Churches That Are 95% Right, But 100% Wrong
By David J. Stewart
September
2015 | Updated December 2015
Luke 13:23-24, “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.”
My friend, I'll be a porcupine preacher so you'll get the point—if you're wrong on salvation, you're wrong on everything! It doesn't matter how friendly your congregation is toward new visitors. It doesn't matter if you have 1,000 students in your religious school and a hundred good teachers. It doesn't matter if your church supports dozens of missionaries on foreign soil. It doesn't matter how beautiful your musical program is. I literally heard an Independent Baptist pastor tell a group of prospective members that they could find better preaching elsewhere, but their church's music program is second to none. What a shameful thing to say. What kind of pastor is satisfied with lukewarm mediocrity? May I say: When one is as good a Christian as they want to be, that's as good as they're going to get. That's a good statement, you should remember it!
I chuckle when I think of a story that Brother Hyles often told, of a true incident that happened in Hammond. The church had hired a wrecking crew to take down a building on the church property. But, talk about having a bad day, Brother Hyles gave them the wrong building. THEY TORE DOWN THE WRONG BUILDING! Oh my! Although preacher wasn't laughing at the time, you can't help but laugh when you think about it years later. Behind every pulpit is a human being. I love Brother Hyles.
I used this illustration to make a point. That wrecking crew was very sincere. They had all the right tools. They worked diligently and put forth their best effort to get the job done. But they had been given the wrong instructions. The same can happen, and does happen most of the time, in the spiritual world. Proverbs 16:25, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Our text verse from Luke 13:23-24 is alarming. When asked by His disciples if many people were going to Heaven, Jesus said, “many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” I can name dozens of major false religions (Jehovah's Witnesses, Roman Catholics, Buddhists, Muslims, Hindus, Scientology, Christian Science, Judaizers, Greek Orthodox, Mormons, Russian Orthodox, Shintoism, Hawaiian tradition, Church of Christ, Lutheran, Unitarian Universalist, Amish, Lordship Salvation, Freemasonry, et cetera) where their adherents are sincere, doing good works, helping the poor, visiting the sick and are spiritually-minded; but are still hellbound in their sins without Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
2nd Corinthians 4:3-4 teaches that the Devil is the god of this world, and has blinded people's minds from the Gospel, by using false religions, worldly philosophies (like Evolution), worldly wisdom (which is foolishness to God), and manmade traditions. Colossians 2:8, “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Many of the churches have been spoiled, rotting like a dead corpse that is swelling in size (not growing). Today's preachers are fast-asleep. Our churches are swelling in size in apostasy, using worldliness to draw in the world. As our churches become more worldly, so also is the world becoming more churchy. It's difficult these days to discern the average church from the sinful world [Rock music in the churches, women wearing pants, worldly entertainment (like Walt Disney), psychology instead of the Word of God, et cetera]. A wicked generation forsakes churches that have hard-Biblical preaching that call men to repentance, and instead seeks out churches with only a positive message like Joel Osteen's apostasy.
Jude 1:4 warns of evil greedy men, false prophets, who creep into churches to corrupt them doctrinally. Jude 1:4, “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Instead of teaching the simplicity that is in Christ, they add human effort to the Gospel. This is exactly what Billy Graham, Ken Ham, Rick Warren, John MacArthur, Ray Comfort, Joel Osteen, Ravi Zacharias, Peter Popoff, Joyce Meyer, Melissa Scott, Benny Hinn, Mike Murdoch and hordes more are done. These reprobates have crept into the churches through media (television, radio, books, et cetera), selling their satanic materials. These false prophets all rake-in millions of dollars each year.
Check online for their annual salaries. It's all about the money. Ray Comfort takes in around $2,000,000 a year. Ravi Zacharias rakes in about $18,000,000 a year. Ken Ham sucks the churches dry for about $20,000,000 a year. John MacArthur's Grace To You salary is about $250,000 a year (that doesn't include book sale profits). Billy Graham (Balaam) is paid $633,000 a year! Rick Warren's net worth is $25,000,000! Joyce Meyer's net worth is $25,000,000. Benny Hinn milks widows, churches and naive people out of $100,000,000 a year! DO you know how much money I've made in my life for serving God? NOTHING, and I'll die before I ever take a penny for helping others in the Lord. I do what I do for the Lord Jesus Christ, and I hate money.
