By Bob Jackson
“Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. And this will we do, if God permit. For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the power of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame (Hebrews 6:1-6).”
The first five verses in this chapter describe for us THE POSSESSION OF GOD’S SALVATION. The description of receiving God’s salvation is seen in the last half of verse one. For those who are saved, God tells us in this passage that we need to go on and grow to spiritual maturity, “perfection.” We should not need to lay the foundation of our salvation once again. Two things are used to describe this foundation: 1. Repentance from dead works, and 2. Faith toward God. Acts 20:21 includes both of these two things as Paul referred to his own preaching and testifying to Jews and Gentiles alike. To repent from dead works, we must realize our own sinfulness and unworthiness, Romans 3:10-12,23; Ecclesiastes 7:20. It is important, also, to recognize the result of our own sin, which are the wages we have earned because of our sin. The wages of sin is death, Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:14,15. This death is more than just physical death, but it also includes eternal death, or the second death, which is to be separated from God in the torment of the lake of fire for all eternity. Repenting toward God and believing on Jesus Christ as our personal Savior is our only hope of salvation, Romans 10:9-13; 1 Thessalonians 1:9.
Verses four and five in this passage tell us about the reality of God’s great salvation. This passage tells us what comes into the life of the person who receives God’s salvation. The light of God comes into the sinner at his salvation, 2 Corinthians 4:4-6; Ephesians 1:17,18. Truly, we are full of darkness before Christ comes into our hearts at the moment of our salvation. We receive the heavenly gift that is the gift of God, which is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord, when we receive God’s salvation, Ephesians 2:8,9; Romans 6:23; Psalm 34:8. The leadership and presence of the Holy Spirit of God comes into our lives the moment we receive God’s salvation, Romans 8:9; John 14:16-18. The Bible is clear to tell us that a person who does not have the Holy Spirit living within him does not belong to God. Either we receive the Holy Spirit the very moment we receive God’s salvation, or we are not children of God at that time. Obviously we become children of God at our new birth, when we receive God’s salvation, so we must, therefore, receive the Holy Spirit within us at that same time. Saved people have received some of the Word of God within their lives as well, Romans 10:17. We could not be saved apart from the Word of God. As God’s children, we learn and grow in grace through the reception and application of the Word of God in our lives, Hebrews 5:12-14; 1 Peter 2:2. Verse 5 also tells us that we are loaded with the eternal power of heaven when we become children of God, Acts 1:8; 1 John 4:4; Philippians 3:10. These five things that we receive because we have received God’s salvation make clear that this passage is speaking of those who are truly saved. This passage does not describe those who have made false professions of faith. The people to whom this passage is written are genuinely saved.
Hebrews 6:9,10 tell us about THE PERFORMANCE OF GOD’S SALVATION. There are “things that accompany salvation.” A demonstration of genuine salvation is seen in the lives of those who are saved, 2 Corinthians 5:17. A saved person is changed by the power of God, 1 Thessalonians 1:9. There is a concern for the things of God, “work,” “labour of love,” etc. A compassion for those in need accompanies salvation, “ministered,” Mark 16:15. A continuation, or growing, in our Christian lives is expected and needed, Galatians 6:9; 1 Corinthians 15:58; James 2:17-20.
The fact is that declaring faith in Christ by itself is not what saves us, Matthew 7:21-23. Heart belief in Christ is the saving faith taught in God’s Word, Romans 10:9,10. The heart must be changed by God’s salvation in order for genuine change to occur in our lives, Ezekiel 36:26,27.
The main thought of this message is found in verses 4-6. We see THE PERVERSION OF GOD’S SALVATION here. An implied perversion from this passage is that our salvation is dependent on our own goodness, either to receive salvation or to keep salvation, Isaiah 64:6; Romans 10:1-4. The fact is that we are righteous before a holy God only in and through Jesus Christ, Titus 3:5; Romans 10:4; Philippians 3:9. We remain children of God after we have received God’s salvation by His power, not by our works, 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 John 2:1.
The perversion seen in this passage is that those who have been saved and are now defiled must come to God again (and again, and again, etc.) to be saved a second time (or more). I remember as a missionary in Papua New Guinea preaching at a business facility where many people lived in housing provided for them by this business. One of the first times I preached at this location, two men responded to the invitation. They told me they needed to be saved. I asked them if they had ever been saved. Both of these men answered that they had been saved once, but they were now lost again. (They were from the “Foursquare Gospel” faith.) When they told me this, I directed their attention to this passage in Hebrews chapter 6. Both men said they had never read this before. Of course, those who believe in falling from grace do not usually emphasize a passage like Hebrews 6. If I remember correctly, these men determined that they had been saved and needed to rededicate their lives to the Lord. To direct people that they need and can be saved again is a PERVERSION of the gospel. This passage tells us that for a person to be saved again would require Christ to die again as our substitute for sin. The scripture clearly states that after the resurrection occurred, Christ will never die again, Romans 6:9. This means that Christ will not die again, and that a person CANNOT be saved again! This passage tells us that to be saved again would be putting Christ to an open shame. This would be the same as saying that Christ’s first sacrifice for sin was not sufficient to cleanse us eternally before God, 1 Peter 3:18; 1 John 2:2; Isaiah 53:11. 1 Peter 3:18 says that Christ “once suffered for sins”; He is not going to do that again. To be saved again would be a shameful disgrace to Christ because He did not accomplish eternal salvation through His sacrifice on Calvary, John 17:12; 6:37. The conclusion of Hebrews 6:6 must be that salvation can only truly be received once, Hebrews 10:10-14. The fact is that this salvation of Jesus Christ was accomplished ONCE FOR ALL.
