Confronting/Contending

 By Josh Parker

       "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.  To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.  For the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot.   Those who are in the flesh cannot please God." Romans 8:5-8  (ESV)

      The apostle Paul understood that the Christian walk is a lifestyle which is not easy.  He understood that many would claim the name of the Lord, but they would deny him by the way that they lived.  In all of his writings, we can see that Paul emphasized repentance and the need to be born again of the Spirit.  Without repentance, there is no forgiveness of sins.  And if there is no forgiveness of sins, then there is no way that men can overcome the natural.   Unless a man is born again of the Spirit, he/she still belongs to the world. 

     "Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.   And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.  The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."  1 Corinthians 2:12-14 (ESV)

                                                                                Repentance is the First Step

      As long as we live in a temporal body, we will need to overcome our flesh.  We cannot do this on our own or by performing a bunch of outwardly 'religious' deeds.  Our flesh can deceive us if we believe that our own efforts and good deeds are the root of our salvation.  If we think that we can justify ourselves by our good works, then we deceive ourselves into thinking that we can impress God.  Contrary to what the prosperity preachers are teaching, God is not someone who is impressed by men.  For centuries, man has believed that his own corruptible heart is 'basically good natured' and capable of doing God's will.  That is another lie which has led many astray. 

     "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick;  who can understand it?  I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds."  Jeremiah 17:9-10  (ESV)

Because our nature is sinful, we are enemies of God by birth.  Fortunately, if and when God grants us repentance, we are no longer his enemies.  We are adopted as his sons.

      "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world,  following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience- among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind."  Ephesians 2:1-3 (ESV)

      The Lord says that we can do nothing without him. We cannot save ourselves since salvation is something that cannot be earned.  Only the Spirit of Jesus Christ has the authority to justify us and forgive us of our sins. If we have genuinely repented of our sins, his Spirit indwells us. If we abide in him, he will help us overcome our flesh. 

   "So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.  For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.  For all who are led by the Spirit of God  are sons of God.  For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!" "  Romans 8:12-15 (ESV)

      My brothers and sisters, I have seen many people within the visible church who believe that repentance from sin is not necessary to being a Christian.  Don't believe that lie.  Jesus did not offer his life to become a condiment.  He is not 'a little something extra.'  He is the bread of life who has the power to throw men into hell.   He is sovereign, immutable, and unchanging.  He often does things in ways which do not always agree with.  If we are wise, we learn that he does things his way according to his own choosing.

     "What shall we say then?  Is there injustice on God's part?  By no means!  For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion."  So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."  So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. 

     You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault?  For who can resist his will?"  But who are you, O man, to answer back to God?  Will what is molded to say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?"  Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use?  What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory- even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?"  Romans 9:14-24  (ESV)

     The Lord does this and that however and whenever he pleases.  This means that he is sovereign. His will does not always line up with our own desires.  Nor does it have to. 

     "But God's firm foundation stands, bearing this seal:  "The Lord knows those who are his,"  and, "Let everyone who names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity."  2 Timothy 2:19 (ESV)

 By Josh Parker

     In Paul's letter to the Galatians, he is warning those who still believe that they can be justified by the 'keeping' of 613 commandments of the law.  Believers are called to live by faith instead of a system of merit(s).  Only the gospel of God has the power to help men overcome their sinful nature. 

     "O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your eyes that Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified.  Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?"  Galatians 3:1-3 (ESV)

Under the blood of Christ, believers take on the new nature, the incorruptible nature of Jesus Christ.  Since an incorruptible nature is not bound to the 'keeping' of the law (Galatians 2:16, 1Timothy 1:9), then those whom the Son has set free is free indeed. 

     "Or do you not know, brothers- for I am speaking to those who know the law- that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? Thus a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive.  But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.

     Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God.  For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.  But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve not under the old written code but in the new life of the Spirit."  Romans 7:1-6  (ESV)

 The Spirit is the fulfillment of the law... but not a duplicate copy.  Here is an example: Under the law, the priest must be a Levite.  Jesus was not Levite.  He was from the tribe of Judah, a descendant of King David.  The Spirit satisfies what the law demands because of his incorruptible nature.  Because Jesus brings a better priesthood, after the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 6:19-20, and 7), believers who put on the incorruptible nature are not bound to an earthly temple made by men's hands.  Since Jesus is the high priest and his nature is the priestly garment, then it is futile for men to backpeddle into 'keeping' commandments concerning the priestly wardrobe which consists of clothing made by men as well as temples made from human hands (Exodus 28).   If, under the New Testament, the Spirit of God dwells within us, then what point is there to observing ordinances which say that the Holy Spirit is an insufficient garment.  We, his people, are the temple of the living God.  Jesus's nature is sufficient enough to 'put to death' any religiousity that may bring us back into bondage.  Religious acts make men pious.  Wearing expensive wardrobes and having the appearance of holiness does not merit salvation.  Decaying garments do not make us right with God.  Nor do big expensive temples.   These are all outwardly acts according to temporal ordinances.  They do not reflect the true nature or the condition of a man's heart. 

