Below are brief descriptions giving where
and when each of the denominations listed began and who started them. Also given are some of their basic beliefs
especially what they falsely teach and practice that one must do to be saved. Anything that is different from what the
Bible teaches is false doctrine. Denominational
creeds are accepted over the Bible. Satan
has many false doctrines which are designed to cause people to be eternally lost. Satan uses people to teach his false
doctrines. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 says,
“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into
apostles of Christ. And no wonder; for
Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his
ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness.” Also at the bottom of this page is a list of
these false doctrines with the Bible’s answer to each one. I do not know of any denominational group which
teaches with scriptural accuracy the biblical doctrine of salvation.
Assembly of God
In 1914 in Hot Springs, Arkansas
several Pentecostal type of churches combined into the General Council of the
Assemblies of God. They chose Springfield, Missouri
as their headquarters. They believe that one is saved by “faith
only” when one accepts Christ as his Saviour and receives the Holy Spirit. They say one is saved and cleansed from sin
when he is baptized with the Holy Spirit, which is evidenced by speaking in
tongues. After one is saved they say
that he should be baptized in water as a public expression of his faith. They, like the majority of denominational
churches, say one is saved and his sins forgiven before he is baptized in water.
They look for the premillenial 1000 year
reign of Christ here on the earth. They
also claim to do “divine healing”. They
do believe that one can fall from God’s grace and be lost.
Baptist
John Smyth is generally considered to be
the founder of the Baptist Church in Holland
in 1608. Most Baptists teach that “one must accept
Jesus as your personal Saviour” and say “the sinner’s prayer” in order to be
saved and have your sins forgiven. They
say that baptism is not essential to salvation and not essential for the
forgiveness of sins. They claim that
they are saved and their sins are forgiven before and without baptism. But where in the Bible is any of this
found? It is not there because men, with
the help of Satan, have come up with these false ideas. But what does the Bible say? Jesus says in Mark 16:16, “He that believes
and is baptized shall be saved”. In Acts
2:38 we read, “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus
Christ for the remission of sins”. And
in Acts 22:16 one was told, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your
sins, calling on the name of the Lord”.
The Baptists say one is saved by “faith
only”. But what does the Bible say about
faith only? James 2:24, 26 says, “You
see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only…For as the
body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” Before one is baptized he is asked to confess
that he believes that God has already pardoned his sins. The purpose of Baptist baptism is for joining
the Baptist Church.
Since Baptist baptism is not done for the purpose of forgiveness of
one’s sins and to be saved, then with Baptist baptism one’s sins are not
forgiven and one is not saved. Such a
one still has every sin he has ever committed and is still lost.
They say that after one is saved it is
impossible for one to be eternally lost.
This is the false doctrine of “once saved, always saved”. They say that you cannot fall from God’s
grace and be eternally lost. In
Galatians 5:4 KJV, the Bible says, “You have become estranged from Christ, you
who attempt to be justified by the law; you have fallen from grace”. 1 Corinthians 10:12 says, “Therefore let him
who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”
Catholic
The Catholic Church came into being by men departing from
the truth of God’s word in the Bible.
The changes occurred in the organization, worship, name, and what God
required for one to be saved. In 606 AD
Boniface III was the first to assume the title of universal bishop or
pope. It was not until 1870 AD that the
Vatican Council proclaimed the pope infallible in all his decisions pertaining
to the Catholic Church. But Jesus says,
“And in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men”
(Mark 7:7). Anything man says that does
not come from the Bible is false doctrine and is vain which will cause one to
lose his soul in eternity.
One of the
doctrines and commandments of men of the Catholic Church is the false doctrine
of the “original sin” which they say newborn infants inherit from Adam. But the Bible says, “The soul who sins shall
die. The son shall not bear the guilt of
the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be
upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself” (Ezekiel
18:20). We do not inherit sin, we commit
sin. 1 John 3:4 says, “sin is the
transgression of the law”. Infants do
not commit sin. In order to get rid of
the “original sin” in infants they sprinkle or pour water on them and call it
baptism. Infants do not have any sin and
are not candidates for baptism because they cannot believe. In Acts 8:36-37 a question is asked and the
answer given, “See here is water, what hinders me from being baptized? Then
Philip said, If you believe with all your heart you may”. An infant cannot believe and he does not have
any sin that needs to be washed away.
And not only that, sprinkling or pouring is not legitimate baptism. The original Greek word used in the Bible is
BAPTIZO, which only means to immerse.
BAPTIZO does not mean to sprinkle or pour. One who has been sprinkled or poured has not
been baptized and still has every sin he has ever committed and is still
lost. When a person who was sprinkled as
an infant becomes accountable and begins to sin, he thinks he does not need to
“repent and be baptized for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Since he does not obey the Lord’s command to
repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of his sins, he still has every sin
he has ever committed and is still lost.
Satan has many ways of causing people to be eternally lost.
The Council of
Trent and the Lateran Council of 1215 AD gave the priests the power to forgive
sins, but only God can forgive sin.
There are many other false doctrines and commandments of men held by the
Catholic Church.
Christian Scientist
Christian
Scientist also known as “Church of Christ, Scientist” was founded by Mary Baker
Eddy in 1879 in Boston, Massachusetts, which became the mother
church. She made miraculous healing the
central point of her religion. They do
not baptize or partake of the Lord’s Supper.
They refer to God as “Father-Mother”, rather than “Father”. The writings of Mary Baker Eddy still govern
her church to this day.
