Sunday, August 23, 2015

False Teacher Charles Stanley and Alice Cooper

The Gospel According
To Charles Stanley

Dan Corner

LISTEN TO: The Gospel According to Charles Stanley (mp3, part 1) | (ram, part 1)
LISTEN TO: The Gospel According to Charles Stanley (mp3, part 2) | (ram, part 2)
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charles stanley eternal security

Charles Stanley
charles stanley refuted

(A Biblical Critique Of Charles Stanley's Book,
Eternal Security: Can You Be Sure)

The Shocking Reality Of Charles Stanley's Gospel

Charles Stanley eternal security teacherVery few people who have been saved for any length of time are unacquainted with the name Charles Stanley, the father of Andy Stanley. Charles Stanley's national TV and radio program, In Touch, is regularly broadcasted throughout the United States. As the senior pastor of a 12,000 member Baptist church in Georgia and twice elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention, his religious influence is staggering. Charles Stanley has complete global recognition, being found in every nation in some form via TV, radio and/or the distribution of his books. In fact, his "In Touch" broadcast is aired in many more than 196 countries around the world. Charles Stanley's book entitled Eternal Security Can You Be Sure? is a major focal point of this booklet dealing with his view of the gospel.
Anyone who has heard Dr. Charles Stanley teach a dozen or so sermons has certainly heard some fine teachings! Without a doubt, this is true! But does this mean that everything Charles Stanley teaches is Biblically sound? Is it possible that this popular preacher might have some teachings that are not consistent with Scripture? In this booklet we will not address his sound sermons, but instead we will critique Charles Stanley's conception of the gospel and how his gospel based on eternal security compares with Scripture. Are they one and the same or is there an important difference that will adversely affect people, to some degree, throughout eternity?
UNBELIEVABLE What Charles Stanley Tells Suicidal People
EVERYONE Should Know This About Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley Thinks Eternal Security
Is Linked To The Gospel

Charles Stanley eternal security teacherFor those who are regular listeners of his broadcasts, to hear eternal security taught, directly or indirectly, is not uncommon!charles stanley true christianThis is so because to him, the gospel itself is very closely connected with the teaching of eternal security. Charles Stanley has put forth his view of this with these words:
"The very gospel itself comes under attack when the eternal security of the believer is questioned." "... the very foundations of Christianity begin to crumble once we begin tampering with the eternal security of the believer."
"Yet I reject the notion that eternal security is just a Baptist doctrine. As you read, I believe it will become apparent that this doctrine is first and foremost a biblical one."
"You see, it isn't just good news. It is good news about Jesus Christ, Who paid our sin debt in full to a holy God Who required death for sin and the shedding of His blood, satisfied that requirement, and made it possible for you and me to be accepted in the eyes of God and to be eternally secure in Him. That's why He called it the grace of God."
A close examination of these aforementioned statements from Charles Stanley clearly reveals his views on eternal security. To him it is: (1) intrinsically linked to the gospel, (2) foundational to Christianity,alice cooper charles stanley (3) a first and foremost Bible doctrine and included under the grace of God!

The Definition of Eternal Security

Charles Stanley eternal security teacherThe following is the eternal security definition cited by Charles Stanley:
"... eternal security is that work of God in which He guarantees that the gift of salvation once received is possessed forever and cannot be lost."
One of the objectives of this booklet is to precisely identify what Charles Stanley means when he says that our salvation "once received is possessed forever and cannot be lost." Remember, this internationally known religious figure has linked this concept (eternal security) to the gospel and the grace of God. The following elaborates Charles Stanley's view:
"The Bible clearly teaches that God's love for His people is of such magnitude that even those who walk away from the faith have not the slightest chance of slipping from His hand."
"Even if a believer for all practical purposes becomes an unbeliever, his salvation is not in jeopardy."
"... believers who lose or abandon their faith will retain their salvation ...."
By these statements, Charles Stanley's gospel shockingly declares someone still "saved" who becomes an apostate, that is, one who "becomes an unbeliever" or "lose[s] or abandons their faith." In other words, one's salvation is always "possessed forever and cannot be lost" even if such a person no longer believes! Charles Stanley Is a True Eternal Security Teacher

Charles Stanley's Meaning of The True "Christian"

As might be expected, Charles Stanley's understanding of what a Christian is surfaces throughout his teachings, but even this has naturally been affected by his adherence to eternal security:
"... a Christian who at no point in his entire life bore any eternal fruit. And yet his salvation is never jeopardized."
"... there are Christians who show no evidence of their Christianity as well."
"Consequently, God does not require a constant attitude of faith in order to be saved -- only an act of faith."
"It [saving faith] is a singular moment in time wherein we take what God has offered."
According to Charles Stanley and eternal security, it is possible for a Christian to bear no fruit at all throughout his entire life, show absolutely "no evidence" of his Christianity at all and not maintain a "constant attitude of faith"! Is this really what the Bible teaches or is it a dangerous distortion of the true gospel of grace to the point where it has now been turned into something different? Jude urged Christians in his day to fight against a grace teaching which, in reality, was not true grace teaching but instead a distorted "grace" message which allowed for immorality (Jude 3, 4).
To understand what a real Christian is, is most basic to Christianity itself. To be in error over this issue must produce a faulty understanding of salvation itself, since only a true Christian possesses salvation (1 Jn. 5:11-13 cf. Jn. 14:6)! With regard to the identity of true Christians, the Lord Jesus described such in more than one way. He not only said they "believe" in Him (Jn. 3:15, 16, 18, 36; 6:47; etc.) but said they "follow" Him (Jn. 10:27). Similarly, Jesus said:

