The Most Quoted Promise in the Bible

The Bible is full of promises. There are literally hundreds of promises in the word of God. Personally, I have stood on the promises of God. Repeatedly, I have taken God at His word. Faithfully, God has always fulfilled His promises.

There is one Biblical promise that seems to be quoted more than the others. On numerous occasions, I have heard preachers stand behind a pulpit and repeat it. Christians have stood up in the midst of a congregation to quote it. It is not likely that this particular promise is greater than any other. In my opinion, some preachers quote it as they begin the church service because they do not have anything else to say. Despite the motive of the one speaking the promise, it is a promise of God nonetheless. I am sure you have heard it quoted, and multiple times if you have been a Christian any length of time at all. Somewhere in your Christian walk, you have heard someone say, “I’m glad Jesus said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”

There it is – the most quoted promise in the entirety of the scriptures (at least, in some of the circles in which I have been involved). The promise is found in Hebrews 13:5.

Two Prominent Messages in Christ’s Earthly Ministry

In the days when Jesus Christ walked the shores of Galilee, there were two messages that were constantly interwoven throughout the gospels. The first message was from Christ to His disciples. Christ continually told His disciples, “I’ve got to go.” Of course, He had to go to Calvary to suffer and die for the sins of mankind. The second message found throughout the gospels was the response of the disciples to Christ. When Christ spoke of His death, His disciples always replied, “Don’t go!”

In Matthew 16, Jesus spoke to His disciples, saying that He must be rejected of the scribes and elders of Jerusalem and be crucified. “I’ve got to go,” He says. Peter responded, “Far be it from Thee!” In other words, “Don’t go!”

In one instance, we find “the woman who was a sinner,” with her hands around the ankles of our Lord, as she washes the Lord’s feet with her tears and dries them with her hair. There’s something about her grip on the Savior’s feet that says, “Don’t go!” But He must go. He must be separated from the disciples to lay down His life for lost mankind.

In his account of the gospel, Luke tells us constantly that Christ’s face was “set” toward Jerusalem. What’s in Jerusalem? A cross. With His face set, His spirit firm, and His will determined, the Lord says, “I’ve got to go.”

Then came the day when Christ’s death upon the cross ceased to be a prophecy and became a fulfillment. He left His disciples for Calvary. The disciples would have loved to be able to claim the promise we claim so often, that their Lord would never leave nor forsake them. But the Lord left His disciples for Calvary.

Three days following the crucifixion of Christ, Christ is raised from the dead. On that resurrection day, Mary Magdalene is among those who found the tomb to be empty. When the others headed for the city, she remained in the garden where the empty tomb was. Weeping with her head in her hands, she earnestly believes that someone had taken away the body of her Lord. Suddenly, she sees a man. Since the man was evidently the gardener, Mary requested concerning Jesus, “Please tell me where you have laid Him.” Then, the “gardener,” who was none other than Jesus Christ Himself, said to her, “Mary.” Upon hearing the Lord speak her own name, Mary recognized Him. Mary must have fallen upon her knees, taking hold of the Saviour. But Jesus stopped her. “Touch me not,” He said. The word, “touch” here can mean more than just a simple touch. It can mean, “to hold on to; to cling to.” But again, Jesus says, “Don’t hold on to me.” In other words, “I’ve got to go.” Where is He going now? Since He has been resurrected, Christ must now go to the Father. He did not want Mary to get too attached. He is about to depart again. This is a good place to insert that the doctrine of the ascension of Christ is an underrated doctrine in the Bible. The entire discourse of John 14-16 centers around it. The arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost depends on it. “If I go not away,” Christ said, “the Comforter will not come.”

Notice what Christ says to Mary. “Touch me not; do not hold on to me.” What does He go on to say? He says, “For I am not yet ascended.” That is where is going – to the Father.

The Ascension

Then, forty days after His resurrection, the day comes for Christ to go to the Father. Christ gathered with His disciples on the Mount of Olives. In Matthew’s version of the Great Commission, Christ gives His disciples His last words before His ascension. First, He instructs them to “teach all nations.” Secondly, He commissions them to “baptize them.” And third, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” I can’t help but chuckle when I read Matthew’s account of the Great Commission. Jesus says to His disciples, “I am with you always.” Then, what does He do? He ascends. He leaves. He says, “I’ll never leave you.” Then He leaves!

But when He goes, He takes His place at the right hand of the Father. It is there that Jesus prayed for the Father to send the Holy Spirit to dwell with His disciples forever. This may be a news flash to you, but you do not have the Holy Spirit because you prayed; you have the Holy Spirit because He prayed. Christ said, “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter” (John 14:16). Of course, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. Wherever the Holy Spirit is, Christ is. When Christ prayed for the Father to give us the Holy Spirit, the Lord assured us that He would abide with us forever (John 14:16).

Throughout the gospels, mankind begged Christ, “Don’t leave us!” But He had to go. Now that the Holy Spirit has been given, I know that Christ will be with me through the trials of life, through tears and toils, and even to chilly Jordan – death itself. He will never leave me nor forsake me!

