WARNING!!!

Attending Christian school for your entire childhood, going to church every Sunday with your parents, being baptized, reading the Bible, praying, speaking Christian-ese, spending four years in a Bible College or Seminary . . . none of these things makes you a Christian! Experiencing all of this and turning your back on it merely exposes you as an apostate; a false convert. You were never saved to begin with! You neglected to actually receive salvation. Faith cannot be borrowed; it is not a hand-me-down. If you never appropriate it and make it your own, it does not matter how Christian your parents might be, you can speak all the Christian-ese you want and undergo all the behavioural modification you want, merely imitating genuine Christians, but you yourself will never be a Christian because of it. Real salvation consists of a permanent change that cannot be reversed or undone.

"As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore." John 6:66

"They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us." 1 John 2:19

There are many pastors standing in the pulpit, many ministers serving in the church, many people sitting in the pews who think they are Christian but have neglected to actually receive salvation. Scripture repeatedly talks about those who think they are saved but whom Christ says, "I never knew you!" At least three times Scripture warns us to examine ourselves to see if we are truly in the faith or merely self-deceived (2 Cor. 13:5; Phil. 2:12; 2 Pet. 1:10). There are many ways in which you can miss the Kingdom, and miss it you will if you try to enter by any other way except through Jesus and according to His mandates. The way into the Kingdom is narrow. You do not get to negotiate the terms of your entrance. If you do not enter by the means with which Christ has set in place, then you will never enter the Kingdom! The only person you are fooling is yourself.

"The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; Who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9

"Unless one is born again from above he cannot see the kingdom of God... he cannot enter the kingdom of God" John 3:3, 5

Using God's Name In Vain

Christians seem to think that the only way in which a person can use God's name in vain is to say things like "Oh my God!" or "God damn it!" Far from it. God's name is used in vain more times in a day by Christians, professing Christians, and Christian-posers. When you call God as a witness to something that is clearly a lie, you use God's name in vain. When you attribute things to God that He never said or did, you use God's name in vain. When you invoke God in any way, shape, or form that is not honest, trustworthy, true, and with integrity, you use God's name in vain.

You might never utter those words that employ God's name as a four-letter expletive curse word, but if you say God said something to you that He clearly did not say, or if you say God did something in your life that He clearly did not do, or if you attribute something to Him that had nothing to do with Him whatsoever, then you are just as guilty of using God's name in vain as the person who does employ it as a curse word. God is not fooled, and He will not be mocked.

When you claim that God taught you something that you choose to interpret from the Bible that simply does not stand up to scrutiny and biblical exegesis, you are guilty of using God's name in vain. When you claim that God told you to do something or led you to do something or that you prayed about something and God gave His blessing, despite it being in direct opposition to what is contained in His Word, you are guilty of using God's name in vain. The voice in your head is not the voice of God. It is the voice of your own wicked, depraved heart. It is the voice of your fleshly desires.

So, you who call yourself a Christian, how often do you actually use God's name in vain? Since it is one of the Ten Commandments, I suggest you start taking it more seriously, especially if you claim to love God. Because attributing things to God that He in no way is responsible for is you being guilty of using God's name in vain, which means you might as well be using it as a four-letter expletive curse word. You will not be held guiltless.

Stop using God's name in vain!



P.S.— Some of the worst people to use God's name in vain are the Catholics and the Charismatics. Catholics, through the abuse of their "indulgences," claim that by paying the church money, the sins you commit under that payment is forgiven by God. Sorry, but, no, it is not. You were merely suckered into giving the church money, while still being dead in your trespasses and sins because you have never repented and forsaken your sins. Charismatics falsely attribute a great many acts to the Holy Spirit, acts in which He has nothing to do with. The people who fall for all of this will be twice the sons of Hell than those who are lying to them and teaching these false doctrines of demons. But do not deceive yourself; other denominations are also guilty of using God's name in vain. Mostly, its the people in the denominations. When everyone claims to be lead by God and taught something by God, there is quite obviously a problem. Every verse of Scripture only has one interpretation, and if your interpretation does not square with the plain reading of Scripture, then God did not lead you and you were not taught by God. You are guilty of using God's name in vain.

Paul Classes Himself As Unmarried?

