© Bread of Life Ministries 2018
Are You and Abomination in God’s Sight? 10th April 2017
Most
believers
would
never
consider
themselves
to
be
abominations
in
the
sight
of
God.
Granted
that
we
all
fall
short
and
are
well
aware
of
those
areas
of
our
lives
that
we
have not yet totally surrendered to Him. But an abominations...me?... Never!!!
Yet because of one particular sin that so many Christians are guilty of, God sees us as unclean and wicked.
Let
me
expound
on
this.
"These
six
things
the
Lord
hates.
Yes
seven
are
an
abomination
to
Him.
A
proud
look.
A
lying
tongue.
Hands
that
shed
innocent
blood.
A
heart
that
devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil. A false witness who speaks lies and one who sows discord among brethren."
(Proverbs 6:16-19)
How
many
of
us
are
guilty
of
criticizing
and
condemning
a
fellow
believer
because
of
hearsay
or
some
offense
we
might
have
taken?
What
about
evangelical
denominations
that
criticize
each
other
over
non-fundamental,
trivial
points
of
doctrine?
Or
the
Home
Church
movement
condemning
more
formalized
expressions
of
church
and
visa-
versa?
In
almost
all
Christian
circles
there
is
some
form
of
division,
segregation,
bitterness,
envy,
gossip,
slandering,
criticizing,
anger
and
even
hatred.
Things
that
should
not
even
be
named
amongst
those
who
have
been
called
out
of
darkness
and
are
now
supposed
to
be
children
of
God
who
have
His
Spirit
indwelling
them.
We
the
Church
are
guilty
of a perpetual sin against the Father and we need to address this as a matter of urgency...and it begins with you and me.
The
Scriptures
teach
that
all
who
are
born
of
the
Spirit
are
all
part
of
one
Body
no
matter
where
you
live
or
where
you
fellowship.
This
one
Body
is
the
Body
of
Jesus,
with
Him
and
Him
alone
being
the
head.
Would
you
cut
off
your
toe
because
you
do
not
like
the
way
it
looks?
Or
would
you
pluck
out
your
eye
because
it
does
not
have
20/20
vision? Obviously not. Then why do we attack other members of the same Body that we are part of?
Do
we
think
we
are
more
Christ-like
when
we
mock
those
who
do
not
have
the
same
understanding
that
we
have?
Are
we
demonstrating
the
fruit
of
the
Spirit
when
we
publicly condemn and criticize individuals and churches when we have made no effort to try address what we see as error in a spirit of love, gentleness and humility?
The
true
child
of
God
is
a
peacemaker
not
one
who
brings
division.
"Blessed
are
the
peacemakers
for
they
shall
be
called
sons
of
God."
(Matthew
5:9)
But
one
who
brings
division and strife is an abomination in God's sight.
We
are
commanded
in
Scripture
to,
"endeavour
to
keep
the
unity
of
the
Spirit
in
the
bond
of
peace."
Paul
continues,
"there
is
one
body
and
one
Spirit...one
Lord,
one
faith,
one baptism, one God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all."
(Ephesians 4:3-6)
Do we not see that the same Spirit that is in us is also in the very people we are destroying by our wicked conduct?
Unity
of
the
true
Bride
of
Jesus,
the
Church
and
loving
the
brethren
are
not
restricted
to
your
local
church
or
fellowship.
It
is
for
the
unity
of
the
whole
Church
that
we
must
strive and labour.
I
am
not
addressing
church
discipline,
exposing
error
or
bringing
correction
in
this
article
as
we
are
called
to
judge
error
in
the
Church
and
then
try
to
bring
correction
in
a
spirit
of
love
and
humility.
The
point
of
this
article
is
to
address
division,
strife
and
sectarianism
in
the
remnant
Church.
I
stress
again
that
I
am
not
addressing
our
relationship
with
those
who
have
fallen
away
into
apostasy.
