I have heard the “doctrines of devils” (1 Tim. 4:1) formulated by the “angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14) coming from the mouths of his “ministers of righteousness” (2 Cor. 11:15) as they stood in his “pulpit” from which they “pull” God-seekers into his religious “pits” such as Catholicism, Protestantism, Hinduism, Islam, etc. Those pulpits have ranged from the most primitive hand-made fixtures to state-of-the-art creations formed from the finest materials the world has to offer. I have heard preachers put forth their denomination’s version of truth in the most humble of structures located in remote Central American locations where people arrived on foot, the men holding large plastic sheets over the heads of their women and children to protect them from the snow and rain, their musical instruments made from whatever nature had to offer. I have heard the “truth” preached where I was warned not to venture into the surrounding forest for fear of mountain lions. I have stood outside a primitive church building and watched a nearby volcano send up puffs of smoke. I have also entered European cathedrals where one gold ornament would purchase all of the other church buildings I have seen.

These self-proclaimed “churches” all had two things in common: 1) the absolute surety that each was God’s voice of truth being sent forth to the surrounding world, and 2) each was absolutely wrong. I call this period my “pre-Truth” era, for I was convinced that number 1 was right and number 2 was something akin to heresy. But I could never get away from that “voice,” that quiet “knowing” that not only was there more than I knew, but that it was totally different from what I knew. That knowing voice came from God. If I stayed on my knees for the rest of my life I would never be able to thank Him enough for it and for His incredible patience as I slowly came to learn His Truth and to see the difference between It and the church “truths” being put forth by unwitting ministers world-wide. I praise the wonderful Lord that He finally got my total attention, sent me into a decades-long, intensive study of His Word and is now using me to spread His Truth to those with “ears to hear and eyes to see.” Hopefully, you are one of the “few” who “find” and “strive to enter” His strait gate and walk His narrow, Scripturally-defined way that leads to eternal life (Mat. 7:13,14).

Two of the characteristics by which God’s church can be identified concerns its size and reputation. In any community in which a true Church of God exists it will be tiny when compared to the religious establishment. In some cases it will consist of 1 person. It will also be publically rejected in that its doctrines will be based on the Holy Scriptures written by Almighty God, whereas its spiritual counterparts will live according to doctrines concocted by men under the leadership of Satan. See the Introduction to this website for examples.

The two totally different, totally opposite “truths” concerning Romans 6:23 is a perfect example of the difference between God’s people and Satan’s people. That difference is obedience to the Holy Scriptures resulting in righteousness (1 Jn. 3:10). In the following postings we will explore the differences relative to the focal verse (Rom. 6:23) and note that one version leads to life while the other leads to death. In that we are free moral agents, the choice of eternal life or eternal death is ours to make. L.J.