Church of God
The
Church of God is headquartered at Cleveland, Tennessee. It traces its
roots to a crude meeting house on the Tennessee-North Carolina border in
1886. They believe that eternal salvation is obtained by "faith
only" where one accepts Jesus as their personal Saviour and says the
"sinner's prayer". They also say that the baptism of the Holy
Ghost is to cleanse the heart and that the speaking in tongues is initial
evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost. After one is "saved"
they baptize the individual in water. Even though they are generally good
moral people, one cannot go to heaven by practicing their false doctrine.
They believe in miraculous healing and practice foot washing. They also
believe in the false 1000 year premillenial reign of Christ here on the
earth.
Church
of God in Christ
The Church of God in Christ was founded in
1897 by C. H. Mason. He claims the name "Church of God in
Christ" was revealed to him by God while walking along a certain street in
Little Rock, Arkansas. This denomination has its headquarters in Memphis,
Tennessee. They say that baptism "is an outward demonstration that
one has already had a conversion experience and has accepted Christ as his
personal Savior". They believe that following conversion one is
baptized with the Holy Ghost which is evident by the speaking in tongues, and
that one cannot be saved without the baptism of the Holy Ghost. They
believe in and claim to practice "divine healing".
Episcopal Church
The Episcopal
Church originated from the Anglican Church of England. Instead of being called the Anglican Church
of America and because of the Revolutionary War, it is called the Episcopal
Church. Some of their doctrine is
similar to Catholicism and some is similar to Methodism.
They believe that
one is saved by “faith only”. In their
creed book, the Book of Common Prayer, they say, “Wherefore that we are
justified by Faith only is a most wholesome Doctrine and very full of comfort”
(No XI). Their creed book also states,
“The Baptism of young children is in any wise to be retained” (No XXVII). They say infants are born in sin inherited
from their parents. Pouring is their
usual form of “baptism”. When the child,
who was baptized as an infant, grows of age, he is confirmed.
Jehovah’s Witnesses
The Jehovah’s
Witnesses denomination was founded by Charles Russell in 1872, although the
name Jehovah’s Witnesses was not selected until October 1931. In their publication entitled, “Let God Be
True” they say, “What then does Christian baptism signify? It is not a washing away of one’s sins,
because cleansing of sin comes only through faith in Jesus Christ” (page
183-184). Also in their publication,
“Make Sure Of All Things” they say, “Repentance must precede, but Sins not
Washed Away by Baptism” (page 30). They,
along with the majority of the denominational world, say that one’s sins are
not washed away and that one is not saved in baptism. Even though they baptize, but not for the
remission of sins (Acts 2:38) and for one to be saved (Mark 16:16), then the
person they baptize still has every sin he has committed and is still lost.
They also state
in “Make Sure Of All Things”, “The earthly globe will remain forever, will
never be burned up or desolated, but will be restored to paradisaic conditions
(page 108). But God’s word says, “But
the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens
will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent
heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 peter
3:10). “Let God be true and every man a
liar” (Romans 3:4).
Lutheran Church
The Lutheran Church was established by Martin Luther
during the 1500’s. Lutherans endorse a
number of creeds including the following: Nicene Creed, Apostles Creed,
Athanasian Creed, Augsburg Confession, and Luther’s Catechism, which were all
written by men. Luther originated the
doctrine of salvation by “faith only”, which the Lutheran Church
and the majority of the denominational world follow. They teach that baptism is not essential to
salvation. The false doctrine of “faith only” is
condemned by the Bible in James 2:24, 26.
Lutherans teach
that an infant inherits the “original sin” of Adam. But this contradicts what the Bible says in Ezekiel
18:20. There is a contradiction in their
own doctrine since they teach that infants should be “baptized”. To justify their doctrine of “faith only”
they say that infants are aided by the faith of others who bring them to
baptism. They teach that baptism can be
sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. But
the Bible says immersion is the only form of baptism. They teach that one should confess his sins
to the pastor and will receive forgiveness from the pastor as from God Himself.
Mennonite
In 1536 Menno
Simons led a movement in Europe, which became
known as Mennonites. Because of
persecution a number of Mennonite families settled in America. There was a split in the Mennonite Church
in 1693 with the new group being known as Amish which was named after Joseph
Amman and the old group maintaining the Mennonite name.
In the Mennonite
General Conference in August 26, 1955 it was adopted “Although baptism is a
most meaningful symbol and the rite for admission to the church and although it
is based upon solemn vows, yet it is not an end in itself, nor is salvation
dependent upon it."
The Mennonites do not
believe that baptism is essential to salvation, but Jesus says, “He that
believes and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). Usually they pour for baptism and they
observe communion twice a year.
Methodist
John Wesley did
not found the Methodist
Church, but he laid the
foundation for it. They are governed by the
Methodist Book Of Discipline. They teach that baptism is not essential to
salvation. Their Discipline,
Article 9 says, “Justification of faith only is a most wholesome doctrine and
very full of comfort”. But this
contradicts what the Bible says in James 2:24, 26. Their “baptism” is usually sprinkling, but
this contradicts what the Bible says in John 3:23, Acts 8:38-39, Romans 6:4. They baptize (sprinkle) infants but this
contradicts what the Bible says in Mark 16:16, Acts 8:36-37 since infants
cannot believe. Only after 6 months probation is one admitted to full
membership of the Methodist Church (Article 49). They are also governed by
the Methodist General Conference which meets every 4 years to determine what
they are to believe.
Mormonism
Mormonism, also
known as Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was organized by Joseph
Smith in 1830 in New York. They say that the Bible is not all of the word of
God. The three books written by Joseph Smith,
”Pearl of Great Price”, “Doctrine and Covenants”, and the “Book of Mormon”
falsely claim to also be the word of God.
