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Because those who introduce destructive heresy, the way of Truth will be blasphemed
Fred R. Coulter—February 2, 2019
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Greetings, brethren! Welcome to Sabbath services!
As we have seen, the apostles expected Jesus to return in their lifetime. When it first began they weren't quite as urgent as they should have been.
Also, by the time Paul was in prison… Remember, he was in Caesarea in prison for two years, 58-59A.D., then in 60A.D. made the trip to Rome and he was there in 60 and into 61 and then let go. One of the great mysteries of the book of Acts is why isn't there any 'Amen'? There's one other book, 3-John, that doesn't say 'Amen,' all the rest say 'Amen.'
- Was Luke considering writing more?
- Where did Paul go?
Some say he went to Britain, and there are quite a few evidences that are plausible and stories that are believable that Paul went to Britain. We don't know, but he was arrested a second time, and the second time he wrote 2-Timothy and we covered that in part nine, and how he said that he's 'ready to be offered,' his time was here and he's awaiting a crown of life.
However, let's back up a little in time and let's see how it was developing when Paul was in prison. We've covered Eph. 4 before, but we'll cover it again. This does not set up a hierarchy. This establishes the order in how these things were put into the Church. Who are the first ones put into the Church? Apostles! Paul who was an apostle later and Barnabas said that they're 'servants of the people,' not overlords!
Ephesians 4:12: "For the perfecting of the saints…" It didn't say for the ruling of the government of God!
Perfecting the saints is teaching them the Word of God and how to grow in grace and knowledge, so that they can be perfected, and when they pass in their lives and enter the grave, then at the resurrection the final perfection will take place.
"…for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ" (v 12).
No place is the word 'rule the brethren' there. What did we hear for years, which was one of the doings of WCG?:
- in order to enter into the Kingdom of God you need to learn how to be ruled by the ministry
- if you can't be ruled by the ministry you're not going to be in the Kingdom of God
That's not true!
Verse 13: "Until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ… [that gets right into the resurrection] …so that we no longer be children, tossed and carried about with every wind of doctrine…" (vs 13-14).
You can come with a lot of "…every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men…" (v 14) and you could go to TBN and you can find the same ones today. Watch David Jeremiah if you can; all he talks about is going to heaven. When he comes to the resurrection, he stumbles and stutters because he doesn't know how to handle it.
Likewise with Charles Stanley. He can give good things on how to overcome and work against stress, and how to be nice, and that's all good, all from the Bible. But always remember who quoted Scripture to Christ: Satan!Just because they quote Scripture—even if they quoted accurately—but misapply it, it's not true.
"…in cunning craftiness… [here's what they were doing; this is in 61A.D.] …with a view to the systematizing of the error" (v 14).
- Do you have systematic theology with Sunday-keepers?
- Do you have Scriptures where they go, to show that you ought to keep Sunday?
- Do they have Scriptures about Christmas?
- Do they have Scriptures about Easter?
- Yes, they do!
- What have they done? They have systematized the error!
- For the Catholics, what did that evolve into? All the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church!
- Where did they start? I'll tell you the name of the man who was forefront in starting it: Ignatius!
I'll read the doctrines that he brought out in the full after the Apostle John died.
We will see that there was a time—because when we get into the General Epistles, which we will do today—when the apostasy was really working.
Some of the General Epistles we can't tell if they were written after the destruction of Jerusalem or before the destruction of Jerusalem. One thing against after the destruction of Jerusalem, it is not mentioned anywhere. So, that leaves us hanging!
- When was the earliest that these things were coming in?
- What was the prophecy that Jesus gave?
- What was the first thing Jesus told the disciples when they wanted to know when Jerusalem was to be destroyed?
- He said to be on guard for many shall come in My name saying I am the Christ and deceive many.' First thing!
Sidebar on the stones: One man in UCG was writing that where the Mosque of Omar is, is where the temple will be, because the Jews believe that. Where it says that not one stone will be left upon another 'did not mean the foundation stones where the Mosque of Omar is today.' That's contrary to what Jesus said!
Jesus said, 'There shall not be one stone,' He used double negative, 'oo me' meaning not ever! Never will there be one stone. Are the foundational stones, stones? Yes, absolutely!
Furthermore, where the Mosque of Omar is was Fort Antonia, which was Roman property. So, the Romans wouldn't destroy that, but they destroyed everything else, and Jerusalem became exactly as the prophecy was, 'like a plowed field.' Everything was destroyed!
Josephus is one who shows that because Vespasian didn't want the temple burned, but they burned it anyway. There was so much gold that with the heat of the fire, all the gold melted and went down in the cracks of the of the rocks. What are you going to do? Free gold! You're going to you're going to get everything you can to pry apart those cracks where these big stones are. Jesus says, 'oo me': that there will never be one stone left upon another stone, it will be fulfilled!' And it was!
James is the first of the General Epistles. Here we do not find false prophets, and furthermore, we don't find one mention of Gentiles. What does this tell us? In the book of Acts: When did they have the conference in Acts 15 concerning the Gentiles?
