Bible Doctrine

Now let’s look at that 5th verse of Hebrews 11 a bit more closely, especially homing in on that word “translated.”  Let’s see if other scriptures will give us an understanding into what the writer of Hebrews meant when he said Enoch was translated.  The English word “translated” in that text comes from the Greek word metatithemi (pronounced met-at-ITH’-ay-mee) and literally means “to change from one place to another, to transport.”  Now all other related scriptures, even the context of Hebrews 11, forbids this to mean transported from earth to heaven.  There is no mystical meaning to that word translated.  It is an Old English word no longer used today.  No one today would say the Nazis rounded up the Jews and translated them to concentration camps.  We now use the word “transported.”  But the Old English word translated meant just that, to transport someone from one place to another.  An Englishman of the 17th Century WOULD have said “I translated my sheep to market this morning,” meaning “I transported my sheep to market this morning.” (Homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different meanings.  The modern word “translated” is a homograph.  It is spelled exactly like the Old English word translated but has an entirely different meaning.)

We find this word metatithemi again in Acts 7, verse 16, where we read, “So Jacob went down into Egypt, and died, he, and our fathers, and were CARRIED OVER (metatithemi) into Sychem, and laid in the sepulchre that Abraham bought for a sum of money of the sons of Emmor the father of Sychem.” (verses 15 and 16).  Jacob’s body was translated (Old English), or transported, or carried over from Egypt to Sychem, from one place on earth to another place on earth.  Translated does NOT mean moved from earth to heaven.

And now let‘s consider Elijah’s chariot ride, ever keeping in mind that Jesus emphatically and categorically stated that NO MAN has ascended up to the heaven from which Jesus came down, and also keeping in mind that the apostle Paul was inspired to write that “in Adam ALL DIE,” and, of course, that would include Elijah and Enoch, Moses and your grandma, and, yes, Billy Graham, too.  There is one other text we need note: Proverbs 25:2, “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the honor of kings (and teachers of the Word of God) is to search out a matter,” correlating each and every applicable Bible text.  To be continued….

Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

At the very start of His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ made one thing abundantly clear: “Verily, verily (or, of a complete truth), I say unto you that we (referring to Himself and John the Baptist) speak that (or of what) we do know, and testify that (or concerning what) we have seen, and you (the Pharisees) receive not our witness.  If I have told you earthly things, and you believe not, how shall you believe if I tell you of heavenly things?  AND NO MAN (this would include Elijah and Enoch) has ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man….” (See John 3:11-13).

Can YOU receive Jesus Christ’s testimony?  He clearly and plainly says that NO MAN had ascended up to heaven, not by a fiery chariot ride, not by being suddenly taken up to heaven without dying as many believe Enoch was so taken.  The 9th verse of this text points out that Jesus was speaking to Nicodemus when He uttered that profound statement.  Remember, Nicodemus was a “ruler of the Jews” – a spiritual leader, not a political ruler.  He was a teacher of the Hebrew scriptures.  Jesus knew what this man and his colleagues believed and taught, that both Elijah and Enoch had ascended to heaven without dying.  Jesus said, “YOU’RE WRONG!”  These Pharisees weren’t receiving Christ’s testimony in this matter.  For generations the Jews had firmly believed that both Elijah and Enoch indeed had ascended up to heaven.  Jesus was telling these Pharisees what He would later tell the Sadducees, “You do err, not knowing the scriptures.”

Remember, the scriptures clearly state that “it is appointed unto men once to die” (See Hebrews 9:27).  And the apostle Paul under divine inspiration declared “in Adam ALL DIE” (See I Corinthians 15:22).  Enoch and Elijah were both descendants of Adam, hence, THEY DIED!  Scripture clearly states that there is but one lone exception to this rule: those redeemed believers yet alive when Christ returns will never taste of death but will be instantaneously changed from mortal to immortal.  (See I Corinthians 15:51-52).

Then how are we to understand this passage in Genesis 5: “And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters.  And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years.  And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, FOR GOD TOOK HIM!” (verses 22-24).  Where men make their greatest mistake is when they read that text as saying, “And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him to heaven to be with Him.”  But the text does not say that at all – not at all!

The phrase to be “taken away” by God means TO DIE, not to be taken alive to heaven, or it can mean to be taken to another location on earth.  “The righteous (like Enoch) perish, and no man lays it to heart (considers what is actually occurring), and merciful men are taken away (to escape persecution or worse), none considering that the righteous (those who walk with God) is taken away from the evil to come.  He (the one so taken) shall enter into peace.  They shall rest in their beds (here meaning death beds, their graves), each one walking in his uprightness (with God)” (See Isaiah 57:1-2).

God does not view death as do most mortal men.  Death, in general, is our enemy, the last enemy to be destroyed.  But God often brings one’s life to a close in order to prevent the righteous from suffering severe trials and persecutions.  Sometimes those who survive do not consider that God has shown mercy in ending a servant’s life in order for that servant not to face a horrible death at the hands of the ungodly.  If aware of Isaiah 57:1-2, as well as other passages of scripture, they might better understand what God has done.

In the 11th chapter of Hebrews we find a listing of many heroes of faith.  It speaks of how the elders, or patriarchs, received a good report through their faith and righteous walk with God.  The second person mentioned in that long list of Old Testament faithful is Enoch.  The 5th verse of that chapter reads: “By faith Enoch WAS TRANSLATED that he should not see death (at the hands of the ungodly), and was not found (by His persecutors), because God had TRANSLATED him, for before his TRANSLATION he had this testimony, that he pleased God.”  Now if one continues reading that passage he will find that the writer goes on to mention Noah, Abraham and Sarah, and then writes: “These ALL DIED in faith (including Enoch), NOT having received the promises (chief among them being immortality and heaven): (verse 13).  And, if you continue reading to the end of the chapter, you will read this declaration: “And these ALL (including Enoch), having obtained a good report through faith (as did Enoch), RECEIVED NOT THE PROMISE (of eternal life), God having provided some better thing for us, that they (including Enoch) should not be made perfect” (verse 39 and 40).

In Part 2 of this continuing article we will examine just what the writer of Hebrews meant when he said Enoch was TRANSLATED.  Many have falsely assumed that to be translated meant that one was moved from earth to heaven.  That is NOT what it means at all.  The very context of Hebrews 11 forbids such an interpretation as the context says clearly that ALL those mentioned in that list of the faithful DIED and did not receive the promise of eternal life at that time. 

Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

• I believe it was Winston Churchill who said, “Facts are stubborn things.”  The Bible is filled with facts – stubborn facts.  Many of these facts are statements made by Jesus Christ, His prophets and His apostles.  These statements of fact have a tendency to smash and destroy error, but only that – a tendency.  The reason for this is because the human mind finds it difficult, often impossible, to let go of error.  It is ten times harder to unlearn error than to learn new truth.  Warning a deceived person to beware of spiritual deception is like warning a man tumbling down the stairs to beware of that first step.  And, of course, human pride also enters the equation.  We humans often hate to admit we have been wrong, especially if we have been wrong for many years and have even urged others to accept and believe what we now must conclude has been error.
• Early on Moses told the Israelite people, “You will seek the Lord your God, and you will find Him IF you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul” (See Deuteronomy 4:29).  Many centuries later, speaking in the first person through His prophet Jeremiah, God reiterated what Moses had said, stating clearly “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (See Jeremiah 29:13).  But how few there are who really believe Moses and God.  Most seem to believe all one must do is believe Jesus died for them on the cross, make a public confession of that belief, and, presto-chango, they have thereby entered into an eternity-securing relationship with their Creator.  “All is well with my soul,” they begin to sing.  “Boy, that was easy,” they think.  Some even begin to hand out little “gospel” tracts like “God’s Simple Plan of Salvation.”  You have probably seen this tract.  I certainly have many, many times.
• I will tell you what is easy.  It is easy to overlook many statements of fact made by Jesus Christ and His anointed spokesmen.  Here is a statement of fact made by one of those spokesmen.  He even put it in writing: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith.  Test yourselves.  Do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is IN you, unless indeed you are disqualified?”  (See 2 Corinthians 13:5).  This same apostle had previously written the believers at Rome: “For when we were still without strength (to save ourselves, to live godly lives), in due time Christ died for the ungodly….Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, WE SHALL BE SAVED from wrath (the wrath of God) through Him.  For if when we were enemies (of God) we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, MUCH MORE, having been reconciled, WE SHALL BE SAVED BY HIS LIFE” (See Romans 5:6, 9-10).Repentance and faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice reconciles us to God.  The ground lost by father Adam’s disobedience is regained.  It is as though Adam never sinned.  We have fellowship once more with our Creator, the God who banned Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden, “so He drove out the man, and He placed cherubim (spirit beings) at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life” (See Genesis 3:24).  But Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary does not finally and completely save us, for “WE SHALL BE SAVED BY HIS LIFE!” 
• Note well this apostle’s statement that there is MUCH MORE to be done following our reconciliation to God: “WE SHALL BE SAVED BY HIS LIFE!”  It takes a Living Savior to save you.  Paul writes that it is Christ IN you that is your only hope of glory – of being glorified one day by a resurrection whereby your human fleshly body is no more.  You will then be clothed in immortality – an eternal spirit being!
• This is what the Book of Hebrews is all about.  It describes Jesus’ present role as High Priest before God’s throne where He ever lives to serve as our High Priest before the Father.  Hopefully, I will be adding a lengthy article to my website soon that expounds upon the Book of Hebrews.  Those desiring to walk in total truth will find the article quite informative.  Those with a ho-hum spiritual attitude will show but little interest.  The Book of Hebrews reveals that God is bringing many sons to glory through Christ’s present ministry.  It tells of how He is the Captain of our salvation and members of His household IF we hold fast firm to the end of our lives and warns against our hardening our hearts, issuing this warning: “Beware, brethren , lest there be in any of you (yes, you brethren) an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (See Hebrews 3:12).  We are not “locked-in” to our salvation.  Like Demas, we can go back into the world.  We can throw in the towel.  We can give up.  The “once saved, always saved” doctrine is profound error.  Untold millions will come forth in the resurrection, expecting to find themselves immortal spirit beings only to find that they are still flesh and blood subject to die again – the second death.  God help us all to let go of our errors and embrace the truth wholeheartedly is my prayer.

It is not quite 4:00 a.m. (This article was originally written a few years ago). I was awakened by the Spirit at 2:30 a.m., began reading the scriptures a few minutes later and was inspired by the Spirit to share with you my outlook on the issue of the security of the believer. In order to arrive at God’s viewpoint on any given Bible subject, we must 1) allow all the scriptures to speak that even remotely touch on the subject at hand, and 2) we must not allow our thinking to be colored by what others think. (Paul warned that when we compare ourselves with one another and measure ourselves by one another we are not wise. See 2 Corinthians 10:12). All too many believe as they do because someone they respect believes that way. They forget that the guy who believes the opposite of what they embrace as truth generally follows the same line of reasoning. They, too, have what they believe to be “spiritual giants” in their denomination, men – and sometimes women – who speak effectively, forcefully and convincingly regarding some Bible doctrine. Therefore, you have one group of believers who believe wholeheartedly in the doctrine of “once saved, always saved,” while you have another group of believers who just as wholeheartedly believe one can most certainly lose their salvation. Now let us look into the Word of God to see if we can resolve this issue. I will not quote Brother So-and-So, or Reverend What’s-His-Name. I will quote, or cite, scripture only, for that is and always will be my rule of thumb for arriving at the truth in any given Biblical subject or doctrine. So, let’s begin.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long: we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39).

Do you notice what is obviously missing from that list of things that cannot separate us from God? YOU, yourself, and SIN! Notice, it is “any OTHER creature” that cannot separate you from God. Only you, yourself can do that. Also, nothing SINFUL is mentioned in that long list of things that cannot separate you, for Paul taught, as do many other scripture writers, that SIN can indeed separate you from God. Paul had just written in verses 12 and 13 of that same chapter, “Therefore BRETHREN, we are debtors, not to the flesh (its pulls and temptations) to live after the flesh, For if ye (you BRETHREN) live after the flesh, ye shall die (the second death as we are ALL going to die the first death regardless of how we live), but if ye through the Spirit (the only way possible) do mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body, ye shall live (eternally).” The ONLY humans who will avoid the first death are those true believers still living at the time Jesus Christ returns. All the rest of us will die the first death.

Speaking to His people Israel through His prophet Hosea, the God who changes not, says “All their wickedness (their sinning) is in Gilgal: for there I HATED THEM for the wickedness of their doings. I will drive them out of mine house, I WILL LOVE THEM NO MORE. All their princes are revolters” (See Hosea 9:15). “But your iniquities (their SINS) HAVE SEPARATED BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR GOD, AND YOUR SINS HAVE HID HIS FACE FROM YOU, that He will not hear (when they pray)” (See Isaiah 59:2). And the verse right before that says, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save, nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear” (verse 1). The ONLY thing that will prevent God from saving someone is continued sin. Sin that is not repented of and abandoned SEPARATES US FROM GOD, preventing Him from saving us. As Paul says in Romans 8, no OTHER creature can separate us from God, only we can do that ourselves by continuing in sin as sin separates any human from God if persisted in, if unconfessed and unforsaken!

