The Unbelievers
“Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ?
He is Antichrist who denies the Father and the Son” 1 John 2:22
He is Antichrist who denies the Father and the Son” 1 John 2:22
Some unbelievers called themselves Christian and deceived so many. Jesus warned us of them.
“And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many’,” Matthew 24:4-5.
There are some moments in my life where I do not want to identify myself as a Christian. So many Christians have misled others, especially by the TV evangelists. When I tell someone that I am a Christian, some react with skepticism. The secular society has good reason to be cautious. They seem to know more about us than we Christians know about ourselves. We are in their view hypocrites and opportunists. Unfortunately, they are right, we are, and we do not want to admit it. What identifies us as hypocrites? These commandments:
“By this, all will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another,” John 13:35.
“No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us,” 1 John 4:12.
Christians, we are divided. There are in our time over 30,000 denominations worldwide. In my town, there are seven Christian denominations. If the apostle Paul was alive, to which church would he write a letter? I think he would write to only one Church and he would greet his opening letter in this manner,
“To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:” 1 Corinthians 1:2
Now, replace Corinth with the name of your city or town. “To the church of God, which is at <<your town >>.” Why? Because Jesus’ Church consists of believers, “called to be saints, with all whom in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours”. 1 Corinthians 1:2
Paul’s letter is intended to be read to all seven denominations in my town. This is what I think Paul would communicate:
“Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 1:12
Let me read it in a way that reflects our present time: “Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am Catholic,” or “I am Pentecostal,” or “I am United Church,” or “I am Seventh Day’s Adventist,” or “I am Anglican,” or I am Salvation Army,” or “I am a non-denominational stay at home Christians.” Wow! We are divided, and delusional if denying it.
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| ChurchPros - https://churchpros.blogspot.com/2012/02/should-churches-have-name.html |
Please watch: “Should Churches Have A Name?”http://youtu.be/Kr5ZxRGg8PE, and "I am a Christian and not a Baptist" http://youtu.be/RLmo9rigcA0
According to Wikipedia definition, this is a form of sectarianism –
“According to one definition, is bigotry, discrimination, or hatred arising from attaching importance to perceived differences between subdivisions within a group, such as between different denominations of a religion, class, regional, or factions of a political movement.
Wherever people of different religions live near each other, religious sectarianism can often be found in varying forms and degrees. In some areas, religious sectarians (for example Protestant and Catholic Christians) now exist peacefully side-by-side for the most part.”
Does tolerance reflect a love for one another? Is this what Jesus commanded His church, “To tolerate one another?” Let's read what Paul has to say:
“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you,” 1 Corinthians 1:10-11.
This is the reality; there was division in Paul’s time and there is division among us now. Although we do not kill each other as some did in the past, we do not display love; instead, we show contentment by tolerating one another. Please read my commentary titled “Christianity is like the menu of an Ice Cream Parlour.” Paul explained to the Corinthians to go back to the root of the faith, which is ‘Christ crucified’.
“Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?” 1 Corinthians 1:13
“but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,” 1 Corinthians 1:23.
What divided us? Paul explains:
“But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned,” 1 Corinthians 2:14.
The churches lack spiritual discernment. They each have their statement of belief, which justifies why they are separate from other churches. Please read “My Statement Of Belief: The Whole Bible.” In God’s eyes, there is only one Church and Jesus is the head. Any denomination who claims that Jesus is the head and does not keep His commandment to love one another is a liar.
“If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” 1 John 4:20
God looks at the heart of each individual in all denominations. He knows who are His. To God, there are two types of sons; sons of God and sons of disobedience, (Ephesians 2:2), saved or not saved, believers vs. unbelievers, the wheat and the tares. Please read my commentary title: “INTERFAITH - The Gathering Of The Tares.” They may walk and talk like Christians but are not. They are the ones that deceived, the ones that Jesus talks about in the Olivet Discourse in Matthew 24:
“And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many’,” Matthew 24:4-5.
