Only Those Who Have Faith Are Made Heirs With Christ

Romans 4:13-17, “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.”

This is such an important Bible truth to understand. If you understand what you just read, then you know that unsaved Jews today are NOT heirs of God's promise to bless the Jews. The promises of God have always followed a line of faith. Galatians 3:16, “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.”

Romans 4:13-17, “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” No unsaved Jew will ever enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. No unsaved Jew will ever escape the damnation of the fires of Hell. Jesus made it plain in John 3:3 that to get to Heaven a man must be born again, “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Many Jews today are arrogant, thinking that just because they are Jewish they are guaranteed eternal life, but it doesn't, not according to the Holy Bible. You must be born again!

Galatians 3:26-29, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Repeatedly in the inspired Holy Bible, we read that only those Jews and Gentiles who have faith in Jesus Christ are counted as “heirs” in the promises of God. I wish I could talk some sense into the brains of all these Zionists today, who relentlessly support a bunch of heathen, Christ-rejecting, wicked Jews in Israel who spit on Jesus Christ. Since they don't have any faith in Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, they are not “heirs” with Christ of the promises of God. That is exactly what we read in Galatians 3:29, “And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

Nearly all of the promises of God require that you put your faith in Jesus as the Christ, the only begotten Son of God (John 20:31).

God's Promise To Preserve His Inspired Words

Psalms 12:6-7, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”

The following quotes are beautiful, honoring God's inspired Word. And may I say, today's modern Bible revisions are often NOT based any any legitimate ancient language; but rather, they are the mere rantings of scholarly madmen hellbent on making a buck from marketing their own copyrighted version . . .

“The Bible is no mere book, but a Living Creature, with a power that conquers all who oppose it.” —Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)

“It is impossible to enslave mentally or socially a Bible-reading people. The principles of the Bible are the groundwork of human freedom.” —Horace Greeley (1811-1872)

“The existence of the Bible, as a book for the people, is the greatest benefit which the human race has ever experienced. Every attempt to belittle it is a crime against humanity.” —Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)

“That book [King James Bible], sir, is the rock on which on republic rests.” —U.S. President Andrew Jackson (1767-1845)

“The Bible has been the Magna Carta of the poor and oppressed. The human race is not in a position to dispense with it.” —Thomas Huxley (1825-1895)

“So great is my veneration for the Bible that the earlier my children begin to read it the more confident will be my hope that they will prove useful citizens of their country and respectable members of society. I have for many years made it a practice to read through the Bible every year.” —U.S. President John Quincy Adams (1767-1848)

“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible. ” —U.S. President George Washington (1732-1799)

“The Bible, composes by many authors, over a period of many centuries, yet ONE BOOK, is, in itself, the outstanding Miracle of the Ages, bearing aloft its own evidence of its Superhuman Origin.” —Henry H. Halley (1874-1965)

“The Old Testament is an account of a Nation. The New Testament is an account of a MAN, The Nation was founded and nurtured of God to bring the Man into the world.” —Dr. Henry H. Halley (1874-1965)

“Bible reading is an education in itself.” —Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)

“The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed.” —Patrick Henry (1736-1799)

“The whole hope of human progress is suspended on the ever growing influence of the Bible.” —U.S. Secretary of State William H. Seward (1801-1872)

“God Himself became a Man, to give mankind a concrete, definite, tangible idea of what kind of Person to think of when we think of God. God is like Jesus. Jesus was God incarnate in human form. His appearance on earth is the Central Event of all history. The Old Testament sets the stage for it. The New Testament describes it. As a man, He lived the most strangely Beautiful Life ever known. He was the Kindest, Tenderest, Gentlest, most Patient, most Sympathetic man that ever lived. He Loved people. He hated to see people in trouble. He loved to Forgive. He loved to Help. He wrought marvelous miracles to feed hungry people. For relieving the suffering He forgot to take food for Himself. Multitudes, weary, pain-ridden, and heart-sick, came to Him, and found healing and relief. It is said of Him, and of no other, that if all the deeds of Kindness that He did were written, the world would not contain the books. That is the kind of man Jesus was. That is the kind of Person God is. Then: He Died, on the Cross, to take away the Sin of the world, to become the Redeemer and Saviour of man. Then: He Rose from the Dead: is Alive Now: not merely an historical character, but a Living Person: the Most Important Fact of History, and Most Vital Force in the world today.” —Dr. Henry H. Halley (1874-1965)

God's Promise That He Cares

1st Peter 5:6-10, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.”

As a Bible preacher, I receive many emails from hurting saints. Many of them tell me that God doesn't seem to answer any of their prayers. They are discouraged and frustrated. To make matters worse, quite a few of them tell me of terrible pastors who have mistreated them. Some tell me that local churches drove them out for telling the pastor that Lordship Salvation is a false doctrine, or that the modern Bible revisions are corrupt. That is so sad and tragic!

You'd think that if there was one place in the world where you could speak the truth, it would be in a local so-called “Christian” church. Sad but true, most of today's churches are corrupt. This includes independent fundamental Baptist churches, most of which have adopted a wrong understanding of what it means to “repent” to be saved. Whereas biblical repentance is simply “a change of mind,” today's incompetent preachers have changed it to mean “turn from your sinful way.” If you add turning away from your sinful bad habits to God's simple plan of salvation, I can assure you with all biblical authority that you will spend eternity burning in the fires of Hell. The only way to be saved is to completely REST in Jesus' death on the cross, burial and bodily resurrection three days later. These three things comprise “the gospel” according to 1st Corinthians 15:1-6.

God cares dear reader. He cares about the accuracy of the Gospel. God cares about the purity of the Holy Bible. God cares about right doctrine, which is truth (John 17:17). And God cares about you dear friend, more than you could ever imagine. When we pray and God doesn't seem to answer, we don't feel like God cares. I admit that I often feel the same way. So what do we do? Do we place God on trial like the heathen world does, blaming Him for the world's poverty, woes and tribulations? Or do we blindly trust the goodness of God in all situations, no matter how ugly things get? I choose the latter. Job 13:15, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.”

