The Apostle Paul described the body of Christ saying, "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you are all called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, and one baptism, [Holy Spirit baptism] One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all," (Ephesians 4:4-6). Wow! Think of the possibilities if that were true of all Christians today.
If all Christians are supposed to be a part of one body, all under one Lord, all having received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and all of one faith. Then, why are there so many different denominations, philosophical beliefs, and doctrines of man being taught today? Those verses are true, and we will find the answer to that question in God's Word!
The following Scriptures are being shared with you to prove, in our Lord's own words, how false doctrine can creep in and destroy you. More importantly, to prove that unclean spirits must come out of people possessed with them the moment they accept Jesus, but have not yet received the Holy Spirit baptism. However, that is not true for those demon possessed.
Acts 8:5-14 explains that as, a result of Phillip's preaching, everyone living in the city of Samaria, from the least to the greatest, had accepted Jesus. Verse seven states, "For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many possessed with them;" verse sixteen states, "For as yet He [the Holy Spirit] was fallen upon none of them: Only they were baptized in the name of Jesus." Remember, that event happened approximately four years after the day of Pentecost, further proving that we're not all filled with the Holy Spirit the moment we accept Jesus, or when we receive the water baptism.
The Apostle Peter knew that to be true, which is why he said, "Being born-again not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, by the word of God, which lives and abides forever," (1 Peter 1:23). Peter is simply saying that we must be born-again according the instructions given in God's word, not according to the doctrines of man. For example, many pastors teach their followers that it is impossible to lose their salvation after receiving Jesus.
Can such pastors possibly believe that Satan cannot deceive anyone today? Is it possible they are unaware of the fact that God's Word states that Satan will eventually deceive the entire world? What about those Jesus told us about in Matthew 7:21-23? Also, what about the lukewarm which Jesus said that He will spew out of his mouth? Surely, all of these people have accepted Jesus, and believe they are serving Him: Whose spirit is causing them to believe a lie?
Dr. Jeremiah did not mention what you are about to read, but it was included in the writing he received, title, "Once-Saved Always-Saved: True or False." And since he is a Baptist, you can be sure he read it. That doctrine has been around since the early Dark Ages; in fact, it was one of the indulgences sold by the Catholic Church until 1517 when Martin Luther mentioned it twice in his 95 theses. Luther's "these" became known as the 95 atrocious things the Catholic Church was teaching in order to raise the money needed to build St. Peter's Basilica, and the many Cathedrals around the world.
The Baptists were the first protestant denomination to start preaching the once-saved always-saved doctrine after the Catholic's quit selling it as an indulgence. They did so in an effort to entice members of the Catholic Church to become Baptist. Number 32 of the theses states, "All of those who believe themselves to be certain of their own salvation by means of letters of indulgence, will be eternally damned, together with their teachers." Number 52 states, "It is vain to rely on salvation by letters of indulgence, even if the issuer, or indeed the Pope himself, were to pledge his own soul for their validity."
God said, "If the wicked will turn from all his sins that he has committed, and keep my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live," (Ezekiel 18:21). But when a righteous man turns from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and dies in them; for the iniquity that he has done shall he die. Again, when the wicked turns away from his wickedness that he has committed, and does that which is lawful, he shall save his soul alive," (Ezekiel 18:26-27).
On the once-saved always-saved subject, Paul said, "That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death. If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained it, or were already perfect: but I follow after it, that I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press forward toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus," (Philippians 3:10-14).
He also said, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not," (Galatians 6:9). Notice the caveat, "If we faint not." Referring to our salvation, Jesus said, "But that which you have already, hold fast till I come." Jesus tells us to hold fast, because He knows that we can lose our salvation by being deceived with false doctrine, which is why He instructed us sayings, "Let no man deceive you." Paul said, "If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins,"(Hebrews 10:26).
When referring to Paul's writings, Peter said, "As in all of his epistles, speaking in them of these things; some of which are hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrestle, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto their own [spiritual] destruction. Therefore, beloved, seeing that you know these things, beware lest you also be led away with the error of the wicked, and fall from your own steadfastness," (2 Peter 3:16-17).
To the church in Sardis, Jesus said, "Remember therefore how thou hast received [Salvation] and heard, [the gospel message] and hold fast, and repent."Notice that Jesus is telling the church to repent: "If therefore thou shall not watch, I will come on thee [the church] as a thief, and thou shall not know what hour I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life," (Rev. 3:3-5).
Notice that Jesus said only a "few" of those in the Sardis church had not defiled their garments, and only they would walk with Him in white, and only their names would not be blotted out of the Lamb's book of life. The parallel to "I will not blot out his name," is that many names will be blotted out, because they allowed themselves to be deceived! Be forewarned that converts who doesn't spend ample time reading the Scriptures, fail to recognize false teachers, and often fall victim to them.
