Religions Not From God

People are religious. People in this great country believe in God and they believe in his Son Jesus Christ. People love to tell other people about Jesus and what he has done for their souls. People study their perspective religions and learn how to teach it to other people. People put countless hours into studying the creed books and studying their religious counsels’ decrees regarding their religions. People proclaim the gospel according to conventions where their religious leaders have decided what is correct and what is incorrect. People are wrong. People have zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.

Jesus once stated in Matthew 15:9 “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” regarding the religious leaders of his time. Centuries before Jesus spoke these words the prophet Isaiah uttered them in regards to the Children of Israel and their refusal to worship and serve God according to his pattern. In
Isaiah 29:13 the Bible reads “And the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw nigh unto me, and with their mouth and with their lips to honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which hath been taught them.” Just as in the days of the prophet, and the days of Christ, people today still honor God with their mouths but refuse to honor God with their hearts, because they teach, as commands from God, commands from men. Even today the words of Paul ring true as found in Romans 10:2 “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.” People are religious, but not according to the knowledge that God has revealed through his Holy Word. When people teach as doctrine the ideas of men, their religion is both vain, or worthless, and without knowledge.

Jesus once stated in Matthew 7:21-23 “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy by thy name, and by thy name cast out demons, and by thy name do many mighty works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” God, who cannot lie, reveals in this passage that many people will be surprised on that Day of Judgment when they learn that the works they did in God’s name, yet without God’s authority, were both vain and without knowledge. Jesus says that people will ask God about all the “mighty works” they did in his name, only to hear Jesus reply, “I never knew you; you worked iniquity”. This fact is made abundantly clear throughout the Bible; we as humans cannot worship or serve God in the way of our own choosing. The prophet Jeremiah states in Jeremiah 10:23 “O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.” God alone decides how his creation will worship and serve him. Anything else is both vain and without knowledge.

Why then do so many religious organizations teach as doctrine the commands or traditions of men? Paul tells us in II Thessalonians 2 that many “received not the love of the truth” and “believed lies because they believed not the truth”. When someone rejects the simple truth found in God’s Holy Word, what else is left but lies? When people teach as doctrine the commands of men, by implication they do not love the truth enough to teach it.

To illustrate this point consider a tract handed out by the Southwest Baptist Chruch of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma by their youth ministry program. This tract, entitled “Are You 100% Sure You Will Go To Heaven?” exemplifies this people’s zeal for God, yet not according to knowledge, their willingness to teach as doctrine the commands and ideas of men, and the emptiness of their religion. In this tract the reader may read about sin, Romans 3:23, what that means, Romans 6:23, and the fact that God has offered a way out of sin, Romans 5:8. It continues by giving “God’s” instructions on how to fix sin; to repent, Luke 13:3, and confess Jesus as Lord, Romans 10:9. It then tells the reader more of “God’s” instructions, as found in Romans 10:13, and his promise of eternal life, Romans 6:23b. Then the tract gives the final step to salvation, the following prayer:

“Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for all my sins. I ask you to forgive me of all my sins. The best I know how I am receiving Jesus as my savior right now. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.”

Not one verse to prove this point. Why is that? This is because this “prayer” is not in the Bible. The idea is not in the Bible. The teaching is not in the Bible. The lack of scripture to prove this prayer is all that is necessary is deafening. This is Not God’s instructions for salvation. This is the command of men being set forth as God’s doctrine. This is vain, empty, and worthless, it is without knowledge, it is false doctrine, and it is a soul damning tradition of man!

The fact remains that this tract is correct up to this last point. However, salvation is not received by saying this “prayer”. Why not include in this tract the fact that “Baptism does also now save”, I Peter 3:21, Baptism is “calling on his name”, Acts 22:16, Baptism is how sins are washed away, Acts 22:16, Baptism is how one “Puts on Christ”, Galatians 3:27, Baptism is how one begins “newness of life”, Romans 6:4, Baptism is what follows true belief, Acts 8:37, Baptism is that raises us “with him through faith”, Colossians 2:12, Baptism puts us into Christ’s body, I Cor. 12:13, Baptism follows repentance and remits sin, Acts 2:38. This was left out because these people have chosen to follow the commands of men instead of the commands of God. Any religion that omits any part of God’s commands to his creation is a False Religion and should not be followed.

