Malachi 3:10

Malachi 3:10, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905) was a distinguished English Christian theologian, academic and churchman. He writes the following helpful Bible commentary to explain Malachi 3:10...

(10) One father—i.e., not Adam, Abraham, or Jacob (as various commentators have held), but God Himself (Malachi 1:6; Deuteronomy 32:6; Deuteronomy 32:18), who is the spiritual Father of the nation, and in whom they are all brothers and sisters; so that when an Israelite married a heathen woman, or divorced an Israelitish wife, it was an offence against God, a “profaning the covenant of the fathers,” and a violation of the fraternal relation. Moreover, “one God created” them for His glory (Isaiah 43:7), for the special purpose of being a witness to His unity. The admission of idolatresses into their families would be fatal to this object.

That is helpful exegesis. God is a jealous God.

Exodus 34:13-16, “But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;  And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.”

I love that God is a jealous God; so much so, that He calls His name, “Jealous.” I am glad that God is jealous over me and refuses to share my praise with another. It is tragic that millions of American teenagers have posters of their music, sports or Hollywood actors hanging on their wall, who are effectively their idols, their gods. 

Rocker Frank Zappa (who discovered the awful truth that Hell is real on December 4, 1993 the second he died) proudly boasted:

"I'm the devil's advocate. We have our own worshippers who are called 'groupies.' Girls will give their bodies to musicians as you would give a sacrifice to a god." (Peters Brothers, 'What About Christian Rock,' p. 17)

When we are consumed with the things of this temporary world—so that we give those things our attention, adoration, money, love and time, but forget about the God who created and made redemption available to us—those things have become idols. Hebrews 12:3 tells us to LOOK TO JESUS, who is the Author and Finisher of our Christian faith. Idolatry is a horrible sin. Even a child, a spouse, a ministry or something good can become an idol if we allow those things to take God off the throne of our life.

Hellbound new age false teacher Oprah Winfrey said:

'We are not servants of some God; we are 'our own gods?'' —billionaire Tv host, Oprah Winfrey

Manly P. Hall (1901-1990) said:

“We are the gods of the atoms that make up ourselves but we are also the atoms of the gods that make up the universe.” —33rd degree Freemason and prolific writer, Manly P. Hall

Marriage is sacred in God's sight. Woe be unto anyone, any lawyer, any judge, any meddling church member, any meddling family member, who recommends, helps, nurtures or causes a divorce. If you do, God's judgment is upon you!!!

In the book of Malachi, God's people were divorcing their Israelite wives and marrying heathen women from other nations, which was idolatry since it was a betrayal of their covenant with God. In Jeremiah 3:20 we read that Israelite women were divorcing their husbands. God called it treacherous! If you divorce your spouse, you are dealing treacherously with them. 

Everyone seeking freedom from a bad marriage looks for excuses. They will seek counsel from multiple pastors until they find one who agrees with their choice to file for divorce. That is what wicked people do! People don't usually make their decisions because of any particular reason(s). They have already decided what they want to do, and then they look for excuses to rationalize and justify that decision. In the Garden of Eden in the book of Genesis, long before Eve ever even started to rationalize about eating the fruit, she had already made her decision.

Divorce is a sin! Please don't do it. If you need to leave a bad marriage, then do so if your safety and mental well-being are at risk, but do not file for divorce. The word "divorce" ought not even be in your vocabulary. Woe unto America, the land of quick divorces.

Exodus 20:15

Exodus 20:15, “Thou shalt not steal.”

Pop-Tarts were first produce in 1964, and still today, by the Kellanova company. I hadn't eaten a Pop-Tart in over 10 years. But this past week I was craving a Pop-Tart, which I was fond of when I was younger. So, I went to Walmart and I bought a couple boxes of Pop-Tarts. I wanted to wait until Christmas Day to eat one. I opened the box yesterday with eagerness, anticipating my long lost tasty treat, but I was horribly disappointed when I took the first bite. Oh no, they shrunk the Pop-Tarts!!! I am sad that they have made their product inferior to compete with the slowly failing economy. Exodus 20:15, “Thou shalt not steal.”

I guarantee you that things will get MUCH worse in our economy. Homes are already priced way out of reach for most Americans. Prices will continue to rise. Homelessness is just getting started. Within 25 years or sooner, if the Lord tarries His return, I humbly foresee 3 to 5 million Americans homeless on the streets and living in their vehicles. Right now there are about one million homeless Americans. Crime will increase at shocking levels. Increasingly, we will see lawlessness across the country without any resistance or intervention from law enforcement (just as we saw in the Black Lives Matter 2020 riots nationwide). Exodus 20:15, “Thou shalt not steal.”

The Federal Reserve Act (passed into law in December of 1913 while most of Congress was away from the holidays) is the most heinous evil scam ever perpetrated upon the American people, which robs men of their hard-earned wealth, filling the pockets of the rich. The Federal Reserve is a Ponzi Scheme!!! It is inevitable that the U.S. economy must ultimately collapse, because the Federal Reserve is based on fraud, not actual wealth. The wicked families behind the Federal Reserve central banking system are thieves who ruthlessly steal men's labors under the guise of law and justice, earning nothing legitimate for themselves except the wrath and judgment of almighty God (Ecclesiastes 5:8).

The inspired Holy Bible commands mankind in Exodus 20:15, “Thou shalt not steal.” But the fools who have hi-jacked our federal government and money supply think they are above justice. I assure you that they are not. There is a God in Heaven who sees and knows everything (Hebrews 4:13). Jesus warned in Matthew 12:36 that all men shall give account on Judgment Day even for our very words, including idle words (worthless small talk).

The Bible warns in Proverbs 24:12 that no human will be able to weasel their way out of judgment; no way to deceive God, because He can read our every thought and knows our intentions. Job 14:16 says that God knows how many steps we take. Do you think He doesn't see our sins? Mark 30:29 says that God knows the very number of hairs upon our head. Do you really think God doesn't see what those evil fraudsters have done to steal the wealth of U.S. citizens, who are at the mercy of their thuggish out of control federal government? Exodus 20:15, “Thou shalt not steal.”

Woe unto our ungodly leaders who are willing accomplices to this ongoing evil scam. It is not a coincidence that you have to work hard for 30 or more years to pay off your insanely high mortgage. That was all calculated very carefully by the rotten Banksters! They want you to work your entire life, giving them all of your earned wealth; and if you are very lucky, you might be able to actually own your home for a year or two before you die. Exodus 20:15, “Thou shalt not steal.”

