Suicidal Makeover

"Quest for outward beauty destroys it's beholder. Inward pain causes suicide. Story at eleven."

As our nation heads for destruction, we are patching up the decay by plastering platitudes on sinners and performing plastic surgery on the rest. The unreality show "Extreme Makeover" is popular because we are enamored of shallow help. We fix up the face and feed a few lines to the mind and presto! We have Makeover, Houston. This is brain rot. 

The producers of the ABC show are being sued on the allegation they contributed to the suicidal tendencies of Kellie McGee by dropping her from the show at the last minute. Here, she thought she was going to be fixed so she could be more acceptable to society, and then, bingo! she's disqualified. I'm sure the Christians who follow the show will be praying for the producer to be more kind next time.

Friendship Evangelism has that effect on them, you know. I hope her sister gets rich off suing ABC.  Maybe then she can afford to get her own Extreme Makeover. But Christ desires beauty within.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but the ends thereof are the paths of death.  Plastic surgery, money, beauty, relationships, and MasterCharge notwithstanding.

Chris Simonson  10/31/2005

The false gospels make men think that by deciding this or that they can be saved. Then they are assured they have eternal security because of something they decided to do. John 1:13 tells us different. Romans 9:16 totally agrees with John.

What happens to the mind of the flesh is that it thinks by having a good intention it has met the requirements of the Law. The modern preaching says this is God's grace. To accept the good intentions in lieu of performance. So on judgment day there are two radically different judgments. One for the righteous who became righteous by having good intentions but little or no performance; the other for the wicked who did many righteous things but nonetheless are doomed to hell because they didn't have those good intentions.

Frankly, neither one of these scenarios is going to happen. There will be one judgment and men will be judged according to what they have done in their bodies, whether good or bad. It is true that the unrighteous do not think it matters, or that they think they are righteous, or that they have come up with their own  judgment system that allows them to do evil but condemns others, but that should not stop the righteous ones from discovering the truth and acting on it. And really, the righteous ones of God would never be able to come to him unless He was moving them along all the while. As times grow worse with unbelief and strong lies, it will get to the point that even the very elect of God would be deceived if it were possible.

"Decisional regeneration" is a buzz phrase that means that a person thinks they are regenerated into the new life of Jesus Christ because of something they did in the past. "Making a decision for Christ" made them into new creatures and they are now saved no matter what because they have a new nature that cannot be lost or destroyed. They felt the power of God and His mercy through the shed blood of Christ, but then turned against this and went astray after false doctrines that mix grace with lasciviousness.  This accounts for all the homosexual Christians out there.

The feminized gospel, "Jesus loves you just the way you are" is a natural outgrowth of these false doctrines. It is now preached that our relationship with God is like a child with its mother. No matter how wrong the child is in performance, he is made right because he had the good intentions of pleasing his mother. This is a favorite Casual Chapel gospel. There is nothing about a righteous heavenly Father who demands obedience, not good intentions. There is nothing about our obvious lack of obedience and its consequences. There is much talk of grace, linking it to good intentions, but none linking it to God's just wrath upon sinners. There is no fear of God.

The church has been overrun with this sentimental substitute for God's love. One needs merely to think a good thought and he is justified before God. We should read where the true obedience is not the outward, first reaction to God's call, but the actual performance that determines whether a person is saved.  And that is always the question: What does it mean to be saved"? We have dealt with this question in many articles on this site.

But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.  Matthew 21:28-32

Chris Simonson  10/28/2005

When Jesus did miracles (signs that attest to his power and position), the people balked and said, "Show us a sign." He didn't say, "I just showed you a sign!" He knew that their minds and hearts were darkened, so that they could not see even while they were seeing. 

Many today do not see. They demand tangible evidence of the story of redemption through Jesus Christ. They complain that the Bible is no evidence. They want videotape or first-hand experience. And so they go to hell for their judgment upon God's methods for presenting truth. God evidently has chosen methods that do not fit into man's schedules. 

According to the writers of the New Testament, God sent his Son at the precise moment in history that had been chosen since before the world was made. No television, cell phones, satellite transmissions, digital cameras, camcorders, DNA testing... nothing we would consider as proof today. But no proof is needed, according to the apostle Paul. The things of God, his attributes, his characteristics, are clearly seen through the things He has created. Since the beginning of the world, the things made show both God's mercy toward the broken hearted and His intense anger against wickedness of any sort.