Who are they? Who are those who come in Jesus' name, use His name, and deceive so many people. You would be surprised that they call themselves Christians but are not believers. That is right they are not believers. That is the reason why the seculars call Christians hypocrites and opportunists. One sure sign of those who deceive is that they cannot explain the true gospel. They teach water down gospel, such as, “Accept Jesus in your heart.” Nevertheless, the secular do not know the difference because they do not understand the scriptures. Many Christians believe that they are saved but are not. That is what I call being dangerously deceived. The apostle John does help us to identify the impostors.
The Disciple John wrote:
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us,” 1 John 2:19.
When I first read this, I had a problem understanding John's statement. I am one of those who are convinced that “once saved always saved”. When I hear him say that “they went out from us, but they were not of us” it seems to imply that they were once saved and lost their salvation. Were they ever saved? We will find the explanation in the book of the gospel of John, that he wrote. John experienced an apostasy while he was a disciple of Jesus. After Jesus taught the gospel to His disciples, many could not understand, could not believe, and simply walked away.
“From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more,” John 6:66.
In the ERV, (Easy-to-Read Version) it is written this way: “After Jesus said these things, many of his followers left and stopped following him.”
In the ERV, (Easy-to-Read Version) it is written this way: “After Jesus said these things, many of his followers left and stopped following him.”
John, while being a disciple of Jesus, did experience a falling away. Twelve disciples are the number we are familiar with who followed Jesus. Actually, there was more. I am unfamiliar with the exact numbers, yet it seems to be a large number. They all witness Jesus' works.
“The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them,” Matthew 11:5.
What gospel was preached? ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand,’ (Matt 10:7). At the early beginning of Jesus' ministry, his disciples assumed that Jesus was going to establish His kingdom, and Israel would be the center of His government on earth for a thousand years. That is exactly what Daniel's 70th-week prophecy implied. Then in John 6, Jesus taught a different gospel, and it was too hard to swallow for many of Jesus’ disciples. Let’s read, starting in verse 26:
Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.
27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
28 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
This, in a nutshell, is the subject of the new gospel: “to believe in Him whom He sent”
In a previous commentary, titled “Satan Lies. Is It That Simple To Detect?”, I mention that Satan's motto was “They must not believe”. Now let’s see what Satan didn’t want anybody to believe. Let’s keep on reading Chapter 6 of John to find out:
30 Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do?
31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.
33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”
35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.
37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day.
40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe.
37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day.
40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Jesus goes further by explaining the new gospel, “I am the bread of life”, which means only through Him can anyone obtain eternal life. The following statement was directed to all His disciples present at the time:
“And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”“Whoever sees the Sons” applied to those present with Him at the time Jesus made the statement, later after His resurrection He stated to Thomas:
“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed,” John 20:29.
Now you think that it would get easier to understand the gospel, not really. This is the daunting part, no one comes to Jesus except God draws him. Keep reading:
44 “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.
45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.
46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.
47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.”
Go back and read v37-39
45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.
46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father.
47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.”
Go back and read v37-39
37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day.
Does that mean anyone who believes in Jesus is pre-destined by God? Which means already chosen?
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren,” Romans 8:29.
“Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified,” Romans 8:30.
“having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,” Ephesians 1:5.
“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,” Ephesians 1:11.
If you read my life experience, title, “When Did I Receive The Gift of Eternal Life?”, it will help you understand what it meant by “Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me,” v.45. I heard and learned from the Father first before being introduced to Jesus to believe in Him. God draught me toward Jesus. I was predestined to make a choice.
Let’s keep on reading:
48 "I am the bread of life.
49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
Many found this statement hard to swallow - literally, and even harder to digest. It is not getting easier when Jesus tells them that they must drink His blood also:
53 “Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.
54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.
56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.
58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.””
54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.
56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.
58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.””
In our language, that was the last straw for many. Jews were forbidden to eat pork and many others considered it unclean food, and eating a human was stretching it.
