Written to all that have a problem with the church and with what the bible says.
In Revelation, there is a candlestick which is the church, signifying its identity (Rev. 1:20). Was Jesus hateful when He said to the Ephesians that He would remove their candlestick if they didn’t repent (Rev. 2:5)? To remove the candlestick is to remove their identity as the church which belongs to Christ. Jesus died and is the Savior of the body (Eph. 5:23), which is church (Eph. 1:22-23). Thus, to remove their identity as the church (the people, NOT the building) would be to remove their salvation, which is in the body. They would not be Christians, as they wouldn’t be following Christ, thus they would lose their identity as Christ-ians.
In Revelation, there is a candlestick which is the church, signifying its identity (Rev. 1:20). Was Jesus hateful when He said to the Ephesians that He would remove their candlestick if they didn’t repent (Rev. 2:5)? To remove the candlestick is to remove their identity as the church which belongs to Christ. Jesus died and is the Savior of the body (Eph. 5:23), which is church (Eph. 1:22-23). Thus, to remove their identity as the church (the people, NOT the building) would be to remove their salvation, which is in the body. They would not be Christians, as they wouldn’t be following Christ, thus they would lose their identity as Christ-ians.
Was Jesus hateful when He proclaimed the religious leaders of His day to be hypocrites, because they were instituting their own religious traditions rather to obeying the commandments of God (Mark 7)?
Was Jesus being hateful when he accused Saul of Tarsus of persecuting Himself (“Why persecutest thou me? (Acts 9:4)), while Saul (later called Paul) thought that he was actually doing the will of the Lord?
Many people think that they are in the will of God, yet do not open His word and read what God’s will really is. Rather, they stand in the seat of God and declare what they think that God’s will is, And when they are told that what they are teaching is wrong and damnable, they quote their favorite verse, “Judge not that ye be not judged “ (Mat. 7:1), which is completely taking it out of its context. “Judge not that ye be not judged” is the summation statement of Jesus’ discourse on hypocritical judgment, which followed. It does not condemn discerning what is right and wrong and informing others of the consequences of not being right with God.
Not everybody who claims Jesus as Lord will enter the gates of heaven. These are the very words of Jesus: “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say in that day, 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? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Mat. 7:21-23). Saul thought that he was doing God’s will, but the Lord told him that he wasn’t. The one who does the will of God enters into heaven. The implication is that there are many who think that they are doing God’s will, yet are not, and the consequences are very serious.
There is a reason why Paul said to Timothy that the scriptures were profitable to instruct us in righteousness (1 Tim. 3:16). True righteousness is to obey God, which we are commanded to teach others what God has commanded, as Jesus said, “All power [authority] has been given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you (Mat. 28:17-19).
We are commanded to teach all that the Lord has commanded, which includes what He said in Mat. 7:21-23. It also teaches that we are not to follow the traditions of men: such as using instruments, when the command is to sing with the instrument being the heart (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16); or, partaking of the Lord’s supper only when man says it ought to be, rather than on the first day of the week (Acts 2:42; 20:7)(which incidentally, every week has a first day). It also includes the teaching that one must be faithful to God, rather than teaching falsely, “once you’re saved, you’re always saved” which scripture teaches against: “For after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned again to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in her mire” (2 Pet. 2:20-22). It includes teaching against the sinner’s prayer, as even Saul (Paul) of Tarsus wasn’t even saved when he was praying for three days, after realizing and repenting of the things he has done in persecuting the Lord’s church (Acts 9:9-11).
The scriptures can be understood by the one who loves and has a desire for the truth, but the one who refuses to accept truth will simply twist the scriptures to say what they want them to say, or completely ignore them instead. The common idea is, as long as we accept Jesus into our hearts, we will be saved, yet there is no passage in scripture that so much as hints as this idea. It certainly sounds good, but that is not what the Bible teaches. However, if that is what I want the Bible to say, then I’m sure that I can find some passage to which I can twist to say just that; but, then I would be guilty of changing the Word, as the Lord has always condemned those who do such (Rev. 21:18-19; Deut. 4:2; 12:32; Pro. 30:6)
When we learn and know those things which God will condemn on the day of judgment, if we love others, we will share that information with them. Of course, Satan calls this not love, rather, he calls it HATE. Nobody will be the judge that condemns anyone. However, we know that if we murder, rape, or steal, that a judge in our world will condemn us to a sentence in jail. Likewise, we can know from God’s Word what He will condemn, which He will sentence us for an eternity is hell, thus we warn the world. It is not us doing the judgment, rather than warning others of the judgment. If it weren’t for this, there would be no need to evangelize and upset people by telling and warning them about the Truths of God. I, personally, would rather not upset anyone, but sadly, this is the reaction of many who hear the truth.
One day, everyone will know the truth, and won’t have a choice but to accept it, but that day will be too late for those who didn’t accept it afforetime: “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess God [even the athiest]. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:11-12). We all have a choice: either we bow to God here on the earth (submit to His will), or bow to Him after this life, which will be too late.
I love you, and this is why I continue trying to help you, although you try to degrade and insult me. I’m sorry that you feel this way, but I do not apologize for the truth, as “the truth will set you free” (John 8:32), if you accept it and obey it (2 Thessalonians 1:8). I have become your enemy it seems: “Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?” (Gal. 4:16). My desire is the same as God’s, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy. 2:4), which includes you.