"My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice" (Lk. 8:21).
This is a very important verse, for in it Jesus clearly gives us His definition of who the real Christians are and didn't stop with one who has at least a moment's faith in Himself, like Charles Stanley.
Moreover, Heb. 5:9 states:

"... he [Jesus] became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him."
Likewise, the Apostle John described a Christian with the following:
"We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, 'I know him,' but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (1 Jn. 2:3, 4).
These descriptions of true Christians given by the Lord and His Apostles are mutually exclusive to Charles Stanley's! Without a doubt salvation is a gift which comes at the point of a trusting-submitting faith in Christ. Furthermore, the recipient has spiritual life now. But this does not assume such can afterwards stop believing on Christ and turn to a life that behaviorally is no different than the Christ rejecters, yet still remain a Christian.
The following passages will help us understand the real Christian even better for they refer to those who will actually enter the kingdom of God:

"... those who have practiced doing good [will come out] to the resurrection of [new] life" (Jn. 5:29, Amplified Bible).
"To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life" (Rom. 2:7).
"... with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers" (Rev. 17:14).
These all describe the "overcomers" as mentioned in Rev. 21:7 or the "sheep" who enter the kingdom in Mt. 25:31-46. Spend time pondering these Scriptures to illuminate your understanding of these issues.
One final verse needs to be mentioned on this subject which shows the close connection between one's faith and his behavior:

"What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?"(Jam. 2:14).
Though Charles Stanley's gospel connected to eternal security would answer in the affirmative, the answer "No" is clearly implied to James' question regarding saving faith. Again, from this verse we see that a true, living, saving faith will have good works attached to it! This is fact, even though we are not saved by our own good works (Eph. 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5). We are saved by our faith, which must be in the Lord Jesus (Lk.7:50; Acts 10:43; 20:21; 26:20b; etc.).

The True Grace of God In Titus 2:12

Since we are saved by grace and not by our own good works (Eph. 2:8, 9), as already mentioned, it is imperative to find out what grace is. Perhaps the true, Biblical grace of God is most concisely given in Titus 2:12:
"It [the grace of God] teaches us to say 'No' to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age."
In other words, true grace teaching, according to the Bible, promotes holy living and does not allow for immorality! In fact, it may surprise some to learn that true grace teaching goes even further than this. Paul expands upon holy living and the seriousness of rejecting such with the following:
"For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit" (1 Thess. 4:7, 8).
In stark contrast to these truths about New Testament grace and holy living, Charles Stanley shockingly, because of eternal security, limits the penalty for the most extreme, unholy and flagrantly disobedient lifestyle to just a loss of rewards:
"... You can't sin and live like the devil down here and get by with it even as a believer. The Bible says you will lose your reward but you'll be saved so as by fire. You won't lose your salvation, but there's a whole lot to lose, brother, by sinful living."
This last quote explicitly shows that Charles Stanley's gospel message allows for one who was once saved to afterwards "live like the devil" yet not lose his salvation. Hence, to Charles Stanley and his gospel of grace, a saved person may be one who is presently living "like the devil"! If this isn't a grace message that is a license for immorality, what is? If it isn't extreme enough to be a license for immorality, how much more extreme could one get? Reader, seriously ponder these two questions and the ramifications of such before moving on.

Charles Stanley's Carnal Christian

Charles Stanley carnal Christian is a distortion!Charles Stanley similarly goes on as he comments on the carnal Christian:
"And so, sometimes out of ignorance or whatever it might be, they attempt to gratify and meet those needs the same way they did before they were saved, and therefore, you can't tell a carnal believer from a lost man. That Charles Stanleyis, you can't tell the cold from the carnal because the truth is, they're both acting the same way. Now, one of them is in Christ and one of them isn't. One of them is lost and the other one is in Christ. One of them knows about God and knows him in the experience of salvation; the other doesn't know him at all."
[Unfortunately, Charles Stanley is not alone as he teaches like this regarding the "carnal Christian." Other influential teachers such as Charles Ryrie, Zane Hodges, Robert Thieme, Tony Evans, June Hunt and many others all declare the same eternal security understanding.]
Let's take a close look at 1 Cor. 3:3-5, the primary passage used by Charles Stanley and the others as the basis for this "carnal" Christian teaching. Paul wrote:
"For you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? For when one says, 'I am of Paul,' and another, 'I am of Apollos,' are you not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?" (New King James Version).
Please notice that it was envy, strife and divisions and those alone which made Paul address them as "carnal," as the immediate context shows! This is clearly what verse 4 declares, as it cites why Paul called them "carnal." Furthermore, all the envy, strife and divisions were over their favorite gospel preacher, according to verse 5. (See also 1 Cor. 1:12; 3:21.)
To read into "carnal" and openly teach, as eternal security teacher, Charles Stanley does around the globe, is to dangerously distort the image of true Christianity. By fabricating this new type of saved person that is behaving just like the darkened, God-hating, Hell-bound, Christ-rejecters multitudes are re-opened, by Charles Stanley, to the greatest danger yet are unaware of it.

Besides the immediate context of 1 Cor. 3:3, this Charles Stanley concept of the "carnal" Christian is also refuted Scripturally by the following:

First, Paul stated the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9), then told us in the next verse how to identify someone who is wicked from their behavior. The sexually immoral, drunkards and the greedy are included in this group and will, therefore, be excluded from the kingdom unless they turn from their sins. No exception is made for one previously saved! This is the true grace teaching, according to Scripture.

