In First John 3:1-10 we find “the disciple whom Jesus loved” writing to his “beloved” (vs 2)–the Church of God. In verse three he describes God’s true saints, meaning those who keep themselves pure, “even as He is pure.” John repeats this command in 4:17. We know that this is both possible and commanded–Eph. 5:26). In 3:4-10 John speaks to the two groups that make up the church, groups which are as different as night and day. It is necessary at this point to remind long-time readers and to inform new readers that “the church” contains all those who call Christ their Savior, go to church, own Bibles, etc. The message that is repeated time and again by John and the other apostles is that “All that glitters is not gold.” Read that series using Glitters as the key word. Now turn to 2 Chronicles 7:11-15 and allow God Himself prove the truth about the “glitters” statement.

In Chronicles we find God speaking about the Israelites (His chosen people) who were, as usual, in trouble. He says about them: “If MY PEOPLE, (MEANING THOSE) WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME ….” Note that the Lord designates as “My people” anyone who is called by His name. Then notice that He characterizes some (actually most) of those people as “WICKED” (vs 14). As we will see, such people are not true Christians, but are Christians In Name Only (CINOs). Now back to First John Three.

In verse three John references those IN THE CHURCH who are AS “PURE AS JESUS IS PURE” (read 4:17). He reverses modes in the next verse by referencing those IN THE CHURCH who COMMIT SIN (break God’s Law–3:4). Notice that John is not referring to those outside the church, which is characteristic of all of the apostles. He is referring to those who claim to be God’s people, who know the Law but refuse to acknowledge it. These are they who refuse to believe that SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSING OF THE LAW which they claim was ‘nailed to the cross.” I have been chastised for focusing so much on the Law? particularly commandment #4–the Sabbath commandment. I do so BECAUSE TO BREAK ONE OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IS TO BREAK THE ENTIRE LAW (JAM. 2:10, MAKING ONE A “WORKER OF INIQUITY” WHOM JESUS WILL REJECT ON JUDGMENT DAY (MAT. 7:23). This includes the billions of church members who honor the cross while DESPISING THE ONE WHO DIED ON IT (Lk. 10:16). In verse five John notes that Christ died to forgive our breaking of His Law in the past and to empower us to refrain from breaking it (sinning) in the future. Read The Message of the Cross. Key word–Message.

In 2:28 we are commanded to “ABIDE IN HIM.” In 3:6 we are told that whoever truly abides in Him DOES NOT SIN, THAT ONE WHO SINS HAS NOT SEEN HIM AND DOES NOT KNOW HIM. This means that one IS NOT KNOWN BY HIM. He who says he knows Him and does not keep His commandments (sins–3:4) is “A LIAR AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN HIM” (2:4). God cannot make it any clearer. However, Satan has blinded Law-rejecters from this Truth and many other Biblical Truths. This blinding includes those in the church who continue to sin (“transgress the Law”). CINOs, as the Apostle Paul told the congregation in Rome, “treasure (store) up your sins until the day of judgment” (Rom. 2:5). Note that both apostles were addressing church people. Paul also had such warnings for the church at Corinth (2 Cor. 4:11) and the churches in Galatia (1:6-9).

Satan began attacking the church immediately after her founding. Today he controls 99.99% of it. Only a minutely few–God’s “remnant”– remain true to Him. These are they who will rise to meet Him in the air upon His return (first resurrection), who will then descend with Him to the Holy Land where they will work with Him to establish the Kingdom of God. Read The Kingdom of God. Key word–Kingdom. These are the “few” who had searched for, found and entered His strait gate and walked his narrow way during this life . The vast majority of salvation seekers, Jesus warned, would enter Satan’s counterfeit church with its wide (come as you are) gate and its broad (stay as you are) way which leads to destruction, all the while “knowing” that they are “walking with Jesus” (Mat. 7:13,14). Truly, as I have stated many times, “Satan has deceived the whole world” (Rev. 12:9).

In the series titled Bait and Switch I show how Satan uses man’s natural spiritual needs against him. By keeping him (man) from hearing God’s whole Truth, the evil one is able to switch the God seeker from HIs Gospel track and onto his (Satan’s) false gospel track. Like money counterfeiters, Satan’s false prophets make the false so much like the real that one has to know the real in order to recognize the false when he sees it or hears it. F.B.I. agents who deal with counterfeit bills STUDY ONLY THE REAL BILLS. They become so familiar with the real that they automatically spot fakery when they see it. By knowing the Truth of God, His people steer clear of Scriptural falsity. They know immediately whether a church “truth” is Biblically true or one of Satan’s slick lies. The homepage of this website lists a few of the false “truths” false prophets have sold to God seekers over the centuries.

Understand this, Satan’s false prophets do not know they are false prophets. They “know” that what they are preaching is Biblically true BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THEY WERE TAUGHT. When confronted with God’s Truth about a church lie, they, with extremely rare exception, choose to stay with tradition. Why? Two extremely powerful reasons prevent people from turning to God: PRIDE AND FEAR. To admit that one is wrong is a blow to one’s pride. Pride is one of Satan’s most powerful weapons which can, and usually does, bring about a downfall. This is brought out in Proverbs 16:18 where we are told that: “Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” Having taken that plunge, I can assure you that the proverbist was right.

Fear is second only to pride when it comes to accepting God’s Truth that contradicts what one “has always been taught.” The fear concerns the reaction of loved ones and fellow churchites when one accepts God’s Truth, which means one has to denounce church “truth.” Fear of rejection is extremely powerful. I have seen first-hand the power fear and pride have over religious people. It is an incredible sight to see life-long churchites deliberately and forcefully reject God’s Word in order to retain their standing in the eyes of other people. Jesus calls these people “cowards” all of whom will “burn in the Lake of fire” if they do not embrace the Lord and His Word. In Revelation 21:8 Jesus places such liars in the same category as the fearful, the unbelieving, the abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers and idolators. This is how God views those in the church who , though they are called by His name, refuse to obey His Ten Commandment Law. What is the solution to this problem?

Turn off the t.v. and the radio, put (I suggest throw) the idiot box away, lay down the book and the magazine and get into God’s Holy Scriptures. Warning: Satan will attack you with everything he has. He will put in you a longing for your former needs and cravings like never before. But do it anyway. When the Lord sees that you are serious, He will come to your aid. You will learn that you do not need the world’s entertainment, most of which is garbage. Fill your heart (mind) with the good things of God. The payoff will be worth the work; the reward will be worth the sacrifice. L.J.