jesus. God even saves people that walk in partial darkness, these simply miss out on the blessings of God in this life. God alone gives the increase. I am not judging anyone’s heart by my rebuke of church doctrine; but sound doctrine and instruction is important to equip the Saints and keep them from falling victim to the deception of the serpent. My hope is to help change hearts, not to have anyone change churches as your heart is the only thing that matters to God. Love God with ALL your heart.
False teaching keeps people from coming to full knowledge of the truth and leads many down the broad road of destruction. The majority of our church organizations and systems are deceived at best or led by enemy infiltrators at worse.
2 Peter 2:1-3 But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies
The teaching of the true gospel, at least in America has long ago strayed from the truth shown in the Scriptures. The one simple litmus test is this: Any doctrine that does not conform us to godliness (holiness) and teaches us to Love God with our whole heart is a false doctrine. From my vantage point, that pretty much sums of the egregious errors of the denominational heresy that dominates today’s Christianity and has been repeated so often it is now the Christian dogma. Beliefs such as say a prayer one time and you are signed sealed and delivered to heaven or teachings that tell us we can keep on practicing sin and be in the will of God are all lies straight from the pit of hell. We know the end is near as all the signs of apostasy and delusion are now in place. We have heaped upon us teachers who tell our itching rebellious ears what we want to hear. The sin nature we are born with does not want to hear it must suffer and be conformed to godliness. It wants to hear we can keep on living in the world and say some words with our lips, give God part of our heart and everything is going to turn out all right. That is a false gospel my friends.
Let me say on the front end that I do not have all the light. I write this out of love for the truth not out of any condemnation. It is not my place to judge anyone’s heart, that is reserved for God alone. But He has given me revelation and is urging me to speak out in confidence the wisdom He has provided in His service. Believe me, I understand how my credibility as a witness for God is directly proportional to my walking faithfully with Him, being pure, holy, spotless and blameless. God has been working on that for some time and a recent breakthrough that I spoke about this post: God’s Foremost Commandment has truly been transforming and God has shown up big time.
I mean no offence to anyone but judging righteous judgment is our God given command. We must make a stand for the truth but do it with gentleness and humility. If this post does offend you, I ask that you prayerfully study the scriptures cited in context and ask God for wisdom per James 1:5 and Jeremiah 33:3. I am confident He will show you something that you had not previously seen. God has been calling me and many others out of darkness, awakening those that have fallen asleep and raising up disciples to bring home the end times harvest for the Kingdom. That is the love that saves even though it may not win and influence friends the way the world defines it. Jesus came against the religious traditions of the Pharisees and the Jews of His day and they tried to kill him by pushing Jesus off cliffs and stoning Him. I pray thoughts such as this will not come upon you but if they do, know that they are thoughts from the enemy My point in this post is this:
Most of what is called Christianity today or Church is teaching another gospel and leads people to worship another Jesus.
Galatians 1:6-10 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another gospel (there is only one truth); but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
This passage from Galatians has been thrown at me and others that are espousing a gospel of repentance from sin and putting to death the deeds of the flesh by walking in the Spirit. That is what Loving the Lord with all your heart is all about in its simplest terms. Many call that legalism or a works salvation but I call it the gospel or truth because that is what it is. The gospel of perverted grace and perverted love is the fake gospel and that was the gospel that Paul was referring to here. Oh how great the apostasy that the whole truth has been totally flip-flopped with deception.
Paul wrote to the Galatians very strongly about their falling away from the truth so soon after having come to the light of Christ. The arch deceiver, the devil is out to kill us or destroy us outright — but barring that “they” (the demons) will come to steal and pervert the truth to keep us in bondage. That is what happened in Galatia and as we will see it happened to the Roman church and the church at Corinth.
Anyone will admit that Paul’s epistles can be difficult to read straight up without thorough study and referencing of other Scriptures. It is easy to invent new doctrines and misrepresent what Paul wrote about. In fact Peter warned us that this would happen, specifically citing Paul’s Epistles as a subsequent source of perversion of God’s truth. Keep the context of 2 Peter in perspective, the whole book was about being deceived, following false teachers and falling away from the true gospel which was for us to walk in holiness by the Spirit of God. Here is what Peter said, beginning with an admonishment for us to be without spot, loving God with a pure heart.
2 Peter 3:14-17 Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; 15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, 16 as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. 17 You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also FALL (away) from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the lawless
Lawlessness is sin. The way to spot the error is simple. Anyone saying you can keep on practicing sin — is the false teacher and is preaching another gospel and a different Jesus. Peter’s prophesy about Paul’s epistles has come true as the grace Paul taught about has been turned into a license to sin. The walking in the Spirit Paul wrote about has been turned into saying an intellectual prayer one-time. This false gospel has us nullifying the law rather than the fulfilling the Law as Jesus taught us we would do. Paul’s epistles properly divided are true and powerful instruction into godliness and righteousness.