My
heart
grieves
for
the
way
many
of
us
treat
one
another
who
sincerely
desire
to
walk
uprightly
before
the
Lord.
So
many
are
quick
to
judge
and
condemn
those
whom
they
have
never
met
or
taken
the
time
to
speak
to
or
really
get
to
know
what
they
believe
and
who
they
truly
are in Jesus.
One
of
the
last
things
that
Jesus
prayed
for
before
His
crucifixion
was
that
the
Father
would
make
us
all
one
as
He
and
the
Father
are
one
(John
17:11-25).
It
was
His
cry
that
those
who
would
believe
on
Him
would
be
of
one
heart,
one
mind
and
one
purpose
just
like
the
Godhead
is.
Would
you
and
I
dare
to
actively
oppose
the
will
and
desire
of
Him
who
will
judge
us?
Do
not
forget
the
warning
that
Jesus
gave
in
Matthew
7:21-23.
Not
all
who
call
Him
Lord,
Lord
will
enter
into
Heaven
but
only
those
who
do the will of the Father and the Fathers will is that we all are one and united in love.
How are you doing in this area?
The
greatest
evangelism
tool
that
the
Lord
has
given
the
Church
is
not
the
gifts
of
Holy
Spirit
but
something
less
spectacular
but
much
more
effective.
And
that
is
demonstrated,
genuinely,
expressed
love
for
the
brethren.
At
the
last
supper
when
Jesus
was
sharing
about
the
New
Covenant
He
was
about
bring
forth,
He
said,
"
A
new
commandment
I
give
to
you,
that
you
love
one
another
as
I
have
loved
you,
that
you
also
love
one
another.
By
this
all
will
know
that
you
are
My
disciples,
if
you
have
love
for one another."
(John 13:34-35)
Christian,
you
and
I
are
called
to
work
and
walk
together
with
the
whole
Body
in
a
spirit
of
love
and
unity.
I
challenge
you
in
the
Lord
to
search
out
your
heart
and
turn
from being an abomination in the sight of the Lord because of your malicious attack on the brethren to becoming a blessing and a true child of God, a peacemaker.
May the Lord give us all the grace to walk in His love and peace towards one another.
Shalom (peace unto you)
Predestined to be Conformed to the Image of Christ -
3 April 2016
"For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8:29)
God
the
Father
has
adopted
those
who
willingly
surrender
their
lives
to
the
lordship
of
Jesus
as
His
sons
and
daughters.
We
who
believe
have
become
co-heirs
with
Jesus
of Gods' Kingdom (Romans 8:17). However, before we can rule and reign with Jesus, we must first be conformed to His image.
It
is
vital
that
Christians
understand
that
being
born
again
is
a
journey
not
a
destination.
Jesus
told
Nicodemus
that
unless
a
man
is
born
again
he
will
not
see
the
Kingdom
of God (John 3:3). Being born again is the start of our individual journey to sonship, maturity and ultimately inheritance.
The apostle Paul told the Church of Rome that God had predestined all those who believe on Jesus to be conformed to His image. What did he mean by this?
Paul
was
revealing
a
hidden
mystery
of
the
Gospel
that
had
been
concealed
from
the
Jews
in
the
Law
of
Moses
for
1500
years.
This
incredible
mystery
was
that
Jesus
would
not
just
save
those
who
believe
but
will
cause
them
to
become
like
Him.
(When
I
speak
of
becoming
like
Christ,
I
refer
to
our
character
and
nature
becoming
like
His.
We
will
never
become
like
Him
in
power
or
authority
for
He
will
for
eternity
always
be
the
Lord
of
Lords
and
the
King
of
Kings).
This
mystery
that
I
am
speaking
of
was
concealed in the Feasts of Israel.
Now
I
do
not
want
to
spend
to
much
time
giving
an
overview
of
the
7
Feasts
of
Israel.
You
are
welcome
to
listen
or
download
the
series
from
our
website
at
www.bolm.co.za.
