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There has definitely been one over the last one hundred years in the church, but the question we ask in the title above is one worth our honest exploration. Has the evangelism explosion the New Testament church has been involved in been a true success, a marginal success, or a historic failure?

Some would scoff at the mere thought of the question and dismiss it right away as Satan inspired negativism. But, may I gently, but firmly admonish you to stick around and hear what I have to say?

Since the turn of the 20th century the gospel of grace has definitely been preached. It has been preached in the church house, in the streets, in neighborhoods, door to door, in schools, and the workplace. Gospel tracts have found their way into many a public restroom and on restaurant tables. Preachers have sounded loud and long the old, old story of how Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, died a substitutionary death on the cross, rose bodily from the borrowed tomb, and ascended to the right hand of the Father…where He now intercedes for all who accept Him by faith. Thank God for this fact!

But, have we in our zeal for an evangelism explosion lost a part of the message? Or rather have we simply not felt it necessary to focus on this missing part of the good news?

Please, don’t stop reading here or you will be tempted to label me a heretic for sure!

The part of the evangelistic message I am speaking of is so vital, because if it is left out or minimized, it greatly decreases the chances of true conversion. But, if we teach this important truth to sinners, it will truly produce an evangelism explosion like we have never seen!

O.K…O.K. I’ll tell you what it is. It is true, Biblical repentance. Repentance from sin and to God through Jesus Christ! Oh, I can hear some of you right now, saying, “But I do preach repentance in my Gospel message!” Are you absolutely sure about that? What I mean is, are you sure you are thoroughly convincing sinners of their sin enough to produce a true explosion of humility in their hearts so that they see God almighty for who He is and bow their head low in shame over the conviction in their soul? If not, you may just be delivering into this world stillborns, or more appropriately called false converts.

Let me stop right here and say that I firmly believe the Bible doctrine of eternal security (John 10:20-29, 5:24; & many other scriptures). But, I also believe that more often than we are willing to admit there are many who think they have received the gift of eternal life, but in reality, they have not. They never produce any fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). They do not fear God and they have no concern for the lost, but a fatal attraction for the world. Charles Spurgeon, the prince of preachers, once said, ” Have you no desire to convert the lost? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that.”

Where then are we missing our mark in the heart of the sinner? We are missing the mark and failing to ignite evangelistic fire, by failing to use the Law of God properly in its capacity to convert the soul.

“We are not under the Law!”, I hear some of you scream at your computer screen. Ah, I agree, but the unregenerate sinner needs to be placed under it for a time in order for it to do its work before the Gospel can take root.

Let me explain…The Bible says, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul…” What does the Bible say is perfect and converts the soul? The Law of God! (Don’t click away yet!) The Law must have its perfect work in the sinner’s heart to prepare the way for the Gospel much like John the Baptist prepared the way for our Lord’s ministry. God has designed the Law of God (the Ten Commandments) as His forerunner.

Everyone knows that for a battery to work, there must be a positive charge and a negative ground. It’s the same with the Gospel and simply saying “all have sinned” is just not the best way to evangelize, because many will not be fully convinced of their sin until they come under the heavy hand of the Law. Galatians 3:24 states plainly, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” In fact the apostle Paul stated that he had not known sin, but by the Law!

The Law of God was given for the simple purpose of bringing the knowledge of sin, so that man would truly see his need for the Savior! This method is the Bible method for reaching past man’s intellect into his conscience and rooting up his natural sense of right and wrong that God, Himself, put within his heart.

Very simply put, when the Law of God is preached pointedly to a sinner before the Gospel, then he or she understands the nature of their sins. Their sins become exceedingly sinful in their own sight because they know that it is in God’s! Then judgment, hell, and the cross make sense!

This is where the evangelism explosion really begins and people begin getting soundly saved in this day and time in which we live!
This article is merely a brief introduction into this Biblical teaching. More in depth study can be found at LivingWaters.com.

I do not necessarily endorse all that is taught by the Living Waters ministry, but I will tell you that you will not find more effective gospel tracts anywhere that present the Gospel in the manner we have described.

Also, I have found no one to better and more fully explain this principle than Ray Comfort, who runs the Living Waters ministry. Let me caution you however that some of Ray’s teachings, although he denies advocation of “sinless perfection”, seem to me to reflect that doctrine. I believe firmly that a person who gets saved by the grace of God ought to live a life that reflects the grace he has received, but I do not believe that we can (Biblically) or should add law keeping to God’s perfect gift of salvation.

The blood of Jesus Christ “cleanseth us” from all sin, not just some of it!

Evangelism explosions cannot be based on unscriptural compromises.

Christian politics is a conflict of interest to many… Christian politics, Christians and voting, Democrat, Republican, or Independent, separation of church and state, Christian voters guides the great subjects many in the church treat like the plague…and something many Bible believers feel they cannot or should not discuss or hold strong opinions on.

On the contrary, these issues which are often called Christian politics we must discuss, especially in this day and age which holds so many perils for America as a whole, especially if we wish to continue to be “the land of the free and the home of the brave”. Christians should not fear to hold strong, passionate views regarding government, politics, voting, and the issues that concern all citizens.

The following quote from the famous gospel preacher and revivalist Charles Finney sums it up so well: “…the time has come that Christians must vote for honest men, and take consistent ground in politics…”

In order to do this however, we must be informed. We should all seek to learn and know the issues and where each candidate stands on them, and what our rights and responsibilities are as Christian citizens of the United States of America.

Most importantly though: What does the Bible say about Christian politics and the like? Oh yes, all of the guidelines we need to guide our lives including our relationship to government and even how we should vote are given to us in the Holy Word of God, the Bible. I am not kidding…this matter is too serious for that.

Now, please allow me to stop right here and say before you call me “just another radical right wing religious fanatic” and click away from this page…Are you courageous enough to continue reading and at least give me the benefit of doubt until you have heard all I have to say on this matter?

Will you at least walk away with another viewpoint to compare with all of the others floating around these days? Or will you click away quickly, willing rather to cling to your own views which may (believe it or not) be naive, incorrect, or un-Christian?

