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The Way Home
The Gospel
"If the professed convert distinctly and deliberately declares that he knows the Lord's will but does not mean to attend to it, you are not to pamper his presumption, but it is your duty to assure him that he is not saved. Do not suppose that the Gospel is magnified or God glorified by going to the worldlings and telling them that they may be saved at this moment by simply accepting Christ as their Savior, while they are wedded to their idols, and their hearts are still in love with sin. If I do so I tell them a lie, pervert the Gospel , insult Christ, and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness."
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He says people have called him crazy…
Of course they would… because they usually do not get to hear the voice that cries in the wilderness do they?
Thanking the Lord you posted this pj
You’re welcome Oxy…
This is a powerful message to us all…
I’ve listened to it at least 3 times today. My prayer now is others will take time to listen too.
I posted this on FB and sent it to my address book! Thank you for drawing this to our attention! So far I only received one response from a pastor who is showing it to his congregation. It has convicted me of areas I was weak. I hope it convicts as it did me! Or draws people to a genuine salvation!
Me too Ruth.
That’s wonderful to hear a pastor is going to show this!!
Don’t become discouraged if that one response is the only one you get. It may be many more are watching and listening to the clip then are responding.
(Lord, give us ears to hear…)
he’s sort of an opposite rob bell…
Amazing! Love it! Sharing it!
So many good, God points.
One was no ‘unconditional’ Love
(a false doctrine of ‘once saved always saved -OSAS)
Another was ‘God does not hear the prayers of sinners’
Right on!
Thanks PJ
This young man reminds me of my Mentoring Pastor when he was in his 40′s.
Here are several quotes taken off taped recordings of preachings by him, Jim Durkin.
Read them and consider the “same” Holy Ghost was speaking during the late 60′s and early 70′s as this young man today:::>
“….I say the central theme of scripture is not methods, or not ways of doing things, or not even prohibitions and affirmations about life. But the central theme of scripture is this person Jesus, from whom all life comes and flows….”
“….But the Bible says he has no form or comeliness. And when we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. He was not as the pictures paint Him – a halo shining around him, an ethereal look, a beautiful face, glorious hands, walking with perfect articulation as he came down the sea, as he floats down the sea. I don’t think so!….”
Only the Bible can tell you what is true. The world tells me what is false, and I’ve got to train my mind, allow the Holy Spirit to work this miracle in me so that I will no longer believe according to the world’s standards, no longer believe according to the world’s teachings, and then I must understand that the world’s teachings are the devil’s teachings, because they’re all the same thing…..”
“.…that sin is a real thing -that evil exists! That there is a force, a way of thinking and acting and being and doing, that can do nothing but lead you into eternal misery. There’s no possibility of it doing anything else. And that’s what the Bible calls sin….”
“…. I tell you before God, I do not lie this morning. You would never know answered prayer, you would never be able to bring your filthy soul into the presence of Almighty God, you would never be able to stand before Him, not a tyrant, your soul would burn in hell and there’d be no resurrection, no hope, no salvation, nothing EVER! Jesus had to bear every sin. He became sin for you and me….”
“….Number one that in me, that is, in my flesh, there dwelleth NO GOOD THING! None! There’s not one redeeming feature to my personality. There’s not one redeeming feature to my nature. There’s not one redeeming feature to my mental processes. There is absolutely nothing in my flesh that is of any value to God! And because it’s of no value to God, it’s of no value to man….”
“….Brother, we are preparing ourselves – Sister, we are preparing ourselves NOT to take an automobile ride in America. We’re preparing our lives for eternity….”
“….And we can get hung up in, and wrapped up in our little trips about the good things that we can do. Well I want to tell you something: There isn’t one good thing that I can do or that you can do or that any of us can do unless – unless it has been inspired by Jesus, motivated by Jesus – unless He gives us the strength to do it, unless HE lives through us, unless it’s His flowing that produces the result….”
“…Put away your wisdom! Put away your college trips. Put away your school trips. Put away your understanding of psychology. Put away your backyard psychiatry. Put away your knowledge of calculus. Brother, there may be a place for some of those things to be used by Jesus, but I’m going to tell you something: They’re of no value, and no ability, and no worth! Where do the natural man’s thoughts come from? He’s carefully programmed by Satan from the time he begins to understand anything until he’s an old man. He’s controlled. He thinks what Satan thinks. He thinks like Satan thinks. His mind is under that control. He thinks, “I’m free.” You know where that thought came from? It came from the devil….”
