Fallen from Grace? (The Security of the Believer)

April 11, 2010

by Shawn Brasseaux

Can Christians lose their salvation? Must we do good works to maintain (keep) our salvation? Is salvation instantaneous (once for all) or progressive (throughout your lifetime)? In this Bible study, we will look at the Bible verses people often use to refute and reject the doctrine of “once saved, always saved” (the eternal security of the believer). The confusion would disappear if people would “study… rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Let us look first at Galatians 5:4 KJV: “Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.” Does the expression “fallen from grace” mean that some of the Galatians lost their salvation? Of course not, because Paul calls them “brethren” nine times (Galatians 1:11, 3:15, 4:12, 4:28, 4:30, 5:11, 5:13, 6:1, 6:18)!

Recall that Galatia was being pummeled with false teaching and works-religion (Judaism). Some of these poor believers had been deceived to the point where they were now laboring under the Mosaic Law to receive salvation… salvation they had already received by grace through faith without works (Galatians 3:2,3). “Fallen from grace” simply means that some of the Galatians gave up on the grace system—being rewarded on the basis of Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary—because they preferred legalism—being rewarded on the basis of their works/performance (cf. Romans 4:1-8; Romans 11:6; Ephesians 2:8,9; Galatians 2:16-21; Titus 3:5).

For those who are unfamiliar with dispensational Bible study (mid-Acts dispensationalism / Pauline dispensationalism), Hebrews 6:4-6 KJV can be quite confusing. Let us look at that passage:

“4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”

The goal of dispensational Bible study and right division is to determine the audience of the particular Bible passage. In this case, obviously, the writer is addressing Jews—after all, it is the epistle to the Hebrews. The people being addressed in the above passage are the nation Israel.

All of Israel saw Jesus Christ’s miracles. They saw the supernatural events on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. If the miracles, signs, and wonders of Christ’s earthly ministry and Acts chapter 2 were not enough proof to win the Jews to salvation, there was nothing else to convince them. Jesus told Israel, “Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe” (John 4:48). These Jews saw the power of the Holy Spirit, but they rejected God in unbelief. Consider Hebrews 2:3,4 KJV:

“3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”

Again, the “we” is the nation Israel—it was the Jews, not us. We see the reference to Christ’s miracles and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom during His earthly ministry (“the great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord;” Matthew 4:17). Obviously, the “gifts of the Holy Spirit” is a reference to Pentecost and Acts chapter 2, the power of the Holy Spirit being manifested (see Luke 24:49). Recall that we examined Hebrews 6:4-6, which mentioned “the powers of the world to come.” When Jesus Christ and His apostles performed miracles, they were demonstrating the power that was coming in the kingdom: when Christ will establish His kingdom on the earth, the curse would be lifted from creation and there would be no more sickness or unclean spirits (devils (Isaiah 35:1-10; Zechariah 13:1,2; et al.).

Acts chapter 2, Hebrews chapter 2, and Hebrews chapter 6 have nothing to do with anyone reading this. These passages describe Israel’s program, which is not the program that God is operating today. Period. At this point, we will look a related matter that many people have confused. Do you ever wonder if you are guilty of committing the “unpardonable sin” of Matthew 12:31,32, Mark 3:28-30, and Luke 12:10, the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost? Let me assure you that this has nothing do with us today; this special sin of blaspheming against the Holy Ghost relates to the nation Israel (for more information on this topic, email me to obtain a copy of our article dealing with the “unpardonable sin”).

Can we be “more saved” one day, and “less saved” another day? Do good works somehow “enhance” our salvation? Philippians 3:12-15 KJV has been wrested and twisted to promote this absurd teaching. First, here is the passage:

“12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.”

This has absolutely nothing to do with us working for our salvation. The Apostle Paul is talking about spiritual maturity/spiritual growth (notice “perfect;” verses 12 & 15). Once we gain a better understanding of God’s Word, we should put forth an effort to seek more sound doctrine, and desire to allow that sound doctrine to mature us in the inner man. Paul admits in verse 13 that he has not yet reached the level of spiritual maturity that he needs to, but that he is putting forth the effort in allowing God’s Word to work effectually in him, as he believes it.

Philippians 2:12 is another one false teachers like to twist, but notice what the verse actually says in the King James Bible: “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Again, there is no working for salvation here: the verse does not say “work for your own salvation,” the verse says “work out your own salvation.” This is talking about your lifestyle and testimony—if you claim to be saved, then act like it (do not fall prey to pride, which is the context)! (Another verse often misunderstood in this regard is 1 Corinthians 9:27.)

The next verse (Philippians 2:13) says, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” This means that you, as a Christian, should be yielding yourself to the Lord’s will so that He can do His work in you, so that your life will reflect God’s working in you (cf. Galatians 5:1-26). Recall that Paul forbade the Galatians from working for salvation (cf. Romans 4:1-5; Ephesians 2:8,9).

You will often hear of “he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” That phrase appears in the Bible three times: Matthew 10:22, Matthew 24:13, and Mark 13:13. Do not let someone (mis)quoting these verses make you doubt your salvation. The context of each of these verses is the seven-year Tribulation, Daniel’s 70th week. See for yourself; do not take my word for it. These verses are Israel’s program, and they have no relation to us today in this the Dispensation of Grace. (The Church the Body of Christ will be absent from earth during the Tribulation anyway!) This salvation is actually a physical salvation; “and except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:22).

In Old Testament Israel, it can be quite difficult to establish how salvation worked. We do know that it was always by faith in what God said. Still, there was no permanent indwelling Holy Spirit, and He sometimes came to and went from people. In fact, King David writes in Psalm 51:11: “Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.” (Another verse people twist today to promote loss of salvation.) In light of 2 Samuel 7:15, we do not know if King Saul was saved or if he went to hellfire. Or, we know all of Israel was delivered out of Egypt, yet some Jews died in unbelief in the wilderness before they reached the Promised Land (Jude 5). But, remember, there was no permanent indwelling Holy Spirit back then. What we do know is that those Old Testament saints in Hebrews chapter 11 were saved.

None of those verses I just mentioned have anything to do with us—this is Israel’s program. We are under a new dispensation (grace) under a new apostleship (Paul), in a new program (mystery), and in a new agency (the Church the Body of Christ). We will discuss this more fully in a moment.

Okay, let us look at one final passage. Read 2 Peter 2:20,21 KJV:

“20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.”

The context is false teachers. It relates to what discussed earlier in Hebrews chapters 2 and 6. Peter is referring to those who saw all the miracles of Acts chapters 2, but opposed God’s working and used false teaching to encourage other Jews to rebel against God’s purpose and program for Israel. Let me also say that anyone who fully understands the Gospel of Grace and how to be saved, and they reject it in unbelief, then yes, they are not saved. But they never had salvation to lose, so this is not loss of salvation!

Today, in this the Dispensation of the Grace of God, the Bible says that God accepts those who are “in the beloved,” in His Son Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:6). How do we get “in Christ?” Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection as sufficient payment for your sins: see Paul’s Gospel of Grace in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. “Christ died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised again the third day for our justification.” Salvation from sins and hell and salvation unto justification (right standing before God) is instantaneous, not a lifelong process. If a true believer in Christ ever lost his/her salvation, that would mean God rejected His Son! You would have to throw away all the verses that Paul says confirms the believer’s salvation forever (Romans 5:1,2; Romans 8:29-39; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Ephesians 1:13,14; Ephesians 4:30; Philippians 1:6; 2 Timothy 1:12).

