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How the “Church of Christ” will be reabsorbed back into Roman Catholicism

Lee Anne Ferguson

The “Church of Christ” religion teaches the damnable heresy of baptismal regeneration, which perverts God’s plan of redemption by teaching that one can be saved by being baptized, whereas the Bible conveys that one can only be saved by God’s grace, thru His gift of faith in Jesus’ merits ALONE. Baptism is only a symbolic ordinance that declares one has already been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, Who alone can apply the merits of Jesus’ sacrifice to our account, so that we’re enabled to obey the gospel call to repent of sins and follow Jesus IN FAITH.

Scripture reveals that the “Church of Christ” religion commits a “negative inference fallacy” concerning Mark 16:16, because Scripture never says one can’t be saved unless they’re baptized. However, it does clearly state that one can’t be saved unless they believe (e.g. John 3:18, 36; 6:53-54, 8:24, Mark 16:16). And one can only have saving faith if they’ve been regenerated by the Holy Spirit, NOT by baptism (Titus 3:5).

Heretical “Church of Christ” creeds on baptismal regeneration stem from Roman Catholicism.

Here are just a few citations from the Roman Catholic Catechism that coincides with the creeds that the CoC says it doesn’t have:

  • “the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation (#1129, p.  292).
  • “Baptism is necessary for salvation…. The church does not know any other means other than baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude” (#1257 p.  320).
  • “By baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for sin.” (#1263 p.  321).
  • “The Church bears within itself and “administers” the totality of the means of salvation” (#868 p.  230), …….(which coincides with the usually silent but practiced “Church of Christ” doctrine of “Divine Absolution” by means of a “Church of Christ” mediator who can “administer” the necessary requirements for salvation).

By divine providence, the silent but deadly creeds within the “Church of Christ” are finally being revealed in a “Church of Christ” publication called “House to House.” (Go to www.housetohouse.com). And you will find that in (Vol.18, No.2) they mention “Divine Absolution” on the very front page, where it’s said that the apostles offered the people “Divine Absolution” by offering to baptize them!!

“Divine Absolution” and the false “freewill” doctrine are purely Roman Catholic Doctrines with the sole purpose of exalting man over God, which reveals a spirit of antichrist. In this respect, the “Church of Christ” never completely broke away from Roman Catholicism and is gradually being led back into it thru these heresies.

God’s Word reveals that there is only one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus (1Tim.2:5). Only He can administer what’s necessary for our salvation (saving faith), for He obtained it and all other spiritual blessings that accompany salvation (repentance, obedience, etc.), so that those who are His are able to believe through grace (Acts 18:27, Rom.8:32, 2Cor.3:5, Eph.1:3, 4:8, Phil.4:19).

Anyone involved in damnable heresy cannot enter heaven (Gal.5:20-21, 2Pet.2:1). Anyone who believes a false gospel cannot be saved. The true gospel is all about what Jesus has done to save His people and enable them to obey, not what we do by our own “freewill” to merit salvation. The true gospel is a call to repentance and faith in Jesus’ merits alone. Pray that God will have mercy on you and grant you repentance and the gift of faith to believe in the merits of Jesus ALONE so that you can be saved……Do not delay, time is running out!!

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Iniquity of the Holy Things

Lee Anne Ferguson

 

How can anything holy be sinful? It seems contradictory doesn’t it? …… But it’s not. 

In Exodus 28:38 we’re shown that the High Priest Aaron (Moses brother and an Old Testament type, who prefigured Christ) had to offer blood atonement for God’s people even when they offered “holy things.” Because in the O.T. even their holy things (service to God) had to be purified before they could be acceptable to God. He is completely pure and holy, so that NOTHING less than perfect holiness can enter His holy presence. 

This O.T. scenario was only the shadow of what Jesus as High Priest does for His people today. He’s always in the presence of God the Father, interceding for His people and pleading His blood on their behalf. He has sprinkled His blood on the mercy seat of heaven in the “Holiest of all” (Heb.9:8). And there in the presence of God the Father, He pleads His finished work on the cross, where He took upon Himself the guilt, not only of sins actually committed but the guilt of our corrupted sin nature, which has alienated us from God. 

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isa.53:6). Jesus came to earth to live the perfect life we could never live because of our fallen condition, which is why Jesus came to fulfill all righteousness on our behalf.  Because even when we’ve done all He’s commanded (including baptism), we’ve still fallen short of His glory. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom.3:23, 9-20; 7:18, 20).   