Praise God! Michael, i truly enjoyed reading those quotes!!!
Amen amen!
This is the backwards belief that leads to cults.
Quoted from above:
“Put away your wisdom! Put away your college trips. Put away your school trips. Put away your understanding of psychology. Put away your backyard psychiatry. Put away your knowledge of calculus.”
God gave us a brain. Duh! Use it. Always.
PJ I really have to take strong disagreement
with the quotes 2 above from “michael”.
Quote: “Where do the natural man’s thoughts come from? He’s carefully programmed by Satan…”
The author denounces psychology, but then uses
psychology to instill fear. “programmed by Satan?!”
So now we are back to “The Devil made me do it” ???
That false doctrine died long ago.
I shared the above quotes with others.
They laughed and shook their heads.
“Put away!” “Put away!” “Put away!”
Over and over we are commanded, brainwashed, to
“Put away!”
Even education!!!
How nuts is that???
I don’t know how you support these quotes PJ.
Maybe take a second look at them.
I find them as heretical as Todd Bentley.
Again the author says of various education:
“They’re of no value, and no ability, and no worth!”
Unbelievable.
Randy, lets give Michael an opportunity to respond. He pops in fairly often, so i’d rather let him respond personally, ok?
If he hasn’t by tomorrow, bump this back up [with a further comment] and we’ll go through it together.
Thanks PJ
I am looking into James Durkin, quoted above,
and found this:
Gospel Outreach got its start more than three decades go in Eureka, Calif., where a real estate agent named James Durkin joined up with several members of the hippie-era ‘Jesus People’ movement.
LOL. Guess what else I found?
James Durkin seems to be a real estate agent
who stepped in to lead hippies and used them as free
labour in his real estate business to fix up houses and make himself richer.
James Durkin advocated much
the same as the cult – 12 tribes of Israel.
(Commune living) (Give all your money)
Jim Durkin later became a self appointed “Apostle”.
Deeper investigation revealed a “Latter Rain” ideology.
El Verbo is connected to the late Jim Durkin and Gospel Outreach in Eureka, California.
Gospel Outreach is one of an almost countless number of groups
(groups headed up by such charismatic luminaries as
John Jimenez, John Mears, Larry Lea, the Ft. Lauderdale Five, etc.)
which originated out of the Jesus Revolution of the late 60′s and early 70′s.
These groups – when taken together – form the core constituencies of today’s New Charismatic Movement.
Together, they form an exceedingly tight-knit, inter-locked network of churches, denominations and ministries. All have – to one degree or another- been affected by the post-millennial concepts of the
Latter Rain,
especially those which postulate that it’s the church’s destiny [sic] to take over the world for “Christ and the church”, even if it means resorting to political and military activity. And it is precisely these churches which today form the hard-core of this country’s Religious Right.” ie Peter Wagner, ICA, NAR.
Wow. Amazing what you can find when searching
for truth.
Wow,
where have I been?
Randy, you establish the weakness of the media and false reporting of the facts.
Instead of get the facts from the sources, you go to “second” hand reports spun with idealogies and agendas.
I knew Jim Durkin personally. I was the last people to see him alive.
All you have done is failed to uphold the Bible and in so doing aligned yourself to malign the character of a good man.
Now I have suspicions of whose spirit you follow?
Obviously, you do not speak for the Holy Ghost or the Spirit of Christ.
Correction:
“I was one of the last people to see Jim alive”.
I was with him just hours before the Lord took him in his sleep. We met Thursday evening and after our meeting, he went home, pray awhile with his wife, went to bed and went to Heaven.
He told us he always wanted to go to sleep on earth and wake up in Heaven when it was his time to pass. God granted him that wish.
For those who would like to listen to Jim personally tell his story you can go to this link here:::>
http://accesshumboldt.net/site/life-jim-and-dacie-durkin
You then can judge whether or not Randy was being Christian or falling prey to the deceits of men?
