Bread Of Life Needed For Eternal Life

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Eternal Life Blog

bread of lifeAfter one of the times that Jesus performed the miracle of multiplying the loaves and fish, he gave us a wonderful salvation teaching, again pointing people to himself. This time he made an analogy between himself and bread. He stated that he himself is the bread of life:

Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “from now on give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:32-35)

Notice the words: comes and believes as on Jesus. Both are present tense. Hence, if one comes to Jesus day after day and believes on Jesus day after day he will never be spiritually hungry or thirsty! That is how we consume the bread of life. That is very important to remember.

Again, Jesus alone is the true bread from heaven. The following verses, still related to the bread of life, show it takes a present tense belief in Jesus or an equivalent of that (a saving faith) to have present tense eternal life (or everlasting life):

For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:40)

I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6:47-51)

Eat Jesus’ Flesh and Drink Jesus’ Blood For Eternal Life

After saying all of that, Jesus then said to have eternal life we will have to eat his flesh and drink his blood:

Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:53,54)

That passage has stumbled a lot of sincere people because the words eat and drink have been taken to mean something different than previously shown in the context of this teaching! It is terribly unfortunate that so many Catholics have been wrongly taught about that and consequently think they literally receive Jesus in their mouth and swallow him into their stomachs through the communion wafer, which they call the Eucharist!  That Catholic practice has nothing to do with partaking of the real bread of life the way it is used in John 6. To have eternal life we must have Jesus and a faith in him which will follow, obey God and live holy, even under adverse circumstances. To continue to remain in Jesus (the Son of God and eternal life) is conditional:

See that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us–even eternal life. I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. (1 John 2:24-26)

That passage, related to false teachers, shows the spiritual danger connected with being doctrinally wrong! DO NOT BE DECEIVED about eternal life.

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What Is The Right Religion?

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Eternal Life Blog

What is the right religion?[Bible Question] Hi! I am a … who lives in Italy and I am asking what is the right religion to follow. I read the bible by myself and I don’t know what is the right religion if there is one. I want to do something to help people find more about God. The Christian evangelism here is full of bad teaching and they are starting to agree with things they should not…look forward for an answer…thanks

[Bible Answer] You asked a question which many have wondered about! To answer it we must refer to the Bible, which is final authority, according to Scripture itself (2 Tim. 3:16,17). The salvation spoken of in the Bible is one which sets sinful people free from their sin addictions (Rom. 6:18; Rom. 6:22; John 8:34-36)! That is very important to know. Experiencing that happens instantly and the change is radical. Hence, it is called the new creation (2 Cor. 5;17). When Zacchaeus and Paul were saved a radical change occurred in their behavior and priorities. Others could notice that change. Such a change occurs after one will humbly and sincerely go to God for mercy and forgiveness (Lk. 18:13,14). That includes repentance (turning from sin) and committing oneself to the Lord Jesus to follow and serve him in this life. Those basic truths are foreign in most religions of our day. The reason they know nothing about such is because they have a faulty and DANGEROUS understanding of eternal life and how to get it and/or keep it. Such religions are counterfeits and will only snare those who adhere to their beliefs. If the blind follow the blind both will fall into a ditch (Mt. 15:14).

We are promised that we will find God when we seek him with all of our heart (Deut. 4:29; Jer. 29:13). That means seek the truth of God by especially diligently searching the pages of the New Testament, since we are under the new covenant and Jesus’ teachings. God’s plan of salvation to obtain eternal life is vastly different, as you will read in the Bible, from what different religions declare! For example, I was raised a Catholic. What I was taught was either a massive distortion of what the Bible says or totally missing from its pages! Its teachings of the sacraments, Mary and being a Catholic did NOT bring about freedom from sin’s addictions, which I have experienced by going by the message of the Bible with its focus on Jesus. Other similar false religions are the Jehovah’s Witnessess, Mormonism, Universalism, Hinduism, Islam, etc. Each has a different message, but they likewise vary from Scripture.