Briefly
stated,
the
Feasts
all
prophetically
point
to
one
of
the
seven
works
of
redemption
that
Jesus
fulfilled
at
His
first
coming
and
will
fulfil
at
His
second
coming.
For
now
I
want
us
to
focus
on
the
third
feast,
namely,
the
Feast
of
Firstfruits.
According
to
Leviticus
23:9-14,
the
Feast
of
Firstfruits
was
celebrated
on
the
third
day
after
the
Feast
of
Passover.
On
this
feast
day,
the
Jews
would
bring
a
small
sheaf
of
their
crop
to
the
priest
before
they
began
to
harvest
their
fields.
The
priest
in
turn
would
wave
the
sheaf
before
the
Lord
as
a
wave
offering,
giving
God
thanks
for
the
harvest
which
was
about
to
be
reaped.
So
how
did
Jesus
fulfil
this
Feast
and
how
does
it
pertain to our salvation and becoming conformed to His image?
"But now Christ is risen from the dead and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep." (1 Corinthians 15:20)
Jesus
was
crucified
and
buried
on
the
14th
day
of
the
Jewish
month
of
Nissan
which
was
the
same
day
as
the
Feast
of
Passover.
We
know
that
Jesus
fulfilled
the
Feast
of
Passover by becoming the Lamb of God.
At
His
resurrection
on
the
third
day,
which
was
the
16th
day
of
Nissan
3
days
later,
Mary
Magdalene
meets
Him
at
the
tomb
(John
20:1
&
11-17).
She
tries
to
embrace
Him
but
He
would
not
let
her
touch
Him
lest
she
defile
Him
because
He
had
not
yet
ascended
to
the
Father
and
presented
Himself
before
the
throne
of
God
with
His
blood
(Hebrews 9:11-12).
In 1 Corinthians 15:20 (above), Paul writes that Jesus has become the first fruits of those who had died. How does He fulfil the Feast?
When
the
Jews
under
the
Law
presented
their
sheaves
before
God,
they
were
giving
Him
thanks
for
the
harvest
which
He
had
blessed
them
with.
The
sheaf
was
a
representation
of
the
rest
of
the
harvest
that
remained
in
the
field.
The
sheaf
had
the
identical
DNA
to
the
rest
of
the
harvest,
it
was
in
every
way
identical
to
the
rest
of
the crop that was about to be harvested. In the exact same manner, Jesus is the first fruits to the Father, the firstborn from the dead (Colossians 1:15).
When
Jesus
stood
before
the
Father
at
His
resurrection,
He
presented
Himself
as
the
first
fruits
of
all
those
who
were
to
be
resurrected
in
Him.
i.e.
those
who
would
be
born
again.
As
He
stood
before
the
Father,
He
showed
Himself
to
be
the
exact
representation
of
all
those
who
would
come
after
Him.
Just
like
the
sheaf
carried
the
same
DNA
as
the
harvest
so
we
have
the
same
Holy
Spirit
in
us
that
filled
Jesus
at
His
baptism.
God
wants
us
to
carry
the
same
DNA
so
to
speak
as
Jesus.
That
is
why
the
apostle John writes, "Beloved, now we are the children of God...we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him." (1 John 3:2)
It
was
always
the
Father's
will,
plan
and
purpose
that
all
His
sons
and
daughters
would
become
like
Jesus,
our
first
fruits.
This
is
what
Paul
had
been
explaining
to
the
Church
of
Rome,
"For
whom
He
foreknew,
He
also
predestined
to
be
conformed
to
the
image
of
His
Son
that
He
might
be
the
firstborn
among
many
brethren."
(Romans
8:29).
Gods'
priority
with
your
life
is
to
make
you
like
Jesus,
that
you
would
have
the
same
nature
and
character
as
our
Lord.
How
does
God
do
this,
what
means
or
tools
does
He
use?
