God is Love

God is love! This attribute of God is probably preached more today than any other. When you ask someone if their pastor preaches on the wrath of God or the holiness of God, their response may be "no, it's too offensive" or "yeah, but he doesn't harp on it". In other words, he may mention it once every couple of years. A friend of mine, Josh, was witnessing to a couple in the park one day and found out they were Christians, so they started talking about their church and one of their church's ministries they were getting ready to help with. This was an "automotive" type ministry where they serviced cars for single mothers, low income families needing a hand, and so on. The ministry is operated right there in their own church parking lot! Great ministry right? Not if the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not preached.

Acts 6:2 - And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.

Apparently the church's pastor would not allow anyone to share the Gospel because he didn't want to "run anyone off". The Gospel is offensive to wicked, God-hating men and women, but we must not be ashamed! We must preach the Truth because the Gospel is "the power of God for salvation"!

Romans 1:16 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

See also - Luke 9:26; 2 Timothy 1:8; 2 Timothy 1:10-12; 2 Timothy 2:15

From amongst all of the preaching about God's love arises the inevitable questions that we've all heard time and time again.

• How could a God of love let bad things happen?
• How could a God of love let a cataclysmic event, like 911, happen?
• How could a God of love allow babies to be born with deformities?
• How could a God of love allow children to starve to death in Ethiopia?

The list of these types of questions could go on and on. The reason any of this happens is because of sin. The God of the Bible proclaimed the death sentence on mankind because of the sin of one man, Adam. This is what is referred to as "original sin". Because of original sin, we are born sinners, enemies of God, children of wrath. This doesn't mean we're paying for Adam's sin, but it does mean we are living under the repercussions or the effects of Adam's sin.

What is lacking in a staggering number of pulpits today is the recognition of other attributes of God. Attributes such as His holiness, wrath, justice, grace, mercy and so on. The darkened mind of fallen man lacks the ability to see God's holiness, His goodness and therefore does not understand His hatred and wrath toward sin. To believe solely in a god of love who would never punish sin, is to violate the 2nd of the Ten Commandments and create an idol; a god in your mind who does not exist. The truth is, the God of the Bible is holy and righteous and He hates sin. If He didn't hate He couldn't love for love could not exist without hate. If you love children then you hate child abuse and the greater your love for children, the greater your hatred and outrage toward child abuse.

God is love, therefore He is also wrath, holiness and righteousness. He is a God who hates sin so much He kills because of it. In the Old Testament, Genesis 38, God killed a man because the man was wicked in His sight and then killed his brother because He didn't like what he did sexually. In the New Testament book of Acts, He killed a man and his wife for lying. Wrath is a holy, white-hot hatred of evil, of sin, of all that is unholy... it's God's violent passion for justice and by His very nature must punish sin where ever it's found.

So, having a clearer understanding of the nature of God revealed to us in Scripture, the question, "How could a God of love let bad things happen?" becomes the wrong question to ask. The question you should be asking is, "How can a perfectly just, holy and righteous God, a God who is omnipresent, omniscient, one who commands utter perfection in thought, word and deed. How could a God like that know the words that came out of my mouth, the thoughts that raced across my mind and the things that I did yesterday... and not kill me in my sleep last night?"

In comes another gracious attribute of God, His patience. God is long suffering and does not will for anyone to perish, but commands all men everywhere to repent, for He has appointed a day in which He'll judge the world in righteousness!

Acts 17:30-31 - The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.

Hebrews 9:27 - And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment

The greatest display of love in all of time and eternity was the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the justification of the elect of God. God sent His Son to suffer and die so that those who hated Him and rebelled against Him, could be reconciled to Himself and be set free from the wages of sin; the eternal wrath of God in the lake of fire.

God truly is Love... and to Him alone be the Glory.


Soli Deo Gloria

My Times are in Thy Hand

Sovereign Ruler of the skies,
Ever gracious, ever wise,
All my times are in thy hand,
All of events at thy command.

His decree who formed the earth
Fixed my first and second birth;
Parents, native place, and time
All appointed were by him.

He that formed me in the womb,
He shall guide me to the tomb;
All my times shall ever be
Ordered by his wise decree.

Times of sickness, times of health,
Times of penury and wealth;
Times of trial and times of grief,
Times of triumph and relief;

Times the tempter's power to prove,
Times to test the Saviour's love;
All must come, and last, and end
As shall please my heavenly friend.

Plagues and death around me fly;
Till he bids, I cannot die.
Nor a single shaft can hit,
Till the love of God sees fit.

~John Ryland, 1777

The Absence of Sin in the Life of a True Christian

Have you ever met a "professing" Christian who maintains the position they no longer sin? That since their conversion, they have not transgressed God's perfect law, that they have been absolutely perfect in thought, word and deed? Well, as foolish as it may sound, there are those who maintain this view point. Let's take a look at one of the passages of Scripture that has been twisted to support this false teaching.

