It
means “against, opposite, contrary, or in place of.”
The antichrist is against Christ, and at the
same time he seeks to replace Christ. He also seeks to replace the gospel of Christ with a
contrary gospel, an anti-gospel.The Anti-Gospel
Perverting Christ’s Gospel of Grace
Edward Hendrie
Author of
Antichrist Conspiracy
Inside the Devil’s Lair
Third Edition
Copyright © 2005, 2010 by Edward Hendrie
The author hereby grants a limited license to copy and disseminate this book in whole or in part, provided that there is no material alteration to the text and any excerpts identify the book and give notice that they are excerpts from the larger work.
All other rights are reserved.
All Scripture references are to the Authorized (King James) Version of the Holy Bible, unless otherwise indicated.
Email: ed[at]antichristconspiracy[dot]com (My email address is written that way in order to defeat spam spiders from obtaining the address online and sending out spam email to the address. To email me simply replace the [at] with @ and the [dot] with .)
Web site: http://www.antichristconspiracy.com
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:10-12.
Table of Contents
1. Paul Explains the Anti-Gospel
7. Chosen Before the Foundation of the World
9. Works are Evidence of Salvation
12. Not Willing that Any Should Perish
13. Salvation Hath Appeared to All Men
17. The Command to Preach the Gospel
22. Free Will - Glory be to Man
27. Arminian Wolves in $heep’s Clothing
33. The Gift of Salvation Manifesto
43. There Can Never be a True Agreement
44. Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth
45. The Free Will Infection Spreads to Cause Other False Doctrines
Most people think that when they attend their church services each Sunday they are hearing the gospel. In most nominal Christian churches today, however, what people are hearing is not the gospel, but an anti-gospel.
The English word “anti” is a preposition derived from the same word in Greek.
It
means “against, opposite, contrary, or in place of.”
The antichrist is against Christ, and at the
same time he seeks to replace Christ. He also seeks to replace the gospel of Christ with a
contrary gospel, an anti-gospel.
The anti-gospel has at its core a devilish doctrine of the free will of man. This anti-gospel is inspired by the spirit of the antichrist and is being preached in churches today in place of the true gospel of the sovereign grace of Christ. The devil is a very subtle liar who opposes God and his gospel. See Genesis 3:1; John 8:44. That old serpent has stealthfully introduced his deceptive anti-gospel into the pulpits of churches around the world.
The word gospel literally means God spell (God’s word). In order to recognize and guard against the influence of this anti-gospel, it is important for the reader to be like the noble Bereans and check everything that is said against God’s word found in the Holy Bible. See Acts 17:10-11.
1. Paul Explains the Anti-Gospel
The anti-gospel was manifested by false teachers during the lives of the apostles. Paul warned in the book of Acts that grievous spiritual wolves would enter in among the Christian believers and pervert the gospel. Paul makes clear that the true gospel that he preached was “received of the Lord Jesus”and is in fact the “gospel of the grace of God.” Paul explicitly stated that the true gospel is based upon God’s sovereign grace, he even refers to the gospel as “the word of his grace.” For Paul to so clearly label the gospel as “gospel of the grace of God” and describe it as the “word of his grace” indicates that God’s grace is the fundamental feature of the gospel. The false gospel about which Paul was warning must necessarily be founded upon something other than God’s sovereign grace.
But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. (Acts 20:24-32 AV)
What was the nature of the corruption of the gospel that Paul warned about in Acts? In his letter to the Galatians, Paul explained more explicitly the nature of the false gospel that would be preached by the minions of Satan. Paul wrote to the Galatians regarding his concern for those who would be so soon removed from the gospel of the grace of Christ and follow after “another gospel.” The context of his letter suggests the nature of this new and different anti-gospel.
Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) . . . I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. (Galatians 1:1, 6-12 AV)
Paul starts out stating emphatically that he was an apostle not of or by men but by Jesus Christ and God the Father. He sets the tone at the outset by stating a foundational principle of Christianity, the sovereign grace of God, in order to distinguish it from the theology of the false gospel being followed by the Galatians. The context of Paul’s admonition indicates the nature of the false gospel to which the Galatians were following. Notice that they were being removed from the “grace of Christ” to another gospel. That other gospel would be something other than the grace of Christ. Satan, who is the great adversary of God, can be expected to have theological doctrines which are contrary to the theology of God. The opposite of the sovereign grace of Christ would be the free will of man.
Paul states that if any man preach any other gospel then the one that they have received from him let him be accursed. Paul then asks a rhetorical question: “For do I now persuade men, or God?” That question is a clear reference to the nature of the accursed false gospel. The false gospel involves the persuasion of the free will of man. Paul’s rhetorical question gives us another clue as to the nature of the false gospel, the false gospel involves the persuasion of God. That is, in the false gospel, man by his free will chooses to be saved and thus persuades God to save him. Under the anti-gospel, instead of God sovereignly choosing his elect, the sinner persuades God to save him.
Paul makes clear that the gospel that he preached was “not after man.” What does he mean by the term “not after man?” He means that the gospel of Christ is not a gospel which is based on the will of man.
In the next sentence he makes it clear that the gospel of Christ that he preaches is a gospel which he received by “revelation of Jesus Christ.” Just as the gospel was received by revelation of Jesus Christ, so also is the salvation facilitated by revelation, and that revelation comes from Jesus Christ, not man. Paul states clearly in verses 3 and 4 that Jesus came to deliver us from our sins, not according to our will, but rather “according to the will of God and our Father.”
Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: (Galatians 1:3-4 AV)
The anti-gospel is a dethroning of God and enthroning of man. God is no longer sovereign. Man is made the sovereign master of his destiny with God merely a hopeful observer. The anti-gospel rejects the sovereign grace of God in his election of those for salvation. This injection of the Roman Catholic free will theological poison into nominal “Christian” denominations is the result of a satanic conspiracy. This strategy will give rise to an ecumenical movement that will ultimately result in the nominal “Christian” denominations falling under the yoke of the Vatican.
As we have seen the free will anti-gospel took root soon after Jesus founded his New
Tetament church. That anti-gospel has been labeled by theologians as Pelagianism, after a fifth
century A.D. theologian named Pelagius.
Pelagius preached that man was completely free to do
good or evil, and that God’s grace only facilitated what man would choose in his own free will.
Palagius further taught that man had a free will and could choose his own salvation. Pelagius, in
order to remain consistent with his free will view, also taught that man could choose to fall away
and lose his salvation by his own free choice.
Pelagianism was seen by the Christian community
as a false gospel and so it never really took hold.
Less than a century later, a form of Pelagianism rose from the ashes; it was known as
Semi-Pelagianism.
Under Semi-Pelagianism, man was fallen and his will was hindered by sin,
but not totally so. According to Semi-Pelagians, man is not spiritually dead, but only spiritually
sick. They taught that man could utilize his faith to cooperate with God in facilitating his own
salvation. Semi-Pelagians accepted that God was sovereign but at the same time they promoted
the inconsistent view that man had free will in order to choose whether to be saved. Semi-Pelagianism became the generally accepted doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church. The
Catholic Church codified this semi-pelagian anti-gospel, with accompanying curses, at the
Council of Trent (circa 1547).
If anyone saith that, since Adam’s sin, the free will of man is lost and extinguished; or that it is a thing with only a name, yea, a name without reality, a figment, in fine, introduced into the Church by Satan; let him be anathema. COUNCIL OF TRENT, SESSION VI, DECREE ON JUSTIFICATION, Canon V, January 13, 1547.
If anyone saith that man’s free will, moved and excited by God, by assenting to God exciting and calling, no wise cooperates towards disposing and preparing itself for obtaining the grace of justification; that it cannot refuse its consent, if it would, but that, as something inanimate, it does nothing whatever and is merely passive; let him be anathema. COUNCIL OF TRENT, SESSION IV, DECREE ON JUSTIFICATION, Canon IV, January 13, 1547.
If anyone saith that by faith alone the impious is justified; in such wise as to mean that nothing else is required to cooperate in order to the obtaining the grace of justification, and that is not in any way necessary that he be prepared and disposed by the movement of his own will; let him be anathema. COUNCIL OF TRENT, SESSION VI, DECREE ON JUSTIFICATION, Canon IX, January 13, 1547.
Semi-Pelagianism was promoted by a Jesuit priest named Luis de Molina. Molina taught
the Semi-Pelagian view that God predestined believers to salvation but at the same time man had
a free will to choose to be saved. This doctrine became popularly known as Molinism.
The
Roman Catholic church knew that Protestant Christians would never adopt Molinism if it were
known to have sprung from a Jesuit priest, so they decided to use a front man in order to
introduce this anti-gospel into the Protestant churches. They used a man named Jacobus
Arminius (1560-1609), who was an admirer of Molina, to popularized the free will doctrine of
Molina among Protestants.
As a result of the successful efforts of Arminius and other Jesuit agents, Molinism has
since become popularized not as Molinism but as Arminianism.
Many view Arminianism as an
orthodox Christian view of Scripture, when in fact it is a corruption of the gospel that has been
injected into the Protestant denominations by Jacobus Arminius. Arminianism is simply
repackaged Roman Catholic doctrine.
Augustus Toplady, the author of the famous hymn Rock of Ages, concluded that Jacobus Arminius was a secret agent of the Jesuits. Arminius’ purpose was to infect the Christian church with the pagan Catholic doctrine of free will. Toplady wrote:
The Jesuits were moulded into a regular body, towards the middle of the sixteenth
century: toward the close of the same century, Arminius began to infest the
Protestant churches. It needs therefore no great penetration, to discern from what
source he drew his poison. His journey to Rome (though Monsicur Bayle affects
to make light of the inferences which were at that very time deduced from it) was
not for nothing. If, however, any are disposed to believe, that Arminius imbibed
his doctrines from the Socinians in Poland, with whom, it is certain, he was on
terms of intimate friendship, I have no objection to splitting the difference: he
might import some of his tenets from the Racovian brethren, and yet be indebted,
for others, to the disciples of Loyola.
Toplady’s conclusion was not just based upon circumstantial inference. The Jesuits themselves have revealed that Arminius was their secret agent sent to poison the doctrine of the Protestant churches. William Laud, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was working secretly with the Jesuits to infect the Church of England (Anglican Church) with Roman Catholic doctrine, including Arminianism. In 1638 Laud ordered the exclusive use of a “Papistical” liturgy upon the Church of Scotland. It became known as “Laud’s Liturgy.” Laud was eventually found out, and in 1645 he was beheaded for treason against England. Toplady explains one of the papers found among Laud’s effects after his death:
When archbishop Laud's papers were examined, a letter was found among them,
thus endorsed with that prelate's own hand: "March, 1628. A Jesuit's Letter, sent
to the Rector at Bruxels, about the ensuing Parliament." The design of this letter
was to give the Superior of the Jesuits, then resident at Brussels, an account of the
posture of civil and ecclesiastical affairs in England; an extract from it I shall here
subjoin: "Father Rector, let not the damp of astonishment seize upon your ardent
and zealous soul, in apprehending the sodaine and unexpected calling of a
Parliament. We have now many strings to our bow. We have planted that
soveraigne drugge Arminianisme, which we hope will purge the Protestants from
their heresie; and it flourisheth and beares fruit in due season. For the better
prevention of the Puritanes, the Arminians have already locked up the Duke's (of
Buckingham) eares; and we have those of our owne religion, which stand
continually at the Duke's chamber, to see who goes in and out: we cannot be too
circumspect and carefull in this regard. I am, at this time, transported with joy, to
see how happily all instruments and means, as well great as lesser, co-operate unto
our purposes. But, to return unto the maine fabricke:--OUR FOUNDATION IS
ARMINIANISME. The Arminians and projectors, as it appeares in the premises,
affect mutation. This we second and enforce by probable arguments."
That letter found among Lauds belongings is proof, from a high Jesuit agent reporting to
his superior at Brussels, that the very foundation of the effort to bring Protestant England back
into the Catholic fold was to infect the Church of England with Catholic doctrine, and that the
contagion of that infection was Arminianism. The Jesuit writer proudly proclaimed virtual
victory over Protestant England through the spiritual germ of Arminianism. “We have planted
that soveraigne drugge Arminianisme, which we hope will purge the Protestants from their
heresie; and it flourisheth and beares fruit in due season.”
Arminianism springs from Rome and it draws all who adhere to it back to Rome. Toplady explains the significance of the documents found among Laud’s belongings and the effect that the Catholic Arminian attack had on the Church of England:
The "Sovereign drug, Arminianism," which said the Jesuit, "we (i.e. we Papists)
have planted" in England, did indeed bid fair "to purge our Protestant Church
effectually. How merrily Popery and Arminianism, at that time, danced hand in
hand, may be learned from Tindal: "The churches were adorned with paintings,
images, altar-pieces, & etc. and, instead of communion tables, alters were set up,
and bowings to them and the sacramental elements enjoined. The predestinarian
doctrines were forbid, not only to be preached, but to be printed; and the Arminian
sense of the Articles was encouraged and propagated." The Jesuit, therefore, did
not exult without cause. The "sovereign drug," so lately "planted," did indeed take
deep root downward, and bring forth fruit upward, under the cherishing auspices
of Charles and Laud. Heylyn, too, acknowledges, that the state of things was truly
described by another Jesuit of that age, who wrote: "Protestantism waxeth weary
of itself. The doctrine (by the Arminians, who then sat at the helm) is altered in
many things, for which their progenitors forsook the Church of Rome: as limbus
patrum; prayer for the dead, and possibility of keeping God's commandments; and
the accounting of Calvinism to be heresy at least, if not treason."
It is difficult for the ordinary person to grasp the nefariousness of the Jesuit order and its secret machinations in planting and nurturing Arminianism without some knowledge of the Jesuit oath. The following is information obtained from Professor Arthur Noble regarding the blasphemous and sinister oath of induction into the Order of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuit Order).
[The following is the text of the Jesuit Extreme Oath of Induction as recorded in
the Journals of the 62nd Congress, 3rd Session, of the United States
Congressional Record (House Calendar No. 397, Report No. 1523, 15 February,
1913, pp. 3215-3216), from which it was subsequently torn out. The Oath is also
quoted by Charles Didier in his book Subterranean Rome (New York, 1843),
translated from the French original. Dr. Alberto Rivera, who escaped from the
Jesuit Order in 1967, confirms that the induction ceremony and the text of the
Jesuit Oath which he took were identical to what we have cited below. – A. N.]
When a Jesuit of the minor rank is to be elevated to command, he is conducted into the Chapel of the Convent of the Order, where there are only three others present, the principal or Superior standing in front of the altar. On either side stands a monk, one of whom holds a banner of yellow and white, which are the Papal colours, and the other a black banner with a dagger and red cross above a skull and crossbones, with the word INRI, and below them the words IUSTUM NECAR REGES IMPIUS. The meaning of which is: It is just to exterminate or annihilate impious or heretical Kings, Governments, or Rulers.
