This web site is trying to show you how to be taught and changed by Jesus himself. Christ is the Light that enlightens all men, John 1:9. You have no need of any teacher other than the anointing you have received, 1 John 2:27. By being quiet and thinking on his name, you can hear him - you can hear the living Word of God, Christ. Here is where you learn from Him, get cleansed by Him, be led by Him, and come to know Him. He dwells with you, the Spirit of Truth, ready to teach you and lead you through repentance to purity by grace; and then to Christ's return to establish in glory God's Kingdom of Heaven within you and with His righteousness.
He wants to teach you about himself and lead you through repentance to a sinless state so you can enter the Kingdom of Heaven within you that comes without signs to be observed or visible display. We can be taught by God in this life in relative ease, or we can painfully be taught by God in the next life, for it is written: They will all be taught by God. John 6:45. He said: "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him." This is the return of Christ to establish his Kingdom in your heart, which the world does not see. But to get there, you have to be taught by Jesus himself and obey his teaching, which leads to repentance. I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth. John 15:26. The Holy Spirit will teach you all things. John 14:26
Can't I grow in Christ just studying the "Word?"
The Bible is the recorded words of the saints as they were moved by the Holy Spirit to write. Christ is the Word of God, not the Bible; it has his recorded words in them, but they are without spirit; recorded words are the letter, not the spirit. When Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter and Paul spoke of the scriptures, they used the word scriptures, (click to see), not the Word of God. The Bible refers to Bible verses as scriptures; the Bible refers to the Word of the Lord or God as spoken or spirit. Scriptures and spirit are not interchangeable. There is no conflict in what has been written by the Spirit of God with what you will hear God speak to you; but what you hear will be exactly tailored to your condition and will be words that give life.
To understand what is written in the Bible, you need to be in the same spirit as the saints, who wrote the words, (for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life). If you were in the same spirit as those who wrote the words, you would have nothing to learn from the Bible; you would have the mind of Christ. Since you don't, you can study the Bible for the rest of your life, yet many passages will not be truly understood by you; you will be always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. Think about it; you can read a passage today and read the same passage three months later and get a different meaning - that is not growth; rather that is your mind coming to a different conclusion without the Holy Spirit in either case showing you what it meant. The meaning changes as you change. That is not good. There is only one meaning, and it is written, no scripture is for private interpretation.
The Holy Spirit can reveal understandings in any language; but Bible Colleges teach from Hebrew, Greek, and Latin Biblical texts, desperately trying to discover the true meaning of the scriptures. If the Holy Spirit was helping in Bible study, Greek, Hebrew, and Latin would not be needed, proving Jesus and the Holy Spirit do not teach you while reading the Bible.
In 1516, before the Bible was published, there were far less than 100 sects in Christendom. Five hundred years of studying the Bible later, there are 30,000 sects. It is man's fleshly mind, rather than the Holy Spirit, that controls learning from Bible study; for the Holy Spirit's purpose is to have oneness of faith; yet there are 30,000 sects in Christendom, each with a different set of beliefs in what the Bible really means. This is massive evidence that studying the Bible creates the opposite of what the Holy Spirit desires, (one faith) and does not result in truth. Instead of Bible study, we need to be taught directly by the Holy Spirit [by listening] who desires to teach us all things. John 14:26
Christ criticized the Bible teachers and students of his time, when he said: (to the Pharisees)
But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.
You search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
But you are not willing to come to me that you may have life. John 5:38-40
Here Jesus clearly states a difference between the word and scriptures, (the bible).
And the Word that abides, (lives), in you is clearly better than scriptures.
Paul said, The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart. Rom 10:8
Clearly, the Bible is not in our heart and mouth; it is the spirit of God, the Word of God.
The Word of God is Spirit: Spirit of God, or Holy Spirit, or Spirit of Christ within each of us, where it lives or abides.
Furthermore, Jesus is not happy: You search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life
But you are not willing to come to me that you may have life. John 5:38-39
He is telling people that they substitute studying the Bible for coming directly to him; the Bible only testifies about him.
And they think studying the Bible gives them eternal life, but the way to eternal life is to go directly to him.
The words we hear are words of eternal life, not the words we read or hear read from the Bible.
Even though the Bible has many truths within, the Bible is not truth. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
The Bible only testifies to the way, the truth, and the Life.
I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth. John 15:26. The Holy Spirit will teach you all things. John 14:26
If we want the way, or truth, or life; we have to go to him.
He wants us to seek Him, not seek knowledge about him from the Bible.
Studying the Bible is like studying the Law. (Voice of the Lord)
We have made learning scriptures a rival to learning directly from God by Coming to Him.
But scriptures are not wrong; it is the way we idolize scriptures that is wrong.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matt 11:28-29
For everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and does them.. is like a man building his house on rock. Luke 6:47-8
You have neither heard the Father's voice nor seen his form. John 5:37
To hear the Father's voice is to hear him speak words from his mouth.
Jesus is telling us that hearing the voice of God is very important to have his Word abide in us.
But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. John 5:38
When we hear his voice and keep his words, then his word abides in us. It lives in us, and controls us.
If we abide in Christ's word [the spirit], we are his true disciples and we will know the truth.
If a man abides not in me, he is cast forth as a withered branch.... into the fire. John 15:6
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. John 15:7
This is how we seek God. We seek to hear his voice and then treasure what we hear, and obey what he tells us to do.
Reading and studying the Bible is not seeking God, or abiding in Him.
The Bible wasn't even printed until 1516, but the early Church thrived to 320 AD.
You search the scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life, and these are they which testify of Me. John 5:39
So the Bible is not truth, the Bible only testifies about truth. Jesus is the truth. You don't know him by the Bible.
The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63
To know the truth, you have to be taught by Jesus himself, personally, about himself. His living words must abide in you.
If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples. You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:31-32
To be set free is to be released from captivity. To be released from slavery. To be freed from sin.
Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice. John 18:37
Studying the Bible increases your knowledge and therefore increases your pride.
But getting quiet, to listen for and obey the Holy Spirit, will eventually destroy your pride.