The Scriptures warns us repeatedly that the children of God could be deceived just like Eve was in the garden into following false Gods and believing lies about God’s truth. We are given ample examples and the means to identify the false teaching, the demon spirits behind them and the foundation of truth to expose the deeds of darkness behind it all. Please do not be deceived. Read and take into context the verses shown on the following links under the key word search as indicated:
The Enemy Brings Deception & Blindness
God is in control. God allows the enemy to work and to accomplish His purposes. When we harden our heart in rebellion to God, the tormentor demons come upon us. God removes His protection (the hedge of protection) as our sin separates us from God. See my recent post Understanding Our Enemy for a good primer on how evil operates in the world.
Consider the story of Eve, who was deceived in the garden. Satan continues to use his chief scheme today and that is deception. If Satan came at us straight up and said he was Satan we would run away, but he is clever and will entice with half-truths and part love even using the name of Jesus. We were told that the many would falsely come in Jesus name and that the Spirit of AntiChrist was already at work before the New Testament was even completed. This is where we are at folks – deception has gripped the world and the most professing Christians are foolishly asleep and have no oil in their lamps.
The devil lied to Eve saying she could sin without consequence. The modern-day perversion of grace is the same lie just reconstituted. Sadly this lie has permeated most all the modern-day church systems. This is a false gospel my friends and I don’t care how nice or how loving the Pastor is, they are blind to the truth.
Genesis 3:1-5 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Paul chastised the early Church at Corinth for falling for the same deception. Because they had faith and believed in Jesus (but not with a pure heart), they were being lied to that they could practice sin and still walk with God. Oh how I wish Paul could write a letter to today’s churches. He would say the same things as follows:
2 Corinthians 11:2-4 For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin (pure) to Christ. 3 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity (Love God with All Your Heart) that is in Christ. 4 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit (a demon when you sin) which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!
Salvation By Works
The powers of darkness have deceived many just as Jesus said would happen. The modern-day false gospel has twisted faith into worshipping Jesus with our lips and not our whole heart. Go reread the Matthew 15 passage shown at the top of this post. Jesus spoke harshly against such worship. Do you see it now? The “many” in the following passage from Matthew’s Gospel according to Strong’s Concordance means the “preponderance or significant majority of” in the Greek. These professing Christians that Jesus speaks of, practiced sin even though they did many good works in Jesus’ name.
Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
The foundation of these deceived “Christians” is not the real Jesus. They have idols in their hearts and Jesus does not have their whole heart. One of their idols may well be the doctrines and perverted gospel they practice. That is why when truth comes against them, you touch their idol and then they want to throw the real Jesus off a cliff or stone Him to death just like the Jews did 2000 years ago. Jesus said blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sake! All Christians walking with a pure heart will be persecuted, we are promised it would happen. Some are even pushed off cliffs or stoned to death, maybe not physically in this country but certainly spiritually by carnal minds.
The enemy has now blinded so many to the truth in God’s word that the very warnings about preaching another gospel and worshipping another Jesus have been transposed and used to attack the true gospel. Those that preach obedience to God by walking with a pure heart (in the Spirit) are accused of legalism or a works salvation. The reality is those making such accusations do not understand the truth in the Good News. Unless we repent of all idols and turn (repent) FULLY to Jesus and surrender our fleshly/sinful nature, we are worshipping another Jesus. Jesus shares His glory with nobody or no thing including the religious traditions and organizations of men.
A heart set 70% on Jesus and 30% on selfish ambition is not a pure heart and Jesus cannot be one’s Lord. When Jesus shares your heart, Jesus is an idol and while many good deeds may get done and while Jesus may be preached, it is not bringing people to knowledge of the truth that is necessary to save their soul. This creates tares that look like the wheat but are plucked up and burned on the Last Day. At the heart of this vain worship is winning the approval or favor of men. The roots of that lust of the heart is pride or greed both of which are fruits of Satan.
The so-called prosperity gospel is an offshoot of a deceived heart and one that has not been Born Again. The deceived want their ears tickled and love to hear nice sounding smooth words of love and peace. This creates a false security of phony lip based faith and a total lack of real peace and the fruit of righteousness that comes with a heart set on pleasing God first and foremost. When pride or greed gets into your heart and takes root, you want to build a reputation for yourselves, you seek esteem from the community, your neighbors, your friends, your business associates and the world in general. By your actions and deeds you will show partiality and favoritism. This is false love my friends, it is not godly love. God is not a respector of persons, He is a judge of hearts.
All partiality is sin even if acted upon in the name of Jesus. The bottom line is this: Those who are led by the Spirit of God, are the real sons of God. Those that practice sin and operate with impure hearts are children of the devil.
