Evangelical Outreach
(Bible Question) I have a question. I am like you and believe Judas Iscariot was saved in the beginning. My views are very close to yours. However I encountered scripture today that I am having issues explaining away. (John 6:64 [NASB1995])
But there are some of you who do not believe . For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe , and who it was that would betray Him.
And of course:
Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve , and [yet] one of you is a devil?”
The problem I am having with these is that this is before "Satan entered him". Also I am familiar with the context of John 6:64 but am uncertain as to whether or not Jesus was speaking of Judas when he mentioned "you who do not believe." Can you PLEASE help clear this up for me.
(Bible Answer) John 6:64 refers to 2 different groups. The PLURAL group of “they were who did not believe” and the second group referring to Judas, who would betray Jesus. It doesn’t say Judas did not believe.
Judas lost his salvation. The exact point is NOT necessary to know. Jesus referred to him as a devil. That has NOTHING to do with and does not take away from the fact that he was the Lord’s disciple at an earlier point. He was also the Lord’s apostle (Mt. 10:1-4). BTW, Peter was called “Satan” in Mt. 16:23. That doesn’t mean he was never saved! The same can be said for Judas even though he was called a “devil” at one point. If you have “The Believer's Conditional Security” more related information is especially covered on pp. 279-286.
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(Bible Question) Hello, Thank you for the online church. It's been helpful in my walk with Christ. First, I would like to share my joy with you that it's been a year since Jesus redeemed me from homosexuality, it has been the best year of my life. Walking with Christ is really something that is beyond any experience. No amount of porns or sex or money can replace what Christ can give us, should we abide in Him. Still, one must strive to enter the narrow gate but only with His help. Second, I would like to ask the condition of spiritual death of a believer. What would be the indications? If we have become spiritually dead, how do we know? Is it only when we are back to our old lifestyle? Or there is no knowing since we are spiritually dead? Basically, I am asking how do we know we have lost our salvation? If you have already a page about this on your site, please direct me as I can't find it my own. Thank you. God bless you.
(Bible Answer) Greetings in Jesus’ name.... It is great to read about your joy in the Lord, new life in Christ and deliverance from sin. Nothing in this world or that the devil can offer can compare with having God and his great salvation. It is an indescribable gift (2 Cor. 9:15).
Your question is like asking how would a person know if he drank deadly poison or fell off a high cliff? If a person dies spiritually he has succumbed to certain sinful temptations which can bring about spiritual death. If you are walking in obedience you have nothing to be justly concerned about. Don’t let the devil torture your mind. Feed off of the Bible. NOTE: one good way to know where you are now with God is related with your view of Scripture. What is it NOW? God bless you.
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(Comment) I just read your teaching on America Repent, and how true this all is. Everyone needs to read this (if they only would). I agree that America is under Gods judgement. The only thing I wonder is if it is already too late! I hope not, but this is the kind of teaching our churches need to be teaching, instead of God loves everybody regardless of the life they are leading. Thank you and God bless you.
(Bible Answer) We wonder too if it is too late for America, but when we ponder the end times and the rise of the antichrist and the apostasy, which must precede that, we definitely do believe the whole world (including America) will continue to regress to the point described here:
Men worshiped the dragon [Satan] because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast [antichrist] and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?" (Rev 13:4)
Revelation 13 is one of the most stirring chapters in the whole Bible. Ponder it and be stirred. It is factual and detailed news before it happens. We must not, under any circumstances, take the mark of the beast. We must be prepared to die for the truth. GOD BLESS YOU. 1 Cor. 2:9.
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(Bible Question) I just read a couple of your articles regarding David Wilkerson and I have a question that has plagued me for years. I became a Christian at the age of 31 (and am now __) and at that time bought and began to read the Bible for the first time in my life. I have NEVER seen the “once saved” doctrine in either the Old OR New Testament. Because I was brought up in the Episcopal church, I did not have to “unlearn wrong teachings,” because we were not taught anything about the Bible nor did we study it. Therefore, my heart and mind were clean slates on which the Lord wrote His Word. In other words, I just believed what I read.
