Category: sound doctrine

Saved from Hell, But Lost in Tradition #7

Thursday, February 21, 2013

“…God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4 KJV).

Can someone go to heaven without ever learning dispensational Bible study?

Yes, provided that they had faith in the right Gospel message, the Gospel of the Grace of God (1 Corinthians 15:3,4): “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day.” Acts 2:38, Matthew 3:2, and Mark 1:15 are not valid Gospels for us today—they are Israel’s salvation message, and they belong in Israel’s program.

While God wants all people to be saved from hell—that every person trust in the shed blood, the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ as sufficient payment for his or her sins—God also wants every Christian to understand why He saved him or her (today’s Scripture). Although dispensational Bible study does not provide eternal life and salvation from hell—the Gospel of the Grace of God does that!—it does provide salvation from false teaching by explaining the practical implications of our salvation from hell. God has two programs in His Word, Israel’s prophetic program for earth and our mystery program for the heavenly places, and in the end, “in the dispensation of the fulness of times,” these two programs will bring glory and honor to Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:9,10; Colossians 1:16-20).

Today, there are millions of Christians who are heaven-bound. However, it is unfortunate that the majority have little to no understanding of “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). Due to church tradition, they often confuse God’s Word to Israel (Genesis through Malachi, Matthew through John, early Acts, Hebrews through Revelation) with God’s Word to us (Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon); they apply Israel’s doctrine to their lives and then wonder why Bible study becomes burdensome confusion! They, ignorant of God’s will for them, are “taken captive by [the devil] at his will” (2 Timothy 2:26).

Beloved, in Christ, we are saved from hell forever. Now, let us remain steadfast in the rightly divided Scriptures, and let us not be lost in tradition.

We are thrilled to have recently launched our ministry YouTube channel. We only have one home Bible study video uploaded at the moment, but we will upload more as time goes by. By next week, we should have three additional home Bible study videos on YouTube next week! 😉 Praise the Lord! You can “meet” me teaching God’s Word rightly divided at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PncTlYsZ9eA.

Saved from Hell, But Lost in Tradition #6

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

“…God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4 KJV).

Can someone go to heaven without ever learning dispensational Bible study?

Salvation from hell—“God who will have all men to be saved” (today’s Scripture).

What has God done for man that man could never do for himself? How has the Lord Jesus Christ dealt with our sin problem, fully and completely? What must we do to be saved, to appropriate to our account, what Jesus Christ did for us, so we can avoid eternal hellfire?

The Gospel of the Grace of God answers these questions. “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness” (Romans 4:5). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

Salvation from false teaching—“God who will have all men to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (today’s Scripture).

Why is Almighty, holy God willing to save us weak, sinful humans from the hellfire we deserve? What will He do with us who have trusted Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour? How does Christ’s finished crosswork impact our lives on a daily basis?

Dispensational Bible study answers these questions. We study all of the Bible, but we emphasize Paul’s epistles, Romans through Philemon, God’s Word written to and about us members of the Church the Body of Christ. God will use us in the heavenly places for all eternity to glorify Jesus Christ there (2 Corinthians 5:1; Ephesians 1:3; Ephesians 2:6,7; 2 Timothy 4:18). “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him” (Colossians 2:6). We received Christ by faith without our works; our Christian life will operate likewise—by faith in what Christ will do in and through us. “Ye are not under the law, but under grace” (Romans 6:14). We are “dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:11).

Saved from Hell, But Lost in Tradition #2

Saturday, February 16, 2013

“…God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4 KJV).

Can someone go to heaven without ever learning dispensational Bible study?

Soul salvation and spiritual growth, although related, are not to be confused. SIN, not a failure to correctly use and/or comprehend the Bible, is what prevents people from going to heaven.

Lost people are going to hell, not because of their sins (plural), but because they are spiritually dead (the “Adamic nature” that causes their sins). People are not sinners because they sin; they sin because they are sinners. Their main problem is not that they do bad things; their primary issue is the sin nature that causes them to do those bad things. This nature is completely opposed to God, and people gratify it by disobeying Him.

Paul describes the predicament of lost mankind: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his [God’s] sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19,20). Our sinful actions simply confirm that we have a nature that is thoroughly anti-God.