"But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I." 1 Corinthians 7:8

Why is it that many Christians ass-u-me that "Paul puts himself in the category of the unmarried"? They think that Paul was never married. In this verse, he lists two groups of people: the unmarried, and the widows. The Greek word translated as "unmarried" is agamos* (a = not, gamos = married), which apparently refers to both bachelors and widowers. This is just a thought, but could a possible rendering for this verse be, "But I say to the widowers and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I"? After all, we know that there had to be widowers as well as widows, so would Paul not say something to them, too? I suggest this not only because of the scriptural and extra-biblical evidence, but especially when the next verse is considered: "But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion." Apparently, and I do not know how true this may or may not be, once you have been married, when you lose someone that close to you, it is difficult to return to the single state again and you yearn for companionship. I think this depends on the person, and I think verse 9 makes that clear. Some are able to remain single while others yearn for that companionship, and both are good and acceptable, as verse 28 makes clear.

Do people ass-u-me that Paul put himself in the category of the unmarried and not in the category of the widows due to the fact that the Greek word for widow is feminine, and thus he obviously could not put himself in that category? But the question remains, were there not widowers? Would Paul not address them somehow, too? Why do people ass-u-me that Paul put himself in the category of the unmarried and not in the category of the widowers, especially when agamos apparently refers to both? Also, if agamos really and truly means "unmarried," why do people ass-u-me that Paul was not simply stating that these people (the unmarried and the widows) remain single as he is—rather than eisegetically implying that he had never married. Being single does not mean that you were never married; it simply means that your current status is single. Singlehood does not include divorced people because according to John the Baptizer and Jesus, as well as Romans 7:3, while these people might be living in singlehood, they are considered married.

From all the evidence that we have, both scriptural and extra-biblical, the three options (from the most likely to the least likely) pertaining to Paul's marital status are:

1. Paul was a widower. (Most likely. Strong evidence.)
2. Paul was divorced.
3. Paul was never married. (Least likely. No evidence.)

All the evidence from Scripture and Jewish customs points to the fact that Paul was most likely married. Jewish males were typically married by the time they were in their mid-twenties. Paul's family were strict Hebrew Jews (Acts 23:6; Phil. 3:5). Paul says that he followed the traditions of his ancestors with zeal, exceeding those of his own age (Acts 22:3; Gal. 1:13-14; Phil. 3:4-6). In order to be part of the Sanhedrin, one had to be married. There appears to be strong evidence that Paul was part of the Sanhedrin (especially when you consider how he describes himself as "a Hebrew of Hebrews"). Paul was a chosen and prepared vessel for the ministry he was given, and to write things like 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 and Ephesians 5:22-33, while God could use an unmarried man to do so, the typical method that God employs is to use a person that is prepared for that role. In other words, in order for him to write about marriage God wanted him to experience marriage firsthand. Paul never refers to himself as a virgin, or classes himself with such, nor does he ever imply or state that he had never been married. Those who argue that Paul had never been married have zero support for the position.

It is possible that upon his conversion to Christianity Paul's wife left him and returned to her family, which would give support to Paul's words in verses 12-16. In these verses, Paul nowhere says that a Christian is free to remarry. He says that if the unbelieving partner wants to leave, let them. If you try to force them to stay, you will have the kind of marriage that Proverbs frequently talks about concerning the contentious woman. This in no way hints at or alludes to the freedom to remarry. This would be a direct contradiction to God's words recorded in verses 10-11, as well as to Jesus' words where He states that re-marriage is adultery, and to 1 Corinthians 7:39 and Romans 7:2-3. So, perverse Christian, stop trying to pit Paul against God and have him contradict God's clear teachings on the issue. While it is possible that Paul's wife may have left him, the evidence is more strongly in favour of the fact that he was more than likely a widower.

Chapter 7 of 1 Corinthians is where the perverse Christian attributes all sorts of contradictions to the Apostle Paul. Here are just a couple of them:

1. God says (vv.10-11) but I say (vv.12-16). God has said this, but I know better than God and so I am telling you the exact opposite. God has said not to divorce, but I am telling you that it is okay to do.
2. Verse 27. "Are you bound [deo] to a wife?" The Greek word here is the exact same word found in verse 39: "A wife is bound [deo] as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord." The same truth is found in Romans 7:2-3: "For the married woman is bound [deo] by law to her husband while he is living; but if her husband dies, she is released from the law concerning the husband. So then, if while her husband is living she is joined to another man, she shall be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from the law, so that she is not an adulteress though she is joined to another man." Verse 27 makes the best sense in light of widowers/widows, because the very next verse states, "But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned." Only widowers/widows are legitimately loosed/released from a spouse. If this referred to divorced people, then we have a number of contradictions because according to verse 39 and Romans 7:2-3, as well as Jesus' words on the issue (Matt. 19:9; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18), a divorced person has sinned if they have re-married; they are guilty of committing adultery, and adultery is a sin.

