Satan is so evil he has even professing Christians believing they are sinful simply for being alive.
Both Roman Catholics & Reformed Protestants widely adhere to the Gnostic Augustinian doctrine known as “Original Sin“, or as Protestant Reformed Theology (Calvinism) calls it, “Total Depravity” (denial of human free-will & natural ability), also commonly referred to as “Sin Nature”, “Adamic Nature” or “Ancestral Sin”. And as widely accepted as this doctrine is across professing Christendom as unquestioned absolute “orthodoxy”, few sadly question it’s actual biblical validity, let alone understand from where this doctrine originated.
As W. McGrew of ’Idol Killer’ states…
“Perhaps no other doctrine formulated post the first Council of Nicaea (325 ad) has become more of a sacred cow than that of Original Sin. Today, at least in Western Christianity, this doctrine is so revered and so closely associated with the work of Christ that questioning it is often regarded as questioning the very existence of God Himself.
To question Original Sin will inevitably result in one being labeled a heretic and an unbeliever…but at the risk of being despised by men we as followers of Christ must ask…
”Is it Scriptural?”
I was raised believing in the doctrines of Original Sin and Total Depravity. I believed it, until I began reading the passages as they were written without adding my extra-Biblical presuppositions. Then I noticed these doctrines are not only absent from Scripture but are actually refuted and condemned by it. Then I learned that the early Christians were often martyred for rejecting such gnostic teachings. It wasn’t until Augustine that the state-run Church finally embraced these teachings and even then Augustine admitted they were not stated in Scripture.”
ORIGINAL SIN DEFINED:
This Augustinian doctrine asserts that everyone is born sinful; that the guilt and condemnation of Adam’s sin is transmitted to the entire human race, resulting in mankind being stained by sin and possessing an unavoidable appetite for, or “propensity” for sin, inevitably and helplessly drawn to fulfill it’s lusts. Further, it asserts that this sinful state is passed on via sexual reproduction.”
In short, according to the Augustinian doctrine of Original Sin, due to Adam’s rebellion, man has been cursed by God with an imputed bondage of his will, a handicap, a disability, a transmitted disease, an inherited depravity that is unable to resist the temptation to sin, which Jesus, as a fully human man, made and tempted in ALL points as we are, who commands we must follow Him, proved to be a Gnostic lie of the Devil…that man IS able.
CAIN WAS “Un-Able”?
If sin is imputed to all humankind from Adam, not only are we in direct violation of Revelation 22:18, by putting words into God’s mouth in the account of Genesis, but we also make God a liar…
“The soul that sinneth, IT shall die. The son SHALL NOT bear the iniquity of the father, NEITHER SHALL the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon HIM(SELF), and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon HIM(SELF)” ~Ezekiel 18:20
NOWHERE in the account of Genesis 3 does God even remotely curse Adam’s offspring with a “sinful nature”, a handicapped will that WILL sin, an imputed disease that makes sin inevitable. Instead, the consequences God imposes upon mankind are; mortality, pain in child bearing, thorns, thistles, sweat & toil, legless serpents and expulsion from the Garden of Eden, being cut off from the Tree of Life, but zero aboutan imputed “propensity” toward or “inability” to rule over sin.
Otherwise, we must explain why God came to Adam’s firstborn, Cain (who would have been the FIRST HUMAN EVER to inherit a “sin nature”), exhorting him to utilize his FREEWILL CHOICE to “RULE OVER SIN”, if Cain was UN-ABLE???
Yet, we read the precise opposite, that Cain WAS ABLE to CHOOSE to “rule over sin”, but instead, CHOSE to let sin “rule over him”…
“If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” ~Genesis 4:7
THE GNOSTIC AUGUSTINIAN ORIGIN OF ORIGINAL SIN:
In his early years, Augustine was schooled heavily by Gnostic Manichaeism & Platonism. Manichaeism came by a false teacher named Mani, from Persia (Iran). He and another false cult group (Gnostics) came with the concept of “Dualism“ (Eastern/New Age doctrine of Yin & Yang) the elaborate dualistic cosmology describing the struggles between a good spiritual world of light, and evil, material world of darkness.
(Professing Christendom commonly teaches Jesus to have had “dual natures”…both divine AND human.)
Gnostics held the belief God created a material evil world, that God created evil. The Gnostics considered the material world as evil, and the spiritual world as good, hence that the flesh is evil and spirit is good. They believed their bodies were made evil, drawn to sin, and their spirits good, which they considered to be the “real” them. The the desires of their flesh was their “scapegoat” to excuse” their sin. And it was only at death, they believed their spirits would be free from the bondage of their sinful flesh.
This precise view is widely held by the vast majority of professing Christendom today; that we cannot be set free from all sin, until after we die. Therefore, tragically and sadly, dying deceived, condemned IN their sins.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF AUGUSTINE:
As W. McGrew elaborates…
”In 354, Augustinus (Augustine) was born to a Christian mother and a pagan father. At the age of 11 he was sent to school at Madaurus where he became more familiar with pagan beliefs and practices. At 17 he went to Carthage where he read Cicero’s dialogue Hortensius and fell in love with philosophy. Cicero had learned and developed his beliefs from the Stoics, philosophers with no connection to the Gospel. Eventually the Catholic Church declared him a “righteous pagan” in recognition for his morality apart from Christ (pointing to Romans 2:14-16).
Although Augustine’s mother raised him as a Christian, he left the Church to follow the Manichaean religion. Mani claimed to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ. He denied the incarnation, rejected the virgin birth and considered it obscene, teaching instead that Christ was wholly divine. Moreover, Mani denied that the death and resurrection of Christ played any role in salvation but were simply an example. Manichaeism also incorporated other deities and symbols such as the Hindu god Ganesha. It was likely here with Manichaeism that Augustine began associating flesh with the eternal evil and the spirit with the eternal good, as Mani taught a dualistic gnostic cosmology.
As a youth Augustine was very promiscuous, living a hedonistic lifestyle. Around the age of 17, he began a love affair with a woman in Carthage that would go on to last 15 years and produce a son, Adeodatus. In 385, he ended this relationship to prepare himself to marry a ten-year old heiress (the legal age of marriage for women was 12). However, a year later Augustine converted to Christianity and took a vow of having decided to become a priest.
At the age of thirty-seven, Augustine became a priest in the North African town of Hippo and in 395 was made bishop. Between 397 and 400, he began writing Confessions, a 13 volume autobiographical work in which he first began formulating the doctrine of Original Sin as a means of explaining the sins of his past, as well as his current struggles with celibacy.
However, it was not until the early fifth century that he expounded on the doctrine. Not being able to read Greek or Hebrew, Augustine studied a fourth-century Latin Bible known as the Vulgate. Due to the translation leaving ambiguity as to a passage’s meaning, Augustine fell victim to his bias and assumed his understanding was correct, it was not. He understood Paul to have said “Adam in whom all men sinned”, rather than “because all men sin.” This misunderstanding of the passage seemingly affirmed what he had believed, so with this “confirmation” he began all the more to stress how much the original sin in the Garden of Eden had permanently corrupted human nature.
Soon after his conversion to Christianity, Augustine rejected his past Manichaean and pagan beliefs. However, as time went on and he wrestled with explaining his desire to sin he came to reject some of the teachings of the Church Fathers and return to his old philosophies and paganism, combining them with Christian passages and themes to support this doctrine of Original Sin. While he accepted that Original Sin was not articulated in the Bible, Augustine was convinced that unless his doctrine was accepted, even good Christians would be tempted to seek salvation through holy living and end up in hell.”
(This teaching is parroted from nearly every Reformed Protestant pulpit today, even though in direct contradiction to Scripture, which states clearly, that without holiness, NO ONE shall see God)…
“Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” ~1 Peter 4:6
McGrew continues…
“Moreover, Augustine’s belief in Original Sin would go on to have him invent other doctrines in response to it. For instance, he came to view baptism as the means in which we wash off Original Sin and as such any infant that died before being baptized would go to hell (infant damnation). He also became a proponent of violence and persecution as a means of conversion, since we were condemned against our wills then so too could we be saved against our will. Due in some part to his views on sex he believed that the Virgin Mary “conceived as virgin, gave birth as virgin and stayed virgin forever”. He even went so far as to claim sex within marriage was sinful unless specifically intended to produce offspring.
Utilizing the power of his position and vast influence with the church and Rome, Augustine would go on to mischaracterize, slander and attack those who would disagree with him, all while pushing Original Sin and its subsequent doctrines. Eventually, the Catholic Church would fully embrace Original Sin, confirming it at the Council of Carthage in 418, the Council of Ephesus in 431 and the Council of Trent in 1546 and by affirmation of Pope Innocent (401-417) and Pope Zosimus (417-418).”
It also should be noted, Augustine also came up the “Just War Theory” The theory to kill those who oppose their Eastern doctrines of beliefs. That is why murdering people, by the Catholic Church and John Calvin and many others who accepted this belief felt justified in doing so.
Further studies of the five points of Calvinism you will see all points are rooted in the same Gnostic philosophy.
WHAT IS GNOSTICISM?
Gnosticism is cult from the early Church period, with certain derivations, built on Greek philosophy that taught matter was evil and the spirit was good. The Apostle John called them “Deceivers” & “Antichrists”.
Gnosticism is from the term “gnosis”, which is Greek for “knowledge” or “insight”.
“For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” ~(Satan) Genesis 3:5
One branch of particular is Manichaeism. Augustine was originally a Manichean Gnostic for nearly a decade before converting to Roman Catholicism.
Gnostics denied Free Will, and affirmed Total Depravity, Original Sin and Determinism (God sovereignty determines ALL that exists in the universe, even all human actions . They also used the term “elect” as having special “insight” or “knowledge” (gnosis).