So studying the Bible is a work of the flesh.
Jesus said, It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing.
The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63
He [Jesus] became the Author and Source of eternal salvation to all those who give heed and obey Him. Heb 5:9
(And how do you obey Him to attain salvation?)
Listen to and obey My voice, and I will be your God and you will be My people. Jer 7:23
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Rev. 3:20 (hearing his voice does not happen while reading the Bible)
Jesus has come to teach his people himself. He wants us to come to him and learn of him.
Jesus said: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened, and I will cause you to rest. Mat 11:28
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Mat 11:29
How can we learn from him, unless we go to him? He did not say learn from Bible study. He said, learn from me.
He did not say, come to Bible study, prayer group, or to a religious service; he said come to me.
For everyone who comes to Me and listens to My words and does them, I will show you what he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug and went down deep and laid a foundation upon the rock; and when a flood arose, the torrent broke against that house and could not shake or move it, because it had been securely built or founded on a rock. Luke 6:47-48
He can't make it any plainer! He said: come to me, listen to My words (listen to him speaking), and do them (obey).
From this sure foundation he builds true faith and hope which purifies you.
If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. John 14:22-23
The above teachings of Jesus are the core message of this web site:
Come to him, Listen to his words, do the words he gives you.
To do the words is to obey his commands, some of which will rebuke and chasten you.
As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Rev 3:19
If you Love Jesus, you will obey him. The Father then loves you, and he and Jesus come to you and make their home with you.
And their home is a Kingdom, the Kingdom of God which is within you and around you.
So, seek, listen, obey. ...Seek, listen, obey.... Persevere, and Christ will lead you through repentance to union and the Kingdom.
He is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him! Heb.11:6
(Diligence is defined as continually attending to and striving to achieve a goal; laboring; persevering.)
Belief in the true gospel and the cross releases the power of God to purify us and make us one with Him.
Jesus came so he could destroy the devil and his works [sin] in us.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested [in us], that he might destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8
Allow the little children to come to Me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Luke 18:16
We must go to him like little children, humbly.
To hear, we must go to him as a sinner, even if 'saved.' We cannot go exalting ourselves.
And still you are not willing to come to Me, so that you might have life. John 5:40.This is the way to life.
Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry,
and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst any more (at any time). John 6:35
Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God Mat4:4
And we need words from the mouth of God, daily. We need our daily bread from heaven -words from his mouth.
Give us this day our daily bread. He who takes this Bread for his food shall live forever.
All whom My Father gives (entrusts) to Me will come to Me;
and the one who comes to Me I will most certainly not cast out. John 6:37
No one is able to come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me attracts and draws him
and gives him the desire to come to Me,and I will raise him up at the last day. John 6:44
If any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink! John 7:37
Jesus said, It is written in the Prophets: ' They will all be taught by God.'
Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. John 6:45 >
So how do we come to him? That is crux of the issue.
Here is what Jesus said: And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not. Mark 13:21
So, he is not found in any deficit sect's building or cathedral, because he does not dwell in a structure made with human hands. Acts 7:48.
And obviously, anyone claiming to be Christ is not.
(Don't laugh, there really are several people on the Internet who seriously claim they are Christ.
And if you won't buy that, there is one who seriously claims to be the reincarnation of John the Baptist,
and another seriously claiming to be the reincarnated head of the early Church, James, the brother of Jesus.
Of course they all claim to be the source of Truth in this age, and they tell you to follow them, instead of Christ.)
So where is he? Paul tells us: Do you not yourselves realize and know that Jesus Christ is in you? 2 Cor 13:5
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles;
which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Col 1:27
The Spirit of God has been poured out on all mankind. Acts 2:17
That which may be known of God is manifest [revealed] within them, Rom 1:19
(Note: Paul is saying, whatever is to be learned about God is to be revealed within a man.)
Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? 1 Cor 3:16
I will dwell in them, And walk in them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people. 2 Cor 5:1
John tells us:
But the anointing which you have received of him abides in you,
and you do not need not any man to teach you:
but as the same anointing teaches you of all things, and is truth,
and is no lie, and even as it has taught you,
you shall abide in him. 1 John 2:27
They will all be taught by God. John 6:45
He is in you, but to hear him, you have to listen. How else could you listen unless you stop everything and get quiet to hear?
After you say the Lord's Prayer, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.
Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Mat 6:7-8.
Be still, and know that I am God. Ps 46:10
Be silent, oh all flesh before the Lord. Zech 2:13
For more understanding on the necessity of learning in silence,
see the George Fox's outstanding writing on Why Silence?, also on the side bar.
And for guidance in the process of silence, see Miguel de Molinos' The Spiritual Guide, also on the side bar.
He wants you to know him. He wants to teach you. To be taught, you don't decide what the teacher is going to teach you; the teacher sets the agenda. To listen, you have to stop talking, stop reading, and stop forming thoughts. John said, if you just believe in his name, you have the power to become a son of God; the way you use that power is to think on his name, Jesus Christ, as you get quiet to listen and watch. Think on the name of Jesus Christ, (but not as a repeated mantra), and then stop thought as best you can. When you find your mind wandering, return to thinking on the name of Jesus Christ. Listen and Watch and Wait. Then he can teach you what he wants to teach you, according to the understanding that he, your creator, has of what you need to learn and in what order.
He desires to teach you individual, personal things about yourself, and how he wants you to live, how he wants you to improve, what you should deny, and how to go about it - as well as encourage you, tell you of his love for you, and open up the scriptures to you, including the mysteries. If you limit yourself to reading the Bible, you will only get the crumbs beneath the table.
Remember, the Bible wasn't even printed until 1516. So, the early church thrived in Spirit and power without the Bible. So, the Bible can't be the Word of God. While seeking, the Bible is good for maintaining hope; it is good for understanding right vs. wrong, but Christ is the Word of God - that is one of His names. The Old Testament, which the saints referenced as scriptures, is the recorded words of the Spirit of God, recorded by the saints - but not the Word of God. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1-3. "And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God... and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS " Rev 19:13-16. To see all the references to Word of God in the scriptures, click here. To see the references to scriptures, click here.