So they are without excuse. When men lift up themselves as gods, or worship other created things like birds, beasts and bugs, or worse yet, they worship their own creations, the real God lets them go into mental degradation, and they end up worshiping unclean things and indulging in unclean activities, so they can be fairly judged as perverted beings. 

Even though they were made in the image of the pure and holy God, they gave themselves to all sorts of lusts so they could defile their very bodies, which were made for service to God, but they have corrupted themselves so much even the natural desire for sex is twisted, so that women lust after women against the natural function, and the men burn in their desire for one another, working ungodliness while professing themselves to be wise.

So God uses what seems to be stupid methods, like preaching a message of repentance, to save those who really want to be saved from this wicked generation. The rest walk in darkness, because they refuse to come into the light of the glorious gospel of God, which condemns the wicked and justifies the righteous. The Bible makes all of this clear, but so does the very world around us. We are doubly condemned if we ignore the signs. There is a judgment after this life is over. There is no secret method for God's judging methods. Those who have done wickedly will be resurrected into damnation, but those who have done good into a resurrection of life.

Does not nature itself teach us these things? But if we go on in our reprobate thinking, abusing the things of this creation for the lusts of our flesh without regard to the holiness of our Maker, then it is very clear what will happen to us at the Judgment Seat of Christ. It will be very clear on That Day when he says, "Depart from me, you wicked, into the place of fire and brimstone prepared for the devil and his angels!" Look around at the things we are going through even this very day. The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all unrighteous and ungodliness of men who suppress the truth in their unrighteousness. But the mercy of God is revealed by the message preached by his faithful servants. It couldn't be any plainer.

Chris Simonson  10/27/2005

There are many more such passages throughout the Bible. But let us look at Jude for an answer to our original question, "Is it Biblical to maintain one’s salvation?" Answer: "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." Jude 1:20 21. Going back to Hebrews we read: "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

For, if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him." Hebrews 2:1-3. And, "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end." Hebrews 3:12-14.

From Hebrews 4: verse 3, "For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. verse 10, "For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. verse 11, "Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. verse 16, " Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Let’s check out what Peter has to say about it. "And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacks these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do these things, you shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:5-11.

All of these verses are not proof texts. They are passages that can be easily verified by picking up the Bible and reading it. In all of the contexts, the warning was given about losing one’s salvation, but the method for maintaining it is also given. The method is always the same: Faith. One cannot be saved by doing something, even something as small as coming forward at the invitation, or lifting one’s pinkie while every head is bowed and eye is closed. One can only be saved by listening to the message, and responding in faith. If we began in faith, then we must maintain our salvation by faith.

Paul puts it this way: "Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?...Having begun in the Spirit are you now perfected by the flesh?...For you are all sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ." If one turns against Christ and counts as worthless the blood of the covenant, then he is lost. Compare this with Hebrews 6:4-8. But as verse 9 says, "But, beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation, though thus we speak in this manner." We need to tell each other these things if we are truly saved. The elect pay attention to such warnings and do not scoff at them. "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." Hebrews 4:1. One complaint against this teaching is that real Christians shouldn’t listen to it because they are eternally saved. The Pharisees who heard this also said, "Are we blind also?" Jesus said, "If you were blind, then you would have no sin, but because you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains."

Many churches preach against legalism and are themselves bound in it. They make sure you go to church and pay your tithe, then play golf or basketball afterwards. You have met your religious obligation: take the rest of the day off. Maintaining one’s faith has to do with fellowship, the kind that happens at the spiritual level. When we make up some system of works to atone for our evil unbelieving heart, the end is death. The evil unbelieving heart does not want to consider these things. It is hell bound. But may these words sink down into our hearts and may repentance be the end result. May the end of all of these things be "love out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned" as Paul taught.

Chris Simonson  10/26/2005

Maintain Your Salvation - Part One

It seems like a good thing, to maintain one’s salvation. But, as per popular theology, maintaining one’s salvation is impossible, if not heretical. Pop theology teaches that once a person makes that one-time connection with God, he or she is permanently saved and that is the end of that. Anything else that happens from that day forward is just icing on the cake. One cannot lose one’s salvation, period. As I said, this is popular theology.

But is it Biblical? The most often quoted verses dealing with the subject are deeply embedded in scriptures dealing with predestination, which most of the once-saved-always-saved crowd does not believe anyway. I have already dealt with some of these ideas in an article "To a King James Only Legalist." The Bible is quite clear that Jesus Christ came to save that which was lost, and that these are protected by the Father himself from further loss. "Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32. The means to achieve this kingdom is not ambiguous. The method by which Jesus saves is the preaching of the message, of which much is devoted against false messages and false preachers.

