The END of Men

And the Matriarchal Preemption

"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." Malachi 4:5-6

"And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Luke 1:17

From the beginning of creation, Satan knew that he could only rule the earth by usurping God's given authority.  Since God's authority is patriarchal, Satan had to disempower the man to accomplish this goal and he has historically tried to use matriarchy to do this.

In the world today, there has risen a distaste in the mouths of both men and women for "patriarchy".  It has become a dirty word.  Yet, this is not a "man vs. woman" thing.  Neither is it about being anti-woman.  I am speaking of being for the things of God. Do we or do we not believe that God's ways are best for us and for our good?   By that same token, do we or do we not believe that such which contradicts God's ways are wrong for us and intended for our destruction?

There is no gender inequality in God.  Men and women are equal, but simply have different roles by which we work together as a reflection of the image of God.  If we do not understand this, then we will miss out on God's individual purpose for our lives as well as be blind to Satan's attacks in this area, allowing the promotion of things like My Princess Boy.

I am going to speak bluntly in this article (and include videos which do the same). I am going to share things God has told me without great explanation and simply trust Him to reveal/confirm His truths to those with ears to hear.

In the world today, the advancement of women has been idealized as a reflection of the advancement of society as a whole.  Therefore, women are being elevated - to the deliberate expense and exclusion of men - under a banner of social justice which I tell you has nothing to do with equality and everything to do with Satan's efforts to pervert mankind and alienate him from God.  Understand that such efforts are not about correcting social ills, but are specifically calculated to bring about the end of men.

I have seen this unfolding for quite some time, but have been amazed at how many people are blinded to this blatant attack of the enemy. 

For example, Oprah Winfrey was so concerned about the plight of underprivileged youth in South Africa that she established an exclusive, top-notch boarding school there...for girls only.  The Leadership Academy for Girls aims to support "the development of a new generation of women leaders who, by virtue of their education and leadership, will lead the charge to positively transform themselves, their communities and the larger world around them."

As I watched news coverage of the school's opening four years ago, God spoke to me and told me that this was an abomination and was a spirit of lesbianism in operation.  God asked me, "If Oprah is concerned that girls are being disenfranchised and devalued, then why would she not invest in educating both young girls and young boys to change these perceptions?  Doesn't that make the most sense since they will after all have to live together in South African society?  What is the end result of selectively grooming girls for leadership to the exclusion of boys?"  It produces a society that marginalizes men and a generation of young women who see no need for them.  Women's "empowerment" at men's expense is no more "equal" than men's "empowerment" at women's expense.

Notice, I am not saying that Oprah is a lesbian.  I am saying that the spirit motivating her - whether she realizes it or not - is perversion.  To the world, her actions simply looked like charitable, humanitarian works.  To God, it stank to high Heaven because He can see what we cannot, namely the intents and thoughts of the heart.

And Oprah is not alone.  We have done a series before on how the education system worldwide is attempting to brainwash our children so that they are: 1). Alienated from parents, 2). Estranged from traditional beliefs about God, and 3). Taught to be citizens of the world.  A primary driver for this - as we reveal in that series - is the United Nation's Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) program called "Education For All" (EFA).  And truly, the program's name is a misnomer for, although it champions a need to educate "all", its success is specifically measured in deferential treatment for girls as repeatedly stated in the EFA goals.

Should women be harassed, discriminated against, and under-educated?  Of course not!  Is gender bias real and often used to justify unthinkable acts against women?  Yes!  Is this absolutely wrong? You bet it is!   Yet, it is a stroke of genius for Satan to induce the "sickness" so that he can offer the "cure".  This way, he can entice people to drink down his damnable plan by disguising it as a "good" work. I ask again, do we or do we not believe that God's ways are best for us?

Consider this.  Satan does not want equality; he is after emasculation for this is the only way he can maintain his illegitimate rule as the god of this world.  He needs men who have been castrated and are subject to women.  He needs men who are depreciated and powerless in their own eyes so that they abandon the authority God has given them in the home and in the church.  He needs men who are more concerned about personal pleasure than being a disciple of God.  He needs Adam. 

And this reality is not the fault of the woman primarily, but of the man.  The problem is not that women refuse to honor patriarchy, but that men themselves do not walk in it.  Yes, it was Eve who was used by Satan to deceive, but it was Adam to whom God demanded an accountability of the fall.  If a man is grounded in the Lord and submitting to Christ as his head, then no action of any woman could disrupt that.

We are looking at a mass programming of peoples globally to bring about the end of men.  On TV, in the movies, in the music, in the news, in the churches, in the schools, in the governments...men are being held up as buffoons.  They are being ridiculed, made fun of, and belittled in every possible venue...and I tell you that this is for a REASON!

Don't know what I mean?  Take a look at the video below which examines "How to Construct a Matriarchy".  As you watch this, I hope you notice 1). How men and women are depicted and; 2). How the author of the videos reacts to this propaganda.

Let me say that I am not in agreement with all of the author's points, however even some of his reactions to the "men are evil" paradigm is indicative of the success of Satan's plan.  Remember, Satan provides the sickness so that people will also buy his cure.  The "cure" for the woman is to think that all men are dogs and she doesn't need a man.  The "cure" for men is to think that all women are self-seeking divas and he doesn't need a women.  When we see animosity created between men and women, then we are seeing evidence that Satan's plan has succeeded.

The world tells you that the way to deal with social injustice is to elevate women and minimize men.  The Bible shows us that the structure of the family (including the headship of the man) is the foundation for a Godly society.  Whom will you believe?

I highly recommend that you take the time to view each of the videos below.  You might ask if you have time to watch them, but I would say that you don't have the time not to.  Take the time, and again, look past any incendiary language/opinion and just examine how the image of men is being reflected in our society.

You don't have to worry about clicking any links as referenced in the videos, as I have added the pertinent videos for you to review.



So, you might ask, what has me all riled up on this topic?  It is an article which was forwarded to me this morning entitled, "The End of Men".   Published by Hanna Rosin in July/August 2010, this article is summarized as follows:

Earlier this year, women became the majority of the workforce for the first time in U.S. history. Most managers are now women too. And for every two men who get a college degree this year, three women will do the same. For years, women’s progress has been cast as a struggle for equality. But what if equality isn’t the end point? What if modern, postindustrial society is simply better suited to women? A report on the unprecedented role reversal now under way— and its vast cultural consequences.

