Questions and Answers from Pastor John - Free pentecostal literature, baptism of the holy Ghost (with the evidence of speaking in other tongues), the new birth experience, ....

"Questions and Answers - Page 8 "
Today's Date is:

February 1, 2004

Hey brother Gary,

What was the young man referring to in that recent email when he mentioned "the true five fold ministry?" Like you said, it just sounds like a Christian catch phrase. Then Issac added that it was "the five offices that God has placed to be gifts to the body". . . . And then you corrected him by saying that there are hundreds of offices in the body of Christ. What did you mean by that? I am just curious. If a Christian were to say that to me, I'd like to know how to answer them correctly.

Thanks!

Sarah

Hi Sarah.

Christians have that catch-phrase "the five fold ministry", which they use to describe some of the gifts in the Bible, such as "apostle, prophet, teacher, evangelist..." and one other, I can't recall what it was, maybe "healer". They say that these 5 ministries are what the apostles had, and Christians are trying to work very hard to to have all five of them (as if it was up to them). It's just a phrase, kind of like "Yahweh", or "restoration and revival", etc. You have not been in Christianity like I was, so that is why you never heard these kinds of things... but I heard it all the time. When I hear them now, they stand out, and they are very distasteful to my spirit... Christian ministers long for these kinds of things, and teach these phrases to others.

Anyway, Jesus did not reveal that to the man who wrote me. He got it from the unclean spirit of Christianity. All of us brought such dirty baggage with us when we came out of Xty, and this is part of his baggage from Xty. In time, he will trash it, as we also trashed the nonsense that we carried out with us. It was after this precious young brother told me he had completely "come out" of Christianity, he repeated that Christian phrase without realizing what he had done. In time, if he continues to grow in knowledge, he will forsake all such cliches.

Both he and his wife are precious young people who need a lot of help - and I do believe the saints are willing to patiently give it to them, and show a lot of love for them while doing so if they can receive it.

I hope that answers your question Sarah, and thanks for asking it.

Bro. Gary

December 8, 2003

Dear brother Gary,

Reading the book of Jude this morning, we would like to ask what does common salvation mean in verse three?

3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

The word "common" there, means "shared by some or all". Jude was writing to those people who shared in the experience of being saved from sin - that is, those people with the holy Ghost. It is interesting to note further, that the entire bible has been written unto those people ONLY. These things were written for US - God's people - so that we, who also share a "common temptation", would be able to "contend for the faith", overcome, and reign with Christ:

1Co 10:6-13 "Now these things [things written in the scriptures] were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as [were] some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it]."

Bro. Gary

December 8, 2003

Hi, Pastor John:

Hey, about Jesus being "Mary's son" and then "God's Son"... I'm a bit confused: Then who was this man before Jesus' Spirit came into him in the Jordan River? That's the part I think confuses me.

Anyway, I am getting closer to God. I am realizing... well, lots of things. I hope to talk to you later. Thanks for answering my questions!

Bethany

Hi:

Jesus of Nazareth was God's earthly son, conceived and born of the virgin Mary, before Jesus was born again at the Jordan River. The son of Mary was born on earth. The Son of God was created in eternity before anything else (Prov. 8), and then created all else besides himself (Jn 1:3).

What God did with Jesus is far beyond what we mortals can comprehend. I myself am skeptical of such comments as that, when Xn ministers make them. For example, when they insist that we believe their doctrines of the Trinity, which they themselves can neither understood nor explain, they always resort to some phrase such as, "It is a mystery."

That is why I do not like to say something is true, but when asked about it say, "Well, it is a mystery." At the same time, there are some things that God has done that He has not allowed me to understand. (How can free-will and predestination both be taught as true in the Bible?) We know that the Son of God dwelled in heaven with the Father from before the foundation of the world. Exactly how God joined His Son with the man Jesus, and what the man Jesus felt, thought, etc., before and after they were joined together at the River of Jordan must yet to be revealed to me. There is no way I can figure it out, so I just have to say so.

Sorry, Bethany, but this time, that is the best I can do.

Pastor John

December 8, 2003

Hi, Pastor John:

You sent me an e-mail some time ago about liberty. I was re-reading it just now. Will I definitely know when Jesus wants me to (or not to) do something? Now, I have the confusion sometimes of wondering if it's still my own religious superstition/paranoia, or if it's actually God when I feel something. Sometimes I know - from the terrifying feeling in my belly! - how to behave in a situation. Other times, I'm not so sure. Will I know?

Yes, you will know, and as time passes and we practice obeying God, God's will becomes clearer and clearer.

You know what else is cool? I've felt - still do - that you all appreciate this a whole lot more than I do (what Jesus is doing for me). But I'm getting some of it now. I haven't gotten the full hang of using it the right way, but sometimes this anger comes over me, that I can feel but that isn't really "Bethany". Lately, it's with lying. I've never noticed how much people lie, or how much I must have, or how I don't anymore! On at least two occasions today, I've been SO mad because people were lying. It feels like, "Either just don't say anything or - why open your mouth just to lie?!" I want to figure out how to handle that feeling... it's surprising to me!

A good things about one of the pastors in Revelation is that he hated the same thing Jesus hated (Rev. 2:6) what Jesus. God abhors lying lips (Prov. 12:22), and if we ever become like Him, then we will hate sin as He does.

I noticed that I seem to honor authority more. Like substitute teachers and things... or like today when there was someone I wanted to talk to that I saw on my way to the bathroom, but I didn't go because I had a bathroom pass, not a roam-the-campus pass. This is cool! Jesus... does something or some things, but it seems like I wake up every day with some new... present!

Okay. . . Have a nice day. I had to share that.

Bethany

It is a good thing to begin to acknowledge the authorities that Jesus has placed over you for your peace and well-being. It brings feelings into your life that cannot exist within your heart by any other means.

The life of righteousness in Christ Jesus is the best life to live. My father used to say that even if eternal life, after death, did not exist, the way God shows people to live is still the best way to live on this earth. That is true. How else would we want to live, but to love our neighbor as ourselves and to love God with all our being? Doing this makes life good, right here and right now.

Thanks for writing. Take care.

Pastor John

December 8, 2003

Pastor John,

I was reading in Matthew chapter 17 about Peter, James and John going up on the Mountain with Jesus and seeing Moses and Elias appear unto them talking with Jesus. When they were coming down off the mountain, Jesus told them not to tell the vision to anyone until after he was risen again from the dead. Then the disciples asked, "Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come?"

[11] And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.
[12] But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.
[13] Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

What is Jesus referring to here? I am not sure I understand what he is saying. Thanks!

Amy

Hey Amy:

As with most scriptures that are a little unusual, spiritual wackos have at times made up some incredible doctrines concerning this one. The weirdest of these doctrines concerning this verse that I have ever heard of is that of "Reverend Moon" from Korea, who interpreted this to mean that Elijah was re-incarnated as John the Baptist, that John failed in his mission, and that as a result of John's failure, Jesus failed in his mission to marry and to father children because he had to spend all his time on earth making up for John the Baptist's failure to do the work of Elijah. Of course, according to Reverend Moon, Jesus was re-incarnated as . . . guess who? The Reverend Moon, of course. Makes all you godly women want to just run out and beg Reverend Moon to marry you so that you can have the Messiah's children, doesn't it?

Good grief! How disgusting!

John the Baptist was not Elijah, Amy. But he came to Israel in the "spirit and power of Elijah", as the angel of God told Zacharias (Lk. 1:17). This is what Jesus was talking about. John's mission was much like that foretold of Elijah. John was sent by God to prepare Israel to receive the Savior (Jn. 1:31), and Malachi prophesied that Elijah would come prophesy again before the "great and dreadful day" of the Lord (Mal. 4:1). That "great and dreadful day" of the Lord has not come. But it will come. And before it comes, Elijah will be sent again to Israel to prophesy and prepare that people for the coming of Jesus. Elijah is one of the Two Witnesses that prophesy in Jerusalem in Revelation 11.

John the Baptist did not fail in his mission, and neither did Jesus. John was beheaded and did not finish the introductory work that he had been given to do, but Jesus disciples did what was still lacking in that matter. Elijah quit and did not finish his prophetic work on earth; so, he will be given the great privilege of serving God's purposes again, in the flesh among the living.

If you are alive when those Two Witnesses come, try to get them a present of money or food or something. If they would accept it, there would be a great reward for doing that.

Pastor John

December 3, 2003

That is the best thing I’ve heard all day!! I really appreciate the trouble you’re going to for the tapes. I was talking to Jerry’s mom on the phone Sunday and she told me she has the Holy Ghost but can’t speak in tongues so therefore I know after listening to those tapes that just isn’t possible. I think the tapes will be good for her. I am looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday!!!

Love ya bunches,

Sheila Flynn

You are right Sheila. A person does not have the holy Ghost until you hear, as Jesus said, "the SOUND" of the Spirit in EVERYONE who receives it (that is in John 3:1-10 in case you'd like to read what Jesus said about the new birth). That sound the Spirit makes of course, is a heavenly one, it is speaking in tongues.

Your mom has been taught what is being taught just about everywhere: that a person can receive the Spirit prior to being baptized with it. Almost all of us have been told that - and many of us have taken it in - but Jesus loves His children, and he has truth for us if we will ask. I hope the new birth tapes will touch Jerry's mom and help her to see it, and learn.

We are told in 1 Corinthians 12:13 that we are "by one Spirit are we all baptized [that is, through Spirit baptism] into one body". So what your mom is believing (because she has been taught it by men who don't really know God), is that a person can receive the Spirit BEFORE they are put into the body of Christ by Jesus! And we know, of course, that this is not possible.

Look forward to seeing you on the weekend, and I will get the tapes ready for you.

Gary

November 27, 2003

Dear Brother Gary,

I send you greetings from Denmark.My name is Adolphus Subbey. Two years ago,you"ve send me two of your cassettes samplers on salvation and it has help me immensely. I still listen to the teachings daily.Please I have a question I hope you can help me.

QUESTION:(1)What is wrong with the teachings of the Jehovah Witnesses?

Primarily, they do not believe that it is the holy Ghost baptism (which is always evidenced by speaking in tongues) that puts a person into the body of Christ(1 Cor.12:13). They are just another "Christian" group in that respect - although many other Christians despise them. In reality, they are all "eggs in the same basket."

(2) The 144,000 in the book of Revelation; who are really these people? Is there really true that there is hell fire?

We do not know who the 144,000 are precisely - apparently they are Jews from various tribes who will be sealed by God. But it is of no profit for us to speculate where they are and such, as some groups do. God knows where they are and in the right time he will find them!

Yes - it is true there is a hell. And death and hell will in the end be cast into the lake of fire which will burn forever (Rev. 20:14).

(3) When Jesus come back every eye will see him which ought to be physical. Some people teach that his coming is spiritual. Can you explain?

His coming will be physical. The two men, who may have been angels, told the disciples on the Mt. of Olives that the SAME WAY Jesus went up, he will come back (Acts 1:11). He did not go up physically only to come back in some mysterious spiritual way. He is coming back physically, for all to see.

I shall be very glad if you could forward a sample of your "Study of Romans or Revelation" to me.My name and address is below:

Sincerely,

Adolphus

I will send that out to you next week Adolphus. God bless you as you continue to seek the truth. The truth begins at understanding that the baptism of the holy Ghost is when a person is converted to Christ. Without that truth, all roads lead to confusion. You can read about that at: http://www.isaiah58.com/tracts/newbirth.html

Best regards,

Gary Savelli

November 27, 2003

Hello

I am fine and you? I am from Ghana. I am finding a scripture dificult to understand again and it is
1 Peter 3:19 By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;

Who are these spirits and how can one actually know the will of God?.