Of course, all the while that you are trying to pay down your ridiculously high mortgage, you also have to pay for home insurance (fire, flood, earthquake, tornado, et cetera). And then you need to pay for Mortgage Insurance, in case you break a leg or get sick and cannot pay your mortgage payments (either that or the bank will foreclose as fast as they can to steal your home and all the interest you've paid them). Add to that car payments, tuition for your kid's private school (unless you have fed them to the Devil in a public school). You've got to pay for utility bills, food, gas, clothes, needed things, et cetera. No wonder so many people are being forced into poverty and homelessness in America!!! But come what may, you can be assured that the ungodly hellbound Banksters will get their money! I like what one man did when the bank foreclosed on his home—he burned it to the ground. That's not legal, but I can't blame him. BANKS ARE THIEVES!!! Exodus 20:15, “Thou shalt not steal.”

 

2nd Kings 25:5-7

2nd Kings 25:5-7, “And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him. So they took the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah; and they gave judgment upon him. And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.”

This is one of the saddest passages in the inspired Word of God. King Zedekiah was the last king of the southern kingdom of Judah, whose capital city was Jerusalem. God had sent the prophet Jeremiah to warn Zedekiah of the coming invasion by Babylon, whose king was Nebuchadnezzar. Israel had failed to keep the Sabbath Day (a ceremonial law for Old Testament Jews which symbolized Christ in whom we rest for salvation). They had failed to keep the Sabbath Day for 490 years. So, God decided to chastise His people for 70 years (1 year for each of the 7 years they hadn't kept the Sabbath Day).

God told Zedekiah through the prophet Jeremiah that he had one of two choices:

1. Obey God to submit to Babylon for 70 years. God promised Zedekiah that if he submitted to the king of Babylon, the Jews would be allowed to remain in their own homes in Jerusalem and life would go on as usual under the rule of king Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon.
2. Be conquered by Babylon and taken into captivity for 70 years. If Zedekiah refused to obey God's command to submit to Babylon, then Jerusalem would be invaded and war would ensue. Many men, women and children would be killed. The women would be ravished and assaulted. Their homes would be burned to the ground. Their wealth would be taken as booty.

God told Jeremiah to place wooden yokes upon his shoulders and go appear before the king and his princes, which symbolized king Zedekiah submitting to voluntarily wear the yoke of Babylon for 70 years. The false prophets broke the wooden yoke from Jeremiah's shoulder. In so doing, Jeremiah pronounced judgment upon them, saying that they had forged for themselves and the people yokes of iron. Babylon did invade Jerusalem in three stages, the last and most brutal in 586 BC. Jerusalem was annihilated and burned to the ground. Following the siege the prophet Jeremiah penned the book of Lamentations. Lamentations 1:16, “For these things I weep; mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water, because the comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me: my children are desolate, because the enemy prevailed.”

As I mentioned earlier, this is one of the saddest passages in the inspired Word of God. 2nd Kings 25:7, “And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.” Zedekiah had 70 sons! To humiliate and crush the soul of Zedekiah, Nebuchadnezzar ordered his soldiers to murder all 70 of Zedekiah's sons in front of him. And then after beholding such a horrifying site, the soldiers put out his eyes. All of this because Zedekiah refused to obey God to submit to Babylon. Here is a parallel passage from the book of Jeremiah...

Jeremiah 52:10-11, “And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah. Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.”

I feel sorry for Zedekiah. If you read these Bible stories you will learn that Zedekiah was under pressure from the princes who ruled with him. This is very typical of human nature (i.e., peer pressure).

King Zedekiah Was More Afraid Of Man Than God

I encourage you to read Jeremiah chapter 38, which explains a lot. You need to understand that the atmosphere was tense in Jerusalem. In Jeremiah 38 you will read that Zedekiah asked Jeremiah to tell him the truth. Jeremiah told the king that he would have him killed if he told him the truth, but the king promised to keep him alive. The princes and false prophets hated Jeremiah and wanted to kill him. Here is THE TRUTH which Jeremiah spoke to King Zedekiah...

Jeremiah 38:17-23, “Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If thou wilt assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then thy soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and thou shalt live, and thine house: But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt not escape out of their hand. And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me. But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee. Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live. But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me: And, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes, and those women shall say, Thy friends have set thee on, and have prevailed against thee: thy feet are sunk in the mire, and they are turned away back. So they shall bring out all thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt not escape out of their hand, but shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.”

Wow, that is some serious stuff! Zedekiah was afraid of the wrong things. Please don't miss this important Bible truth, because it is very applicable to our daily lives. Zedekiah was more afraid of the Jews than he was afraid of God. Read what the foolish king said in Jeremiah 38:19-20, “And Zedekiah the king said unto Jeremiah, I am afraid of the Jews that are fallen to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me. But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver thee.  Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live.”

Ultimately, the foolish king succumbed to his fears and failed to obey God. Sadly, Zedekiah caused the entire city to be burned with fire. All of the women and children, who could have remained in Jerusalem in their own families and homes, were all taken into captivity and carried away to Babylon 400 miles to the east. It is tragic how the sins of just one man adversely affected the lives of tens of hundreds of Jews. There were approximately 4,600 men deported to Babylon (about 14,000 to 18,000 total including women and children). If Zedekiah had been a spiritual man of character, it would have spared tens of thousands from the horrors that followed. Truly, everything rises and falls on leadership. Jeremiah 38:21 and 23b, “But if thou refuse to go forth, this is the word that the LORD hath shewed me... thou shalt cause this city to be burned with fire.”

In Jeremiah 38:24-28 we see again that Zedekiah was worried about what the princes thought about him. He threatened Jeremiah with death if he told anyone about their private conversation. I wonder why Zedekiah sought to keep hidden Jeremiah's stern warning from the Lord, of what woeful evil was about to befall the entire kingdom if they didn't surrender to Babylon to serve them. Zedekiah was a fool of fools. Oh, what a horrible leader! I am shocked that Zedekiah kept this critical matter all to himself. Look what happened next; here is the last verse of chapter 38 and the first verse of chapter 39...

Jeremiah 38:28 and 39:1, “So Jeremiah abode in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken. In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, came Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army against Jerusalem, and they besieged it.”

Isn't that sad? God's prophet was thrown into prison for telling THE TRUTH, which was a deep miry pit of clay and mud underground.