While some might say that I should be encouraged about the advances of women in society, it literally made me sick to my stomach as I read it.  In a nutshell, the article notes that the "superiority of women" over men is finally being realized as the world moves away from societal-driven (not God-given) roles in realizing that the better world is a world run by women. 

How does the author know that the world is moving full speed ahead towards a matriarchy?  Here are some snippets from the article upon which the author builds her case:

"Polling data on American sex preference is sparse, and does not show a clear preference for girls. But the picture from the doctor’s office unambiguously does. A newer method for sperm selection, called MicroSort, is currently completing Food and Drug Administration clinical trials. The girl requests for that method run at about 75 percent...“It’s the women who are driving all the decisions,” he says—a change the MicroSort spokespeople I met with also mentioned."

"For nearly as long as civilization has existed, patriarchy—enforced through the rights of the firstborn son—has been the organizing principle, with few exceptions...Now the centuries-old preference for sons is eroding—or even reversing. “Women of our generation want daughters precisely because we like who we are,” breezes one woman in Cookie magazine. Even Ericsson, the stubborn old goat, can sigh and mark the passing of an era. “Did male dominance exist? Of course it existed. But it seems to be gone now. And the era of the firstborn son is totally gone.”"

“Women live longer than men. They do better in this economy. More of ’em graduate from college. They go into space and do everything men do, and sometimes they do it a whole lot better. I mean, hell, get out of the way—these females are going to leave us males in the dust.”

"As thinking and communicating have come to eclipse physical strength and stamina [note that this implies that men do not "think" or "communicate"] as the keys to economic success, those societies that take advantage of the talents of all their adults, not just half of them, have pulled away from the rest. And because geopolitics and global culture are, ultimately, Darwinian, other societies either follow suit or end up marginalized. In 2006, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development devised the Gender, Institutions and Development Database, which measures the economic and political power of women in 162 countries. With few exceptions, the greater the power of women, the greater the country’s economic success. Aid agencies have started to recognize this relationship and have pushed to institute political quotas in about 100 countries, essentially forcing women into power in an effort to improve those countries’ fortunes. In some war-torn states, women are stepping in as a sort of maternal rescue team."

"In feminist circles, these social, political, and economic changes are always cast as a slow, arduous form of catch-up in a continuing struggle for female equality. But in the U.S., the world’s most advanced economy, something much more remarkable seems to be happening. American parents are beginning to choose to have girls over boys. As they imagine the pride of watching a child grow and develop and succeed as an adult, it is more often a girl that they see in their mind’s eye."

"Yes, the U.S. still has a wage gap, one that can be convincingly explained—at least in part—by discrimination. Yes, women still do most of the child care. And yes, the upper reaches of society are still dominated by men. But given the power of the forces pushing at the economy, this setup feels like the last gasp of a dying age rather than the permanent establishment. Dozens of college women I interviewed for this story assumed that they very well might be the ones working while their husbands stayed at home, either looking for work or minding the children. Guys, one senior remarked to me, “are the new ball and chain.”"

"We don’t yet know with certainty whether testosterone strongly influences business decision-making. But the perception of the ideal business leader is starting to shift. The old model of command and control, with one leader holding all the decision-making power, is considered hidebound. The new model is sometimes called “post-heroic,” or “transformational” in the words of the historian and leadership expert James MacGregor Burns. The aim is to behave like a good coach, and channel your charisma to motivate others to be hardworking and creative. The model is not explicitly defined as feminist, but it echoes literature about male-female differences. A program at Columbia Business School, for example, teaches sensitive leadership and social intelligence, including better reading of facial expressions and body language. “We never explicitly say, ‘Develop your feminine side,’ but it’s clear that’s what we’re advocating,” says Jamie Ladge."

"Since the 1980s, as women have flooded colleges, male enrollment has grown far more slowly. And the disparities start before college. Throughout the ’90s, various authors and researchers agonized over why boys seemed to be failing at every level of education, from elementary school on up, and identified various culprits: a misguided feminism that treated normal boys as incipient harassers (Christina Hoff Sommers); different brain chemistry (Michael Gurian); a demanding, verbally focused curriculum that ignored boys’ interests (Richard Whitmire). But again, it’s not all that clear that boys have become more dysfunctional—or have changed in any way. What’s clear is that schools, like the economy, now value the self-control, focus, and verbal aptitude that seem to come more easily to young girls."

"What would a society in which women are on top look like? We already have an inkling. This is the first time that the cohort of Americans ages 30 to 44 has more college-educated women than college-educated men, and the effects are upsetting the traditional Cleaver-family dynamics. In 1970, women contributed 2 to 6 percent of the family income. Now the typical working wife brings home 42.2 percent, and four in 10 mothers—many of them single mothers—are the primary breadwinners in their families. The whole question of whether mothers should work is moot, argues Heather Boushey of the Center for American Progress, “because they just do. This idealized family—he works, she stays home—hardly exists anymore.”"

You can read the entire article by clicking on the "End of Man" link above.

I know that this has been a long article, probably the longest I have written so far.  However, I do believe that this is a very important topic and one that Satan will continue to promote as we move closer to the end time sequences.

We must look at all things through God's eyes and not just what looks right in our own eyes.  It is no wonder that the cry from God ushering in the coming of Christ is a return to patriarchy, a return to honoring our fathers.  Satan's unrighteous rulership in this world will end, as will the matriarchal perversion which supports it.  Don't be deceived by evil works dressed up to look like worldly good. 

Matriarchy is a curse given from God because the people's "tongue and their doings are against the LORD" (Isaiah 3:8).  In this judgment, God removes the patriarchs (the mighty man, the man of war, the judge, the prophet, the honorable man, etc.) and lets women rule so that the people will be led into error (Isaiah 3:1-12).  Instead of turning to God with a heart of repentance, the people are rejoicing in what will bring about their destruction.

