“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” 1st Timothy 4:1 KJV
I find it very interesting that the Lord makes this comment in 1st Timothy. Because in the not-too-distant past in a beautiful garden in a land called Eden, our first parents fell prey to a seducing spirit (satan), and a doctrine that was taught to Eve by the devil himself.
In the book of Ecclesiastes 1:9, it is written that there is nothing new under the sun, but what has been will be, and the thing that has been, it is that which shall be. Now stop and ponder that statement again…please. “The thing that has been, it is that which shall be, and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.”
In other words, satan can’t come up with anything original. He uses the same ole thing over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over again.
Now, let us look at a portion of what was actually said to Eve by the devil. Pay very close attention here, and let God through His Word, speak to you about one of the most important doctrines in the whole bible. A doctrine so important that satan addressed it immediately.
So, here we have Eve and her future father satan in the garden talking to one another. So much could be said about this conversation (and entire books and commentaries have already been written about it). And Eve said to God’s enemy that God said that if they eat of the fruit they would surely die (Genesis 3:3). Now carefully take note of what satan says to her in verse four, “You shall not surely die.”
There it is…in plain sight for all to read. This is the very seed-bed of the Eternal Security/Unconditional Security/Once Saved – Always Saved doctrine. And it stemmed from Eve not knowing the Word of God. Look very carefully at what Eve said to the serpent in v.3, and you will notice that she added to God’s Word. And the Lord said at the very end of Revelation about what would happen to people who added to His Word…they would receive of the plagues. And of a truth Eve surely received a plague that day. Sin is spiritual leprosy – a plague. God had told these perfect, innocent, sinless, righteous in His eyes, with eternal life abiding in them people, that if they ate of the fruit they would die. Satan tells her that she won’t “surely die.” So dear reader, let me ask you a question…did they die? Yes, they died in one moment. The light in their spirits went dark. They died spiritually. Satan had won by one little lie.
And this lie is still being propagated to this day!! Satan says, “Christian, it’s okay to sin, for you will not surely die.” Friend, Adam and Eve died by one act of willful disobedience. Adam was called “the son of God” in the New Testament. He had eternal life abiding in him. In one moment he lost his eternal life by choosing to sin. Dear reader, this issue of sin, sins, and sinning is huge with God. It will keep you out of heaven. You will not make it. I don’t care if you call yourself a Christian or not – if you’re involved in sin(s) of the body or the mind and you don’t “repent and turn” (Ezekiel 14:6 & 18:30), then you will die in your sins and you will not make it. Please see the three opening verses of last weeks article entitled The Truth about Backsliders.
Some say that the Weymouth New Testament, and the Young’s Literal Translation are some of the closest translations to the original Greek. I would like to quote a verse from both their translations, respectively, of 2nd Thessalonians 2:11, “And for this reason God sends them a misleading influence that they may believe the lie.” – “And because of this shall God send to them a working of delusion, for their believing the lie.” And my Worrell New Testament (which Kenneth Hagin was told by a Greek scholar, is the most accurate translation to the original Greek you can get) says, “And, for this cause, God sendeth them a working of delusion, that they may believe the lie.” And many other translations including the NKJV use the word “the” lie.”
What lie is this exactly dear reader? Paul is writing to Christians in this letter, is he not? The lie my friend is the oldest lie recorded in scripture: that you can sin and not die spiritually. Now notice the very next verse in this section of scripture, “That they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” These people heard the truth, they had the truth…yet they chose to not believe it. WHY? Because they took pleasure in their sin(s) or as the verse says, “unrighteousness.” And they were given over to believe the lie that says that you can call yourself a Christian, go to church, give money in the offering, and then live however you want.
These ones are deluded and will lose it all…they will lose it all. This is a truth that Paul preached. Romans 2:16 “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” Now this begs the question…WHAT is Paul’s gospel? Colossians 1:23: “If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of THE GOSPEL, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister.” Or, how about Romans 11:20-22 which says, “Do not be haughty, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.” Please take special note of the word “if” – this means that there are conditions that have to be met. All through God’s Word, He makes it clear that if you will do certain things, then He will do certain things. Just who is Paul (God actually) writing to in the book of Romans? According to Romans 1:7, he is writing to “the saints.” The Gospel is a gospel of holiness. The central theme of the whole bible is holiness. This is what God told the children of Israel that He expected of them. This is what God told Abraham He expected of him in Genesis 17:1 when He said to him, “walk before Me, and be thou perfect.”