Joseph Smith’s Book of Mormon was first published in 1830. It contained many, many grammatical errors,
language blunders, absurdities, and contradictions. Since the 1830 edition, the Book of Mormon
has had more than 3,000 corrections made to it.
A Mormon apostle, Orson Pratt, wrote that, “The nature of the Book of
Mormon is such that, if true, no one can possibly be saved and reject it; if
false, no one can possibly be saved and receive it”. The Book of Mormon says that a man is a fool
who says the Bible is sufficient and that it contains all of God’s revealed
truth (2 Nephi 29:2-12). But the Bible
says, “But even if we or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you
than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).
The Book of
Mormon in Alma 7:10 says that Jesus was born in Jerusalem, but the Bible says Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Matthew
2:1). The Book of Mormon in Alma
46:13-14 says the disciples were called Christians first in 73 BC, but the
Bible says in Acts 11:26, “And the disciples were first called Christians in
Antioch” which was in about 40 AD, a difference of more than 110 years. The Book of Mormon (Halaman 14:20) says that
there was darkness over the land for three days after Jesus’ death, but the
Bible says “about the sixth hour there was darkness over all the earth until
the ninth hour” (Luke 23:44) which is three hours while Jesus was still hanging
on the cross, not three days as the Book of Mormon falsely says.
Mormonism falsely
teaches that here are many gods, but the Bible says there is, “one God and
Father of all” (Ephesians 4:6). They
teach that God the Father has a body of flesh and bones, but the Bible says
“God is Spirit” (John 4:24). Although
they baptize for the forgiveness of sins, they teach that saints can be
baptized for those who have already died.
They also falsely teach that “there were several holy women that greatly
loved Jesus…if all the acts were written, we, no doubt should learn that these
beloved women were His wives” (The Seer, Vol. 1, p. 158-159). Pointing out all the errors of Mormonism
would fill a book.
Nazarene
The Nazarene Church
was established in 1895 by Phineas Breesee in Los Angles, California.
Their doctrine comes from the Nazarene Manual and is similar to the
creed of the Methodist
Church. They say one is saved and his sins are
forgiven when one has repentance toward God and faith toward the Lord Jesus
Christ. In other words they say one is
saved when his faith is preceded by repentance.
In believing that God has already forgiven your sins and saved you, they
say you can then be baptized. They say
that baptism can be administered by sprinkling, pouring, or immersion. Young children can be baptized upon the request
of their parents.
Presbyterian Church
The Presbyterian
Church began in Scotland
in 1560 under the leadership of John Knox.
The Presbyterian Church gets its name from the Greek word “presbuteros” which means “elder”. They were governed by the Westminister
Confession of Faith which was revised in 1967.
John Calvin did not begin the Presbyterian Church, but he laid the
foundation for much of its doctrine.
Many of the Presbyterian beliefs came from Calvin. John Calvin is the founder of the doctrine
called Calvinism as is represented in the word TULIP. Calvin’s doctrine can be summed up in five
points: 1) Total Depravity, 2) Unconditional Election, 3) Limited Atonement, 4)
Irresistible Grace, and 5) Perseverance of the Saints.
From Calvinism
they believe that God has predestined and foreordained from the beginning of
the world those individual people who are to be saved and those to be lost. Because God has already selected the
individual people who are to be saved they believe the Holy Spirit acts
directly upon the heart of the individual to persuade him to obey the
gospel. They do not believe that baptism is
necessary for salvation. They believe in salvation by
“faith only” and that one cannot fall from God’s grace and be lost. Their baptismal mode is usually sprinkling or
pouring. They practice infant baptism.
They have women preachers.
Quakers
Quakers also
known as Religious Society of Friends or as Friends had their beginning in England
in 1652 by their founder George Fox.
They got the name Quaker because George Fox told them to tremble at the
word of the Lord. Quakers believe in
continuing revelation. They believe one
is saved by repentance which comes as a result of a personal faith in Jesus. They, along with the majority of the
denominational world, believe in Satan’s doctrine of salvation by “faith
only”. They consider Holy Spirit baptism
essential. They do not baptize nor
partake of the Lord’s Supper.
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army was established by William Booth in England
in 1878. The Salvation Army does not
baptize and does not partake of the Lord’s Supper. They say that repentance is the first
condition of salvation and that faith is the second and final condition of
salvation. They say that baptism and the
Lord’s Supper are neither necessary to salvation nor essential to spiritual
progress. This is more of the vain
doctrines and commandments of men (Mark 7:7).
They along with the majority of denominational churches believe the
false doctrine of salvation by “faith only”.
Seventh Day Adventist
The Seventh Day
Adventist movement was started by William Miller who won over 50,000 converts
by his claiming that Jesus was going to return to this earth on October 21,
1843. When this prophesy failed, Miller
declared he had miscalculated and he then reset the date to October 21, 1844
which also passed without incident, so most of his followers disbanded to form
new groups of their own. One of these
groups formed the Seventh
Day Adventist
Church which name was
decided on in 1860. Much of the Seventh
Day Adventist doctrine comes from Ellen G. White and her prophetic
utterances. They worship on the seventh
day of the week and believe that Jesus will come soon and establish His earthly
kingdom and rule in Jerusalem
1,000 years.
They teach that
salvation is by “faith only”. Their
Seventh Day Adventist “Questions on Doctrine” (p 102) says, “that which saves
is grace alone, through faith in the living Christ”. And this document also says, ”When we accept
Him we are justified” (p 387). But the
Bible says, “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith
only” (James 2:24).