Remember, Paul told his accusers, “But this I confess to you that according to the Way which they call a sect, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the prophets” (See Acts 24:14). So, Paul absolutely believed what God said through the prophets Hosea and Isaiah. You could have read those verses to Paul and asked, “Is there anything we can do to where God will say to and about us, ‘I will love them no more?’” His reply would have been, “Yes, continue in wickedness and sin!” (Hosea 9:15). You could have asked, “Is there anything WE can do ourselves that will separate us from God?” Paul would have instantly replied, “Iniquity (sin) if continued in and not abandoned will separate you from God” (Isaiah 59:1-2). Remember, Paul said no OTHER creature can separate us from God, and in that long list of things he names in Romans 8 that cannot separate us from God Paul never mentions anything sinful, as he knew and taught that sin will indeed separate us from God.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). We do not rightly divide the Word when we isolate verses of scripture and build a doctrine wherein we ignore what God has said on a given subject through many other scriptures!!

Jude was not giving an idle warning when he wrote, “Keep yourselves in the love of God” (See Jude 21). As an anointed teacher of God, Jude well knew of the texts in Hosea and Isaiah we have just looked at. He knew God had thundered to His ancestors: “I will love them no more!” Such verses of scripture seem shocking to those who have often heard the opposite from preachers they highly respected and were certain taught only the truth of God. Radio preachers and world famous evangelists can be and often are WRONG in some of the things they say and teach. Fail to believe and see that and I guarantee you that you will embrace doctrines that are utterly contrary to the plain truth of scripture.

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest (self-evident), which are these: Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders drunkenness, revellings, and such like, of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you (warned you) in time past, that they (those believers) who do such things SHALL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD” (Galatians 5:19-20). Paul was making no idle threat to the Galatians, nor was he contradicting what he had written the believers in Rome. He was in full agreement with Jude, Hosea and Isaiah and all other Bible writers. Sin, unabandoned, unconfessed, unforsaken will keep the rebel believer OUT of the kingdom of God!!!

Jesus said, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you: CONTINUE YE IN MY LOVE” (John 15:9). And HOW do we continue in Christ’s love? “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love…” (verse 10, same chapter). And what is obviously the opposite of that statement of Jesus Christ? Continue to break our Lord’s commandments, that is, continue in sin, and you will not abide in His love!

One thing, and one thing only, will cut men off from God in any age, under any covenant – SIN! So says your Bible. All too many read that long list of things that CANNOT separate us from God in Romans 8, and think Paul is saying, “For I am persuaded that neither murder, nor incest, nor suicide, nor prostitution, nor any other sinful thing shall be able to separate us from God.” Such sinners think, “Hallelujah, we are still going to heaven no matter what we do!” Again, I warn you, that is a doctrine of demons regardless of who preaches or teaches it.

“Take heed, BRETHREN, lest there be in any of YOU (you brethren) an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the Living God” (Hebrews 3:12). Although God vows never to forsake us, we can forsake Him, and we do so quite effectively by continuing in sin. We then depart from God.

Following the prophet Nathan’s visit, accusing him of adultery and murder, David penned the 51st Psalm wherein he begged God, “Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy Spirit from me” (verse 11). David knew what continued, unconfessed and unforsaken sin could and DOES do. He had witnessed it in the life of his predecessor Saul. God had taken His Spirit from Saul and cut him off. David knew God has no respect of persons and would do the same to him. This is true even of angels. Those angels that sinned were cast away from God.

The blinding power of Satan is staggering. If we don’t get to know the Word of God intimately well and walk in uninterrupted obedience to God, we can embrace error that is far reaching and deadly in its consequences! We can begin to teach others doctrines that are utterly false and have no basis in scripture. That is WHY James warns believers, “My brethren, be not many masters (teachers), knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation” (James 3:1). God is highly displeased when those who teach the scriptures teach error. All teachers will answer to God for what they teach others.

Before writing Romans 8, Paul had written in Romans 6: “Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin UNTO DEATH, or of obedience unto righteousness” (verse 16). Yes, believers can become servants of Satan, and, if and when they do, it is unto death – NOT eternal life. Satan’s servants will not inherit eternal life and will not be found in the kingdom of God. Paul says the end, or final result, of continued sinful conduct is death. (See verses 21 thru 23, Romans 6).

“For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has ANY inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one (no preacher, no TV evangelist) deceive you with empty words for because of these things (these sins) the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:5-6). You’ll not find one disobedient son in the kingdom of God. So says your Bible.

I know that those who teach the “once saved, always saved” doctrine believe themselves to be honoring God and His Word by doing so. God in His infinite mercy and understanding will take this into consideration when judging them and their teachings. They are not willfully teaching error. Nonetheless, they ARE teaching error – profound error.

Many believe the phrase “sealed with the Spirit” means “locked-in “ to salvation, just as many believe the things Paul speaks of that cannot separate us from God in Romans 8 means no sin can separate us from God, again, a profound error.

The statement of Christ recorded in John 3, verse 36: “He that believeth on the son HATH (right now, present tense HAS) everlasting life…” is cited by some as proof one cannot possibly forfeit their inheritance of eternal life. Many think this verse is saying something it is not saying at all. After all everlasting life is everlasting life, life that cannot be interrupted or ended, right? Wrong. There are many other scriptures that show clearly that believers possess eternal life right now only in the sense of it being our inheritance, an inheritance we can forfeit.

In Matthew 10, verse 5, we read: “These twelve (apostles) Jesus sent forth, and commanded them….” And, if you continue reading down to the 32nd verse you will find that Jesus is still speaking to these twelve apostles when He says: “Whosoever (including these twelve) shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever (including these twelve), shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven” (verses 32 and 33). It is to this statement of Jesus Christ the apostle Paul makes reference when he tells his friend and companion Timothy: “It is a faithful saying: For IF we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him: If we suffer (Greek, “endure”), we shall also reign with Him: IF WE (we apostles, ministers, teachers of the Word) DENY HIM, HE ALSO WILL DENY US,” just as He warned He would do when addressing Himself to the original twelve disciples. Paul then goes on to say, “If we believe not (if we do not believe He will do such a thing), yet He abides faithful (to the warning He gave us): He cannot deny Himself” (Jesus cannot deny that He gave us this warning early on. He must be true to His Word.) Paul continues, “Of these things put them (other believers) in remembrance (remind them that Jesus uttered this warning to His followers while in the flesh during His earthly ministry), charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers” (See 2 Timothy 2:11-14).

