In Ephesians 2:20 the Apostle Paul tells us that the New Testament Church is founded upon the teachings of both the PROPHETS and the APOSTLES, neither of which is designated as superior to the other.  The original apostles taught the church directly out of the Old Testament–the New Testament would not come into existence until after their deaths.  The men of Berea “searched the (Old Testament) Scriptures daily” to see if what Paul was teaching them was God’s Truth (Acts 17:10,11).  Paul told Timothy the evangelist that “All Scriptures is inspired by God and profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness” so as to make him (Timothy) “wise UNTO salvation” (2 Tim. 3:14-17).  Note that Timothy–the Lord’s evangelist–was not yet saved some 33 years after the founding of the New Covenant Church.  This is a perfect example of why we must study God’s “fine print.”  We are also old that we are not to judge God’s Word, but rather to believe and obey it.  Billions reject that Biblical Truth.

In John 12:14-20 Jesus tells us that we will be judged, not by Him, but by His WORDS.  This is a Truth that is ignored by the church masses who believe in Jesus, but do reject His Words, at least those with which they disagree.  As was the case recorded in John 7:31-59.   Therefore Jesus called them, along with their modern counterparts, Satan’s children.  Though they believed in Him, they would not accept His Message.  It was because of His message that they killed Him.  Nothing has changed.  Billions believe in Him, own and read His Words, call themselves by His name, wear crosses and fish symbols, gather in His name, give Him money, pray to Him, preach, teach, build, baptize, etc.  But few believe and obey what He said.  Only those who do so will spend eternity with Him.  Those who do not believe and obey His message are “ever learning but never coming to the knowledge of the Truth” (2 Tim. 3:7).  Consensus holds that one needs to “only believe” to get over God’s extremely low acceptance bar.

Many generations before coming to earth as Jesus of Nazareth, the One whom the Jews killed had spoken to their ancestors as recorded in Ezekiel 22.  Here we find Him (as the Word–Jn. 1:1-4,14) commanding the prophet to tell the children of Israel that THEIR (not His) priests had violated His Law, had made no difference between the holy and the profane and had ignored His Sabbaths.  In so doing they had PROFANED THE LORD HIMSELF AND DESTROYED THE SOULS OF THE PEOPLE (vss 26,27).  Nothing has changed except the number of destroyed souls.  Satan continues to lure unsuspecting salvation seekers into his citadels of acceptable sin with the promise of eternal life simply for the believing.  As did Adam and Eve, people by the billions continue to rest comfortably in the belly of the beast, all the while “believing” that they are resting in the bosom of the Lord.  Truly, Satan has “deceived the whole world” (Rev. 12:9).

The question is not, does Satan own and operate the Catholic/Protestant Church System?  The question is, how did he gain control and how does he maintain it?  He does so through his false prophets.  These are biblically-ignorant, Truth-rejecting, spiritually-dead men and women who have been called to the ministry by the god to whom they were introduced by their religious fathers.  As instructed, they preach what their handlers pay them to preach which, not surprisingly, is exactly what they’ve always heard, which leaves them comfortable and secure in their supposed salvation.

It is my assigned commission to make such people feel uncomfortable.  Eternity is too important to be concerned about egos, feelings, self-esteem, etc.  As did Christ, the prophets and apostles of old, today’s God-called ministers speak His Truth as presented in His Holy Bible.  And as was the case anciently, they are summarily ignored and their message is summarily rejected.  In the place of God’s Truth we find a steady stream of perverted gospels, each tweaked to scratch the religious itch of every human being who owns a Bible.  These are they who, having “itching ears” (2 Tim. 4:3), employ “hirelings” (Jn. 10:12,13) who speak to them “smooth things, lies and deceits” and  “remove the Holy One from before our eyes” (Isa. 30:10).

In today’s 24/7/365 “good news” cycle we are assured that “Jesus is the solution” to the world’s problems.  NO HE IS NOT.  He tells us time and again that the solution to all of man’s troubles is BELIEF IN AND OBEDIENCE TO HIS WORDS (Genesis to Revelation).  As I point out repeatedly, Jesus Himself said that belief in Him, calling Him, “Lord, Lord,” doing “wonderful works” in His name, etc. mean nothing unless one obeys His Words (Mat. 4:4; 15:9).

We are told in John 8:30 that many who heard Jesus speak “believed in Him.”  However, they did not believe His Words.  He called them Satan’s children (vs 44) because His Words “… have no place in you” (vs 37), therefore they were “… not of God” (vs 47).  Later, those who “believed in Him” had Him killed physically because He refused to tell them what they wanted to hear.  Today, those who refuse to obey the Lord “crucify Him afresh” with each sin (Heb. 6:6), all the while accumulating their sins that will be used against them at judgment (Rom. 2:5).  The prostitute and the man at the Bethesda pool understood when Jesus commanded them to “sin no more” (Jn. 5:14; 8:11).  Unlike their modern day counterparts, they did not tell Him that obedience to Him was not only unnecessary, it was impossible.  Today’s church people would have told Him to set down and shut up, that “We’ve got this.”

What they’ve “got” is a deadly case of the “doubts.”  What they do not doubt is Satan’s perverted gospel.  When shown the difference between God’s written Word and their church doctrine, few choose to enter God’s strait gate and walk His narrow way of Truth.  Many, however, choose to enter Satan’s wide gate and walk his broad way of “truth” (Mat. 7:13,14).  As was the case in Eden, man has two choices: God’s way or Satan’s way.  L.J.