Hold On

Hold OnPhiladelphia was one of the seven churches in Asia and also one of the two churches which Jesus never told to repent. They were doing good, but Jesus told them to hold on, which many, who profess to be Christian, would flatly reject as being from the devil in our day! Their depth of deception seems to almost be impenetrable, but some do receive the truth. You would think all professing Christians would readily receive Jesus’ teaching, but they don’t! The one with the words of eternal life (John 6:68) said to a church which had kept God’s word and had not denied Jesus’ name (Rev 3:8):

Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. (Rev 3:11)

It is the Christian’s responsibility to hold on to what he has, according to the Lord Jesus. Jesus never told them, the Father and I are holding on to you and you will never perish or be plucked out of our hands! Make a note of that for your own good. That wonderful promise, as mentioned by the Lord in John 10:28, was strictly for the continuous tense follower of Christ (John 10:27), not the backslider. Hence, by the words hold on to what you have, Jesus was telling the saints at Philadelphia to remain faithful and don’t backslide. To hold on to what you have is the preventative for backsliding. Somehow the eternal security teachers have deceived the typical Bible believing church goer to such a degree that he is now repulsed over the words hold on, even though they are used under grace repeatedly:

Test everything. Hold on to the good. (1 Th 5:21)

But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. (Heb 3:6)

Only hold on to what you have until I come. (Rev 2:25)

To hold on reflects faithfulness to God through man’s free will and personal responsibility. To shift the entire responsibility into God’s hands, which is often done by the grace changers, doesn’t allow for the vital words, hold on. Furthermore, in our apostate day, false evangelicals are believing hold on would be the badge of a works salvation, legalism or cult, because the popular teachers taught them such!

Notice also, from Rev. 3:11 they were to hold on so no one (devil or man) would take their crown. Though not specific, the crown mentioned there is probably the crown of life, which Jesus himself will give to the overcomers (Rev. 2:10,11), but such will have to hold on to get it!

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Physical Illness and Faith

God Still Heals Today

physical illness faith There should be no doubt in any Christian’s mind that God still heals today. In fact, I myself have been the personal recipient of numerous healings over the decades and have also seen others healed by God. Divine healing is definitely for today. In spite of that, some groups who believe in healing have over-emphasized its importance to the harm of the saints! This is proven with Epaphroditus, the man bringing gifts to Paul from the church at Philippi. He is only mentioned in Philippians, with his name appearing twice.

Paul was sending Epaphroditus back to the church at Philippi ill. He had almost died while with Paul, but was still ill (Phil. 2:25). With his partial recovery from death in mind, Paul stated God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on himself, to spare him sorrow upon sorrow (Phil 2:27). Then Paul totally destroyed the warped elevated importance some place on physical healing with this:

Welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor men like him (Phil 2:29)

Paul told the church at Philippi to honor men like Epaphroditus, even though he was still sick and had been sick for an extended time period! The reason why he should be honored is because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to help Paul (Phil 2:30)! The point is, Paul’s attitude about physical healing and those who don’t get healed was not harmfully warped, like some in our day! Paul knew a man like Epaphroditus should be honored, not dishonored with his physical affliction.

I once attended a congregation which over-emphasized healing like that. While there, I noticed a particular woman was absent for a couple weeks and when she finally returned I asked her where she had been. She said she was ashamed to admit it, but she got sick! The unfounded shame she had was the result of an unscriptural warped importance placed on being physically healthy. Paul was different, even though he was used by God to miraculously heal others (Acts 14:9,10; etc.)! In fact, signs, wonders and miracles were the norm for Paul and other true apostles (2 Cor. 12:12), but walking with no physical illness was not the big issue! Being faithful to the work of God, even to the point of risking his life, is why Epaphroditus was to be honored. Shamefully, many healed people have no such commitment to the Lord Jesus!

BTW, Epaphroditus was named after the pagan goddess of Aphrodite. EpAPHRODITus was apparently raised by idolaters, but his name never crippled him spiritually to where he didn’t come to eternal life in the Lord Jesus and to be honored for his commitment.