"But
we
all
with
unveiled
face,
beholding
as
in
a
mirror
the
glory
of
the
Lord,
are
being
transformed
into
the
same
image
from
glory
to
glory,
just
as
by
the
Spirit
of
the
Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Firstly,
the
Holy
Spirit
is
at
work
in
every
believer
to
conform
us
to
Christ.
We
are
called
to
yield
to
Him
and
obey
Him
as
He
reveals
areas
in
our
lives
that
displease
the
Lord. Through repentance, obedience and asking the Lord to search out our hearts we become more and more conformed to Christ's image.
Secondly,
"Though
He
was
a
Son
yet
He
learned
obedience
by
the
things
which
He
suffered."
(Hebrews
5:8)
and
"...We
must
through
many
tribulations
enter
the
Kingdom
of
God."
(Acts 14:22)
The
New
Testament
has
much
to
say
about
suffering,
trials,
tribulations
and
even
death
for
the
sake
of
Christ.
Many
Christians
do
not
believe
that
God
would
test
them
through
trials
but
I
can
guarantee
you
that
as
a
Christian
you
will
face
many
trials
and
hardships.
Jesus
had
to,
the
apostles
and
the
early
church
had
to
and
believers
today have to. God uses trials to test and prune our faith and character (James 1:2-4; Hebrews 12:5-11).
Do
not
believe
anyone
who
tells
you
that
serving
the
Lord
is
easy.
It
is
not.
Nor
believe
them
when
they
tell
you
that
hardship
is
a
sign
of
sin
or
unbelief.
If
that
were
true
then the apostles would have been the worst Christians that had ever lived as their lives were plagued with hardship and eventually execution.
But
I
want
to
encourage
you
that
the
trials
you
face
are
working
in
you
an
eternal
weight
of
glory.
God
is
wanting
to
mould
you
so
that
He
can
give
you
the
Kingdom.
We
will never be perfect this side of eternity but we can allow God to mould us and to change us so that we can begin to reflect Jesus more and more.
Gods
will
is
to
conform
you
into
Christ’s
image.
As
you
yield
so
you
will
draw
closer
and
become
far
more
intimate
with
the
Lord.
Praise
God
that
we
will
not
remain
the
same
as
we
are
now
but
we
are
daily
taking
on
the
image
of
Jesus
more
and
more
as
we
yield
to
Him.
Be
encouraged
God
loves
you
too
much
to
leave
you
as
you
are.
He
has greater things in store for you.
Shalom until next time, David
"Cursed is anyone who hangs from a tree" - 5 June 2012
-
Deuteronomy 21:23 & Galatian
s 3:13
Six
years
ago,
the
Lord
gave
me
a
most
disturbing
and
shocking
vision
regarding
His
Church.
I
have
been
reluctant
to
share
this
vision
over
the
last
six
years
as
I
did
not
believe
that
the
Body
of
Christ
was
ready
or
willing
to
hear
what
the
Lord
had
revealed.
Yet
I
know
that
this
message
is
for
the
whole
Church
and
the
time
has
come
that
the
Church
understands
how
her
Lord
sees
her
so
that
she
can
repent
and
become
His
cherished
and
beloved
Bride.
As
a
young
believer,
I
always
had
a
very
deep
burden
for
the
Body
of
Christ
and
found
it
difficult
to
pray
just
for
my
local
church.
I
would
always
find
myself
praying
for
the
Church
as
a
whole,
that
we
would
all
come to the unity of the faith and maturity in the Lord.
Six
years
ago,
I
was
living
in
Durban
and
had
been
seeking
the
Lord's
will
for
my
life
and
His
Church
through
prayer
and
fasting.
During
this
time
the
Lord
gave
me
the
vision
I
am
about
to
share.I
was
in
a
forest
made
up
of
huge
trees
and
saw
many
women
dressed
in
medieval
peasant
clothes
in
a
clearing
in
the
forest.
As
I
looked
on
this
large
group
of
women,
they
were
suddenly
all
tied
to
the
trees
with
large
ropes.