Verse 9 and verse 28 cannot logically be referring to divorced people as "unmarried" because Scripture repeatedly refers to them as being legitimately married, even when in adulterous relationships (Matt. 14:3-4; Luke 3:19; Matt. 19:9; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18; Rom. 7:2-3; 1 Cor. 7:39). The only legitimately "unmarried" person groups that exist are the virgins and the widowers/widows. Verses 8-9 and verses 27-28 make the most sense when widowers are understood. Paul simply, and logically, cannot be referring to divorced people in verse 9 and verse 28 because in verse 39 and Romans 7:2-3 he makes it clear that by re-marrying they are sinning. Not to mention the words from God in verses 10-11. Jesus made this clear as well, stating that the re-married person is committing adultery (Matt. 19:9; Mark 10:11-12; Luke 16:18).

How about we, as professing "Christians," start believing what the Bible actually has to say instead of trying to force it to say what we want it to say based upon our sick, wicked, perverse hearts? God wrote the Bible; He said want He meant and means what He says, so let us start taking it seriously and acting accordingly.

ADDENDUM #1:

Those who believe that Paul was divorced like to attempt to use Philippians 3:8 as part of their proof texts, where Paul says, "I have suffered the loss of all things." Implying that this verse means or includes a divorced wife is the practice of eisegesis, reading into the Scriptures what one wants to find there and forcing them to say something they do not say.

ADDENDUM #2:
It truly amazes me the number of Bible teachers, preachers, and scholars who talk about interpreting the Bible historically, grammatically, and contextually, yet in practice fail to do precisely this. You cannot take our day and age with its societal practices and acceptances and try to impose them upon the biblical world. As Christians, we are supposed to conform to the Bible; not to try and force it to conform to our feelings and opinions. Just because you do not like what it has to say does not mean you get to ignore it or try to alter it in some way. To not accept what the Bible says and conform yourself to it is to be disobedient and rebellious.

---

^* Agamos is used three other times in this chapter (and only in this chapter and in this book [11, 32, 34]), and "unmarried" seems to be the best rendering for them based on context. Verse 34 is a little confusing, however, especially when read from post-KJV Bibles, because an unmarried woman ought, technically, to be a virgin. (Remember, we are talking about their times, not about our perverse times.) In verse 34, if the widows were in view, Paul would have used the same word from verse 8. In pre-KJV Bibles, the passage makes more sense because two people are introduced (the wife and the virgin) and then dealt with individually. Paul says there is a difference between them as there is between the husband and the bachelor.

All the elements between these two Greek texts are exact the same, with the exception of a period being moved, four words being added (in the green), and two terms being swapped (in the blue).

Textus Receptus Greek: μεμέρισται ἡ γυνὴ καὶ ἡ παρθένος. ἡ ἄγαμος μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ Κυρίου, ἵνα ᾖ ἁγία καὶ σώματι καὶ πνεύματι· ἡ δὲ γαμήσασα μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου, πῶς ἀρέσει τῷ ἀνδρί.

Nestle-Aland Greek: καὶ μεμέρισται. καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἡ ἄγαμος καὶ ἡ παρθένος μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κυρίου, ἵνα ᾖ ἁγία καὶ τῷ σώματι καὶ τῷ πνεύματι· ἡ δὲ γαμήσασα μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου, πῶς ἀρέσῃ τῷ ἀνδρί.