I like what the Captain of the Guard in Babylon and Nebuchadnezzar both did. Jeremiah 39:10-12, “But Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time. Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning Jeremiah to Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard, saying, Take him, and look well to him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto thee.” Wow! The Captain in charge of the Babylonian Guard gave the wine vineyards and fields to the poor people. There was a change of ownership! The landowners had either been killed or taken captive to Babylon for the next 70 years. So their property was vacant. I like that the poor were regarded and befriended by Babylon.

And also, I think it is beautiful that King Nebuchadnezzar told the Captain of the Guard to do whatever Jeremiah requests. You see, the king had heard for a long time from Babylonian spies in Jerusalem that the prophet was telling the Jews to surrender to Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar knew that it was God's will for the Jews to surrender to Babylon. Yet, the leaders in Israel rebelled against God, called Jeremiah a false prophet and even imprisoned him. I love how the tables were turned when King Nebuchadnezzar came to town! The arrogant rulers were abased. The poor were uplifted. Jeremiah was freed from prison and honored. The brokenhearted prophet weep. Jeremiah is commonly called, “The Weeping Prophet.” James 4:8-10 teaches that if we draw nigh unto God, He will draw nigh unto us; but if you read the next couple verses, we also need to weep with God over sin and unbelief.

The main lesson I want you to take away from the story of King Zedekiah is that he foolishly allowed the fear of man (the Jews, princes and Babylon) to dictate his decisions, rather than fear God and obey Him (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Proverbs 29:25, “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.” Zedekiah was only 32 years old in 586 BC when Babylon invaded and conquered Jerusalem. It doesn't seem fair that upwards of 18,000 people's lives were horrifically impacted by the foolishness of one 32 year old heathen man. Such is life. Zedekiah didn't fear God, he was afraid of people. You need not fear man if you are living uprightly. Proverbs 28:1, “The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.”

Esther 5:9-14

Esther 5:9-14, “Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai. Nevertheless Haman refrained himself: and when he came home, he sent and called for his friends, and Zeresh his wife. And Haman told them of the glory of his riches, and the multitude of his children, and all the things wherein the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king. Haman said moreover, Yea, Esther the queen did let no man come in with the king unto the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and to morrow am I invited unto her also with the king. Yet all this availeth me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate. Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and tomorrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.”

What wicked people! Mordecai, Esther's cousin, had done absolutely nothing wrong. He merely refused to bow in obeisance as Haman passed by, for which Haman hated Mordecai. So as Haman was complaining about the matter at home, his ungodly wife Zeresh and family friends which they had invited, suggested that Haman erect a 75 foot tall gallows upon which to hang Haman. He liked the idea and built the gallows. Look what they said...

Esther 5:14, “Then said Zeresh his wife and all his friends unto him, Let a gallows be made of fifty cubits high, and tomorrow speak thou unto the king that Mordecai may be hanged thereon: then go thou in merrily with the king unto the banquet. And the thing pleased Haman; and he caused the gallows to be made.”

Wow, that is disgusting! Haman's wicked wife and horrible family friends told him to convince the king to hang Mordecai (an innocent man), and then go have a good time at the party that Esther invited him to. Haman loved the idea and ordered the gallows to be built right away. Proverbs 26:27, “Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him.”

In this Bible story we can learn some valuable truths:

1. What goes around comes around. Haman conspired to murder an innocent man, but it backfired on him. This is poetic justice at its finest! The Bible warns in Galatians 6:7 that what men reap they will sow. With whatever measure we judge men, we shall be judged by that same measure (Matthew 7:1-2).
2. Be very careful what advice you take from family and friends, because it could cost you everything! Haman's foolish wife Zeresh didn't hesitate to give hateful ungodly advice to her husband, to have an innocent Jewish man killed. Little did she know that not only would her husband be hung by the king on that 75 foot high gallows, but also HER 10 SONS (Esther 9:25). Mrs. Haman spent the rest of her life in regret, wishing she had never opened her mouth to give such ungodly advice to her husband. One wrong bit of advice could cost you everything!!!
3. Idiots are quick to give bad advice when it won't adversely affect them. Those wicked friends of Zeresh and Haman had nothing to lose by giving such wicked advice to them. Ultimately, Zeresh's and Haman's 10 sons were all killed, and then Haman himself. It burns me up when fools advise friends and family to file for divorce. Woe unto the person who encourages, nurtures or helps someone get a divorce. God hates divorce (Jeremiah 3:20). Marriage is sacred ground in God's sight. Divorce and remarriage is adultery (Matthew 19:9; Hebrews 13:4). Human sinful nature is to selfishly take sides with friends when marital troubles arise, and not care about the unknown spouse; that is sinful and meddlers will be judged by God (Matthew 19:6). It is very easy to help destroy someone else's marriage, when it won't affect you adversely in the least.
4. Be very careful who you choose to keep as friends. I would rather have no friends than bad friends. Loneliness will be the worst of your problems if you make losers for friends. People can and will become your worst enemy if you foolishly choose to closely associate with worldly sinners. In 2nd Samuel 13:3 the Bible tells us that David's son, Amnon “had a friend.” That ungodly friend ruined Ammon's life, which ultimately led to Amnon's murder by Absalom. Bad friends will ruin you!
5. Be very careful who you get into a vehicle with. I am reminded of a tragic incident in 2021 that happened in Georgia. A 25 year old black man named Ahmaud Arbery had been shot to death, when he was confronted by a father and son, along with a neighbour. I feel so bad for the neighbor, William Bryan, because his only fault was getting into the truth with his neighbours. Mr. Bryan was just in the wrong place at the right time, walking in front of his house. The father and son had invited for him to join them, so Bryan hopped into the truck; but by being with his two neighbors he became an accomplice. Be very careful who you get into a vehicle with, because if they commit a crime you will be prosecuted as an accomplice just for being present! Although William Bryan made no racist comments or killed anybody, he was sentenced to 40 years in prison just for being present. That is injustice in my humble opinion. Public pressure from Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, the black community and liberal newsmedia ensured that the 3 defendants didn't receive a fair trial (and they simply didn't, “Principles Of Justice” sermon by Pastor Steven Anderson).
6. Married women belong at home, not in the workplace. This point has nothing to do with this blog, per se. However, it is related to the topic at hand of being careful about making bad friends. I heard the true story of a married woman who met a man at work. They began an adulterous affair. The woman's jealous husband murdered his wife and was then sentenced to life in prison. The wicked adulterous man at work walked away scot-free! If I had the legal power to do so, that adulterous co-worker would be serving life behind bars with the husband! Thankfully, God will make that ungodly co-worker wish he had never been born in eternity. No one can escape the judgment of God (Hebrews 4:13, 13:4; Romans 1:32; Ecclesiastes 12:14). Call me old-fashioned (and I am), but I firmly believe that all married women belong at home working as homemakers.