     "Sacrifice and offering you have not desired, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.  Then I said, "Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me; I desire to do your will , O my God; your law is within my heart."  Psalm 40:6-8 (ESV)

The law acts like a mirror to show us the dirt that is on our face, but nobody takes a mirror off of the wall and washes his/her face with it.  We all need soap to cleanse the dirt (Malachi 3:1-4).  Once Jesus cleanses us of the dirt, we have the ability to do his will.

                                                                          Don't Backpeddle Away From Grace

  The law is there to show us our sin, but it cannot remove it. 

    "What then shall we say? That the law is sin?  By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin.  I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, "You shall not covet."  But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment produced in me all kinds of covetousness.  Apart from the law, sin lies dead.  I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came sin came alive and I died.  The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me.  For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment , deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy righteous and good."  Romans 7:7-12 (ESV)

The new nature fulfills the law on men's behalf without us having to copy the old.  In Paul's letter to the Galatians, the law keepers were relying on their flesh (the corruptible nature) instead of repenting from their sins and walking by faith under the grace of God.  These men are called Judaizers.  They thought that the righteousness of God was all up to them, according to their own efforts, thus tempting the Galatians to backpeddle away from grace and back into a system of bondage.  Some Judaizers were telling the Gentile believers that circumcison of the male is essential to man's salvation.  The concision is an example of how men can be uncircumcised in the heart even though they have 'kept' an ordinance from the Old Testament law.  Paul knew the law and the futility associated with the concision.  It originated from men who were of the flesh.

     "Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord.  To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.  Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh (those who are of the concision).  For we are the real circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh- though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also.  If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eigth day of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews;as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless."  Phillipians 3:1-6 (ESV)

 Concision-  Those who would enforce circumcision on Gentile Christians.

     "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.  Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you will accept circumcision, Christ will be no advantage to you.  I testify again to every manwho accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law.  You are severed from Christ, you who would be justifiedby the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love."  Galatians 5:1-6 (ESV)

 By Josh Parker

     Genuine repentance results in forgiveness and justification by the Holy Spirit.  The work of salvation is God's work in man, which includes the following: 

1.) Justification- monergistic (all God)

2.) Sanctification- synergistic (both God and man)

3.) Glorification-monergistic (all God) 

For a detailed explanation on this subject, you can go to http://www.monergism.com/ and explore Calvinism.  This website accepts Calvinism and the doctrine of election.  Monergism.com will give a more detailed breakdown on the subject matter, but for this part of the article I would like to spend more time talking about the process of sanctification in the regenerate believer (those who have repented of their sins and trusted in Jesus for their salvation).  

                                                               The Process of Sanctification

      If God has forgiven us, then the Holy Spirit pleads on our behalf.  We are considered justified the moment that we are forgiven.  Since there is nothing that we can do which will usurp God's handy work, the process of sanctification would never have begun unless God drew you to him.

     "Jesus answered them, "Do not grumble among yourselves.  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.  And I will raise him up on the last day."    John 6:43-44 (ESV)

As mere humans, we are totally depraved, enslaved to our flesh, and incapable of seeking God on our own prior to regeneration.

     "None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.  All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."  Romans 3:11-12 (ESV)

After the Lord justifies the believer, he then begins to mold them to his image.  When the process of sanctification begins, things get difficult.  Since the perfecting of the saints is ongoing, the Lord can and will expose his people to fiery trials.  It is during these unpleasant times that God uses the fires of tribulation to shape our character so that we become broken with patience and humility.  I must confess that I don't like being molded or hard-pressed, but what I think is neither here nor there.  God is in control and he knows exactly what he is doing. It really is his will to expose us to some things that we don't care for.  Fiery trials remove our pride, produce humility and forbearance, and they lead to spiritual maturity.  They also give us a longing for heaven.