NOW consider this scripture: "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. " Rom 10:17.
Dear ones, faith is received when you hear the Word of God, Christ himself speaking to you.
Faith does not come from hearing the words of God read out of the Bible, however wonderful and true the recorded words are.
The Apostle Paul reminds us, "But what does it (scripture) say? The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart
that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming." Rom 10:8. The Spirit is in your mouth and your heart, not scriptures.
When Paul said this, the New Testament didn't even exist. He said he was not taught by man, but through direct revelation by Jesus Christ.
The Word is Christ within you, the Light that enlightens all men, patiently waiting to teach and reveal himself to you also.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. John 5:25
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. Rev. 3:20
My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:27
"Faith comes by hearing the word of God." When you hear Christ's voice, the real word of God, speaking to you, your faith grows by leaps and bounds; and it will keep on growing as long as you keep on listening and being obedient to his commands to you.
If they tell you that "faith comes by hearing Bible verses (their word of God)," haven't they just cut Christ out of being the author and the finisher of your faith, by making the Bible their source of faith instead of the Living, speaking voice from heaven, Christ the Living God? If people insist that Bible verses are the "word of God," haven't they replaced Christ with the Bible - making the Bible their rule, their judge, their source of discernment, their authority - haven't they made the Bible their God? Think about it, even though it is a sad conclusion to make. Rather than the living Light and Word, Christ within them being their teacher, guide, authority, rule, and God; their faith is in the Bible, as James Parnell, the 18 year old Christian martyr, so astutely states.
The Bible is my source to identify the promise of perfection, purity, holiness, and the Kingdom within while on earth. I treasure the Bible. It is by far my favorite book. It is the recorded words of the saints as inspired by the Holy Spirit of God. It defines what I am aiming for, it defines evil, it builds my hope, it tells me what I must do to please God. But it is not a source of grace; it cannot show me what is hidden in my heart; it cannot judge me; it cannot convince me; it cannot convict me, leading me to repentance; it cannot give me strength and take away my lusts and affections; it cannot change me to be like Christ; it cannot communicate the spirit of the words written; it cannot teach me in the order I need, and with the exact words I need to learn; it cannot command me, knowing what commands I am capable of keeping; it cannot warn me when I am in subtle error; it cannot give me words of encouragement; it cannot forgive me and assure me; it cannot tell me it loves me; it cannot thank me; it cannot touch me; it cannot purify me; it cannot discipline me; it cannot lead me into the Kingdom of Heaven, it cannot give me life. But Christ can do all of this and more - he who has come to teach the people himself through the Holy Spirit of God.
But before a man comes into the spiritual state to be able to understand the depth of the scriptures' meanings, reading the Scriptures is profitable for: 1) building hope, 2) definition of what is sin, and 3) the promises of God to be obtained. It is a serious mistake, to discount the scriptures altogether; even to the spiritually immature, their reading is very helpful; but the all-too-common mistake is to not seek Him of whom the scriptures testify, only to read about Him, rather than to experience Him by silently waiting on Him to receive His teachings and changing grace. Children should be encouraged to read the Bible; and young children can immensely benefit from reading The Golden Children's Bible, widely available. Whatever time you give to the reading of the Bible, you should give far more time to silent waiting on the Lord.
It may take a long time waiting on the Lord before you hear his voice, but your waiting is to be rewarded, and you will eventually hear.
No one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. Isa 64:4
Let your mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord, be upon us, in proportion to our waiting and hoping for you. Ps 33:22
Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord. Psalm 27:14
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; Isaiah 40:31
And once you begin to hear, you will hear with increasing frequency. See How to Receive the Cleansing Grace of God for more on listening.
Don't be like the Pharisees, whom Christ severely criticized, saying "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life."
Jesus said: The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. John 6:63
Jesus said: Consider carefully what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Mark 4:24-5 , Deut 30:19-20
Paul said: This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their minds, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus:
that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts,
and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God,
in true righteousness and holiness. Eph 4:17-24
Are you beginning to see how critical it is to hear and be taught by Jesus himself>?
Jesus said, Then will the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God) shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears [to hear] be listening , and let him consider and perceive and understand by hearing. Mat 13:43
Why can't he teach me while I am studying the Bible?
Of course he could, but then you are setting the agenda - you're telling him what you want him to disclose to you that day. When you go to school, you don't walk in with a book, turn to the page you want to have explained to you, and order your teacher to teach what you have decided to be taught. He may want to be sure you know your spiritual ABCs before you start reading some very complex material written to a variety of different Christian groups with different levels of maturity and understanding.
Remember Paul? The New Testament didn't even exist; but Christ, from heaven, taught him everything, by his voice from his mouth and a message from his lips. Christ wants to teach you everything too, but in his own order. When your are quiet, and waiting, while listening and watching for the teacher, He will speak to you. We continually get reports from those who hear, many from those who have read the way to hear him from this web site. It is only common sense, which we have forgotten: to listen to anyone, we have to be quiet; add the power of his name to think on, and we are on the narrow way that few will find.
The common practice of "meditating on the word" is still you trying to set the agenda. He may take pity on you occasionally and actually disclose something to you while "meditating on the word," but you are missing 99% of the possible teachings and communication; you are only getting the crumbs from the table.
But the Bible says, he who keeps my word loves me;
so doesn't that mean I'm supposed to keep the words in the Bible?
The Bible is not the Word of God. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Heb 11:3. To think the Bible framed the worlds is ridiculous.
Christ is the Word of God. The Bible is the recorded words of the saints. When Christ said:
He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. John 14:21
He was saying commands you hear him speak to you, not the commands in the Bible. He is not speaking of the Ten Commandments; there are hundreds of commands in the Old Testament. While certainly we are not to steal, lie, murder, etc., if you try to keep every command in the New Testament alone, you will be smothered. Try these:
Love your enemies.
Turn your other cheek to someone who hits you.
