Yes, you read that headline right. Claiming that “it is nearly impossible” for clergy to leave their faith and their jobs, the founders, Richard Dawkins, and Dan Barker, are offering a “true sanctuary, a congregation of those of us who have replaced faith and dogma with reason and human well-being.” Why would it be hard to leave the clergy if you don’t believe? If you don’t believe, wouldn’t you be engaging in a woeful waste of time?

If you had been a believer, and knew that not believing would mark you for a devil’s hell, now that you no longer believe, wouldn’t it be easy? I mean, what do you have to lose now… other than eternal life in heaven. Oh yeah, that. Well, OK, but now you don’t believe in that kind of thing, right? So, you are free! Right?

Well, the Truth will set you free. (John 8:32) And the Truth is… you are gonna shake and bake, Jack. Them’s the breaks. I’m sorry to sound snide, but this is just stupid! I seriously doubt that ANY so-called pastor, or cleryman, who was EVER truly a believer suddenly just no longer believes! I question whether they ever truly did believe in the first place. But, that’s just me!

Atheists Form Support Group for Nonbelieving Pastors

Jesus said, “… Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) The Amplified Bible makes it a bit clearer to us, “However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [persistence in] faith on the earth?” It is one thing to believe, it is another to be “persistent” in believing!

So, what we need is persistence, “stick-to-itivness” (if that’s a word!) If you are going to believe, then believe! No half measures, no “well, I believe except for those pesky miracles…” Just go for it!

Joel Osteen, recently was a guest on “Piers Morgan Tonight,” on CNN. Morgan pressed him to renounce the truths of the Bible with regard to what the Bible says about homosexuality. Pastor Osteen, praise God, stuck with the Word of God, saying that 200 years from now, the Bible will still say that homosexuality is a sin.

“But shouldn’t the Scripture be dragged kicking and screaming into the modern age?” Morgan said. “Not really everything in the Scripture is, in my view, conducive to modern life. Like everything else, doesn’t it have to move with the times?”

It always amazes me that people think that the Bible should “change” to reflect the times. I realize that this thinking is based in their ignorance of God’s Word, but, it would seem that anyone that understood that a believer, that is a TRUE believer, must believe and know that God wrote the Word of God, the Bible, and it is “settled forever in Heaven!” (Psalms 119:89) The world may change, but the Bible doesn’t change! It is the universal constant!

Ever since Einstein, people have believed and taught that the speed of light is the one universal constant. But recent scientific experiments have now cast doubt on that belief! The Bible is, in fact, the one universal constant the we can believe, and trust!

What is says will never change. You may choose NOT to believe what it says, but IT will ever be the same!

God is true, let every man be a liar! (Romans 3:4)

It just goes to show, you have to go by the Word of God, not what man says!

Concerning the Last Days, and the “end of the world” prediction that is going around and being advertised widely right now, remember that THE BIBLE says that, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.” (Matthew 24:36) The Amplified Bible is even more clear, “But of that [exact] day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36, Amplified)

My real concern, in listening to people talk about this, is that when tomorrow (May 21, 2011) comes, and goes, that they will not get discouraged, or lose faith. Don’t be troubled by cults, and false prophets!

2 Thess. 2:1,2 “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.”

Keep the TRUE FAITH! Don’t be deceived by false teachers! Amen!

Let’s start with a few simple rules. God is right. He knows what He is doing. He is not confused. He wrote down THE TRUTH in a book we call “The Holy Bible.” If you are confused about what is TRUE, then go find out what God spoke out of His own mouth (that is, The Holy Bible.) The Bible says itself that God spoke it out of his own mouth, and that holy men of old then wrote it down. (2 Peter 1:20, 21)

Now, given that, why are some that claim that they are Christians so confused about who will be saved, and go to Heaven? Why are there some that deny that there is a literal place called “Hell?” Jesus believed in Hell, Jesus spoke about Hell, and said that it was a place of torment. The Bible teaches that:

Romans 10:8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Matthew 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
Matthew 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
Matthew 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Those that receive the free gift of salvation will go to Heaven, those that do not receive the free gift of salvation (by doing what Romans 10:8-10 says) they will go to Hell. Simple, understandable. It doesn’t matter is you think it is “not fair,” or “inconvenient,” it is TRUE. God said it. That settles it. You should, therefore, believe it!

But, what are some calling themselves Christians saying?

Many Born-Again Christians Hold Universalist Views, Barna Finds

“One in four born-again Christians hold universalist thoughts when it comes to salvation, according to a new Barna analysis of trend data.

Twenty-five percent of born-again Christians said all people are eventually saved or accepted by God. A similar proportion, 26 percent, said a person’s religion does not matter because all faiths teach the same lessons.

And an even higher proportion, 40 percent, of born-again Christians said they believe Christians and Muslims worship the same God.

Barna defined universalism as the belief that all human beings will eventually be saved after death. The California-based research and polling firm defines born-again Christians as people who have made ‘a personal commitment’ to Jesus Christ that is still important in their life today, and who believe they will go to heaven after death because they confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their savior.

According to the Barna analysis, 43 percent of Americans in general agreed with the statement: ‘It doesn’t matter what religious faith you follow because they all teach the same lessons,’ while 54 percent disagreed.

Amazing. Jesus said, concerning Himself:

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

“No man cometh to the Father, but by ME (He said)… that is, Jesus… not Mohammed, not Buddha, not anyone else… ONLY the True Son of the Living God! It may NOT be politically correct… but it is simply TRUE!!!

My condolences go out to his family. He was, indeed, a hero of the faith!