Then
they
all
merged
into
one
woman
tied
to
one
enormously
massive
tree
and
she
was
bound
with
very
thick
ropes.
As
I
looked
at
her
and
saw
her
beauty
and
innocence,
I
knew
immediately
that
she
was
the
Bride
of
Christ
but
she
was
not
clothed
in
glory
with
white
washed
garments
but
in
the
rags
of
a
peasant.As
I
gazed
at
her
the
Lord
brought
me
right
in
front
of
her
face.
At
that
very
moment,
with
a
small
trickle
of
blood
running
down
from
her
forehead
where
a
rope
had
cut
into
her
skin,
she
opened
her
eyes.
I
will
never
forget
that
look
in
her
eyes.
It
was
one
of
absolute
amazement,
shock,
bewilderment
and
confusion
all
expressed
simultaneously
as
she
tried
to
reason
and
understand
how
she
had
become
bound
to
this
gigantic tree.
Then
the
Lord
spoke
to
me
and
said,
"There
are
three
who
have
done
this
to
my
Church."The
next
instant
I
was
in
what
can
only
be
described
as
a
"crack
house".
Although
I
could
not
see
anything
except
grey
smoke,
I
knew
in
my
heart
that
every
form
of
sin,
wickedness
and
perversion
was
taking
place
in
this
house.The
Lord
spoke
to
me
a
second
time
and
said,
"the
sin
of
the
world
is
in
my
Church
and
My
people
commit
the
same
sins
as
the
unsaved."
This
was
the
first
who
had
bound
the
Church.Suddenly
I
was
in
London
outside
a
house
in
a
very
up-market
suburb.
As
I
was
looking
at
the
house,
the
front
door
opened
and
a
woman
dressed
in
a
tweed
business
suit
came
out
with
two
large
black
dogs
on
silver
leashes.
She
walked
passed
me
with
an
air
of
arrogance
and
looked
at
me
with
disdain.
It
was
obvious
that
she had been accustomed to wealth and luxury her whole life and had never given a second thought to anyone but herself, her wants and desires.
Again
the
Lord
spoke
and
said,
“My
people
lust
after
the
wealth
and
riches
of
this
world
and
are
bound
by
their
lust
as
the
pursue
after
the
things
of
this
life.”
This
was
the second who binds the Church.
What
happened
next
made
me
tremble
in
fear
for
the
next
two
weeks.
Then
the
Lord
spoke
to
me
saying,
“And
I
am
holding
you
accountable
for
my
Church!”
At
that
moment
I
woke
up
trembling
and
immediately
asked
the
Lord
how
He
could
hold
me
accountable
for
His
Church.
After
all,
who
am
I
that
I
can
be
held
accountable
for
so
many?
Since
resigning
as
an
associate
pastor
at
a
very
large
church
in
1993,
I
have
never
had
much
influence
in
the
Body
of
Christ
nor
have
I
been
involved
in
any
ministry that has been recognized as being successful. On the contrary, I have been a servant to small numbers of believers for many years.
For
two
weeks
I
wrestled
in
fear
with
the
Lord
over
His
words
to
me
and
also
wanted
to
know
about
the
third
who
had
bound
His
Church
in
the
vision.
The
Lord
led
me
to
the
Book
of
Ezekiel
chapter
3v16-21
and
said
that
as
He
had
commissioned
Ezekiel
to
warn
Israel
to
escape
the
coming
judgement
so
he
is
commissioning
me
to
warn
the
Church
of
the
coming
judgement
of
God
upon
her.
Saints,
God
is
referring
to
1
Peter
4:17
which
says,
“
For
the
time
has
come
for
judgement
to
begin
with
the house of God and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?”
A
few
years
ago
the
Lord
revealed
to
me
the
third
that
has
bound
His
Church.
It
should
have
been
very
obvious
to
me
for
it
was
the
reason
I
had
left
fulltime
ministry
and moved to Durban.
