Do Christianity & Survivalism Mix?

 

Introduction

 

With all the chaos and crime in our society and all the signs of the collapse of our economy and the decline of our civilization, many people today, including Christians, are very much concerned about the welfare of themselves and their families. And so, in response to the great instability in our world, Christians and non-Christians alike, are advocating survivalism, meaning, preparing for the worst: a total collapse of society. Usually the way of preparing for such a collapse involves stockpiling food and other goods that may become scarce if a natural, economic or terrorist-caused disaster should occur. Another way of preparing for the worst involves moving out of the cities and suburbs to rural homes and living off the land with the focus on being as self-sufficient as possible.

 

What does the Bible teach?

 

Naturally, as Christians, we want to do what is biblically correct in responding to issues of life such as this. And in that light, we as Christians, need to ask the question “Do Christians and Survivalists mix?” Probably the best place to start, in answering this question is Matthew chapter 6 where we read:

 

Matthew 6:24 – “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 

Now what is the Lord saying in the above verses? Well, it seems He is certainly not advocating survivalism or self-sufficiency. He is advocating a heavenly focus that includes trusting God to meet our needs rather than worrying about the things that the Gentiles worry about (or the survivalists worry about for that matter). Granted, God is not saying we should be irresponsible about managing our households and providing for our families, but we must be sure to differentiate between providing for our families versus hoarding goods that we will have to protect by buying guns and building fortresses.

 

What matters is our motives

 

It really boils down to this:

 

Is survivalism just another way of providing for one’s family?

 

We can answer that question by asking ourselves some other questions:

 

1. Am I interested in survivalism for the glory of God and the advancement of His Kingdom?

2. If I do stockpile supplies and someone tries to rob me of them during a crisis, am I going to trust the Lord to protect and provide at that point?

 

If we can answer the above questions in the affirmative, then we can say that our motives for disaster preparation are scripturally sound. For instance, if I stockpile Bibles and Gospel literature for distribution during a crisis or disaster, I am doing something of benefit to the kingdom of God. If I stockpile food and medical supplies to aid those who are in need, in the interest of spreading the Gospel and to be a good testimony for Christ, then indeed, my approach to survivalism is not contrary to scripture. However, if I shoot anyone who tries to take my supplies during a crisis, I am not glorifying God because I am not trusting Him to protect and provide. I am trusting in my own strength and my own self-sufficiency and I am telling the world that I am selfish an unmerciful. And as Paul asked in 1 Corinthians 4:7: “what hast thou that thou didst not receive?” We dare not kill people over things that are a gift from God in the first place. Perhaps if we have a survivalist philosophy, we should examine ourselves to see if we may be coveting our own self-provided security.

 

What about Noah?

 

Didn’t Noah warn people and prepare his family for disaster? Oh yes, he most certainly did. But the story of Noah is a spiritual picture, not a material-world picture, especially in light of Matthew 6:33 mentioned above: “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness”. Noah’s story is not meant to be an example of survivalism for the unsaved to learn from. His story is not supposed to be used to justify barn-building and self-preservation. Rather, Noah’s story is a great example of evangelism for the saved to learn from. It is an example of God’s mercy and grace to be used to show how God warns the lost to prepare for spiritual disaster – the coming wrath of God. Attempting to hold onto that which we can’t keep forever anyway (material things), instead of sharing that which we can never lose (salvation), is not a scripturally wise use of our time, energy and resources. This even applies to our own children too. If God wants to take them home with Him, it does not matter how hard we try to hold onto them. It is to no avail.

 

Must we help people who ignore our warnings?

 

What if we warn people about a potential crisis or disaster and they do not prepare for it as we do? Should we help them when the disaster strikes, if they have ignored our warnings? The above questions are only legitimate if our disaster preparations are for the glory of God. Assuming our motives are OK, I believe that the Bible’s teachings on mercy and forgiveness provide the answer to these questions:

 

Matthew 5:7 – “Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.”

 

Matthew 18:21 – “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.”