I oftentimes feel like God doesn't care, but I know according to the Holy Bible that He does. 1st Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” If the Bible says that God cares, then I know that He does. I decided a very long time ago, that I believe the King James Bible is God's reliable and trustworthy inspired Word. I never second guess or question that belief, because I trust God's Word. No book authored by mankind even compares to the mystique, brilliance, majesty and supernatural nature of the Holy Bible. No book authored by man upholds righteousness, condemns sin, and provides a permanent remedy as a free “gift” from God, except the Bible.

When you feel like God doesn't care dear reader, I encourage you to start counting your blessings; name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done. God is always good. Don't ever question that truth. Everything God does is right. God is so good. Psalms:145:9, “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.”

The Promise Of Jesus' Return

1st Thessalonians 4:13-18, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

Our text passage vividly describes the Pretribulation Rapture. Perhaps the greatest promise from God in the Bible, next to His promise “TO SAVE THEM THAT BELIEVE” (1st Corinthians 1:21b), is the promise of Christ's return.

Pastor Jack Hyles used to explain it this way:

• Jesus came 2,000 years ago TO His own (John 1:11).
• At the Pretribulation Rapture Jesus is coming FOR His own (1st Corinthians 15:51-58).
• At Christ's Second Coming 7-years later, He is coming WITH His own (Jude 1:4).

I humbly think the following Bible prophecy chart is accurate. ...

I am firmly convinced that if one takes the inspired King James Bible at face value, we can only conclude a Pretribulation Rapture.

Reading Into The Scripture What It Doesn't Say

First, let me say that I don't like the way that some preachers wrestle the Bible to fit their agenda. A perfect example of this is found in Revelation 4:1, “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” I have heard numerous Baptist pastors, college Bible professors and evangelists claim that the phrase “Come up hither” refers to the Pretribulation Rapture. I have a big problem with that shoddy type of Bible interpretation, simply because the Word of God doesn't say that this is the Rapture. The invitation to come up hither in this passage is for the Apostle John alone. Dear reader, never assume (ass-u-me) what the Bible means. If we do, then we are no better than the pseudo-Christian cults (e.g., Mormons, Seventh-Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, et cetera).

Another popular example is found in 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-5, “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?” Like many other Scripture passages, this is one of the most controversial passages in the Bible. In 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-7, there is no exegetical or theological matter that makes a Pretribulation Rapture impossible, or even improbable.

I have heard numerous believers attempt to use this passage from 2nd Thessalonians 2:3 to errantly claim that the Rapture will happen AFTER the Antichrist appears, but this would contradict numerous other Scripture passages, which clearly indicate that the Rapture must occur BEFORE the Tribulation begins. Jesus made it clear that NO ONE knows the time of His return. Certainly, this must include the Rapture, lest we know when He would return. Thus, only a Pretribulation Rapture maintains this element of secrecy.

To be honest in Bible study, nobody can claim to be dogmatic on the intended meaning of 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-2, “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.” I read Pastor Oliver B. Greene's (1915-1976) commentary for this passage and I agree with him. Dr. Greene thinks that the phrase “by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” refers to Jesus' Second Coming AFTER the 7-year Tribulation, while the next phrase “and by our gathering together unto him,” refers to the Rapture BEFORE the 7-year Tribulation period. Although we cannot verify that this is the intended meaning, Dr. Greene's interpretation agrees with the whole of Scripture.

There's Nothing 'Comforting' For Saints About The Tribulation

For example: The Apostle Paul plainly was teaching about the coming Rapture in 1st Thessalonians 4:13-18, “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

Now, Paul said in 1st Thessalonians 4:18 to “comfort one another with these words.” But what comfort would there be if saints living today knew that they would be going into the dire Tribulation period, when the sun and moon shall be darkened and billions of people upon the earth will be killed. In the book of Revelation 9:1-11, we read of terrifying creatures that will torment humanity with stings that will cause them excruciating physical pain for 5 months. The Bible says in Revelation 9:10 that these scorpion-like creatures will have the power to hurt men for 5 months. That is frightening, not comforting. What comfort would there be for the saints of Thessalonica, if Paul's intended meaning was for the Church to suffer through the horrors of the Tribulation?

In Revelation 16:3 says that an angel will afflict the sea and every living soul will die. Dear reader, remember that Bible prophecy is history written in advance. I agree with Pastor Max D. Younce that God created TIME, so that He could share with His friends (we the saints) what He is planning to do next on His prophetic calendar. Revelation 16:4-7 foretells that the third angel will pour out his vial of judgment upon the rivers and fountains, turning it all to blood. Is there any comfort in these words?

Revelation 16:8-9 foretell that the fifth angel will pout out his vial upon the sun, which will scorch men alive with an intolerable burning heat. Humanity will blaspheme God, still refusing to glorify the Lord as all men ought to do. Revelation 16:10-11 says that the sixth angel will pour out his vial of judgment upon the Beast and his followers who all have the Mark of the Beast (in their right hand or forehead). They will be afflicted with sores and pain so excruciating, that the Bible says in Revelation 16:10b-11a that “his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.”

Please understand that this is not referring to salvation by good deeds. When the Ninevites turned from their evil way, the Bible says that GOD SAW THEIR WORKS (Jonah 3:10). The Ninevites (the capital city of Assyria) didn't get saved, they just repented of their sinning. That is, they changed their mind about their wicked lifestyles and decided to reform, for which God spared their nation imminent judgment and annihilation at the time. We know that they didn't get saved, because from Genesis 15:6 to Revelation 7:14 we are taught in the Bible that salvation is by God's grace, through faith alone, without works (cf. Acts 10:43).

Revelation 16:20 says, “And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.” Wow, say goodbye to the island of Guam during the Great Tribulation! In Revelation 16:21 we are told that during the Great Tribulation that 75 pound (one talent in weight) hailstones will fall upon the earth. To clarify, the last 3 1/2 years of the 7-year Tribulation period (i.e., the 70th week of Daniel's 70 weeks of Bible prophecy) is known biblically as the, “Great Tribulation.” Matthew 24:21, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

How do we know that the Tribulation will last for 7-years? ...

