XIV. How have all churches failed

The GOD they claim to serve?

            This study will review and expand on the previous studies showing the grave dangers facing every Christian denomination, from the Vatican to the lowliest Protestant church.  The Bible points the Christian to heed the words of Christ, “If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments.” Matt.19:17.  Today’s Christianity does not honor these words.  And yet, GOD’S promise to bless our understanding is sure to all who will simply obey: “A good understanding have all they that do his commandments.” Ps.111:10. 

            Despite the Bible’s many promises and warnings, the world’s foremost religion seated in the Vatican of Rome has removed any obligation to obey two of the Ten Commandments, the 2nd and the 4^th.  Rome denounces their authority over every baptized Catholic the world over.  In essence, the sole work of the pope is to baptize all men into his sinful version of religious law.  And most Protestant churches agree with the Vatican in their sin against the 4th Commandment.  In fact, the whole world, with the exception of Judaism and a few protestant denominations, is unanimous in its dishonor of the 4th Commandment: in atheism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Ruling-Christianity.  But the Bible repeatedly affirms the obligation of all men to honor the Law that alone guarantees the safety of life—the Law that Jesus Christ obeyed unto His death to redeem the human race from sin’s condemnation.  

            Had Jesus Christ dishonored the 4th Commandment as the churches do today He would have failed to live “without sin” (Heb.4:15; 9:28); and thus, when Jesus died on the Cross, He would have remained in the grave, and the human race would have been lost: to be relinquished to the fate of Satan’s goal of everlasting death for every man, woman, and child.  The Creator’s plan of redemption would not have succeeded and Satan’s victory would have been complete in overthrowing GOD’S sovereign authority on Earth.  This is why the devil tempted Christ so fiercely, even as He was perishing on the Cross, carrying to the grave the sins of the world. 

            Christ’s perfect obedience is not a license for disobedience.  The Bible could not be more clear: “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev.22:14 (KJV only).  This is what repentance is all about: to separate from the sins that destroy the soul.  And to not separate from them is to perish with them, for the Spirit of GOD can have no place in the soul while sin is seated on the throne. 

            Outwardly, the churches boast of their obedience to the Word of GOD and His Holy Law, even publicly promoting the Ten Commandments in the legislature and in movies.  But their version of GOD’S Law is a sinful corruption and abbreviation of the true rendering that Christ gave to the human race in the permanence of stone on Mount Sinai (Jn.8:58).  Even the highly renowned movie, The Ten Commandments gave an incomplete, sinful rendering, deleting 86 of the 94 words from the 4th Commandment.  In fact, the very mercy of GOD shown repeatedly to Pharaoh wasn’t given the slightest recognition.  The original request given to Pharaoh was to allow the Hebrews to take a “three days journey into the wilderness” (Ex.3:18; 5:3; 8:27)!  The permanent departure of from Egypt was not GOD’S intention, nor was the total collapse of the Egyptian nation.  GOD desired that through the witness of the Hebrews to the Egyptian people their nation could be won to the Gospel of “the Christ of God.”

            Even GOD’S first warning to Pharaoh of the death of the first born of Egypt was given no dialogue to uplift the great mercy of GOD.  Nine plagues had passed, proving to Pharaoh that GOD had the authority to fulfill His Word.  And only when Pharaoh had continually refused to allow the Hebrew slaves to worship “the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” was the tenth and final plague implemented, and all the firstborn of Egypt died.   

            GOD admonishes His children to never add to His Word or take away from His Word; for it is a sin leading to eternal death (Deut.4:2; Rev.22:18,19).  And yet, this is precisely what has been done, and is being done, and will forever be done.  Bible prophecy bears witness while the unrepentant churches assure the congregations of their fidelity to Christ and His Word.  Ultimately, today’s Christianity is a selfish pick and choose version of obedience, demanding of GOD to allow men to be saved in their sins instead of from their sins.  This is a technical impossibility, for (as said before) GOD cannot dwell in any man where sin is seated on the throne.  The very foundation of GOD’S salvation is man’s deliverance from sin.  To oppose GOD’S requirements for receiving His Indwelling Presence is to oppose His Gift of the Life of His Son.

1. Is the church correct in teaching that after we die we

    either go to heaven or to hell?

Ecclesiastes 9:5,6,10  For the living know that they shall die: _____  _____  _______  _______  _____  _____________, neither have they any more a reward; for _____  ___________ of them _____  ______________. (v.6) Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy is ____  ____________; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.  (v.10) Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no ______, nor ________, nor _______________, nor __________, in _____  __________, whither thou goest.

2. Can we trust these words of Solomon, when he was an old

     man at the end of his life's journey?

