I made this Blog to begin a commentary on the King James Bible. My goal is not to comment on every verse in the Bible, but to humbly share my knowledge of what I have learned in my 41 years as a born-again Christian. This will be an ongoing labor of love, with the goal of helping you dear reader to solidify your understanding of THE TRUTH. John 17:17, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
Matthew 15:7-9, “Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
Most of the estimated 350,000 churches in the United States are heathen cults. That is, at least 95% of the churches teach another gospel, not the simple plan of salvation set forth in the inspired King James Bible. Some of these damnable religious cults include: Roman Catholicism, Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Churches of Christ, United Methodists, The Church of England (Anglicans), Lutherans, Nazarenes, Christian Science, Seventh-Day Adventists, Calvinist Baptists and Charismatics. All of these ungodly groups pervert the Gospel of free grace, adding works to grace. Kindly said, none of them are going to Heaven!
It is also true that a lot of churches and Bible colleges, like Pensacola Christian College, get so used to going through the motions of religion, that they become carnal in their ministry labors, lacking compassion for people and a genuine walk with God, refusing to earnestly contend for the faith.
Psalms 119:104, "Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way."
Acts 4:13, "Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus."
A believer who genuinely abides in the Scriptures and walks closely with the Lord, will hate falsehoods and be bold to speak the truth. I love that Pastor Younce exposes falsehoods and is bold to preach the truth, which shows me that he walks with God.
Sadly, it is becoming rare in these perilous times to find a pastor that hates heresy, truly loves people, and exposes false prophets like infidel Ken Ham. When false teachers like Ken Ham embellish the Gospel, by adding requirements to get to Heaven that the Bible does not teach, they obscure God's simple plan of salvation, sending people to Hell.
I think Michael P. Bowen said it best in his helpful book, "I NEVER KNEW YOU": "Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born again."
2nd Peter 2:1-3, “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”
Kameron Freeney (aka, “Spirit's Boom”) is a popular charismatic deaf preacher who aims at the deaf and hard of hearing. According to a whistleblower who personally got in touch with this guy, Freeney teaches New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) doctrine to the deaf.
Freeney also claims to be able to “smell” the Holy Spirit in his house while his deaf wife falls down laughing uncontrollably on the floor (aka, Holy Laugher). Freeney believes that Jesus drank “vinegar sour wine” on the cross (despite the Bible clearly teaching that Christ refused to drink it).
Worst of all, Freeney teaches that God's plan of salvation is through religious WORKS. Kameron Freeney has also made the blasphemous claim, that the apostle Paul had immoral sexual relations with numerous women along his missionary journey to Rome. The deaf community needs to be forewarned about this cult leader.
Please pray for the deaf and warn those in Kameron's religious cult to come of it!
Psalms 102:25, “Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.”
There are numerous problems with the theory that there was no pre-Adamic world. Here are several reasons why a young earth simply cannot be true (or you could call these facts, evidence of an old earth):
If there was no prehistoric world, then how did the earth end up void and darkened? The Bible says that God's Word NEVER returns unto Him void. Isaiah 55:11, “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” God made man upright. God made the angels and Lucifer upright. Sin ruined them. Throughout Genesis 1 we read repeatedly that everything God made was “very good.” So why would God make a void and empty frozen wasteland? Clearly something happened. Jeremiah 4:23-28 tells us that God in His anger made the earth void.
The Bible mentions over 200 different animals and yet not one mention is made of any of the hundreds of prehistoric species in museums today. Surely if sabertooths, mammoths, dinosaurs (tyrannosauruses, brontosauruses, stegosaurus, et cetera), pterodactyls and hundreds of other prehistoric and terrifying creatures had lived amongst men, they would have been mentioned in the Bible. Clearly these creatures lived in a time before time.
The Bible says that Adam named “every living creature” (Genesis 2:19), but modern scientists have named 1047 different species of dinosaurs as of September 17, 2008. Adam couldn't name the dinosaurs (a term that didn't exist until the 19th century) because they were not there, that is, dinosaurs weren't a part of the remodeling of God's creation. You can trace the name of every animal and bird back through history, but dinosaurs you cannot.
Where did Satan come from? Clearly he was already in the Garden of Eden, so he existed before man.
When did the angels fall? There is no Biblical record of the angels falling during Old Testament times, so clearly they must have been cast down to earth for their rebellion BEFORE Genesis 1:2.
When did God cast angels into Hell? 2nd Peter 2:4 says that God cast some of the angels that sinned down to Hell (Tartarus, only mentioned once in the New Testament, a special place in Hell just for demons). The logical conclusion is that God cast the angels down BEFORE Genesis 1:2.
In view of Jeremiah 4:23-28, when did God in His fury destroy the cities of the earth? The Bible tells us, that is, after Genesis 1:1 but before Genesis 1:2.
In view of Jeremiah 4:23-28, when did God make the earth dark without light to shine? Again, the Bible tells us, that is, after Genesis 1:1 but before Genesis 1:2.
In view of Jeremiah 4:23-28, when was there NO MAN? Clearly this passage of Scripture refers to a time before mankind existed. Although some scholars would argue that this passage doesn't specifically say it refers to creation, I think it would be irresponsible to ignore Jeremiah 4:23 and 26, “I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. ... I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger.” There is no other way to conclude this passage, except as concerning the origins of the world. At no time in history has it been dark upon the earth as Jeremiah 4:23-28 says, except between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.
In Genesis chapter 1, why does the Bible make a distinction between the word “create” (meaning absolute creation) and the word “made” (which means “to make” in the broadest sense of the word)? Clearly something different was going on. God absolutely created the universe, then made it void in His anger, then remodeled the universe in Genesis 1-2. This is not progressive creation as some call it. God created life as we know it 6,000 years ago, but the universe is millions (if not billions) of years old. A young earth cannot explain any of these things.