Christians who have not continued to walk close to Christ must rededicate themselves to God, Hebrews 5:12. We do this by confessing and forsaking sin that is keeping us from following God, Psalm 51:2-4,10-12; Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9. We need to conform to the leadership of God in our lives, Romans 12:1,2; Luke 22:31,32. Draw near to the Lord for cleansing and fellowship. Please understand that there can be no coming back to God for salvation once you have received God’s salvation in your life.
By E. L. Bynum
If we follow the teaching of the Bible, we come to the absolute conclusion that mission work was committed to the individual churches. There were no mission boards, mission societies, mission committees or clearing houses in the New Testament. Neither was there a Convention, Association, nor an organized Fellowship. These all are man-made organizations without any scriptural authority. While we do not say that some good has not been done by these organizations, nevertheless they exist without scriptural warrant.
If you disagree, I challenge you to show me one verse of scripture in the New Testament where God ever instituted them. He did institute the church (local), and He did give the great commission to the church. We see this in the New Testament, where He met with the apostles, who were the church, and gave to them His commission. Remember that the apostles were first in the church. “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” (1 Corinthians 12:28)
Please note that after His resurrection He gathered them together and said, “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Matthew 28:16-20)
This command was not given to the apostles, for the command would have ceased when they all died, for they had no successors. However, Jesus had promised perpetuity to His church. “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it .” (Matthew 16:18) In our text above, please note that He promised, “lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” He has kept His promise, and there has been true New Testament churches in every age since Jesus Himself established the church during the days of His earthly ministry.
How Was Mission Work Done Without Mission Boards?
We need only read the New Testament to find the answer to this question. When Jesus commissioned the Church at Jerusalem to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, He made no mention of them needing to organize a mission board.
The Church in Jerusalem had a tremendous territory to cover and yet Jesus made no mention of a board or committee. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) They must go to Jerusalem, Judaea, Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth. What a job for them to do, and yet there was no mention of a mission board, mission committee, or mission clearing house.
When God called the Church at Antioch and the missionaries to embark upon the great mission work done by Paul and Barnabas, he made no mention of a mission board. Surely if it had been needed, the Lord would have told the Church to get together with the Church at Jerusalem and with the other churches that no doubt existed at that time, and to organize a mission board to direct the work. He did not, and that makes us wonder, why not? Could it be that the work would be under the direction of the Holy Spirit through the Church and the missionaries? “Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.” (Acts 13:1-4)
I have yet to hear of a greater mission work than what was accomplished during that period. They did it all without a mission board or clearing house. The success of missions during the first 100 years is all but unbelievable.
The First Mission Society
The churches of the Baptists, Anabaptists, Waldensians, etc. spread their gospel mission work over the Roman Empire and Europe without any mission board, committee or mission society. They were so successful that they continued to spread in spite of the fact that millions of these dear people died as martyrs.
The first Baptist Missionary Society was organized in the Baptist Church of Kettering, England, where Andrew Fuller pastored. The date of this event was October 2, 1792. Thus, Baptists got along very well for more than seventeen hundred years without a board or society.
I have been to that Church in Kettering, England, and to the very room where Carey, Andrew Fuller and others prayed and laid their plans for this great mission work. I was able to look at many of the old newspapers of that day that told about the work. Andrew Fuller and William Carey were great men, and they did a great work for God, but I must say that they had no scriptural authority to organize this Mission Society.
C. H. Spurgeon is recognized as the leading Baptist pastor in England during the 1800s. Read below what Spurgeon had to say on this subject.
C. H. Spurgeon on Mission Boards
“We must never think of leaving God’s work to societies. They have had their day, and have supplied a great lack created by the loss of the apostolic spirit, but it is now time that the aroused and revived church should assume her true position and do her own work.
Fifty years or more, missionary societies have been trying to convert the world, and albeit that many souls have been saved, therefore the effort has been far from useless; yet, compared with apostolic success, they have been a miserable failure. All these years we have spent ten times the money, with not a tenth of the success of early evangelistic effort.
In my inmost soul, I believe that the Lord is not with most of our foreign missions. And why? Because God never called the missionary societies to the work. He never bade the missionary society become the spouse of Christ and bring forth sons unto Him. His offspring, His seed, which shall reward Him for His soul’s travail must spring from His own well-beloved bride.
Much as I value all good societies, I cannot hesitate to declare that the Church is the ordained agent, and that all besides is human, and derives authority only from man. Hence, I say of a society for the conversion of the heathen, it is a man constituted body, and not of God.
The Lord will work, not by committees, but by His Churches. The Church must do her own work, and when all our Churches are thoroughly aroused by this fact, and every congregation shall send out its own men, pray for their own men, and support their own men, we shall see greater things than we have ever dreamed.”
—Copied from Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, vol. 8
The Mission Work of Adoniram Judson
Adoniram Judson was ordained as a missionary in the Congregational Church. Along with his wife and a number of other missionaries, he sailed for India Feb. 19, 1812. On the long slow voyage he studied his Bible and came to the conclusion that he had not really been baptized in a Scriptural sense. (The Bible will make a Baptist out of you.) He was baptized by William Ward, a Baptist missionary, Sept. 6, 1812. When he became a Baptist, he lost all of the support from the Congregational Church. The Baptists in America formed the Baptist Triennial Convention to support this mission work. In 1815 the American Baptist Board of Foreign Missions approved him as a missionary. Here is another extra-scriptural organization.