God Wants You To Be Spiritually Poor

Matthew 5:3 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Spiritually poor – that is God’s will for you. Contrary to contemporary theological exegesis, our Lord was unmistakably clear – “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Some biblical scholars have explained it away. “He means,” they insist, “that we are to be humble.” But He did not proclaim, “Blessed are the humble.” He clearly stated, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”

How can this be? To hear it taught in many pulpits today, one would get the impression that God wants His children to be rich, both materialistically and spiritually. In other circles, many ministers insist that, while God does not mind if His children are monetarily poor, He surely wants us to be spiritually rich. After all, is not this the comfort we give to God’s poor people? Do we not console them by reminding them that they are richer than their wealthy neighbors – because their wealthy neighbors’ possessions are only physical, while their own salvation is worth more than all of earth’s gold?

In spite of our efforts to console God’s poor with heavenly riches, it is yet true that God wants His children to be spiritually poor.

Christians, especially American Christians, are accustomed to abundance. Most American families have more than one vehicle. Most Americans have several pairs of shoes, cupboards full of food, and closets full of clothing. Make no mistake about it – this attitude of abundance carries over into our spiritual lives. We get the notion that God wants His children to be spiritually rich. Somehow, we have gained the impression that God desires His children to have storehouses that are filled and overflowing with His grace, love, peace, and joy. However, for us, we would be better off spiritually poor.

What about Exhortations for Christians to Be Spiritually Rich?

I can hear the objections of some of my readers. Does not the New Testament exhort Christians to be spiritually rich? It does. A couple instances come readily to mind. In Luke 12, Jesus tells of a rich fool, who planned to build bigger barns for his earthly treasures, but made no preparation for his soul. Christ concluded the parable in Luke 12:21 by saying, “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Surely Christ was exhorting us to be “rich toward God.” Another instance that presently confronts me is 3 John 1:2, where John says to Gaius, “I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” Did you catch that? John wished for the soul of Gaius to prosper! Is this not an exhortation to the prosperity of the soul?

I acknowledge these exhortations for Christians to prosper spiritually. There are other such exhortations in the New Testament. These exhortations notwithstanding, Christ still proclaimed, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Can there be any legitimate reconciliation between the New Testament exhortations to be spiritually rich and Christ’s unmistakable blessing upon the spiritually poor? I believe that there not only can be such reconciliation, but such an understanding exists.

On one hand, Christians are spiritually rich. On the other hand, we are spiritually poor. Both terms – “poor” and “rich” – describe the state of the true child of God. We are rich in the many spiritual possessions God has graciously given to us. We are poor in our Father’s wise distribution of those possessions.

In the parable of the prodigal son, the Father tells the older brother, “All that I have is thine.” This statement best describes the child of God and his spiritual possessions. Everything God has belongs to us. All the peace of God in heaven is ours. If you are lacking in peace of mind, this is a most unnecessary lack. All the love God has is ours. Christ has everything, and we have Christ! “Rich” is a good word to describe such a disposition.

However, although we possess everything God has to offer, God does not allow us to build barns and store His love, joy, and peace in abundance. Our heavenly Father, in His wisdom, distributes His greatest possessions to us as we need them. Let me give you a few examples of great possessions that our Father gives us only as we need them.

Provision for Physical Needs

I began this post with Matthew 5:3, where Christ said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” The fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters of Matthew are known as the Sermon on the Mount. In the same sermon, Jesus taught His disciples to pray. In that model prayer, we find this phrase – “Give us this day our daily bread.” Notice carefully how our Father plans to meet the needs we may have. He does not instruct us to ask for a year’s supply of bread; not a month’s supply of bread; not even a week’s supply of bread; but daily bread! God promised to meet our needs when the day arises that we need them! I am rich because I have a heavenly Father who will supply all my needs. But He does not give me the means to meet the need until the need arises. So, like a poor beggar, I am dependent on my heavenly Father.

Ability to Stand in Time of Persecution

I have seen a number of Christians who seem to love to torment themselves. Often, such Christians perform this “self torment” in the area of persecution. Many American Christians are aware that, though we currently have freedom to worship in our great nation, this freedom is not guaranteed. Consequently, Christians worry about whether or not they will be able to stand for Christ should they called upon to suffer for Him. Such worry is unnecessary. You say, “Don’t you believe Christians should be ready to suffer for Christ?”

No. As a matter of fact, if you peruse my spiritual barn and look for “ability to stand in time of persecution,” you will be disappointed. It is absent from my shelves. Allow me to be frank with you. I do not have what it takes to suffer for Christ. I am spiritually poor. I just don’t have it. But I do not panic. Whatever I need when I am called on to suffer for Christ – my Father has it! And He will see that I have it at the very hour I need it.