The Corinthians were the least spiritual and the most immature believers in Scripture. Yet, the Apostle Paul wrote that God would confirm (preserve) them unto the end so that they would be blameless at the rapture (1 Corinthians 1:7-8). Verse 9 tells us why—“God is faithful.” Believers in Christ make mistakes, but “the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Colossians 1:14 says that “we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”

We have been forgiven of all trespasses and sins for Christ’s sake (Ephesians 4:32). Our salvation is not gained by our efforts, so our salvation cannot be maintained by our efforts (see Romans 11:6; Galatians 3:3; Colossians 2:6,7). How can sinful people go to heaven? When a person believes the Gospel of Grace, the blood of Jesus Christ and His righteousness are imputed (applied) to them (Romans 4:1-5). When a believer in Christ sins today, God does not see the sin, He only sees the blood of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Once we have salvation, we are sealed with the Holy Spirit until the rapture (Ephesians 1:13; Ephesians 4:30). God does not want you as a believer in Christ doubt your salvation. Our salvation does not depend on our performance or our faithfulness; the salvation we enjoy today as believers is solely dependent upon what Christ did for us already at Calvary!

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SUPPLEMENT

By the way, you should be aware of the heresy in modern English Bibles—NIV, NASB, NKJV, et al. promote progressive salvation!! In 1 Corinthians 1:18 and 2 Corinthians 2:15, does your Bible say “are being saved” rather than the KJV’s “are saved?” In 1 Peter 2:2, does your Bible say you can you “grow into salvation” rather than the KJV’s “grow [in maturity]?” Indeed, if you do not have God’s Word, you can promote false teaching. The Bible versions debate is a serious matter, so I suggest you get a King James Bible… it is the only solid ground in regards to God’s Word in English!

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Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

Easter 2010

March 28, 2010

Easter 2010: Part I – The First Passover and Passover Today
by Shawn Brasseaux
[28 March 2010]

What is the origin of Passover? Why do Jews observe it? Let us turn to the Bible for the answer.

THE FIRST PASSOVER

In Exodus chapter 12, circa 3500 years ago, we find Israel just moments before her deliverance from Egyptian bondage. As you know, Pharaoh refuses to let Israel go, despite the nine plagues the LORD God has already brought on Egypt. Now, using the tenth and final plague, God will force Pharaoh to let Israel go.

We read in Exodus 12:1-6 of the LORD giving Israel instructions as to how to observe the Passover feast. God tells Moses and Aaron that Abib/Nisan (our April) will be the first year on Israel’s religious calendar. On the tenth day of Abib, each household has to select a male lamb or kid (goat) of the first year. It has to be without blemish; that is, not crippled or sick—it must be perfect. They must keep it penned up until the fourteenth day to monitor its health, and then kill it in the evening.

In verses 7-11, God tells them to take a hyssop weed, dip it in the blood, and apply the blood to the lintel (top of the doorway) and on the side posts (two sides of the doorway) of their house. Little did these Jews know they were actually placing that blood in the shape of a cross! After putting the blood on the doorway, they are to go inside, and eat the roasted lamb with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They are instructed to eat quickly, wearing their shoes, their garments, and holding the staff.

Exodus 12:12 says that while the Jews are eating the Passover lamb on Abib 14th, God is going to PASS OVER the land of Egypt, killing all the firstborn of the Egyptians and the firstborn of their livestock. But, jumping up to verse 23, we see that God promises not to harm any of the Jews because the blood of the Passover lamb has been applied to their account.

On the night of the Passover, the beginning of Abib 14th, the Jews follow God’s instructions and apply the blood of the lamb. While they are eating the lamb, suddenly, the LORD comes in great power, proving to Egypt that He alone is God, superior to their pagan idols. All the firstborn of Egypt’s cattle died, the firstborn of Pharaoh died, every Egyptian firstborn died, and even the firstborn of every prisoner died. The Bible says that every Egyptian household had at least one dead person (Exodus 12:30). Now, Pharaoh was all too eager to get Israel out of Egypt, and he speedily granted the Jews permission to leave. Thus begins the exodus, and the 40-year journey to the Promised Land, the land of Canaan.

You can also look at Deuteronomy 16:1,2, but Exodus 12:14 says that from that time onward, even up through Christ’s earthly ministry, the Jews kept that feast every Nisan (April) 14th. After all, it was to commemorate their exodus from the Egyptian bondage! (The Jews today call Passover “the festival of their freedom.”) God hid it from Israel, but that Passover observance was a shadow of something to come. It was a type (preview) of the Lord Jesus Christ who was without blemish or spot, coming one day to shed His own blood not only for Israel, but for all the world. (We will talk more about that in part II.)

PASSOVER TODAY

We have all heard of the “Last Supper,” the last meal Christ has with His disciples before He is betrayed and crucified. The Lord tells His disciples to go prepare a room for them to eat the Passover (Matthew 26:17-19; Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-13). Do you ever wonder what that room and that feast looked like with Christ there? Look at modern-day Passover observance in Israel, and you get a pretty good idea.

According to Annie Thrasher, director of the Bible Times Learning Center in Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, the Jews would have someone sit out on a high point in the land that evening (the end of Nisan 13, the beginning of Nisan 14), and as soon as the three stars were seen in the sky, it would be announced, and Passover would begin.

Okay, so Jesus Christ is hosting the meal at that reserved room, and it was the host’s job to tell the story of the exodus to those at the table. There would be singing hymns and psalms (especially Psalms 113-118), respectable dancing and praise to God. The host would teach the youngest, who would be sitting next to him, ensuring that the story would be passed on to future generations: in this case, the Apostle John is the youngest, so he is reclining in front of the Lord at the table.

All facing in the same direction, lying on their left sides, John would be leaning into Jesus, and Jesus leaning into Judas. Peter was reclining on the other side of the triclinium (a U-shaped table), in the servant’s spot, actually! Note that there was no sitting; they were lying on their left side, resting on the left arm, and eating with their right hand. Interestingly, the host had his most trusted friend reclining behind him, guarding his back. In the case of Christ as host, Judas was in the spot behind Christ—Judas, Christ’s enemy, was reclined in the spot at the table where the most trusted friend was to sit!

Today, the religious Jews who practice Passover eat lamb stew. As before in the Old Testament, they still never break the bones of the Passover lamb, just as Christ’s bones were never broken (Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12; John 19:33, 36). They eat unleavened bread and drink wine. Although these Jews are religious, they are not necessarily saved. Remember, as the Apostle Paul wrote, most of Israel is spiritually blinded today in the Dispensation of Grace (Romans 11:11-12, 25). Most Jews today refuse to believe that their Messiah (the Lord Jesus Christ) already came, nearly 2000 years ago.

By the way, contrary to religious tradition, Jesus Christ was not crucified on Friday. According to Jonah 1:17 and Matthew 12:39,40, Jesus was in the heart of the three days and three nights. According to Luke 24:21, Sunday (the resurrection day) was the “third day” since Christ died. If we back up three days from Sunday, the crucifixion was Thursday (Friday was the first day, Saturday was the second day, and Sunday was the third day).

In part II next week, we are going to discuss the plan of salvation, and look at correlation between the Passover feast and the cross of Calvary.

Easter 2010: Part II – Christ Our Passover
by Shawn Brasseaux
[3 April 2010]

Last week, in part I of our Easter 2010 message, we saw from the Bible how and why the first Passover observance originated. Israel was in Egyptian bondage, and because Pharaoh refused to let the Jews leave, God harshly judged Egypt. As the LORD passed over the land, He smote the firstborn of the Egyptians and their livestock. But, if you recall, God spared the Jews from that death because they had the Passover lamb’s blood applied to their doorposts and lintel. Now, in part II, we make the connection with the Lord Jesus Christ.