Please do not think that I am unmindful or unthankful for the work of Carey and Judson, for I am not. I count them heroes in Baptist missionary endeavors.
Judson found at times that the mission organization in America made his work more difficult. Please note the following quote.
“Adoniram, still labouring with the dictionary, and still burdened to reach into the heart of Burma with the Gospel, decided to cross the Gulf of Martaban to Rangoon once more. Burma was now ruled by a king more cruelly intolerant than ever, whose opposition to Christianity meant that missionary work must be done in utmost secrecy. During the day Judson worked on his dictionary; at night in his home he saw the local Christians, risking their lives to meet him. The stress, inadequate diet, continued sickness in his family and the intolerance of the king compelled him to withdraw to Moulmein. He had hoped that the home Board would authorise him to go and face this fierce king; but the timid and narrow policy of his brethren in America did not allow it. ” (Emphasis ours) —Quarterly Record of the Trinitarian Bible Society, April to June 2005.
Without a shadow of doubt many missionaries have been misdirected by boards into changing fields and have had their works hindered by boards. The New Testament only mentions boards one time, and that is in the context of Paul’s shipwreck. “And the rest, some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.” (Acts 27:44) Even here it is plain that the boards were all wet.
By Jerry Jackson
Recently someone called to ask for information about John Hagee. I wasn’t able to find much information in the back issues of the Challenger, so I began to look elsewhere for information. I was able to come up with quite a bit of information that, I believe, needs to be shared.
John Hagee began his ministry in 1958 as an evangelist. In 1966 he went to San Antonio, Texas to found the Trinity Church. After resigning the pastorate of the Trinity Church in May of 1975, Hagee took the pastorate of the 25 member Church of Castle Hill, also in San Antonio. That church was renamed Cornerstone Church in October of 1987 and today boasts an active membership of over 13,000. Hagee has received an honorary doctorate from Oral Roberts University.
John Hagee has a reputation as an impressive preacher of God’s Word. He can be seen and heard on his television programs (Cornerstone and John Hagee Today), as well as in his frequent appearances on Paul Crouch’s TBN. He has written several books, most of which have become instant bestsellers.
Personally Disqualified
Certainly there will be those who disagree with me, but I believe that Mr. Hagee is not qualified to stand in a pulpit and proclaim God’s Word. In May of 1994, the Liberty Flame reported that during the time when Hagee was serving the charismatic congregation at Trinity Church in San Antonio, he divorced his wife, resigned and married a young woman in the congregation, Diana Castro. In a letter to the church, Hagee admitted immorality, which later became a part of the court records in the custody battle over his two children. Custody was awarded to his ex-wife, Martha.
Under the Old Testament law, the high priest was not allowed to marry a divorced woman or a widow (Leviticus 21:13-15). God wanted His representatives to be holy and sanctified in all areas of life. The Lord reinforced and expanded this teaching when He said, “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery (Matthew 5:32).” No longer does this restriction apply only to the high priest, but to every man.
In stating the qualifications of a bishop (pastor), the Apostle Paul lists “the husband of one wife” as the second of these important qualifications in both of the lists he wrote (1 Timothy 3:2; Titus 1:6). Some have tried to worm their way out of this by explaining Paul’s statements to mean “one wife at a time.” This is foolish, and a gross misinterpretation of Scripture.
Even if all else were in order, John Hagee is still disqualified on the basis of his divorce and remarriage.
Typical Charismatic
John Hagee is just like any other charismatic in many areas of his doctrine and practice.
Ecumenical.
Those who are a part of the charismatic movement constantly speak of “tearing down walls” and “building bridges.” The whole charismatic movement has been used to bring about dialogue and cooperation between many different religious groups. John Hagee is no exception to this. The following are two examples of the many that could be pointed out.
• In 2000, John Hagee worked in cooperation with Jack Van Impe to produce the movie, Revelation.
• In 2002, John Hagee endorsed Bill Bright’s Global Pastors Network.
Prosperity Gospel.
John Hagee believes that it is God’s will for God’s people to be healthy and prosperous, as long as they obey God’s ordinances. On April 16, 1993 John Hagee appeared on the Praise-A-Thon broadcast of the Trinity Broadcasting Network. During this appearance he said that “poverty is caused by sin and disobeying the Word of God.” In another Praise-A-Thon broadcast on November 4, 1992 he said, “poverty is a curse.”
According to Hagee, Christians achieve prosperity through giving. In the same November 4, 1992 broadcast he said, “When you give to God, He controls your income. There is no such thing as a fixed income in the kingdom of God. Your income is controlled by your giving.”
Jesus, however, did not teach any such doctrine. He taught a future, heavenly reward, rather than a present, earthly, temporary prosperity. He taught that the poor would always exist on this earth. King Solomon and the Apostle Paul warned of the folly of seeking riches and prosperity.
• And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Luke 6:20-21
• For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. Mark 14:7
• Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. Proverbs 23:5
• A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. Proverbs 28:20
• He that hasteth to be rich hath an evil eye, and considereth not that poverty shall come upon him. Proverbs 28:22
• But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:9-10
• Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. 1 Timothy 6:17
The Apostle Paul also tells us of the sacrifices of the poor, needy churches of Macedonia (2 Corinthians 8:1 5). In spite of their “deep poverty” they gave “liberally.” Yet they are still in deep poverty after all the sacrificial giving. They were given the grace to sacrifice, rather than being rewarded financially for their giving.
