Earliest Christianity 6 - Heresies and Lies (CW97)

   World War 3 is at Hand

Persecution of Christians

    Jesus' disciples were persecuted initially by the Jewish leadership and then by the Romans until Emperor Constantine, the first Christian Roman Emperor.

    During the Apostolic age, the church flourished with sound doctrine taught by Jesus's disciples. They protected His truth by rejecting heresies of those new rich Pharisees converts.

Acts 15:5  But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses."

Heresies in Churches

Acts 20:29-30  For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.    

   After the Apostolic Age, Satanic false Apostles (untransformed rich and powerful Pharisees and Scribes) in the leadership of churches defiled His church.

   By the 2nd and 3rd Century A.D, the church faced many heresies including; Docetism, Adoptionism, Arianism and Gnosticism.

1. Docetism - one of the earliest Christian sectarian doctrines, affirming that Christ did not have a real or natural body during his life on earth but only an apparent or phantom one.

2. Adoptionism - an early Christian non-trinitarian theological doctrine, which holds that Jesus was adopted as the Son of God at his baptism, his resurrection, or his ascension.

3. Arianism - an early branch of Christianity that held that Jesus Christ was not one with God the Father, but instead just created by God and a holy man.

4. Gnosticism - Gnostic doctrine taught that the world was created and ruled by a lesser divinity, the 'Demiurge', and that Christ was an emissary of the remote supreme divine being, esoteric knowledge (gnosis) of whom enabled the redemption of the human spirit.

Note - all the above heresies denied the divinity of Jesus and the Triune Godhead, resulting in Jesus' words being treated as inferior to the Law of Moses.

John 1:17  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

   Misled Christians tried to be Moses disciples. Without the truth of Jesus they are blind and once again under the bondages and curses of the Law. Worst of all they have fallen from the grace of Jesus and have lost their salvation.

   They also looked to Jewish historians (e.g Josephus), who had the spirit of the antichrist, for a better understanding of early Christianity instead of Scriptures.

Mat 5:11-12  "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

    As Jesus' apostles and disciples were recording the teachings of Jesus, these false Apostles and historians produced false and heretic records, books and epistles to discredit (say all kinds of evil against you falsely) our Lord Jesus, His faithful Apostles and later Emperor Constantine.

    By the fourth Century A.D, there were about 50 false Gospels (Gospels of Thomas, Marcion, Mary Magdalene, Barnabas, etc.)  and hundreds of false Epistles.

Canonised Books

   After Emperor Constantine was miraculously saved, he legalized Christianity in 313 A.D. He invited 1,800 persecuted bishops to form the Council of bishops. The council produced the Apostle Creed in 325 A.D and canonised 27 books of the New Testament to nullify those demonic books and destructive heresies.

   After his death in 337AD, Emperor Theodosius 1 in 380 A.D, made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire. Misled Christians believe the lies of the Jewish and non-Christian historians but are blind to the fruit and light (righteous works) of Emperor Constantine - God's faithful servant.

   Thank God that Emperor Constantine is highly rewarded for the persecutions and falsehoods from the historians and misled Christians.

Earliest Christianity 5 - False Pen of Scribes (CW96)

   World War 3 is at Hand

While we wait for Iran's  annihilation and its regime change, let's check our own Christian faith, doctrine and knowledge of Him and His words.

Gen 3:2-3  And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.' "

    When God created Adam and Eve in His image, they only have to obey His words to have eternal life and stay in fellowship with Him.

Deception of Satan

Gen 3:4-5  Then the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."

   The devil twisted God's command to deceive Eve. With a more logical and beneficial proposal, it changed her attitude of distaste and dislike to that of admiration for the forbidden fruit.

Falsehood of Scribes

Jer 8:8   "How can you say, 'We are wise, And the law of the Lord is with us'? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood."

    Later, the Devil used false scribes to corrupt His words. The Torah and Prophets were often distorted by the devil to deceive the Jews and the Priesthood. All detected flawed copies were to be burned or destroyed. Satan also sent the false prophets to confuse them and even the priests were lawless.

   Unfortunately, the Jews loved the lies and deceptions, which is similar to today's carnal and unlearned Christians.