That was 49A.D. So, James was written probably about 35A.D.,before the thing with Cornelius and his household. But isn't it interesting that the first Gentile converts were in the land of Judah: Judea, in Caesarea. They weren't in Antioch. That was a little later. They weren't in Rome.
James 1:1: "James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes…"
- What does this tell you? If you're going to write a letter, you're going to know where it's going to go!
- Did they know where the 12 tribes were? Yes, they did!
So, most of these were in the synagogues!
Then we have no reference whatsoever that James covered concerning any Gentiles or any other thing concerning difficulties in doctrine.
1-Peter 5:12: "By Silvanus, a faithful brother to you, as I reckon, I have written to you briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God in which you stand. The Churchin Babylon…" (vs 12-13).
How do the Catholics justify Peter being in Rome when he's in Babylon? Because Silvanus was his scribe! Remember Gal. 2 when Peter went and he was with James and John. They gave him the right hand of fellowship and said, that he should go to the Gentiles and they would go to the circumcision. Where were the greatest number of circumcised Jews at the time that the New Testament Church was developing? Babylon! So, that's where Peter went.
Now we have another little thing we have to deduce;
1-Peter 1:1: "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect strangers… [he's writing to the Gentiles] …scattered in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia."
- Where are all of those areas? Asia Minor!
- Whose territory was that? Most of them? Bithynia wasn't! It was Paul's!
This is when Paul was either in prison or after he got out and 61A.D. and went someplace else that Peter was writing to them. You go through here and you do not find any reference to false teachings, none! You can read the whole epistle yourself.
1-Peter 4:17: "For the time has come for judgment to begin with the household of God…" But nowhere does he talk about the Gentiles as being a problem or a systematizing of the error.
2-Peter—we're going to see a pattern here very similar to Paul's. This is an entirely different style of writing, but it's Peter writing because of the change of the times. He talks about how we're going to be actually the very sons of God, which by the way, was a later revelation.
Two things that Christ revealed to Paul and all the other apostles at the same time:
- He [Christ] wasn't going to return anytime soon
- we will become as Jesus Christ is in His resurrected form
That was dogmatically put forth!
Ephesians 3:1: "For this cause I, Paul, am the prisoner of Christ Jesus for you Gentiles, if indeed you have heard of the ministry of the grace of God that was given to me for you; how He made known to me by revelation the mystery (even as I wrote briefly before, so that when you read this, you will be able to comprehend my understanding in the mystery of Christ)" (vs 1-4). That we will become as He is!
Verse 5: "In other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His Holy apostles… [all the apostles got this revelation at the same time] …and prophets by the Spirit; that the Gentiles might be joint heirs, and a joint body, and joint partakers of His promise in Christ through the Gospel, of which I became a servant according to the gift of the grace of God, which was given to me through the inner working of His power" (vs 5-7).
Verse 11: "According to His eternal purpose…" It was made known to them that this is what God planned from the beginning!
2-Timothy 1:9: "…before the ages of time." That boggles our minds that God had this that far beyond any timeframe we can comprehend.
Ephesians 3:11: "…which He has wrought in Christ Jesus our Lord, in Whom we have boldness and direct access with confidence through His very own faith. So then, I beseech you not to faint at my tribulations for you, which are working for your glory. For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of Whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named" (vs 11-15).
That means he revealed that we're all going to be in the Family of God! We are preserved in the name of the Father! The first name into which we're baptized is the Father! We are going to be the Father's children! Think about that! This is why Satan wants to destroy the true knowledge of what God is doing.
Verse 19: "And to know the love of Christ, which surpasses human knowledge so that…"
Notice this statement, this is a profound statement, and Satan doesn't want this to happen. That's why he's always aggressively against the Church.
"…so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God…. [not some soul migrating to heaven after they die] …Now, to Him Who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that is working in us, to Him be glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all generations, even into the ages of eternity. Amen" (vs 19-21).
- How do you combat false doctrine?
- How are you going to have it so that there will be something of absolute record, that all the brethren can have which will continually proclaim the Truth?
- The writings of the apostles!
We'll see that as soon as John died all hell broke loose!
2 Peter 1:12: "Therefore, I will not neglect to make you always mindful of these things, although you already know them and have been established in the present Truth. For I consider it my duty, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir you up by causing you to remember these things; knowing that shortly the putting off of my tabernacle will come, even as our Lord Jesus Christ has signified to me. But I will make every effort that, after my departure…" (vs 12-15).
How are you going to remember the words? You get a group of people together and five years after he's dead:
- One stands up and says 'Well, Paul said this.'
- Another says, 'No, I heard it this way.'
- and another says, 'No, you're both wrong. I heard it this way.'
So, you have it written down! That's what we have here.
Verse 15: "But I will make every effort that, after my departure, you may always have a written remembrance… [that's what the word remembrance means here] …of these things in order to practice them for yourselves."
What did we have? Here we have a competing systematizing of the air by the workers of Satan the devil, and the final writings of the apostles to set the record straight and keep it correct!
