John,

Good Evening,

I am just trying to be sure I am thinking about this correctly.

John 15:25 says, “But this happened so that the saying written in their law might be fulfilled, ‘They hated me for no reason.’”

I found  the quote above twice in the book of Psalms, but for “their Law” was John referring to this Levitical law: “You shall not hate your brother in your heart; you shall plainly reprove your fellow, lest you bear sin because of him.”

Thanks,

Wendell

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Hi Wendell.

John was correct to quote that verse in Psalms and say that it is in the law.  Any scripture from any of the Old Testament books may be referred to as coming from the law.  In 1Corinthians 14:21, Paul quoted Isaiah 28 and says that verse was from the law.  In John 10:34, Jesus quoted Psalm 110 and said that verse was from the law.  So, whether a scripture is found in the history books (Genesis–Esther), the wisdom books (Job–Song of Solomon), or the prophecy books (Isaiah–Malachi), it is considered to be from the law.  

Pastor John

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Hey Pastor John,

After you left our house tonight, I remembered a couple of things that stood out to me from The Father and Son* reading this Past Sunday night.

The first part was from the Just a Few section.   It said, “Since nothing good dwells in us, as Paul said, it follows that if anyone feels guilt for doing wrong, it is never that he is convicted by his own conscience, for conviction for sin is good, and good is not in us.”

Nothing good in us… what a thought!

That led me to wonder what the difference  is between conviction and condemnation, as seen in 1 John 3:19-20: “And by this, we know that we are of the truth, and we will assure our hearts before Him, for if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and He understands everything.”

Is condemnation the opposite of justification?

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Condemnation and conviction are parts of the same experience.  Our hearts condemn us only when God convicts us of wrongdoing.  Our hearts, on their own, cannot condemn us.  God must first convict us.

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And if faith is having confidence that what I am doing is pleasing to God, then what would be the opposite of that—the confidence that what I am doing is displeasing to God?

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Such confidence is what faith is, and faith is the opposite of unbelief, which is refusing to believe the truth that God freely offers.

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Also, in the Finding Glory section, you said, “Many of God’s children who join a Christian church live unsatisfied lives, unfulfilled in Church religion, but thinking they are pleasing God, they go along with the program.”

That touched me because it is the absolute truth to me.  In Christianity, I felt that hope-crushing  burden.  I called that miserable feeling “keeping the faith” or “fighting the good fight.”  Sure, I had some good times at church functions, but when I’d get home, I’d feel empty.  I wanted the Holy Ghost; I wanted to know the truth of it all; I wanted to feel something real.  And those neatly wrapped, feel-good sermons just couldn’t hold water by the end of the day.  I remember wondering if there was something wrong with me.

I was relieved when I realized I was not “saved” and that my life didn’t have to continue that way, and that there is so much more we can experience in God during this life.  It felt like not being “saved” actually saved my life.

I am so grateful Jesus rescued me from that tormenting lie.  And I am very thankful he put me in your care with this wonderful body.

Thank you!

Johnny

*  Father and Son 24 PDF

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I know Christians tend to use the phrase “the Word” to mean “the Bible” but how can they read John 1:1 and hold onto that meaning?

Allison

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Hi Allison,

Short answer – I do not know how they can do that.

One of the many strange elements of the Christian religion is the doctrine that the Bible is the Word of God.   Many Christian ministers teach it, and are confident in doing so, even though the Bible never claims to be the Word of God.  In fact, the Bible plainly tells us that it is NOT the Word of God, but that the Word of God is a person – Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

I don’t know where or when the doctrine began which holds that the Word of God is a thing, the Bible, but it would be a blessing if God’s people would stick with what the Bible actually says about the Word and ignore the ministers who are teaching them nonsense.

https://goingtojesus.com/gtj_books.html?tname=word

Pastor John

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Hey Pastor John,

Who do Christian ministers say the Great Whore in Revelation is?

Michelle 

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Hi Michelle.

It will depend on which Christian minister you ask.  Pentecostal ministers used to teach that the Great Whore was the Catholic Church, and I feel sure that some still do.  But I am out of the loop with that now.

One thing is certain, though.  It would be hard to find a Christian who would state the obvious, the Great Whore and her harlots daughters are the religious system called Christianity.

Thank you for the question.

Pastor John

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Pastor John,

I remember growing up hearing Pentecostal ministers saying it was the Catholic Church but I don’t think I’ve ever heard what any other denominational minister would say it is.  