Haman had wickedly plotted against the Jews to murder them all. So the king, in a righteous act of justice, returned that same evil upon Haman's own head. ...

Esther 9:23-26a “And the Jews undertook to do as they had begun, and as Mordecai had written unto them; Because Haman the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had devised against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur, that is, the lot, to consume them, and to destroy them; But when Esther came before the king, he commanded by letters that his wicked device, which he devised against the Jews, should return upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows Wherefore they called these days Purim after the name of Pur. ...”

Haman was a very wicked person. His wife was a very wicked person. Their friends were very wicked people. They had all conspired to murder an innocent man, Mordecai. The main truth that I want you to take away from this tragic story in the Bible, is that Haman's wife Zeresh came up with the idea to build a gallows 75 feet high to hang Mortdecai on. Their friends loved the idea and told Haman that he should do it. But Zeresh would live to rue the day she made that suggestion to her husband, when Haman and her 10 sons were all hung on that very same gallows. So be very careful of the advice that you give to others, and the advice that you take from them.

John 3:5

John 3:3-7, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

Many false prophets errantly teach that Jesus in John 3:5 was requiring water baptism to get to Heaven. This false teaching in theology is called Baptismal Regeneration. John 3:5, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Case in point, here is a disturbing quote from Catholic.com...

Catholic Perspective

Jesus is speaking to a Jewish leader named Nicodemus who has begun to accept Jesus’ authority to speak on behalf of God. When Jesus says that one must be “born anew” or “born from above” to see the kingdom of God, Nicodemus asks how one can be “born again.” Jesus answers him with this unmistakable reference to baptism.

This reference becomes clearer in the context of the passage, since Jesus and his disciples go and baptize people after this encounter. The Church Fathers unanimously agreed this verse referred to baptismal regeneration. [emphasis added]

SOURCE: John 3:5, Catholic Answers

Catholic.com are WRONG! What they are teaching is another gospel accursed by God. John 3:5, “Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Verse 6 explains verse 5, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Birth by water simply refers to the physical human birth, that is, of the flesh. A baby spends 9 months inside its mother's water bag in her womb; hence, born of water.

The second birth by the Holy Spirit of God is a spiritual birth. This birth can only be obtained by trusting Jesus Christ as one's personal Savior apart from all works. Adding water baptism to one's faith cannot produce the new birth. Only wholly leaning on Jesus' name produces the new birth. John 6:40, “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do.

The Bible is very clear that water baptism is NOT required or allowed to be saved. Let us make several biblical observations which evidence that baptism is not necessary to be saved:

1. No one in the Old Testament was baptized to be saved. Acts 10:43 says they were all saved by faith in Christ. Galatians 1:6-7 says there's always been only one Gospel.
2. The repentant thief on the cross didn't get baptized. All he could do is trust Christ.
3. The Apostle John tells us how to “know” we are saved in 1st John 5:13, yet he doesn't mention baptism even once. Surely if being baptized is required to get to Heaven, John would have stressed the importance to be water baptized, but he didn't.
4. The Apostle Paul didn't baptize his converts, he said Christ only sent him to preach the Gospel (1st Corinthians 1:17). Paul never would have said such a thing if baptism were necessary to be saved.
5. When the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:36-39 asked to be water baptized, Brother Phillip told him that he first needed to be saved by trusting on Jesus as the Son of God.
6. The Gospel of John is God's Gospel tract according to John 20:31. Yet, we don't find any teaching to be water baptized in the Gospel of John to get to Heaven. We do find the word “believe” mentioned 85 times (e.g., John 3:16, 6:28-29, 11:25-26).
7. In Acts 16:30-31 when the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas what he needed to do to be saved, they simply told him to: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Paul and Silas didn't tell the jailer to get water baptized, turn from his sins or become a Christ follower; they just told him to BELIEVE that Jesus did it all for him through Calvary's cross. BELIEVE IT, Oh guilty sinner, and you will be instantly and forever saved.
8. The Apostle Paul defines “the gospel” (Good News) in 1st Corinthians 15:1-4 by which all who believe it are saved; yet, Paul doesn't mention baptism.
9. Baptism is the public profession of one's faith; an outward snapshot of what has happened inwardly. The Gospel symbolizes Jesus' death on the cross, burial and resurrection in which we trust for eternal life.

Shame on anyone who falsely teaches that John 3:5 teaches Baptismal Regeneration. Jesus was simply teaching Nicodemus that to be born of the flesh (water) is one thing, but to be born of the Spirit (Holy Spirit) is another. Notice that “Spirit” in John 3:5 is capitalized, meaning it refers to God's Holy Spirit. 1st John 3:24, “And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.” This verse refers to the blessed indwelling Holy Spirit, which only a child of God can have (Romans 8:9; 1st Corinthians 3:16-17). The unsaved man doesn't have the Holy Spirit and cannot understand the things of God (1st Corinthians 2:14-16).

Many churchgoers have been woefully misled to trust in water baptism to get them into Heaven, which guarantees that they won't be allowed into Heaven (Luke 13:23-24; Acts 15:1).

I remember an article in 2003 that appeared in the Chicago Tribune titled, "Facing Uncertain Death, Troops Line Up For Baptism." That is so sad. Those young soldiers are being given false hope. Getting dunked into a church baptistery no more makes one a Christian, than walking into a garage would make you an automobile. My Mom's mother was a Christian, but never got baptized. What those troops need is to be born-again, which happens by faith alone in Jesus Christ because of what He did through Calvary's cross to pay our debt of sin.

Salvation is not a reward for the righteous, it is a gift for the guilty!

Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith.

Turning away from sinful ways would be a work. Faith puts all of the merit where it belongs, on the object of our faith, Jesus and His work.

If to “repent” means to forsake our sinful ways TO BE SAVED, but Jesus already paid for our sins by dying on the cross, then what are we repenting from?

The true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU.

Revelation 17:10-12

Revelation 17:10-11, “And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.”

 

The Bible speaks of 8 kings. At the time Revelation 17:10-11 was written, 5 kings had come and gone, one was in power, and 2 were yet to come in the future. This is a fascinating teaching in the Word of God, and an important key to understanding Biblical prophecy. The following Old Testament passage if Scripture explains Nebuchadnezzar's image (which he saw in a dream from God) to the right...

Daniel 2:31-35, “Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them: and the stone that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth.”