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Sodom and Gomorrah

While describing and refuting the grace changers of his day, Jude mentions the details about two of the most notorious cities named in the Old Testament (Sodom and Gomorrah):

In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire. (Jude 7)

Sodom and Gomorrah were uniquely destroyed by God in a miraculous, but fiery way. God rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah, as his judgment on them:

Then the LORD rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah — from the LORD out of the heavens. (Gen 19:24)

Their sin was great and grievous (Gen 18:20) and there were not even ten righteous people there (Gen 18:32)! When the two angels were at Lot’s house all the men from every part of the city of Sodom — both young and old — surrounded the house to have sex with the angels (Gen 19:4,5)! (Since angels are male, Sodom’s sin was homosexuality and that is how we get the word Sodomite.) When Jude referred to their sin, he said it was sexual immorality and perversion. Sudden destruction came upon them, and their physical lives were abruptly ended.

In passing, Jude also said the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah are examples! But the kind of example is startling. They are examples of those suffering punishment in eternal fire! That truth when compared to 1 Cor 6:9,10 clears up some confusion about what it means to not inherit God’s kingdom, as stated in the latter passage. To not inherit God’s kingdom will mean that the unrighteous will join the people from Sodom and Gomorrah in eternal fire! (Only through repentance and faith in Jesus, can one escape eternal fire.)

Jude referred to an event that happened thousands of years earlier, but the people from Sodom and Gomorrah were still suffering in eternal fire! They were not annihilated as the SDA or Jehovah’s Witnesses would like us to wrongly believe. Furthermore, many don’t realize that burning sulfur will rain down on lost souls:

On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. (Psa 11:6)

Finally, for all those who think the people of Sodom and Gomorrah were beyond repentance, we have this:

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you. (Mat 11:23,24)

In other words, miracles from God are conducive to repentance. If that had occurred in Sodom, as it did in Capernaum, there would have been at least ten righteous people in Sodom and it would not have been destroyed! Some people are given a greater opportunity to repent and be saved than others, but what about you? Dear reader, how many times have you hardened your heart and refused to repent and live for Jesus? Unless you change, eternal fire with the people from Sodom and Gomorrah will be in your future, instead of eternal life! It’s your choice.

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Your House Is On Fire

house on fireImagine what it would be like to be in a burning house, but not know it! To make matters worse, if you were in a deep sleep, in a burning house, your chances of escape would even be less. Next, try to imagine someone who has been rescued from a burning house himself now observing his neighbor’s house aflame, but just watching it burn down to ashes, even though he’s aware that there are people in it! His lack of concern would be most appalling. Some might even interpret it as hatred – to just watch others perish. God doesn’t view people in a good way who have been born again, but aren’t trying to help others who are spiritually blind and on the road to eternal fire.

It is a fact that non-Christians are spiritually blinded. They have little or no clue they will be thrown into the lake of fire in the end by one of God’s holy angels (Rev. 20:15)! They are in the greatest danger in the universe, but not proceeding the right way for their own good. Christians are to evangelize the unbelievers, if they can be. The spiritually endangered need to be exposed to the terrorizing truth, including the fire of hell warnings more than food to eat and water to drink. There is nothing like a hell warning to grab someone’s attention, if that is possible. The Lord Jesus often warned both the righteous and the wicked that hell was a valid danger for them. John the Baptist did the same. Even though we have the clear written word of God on this, many preachers in our day still refrain from speaking about the eternal, unquenchable and raging fires of hell. Because they aren’t telling people how God sees them and about the horrible hot danger before them, they remain unmoved and fast asleep as that special fire gets closer and closer.

Besides the pain generated from eternal fire, the hopelessness of escaping such will magnify one’s misery. He will never escape! After 10,000 years in that fire there will be another 10,000 years, then another and another. No escape – forever. No relief. No pain medicine. A person who perishes will never see a smiling face there, never hear a kind word, never feel any love ever. The worst people who ever lived will be there and may be your nearest neighbor. The sounds in hell will include weeping, groans and screams. Imagine the horror of such a place, but not even knowing it exists, much less that you are headed there!

Shouldn’t the Christian scream fire, fire your house is on fire? We must warn people about the dangers of sin to help them and save ourselves from blood guilt. We have been entrusted with the gospel and at our own judgment, we’ll have to account for that trust. Souls are perishing and many are just watching as it occurs. The devil is surely pleased.

