A Heart Of Love

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Eternal Life Blog

heart of loveBecoming born again at the point of repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:21) is also when one becomes a new creation in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). At that same time, the newly saved gets a new heart and becomes radically changed by the Holy Spirit. That is significant. Why? Because before one is God’s child, he is a child of the devil (1 John 3:10), a slave to sin (Rom. 6:20-22), and follows the sinful ways of this world (Eph. 2:2). That cold, dead, truth rejecting and unloving heart of stone must go. We need a spiritual heart transplant! Our heart disease is that bad. This is even shown in the Old Testament:

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. (Ezek 11:19)

To put it in different words, we need to have our heart circumcised by the Spirit of God to become alive in Christ and get that tender heart of love, which only God can give:

No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. (Rom 2:29)

That is when God’s love is shed abroad in our hearts (Rom. 5:5) and the kind of love for Christians, which identifies us as a person with spiritual life, is evident to others:

We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. (1 John 3:14)

QUESTION: Have you had the needed heart transplant required for eternal life? If you have, you will know and others will too! If so, are you still walking in love or have you become murderous in heart due to hate (1 John 3:15). NO murderer has eternal life!

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Be On Guard

Posted on October 7, 2011 by Eternal Life Blog

be on guardWe are living in perilous times. There are spiritual dangers related to lethal deception all around the Christians. The dangerous days we are living in become especially apparent as we read about the end times in the Olivet Discourse. It was the Lord Jesus Christ himself, on three different occasions, who told the disciples to be on guard (Mark 13:9,23,33). The context reveals the concerns centered around:

  • Being persecuted for being his disciple,
  • False Christs and false prophets performing miracles to deceive the elect, and
  • Our environment drastically changing for the worse which includes the way we view the sun, moon and stars.

Such major celestial changes will precede the Lord’s return for the elect (Mark 13:24-27). The days before his return will be a time of great distress or tribulation, as never existed on our planet before and will never be repeated again. If the days weren’t shortened we’d all die:

Those will be days of distress unequaled from the beginning, when God created the world, until now – and never to be equaled again. If the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would survive. But for the sake of the elect, whom he has chosen, he has shortened them. (Mark 13:19,20)

NOTE: The elect will still be present then. They will NOT be raptured out before the great tribulation and the reign of antichrist. Go by the Bible. Don’t let anyone deceive you.

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The Jehovahs Witnesses

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Eternal Life Blog

The Jehovah’s Witnesses are people who are convinced that the only true interpretations of the Bible are found within the Watchtower organization and their literature. Consequently, they don’t really go by the Bible as they claim. Instead, they go by the interpretations of the Bible supplied to them from their headquarters in Brooklyn, NY at the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.

The Name Jehovah

One of the distinctives of the Jehovah’s Witnesses beliefs is their usage and emphasis of the name Jehovah. Because they think the Lord’s apostles and early church were all Jehovah’s Witnesses, like they claim for themselves, a perplexing problem for them is revealed when they get to Acts 11:26:

…The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch.

Witnessing Encounter With Jehovah’s Witnesses

I have had many witnessing encounters with Jehovah’s Witnesses over the decades. The one I want to mention here occurred a number of years ago. I saw two Jehovah’s Witnesses on a sidewalk holding out their Watchtower and Awake magazines, as I drove by. I parked the car, walked over and asked, “Were the disciples first called Jehovah’s Witnesses or Christians at Antioch?” One woman’s eyes got real big and she remained speechless. I think the point was made with that single question with them. That is how God’s Spirit led me on that day to witness there, which is not the usual way I do it. That point seemed to plant a seed of doubt about their unbiblical beliefs, which may help bring her to eternal life at a later time. If you are a Christian, you might try that argument for yourself, but the best subject to discuss centers around salvation and eternal life. It might surprise you to know the Jehovah’s Witnesses are very weak when it comes to discussing that subject! To learn more about the Jehovah’s Witnesses and how to answer them, please write.]

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What Grace Is NOT

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Eternal Life Blog

grace is notThe common version of grace most know is absolutely false! The dangerous counterfeit version of grace, which I am referring to is, grace is getting what you don’t deserve, or grace is unmerited favor. Such is also inferred through multiple teachings connected with once saved always saved. Again, I must adamantly disagree, because of various Scriptural reasons. I will only cite two here.

The Proud Don’t Get Grace

The first is: only the humble get grace, but not all others:

But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Pet 5:5)

If grace was unmerited favor as is commonly taught, even the proud would get it, but they clearly don’t. Since the proud don’t get grace, it can’t be unmerited favor! Do NOT be deceived.