Verse 16: "For we did not follow cleverly concocted myths as our authority…"
Every one of the things of the religions of the Greeks and Romans were concocted satanic myths! But not this:
"…when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His magnificent glory" (v 16).
In other words, Peter, James and John—James was later beheaded by Herod—saw Christ transfigured in that vision. That's something that was burned into their minds for the very purpose of holding fast to the Truth so it can be written down and then projected on into the future in the written Word!
Verse 17: "Because He received glory and honor from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, 'This is My Son, the Beloved, in Whom I am well pleased.'"
If you heard a voice from heaven say that, do you think you would in the slightest—with the Spirit of God in them—you would want to change anything? Of course not! It would be like being given the last number of the of the code, which no one has, to unlock the secret of the Truth of God. Of course, you wouldn't let that be perverted, and they were on the Holy mountain (v 18).
Verse 19: "We also possess the confirmed prophetic Word…" What is that?
- the Gospel that they wrote
- all the prophecies of Christ
- everything there
- everything that He taught
"…to which you do well to pay attention…" (v 19). In other words, it's the Word of God that we need to go by, not tradition!
"…as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns… [the return of Christ] …and the morning star arises in your hearts … [the resurrection] …knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture originated as anyone's own private interpretation" (vs 19-20). That's the correct translation.
The apostles don't say repeatedly, 'I think!' I'm sure they say 'I think' once in a while about certain things. But they don't have any doctrine in here that says, 'I think…'
Verse 21: "Because prophecy was not brought at any time by human will… [What is human and satanic will? Traditions, myths, twisting and turning the Scriptures!] …but the Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit."
- Was Matthew moved?
- Was Mark moved?
- Was Luke moved?
- Was John moved?
- Was Peter moved?
- Was James moved?
Yes, all of them! Notice how he enters into 2-Peter 2; this is becoming a desperate time and Peter was still alive.
2-Peter 2:1: "But there were also false prophets among the people, as indeed there will be false teachers among you, who will stealthily… [secretly bring it in a little at a time, chip away at the faith] …introduce destructive heresy… [I'll read those to you here before we finish] …personally denying the Lord who bought them, and bringing swift destruction upon themselves." Everybody in the Church rejected them! Did that happen in Pasadena? No!
Verse 2: "And many people will follow as authoritative their destructive ways; and because of them, the way of the Truth will be blasphemed."
If you say Sunday-keeping is okay, you're blaspheming the Truth because the truth is: 'remember the seventh day,' not do away with it! How can you remember it if you abolish it? If you do that, then you're not worshipping the true God, because it says, 'I am the Lord your God Who brought you out of the land of Egypt.' The land of Egypt symbolizes sin! God brings us out of sin! 'You shall have no other gods before Me.' IF you have other doctrines, other teachings, you have another god!
2-Peter 2:1: "…stealthily introduce destructive heresies, personally denying the Lord who bought them, and bringing swift destruction upon themselves. And many people will follow as authoritative their destructive ways…" (vs 1-2).
Anybody remember the simple statement made by the heretical man in charge of WCG concerning the Sabbath? That he loved to think of God while he's playing golf on the Sabbath! Phew! No one did a thing, because all the stealthy ones sent up little signals first, kind of like Indians with a blanket in the fire. They let up a little smoke; a test to see how the people will take it!
Sidebar: I don't know if you can find it, but listen to Richard [transcriber's correction] Armstrong, the son of Herbert Armstrong, who died in the car wreck. If you think that Rod Meredith was pounding the authority, I heard two of Armstrong's sermons and I was blown away. He said that if you don't do what HWA says you are against God. How do these things get started that way? They come in and people will follow them.
Verse 3 "Also, through insatiable greed they will with enticing messages exploit you for gain... [either number of people coming or monetary reward] …for whom the judgment of old is in full force, and their destruction is ever watching."
Then he says 'I want you to learn a lesson, don't take any of these things as a little problem'.
Verse 4: "For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but, having cast them into Tartarus… [a place of restraint] …delivered them intochains of darkness to be kept for the judgment; and if God did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, the eighth, a preacher of righteousness, when Hebrought the Flood… [Greek: 'kataklusmos'] …upon the world of the ungodly" (vs 4-5).
Stop and think about it: How bad was that world? Jesus said it would be that way before He comes! Look at how bad it's getting. I have a report, just one of them, so next week I'm going to cover some things in prophecy. But in California they want to teach the children beginning in kindergarten the '15 genders of human beings!' That's how satanic and perverse that it is! Now we don't know, but:
- Are we going to end up with much more time?
- Are we going to end up with a lot of robots?
Verse 6: "And having reduced the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to ashes, condemned them with a catastrophic destruction, making them an example for those who would be ungodly in the future."
As I mentioned in the two 'Church at Home' that I did yesterday on abortion: remember not only Sodom and Gomorrah, but there were two other cities destroyed as well! Why? Because they were consenters even though they weren't practicers!
Verse 7 talks about how He rescued Lot.
Verse 10: "But particularly those who walk after the flesh in corrupting lust, and hold in utter contempt the lordship of God…."