I Kings 3:9-12  [Solomon asked of GOD] Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the LORD, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and has not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; (v.12) Behold I have done according to thy words: lo, ___  ________  _________  ______  ___  _______  _____  ____  ____________________  __________; so that ________  _____  ________  _______  _______ before thee, neither after thee shall _____ arise _______  _______  _______.

         The churches have been so arrogant as to declare their wisdom to exceed the only one to whom GOD said that none among sinful men would ever surpass in wisdom or understanding.  The author of the popular paraphrase translation, the Living Bible had these words as a footnote below Solomon’s words, “These words are Solomon’s discouraged opinion and do not reflect a knowledge of GOD’S truth on these points.”—Ken Taylor.   Dakes Annotated Bible also declared the Wisdom of Solomon invalid, stating that the dead “have some reward at death,” when Solomon said they “have no more a reward.” Dake says that the dead “continue in a full state of consciousness,” when Solomon said that, “the dead know not anything.”  These so-called scholars of the church are calling Solomon a liar.  Worse than that, they call GOD a liar in His promise to Solomon and to us that we can trust the Bible’s counsel.  Every “servant of sin” hiding behind a mask of scholarship must then declare Paul’s words invalid when he said: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God…” II Tim.3:16.

3. Are there other Bible writers, who verify the words of

     Solomon on the unconscious state of the dead?

Job 14:12  So man lieth down, and riseth not: _____  _____  __________  ____  ____  _______,  _______  ______  _____  _________ nor be raised out of their sleep.

Psalms 6:5  For ____  ________   ________  ____  ____  ______________  ____  ______: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

Psalms 115:17  _____  _______  ___________  _____  _____  ________, neither any that go down into _____________.  

Psalms 146:4  His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day _____  ______________  __________.

4.  Does the New Testament concur with the writers of the

      Old Testament?

Acts 2:34  For ________  ____  _____  _______________  ______  _____  _____________.

         The very first doctrine of Christ that the Apostle Peter was led of the Holy Spirit to preach on the day of Pentecost stated clearly that death is an unconscious state no less than sleep.  The church today has no power to wake up the world from its stupor of complacency simply because they don’t believe they are going to die! 

         The very first lie spoken on earth was by the devil when he told our Premier Mother, Eve: “Ye shall not surely die.” Gen.3:4.  The devil’s lie is actually promoted as a true statement by the ruling churches and religions of the world!  They all teach, “Ye shall not surely die.”  But here’s the sad fact: the very first sin was committed on earth when Eve believed she wouldn’t die!  She then ate the fruit GOD warned would kill her.  See the parallel to the sins of today?

        Through the Church of Rome promoting the false doctrine of man’s natural immortality, while assaulting the greatest promise of Christ: “the power of His resurrection,” they have literally amputated the very heart of Christ’s deliverance from sin: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Jn.3:16  The word, “perish” does not mean eternal life in hellfire, but this is their rendering of the word that the church takes to the world.  

         Good and evil, and life and death are situated at the very heart of the controversy between Christ and Satan.  And the whole world is blind to the very intent of GOD’S inviolate Word, which promises our deliverance from eternal death through Jesus Christ.  Today’s Christianity has disemboweled the most potent prophecy for the redeemed “in Christ:” “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” I Cor.15:55.  By upholding the doctrine of universal immortality for every soul the church has no power to wake up the world from its complacent attitudes.  With the pinnacle doctrine of GOD’S salvation universally removed by the religions of earth including Christianity, the church had to come up with another reason to serve GOD: eternal torment in hellfire.  

5. What verse of Scripture does today’s Christianity teach

     that supports the belief in the sustained consciousness

     after death?

II Corinthians 5:8  We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be _________ from the body and to be ___________ with the LORD.

         In that passage of II Corinthians 5, the Apostle Paul is expounding his fervent impatience to be free of “the body of this death” (Rom.7:24) and receive the glorified body to be given him at Christ's 2nd Advent, the resurrection of His faithful children from the dead.  It is Christ “who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,” Phil.3:21.  This does not occur until the 2^nd Advent.  A false assumption is made that Paul is here teaching that after death one retains all their body’s senses and immediately goes to heaven.  Paul would then be contradicting his own words in I Corinthians 15:22,23: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive [they are not alive now]. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming.” 

         The Bible teaches that the only ones in heaven today are Enoch, Moses, Elijah, and those resurrected with Jesus.  With the exception of those men, none from the human race are in heaven today, nor will enter heaven before Jesus Christ's 2^nd Advent.  That’s what “the power of His resurrection” is all about: to raise the dead to life!  Enoch and Elijah, who were translated from the living (Gen.5:24; II Ki.2:11); Moses, who was resurrected immediately after his death (Deut. 34:5; Jude 9); and those resurrected with Jesus Christ at His resurrection (Matt. 27:52,53) are the assurances of GOD to His faithful children today that Christ will come again and raise the dead, translate the living, and carry them home to His “Father’s house” in heaven (Jn.14:2) to spend a thousand years answering every question and reviewing the history of sin (I Cor.6:2,3; Rev.20:4).  All others, from Adam to the last man, will remain unconscious in the grave until Christ returns at the 2^nd Advent (for the righteous), and the 3^rd Advent (for the unrighteous).