The kings are world powers throughout history. At present, there have been 6 world powers. These are (in chronological order): Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. The 7th king will be world government (aka, the New World Order). The man of sin, the Antichrist, is the 8th and final king and will arise FROM the 7th kingdom. The “stone” cut out of the mountain without hands will be the Second Coming of the precious Lord Jesus Christ in power, preeminence and prophetic fulfillment. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

We see these different world powers mentioned throughout the Scriptures...

1. In the Old Testament, Moses lived during the reign of Egypt as a world power.
2. We read about Isaiah during the time of Assyria as a world power.
3. Babylon ruled the world during the times of Daniel, Jeremiah and Ezekiel.
4. Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah lived during the times of Medo-Persian power.
5. The reign of Greece occurred during the silent years between the Old and New Testaments, when the Septuagint was written (a Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures).
6. And finally, we see Rome as a world power during the time of our Lord Jesus Christ throughout the New Testament. It is very interesting to see these 6 world powers mentioned throughout the Scriptures, beginning with Egypt and ending with Rome.

The 7th king will be the New World Order, from which the 8th (the Man of Sin, Antichrist) will arise to power. I admit I am astounded that 95% of preachers and theologians think that the woman here refers to Rome (i.e., the revived Roman Empire), when the Bible plainly tells us that “the woman” is Jerusalem. Revelation 17:18, “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” It is assumed that Rome is “that great city” which reigns over the kings of the earth. However, please read Revelation 11:8, “And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.” Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem, not Rome. That great city, the woman, is Jerusalem!

More specifically, the Luciferian powers which rebirthed manmade Israel in 1948 are the same subversive occult powers behind the United States today. Remember, Satan is the god of this evil world (2nd Corinthians 4:4). As such, the Devil recruits men and women to worship and serve him. We read about them in Revelation 2:9, “I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.” I believe this is what it means in Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Secular History Parallels The Bible

Studying the Scriptures, with these different corresponding and reigning secular world powers in view, opens a whole new understanding to the Word of God concerning history and Biblical prophecy. No other book in existence has this unique feature, that is, spanning thousands of years and prophetic in nature. The Bible is composed of 31% prophecy! Who can argue the divine nature of the Word of God!!!

Rome fell in 486 A.D. and there has been no world power since. The United States, China and Russia are super powers, but there have been no WORLD powers controlling the entire world since the Roman empire. No one country dominates the world today. This is represented by the mixed toes of clay and iron in Nebuchadnezzar's image, that is, freedom co-existing worldwide with Communist tyranny. North Korea is a total monstrous dictatorship in 2013, but thankfully, most other nations are considered free.

Please note that the 7th empire will NOT be the revived Roman empire. The Bible never says that the Roman empire will be restored. Many theologians reasonably thought in centuries past that the oppressive reign of the Roman Catholic religion identified Catholicism as the coming Beast system of the Antichrist. I would have errantly thought the same thing in view of the murderous atrocities committed by the Roman Church for over a millennium of history. However, we are privileged today to have a much clearer understanding of secret societies, the Illuminati's history and the New World Order in general.

Thousands of secular and religious books have been authored on the subject, most authors obscure and unknown. Consider this very interesting book authored in 1919 by Samuel Z. Batten, titled THE NEW WORLD ORDER (.pdf file). Thus, we understand today in 2013 that “The Great Whore” of Revelation is very likely the Illuminati (the “synagogue of Satan,” Revelation 2:9 and 3:9) who have fornicated with the kings of the earth. Revelation 18:3, “For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.” Revelation 19:2, “For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.” The Catholic Pope in my opinion will be the False Prophet. The Antichrist will be of Jewish origin.

Who Are The Illuminati? What Are The Illuminati?
(the mystery of iniquity doth work)

The 7th king will be the New World Order. The 8th king will be the Antichrist (Revelation 17:11). We see this monstrosity forming before our very eyes today. Satan Worship For The Masses: Baal Temple In New York To Be A 'Gesture Of Defiance' Against God (the ultimate “extremist”). There has been much talk in the mainstream newsmedia about the New World Order. Paul Warburg made this telling prediction back in 1950 before the U.S. Senate...

"We shall have World Government, whether or not we like it. The only question is whether World Government will be achieved by conquest or consent."

SOURCE: James Paul Warburg, while speaking before the United States Senate, February 17, 1950

Here are the words of Illuminist, David Rockefeller, from 1991 at a Bilderberg meeting...

"We are grateful to the Washington Post, The New York Times, Time Magazine and other great publications whose directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost forty years."

"It would have been impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subjected to the lights of publicity during those years. But, the world is now more sophisticated and prepared to march towards a world government. The supranational sovereignty of an intellectual elite and world bankers is surely preferable to the national auto-determination practiced in past centuries."

SOURCE: David Rockefeller, Bilderberger Meeting, Baden, Germany, June 1991

The New World Order is upon us. The New World Order is the 7th king. This will be a global government, A Godless Totalitarian Communist Police State, a world power headed by the United Nations and The Council On Foreign Relations.

As I mentioned, the 8th king will be a man, the Antichrist, who will be of the 7th world power according to Revelation 17:11, i.e., he will be a part of the New World Order, rising to power from it. Check out the occult imagery in Jimmy Buffet and Toby Keith's latest horrible song, “TOO DRUNK TO KARAOKE.” The image of SANTA (SATAN) looking down upon The Great Pyramid teaches us what the All Seeing Eye truly represents.

I believe that Revelation chapter 18 speaks concerning the total economic destruction of the United States. In 2023 there are 42,000,000 Americans receiving government Food Stamps. The unemployment rate is at 16% nationwide. Tens-of-millions of U.S. citizens have lost their homes to crooked banks.

The Obama administration called this a “jobless recovery.” What an insult! The jobs aren't coming back, because there are no jobs to come back—they've all been outsourced to foreign slave labor! Americans are actually being forced to compete with illegal immigrants for what jobs remain, because of the high treason of our officials in Washington D.C. Americans are going to be MUCH poorer in the very near future. Our dollar is on the verge of total collapse. Babylon's economy will collapse in one hour the Bible foretells, which I humbly believe refers to the United States destroyed by a future nuclear holocaust (Revelation 18:10,17,19).

Jesus Is Coming Again, Hopefully Soon

Oh, friend, we are living in the Last Days (2nd Timothy 3:1-7). I am not setting any dates for the Lord's return, but the New World Order is the Beast System of the coming Antichrist, and it's forming right before our very eyes. Truly, the Lord's return is imminent.