     "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.  If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you."  1 Peter 4:12-14 (ESV)

If there is one thing that God does not like, it is man's pride.  He is an expert when it comes to dealing with our pride.  It is not uncommon to experience intense chastening from the Lord.  His chastening can last years, months, or just days.  If we endure his chastening, then it is a sure sign that we are adopted as his sons.

     "And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?

     "My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." 

It is for discipline that you have to endure.  God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not dicipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.   Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them.  Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?  For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.  For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it."  Hebrews 12:5-11 (ESV)

Contrary to what the Word of Faith preachers are teaching these days, the way to life is narrow.  It is not wide and easy like they imply in their messages on TBN.  It is sad to see men claim the name of Jesus while merchandising him for the sake of having multi-million dollar mansions, expensive cars, palaces, and extravagant lifestyles.  Their concept of the Christian walk is a worldly idea that does not line up with scripture.  They lead men into ruin when they teach their flock to be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. 

     "Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world.  But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.  But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils.  It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.  But as for you , O man of God, flee these things.  Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith.  Take hold of eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses."  1 Timothy 6:6-12 (ESV)

The true gospel does not promise paradise right here and now.  Perfect health and wealth are never guaranteed.  Jesus does however, promise that his grace is sufficient.  He promises to meet our needs so that we have sufficient provision. 

     "Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die:  Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the Lord?" Or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of God."  Proverbs 30:7-9 (ESV)

If we are striving to live a Godly life, we will face some opposition from the world.  Our decisions will often seem peculiar or strange to the unregenerate. In fact, the apostle Paul warns the Corinthians that obedience will cost them.  If you search the Bible, there is no place in God's Word where God guarantees Paul or anybody else their own gold plated chariots, million dollar book deals, expensive speaking engagements, expensive jewelry, or a huge salary.   

     "We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way; by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise.  We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything."  2 Corinthians 6:3-10 (ESV)

                                                          We are the Vessels, He is the Molder

     "If God sets out to make you an unusual Christian, He is not likely to be as gentle as He usually     is pictured by the popular teachers. A sculptor does not use a manicure set to reduce the rude, unshapely marble thing to a thing of beauty.  The saw, the hammer, and the chisel are cruel tools, but without them, the rough stone must remain forever formless and unbeautiful."  - A.W. Tozer

       Walking with the Lord is a lifestyle which demands obedience to God's Word.  Obedience to God's Word is often demanding and costly.  Jesus did not say that the world would fall at our feet and welcome us with open arms.  In fact, he promised us that there would be trials, tribulations, adversity, sorrows, persecution, and dry seasons.  In every circumstance, Jesus and the apostle Paul emphasize the importance of partaking in various sufferings in order to take on the nature and image of Christ.  No matter what circumstances, troubles, or afflictions we are called to endure, the Lord is sovereign and in control of whatever things come our way.  Troubles do not arise without God's permission.  Nor are they beyond God's reach. Job, one of God's patient servants, finds this to be true in his own sufferings.  God permits Satan to trouble Job, but only as much as God would allow.

     "And the Lord said to Satan, "Behold, he is in your hand; only spare his life." 

     So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and struck Job with loathsome sores from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head.  And he took a piece of broken pottery with which to scrape himself while he sat in the ashes.  Then his wife said to him, "Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die."  But he said to her," You speak as one of the foolish women would speak.  Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?"  In all this Job did not sin with his lips."  Job 2:6-10 (ESV)

It is important to understand that God cannot be questioned about how he molds his people.  In the process of sanctification, God will remove our comfort zones whenever or however he sees fit.  During the fires of tribulation, it easy to doubt God. It will seem like he is an enemy or far off sometimes.   The heat of the trial is for our purification.  If we stay grounded in God's Word, he will teach us what we should learn as we endure each trial.  If we shrink back into perdition, he will not be pleased with us.  We are still required to stand firm and resist during temptation, and not to run with the ungodly, like we did before we came to the knowledge of Christ.  It is a lot easier for them to pull us down than for us to pull them up.  If we fall back into perdition and partake in the sins that once enslaved us, then we are not taking the command seriously.  We are required to forsake the world so that we can trust in him.

     "For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.  For,

      "Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."  

     But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls."  Hebrews 10:36-39 (ESV)

 The command to be holy is not an option.  