Later, after conversion, the former Gnostic, Augustine, coincidentally “discovered” a hearty Determinism in Scripture. Augustine was very careful not to quote or cite any particular Gnostic, and no quote from any early Church father was ever used in support of his newly discovered Determinism, because no such support existed in the early Church.
Gnostic writings are no longer extant, and much of what is known of the battle over Free Will, comes primarily from the early Church fathers, Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, who in opposition to the Gnostics, staunchly defended Free Will, even citing such passages as Matthew 23:37 in support.
Ultimately, the early Church was a very strong advocate of Free Will, that is, until the 300’s, when the former Manichaean Gnostic convert, Augustine, arrived on the scene.
Naturally, Calvinism is an obvious enduring remnant and legacy of Gnosticism. Just as Gnosticism was identified by knowledge (Greek: gnosis), hence the rabid intellectualism, scriptural mental gymnastics and theological acrobatics of Calvinism (1 Corinthians 3:19), which today identifies as “Reformed Theology”.
TESTING THE SPIRITS
Christians are scripturally commanded to “test the spirits”. And as much as this is parroted in professing Christendom, sadly, very few actually know HOW, WHY or even just how absolutely critical this is.
Reasons may vary; indoctrination, lack of knowledge, fear of being shunned, not wanting to appear divisive, unloving, or “un-Christlike”, or even perhaps for fear that they may discover themselves to be of the gnostic spirit of anitchirst.
Yet confessing Jesus is come “in the flesh“ is no small matter, but rather is the very biblical cornerstone of HOW we can identify WHO is of Christ and WHO is antichrist.
This test, penned by the Apostle John, who, being deeply and justly concerned, wrote heavily to counter the invasion of Gnosticism attempting to creep into the early church.
The test reads…
“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” ~1 John 4:2
WHAT EXACTLY DOES IT MEAN TO CONFESS JESUS CAME “IN THE FLESH”?
Jesus refers to Himself as the “Son of Man” seventy-eight times in the New Testament, making His born humanity clear to us. The phrase “Son of Man” simply means that He, being born of the “Seed of the Woman“, is fully human, made & tempted in ALL points as we are, IN THE FLESH.
But does simply confessing that Jesus “existed” historically here on earth as a man pass the test of the Spirit of Antichrist in 1 John 4:2-3?
No. Because if that were the case, Jews, Muslims, New Agers and even unbelievers would pass this test, as many of them DO openly confess Jesus historically existed on earth as a human man.
So what’s the difference?
The DIFFERENCE is this; That do not confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior, the SON of the Living God, the one mediator between God & man, the MAN Christ Jesus.
However, professing Christians often use the Gnostic concept of Dualism in attempt to justify HOW Jesus was able to resist all temptation was because of his “divinity” somehow simultaneously being a “hypostatic” hybrid of both God & man or “Godman”, through use of the KJV prooftext…
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” ~1 Timothy 3:16 (KJV)
Is this verse saying God BECAME flesh? That God Almighty IS His own Son? That the Son IS his own Father?
No. Because the Bible is clear “God is a SPIRIT” who “NO MAN hath seen AT ANY TIME”. Also that “God CANNOT be tempted” (Jesus WAS tempted). And finally that
“God is NOT A MAN, that he should lie; NEITHER THE SON OF MAN, that he should repent.” ~Numbers 23:19
Jesus, the SON of God, repeatedly refers to himself as the “SON OF MAN”.
God, who IS a SPIRIT, dwelled IN His Son, not AS His Son…the one mediator between God & man, the MAN Christ Jesus, IN THE FLESH.
Jesus himself makes theses distinction clear…
“Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak NOT OF MYSELF: but of the FATHER that dwelleth IN me, HE doeth the works.” ~John 14:10
“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine OWN WILL, but the will of HIM (The Father) that sent me.” ~John 6:36
Critical Distinctions.
Because if by saying “God manifest in the flesh” as the KJV states, we mean that Jesus’ humanity itself was somehow “different” than ours, that His human flesh and human will was somehow “special”, “superhuman” or “divine”, OR if we say Jesus was some sort of some sort of dualistic “hypostatic” hybrid of God & man, or a “Godman, we ALSO fail the biblical test of antichrist, because we are quite simply denying He was made & tempted in ALL points just as we are as Scripture clearly states, IN THE FLESH.
As we see, even Jesus himself, as we all do, had to LEARN obedience…
“Who IN THE DAYS OF HIS FLESH, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; Though he were a Son, yet LEARNED HE OBEDIENCE by the things which he suffered.” ~Hebrews 5:7-8
The spirit of antichrist will use Jesus’ “divinity” as “God” manifest “AS” flesh” as an EXCUSE to remain in their own sin, as an excuse as to why they cannot (or will not) follow Him as He commands, take up their own cross, deny themselves, die to themselves, “walking even as he walked”, and obey His command to cease from all sin, to “Go, and sin NO MORE”.
Therefore, this Gnostic spirit invents doctrines of men & devils as to avoid personal responsibility for sin; Original Sin, Sin Nature, Total Depravity, Faith Alone, Imputed Righteousness, Progressive Sanctification, Eternal Security, OSAS, etc., calling any and all acts of clear biblically commanded obedience to work out our own salvation with fear & trembling as “pharasaical”, “self-righteousness” or “works salvation”.
In attempt to get around Jesus’ humanity being the same as ours, by using his “divinity”, often by making many odd, twisted, non-biblical arguments such as…
“Jesus was virgin born, so that the “Original Sin Nature” wouldn’t be passed on to him.”
Or…
“Original Sin Nature is only passed through the male, through semen.”
Or…
“Jesus had to came down AS God so that he could save us from our Original Sin Nature.”
Or…
”Only God is able to obey His own Laws, which He gave to mankind to show we cannot obey it.”
…All these horribly unbiblical statements and beliefs uphold the same Gnostic concept that man is born sinful, corrupt, depraved. All for the diabolical purpose of leaving man deceived he cannot fully escape sin until death, which John rightly called, the “Spirit of Antichrist”.
“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and WONDERFULLY MADE: marvellous are thy works; and that MY SOUL KNOWETH RIGHT WELL”. ~Psalm 139:14
“For every creature of God is good.” ~1 Timothy 4:4
WHY IS IT VITAL JESUS CAME IN THE FLESH?
“If we do not believe Jesus came in the same, exact corruptible flesh we are all born with, we have no hope of following his example to cease from sin.”
~Zac Poonen
“If Original sin is true,
Jesus was either born sinful,
or he was not born as a man (in the the flesh).
~Alfred T. Overstreet
“For there is ONE God, and ONE mediator between God and men, the MAN Christ Jesus.” ~1 Timothy 2:5
Original Sin both denies Jesus came in the flesh
AND
accuses Christ of being a sinner!
Antichrist.
Sin-defending advocates of Original Sin devise all manner of “inventions” get around Jesus’ humanity.
As J.O. Smith writes…
“Nowadays it is very common that even people who call themselves believers, deny that Christ has come in the flesh. They say he had a flesh like an angel, or like Adam before the fall, or a “divine flesh”, etc.
All of these theories deny that Christ has come in the flesh.
“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” ~Hebrews 2:14-15
Not a “Different Kind” of Flesh:
“For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.” ~Hebrews 2:16-18
Not a “Different Kind” of Flesh:
“Christ did not take upon himself the nature of an angel. “For indeed he does not give aid to angels, but he does give aid to the seed of Abraham. Therefore, in all things he had to be made like His brethren. The “brothers” and “sisters” are those who are a part of the church of Christ. More, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For in that himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” ~Hebrews 2:16-18.”
If Jesus did not have flesh and blood like ours, he could not have been tempted like we are (God cannot be tempted), nor could he have been our “HIGH PRIEST” in OUR PLACE, as our “FORERUNNER”, as our human “EXAMPLE” whom we CAN & MUST follow, but who is also our “MEDIATOR”, having understanding and compassion for us in our temptations, from which he gives us a “way of escape“ from, from EVERY temptation.
J.O. Smith continues…
“Denying that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is to void His work. This is precisely where the spirit of antichrist works. Many, although they “profess” Christ, profess “Another Christ”, “Another Jesus”, they do not confess that Christ has come in the flesh. As a result, they nullify the entire work of Christ—His sufferings, his death and his high priestly ministry.
This is the prevailing spirit today, even in the so-called independent assemblies, (The Spirit of Antichrist).”
WHY REFORMED THEOLOGY IS THE GNOSTIC SPIRIT OF ANTICHRIST
Gnostic (Gnosis), being Greek for “knowledge”, in Reformed Theology, is equated with “theology”, which Reformed Theology (Calvinism) is the epitome of. Reformed Theology (Calvinism), by human wisdom, which is “foolishness to God”, sincerely believe have they have Jesus intellectually and theologically, neatly dissected, all “figured out”, although Jesus was crystal clear that WHO he is comes to us not by “flesh & blood” (man), but solely from divine revelation directly from the Holy Spirit of God the Father Himself.
And to prove Reformed Theology is the Gnostic spirit of antichrist, all one need do is ask such if we are born corrupt/depraved, because that is precisely what Gnostics believe, who John called antichrists, who denied Jesus came IN THE FLESH.
Why?
Because if Original Sin/Inherited Depravity is true, the same must apply to Jesus, who also being born of Adam’s DNA, whom the Gospels meticulously trace his lineage to, came IN THE FLESH.
The logical question therefore arises; If Adam’s own sin is automatically imputed to all mankind, then why is Jesus’ own righteousness not automatically imputed to all mankind?
The obvious answer is because BOTH sin & salvation require freewill human choice.