As the article states, the goal of feminism is not equality, or even matriarchy, but the "End of Men".

The Church Has Been Hijacked

And the Weapon of Choice is "Music"

A year ago, Steve Harvey gave an interview to Donnie McClurkin, where he gives a worldly critique of what is "wrong with the church".  One of his suggestions for how the church might be able to better reach the world was that they allow secular artists to come and sing in the assembly of the saints.

This mindset - that music is somehow just about individual talent - is shared by many, but is in error.  We have written about music before, but many people still do not understand that music is a ministry.  It is an offering to God used to usher in His presence and minister to His people.

This is why it is said that music is "food for the soul."  However, the question is, "What are you feeding your soul?  Is it edifying your spirit (conforming you more to the image of God) or fortifying your soul (making you soulish and conforming you to the image of the world)?"

There is a terrible misconception that what makes music sacred or secular is the lyrics. However, music has a power all of its own (apart from the lyrics) to minister to one's soul based on the spirit it carries.

"And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him." I Samuel 16:23

Notice above that music alone (no lyrics) can affect the spirit of a man; in this case for good.  When music is from the Lord, it can cast off evil spirits.  However, music can also be used to usher in the presence of that which is evil.

"Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace." Daniel 3:4-6

The decree that Nebuchadnezzar made for the people to worship the golden idol applied to all "people, nations, and languages" in the Babylonian Empire.  This is because music is the "universal language"; it can transcend language and culture.  Here we see that the music alone - again, no lyrics - is able to draw people into worship of false gods.

When "Christian" musicians sample music from Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Lil Kim, Tupac, Sting, U2, The Beatles...and bring it into the church, they are either flaunting their ignorance in this area or attempting to deliberately defile the people.  More importantly, such artists wouldn't be able to make a career in such things if the church also understood that we cannot clean up what is unclean spirits with "Christian" lyrics and make it acceptable to God. 

One way to discern the spirit behind music is to see how it "inspires" the people who hear it.  Does it inspire a humble heart of praise & worship towards God or does it inspire the pride of life by putting the flesh on display? Does it bring man's attention to the glory & majesty of God or does it lead man to focus on himself?  Is it sowing to man's spirit or to his flesh?

"For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Galatians 6:8

Bro. David Williams engages in a discussion below about these issues as he evaluates "How Gospel is Gospel music?"

Is Jesus Your Idol?

"I" Am a Christian!

As we deal with idolatry, it is only fitting that we address the biggest idol of all, who happens to go by the name "Jesus".  Oftentimes, people comment on this site or others by prefacing their comments with, "I am a Christian...", "My father is a pastor...", or "I am saved too...."

It is almost like they expect such statements to give a sort of validity to their comments.  We are supposed to say, "Oh, well they are Christians so they must know what they are talking about."  This is also reflective of how people approach Christianity these days.

In many ways, the word "Christian" has almost become one of the most meaningless words in the world because most who use it do so with no regard for what it means.  There is no substance of Christ in their "Christianity" because they have created an idol named "Jesus" who is not the same as the true Son of God.

This Christ idol also has a number of false sayings to undergird him; sayings which many proudly promote, being deceived into thinking that these statements reflect Christ. 

We Are All God's Children

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." Romans 8:14

"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:26

We are not all God's children. Scripture says the only ones who are His are those who are led by His Spirit through faith in Jesus Christ (being born again).  If Jesus isn't one's Savior & Lord then such is not a child of God, but a child of Satan (John 8:44).

God is Working on ALL of Us

"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient." Romans 1:28

"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, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." II Thessalonians 2:11-12

God is not working on "all of us".  While God's desire is for all to be saved, Scripture is clear that God is far away from the wicked (Psalm 66:18; Proverbs 15:29; John 9:31).  God has even given up some people to reprobation, which places them beyond redemption.

God Helps Those Who Help Themselves

"For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his." Hebrews 4:10

"Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." Psalm 37:5

God sent His only begotton Son precisely because man was unable to help himself.  God is not looking to add Himself to man's ability.  He is not our "co-pilot" and He doesn't need our help.  Such is the exact opposite of the Gospel.  Rather, God is looking for us to cease from our own efforts, our own works, and our own understanding and depend completely on Him in everything.

Don't Be So Heavenly Minded That You Are No Earthly Good

"Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." Colossians 3:2

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." I John 2:15-16

Can our minds be so set on the things of God that we are no longer of any good in the earth?  Not according to the Lord.  On the contrary, God says that your affections can be so "earthly" focused that you make yourself the enemy of God.  The only way that the love of God can reside in us is if our minds, thoughts, and desires are first and foremost on Heavenly things.  The only way we can be filled with light - and thereby be the light unto the world - is for our eye to be single and focused on the things above.

I am Just a Sinner Saved By Grace

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?" I Corinthians 6:9a

We have discussed before how saints are no longer sinners.  While we are all saved by grace, the call for Christians is to cease from sin through the power that Christ gives us over sin.

You Cannot Judge

"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." John 7:24

One of the more popular falsehoods supported by this "Jesus" idol is that it is a sin to judge.

While we have a set of articles which address the issue of judging in detail, the bottom line is that God only forbids hypocrites from judging (Matthew 7:1-5).  He does however use His people to proclaim His judgments.

The Christian's Job is Just to Pray for People

"Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good." Jeremiah 14:10-11

People often use a "you should just pray" response to stop you from addressing areas of darkness, sin, or compromise.  The pastor is accused of molesting young boys?  You should just pray.  The church has been misusing church funds?  You should just pray.  The preacher leaves his wife and children in order to marry his mistress?  You should just pray.

The Christian's obligation is not to "just pray", but to obey God (I John 2:3-4).  We are to pray without ceasing, but that is not the same as praying to the cessation of all else.  Whether He tells you to pray, speak, be quiet, etc.  Whatever He tells you to do, that is what you should do.  He might even tell you not to pray for someone.  The only way to know what to do in any situation is to hear from Him.