Those that are bound for hell usually have some sort of justification for their unbelieving hearts. They know all about the gospel or some other method of salvation, and they think they are saved, but they have other interests that interfere with devotion to God, and they make that their excuse for not serving Him. If they are Christians and know the gospel, then they will suffer more severe punishment than those who do not make such claims. So starting right there, on the subject of whether one can be a Christian and still be hell-bound, let us examine some scripture. Peter is clear when he says, "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." 2 Peter 2:20-22.

To whom is Peter referring? They are professing Christians. They think to themselves, "Because Peter baptized me, I’m saved.." If someone doesn’t like to use the term "Christian" for these who have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, then I can’t help him out with a different word. They seem to be Christians up until a certain point. If someone came up to you and asked of them, "Is so-and-so a Christian?" you would answer, absolutely, because they are so loving, or giving, or something. And yet, they return to their wallowing in the mire of the world. Some of them will even turn around and deny the name of Jesus Christ as Lord, and we could say of them, they used to be Christians. But most retain the name "Christian" on their own accord, and I am not going to get in quibbles about words.

But the writer of Hebrews is very stern also: "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses. Of how much sorer punishment, do you suppose, shall he be thought worthy, who has trodden under foot the Son of God, and has counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and has done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that has said, Vengeance belongs to me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people." Hebrews 10:26-30.

Jude is not messing around either: "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 you should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though you once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not." Jude 1:3-5

Chris Simonson  10/25/2005

All Christians have various teachers whom they have gained wisdom, understanding and enlightenment from in regards to God's Word. We grow up under these people, learning doctrine, being strengthened in the faith, being encouraged to do what is right. It's probably how Timothy felt about Paul the Apostle.

Now, Timothy was not Paul the Apostle, but he saw first hand Paul's faith, his walk and learned from him doctrine, and, like an Olympic runner passes the baton, Paul passed the baton on to Timothy that he would run the race to win and to pass the baton on to other brethren, that they would run the race and win the prize. This baton has been passed to you and me.

But, there are many in the 'Christian' community whom receive the baton and instead of running the race they try to duplicate and emulate the runner, as if to 'piggyback' on their faith, as they themselves lack faith. These are people whom spend their christian life competing and admiring other christian's faith, but they themselves have no faith. They just run around in circles, never going anywhere or accomplishing anything for the Kingdom, but, nonetheless, they make an extravagant show of it for everyone to see.

These fake runners come from all denominations and all corners of orthodox Christendom; you can see them at Calvary Chapel, emulating Chuck Smith right down to the smiles, pauses and the classic Hawaiian shirt. When you talk to them, they will talk all day long about some man and his doctrine, Calvin this and Armenian that, "Mr. Swindol said today...", referring to these big names as if there was great power in the name of Dave Hunt, Benny Hinn or James Dobson. Or, they follow cultic leaders like David Caresh or Jim Jones, or they follow exclusionary, dogmatic and schismatic church groups such as The Assembly, whose leader is Mr. Grove, groups like Antipas, or the Amish.

Possessing the latest and greatest books on eschatology or faith or the holy spirit, these fake runners can quote chapter and verse from these books, as if God himself had written them. Some attend the latest concerts or buy the newest cds, spending billions of dollars on 'how-to-christian-retro-fit-your-faith-today' material. 

Some of these fake runners emulate the latest psychology, such as spelled out by the Minirth meier Clinic that promotes worldly wisdom from a bitter well, or marriage counseling techniques or new ways to evangelize, quoting passages out of movies like the "Left Behind" series.

They love to quote their pastor as if he is Numero Uno, is if God only speaks through the priest and not to the people, as in Catholicism, and that all church doctrine supersedes the Scriptures and passes through he priest. The fake runners will regale to you the jokes the pastor told and dogmatically quote the anecdotical stories. Worst of all they repeat un-biblical buzz Phrases to condemn the faith of the righteous: "don't beat people over the head with the Bible!", or my personal favorite, "It's not what you say, it's how you say it..."

The Scriptures describe these fake runners as 'blemishes on your love feasts', or 'clouds with no rain' passing a thirsty man in the desert, 'waves of the sea being tossed back and forth' foaming up their own shame, that they 'strain at a gnat and swallow a camel', 'white-washed sepulcures' that are beautiful to look at but 'full of dead men's bones', they are 'workers of iniquity', they love to appoint themselves to Moses' seat so they can pontificate and, like the high priest and all his associates, they are 'filled with jealousy'.