Before Israel applied the blood to the doorway, God warned them of the impending danger. Israel needed to know that God was going to righteously judge Egypt, and if Israel wanted to survive, they had to follow God’s instructions. We can bring that right up to the present day. The Word of God has already warned sinful mankind of the impending doom that lies in eternity, but He has also given us information that has the potential to rescue us from that well-deserved punishment!

From the moment of conception, we are sinners—yes, even as a small speck in our mother’s womb, before we committed that first sin, we were already sinners in God’s eyes! People need to realize that it is not what we do that makes us sinners; it is whom we are that makes us sinners. We have inherited from Adam a sin nature; the Bible calls it the “body of sin” and the “old man” (Romans 6:6 KJV). We are made in “the image and likeness of Adam” (Genesis 5:3 KJV), and it is this identity in Adam that gets us into trouble with the Lord (Romans 5:12 KJV).

This Adamic nature causes us to sin and it has broken our fellowship with God. “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 KJV). The natural (lost, unsaved) person cannot relate to the things of God, because he is spiritually dead. He has no fellowship with God, and God is not in his thinking; he is an enemy of God who wants nothing to do with God and he has no intention of listening to anything God has to say. (If you are a believer in Christ today, this was you prior to salvation, believe it or not!)

Now the Bible is quite clear as to the ultimate end of sinners: “for the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a KJV). That is not just physical death, but spiritual death, eternal separation from God forever (the “second death” of Revelation 20:14 and Revelation 21:8). Remember that death in the Bible is “separation.” Mankind has already worked, not for salvation, but for damnation. We have worked in the flesh, and we have rightfully earned death. You cannot do anything to change who you already are in Adam, and you cannot rescue yourself. It seems very hopeless indeed, but the message of grace is a beacon of God’s love, mercy, forgiveness, salvation… and of course, grace!

Look at what Hebrews 9:26 KJV says: “[Jesus Christ] appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” This is what 1 Timothy 2:6 KJV says: “[Jesus Christ] gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” Hebrews 2:9 KJV reads: “that he [Jesus Christ] by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

We are all sinners, but the Bible says that Jesus Christ gave all that He had to reconcile us to Himself. God left the glory of heaven to become a man and endure such despicable treatment and shame, just because He wanted to save us! We did not deserve it. A late brother in the Lord once expressed it like this: “God the Father wanted to give us eternal life, God the Son wanted to give up His life for us, and God the Holy Spirit wanted to seal us forever.” Right he is!

Colossians 1:14 KJV tells us that the blood of Christ redeems us and cleanses us from all sin. Now, remember the Passover lamb back in Exodus chapter 12? It had to be without spot or blemish—it could not be defiled by sickness or disability (Exodus 12:5). Likewise, the Lord Jesus Christ had to be perfect: He could not be tainted by sin at all. The Apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:19 that Jesus Christ was the lamb “without blemish and without spot!” Christ was separate from sinners because He was God in the flesh; this made Him the perfect sacrificial lamb, literally!!

The Apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 5:7 KJV that “…Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” We learn that the Passover lamb of Exodus chapter 12 was a preview (a “type”) of the Lord Jesus Christ! God the Son became that sacrifice you and I needed in order for us to be reconciled to God. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8 KJV). When we were on our merry way to Hell, God already accomplished everything that needed to be done to RESCUE us from Hell.

Look at Romans 4:7,8 KJV:

“7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.”

The word “impute” means “to apply or appropriate to one’s account.” In other words, the Bible says that God will not apply sin to those who are forgiven. Here is one of my most favorite Bible passages (2 Corinthians 5:18-21 KJV):

“18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

God is giving every person in the world a chance to be saved. Their sins have already been dealt with—past, present, and future—at Calvary. The message of grace is that God is not imputing (applying) the sins of the world to their account today. All sins, of all people, for all time were laid on the body of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was so disfigured on Calvary’s cross, not only from all the physical abuse, but also from the wrath of God bearing down on Him. The perfect Lamb of God because “sin for us.” He was “made a curse for us,” the Bible says in Galatians 3:13. It was for this reason, the Bible tells us, that God the Father forsook His Son (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34).

Notice what 2 Corinthians 5:21 says. Although we are sinners, hell-bound from conception, we can have God’s righteousness in the Lord Jesus Christ. We have to be “in Christ” to have the righteousness of God imputed to us, thereby making us fit for heaven. Our “righteousness” is nothing compared to the righteousness God demands. How do we get “in Christ?” Believe the Gospel of Grace, trust in Christ Jesus, and His finished work at Calvary as sufficient payment for your sins. No strings attached—it really is that simple!

Just as the Jews in Goshen were covered by the blood of the lamb and insulated from the righteous judgment of God, so must the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ be imputed to our account to keep us from the judgment of God (the Tribulation and the everlasting lake of fire). If you want Christ’s atoning blood to be imputed to your account, you must take God at His Word and believe the Gospel of Grace. Either your sins will be dealt with at the Lord’s cross, or you will pay for your sins for all eternity in torments.

Read this selection from Romans 5:9,10 KJV:

“9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

Romans 6:23b says, “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Do you have eternal life as a present possession? Are your sins forgiven today? Would you like to know how to be saved and go to heaven? The Bible says that God is offering you a chance to receive His forgiveness, so what will you do with it? You can either do like most people and disregard (ignore) God’s Word, or you can take it by faith that Jesus Christ died for your sins, He was buried, and He rose again the third day for your justification!!!! This is Paul’s Gospel of Grace, the only way to heaven, as found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Contact me and I would be happy to answer any questions your may have.

Well, that is the Gospel of Grace. Plain and simple. The rest is up to you….

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Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

The Seven-Fold Unity of the Spirit

March 21, 2010

by Shawn Brasseaux

In Scripture numerics, the number seven (7) in the Bible symbolizes “perfection/completion.” In this Bible study, we want to discuss the seven-fold unity of the Spirit. What is this, you ask? Good question. Our discussion will stem from what the Apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:1-7 KJV. Let us look at the first three verses of that passage:

“1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Here, the Apostle Paul is writing from a Roman prison, to believers in the city of Ephesus. He urges them to lead lives that honor God and reflect His grace. Also, Paul instructs them to humbly submit to God’s will and to be patient with one another. In verse 3, God’s Word says that we should strive to “keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” What exactly does this mean? Continue reading the following verses:

“4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”

In our world, there are over two billion professing Christians. But, how many of those people are genuine, Holy Spirit-indwelt Christians? We determine that by understanding what seven doctrines unite all true, Holy Spirit-indwelt people.

* * *

ONE BODY
(Romans 12:4,5; 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 1:22,23; Ephesians 2:13-22; Ephesians 4:12; Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18,24; Colossians 3:15; et al.)

In this Dispensation of Grace, apart from the nation Israel, God is dealing with the Church the Body of Christ. It is critical for you to understand that the Body of Christ is strictly a Pauline revelation (you cannot find references to it outside of Romans through Philemon). The Church the Body of Christ is a spiritual entity, composed of all true believers in Paul’s Gospel of Grace, whether Jew or Gentile. There may be 38,000-plus supposed “Christian” sects and denominations, but there is only one Body of Christ, and only those people in the Body of Christ can be rightfully and Scripturally be called Christians. Someone can be a member of a local church, but only being a member of the Church the Body of Christ counts for eternity!

ONE SPIRIT
(Romans 7:6; Romans 8:9-16,26,27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-16; 1 Corinthians 12:13; 2 Corinthians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 11:3,4; Galatians 4:6; Galatians 5:16-18; Ephesians 1:13; et al.)