Hey, you never know, after you hear me out you may even agree with me (or maybe not). Well, I just thought I should throw that in…Now back to the point: What does the Bible say about these issues?

True Christians not only believe the Bible, but consider it the Word of God. It doesn’t contain the words of God, but it is the Word of God without error, and it is the final authority of faith and practice. That means practice of faith and all practices of life. In other words: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”, Psalm 119:105.

You may ask, “But what right does God have to interfere with ‘secular’ government?” Well, in order to answer that, we must know who instituted government in the first place. The answer to that is simple; yet surprising to many…God himself instituted government

. Oh yes my friend, God is concerned enough with the affairs of men that He created the institution of government. You should take the time to read Romans chapter 13: verses 1 through 10.

I will include a small portion of it here: “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”, Romans 13:1. In the verses following, God also tells us the purpose of government and even that we should pay our taxes (tribute). Hey, don’t get mad at me…God said it, I just repeated what He said!

God cares about other details of government as well. “Like what?”, you ask. How about the fact that God instituted the death penalty for murder way back in Genesis 9:5,6.

“Wait one minute! What about the commandment: Thou shalt not kill?”, you may ask. That commandment in today’s vernacular would be that you shall not commit murder. That’s right, there are just causes for war and the death penalty, but only when executed properly along Biblical guidelines by the government only.

God created the family to be peaceful instruments of His grace and government to be His instrument for reward and wrath in their proper contexts here on earth.

Which leads me to my first voting guidance point: Since unborn children have committed no crime, nor an act of treason or war, and they are created by God at the point of conception (a human fetus or embryo when allowed to grow naturally always is and is born a human being, just like a walrus fetus or embryo always is and is born a walrus, not some other creature, hence: a baby is a baby, inside and outside of a woman’s body), their right to live and thrive is to be protected. God’s Word is crystal clear on this, so the government as well as all citizens of our government (since it is of the people, by the people, and for the people), and especially Christians are required by God Almighty to protect those tiny, innocent lives.

When we do not do all within our power to protect them, we are, very simply transgressing God’s law which is above all other laws! So, what should the Christian do?

First of all, speak out as often and as loudly as possible (passionately, but carefully, so as not to break other commandments in the process) that God commands that abortion is murder and that it should be stopped immediately.

One way you can speak out publicly against the horror of abortion is to wear anti-abortion (anti-murder) t-shirt.

You should also consider getting some good anti-murder bumper stickers. More on the impact of wearing Christian T Shirts and using bumper stickers…..Christian T Shirts

If you have opportunities for public speaking or interviews, you should definitely speak up boisterously for God on the subject. The church of the living God has been silent too long…And that is not just Christian politics!

Secondly, contact senators, congressmen, the president, and other government officials to let them know how God feels about murdering the unborn and that God is recording all their thoughts and actions (or inactions) on the matter, so they will give an account someday to the judge of the Universe.

Thirdly, register to vote and vote every time the polls are open and vote according to the Word of God, which means that any candidate who will not stand against abortion cannot and should never even be considered an option for true Christian politics.

That last statement is very emphatic and I will be hated by many for it, but so be it. Let God be true and every man a liar! Lastly, (Do I even need to say this at this point?) obviously do not get an abortion and try to discourage all you may know or come in contact with from doing it! I say again, abortion is murder, murder is sin, and God will judge sin! Christian political involvement is about more than “Christian politics”. It is about righteousness and holiness!

Most people would stop here and base all of their conclusions on these facts alone, but we should not stop here. There are countless other topics in scripture which serve to guide the Christian on his way through private life as well as in matters of Christian politics.

Take a look at the Ten Commandments which are so vehemently being attacked today. I am convinced that the number one reason for all of these groups trying (and succeeding) in removing the ten commandments from public venues (especially government property) in not as they say simply a matter of “separation of church and state” (of which their definition of it is lying hogwash), or stifling Christian politics, but rather the issue is really about their ability to remove from public view the best reminder of their sins God ever created.

That’s right, the book of Romans, chapter 3, verse 20 tells us, “…for by the law (the Ten Commandments) is the knowledge of sin.” Romans 7:7-13 says it like this, “What shall we say then? [Is] the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin [was] dead. For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died. And the commandment, which [was ordained] to life, I found [to be] unto death. For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew [me]. Wherefore the law [is] holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.”

So, the bottom line on this issue is this: Those that hate God are trying their best to remove God’s commandments from their view so that they will not be reminded that their sin is “exceedingly sinful” and so that society as a whole would accept their sin as normalcy. This cannot be!

As Christians, we have an obligation from God’s Holy Word to “occupy” till Jesus comes again. This means we must do all within our power to fight evil in all forms.

This certainly includes, but is not limited to voting in those who agree with God, and voting out those who hate God (yes, I said hate God). Again, I say that these things are more than just “Christian politics”! God drew the proverbial line in the sand way back in Matthew 12:30, “He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” That goes for you too “Christian”.

We are either with God in all things or we are not really on His side at all! Oh, yes tis deep truth and many will not be able to swallow, but tis truth nonetheless.

Christian Politics is a Conflict of Interest to Many

I must bring this article to a close (it’s 1:14 A.M. now) and we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface!

We haven’t even talked about the sodomites (homosexuals for those of you who are still soft or politically correct).

This is one of the primary issues that the liberals (mainly Democrat, but also a few Republicans) are trying their hardest to promote as covertly as possible.

Rather than state their position openly and unapologetically, they try to deflect attention from the real issue to one of the simple “Christian politics” of their conservative colleagues.

If you need me to tell you that homosexuality is wrong and that they are not “born that way”, you need to go back and read the Bible again. It is crystal clear on this matter too. Leviticus 20:13 is still in the Bible and it says, “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood [shall be] upon them.”

Now I am not, I repeat, I am not saying that you should go out and kill, maim, or otherwise abuse homosexuals, but I am saying that this is such a severe offense in the eyes of the Holy God of heaven, that in that government system which God laid down the rules for they were to be executed, so God tells us clearly that homosexuality is a sin no matter what and should not be normalized!