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. (One of the Ten Commandments)
Love your neighbor as yourself. (one of the Ten Commandments)
Be ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.
You can't obey any of these commands without being changed to be like Him. You can't be perfect unless he makes you perfect, no matter how hard you try. You can't love your neighbor as yourself unless He helps you, no matter how hard you try. You can't love your enemies without His help. You can't love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, no matter how hard you try - unless He helps you with his unmerited favor, grace. This is not done by reading the Bible, Bible study groups, praying, fasting, singing, listening to sermons, or trying, etc. You get this ability to keep all his commands, (perfection), - by grace. Grace is the unmerited favor of God that we access through our faith in the name of Jesus. Grace is not instant or one-time; grace is a process. Grace is a teaching of us to live righteously, soberly, and godly in this present world by denying ungodliness and worldly lusts - repentance; this takes time. He will only give you personalized commands you are capable of keeping, and he will strengthen you along the way so that you can keep increasingly difficult commands. Christ, through the Holy Spirit, convicts you of sin by showing you what is in your heart, convinces you of the righteousness of Christ by teaching about himself, and finally judges you. John 16:8 Conviction of sin shows you from what he wants you to repent, by the Living Word of God.
Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!
And see if there is any wicked or hurtful way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 129:23-4
You get his help by going to him and getting quiet so you can hear him. If you are busy telling him everything you want him to do for you, how can he teach you? It is that simple. He is the Teacher. He is the Light that enlightens all men. He is in you, chained down, waiting for you to seek to listen to him. And as you sit and wait for him, you will hear him and the Light will show you things about yourself that are not pretty, conviction, allowing you to repent; and if you love the Light, you will regret what the Light shows you, and you will receive strength to be different from then on -- the operation of grace - the cleansing, purifying, perfecting process of grace. With the Light, you will not only hear, but also eventually see Christ, your Teacher. And after purification, he and the Father come to establish their Kingdom in your heart; and you step into paradise - while still on the earth.
Christ is the only person that understands you well enough to be able to lead you out of your fleshly self to a sinless state. Each of us has a different set of problems, in different degrees at least, of which only he can give you understandings and individual, personalized commands to obey and keep - his living words, which you receive and hear - which you obey by repentance. Jesus said: "Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent." Rev. 3:3 Keep a notebook of the commands you receive, so you can review them, remember them, and keep obeying. " If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him which the world will not see." Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done.
See How to Benefit from the Changing Power of God and Being Silent for more.
Can't My Preacher Teach Me Everything I Need to Know?
The only people to whom Christ spoke harsh words were the money changers in the temple and to the religious teachers of the day, the Pharisees. Why? He severely criticized the teachers because they had not entered "the Kingdom of God " and stood in the way, blocking others from entering it [the Kingdom of God] because of their incorrect teachings. Is your preacher like the Pharisees, whom he severely criticized for not leading others into the Kingdom of God within while still alive on earth, or is your preacher telling you that heaven is only after you die? Is your preacher focused as a first priority on seeking the Kingdom of Heaven and His righteousness, which is within you and does not come with visible signs? If not, he is just like the Pharisees whom Christ severely criticized. His judgment will be based on the number of people he has misled. Are you one of them being misled?
Did he learn anything from Christ? Has he heard the voice of the Son of God? Did Christ teach him, or did he go to Bible College to learn about the Bible instead of Christ? There are 30,000 different sects of "christianity" out there - each with a different interpretation of what the Bible tells us we need to do. If all the teachers and preachers of these 30,000 sects had been taught by Christ himself, there would be one church only - there would be no different interpretations, providing they had waited until perfection, and Christ had told them they were ready to teach and preach, because as Jesus said: "after perfection, everyone would be like the teacher." Such authorization comes from him directly and specifically; you hear him say: you are now a teacher, or: preach repentance with remission of sins. (And, yes: after being taught for years, we then have heard those exact words.)
Does he seek the chief place of honor in the assembly - like the Pharisees whom Christ criticized, (up on the stage, behind the pulpit)? Is he called reverend, father, or doctor in the market like the Pharisees were, whom Christ criticized? Has he been purified within - cleansed of lusts and affections - or is he like the Pharisees who Christ said cleaned the outside of the cup, but within were full of extortion and excess? Does he urge widows to contribute from their life savings? Does he make long prayers for pretence (for show)? Does he wear long robes (for show again)? All like the Pharisees whom Jesus severely cried WOE against. In fact, he said that the harlots and tax collectors would enter heaven before the Pharisees. Is your preacher the modern Pharisee; does he fit Christ's descriptions? Does he rule your group by means of his position; claim authority based on his office, which Jeremiah cried against? Does he Lord it over you, which Peter commanded not to be done? (Click here to see all of Jesus's criticisms of the religious leaders, who are not purified by his repentance.)
Does your preacher ask for your money every Sunday? Can you see Christ, after he fed the 5,000, emptying the baskets of the leftovers and passing the baskets back around for everyone to put money in? Can you read anywhere in the Bible where Christ asked anyone to give him money? Would he even have a box displayed to receive your money? Did Paul ever ask for money? (He asked for the Greek assemblies to contribute to the poor brothers in Jerusalem, but not to himself - he worked as a tentmaker to earn his living.) Christ told his disciples, "Freely you have received, freely give," and Peter said: "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre (money)." Remember Isaiah cried against the shepherds who sought their own gain, greedy dogs who never had enough. Tithing died when Christ's priesthood replaced the Levitical priesthood; look for tithing in the New Testament; the only reference is to the self-righteous Pharisee, and its death in Hebrews 7. Here are the many fallacies of tithes:
The Levitical priesthood is the only priesthood to be commanded by God to collect a tenth of the product of the land.
Priesthoods before or after had no such command. To be a priest to collect tithes, you had to be a descendant of Levi.
Land limits tithing to grain, cattle, oil, fruit, etc. - the product of the land - because God had given the land to the Jews.
He wanted a portion of the land's production, to provide for the Levites, who had no land given to them, and to provide for the poor.
Tithes were collected by Levite priests only in a named place selected and specified by the Lord.