I was reading the Random Thought last night about “coming out of her”.  I had the thought, how sad it is that God’s children are running into that institution (Harlot) thinking they are running into safety but in the end it will be destroyed.  They just need to run to Jesus and they can find him on their knees, not in an institution.  In him is our safe hiding place.  

* https://www.goingtojesus.com/gtj_thoughts.html?tname=rdt03-13

Michelle

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Pastor John,

I have a question from yesterday morning’s Father and Son reading,

( Father and Son 22) .

We know the current condition and future salvation of our souls depends on our faithful following of a who in Christ, and not a what; as the Apostle Paul said, “Follow me as I follow Christ.”  So we know that God’s children are called by God to follow His representative(s) that He sends to lead them home. 

However, in the religious system of Christianity, members appear to follow after the Christian institution instead of following a true representative of Christ.

For example-

Brother Brad pointed out this morning that Christianity’s ministers often are hired and fired, or move on to other positions in the institution, leaving their sheep behind.  I have seen Christian ministers leave their people behind for better jobs in the institution, and I have seen the minister’s flock stay behind, not following the minister, remaining faithful to the institution—their church—instead of the man.  So, it appears that Christian ministers and their sheep, at least some of them, honor the institution first, above everything else.

My question is, if life in Christ means a lifelong relationship between an anointed who, a representative of Christ, and his flock, then who is the who (if there is one) that represents the institution of Christianity, since it commands such devotion from people?  Can a dead thing such as an institution, being comprised of a bunch of buildings, symbols, and conflicting ideas, hold on to men’s hearts the way Christianity does?  Or is there a spirit behind it all, a living who that is not Jesus?

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Yes, Jerry, there are spirits which brought about the religious system of Christianity and which sustain it.  One is the perverse spirit of fallen man, and the other is Satan.  They work together (cf. Mt. 16:23).

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If there is a who represented by the institution of Christianity, such as a spirit, Satan, etc., then that makes Christianity appear more like a place representing “anything but Christ” instead of representing Christ.

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Yes, it does.

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Finally, if it is not a spirit or Satan behind Christianity that is inspiring such devotion from unwitting men, is it just man’s misconception of Christianity that is provoking their devotion—the misconception that Christianity represents the who, Christ, that men know in their hearts they should be reverencing?

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Wrong ideas do not just appear out of nowhere.  They come from living beings.  So this question is the same as your last one: “Is there a who behind Christianity?”

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I have heard it said, and I believe it, that God may be allowing Christianity to exist as an off-ramp, so to speak, a place where His children may go to hide from holiness when they do not want to do things God’s way.  But men serve Christianity in a way that makes it appear to be more than just a bad idea.  It almost appears that Christian leaders and organizers feed their people to that institution until folks are consumed.  It sucks the life out of them.  It seems spiritual.

Thank you,

Jerry

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It certainly is spiritual, Jerry; it does not just seem to be.  Peter warned God’s people that men would come (with their institution) teaching wrong things, that many would follow them, causing the truth to be evil spoken of, and that those men would exploit God’s children (2Pet. 2:1–3).  That is a perfect description of Christianity.

The most successful lie in history, to date, is that the religion of Christianity represents Christ.  The whole world believes that (cf. Rev. 12:9).  We were all fooled.  I would have given my life for Christianity; indeed, I was giving my life to it.  But Jesus has rescued me, and you, and others, and I am very thankful.  Knowing how much God loves His people, I am hopeful that He will rescue millions more of our brothers and sisters who, as you and I were, are still blinded by the appearance of goodness and the worldly honor that Christianity enjoys.

Christianity has nothing to do with the real Jesus, other than what it claims.  What an amazing, fearful revelation that was to me when I finally received it!  It is only because He loves them so much, the Father is crying, “Come out of her, my people!”  I am so thankful that I heard that call!

Now, to be a good example of the meekness and love of Christ.  That is our job, Jerry.

Thanks for writing.  I hope I have adequately answered your question.

Pastor John

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John,

I vaguely recall you touched on this awhile ago.  What’s your take on that phrase, “Hurting people hurt people; healed people heal people”?

Brad

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Hi Brad.

As with most such clichés, it is misleading.  This is the truth of the matter: Ungodly people hurt people; godly hurt people hurt no one, but take their hurts to Jesus.  And as for the second half of that quote (which I have not heard before now), being healed does not make a person a healer any more than being baptized makes a person a baptizer.

Pastor John

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