Michael, i also located a page which tells of his life and ministry, and includes some of his teachings.
(Randy, you may be interested in this as well)
http://www.verbo.org/site/durkin.htm
Oh? And how many of my facts are wrong michael?
(not according to the selfmade “Apostle” James Dirkin)
You sound like you worship him michael.
Not good.
Can you not answer the one straight question?
Is “put away” education Biblical???
As i also wrote above.
James Dirkin says of various education:
“They’re of no value, and no ability, and no worth!”
That is PURE CULT.
Have nothing to do with these false teachings
or cult followers.
Randy
I am saddened by you and I trust the Grace of God and the Holy Ghost will speak to anyone you have caused doubt in by your words.
I would say stronger things but I don’t suppose you have ears to hear.
It toubles me that anyone can do what you have done.
May God’s Word come upon you sternly.
Don’t be sad michael, just answer the question…
“Can you not answer the one straight question?
Is “put away” education Biblical???”
Third time I’ve asked you. Please answer.
Randy, i didn’t know James Dirkin, but i may know what he means–and if im correct in what he was saying, i agree with him.
Many Christians strongly believe it takes a degree in theology or religion to teach or preach the gospel–or to work in ministry. If Dirkin is saying its of no real value, then i’d have to agree. God prepares and anoints who he calls. And its by the master teacher, the Holy Spirit, that this is accomplished.
Lets look at this:
In the kingdom of God they really don’t have any true worth Randy. When we are born again we become ‘new creatures’. Where once we depended on what we learned and knew, (our knowledge/intellect)we no longer depend on those, but gain the mind of Christ! That’s why i think Jesus used the term born again–for it is exactly like starting out as a new born babe which has not yet been tainted by the intellect of mans teachings, or that of the world. Its a clean slate!
(hallelujah!)
What does this mean?
Before accepting Christ as Lord and Savior, we were citizens of this world–satan’s kingdom of darkness. After being born again, we have been removed from that kingdom and placed in God’s kingdom:
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forrgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: Colossians 1
While in satan’s kingdom, we were subject to living under his rules, etc…after all, he is the prince of this world. We were in actuality his ‘subjects’ from birth:
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. Ephesians 5
I believe this is what he is saying–that before coming to Jesus and salvation–before being born again and removed from the kingdom of darkness, we do indeed see things and even ‘think’ as the one who’s kingdom we have lived in-satan.
Many points PJ. I will leave a partial reply, but am busy
the next days. Thanks for the comprehensive response.
This guy, James Dirkin, came from the hippie era.
He believed like the 12 tribes of Isreal cult.
Commune living, and give me all your money.
That is an extablished fact.
So yes, a flag goes up.
Question all, if education is of no value,
then why are you all on the Interent?
Aren’t you sinning?
You cannot advocate “put away” education,
yet sin by doing the opposite.
LOL
We constantly need to learn and use work related skills every day. So it makes no sense to preach
“put away” education.
And again, where does is say in the Bible,
“put away” education?
No one seems to be able to answer that one.
PJ, nice line of thought, but wrong path.
James Dirkin apparently was “pastorized”.
So saying he was against a pastor education does not
seem likely. Anyway, it is speculation.
And we have his quote to go by.
If he had meant it that way, (anti-seminary) he would have said it.
I think we can all read that one clear.
As for education having no value, then why even learn to read? Again, lol, if everyone believed his garbage,
there would be no computers, no internet, no blog.
LOL
One more. “Programmed by Satan”
wow.
How many things are unbiblical and wrong with that.
I understand PJ, born again.
But that is not what he is saying.
Programmed by Satan means Programmed by Satan.
And that is not Scriptural.
Show me in the Word where God says we are “programmed”.
Not there.
The Bible says we are born in sin.
The Bible says the world is under the sway of the wicked one.
No Bible says “programmed”.
So if you agree with JD, PJ,
you have gone past what the Word of God says.
I was referring to requiring education to preach God’s word or be called into ministry Randy. What the bible says is,
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15
That kind of spiritual knowledge comes from the study of God’s word, not secular education.
Thanks PJ,
I was personally affected by Randy’s rants against my friend.