As we see, Reformed Theology / Calvinism, continues carries the Gnostic torch of antichrist, teaching man is born with an inherited depravity imputed from Adam, who therefore, has zero freewill choice in his own salvation OR damnation.
Furthermore, Reformed Theology is a Gnostic doctrine of antichrist for the reason that, not only does it turn God into a “sovereign” monster, who, for his own glory, predestines souls against their will to either salvation or eternal damnation, but ALSO, that God, who Scripture tells us gave HIs only begotten Son as ALL mankind’s freewill opportunity to accept God’s love & mercy extended to a sinful world through His Son, but who according to Calvinists, only shed his sinless, precious lifeblood for the “ELECT”.
This IS “Another Gospel”
And because Calvinism adheres to the pagan gnostic belief that man is born inheriting a “totally depraved sinful nature”, denying man has a “freewill” to obey God”, even though Jesus Christ COMMANDS that WE must “REPENT”, “Go, and sin NO MORE”, “Be ye PERFECT” and “FOLLOW HIM”…”WALKING EVEN AS HE WALKED”, or that we “WILL likewise perish”, Calvinism is therefore forced to conclude that either Jesus also was born with a “totally depraved sinful nature”, OR that Jesus was NOT born as a fully human man….IN THE FLESH.
This IS “Another Jesus”.
To say man has no freewill to choose good over evil denies Jesus came in the flesh!
Calvinist Protestant Reformed Theology, often in desperation, will attempt to justify this position by taking the Gnostic view to even newer heights, teaching that that man is born “spiritually dead” (a view held by the vast majority of professing Protestantism), and therefore is a helpless slave to his flesh, unable to choose good over evil. Which results in the logical fallacy that Jesus, because he was born by the Holy Spirit, used “divine advantage”, to superhumanly resist all temptation to sin, which again denies He was made & tempted in all points as we “spiritually dead” humans are, thereby also denying Jesus came “in the flesh”.
As we see, Reformed Theology / Calvinism is far more than a mere doctrinal disagreement or theological error, it is indisputably modern-day Neo-Gnosticism, a Spirit of Antichrist, which is guarded with pharisaical, theological, serpentine, scripture-twisting venom.
And when refuting Original Sin/Inherited Depravity, one is often met with the Spirit of Cain…
THE WAY OF CAIN
Sin-defending professing Christians very typically have a knee-jerk reaction to ask Christians who live righteously and/or preach repentance from sin, if they still sin. They do this hoping to make themselves feel better about their own unrepentant sins.
Misery loves company.
And if a Christian who truly loves God is walking as Christ commands says “No, I don’t sin”, their next knee-jerk reaction is to desperately pull Bible verses out of context to accuse them of pharisaical self-righteousness, in the Spirit of Cain, who slew his brother, because Abel’s deeds were RIGHTEOUS, and his were EVIL.
Unrighteousness abhors righteousness.
Yet Scripture is clear…
“He that committeth sin IS of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God DOTH NOT COMMIT SIN; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In THIS the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: WHOSEVER DOETH NOT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OF GOD, neither he that LOVETH NOT HIS BROTHER. For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. NOT AS CAIN, who was of that wicked one, and SLEW HIS BROTHER. And wherefore slew he him? Because hia OWN WORKS WERE EVIL, and his BROTHER’S RIGHTEOUS”. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.” ~1 John 3:8-12
But one may say, “But the Bible says…
“ NONE ARE RIGHTEOUS, NO, NOT ONE!””
Yes, That is BEFORE one forsakes all sin (repents), is cleansed by the blood of Christ and is born again! Otherwise one must explain why the Apostle John says…
“Little children, LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU:
he that DOETH righteousness IS righteous,
even as He (Christ) is righteous”. ~1 John 3:7
Yet multitudes ARE deceived; claiming to be IN Christ, while IN sin, which is an impossibility, because IN him (Christ) is NO SIN; claiming to simultaneously being born again of the “HOLY” Spirit while living UN-HOLY.
TRADITIONS OF MEN & DOCTRINES OF DEVILS WHICH COMFORT THE FLESH REFUTED BY SCRIPTURE:
FAITH ALONE:
“Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and NOT by faith only.” ~James 2:24
OSAS/ETERNAL SECURITY:
“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.” ~Genesis 3:4
CALVINISM:
“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” ~1 John 2:2
IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS:
“Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” ~1 John 3:7
Simply put, to worship a “Jesus” we cannot follow, is to deny Jesus came IN THE FLESH!
“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us IN THE FLESH, arm yourselves LIKEWISE with the SAME MIND: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath CEASED FROM SIN.” ~1 Peter 4:1
Again, the Bible is clear Jesus came to save FROM sin. Yet today, the vast majority of pulpit preach
“Another Jesus” who saves IN sin.
Jesus himself warned that MANY would come “IN HIS NAME”.
“Let every one that nameth the name of Christ DEPART FROM INIQUITY” ~2 Timothy 2:1
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.” ~Matthew 15:8
Could it be more clear?
In short, to worship a “Jesus” man cannot follow, is to worship “Another Jesus”.
And that “Jesus” goes by another name…Satan, whose “ministers of sin” preach “Another Gospel” from the vast majority of pulpits across the globe today, a “gospel” that fill pews, pockets & hell itself, about “Another Jesus”, for the purpose that those who have itching ears will receive “Another Spirit”, an “Unholy Spirit”…the Spirit of Antichrist.
And by doing so, they prove that Jesus is nothing more to them than a mere bloody “scapegoat”, a “covering” to hide and protect their true god…
SIN!
SCRIPTURE COMMONLY USED TO DEFEND ORIGINAL SIN / INHERITED DEPRAVITY:
When we remind professing Christians that Jesus commands and requires us to “Go, and sin no more”, the typical knee-jerk reaction to condone ongoing sin, is that they will inevitably quote 1 John 1:8, which reads…
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” ~1 John 1:8
What they fail to understand is that Apostle John wrote 1 John 1:8 to counter the Gnostics, whom John called the “Spirit of Antichrist”, who refused to admit (“confess”) they had EVER sinned! Because of their belief that matter/flesh was evil, and that their spirit was good.
Therefore, they could not even “confess” their sin, because they believed they were not accountable for their sin, because they were “made that way”, so sin was not “their fault”. In other words, an “excuse” to remain in sin. This is the VERY SAME gnostic excuse multitudes of Professing Christians use to excuse their own sinfulness, that they “cannot help it”, because it is the “way we are born”
Hence…
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
Yet, the very next verse continues to rebuke this Gnostic error by stating they cannot be saved unless they admit THEY THEMSELVES are sinners because they HAVE SINNED.
As we see again…
“IF we CONFESS our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” ~1 John 1:9
(Notice it says “IF” not “WHEN”)
To further drive this point, like the test of antichrist per 1 John 4:2-3, John goes on to clearly say HOW we can KNOW with absolutely certainty if we or anyone is of God or of the Devil…
“He that committeth sin IS of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For THIS PURPOSE the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. WHOSOVER is born of God DOTH NOT COMMIT SIN; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In THIS the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: WHOSEVER DOETH NOT RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NOT OF GOD, neither he that loveth not his brother.” ~1 John 3:8-9
Even so, professing “sinning Christians” prefer to remain hypnotized by the intoxicating lie of the Devil, “Ye will not surely die”, believing themselves exempt from the “WHOSEVER” in 1 John 3:8-9.
Another famous verse to defend inherited sinfulness is Psalm 51:5…
“Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” ~Psalm 51:5
Psalm 51:5 merely refers to the fact that David was born into a SINFUL ENVIRONMENT. Just as we ALL are conceived in and brought forth INTO a sinful world, into the “Valley of the shadow of Death”, David is clearly stating his MOTHER was in sin (“IN SIN DID MY MOTHER”) when she conceived him …NOT David!
As author Jesse Morrell elaborates…
“The sin mentioned is not the sin of Adam, but the sin of David’s mother.
The structure of the sentence itself shows that the sin belonged to the mother, not to David. “In sin [verb] did my mother [subject] conceive me [object].” David’s mother is the subject of the sentence so the sinning belonged to her.
Charles Finney said, “The Psalmist intended to affirm the sinful state of his mother, at the time of his conception, and during gestation.”
The event spoken of is the conception of David, not the birth of David. He is not saying that he was born a sinner. David is saying that his mother was in sin when she got pregnant. She was sinning when she conceived him. The “conception” is the BEGINNING of the pregnancy. The birth is the END of the pregnancy. This passage is talking about the beginning of the pregnancy or the “conception”.
The context of David’s prayer of repentance in Psalms 51 is not consistent with David making an excuse for his adultery by saying, “I was born a sinner. It’s not my fault. I was born this way.” In true repentance, an individual takes full responsible for their sin and offers no excuses for justification. David was not blaming his sin on his birth. David was simply stating that even the circumstances of his birth were surrounded by sexual sin.
David said that it was the Lord who personally made him (Ps. 100:3; 119:73). And that he was “wonderfully” and “marvelously” made by God in the womb (Ps. 139:13-14). Therefore, he could not have been sinfully made by his mother in the womb. It is not wonderful to be born sinful or marvelous to be created evil. Lest we view David as contradicting himself, or charge the Bible with inconsistency, we cannot interpret Ps. 51:5 to say that David was formed with a sinful nature in the womb or that he was born a sinner. David did not contradict himself in the Psalms. David said that his mother conceived him through sin, but God created him wonderfully and marvelously. There is no inconsistency or contradiction in that.”
Those who employ Psalm 51:5 that sin is inherited from one’s mother are faced with another serious problem. Jesus was both conceived by and brought forth from a human mother (Luke 1:31). If Original Sin is inherited from one’s mother, Christ had it! If, however, someone should suggest that depravity is received only from the father (as many unbiblically claim), Psalm 51:5 cannot be used to prove it, for it mentions only the MOTHER!