That's what they do! It doesn't matter! Now can you be contemptuous and still appear nice? Certainly! Does a con man come in and say, 'Watch out for me, I'm a con-man! I'm here to take as much money from you as I can'? No, he comes in and says, 'You want to make more money with yours. Here are my credentials. Look at these. Look at what I have done. How would you like to double or triple your money?' That's how they come!
"…They are audacious and self-willed. They are not afraid to blaspheme the Divine powers, whereas angels, who are greater in strength and power, do not bring a railing condemnation against them before the Lord. But these—as irrational brute beasts, born to be caught and destroyed... [that's their ultimate fate] …blaspheme those things of which they are ignorant…" (vs 10-12).
Go back and read the history that John Gunether wrote concerning all of the persecution and martyrdom against all the saints. That went on for nearly 300 years! All the Truth of God was blasphemed. If they didn't believe in the Roman Catholic Church and the Eucharist, they would be killed and slaughtered and tortured.
Sidebar: Do you have a problem? Do you have difficulties you have to overcome? Who is chasing you down to lop your head off? Not yet, but they will! So, we're actually living at a time, that we have more opportunity and more time to overcome then in the past. Who knows? But is the window closing down on us with the evil taking over? Could be! We'll find out!
Verse 13: "They are bringing upon themselves the reward of unrighteousness, while finding pleasure in satisfying their lustful desires day-by-day. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their own deceptions, while feasting together with you."
Remember what it was like when you had all of these things going on in the Church? It was terrible!
You had this group over here for this, that group over there for that and this group over here for something else. I remember we had Mr. & Mrs. Hoss whose son was a minister, and they were sitting in the first row. When it came down to the Church wanted everyone to put their house as a guarantee, so they couldn't close down the Church.
What I did, I came back and I said, 'Here's what they want you to do,' then I read: 'If you are for surety you're going to be taken down with the surety.' So, I put them on a chair in the back and told them if you want to do it, there it is! I think they couldn't get to the phone quick enough when they got home, no portable phones at that time. When they were coming after me that was one of the things they brought up. I mean, Delores knows, we lived through some hellish times before we finally had to leave.
Verse 14: "Having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, they are engaged in seducing unstable souls, having a heart trained in lustful cravings—cursed children who have abandoned the straight way.…" (vs 14-15).
That goes back to Matt. 7, 'Enter in the narrow gate for straight is the way and difficult is the way that leads to life.' That's what he's referring to.
"…They have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam…" (v 15).
What was Balaam? 'Come here, over here, and you could eat this food.' Think what it was for the Israelites out there and all they had was the manna. They had a little flesh once in a while. But here come
- the Moabites
- all the beautiful women
- their priesthood
They set up this whole thing right next to the camp of the Israelites and they sent the messengers in. 'Come! Come over here and be with us. We're good people. You'll have a good time.'
(go to the next track)
2-Peter 2:17: "These false prophets are fountains without water, clouds driven by a storm, for whom is reserved the blackest of darkness forever."
So, it transitions from the false prophets into the demons that inspired them! Now we'll see that a little bit in 3-John. Wherever there's a false prophet there is a lying spirit. They may not know it, but we will see that it says that.
Verse 18: "For they speak bombastic words of vanity, enticing others through the lusts of the flesh by granting indulgences to sin..."
That's exactly what the Catholic Church does today. You can buy an indulgence. If you go to Rome and buy an indulgence you can have your sins forgiven ahead of time until your death! That's not much different than this woman preacher Joyce Meyer.
I saw her when I was watching TBN to catch up on all of the false prophets there, and she was mentioning and dancing across the stage and saying, 'Once you're in Christ there is nothing that can take you away from it, regardless of what you do!' Then I saw her another time on an interview, and she said, 'I don't know what God is doing with me, I now have to have my second hip operation.' How many would believe what she said? It doesn't matter what you do, meaning:
- if you lie
- if you cheat
- if you steal
- if you commit adultery
- if you commit fornication
- if you become a lesbian
- if you become a homosexual
Whatever, this is the way of Satan!
"…granting indulgences to sin and ensnaring those who had indeed escaped from those who live in deception. While promising them freedom... [Isn't that what they always do?] …they themselves are actually slaves of corruption because by whatever anyone is overcome, he is also held in bondage. For if, after escaping the moral defilements of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they again become entangled in them, and are overcome, the final end is worse than the beginning" (vs 18-20).
That happened! Have you ever known someone that you pretty well thought was converted and then saw them years later when they were out there in the world doing whatever they were doing? Yes indeed! It's kind of like this: Delores and I both watch on television—and she can spot it quicker than me—all the lying Democrats have the same look in their eyes! Likewise those who had once been converted, but gave it up, they have a look in their eyes that is strange. You can't describe it because you've got to see it. Some of them just don't even care. That's all because of this.
Verse 21: "For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the Holy commandment that was delivered to them. But the pronouncement found in the true proverb has happened to them: The dog has returned to eat his own vomit; and the sow that was washed has returned to her wallowing place in the filthy mire" (vs 21-22).
Have you ever seen a real scrubbed up pig at one of the zoo's? Soon as they get it back home it goes straight to that mud hole and you know really has a time.