1 John 3:9 says, "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."

If you "transliterate" the "translation", you basically get the idea that once you become a Christian you will no longer sin. Not only will you not sin, but you can't sin. If that were true, then not only would the Apostle Paul be a false convert (1 Timothy 1:15), but so would every other professing Christian who had ever walked the face of this earth. The Bible is very clear in Romans 3:10-11 that no one is without sin, not even one; that no one seeks after God.

So, to say that a Christian cannot sin is an incorrect interpretation of the text. As Christ said, "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41). Although we are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), having been reborn spiritually (John 3:3), having received from God, by His sovereign decree, His Spirit (Ezekiel 36:27). Although a true Christian has a redeeemed Spirit, that Spirit is still housed in a body of unredeemed flesh. It is only through that rotten, stinking flesh that sin can manifest itself in the life of the Believer.

Those who do maintain they have not sinned since becoming a "Christian" are deceived and guilty of the sin of pride. Scripture says, "Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Though they join forces, none will go unpunished." (Proverbs 16:5) All Christians go through a process of being "cleansed from all their filthiness and all their idols". (Ezekiel 36:25) This is sanctification. This is the "process" through which the Holy Spirit begins to separate the Child of God from the sin in their life and drawing them closer to Himself. The Holy Spirit will bring about convictions that may have never been there in the past and intensifying convictions that may have been present in the past, but were ignored. The joy and pleasure that used to be found in the of sin in your life has been stripped from you. Those same deeds will bring about great discomfort, restlessness, grief and sorrow. As you think about your past, your gross indulgence in sin, binging on the lusts of the flesh, you are sickened by your blatant rebellion toward God, your utter disregard for Him, your hatred toward Him revealed in your thought life and all throughout your entire lifestyle.

Philippians 1:5-6 is describing this work of sanctification and the confidence we have that His work will continue until the LORD Jesus Christ returns!

Philippians 1:5-6 - "5 for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;"

Now, let's take a look at the proper interpretation of 1 John 3:9.

If we look at the grammatical construction of the text used in the Greek New Testament, we will find that the word "sin" (and he cannot sin, because he is born of God) is a present tense infinitive verb, which refers to continuous or repeated action. Therefore, to properly interpret this verse is to say that "a true Christian cannot maintain a continuous pattern of sin in their life because the Holy Spirit dwells within them".

So, can a true Christian sin?
Most certainly.

Can a true Christian maintain a lifestyle of sin?
Absolutely not.

I fear for anyone who professes to be a child of God, yet maintains a lifestyle of sin. A lifestyle that is contrary to that which God has revealed to us in Scripture. One that contradicts God's nature and His will. Examples would be those with a foul mouth, drunks, homosexuals, members of cults (idol worshipers), use of porn in any capacity, drug abusers, liars, thieves, and on and on. Those who profess to be Christians, yet live daily with any of those attributes, with a clear conscience, are being deceived. (Romans 1:21-25)

When a Christian sins, they stumble into it, they don't make provision for it, they don't make plans to sin. Furthermore, when they do stumble they're broken over it by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. They repent and ask forgiveness from God because they realize their sin is vertical (not horizontal) in that they've sinned against a holy God, not man, that they have offended the God of Heaven and Earth and have grieved the Holy Spirit who dwells within them.

To have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ and yet sin repeatedly with utter disregard of God's law and the sacrifice of His Son, is to trample the blood of Christ underfoot. It's to say, "hey, thanks for taking my punishment for me... thanks for being beaten and humiliated in my place.... thanks for having Your flesh pulled apart as You were scourged for me, thanks for giving up Your life and dying a horrific death for me, but you won't mind if I went ahead and <insert your own sin here> again, would You?" Blatant disregard for the price that was paid for the forgiveness of sin.

2 Peter 2:20 - 20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning.

Hebrews 10:28-30 - 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses' law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,"says the Lord. And again, "The LORD will judge His people."

The Bottom Line
If there is any doubt whatsoever as to your eternal salvation, if you are not 100% sure that if you died today you would go to heaven, or if your assurance is coming from anywhere other than the Holy Spirit (no pastor, friend, or relative can assure you of your salvation) then you need to cry out for God to save you! Cry out for God to draw you, to reveal Himself to you. Ask Him to show you your need for His forgiveness, to change your heart, open your eyes so that you see Christ in all His glory, flee the wrath of God and fly to Christ! The Bible says to repent and put your trust in Jesus Christ, trust Him alone with your eternity, the Bible says to repent and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, that we are saved by repentance toward God and faith in our LORD Jesus Christ! There is nothing in and of ourselves that we can do, for salvation is of the LORD! (Jonah 2:9, Mark 1:15, Luke 13:3, John 3:16, Acts 4:12, Acts 20:21, 2 Thess 1:7-9)


Therefore, repent and believe the Gospel!