Second, Paul demonstratively used this 1 Cor. 6:9, 10 gauge in the preceding chapter regarding a sexually immoral man who was attending their Christian gatherings in Corinth. In reference to him, Paul wrote:
"... Expel the wicked man from among you" (1 Cor. 5:13).
Paul, who could not see this man's heart, could tell by his sinful behavior (sexual immorality) that this man was wicked and therefore unsaved.
His advice regarding this man, who was previously saved, was totally unlike the advice to those never saved -- though both need salvation:
"Hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord" (1 Cor. 5:5).
Obviously, the Corinthian congregation had only one sexually immoral person in it at that time, whom the others were to expel from among them. If there would have been others who were known to be sexually immoral, they too would have been treated like that man. This point alone is devastating to the "carnal" Christian understanding which Charles Stanley and other eternal security proponents embrace.
Before we proceed, one other vital point regarding the issue of "carnal" Christians needs to be made. 1 Cor. 5:11 says:
"But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat."
This verse also clearly refutes the view that a carnal Christian behaves indistinguishably from the unsaved, since Paul made a clear distinction between the "carnal" Corinthians and those who were to be avoided, as cited in this verse. Charles Stanley is clearly wrong! In other words, the Corinthians (who were labeled "carnal" because of strife and divisions over their favorite gospel preachers) were told not to even eat with those who professed to be saved but were sexually immoral, drunkards, greedy, etc. Without a doubt, the latter were not present-tense possessors of eternal life (1 Cor. 6:9, 10 cf. Rev. 21:8). There is a clear distinction between the two. 1 Cor. 5:11 proves that even the carnal Christian could not be in any of these categories! Consequently, for the people who embrace a contradictory view of the "carnal" there is also a major problem with this verse and the aforementioned descriptions of the truly saved. This "carnal" Christian question is a watershed issue, since it really affects the definition of a Christian and, therefore, who will ultimately be saved. To be wrong about this is to be wrong about who will be excluded from the kingdom of God and thrown into the lake of fire.

"A Tree Is Known By Its Fruit"

The Lord declared, "A tree is known by its fruit" (Mt. 12:33, New King James Version). This is a prevalent teaching throughout the New Testament.
Paul similarly taught the following:
"But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives" (1 Tim. 5:6).
Paul could categorically make such a statement based solely on one's behavior. For him to declare that such widows were spiritually dead if they were presently living for pleasure is a flat contradiction to eternal security. If Paul believed in eternal security, he could never have said this because such widows might have been saved at an earlier time and therefore would still be spiritually alive even though they were presently living this way.
Like Jesus and Paul, consider also what the Apostle John asserted regarding this:
"This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother" (1 Jn. 3:10).
What they knew in first century Christianity about one's spiritual status from his behavior is now being flatly rejected by Charles Stanley and others through the rampant teaching of our day known as "eternal security" -- the very teaching Charles Stanley says if questioned is to question the gospel itself. Wow!
The Apostle John, who often wrote to counter false teachers of his day, declared something else very relevant about the link between one's behavior and his salvation:
"Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray. He who does what is right is righteous, just as he is righteous. He who does what is sinful is of the devil ... " (1 Jn. 3:7, 8).
It is also apparent from these verses that, again, the Lord's Apostles, in contrast to Charles Stanley and other eternal security teachers, did not believe that it was possible to be in Christ and at the same time to be "living like the devil"! Therefore, we are talking about two different grace messages and two different images of Christianity. Charles Stanley's allows for the most unholy and immoral behavior among the saved and one doesn't.

Charles Stanley's Counsel To Suicidal People

With suicide abounding, this is a very important issue to address. While commenting on this subject, Charles Stanley also reveals at the same time how he understands the forgiveness of sins which the Lord Jesus provided on the cross. Charles Stanley starts off by saying:
"When He died on the cross, He took care of all of our sin."
Again, what is Charles Stanley's interpretation of this fundamental truth of Scripture? It becomes apparent as he elaborates:
"When He died on the cross, He took care of all of our sin. You say, 'You mean to tell me that if a person takes their own life, after all these things that you just talked about, all these things of sins that that person's forgiven?' Forgiven .... that person is going to lose reward."
"A believer who commits suicide is already forgiven. Now I didn't say it was gonna be good for him, I said they're forgiven. They are pardoned of that sin."
From this we learn that Charles Stanley's eternal security Baptist gospel allows the unrepentant murderers (suicide victims) in Heaven, that is, if they ever for a moment of time had a saving faith in Christ!
[Some others, besides Charles Stanley, who teach the same are David Breese, Bob George, June Hunt, David Jeremiah, Hank Hanegraaff, Ron Rhodes, and the deceased J. Vernon McGee.

Eternal Security and Suicide Victim Kenneth Nally

In the 1980's, John MacArthur, Jr.'s congregation had a lawsuit brought against it related to this issue because of clergy counsel rendered to Kenneth Nally, a suicidal young man who killed himself afterwards. Testimony indicated the pastors taught the following:
"... that a 'saved' person would go to heaven despite committing suicide; according to attorney Barker, such teaching could have been interpreted as a 'green light' by Nally to kill himself."
In another even more convincing instance, Ron Rhodes and Paul Carden counseled a suicidal woman on "The Bible Answer Man" radio broadcast who told them, "If I knew I was going to Heaven, I would do it [commit suicide]." (This personal testimony proves eternal security is conducive to suicide.) Although Carden made somewhat of an attempt to deter her, Rhodes shockingly, on the other hand, ultimately assured her, "You are eternally secure. Anyone who has trusted in Christ is eternally secure ...."]
According to Charles Stanley's gospel, which is based on eternal security, one's spiritual condition at the very end of his life is totally irrelevant to his eternal destiny! In contrast to Charles Stanley's teachings, see Mt. 10:22; Heb. 3:14; Rev. 2:10, 11 cf. Jam. 1:12. Let God's word speak to you!