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Apostolic Succession

Pope Benedict XVI in July of 2007 made various outlandish and unfounded statements exalting Roman Catholicism over all others sects and even saying that other Christian denominations are NOT true Churches and do not have the “means of salvation.” Apostolic succession was focused in upon and cited as the chief reason:Pope Benedict XVI

The other communities “cannot be called ‘churches’ in the proper sense” because they do not have apostolic succession – the ability to trace their bishops back to Christ’s original apostles…. (Associated Press, July 10, 2007, Pope: Other Christian Denominations Not True Churches)

Just as the rosary is a Catholic distinctive, apostolic succession is a Roman Catholic distinctive. It is built upon Peter’s Primacy with him being the first pope from the Roman Catholic misinterpretation of Mt. 16:18. So if the Apostle Peter was never a pope, then it is impossible for there to be any apostolic succession of a pope afterwards, which also destroys Papal infallibility. The Biblical evidence is overwhelming that Peter was not the chief apostle, nor was he given supreme authority. Just on the basis that Peter’s teaching on forgiveness and salvation were so different from Catholicism, he couldn’t correctly be joined with it. For example, Peter taught:

All the prophets testify about him [Jesus] that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. (Acts 10:43)

Peter magnified faith in JESUS for forgiveness with no mention of Mother Mary, water baptism, etc. The next several verses show that Cornelius and his household instantly believed unto salvation and were filled with the Holy Spirit, before they were Christian baptized in water! Furthermore, infant baptism was excluded because infants can’t believe in Jesus. Peter stated Cornelius and his household were filled with the Holy Spirit the same way the 120 were in the Upper Room on the day of Pentecost (Acts 10:44 cf. Acts 11:15). So Peter taught a different plan of salvation than the popes, which brought about true forgiveness and salvation. His teaching was truth, unlike the Roman Catholic church with its empty boast of apostolic succession!

NOTE: Though the word repent is not mentioned in Acts 10:43 it is understood to be included, for we must repent or we will perish (Luke 13:3,5; 2 Pet. 3:9; etc.), and we must have repentance to have forgiveness of sins (Lk. 24:47). There is much more evidence that Peter was never any kind of pope, but the aforementioned teaching of his should suffice.

Furthermore, even though the Roman Catholic church points to apostolic succession as the basis for their church authority, there also is not even one scintilla of such evidence in the Scriptures! NONE! 2 Tim. 3:16,17 states all Christian doctrine is to come from Scripture (the Bible) to be valid. Therefore, since there is no Biblical evidence of apostolic succession, it is totally fallacious and must be discounted, added to the fact Peter was never a pope!

It has often been said that error begats error. That is certainly true here. First it is an error to believe that Peter was the first pope, then that error has led to the error of apostolic succession. Hundreds of millions of Catholics remain deceived and without true forgiveness because of such. (Will you help us reach them?)

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Mother Mary

Mother MaryOne day when Jesus was teaching about demons and how an exorcized one will return to the person it was driven from, Jesus was abruptly interrupted by a woman, who was just like a modern day Catholic! She totally changed the subject and in her zeal and enthusiasm openly praised Mary in Jesus’ presence! The Lord Jesus said something to that Catholic-like woman, which would kill a massive world-wide DEADLY deception in our day about mother Mary, if only accepted. Here is what happened:

The Real Mary, According To Jesus

As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” (Luke 11:27,28)

Mother MaryJust like hundreds of millions of Catholics do in our hour, that Catholic-like woman was praising mother Mary on the sole basis that she was the mother of Jesus. Again, that is the EXACT reason today why nearly one billion people exalt mother Mary to the super high pedestal they have placed her on, that is, she bore Jesus and nursed him! The Lord Jesus spoke in a totally different way about his mother and said, Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it. Could that be! Certainly, Catholics are wondering how could Jesus talk like that about mother Mary? The answer is, the mother Mary Catholics have been taught about is not the real mother of Jesus in the Bible! Mother Mary of Catholicism is a fabricated and evolved creation of religious man.

The Mythical Mother Mary Was Exposed

NOTE: That Catholic-like woman never said a word in response. Not even one word. She must have been shell-shocked by the Lord’s answer just like open Catholics are today when exposed to the same eternal truth. After all if anyone knew how important and really blessed Mary was, certainly it would be Jesus, her firstborn (Lk. 2:7), but he definitely viewed his earthly mother much different than that many today.