In order to understand this verse, one needs to understand that prior to the coming of Christ, his resurrection and his pouring out of the Spirit on men, HELL (the place where the dead went was divided into two places). Not all of hell was a bad place to be. One part of hell was called "paradise", which is where all those who had faith in God (Abraham, David, Samuel, etc.) went, awaiting the coming of Jesus. The other place was called "torment", and as Jesus told in Luke 16:26, "there is a great gulf fixed" and men could not pass between. This was a real place. The dead sinners awaited the judgment of God in a place of torment. The faithful awaited the coming of Christ, where Jesus would come and liberate them and present them to God - that is what Jesus said, 'Abraham rejoiced to see my day'. He was going to have Jesus come and preach to him in his prison, and redeem him from this "waiting place" if you will.

Is it possible for man to live a life without ANY sin? ie blameless

Yes it is - in fact it is required for us to do so. But there is only one way that is possible - and that is to receive the baptism of the holy Ghost (with the evidence of speaking in tongues) - for that is how we are put into the body of Christ (1 Cor.12:13); and then to be LED by the Spirit through this life in complete obedience to the will of God... because "they that are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Rom 8:14).

Without holiness no man will see the Lord. However, Christian, misguided men, have left a wrong impression as to what "sinlessness" is. They make it an impossibility. It is not. Jesus we are told, LEARNED obedience by the things he suffered. He LEARNED how to obey God - and that is a process. We must learn how to fear God, and to hear his voice. We may miss doing that at times, but if we LEARN from it, that is not always sin. It is a sin not to try, and it is a sin to refuse God's voice when He speaks. But to live sinless, we all can do if we follow the Spirit of God.

Best regards,

Gary Savelli

I hope to hear from you at your convenient time.

Thank you for your time

Anthony Ayivi

November 22, 2003

I am a christian at a pentacostal church and i do believe in speaking in tongues. But people at my church are saying if you are baptised (in water) and are not speaking in tongues, then you are not going to Heaven. Please explain more about this. Thank you.

M. Chan

Dear Friend.

Thank you for your question. In some ways, answering your question can be a little difficult to answer, because most Christians do not understand what the baptism of the holy Ghost really is....even though they believe in it. Without understanding WHAT the holy Ghost baptism is, it is difficult to understand anything else pertaining to God. So I will start by trying to clear up a few basic things for you first:

Speaking in tongues is merely the initial evidence that a person has been baptized, by Jesus, with the Spirit of God. So it is not "tongues" that we are after only... as if we need a little something "extra". We are after obedience to God. Obedience is repentance, and when repentance is complete, Jesus will baptize a person with the holy Ghost. The baptism of the holy Ghost is a REQUIREMENT for conversion - not an option.

When a person receives the Spirit, the initial evidence that the Spirit has come in is speaking in tongues. Spirit baptism is how a person is put into the body of Christ (read 1 Corinthians 12:13). So without Spirit baptism, a person is not in the body - and of course, if we are not in the body of Christ, in the end, we will not be saved.

Please note, that water baptism has nothing to do with the process of salvation now. Water baptism (and other ceremonies) is merely a "ceremony" - and no ceremony can have a part in saving anyone in this time and dispensation. I say that because some Pentecostal Christian groups teach, wrongly, that a person must receive TWO baptisms - Spirit baptism, and their baptism in water, and this is wrong. Paul said, (in Ephesians 4:3-5), that there is ONE baptism that is effectual for the saving of the soul. So which one is it? It is the one Jesus came to give us - Spirit baptism. That is the reason He came - to give us the life of the Spirit (read Luke 3:16).

Lastly, many wrongly teach that being a "Christian" is enough to save a person - and again, being a Christian does not mean we belong to Jesus - for that, we need to have His Spirit, and we need to be led by it through this life, and "endure to the end".

So I hope you will pursue the baptism of the holy Ghost - as Paul said, "without the Spirit we are none of his [God's]". The good news, is that God gives the holy Ghost to all who obey Him (Acts 5:32).

For more reading, you may look up these articles:

http://www.isaiah58.com/tracts/haveyereceived.html

Have Ye received the holy Ghost since ye believed?

http://www.isaiah58.com/tracts/howireceived.html

How to receive the holy Ghost baptism

http://www.isaiah58.com/tracts/howireceived.html

How I received the holy Ghost

http://www.isaiah58.com/howto.html

Three Requirements to Receiving the holy Ghost

Best regards,

Gary Savelli

November 21, 2003

Please show me the scriptures where if you dont speak in tongues you are not BORN AGAIN!!

Dear friend.

Though a man show you verses in the bible, you cannot really believe unless Jesus shows you! (And I pray he does.)

Unless a person has received the holy Ghost baptism, they are not in the the body of Christ - read 1 Cor. 12:13. Spirit baptism puts us in the body. We know it is Spirit baptism (not water), that is effectual unto the salvation of the obedient soul (in the end), because Paul said there is only ONE baptism now concerning the true faith of Christ (Eph. 5:3-5.). John baptized in water at one time, but Jesus now baptizes "with the holy Ghost and with fire". How can we say we love and serve Jesus, and NOT submit to his baptism?

It is SPIRIT birth that washes sin away, and Jesus said whenever that happens, you hear the SOUND of the SPIRIT (read John 3:1-10). So your question could be - is there a way to receive the holy Ghost baptism WITHOUT speaking in tongues? "Without the Spirit, we are none of his", and "nobody can say that Jesus is Lord (and have it mean anything to God) except by the holy Ghost (1 Cor. 12:2-3)".

Lastly, when the Spirit comes in, Jesus said IT (the Spirit, not us) would testify with our Spirits - the Spirit would SPEAK and SAY something. How does the Spirit do that, EXCEPT in tongues??!!

You can read more about this at http://www.isaiah58.com/tracts/haveyereceived.html

and http://www.isaiah58.com/tracts/speakingintongues.html

Best regards,

Gary Savelli

October 31, 2003

John:

Maybe I’m misunderstanding you, but I don’t think that Xns believe that Xty is the body of Christ. I think that each denomination believes that they are the body of Christ. I know that Catholics don’t believe that the protestant denominations are the body of Christ. And, do the protestants look at the Pope as the head of their denomination? If so, why aren’t they calling themselves Catholic and going to Catholic places of worship? I doubt that Baptists look at the Pope as their head, so the Baptists must believe that their way is the right Way and that every other way is wrong. Therefore, the “belief that Xty is the body of Christ” being the “common ground of all Xns” doesn’t sound right to me. Rather, the common ground is that all their doctrines are wrong. Each one is as wrong as the Buddist doctrine, the Islam doctrine, etc (and each Xtn denomination is probably more wrong than the non-Xtns). I feel like we shouldn’t lump them all together by saying that Xty is wrong because Xty thinks it’s the body of Christ – each denomination is wrong because of its doctrine, and that puts them into the Xtn category (as long as they are worshipping the wrong jesus). There probably are some Xtns, though, who do believe that all Xtns are just different members of the Body of Christ.

Just some thoughts.

Mark H.

Thanks Mark

I told you it was confusing.

jdc

October 29, 2003

Hey John,

I have a few questions; in your e-mail to Sarah about Damien’s e-mail, you stated how confused Xty is and how Xns have many different doctrines. My question is, what do they have in common? Is it because they claim to be serving God and Jesus? Is it that issue that makes them one in spirit, the spirit of Xty?

Stuart H.

Stuart:

Xty is so divided that I can't even tell you where the fellowship is for all Xns. If there is an answer to your question, it is this: The underlying foundation of every Xn sect and group, denominational and non-denominational, is the belief that Xty is the body of Christ. That lie is the common ground of all Xns; that is what their fellowship is built upon. In spite of the multitude of differences between Xns, they all have that lie in common.

Also, I never thought of the religion of the Muslims and Buda as being apart of Xty are they?

No.

I don’t know much about their religion, but I don’t think they claim to be a part of Jesus do they?

No.

I know that their religion is wrong, but it just doesn’t seem to me that they care for Xty or want to be a part of it, is this right?

That is right. Thanks for the questions.

Pastor John

October 27, 2003

Hey Pastor John,

What does Damien mean by saying "to even use the term 'doctrine' in reference to Xty is to grace it with too much credibility?" Does he mean that only God's people have a doctrine which is the true doctrine that one must be baptised with the holy Ghost and endure to the end to be saved? And that Xty has no doctrine b/c it's not the real truth?

SARAH

Dear Sarah:

What Damien meant is that Xty is filled with so many strange and conflicting doctrines that it is incorrect for us to refer to "the doctrine of Xty". I guess we could say, using the psycho-babble of our sophisticated age, that Xty is "conflicted". ;) And it misrepresents the religion of Xty, it honors it with too much credibility, for us to speak of that confused religion as if it was like God, with only one doctrine. The point is not, as you said, that "Xty has no doctrine"; rather, it is that Xty has so many of them!

Does that clear things up for you?

Pastor John

October 27, 2003

Pastor John:

Pastor John, do you think everyone knows somewhere within them that Jesus is Lord? I say this because it seems that people don't mock Buddha or Muhammed or atheism, not like they mock Jesus. I hear "Jesus" so much during the schoolday, but it's not praising Jesus (only mockingly). People yell out His name as a curse or exclamation, they wear t-shirts saying things like He's their "homey" (and sarcastically, not just a bad choice of words). Even my teachers feel free to make sly religion/Xty/God comments... Not to mention society in general. Do you know what I mean?

Anyway, have a good one.

Beth

Dear Beth:

I know exactly what you mean. The gospel of Jesus is the only message that challenges the dominion of the flesh. That is why people ridicule it. The message of Islam, for example, does not threaten the flesh; it came from the flesh and provides the flesh with reasons to express its ungodly self. Christianity does not threaten the flesh, either. It provides the flesh with many avenues of life. However, that religion does use the name of Jesus, and that name itself causes Satan to tremble, lest someone really make contact with the real Jesus and expose him and ruin his work.

That is why men choose the message of Jesus to demean above all other religious names. It is the only message that, when taken in, destroys the dominion of the flesh over the hearts of people.

Pastor John

October 27, 2003

I TRIED TO CATCH YOU YESTERDAY BEFORE YOU LEFT OUR TOWN. OBVIOUSLY I HAD NO LUCK. ANYWAY, I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOU IF YOU KNEW OF A CHILDREN'S BIBLE OF SOME SORT THAT MIGHT HELP Kay, my daughter. I CAN'T SEEM TO GET HER TO INTERESTED IN OUR BIBLE STUDY BECAUSE SHE GETS BORED. ANYWAY, WE ALL SEEM TO BE ON SO MANY DIFFERENT TIME SCHEDULES, IT'S HARD TO ALWAYS DO IT TOGETHER. I HOPE THERE IS SOMETHING INTERESTING OUT THERE SOMEWHERE SHE COULD UNDERSTAND.

Jackie

Dear Jackie:

Kay is too young and too far behind to expect her to be interested in the OT Bible study you have entered into now. I wouldn't even try to make her; it may backfire.

There is no need to be concerned about buying a specific version of the Bible for your little girl. Most people make a mistake when they do that because Christians who publish Bibles for children very often find subtle ways to plant their wrong ideas in them. Parents need to learn the Bible themselves, as you are now hopefully doing, so that when our children read a Bible, we can protect them them from Christian indoctrination.

Just tell little Kay Bible stories that you are learning, in your own words. That will encourage both her and you. And she will be far more interested in hearing those wonderful stories from her mother than in reading it for herself.

Pastor John

October 27, 2003

Good Day Pastor John,

I was reading your tract/articles about "Have ye received the holy Ghost since ye believed?" when I came across this sentence "No one who was conceived by the word of God ever stopped seeking until he received the baptism of the Spirit, the gift of God" then a question came up in me saying "what about Judas Iscariot, was he not conceived by the word of God as was others before he acted the way he did? maybe I misunderstood something there.

thanks for reading my mail as I look forward to receiving the answer.