This article was not written to be mean. This article was not written to bash anyone in his or her beliefs. This article was written to demonstrate this fact: Not all religions come from God. If your religion contains man-made elements, or omits parts of God’s divine plan, then it is a false religion, and no follower of a false religion can follow Christ. No member of a false religion can be acceptable to God. Why not investigate your religion, and if anything is found that is not in accordance with God’s word, get out of it. Or, if any of God’s word is omitted, again, get out of it. One cannot serve Christ in a religious group that does not follow the teachings of God.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

The following article was written by Robin W. Haley for the Gospel Preceptor;
http://www.gospelpreceptor.com/HaleyR01.htm

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Of tremendous interest and great confusion is the subject of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Although there could be a significant number of reasons for this, it seems to this writer that the simplest and perhaps the most accurate is a misunderstanding or misapplication of two or three passages of Scripture. This is not to say that there are only a few verses that pertain to this subject—far from it. However, if the foundation is faulty, the rest of the building will collapse. Let us consider the foundations for the misunderstanding of the “baptism” of the Holy Spirit.

First, the use of the term “baptize” in relation to the Holy Spirit is found but four times, these being in four parallel accounts of the same occasion: that of John the baptizer teaching about an upcoming event. Thus, John only actually taught this once. What he meant by what he said in these parallel passages will be examined presently.

Next, the term “baptism” and the Holy Spirit do not occur together! Wait! You mean that the Bible does not speak of Holy Spirit baptism? No, that is not what is meant, but rather that one will not find the phrase “Holy Spirit baptism” in any verse. Sadly, far too many think that “Holy Spirit baptism” is a rather common doctrine pertaining to believers in the New Testament. Not so.

So, how does the New Testament use the words “baptized” and the Holy Spirit together? Once with reference to Jesus’ water baptism; again the reference to what John said about his water baptism and a coming baptism; three references in the book of Acts that look to water, then mention the Holy Spirit; finally a reference in 1 Corinthians that speaks of something the Spirit does, not that one is baptized into the Holy Spirit.

The summary of this search is this: The use of these words regarding this subject is found only in what John said Jesus was going to do, in what Jesus said to His apostles, and in what one apostle said he remembered what Jesus said to him. These passages are: Mark 1:8; Acts 1:5; and Acts 11:16. They read as follows:

“I baptized you in water; But he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit” Mark 1:8.

“For John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence” Acts 1:5.

“And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit” Acts 11:16.

What then is the faulty foundation upon which so many want to build their doctrine of “Holy Spirit baptism for all believers”? I suggest, good reader, that it is the first of the three above: Mark 1:8 (and what some consider parallel passages). The-A-Number-One-Rule which most forget or do not even know is this: What is the context wherein a passage is found? When kept within proper context, even difficult Bible passages are easier to understand. This “Holy Spirit baptism” passage is not hard to understand.

As we read from the beginning of this first chapter of Mark (please read the first eight verses), we learn that, according to the prophet Isaiah, John was sent by God to preach to a certain group. Who was this? His people Israel. Now, to whom was John speaking when he made reference to what Jesus would do? Verse five tells us it was “all the country of Judea, and all they of Jerusalem.” These were Jews, not Christians. It would seem, if we were to stop here, that Jesus would baptize in the Holy Spirit all penitent Jews who were baptized of John in water. As we read through the rest of the New Testament, we see that that did not happen. So, John said Jesus would do something that never happened. Was John wrong? Did he lie? Did Jesus not do what He was supposed to do? If we have confidence in the Bible as God’s word, we know that these things could not be true. So, what does John mean by what he said to this crowd of penitent Jews? Since this context does not speak of nor to Christians, this baptism in the Holy Spirit is certainly not what is claimed by people today.

This brings us to Jesus’ promise made to His apostles. You see, He used the same words, and referred back to what John had preached. We find this in only one place: Acts 1:5. Read it again: “For John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days hence.” This is Jesus speaking to His apostles after His resurrection from the dead. Did Jesus mean what He said? Did He lie to His apostles? No, we know that being the Son of God, He would not, could not do such. So, did the apostles ever receive this baptism? Indeed they did, and we find it recorded in the first four verses of Acts chapter two. “And when the day of Pentecost was now come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Who were these that “were all together in one place”? The verse just prior to this event tells us: “And they gave lots for them; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.” The eleven and Matthias makes twelve—the twelve apostles of Christ.

John the baptizer told the nation of Israel that there was a special baptism coming to them. Jesus applied this promise to His apostles. The writer of Acts (Luke) tells us that this promise was applied to the apostles when they were together on the day of Pentecost. This baptism was a promise to them alone and was never given to any other. Such wording and promise will never be found in the Bible referring to any other. No one ever was promised this. The baptism of the Holy Spirit was never mentioned as applying to any other anywhere in the New Testament. We must therefore conclude that what John was saying to the nation of Israel, was meant to be understood as a general statement of what God had planned as a special relationship He was to enact with His people through His Spirit. This was accomplished through the agency of the apostles of Christ.