         Despite this heavenly truth, the whole foundation of the Vatican’s version of Christianity is based on believing and a lie: evangelizing the world to share in their sins and deceptions: declaring their church authority to be superior to GOD and His Word, Jesus Christ: “The Church is above the Bible.”—The Catholic Record.  They use the Bible as a lure, but then they betray its words, blinding the Catholic congregations to the snares of Satan’s entrapment.  This includes the idolized Virgin Mary and the dead saints that Catholic priests teach are alive today and give their blessings to those faithful to the Catholic Church.  In summation, The Truth, “as the truth is in Jesus” has no value to these “false apostles” (II Cor.11:13-15).

         The Bible has given the clear prophecy that the Christian church will never obey (Dan.7:25; 12:1).  While claiming obedience to GOD these religious leaders, in their outward show of reverence, in their decorative robes of illusionary righteousness, defy and deny the very Law of GOD, the only Law where we are safe in one another’s care: the only Law where utopian life may be found: the Law that will be honored forever in the “new earth” including the seventh-day (Saturday) Sabbath (Isa.66:22,23).  “All His commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever.” Ps.111:7,8.  The many rituals and luxurious robes are no indicator of righteousness in the eyes of the Father and Son.  Even the priests at the confessional, commanding the penance of: ‘Ten Our Fathers;’ ‘Twenty Hail Marys,’ will not hear the words of the LORD: “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be ye not therefore like them.” Matt.6:7,8.

         Jesus has warned that a multitude of church ministers from all denominations will stand condemned before Him in the Great Judgment day.  And yet, these are men and women who have assured everyone of their fidelity to Christ, claiming to be His loyal representatives.  Nevertheless, standing before the Savior these words will be fulfilled: “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” Matt.7:22.  And His response, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”  We must be wise to understand where the boundary of salvation lies here.  The issue lies in the fact that Christ was not their companion in their “many wonderful works.”  They had some cherished sin in their lives, thus grieving the Presence of Christ from their souls (Mk.3:28,29; Eph.4:30).  Their mingling of good works in the midst of living a sinful life demanded that GOD be in debt to them.  Thus, they commanded Christ to grant them eternal life, as if Christ is somehow unqualified to judge who is worthy of “everlasting life.”  Jesus said what will judge every man: “the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” Jn.12:48.  And His Word is the Bible.

         The grand deception to lead multitudes of men, women and even children to ignore both the Bible and their sins is the devil’s use of miracles outside of Bible guidelines.  We should ask the simple question, “Do miracles occur to foster rebellion against the Word of GOD?”  They are more than the sands of the sea!  Ten thousand miracles are on record by the supposed Virgin Mary alone, even giving visions to Bible illiterate souls from the pope on down to little Catholic girls who stood outside of GOD’S jurisdiction to protect them from the evils of Satan to bring fear and falsehood into their lives and faith.  Volumes have been written on the supernatural forces influencing the lives of leaders and the common man.  Among the greatest dangers that the Bible repeatedly makes known is over the use of miracles to mislead entire nations to lead them to sin and thus bring them to ruin, especially those with a heritage of GOD’S leading and Presence. 

         But GOD has provided a set of the most simple guidelines to help us discern the boundaries between the true and false demonstrations of the miraculous: “To the law [the Ten Commandments] and to the testimony [the written Word of GOD]: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isa.8:20.  The sole source for the perfection of our faith is the Holy Bible: “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of GOD.” “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” Rom.10:17; II Tim.3:16,17.  And the promise of GOD to those who stand loyal and sincere to His Word—“Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail.” Isa.34:16.

6. What about all the "life-after-death experiences" that are

     so popular in both the church and the media?

Matthew 24:24  For there shall arise false Christ's, and ________  __________, and shall shew ________  ________  _____  ____________; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall ____________  _____  _______  __________.

These fall under Satan’s power to create visions to deceive.

Revelation 16:14  For they are _____  _________  ____  _________, ___________  ____________, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

7. Are the church members ready to discard Scripture at the

    first sign of anything miraculous?

Acts 8:9-11  But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: (v.10) To whom they all gave heed, from _____  _________ to _____  ____________ saying, This man is _____  ___________  ___________  ____  ______.  And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

II Thessalonians 2:8-12  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the LORD shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: [v.9] Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan _______  _____  __________ and ______ and ________  ___________, [v.10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because _______  ____________  _____ the love of the truth that they might be saved. [v.11] And for this cause GOD shall send them __________  _______________, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who _____________  _____  _____  __________ but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

         “Because they received not the love of the truth” lies at the very heart of all apostasy against GOD, His Word, and the Father’s Sacrifice of His Son for sinners.  But all who love “His Truth” will He guide, teach, and save as he promised (Ps.57:3).