Yet, many believe we’ve not fallen so far from God that we can’t still please Him. Their motto is “we’re not that bad, so God’s not that mad.” They don’t believe God expects perfection and so doesn’t hold us to that standard. They believe that if we “just do the best we can” our good works will somehow outweigh the bad. However, Jesus said, “be perfect, for your Father in heaven is perfect” (Mt.5:48). And, “be holy for I am holy (1Pet.1:16). Again, NOTHING less than perfect holiness can enter His holy presence. 

Jesus said that even if we did all that’s commanded and required of us, we should say to ourselves, “I am an unprofitable servant” (Lk.17:10). Because nothing we “DO” could EVER possibly save us. Even good works (holy things) must be repented of, for they fall short of perfection, which is what God’s perfect holiness requires.  He hasn’t lowered His standards just because of our sin, which is why we need a Savior.  James 2:10 makes it clear that if we sin only once in a lifetime, it’s enough to earn an eternity in hell, for sin is an eternal offense with eternal consequences. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ” (Rom.6:23). 

Jesus bore the “iniquity of holy things,” by taking upon Himself the guilt of any error, mistake or wrong motive His people would ever have while offering service to God. Our holy things can only be accepted by God thru the perfect holiness and righteousness of Jesus Christ. We must be born again by the Holy Spirit, Who alone can apply the merits of Jesus’ sacrifice to our account.  We can offer God NOTHING acceptable apart from having Jesus’ righteousness imputed to us thru the gift of faith (Rom.4, Phil.3:9).

So remember friend, any attempt to appease God by works is an abomination to Him. “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isa.64:6). . Instead we must put all our hope and trust in Jesus Christ, Who alone can present us holy and unblameable before God (Col.1:22). Just as the High Priest in the O.T. figuratively bore and took away the “iniquity of  holy things” by sacrifice and intercession, Jesus as High Priest does this today, as He presents His own holiness to God the Father on behalf of His people, so that they can “offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1Pet.2:5).

freewill vs. Sovereignty of God

The Atonement of Christ

Lee Anne Ferguson

In the last article we saw how the freewill doctrine is at the root of every false religion, how it teaches that mans will determines God’s will and shipwrecks faith in God’s word. So now let’s see how it perverts the atonement of Christ by promoting a universal atonement that makes salvation “possible” for all….. but certain for none.

According to Scripture, those Jesus died for are those God foreknew, predestined, called, justified and glorified—-past tense and certain (Rom.8:29-39). “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (2Tim.1:9).Yet, the freewill doctrine “puts the cart before the horse” so to speak, by implying that we must CAUSE Jesus to die and accomplish all this for us….. by believing, receiving, etc…… How ridiculous!

How can we cause something that God “determined before to be done” (Acts 4:28)? Besides, “a man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven (Jn.3:27). Believing is also the fruit of Christ’s effectual atonement, NOT the cause, for we can only “believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ” (Eph.1:19-20; 3:7). “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Rom.5:6, 15:3). 

And the ungodly that Christ died for were “elect according to the foreknowledge of God” (1Pet.1:2). Not because He foreknew they’d exercise their “freewill” to become godly, but He elected them “according to the good pleasure of His will” (Eph.1:4-5). God’s election of grace is the cause, whereas faith, repentance and godliness are the fruits, given thru the merits of Jesus’ blood (Acts 18:27, Rom.11:5-6). “For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth” (Rom.9:11).

Jesus said, “It is finished” (Jn.19:30). His death atoned for ALL the sins of ALL the elect throughout the world, including the sin of unbelief (Heb.10:12), which is why none of the elect that Jesus died for can end up in hell for unbelief. ”For who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Rom.8:34), so that their faith fails not (Lk.22:32, Jn.17:9, Heb.7:25), for its “the faith of God’s elect” (Titus 1:1).

Yet, the freewill doctrine teaches that we come to Christ by our own “freewill” and so must maintain our own faith. It also teaches that we must “allow” God to save us by believing. But Scripture says just the opposite. “As many as were ordained to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48). God foreknew His people because He foreordained them to eternal life. Jesus said He laid His life down FOR THE SHEEP, knowing exactly who He was dying for on the cross (Jn.13:1, 2Tim.2:19). But to those who aren’t His—- He said, “ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep” (Jn.10:15, 26-28). Because those who don’t come to Him in truth are the goats (Mt.25:32-34).