The Holy Spirit is not “God’s active force,” as some groups claim. He is a Person, a member of the Godhead (along with God the Father and God the Son Jesus Christ). We understand that the Holy Spirit works differently than in the manner in which He worked in time past. The Holy Spirit indwells genuine Christians today (in time past, He did not dwell inside believers). The moment we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation, the Holy Spirit places us into the Body of Christ and He indwells us. He enlightens our hearts and minds so that we comprehend God’s Word and He empowers us to live a life pleasing in God’s sight. The Holy Spirit has taken the place of the Mosaic Law, “the letter,” the Ten Commandments that led Jewish believers’ lives in time past. The Holy Spirit, in unison with Jesus Christ, also intercedes for us to God the Father. Now that the written Word of God (Bible) is complete, the Holy Spirit does not communicate with us in an audible voice, in visions, dreams, or tongues.

ONE HOPE OF OUR CALLING
(Romans 5:2; Galatians 5:5; Ephesians 2:6,7; Colossians 1:5, 23; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:8; 1 Timothy 1:1; Titus 1:2; Titus 2:13; Titus 3:7; et al.)

In the above verses, “hope” is not “I hope things get better.” “Hope,” as the Bible speaks of it here, is referring to a firm assurance of something we are eagerly awaiting, although we cannot see it. Our ultimate hope is the security we have in the Lord Jesus Christ: the Bible even calls Jesus Christ “our hope.” Provided that we have been genuinely saved—having trusted Christ Jesus alone as Saviour—we have a home in heaven, eternal life, and one day we will personally meet our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ. The Bible says we should be rejoicing in this hope! Yes, it is hard to patiently wait for that blessed hope, but we must stay here doing the Lord’s work until He catches us away at the rapture, to place us in the governments of the heavens to rule their for His glory for all eternity. Paul also spoke of his hope to one day see those Christians he converted and taught, being brought before the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive a reward! We are not hoping we are saved; we have hope in what is to come now that we are saved.

ONE LORD
(Romans 5:1,2; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 5:16; Ephesians 3:11,12; Philippians 3:20,21; 1 Timothy 2:5; et al.)

The Bible is clear that there is one Mediator between God and men, and this is the man Christ Jesus. Only the Lord Jesus Christ is capable of restoring your fellowship with God; this excludes any religious prophet of the world. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only being who is both fully God and fully man, enabling Him to re-connect man with God. We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God; that is, God manifest in the flesh. According to the nation Israel, Jesus Christ was their Redeemer and King; however, from our perspective in the Dispensation of Grace, Jesus Christ is not the King of the Church, but rather the Head of the Body of Christ. We follow Jesus Christ according to Paul’s epistles; we do not follow Jesus Christ after His earthly ministry, which was His ministry to Israel.

ONE FAITH
(Romans 3:22; Galatians 2:16, 20; Galatians 3:22; Ephesians 3:12; Philippians 3:9; et al.)

Again, Jesus Christ was fully God and fully man. As a man, He could have faith in God the Father’s will. The Old Testament prophesied of the coming Messiah; Jesus Christ willingly became a man, showing obedience to the Father. There are times when our faith grows weak, and every believer will doubt God’s Word at times. But, the faith of Jesus Christ never wavered or grew weak; He always knew that the Father sent Him, He always listened to the Father, and He had faith that the Father would bring Him through whatever He would face. The faith of Jesus Christ refers to Him going through and allowing the Jews and Romans to kill Him. Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary—His bloodshed, death, burial, and resurrection—is HIS FAITH! Now that we have placed our faith in the faith of Christ, we are saved.

ONE BAPTISM
(Romans 6:3,4; 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12,13; et al.)

Contrary to traditional and denominational thinking, the word “baptism” in the Bible does not always refer to water (there are more than one dozen “baptisms” in Scripture)! Denominations argue over mode (sprinkling, pour, immersion). They argue over who should be baptized: babies, children, adults, etc. In whose name: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or in just the name of Jesus Christ? So many water baptisms, even in pagan religions, so many modes, so much confusion, so little right division. In the Dispensation of Grace, we do not need water baptism at all—neither for salvation nor a testimony. This one baptism that we need today is when the Holy Spirit takes a newly converted Christian and places him or her into the Body of Christ, supernaturally. There is no water involved. In doing this, we are identified with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection (our old nature is put to death with Christ, buried and hidden with Him forever, and we are raised again with a new identity).

ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL
(Romans 8:15; Romans 15:6; 1 Corinthians 8:6; 2 Corinthians 1:3,4; 2 Corinthians 6:18; Galatians 4:1-7; Colossians 1:12; et al.)

Now, we can take this two ways. First, this is speaking against polytheism (the existence of many gods). But, the other way in looking at this runs along the lines of one Spirit and one Lord. God the Father is not operating with mankind as He did in time past. He is not dealing in chastisement when we do not listen to Him. In this Dispensation of Grace, Paul says that we cry “Abba, Father.” What does that mean? Going to Mark 14:36, we read of Jesus Christ speaking to God the Father: “And he [Christ] said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” Paul writes that today, as a son of God and a joint-heir with Christ, we have been equipped to do God’s will. The only thing we need to do is submit to His will, like Jesus Christ submitted to the Father’s will! God wants us to tell everyone about the Gospel of Grace, and He wants to submit to His working in us. How exciting!

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Beware of False Bibles!

March 19, 2010

Shawn Brasseaux
Published in The (Opelousas, Louisiana) Daily World

For 2,000 years now, the Word of God has been complete. Satan, using unimaginable stealth, has attacked God’s completed Word, but even most professing Christians are totally unaware. Sadly, we have highly skilled theologians and Bible “scholars” who intentionally avoid these facts so they keep their funds and popularity. Almost everyone has been deprived of this information, but I want you to know it. Keep this in mind, and never forget it; tell others, please.

Satan uses many methods to shift your focus away from Jesus Christ, the God-man. Back in Genesis 3, Satan was “subtle, crafty, sly,” and he has not changed a bit. Satan is the master counterfeiter, using innocent-looking works-religion, emotions, and philosophy to lead mankind away from God’s truth. Satan knew that if he could pollute God’s Word, we would have nothing reliable to use to discern truth from lies.

The devil is so intelligent and stealthy he actually recruited men, Roman Catholic “church fathers,” to fabricate false Bible manuscripts. Since the 1881 Revised Version, Satan has overseen the production of 100 English Bible versions based on these corrupt Alexandrian manuscripts. Satan knew that if he could multiply the number of counterfeit Bibles, it would become increasingly difficult to find the true Bible, and this is exactly what he did! Yes, without a doubt, the wave of new English Bible translations these past 150 years is one of the devil’s means of misleading!

The majority of the surviving 5,000 Koine Greek New Testament manuscripts support the King James Bible, whereas only one percent of those manuscripts disagree with the KJV. It is this corrupt one percent of manuscripts that supports NIV, NASB, NKJV, et al.; hence their footnotes “some manuscripts have….” Modern Bible editors are dishonest; they hide the fact that most manuscripts do not have those readings.

Still, the common man and even the seminary graduate will most often never be told any of this. If this information is new to you, and it probably is, why not ask your priest or pastor why he never told you this? I have been accused of being a “KJV fanatic.” Well, at least I am not an “Alexandrian fanatic.” Get an Authorized Version King James Bible, and stick with it for the rest of your life.

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Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

United States Government Guilty of Usurping Power (by Nolan Guilbeau)

March 4, 2010

by Nolan Guilbeau – Published in The (Opelousas, Louisiana) Daily World
℅ Shawn Brasseaux

Our national government isn’t the ‘giver’ of the freedoms enumerated in the U. S. Constitution to “we the people.” Rather, every person has these inalienable rights granted by the one sovereign God, our Creator.

