Breezy murmurs, a fleeting conversation. My icy breath sweeps through the humid, cold night. A misty cloud forms with every exhalation. The air turns crisp as the cold wind carries every cloud exhaled toward the ever frigid sea of dreams. One breath. One cold wind. One sea of dreams. Everything I said was being briskly carried from my breath by the wind to the sea. In a few moments, it was done. So is life. Every breath we take is one more day we have to live. Another day to repent. The wind is God’s common grace to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of this life carried along by His sustaining grace. And the sea of dreams is where we think we will end up. If we are good enough, many say, we will end up here. Here in the sea of dreams where Heaven is. Where Jesus is.
Many people are deceived. They believe that If I just believe, I will go to heaven. After all, doesn’t scripture say in John 3:16 that “For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish but have eternal life.” This is indeed true. But may I ask, which Jesus are you believing in? The Apostle John is clear when he writes in John 20:31- “but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” Well even the demons believe and shudder. James 2:19- “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this and they tremble in terror.” Just believing in Jesus is not enough. Saving faith requires trusting in Christ alone and what He did on the cross. The true Christ. Believing and repenting of your sins. There will be many, many surprises in heaven. Salvation is doctrinal. We need to believe in the right Jesus to have a saving faith- to be a Christian.
Mormonism
On the week of Oct.18, 2012 the Billy Graham association removed Mormonism from their list of cults. Astonishing. Mormons (Latter Day Saints) Do not believe in the God of the Bible. The essential beliefs of what it means to be a Christian are not the same. Below are what many Mormons believe (I understand that not all Mormons believe in the same things.)
- There are many Gods (In fact unlimited Gods) Every Mormon has the chance to become a God if they are good enough to reach exaltation or the celestial heaven.
- There is a mother Goddess- Christ and the Devil were born as spirit Children. In fact, the God of this age was a man on another planet who is now exalted because he reached the celestial heaven.
- The trinity is not 1 God in 3 persons but 3 Separate Gods.
Where do these Ideas come from? It’s important to note that Mormons (They like being called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have at least 4 sources of truth- The Bible (Seen as corrupt. They like to say it works in tandem with the Bible), The Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, Pearl of Great Price, and the current day Prophet that supposedly speaks out revelation from God.
Source: https://carm.org/
7th Day Adventism
- Jesus is Michael the Archangel
- Names are retained in the book of life by an investigative judgment of Christ, examining our lives. There is no assurance of salvation; Christ’s work wasn’t sufficient. Sins aren’t fully forgiven yet.
- Believers go to soul sleep upon Christ’s return
- Christ acquired a sinful nature
- We are kept saved by keeping the law
- The sins of men are laid on Satan
- Believe in Ellen G. White, a prophetess.
Source: https://www.gospeloutreach.net/sdaerr.html
Islam
Jehovah Witness (Source The Gospel Coalition/Personal Evangelism)
- Jehovah Witnesses do not believe in the Trinity because it’s never used in the Bible. However, all three persons of the Trinity are called God in scripture.
God the Father 1 Peter 1:2- according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
God the Son John 20:28- Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God! Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Hebrews:1- Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
God the Holy Spirit– Acts 5:3-4 But Peter said, “ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for your self part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God. When Ananias heard these word, he fell down and breathed his last.
In creation- Genesis 1:26- Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Referencing the Trinity)
Jehovah Witnesses do not believe that Jesus is God.
When evangelizing to some Jehovah Witnesses, they told me that Jesus was not God based on John:17. Some claim that John 17:3 negates the deity of Christ. Jesus, after all, referred to the Father as the only true God. They would say Jesus was created by Jehovah, the only true God and Jesus is another god small g.
Well we have to look at what was happening in the culture at the time. Many were Polytheists. Jesus was counterfeiting the polytheist’s ideology that many Gods exist. In addition, many, many texts affirm Christ’s Deity. The whole Gospel of John proclaims the deity of Christ. He is the creator of the World, the great I AM that existed before Abraham. He died for our sins and rose again, taking on God’s wrath. In fact, if he hasn’t been raised from the dead, our faith is futile. He is expressly stated as equal with the Father in Philippians :2. He is our Great God and savior (Titus 2:10-13) He is referred to as Lord and many other titles. This is not a secondary issue. If Christ is not God, there is not Christianity. There is no resurrection that saves from our sins. This is a primary issue. If Christ is not God, we are still in our sins and there is not salvation. That is how important this doctrine is.
Other beliefs-
- There is no hell
- There are 2 redeemed peoples. The 144,000 and the “Other sheep”
- Salvation requires obedience of rules. It’s not by grace through faith.
If you are in the Jehovah Witnesses religion, I pray that you would believe in the True God- The trinity, Elohim that is One God comprised of three persons. The Jesus of the Bible who is God. Who saves from our sins. The fact is that Jehovah Witnesses is a cult religion that is not Biblical. False doctrine leads to Hell. We have to believe in the true Jesus of the Bible. The good news is that God can save anyone at anytime. There is still time to repent!
Why am I writing this article? Many, many people are deceived on who Christ is. In my next article, I’ll support who Jesus Christ is and why from scripture. But for now, Christ is the second person of the trinity; He is the forever God-Man who died on the cross for our sins and was raised from the dead. If you truly believe in this Christ, the Christ of the Bible, you will be saved from God’s wrath. There is one God in three persons. Christ is uncreated and has always existed from the beginning. This is the Messiah, the Alpha and Omega, the Prophet, Priest, and King of a better covenant. If you confess with your mouth that he is Lord and believe in your heart that he has risen from the dead, you will be saved. We were sinners headed for hell. But now, by trusting in what Christ did alone on the cross, we have a new heart. If you haven’t come to Christ, believing in the true Christ of the Bible, believe and repent today. Our days are numbered, God is great, and He will get the glory in the end. I pray that you will believe in the Christ of the Bible. Today is the day of salvation. It’s no accident that you are here reading these very words. To God be the Glory!
A life well Spent 