Regards

Bro Frank

Dear Brother Frank:

You have touched on a sad spiritual reality that I did not mention in that tract, although I have discussed it in other articles I have written. In Tract #3, "You Must Be Born Again", there is an explanation of the tragic event that you touch on: the abortion of an unborn child of God. This truth concerning the abortion of God's unborn was actually the first thing Jesus taught me after I renounced Xty in 1993. Also, Brother Gary has written a tract titled "Abortion", describing how Xn ministers routinely abort unborn children of God with their doctrines, traditions, and commandments.

To answer your question more directly, yes, there is the possibility that one might be conceived by the word of God and then not come to the (new) birth. This is what I call a spiritual abortion. The places of worship that have steeples on top of them are notorious for committing that horrible crime against the love of God in Christ. In Judas' case, his love of money worked together with the efforts of ungodly religious leaders and led to his being miscarried from the womb of the body of Christ.

Thanks for the observation.

Pastor John

October 21, 2003

John,

I was hoping you might be able to guide me to the right spot in the bible on marriage. I have had friends question the fact that I have to receive the holy ghost in order to be married to Jerry. Actually they are saying that the Bible doesn't say this. I think if it is what you believe, it must be there, and they don't know what they are talking about.

THANK YOU,

S F

Dear S F:

Nice to hear from you.

The reason that your friends are telling you that the Lord does not require you to receive his Spirit before you marry someone who already has it, is that they don't know when a person is born again. They are no doubt among the millions who have been taught that a person is born again before he is baptized with God's Spirit (the holy Ghost). The real issue is not "marriage", SF; rather, it is "the new birth".

Everyone who has even casually read the Bible knows that God hates it when a person who belongs to Him marries a person who does not. That is a simple truth, taught from Genesis to Revelation. Everybody should be able to agree on that.

So, the issue that we need to focus on is this: "Who belongs to God?" Paul said in Romans 8:9, "Now, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." That Scripture alone tells us that until a person receives the holy Ghost (the holy Spirit), he is not born again. Another Scripture tells us that it is the baptism of the holy Ghost that makes a person a member of the body of Christ (1Cor. 12:13). There are other verses also, but you can see from these what the Bible teaches.

So, here is the question: Are you both born again? If both you and your boyfriend can answer "Yes", then there is no reason why you should not marry. If, however, one of you can say "yes" but the other cannot, then the answer must be "not yet". We must all wait until God approves of your faith; otherwise, it would be sin for you to marry.

I hope that clears things up. It is really a very simple matter. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask.

Pastor John

October 19, 2003

what can u tell me about pentecostals? I am doing a school project on them, and I am not pentecostal...i am more evangelical

thanx

Lucy

Dear Lucy:

Life in the Spirit is not subject to academic examination. In order to understand either me or the saints that meet in my house, you have to have your own experiences with Jesus. You'll have to ask him about us.

As for Pentecostalism, it is as worthless as is all the rest of Christianity. God is calling those who truly love Him to come out of that religion and learn to "walk in the newness of life". I hope that he is calling you, as He has us.

God bless you as you seek His will.

Pastor John

October 15, 2003

Hi, Pastor John:

How are you today? It was cold today, so my chest and throat hurt, but I'm alright. Hey, the Bible says that election is according to the foreknowledge of God, but does it ever say what God foreknew? Over the summer, I learned that many Puritans believed that God picked those who He knew would be "good". I can't believe that, since not all of His children will make it (scary thought), and you all say that the only difference between people is what God has done for each one. Is this one of those "secret things of God"?

I hope this makes sense: Where are my sins right now? They'll be washed away when I'm baptized, but what about now? And after Baptism, I assume I'll make mistakes getting used to God talking to me all the time - if Jesus forgives me those sins, where do they go? If He forgives, do they cost me at all in the end?

Okay. Have a nice day.

Betty

Hello Betty:

I hope you survive the cold weather moving across your part of Texas!

The foreknowlegde of God refers to His knowing who would repent and come to Him and who would not. Also, it refers to His knowing who would be saved in the end and who would not. God knows everything that ever was, is now, and that ever will be.

I think about that sometimes when I watch the news on TV and see highlights of sporting events that took place the day before. Sometimes I see players on teams that eventually lost the game rejoicing, sometimes arrogantly, and sometimes taunting the players on the other team (the team that eventually won). And I think when I see that, "God, do you see us like that? Do you see us rejoicing now, knowing that we will be unfaithful in the future and lose our souls?" There is no room for pride in the way of true holiness, Betty. David understood this and wrote, "Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling" (Ps. 2:11).

The questions that are on your heart now are those that all have asked who have sincerely considered the way of righteousness, and the answer is hidden in the mind of God. The predestination/free will debate has provoked many a useless quarrel among Christians over the centuries. There is a sect in these parts that calls itself the "Free Will Baptist" so that everyone will know where they stand. But to debate the issue is worthless. The Bible claims that both are true: (1) God foreknew His own and wrote their names in His book of Life before the world was created and (2) "whosover will, let him come and drink of the waters of life freely". (1) "No man can come to me except the Father call him" and (2) Jesus died for the sins of everyone on earth.

Both sides are in the Bible, and what then can we say? No man can figure that out. The best we can say is that if you have a desire to seek the holy Ghost, rejoice. That desire did not come from you, and it is a pretty good indicator that God is calling you.

Where are your sins now? They are still on your record! So, pursue the cleansing of the holy Ghost with all your heart. As for making mistakes after receiving the holy Ghost, you should know that mistakes are not sins. It is remarkable how many of us have had a difficult time understanding the goodness of God in that regard. Most of the real children of God go through the hard trial of condemning themselves for small errors that are often basically meaningless, and they do this because they don't yet know their Father.

Knowing God is eternal life, Betty. He is far better than any man can imagine. Trust Him. He is not playing with your feelings, and He has not touched your heart for nothing.

Pastor John

October 15, 2003

Pastor John,

1Cor 16:9 records Paul saying: "... a great door and effectual is opened..."

It appears that the word effectual means an opportunity. However, one of the on-line English to Greek dictionaries doesn't show a corresponding Greek word, and another defines it as "effective" which doesn't seem to fit. What would be the proper definition/translation please?

Thank you.

Gary

Dear Gary:

You are right in saying that the word implies "opportunity". At the same time, one of the proper translations of that particular Greek adjective can also be "effective", in the sense that the opening of that door will provide great opportunity for bearing fruit to Christ. One could also translate it, "productive".

The verb form of that adjective means "to work, to operate, to be effective". So, if we read "effective" to mean something like "helping to produce a desired effect", we can all agree on a translation!

Thanks for the question. I enjoy and am thankful to Jesus for the opportunity to provide you with an answer, and in that light, I suppose we could say that opening your letter was "effectual" for me to be able to do that.

Pastor John

October 15, 2003

Bro. John:

In your email to Amy concerning "The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law." ,

you wrote:

"That is what made the Law "the strength of sin"; it was good and holy and just, but it did not kill the "old man". Instead, it provided the corrupt nature of man a place to hide from the light."

When I read your reply to Amy's email and the question from 1Cor. 15:56:, the Spirit in me kept saying as I read it:

". . . . the strength of sin is the saved doctrine."

Strengthening sin is what Xnty's saved doctrine did in me. Though I know now that the saved doctrine of Xnty is not, never has been, and never will be "good and holy and just", at that time the appearance made it seem so. But it definitely did not kill the "old man" in me. I retreated to hide in that doctrinal lie for years and the "old man" continued to sin thinking himself saved, but just in need of forgiveness each time sin overcame him. Thank God for the conviction that He sent to my heart! The deception and "appearance" of "good and holy" of the saved doctrine is killing God's people just like the Law once did. How much God has blessed us through our Old Testament studies, showing us that when God moves out of something, follow HIM! I loved learning that the Law was the shadow of something greater to come - - JESUS and the holy Ghost! I love what the Truth does for us, Bro. John. Jesus, in His mercy and love, showed me that I was not saved, and "that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you." That form of doctrine was His Truth. I am thankful.

Xnty has made the saved doctrine their law. But it is only the appearance of salvation and it will not kill the sin of the old man.

Praise God for His Truth!!

S. S.

Dear S. S.:

As with Amy's email, I have a little problem with your equating Xty's lies with God's OT Law. The Law of Moses really did not kill people; sin did. The Law was "our schoolmaster", Paul said, and it led us to Christ. Also, in Romans 7, Paul described the Law as "holy and just and good". He would never have described Xty's doctrines and traditions that way. Xty has been ungodly from its inception.

I don't want to make too much out of that, however, because I agree with what you are saying in general. It's just that Xty tastes so bad to me, and God's Law tastes so good, it just sticks out to me when they are mentioned in the same breath.

jdc

Thanks, Bro. John.

I need all the help I can get! I sometimes have a hard time put the "feeling" of something in words. I really do understand how holy God's Law is because it came from Him. And, like you said, Xnty does not. What you said here helps me see the importance of keeping the two separated.

S. S.

October 15, 2003

Pastor John,

When I read Taylor's question about 1Corinthians 15, I went and read it. At the end of the chapter (v. 56) Paul states, "The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law."

I think I know what the sting of death is; because sin brought about the punishment of death that all men are appointed once to die, is that correct? What does it mean when is says the strength of sin is the law? What is he referring to?

Thanks!

Amy

Dear Amy:

What makes death bitter and fearful is to have sin on your soul when you die. To go to the grave without having sins washed away gives death a very great sting indeed. To those who are faithful to Christ, however, death is often called "sleeping". Death is conquered in Christ.

The Law of Moses did not wash sins from the soul even though it pointed the way to Christ. The Law, then, was the strength of sin because sin had "outsmarted the Law", in a sense. Sin cunningly found ways to thrive in men's hearts even though they lived under God's holy Law. Paul said it this way: "Sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it [the commandment of God] slew me" (Rom. 7:11). Because the Law was a Law of fleshly ceremonies and symbols, sin found ways of keeping the Law literally, of maintaining a good appearance, while under the surface cruelly reigning over the very men who strove to keep the Law. Paul was one of them, and his frustration was very great (Rom. 7). By bitter experience, Paul found that the sinful nature of man was so hopelessly perverse that it was able to find ways to use the holy Law of God to protect itself and to thrive. In other words, wicked men had learned how to hide behind an appearance of righteousness, and had learned how to use God's Law to maintain that appearance. That is what made the Law "the strength of sin"; it was good and holy and just, but it did not kill the "old man". Instead, it provided the corrupt nature of man a place to hide from the light.

Pastor John

Later on October 15, 2003...

Thanks!

That also answers a question I had about our reading assignment, where it said that King Amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart. (2Chron 25:2). I wondered what that meant, that would be the same right? Obeying the commandments in appearance but not with fullness of heart.

I don't think so. Hiding behind an apperarance is not one of the things that are "right in the sight of the Lord".

In your response you stated that men had learned how to hide behind an appearance of righteousness, and had learned how to use God's Law to maintain that appearance. People are still doing that today, strengthening sin.

Nothing has changed over all this time. I love that saying that you made up: "The names have been changed to protect the guilty". It's the truth, nothing has changed except the names. God's people are still following the old law (or the sins of Jeroboam) instead of having the law (the holy ghost) written on their hearts. I love this OT reading that we are doing. It's really real and still happening. I wish God's people could see the truth, they would be so relieved. Thanks again!

Amy

Actually, the only Law God ever gave (before the holy Ghost was sent, was Moses' Law. People really are not using that any longer, so I wouldn't say that "people are still following the old law". But they are still following their own lusts and using religion as a hiding place, as Jeroboam did.

Christianity clearly "strengthens sin". It provides sin with a refuge (Rev. 18:2). It does not kill the old man and his lusts; rather, it trains the old man to observe certain religious rites and duties.