1 John 3:8-10 He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. 10 In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.
Jesus told the Jews their father was Satan as their hearts were far from God. Whose child are you? The depth of Satan’s deceptions know no bounds and the truth has been turned upside down and inside out. I will say it here: Any teaching that does not teach you must be led by the Spirit of God is a works salvation. If one is led by the Spirit of God they do not break the law with any practice and if they do break it, they go right back to Jesus and repent when God disciplines His children.
Romans 8:13 For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, 14because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
This is a very difficult message to grasp if you are immersed into the doctrines of men that have been handed down for centuries by those fallen away from the truth of the gospel once preached to the Saints. Maybe by now you are mad at me, saying who does this guy think he is to attack my religion or criticize my church. I am trying to show you love if you have the eyes to see it. Test everything I say or anyone says by the word of God. Let no man be your teacher. Few that read this will get the truth this post contains. If hearts are hardened in rebellion to God, the blinders will stay on until God takes them off. Many are always learning but never able to come to knowledge of the truth. That is because they have separated themselves from God thru sin and their Bible Studies satisfy their idol or religious practice yet their hearts remain far from the real Jesus. I pray God will open some eyes through this blog.
God has indeed already sent the delusion Paul wrote about in 2 Thess. Those that take pleasure in their sin, irregardless of their “religious” practices or outward expression of faith in Christ are ensnared in a big deception. I wrote a post about this a few months back that you may find helpful. God Has Sent The Delusion
Jesus said we cannot serve two masters. We are slaves to the Master we actually obey. Are we slaves to sin or slaves to righteousness, the choice is ours. We cannot live with two natures, a sin nature and a divine nature. Who is your master is a very valid question that we need to be asking constantly. Is Jesus your Lord, the one Master you follow? Jesus said why do you call me Lord Lord and not do what I say?
Jesus gave us the analogy of being born again. A kernel of wheat must fall to the ground and die to produce life (John 12:27). The truth and wisdom contained in the parables of Jesus teachings have been hidden from all who do not have a pure heart. The Word of God tells us this expressly. Many church denominations teach a variety of “to do” lists of things we must do to be saved. Nowhere on the list is the only issue that really matters which is to Love the Lord with All Your Heart and the corollary of Love Your Neighbor as Yourself. Do this and you will live. Depending on the denomination you will have been taught various things such as these:
1. Say a prayer and invite Jesus into your heart. Sounds nice, but Jesus must have our whole heart. Love the Lord they God with all your heart. Do this and you shall live said Jesus.
2. Make a commitment for Jesus. Jesus said that anyone who does not Love Him more than his mother, daughter or son is not worthy of Him. He also said anyone who puts his hand to the plow of God and looks back is not fit for His Kingdom (Luke 9:62).
3. Joining a church, specifically or generally. Joining an organization was never a criteria from the Lord. Belonging to a church can be helpful but is no substitute for giving your life to God. Whomsoever seeks to save his life shall lose it, but to he who loses his life shall gain it. I am not anti church as fellowshipping and serving together is a joy if done with a pure heart.
4. Go to bible studies. Studying the word of God is important to prepare us and train is in righteousness. It is by the Word that we are washed and sanctified, but — the whole council of God must be taught and when grace and love are perverted into doctrines of demons that tell Christians they can walk with Jesus and their sin at the same time, lives are lost and people are led to the pit of hell. Let no man be your teacher. By all means go to Bible Studies but know it is just a dead work if your heart is not pure with God.
5. Learn how to speak in tongues. God doles out His gifts as He alone determines. Speaking in tongues or possessing any of the other gifts was never linked by God to being saved. It is a perversion of the truth that has come from inside the church. 2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves
6. Making Jesus Lord of your life. Jesus is Lord, we do not make Him Lord, but we need to surrender our lives to Him and follow Him. This is done in our hearts not in our heads. Many church systems teach this as an intellectual ascent where we can outwardly profess faith but inwardly be unchanged, not transformed walking in our body of death. We must aside our flesh and put on the image of Christ and by purifying our hearts. That means Jesus 100% from the heart with no wiggle room for other idols or loves that ascend above God. The heart set on the flesh cannot please God ever!
7. Tithe and give lots of money. This is where I used to be and only recently had the blinders taken off. These are good things to do if we are so led by the Spirit but if they are done without a pure heart, they are dead works, of no effect to God. Matthew 5:23 Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
8. Perform mission work and other good deeds. God works all things for His greater good. Good deeds are our duty to God and we are not to do them to seek credit for them or build reputations or seek the approval of men. A significant portion of good deed doers do their deeds without pure hearts to win favor from God, men and institutions. This type of faith is of no effect with God. God had a higher standard in mind as Jesus explained.