Positive Confession.
This is what I have always called the doctrine of “Name it — claim it.” Recently I heard someone else call it the doctrine of “Blab it — grab it.” This is the doctrine that any believer can bring any thing into existence, as long as the believer exercises enough faith to accompany the verbal confession.
In the same November 4, 1992 Praise-A-Thon broadcast, John Hagee said, “There is a relationship between your soul and physical and financial prosperity. ‘This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth.’ That’s the spoken Word of God. ‘And then shalt thou prosper and have good success.’ When? After you speak and act upon the Word of God. And you’ve been hearing that tonight out of the mouth of John Avanzini (well known Faith teacher).”
While this doctrine appeals to the flesh, it does not stand on a solid biblical foundation. Truly, God does instruct us to bring our requests by faith before His throne of grace (Matthew 21:22; Hebrews 4:16). However, it is the will of God which dictates whether a request will be granted, not the will of the believer (Matthew 6:10; 1 John 5:14).
Dual Covenant
Despite the fact that John Hagee denies believing the Dual Covenant or Two Covenant doctrine, his words seem to prove otherwise. The Dual Covenant doctrine states that the Jews, in whole or in part, are saved, not by the completed work of Christ, but by the fact that they are Jews. For this to be true, there must be at least two separate methods of salvation. Of course, this is impossible, as we will see from God’s Word.
His Words.
Let us look and see exactly what John Hagee has said regarding the Jews and salvation. The following is a quote taken from an article entitled “San Antonio Fundamentalist Battles Anti-Semitism” in the April 30, 1988 Houston Chronicle.
Trying to convert Jews is a “waste of time,” he (Hagee) said...
Everyone else, whether Buddhist or Baha’i, needs to believe in Jesus, he says. But not Jews. Jews already have a covenant with God that has never been replaced with Christianity, he says.
“The Jewish people have a relationship to God through the law of God as given through Moses,” Hagee said. “I believe that every Gentile person can only come to God through the cross of Christ. I believe that every Jewish person who lives in the light of the Torah, which is the word of God, has a relationship with God and will come to redemption.”
“The Law of Moses is sufficient enough to bring a person into the knowledge of God until God gives him a greater revelation. And God has not,” said Hagee...
It is not possible to reject the Messiah and still have a relationship with God through the Torah. God has given further revelation to all the world, Jew and Gentile, through the person of Jesus Christ, and the writing of the New Testament. Paul made all of this crystal clear when he wrote “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster (Galatians 3:24-25) .”
The fact that John the Baptist, the apostles, and most of the New Testament writers were Jews seems to disprove Hagee’s contentions. Also, Paul’s concern over the lost state of Israel, as a nation, seems to belie the statements of John Hagee. If the Jews held some sort of relationship with God through the Old Testament, Paul would not have said these words: “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth (Romans 10:1-4). ” In speaking to His Jewish disciples, Jesus claimed that no man can come to the Father except by Him (John 14:6), meaning that Jew and Gentile alike must come to God by Him.
But John Hagee seems to think that the Jews have an excuse for their unbelief. According to Hagee, the Jews cannot be blamed for not coming to Christ, since it is Christ who declined their request to be their Messiah. “The [Jewish] people wanted Him to be their Messiah, but He absolutely refused. The Jews were not rejecting Jesus as Messiah, it was Jesus who was refusing to be the Messiah to the Jews! (Hagee, Should Christians Support Israel? p. 67–68)”
Of course, this is obviously contrary to Scripture, since John said, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not (John 1:11). ”
Nothing New under the Sun.
The false teaching that John Hagee teaches is not anything new, but it is interesting to note some of the others who espoused the same beliefs.
The man most responsible for popularizing the Dual Covenant doctrine in the 1920's and 1930's was a Jewish thinker and author named Franz Rosenzweig. He sought to create a rationale for not evangelizing Jews while leaving intact the viability and acceptability of both Judaism and Christianity. He taught that Jewish blood inherently gave all Jews shelter under the Old Covenant while the New Covenant was for Gentiles alone. John chapter 1 teaches that salvation cannot be attained through lineage or blood (John 1:12-13).
Another champion of this theology was none other than Charles Taze Russell, founder of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovah’s Witnesses). Russell may well have gotten his ideas from the anti-Trinitarian founder of the Christadelphian cult, John Thomas, as well as the Adventists and Mormons. Russell addressed Jewish gatherings in the United States and abroad to tell of the prophecies of the Jewish return to Palestine and of the future Jewish government and State. His strong anti-missionary stance opened the doors to Jewish audiences in other countries as well. Russell’s doctrine of an automatic Jewish redemption without evangelism or conversion was abandoned by his successor, Joseph Rutherford, in 1932.
God Is Not A Respecter of Persons.
The fact of the matter is that there is only one way of salvation. That is through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. God tells us that He is not a respecter of persons, which means that this single salvation plan is for everyone. The Apostle Paul makes these things abundantly clear in the book of Romans.
• For there is no respect of persons with God. Romans 2:11
• What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. Romans 3:9-11
• Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. Romans 3:28-30
Jew and Gentile alike must come to God by faith in Christ, and so receive God’s eternal salvation. There is no secondary plan of salvation for the Jews. If that were the case, Jesus would be nothing more than a liar. God forbid that any of us fall for this false doctrine.
The Apostle Paul said, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them (Romans 16:17). ” We need to apply this verse to John Hagee and avoid him, his books, tapes, and television programs. He is not a preacher of truth, but an apostle of error. Be warned and beware!