And, they do work; they are continually trying to trip-up the runners of faith by telling them their posture is not good enough, or that they should smile when they run, or that they should greet people along the track and every other form of rabbit trail that leads to a ship-wrecked faith.

the righteous, however, they follow the name of Jesus Christ, for they know that there is no other name given among men by which men must be saved, our Lord, our Savior and our Judge.

Steven  10/24/2005

CCM = LCWM

Just put the word "Christian" or "Jesus" on something; the people will buy it. Not the worldly people, mind you, but the spiritual.

Madonna thinks she is spiritual, however, and so do a lot of worldly entertainers. As a matter of fact, music seems to be the common denominator among those who think they are more than eating and drinking machines. But, alas, their form of sensual appetite includes music and they take their music seriously. 

Our contemporary world is populated with men and women who cannot get enough new music, food, sex, drugs, cars, houses, jobs, beanie babies, etc. Our contemporary tastes run on the far side of jaded.   

By the time our little ones become consumers, their tastes will be quite perverted, I am sure. But in order to have a timely message, the Christian artist feels it necessary to indulge in the same excess of beating on electronics and yelling into microphones. It doesn't hurt to present oneself as a sexual image or a pervert of nature while at this.

This is all called Contemporary Christian Music. The plain haters of Jesus don't buy into any of this, because they know and they are mostly right, that their music is technically and otherwise much better than CCM. So let's just say that CCM equals Lousy Contemporary Worldly Music.

Chris Simonson  10/21/2005

From the Satirical Fathers - Excerpt One

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, manipulate them into doing it: for this is not only lawful but leads to great profits.  If a man sayeth to thee, Why doest thou this, say to him That the Lord hath need of it, for by so doing ye shall enlarge thine account and thy brother will think he hath served Christ, which according to all is the same as actually serving Christ. 

Be not specific, for in so doing thou shalt incur doubt and wrath.
Better to settle the matter with vague words and appeals to sentiments than to go to jail for fraud.  If thou seest thy brother sin a sin that leadeth to death, reconcile with thy brother by smiling and assuring him that thou lovest  him just the way he is. Also, make sure the money changeth hands quickly, while thou art in he way with him, lest he smelleth a red herring and thou cuttest off thy right hand which feedest thee. 

Judge not, lest thou be judged.  When thou judgest another, thou accuseth thyself, for all men shall know thee by thine love and besides, if anyone suspecteth thee of embezzlement or outright thievery, this will throw them off the track. So remain ambiguous with thy words, and universal in thy appeal, for thou shalt gain many tithers and thy way shall be made prosperous for thee.

Chris Simonson  10/20/2005

True Humility

Peter quotes Proverbs 3:34 when he says, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 1 Peter 5:5

The humble become tender-hearted when they hear a rebuke; the proud strike back in order to justify themselves. We see an example of the first sort of person in Josiah when he was rebuked.

"But as for the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the Lord, in this manner you shall speak to him, Thus says the Lord God of Israel, Concerning the words which you have heard "because your heart was tender, and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and you humbled yourself before Me, and you tore your clothes and wept before Me, I also have heard you," says the Lord." 2 Ch. 34:26-27. The second sort of fellow is typified by Zedekiah. "He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord." 2 Chronicles 36:12. 

Unfortunately, most Christians fall into the latter category. When they hear a rebuke, be it ever so softly phrased, their hackles come up and they turn into fierce warriors indeed.  Instead of taking the rebuke, they turn and rebuke the prophet standing in front of them, no God or scripture to back them but their own righteous indignation. Where will these stand on judgment day? Iffy, real iffy.

Chris Simonson  10/19/2005

The cost of a soul

I hand out leaflets called "tracts." These are short messages presenting Christ as the only way to heaven; the only way to avoid hell. They cost about two cents each. Statistics tell me that very few who read a tract are saved thereby. But then again, very few are saved at all, according to Jesus himself. 

But let's just say that everyone who touched a tract was saved thereby. How much would it cost and how long would it take me to get a tract in everyone's hand? Assuming there are six billion people on earth and the tracts cost me two cents each, assuming that I can stay awake indefinitely and hand out one tract every five seconds, it would cost me one hundred twenty million dollars and almost one thousand years to pass out enough tracts to save the world.

Of course, no one lives that long, and so most people would die anyway even before I could get to them.  Plus, new people keep replacing the dead ones "wow, it's too much to think about!" That's why Christ said, "The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray therefore Lord of the Harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest." 