Daniel 9:27, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”

So, during Daniel's 70th week of prophecy, in the “midst” (middle) of the week, the Man of Sin (Antichrist, or “in place of Christ”) commits the Abomination of Desolation (cf. Matthew 24:15), stopping the Jews from worshipping their Jewish God and demanding that instead they worship him (Antichrist) as God (cf. 2nd Thessalonians 2:4).

And also, please read:

Daniel 12:11-12, “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.”

In the preceding passage we see that there will be 1,290 days (3 1/2 years) from the Abomination of Desolation in the “midst” of Daniel's 70th week of prophecy (i.e., the Tribulation). Since there is 3 1/2 years after the “midst,” then logically there must also be 3 1/2 before, which equals 7-years. This is where we get a 7-year Tribulation timeframe. Pastor Steven Anderson says that he rejects the word “Tribulation” to describe this time period, because he says it is not in the Bible. Well, he chooses to often use the word “Rapture,” which is also not found in the Holy Bible. And for that matter, neither are the words “Trinity” or “Bible” found in the Bible, but he uses them too. After the Church has been removed at the Rapture from the world, things will start to turn ugly quickly.

Dear reader, are any of these words “comforting”? Does not 1st Thessalonians 4:18 command us as redeemed saints to “comfort one another with these words”? Yes, most definitely, the Scripture does! But what comfort is there if saints alive today must suffer through the Tribulation period? Kindly said, Pastor Steven Anderson is arguably the biggest denier today of a Pretribulation Rapture. Brother Anderson is also the biggest promoter today of postribulation Rapture, which is effectively a total denial of the Rapture altogether, since he teaches that Christ's Second Coming is the Rapture.

No One Knows The Time Of Jesus' Return

My biggest argument in support of a Pretribulation Rapture is the fact that Jesus repeatedly said that no man, nor even the angels in Heaven, know the timing of His return. ...

Mark 13:32-37, “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”

Now, if the Rapture were to happen at any later time than the very beginning of the 7-year Tribulation period, then WE WOULD KNOW exactly when Jesus is coming back. 

Respectfully, Pastor Steven Anderson is the biggest denier of a Pretribulation Rapture. Quite frankly, Brother Anderson is WRONG! I know he is wrong because the Bible plainly teaches that no one know WHEN Christ will return.

Whereas, Pastor Anderson claims that the Rapture will happen 75 DAYS after the Antichrist breaks the covenant with Israel, and professes to be the Messiah, God, demanding worship from the world, on penalty of death. The Bible calls this prophetic event the 'Abomination of Desolation' (or, the Abomination that Maketh Desolate - Matthew 25:15; Daniel 12:11). Daniel 12:11, “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.” So, again, we learn here from Daniel 12:11 that from the event of the Abomination of Desolation until the end of the Great Tribulation (the last half of Daniel's 70th week of prophecy) will be 1,290 days (or, 3 1/2 years).

Daniel 9:27, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [7 years]: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”

To recap my earlier point (because repetition is the key to learning), by doing some simple math we can logically conclude that if from the “midst” (middle) of Daniel's 70th week will be 1,290 days, then we can also know that there will be 1,290 days before the middle of the 70th week. This adds up to 2,580 days, or a 7-year Tribulation period. The preceding logic is how we can know that the Tribulation period will last for 7-years.

The preceding logic is also why we can safely deduce from these known facts, that the Rapture must happen BEFORE the Tribulation period, because any later time for the Rapture would allow us to track Christ's return to the very day!!! It disappoints me that Pastor Anderson actually SETS A DATE for Jesus' return, which is a big violation of the Scripture.

In the following chart from chapter 2 of Pastor Anderson's YouTube movie titled: 'THE BOOK OF REVELATION,' you can see in comment number 15 that he errantly teaches the Rapture will happen 75 DAYS after the Abomination of Desolation. This is DATE SETTING, a big no no for any preacher to do. Mark 13:32-37 plainly warns that NO MAN knows the time of Christ's return, not even the angels in Heaven.

The inspired King James Bible, if you rightly divide the Word of Truth, teaches a Pretribulation Rapture. That is, the timing of the event of the Rapture will happen BEFORE the 7-year Tribulation period (which is the 70th week of Daniel's prophecy).

The Bible plainly teaches God's promise of the coming unpredictable Rapture:

1st Corinthians 15:51-58, “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

I cherish verse 58, which promises that all my hard and sacrificial ministry labor won't be in vain. Instead of boating, traveling, snowmobiling, surfing, partying, playing in a band, fishing and living large; I have spent the past 21 years buckling down in intense labor to build my website ministry for Jesus Christ, and by His grace I have done just that. I admit that I have lived a pretty boring existence, a total homebody, lonely without a wife all these many years, but God is my best friend and ministry co-laborer. 1st Corinthians 3:9,  “For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.” I now that it will be worth it all when I see Jesus. But for now I must suffer in bodily pain, loneliness and frustration, until my heavenly Father calls me home from my work. Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”

We Are Commanded To Look For Jesus Christ, Not The Antichrist

Also, we're not supposed to be watching for signs of Christ's return; but rather, LOOKING FOR CHRIST HIMSELF!!! Respectfully, Pastor Steven Anderson is doctrinally wrong to teach that, “The Rapture simply cannot happen at any moment.” According to Pastor Anderson THERE WILL BE SIGNS before Christ's return; namely, the appearing of the Man of Sin. This is how we know that 2nd Thessalonians 2:3 cannot mean that the Antichrist must appear before the Rapture cannot happen, because this would be a dead giveaway of Christ's imminent return.

Understanding 2nd Thessalonians Chapter Two

I admit that trying to grasp the meaning of 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-7 is difficult as regards the timing of the Rapture. If taken by itself, one would naturally conclude that the Man of Sin must appear before the Rapture can happen. However, as I have shown you on a few different levels, such a claim would violate multiple other passages of Scripture. In this blog we've been addressing Paul's command in 1st Thessalonians 4:18b to “comfort one another with these words.” You absolutely cannot comfort a fellow shaken believer, who is worried that they may have missed the Rapture, by scaring them half to death with horrifying details of the Tribulation period.