By Missionary Mike Meredith
The following article was sent to the Editor of the Plains Baptist Challenger by Mike Meredith, missionary to Australia. This reveals another example of Satan’s attempt to destroy the Word of God. It is nothing new for the devil tried changing the Word before it was ever written down. God had told Adam, “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.” (Genesis 2:17) The tempter soon tried to change that, “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die.” (Genesis 3:4)
Brother Meredith said, “A couple of days ago I read the following article in our local newspaper, The West Australian. Today I found the article on the web and have copied it in its entirety. I have added the bold for emphasis. Here is the article:
The Bible for Slow Readers
By Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent (Filed: 22/09/2005)
In the beginning was the Word. But the Word went on a bit, so a new version of the Bible has been produced for readers with short attention spans.
The 100-Minute Bible, aimed at the “hurried and harried” generation, was launched at Canterbury Cathedral yesterday by its author, the Rev Michael Hinton.
The Rev Michael Hinton: ‘It has been a labour of love’
While the original takes about a week of solid reading to finish, the abbreviated version can be read from cover to cover in under two hours, said Mr Hinton.
While all the familiar Old Testament stories are there, from Genesis to Exodus, out have gone the genealogy and the law books. Also missing is the Song of Songs, and only two psalms have survived.
The four Gospels of the New Testament have been rewritten as a single narrative in contemporary language. “We have concentrated on Jesus and the chronology of his ministry, because he is the central figure in the Bible,” said Mr Hinton, a former headmaster of Sevenoaks School in Kent.
“Half the book is given over to the Gospels. Then we wanted to keep a lot of the stories that have entered into the common consciousness, such as Noah’s Ark, Jonah and so on.
“The poetry has been sacrificed for the sake of clarity, so that it is accessible to everyone from the age of 10 upwards.”
It took the 78-year-old more than two years to boil down the 66 books of the Bible into a 20,000-word version that could be read in one hour and 40 minutes.
“It has been a labour of love,” he said. “We hope it will appeal to those who are searching for faith, but also to committed Christians who want to refresh their memory about the Bible but say they are too busy to read the whole thing.
“We have been overwhelmed by the interest so far. We will probably have to print more copies immediately to cope with the demand.”
Mr Hinton said that he had found it painful to edit out the Book of Ruth, which was one of his favourite sections of the Bible, and he was also aware that the personality of St Paul had been diluted. “ But other than that there is nothing I deeply regret leaving out, given the constraints.”
The Bishop of Jarrow, the Rt Rev John Pritchard, who acted as a consultant and wrote the introduction, added: “I don’t think most people know the Bible very well.
“This is an attempt to say, ‘Look, there’s a great story here let’s get into it and let’s not get put off by the things that are going to be the sub-plot. Let’s give you the big plot’.”
More than 11,000 copies of the 100-Minute Bible, which is approximately the size of a notebook, have been printed for distribution to churches and schools at a cost of £3 each.
The publishers say that, just like the original, the 100-minute version should prove a best-seller. Len Budd, the proprietor of the 100-Minute Press, said: “This is a book for adults and has been written in a style to encourage readers to keep turning the pages, but without resorting to any literary gimmicks.”
The Bible, one of the world’s most enduring books, has been through numerous often controversial translations and transformations before. There are versions in scouse and cockney rhyming slang as well as one that looks like a magazine for teenage girls and includes beauty tips and advice on boyfriends.
Comments by Mike Meredith
Just why do we need ANOTHER Bible version? This time it is for those who won’t take the time to read the Word of God.
Notice that the article tells us “the author” of this book is Michael Hinton. The author of my Bible is God! God had little or nothing to do with “The 100-minute Bible.”
Also notice that Mr. Hinton says the project was “a labour of love.” Love of what? Certainly not a love for the Word of God, most of which he has taken a pen knife to and cut out. Imagine if I told my wife that I loved her, but only parts of her. The rest of her I wanted to remove because, while some people might find them interesting, I just didn’t have the time to bother with them. I wonder how she would react to that?
I also find it personally offensive that Mr. Hinton believes much of the Bible must be removed in order for those over the age of 10 to understand it! To be honest, I do not absolutely understand every thing I read in the Bible now, and I am considerably older than 10! Also, my children were reading the Bible long before they were 10 years of age, and fully capable of understanding what they read. What parts they had difficulty understanding they came to their mother and me for a word of explanation. I think that is the duty of parents and pastors, not Mr. Hinton and his “The 100-minute Bible!”
Mr. Hinton found it painful to keep the book of Ruth out of his “100-minute Bible” but had no regrets about leaving out 148 of the Psalms, the Law, and who knows what all else. Paul told the pastors in Ephesus that he had declared unto them ALL the council of God. Apparently Mr. Hinton believes that today we only need SOME of that council. Paul told Timothy that ALL scripture was given by inspiration of God, and was PROFITABLE. Apparently Mr. Hinton doesn’t believe it was ALL necessary or useful. Sort of makes you wonder why God bothered to give it to us in the first place.
While Mr. Hinton and his publishers make the claim that “The 100-minute Bible” was written to be a blessing to those “searching for faith” as well as “committed Christians,” I think the REAL reason was revealed in the second to last paragraph of the article. The publishers predict that The 100-minute Bible will be “a best seller.” They wouldn’t be in it for the money would they? Of course not! And for those of you who believe THAT, I know about a bridge in Sydney that I could sell you real cheap!