Christians Honor David Wilkerson as ‘True Hero’ via Twitter, Facebook

“Hundreds of messages offering prayers and honoring the legacy of David Wilkerson flooded Twitter and Facebook as Christians learned of the passing of a ‘true hero’ who founded Times Square Church and World Challenge.

In his final public words, Wilkerson told those facing despair, ‘Beloved, God has never failed to act but in goodness and love. When all means fail – his love prevails. Hold fast to your faith. Stand fast in his Word. There is no other hope in this world.’”

In a word, No.

Rob Bell, a “pastor” quoted by Time magazine, which says, in part, ‘Is Bell’s Christianity — less judgmental, more fluid, open to questioning the most ancient of assumptions — on an inexorable rise? ‘I have long wondered if there is a massive shift coming in what it means to be a Christian,’ Bell says. ‘Something new is in the air.’” Maybe so… sadly, but it is NOT for the best! He is teaching a lie as truth!

Clearly, people like this guy don’t care a wit for what the Bible actually says, what it teaches, and what is empirically true. Jesus said, “Thy Word (the Bible) is TRUTH.” (John 17:17) We can, and do, know what is true, and that is the Bible. The Bible teaches that there is a Hell to shun and a Heaven to gain. And, you do so by receiving Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior! (Romans 10:8-10) That is how you miss Hell! Otherwise, you will end up there! Sorry that people don’t like to hear that, but the alternative is to not tell them the truth, and when they do die and end up in Hell screaming, “Why didn’t someone tell me the Turth?!?!?” We will have to deal with that for all eternity. No, thanks. So, what does the Bible say?

The one who physically dies in his sin without accepting Jesus Christ is hopelessly and eternally lost and will be cast into the Lake of Fire, which was prepared for satan and his angels, not specifically for man. (Revelation 20:15; Matthew 25:41) However, people who are not individually born again by faith in our Lord Jesus, are spiritually connected to their father, the devil, and will share his ultimate fate, if they do not receive Jesus as their Lord. (John 8:44; Ephesians 2:12; Romans 10:8-11) Therefore, if they die without accepting Jesus as Lord, they will have no further opportunity of hearing the Gospel or repenting. (Luke 16:23-31; Hebrews 9:27) The Lake of Fire is literal (Hebrews 10:29; Revelation 19:20; Luke 16:24, 25).

And what about salvation?

Man’s initial step toward salvation is recognizing his fallen, sinful state (Romans 3:23) and his complete inability to restore himself to right standing with God (Ephesians 2:5-9). One can not be saved by their own works. The New Birth is the re-creation of man’s sinful spirit into a new creature in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17) and is necessary for every person (John 3:3-5; 2 Corinthians 7:10; 1 John 5:12). Salvation is by faith alone in Jesus’ completed work of redemption, which we simply receive by faith. (Ephesians 2:9, 10) We are baptized into the Body of Jesus Christ, and are in Him! (Romans 6:3) In Him we live and move, and have our being! (Acts 17:28)

Religious people are funny. (Now, I am talking about RELIGIOUS people, not Christians!) They will fight you over doctrine, churches get split over all kinds of squirrelly doctrines, yet, when the Bible teaches something simple, for a good, sound, spiritual, reason, they will fight it!

According to the Bible, Jesus died on the cross, was buried, was in the grave for three days, and during that time suffered in Hell, and then was triumphantly raised from the dead! What?!?! Jesus suffered in HELL? As I heard one courageous minister say, “Well, old buddy, if HE didn’t then YOU will!” Jesus was our TOTAL substitute! He bore even the PAINS of death. He suffered separation from His Father God, saying, “My God, my God, why has Thou forsaken me?”

What are they going to do with these verses?

“Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” (Acts 2:23)

“Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” (Acts 2:27)

“Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?” (Eph. 4:8-9)

“The pains of death” referred to in this verse (acts 2:23) does not refer to the pain of the physical death that he suffered, but the spiritual separation from God, and torment that He suffered in Hell. Now, He did not suffer any of this because He (Jesus) committed sin! No, a thousand times, NO! He suffered these pains, and this punishment in OUR stead! He BECAME sin, with OUR sin, that we might become righteous with HIS righteousness!

“For he hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Yet, a theologian wrote recently in an article on a major Christian web site: “So my conclusion is that there is no textual basis for believing that Christ descended into hell.” Never mind that the scripture plainly says, “…He also descended first into the lower parts of the earth (that’s the way the Bible refers to Hell, by the way!) “The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.” (Prov. 15:24)

Religious folks are funny… they just don’t get it.

NETCAST NOTES: God does not want us to be uninformed about spiritual gifts and manifestations. Dr. Bill expands his study of the Word and Spirit move of God to include 1 Corinthians 12 and the spiritual gifts listed there.

This Word of Faith Netcast can now also be viewed on our YouTube Channel!

Word of Faith Netcast #178 (Part 1)
Word of Faith Netcast #178 (Part 2)

Another news item from Believers Stand United:

Dear Bill,

16 year old Kenneth Dominguez was suspended from Gateway East High School in San Diego, California for carrying his Bible to class with him. His teacher said this was a violation of Church and State. That teacher obviously is either ignorant of U.S. History or is blatantly misrepresenting the facts.

Let’s contact the School District and let them know we will not stand for this kind of persecution of Christians in the United States.

Send your email to Superintendent Ralf Swenson at rswenson@guhsd.net. Make your voice heard in support of this young believer today.

Your partners,

Dr. Stephen and Kellie Swisher

Kenneth Copeland Ministries
www.believersstandunited.com