Luke 6:32-35 “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ’sinners’ love those who love them. 33And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ’sinners’ do that. 34And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ’sinners’ lend to ’sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. 35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.
Please do not misunderstand. Many of the above things we are taught to do are good things. But if not done with a pure heart are worthless religious exercises.
Repentance From Dead Works
If we do not have a pure heart and Love God with all of it, all the good things we do, we do to earn favor with God or man. These are simply dead works in God’s eyes and while He uses them for His good purposes, it means nothing as it pertains to your salvation or right standing with God. Once we come to faith and belief in Christ as our Saviour, we must mature, we must be transformed, otherwise we deceive ourselves. The writer of Hebrews spoke about the need to move beyond the basic milk of salvation and into maturity of the knowledge of true righteousness.
Hebrews 5:9-14 He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10 called by God as High Priest “according to the order of Melchizedek,” 11 of whom we have much to say, and hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Hebrews 6:1-3 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits.
We should indeed be helping others as I have written about. believe me we will all have ample opportunity to help as the misery of the world is fast ratcheting up. We need to obey the spirit of God when He leads us and we are especially told to help the brethren, those that believe in Christ.
Conclusion
Jesus and the Apostles warned us of the antichrist’s and the false workers of righteousness that would be prevalent in the end times. We are there my friends. We are to be sober and alert, not asleep like foolish virgins clinging to a false security promoted by demons.
I pray this post might get you to think about it just a little. Enough so God can give you confirmation in your spirit that you need to awaken to the truth and the true gospel of Jesus Christ. I will leave you all with a favorite passage of mine from 1 Timothy. This defines where the modern-day church system is today. It is in Apostasy my friends. My litmus test for a true gospel is the first verse shown below.
1 Timothy 6:3-6 If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 4he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, 5and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. 6But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.
I am indeed saddened to see these modern-day teachers using their professed godliness as a means to gain, either money or reputation. This is the error of Balaam which could easily be a lengthy post of its own. The truth and simplicity of the true gospel is easy to see if we have a pure heart.
Love the Lord thy God with ALL your heart. Anything else is idolatry and look out as deception will come upon you.
One of the reasons the truth has been lost is that pastors have been intimidated (made timid) by fear whose source is religious demons. Paul told Timothy to not be surprised and understand the Spirit that God gave us overcomes fear and intimidation.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear (timidity); but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
The powers of darkness rule by fear and intimidation. I was afraid for a time to even write this post. But I have seen through the schemes of Satan and am not going to let me selfish ambition or want of reputation, friends etc, compromise the truth contained in God’s word. Call me a heretic I don’t care for I can see clearly now.
May the Love, grace and peace of God be with you and your family.
May God Bless You Richly!!
Jesus Brings Peace
Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The world is stressed out. Very few people are at peace, even those that claim to know Christ. It seems that everything that can go wrong is going wrong, at least for most people. People are on edge about their finances. People are worried about their jobs and how they will maintain and support a lifestyle they have grown accustomed to but can no longer afford. Others that have no financial problems stress over getting ahead, one upping the other guy, getting their kids to the head of the class or finding success or fame. The world is not at peace, no instead it is in turmoil.
I have finally found true peace with God. I do not boast of that in any way, but I want to share the truth that has been revealed to me in hopes it may edify you and lead you to find that peace as well. This comes from love not any judgment. Jesus brought me this peace, I did not find it. It is a gift from Him. Amazingly some think I don’t give a crap about stuff anymore and you know what, they are right. I hunger and thirst to know my God, that is where my heart is at.
John 14:26-27 “ But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Even Jesus said in this passage that His peace is not the same as worldly peace. The Word tells us how to get this peace from Jesus. We must walk with Him, be in Him just as He was in the Father.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that IN Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Jesus is the only way to find true peace. When we purify our hearts and possess the spiritual land He has given us, we come into His rest, which is peace. Any other way, is a carnal way and carries a difficult yoke and a heavy burden, one our flesh will not be able to carry all the way to the finish line. We cannot endure without the peace that transcends all understanding.
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
The Old Testament are the very Scriptures that Jesus and the Apostles told us to study as the New Testament did not exist yet when these words were written down. The Old Testament is 100% valid for today despite the many false teachings to the contrary. These ancient Scriptures will make us wise unto salvation and they speak over a hundred times by my count on the ”peace offerings” to the Lord. Just read through a chapter of Leviticus, Exodus, or Numbers and you cannot help but find numerous references to the “peace offerings” of God. Here are a few examples of how the peace offerings of God resulted in peace for the people. Jesus is our modern day “peace offering”.