United Pentecostal Church
The
beginning of the United Pentecostal Church, as another human institution, goes
back to 1914. The Foreword of the UPC Manual states, "In the year 1914 came
the revelation on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ". Here they invented
the false doctrine of "Jesus only" or "Oneness holiness", in
which they say that Jesus is the only member of the Godhead. They say there is
no God the Father and no Holy Spirit, but only Jesus. The four prominent
denominations that believe in the oneness position are: United Pentecostal
Church, Apostolic Church, Church of the Firstborn, and Pentecostal Assemblies of
Jesus Christ.
The UPC Manual (page 41) promises a penalty to one
"who speaks or writes in opposition to any Articles of Faith", that
are contained in the UPC Manual. In order to be saved, the United Pentecostal
Church teaches that people are to be baptized both in water in the name of Jesus
only and baptized in the Holy Spirit. One’s salvation is complete only after
he has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the initial sign of speaking
in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. They also claim sensational instant
miraculous divine healing.
Unitarian Universalist
The Unitarian Church
was formed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1825. Later in 1953 the Unitarian
Church merged with the Universalist Church since there was very little
difference in their liberal doctrines.
They also reject the Bible as the infallible exclusive word of God. They do not regard Jesus as the Son of God
who came to the earth to die for man’s salvation. They regard Jesus as one and perhaps the
greatest of the prophets to the human race but they revere Moses, Buddha,
Confucius, and Mohammed as the world’s other supreme religious leaders. They do not believe in the resurrection of
the body, a heaven, a hell, or any kind of eternal punishment. They do have ceremonies of dedication of
their children but they do not believe in the necessity of baptism for the
forgiveness of sin. To join their church
all you have to do is sign a card indicating your wishes to join. They believe that man evolved up from the
lower animals. In May 1963 they passed
an overwhelming resolution in support of abortion. They are a very, very liberal, denomination.
Answers To False
Denominational Beliefs
Baptism
of Infants
?
The Bible clearly states that we do not inherit sin as children.
In Ezekiel 18:20 we read, “The son shall not bear the iniquity of the
father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son.”
This verse tells us that we are not responsible for any of our
ancestors’ sins, even all the way back to Adam.
What is sin?
In 1 John 3:4 we read “For sin is the transgression of the law.
One has got to transgress God’s law before he can sin.
This is how the Bible defines sin.
Infants cannot transgress God’s law and thus have not sinned.
Infants are not
suitable candidates for baptism, since they cannot believe.
Our Lord says in Mark 16:16, "He who believes and is
baptized will be saved." Here
one of the prerequisites of being saved is to believe, which is impossible for
an infant to do. In Acts 8:36-37
the question was asked, "See here is water; what hinders me from being
baptized? And Philip said, if you
believe with all your heart you may." Here again we see the
condition that must be met before a person can be baptized is you must
“believe with all your heart”. Can
an infant do this? No. Also
one of the prerequisites of being baptized is one must repent.
The apostle Peter told a group of people to “Repent and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins”
(Acts 2:38). Can an infant repent?
It would be absurd to think an infant could believe or repent, but it
is just as absurd to think an innocent infant, who is without sin, must be
baptized for the forgiveness of sins, which he does not have. In Acts
8:12 we read, “But when they believed Philip as he preached the things
concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women
were baptized”. Notice it says
“men and women were baptized”, not children.
Satan has many
ways in fooling people into being lost. The lie that Satan tells here to
people who have become accountable is that since you were baptized as an
infant, you do not need to be baptized for the remission of your sins now that
you have become accountable and responsible. Satan knows that infant baptism
accomplishes nothing. He also knows, that when people who were baptized as an
infant become accountable, that at that time they are lost.
Many souls of those who follow Satan will be lost.
Satan has fooled people into baptizing their babies giving them a false
sense of security. Jesus says in
Mark 16:16, “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.”
Can We Fall From God’s Grace And Be
Lost?
Can a Christian fall from God’s grace and be
eternally lost? Let us see what
God has said about this in the Bible. Let’s
let the Bible answer this question.
1)
1
Corinthians 10:12 “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he
fall.” Why such a warning if it
is impossible to fall from grace?
2)
Galatians
5:4 “You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified
by law; you have fallen from grace.” Isn’t
it strange, that people who say they believe the Bible also say that we cannot
fall from grace, when the Bible so plainly says that we can fall from grace?
Who should we believe, man or God?
How much clearer could the Bible have said this?
3)
Romans
8:12-13 “Therefore, brethern, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live
according to the flesh. For if you
live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to
death the deeds of the body, you will live.”
Paul is talking to Christians and tells them if they live according to
the flesh you will die spiritually. In
other words you will be lost.
4)
James
5:19-20 “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone
turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his
way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins.”
The Bible here says that a believer can wander from the truth and be
lost. But also one who wanders
from the truth can be won back.
5)
1
Corinthians 9:27 “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection:
lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a
castaway.” Even the apostle Paul
knew it was possible for him to become a castaway and be lost even after he
had preached to others.
6)
2
Peter 2:20-22 “For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world
through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled in them and overcome, the later end is worse for them than the
beginning. For it would have been
better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known
it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.
But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: a dog
returns to his own vomit and a sow, having been washed, to her wallowing in
the mire.” Can one turn from the
way of righteousness after they have escaped the pollutions of the world?
The Bible says so. Will
this cause them to be lost? Yes. This
is a description of the pitiful state of one who turns away from God after
they have been saved. In other
words they have become lost after they were saved.
7)
1
Corinthians 8:11 “And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother
perish, for whom Christ died.” The
Bible says that a weak brother can perish.