     "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.  For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness?  Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

     "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.  Therefore go out from their midst , and be seperate from the them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you , and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty."  2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (ESV)

      The book of Proverbs uses the purification of silver as a metaphor to illustrate the molding process.  God is the smith (the King James Version uses the word, "refiner" in place of smith), while his people are vessels of silver.  Silver needs heat to melt the ore so that the impurities can rise to the top and be removed.  The impurities are called, "dross."

Dross- 1.) Waste or impure matter. 2.) The scum that forms on the surface of molten metal as a result of oxidation.  3.) Worthless, commonplace, or trivial matter.   American Heritage Dictionary (online)

     "As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable. Take away the dross from silver, and the smith has material for a vessel;.." Proverbs 25:3-4 (ESV)

 By Mike Ratliff                                         www.mikeratliff.wordpress.com

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     The following sermon is a stern warning about how the Word of Faith doctrine will enter into the church and deceive many.  It is very long and it will take a long time to read it, but the warning is very clear and obvious. 

Here is Walter Martin's warning:

“If you have your Bible, if you have your Bible I'd like you to turn with me to Acts chapter 20. I'd like to read a few verses from this passage which I believe are very apropos today.

Talking to the elders in the church of Ephesus as he is preparing to go to Jerusalem where he will be bound by the Jews, and later to die. The apostle writes these words or speaks these words and Luke records them. I take you to record this day v.26, Acts 20:26. That is a direct quote from Ezek. 34 where the scripture says if you do not warn the wicked man of his wicked and he dies in his sin, I will hold you accountable for it. So we are suppose to warn the wicked of the wickedness they perform and also of the judgment of God upon them. If we don't we become accessories after the fact of their sins. So, Ezek. 34 is what Paul is definitely referring to. I want you to know I am free from the blood of all mankind because I am giving you the whole counsel take heed there unto yourselves and all the flock unto which the Holy Spirit has made you rulers. The Greek word episcopos- a ruler to fend or tend therefore the church of God which he has purchased with his own blood. “For I know this after I leave you savage wolves shall enter in among you and will not spare the flock.” No mercy and notice this from your own selves men shall arise speaking contrary things to draw away disciples after themselves.

Therefore watch and remember, for a period of three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day to the point of tears.” Now there is a twofold warning to the Christian Church. Now we are speaking this morning on the warnings of God, the warnings of God. This passage tells you that after the apostles would leave the Church there would be savage wolves, they are characterized as wolves. Ravenous wolves who will enter in and they will not spare the flock. Which means they will attack the flock from without, they will penetrate the sheepfold, and they will chew up the sheep. Now that’s as clear as crystal right here. I know this after I leave, this is going to happen. We have those savage wolves today. We have theologians in theological Seminaries and departments of religions of schools who literally chew up the flock. They chew up the people who are studying for the ministry and then they spit them out into our pulpits where they can chew us up. These are the savage wolves who come in not sparing the flock. Apostate’s in positions of authority in the Christian Church. Apostates who abdicate the ordination of homosexuals, forbidden and cursed of God. Apostate’s who deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Apostates who will ordain you if you deny the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the virgin birth, the bodily resurrection, and the 2nd coming. Apostate’s who denominate our denominational structures and our educational institutions. Apostates who have come in and are chewing up the Church. That is very clearly stated here that we are to lookout for these people. Paul said I warned you day and night for three years to the point of tears. Very important. 

Now there is a 2nd part of this that is seldom preached on because when you preach on it people get upset in my ministry what else is new. It’s a occupational hazard because you have to tell them the whole counsel of God. Notice Paul’s emphasis here, “I have not avoided declaring unto you verse 27 “all or the whole counsel of God.” The whole counsel of God is to warn against the savage wolves, cultists occultists, non Christian religionists, atheistic and skeptical philosophers, psychologists whatever they may be, who have attacked the church from without and some 
have penetrated and chewed up the church. Now there's a 2nd warning from God, this warning is one the Church has paid very little attention to and because we have paid so little attention to it, it has thrived and become lethal. Why? Because what's close to you that you don't see, it does you far more harm than something you can get in perspective and easily identify. So let’s take a good look at what he saying here. From your own selves v.30 you ought to mark Church itself, men 
will arise. It does not say possibly, could, he said will arise. They will speak contrary the meaning of the word in the Greek, King James says perversion, the word in the Greek is contrary. They will speak contrary things for the purpose of drawing disciples after them selves. So the warning of God is against people in the church in positions of leadership and respect. Who will draw disciples surrounding themselves, whose allegiance is not to Christ, but to that person. And they will draw the disciples after themselves from within the church so that there is no accountability for what they say. Now this isn't my message this is the Pauline counsel to the Church at Ephesus. Warnings from the Holy Spirit. Look out for the wolves and lookout for the divisive schismatic leaders who will split and fragment and divide the church by attracting disciples to follow them. 