Do you consider yourself to be a good person?

Almost everyone thinks they are a good person (Proverbs 20:6)... but the question you should be asking is...

"Am I good enough to go to Heaven?"

How would you know?


You can know by taking a quick test. Just open the book to begin!

Infinite Punishment in Hell: A WAKE UP Call to those in Rebellion Toward God

I want to warn everyone reading this that is not a follower of Jesus Christ, that there is a JUST and HOLY God who's wrath abides upon you. You anger God with your sin, He is angry with you everyday (Psalm 7:11).

"The bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string, and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow, and it is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow one moment from being made drunk with your blood. Thus all you that never passed under a great change of heart, by the mighty power of the Spirit of God upon your souls; all you that were never born again, and made new creatures, and raised from being dead in sin, to a state of new, and before altogether unexperienced light and life, are in the hands of an angry God."

You must be warned that if you die in your sins, never having came to that place of repentance (turning from your sins) and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, then you will face God on Judgment Day and have to bear the penalty for those sins. That penalty is eternity in the lake of fire... HELL!

You may think I'm trying to scare you... I say to you, YOU BETTER BELIEVE I'M TRYING TO SCARE YOU!!! Hell is a REAL place! Jesus Christ spoke much more of the horrors of Hell in the Bible than He did of the joys of Heaven... and without Jesus Christ, you are destined for Hell! Jesus Christ paid our sins FOR us so we wouldn't have too... it was the ultimate gift, the ultimate sacrifice and all we have to do to step up and receive that gift! You do that by confessing your sins in prayer to Jesus Christ, not a priest, or a statue... to Jesus Christ Himself! The Bible says in Acts 4:12 - "There is none other name, under Heaven, given among men, whereby you must be saved!" Confess your sins. If you're not sure what sin actually is, the Bible says, "Sin is transgression of the law". Just look at God's Law... if you've broken even one of the 10 Commandments, then the pushment is eternity in the lake of fire. If you've ever lied, stolen, looked with lust... any of these, ever in your life, then God's wrath abides upon you. Now that you have a better picture of how exceedingly sinful we are as human beings, you should confess your sins through prayer to Jesus Christ, confess your need for a Savior, repent of our sins (turn from them) and put your trust in Jesus! Once you do that you will be born again! That means you will be given a new nature, with new desires because the Holy Spirit will dwell within you! If this seems foolish to you, here's what the Bible says about it in 1 Corinthians 1:18 - "the preaching of the cross is to them that perish, foolishness!" If this does seem foolish, then you need to pray that God will soften and open your heart, because no one can come to Christ unless the Father first draws him! (John 6:44)

People... regardless how good of a person you think you are, how religous you think you are, how generous you think you are.... without the righteousness of Christ, you'll perish on the Day of Wrath.


God's Wrath
It is everlasting wrath. It would be dreadful to suffer this fierceness and wrath of Almighty God one moment; but you must suffer it to all eternity. There will be no end to this exquisite horrible misery. When you look forward, you shall see a long for ever, a boundless duration before you, which will swallow up your thoughts, and amaze your soul; and you will absolutely despair of ever having any deliverance, any end, any mitigation, any rest at all. You will know certainly that you must wear out long ages, millions of millions of ages, in wrestling and conflicting with this almighty merciless vengeance; and then when you have so done, when so many ages have actually been spent by you in this manner, you will know that all is but a point to what remains. So that your punishment will indeed be infinite. Oh, who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is! All that we can possibly say about it, gives but a very feeble, faint representation of it; it is inexpressible and inconceivable: For "who knows the power of God's anger?"


Italics are from Jonathan Edwards' Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. LISTEN | READ

Total Depravity of Man

The doctrine of total depravity (or total inability) understands the Bible to teach that all men, as a consequence of the Fall, are born morally corrupt, enslaved to sin, and unable of themselves to please God or even to turn to Christ for salvation.

Is man basically good or basically evil?

Ecclesiastes 7:29

"Behold, I have found only this, that God made men upright, but they have sought out many devices."

Mark 10:18/Luke 18:19

And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone."

Romans 5:12,19

through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned... through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners

c.f. Ecclesiastes 9:3

All men? Are there any exceptions?

Romans 3:23

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Isaiah 53:6

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way;

2 Chronicles 6:36

there is no man who does not sin

Romans 3:9-12

What then? Are we better than they? Not at all; for we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin; as it is written, "There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one.