In Mark 13, Christ told His disciples that they would be brought before judges and be persecuted for His name’s sake. In verse 11, Christ said these words – “Take no thought.” What does “take no thought” mean? Does it mean to “prepare to suffer for Christ”? No, not at all! As a matter of fact, it means the exact opposite. Christ then told His disciples why they need not worry about persecution. They would be given exactly what they need “in that hour.” Not before then. God will give me the ability to stand for Him when I need it.

Grace to Die

If you are a Christian, and if I were to ask you whether or not you are ready to die, I am certain you render an affirmative reply. I am almost equally certain, that if you were told by a specialist that you had contracted a terminal illness, you would wish the physician to take whatever necessary steps needed to lengthen your life. We say we are ready to die. Of course, when we say it, we are generally not dying. When Christians genuinely believe themselves to be dying, they typically struggle to remain alive. This is both normal and commendable. Christ promised to give us life, and even more so, abundant life. Even though Christians know our names are recorded in heaven, we still would rather live than die.

If I conducted a check on the inventory in my spiritual barn and looked for “grace to die,” I would find that such grace would be absent. Is this cause for alarm? Not at all. I am not ready to die. At this point, I would much rather live than die. I do not have what it takes to lie down and peacefully journey from this life to the next. I do not have such grace. What can I say? I am spiritually poor. But my Father has such grace. And He will give it to me in that moment.

Corrie ten Boom, whose family suffered persecution in World War 2, tells of a conversation she had with her father. She asked her father about being ready to die. Her father responded, “When you and I go to Amsterdam, when do I give you your ticket?”

“Why, just before we get on the train,” Corrie replied.

“Exactly. And our wise Father in heaven knows when we’re going to need things, too. Don’t run out ahead of him, Corrie. When the time comes that some of us will have to die, you will look into your heart and find the strength you need – just in time.”

Righteousness Exalts a Nation

Proverbs 14:34 – “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”

I Love the United States of America!

Make no mistake about it! I love America! I do not apologize; I do not take it back; I do not make such a proclamation with my head facing the ground! I get chills when I hear our national anthem. I cannot view our flag without thinking of the blood shed over the years to give us our freedom. I am thankful that God Almighty allowed me to be born and raised in the United States.

In our own nation, I have come across ministers who preach that it is a sin to be patriotic in any form. I have been acquainted with some ministers to object to those saluting a flag or honoring a veteran. The odd thing about it is – THEY WON’T MOVE! If the reader thinks that it is a sin to love America, why don’t you find a better country that you can love, and get out of here? I love this nation, and I’m not ashamed to say it!

In the scriptures, we find Daniel praying concerning the sins of his own people. Jeremiah is called the weeping prophet. Do you know why? It is not because he wept over the state of the Syrians; it is not because he shed tears over the conditions of the Chaldeans; it is because he poured out his tears over his own people! Moses stood in the presence of God Almighty, reasoning with God. Moses told the Lord that if the Lord was going to wipe Israel from existence, to destroy him also! He interceded for his own people. I hear people talk about “having a burden for the lost.” That’s nice. But it should start with loving your own people! How can you have a burning desire to reach the lost in Honduras and have no feeling whatsoever concerning your own people?

When I say, “I love America,” I am not saying that American people are better than any other people. I am not saying for a moment that I am a better man of God than anyone else because I’m American. I am not insinuating that God loves America more than He does anyone else. I do not saying that America is perfect. But I am declaring that I love the United States.

Righteousness Exalteth a Nation

Our nation is a great nation. We have a great history. Men and women risked their lives to come to a fresh continent where they would have the freedom to worship the God of the Bible out of the convictions of their own heart. Our founding fathers were at least God-fearing, and many were professing Christians. The Creator is found in MANY of our founding documents.

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” – Declaration of Independence

“For the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” – Declaration of Independence

“Our forefathers, inhabitants of the island of Great Britain, left their native land, to seek on these shores a residence for civil and religious freedom.” – Continental Congress’ Declaration on the Causes and Necessity for Taking Up Arms; July 6, 1775

“…the freedom of speech may be taken away, and, dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep, to the slaughter.” – George Washington, making reference to Isaiah 53, a Biblical passage.

Many more founding documents could be cited, but let me go on. How about our national motto, “In God We Trust,” which is a testimony of our greatness as a nation? In 1864, the Congress of the United States of America approved adding “In God We Trust” to the two-cent coin. In 1908, legislation was passed and “In God We Trust” was mandatory on all coins. In 1955, “In God We Trust” became mandatory on all U.S. coins and paper currency. In 1956, “In God We Trust” became the national motto of the United States.*

Have you ever seen a flag-folding ceremony? There is much Christianity involved in it. The second fold symbolizes our belief in eternal life. The eleventh fold is for the Hebrew, or Jewish citizen, “and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” The twelfth and final fold is for the Christian, glorifying the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. “When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, ‘In God We Trust.’”*