God knows your heart. Be 100% sincere and honest before God. Ask God to help you, but seek the truth from the Bible for yourself. Don’t trust another’s interpretation of the Bible, even someone who loves you and is sincere! He might be wrong! Also, please don’t follow the church crowd, as most will perish (Mt. 7:13,14). Follow Jesus faithfully and unashamedly now and until death. Your faith and trust is to be in JESUS 100% for your salvation as you OBEY God and do his will. That is saving faith in Jesus. You can have peace with God, if you do it the Bible way. You must guard your heart from sin and live holy because a real Christian can backslide and get back on the road to hell again. There is no once saved always saved. You are battling for eternity and your SOUL is your most precious possession. Hence, proceed accordingly. Make the necessary changes. It will be to your advantage to do it God’s way, which is stated in the Bible. Make your life count for God. Be an honor to the Lord Jesus. This is a heaven or hell issue for you and others in your circle of influence. Remember 1 Cor. 6:9-11.

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Their Worm Does Not Die

Posted on May 20, 2012 by Eternal Life Blog

worm does not dieThis Bible mystery centers around the word worm and their worm does not die as belonging to the eternally lost, when in unquenchable fire. It was the Lord Jesus who gave us more information about hell than anyone else. In Mark 9 his usage of the word worm [singular] is both mysterious and very unsettling for those who die in their sins:

Jesus Mentioned their worm does not die

And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. (Mark 9:47,48)

Without doubt, that is a description of a terrible future in fire and pain beyond the grave, but what does their worm does not die mean? The possibilities seem to be narrowed down to the worm of hell to mean:

  • the SOUL of the lost
  • a literal singular worm as a maggot which appears on decomposing flesh

Whatever it is, their worm does not die! If the worm is the soul of the lost person, then that passage is teaching their soul will never be annihilated, which is consistent with other Scriptures. If it means some kind of special literal worm, which can exist in unquenchable fire and never die, then what would be the purpose of it never dying if the lost person himself was annihilated, but his worm wasn’t? If it is a literal worm, then perhaps the usage of it alongside unquenchable fire is to suggest even more misery in such a terrible place. On the other hand, maybe their worm refers to something totally different which is now impossible for us to comprehend! A supplementing passage to Mark 9:47,48 is found in Isa. 66:24:

And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.

The Horrors of Hell Includes their worm does not die

The horrors and terrors of hell are real and beyond our ability to comprehend the details, but clearly hell must be avoided at all costs! That even includes dismemberment IF that’s the only way to get victory over your sin, according to Jesus! Sounds extreme, but that is his teaching. Sin has always been the issue and that has NOT changed after the cross of Christ! Are you living holy NOW – doing God’s will NOW? Eternal life is reaped ONLY by those who sow to please the Spirit (Gal. 6:8,9)! God knows every detail about you and he alone can destroy both your soul and body in hell (Mt. 10:28). Fear God! Remember, the horrors of hell includes their worm does not die.

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I Am a Christian Addicted To Porn

Posted on May 19, 2012 by Eternal Life Blog

addicted to porn

[Bible Question] Hi I’ve been addicted to porn for about a year now. I am a Christian struggling with this temptation and I go back and forth worshiping god one day, and then the next doing porn. I’m sick of being tempted and I wish I was not addicted to it. I know what I should be doing and that is building my relationship with God, but I feel like porn just never stops in my life. No one knows that I’m addicted to porn except God, and I want to power through this with God and I know I can do it. I just have to stop. Could you please give me some advice, and some encouragement so that I stop this horrible temptation and get back to what matters most and that’s worshiping God. I don’t. Want to tell anyone about this, and I just want to get it done with.