When God's children come to understand that, heaven is going to rejoice! And so are we.

Pastor John

October 14, 2003

Hey again:

I forgot earlier: Today at lunch, we were sharing food and this one guy couldn't eat a beef-filled Mexican food because he's Hindu (I'm pretty sure). Then a friend basically goes, "I'm a Baptist. What are the rest of you?"

"Mormon."

"Catholic."

"Nothing."

Friend: "Brenda. What church do you go to, what religion are you?"

Me: "Uh, I don't 'go' to one. I don't know what you'd call it. It's like... uh, Jesus but not Christian."

Her: *jokingly arched eyebrow*

Me: "Well, I guess you'd say... Pentecostal." (???)

Her: "And a Pentecostal." And continues conversation otherwise.

Is there any answer other than that I could've given? It was no big deal, but... Like on the back of my PSAT coming up, I mark what, Pentecostal?

Brenda

Hi again:

The way of Jesus is so foreign to this world that people of the world do not even know how to ask us what we are. And his way is so foreign to this world that we don't even know what to answer! The English language doesn't have words sufficient for the answer! When the Bible says that we are "strangers and pilgrims" on this earth, it was telling the truth! How very foreign to this world is the way of Christ!

If I ever discover a way to answer those kind of questions, I will let you know. For now, the best I have found is to say simply that I follow Jesus, but I have no part in Xty at all. That is confusing to this confused world, but then, what should I expect? As to the options given on school forms, etc., I used to mark the box that said "other". But feel free to do whatever feels best to you.

Pastor John

October 13, 2003

John:

I had a dream the other night that you told the congregation to read 1 Cor. 15, then read it again, and then read it again. I've got a question about v. 58... "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord".

What is "the work of the Lord"?

Thanks.

Taylor

Hi Taylor:

Jesus told us what "the work of the Lord" is in John 6:28-29: "Then they said unto him, 'What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?' Jesus answered and said unto them, 'This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom He hath sent.'"

It seems clear to me that with that response, Jesus is steering us away from the burden of having to define the "work of God" and toward simply hearing and doing the will of God for us, individually. If Jesus had begun a make a list of what is "the work of the Lord", Christians would have oppressed generations of people, young and old, with demands based upon it. We are fortunate that Jesus was wise enough simply to say, "Believe." That way, we are free to hear from the Lord and to do his will (his "work") for us.

Pastor John

October 13, 2003

Hiya, Pastor John:

How are you? I'm alright. It's been raining all day here. I am reading another English assignment, MLK, Jr's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail." I have a question.

I don't know how to word this... I keep thinking this is a very proud letter. There are lots of "Aren't I like Jesus, or Paul?" things in here. "I'm being persecuted, I'm in jail." "I commend you white ministers, but in others I'm dissapointed." I am not sure whether I'm being proud and judgmental for thinking that, or whether these are right feelings from God.

I have never read that piece, but in general, I can tell you this: It would be difficult to find much about Martin Luther King that was like Jesus or Paul. Neither Jesus nor Paul was a social activist, "demanding rights" of an unjust government and society. That wasn't their purpose. MLK attached the name of Jesus to his pursuits, but then, so does the Pope and so did the madman, Jim Jones.

MLK was not a servant of Jesus; he was a servant of his own desire for things of earth, call them whatever you will: respect from white people; civil privileges; equal treatment under the law; equal employment opportunities, or whatever. Striving for such things has nothing whatsoever to do with the gospel of Jesus. Christian ministers who pursue earthly gain or position, such a Pat Robertson (running for President) or Jesse Jackson ("civil rights") are serving their own lusts, not the living God.

Anyway, about that Thoreau/ants thing I had a while ago, I figured it out a moment after I mentioned it to you: He was looking at the ants at war, far away and amused, through a turned-over glass. The question was basically, "What attitude toward religion can be assumed?" It stumped me at first, but then I took it as a "God doesn't care about us" kind of attitude. (I can hardly ever find one word for what I mean!) We were learning about Transcendentalists at the time.

Until your teachers have their own personal experience with God, how can they have anything but wrong ideas about Him? Nothing but the power of God sets us free from our own wrong ideas. We need Jesus desperately to give us our own experiences with him. Otherwise, we are hopelessly lost.

I've never had an English class like this. Now we are on definition. For example, the teacher had people who thought they had brown hair to go to the front of the room. The rest of the class would pick people who didn't seem brown-haired to sit down. In the end, it was about how we each defined brown.

with love,

Christy

That is also how teachers, especially college-level professors, often approach the subject of God. And if I had not had any personal experiences with God's power, I would no doubt be the same way; skeptical, suspicious, and cynical.

Thank you, Jesus, for your mercy on my life!

And thank you, Christy, for writing again.

Pastor John

October 6, 2003

Good morning John!

This is a question you asked in your TFT for Oct. 7: "Are we humble enough to receive the correction that God sends? We will be, if we remember these wise words that Uncle Joe also spoke during his testimony that long-ago Sunday afternoon: "The man who tells you the truth is your friend."

My new-birth attitude change has brought about many a chastisement from old "friends," from both sinners and well-meaning Christian people. Am I to consider those rebukes to be from God? How can I heed accusations such as:

"You've gotten involved with a bunch of fanatics!"

"Come on Brent, quit acting like Jesus; you're NOT Jesus!"

"How dare you say you're the only one right and what I believe is wrong!"

"You've never even bothered to ask me about my personal enlightenment and spiritual experiences. All you do is pontificate about your experience!"

"You should keep your 'babbling,' your 'speaking in tongues' to yourself. Do it in private!"

"That's your opinion! You can't say your interpretation of the Bible is right."

"Yeah, my mother was involved in a fringe church group once, like the one you're in, but she finally realized it was way-out. You need to get yourself in a good normal church."

And the list goes on . . .

I've endured these and more in this past year. The above are quotes from old friends and my ex-wife. They think they're telling me the truth. From their point-of-view---they're right, I'm wrong.

Are they rebukes I should respectfully and humbly heed? I think not! The holy ghost in me rages against such ignorant remarks. I have something that they cannot understand, and they've twisted it around to make themselves look normal and me the one who's "gone off the deep end."

So, Uncle Joe's testimony cannot possibly be applied in these situations, can it?

Help me to understand this.

Brent

Dear Brent:

I'm surprised at you, my dear friend. What do all those foolish comments have to do with my Thought For The Day? You should not call those things "chastisement"? Such silly comments are not "chastisement"; they are "persecution".

Uncle Joe's testimony can be applied to every case of correction, instruction, or reproof from the Lord. The comments you quoted have nothing to do with Uncle Joe, or godly correction, or my TFT, or even you, really. They are not worthy of serious consideration.

Pastor John

Please forgive my innocent, naive error. I am surprised at it myself, now, as I re-read it.

I occasionally have trouble discerning a persecution from a godly chastisement, because as you said in your TFT, sometimes a rebuke can come from a sinner who God uses to show us the truth. When one is persecuted so often, one wonders if there may be some truth in those remarks. It's all about discerning the godly spirit from the spirit of foolishness and evil, right?

At least my instincts (the holy ghost) told me they were ignorant and stupid remarks. I knew that, in my heart, but my head got in the way when I considered that those people might be saying those things to correct my behavior, which might have appeared too pious or self-righteous. The truth is---the Truth offends people! So, in turn, they persecute that which appears holy to them because they're convicted of their darkness and unbelief.

I'll get over it. It's all part of taking my lumps for the Lord.

Thanks for clarifying it for me.

Brent

September 29, 2003

Hi!

Please Explain what is trinity? Are they 3 individuals or 3 in one?

Thanks

M T

Hello Michael.

Thank you for your question.

There is no such thing as a "trinity". The "trinity" is a Christian myth, much like the false ideas of the existence of a "purgatory". You would benefit much by reading the two tracts below, written by Pastor John:

http://www.isaiah58.com/tracts/fatherandtheson.html (the Father and the Son)

http://ww.isaiah58.com/tracts/isjesusgod.html(Is Jesus God?)

And if you are REALLY ambitious, try the study guide on the trinity at: http://www.isaiah58.com/TRINITY.HTM

This last site is a simple study of key Greek pronouns referring to the holy Spirit, and it proves beyond any doubt that (1)the apostles who wrote the New Testament did not think that the holy Spirit is a person and that (2)Christian translators have intentionally mistranslated what the apostles wrote in order to deceive the readers of the Bible into thinking that the apostles believed that the Spirit is a person. It is not difficult reading, and you may find it especially helpful.

Best regards,

Gary Savelli

September 18, 2003

Hi Isaac.

Per our phone discussion last evening, here is a link to an article we have online concerning Peter's "conversion". I think it answers a lot concerning the truth that there was NO conversion for any man, prior to the day of Pentecost.

A primary reason for this (and there are surely others), is that the Spirit was not made available to anyone, until after the sacrifice of Christ - the proof of that sacrifice being accepted by God was that Christ sat down at the right hand of the father, and the holy Ghost being sent: Heb 10:12-17 "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. [Whereof] the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This [is] the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more." Here is the web address to that article on Peter: http://www.isaiah58.com/questions/q_oftheweek80.html

Hope that helps. Have a good one, and keep in touch!

Best regards,

Gary Savelli

September 10, 2003

Hi, Pastor John:

I am still reading the TFT right now, but I got distracted when I was flipping through my Bible for a verse. I landed on... let's see... 1John 2:22: "Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son."

I am curious. How does the Trinitarian doctrine interpret that verse? Do you know? Things like this would have never made sense to me before, but now they look to me like ways for people to know when the words of wisdom are not in someone. I'm so glad I finally get this stuff, like what the difference is between the Old Testament and the New, why some stuff is not in effect anymore! "I am found by a people that weren't looking for me." It's fun when something clicks that I never got before. Okay, have a great day!

Bethany

Hi Bethany:

It would be difficult to say how Trinitarians explain that verse from 1John. I know how they do not interpret it (the right way), but their explanations of that verse would probably vary widely, as do their complicated explanations of their own strange doctrines.

Stay close to Jesus, and he will continue to "show thee great and mighty things that thou knowest not" (Jeremiah 33:3).

Pastor John

August 18, 2003

John, in your reply to Gary M., you said:

"The Christian leaders who made the recent immoral decision to promote a fool are fools themselves, and scorners, and the Bible warns us not to rebuke such people."

That's a fantastic warning. WHY does the Bible warn us not to rebuke fools? And WHERE does the Bible say that? I looked in Proverbs, and several verses seem to hint at that, but they're not clear. Is it Proverbs 16:22? Prov.23:9, or 13:1?

When we study Proverbs, we learn that a "fool" and a "scorner" are interchangeable words; they refer to the same kind of person; they feel the same way about life and conduct themselves in the same way on a daily basis. The reason it is foolish to rebuke such people is because it accomplishes nothing to rebuke them. They cannot learn; they cannot change; they cannot receive correction. "Though thou shouldest [grind] a fool with a mortar among wheat in a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him" (Prov. 27:22).

In another place, you also wrote to Gary, "But if others are looking on, and are wondering what is right, and if they can hear you rebuke those fools with wisdom and peace, it might help them."

Amen! That's why you've "taken on" many of the e-mail "debates," for the sake of us---the saints---isn't it?

Exactly.

Oh, one more question:

Can you explain the verses 4 and 5 in Prov. 26. They seem to be giving opposite commandments.

Thanks for being a good, discerning pastor.

Brad

Dear Brad:

Those two verses demonstrate our desperate need to be led by the Spirit. They not only seem to contradict each other; they DO contradict each other. Both are right, however. There is a time for each of them. There is a right time to obey both those conflicting commandments. But when? We have to be guided by the Spirit, or we cannot know when it is time to do anything. And if we don't know what it is time for, we might keep the wrong commandment (or maybe, keep the right commandment at the wrong time), and to do that is sin.