Jer 5:30-31  "An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?"

   

Prophets sent by God

Jer 7:25  Since the day that your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have even sent to you all My servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them.

    God sent His true prophets to admonish, judge and rectify these corruptions, so that all the rejects (false, erred and flawed scriptures) were burned or destroyed.  

    Unfortunately, these rejected flawed scriptures were kept as religious relics.

Canon Books of the OT

   It seems that as far back as Ezra and Nehemiah, the OT were being canonised until about the 3rd Century BC.

    These canon OT books were translated into Greek (Septuagint) and it is the most accurate version of the Old Testament text and is being used by the Greek Orthodox Church.

Greek and Latin Bibles

The Greek Bible consists of the 39 books of the Septuagint and the 27 canon books of the New Testaments were used in the Roman Empire.

   In 380AD, all the Greek scriptures were translated into the Latin Vulgate for the sake of the Latin speaking world.

  The Eastern Roman Empire retained the Greek Bible but the Western Roman Empire who were Latin speaking used the Latin Vulgate Bible.

    God ensures that His words were preserved in both Greek and Latin for these 1700 years. God had also prepared them to be translated into other languages. So, all translations taken directly from the Greek or Latin Vulgate are canon books.

Missing and Erred Texts

   Since US President Kennedy threw out God and the Bible in the 1960s, the people have lost the fear of God. For financial gain, many new bible translations were not based on the canon books but from flawed, rejected or corrupted writings.

   Satan has even succeeded in getting the new translations to omit the text confirming the Triune Godhead or Trinity.

1 John 5:7  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.  (KJV).

   With so many denominations rejecting the Triune Godhead, the divinity of Jesus and 'the Word made flesh', Satan has successfully condemned these blind, stiff-necked, rebellious and covetous Christians into the Lake of fire.

Earliest Christianity - 4 False Gospels and Heresies (CW95)

   World War 3 is at Hand

 

Luke 24:44-45  Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

   For forty days our resurrected Lord Jesus was with His 120 disciples

1. teaching them how He had fulfilled the Law so that all Israeli (Jewish) converts in Christ Jesus have also fulfilled the Law and they do not need to keep any part of the Law

2. opening up their understanding of Scriptures especially His words, commands, teachings and parables found in the 4 Gospels.

Acts 1:3  to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

3. speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God especially kingdom living.

1 Cor 6:9-10  Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

Apostolic Age

    After the formation of the council of apostles in Jerusalem to verify the teachings of Jesus which were verbal. The Holy Spirit inspired some of His apostles and disciples to record our resurrected Lord's teachings in 27 New Testament books, which were all written in Greek.

2 Tim 3:16-17  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Heresies in Church

Acts 20:29-30  For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.

     As Jesus' apostles and disciples were recording the teachings of Jesus, these false and depraved leaders (false Apostles of Satan) also produced heretic records, books and epistles claiming them to be 'Holy Spirit inspired' and started their own sects or denominations.

    By the fourth Century AD, there were about 50 false Gospels (Gospels of Thomas, Marcion, Mary Magdalene, Barnabas, etc.)  and hundreds of Epistles which claimed to be 'holy scriptures'. There were all types of lies, heresies and distorted doctrines from these many false gospels, books and epistles.

    The most dangerous heretic sect then was Arianism - an early branch of Christianity that held that Jesus Christ was not one with God the Father, but instead just created by God and a holy man.

  With the denial of the Triune Godhead and Jesus relegated to a Creature, all these heretics need only to follow the Law which justifies their covetousness and wealth. They can completely ignore the words of Jesus, which they find difficult to keep, e.g.

Mat 10:38  "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

Luke 14:33  So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

God is One

Mat 28:19  "Go therefore  and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,"

    After the Word was made flesh at the first advent of Jesus, God reveals Himself as 3 persons in the Triune Godhead - the Father, the Son (Word) and the Holy Spirit (Helper) so that we can learn from Him how to be a loving father, an obedient son and a helper or comforter to others.

1 John 5:7  For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. (NKJV)

Earliest Christianity 3 - False Apostles (CW94)

While we wait for the fall of Iran and the change in regime to start World War 3, let's check our own Christian faith, doctrine and knowledge of Him and His words.