8)
Revelations
2:10 “Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life.”
Eternal life is conditional on one remaining faithful.
What will happen if one does not remain faithful until death?
9)
1
Corinthians 15:2 “By which you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I
preached to you, unless you believed in vain.”
Will you be saved if you do not hold fast to the word of God?
One’s salvation is conditioned on “if you hold fast”.
10)
2 Peter 1:10 “Therefore brethren, be even more
diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you
will never stumble.” A
Christian’s election is not a sure thing or such a command would not have
been given in the Bible.
11)
Hebrews 3:12 “Beware, brethren, lest there be in
any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God.”
So the Bible says that a Christian can depart and leave God if he
develops an evil heart of unbelief.
12)
Luke 8:13 Jesus says “But the ones on the rock
are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no
root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.”
The Bible says that believers can fall away, but some men say
differently. Who are we going to
believe: men or God?
13)
1 Timothy 4:1 “Now the Spirit expressly says that
in later times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving
spirits and doctrines of demons.” The
Bible says we can depart from the faith. What
happens when we depart from the faith in God?
We are lost.
14)
1 Timothy 5:12 “Having condemnation because they
have cast off their first faith.” They
were once saved but are now condemned. Why
were they now condemned and lost? Because
they had cast off their first faith.
The false doctrine that a child of God cannot so sin as to fall from
grace and be eternally lost is a lie of Satan.
This false doctrine is also referred to as “once saved, always
saved” or “the impossibility of apostasy”.
This is one of the many lies Satan tells to cause many people to be
lost. Satan wants us to be
complacent and not be concerned about being lost.
When Satan accomplishes this he has the battle won with us.
Is
Baptism Sprinkling or Pouring?
Our word “baptize” is translated from the original Greek word “baptizo”,
which means to immerse. “Baptizo”
does not mean sprinkle or pour. If
our Lord had wanted people to be sprinkled or poured, he would have inspired
the New Testament writers to use the Greek word “rhantizo”, which means to
sprinkle or "katacheo" which means to pour.
But he didn’t, so “baptizo” was used, which can only mean to
immerse.
Let’s look in the Bible to see how people
were baptized. In John 3:23 we
read, “Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was
must water there.” Why was John
baptizing near Salim? “Because
there was much water there.” Scriptural
baptism, which is immersion, according to the Bible requires much water.
In Mark 1:5 we read, “Then all the
land
of
Judea
, and those from
Jerusalem
, went out to Him, and were all baptized by him in the
Jordan River
.” Why was John baptizing in the
river
of
Jordan
? Could it be “because there was
much water there?”
In Mark 1:9-10, we continue to read, “And it
came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was
baptized by John in the
Jordan
. And immediately, coming up out
of the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him
like a dove.” When Jesus was
baptized, he was baptized in the
Jordan River
. Why?
Again, because there is much water in a river which is required for
scriptural baptism, which is immersion. Also
notice that after Jesus was baptized, he came “up out of the water.”
So scriptural baptism not only requires much water, but it
also requires “coming up out of the water.”
This cannot be said of sprinkling or pouring.
Next we turn to Acts 8:36-39.
The evangelist, Philip, had been teaching the gospel or good news of
Christ to an Ethiopian eunuch while they were riding along in a chariot.
Then in verses 36-39 we read: “Now as they went down the road, they
came to some water. And the eunuch
said, See here is water, what hinders me from being baptized?
And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may.
And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God. So he commanded the chariot
to stand still. And both Philip
and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught
Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way
rejoicing.” Here we see that the
baptism that God authorized in the Bible requires the “coming to some
water”, “going down into the
water,” and after a person is immersed it requires “coming up out of the
water.” How much clearer could
the Bible be on the mode of baptism? Also
notice that after the eunuch was baptized, "he went on his way
rejoicing." Why?
Because he was now saved and all of his sins had been taken away.
This is certainly something to rejoice about.
Romans 6:4 says, “Therefore we were buried
with him by baptism into death.” Here
we see that baptism is a burial, which is what is done when one is immersed.
Sprinkling or pouring is not a burial; it is only sprinkling or
pouring. Colossians 2:12 says that
we are “buried with him in baptism, in which you also were raised with
Him.” Here again God requires
the one being baptized, to be buried and raised when he is baptized.
When we bury a dead person in the cemetery, we do not lay him out on
the grass and sprinkle or pour a little dirt on him.
No, that would be absurd, and it is just as absurd in trying to
substitute sprinkling or pouring for baptism.
Sprinkling or pouring for baptism is foreign to the scriptures.
God did not authorize it. There
is not one instance anywhere in the Bible where anyone was sprinkled or poured
for baptism.
But we then ask the question, where then did
sprinkling or pouring come from? The
first recorded case in all of early church history was that of Novatian in 251
AD, who lay sick on his bed and water was poured on him.
Who made this first exception, man or God?
Man did without the authorization of God.
God has not approved of it. Sprinkling
and pouring is just as vain as if it had never been done.
This man made exception over the centuries became the man made accepted
practice until at the Council of Ravenna in 1311 AD, man legalized sprinkling
for baptism, but without God’s authority.
Since sprinkling or pouring is without God’s authority, if you were
sprinkled or poured, then you have not been scripturally baptized, and you
still have every sin that you have ever committed and are still lost.
The person who insists on following this man
made teaching of sprinkling has refused to obey God. Sprinkling is without
God’s authority. There is no baptism in the absence of immersion. If you
were sprinkled or poured, then you have not been scripturally baptized. You
still have every sin that you have ever committed and are still lost. If you
refuse to admit that your sprinkling is wrong, you will go to your grave
refusing to do God's will. On the Day of Judgment you will be eternally
condemned to the fires of Hell. Such a tragedy.