[Bible Answer] You are not a Christian addicted to porn as you think. Your spiritual identity, as God sees you, is: adulterer. You are NOT a Christian. It is impossible to be an adulterer and a Christian simultaneously. You are addicted to lust (mental adultery) like a drunkard is addicted to alcohol. Salvation is the cure in both cases (1 Cor. 6:9-11). You need to repent, that is, turn away from your adultery (Mt. 5:28). So, get your magazines, videos, CDs etc. and all other sources of sexual temptation and rip them to pieces. Smash the things that won’t rip, then burn it all so no one else can be hurt by the same demonic material which the devil is using to ensnare you as you travel down the road to hell. To be aware of your true identity will help you realize how vital it is for you to turn 180 degrees the other way and become a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus. After you sincerely and humbly ask God for forgiveness and salvation and repent, you need to wash out your mind. It has become defiled by the images you have allowed to enter in. You have chosen to look at and ponder pictures of immoral women, which are destructive to you. Now you need to similarly chose to saturate your mind with God’s word (spiritual medicine) and ponder what you are reading from Scripture, putting it into practice. Such will enable you to walk holy and clean before God. You will also get spiritual insights by doing that. Read at least 3 to 5 chapters per day. Since TV is a lust generator, stop watching TV. You must guard your SOUL, your most valuable possession. Stop going to places of temptation and if your so-called friends are means of temptation, stay away from them. Read this about spiritual safeguards. This is very serious. It is a matter of life or death! Eternity hangs in the balance. Now that you know what needs to be done, DO IT for your own good. God isn’t going to do it for you! Eternal life can be yours. There is NO eternal security.

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Trapped In PORN

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Eternal Life Blog

trapped in sin

[Comment Related To Eternal Life] I was saved around the age of 11. I followed the Lord for a couple years. But then my family moved to a different town, and we ended up at a less biblical church. I switched from a private Christian school to a public school around that time also. I slowly fell into sexual sin (porn) and lost closeness with the Lord. I never regained that closeness as I was still trapped in porn. In my 20’s I went to college, and began having premarital sex with many women. I still read my bible a little almost every other day. I also began listening to sermons on my ipod. Little by little I was desiring to return to following Jesus. I listened to this one sermon about choosing life or death. That night the Lord was pressing hard on my heart as I was at the bar. I pushed out the thoughts of choosing life and death, and decided to fornicate with a married woman. After that I still wanted to turn to Christ before it became to late. I became afraid that one day it would be to late for me to turn back to Christ. I then ran across Heb 6 and Heb 10. It terrifies me to think my repentance will not be accepted by God. It has been 4 weeks and I have turned from all my sins and am serving the Lord the best I know how. I still have times of terror where I think it may be to late for me. Maybe I’m only experiencing false repentance.

[Bible Answer] We are glad you found us. We can help you, but you must listen carefully. Since you have turned from all your sins and are serving the Lord the best you know, that is true repentance. Since God took the Prodigal Son back, why would you think he would not take you back too? He was in wild living, including being with prostitutes! Please read Luke 15:11-32. He didn’t sin too much with his immorality! God was HAPPY TO HAVE HIM BACK! In fact, there was a celebration because he came back, according to the Lord Jesus. You are NO different. You are like that Prodigal Son, who has turned from the sins which were dragging you to hell. That was very wise!

NOTE: Heb. 6:4-6 and Heb. 10:26,27 are both referring to people who committed eternal sin or unforgivable sin. The Prodigal was different. You are different. You did NOT commit eternal sin. THE DEVIL IS TORTURING YOUR MIND. This is very common with people who backslide. False repentance is something different from what you did.

Here is more related information on what a real Christian is. Please read it carefully. Also, as a new Christian (even though you were previously saved) the following information about spiritual safeguards is very important for you. Remember: You are battling for eternity and eternal life. Take resisting sin and living holy most serious for it is. GOD BLESS YOU.

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Imprisoned Bank Robber

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Eternal Life Blog

behind bars

[Bible Question and Request] I am an indigent inmate serving a 43 year prison sentence for armed bank robbery…. I’m a believer who hasn’t been studying seriously for very long – only for about the last 6 months. But I’ve been studying the bible with a __ year old brother who has been walking with the Lord 34 years. But I believe he is misled in error and I’m scared and don’t want to be unintentionally misled myself. Eternity is never ending and I don’t want to be isolated in hell separated from the love of God forever …. the horror that awaits everyone who dies without accepting what Jesus Christ did for all of mankind.