Thus, in my humble opinion, the Apostle Paul was simply telling the saints at Thessalonica that they Christ's Second Coming cannot come until first the Man of Sin appears, and none of this can happen until first the Rapture happens. It is evident from 2nd Thessalonians 2:5 that Paul had orally taught them about the Rapture, Tribulation and Second Coming; but they either weren't paying close enough attention, were confused or had forgotten. 2nd Thessalonians 2:5, “Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?” Had they fully understood what Paul had told them, there wouldn't have been a need for Paul to further address these important issues in a second epistle. By the way, these are some of Paul's earliest epistles.

Pastor Curtis Hutson Taught A Pretribulation Rapture

One of my favorite preachers, Dr. Curtis Hutson (1934-1995), believed and taught a Pretribulation Rapture. Dr. Hutson rightly said: “A good rule to follow when interpreting the Bible is to never use an obscure passage to contradict a clear one.”

Although 2nd Thessalonians might seem clear to some, any honest Bible student would have to readily admit that this is a very vague passage. Since we don't know what Paul orally said to the Thessalonian believers previously, we simply cannot know exactly what Paul means in 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-7 as regards the timing of the Rapture. 2nd Thessalonians 2:5, “Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?” We simply do not know what “these things” were. But I totally reject the plethora of bad theologians who assume (ass-u-me) that “a falling away” is definitely the Rapture. We simply cannot say with any certainty that this is the Rapture. I won't add to the Word of God where the Bible is silent, and neither should you (Proverbs 30:5-6).

Obviously Brother Anderson and the Bible are in conflict. I believe that Dr. Curtis Hutson did an excellent job explaining the matter, and I agree with him concerning the Rapture, because he agrees with the Holy Bible. You must decide for yourself my fine non-feathered friend. You have just read the Scripture for yourself, which plainly teaches for us to LOOK FOR JESUS, not signs. Brother Anderson is telling us to look for signs, saying that Jesus' return must be preceded by signs. Respectfully said, Pastor Steven Anderson is WRONG...

“𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝗽𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.” —𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗟. 𝗔𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 (01:27:05 video)

The inspired King James Bible teaches that Jesus COULD come back TODAY!!! Jesus could return this very moment. ...

𝗧𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘀 𝟮:𝟭𝟯-𝟭𝟰, “𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁; 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘂𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗺 𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗶𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮 𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝘇𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀.”

Why would the Bible tell us to LOOK FOR JESUS if the Man of Sin (Antichrist) must appear first? Pastor Anderson errantly teaches that the Rapture will happen 75 DAYS after the biblical event called the ABOMINATION OF DESOLATION in Matthew 24:15 (cf. Daniel 9:27, 11:21, 12:11), when the Antichrist shall stand in the future temple in Jerusalem and profess to be God, committing blasphemy (2nd Thessalonians 2:4). At this time the False Prophet will demand that the world worship the image of the Beast, or be killed; every human being will be required to have a mark, or won't be able to buy or sell to survive (Revelation 13:15-18).

The Forming New World Order Is Here To Stay

Already, we are becoming a cashless society. I only use cash now less than 5% of the time, all other financial transactions are electronically processed with either credit cards, debit card or online banking. The Beast system is already in place. The world is just awaiting the Man of Sin himself (the False Messiah). The Bible promises that Jesus Christ will return. Consider Acts 1:9-11, “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” This cannot refer to the Rapture; but rather, Jesus' Second Coming after the Great Tribulation (cf. Matthew 24:29-51).

Some preachers say that the apostles in their four gospels weren't referring to the Rapture, because it was still “a mystery” until Paul revealed it in 1st Corinthians 15:51-58. However, did not Jesus provide vivid details of the Tribulation period, which had never been revealed before? Yes, I think He did. Matthew 24, Mark 13 and Luke 21 (aka, The Olivet Discourse) contain new information about the Tribulation which were not known previously from the Old Testament. Jesus as God had knowledge of the future that no one else had. I will leave it up to you to decide dear reader, if The Olivet Discourage makes any mention of the Rapture. It would appear not, except that Christ said NO MAN knows the time of His return.

The 45 Day Judgment Of The Nations

As I have humbly mentioned numerous times, we KNOW that from the midst of the Tribulation to the return of Christ will be 1,290 days (3 1/2 years). The Judgment of the Nations will immediately follow, which is why the Bible says “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days” (Daniel 12:12). The extra 45 days is for the Judgment of the Nations, which will be a judgment of separating the tares (unsaved) from the wheat (saved). I do not think it will be a judgment of China, then Russia, then Ukraine; but rather, a judgment of the whole world who live in the nations.

Eight Gospel Absurdities If A Born-Again Soul Ever Loses Salvation

John 10:26-29, “But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.”

One of my favorite historical preachers is Dr. John R. Rice (1895-1980). I love Brother Rice, who was 31 years older than my hero of the Christian faith, Dr. Jack Hyles (1926-2001). God used these two dear great soulwinning men of God to lead millions of lost sinners to the saving knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Having said that, both of these preachers were flawed, just as I am flawed, and every other preacher who has ever lived was flawed. If you think there are any perfect preachers, I am worried about you dear friend. Only cults idolize imperfect men as being above error. Dr. John R. Rice didn't always choose his words wisely. For example: In his booklet titled, “Eight Gospel Absurdities,” on page 3 he uses the phrase “When one has truly repented of his sins.” You cannot find this phrase anywhere in the inspired King James Bible. Why use language and terms that the Bible does not? For that very reason I do not like theology. Theology uses a bunch of manmade terms and concepts in an attempt to dissect and explain God's Word. I prefer to let the Holy Bible speak for itself, rightly dividing the truth by “comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1st Corinthians 2:13b).