 

We must remember that we are sinners saved by grace, as powerfully noted in Luke 18:13 where Jesus talked about the publican (tax collector) who “would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner”. We must remember that Christ shows His mercy to us every day, even though we continue to sin. Therefore, we need to realize that if there is an opportunity to glorify God by showing mercy to people, we need to do so. And yes, it will cost us.

 

Can we use any scriptures to justify withholding mercy to someone?

 

Christians certainly must be as wise as serpents and gentle as doves, so we are not compelled to help people who squander their money on unnecessary things or who will use food or money to buy sinful things (such as drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, pornography, etc.). However, if someone has a need caused by genuine hard times, and we can meet that need, we are compelled to do something:

 

Matthew 5:38 – “Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also. 41 And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. 42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. 43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? 47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? 48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”

 

Shouldn’t we do everything we can to protect our families?

 

Most certainly we should protect our families provided we do not put our families or anything ahead of God and His will. A true believer’s primary focus should be spiritual and not physical:

 

Matthew 6:33 – “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

 

Luke 14:26 – “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.”

 

The Bible tells us not to be unnecessarily preoccupied with this world and the Bible makes it clear that God provides for our needs “according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus,” (Php 4:19) that is, according to God’s plan by which He bestows upon us the riches of heaven.

 

Matthew 10:29 – “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”

 

Planning for which future, which world?

 

We need to do our best as Christians to remain debt free and to plan for the future, so that we are not a bad witness to the world and so that we are not an unnecessary burden to others. We also need to be faithful providers for our households. But that does not mean that we should be thinking like those whose only hope is in this world, else why would the Lord have said:

 

Matthew 6:19 – “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal”

 

It is very important that Christians do all that they can to let the world know that they prefer to store up treasure in heaven. It is also very important that Christians do all that they can to tell the world that they seek a better kingdom, as Abraham sought:

 

Hebrews 11:10 – “For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

 

Conclusion

 

While it is admirable to provide for one’s family as best as one can, we can even take this activity to an extreme. I believe that God desires that we never lose sight of the fact that His kingdom is not of this world. Also, He commands us to be in the world but not of it. So we are not to isolate ourselves from the world, protecting just ourselves and our families with our stockpiles when a catastrophe hits that others have not prepared for. Where would the redeemed be if Christ had taken that approach and stayed in glory in heaven, safe and secure from the crowds who would one day shout “Crucify him! Crucify him!”? Indeed, where would the elect of God be if Christ had not humbled Himself and come into this sin cursed world to share His eternal riches and glory with worms like us who are so reprobate that we would demand the death of the blessed Creator of heaven and earth? May God have mercy on us if we as true believers lose sight of our purpose here on earth and start to live as if this world is all there is.

 

“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:
and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”
Matthew 16:25




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Fake-ianity – Counterfeit Christianity For Modern Man

fake false counterfeit church practices

“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
[2Timothy 3:5]

 

Fake-ianity? What’s that?

 

Fake-ianity is imitation Christianity… Christianity without meat, superficial at its best, counterfeit at its worst.  Another name for it is “churchianity”.  How do we know if we are involved in fake-ianity.  Well, there are some very obvious signs. For one thing, it involves fake fellowship, fake worship, fake discipleship, fake communion, fake evangelism and a fake gospel…

 

Fake fellowship:

Sitting in rows, staring at the back of people’s heads – people who are supposed to be your spiritual brothers and sisters – and only talking to any of these “brothers and sisters” for a brief fraction of the times that you meet, and rarely going to one another’s homes to spend any quality time together like you would with your family members.  So much for being “the household of faith” [Galatians 6:10].

 

Fake worship:

Playing “Simon Says” with a paid professional master of ceremonies, and calling it “not forsaking the assembling of each other” [Hebrews 10:25].  It is amazing how many people think this is how God wants to be worshipped.

 

Fake discipleship:

Having one guy – who has been indoctrinated by a seminary – teach everybody else, in large “sterile” groups without ever letting anyone interact and get to know each other or their gifts, talents and shortcomings and without letting anyone question or correct the big shot – the “untouchable” guy up front.