Paul said, "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption,"(Ephesians 4:30). Our names are written into the Lamb's book of life the moment we make a commitment to follow Jesus, which is when God places His Spirit "with" us, thereby giving us the authority "to become" one of His children. And it remains there until the day of redemption, regardless of our lifestyle afterward, because our Lord will never leave nor forsake us.
Paul said, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit," because he knows that God's Spirit grieves for us when He sees us running to and fro in search of spiritual knowledge. While also being tossed by every wind of doctrine, because we are depending on carnal-men to teach us. Referring to pastors who teach false doctrine, Paul said, "They have a form of godliness, but deny the power thereof; from such turn away. For of this sort are they, which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lust, ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth," (II Timothy 3:5-7).
As a father, I too grieve over the possible loss of two of my six sons, because I know they are following carnal-men. Likewise, our Lord grieves over the possibility that our name may be blotted out of the book of life, because we are depending upon such men to teach us Spiritual knowledge.
When God seals us with His Spirit, it's His way of sealing a contract with us that He will never break. Unfortunately, many people who have entered into the Salvation contract with our Lord unknowingly break it through disobedience, or by following carnal-men.
Jesus warned us about false doctrine, saying, "The thief [Satan] comes only to steal, to kill, and to destroy," (St. John 10:10). He said it in that order, because that is the exact order Satan attacks us. He first tries to steal away our opportunity to know God by using false doctrine to deceive us into believing that we can only believe in Him. If he fails, he then attempts to kill us spiritually by using his deceiving spirits to deceive us with false doctrine before we receive the Holy Spirit baptism, thereby making us ineffectual lukewarm Christians.
To succeed in killing us spiritually, Satan must deceive us just as he deceived Adam and Eve who had the use of their entire brain both spiritual and physical when he deceived them. If he fails, he then attempts to destroy us through adversity and temptation. But those who know God, and are rooted in His word, know that "Greater is he [the Holy Spirit] that is in you, than he [Satan's deceiving spirits] that are in the world," (1st John 4:4). If you truly know God and are rooted in His word, our Lord will never allow you to get into a situation that He cannot show you a way out of, that is, if it is your will to get out of it.
Peter said, "For if after they have escaped the pollution of this world through the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and are again entangled therein and overcome, the later end is worse with them than the beginning,"(2 Peter 2:20). Something to think about, is it not! God said, "When a righteous man turns from his righteousness, and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die in his sin, and the righteousness he has done shall not be remembered," (Ezekiel 3:20).
Jesus proclaimed, "Then shall the kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom,"(Jesus referred to them as virgins, because they were new-converts undefiled by the doctrines of man. And they all set out in search of Jesus who is the bridegroom. The lamp they each took with them is the Holy Spirit whom God places with us to guide us into the truth of His word). "And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, but took no oil with them: But the wise took oil [a genuine desire to seek the Lord] in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
At midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; Go ye out to meet him. Then all of the virgins arose and trimmed their lamps, and the foolish said unto the wise Give us of your oil for our lamps are gone out [their love for God had diminished]. But the wise answered, saying, not so; least there be not enough for us, and you, but go to them that sell and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: "and the door was shut."
Afterward came also the other virgins saying, Lord, Lord, open to us, but He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not," (Matthew 25:1-11). Remember James words, "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you," (James 4:8). Five were obedient to the Lord in their search for spiritual knowledge enabling them to build a relationship with Him. The other five didn't have time to draw near to God by reading His word, and diligently seeking Him. They were preoccupied with work, hunting, fishing, sports, soap operas, and other things; simply attending church twice a week was sacrifice enough for them.
In the Parable of the Talents, Jesus tells us about three men who received Salvation, and then set out on their spiritual journey awaiting their Lord's return. Two of them increased in the knowledge of the Lord, enabling them to produce fruit for Him, but one did not. When their Lord returned, two made it into Heaven, and the other was cast into outer darkness.
I've heard many of the once-saved always-saved advocates make the following statement: "After being born into this world, can you then become unborn?" "Of course not," they quickly opine; at which time they then state, "And just as you cannot be physically unborn after being born into this world, neither can you be spiritually unborn after being born into the body of Christ."
Such teachers should be able understand that, although we cannot be unborn after being born into this world, there are many ways through which a physical death can overtake us, other than natural causes, such as sickness or an accident. All of which would motivate us to put forth a great amount of effort to avoid, if we knew about it beforehand. Likewise, we should also be aware of the fact that, just as an untimely physical death can overtake us after being born into this life, an untimely spiritual death can also befall us after being born of the Spirit.
Such a spiritual death would be brought about as a result of disobedience, or by following carnal-teachers. King Saul is a good example of how a man can suffer such a death. Because of Saul's disobedience, God took His Spirit from him, causing him to suffer an immediate spiritual death, (1Samuel 16:14). Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, is another example of how a man can fall from grace before receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Had Judas been filled with the Holy Spirit before betraying Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, I do not believe he would have entertained the idea.