Only the inspired Word of God is without error or corruption, which is why I make such a big fuss in my preaching in defense of the inspiration of the King James Bible. If we do not have a perfectly inspired Bible today, that is without error and corruption, then we do not have the truth and God lied to us in Psalms 12:6-7, “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.” What did God promise to preserve forever? It was His pure Words! Sadly, every modern Bible revisions butchers' this Bible passage to remove God's promise. Instead of His pure words, the modern revisions errantly say that God protects His saints. The reason why should be obvious, because wicked men today no longer believe that we have a perfectly inspired Bible today. They had to remove this promise of God to justify publishing hundreds of conflicting Bible versions.

Having said that, with a copy of Dr. Rice's booklet “Eight Gospel Absurdities” in front of me as a guide, I am going to write a compendium focusing on the major points, for your edification dear reader. Dr. Rice wrote this little booklet in defense of the great Bible doctrine of Eternal Security, which is in fact the same doctrine as Eternal Life. Please do not make the common mistake of separating these two great doctrines, for they are one and the same! That is to say, the man who has Eternal Life also has Eternal Security. They are effectively the same thing! If saved, always saved; or as most Christians like to say: ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED (OSAS). If you have Jesus as your personal Savior, then you have eternal life, because Jesus is Eternal Life the Bible says. 1st John 5:20, “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”

Can a Child of God Lose His Salvation?

Helpful quotes from Dr. John R. Rice's booklet...

“Eight Gospel Absurdities”

If a Born-Again Soul Ever Loses Salvation

On pages 3, 4 and 5 Dr. Rice states:

Here are eight Gospel absurdities that would follow if a saved person should become lost or go to Hell. We entreat you to check them carefully, check up the Scriptures for yourself, and see how untrue to the Scripture is the doctrine that souls may be lost after they are saved, that born-again Christians, children of God, may lose salvation and go to Hell.

1. Then Salvation Would Be of Works and Not of Grace 

There is no doubt that many devout Christian people who believe that a child of God can become lost again mean to believe the Bible doctrine of salvation by grace. They will be shocked when I say that they are really teaching salvation by works and not of grace. But careful study will show that that is certainly true. If a saved person can be lost again, then it is because he failed in his works. If he does not become lost, then it is because of his good works. Thus all who are saved are really saved by their own works, if the Arminian doctrine is true.

...Those who oppose the plain Bible doctrine of eternal security by simple faith in Christ, that Christ keeps His own by grace when He saved them, very frankly admit that they believe all Christians are on probation, that they are not really saved yet in any real sense. And tens of thousands of such people regularly pray, “And save us at last in Heaven,” because they do not believe in any real and definite and secure salvation here and now, obtained by the marvellous grace of God. Actually, they believe in salvation by works, not in salvation by grace.

Can a saved person ever be lost? That depends on who does the saving. If God does the saving, then of course if God fails the salvation is lost. If God is faithful and does what He promises, then one who trusts in Him will not become lost. But if man does his own saving by his good works, then when man quits working he is lost. And if he does “hold out faithful,” if he does “endure to the end,” and if he does “go through with God,” then of course his salvation is by human works and not by God's unmerited grace.

SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 3, 4 and 5; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers

Another Gospel absurdity if eternal life can ever be lost is...

II. The Doctrine of the Blood Atonement and Substitutionary Death of Christ Would Be Untrue If a Saved Person Loses His Salvation

The Bible doctrine of the atonement is that the blood of Jesus Christ, shed when He was crucified, paid for the sins of the whole world. First Peter 1:19 tells us that we are redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Paul in Acts 20:28 commanded the elders at Ephesus to take heed “to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” The church, according to the Scripture, is bought with the blood of Christ. And speaking about Christians who sin, I John 2, 1,2 says, “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”

There we have a clear Bible doctrine: Jesus died, and with His blood He made propitiation for the sins of the whole world. Anyone who will accept that payment finds his sins all atoned for, all paid for. God does not mean that just the sins up until the time of salvation are paid for, but all of the sins which one commits. Christ died once and settled the sin question once and forever for those who believe. Hebrews 10:12-14 said about Jesus as our High Priest: 

“But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” 

One offering of Christ paid for all the sins of the past, all the sins of the present, all the sins of the future. 

But this is not the teaching of those who believe that a saved person can be lost again. If a man is lost for lack of labor, lack of faithfulness after he is saved, then actually he goes to Hell to pay for his own sins. Surely it is clear that for a man to pay for his own sins is not the same as having them paid for by the Lord Jesus. If a Christian gets to Heaven only by living right, then he does not get there by the atoning blood of Christ. If he loses his salvation because of his sin, then of course he is not saved by the blood. If the blood cannot pay for sinners, it cannot pay for ANYBODY. 

The Bible doctrine of substitution is akin to the doctrine of blood atonement, By substitution we mean that Christ took the sinner's place. That is expressed in Isaiah 53:6:  

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Christ on the cross was treated like a common, guilty, Hell-deserving criminal. He died as the most wicked sinner in the world. Actually He died just as you and I ought to die. He took the punishment and suffering we deserve.

But the doctrine of substitution also teaches that as Christ was counted a sinner for our sakes, so we may be counted righteous for His sake. He took our sins; we take His righteousness. Since Christ died for us, we are already accounted to have died for our sins and to be freed from them. As He died, so are we counted to have died. As He now lives forever, so we are to live. It is one of the clearest doctrines of the Bible that Christ took the sinner's place in His death, and thereby atoned for all the sins of everyone who would believe in Him, and that now the believer in Christ is accounted righteous for Christ's sake. We have Christ's righteousness in the presence of God. 

But this could not be true if one who is saved can become lost again. If a sin of mine can come up against me to damn my soul forever after I have already trusted in the blood of Christ, then it is quite evident that the blood did not really settle all my sins, that Christ did not really and literally take my place, and that people are not saved by the atoning blood and the substitutionary death of Christ. If the blood paid for sin, then they are ALL paid for. If Christ took my place and died for all my sins, past, present and future, then since I have trusted in Him I cannot be condemned and go to Hell for these sins. You can see, then, that if my continued salvation depends upon my good life, it does not depend upon the blood shed by the Lord Jesus and by His substitutionary death.

SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 6, 7; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers

I would like to clarify something that Dr. Rice keeps mentioning. The word “atonement” is an Old Testament word. In fact, the same Hebrew word used for “atonement” in the Old Testament is used for the “pitch” that Noah used to cover and seal the ark (Genesis 6:4). The word “atonement” is only mentioned once in the New Testament in Romans 5:11, “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.” It is important to know that Jesus' blood does not merely cover our sins; but rather, His precious blood has forever washed our sins away (1st John 1:7). When the Bible says that we have received the atonement through Christ, it simply means that Christ's blood sacrifice was the ultimate payment, once and for all made, not merely with the blood of goats and bulls, but with the precious blood of the Lamb of God.

In the Old Testament, the yearly sacrifices made by the high priest could never wash away the sins of the people. The Bible is very clear on this in Hebrews 10:4, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” Every year the high priest would kill a male lamb without spot nor blemish (which symbolized the sinless Son of God), and then take that blood into the holy place to sprinkle on the mercy seat in the presence of God; but when Jesus entered by His own blood into the heavenly Tabernacle, to sprinkle His literal liquid blood upon the Mercy Seat, it was a one time event. Hebrews 9:12, “Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” Jesus' blood once and for all washed away our sins, making an eternal and permanent atonement. It is beyond the scope of this blog, but this is why the Roman Catholic crucifix and Mass are unbiblical. Jesus is not still on the cross. In the Catholic Mass (aka, Eucharist) they actually believe that the participants are eating Jesus' body, an exclusive Catholic false doctrine called: Transubstantiation. 

Another Gospel absurdity if eternal life can ever be lost is...

III. If a Saved Person Can Lose Salvation, Then Saved Persons Are Not Justified, as the Bible Teaches.

The Bible speaks often of justification. In Romans 3:9-18 we learn that there are none good, and none do good; that all are sinners alike. But Romans 3:24-28 tells us of sinners:

“Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” 

According to this Bible teaching on justification, men are “justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Justification is free; it does not cost anything. 

Because Christ died, we are told, God can save a sinner and still be just while He justifies one who trusts in Jesus (verse 26). This kind of justification forbids boasting. No one can depend on getting to Heaven by “holding out faithful” or by living a good life or by “going through with God.” And then verse 28 declares, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” People are saved and justified by faith, without doing the righteous things commanded in the Ten Commandments.

What does justification mean? It means not only that the sinner is forgiven, but more than that; it means that after the sinner is forgiven, he is restored to God's favor as if he were perfectly just, that is, as if he had never sinned. In other words, he is counted righteous  or just, and is made just in God's sight. So God looks on a sinner not only as a forgiven sinner, but rather as a man with no sin ever charged against him. A justified person in God's sight is as if he had never sinned when it comes to the matter of getting to Heaven and having salvation. This justification is clearly given to all those who believe in Christ. 

Remember, that the penitent publican prayed in the temple, “God be merciful to me a sinner,” then he, “went down to his house justified,” that is, counted no longer a sinner (Luke 18:13, 14). In Acts 13:38, 39 Paul and Barnabas preached,  

“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.”

We see that one is justified from all things as soon as he puts his trust in Christ. 

...But if a saved person loses his salvation, it is clear that this whole doctrine of justification would be false. How could a man go to Hell who was perfectly just in God's sight? That is impossible! How could a man go to Hell without sin being imputed or charged up against him? That is impossible! So the doctrine that a saved person, one who is born again, a child of God, can fall away so far as to lose his salvation and be lost forever clearly contradicts the Bible doctrine of justification. Both cannot be true.

SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 7, 8, 9 and 10; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers

Another Gospel absurdity if eternal life can ever be lost is...

IV. If a Saved Person Ever Loses Salvation Then Christ's High-Priestly Intercessory Prayers Are of No Avail

The Bible teaches us that Christ is now our High Priest. Hebrews 10:21, 22 tells us:  

“And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” 

And Hebrews 9:24 says,

“For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:” 

These Scriptures make it clear that Christ's work for sinners was not done when He died. After we have put our trust in Christ, then Christ remains always at the right hand of God to take our part, to intercede for us, to represent us in Heaven. 

Romans 5:9, 10 says,

“Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” 

You see, we are already justified by the blood of Christ. The death of Christ took care of all of our sins. And now we are kept, not by our own lives, but “by his life.” 

A Christian should hold fast to his profession. Even when Satan traps him and he falls into sin, he should not throw away his hope. Why? Hebrews 4:14-16,

“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” 

Jesus knows all our temptations. He is our High Priest, is now in the Heavens, taking our place. Oh, “let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”! 

...But if a saved person ever falls away and loses salvation and goes to Hell, then all the high-priestly prayers of Christ are of no avail; the prayer of Jesus in John, chapter 17, was not heard. It does no good that He ever lives to make intercession for us according to the will of God. It does no good that “we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous”—that is, I say, it does no good if a saved soul can be lost after he had been born again by faith in Christ. 

Do you not see that the Bible doctrine of the high-priestly work of Christ is interceding for His own clearly contradicts the foolish thought that a child of God can be lost again? The two doctrines cannot go together. 

SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 10, 11, 12 and 13; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers

Another Gospel absurdity if eternal life can ever be lost is...

V. If a Saved Person Can Be Lost Then God's Own Child Would Be in Hell

The Bible doctrine of salvation as a new birth is very definite and clear. Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” and “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God,” and again, “Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again” (John 3:3, 5, 7). No one can ever be saved, said Jesus, without being born again. 

This new birth was discussed in John 1:12, 13 as follows: 

“But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

...Now if a born-again person goes to Hell, God's nature goes to Hell in him, and then we would have people really born of God, still God's children, still with God's nature, in Hell! How absurd and impossible that is! But if a born-again child of God can lose salvation and be lost forever, that would be what would happen; God's own children, with God's nature within them, God's seed in them that could not sin, would be in Hell! 

You see that the doctrine of the new birth and the teaching that a child of God can lose salvation cannot be reconciled. The two doctrines do not fit together. One or the other is false.

SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 13 and 14; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers

Another Gospel absurdity if eternal life can ever be lost is...