Let me say, I am glad in the Lord daily. But what this man or young man, Randy, has done by his comments in here, is foolish, in my opinion, which should make any man sad, not for the Lord, but for them and the reaping that comes with such foolisheness.
I speak from experience!
There are numerous places in Scripture to support this opinion and being saddened by such foolishness.
Tit 3:1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
Tit 3:2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.
Tit 3:3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
Tit 3:4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,
Tit 3:5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
Tit 3:6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,
Tit 3:7 so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
I have responded twice to Randy and unless there is something else that might bring the “Light” on this matter from him, [who has no personal knowledge of Jim or our ministry] and he persists in these foolish charges against him, a Man of God, a man proven and tested way beyond anyone I know, I have to agree with Scripture and conclude this about him because of the admonition of the Apostle here:::>
Tit 3:8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.
Tit 3:9 But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless.
Tit 3:10 As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him,
Tit 3:11 knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.
“Such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned”.
These are very very strong Words. I believe they apply in this instance, having pondered what I have just experienced by his responses now these couple of days.
Amen brother Michael…amen.
Well, cancel that meeting. This new info seemed
more important.
Got your ears on PJ?
http://www.gospeloutreach.net/navconsole.html
I don’t wish to deceive anyone with this website.
It is a cult.
First, my friend pointed out that you cannot copy any
of their words. They have a special block on anyone
trying to copy and quote their words.
Is that a red flag PJ???
Come on. The alarm bells are ringing.
Second, under Doctrines of Grace – unconditional
election, wow, they go wild.
God “elects” us, “while passing others by”.
My Bible, PJ, says Grace is for everyone.
If you seriously believe this garbage PJ,
I suggest you consult a close friend.
This is pure cult material.
So please, everyone, go to the links, read all,
and see the truth.
There are enough cults destroying people and family.
We don’t need Gospel Outreach destroying you.
Randy i don’t know who this ‘friend’ is, but he is wrong…there is no block to stop anyone from copying any of their material…
In another window, i have their statement of faith up as i write, and am going to copy it below.
I don’t need to consult another person Randy, when im looking at it with my own eyes, and can discern for myself that this is NOT a cult.
You need to stop this… there are many so-called ministries out there which are cultish, teach false doctrine, and/or are headed up by wolves. My suggestion is you concentrate on pointing them out instead of trying to tear into one which is bible based.
STATEMENT OF FAITH
God
God, by the testimony of Scripture, is one divine Being in three eternal, co-essential, yet distinct Persons — Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He is the one true God, eternal, immutable, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. He is Creator of heaven and earth, Sustainer of the universe, and Source of human salvation. Though transcendent, God has a direct and personal relationship with human beings. God is love and infinite goodness.
(Matthew 28:19; Mark 12:29; Ephesians 4:6; 1 Timothy 1:17; 1 John 4:8; 5:20;
Titus 2:11; John 16:27; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Corinthians 8:6)
Jesus Christ
Jesus is the Word, by whom and for whom God created all things. As God manifest in the flesh for our salvation, He was begotten of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, fully God and fully human, two natures in one Person. Jesus is the Son of God and Lord of all, worthy of worship, honor and reverence. As the prophesied Savior of humanity, He died for our sins, was raised bodily from the dead, and ascended to heaven, from where He mediates between humanity and God. He will come again in glory to reign as King of kings over all nations in the kingdom of God.
(John 1:1; Colossians 1:16; 1 Timothy 3:16; John 3:16; Matthew 1:20; Acts 10:36;
1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Hebrews 7:25; Revelation 19:16)
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Godhead, is the Comforter promised by Jesus Christ, sent from God to the Church. The Holy Spirit lives in us, transforming us through repentance, sanctification, and continual renewal. The Holy Spirit is the Source of inspiration and prophecy throughout the Scriptures, the Source of unity and communion in the Church, the Provider of gifts for salvation and for the work of the gospel, and the Christian’s constant Guide into all truth.
(Matthew 28:19; John 14:16-17, 23, 16:13; Acts 2:4, 17-19, 38, 5:3-4, 20:28;
1 Corinthians 12:8-13; 2 Corinthians 13:14; 1 Peter 1:2; Titus 3:5; 2 Peter 1:21)
Sovereignty of God
God is absolute sovereign in creation, revelation, redemption, and final judgment. He has absolute and exclusive right to exercise authority in the universe. He holds this prerogative because of the perfections of His character and because of His position as Creator and Sovereign of the universe. As Creator, His dominion is perfect and His decrees are final. Because of His authority as Sovereign, He is to be obeyed.