When did dinosaurs live? There's no Biblical evidence to show that dinosaurs co-existed with man. The word “behemoth” in Job 40:15 (which some ignorantly allege to be a dinosaur) in the Hebrew is plural, referring to more than one creature. The word refers to a herd of animals. I've researched to see what genuine Bible scholars believe concerning this passage of Scripture, and they are divided between an elephant or a hippopotamus; but none thought it was a dinosaur. Most young-earthers claim that legends of flying fire-breathing dragons is proof of dinosaurs, but historians have never verified nor even spoken of such creatures (which are as real as Greek mythology).
A young earth rejects legitimate scientific evidence. There is plenty of fossil and carbon dating evidence to show that dinosaurs lived 65-220 million years ago. The skeletal remains themselves of thousands of dinosaurs are clear evidence that dinosaurs lived long, long, ago before mankind was created. Numerous scientific methods are used to determine the age of bones and soil. The claim of a young earth laughs in the face of legitimate science. Granted, evolution is based upon bad science and fraudulent claims, which is quite the contrary to proven methods of testing the age of materials. Although scientists may not be able to determine whether the earth is hundreds-of-millions verses billions of years old, they certainly can very easily prove that the earth is much older than 6,000 years.
In Isaiah 14:12-14 Lucifer said he wanted to rise above the clouds to be equal with God. When was Lucifer below the clouds? I believe this logically explains why God destroyed the earth, that is, to punish Lucifer.
Psalms 102:25 says “Of old” God laid the foundation of the earth. David penned this around 1,000 BC.
Is radioactive carbon dating that wrong? I read an article today which tried to prove a young earth, saying that newly formed lava rocks tested to be millions of years old (they were mocking the claim). Of course they did, the old rock turned to liquid and back to rock. It is millions of years old! Melting ice to water doesn't change it's chemical composition.
Where did sin originate? Clearly sin did not originate in the Garden of Eden.
God gave man dominion over the earth. A young earth would mean that all the dinosaurs and gigantic and ferocious prehistoric mammals (like huge Sabertooth tigers, Mastodons and mammoths) lived amongst men. People would have been dinner! It is quite obvious that these beautiful but frightening creatures did not live with mankind. Clearly they are prehistoric creatures. The pterodactyls (gigantic reptile birds) would have been a major threat to humans, and certainly the Bible would have mentioned these creatures if they existed in the Old Testament.
In Genesis 6:19 God told Noah, “And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female.” The Bible doesn't exclude dinosaurs as some foolish scholars claim. If you believe in a young earth, and that dinosaurs lived amongst men, then you can only foolishly conclude that Noah left them behind as excess baggage (or even more insane, brought them onto the ark). According to public spokesmen, Evangelist Ken Ham's new $73,000,000 Noah's Ark Theme Park in Kentucky will have dinosaurs aboard the ark. That's laughable! Clearly dinosaurs didn't exist during Noah's time. Noah couldn't have fit dinosaurs on the ark if he had tried. Dr. Henry Morris III teaches that Noah brought baby dinosaurs with stunted growth aboard the ark. Seriously? God didn't tell Noah to leave behind certain living flesh; but rather, commanded Noah to bring two of every sort of all flesh into the ark. This is further evidence of an old earth.
132 times throughout the Old Testament we find mention of the lion. In many cases the lion is mentioned as a symbol of strength and ferocity. Job 4:10, “The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.” Proverbs 19:12, “The king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion.” The Bible even says in plain language that the lion is the strongest among beasts. Proverbs 30:30, “A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any.” Surely if tyrannosauruses had dwelt amongst men, then they would have been the strongest among beasts and mentioned instead of lions. No lion would be a match for a Velociraptor, one of the most aggressive and predatory of the dinosaurs. T-rex were meat eaters, but likely scavengers; not hunters like the Velociraptor.
The Bible teaches that God created Hell for the Devil and his angels. This means Hell existed before man. Matthew 25:41, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Hell had to exist before the Garden of Eden because Lucifer and his angels had already rebelled and been cast down from Heaven. The Bible evidences that Cain was never saved (Genesis 4:4-5). God gave Cain the opportunity to repent (Genesis 4:7), but instead of believing the Gospel, Cain murdered Abel. I haven't found any indication of whether Adam and Eve were saved, but we know God rejected Adam's fig-leaf religion and slew a innocent animal instead to provide skins of clothing for them, thus picturing the Lamb of God Who paid for the world's sins at Calvary.
If the universe didn't exist prior to 6,000 years ago when the 6-day creation took place, then when and where was Hell created? The Bible strongly evidences that Hell is inside the earth. Every reference to Hell is down into the earth. Proverbs 15:24, “The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.” Psalms 55:15, “Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.” Ezekiel 31:17: “They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the heathen.” And there are many other references. If the earth didn't exist prior to man, then Hell could not possible be in the earth, because 1st Peter 2:4 says God cast some of the demons down into Hell (Tartarus).
There are three Greek words for our English word Hell: Hades, Tartarus and Gehenna. I think it is clear that they are all within the earth. The Bible wouldn't say down if it weren't so. Jesus plainly said in John 14:2, “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.” God said what He meant, and meant what He said.
It is not even plausible to believe that 1047 different species of dinosaurs ALL JUST DIED OFF! I mean, 'com on, do you really expect me to believe that all those different species just died off during Old Testament times, while everything living today survived? Furthermore, there were thousands of Prehistoric Mammals and other living creatures. And you expect me to believe that THEY ALL JUST DIED? They are all listed as “PREHISTORIC” because they have never been recorded as existing during human history! That's because they lived before mankind, but were all destroyed in a pre-Adamic world when God destroyed the earth as it was then. And then we read that God began remodeling creation in Genesis 1:2.
To adhere to a Young Earth theological position means that the thousands of species of dinosaurs and prehistoric mammals all had to die off sometime in the Old Testament (which began approximately 4004 BC). It would be ridiculous to claim that they died in the flood of Noah's day, when God plainly told Noah to bring two of every animal onto the ark. What would have been the reason for leaving thousands of species behind to die off and become extinct? What would have been the criteria for choosing who stays and who swims? Hey you, you're too big to fit in the ark, get out! It would also seem insane that Adam would name every living creature just to watch many of them die off in his lifetime. I don't believe for one minute that Noah brought dinosaurs aboard the ark, not even so that the tyrannosauruses could look at the menu first. Seriously, thousands of prehistoric animals weren't left behind to perish in the flood of Noah's time. That just doesn't make sense at all. The only logical conclusion is that dinosaurs and prehistoric mammals lived millions of years ago, long before the human race began.