My __year old Christian brother is trying to tell me that 1 John 1:9 is only talking to unbelievers. Once we are saved we no longer confess the sins we commit after we called on Christ to save us….Whenever we do fall short we are suppose to talk to God about it and thank him for his grace and the blood of Jesus that continuously cleanses us from our sins. And ask God to help us over come in this area of our life. All that sounds good but I don’t think he is correct. I can’t afford to be misled by how someone interprets scripture. However, I am confused now. Another Christian gave me this address and told me I need to read this book [The Believer’s Conditional Security: Eternal Security Refuted]. Can you please send it to me?

[BIBLE ANSWER] The book you requested is coming along with other related materials about salvation. It is great you are aware of the seriousness of the Christian life and sin. You are battling for eternity. You can yet go to hell, just like we can over here, and it is to your major advantage to know it. Here is a good verse:

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. (Heb 12:4)

You can resist sin. You can live holy and MUST be holy to enter God’s presence and Paradise after death (Mt. 5:8; Rev. 21:27; etc.). Our day is filled with false doctrine and much of it is lethal. Be very S-L-O-W to believe anything which isn’t in the Bible! Furthermore, the safest thing you can do for yourself is to read and reread the New Testament until you get better acquainted with spiritual reality. You are right NOT to trust another’s interpretation of the Bible, even a friendly professing Christian. **Read a reputable and easy to understand translation. The KJV is NOT easy to understand and should be avoided [because of that]. 1 John 1:9 is written for Christians. John put himself in on it when he wrote there, “If WE….” Also, the unsaved could never remember their mountain of sins to confess them to get saved! Sin is still the issue after the cross and is easily shown to be such in Revelation 2 and 3. There, Jesus himself is speaking to different church groups about various issues including sin, departing from our first love, false teachings, lukewarmness, tolerating false teachers, etc. His teachings cited in those 2 chapters will blow away much of what your friend has told you and wants you to believe. The Bible is FINAL AUTHORITY (2 Tim. 3:16,17). The material which is being sent separately should further answer issues you brought up, plus much more. Remember 1 Cor. 2:9.

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Point Of Despair

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Eternal Life Blog

[BIBLE QUESTION] Hey, my name is _____, and I’m struggling with a spiritual problem to the point of despair. Ive become a Christian at the age of 15, in 2006, and I’ve experienced the Lord’s Holy Spirit in a deep way. I’ve been going to church all my life, and now I’m 22 years old. The problem is, that my past sinful life, that being lust and pornography has constantly tempted me and I constantly gave into it’s lie not taking it seriously as I should of. I constantly tolerated the sin, saying that the Lord will forgive me, thinking that eternal security as a believer existed, that I can do anything to please my flesh and also turn to the Lord and find forgiveness. Little did I know that what I believed to be true was actually a trap and a lie from Satan. Later on in life, that being now, it finally hit me that there really was a spiritual battle, and that I couldn’t live anyway I wanted to. But I feel like it’s to late for me. My heart has become so contaminated and dead. I … still want to be with Him, and Him to be in me. I don’t know if you guys know how spiritually dead I feel, for that is why I’m feeling despair in my heart. I feel spiritual death in my heart but I don’t want my heart to be like this. I still want Jesus, but I feel that He has turned away from me, and doesn’t want to hear from me, for I really knew how bad and wicked and perverse sin is. Yet I kept on doing it. This year I kept finding condemning Bible verses about my situation. Bible verses like- James 1:15- “Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” The death I’m experiencing now is the one mentioned in this Bible verse. This verse doesn’t give any hope to the person in my situation whether he wants out of this or not. It just states what will take place if you do these things. If a …man doesn’t want to be what this verse describes, and if he became what this verse describes, than is there any hope of getting out of spiritual death? I pray every morning, throughout the day, and at night for the Lord to help me. I realize and am fully convicted of what Ive done, is it to late. I can’t stop thinking about the spiritual death problem. My family thinks I’ve become crazy. They are constantly annoyed at hearing me tell them the same problems. They don’t understand what my spiritual heart is experiencing. They say that everything is ok when it really isn’t. Another self condemning verse I found was Galations 6:7-8: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” How can a man experience the Holy Spirit when He has fallen like this? Another verse is Hebrews 10:26- “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left.” I am scared for my eternity, and I’m really serious about this. I don’t want to go in the lake of fire where I will burn forever and ever. And I don’t want my name to be blotted out of the book of life. I’m scared to say that I got what my sins deserve. I just want to be spiritually well again…. God Bless, and thank you!