God Loves the Sinner, but Hates the Sin

"God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day." Psalm 7:11

If a reading of Scripture tells you anything it would be that God takes sin personally.  He is not indifferent about sin or the sinner, but He hates sin and holds man accountable for it.  God is not looking down lovingly on the sinner, but they are the objects of His wrath...every day!  God is merciful to sinners, giving all time to repent, but the love of God is realized in our lives when we become His sons (Hebrews 12:6-7; I John 3:1). 

We Just Need to Think, "What Would Jesus Do"

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2

God is not calling upon us to try and act like Him, that is religious performance.

We are not to mimic Jesus, but to be conformed to His image by the Spirit so that we can actually be as He is in this world (I John 4:17).   It is only then that we can walk in His will because we will be doing so by nature and not as hypocrites (actors).

Christians Have to Show Love

"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." I John 3:18

"By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." I John 5:2-3

Because fallen man determines what "love" is based on how it makes him feel, many are running around trying to "show" that they are loving by catering to man's feelings.  This of course means that anything which might offend is seen as "unloving".  This has resulted in a watered-down gospel that compromises on the truths of God and bears no resemblance to the real thing.

What people need to understand is that God's love is synonymous with His truths.  You cannot separate the two.  The way that Christians show love is by obeying God's commands and standing for His truths, regardless of how it makes man "feel".  If you decide that people's reactions will determine how you represent the Lord, then you will have to deny God's word.

Jesus is a Friend to Sinners

Jesus is not a friend to sinners, as we reviewed previously.  The grace of God - which comes by Jesus Christ - is only given to the humble.  As Jesus confirms, God does not even hear sinners (John 9:31).

God Knows My Heart

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9

"He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered." Proverbs 28:26

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." Hebrews 3:12

This is a true saying.  God does know our hearts.  It is man who does not know his own heart, which is why God says outright that our hearts are deceitful.  We can deceive ourselves into thinking that we are "good" or that we "mean well", but God sees the selfish motivations behind our actions.  We cannot trust our own hearts, but must be guided by the word of God.

Each of these statements above are often recited by professing Christians, yet are lies.  Notice how at the heart of each is a denial of God's commands and or compromise with the world. They are sayings which are used to support "another Jesus" (II Corinthians 11:4).

In these days, where everybody has "a word from the Lord" you had better know Christ for yourself.  Measure everything (here or anywhere) by the full counsel of the Lord's word as His Spirit reveals the truth to you and conforms you to that truth.

Are Allah and Yahweh the Same?

Who Is Allah?

We often receive comments from Muslims who falsely believe - or at least put forth - that Christians and Muslims are all on the same side; namely God's side.  It is not uncommon these days to hear Muslims speaking of such commonality, proclaiming that they love Jesus, and that He is the same as the "Mahdi" that Muslims believe will be soon coming as the redeemer of Islam.

Anyone who knows just a little about Islam and Christianity would know from a surface review that these are not the same deities...and never have been.  So then, "Who is Allah?"

In conducting the research for the Worship of Baal-Peor article, I came across much information that tied Islam to ancient moon worship.  From the position of devotion assumed by Muslims in prayer (which was also assumed in the worship of Baal Peor), to the kissing of the Black Stone, to the symbology of the crescent moon as a representation of Islam, etc.

In the following videos, they speak of how Islam was simply a warming over and renaming of various ancient Babylonian rituals and is at its core anti-Christ.


In the videos below, Walid Shoebat appears on Jewish Voice Ministries with Jonathan Bernis discussing his own personal journey away from Islam, key differences between Yahweh and Allah, how the Qur'an supports that the Mahdi (redeemer) of Islam is the Anti-Christ of Scripture, and whether Islam is truly a "religion of peace".

Sin is Past

Can You Be A "Saved" Sinner?

We have spoken in the past about sin, and about how it is an error for Christians to refer to themselves as sinners.  However, some still struggle with the Scriptural truth that those in Christ have been freed from sin (Romans Chapter 6; Galatians 5:24; I Peter 4:1; I John 3:6-9).

In fact, to get around this issue, many professing Christians are attempting to separate one's standing in God from the issue of sin altogether.  It is this perspective which generates the falsehood that God is a friend of sinners.  As a result, we are presented with a salvation experience in Christ which has no bearing on sin.  You continue as you were, but you are now "saved".

Such also means of course that once you are saved, your sin no longer matters so you can never lose your salvation.  You are still a sinner, but you are just forgiven.  The essence of salvation then is not that you are delivered from a state of death (sin), but that God simply turns a blind eye to your dead condition. 

Yet, does this view hold water?  We know that Jesus Christ came to save sinners, but is it true that we continue being sinners after being reconciled to God in Christ? 

"Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such WERE some of you: BUT ye are washed, BUT ye are sanctified, BUT ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." I Corinthians 6:9-11

Paul tells us, "Be not deceived."  Deceived about what Paul?  About thinking that any persons in these sinful states will inherit the Kingdom of God.  When we believe that such persons will be saved, we have been deceived.

Now wait a minute!  Aren't at least some of these Christians still fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexual, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, or extortioners?   How can Paul address this text to the entire group of believers at Corinth - without knowing each individual personally - and say with confidence that such sinful states were collectively a thing of the past for them? 

Why doesn't Paul make allowance for even one of them to still be what they were before?  Because he knew that they - as with all believers - had been washed, sanctified, and justified.

"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also WALKED some time, when ye lived in them. BUT NOW ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.  Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." Colossians 3:5-10

Was there not even one who was still "walking or living" in fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, covetousness, and idolatry?  How did Paul know that putting off the old man and putting on the new man meant that these believers no longer "walked" in the sinful ways that they did before?  Because they had been renewed to reflect the image of their Creator.

"For we ourselves also WERE sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." Titus 3:3-5

Weren't at least some of these believers still foolish, disobedient, deceived, lustful, hateful or envious?  Not according to the text.  Paul could say with assurance that these individuals had been changed by God.  They used to be these things, but now they are not.  They had been saved, washed, and renewed by the Holy Spirit.

"Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; That he NO LONGER should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For THE TIME PAST of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we WALKED in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye RUN NOT with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you." I Peter 4:1-4

Are believers the same as sinners, but simply forgiven?  No. Faith in Christ presents a stark contrast that even sinners can see whereby Paul can say unequivocally that sinfulness has become a thing of the "past".  