2-Peter 3:8: "Now, beloved, do not let this one fact be hidden from you: that with the Lord, one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not delaying the promise of His coming…" (vs 8-9).
Here is where we find the first time that they say, 'Hey, folks, it may be a long time in the future.'
Verse 15: "And bear in mind that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation, exactly as our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has also written to you."
That shows that Peter was writing to those who were formerly taken care of by Paul. He also has that in all his epistles. So, at that time he had all the epistles up to that point that Paul had written.
Verse 16: "As he has also in all his epistles, speaking in them concerning these things; in which are some things that are difficult to understand…"
For all of those of you who have the first edition of the Bible, you do not have Appendix Z in it. We put that in the second edition; Appendix Z: Understanding Paul's Difficult Scriptures Concerning the Law and Commandments of God. And it's like a little book in itself. So, if you have a first edition of the Bible and you don't have a second edition of the Bible you write to us and we will send you one without cost. But you have to tell us you have the first edition. Then you can study Appendix Z to understand all of Paul's difficult to understand Scriptures. They're all listed out there.
"…which the ignorant… [the unconverted] …and unstable…" (vs 16).
'I don't know, I like to hear both sides of the story. God, why don't You get over here and Satan over here and let me sit in the middle and I'll choose the right one.'
Sounds like Fox News! Okay, sometimes they do good, but sometimes they do bad.
"…which the ignorant and unstable, are twisting and distorting, as they also twist and distort the rest of the Scriptures to their own destruction" (v 16).
Matthew 7:21: "Not everyone who says to Me 'Lord, Lord' shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but the one who is doing the will of My Father, Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy through Your name? And did we not cast out demons through Your name? And did we not perform many works of power through Your name'" (vs 21-22).
The Lord is going to say, 'Hallelujah! How good you did work!' NO! He's going to say:
Verse 23: "And then I will confess to them, 'I never knew you. Depart from Me, you who work lawlessness.'" They don't like to read those Scriptures! But all the Scriptures the Protestants don't like to read, read! Now notice how he ends this:
2-Peter 3:17: "Therefore, beloved, since you know this in advance, be on guard against such practices, lest you be led astray with the error of the lawless ones, and you fall from your own steadfastness; rather, be growing in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and into the day of eternity. Amen" (vs 17-18).
Here's what's difficult to figure out with the general epistles, especially 1-John. There is not one mention of the destruction of Jerusalem in the New Testament. I don't know why that is. You would think they would have written it. But they didn't.
In 1-John we have some very interesting things. I'm not going to go through them, but it talks all the time about knowing Christ, keeping His commandments and so forth.
1-John 2:18: "Little children, it is the last time…"
That is a statement concerning the apostolic ministry and a prophecy concerning the future last times.
"…and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have risen up, by which we know that it is the last time…. [this tells you a great deal of instability in the Church] …They went out from among us…" (vs 18-19).
We've seen that some of them came in stealthily. At that time there were more brethren who knew the Truth, so when they brought them up they had to leave.
- Where did they go?
- What did they do?
- Did they raise up their own churches?
'We still believe in Jesus, but we don't want anything to do with these Jews. Look at how terrible they're being persecuted and hated by the Romans. We don't want to keep the Sabbath because God gave that to them as a curse; but we have a new day, we have Sunday, the first day of the week.'
How appealing that would be! So, we have to read in between the lines what was actually taking place.
Verse 19: "They went out from among us, but they were not of us because if they were of us, they would have remained with us…." Good way of saying they don't have the Spirit of God!
Darlene was telling me about this, that there's one Church of God pleading for people to call to be baptized.
- What happens when that happens?
- Do you really ask them:
- Have you repented of your sins?
- Have you forsaken the things of the world?
- Sunday-keeping
- Christmas
- New Years
- Have you given up eating unclean meats?
- No, because if you want money to continue on what you're doing you're not going to put pressure on!
- Did that happen in Worldwide? Yes, it did!
- What happened when the first sermon came out that it's okay to eat unclean meats?
- The brethren got together afterwards and they went in hordes down to the Red Lobster!
- Were they converted? NO!
- Were they attending? Yes!
- Were they happy to sin? Of course!
If they're not of you or with you then they are of the world!
Verse 19: "They went out from among us, but they were not of us because if they were of us, they would have remained with us; nevertheless, they left that they might be exposed to show that they all were not of us."
We're going to see a little later that there comes a time that they were kicking the true believers out. I mean, this is during the days of the Apostle John!
Verse 20—this is true: "But you have the anointing from the Holy One... [the Spirit of God, the begettal by the Father and the Spirit of Christ] …and you have knowledge of all things pertaining to salvation."
You can't have knowledge of all things that there is. So, I put the clarifying phrase there in italics "…pertaining to salvation," because the debate is: How are you saved? 'I believe!'
- IF you believe, do you obey?
- How can you believe IF you don't obey?
If you believe that there is gold under this floor you're going to get a jackhammer, some picks and axes and you're going to get whatever you need to get out that gold. But if someone says there's really real gold under this floor here and you say well I believe it and you do nothing about it you don't believe. Profession is not enough!