When you drop that tithe into the plate at church, do you even care that the money is going into a big oil painting of Jesus weeping over Jerusalem, while twenty dozen families could have eaten tonight, while tens of thousands could have heard the gospel message for the same price? What price is a good conscience? What is the cost of a soul? That painting will testify against its adorers on that day when men's works come before God to see what manner of love Jesus meant to them.

Chris Simonson  10/18/2005

Speed kills

"Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than of him." Proverbs 29:20.

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: "James 1:19

The 21st Century is a time of speed. Things are done with amazing swiftness. A person from the early 20th century would be alarmed; we can only imagine the shock of someone who grew up before the Industrial Age. But now with cell phones, the internet, and the Red Hat Society, there is no stopping of hastily made speeches. And yet, we are slow to hear. We listen to all the latest self-help scenarios and hope to acquire wealth and freedom through advanced learning, but we remain stuck with our old selves. Instead of being ashamed, we promote our old selves by continuously speaking our opinions. An almost nonstop stream of hastily-formed consciousness pours out through our unguarded lips and we feel good about it when men pat us on the back for our sense of humor, or acumen or filthy conversation.

For this we will stand the judgment condemned, or justified.

It is time to slow down and take an account of what we are saying and what is being said. Ninety-five percent can be tossed without further consideration. The remaining five percent that deals with our responsibility before a righteous God who put us here for a purpose should be closely and seriously examined in a spirit of sober mindedness. We will find most of what passes as spiritual is carnal, and most of what is spiritual is not God but demonic. 

So after we have carefully examined and tested things by comparing them to reality, we can then speak our minds without incurring wrath from the true God. As a matter of fact, we will find praise from God. We should encourage one another to speak up for Jesus, but we better find out first what Jesus is being preached. This takes time.

"A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that makes haste to be rich shall not be innocent." Proverbs 28:20

"Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few." Eccl. 5:12.

"O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.  For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Matt. 12:34-37.

Chris Simonson  10/17/2005

I'm saved.

This is the testimonial that many (if not most) Christians give when we confront them with a tract out on the street.  They have been taught by their false churches that this is all that is needed to be saved, that is, to say, "I'm saved". Others pass by with the hand against us saying, "I'm good". Or maybe they even go so far as to say, "I'm a Christian".  Some of the bold ones say, "I'm going to church tomorrow". The greatest of them say, "I'm preaching the sermon tomorrow so you don't have to tell me anything".

These Christians have a spirit of heresy. They divide from the brethren that have at least enough fear of God to present the gospel unadorned by religious fetishes, out on the highways and byways as commanded by our Lord Jesus Christ. The heretical nature of their doctrines leads them away from unity of the Spirit into unity of the flesh. This they call Church, or Conference or Family Camp. But they divide away from the true gathering of the brethren by rejecting the very ones brought to them where they live, right down on the streets where they love to mingle with the world and its ways.

They divide by the utmost show of hypocrisy, by saying religious things like, "I'm saved". Why in the world are they telling us this when we present to them the Lord Jesus Christ? They are those who neglect Him as He calls them for help, disguised as the poor and the weak. They instead cluster around and praise the slick salesmen who palm themselves off as pastors, or youth leaders. They have been taught this in their seminaries, in their Sunday schools, in their sanctuaries. Bow down and worship the dude at the pulpit, and hate the wild men in the streets who present Christ with no props. 

The judgment is certain upon these, but where does this leave you, dear reader?

Are you saved?

Chris Simonson  10/14/2005

I'm so glad that God loves me according to his conditions, not theirs, and that He chose me so I don't have to get all knotted up about whether or not someone is saved or they don't like me. This leads me to true peace with all men, even those who actively pursue my hurt, for they do not know what they are doing. However, they will be judged according to their works, same as me.

God is love, but his wrath abides on the unbeliever. The word of truth is the only way the unbeliever can be freed. The only way the unbelief can hear the word is if someone tells it to him. It is not the four or five spiritual things. It is the warning and the promise of the eternal gospel. If the unbeliever remains in his unbelief after he has heard the gospel, he is twice condemned. Once for rejecting God himself, twice for rejecting his only hope through Jesus Christ. All of this is very conditional.

Chris Simonson   10/13/2005

Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith?

I write to those who call themselves Christians; may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ rest upon you. If we say that we believe in Christ, and have been saved, one would ask, "What assurance do you have of your salvation?" The simple and correct answer is, "Through Christ." Do we really believe that Christ is our savior? That we have been saved from being cast into hell and that our wretched and defiled hearts have been washed clean? Do we truly live like God sent his Son to be crucified, who was blameless to pay for all our sin; that he was raised again on the third day, and conquered sin and death on our behalf? If such conviction, which is the testimony of faith in our Lord lives within you, then you have gained the knowledge and personal communion with the living God, through His holy Scriptures.

