I will not go outside the clear language of scripture, twist verses to fit my beliefs or make any assumptions. I was raised Presbyterian. Back then it taught the truth of the Gospel. While it wasn't a hellfire and brimstone church, it didn't leave off sins. Nor at that time did it compromise the Word of God as it has now. I am now a Baptist (well, that's the closest denomination to what I believe). Lo and behold, I was raised on the truth. Wow! I was so blessed and I thank GOD ALMIGHTY for being born when being a Christian meant something. But as Jesus Christ said, the world hates us because it first hated Him. So I am happy to be found worthy of persecution for His Name. Praise the Lord!
You won't believe me but I weighed 80 lbs, couldn't walk but a few steps but I heard a voice call my name twice and said "if you don't get up out of that bed today and walk, you are going to die in that bed." I thought my husband said it. It was loud and clear and I put on my shoes, had no idea how I was gonna do it, but I obeyed that voice and walked outside for a short bit and I do mean short. Within 2 weeks, I'd gained 20 lbs and walking as far as I wanted. I had met a woman that invited me to her church a few weeks and I thought I knew which church she meant but I went to the wrong one but that's okay, I thought. It's a church. I'm not here to embarrass anyone so I won't name the church or the people involved but it was a UPC. It was huge and when I went in, someone had to find me a seat. The front row was empty so I went to sit there and was told women weren't allowed. I thought that very strange and later asked a woman, who is my friend now, why and she said (I can't believe this), we women might cause a man to "sin" if he could see up our dress. We weren't allowed to ever wear pants, cut our hair, dye it, wear make-up, no jewelry except wedding rings, nor allowed to speak to a man or in church. One, why wouldn't the man be held accountable for his sin if he chose to look up our dress? They had to be below the knee but they may slip up and cause a man to sin. Only if he lusted after us would that be a sin. He is in control of that. He can look away. Second, if women aren't allowed to speak in church, then why is it that every single woman was screaming in religious ecstacy in an unknown language, so much so that I couldn't hear the sermon. Honestly, when I left I never intended to return because I felt I'd been to a rock concert instead of a church. All the pastor preached on was baptism of the Holy Ghost. That was one big church. It was sad too. So many very old people in wheelchairs that couldn't hold up their heads and were so obviously miserable and in pain so I asked why not give them DVDs of the sermons so they could be comfortable and not forced to be in pain. The answer may shock you and I pray it does....She said because then they wouldn't have the Holy Spirit. Is it me or is that so unBiblical it is almost, if not, heresy? The Holy Spirit is in us. It's not in a church. I feel the Holy Spirit right now and I'm nowhere near a church. The truth of why is even worse. It is because if they aren't physically in the church, they may not tithe or give them money. Baptism of the Holy Ghost and tithing was all that minister preached. We are not under the law of tithing. We are not robbing God. We are to give cheerfully and out of our increase but we can't steal from our debtors as that is a sin, to give money to a greedy church that only wants it for bigger buildings, more seats, for more money. Tithing was to go to the needy saints and support the pastor's reasonable way of life. However, in this church, the pastors wore the finest clothes, ate the best food, drove expensive cars and at a after services gathering, the members were given a sandwich with one piece of cheap meat, a small bag of chips and tea. I had no issue with this until I saw what looked like "crime tape" separating part of the gym where it was held with tables full of good food like fried chicken and all the trimmings for pastors and "special guests" ONLY. They exalted themselves before the saints of the church. They separated themselves and dined on good food while the saints ate junk. Read First Corinthians where Paul calls out Peter and others for doing this. The believing Jews and Peter separated themselves from the common folks and perhaps because others arrived later because of their jobs, they had to eat the left-overs. Paul corrected and called out Peter for their behavior.