The
third
who
has
bound
the
Church
is
false
or
incorrect
doctrine.
As
Paul
warned
Timothy
in
2
Timothy
4:3-4,
“For
the
time
will
come
when
they
will
not
endure
sound
doctrine
but
according
to
their
own
desires
because
they
have
itching
ears,
they
will
heap
up
for
themselves
teachers
and
they
will
turn
their
ears
away
from
the
truth and be turned aside to fables.”
Let me summarize what the Lord showed me in this vision and has revealed to me as I have sought understanding through prayer and waiting on Him.
The
Church
in
general
is
in
a
very
bad
place
with
the
Lord.
Instead
of
being
dressed
in
royal
robes
of
righteousness
(Revelation
7:9-14)
as
priests
of
God
(1
Peter
2:9)
she
is
dressed
in
peasant
rags.
Her
dress
speaks
of
slavery
to
sin,
lust
for
riches
and
false
doctrine.
It
is
these
three
things
that
have
bound
her
to
a
tree
and
this
is
the
most
devastating
part
of
the
entire
vision
.
The
Bible
says,
"Cursed
is
anyone
who
hangs
from
a
tree"
(
Deuteronomy
21:23
&
Galatians
3:13).
Instead
of
the
Church
being
free
in
Christ,
righteous
and
sanctified
to
the
Father
though
His
blood,
she
is
bound,
unrighteous
and
estranged
from
the
Lord.
God
does
not
see
the
Church
as
holy and sanctified but rather as accursed.
The
Good
news
is
that
He
wants
her
to
repent
and
come
back
to
Him.
I
have
been
convinced
by
the
Lord
and
through
His
Word
that
we
are
about
to
experience
a
great
restoration
of
the
Church.
A
revival
of
repentance
and
restoration
of
sound
doctrine
is
starting.
It
will
release
the
Church
to
become
the
Army
of
God
to
take
the
gospel of the Kingdom to a dying world (Matthew 24:14) and to become the Bride of Christ.
God
uses
the
foolish
and
the
weak
to
be
His
servants.
Which
means
all
who
are
of
no
worldly
reputation
can
be
used.
I
am
a
nobody
in
His
Kingdom
and
I
am
content
with that but I have been given a commission to teach and preach. So I will use the platforms open at the moment.
Until next time, Shalom
Blog
My
contribution
this
month
is
not
a
teaching
but
rather
a
poem
I
wrote
last
year
that
depicts
the
absurdity
of
those
who
are
deep
into
the
Hebrew
Roots
Movement.
As a Jewish believer in Jesus, I celebrate the Jewishness of the New Testament and above all the Jewishness of our Messiah Yeshua. We must never forget that salvation
is through faith alone in Jesus alone and never through the adoption of the Mosaic Law.
If you are blessed by the poem, you are welcome to share it with others.
"If Paul were a false teacher and a heretic too..."
– By David Nathan
If
Paul
were
a
false
teacher
and
a
heretic
too
we
could
only
trust
14
books
of
this
Testament
New.But
hark,
what
of
Peter
who
calls
him
“beloved
brother”,
he
too
is
deceived so there goes 2 others.We are now down to 12 that can truly be trusted, but wait, I forgot about Luke, I'm getting quite flustered.
A
travelling
companion
and
a
supporter
of
Paul,
can
we
possibly
trust
him?
I
say,
"not
at
all!"From
12
down
to
10
which
surely
are
true
but
then
there
is
John
whom
we
now must review.
A friend and companion of "Peter the Deceived" whom we’ve now come to realize cannot be believed.
Not
once
does
John
correct
him
regarding
old
Paul,
as
he
did
with
Diotrephes
in
his
book,
number
four.
Revelation
by
John,
the
last
apostle
alive,
brings
the
tally
of
this
untrusted
man’s
canonical
books
now
to
5.Another
5
gone
from
the
10
that
remained,
what
else
could
go
wrong
but
our
consideration
of
James
and
Jude,
that
we
must now add to this song?