2 Cor 11:13-15  For such are false apostles deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.

   Since the fall of Adam and Eve, Satan and his fallen angels acting as angels of light have not stopped deceiving mankind to reject and rebel against God's words and commands.

   During the days of Noah Satan even sent his fallen angels to marry the women of men, thereby corrupting the human race resulting in a race of great wickedness. God wiped out this entire wicked human race numbering by the millions with the deluge.

   When the Law was given to Moses in great details, yet Satan used the false prophets and covetous Priesthood to deceive the Jews to rebel against His Law and prophets. The Jews loved heresies and false prophecies.

Jer 5:30-31  "An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land: The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?"

Rich Pharisees Derided Jesus Teachings

Luke 16:13-14  "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.

   God considers money as an abomination for the love of money has destroyed the faith of many Christians sending most of them to damnation.

   When our Lord Jesus taught that no one can serve both God and Money, the rich Pharisees who loved money ridiculed Him. Our Lord Jesus exposed their hypocrisy of justifying their covetousness.  

   However, some of these covetous Pharisees (false Apostles) found their way into the leadership alongside Paul and His Apostles.

Luke 16:15  And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God."

Earliest Heresy

Acts 15:5  But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, "It is necessary to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses."

    When faithful Christians were selling everything and put them under the feet of Apostles, this large amount of money attracted the covetous Pharisees and Scribes, who were sure to be in the leadership for they were highly educated and rich, whereas most of Jesus' Apostles were illiterate and poor.

   The first heresy occurred in the book of Acts where covetous Pharisees insisted on Christians keeping the Mosaic Law, where they can justify their extreme wealth.

   Since Christians who keep part of the Law will no longer be under God's grace, any sin they commit will lead them to be cursed and damned.

Gal 5:4  You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

   

Acts 20:29-30  For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.

    Paul warned of heresies and destructive doctrines by depraved, misled and rich church leaders (false Apostles and savage wolves) after his demise.

    Today, Christians love the heresies and distorted doctrines from the OT and the many false Gospels, books and epistles resulting in the thousands and thousands of denominations, which have strayed from His words, truth and salvation.  (Last days' church - Rev 3:14-22)

Earliest Christianity 2 - Godly Disciples (CW93)

While we wait for the fall of Iran and the change in regime to start World War 3, let's check our own Christian faith, doctrine and knowledge of Him and His words.

 

Acts 1:1-3  The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

   For the forty days our resurrected Lord Jesus was teaching them the truth in His words and in the Scriptures. There was no record of His disciples evangelizing until Pentecost, even though our resurrected Lord Jesus gave each of them the Holy Spirit of redemption.

Why were they not evangelizing?

John 20:22  And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Acts 1:4-5  And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now."

   Our Lord knew that without the baptism of the Holy Spirit (of truth), they were powerless against their own weaknesses. Only with His truth will they be set free from their fear, bondages and flesh.

Acts 1:8  "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me  in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Boldness of Peter

Act 2:14, 22, 36-37  But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words... Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know... Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."  Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?"

   Peter being led by the Holy Spirit, convicted the Jews with his powerful message and 3,000 Jews were saved and baptized.

Acts 2:38  Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Faith and Love of Early Disciples

Acts 4:32  Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common.

   These disciples loved the Lord and had kept His words and commandments. Some of the examples are below:-

1. Not Worthy of Jesus

Mat 10:37  He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

2. Forsake All

Luke 14:33  So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

3. Deny Self

Mat 16:24  Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

4. Sell All Give Alms

Mat 19:21  Jesus said to him, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."

Acts 4:33-35  And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all. Nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet; and they distributed to each as anyone had need.

Earliest Christianity 1 - (CW92)

  World War 3 is at Hand

While we wait for the fall of Iran and the change in regime to start World War 3, let's check our own Christian faith, doctrine and knowledge of Him and His words.

New Covenant - End of Judaism

Mat 26:27-28  Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

    The New Covenant started when our Lord Jesus died and shed His blood on the cross. Immediately, the veil in the temple of God was torn into two, signifying the departure of God from the Most Holy Place, thus, ending the Old Covenant.