 

“The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?” [Jeremiah 5:31]

 

Fake communion:

Drinking a thimble full of grape juice and eating a crumb broken off of a cracker in some cavernous building that nobody lives in, instead of eating a real fellowship meal in one another’s homes where you might actually have an opportunity to get to know the people you’re going to be spending eternity with – the people your Savior said you’re supposed to lay your life down for [1John 3:16].

 

Fake evangelism:

Inviting people to fun “events” in your formal special-purpose buildings where your fearless leader tells everyone that Jesus loves them and “all ya gotta do is accept Him”.  Forget about hell [Luke 12:5], repentance [Luke 13:5], and the fact that God hates the workers of iniquity [Psalm 5:5].  And forget about getting out of your comfort zone and actually sharing the gospel with people you meet out in the marketplace [Luke 14:23].

 

Fake gospel:

Telling spiritually dead sinners [Ephesians 2:1] that they have a free will to choose Christ when in fact God says their wicked sinful hearts are incapable of turning towards Him, until and unless He FIRST takes out their heart of stone and gives them a heart of flesh [Ezekiel 36:25-27]. The fake gospel declares that lost sinners are not as lost as God says they are.  The fake gospel puts sinners in charge of their own salvation when in reality, Jesus is the author AND finisher of one’s faith [Hebrews 12:2] and the sinner is completely at the mercy of God [Titus 3:5] and without hope for all eternity unless God in His good pleasure decides to grant salvation [Acts 11:18] to the blind, deaf and dumb rebel.

 

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils” [1Timothy 4:1]

 

Why settle for fake-ianity when you can have the real thing?

 

That’s right!  Not only can you HAVE the real thing, if you are a true believer in Christ, you are COMMANDED to worship God in spirit and in truth [John 4:24].

 

True Fellowship:

Meeting in one another’s homes, praying for one another (not according to some formal prayer list that you forget about after you depart from one another), bearing one another’s burdens (helping each other out like family members).

 

True worship:

Obeying God even when it is difficult, not just when it is easy. True worship is rooted in obedience to God according to scripture and praising God and thanking God even outside of the four walls of a church building.

 

True discipleship:

Making it your OWN responsibility to continually learn more about scripture and constantly sharing what God teaches you with others, not depending on some paid professional to spoon feed you whatever he feels like talking to you about.

 

True communion:

Having a real meal during which you break bread and share the fruit of the vine in remembrance of what Christ did for His Bride at Calvary and in anticipation of the coming wedding feast of the Lamb [Revelation 19:9].  You should certainly expect the marriage supper in heaven will include a whole lot more than a cracker crumb and a thimble sized glass of grape juice.  You can be sure that the marriage feast at Canaan [John 2:9] included more than that and the “last supper” included more than that.

 

True evangelism:

Personally sharing the gospel wherever God puts you, right where you are at for that matter, not leaving it to the professional evangelists.  Warning everyone you can – about God’s coming judgment and wrath – and pointing them to the only remedy for sin and damnation, the only Savior and God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

True gospel:

Telling sinners they are lost and without hope and completely at the mercy of a God who hates sin AND sinners [Psalm 5:5-6, Psalm 11:5-6].  Letting them know that they are totally unfit for a place as holy and sinless as heaven until and unless the God of that heaven grants them salvation through the power of the Holy Spirit and the preaching of God’s word.

 

And who really does things the “true” way?  Not many, but there is a remnant – the true church, the persecuted church, the underground church, those who are true sheep and who are capable of discerning true worship from false, true fellowship from false, and sheep who by God’s grace can tell the true shepherds from the hirelings:

 

“This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.  Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.  All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.  But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.  The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.  I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.” [John 10:6-14]

 

Lastly, there are a lot of seminary professors who need to read Matthew 23:15, examining themselves in the light of Scripture to see if it applies to themselves:

 

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” [Matthew 23:15]

 

Christianity was never meant to be a career, but a way of life, for both fisherman and tax collector, tent maker and physician.  Church was never meant to be a business nor a building, but rather a coming together of like-minded, blood-bought followers of Christ, seeking to worship Him “in spirit and in truth” in the humbleness and intimacy of their own homes, not in some sterile building that only serves to insulate people from each other.  But just as the governments of the world seek to dumb-down their citizenry to better control them, we see the institutional church wants dumbed down congregants who can be coaxed every week into keeping the machinery oiled, caring very little for the needs of the sheep – being preoccupied with maintaining the status quo.