1 John 1:8,10

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we say we have not sinned, we make [God] a liar and His word is not in us.

c.f. 1 Kings 8:46; Psalm 53:1-3, 116:11, 130:3, 143:2; Proverbs 20:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20; Jeremiah 2:29; Micah 7:2-4, Mark 10:18; Luke 18:19; James 3:2; etc., etc.

Are people good deep down?

Mark 7:21-23

"For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness. All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man."

Psalm 5:9

There is nothing reliable in what they say; their inward part is destruction itself. Their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.

Are men totally depraved? Is any faculty of the person yet uncorrupted?

Heart/Thoughts (Deceitful)

Jeremiah 17:9

"The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it?"

Ecclesiastes 9:3

the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead.

Genesis 6:5 & 8:21

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually... from youth.

Psalm 36:1-2

Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes. For it flatters him in his own eyes concerning the discovery of his iniquity and the hatred of it.

Proverbs 28:26

He who trusts in his own heart is a fool

c.f. Ecclesiastes 8:11; Psalm 94:11; Mark 7:21-23

Mind/Understanding (Depraved)

Romans 1:28-31

And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, being... without understanding

Titus 1:15-16

to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled

Ephesians 4:17-18

So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;

Jeremiah 10:7-8,14

For among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You. But they are altogether stupid and foolish. Every man is stupid, devoid of knowledge

Will/Choosing (Enslaved)

John 8:34

"Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin."

2 Timothy 2:25-26

if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

Titus 3:3

For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.

Romans 6:6

our old self was crucified with Him... so that we would no longer be slaves to sin. But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient... and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.

Romans 6:20

For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

Romans 7:14

For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin.

c.f. John 8:31-32,36; Galatians 4:9; 2 Peter 2:19

Affections/Desires (Perverted)

Romans 1:24-27

Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

2 Timothy 3:2-4

For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God

Proverbs 21:10

The soul of the wicked desires evil

John 3:19

"This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil."

c.f. Genesis 3:16; Psalm 4:2, 140:8; Proverbs 10:23; 2 Peter 2:13

et al (Utter Ruin)

Titus 1:15-16

to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled

Romans 7:18

I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh

Isaiah 1:5-6

The whole head is sick and the whole heart is faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head there is nothing sound in it, only bruises, welts and raw wounds, not pressed out or bandaged, nor softened with oil.

Are they just misdirected? Do men "not know better?"

Romans 1:18

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

Romans 1:21

For even though they knew God they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Romans 1:32

and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

c.f. Romans 2:14-15

Can men still do good when they want to?

Matthew 7:18

"A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit."

Romans 8:7

the mind set on the flesh... does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so

Jeremiah 13:23

Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good who are accustomed to doing evil.

Genesis 6:5 & 8:21

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually... from youth.

Titus 1:15-16

to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.

c.f. 1 Samuel 24:13; Job 14:4; Matthew 12:34; Romans 14:23

Are men at least born pure? What about the "tabula rasa?"

Psalm 51:5

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.

Psalm 58:3

The wicked are estranged from the womb; those who speak lies go astray from birth.

c.f. Proverbs 22:15; Isaiah 48:8

What is the natural disposition of man toward God?

John 3:20

"For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."

Romans 8:7-8

the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Colossians 1:21

you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds

James 4:4

You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

c.f. Romans 1:28-30

What is man's relationship to God?

Psalm 58:3

The wicked are estranged from the womb; those who speak lies go astray from birth.

Ephesians 2:12-13

remember that you were at that time separate from Christ, excluded from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:3

Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.

c.f. Isaiah 59:2

Can man then do anything to please God?

Proverbs 15:9

The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord

Proverbs 15:8/21:27

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord

Proverbs 28:9

He who turns away his ear from listening to the law, even his prayer is an abomination.

Isaiah 64:6

For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;

Romans 8:7-8

the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

Hebrews 11:6

And without faith it is impossible to please [God]

c.f. Psalm 50:16; Proverbs 21:4; Isaiah 1:10-15; Amos 5:21-24

Are men at least seeking God?

John 3:20

"For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed."

Isaiah 65:1

"I permitted Myself to be sought by those who did not ask for Me; I permitted Myself to be found by those who did not seek Me."

Isaiah 64:7

There is no one who calls on Your name, who arouses himself to take hold of You; for You have hidden Your face from us and have delivered us into the power of our iniquities.

Romans 3:10-12

"there is none who seeks for God"

c.f. Romans 10:20

Can the natural man comprehend the gospel or come to saving knowledge of God on his own?