8. What will keep me from being swept away with the

     prevailing tide of disobedience to the Gospel of Jesus

     Christ?

Revelation 14:12  Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that _______  _____  ___________________  ____  ______, and the _________  ____  __________. 

Revelation 22:14  ___________ are they that ____  ______  _____________________, that they may have right to the tree of life, and ______  _________  ____ through the gates into the city.

         Please note: Modern translations have removed from the Apostle’s manuscripts the words of Jesus Christ blessing those who obey the Ten Commandment Law.  The New International Version Bible says it this way, “Blessed are those who wash their robes…”  While the NIV translators boast in their Preface of using the “best manuscripts,” they have brutally amputated precious words of Jesus Christ from the Holy Bible: “For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.” Lu.9:56.  Even the closing words of the LORD’S Prayer were removed as unfit for our salvation: “For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” Matt.6:13.

         Christians with GOD’S Indwelling Presence and Power obey the Sacred Law.  Only these, the Bible says, truly honor Christ’s sacrifice. Only in them can the Holy Spirit dwell (Rom.8:11).  And yet, today’s Christian leaders use Christ’s obedience as a license for disobedience.  This denounces the age-old call of GOD to every man: “Repent.” Christ’s call was the same when He began His public ministry: “Repent ye, and believe the gospel.” Mk.1:15. Scripture has always warned the church that any willingness on their part to sustain and remain in sin without repentance, “they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.” Heb.6:6.   

Romans 2:13  For _____  _____  ____________ of the law are just before GOD, but _____  _________ of the law shall be justified.

Romans 7:12  Wherefore _____  _____  ____  ________, and the __________________  ________, and ________, and ________.

Matthew 5:19  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called _____  __________ [Greek text: insignificant, unworthy] in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called __________ in the kingdom of heaven.

         There is only one issue in the great controversy between Christ and Satan: the legitimacy of the Ten Commandments as the rule of life.  And there is only one issue the church faces that threatens every professing Christian: "And the dragon was wroth with the woman [the church of Christ (Jer.6:2)], and went to make war with the remnant of her seed which keep the commandments of GOD, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12:17.  This one verse sums up Satan’s work against the human race by his misleading the rulers of men to force all men to violate the same law that condemns him.  The transgression of the Sacred Law that condemns unrepentant men likewise condemns Satan, as “the LORD” declared directly to Satan: “thou hast sinned” (Eze.28:16).

         While the Bible declares that mankind is no longer “under the law” but “under grace,” today’s religious leaders ill-define the manner in which “the law” was done away.  The Apostles taught a different Gospel than the one heralded today.  They unanimously preached that the “Creator of heaven and earth,” who became Jesus Christ, willingly sacrificed His sinless Life to remove the inheritance of sin’s condemnation of death that we all received as an inheritance from our Premier father, Adam, when he sinned.  Therefore, the whole human race, through GOD in Christ, has been restored to the position where Adam stood before he sinned: in the place of innocence before GOD.  The in-born death sentence we all received (without our consent) has been removed!  This gives Christ the right to raise the whole human race from the grave.  

The sinless history of Jesus Christ is now the new history of man, placing the whole human race in a position that restores our freedom to choose His righteous Presence in us; and thus abstain from sin through His indwelling power as “the last Adam.” This precious truth is verified by the words: “Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputed not iniquity,” “that righteousness might be imputed unto them,” “especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Ps.32:2; Rom.4:11; Gal.6:10.  Christ’s words perfectly reinforce the foundational doctrine of His Gospel: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” Jn.5:24. This deliverance from sin’s condemnation was the original message the Apostles took to the world.  This is the message that “turned the world upside down!” Acts 17:6. 

         The “power of God unto salvation” (Rom.1:16) also addresses the second dilemma we face: how we still need deliverance from our sinful nature!  That’s where freewill comes into play: to believe what has been provided through the Sacrifice of Christ: the Indwelling power of the Holy Ghost to abstain from sin.  It is our inability to live a righteous life apart from GOD that calls for His Divine intervention. Man is incapable of obeying the Sacred Law without the creative power of GOD’S Presence (Rom.8:7).  So, Jesus, after ascending to Heaven, returned through the power of the Holy Ghost, and with waiting heart He aspires to hear our invitation for Him to come and take the throne of our hearts and minds.  And through His sanctifying power, step-by-step, lesson-by-lesson, victory-by-victory the saints are restored into the fullness of His Image.  And to reflect the Image of His Perfect Character should be our continual prayer!