Now we must really close with this summary: God is the creator of the Universe, every human being, and civil government. In our great nation (America), Christians have the right and responsibility to vote and actively participate in government, which is more than “Christian politics”.

They should do so only after studying God’s word (the Bible) and applying God’s precepts to their participation. Christians should always vote for only the candidates which line up with “true Bible Christianity”…in this day and time though, many times we have to judge a candidate on how they stand on the primary issues such as abortion, homosexuality, the ten commandments, etc.(most family friendly candidates will stand right on all of these issues).

Finally, every Christian should put God first in every single aspect of their lives which does not leave out politics, voting, and the like.

May God use this article to educate you regarding Christian politics and may God bless you and continue to bless America by His grace.

Written by: Chris Long, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, husband, father, Christian, Baptist minister, and patriot.

We strive to continually provide you with fresh topics that are relative to Christian living in the present. We also strive to use rightly divided scriptural truth to provide the best guidance and advice for better Christian living. These pages include articles about Christian politics, evangelism explosions, and Iraqi religion…with much more being added weekly!

• Christians Drinking Alcohol?
• Can A Christian Be A Homosexual?
• Do Christians Really Hate Homosexuals?
• Charismatic Churches… Is the Charismatic Movement Following Biblical Instruction?
• Christian Politics…Where Do You Fit In?
• Great American Quotes that will Strengthen Your Faith
• Evangelism Explosion
• Victorious Valley Home & Academy for Children & Teens: Boys Home & Girls Home

Think About

• Abortion
• “I had an abortion.” T shirt?
• Gun Control
• Should Terri Schiavo live or die?
• The Importance of Internet Filters
• Is Nakedness or Nudity Alright… Or is it sinful?
• We Cracked The Da Vinci Code
• Evangelism with Ray Comfort Living Waters
• Evangelism with Kirk Cameron Living Waters
• Islam and Iraqi Religion
• Denmark Cartoons or Islamic Caricatures

Learn About

• KJV Study Bible reviews and recommendations
• Interpreting Scripture

Ten Commandments is God’s Covenant with Man The Ten Commandments Covenant is Everlasting – Fundamental Christian Belief

1 Chronicles 16:15 & 17
¹⁵ Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word which he commanded to a thousand generations;
¹⁷ And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant.

Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; The Commandments . The Ten Commandments from Moses

Ten Commandments Covenant

Exodus 34:28
²⁸ And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant, the The Ten Commandments.

Jesus did not destroy the Ten Commandments, He molded them into a new covenant (new commandments) having the same moral values as the old, but now personalized, expanded and empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Do we keep the Ten Commandments the same way as Israel? Yes, but. The Bible explains clearly that it is not enough. We now keep the commandments the way Jesus explained as transformed in the new covenant.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
The Ten Commandments

Obeying the moral Law of God is Biblical. Biblical Ten Commandments

More teens in America are in trouble and are unwanted by family and friends than you may realize. Five million are on the streets! Yes, I said 5 million! Something has to be done and a little at a time, it is.

A couple of weeks ago my home church was finishing up it’s annual Faith Promise Missions Conference and I was privileged to hear from and about the ministry of the Victorious Valley Home and Academy. These precious folks are taking in as many young girls and boys as they can and showing them love like most of them, or maybe all of them, never have known. They are giving them more than just a warm bed, some clothes, and good meals. They are giving them the love of a family that cares and, most importantly, pointing them to the love of God that is in Christ Jesus!

That Sunday morning I speak of was full of the Glory that only God can bring to Himself through willing instruments of His grace. Brother Johnny McGill told of the history of the home and their burden for the forgotten mission field of America’s troubled youth. Then his wife, Sister Susan, began to play the piano as she and the girls from the home began to sing. I do not make this next statement lightly at all…not only was there an “angelic” sound to their voices, but there was an awesome air of the presence of God in all of their singing and the word of their testimonies.

The Lord used their ministry to wake me, shake me, and move me further toward His divine purpose and ministry for my life. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to hear and share in it. I encourage you to visit their website (be sure you have your speakers turned on) and learn more about the ministry of the

Victorious Valley Home for children and teens.

They have a boys’ home and a girls’ home.

Visit them and see what God would have you do to help in their ministry, or with 5 million teens and no telling how many children on the streets in America alone…maybe God is leading you to start a home for teens or a little boys home or little girls’ home. Or maybe your pockets are just too padded with cash and you can help works like these.

As Jesus’ mother Mary said at the marriage of Cana of Galilee, “Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it.”

The “I had an abortion t-shirts” being promoted by Planned Parenthood are the latest disgusting public touting of the “safer abortions” mentality.

In a day when some of the most popular abortion related search terms on the internet are: “pro and cons of abortion”, “safer abortions”, “abortion pill costs”, and even “abortion clinic Atlanta”; organizations such as Planned Parenthood and their pro-death pundits are making the most of their lucrative industry. Yes “safer abortions” as they are misleadingly referred to are the bread and butter of such groups, but now they seem to now be forced into the realm of producing and promoting new products such as the “I had an abortion” t shirts. This may be because although abortion is still the most murderous practice in the land, pro-life groups have gained substantial ground in recent years in the hearts and minds of many Americans.

The reason for this may be partially attributed to the search terms we mentioned before (“pro and cons of abortion”, “safer abortions”, “abortion pill costs”, and “abortion clinic Atlanta”). What I mean is simply that great Americans and others have gone too great efforts to promote the real facts concerning the hideous abortion craze. Fact such as these: (1) The heart of a baby in the womb begins to beat between the eighteenth and twenty-fifth day from the point of conception. (2) Electrical brain waves have been recorded as early as forty days from the point of conception. (3) The Bible clearly defines abortion as murder…and the list goes on and on.

But, back to the “I had an abortion” t shirts issue: These shirts represent the callousness and money grubbing attitudes of the murderous abortion rights movement. So in an effort to counter the message the pro-abortion folks are trying desperately to spread, lets purchase and wear our version of the internet. For pro life abortion statistics by race in the United States Pro Life Abortion Statics in the United States These shirts are made after the similitude of the “I had an abortion” t shirts, but they have the word “had” crossed out with the words “didn’t have” written over it thus reading “I didn’t have an abortion.” And the subtext below the main message says, “You can choose life, too.” to go to the website that carries these great counter shirts to the “I had an abortion” t shirts. Hint: Once you arrive at the site with the t shirts, click on the “New Designs” button in the left hand column and that should bring you right to the “I didn’t have an abortion” t-shirt. You can also purchase many other great pro-life, anti-Kerry, and Christian t-shirts there.