That's is what Jesus taught, that is, you will either hate money and love God, or you'll love money and hate God. Luke 16:13, “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” All of the false prophets that I have just mentioned hate God, dipping their sails in wicked compromise, selling their souls for silver, spreading their sinful apostate ecumenical garbage, infiltrating and corrupting the churches. These sinister ministers are workers of darkness. I'm so sick of visiting churches and hearing the preacher praise these wicked imposters. I know a local Independent Baptist church that places John MacArthur study materials on the back tract table, encouraging members to pick-up MacArthur's poison on their way out the door.
Satan Sneaks Heresy Into Churches To Bring Them Into Bondage
It is not a mere coincidence that there are hundreds of different Bible versions being used today in the churches. Sadly, the American Bible Society has determined that there are an estimated 900 English versions of the Bible. Satan is behind the endless Bible-Of-The-Month Club (so it seems). It seems that every month a new Bible version is introduced on the market, which is alleged to be “more accurate,” “easier-to-read” and “better.” Right! My friend, God told us to STUDY the Word of God in 2nd Timothy 2:15!
When wicked translators water-down the Scriptures and butcher the Word of God, it is no longer possible to study it. They've corrupted it! In fact, how can you study God's Word if you don't have God's Word. Perhaps you weren't aware that nearly all of today's new Bible versions have been translated from a completely different Hebrew and Greek manuscripts than the trustworthy King James Bible (KJB). This helpful chart demonstrates the two major paths of nearly all Bible today.
Galatians 2:4, “And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.”
New-Evangelical churches have been brought into bondage, just as God's Word warned in Galatians 2:4. Hundreds-of-thousands of apostate churches have been BROUGHT INTO BONDAGE by false brethren unawares, who've crept into the churches, teaching damnable heresies. Due to the new corrupt Bible versions, the meaning of the word “Repent” concerning salvation has been transformed into a lie. Instead of being defined Biblically as a simple “a change of mind,” today's satanic Bible versions have redefined “Repent” to mean, a change of heart and life. This is wickedness! Please only use, study, memorize, mediate, love, promote and preach the trustworthy King James Bible!!!
If you are using the King James Bible PLUS some other Bible PERversion, you've been BROUGHT INTO BONDAGE, not knowing which book God's authored. 1st Corinthians 14:33 teaches that God is NOT the author of confusion. God authored ONE BOOK, not 900 Bible versions!!! Today's different Bible versions are drastically different in meaning. Changing even a few words can substantially change the meaning of a particular Bible passage. Satan did this deliberately over the past century to weaken the churches, bringing utter confusing into the churches, which has led to multiple plans of salvation.
New World Order Bible Versions (the Devil wants to take over the churches)
The “simplicity that is in Christ” is the Gospel (2nd Corinthians 11:3-4). The “Gospel” is that Jesus Christ died on the cross for OUR SINS, was buried, and then bodily resurrected after three days for our justification. If you ADD anything to the Gospel, you have a false plan of salvation. If you acknowledge that you are a guilty sinner in God's holy eyes; thus, seeing your desperate need for the Savior (Romans 3:19-20; Galatians 3:24-26), then simply BELIEVE THE GOSPEL and you are immediately, safely and forever saved. John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”
Pastors Grasping For Straws In Defense Of Heresy
I kindly informed the aforementioned senior pastor that Dr. John MacArthur is a liberal modernist who denies that Christ's blood is on the mercy seat in Heaven, says children cannot be saved, and is a spiritually-dangerous 5-point Calvinist who teaches a works-based plan of progressive salvation (aka, Lordship Salvation). I mentioned that Dr. MacArthur is “a brilliant theologian,” which deceives pastors. The pastor threw my words back in my face and disregarded my admonition to him. He quoted my words, “MacArthur is a brilliant theologian.” It was a poor choice of words on my part; what I simply meant is, “MacArthur makes some brilliant theological statements.” And he does, MacArthur's series on exposing the Charismatic Movement is brilliant. His series exposing the dangers of alcohol is brilliant.