The Lord has brought me out of many sin, some habitual from the age of 11 and has healed me of an incurable disease that I had for 5 yrs. However, one sin remains .....a “besetting” sin, if you will and that is the sin of gluttony. I am 100 lbs. overweight and in the past 25 years have tried everything to be free from this sin. I have repented and cried out to the Lord for help, fasted, prayed, gone to the doctor, tried every diet out there, exercised, all to no avail.
My question for you is this: Am I a believer? If I die before being freed from this sin, will I go to hell? The Word says that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. That if any man says he has no sin, he is a liar and the truth is not in him (thereby making him a son of the devil). Paul said, “I buffet my body and make it my slave.” How many times I have tried this!!! God is holy and tells us to be holy. He would not tell us to be so if it were not possible....
And yet, I commit the sin of gluttony. There are days, weeks and months that I do not. During these periods, I feel so free and close to the Lord. If I die during these times, will I go to heaven? There are days, weeks and months that I binge and eat whatever, whenever and however much I want, driven to do so. During that time, I hate myself and walk in a love/hate relationship with this sin. I love the pleasure, but hate what it does to me, as the Word says that “your sin has made a separation between you and your God,” and I gain back all the weight I struggled so hard to lose.
My body looks exactly like my mother’s did at this age and her mother before her. I have asked forgiveness and taken authority over the generational curses and strongholds of satan. I have cried and grieved all these years because of gluttony. I have even told the Lord that I don’t care if I ever lose one pound, if I could only be free from the torment of obsessive thoughts and being consumed with lust for food.
So, according to your understanding and teachings of God’s Word, am I going to hell? Am I not even a “true Christian”? Is it possible to be set free from this sin of gluttony? Is it possible to be a glutton and still be a believer who loves the Lord? I long to turn to the Holy Spirit for comfort instead of food. This is my heart’s true desire. Do I love food more than God? What a disgusting thought! It is in Him that I live and move and have my being. He is my Husband, my Father, my glory and the One who lifts my head. My questions to you are serious and sincere.
(Bible Answer) Greetings in Jesus’ name. It is great to know you are out of the Episcopal church and you are aware that once saved always saved is not Biblical. You are also right about knowing that having a clean slate about Bible doctrine and knowing nothing from the Bible can actually be better, in some cases, than believing many false doctrines allegedly found in the Bible that need to be unlearned. We also rejoice with you that God has healed you of an incurable disease. Thank you Jesus. We too know about his miraculous healing power, which is real and here for us in our day.
You mentioned gluttony. That reminds me of some of the many emails we have received over the years regarding pornography. They seem similar to gluttony. Both seem to involve a controlling and dominating force with lust. Your case also seems to have a similarity to alcoholism in that after a time you go on a food eating spree, as an alcoholic goes on a drinking binge. The GOOD NEWS is you can and will be set free, just as the sex addict or the alcoholic, if you act on God’s word. There is a liberating power in God’s word when we act on its holy message.
You asked if you are now on the road to hell. Other sins are clearly cited as being soul-damning sins which will exclude anyone from God’s kingdom (Eph. 5:5-7; Rev. 21:8; 1 Cor. 6:9,10; Gal. 5:19-23; etc.). Gluttons are not listed as are the drunkards, sexually immoral, etc. However, if we are controlled by any ungodly lust, even for food, that has to be serious, showing drastic measures, if necessary, need to be done. Please ponder the following verses:
But I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. (1 Cor. 9:27, NASB)
For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, (Rom 8:13)
Paul made his own body his slave so that he himself would not go to hell. He further taught those who were born again about the possibility of spiritual death and how vital it was for them to put to death the misdeeds of the body by the Spirit to stay alive spiritually. So how do you crucify the flesh? A Christian must keep the sinful nature dead or it will kill him spiritually.
Two other teachings might help too. They are about living holy and important basic truth for new converts. Please write back in several weeks and let us know how you are doing. Ponder Rom. 6:22. GOD BLESS YOU. Heb. 3:14.