These are 21 proofs I have thought up off the top of my head why a young earth is not possible. I'm sure there are hundreds more. The Bible, common sense, science, archaeology, paleontology and history all testify of an old earth. Psalms 102:25, “Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.” Contrary to the young-earth gang who have no Scriptural support for their heresies, the Bible contains MUCH evidence of an old earth. For example: Satan was already in the Garden of Eden. The Bible plainly tells us in Isaiah 14:12-14 that Lucifer was cast down and desired to be above the clouds, equal with God. Thus, he must have been below the clouds when he said that, that is, upon the earth. The life of Job happened during the same time as Genesis (but that's a different Bible study) Job 1:6-7, “Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” Here we learn that Satan travels not only vertically, but also horizontally through the earth. I don't believe that Satan is restricted to the earth. Ephesians 2:2 calls Satan the prince of the power of THE AIR, but I believe that Satan as a spirit also has the capability to descend into the earth. Revelation 17:8, “The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition...” In order for the Beast to “ascend” out of the bottomless pit it must first be in the pit. Clearly sin and Satan were already present in the Garden of Eden. Satan sinned before Eve, and Eve sinned before Adam, and when Adam sinned it brought sin and death into the world (Romans 5:12). Young-earthers say that sin couldn't have existed before Adam, but Eve sinned first did she not? Yes, she certainly did sin first. And Satan sinned before Eve by attempting to lead her into sin against God. Of course, Lucifer had previously sinned against God by attempting to be equal with God (the same sin of feminists today). Lucifer became Satan, the accuser of the brethren. This all happened BEFORE Genesis 1:2. God created the universe in Genesis 1:1, but a cataclysmic event made the earth void. Jeremiah 4:23-28 plainly teaches that God in His wrath laid the earth to ruin, destroying the cities thereof and blackening the stars. In Genesis 1-2 God remodeled the universe and made it as we know today. This in no way negates nor rejects a literal six-day creation as the Bible teaches. I DON'T believe in theistic evolution, nor in progression creationism. I believe that God created the universe billions of years ago, before mankind every existed. Nothing evolved. God destroyed the pleasantness of the earth, shaking the mountains and laying the earth waste, turning it into a frozen wasteland of void and darkness. Isaiah 55:11 says that God's Word NEVER, NEVER, NEVER returns unto Him void, failing to accomplish that which He has spoken. God created man upright. God created the angels and Lucifer upright. Sin ruined them. Everything God made in Genesis 1:2-2:25 was not just good, but “very good.” Yet how did the earth become void, without form and dark in Genesis 1:2? Clearly there was a cataclysmic event between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2.
To deny an old earth is to totally reject all these Scriptures and truths. God never calls us to blind faith. We have every reason in the Scriptures to place our faith in God our Savior, Jesus Christ. The Bible never contradicts legitimate science, and legitimate science never contradicts the Bible. A young earth view must be accepted on blind faith, because there is no evidence to support it. So young-earthers pervert the facts, falsely accusing old-earthers of being evolutionists in order to demonize them, and desperately grasp for straws in a futile attempt to prove their heresies. If you take the Bible at face value, you can only conclude an old earth.
Colossians 2:8, "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ."
1st Timothy 6:20-21, “O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.”
“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” —Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
Actor Matt Damon
In 2008, I heard actor Matt Damon make a comment about potential U.S. Presidential candidate Sarah Palin in 2008, implying that he would never vote for someone who believes that dinosaurs roamed the earth 4,000 years ago. Can you blame him? I have a problem with that claim myself. Albert Einstein said, “Religion without science is blind.” People don't have much patience when preachers teach that dinosaurs roamed the earth 4,500 years ago. Some theologians like Dr. John R. Rice taught that Noah left the dinosaurs behind and they died in the flood. Others, like Henry Morris III, teach that Noah took baby dinosaurs onto the Ark, and they survived the flood. Biblically, in my humble opinion, dinosaurs never lived with man at all.
The flood occurred at approximately 2,345 B.C. and the Bible dates creation in Genesis at 4,004 BC. (Noah: What Are All The Begats About?. God put the begats in the Bible so we could tell time; thus, we know that there were 1,656 years from creation to the flood.) Humanity DID NOT exist prior to around 4,004 BC! Albeit, the earth is very old Biblically. A Young Earth view is superstition. There is an abundance of solid evidence, both Biblically and scientifically which testifies of a very OLD EARTH, but a young human race. It is tragic that so many Christians today are so dumb! Preachers don't study and don't take a stand! Consequently, the thinking world avoids talking to such woefully ignorant believers, which hinders the furtherance of the Gospel. Don't take my word for it, read what Hollywood actor Matt Damon had to say about Young Earthers.
Here are Matt Damon's comments:
On September 10, 2008, a video of actor Matt Damon was released to the press that quickly got posted on YouTube, and has now gotten over two million hits. Here’s what he said:
I think there’s a really good chance that Sarah Palin could be president, and I think that’s a really scary thing because I don’t know anything about her. I don’t think in eight weeks I’m gonna know anything about her. I know that she was a mayor of a really, really small town, and she’s governor of Alaska for less than two years. I just don’t understand. I think the pick was made for political purposes, but in terms of governance, it’s a disaster. You do the actuary tables, you know, there’s a one out of three chance, if not more, that McCain doesn’t survive his first term, and it’ll be President Palin. And it really, you know, I was talking about it earlier, it’s like a really bad Disney movie, you know, the hockey mom, you know, “I’m just a hockey mom from Alaska”—and she’s the president. And it’s like she’s facing down Vladimir Putin and, you know, using the folksy stuff she learned at the hockey rink, you know, it’s just absurd. It’s totally absurd, and I don’t understand why more people aren’t talking about how absurd it is. I ... it’s a really terrifying possibility.