By teaching as he does about suicide, Charles Stanley [and others] places a loaded gun in the hands of the intensely suffering Christian, completely drained of all hope. For those who buy into Charles Stanley's counterfeit gospel, the sin of self-murder is actually a blessing, for it prematurely will end one's pain here and send him quickly to a paradise Heaven (so he thinks)!

Just like the Jehovah's Witnesses' erroneous teaching on blood transfusions, Charles Stanley's teaching could possibly be sending multitudes to a premature grave -- but even worse sending the same to Hell. According to the Bible, the lake of fire is clearly the destiny of all unrepentant murderers (Rev. 21:8; 1 Jn. 3:15). Remember it is impossible for one who murders himself to afterwards repent!

Getting back to Charles Stanley's understanding of Jesus' death on the cross, which has been adversely affected by his acceptance of eternal security, he says:
"No matter what you do as a child of God, you are forgiven. You say, 'Murder?' Forgiven. 'Stealing?' Forgiven. 'Adultery?' Forgiven. 'Worshiping idols?' Forgiven."
Pandora's box is widely opened now by Charles Stanley. Limitless kinds of the most heinous sins known to mankind are no longer something to be avoided for salvation's sake since, according to Charles Stanley's gospel, the Christian is already forgiven even before the sin is committed! Elsewhere, Charles Stanley said:
"It is not lying, cheating, stealing, raping, murdering, or being unfaithful that sends people to hell."
"To hold to a theology in which man can do something that throws him back into a state of spiritual deadness, thus denying God His predetermined purpose, is to embrace a system in which man is in the driver's seat and God is just a passenger."
In other words, the bogus Charles Stanley gospel of eternal security declares that no sin committed after salvation will send one to Hell. This is a common deception in our day, which is certainly sending multitudes to Hell.
If there ever existed a distortion of Scripture and a counterfeit grace message that is, in reality, a "license for immorality" this type of teaching has to be it! [Joseph Prince books are not the onlypoison bait the devil presents!] This isn't the good news the Bible speaks of. Charles Stanley's gospel is bad news for all who accept it. There is no way to know how many suicides, broken families through divorce, and criminal acts that occurred because of this type of teaching, which continues to spread, seemingly unchallenged, through Charles Stanley's global ministry and eternal security as a whole.

Charles Stanley's Snare To Christians

Unconsciously laying a snare for the Christian by teaching "once saved always saved," Charles Stanley says the following as he comments on the Prodigal Son:
"Sometimes you and I may resort to looking and acting like we used to behave before we were saved, but just because we behave that way doesn't mean we have lost our salvation....But let's look at the Prodigal Son for just a moment.... So, here he is living in sin and his lifestyle is such that's absolutely wicked....Let me tell you something. When you are born again by the grace of Almighty God, and you become a child of God, you are born again. You become a new creation in Christ. You are adopted into the family of God. It doesn't make any difference how wicked and how vile you act....You never get away with sin. But it doesn't mean because you sin against God, God rejects you for your disobedience because in this story, God is pictured as running toward a backsliding son who came home to his father."
Please note that Charles Stanley gives the reason for his belief that the Prodigal was always saved as being because the Father is pictured as running to him when he came home. It is vitally important to remember that this occurred only after the Prodigal turned away from his lifestyle of sin in a humble and sorrowful attitude to return to the Father to serve Him.
Furthermore, amidst all this Biblical terminology, Charles Stanley slips in his "gospel" of eternal security, that is, salvation "cannot be lost" regardless of any type of habitual sinful living and/or abandonment of the faith. Here this respected, international figure states that even a lifestyle that is "absolutely wicked" won't negate one's salvation! Gal. 5:19-21 is a clear refutation to this. Paul wrote:
"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God."
[The aforementioned passage declares that one can be perfectly sound in his doctrine yet miss the kingdom of God because he yields habitually to his sinful nature! Similarly, Paul told Christians in Rom. 8:13:
"If you use your lives to do the wrong things your sinful selves want, you will die spiritually. But if you use the Spirit's help to stop doing the wrong things you do with your body, you will have true life" (New Century Version).
In part, the New International Version renders this same passage "put to death the misdeeds of the body." The Greek reveals a continuous tense here regarding the "putting to death" of our sinful natures. This is done through our free will and human responsibility. Most importantly, it is only possible with the help, not dominance, of the Holy Spirit.]
Lk. 15:24, 32 are two essential verses for the proper understanding of the Prodigal Son. Both of these Scriptures, declared by the Father, reveal the spiritual condition of the Prodigal both before and after the time of his "living in sin," as Charles Stanley states it. Verse 24 spoken by the Father to his servants says:
"For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found,"
while verse 32, spoken to the older son says:
"... this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."
HERE IS THE PROOF That The Bible Teaches The Righteous Can Die SpirituallyUnlike what Charles Stanley teaches, the important point the Father was emphasizing was the complete reversal of the Prodigal's spiritual condition now that he repented. He went from "dead" to "alive again" which is equated in the same sentence as going from "lost" to "found." Hence, there is great reason to rejoice over such a sinner that repents, as already mentioned two separate times in this same chapter in the parables of the Lost Sheep and Lost Coin.