As a former Roman Catholic, I Dan Corner, can testify that I couldn’t believe my eyes when I first read Jesus’ open public rebuke to that woman. If asked back then, before I read the Lord’s response, I would have thought that Jesus would have agreed with her and even added to what she said, but he didn’t! Instead, he corrected her distorted view of mother Mary! How precious those two verses are to Catholics seeking truth. Jesus, who has the words of eternal life (Jn. 6:68), wants the focus to be on the written word of God and himself, not Mary! That is fact and true Christian teaching in its purest sense, like it or not. That mythological female personage is a stumbling block which has taken down multitudes of sincere Catholics over the centuries! If you are a Catholic, accept his correction about Mary, as Jesus gave to that woman. Eternal life for you hangs in the balance! Mother Mary as Catholicism calls her, has nothing to do with your salvation for she doesn’t even exist.

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The Church Fathers

church fathersThe devil is very slick. If he can’t deceive you one way, he’ll surely try another! For people who are convinced that the Bible is FINAL AUTHORITY, like the Christians are, the devil sometimes uses the so-called “Church Fathers” to recapture them, if possible, in a very subtle way! How is that possible?

It is assumed by many in our day that the earliest church fathers (ante Nicene church fathers) were consistent and had a correct understanding of the Scriptures. If that assumption was true, then we could read their writings and it would be a sort of Bible commentary with the closest connection to the original sources, since some actually knew the Apostles. Unfortunately, that assumption about the church fathers is far from true! Some of the church fathers were clearly heretical and taught things which are not readily known among those who quote the church fathers for doctrinal support and as authorities!

David Bercot is one of the chief promoters of the authority of the church fathers. By doing that, non-Catholic David Bercot has taken many of his non-Catholic followers a giant step towards Catholicism and damnation! How? Because Catholicism exalts “Sacred Tradition” on a par with the Bible for authority! Part of their “Sacred Tradition,” includes the church fathers! So to promote the church fathers, one is also promoting Catholic Sacred Tradition and denying the use of the Bible alone to learn God’s truth. In fact, some people claim to have read the church fathers and converted to Catholicism, as a consequence! Disheartening, but true!

No doubt, David Bercot has helped bring people back under papal authority and darkness. Many non-Catholics are now following in the steps of David Bercot by spreading his non-factual concepts, which include water baptism being necessary for forgiveness of sins!
Augustine Of Hippo

To the surprise of some, among those who promote the church fathers (besides Catholicism and David Bercot) are Universalist Gary Amirault, the Watchtower Society (of Jehovah’s Witnesses) and Mormonism. Even Calvinism exalts Augustine of Hippo as someone great and a link between John Calvin to the Apostle Paul! (Too few know church father, Augustine of Hippo, prayed to Mary for his salvation.)

Some of the church father quotes cited by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, etc. are out of context and distorted, but others are correct, showing the church fathers were NOT consistent or sound! (Besides, who picked those men and excluded others to finally decide the listing of church fathers?)

Finally, to say we need the church fathers, is also to say that the Holy Spirit is not the sufficient teacher and guide of humble Christians, who are earnestly seeking truth! Don’t be deceived! The Bible is the ONLY reliable source of spiritual information. To deviate from it is to wander off into spiritual darkness and deception. Do you know what the gospel of Jesus Christ is?

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Lovers Of Truth

lovers of truth Have you ever noticed the vital connection there is between eternal life and the truth? It shows up at various times, but can be easily overlooked such as in the following passage:

To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. (Rom 2:7,8)

Verse 7 describes the Christian, while the non-Christians are described as self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil. He rejects the truth! That means he rejects God’s word, which is truth (John 17:17) as well as Jesus, who is “the truth” (Jn. 14:6). There is no spiritual hope for such a person because he wants something, which is not in conformity to reality. Such a person has been deceived and walks in sin.

NOTE: Rom. 2:8 likewise states the rejecter of truth also follows evil! There is a definite dissimilarity between truth and evil. Such is also shown in Christian love:

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. (1 Cor 13:6)

Evil and truth are spiritual opposites. That is also inferred with the devil, the evil one (Mt. 13:19 cf. Lk. 8:12) also being the father of lies (Jn. 8:44). That in turn implies why liars are placed alongside murderers in Rev. 21:8 and slanderers alongside homosexuals (1 Cor. 6:9,10). Liars (and slanderers) spread lies and falsehood, which breed evil and more untruths. Such people will not inherit God’s Kingdom. They will perish, but WHY? Here is the reason. Memorize this fact:

… They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. (2 Th 2:10)

People perish, not because they are non elect as heretic John Calvin taught, but because they themselves made the choice to refuse to love the truth and so be saved! Similarly, Jesus taught that the ones who listen to him are on the side of truth (Jn. 18:37). The same also obey him (Heb. 5:9). Moreover, the righteous hate what is false (Prov 13:5). Again, it is apparent that as truth, obedience and salvation are vitally related, so are spiritual deception, sin and perishing. Since the word of God is truth it is also related to salvation (1 Pet. 1:23; 2 Tim. 3:15), while an absence of the truth of God’s word leads one down the easy road with the multitudes to eternal fire. Do you know Jesus NOW?