Governments are ordained of God and charged as ‘custodians’ protecting the rights of its citizens. In recent times there have been unparalleled alarming signs of government further attempting to usurp power to “transform” America. Present leaders of our nation have made statements of their intentions towards goals to fundamentally change America governmentally, further undermining the U. S. Constitution. These changes would radically alter our form of government, including its economic capitalist system.

Here are four disturbing statements cited among many which rightfully raises ‘red flags’ of caution for every American:

  1. Our national leader is “forming a coalition of powers to bring about the redistributing of the wealth.”
  2. One of the president’s close advisers praises the philosophy of communist Mao Tse Tung, the butcher of innocent millions, whose writings she “esteems and consults.”
  3. Big union boss endorsing the present administration’s socialist agendas states, “We will use the power of persuasion to meet those ends, and if that fails we will use the persuasion of power.” That sounds very confrontational! It could explain why decades ago, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover warned Americans stating, “Thousands in America are working to subvert this nation. Marxists have never forgotten that ‘violence’ WILL BE an inevitable accompaniment of the collapse of capitalism and the birth of a socialist society.”
  4. Another who has the president’s ear states, “We sort of agree with Mao that power best comes from the barrel of the gun.”

To achieve their goals their statements appear to suggest initiating an armed confrontation against their opposition, the American citizens, or provoking a call to arms. The commonality in these statements reflects an affinity to socialist/communist ideology. Every American is to be encouraged and urged to stand against these dangers that could eventually destroy this nation and ‘transform’ it into a totalitarian state, resulting in the loss of precious freedoms and lives!

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A Tale of Three Churches

February 28, 2010

A Tale of Three Churches Part I – The Carnal Church
by Shawn Brasseaux
[28 February 2010]

If you recall several months ago (July to October 2009), we had three series of discussions regarding the Christian life. Those series—“Grace Lifers,” “Reflection,” and “Psukhē”—focused on the Christian lifestyle of an individual. Now, in this three-part series, we want to build on those previous series by looking at the Christian life on the local church level. What characteristics does a God-honoring and God-serving church have? Please remember, when the Bible uses the word “church,” it never refers to a building or place. “Church” always alludes to the body of believers, the group of individuals who are God’s people.

* * *

The Corinthian church is the first church we want to discuss. Corinth was a seaport in Greece, about 50 miles west of Athens. The first time Corinth is ever mentioned in Scripture is Acts chapter 18, when the Apostle Paul goes there on his second apostolic journey. Remember, prior to the conversion of Paul, God had been dealing almost exclusively with His covenant people, the nation Israel.

Imagine Paul going into this city of Gentiles who had no idea of the one true God, JEHOVAH of Israel. Paul was the first man God sent to Corinth (2 Corinthians 10:14-16). Once Paul preached the glorious Gospel of the Grace of God, a small portion of Corinth was saved and became members of the Church the Body of Christ! For 18 months, Paul taught these Jewish and Gentile believers in Corinth the sound doctrine they needed to practice and believe (Acts 18:11). Apollos, a believing Jew and one of Paul’s ministry helpers, taught Corinth as well (Acts 19:1).

We do not hear of Corinth again until the book of 1 Corinthians. Some time has passed since Paul’s initial visit. The Apostle Paul has heard of the pitiful state of Corinth, so he has to hurriedly write this epistle (1 Corinthians) to warn them of their careless and shameful lifestyles and behavior:

  • Divisions and quarrels among the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 1:11-13; 3:4-6; 11:18-19).
  • Fixation of human wisdom and philosophy (1 Corinthians 1:18–2:5; 3:17-20).
  • Incest; a believer having sexual relations with his father’s wife—sadly the church was commending his behavior, not reproving it (1 Corinthians 5:1-6).
  • Suing their fellow believers in the pagan courts (1 Corinthians 6:1-6).
  • The Lord’s Supper was made into a drunken party (1 Corinthians 11:20-22).
  • Spiritual gifts such as tongues were being abused and exploited (1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 14)—these believers were more interested in emotional experiences than spiritual growth and maturity.

What went wrong in Corinth? What happened to these Corinthian believers that made them live as though they were still lost in paganism and mythology? Why were they not living lives that reflected God’s grace and sound doctrine that Paul had preached to them all those months?

Corinth’s problem was “carnality,” or worldly and immoral living (1 Corinthians 3:1-4). They were indeed believers, but they had never grown spiritually. They never put into practice those grace doctrines taught to them; in fact, not even the lost pagan Gentiles living around them led this shameful lifestyle! They failed to apply the sound doctrine to their lives, so their lives were no different from the lost Gentiles still worshipping idols.

We need to consider that Corinth was a fairly large city for its time (population 80,000). Like us Christians today, these Corinthian believers were being negatively influenced by the world. They lived amongst pagan neighbors, friends, and family. Instead of letting God’s Word “effectually work in them that believe” (as 1 Thessalonians 2:13), they failed to believe that sound doctrine, which is why God’s Word was not working in their lives. They were being conformed to the world, and not being transformed in their minds by God’s Word (Romans 12:1-2).

They did not have to let Satan defeat them and rob them of their joy and acceptance in Christ. You can hear and read sound doctrine and right division day in and day out, but it will do you no good if you do not place your FAITH in it. If we do not let the Holy Spirit perform His work in us to transform our inner man with sound doctrine, we default to living in the flesh (the natural, sinful habits we have inherited from Adam). This is what the Bible calls quenching/hindering the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19).

Do you care to be a carnal Christian? Do you enjoy incest, bickering, lawsuits, drunkenness, and unreliable emotional highs? Would you feel comfortable in an assembly where there was nothing but worldly behavior? Remember, as ambassadors for the risen Christ, we are the Body of Christ. The world cannot see Christ, because He is seated in heaven at the Father’s right hand; nevertheless, they can see Christ living in us via the Holy Spirit, bringing glory and honor to Him, and not to ourselves.

Yes, we need to hear sound doctrine being taught and preached from God’s Word rightly divided. Still—and this is not being judgmental—I see many saints who rightly divide leading lives that reflect that of the Corinthians; beloved, this should not be so. We hear the sound doctrine, but our lives do not always demonstrate that sound doctrine. I admit that my own life does not always reflect sound doctrine, but I am putting forth an effort by building myself up in the Scriptures.

Are you struggling with carnality? God is not mad at you, but it is His desire for you to understand and enjoy your position in His Son, Jesus Christ. You do not have to be a vessel of reproach and carnality (1 Corinthians 9:19-21). Of course, like all the saints who have gone before, you will lose your popularity with man if you live for the Lord Jesus Christ. If your loved ones abandon you because of the cross of Christ, so be it. You are different, set apart from the rest of humanity forever, and you will always be different inside because of Christ.

Remember, whenever you act, consider God’s reputation. Your testimony is what you have to prove to the world that the grace life is the greatest life a human could ever live! The lesson from Corinth is one to be learned: fortunately, the Apostle Paul later wrote a second letter to Corinth, hearing from Titus that Corinth had repented (changed their mind), and that repentance led them to straighten up and let Christ live in them (see 2 Corinthians 7:6-16)! Will you learn the lesson from Corinth?

 

A Tale of Three Churches Part II – The Spiritual Church
by Shawn Brasseaux
[7 March 2010]

Last week, we looked at the Corinthian church. Hopefully, you considered what was said and you responded in a way that would strengthen your inner man. Now, we want to look at a second type of church in the Scriptures, so this week we are going to see what the Bible says about Berea and Thessalonica. As opposed to the carnal Corinthians, these two assemblies are examples of what the Lord would call “spiritual.” But, what exactly constitutes a “spiritual” church? Let us turn to God’s Word for the answer!