Furthermore, the Bible also tells us one of the things God literally “hates” is…
“…hands that shed innocent blood” ~Proverbs 6:17
Therefore, if we believe we are all “conceived” wicked & sinful, even the womb, we do not believe in “innocent blood”.
Thereby, we share in the same error as Pro-Choice Abortion advocates, who justify the shedding of “innocent blood”, by believing a fetus in the womb is not a really an actual human baby, until it is born.
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.” ~Romans 3:10-12
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” ~Romans 3:23
Again, these passages of Paul’s in Romans 3 are twisted “to their own destruction” in effort to say that no man who has ever walked the earth, besides Jesus, God’s only Son, was without sin. Yet the Bible gives us other examples of sinless righteous, blameless, holy men of God…
Asa
Hezekiah
Josiah
Enoch
Abel
Daniel
Zachariah
Joseph
Cornelius
Simeon
John the Baptist
Another is Psalm 58:3…
“The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.” ~Psalm 58:3
This one verse often is taken out of context to prove that all babies are “born” sinful. Notice the words; “GO ASTRAY”.
One cannot “GO ASTRAY”, if they already WERE astray BEFORE they were born IN the womb.
Instead, we see that one “GOES ASTRAY” not IN the womb, but as Genesis 8:21 verifies, “FROM” his “YOUTH”…
“For the imagination of man’s heart is evil FROM his YOUTH” ~Genesis 8:21
In fact, reading the whole context of Psalm 58, we find TWO classes of people:
~The wicked
~The righteous
Notice the “RIGHTEOUS” in verse in the following verse of Psalm 58, verse 10, which speaks of the those the “RIGHTEOUS”, who do NOT go astray:
“The RIGHTEOUS shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.” ~Psalm 58:10
It is apparent that the wicked “GO ASTRAY” but then we have the righteous who do not go astray (otherwise they would not be called righteous). Therefore all are not “born” astray. How can one be “born” lost and “GO ASTRAY” when they ARE ALREADY astray? You cannot GO off course if you already ARE off course.
Therefore this teaches the opposite of what Original Sin advocates imply, because the Original Sin doctrine teaches ONE CLASS at birth.
More famously a classic verse used as “absolute prooftexts” in defense inherited sinfulness is painfully misinterpreted from Romans 5 (Augustine made this same error)…
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so DEATH passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. ~Romans 5:12
Firstly, is Paul ADDING to the curses God pronounced to Adam in Genesis 3?
Absolutely not!
And secondly, the above verse is clear that by one man (Adam) sin “ENTERED IN” through him. Quite simply, that Adam INTRODUCED sin into this world whereas it did not exist before!
This verse also makes it clear that DEATH (mortality) passed up on ALL men
…NOT SIN!
And even more famously, verses 18-19…
“Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” ~Romans 5:18-19
The key to this passage is “AS BY” & “SO BY”, or as some versions say, “JUST AS” …through the disobedience of one man…
In other words, we are MADE/BECOME sinners the SAME WAY Adam did, NOT because we inherit it from Adam, as many do to excuse their own sinfulness, but rather “AS BY” or “JUST AS” Adam did, in the SAME EXACT WAY Adam did, by our OWN FREEWILL CHOICE to disobey God!
AND…
“AS BY” or “JUST AS” Christ OBEYED, we TOO, through obedience, remain righteous AFTER we have repented as Christ commands we must, so that we may cleansed by His sinless righteous blood, so that we may be BORN AGAIN and follow Him as He commands, follow after the Spirit, “walking EVEN AS HE walked” , which is to “WALK AFTER THE SPIRIT” (Romans 8:1).
Hence…
“Little children, LET ONE MAN DECEIVE YOU: he that DOETH righteousness IS righteous EVEN AS HE (Christ) is righteous”. ~1 John 3:7
How much clearer can this possibly be? Yet this flies in the very face of the Reformed Protestant accusational cry of “Works Salvation!” and the unbiblical doctrines and golden calves of “Imputed Righteousness” and “Faith Alone” (refuted in James 2:24) preached from nearly every pulpit today!
Yet another classic passage is Roman 7, often used to both argue in favor of Original Sin to try and say the Apostle Paul never became free of sin.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
In Romans 7, Paul is NOT speaking of his born again state (until verse 25), but rather he is simply reflecting on what it was like to struggle to be set free from sin, under conviction of the Law, as a Jew, BEFORE accepting Christ as his Lord & Savior.
Paul is speaking historically, of his former self, the “Old Man”, (who Paul CLEARLY states is crucified…DEAD & GONE in Romans 6:6), who, like a junkie, was an addict, an addict to sin. He is in bondage, under conviction of the wages of sin, with no idea how to get free on his own, as a Jew, under Old Covenant Law. Paul is clear he was not “born” spiritually dead, as he states clearly earlier in verse 9…
“I was alive once…”
When was Paul “alive once”?
BEFORE he willfully sinned against the knowledge of the Law!
The soul that sins IT shall die!
As the Bible says, “By the Law is the knowledge of sin”, and “Sin is the transgression of the Law”.not Judaic customary and ceremonial Law, but MORAL .Law, sins that lead to death (Galatians 5:19-21).
Paul is speaking as the FORMER man he WAS, under conviction, under condemnation. The walls are closing in. He is in the very act of repentance.
Little does he know that those walls of conviction and contrition that are closing in on him is the very birth canal that will give birth to the born again man to come in verse 25…
“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? (25) I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.”~Romans 7:24-25
Paul is speaking of what he had BECAME, carnal, a slave to sin, sold under sin. He is struggling, as best he knows how, as a Jew, as a Pharisee of Pharisees, to be freed from the prison of sin, but has no idea how to be free from the Law of Sin & Death (“The soul that sins it shall die” / “The wages of sin is death”). He is under condemnation. He says he knows the Law is GOOD, it shows him his sin, reveals his guilt.
The only way out is through forgiveness of forsaken (repentant) sins. And in his repentance (verse 25), he finds the key to unlock the prison that sets him free…Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Through Jesus’ sacrifice, Paul embraces the pardon, and is made FREE from the Law of Sin & Death…the Wages of Sin.
We are under Law when sin rules over us.
We are under Grace when we rule over sin.
This is why Paul continues in Romans 8:1, saying that…
“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, (sin loving professing Christians stop here, apparently mistaking the comma for a period, but it goes on to say HOW he or anyone, can remain free of condemnation…) for those WHO walk NOT after the flesh, but AFTER THE SPIRIT”. ~Romans 8:1
In other words, now that his condemned conscience has been purged, he is BORN AGAIN, and God’s Law has been written on his newly born again heart, where he can now “Walk in the Spirit”, not “By the Letter”, as a former Pharisee who obeyed outwardly, by a list of do’s & don’ts, but now as one who being born again of the Holy Spirit, who now obeys inwardly, joyfully, from the heart of the NEW MAN.
He now has the mind of Christ, and therefore follows Christ, walking after the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit who led Jesus as man in the flesh, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Grace (Titus 2:11-12), who is a described not as “unmerited favor” (as man conveniently redefines it) but rather as “teacher” (as the Word of God defines it) who leads us on the paths of righteousness, YOKED to Christ, LEARNING from I’m, sharing his burden, which is light, following him, following HIS lead as our “FORERUNNER” and EXAMPLE, “walking even as he walked, who CAN now, “Go, and sin NO MORE”.
Jesse Morrell elaborates….
Calvinists like to quote:
“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” ~Romans 3:10
But the Bible also says:
“And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” ~1 Peter 4:18
Calvinists like to quote:
“And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God” ~Mark 10:18
But the Bible also says:
“And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just” ~Luke 23:50
Calvinists like to quote:
“For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not” ~Ecclesiastes 7:20.
But the Bible also says:
“We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not” ~1 John 5:18
Yet multitudes who “profess” Christ, due the bewitching indoctrination of the Gnostic Augustinian doctrine of Original Sin/Inherited Depravity, believe the best they can do to obey Christ’s command is to “Go, and sin LESS” and that their unforsaken (unrepentant) sins are “covered” by the blood of Christ by the Grace of God.
THE TRUE “GRACE OF GOD”
One of the biggest mistakes professing Christians make, usually early on, which leads them off into the dark woods of apostasy, is misunderstanding the true, biblical meaning, and heavily distorted, misused & abused doctrine of “Grace”, who, when exhorted to walk in obedient holiness as the Bible commands, are quick to cite…
“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” ~Ephesians 2:8
The commonly accepted definition of Grace as it is mistakenly taught is “unmerited favor”, and that ANY effort on our part to “work out our own salvation with fear & trembling” by walking in FAITH-ful obedience to the Spirit is “Works Salvation” that somehow voids & nullifies the Grace of God.
Yet again, nothing could be further from the Truth.
The biblical definition of Grace is found in Titus 2:11-12, clearly stating that Grace of God (that actually saves us) has appeared unto ALL men, TEACHING US to make correct GODLY CHOICES, to choose good over evil, to “Go, and sin no more”.
Let God’s Word speak for itself..
“For the GRACE OF GOD that BRINGETH SALVATION hath appeared to ALL men, TEACHING us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.” ~Titus 2:11-12
Yet, those who adhere to the unbiblical doctrine of “Faith Alone” (condemned in James 2:24) teach the deception that we are unable to obey God because of an imputed “Original Sin Nature” we inherit from Adam. However, Adam’s first born Cain (who again, would have been the first human ever to inherit a “Sin Nature”), had this same Grace of God appear to him, exhorting him to make correct use of his freewill, that he himself should CHOOSE good over evil.