Exodus 20:24 An altar of earth you shall make for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I record My name I will come to you, and I will bless you. If we want peace, we must go to the sacrifice. Back in Moses day that was building alters and killing goats, bulls and rams. Today that is giving Jesus your whole heart and receiving His Spirit. Without the sacrifice there will be no peace.
Leviticus 3:1 ‘When his offering is a sacrifice of a peace offering, if he offers it of the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without blemish before the LORD. People like to read Books like Leviticus and believe the relevance to today is just a nice historical story. But there is hidden truth in all of this Scripture, it is indeed powerful relevant lessons for today. Just as God wants our whole heart — a heart free of all impurities and idols, God demanded sacrifices from Israel that were without spot or blemish. Jesus is our sacrifice, the spotless lamb to end all future sacrifices. But to walk with Jesus we must walk as He walked and that was without spot or said another way with a pure heart. If we don’t do this, the peace offering of Christ is of no effect to us and we will NOT enjoy the full blessings of God and will be subject to torment by you know who.
Jesus became the peace offering for all men when He died on the cross on our behalf. Jesus was our sacrifice for sin and for peace. We only find peace by going to the sacrifice of Jesus and putting our full trust in Him. The Prophet Malachi prophesied on how Jesus would walk with the Father. The covenant was one of peace that had at its foundation the fear of God. It led to a sinless life in total submission to the will of the Father.
Malachi 2:5-6 “ My covenant was with him, one of life and peace,
And I gave them to him that he might fear Me;
So he feared Me
And was reverent before My name.
6 The law of truth was in his mouth,
And injustice was not found on his lips.
He walked with Me in peace and equity,
And turned many away from iniquity.
When you have a real fear of God, you know He is in total control and you fear nothing else but God. The apostate church teaches us not to fear God but instead tries to carnally educate us on managing worldly fear. Sounds nice but it is a lie and keeps us from finding the peace Jesus has brought to all whom believe in Him. Jesus only did what the Father told Him to do and He was obedient to death. Never sinning, He walked in perfect peace and turned many away from sin and the resulting wages of death. That is our calling also as His disciples. Finding peace is not an option for us, it is a requirement to enter God’s rest in this life and the life to come in heaven. Consider the call in Hebrews.
Hebrews 12:14-15 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15 looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.
If God does not have our whole heart, the powers of darkness come onto us and sow seeds of unrighteousness into our hearts. This seed once established and not subsequently repented from, leads to all kinds of defilement and ungodliness. Harbor bitterness in any form and you will be set against your brother and will be practicing sin and thereby lack the holiness required to see the Lord. Do not let the devil STEAL your peace. If you walk in peace with God, nobody can snatch you out of His hand, but if you stray from the path and choose to sow disobedience, you are fair game to be overcome and have your peace stolen away.
Know Jesus Know Peace
This clever saying is so true, it is the only way we have peace which is also the only way we have eternal life. We must know Jesus, we cannot just worship Him with our lips.
John 10:28 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me”
I have a page tab at the top of this screen about the importance of Knowing Jesus. It is also true that if there is NO JESUS there is NO PEACE. Jesus is the way the truth and the life. Peace is conveyed throughout the Scriptures, by my count nearly 300 times. It is a critically important concept to grasp. The Apostles conveyed and prayed for peace upon the brethren constantly in their writings. I chose Romans to show you some excerpts concerning peace, but I could just have easily picked any other Epistle as the theme of peace through God is throughout the Bible.
Romans 5:1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. You see, peace only comes to us from God. We cannot manufacture it or create it intellectually. True peace comes from our hearts not our heads. Any other peace is a false peace, a foundation of sand, doomed for destruction. That is one of the points Paul was making in the following passage from Romans.
Romans 8:5-9 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. 8 So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. If you walk in the flesh and are holding onto a flesh sinful nature, you will never be at peace my friends. Eventually the trials of life, the tribulations, the stress of the world will knock you down. Only the rock eternal — Christ is unshakeable.
Romans 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. You see we cannot find peace on our own initiative or power. Any such peace is temporary, it is by the power of God alone that we find true peace. Once you find it, you will know what I am speaking on. You must be Born Again and transformed into a new creation to have the peace of God. You will no longer lust after the world or the things in the world, they will be meaningless to you. To find this peace, you must Love the Lord with ALL your heart. When we obey God, He sends His Holy Spirit. Click here for my post on that topic.
Romans 16:20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. We overcome the powers of darkness, aka the devil by walking in the Spirit. When the peace of God is with us, the enemy is powerless to harm us and flees from our very presence as it is the presence of God from which the devil flees. Without the peace of God, we walk in the flesh and the powers of darkness are all over us, trying to entice our flesh, to get us to break God’s laws and to remain stiff necked and rebellious to His commandments.