The fact that we’ve gotten this far and we’re that close to this being a reality is crazy. Crazy. I mean, did she really—I need to know if she really thinks dinosaurs were here 4,000 years ago. That’s an important … I want to know that. I really do. Because she’s gonna have the nuclear codes, you know. I wanna know if she thinks dinosaurs were here 4,000 years ago or if she banned books or tried to ban books. I mean, you know, we can’t have that. [emphasis added]
1st Timothy 6:20 warns us about “oppositions to science falsely so called” (such as the lies of Evolution that oppose legitimate science). If we also reject legitimate science in woeful ignorance, then we only discredit ourselves as preachers. It's important that preachers and Christian workers be scientifically correct as well as Biblically correct if they want people to respect their opinions and listen to them. Science has repeatedly evidenced, by using tests on ACTUAL dinosaur bones, that dinosaurs lived tens-of-millions of years ago.
According to ScienceDaily...
Dinosaurs Survived Mass Extinction by 700,000 Years, Fossil Find Suggests
ScienceDaily (Jan. 27, 2011) — University of Alberta researchers determined that a fossilized dinosaur bone found in New Mexico confounds the long established paradigm that the age of dinosaurs ended between 65.5 and 66 million years ago.
The U of A team, led by Larry Heaman from the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, determined the femur bone of a hadrosaur as being only 64.8 million years old. That means this particular plant eater was alive about 700,000 years after the mass extinction event many paleontologists believe wiped all non-avian dinosaurs off the face of earth, forever.
Heaman and colleagues used a new direct-dating method called U-Pb (uranium-lead) dating. A laser beam unseats minute particles of the fossil, which then undergo isotopic analysis. This new technique not only allows the age of fossil bone to be determined but potentially can distinguish the type of food a dinosaur eats. Living bone contains very low levels of uranium but during fossilization (typically less than 1000 years after death) bone is enriched in elements like uranium. The uranium atoms in bone decay spontaneously to lead over time and once fossilization is complete the uranium-lead clock starts ticking. The isotopic composition of lead determined in the hadrosaur's femur bone is therefore a measure of its absolute age.
Currently, paleontologists date dinosaur fossils using a technique called relative chronology. Where possible, a fossil's age is estimated relative to the known depositional age of a layer of sediment in which it was found or constrained by the known depositional ages of layers above and below the fossil-bearing horizon. However, obtaining accurate depositional ages for sedimentary rocks is very difficult and as a consequence the depositional age of most fossil horizons is poorly constrained. A potential weakness for the relative chronology approach is that over millions of years geologic and environmental forces may cause erosion of a fossil-bearing horizon and therefore a fossil can drift or migrate from its original layer in the strata. The researchers say their direct-dating method precludes the reworking process.
It's widely believed that a mass extinction of the dinosaurs happened between 65.5 and 66 million years ago. It's commonly believed debris from a giant meteorite impact blocked out the Sun, causing extreme climate conditions and killing vegetation worldwide.
When I lived in Chicago, I saw “Sue” the T-rex on display at the Field Museum Of Natural History. The skeletal dinosaur remains were unearthed in the state of Montana. I recall looking up, because Sue is really tall. There's no way that these horrific yet beautiful creatures dwelt with humanity. Any thinking person has a hard time believing that Noah left the dinosaurs behind. It is superstition. Even worse is that Henry Morris III and Ken Ham think Noah took baby dinosaurs aboard the ark. In his heretical writings, Henry Morris III claims absurdly that God stunted the growth of the baby dinosaurs, to prevent them from growing too big for the ark. What tommyrot! The truth is that dinosaurs never coexisted with mankind.
Up until several years ago I had remained neutral in my position of a Young Earth versus an Old Earth view. Since it's not a fundamental Biblical doctrine pertaining to salvation, I didn't take sides in the issue; however, I can no longer remain neutral. Many educated people are steering away from the Gospel on the grounds of ignorant believers who boldly claim falsely that dinosaurs roamed the earth 4,000 years ago. A Young Earth view is an enemy of soul-winning!!! There is no evidence to support a Young Earth. The Bible speaks of an old earth in Psalms 102:25, “Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.”
Basically, proponents of an Old Earth view believe that the earth was created by God—did not evolve—has existed for millions (if not billions) of years—and that the human race is young, having only been in existence for 6,000 years (since 4,000 BC). Dr. Curtis Hutson (1934-1995) and Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951) believed this and so do I. This is often called the 'Gap Principle' (that is, a time gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2). I do not refer to it as the “Gap Theory” as many do, simply because it is NOT a “theory” if you study the Bible. And so we may properly refer to this gap in time between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 as the “GAP PRINCIPLE.”
Consider the following important fundamental statement by Pastor Max D. Younce:
“Should one desire a continued, concentrated study of the years from the flood to the birth of Christ, they would arrive at approximately 2,345 years. Thus, from Adam to Christ is close to the figure of 4,000 years. Add another 2,000 plus from Christ to the present, and you have man on the earth for only 6,000 years. Therefore, the Gap Principle, as documented in Scripture makes evolution an absolute impossibility. The Gap Principle made it possible for me to lead many people to Jesus Christ as their Savior, who had been influenced by the evolutionary philosophy.” [emphasis added]
Here you see the potential harm again in holding to a Young Earth view. We saw earlier that skeptics like actor Matt Damon won't waste their time listening to a professed Christian who thinks dinosaurs roamed the earth 4,500 years ago. I don't blame him at all. It is absurd to believe. By holding to a Young Earth view we may indeed be responsible for someone not coming to Jesus Christ to get saved. Soul-Winning opportunities are lost if we lose the respect of our listeners.
The unsaved world laughs at Christians who hold to a Young Earth view, in particular concerning the matter of dinosaurs. It discredits a preacher when he goes against legitimate science, because most people are objective thinkers when it comes to preachers and they know bogus teachings when they hear it. It is simply absurd to claim that dinosaurs roamed the earth 4,500 years ago. The flood of Noah's time is estimated to have happened around 2348 BC[1]). Very few Christians know how to reconcile the reality of dinosaurs and science with the Genesis account of creation in the Bible. Well, now you can KNOW the truth about the matter and explain it to others. The earth is indeed very old, but humanity has only been here since about 4,004 BC. Please continue reading and you will learn.