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Do We Sin Every Day or Sin All The Time?

How distressing it is to hear a professing Christian nonchalantly say he sins all the time or sins every day! Such a person is a victim, held captive and duped by the popular security in sin, counterfeit grace, false gospel of once saved always saved, which has sent multitudes of once regenerated people to hell.

After a solid indoctrination into that license to sin theology, the proponents are practically ruined spiritually with no fear of God, no fear of the dangers of sin or hell and basically disinterested and unable to discuss the things of God with a real Christian. Of course, they continue to believe they have awaiting them a sure arrival into Paradise and God’s holy loving presence as they openly admit they sin every day and all the time!

Unwittingly, the sad and deceived victims of the sin every day (or we sin all the time) belief are saying that it is impossible for them or anyone to obey God, for if one did obey God then he would not sin all the time! They are also indirectly admitting they are slaves to sin by saying they sin every day or sin all the time, but also think they are Christians who possess eternal life, which is violently antithetical to Biblical Christianity. They have no awareness of the basic radical changes that exist when one becomes a Christian:

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life (Rom. 6:22)

The sin every day and sin all the time people have no clue that only the OBEDIENT have eternal salvation (Heb. 5:9), even after quoting it! They have heard Eph. 2:8,9 quoted or referred to hundreds of times and think “works” is obedience and obedience and salvation are disconnected! Hence, because they are slaves to sin and were wrongly taught, they think we all sin every day or sin all the time and it makes no difference as far as salvation is concerned! From their dark perspective such a conclusion is logical, but it rests on an image of a Christian which is far from factual, lacking holiness. Their gospel is nothing more than a mere form of godliness, which is devoid of any sin liberating power and slavery to God! That’s because what they have been taught is the gospel of Christ is really another gospel and a lie from the devil, which denies the righteous can die spiritually.

The sin every day (or we sin all the time) multitudes are correct about the fact that they personally do sin every day or sin all the time, but are wrong about their own spiritual identity—that they are Christians who possess eternal life in their wickedness:

For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. (Eph 5:5-7)

[For an exhaustive refutation to once saved always saved, click on evangelical books.]

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Do Not Be Deceived

dont be deceivedThe Bible is a common possession of hundreds of millions of people, yet despite the repeated words of caution in it regarding not being deceived about being in sin, including lust (Mt. 5:28,29) and having salvation at the same time, multitudes remain deceived! Too many want their ears tickled with a distorted candy-coated poisonous message seemingly from the Bible but isn’t, which allows for eternal life and wickedness at the same time.

NOTE: The phrase do not be deceived (or its equivalent) is repeated frequently in God’s word, but people remain asleep. Many remain deceived about the very thing the New Testament says not to be deceived about! Carefully ponder these:

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Cor. 6:9,10, NASB)

For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person–such a man is an idolater–has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. (Eph 5:5-7)

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. (Gal 6:7-9)

But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. (James 1:14-16)

See also Gal. 5:19-21 and 1 John 3:7,8. Sin is the issue, even now, under grace. It is not like the popular heretics (eternal security teachers) have been telling us while they try to dismiss sin as something no longer deadly and able to nullify one’s salvation. Dear reader, if you are deceived, it is your fault. You have been exposed to the facts and they are clear. Eternal life hangs in the balance. You must live holy to enter God’s holy presence (Heb. 12:14; Rev. 21:27). You do not have to sin. You can and must obey to have eternal salvation (Heb. 5:9). You can put God’s word into practice (Lk. 8:21) and follow Jesus (John 10:27). You don’t have to yield to sinful temptation. God is faithful (1 Cor. 10:12). Furthermore, real Christians do NOT sin all the time and all sin is not of the same degree. Remember Rom. 6:22:

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.

Print a great Do Not Be Deceived tract (pdf).

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