Since the produce was food, the people were supposed to eat the food with their children, servants, and any Levites living within the boundaries of their lands, with thanksgiving and rejoicing to the Lord;
and this celebratory thanksgiving meal was supposed to be eaten in a place specifically chosen by the Lord.
After eating in celebration to the Lord, any excess was to be placed in a storehouse, the location also chosen by the Lord,
to be distributed by the Levites to the stranger, the widow, and the fatherless - the provision for the relief of the poor.
Money was not part of tithing - with one exception. If the distance to the location chosen by the Lord was too far to travel with the tithes of food, the food to be tithed was to be sold for money. Then the person was to travel to the location, with the money buy whatever food he particularly enjoyed, and then eat the food in celebration as in #4 above.
MOST IMPORTANT: Christ eliminated and abolished the Levitical priesthood. He became the new priesthood. So the command given to the Levital priesthood was eliminated also. Christ eliminated tithing, just as he established the new covenant .
The scripture backup to this elimination of tithing is in Hebrews 7.
You are denying Christ's priesthood, if you continue to tithe.
For more detail on tithing, see Tithing.
So, if your preacher is taking a salary from the congregation, he is a false prophet, a wolf dressed in sheep's clothing, a person making a trade of the saint's words. (Prophesy is to preach; to instruct in religious doctrines; to interpret or explain Scripture or religious subjects; to exhort.)
Here is what Christ has to say about hired hand pastors, (those who work for filthy lucre, lucre being money):
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. John 10:11-13
He is making the point that since the hired hand does not work for the love of God and love of the flock, at the sign of adversity, he will flee; he doesn't care about the flock, or else he wouldn't be taking money from them.
And Paul said: Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.
On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God. 2 Cor 2:17
Many of today's ministers chose the ministry as a way to earn an income - like becoming a doctor or a lawyer;
but Christ is supposed to choose his own shepherds, educate them himself,
and then appoint them to serve without tithing, collections, pledges, or salaries.
If you want to give and make God happy, give to the poor, not to religions, (but not to false prophets, rich or poor).
Christ said, "you will know them by their fruits;"
if they are His, they have: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
"When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified,
and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine." John 15:8
If your minister has not produced the fruit of the Spirit, he is not even a follower of Christ, much less a minister of Christ;
in fact, according to Christ, he is a false prophet. In John's time, many false prophets had already gone out into the world:
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?
Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Matthew 7:14-21
Those who belong to Christ have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Gal 5:24
If your minister has not crucified his sinful nature with its passions and desires, evidenced by destruction of sexual immorality,
impurity, debauchery, idolatry, hatred, lying, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, envy, drunkenness, etc.;
he doesn't even belong to Christ, despite what he says; so how can he be a minister of Christ? Gal 5:19-24.
He's not; he is a false prophet.
According to the Bible, by the Holy Spirit some are made preachers, pastors, and teachers for the perfection of the saints -
to bring everyone to the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him. Eph 4:11-3
Was your preacher or teacher appointed by gift from the Holy Spirit? Or by your sect, or a college, or even himself?
Is your preacher perfected in the fullness of Christ, completed in Him?
If not, he is not a preacher authorized by Christ. He is a false prophet, a greedy wolf dressed in sheep's clothing.
As Jesus told Paul: I am sending you to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and
from the power of Satan to God, so that they may thus receive forgiveness and release from their sins
and a place and portion among those who are consecrated and purified by faith in Me. Acts 26:17-18
Does your preacher know how to turn people from darkness to light? or even what the light is?
Does your preacher know how to release people from their sins? How to release them from the power of Satan to God?
Does your preacher know how one can be consecrated and purified by faith in Jesus?
Of course he doesn't. He is a blind guide, in the ditch, and coaxing you to stay in the ditch - which leads to the pit of destruction.
Even Jesus did not judge, speak, or act without the Spirit's specific prompting:
By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, John 5:30
whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak. John 12:49-50
the Son is able to do nothing of Himself (of His own accord);
but He [the son] is able to do only what He sees the Father doing, John 5:19
Until perfected, all preaching and teaching come from the carnal mind, and the carnal mind is enmity against God. Rom 8:7
A preacher may be a wonderful public speaker, receiving the praise of men, but so were the false prophets of old. Luke 6:26
To witness, preach, or teach without the Holy Spirit's specific promptings, is to estimate one's self above Jesus.
Jesus spoke of the spiritual condition of any unpurified religious leader, not having been cleansed by him through repentance.
You make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within are full of extortion and excess.
You are blind, first cleanse the inside of the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
You are like whitewashed tombs, outwardly beautiful, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
So you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Mat 23:25-28
A hypocrite is someone who talks about religion but remains in sin. Iniquity is absence of moral values, or controlled by sin.
What that kingly prophet David earnestly prayed to God for, in Psalm fifty-one, truly sets forth the state and condition of true gospel ministers, whose ministry is attended with His power and presence, and thereby made effective for the conversion of sinners to him. "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence; and take not your holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of your salvation; and uphold me with your free Spirit. Then will I teach transgressors your ways; and sinners shall be converted to you."
Paul wrote: But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. Gal 1:8
Paul preached the Kingdom of Heaven and holiness. Your preacher doesn't have a clue about the Kingdom or how to get there.
Your preacher doesn't have a clue about how to be holy - yet without holiness, no one will see God.
So your preacher is preaching a gospel different from Paul. He is cursed. You are listening to a false prophet.
So, who would you rather learn from? Someone who is a cursed Bible "expert," (with 30,000 different opinions as to what it means),
or from Christ himself, who doesn't charge? He wants you to come to Him, so you can have life, and have it more abundantly.
We have the account of such a minister, never authorized or trained by Christ, convicted of his error by the Spirit, taught the true gospel, suffered on the cross to purity, to become an authorized minister of the Lord preaching the true gospel. Read the account of later martyred Francis Howgill for yourself.
John tells us: But the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you do not need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. 1 John 1:27
So Should I Stop Going to my Sect's Services? (Why do you seek the living among the dead?)