- What are we judge by?
- Our faith? No!
Our works! Rev.2 & 3, 'I know your works,' says Jesus.
Verse 21: "I did not write to you because you do not know the Truth, but because you know it… [that's the knowledge of all things, the Truth for salvation] …and you understand that not one lie comes from the Truth."
Sidebar: Only if you properly quote it and properly apply it.
Verse 22: "Who is the liar if it is not the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is the antichrist—the one who denies the Father and the Son."
Here we have the separation; notice how much the Protestants believe in Jesus. How often do you hear them talk about the Father? Rarely! That's a key, because IF you are a true Christian you have the Father and the Son with the Holy Spirit dwelling in you! That's the key!
Verse 23: "Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either."
That would apply to the Jews, because they deny Jesus. They would claim they have the Father. Think about the doctrine that we covered where the Father really should be the God of the Old Testament, when it doesn't say that! That is an offshoot of Messianic teaching. "Anyone who denies the Son does not have the Father either."
Verse 24: "Therefore, let what you have heard from the beginning dwell in you…"
What is this telling you? They're coming along to a little massaging of the Truth, a little 'upgrading' of it: think about this, think of that, think of the other thing.
"…if what you have heard from the beginning is dwelling in you, then you will be dwelling in the Son and in the Father" (v 24).
Remember the most important verse in the New Testament? John 14:20: "In that day, you shall know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you. The one who has My commandments and is keeping them…" (vs 20-21).
Very important! It's not if you have knowledge of it, but knowing and keeping.
"…that is the one who loves Me, and the one who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will manifest Myself to him' (v 21).
How is God going to do that? Because this manifestation to a person comes from God!
Verse 22: "Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, 'Lord, what has happened that You are about to manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?'"
How is that going to be? It's a spiritual thing that takes place!
Verse 23: "Jesus answered and said to him, 'If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.'" That's why you have to have the Spirit of the Father and the Son!
Verse 24: "The one who does not love Me does not keep My words..." So, you can profess love but if you don't have the actions of love, you don't love God! Every Protestant would say, we love the Lord meaning Jesus. But do they do what the Father said? NO!
Who gave the commandment concerning the all the commandments, but we'll just take the Sabbath because that's a key one? The One Who became Jesus Christ! In Mark 2 Jesus says that He is the Lord of the Sabbath!
Everything that the Lord God of the Old Testament—Who became Jesus Christ of the New Testament—did was He gave the word from the Father, The Most High as He's called in the Old Testament. Remember that when God created man He said, 'Let US…' Not me, but 'Let US…" that's The Most High and the LORD God! In the New Testament they are the Father and the Son!
The calling to the first resurrection is to become a son and daughter of the Father, and we are kept in the Father's name by Christ! Think of that. Think of that calling. That's what he's talking about here.
1 John 2:25: "And this is the promise that He has promised us: eternal life."
- What did Jesus say?
- What if you gained the whole world, but lose your life?
- What do we gain? Nothing!
Eternal life is the answer!
Verse 26: "These things I have written to you concerning those who are leading you astray."
How could they, from one of the Epistles of Paul, give the assumption that Paul was wanting to go to heaven when he died? Remember where that is? Philippians 1!
He said, 'I'm caught between a strait; I don't know whether to remain alive to serve you or to be with the Lord.' He wanted to go to heaven and be with the Lord. You could take that one verse and you could say that people go to heaven. Then what do you do with the resurrection? Ahh, that's an awkward question. Don't ask that.
Here they were in the Church leading them astray! How much easier was that to do then today? Think of that! Today we have no excuse.
Verse 27: "But you yourselves have dwelling in you the anointing that you received from Him; and you do not have need of anyone to indoctrinate you; for the same anointing instructs you in all spiritual things, and is true, and is not a lie; and if you do exactly as it has taught you, you will be dwelling in Him."
- Where do all of these things come from? You walk along or all of a sudden BING! and you have an idea!
- Did that come from God?
or
- Did that come from Satan?
- Is Satan able to put things in people's mind? Yes! Eph. 2!
- Didn't he put in Judas Iscariot's mind? Yes he did!
1-John 4:1: "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world"—leading you astray; false prophets gone into the world!
What comes along with a false prophet? A false spirit! A demon! All demons don't come and say, 'Here I am, I'm going to destroy you.' They come and say:
- here's another thought you need to think
- think how good this thought is
- you know you don't really have to keep the Sabbath
- Isn't it better if you avoid the persecution and avoid being called a Jew? Think of that!
- Sunday would be better
- we'll keep the words of Christ
- we'll teach Jesus
- we'll do baptism
- Sunday is a better day
- the Roman officials will be grateful that you're not following what the Jews are doing
Which they weren't, but that's how that comes along! How would that come? "…test the spirits…"
Verse 2: "By this test you can know the Spirit of God…"—because the Spirit of God will always do the words of Christ and the words of God and tell you that's what to do, and tell you that this is what you need to believe.