Yes, our nation is great because it is founded upon the righteousness of the Bible. “Righteousness exalteth a nation.” America has been exalted because of her rich, godly heritage. I know there are goofy professors who want to place Islam on the same plain as Christianity, but it is not. Many Muslims have migrated to America; but few Christians are dying to get into Muslim countries. There is a good reason for this: Christianity has made the United States a great nation. Islam, on the other hand, has never made a single nation in the world great. I cannot think of one Muslim nation where people are dying to enter, as they do America. As a matter of fact, I do not know of one single person who has ever gone to a Muslim nation to spend a vacation (I’m not saying they don’t; I just do not know of any). Islam is not a Christian counterpart. Christianity makes nations great. Every day, radio talk show hosts brag about how capitalism has made America great. No, that’s not it. America is not great because of her capitalist system; America is great because of the God she has trusted in through the years.  Show me a communist nation with greatness equating to that of America.  No one can make such a claim, unless they are dishonest and possess a warped mind.

Sin is a Reproach to Any People!

While it is true that America has become great through her reverence of the God of the Bible, it is equally true that America’s departure from the God of the Bible will bring her down.

We live in dark times in our nation. The God of the Bible defines marriage as being between a man and his wife (Genesis 2). Yet, our nation, state by state, is shaking their fist in the face of God Almighty, calling Him a liar, and redefining marriage their own way. Sin is a reproach to any people.

The God of the Bible has stated that the baby in the womb is known by Him (Jeremiah 1). Yet, many in our day have responded to God that “the child is womb is nothing to us!” And then they brutally kill the baby, showing no mercy as the baby writhes in physical pain.  Sin has reproached the United States!

All over the land today, the most important issue of many voters is the issue of the economy. It should not be this way. My number one concern for America is not that America’s families all become rich. We have worried about that entirely too much. AMERICA WAS GREATER WHEN SHE WAS POOR. She didn’t have the best material things in life, but she had priceless treasures. Family time was valued time. Divorce rates were much lower when America was righteous in the eyes of the God of the Bible. Suicide was rare. Children were brought up to become ladies and gentlemen. The Bible was the textbook in the public schools.

Friend, America needs a revival. Sin is a reproach to any people, and America has sinned! We have taken God Almighty out of the public square. The ACLU (a devilish organization which stands up for every rotten thing under the sun) sues companies wishing to display a manger scene at Christmas. Islam demands freedom of religion while it is soon to be a hate crime for Christians to preach parts of the Bible that condemn sin. Euthanasia is on the table for discussion as it has never been before! Politicians have not and cannot give us the revival we need. There is more corruption in Washington and in our states than ever before. America, when going to the polls, cares little about having a real leader in office; but only desires the man who can best pad their pocket books.

Listen to me! God Almighty is not about to put up with the trash in our nation forever! America will be humbled! Sin is a reproach to any people! The U.S. Supreme Court, once a noble institution, does not have the final say on abortion, gay rights, flag-burning, or any other issue. God Almighty’s word will be the last word! Mark it down. The God of the Bible will have the last and final say!

So, this Fourth of July, I will spend some time in prayer for our great nation. Though our nation is great, our sin has reproached us. America WILL fall to her knees again to petition the God of the Bible. The only question is – “Will it be too late?”

*God Bless America: Prayers and Reflections for our Country. Zondervan Publishing House. ©1999.

The Bible and The Cults

Seeing in my previous post the value of the word of God, it is my intent, at this time, to expose the attitude of the cults regarding the Bible. Before examining this, it is necessary to observe a few basic traits of cults in general.

First and primarily, the chief characteristic of a cult is brought out by its definition. Microsoft Encarta’s dictionary defines “cult” this way – “a system of religious or spiritual beliefs, especially an informal and transient belief system regarded by others as misguided or unorthodox.” So, the first characteristic of a cult, as shown by its very definition, is that it deviates from that which is fundamentally and Biblically true. There are fundamental truths brought about in the word of God. Such truths include the virgin birth of Christ; the deity of Christ; the literal and bodily second coming of Jesus Christ to this world; the existence of a literal heaven and a literal, burning hell; the Trinity, and others. To deviate from these is to characterize yourself with religious groups we call cults.

Secondly, a common trait of the cults is extreme exclusivism. Now understand that Christianity itself is an exclusivist religion. By this, I mean that true Christians teach that Jesus Christ is the only way to God’s heaven. Yes, true, born-again Christians are the ONLY ONES going to heaven. However, cults do not teach that you must go to heaven through Christ; they teach rather that you can only get to heaven through THEM! This is a major difference between true Christianity and the cults. Jehovah’s Witnesses will tell you that you must accept Christ, but their teaching goes further than that. Christ, they say, established ONE church (their church, coincidentally), and you must join THEIR CHURCH to be accepted by God. I was acquainted with a group years ago called “Gospel of the Kingdom,” or “Sowderites,” a movement started by William Sowders of Louisville, Kentucky. Among their far-out ideas was the suggestion that you are only a part of the body of Christ if you are in their group.