"But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor." Galatians 2:17-18

Consider the above text.  Are we still sinners after being justified by Christ?  No.  In fact, Paul indicates that such a thing as being a sinner is at odds with being justified by Christ.  If we are, then it is because we have made of ourselves a transgressor. 

In all of these texts, where are the "saved" fornicators?  Where are the "saved" homosexuals?  Where are the "saved" liars and thieves?  Where are the "saved" idolaters?  Where are the "saved" sinners?   They don't exist.  You are either one or the other.  You are either still in sin or you have been changed.  God does not make room for any in-between conditions in these texts.


These texts tell us certain truths about sin in relation to believers:

• Deliverance from sin is not merely imagined.  When discussing the various sinful states, God doesn't say, "And such ARE some of you, but you have been forgiven." The change is not theoretical. 
  
  
• Deliverance from sin is not merely imputed.  It is not just that God no longer sees our sinful state, but a real difference in our lives occurs so that even sinners take note, thinking us "strange" that we no longer partake in sin.  The change is not just imputed.
  
  
• Deliverance from sin is actually imparted.  God states repeatedly that believers are no longer what they were before. The state of sin they "were" in is a thing of the past precisely because they have been changed by the power of God. 
  
  
• Sin is not primarily an issue of immaturity. Being no longer under sin is not something we acquire as we grow in the faith. The texts above are not addressed to only mature believers, but to all believers.  This lets us know that the power over sin is an inheritance given to every believer from the start.

How is it that in the days of the early church, faith in Christ was synonymous with being delivered from sin, but now we have a "Christian faith" whereby we are saved while continuing in sin?

What are these new and popular gospels missing which the true Gospel contains?  It is the born again experience.

The graphic to the right says, "Sinner by birth, saved by the grace of God. Ephesians 2:8"   This image is telling you precisely what the problem is with these false gospels: they deny the reality and necessity of the born again experience.

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God...Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." John 3:3, 7

While it is true that we have all been born into sin, it is also true that all must be born again by the Spirit to be freed from sin.  If you are not born again, then you will not be freed from sin.  Instead, you will remain a slave to sin...or in other words: a sinner.

Let me be very clear.  Proclaiming to be a sinner while also claiming salvation in Christ Jesus is not a show of your "humility".  It just means that you are repudiating everything Christ has accomplished on the cross and the power that comes by it.  While clinging to your self-identification as a sinner and a Christian, you are calling God a liar.

"And you hath he quickened, who WERE dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein IN TIME PAST ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all HAD our conversation IN TIMES PAST in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and WERE by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:1-10

There is a repeating theme in these verses of two principles: justification and sanctification.  Both are needed and both are part of the Christian walk.

When we turn in faith to Jesus Christ and are born again, our sins are forgiven, but we are also given the power to be free from sin.  We are justified by being covered under the blood of Jesus - which makes us acceptable to God - but also empowered by the Spirit to be sanctified from sin. 

justified: to declare, pronounce, one to be just or righteous.

sanctified: to render or to be venerable or hallow; to separate from profane things and dedicate to God; to purify.

Some might ask, "Why must we be sanctified if we are already justified?"  Yet the word of God says that it is not enough for us to simply be declared holy; we are to be holy (Romans 11:6; Ephesians 1:4, 5:27; I Peter 1:15-16; Revelations 22:11).  Unlike before, where we were carnal and ruled by soulish desires, we are commanded to now be in possession of our own souls (Luke 21:19).  We have been changed (by the power of God alone), and now we must walk in that change (again, by the power of God alone). 

"For ye WERE sometimes darkness, but now ARE ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:" Ephesians 5:8 

The last thing I would want this article to do is to set people off "trying" to stop sinning in the flesh or feeling condemned because of a struggle against sin. I deal more with that topic in another article and will not be addressing how we obtain victory over sin here.  I am not speaking of being "perfect", but being "perfected".  I am speaking about our attitude towards sin.

What I hope this post makes abundantly clear is that we cannot reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to Christ, while still claiming to be alive to sin (Romans 6:11)!  There are no "sinners" who are at the same time "saved."  Truly being born again means acknowledging that old things are passed away and that we are made new in Him. We are not to cling to the old things, but to put on the new man who is not a sinner, but is made after the image of God in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:22-32)!

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, THAT HENCEFORTH we should not serve sin." Romans 6:6

Remember, you must be born again.  The answer to sin is not to pretend that it doesn't matter.  True humility is seeing sin how God sees sin, and recognizing that our only deliverance is in the victory He gives us over it.

In the following vidoes, Min. David Pawson gives a quick breakdown on the difference between justification and sanctification.

Afterwards, Pastor Zac Poonen speaks on "Living As Jesus Lived", where He addresses:

• The Greatest Promise in the Bible - II Peter 1:4 says, "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust."  The greatest promise in the Bible is that we can receive the nature of Christ so that we can actually be as He is.  Being a Christian is not about "acting" like Jesus.  You can study and learn how to act like anything, but it won't change who you really are.  Only God can take man and give him a new nature so that man will no longer be what he was.
  
  
• Jesus Overcame by Grace - I John 2:6 says, "He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.".  A Christian has a primary responsibility to walk as Christ walked.  But how do we do this?  Many do not realize that even Jesus needed grace to walk out his human existence (Luke 2:40; John 1:14-16) and grace to die for sin (Hebrews 2:9).  He is our pattern, and we also need grace.  The same thing that grace did for Him, it will do for us.
  
  
• Jesus Overcame as a Man - Romans 6:14 says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace."  Either we must be master over sin or sin will be master over us.  The Bible says I will master sin, if I receive the grace of God.  So if I am not mastering sin, that is proof that I am not receiving the grace of God.  I am only imagining that I am receiving grace.  Why is it that many Christians not only are blind to this truth, but consider such unScriptural, even when it is reiterated throughout Scripture?  It is because they do not understand the mystery of godliness; that Jesus overcame as a man by the power of the Holy Spirit (I Timothy 3:16).
  