Are you ready to enter into eternity? Do you have Christ's righteousness, which is solely by faith in Jesus? Salvation happens when a person acknowledges their guilt of sin (Romans 3:19), and comes to God on the basis that they are a hell-deserving sinner; believing on Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, for forgiveness of sins (Acts 10:43). In response to our faith, God the Father imputes (attributes) the righteousness of His dear Son to our record in Heaven (Romans 4:6). When God views us from that moment forward, He sees the righteousness of Christ instead of our sins. Thus, we are made clean by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which takes our sins away forever (Revelation 1:5). Praise God!

Jesus said that men would not know the exact day nor hour when He would return, but Jesus didn't say that we couldn't know the times. The handwriting is all over the wall. Granted, throughout history people have errantly thought that the end was near; such as in 1844 when Seventh Day Adventism was born out of a failed prophecy for Christ to return. The difference is that I am not setting any dates. I do not know when Christ will return. Yet, only a fool would deny that the world is headed for World Government. This is the 7th kingdom in Revelation 17:10-11. The 8th will be the Antichrist, whom the Bible says will arise from the 7th kingdom. Signs of Satan are everywhere. 666 is everywhere.

One thing is certain, this world is getting ugly. Apostasy is everywhere. Corrupt Bibles are everywhere. Entertainment has replaced singing gospel hymns in our churches. Psychology has replaced Bible-preaching. Women preachers are epidemic, all corrupt in their theology, all rebelling against God just as the feminists and lesbians. God has ordained it to be masculine authority in the home, marriage and church. Anything else is apostasy. Women don't belong in the pulpit, nor any position which usurps authority over a man. Women are to keep silent in the church, having a meek and quite spirit as the Bible commands (1st Peter 3:4).

Perverted gender-equality Bibles, women preachers and the homosexualization of society are paving the way for a Police State. This is because rebellion amongst women has ruined our children and country. Everything rests upon mothers. Eve led Adam into sin. Without godly mothers there will be no godly preachers in the next generation. Women are not to blame more than men for sin, but my point is that when Satan wants to destroy a society, he goes after the woman. If Satan can get the woman, then he has the children and the men will follow. The evil monster-holes behind the New World Order know this, which is why they went after Brother Lester Roloff with everything they had to shut him down. Brother Roloff was turning out a generation of godly mothers, the Devil's biggest fear.

The 8 kings of Revelation are a telling indicator of where we are at in history's time line. So far, 6 kings have fallen, and the 7th is now coming to power, which will give ascendancy to the Antichrist himself. The Bible teaches that the Rapture (i.e., being “caught up” — 1st Thessalonians 4:17) will precede the Tribulation Period, which means that the Church must be removed from the world before the Antichrist appears. So I say to you all... the trumpet is out of the case!

Exodus 3:11-15

Exodus 3:11-15, “And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain. And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name?  what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”

This is an amazing passage of Scripture, which will have a significant impact in the New Testament. God told Moses to tell the Hebrews that “I AM” sent him to deliver them out of bondage in Egypt. With this truth in mind, now you can understand Jesus' claim to deity in the following passage:

John 8:54-59, “Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.”

The wicked Pharisees berated Jesus. They reminded Him that He's not even 50 years old yet, so what could He possible know. Jesus replied by claim to be the “I AM” of Exodus 3:14 and 15. The Pharisees fully understood His claim to deity, evidenced in verse 58 when they tried to stone Him to death with rocks! Can you image, trying to murder God's only begotten Son? I feel sorry for those Pharisees who are burning in Hell this moment and forever. They could have spent eternity in Heaven, if they simply would have trusted in Christ. I have trusted Jesus as my personal Savior since age 13, do you friend? I hope so, because I want you to be in Heaven with me someday.

Only The King James Bible Has Italics

If you have a quality King James Bible, then you will see many words in italics. These denote words which were added by the 54 translators of the King James Bible, which was compiled between 1603 to 1611. If you look up John 8:24 you will see this:

John 8:24, “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”

The Greek literally reads, “for if ye believe not that I am, ye shall die in your sins.” Carefully notice that the word he is in italics. You must appreciate the honesty of the 54 King James Bible translators. Unlike today's corrupt Bible revisions which just assume what God meant, none of which contain italics, the translators of the King James Bible DIDN'T assume anything. They felt it necessary to add some words for clarity. Those 54 men didn't make the decisions for you. Instead, they put all added words in italics, so that YOU (the reader) could decide for yourself what God meant. I have never seen such honest scholarship. You can trust your inspired King James Bible!!!

I believe Jesus is the I AM, do you? John 20:31, “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” Jesus is the virgin-born only begotten (biological) Son of God. He was not just a man or a prophet, Jesus is God almighty who came in the flesh (John 1:1-3, 14).

1st Corinthians 3:11-15

God Doesn't Judge Works Based On Our Motives

1st Corinthians 3:11-15, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

I love my new 'The Strand Study Bible.' I read it everyday as I read the inspired Holy Bible. If you'd like to buy one but cannot afford the high price, you can pick up a used one at Abe's Books online. I highly recommend The Strand Study Bible compiled by Pastor Brad Strand. He spent 30,000 hours over 33 years making this study Bible. I have learned a lot of new things from Brother Strand.

Having said that, I humbly disagree with some of his teachings. As with all preachers, no two agree on everything. In fact, I cannot name even one preacher with whom I agree with on everything he teaches. And I'm sure those men would all say the same thing. I read 1st Corinthians 3:13 today, 1st Corinthians 3:13, “Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.”

On page 1878 of his study Bible, Pastor Strand says:

Christians will enjoy Heaven based on “motive” (what sort it is), not merit (what size it is). Why we do what we do is more important than what we did. If what we do isn't done with the proper motive, it doesn't count with God (Mt. 20:1, II Cor. 5:14 and Rev. 2:4).

SOURCE: Pastor Brad Strand, The Strand Study Bible, p. 1878

Kindly said, I do not find Scriptural support for what Pastor Strand is teaching. Here are the three Scripture passages that he cites as supporting texts for his doctrine:

Matthew 20:1, “For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.”

2nd Corinthians 5:14, “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:”

Revelation 2:4, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”

Respectfully, these cross-references are worthless! I absolutely don't see how any of these passages can be used as evidence that our works won't count with God at the Judgment Seat of Christ unless we had the proper motive.

Jesus said that if we just do something to help a follower of Christ, but not Christ Himself, that person will still receive a reward on Judgment Day. Matthew 10:42, “And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.” So even if your motive is not to serve Christ, but just help a Christian, God will still reward you.