While I preach strongly that one must be a born-again Christian to be saved, I do not preach that one must be a part of my group to be saved. You do not need to join my denomination to be saved. You do not need to run with my crowd to be saved. There are true Christians who are not part of my group, and they are as saved as anyone. The cults, however, do not see it this way. You must be a part of their group to be saved.

Look at what Jesus Christ said regarding followers of Christ who are not in your group:

Luke 9:49, 50 – “And John answered and said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us.”

So, it is clear. Every cult that teaches that you must be a part of their group to be saved is as wrong as they can be! Yet, this is a major peculiarity of the cults.

Thirdly, a widespread custom of the cults is the fact that most all cults have a founder (other than Jesus Christ). Of course, Christianity has a founder. Yet, the cults seem to all have a man or a woman who founded their group. Charles Taze Russell founded the Kingdom Hall (Jehovah’s Witnesses); Joseph Smith founded the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons); William Sowders founded the so-called “Gospel of the Kingdom;” Ellen White was among the founders of the Seventh-day Adventists; Mary Baker Eddy is remembered for her role in founding the Church of Christ, Scientist. While there is no wrong in a group having a founder, you will notice when studying the cults how that the founders are idolized. Their words are often equal with the words of Jesus Christ.

The Worst Attributes of the Cults

Having briefly looked at three traits of the cults, I wish to expound upon two more; perhaps two of their worst characteristics.

A fourth feature of groups we call cults is the fact that their view of salvation is perverted. You will not find a cult that teaches that what Jesus Christ did upon the cross is sufficient for salvation. Roman Catholics, for example, teach that God gives us grace to perform sacraments to be saved. Even after fulfilling a lifetime of sacraments, the devout Catholic cannot know for sure that he has done enough to be saved. The Seventh-day Adventists make worship on Saturday a requirement for salvation. The so-called “Church of Christ” has a list (they tell me) of five things one must do to be saved, among which is baptism in water. Apostolic Pentecostals teach that one must be baptized in the name of Jesus only, and that one must speak in tongues in order to be saved. The message of the cults in regard to salvation is simple – what Christ did on the cross was insufficient. The cross, they say, is part of the plan, but it is not enough to save us. They all add laws and commandments one must keep in order to be saved. But look what the Bible says:

Galatians 2:21 – “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”

Such strong words are the words above, but there is as much truth in them as there is strength. The Bible is clear – what Christ did on the cross is sufficient. Placing faith IN HIS BLOOD gives propitiation:

Romans 3:24-26 – “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through FAITH IN HIS BLOOD, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”

Yes, it is the doctrine of the Bible that faith in Christ’s blood gives salvation. It is trusting Christ’s work, not commending our own, that saves from sin. The cults, however, teach that Christ did not do enough to save us. He did much of what needs to be done, they teach, but we must do the rest. How blasphemous!

A fifth element of the dogma of the cults is stated as follows – Not only is the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross insufficient, but the Bible is insufficient. Every one of the cults, without exception, teach that the Bible is not sufficient to be the sole rule of faith and practice. Every cult adopts one or more false statement regarding the Bible. At least the cults are honest – if the Bible is absolutely correct, complete, and accurate, then their ideas MUST be wrong. So, instead of changing their beliefs, they attack the Bible.

The attack on the Bible by the cults is manifested in a couple of ways. First, some cults teach that the Bible is inaccurate. Listen carefully. If a Jehovah’s Witness stands at your door and tells you that the Bible is erroneous, what does that tell you about the teachings of this group? They are admitting that their teachings do not line up with the Bible! This is the sole reason why Jehovah’s Witnesses have scrapped the King James Bible, and have written their own “New World Translation.” The Mormons teach this regarding the Bible – “The King James Bible is the word of God, SO LONG AS IT IS TRANSLATED CORRECTLY.” And guess what? When the Mormons’ teaching disagrees with the Bible, guess where they say the error lies – with the Bible! Anyone can say that the Bible is correct until it disagrees with them! It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if someone must write their own Bible because the King James Bible disagrees with their teaching, their teaching must not be Biblical! If someone claims that the Bible is accurate until it disagrees with them, an honest person can see what is happening! The cults, instead of admitting that they are wrong, have the audacity to say that the Bible is wrong!

There is a second method in which the cults attack the word of God. As we have seen, some say the Bible is inaccurate. Others, however, state that the Bible is insufficient. The Bible is right, some cults say, but it is not enough. The Mormons are number one on our list. The Bible may contribute something to their church, but it is not the sole authority. The Book of Mormon was added, because the Bible is not the complete word of God. I spoke earlier regarding the Sowderites, or the “Gospel of the Kingdom.” One attribute of this group is that they speak often regarding revelation. A good deal of you seeing the scriptures as they do depends upon God REVEALING it to you! The Bible is good, but there must be extra-biblical revelation, according to the cults.