This is why the apostles in these General Epistles wrote these things down, because it was an urgent matter. They didn't realize how far into the future it would be and a lot of these brethren—because John was still living—we're clinging to the false promise that Jesus apparently gave. Remember what Jesus said about John when Peter said, 'Hey'—because Peter was political—'what is going to happen to that one?' Jesus said, 'What is it to you? What if I desire for him to remain until I come?'
Then John had to clarify it. Christ didn't say that John would be alive until He came; but 'what if?' How many people would take that statement and think: Yes, as long as John is alive we're still in good shape.
'Jesus said'—though He didn't—'that He would come while John was still remaining.' That's how they were interpreted, that's a false internal interpretation! So, think about that.
Verse 3: "And every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God…." This helps verify the point, that the first thing they try and do is change the nature of God!
I mean, what are you going to do with Luke 1? Read it carefully! It was a begettal from The Most High, His Spirit, though He became flesh and blood!
Docetism is that Christ was a spirit being who possessed a man named Jesus. When Jesus died Christ went back to God. Didn't Jesus say, 'Receive My Spirit'? But they twist it! The spirit comes back from God at the resurrection, and that's how Jesus was resurrected.
Verse 15: "Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God."
1-John 5:19: "We know that we are of God… [that's something we all have to know] …and that the whole world lies in the power of the wicked one."
How special then are those who are in God for the first resurrection? From the whole world! If John could write that then, think of what he would write today! It's insane today!
Verse 20: "And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, so that we may know Him Who is true; and we are in Him Who is true, and in His Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God, and the eternal life."
This verse is very revealing, v 21: "Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." What's the first idol that they would bring? A cross or a fish! 'I'll make you fishers of men.'
How bad did it get? Think of this; 2-John 12: "I have many things to write, but I do not wish to convey these things to you with paper and ink; but I hope to come to you and speak face to face in order that our joy may be completely full."
How bad is that? Didn't even want to write! What John was saying is that he couldn't even write a letter and have it sealed and not have it opened and be exposed by those false teachers!
3-John 9: "I wrote to the Church, but Diotrephes, the one who loves to be chief… [Sound a little bit like the Nicolaitans?] …among them, does not accept us…. [rejected the Apostle John; that's astonishing] …Because of this very thing, if I come, I will call him to account for the actions that he is practicing with evil words—maliciously berating us; and he is not satisfied with these things, for he himself neither receives the brethren, nor does he permit those who wish to receive the brethren, but he forbids them and casts them out of the Church" (vs 9-10).
What a statement! Read the whole book of Jude. I'll just read a couple verses and let you read the rest of it, because it follows right along in parallel with 2-Peter, almost the same verses. This shows that the false doctrines got control within the Church, and those who were the true Christians were cast out!
Didn't that happen with us? If you're going to stand for the Truth, there is going to come a time you're going to have to stand alone. That's it! God wants to know what we will do!
- Do we really believe Him?
- Did Jesus have to go alone? Yes!
- What about us?
Let's see how bad it got here!
Jude 3: "Beloved, when personally exerting all my diligence to write to you concerning the common salvation, I was compelled to write to you, exhorting you to ferventlyfight for the faith…"
Remember in Luke 18:8—Jesus said: "…when the Son of man comes, shall He find the true faith on the earth?" Think of that!
Jude 3: "…ferventlyfight for the faith, which once for all time has been delivered to the saints. For certain men have stealthily crept in, those who long ago have been written about, condemning them to thisjudgment.… [they are ungodly men, seemingly to be Godly] …They are ungodly men who are perverting the grace of our God, turning it into licentiousness, and are personally denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ" (vs 3-4).
Then it goes on to show about coming out of Egypt, Sodom and Gomorrah and the way of Cain and all of that you read the rest of Jude.
After Paul left Rome, there was Anicetus who became the leader in Rome. Then Linus was the next one and Clement who originally came from Colossi. In the 80s, or 90s (I forget exactly which) Clement wrote a long epistle to the Church in Corinth for the troubles that they were having. And he was promoting the primacy of Rome.
First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians Translated by J.B. Lightfoot
{//www.ntslibrary.com/PDF%20Books/First%20Epistle%20of%20Clement%20to%20the%20Corinthians.pdf}
1-Clement 61:1: Thou, Lord and Master, hast given them the power of sovereignty through Thine excellent and unspeakable might, that we knowing the glory and honor which Thou hast given them may submit ourselves unto them, in nothing resisting Thy will. Grant unto them therefore, O Lord, health peace, concord, stability, that they may administer the government which Thou hast given them without failure.
And he designed the priesthood based on the Levitical priesthood. So here is the government: obey Rome.
1-Clement 63:2. For ye will give us great joy…
that is you brethren in Corinth
…and gladness, if ye render obedience unto the things written by us through the Holy Spirit…
Submit to Rome!
Now we come to Ignatius who wrote seven epistles to seven churches. He was considered as a disciple of John. But after John died his true colors came out! And one of the first things he was against was John writing to the Church of Pergamos concerning the Nicolaitans and their government from the top down. He was trying to get all the brethren out of the house churches and into cathedrals.