VI. If a Saved Person Can Ever Lose Salvation Then Many Promises of the Bible Do Not Mean What They Say or Are Untrue

The Bible has so many promises so definite and clear that if they mean what they say, and if they are true, they prove a child of God can never lose salvation. Will you study some of these promises carefully, and answer in your own heart whether or not they mean what they say, and then whether or not they are true? 

1. John 5:24:  

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” 

Here we are told that one who hears the Word of Christ and depends on or trusts in the Father who sent Jesus to save sinners, already has everlasting life “and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.” Notice we are not told that the believer in Christ will one day in Heaven have everlasting life. No, he has it already! The promise is as clear as can be that this one who has trusted in Christ shall never come into condemnation. He is already passed out of death into life. How could that be true if one loses his salvation? Anyone who had trusted in Christ and been born again, then, if he should be lost and go to Hell, would have a right to look God in the face and tell Him that His Word could not be trusted. Either God did not mean what He said or He did not keep His promises. 

2. John 10:27-29:  

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.”

Those who are really Christ's sheep hear His voice. He knows them and they follow Him. Christ's sheep do not follow Him perfectly, but there is something in the heart of every born again person that loves God and hates sin and wants to do right; something that follows Jesus. Now about these sheep Jesus says, “And I give unto them eternal life.” Christians do not buy life, they do not work for it, they are not on probation for it; Jesus simply, freely, gives His sheep eternal life! But is it life eternal that only lasts one year or ten years or ten minutes or until sin comes in? Certainly not! Eternal life lasts forever. 

...Now if the Word of God is true, if Christ meant what He said, and if His words can be relied upon, then not a single sheep of His will ever be taken out of His hands by the Devil or sin. 

Someone says, “Well, Brother Rice, maybe he can take himself out of the hands of Christ and God.” No; Jesus plainly said, “Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” You cannot even pluck yourself out of the hand of Christ. And who ever heard of anyone who wanted to? I have known Christians to fall into terrible sin as Peter did, as Lot did, as David did,. But neither Peter, nor David, nor Lot, nor any weak and failing and sinning Christian I ever knew really wanted to be taken out of the hand of Christ and wanted his soul lost. That is a silly thought.  

So you see that if a saved person ever goes to Hell it proves the promises of Christ and God in the Bible do not mean what they say, or they are not true,

3. Romans 8:33-39:  

“33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. 34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36. As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 37. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Here God's Word plainly promises that God has justified His own elect and no one will be able to lay anything to their charge (verse 33). He says that no one can condemn a Christian since Christ has died for him and is even now living and at the right hand of God making intercession for us (verse 34). 

And then there is that marvellous promise of verses 39 and 39 that “neither death, nor life” [not anything living or dead]; that neither “angels, nor principalities, not powers [whether angels of God in Heaven or fallen angels and the principalities and powers of darkness], nor things present, nor things to come [not anything that now exists, not anything that ever will exist in the future], nor height, nor depth [not anything all the way up to Heaven, not anything all the way down to Hell], nor any other creature [not any other thing ever created], SHALL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD, WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD”! 

That Scripture is clearly intended to give full assurance that nothing in all the universe of God—past, present or future—can separate one of God's own, His born-again ones, from His love. If that Scripture is true, if it means what it says, then no child of God can ever be lost. If that should happen it would prove that God's promises are not to be trusted, that the Bible is a lie. But that, we know, is not true. God forbid! 

...Do you know how absurd it is to think that a child of God can be lost, in view of the promises given? If a saved person ever loses his salvation these promises are untrue.

SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 15, 16, 17 and 18; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers

Another Gospel absurdity if eternal life can ever be lost is...

VII. If a Saved Person Can Ever Be Lost, Can Lose His Salvation After Great Bible Promises, Then Christianity Is No Better Than the False Religions of the World

If salvation is by man's work instead of God's grace, then that is exactly what all the false religions teach. 

If one is saved by living a good life, or partly saved by living a good life, instead of by the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, that is exactly what all the false religions teach. 

Our Catholic friends teach that salvation is through the church, observing the rites and following the rules of the church, doing good deeds. Remember that Catholics believe in the death of Christ. They believe that Jesus died, but they do not believe that His death settled salvation for believers. They put in works of righteousness for people to do in order to make sure of salvation. They believe that one who has been right with God may fall away and be lost. The modernists, wicked unbelievers in Christ and the Bible, say that “Salvation is by character.” Other people say that salvation is by blood, but actually they mean that it is not good for ten minutes unless you earn it, unless you live right, unless you hold out faithful. Actually they mean that a Christian is on probation and cannot be sure he is saved until he gets to Heaven! What is the difference between that doctrine that a child of God can be saved today and lost tomorrow, and the essential doctrines of Catholics or modernists? 

Search out the false religions of the world—the Mormon, the Mohammedan, or other heathen and pagan religions. They may believe in sacrifices, in certain rites and ceremonies; but they are all agreed on one thing—that is that whatever salvation there is to be obtained by living a good life, by one's own righteousness. Don't you see that to say that a child of God can be lost again is to say that his salvation depends upon his works and not upon the blood atonement, not upon the high priesthood of Christ? And to say that salvation depends in any wise upon a person's own righteousness and merits is to put Christianity in the class with all the heathen religions and all the false cults. 

Heathen religions and false cults do not have a Saviour whose blood has forever finished the matter of salvation when shed on Calvary, finished it for all who put their trust in Him. They do not have any salvation wrought by the finished work of Christ. 

Heathen religions and false cults do not know anything of justification—the doctrine that one's sins are all laid on Christ in such a fashion and His righteousness accredited to the sinner in such a way that the Christian cannot be charged with his sins to lose his soul. He can be chastened, he may lose his reward, but he cannot lose his soul. Heathen religions, modernism, Catholics, Mormons, and so-called Christian Scientists know nothing of this Bible doctrine of justification. 

Heathen religions know nothing of the thought of a High Priest in Heaven who is ever there interceding for us, praying for His own, guaranteeing our safety and security. 