  
• Entering a Life of Victory - The recounting of the Israelites not entering into the Promised Land is told 3 times in the New Testament for what God says is our admonition.  Why is this?  The Promised Land is a picture of a life of victory, a life of living as Jesus lived where the giants of sin are killed.  The Israelites who were killed in the "Wilderness of Sin" were unable to enter in because of unbelief.  Even today, many Christians do not believe when God says that He has given us the victory over sin, and remain trembling & weak under these giants, unable to live in the promises God has already given. 
  
  We are told that Caleb entered into the Promised Land because he had "another spirit" from the Israelites who died in the wilderness.  This is our answer to living in victory.  We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit, which is different than simply receiving the Holy Spirit.  It took many years for the Israelites to kill the giants, and it will take time for God to kill the giants of sin in your life, but He is faithful to do it if we believe!
  
  
• The Results of Living as Jesus Lived -The reason people do not live like Jesus is because they don't believe it is essential and therefore, they are not willing to pay the price to do it.  That which you feel is essential, you will do anything to obtain. What will our lives be like, if we do in fact live as Jesus lived?

You Cannot Worship God and An Idol

Seek The God Who Answers By Fire

"And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire." Hebrews 1:7

Pastor Zac Poonen posted a message this week called "The Fire is the Proof", which I would like to share with you below. In it, he speaks about the glory of the Lord and the importance of discerning God's presence.

While he speaks primarily of this as it relates to the church, God kept taking my mind back to the temple of our bodies and the life we lead before Him.  Do you find yourself in a dry place with the Lord?  Seek a return of His glory, of His fire.  He has not changed.  Have you?

Remember, there were ten virgins and only five were wise enough to retain oil in their lamps which would be set alight at the coming of the Lord.  How can we be the light of the world if there is no fire within - the life of Christ - to set us aflame?

We need the anointing of the Holy Spirit more than ever, for the days are growing ever darker.  In the midst of this darkness, we should be a great light as Christ shines within us.  Yet we share responsibility for fanning that flame.
 
"That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you by means of the laying on of my hands [with those of the elders at your ordination].

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

Do not blush or be ashamed then, to testify to and for our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for His sake, but [with me] take your share of the suffering [to which the preaching] of the Gospel [may expose you, and do it] in the power of God.

[For it is He] Who delivered and saved us and called us with a calling in itself holy and leading to holiness [to a life of consecration, a vocation of holiness]; [He did it] not because of anything of merit that we have done, but because of and to further His own purpose and grace (unmerited favor) which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began [eternal ages ago]." II Timothy 1:6

consecrate: to make or declare sacred; set apart or dedicate to the service of a deity; to devote or dedicate to some purpose; to sanctify.

Too many today are happy settling for a semblance of Christianity.  They are content naming the name of the Lord, but the heart is far from Him.  They answer to a label of "Christian", but they live their lives as if it is their own.  What's missing is consecration; a heart that is not divided between God and anything else. Such persons will surely be ashamed in that day to find that there is no oil in their lamps and the door to the marriage supper has been shut.

Consecrate your life to God, and you will see a revival of fire in your hearts.

I Wanted to Be an AKA... Why This is a SERIOUS Matter

Breaking the Chains of a Sorority or Fraternity

"If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him." Deuteronomy 13:6-9

I have previously done an article on the idolatry upon which Greek Letter organizations, how they each represent worship of false gods, and each are part of the occult.

In the videos below, a sister from Set Free Indeed shares her own personal testimony of involvement in the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) organization.  This testimony addresses her struggle to reconcile her faith in Christ with her experiences as an AKA, including:

• Becoming initiated into the AKA organization
• The conflict of being a born again Christian while belonging to AKA
• The deliverance God brought her through to renounce this association.

Now I am sure that this will generate comments from those defending the virtue of these organizations.  I have no interest in such discussions.  I do not belong to any BGLO, so I don't have a dog in this fight.

However, as a Christian, I am completely dedicated to exposing works of darkness, especially those hidden works which try to portray themselves as vessels of light (II Corinthians 11:14-15).  The question is not whether there is some "good" about Greek organizations, but about whether the principles which undergird them - and participation in them - are congruent with a life in Christ. 

The Word of the Lord
"And thou shalt love the LORD THE GOD with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment." Mark 12:30

"And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deuteronomy 6:5-7

AKA Sorority Pledge
To thee, O Alpha Kappa Alpha, we pledge our hearts, our minds, our strength, to foster thy teachings, obey thy laws, and make thee supreme in service to all mankind.  O Alpha Kappa Alpha, we greet thee!

I Think I Shall Never Know  (Tune of Trees)
I think that I shall never know
Another love that thrills me so
Dwells in my heart by night, by day
As does my love for AKA

Secure I am at work, at play
Of such are these --the AKA
I think when I shall come to die
There'll be no need for fear or sigh
For if you have been an AKA
Life owes me naught -
I've lived my day

If there is anything which pulls at or divides our affections away from the Lord, it is evil.  Should our heart, mind, and strength be dedicated to Greek organizations or to God?  Should the greatest love we have in life be for a man-made organization or for the Creator of all?  Are such organizations capable of giving us security while we live and work?  Can they offer us eternal salvation so that we have nothing to fear after death?  May we never be a defender of anything that calls us to give to others what Christ says must be given to God alone.

The purpose of this article is not to divulge all the secrets of the initiation rites or sisterhood.  It is to pull back the public image of these organizations to see what is really going on AND what God has to say in the matter.  It is hoped that this sister's testimony might prick the heart of others who may also desire to serve the Lord with their whole hearts.  For more information on how these organizations are not congruent with a life in Christ Jesus, please also see: Denounce Greek, Taking Back Authority You Gave Greek Letters.  You may also want to see the Satanic perversions of "The Divine Nine".

More of Simone's videos in this series will be added as she posts them.

Our God IS a God of Love

The Gospel of "God's Love"

"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth..." I Corinthians 13:4-8a

Much is done in the name of "love", and yet many of it has no basis in "love" at all.  Love perhaps is one of the most distorted words in the human language, used to support & justify the most debase, selfish, and unloving things.