Now the Scripture has many statements about false teachings and false prophets. Mt.7 gives one of the most frightening passages in all divine revelation it says and this is the lord Jesus speaking on the subject ( --- dressed as sheep but inwardly or spiritually you are dealing with savage wolves, you will know them by what they produce). Now Jesus has said something else that the Church has forgotten today. Jesus said in my name or if you want the actual meaning of the Greek text, by my authority- name means authority. When you say “stop in the name of the Law” to criminal fleeing, you are saying stop by the authority of what? The law. The law says you can't do that. Stop! When a King pronounces judgment in Old Testament times and recent times until kings went out of fashion. In the world a ruler person would say open the door in the name of the king….Alright once you get that concept in you mind Jesus said there will come men who will speak claiming there authority is from me. Now get that in your head carefully. There will come men who will speak in my name. That is, I am supposedly saying this to you, that is a very important phrase. There going to come and say I'm speaking to you in Jesus in my name they will work miracles in my name they will cast out devils… they will prophesy and preach. But when I meet them I will say leave me I never 
knew you workers of iniquity. Why? Because they use his authority and his name, because the power was in Jesus name, or Jesus' authority not in them. And God honored the name of his Son. And they took that as a means of teaching there own false doctrines and false prophecies and because of that they corrupted the faith of the church. But inwardly, spiritually, they really roooaaar! And if you don't know fleece from fur your dinner, dumb dum. And the only way you can know fleece from fur is to know how to test them. You don't test them by Walter Martin, or by Norman Geisler, as good as the apologist and defenders of Christianity might be and as much as you trust them. You don't test them by other people, you test them by Scripture. Then if your fidelity is the Scripture, and your allegiance is the Scripture, you reject them! But says Paul in the last days, men are going to be drawn away by false teachers and prophets in the church speaking in the name of Jesus. And your not going to test them your going to go along with them. And there gonna fragment and divide the Church because you wont' test them.

Well it’s about time that we test them. Kenneth Copeland delivered the following prophecy during a three day victory campaign held in Dallas Texas. It is reproduced in the Voice of Victory 20th anniversary of his ministry. Found on page 9, his prophecy came from Jesus Christ. Copeland says, He quotes Jesus as saying. “You remember in my word I said to my disciples this kind comes not out by prayer and fasting.” He's talking now about the power of prayer. He goes on “Don't be disturbed (this is Jesus) when people accuse you of being God. The more you get to be like me God. But I didn’t claim I was God; I just claimed I walked with Him and that He was in Me. Hallelujah.” That is a lying spirit. Look at me read my lips. “That is a lying spirit.” That is not the Holy Spirit. Now for ten years I have warned and I'm tape and in print on this. That we were heading into the kingdom of the cults with the faith teachers. You are no longer heading there baby, you are there! Just so you are not mistaken let me give it to you again. Jesus speaking- “The more you get to be like me (Jesus) the more there going to think that way of you. They crucified Me for claiming that I was God. But I didn’t claim I was God; I just claimed I walked with Him and that He was in Me. Hallelujah.” That’s what your doing.” Now this was on TBN, this on Christian Television and radio stations. This is tolerated by the Christian Church, particularly the charismatic wing because they will not obey the Lord Jesus Christ and they will not obey; what the Scripture says. They are taken by people and ministries. And by large crowds and jet airplanes and by affluence as supposedly the seal of success. If your big and your powerful and your rich and people come to hear you, automatically it must be from God. No! Automatically it isn't from God. You’re supposed to test what the person says by Scripture. And if you don't test it by Scripture you can be taking in spiritual arsenic or cyanide and it can ruin your Christian life and take your eyes off Christ. The Scripture says it will overturn the faith in the Church.

