Deceitful Workers

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light…" (2 Corinthians 11:13-14)

I recently read a quote from one of those “workers”, a Jewish Christian evangelist from down under (appropriate). It went in part like this….

“It deeply concerns me when I hear a professing Christian telling an unbeliever that he is a good person…Anyone who says that human beings are good are calling Jesus a liar…it makes me doubt the genuine nature of the Christian’s salvation…to fail to warn sinners of the terrible consequences of sin (damnation in hell) is the ultimate betrayal of Jesus…”

Don't get me wrong I could care less about what this guy is deeply concerned with, and because I am personally familiar with what the Bible actually says by reading and studying it for myself, he cannot deceive or offend me. I am posting this to my blog because I love my family and friends and want to warn them about believing what men like him have written down through the years.

This particular person has debated atheists, written over 70 books and authored countless evangelical tracks over the years. He has even written a commentary of sorts on the Bible - apparently the Bible is not clear enough for regular folks so it was necessary for this "worker" to clear it up.

Jesus had this to say about those like him 2000 years ago...

"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” (John 8:44)

According to this guy anyone who says his Mom, Dad, Children or anyone else is a good person is calling Jesus a liar. Really, I don't think so.  There is liar in this scenario, but it is certainly not those who know some really good people and tell them so.

I really hope this guy isn't intentionally leading people astray. Satan is so good at deception and is such a good recruiter that his “deceitful workers” are mostly ignorant of their role and probably believe what they are saying. They work for or are the leaders of religious organizations, including Christianity. They usually promote obedience to the Law of Moses or Sharia Law or some other religious Law, and teach that obedience to that Law is the method for getting and staying saved, getting eternal bliss, and avoiding eternal conscious torment from the god they are promoting (sometimes even mixing in the word grace). And they all refer to those who don't join their group and tow the line as unbelievers or infidels.

And these “deceitful workers” of the Christian persuasion profess concern for the salvation of those who disagree with them (Islam not so much). Their methods are subtle, as Satan is subtle, but you can easily tell when they are of Satan. How you may ask?

They will base their argument on a lie, claiming or inferring that the lie is truth from their religious book. It is “no wonder” because Satan is the “father of lies”. It worked in the garden of Eden on Adam and Eve and it has been working ever since among mankind.

Now for the particular lie of the above “worker”. The lie is obvious to anyone who has read and studied the Scripture (so Muslims get a pass here). The lie is his statement that “the consequence of sin is damnation in hell”. Of course he does not give chapter and verse - there is none. It is interesting that both Christianity and Islam agree on this lie, they just disagree on what the sin that sends one there is.

These men will never quote in context the relevant Scripture which does tell mankind what is the consequence for sin - SOOOO I will do so and I will also quote what God says He has done about sin and for sinners, even for deceived "workers"…

“The wages of sin is DEATH…But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us…for as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive…the last enemy that will be abolished is death...that God may be All in all...death is swallowed up in Victory." (Romans 6:23; 5:8; 1 Corinthians 15:22,26,28, 54)

The deceived "workers" will suffer the consequences of sin like everyone else and they will die - but Jesus will return and resurrect them and everyone else. Even these “deceitful workers” will reap the love of God and His free gift to sinners.  His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ransomed them, and has reconciled them to God. And He will freely give them eternal life...

“The wages of sin is DEATH but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord...who gave himself a ransom for all...for it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. And although you were formerly alienated and hostile in mind, engaged in evil deeds, yet He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach...it is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners...we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. PRESCRIBE AND TEACH THESE THINGS..." (Romans 6:23; Colossians 1:20; 1 Timothy 1:15-2:6; 1 Timothy 4:10-11; Colossians 1:20 )

Good for Business

“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you...by this gospel you are saved…Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…he was buried…he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive…we will all be changed in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised…For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality…then the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15)

I was 12 and setting in the pew next to my friend Joy who was 11. The Pastor walked down the aisle and up to Joy and asked him if he wanted to be saved. I will never forget it. Joy said “not right now”. The pastor urged him again and again to come down front with him and give his life over to Jesus. He just kept gripping the back of the pew and saying “not today”. The Pastor didn’t say anything to me because the previous month I had walked down front and prayed with him the sinner’s prayer and was baptized (for the second of three times)…so I was OK in his view. The next week Joy was killed while riding his bike down 4th street.

What about Joy’s eternal condition? I get sad every time I remember the event…not for Joy, he is fine, but for his parents. No one in the Church knew the TRUTH, so none of them could comfort them that even though Joy did not “walk the aisle” he was still the recipient of the "free gift" of salvation. I suppose his parents died wondering whether their only son was saved.

That night, the only difference between me and Joy was that I had "walked the aisle" and been baptized by Christians who sincerely and genuinely believed that was the only way to get saved. God loves us both the same and the Bible tells us that Jesus is the “Savior of the World”. Joy nor I had anything to do with what Jesus did to save us. And one day Joy and all others will rejoice in his presence and live forever and ALL will have come to the knowledge that they have been ransomed and redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.

"For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for ALL, to be testified in due time...” (1 Timothy 2:3-7)

You will not hear this in church. The Catholics make salvation a matter of good works PLUS the cross of Christ. Protestants make salvation dependent on our “free will choice” PLUS the cross of Christ. Muslims make salvation a matter of daily prayer and good works. They all deny the gospel as set forth plainly in the Bible…and I just cannot understand why…good for business I suppose.

The good news, however, is that God guaranteed the salvation of the sinner when Jesus died on the cross, was buried in the tomb, and God raised him from the dead.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

“I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the GRACE of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ…” (Galatians 1:6-8)

A truth that benefits everyone, no matter how good it is, is rarely popular. The good news of the reconciliation and salvation of all is a good example. For some reason, believers inevitable fall away from the reality of this Grace into some form of law keeping which separates those worthy of salvation from the unworthy. Instead of growing in Grace, they retreat to the bondage of the Law. They continue to call it Grace, but it is a mixture of Law and Grace, another gospel altogether…which is no gospel at all. Mankind does not want anything for FREE, they want to believe they had some part, however small, in obtaining it. The ultimate Salvation and Reconciliation of all to God is the prime example….But it is free regardless of what religious men say.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

I ran across this quote from A. W. Tozer which seemed pretty well on point today.

“Popular Judaism slew the prophets and crucified Christ. Popular Christianity killed the reformers, jailed the Quakers and drove John Wesley into the streets. When it comes to religion, the crowds are always wrong. At any time there are a few who see, and the rest are blinded. To stand by the truth of God against the current religious vogue is always unpopular and may be downright dangerous... Christianity's scramble for popularity today is an unconscious acknowledgment of spiritual decline.”

I have not found it dangerous yet…just lonely.