Neither
two
warned
of
Paul,
that
sinister
false
brother,
yet
they
obviously
knew
him,
their
plots’
now
uncovered.So
their
2
must
be
gone
from
our
5
that
remained,
leaving us 3 books that now surely can't be defamed. The Jerusalem council which Matthew attended was where those who opposed Paul were summarily upended.
He
is
not
to
be
trusted
this
collector
of
taxes
so
too
must
his
book
face
the
anti-heretics
axes.3
becomes
2
with
the
exit
of
Matthew's,
where
next
do
we
search
but
through the book to the Hebrews.
Attributed
to
either
Paul,
Barnabas
or
Apollos
but
it
makes
no
real
difference
because
its
message
is
bogus.
Its
message
is
Paul’s
that’s
as
clear
as
can
be,
it
must
be
removed
from
Christian
his’tory.
We
have
only
1
left
which
is
ascribed
to
John
Mark,
a
nephew
of
Barnabas
who
from
Paul
did
depart.
There
is
now
only
1
book
that
still steadfast remains.
Although only 1, ‘tis far better than none until we consider the pedigree by whom it was done.
A
disciple
of
Peter
whom
we
know
was
deceived
by
a
man
we
call
Paul
whom
we
have
urged
you,
“do
not
believe!”Not
1
book
is
left
if
you
believe
Paul
was
a
deceiver,
not
one
book
that
can
be
trusted
by
the
New
Testament
believer.
Without
Paul
we
are
all
doomed
to
follow
the
Law,
you
see
without
him,
there
is
no
New
Testament
at all.
A Response to questions from an adherent to Eternal Security
i was asked recently to answer four questions from a sincere brother who believes in Eternal Security or Once Saved Always Saved. Eternal Security has become a very hotly
contested position in the Church and I thought that my response to these questions would benefit those who are either struggling with this doctrine or are being confronted with it
and want a biblical response.
1.
If someone truly can lose their salvation……what would happen?
1 Timothy 4:1-2 & 2 Timothy 4:10; They would return to the world and lust after it and have no desire to return to the Lord.
Note 1 Timothy 4:1-2 “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy,
having their own conscience seared with a hot iron.”
Paul says that some will depart from the faith which means that they must have been in the faith not just church goers which was unheard of in the early church. Many make the
incorrect assumption that the early church had folk milling around the edges, not saved but attending. This is preposterous to even assume as early believers were slaughtered,
pillaged and severely persecuted. There was no place for spectators and half-hearted individuals, becoming a Christian would often result in severe persecution and even death.
2.
Would the Holy Spirit leave them?
Absolutely, as we are born again of the water and the Spirit, when we willfully choose to forsake the Lord and refuse to return then He will withdraw His Spirit from the us. In Psalm
51:11, David pleads with God not to take His Holy Spirit from him. Note also Isaiah 63:10-11 where God rejects Israel even though the Holy Spirit was in and among them. God does
not change nor does He deal differently with men. What He did to those who forsook Him in Israel, He will do to those in the Church.
3.
How would their life change?
As mentioned previously. They would turn against God and His Word and go back into the world with no restraint as it is written in 2 Peter 2:20-22, “For if, after they have escaped
the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.
For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened
to them according to the true proverb: "A DOG RETURNS TO HIS OWN VOMIT," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."
4.
Would they still have any passion for Jesus?
None whatsoever. It is the Holy Spirit who draws us to the Father through Jesus. Once He forsakes a man that man will have no desire to return plus he could never come back to
salvation as the writer of Hebrews says, Hebrews 6:4-8, “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the
Holy Spirit and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of
God, and put Him to an open shame. For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but
if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned.”