 

So why don’t people just abandon fake-ianity?  Well they either aren’t really saved, and thus have no hunger and thirst for the genuine things of the Kingdom of God (and so counterfeit religion is just fine with them), or else they figure it just costs too much… they’ll have to get too far out of their comfort zone and stop being pew potatoes and start reaching out the the lost and to their brothers and sisters in Christ.  Or in the case of church leaders, they’ll have to get a job where they have to deal with people who might actually not like real Christians who want to live, talk and act in God-glorifying ways.

 

Other articles about church apostasy and false Christian doctrines & practices:





False Doctrines In Christianity Today

false Christian doctrine preacher teacher evangelist

 

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” [3 John 1:4]

 

Many well meaning yet mis-taught Christians and others who claim to be Christians are preaching lots of things that sound ‘good’ on the surface but at the root are anything but true. Some of these lies (modern unscriptural ideas about Christianity) are discussed below as a wake-up call to all true born-again Bible-believing disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 


LIE #1: God wants his children to be financially prosperous.

 

Matt 6:19-20 – “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal”

 

Luke 18:22 – “Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.”

 

Matt 8:20 – “And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”

 

First and foremost, a Christian should be content in all things and should be overjoyed with the tremendous spiritual blessing of salvation that Christ paid such an enormous price for.  God causes it to rain on the just and the unjust.  Some Christians will have more money than others and some with have better health than others.  It is all a matter of God’s sovereign will, as to whom He blesses, in what way, and at what time.

 

SEE ALSO: The “Prosperity Gospel”

 


LIE #2: If you have enough faith God will give you whatever you ask for.

 

James 4:3 – “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

 

1 John 5:14 – “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us”

 

God is not a genie in a bottle. He does not perform miracles based upon the power of our minds.  A true and faithful Christian will be thinking primarily about giving and serving and not about what they can get from God.

 

SEE ALSO: The “Prosperity Gospel”

 


LIE #3: Don’t speak out against sin or against error because you might offend someone or you will be guilty of being legalistic.

 

Gal 4:16 – “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?”

 

Jude 1:3 – “Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”

 

Luke 17:3 – “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.”

 

1 Tim 5:20 – “Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.”

 

Matt 15:12-24 – “Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”

 

Matt 24:10-11 – “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.”

 

Rom 6:1,2 – “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”

 

2 Pet 3:14 – “Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”

 

John 7:24 – “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”

 

Jesus spoke out against sin. John the Baptist spoke out against sin.  Paul spoke out against sin.  All the Old Testament prophets spoke out against sin.  Speaking out about sin and error is a primary way of keeping the Church pure and keeping it focused on the biblical way of living. Similarly, if a parent ignored or continually overlooked the disobedience of their children, it would be a sign that they hate their children: “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.”  [Proverbs 13:24 ]

 

SEE ALSO: The Need Of the Hour – To Contend Earnestly.

 


LIE #4: Unity is more important than doctrine.

 

Psa 138:2 – “… thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”

 

2 Tim 4:3-4 – “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”

 

Division amongst true believers is not a good thing. Believers should be committed to working out disagreements and studying doctrine to be sure all are in harmony with scripture. However, unity at the expense of truth is an act of treason against God and His word.

 

SEE ALSO: Warnings About Ecumenicalism

 


LIE #5: Christians should work together with whoever is pro-family and pro-life.