1 Corinthians 2:14

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4

our gospel is veiled... to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

1 Corinthians 1:18,21-24

For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Crist crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness

Matthew 11:27

"no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.'

c.f. Psalm 119:18; Proverbs 4:19; Ephesians 4:17-19; 2 Corinthians 2:15-16; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4

Can men of themselves accept God's gift of salvation? Do men choose God or come to Him on their own?

John 3:27

John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven."

John 14:16

"I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him

John 1:12-13

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 6:44 & 64

"No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;" And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father."

Romans 9:16

So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.

Romans 11:35-36

Or who has first given to [the Lord] that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.

1 Corinthians 1:30

But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus

Philippians 2:13

for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

c.f. Jonah 2:9; Zephaniah 3:9; John 15:16; 1 Corinthians 15:10; Philippians 1:6; James 1:18

Who supplies faith/belief/repentance?

Romans 12:3

God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

Acts 5:31

"He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Acts 11:18

When they heard this, they quieted down and glorified God, saying, "Well then, God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life."

Philippians 1:29

For to you it has been granted for Christ's sake... to believe in Him

Ephesians 2:8-9

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

2 Timothy 2:25

The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, [etc.]... if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth

1 Corinthians 12:3

no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit

2 Peter 1:3

His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence

John 3:6 & 6:63

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit... It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing;"

c.f. John 5:44; Ephesians 6:23; 1 Corinthians 4:7; 2 Peter 1:1

Can men do anything to help themselves?

Romans 5:6

For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

Ephesians 2:5

even when we were dead in our transgressions, [God] made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)

c.f. Psalm 49:7-9; Jeremiah 2:22

Who then can be saved?!

Matthew 19:26

Jesus said to them, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

c.f. Mark 10:27; Luke 18:27

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The above content was pulled from Travis Carden's site. Check it out at http://www.traviscarden.com

No One Can Come to Jesus Christ, Unless…

Too controversial? Too arrogant? Too unbiblical? Or gospel truth?

Now then, here is the truth. God has spread the feast but the fact is that nobody is hungry. and nobody wants to come to the feast, and everybody makes an excuse to keep away from the feast. and when they are bidden to come they say, “No, we do not want to, or We are not ready yet.” Now God knew that from the beginning, and if God had done nothing more than spread the feast every seat at His table would have been vacant for all eternity! I have no hesitation in saying there is not one man or woman in this church tonight, but who made excuses time after time before you first came to Christ. You are just like the rest. You made excuses. so did I, and if God had done nothing more than just spread the feast every chair would have been vacant, therefore what do you read in that parable in Luke 14? Because the feast was not furnished with guests God sent forth His “servants”. Oh, put your glasses on. It does not say “servants”, it says God sent forth His “servant” and told Him to “compel” them to come in that His feast might be furnished with guests. And there is not a man or a woman In this church tonight or in any other church that would ever sit down at the marriage-supper of the Lamb unless you had been compelled to come in, and compelled by God.

Well, you say, what do you mean by “compelled?” I mean this, that God had to overcome the resistance of your will, God had to overcome the reluctance of your heart, God had to overcome your loving of pleasure more than loving of God, your love of the things of this world more than Christ. I mean that God had to put forth His power and draw you, and if any of you know anything of the Greek or have a Strong’s Concordance, look up that Greek verb for “draw” in John 6:44, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him” —It means “use violence”. It means to drag by force. There is not a Greek scholar on earth that can challenge that statement—I mean—and back it up with proof. It’s the same Greek word that is used in John 21 when they drew the net to the land full of fishes. They had to pull with all their might for it was full of fishes. They had to drag it, Yes, my friend, and that is how you were brought to Christ. You may not have been conscious of it. you may not have known inside yourself what was taking place, but every last one of us was a rebel against God, fighting against Christ, resisting His Holy Spirit, and God had to put forth almighty power and overcome that resistance and bring us to our knees, and if any of you object to that strong language, then I am here to tell you, you do not believe in the teaching of this Book on the absolute depravity of man.

Man is lost, and man is dead in trespasses and sins by nature. Listen, it is not simply that man is sick and needs a little medicine: it is not simply that man is ignorant and needs a little teaching: it is not simply that man is weak and needs a little hope: man is dead, dead in trespasses and sins, and only almighty power from heaven can ever resurrect him and bring him from death unto life. That is the gospel I believe in and I do not preach the gospel because I believe the sinner has power in himself to respond to it. Well, you say, then what is the use of preaching the gospel if men are dead? What is the use of preaching it? I will tell you. Listen! Here was a man with a withered hand, paralyzed, and Christ says. “Stretch forth thine hand”; It was the one thing that he could not do! Christ told him to do a thing that was impossible in himself. Well then you say why did Christ tell him to stretch forth his hand? Because Divine power went with the very word that commanded him to do it! Divine power enabled him to. The man could not do it of himself. If you think that he could you are ready for the lunatic asylum, I don’t not care who you are. Any man or woman here who thinks that that man was able to stretch forth his paralyzed arm by an effort of his own will is ready for the lunatic asylum! How can paralysis move? Well, I will give you something stronger than that. You need something strong today, you need something more than skim-milk, you need strong meat if ever you are going to be built up and grow and become strong in the Lord and the power of His might—Here is a man who is dead and buried and his body has already begun to corrupt so that it stank. There he was in the grave and someone came to that graveside and said, “Lazarus. come forth”, and if that someone had been anyone else than God Himself manifest in flesh. he might have stood there till now calling, “Come forth”. What on earth was the use of telling a dead man to come forth? None at all, unless the One Who spoke that word had the power to make that word good.