Perhaps the English words "alive again" are most revealing. The Greek word from which "alive again" comes is found five times in the New Testament -- in these two verses just cited, Rom. 7:9; 14:9 and Rev. 20:5. It means live again or revive.(29) This meaning is easily seen in Rom. 14:9, "... Christ died and returned to life ...." Here it is stated that the Lord's physical condition went from life TO death [on the cross] TO life again [when He arose from the grave]. Similarly, the Prodigal's spiritual condition went from life TO death [when sexually immoral, etc.] TO spiritually alive again [after he repented and returned to the Father's presence].

The Gospel According To Charles Stanley (continued)
or see the The Winner Is Charles Stanley



The true plan of salvation is repentance towards God and faith in Christ Jesus (Acts 20:21). We prove our repentance by our deeds (Acts 26:20). The Lord Jesus taught the road to life is "hard"and only a "few" will find it (Mt. 7:13,14, NKJV). Many get saved, but afterwards fall away (Lk. 8:13; Jn. 6:66; 1 Tim. 1:19; etc.). In other words, after initial salvation we must endure to the"end" to enter the kingdom of God and escape the lake of fire (Mt. 10:22; Heb. 3:14; Rev. 2:10,11). Eternal life comes to the repentant the moment such believe on Jesus for salvation (Jn. 3:16; 6:47; 1 Jn. 5:12,13), but there is another important aspect of eternal life that many are totally unware of in our day because of the false teaching of eternal security. According to true grace teaching, eternal life is also a HOPE (Titus 3:7), yet to be REAPED (Gal. 6:8,9) in the AGE TO COME (Mk. 10:30) for only the ones who PERSIST IN DOING GOOD (Rom. 2:7) and DO NOT GROW WEARY AND GIVE UP (Gal. 6:9).
If a saved person sows to please his sinful nature he'll die spiritually (Rom. 8:13; Gal. 6:8,9). The prodigal is a clear example of this (Lk. 15:24,32). The end result of sin is spiritual death, so DO NOT BE DECEIVED (James 1:14-16). For more information regarding The Believer's Conditional Security Refutes Charles Stanley and others.the believer's security, see our 801 page book, The Believers Conditional Security, which is the most exhaustive and comprehensive refutation to eternal security ever written. It will not be refuted!
Because of the teaching of once saved always saved, grace has been taught as a license for immorality for so long, and without challenge, that when Scripture is quoted, such as 1 Cor. 6:9,10 or Rev. 21:8, it is disregarded, and the giver of God's Word is falsely accused of teaching legalism, bondage, works, etc. This reflects how truly dark are the days in which we live!
Please read the ACID TEST question to know if a ministry or local congregation is teaching a license for immorality as condemned by Jude 3,4. If their answer is "YES," avoid it like the AIDS virus! To sit under this teaching influence could mean that your soul and the souls of your loved ones will be eternally damned as a result. To support and promote such a ministry and teaching is to share in its wicked work (2 Jn. 9-11). This includes your financial donations! Flee from such a ministry or congregation and encourage others to do the same before it's eternally too late.

Charles Stanley
You can purchase, in bulk, the 42 page booklet refuting the false gospel of Charles Stanley in English or Spanish. The Gospel According To Charles Stanley is available at Evangelical Books.The Gospel According To Charles Stanley booklet

Dr. Charles Stanley

Skull and Crossbones Awards of False Prophets and False Teachers
Which Gospel or Salvation Do You Believe
Find Peace With God
Eternal Security - Doctrine Of Demons
Approaching Death
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Jack Van Impe Gets The Skull And Crossbones Award

Jack Van Impe Gets The
Skull And Crossbones Award

Dan Corner

jack van impe
Jack Van Impe
Jack Van Impe

Jack Van Impe Is a Heretic

Jack Van ImpeJack Van Impe is a very popular present-day prophesy teacher. He claims to have nearly 14,000 Bible verses memorized, but remains in violent contradiction to the message of the Bible in three glaring ways: (1) His amazing compromise with Catholicism and endorsements of various Popes; (2) He teaches pre-tribulation rapture and (3) His belief in eternal security. This Skull and Cross Bones Award is given to him on the basis of his heretical teaching of eternal security. This is what Jack Van Impe wrote:

Jack Van Impe Gets The Skull And Crossbones Award
The Bible also plainly states that a Christian can accumulate rewards while he is on earth, and then lose them before his death, or before the Raptureby foolish living. That’s right. A Christian cannot live in sin without suffering the consequences—not the loss of his salvation, but of his rewards.[Everything you always wanted to know about prophecy but didn’t know who to ask! Copyright 1980, Jack Van Impe Ministries, pp. 38-39.]

Jack Van Impe just stated you can “live in sin” and not lose your “salvation,” which is both deadly and anti-Scriptural. This is not Christian teaching. This is what thedevil wants you to believe. Then later in his same book he answers the following question:

Is it true that one sin can keep you out of heaven?

Jack Van impe's erroneous answer to that question is:

No. [Ibid, p. 59.]

On some occasions, according to Scripture, salvation can be lost with one sin. (It doesn’t always happen this quickly, though.) Remember, Adam and Eve lost their salvation with justone sin! (It wasn’t “lifestyle” sinning for them.) Also, if a Christian takes the mark of the beast he will lose his salvation over that one act. Thirdly, it is possible to disown Jesus with one’s remarks which can happen with just a few words and very Q-U-I-C-K-L-Y (Mt.26:34). Jesus said, But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.(Mat 10:33) Hence, if Jesus disowns us, we can’t be part of his spiritual family any more.