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(Bible Question) Besides not repenting and blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is there anything else that will guarantee you go straight to hell? Under what conditions can you be saved? Can you be saved at anytime? Any place? Regardless of what you’ve done in your life (besides blasphemy) can you be saved if you truly what to be?
(Bible Answer) Greetings in Jesus’ name. Taking the mark of the beast will result in damnation. That sin too seems unforgiveable even with repentance. One can be saved IF he/she is sincere, humble and repentant when he asks God for mercy and forgiveness and places his faith/trust in JESUS for salvation. The repentant thief got saved as he hung from a cross (Lk. 23:42,43), Cornelius got saved in his house (Acts 10:1-43), the Ethiopian eunuch got saved in his chariot (Acts 8:35,36), Paul got saved on a road (Acts 9:5), the tax collector got saved in the temple (Lk. 18:9-14), etc. God can and will save any person who turns from his sins and places an obedient faith in JESUS.
If by chance you think you have sinned too much to get saved, read about Manasseh (2 Chron. 33). Very few in our day even come close to his wickedness, yet he got saved. The Prodigal got saved AGAIN after MUCH WICKED LIVING (Luke 15:11-32. See also James 5:19,20.) GOD BLESS YOU.
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(Comment) I received your book in the mail, The believers conditional security. I read a good portion of it, I had studied augustine, and calvin and others, I also found the same information you found. My question is why you have neglected to study where the niv version came from, If we are going to get the truth from God\’s word, we don’t want to quote from a perverted text. If the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do? psalm 11 says. I am shocked at the size and work that was put in the writing of this book, and yet you consistently quote from a version that queers and lesbians and unsaved people admit they had a part of its translation. The word of God is the sword of the Spirit. How can the Holy Spirit lead us in all truth with a perverted text? For the true believer he believes his God cannot lie Titus 1, its impossible for him to lie Heb 6:18, And yet you choose to study from a corrupt bible. Are you more interested in debating eternal security and quote from a perverted bible? Have you studied the history of the niv and the other perversions and have turned your eyes from the truth? This is not a attack on you because I disagree with your teaching on eternal security, one thing is for sure, the Holy Spirit cannot lead us in all truth with a corrupt bible. If you have the Spirit of God, you certainly wont call a bible translated from the catholic manuscripts, and translated again by these kind of peole the Word Of God. Shame on you, rightfully yes exposing the catholic church and teaching, and then promoting their corrupt text. I am willing to help you in understanding salvation, but we have to start with the truth first. The kjb is the word of God in English today, The niv bible is the enemy of the kjv and you know it is. God help us in these last days!
(Bible Answer) Greetings in Jesus’ name. You are the typical misinformed KJV onlyite with a double standard. You want to condemn all non-KJV translations yet close your eyes to the Catholic influence on the TR and the DRUNK that was never removed from the translating committee of the 1611 KJV. You have only been fed garbage and misinformation yet you think you are informed. You are quick to argue for a translation YOU can not understand, yet probably say very little to contend for the faith against the grace changers who turn grace into a license for immorality [Jude 3,4].
Can you explain how any godly group with no Catholic influence (as you have been taught) could have the apocrypha in their 1611 [KJV] translation? WHY was it afterwards removed? THINK! WHY did the 1611 translators say readers of the 1611 should also read other translations? WHY are you NOT reading the 1611 today? Please answer these questions PLUS this one: Did you know the man who formulated the Textus Receptus was a Catholic priest, who never left Catholicism? He dedicated the first edition of the TR to the Pope. The same man also stated he wanted salvation, but not without Mary! I would like to read your answers. Surely you have answers, don’t you? Surely you were aware of these facts, weren’t you? Surely, the people who brainwashed you and fed lies and half-truths told you about these, didn’t they?
The bottom line is: YOU can NOT understand the KJV and you want others to read the same translation to their own HARM. That is the bottom line. STOP this nonsense and battle the HERESY of eternal security before more souls go to hell. GOD BLESS YOU.