Upon the floor is a red cross at which the postulant or candidate kneels. The
Superior hands him a small black crucifix, which he takes in his left hand and
presses to his heart, and the Superior at the same time presents to him a dagger,
which he grasps by the blade and holds the point against his heart, the Superior
still holding it by the hilt, and thus addresses the postulant:
(The Superior speaks:)
My son, heretofore you have been taught to act the dissembler: among Roman Catholics to be a Roman Catholic, and to be a spy even among your own brethren; to believe no man, to trust no man. Among the Reformers, to be a Reformer; among the Huguenots, to be a Huguenot; among the Calvinists, to be a Calvinist; among other Protestants, generally to be a Protestant; and obtaining their confidence, to seek even to preach from their pulpits, and to denounce with all the vehemence in your nature our Holy Religion and the Pope; and even to descend so low as to become a Jew among Jews, that you might be enabled to gather together all information for the benefit of your Order as a faithful soldier of the Pope. You have been taught to plant insidiously the seeds of jealousy and hatred between communities, provinces, states that were at peace, and to incite them to deeds of blood, involving them in war with each other, and to create revolutions and civil wars in countries that were independent and prosperous, cultivating the arts and the sciences and enjoying the blessings of peace; to take sides with the combatants and to act secretly with your brother Jesuit, who might be engaged on the other side, but openly opposed to that with which you might be connected, only that the Church might be the gainer in the end, in the conditions fixed in the treaties for peace and that the end justifies the means. You have been taught your duty as a spy, to gather all statistics, facts and information in your power from every source; to ingratiate yourself into the confidence of the family circle of Protestants and heretics of every class and character, as well as that of the merchant, the banker, the lawyer, among the schools and universities, in parliaments and legislatures, and the judiciaries and councils of state, and to be all things to all men, for the Pope's sake, whose servants we are unto death. You have received all your instructions heretofore as a novice, a neophyte, and have served as co-adjurer, confessor and priest, but you have not yet been invested with all that is necessary to command in the Army of Loyola in the service of the Pope. You must serve the proper time as the instrument and executioner as directed by your superiors; for none can command here who has not consecrated his labours with the blood of the heretic; for "without the shedding of blood no man can be saved". Therefore, to fit yourself for your work and make your own salvation sure, you will, in addition to your former oath of obedience to your order and allegiance to the Pope, repeat after me:
(Text of the Oath:)
I_______________ , now in the presence of Almighty God, the blessed Virgin Mary, the blessed St. John the Baptist, the Holy Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul, and all the saints, sacred host of Heaven, and to you, my Ghostly Father, the superior general of the Society of Jesus, founded by St. Ignatius Loyola, in the pontification of Paul the Third, and continued to the present, do by the womb of the Virgin, the matrix of God, and the rod of Jesus Christ, declare and swear that His Holiness, the Pope, is Christ's Vice-Regent and is the true and only head of the Catholic or Universal Church throughout the earth; and that by the virtue of the keys of binding and loosing given to His Holiness by my Saviour, Jesus Christ, he hath power to depose heretical Kings, Princes, States, Commonwealths, and Governments, and they may be safely destroyed. Therefore to the utmost of my power I will defend this doctrine and His Holiness's right and custom against all usurpers of the heretical or Protestant authority whatever, especially the Lutheran Church of Germany, Holland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway, and the now pretended authority and Churches of England and Scotland, and the branches of same now established in Ireland and on the continent of America and elsewhere and all adherents in regard that they may be usurped and heretical, opposing the sacred Mother Church of Rome. I do now denounce and disown any allegiance as due to any heretical king, prince or State, named Protestant or Liberal, or obedience to any of their laws, magistrates or officers. I do further declare the doctrine of the Churches of England and Scotland of the Calvinists, Huguenots, and others of the name of Protestants or Masons to be damnable, and they themselves to be damned who will not forsake the same. I do further declare that I will help, assist, and advise all or any of His Holiness's agents, in any place where I should be, in Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Ireland or America, or in any other kingdom or territory I shall come to, and do my utmost to extirpate the heretical Protestant or Masonic doctrines and to destroy all their pretended powers, legal or otherwise. I do further promise and declare that, notwithstanding, I am dispensed with to assume any religion heretical for the propagation of the Mother Church's interest; to keep secret and private all her agents' counsels from time to time, as they entrust me, and not to divulge, directly or indirectly, by word, writing or circumstances whatever; but to execute all that should be proposed, given in charge, or discovered unto me by you, my Ghostly Father, or any of this sacred order. I do further promise and declare that I will have no opinion or will of my own or any mental reservation whatever, even as a corpse or cadaver (perinde ac cadaver), but will unhesitatingly obey each and every command that I may receive from my superiors in the militia of the Pope and of Jesus Christ. That I will go to any part of the world whithersoever I may be sent, to the frozen regions north, jungles of India, to the centres of civilisation of Europe, or to the wild haunts of the barbarous savages of America without murmuring or repining, and will be submissive in all things, whatsoever is communicated to me. I do further promise and declare that I will, when opportunity presents, make and wage relentless war, secretly and openly, against all heretics, Protestants and Masons, as I am directed to do, to extirpate them from the face of the whole earth; and that I will spare neither age, sex nor condition, and that will hang, burn, waste, boil, flay, strangle, and bury alive these infamous heretics; rip up the stomachs and wombs of their women, and crush their infants' heads against the walls in order to annihilate their execrable race. That when the same cannot be done openly I will secretly use the poisonous cup, the strangulation cord, the steel of the poniard, or the leaden bullet, regardless of the honour, rank, dignity or authority of the persons, whatever may be their condition in life, either public or private, as I at any time may be directed so to do by any agents of the Pope or Superior of the Brotherhood of the Holy Father of the Society of Jesus. In confirmation of which I hereby dedicate my life, soul, and all corporal powers, and with the dagger which I now receive I will subscribe my name written in my blood in testimony thereof; and should I prove false, or weaken in my determination, may my brethren and fellow soldiers of the militia of the Pope cut off my hands and feet and my throat from ear to ear, my belly be opened and sulphur burned therein with all the punishment that can be inflicted upon me on earth, and my soul shall be tortured by demons in eternal hell forever. That I will in voting always vote for a Knight of Columbus in preference to a Protestant, especially a Mason, and that I will leave my party so to do; that if two Catholics are on the ticket I will satisfy myself which is the better supporter of Mother Church and vote accordingly. That I will not deal with or employ a Protestant if in my power to deal with or employ a Catholic. That I will place Catholic girls in Protestant families that a weekly report may be made of the inner movements of the heretics. That I will provide myself with arms and ammunition that I may be in readiness when the word is passed, or I am commanded to defend the Church either as an individual or with the militia of the Pope. All of which I,_______________, do swear by the blessed Trinity and blessed sacrament which I am now to receive to perform and on part to keep this my oath. In testimony hereof, I take this most holy and blessed sacrament of the Eucharist and witness the same further with my name written with the point of this dagger dipped in my own blood and seal in the face of this holy sacrament.
(He receives the wafer from the Superior and writes his name with the point of his dagger dipped in his own blood taken from over his heart.)
(Superior speaks:)
You will now rise to your feet and I will instruct you in the Catechism necessary to make yourself known to any member of the Society of Jesus belonging to this rank. In the first place, you, as a Brother Jesuit, will with another mutually make the ordinary sign of the cross as any ordinary Roman Catholic would; then one crosses his wrists, the palms of his hands open, and the other in answer crosses his feet, one above the other; the first points with forefinger of the right hand to the centre of the palm of the left, the other with the forefinger of the left hand points to the centre of the palm of the right; the first then with his right hand makes a circle around his head, touching it; the other then with the forefinger of his left hand touches the left side of his body just below his heart; the first then with his right hand draws it across the throat of the other, and the latter then with a dagger down the stomach and abdomen of the first. The first then says Iustum; and the other answers Necar; the first Reges; the other answers Impious. The first will then present a small piece of paper folded in a peculiar manner, four times, which the other will cut longitudinally and on opening the name Jesu will be found written upon the head and arms of a cross three times. You will then give and receive with him the following questions and answers:
From whither do you come? Answer: The Holy faith.
Whom do you serve? Answer: The Holy Father at Rome, the Pope, and the Roman Catholic Church Universal throughout the world.
Who commands you? Answer: The Successor of St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus or the Soldiers of Jesus Christ.
Who received you? Answer: A venerable man in white hair.
How? Answer: With a naked dagger, I kneeling upon the cross beneath the banners of the Pope and of our sacred order.
Did you take an oath? Answer: I did, to destroy heretics and their governments and rulers, and to spare neither age, nor sex, nor condition; to be as a corpse without any opinion or will of my own, but to implicitly obey my Superiors in all things without hesitation or murmuring.
Will you do that? Answer: I will.
How do you travel? Answer: In the bark of Peter the fisherman.
Whither do you travel? Answer: To the four quarters of the globe.
For what purpose? Answer: To obey the orders of my General and Superiors and execute the will of the Pope and faithfully fulfil the conditions of my oaths.
Go ye, then, into all the world and take possession of all lands in the name of the
Pope. He who will not accept him as the Vicar of Jesus and his Vice-Regent on
earth, let him be accursed and exterminated.
The Jesuits have carried out their sinister oath with effectiveness throughout the world.
Because of their seditious activities they have been expelled from over 70 countries. For
example, the Jesuits were expelled from Russia (1820), Belgium, Portugal (1834), the Italian
states (1859), Spain (three times-1820, 1835, and 1868), Germany (1872), Guatemala (1872),
Mexico (1873), Brazil (1874), Equador (1875), Colombia (1875), Costa Rica (1884), and France
(twice-1880 and 1901).
They caused the Swiss Civil war in 1847, as a result they were
banished from Switzerland in 1848.
Up until the year 2000, the Swiss Constitution (article 51)
prohibited the presence of the Jesuits anywhere in Switzerland.
In the year 2000 Switzerland
ratified a new constitution, in which article 51 was removed. The Jesuit subversion has
continued to modern times, causing the Jesuits to be expelled from Haiti in 1964 and Burma in
1966.
Let us look at recent Catholic writings regarding the infection of the Church of England with Catholic doctrine. The following passage is from a Roman Catholic encyclopedic website, New Advent. The passage addresses the influences that changed the Anglican Church forms of worship and doctrine to more closely align with the Roman Catholic Church. Note how the passage glorifies the fidelity of the Anglican bishops (among whom is listed Laud) to the Catholic theology.
A third influence which made itself felt upon Anglicanism, and one more vital and
more penetrating and progressive than the other two, has been that of Catholicism,
whether as reflected in Catholic antiquity or as beheld in the actual Catholic and
Roman Church. The effect of this influence may be traced in what has been called
the historic High Church party. A number of Anglican bishops and divines in the
seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, while bitterly opposed to Rome, and loyally
Protestant, stood above the prevailing low level of churchmanship, and put
forward higher and philocatholic views, in the matters of Church authority, belief,
and worship. Although comparatively few in number, and vehemently assailed by
their fellow churchmen, they were destined to serve as a point d'appui for a
subsequent development. Such writers as Bishop Andrews (d. 1626), Bishop
Overall (d. 1644), Bishop Montague (d. 1641), Archbishop Laud (d. 1644),
Archbishop Bramhall (d. 1663), Dr. Thorndike (d. 1672), Bishop Ken (d. 1711),
Dr Waterland (d. 1740), may be regarded as representative of this section.
Notice the method used by Satan. The Protestant clerics publicly opposed Rome, but worked to bring their churches under the yoke of Rome by adopting the Roman theology. Archbishop of Canterbury Laud was so favored by Rome for his service that he was twice offered by the Pope to be made a Cardinal in the Catholic Church, yet he portrayed himself as an ardent foe of Rome.
The bible makes it clear that man is dead in trespasses and sin. Ephesians 2:1. A man who is spiritually dead cannot make himself spiritually alive again; that is a rebirth that only God can accomplish. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” Ephesians 2:1. Even Arminius had to acknowledge that truth.
How could Arminianism, which is so clearly contrary to biblical doctrine, become so popular? Arminius and his Roman accomplices had to come up with a way to work around that obvious scriptural impediment to a free will gospel doctrine. What they did was package their graceless free will doctrine in a package labeled “grace.” If the package is appealing enough, then the victims will not notice the spiritual poison inside.
In order to deceive people into accepting his poisonous doctrine of free will, Arminius
came up with the myth of “prevenient grace.” According to Arminius man was corrupted by
original sin, but God provided a prevenient grace to all men.
This fictional prevenient grace is
supposed to free the will of all men and enable them to cooperate with God and believe in Jesus
Christ. According to Arminius, by virtue of the prevenient grace of God all men have the free
will to either believe in Jesus or reject him.
In witchcraft words and symbols often have two meanings. There is one meaning for the general public and a hidden meaning for the initiated. Prevenient grace literally means “preventing grace.” The word “prevent” has two meanings; prevent means to stop in advance something from happening, but it also means to come before. In the context of Arminius’ writings, he intended for the public to understand that he meant by prevenient grace a grace that prepares the souls of all men for faith by freeing their wills to believe.
The hidden meaning behind prevenient grace is that of “stopping grace.” The reprobate mind of Arminius thinks that man can do the impossible, limit and stop the Grace of God. According to Arminius prevenient grace gives men the free will not only to believe in Christ but also to choose to reject Christ. According to Arminius men are given power to resist the calling of God. Therefore, under this so called prevenient grace, men can actually thwart the will of God by rejecting God’s decision to save them. Prevenient grace is a grace in name only. It is actually a mythical concept that ineffectually attempts to frustrate God’s will to save a sinner. Prevenient grace is an anti-grace springing from an anti-gospel. There is not a single scriptural authority that supports the prevenient grace deception. In fact, as I will document in this book, the whole theme of the bible weighs against Arminius’ so called prevenient grace.
One of the denominations following the Arminian doctrine of free will through prevenient grace is the Methodist (Wesleyan) Church. The Methodist Church was founded by John Wesley, who was an ardent Arminian. Paragraph 8 of The Constitution Of The North American General Conference of the Wesleyan (Methodist) Church states:
We believe that man's creation in the image of God included ability to choose
between right and wrong. Thus man was made morally responsible for his
choices. But since the fall of Adam, man is unable in his own strength to do the
right. This is due to original sin, which is not simply the following of Adam's
example, but rather the corruption of the nature of every man, and is reproduced
naturally in Adam's descendants. Because of it, man is very far gone from original
righteousness, and of his own nature is continually inclined to evil. He cannot of
himself even call upon God or exercise faith for salvation. But through Jesus
Christ the prevenient grace of God makes possible what man in himself
cannot do. It is bestowed freely upon all men, enabling all who will to turn
and be saved.
(emphasis added)
The subtlety of the Arminian gospel is found in the use of the word “all.” The prevenient grace of Arminius is granted to “all.” Clearly the bible supports the doctrine that God imbues those chosen for salvation the ability to believe in him. However, that faith is a gift only given to his elect; it is not given to all men.
God seeks men, men do not seek God. “So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” (Romans 9:16 AV) From the beginning of Jesus’ ministry he made it clear that he was Lord, and he chose his disciples, they did not choose him. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” (John 15:16 AV)
God has not changed his methods. Today, Jesus, the sovereign Lord of Heaven, chooses his elect for salvation. By choosing those who will be saved, he also necessarily chooses those who will be lost. “The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.” Proverbs 16:4.
God exercises his will in all matters, God is sovereign. Man is impotent to impede the will of God. “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and who can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?” Daniel 4:35.
How can Arminius say that all men have a free will to believe in Jesus when the bible states clearly that salvation comes not by the will of man, but totally of God? “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13 AV)
The universalism of the Arminian anti-gospel has an attraction to the masses, because it is all inclusive. Under the anti-gospel all men have the ability to believe in Jesus, and anyone by their free will can do so. That is not the way of God under the true gospel. Under the gospel of Jesus, salvation is exclusive to those who have been chosen by God for salvation. Notice in John 17:9 how Jesus specifically stated that he did not pray for the world; he prayed only for the elect given to him by the father. “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.” (John 17:9 AV)
In John 12:37-40 God makes it clear that those who do not believe in him don’t do so because they do not have the ability to believe in him! That’s right! Those passages impeach directly the authority of Arminius’ prevenient grace, wherein Arminius alleges that all are given the ability to believe in Christ.
But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. (John 12:37-40 AV)
God makes it clear in John 12:37-40 that the unsaved will not believe in Jesus because God has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts to the gospel. The unsaved have been prevented by God from believing. “For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes.” (Isaiah 29:10 AV)
Those who do not believe have been spiritually blinded by God. They have not received prevenient grace, which Arminius alleges was showered on all men, and frees their will to believe in Jesus. Unbelievers have instead received a spirit of slumber from God. They do not believe, because they cannot believe. Their will is not free, it is in bondage to sin, and they will reject God because their enslaved will prevents them from any other course.
What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: (Romans 11:7-9 AV)
Romans 11:7-9 directly contradicts the prevenient grace doctrine of Arminius, which supposedly enables all men to freely believe in Jesus. Only the elect of God are given the free gift of faith, and that gift is given solely by the grace of God.
The free will gospel in effect takes away sovereignty from God and puts man in control over eternal life. The Arminian god is not the sovereign God of the bible. The free will gospel is an ear tickler; it sounds good at first blush, but it is pure mythology. Under the Arminian gospel man is primary, and their impotent god is secondary. In fact, their god is a virtual spectator who is holding out the gift of eternal salvation, hoping that some men by their free will choose to accept his gift. This Arminian god is forlornly left holding the bag, while most men exercise their free will and reject his gift of eternal life.
The true gospel, on the other hand, holds that our faith is a gift from God, it does not come from our free will. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” (Ephesians 2:8 AV) Notice that Ephesians 2:8 says: “and that not of yourselves.” To what is God referring when he says “that?” It is obvious by the context that he means faith. Clearly grace is from God; that point needs no clarification. The only point that needs clarification is the source of faith; “that” faith is not of yourselves, “it [faith] is the gift of God.” That passage alone makes free will impossible as the means of salvation.
Ernest Reisinger explains that the issue of the free will of man was the key issue of the reformation:
When most Christians think of the Reformation, the first thing that comes to their
mind is justification by faith alone. There is good reason for that assumption;
justification by faith alone was the key doctrine that came out of the Reformation;
however, it was not the key issue at the foundation of the Reformation. A careful
study of the historical facts will clearly show that the issue of man's will was at
the heart of the theological difference between Martin Luther and the Roman
Catholic Church.
The Roman Catholic anti-gospel has made new inroads since the reformation. Arminianism has been promoted by “Christian” luminaries all over the world including but not limited to John Wesley and Charles Finney of yesteryear to today’s Billy Graham, Dave Hunt, Chuck Colson, Chuck Swindol, Chuck Smith, and Hank Hanegraff. This anti-gospel has today permeated most of the nominal “Christian” churches. The Arminian gospel is a direct attack on the sovereignty of God. Under the Arminian gospel, man is sovereign. It is a continuation of the seduction begun in the garden of Eden, where the serpent deceived Adam and Eve into eating of the fruit that would give them knowledge of good and evil. He told them “ye shall be as gods.” Genesis 3:5.
In order to understand why the free will doctrine is actually an anti-gospel whose purpose is to supplant and oppose the true gospel we must juxtapose it against the true gospel. Our first order of business is to read God’s word for what it says, not for what we would like it to say or what we have been told it says. Let God speak, let us listen. Let us look and see what Jesus states is the means for obtaining eternal life. First, Jesus makes clear that all the law and the prophets are summarized in just two commandments.
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:35-40 AV)
Second, God states that in order to gain entrance into heaven one must obey and keep all of God’s law. “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.” James 2:10. See also Matthew 17:17-19.
And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. (Luke 10:25-28 AV)
If we sin by transgressing God’s law, we must be punished, for God is just. One cannot enter heaven with any sins, God’s wrath is upon all who have sinned. “For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” (Ephesians 5:5-6 AV) All who do not keep every one of God’s commands are under a curse. “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” (Galatians 3:10 AV) The cursed punishment for violating God’s law is eternal. See John 5:29; Matthew 25:1-46.
But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath. (Romans 2:5-8 AV)
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13:41-43 AV)
And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9 AV)
God’s standard is perfect righteousness. Examine yourself; have you ever lied, coveted, envied, stolen, idolized, hated, lusted, gotten drunk, fornicated, been angry with someone without just cause (Matthew 5:21-22), or called someone a fool? If you have done any of those things, then the punishment for your sins is to be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone.
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 AV)
He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. (Revelation 21:7-8 AV)
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 AV)
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6:16-19 AV)
God’s standard for righteousness is so high it even accounts for idle words. “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” (Matthew 12:36 AV) God’s standard is not a physical standard that only addresses conduct, his standard is a spiritual standard that judges men’s hearts. Even if you have not acted upon your evil thoughts, your sin still must be punished. For instance, if you have ever lusted after another, then you have committed adultery in your heart. Matthew 5:28. If you have committed any of the above sins, you are not alone. The fact is that no one is capable of keeping God’s law through their own effort; none is righteous, not one single person.