We make a huge, far-reaching mistake when we don’t pay attention to the IF’s in scripture! “IF we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him’ (2 Timothy 2:11). Dead to this world, its pulls and attractions. “But Christ (serves) as a Son over His own house (or, household), whose house are we IF we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end” (Hebrews 3:6). But what if we don’t hold fast to our Lord and His teachings? What if we throw in the towel and go back to the world like Demas?? “For Demas has forsaken me (writes Paul), having loved this present world, and is departed” (See 2 Timothy 4:10). James warns, “whosoever (including Demas) will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God” (See James 4:4). Do you really think you are going to see God’s enemies in heaven, fellowshipping with the saints of God who have remained true to Him down through the ages? In forsaking Paul, Demas was also forsaking God thereby becoming a spiritual adulterer! True, God says, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you,” but we can forsake Him. Few seem to realize that the statement, “for He has said, ‘I will never leave you, nor forsake you’” in Hebrews 13:5 is a quote from Deuteronomy chapter 31 and is only a partial quote. Go back to Deuteronomy 31 and read verse 6 and 8 wherein God promises not to forsake His people, people of whom He says, “You are the children of the Lord your God” (See Deuteronomy 14:1). But then keep reading down to verse 16 and 17, and you will read these words spoken by God concerning these children of God: “And the LORD said unto Moses, ‘Behold, you shall sleep with your fathers (die); and this people (His children) will rise up and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, AND WILL FORSAKE ME, AND BREAK MY COVENANT which I have made with them. THEN MY ANGER SHALL BE KINDLED AGAINST THEM IN THAT DAY, AND I WILL FORSAKE THEM…” We must allow scripture to interpret scripture. We must put all the scriptures together. We must connect the dots, so to speak. We cannot take one phrase OUT OF CONTEXT, like the phrase “I will never leave you, nor forsake you” and then ignore all the other scriptures dealing with this subject and build a doctrine around a misconception of what was said or written

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“Take heed, BRETHREN, lest there be in any of you (you BRETHREN) an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12). Yes, brethren CAN depart from God, even embracing other “gods!” Listen to the newscasts. Look at the world about you. Tens of thousands of former Christians have abandoned Christ for the Muslim faith. Countries that were 75% Muslim ten years ago and 25% Christian are now 90% Muslim, having lured or forced THOUSANDS of believers to abandon their faith. It was happening in Paul’s day. It happened in Moses’ day. And it has been happening every year, every decade, every century since! We are willfully blind if we do not see and recognize this as a FACT! God will NOT possess you like some demon and force you to remain in fellowship with Him, forcing you to remain true, forcing you into eternal life. He just won’t do it. “For we are made partakers of Christ, IF (there’s that big IF again) we hold the beginning of our confidence (in the Lord) stedfast unto the end” (Hebrews 3:14). But we can throw in the towel at any point. We can go back to the world, join another religion, commit suicide – whatever. “Let us (believers) therefore FEAR, lest a promise being left us of entering into His (eternal) rest any of you (believers) should seem to come short of it” (Hebrews 4:1).

Those who accept the “once saved, always saved” teaching do have a few verses they THINK supports them in this belief. One such classic text they use is found in the 10th chapter of John’s gospel account: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them (to) me (to shepherd, keep, protect) is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand” (verses27-29). Now, on the surface, it does appear this passage is definitely teaching that the saved can never be lost. But there is one word in that text that makes all the difference in the world as to what Jesus was really saying when He uttered those words, and that is the word “pluck.” The word pluck in that verse is translated from the Greek word “harpazo” which means “to seize” or “to take BY FORCE.” And that statement, of course, is 100% true. NOTHING can seize you out of God’s hand. No one, not even Satan and all his demons, can FORCE you out of fellowship with God. THAT is what that text in John 10 is saying and nothing else. It is NOT saying you are locked-in to fellowship with God and cannot forsake Him. Many, many other scriptures prove that it is quite possible to forsake God and His way.

In John chapter 6, verse 15, we read, “When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and TAKE HIM BY FORCE, to make Him a king, He departed again into a mountain himself alone.” The words “take Him by force” are translated from the one Greek word harpazo. The same Greek word translated “pluck” in John 10:27-29. This is also true of Acts 23:10, where we read, “And when there arose a great dissension the chief captain, fearing lest Paul should have been pulled in pieces of them, commanded the soldiers to go down, and to TAKE HIM BY FORCE from among them, and to bring him into the castle.” The phrase “take him by force” is a translation of the one Greek word harpazo. Had the translators been consistent and translated the word harpazo correctly in John 10 we wouldn’t have so many supposed Bible scholars using that passage to prove “once saved, always saved!

The greatest incentive for one to do evil is to realize there is no punishment or consequences for sin if one is a believer. Many believe that the worst judgment a believer can face is to either be chastened by God or, perhaps, to lose some if not all of their rewards in heaven. It is quite evident that most who believe in the “once saved, always saved” teaching think little of the holiness teaching. Why strive for holiness if you are locked in to salvation? Why turn away from all temptations to do evil, or why not give in to some sin if one is locked-in to salvation? It is usually the believer in the “once saved, always saved” teaching who says, “When God looks at a redeemed believer all He sees is the righteousness of Christ.” And that is a devil’s LIE! God does not see, nor does He remember, the believer’s sins committed in the past. The blood of Christ wipes them all out as though one had never even sinned one time in their life. But if that believer returns to his, or her, sins God sees that and demands, “Repent!” Read Acts 5, verses 1 through 14 – the account of two believers named Ananias and Sapphira. This couple lied to the apostle Peter. God saw and heard the deceit and killed both of them on the spot! Read Revelation Chapters 2 and 3. Jesus Christ is standing in the midst of seven churches and to five of the seven he says, “Repent!” HE SAW THEIR SINS! He tells Thyatira, “I will kill her children…” (See Revelation 2:23). And to every last one of these churches Jesus says, “I know thy works” and then goes on to describe how many of those works were evil. He told Laodicea “thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked (not robed in the righteousness of Christ)” (See Revelation 3:17).

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I don’t care if some preacher can be heard on 800 radio stations, 200 television stations and has been preaching for 110 years, that doesn’t automatically mean he is right in everything he preaches and says. Oftentimes such preachers are dead WRONG in much of what they preach. But gullible men and women buy hook, line and sinker whatever Brother So-and-So says simply because he quotes some scripture and speaks quite forcefully and convincingly.