ἡ γυνὴ = the woman/the wife
ἡ παρθένος = the virgin/the maiden
ἡ ἄγαμος = the unmarried

Since γυνὴ is frequently employed when speaking of a wife, as can be seen from the preceding verse (33), the rendering of pre-KJV Bibles makes more sense than the nonsensical rendering of post-KJV Bibles, seeing as how an "unmarried woman" and a "virgin" are exactly the same thing (Again, we are talking about their times, not about our perverse times.), unless talking about widows, in which case Paul would have used χήρα. Does it make sense that verse 34 would begin by saying "his interests are divided" when the end of verse 34 does not say the same thing about the woman, that her interests are divided? Or does it make more sense that Paul is saying there is likewise a difference between a married and unmarried woman just as there is between a married and unmarried man?

Interestingly enough, the Newberry Bible, or The Englishman's Bible, contains footnotes where it addresses variants within the Greek manuscripts, and then identifies which manuscripts contain which variant. Not a single variant is mentioned or listed for verse 34. So why does the Nestle-Aland text have an alteration that no other manuscripts appear to have? I would trust the Greek text of the Textus Receptus in this case, seeing as how it makes the most sense of the information within and around it, as discussed above.

3 Ways In Which To Miss the Kingdom

"Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord, open up to us!' then He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know where you are from.' Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets'; and He will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.' In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out. And they will come from east and west and from north and south, and will recline at the table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first and some are first who will be last." Luke 13:24-30

The question was asked, "Lord, are there just a few who are being saved?" (13:23). Jesus begins His answer with, "Strive to enter through the narrow door" (v.24)—the door that leads to life (Matt. 7:14). The Greek word translated as "strive" here is agonizesthe, from where we derive our word "agonize," and it implies "intense exertion," like an athlete in training. In other words, you need to be intentional about eternal life. Until you have received the assurance of eternal life, you need to keep striving to understand the Gospel. Many people will miss the kingdom simply because they have never given any serious attention to the destiny of their souls.

You will miss the kingdom if you try to enter at the wrong door!

Jesus is very intentional about this truth: "I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved" (John 10:9); "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6). Even the book of Acts makes it plainly clear: "There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). All roads do not lead to salvation, Heaven, or Jesus. If Jesus is the Way, then all other ways are wrong. If Jesus is the Truth, then anything and everything else is a lie. If Jesus is the Life, then anything and everything else leads to death. You cannot negotiate your entrance. You either enter by Jesus, according to the conditions He set in place, or you do not enter at all.

You will miss the kingdom if you arrive too late!

"For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, 'Lord, open up to us!' then He will answer and say to you, 'I do not know where you are from.'" (vv.24-25). When God shuts the door, the time for salvation will be over and it will be too late. The door will not be opened again. The question was asked, "How many," but Jesus wanted them to consider, "How soon." From this passage, these people clearly want access to the kingdom, yet they are denied access. We see the same truth concerning the wise and foolish virgins (Matt. 25:1-13). Notice here, also, that "the door was shut" (v.10). Scripture says "Behold, today is the day of salvation" (2 Cor. 6:2) for a reason. Because you may not have tomorrow.

You will miss the kingdom if you do not really know Jesus!

It is not so much about whether you know Jesus (with more than mere mental-assent head knowledge—i.e., knowing of Jesus), but whether He knows you. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'" (Matt. 7:12-23). Your profession of faith amounts to very little. These people clearly thought they knew Jesus, that they were in tight with Him. Yet, like in our passage, He tells them He never knew them. It is about having an actual relationship with Jesus—not merely about being religious. With these two passages, the people experienced Jesus firsthand, they knew Him socially, they listened to Him preach, they saw Him perform miracles (and even did some themselves), but they failed to enter into a relationship of loving trust with Him. They never asked Him to forgive their sins, to be their Saviour, or worshipped Him as their God. You have to be committed to Jesus from the first to the last. Hence why Jesus says that if you do not count the cost of what it means to follow Him, you can never be one of His own. Following Jesus could cost you everything! And for many people that is simply unacceptable.

No one gets saved merely by their proximity to Christianity! In other words, just because your parents are or may be Christians, does not make you a Christian; just because you go to church every Sunday, read your Bible and pray every day, does not make you a Christian; just because you spent four years in a Bible college or seminary, does not make you a Christian. Faith cannot be borrowed, and it is not a hand-me-down. Salvation comes through personal faith in Christ Jesus. You may "identify" in some way with Christianity without ever truly entering the kingdom of God. Hence why the Bible commands us to, "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?" (2 Cor. 13:5), and to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling" (Phil. 2:12), and to "be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you" (2 Pet. 1:10).