I learned from MacArthur that even children drank “wine” in the Roman empire, because it was naturally fermented and you'd have to drink a gallon to get drunk. This is why Proverbs 23:30 speaks of those who “tarry long at the wine,” because you had to drink so much of it to get drunk. In sharp contrast, today's manufactured alcoholic beverages (including beer) are highly intoxicating (which the Bible calls “strong drink”). I have learned interesting truths from Seventh-day Adventists (SDA's) and Jehovah's Witnesses (JW's), but that doesn't make them right on salvation. SDA's “Amazing Facts” magazine is very interesting, but they are the enemies of God because they teach a works-based plan of salvation. SDA's are really sneaky, agreeing 95% with Christianity, while being 100% wrong on salvation. I'm tired of hearing ignorant Christians refer to SDA's as being saved (THEY ARE NOT!). All SDA's believe in their exclusive doctrine of Investigative Judgment, which is straight out of Hell beneath, and is rooted in works salvation.
Here's an awesome quote from Dr. MacArthur concerning the meaning of Luke 16:9, “Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.” ...
“Believers are to use their master's money (we are stewards) in a way that will accrue fruits for eternity, by investing in the kingdom gospel that brings sinners to salvation, so that when they arrive in Heaven (an everlasting home) those sinners will be there to welcome them.” —Pastor John MacArthur
Yes, that is 100% correct. It is brilliant theological statements like this that have earned MacArthur the unfeigned respect of tens-of-thousands of preachers worldwide. Yet, this makes Dr. MacArthur that much more dangerous to the churches, because PASTOR MACARTHUR IS WRONG ON REPENTANCE AND SALVATION.
Now here is a damnable quote from MacArthur, that condemns him by his own words...
“Don’t believe anyone who says it’s easy to become a Christian. Salvation for sinners cost God His own Son; it cost God’s Son His life, and it’ll cost you the same thing.”
SOURCE: Dr. John MacArthur, Grace To You, an updated quote from his book 'Hard To Believe', page 93
The very idea of salvation costing the recipient something is satanic. Eternal life is a “free gift” (Romans 5:15; 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-10), and a “gift” cannot be earned, merited or achieved. Salvation is a take proposition, not a give proposition.
Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith.
God will not save anyone who is trying to be saved, He will only save those who are trusting to be saved.
Our churches today have bought into a works-based form of salvation that lowers them to the same level doctrinally as Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons, who all errantly teach that repentance means “a change of life,” instead of “a change of mind” as the Holy Bible says. Repentance is simply seeing yourself as a guilty sinner in the eyes of a holy God, compelling a person to believe the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” Mark 1:15, “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
Kindly, the same Independent Baptist pastor that I mentioned earlier, publicly teaches that it is not enough to admit you are a sinner; but, he says, you must also have a desire in your heart to turn away from those sins as a prerequisite to be saved. THAT IS SATANIC TEACHING!!!!!! If a person must be willing to turn away from sinful behavior, it effectively means they are expected to do so immediately, and that is human effort (works) for salvation. That pastor is NOT SAVED! He cannot be while he holds to those false beliefs. My friend, YOU HAVE NO PART IN GOD'S SALVATION!!! Galatians 2:21, “I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.” If we can save ourselves, then Jesus didn't have to bleed and die on the cross for our sins, and He did it for nothing.
Either God does all of the saving, or else you're not saved. Whether you intend to forsake sinful behavior or not, has absolutely nothing to do with receiving the free gift of eternal life. To teach otherwise is to add human effort to God's plan of salvation for man. We ought to live right because we are saved, to be right with God as His child; and not in order to be saved.
That's why I expose Jack Chick's Chick Tracts, because he teaches that it's not enough to admit that you are a sinner; but also, step #2 in all his tracks he teaches that you must “be willing to turn from sin (repent),” which Jack Chick errantly understands to mean repentance. To defend himself, Mr. Chick argues that repentance is necessary for salvation, but no one debates that. That's a red-herring distraction by Jack Chick from the real issue, which is the meaning of repentance. Chick Tracts are 95% right, and 100% wrong!