Finally, let us consider why Jesus made this promise to His apostles. The answer to this is found in three chapters of the gospel of John (14-16) where Jesus is explaining the work He has lined up for these men. Please read and consider John 14:16-18. Jesus told them He would not leave them alone, the Holy Spirit would come to them. Verse 26 reaffirms that the Holy Spirit is coming to them. In John 15:26-27, Jesus again tells them the Holy Spirit is the Comforter Who is coming to them. He is the spirit of Truth and will teach them. They—the apostles—are to be Christ’s witnesses and only a certain few can fill the qualification to be a witness. “Of the men therefore that have com-panied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and went out among us, beginning from the baptism of John, unto the day that he was received up from us, of these must one become a witness with us of his resurrection” (Acts 1:21,22).

Now we come to John 6:7-11. Jesus tells them that when the Holy Spirit comes to them, He will—through them—convict the world with respect to sin, righteousness, and judgment. This was to be done through their preaching and teaching (and the record of such teaching found within the Bible. This is why Luke refers to “the apostles’ doctrine” in Acts 2.42. Now read John 16: 13-15. Again, Jesus makes clear that the Holy Spirit was going to teach them and cause them to remember all that Jesus taught them. The Spirit was not going to create doctrine, but deliver what Christ decreed from Heaven to them.

Here is the conclusion of this whole matter: John said that Jesus was to baptize with the Holy Spirit. Jesus applied this promise to His apostles and to no others. This promise was fulfilled as recorded in Acts two and was never repeated.

Friends, the apostles are gone and no one took their place. They finished the work Jesus gave them to do. They were guided into all the truth through Holy Spirit baptism. There was never a baptism of the Holy Spirit upon anyone other than the apostles, and there is none now.

Our Sacrifice

Our Sacrifice

A very frightening verse is found in the Bible that reveals unto humankind an awful truth; “all things are cleansed with blood, and apart from shedding of blood there is no remission”, Hebrews 9:22. Because “all have sinned”, Romans 3:23, and “the wages of sin is death”, Romans 6:23, blood is required of everyone that has and will ever live to cleanse from sin. The Bible teaches that because of sin, something or someone must die. Justice demands that the one to die should be the very one that committed the sin. Paul, by inspiration, informs us that once we sin, we are already dead, claiming in both Ephesians and Colossians that at one time “ye were dead through your trespasses and sins”, Eph. 2:1, Col. 2:13. This fact is a terrifying one to contemplate on; I deserve death because of my sin.

Sin and disobedience have brought about death from the beginning of creation. In Genesis the Bible records the very first law given by God to his creation; Genesis 2:16-17 “And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Adam and Eve were given this law by God himself, which law they broke when they fell to temptation by satan in the garden. Because of this very first sin, something had to die. We read in Genesis 3:21 “And Jehovah God made for Adam and for his wife coats of skins, and clothed them.” The first death brought about because of sin was the death of the animals that gave their lives to clothe Adam and Eve. From that moment on, blood was required to remove sin. The Old Testament is filled with commands to kill and use blood to push back the remembrance of sin year after year. The blood used in this process could never remove sin, as the Hebrew writer says in 10:4: “For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.” For 1500 years the Children of Israel offered sacrifice over and over again to push back sin and keep death away. The Hebrew writer again says in Hebrews 10:3 “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance made of sins year by year.” Likewise, in Hebrews 10:11 “And every priest indeed standeth day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins.”

Just as the blood of animals cannot take away sins, neither can the blood of humans take away sins. The shedding of blood for the remission of sins is a precious blessing. It is clear that a creature that is lesser in importance cannot bless humanity, such as bulls and goats. Neither can this blessing flow between those that are created equal, from man to man or woman to woman. How can a person, guilty of sin and deserving of death, take away that condemnation from another person? The Bible clearly states in Hebrews 7:7 “And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.” Because every person is guilty of sin, and sin cannot be taken away by something equal or lesser, is clear that humanity is doomed, because nothing we could do can take away sins. Nothing we can do can justify us with the God whom we separated ourselves from because of our sin (Isaiah 59:1-2). Surely humanity has never seen such utter darkness.

However, a blinding light has pierced that darkness! Matthew 4:16 “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.” What glorious, wonderful news! We have hope because of the precious blood of Christ. We no longer live in darkness if we have been washed in the blood of Christ. Our sin offering to God has been made, not yearly time and again for the same sins, but once for all eternity. Note these wonderful words found in Hebrews 10:10-13 “By which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest indeed standeth day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins: but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” Therefore, those dooming words of Paul, found in Ephesians 2:1 and Colossians 2:13 become great words of hope, Ephesians 2:1 “And you did he make alive, when ye were dead through your trespasses and sins”, Colossians 2:13 “And you, being dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, you, I say, did he make alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses.” We were once dead because of our sins, but now we are alive because of Christ and his sacrifice; if we are obedient to the things that Christ demands of us. Therefore, let us all hold fast these words, and never forsake them, Philippians 1:21 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” How wonderful is our redeemer!