The word "church," is the Body of Christ, not a building or a sect. He told me to use the words "deficit sect," instead. Once you are convinced of the true gospel, you won't be able to stay; it will hurt to hear the lies and misrepresentations; to hear the false hope; to hear the false gospel; to hear the false promises of salvation; to be asked for money, (forbidden as discussed above). You will have to leave.
Here is what Christ told me in meditations about all the deficit sects of today:
It is hard for those wrapped up in a form to see repentance to the truth.
(A form is repetitive ritual: singing, readings, baptism, bread/wine, prayers, sermons, collections, creeds, silent time, robes...)
They fight over the husks without ever discovering the corn.
(The husks are the words in the Bible, they fight over what they mean - but they fail to hear, see, and learn from Christ. )
The reason people go to deficit sects' services is because of a charming preacher.
Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
Those reluctant to look at their slavery say, 'Church me.'
For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
The deficit sects have no husband.
(They pretend Christ is their husband, but have failed to become holy, pure, and sinless as his bride must be.)
The deficit sects eat mortal food.
(They feed on words without Spirit. Their services are not Spirit-led. They read the letter [Bible]. Their ministers speak from the carnal mind, and the carnal mind is enmity against God. Rom 8:7. Until their minds have been renewed, their words are without life, and speak from the nature of death. The words have no power - they are mortal, without life. )
When they pray, they don't pray to God; they pray to their collective conscience.
You say, how could that be? Does their gospel include Christ being able to lead them out of darkness to a sinless state? Does their Jesus offer the destruction of sin and the works of Satan within them, now, while on earth? Does their Jesus show them what is in their heart so that they can repent of it and please Him by obedience? Does their Jesus promise them the Kingdom of Heaven while still alive on the earth, providing they make it their first priority? Paul said, people preached a different gospel and a different Jesus from those he preached. He further said, cursed is anyone who brings you a different gospel; a gospel -- a different gospel and different Jesus form those he preached. Can you see Christ arguing for sin, imperfection, impurity, and unholiness? Jesus said, I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. John 8:34. Doesn't 30,000 sects mean there are 30,000 different concepts of Jesus? So, each is praying to a different Jesus - their collective conscience - their group's collective opinion of how Jesus wants them to live, how he wants them to seek him, how he wants to be worshiped, what he expects them to do - as taught to them by their Bible scholars, with 30,000 different possible interpretations - and counting.
In vain (fruitlessly and without profit) do they worship Me, ordering and teaching as doctrines the commandments and precepts of men. Mark 7:7
The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests exercise rule at their own hands and by means of the prophets.
And My people love to have it so! But what will you do when the end comes? Jer 5:31
This is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things,
speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits. Isaiah 30:9-10
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires,
because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;
and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. 2 Tim 4:3-4
Jesus said: A time will come, however, indeed it is already here, when the
true (genuine) worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth (reality);
for the Father is seeking just such people as these as His worshipers. John 4:23
God is a Spirit, and must be worshipped in spirit and in truth. John4:24
To be in spirit and truth, you must first be changed by God while abiding in his spoken Word and Light.
So all worships that are not controlled by words given from the Holy Spirit and in truth, (without feign), displease God.
To be made a pleasing worshiper, you must: go to him, in silence listen, hear, and obey. See Why Silence for more.
For the world would have a Christ to excuse them, so they may continue to live in their passions and pleasures, at no cost;
but those committed to truth would have a Christ to change them to live pleasing to God, whatever the price.
Follow this logic. If people believe that Jesus came to set them free from guilt, instead of set them free from sin, then Jesus came so we can more easily sin: removing guilt, makes sin easier, allows us to sin more; therefore Jesus promotes sin. They make Jesus evil. The have totally ignored his basic message: REPENT for the Kingdom of Heaven is near! When people pray to a Jesus that promotes sin, to whom are they praying? Not to the Jesus I know; the Jesus I know destroys sin in me, he purifies me, he changes me, he convicts me of sin, he tells me about his righteousness, he shows me my failures, he insists I repent from my sins, he disciplines me when I fail, and he celebrates our victories over sin. My Jesus came to earth and lost his life to open up the Kingdom to all who believed the true gospel. So is my Jesus, who destroys sin, the same Jesus who promotes sin; or do we worship a different Jesus? He doesn't condemn us for our sins as long as we are repenting, step by step; but if we are doing nothing, but thanking Jesus for permitting us to sin guilt-free, we are condemned! Do I want to fellowship with people who worship a different Jesus; people who think sin is permitted without guilt or repentance, however well-intentioned they may be, having been grievously deceived?
The deficit sects ignore, disregard, and treat with indifference all the commands of Jesus, while relying on four verses out of thousands to support their imaginary salvation; never bothering to question how those four verses must be interpreted in conjunction with all of Jesus' wonderful teachings and commands. They expect Jesus to be their excuse for not obeying the commands that he left his glory in heaven to come to the earth to teach; and then died a horrible death, to show the extent of the required obedience that we all must have to ever please God. He will not be their excuse. Jesus said he will deny all who continue to sin, even those who are firmly believe they are saved Christians.
Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. 1 John 3:4
The tell you that the law is dead and because you believe in Jesus, you don't have to follow any of the law - that lawlessness is excused by Jesus.
Yet Jesus said: all who practice lawlessness with be gathered out of His Kingdom of and cast into the fire,
where there will be great wailing and gnashing of teeth. Mat 13:41-42
What about the rest? Does your sect even know what the rest is?
This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. Isa 28:12
Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest,
any of you should seem to come short of it Heb 4:1
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Mat 11:29
For he For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His. Heb 4:10
The rest is after true salvation, after union with God; the rest is your labors to be prompted and energized by God, doing his will.
Have you entered the rest? Has anyone in your sect entered?
Arise and depart, for this is not your rest; because it is defiled, it shall destroy, yes, with utter destruction. Mic 2:10
No! because, the deficit sects have ignored Jesus' gospel with requirements for repentance
and the reward of the Kingdom, exactly what and why Jesus preached. (How much worse could their error be?)