Now then my friends, I preach the gospel to sinners, not because I believe the sinner has any power at all in himself to respond to it: I do not believe that any sinner has any capacity in himself whatever. But Christ said, “the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life”, and by God’s grace I go forth preaching this Word because it is a word of power, a word of spirit, a word of life. The power is not in the sinner, it is in the Word when God the Holy Spirit is pleased to use it. And my friends, I say in all reverence; if God told me in this Book to go out and preach to the trees. I would go! Yes sir. God once told one of His servants to go and preach to bones and he went. I wonder if you should have gone! Yes, that has a local application as well as a future interpretation prophetically.

- A.W. Pink

Christianity vs. Mormonism (Part 10)

Witnessing

• Joseph Smith was a liar
• The said there were cities all over the Americas that held many, many people. Not one city has been found, not one crumb, not one remain. In the Bible multitudes of cities have been found.
• He was a complete deceiver. He deceived people into believing he had a revelation from God, when he did not.
• The Book of Abraham has been proven false and Joseph Smith along with it.
• DNA evidence proved him to be a liar when he said the Lamanites and the Indians descended from the Jews. He lied about that.
• He was a liar and a false prophet from the very beginning. Do you want to follow a man like that?

The Bible is free of error, it is the true Word of God. Don’t let me or anyone else convince you of that, you read the Bible and find out for yourself. Your eternal destiny is at stake.

This is not an argument about “my religion” or “yours”, rather this is a question of what the Truth is. It’s a question of what the evidence is. It’s a question of “did a man come along 1800 years into the history of Christianity and totally revise what Christianity and the Bible says? That’s what we believe Joseph Smith did. If you’re a Mormon or thinking about Mormonism, I would urge you to examine objectively the life of Joseph Smith and the reliability in the teaching of the Book of Mormon over against the Jesus of the New Testament and the reliability of the Bible and its Truthfulness.

The Mormon people are a precious people. We love them and they are worth the battle. I have a tremendous amount of respect for how hard they work for the burden they carry to live up to their impossible gospel demands. We’re fighting for the Mormon people, not against them, because we love them and because we want them to see Christ in his true Glory and to escape the bondage of this lie.

When backed up into a corner by Biblical fact, a Mormon most always says, “well I’ve experienced the testimony.” If you ask them what they mean by the testimony, is that the burning of the bossom? They’ll say, “Yes and you too can experience the burning of the bossom if you’ll pray and ask God if what Joseph Smith said is true.” It is amazing to stake your eternal life based on some kind of a feeling. Where would you find that in the Scriptures? Absolutely nowhere.

Jeremiah 17:9 - The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it?

Proverbs 14:12 - There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

Simple Question: Trust in Jesus Christ or Joseph Smith?

Joseph Smith

Fraud

Womanizer; many wives

False prophet

Book of Mormon; nothing to support it; no evidence

Jesus Christ

The Savior, who's God and became man

The Bible is supported by 100's even 1,000's of prophecies, proofs, evidence, history, archeology; we can prove it.

Where do you want to put your hope in eternity? Joseph Smith or Jesus Christ and His Word?

Christianity vs. Mormonism (Part 9)

Translation of the Book of Mormon

Supposedly the gold plates were hidden in a hill (told this by an angel) and held the record of the Book of Mormon and he was to translate them by the power of God. However, from his story and those around him, the method he used to translate the Book of Mormon was actually a magical stone that he already possessed before he got the plates and he used this magical practice to decipher supposedly the translation off the plate.

Paul said, in Galatians 1:6, if ANYONE preaches to you another Gospel, whether it be me, someone else, or even an angel from Heaven, let them be accursed! (accursed means set apart for destruction)

The very sub-title of the Book of Mormon is “ANOTHER Testament of Jesus Christ”.

This issue is, if what Joseph said conflicted with what the Bible says, then he wasn’t getting inspiration from God.