Exposing the errors of the Tulip of Reformed Theology
Reformed theology is gaining much ground in the western church and many are being swept away from the simplicity of the truth of the gospel into the error and deception
of this dangerous false doctrine. Sadly, the proponents of this false gospel tend to be intellectuals who of all believers should understand the very basics of sound biblical
hermeneutics yet refuse to apply it when postulating their error.
However, despite the obvious and very poor hermeneutic of the advocates of Reformed Theology, most believers are ill equipped to refute or debate these modern heretics
who preach a different Jesus and a strange gospel that scripture just does not support or confirm.
The purpose of my article is to equip believers who are confronted with reformed doctrine, with scriptures that refute and contradict the five tenants of what has come to
be termed Five Point Calvinism. The acronym, T.U.L.I.P has been conceived by reformed theologians to organise the five main points of their understanding of the gospel of
salvation or as they call it, the doctrine of grace. Each of the letters represent one of these five points, which are;
T = Total Depravity
U = Unconditional Election
L = Limited Atonement
I = Irresistible Grace
P = Preservation of the Saints
For any doctrine to stand the scrutiny of scripture and be regarded as legitimate, every verse of scripture that speaks into that specific subject must be taken into account in
order to form a systematic and accurate doctrine. Simply put, one cannot exclude a verse or verses that contradict a doctrine that one wants to form just for the sake of
expediency. To do this is to create a false or severely flawed doctrine that will lead to error in not only ones personal theology and understanding but to all who are exposed
to it. This is what Reformed Theology has done and what I want to expose by simply quoting scripture that contradict each of the five tenants of the TULIP.
Sound theology should look like this;
And certainly not like this;
According to one of their own theologians, Reverend Barry Gritters, these five doctrines can be best understood as follows.
(http://www.prca.org/pamphlets/pamphlet_41.html) I have emphasised the blatant errors in his doctrinal statements in bold type.
T - Total Depravity
“Only God can make us alive and God does that sovereignly – without our aid, without our asking. From beginning to end, "Salvation is of the Lord"
(Jonah 2:9)…” (Rev Barry Gritters)
Yet the Bible teaches that we are to call upon the Lord in Psalm 55:16; Psalm 116:13 and Romans 10:12-13. To name just a few verses.
U - Unconditional Election
“God chooses to give some people eternal life, without looking for anything good in them as a condition for loving and saving them.” (Rev Barry
Gritters)
Yet the Bible teaches that God desires all to be saved in 1 Timothy 2:3-4; Ezekiel 18:23&32; John 3:17 and 1 Timothy 4:10. To quote just a few verses.
L - Limited Atonement
“The Bible says that Christ laid down His life for His sheep, and only them. John 10:11. The ATONEMENT is LIMITED to the elect of God. Every sin of
every one of Christ's sheep is paid for. Those sins and those alone have been paid for. That is the only gospel because that is the Bible.” (Rev Barry
Gritters)
Yet the Bible teaches that Jesus paid for the sins of all men in John 1:29 and 1 John 2:2, to quote just two verses.
I - Irresistible Grace
“That grace is irresistible. That means that if God gives grace to you, there is nothing in the world that you can do to resist it and thwart God's
intention to take you to heaven.” (Rev Barry Gritters)
Yet the Bible teaches that we can reject His grace through disobedience and wickedness in Hebrews 12:15; 2 Corinthians 6:1-2 and Galatians 5:4, to
again quote just a few verses.
P - Preservation of the Saints
“The last of the five points of Calvinism teaches that God preserves His people so they can never be lost. To put it simply, it means this: "Once you are
saved, you are always saved.” (Rev Barry Gritters)
Yet the Bible teaches that we can lose our salvation in 2 Peter 2:18-22; Hebrews 6:4-8; Hebrews 12:25 and Hebrews 3:6&12 and there are many other
verses that debunk this error of once saved always saved.
I have only very briefly highlighted the errors of the TULIP of Reformed Theology, there are many more but I trust that the above will be of use to those
who are having to stand their ground against this false doctrine.