Now Cardinal Newman, quoting him, did not exaggerate the matter when he said that 'the theology of the 70 Epistles of St. Ignatius in Historical Sketches, and that was in London in 1890.'
Isn't it interesting that the 1890s become a very key thing in the Protestant world. Cardinal Newman quotes:
from The Theology of the Seven Epistles by Saint Ignatius:
Cardinal Newman says in his Historical Sketches that "the whole system of Catholic doctrine may be discovered at least in outline, not to say in parts, filled up, in the course of his seven epistles."
Among the many Catholic doctrines to be found in Cardinal Newman's letters. (I'm having Carl Franklin do a lot of research, so we will have this in depth in time.)
- The church was divinely established as a visible society.
That's what the Catholic Church says today.
- The salvation of souls is its end. And those who separate themselves from it cut themselves off from God.
Having immortal soul rather than the resurrection from the dead!
- The hierarchy of the church was instituted by Christ.
- The threefold character of the hierarchy.
here they are:
- The order of the episcopacy superior by divine authority to that of the priesthood.
In other words, what we have today: the pope, the College of Cardinals, all of the Archbishop's, the bishops, the priests and so forth. It's interesting he wrote these epistles apparently for the same one's listed in Rev. 2 & 3
- Unity of the church
- Holiness of the church
- The Catholicity of the church
in other words, the universality of the church
- The infallibility of the church
- The doctrine of the Eucharist
Remember what they always change first: the nature of God and the Passover!
That's why you need this book: From Sabbath to Sunday by Samuele Bacchiocchi. People don't read books anymore, because all they want is a summary. But you need to buy books without batteries. From Sabbath to Sunday by Samuele Bacchiocchi describes in great detail the reasons why things were changed to Sunday, and it all started with the Passover: changing it to Sunday. Then his other book, which is no longer published, is Anti-Judaism and the Origin of Sunday. I gave you the outline of it:
'Why would you want to do anything the Jews do? Look at how they're hated? Come with us. We're a new day. Christ didn't return before John died, so now we have a new day.'
10. The doctrine of the Eucharist.
Which word we find for the first time applied to
- The Blessed Sacrament.
Now remember this isn't 110A.D. It's just 10 years after John.
Just as in Smyrna, we meet for the first time the phrase, Catholic Church used to designate all Christians.
- The Incarnation.
- The supernatural virtue of virginity.
Already much esteemed and made the subject of vow.
Read first Corinthians seven and that tells you the
structure out of which that came!
- The religious character of matrimony.
- The value of united prayer.
You see they mix in some Truth with the error!
- The primacy of the sea of Rome.
- He moreover denounces the principle of the Protestant doctrine, a private judgment in matters of religion.
In other words, you can only do what the priesthood and the pope and the church tells you!
Look what happened to the Church of God after that became the central focus of everything. Remember, Herbert Armstrong was declared the only apostle on earth. And in the words of Stanley R Rader, "having an office equivalent to His holiness the pope"! Did you know that he wrote that? He did in his book: The Gates of Hell
- The heresy against which he inveighs is Docetism
At least he was against that!
- Neither do the Judaizing heresies escape his vigorous calm condemnation.
This is end of report one! Isn't that something!
- Why do these things happen over and over in the same way?
- Who is the spirit behind it? Satan the devil!
That's why it happens the same way. There are many avenues to apostasy!
We've covered about as many as we can through ten sermons. We'll put all the transcripts together and put all the sermons on a single CD, so you can have the whole thing together in one package.
Scriptural References:
- Ephesians 4:12-14
- James 1:1
- 1 Peter 5:12-13
- 1 Peter 1:1
- 1 Peter 4:17
- Ephesians 3:1-7, 11
- 2 Timothy 1:9-11
- Ephesians 3:11-15, 19-21
- 2 Peter 1:12-17, 19-21
- 2 Peter 2:1-2, 1-6, 10-15, 17-22
- 2 Peter 3:8-9, 15-16
- Matthew 7:21-23
- 2 Peter 3:17-18
- 1 John 2:18-24
- John 14:20-24
- 1 John 2:25-27
- 1 John 4:1-3, 15
- 1 John 5:19-20
- 2 John 12
- 3 John 9-10
- Jude 3
- Luke 18:8
- Jude 3-4
Scriptures referenced, not quoted:
- Acts 15
- Galatians 2
- 2 Peter 1:18; 2:7
- Revelation 2; 3
- Mark 2
- Philippians 1
- Ephesians 2
- Luke 1
Also referenced:
Appendix Z: Understanding Paul's Difficult Scriptures Concerning the Law and Commandments of God (The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version)
Books:
- Josephus
- First Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians Translated by J.B. Lightfoot
{//www.ntslibrary.com/PDF%20Books/First%20Epistle%20of%20Clement%20to%20the%20Corinthians.pdf}
- The Theology of the Seven Epistles by Saint Ignatius
- Sabbath to Sunday by Samuele Bacchiocchi
- Anti Judaism and the Origin of Sunday by Samuele Bacchiocchi
FRC:bo
Transcribed: 2/7/19
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