How do you think Jesus feels about groups who think he excuses sin, thereby promoting sin (evil)? How many people are repulsed by those who boast of their righteousness and that despite being sinners, they have special favor with God with a guaranteed place in heaven, while they continue in their passions and pleasures? When you think about it, the whole concept is ludicrous! To thinking souls, this concept of 'churchianity' is a stumbling block and scatters the true sheep, preventing them from hearing the message of Jesus.
He that says to the wicked, 'You are righteous;' him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him; Pro 24:24
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light, and light for darkness. Isa 5:20
Many, many of Christ's have been driven out, scattered sheep, from the deficit sects because of: hypocrisy, being lorded over, money solicitations, frustration with no help to stop sinning, revulsion at social stances that endorse evil, condemnation, etc. The elect are not deceived by those having a form of godliness, but denying the power. They can see the lack of fruit. They can see the lack of power. They can see the blind guides fleecing the flock, making a trade of the Bible verses, in the ditch, offering no hope. That is why it is necessary for Christ himself to shepherd his flock.
The problem is 'Christians' live the same as the 'sinners' - because they deny the power of God to change them from darkness to a sinless state, and claim they are favored by God on a technicality - they say Jesus is Lord with their lips, but keep him far removed from their hearts to really be their Lord and King.
As Paul said to Timothy about those who have a form of godliness, but deny its power:
People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. 2 Tim. 3:2-5
(A form is a set of religious practices: singing, Bible reading, baptism, eating bread/wine, prayer books, creeds, dress, incense, tongue time, fleecing the sheep time, bells, sermons from the carnal mind, altar call time, silent time, etc. - all scheduled, planned, repeated, rehearsed - so that the practices become a ritual to be repeated and observed. The form of their attempted worship prevents the Holy Spirit from leading and controlling the experience.)
The false shepherds will plead for you to stay as a paying customer: "But you must meet with fellow believers; you cannot forsake the assembling of yourselves together," as Hebrews 10:25 plainly states, but the people in Hebrews were hoping and "exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching," the day of the Lord's return with his Kingdom, which is a personal experience of purified believers. The people in Hebrews have nothing in common with people looking forward to heaven after death and content to continue to live in sin until death. If they don't share your hope of purity and the Kingdom through repentance, with faith in God to fulfill your hope, then they are unbelievers; and as Paul says: "Have nothing to do with them," and:
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness?
What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
So, come out from among [unbelievers], and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor, 2 Cor 6:14-17
But now I write to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of [Christian] brother if he is known to be guilty of immorality or greed, or is an idolater [whose soul is devoted to anything that usurps the place of God], or is a person with a foul tongue [railing, abusing, reviling, slandering], or is a drunkard or a swindler or a robber. You must not so much as eat with such a person. 1 Cor 5:11
So any, who call themselves Christians, but are guilty of immorality, or devotion to anything except God, or greed, or cursing, or lying, or outbursts of anger, or drunkenness, or dishonesty, or theft; we should not associate with them or even eat a meal with them.
From George Fox's Letter on Covetousness:
So the apostle here does not speak of the fornicators, and covetous idolaters, and extortionists of the world, which were without; for God judges such. But the saints, the apostles, and the true church were to judge them that practiced such things within the church, showing the true christian's church had a power; and not to keep company nor to eat with such, professing Christ, that were of such practices, knowing that the unrighteous should not inherit the kingdom of God, nor drunkards, nor fornicators, thieves, railers, extortionists, nor covetous idolaters; they that lived in these evils, were not like to inherit the kingdom of God; for they were defiled, unwashed, and not sanctified nor justified, etc. So that if the saints did keep company, or did eat with such unwashed, unsanctified, unjustified persons, or have fellowship with them, they took the members of Christ and joined them to an harlot; for he that is joined to an harlot, is one body; ‘for two,’ said he, ‘shall be one flesh.’ And therefore, the saints' bodies are members of Christ; God forbid they should be joined to harlots, or that they should make them members of an harlot. ‘And he that is joined to the Lord, is one spirit:’ And the saints' bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost, which proceeds from God and Christ, and being bought with a price, the blood of Christ, and washed, and sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus Christ by the spirit of God, they are to glorify God in their bodies, souls, and spirits, which are God's which he has given to them to glorify him withal; glory to his name forever.
Both George Fox and Margaret Fox wrote in several of their writings of not having the freedom to eat with those who called themselves Christians, but having not been renewed in heart and mind, remained worldly in covetousness, greed, language, etc.
Not that we are pure already, and these others are not; no, it is the difference in obligation, hope, and faith that separates us, until we are purified. By your leaving to become pure, you may eventually be able to help them; greater love has no man than he who lays down his life for his friends. The people in the deficit sects, however well-intentioned they are, believe they are justified in continuing in sin - and that Jesus does not want them to become pure, and furthermore that Jesus can not purify them - they are unbelievers: what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? See George Fox's letter 391 for more.
If you have people who share your hope to meet with, then meet with them to silently listen for the Lord together. See Meeting Formats and Why Silence.
Until you do have such people to meet with, for him to teach you, you will have to quietly withdraw from your deficit sect as evidence to the Lord you are sincere in wanting him to lead you to the sinless state and the Kingdom. Your withdrawal from the deficit sects' false teachings is evidence of your faith and hope for righteousness and Christ's ability to bring you to that state by his grace and power. If you stay, you either lose your peace or you lose your integrity, along with losing the Lord's teachings because he will not build you up on top of a false foundation. To continue to fellowship with them will either result in your stress, arguing (fighting) with them, or your being overcome by their false arguments and remain captive of sin, never to enter the rest of God. The voice of the Lord said, "They must withdraw from their sect to be taught;" and " don't withdraw in pride or prejudice, but long enough to see the falseness of their teachings." Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. Heb 4:1
And protracted wrangling and wearing discussion and perpetual friction among men who are corrupted in mind and bereft of the truth, who imagine that godliness or righteousness is a source of profit [a moneymaking business, a means of livelihood]. From such withdraw. 1 Tim 6:5
I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. Rom 16:17
In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us. 2 Thes 3:6
If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not take him into your house or welcome him. Anyone who welcomes him shares in his wicked work. 2 John 1:10-11. (This refers to a teacher or a preacher of a deficit sect.)