The Worthy Alone Have Saving Grace

Furthermore, the only ones who will actually enter God’s paradise kingdom after death because of grace (Eph. 2:5,8) are the overcomers (Rev. 2 and 3). Those same people, who endure to the end to be saved (Mt. 10:22), are also called worthy by the Lord Jesus in other Scriptures:

Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.” (Luke 20:34-36)

Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (Rev 3:4-6)

Only a few in Sardis, at that point, were still worthy, even though the others were previously saved as well! The others got spiritually soiled. Hence, not all people are worthy of Jesus even though they might have been previously born again, according to Jesus. We must love Jesus first, take up our cross daily and follow him to be worthy of him:

Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. (Mat 10:37,38)

Saved By Grace

Not to be worthy of Jesus is not to be worthy of eternal life, since Jesus is eternal life (1 John 1:1,2; 5:12,13). So, all people don’t get saving grace and not all people after getting born again remain worthy of Jesus. If grace was unmerited favor or getting what you don’t deserve, then neither of those Biblical truths would be true. It is also possible to fall from grace (Gal. 5:2-4)! Don’t be deceived by an eternal security teacher, who is really a grace changer and savage wolf in sheep’s clothing!

[Dan Corner is not trusting in his own good works for his salvation. He is trusting in Jesus as he follows him unashamedly, and believes he is saved by grace.]

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Facts About The Antichrist

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Eternal Life Blog

There are many UNtrue concepts floating around about the antichrist. This video will help set the record straight. Listen carefully and take notes.

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Alphonsus Liguori – Saint Or Heretic?

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Eternal Life Blog

Though it might seem like an exaggeration or gross distortion of Catholicism, I assure you that what you are about to read is not! The following Catholic prayer is one of many which is in shocking contrast and direct violation to the word of God. Who does it come from? alphonsus liguori Alphonsus Liguori, a man the Catholic church elevated to sainthood after he composed his idolatrous teachings on Mary. In fact, the Catholic Church has also elevated him to the status of Doctor, being one of about 33 to ever hold such an elite status within their circle. Alphonsus de Liguori wrote the following model prayer to Mary for his salvation and to shows others how to pray:

…No, he can never be lost who recommends himself to thee; he alone is lost who has not recourse to thee. Ay, my Mother, leave me not in my own hands, for I should then be lost; grant that I may always have recourse to thee. Save me, my hope, save me from hell; but in the first place save me from sin, which alone can condemn me to it. (The Glories Of Mary, 1931 ed, p. 658.)

In contrast, the Bible points us to the Lord Jesus for salvation (John 3:16-18; John 14:6; Mt. 11:28-30; Luke 8:21; Luke 13:3; etc.). He alone is the one the dying thief turned to and found forgiveness to enter Paradise (Luke 23:42,43). He alone is the one Peter openly taught has the name in which salvation is found (Acts 4:10-12). In fact, in all the actual salvation sermons recorded in the New Testament, Mary is never mentioned, even in a tertiary way, which would suggest we should ask her to save us from hell or trust her for anything. One prime example of Jesus being the focus for our salvation is found in the answer Paul and Silas gave the jailer to his question about what he needed to do for salvation:

Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved–you and your household. (Acts 16:31)

The Catholic Church and their Saint Alphonsus Liguori have certainly misled multitudes of misinformed Catholics to hell by creating and endorsing such obvious lethal heresy about salvation, as shown in Liguori’s prayer. Apparently, the Catholic Church has no problem with teaching their faithful members to pray TO and rely upon Mary for salvation! NOTE: Though Alphonsus Liguori died in 1787, his poisonous teachings are still elevated by present day post Vatican Council II Catholicism!

One final point: In that entire prayer, the Lord Jesus is not even mentioned once by Alphonsus Liguori! Liguori was darkened in his spiritual understanding and a major stumbling block to sincere people who want salvation, just like Catholicism has been and still is. Make a note of this. As a former Catholic I, Dan Corner, know from firsthand experience the rampant false doctrines and idolatries in Catholicism. It is out of fear of God and love for Catholics that I have written this message. God bless you.

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Jehovahs Witnesses And Eternal Life

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Dan Corner

The Jehovah’s Witnesses are striving to get eternal life in the future by taking in [accurate] knowledge of God and Jesus Christ now! That might sound very strange to a Christian, but that is a fact. The Scripture they misapply is:

Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:3)

In their Bible, The New World Translation, instead of reading there the word “know,” it is changed to “knowledge.” The way it is taught by their leaders is that eternal life comes through taking in knowledge about God, which can only be dispensed through the Watchtower, who they think is “Jehovah’s Organization.” Hence, they believe any and all hope of gaining eternal life in the future means they must stay with their organization so they can take in knowledge!

Another important point about this is, they are misled about the present tense possession of eternal life, which true followers of Jesus now have. A powerfully clear passage, which reveals this fact and their folly, is this one:

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. (1 John 5:11-13)

Ask them this question: “Are you of the group which has the Son or the group which does not have the Son?” They will answer, they are of the group which has the Son. Then make this clear observation from 1 John 5:11-13, “If you have the Son, then you also have eternal life NOW, according to that Scripture.” That is plain, indisputable, irrefutable Christian truth, but in violent contrast to their doctrine.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses know nothing about the true Biblical plan of salvation and getting set free from their sin addictions. Many have never even thought about sincerely, humbly and repentantly asking God for mercy because of their many sins (Lk. 18:13,14). Their doctrines won’t allow them to ask Jesus for living water (John 4:10). Hence, they refuse to go to Jesus for eternal life (John 5:40). Their darkened understanding of Scripture disallows them to rely on the Lord Jesus alone for their personal salvation and they remain a slave to the Watchtower Society, a Bible-defined false prophet. Sadly, they remain in darkness and death with Bibles in their hands, as they claim to be God’s witnesses! Imagine that!