[BIBLE ANSWER] You can get forgiven! You are a backslider and have committed adultery through lust, but that can be forgiven and will be forgiven when you repent. You are terrified about verses that either don’t apply to your situation or you have overlooked the possibility of repentance, which is understood but not stated. IF the prodigal son lost his salvation through sexual sin and wild living in general and became alive again when he turned from his sins to serve the Father, then such will also work for you (Lk. 15:24)!
devil
You are being tormented by the devil, which is typical for those who want to come back to eternal life. You did NOT commit unforgivable sin. Therefore you can get forgiven, unlike those in Heb. 6:4-6 and Heb. 10:26,27. You must stick to the Bible to know the remedy and get the victory. Remember, King David lost his salvation through adultery and murder and afterwards got forgiven and saved again. Then he prayed to have the joy of his salvation restored. It didn’t come back automatically or instantly!

There is NO QUESTION that eternal security has brought many advocates deep into wickedness. It is wonderful to know you don’t believe that false gospel anymore. It is to your major spiritual advantage to know you can yet go to hell and must endure to the end for salvation’s sake (Mt. 10:22; Heb. 3:14; Rev. 2:10,11). This life is a test which will influence your eternal destiny. Do NOT take a chance with your SOUL – your most valuable possession. To be addicted to sin is a sure sign that you don’t have salvation at this time (Rom. 6:22). Jesus can set you free (John 8:34-36; Rom. 6:15-18). Remember Psa. 119:9-11.

[His RESPONSE] I would like to thank you guys, and your ministry for the encouragement you have given me in this hard time in my life. You helped me to realize that I should still pursue Jesus Christ, and that I shouldn’t give up at all. I realize that Satan is the one that gives me the impression that I’m already defeated and that I shouldn’t even try anymore, but despite the situation, I’m still going to follow the Lord, and not give up! I’m praying and hoping that He will touch my spiritual heart and heal it again. I’m trying really hard to stand my ground against this sin that many guys easily fall into. We are living at a time when sin and wickedness has reached it’s full potential. We are living the last days, and I hope for the Lord to strengthen all of his people before He returns to get us. I feel so relived, thank you again for your help and God Bless you guys, and your ministry! This has been a problem for me for some time. I’m not going to give up! Thank you immensely!

[Second BIBLE ANSWER] Now that you know there is hope and SURE VICTORY available through God, you need to do two things after you repent: (1) Flood your mind with wholesome thoughts–to wash out your mind. In other words, you need truth from the Bible. It will be healing medicine for you. Read at least three to five chapters of the Bible daily and change accordingly. Take captive your thoughts.  Think about spiritual things. Meditate on the Scriptures. If the devil’s temptations get strong, praise God out loud. Praise is powerful and will shut off the devil’s voice quickly. (2) Cut off the sources of sinful temptation! The devil has been getting you somehow through people or the places you are going. If your friends are the source of temptation, get new friends. Such people are actually an enemy in disguise, even if they are your own natural family, co-workers or neighbors. Don’t let them take you to hell with them. Also, TV is a MAJOR lust generator. STOP watching TV and you’ll quickly see how much easier it is to resist lust. Also, listen ONLY to gospel music and NO OTHER KIND! We know a woman who backslid and it started because she was listening to country music. GUARD YOUR HEART. Finally, if the devil attacks you with ungodly thoughts at night, get a CD player with “repeat” ability to play the Bible being read ALL NIGHT LONG! That will help you too. FIGHT the devil’s temptations and learn the Bible. You must crucify your flesh and keep it dead. Remember Heb. 12:4 and Rev. 21:27. You are battling for eternity! This is not a practice drill. Your SOUL is your most valuable possession. There are no Christian adulterers (1 Cor. 6:9,10).