The Legal Definition of Abortion
Can you define or provide an accurate definition of abortion? The definition should include moral values and should avoid political correctness, but include consistent history in defining the definition.
The Medical Definition of Abortion
English Common Law forbid abortion with a definition of “quickening” or removal of the fetus (i.e., the first recognizable movement of the fetus in the uterus), which occurred between the sixteenth and eighteenth weeks of pregnancy. After quickening, however, common law was less clear as to whether abortion was considered a crime. In the United States, state legislatures did not pass abortion statutes until the nineteenth century. After 1880, abortion was criminalized by statute in every state of the Union, owing in large measure to strong anti-abortion positions taken by the American Medical Association (AMA). Despite the illegality, many thousands of women every year sought abortions. Under a heavy cloak of shame and secrecy, women often had abortions performed in unsafe conditions, and many died or suffered complications from the procedures.

The abortion laws definition developed in the late nineteenth century existed largely unchanged until the 1960s and 1970s, when a number of different circumstances combined to bring about a movement for their reform. Women’s Rights groups, doctors, and lawyers began an organized abortion reform movement to press for changes, in part because many of them had witnessed the sometimes deadly complications resulting from illegal abortions. Women’s organizations also began to see abortion reform as a crucial step toward the goal of equality between the sexes. They argued that women must be able to control their pregnancies in order to secure equal status. In addition, new concerns regarding explosive population growth and its effect on the environment increased public awareness of the need for Birth Control. At the same time, other countries developed far more permissive laws regarding abortion. In Japan and Eastern Europe, abortion was available on demand, and in much of Western Europe, abortion was permitted to protect the mother’s health.

Helpful hints: Safer abortions = No abortions

Abortion pill costs are irrelevant when people stop having abortions!
T-shirts can be printed cheap at:
Get t-shirts printing is cheap with your own design printed on them at yardsigns.org

No doubt Charismatic Churches are some of the fastest growing “Christian denominations” today. But there is a lot of confusion today as to whether they are legitimate “sects” of Christianity or cults that are leading many astray from the true doctrines of Biblical Christianity.

No doubt Charismatic Churches are some of the fastest growing “Christian denominations” today. But there is a lot of confusion today as to whether they are legitimate “sects” of Christianity or cults that are leading many astray from the true doctrines of Biblical Christianity.

There is also no doubt in my mind that many of those involved in this movement are sincere Bible believers that are either not comparing their “experiences” with God’s Word or are deceived enough to render them unable to discern between Biblical and non-Biblical. This could be avoided if they would just follow the example of the Berean church in the book of Acts. The Bereans “…searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

Christians have, not only the right, but the responsibility to compare the teachings of their leaders with the Word of God and question and/or call their hand on teachings that do not line up with scripture. Then if the teacher or preacher refuses to give up an unscriptural doctrine, the Christian has the responsibility to get out and then into a local church that teaches sound doctrine.

These decisions should never be made hastily, but with much prayer and seeking the Lord’s guidance, but the bottom line is: Church doctrine and practices must line up with God’s Word, not the other way around.

The following is a good sermon that I have re-published with permission from the author, Pastor Mark Tossell, on the subject of Charismatic churches/the Charismatic movement. I encourage you to read it and compare it with God’s Word, the Holy Bible. You can also find more resources and books below:

The Charismatic Movement

READING:

1 Corinthians 14:21-23 “21In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. 22Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. 23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?”

INTRODUCTION:

Many Christians would be upset at a pastor or teacher including the Charismatic movement in a series on cults and false religions. Let us examine again the six key doctrines that we mentioned earlier:

1. The inspiration of Scripture. OK. 2. Biblical authority. They add the authorities of personal experience and special divine revelations. 3. The virgin birth, sinless life and substitutionary death of Christ. OK.4. The deity of Christ. OK. 5. Salvation by grace through faith. Many Charismatic churches do not preach this clearly, and some teach that we work and “follow Christ” to stay saved. 6. The nature of God. OK.

Yes, there are many sincere Christians in the Charismatic movement. However, there is also a lot of unscriptural teaching and practice being promoted by this dangerous group.

I. FOUNDER: No single founder.

II. HISTORY / ORGANISATION:

1) Charles Parham was a member of the Holiness movement, a group that taught the doctrine that sinless perfection in this life may be achieved through the experience of a “second blessing.” Parham ran a small Bible college in Kansas.

2) Parham was interested in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or the “second blessing.”

3) New Years Day, 1901, was chosen as the day that the entire student body would seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the accompanying evidence of speaking in tongues. They commenced their prayer meeting early in the morning, but nothing happened for several hours. Then Agnes Ozman came forward and requested the laying on of hands so that she might receive the Holy Spirit with the Apostolic sign of speaking in tongues. She testified that she had spoken in several languages that she had not previously studied. After that, other students reported receiving the baptism, and most testified that they could not help speaking in tongues, which were believed to be recognizable human languages.

4) However, neither Parham, the other teachers, nor the students examined these experiences in the total context of Scripture. No one took the time to study and exegete the biblical passages about tongues to see if the experience of the students was valid and Scriptural.

5) The verdict was as follows: “This experience confirmed Parham’s testimony and teaching that tongues were indeed the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.”

6) And thus was Pentecostalism was born!

7) Sixty years later the Charismatic movement was launched with the experiences of David Bennett, rector at St. Marks’ Episcopal Church in Van Nuys, California. 8) Both the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements are based on experience, emotion, phenomena and feelings. Frederick Dale Bruner wrote, “Pentecostalism wishes to be understood as experiential Christianity, with its experience culminating in the baptism in the Holy Spirit…It is important to notice that it is not the doctrine, it is the experience of the Holy Spirit which Pentecostals repeatedly assert that they wish to stress.”