Oh, and my ride home left me there abandoned with no ride home in the winter. I could have walked but it was cold and dark. I had to beg for someone to lend me their cell so I could call my husband to come get me. I lived less than 5 miles away and no one offered me a ride home. Not one was willing to go a few miles to help out someone in need in their church. Unfortunately, in my search for a good Bible-teaching church, this is not unique to this one particular church but rather it's the norm. Also, not once did the pastor acknowledge me and when I tried to ask him a question, he brushed me off. He was in a hurry. He never intermingled with his congregation. Also, his wife has alzheimer's disease and this church is one where many women gather around other women to lay hands on them yet although she is noticeably very stressed and crying, he makes her go to every single church service, some which can last 4 hours or more. He doesn't stop people from doing this to her. I find this sad. I pray this never happens to any of you. She is in God's hands now. Her salvation is secure. She doesn't even recognize her family, much less the people in church. I can't imagine the fear and suffering this poor woman is forced to endure. Even if it's just once a week, it's not right. Letting her be and putting on worship music or the Bible on CD would be comforting and Spiritual. That way she wouldn't have to endure this. We are not to cause suffering, we're to try to end suffering and pain. Jesus could heal her if He were on earth today but we are not divinely protected from diseases nor guaranteed healing on this side of Heaven. In fact, the Bible is clear we will endure diseases and pain/suffering. We're to trust Him through our afflictions even to the death as it is appointed to man to die once.
Why I kept going was because of my friend who I barely talk with as harsh words were said and she hurt me badly by telling me my very devout Christian grandmother and I were going to hell because she nor I spoke in tongues. How dare she! My grandmother warned me never to go to this church denomination. Why I didn't listen, I don't know because everything else she told me about the Bible was TRUTH. Wisest woman I ever knew to this day and she only had a 5th grade education. She told me that my generation would see the 2nd coming of Christ, that the Bible doesn't go far past the year 2000 and look around, do you not see it? Explosion of knowledge at the end...the internet! All knowledge is at the tip of our fingers. All eyes are on Israel and look at the UN resolution to force Israel to yet again give up land. It is always Israel and ONLY Israel. I have a theory on this that I will share after this post.
I got baptized because I wanted to, not because I wasn't saved. They preach you MUST be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ ONLY and not the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. You must be rebaptized if you were baptized that way. Baptism is obedience, not salvation. Jesus tells us to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit. Peter says to be baptized in Jesus's name only. Who do you believe? I feel it doesn't matter as Jesus is God and baptism is not necessary for salvation or especially the remission of sins. Here is the scriptural basis for this....
Jesus Christ was baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist who recognized Yeshua as the Messiah. He didn't want to baptize Him but Jesus said it MUST be so for righteousness sake.
Jesus Christ was fully man/fully God, a man without sin. If baptism is for the remission of sins, why would Jesus have need of being baptized. He did it for us. Now, as I promised, if it's my personal opinion, I would tell you and that's what this is, my PERSONAL opinion based on scripture. Would God demand something for salvation that not everyone could do? If you say yes, then you are a works-based rather than grace alone believer which goes against Ephesians 2:8-9
"For ye are saved by GRACE through faith and NOT of yourselves. It is a GIFT of God. Not of works (nor deeds) lest any man should boast."
What if one is on their deathbed or in a country where saying the name Jesus Christ could cause you to be killed, are killed or die before the church can baptize you; or a place where there is no water in which to immerse you? While I do believe one SHOULD be baptized and not christened or sprinkled but immersed into water, it is a symbolic and outward showing of the inward decision to follow Christ Jesus. I also do not believe in baptizing babies. Therefore, Christ Jesus did it all so that we don't have to. There is a very rare but real medical disease where people are allergic to water. It is very, very rare but it does happen. Ask yourself this, would God send them to hell if they accepted His Son because they didn't get baptized because of an allergy? No! God is not a respecter of persons. No one is special or less special in His eyes in the Body of Christ. If He gives a "pass" to one, He does it for all. King David, whose bloodline brought in our Messiah, is not one bit more special to God than you, no matter what you did in the past. King David sinned greatly! So do we yet God loved Him and David could see Jesus Christ in the future. Salvation from Genesis to now has always been by grace and faith, not the law.
Is Jesus a liar? No! "For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son so that whosoever believeth in His Name should not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent His Son into the world not to condemn the world but that through Him the world might be SAVED! John 3:16-17.
I will end Part One of this series with the doctrine of GRACE. The only doctrine of salvation was given to the Apostle Paul by Christ Jesus and can be found in First Corinthians 15:1-11. Please familiarize yourself with this so that you won't be deceived by false doctrine of man, false churches and prophets and those who preach a different Jesus Christ. Be ye not deceived, little ones. He gave us everything we need to be saved and when He said on the Cross "It is finished," it was finished. Salvation by grace and the blood of Jesus Christ had come to the world. We can never be righteous or sin-free. We are fallen but the difference in us and the "world" is that we are covered by His blood and by His blood we are free. Amazing Grace saves and Amazing Grace will lead us home.
Next, the false teaching of tongues!