* * *

During Paul’s second apostolic journey, he and Silas arrived in Thessalonica (population 70,000), about 200 miles due north of Corinth, in present-day northern Greece. The Bible says in Acts 17:1-4 that Paul went to the local synagogue to witness to the unbelieving Jews, using the Old Testament to preach Jesus Christ. He reasoned with them at least three weeks, which resulted in a number of Jews and Gentiles coming to salvation in Christ. Instead of going the way of the Corinthians, the Thessalonians exhibited spiritual growth. Turn with me to 1 Thessalonians 1:3-10 KJV to read:

“3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.
7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to Godward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.
9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”

Paul, Silvanus (Silas), and Timotheus (Timothy) taught the Thessalonians how to live, both in words and in deed. That is, the Thessalonians not only heard the sound doctrine, but saw the sound doctrine demonstrated. They responded to that sound doctrine by faith, causing a tremendous change in their lifestyle!

God’s Word was now actively being applied in their lives. Verses 7-9 document their new conversation (lifestyle): these former pagan Gentiles had thrown away their stupid pagan idols, and were now leading the grace life and serving the living and true God! The Thessalonians had followed the example of Paul, Silas, and Timothy, and now the neighboring believers in Macedonia and Achaia were following the Thessalonians’ example. Can you just imagine how thrilled Paul, Silas, and Timothy were to hear of these believers and their testimony impacting the pagan world as well as other believers?

Learn the lesson from Thessalonica: set the example for fellow believers and for the lost world. Our own “work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope” will encourage others to either become Christians or encourage other Christians to better represent Christ! When the lost world sees Christ living in us, this will cause them to stop and wonder what makes us so different, and they may want to be saved too. After all, we are “ambassadors for the risen Christ,” are we not?

If you recall back in Acts chapter 17, Paul and Silas went to Thessalonica for the first time. Paul was witnessing to the Jews and the Gentiles. If you look in verse 5, the Bible says that unbelieving Jews stirred up the people and caused an uproar that forced Paul and Silas to flee to Berea about 30 miles away to the southwest (Acts 17:1-10). There in Berea (population 15,000), many Greeks and Jews came to salvation in response to Paul and Silas’ preaching.

The Bible says very little about the city of Berea; however, Berea was known for one thing in particular: “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). That word “noble” means “readiness to receive truth.” The only “Scriptures” at this time was the Old Testament—as I understand it, no New Testament Scriptures had been written yet.

Today, believers who study their Bibles daily using right division (dispensational Bible study) often call themselves “Berean Bible Students.” They do not believe everything they hear; they use God’s Word to determine what is and what is not sound doctrine. Sadly, many—even professing Christians—are not “noble;” rather than eager to receive God’s truth, they prefer to hear lies, ear-tickling social gospels, and denominationalism (religious tradition). Learn the lesson from Berea: search the Scriptures and see if these things are so!

The spiritual church is not a group of sinless, self-righteous Christians. God’s definition of the spiritual church is an assembly of believers who actually study His Word His way (right division), and then apply that sound doctrine by faith. God does not want Christians who merely read about the Bible, or those who spend an hour in “worship” on Sunday. God is looking for Christians who care to hear and read what He has to say to them in His Word! God wants His Word, not religious tradition and denominational doctrine, to “dwell in you richly in all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16). God wants “Christ formed in you,” not some religious system (Galatians 4:19). Unless you become a Berean Bible student, God’s Word cannot transform your life! But, when you allow God to open your mind and heart to His truth, God’s power will transform your inner man (soul and spirit) as you believe His Word (1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Do you seek to discover God’s will for your life? Do you desire salvation and eternal forgiveness as a present possession? Are you wondering what the Christian life is all about? Would you like sound, firm doctrine working in your life? Do you want to avoid false teaching and doctrines of devils? Follow the example of the spiritual churches, Thessalonica and Berea.

Get into the Scriptures, trust in Christ Jesus alone as your Saviour (the Gospel of the Grace of God of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Once you become a Christian, then place your faith in God’s Word to you (the Pauline epistles, Romans through Philemon), and let Christ live His life in you and through you (Galatians 2:20-21). Nothing in life will ever thrill you more, bring you more peace, or bring you more joy than studying God’s Word! If you know what the Book says, then you will not be deceived! And sure we make mistakes and revert to the old lifestyle, but God’s grace will be there to scoop us up, and get us going again!

BECOME A BEREAN BIBLE STUDENT, IF YOU ARE NOT ONE TODAY!!!!! 🙂

 

A Tale of Three Churches Part III – The Apostate Church
by Shawn Brasseaux
[14 March 2010]

In our final installment of “A Tale of Three Churches,” we will be looking at Galatia, a region (not a city like our previous examples of Corinth, Thessalonica, and Berea). As you remember from our first discussion in the series, the Corinthian church was carnal, spiritually immature. They were taught sound doctrine; they just never applied it by faith. Last week, we looked at examples of the spiritual church, Berea and Thessalonica. True spirituality means studying God’s Word and applying it to life by faith—letting the sound Bible doctrine live in and through you will bring about spiritual growth and maturity. This week, we look at the apostate churches of Galatia: those who were saved by grace, but abandoned grace in order to embrace religion and doctrines of devils.

* * *

Galatia is present-day central Turkey, east of Corinth, Berea, and Thessalonica. According to Acts chapter 16, Paul, during his second apostolic journey, Paul first met young Timotheus (Timothy). The Bible says that Timothy and Paul traveled through Galatia and Phrygia, but that the Holy Spirit did not want them to preach there (Acts 16:6). But, in Acts 18:18-23, we read that Paul (accompanied by Aquila and his wife Priscilla), “strengthened all the disciples” in Galatia and Phrygia. These Galatian believers, unfortunately, would fall into the trap of false teaching and legalism. Look at Galatians 3:1-3 KJV:

“1 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?
2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”

 

Here, the Apostle Paul tells the Galatians that they are being “bewitched;” they are “charmed,” “seduced,” and “mesmerized” by Satan’s workers. The devil has brought on such deception that now these believers want to work for their salvation. They have forgotten that it was their faith alone in Paul’s Gospel that brought about their salvation. Judaizers (Messianic Jews who kept the Law of Moses) were coming along and telling them that Paul’s Gospel was not enough, that they had to be circumcised and keep the Law to be saved (see Acts 15:1-5). Paul wrote to those Galatians, screaming NO! NO! NO! You are free from the Law; you are under grace!!!

Turn to 2 Corinthians 11:3,4 KJV:

“3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.”

Paul was always concerned with whether or not his converts were continuing in the grace of God, or if they were going the way of legalism and works-religion. The minds of the Galatians were being “corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” They started out on the right track when they came to salvation by faith; Paul wrote, “ye did run well” (Galatians 5:7). But, the rest of the verse says “who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?” Instead of continuing in the grace doctrine, these Galatians allowed themselves to be led away from the truth.

Ever since Genesis chapter 3, the devil has been hard at work deceiving the masses. His main goal is to attack God’s children, the Church the Body of Christ. For nearly 2,000 years now, the Body of Christ has been infiltrated with heresies and heretics. I would say that an overwhelming number of “Christian” ministries and churches are leading even professing Christians astray. Men who once rightly divided God’s Word have given in to the pressure of works-religion and denominationalism.