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. 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. (Romans 3:10-19 AV)
It being the case, that not one person is righteous, nobody could ever inherit eternal life by their works. So now we have a dilemma. All who do not keep the law of God are under a curse. God requires us to be perfectly righteous and keep the whole law, but we are incapable of doing so. It would seem that there is no way for us to be freed from the curse of the law and get into heaven.
God resolved the dilemma by coming to earth and living a perfect life and then he, being innocent of any sin, allowed himself to be punished in our place for our sins. “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21 AV)
If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, his perfect life will be imputed to you, and in the eyes of God you are sinless and righteous. Galatians 3:6-9. You are justified not because you are good, but because Christ is good and paid the price for your sins. If you believe in Jesus, his righteousness will be imputed to you. He took the total punishment for your sin, which was required by God’s perfect justice, so that he could forgive you completely, according to his perfect mercy. The key is that it is through faith in the work of Jesus Christ and not by one’s own works that one is saved.
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. (Romans 3:21-28 AV)
What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. (Romans 4:1-8 AV)
Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of the law by being cursed in our stead. He, who knew no sin was punished for our sins.
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:11-14 AV)
Why didn’t God just forgive all our sins without coming to earth and sacrificing himself for our sins? Because God’s character is that he is both perfectly just and perfectly merciful.
And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. (Exodus 34:5-7 AV)
God’s perfect justice requires complete punishment for sin. God’s perfect mercy requires that he forgive our sins. God must punish our sin perfectly and at the same time forgive our sin totally. A seemingly impossible task. Nothing, however, is impossible for God. God punished himself in our place for our sins on the cross, according to his perfect justice. Those that believe in Jesus Christ are then forgiven of all their sins and are cloaked with the perfect righteousness of Christ.
If God planned all along to come to earth and sacrifice himself for us and knew we could not keep the law, what then is the purpose of the law? It is a schoolmaster that was instituted in order to teach us that we are sinners in need of a savior. Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the law for us, so that through faith in him we can be justified. “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 3:20. Jesus did not do away with the law, he fulfilled the requirements of the law for us. Matthew 5:17-18. Those who try to work there way into heaven, have not submitted to the righteousness of God, but have put themselves under the curse of God. True righteousness comes only through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 10:3-4; John 14:6.
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:16-26 AV)
It is not by one’s own efforts in keeping God’s law that one is saved. Rather, it is by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ that we are born again. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 AV) Being born a new spiritual creature, the old creature of the flesh was crucified with Christ on the cross. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Romans 6:6 AV) We are now in Christ. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17 AV)
We who believe in Jesus are adopted children of God. We were chosen by God for adoption before the world was created. “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.” (Ephesians 1:4-5 AV) “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30 AV)
Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (Galatians 4:3-7 AV)
We have become a part of the body of Christ. “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (1 Corinthians 12:27 AV) We, who believe in Jesus Christ, were predestined to be glorified with Christ. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:16-17 AV) “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30 AV)
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:20-21 AV)
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3:1-2 AV)
To be glorified with Christ as an adopted son of God is to wonderful a thought to even comprehend. “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9 AV)
What about faith? Some may ask: doesn’t a person have to be smart enough, educated enough, good enough, to believe in Jesus? The Holy Bible states that faith is a gift from God. We, who are saved, were at one time dead in sin, but God, through his Holy Spirit, made us alive by his glorious grace. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” Ephesians 2:1. It is not possible for a dead man to do anything, a dead man cannot even have faith, he must be made alive again. Man does not have it in him to come to Jesus; God must draw him. “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44 AV)
The preachers of the false gospel take scripture out of context. They wrongfully divide God’s word. The bible admonishes against such ungodly tactics. God states that if you quote his word, it should be properly done. We are to rightly divide his word, otherwise it subverts the hearers of his word.
Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as doth a canker: of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; (2 Timothy 2:14-17 AV)
An example of this is the practice of the promoters of the anti-gospel, who quote
Philippians 2:12 out of context to give the appearance that the bible supports their view that man
must of his own free will believe in Jesus and thereafter make certain that they do not lose their
faith.
According to their anti-gospel, the faith they have in Jesus is theirs, and therefore they
can choose to reject Christ at any time and lose their salvation. Such a one must work daily to
maintain his faith and not fall away to damnation. Philippians 2:12 states:
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12 AV)
That passage, at first blush, seems to support the Arminian claim. However, that passage has been wrongfully divided. The next sentence, which explains the meaning of the passage has been left out. Because the passage has been wrongfully divided, it works to subvert the hearers to believe the lie of man’s free will, and even salvation by works. When we look at that passage in context we see that the actual meaning is quite different from the Arminian deception.
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13 AV)
Arminians avoid Philipians 2:13 like the plague for obvious reasons. That passage makes clear that it is God that works in the believer to both “will” and “to do” of his (God’s) good pleasure. The salvation that is worked out is worked out according to God’s good pleasure. Man may think he is acting in accordance with his own will and pleasure, but in fact it is God who is working in the believer to will and to do of God’s good pleasure. How does God work in the believer? The Holy Ghost indwells the believer. 1 Corinthians 3:16; 1 John 4:16.
In proverbs 16:1-4 God explains that the preparations of the heart of man is from the Lord. God not only puts the faith in the heart of those who are saved, he also made the unbeliever for the day of destruction according to his good pleasure.
The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD. All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits. Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established. The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. (Proverbs 16:1-4 AV)
7. Chosen Before the Foundation of the World
In order to enter the kingdom of God, a man must be born again. John 3:3. It is not possible to born oneself, God must do it. “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” (James 1:18 AV) Those who are born again, have been chosen by God before the world was even created. “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.” Ephesians 1:4-5. Those chosen by God for salvation have done nothing to merit that salvation. We were not good, we were simply chosen, because God decided according to his own purpose to choose us. “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” 2 Timothy 1:9. “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” (Ephesians 1:11 AV) Jesus made clear to his disciples that they did not choose him, he chose them. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” John 15:16.
Consider the example of Paul. How did God choose him and save him? Did he use gentle persuasion? No, he knocked him to the ground changed his heart and then commenced giving Paul commands as to what he must do. Notice what Paul said immediately after being knocked to the ground. “Lord what wilt thou have me do.” In a split second, Paul went from a persecutor of the church to a member of the church, all according to the will of God, who chose him and changed his heart.
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. (Acts 9:3-6 AV)
How did he select his apostles? He commanded them to follow him, and they dropped what they were doing and followed him. Keep in mind that at that time Jesus was a total stranger to these men, yet they immediately obeyed his command to follow him, without hesitation or question. That is the supernatural power of God at work.
And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straightway left their nets, and followed him. And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him. (Matthew 4:18-22 AV)
Some may ask: “doesn’t man have a free will to choose to believe or not believe in Jesus?” The answer is that man has a will, but it is not free. Man is enslaved by sin and death. Sinful man wishes to rule in his own life, his every impulse is in rebellion against God. Indeed, man cannot freely believe in God. God must transform man by the rebirth wrought by the Holy Spirit.
The reality is that man’s will is enslaved to sin. Man will not serve God nor seek God, because man is spiritually dead. “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” (Romans 3:10-11 AV)
Jesus came to set us free. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36 AV) He gives his elect a new spiritual birth and they are set free from sin and death to serve the Lord. By his grace we are spiritually born again. Once born again, our old flesh driven existence comes to an end, and we are led by the spirit, which up to that time was dead, but now is alive. A Christian becomes a new creation, set free from sin to serve the living God.
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:6-11 AV)
A Christian is justified by God. God does the choosing, not man. James 1:18. It is an act of his Grace toward us that frees us from the bondage of sin. Once we are freed from the bondage of sin we can bear the fruit of righteousness. “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” (Romans 6:22 AV) See also, Romans 5:16-19; 7:1-8:17. However, it is all a work of God, by his grace. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3:23-24 AV)
Chapter 6 of John makes clear that salvation is all of God. God “giveth” eternal life to his chosen through faith in his son, Jesus.
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (John 6:32-35 AV)
The free will anti-gospel preachers state that man can chose to reject God’s offer of salvation and even lose his salvation once he is saved. Salvation, however, is not taken from God; it is given by God to those whom he has chosen for salvation. To make that point even clearer Jesus states in John 6:36-40 that God the Father has given Jesus those chosen for salvation and that “all” those that are chosen by God the Father “shall” come to Jesus. Furthermore, Jesus assures that he will lose none of those whom God the Father has given him; he will in no wise cast them out, they shall “all” be saved.
But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:36-40 AV)
“All” “shall”come to Jesus that are chosen by God. Once they are chosen they will not ever lose their salvation. In addition, the only way that one can come to believe in Jesus is if he is drawn to Jesus by God the Father.
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. (John 6:44-47 AV)
9. Works are Evidence of Salvation
The tenuous nature of salvation under the anti-gospel inexorably requires the adherent to be on constant guard to keep his salvation. His salvation under the anti-gospel is dependant upon his free will choice. If he should change his mind he would lose his salvation. The anti-gospel degenerates into a gospel of salvation by works. Under the true gospel, good works are the evidence of faith. Hebrews 11:1-40. Faith without works is dead. James 2:14-20. Good works are done as a consequence of salvation, they do not earn salvation. God has done all the work for you. If you believe in Jesus, then you can please God with your good works, which he has foreordained for you to do. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10 AV) If Jesus is your Lord, then you will desire to obey his commandments, and he has a new commandment for his chosen. “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:34 AV)
Jesus states that his chosen are drawn by the Father to him. John 6:44. Some, such as
David Cloud, who labels himself as a “fundamental Baptist,” believe that everyone is drawn to
Jesus by the Father, but not everyone who is drawn believes in Jesus.
Cloud states on his Way
of Life website: “while it is true that no man can come to Christ except that he be drawn by God,
it is equally true that all men are being drawn and that those who are rejected are those who reject
the truth and do not believe.”
Cloud believes that, of those who are drawn, the only ones who
are saved are those who, of their own free will, believe in Jesus.
The problem with Cloud’s
argument is that it contradicts the express words of Jesus. In John 6:44, Jesus states clearly that
no man can come to him unless the Father draws him and Jesus will raise up those who are
drawn to him on the last day. All who are drawn by the Father to Jesus will believe in him and
be saved. The drawing by God is effectual. Once one is drawn to Jesus, he will believe in Jesus
and be raised by Jesus on the last day. “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath
sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44 AV)
What does it mean to be drawn to Jesus? Jesus explains what it means in John 6:45. To be drawn to Jesus by the Father means that God opens one’s ears to hear and learn from the Father and believe in Jesus. “It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.” John 6:45. Notice that it is not just some, but “every” man who hears and learns from the Father comes to Jesus. The faith to believe in Jesus comes from God. Faith in Jesus is a gift from God; it is not the exercise of the free will of man. Those who come to Jesus do so in faith, and Jesus states that “He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.” John 6:47. It is clear, “no man” can come to Jesus unless the Father draws him, and “every man” that is drawn to Jesus will come to him and believe in him.
Those who do not believe in Jesus and are not saved do not believe because the Father has not drawn them to Jesus. “No man” can come to Jesus unless the Father gives him the faith to come to Jesus. In John 6:63-66, Jesus stated to those who “believed not” in him that they did not believe in him because the Father had not given them the faith to believe in him. The message of John 6 and the entire gospel is clear. Salvation is by the will of God not the will of man. See John 1:12-13. In John 6 many of the supposed disciples went back and walked no more with Jesus. They walked away from Jesus not because they were saved and lost their salvation, but as Jesus explained, because the faith to believe in him was not given to them by his Father.
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. (John 6:63-66 AV)
The point is driven home in John 6 that salvation is by God’s sovereign grace and that faith, which is the means of salvation, is a gift of God. In John 6:70-71, Jesus stated that one of the twelve he had “chosen” was a devil, referring to Judas. Judas did not lose his salvation; he was never saved to begin with, because he was not chosen for salvation. Jesus chose him for the purpose that Judas would betray him. Eleven were chosen for salvation and one (Judas) was chosen for damnation.
Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve. (John 6:70-71 AV)
Jesus lost none of those whom he had chosen for salvation. God preserves all who are chosen for salvation. Judas was preordained to be lost in order to fulfill the prophecy in scripture.
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. (John 17:12 AV)
Judas was chosen for damnation before the foundation of the world according to the will of God, just as the other apostles were chosen for salvation before the foundation of the world according to the will of God. See Ephesians 1:4-5.
12. Not Willing that Any Should Perish
The unbiblical doctrine that God is willing that all should be saved, and that it is only man’s free will that thwarts God’s desires has crept into many ostensibly Protestant churches. These corrupted churches point to part of 2 Peter 3:9 taken out of context as authority for their doctrine. Notice the missing passage. “The Lord is . . . not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. At first glance it would appear that 2 Peter 3:9 supports their position. Closer examination of that passage reveals that the passage does not in fact support that false doctrine of the anti-gospel.
Those who try to force the square peg of scripture into the round hole of their false doctrine must shave off parts of the bible in order to get it to fit. In this case, they delete that portion of the passage which limits its application to those who are already chosen for salvation. What God means in that passage is that God is not willing that any who have been chosen for salvation should perish, but that all those who are saved should come to repentance. Read the entire passage in context and you will see that God is “longsuffering to us-ward.” God is not willing that “us” should perish and that “us” should come to repentance. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.
Who are the “us” in 2 Peter 3:9? Simply read the first paragraph of the letter and we see that Peter is writing to “them that have obtained like precious faith with us.” “Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:” (2 Peter 1:1 AV) You see, in 2 Peter 3:9, Peter was stating that God was not willing that any who believe in Jesus should perish. God’s will is always done, and his will cannot be thwarted by man’s will. If God has foreordained one to salvation, noone can stay his hand. “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” (Daniel 4:35 AV)
13. Salvation Hath Appeared to All Men
Many anti-gospel preachers who advocate the free will of a person to believe in Jesus cite Titus 2:11. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men.” They argue that Titus 2:11 indicates that God has bestowed his grace on all men, it is up to them to accept the free gift of salvation. That is, all men are given the grace for potential salvation, and they of their own free will must choose to accept that free gift of salvation.
Titus, however, says no such thing. Verse 11 is not referring to every man in the world. If one reads all of chapter 2, up to verse 11, one will see that it discusses “aged men,” “aged women,” “young women,” “young men,” “servants,” and “masters.” If one puts them all together, one sees that the “all men” referred to in verse 11 are the “all men” discussed in the previous verses; that is, all kinds of men in the world: aged, young, servants, and masters. “All men” does not mean every single man in the world; rather it means every type of man in the world. God is no respecter of persons. God bestows his grace on men according to his will, not according to whether they are men, women, young, old, servants, or masters, and certainly not according to their will!
Another passage taken out of context by those who would like to reduce God to a passive participant in the salvation of men is John 1:12. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:” Those who would elevate the will of man over the will of God argue that passage means that a person must be willing to receive that free gift of God by believing in Jesus. According to this false doctrine, God is passively offering salvation as a gift, but man must receive that gift of his own free will in order to be saved. That passage, however, does not say any such thing. John 1:12 simply explains that those who receive Jesus, meaning those who believe in Jesus, will be saved and become adopted sons of God. When the passage is read in context we see that the very next passage explains the source of that saving faith through which one is born again. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13 AV) John 1:13 makes it crystal clear that we are saved by the will of God alone, and not by our own will.
We are dead in trespasses and sin such that Jesus must supply the faith for our salvation. That’s right, he is not only the object of our faith, but he is also the source of our faith. Everything for our salvation is supplied by and through Christ. Our faith in Christ is the faith of Christ. See e.g., Romans 3:22; Galatians 3:22; Revelation 14:12.
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. (Galatians 2:16 AV)
And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. (Philippians 3:9 AV)
Read one of the many curses the Roman Catholic Church rains down upon those who
believe the gospel: “If anyone saith that the grace of justification is only attained to by those who
are predestined unto life; but that all others who are called are called indeed, but bought receive
not grace, as being, by the divine power, predestined unto evil; let him be anathema.”
The Bible is in direct contradiction to the doctrines of the Catholic Church. If God chooses some for salvation, that means that those not chosen for salvation are in turn chosen for damnation. “Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?” John 6:70.
Many use Revelation 3:20 as a proof text that it is up to the sinner to make the choice and decide to follow Christ. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20. They claim that God is helplessly knocking at the door of the believer’s heart in the hope that he will open the door and believe in him. That is not at all what that passage means. The passage states that “if any man hear my voice, and open the door.” It does not say, as some would suppose: “if any man decides to hear my voice and chooses of his own free will to open the door.” It is clear that any man who hears Christ’s calling and responds to it Christ will come to him. It does not say that it is the decision of the person to hear. It is a statement of fact that those who are chosen by God will hear. It is not a statement of condition that the hearer of God’s voice must now decide on his own whether to allow Jesus in. Jesus made this point to Pilate when he said: “Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” John 18:37. Those who hear God’s calling will respond, because they were chosen by God to respond. The calling of Christ is effectual. God is not a helpless and impotent being, who must rely on the “decisions” of men.
Jesus states time and again throughout the Bible: “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4:23. What does he mean by that? In Matthew 13:9-17 Jesus explains that he speaks in parables because not all who hear his words will understand. Those who are chosen by him will hear his voice and understand with their hearts and are converted. The parables are spiritual and can only be understood by those whom God has chosen for salvation. Revelation 3:20 is completely explained in Matthew 13:9-17. Those who are chosen by God will hear his voice and open the door, those that are not chosen will not hear his voice, because they cannot hear his voice. In fact Jesus explained that he used parables not only to reveal the gospel to those chosen for salvation, but also to hide the gospel from those chosen for destruction.
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. (Matthew 13:9-17 AV)
And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. (Mark 4:10-12 AV)
The unsaved will not believe in Christ because they cannot believe in him. Only the chosen sheep, who have been born again from heaven, can believe in the good shepherd. “But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep.”(John 10:26 AV)
The Old Testament is an example; it is an allegorical pattern of the spiritual reality that is God’s kingdom. See Galatians 4:22-26; Hebrews 8:5. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart which is an example of how he hardens the hearts of unbelievers. “For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.” Romans 9:17-18.