I thank God for the Bible. I thank God for ALL of the Bible, all 66 books. Lets take the time to read them and to heed them.
In Ray’s Baptist Succession is given a description of the defense of John Walker, Lewis Craig and James Childs, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. On June 4, 1768, they were dragged before the magistrates and indicted as “disturbers of the peace” because of their preaching. This action with others similar aroused the sympathy and aid of the renowned Patrick Henry, who decided to defend these innocent men and aid in their acquittal. The following is a description of what happened.
We here introduce the speech of Patrick Henry in defense of three Baptist preachers who were on trial for preaching. The following quotation is from the Religious Denominations, by Mr. Belcher: “Three Baptist preachers were brought to trial for preaching. The indictment brought against them was ‘For preaching the gospel of the Son of God,’ contrary to the statute in that case provided, and therefore, disturbers of the peace. The clerk was reading the indictment in a slow and formal manner, and he pronounced the crime with emphasis, ‘For preaching the Gospel of the Son of God,’ when a plain-dressed man dismounted his horse, entered the court house, and took his seat within the bar. He was known to the court and lawyers but a stranger to the mass of spectators who had gathered on the occasion. This was Patrick Henry, who, on hearing of the prosecution, had ridden some fifty or sixty miles from his residence in Hanover County, to volunteer his services in the defense of the prisoners. He listened to the further reading of the indictment with marked attention, the first sentence of which that had caught his ear, was ‘For preaching the Gospel of the Son of God.’ When the indictment had been read, and the prosecuting attorney had submitted a few remarks, Henry arose, stretched out his hand and received the paper, and then addressed the court:
“May it please your worship: I think I heard read by the prosecutors as I entered this house, the paper I now hold in my hand. If I have rightly understood, the King’s attorney of this colony has framed an indictment for the purpose of arraigning and punishment by imprisonment, three inoffensive persons before the bar of this court, for a crime of great magnitude as disturbers of the peace. May it please the court, what did I hear read? Did I hear it distinctly, or was it a mistake of my own? Did I hear an expression, as of a crime, that these men, whom your worships are about to try for a misdemeanor, are charged with what?’ and continuing in a low, heavy tone, ‘For preaching the Gospel of the Son of God!’ Pausing, amidst the most profound silence and breathless astonishment of his hearers, he slowly waved the paper three times around his head, then lifted up his hands and eyes to heaven, with extraordinary and impressive energy, he exclaimed, ‘Great God!’ The exclamation—the action—the burst of feeling from the audience was all overpowering. Mr. Henry resumed:
“May it please, your worship: In a day like this, when truth is about to burst her fetters; when mankind are about to be raised to claim their natural and inalienable rights; when the yoke of oppression which has reached the wilderness of America, and the unnatural alliance of ecclesiastical and civil power is about to be dissevered, at such a period when liberty—liberty of conscience—is about to awake from her slumbering and inquire into the reason of such charges as I find exhibited here today in this indictment!’ Another fearful pause, while the speaker alternately cast his sharp piercing eyes on the court and the prisoners, and resumed: ‘If I am not deceived, according to the contents of the paper I now hold in my hand, these men are accused of ‘preaching the Gospel of the Son of God—Great God!’ There was another long pause, during which he again waved the indictment around his head, while a deeper impression was made on the auditory. Resuming his speech: ‘May it please your worships: there are periods in the history of man when corruption and depravity have so long debased the human character that man sinks under the weight of the oppressor’s hand and becomes his servile—his abject slave; he licks the hand that smites him; he bows in passive obedience to the mandates of the despot, and in this state of servility he receives his fetters of perpetual bondage. But, may it please your worship; such a day has passed away! From the period when our fathers left the land of their nativity for settlement in these American wilds—for liberty—for civil and religious liberty—for liberty of conscienceto worship their Creator according to their conceptions of heaven’s revealed will from the moment they placed their feet on the American continent, and in deeply imbedded forests sought an asylum from persecution and tyranny—from that moment despotism was crushed; her fetters of darkness were broken, and heaven decreed that man should be free—free to worship God according to the Bible. Were it not for this, in vain have been the sufferings and bloodshed to subjugate this new world, if we, their offspring, must still be oppressed and persecuted. But, may it please your worships, permit me to inquire once more: For what are these men about to be tried? This paper says, ‘For preaching the Gospel of the Son of God!’ Great God! ‘For preaching the Saviour to Adam’s fallen race!’
“After another pause, in tones of thunder, he inquired; ‘What Law Have They Violated?’ Then, for the third time, in a slow dignified manner, he lifted his eyes to heaven, and waved the indictment around his head. The court and the audience were now wrought up to the most intense pitch of excitement. The face of the prosecuting attorney was pale and ghastly, and he appeared unconscious that his whole frame was agitated with alarm; and the judge, in a tremulous voice, put an end to the scene, now becoming extremely painful, by the authoritative command: ‘Sheriff, discharge those men!’”
—Gospel Witness and Protestant Advocate
History of Various Martyrs
Taken from the book entitled, “The Waldenses,” 1853.