“60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?””
No kidding! If I would have been there, I would have taught in like manner.
“61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you?”
Not only is it offending, but it is also disgusting.
“62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before?
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.”
63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him.”
Do you understand this? I didn’t for a long time. I would just keep on reading this passage and would not even bother to try to understand. There are two main reasons why it is difficult to understand; first, we think in a secular way,
“For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe,” 1 Corinthians 1:21.
God reveals since we know nothing of the spirit.
“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God,” 1 Corinthians 2:12.
Jesus confirms this in His statement:
“65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
All disciples left, except the original disciples.
66“ From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.”
67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
69 Also, we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”
71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.
68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.
69 Also, we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?”
71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.
Peter believed. Peter as representatives of the other disciples declared that they have come to believe and know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Doesn’t that reflect v45?
“Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me.”
That statement gives life. They come to understand and believe that Jesus is God in the flesh.
Now let us go back to
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.”
Those mentioned in verse 66, who left, are the ones John is talking about in 1 John 2:19. We know now that they left because of their unbelief even when we now understand that it was God who drew them to Jesus, to make a choice. That is a strong statement to accept. From then on and as of today, those who are within the churches, who called themselves Christians but are not, are the ones that came out of this group of unbelievers that never had accepted the gospel of salvation. Yet many steads with their unbelief but why?
The name of Jesus is very profitable
Please watch:
What could possibly motivate people to use Jesus' name? Fame and wealth. Jesus draws a crowd, His name only, cast out demons. Here is an example in Mark 9:38,
Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” What did Jesus replied? But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is on our side. That is so true. You do not hear a false christ talk against God or Jesus.
“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand,” Matthew 24:24-25.
Jesus can't deny himself.
In the Book of Acts a man named Simon, who practiced sorcery “to whom they all gave heed”, Acts 8:10, became a “so-called Christian” and wanted to do miracles as the Apostle Peter did for a profit. Therefore, he asked Peter to sell the gift to anoint others with the Holy Spirit. Peter refused and rebuked him. Peter knew that the gifts of the Spirit that someone received were to be shared freely without charge.
In the Book of Acts a man named Simon, who practiced sorcery “to whom they all gave heed”, Acts 8:10, became a “so-called Christian” and wanted to do miracles as the Apostle Peter did for a profit. Therefore, he asked Peter to sell the gift to anoint others with the Holy Spirit. Peter refused and rebuked him. Peter knew that the gifts of the Spirit that someone received were to be shared freely without charge.
“Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give,” Matthew 10:8.
Therefore, a sign that many so-called God servants use to deceive others by using Jesus' name is profit, a lucrative business. Money is in the picture. In (John 6:66) you notice that Judas Iscariot was not part of the group of disciples that left Jesus. Judas handled the moneybox, (John 13:29). He was only interested in using his acquaintance with Jesus to make a profit. Judas was not a believer; he never did believe that Jesus was God in the flesh called the Son of God, (John 13:10-11). God did not draw Judas to Jesus with understanding but used him as Satan’s servant to betray Jesus to fulfill the prophecy.
Those who deceived by using Jesus' name talk good things of Jesus, heal, and cast out demons, teach God’s way of life through personal appearance in large auditoriums, sell books and CDs, produce and sell gospel music.... all for a profit, in the name of Jesus. Not all teach and explain the true gospel of salvation. Yet Jesus explained to let it be so,
“But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is on our side.”
It is true, that they do not speak evil against Jesus, because Jesus' name draws people, and they take advantage of it for a profit. Through their ministries, many get to know a little bit more about Jesus and desire to know Him more. There will be a day when TV evangelists will be judged accordingly.
“But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is on our side.”
It is true, that they do not speak evil against Jesus, because Jesus' name draws people, and they take advantage of it for a profit. Through their ministries, many get to know a little bit more about Jesus and desire to know Him more. There will be a day when TV evangelists will be judged accordingly.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Matthew 7:21-23.