This matter of an Old Earth (ruin-remodeling) verses a Young Earth is a heated debate. Some advocates of each group have even stooped low to accuse the other group of perverting the Gospel and not being saved at all. These are baseless allegations, not rooted in Biblical principle and truth.
Dr. Kent Hovind has tried to accuse proponents of an Old Earth view of distorting the Gospel message. Mr. Hovind claims that since Adam's sin brought death into the world, then there couldn't have been any death prior to the Garden Of Eden. However, Romans 5:12 plainly states that Adam merely allowed sin to enter the world; but Adam didn't manufacture sin. Sin was already present. Romans 5:12 tells us that Adam's one sin brought sin into the world, and death by sin, for all have sinned.
Romans 5:19, “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.” There is nothing sacrilegious in an Old Earth view. Christ died for the sins of mankind; not Lucifer nor the fallen angels. The reality that there was sin prior to the Garden Of Eden in no way negates Christ's sacrifice for the sins of men. Revelation 20:2 identifies the serpent in the Garden Of Eden as Satan (see also Ezekiel 28:13).
I'd say that 90% of all professed Christian websites adhere to and promote a Young Earth view, which includes the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) by Dr. Henry Morris, Creation Today (CT) by Eric Hovind, and AnswersInGenesis (AIG) by Ken Ham. These den of thieves have exploited the Holy Bible for their own lucrative profit, teaching lies and desperately grasping for straws to justify their heresies to make tons of money. In 2014, God Quest (aka, Creation Today) by Eric Hovind took in $1,234,389 income. Within the ministry, they can spend that money anyway they want as long as it's for the ministry. They can drive ministry cars, eat ministry food, enjoy ministry trips and anything else related to the “ministry.” From what I have seen in my life, non-profit organizations are easily abused for personal gain. I'm not saying that Eric Hovind is doing that, but I have a problem with professed believers exploiting a niche, one issue ministries, that make ridiculous profits. The Young Earth Creation Movement: Deceiving Their Followers For Over 40 Years!
Also, CreationToday.org, which is ran by Eric Hovind (Kent Hovind's son). These two organizations and their websites teach a Young Earth view. Sadly, Eric Hovind has sold-out and been drawn into the Lordship Salvation heretical movement. Their website openly teaches that a person must “endeavor” with God's help to depart from sinful bad habits to be saved. It's a requirement for their way of salvation, but the Bible disagrees with them completely. CreationToday.org doesn't even mention the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (which is the Gospel according to 1st Corinthians 15:1-4).
Ken Ham is another false prophet, the founder of the Answers In Genesis website, who espouses a Young Earth view of creation. In a ridiculous article authored by Paul Taylor and Mark Van Bebber of AnswersInGenesis.org (AIG) titled, “Six Days or Billions of Years... Does it Make Any Difference?,” they reveal their woeful ignorance (or intentional dishonestly) of what old-earthers believe and what the Bible actually teaches. Please read, The Unscholarly Rubbish Of AnswersInGenesis.org for my Biblical rebuttal of their Young Earth heresy.
I've read the alleged scientific reasons for a Young Earth and they are lame at best. CreationToday.org's biggest argument in support of a Young Earth is the short duration of mankind's history (going back 6,000 years to 4,004 BC). They're comparing apples with oranges. The age of an Old Earth has absolutely NOTHING to do with the age of a Young Human Race. There is no debating that mankind DIDN'T exist prior to 4,004 BC. The advancement of humanity's writings, inventions, knowledge and population all attest to the fact that mankind began around 4000 BC.
Many people agree with this blatant observation, but then get confused when they hear scientists talking about dinosaurs that lived millions of years ago. The answer is an Old Earth; Young Man view of the matter. Dr. Max D. Younce expounds the matter diligently in his timeless classic book, THE TRUTH ABOUT EVOLUTION (.PDF file).
America's churches have been infected with a false message of “surrender to Jesus, make a commitment to Christ, amend your sinful ways, forsake the world, give your heart to Jesus, prayer the Jesus' prayer”... and so forth. None of these are the Gospel. You may do all these and a whole lot more, and yet never be saved at all. Ye must be born again (John 3:5-7). Only by receiving Christ's death, burial and resurrection as payment for MY SINS, can I be saved and go to Heaven. Won't you receive Him now as your Savior as John 1:12 says, believing the Gospel so that all your sins will be forgiven, washed away by Jesus' precious blood (1st Peter 1:18-19)?
Matt Damon is but one of tens-of-millions of people who have thinking brains and won't tolerate willful ignorance concerning when the dinosaurs lived. Most Christian scholars have attempted to force-fit dinosaurs into the Old Testament or onto the ark (as does Dr. Walt Brown of CreationScience.com), because that's the best explanation they can come up with. Well, here's the truth for those who want it concerning our wondrous Old Earth.
“As a blind man has no idea of colors, so we have no idea of the manner by which the all-wise God perceives and understands all things.” —Isaac Newton (1642-1727)
“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” —Hebrews 11:3
Mark 1:15, “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
The Roman Catholic understanding of repentance is unbiblical. Roman Catholics corrupt the meaning of repent to mean a change of lifestyle. As do all false prophets, the following description of repentance starts off with the correct meaning of “a change of mind,” and then subtly perverts the meaning by the end of the paragraph to mean “a change of lifestyle”...
But what does it mean to truly repent? The Greek word for repentance that is used in the Gospel is metanoia, which literally means "to change one's mind." This "change" of "mind" necessarily entails a profound interior conversion in which we firmly turn from worldly darkness, and embrace a new way of life as Christ's disciples. Thus repentance is not merely to know of Christ, nor is it a matter of picking and choosing—with an intellectual arrogance—some aspects of our Lord's teaching while coldly rejecting others; rather, it is a union of mind, heart and soul to the Person of Christ. To repent is to die to Christ, discarding our former way of life in favor of the Way, Truth, and Life that is Christ himself.