III. PURPOSE:

1) To preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 2) To be baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak in “tongues”. 3) To promote health, wealth & prosperity. “We believe that God wants to heal and transform us so that we can live healthy and prosperous lives in order to help others more effectively.” (Hillsong web site) Eg. Hillsong’s mission statement: “To reach and influence the world by building a large Bible-based church, changing mindsets and empowering people to lead and impact in every sphere of life.” ??? Compare this with our stated purposes, as mentioned in our constitution, especially:

1) The edification and instruction of church members.2) To fulfill the great commission of Christ in preaching the gospel to every creature at home and abroad.3) To earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

IV. SOURCE OF AUTHORITY:

1) The Bible. 2) Personal experience.3) Special divine revelations – visions, words of knowledge, etc.

V. CLAIM: To be a rediscovery of true, apostolic Christianity.

VI. KEY LITERATURE: The Bible.

VII. ATTITUDE TOWARDS FUNDAMENTAL CHRISTIANITY: Those who do not speak in tongues are looked down upon as missing a “second blessing”.

VIII. DOCTRINAL SUMMARY:

1) THE CHURCH:

i) A worship centre. Charismatics have a weak emphasis on Bible teaching, and a strong emphasis on praise and worship. Thus they teach that the church is a worship centre. This is unscriptural because a church is a body of believers who purpose is to grow in the Lord & become strong in doctrine so that they can do the work of the ministry (The Great Commission). Ephesians 4:11-16.

ii) Many Charismatics promote the false doctrine of the Universal, or invisible, church; that makes it easy for them to encourage people to send their tithes and offerings to televangelists, rather than to the local church. 1 Corinthians 12:14-27.

2) SALVATION:

i) “We believe that in order to receive forgiveness and the ‘new birth’ we must repent of our sins, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and submit to His will for our lives.” (Hillsong web site) Compare this with Acts 16:31, “…Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

ii) After talking to many Charismatics, I have found that most have a weak understanding of the Gospel. Their churches often teach Lordship salvation, and their presentation is often wishy-washy.

iii) Many Charismatics are confused concerning faith and works. A good number believe that continuing in good works is necessary for assurance of salvation. Ephesians 2:8-10.

3) THE HOLY SPIRIT:

i) Baptism of Holy Spirit:

(a) Charismatics teach that this experience is a “second blessing” for the Christian, received after salvation. It results in greater joy and power, so they say, and is evidenced by speaking in tongues.

(b) You do not see the phrase, “Baptism of the Holy Ghost” anywhere in Scripture. Nowhere in Scripture are we commanded to be baptized in or with the Holy Spirit.

(c) The phrase, “baptized with the Holy Ghost” refers to the N.T. doctrine of being indwelt and sealed with the Holy Spirit. This phrase is found only in reference to the events of the Book of Acts. It was predicted by John the Baptist, and was primarily fulfilled in Acts 2, and also in Acts 10. Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:5, 8.

(d) The phrase “baptized by the Holy Ghost” has a different meaning altogether. Every Christian has been placed in the church by the Holy Spirit. We have been baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit – He has plunged us into the church, and made us an integral part of a local congregation. He has also equipped us with unique gifts for the purpose of edifying the church. 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 18, 27.

(e) Some Christians use the term “baptism of the Holy Spirit” as being synonymous with being filled with the Holy Spirit. However, these are two entirely different terms:

* In Ephesians 5:18, “be filled” is the “plerousthe” in the Greek language. The tense indicates a continuous command to keep being filled with the Holy Spirit. * However, the baptism of the Holy Spirit, in 1 Corinthians 12:13, is in the aorist tense, meaning an action which takes place once and for all.

ii) Spiritual gifts:

(a) Charismatics often have a more selfish emphasis on spiritual gifts. However, the Bible clearly teaches that the permanent, present-day spiritual gifts are given solely for the edification of the church. 1 Corinthians 14:12. (b) Charismatics have a strong emphasis on the apostolic gifts of the Spirit, those that are more spectacular and visible. These include the gifts of tongues, healing & prophecy.

iii) Speaking in tongues:

(a) “…in order to live the holy and fruitful lives that God intends for us, we need to be baptized in water and be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit enables us to use spiritual gifts, including speaking in tongues.” (Hillsong web site)(b) A key element of the Charismatic movement is the belief that all Christians should seek the gift of speaking in tongues, and that this gift is the sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit (and, to some, the evidence of salvation). (c) Most Charismatics have never studied what the Bible says about speaking in tongues. They do not understand the purpose of the gift, the characteristics of the gift, or the rules concerning the use of the gift. They rely upon personal experience. (d) ILLUSTRATION: “How to Receive the Baptism with the Holy Spirit” by Bill Subritzky. In order for us to speak in tongues, we must:

* Renounce ancestral involvement in witchcraft to open the door for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.* Ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.* Be like a little child and speak out words which we make up.* Let go of the control of our tongue and making baby-like sounds.* Practice the gift each day until we become fluent with our new language.

(e) The Bible that teaches that the gift of tongues is the miraculous use of a human language that has not been previously known or studied. Acts 2:1-11. (f) The 4 main purposes of the gift of tongues were:

* Warning unbelieving Jews to repent. Isaiah 28:11, 12; 1 Corinthians 14:20-22.* Proving that God was sending the Gospel to the Gentiles. Acts 10:44-48. * Confirming the New Testament message. Acts 2:22, 43; 14:3. * Confirming the Apostles as God’s messengers. Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:3, 4.

4) THE BIBLE:

i) Most Charismatic churches use perverted modern Bible versions, especially the NIV.

ii) Many Charismatic groups accept divine revelation outside of the Bible.

(a) Members and teachers may use the phrase “thus saith the Lord” for the supposed revelation that God gave them. (b) Visions are accepted as being from God without testing them by Scripture. (c) People will claim to have a “word of knowledge” directly from God Himself.

iii) The Bible is sadly NOT accepted by many Charismatics as being all-sufficient for the Christian to become all that God wants him to become. 2 Timothy 3:16, 17; Psalm 19:7-11.