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Cold Case Solved Because Jack Pursel Found Christ

Posted on May 11, 2012 by Eternal Life Blog

At the age of 66 Jack Wendell Pursel confessed to the double murder and robbery of 85-year-old Robert Huntbach and his 77-year-old wife, Goldie from Waterloo, Iowa. The crime occurred in 1981, 31 years earlier, and soon became an unsolved cold case. Though Jack Pursel (a convicted sex offender) successfully avoided arrest for the murders, he apparently was bothered with the guilt of his wickedness, since he found Christ:
cold case solved

“It’s my understanding he found Christ and felt this was the right thing to do,” Trelka said. (http://wcfcourier.com/news/local/update-confessed-killer-appears-in-court/article_ e4fa7d71-3a19-52db-b42d-79351467761a.html)

Too bad more details about Jack Pursel finding Christ aren’t available, but his new found desire to do right (Acts 26:20) parallels the Biblical salvation conversion of Zacchaeus, who wanted to right his wrongs and stated he would give 50% of his possessions to the poor and pay back those he cheated four times:

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” (Luke 19:8)

There are no secret sins! No one gets away with any sin or crime, as far as God is concerned! He is the holy, righteous and impartial Judge, who knows everything, can’t be bribed and alone has the power to destroy both body and soul in hell:

Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Mat 10:28)

Jesus taught that God is to be feared because he has that power. Also, it is a manifestation of God’s kindness which leads to repentance (Rom. 2:4) for a sinful person’s conscience to bother him with guilt after sin. David wrote:

My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. (Psa 38:4)

Some might even doubt that a murderer, thief and sex offender like Jack Pursel could ever be forgiven at all. In fact, years ago, when I was street preaching and distributing gospel literature in downtown Pittsburgh, PA, a man walked up to me and told me with tears in his eyes that he can’t be forgiven because he was guilty of murder! I tried hard to convince him, but he wouldn’t receive the truth. He walked away with tears in his eyes feeling hopelessly doomed to hell.

So the question for many is: Can a murderer get forgiven? Yes, is the answer! We know there is hope for a murderer to get forgiven because King David got forgiven of his murder and adultery (2 Sam. 12:13). Jesus taught about the one unforgivable sin and never connected it to the typical types of sins, including murder, which most would think of (Mark 3:22-30). Furthermore, Manasseh got forgiven of a shocking string of sins, including multiple murders and much more (2 Chron. 33:1-16)! Jack Pursel and others like him can find forgiveness in the Lord Jesus Christ through repentance of sins and a saving faith, which includes a commitment to love and obey the Lord Jesus unashamedly in this sinful world. Do you know the Lord Jesus NOW?

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Images and Christianity

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Eternal Life Blog

The New Testament is comprised of 27 books inspired by the Holy Spirit. The precious truths of God therein contained enable mankind in our era to learn about the teachings and practices embraced in first century Christianity and how to get eternal life. Of the various truths revealed in the New Testament about the earliest Christians, NEVER is there any mention of any kind of human image (statue) as is commonplace among Catholics today.
bowing to mary statue
On the other hand, back then in a city overrun with paganism and idolatry (Ephesus) the opposite is shown:

A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen. He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: “Men, you know we receive a good income from this business. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.” (Acts 19:24-27)

One of Paul’s chief antagonists was an idol maker named Demetrius. He led up a thriving business dealing in idolatry. It flourished in Ephesus until the Apostle Paul came preaching God’s truth. He preached against the established practices because they were clearly forbidden by God. In Exodus 20:4-6:

You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exo 20:4-6)

Without question, when Catholics bow before their religious images and kiss them, they are in violation to Scripture and in idolatry! Yet, the Catholic church adamantly and officially stands by their Bible contradicting traditions to the harm and shame of those who follow along:

“The practice of placing sacred images in churches so that they [the images] be venerated by the faithful is to be maintained.” (Vol. 1, p.35)

“From the very earliest days of the Church there has been a tradition whereby images of our Lord, his holy Mother, and of saints are displayed in churches for the veneration of the faithful.” (Vol. 1, p. 193)
kiss crucifix
“… that by means of the images which we kiss and before which we uncover the head and prostate ourselves, we adore Christ and venerate the saints whose likeness they bear …. great profit is derived from all holy images, not only because the people are thereby reminded of the benefits and gifts bestowed on them by Christ, but also because through the saints the miracles of God and salutary examples are set before the eyes of the faithful, so that they may give God thanks for those things, may fashion their own and conduct in imitation of the saints and be moved to adore and love God and cultivate piety. But if anyone should teach or maintain anything contrary to these decrees, let him be anathema.” (H. J. Schroeder, O. P., The Canons And Decrees Of The Council Of Trent, Tan Books and Publishers, Inc., 1978, p. 216)

The Catholic church promotes idolatry and places one of their powerless anathemas on Christians who oppose their evil practices. If you love God you will OBEY him (Jn. 14:15). That is how you show your love for God, not by kissing and or venerating an image.

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Christian Attending a Catholic Church

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Dan Corner

[BIBLE QUESTION] Is it possible for a saint (and, of course, I use that term for any true Believer) to be one who attends a Catholic church, but perhaps does not agree with some or many of their errant doctrines? (Not referring to myself!) Thank you for your help.

catholic church[BIBLE ANSWER] For a Bible-defined saint (a Christian) to attend a Catholic church is not only very dangerous, it just doesn’t fit. Such would be on a par with a saint going to a Hindu temple or Moslem mosque. It is out of character for such a person. Why? The Catholic church does not declare the true plan of salvation and even condemned it at the Council of Trent. Catholicism is also rampant with idolatry, heresies and pagan beliefs and practices. Since a true Christian can lose his salvation in various ways, no one who believes and joins in with the Catholic practices and ceremonies can remain a partaker of eternal life. It is impossible to be an idolater and have eternal life at the same time (Rev. 21:8). Just to expose oneself to heretical doctrine like that can be dangerous.

WHY would a Christian want to attend a Catholic church anyway? Since Christians love truth (Jn. 18:37) and the Catholic church has terribly twisted and diluted the truth of God into a poisonous dish, such a spiritual restaurant and counterfeit needs to be avoided like the plague! As a former Roman Catholic, I know from first hand experience! Before I started to read the Catholic Bible for myself, my own Catholic view of God and his ways were totally unlike they are now due to the light from Scripture. Catholicism is a religious fairytale with their popes, papal infallibility, priests, sacraments for salvation, purgatory, Eucharist, queen of heaven, brown scapular, rosary, church councils, Marian apparitions, etc. Such Catholic deception is very serious and basic to that religious environment. How some people could be returning to the Catholic church is shocking and disturbing to me. No doubt, Billy Graham, Pat Robertson, Jack Van Impe, and others like them, have stumbled many in that way. Perhaps their once saved always saved theology had a major role with them doing that.

We advise a newly saved person, coming from a Catholic background, to leave that spiritual environment ASAP. It is certainly not a healthy environment. To be more exact, it is a matter of spiritual life or death. New converts are in great danger to go there. God wants people to worship him in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:23,24), which is impossible there just as it would be inside a Hindu temple. For new converts coming from that background that means a very severe test, because their loving relatives are probably Catholic. We must obey God rather than man (Acts 5:29) and love Jesus more than our natural family (Mt. 10:36-38) to be worthy of him. The Catholic Church is a counterfeit. They do NOT have the truth about eternal life.

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