There are also other ways to lose one’s salvation besides sinning. If a Christian stops believing the true plan of salvation and accepts a false plan of salvation he will lose his salvation (Gal. 5:2-4;1 John 2:24,25; 1 Cor. 15:2; 2 John 9; etc.)

In conclusion: Since Jack Van Impe poisonously teaches a Christian can live in sin and not lose his salvation, he would consistently also believe you can’t lose your salvation over one sin or any amount of sin. Please consult our 801 page book, The Believer's Conditional Security for the Biblical details on this salvation-related issue. Don’t be deceived by Jack Van Impe or any other Scripture twister.

GOD BLESS YOU.

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The Woes of Sexual Immorality

The Woes of Sexual Immorality

Dan Corner

sexual immorality

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sexual immorality

The Regrets of Sexual Immorality

Everyone Should Know What The Mouth Of An Adulteress Is Likened To

Premarital Safe Sex - Are Any Sexually Active Singles Really Safe?

flee sexual immoralitySexual immorality is different from all other sins. The devil as a convincing and enticing liar uses sexual immorality whenever he can! He also only has your worst in mind as he tries to lure you away from God and into sexual sin. He knows what sexual immorality can do to your soul. When the liar comes tempting with deadly sin, especially sexual immorality, he portrays it as something far from reality. He never will give the full picture including the guilt, shame, spiritual death and pain that come afterwards. If he did, no one would ever fall prey to his temptations.

If I Could Only Turn Back
The Hands Of Time

What you are about to read are actual emails that have been written by those deceived into committing sexual immorality. Note the bitter pain, regret and questions afterwards. If only they could turn back the hands of time they would not have yielded to the devil. Remember what this sin brought to them and learn from their experiences:

●    I have been sexually immoral. I guess I am spiritually dead now and I do feel bad spiritually sick that is. Can I come back to life and be spiritually healthy again?

●    Please help me to overcome my guilt of having a one night stand with a divorced woman. I myself am a single guy. Never been married. But she was married twice and divorced twice. We stop seeing each other after the one night standI regret it ever since, but my conscious is still bothering me. I feel so ashamed and guilt because of my lack of self control at that time. Help me. I hate myself for becoming a stumbling block to her and myself. I am a believer. I repented of it. but yet the thought still lingers in my mind. Also, does that make me an adulterer? Even though I am not married. Yet had a sexual encounter to a divorced woman. Would that make me a fornicator or adulterer or both? I apologized to her and prayed with her to forgive me. I asked God to forgive me and her for this sin. Never again have I contacted her. Will God judge me even though i sinned and apologizedI despised myself for it.

Sexual Immorality Is Unique

The Bible explicitly states that sexual sin is uniquely worse than other types of sin—it is a sin against one’s own body:

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. (1 Cor 6:18)

The Bible advises Christians to flee sexual immorality for good reason. Sexual sin will also drag one to hellunless the sinner gets forgiven, cleansed and changed:

For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. (Eph 5:5-7)

As you just read, sexual immorality is a sin against one’s own body and will drag one to hell. Proverbs gives us other details:

For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life, keeping you from the immoral woman, from the smooth tongue of the wayward wife. Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes, for the prostitute reduces you to a loaf of bread, and the adulteress preys upon your very life. Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned? Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched? So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished. (Prov 6:23-29)

It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words, who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God. For her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead. None who go to her return or attain the paths of life. (Prov 2:16-19)

For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil; but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths are crooked, but she knows it not. Now then, my sons, listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say. Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house, lest you give your best strength to others and your years to one who is cruel, lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich another man’s house. At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent.You will say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! I would not obey my teachers or listen to my instructors. I have come to the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly.” (Prov 5:3-14)

Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man’s wife? For a man’s ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths. The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly. (Prov 5:20-23)

The adulteress is also spoken of here:

With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life. Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say. Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death. (Prov 7:21-27)

A Deep Pit

Notice the words of an adulteress and who gets deceived by her. Also, note her attitude regarding her own wickedness.

The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit; he who is under the Lord’s wrath will fall into it. (Prov 22:14)

This is the way of an adulteress: She eats and wipes her mouth and says, “I’ve done nothing wrong.” (Prov 30:20)

The truth is though she thinks she has done nothing wrong, she has done enough wrong to merit eternal fire. She is going to the fiery lake of burning sulfur and taking others to thefiery lake of burning sulfur with her:

But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liarstheir place will be in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death. (Rev 21:8)

She and her victims must repent and faithfully follow Jesus to the end or be damned.

The Prodigal and King David's Sexual Immorality
Brought Regret and Pain

The prodigal son is a sad example of a person with salvation, who strayed away from God and became spiritually dead and lost because of sin. Among his various sins was sexual immorality. His life was ruined and wasted by sin. What he thought would bring him happiness and joy brought regret, emptiness and spiritual death. He is an example of a person who had a great fall, wisely repented, then humbly came back home to serve God.