Where in the Bible are we taught that repentance means to “DIE TO CHRIST?” We are saved by trusting Jesus. nothing else. Then as a Christian, God wants us to be crucified with Christ and die to the lusts and desires of the flesh. Please understand that the saved life and the crucified life are separate. If you combine the two, you have a corrupted Gospel, a false plan of salvation. Dr. Jack Hyles does a wonderful job explaining this truth in his awesome MP3 sermon titled, “STEPS TO SANCTIFICATION (OR THE ROOT OF ALL HERESY).” We are saved by trusting Jesus, period. Whether or not you turn away from the old lifestyle of sin DOESN'T keep you from being saved. Eternal life is a free gift (Romans 5:15; Ephesians 2:8-9). You can be saved by simply believing on Jesus Christ, that He died for your sins on the cross, was buried and raised-up from the dead three days later (1st Corinthians 15:1-4).
What Is Genuine Biblical Repentance?
Most churches today have adopted a Roman Catholic interpretation of repentance, which includes penance, forsaking sinful living and changing one's ways to be saved. The Bible teaches something VERY different. Biblical repentance unto life simply means “a change of mind,” that is, a change of mind about whatever was hindering you from coming to the Lord to be saved. John 3:20 says that sin hinders people from coming to the light (Jesus, John 8:12) to be saved, because people living in sin don't want to be reproved and told they are wrong. When a man repents, he acknowledges that he is a guilty sinner in the eyes of a holy God, and so now he comes to Christ by faith to be saved.
Repentance simply means that you acknowledge your sinnership and thus need for Christ to save you. Romans 3:19, “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” We are saved by believing, not by repenting, but we wouldn't believe if we didn't repent. This is why the words “believe” and “believed” appear 85 times in the Gospel of John, but the word “repent” is never mentioned even once. A person MUST repent to be saved, but repentance does NOT mean changing your sinful ways and turning over a new leaf for God. I am worried about the salvation of umpteen Independent Baptists in our churches today, who have told me that they don't think believing the Gospel is enough to be saved. They have been caught-up into the heresy of Roman Catholicism.
One Baptist man who teaches in a local Bible college said to me a few months ago, “I think there needs to be a little bit more.” That is, he believes it is NOT enough to trust upon Christ's death on the cross for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection three days later to save us. This is the Gospel (good news) according to 1st Corinthians 15:1-4. The foolish guy also believes that you must purpose in your heart to stop living in a lifestyle of sin. The guy needs to get saved. My friend, there is a fine line between Christianity and the religion of the cults. Grace is not earned, it is offered!
Pastor Harry A. Ironside (1876-1951) correctly understood repentance . . .
“Repentance is the very opposite of meritorious experience. It is the confession that one is utterly without merit, and if he is ever saved at all it can only be through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, 'who gave himself a ransom for all.' Here is firm footing for the soul who realizes that all self-effort is but sinking sand. Christ alone is the Rock of our salvation.”
Clearly, Ironside taught a Free Grace view of the Gospel. Harry A. Ironside correctly recognized repentance as the confession that “one is utterly without merit” and that if one is “ever saved at all it can only be through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Salvation is without works of self-righteousness. Romans 4:5 plainly teaches that a man's faith is COUNTED for righteousness, i.e., the righteousness of Jesus Christ is imputed to one's heavenly record by faith.
“Repentance is the recognition of my sinnership — the owning before God that I am as vile as He has declared me to be in His holy Word.”
All that God requires for salvation is that we receive Christ's death, burial and resurrection from the dead three days later as full-payment for our sins. Concerning salvation, “repentance” does NOT mean to cease from sinful bad habits, nor turn over a new leaf, nor make a full surrender to Christ, nor to forsake the world. A person may do all of these things and yet never have believe the Gospel at all. The Gospel is Good News to simply be believed, and not conditions to be achieved.
“No Christian will ever have his name blotted out of the Lamb’s book of life, for all such have eternal life—which is unforfeitable and everlasting.” — Pastor Harry A. Ironside
Galatians 3:1-3, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”
I am saddened when I hear ignorant preachers endorsing, praising and bragging on Evangelist Billy Graham (1918-2018). A Judas from the beginning, Mr. Graham started out as a wolf in sheep's clothing (Matthew 7:13-15). ...
Billy Graham EXPOSED as a False Prophet
According to Billy Graham (as will hear for yourself in the following disturbing video), you must do the following unbiblical things to get to Heaven:
1. Repent of your sins and turn away from them. 2. Be willing to obey Jesus from now on. 3. Surrender to Jesus as the Lord and Master of your life. 4. Make Jesus the priority of your life—follow and serve Him from now on.
None of the preceding things are biblical for salvation. Mr. Graham is caught between grace and works. He is foolishly mixing law with grace. Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born-again. Turning away from one's sins is WORKS. Jonah 3:10, "And God saw their WORKS, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not" [emphasis added]. Not one time does the Bible say to "turn away from your sins" to be saved. Ungodly men ADDED those requirements to God's simple plan of salvation (Proverbs 30:5-6).
You don't get saved by confessing Jesus' name publicly.
You don't get saved by being water baptized.
You don't get saved by praying a prayer.
You don't get saved by following Christ.
You don't get saved by serving Jesus, calling Him: "Lord, Lord"
You don't get saved by joining a religious organization.
You don't get saved by having a priest absolve your sins,
You don't get saved by surrendering your life to Christ.
You don't get saved by inviting Jesus into your life.
You don't get saved by going to church.
You don't get saved by living the Christian life.
You don't get saved by by partaking of Holy Communion.
You don't get saved by keeping sacraments.
You don't get saved by persevering to live a holy life.
You don't get saved by turning away from your sinful ways.
You don't get saved by repenting of your sins.
You don't get saved by being willing to give up your sinful bad habits.
You don't get saved by doing good deeds.
The only thing that you must do to be saved is to BELIEVE THE GOSPEL (1st Corinthians 15:1-4). The "Gospel" means GOOD NEWS! It is the GOOD NEWS that Jesus DIED on a cross to pay for your sins and mine, and that He was BURIED, and three days later Jesus bodily RESURRECTED from the dead. The Gospel according to 1st Corinthians 15:1-4 is:
Jesus DIED on a cross for our sins.