The Mosaic Law (specifically the Ten Commandments) condemns us. Because of our wicked nature, we cannot even keep 10 rules to make God happy with us. As the Apostle John wrote, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4). In our identity in Adam, we have no righteousness (that is, we have a bad standing before God). A lost soul needs to be made right in God’s sight, before he or she physically dies and goes to hell. In order to go to heaven, his or her sin and sins must be dealt with, and Christ’s finished crosswork provides salvation from those sin and sins. Additionally, God has for this person a teaching curriculum to explain why He will save him or her….

Saved from Hell, But Lost in Tradition #1

Friday, February 15, 2013

“…God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4 KJV).

Can someone go to heaven without ever learning dispensational Bible study?

When Christians begin to understand (even the basics of) dispensational Bible study, they usually ask, “What about these Christians whom I knew, who died never having known this doctrine? Are they in heaven?” This is an excellent question. It is posed because once believers in Christ begin to grasp the Bible and see its magnificent dispensational truths, it is so revolutionary that it almost seems like getting saved from hell all over again! However, we must never confuse salvation from hell with salvation from false teaching. There are many types of salvation in Scripture, and the context explains what each one involves.

For instance, in 1 Samuel 2:1, Hannah, the mother of the prophet Samuel, prays to the LORD: “I rejoice in thy salvation.” From the context, it is clear that this is not soul salvation from hell; Hannah is saved from despair due to her infertility. Once, she was barren and depressed (1 Samuel 1:5-18); now, she has conceived Samuel. Comparatively, Paul writes that we are “saved by hope.” Although these physical bodies are corrupted by sin and we have our aches and pains, the hope of our resurrection (the rapture) sustains us and guards us against despair (Romans 8:18-25).

Nevertheless, within the confines of these studies, we will discuss two specific types of salvation, and today’s Scripture identifies both of them. God has one overall plan for the heaven and the earth: for all of eternity, He wants to glorify His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, in both realms (Ephesians 1:9,10).

Thus, the God of heaven and earth, through the finished crosswork of Jesus Christ, saves people from hell, and makes them Christians (“[God] who will have all men to be saved”). Then, the God of heaven and earth, through sound Bible study, saves these Christians from false teaching, and makes them spiritually mature (“[God] who will have all men…to come unto the knowledge of the truth”).

We will examine this in greater detail….

God is Love

Thursday, February 14, 2013

“…God is love… God is love… We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:8b,16b,19 KJV).

The word “love” is used very flippantly in today’s world. Of the many who speak about “love,” few know what it is. On this Valentine’s Day, we offer sound doctrine from God’s Word to correct the misunderstandings of what love really is. What is love, according to God’s Word?

Today’s Scripture says that “God is love”—God does not simply love, but His very nature is love. What does that mean? In 1 John 3:16, we read: “Hereby we perceive the love of God, because he laid down his life for us:” Our Apostle Paul put it this way: “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). God’s nature is love—selfless, self-sacrificing!

God’s Word defines love and charity in 2 Corinthians 12:15: “And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” Love is seeking the best interest of others, even if it costs you something (time, energy, resources, et cetera). Charity is love in deed (demonstrated, manifested in action). God loved us, so He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. It cost God the Father His Son, and it cost God the Son His life. What a selfless act!

Our nature in Adam is selfish, but our nature in Christ is not. Paul declares, “the love of Christ constraineth us” (2 Corinthians 5:14). We who have trusted Jesus Christ alone as our personal Saviour, our Christian lives are driven and motivated by Christ’s love for us, not our love for Him. It is this unselfish love of Christ working in us that causes us to look on the things of others, to seek their edification and their benefit, not ours (Romans 13:8-10; 1 Corinthians 10:24; Philippians 2:1-11). This will result in charity, our selfless actions reflecting that love of Christ (2 Corinthians 12:15).

As the lost world observes our Christian service, they will see, “God is love.”

*Adapted from a larger Bible study with the same name. The (2012) Bible study can be read here or watched here.

A Pet Lover’s “Pet” Verse

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

“A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel” (Proverbs 12:10 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is the “pet” verse of pet lovers everywhere!