Dear reader, you may not attend a “kingdom hall.” You may not be a member of the “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” You may not be a part of a “Gospel of the Kingdom” church. You may not be an Adventist. But if your pastor teaches that the Bible is erroneous, or that the Bible is not enough, or that there must be extra-biblical revelation, BEWARE! There is a reason why the Bible does not line up with your pastor’s teaching! If your pastor gets up and says, “This passage was not translated correctly,” WATCH OUT! He’s teaching that the Bible is wrong and he is right! If your pastor teaches this, there is great danger here! Your church may not be a cult, but your pastor most definitely possesses one of the cults’ characteristics.

The Bible is absolutely complete and accurate. It needs nothing more to substantiate it. Anyone who adds to it, takes from it, rewrites it, or contradicts it is absolutely wrong in every instance!

The Love of God

Ephesians 3:17-19 – “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”

No subject has seized my attention, filling my mind with awe at its truth, as has the grand subject of the love of God. Authors have tried to pen it, but have never done the matter justice. Songwriters have tried to express this subject in time and measure, but have only left the subject much more complex than the song. Preachers have tried to declare it, but as Dr. B.R. Lakin said, “You may as well try to describe a sunset to a blind man” as to expound clearly upon the love of God!

One noteworthy truth concerning the scriptures’ mention of the love of God is that the phrases, “love of God,” and “love of Christ,” are absent from the sacred writings of the Old Testament. In Deuteronomy 6:5, Israel was commanded thus – “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” While Israel was commanded to love God, there is little mention of God’s love in the Old Testament. Please note, I am not saying that God did not love His people Israel. Neither am I saying that the Old Testament does not tell us so. However, I am saying, that there is very little emphasis on the love of God in the Old Testament, especially when compared with the New. This should not be surprising. The law was never kept out of love; but out of debt (or, obligation; Romans 4:4). The law was never intended to give life, for if it could have done so, then Christ died in vain (Galatians 2:21). The law only administered death. The law only condemned. Outside of condemnation and death, the law could do nothing (Romans 8:3). The scriptures tell us that Jesus Christ came in a body like ours to condemn sin in the flesh. When He did so, it was at this time that the love of God toward man appeared (Titus 3:4)! Before Christ came, the love of God could only be seen through the keen lens of types and shadows. But now, on this side of Calvary, even the most self-centered, nearsighted individual can see clearly the love of God demonstrated toward every lost sinner! No matter how farsighted a person may be, the love of God shown at Calvary, where He gave His only begotten Son, is not so far that it is out of sight!

Understanding that the love of God is little mentioned in the Old Testament, it becomes clear why those who emphasize the law of God and justice of God care little about the love of God. I have written much in this blog concerning the justice of God. I have shown oftentimes that man is condemned in His sins, and that this condemnation leads to Hell. God’s love and God’s justice must be equally balanced. I have shown numerous times that God can treat me as innocent only because His justice was satisfied when Christ, who knew no sin, took my sins upon Himself, and paid the penalty for them in full! I do not preach the love of God apart from the justice of God. I do not preach God’s love for the sinner apart from God’s hatred for the sin. However, there are some who preach only the law of God, but they never preach that Jesus fulfilled the law entirely, including the death penalty that was upon you and me.

I have been saved for more than twenty-three years, and I am honestly amazed at the love of God more at this moment than I ever have been. One preacher was asked the question, “Why did Jesus choose Judas, if He knew Judas would betray Him?”

The preacher responded, “I’ve been struggling with a question harder than that one!”

“What question is that?”

“You’ve been wondering why Jesus chose Judas,” the preacher began. “But I’ve been wondering why Jesus chose me!”

I pray that, as Paul the Apostle stated in the first passage in this post, we may be able to gain some comprehension of Christ’s great love for us!

Hunger

Matthew 5:6 - "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled."

Evidence of Hunger
The Bible gives us a story of a great famine in II Kings 6:25-33. In this account, we are told that there was a famine in the land of Samaria. The famine was so bad that a donkey's head was sold for eighty pieces of silver. Dove's dung was sold for five pieces of silver. Now, I cannot imagine being hungry enough to eat dove's dung or a donkey's head. But, they say that if you get hungry enough, you will eat anything.

However, the famine gets even worse. We are told further that two woman make a pact. Their agreement is this: on one day, they will boil one of their sons, and eat him. On the next day, they will boil the other woman's son, and eat him. However, we are told they actually boiled and ate one of their sons on the first day. But, on the second day, the other woman hid her son.

Here, we are told about people actually eating a donkey's head. It is reported by God's Word that during this time, people actually ate dove's dung. As if that is not gross enough, we are then told that people were actually eating people. The chief sign of hunger is made clear in this statement: When you get hungry enough, you will eat anything. Many Americans know nothing about real hunger. Most of our hunger is "habit hunger." A good percentage of our eating is a direct result from boredom. But there are those in this world who know what it is to be genuinely hungry. There are those who give evidence that they are hungry when they are ready to eat absolutely anything.