Jesus was BURIED.
Jesus bodily RESURRECTED three days later from the dead by a miracle of God.
That is the GOOD NEWS! If you receive this GOOD NEWS as your only hope for Heaven, then you are saved. The Gospel is not a message of what you must do to be saved, it's a message of what Christ has already done for you as a guilty sinner to pay for your sins. Getting saved is not a matter of you giving up your sins to be saved, but of accepting by faith what Christ has already done through Calvary's cross to pay for your sins. 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.
Bible repentance is "a change of mind" unto the Gospel itself, from unbelief to belief. Hebrews 6:1 speaks of "repentance from DEAD WORKS" (which includes your good works and also your bad works—all works). Jesus Christ died for your righteousness too!
There is no doubt that Billy Graham was a famous person, and a gifted orator, and did "many wonderful works" in Jesus' name, and He served Jesus calling Him "Lord, Lord." Sadly, Mr. Graham preached ANOTHER GOSPEL. Don't get mad at me, read your Holy Bible. I triple-dog dare you to show me even one Scripture that teaches for a lost sinner to surrender and follow Jesus as one of His disciple's to get to Heaven. You cannot! Judas was one of Christ's very chosen apostles, and yet he is burning in the torments of Hell, fire and brimstone this moment and forever.
When a sincere but corrupt preacher comes to you, preaching faith in Christ PLUS something else that you must do to be saved, he is a wolf in sheep's clothing, preaching a perverted gospel of partial faith in Christ plus works, which cannot produce the second birth. Remember, Satan's ministers of unrighteousness APPEAR as ministers of righteousness (2nd Corinthians 11:13-15). They look THE SAME, and their corrupt plan of salvation closely resembles the true Gospel, but their message is distinctly different enough so that you cannot be saved from it. I 100% agree with Pastor Dennis Rokser, who says if you think you must trim your toe nails once every million years in addition to faith in Christ, you are NOT saved. ...
Romans 4:1-5, “What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.”
There's a faithful preacher on YouTube named Onorato “Norm” Diamante. I love Norm's preaching! He understands the free grace Gospel, rightly dividing the Holy Scriptures. Here is one of Norm's videos, in which he correctly explains that we are saved at the moment of faith, and NOT when we call, pray or ask God to give us eternal life. Romans 10:14, “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” According to the preceding Bible verse, calling upon the name of the Lord is a result of first BELIEVING (faith). Brother Norm is correct, that anyone who teaches you cannot be saved unless you call, ask or pray in addition to faith is preaching another gospel. ...
Not Saved UNTIL We Call? Romans 10
Bravo Norm! Bravo! I couldn't agree more with his interpretation of the Bible. BELIEVING is enough to get to Heaven. Granted, it is a normal tendency for people getting saved to want to accompany their heart's faith with a sinner's pray, or to ask Jesus to save them. I don't have a problem with these things, just so long as you don't mandate them to be saved.
Having said that, I have never seen such theological bullying, as the New IFB attacking Norm Diamante lately. Here is an example of what I am talking about. In this video, Pastor Roger Jimenez attacks Norm's correct teaching that faith is enough to be saved.
Is Good Hope 'Norm Diamante' saved? | Pastor Roger Jimenez
I learned from Pastor Curtis Hutson (1934-1995) that: “A good rule to follow when interpreting the Bible is to never use an obscure passage to contradict a clear one.” In the preceding video sermon by Pastor Jimenez, he foolishly bases his Bible interpretation solely upon Romans chapter 10. At the same time, he ignores the entire Gospel of John. There is no mention of confessing Christ to be saved in the Gospel of John.
Albeit, we find the word “85” mentioned 85 times. John 6:28-29, “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” Jesus didn't tell them to call, ask, pray, surrender, get baptized in water, speak in tongues, invite Christ into their life, walk a church aisle, repent of sins or anything else; Jesus simply told them to “BELIEVE ON HIM.” If you disagree, then argue with Christ, because I just shared with you from John 6:28-29 what He said a person needs to do to get to Heaven.
Respectfully, Pastor Jimenez is wrong to say (in the preceding YouTube sermon) that Onorato Diamante is not saved. That is a cheap shot. Just because Norm believes that you can be saved without praying, calling or asking God to save you, doesn't mean that he is not saved.
I heard Pastor Steven Anderson say in a sermon exposing Norm Diamante, that the thief on the cross asked Jesus to save Him. Pastor Anderson cited this Bible truth to support his false teaching that you must pray, call or ask to be saved. The Samaritan woman in John chapter 4 asked Jesus for the living water that would forever quench her thirst (i.e., eternal life). The repentant thief on the cross asked Jesus to remember Him when He came into His Kingdom. So it is okay to call, pray or ask God to save you.
But this does not mean that you have to call, pray or ask to be saved. The Bible is very clear that we are saved BY FAITH. Romans 1:17, “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” Habakkuk 2:4, “Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.” The prophet Habakkuk lived under the time of the Mosaic law, yet he plainly said that salvation comes by faith alone without works (Acts 10:42). Nobody in the Old Testament was saved by works!!!
Having exposed this deception which has become increasingly popular in the New IFB camp, I'd like to say that I am still a big fan and supporter of the New Independent Fundamental Baptist Movement (New IFB). When I attended Hyles-Anderson College (1985-1993), I remember in chapel one day that Johnny Esposito (who worked on staff at the college) preached. I was sitting toward the back of the auditorium. I'll never forget what he said to thousands of students: "We need a whole new breed of preachers in the next generation!” Wow, he nailed it! Well, the New IFB is that new breed of preachers! I thank God for Pastor Steven Anderson and his ministry.
Kindly said, I don't agree with numerous doctrines and methods of the New IFB camp. I believe in a Pretribulation Rapture, the New IFB does not (1st Thessalonians 4:13-18). I don't believe Jesus burned in Hell for 3 days, but Pastor Anderson does. Our dear Savior plainly told the repentant thief on the cross that they would be in “Paradise” together that very day (Luke 23:43). These are a couple doctrines that we differ on.