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(Comment) I was wondering about spousal abuse. Some fundamentalists will often claim that abuse is due to disobedience on the wife\’s part. To me, this is very flawed and chauvinistic thinking. Most of the time, spousal abuse happens because the husband is a total jerk. I’d like to know your opinion on the issue. Sincerely,
(Bible Answer) Greetings in Jesus’ name. This whole issue of “spouse abuse” is recent and unscriptural. Do NOT be deceived by it. There are multitudes in adultery at this moment because they married a person who can’t be married or because they themselves can’t be married without being in adultery. The Calvinists make light of this oftentimes because they themselves have been married and divorced plural times or think it doesn’t really matter because of eternal security.
We are now in a deep, dark apostate time. The vast majority of the so-called churches are filled with sin and false doctrine. Almost no churches are speaking out on illegitimate marriages because the congregations are filled with such people. Hence, some single Christians are getting married and entering an adulterous relationship and not a real marriage in God’s eyes because one party is still married to another person. That form of adultery, though often denied, is rampant. It is a perilous day. GOD BLESS YOU.
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(Comment) You apparently are new to scriptures and have very little understanding of GOD\’s plan for salvation. First of all it is possible and most probable that a christian at some point will sin (YES EVEN AFTER ACCEPTING JESUS CHRIST) Moses sinned, King David sinned, Peter sinned and even Paul sinned as quoted in Romans 3:23 states. all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, Hebrews 25: 8 says that Jesus died once for all our sins, and always intercedes for us. It was God who reached out to save me,by giving me the gift of His Son, Please read the entire Chapter of John 17. you may come to understand the grace of God. not cheap grace like you are protraying, It cost God His only Son. I accepted Christ years ago, but there are times that I dont always seek or do the Fathers will. does that mean IAM LOST! it confirms that I still live in this world and need to go to my heavenly Father on a daily basis maintain my relationship with Him. Jesus Himself said in John chapter 17, that He as not lost one of the sheep the Father had given Him. Anyone who continues to deliberately sin has never accepted Jesus Christ as his or her Savior. Also I have listened to Jack Van Impe many times, and the accucations you are bringing against him are FALSE! repent and ask God to forgive you for speaking against one of his TRUE messenger.
(Bible Answer) Greetings in Jesus’ name. I have read the passages you referred to many times over the past 30 years. There is nothing there that can support the idea that you or any person can retain salvation in adultery, drunkenness, theft, swindling, witchcraft, murder, etc., which is really the HEART of the once saved always saved doctrine.
Jack Van Impe is no better or worse than any other eternal security teacher. They all teach a license for immorality under their dangerous version of grace. We have NO DOUBT there are millions on the road to hell at this moment thinking they are on the road to heaven because of this doctrine. This teaching is the devil’s masterpiece. That is why we sometimes refer to it as THE HERESY.
We believe that we are saved by grace (Eph. 2:8,9) but we can fall from grace (Gal. 5:2-4). We are justified by faith (Rom. 5:1) but our faith can become shipwrecked (1 Tim. 1:19,20) and cease to exist (Lk. 8:13; Rom. 11:19-23). We are not under the law (Rom. 6:14,15) but if you live according to the sinful nature you will die (Rom. 8:13). Paul taught against legalism (Gal. 5:3,4) but he also taught that no immoral, impure or greedy person has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God (Eph. 5:5-7). We are not saved by works (Eph. 2:8,9) but to reap eternal life and not destruction you must sow to please the Spirit and not the sinful nature (Gal. 6:8,9). God is faithful to us (1 Jn. 1:9; 1 Cor. 10:13) but we must be faithful to him to the very end of our lives to escape the lake of fire or second death (Rev. 2:10,11). God surely loves us (Jn. 3:16; Mk. 10:21; Rom. 8:35-39) but those who inherit the kingdom of God love God (Jam 2:5; 1 Cor. 2:9) and to love God means to obey his commands (Jn. 14:15; 1 Jn. 5:3). We have freedom in Christ (Gal. 5:1) but this freedom is not to indulge the sinful nature (Gal. 5:13; 1 Pet 2:16).
