For hundreds of years the Institutional Church system (Catholicism/Protestantism) has been sending people throughout the world in concerted missionary efforts to win the lost to Jesus. They have been very successful in their religious endeavors. Millions have been brought into the system and indoctrinated into one of the hundreds of religious bodies that calls itself “the church.” Being supposedly saved, the proselyte is assured that all he/she need do is stay the religious course. The problem is that, due to either Biblical ignorance or Biblical rejection, neither the proselyte nor his/her leader know that they, themselves are the focus of God’s missionary efforts. Satan has deceived them both into believing that they are part of God’s church. “Christian nations” are in dire need of conversion because they present their religious “darkness” (denominational doctrines) as God’s “light,” thereby leading hundreds of millions of unwitting souls through the broad gate and along the wide way that leads to destruction (Mat. 7:12,13). Because she has substituted Satan’s darkness for God’s light, God calls the Counterfeit Church’s darkness “great darkness” (Mat. 6:23). He goes on to say that declaring Him to be one’s Lord, sincere religiosity, ministering in His name, etc. will not qualify a believer for entrance into the Kingdom of God. He who hears His Words and does them is building his house on Him–the Rock. To all others He will say on Judgment Day: “… I never knew you; depart from Me ye workers of iniquity (lawless ones).” Their spiritual house will fall, and great will be its fall because it is built on sand (man’s religion). Which brings us to the reason for His rejection of church people and the fall of their spiritual houses. REJECTION OF HIS WORD. Thus far on this website I have used God’s Words extensively in writing dozens of postings covering a wide range of subjects. Let us take a more concentrated look at what He said about what He said. Remember, Jesus is the Word (Jn. 1:1-4,14/Rev. 19:13). The Bible is the Word about the Word. Not one jot or tittle of the Word can be removed, nothing can be added to nor taken from that Word. One does so at his peril. The Counterfeit Church not only does so, but proudly boasts to the world that she is getting away with it because she is saved, and that others can do the same, and for the same reason. Now let us see what God says about what He said.

In John 6:68 Peter established for all time the life and death character of God’s Words when he said to Jesus:”… YOU have the words of eternal life.” Jesus echoed that Truth when He said to the disciples: “… the Words that I speak are … life” (Jn. 6:63), and to His Father: “… Thy Word is Truth” (Jn. 17:17). Jesus had previously said of Himself: “I am … the Truth” (Jn. 14:6). Concerning the Words of Jesus, He tells us that they are not actually His Words, but rather the Words/light given to Him by the Father, and that to believe His Words is to believe the Father. Obedience to or disobedience of those Words determines whether one will live or die (Jn. 12:44-50).

We are told that we are saved through faith (Eph. 2:8). Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). To have Biblical faith is to believe and obey God’s Word. Faith alone cannot save the believer (Jam. 2:14). Faith, then is tied directly to God’s Word which must be obeyed. If His Word is not believed, or is believed but not obeyed, then that faith (belief) is bogus. He who says he believes God’s Word (“knows Him”) and does not keep His commandments (Word) is a liar because the Truth (God’s Word/ Jesus) is not in him (1 Jn. 2:4), therefore the one who rejects the Truth is not “in Him.” Only those “in Him” will rise to meet Him in the first resurrection (1 Thes. 4:16). Only these–the overcomers/ firstfruits–will sit with Him on His throne ruling the world for the first 1000 years of God’s Kingdom (Rev. 3:21;20:6). Knowing and believing God’s Word will not save the soul. We must be doers of the Word and not hearers only (Jam. 1:22). Those who hear and not do are deceiving themselves–the Institutional church/foolish virgins being a prime example. Remember, Satan and his demons know God on a face-to-face basis (Job 1:6-12), know God’s Word (Mat. 4:6) and believe it (Rev. 12:12/Jam. 2:19). This does not save them, nor will it save a church member. To be continued. L.J.