5) ETERNAL SECURITY:

i) I have never met a Charismatic who firmly believed in the doctrine of eternal security. ii) This is largely due to a poor understanding of salvation, & confusion concerning faith and works. iii) Jude 1:1 “Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:”iv) John 5:24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”v) Because of this, many Charismatics have a weak assurance of salvation, especially as they are afraid that they may “fall away” from Christ. vi) Philippians 1:6 “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

IX. ERRORS OF THE CHARISMATIC MOVEMENT: 1) A weak understanding and poor presentation of the plan of salvation.2) A belief in loss of salvation. 3) Worldliness in dress and lifestyle. 4) Use of Contemporary Christian music. (CCM = Carnal Christian music!)5) Overemphasis on Praise & Worship / lack of emphasis on teaching and preaching. 6) Women pastors, leaders and teachers. Eg. Brian and Bobbie Houston (Hillsong).

i) 1 Timothy 2:12ii) 1 Corinthians 14:34, 35

7) Slaying in the Spirit – unscriptural, and based in ancient pagan rituals. 8) Weak doctrine and Bible knowledge among members and leaders. 9) Unscriptural emphasis on speaking in “tongues”. 10) Misunderstanding and misuse of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. 11) Absolute confusion concerning spiritual gifts. 12) A weak view of God. Eg. Kenneth Copeland said:

i) “I was shocked when I found out who the biggest failure in the Bible actually is….The biggest one is God…Now, the reason you don’t think of God as a failure is He never said He’s a failure.” (“Praise-a-Thon” program on TBN [April 1988].) ii) “God had no avenue of lasting faith or moving in the earth…He had to be invited in, in other words, or He couldn’t come. God is on the outside looking in. In order to have any say so in the earth, He’s gonna have to be in agreement with a man here.” (“God’s Covenants With Man II” [Fort Worth, TX: Kenneth Copeland Ministries, 1985], audiotape #01-4404, side 1.) iii) “Adam is as much like God as you could get, just the same as Jesus. . . . Adam, in the Garden of Eden, was God manifested in the flesh.” (“Following the Faith of Abraham I,” side 1.)

X. TALKING WITH MEMBERS: There are two types of people involved in thismovement:

1) Those who are saved but confused. We should seek to help these sincere people to leave the charismatic movement and join a good fundamental Baptist church. 2) Those who are depending upon following Christ and exhibiting spiritual gifts for their salvation and security: i) Ascertain whether they are open, or whether they just want to argue. Titus 3:9-11; Prov. 23:9. ii) Focus on proving that they are sinners. Rom 3:10, 19-24; Isaiah 64:6; Eccl 7:20.iii) Refute salvation by works. Eph 2:8-10; Titus 3:5; Romans 4:5.iv) Explain eternal security. John 10:27-30; John 5:24.

CONCLUSION:

You do not test doctrine by experience; you test experience by doctrine.

1 Timothy 4:16 “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.”

1 Timothy 6:3-5 “If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself.”

by Mark Tossell

Is Jesus Christ God?

He is either a lunatic, a liar, or He is Lord !

“Is Jesus Christ God?” is one of the foremost questions looming in many people’s minds today.

Many are confused as to who He really is. Some say that He was certainly a “good man”, or a “good teacher” that did many “good things”, but God? In John chapter three of the Bible, a man named Nicodemous thought like that too.
But are they right? Was Jesus just a “good man” of the past or is He not only the Son of God, but God the Son?

To get the truth of the matter, we must go to God’s Word, the Bible.

Here is a Biblical explanation of this subject written by a great missionary Pastor in the nation of Australia, Brother Mark Tossell…

Here are 20 Scriptural reasons why we know that Jesus Christ is God:

1) Isaiah calls Jesus Christ “The mighty God” and “The everlasting Father”.

Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

This Scripture is a well-known prophecy concerning the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. In this passage, we see Jesus first referred to as a child, then as a son with great authority. Jesus is, in the very same sentence, then referred to as “The mighty God” and “The everlasting Father.” This verse alone is sufficient to show the indisputable deity of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2) The titles of “Alpha and Omega,” “the beginning and the ending” and “the first and the last” are applied to both Jesus Christ and God the Father.

God the Father is given the title of “Alpha and Omega,” “the beginning and the ending” and “the first and the last:”

Revelation 1:8 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

Isaiah 41:4 “Who hath wrought and done it, calling the generations from the beginning? I the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.”

Isaiah 44:6 “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”

Revelation 21:5-7 “And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.”

The Lord Jesus Christ is also given these very same titles, proving that He is indeed God:

Revelation 1:11, 12, 17, 1 8 “Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”

Revelation 22:12, 13, 16 “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.”

3) Jesus Christ is called an exact copy of God the Father.

Hebrews 1:1-3 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;”

Colossians 1:15 “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:”

The Son, our Lord Jesus, is here called “the express image of his [God the Father] person.” What does this term “the express image” mean? The Greek word used is χαρακτήρ, or charakteôr, which means literally “an exact copy.” Revered scholar, Albert Barnes, defines this word as follows:

The word used here (χαρακτήρ) likewise occurs nowhere else in the New Testament. It is that from which our word “character” is derived. It properly means a “engraving-tool;” and then something “engraved” or “stamped”—“a character”—as a letter, mark, sign. The image stamped on coins, seals, wax, expresses the idea: and the sense here is, that if God be represented under the idea of a substance, or being, then Christ is the exact resemblance of that—as an image is of the stamp or die. The resemblance between a stamp and the figure which is impressed is exact; and so is the resemblance between the Redeemer and God; see Col. 1:15. “Who is the image of the invisible God.”

How can Jesus Christ be an exact copy of God the Father if Jesus is not divine? The only logical way that Jesus Christ can be a perfect image of God the Father is if Jesus Christ is God clothed in human flesh.

4) Jesus Christ is called God by the writer of Hebrews.

Hebrews 1:8 “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.”

If God here calls His Son “O God,” then surely it is logical to infer that Jesus Christ is God – else we make God the Father to be a liar. To say that Jesus is not God is to blatantly ignore the plain, clear teaching of this Scripture, and many others like it.

5) Jesus Christ is worshipped by the angels of God.