“If thou DOEST WELL, shalt thou not BE ACCEPTED? and if thou DOEST NOT WELL, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.” ~Genesis 4:7
And yes, we ARE saved by Grace THROUGH Faith, but TRUE, BIBLICAL GRACE and TRUE, BIBLICAL FAITH that Jesus IS the Way, the Truth & the Life, who shed His sinless blood to atone for our repentant (forsaken) sins, and has shown us HOW to live righteous, FAITH-FUL, obedient lives.
Jesus does NOT obey FOR us! True “Grace” TEACHES us HOW obey God.
“Little children, LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU:
he that DOETH righteousness IS righteous,
even as he (Christ) is righteous.” ~1 John 3:7
When one dare raise their voice against the sacred cow & golden calf of Original Sin, fingers are often quickly pointed as denying “Grace” (as it is commonly taught), and in a slight-of-hand move, the ace up their sleeve, is to accuse them of preaching the “evil heresy” of “Pelagianism”.
PELAGIUS:
Heretic or Unsung Hero?
Who was Pelegius?
Pelagius, (born c. 354, probably Britain, died after 418, possibly Palestine),was a monk and theologian whose theological system known as Pelagianism, emphasized the primacy of human effort in spiritual salvation, who challenged Augustine, upholding the early Church’s stance on freewill
“Pelagius has been falsely judged by his critics”
~From Bjorkbloggen:
“Unlike Augustine, Pelagius knew Greek. Pelagius did not teach that man can save himself. He only taught that a man can live a righteous life via free will choice. The idea that man can “save himself” came from Augustine’s accusations against him, as Calvinists do with Arminians toda, when they accuse them of teaching ”works salvation”. True Pelagianism is truth according to what the early Church taught, not as Augustine described it.
This is evident in the writings of Pelagius, as well as in the fact that the councils could find no fault in his teachings two times that he appeared before them in his own defense. He was finally marked as a heretic the third time around, when he could not be present to defend himself (in Tunisia where Augustine resided) and Augustine and Jerome were present to misrepresent his position.
Most of the information we have about Pelagius rests in the hands of his enemies. That is not enough for a righteous judgment. If God judged us by the words of our enemies, we would be outraged at the injustice. It is unfair for us to condemn a man based on the evidence presented by his enemies, and not from the man himself. We would also be guilty of slander if we continue to claim that an innocent person is an ”heretic”.
Pelagianism teaches only that man can choose to do right and choose not to sin. It does not teach that a person can be holy without God or His grace. This is a lie given through the heretic Augustine. Augustine was a liar seeking to have him condemned, as he was offended by his preaching against his teachings to the people.
Augustine was teaching a ”sinning religion”, and people were following it and living it. Pelagius could not stand for this heresy, so he began to teach against it. In his efforts he brought out that a man CAN choose to not sin, because he is not so “spiritually dead” that he could not make such a choice. Augustine turned this around with false accusations against him, misrepresenting him as if he was teaching that man could save himself. This is not what he was teaching at all. And his own writings prove it, which were not even discovered until this past century. Augustine tried to make sure of that by having them burned or destroyed, but a few slipped through the cracks.
Calvinism began with Gnosticism, which is very clearly shown by many quotes given by the early Church. Tertullian and Hippolytus and Irenaeus all wrote extensively against the Gnostic groups, telling of the things they believed and how the Church has always disagreed with them, calling them heretics. Augustine was infested with Gnosticism, which Calvin also adopted.
If heresy is heresy because a council says so, or because of majority vote, Calvinism must be more heretical than Pelagianism was, because there were more councils that condemned Calvinism than condemned Pelagianism. The Calvinist doctrines of predestination, limited atonement, and irresistible grace were condemned throughout history. Lucidus was condemned by the Council of Oral in 473, Council of Arles in 475, and Council of Orange in 529. And Gottschalk (Gotteschalcus) was condemned by the Council at Mentz in 848 and the Council of Chiersey (Quiercy) in 849. And what do Calvinists think of the Council of Constance in 1414 for John Huss, or the Council of Worms in 1521 for Martin Luther, or the Council of Trent in 1561 for the Protestants? Are these Councils not the voice of Orthodoxy as Ephesus and Carthage supposedly were?”
Author Jesse Morrell further elaborates on Pelagius…
“Pelagius taught that the freedom of the human will was not lost by the original sin of Adam, but that grace was necessary for man to rightly use his free will. He also taught that free will itself was a gracious gift given to us at Creation. He did not deny grace as necessary or as an aid for free will.
The only grace he denied was Augustinian grace, which said that free will was lost by Original Sin (Calvinism) and therefore man’s ability to obey needed to be restored by grace.
However, one of the best Greek-English Lexicons, Thayer’s, defined grace as “divine influence upon the heart” which is precisely how Pelagius viewed grace in contradiction to Augustine.
It was Augustine’s view of grace that was inconsistent with freewill, not Pelagius’.”
As Augustine said,
“I have tried hard to maintain the free choice of the human will, but the grace of God prevailed.”
Pelagius affirmed both the freedom of the will and the necessity for the grace of God, while Augustine denied the freedom of the will because of His mistaken view of grace.”
Pelagius was no heretic, instead a scapegoat, a falsely accused unsung hero, who earnestly contended for the Faith, for the TRUE Grace of God.
But Pelagius was not alone in his defense of freewill, but merely echoed the unanimous stance of the early church…
QUOTES FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS ON FREEWILL:
The Ante Nicene Fathers on the Freedom of the Will
(Compliments of angelfire.com)
“The ante-Nicene father’s pronouncements on the freedom of the will are nearly universal. While there is diversity on many aspects of theology among them, the belief in the freedom of the will is not one of those diverse aspects. Following are a few of many illustrations from the writings of the ante-Nicene fathers…
CLEMENT OF ROME: (Knew Peter and Paul personally. He was the third or fourth bishop of Rome. Tradition has identified him with the Clement who is mentioned in Philippians 4:3) ” For no other reason does God punish the sinner either in the present or future world, except because He knows that the sinner was able to conquer but neglected to gain the victory.” Recognitions of Clement of Rome. 111. 23, V. 8, IX. 30.
MATHETES: “And do not wonder that a man may become an imitator of God. He can, if he is willing.” – Epistle of Mathetes to Diogenes chap 10. (The author is unknown. It is generally accepted among scholars that he was a disciple of the Apostles – “I do not speak of things strange to me, nor do I aim at anything inconsistent with right reason; but having been a disciple of the Apostles, I am become a teacher of the Gentiles” – Epistle of Mathetes to Diogenes chap 11)
IGNATIUS: (30-107 AD) – Ignatius was a disciple of the Apostle John.) “…and there is set before us life upon our observance [of God’s precepts], but death as the result of disobedience, and every one, according to the choice he makes, shall go to his own place, let us flee from death, and make choice of life.” The Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians chap 5 (Long Version)
“If any one is truly religious, he is a man of God; but if he is irreligious, he is a man of the devil, made such, not by nature, but by his own choice.” The Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians chap 5 (Long Version)
JUSTIN MARTYR: (110-165 AD) “God’s foreknowledge is intuitive, not active, and is caused by man’s choices.”
And also, “We have learned from the prophets, and we hold it to be true, that punishments, chastisements, and rewards are rendered according to the merit of each man’s actions. Otherwise, if all things happen by fate, then nothing is in our own power. For if it be predestined that one man be good and another man evil, then the first is not deserving of praise or the other to be blamed. Unless humans have the power of avoiding evil and choosing good by free choice, they are not accountable for their actions-whatever they may be…. For neither would a man be worthy of reward or praise if he did not of himself choose the good, but was merely created for that end. Likewise, if a man were evil, he would not deserve punishment, since he was not evil of himself, being unable to do anything else than what he was made for.” (Justin First Apology chap. 43)
Justin Martyr in his Second Apology for the Christians addressed to the Roman Senate, in chapter CXLI said, “…God, wishing men and angels to follow His will, resolved to create them free to do righteousness; possessing reason, that they may know by whom they are created, and through whom they, not existing formerly, do now exist; and with a law that they should be judged by Him, if they do anything contrary to right reason: and of ourselves we, men and angels, shall be convicted of having acted sinfully, unless we repent beforehand. But if the word of God foretells that some angels and men shall be certainly punished, it did so because it foreknew that they would be unchangeably [wicked], but not because God had created them so. So that if they repent, all who wish for it can obtain mercy from God…”
ATHENAGORAS: (177 AD) “Just as with men, who have freedom of choice as to both virtue and vice, so it is among the angels…Some free agents, you will observe, such as they were created by God, continued in those things for which God had made and over which he had ordained them; but some outraged both the constitution of their nature and the government entrusted to them.” – A Plea for the Christians 24.
TERTULLIAN: (110-165 AD) “…it is not the part of good and solid faith to refer all things to the will of God…as to make us fail to understand that there is something within our power.” Exhortation on Chastity 2.
TATIAN: (110-172 AD) “The Logos…before the creation of men, was the Framer of angels. And each of these two orders of creatures was made free to act as it pleased, not having the nature of good, which again is with God alone, but is brought to perfection in men through their freedom of choice, in order that the bad man may be justly punished…but the just man be deservedly praised…Such is the constitution of things in reference to angels and men.”
Also, “…our free-will has destroyed us…Nothing evil has been created by God; we ourselves have manifested wickedness.” – Address to the Greeks.
IRENAEUS: (120-202 AD) “And in man, as well as in angels, [God] has placed the power of choice…so that those who had yielded obedience might justly posses what is good, given indeed by God, but preserved by themselves. On the other hand, they who have not obeyed shall, with justice, be not found in possession of the good, and shall receive condign punishment: for God did kindly bestow on them what was good…but [they] poured contempt on His super-eminent goodness.” Against Heresies 5:37.
