Lay it to Heart

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False gospels from good preachers - preachers who mean well and teach the true gospel often end up repeating false ones as well

Most good preachers preach the true gospel most of the time, but then... Preachers who mean well and teach the true gospel of forgiveness of sins through Jesus Christ often end up repeating false ones as well. They do not mean to, but they end up with the baggage from the world, from fables, legends, false interpretations from lost historians and other reasons. Keep in mind it's not good enough to practice what you preach. You need to study what you teach. If they sat down and vetted what they are given they could separate the right from the wrong. People need to stop taking the words of man at face value.

The works of Josephus are extensive, and most readers do not seriously check them out. They believe they are on track of the real thing in Antiquities 18.3.3 but there Josephus only complements Jesus Christ. His real beliefs are expressed in his discourse to the Greeks concerning Hades. There he teaches salvation by good works. Ephesians 2:8-9 makes it clear, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

Often sermons include a supportive view of the Septuagint. The Septuagint has many errors one major one being Tobit 12:9 which claims, "For alms doth deliver from death, and shall purge away all sin. Those that exercise alms and righteousness shall be filled with life:". Giving alms is one type of good work. Treating it as a legitimate work reinforces the lie.

Historians assert Constantine was the first Christian Roman emperor. Are the historians Christian? Do they really know what a Christian is? If they are a Christian are they comparing Constantine's experience to the Bible? He supposedly prayed to God, saw a religious symbol, went out and did what was said to be a good deed. This, in all essence, is a gospel of good works.

Speakers also talk about the end of the age of grace. The phrase is used corruptly today. We are saved by grace through faith and the work Jesus Christ did on the cross will never lose its power. Jesus said on the cross, "It is finished" or in Greek, tetelestai meaning it was complete or paid in full. That being the case there will never be another need for a sacrifice. Hebrews 13:8 lets us know Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. The plan of salvation will not change. Revelation 7:14 looks forward to a multitude which no man can number who are saved by the blood of the Lamb who is Jesus Christ. Again, we know the good news or gospel will never change. Eternal life is forever. So is the grace that brings it to us.

Frequently, names like Saint Jude, Saint Matthew, Saint Mark, Saint Luke, etc. comes up. The word saint really means a true believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. It does not mean a special person or that it takes something special to get forgiveness of sin. Romans 10:9-10 promises us, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Moreover, we can know we are saved. 1 John 5:12-13 makes it clear, "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." The current abuse of the word saint suggests you cannot know. You do not need the approval of a church or priests to have your sins forgiven.

Some believers have been misled to think that after the rapture there will be no second chances for anyone who has already heard the gospel and did not accept it. The term, "second chance" is not accurate to start. How many people really believe in the grace or free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ the first time they hear it. Most have many chances. Romans 10:13 promises, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Unforgiven sinners don't run out of chances, they run out of time. When you die, your time is up, not before.

People go on to say those in the tribulation cannot get saved because the Holy Spirit will be removed from the earth during this time. 2 Thessalonians 2 lets us know there is a restrainer in this world. Verses 5-8 teaches us, "Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:" The theory is this is the Holy Spirit and if he is removed he will not draw anyone to Jesus. The Bible does not say this is the Holy Spirit. In Matthew 28:20 Jesus promised he would be with us always, even unto the end of the world. The end of the world has not happened yet, and through the Holy Spirit, he is with us. Revelation 7 shows many getting saved.

Support for a false gospel goes by quickly when preachers speak of The Third Temple. They drop the term in passing and move on leaving listeners to be programmed to believe a subtle but significant false teaching. Actually, the passage spoken of in Ezekiel 40-46 is really the second temple. If you support this as the third temple, one result is that you teach that animal sacrifices for sins will return during the Millennial reign of Jesus. The truth is that grace will never end.

When Christians are directly taken to heaven in the future, will unbelievers clearly remember their testimony? Will they find the Christians Bibles? If not, they may remember the false teachings instead. If they see a new temple being built and animal sacrifices made for forgiveness of sins they might believe that is God's plan because of the false third temple teachings. Will they believe the stories about good works instead of the mercy of God through Jesus' death on the cross? The answer is yes because of what is being taught today. Let's leave behind the good and not the bad.