For me personally, nothing is more nauseating than to hear professing Christians championing a "God of love" by defining "love" in ways which are the antithesis of who God is. Why?  Because we have no right to define God according to our own understandings.  If God is love - and He is - then He alone can define what love is. 

I briefly wrote on this by citing various Scriptures which might appear to be downright unloving to some, but were nonetheless acts of our Lord Jesus Christ.  The very words of Scripture - which reveal to us the character of God - convict us about a human perspective of "love".  What we need is a divine revelation of who God is.  Only then can we say that "God is love" and understand what that really means.

Love is not primarily a feeling, it is action that lines up with the righteousness of God.  Love is not defined by how it makes us feel, but how it aligns with the truths of God.  Remember above in I Corinthians 13, love rejoices not in iniquity but rejoices in truth.  Love = God's Truth.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  As soon as we separate "love" from God's truth, we have perverted it. 

If your definition of "love" leads you to accept what God says is unacceptable, then you are serving a false god!  If your view of "love" allows you to do what God says must not be done, then you are not motivated by love.  If your understanding of "love" makes it okay to deny God's word, then you are promoting a lie.

Isn't God's love unconditional? Isn't it nonjudgmental?  If God is love, why are so many suffering?  How could a God of love send anybody to Hell?  What about John 3:16?  Doesn't that prove that God loves everyone?

The video below captures a teaching from Minister David Pawson given on August 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa.  In it, he answers the above questions and many more by looking to the Scriptures to define God's revelation of "love" and the nature of the true Gospel.

"Me" Runs Deep

The Answer for "Me"

Like many, I have often prayed in desperation, "Lord, please get the 'me' out of me!  Help me to get my focus off of myself so that I can be filled with more of you."

Yet, no matter how far we journey with the Lord, "me" seems to still be around.

At the center of everything should be Jesus Christ.  Yet, you can be in a situation where God pulls back the covers to let you see yourself and guess who is standing there??  It is not Christ after all, but "me".

You may have thought your motivations were righteous, but there is "me" - standing front and center, smiling back at you. This can be a truly frustrating experience.

However, I believe that many times God lets us go through situations just so we can see how much of "me" is still in operation in our lives (Luke 22:31).  Like the innumerable minions in the "Despicable Me" movie, there are as many shades of "me" as imaginable.

There is the Argumentative "me" who always wants to be right.

The Idle "me" who doesn't commit to anything and shies away from discipline.

The Proud "me" who prefers to justify wrongs instead of accepting responsibility for them.

The Self-indulgent "me" who wants to be pampered and catered to rather than be put out.

The Defensive "me" who cannot take correction.

The Stiff-necked "me" who is quick to run off doing its own will without asking God, but then begging Him to fix things when they don't go as planned.

The Hypocritical "me" who is quick to see shortcomings in others, but cannot seem to gain the victory over personal sin.

There are too many "me"s to name, but perhaps the worse one is the Religious "me" who actively does and says all the right Christian things, but has no thirst for the transforming life of the Spirit within.

At the end of the day, the only "me" we need - the only one "me" which matters - is the "me" who is a reflection of "Him".

As soon as we enter salvation, you would think that our Master Physician would wield the sword of the Spirit, cut out all of "me", toss it in the sea of forgetfulness, and fill us with Himself.  But that is not how it works.

"In your patience possess ye your souls." Luke 21:19

Pastor Gary Price once described the old man as a huge tree in your front yard.  You can chop away at all the visible parts of the tree until you get down to the stump, but you have still not gotten rid of the tree.

That tree has a root system which thrives underground with a network extending 2-4 times the diameter of the trunk.  Essentially, this means that what is unseen (the roots) is often much more expansive than the visible part of the tree. 

Many Christians spend lots of time chopping away at branches and trimming the outward manifestations of the "tree", but never get to what lies under the surface.

I no longer smoke...I don't curse...I don't listen to certain music or watch certain shows...I don't fornicate...I worship on the Sabbath...I pay my tithes...I serve as a Deacon at church...  They falsely believe that these things make them a believer in Jesus Christ.

No matter how we dress it up or cut it down, unless we deal with the root, then that tree is still alive and well.  The root of the old "me" must be addressed if we are to walk in newness of life in Christ, for that is what it means to be a Christian. 

"And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." Matthew 3:10

"Me" doesn't need to be comforted.  "Me" doesn't need to be nurtured.  "Me" doesn't need a word of encouragement.  "Me" doesn't need to get in touch with its 'inner child' in order to be understood.   The answer for "me" is the cross.  The cross is the answer for me.

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

Death by crucifixion was not an immediate work.  It was arduous, tortuous even.  After having been scourged, beaten, spat upon, and crowned with thorns, Jesus had to carry the cross through Jerusalem before being nailed to it.

Then He hung there for quite some time while the people continued to mock Him, to the point where He felt like His own Father had forsaken Him.  The way of the cross can also seem very lonely; it is not a place that friends and loved ones can walk with you.  There is only you and the Lord. Yet He endured these things by keeping His mind on the joy which awaited Him (Hebrews 12:2).

"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalms 139:23-24

This is exactly why it takes patience.  The roots of "me" are so expansive, that it would literally destroy us if God were to remove it all at once.  So He delivers us little by little as we are able to bear it.

The more that "me" is crucified, the more God's Spirit can fill us and the more Christ can be seen in us.  That is why we are encouraged not to grow weary in well doing and not to faint.  Don't give up, but keep pressing on while God works in us to accomplish His perfect will.

Many are willing to accept what Christ has done for us, but what are we willing to do for Him? Are we willing to sacrifice our lives so that He may live?   Are we willing to take up our own cross every day and follow Him?  It is only as we present ourselves as living sacrifices that we can please Him.

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:1-2

Don't get discouraged, but take comfort even in God's chastisement, for He only chastens those who are His sons.  He is conforming us into His image, which requires that the very essence of who we are be transformed.  It is not an overnight process, but He is more than faithful to complete it.

Just remember that the answer for "me" is the cross.  "Me" runs deep, but the power of the cross runs deeper!