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(Comment) God Bless you too…How do you know that I [a Catholic] am wrong and you are right? I have my faith and you have yours. I don’t have any need to change. You say that reading the New Testament is what caused you to learn the truth of God and find salvation? Well, guess what? The Bible was written two thousand years ago…How exactly do you know that everything in the New Testament is 100% true? It was written by many different authors in a different language so how do you know that everything is accurate? I personally believe that the Bible contains much symbolism and that everything cannot be taken literally…
What if I don’t change? Are you telling me that I’m going to go to Hell because I’m a Catholic and not the right ‘type’ of Christian? You should not judge people. God is the one and only judge so I think that you should leave it up to him…Also, what exactly does this mean:
"According to true grace teaching, eternal life is also a hope (Titus 3:7), yet to be reaped (Gal. 6:8,9), in the age to come (Mk. 10:30) for only those who persist in doing good (Rom. 2:7), and do not grow weary and give up (Gal. 6:9)."
What is true grace teaching? It looks to me like you’ve pieced together a bunch of different bible versus to make up a sentence of your choosing. Why would you need to change how the Bible is written? Didn’t you say the Bible caused you to learn the truth? Perhaps you have your own agenda…Regards,
(Bible Answer) Greetings in Jesus’ name. You are wrong because the Bible does NOT teach what you were told to believe, but rather refutes Catholicism.
We are very aware that the New Testament was written 2,000 years ago and the OT before that! Because it is old doesn’t mean it is inaccurate or irrelevant. The Lord Jesus quoted the Scriptures on numerous occasions and used them to endorse his own behavior. He also promised the New Testament. Hence, by his authority we can be sure the NT is the word of God.
There is another way we know it is God’s truth, that is, because it works. The word of God, when acted upon, will set one free from his sin addictions. A repentant person will be changed into a “new creation.” This is what the Bible promises.
Finally, we know the Bible is true because of fulfilled prophecy. It is mathematically impossible for the Bible not to be of divine inspiration. These are the three ways I KNOW the Bible is true.
According to that precious truth of God, Catholicism is wrong. Catholics have a plan of salvation, which is not Biblically accurate. All people who are not Biblically saved when they die will be lost forever.
You asked about eternal life. It is much more than most think. It is as stated there to be: a hope, yet to be reaped, in the age to come, etc. Most protestant Bible believers don’t know that because of the false teaching of once saved always saved. They are deceived too.
Grace [in part] is how people become saved. That occurs at the point of repentance and a submissive faith in the Lord Jesus. You do not get grace from Mary or through the sacraments, as you have been told. Please please for your own SOUL’S sake, read the New Testament and change accordingly. This is VITAL. Please consider signing up for our weekly internet church. GOD BLESS YOU.
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(Comment) Re your critique of David Wilkerson, Dr. Stanley, How do you handle the scripture that says, Matt 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ 24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: 25 and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:
It would seem to me that both Wilkerson and Stanley would say that these individuals never were saved! They gave mental assent, but that’s all. (The devil believes and trembles.)
(Bible Answer) Greetings in Jesus’ name. We understand Mt. 7:21-23 to refer to people who were NEVER saved. Other passages, however, show different people were saved and later lost their salvation. Just from 1 Timothy alone we have multiple examples.
Mt. 7:24-27 seem clear: One MUST put into practice God’s word to be that “wise” builder. Just hearing the word means nothing. We must obey what it says.
Charles Stanley is obsessed with teaching the HERESY of once saved always saved. David Wilkerson stood opposed to the HERESY decades ago, but since then got deceived by Calvinism. Both of these men are seriously wrong. We are in a very dark day.
Please consider getting our 801 page book refuting eternal security entitled, “The Believer’s Conditional Security.” There is MUCH in it that can help you better understand this salvation related subject. This book is the most exhaustive and comprehensive refutation to eternal security ever written. GOD BLESS YOU. Heb. 3:14.
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