1 Cor 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Trying to navigate these end times with carnal thoughts and actions is a one way ticket to destruction. The devil has confused the truth about God and has mixed in some leaven (spiritual poison) with some nice sounding church doctrine to get many professing Christians asleep and in bondage. Time is growing short and all who wish to follow Christ and have eternal life must awaken and put oil in their lamps and prepare themselves by purifying their hearts.
Colossians 1:19-20 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. Peace comes because Jesus bore our sins and it is by His suffering that we are healed and cleansed from our PAST inequities. Until we are cleansed, we are guilty as charged and the tormentors (the devil and company) are allowed to work in us to bring us to repentance. Praise be to God for His wonderful plan of salvation. Continue to practice sin and live with an impure heart, and peace never comes. Whatever faith you do have will eventually be taken away. This is what Jesus meant when He said:
Matthew 13:12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.
Keeping the Peace
God’s universal law of sowing and reaping applies to peace. We want peace, we need to sow peace. We reap what we sow. That is why Jesus constantly along with the Apostles told us to Love One Another. We are to pray for our enemies. We are not to resist an evil man. We are to give our shirt awayalso if someone ask for our coat. We are not to revile against our brother. We are not to judge hearts, we are not to sow condemnation otherwise those things will come upon us. We are told to forgive to infinity. That is how we keep our peace, by walking in true love with our neighbors. This is why I believe Jesus added the corollary commandment toHis foremost commandment. It was a simple way of reminding us how to keep our peace.
Matthew 22:35 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with ALL thy heart, and with ALL thy soul, and with ALL thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang ALL the law and the prophets.”
In the opening passage of this blog post, from Phillipians, Paul tells us the peace that transcends all understanding will guard our hearts and protect our minds. We must purify ourselves and stay pure. This peace of God allows this and by staying pure we stay at peace with God. They work interchangeably. Our minds must be protected from evil thought and temptations and everything that exalts itself against the word of God. That is why Paul encourage the brethren:
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, 5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ
We don’t lash out and act out in vengeance when we are offended or attacked. That is not love and it is certainly not acting out in peace. If we react the way the world does, we are being carnal, not walking in the Spirit and we will lose our peace. Beware of the devil’s schemes my friends. The enemy is lurking just waiting to get your aroused and offended and lead your mind astray. James went further and tied are being righteous directly to the peace that we sow. If you want peace, make peace. Want hostility and stress, be hostile and act out in stress. These are all fleshly pursuits, none of which can please God.
James 3:18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Here is a note worthy passage from Peter showing us how we walk in Love as Christ commanded. You see the wisdom of God is repeated time after time in His word.
And see good days,
Let him refrain his tongue from evil,
And his lips from speaking deceit.
11 Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace and pursue it.
Conclusion
I am beginning to step out and talk about our enemy. You may have noticed. Rejection be damned, the truth must be told. Our enemy, the devil and his very real demons or evil spirits lurk everywhere to come tempt us, to entice us and torment us so that we will be robbed of our peace. Without peace we will be destroyed. Remember that if you are not at peace your heart cannot be right with God. He is the God of peace. This should be an alarm for you to examine yourself and see what is amiss with God. God chastises and allows our peace to be taken away so we will come back to Him with a pure heart. If we remain stiff-necked and stubborn and do not repent, the seed of unrighteousness is planted and grows in our hearts and we will be continually separated from God and His peace.
Without God’s protection, we are no match for the enemy. We can do ALL things through Christ but we can also do NOTHING without Him.
Psalm 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. Another reminder of the treasure that the fear of the Lord brings, it keeps us focused on pleasing God and in response God keeps us under His hedge of protection.
A time is coming by brothers where we will all be severely tested as the judgment of God begins to pour itself upon the earth. That time is near.
Rev 6:4 Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.
This passage refers to the second seal that the Lord opens. While I believe this refers to a global war of some kind it also refers simply to the release of the powers of darkness to wreck evil and ratchet up sin (lawlessness) in the end times. God’s judgments are perfectly just and this is how the wheat and the chaff are separated in preparation for His return.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of peace. It is one of the most frequent words in all of Scripture. The time for harvest of souls is coming to an end. Those of us with some light from God need to stand up and be counted as that is how the true church of Jesus will be multiplied.
Acts 9:31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied
May God Bless You Richly!
2 Peter 1:3-4 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the DIVINE NATURE and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
There has been much error taught to Christians regarding sin and our need to overcome it and be transformed into the likeness of Jesus. Jesus was divine, He was perfect, He never sinned. Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing or what the Father told Him to do. He in no way ever trusted in His flesh. The flesh is hostile to God and cannot please God. Cursed is the man who trusts in his flesh the Scriptures tell us. As Peter said in the above verse, we escape the corruption of the world caused by evil (fleshly) desires only by putting on a divine nature. This means so much more than just saying prayer or going to a church.