Thank God in heaven that the atonement of Christ did all God intended; an actual payment, for actual sins, of actual people that God ordained to eternal life thru the gift of faith (Eph.2:8-10). It didn’t provide an abstract possibility of salvation, but secured the actual purchase and sure salvation of actual people. God had their names in the Lambs book of life before the foundation of the world and promises to never blot them out (Rev.3:5; 13:8, 17:8), which is why Jesus said they SHALL come to Him (Jn.6:37). And His word says to them, “God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth” (2Thess.2:13). So friend, if you’re born of the Holy Spirit and able to believe the truth, you’ll be able to “make your calling and election sure” (2Pet.1:10).

So pray and seek God’s mercy in Jesus Christ today.

freewill vs. Sovereignty of God

God’s Sovereign Will

Lee Anne Ferguson

 

Many Bible verses are used to try to support the false freewill doctrine, but by rightly dividing the word of truth they all end up confirming God’s sovereignty that much more. Take 2Peter3:9 for instance.  It says, “The Lord is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” At first glance, this seems to indicate that there are some in hell that God wanted to save but couldn’t. Yet, when read in context, it shows exactly who Peter was writing to…. the “Elect”….”to them that have obtained like precious faith.“ (1Pet.1:2, 2 Pet.1:1).

The key to understanding many of these verses is to know the difference between God’s preceptive will of command and God’s decretive will of purpose. We can resist His precepts and commands by not obeying Him. Yet, even with this resistance, God must allow it, so we’re not really resisting sovereignly and absolutely——only indirectly. God’s will of purpose is what actually happens because it’s what God has ordained and decreed and it cannot be resisted or changed.     

According to Gods perceptive will of command, He naturally desires that all of His creatures obey His precepts for they are good and holy. His commands also show us how holy and good God is and how He is worthy to be worshipped. So anytime we go against His perfect precepts and commands, we are sinning against Him.  As God, He desires and deserves all of our worship and praise, because it’s all of creations duty to worship the Creator. This is why it’s right for God to command all to repent, believe and obey the gospel of Jesus Christ, even though He knows all will not do this.

According to God’s decretive will of purpose, He foreknew what would happen when people would be left to themselves.  He foreknew that without His saving mercy, they’d refuse to keep His commands and reject Christ and the offer of salvation (Jn.12:39-40). This is why He could infallibly decree that they would not inherit salvation. He didn’t make them wicked and didn’t cause them to sin by leaving them to themselves. Neither does He predestine people to hell in the same sense that He predestines people to heaven, that would be “equal ultimacy,” which is a  heresy. He just foreknows that those He leaves to themselves will end up in hell due to the natural consequences of sin. He takes “no pleasure in the death of the wicked” (Ezek.18:23, 32; 33:11). And He does no harm to the creature by leaving them in the condition in which He originally made them—-upright (Eccl. 7:29), so that they are without excuse. And this is one way He makes His power known and one way He reveals how bad sin is. But He does all of this sinlessly and is justified in all that He does (Rom.1:20, 24, 28; 9:22).

God foreknows all things because He foreordains all things (Rom.11:36, Rev.4:11). He not only ordains the ends, but the means as to what will happen and how it will happen. Human actions are one of the means that God uses to accomplish His will. Our actions do not direct God’s will, but His will directs our actions. He doesn’t infuse evil into the wicked, He only directs the evil that was already in their hearts. For example, God prophesied to Moses that He would harden Pharaoh’s heart for His purpose of being glorified in the deliverance of Israel (Ex.4:21). This is why God could infallibly declare to Moses that Pharaoh would refuse to listen, because He was going to leave Pharaoh to his own sinful, fallen will (Ex.7:13, 22; 8:15; 9:12). And note: God could NOT have infallibly declared Pharaoh’s destiny if Pharaoh could have, by his own “free” will, repented and changed his own heart and mind (Rom.9:17).

God foreknew His people in a special way, for He elected them to be holy and blameless before time began (Eph.1:4). He also knows those who aren’t His elect, but only in a general way because He created them. “The Lord hath made all things for Himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil” (Prov.16:4, Rom.9:17).  Hell and the wicked exist to reveal how terrible sin is.  Those who end up there are paying their own sin debt, which is impossible—-to show that sin is an eternal offense with eternal consequences. Hell also exists to show how incredibly merciful God is and how much Jesus suffered on behalf of His people in order to save them. 