Those who do not believe in Jesus cannot believe, because God has blinded their eyes and stopped their ears, just as he hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Only the elect of God are saved. “What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.” (Romans 11:7-8 AV)
Looking back at Pharaoh, we see that Pharaoh had no choice in the matter. God was in complete control. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he would not let the children of Israel go. God also hardened the heart of Pharaoh’s servants.
And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses. And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him: (Exodus 9:34-10:1 AV)
God told Moses before he even returned to Egypt that he would harden Pharaoh’s heart against the children of Israel so that Pharaoh would not let them go. “And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.” (Exodus 4:21 AV)
The unsaved cannot believe in Jesus because God has hardened their hearts and blinded their eyes.
Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again, He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. (John 12:39-40 AV)
Jesus rejoiced that the truth of the gospel was revealed to the saved and hidden from the unsaved, according to God’s will.
In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. (Luke 10:21 AV)
It is a lie that God loves everybody. If God loves everybody, then casting some into hell is an odd way of showing his love. The Bible makes clear that, in fact, most will be cast into an eternal lake of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Matthew 22:13 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 AV) “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14 AV)
God has made all things for a purpose, and one of his purposes in creating some is to reserve them for eternal punishment.
The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. (Proverbs 16:4 AV)
The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: (2 Peter 2:9 AV)
That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath. (Job 21:30 AV)
Another of the favorite passages for Arminians to read out of context is Hebrews 6:4-6. That passage reads:
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. Hebrews 6:4-6.
The argument by the Arminians is that Hebrews 6:4-6 contemplates one who once was saved but has fallen away from the grace of God by the power of his own free will. Such an interpretation is directly contrary to the expressed promises of Christ. “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37 AV) All who are chosen by the Father for salvation will be saved. John chapter 6 precludes the possibility of falling away from salvation, the falling away referred to in Hebrews chapter 6 is the falling away from the church, not salvation. There are those like Judas who appear for a time to be part of the church but in the end they make manifest that they are enemies of the gospel. “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.” (1 John 2:19 AV)
Those who do not believe in Christ are lost because they have not been chosen by God for salvation. Those who are chosen for salvation cannot lose their salvation. John 10:26-30. There is simply no such thing as a person losing his salvation.
But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one. (John 10:26-30 AV)
There are only two possibilities in the gospel. First, those who are lost cannot believe because God has not chosen them to believe. The other possibility is the flip side of the first, those who are chosen to believe will in fact believe, and they cannot ever lose their faith, “no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” There is no category for persons to be first saved and then for them to overrule God’s choice by the power of their free will and “unsave” themselves. Such an occurrence is an impossibility. The only way to build such a theology is to ignore the clear message of the gospel.
Furthermore, when we read Hebrews 6:4-6 in context, we can see that it refers to a person who was never saved to begin with. That is evident when one reads the very next passage. That passage refers to the difference between the earth that drinks in the rain and the brings forth fine herbs and the parched earth that only tastes of the rain brings forth thorns and briers. That passage makes a distinction between the saved who drink in he word of God and the unsaved who have only tasted the word of God.
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned. (Hebrews 6:4-8 AV)
Partaking of the Holy Ghost for the lost soul in Hebrews chapter 6 does not mean a total submersion by the Holy Ghost, which the bible refers to as a baptism of the Holy Ghost. The change in one who is saved goes far beyond the enlightenment attributed to the lost soul in Hebrews chapter 6. The saved person is born again. He becomes a new spiritual creation of God. “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3 AV) The saved person is born again through the baptism of the Holy Ghost. “Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 11:16 AV) The baptism of the Holy Ghost is not merely a taste of the spiritual waters. Indeed, the baptism of the Holy Ghost is the total submergence such that God’s elect are completely cleansed of their sin in God’s sight and are spiritually resurrected with Christ as new creations. “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;” (Colossians 2:12-13 AV)
The word of God is referred to as that spiritual water that cleanses Christ’s church from sin. One who is saved does not just taste God’s word. He drinks it in; indeed, he immerses himself in God’s word and is washed clean thereby. God’s church is cleansed by his word which is the spiritual water of salvation. “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.” (Ephesians 5:26-27 AV)
Notice how Jesus in John 15 analogizes himself to a vine, with God the Father being the husbandman. In that passage a saved person does not merely taste of the heavenly gift and the word of God, the elect of God “abides” as a branch in the vine of God. That is the only way that a person can bring forth the spiritual fruit evidencing salvation. All who do not abide in Jesus are cast from the vine and burned. They are as the thorns and briers referred to in Hebrews 6:8 “whose end is to be burned.”
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” (John 15:1-8 AV)
The Armininan might say “ah, but you still have not presented proof that the decision to abide in the vine of God is not a decision born of the free will of man.” When the entire passage in John chapter 15 is read in context, the sovereign grace of God in the election and preservation of the saints becomes clear. In John 15:16-18 Jesus explains the meaning of the metaphor of the vine and branches. Those who are saved are chosen by him. Jesus explicitly states that one does not choose him, rather Jesus does the choosing. He has chosen his elect branches out of the world and ordained them to bear spiritual fruit.
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. (John 15:16-19 AV)
In John 15:4-5, Jesus also states that the branches chosen by him can do nothing aside from him. He chooses the branches and they bear fruit because he has purposed that they continue to abide in him. “for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5 AV) That statement alone impeaches the false notion that man is a free agent in deciding and keeping his salvation. It is not the branches through their free will that support the root, it is the root that supports the branches, and that root is Christ. “Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.” (Romans 11:18 AV) Jesus chooses and nourishes the branches, and without him they can do nothing, period.
Notice what God says in 1st Peter. “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:” (1 Peter 1:23-24 AV) Again, we see God using the metaphor of the earth and the plants springing from the earth. A saved Christian is born again from the incorruptible seed of the Holy Spirit. All flesh, however, is as grass. Those who have not been reborn and made new spiritual creations remain in the flesh and are like the grass that withers and falls away. The unsaved grass in 1st Peter chapter 1, as the unsaved briers and thorns in Hebrews chapter 6, are good only to be burned. Read yet again what Jesus says Matthew chapter 13 about the unsaved tares that were sown among the wheat.
Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. (Matthew 13:36-43 AV)
Notice at the end of the Matthew 13:43 passage Jesus repeats “who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Jesus is indicating that the truths he is revealing can only be understood and accepted by those to whom he has given spiritual ears with which to understand.
Those in Hebrews chapter 6 who only taste the word of God are like the tares in Matthew chapter 13, they are left dry and bring forth spiritual thorns and briers. The thorns and briers are symbolic of their spiritual condition. They are the spiritual weeds in God’s kingdom, to be pulled up and burned in the fires of hell. When we read the passages that immediately follow the analogy of the dry ground that brings forth briers and thorns in Hebrews chapter 6, we read that the good soil that drinks in the rain and brings forth abundant fruit are those who “inherit the promises.”
But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself. (Hebrews 6:9-13 AV)
In Hebrews chapter 6, God explains that the referenced promises are the promises made by God to Abraham. Hebrews 6:13. The promises were according to the sovereign election of God. That is the whole point of the gospel. It all comes back to the election of God according to his sovereign grace.
That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) (Romans 9:8-11 AV)
Romans 9 clearly states that God’s spiritual seed are the object of God’s promise and are chosen by God. It is not the children of the flesh that are the children of God (whether by fleshly heredity or fleshly will). Indeed all flesh is as grass to be burned. God’s election is according to his sovereign will and purpose, wherein his elect brings forth the fruit of salvation. The heirs of the promise made to Abraham are chosen by God, not by man. The promise was made by God, and it is God who fulfills that promise in Christ. “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Galatians 3:29 AV)
God does the choosing, he has already chosen who will be saved and who will be cast into the eternal lake of fire. He made his selection before the world was created. God will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, and he will have compassion on whom he will have compassion. “It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” Romans 9:16. Those who are chosen for eternal destruction are not loved by God; God hates them. “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” Romans 9:13.
Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory. (Romans 9:7-23 AV)
17. The Command to Preach the Gospel
In view of the sovereignty of God in the salvation of his elect, what is a Christian’s duty regarding the preaching of the gospel? Jesus made it clear in Mark 16:15 that a Christian is to preach the gospel. “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15 AV)
He also made it clear in his very next statement that there would be those who believe and those who would not believe. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Mark 16:16. The responsibility of a Christian is to preach the gospel, it is the responsibility, indeed the very promise of God, to choose those whom he has elected by giving them spiritual ears to hear. God draws his chosen and saves them. He does so by means of the preaching of the gospel.
In Romans 10:9-11:10 God explains how he uses his living word to impart spiritual life to his elect. The free will religionists, however, selectively take certain passages out of context and deceptively misrepresent those passages. They often quote out of context Romans 10:9, which states: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” The Arminian preachers misrepresent that passage to mean that salvation is a decision springing from the free will of man without the intervening election of God through the influence of the Holy Spirit.
Arminians also misrepresent Romans 10:11 and 10:13 to also mean that salvation is a free will decision independent of the sovereign election of God. Romans 10:11 states: For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. Romans 10:13 state: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” The Arminian preachers seek to exile God from any active role in the process of salvation. To them, Jesus did what he could at the cross, now it is completely up to man to decide his own fate.
Now let us read those passages (Romans 10:9, 10:11, and 10:13) in context and see how Arminians have taken those passages out of context to misrepresent their true meaning. Those passages read in context in fact explain that one cannot be saved unless one believes in Jesus. One cannot believe unless one hears the gospel. One cannot hear the gospel unless God sends someone to preach the gospel and God opens the hearer’s spiritual ears to hear the gospel. Those who do not believe do not believe because God has not chosen them for salvation: “God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear; unto this day.” Romans 11:8. Those who are saved are saved according to God’s election by his sovereign grace. “Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace.” Romans 11:5.
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway. (Romans 10:9-11:10 AV)
What is even more telling is that just one chapter earlier in Romans chapter 9 God clearly stated that man’s enslaved will is irrelevant to salvation. Salvation is completely an act of mercy by God. “It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” Romans 9:16. Salvation is completely within the sovereign choice of God. He chooses some for salvation and others for damnation. He mercifully softens the heart of those whom he has chosen for salvation so that they can respond to the gospel call, and he hardens the heart of those whom he has damned so that they will not respond to the gospel. “Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.” Romans 9:18.
Jesus uses the parable of the sower in Luke 8:4-17 to further illustrate his sovereign grace. In the parable he explains that the seed (the word of God) is sown and only those whose hearts are honest and good hear the gospel and bring forth the fruit of salvation. Notice that Jesus gives a hint at what it means to have an honest and good heart. At the end of the parable he cried: “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Luke 8:8. What did Jesus mean by that? He explained to his disciples: “Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.” Luke 8:10. Those who are not saved are not saved because they have not been given spiritual ears to hear the gospel. God has stopped their ears to the truth of the gospel. Jesus made clear that one purpose of the parables is to conceal the spiritual truths of the gospel from those who have been chosen for damnation. God is the one that makes a heart honest and good and able to hear and believe the gospel. God is the husbandman who tills the soil of men’s hearts and makes it soft to receive the gospel. The gospel is the means of bringing the hearer to a knowledge of Jesus Christ. Salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ by the grace of God.
And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable: A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. (Luke 8:4-17 AV)
It is not for a Christian to choose. Election is completely within the province of God. Christians have no way of knowing whom God has chosen. It is our responsibility, indeed our duty, to preach the gospel and allow that spiritual seed of God’s word to find the soil prepared by God for salvation.
God causes those whom he has chosen for salvation to come in faith to him. “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.” Psalms 65:4. God uses his gospel as his means of drawing his elect. In Acts chapter 2 Peter explained the ministry and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. In that passage we see how God uses his gospel to call those whom he has chosen for salvation. The free will promoters often quote Acts 2:21 out of context to deceive their followers that salvation is entirely a free will decision of man. That passage states: “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Acts 2:21 AV) When read in context, however, we find out that it is only those God has chosen for salvation who will understand the gospel and call on the name of the Lord and be saved.
In Acts chapter 2, when the people heard the gospel preached by Peter they “were pricked in their heart” and asked “what shall we do?” Peter told them to repent and be baptized. What is revealing is what Peter said next about those who would receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. It was only those whom God had chosen for salvation that would receive the promise of salvation. God called them to salvation by the preaching of the gospel. The entire passage in context explains that the promise of salvation is only for those whom God shall call to salvation.
Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. (Acts 2:36-39 AV)
It is clear that it is the Lord who adds to the church those whom he has decided should be saved. Salvation is all of God, who chooses those who will believe in him. Men are powerless to believe in Jesus without the sovereign election of God giving them a spiritual rebirth, whereby they are imbued with spiritual eyes to see and ears to hear.
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2:46-47 AV)
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8. God is sovereign, and as always, will continue to exercise his sovereignty in electing his chosen. “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.” Deuteronomy 7:6. God has chosen his church, which is spiritual Israel. See Galatians 3:28-29, 6:16.
The false gospel of free will on the other hand creates a very different result from the true gospel of election by grace. Jesus explained the result of a false gospel in his parable of the tares and wheat. Matthew 13:24-40.
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. . . . Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. (Matthew 13:13:24-30, 36-40 AV)
While there are certainly many of God’s elect who have been deceived into believing the free will gospel, the free will gospel has the added effect of filling the churches with the unsaved tares of the world. These unsaved tares have changed the very nature of the “church,” so called, as it is represented in the world. The theology these ersatz churches has degenerated to the point that a false Jesus is constructed who is reduced to a helpless sap ringing his hands in heaven hoping that someone will exercise their free will and accept his gift of salvation.
Within these ersatz churches are found the wheat chosen by God intermixed with the tares planted by the devil. The wheat are usually miserable and unfulfilled in such dead churches, but they do not know the cause of their misery until God sends someone to reveal to them the delusion of the false gospel under which they have been laboring. John Reisinger explains the result of the false gospel of the mythical free will of man:
The most drastic error in free will religion lies at the very heart of its message. At the point where a helpless sinner needs God's help and power the most, the sinner is deliberately and dogmatically pointed away from God and told to look to himself. Arminianism tells men that God will not, yea, He cannot, do any more than He has already done. Read C. H. Spurgeon's article, 'Should We Preach Total Depravity?', on page 7, and see how he emphasized the need to "throw sinners down in utter helplessness." Free will informs the sinner that he is not helpless at the beginning of conversion; in fact this error boldly declares that it is only the sinner's power that can do the job at this point. God waits for the man to furnish the power–the will power. The poor sinner is told, "God has done all He can do, it is now all up to you." Instead of throwing sinners down, this is exalting them. Instead of forcing them to look up to God in utter helplessness to find grace and strength, free will throws God down in helplessness and exalts man as the only one with the ability to win the day!
Thank God His great salvation is not merely a possibility based on an if you will ... then God can ..., but it is based on a certainty. It is an absolute certainty because God ...!
Must the sinner be willing to come to Christ before he can be saved? Of course he
must, but that is not the question. Is man able to make himself willing to come?
Absolutely not. Is God's whole scheme of grace to fail because of the inability and
stubbornness of man? No, my friend, the Bible assures us that the God of grace is
also the God of power. "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power..."
(Ps. 110:3) in a sure promise! Were those who believed the gospel in Acts 13:48
willing to be saved? Did Lydia in Acts 16:14 willingly open her heart to Christ as
Paul preached to her? Were the men in Acts chapter two willing to seek mercy?
The answer is obvious, of course they were willing–in all three cases. The real
question is this: "Who and what made them willing?" Read each instance and see
if it was the power of free will or the power of sovereign grace. The real question
is this: "How can a dead sinner with a carnal mind actively opposed to God and
righteousness be so changed as to be willing and sincerely desirous of being saved
unto holiness?" Exactly how God accomplishes this grand and glorious "mystery"
(John 3:8) is beyond me, but I know He does it, and I also know it is ALL His
doing.
Mr. Reisinger mentions Lydia in Acts 16:14. Read what God did with Lydia. He opened her heart so that she was able to pay attention and understand what Paul was preaching. Without God’s intervention, Lydia would not have been able to receive the gospel into her heart. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. (Acts 16:14 AV)
God may not have chosen to open the heart of all that heard Paul that day. That is the same with the preaching of the gospel today. Many who seeing the excitement of the change manifested in true believers wish to be part of the new experience, but as with the seed sown among thorns or on stony ground, the cares of the world or persecution causes the seed to die. See Mark 4:2-20. The seed of faith does not die because the hearers were once saved and had fallen away, but because the faith was not the true faith wrought by God, but was the counterfeit faith that is born of man’s enslaved will. Such were never chosen by God to begin with.
There is a true faith from God and a counterfeit faith from man. Read Mark 9:24: “And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” The man believed, but it was not the belief from God, and so he said to Jesus: “help thou mine unbelief.” Jesus said the following when the man first ran up to him to explain the plight of his son possessed by an evil spirit: “He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him unto me.” (Mark 9:19 AV) Jesus had at the outset identified the man as being part of a faithless generation. God is revealing in this passage that the man’s belief was at that moment really the unbelief born out of his faithless will. True faith comes from God.
God does the choosing, not man. “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” (John 15:16 AV) That fruit of the believer is brought forth through the spreading of the seed of God’s word. As explained by Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:5-7, believers are ministers of God who plant the seeds of the gospel. However, it is up to God to give the increase. It is not the sower of the seed that gets the glory, it is God who “giveth the increase,” who gets the glory.
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. (1 Corinthians 3:5-7 AV)
God works through the believers in his church to spread the word. “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.” (1 Corinthians 3:9 AV) Each new believer becomes a new spiritual creation of God, for whom God as the husbandman prunes and cares so that the believer brings forth more spiritual fruit.
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (John 15:1-5 AV)
Notice what Jesus makes clear in John 15:5: “without me ye can do nothing.” Hebrews 12:2 confirms what Jesus said in John 15:5, and pretty well precludes any source for our faith other than Jesus: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2 AV)
If Jesus is the author of our faith, then that precludes man from being the author through
his free will decision. An author is “one that originates or creates.”