...Charismatic differences. This is far beyond doctrinal disputes, he speaks it in the name of Jesus. He's a liar, and the truth is not in him. Isa. 8:20 “If they do not speak according to this word they have, what? NO light in them,” in fact the Hebrew says there is no dawn. What deceives people about these false prophets is that out one side of their mouth the preach the gospel and out of the other side of their mouth they deny him who is the core of the gospel. And if you don’t put the two sides together you think your hearing Christianity. But your not!. The false prophets know that to get crowds they have to preach Christianity, the false prophets know that in order to have financial support they have got to get the church to contribute to them. So they will sound like the Church and they will prophesy in Jesus name, they will heal in Jesus name they will work miracles in Jesus name and then at the proper they will deny him. How do you know he's a false prophet. It’s easy, he said so. I wonder if people who read this THOUGHT! THOUGHT! They crucified me for claiming I was God, but I didn't claim I was God. He didn't? That’s strange language, John chapter 8, “your father Abraham rejoiced to se my day coming he saw it and he was glad. But they said your not even 50 years old yet. You saw Abraham?” Jesus said, “before Abraham came into existence I AM.” And they reach for stones to kill him. who'd they think he was? Obviously God. John Chpt.10 “for thy Good works we stone thee not but for blasphemy. That you being a man make yourself out to be”, Who? GOD! Now we are dealing here with the doctrine of antichrist. And its not coming from an apostate professor of a theological seminary its not coming from a Jehovah's Witness that knocks on your door. It's not coming from the Mormon missionary that peddles up. Its coming from Kenneth Copeland on your television set on your radio and in print and if you resist the false doctrines of antichrist elsewhere, why will you not resist here? The answer is very simple because people hear the gospel being preached and they automatically assume that the person preaching is a true prophet of God. No Jesus said, the false prophets can do it. They only way you can find out is test them. I'm not avoided declaring to you the whole counsel of God for the space of ten years. I have told you day and night to the point of rage.

Now it’s come full circle there it is. Quote on TBN, “Dogs beget dogs cats beget cats, and God beget Gods, you are little Gods.” Close quote. That’s Kenneth Copeland on your television set. You are Gods! No your not, your sinners saved by grace. And he's not a God, he's a sinner professing to be a Christian, and denying in prophesy in the name of Jesus what Jesus said. That’s a false prophet, I don't care how you spell it, if you say but look at the healings, look at the meetings, look at the miracles. READ Matthew Chapter 7, use your brains. Jesus said that’s exactly what's going to happen, there going to preach and prophesy in my name. They do! In my name there gonna work miracles, they do. In my name they cast out devils, they do! And then they deny Him. Jesus said look out for them, because there here! And they are here now. They are on our Television sets our radios and print. Now the question is, will you tolerate it? We should be bombarding TBN and every Christian channel that produces and distributes this stuff. And we should be telling them we will not support the doctrine of the Anti-Christ. You may not do this with my money, and furthermore I'm not going to send any money. And then in addition to that I'm going to actively discourage everybody I know from sending you any money. And when you hold financial support they listen, but not until. So I'm suggesting over the Bible Answer Man program that we start holding support to people and ministries that do this. And I'm going to get a lot of flak, your going to hear a lot of people coming after me, and I want you to know, I could care less. This is the TRUTH, what I'm telling you is the truth and if it is a voice crying in the wilderness it’s the truth.(clapping). And the Holy Spirit will see to it that they will listen. Because I am a prophetic voice in this and have been for decade, of course I don't for a moment believe I am a prophet, anymore than I believe I am an apostle. I'm a teacher, but you can speak with a prophetic voice, you can exercise apostolic office in given situations.