Have you been forgiven your sins? The Bible teaches that it is our responsibility to call upon God for forgivness of sins. No one can partake of this great blessing without submitting to God. Repent of your sins, and confess the name of Jesus, Acts 2:38, Romans 10:9-10. Believe the word of God, and respond as the eunich from Ethiopia did in Acts 8:36, "Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?" Ananias once asked Paul an extremely important question in Acts 22:16, "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on his name." Why? Because, as Peter explains in I Peter 3:21, "
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

The Duty Of Service

The Duty of Service

During our lives as Christians we are required by our Lord and Savior to offer unto God Spiritual service. Paul tells us the following regarding service unto the Lord in Romans 12:1; “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.” We are obligated to serve our Lord to the best of our abilities. Jesus once said that the greatest law was to “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind”. But he did not stop there, Jesus further said “And a second like unto it is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” These two laws are so important that Jesus further states; “On these two commandments the whole law hangeth, and the prophets” (Matt. 23:37-40). The whole of the Old Law hung on the commands to love God and to love our fellow human beings. Jesus, when he was preparing humankind for Christianity, restated these laws as universal truths that would be translated into the New Law as well.

Serving the Lord demonstrates the love that we have for him in a way that nothing else can do. Jesus once asked Peter a very important question in John 21:15 “So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of John, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.” Jesus also told his Apostles in John 14:15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.” The Lord did not give these commands only to his Apostles, they apply to all those living as Christians as well. John tells us in his book of 1 John 5:2-3 “By this we know that we love the children of God, whenever we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” Our service to God demonstrates the love we have for him and the gratitude we have for his sacrifice for our sins. Not only does our love for God motivate our service to him, it makes that service a privilege, something that is never burdensome. If we ever find our lives as Christians burdensome, it is time to reevaluate our love for God and change our attitudes.

Serving the Lord also lightens life’s burdens during our Christian walk. The Apostle Paul teaches that service to God requires serving our fellow Christians as well. In Galatians 6:1-2 Paul teaches the following: “Brothers, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a person in a spirit of gentleness, looking out for yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.” This is such a wonderful command, one certainly not burdensome. We, as humans who will occasionally stumble in our Christian lives, have this reassurance; our fellow Christians will always be there to help us in our problems and keep us right with God. It is a marvelous command, yet it also puts a great responsibility upon us all. Not only do we enjoy the fact that our fellow Christians are looking out for our souls, we have the responsibility to look out for the souls of our fellow Christians as well. We, as Christians, must gently tell people when they are in sin in order to restore them back to God. James tells us in James 5:19-20 “Brothers, if anyone among you wanders away from the truth, and anyone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner back from the error of his way will save a soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins”.

Service is also the epitome of being Christ like. Jesus told his Apostles in Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” We serve our fellow human beings because that is what Christ did. Christ came to this earth not to sit on a throne and rule, but to serve people. As Jesus washed his Apostles feet he said, in John 13:13-14, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say correctly, for so I am. Therefore if I, your Lord and your Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.” Jesus is our Lord, yet he served his creation and told his Apostles to do the same. We can learn from this example and serve others. Paul likewise stated in I Corinthians 9:19 “For being free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, in order that I might win the more.” Paul did not conduct himself in a way that elevated himself above others; he became a servant to people in order to become a servant of God. Paul also states in Galatians 6:10 “So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward them that are of the household of the faith.” We all are commanded to serve other people in order to be good servants of God. We should never act in a way that elevates ourselves, but rather elevate others, as Paul said in Philippians 2:3 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

Service to God is a blessed privilege that Christians enjoy. Service is an obligation that is joyous to us. The Psalmist said in Psalms 40:8 “I delight to do thy will, O my God; Yea, thy law is within my heart.” If any Christian fails to give acceptable service to God, then he or she is considered unfruitful and unworthy, as John the Baptist stated in Matthew 3:10 “And even now the axe lieth at the root of the trees: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” Even though we strive to be fruitful servants, we should never forget what Jesus said in Luke 17:10 “Even so ye also, when ye shall have done all the things that are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which it was our duty to do.” When we have done everything that God has commanded us we come nowhere near being profitable, because the service we provide will never be enough to repay the debt that Jesus paid for us with his blood.