A Hungry World
It is evident to me that we live in a world of people who are starving to death. I know they are starving because they will eat absolutely anything. The atheist and agnostic will laugh at my belief in God and His Bible. But then, I examine the pitiful theories they swallow. The Big Bang Theory, the theory of evolution, and even the theory that the universe came from nothing are all laughable explanations of the existence of the universe and mankind. If you believe in this nonsense, you are swallowing a donkey's head. But when you get hungry enough, you will eat anything. Atheists are starving, and the way that sit down and eat filthy slop proves it.

Some of the most confused people today are religious people. Religion never has satisfied the hunger of man, nor ever will. When I see Muslims with their face to the floor, bowing to their god, some of them willing to sacrifice their own life - and still have no assurance that their god is pleased with them, their willingness to eat a donkey's head reveals their true starvation. When I see Catholics keeping sacraments, observing traditions, reciting prayers, worshipping Mary, and praying to saints, their willing to eat slop shows how hungry they really are. Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, and other cults who emphasize men other than Jesus Christ are so hungry they are willing to swallow anything!

I Am Satisfied
I can write with confidence that I am satisfied. I was starving at one time, but I found the bread of life. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." The key phrase is "after righteousness." I got tired of eating the donkey's head. I was sick of dove's dung. I finally cried out in my spirit "Just any piece of flesh won't do!" Then, the gospel was preached to me. It made me hungry and thirsty for righteousness! It may be wrong to be picky about what you eat when you are hungry, but I got picky! I got to the place where it had to be righteousness, or I wasn't eating it! Jesus is the bread of life, and He is the only substance that will satisfy. When I found Jesus, I found bread that stopped the hunger pains. I found water that quenched my thirst to the extent that I never thirsted again! I have found that there is always a vast supply! I'll never need to go back to the donkey's head, or the dove's dung. I'll never need to go back to unsatisfying religions and creeds. I'll never need to settle for the pitiful theories that some swallow. Once you've tasted of Jesus Christ, you'll never be deceived by something other than righteousness! I was at a church recently where someone got up and said, "Someone here has a headache." This man was supposed to be prophesying. God was supposed to be telling him that someone in the crowd had a headache. Let me shine a little light on this for you - In a crowd of four, someone's got a headache. That's not God! God had nothing to do with that man's "prophecy." When you have tasted of the real bread from heaven, dove's dung doesn't entice you! That night when that man prophesied that someone had a headache, would you believe that there were those who swallowed that mess? Yes, when you get to where you're starving, you'll eat anything!

Why don't you cast the dove's dung away and partake of the bread of life? One bite, and you'll never have to sit down to a plate of slop.

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled!"

The Worst Kind of Backsliding

Galatians 5:4 - "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."

If God Examined Your Works
Suppose you were called upon by Almighty God to stand before Him right now. Suppose the Lord required this of you for the purpose of examining your works. As you stand in the presence of a just, holy God, He gives you the orders of how your works will be examined. He tells you to present your best works first, then your evil, bad, corrupt works.

So, you prepare to show the Lord your best works. You go to church regularly; so you present it to the Lord. You give to work of God; so you make that known to Him. You treat your neighbors in a kind fashion; so you do not hesitate to call names of your neighbors to whom you have shown kindness. Then, you stop for a minute. You think, making sure you can tell of another good work, without stretching the truth in any way. You tell the Lord, that, you are not a gossiper. You do not spread rumors on people. You do not lie. You give to charity. You pay all of your bills on time. When you owe money to any party, you are prompt to pay what you owe. You study the Bible regularly. You pray every day. You even fast on a regular basis. You make it a point to witness to so many people a week. And, you go on and on. Hours pass, and you still rattling off your best works. In your mind, you are thinking, "This isn't so bad; I'm a lot better than I thought I was!" You present your good works to the Lord for eight solid hours. Then, after a period of silence, the Lord asks simply, "Are you finished presenting your best works?" You answer, "Yes." There is another long silence before the Lord responds to all these good works you have presented to Him. You wait, wondering what the Lord will say about all these great things you have done. Suddenly, you hear a sound from the throne. You listen, but can't make out the words. Then, you realize that the Lord is not speaking; He is gagging at all your good works. Your BEST WORKS have made the Lord regurgitate all over heaven. This is the Lord's response to your BEST WORKS; you have not even presented your evil works yet!

Oh, you think this is far fetched. It's only an analogy, but it correctly reflects the Lord's opinions of your best works.

Isaiah 64:6 - "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

ALL our righteousnesses are as FILTHY RAGS! When we think of filth, we think of homosexuality (and it absolutely is). When we think of filth, we think of adultery, fornication, pornography, lying, stealing, cheating, child molestation, child abuse, domestic abuse, legalized murder of babies, and sins of this nature. And, yes, every one of these things are sheer filth in the sight of a holy and just God.

But God used this word, "filth" to describe our goodness; our best righteousness.

The Pharisees' Religion - A Religion of Righteousness
Upon reading the New Testament, you quickly discover a religious group of people called Pharisees. They strove to keep every jot and tittle of the law of Moses, even adding to it! They were strict. They had rules and regulations. Jesus spoke of their righteousness. Notice:

Matthew 5:20 - "For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven."