From the massive blue whales and gigantic dinosaurs to tiny ants and puny microorganisms, animal life has always fascinated mankind. After all, “whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof” (Genesis 2:19). Adam, the first man, was also the first human scientist: he studied animal life, and in his brilliance, invented names for each of those creatures! Before he and Eve fell into sin, they probably had some of these as pets in the Garden of Eden. Even today, thousands of years later, mankind is still enjoying the billions of creatures that he has adopted as “family.”

Owning pets can be very rewarding, but it is equally painful when they pass away. Recently, my family marked the ninth anniversary of the death of our first pet dog. The poor animal extensively suffered from a disease during his last few days, and it was a great loss when he died. Reflecting on my childhood, I remember the deaths of other pets—fish, hermit crabs, a cat, and even an unknown insect species. I was diligent in feeding them, cleaning their habitats, and studying their behaviors.

Weeks ago, our current family pet dog was severely injured, and when I observed his wounds in the veterinary clinic, I was deeply disturbed as he floundered helplessly in agony. Although he survived, we grew very concerned because of his unknown prognosis.

According to today’s Scripture, “a righteous [just, fair] man regardeth the life of his beast.” He pays attention to the wellbeing of the animal he owns and he gives it adequate care. This is contrasted with “the wicked,” whose “tender mercies… are cruel.” They cannot be trusted to treat their animals/pets with kindness. Instead, they abuse them and neglect them. These owners are unsympathetic when their pets suffer.

So, what art thou? A “righteous” master, or a “wicked?”

God’s Grace on Parade

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

“…But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound” (Romans 5:20 KJV).

Today, especially here in southern Louisiana, the Catholic festival of Mardi Gras takes advantage of God’s grace. God’s grace abounds even when drunkenness, lasciviousness, and gluttony are committed overtly on our streets for religion. Because we live in the Dispensation of the Grace of God, they can flaunt their sin without being consumed by fire from heaven!

“Mardi Gras,” French for “Fat Tuesday,” is a day when religious people—professing “Christians”—lose self-control (excess alcohol, food, and partying). The following day, Ash Wednesday, they promise to live “holy” for the next 40 days (Lent). A priest will then place ashes on their foreheads proving that God forgave them for that riotous living. Blasphemy!

Regardless of all its biblical allusions (illusions!), Mardi Gras is still evil and anti-God. It was never Christian, originating from pagan Roman festivals, Saturnalia and Lupercalia (interestingly known for riots, drunkenness, gluttony, and fornication, and subsequent repentance).

The Holy Spirit, speaking through the Apostles Peter and Paul, was clearly against Mardi Gras reveling and drunkenness (Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:18; 1 Peter 4:3). So why do professing Christians engage in the very activities that God the Holy Spirit condemned?! As Christians, we should “deny” the activities of Mardi Gras (Romans 6:11-15; Titus 2:11-15).

If I appear offended, I am. Mardi Gras, despite its godly façade, is offensive to the great God and my Saviour Jesus Christ! God’s grace continues to tolerate such foolishness from mankind. Man parades his sin, and God parades His grace, holding back wrath.

Are you a Mardi Gras reveler? I declare unto you the wonderful Gospel of the Grace of God. God did for you at Calvary what you could never do: “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised again the third day” (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Jesus Christ shed His sinless blood and died to put away all of your sins, Mardi Gras revelry included.

If you rest in Christ Jesus alone as your Saviour, God will save you forever, make a trophy of His grace, and then YOUR life will be God’s grace on parade! 🙂

*Adapted from a larger (2012) Bible study with the same name. The Bible study can be read here or watched here.

Replacement Terminology Theology #7

Monday, February 11, 2013

“For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him” (1 Corinthians 8:5,6 KJV).

Satan deceptively employs terms that the Bible uses—“God,” “Lord,” “Jesus,” “Christ”—but he does not always apply them to the same individuals the Bible does. What ingenuity!

The modern “bible” versions entirely remove “JEHOVAH” from their texts and insert the less specific “LORD.” They extensively utilize the term “the Christ,” which New Agers apply to someone/something other than God’s Son Jesus. Adding insult to injury, they haphazardly eliminate “Christ,” “Lord,” “Jesus,” and “God” from their texts dozens of times! Little by little, these terms of Deity are being excised from books that claim to be “the Bible.” Consequently, they blur the stark contrasts between the true God and the counterfeits of today’s Scripture. Unfortunately, they do it with such craftiness and inconspicuousness that modern “bible” readers usually never discern the omissions!