Only one Being in all the universe is to adored and worshipped – the Creator God:

Matthew 4:10 “Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

Then is it not interesting to note that the angels of God worship Jesus Christ, the Son of God?

Hebrews 1:4-7 “Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him. And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.”

Either Jesus Christ is God, or the angels commit a sin in worshipping Him. Notice also, that when people worshipped the Lord Jesus during His earthly ministry, He never rebuked them for doing so:

Matthew 8:2 “And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”

Matthew 9:18 “While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.”

Matthew 14:33 “Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.”

6) Jesus Christ claimed to be one with God the Father.

John 10:30-33 “I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”

If Jesus Christ and the Father are one being, how can Jesus Christ not be God? Even the unsaved Jews had the sense to understand that Jesus’ claim to be one with the Father was a claim that He was God!

7) He that has seen the Son has seen the Father.

John 14:7-10 “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.”

Even a simple child could infer from this passage that the Father and the Son are the same Person, else how could the Lord Jesus say, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father?”

8) Jesus Christ and God the Father are both entitled the Saviour of the world.

Isaiah 45:21, 22 “Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”

Luke 1:47 “And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.”

1 Timothy 1:1 “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour, and Lord Jesus Christ, which is our hope;”

Luke 2:11 “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.”

John 4:42 “And said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.”

Consider the analogy of algebra: If “a = b” and “b = c”, then logic dictates that “a = c”. Therefore, if “Jesus Christ = The Saviour” and “Jehovah God = The Saviour”, then “Jesus Christ = Jehovah God”. If there is only one Saviour, and both Jesus Christ and God are said to be Saviour, then the only logical conclusion is that Jesus Christ is indeed God.

9) Jesus Christ assumes the title of God the Father when He calls himself, “I am.”

Exodus 3:13, 14 “And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.”

John 8:58 “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”

John 8:24 “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.”

Jesus Christ cannot truthfully take on God’s title of “I am” without being God Himself.

10) Jesus Christ is Lord – and there is only one Lord: the Creator God, Jehovah.

Zechariah 14:9 “And the LORD shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one LORD, and his name one.”

1 Corinthians 12:3 “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.”

Ephesians 4:5 “One Lord, one faith, one baptism,”

There is only Lord over all creation: God the Creator. But, Jesus Christ will one day be acknowledged by all men as Lord. How can this be, except that Jesus Christ is the Lord God? Else, Jesus would steal a title that belongs to the Father only.

11) The throne of God the Father and of Jesus Christ are synonymous.

Revelation 22:1-4 “And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.”

The Lamb’s throne (Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God) and God’s throne are one and the same. This is impossible, for two men cannot sit simultaneously one throne – unless those two men are one.

12) The title “The Holy One” is applied both to Jesus Christ and to the Father.

Isaiah 30:15 “For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.”

Acts 2:27 “Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.”

Acts 3:14 “But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;”

Once again, the use of a Divine title for Jesus Christ is clear evidence of His Deity.

13) Thomas referred to Jesus Christ as “my God.”

John 20:26-29 “And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”

Why did Jesus Christ not rebuke Thomas for calling Jesus “My Lord and My God?” The answer is because Jesus Christ accepted the title as being true and right – He is Lord and He is God!

14) Jesus Christ is acknowledged by the apostle John as Creator.

Genesis 1:1 “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”

John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

Revelation 19:11-13, 16 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God…And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

If all things were made in the beginning by Jesus Christ, the Word, then does that not mean that Jesus Christ is the Creator God?

15) John the Baptist prepared the way of the LORD Jehovah: Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 40:3-5 “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD [Jehovah], make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.”

Matthew 3:1-3 “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord [Jesus], make his paths straight.”

Isaiah predicted by the Spirit that a man would one day cry in the wilderness and prepare the way of the Lord Jehovah. When John the Baptist fulfilled this prophecy, he prepared the way for Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Therefore, the Lord Jesus Christ is Jehovah God.

16) The Redeemer of the LORD is the LORD of Hosts, Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 44:6 “Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.”

Titus 2:13, 14 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

1 Peter 1:18, 19 “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:”

Isaiah says that the redeemer of the Lord Jehovah is the Lord of hosts (God the Father). The New Testament teaches very clearly that Jesus Christ is the Redeemer who purchased our souls with His own blood. Thus, Jesus Christ, the Redeemer, is the Lord of hosts.

17) Jesus Christ is called “the great God and our Saviour”

Titus 2:13, 14 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

God is an invisible Spirit whose throne is in Heaven. We know that His Son, Jesus Christ, will one day return to earth and set up His Kingdom. When Titus talks of the “glorious appearing of the great God,” he cannot be referring to God the Father appearing, because the Father will not visibly appear to us on earth. Rather, when Jesus Christ returns, that will be “the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour.” Therefore, Jesus Christ is called “the great God and our Saviour.”

18) To look to the Father, or to the Son, is the Way of Salvation.

Isaiah 45:22 “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”

John 3:14, 15 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Isaiah tells us to look to the Father for salvation, whereas John tells us to look to the Son for salvation, just as the dying Jews looked to the brass serpent upon the pole for healing. Are there two ways of salvation? No – to look to the Father is to look to the Son, and vice versa, because the Son and the Father are One.

19) Jesus Christ is eternal.

We know that God is eternal – He has no beginning or ending, and no origin. He is the only eternal One.

1 Timothy 1:17 “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”

We also know that the Son of God is eternal:

John 8:58 “Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.”

Hebrews 7:3 “Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually.”

If Jesus Christ is eternal, then that makes Him God the Son, for only the Lord God is eternal.

20) The Lord Jesus Christ appeared to Ezekiel and spoke to him as “the LORD God.”

Ezekiel 1:26-2:4 “And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake. And he said unto me, Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee. And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day. For they are impudent children and stiff hearted. I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD.”

Revelation 4:2-4, 10, 11 “And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold…The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

Who was this glorious Man who sat upon a great throne and spoke to Ezekiel? Ezekiel chapters one and two, together with Revelation chapter 4, make it clear that this Man was the Lord Jesus Christ. After Jesus spoke to Ezekiel and sent Ezekiel to the people of Israel, He says of His own words, “Thus saith the Lord GOD.” Jesus Christ therefore appeared to Ezekiel and spoke to him as God, asserting His own deity.