None of them will make it to heaven. Not because of what they did, but rather for what they did not do, that is to do the will of the Father. The will of God is to believe in the One God has sent, and to preach the true gospel of salvation freely, (John 6:29).
Denying the deity of Christ
Another way to recognize someone who uses Jesus' name to deceive is they deny the deity of Christ.
“Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also,” 1 John 2:22-23.
The Mormons and the Jehovah's witness fit that category, Jesus is not God, and they view Him as an angel - creation of God. Their founders received a personal divine message from an angel. The Roman Catholic Church displayed Jesus on the cross as the centerpiece of their belief yet taught them to pray to dead saints to have their prayers answered.
That is idolatry and blasphemy. Please read, “Praying to Dead Saints or Loved One.”
"Pope Said Christ Failed On The Cross" https://youtu.be/ZvIrfp3qdNg
That is idolatry and blasphemy. Please read, “Praying to Dead Saints or Loved One.”
Which gospel of Jesus do you believe in? So many people fall for the wrong Jesus because none ask for a credential. So many people do not know what to ask for. So many don’t care to ask. They are easy prey. Here’s a way to find out if you are truly saved and have received the gift of eternal life. Would you be able to explain the gospel to someone who asks? Do you know what is the gospel of salvation? Forty years ago I was asked to explain my faith, and do you know what? I couldn’t explain it. I explained that Christianity is a way of life. What does that tell you? I was not saved. Here is a list of water down false gospel:
Salvation is not obtained by giving one's heart to Jesus.
Salvation is not obtained by giving your life to Jesus
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Salvation is not obtained by surrendering all to Jesus
Salvation is not obtained by carrying your cross for Jesus
Salvation is not obtained by going to church on Saturday or Sunday.
Salvation is not obtained by being part of a congregation or denomination.
Salvation is not obtained by deciding to follow Jesus.
Salvation is not obtained by making an oath.
Salvation is not obtained by keeping the commandments.
Salvation is not obtained by sinning no more or trying to.
Salvation is not obtained by walking to the altar.
Salvation is not obtained by confessing your sins daily.
Salvation is not obtained by serving in the church.
Salvation is not obtained by giving to the poor.
Salvation is not obtained by having good conduct and a good reputation.
Salvation is not obtained by stopping smoking and drinking.
Salvation is not obtained by positive thinking that you're good enough to go to heaven.
Salvation is not obtained because your parent goes to church.
Salvation is not obtained by sprinkling water over your forehead.
Salvation is not obtained by water baptism - submerged underwater.
Salvation is not obtained by repetitive prayers.
Salvation is not obtained by praying to Mary or any other dead saints.
Salvation is not obtained by tithing, or giving donations.
Salvation is not obtained by living separately from the world.
Salvation is not obtained by dedicating your life to God as a nun, a priest, and a minister.
Salvation is not obtained by healing, giving, or receiving.
Salvation is not obtained by any good works.
Finally, the most popular water-down gospel: "You
should become a Christian because life with Christ is so beautiful and so much
better than living without Christ.” Although that statement is true, it is the result of accepting the true gospel.
Before you accuse me of heretic, keep reading to get my point
“Accept Jesus In Your Heart” Is Not The Salvation Gospel
Why?
It May Not Be Jesus That You’re Inviting In Your Heart! That is scary!
Would you not ask for credentials before allowing any “Jesus” to come into your heart? Demons would love to enter your body. The only reason that they cannot is that you have to allow them; they have to get your permission. That is the danger in this secular society, so few so-called Christians believe in demons in this modern age. The theory of evolution and the Big Bang has dismissed God as the Creator and the only One who sustained all things. Therefore, the existence of demons also is in denial. So many young teens play with Ouija Board. "It's only a game - isn't it?" It’s fun to see the ‘pointer move in a certain direction to answer a question asked by the participant. The deception is that demons are playing with the participant and enjoying every minute of it. YES! Satan and demons do exist. Satan and his demons have only one goal, which is to deceive you so that you be a slave to them for eternity in hell. They know that their time is short and they want to bring as many people with them to hell. Satan’s motto: “They must not believe.”