Believe me were in trouble, and if we don't something about really quickly your going to be in more trouble than you know what to do with. Because people are keep accepting these as Christian representatives. What were getting is the doctrine of anti- Christ. If you deny that you don't know your Bible. Jesus says through Copeland “I never claimed to be God.” That is not the Jesus of the Bible, you want me to tell you who it is, turn in your Bible to 2 Cor.11, I will tell you who it is. V.3 “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, … a different spirit … a different gospel” ….Then he goes on to say that there are false apostles, deceitful workman who transform themselves on the outside to look like the ministers of Christ but inwardly you are dealing with the imitation of Satan. I don't bring judgment or play God, that is not my role or yours. But if Jesus Christ said it and the New Testament teaches it and it is Biblical theology and we reiterate what the text says we are not playing God, we are being faithful to what God said. Is Kenneth Copeland a Christian? If he is a Christian, let him repent! Let him apologize to the Church! Let him forsake these false doctrines. He is not a God, he lies when he says anyone in the Church is a God. He lies when he says Jesus Christ gave him this prophesy, this did not come from the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul calls Jesus our great God and savior Titus 2:13. Acts chapter 20 which I just read says, God purchased the Church with his own blood. Well who died on the cross? God in human flesh and purchased the Church with his own blood. The whole New Testament declares they deity of Jesus Christ. “In the beginning was the word and the word with God and the word was God.” And Kenneth Copeland knows it as well as I do! But he's denying it, when you take your eyes off Scripture as the criterion for authority and you place it on experience and on people, and on revelations, and on messages that allegedly come from God, you are a set up for deception, you’re made for it. Because you don't have any way to check it. But you must check it. The title of his article is “Take time to pray.” That’s the title “Take time to pray.” No take time to obey, take time to obey Christ and to obey him is to proclaim him Lord of all. I am the alpha and omega the beginning and the end the first and the last the Almighty Rev. 1:7-8. Who is He? “He is coming with Clouds and every eye shall see him and he is the almighty.” Well that’s what Christ said about himself. Thomas said my Lord and my Jehovah. And worships him and Jesus said because you have seen me you believe Blessed is they that have not seen and believe. Kenneth Copeland quoted every one of these verses and then in a prophesy, originating with Jesus Christ, he can deny the identity of Jesus Christ. You are now dealing with false prophets. I don’t presume to judge the eternal destiny of men that is not our task but I will tell you one thing Biblically speaking If you say you are Christ’s property then you have Christ’s spirit. Romans 8:9. And whoever does not have Christ’s spirit is not Christ’s property. Christ’s spirit does not deny Jesus Christ. Christ’s spirit exalts him. This is a denial of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is Jesus speaking “I never said I was God, never claimed to be God.” No that’s a lie, “let God be true and every man a liar.” I want a repudiation of this. And a removal of these men from the Trinity broadcasting Network Station until they apologize to the Christian Church and repent of this evil. And if they won’t, then it must be the task of the Christian Church to oppose them vigorously, publicly. And tell it to the whole Church. And read this until people can’t stand to hear it anymore. Until they will act on it. Don’t you dare talk about fidelity to Jesus Christ, and love to Jesus Christ and allegiance to Jesus Christ and sit by while men deny him! Your gonna be consistent than be consistent in obedience.

You may sit here and say “You sound very angry!” I am, I may be one of God’s last angry men, but I’m angry for the right reason. I’m in the presence of the doctrines of the anti-Christ and I plan to be angry that way the rest of my life. And if you don’t hear me angry about those kind of doctrines please come and tell me as quickly as possible, because I have defected from the ministry. So I’m going to ask you to covenant with me in prayer that God will bring Kenneth Copeland to repentance for this blasphemy and there may be a open apology and repudiation of it in the Christian Church. And then until this is done we will remain constant in prayer and we will not support what we know to be evil doctrine. If we do that God will bless us and honor us, if we don’t do it were gonna reap an awful harvest.

This morning was a very difficult message to preach, the warnings of God. Because whenever you talk this way you bound to be misinterpreted and people are bound to think somehow or another you’ve got some ax to grind and your after somebody’s neck. I’m not but if I sit still in the presence of the doctrine of antichrist I’m an accessory to those doctrines and I fall under the condemnation of Acts chpt.20. If you go further into revelation chpt.2 later on, you will find that the Holy Spirit commends the Church in Ephesus, above all the seven Churches because they tested these people, just as Paul told them to and they found out they were liars. And the Spirit says, good job, you did what you were suppose to do and he commends the Ephesians for it. May God make us faithful in the tradition of the Ephesians. The lord Jesus Christ paid the price for all sin on the cross. The Lord Jesus Christ rose victoriously from the dead for our redemption we are saved by his life. The Lord Jesus Christ has given us spirit so we can walk with him, he has also given us his spirit so we might discern evil, as well as good.”

This article is from Let Us Reason Ministries         www.letusreason.org

The possibility of healing is because of the atonement but there is NO guarantee of healing in the atonement – In other words if there was a guarantee of healing as there was salvation then every person who was forgiven by the atonement would be healed automatically without asking, it would be included.  you have a cold, when you get saved it would be removed.

Because he died for us we can be healed emotionally, as well as physically. But only a spiritual healing is what the atonement applies to for each person who believes the gospel, you may or may not be healed.

Too many believe that if you take a position of conditional healing then you don’t believe in it. We ought to believe in healing, in healing as the Bible presents it, not as a faith teacher twists it.

The issue should not be “does God heal today” but will He heal- is it dependent on his will and purpose? The Bible certainly makes it clear that it does.

One of the most used and abused passages is Isaiah 53:5: “By His stripes we are healed.” Many claim this as a guaranteed promise of physical healing (Jesus being whipped). So they make this a biblical mantra or an affirmation of healing.