So naturally, its God’s perceptive will of command that all repent, believe and BE SAVED (2Pet.3:9), because it’s our reasonable duty to our Maker. Yet, His decretive will of purpose chooses (for reasons unknown to us) not to exert His power TO SAVE all people. It’s as if God reserves His special, irresistible love only for those He’s elected to be in His own family. And He obviously set things up this way to show that it had nothing to do with us, but that “Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:9). 

Contact Lee Anne @ gospel4life@live.com

 

Cultic beliefs

Ecumenism

Lee Anne Ferguson

In the last article we saw how dominion theology goes to an ungodly extreme. So now let’s go over Ecumenism, which is how dominionists plan to pull off their agenda. Ecumenism is the belief that all “faiths” can unite in order to reach a common goal, whether it be for pro-life, addiction recovery, etc. It claims that all faiths are valid and that there are many ways to God, despite the fact that Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (Jn.14:6).

So to get around this, ecumenists will often claim to believe in Jesus as Lord and will even say He’s the son of God. Yet, many don’t realize it’s not the Son of God the Bible portrays. For example, some religions believe Jesus became a son of God by doing good works. Some believe He was only a prophet or an angel (Heb. ch.1 totally refutes that idea). And some even leave whole Bible verses out of their translation in an attempt to hide the true nature of Jesus Christ, such as 1Tim.3:16 which says, “God was manifest in the flesh.”

Naturally, it’s easy to believe that Jesus (as a human) came in the flesh; all humans come in the flesh. Yet, to be able to also believe that Jesus AS GOD came in the flesh….now that takes enabling of the Holy Spirit! The Bible even warns that those who don’t believe this are of the spirit of antichrist (1Jn.4:3, 2Jn.7). And sometimes they’ll even say they believe it, but really be referring to their belief that everyone is a god in the flesh. This reminds me of when I unknowingly worked for an “interfaith” organization a few years ago, because they pretended to be Christian-based.

 At a meeting I asked the leaders (several different times) if they believed Jesus was God in the flesh and they refused to answer. They’d only say He was the son of God. And it became clear that the “son of God” they were talking about wasn’t the Jesus of the Bible, for they confessed their approval of other faiths, which believe in a different Jesus and a different gospel. And they said they’d allow these other faiths to spiritually counsel our clients. That’s when they told me they were ecumenical, which explained why so many bad things were slipping in. And that’s when I told them I could no longer in good conscience work there or support their ecumenical agenda.

If we’re going to be faithful Christians, we must “try the spirits” due to spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph.6:12, 1Jn.4:1). And we must even be willing to leave high positions for the sake of Christ. We need to know exactly what people mean by what they say. Because even though they use the same words, it means something totally different to other faiths. Not that we have to know all the cults beliefs, but we must know enough to be able to say along with Apostle Paul, “being crafty, I caught you with guile” (2Cor.12:16). In other words, we have to be able to expose wolves in sheep’s clothing and recognize counterfeits by studying what true Christianity really is according to God’s word.

Ecumenism blurs the lines of distinction by using methods that seem religiously neutral. Prime examples are mysticism and focus upon a “higher power.” And according to this view, it can be whatever you want it to be. So if you claim yours is Jesus, you’ll still be accepted—-BUT ONLY if you accept other peoples “higher power” too……even if it’s satan!! Because the devil doesn’t mind if you serve God as long as you serve him too.  But God says you have to choose one or the other (Mt.6:24, 1Cor.10:21, 2Cor.6:14-17).  

Many will call Jesus Lord and do good deeds, but He will say to them “I never knew you; depart from Me ye workers of iniquity” (Mt.7:22-23). So friend, the question is……do you know the true Savior, Jesus Christ? Do you worship Him in spirit and in truth? Or are you sacrificing truth on the altar of “unity of faiths,” instead of defending unity of THE faith (Eph.4: 5, 3, 13; 1Tim.3:9, 4:1)?

Contact Lee Anne @ gospel4life@live.com

freewill vs. Sovereignty of God

Is Your Heart Right With God?