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." I Corinthians 1:18

Jesus is NOT a Friend to Sinners

He is a Savior for Them

"Ye are my friends, IF ye do whatsoever I command you."  John 15:14

There are many popular sayings in the churchworld and often they have no basis in truth.  One such saying is that "Jesus is a friend to sinners."

friend: a person attached to another by feelings of affection, liking, and loyalty; a supporter or ally; a person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile.

Does Scripture support the belief that God is a friend of sinners?  No!  Yet many - unknowingly it seems - espouse such things, even while considering themselves a "Christian".  They have forged a god based on their own imaginations who is nothing like the God of Scripture; so much so that the character of the true God offends them.

Much of the Christian contemporary music scene undergirds the image of this false god; an idol that feels really warm and fuzzy to man, but is based in falsehood.  One such song is "God is Not a White Man" by Gungor, which we reviewed in a previous article.  Recently, someone contested this article by claiming that God is a friend to all and He loves everyone.  Afterall, don't we know that Jesus is a friend to sinners?

In the text of John 15:14, Jesus defines exactly who His friends are: those who obey Him.  Do sinners obey God?  No.  They are by definition "children of disobedience" (Ephesians 2:2, 5:6; Colossians 3:6).  Technically, we could end the discussion right there.  Jesus makes it abundantly clear who qualifies to be His friend.  However, let's look at why Jesus is not a friend of sinners and where this idea comes from.

"Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth." John 9:31

God doesn't even hear sinners.  Yet people want to claim that God is still a friend to sinners??  The saying that Jesus is a "friend to sinners" was not a teaching from God. Consider the absurdity of such a statement and its source.

The religious leaders of Jesus' day claimed that Jesus was a "friend of sinners" as a way to discredit Him before the people (Matthew 9:11, 11:19; Luke 5:30, 7:34, 15:1-2, 19:7).

The Jews knew that God was not a friend of the unrighteous, but that He was angry with the wicked "every day" and "hears not" sinners (Job 27:8-9; Micah 3:4; Psalm 7:11; 66:18; Proverbs 15:8, 29; Isaiah 1:15, 59:2).

They were accusing Jesus of having fellowship with darkness, which would make Him a partaker of that darkness (II Corinthians 6:14-18).

These same religious leaders also claimed that Jesus was Beelzebub and operating under the power of Satan.  Should we lay claim to these statements as being true as well?  So understand that claiming Jesus to be a "friend of sinners" was intended to disparage His righteousness.  Yet, the question remains, is such a statement true?

"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:4

"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Romans 8:7

If God is a friend to sinners - and we know that all have sinned - then He can logically have no enemies.  Jesus being a friend of sinners requires that God is all sinners' friend. 

However, these leaders knew that there was a difference in Jesus' interactions which excluded them and welcomed others.  While Jesus was inviting to others, He was decidedly unfriendly to them (Matthew 3:7, 12:34, 23:1-38, 15:1-3, 15:14; Mark 7:5-7; Luke 3:7; John 2:15, 8:44).   

Why was this?  Because the religious leaders failed to bring forth fruit for repentance (Matthew 3:8; Mark 2:17; Luke 3:3-8, 5:32, 15:7).  It is the quality of repentance that makes a sinner able to be received by God. Remember the two thieves on the cross. They were both sinners, but only one received salvation/fellowship with Christ.

"But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Matthew 9:13

Repentance is not a one time act or being sorry for a particular sin.  True repentance is a turning of the heart so that we can see sin as God does.  We are acknowledging that we must forsake sinful ways - all of them - and not pursue sin, but pursue righteousness.  True repentance is seen in an attitude that abhors sin.

Jesus was not a friend to sinners, for even the religious leaders were sinners. He was a friend to those who acknowledged their sinful state and obeyed His call to repent.  This is why the Scriptures say that Jesus was "separate from sinners" (Hebrews 7:26).  The word separate here (the Greek word chōrizō) means "to separate, divide, part, put asunder, to separate one's self from, to depart."

The world (and even much of the churchworld) likes to paint a picture of Jesus cozying up to sinners as their best friend, but that is not a picture which Scripture supports.  Jesus is only a friend to those who obey Him (John 15:14).  He draws near only to the humble.

God has mercy on all, including sinners, but only gives grace to the humble.  And salvation - through which we are reconciled with God and made His friend - comes by grace.  Apart from repentance from sin, we are enemies of God and still in need of reconciliation and salvation from God.

"For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." Romans 5:10

What is so wrong with portraying God as a friend to sinners?   

• It is a message that Jesus never taught.   
• It is at odds with the Scripture.  
• It turns men into Pharisees and Saducees.  

A sinner who is also a "friend of God" has no need to repent and turn from sin because this concept convinces him that he is already acceptable to God.  It tells man he is already "whole" with no need of a physician (Matthew 9:12).  It blinds man to the need of repentance, which is the only way we are indeed made God's friend, thereby condemning man's soul to death. 

In reading this, some might say, "But I am a sinner!"  Then my only answer for you is that you need to repent.

You are not a friend of God if still in sin (Psalm 5:4-6; II Corinthians 6:14-16; Matthew 7:23-24; John 12:46; I John 1:6, 2:4).   

The Good News to sinners is NOT that Jesus is your friend, but that you no longer have to be a slave to sin (Romans 6:1-22, 8:2-13; I John 3:8-10).  You can be changed, and through that change you can be made a friend of God.

Gungor - the group which sings the blasphemous song "God is Not a White Man" had a BIG hit in recent years with the song "I am a Friend of God".  Who is a friend of God?  To whom is this song directed?  According to "God is Not a White Man" it is the atheists, charlatans, communists, lesbians, and terrorists...just to name a few.

Do you not see the web that is being woven, the anti-christ agenda being promoted?  Are we so blind that we cannot perceive the false gospel used in these songs in order to blind people to their only hope of salvation from the world and from Hell?

Oh how the world perverts the things of God.  We now have a Christian "god" promoted in song and in worship in churches all across the world who is no God at all, but works to destroy the very essence of who God is.  The modern-day Pharisee is not the one calling sinners to repentance, but those claiming that such don't need to repent!

Let your message be the message of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Let you words be the first words of the Gospel.  All else is false and the preaching of "another Jesus" (II Corinthians 11:4).

"Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once." Proverbs 28:18