There is no mention in the
bible of there being any coauthors of our faith, it is Jesus alone who is the author of our faith. He
originates and creates faith in the believer. Jesus is also the finisher of our faith, that is, he
completes and perfects our faith. So there is no room for anyone to say that God only makes an
offer of salvation, and that we must accept that offer of our own free will. Jesus must first set our
will free from the bondage of sin. Our faith in Jesus is authored and finished by Jesus. Our will
is enslaved to sin, and we can only believe in Jesus if Jesus frees us from that bondage and
imparts the faith in us, making us new creations by the Spirit of God.
Read what Jesus said in John chapter 8. He states that whoever commits sin is a servant of sin. The only way for our will to be freed from that servitude to sin it though him. He came to set his chosen free from that bondage of sin.
Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (John 8:34-36 AV)
The truth of the gospel comes by revelation. Only after God has opened the heart of the enslaved sinner can he truly have a free will to believe in him. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32 AV) Jesus has freed the will of his chosen from the bondage of sin and the rudiments of the world. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Galatians 5:1 AV)
Sinful man thinks his will is free, because he does what he wants. Man does not perceive that his desire to do what he wants (his will) is enslaved to sin. In Ephesians chapter 2 God reveals that man’s sinful flesh tempts him to sin because that is man’s nature. God must quicken the dead spirit of man and make it alive to Christ, so that he can break loose from the bondage of sin, thus giving him the power and will to believe in and obey God.
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) (Ephesians 2:1-5 AV)
Man by his nature desires to rebel against God. In Romans chapter 6 God reveals that once one is saved he goes from a bond servant to sin to a free man. God must change man’s nature in order to set his will free him from its bondage to sin. Once a man’s will is set free by God, he can then believe in Jesus and become a servant of righteousness. God bestows upon his chosen the truly free gift of eternal life.
Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:16-23 AV)
The chosen of Jesus have a glorious liberty. “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (Romans 8:21 AV) If Jesus has set you free from the bondage of sin and death, you are truly free. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36 AV)
Man is not born in the flesh with a free will. Man’s will is enslaved to sin. In order for a man to be set free from that bondage to sin, he must be spiritually born again by Jesus. John 3:3. Once a man is born of the Spirit of God, his will is then freed to turn from his bondage to sin toward Christ in faith. Our faith is truly a gift from God. Ephesians 2:8. That gift of faith is bestowed only upon those to whom God has predestined to receive it according to God’s will, not according to the mythical free will of man. “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.” (Ephesians 1:5 AV)
You won’t hear sovereign election of God preached in the Catholic Church or even most nominal “Christian” churches. Why? Because there is no profit in it. If God does it all, then who needs the sacraments, and why give money to the church for masses, etc. If God gets the glory, there is no glory left for the “reverend.” In fact, taking the title reverend is an attempt by pastors to take God’s glory. “Reverend” is used only once in all of the Holy Scriptures and it is used to describe the name of the Lord God Almighty.
He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name. (Psalms 111:9 AV)
God’s name is holy and reverend. What man can claim to be reverend? Reverend means
to be worthy of respect mingled with fear and awe, to be venerated.
The veneration of persons
is a pagan custom that is foreign to Christianity.
But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. (Mark 10:42-45 AV)
All men are sinners, none is righteous. Our salvation is a gift from God. No man can boast in his salvation or place in God’s Kingdom, because they did not do anything to earn it. No man should be reverend in God’s church.
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes. (Romans 3:10-18 AV)
Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. (Romans 3:27 AV)
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9 AV)
That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:29-31 AV)
But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth. (2 Corinthians 10:17-18 AV)
God will not share his glory with anyone! In the following passage he first states that his name is the LORD (the same name that is holy and reverend) and then emphatically states that he will not give his glory to another.
I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. (Isaiah 42:8 AV)
The fraud of the free will anti-gospel becomes apparent when it is held up to the light of the true gospel. It is only those who have been chosen by God that can believe in Jesus. Notice what happened in Acts when the gospel was preached to the Gentiles, only those who were preordained by God for eternal life believed. “And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad, and glorified the word of the Lord: and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.” (Acts 13:48 AV)
Those who do not believe in Jesus, do not believe because they cannot believe. “[T]he natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14 AV) It is Christ who dwells in the believer that quickens him from death to life eternal. Without that Holy Spirit it is impossible to believe in Jesus. Those chosen by God for salvation cannot lose their salvation. See John 10:26-30.
For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:5-11 AV)
God makes one a Christian. God must change your heart. As Jesus said, a man must be born again. John 3:3. No man is born of himself. One must be born of God. Salvation is not by the will of man. "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." John 1:13. God must draw you. "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:44. Unless God draws a man, he will have no desire to be a Christian.
Man by nature is spiritually dead. God must quicken you, that is, make you spiritually alive. You then become a new spiritual creation through God’s Holy Spirit.
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:1-10 AV)
There is no way that a man would accept those things written in the Holy Bible unless God has first opened his heart to the spiritual truths in the Bible. If one accepts that Jesus Christ is Lord God, the creator of the universe who reigns from heaven, he should submit completely to his authority. Ask the Lord in prayer to help you and he will. "And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." Mark 9:24.
Understand this simple truth, that if you ask Jesus to save you, he will. You will not, indeed you cannot, unless God draws you and gives you the ability to do so. He will then give you the gift of the Holy Spirit. Pray to Jesus for salvation.
And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:5-13 AV)
Those that ascribe to the free will mythology will cite the above passage as authority for their position that the source of faith is the will of man. However, that passage says nothing of the source of the faith, the passage simply explains the consequences of faith. Faith comes from God, it is a gift, he will shower you with his merciful grace if you ask him. You must humble yourself before almighty God and ask for his mercy and grace. The only way that you can come to Christ is if he draws you and causes you to ask him to save you. “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.” (Psalms 65:4 AV) “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:44 AV)
The false gospel of salvation by the free will of man separates the method of salvation (faith) from the source of that salvation (God). Under the true gospel of Jesus Christ, saving faith is not from man, it is a spiritual gift from God. The gift of faith is bestowed upon the believer according to the will and good pleasure of God. Salvation is totally by the grace of God, not the will of man. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13 AV)
22. Free Will - Glory be to Man
The key difference between the gospel and the free will anti-gospel is the object of the glory for salvation. God is deserving of glory, and he will not share his glory with anyone or anything. See Luke 2:14; Isaiah 42:8.
Satan, however, seeks to take God’s glory from him. Isaiah 14:14. His anti-gospel does just that. Salvation is by the grace of God. Ephesians 2:8. God chose certain for salvation before the foundation of the world. Ephesians 1:4. In order to be born again and thus be saved from the eternal punishment for sin, one must believe in Jesus Christ. Romans 3:28. The crux of the issue is the source of that faith. The anti-gospel of Satan contends that the source of that faith is man; that man has the free will to choose to believe in God. The gospel of Jesus Christ, however, unequivocally states that God is the source of the faith. “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:13 AV)
The free will anti-gospel is actually a Judas gospel. The anti-gospel is a gospel of by and for men, whereby everything is contingent on the will of man. Under the anti-gospel, God is no longer the sovereign potentate of the universe; man has veto power over God and can overrule God’s plan for salvation. According to the anti-gospel, if Judas had not of his own free will chosen to betray Jesus, then Jesus would not have been crucified and atoned for our sins. Under the anti-gospel our salvation was contingent on the free will choice of Judas. Not only is the anti-gospel a Judas gospel, but if it were true then Satan would share in the glory with Judas for our salvation. The free will gospel assumes that Satan and man are free agents unhindered by a sovereign God. Read Luke 22:3-4 and you will see that Satan entered into Judas and inspired him to betray Jesus. Satan and Judas acted in concert to betray Jesus.
Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. (Luke 22:3-4 AV)
Free will assumes a will unhindered by God. The anti-gospel has God rolling the dice and hoping that Judas would betray Jesus. Under that devilish doctrine, the crucifixion of Christ was one big gamble that paid off for God and man.
The true gospel, however, tells a different story. Judas betrayed Jesus as prophesied by God hundreds of years earlier. Jesus stated, while praying to God the Father: “While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.” (John 17:12 AV)
The betrayal of Jesus by Judas was planned by God. In Jeremiah we read a prophecy written approximately 600 years before the betrayal of Jesus by Judas: “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.” (Psalms 41:9 AV) Jesus referring to the prophecy in Jeremiah told the apostles: “I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.” (John 13:18 AV) Jesus knew Judas would betray him: “For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.” (John 13:11 AV) Judas had no more a free will in the matter than a pencil has a free will to write. Judas, like the pencil, was an instrument completely under God’s control.
God did not leave our salvation to the chance that Judas might not betray Jesus. God is love. 1 John 4:8. It would be the very antithesis of love to leave our salvation to chance. God is not a gambler.
Judas was preordained by God to betray Jesus. Judas had no choice in the matter. God predicted what Judas would do hundreds of years before he did it and then predicted it to his apostles moments before it happened. Jesus then personally gave Judas orders to hurry up and betray him. Judas could not resist the will of God.
Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. (John 13:26-27 AV)
Not only did Judas not have a free will to choose whether to betray Jesus, but every single act of Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Jews, and the Romans was preordained and orchestrated by the sovereign God of Heaven. “For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.” (Acts 4:27-28 AV) In fact, God orders the steps of all men and controls their very tongue. “The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue are from the Lord.” Prov. 16:1.
Many religious charlatans cannot let go of the godhood of man and so they attempt to explain away clear scriptural passages by denying the meaning of the plain language. Arminian free will theologians create an unbiblical theology whereby their mythical god is stripped of his omnipotence and only retains a semblance of omniscience. After all, if they are going to conjure up a god, they are going to make sure that he does not have the power to meddle in their affairs. Read the following reprobate analysis of the plain language in Acts 4:27-28 from the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry:
There is no logical reason to claim that if God knows what choices we are going
to make that it means we are not free. It still means that the free choices we will
make are free -- they are just known ahead of time by God. If we choose
something different, then that choice will have been eternally known by God.
Furthermore, this knowledge by God does not alter our nature in that it does not
change what we are, free to make choices. God's knowledge is necessarily
complete and exhaustive because that is His nature to know all things. In fact,
since He has eternally known what all our free choices will be, He has ordained
history to come to the conclusion that He wishes including and incorporating our
choices into His divine plan: “For truly in this city there were gathered together
against Thy holy servant Jesus, whom Thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius
Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Thy hand
and Thy purpose predestined to occur," (Acts 4:27-28).
Notice that the Arminian “experts” don’t think much of God’s word. It is typical for them to use corrupted versions of the bible. In their corrupt bible passage, Jesus is goes from being the “holy child Jesus” (who is the sovereign creator of the universe, Colossians 1:16) to being “Thy holy servant Jesus.” While Jesus is referred to as God’s servant in Matthew 12:18, God was identifying him in Acts chapter 4 as his child. By changing the passage from child to servant, Jesus’ status as God’s holy child, “the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:18) is lost. The point that they crucified the holy child Jesus, who is the only begotten Son of God, is obscured in the corrupt bible passage. While Jesus was certainly a holy servant of God, he was much more; he was God himself in human flesh. See John 1:1-3, 14. God wanted that point made in Acts chapter 4, but the Arminian outlaw wordsmiths decided that they know better than God, and so they overruled God and changed the passage. Changing the passage to refer to Jesus as a servant fits rather nicely with the Arminian free will theology, whereby their Jesus is simply a servant who dares not intervene in their affairs except when called upon to grant their every desire like some pagan genie whenever they decide of their own free will to “pray” for health and wealth. The Arminian god is reduced to a cosmic errand boy to be bossed around by his sovereign masters on earth.
Notice further that the puny Arminian god must comport his plans to the free will of men by “incorporating our choices into His divine plan.” They state that “since He has eternally known what all our free choices will be, He has ordained history to come to the conclusion that He wishes.” That is ridiculous double talk. If their god is limited to only knowing what man will do, but has no influence over man or history, then history concludes as man wishes, not as their god wishes. That is not a divine plan, that is a earthly plan of sinful men. According to that free will theology, it is man that is calling the shots and the mythical Arminian god simply incorporates the free choices of men into what they call “his divine plan.” Their god truly does not have a plan, so it is misleading to call it “his divine plan.” In essence, it is sinful man that is in control, and their god is a helpless bystander, who like a fortune teller can foresee what will happen, but has no power to control events.
Furthermore, these reprobate experts maintain that God does not mean what he is saying in his Holy Bible. They implicitly allege that God is deceiving us when he states clearly and unequivocally in Acts 4:27-28 that he gathered together Herod, Pontius Pilate, the Gentiles, and Israel together to crucify Jesus. Free will theologians falsely claim that God only knew what sinful men were going to do regarding the crucifixion of Christ, and that God did not have a hand in those events at all. These charlatans make the true God out to be a liar in order to prop up their mythical god, who has no power to intervene in the affairs of men, because they believe that man has a sovereign free will.
God does what he pleases in heaven and on earth. “Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.” (Psalms 135:6 AV)
God revealed to David that he not only watched David’s every step, he also compassed him about, laid his hand upon him, lead him by the hand, and indeed held David in his right hand. There is no doubt that God does the same for all of his elect.
<<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me. Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether. Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it. Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. (Psalms 139:1-10 AV)
God states that even the heart of the king is under the control of Lord’s will. “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.” (Proverbs 21:1 AV) Sinful men do not understand the simple fact that even their goings are under the control of God. “Man's goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?” (Proverbs 20:24 AV)
God is not a passive observer of his elect. He preserves his elect for ever. “The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” (Psalms 121:8 AV)
Arminianism is tucked into the doctrinal statements of many churches seemingly without much thought to how it contradicts other parts of their statement of faith. For example, the very popular Calvary Chapel, which has churches spread throughout the United States and the world, has the following doctrinal statement authorized by Chuck Smith, the church’s founder, on the official Calvary Chapel website:
We believe that all are sinners (Romans 3:23) and unable by human performance
to earn, deserve, or merit salvation (Titus 3:5). We believe that the wages of sin is
death (Romans 6:23), and that apart from God's grace, no one can be saved
(Ephesians 2:8-9). We believe that none are righteous, or capable of doing good
(Romans 3:10-12), and that apart from the conviction and regeneration of the
Holy Spirit, none can be saved (John 1:12-13; 16:8-11; I Peter 1:23-25). Mankind
is clearly fallen and lost in sin.
So far, so good. That doctrinal statement is biblically sound. However, later in the statement of faith, the doctrine takes a turn and completely redefines grace and the sovereignty of God. God becomes helpless and impotent in the face of the will of man. The god of Calvary Chapel is an errand boy delivering an invitation, which can be accepted or rejected.
However, the Bible also teaches that an invitation (or call) is given to all, but
that only a few will accept it. . . . We believe that God's grace is not the result
of human effort or worthiness (Romans 3:24-28; 11:6), but is the response of
God's mercy and love to those who will believe in His Son (Ephesians 2:4-10).
Grace gives to us what we do not deserve nor can earn by our performance
(Romans 11:6). We believe that God's grace and mercy can be resisted by
us.
(emphasis added)
The Calvary Chapel statement of faith states: “apart from the conviction and regeneration
of the Holy Spirit, none can be saved (John 1:12-13; 16:8-11; I Peter 1:23-25). Mankind is
clearly fallen and lost in sin.”
That is an accurate biblical statement. However, the Calvary
Chapel statement of faith also states that an invitation (or call) is given to “all,” and that calling
can be resisted by us. Their doctrinal statement makes clear that man is completely fallen and
incapable of accepting the invitation to faith without the conviction and regeneration of the Holy
Spirit. In man’s fallen condition he is incapable of accepting any offer of salvation from God.
Man cannot regenerate himself from his fallen condition. The regeneration must be done by the
Holy Spirit. According to Calvary Chapel all men are called. In order to call “all” men, “all”
men must be regenerated by the Holy Spirit in order to have the ability to accept the offer of
salvation.
Although Calvary Chapel does not use the term “prevenient grace,” their doctrine leads to the same conclusion. The Calvary Chapel doctrine leads to the inexorable conclusion that once all men are regenerated by the calling of their mythical god, man can thwart the impotent efforts of their god to save those whom he has called. They know that most are lost, therefore, their god’s calling is mostly ineffectual. Their god is clearly not the sovereign God of the Holy Bible. Their god is the mythical god of Arminian free will.
Chuck Smith has explained his compromised gospel in Calvary Chapel Distinctives, an
official publication on the Calvary Chapel website, as follows: “An important characteristic of
Calvary Chapel Fellowships is our desire not to divide God's people over non-essential issues.”
Take a guess at what Calvary Chapel thinks is a “non-essential” doctrine. Calvary Chapel thinks
that the very heart of the gospel is a non-essential! For example, Brian Brodersen, the Assistant
Pastor of Calvary Chapel at Costa Mesa, California, stated:
And then there’s the issue of eternal security, or losing your salvation. And this is
another aspect of the Calvinistic / Armenian dispute. And there are some
Christians who believe that you can lose your salvation, and some Christians that
believe you can never lose your salvation. But you know what? It’s a
non-essential. But yet there are times when we can get that sort of attitude. It’s
like, “Oh well, that guy over there, he believes in eternal security. What’s he
doing here? We don’t believe that.” Or “That guy over there, he believes that you
can lose your salvation. The guy’s probably not even saved. Come on.” It
happens, because we’re human, because we’re sinful, because at times we don’t
endeavor.
(emphasis added)
Chuck Smith states: “We don't believe that because you are a saint you will necessarily
persevere, but that you need to persevere because you're a saint. Jesus said, ‘If ye continue in my
word, then are ye my disciples indeed.’”
(John 8:31).
Incredibly, Smith states that a saint (one set aside by God for salvation) must persevere to be saved, but that not all saints will persevere. He is essentially saying that a saint must of his own effort continue to persevere, and if he doesn’t, he will lose the gift of salvation. That is, the Calvary Chapel god will damn some of his saints to an eternal lake of fire. In essence their god has done all he can do, and it is up to the saved to hold on tight to their salvation or lose it. Smith believes that one who is saved can decide to forfeit his salvation, the Arminian god is powerless to prevent it. That is not the sovereign God of the bible.