Are We Saved By Faith Only?
Most denominations falsely teach that we are saved by “faith only”.
But what does the Bible say?
“But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is
dead” (James 2:20). One is
foolish and is fooling himself if he thinks he can please God with a dead
faith. Only an active living faith
will save. “You see then that a
man is justified by works, and not by faith only” (James 2:24).
This is the only place in the Bible that mentions “faith only” and
here it condemns it as a false doctrine. We
are only justified, which results in our being saved, by an active faith which
is demonstrated by our works and not by a dead faith of “faith only”.
Satan says we are justified and saved by “faith only”, but God says
we are not justified and saved by “faith only”.
God has not promised to save anyone who has a dead faith.
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works
is dead also” (James 2:26). A
dead faith will not do any good, but only cause one to be eternally lost.
Are people saved when they believe?
What does the Bible say? In
John 12:42-43 we read, “Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed on
Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should
be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the
praise of God.” Were these
people saved? They believed.
Then we also read in James 2:19, “You believe there is one God.
You do well, even the devils believe and tremble.”
Are the devils going to go to heaven because they believe and even
tremble? I think not. If this is
all that is required to be saved, then the devils are saved and will be in
heaven also.
We must do all of what God has commanded us.
Our Lord says in Matthew 28:20, “Teaching them to observe all things
that I have commanded you.” We
cannot pick and choose and take a verse out of context but we must take all of
what the Bible says. We cannot be
pleasing to God by dreaming up our own plan of how God is going to save us.
We must follow His plan and only His plan if we expect Him to save us.
Our salvation in heaven is too great to loose, because if we don’t go
to heaven we will spend forever and ever in a burning Hell.
Many people don’t really believe this, but they all will one day.
God is a loving God.
He loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son to die for us
(John 3:16). Why did Jesus have to
die? Because God is not only a
loving God but he is also just. Justice
demands punishment for the guilty. God has specified in the Bible how He will
erase anyone’s guilt. But we
must obey God’s instructions. Those
who continue to be guilty are those who have not obeyed what God has said.
At the end of time when Christ comes back 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 says
that He will come “In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know
God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence
of the Lord and from the glory of His power.”
God is not only a loving God but He will also take vengeance on those
who do not obey His will. Also we
read in Hebrews 10:30-31, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay says the Lord.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
We must do His will, not our will.
We read in Matthew 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.” We cannot go to heaven
by just calling Jesus, Lord, Lord. In
order to go to heaven we must do the will of God.
Those who have not done the will of the Father cannot go to heaven.
This may sound harsh, but eternal punishment will be harsh beyond
description.
Also we read in Hebrews 5:9 in speaking of
Christ, “He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.”
If a person has not obeyed the will of God as clearly stated in the
Bible, Christ is not the author of their eternal salvation and they are lost.
Baptism is connected with sinners. Most
denominational churches encourage people to be baptized BECAUSE they have
ALREADY been saved from sins. I cannot think of a more flagrant crime against
both God and Man than to teach lost sinners, who are wanting to be saved,
something different than what God says in the Bible.
To make an impression on them that they are already saved when God has
not promised it is grievously wrong. But
Ananias told Saul of Tarsus to "arise and be baptized, and wash away thy
sins, calling on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16). In Acts 2:37, it was
SINNERS, not Christians, who cried out, "Men and brethren, what shall we
do?" The apostle Peter answered in verse 38, "Repent and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." Baptism is for SINNERS because
it is for the forgiveness of their sins.
Many good people erroneously think they are
saved when they “accept Christ as their personal saviour” and say the
sinner’s prayer. But where do
you find these instructions in the Bible?
They are not there. This is
something man has dreamed up. Then
two or three weeks later they are baptized, but they are not baptized for the
purpose of the forgiveness of their sins and to be saved because they thought
their sins were forgiven and they were saved earlier.
In this case their sins were not forgiven and they were not saved
because their baptism was not for this purpose.
They still have every sin they have ever committed and are still lost.
Many good people in this situation are still lost because they have believed a
lie. As we read in 2 Thessalonians
2:11-12, “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they
should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the
truth.”
Jesus says in Mark 16:16, "He that
believes and is baptized shall be saved".
There is nothing hard to understand about this.
Until people do what Jesus says that one must do to be saved then they
are still lost. God has no non-essential commands.
When we fail to obey a command of God, we have just broken it.
We must obey God by doing what God says to do, when God says to do it,
how God says to do it, and for the reason God says to do it.
Nothing is more important than pleasing God by doing His will so that
we can go to Heaven.
We
are saved by the unmerited favor of God through our “obedience to the
faith” (Romans 16:26). There is
no way that anyone could ever be good enough to go to heaven, because “all
have sinned” (Romans 3:23). There
is no way we could earn or merit heaven, because heaven will be a gift of God
(Romans 6:23) for those who obey Him (Matthew 7:21). To have faith in God is
to believe, trust, and do all He says.
Jesus says, “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. 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?’
And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you
who practice lawlessness’”. Why?
Why will those be told to depart into Hell?
They had not done the will of the Father.
Just professing that we believe in Jesus is not enough.
Jesus says we must do “the will of My Father in heaven”, if we
expect to go to heaven. Our faith
must be an obedient faith by doing the will of God if it is to be a saving
faith; otherwise it is not a saving faith.