1 John 3:2-3 But we know that when he appears,we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. 3Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure.
Jesus had a divine nature the Father was in Him and He in the Father. ALL of us (everyone in the above verse) must put on a divine nature to have eternal life. There is no other way. This comes about via a process of sanctification or Christian maturity as we give God our whole heart and desire to please Him fully. Until we do this and suffer, we will NOT be sanctified and will at best remain a babe in Christ and most likely will fall away back into practicing sin. I am going to resist temptation to go off on a tangent about Christian maturity here but promise to come back to that topic in an upcoming posts. Consider very carefully this following passage from the Apostle Paul. This excerpt precedes the famously twisted passage about grace in Ephesians 2:8-9 (that is not shown). Notice the clear reference to what we used to do, who we used to be or what we formerly did, with bolding for emphasis.
Ephesians 2:1-3 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. 3Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
Do see the truth here? We are indeed saved by grace but grace doesn’t mean we can continue living in sin and walking the way the world walks. We must die to self and put on the divine nature of Christ. These kinds of passages are everywhere in the Scriptures, and if you get your heart right with God, you will suddenly see them. They are rarely referenced in the apostate churches of today and the promotion of false security via a false gospel has put many Christians asleep. They are the foolish virgins of Jesus’s parable in Matthew 25.
Over the past year, God has pulled me out of the lies that had formerly deceived me and ensnared me in perpetual sin. I only lived to indulge my flesh and my pleasures, all the while calling myself a Christian. Paul says in the above verse we will not be still doing these things, and IF we are it is because we are following after the spirits of Satan. I am starting to realize just how narrow the road and the gate to life really is and that Jesus meant it when He said “few there be who will find it”. Praise God for the mercy, grace and revelation He has brought about in me and desires to bring about to everyone.
To see God and enter His kingdom, we must be transformed, we must indeed be Born Again to see the kingdom of God. If we claim to be born again and continue to practice sin and desire the lusts of the flesh, we are a liar.
John 3:3 In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, NO ONE can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again
1 John 2:4-6 The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.
How did Jesus walk? He did not sin and that is how we must walk if we claim to belong to Christ. So very many professing Christians have not been changed, they walk, talk and act just like the world does. Yet they believe their practice of a religion saves them. Many are walking in a flesh nature and are nowhere near or even on the road to life that leads to a divine nature. They are looking back like Lot’s wife and holding on to their lusts. God does not YET have their whole heart. They are on the broad road that leads to destruction but there is still time to awaken them to the truth.
It is the Spirit of God (Truth), working in us that sanctifies us, guiding us into all truth and transforming us into the same divine nature Christ had on earth. Believing in the truth (Jesus is Truth) is a requirement for the Holy Spirit to work the miracle in each of us. Consider Paul’s explanation of this process to the early church below.
2 Thess 2:12-13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, 14 to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
We Are All Born Sinners
At least the apostate church gets this part right. One dead ringer for false teaching is any teaching that says we do not have to be transformed out of our sin nature into the nature of Christ. The error says you can have two natures and can continue to practice sin as long as you believe Jesus is God and go to church on Sunday. This error is broadcast from many denominational pulpits today as the Scriptures said would happen in the end. This is a perversion of God’s word and turns the grace of God into a license to sin.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.
People just don’t want to hear they need to give up their lives. They don’t like being told they need to submit themselves. They don’t want to suffer or pay a cost to follow Jesus. That love their easy believism and doctrines of Once Saved Always Saved. Woe unto them who teach such error.
Jesus did not come to save sinners by calling them to repentance. This means to turn away from the sin nature we are born with and all its evil desires that spring forth lust and idols in our heart. When we turn away from this nature and turn towards God with our whole heart, the grace of God comes upon us and enables us to put to death the flesh. We don’t do this transforming — it is indeed by the power of God, but we must seek Him with all our heart for God to do His work. I wrote a post on Why Jesus Came a few months back that was helpful to me that can be read by clicking here.
Just for the record, Paul made it clear nobody is born divine!
Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to ALL men, because all sinned
Romans 3:10-12 There is none righteous, no, not one; 11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. 12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.
We are all born sinners. We do indeed come into this world with a SIN nature. But this SIN nature must be put to death, or we will die. The soul that sins shall die we are told in Ezekiel 18:20. To live, we must put on a DIVINE nature to walk with God and enter into His rest. We cannot have it both ways, Jesus made that very clear.
Luke 16:13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”
Romans 6:16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
Who is your Master? Jesus already said we cannot serve two, there is only one. In case there was any doubt He also spoke these words.
Luke 6:46 But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?