Lee Anne Ferguson

 “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev.22:17). But who is —“whosoever will?” Is it those who have the strongest, natural “willpower?” No, because according to Scripture it’s not even the will that determines our choices, it’s the heart and it moves our will to act. So the condition of our heart determines whether we will come to Christ in truth or not (e.g. Psa.119:10, Prov.4:23, Acts 8:37, Rom.10:9-10).  

The problem is that since the Fall of mankind, “the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked” (Jer.17:9, Matt.15:18-19, Mk.7:18-23). Due to the extreme corruption that sin causes, just one sin in a lifetime is destructive enough to earn an eternity in hell (James 2:10). “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God,” which causes people to refuse to come to Christ. Therefore, the human will is not sovereign, but a servant to sin (Rom.3:23, 6:18-23; Jn.5:40).

Our will is free only in the sense that it’s free to choose according to our heart’s desire. And a truly godly choice for Christ cannot possibly come from an evil heart (Lk.6:45-46). So whether or not we do what Jesus says to do and come to Him in truth depends upon whether God has cleansed our hearts from the love of sin and filled it with love for Him, so we’ll be willing to “take the water of life freely” (Job 14:4, Psa.51:10, Prov.16:1, Ezek.36:26, Jn.3:27, 8:44, Phil.2:13).

Still, every person will be held responsible for how they respond to the gospel call, for its everyone’s duty to their Maker to repent, believe and receive Christ, whether they have heavens help or not. God doesn’t lower His standards just because our sin has caused us to fall short of His glory. That would be like a criminal going before a judge and making the excuse that he can’t help but break the law and the judge corrupting justice by letting the criminal go due to the criminal’s inability to abide by the law! 

The truth is that we all deserve hell and God could have chosen not to save any and still been righteous in His judgment. There will be no one in hell that doesn’t deserve to be there, because God has never and never will force anyone to sin. Even God’s act of reprobation causes no one to sin (Rom.1:28). As Scripture says, “God hath made man upright, but they have sought out many inventions” (Eccl.7:29). 

Yet, God is merciful and He has revealed this to us at the cross, where His justice and mercy meet. God can pardon the vilest of sinners and still be righteous because Jesus Christ has purchased them, redeemed them and paid their sin debt in full. The gospel of Christ “is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth” (Rom.1:16).

Jesus said, “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (Jn.6:37). So come to Him today friend and taste His free grace. You don’t have to earn it because it’s free to all who truly believe with their whole heart that Christ Jesus is their Savior and their only hope in this life and for eternity. Don’t follow after those who try to come on their own terms or those who think they can bribe God with their own works, for the only way to take the water of life —-is freely.

Sis. Lee Anne—emails are always welcome at gospel4life@live.com

Charismania, freewill vs. Sovereignty of God

Heresy Alert—OPEN THEISM—Are you an open theist???

Lee Anne Ferguson

Perilous times have come. We’re so troubled on every side that if we don’t resist the devils schemes, we’ll end up compromising the truth just so we can try to make sense of why evil exists. When all we need to do is trust the Lord who “divided the light from the darkness” as He has seen fit, for “in Him is no darkness at all” (Gen.1:4, Jn.1:5, 1Jn.1:5). How else could we appreciate the light of the gospel? Yet, anytime we go beyond God’s word to try to explain why He’s ordained for evil to exist, then we’ve crossed over into what the Bible calls heresy.

One such heresy is called “Open Theism;” the belief that God doesn’t know the future and is therefore subject to change, based on certain verses taken out of context (e.g. Gen.6:6, Ex.32:12-14). It implies that evil randomly happens with no divine purpose at all. In this view, trusting God becomes impossible, for it portrays Him as neither sovereign nor all-knowing. And there can be no assurance of salvation apart from God’s divine providence (Num.23:19, Deut.32:39, Psa.90:4; ch.139, Isa.46:10, Acts 15:18, Rom.8:29-30, Eph.1, Ja.1:17).

Whenever we think God’s ways must be fair according to our human standard of “fair,” then we’re not submitting to God’s will, but exalting our own (Job 35:2; 36: 21). And this is the very sin Elihu confronted Job with in chapters 32-37. Moreover, Elihu wasn’t one of Job’s three friends who had to repent in the end. On the contrary, Elihu was a godly bystander who finally got to the root of Jobs suffering. From there, God confirmed to Job that we’re to NEVER question His ways or doubt His goodness, for we’re in no position to do so. Like Job, we should be humbled into the ground by this truth and repent in dust and ashes. 