The word “stripes” is actually in the singular, relating to his being struck once in his crucifixion, to cure our sins, by dying for sins once. This is especially important as many claim we were healed from his stripes (whippings, etc.), because these stripes were from men not God. If these stripes heal us physically and the Bible teaches that we were healed spiritually from our sins by the whipping (stripes), then Christ did not need to go to the cross. Neither did Jesus Christ did not bear the sins of the world when he was scourged but on the cross.

We should not assume every time we see the word “heal” in the Bible it is referring to divine healing for the physical body. The common Greek term for physical “healing” is therapis, therapeuo (from the Hebrew rapha), in the Isaiah 53 text, and the context in which it is quoted is focused on sin, not our sickness or illness. We should not disregard what the context is about.

The word “iniquity” is found four times in Isaiah 53 – Verse 3:5 Christ was crushed for our iniquities. Verse 6: the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him. Verse 11 is about the travail of his soul, “He will bear our iniquities.” Verse 12: and He Himself bore the sins of many (cited in 1 Peter 2:24). The primary point through Isaiah 53 is the spiritual healing from the effects of sin. It has everything to do with our sin problem and the redemption of a sacrifice (the lamb) needed to remove sin.

The verse of Isaiah 53:5 fully reads, “But He was wounded (pierced) for our transgressions (Breaking the law), he was bruised (crushed, punished) for our iniquities (sins); the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” This is in reference to all the various sins being removed at the cross. One needs to go to the New Testament to see how the writers interpreted this verse. To understand it we only need to go to the apostles and how they applied it. Peter defines it in 1 Peter 2:24: “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness–by whose stripes you were healed.” The context is that of spiritual healing from sin, not physical healing of sicknesses. The New Testament reference to this verse does not even mention illness. One might argue that illness comes from sin, so does death, and no one that claims this verse has escaped death, even those who teach on it. Neither Paul nor any other apostle recommended Isaiah 53:5 as a cure apprehended by faith for himself or others. There is no account of any person saying “by your stripes I’m healed.” They did not teach this to the church. If our sicknesses were all to be healed now, we would not die, death is a consequence of sin, and “The wages of sin is death,” still takes place until the last enemy is defeated (1Cor.15:52). If God has not removed physical death then he has not removed all our sicknesses.

If healing were a guarantee in the atonement than everyone would be physically healed of whatever ails them at the same time they are spiritually saved. Why do the sick NOT always receive a physical healing when they first believed? The same faith we used to be saved spiritually certainly is enough to be healed if it is incorporated in the atonement. If faith in the cross is a guarantee of healing then all should be physically cured automatically when they are first saved and be continually healed as they are continually saved.

The context in 1 Peter 2:24 is Salvation, there is no other way to interpret it. “Who himself bore our sins in His own body ON THE TREE.”1 Peter 2:24 carries the meaning of Jesus the suffering servant is the paschal lamb who bore the punishment due to our sins. Just as in the Old Testament when the Passover lamb or the sacrifices were made they were to forgive sins, not to heal diseases.

1 Peter (1:24), when quoting Isaiah’s passage (53:5) on whose stripes you were healed refers back to “Who himself bore our sins. The stripe is the crucifixion- the cross where the blood is shed is related to sin. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. John writes “the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). It is not used in reference to physical illnesses but for sin.

Rom 6:10 “For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all.” 1 Cor. 15:3: “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures”

Peter says the result is that we might now live unto righteousness, because he bore our sins. Something we were unable to do before because of our sin, now we are no longer slaves to sin but as Paul states slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:16-18). Healing for the body and mind is a benefit of Christ’s death, included at the cross. But it is not saying that physical healing of the body is guaranteed to every believer with salvation. This does not dismiss the possibility of physically healing, but it in no way guarantees it to all as we live in this sinful world so that we live in “Divine health” today. death and disease will be part of our human condition until we receive our resurrected bodies (1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 51-55). The resurrection will give us new bodies and it is then our nature will be changed and we will be disease free (Romans 8:18-25).

 So to summarize- If by his stripes were actually part of the atonement, then every one of us would be healed when we believed.  You would not need a separate faith for this;  if it was part of the atonement it would not be so difficult to be healed than it would be to be forgiven.

 Is there healing in the atonement? Yes, but it is not a general promise to all believers for the present time. Some may be healed and still some may have to wait in time to be healed. But the Bible guarantees that we will all be healed at the resurrection.