Here, Jesus speaks to a multitude, using the Pharisees as an example. He tells the people, "If you are not more righteous than the Pharisees, you'll not enter the kingdom of heaven!" The Pharisees were the strictest bunch around! I'm not sure it was even possible to get more strict than they were (I've been in churches that have tried)! Know this: Jesus was not teaching, that to go heaven, you must be more strict than the Pharisees. However, He was teaching that you have to be more righteous than they were. Then, Jesus begins to expound.

"You have heard it said, Thou shalt not commit adultery," He begins. "But I say unto you, He that looketh upon a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already in his heart." The rules of the Pharisees dealt with actions; Jesus was dealing with the heart!

Then Jesus goes on to say that they have heard the command, "Thou shalt not kill." But He informs them, "I say unto you, if you are angry with your brother without a cause, you are in danger of the judgment." Again, Jesus deals with the heart!

The problem with the righteousness of the Pharisees is that their righteousness didn't go DEEP ENOUGH. It didn't get into the heart. Their righteousness was manifested in rule-keeping. There was never a change of heart!

I have heard Holiness preachers say that we are going to have to be more strict than the Pharisees to get to heaven. But Jesus was NOT teaching us to have more rules than them; He was rather teaching us to be more righteous than them. We need a righteousness that is not merely conformity to a rule, but rather a change of heart. There's only one thing that will change your heart from filthy to clean - the blood of Jesus Christ!

II Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."

The Most Important Fact You Will Ever Learn
When a person hears a clear declaration of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and decides to respond, the first thing that the individual must do is let go of every feeble, sorry effort to save himself. You are not fully trusting Christ if you are trusting in any effort of your own to save yourself. The greatest truth you will ever admit is that you are hopelessly lost - that your best works are pitiful and disgusting in the presence of a holy God. Once you realize this, salvation is on the horizon! Help is on the way!

How the Galatians Fell from Grace
At the beginning of this blog post, I opened with a scripture from Galatians 5:4, which shows us that the Galatian churches were fallen from grace. Those in the Galatian churches realized this truth. At some point (probably under Paul's preaching), the Galatians heard the gospel. They finally let go of their religion of works, and trusted Jesus only for their salvation. Every lost person must do this if they expect to be saved. You must let go of every philosophy, ideal, religion, creed, and everything else, placing all of your faith in Jesus Christ alone.

But at some point, the Galatians slowly began going backwards. They had backslidden; they had fallen from grace. There is a very important fact we must realize about this backsliding. The Galatians did not go back to doing evil works; they went back to trusting in GOOD WORKS. The Galatians did not forsake Christ to become murderers, thieves, extortioners, liars, adulterers, homosexuals, and the such like. There is a backslidden state worse than that! And that is the state in which the Galatians found themselves! The only state worse than falling from grace to become a murderer or a thief is to fall from the grace of God, trusting in your works rather than in Jesus Christ.

In the third chapter of Galatians, Paul describes the method by which the Galatians fell.

Galatians 3:3 - "Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?"

The Galatians began their walk with God at "the altar," if you will. They began their journey realizing that if they were to be saved, Christ would have to do it, for they could not save themselves. They cast aside every work of their own and trusted solely in Christ. They began IN THE SPIRIT. But now, they went back to trusting in works to keep them saved. I've heard it over and over - "Oh, the Lord will save you. But if you're going to 'stay saved,' you have to..." and then the list of works is preached. Dear reader, get this straight. If works can't get me saved, works can't keep me saved! If going to church won't save me, going to church won't keep me. If paying my tithes won't save me, paying my tithes won't keep me. If dressing modestly won't save me, dressing modestly won't keep me.

Paul plainly asks the Galatians in Galatians 3:3, "Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?" You began trusting in Jesus, and now you're going back to a bunch of works that couldn't save you to start with???? Paul is flabbergasted! He is absolutely beside himself! He is certain that he taught them better than that! He has preached to them that Christ is their only hope, and now they are trusting their works to keep them saved!

No, the Galatians wouldn't fit a "backslider's category" among many churches. But Paul said they were fallen from grace. Not because they went back to BAD WORKS; but because they went back to trusting in GOOD WORKS.

Yes, placing faith in good works to keep you saved is the worse kind of backsliding that has ever been. Look at what Paul tells the Galatians about trusting in good works to keep them saved:

1) Works cannot justify - Galatians 2:16
2) Rebuilding works once destroyed makes you a transgressor - Galatians 2:19
3) If works could justify, Christ died on the cross in vain - Galatians 2:21
4) If you trust in works, Christ is become of no effect - Galatians 5:4
5) If you trust in works, you are fallen from grace - Galatians 5:4

Clearly, trusting in works after you are saved is backsliding as much as anything. We must trust in Christ for salvation, and in Christ alone.

Nothing can for sin atone; Nothing but the blood of Jesus!
Naught of good that I have done; Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Oh, precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow!
No other fount I know!
Nothing but the blood of Jesus!*

*Robert Lowry