The Calvary Chapel salvation, in essence, is a salvation by works. That works salvation is subtly concealed beneath their twisted doctrine of perseverance. Under their Arminian theology, works are called perseverance. Under Smith’s Arminian gospel, perseverance is not part and parcel of salvation, as is taught in the bible; it is instead a condition of salvation that must be fulfilled by the will of man. All Arminian churches contain this works salvation doctrine, although they never admit it. They are able to twist the biblical doctrine of perseverance into the unbiblical doctrine of salvation by the willing effort of the believer. The believer must persevere by his own will or lose his salvation. This works salvation is so subtle and so well concealed behind the redefined doctrine of perseverance that few perceive the salvation conditioned upon works, but that is exactly what it is.
Smith adds to this blasphemy by quoting from John 8:31, in order to give his devilish doctrine the patina of biblical authority. John 8:31 in no way supports his position. In quoting from John 8:31, Chuck Smith left out the first clause in that passage. The entire passage reads: “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31 AV) That passage means that those who continue in God’s word are his true disciples. It does not mean that those who do not continue in his word were once saved and forfeited that salvation of their own free will. Such an interpretation would contradict the very theme of the gospel: that all who are called to believe in God shall be saved; and all who do not believe in God, will not be saved, because they were not chosen by God for salvation. It is impossible for a saint to lose his salvation. The same God who wrote John 8:31 also wrote John 10:26-30 and John 6:38-40:
For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:38-40 AV)
But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one. (John 10:26-30 AV)
When God states that “no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand” he means “no man!” Included in that category are the very saints chosen by God for salvation. They cannot lose their salvation because they are unable to lose their salvation. Those who perish, do so because they are not Jesus’ sheep, not because they were once Jesus’ sheep and decided to overrule God and become lost. Jesus’ sheep will never perish.
Why would Chuck Smith adopt a doctrine which is so clearly contrary to the doctrine of
the bible? The answer is money! He admits in Calvary Chapel Distinctives: “When you take
hard stands on these non-foundational issues, you'll just empty your church of all of those who
have Methodist, Nazarene, and other Arminian-influenced backgrounds. Why would you want to
do that?”
(emphasis added)
In order as to not offend anyone, Smith has adopted a free will doctrine that appeals to the largest possible audience. Why? Not because it is supported by the bible. He admits that he does that to draw in the largest possible number of people. He admits he compromises on doctrine in order to draw a large audience.
How successful has Smith been at packing his church? Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa,
California, where he is senior pastor, is a mega-church with a membership of approximately
20,000 people.
According to a 2003 article in Forbes magazine, Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa is
the third largest non-Catholic church in the United States.
In addition, he has a regular radio
program, "The Word for Today," which includes edited messages from Smith's sermons at
Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa.. The television version of The Word for Today is seen nationwide
on the blasphemous Trinity Broadcasting Network.
Calvary Chapel also owns and operates their radio station (KWVE). Calvary Chapel has a
Bible College offering an Associate's Degree in Theology, and a Bachelor's degree in Biblical
Studies. They own a 47-acre campus in Murietta Hot Springs, California. They also own a
castle in Austria. In addition, Calvary Chapel ministries include: Calvary Chapel Music, Calvary
Chapel Satellite Network International, Calvary Chapel Conference Center, Calvary Chapel
Christian Camp, Maranatha Christian Academy, and Calvary Chapel High School. There are
over 850 affiliated Calvary Chapels all over the globe, including approximately 700 in the United
States. Some of the affiliated Calvary Chapels in the United States are mega-churches in their
own right with memberships of more than 5,000 people.
Forbes magazine lists Calvary
Chapel of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, an affiliate of Calvary Chapel, as the ninth largest non-Catholic church in the United States, with an average attendance of 17,000.
Calvary Chapel is quite obviously a big and profitable business. What would happen if he started preaching the narrow way found in the gospel? If God is sovereign, and salvation is all accomplished by God, there is no need for the many ministries offered by Calvary Chapel to ensure that the saints do not lose their salvation. Smith tries to convince people that he is not compromising on the “essentials” of the Gospel. Rick Meisel of Biblical Discernment Ministries answers Smith’s unbiblical claim:
The Scriptures do not teach that any portion of the Word of God contains
doctrines that are "less essential." Our Lord and Savior left no room for doubt on
this subject: "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4). . . . In fact, why run so
as to win (1 Corinthians 9:24)? If you have the "essentials" down, it's no big deal
if you get deceived into other areas. What kind of a warning is Colossians 2:8 then
anyway? So what if you're taken in by empty deceit! You have your essentials! Eat
and drink (theologically speaking), for tomorrow we all go to heaven! WHAT A
LIE! One cannot categorize Bible doctrine as very essential, not so very essential,
less essential, non-essential, or whatever other type of human ranking system.
Differences in "Importance," yes, but there are no doctrines that are more or less
essential than others. The Bible does not divide doctrine into essential and
non-essential. Paul labored to preach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27).
Modern evangelicalism claims that certain doctrines are "essential" and others are
"non-essential," and that Christian unity revolves strictly around the essentials,
while the non-essentials have no meaning in regard to fellowship. But the Bible
nowhere says that doctrine can be so divided. "The faith once delivered unto the
saints" (Jude 3) describes that body of truth delivered to us by the Lord's Apostles
through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The entire body of truth is to be
contended for. Timothy was to allow NO OTHER DOCTRINE to be taught (1
Timothy 1:3). There is no hint here that some Bible doctrine is essential and other
doctrine is not.
(emphasis added)
What happens to the doctrine of a church when it can throw out the very sovereignty of God and claim that God’s sovereignty is non-essential? It brings that church within the ecumenical fold of the Roman Catholic Church. It preaches a different god, a different Jesus, a different gospel; it preaches an anti-gospel. “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” Matthew 12:30. If, dear reader, you think that is an exaggeration, read and weep over what Chuck Smith has to say on the matter in his 1993 book, Answers For Today:
We should realize that we're all part of the Body of Christ and that there aren't any
real divisions in the Body. We're all one. What a glorious day when we discover
that God loves the Baptists! -- And the Presbyterians, and the Methodists, and the
Catholics. We're all His and we all belong to Him. We see the whole Body of
Christ, and we begin to strive together rather than striving against one another"
In Chuck Smith’s reprobate mind, he believes that the Catholic Church is just one of the many Christian denominations in the body of Christ. Later in this book we will see that the Roman Catholic church is the church of the antichrist. It is no wonder that it is also the source of the anti-gospel.
In 1971, Chuck Smith founded “Maranatha! Music”, which was a pioneering company in producing “Christian” rock and roll music. Chuck Smith and “Maranatha! Music” were in the forefront of the Jesus people fad (otherwise known as “Jesus freaks”). Under the management of Smith, “Maranatha! Music” produced worldly rock and roll music with ostensible Christian lyrics. “Maranatha! Music” was allegedly sold by Chuck Smith in 1988 to his nephew, Chuck Fromm.
Smith has gotten back into the “Christian” rock and roll music scene through Calvary
Chapel Music. Calvary Chapel Music is managed by Holland Davis, who is the musical director
at Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa, and was former marketing director at “Maranatha! Music.”
Davis apparently still has a close working relationship with “Maranatha! Music,” because a
recent CD by the group Smithfield, titled Song that Died Away, although distributed by Calvary
Chapel Music, lists Davis as the producer with a parenthetical after his name indicating
“Marahatha! Music and Vineyard Music.”
Chuck Smith is listed as the executive producer on
that CD. Apparently, there is a close managerial working relationship between Calvary Chapel
Music and “Maranatha! Music.”
One of the many groups Calvary Chapel Music produces and promotes is The Surfaris,
who are famous for the million selling rock and roll tune, “Wipe Out,” which they are quite
proud to still play today.
In fact, The Surfaris’ most recent CD from Calvary Chapel Music is
titled: “Wipe Out” and has a rendition of the original song on the CD.
The “Christian” songs that are produced by Calvary Chapel Music have an unmistakable Arminian slant. For example, Calvary Chapel Music has a song book titled Worship Life: Anchored Deep. The website for Calvary Chapel Music has excerpts from three songs out of that songbook. One of the songs is titled Be Free to Reign. Not surprisingly, the song exudes an Arminian philosophy where God is invited by the singer to be free to reign in his life:
Lord of Heaven and of Earth
Come and reign in my heart
Lord of life and King I serve
I invite you to be free
To reign in every part of me
That song is typical of the Arminian free will mind. The Arminian god, is a god who minds his own business until a person invites him to be free to reign in his life. Their god depends on the permission of the believer before he can reign in his life. The reign of their god, and the freedom of their god, is dependent on the sovereignty of man.
One doesn’t grant the true God freedom and then invite him to reign in your life. The true God reigns in our lives because he is God; he doesn’t need our permission. Read what the bible says about the true God:
And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou? Daniel 4:35
Putting Christian words to rock and roll music creates a spiritual poison for the soul. It is
the music that is the real danger. Almost all rock and roll music has a rapid back beat. That
rapid drum beat is one of the things that makes rock and roll songs so evil. The music actually
causes stress on the body creating what secular scientists call neurotic response.
Witches call
the response to the music a spell. That neurosis (or spell) is manifested when people impulsively
move their bodies to the beat of the music. One never sees such conduct at a classical music
concert. However, at a rock and roll concert one often sees large crowds lost in a neurotic frenzy.
This magical neurotic spell is a manifestation of the influence of devils over the listeners.
Once a person is placed under this spell, the listener becomes susceptible to temptations of the flesh and to being influenced the worldly lyrics that have double meanings. Although the lyrics, at first glance, may have only one meaning when read on paper, the fleshly music suggests to the listener an interpretation that plays to the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. Even ostensibly Christian lyrics can be interpreted differently when put to discordant rock and roll music. When the words are put to music the performer can place emphasis on one part of a phrase in order to influence the listener to interpret the words according to that emphasis. If the music is guttural rock and roll music seemingly innocent words will take on a whole new meaning. The real message is in the music, and sometimes the message is subliminal. Terry Watkins explains:
The song "Stairway to Heaven" by the group Led Zeppelin is the most popular
song in rock history. One line of the song, says, “you know sometimes WORDS
HAVE TWO MEANINGS.” They should know — the song is drenched in
satanic backmasking! One part when played forward, says: "Yes, there are two
paths you can go by, but in the long run there's still time to change the road
you're on.” But when played backwards, you clearly hear: "IT'S MY SWEET
SATAN . . . Oh I will sing because I live with Satan.” Jimmy Page of Led
Zeppelin is a devout follower of Satanist, Aliester Crowley. Page went so far as
purchase Crowley's old mansion. Let there be no doubt who Zeppelin's master is -
on their song "Houses of the Holy", they sing, "Let the music be YOUR
MASTER/ Will you heed the master's call/ Oh, Satan . . ."
The meanings of words can be influenced even by voice inflection. For example, the phrase “that was real smart” has a literal meaning that is clear to the reader. However, if the statement is voiced by a person in a sarcastic manner, the meaning is completely changed to mean the opposite of the actual words. Much of communication between people is through the tone and inflection of the voice.
Another example would be if person is asked “do you mind if I borrow your pen? A typical response of a person giving permission to use his pen might be: “sure.” The literal meaning of the word used by the respondent indicates that the respondent does in fact mind if the person borrows his pen; the words deny the requestor permission to borrow his pen. However, both the respondent and the requestor understand that the respondent is actually giving permission to borrow his pen. The inflection in the voice of the respondent carries the real message, while the literal meaning of the word is ignored. Voice inflection, in a very real sense, can override the literal meaning of words.
That same phenomenon happens to a much greater degree when “Christian” words are put to rock and roll music. Many people think that if a song has Christian words that makes it Christian music. That is wrong. The real message is carried by the music, not by the words. The words do not give meaning to the music, rather it is the music that gives meaning to the words. Fleshly, lustful, prideful music will give a fleshly, lustful, prideful meaning to the words being sung. Even bible passages in “Christian” rock and roll can be twisted to mean something completely different from the meaning intended by God. The words may seem uplifting, but the music is downward, earthly, prideful. Consequently the message does not praise God, but rather subliminally encourages sin under the guise of Christian music. In fact, it is common for the words to a rock and roll song to be drowned out by the music, making the words almost unintelligible. The unintelligible words can be interpreted by the listener to say whatever the music subliminally suggests. That is because the real message is in the music, and its hypnotic rhythm.
People should understand the evil nature of rock and roll music, by whatever label under which it is concealed. Whether it is called Christian rock, contemporary Christian music, or Christian rap, there is a sinful message that is carried by the music itself. Rock and roll music is an incantation that casts an evil magic spell. Any music that does not lift the spirit, will instead lower the soul to follow the dictates of sinful flesh. That is why misbehavior is a common occurrence at rock and roll concerts, yet such conduct is never heard of at classical music concerts.
Read what Michael Jackson had to say during a February 10, 1993, live interview with Oprah Winfrey about the effect of rock and roll music on his behavior. The worldwide broadcast was purportedly his first live interview up to that time:
Oprah Winfrey: I have to ask you this, so many mothers in my audience have said to please ask you this question. Why do you always grab your crotch?
Michael Jackson: (Giggle) Why do I grab my crotch?
Oprah Winfrey: You've got a thing with your crotch going on there.
Michael Jackson: I think it happens subliminally. When you're dancing, you
know you are just interpreting the music and the sounds and the accompaniment if
there's a driving base, if there's a cello, if there's a string, you become the emotion
of what that sound is, so if I'm doing a movement and I go bam and I grab myself
it's... it's the music that compels me to do it, it's not saying that I'm dying to grab
down there and it's not in a great place you don't think about it, it just happens,
sometimes I'll look back at the footage and I go ... and I go did I do that, so
I'm a slave to the rhythm, yeah, okay.
(emphasis added)
Notice what Jackson reveals. He opines that the influence of the music over him is subliminal. He has concluded that he is being influenced at an unconscious level to engage in the indecent conduct of grabbing his crotch. He states that he is not even aware he is doing it, and is sometimes surprised when he sees the film footage later of his lascivious actions. He attributes the subliminal control of his movements to the “music!” It is not the words, it is the music that takes over him, and causes him to unconsciously grab his privates. He states that he is a “slave to the rhythm.” That rhythm drives him to lewdly grab his crotch. The rock and roll rhythm is an evil rhythm, that causes people to do things they would not ordinarily do. Whether you call it “Christian” rock and roll or “secular” rock and roll, it is still rock and roll, and the subliminal influence over the flesh by the evil rhythm is present in both.
One artist promoted by Calvary Chapel Music is Santos. Chuck Smith, himself offers
narration between songs on their most recent CD titled Santos: Deep and Rich. The following
description appears on the Calvary Chapel Music website describing Santos: “Santos tours
nationally and has shared stages with The Charlie Daniels Band, The Outlaws, Pure Prarie
League, Atlanta Rhythm Section, Moby Grape, Judas Priest, and the Marshall Tucker Band.”
They proudly state that they have appeared and shared stages with music bands that pander to the
flesh, including “Judas Priest!”
“Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3.
Judas Priest is a heavy metal, Satanic rock and roll band. Read a sampling of some of
the song titles by Judas Priest; they will give you some idea of the Satanic roots of the band: Hell
Is Home, Burn In Hell, Saints In Hell, Race With The Devil, Genocide, Eat Me Alive, Devil's
Child, Touch Of Evil, Deal With The Devil, Devil Digger, Hell Patrol, Demonizer, Hellrider,
Blood Stained, Turbo Lover, Screaming For Vengeance, Bloodsuckers, Breaking The Law,
Killing Machine, Brain Dead, Decapitate, Metal Gods, Judas Rising, and Metal Messiah.
Terry Watkins explains the influence Judas Priest has over young minds with music that is
literally a magic spell that possess its listeners with a devil that drives them to commit suicide;
this is the band with whom Calvary Chapel Music’s Santos was proud to share a stage:
In December 1985, eighteen-year-old Raymond Belknap and James Vance after listening to Judas Priest sing "Beyond the Realms of Death", climbed out the bedroom window, and went to a nearby church playground. There Belknap put a sawed-off shotgun to his head, pulled the trigger and literally blew his head off. As Belknap lay dead on the playground, Vance took his turn. He said, "There was just tons of blood. It was like the gun had grease on it. There was so much blood I could barely handle it, and I reloaded it and then, you know, it was my turn, and I readied myself. I was thinking about all that there was to live for, so much of your life is right before your eyes, and it was like I DIDN'T HAVE ANY CONTROL . . . MY BODY WAS COMPELLED to do it and I went ahead and shot."
Vance survived the gunshot wound, but slipped into a coma in November, 1988 and died a few days later.
The bereaved parents brought legal action against Judas Priest. The lawsuit stated, "The suggestive lyrics combined with the continuous beat and rhythmic non-changing intonation of the music combined to induce, encourage, aid, abet and mesmerize the plaintiff into believing the answer to life was death."
According to expert witnesses who analyzed the Judas Priest album, both
subliminal messages and backmasking were found. They found the subliminal
message "Do it" at least six times. Attorney Kenneth McKenna said, "They just
literally obeyed the commands of the music, and the lyrics . . ."
How can an alleged Christian music group of any kind agree to share a stage with a notorious Satanic rock and roll band? John Todd may have an answer to that question.
John Todd (Collins) was a former member of the Illumnati Collins family. The
Illuminati is a Satanic society that has within it many layers within layers of secrecy. It operates
on a need to know basis. Todd was deeply involved in the dark world of witchcraft. He stated
that he personally delivered four million dollars to Chuck Smith in order to enable Smith to start
“Maranatha! Music.”
Todd stated that the money he gave Smith was a partial payment toward
a total of eight million dollars of which he was aware was given to Smith by the Illuminati. Todd
stated that Smith knew that money was from the Satanic Illuminati. On October 5, 1978, Chuck
Smith issued a written denial of the allegations made by Todd. In the course of his denial, Smith
made a very odd statement. He stated:
I believe that it is time that the truth be established, and John Todd be declared for
what he is--an absolute liar in league with Satan and going around doing a
damning work within the church, seeking to divide the body rather than bring it
together. If it were not for the scripture concerning going to law with a brother, I
would have sued John Todd long ago for liable and slander; because I do obey the
scriptures and seek to obey them, I have not filed this suit against him but the
statements that he makes are totally false.