Blessed is the man who knows what it is time to do.

Pastor John

August 18, 2003

Pastor John:

I was wondering if you could comment on some thoughts I had tonight. When I came home yesterday, I was pretty exausted, so my wife made me a plate for lunch and I sat down in front of the TV and watched a tennis match for a while. Later, after another 45 minutes or so outside, I went to the fridge to get a beverage and felt the urge to click on the TV again. I had the thought/heard a little voice say, "Don't you think you've watched enough TV today?", something like that. I basically said, "OK" and left the room. As I was leaving the room the thought hit me, "If it's really true that God is speaking to us throughout every day (as you have taught on a few occassions), I've been passing the voice of the Lord off as something else". I can only point to a few circumstances in the last several years in which I felt like I really had the Lord/the Spirit speak to me in a very clear, understandable way. I don't think I have a specific question for you about this, but it really struck me how that, if we truly are hearing from the Lord on a daily basis, all this time I've been passing what I've been hearing off as being my own imagination. Then the obvious next question to me was, "Well, which voice is it that I've been hearing on a daily basis" Is it the Lord's?" The importance of tuning in to what voice is His just really struck me. And how good is God that he offers us moment by moment assistance like that?!?

I also had a thought about how often those little instructions come in the third person. For instance, just about every day I hear things like, "Don't you think you've watched enough TV today?", rather than, "I've watched enough TV today, I'll just go to the kitchen to relax instead". It seems like your carnal mind would phrase those types of things in the first person, as if you and your carnal mind are one and the same. I don't know how to say it, really, other than it seems to be another indicator that those instructions are coming from the Lord since they are phrased in the third person (maybe I'm thinking about it too much, but it was a new/interesting thought to me).

Anyway, any thoughts/comments?

Thanks.

Brent J.

Hi Brent:

The Lord is speaking to us, if not every moment, then every hour of every day, or thereabout--not with the voice of thunder maybe, but with a clear voice nonetheless. Once we realize that his voice is there, it is exciting to wait for him to speak. Wisdom said, "Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the post of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord" (Prov. 8:34-35).

I think it was the Lord speaking to you, helping you be moderate in all things. It sounds like him.

Pastor John

August 15, 2003

John,

Sometimes after hearing or reading wrong comments about Jesus and the saints, I'll get a strong urge to comment/write back with a rebuke for such foolishness. I have on occasion done so, but now I'm not sure whether it's right to do so or not. For example: The recent ordination of a homosexual Episcopal bishop makes me think of Jesus holding up a sign that cries out "THIS IS NOT OF GOD, THIS IS NOT MY FAMILY".

There are huge numbers of media columnists and personalities, politicians, clergy from all denominations, etc. showing support for it. Is responding to or writing letters about such things getting too involved in the affairs of the world?

I'm struggling with the concept of how/if to be part of the solution to admittedly worldly problems and yet not get too involved with the affairs of the world. Could you give me some guidance please?

Thank you.

Gary

Dear Gary:

I would not respond at all to the madness of Christians electing a queer to be a "Bishop" of Christ, nor to any other of the many filthy, godless works of Christians--with one notable exception. It might be good to respond to their godless decisions if you know that there are people "standing on the side lines" looking on, watching you, and if you know that they will read/hear your response. Jesus responded to the Pharisees' wicked deeds and docrines when there were people standing around watching for his response. His truth never benefitted the Pharisees with evil hearts, but it was not intended for them, even though Jesus was speaking to them. It was intended for the ears of those who were listening to his conversation with those men, and his light very much helped those who listened to Jesus confront those hypocritical leaders of Israel.

The Christian leaders who made the recent immoral decision to promote a fool are fools themselves, and scorners, and the Bible warns us not to rebuke such people. But if others are looking on, and are wondering what is right, and if they can hear you rebuke those fools with wisdom and peace, it might help them.

jdc

August 13, 2003

Dear Betsy:

I do believe that the Song of Solomon is a parable of Christ and his people (his bride), but to explain that is not easily done. You might not get very far in a class discussion or in a paper you try to write, if you say that this book is a prophetic song of Christ's love for the saints and vice-versa. You will find no references (that I can remember right now) to the Song of Solomon in the New Testament that you would be able to use to show what its real meaning is. To see Christ and his bride in that book is a matter of faith and understanding.

I have read the Song of Solomon many times over the years, but a few years back, I made a set aside a special time to slowly and carefully read it again. I was surprised at the lesson that the Lord taught me. It is a very important, though much under-valued lesson in life; to wit, whatever you do, do it with all your heart.

There is not one moment in the entire Song of Solomon that either the young man or his beautiful, virtuous bride thought about anything else but each other. Whether things were going well or going badly, their only thought was for each other. Whether it was day or night, their only thought was for each other. The times would change, and so would they. All things do, in this life. Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 3:1 that there is a time for everything. These two lovers were in the middle of their time for love, and they were wise enough to give themselves completely to it. Nothing else mattered to them because it was not time for anything else to matter to them. They were not young, immature fools. In its time, everything is beautiful, and it pleases God for us to know when it is time to do a thing, and to do it with our whole heart. Out of its time, anything can be sin, even prayer. Nothing out of its time pleases God.

The Song of Solomon is not an example of two young people being consumed by a demon of raging lust, but an example of two people who were wise enough to love each other and to give themselves to each other with all their hearts when it was time to do so.

If your teacher who assigned to you this analysis of the Song of Solomon is like one certain high school teacher here who assigns filthy summer reading to her upper-level students, then he/she is motivated by an ungodly spirit to require young people to read this wonderful book. I hope that is not the case. Even though the Song of Solomon is a book of pure and holy love, "to them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and conscience is defiled" (Tit. 1:15).

The world will not be able to see holiness and goodness in the attitudes, behavior, and words of the two main characters. Nor will it be able to see in those eight chapters how very much Jesus loves his people with all his heart while it is time to love them. In the words from Solomon's Song, "Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!", the world will never hear the tender voice of Jesus calling his beloved people to come be with him forever in Paradise, but it is there. In the words of the Bride, "Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like the roe or the young hart upon the mountains of spices", this filthy-minded world can never hear the humble cry of a heart desperate for Jesus to come and fill it with his overwhelming sense of peace and joy, but it is there.

So, Betsy, what a person receives from the book, Song of Solomon, will be determined, not by what they know, but by what they have in their hearts.

Pastor John

August 13, 2003

pastor john

just another quick question. are you supposed to pay tithes before or after taxes are taken out?

thanks

steven

Hi Steven:

You pay taxes on your gross income, before earthly governments take their taxes out, but after you have deducted all business expenses if you have any.

jdc

August 11, 2003

Good-day Pastor John:

i have been hearing this phrase from many mouths of Christians thus; "i will not be like Aaron that left empty handed". So, my question is did he (Aaron) left empty handed in any occasion in the bible? i have given much thought to it but i could not remember any.

Thanks for reading my mails.

Bro Frank.

Nigeria

Dear Brother Frank:

The phrase that is popular among many Christians in your area is meaningless. You can safely ignore it. There was no such thing that happened in the Bible. Somebody just invented that saying.

Pastor John

August 6, 2003

Dear Sir,

I am a former, non-practicing Catholic. I am trying to find the truth about God and Jesus. I came across your web site. I have be reading some of your pages and would like to know which Bible should I be reading. I want to learn the Gospel of Jesus and learn the way of God. I need Help.

Thank you,

Paul

Dear Sir:

For the time being, the King James Version would be best. I know that it has been ridiculed for being outdated, and it even contains a few obvious mistakes in translation. But all in all, there is no translation on earth any more faithful to the original languages, or more clearer or more beautifully written than the King James Version, and it is not difficult to understand, as some people have suggested. The children in the congregation that meets at my house use it, and they understand it pretty well.

Try to read one of the Thoughts For Today at the PastorJohnsHouse.com website to receive bits of manna for each day.

Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Mt. 6:33). Paul said, "The kingdom of God is . . . righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost" (Rom. 14:17). Your first object, then, should be to be filled with, or "baptized with" the holy Ghost. When you receive that experience, you will begin to speak in a language you have never learned. Do not be alarmed. Paul said that "no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed" (1Cor. 12:3). The holy Ghost and God's righteousness is what you need first. Ask for it, seek for it, and knock on heaven's door for it. Jesus promised that everyone who does that will be filled with it (Mt. 7:7-8).

Pastor John

August 6, 2003

Pastor John:

I started attending a pentacostal church about one &1/2 yrs. ago. After the attdence of 3 weeks was bapt. &recieved the holy ghost. From that moment on a knew the spirit is real. Since then my church has been praying for revival, which it is in dire need of. We held a foot washing and the ladies &men separated into different rooms to do so. But as the ladies washed each others feet they all keep their socks or stockings on. I didn't because it didn't seem right. I went to the preacher &asked him about it, and stated there was nothing wrong with it. I was wondering how do you feel?

Fred N.

Dear Friend in Christ:

I think that if you are foolish enough to stay in a place like that, you should listen to the pastor of that place and do whatever he tells you. That will be punishment enough.

Pastor John

August 1, 2003

John,

I was reading Sandy’s email and had some thoughts. She was talking about having a gift to give to Jesus when we meet him. I think I remember her saying that that gift was the Gift he gave to us – the holy Ghost. Since the holy Ghost is the Blood of Christ, does that mean that after Jesus died on the cross and ascended into heaven that he offered his Gift to the Father – the Spirit which descended upon him in the River Jordan? I suppose that not everyone gives the same gift, but that Gift we give must be perfect? It made me think about the man who came to the marriage supper naked (squandered his Gift?). He was cast out. Makes me want to polish my Gift, protect It, nurture It. I suppose that we offer the Gift back to Jesus in the end, and if he finds It acceptable, he lets us keep it! Forever!

It is good to be back online.

Mark.

Hey Mark!

I think it is more perfect to say that WE are the gift we must offer to the king when he comes. We are created in Christ Jesus as new creatures by the power of the holy Ghost. It is the most that we can do to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice to God. We are told that when Jesus ascended, he offered HIMSELF to God. That was his gift to the Father, and it was acceptable to Him. My hope is that our sacrifice, our gift, will be acceptable to the Father, too. I know that if we live as Jesus lived, that will be the case.

jdc

August 1, 2003

Hi Pastor John,

Do you know where "going to church on Sundays” (or any other day) came from? Who decided that people should get together once a week? Was it Christianity? Or did the real congregation of God start doing it first? Also, how often did the earlier saints get together, like in Paul’s time, if there is an answer.

Stuart

Dear Stuart:

The Roman Emperor Constantine invented the doctrine that the day designated by Romans as the day of the Sun god (our "Sunday") was a holy day for the saints. He worshiped the sun God and confused him with Jesus. This is the origin of the halo often seen in Christian paintings of the Lord. The Roman sun god had a halo or light around his head.

The origin of gathering once a week for worship is, thus far for me, unknown. The holy Sabbath day instituted by God in ancient times was not set apart by Him for man as a day of worship but as a day of rest. Certain other Sabbaths under the Law were specified by God as days of worship, but not the weekly Sabbath.

It is impossible to know if the earliest saints met regularly or not, and it really doesn't matter. If it mattered, the Bible would contain that information. The important thing is to meet whenever we are led by the Spirit to meet. Paul mentioned in 1Cor. 16:2 that he wanted the saints to gather some money together for the poor, persecuted saints in Jerusalem on "the first day of the week", but that is a long way from saying that the saints held regular meetings on the first day of the week. The Bible is silent on the subject, as I said, because it just doesn't matter. There are no holy days in Christ; only holy people.