The “once saved, always saved” teaching is the fountain from which has flowed ten thousand times ten thousand sins!! Many make no effort whatsoever to strive against sin and walk in continued holiness due to the fact that they believe 1) God doesn’t see a believer’s sins but only the righteousness of Christ, and 2) They believe they cannot possibly lose their salvation regardless of what they do or how they live. How many carnal “Christians” have the assurance they are going to heaven while still walking continuously in the flesh, sinning willy-nilly, left and right, day in and day out. I’m afraid there are going to be a lot of dumbfounded “believers” at the Judgment seat of our Lord.

“Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom (what believer) he may DEVOUR!” (I Peter 5:8). The word “devour” in that verse is the Greek word katapino and literally means “to drink down, gulp entire, swallow down.” Do you really think that believer is really saved and on his way to heaven if the devil DEVOURS him??

Why are we urged to “abide” in Christ if it is impossible to do otherwise once we truly believe and are converted? (See I John 2:28). What does Jesus Himself say happens to a believer who willfully chooses not to abide in Him, or stay in fellowship with Him? “If a man abide not in me, HE IS CAST FORTH AS A BRANCH, and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, AND THEY (NOT MERELY THEIR WORKS) ARE BURNED” (See John 15:6). If I find a thousand TV and radio evangelists saying the opposite, guess who I am going to believe?

“You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, ‘Wherein have we wearied Him?’ When you say, Every one that does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them…” (See Malachi 2:17). That’s what the deceiver does when he says that all God sees when He looks on a true believer is the righteousness and purity of Christ. I repeat: That is a devil’s LIE!! Go to Jerusalem, find the graves of Ananias and Sapphira and whisper over them, “God never saw your sin when you lied to Peter.” Go to Corinth, find the graves of all those who sickened and even died when taking the Lord’s supper unworthily, and whisper over them, “God never saw your sins, you know, only the righteousness of Christ.” (See I Corinthians 11:26-30).

Oh, I know of the clever arguments of men, arguments used to nullify a host of plain, clear, easy-to-understand scriptures. Arguments like once you are born you can’t be UNborn, and once you are born again, you can’t be UNborn again. With God all things are possible. We had better abandon our not so clever human arguments and believe God’s Word! What is true in the physical world is not necessarily true in the spirit world. A human infant after being born can sicken and die. And one who has been spiritually begotten again can also sicken AND DIE THE SECOND DEATH!!! So says YOUR BIBLE again and again.

Your eternal life is CONDITIONAL, conditioned upon your remaining true to your Lord and Savior. “Know you not that to whom you (you believers) yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey, whether of sin UNTO DEATH, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Romans 6:16). Go ahead and yield to the flesh, and thus to Satan, thereby becoming a servant of the flesh and Satan, and you’ll pay dearly for it. Satan’s servants shall NOT inherit the kingdom of God. How ludicrous to think they could. “For if you (you believers) live after the flesh, YOU SHALL DIE (the second death as we are all going to die the first death regardless of how we live), but IF you through the Spirit do mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body, you shall live (eternally)” (Romans 8:13).

Paul went on to warn the Gentile believers in Rome that just as God had cut off the Jews due to their continued disobedience and unbelief “you also shall be cut off” if they returned to a life of disobedience. (See Romans 11:22)

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The “once saved, always saved” teaching not only has spawned ten thousand times ten thousand sins, it has also contributed heavily to numerous false conversions: “All I gotta do is believe Jesus died for me and presto-chango I am saved, granted eternal life, and going to heaven regardless of what sins I might now commit and regardless of how many sins I commit. All I can possibly lose are my rewards.” THAT is a doctrine of demons, I don’t care WHO teaches it!! And it spawns false converts right and left. These folks are destined to hear the chilling words, “I never knew you, you workers of iniquity. Depart from me.”

“Know you not that the unrighteous shall NOT inherit the kingdom of God? BE NOT DECEIVED: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (men who purposefully attempt to adopt feminine characteristics, desires, etc.), nor abusers of themselves with mankind (proceeding the next step to physical sexual relations with others of the same sex), nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were (in the past) some of you, but you are washed (by the blood of the Lamb of God), but you are sanctified (by the Holy Spirit), but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (See I Corinthians 6:9-11).

Notice how many of God’s commandments Paul alludes to here: idolators, or violators of the first and second commandments are deceived, Paul says, if they think they shall inherit the kingdom of God. He says the same for adulterers, or violators of the seventh commandment. He says the same for thieves, or violators of the eighth commandment. He says the same for the covetous, violators of the tenth commandment! Oh, but Paul, didn’t you yourself say Christians are not under the law. We don’t have to keep those commandments, do we? (You had better heed Peter’s warning about Paul’s writings, that he sometimes said some things that are difficult to understand by those who are unfamiliar with God’s Word and are spiritually unstable. They will think Paul is saying something he is not saying at all!) When Paul says to the Roman believers they are not “under the law” he merely means they are not under THE PENALTY of the law since Jesus has died in their place, paying the penalty for them. They are now under grace, unmerited pardon from God. Countless times down through the years deceived men and women have approached me upon learning I am a commandment keeper and assured me I was no longer under the law. Of course, I knew what that phrase meant. They didn’t. They thought it meant we can ignore God’s commandments. “All you gotta do is believe, brother!”

I trust this short article has at least given you some food for thought. It is a dangerous thing to just ASSUME you walk in the truth because you have a multitude of “believers” who are in agreement with you regarding some doctrine or teaching. Scripture commands us to “prove” all things of a spiritual nature – not just swallow hook, line and sinker anything and everything we hear some preacher say even if most preachers say the same thing. Preachers can be dead wrong in what they preach as eternal truth. A Baptist can be as wrong as a Jehovah’s Witness. A Lutheran can embrace error as well as a Mormon. A “tongues-talking” Pentecostal can be deceived as well as a Roman Catholic priest. Have YOU really proven your beliefs? Food for thought!

Christ’s Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

I was raised in the Baptist church, even attending a Baptist college for a short time as a teenager. I was the organist for a Baptist church in my youth in Lexington, Kentucky. One doctrine I heard preached and taught almost continuously during those years of my youth was the doctrine of “once saved, always saved,” also known as “once in grace, always in grace.” I believed it wholeheartedly. I know by heart every scripture and every argument used by those who embrace that doctrine as their “proof” that the Bible teaches the same. Years ago I quoted those scriptures and used those arguments to defend what I was certain the Bible clearly taught as truth. I now know, and have known for years that if there was ever a doctrine that one can honestly call “a doctrine of demons,” it is the devil’s lie of “once saved, always saved!!” I also know that the majority of those who hold to that teaching, even striving diligently to get others to accept the same as scripture truth, will never let that doctrine go, but will embrace it till their dying day, turning a deaf ear to any and all scriptures that reveal this teaching to be one of the cleverest lies Satan ever palmed off on unsuspecting men and women, boys and girls.