I once heard Pastor Jack Hyles (1926-2001) in a sermon say there is nothing in the Bible which teaches you must have the right motives to be rewarded by God. I fully agree with Dr. Hyles. I cannot find anything in the inspired King James Bible which says you won't be rewarded by God in eternity unless you have noble motives.

Jesus Himself Gave Us Selfish Motives

Jesus Himself encouraged us to selfishly “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” by serving God:

Matthew 6:19-21, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

1st Corinthians 3:8-9, “Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.” Serving God just to lay up treasures for yourselves in Heaven is a selfish motive.

I have worked very hard day and night on my website ministry since I began in 2002. My work is a passion for me, what some might even call an “obsession.” When I attended the Lighthouse Baptist Church on Guam in 2018 for a year, their Pensacola Christian College (PCC) intern pastor, Sean Quinlan, shamefully rebuked me one evening after church, when he overhead me warning a fellow Christian brother about the Devil's modern Bible revisions, and warning him about Bob Jones University who use, sell and promote the Devil's counterfeit Bibles versions. Pastor Quinlan became visibly angry and called me “obsessed over the Bible issue.” I instantly knew that he was not right with God, for defending the Devil's crowd who promote corruptible seed. I consider it an honor to be persecuted by a wicked pastor who thinks I am “obsessed over the Bible issue.” Buster, you had better know that I am OBSESSED over the Bible issue, and I plan to stay obsessed!!! PCC are pulling on the same rope as the Devil today, preaching a false gospel, and refusing to contend for the faith by warning people about the Devil's fake Bible revisions. I won't SHUT UP for God!!!

As I said, I have worked very hard on my website ministry since 2002. I haven't kept track of the hours, but I must have at least 50,000 hours invested into my ministry over the past 21 years. The longest I have ever worked straight through is 37 hours. I shouldn't work that hard, but I get so caught up in my work sometimes that I'm like a child in a candy store. It is my privilege to let God work through me to feed Jesus' sheep, and win the lost to Christ (Galatians 2:20). I admit that I want rewards in Heaven. That is part of my motivation. Albeit, my greatest rewards will be the people saved through my labors for Christ, who will greet me someday in Heaven (Daniel 12:3).

When you think about it, most of the Christian life is selfishly lived. We pray to get things from God. We serve God to earn rewards. We fast to get something from God. We go to church to be edified. We live right so we can feel peace in our soul and avoid guilt. When I give a homeless person some money, I do it because I want God to be pleased with me. I have selfish motives. And there is nothing wrong with those things, God wants us to live that way. Even when we serve God from a sincere heart of love for Him, we selfishly want His blessings on our life. Human beings are selfish by nature from birth, and we cannot change that.

I love Pastor Strand and am so thankful for his correct position on repentance. Sadly, that is becoming rare these days. I would guesstimate that 85% of Baptist pastors today have succumbed to Satan's lie that you must turn from your sinful ways to get to Heaven, which is works (Jonah 3:10). Christ alone bore the weight and penalty for our sins on Calvary's cross. Beware of any crooked preacher who tries to put the burden of sin burden upon your shoulders, by focusing on YOU changing your life, improving your behavior or following Christ as “Lord” to be saved. The true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU.

Please understand that I don't find any thrill in disagreeing with any preacher. God knows that my only intent is to help people learn the truth, that is, as I believe God has laid truths upon my heart. As Brother Strand rightly teaches, don't ever take the word of any man; do what Jesus commanded us to do in John 5:39a, SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES!!! (cf. Acts 17:10-11).

So, if you are a Christian man, and you volunteer to drive a church bus to bring people to church, but your only motive is that you like a woman at church, I believe God will still reward you. You are transporting people to church to learn about Jesus to be saved, to hear the truth and grow in grace, to fellowship with the saints, to receive comfort in burdens and losses, et cetera. Why wouldn't God reward you for helping the cause of Jesus Christ? Our God is more ethical than you or I could ever understand. Again, humbly, I don't find any Scriptural teaching that says motives matter in our service to God, as far as rewards go.

The Church Of Ephesus Had Wrong Priorities, Not Wrong Motives

Revelation 2:4-5, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” If motives matter, then show me, because I can't find it in the Holy Bible. In Revelation 2:1-7 we read about the church of Ephesus. The Lord commended this church for exposing false prophets and for hating wickedness. However, Christ rebuked them for not doing the “first works.” The Bible doesn't tell us what those first works are, but in my humble opinion it is soulwinning. I believe this because of Matthew 28:19-29 (aka, 'The Great Commission') and also Luke 8:11-15 (the parable of The Sower And The Seed, which teaches that God's main purpose for every believer is to mature to bear fruit, that is, win souls). If you are a believer and you don't regularly share the Gospel with lost sinners, you are an immature Christian (Luke 8:15).

So, concerning the church of Ephesus, humbly, I do not believe that they had the wrong motives; but rather, they had the wrong priorities. They had left off the first works. I cannot think of any work more important than preaching the Gospel. Mark 16:15, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Contending for the faith and hating sin are very important matters, but not as important as soulwinning. Without sharing the Gospel nothing else matters.

All Believers Will Be Judged By God For Our Good And Bad

1st Corinthians 3:11-15 is a famous passage about the future Judgment Seat of Christ, when all saints will be held accountable for the good and bad done in the body. I hear most preachers teaching that Christians won't have to answer for their sins in Heaven. I humbly strongly disagree. What saith the Scripture? 1st Thessalonians 4:6, “That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.” As we just read, if you defraud your brother. Whether cheating him financially, having sex with his wife, misleading him or hurting a brother in any way, God promises to avenge that saint. So it is not true that we will only be rewarded for the good, but the bad won't be brought up ever again.

I have heard preachers say that when you got saved, God cast your sins into the depths of the sea, so that He will never bring them up again. That is only partly true. I agree with Pastor Max Younce that all of the sins done before you were saved won't be mentioned again, because you did it in ignorance. But all of the sins you've done as a child of God will be mentioned in Heaven, because you knew better. We must separate the Civil Court at the Judgment Seat of Christ from the Criminal Court at the Great White Throne Judgment. We know from John 3:18 and Romans 8:1 and 34 that there is no condemnation for any saint of God. Condemnation is only for the unsaved, that is, for all those sinners who have rejected Jesus as their Savior. God's wrath rests upon their head (Psalms 7:11; John 3:36).