Heb 8:13  In that He says, "A new covenant," He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.

Gospel of Christ (Grace)

Luke 24:46-47  Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

    Whoever believes the gospel of grace that Jesus, the Son of God was made flesh, suffered, died and on third day He rose from the dead, is saved and then is sealed with the Holy Spirit of redemption.

Unbelief of the Apostles

Luke 24:9-11  Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.

     Our Lord Jesus told His disciples many times that He would be killed but on the third day He would rise from the dead.

    After His resurrection, He found that His Apostles and disciples had not believed His resurrection at all.

First Born Again Christians

John 20:21-22  So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

    After His disciples had believed that He had risen from the dead on the third day, they had believed the complete gospel of Christ or grace. Our Lord then gave each of them the Holy Spirit, making them to become born again Christians.

The Bread - Word made Flesh

Luke 24:30-31  Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

    Our Risen Lord showed them how He had fulfilled the OT prophecies and opened their understanding of the truth in His gospel, teachings, words, commandments and parables.

Luke 24:44-45  Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

Teachings of Risen Christ

 Acts 1:1-3  The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

    Before Jesus went back to heaven, for forty days He taught His disciples the truth in His words. As their Pastor and Teacher, He ensured that they understand His gospel of grace and the truth in His words, teachings, commandments and parables, which are recorded in the Epistles of the Apostles.

   These epistles are the very words of Jesus and they enlighten the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Natural Disasters (CW91)

  World War 3 is at Hand

While we wait for the fall of Iran and the change in regime to start World War 3, let's check our own Christian faith, doctrine and knowledge of Him and His words.

Natural Disasters

Mat 24:6-7  "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows."

    This will definitely be World War 3, for it is very extensive and disastrous as though it is the end of the world (but the end is not yet).

    On top of the miseries of World War 3, there will be many natural disasters such as famines, pestilences and earthquakes killing people by the millions and making lives difficult, painful and very sorrowful.

Catastrophes during World War 3

   

1. Famines - food shortages caused by adverse weather conditions. This decade nearly all land areas are seeing more hot days and heat waves resulting in very heavy rain and snow falls, extreme heat waves, droughts and fire, great hurricanes and typhoons causing extreme floods and inundations.

   Many countries were badly hit by at least one of the above castatrophies setting them back by millions or billions of dollars.

God's Final Warning

   It looks like almost the whole world is suffering from the wrath of God. Thank God for warning Christians of His impending judgment starting from His house.

REPENT brethren from your present abominations and wickedness.

2. Pestilences - The recent COVID 19 pandemic (suspected to be from bats) caused havoc to mankind. Countries and businesses affected by it suffered great losses.

Thank God that He only used this mild COVID 19 as the prelude to the natural disasters during World War 3. More deadly epidemics like Ebola will surface soon to kill people by the millions.

3. Earthquakes - we thank God that so far only minor earthquakes had surfaced. More earthquakes of magnitude higher than 9.5 are expected that can kill people by the millions upon millions.

Natural Disasters in Fourth Seal'

Rev 6:7-8  When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, "Come and see." So I looked, and behold, a pale (green) horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.

    The name of the rider is 'Death' followed by 'Hades'. This suggests all those killed will be cast into Hades. So no godly Christians will be killed during this period. Why?

    God is now preparing His disciples, who are completely free from heresies, wrong doctrines and distorted truth, so that they can disciple the hundreds of millions newly converted with the pure word of God and truth.

   But God will use the Fourth Seal to remove all depraved, worldly, heretic and covetous Christians so that He can prepare the bride of the Lamb to be ready for Rapture.

    The following calamities during the 4th Seal will kill 2 billion people.

1. Wars (World War 3),

2. hunger (caused by famines)

3. death (caused by nuclear fallout and earthquakes)

4. killing by beasts (caused by pestilences)

End-time Christians are like Gentiles

1 Pet 4:1-3  Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime  in doing the will of the Gentiles--when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries (covetousness is like idolatry).

   Unless there is repentance, depraved and worldly Christians will be killed during the coming World War 3.