 

2 Cor 6:14-17 – “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord”

 

We must realize that all who name the name of Christ are not necessarily Christians.  Many folks say they believe in Jesus and do various “good” works, but do not know the true Gospel of salvation by grace alone through the completed work of Christ alone. This includes most, if not all Catholics and many so-called evangelical Christians.  A true believer’s primary concern should be that no stumbling blocks get in our way of preaching the truth of scripture.  A social ministry or social cause is never more important than the spiritual ministry of preaching the Gospel.  You can feed all the poor in the world and if they do not hear and believe the gospel they will end up in hell for all eternity.

 

SEE ALSO: The Social Gospel – What is it and is it biblical?

 


LIE #6: It is OK for a woman to be a pastor or to have teaching authority over men in the church, especially if there is a shortage of qualified men.

 

To that claim I ask: “How can a woman be the husband of one wife?”…

 

1 Tim3:2 – “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach”

 

Titus 1:6 – “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.”

 

1 Tim 2:12 – “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”

 

SEE ALSO: Doing Church – the Bible way, Leadership Issues

 


LIE #7: God loves everybody.

 

Psa 5:5 – “The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.”

 

Psa 11:5 – “The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.”

 

Rom 9:13-15 – “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy”

 

Rom 9:21-23 – “Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory”

 

Who are we – whose minds are corrupted through and through by sin – to tell God what is fair or whom He should love?  Yet many professing Christians think that the idea that God would hate any of His creatures or would predestine any of them to Hell is a awful God.  Rather, we should say that God is a wonderful God to think that He would humble Himself as a man and would subject Himself to the agony and humiliation of the cross to save even a single rebellious sinner such as you or I. 

 

SEE ALSO: Who Does God Love?

 


LIE #8: Jesus died for everyone.

 

Matt 22:14 – “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

 

Mark 13:20 – “… but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days.”

 

John 15:16 – “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you …”

 

Acts 13:48 – “… and as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.”

 

John 1:12-13 – “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

 

Eph 1:4-11 – “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will”

 

2 Thes 2:13 – “But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth”

 

If Jesus died for everyone, then everyone’s sins are paid for and no one will be in Hell. But if that is the case, then why did Jesus warn so many people about Hell and why does the Bible say that Hell will be full of many rebellious sinners?

 

SEE ALSO: Who Accepts Whom? and: Free Will – A Slave

 


LIE #9: All babies and small children that die go to heaven because God would not condemn anyone who has not reached ‘the age of accountability’.

 

Psa 51:5 – “Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

 

Psa 58:3 – “The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.”

 

First of all, who says you have to reach an age of accountability to be a sinner?  God declares that we are born with a sin-sick (unredeemed) soul, thereby making us unfit to be in His presence.  God sovereignly determines which infants, children and adults He will ordain to eternal life no matter how short their lives may be.  Perhaps He has even ordained that all who die in infancy will be among the elect. But that should not be the concern of the Christian.  A believer’s attitude about what God does should always be: “not my will, but thine, be done.” And let us not forget the words of Christ in Matthew chapter 20: “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?  So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” [Matthew 20:15-16]

 

SEE ALSO: The Sovereignty Of God and The God Nobody Knows

 


LIE #10: Signs and wonders are evidences of being a Christian – a true child of God.

 

1 Cor 12:30 – “Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?”

 

1 Cor 14:11 – “Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.”

 

Matt 12:39 – “… An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas”

 

It is not tongues speaking or any other miraculous signs that confirm our conversion to Christ. True signs of salvation consist of a changed attitude about God and sin as evidenced by a love for holiness (John 14:21, Heb 12:14), for the brethren (1John 3:14), the lost (Matt 5:44) and biblical truth (John 18:37).

 

SEE ALSO: Are You Filled With The Spirit?

 


LIE #11: You can commit blasphemy of the Holy Spirit if you question the source of someone’s tongues utterances, tongues interpretations, or messages from God.

 

1Thes 5:21 “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”

 

1 John 4:1 – “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

 

Rev 22:18 – “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book”

 

A wise servant of Christ will always question things when the Spirit in him prompts him to do so.  Shame of those who try to discourage believers from testing the Spirits and prove all things.