So, how could that happen? How can someone use Jesus' name to deceive many? How could someone continue to minister to a church by teaching a different Jesus and not be stopped? Why is it that in most cases they have the greatest number of followers? Moreover, the most important question to ask is ‘how to identify deceivers who use Jesus' name in vain? After all, the Disciple John stated:
“They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us,” 1 John 2:19.
You cannot just give your life to Jesus. You cannot just accept Him in your heart. Would you not want to know more about whom you are giving your life to? Would you not want to know more about whom you are letting into your heart? Would you let anyone come into your home? Would you let strangers be babysitters for your child? Would you not check their past, and ask for references? You surely would not want a pedophile as a babysitter, wouldn't you? Peter healed in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Not any Jesus but the real Jesus of Nazareth, Son of God, (Acts 26:9, Acts 22:8, Acts 3:6, John 19:19). Which Jesus do you believe?
"And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many," Matthew 24:4-5.
Many have been deceived and still are by allowing false Jesus to enter their heart. Many have even allowed a demon to enter their body instead. Why? Because they did not ask for a credential, they did not know what credential to ask for. Because of this deceit, many believe that they are saved when actually they are not. Scary isn't it? Therefore, how would I know who is the real Jesus? We know by reading His life story in the four books of the gospel. He showed His credentials. He showed not only by what He teaches but also by what He did. He did what He said He would do, He died and three days after He resurrected. That proved what He claims to be, God in the Flesh, Son of the living God.
Moses at the burning bush asked God what to tell the Israelite who sent him:
“Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?” Exodus 3:13
Why do you think the Israelites would ask such a question? In Egypt, there were many gods, hundreds of them. The Israelites wanted to know if Moses was an impostor or the real messenger of God. Remember, Moses was raised by the Pharaoh’s daughter and was taught Egyptian culture and religion.
“And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations,” Exodus 3:14-15.
God of Abraham, Isaiah, and Jacob have also proved who He was in a multitude of interventions and promises made to Israel, and especially to the nation surrounding them. He made a covenant with the Jews, a covenant that set them apart from all other nations. He specifically chose a day of the week to prove to His people that they belong to Him.
"Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the Lord who sanctifies them," Ezekiel 20:12.
With all these signs and promises from the point in time when God used Moses to liberate them from the Egyptians to their 40 years journey in the desert until they entered the promised land, to their captivity to Babylon and restoration to their land, they still did not stay loyal to Him.
“Yet I am the LORD your God ever since the land of Egypt, and you shall know no God but Me; For there is no saviour besides Me," Hsa 13:4.
Many did not recognize the prophetic signs given to them to distinguish their Messiah when He showed up as written in the book of Daniel. The book of Isaiah chapter 53, describes who their Messiah is. They did not accept Him however; they will accept another one very shortly.
"I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive," John 5:43.
What more did they need to believe that God was in the flesh in the midst of them?
"The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them," Matthew 11:5.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives. And recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; o proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord," Luke 4:18-19 referring to Isaiah. 61:1.
Have you noticed that in both verses, "the gospel" is mentioned. What gospel is He talking about here? The gospel, which means good news. To what good news is He referring? That my friend is the gospel of salvation. That is what we are to believe for our salvation. That is what we will investigate.
Salvation is to believe in the man called Yahushua (Jesus is His Latin name). Jesus of Nazareth. Believing that He is who He said He is, the Son of God. You are to believe in what He represents, “the Saviour, the promised Redeemer, Christ our Lord.” Believing in what He did for you. He shades His blood for you on the cross and died. And the most wonderful of all miracles that proved that He is Lord, is that He resurrected and is now sitting on the right side of our Father in heaven. That is the gospel of grace by faith only, through our Lord Jesus Christ.
andre@simplicityinthegospel.com