This type of faith leads to good works and righteousness: feeding the hungry, looking after the widows, orphans; but most important and preeminent in a believer’s work is to show love to the brethren as well as the preaching of the gospel to those who are lost... to warn of Hell and the coming judgment upon all those who reject Christ. But, there are those who, by works of the law, call themselves Christians; those who when given a talent, proceed to bury it in the earth and hold back from those who are in need, who’s lives are consumed by the law, and the ‘taste-not, touch-not’ religious traditions of men; who’s faith is wrapped up in church buildings, businesses, homes, cars, relatives, pot-lucks, concerts, plays & camping trips.

These are the people that speak of Jesus’ ‘love’ but yet do not what He says, and stumble those who truly seek after Christ. May we take the time to examine ourselves, to see if we be in Christ, not just because some card we once signed tells us so, or once responded to an alter call.

Steven Styles  10/12/2005

Been Holding On

He found the bottle after praying that God would send him an answer.  Naturally enough, he was at the seashore and the thing just kind of rolled up onto the sand right after he prayed.  The bottle was nondescript, except maybe it was green instead of some other color. It looked pretty much like the ones people put messages in, he supposed.  This one had no message.  He took it home and put it on his mantle, next to the little trophy he won when he was a kid. Some years passed and nothing came of it.  He managed to survive, holding on to pieces of knowledge that rolled up on the shores of his life.  But that bottle seemed to have been an answer...

So, one day, he had a visitor over that took an interest in the bottle.  It was so plain and out of place, really, that he couldn't help ask about it.  And really, there wasn't much to tell except what was just told.  Because this is so uninteresting, he remarked that this seemed to be the way it was with faith many times and put the bottle back, next to the little kid's trophy.  Then he noticed the trophy.  It was for collecting the most cans to help an orphanage in Latin America.  Did I neglect to say the visitor was a Latino?  Yes, that orphanage had raised this man and brought him to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.  Now he told his story and his faith to the bottle collector.  His story was much more interesting than the bottle story, so much so in fact that it brought the other man to tears.  Right then and there, he found what he had been looking for.  The answer was Jesus Christ.  Is there any other?

Chris Simonson  10/12/2005

Guilt Ridden Love

When one thinks of love, one does not think of guilt. However, many people love in order to assuage a guilty conscience. They are compensating for something else they have done. This is a works trip. It is also an impure and unholy love, not of God. Many Christians have this sort of love. They are trying hard to keep up appearances and convince others they have the love of Christ, which they don't, of course, or they would stop it. The modern church is based on the guilt laden love. That's how they convince people to come and sit down in the refrigerated sanctuary and stand up on cue and laugh on cue and tithe on cue. This guilt-driven version of love is legalism, no matter if wild cavorting goes along with it.

Love is free of all this; but, it cannot be obtained if the soul refuses to repent of its own love. Better to wallow in misery, than be in the house of mirth, so says the Preacher (Eccl. 7:2 on).  If we love this world then we are enemies of God (1 John 2:15, James 4:4). We can read John 3:16 all we want, but if we do not receive the message to repent, then John 3:16 will condemn us along with John 3:36.

When the Law says to love God and your neighbor, it also says that if you do not do these things perfectly and always, then you are cut off from the love of God. When the gospel of Christ says to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, it also says that those who have faith have fulfilled the Law. If we have to become confused in order to know our wickedness before a pure and holy God, so be it. It is better to know we are guilt-ridden sinners than to have a guilt-ridden love.

Chris Simonson  10/11/2005

So we did.

We told them that God loves them just the way they are. We told them we love them. So the meek became liars. And the liars became the meek. We all became enamored of our flesh and spent our earnings upon the decay our flesh brought us. We did not help the poor because our own flesh needed help. It needed a new house, or a new nose job or Sunday-going-to-church clothes.  It needed prestige among the meek Christian community. We all sang songs about the love of Jesus, but when he appeared among us as the weak and infirm, we told him to get a job or welfare.

Or a shrink.

Then one day, while we were meek and mild and subdued by distractions, we found ourselves in a panic. We choked on a Louisiana shrimp at Disney World and the Mickey Mouse medics weren't able to rush us to Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in time to save our skin. Even though our friends and relatives assured us that we were going to a better place, we weren't too sure ourselves.

For cause.