Kinderhook Plates

These were found on April 23^rd, 1843. Six bell shaped brass plates covered with decipherable engravings were “unearhed” near Kinderhook, IL – 70 miles south of Nauvoo. After their discovery, Joseph Smith was asked to translate them. He said, “I have translated a portion of them and find they contain the history of the person with whom they were found. He was a descendant of Ham, through the loins of Pharaoh, king of Egypt and that he received his kingdom from the Ruler of Heaven and earth.”

The plates were later tested by an LDS History Professor, Stanly B. Kimball, in 1980 and found to be fake. It was created to help lure Joseph Smith into making a translation of ancient-looking characters that had been etched into the plates.

In 1879, Wilber Fugate admitted to making the plates, along with Robert Wiley and Bridge Whitton. It was a hoax to test Joseph Smith. He obviously failed.

False Writing

Introduction Page

• The introduction page in the Book of Mormon says after thousands of years all were destroyed except the Lamanites and they are the principle ancestors of the American Indian. The Lamanites are described by Joseph as ancestors to the Isrealites inhabiting al of North and South America from sea to sea.

Proverbs 30:5-6 says, “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

DNA testing has proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the American Indians were not descendants of he Lamanites and Joseph Smith has perpetrated a gigantic fraud in the very book HE claimed was inspired by God; the Book of Mormon. NO ONE outside of Mormonism is debating this, it’s a “non-issue”. No one in the scientific realm is debating whether or not the Native Americans came from the Isrealites because it has been proven false.

Bottom Line: In order to be a Mormon, one must “trust” in those stories of Joseph Smith. If these stories can be proven to be untrue or fabricated, then the very foundation of their faith is erroneous.

The Book of Abraham

For generations, scholars have shown irrefutable evidence that the Book of Mormon, Doctrine of Covenants and the Pearl of Great Price are fallible, faulty documents. The not only contradict each other, but contradict the Bible.

Joseph Smith claimed the Book of Abraham was translated from an Egyptian language on papyrus and it has been well documented to be completely false. There is not and has not been ONE non-LDS Egyptologist who supports his translation. If his translation were correct, he would have been translating it at a time before anyone could even translate Egyptian. However, they will tell you the Book of Abraham never said anything he said it did. The papyrus does not depict Abraham getting ready to be sacrificed by a priest on an altar, but is in reality a depiction of a common funeral many centuries after Abraham’s time. Egyptologists uniformly agree with this conclusion, destroying Joseph Smith’s translation of the Book of Abraham.

Conclusion: This book was an elaborate fraud by Joseph Smith.

Christianity vs. Mormonism (Part 8)

The Character of Joseph Smith

• Age 14 he supposedly had a visit by God and Jesus Christ telling him not to join any local church. A visit like this should radically change a person’s life. BUT…
• By age 21 he was arrested in Bainbridge, NY for deceiving Josiah Stowell, charged for glass looking and set before the court as a disorderly person.
• Age 22 he falls for Emma Hale and stayed at her home while on his treasure digging works. They were married.
• After a few short years, his close friends; David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery, William Law and William McLellin; were all repulsed by his multiple adulteries and publicly called him an adulterer.
  

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.” - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

• Joseph Smith, according to LDS records, was “sealed” to 27 wives.

Bible: The Bible teaches in Deuteronomy 17:17, that when you establish a king, make sure that your king does not gather to himself multiple wives.

Mormonism: “The only men who become Gods, even the sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy.” - Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses Vol. 11 pg. 269

Bible: One wife.

“’For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’;^[so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.” - Mark 10:7-9

“A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach” - 1 Timothy 3:2

“Let deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.” - 1 Timoth 3:12

“if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.” - Titus 1:6

• Joseph Smith was known for his “story telling”. The whole Mormon religion is based on the validity of his story. He was 14 when it (1820) supposedly occurred and he has changed it many times. This, coupled with the fact there is not one shred of archeological evidence… why would anyone put their hope for eternity on that?

9 Variations of Joseph Smith’s Vision

1827

A "spirit" appears to Joseph telling him of a record
on gold plates at age 17.


1827

An "angel" appears to Joseph telling him he has been
chosen to be a prophet and bring forth a record on gold
plates at age 18.


1830

An "angel" tells Joseph where to find a secret treasure.
Joseph returns once a year every year before "obtaining
the plates".


1832

"Jesus Christ" appears to Joseph at age 15.


1834

An "angel"appears to Joseph in his bedroom at age 17.


1835

"Two personages" appear to Joseph in grove at age 14.


1835

Many "angels" appear to Joseph in grove at age 14.


1838

"God the Father and Jesus" appear to Joseph in grove at
age 14.


1844

Two "unidentified personages" appear to Joseph at age 14.