 

SEE ALSO: What’s All This Talk About Tongues? and A Scriptural Perspective of Tongues

 


LIE #12: We should not question someone’s salvation.

 

1 John 4:1 – “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

 

Matt 7:15-16 – “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits.”

 

2 Cor 13:5 – “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”

 

What’s wrong with questioning someone’s salvation? Will we hurt their feelings? Isn’t better to urge people to examine themselves to see if they are in the faith than to give them a false sense of security by not questioning their salvation when we continually see bad fruit in their lives?

 

SEE ALSO: Am I Saved?, Does God Love You?, Are You Born Again?, Be Sure!, Does Your Religion Satisfy God?, Only Two!, Have You Been Born Twice?, and Why Good People Do Not Go To Heaven

 


LIE #13: God doesn’t mind if we use religious statues, pictures or medallions as aids to worship.

 

Exo 20:4-5 – “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them”

 

Deut 29:17 – “And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them”

 

Psa 135:15-18 -“The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths. They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.”

 

1Cor 10:14 – “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry”

 

2 Cor 6:16 – “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols?”

 

1John 5:21 – “Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”

 

Rev 9:20 – “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk

 

SEE ALSO: The idols of Catholicism

 


LIE #14: You can get yourself saved anytime you want just by saying a prayer telling Jesus that you accept Him as your Saviour.

 

Acts 15:8 – “And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us”

 

Jonah 2:9 – “Salvation is of the LORD.”

 

Mat 7:21-23 – “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”

 

Mat 18:3 – “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

 

Matt 15:8 – “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.”

 

Luke 13:3 – “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”

 

John 3:3 – “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

 

The Sovereign God of the universe is in charge of salvation, not the rebellious sinner.  The idea that God is a “gentleman” who will not force anyone to accept Him is a human invention that puts the sinner in the driver’s seat and God on the sidelines waiting to see what the spiritually dead sinner will do.

 

SEE ALSO: What The Gospel Is And Is Not

 


LIE #15: God doesn’t care what we expose ourselves to (music, radio & TV programs, movies, reading material, etc.) as long as it has a positive message.

 

James 4:4 – “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”

 

Psa 101:3 – “I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes

 

Deuteronomy 7:26 – “Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing.”

 

SEE ALSO: Does it matter what I look at?

 


LIE #16: You can lose your salvation.

 

Rom 5:11 – “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”

 

John 3:18 – “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

 

1 John 5:13 – “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

 

John 10:28 – “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

 

Jude 1:24 – “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy”

 

SEE ALSO: Eternal Security & Backsliding

 


LIE #17: Evangelism is only an activity for Christians who have that gift.

 
While it is true that not everyone has the “gift” of evangelism, all who love the Lord will want to tell others ABOUT HIM and lead others TO HIM, just like when a man wants to tell his family about finding the woman of his dreams. We see that type of attitude in the woman at the well in John 4:29 “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?”. Also, a Christian who truly loves and cares about their lost loved ones will want to warn them to flee the wrath to come.
 

2 Cor 5:20 – “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

 

James 5:20 – “Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.”

 

Mat 10:32-33 – “Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”

 

Ezek 33:8 – “When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.”

 

SEE ALSO: Helps for sharing the true Gospel and Why Christians Must Share The Gospel

 


LIE #18: Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, 7th Day Adventists and Roman Catholics are all members of legitimate Christian churches.

 

Rev 22:18 – “If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.”

 

The Mormon church has added the Book of Mormon, The Jehovah Witness Watchtower organization has created the corrupt New World Translation bible, The Adventist churches have added Ellen G. White’s writings, and the Catholic Church has added the Catholic Catechism, all of which are used to elevate the teachings of these organizations above the Holy Bible. The Bible teaches salvation by God’s grace alone!