Let us become infected with the true love of God and become meek like Jesus. Let the hypocrites gnash upon us for being holier-than-thou's. They do not understand the love of God any more than they love the gospel. In our meekness before God, let us not be cowards before men.

Chris Simonson   10/10/2005

Do we reject The Gift eventually? How can a person receive God's grace in vain? Is such a thing possible? We are taught that once we "receive Christ" we are saved and that's it. Only the icing on the cake remains. That's what most modern "Protestant" churches believe. 

Paul pleads in 2 Corinthians 6:1 "...that you do not receive the grace of God in vain," and then he speaks of salvation as the goal of God's grace (next verse). Paul has used this same language in a prior letter to the Corinthians: "...unless you have believed in vain", 1 Corinthians 15:2.  In both contexts, he is talking about salvation.

The goal of our belief is salvation. Our enemy would do anything he can to deter us from that goal. The apostles' letters warn of this. If the apostles' letters are not written to the church, then just who are they written for? Paul pleads with the Corinthians not to receive God's grace in vain. He is not threatening them.  He is quite gentle as he says, "Oh, Corinthians! Our mouth is open to you, our heart is enlarged!" 2 Cor. 6:11. 

He is pleading with them to separate themselves from unbelievers. He has stated before that he does not mean complete disassociation (1 Corinthians 5:10). In that context, he is talking about those who practice wickedness and yet claim to be brethren. In our present context, he is warning them to cleanse themselves from defilement of flesh and spirit, because it is promised that the Lord will receive us. He uses the scripture that warns to flee Babylon (2 Cor. 6:17, Rev. 18:4, Isaiah 52:11, 49:8).

The Corinthians were restrained in their love. They knew each other too much after the appearance and not enough after the heart (2 Cor. 5:12). They did not want to partake of the love of God by sharing in Paul's experience of the same. They were drawing back, turning around, shying away from the greatness and glory that lie in "going on with Christ."

They wanted to hang back from the action. They wanted to remain in their own affairs staying in their "comfort zone". This was causing a break with Paul, their very own apostle! The churches of Asia, Demas, forsook him, having loved this present world.

And so it is with us. We spend countless hours trying to look the part of Christians, but we spend little time doing the will of God.  We do not thereby lose our salvation, but can we honestly say we are saved? We are restrained by the wrong things. We should be constrained by the love of Christ, losing our individual careers for the ultimate goal of a new man in Christ.

Chris Simonson  10/07/2005

Poof, you're Regenerated

Like adding fabric softener to the wash cycle, the quickie regeneration generation wants their new life now so they can get on with their lives. To them, laundry is laundry and that fresh clean scent will wash away their sins, even though they forget to put the clothes in the washing machine. Laundry day has been simplified enormously. You put the clothes in the washer, add soap and keep the cat out by closing the lid. But even this is too hard for the effete Christian of America. This robs him of his faith that says "all you have to do is believe."

So he sows to the flesh and says "once save always saved." Many will argue that he was never regenerated in the first place. Now we're going to get technical, because everyone is a Maytag repairman nowadays, or at least they have one for a next door neighbor. But will anyone put the clothes in the washer day after day? Will the blood of Jesus Christ continue to cleanse us? Jesus said to Peter that he was clean from the word he had heard. But it remained for him to have his feet cleaned over and over again.

Holiness is a package deal. Salvation is a package deal. One day, there is going to be a wedding feast. If you are caught wandering around without the clean wedding garment on, you will be tossed into outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth. Regeneration means we put on Christ by our baptism into his death (Gal. 3:27, Col. 2:12, which is not done by the ritual of water baptism but by faith in Christ). If we are not willing to be cleansed by the word, by the blood of Jesus Christ, by the Spirit of our God, then we are in need of regeneration, not fabric
softener.

Chris Simonson  10/06/2005

Why people do not Repent

"NEW ORLEANS - In a sign that things may be returning to normal in NewOrleans, strip shows are back in the city's famous French Quarter.  Erotic dancers and strippers are entertaining crowds of police, firefighters and military personnel instead of the usual audiences of drunken conventioneers and tourists... the club even drew several women looking for a respite from their duties patrolling the city, but they resisted entreaties to join the others on stage and left after a few minutes. One of them, a soldier, said: "We were just looking for any place open. We've been working hard."" (from AP article a couple of days before Rita followed Katrina.)