Conclusion:

Yes, the Scriptures are very clear: Jesus Christ IS God. The only way to avoid the conclusion that Jesus Christ is divine is to twist, distort, and misinterpret the clear and obvious teachings of God’s Word. Of course, the cults, liberals and heretics are experts at such deception! Their eyes and minds are blinded by the Devil, and their hearts are hardened to the truth of the Word. They have rejected the truth, so God has allowed them to believe a lie – the lie that Jesus Christ is a created being, and not the eternal Son of God.

2 Corinthians 4:3, 4 “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12 “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

My friend, do you believe that Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God, the Saviour who died for your sins and rose from the dead? Have you received the LORD Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour? If not, then please do not delay: call on Him, and trust Him today.

How can you be saved by calling upon the Son of God? You must understand that:

1) All of mankind have sinned against God, and are guilty before Him.

Romans 3:10 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:”

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

2) The punishment for our sin is separation from God in eternal Hell.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Revelation 20:14 “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.”

3) Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, died for our sins on the cross, and rose bodily from the grave so that we might be saved from Hell and go to Heaven forever.

Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, …”

4) Religion, good works, baptism, confirmation, nor any other act of man, can save us from Hell. We must put our faith in Christ alone to save us, and call upon His name for forgiveness and salvation.

Romans 10:9, 13 “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 whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Ephesians 2:8, 9 “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.”

** If you will simply receive God’s gift of eternal life by trusting the Lord Jesus to save you and calling upon His name, you can know for sure that you are going to Heaven. Do you want Jesus Christ to take you to Heaven one day? Do you believe that He will save you if you will ask Him? If you do, then bow your head and pray this simple prayer:

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I am a guilty sinner, and I know I deserve to go to Hell for my sins. I believe that you are God the Son, and that you died for my sins and rose again from the dead. I trust you now as my personal Saviour, and call upon you to save me from Hell and take me to Heaven. Please give to me your free gift of eternal life, and make me your child. Amen.

If you just asked Jesus Christ to save you, and you just put your trust in Him alone for salvation, then you now have God’s gift of eternal life, and are on your way to Heaven. He will never leave you, nor forsake you.

John 10:28,29 “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.”

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Many folks say that Christianity is brainwashing.

What is the truth? Do Christians really brainwash through indoctrination?
I heard a recorded message by the late Brother Lester Roloff of Roloff Ministries in Corpus Christi, Texas several years ago. Brother Roloff was once posed this question under public scrutiny of his ministry to children and families through the Roloff Homes. He replied something like this, “Amen! And we use King James wash water!”

What Brother Roloff was trying to get across is that men, women, boys, and girls have a real need. That need is specifically to have their sins washed away.

So, they need not just their brains washed, but their hearts as well.

No! Not the thumping muscle in your chest! But your spiritual heart is what makes you, you. The heart of man is that invisible part that makes him uniquely who he is and how he behaves…and incidentally, that heart is inseparably tied to the intellect (the brain).

True, Biblical Christianity is brainwashing actually because the Bible tells us that God’s Word actually cleanses a man’s way (behavior).
Let’s take a closer look

Psalm 119:9 says, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”

Ephesians 5:22-27 says, “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 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.”

This portion of scripture illustrates that type of sacrificial love that a husband ought to have for his wife, but in the description it is very clear that the church is sanctified and cleansed by the washing of water by the word. Water is symbolic of the Word of God and it indeed does continually cleanse those who give themselves to the study of it.
Christianity is Brainwashing Through Regeneration

Titus 3:3-7 says, “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

This passage very clearly illustrates the previous state of all Christians. It tells how we were all rotten to the core! Sure, maybe everyone hasn’t done all of these things. Maybe you haven’t done any of them.

But the fact is that the Bible teaches us that if we break even one of God’s commandments, we have broken God’s law. This simply means that though we may not have committed all of the vilest types of sin, we have still sinned and therefore are equal to the vilest sinner there ever was.

So, yes. Christianity is brainwashing as this passage further indicates that the hearts, minds, and lives of Christians have been washed by regeneration.

This word regeneration literally means “new birth”. The greek word here, palingenesia, is also used by classical writers to illustrate changes produced by the return of spring (Ever heard of spring cleaning?).
Christianity is Brainwashing: An Illustration of Jesus

Notice the following passage:

Matthew 23:25-28, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”

Here, Jesus tells of the scribes and Pharisees (the most devoutly ‘religious’ people of his day). He talks compares their rituals of excessive cup and dish washing to their ritualistic lives. He is telling them that they must first cleanse the inside (or heart & mind) of a person before the outside behavior can truly be clean.

The outside may look clean, but if the contents are dirty, the clean exterior is just a hypocritical veneer.

Christianity is brainwashing for sinners!
Christianity is Brainwashing for the Christian

1 John 1:9-10 is written to the church and tells of the continual cleansing that even Christians need. It says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.”

You see a person (sinner or saint) cannot be cleansed of sin without confessing it and repenting of it. We must admit that we are rotten sinners in God’s sight or we will not get God’s attention. If we will not confess our sins, we are calling God a liar and the Bible teaches us that God cannot lie!
Christianity is Brainwashing that is Commanded

James 4:8-10 gives a command that has a broad application to all people of all times. It says, “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. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”

Real Christianity is Brainwashing!

Have you been washed? Have you been cleansed?

Book And Christian Music Reviews from a Truly Conservative Source

Our aim here is to give you honest reviews of various books and Christian music. If you are looking for truly conservative Christian opinions about books and music you have come to the right place. If not, you may not like what you see.

Based on various responses we have received about our website content, our site and opinions are not incredibly popular with the liberal and those holding the “popular” worldview of the day.

This comes to no surprise to us, and certainly gives us comfort in that we know by this that our reviews and opinions prove to be truer to scripture and the great patriotic spirit of America.

Therefore we can take pride in our music and book reviews and offer you the best recommendations possible for both your entertainment and edification. Enjoy…

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