Pastor John

July 31, 2003

Daddy,

I was surprised that there was no mention of the right or wrong of slavery in today's society in your TFT 7-24. One would almost be left with the idea that you felt slavery an appropriate institution still today, even in this country. Instead, would it be wrong to assume that slavery, like the tradition of polygamy in Jacob's time, is no longer, at least in the U.S., Britain, etc., a way of life that is acceptable to God?

I made no mention of the right or wrong of slavery in our culture in our time because it no longer exists here, at least in the form it existed in nineteenth century America (North and South). It is obvious that slavery, polygamy, and other social elements of cultures foreign to us were not considered to be sin by God when they were practiced among ancient cultures in the Bible. We know that. The evidence is abundant, available, and convincing for anyone who is honest with himself. Concerning polygamy, for example, near the end of the age when the books in our Bible were being written, Paul did say that if a man desires to be looked to as an elder in the congregation, then he should have but one wife (1Tim. 3:2), but even at that, he stops short of saying that it sin for a man to have two or more wives.

Among believers, it is a seldom recognized fact that a truly spiritual congregation follows the world in some fundamental aspects of life. Hair styles and clothing customs are major examples. To dress in any way that is out of the norm for our time is ungodly. We are simply to "fit in" with the prevailing customs of our society. Nothing about Jesus attracted attention to him but the goodness and wisdom and power of God.

To be a "trend-setter" is an ungodly thing. That is not the saints' purpose. It is not a custom of this culture at this time to permit slavery. For the saints to try to bring it back would be evil on that account alone.

I guess what I am asking is this: Was slavery among men (not slavery to Jesus) acceptable to God because it benefited ancient economies or because there is something about slavery itself that is good and right? If the former, then wouldn't you agree that slavery is a dead institution, one that was dying two-hundred years ago, and that an advocation for slavery in this country in this day would indeed be wrong, if not sin?

Thanks,

Bekah

God's reasons for His judgment that slavery, at least in Biblical times, was not a sin are never revealed. There is absolutely no way, however, that God would ever determine that a thing is not sin simply because it benefited the world's economy. Whether or not slavery is "a dead institution" is debatable, especially in some parts of the world. It is fine with me if slavery dies out altogether; and it is also fine with me if it doesn't. It is a worldly matter that doesn't concern me. My focus is to be a good slave to Jesus, my Master.

Only God could tell us if there is "something good and right" about slavery. I would think that God sees slavery as potentially a very good thing if the slave owner is very good, and as potentially a very evil thing if the slave owner is very evil. With Jesus, slavery is a perfect and a wonderful institution because He is a perfect and wonderful Master. In the final analysis, it is the moral quality of the Master that determines whether or not slavery turns out to be a good or an evil institution.

I do not advocate the return of slavery in this or any society; for me or any servant of Jesus to do that would be sin because it is none of a saint's business to become entangled in earthly social or political affairs. Nor do I presume to condemn as evil those in the past who owned slaves, simply because God never condemned them. If He had ever once condemned them as evil, then so would I. I am afraid to come to a conclusion or to hold an opinion that God never expressed. No matter what it looks like to humans, God is always right.

That's the best I can do to try to explain the right way to look at the institution of slavery and any effort either to revive or condemn it.

Pastor John (Daddy)

July 31, 2003

Hey Pastor John,

Did the Jews kill Jesus b/c they limited God to the law?

M. D.

Dear MD:

The Jews were envious of Jesus when they saw that "the common people heard him gladly" (Mk. 12:37). Pontius Pilate discerned that it was for envy that the Jews hated Jesus (Mt. 27:18), and for that reason, he wanted to release him unharmed.

Pastor John

July 30, 2003

Pastor John:

Is it possible to be hungry for God and satisfied with what God has given you at the same time?

te.

Dear T. E.:

Yes, that is the way real hunger and thirst for righteousness is. We hunger for God because we are satisfied with Him.

jdc

P.S. I just had a thought: Maybe God is the one who makes us hungry and desperate in the first place! We can't even do that on our own. And without Him motivating us to seek Him, we can't find Him of our own accord. Am I on the right track?

yes.

July 23, 2003

Bro. John:

I have a question from Matthew 27 re: Jesus on the cross. In this verse:

"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias."

Could the above words (in red and underlined) be Jesus speaking in tongues, praying in the Spirit from the cross, and that is why when some heard those words, "Eli, Eli," they thought Jesus was calling for Elias? Since there has been so many translations of the Bible, I was just wondering if those words were:

a) translated erroneously by scholars and interpreted to fit the Xn agenda, or

b) if it was the language of Jesus' time, or

c) if Jesus was praying in the Spirit (tongues)

It seems that those standing around him would have understood their own language if Jesus was speaking it.

Thanks for your time to reply.

sts

STS:

Jesus was crying out to his Father in his own language, not in tongues. Some of the people near him on the cross just misunderstood his "Eli" (which means "my God" in Hebrew) to be a cry for the prophet who should come in the last days--Elijah.

Nothing deep here. No Christian duplicity. Relax and enjoy reading the Bible.

Pastor John

July 23, 2003

Pastor John

A young gentleman asked my today what sort of church i belonged too, and my response to him was "the right one" then i told him "a non-christian denomination in jesus christ".

Now i was wondering did i answer correctly or not. If you could clarify this for me it would be great thanks. He asked me this because of some of the things that he "picked up on" from me e.g. when people swear and stuff like that, he noticed that i frowned or something like it.

thanks again

sweber

Dear Steven:

It is difficult to know what answer is best to some of the questions that Christians ask. Their religious traditions and way of thinking is so far from the truth that, sometimes, communication in simple matters is not all that simple.

If there is a specific "title" for the way of truth, I don't know it. I don't think it is a "denomination" at all, but it is most definitely non-Christian. Keep trying, and maybe the Lord will give you a perfect answer, one that communicates the love of God for both Christians and everyone else, and confesses the truth at the same time.

In the meantime, just seek God with all your heart. I want you to be baptized with the holy Ghost and become a member of the true body of Christ, whatever its real name is.

Pastor John

July 22, 2003

Pastor John:

Do you think that Satan is like people, and that he really does not believe that his end is going to come? I know he has been bound in chains of darkness, so maybe he believes he has won?

Stuart

Dear Stuart:

What we know is that satan loves the things that have to do with man (Mt. 16:23). And we also know that mankind loves the things of Satan; that is why he is called "the prince of this world" by Jesus (Jn. 14:30), and "the god of this world" by Paul (2Cor. 4:4). The natural, carnal mind of humans is akin to Satan's mind; otherwise, they would not love each other's ways.

How much time the devil spends thinking about his soon-coming end, we can't say. But we are told that he knows in his heart that he is doomed and that it makes him angry to think of it (Rev. 12:7-12). At the same time, God's grace has been completely removed from his heart, so he must continue in his sin and rebellion. And his continued rebellion against God makes it appear that he still thinks he is going to win, even if he knows differently. What a darkened heart he has! That is the greastest of all God's curses on a living being (cp. Lam. 3:65; 2Thess. 2:16).

Pastor John

An additional comment...

Pastor John:

That's good information....

When thinking about Satan (and Christianity), it seems they are living in a "pretend" world. It is a wonderful blessing not to have to pretend anything is from, or is not from God - good or bad. I remember one time I heard you say, and I wrote it down and pinned it up, "real humility is wanting the will of God above your own". In every good thing, and in every heartache, it is a great relief to be able to say, "Lord, not my will, but yours be done". We can enjoy our blessings, and we can give Him our troubles.

Otherwise, we can only "pretend" that something is, what it is not. Christianity can only pretend it is the body of Christ, and pretend it's ceremonies and rituals are approved of God - because they are not.

Satan must still be thinking he can one day ascend to be like the most high God - and I wonder if every time reality hits him, he must get angry about having his pretend world exposed again.

Gary

July 21, 2003

Bro. John:

I have a few questions regarding the following scriptures from 1Cor. 11:

[31] For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
[32] But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
[33] Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another.
[34] And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

My first question is, what exactly does "judging ourselves" mean?

It means to listen to the judgment of the saints. Paul is pleading with these saints in Corinth to acknowledge those in the body who were truly ordained by God to rule in the assembly of believers, and to listen to them. When the saints submit to the government of God, everyone is blessed and protected. It is poisonous for individual saints to formulate their own standard for living instead of following the Spirit and being molded with all the saints into a loving community of faith.

My second question is, in verse 33, does "eat" in that vs. mean "spiritual" food? And if that be the case, would "hunger" and "eat" in vs. 34 also be spiritual?

I will give you what I believe to be the correct understanding of those two difficult verses.

Eating in verse 33 is spiritual. Paul is exhorting the congregation to care about the feelings and needs of others in the assembly who may need time to prepare their hearts to drink of the waters of life with them. In the preceding verses of that chapter, Paul has dealt with such issues.

"Hungering" and "eating" in verse 34 is obviously natural. It seems that the Corinthians were beginning to make that classic mistake that has ruined untold numbers of gatherings of the saints; to wit, they were adding natural meals to their feasts with Christ. I have never seen a prayer meeting endure and be blessed once the people involved start making a habit of eating a physical meal together, either before or after the meeting. The flesh wars against the Spirit. You cannot mix them together and be blessed by God with spiritual fruit.

I remember several months ago the Lord awakened me with this:

"We are born wild. It takes the holy Ghost to tame, teach, instruct, and guide."

When we receive the holy Ghost baptism, I know we are new creatures, not of that "wild" nature anymore, and subsequently, if we listen to the Spirit we have been given, then we become "tamed" by the Spirit of God. But as with any newborn child who is growing, we still need that teaching, instructing, and guiding all along the way by God's Spirit to get us to that spiritual maturity in the Lord.

I am finding that there is so much more to learn of God. It is very humbling. I read where Paul said in Romans that "the judgment of God is according to truth." Without the holy Ghost, we cannot even judge ourselves rightly. I am thankful that He has given us that inward Teacher, Instructor, and Guide to "quicken" us to His right ways. As your father once said, "My soul is too precious to gamble with." We need the holy Ghost guiding us every day in the ways of God. I cannot help but feel the soberness on this journey Home.

I love what David said in Psalms 143: "Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness."

Thanks for your reply to the questions.

July 21, 2003

Hi, Pastor Clark:

My friend in Tulsa just sent her "testimony", to me and to a group of some of her other friends. (Several, but not a lot.) She's come out of a lot of bad stuff (hasn't everyone?), and I feel bad because of what she is believing from her "church", the people she has been trusting. I think the first time I felt bad was when she got excited in an email and talked about us "going to her church" together if I ever visited Tulsa again...

Anyway, the question: If she would permit, would you mind reading the testimony she sent? A lot of the stuff that happened to her happened after I moved here to Boston. I don't know why I want to let you read it, but I have maybe some questions that I can't get out.

She's so happy, all "Look what God did for me! Oh, and have you heard this new Christian band?" This is such a change in her, I almost didn't believe it at first.

Okay, well... have a nice day anyway.

Sarah

Hi Sarah:

I read your friend's testimony. The name of her church group sounds as if it is a place where they at least believe in the baptism of the Spirit. Do they? She herself, however, doesn't talk about her experience with the baptism of the holy Ghost. Obviously, she hasn't received it. Instead of real life in the Spirit, she testifies of such things as these:

"I’ve been very active in the church… since then. I’m on the drama team… and will be going to Washington D.C. I wanted to go to Panama… but expenses were out of my reach. I attend Cell group… youth group… Sunday service… and am trying to train my voice for the worship team."

All of those things are full of the spirit of Xty; that is the spirit that is leading her. Other than claiming to be in the name of Jesus, those things have nothing to do with him. A person can do all those things all his life, and millions do, and never belong to the true body of Christ.