Another person who knew about sexual immorality and the misery, shame, regret, other sins that follow and spiritual death it brings was David. Read his remorseful words and ponder them carefully:

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. (Psa 51:3)

Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. (Psa 51:9-11)

Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. (Psa 51:14)

Because of your wrath there is no health in my body; my bones have no soundness because of my sin. My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear. My wounds fester and are loathsome because of my sinful folly. I am bowed down and brought very low; all day long I go about mourning. My back is filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body. I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of heart. All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you. My heart pounds, my strength fails me; even the light has gone from my eyes. My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds; my neighbors stay far away. Those who seek my life set their traps, those who would harm me talk of my ruin; all day long they plot deception. I am like a deaf man, who cannot hear, like a mute, who cannot open his mouth; I have become like a man who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply. (Psa 38:3-14)

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Selah Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD”—and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah (Psa 32:3-5)

To make matters worse for David, the following judgment was pronounced upon him:

“Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own. You killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.” This is what the LORD says: “Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight. You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.” (2 Sam 12:9-12)

The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). This holds true all throughout this life—both before and after getting born again. See Rom. 8:13; James 5:19,20; etc. Sexual immorality will drag multitudes more to the lake of fire. To enter God’s kingdom you will have to be self controlled in this area or you will not enter. Your regret beyond the grave will be throughout eternity as you are tormented in raging fire with no hope of getting out:

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. (1 Pet 5:8,9)

Think about eternity. Crucify the flesh and resist sexual sin. Remember the woes and regrets of sexual immorality sin for your own good.


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Friday, August 21, 2015

Why tithing is not for the New Testament believer. (Post 3)

Why tithing is not for the New Testament believer



Defining the tithing, as the term is used today, I will just state here what I, as a normal believer, have perceived is the view in the 20 years that I have been a Christian. According to this view, tithing is to give 10 % of your income (pre-tax or post-tax – opinions are different) to the church organization with which you are affiliated (the church fellowship that you probably attend on Sundays). This money is then used to support the church budget (rent, bills, staff salaries, missions, etc). By many, not to tithe is considered a sin. Many times you will hear people reciting Malachi 3:8-12 that says:

“Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?' In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me, even this whole nation. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this," Says the Lord of hosts, "If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. "And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field," says the Lord of hosts; And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land," says the Lord of hosts.”

Many use these verses to say that not bringing the “tithes and offerings” to the house of God (which they take it to mean the local church building) is a sin and withholds people from their “blessings”. The problem of using the above passage, as well as other similar Old Testament passages, to support the application of tithing is that this passage and the Mosaic law that this passage is based upon and was valid when it was written belong to the Old Testament. The Old Testament is wonderful and is part of the Holy Scriptures that God inspired. As Paul says in Romans 15:3-4

“For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, " The reproaches of them that reproached you fell on me." For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Whatever is written in the Scripture has been written for our learning. We can learn by reading Deuteronomy. We can learn by reading Malachi or any other Old Testament book. However, though all was written for our learning, not all is written for our application. The Old Testament is addressed to Jews that were living under the Mosaic law. Jesus Christ had not yet come. The price for the atonement of our sins had not yet been paid. The high priest had not yet arrived. As Paul says in Galatians 3:23-26:

“But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”

There was the time before the sacrifice and resurrection of our Lord. This was the time of the law. And there is the time after the sacrifice and resurrection of the Lord. This is the time that we live in now. There are vast differences between these two periods, for the simple reason that what was valid in the first period, the law, is no longer valid in the second period. And what is valid in the second period - grace and being children of God through faith in Jesus Christ - was not available in the first period. Can we learn from what was valid in the first period? Definitely we can. Does it apply to us? Not necessarily. You can read the Psalms and the Proverbs and get guidance for your life today. It is God’s eternal wisdom that crosses time. On the other hand, you can go to law-specific passages, such as the passages about tithing, or the passages about the sacrificing of bulls or the celebrations they had in Israel. Though you can learn from these passages, they are not directly applicable to us. The same is valid for all that refers to Mosaic Law, for the simple reason that this law was abolished with Christ’s sacrifice. It is like reading the law code of laws that are no longer valid. You can learn from them but they are not to be applied, for they are obsolete. As Colossians 2:13-14 says:

“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

And again Ephesians 2:14-15:
“For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace.”

Now if the law is abolished, are we going to apply it again? We can learn from it, but it is no longer a law that is for our application. It is abolished! And tithing is part of this law too. Tithing is a word that occurs a lot in such books of the law as Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Here are some references:

Leviticus 27:30-34 “And all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s. It is holy to the Lord. If a man wants at all to redeem any of histithes, he shall add one-fifth to it. And concerning the tithe of the herd or the flock, of whatever passes under the rod, the tenth one shall be holy to the Lord. He shall not inquire whether it is good or bad, nor shall he exchange it; and if he exchanges it at all, then both it and the one exchanged for it shall be holy; it shall not be redeemed.' These are the commandments which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel on Mount Sinai.”

Notice in the last verse that tithing is part of the commandments, part of the law that God gave to Moses for the children of Israel on mount Sinai. This was the law that was abolished by the sacrifice of Christ. And tithing, being part of this law, was given not for general application but for the children of Israel, till its cancellation by the sacrifice and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here are some more passages about tithing:

Numbers 18:20-32 “Then the Lord said to Aaron: "You shall have no inheritance in their land, nor shall you have any portion among them; I am your portion and your inheritance among the children of Israel. "Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting. Hereafter the children of Israel shall not come near the tabernacle of meeting, lest they bear sin and die. But the Levites shall perform the work of the tabernacle of meeting, and they shall bear their iniquity; it shall be a statute forever, throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance. For the tithes of the children of Israel, which they offer up as a heave offering to the Lord, I have given to the Levites as an inheritance; therefore I have said to them, 'Among the children of Israel they shall have no inheritance.' Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, "Speak thus to the Levites, and say to them: 'When you take from the children of Israel the tithes which I have given you from them as your inheritance, then you shall offer up a heave offering of it to the Lord, a tenth of the tithe. And your heave offering shall be reckoned to you as though it were the grain of the threshing floor and as the fullness of the winepress. Thus you shall also offer a heave offering to the Lord from all your tithes which you receive from the children of Israel, and you shall give the Lord's heave offering from it to Aaron the priest. Of all your gifts you shall offer up every heave offering due to the Lord, from all the best of them, the consecrated part of them.' Therefore you shall say to them: 'When you have lifted up the best of it, then the rest shall be accounted to the Levites as the produce of the threshing floor and as the produce of the winepress. You may eat it in any place, you and your households, for it is your reward for your work in the tabernacle of meeting. And you shall bear no sin because of it, when you have lifted up the best of it. But you shall not profane the holy gifts of the children of Israel, lest you die.”