It takes a while to see this truth, but once you see it, it will jump out at you from every book of the Bible. And the reason it takes a while to see it is because of the spiritual brainwashing we’ve undergone in that which we have been taught. We have been taught by men who taught their teachings based upon their own experience, and not fully upon the Word of God. Oh…the power of paradigms – how deadly they can really be. God’s Word is our final authority dear reader.
Dear reader, do you know why the book of 1st John was even written? Because many Christians don’t know the great theme of the book. Two of the great truths espoused in the book are Christians doing, living, or saying certain things and John (God actually) calls them a liar; and the other thing is the greatest of all. John himself states why he wrote the epistle to them. He says in 1st John 2:1, “My little children, I am writing these things to you SO THAT YOU MAY NOT SIN.” Look at what is really on God’s mind here…God writes this epistle to us SO THAT YOU (WE) MAY NOT SIN. This is the greatest theme in 1st John…yes, in the whole Bible!!!
And furthermore, it is this same epistle that declares the very reason that Jesus even came: “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins.” WOW!! Think of what this is really saying…Jesus came, He appeared on the scene, He left the glories of Heaven, He laid it all down, He left His Father, He lived, He suffered, He died, He descended into the pit, He did it all for one reason…“to take away our sins.” TO TAKE AWAY OUR SINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now you will remember that the Lord said in John 12:48 that His Word would judge us in the last day. His Word!! So, at the judgment that is recorded in Daniel 7:10 and Revelation 20:12, we see the exact same phrase which says, “the books were opened.” What books are these exactly? Sixty-six books to be exact. Remember that Jesus said His Word would judge us in the last day. So then, “the books were opened” is referencing the books of the Bible and how your life, speech, and faith lined up with those books. Because Paul brought out in his writings that your conscience will be the witness of all your works and words. These don’t have to be recorded in a book; they’re all recorded in your conscience. You see, the Word of God is the only standard that will be of perfect equality to all people. The Word of God will be the benchmark by which all is measured, by which all is judged, and by which all will either be commended or condemned.
1 John 2:24-25 As for you, let that abide (remain) in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides (remains) in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father. This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.”
I would like to quote another Bible commentator’s remarks on these two verses: “John’s implication here is very clear to whoever will see it: that IF what we heard from the beginning does not remain in us, we will not remain in the Father or the Son, and we will not receive the promise of eternal life, hence, the use of the conditional word “IF.” The conditional word “IF” means: On the supposition or condition that….in other words, IF we do not meet the conditions we will not get the promise. This is a very clear scriptural principle throughout the Bible. There is NOT ONE unconditional covenant or promise found anywhere in Scripture. Once anyone comes to grip with this truth, no eternal security is possible, UNLESS God’s conditions are met.”
The doctrine of eternal security (once saved – always saved) is a teaching that is so wicked, its ramifications cannot be listed in this article as it would fill a volume. Suffice it to say that if you believe this doctrine, then you have believed “the lie.” And if you continue on this road of self-deception, and of living your life your way, and of committing sin(s) and you don’t turn from your wicked way and repent, then you will die in your sin and will end up in hell. This is the teaching of the Lord God Himself. This is the teaching of His Son. And this is the teaching of all of the writers of the New Testament.
It doesn’t matter if you can remember the exact moment you were saved. You may go to church your entire saved life, and yet be completely deceived into thinking you’ll make it…and wake up one day like the five foolish virgins, and realize that you have been shut out of the kingdom. Take special note that God called them “virgins” and Paul used the phrase, “that I may present you as chaste virgins to Christ.” They were “virgins” in name only…but in all reality they slept with God’s enemy. How? By sinning. They appeared to be “virgins” on the outside to everyone else, but on the inside they were whores, because they loved the world and all of its pleasures.
All of your past righteousness will not be remembered according to Ezekiel 3:20, 18:24, and 33:13. So, dear reader, if this is you, then you are on very dangerous ground. If you have trusted in this teaching then you have been lied to. Repent and turn and come back to the Lord, and “go and sin no more, unless a worse thing come upon you.” John 5:14
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Wow, & amen! I’ve never believed in once saved ” always ” saved!.. We need this strong word!