While there are many “gods” and “lords” in this pagan world, our King James Bible enables us to avoid worshipping them. It is our lifeline to the true and living God of heaven and earth. As today’s Scripture teaches, faith (trust) in that Holy Bible leads us to conclude, “There is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.”

The judicious eye can see the spiritual warfare reflected by these studies of “replacement terminology theology.” Satan utilizes Bible terms—especially names of Deity—to actually lead people away from the true God and away from His written Word, the Bible. How clever! No wonder religion has fooled billions in the past and will continue to deceive them indefinitely.

Beloved, our salvation from this widespread spiritual deception is to study and believe our King James Bible rightly divided. Let us not be “tossed to and fro” by “replacement terminology theology.”

Replacement Terminology Theology #6

Sunday, February 10, 2013

“For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him” (1 Corinthians 8:5,6 KJV).

Satan deceptively employs terms that the Bible uses—”God,” “Lord,” “Jesus,” “Christ”—but he does not always apply them to the same individuals the Bible does. What ingenuity!

Have you ever called a religious leader “reverend?” What about “father” and “monsignor” (pronounced mon-seen-your)?

The title “reverend” is only found once in the King James Bible, and it applies to the true and living God, not some fallible, sinful man! Psalm 111:9 says: “He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.”

The term “monsignor” is French for… perhaps you guessed it… “my lord!” Although “lord” itself is not an evil word, using it for a religious leader is blasphemous. No church leader is our “lord.”

Our Lord Jesus Christ forbade His disciples to call religious leaders “father,” for they had one Father—His heavenly Father (Matthew 23:9). Interestingly, in ancient Israel, a Jewish man asked a younger man, an apostate Levitical priest, to be unto him “a father and a priest”—he agreed too (Judges 17:7-13). Would you call a younger man “father?!” It was clearly used in a spiritual sense, not a physical one. Furthermore, “Holy Father” is a title of Father God (John 17:11), so why is this the pope’s title? Even the term “pope” is derived from the Latin papas, meaning… what else?… “father!”

Why is this serious?

The Holy Bible speaks of a future time—the seven-year Tribulation—when religious deception will be at an all-time high (Matthew 24:24). We can see the world preparing for it even today: the confounding of Bible terms and applying them to Satan’s counterfeits (see today’s Scripture). Modern “bibles” and many so-called “Bible-believing” churches and “godly” church leaders are paving the way for the antichrist’s satanic, one-world religion. Beware!

Replacement Terminology Theology #5

Saturday, February 9, 2013

“For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him” (1 Corinthians 8:5,6 KJV).

Satan deceptively employs terms that the Bible uses—“God,” “Lord,” “Jesus,” “Christ”—but he does not always apply them to the same individuals the Bible does. What ingenuity!

In 2 Corinthians 11:3,4, the Holy Ghost through Paul expressed concern that the devil uses Bible terms to deceive people: “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.”

It is not enough that someone preaches “the gospel,” but that they preach the gospel that the Apostle Paul preached (2 Corinthians 11:4)—the Gospel of the Grace of God (Acts 20:24): Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day for our justification (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). There are other gospels in Scripture (Matthew 9:35; Galatians 2:7; et al.).

It is not enough that someone preaches “the spirit,” but that they preach the spirit that the Apostle Paul preached (2 Corinthians 11:4)—we have not received the spirit of bondage, law (Romans 8:15), but we are rather under grace (Romans 6:14,15).

It is not enough that someone merely preaches “Jesus,” but that they preach the Jesus that the Apostle Paul preached (2 Corinthians 11:4)—we do not know Christ “after the flesh [His earthly ministry]” (2 Corinthians 5:16), but rather after His heavenly ministry through Paul (Ephesians 3:1-11).

God’s Word says, if we are not careful, Satan will even corrupt us using Bible terms. (Today’s Scripture demonstrates how Satan misuses scriptural names of Deity.)

But, there is much, much more deception in “replacement terminology theology….”