Faith without obedience is a dead and useless
faith, which will cause one to be lost. “By
faith Noah, being divinely warned…prepared an ark for the saving of his
household” (Hebrews 11:7). Noah
and his household were not saved by “faith only”, but by an active
obedient faith. If Noah had a
“faith only” faith he would have perished.
“Show me your faith without your works, and
I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18). When
one really believes God, he will do anything and everything God says and thus
has a living and saving faith. “You
believe that there is one God. You
do well. Even the demons believe
and tremble” (James 2:19). One
is no better than the demons with a “faith only” faith.
To those who claim to be “saved by faith
only” the Lord says, “But why do you call Me, Lord, Lord, and not do the
things which I say?” (Luke 6:46). Jesus
is “the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:9).
He has only promised to save those who obey Him; not those who say they
have faith and do not obey Him. The
only way we can show our faith in Christ is if we are willing to accept and
obey all of what He says. We are
only saved through faith when our faith has produced our obedience.
If we really have faith in Christ, then we will do anything and
everything He tells us, and only then will our faith save us.
At the end of time the Lord will come “in
flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who
do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:8).
Who are those who do not know God?
“He who says ‘I know Him’, and does not keep His commandments, is
a liar, and the truth is not in Him” (1 John 2:4). One
is only lying to himself and everyone else if he says he is saved and knows
God, but does not keep God’s commandments.
The lie of Satan says that there is nothing that we must do to qualify
for the salvation that God wants to give us, except to have a dead faith.
Those who do not know God and end up being lost are those who do not
obey God by keeping His commandments.
“But God be thanked that ye were the
servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which
was delivered you. Being then made
free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18
KJV). It is only when we have
obeyed God’s instructions from the heart that we are made free from sin and
become servants of righteousness; not before.
God’s word says, “you have purified your souls in obeying the
truth” (1 Peter 1:22). We do not
purify our souls with a dead faith of non-obedience.
It is absolutely necessary that we obey God in order to be saved.
Paul asks the question, “Who has bewitched
you that you should not obey the truth?” (Galatians 3:1).
Satan is the one who bewitches people into not obeying the truth of
God’s word so they can be saved. Those
who think they can obtain God’s blessing of salvation contrary to what God
tells us in His word are only fooling themselves.
We are saved only by an obedient faith.
If one chooses not to obey all the Lord says, he has chosen not to be
saved. If one claims to have
faith, but does not obey, really he has no faith at all.
If one has faith in God and His word, he will do all that God says, the
way God says, and for the reason God says; and only then will his faith save
him. The only kind of faith that
can save us is “faith working through love” (Galatians 5:6). We are
not saved by the salvation-robbing doctrine of “faith only”.
A dead faith will do us no good on Judgment Day.
Is One Saved Before Baptism?
Baptism
is connected with sinners. Most denominational churches laugh at God’s
requirement for one to be baptized in order to be saved.
After one has come forward and “accepted Jesus as their personal
Saviour” and said “the sinner’s prayer” to be saved, they encourage
people to be baptized BECAUSE they have ALREADY been saved from sins. I cannot
think of a more flagrant crime against both God and Man than to teach lost
sinners, who are wanting to be saved, something different than what God says
in the Bible. To make an
impression on them that they are already saved when God has not promised it is
grievously wrong. But Ananias told
Saul of Tarsus to "arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling
on the name of the Lord" (Acts 22:16).
One of Satan’s greatest triumphs and
falsehoods is that men can be saved before and without obeying Christ in
baptism. But let’s see what the
Bible says that God requires for one to be saved.
When the question was asked, “Men and brethern, what shall we do?
Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent and let every one of you be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins’…And with many other
words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse
generation.’ Then those who
gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand
souls were added to them…and the Lord added to the church daily those who
were being saved” (Acts 2:37, 38, 40, 41, 47).
In Mark 16:16 Jesus says, “He who believes
and is baptized will be saved”. One
needs help to misunderstand this. This
is such a simple command to obey in the way the Lord says, if one really wants
to be saved and go to heaven. But
men, at the prompting of Satan are trying to tell us of other ways that are
contrary to what Jesus says. Most
of the denominational world laugh at god’s word where it says that baptism
is for the remission of sins so we can be saved and go to heaven.
If one is lost in hell because he believed the lies of Satan, he will
only have himself to blame.
We cannot devise our own plan as to how our
sins will be forgiven. To be
baptized for any other reason other than for the forgiveness of sins so we can
be saved is to reject Christ; and one will only get wet.
One will still be lost and still have every sin he has ever committed.
We do not earn our salvation by being
baptized. There is nothing we can
do to merit our salvation. Salvation
is a gift from God, but He has laid down certain conditions upon which He will
give it.
Saved By Accepting Jesus As Your Personal
Saviour?
Many
good people erroneously think they are saved when they “accept Christ as
their personal saviour” and say the sinner’s prayer.
But where do you find these instructions in the Bible?
They are not there. This is
something man has dreamed up. Then
two or three weeks later they are baptized, but they are not baptized for the
purpose of the forgiveness of their sins and to be saved because they thought
their sins were forgiven and they were saved earlier.
In this case their sins were not forgiven and they were not saved
because their baptism was not for this purpose.
They still have every sin they have ever committed and are still lost.
Many good people in this situation are still lost because they have believed a
lie. As we read in 2 Thessalonians
2:11-12, “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion that they
should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the
truth.”
Today
many people espouse the false doctrine, that in order to be saved, one must
“accept Jesus as your personal Saviour” and say “the sinners prayer”.
This teaching contradicts the Bible’s clear instruction as to what an
alien sinner must do to obtain forgiveness and salvation.