The passage of Leviticus we read previously dealt with the commandment to the children of Israel to tithe. Where were these tithes supposed to go and for what would they be used ? This is answered by the above passage of Numbers: As verse 21 told us:

Numbers 18:21 “Behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tithes in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work which they perform, the work of the tabernacle of meeting.”

The tithe was to go to the children of Levi, the Levites, that were making up the priest tribe of Israel, the 1/12 of it. It was to be their reward for the service of the tabernacle and later of the temple. Numbers 18:31 says it clearly: “for it is your reward for your service in the tabernacle of the congregation”. It was to be counted by them as “the increase of the threshing floor, and as the increase of the winepress” (Numbers 18:30). In fact the Levites had to give their own tithe from this. This was given to Aaron and was to be the Lord’s heave offering. Many take the above passage and they wrongly try to apply it in the New Testament era, in our age, saying that we should continue to tithe to pay the salaries of the priests, pastors and the clergy in general. But this view cannot be correct as in the New Testament there is simply no special class of clergy and priests. As Peter and John tell us, speaking to us, the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ:

I Peter 2:5 “you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

I Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people”

Revelation 1:5-6 “To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Also as the Lord said speaking to the disciples:

Matthew 23:8-12 “But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren. Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

These passages do not refer to some special class of people but to all believers. All believers are made priests by the Lord Jesus Christ to His God and Father. Does this mean now that we should not financially support believers that move for example from town to town establishing churches and serving the Lord as missionaries ? It does not mean this and we will see it later in this study. What it means is that support and gifts in the New Testament are no longer regulated by the law of the tithe. Instead there are other principles in place for the New Testament gifts and giving and we will see these as we move on in this study. This part of the study focuses on what the Bible does NOT say for us concerning giving –even though people may say it. As we move on, we will focus on what the Bible does say for us.
Back to tithing; was the above – the tithe for the Levites - the only tithe? It appears that it was not, as in Deuteronomy 14:22-29 we see again tithing mentioned but in another context and for what appears to be another purpose. As we read in this passage, every year the Israelites were to take “the tithe of your grain and your new wine and your oil, of the firstborn of your herds and your flocks” (Deuteronomy 14:23) and go to the place that God would define and there: “you shall eat there before the Lord your God, and you shall rejoice, you and your household” (Deuteronomy 14:26). If they were far away they were allowed to sell the various items, get money and “you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires: for oxen or sheep, for wine or similar drink, for whatever your heart desires” (Deuteronomy 14:26). This appears to be a festive tithe. People would take this tithe and use it to eat and drink before the Lord in the place he would define. Notice that this tithe is used by the people themselves. This is different from what we read in Leviticus and Numbers earlier, where the tithe was going to the Levites. It is therefore a different tithe. In fact, every third year this tithe was to be used differently: at the end of that year this tithe was to be collected “and the Levite, because he has no portion nor inheritance with you, and the stranger and the fatherless and the widow who are within your gates, may come and eat and be satisfied” (Deuteronomy 14:29). Furthermore every seven years the land was to have a Sabbath in which nothing was sown or reaped by the owner of the land (Leviticus 25:1-5) but all people were entitled to eat whatever the earth was bringing up on its own (Leviticus 25:6-7) as well as from the big surplus of the sixth year that God had promised to give (Leviticus 25:20-22).

Conclusion.

Let’s summarize what we have learned up to now. As we have seen, tithing was part of the Old Testament law, part of the ordinances that God gave to the children of Israel through Moses. As it appears to me, there were two tithes. The first tithe was going to the Levites while the second was used by the people themselves in rejoicing before the Lord or in the third year it was collected for the poor and (again) for the Levites. Tithing is part of the law and as such it belongs to the same category as animal sacrifices and the many and various regulations this law dictated. We further saw that the New Testament makes it emphatically clear that the law with its ordinances was abolished by the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of this we are not sacrificing animals today. If somebody asks why we don’t do this, we correctly say “because this is part of the Mosaic law and this law is no longer valid. Jesus Christ, through His sacrifice on the cross, abolished in His flesh the enmity, the law of commandments contained in ordinances. We are no longer under the law”. The same reason that we use for not sacrificing animals is also true for tithing. Tithing was, along with animal sacrificing as well as other ordinances, part of the Mosaic law. Whatever is valid to the one is also valid to the other. The Mosaic law became obsolete about 2000 years ago, with Christ’s sacrifice. Together with it, animal sacrifices, tithing and the other ordinances of the law became obsolete too! We can learn from them, but they are not meant to be for our direct application. Is therefore tithing biblical? Yes it is. It is biblical as it is in the Bible. However, is tithing relevant and valid for the Christian ? Here the answer is no! What is for our direct application concerning giving is what we see written in the New Testament. And what we see there is not tithing and tithers but cheerful giving from the heart, according to the ability of each one. Let’s now turn to this.