THERE is no town in Piedmont, under a Waldensian pastor, where some of the brethren have not been put to death. Jordan Terbano was burned alive at Suza; Hippolyte Rossiero at Turin; Michael Goneto, an octogenarian, at Sarcena; Villennin Ambrosio hanged on the Col di Meano; Hugo Chiamps, of Fenestrelle, had his entrails torn from his living body, at Turin; Peter Geymarali, of Bobbio, in like manner, had his entrails taken out at Luserne, and a fierce cat thrust in their place to torture him further; Maria Romano was buried alive at Roccapatia; Magdalen Foulano underwent the same fate at San Giovanni; Susan Michelini was bound hand and foot, and left to perish of cold and hunger on the snow at Sarcena. Bartholomew Fache, gashed with sabres, had the wounds filled up with quick-lime, and perished thus in agony at Fenile; Daniel Michelini had his tongue torn out at Bobbio, for having praised God; James Baridari perished, covered with sulphureous matches, which had been forced into his flesh under the nails, between the fingers, in the nostrils, in the lips, and over all his body, and then lighted. Daniel Revelli had his mouth filled with gun powder, which, being lighted, blew his head to pieces. Maria Monnen, taken at Liousa, had the flesh cut from her cheek and chin bones, so that her jaw was left bare, and she was thus left to perish. Paul Gamier was slowly sliced to pieces at Rora; Thomas Margueti was mutilated in an indescribable manner at Miraboco, and Susan Jaquin cut in bits at La Torre. Sara Rostagnol was slit open from the legs to the bosom, and left so to perish on the road between Eyral and Luzema; Anne Charbonnier was impaled, and carried thus on a pike, as a standard, from San Giovanni to La Torre. Daniel Rambaud, at Paesano, had his nails torn off, then his fingers chopped off, then his feet and his hands, and then his arms and his legs, with each successive refusal on his part to abjure the gospel. In March, 1536, Martin Gonin, pastor of Angrogna, was seized on his return from Geneva, at Grenoble, and, after a mock trial, taken from his prison at night, and drowned in the Isere. In June, 1556, Barthelemi Hector, of Poitiers, was burned at Turin, for having sold copies of the Bible to the shepherds of the Alps. In 1555, a pastor of Geneva, Jean Vernoux, one of the earliest fellow-labourers with Calvin, Antoine Laborie Quercy, who had quitted the magistracy in order to devote himself more actively to the cause of the gospel, and three friends of theirs, Batailles, Tauran, and Tringalet, were on their way to the Waldensian valleys, seized by the marechaussee, in the gorges of the Col Tamis, and, after a lengthened interrogatory before the court of Chambery, were all burned in one fire.
Among the leaders who had signalized themselves by excessive ferocity in the crusade against the Vaudois, under Innocent VIII, was Captain Varagle, or Varaille. A son of this man, endowed with remarkable capacity, entered into holy orders in 1522, and took up his abode not far from the Waldensian valleys, in the little town of Busque, one of the most retired in Piedmont. Here his rapid progress in literature and theology, and his eloquence in the pulpit, attracted the attention of his superiors.
The influence of the Reformation was now making itself everywhere felt; and the Romish church comprehended the essential importance of strengthening its power, which the synod of Angrogna had just aided to weaken. Young Geoffrey Varaille, selected to operate as a counterpoise to the impulse of reformation, received the difficult mission to visit the principal towns of Italy, and raise up the credit of the Romish church by his eloquent preaching. He was to be accompanied by an Observantine monk of the convent of Monte Fiascone, named Matteo Baschi, the founder of the Capuchin order, and by ten members of the secular clergy.
These twelve being assembled together, proceeded, with a view to the accomplishment of their mission, to examine for themselves the arguments of the reformers against Catholicism. It was not long ere their enlightened minds recognized the force of these arguments so fully, that, becoming themselves objects of suspicion to the popish authorities, they were all imprisoned at Rome, where they remained captives for five years. At the expiration of this period, Varaille, released from his dungeon, entered the service of the papal legate at the court of France, and abode with him at Paris for a considerable time. Here the rays of the Reformation fell upon his soul with still greater power than in Piedmont; and the massacre of the Waldenses of Merindol and Cabrieres, which became the subject of inquiry before the court of peers, so filled up the measure of his indignation and disgust against a church bred in the blood of the just, that he resigned the high position he occupied at Paris, and repaired to Geneva, to investigate, at the fountain-head, the new doctrines, as they were called, but which he, to his delighted surprise, soon learned to recognize, on the contrary, as the ancient, the primitive doctrines.
Varaille was now nearly fifty years old, but faith makes a man young again; and full of an ardour he had never known before, he unhesitatingly cast off his past life, to commence a new one, with more of moral force than he had ever yet possessed, and was received among the ranks of those evangelical pastors whom, theretofore, he had approached as an adversary. The Waldensian churches required at this epoch a pastor who could preach in Italian. Geoffrey Varaille was selected for the duty, and was installed in the parish of San Giovanni, amid those very valleys against which his father had led a crusade. In 1557, on his return from a visit to his birthplace, Busque, he was denounced at the foot of Monte Viso, by the prior of Starffade, and apprehended by the nephew of the archdeacon of Saluzzo. He was treated with respect; handsome apartments were assigned him as a prison, and he was even permitted to go at large on parole. How many ordinary prisoners would have profited by this liberty to escape! But the Christian is not one, with whom it is lawful to break faith with an enemy. Nay, having learned that the reformers of Bubiana, a portion of his flock, were about to rescue him by main force, he desired them to abstain, and to leave him in the hands of God.