Chuck Smith is a pastor of one of the largest churches in the United States. At the time he wrote that letter he had been a pastor for approximately 10 years. Presumably, he knows what the bible says about suing. He had, no doubt, read the relevant passage regarding lawsuits against Christian brethren. The pertinent passage is found at 1 Corinthians 6:1-10. The passage states:
Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:1-10 AV)
That passage admonishes against a Christian suing his Christian brother. However, Smith made clear in his letter that he considers Todd “an absolute liar in league with Satan and going around doing a damning work within the church, seeking to divide the body rather than bring it together.” Smith further stated in his letter: “John Todd is an unmitigated liar, a deceiver, a divider within the body of Christ, and needs to be exposed.” He repeats in another section of his letter that “The man is an absolute liar and anybody is insane who listens to him or gives any credence to what he has to say.” Smith clearly does not consider Todd a Christian brother.
Smith stated that he did not sue Todd out of obedience to scripture. As we have seen in the relevant bible passage, there is no impediment to a Christian suing a non-Christian. Smith already knew that when he wrote his letter. As a pastor, he is purportedly an expert in the bible, and what it means. So, if Smith does not believe that Todd is his Christian brother, there is no biblical impediment to suing Todd. That means that Smith was not telling the truth about his reason for not suing Todd, which calls into question Smith’s credibility regarding the rest of his denial.
Smith considers Todd a minion of the Satan sent to divide the church, and he needs to be exposed. One would think that best way to expose Todd would be to put him on the stand in a court of law and subject him to cross examination under oath. Smith knows, however, that legal action cuts both ways, and that may be the real reason Smith did not sue Todd. In a lawsuit, Smith could also be called to the stand and be subjected to cross examination under oath. In addition, under the rules of discovery in a slander suit, where the allegation is that a person made a false statement about the plaintiff’s source of finances, Todd would be able to get copies of all of Smith’s financial records, including relevant underlying documents. Witnesses who have knowledge of Smith’s business practices could be subpoenaed and deposed.
Smith’s refusal to sue Todd is even more unusual when it is considered in face of the following challenge made by Smith in the same letter:
If he could do so, I would be happy to give him $50,000, which I don't have, but I
would obligate myself to it and would be willing to do so for any kind of evidence
that he could produce to show that his statement has even one shred of truth to it.
It is a total fabrication and a complete lie.
If Smith is so sure of himself that he was willing to obligate himself to pay $50,000, that he allegedly did not even have, if Todd could come up with one shred of evidence to prove Todd’s claim, why was he so reticent to sue? He challenged Todd to come up with evidence that he knew Todd did not have. Smith knew that if such evidence existed, the evidence will be found in records of which he has custody. The way to prove his innocence would be to have those records subjected to public scrutiny in a lawsuit. Smith himself stated that “he would have sued John Todd long ago for liable [sic] and slander” if he were not constrained by an alleged biblical prohibition. We now find out there is no such biblical prohibition.
In addressing Todd’s claim to have delivered $8 million to Smith, Smith said in his letter that he is not wealthy. He stated:
I am not a wealthy man under any standards. I have always believed in living a
very simple life, and I receive a smaller salary than does a brick layer. I do not
own any apartment complexes. I do not own any apartments or condominiums. I
own the house that I am living in, or rather the savings and loan company owns
the house I am living in. I drive a Chevrolet car that was sold to me at dealer's cost
because the dealer is a member of Calvary Chapel. I have never driven fancy cars;
I do not believe in driving fancy cars. I have always driven used cars up until the
dealer offering me a new car at his cost.
That statement should not be read in a vacuum. Smith’s nephew, Chuck Fromm, who was at the time President of “Maranatha! Records” also wrote a letter (dated October 3, 1978) defending Smith. Fromm stated:
Maranatha! Music is a non-profit organization grossing approximately 1.1 million
dollars annually. It was started in connection with Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa
in 1971 (incorporated as a separate organization in 1972) with a loan from Pastor
Chuck Smith of under $3000. That money was used to produce the first
Maranatha! Music album, which sold over 200,000 copies. The money from those
sales furthered the ministry and was the source for funds to produce more albums.
Today, fifty per cent of our sales are from our _Praise_ albums.
At the time both the letter by Fromm and the letter by Smith were written, Chuck Smith owned “Maranatha! Music.” Whether the corporation is for profit or non profit is of importance primarily for tax reasons. Calling a company “non profit” is actually a misnomer. Non profit organizations are permitted to, and often do, make profits. When the income is retained by a company it becomes retained earnings, which is an asset that belongs to the owner. “Maranatha! Music” had assets and income, both of which belonged to Chuck Smith. According to Fromm, “Maranatha! Music” was a profit generating company that had an annual gross income of 1.1 million dollars. Any profit after expenses belonged to Chuck Smith. Yet, Chuck Smith claimed that “I am not a wealthy man under any standards.” Anyone who owns a company that has an annual gross income of 1.1 million dollars would be considered a wealthy man under any standard. Once again, Smith’s statements do not hold up to scrutiny. Why would Smith claim poverty, when in fact he is quite wealthy?
I noted an anomaly in Fromm’s letter. Fromm claimed that “Maranatha! Music” sold
200,000 copies of their first album. However, David de Sabatino, in his History of the Jesus
Movement, states that the first two albums from “Maranatha! Music” sold a combined total of
25,000.
That is quite a discrepancy! Are Fromm’s sales figures accurate? If they are not, why
would Fromm inflate the sales figures?
Fromm’s letter was written in October 1978. Fromm stated that “Marahatha! Music,” which was founded in 1971, grossed 1.1 million dollars per year. It seems that they were making that amount from the very first year. Fromm stated that the first 1971 album sold 200,000 copies. Assuming a wholesale price of $5 per album, that would mean gross income of $1 million on the first album alone. Multiply $1.1 million per year over the 8 years between 1971 and 1978 and we arrive at 8.8 million dollars. Coincidently, John Todd alleged that he gave Chuck Smith 4 million dollars, which he said was the second payment of a total of 8 million dollars from the Illuminati. Did Fromm inflate the sales figures for the album sales in order to use those fictional numbers to provide a documented explanation for the millions of dollars in “Maranatha! Music” assets that actually came from the Illuminati?
Even Fromm’s statement of Maranatha! Music grossing $1.1 million per year is impeached by Chuck Smith, who stated in his October 1978 letter:
Even to the present date, Maranatha Music has not done a total of $8 million in
business, and this also can be easily verified and confirmed, and any reputable
person is welcome to look at the books of both Calvary Chapel and Maranatha
Music in order to prove the statements that I make are correct.
Smith denies that “Maranatha Music” had done a total of $8 million in business. However Fromm’s statement indicates that “Maranatha! Music” grossed more than $8 million, as of 1978. It seems that Smith and Fromm cannot get their stories or figures straight.
It is intriguing that Smith offers to allow a reputable person to look at their books. However, that seems more bluster than anything else. He seems to think that his books are self authenticating. In fact, the books are simply documentary conclusions. If he will only allow an examiner to look at the final numbers, the examiner will inevitably have to agree with the numbers in the books. The important figures are the figures on documents that underlie the conclusory numbers (which are many times self serving) found in the final “books.” The books are of little help in addressing this issue, unless the person examining the books can also ask questions of employees and Smith himself in order to get an explanation, verify the numbers, and examine the evidence that underlies those numbers. It is doubtful that is the kind of examination Smith had in mind.
Fromm stated in his letter that “Maranatha! Music” “was started in connection with
Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa in 1971 (incorporated as a separate organization in 1972) with a
loan from Pastor Chuck Smith of under $3000.”
Keep in mind that Fromm is addressing a
specific allegation about the source and amount of funding for “Maranatha! Music.” Fromm was
the President of “Maranatha! Music,” and he had available at his fingertips all of the records for
“Maranatha! Music.” Yet the best he could do was estimate that the loan from Chuck Smith was
“under $3,000.”
Chuck Smith for his part, seems not to be able to keep the figure straight. In his October
5, 1978 letter he states that: “Maranatha Music was actually started with my own personal
investment of $3000.00.”
Yet, three years later, in the fall of 1981, Smith stated in his church
bulletin that:
We saw the necessity of helping to support the musicians in their ministry by
making records. So with $3,500 and a four-track tape recorder, we made the first
Maranatha album, a sampler of all the groups called Maranatha 1.
Within 3 years the figure went from $3,000 to $3,500. One would think that a person
who is just scraping by, as Smith claimed, on “a smaller salary than does a brick layer”
would
know to the penny how much he used to start a company. Unless, of course, the story is just
fiction, and he could not remember the figure he had made up in the early version of the story.
Notice that when it came to explaining in the church bulletin how he started Maranatha! Music,”
he did not mention the source of the $3,500. Could it be that he did not want his congregation to
know that under his fictional story he was able to sock away $3,500 on the allegedly modest
salary that was less than the salary of a brick layer, and that he was so irresponsible as to wager it
on the very risky venture of producing an album for a bunch of hippies? Such conduct would
suggest that the $3,500 was only a small portion of his savings. Could it be that he did not want
them to know that he personally owned “Maranatha! Music,” which at that time had assets worth
millions of dollars?
Why would the Illuminati give money to a “Christian” music producer? He who pays the
piper calls the tune. The music that Smith was tasked to produce was Satanic music labeled and
marketed as Christian music. The Illuminati realized what was at stake when Todd went public
with his allegation, and so they used every tool at their disposal to destroy Todd’s credibility.
They orchestrated false rape charges against him. Fritz Springmeier, who has done extensive
research on the Illuminati, is convinced that Todd is who he claims to be and that his testimony is
true.
Jack Chick, a Christian publisher, also understood the power of the Illuminati being
brought down on Todd, and that the charges that have been leveled against Todd are false. Chick
has continued to publish several comics based upon the information supplied to him by Todd.
We need not rely on the Springmeier and Chick to vouch for the accuracy of the information supplied by Todd. The truth is self evident. The sour fruit of Christian Rock, otherwise known as “Jesus Rock,” has resulted in dead churches imbedded with a worldly Arminian anti-gospel.
To this day the Calvary Chapel website has many references to Christian Rock and Roll.
The youth ministry links on the Calvary Chapel Santa Rosa, website has a link for HM Magazine
that describes it as: “Christian Rock, Hardcore, Alternative and everything in between.”
“Christian rock and roll” is an oxymoron. The term “Christian rock and roll” is the equivalent of
“Christian witchcraft.” If someone were to try to inject witchcraft into the churches, the flock
would recognize the threat immediately. However, the subtlety of rock and roll music was the
ideal method for Satan to place nominal Christians under his influence and ruin their testimony.
Rock and roll music is from the devil and placing a “Christian” label on it does not make it
righteous.
Terry Watkins gives a quick history of rock and roll and its infiltration into the churches through the Christian rock and roll phenomenon started by Chuck Smith:
In the early 1950's, Cleveland disc jockey Allan Freed, revolutionized the music
world. Borrowing a ghetto term for sexual fornication, he coined the term
"ROCK N ROLL". The Encyclopaedia Britannica Yearbook for 1956 described
rock'n roll as, "insistent savagery deliberately competing with the artistic ideals of
the jungle." The Christian community cried against this "tool of Satan." But in the
70's, a sinister hand began planting a small, but deadly seed. And the walls began
to crumble. And like a raging hurricane, rock began desecrating the sacred music
of the church. In they came; Bill Gaither, the Imperials, Dallas Holmes, Randy
Stonehill, Keith Greene, and others. Today, rock music is a common companion
of the church. And as you'll soon read; the rebellion, the sexual theme, the
blasphemy, the occult influence, are found "lurking under the cover" of Christian
rock.
* * *
Rock star David Bowie said, "Rock has always been THE DEVILS MUSIC." (Rolling Stone, Feb. 12, 1976, p. 83)
Secular rock bad girl Lita Ford, said, "Listen, rock’n roll AIN'T CHURCH. It’s nasty business. You gotta be nasty too. If you’re goody, goody, you can’t sing or play it. . ." (Los Angeles Times, August 7, 1988)
Even secular Time magazine, (March 11, 1985 p.60) in an article about Contemporary Christian Music titled the article, "New Lyrics for the DEVIL'S MUSIC".
The band that started the “Christian Rock” era was a band named Love Song.
The band
got its start in Christian Rock by playing at Chuck Smith’s Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa,
California. The first two songs recorded by Love Song were released in a 1971 album, which
also contained songs from other Christian Rock bands. The album was titled The Everlastin’
Livin’ Jesus Concert, and it was the first album produced by “Maranatha! Music.”
Today, Love
Song describes themselves as: “Using a mixture of folk, rock, pop, and country.”
A sampling
of just one of their songs “Don’t You Know” reveals the nature of their music. The description
of the song is given as: “A ‘Beatle-ish’ exercise, with Beach Boy overtones.”
When one listens
to the sampling of the song available on the internet, it becomes clear that the description of the
song is accurate. The song is a rock and roll song that sounds very much like a Beatles tune.
That is not surprising since as a website devoted to the “Jesus Movement” and Love Song states:
“Many called them [Love Song] the Christian ‘Beatles.’”
The song Don’t You Know has the
rapid back beat that is so characteristic of rock and roll songs. Such music is more an
incantation, that casts a magic spell, than it is music. Any music that does not lift the spirit, will
instead lower the soul to follow the dictates of sinful flesh.
The following is an excerpt of the history of Love Song. Notice how their music had to be cleaned up to remove overt “New Age ideas” in order to make the music more acceptable to perform in front of Christian audiences. New Age is simply a term to describe repackaged pagan pantheism. “New Age” is an antichrist religious philosophy, based upon a belief in man’s free will. The New Age adherents are responsible to work their way (typically through Hindu style meditation) ultimately to reach nirvana, otherwise blasphemously known as “Christ consciousness.” If they do not succeed in this lifetime, they believe they will be reincarnated again and again in a seemingly endless procession of manifestations until they reach their mythical goal.
The first album was comprised of a combination of songs that had been written
before and after we [Love Song] had become Christians. We had already written a
number of songs when the first came to Chuck Smith at Calvary Chapel to
"audition". Most of these songs were remarkably scriptural, although a few "New
Age" ideas had crept into the lyrics. With just a little tweaking, the lyrics were
cleaned up from a biblical standpoint, and the songs became acceptable to perform
in front of Christian audiences.
The first songs originally contained New Age ideas that had to be given a little “tweaking” to make them acceptable to Christian audiences! If songs have New Age ideas in them, that makes them New Age songs. It is unclear exactly what was done to “tweak” or “clean up” the New Age songs. Those words suggest minor alterations. The minor alterations were for the purpose of making the songs “acceptable to perform in front of Christian audiences.” As we have already seen, the words are incidental to the music. There is no indication that there was any change in the music of the New Age pagan songs. Furthermore, the standard for Christian music should not be whether the music can be made minimally acceptable to nominal Christians. The standard should be whether the music gives glory and praise to God.
Read the how “Christian” rock and roll affects the way one thinks. Below is a statement
from Erick Nelson, who “was one of the many artists to come out of Calvary Chapel during the
Jesus movement. His name graced many a Maranatha! Music recording of that time and he was
a member of several Jesus bands including Selah and Good News, in addition to later having a
solo career.”
Then Love Song came up and played. The visual presentation of the group was
always impressive. First, they all had fairly long hair and beards, which was a
definite plus. They weren't boys, but men. You knew they had been around -
had tried drugs, alternative life styles, religions, ... all of which gave them
instant credibility.
Nelson was impressed that the members of Love Song had long hair; he viewed that as a plus. “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?” 1 Corinthians 11:14. Nelson thought that the fact that they had led a life of drugs, alternative lifestyles, and religions gave them instant credibility. How can any amount of sin give a Christian, or anyone for that matter, credibility? Sin brings shame, not credibility. Even if Nelson intended (which intent is certainly not clear) to express the idea that they formerly, but no longer, led such a life of sin, his judgment of their credibility based on past sins is unbiblical. “They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them..” 1 John 4:5. “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” Titus 2:12. God makes it clear that a Christian should not revel in the sin and temptations of the world, a Christian should resist the devil and his worldly temptations. If one is to be a friend of the world, he will be an enemy of God.
Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. (James 4:4-9 AV)
What is revealing is that Nelson explains that Love Song, was a band that had music that sounded like secular music, but was about Jesus.
The overwhelming impression of Love Song was not that they were another
"religious" group, or "gospel" group. Like others at the time, I had originally
thought that there was one thing called "religious" music, and another thing called
"secular music". Love Song did something that sounded like secular music,
but was about Jesus. Their kind of music, to me, was not just a hip,
contemporary version of "gospel music." That's exactly what it was not. It
was part of a growing trend in popular music.
What Nelson does not understand is that there is no such thing as secular music! All music communicates with the spirit of man. When he says that it sounded like secular music, he really means that it sounded like heathen music. All pagan music is Satanic. Another thing that Nelson does not understand is that pagan music does not become Christian music because it is about Jesus. Pagan music remains heathen music, whether it is about Jesus or not. All pagan music about Jesus either blasphemes Jesus or creates a different Jesus, who is not the omnipotent sovereign of the universe.
Notice how Nelson and Christian rockers have a form of godliness, but they deny the power of God. God predicted such would arise. Such “anything goes” attitude is a manifestation of the Arminian gospel, in which the power of God to save by the will of his good pleasure is denied. They use Christian language, but they deny the real power of the gospel: the power of God to impart spiritual rebirth upon his elect. God commands us to turn away from such proud and blasphemous lovers of pleasure.
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:1-5 AV)
Love Song is known as the “Christian” Beatles. While some of their songs sound like Beatles songs, it is not clear that the group understands the implications of being called the “Christian” Beatles.
The press officer for the Beatles, Derek Taylor, said, "They're COMPLETELY ANTI-CHRIST. I mean, I am anti-Christ as well, but they're so anti-Christ they shock me which isn't an easy thing." (Saturday Evening Post, Aug. 8, 1964).