The chief reason I call this belief a doctrine of demons is because it is the mother of billions and billions of sins. Why strive diligently to root sin out of one’s life if such sin can in no way jeopardize your salvation? Why not go ahead and give in to that temptation to do evil. The worst it can cost you is a few rewards in heaven, so they believe? In fact, if you sin enough God will end your earthly journey and take you to heaven early, thereby rewarding your sins as the worst place in heaven has to be better than the best place or life on earth! How is that for satanically warped thinking?? Literally DOZENS of plain, clear, easy-to-understand scriptures have to be overlooked in order for someone to embrace the doctrine of “once saved, always saved.”

This doctrine has had a lot of help in being accepted by unsuspecting professing Christians by big-name radio and television preachers who have proclaimed it as the Bible’s teaching, thundering their warped messages over the air waves for decades. Men will turn a deaf ear to scripture while gleefully quoting the satanic lies spread by the McGee’s, Roloff’s, and Stanley’s of the world. These men preach a great deal of truth but interwoven in that truth is this devil’s lie and that’s what makes it so believable to so many. They think, “These great men of God cannot be wrong in this matter.” Unwittingly they assign them the attribute of infallibility in this matter. The teachers of this false doctrine will have to answer to Jesus Christ as to why they taught as gospel truth what can easily be shown to be a devilish lie. They argue one can’t be unborn once they are born, and one cannot be unborn once born again. Or, they will say, even though your child is disobedient he, or she, still remains your child. They fail to realize that what is true in the physical realm is not necessarily true in the spiritual realm. They have no scripture to support these statements, yet they will use this argument as their main “proof” that one cannot lose their salvation.

The one who buys into the “once saved, always saved” fiction has to pointedly ignore literally dozens of plain, clear Bible texts. Those who embrace this sin-spawning doctrine ignore the IF’s in scripture. Let me give you a few from just one chapter alone, Hebrews 3. Note: “But Christ (performs faithfully) as a Son over his own house (household, the body of Christ, the congregation of true believers), whose house are we IF we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope (the blessed hope, the resurrection to eternal life) firm unto the end (the end of our lives, or the end of the age, whichever comes first). Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, ‘Today, IF you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts…” (See verses 6 through 8).

A believer can harden their heart against the truth, against the ministering of the Holy Spirit, against God!! Many prideful Bible students do just that when shown they are in error on some point of doctrine. Instead of humbly accepting the fact that Satan has deceived them in some area, they will stubbornly hold on to their false doctrine, thus, hardening their hearts against the movement of the Holy Spirit upon their minds. And, brother, that is a bad, bad sign, because Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I (then) give unto them eternal life…” (See John 10:27-28 once again). To follow Jesus Christ is to turn away from sin and error consistently and continually.

The “once saved, always saved” error is a sin-spawning doctrine of demons. Many of those who embrace this doctrine do NOT strive diligently and continually to root all sin out of their lives. They can easily become racists, tell a lie, lose their temper, harbor evil thoughts, and a host of other sins. After all they see themselves impervious to the effects of sin. They see the other guy’s sin instantly and point it out to others quite readily. They are totally blind to their own condition. Returning to Hebrews 3: “Take heed, BRETHREN, lest there be in any of you (yes, you brethren) an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (verse 12). Yes, though NOTHING can force a believer out of fellowship with God, a believer can of their own free will and volition depart from God. One shouldn’t need the scriptures to convince him this can happen. If you have lived long enough and known enough believers, you probably know a few who departed from fellowship with God long ago and never returned! “For we are made partakers of Christ, IF we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end (the end of our lives or the end of the age, whichever comes first)” (verse 14). There’s that big “IF” again, the word totally ignored by the “once in grace, always in grace” teachers.

What do these folks do with Paul’s admission in 2 Timothy 1:15, “This thou knowest that ALL THEY WHICH ARE IN ASIA be turned away from me…” (verse 15). And WHO was in Asia? The congregations of Ephesus, Laodicea and Colossians to name a few. Since Paul represented Jesus Christ, was the ambassador of the Lord, in turning away from Paul it doesn’t take a mental giant to figure out that they also turned away from Jesus Christ! Don’t you have some vague recollection of both Paul and Peter warning about a coming “falling away”? God help us to understand and accept His truth

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The term “sinner” is used dozens of times in the scriptures and always clearly refers to an unsaved person! “Once saved, always saved” is as much a doctrine of demons as the Muslim teaching that God has no Son. A doctrine of demons can be taught by highly respected and popular preachers. A person once saved, or justified, can still forfeit their place in the kingdom: Matt. 10:33; Luke 8:13; Romans 8:13; 11:20-22; Gal. 5:19-21; 6:8; James 5:19-20; Rev. 22:19, etc. Once in grace, always in grace hides from the disobedient the startling fact that they are in peril of forfeiting eternal life!

I noticed a long time ago that those who believe in and teach the doctrine of “once saved, always saved,” or “once in grace, always in grace,” generally do not cite scripture to back up their argument, but instead use human arguments to support their belief, saying things like “Just because your son misbehaves he is still your son.” They forget that what is true in the physical realm is not always true in the spiritual realm. A human child is brought forth, or created, by the sexual union of a man and woman. Such is not true of a spirit child, or a child of God. There are many tremendous differences between what is factual and true in the human family and what is true and factual in the family of God.

It is stated quite clearly in John 10, verses 28 and 29, how that Jesus said that nothing or no one has the ability to FORCE us out of God’s hand of safekeeping. No believer need ever worry that anyone or anything (human or spirit) has the capacity to forcibly wrench us away from fellowship with Jesus Christ or God the Father. It can’t happen. But can that relationship be broken through our own desire to depart and go our own way, the way of the flesh and the world? Ah, that’s a different question altogether, and one the Bible addresses in depth.

In Romans 8, verses 38 and 39, Paul writes: “For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor ANY OTHER CREATURE shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Only YOU can separate yourself from God. No OTHER creature can, neither spirit or flesh. Notice that nothing SINFUL is mentioned in that long list given in Romans 8. Why not? Because Paul well knew and taught that sin can and will separate us from God. It always has!

Paul said he believed “all things which are written in the law and in the prophets” (See Acts 24:14). That would include Isaiah 59, verses 1 and 2, which read: “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy that it cannot hear, BUT YOUR INIQUITIES HAVE SEPARATED BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR GOD, AND YOUR SINS HAVE HID HIS FACE FROM YOU THAT HE WILL NOT HEAR.” Paul well knew that sin will separate us from God. Any sin will bring temporary separation. Continued sin, sin one refuses to abandon, will bring permanent separation!