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Prodigal Son

Posted on October 2, 2011 by Eternal Life Blog

prodigal sonThe Prodigal Son teaching (Lk. 15:11-32) is a classic message for the repentant backslider. The prodigal son meaning gives solid hope to the wayward, who want to return to the Father and be forgiven. In Jesus’ teaching, the prodigal son left the holy presence of the Father to indulge himself in sinfully wild living. That backslider sunk down lower and lower in the natural in his spiritually dead and lost condition. It got so bad for him that he longed to eat animal food, but didn’t get any!

The Prodigal Son Returned To The Father

When he wisely chose to turn away from his sins, and the darkness and spiritual death associated with them, to humbly returned to the Father with a willingness to serve him, things changed for the good. Without the Lord Jesus actually mentioning the word repentance in that teaching, it is vividly illustrated by his actions. His behavior change was radical. He was done with sin, but there is more good news in the prodigal son meaning.

The Backslider Got Saved Again

The greatest point of encouragement for the backslider is that the Father quickly and mercifully received him back! To be more precise, the Father ran to him, gave him a hug and a kiss and had a fattened calf celebration for his homecoming! Why? Luke 15:24 gives the details:

For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate.

The prodigal son became alive again when he left his life of sin to serve God. So the prodigal son was saved before he departed from the Father, became spiritually dead and lost when he turned to those types of sins, and became alive again upon his sincere repentance, which included serving God. (There was no once saved always saved for him just as there is none for us today.) Backslider, God wants you back. Backslider, follow the repentant example of the prodigal son and the Father will mercifully receive you the same way! [NOTE: The prodigal son was never called a son when he was dead and lost in his sins.]

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Causing Another To Sin

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Eternal Life Blog

causing another to sinTo be the cause of another to sin is very serious. In fact, it is so grave that the Lord Jesus repeatedly mentioned it and even gave the following warning to those who had been saved:

Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves.” (Luke 17:1-3)

In other words, it is better to die physically than to be the cause of such, clearly showing sin is the still the issue. How strange it must be for some to hear that truth in our day. Our immoral society doesn’t care about their own heinous sins at all, and even openly brags about them at times! But their immorality and ignorance doesn’t change anything, as far as the holy God is concerned. To be the cause of another to sin is something you definitely don’t want on your record, especially if it is one of the little ones who believe in Jesus:

But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to sin cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell. (Mat 18:6-9)

Being an immoral example, as King David was when he became an adulterer and murderer, can be the cause of another to sin. Another way is wearing immodest apparel, which may tempt another to lust. An example of that is especially wearing a bathing suit at a public swimming pool or at the beach. Even divorcing your spouse can cause him/her to commit adultery (Mat. 5:32). Guard your heart carefully. This life is a test. Only the overcomers will enter God’s kingdom. All others will go to the fiery furnace (Mat. 13:41,42).

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Fallen From Grace

Posted on October 1, 2011 by Dan Corner

fallen from graceIn our day, if a sex scandal is revealed and one’s popularity deteriorates as with Jim Bakker, Ted Haggard, Jimmy Swaggart or Sandi Patty, then such a person is referred to as fallen from grace. That however, is not the way fallen from grace is used in the only time it is found in God’s word! Read the following carefully and note the important difference:

The Only Fallen From Grace Passage

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. (Gal 5:2-4)

Paul described the people he addressed as fallen from grace as the ones who let themselves be circumcised and therefore obligated themselves to obey the whole law! They were trying to be justified by the law rather than the Lord Jesus. The background of Paul’s warning is, he preached the gospel to them at an earlier time, they accepted it (Gal. 1:9) and became true possessors of eternal life because of grace. We can be sure they really had been saved in the past because they had received the Spirit (Gal. 3:2) and were running a good race (Gal. 5:7) but afterwards became alienated from Christ (Gal. 5:4). They were deserting God and were turning to a different gospel (Gal. 1:6). Why? Because false teachers deceived them with their counterfeit gospel (Gal. 1:8,9)

Fallen From Grace Is Doctrinal

Hence, for a person to fall from grace is equated to Christ being of no value to that person anymore! That spells loss of salvation and occurred because those people got doctrinally deceived and were trying to be justified by the law by observing special days, months, seasons and years (Gal. 4:10). The victims of those false teachings became alienated from Christ. This proves the danger in false doctrine centering around salvation and why Christians should speak out against such, as Paul did. We are not justified by the law but by grace!

Justified By Grace With The HOPE of Eternal Life

So that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7)

[Dan Corner wrote an important teaching on Deadly Galatianism Reintroduced for Messianic Jews.] IF you are a Christian, hold on to what you have and don’t allow false doctrine cause you to fall from grace.

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