Nowhere in the New Testament is the alien sinner ever authorized to ask
Jesus to come into his heart and to pray for forgiveness in order to be saved.
I have yet to find anyone who can provide even one Biblical reference
to substantiate this false claim. Many
good honest people have been deluded by this false doctrine.
Today just as it was in the apostle Paul’s day, “there are some who
trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:7).
Satan wants people to “accept Jesus as their
personal Saviour”, but he does not want them to be baptized (immersed,
Romans 6:4) for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38) so they can be saved
(Mark 16:16). Satan knows that
people are still lost until they are baptized for the forgiveness of their
sins. Satan uses “accepting
Jesus as your personal Saviour” to give people a false hope of salvation.
Many people after they “accept Jesus as their personal Saviour” are
usually baptized a week or two later to join that particular denomination, but
not for the forgiveness of their sins so they can be saved because they think
they are already saved. Since
their baptism was not for the forgiveness of their sins in order to be saved,
they still have every sin they have ever committed and are still lost.
They have not done what God says, the way God says and for the reason
God says for one to be saved. Satan
has just won another soul to be with him in the eternal torments of Hell.
“Jesus Only” or “Oneness
Holiness”
The
“Jesus Only” also known as the “Oneness Holiness” doctrine was
invented by men and is contrary to the word of God in the Bible.
The way this false doctrine got started was John G. Scheppe claimed
that it was revealed to him in a vision, the truth of “Jesus only”.
They claim that Jesus is the only person in the Godhead and that there
is no God the Father or Holy Spirit. They
didn’t get their theory out of the Bible, but they got it by a “claimed”
revelation in 1914 in which their UPC Manual (page 13) states, “In the year
1914 came the revelation on the name of Jesus Christ”.
In doing this they deny that Jesus is the Son of God and that God is
His Father.
The “Jesus Only” doctrine is in the
following “Pentecostal” groups: United Pentecostal Church,
Apostolic
Church
,
Church
Of
The Firstborn
, and Pentecostal Assemblies Of Jesus Christ.
There are many scriptures that contradict their false doctrine of
“Jesus Only”, but let’s look at just a few.
Jesus says to his apostles, “Go therefore
and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19).
Was Jesus mistaken about there being a Father, a Son, and a Holy
Spirit? No.
The Scriptures teach that there are three persons in the Godhead: the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but the “Jesus Only” teach that
there is no God the Father and no Holy Spirit.
Hebrews 1:1 says, “God, who at various times
and in various, ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in
these last days spoken to us by His Son”.
God in speaking through His word says that He has a Son, but the
“Jesus Only” groups say that He doesn’t have a Son.
Then Hebrews 1:5-6 says, “For to which of the angels did He ever say:
‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You’?
And again: ‘I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a
Son’?”. Is God the Father to
Jesus Christ, His Son? Yes, God
says so. 1 John 4:9 says, “In
this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only
begotten Son into the world that we might live through Him.”
God did not send Himself but the Bible says that God sent His only
begotten Son.
Ephesians 4:4-6 says, “There is one body and
one Spirit, just as you were called
in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all”. God’s
word says there is one Spirit (Holy Spirit), one Lord (Jesus Christ) and one
God and Father. One, plus one,
plus one equals three.
“When He had been baptized, Jesus came up
immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He
saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved
Son, in whom I am well pleased’” (Matthew 3:16-17).
Was God well pleased with His beloved Son?
Yes, because He said He was. Later
Jesus says, “I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent
Me” (John 5:30). Jesus says that
He was sent by the Father. Jesus
says he sought to do only the will of the Father, who sent Him to this earth,
and not to do His own will.
Again Jesus says, “And the Father Himself,
who sent Me, has testified of Me. You
have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.
But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him
you do not believe” (John 5:37-38). Jesus
told people in His day that they did not have God’s word abiding in them
because they did not believe Him whom God sent.
The same is true today in that the “Jesus Only” groups do not have
the word of God dwelling in them since they do not believe Jesus who said the
Father had sent Him and that Jesus is the beloved Son of the Father.
When Jesus was in the
Garden
of
Gethsemane
, “He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, ‘O
My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless not as I
will but as You will” (Matthew 26:39). Jesus
was pleading with His Father in heaven for some other way so He would not have
to die on the cross. But Jesus
said “not as I will, but as You will”.
Since Jesus and God His Father are two separate persons in the Godhead,
there are two different wills mentioned here in God’s word.
While Jesus was on the cross, “And about the
ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying…’My God, My God, why
have You forsaken Me” (Matthew 27:46). Did
God the Father forsake His Son, Jesus Christ, while He was suffering on the
cross? Yes, during the six hours
Jesus was on the cross, God did forsake His Son because God “made Him who
knew no sin to be sin for us” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
Then when Jesus died, “And when Jesus had cried out with a loud
voice, He said, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’
Having said this, He breathed His last” (Luke 23:46).
As Jesus was dying He cried out to His Father.
Was He crying out to himself? No.
The Bible says He cried out to His Father and He committed His spirit
to His Father in heaven.
Jesus says to His apostles, that after He
ascended back into heaven, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your
remembrance all things that I have said to you” (John 14:26).
After Jesus ascended back into heaven did the Father send the Holy
Spirit to this earth to guide the apostles into all truth?
Yes, we can read of this in the book of Acts.
These are only a few of the many Bible verses
that speak about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
We could go on and on with many more.
The “Jesus Only” or “Oneness Holiness” say that besides Jesus
there is not Holy Spirit and no God the Father.
Anything that differs with what the Bible says is false doctrine.
“The fool has said in his heart, there is no God” (Psalms 14:1).