 
SUMMARY:

 

So what do you do if you are in a church that preaches any of the above lies? The Bible says we are to be our brother’s keeper and to convert a sinner from the error of his way (James 5:20). So we must graciously and gently bring error to the attention of those who are preaching it. There are two problems in most conventional churches that prevent correction from occuring:

  • the leaders and teachers are perhaps not saved so they cannot know the truth and cannot receive it unless God opens their blind eyes
  • the church has a clergy/laity distinction that gives the laity (the average church member) the impression that they are not to question or correct the clergy (pastor/elders/teachers) who are somehow infallible or above correction. The use of sermons to teach the congregation is a very good method church leaders use to prevent the congregation from asking “annoying” or embarrassing questions. Whereas, interactive teaching environments promote a healthier, safer teaching forum if the hearers are free to make comments, ask questions and offer correction.

SEE ALSO:





Christianity 101
Important Information For New Christians

guidelines for new Christians

This article is intended to be a very brief crash course highlighting important issues in biblical Christianity for all those who are new to the faith and for all those who wish to find out some important facts that all Christians should be aware of.

 

Rule #1:

Don’t blindly trust what anybody says – not your pastor, not some famous preacher on TV or radio. No one! Be like the Bereans in Acts 17:11 who checked the scriptures to see if what the Apostle Paul said was true…

 

Acts 17:11 – “… they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

 

Rule #2:

Expect people who graduate from seminaries to have a seminary-induced bias about many biblical doctrines – a bias that locks them into a wrong interpretation of things.  And never assume that a religious title or religious degree is a guarantee that some teacher is interpreting scripture properly…

 

1Corinthians 1:26 – “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

 

Rule #3:

Expect to be deceived by the many religious preachers, teachers and authors around you. They know most people don’t bother to really do the kind of research often necessary to determine that they are wrong… 

 

Mark 13:22 – “For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.”

 

Rule #4:

When it comes to being really sure about the correct interpretation of many Bible doctrines, don’t expect it to be an easy task.  You may need to do Greek and Hebrew word studies but fortunately nowadays with computerized as well as printed Bible tools such as concordances, you can uncover biblical truths in far less time than it took Bible students in days gone by…

 

Proverbs 25:2 – “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.”

 

Rule #5:

Expect to be discouraged by the Christians around you. Many will say all the right things and yet will live no differently than the lost people you witness to every day…

 

Luke 12:1 – “In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”

 

Rule #6:

Expect to be have to learn many things yourself without the initiative of church leaders.  Some of those things will include:

  1. Which bible versions are reliable and why?
  2. How do you properly interpret the bible for yourself?
  3. What are the “Doctrines Of Grace” versus the “Free-will gospel”?
  4. What is the social gospel?
  5. What is the ecumenical movement?
  6. Why are tongues and signs and wonders not for today?
  7. Why is it unbiblical for women to teach and oversee a congregation?
  8. Why do people conduct highly structured church meetings in large special purpose buildings when the early church met in ordinary homes?
  9. Why do parents send their kids to public or private schools when the Bible says that it is parents alone who have the primary responsibility for teaching their children?
  10. Why is “tithing” not a biblical practice for the Church? (Giving is biblical, but tithing is not.)

SEE ALSO:





“Church-ianity” or Christianity…
That is the question.

 

Conventional churches are designed to do the following:

  • Insulate us from talking and forming relationships by having everyone sitting in neat little rows.
  • Preventing doctrine from being challenged by only allowing a leadership class to teach.
  • Prevent people from asking difficult questions by having a primary teaching environment (sermon).
  • Avoid having to train up new leaders ourselves, by hiring new leaders from outside.
  • Simplify leadership selection by choosing leaders by academic standards primarily, not by spiritual standards that require years of interacting and really getting to know a man and his wife and children to determine if he has proven his ability to live a godly life, to lead a household, to be committed to others and to know how to teach.

You can find a LOT more information on the subject of how a BIBLICAL local church should function in the articles listed here:  Church – What It’s All About

 
Most local churches are run by men (and even women nowadays) who go to Bible schools where they learn to perpetuate the unbiblical and highly suboptimal “Clergy System“.