The consequences of not putting on a divine nature is a loss of eternal life. If we continue to walk in the flesh and do not conform ourselves to the image of God’s son, we will perish. The fear of God is indeed the beginning of knowledge and as I have recently blogged about, this watered down, half gospel of love invented by Satan and promoted by false teachers is killing many professing Christians. They are in bondage to their flesh, they are not free as Jesus said we would be IF He sets us free. We are set free when repentance comes and the divine nature follows as we are sanctified by God.
Romans 8:12-14 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Until we put to death our flesh we cannot be led by the Spirit of God. We can only serve ONE master. Our flesh is against everything of God. We cannot please God (Obey Him) if our flesh is not crucified. Those following their flesh nature, have not put it to death, are not born again are the sons of disobedience. The Apostle John called those living this way children of the devil. Call it what you want, but those that are not putting on a divine nature in thoughts and deeds are not saved.
Abiding in Vine
If we truly love God with our whole heart, He cleans us up by the washing of His Word. He writes His laws on our minds and in our hearts via the Holy Spirit and that is how we put on a divine nature and stay that way once we are cleansed of our past sins. If we leave Him, and follow after idols in our hearts, He is no longer our Lord and we are not believing on the Lord anymore.
John 15:3-4 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
A tree only has one primary root. All things come back to the one root which provides the nourishment for the whole tree, branches, vines and leaves. The Scriptures use trees as a metaphor for man and we are told we will be known by our fruit. Trees bear fruit, either good or bad. If we love anything more than Jesus, including our lives, our family, money, pride, comfort, security, Church, traditions of men, sports, fitness, ANYTHING — we are not abiding in the true vine of life. We may be religious but we deceive ourselves. Any idols in our hearts and we are not abiding in the vine and will not bear good fruit. Jesus called this vain worship via lips only and not with a true heart. Jesus confirmed the ONE NATURE we must have when He said this:
Matthew 7:16-18 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.
Fruit is not made overnight, so I am not preaching a perfect sinless perfection as we can stumble in a moment of weakness into a sin. But if we are truly of God, we will immediately repent and the fruit of love will permeate are every action, thought or deed.
Pure & Spotless Bride
Being in Christ is oft spoken of as being married to Christ. Getting to heaven is getting to the wedding feast. The true body of believers are the church and is known as the Bride. Jesus is the Bridegroom. The word of God tells us throughout Scripture that the Bridegroom comes for a pure bride, not one living in lawlessness, practicing sin or with idols in their hearts. Jesus did not give us an impossible mission. Walking in holiness is not mission impossible.
John 14:15 If you love me, you WILL obey what I command
Putting on a divine nature is an absolute requirement to see the Lord. True repentance is turning away from your innate flesh nature, putting to death the deeds of the flesh and walking in holiness with the Lord. Repentance is getting rid of SELF (selfishness) and walking in true love, not a fake love designed to win and influence friends or associates.
Hebrews 12:14 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord
The imputed righteousness of Christ does indeed cleanse us from our past sins as Paul explains in Romans 3 but sadly this has been perverted by false teachers. The blind are leading the blind into the pit of hell. I have a link at the top of this page entitled Righteousness that may awaken you to greater truth in the Scriptures.
The pure and spotless bride, the ones wearing the white robes and garments of salvation spoke of throughout the Bible are not living in the flesh. They all have a divine nature. Once your eyes are opened to this revelation, you will read the Epistles of Paul, Peter and John with new understanding that you never saw before.
Ephesians 5:25-27 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
It is the implanted word of God in our hearts, a pure heart that washes us from our evil desires (the flesh) and enables us to overcome. Now that is what Grace really is in its simplest terms.
1 Peter 1:13-16 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the FORMER lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in ALL your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”
To put on the divine nature and be conformed to the image of Christ, the REAL US must die. Yes that is right. All your selfish ambition must be surrendered fully to God. We must turn from doing our will and seek to do His will. We cannot be Lord of our lives and in control, He must be Lord and guiding our steps and directing our paths. We must be willing to lose our life to gain eternal life. The gospel is indeed simple if properly divided. We have adopted doctrines of demons and invented many forms of religion (denominations, church organizations etc) but have lost the truth along the way.
We must wake up the sleeping virgins and get oil in our lamps by returning to the true gospel message that was once handed down to the Saints. The modern-day message preached by religious institutions and spiritually minded people is for the most part in error and has led to the great falling away of today. That is a watchman’s duty to warn of pending calamity and that is what I am trying to accomplish here on this blog. God has certainly lead me out of my slumber and awakened me to His truth. My hope is you all will so blessed by our Lord.
Do not be deceived my brothers and sisters. Just as the serpent deceived Eve in the garden, the prince of the power of the air (the devil) is at work today leading people into deception and keeping their hearts from really knowing God and loving Him with all their heart. I pray this message has been a blessing to you.
Ephesians 5:3-6 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God 6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.
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