The Baptist pastor that I have been speaking of is someone whom I admire. He's a great guy and a good man, but he's not a godly man (and I would never mention his name or church). He is 95% right, and 100% wrong! He went through religious seminary decades ago and even taught for many years in the school that he attended. Yet, he has (I believe sincerely) been caught-up into the apostate evangelical movement in America. He teaches the satanic error of Lordship Salvation (and I don't believe he is saved). Lordship Salvation is 95% right, and 100% wrong!
The church had their own bi-parallel Bible published years ago (which they still use), with the King James Bible in one column and the demonic Easy-To-Read Version (ERV) in the other column. It is obvious to me why the Baptist church has turned apostate, because the ERV changes and corrupts the plan of salvation. Jude 1:4 warned that ungodly greedy men would creep into the churches, and they have through electronic media. John MacArthur's books are 95% right, and 100% wrong! The plethora of literally hundreds of modern “new” and “improved” Bible versions are 95% right, and 100% wrong! God only wrote one Book, not 582!!! I'm not joking, the American Bible Society's website allows you to search through 582 different Bible versions in 466 languages, allowing you to choose from over a hundred different English versions. That's insane!!! Please read,
NIV: THE ANTICHRIST'S BIBLE! It is a crime against God to tamper with His Words (Deuteronomy 4:2; Jeremiah 23:36; Romans 1:25; 2nd Corinthians 2:17; Revelation 22:19).
You're an ignorant fool if you think the 1984 New International Version (NIV) calling Jesus the “CAPSTONE” instead of the “HEAD OF THE CORNER” (chief cornerstone) is not intentionally satanic by the New World Order gang. We've got a bunch of stooges like Rick Warren, Billy Graham and John MacArthur leading the churches into total apostasy. They are 95% right, and 100% wrong! Ray Comfort is 95% right, and 100% wrong!
Kindly, Max Lucado is 95% right, and 100% wrong! Max Lucado (a Church of Christ minister) says that water baptism concerning salvation is the difference between the tire-kickers and the car buyers. That's satanic teaching! Yet, deceitfully, Mr. Lucado says that water baptism is not required for salvation. As with nearly all false prophets, Lucado speaks a forked-tongue message, mixing heresy with truth to deceive the naive.
Satan Is A Beautiful Liar: Have You Believed A Lie?
I believe today that we are witnessing DECEPTION like never before in history. Satan is a master liar, deceiver and murderer (John 8:44; Matthew 7:15; 2nd Corinthians 11:3-4, 13-15). The most effective lie is the half-truth, because in part it can be defended with incontestable logic. Thus, the most effective deception is a something that is 95% right, and 100% wrong! Seventh-day Adventism is so effective a deception that many Christians foolishly think some SDA's are saved. Walter Martin in his classic book, “Kingdom Of The Cults,” calls SDA's a “Christian cult,” but there's no such animal.
I have a retarded Princeton University freeware dictionary that wrongly defines every church as a “cult” (a system of religious beliefs), and that is horribly wicked. A Biblical church is not a cult! A cult is something like the Heaven's Gate whacko group who all commit mass-suicide, or Mormonism with their secret temples, magic underwear and rituals sex beds. Deception is all around us today, and it often appears harmless, good and honest (but it's deadly).
So you see friend (I am being your friend), you can be 95% right on everything, and yet 100% wrong and on your way to the Lake of Fire. Luke 13:23-24, “Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” Have you believed a lie? The straight gate is the Gospel, the simplicity that is in Christ (2nd Corinthians 11:3). The “Gospel” according to 1st Corinthians 15:1-4 is Christ's death on the cross for our sins, His burial, and His bodily resurrection three days later. If you believe the Gospel, you are saved! END
John 8:45 “And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.” —Jesus Christ
Psalms 56:9, “...this I know; for God is for me.”
When one is as good a Christian as they want to be, that is as good as they're going to get!
“Nobody can love God who doesn't love sinners!” (a quote by Dr. Jack Hyles classic MP3 sermon, “The Happiest Man” (happiest is the man who will not impute sin to others!)
If you believe what the Bible teaches, attend a church that teaches the Bible!
Another Gospel Which Is Not Another (a red-hot MP3 by Dr. Curtis Hutson exposing Lordship Salvation)
“It does not take a
majority to prevail ... but rather an irate, tireless minority,
keen
on setting brush fires of freedom in the minds of men.”
—Samuel Adams
Ye Must Be Born Again!