When tragedy hits an innocent victim and we become full of self-righteousness, bitterness and doubt concerning God’s goodness, it’s completely understandable but still shows we’re not really innocent at all, but sinful. We’re still accountable to God and won’t have the excuse of being an “innocent” victim on judgment day. Like anyone else, victims have to pay for their sins in hell if they’re not covered by the blood of Jesus Christ.   

Jesus said, “there is none good but one, that is, God” (Matt.19:17).This is why He came to save the lost sinner, not the so called “good” and righteous. We have no righteousness of our own. That’s why His righteousness must be transferred (imputed) to us, just as our sins had to be transferred (imputed) to Him while He was on the cross paying our sin debt (Rom.3:9-19; 4:6,8,23,24). Or else Christ died in vain!

Are some sinners worse than others? Absolutely not! That’s why Jesus said, “think ye that they were sinners above all men”……. “I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” All sins are equally terrible in God’s eyes and sin has so corrupted our nature that we must be pulled out of the fire by the force of God’s love. But if you don’t want God to “force”…. or as Scripture puts it….. “make you free,” then you’re basically saying with the wicked “we will not have this man to reign over us”(Matt.20:15, Lk.13:4,5; 19:14,27, Jn.8:36). 

So friend, would you rather for sin to have dominion over you? Do you want God to just leave you to your own unregenerate will, which is a servant (slave) of sin, but “free” from righteousness (Rom.6:20-22)? Do you want to be in bondage in hell for eternity……… as one of satan’s puppets?!  If not, then you need Jesus Christ, for “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” Because there’s never been one single, truly saved person to EVER resent God’s divine intervention and there never will be. 

Sis. Lee Anne——emails are always welcome at gospel4life@live.com

Cultic beliefs, freewill vs. Sovereignty of God

The Watered-Down Gospel

Lee Anne Ferguson

In the last article on Baptismal Regeneration (the water gospel), we explored some of its contradictions. So now, we’ll just briefly go over some of its assumptions, such as the thief on the cross “probably” getting baptized by John earlier. And the assumption that Jesus was “probably” preparing Nicodemus to be baptized after the New Covenant was established, because he was still alive after Jesus’ death (John 19:39). For these alone demonstrate how grasping for straws will occur whenever one tries to imply that baptism, or any other act, saves us. 

     Unless God’s word has convinced a sinner how badly sin corrupts, they won’t realize their desperate need for a Savior, and will be fooled into believing they can, by their own corrupt “free” will, choose salvation by doing something. In Gal.1:6-10 Paul warns that we need to be sure we believe the true gospel, not one that causes a fall from grace into work-righteous legalism. Adding requirements besides God’s grace, becomes works in disguise, which is why false doctrines are so tricky. Jesus’ blood didn’t just make His people “savable” depending upon their actions. His blood literally saves them, based on His work, His grace, His mercy, His will and His choice (John 1:13, Rom 9:16, 18, Heb. 9:12). 

     The true gospel is a call to faith in Jesus’ blood atonement on our behalf. Baptism is a pure act of obedience that God works in us to do, AFTER God purifies our hearts by faith (Acts 8:37, 15: 8-9; Phil 2:13). Yet, if we’re baptized in order to get saved, then it’s an impure, meaningless and defiled work of the flesh that God has no part in. An unregenerate act that attempts to appease God, instead of believing Jesus has already done that for us, becomes a witness against us. So unless God first purifies our hearts by faith, nothing we do will be pure in His sight (Tit.1:15). 

     In 1 Cor.1:17 Paul makes a clear distinction between the gospel and water baptism. And he says in 1 Cor. 1:14, 4:15 that he begot believers through the gospel, not thru baptism. Yet, if we go by the water gospel interpretation of 1Cor.1:14, Paul would be saying that he was thankful none of them were saved! Rom 6: 3-5 clearly says baptism is a “likeness” (figure) of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And we become children of God by faith in Him (Gal.3:26), then we can be buried with Him in baptism through this faith, which is the operation of God (Col.2:12). Once we’re born again by the Holy Spirit, through faith in Jesus’ blood on our behalf, we can then figuratively “put on Christ” in baptism (Gal.3:27). Just as we can put clothes on a baby AFTER it’s born.    