Paul McCartney said, "We probably seem to be anti-religious. . . none of us believes in God." (Hit Parader, Jan 1970, p.15)
John Lennon, in his book, A Spaniard in the Works, portrays Jesus Christ as, "Jesus El Pifico, a garlic-eating, stinking little yellow, greasy fascist bastard catholic spaniard." (A Spaniard in the Works, p.14).
Lennon also made that infamous statement, "Christianity will go, it will vanish and shrink. I needn't argue about that. I'm right and will be proved right. . . .We're more popular than Jesus now." (San Francisco Chronicle, April 13, 1966, p.26)
Ray Coleman quotes John Lennon as saying, "I've sold my soul to the DEVIL."
(Coleman, Ray, Lennon p.256)
Donald Phau further explains the depths of the Beatles Satanic roots by exposing their admiration for Aliester Crowley, who was an infamous Satanist, whose debauchery earned him the moniker: “The Beast:”
The cover of Sgt. Pepper's showed the Beatles with a background of, according to Ringo Starr, people "we like and admire" (Hit Parade, Oct. 1976, p.14). Paul McCartney said of Sgt. Pepper's cover, ". . . we were going to have photos on the wall of all our HEROS . . ." (Musician, Special Collectors Edition, - Beatles and Rolling Stones, 1988, p.12)
One of the Beatle's heros included on the cover of Sgt. Pepper's was — the
infamous Aliester Crowley! Most people, especially in 1967, did not even know
who Crowley was — but the Beatles certainly did.
* * *
Aliester Crowley is without a doubt, the main spiritual "teacher" of rock music. Crowley's mission in life was to destroy Jesus Christ and Christianity, while exalting sex perversion, drugs, magick and Satan.
Aliester Crowley spews his hatred of Jesus Christ in The World's Tragedy: "I do not wish to argue that the doctrines of Jesus, they and they alone, have degraded the world to it's present condition. I take it that Christianity is not only the cause but the symptom of slavery." (Aleister Crowley, The World's Tragedy, p. XXXIX)
"That religion they call Christianity; the devil they honor they call God. I accept these definitions, as a poet must do, if he is to be at all intelligible to his age, and it is their God and their religion that I HATE and will DESTROY." (Aleister Crowley, The World's Tragedy, p. XXXI)
In the introduction of The World's Tragedy, Israel Regardie says:
"This long, almost epic poem is one of the most bitter and vicious diatribes against Christianity that I have ever read."
Crowley's most famous teaching, "Do what thou wilt shalt be the whole of the
law" became the "mantra" of the 60's revolution of drugs, sexual perversion and
anti-Christianity. "Do your own thing" — "If it feels good do it".
* * *
"The whole Beatle idea was to do what you want, right? To take your own
responsibility, do what you want and try not to harm other people, right? DO
WHAT THOU WILT, as long as it doesn't hurt somebody. . ." ("The Playboy
Interviews with John Lennon & Yoko Ono", by David Sheff & G. Barry Golson,
p. 61)
Notice that the mantra of the disciples of Aliester Crowley in the rock and roll culture is to “do what thou wilt.” To Satanists, that is the “whole of the law.” To them, free will is unfettered by God. Satanists and rock and roll “artists” are the ultimate Arminians. It is no wonder that “Christian” rock and roll sprang from an Arminian church. The Arminian free will philosophy fits rather comfortably with the rock and roll culture. Because of the disrepute of Christian Rock and the desire to distance its association in the minds of Christians from secular rock and roll, the Christian Rock industry changed its name to Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). The label changed, but the spiritual poison remains the same.
Chuck Smith has slipped up and revealed a part of his character that would shock his
followers. In the process he revealed his Zionist plans. Smith and his “ministry”are part of a
conspiracy for Zionist conquest of Palestine. Smith’s Zionist plans parallel the plans of the
Illuminati, which is revealing in light of John Todd’s allegations of Illuminati funding for Smith.
An investigative team from The Executive Intelligence Review discovered a group called the
“American Jerusalem Temple Foundation,” which was an early source of “massive amounts of
money from American-based Darbyite Christian fundamentalists”
that were poured into
“Jerusalem operations, aimed, ultimately, at blowing up the Muslim holy sites at the Temple
Mount, and building the Third Temple.”
In the middle of this planned bloodfest we find Chuck Smith, pastor of Calvary Chapel. The Executive Intelligence Review discovered the following:
At the core of the Gnostic "dispensational premillennarianism," advocated by
Nineteenth-Century Anglican clergyman John Nelson Darby, is the belief that the
extermination of the Jews, in a final battle of Armageddon, brought on by the
rebuilding of Solomon's Temple, is the Biblical precondition for the second
coming of the Messiah and the Rapture. Pastor Chuck Smith, Dolphin's mentor
at the Calvary Baptist Church, when asked by EIR whether he had any
compunctions about unleashing a holy war that would lead to the possible
extermination of millions of Jews and Muslims, replied, "Frankly, no,
because it is all part of Biblical prophesy."
Smith was also full of praise for the Jewish zealots of the Temple Mount
Faithful, and their founder, Goldfoot: "Do you want a real radical?" he
asked. "Try Stanley Goldfoot. He's a wonder. His plan for the Temple Mount
is to take sticks of dynamite and some M-16s and blow the Dome of the Rock
and Al-Aqsa Mosques and just lay claim to the site."
Who is Stanley Goldfoot, upon whom Chuck Smith heaps such praise? He is a
psychopathic mass murderer and internationally recognized terrorist! He has admitted he helped
plan the 1946 dynamite bombing of the King David Hotel that killed approximately 100
Christian, Jewish, and Muslim civilians.
Goldfoot has also admitted that he planned and
directed the execution of the United Nations mediator, Count Folke Bernadotte, in Jerusalem, in
the fall of 1948.
Chuck Smith is so impressed with Goldfoot that he invited that killer to lecture in his
Calvary Chapel!
Smith has also financed Goldfoots Zionist activities! The Hebrew University
of Jerusalem explains:
Chuck Smith, a noted minister and evangelist whose Calvary Chapel in Costa
Mesa, California, has been one of the largest and most dynamic Charismatic
churches in America, invited Goldfoot to lecture in his church, and his followers
helped to finance Goldfoot’s activity.
Smith secured financial support for exploration of the exact site of the Temple.
An associate of Smith, Lambert Dolphin, a California physicist and archeologist
and leader of the “Science and Archeology Team,” took it upon himself to explore
the Temple Mount. An ardent premillennialist who believed that the building of
the Temple was essential to the realization of messianic hopes.
Can we regard Chuck Smith as a true minister of the Gospel when he praises and financially supports a terrorist killer? Why would he do such a thing? Because both he and Goldfoot are Zionists, who want to bring Palestine under the complete control of Israel. One of the key goals of the Zionist Illuminati is to rule the world. Jewish control of Palestine is one step toward that Zionist goal. Let us explore just who are the Illuminati.
The “Illuminati” are a secret organization purportedly founded by a trained Jesuit named
Adam Weishaupt in 1776.
As I will explain, it was not a coincidence that the Illuminati arose
just three years after Pope Clement XIV’s suppression of the Jesuits in 1773. Weishaupt was a
Jew and a professor of canon law at Ingolstadt University, which was a Jesuit University and the
center of the Jesuit counter-reformation.
Alberto Rivera, a former Jesuit priest, stated that the
occult Illuminati organization was not founded by Weishaupt, as many believe, but in fact was
established long before Weishaupt. The Illuminati is in fact a reincarnation of the ancient
Alumbrados, whose one time leader was Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits.
The
Alumbrados and indeed the Illuminati trace their history back to the pharisees.
Benjamin Disraeli, was a Jew and a former Prime Minister of England; he revealed that
the first Jesuits were Jews.
Ignatius of Loyola’s secretary, Polanco, was of Jewish descent and
was the only person present at Loyola’s deathbed. Ignatius Loyola himself was a crypto-Jew of
the Occult Cabala. A crypto-Jew is a Jew who converts to another religion and outwardly
embraces the new religion, while secretly maintaining Jewish practices. James Lainez, who
succeeded Loyola as the second Jesuit General, was also of Jewish descent. The third Jesuit
General was a Belgian Jew named Eberhard Mercurian. Jews were attracted to the Jesuit order
and joined in large numbers.
Some of the most influential Jesuits in history, such as Francisco
Ribera (1537-1591) and Emanuel Lacunza (1731-1801), were Jews. Many of the Jesuit doctrines
are similar to those found in the Babylonian Talmud.
The Illuminati was reconstituted by Lorenzo Ricco, the Jesuit General, in 1776, who
used his disciple, Adam Weishaupt, as the front man for the organization (which was really not
new at all).
The Jesuits, having just been suppressed by the pope in 1773, found it necessary
to reemerge under the occult banner of the Illuminati, which was an alliance between the Jesuits
and the very powerful Ashkenazi Jewish Banking House of Rothschild. The purpose of the
Illuminati initially was to avenge the papal suppression of the Jesuits by rooting out all religion
and overturning the governments of the world, bringing them under a single world government,
controlled of course by the Illuminati, under the authority of their god. That world government is
commonly referred to by the Illuminati as the “New World Order.” The god of the Illuminati is
Satan.
Adam Wieshaupt died in 1830 at the age of 82. Giuseppe Mazzini, who was an Italian
revolutionary, then became the leader of the Illuminati. He held this position from 1834 until his
death in 1872. Michael Bunker reveals in his book Swarms of Locusts that Mazzini was a
Roman Catholic Jesuit priest.
Bunker’s book uncovers the Jesuit corruption of “Protestant
Christianity,” by injecting into it the poisonous Roman Catholic “free will” doctrine of
Molinism, (commonly referred to as Arminianism.). Molinism was so named after Luis de
Molina, who was a Jesuit priest.
There was an established group of criminals who were overseers of feudal lands in Sicily
dating back to 1000 A.D.
They became known later as the Mafia. Paul A. Fisher in his book
Their God is the Devil,
states that “one historian, Charles Heckethorn, in his book, Secret
Societies, says the chilling word ‘Mafia’ is an acronym meaning ‘Mazzini Autoriza Furti,
Incendi, Avelenameti:’ that is: ‘Mazzini authorizes thefts, arson and poisoning.’
On August 15, 1871, while Giuseppe Mazzini was the head of the Illuminati in Europe,
he wrote a letter to Albert Pike, who was then the Sovereign Grand Commander of the Ancient
and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry of the Southern Jurisdiction U.S.A. Pike succeeded
to that Masonic position from Isaac Long, a Jew, who in 1801, brought a statue of Baphomet
(Satan) to Charleston, South Carolina, where he helped established the Ancient and Accepted
Scottish Rite.
In his letter to Pike, Mazzini gives the details for a plan for world conquest,
through three world wars. The first war would destroy Czarist Russia and place that vast
territory under the control of the Illuminati. The second war would be caused by the differences
between the Political Zionists and the German Nationalists. This would lead to the expansion of
Russian Communist power and the creation of a state of Israel in Palestine. The third war would
be caused by the conflict between the predicted State of Israel and the Arab Muslims.
In 1754 the first 25 degrees of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry were written by the
Jesuits in the College of Jesuits of Clermont in Paris.
Albert Pike explains this secret to
Masonry in the doctrinal bible of freemasonry, Morals and Dogma: “Masonry is a search for
Light. That leads us directly back, as you see, to the Kabalah.”
The pagan Roman
Catholic Church has been infiltrated by the Talmudic Jews, primarily, but not exclusively,
through the Jesuit order. Notice the similarities between the imperious whorish woman in
Ezekiel 16:14-40, which is apostate Israel, and the Roman Catholic harlot of Revelation. They
are one and the same. The crypto-Jewish Jesuits of the Roman Catholic Church are modern day
Pharisees.
Albert Pike, the theological pontiff of Masonry wrote that “[i]t is certain that its true
pronunciation is not represented by the word Jehovah; and therefore that that is not the true name
of Diety, nor the Ineffable Word.”
God’s word, however, states clearly that JEHOVAH is
God’s name. “That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high
over all the earth.” (Psalms 83:18 AV)
If the Masons do not recognize JEHOVAH as God, who is their god? The god of the
Masons is Lucifer, which was Satan’s name before he rebelled against God and was cast out of
heaven. Albert Pike said that “[t]he doctrine of Satanism is heresy; and the true an pure
philosophic religion is the belief in Lucifer, the equal of Adonay; but Lucifer, God of Light and
God of Good is struggling for humanity against Adonay, the God of Darkness and Evil.”
Adonay is the Old Testament Hebrew word for God. Pike not only acknowledges that Lucifer is
the god of Freemasonry, but he also blasphemes God by calling God “the God of Darkness and
Evil.”
The secret Illuminati organization was the hidden guiding hand behind the brutal French
Revolution, during which 300,000 people were massacred in a godless orgy of violence.
Moses Mordecai Marx Levi, alias Karl Marx, was a Satanist and a member of the “League of the
Just,” which was a branch of the Illuminati.
In 1847, Marx was commissioned by the
Illuminati to write the Communist Manifesto, which is an outline of their plans for world
domination.
There was nothing new in the Communist Manifesto, it was merely a
plagiarization of the plans already espoused by Weishaupt and his disciple Clinton Roosevelt (a
distant relative of Franklin Delano Roosevelt).
Between 1600 and 1750 the Jesuits controlled
over a quarter million ignorant natives of Paraguay in over 30 communes which they called
“reductions.”
The Jesuits were the masters of these poor slaves, whose labors made the Jesuits
immensely wealthy. The lessons learned in the “reductions” were memorialized in the
communist manifesto.
The Illuminati, being pharisitical Jews, are Zionists to the core. All of their efforts are
focused upon their Zionist goal to rule the world.
Zionism is not just a homeland for the Jews
in Palestine as it is generally believed. It is much more than that. The rule of Palestine is just
one step toward world domination.
In order to further their Zionist plans it was necessary to
inject their Zionist theology into the churches. This was done through a concerted campaign by
agents of the Roman Catholic Church.
One of the methods used by the Roman Catholic
theologians was to relegate much of the book of Revelation to some future time.
In 1590 a
Roman Catholic Jesuit priest Francisco Ribera, in his 500 page commentary on the book of
Revelation, placed the events of most of the book of Revelation in a period in the future just prior
to the end of the world.
He claimed that the antichrist would be an individual who would not
be manifested until very near the end of the world. He wrote that the antichrist would rebuild
Jerusalem, abolish Christianity, deny Christ, persecute the church, and dominate the world for
three and half years.
Relegating the appearance of the antichrist to some time in the distant future just before
the end of the world, had the effect of concealing the true identity of the antichrist, that being the
Pope of Rome.
The sea change in the position of almost all of the Protestant denominations
toward Rome has been the direct result of this heretical interpretation of the bible by agents of
the Roman Catholic Church, designed to conceal the Pope’s identity as the antichrist.
Another Jesuit, Cardinal Robert Bellarmine promoted Ribera's teachings.
This
Catholic interpretation of the book of Revelation did not become accepted in the Protestant
denominations until a book titled The Coming of the Messiah in Glory and Majesty was
published in 1812, 11 years after the death of its author.
The author of that book was another
Jesuit by the name of Emanuel de Lacunza. De Lacunza wrote the book under the fictitious pen
name of a purportedly converted Jew, Rabbi Juan Josaphat Ben Ezra, in order to conceal his
identity and to make his writings more palatable to the Protestant readers.
As with the writings of Ribera, de Lacunza developed a futuristic perspective which
restricted the prophetic fulfillments in the book of Revelation to the end of the world. He stated
that the antichrist and all prophecies concerning the antichrist were yet to happen in the future.
He also taught of a partial resurrection of the saints before the appearance of the antichrist, whom
he stated was not a single individual but the body of godless masses left behind on the Earth after
the resurrection of the saints.
The resurrection would be followed by God’s judgements of
wrath on the inhabitants of the Earth for an indeterminate period of not less than 45 days.
Lacunza also wrote that during a millennium after the tribulation the Jewish animal sacrifices
would be reinstated along with the Eucharist (the mass) of the Catholic Church.
Lacunza has
followed after Jewish fables and replaced the commandments of God with the commandments of
men. See Titus 1:13. “They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being
abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.” (Titus 1:16 AV)
James Lainez, who succeeded Loyola as the second Jesuit General, was of Jewish
descent. Jews were attracted to the Jesuit order and joined in large numbers.
Lacunza was no
exception. He was a Jew, which explains why he introduced the eschatological teaching of a
return to the Jewish animal sacrifices. That doctrine gives the Jews primacy in God’s plan and
relegates Christians to a prophetic parenthetical to be supplanted by the Jews during the supposed
thousand year earthly reign of Christ.
It is no surprise that Chuck Smith’s Calvary Chapel is an ardent supporter of Zionism and
has a pretribulation rapture doctrine to match its Zionist philosophy.
Smith is following in a
long line of Zionists. Many of whom have been supported and nurtured by the Jewish Illuminati.
Probably the most famous “Christian” Zionist was Cyrus I. Scofield, the author of the famous
Scofield Reference Bible. That so called “bible” was instrumental in popularizing the mythical
“pretribulation rapture” doctrine so endemic in churches today.
The Scofield bible was funded and nurtured by World Zionist leaders who saw the
Christian churches in America as an obstacle to their plan for the establishment of a Jewish
homeland in Palestine. These Zionists initiated a program to infiltrate and change the Christian
doctrines of those churches. Two of the tools used to accomplish this goal were Cyrus I. Scofield
and a venerable, world respected European book publisher: The Oxford University Press.
The scheme was to alter the Christian gospel and corrupt the church with a pro-Zionist
subculture. “Scofield's role was to re-write the King James Version of the Bible by inserting
Zionist-friendly notes in the margins, between verses and chapters, and on the bottoms of the
pages.”
In 1909, the Oxford University Press published and implemented a large advertising
budget to promote the Scofield Reference Bible.
The Scofield Reference Bible was a subterfuge designed to create a subculture around a
new worship icon, the modern State of Israel. The new state of Israel did not yet exist, but the
well-funded Zionists already had it on their drawing boards.