As I mentioned earlier, a good rule to follow when interpreting the Bible is to never use an obscure passage to contradict a clear one. It is folly, poppycock and balderdash to interpret Romans 10 without considering the entire canon of Scripture.
Jesus said in John 3:3 that to get into God's Kingdom a person MUST be born again. Jesus said: "YE MUST BE BORN AGAIN." What is going on in Wilmore, Kentucky at Asbury University is a lame religious event, a so-called "spiritual awakening," but the Gospel was not being preached. The world is going to Hell because of empty religious movements that are woefully devoid of the Gospel of free grace. Asbury has "a form of godliness," but they deny the power thereof, which is THE GOSPEL. Satan's greatest weapon is to con people into living the Christian life without ever being born again.
To summarize and clarify, I don't like using a Sinner's Prayer. I don't like it because for nearly 20 years I struggled with the assurance of my salvation. In the early years I wept often, and was worried day and night that I might not be saved. I was afraid of something that I didn't understand. I got saved at age saved, but I didn't go down the church aisle because I was shy. From that day forward I began to fear going to Hell, and missing out on Heaven. I read every religious tract that I could get my hands on, hoping to find some helpful newly phrased words to give me a greater understanding of how to get to Heaven.
After several years I just decided to trust God's promises in the Bible and not worry. I thought to myself that if I go to Hell it will be Jesus' fault, because I am solely trusting in Him as a sinner to save me. But I still didn't have the perfect peace of knowing that I am saved, which only comes from fully understanding God's simple plan of salvation. You see dear reader, I had been lied to by every preacher I had ever known, who all taught me to pray a sinner's prayer to be saved. It confused me a lot, and I know that it confuses others too. I fear that many people who think they'll someday be up in Heaven, won't be allowed entrance (Luke 13:23-24). They won't be allowed into Heaven, because they were misled by some corrupt Baptist pastor, who told them to pray a prayer to be saved, and they misunderstood the Gospel. I have met countless people who never really got saved, because they just repeated some "1-2-3 follow me" type of prayer empty of true faith. They will burn in Hell forever, all because some foolish preacher told them to recite some words along with them.
But having said that, there is nothing wrong if you want to pray, call or ask the Savior to take you to Heaven when you die. I did ask Jesus to save me at age 13. It felt natural. But I was confused when I read religious tracts that told me to pray a suggested prayer. I often wondered about many emotionally torturous questions? Did I leave something out when I prayed to be saved? Did I have enough faith? Did I truly know that I was a sinner? Did I know at the time about Jesus' resurrection? What if? What if I go to Hell? What if I was never saved at all?
So at age 17, I finally mustered up enough courage to go talk with my Baptist pastor. I nervously explained my dilemma to him. I told him that I could not find the assurance that I am saved. Sadly, he made a foolish mistake of concluding that since I didn't know for sure that I am saved, I must not be. But that was the whole reason why I came to him in the first place, because I couldn't settle the matter of my salvation. Then he added insult to injury, by doing the worst thing he possibly could have done—he led me to pray another Sinner's Prayer! Arrggh!
The next Sunday my pastor told the church congregation that I had just been saved. A couple weeks later I was water baptized. As I was getting water baptized, I remember the fear which still imprisoned my soul, not knowing for sure if I was saved or not. My Pastor just didn't understand what I was suffering though. Although he meant well, my pastor actually made things more difficult for me, because now I was terrified to dare tell anyone that I still didn't know I was saved, after my pastor just told the whole church that I am saved.
All of this suffering and pain happened to me, because a few dozen preachers needlessly told me to pray a sinner's prayer to be saved. Dear friend, you don't have to pray, call or ask to be saved. Jesus doesn't forgive sin. You read right! Jesus doesn't forgive sin, He has already paid for it with His precious shed blood. That is why God can offer us forgiveness of sins and eternal life as a free gift (Romans 5:15-18, 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5).
Since God is already freely offering everyone eternal life, then all you need to do is take it by faith. You don't need to ask for it. God won't be mad at you if you do ask Him to save you. However, it is critically important that you fully understand God's simple plan of salvation, if you are to ever find the sweet peace that I have, and that God wants for you to have, KNOWING beyond any shadow of a doubt that your name is written in Heaven (Luke 10:20; 1st John 5:13).
There are numerous passages in the Word of God where lost sinners did ask Jesus to be saved. The Samaritan woman asked Jesus for the Living Water (which is Jesus Himself); but she could have just as easily believed on Him without asking, calling or praying to be saved.
I have received some angry emails recently from New IFB followers, who are so devoted to everything that Pastor Steven Anderson preaches, that they literally go ballistic and get angry at anyone who disagrees with their movement's kingpin leader. Please don't take my word for it, watch this video of Pastor Anderson explaining the differences between the New IFB and the Old IFB churches. What Steven Anderson believes and preaches IS the New IFB movement, and whenever he changes his views, so does everybody else in the New IFB camp. Kindly said, they are WRONG to teach that unless you pray, call or ask for salvation, you cannot be saved. That is damnable heresy, which by God's grace I will be exposing fiercely from now on. I love the New IFB and support Pastor Steven Anderson and his ministry. I am awed at what God has done (and is doing) through Pastor Anderson's church.
I don't have a problem with pastors and churches who choose to lead lost sinners to pray a Sinner's prayer to get to Heaven, but I don't like it. I let people be people be. Unfortunately, New IFB pastors are not okay with Norn Diamante, Curtis Hutson, Pastor Ralph Yankee Arnold and myself preaching THE TRUTH, that you DON'T have to call, pray or ask God to save you. God is already asking you to take His free gift by faith!
By God's grace, I will continue to defend and fight alongside with Onorato Diamante in this important theological matter of not having to pray, call or ask to be saved. Despite some Bible characters calling upon or asking for God to save them, the Bible is also full of people who simply BELIEVED the Gospel and were saved (Genesis 15:6; Acts 10:43-44; Acts 16:30-31). 1st Thessalonians 4:14, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.”