Irenaeus also states that God sent His Son “as one who saves by persuasion, not compulsion, for compulsion is no attribute of God.” Epistle to Diognetus 7:4.
CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: (153-217 AD) “So in no respect is God the author of evil. But since free choice and inclination originate sins…punishments are rightly inflicted.” – Stromata 1:17.
Also, “This was the law from the first, that virtue should be the object of voluntary choice.” – Stromata 7:2.
“A man by himself working and toiling at freedom from sinful desires achieves nothing. But if he plainly shows himself to be very eager and earnest about this, he attains it by the addition of the power of God. God works together with willing souls. But if the person abandons his eagerness, the spirit from God is also restrained. To save the unwilling is the act of one using compulsion; but to save the willing, that of one showing grace.” Salvation of the Rich Man chap. 21
“Neither praise nor condemnation, neither rewards nor punishments, are right if the soul does not have the power of choice and avoidance, if evil is involuntary.” Miscellanies bk. 1, chap. 17
ORIGEN: (185-255 AD) In response to a claim (much like the Calvinist doctrine of God’s exhaustive sovereignty) that “whatever happens in the universe, whether it be the work of God, of angels [or] of other demons…is regulated by the law of the Most High God,” Origen says, “This is…incorrect; for we cannot say that transgressors follow the law of God when they transgress; and Scripture declares that it is not only wicked men who are transgressors, but also wicked demons and wicked angels…When we say that ‘the providence of God regulates all things,’ we utter a great truth if we attribute to that providence nothing but what is just and right. But if we ascribe to the providence of God all things whatsoever, however unjust they may be, then it is no longer true that the providence of God regulates all things.” Against Celsus 7:68.
“He makes Himself known to those who, after doing all that their powers will allow, confess that they need help from Him.” Against Celsus bk. 7, chap. 42
ARCHELAUS: (250-300 AD) “All the creatures that God made, He made very good. And He gave to every individual the sense of free will, by which standard He also instituted the law of judgment…. And certainly whoever will, may keep the commandments. Whoever despises them and turns aside to what is contrary to them, shall yet without doubt have to face this law of judgment…. There can be no doubt that every individual, in using his own proper power of will, may shape his course in whatever direction he pleases.” Disputation With Manes 32, 33
METHODIUS: (260-315 AD) “Those [pagans] who decide that man does not have free will, but say that he is governed by the unavoidable necessities of fate, are guilty of impiety toward God Himself, making Him out to be the cause and author of human evils. ” The Banquet of the Ten Virgins discourse 8, chap. 16″
THE BLAME GAME:
Like our greatest grandparents, Adam & Eve, we have a tendency to avoid personal responsibility and blame anyone or anything other than ourselves for our sin, some “Original Sin Nature”, our own flesh, the Devil, or as Adam did, even God Himself, “It was that woman YOU gave me!”
COMMONLY USED EXCUSES TO DEFEND SIN:
“Grace!”
“We all sin.”
“David sinned.”
“Moses sinned.”
“Peter sinned too”
“Jesus paid it all!”
“Nobody’s perfect.”
“I repent every day.”
Only God can judge me.”
“We all have a sin nature.”
“I still have the Old Man!”
“Once saved always saved!”
“God is unconditional love!”
“We don’t need to fear God.”
“We’re saved by Faith Alone!”
“Sinless Perfection is a heresy.”
“Jesus was God, we’re only human”
“Christians aren’t perfect, just saved”
“God doesn’t see my sins, only Jesus!”
“I’m covered under the blood of Jesus!”
“I’m not under the Law, I’m under Grace”
“Saying we can be sin-free is self righteous pride”
“Paul said he was a wretch and Chief of Sinners” (Until Romans 7:25)
SO WHY DO WE SIN IF ADAM’S “SINFUL NATURE” IS NOT IMPUTED TO US?
The simple answer is because we choose to, because we want to. No excuses. Sin is a choice, not a birth defect. But let’s dig a little deeper.
Due to Adam, who disobeyed the ONE command God gave him, Satan gained legal rights as the “God of this World”, where we are all cut off from the TREE OF LIFE, and death has entered in, and we have been cast into the VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH, where the Tree of the Knowledge of Good & Evil has spread it’s seeds, thorns & thistles, with it’s temptations multiplied a MILLIONFOLD, lurking around every corner, where sin has become the globally accepted “norm” …”Everyone does it!”, “We’re all sinners!” We sin from environmental influence & temptation that is everywhere we turn. Which Jesus proved a man doesn’t have to. Sin is willful choice to yield ourselves to temptation, to rule over sin. Or like Cain, who willfully chose to let sin rule over him…
“Know ye not, that TO WHOM ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants YE ARE to whom ye obey; whether of SIN UNTO DEATH, or of OBEDIENCE UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS?” ~Romans 6:16
This verse alone should alone should lay to rest any false notions of human inability, handicapped or absent freewill, as well as Eternal Security.
Sin is like a drug, and a highly addictive one at that. It promises temporary pleasure…the “deceitfulness of sin”. Once we have a taste for it, our flesh gets quickly addicted to it, and it becomes natural to us. And besides, “Everybody does it…we all have a ‘sinful nature’ from Adam…it’s HIS fault!”
The perfect excuse.
And THIS is is the very lie Satan has seduced & deceived multitudes believing that keeps them, even after claiming to be “born again” enslaved to sin.
But Jesus Christ, IN THE FLESH, has proved Satan wrong and a liar! And now, as the WAY, the TRUTH & the LIFE, commands…“FOLLOW ME”.
HOW DOES JESUS SAVE US “FROM” SIN?
He commands we forsake all sin (repent).
He commands that we FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE.
He gives us a way of ESCAPE from EVERY temptation.
He cleanses us by His sinless blood of the sins we CEASE FROM.
And His commands are NOT BURDENSOME!
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” ~Luke 6:46
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” ~John 14:15
WHY IS THE “ORTHODOX“ DOCTRINE OF ORIGINAL SIN DEADLY & ANTI-CHRIST?
“The Devil’s favorite heresy is “You can’t avoid sin”. Because nothing keeps men in bondage more than this lie. And it assures they will die in sin and go to Hell.”
~Jesse Morrell
Original Sin (Inherited Depravity) is a HIGHLY seductive and BLINDLY accepted doctrine designed to send souls to hell, by indoctrinating them to the pagan, Gnostic lie that they are born defective, with a handicapped disability, a enslaved will that is in bondage, even after being “born again”, that can never truly be free from sin in this life, in the flesh, thereby giving handing them the perfect “excuse”, on a silver platter, to remain in their sins, who, sadly, die in their sins, by believing that only Jesus could live sin-free by the Holy Spirit because He is God, whichdenies Jesus came as a fully human man, in the flesh, showing us how a man CAN and IS to live.
As S. Bratlie writes…
“When we have the exhortation, “For to THIS you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an EXAMPLE that you should FOLLOW HIS STEPS, who committed no sin.”
Sin is anything that goes against God’s will and His laws. To commit sin is to transgress or disobey these laws. The lust to sin dwells in human nature. In other words, it is contaminated and motivated by the sinful tendencies that dwell in all people as a result of the fall into sin and disobedience in the garden of Eden. This… More, “Nor was deceit found in His mouth,” ~1 Peter 2:18-23
Then the Spirit of Antichrist comes with this message:
“You cannot take this literally. We cannot follow in Jesus’ steps who committed no sin, because then we would have to be sinless. No, we are sinners, and we must plead the blood, etc. etc.”
We hear this teaching everywhere… “The forgiveness of sins is possible, but Christ manifested in the flesh? No! That is a dangerous doctrine – sinless perfection – a false doctrine!” Can you see what the spirit of Antichrist is trying to do? It is trying to prove that it is impossible to follow in Jesus’ footsteps, so that Satan is manifested in the flesh, rather than Christ. Who do you think would be the most upset if you were set free from sin?
The answer, of course, is the Devil.”
This is why when those who fear giving up their sin are quick to accuse those who remind them that we must completely forsake ALL sin, that we must repent, or we WILL likewise perish, as preaching “Sinless Perfection”. Yet Jesus Himself commands…
“Go and SIN NO MORE” & “Be ye therefore PERFECT even as your Father in Heaven is perfect”.
Is Jesus preaching Sinless Perfection?
YES!!!
But NOT in the sense that once we are born again, we are never CAPABLE of ever sinning again (as many seem to think), that’s ludicrous! God never takes away our freewill, before OR after being born again. But in the sense that we ARE CAPABLE of NEVER sinning again…ABSOLUTELY YES!
For Scripture promises us…
“There hath NO temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted ABOVE THAT WHICH YE ARE ABLE; but will with the temptation also make a WAY OF ESCAPE, that ye may be ABLE TO BEAR IT.” ~1 Corinthians 10:13
And…
“Now unto him (Christ) that is ABLE TO KEEP YOU FROM FALLING, and to present you FAULTLESS before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” ~Jude 24-25
So if we CHOOSE to sin willfully after being born again, it is NOT Jesus’ fault, but OUR OWN.
No sinful nature to accuse. No grace to abuse.
And “IF” we do sin, not “WHEN”, we have an advocate, whom, if we confess our sins, He IS faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. But we MUST forsake the sins we confess (repent).
UNFORSAKEN SIN IS UNFOGIVEN SIN!!!