(1 Samuel 2:6-8; 1 Chronicles 29:11-12; Psalm 50:10-11, 95:3-5; Isaiah 44:6;
Acts 17:24-26; Romans 14:11; James 4:12; Revelation 4:11)
The Holy Scriptures
The Holy Scriptures, the Bible, comprise the canonical books of the Old and New Testaments. They are the inspired Word of God, absolutely inerrant in the original documents, the foundation of truth, and the accurate record of God’s revelation to humanity. The Holy Scriptures constitute ultimate authority in all matters of doctrine, and embody the infallible principles that govern all facets of Christian living.
(2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:20-21; John 17:17)
Humanity
Humanity was made immortal, male and female, in the image of God, and endowed with great mental and spiritual faculties. God formed the first man, Adam, of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. He formed the first woman, Eve, from Adam’s own body. They were given dominion over all the earth and the freedom to choose whether to obey their Creator. Because they chose sin, they and their descendants became alienated from God and subject to physical and spiritual death, which can be reconciled only by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ and His saving work. The destiny of the saints is to inherit eternal life in glory through Jesus Christ in the kingdom of God.
(Genesis 1:26-28; 2:7, 22; Romans 5:9-21; 1 Peter 1:3-9; Romans 6:23)
Sin
Sin is lawlessness, that is, a state or condition of rebellion against God. From the time sin entered the human race through Adam and Eve, humanity has been under its yoke — a yoke that can only be removed by God’s grace through Jesus Christ. The sinful condition of humanity is manifested in the tendency to consistently choose self and self-interests over God and God’s will. Sin causes alienation from God, and suffering and death. Since all humans are sinners, all humans need the salvation God offers through his Son.
(1 John 3:4; 5:17; Romans 1:20-21; 5:12; 7:24-25; Mark 7:21-23; Galatians 5:17-21; Romans 6:23; 3:23-24)
Salvation
Salvation is deliverance from the bondage of sin and death, and the restoration of human fellowship with God. It is the gift of God, by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not earned by personal merit or good works. God gives salvation, not only for the present life, but for eternity, to all who truly accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. It is the privilege of believers to rejoice in the assurance of their salvation through the testimony of God’s Word, which, however, clearly forbids the use of Christian liberty as an occasion for sinful living and carnality.
(John 5:24, 6:37-40, 10:27-30; Romans 5:9-10, 6:15-23, 8:1, 21-23, 31-39, 13:13-14;
1 Corinthians 1:4-8; Ephesians 2:8-9, 4:30; Galatians 5:13, 25-26; 2 Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 7:25, 13:5; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Peter 1:4-5; Jude 24)
Grace
Grace is the free, unmerited favor God bestows on a sinner who repents. In its broadest sense, grace is expressed in every act of God’s self-disclosure. By grace, a person comes to know God and Jesus Christ, is justified, and is saved. Through faith in Christ, the Christian remains always under grace.
(Romans 3:24; 5:2, 15-17, 21; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:7)
Election
Election is the act of God by which, before the foundation of the world, He chose in Christ those whom He graciously regenerates, saves, and sanctifies. Sovereign election does not contradict or negate the responsibility of man to repent and trust Christ as Savior and Lord. Nevertheless, since sovereign grace includes the means of receiving the gift of salvation as well as the gift itself, sovereign election will result in what God determines. All whom the Father calls to Himself will come in faith and all who come in faith the Father will receive. The unmerited favor that God grants to totally depraved sinners is not related to any initiative of their own part nor to God’s anticipation of what they might do by their own will, but is solely of His sovereign grace and mercy.
(Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:4-2:10; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Timothy 2:10;
1 Peter 1:1-2; Ezekiel 18:23-32, 33:11; John 3:18-19, 36, 6:37-44; 5:40;
Romans 9:22-23; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12; Revelation 22:17; Acts 13:48; James 4:8; Titus 3:4-7)
Justification
Justification is God’s gracious act of pronouncing a believer righteous in his sight. It follows repentance and is made possible through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ and acceptance of Him as Lord and Savior.