Paul wrote to the Galatians around A.D. 51-52; by the time Paul’s final epistle is written, and he is close to martyrdom, as much as 15 years have passed since warning Galatia. In his last epistle, 2 Timothy, we find such a heartbreaking statement. “This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia [present-day Turkey] be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes” (2 Timothy 1:15 KJV). Look at chapter 4, verses 3-4, when it talks about people turning away from the truth to embrace false teachers—this is happening today! Also in chapter 4, verse 10, Paul writes that Demas “loved this present world,” to the point where he abandoned Paul! The Apostle Paul had been abandoned by practically everyone in Turkey. Galatia, evidently, never heeded the warning from Paul. They went further into legalism, works-religion, and other false teaching.

Apostasy. It existed in Galatia, and it still exists today within the realm of “Christendom.” Why do we use the term “Christendom” and not “Christianity?” “Christendom” refers to everyone who professes to be members of the Body of Christ, but hold to legalistic, works-religion doctrines. “Christianity” is the true, pure version of the Body of Christ, as the Apostle Paul preached it.

What is apostasy? Without naming anyone or any specific groups, you need to know that there are many so-called “Christian” churches who “have the form of godliness, but deny the power thereof” (2 Timothy 3:5). They are promoting false gospels, ear-tickling messages that bypass the cross of Christ and emphasize doing good works to get God’s blessings (be it tithing, water baptism, Sabbath Day keeping, penance, et cetera).

Look at 1 Timothy 4:16 KJV: “Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.” Paul’s instructions to young Timothy are to CONTINUE IN THE GRACE DOCTRINE. Understand your position in Christ is totally separate from the demands of the Mosaic Law. The salvation in this verse is not eternal salvation of our soul, because we are already saved. Now, as saints, we need to be saved from false teaching. By telling others sound doctrine, we will also save them from false teaching. Flee from false teaching, as Romans 16:17 says (cf. 1 Timothy 6:3-6). Your spiritual health depends on it!

Learn the lesson from Galatia. If you are a saved person, a member of the Church the Body of Christ, do not let someone rob you of your spiritual blessings. Do not let someone tell you that you have to do something to get God’s blessings; we as true Holy Spirit-indwelt believers do not need to do anything to maintain our salvation. We have security in Christ, and our salvation is not, not, not dependent on our performance. The Lord Jesus Christ paid it at, and we are complete in Christ. We have already gained God’s acceptance in Christ, so let us rejoice in the grace that has made us free from the yoke of bondage!

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God’s Word is Superior to Denominational Teaching

February 28, 2010

by Shawn Brasseaux
Published in The (Opelousas, Louisiana) Daily World

Fallacies of tradition have confused the lost world; unfortunately, even the Body of Christ has fallen prey to lies. People have polluted God’s Word with tradition, so the Bible has become “of none effect” (Mark 7:13). For some time I was confused, so I am compelled to share this info with you. It is such a shame that most church members have never been taught anything but “doctrines of devils” (1 Timothy 4:1).

Did you know we are under no legalistic guidelines to give a tithe or keep the Saturday Sabbath? This contradicts religious tradition, but the Bible is clear that these ordinances were part of the Mosaic Law, and the Law has been nailed to the cross of Christ (Colossians 2:13-16). Did you know that water baptism is for the nation Israel, and has nothing to do with you? Paul, the apostle sent to us, was not sent to water baptize (1 Corinthians 1:17).

Did you know “the Lord’s Day” is the Tribulation, and not Sunday? We do not have to confess our sins, to God or to a priest. In fact, if you have believed Paul’s Gospel of Grace, you are already forgiven of every sin you will ever commit (Ephesians 4:32). A church building is not “God’s house;” God does not dwell in temples made with hands (Acts 17:24). God, in the Person of the Holy Spirit, indwells the true Christian (1 Corinthians 3:16). Tongues, miracle healings, and signs all disappeared when Israel was set aside (1 Corinthians 1:22).

Space does not permit me to expound on all of these topics, but if you would email me, I am offering you all the Bible verses and info you need on any of these topics. Do not let some preacher rob you of what God has given you in Christ. Place your faith in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, and “rightly divide” the Scriptures (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV). Do not steal Israel’s verses; the Apostle Paul was sent to you, so Romans through Philemon is God’s Word to us Gentiles. All 66 books of the Bible are God’s Word, so study all of it; but remember Paul’s epistles is what God is doing today.

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Blood: Death and Life

February 25, 2010

by Shawn Brasseaux
2010 Update

“In whom [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His [God’s] grace;” (Ephesians 1:7 KJV).

“In whom [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” (Colossians 1:14 KJV).

When you think of blood, you normally think of the red fluid that is circulating throughout your body. While this is true, the word “blood” in the Bible involves much more than that.

According to God’s Law, “without the shedding of blood, there is no remission [forgiveness of sins]” (Hebrews 9:22). Blood must shed to make atonement for sin—this has always been true and it will always be true. Once Adam disobeyed God and mankind fell into sin, we read in Genesis 3:21 KJV: “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” From where did God get “coats of skins?” At least one animal had to die! Although the Bible does not explicitly say it, there is no doubt in my mind that the blood of the animal(s) was shed to cover the sin of Adam and Eve. Ever since that time, God’s righteousness and holiness demanded the shedding of blood for sin.

Even when we come to Genesis chapter 4, God instructed Cain and Abel, the sons of Adam and Eve, to bring blood sacrifices. Although Abel brings an animal’s blood and fat sacrifice, Cain does not comply and refuses to follow God’s instructions (verses 3-5). Blood is of such value to God that He told Noah not to consume any blood (Genesis 9:4). He told the Israelites the same thing in Leviticus 17:14 KJV: “For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.”

Throughout the Old Testament, under the order of the Mosaic Law (Exodus 30:10; Leviticus 16:11-19), Israel’s high priests would sprinkle animal’s blood on the Mercy Seat, the lid of the Ark of the Covenant. Hebrews 9:6,7 KJV read:

“6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:”

Why did the Levites (Aaron’s sons, the priesthood) have to annually perform this ceremony on “day of atonement?” To atone for Israel’s sins until Jesus Christ would come and die on Calvary to shed His sinless blood. Little did those Old Testament priests know that this annual Day of Atonement was a preview of Jesus Christ shedding His blood many centuries into the future!

The Lord Jesus Christ’s blood was sinless and powerful enough to completely abolish the sin debt of man (Hebrews 7:25-28)! Christ was not only the ultimate High Priest, but He was also sacrificing His own blood, not the blood of an animal!

“11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building [not of this world, but in heaven];
12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us” (Hebrews 9:11,12 KJV).

And as Hebrews 9:11 says, Jesus Christ did not go into the earthly tabernacle to offer His blood; He presented His own blood in the very throne room of heaven itself (Hebrews 9:23-28; Hebrews 10:1-14)!

God is a Spirit, the only sinless and perfect individual in the universe—His blood had to be shed, but He did not have a physical body. Thus, according to Genesis 3:15, John 1:14, and Galatians 4:4, the Creator God became a man who could have His blood shed! Without blood, your physical body would die; without the blood of Christ providing your forgiveness, your spirit would remain eternally dead, and you would be separated from God forever in everlasting hellfire! Jesus Christ, the innocent God-Man, shed His sinless, divine blood. It was the blood of Christ that was shed to completely forgive you of your sins! It was the sinless blood that no one else could provide!

“[Jesus Christ] being the brightness of God’s glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; being made so much better than the angels, as he has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they [the angels]” (Hebrews 1:3,4 KJV).

 

SUPPLEMENT: So, what about capital punishment, a government shedding the blood of a person?