Jesus said: Let them alone and disregard them; they are blind guides and teachers. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a ditch. Matthew 15:14
Come out of her my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues. Rev 18:4-7
Yes, all the deficit sects of today comprise Revelation's Whore of Babylon, of which all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, because all the sects are simply evolutional varieties of the Roman Empire's church, both east and west, whose doctrines were dictated by the sainted Emperors Constantine and Justinian the despot, thus eliminating the true gospel by 390 AD. As prophesied in Revelations, the church adulterated with the Kings of the earth. This deficit is hardly surprising, when you consider that Christ's disciples and apostles (John, Peter, Paul, and Jude) wrote of false teachers and preachers in their time, 2000 years ago.
He [the beast] was further permitted to wage war on God's holy people (the saints) and to overcome them. And power was given him to extend his authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation. The beast of the Book of Revelation is the beast of heathen religious authority, which power was severely curtailed [a wound to the head] by early Christianity, particularly in the Mediterranean region. But a second beast shortly arose that had horns like a lamb, but was a beast. Note, this beast appears to be Christian-like, and under pretence of the Lamb's authority, (though acted by the dragon's power, derived from the first beast of heathen religion) compels men to comply with such traditions, ceremonies, and rituals, (for Christian duties), as resemble the customs of the heathen, in their idolatrous worship and superstition. The whole earth followed this beast, and still does. Thus, the false church arose, and no one could spiritually buy or sell, (like the foolish virgins for oil in their lamps), unless they complied with the beast and had received the false church's mark. Any who denied this false church, or who tried to buy or sell (spiritual works by mind or hand) without the sanction of the false church were martyred, as their predecessors had done before, under the heathen power, or first beast. And while this false church is often identified by the Protestants as the Roman church, the Protestants are all part of the same false whore, (the beast has many names), promoting a false salvation based on saying certain words, performing ceremonies with water, bread and wine - all superstitious rituals - instead of a complete change of heart - circumcised to be a new heart and mind.
Anyone who tried to increase their measure of Christ by any way that differed from the doctrine of the false church (to buy or sell spiritual oil differently for their lamps), was not only stopped; they were killed - which really made them unable to buy or sell.
Many Roman Catholic persecutions were justified by Saint? Augustine's famous: Why ... should not the Church use force in compelling her lost sons to return, if the lost sons compelled others to their destruction?" - A classic example of the end justifies the means, which looses sight of the principal command of Christ to "love enemies," not destroy them. Another supposed saint?, Thomas Aquinas wrote: On the part of the Church, however, there is mercy which looks to the conversion of the wanderer, wherefore she condemns not at once, but "after the first and second admonition," as the Apostle directs: after that, if he is yet stubborn, the Church no longer hoping for his conversion, looks to the salvation of others, by excommunicating him and separating him from the Church, and furthermore delivers him to the secular tribunal to be exterminated thereby from the world by death. These revered saints? ignore Christ's reply to his disciples when they wished to punish the people who would not listen to him, severely rebuking them with: Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. Jesus further said that if someone is violating the standards of the church, (sinning), they are supposed to be warned by one, then warned by two or three, then censured by the whole body of believers, - and if they fail to repent of their error, they are supposed to be expelled and shunned - not killed, or imprisoned, or tortured, or stripped of their property.
Protestants killed heretics too. John Calvin, was a principal founder of Protestantism, having great influence on the Presbyterians, Congregationalists, Baptists, and even Lutherans. Calvin had Servetus arrested and wrote charges of heresy against him; Servetus denied the scriptural support of the trinity and infant baptism. Calvin's charges and arrest of him resulted in Servetus being burned at the stake. Calvin, with many other Protestant authorities, further participated in the burning of twenty-three others with differing religious views. Calvin wrote: Whoever shall maintain that wrong is done to heretics and blasphemers in punishing them makes himself an accomplice in their crime and guilty as they are. There is no question here of man's authority; it is God who speaks, and clear it is what law he will have kept in the church, even to the end of the world. Wherefore does he demand of us a so extreme severity, if not to show us that due honor is not paid him, so that we spare not kin, nor blood of any, and forget all humanity when the matter is to combat for His glory. The apologists of Calvin spilling blood and forgetting all humanity point out that many other Protestants killed heretics too - (the everybody-did-it defense).
Jesus said: .. whoever kills you will think and claim that he has offered service to God. John 16:2
And the whore was drunk on the blood of the saints - the Roman church's inquisitions and slaughters throughout Europe, in which during the Middle Ages (800 AD to 1500 AD) nine million souls were put to death, accused of witchcraft. This was followed by the Protestants of England and America who in 50 years were responsible for the deaths of over 869 Quakers in the 17th Century. The persecutors of the Quakers included Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Baptists. She boasts she is not a widow and will never see grief. She boasts that Christ is their husband; but these false churches are the whore of Babylon, who ignore Christ's commands to repent, his teachings, his requirements, his warnings, his required holiness, his gospel, his Kingdom, his promised freedom from sin, and his cross of self-denial - the Missing Cross to Purity.
(If you want to read more about the whore and the beast, Isaac Penington has writings on this site: 1. Babylon the Great, and 2. The Great Apostasy, and Janney's History of the Church.)
Go to the Good Shepherd yourself, bypassing the supposed intermediaries. Go to the Master. The Truth. The Light. The Way. The Captain of your Salvation. The Author and Finisher of Your Faith. Your Hope. Your All. HE will never fail you - if you allow him, he will guide you, teach you, lead you, change you, destroy the sin within you, love you, enter union with you, and take you to paradise.
Be you separate, said the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, said the Lord Almighty. 2 Cor. 6:17
Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Luke 12:32
See How to Benefit from the Changing Power of God for more on how to listen and receive the teaching, changing grace of God.