The following Scriptures do not apply to new converts, they apply only to those whom God, through His Spirit, has appointed elders within the body of Christ. Paul said, "It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and who have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God, and tasted the powers of the coming age, if they shall fall away, to be brought back again into repentance. Because to their loss, they are crucifying the Son of God all over again, and subjecting Him to public disgrace," N.I.V. (Hebrews 6:4-6). Once-saved always-saved proponents claim those Scriptures were intended strictly for the Hebrew Christians.
You have now read absolute Biblical proof that the once-saved always-saved doctrine is a false doctrine designed to destroy you and your loved ones. The question you should be asking yourself is: Why are there so many pastors who have earned a Doctorate in the Christian religion who are so unlearned in the Scriptures? Also, why is it being so strongly taught in churches and Christian schools across North America today? Can anyone possibly still doubt Satan's ability to deceive those supposedly serving God?
Young children taught this false doctrine grow-up believing they will make it into heaven regardless of how they live their lives; I know, because I was one of them. Satan inspires carnal-pastors to teach that message, because he wants people to believe that he cannot deceive them after they accept Jesus. The reason it is so easy for him to inspire carnal-men to teach that doctrine is because it fills the pews, in short, it's all about money; and it makes it so much easier for believers to give in to willful sin.
Satan wants people to believe they don't need to spend time reading the Bible, because they already have their ticket to heaven. God knew that would happen, which is why He inspired Paul to say, "The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers to tell them what their itching ears want to hear. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall turn to fables," (2 Tim. 4:3-4).
When attempting to substantiate the once-saved always-saved doctrine, many proponents are quick to point out Hebrews 5:9, which states, "And being made perfect Jesus became the author of our eternal salvation." However, they conveniently leave out the remainder of that verse, which states, "unto all them that obey Him."
Our eternal salvation depends on our obedience to our Heavenly Father; in much the same manner as keeping our job depends on our job performance and obedience to our employer. When we're hired to do a job, our employer explains in writing our job description, and what the company's rules are. If we obey, we'll keep our job; if not, we'll lose it; it's as simple as that.
Understanding these things will help you better understand why Paul said, "We should henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive,"(Ephesians 4:14). Clearly, the easiest way an unclean spirit can get back into an individual after receiving salvation is through false doctrine. But, that takes time, which is why the unclean spirit could not get back into the man Jesus was talking about in Mathew 12:43-45 on his first attempt.
Jesus said, "The second state of that man is worse than the first," because once someone has been deceived, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to reach that person with biblical truth. This is because Satan keeps carnal-minded Christians busy trying to defend their beliefs, while also trying to convince others to believe the Scriptures exactly the way they were taught. That's why Paul said, "Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived," (2 Timothy 3:13).
Jesus said, "A corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit." And, "A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit,"(Matthew 7:17-18). The corrupt tree Jesus is referring to is a man who was deceived into believing that he's a born-again Christian, when in fact, he's merely a carnal-believer. Deceived clergymen will also unknowingly deceive those they attempt to win over to our Lord.
Satan is slowly achieving his goal of deceiving the entire world, which includes everyone except the very-elect, and he is doing it largely through the misuse of the word "believer." Since most church leaders during the Dark Ages were only believers themselves, they took the title "Saint" from converts, to sell as an indulgence, and started calling members of the body of Christ believers, which apparently eased their own conscience. Nevertheless, the result of their decision is that many generations have now grown up believing they could only believe in God, which explains why there are so few that truly know Him.
During the formation of the Church, the Apostles always referred to the body of Christ as Saints: then after that title was taken by the Catholics to sell as an indulgence, those who truly knew God referred to their brothers and sisters in Christ as Christians.
Today, the body of Christ are called believers, but as you now know, Jesus gave His life so that we could know Him. He said, "And this is life eternal, that they might know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent," (St. John 17:3). And you can be sure that our Lord, who is also the creator of languages fully understood the difference between believing and knowing.
Realizing that it is nearly impossible for new converts to distinguish between those serving God in Spirit and in truth, from the many carnal-pastors, who in Paul's words, pervert the gospel message, John said, "I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray," (N.I.V. I John 2:26). Most of those preaching today believe the message they teach; they are simply teaching what they were taught to believe.
Satan easily influences such people, because they have not received God's Spirit within them. Carnal-clergymen neither understand, nor believe many of the Scriptures you've read thus far, which is just one of many reason God hasn't filled them with His Spirit.
Paul said it best when he stated, "If our gospel be hid, [meaning not understood] it is hid to them that are lost; whom the god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ Jesus, who is in the image of God, should shine unto them," (2 Cor. 4:3-4). Today's church is a prime example of carnal-men trying to do Gods work for Him, but getting it all wrong.