But even so, we are soberly warned time and time again of the dangers of sinning after being born again…
“For if we sin willfully, AFTER that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth NO MORE SACRIFICE FOR SINS, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law DIED WITHOUT MERCY under two or three witnesses: OF HOW MUCH SORER PUNISHMENT, suppose YE, shall he be thought worthy, who hath TRODDEN UNDERFOOT THE SON OF GOD, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he WAS SANCTIFIED, an unholy thing, and hath done DESPITE unto the SPIRIT OF GRACE?” ~Hebrews 10:26-29
Yet multitudes are taught and believe any and all acts of obedience to abstain from sin as “burdensome” and
“Works Salvation”, and most typically those who parrot unbiblical mantras such as; “Grace Alone! Faith Alone! Imputed Righteousness! Once Saved Always Saved!
From the wicked root of Original Sin, these unbiblical doctrines of men and devils are spawned to keep man imprisoned in his sin, believing he is right with God through “Another “Jesus” who promises to save them the IN their sins, vs the true Jesus Christ, who saves FROM our sins. The doctrines of devils which are the offspring of Original Sin, such as; Faith Alone, Imputed Righteousness, Progressive Sanctification, Eternal Security/OSAS, etc., doctrines designed to comfort the flesh, that go COMPLETELY contrary to God’s warnings that…
“The wages of sin IS DEATH”
And
“The soul that sins it SHALL DIE”,
all of which are rooted in the original lie of Satan…
“YE WILL NOT SURELY DIE.
..ANTI-CHRIST
As Jesus soberly warns with the most horrifying words a soul could ever possibly hear…
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that DOETH the will of my Father which is in heaven. MANY will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work INIQUITY (SIN).” ~Matthew 7:21-23
But wait, what about “Progressive Sanctification”? Don’t we sin less & less over time.
NO. Progressive Sanctification is yet another doctrine of men & devils, devised for the purpose of “buying time for Satan”.
“And such WERE some of you: but ye ARE washed, but ye ARE SANCTIFIED (present tense), but ye ARE justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” ~Romans 6:11
This is the gift of salvation that TRUE repentance brings, which IS the forsaking and ceasing from all sin.
Imagine if when Jesus commanded, “Go, and sin NO MORE, to the woman caught in adultery or the blind man, and they replied, “Eventually Lord…Progressive Sanctification!”
Ludicrous!
Yes, we ARE to “Press on to perfection”, which is NOT sinning less & less (God forbid), but rather growing in spiritual maturity & wisdom, a process that cannot even BEGIN until we have forsaken all sin (repent). Because no one is born again of the Holy Spirit of the Living God who is still in sin. The soul that sins it SHALL DIE. The wages of sin IS DEATH. Sin is un-holy. The Holy Spirit cannot & will not indwell an unholy vessel. It is a literal impossibility.
We cannot partake of the table of God and the table of demons.
PRESS ON TO PERFECTION…OR NOT?
“What sin is it that you just HAVE to do?
~Zac Poonen
Jesus said the way is narrow, that we must strive to enter, that few find it, to be ye perfect, to go and sin no more. OR, we can argue in favor of sin with Him about it at the the Judgement Seat.
Yes, imagine arguing with Him, that our “sin nature”, this “flesh” we are TAUGHT we “inherit” from Adam was just too powerful for His blood to overcome sin in our lives.
To which He will say, “I was born in same flesh as you, yet overcame”.
“But you’re God! We can’t follow you!”, we’ll argue.
And Jesus will say, “Why do you call me Lord and not do the things I say? If you love me you would obey me. Did I not command you to take up your own cross, deny yourself and come after me? Or are you saying I too was not born and tempted in all points as a man “in the flesh”?
Depart from me, ye that work iniquity!”
One of the quickest ways to know if someone is has been seduced by the Gnostic spirit of antichrist is to ask (if they will answer) the simple question…
“Do we sin because we are sinners,
or are we sinners because we sin?”
The Gnostic spirit of antichrist will answer “be we are sinners”, OR will attempt to play it safe by giving the illogically contradictory answer of “Both”.
THE “MYSTERY OF GODLINESS”
vs
THE “MYSTERY OF INIQUITY”
The Bible speaks of two completely opposite “mysteries”…
The “Mystery of Godliness” & “The “Mystery of Iniquity”.
The “Mystery of Iniquity” (Iniquity = Sin) is Satan “manifest in the flesh” as the Antichrist, meaning we who continue to walk after the lusts flesh (sin), remain dead in our trespasses (the wages of sin is death), no matter how much we may confess to be in the Holy Spirit of Christ, in reality, those who continue in sin, remain unholy “spirits of antichrist”, children of the Devil, following after Satan as Lord, IN THE FLESH.
“He that committeth sin IS of the devil.” ~1 John 3:8
The Antichrist (Satan manifest in the flesh) is also called the “Man of Sin”, who teaches that we can sin and live, that…
“Ye will not surely die.”
“For the MYSTERY OF INIQUITY (SIN) doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked (The Antichrist) be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him (The Antichrist), whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all DECEIVABLENESS OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS in them that perish; because they received not the LOVE OF THE TRUTH, that they might BE SAVED. And for THIS cause GOD shall send them STRONG DELUSION, that they should BELIEVE A LIE: That they all might be damned WHO BELIEVED NOT THE THE TRUTH, but had PLEASURE IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.” ~2 Thessalonians 2:7-12
Notice the phrase “DECEIVABLENESS OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS”. Where else do we see the Bible warning us not to be deceived regarding unrighteousness? In the verse JUST BEFORE “He that commiteth sin is of the devil”….
“Little children, LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU: he that DOETH righteousness IS righteous, EVEN AS he (Christ) is righteous.” ~1 John 3:7
Yet multitudes ARE deceive, taught the precise opposite, that Christ’s own righteousness is “imputed” to us.
And WHO are these men who “deceive”?
“For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, UNGODLY MEN, turning the GRACE OF OUR GOD into LASCIVIOUSNESS, and DENYING the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~Jude 1:4
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who HOLD THE TRUTH IN UNRIGHTEOUSESS; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.” ~Romans 1:18-19
“THEY went out FROM US, but they were NOT OF US; for if they HAD BEEN of us, they would no doubt have continued WITH US: but they went out, THAT THEY MIGHT be MADE MANIFEST that they were NOT all of us.” ~1 John 2:19
John called them “deceivers” & “antichrists”, those who say all we need to be saved is “Faith Alone”, even though the ONLY place the entire Bible mentions “Faith Alone” states again, the precise opposite.
“Was not Abraham our father JUSTIFIED BY WORKS, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” ~James 2:21
“Ye see then how that by works a man IS justified, and NOT by FAITH ALONE.” ~James 2:24
Those who scream that any obedience to Christ is self-righteous “WORKS SALVATION”, although Scripture is also crystal clear of the opposite…
“And being made perfect, He (Christ) became the author of ETERNAL SALAVATION unto all them that OBEY HIM.” ~Hebrews 5:9″
Those who remove the truth & fear of God, that “the soul that sinneth it SHALL die”, Minsters of Sin, pastors in pulpits who preach to itching ears, who fill pews, pockets and hell itself by echoing the original lie of Satan; that we can sin and remain spiritually alive, that, “Ye will not sure die”.
“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.” ~Philippians 2:12
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: FEAR GOD AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS: for this is the whole duty of man.” ~Ecclesiastes 12:13
The “Mystery of Iniquity” is the LIE that we can disobey God and “not surely die”! The “Mystery of Godliness” is the precise opposite…
The “Mystery of Godliness” is that “Jesus Christ was manifest IN THE FLESH”, meaning we who are made alive in Christ, can now, by the Spirit, the VERY SAME Holy Spirit that dwelt in Jesus Christ here as a man on this earth, IN THE FLESH, can ALSO put to death the deeds of the flesh, “Follow Him” as Lord, and “Go and sin no more”, as He commands we must do, following Him, walking as He walked…in the flesh!
God’s Word is clear Jesus was tempted in all points & made just like we are, which means if He had no “sin nature”, neither do we. Therefore, we have no “excuse” for our sin.
Jesus overcoming sin as God (which most who adhere to the gnostic excuse and doctrine of devils of an “Original Sin Nature”), is not nothing in comparison Him overcoming sin as a man, IN THE FLESH.
This revelation is what the Bible calls the “Mystery of GODLINESS”…
“And without controversy great is the MYSTERY OF GODLINESS: God was manifest IN THE FLESH, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” ~1 Timothy 3:16
POWERFUL.
God’s Word says whoever does not believe Jesus came in the exact same corruptible flesh we all have, is therefore a “spirit of antichrist”.
If we worship a “Jesus” we cannot follow, as He commands we must do,we worship “Another Jesus”,who goes by another name…Satan.
“He that SAITH he abideth in him ought himself ALSO so to walk, EVEN AS HE WALKED.” ~1 John 2:6
“Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us IN THE FLESH, arm yourselves LIKEWISE with the SAME MIND for he that hath suffered IN THE FLESH hath CEASED FROM SIN.” ~1 Peter 4:1
THE TWO GOSPELS
The Bible warns of anyone who comes preaching “Another Gospel”…
“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.” ~Galatians 1:8
Gospel of Satan:
God became a man, as his own Son, as the hypostatic Godman, bypassed an Original Sin Nature via virgin birth, who superhumanly overcame sin by his divine power, who alone was able to perfectly fulfill his own Law, justifies us even if rwe still have unforsaken (unrepentant) sin in our life, if we only will just believe in him, have faith alone, we will receive the unmerited favor of God’s Grace, and “ye will not surely die”.
Gospel of God”
The One Living God, gave His only begotten human Son, a descendant of Adam and Son of Man, who came by the seed of the woman, by virgin birth, was sent as the one mediator between God & man, the MAN Christ Jesus, in the flesh, by his sacrificial lifeblood, rose from the dead, justifies us only when we forsake all sin (repent), or we WILL likewise perish, for the Kingdom of God is at hand. The wages of sin is death. The soul that sins it SHALL die.