(Romans 3:20, 24-31; 4:1-8; 5:1, 9; Galatians 2:16)
Faith
Faith is belief and trust in God as our righteous, omniscient, and omnipotent Lord and our gracious, merciful, and faithful Savior. Faith includes the conviction, based on natural and Scriptural evidence, that God exists, that He rewards those who seek Him, and that He gives eternal life to all who are in Jesus Christ. Faith is granted by God’s grace.
(Romans 6:23, 10:17; Hebrews 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-9; James 2:17-18)
Sanctification
Sanctification is the state of holiness imparted to the believer through the work of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Though all Christians sin, the Holy Spirit leads them in a life characterized by repentance, obedience, and Christian growth — that is, a converted, or changed, life evidenced by the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Sanctification is made possible by God’s grace, through faith in Jesus Christ. Every saved person is involved in a daily conflict — the new creation in Christ doing battle against the flesh — but adequate provision is made for victory through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The struggle nevertheless stays with the believer all through this earthly life and is never completely ended. Eradication of sin in this life is not possible and all claims to the eradication of sin are unscriptural, but the Holy Spirit does provide for victory over sin.
(Romans 5:1, 6:22; Ephesians 4:22-24; Galatians 5:16-25; Colossians 3:9-10;
Philippians 3:12; 1 Peter 1:2, 14-16; 1 John 1:8, 3:5-9)
Repentance
Repentance is a change of mind and attitude toward God. It follows conviction by the Holy Spirit and is grounded in the Word of God. Repentance entails an awareness of personal sinfulness, accompanied by a positive response to God’s call. Repentance toward God leads to faith in Jesus Christ and a converted life sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
(Acts 2:38; Romans 2:4; 10:17; 2 Timothy 2:25; 2 Corinthians 7:9-11; Matthew 3:8; Romans 12:2)
Baptism
Water baptism signifies a believer’s repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
(Matthew 3:16, 28:19; Mark 16:16; Galatians 3:27; Romans 6:4-5)
The Lord’s Supper
The evening before Jesus was crucified, he took bread and wine, saying, “This is My body … This is the new covenant in My blood.” At the Lord’s Supper service, Christians participate in the new covenant by partaking of bread and wine in remembrance of the Savior, who gave His body and shed His blood for all, to redeem humanity from sin and death.
(Matthew 26:26-28; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-17; Philippians 2:1-8)
The Church
The Church, or the Body of Christ, consists of all who have faith in Jesus Christ and in whom the Holy Spirit abides. The Church is commissioned to preach the gospel, to teach all that Christ commanded, to baptize, and to nurture the flock. In fulfilling its mission, the Church is directed by the Holy Scriptures, led by the Holy Spirit, and looks continually to Jesus Christ, its living Head. Believers are to be one in Christ, and not be divided over peripheral doctrines or issues. In spite of differences that do not contradict the gospel of Christ, believers are not to break fellowship, but love, care for, and encourage one another.
(1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 8:9; Matthew 28:19-20; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22; Acts 2:1-47; 2 Timothy 2:23; Titus 3:9-11)
Evangelism and Missions
It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of every church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations. The new birth of man’s spirit by God’s Holy Spirit means the birth of love for others. Missionary effort on the part of all rests thus upon a spiritual necessity of the regenerate life, and is expressly and repeatedly commanded in the teachings of Christ. It is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by personal effort and by all other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ.
Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-6; Isaiah 6:1-8;
Matthew 9:37-38, 10:5-15, 13:18-30, 37-43, 16:19, 22:9-10, 24:14, 28:18-20;
Luke 10:1-18, 24:46-53; John 14:11-12, 15:7-8, 16, 17:15, 20:21;
Acts 1:8; 2, 8:26-40, 10:42-48, 13:2-3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 3:1-11;
1 Thessalonians 1:8; 2 Timothy 4:5; Hebrews 2:1-3; 11:39-12:2; 1 Peter 2:4-10; Revelation 22:17)
The Christian
The Christian is the person who lives by faith in Jesus Christ and in whom the Holy Spirit abides. The Christian experiences a new birth through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit and is placed in a right relationship with God and fellow humans by God’s grace. The Christian’s life is characterized by the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
(Romans 8:9, 14; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 John 2:4-6; Matthew 22:37-39; John 13:35;
Galatians 5:22-23)
The Gospel
The gospel is the good news about salvation by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone, not by works. It is the message that Christ died for our sins, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to His disciples. It is the good news that the kingdom of God has been inaugurated by the saving work of Jesus Christ.
(Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 1:14-15; Acts 8:12; 28:30-31; Luke 24:46-48;
1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Ephesians 2:8-10)
The Second Coming
According to the Word of God, the next great event in the fulfillment of prophecy will be the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the air to receive to Himself into heaven both His own who are alive and remain unto His coming, and also all who have fallen asleep in Jesus, and that this event is the blessed hope set before us in Scripture, and for this Christians should be constantly looking. This first stage of the Second Coming (commonly referred to as the rapture), is imminent, personal, pre-millennial, and pre-tribulational. The second stage of the Second Coming occurs seven years later and involves the Lord Jesus Christ returning to earth with His saints to establish His Millennial Kingdom upon the earth.
(Daniel 9:24-27; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Zechariah 14:4-11; John 14:1-3;
1 Corinthians 15:40-53; Revelation 1:7, 3:10, 17:14, 19:11-16; 20:1-6;
Acts 1:11, 15:15-17; Matthew 24:15-30, 25:31-46; 1 Thessalonians 1:10, 4:13-18; Jeremiah 33:14-26; Ezekiel 36:25-28, 37:21-28; Romans 8:19-23, 11:23-32,
2 Samuel 7:13-16; Philippians 3:20; Titus 2:11-14; Deuteronomy 30:1-10; Isaiah 11:9;
1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 3:1-5)
The Eternal State
At death the spirits and souls of those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation pass immediately into His presence and there remain in conscious bliss until the resurrection of the glorified body when Christ comes for His own, whereupon soul and body reunited shall be associated with Him forever in glory; but the spirits and souls of the unbelieving remain after death conscious of condemnation and in misery until the final judgment of the great white throne at the close of the millennium, when soul and body reunited shall be cast into the lake of fire, not to be annihilated, but to be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.
(Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:19-26, 23:42-43; John 5:28-28; Acts 7:58-60;
2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Philippians 1:21-24; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9; Jude 6-7;
Revelation 20:11-15)
Early Church Creeds
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
He descended to the dead.
On the third day He rose again;
He ascended into heaven,
He is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
The Nicene Creed (325 AD)
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father.
Through Him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
He came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
He became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
He suffered death and was buried.
On the third day He rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and His kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father [and the Son].
With the Father and the Son
He is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic* and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Athanasian Creed (c. 500 AD)
Whoever wills to be in a state of salvation, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic* faith, which except everyone shall have kept whole and undefiled without doubt he will perish eternally.
Now the catholic* faith is that we worship One God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the substance. For there is one Person of the Father, another of the Son, another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, is One, the Glory equal, the Majesty coeternal.
Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit; the Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated; the father infinite, the Son infinite, and the Holy Spirit infinite; the Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. And yet not three eternals but one eternal, as also not three infinites, nor three uncreated, but one uncreated, and one infinite. So, likewise, the Father is Almighty, the Son Almighty, and the Holy Spirit Almighty; and yet not three Almighties but one Almighty.
So the Father is God, the Son God, and the Holy Spirit God; and yet not three Gods but one God. So the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord; and yet not three Lords but one Lord. For like as we are compelled by Christian truth to acknowledge every Person by Himself to be both God and Lord; so are we forbidden by the catholic* religion to say, there be three Gods or three Lords.
The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. The Son is of the Father alone, nod made nor created but begotten. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and the Son, not made nor created nor begotten but proceeding. So there is one Father not three Fathers, one Son not three Sons, and Holy Spirit not three Holy Spirits. And in this Trinity there is nothing before or after, nothing greater or less, but the whole three Persons are coeternal together and coequal.
So that in all things, as is aforesaid, the Trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity is to be worshipped. He therefore who wills to be in a state of salvation, let him think thus of the Trinity.