• “The LORD did not come… but He did send His angel to this same obscure person, Joseph Smith… and in formed him that he should not join any of the religious sects of the day…” - Journal of Discourses Vol. 2 pg. 171, Brigham Young contradicting once again, the story of Joseph Smith’s vision.

The question is, did Joseph Smith really have a vision or did he build an entire religion on his known talent of “story telling”.

Joseph Smith carried on him at all times, until his death, a Jupiters Talisman. This is a magic object that one would use to empower one with finances, power over people… power over women. These are things his life was geared towards. He wanted power, money and women. The fact that he kept that on him until death shows his trust and hope was in that magic object.

Christianity vs. Mormonism (Part 7)

Prophecies and Revelations of Joseph Smith

1. Inhabitants of the moon – Joseph Smith told of the inhabitants of the moon as being about 6’ tall, dressed like Quakers and live to be about 1,000 years old. (Young Women’s Journal Vol. 3 pg. 263-264; Patriarchal Blessings Books 9:294-295) Since Neil Armstrong’s walk on the moon in 1969, we now know there are no Quaker looking people on the moon. Brigham Young expanded on this idea and said that the sun was inhabited. (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 13, p. 217)

2. New Jerusalem - Will be built in Independence, MO and dedicated by the hand of Joseph Smith. This was to happen in his generation. (Doctrine and Covenants 84:3,4). There is NO evidence of this happening. Jesus said the temple would be destroyed which happened after his death in 70 AD and the ruins are still there today.

3. David Patten Mission – Verily thus saith the Lord: It is wisdom in m servant David W. Patten, that he settle up all his business as soon as he possibly can and make a disposition of his merchandise, that he may perform a mission unto me next spring, in company with others, even twelve including himself, to testify of my name and bear glad tidings unto the world. (Doctrines and Covenants 114:1) David W. Patten actually died the fall of that year in the Battle of Crooked River, so he didn’t go on the mission trip the next spring. The Mormons make excuses for this and say he did it in the spirit world, but it doesn’t say that, that’s not what the passage states. Regardless of any excuse, Doctrines and Covenants 1:37,38 says this: “Search these commandments, for they are true and faithful, and the prophecies and promises which are in them shall all be fulfilled. What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and earth pass away, my word shall no pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice of by the voice of my servants, it is all the same.”

SO, the prophecy of David W. Patten was a false prophecy. Even if a person does have a prophecy that “does” come to pass, God warns in Deuteronomy 13:1-3: “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”





What is the Biblical standard for a prophet?

100% accuracy!

“And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.” - Deuteronomy 18:21,22

God is telling us there how to discern deception when someone is claiming to be a prophet. If even ONE prophecy does not come true, he is considered a false prophet. Joseph Smith even prophesied the coming of the LORD which Jesus Himself said was impossible to know.

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven,[a] but My Father only.” - Matthew 24:36

“President Smith then stated that the meeting had been called, because God had commanded it; and it was made know to him by vision and by the Holy Spirit… it was the will of God that they should be ordained to the ministry and go forth to prune the vineyard for the last time, for the coming of the LORD, which was nigh – even fifty six years should wind up the scene.” - History of the Church Vol. 2, page 182

The 56th year passed in 1891… FALSE PROPHET!

There are over 300 prophecies in the Bible of the life, mission, death and resurrection of the Redeemer. Only the Bible lays out history and precisely details the life of Jesus Christ.

Christianity vs. Mormonism (Part 6)

Archeology

No Book of Mormon locations are known in reference to modern topography. Joseph Smith's writings are only 150 years old, we should be able to find the cities he references. Zerahemla and Bountiful are nowhere to be found! Nor are any other cities in his writings. The first order of business should be a concentration on geography! After 20 years of searching, we're still left empty-handed.

1. Mormonism: Mark E. Peterson, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1944 until his death in 1984 said this, "The Bible is so full of errors one can hardly believe a word in it."

2. The Bible: More than 25,000 evidences supporting the Bible.

3. Mormonism: Not ONE artifact from the Book of Mormon has ever been found. Not one city, not one empire, not one weapon of any kind, not even one coin which was common in Joseph's writings.
   

Joseph Smith claimed there were 38 huge cities in the Americas and not one single city has ever been dug up.

4. Mormonism: The "supposed" battle on Hill Camora in Palmyra, NY where Joseph once lived, between the Lamanites and the Nephites, supposedly took the lives of 10's of thousands of ment, but not ONE artifact was found from this mighty war. In fact, during the time period described in the Book of Mormon, the Americas did not have the ability to produce the metal weapons described. The evidence to support Joseph's writings does not exist.

Speaking of your eternity; you will spend it somewhere, either Heaven or hell. Would you want to base your eternity on something totally unknown or something of which there is ZERO evidence for? It's a total myth, completely made up.