The article is cute. It is a comment on why God destroys places and people, but it's cute. And what does God think of Bourbon Street and it's "public service" as the proprietor of the above club called his entertainment of the troops? Well, in November 1972 (yes, 33 years ago) we were on Bourbon Street handing out tracts and telling them to repent. We prophesied against the city: "This city will go under water and the filth come up from the sewers as an indictment against its filthy trade." And so it did.  But will they repent?

Hitchhiking from there to California, Tony and I stopped in Houston. He tried street preaching there, but the city was as hard as flint.  So what do you think was the prophecy for that city? It also is going down, but lateral forces from wind and earthquakes will rid that city of its skyscrapers. Did Hurricane Rita steer around that city because of random forces of nature?  Or was God giving it a little while longer before destruction? Just wait.  As Tony would say, "If it don't come to pass I ain't no man of God and it don't mean nuthin' to me!"

In the Name of Jesus Christ.

Chris Simonson  10/05/2005

On October 1 and 2, we spent the day in Sacramento, California, at the city Convention Center.  We stood outside on the street corner holding signs that said things like, "Marriage = 1 Man + 1 Woman", "Homosexuality is Sin", and "Jesus Christ Can Set You Free". We preached that men must repent.  This was met with hostility by the crowd within. 

Over 3,000 church youth leaders were attending a conference so they can train their church's kids on how to win over their friends by not preaching. Preaching was equated with "bullhorn" mentality and those who do so are creepy guys. So that is what we did, preach Christ and be creepy to them. Many of them said they knew homosexuality is sin, but then sided against us when the homosexuals and other wicked cursed us and God. They joined them many times in cursing us themselves. 

One of the leaders of the conference finally came out and cursed me to hell himself, then prayed that Christ would stop me and show me how wicked I am. I am sure that is what he was teaching the kids inside, because many of them seemed to follow his example. 

The main question we were asked for twelve hours a day: "Do you really think what you are doing is effective?" The true Christians were silent, except for an occasional "thank you" or a thumbs up. We were there each day from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.  For the whole twelve hours the wicked and confused argued against us, but it gave much opportunity to expose the wickedness and preach the gospel. And we were very effective.

Chris Simonson  10/04/2005

Christian Depression

I recently went to one of many websites dealing with depression. This one featured a couple of chat rooms. The rules for chatting were: No sharing information on how to kill yourself, No sexual pick-ups, No accusing or attacking, etc. This seems like good advice in any chat room, but especially for those on the edge.  However, included among the No-No’s was a prohibition against discussing religion, as it is a  “trigger” for unwanted behavior in depressives.

There you have it, dear Christian brother or sister.  Will you continue to follow Christ no matter what, or will you let depression and those who pretend to cure you of it take you out of the way? They will rob you of your religion and say it’s a good thing. They will claim to be Christians. They will water down the claims of Jesus Christ or denounce and prohibit them entirely.  They will lead you to doctors and pills (I’m not against either of them but they have limits and pitfalls). They will lead you to self-help methods (this I am against). But they will never lead you to the Lord.

These same “well-meaning” souls will tell you that preaching is bullying, that believing is bullish but banal, and that fear of God is just plain bull. Don’t believe them.  Listen to God. One of the main reasons for Christian depression is that we feel our mortality and fear, but we do not feel our deliverance by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Whatever has caused that situation, count it as a wake up call. God is calling to you.  He is kind and gentle.   Our corrupt old nature hates this whole obedience thing.  It is a big drag. Too many trials and temptations. They just overwhelm you after a while and you fall into a slump.  You may even be despairing right now.

Have faith. For instance, tell God, “Don’t stop now. Take me to the other shore. Don’t let me go backwards, even though I am screaming and crying for you to turn around.  Please don’t listen to my complaint as a judgment against your love, oh God. Please be merciful to me and bear with me.”

I tell you, this may scare you. It may put fear of God into you. But it will place the burden upon Him who died for you. You may be facing the toughest trial of your Christian life right now, but these are the hours and the days when you will be refined and made into a useful vessel. Hope will come, but first you must go through this fiery trial in order to build your faith. Faith will come, but first the love of God must be instilled in your soul. Love will come in time, my friend.

Let your depression do its work. If you despair, join the club. I belong to it and Paul the apostle belonged to it.  Let your heavenly Father do his work in your soul and don’t give up the faith delivered by the holy apostles and prophets as outlined in the holy scriptures, the Bible.  “The heart knows its own bitterness, but no stranger shares in its joy.” Christ shares both with you.

If you endure chastening as sons of God, then you can rejoice that God Himself is your Father and Jesus Christ is your Lord. Keep watching and praying. The end may be near, but it is not yet.

Chris Simonson  10/03/2005