Right before listing the many things that can NOT separate us from God, Paul had already WARNED, “Therefore, BRETHREN, we are debtors NOT to the flesh, to live after the flesh, for if you (you believers, you brethren) live after the flesh (continue in sin), YOU SHALL DIE, but if you through the Spirit (through submission to the Spirit, through following the Spirit’s leading) do mortify (put to death) the deeds of the body, you shall live” (See Romans 8:12-13). And when Paul says, “you shall die,” he is talking about the second death, for ALL die the first death, the godly and the ungodly. The only ones who will escape the first death are those believers who happen to be alive when Christ returns. (See I Thessalonians 4:14-17 with I Corinthians 15:51-52).

Paul, in writing the believers in Galatia, listed for them many sinful, fleshly acts such as adultery, fornication, idolatry, hatred, murder and drunkenness. He then warned “that they which do such things shall NOT inherit the kingdom of God” (See Galatians 5:19-21). He had just written “if a son, then an heir” (See Galatians 4:7). Therefore, if we are not heirs of the kingdom, we are no longer sons! We have been cut off, disinherited, our spiritual adoption made null and void. Paul wrote Timothy, “It is a faithful saying, ‘For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him.'” (2 Timothy 2:11). Yes, IF we be dead with Him – dead to the sinful pulls and attractions of this world on our flesh – THEN we shall live eternally. Notice, it is A CONDITION to our inheriting eternal life.

God is no one’s patsy, no one’s chump! Those who think they are “locked in” to salvation regardless of how they live will be in for a rude awakening at the judgment. I trust none of my readers will be so rudely awakened. In Romans 11, Paul speaks of how God cut off His own chosen people, the Jews, due to their sins and unbelief. He then WARNS the believers at Rome, “Take heed lest He also spare not thee,” urging them to live godly lives, “otherwise thou also SHALT BE CUT OFF!” (See Romans 11:21-22). To be continued….

Christ’s Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

Any Bible student with even a passing knowledge of New Testament Greek knows that the 9th verse of Hebrews 4 literally translated reads, “There remains therefore A KEEPING OF THE SABBATH to the people of God.” In fact, some study Bibles show this translation in marginal notes. The 1917 edition of the Scofield Study Bible notes that the word “rest” in the King James translation of Hebrews 4:9 should be translated, “keeping of a Sabbath.” The New International Version translates Hebrews 4:9, “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God.”

In the King James translation of the Bible, the word “rest” is found nine times in the 4th chapter of Hebrews, twice in verse 3, and once each in verses 1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10 and 11. In eight of these instances the word “rest” is a translation of the Greek word katapausis (pronounced kat-AP’-ow-sis), or katapauo (pronounced kat-ap-OW’-o), both Greek words meaning rest. But the word “rest” in that ninth verse is NOT translated from either of the two Greek words above, but from a different Greek word, the word sabbatismos (pronounced sab-bat-is-MOS’), literally meaning “keeping of a Sabbath,” as Dr. C. I. Scofield pointed out. Although, on the very face of it, it would seem clear what is being said in that 9th verse, a careful examination of the context reveals plainly the obvious meaning of the statement: “There remains therefore a keeping of a (or ”the”) Sabbath to the people of God.”

First, consider WHO is being addressed in this verse, “the people of God,” but more particularly Hebrew (Jewish) converts. Remember, this verse is found in the letter to the Hebrews. Secondly, when Jesus appeared to Saul of Tarsus, this man, who was soon to become the mighty Apostle Paul, told Jesus: “I imprisoned and beat IN EVERY SYNAGOGUE them (those Hebrews, those Jews) that believed on Thee” (See Acts 22:19). Note well that these earliest Christians were found worshipping the Lord IN THE SYNAGOGUES – hence, on the SABBATH!!! No synagogue held Sunday services! These earliest believers knew nothing of any change in the Sabbath, yet they “believed on” Christ, that is they believed Christ’s teachings, following and obeying Him. Acts 22:19 coupled with Hebrews 4:9 are most significant in the revelation they present. We are given rare insight into one of the most debated practices of First Century believers. It plainly reveals they DID meet together on the Sabbath, the same Sabbath observed by God’s faithful people for many long centuries! The significance becomes even more profound when we remember that “the women also, which came with Him (Jesus Christ) from Galilee…RESTED THE SABBATH DAY ACCORDING TO THE COMMANDMENT” (See Luke 23:55-56). They did NOT rest on the Sabbath day simply because they were in Jerusalem and that was the custom there. These earliest followers of Jesus Christ rested on the Sabbath day BECAUSE GOD HAD GIVEN COMMANDMENT CENTURIES BEFORE TO DO SO!!! Nothing Jesus Christ had said during His earthly ministry had caused them to think God’s eternal Holy Sabbath day would be abolished or changed in any way.  In fact, at the very outset of His public ministry, Jesus declared clearly and plainly that God would never allow even one tiny letter of the Ten Commandments to be altered or changed in any way as long as heaven and earth endured!  (See Matthew 5:17-28).

Under apostolic COMMAND to PROVE ALL THINGS of a spiritual nature, few Christians do so. Few ministers have any idea of the mighty truth contained in Hebrews 4:9 alone. Point out to them what the Greek actually and literally says in that passage and notice the look of puzzlement and consternation that crosses their faces. Yet they are 100% positive God “called” them to preach and teach His Word faithfully. Ask the Baptist preacher if that isn’t so. Ask the same question of the Methodist, the Presbyterian, the Episcopalian and the Assembly of God pastor. Then compare what they believe and teach as God’s holy truths, and all is confusion. And we know who is the author of confusion, don’t we? Are YOU proving all things? Are you really? Are you sure??????

Christ’s Faithful Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

THE MESSENGER OF THE NEW COVENANT!

“But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, AND TO JESUS THE MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT……” (See Hebrews 12:22-24).

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation (the New Covenant), WHICH AT THE FIRST BEGAN TO BE SPOKEN BY THE LORD, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him” (Hebrews 2:3).

“Behold, I (the Lord) will send my messenger (John the Baptist), and he shall prepare the way before me (the Lord), and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, EVEN THE MESSENGER OF THE (NEW) COVENANT, whom ye delight in. Behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 3:1)

After His resurrection, “Jesus Christ came and spake unto them (His disciples), saying, ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth (by His Father), Go, ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU, and, lo, I am with you unto the end of the world. Amen.'” (Matthew 28:19-20). And, thus, the Lord is with whomever is teaching all things He commanded even now in this 21st Century – even to the end of the world (or age)!