At the Judgment Seat of Christ, believers will not be judged for our sins; but rather, for the good and bad done in the body. Christ suffered the penalty for our sins on the cross. 2nd Corinthians 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

When O.J. Simpson was indicted in 1994 for murdering his wife Nicole Simpson and lover Ron Goldman, he was acquitted in Criminal Court, but later found guilty in 1997 in Civil Court (ordered by the court to pay $33.500,000 to the family of Ron Goldman). In a bizarre turn of events, O.J. Simpson in 2006 actually (and I think cruelly) admitted to murdering his wife and Ron Goldman in a book titled, "If I Did It" (you can read the book for free). Simpson provides vivid details up until and after the murders, but doesn't describe the murders themselves. It is clear from reading his horrible book that he was attempting to justify his crimes by portraying his former wife as an irresponsible mother, bimbo and adulterous spouse. You couldn't make this stuff up! Ron Goldman's father responded publicly to Simpson's cruel book by publishing his own book titled: "I Did It!"

The lesson I want you to take away from the Simpson case is that he was acquitted in Criminal Court, but later found guilty in Civil Court. In Civil Court there is no risk of going to prison or Capital Punishment. Likewise, at the Judgment Seat of Christ no Christian will be in danger of being punished for their sins on earth. But there will be more than rewards given at this time. Believers who hurt other people and refused to make things right with the victim, will be chastised by God. There will be embarrassment, tears and regrets. That is why we read in 1st Corinthians 11:31, “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.” If you have defrauded or hurt someone, and have not reconciled and made restitution with that victim, then God will avenge them in eternity.

Lordship Salvation Is A Counterfeit Plan Of Salvation

Also, we learn from 1st Corinthians 3:11-15 that Lordship Salvation is a fallacy. The man in 1st Corinthians 3:15 was “saved; yet so as by fire.” He barely escaped the fires of Hell, simply because he placed his faith in the Lamb of God. I am sick and tired of hearing lying preachers tell lost sinners that God won't save them by faith, unless they first are willing to turn away from their sinful bad habits. This is the garbage taught at cults like Pensacola Christian College. True repentance has nothing to do with “turning from sin” and everything to do with “acknowledging one's sinfulness” (Romans 3:19-20). Like the thief on the cross who simply acknowledged his sinfulness (Luke 23:39-43), the only part a person has in salvation is the beggar's part. Either God does the saving, all of it, or you don't go to Heaven!

The born-again man in 1st Corinthians 3:15 lived a worthless, selfish, wasted life for God. He did his own thing, lived for his own plans, and never shared the Gospel with anyone. His faith was “dead” as James said in James 2:17, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Carefully notice that a dead faith is still faith. That is, the person is saved. If you are saved but living a life of sin by choice, then your faith is dead. For all effective purposes, you are dead to the world around you and ineffective as a light to the lost world.

This is exactly what the Bible means in Hebrews 10:14-16, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.” Lot is a good example of a believer who didn't live a holy life. When he tried to warn his son in laws of the coming destruction of Sodom, they laughed at him, thinking that he was joking. Genesis 19:14, “And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city.  But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.” Friend, is your Christian testimony so poor that people take your Christian faith as a joke? I sincerely hope not. You may be the only Jesus that someone knows.

Every pseudo-Christian false prophet will tell you that they believe in salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, but then they lie by insisting that you are not saved unless your behavior has changed and you've forsaking a lifestyle of sinning. That is works, not grace (Jonah 3:10). Turning from your sinful habits has absolutely nothing to do with freely receiving God's gift of eternal life. That is why it is called “a gift” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Take heed to Jesus' stern warning in Matthew 7:15, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”

James 2:17-21

James 2:17, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”

There is much misunderstanding and needless debate over the meaning of James chapter two. Albeit, if we rightly divide the Word of Truth it is not difficult to interpret (2nd Timothy 2:15).

The Apostle Paul in the Epistle of Romans speaks about the root of the believer's salvation, which is faith. Faith is the only righteous thing that I can do to be saved. Paul writes about being justified in the sight of God by faith alone.

Contrariwise, the Apostle James in the Epistle of James speaks about the fruit of the indwelling Holy Spirit, which is works (Galatians 5:22-25). But a Christian must choose to Walk in the Spirit or else by default we will fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” It is natural to be carnal. Living a holy life is a supernatural life lived in obedience to the inspired Word of God and yielding to the Holy Spirit (2nd Corinthians 10:5-6). As God's children, Jesus lives the Christian life through us by faith (Galatians 2:20). James writes about being justified in the sight of men by our works. Man cannot see into our heart.

Granted, some unsaved people do “many wonderful works” (Matthew 7:22-23), and some born-again Christians commit horrible sins (2nd Samuel chapter 11 - David and Bathsheba). So we cannot know if someone is saved just because they do good works, nor can we know if someone is lost just because they commit horrible sins or crimes. However, as a general rule people will assume that you are likely a Christian if they see Christlikeness in you (Matthew 5:16).

The born-again man in 1st Corinthians 3:15 lived a worthless, selfish, wasted life for God. He did his own thing, lived for his own plans and never shared the Gospel with anyone. His faith was “dead” as James said in James 2:17, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Carefully notice that a dead faith is still faith. That is, the person is still saved. If you are saved but living a life of unrepentant sin by choice, then your faith is dead. For all effective purposes, your testimony is dead to the world around you and ineffective as a light to the lost world.

This is exactly what the Bible means in Hebrews 10:14-16, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright.”

Lot is a good example of a believer who didn't live a holy life. He chose to move to “Sin City” Sodom (the Las Vegas of their generation). When Lot tried to warn his son in laws of the coming destruction of Sodom, they laughed at him, thinking that he was joking. Dear reader, is your testimony so poor that people take your Christian faith as a joke? I sincerely hope not. You may be the only Jesus someone knows and their only chance for eternal life (Matthew 5:16).

James chapter two has nothing to do with salvation, and everything to do with our testimony as believers. Abram (later renamed to Abraham) was saved in Genesis 15:6 when he believed God and his faith was counted for righteousness (cf. Romans 4:1-7). But James says Abraham was justified by works in James 2:21, when he offered up his son Isaac. James 2;21, “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” That event didn't happen until Genesis 22:9-11, many years after Abram was saved. So, we see clearly that these were two very different events, which happened many years apart from each other. Justification has and always will be by faith alone.

Roman Catholics and many false teachers today wrest James chapter two to their own destruction (2nd Peter 3:16-17). Also, carefully notice that James says to “shew me” and “I will shew thee” our works. It doesn't say to shew God. Again, James speaks of being justified in the eyes of men, not the Lord. This is plain to see from the text.