If your friend has chosen to try to serve God instead of her own flesh, that is a good decision. If Jesus has touched her heart, I am very glad. May God bless her and lead her all the way into eternal life. But the Xn things she is involved in and is so thrilled with are not of God. They will not lead her to eternal life and the knowledge of God. They will not deliver her from the sinful nature that she admits she still has. They are vain religious works, and if she gives herself to them, they will prevent her from ever being washed from sin by the power of God. If she really wants to know God, she will in time become disillusioned with those Xn things and have to deal with the discouraging emptiness that is in them.

Pastor John

July 21, 2003

Hi, Pastor John!

I read an email you sent from somebody asking questions about marriage. I don't know if they asked the exactly same I'm about to, since I kind of worded them differently in my head...

1) To God, is it fornication for two "legally married" people to act as a couple married by God? (I mean man and woman anyway, when I ask.)

Everything that anyone does while they are in the world is worldly. No one in the flesh can do a holy thing. It is good for those who try to do what is right by marrying instead of just living in open fornication. And for every good thing any person does, God will repay them. So, I would stop short of calling legally married sinners fornicators, but I would also tell them that "except ye repent, ye shall perish."

2) If a child is born out of a totally wrong union (like adultery), but God blesses that child a whole lot anyway, like a "sheep" I guess I mean... though the circumstances were seriously WRONG to get the child on earth, did God in any way want the adultery to happen? I think I can answer this question on my own, either "No!" or "God's ways are past finding out." But the question came to mind, and I really wonder about it more now after reading Psalm 51. God makes good come out of bad, it's impossible - like every wise man in the Bible says - for us to figure out where the "circle" starts and where it stops!

God has used some of the most ungodly characters to produce one of His children on this earth. Jesus himself had some pretty rotten characters in his earthly line! It is God's work, though, and we owe Him ALL the glory for our being here. This is part of the meaning of Paul's saying, "We are not debtors to the flesh" (Rom 8:12). God alone determined when, where, and under what circumstances every one of His children were born. His ways are "past finding out", and so there is no need to try to analyze why He determined that we would be born in the time and place that we were born. The point is that God decided it, so He wanted us to be born in that time and place. That does not mean that He condones any sin or excuses it.

You are exactly right. It is impossibe for us to figure such things out. The answers to some of these things are hidden in the heart of God. Your questions are very good and worth asking, however, and they show that you are really thinking about spiritual things. Keep it up.

Pastor John

July 21, 2003

Pastor john

a question just came to me and i hope you can answer it, it is a pretty simple question i think, Why did god hand the holy ghost to the gentiles, i mean why did he turn the jews away.

Hi SW:

God turned to the Gentiles after the Jews completely rejected Him. Paul exhibits the feelings of God in Acts 28:17-29. God labored intensely for many hundreds of years to persuade the Jews to love His ways, but the majority of them never did. Some of His servants were humiliated, some were beaten, and some were murdered by the Jews. Jesus told a parable about that in Matthew 21:22-46.

God loved His people, the Israelites, but for the most part, they never loved Him. Their own prophets, the ones God sent to them, tell us this repeatedly. It is a sad story, but a true one.

Pastor John

July 13, 2003

pastor john

Hi how are you? It is a bit strange to me the part in this tft 7-08 where you said they will kill there brother's and sister's and still think that there doing Gods work. why would god do such a thing (turn some one away from the truth and kill other saints) when he said in the commandments "thou shall not kill". wouldn't that thought be in the front of there mind.

One other question does satan try his hardest to interfear with someone trying to recieve the holy ghost?

thanks

Steven

Steven:

I am doing well, thank you. I hope you and your family are well, too.

As for your question, God will turn over to Satan's will those children of His who stubbornly refuse for a long time to keep His commandments. Once they are turned over to Satan's will, that enemy of all that is holy can use those cursed children of God to do things that are very evil. This is no reason for us to fear Satan; rather, it is cause to fear God's displeasure all the more.

Satan cannot prevent a person from receiving the holy Ghost when that person really desires to receive it. Jesus said, "Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled." You don't have to be concerned about Satan; just make sure that you hunger and thirst for righteousness, and you shall be filled.

Pastor John

July 13, 2003

Hi, Pastor John:

Reading over some things, I think I may have gotten the wrong idea... Jesus, did He go to hell for three days and three nights? The "heart of the earth", you said, was paradise, but in reading in the Bible I got the (maybe strange) idea that, though HE was blameless, since Jesus bore sins past that He still suffered hell for them. Help!

Have a nice day!

Calmer by the day *whew!*,

Joan

Dear Joan:

All people who died before Jesus came, both the righteous and the wicked, went to the heart of the earth when they died. Some went there to suffer, and some went there to rest. When Jesus was resurrected from the dead and ascended into heaven, he took Paradise out of the heart of the earth and into heaven with him, and all the righteous who were in it also were taken. Now, when the righteous die, they go to where Jesus is.

Yes, Jesus descended into hell (the heart of the earth) for three days and nights, not to suffer torment but to preach the gospel to souls who lived from Adam to the time of Moses (1Pet. 3:19-20; Rom. 5:14).

Pastor John

July 13, 2003

Pastor John:

Some people wanted me to ask you some questions regarding the establishment and acceptance of marriage by God, and how the worldly laws (e.g., North Carolina's) are applied to the saints.

As I understand it, true marriage is only possible through God and it is His joining of a man and a wife in spirit. Quite different from the often spiritless ceremonies of the world. Would you expand a little on this please and note the scriptures that institute marriage (Specifically the joining of spirits and why ceremonies are no longer required)?

Apparently the state has two legal requirements for marriage which require that the couple have a license and are married by either a justice of the peace or ordained minister. How do the marriages in the congregation comply with the state laws and how do you, John, qualify to pronounce the marriage?

Assuming that only God can institute marriage, and that the worldly law requiring a license and pronouncement by a JOP or ordained minister really doesn't make a couple truly married, then (1) How can I know that the union of a legally unmarried couple is not recognized by God?, (2) How does God consider a child born to an unmarried young couple?, and (3) How can a couple (married according to the state) but without the holy ghost know that they are in fact married?

I know you are very busy, and I appreciate any time you can give me on this. I am hopeful...Praise the Lord!

Greg

Dear Greg:

Thanks for the questions. They are good ones to ask and to consider because the issue of marriage affects all of us in one way or another.

As to what marriage is, you are correct in saying that it is the work of God in the hearts of two people. The phrase Jesus used was, "What God hath joined together". It should go without saying, but just for the record, let me make the critical point that whenever God is really involved, the two people marrying are always a male and a female. God never has and never will join two men or two women together in marriage.

Being joined together by the Lord may be a remarkable, definite experience, such as mine was, or it may not be. From what I have seen, each couple's experience is different. We can't make any rules about how God does His work. But from what we read in the Bible, we know that when two people are married in God's sight, then they are made "one". There are plenty of Scriptures about that. This is the reason that, from Genesis to Revelation, God is consistently adamant that His children must not join themselves in marriage with unbelievers. Such marriages are sin; they are covenants made in the flesh by the will of man, and God has never sanctioned them. On earth, marriages of God's children with those who are not God's children are legal; in heaven, they are condemned as wickedness.

Now, Greg, it cannot be denied by any reasonable person that religious ceremonies can be performed by men without God's involvement or approval, whether it is a marriage ceremony or any other. No one on earth who is willing to be reasoned with will deny that. That being true, we have to admit that unless God ordained the Christian ceremony of marriage, that ceremony is not the thing that makes two people one in God's sight. It is my contention that God never instituted the Christian ceremony of marriage, nor any other, for His people, and it is an error to assume that He is involved in it.

You asked for Scriptural proof that marriage ceremonies are no longer required. That is impossible because marriage ceremonies never were instituted by God to begin with. There can be no Scripture saying that God no longer requires us to perform a marriage ceremony if there never was a time when He did require one. If people are demanding of you Scriptural proof of what you believe, hold them to the same standard, Greg. Ask them to show you a Scripture that says God ordained Christianity's marriage ceremony for His people--or any marriage ceremony for anyone, for that matter. Are they willing to live by the same rule they demand of you?

For another issue you raised: the marriages that God creates by His Spirit do not comply with State regulations. Those marriages are legitimate in heaven, but earthly governments never have recognized God's work as legally binding. The State of North Carolina does not recognize the legal validity of the work of God's Spirit, vis-a-vis marriage. Paul said that "The carnal mind is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be." Because the State is a carnal institution, it can neither submit to nor acknowledge what the holy Ghost does. People can see a piece a paper issued by the government that says a couple is married, so they believe that. But they cannot see the invisible work of God's Spirit, so they do not trust that.

This is why, as a show of respect for the God-given authority of the State and out of concern for the community at large, the Lord requires His people to make their marriages official in the eyes of man, lest we become a stumbling block for those outside the congregation. As for me, the State says that any minister's signature on a marriage license legally binds the marriage, so in that case, I have authority from the State to marry two people. When I sign someone's license, however, I make certain that the people involved understand that by signing that piece of paper, I am not marrying them (in God's eyes). I am only acknowledging for the sake of society at large the work that God has already done.

Now, as for the other issues you raised: The only way to know that God has done anything is to know God. Many times in history, God has done something and men have not known that He did it. The Bible is full of examples of God doing great things, but men missing it altogether. So, the way to know when He has joined people together is to know Him. Other than that, I can say nothing about how to know what God has done.

Next, all children are born with a sinful nature, whether or not their parents are married. God sent His Son to die for all. There may be specific cases in which the circumstances of a child's birth are so repugnant to God that He takes the child's life (as with David and Bathsheba's first child), or otherwise punishes the guilty. But there is no way that we can make a rule about when that would be the case and when it would not. God can do anything.

Lastly, I think it is a good thing that the world has its various marriage ceremonies to put people through. Just having to go through a marriage ritual helps make people think twice about what they are doing, and they take it more seriously when they have to pay the price of enduring a ritual. But no ceremony can ever replace God's approval and ordination of a marriage. The world's ceremonies are in fact the world's substitute for God's joining two people together.

If there is anything else that you want to ask me about this issue, please do. I will do the best I can with the answer.

Pastor John

July 12, 2003

Good morning, Pastor John!

About tithes and offerings, I have a question. I don't have a job. What would a "tithe" be for me?

Beth

Beth:

Without earning your own money, there is no tithe that you can owe Jesus. As for offerings, there will be info in upcoming TFTs on that. If TFTs don't answer your questions, let me know.

Thanks for writing again. Stay in touch.

Pastor John

July 8, 2003

Pastor John,

I have a question for you on blaspheming the holy Ghost. What is that exactly? I read about it in Matthew today. It says that it's an unforgivable sin.

Haskell

Dear Haskell:

Blaspheming the holy Ghost is (in the New Testament) when a child of God condemns the Spirit as being of the devil. People without the baptism of the holy Ghost cannot commit this sin. This is a sin only possible for those who have "tasted of the heavenly gift" and who also have been "enlightened". Read Hebrews 6:4-6 for more details.

Paul said that before he was converted, he was a "blasphemer", but that he "obtained mercy because I did it in unbelief" (1Tim. 1:13). Had he said the things about the holy Spirit after he was converted and had been enlightened by the abundant revelations that came to him, he would not have obtained mercy.

Thanks for the letter. Good question.

Pastor John

July 7, 2003

Pastor John:

In your reply to Brenda about judging oneself, you said: "So, yes, it is possible to misjudge yourself to be evil, when you are in fact a godly, upright person. This is the kind of judging that Jesus forbids us to do (Mt. 7:1-2)"

When I read that verse, it seems as if Jesus was referring to being unnecessarily judgmental toward others, because He follows that statement in the next verse with the concept of removing one's own faults before trying to fix the faults in others. (The "beam" in one's own eye. . .Don't be hypocrites. . .Stop making judgment calls on others until we ourselves are faultless.)