   The final fatal blow to Baptismal Regeneration is Gal. 1:12, where Paul says he didn’t receive the gospel from man. This ruins the water gospel interpretation of Acts 22:16, which claims Ananias gave Paul the gospel by telling him to be baptized to wash his sins away. The truth is that Ananias was asking Paul why he would wait to do this. Especially since he’d already received the gospel from Jesus in person and met the Lord who chose him (Acts 26:15,16) and acknowledged Christ as Lord (Acts 9:5) and had been delivered from the people and become a witness for Christ (Acts 26:16-17)and had his heart changed (Acts 9:6) and was no longer a persecutor, but a praying man (Acts 9:11) who had his eyes opened (Acts 9:18) and had been called by God’s grace and had Jesus revealed in him (Gal.1:11-16)! So naturally, AFTER all this, Paul would want to finally come clean before the people in the act of baptism, to signify that his sins had already been washed away by Jesus’ blood (Heb.9:22, 26)!! Who wouldn’t?  

   Baptism is a beautiful, symbolic sacrament to be once enjoyed by all who believe in the sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice, whereas those who say it’s a requirement for salvation, mar its beauty by implying His grace and His sacrifice wasn’t enough. So why put limits on God’s power? He’s still performing miracles today, every time someone is saved!! And remember friend, it’s not what we do that saves us, but who we have: “He who has the Son has life” (1 John 5:12).

Sis Lee Anne—-readers with questions or comments are free to contact me at gospel4life@live.com

 

 

 

Cultic beliefs, Cultic Beliefs, Newspaper Articles

A False Gospel—called the “Water Gospel”

Lee Anne Ferguson

Many are believing what’s called Baptismal Regeneration, or the “water gospel,” (basically a “watered-down gospel”) where baptism is added as a requirement for salvation. But we must “try the spirits” behind this doctrine, as we’re commanded to do in 1John 4:1. And two signs of deceiving spirits are when “contradicting and blaspheming” of God’s word occur (Acts 13:45). For example, one may say it’s not our works that save us, but then turn around later and contradict themselves by saying faith and baptism are works we do to be saved.

I found another example recently in a “House to House” pamphlet (vol. 18) sent out by a local church. It claims the thief on the cross was saved without being baptized because he was still under the Mosaic Dispensation. Yet, their website contradicts this by claiming Jesus told Nicodemus (who was ironically also under the Mosaic Dispensation) that he must be born again by being water baptized (John 3:5). So we must ask, “Why the double standard?” Besides, baptism isn’t even mentioned here, which is embarrassingly ironic, for they claim to be “silent where Scripture is silent.” The context here and 1John 5:6-8, even make it obvious that Jesus was explaining the difference between natural and spiritual birth.

Scripture also reveals that saving faith is the means God uses to bring His sheep home. Even Mark 16:16 doesn’t say, “he who isn’t baptized will be damned,” but it does say, “he that doesn’t BELIEVE shall be damned.” Also in 1 Pet.3:20-21 Noah’s family was “saved by water” only in the sense that it was a figure of the true (Jesus Christ), for it symbolized His death, burial and resurrection, just as baptism does today. The water itself didn’t save, or else those outside the ark would’ve been saved. As Peter even says here, baptism itself can’t put away the filth of the flesh, for a symbol can’t purge a guilty conscience, it’s only an outward testimony of what’s already occurred inwardly. Baptism is a figure of the true, whereas faith is the substance (Heb.9:9, 14, 26; 11:1, 7).

Yet, promoting baptism as a requirement for salvation turns the one who “administers” the “requirement” into a human mediator, which is blasphemy. There’s only one mediator between God and men, Christ Jesus (1Tim.2:5). Only He can administer what’s necessary for our salvation (saving faith), for He obtained it and all other spiritual blessings that accompany salvation (repentance, obedience, etc.), so that those who are His don’t try to add their own works to the sufficiency of His sacrifice (Rom.8:32, Eph.1:3, 4:8, Phil.4:19).

Still, many go to great lengths to exalt man and his works, such as twisting Acts 2:38 to mean we’re baptized “in order to get,” remission of sins, rather than baptized “because” believers sins have already been remitted by the shedding of Jesus’ blood (Heb.9:22). Common sense even tells us that one doesn’t take medicine FOR a headache “in order to get” a headache. One takes medicine FOR a headache “because” they’ve already got one!