After various interrogatories he was conducted in chains to Turin. His replies to his judges, and the written propositions which he laid before them in support of his faith, are a monument of his talents, learning, and piety. During his detention, one preacher wrote thus to him from Geneva: “Very dear and beloved brother; Though the news of your imprisonment has deeply grieved us, yet the Lord, who can shed light from darkness, has furnished us with joyful consolation, in the fruits already produced by your trials. Let the glory which sustained St. Paul also inspire you with courage; for though you are captive, the Word of God is not captive, and you can render testimony of it to many who will spread abroad the seed of life they have received from your lips. Jesus Christ requires this testimony from all; but especially from such as you, under the seal of the ministry you received to preach the doctrine of salvation, which is now assailed in your person. Hesitate not, then, to confirm with your blood, if need be, the words which you have taught with your lips. Our Lord has told us that the death of the righteous is precious to him: let this reward suffice for you. I will not dwell on this point, persuaded that you repose firmly on him in whom, whether we live or die abides our eternal happiness. My companions and brethren salute you. Geneva, 17th Sept. 1557.”
When the sentence of death was announced to the heroic pastor, he replied calmly to his judges, “Be assured, you will sooner want wood wherewith to burn us, than we ministers ready to burn in seal of their faith: from day to day they multiply; and the Word of God endureth for ever.”
Geoffrey Varaille, having been previously strangled by the humanity of the executioner, was burned at Turin, on 29th March, 1558.
—The Baptist Pillar
America Stands at the Crossroads of the 21st Century
The direction we take will determine what type of nation in which our children and grandchildren will live.
To help you understand what’s at stake, allow me to give you a quick time line of the rise and decline of Christian influence in our great nation:
1620—The pilgrims land at Plymouth Rock, bringing with them a firm belief in religious liberty and the infallibility of God’s Word.
1787—The United States Constitution is framed by devout Christians—in fact, 53 out of 55 of the founding fathers were orthodox evangelicals whose godliness laid the foundation for 200 years of blessing and prosperity.
1920—The tide begins to turn. Atheist John Dewey introduces humanistic values into America’s public schools.
1947—Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black pronounces a “wall of separation between church and state” (a phrase found nowhere in the Constitution), and sets the stage for a series of legislative rulings that chip away at America’s biblical foundation.
1962—Prayer is banned in schools.
1963—The Bible is banished from schools.
1973—Abortion is legalized.
1980—The 10 commandments are removed from schools, courthouses, and other public places.
Gal. 6:7-10
—Copied
Edited by E. L. Bynum
(Editor’s Note: In our News & Views column we quote from many different sources. Please understand that this does not necessarily mean that we approve of all of the publications from which we quote.)
Genocide Of The Unborn — Statistics Canada today released information that 103,768 babies were deliberately killed in their mother’s wombs in the year 2003 in Canada. This death toll is added to the nearly three million slaughtered since 1969. There was a slight decline in abortions committed mostly among teen-aged girls, StatsCan reported. (LSN, 3/15/06) This is only overshadowed by the number of abortions in the U.S. It seems the pro-abortionists have systematically planned to murder the innocent. Yet child predators only get a hand slapped as they abuse those who escape death in the womb. Note the Lord’s compassion to the fruit of the womb: (Psa. 127:3) “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.” It is eternally dangerous to meddle with God’s estate. —WWM
Psychology Promotes Problems — Psychological counseling often promotes the belief that problems adversely affecting a person’s mental and emotional welfare are determined by circumstances external to the person, such as parental abuse or environment. The Bible tells us that a man’s evil heart and his sinful choices cause his mental, emotional, and behavioral problems. “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man” (Mark 7:21-23). (The Berean Call, 3/16/06)
Homosexual Influence — Ford Motor Company has proven its commitment to the homosexual agenda by sponsoring a TV program featuring a passionate kiss between two lesbians. Last fall...Ford agreed to stop funding the homosexual agenda. However, after a group of angry homosexual leaders met with Ford, the company reneged on its agreement and announced that they would continue their commitment to support the effort to legalize homosexual marriage. (AFA, 3/23/06) The gay crowd is pushing their agenda in every place they can get a stronghold. In a sin saturated society it is getting more difficult for Christianity to distance itself from their sensual plotting. It is largely strange today to see their activities gaining acceptance. Will the next generation think it peculiar for people of the same gender to be involved in less than acceptable activity? The acceptability of sin is the downfall of any nation. —WWM
You Mean Here?? — A very large sector of the Islamic world is now demanding that the West live by Islamic rules. The challenge is issued not just by radical jihadists but by governments such as Syria where “spontaneous” demonstrations are orchestrated by the state. (First Things, 2/8/06) Many editorialist have the opinion that more religious consideration be given to Islamic feelings. The same publishers are less than sympathetic to Christianity or Judaism. Anyone with the simplest knowledge of biblical history recognizes false religion’s contempt for Israel in the OT and the Lord’s church in the NT. There are still sons of Zippor who demand the sons of Beor (prophets with no honor) curse God’s children. (Num. 23-24) God is still in charge, and the end result is sure to go God’s way. —WWM
Acts 4:26 — AsiaNews has reported that there is a “hidden reality of persecution” against Iraq’s Christians, including daily threats, kidnappings, discrimination and bomb attacks, such as the recent series of car bombings against Christian places of worship in Kirkuk and Baghdad. AsiaNews says that the aim of the bombings is to feed internal divisions and the ongoing political instability, but also to “drive the Christian community out of Iraq.” (Religion Today, 2/8/06) The real aim is against Christ. Cartooning religious characters has never been reported as causing the death of those adversely affected. Bombings on the other hand are fatal, or at least intended to be. How many Christians in America today would feel as the Apostles of Christ when persecution came their way? (Acts 5:41) “And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.” —WWM