HEAVEN & HELL:
Professing Christendom is divided into 2 camps;
The Narrow Way:
“Those who “strive to enter in at the strait gate”, who know they must forsake all sin (repent) or death will land them in the outer darkness of an eternal hell, who believe in the true Jesus, whom Scripture says saves them FROM their sins, whom they CAN & DO follow, walking just as He walked, in the flesh, willfully obeying His commands, which are not burdensome; to go, sin no more, to be ye perfect. Who promises & warns that unless we repent, we WILL likewise perish, rejecting Satan’s oldest lie,
“Ye will not surely die”, believing God, that…
“THE SOUL THAT IT SHALL DIE”.
The Broad Way:
Those who believe in another “Jesus”, who, although he commands it, they say is impossible to follow, thereby denying Jesus came in the flesh, who promises to save them IN their sins, and that they will still go to heaven even if unrepentant sin remains in their life, who put their faith in Gnostic Antichrist doctrines of devils that comfort the flesh, yet lead to death (Original Sin Nature, Faith Alone, Imputed Righteousness, Eternal Security/OSAS) born of the original lie of the Devil…
“YE WILL NOT SURELY DIE”.
Ministers of righteousness manifest the Holy Spirit of Christ, IN THE FLESH.
Ministers of sin manifest the unholy spirit of anti-Christ, IN THE FLESH.
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” ~Matthew 5:6
In short, what the Protestant “Reformation” has done, is simply “RE-FORM” one Catholic pagan gnostic heresy (Original Sin) into another (Sin Nature/Total Depravity), both believing the same lie; that man inherits sinfulness and corruption, the inability to apply the human will to willfully “rule over sin” as God commands we must.
“While they PROMISE THEM LIBERTY, they THEMSELVES are the SERVANTS OF CORRUPTION: for OF WHOM a man is overcome, of the SAME is he brought in bondage.” ~2 Peter 2:19
Now we know WHY the Apostle John called this gnostic spirit a
“Deceiver” & “Antichrist”…
“Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and THIS IS that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” ~1 John 4:2-3
TEST THE SPIRITS!!!
IS YOUR “JESUS” REALLY SATAN?
There IS another “Jesus”, preached from the vast majority of pulpits today, “professed” by most “Christians” today, who preaches “Another Gospel” which promises to save us IN our sins, who teaches the Gnostic lie that we will never overcome sin in this life until we leave our fleshly bodies because we are all born inheriting a “sinful nature” from Adam; corrupted, depraved, sinful (Original Sin), who teaches that man has no freewill ability to rule over sin, that our nature can only sin, that we cannot obey God’s “impossible” commands, and that because of this, God Himself had to come to earth as a hypostatic “Godman” to obey FOR US, who as the “Second Person” of the “Trinity” superhumanly overcame sin because man is unable, which denies Jesus was born as a fully human man, made & tempted in ALL points as we are, IN THE FLESH. Another Gospel that says all we need to do is “believe” in this “Godman Jesus” by “Faith Alone”, and HIS righteousness will be magically “imputed” to our account and “cover” our sins so that God will only see the righteousness of Jesus, and that ANY attempt even dared on our part to “Go, and sin no more” (as the true Jesus commands) is self-righteous “Works Salvation” that voids the “Unmerited Favor” of God’s Grace which will send us to hell. So if we just “believe” this “Jesus” has our sins “covered” by his blood, we will receive the “Holy Spirit”, no matter how much “un-holy” unforsaken (unrepentant) sin remains in our lives upon death, we will still be guaranteed eternal life, because he has promised us, “YE WILL NOT SURELY DIE”.
And WHO is this “Another Jesus” who preaches “Another Gospel” so that those who receive “Another Spirit” (Unholy Spirit of Antichrist), will worship this “Jesus” as God???
SATAN
“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I WILL BE LIKE THE MOST HIGH. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms.” ~Isaiah 14:12-16
SO “WHO” IS JESUS?
The answer is just as Peter correctly answered, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God”, IN whom was indwelt by the Holy Spirit of the Living God, God manifest IN the flesh (not “AS” flesh) but “IN” the flesh of a 100% human man, just like us, whom we CAN follow, and who commands that we MUST take up our own cross, deny ourselves, and follow after Him, JUST AS He did, or as clearly He warns, we CANNOT be His disciple…
“He that SAITH he abideth in him ought himself ALSO so to walk, EVEN AS HE WALKED.” ~1 John 2:6
Jesus is indeed the ONLY begotten Son of God, in whom was manifest in the flesh, whose sinless life’s blood ALONE can cleanse our forsaken (repentant) sins, but a FULLY human man, who denied His OWN SELF, fully submitting His OWN human will, as a fully human man, perfectly, to the will of His Father, to the Holy Spirit dwelling IN Him, showing us how a man CAN and IS to live, walking after the spirit (Romans 8:1), who came to save us FROM our sins, made and tempted in ALL points as we are; born of the “Seed of the Woman”…IN THE FLESH.
To get WHO Jesus is wrong, in ANY form, is quite simply, ANTI-CHRIST.
After all, THE very foundational rock Jesus said His Church is built on is…
“WHOM do YE say that I AM?”
Jesus IS the Truth, and the Truth SHALL make you free.
CONCLUSION
If anything, the main thing one needs to grasp here about Gnostic Augustinian lie of Original Sin (which requires brutal self-honesty to deprogram ourselves from) is the revelation that WE DON’T HAVE TO SIN, as Jesus proved a human being doesn’t have to, who, commands we follow Him, who by his human example, has shown us how man CAN & IS to live, by walking in the Spirt, holy unto God,
When one comes to this revelation, it’s like seeing the sun for the first time, like a bird that who has been so used to being in a cage it’s whole life, who never never even knew God gave us wings to fly, not to mention that Jesus has not already unlocked the door for us, but says to be free, we must follow His example and command to
“Go, and sin NO MORE.”
Satan wants us to believe his lies we are taught; that Jesus saves in IN our sin cages, which in reality, WE, by our own freewill choice, have imprisoned our OWN selves in them. But Jesus wants us to know Satan is the Father of Lies, and that he came to set us free FROM bondage, to save us FROM our sins.
“Whosever the Son sets free is free indeed”
Satan wants us to believe that it is our nature to sin, our very human nature, but we are made in God’s image, not the Father of Lies! Which Jesus, as fully human man, has proven to be a lie of the Devil.
We have been so programmed to believe it’s our very nature to sin, that because of Adam’s transgression we are now made in Satan’s image, and no longer God’s. Satan desires to be as God. Satan hates God. Therefore he hates what is made in God’s image. The poisonous doctrine of Original Sin can become a highly drug in and of itself, as it gives man the perfect “excuse” to remain in bondage to sin, and of the Devil.
The sin-accommodating/flesh-comforting doctrines we have been indoctrinated with, which are constantly pumped into our minds; Faith Alone, Imputed Righteousness, Progressive Sanctification, Eternal Security, etc., are all simply unbiblical offspring born of the root of the heavily and demonically guarded golden calf and idol of the Gnostic Augustinian lie of Original Sin; that man is born corrupted, with an imputed depravity, a deformity, a disability, a bondage of the will, an inevitable propensity toward sin,who through no fault of his own, is born condemned, a helpless slave to sin.
Thereby, those who adhere to and parrot the above doctrines & traditions of men, that salvation requires mere “belief’, commonly view all who dare lift a finger in repentant obedience to live righteously, who work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, take up our own cross, deny themselves, abstain and cease from all sin, sin no more, be ye perfect, walk upright, walking even as Jesus walked, and follow His human example as clearly and biblically commanded, are quickly accused of being a self-righteous Pharisee, a false prophet preaching “another gospel” of “works salvation”, who in reality, seeks to liberate enslaved souls from popular grand delusion that by simply we can live & die with unforsaken (unrepentant) sin in our lives and still be saved , by warning against the original lie of the Devil…
“Ye will not surely die.”
“Little children, LET NO MAN DECEIVE YOU: he that DOETH righteousness IS righteous, EVEN AS he (Christ) is righteous.” ~1 John 3:7
“And with all DECEIVABLENESS OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS in them that PERISH; because they received NOT THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH, that they might BE SAVED. And for THIS CAUSE God shall send them STRONG DELUSION, that they should BELIEVE A LIE: That they all might be damned who BELIEVED NOT THE TRUTH, but had PLEASURE IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.” ~2 Thessalonians 2:11-12
”And shall come forth; they that have DONE GOOD, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have DONE EVIL, unto the resurrection of damnation.” ~John 5:29
“Go, and sin NO MORE.”
~Jesus Christ
The World sight is utterly wrong. There selfishness within and materialism without. People of the world work diligently to save the surface and unconcerned about anything beneath the surface. Those who reject Jesus Christ who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life also reject the Father because no one can comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ. “Human attainment and not Divine atonement is the slogan of the world.” (2 Tim. 3:1-3). Nothing new under the sun. According to Tertullian, there are two questions that make people heretics;(1) Where does humanity come from and how? (2) Where does evil came from and why? The 1st century Church prevailed because it offered “truer” answers to these questions. Contrary to what was explained as gnosticism; gnostics engaged on an intensely private journey. Whoever comes to experience his own nature (human nature) as itself the source of all things, the primary reality will receive enlightenment. Some “christians” agrees with secular humanist mantras that “the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom.” That “Prisons are built with stones of Law, Brothels with bricks of of religion.” That “The tigers of wrath are wiser than the horses of instruction.” I go instead in the blue print of life, the Word of God.
It’s going to be end of mine day, however before finish I am reading this fantastic article to improve
my knowledge.