 Matt.3:11 uses the same Greek word in connection with baptism, as Acts 2:38. And clearly it can’t mean “in order to get” repentance, for John told the Pharisees they had to first “produce fruits worthy of repentance” like the Ethiopian, Saul, Cornelius, his family and thousands of others did in Acts, AFTER God had purified their hearts by faith (Acts 15:8-9), BEFORE they were baptized. Yet, if these verses meant baptism “obtains” remission of sins and repentance, then one would have to confess, no one needed that more than the Pharisees, yet John refused to baptize them! To be consistent with the “water gospel,” one would also have to confess that the Israelites were baptized “in order to get” Moses to be their leader, rather than “because” he’d already led them out of Egypt, for the same Greek preposition is used in conjunction with baptism in 1 Cor.10:2.

There are many more infallible, biblical proofs that Baptismal Regeneration is a false gospel, but may have to be covered in upcoming articles. Until then, just remember friend, Jesus didn’t shed His blood in vain. True believers don’t feel they have to make His blood effectual by doing something, for they simply trust that His blood atonement is effectual for those it was intended for, based on the effectual working of HIS power, not theirs (2Cor.4:7, Eph.3:7; Heb.13:12, 20, 21).

Sis Lee Anne—-readers with questions or comments are free to contact me at gospel4life@live.com

Charismania, discernment column

Sozo Renamed “Theotherapy”

Lee Anne Ferguson

The topic of “theotherapy” caught my attention recently on the local Christian television station. The speaker said “good theology makes good psychology,” which sounded good at first. But the more I listened, the more I realized they were promoting Sozo, which is the exact same thing I wrote and warned about over two years ago. They’ve just renamed it (again) to try to make it sound more theologically sound.

Yet, the “inner healing” movement is still founded upon the lie that one can use their imagination to hear from God. And the counseling techniques used to conjure up these experiences are the same ones used in the occult, mainly “guided imagery” and “visualization.” The mediators who assist these experiences are called “theotherapists,” in order to gain access within Christian circles. 

Just another fulfillment of prophecy the Bible warns about (e.g. Acts 20:28-30, Gal.2:4, 2Pet.2:1). But the mission of every born-again believer is to warn others and keep proclaiming the solid theological foundation of the true gospel, so that those who love the truth will be able to discern a counterfeit gospel a mile away, which is all “theotherapy” really is (2Thess.2:9-10).

Ironically, the bad theology behind bad psychology is a major cause of mental and spiritual damage. And sadly, many never come out of the deception once they’ve been fooled by the placebo effects it produces. But by the grace and mercy of God, He’s been leading many of the captives out, who’ve been contacting me ever since I first wrote about it (2Tim.2:24-26). Because “the sheep hear His voice; and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out” (Jn.10:3).  

When the Holy Spirit truly convicts us of sin, we’re led to go to God for mercy and to humbly ask Him for all we need to be saved (repentance and faith).  So that we can truly comprehend by faith that Jesus’s blood was shed to cover our sins and reconcile us to God. It’s that simple, which is why the complicated methods and techniques of man don’t work, but leading people to go to God for mercy thru Jesus Christ does (2Cor.11:3). Because the true gospel and those who proclaim it are the means God has chosen to set His people free.

Only true Christianity is based solely on salvation by grace alone, thru faith alone, in Jesus Christ ALONE. All false religions are centered upon outward performance rather than inward change, which causes them to be enemies of the cross of Christ (Gal.6:14, Phil.3:18). Every false religion in the world is built upon that same legalistic foundation. The only difference is that they all just build upon it differently; depending on what each sect thinks are the most important outward performances for obtaining FULL salvation (remember this because they imply that Jesus is not a complete Savior).

For instance, some think its snake handling, some think its water baptism, and others think it’s wearing certain clothes or choosing certain types of transportation.  Then again, some think it’s “deliverance” techniques such as those used in Sozo, which ironically means “to save” in Greek —– (did you catch that)?

So friend, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ” (Col.2:8). “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” (1Cor.1:18). Because salvation is of the Lord and He finishes the good work He begins in His people, so that they don’t have to be made complete and whole by their own efforts or the works of a “theotherapist” (Psa. 37:39-40, Phil.1:6). Because those who are born again by His Spirit “are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power” (Col.2:10).

Sis. Lee Anne

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