John, your view is that Jesus was talking about ourselves; misjudging ourselves? But He doesn't mention Himself. He simply says, "Judge not, that ye be not judged." You said to Brenda that This is the kind of judging that Jesus forbids us to do. (of the self). I don't understand that.

Could you elaborate a bit more?

Brad

Dear Brad:

It is always good to hear from you. Your faith and love has blessed us often, and still does.

Apparently, I didn't make myself very clear when I responded to Brenda. Thanks for asking for a clarification. I know you will not be angry with me if I speak plainly because we have had plain conversations on previous occasions, and we both survived it. The love of God between us and the mutual respect that we share can put up with anything. That said, here is what I want to say:

There was nothing in Jesus that would have warned his followers to refrain from being "unnecessarily judgmental toward others", as you suggested he was doing. He did not have that kind of mind. That kind of phrase smells like modern Christian psycho-babble; it is a phrase that makes no sense to me at all. Does that mean that it is a righteous thing to be "judgmental of others" as long as we are not "unnecessarily" so? Or does it suggest the possibility that there is a time to be "necessarily judgmental of others"? Do you see what I am saying here?

In Matthew 7:1-2, Jesus was warning us not to judge at all according to the flesh. That is the kind of judging that Jesus forbids us to do, whether we are judging ourselves or anyone else. My point was not that Jesus was forbidding us to judge ourselves or others but that he was forbidding us to judge "according to the flesh" because that kind of judgment is always wrong.

Because of its usefulness to his purpose, Matthew 7:1-2 is one of Satan's favorite Scriptures. With it, he bullies people into not judging him and his works. He intimidates God's children with it, making them feel guilty when they begin to discern that some things and some people are evil.

Brad, did you know that Jesus actually commanded us to judge? In John 7:24, Jesus commanded us to "judge righteous judgment" (Jn. 7:24), and we are foolish if we do not judge everything and everyone in that manner, including ourselves. When is the last time you heard a Christian minister deliver a sermon from that Scripture?

So, Brad, my point to Brenda was that the kind of judgment that Jesus forbade the saints to perform was the kind of judgment that is in the flesh. It is always wrong. But we should judge ourselves and others according to the Spirit of truth. A congregation without the ability to judge righteous judgment is a house without walls. Anything can come in, and usually does.

Thanks again for writing, and stay in touch.

Pastor John

Response later on July 7th...

John, thank you for your kind reply.

I had a feeling that it was the spirit of Satan, working in my sensitive little Politically-correct-California-brainwashed heart. It's true. You were right. I felt "intimidated" by that wrong spirit into thinking I wasn't supposed to "judge" people or make an opinion about their behavior. And you're right---that can only lead to an "anything goes" philosophy.

Thanks for corresponding with me on this topic that can feel grey, at times.

Brad

July 7, 2003

Hi, Pastor John!

I have a question. Well, you know how if someone REALLY loves God then they'll love Jesus too... But is it possible at all to "love" Jesus but have something against God? I don't know what I'm trying to say!

No, that is not possible. The Son is the very image of the Father, a perfect reflection of who God the Father really is. Whatever anyone loves about Jesus, he would have to love about the Father because Jesus is what he is because the he is like the Father.

And is it possible to think of yourself as evil when you are really not? I mean, that sounds like a strange way to put it. I think I meant that, since we don't know our own hearts, and we can think we're righteous when we're not... Is it safe to say that the opposite can be true?

Yes, and it happens very often. From what I have seen, most of the time when a child of God needs help, it is to help him understand that what he is thinking and feeling is right, and that he should not condemn himself. The new creature that we become when we are born of the Spirit is so different from what we have always been, that his holy thoughts often frighten us. But God's thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways. We have to learn that "the thoughts of the righteous are right", and those new thoughts we have in Christ are ok to think.

So, yes, it is possible to misjudge yourself to be evil, when you are in fact a godly, upright person. This is the kind of judging that Jesus forbids us to do (Mt. 7:1-2), and it is the kind of judging that Paul refused to do to himself (1Cor 4:3-5).

Pastor John

July 2, 2003

Hi Gary!

After reading your correspondence with Austin, I read Pastor John's tract, "The Antichrist", and had a question regarding 2John 1:7.

"For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in[to] the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."

As translated in the KJ bible this reads "...is come in the flesh..." rather than "is come into the flesh". Now for me this difference is significant and completely changes the meaning of the verse. The KJ translation appears to be saying (as do most of the bible commentaries I read) that the verse means denying that Jesus is the son of God and came to earth in the flesh. However, your usage of "into" (also vaguely mentioned in one commentary) more clearly indicates the necessity of receiving of the holy spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues, and that denying that requirement is antichrist.

Would you please explain more about this difference in translation?

Thanks,

GM.

Hi G.M.

I am not a person very knowledgeable in Greek, nor do I pretend to be.

However - common sense on this one is just as good, or even better. Think about it. If the apostle John was saying that all people who "say" that Jesus Christ came in the flesh are of God, then anyone who said this would be of God - and we know that is NOT true. There are many deceivers who speak well of Jesus, so just saying that Jesus "came in the flesh" does not prove anything. Besides, John said that every SPIRIT that confesses Jesus is come in the flesh is of God, not every PERSON - which means that it has to be something the Spirit does, not men.

We know that the Spirit of God, which "confesses" that Jesus has come into OUR flesh (the baptism of the holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues), is the only trustworthy way of knowing that Christ has come and taken up his abode in our hearts. So, trusting the Spirit ONLY, is VERY reasonable because it takes the burden of proof away from men, and gives it to God, to whom alone all such things belong.

In other words, we can trust what GOD does! We cannot trust what men say, for, as you know, God says, "let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written" (Rom 3:4). When does someone really receive the Spirit of God? We cannot entrust such holy judgment to men - we can only trust God - who "knoweth men's hearts". When a soul gets right with him, the Spirit "confesses Christ". Yes, the Spirit comes into our hearts, the Father and the Son taking up their abode therein, just as Jesus said they would.

Hope that answers your question.

Gary S.

June 30, 2003

Dear Jeremy:

Thank you so much for e-mailing us from England! Your story is a very familiar one, and many of your circumstances are quite similar to mine. I am enclosing my comments within the text of your e-mail below. If I can be of any further help to you, I do hope you will write again.

Best regards,

Gary Savelli

Hello

I'm from Wolverhampton, England and I have been a "Christian" for about 10 years now, went to a pentecostal, got involved in ministry etc.

I would go to meetings at various other "churches" etc but always at the back of my mind something did not seem right.

Most of God's children feel this way Jeremy. But very few have the courage to go with those feelings, and to actually voice them, or to do something with them. You have been blessed to feel these things from Jesus, and to obey them in some concrete way. There is something "not right" in every Christian denomination, because the Spirit is calling his children "out" of Christianity --- so don't be afraid to feel the next thought - Jesus is leading you!

For instance the only way to get saved was going forward at an altar call, although I was converted in my own bedroom. You have to go to church on Sunday, etc.

Also, the church was part of the Assembly of God, and when I was baptised in water, I was asked to confirm their beliefs without really being taught why these are true.

I was a licensed minister in the Assembly of God, Jeremy, before God let me see the truth. I must say that most people in the Assembly of God that I knew did not question much of anything. When someone got enough of the love of God in their hearts to seek God, and ask questions, it was not long before that person found out that what the Assembly of God was teaching was not true... and that goes for the many other denominations out there. There is something wrong EVERYwhere - and that is why the Spirit of God is calling every Spirit-baptized child OUT of that religion which mingles truth with tradition, ceremony, and error.

When I moved house I started to go to a different church but again you get the impression that you are belonging to a club rather than Jesus.

I have not been to church as such for a about three years years now and in some respects feel guilty as we should fellowship with other Christians. Being asked, how can you be a Christian and not go to church?

Thank you for your question Jeremy.

You have misunderstood us. We are NOT telling Christians to stop going to their "churches". We are telling God's people to come out of Christianity! Our message is for those people who have received the holy Ghost baptism with the evidence of speaking in tongues (for that is how one enters the body of Christ - 1 Cor.12:13), and our message to THOSE people is that: 1) Christianity is NOT the true body of Christ and, 2) Their "churches" are not holy by any means (they are just buildings), and those who love what the Spirit is saying will understand that Jesus is saying to the people with the Spirit of God: "come out of her my people"! That is, come out of Christianity and it's buildings, religious ceremonies and rituals altogether. They are NOT the way of Jesus.

I would like you to feel comfortable about obeying God Jeremy! The Spirit was telling you that you would be more obedient in NOT going to places where there is error. But Christians are telling you that YOU are the disobedient one, because you find no fellowship in the gathering places of their errors. So I say to you Jeremy - have faith in God! You heard the right voice. It was better for you to worship God at home (in truth), than to worship God in a Christian "building" (with those who are not hearing from Jesus). My wife and I did not go to any Christian meetings for 9 years - and we were more happy in Jesus doing that (because we were being obedient, not rebellious), than we were going to the Assembly of God places where the truth was not!

During this time I have been reading my Bible and praying on my own. But over the last couple of years I have been looking for "something" which was nearer the real "truth" rather than that given in church.

Whilst browsing the internet for something I found a web site critisising the NKJV of the Bible. When I went back to search for that site a couple of days ago I came across your site.

The first thing I read was the tract about the body of Christ. After reading it I believe I had a revelation from God so that my understanding was clearer and how so many other scriptures hang from this understanding.

I believe this is what I have been searching for for so long.

Yay! I believe you Jeremy! It IS what you have been searching for for so long, because it was what I was searching for for so long too! I know the feeling - go with it! And don't look back. You will not regret going with your true feelings.

I've been reading some of your other tracts and again they seem to be showing hidden truths that i have longed for other people to confirm.

Well, I would not count on many others "confirming" them for you Jeremy --- but WE will! The truth is, that most Christians will criticize you for believing what we are teaching, because it exposes a religion that is not of Jesus (that is, the religion of Christianity - the worship of Jesus, but NOT in Spirit and in truth). But I do know and understand the "longing" feeling you may have for others to love what you are loving - just love it for yourself for now, and leave the results up to God.

There is one thing I would like to ask though at this stage.

The trinity, I understand about the Father and Son relationship as I have for a long time believed Jesus could be God and a son.

I have always been taught the Holy Spirit is the third member of the godhead.

In one of your tracts you quote when Jesus was in the garden just before his crucifixion he had a will but he wanted to do the will of his Father. Two wills means two persons. i'm ok with that.

When I first came to the truth Jeremy, one of the things we were told as ministers in the A/G Bible college, was that if anyone denied the trinity, it was a "cult". So when I started hearing that there was a Father and a Son (I already knew that), but that the Spirit was NOT a person, it was too much for me to handle immediately. The Spirit of God told me, "put that on the shelf for now, and love what you are loving. I will teach you about it later." That is what I did Jeremy - I just put it on the shelf and learned everything else about God that I could, and which I was loving. It was later that Jesus opened my heart to the fact that there was a Father (God). And He created his son, Jesus, who had a God - the Father. The Spirit however, was the life of God, and is in us - and that Spirit is NOT a person. Now it makes so much sense - and I really can't see anything else in the scriptures - but as I said, it took me a while to overcome the fear that christianity had put in my heart. And you will be able to overcome that too, if you have faith in God, and just keep loving what you are loving so far.

In I Corinthians 12 verse 11, the Holy Spirit is quoted as giving gifts then "as he will". Therefore is the Holy Spirit a person as well and if so is he God.

Also in several other scriptures the Holy Spirit is quoted as a "He" rather than an it and other person like qualities.

If possible could you help me with these questions.

Jeremy, we have resources which can DEFINITELY help you with these questions. You can look at the in-depth article by Pastor John Clark at: www.isaiah58.com/TRINITY.HTM which examines this v