But it is necessary to eternal salvation that he also believe faithfully the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. The right faith therefore is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and Man.
He is God of the substance of the Father begotten before the worlds, and He is man of the substance of His mother born in the world; perfect God, perfect man subsisting of a reasoning soul and human flesh; equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, inferior to the Father as touching His Manhood.
Who although He be God and Man yet He is not two but one Christ; one however not by conversion of the Godhead in the flesh, but by taking of the Manhood in God; one altogether not by confusion of substance but by unity of Person. For as the reasoning soul and flesh is one man, so God and Man is one Christ.
Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again from the dead, ascended into heaven, sits at the right hand of the Father, from whence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies and shall give account for their own works. And they that have done good shall go into life eternal, and they who indeed have done evil into eternal fire.
This is the catholic* faith, which except a man shall have believed faithfully and firmly he cannot be in a state of salvation.
The Definition of the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD)
Therefore, following the holy fathers, we all with one accord teach men to acknowledge one and the same Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, at once complete in Godhead and complete in manhood, truly God and truly man, consisting also of a reasonable soul and body; of one substance with the Father as regards His Godhead, and at the same time of one substance with us as regards His manhood; like us in all respects, apart from sin; as regards His Godhead, begotten of the Father before the ages, but yet as regards His manhood begotten, for us men and for our salvation, of Mary the Virgin, the God-bearer; one and the same Christ, Son, Lord, Only-begotten, recognized in two natures, without confusion, without change, without division, without separation; the distinction of natures being in no way annulled by the union, but rather the characteristics of each nature being preserved and coming together to form one person and subsistence, not as parted or separated into two persons, but one and the same Son and Only-begotten God the Word, Lord Jesus Christ; even as the prophets from earliest times spoke of Him, and our Lord Jesus Christ Himself taught us, and the creed of the fathers has handed down to us.
*catholic refers to the universal church/faith of believers.
Link: http://www.gospeloutreach.net/beliefs.html#grace
Still waiting for a response PJ.
I made time available to get the truth out on this
subject, yet you lock me out. 3rd reply now.
Still waiting for a straight answer to my question
that i asked 4 or five times.
“Can you not answer the one straight question?
Is “put away” education Biblical???”
Why can neither of you give a straight answer?
yes or no?
My hearer, then have you the Spirit of God in you? You have some religion, most of you, I dare say. Well, of what kind is it? Is it a home made article? Did you make yourself what you are? Then, if so, you are a lost man up to this moment. If, my hearer, you have gone no further than you have walked yourself, you are not on the road to heaven yet, you have got your face turned the wrong way; but if you have received something which neither flesh nor blood could reveal to you, if you have been led to do the very thing which you once hated, and to love that thing which you once despised, and to despise that on which your heart and your pride were once set, then, soul, if this be the Spirit’s work, rejoice; for where he hath begun the good work, he will carry it on. And you may know whether it is the Spirit’s work by this. Have you been led to Christ and away from self? Have you been led away from all feelings, from all doings, from all willings, from all prayings, as the ground of your trust and your hope, and have you been brought nakedly to rely on the finished work of Christ? If so, this is more than human nature ever taught any man; this is the height to which human nature never climbed. The Spirit of God has done that, and he will never leave what he has once begun, but thou shall go from strength to strength, and thou shalt stand among the blood-washed throng, at last complete with Christ, and accepted in the beloved. May the Spirit lead you to your chamber now to weep,now to repent, and now to look to Christ, and may you now have a divine life implanted, which neither time nor eternity shall be able to destroy. God hear this prayer, and send us away with a blessing, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Spurgeon.
I hate to say this but this Randy sounds remarkably like the ‘Randy’ from another site, who either eventually stopped posting or was blocked (not sure which).
The same sarcastic, arrogant, JUDGEMENTAL spirit coming back again and again……………
Randy, are you the same Randy who hates Muslims and refers to Grace as ‘greasy grace’? Just asking!
If you are not, please disregard with my apology, but if you are GET ON YOUR BIKE pleeeaaasssee for everyones sake.
Pj you have spent a lot of valuable time copying out the statement of Faith here. Your LOVE and PATIENCE is an example to us all, God Bless you.