After the Great Flood, God told Noah, “But flesh with the life thereof, the blood thereof, you will not eat…. Whosoever sheds man’s blood [that is, murders another person], by man will his blood be shed: for in the image of God He made man” (Genesis 9:4, 6). There is the institution of capital punishment, and God mandated it! God never rescinded that in Paul’s epistles, so capital punishment is applicable to us today! In fact, Paul says that government “beareth not the sword in vain” and government is a “revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” (Romans 3:4). I understand this to be a reference to capital punishment (execution with a sword, in this case).

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Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

Beware of False, Flawed Theology (by Nolan Guilbeau)

February 25, 2010

by Nolan Guilbeau – Published in The (Opelousas, Louisiana) Daily World
℅ Shawn Brasseaux

Early American history reflects consensus by our founding fathers in defining, writing, administering the body of laws of the U. S. Constitution in governing ‘we the people.’ Agreement was largely because of their heritage and practice of Judeo-Christian values set forth in the Bible. Likewise, the established church espoused the unwavering truth of the gospel. This was the binding factor bringing together God-reverencing leaders with the populace to exalt and worship the Lord Jesus Christ of the Scriptures.

Today, observing the abundance of church denominations including some mega-churches, draw/entice followers with a mixture of professing diverse creeds to entertainment, sensationalism and the assured promise of prosperity. Many follow the drumbeat of this blasphemous ecumenism led by the World Council of Churches and Roman Catholicism.

Unfortunately some carrying the label of ‘evangelical’ with roots in the Reformation are now willing participants in this heretical/apostate movement, ultimately leading the world community closer to a one world church prophesied in Scripture. Most of them preach an ear-tickling social gospel dancing in concert to the music of ecumenism. Their flawed theology and philosophy resounds, “It doesn’t matter what you believe doctrinally, come dine, waltz with the assembly in brotherhood of L-O-V-E.” They partake of the strong delusional wine of ecumenism boasting of spiritual maturity ‘tolerance,’ drunk with notoriety before the world community. Rather, they’re spiritually blinded to a “tolerance of error” departing from Scriptural doctrines, to another gospel, leading to the destruction of many. The apostle Paul begs Christians to be “like minded” in unity with the Gospel of the Grace of God, for Christ is not divided (I Corinthians 1:10, 13).

This activity cannot be rightfully labeled Christian worship since much of the associated practices incorporate the compromising of sound Biblical doctrines. It’s an unholy alliance/union with the spirit of antichrist, a symbol of opposition to God’s kingdom representing oppression and captivity.

English preacher C. H. Spurgeon stated, “We (Christians) must fight the Lord’s battles against great errors. Fight the Lord’s battles even though it is an error that is in the Evangelical church, we must smite it.”

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Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

Modern-Day Scribes and Pharisees

February 21, 2010

by Shawn Brasseaux

Do you ever wonder why Jesus Christ always referred to the religious leaders of Israel as “crooks,” “liars,” “vipers,” “hypocrites,” and “white-washed sepulchres?” Was this simply mean-spirited name-calling, or was there something far more serious going on? As a matter of fact, the Lord Jesus Christ was not being cold-hearted or unfair. As God incarnate, Jesus Christ knew their motives; He was able to read their deepest thoughts and their intentions of the heart. The Lord could honestly say that these religious leaders were cooperating with the devil. They truly were vipers, crooks, and hypocrites! In this Bible study, we will show you several examples.

In John’s Gospel chapter 9, we find the Lord Jesus has just healed a blind beggar. Consequently, the Pharisees have a conniption fit. Why? Because it is the Saturday Sabbath! Look at verse 16: “Therefore said some the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Other said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.” Pitiful, huh!? Here we have these religious leaders supposed to be “serving God,” yet when God the Son is in their presence in a literal body, they arrogantly reject Him in unbelief. Right off the bat, we see those Pharisees and scribes were indeed hypocrites.

Let us look at another example. Most church members know of the adulterous woman being brought to Christ in John’s Gospel chapter 8. The scribes and Pharisees intend to trick the Lord Jesus, but Him being the Creator God, He can read their minds and intentions! As they whine and complain, Christ draws in the dirt and ignores them (verse 6). Finally, He puts the self-righteous Pharisees in their place, and says “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her” (verse 7). Notice, that these Pharisees never brought the man caught in adultery, manifesting the fact that they simply wanted to trip up the Lord (but to no avail!). Also, in light of what the Lord Jesus said, were some of these religious leaders guilty of adultery, too?

In Matthew 12:24, the Pharisees falsely accused our Lord of casting out devils by means of the devil, Beelzebub (Satan)! The Lord replies in verse 34 by aptly calling them “vipers!” Right after this miracle of casting out an evil spirit, the Pharisees reject it in unbelief; then, they have the audacity to ask the Lord to perform a miracle (verse 39)! Utterly sad.

Matthew 19:3 is another example of the Pharisees trying to trick and test the Lord, this time using divorce. Christ’s perfect response is: “He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery” (verses 8,9). The only reason Moses allowed those Jews to divorce was because of their unbelief, but divorce was not part of God’s design for marriage!

On another occasion, the Lord Jesus is eating in the presence of publicans (tax collectors) and sinners when the Pharisees see Him. Again, they display their self-righteousness in Matthew 9:10,11: “Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?”  The Lord’s response was, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (verses 12,13). That is, “At least these people recognize they need me as their Saviour!”

A good summary of the true nature of the scribes and Pharisees is found in Matthew chapter 23 (also Luke chapter 11 and John chapter 8). The Pharisees, Matthew 23:3, never practiced what they preached—they were hypocrites, all right! In verses 4-10, these religious leaders appeared to be serving the Lord, but they only did the good works in order to be recognized by fellow man (cf. John 12:42,43, where it says the Pharisees “loved the praise of men more than the praise of God!”) In addition, the Pharisees were discouraging Jews from accepting Jesus as their Messiah-King (Matthew 23:13).

In Matthew 23:14 these religious leaders were taking money from people in the name of religion. The Lord told them that they would receive “the greater damnation” than those of whom they were taking advantage! They would ignore what they considered “minor” sins, but condemned “greater” sins (verses 15-22)—forgetting that all sin was contrary to the Law of Moses! The religious leaders would tithe, but never bothered to focus on the important aspects of the Law (verse 23).

As the Lord Jesus continued condemning the Pharisees in Matthew chapter 23, He told them: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepuchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (verses 27,28). These religious leaders of Israel had a good outward appearance, but inside they had the heart of unbelief and rebellion.

Look at the irony of it all in Matthew 23:29,30 KJV: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say if we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.” The Pharisees and scribes proudly claimed they would have never killed God’s prophets like their ancestors did—yet these same Pharisees and scribes are influential in putting Jesus Christ to death later on!! Moreover, the Lord foresaw the days when these religious leaders would also persecute and kill the Jewish believers, especially the twelve apostles (Matthew 24:34).

That was 2,000 years ago, but did you know we have modern-day Pharisees and scribes? In the name of religion, the devil has multitudes upon multitudes upon multitudes of people working for him. They are just like the Pharisees: they pretend to be of God, and criticize and curse those who are of God! The sad part is that most people are so confused, they would rather follow the false teacher than listen to you share the Bible with them!

Speaking of false teachers in the last days, the Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:5, they “have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof: from such turn away.” Down through the centuries, and even to the present day, there are priests, pastors, popes, and teachers deceiving the masses with their denominational doctrine and tradition. They have millions of followers, are collecting millions of dollars, and enjoying the praise of men! Their large cathedrals and sanctuaries look nice, but they contain spiritually dead people.

Be cautious, for there are many modern-day scribes and Pharisees, ready to take advantage of you: spiritually and financially….

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Posted by Christian ambassador (Shawn Brasseaux)

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