These doctrines, I say, are unknown to heathen religions. But when you believe in salvation by human works, or on a salvation that is even partly deserved by human merit, then you put Christianity down on the same low plane with all the false religions. 

But how absurd, how impossible to count Christianity like these heathen and false religions! If a saved person can be lost, then the salvation of a Christian is just like the salvation of a heathen—depending upon his works. We know that that cannot be true.

SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 18, 19 and 20; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers

And finally dear reader, here is the last Gospel absurdity if eternal life can ever be lost is...

VIII. If One Saved Soul is Ever Lost, Then All Saved People Will Go to Hell Alike, Since All Are Sinners Alike

To the human eye there seems to be a great difference in Christian people. One seems to be most devout and spiritually-minded and pure in heart. Another seems to be very worldly and careless and unworthy. I say it seems that there is a vast difference. 

But actually there is no such difference as there seems to be. The trouble is that “man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Sam. 16:7). There is a difference in the outward appearance of Christians, but in the heart each one has the same two natures. The casual observer would think that Paul the apostle had no struggle over sin and temptation like other Christians do, but the seventh chapter of Romans tells us, “When I would do good, evil is present with me,” and again, “So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin” (verses 21 and 25). Paul would appear to be the best man in all the New Testament, excepting Jesus Christ, but he plainly says, by divine inspiration, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; OF WHOM I AM CHIEF” (1 Tim. 1:15). 

So then if Paul was still the chief of sinners, then he would have been lost after salvation if anybody was lost. 

It boils down to this. There cannot be any real salvation except on the basis of God's wonderful grace in saving sinners who do not deserve it, saving us on the basis that out faith is counted for righteousness, the basis that all of our sins are laid on Christ and paid for and forgiven forever. 

If Christ does not keep, wholly by grace, those who are His own born-again ones when they do not deserve salvation; if He does not keep Christians who sin and fail, then He does not keep anybody. 

...Now you can see why those who do not believe in the blessed security of born-again Christians use human arguments instead of the Scriptures. With good intentions they quote but misuse a few Scriptures, interpreting them contrary to the intended meaning of the Holy Spirit. 

...They say again and again that for the Christian “life is probation,” though such a term is not even mentioned in the Bible. 

They often say that no one can say that he is already saved for sure, or that we won't know until we get to Heaven. But the Bible repeatedly teaches that one now, present tense, has eternal life or everlasting life when he believes in Christ, that he shall not come into condemnation,  that he is already passed from death into life, that he shall never perish, that he is now the child of God, that he has now received the atonement, and so forth. 

No matter how good these arguments sound, the simple truth is that they are used because men cannot prove by the Bible that a child of God can fall away and forever be lost. Hence they try to prove it by human reasoning. Which will you take, brother, sister—human reasoning, or the Word of God? 

...I am not encouraging Christians to sin. The great love of a mother does not encourage her child to sin. Why should God's love encourage God's children to sin? God's love is more unchanging than a mother's love. A mother may punish her child and God punishes His child but He never breaks His promises and He never casts him out.

SOURCE: Dr. John R. Rice, Eight Gospel Absurdities, pp. 20, 21  and 22; ©1946, Sword of the Lord Publishers

That was so wonderful! I love and appreciate Dr. Rice's eloquent style of writing and biblical wisdom. Thank God for the great men of God who have gone before us—Dwight L. Moody, Alexander Marshall, Harry A. Ironside, John R. Rice, J. Frank Norris, Jack Hyles, Lee Roberson, Lester Roloff, Curtis Hutson and so many others who faithfully taught the Word of God and led countless souls to Christ with the Gospel of free grace. It is our job, my job, to pick up the mantle to preach THE TRUTH to this generation. By God's grace I will continue to do so. I typed out key portions of Dr. Rice's booklet, “Eight Gospel Absurdities,” for your edification. I encourage you to visit the Sword of the Lord's bookstore and purchase many of the affordable helpful booklets by Dr. Rice, Curtis Hutson and other Spirit-led soulwinning saints. They are worth more than gold!!!

We have learned in this blog, featuring the appreciative Bible knowledge of John R. Rice, that eternal life cannot be forfeited for any reason. How could we ever lose that which was not ours to give in the first place? As Jonah pondered in the whale's belly in Jonah 2:9, “Salvation is of the LORD.” Salvation is not of man. We are saved by HIS RIGHTEOSUNESS. Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Philippians 3:9, “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” I love that Bible verse! Dear friend, getting saved has nothing to do with your goodness, your performance or your eagerness to stop living in sin; it has everything to do with God's imputed (credited to you) righteousness, which is by faith alone in Jesus Christ. As Dr. Rice so eloquently stated earlier—“He took our sins; we take His righteousness.” Yes, that is a beautiful truth!

You will often run across the acronym on religious social media—“OSAS” (Once Saved, Always Saved). Now you'll know what it means. This is 100% biblical. I prefer to say, “If saved, always saved.” Many churchgoers who profess to be saved are not saved at all. You'd be shocked, as I was, how many faithful Baptists have never been born-again.

While attending the shameful Harvest Baptist Church on Guam in 2014 for a year, I witnessed to numerous church and staff members, and found that most of them were not saved. That is tragic and is the fault of their incompetent pastor, Marty Herron (an unsaved neo-evangelical who idolizes Calvinist heretic, Dr. John MacArthur).

One staff member, Jason, who is one of Harvest's school teachers, said that he thinks “more” is required than faith in the Gospel to be saved. Sadly, Jason also thinks that you must surrender control of your life over to Christ, turn away from your sinful ways, and make Jesus the “Lord” of your life to get to Heaven. Jason is woefully in error concerning the Scriptures! In fact, faith is the only righteousness thing that I can do! Salvation is not a reward for the righteous, it is a gift for the guilty!

Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your account through receiving Him by faith. Turning away from sinful ways would be a work. Faith puts all of the merit where it belongs, on the object of our faith, Jesus and His work. If to “repent” means to forsake our sinful ways TO BE SAVED, but Jesus already paid for our sins by dying on the cross, then what are we repenting from? The true Gospel always points you to CHRIST; a false gospel always points to YOU. If saved, always saved.