You might say that which is commonly called “the sermon on the mount” was Jesus’ inaugural address as the Messenger of the New Covenant. Every word He speaks in Matthew, chapters 5 through 7, is pure New Covenant doctrine. Take away any of the words He speaks in that sermon and you risk having Him take away your part out of the Book of Life! For two thousand years Satan has worked feverishly to cloud and confuse the meaning of many of the plain and clear statements Jesus utters in His inaugural address as the Messenger of the New Covenant.

“Think not that I have come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill (Greek, pleroo, “magnify, expand, fully preach”).” (Matthew 5:17. And in the next few verses that is exactly what He begins to do. “For verily (truthfully) I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle (not the tiniest bit) shall IN NO WISE (not through an apostle’s teaching or revelation- IN NO WISE) pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Greek, ginomai, “be kept, be performed”). WHOSOEVER SHALL BREAK ONE OF THESE LEAST COMMANDMENTS, AND SHALL TEACH MEN SO, HE SHALL BE CALLED THE LEAST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT WHOSOEVER SHALL DO AND TEACH THEM, THE SAME SHALL BE CALLED GREAT IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN” (Matthew 5:18-19).

And just so there would be no mistake WHICH commandments Jesus was speaking of, He quotes two of them word for word: “Thou shalt not kill” – the sixth commandment, and “Thou shalt not commit adultery” – the seventh commandment. (See Matthew 5:21 and 27). Now remember Jesus had already said not one jot or tittle could be changed in these commandments. Yet Satan moves quickly in the early church to convince spiritually gullible and deceived men that one entire commandment was changed, and the only commandment at that which begins with the word “REMEMBER!” (See Exodus 20:8)). “Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy!” And you don’t think Satan has the power and intelligence to deceive you and ten thousand preachers and theologians???!! You are probably already deceived, friend. To be continued…..

Christ’s Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

“But ye are come unto Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, AND TO JESUS THE MEDIATOR OF THE NEW COVENANT……” (See Hebrews 12:22-24).

How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation (the New Covenant), WHICH AT THE FIRST BEGAN TO BE SPOKEN BY THE LORD, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard Him” (Hebrews 2:3).

“Behold, I (the Lord) will send my messenger (John the Baptist), and he shall prepare the way before me (the Lord), and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, EVEN THE MESSENGER OF THE (NEW) COVENANT, whom ye delight in. Behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts” (Malachi 3:1)

After His resurrection, “Jesus Christ came and spake unto them (His disciples), saying, ‘All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth (by His Father), Go, ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, TEACHING THEM TO OBSERVE ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU, and, lo, I am with you unto the end of the world. Amen.'” (Matthew 28:19-20). And, thus, the Lord is with whomever is teaching all things He commanded even now in this 21st Century – even to the end of the world (or age)!

You might say that which is commonly called “the sermon on the mount” was Jesus’ inaugural address as the Messenger of the New Covenant. Every word He speaks in Matthew, chapters 5 through 7, is pure New Covenant doctrine. Take away any of the words He speaks in that sermon and you risk having Him take away your part out of the Book of Life! For two thousand years Satan has worked feverishly to cloud and confuse the meaning of many of the plain and clear statements Jesus utters in His inaugural address as the Messenger of the New Covenant.

“Think not that I have come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill (Greek, pleroo, “magnify, expand, fully preach”).” (Matthew 5:17. And in the next few verses that is exactly what He begins to do. “For verily (truthfully) I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle (not the tiniest bit) shall IN NO WISE (not through an apostle’s teaching or revelation- IN NO WISE) pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Greek, ginomai, “be kept, be performed”). WHOSOEVER SHALL BREAK ONE OF THESE LEAST COMMANDMENTS, AND SHALL TEACH MEN SO, HE SHALL BE CALLED THE LEAST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BUT WHOSOEVER SHALL DO AND TEACH THEM, THE SAME SHALL BE CALLED GREAT IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN” (Matthew 5:18-19).

And just so there would be no mistake WHICH commandments Jesus was speaking of, He quotes two of them word for word: “Thou shalt not kill” – the sixth commandment, and “Thou shalt not commit adultery” – the seventh commandment. (See Matthew 5:21 and 27). Now remember Jesus had already said not one jot or tittle could be changed in these commandments. Yet Satan moves quickly in the early church to convince spiritually gullible and deceived men that one entire commandment was changed, and the only commandment at that which begins with the word “REMEMBER!” (See Exodus 20:8)). “Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy!” And you don’t think Satan has the power and intelligence to deceive you and ten thousand preachers and theologians???!! You are probably already deceived, friend. To be continued…..

Christ’s Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley

What is the fate of those who embrace and especially those who teach false doctrine? I give you the Word of God in this matter.

“A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaks lies shall not escape” (Proverbs 19:5).

“Then said He (Jesus) unto the disciples, ‘It is impossible but that offenses will come, but woe unto him through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he be cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones” (Luke 17:1-2).

“He that is not with me (saying and teaching what Jesus said and taught) is against me, and he that gathers not with me scatters (the sheep, unsuspecting believers)” (Luke 11:23).

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11). Your insulting them may cause them to rethink their course and finally entertain the idea that they might just be in error and working against the Lord, and, thus, scattering the Lord’s sheep.

“For he whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives not the Spirit by measure….” (John 3:34).

“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, ‘Come out of her (ANY “church” that teaches false doctrine) that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues” (Revelation 18:4).

“Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that you come together not for the better, but for the worse (directed to those who attend assemblies where false doctrines are taught and believed)” (I Corinthians 11:12).

“What communion has light with darkness (or truth with error)” (2 Corinthians 6:14).

“And He (Jesus) said unto them, ‘Take heed to what you hear….’ (as you might be listening to profound error)” (Mark 4:24).

“He that troubles you (by teaching error) shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be (a Billy Graham, a Jimmy Swaggart, or a Don Wiley).” (Galatians 5:10).

“Then Jesus said unto them, ‘Take heed and beware of the leaven (teaching) of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees’…Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees” (Matthew 16:6, 12). I wonder what groups or denominations Jesus would say beware of today????

“Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines” (Hebrews 13:9).

“Little children, let no man deceive you….In this the children of God are manifest (shown to be such), and the children of the devil. Whosoever does not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loves not his brother, for this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we love one another” (I John 3:7, 10-11).

“But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and vain. A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject, knowing that he that is such is subverted and sins, being condemned of himself” (Titus 3:9-11).

“This know also that in the last days perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their own selves….having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof, from such turn away…ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth….these also resist the truth, men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith” (2 Timothy 3:1,2,5,7 and 8).

The first assignment of every seminary student ought to be to memorize all the above verses of scripture and repeat them orally in their class of Bible 101  For their second assignment they should be given 30 days to read the entire Bible from cover to cover – from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21.

Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),

Donald Wiley