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The Last Day Remnant There are so many voices in the Christian world these days which are talking about being a part of God’s Last Day “Remnant” in the Church at large, you can hardly keep up with them all. Just look up the word “Remnant” on the Internet and you will pull up every thing from fringe Apostate Protestant Gentiles to Zionist Messianic Jews. There are also Charismatic and Catholic Remnant groups, Mormon Remnant groups and every other cult you can imagine, all claiming to hold a key of knowledge as belonging to and being a part of God’s Last Day “Remnant” Church. There are other groups out there as well which call themselves: “Overcomers” which follow men who claim to be “The Sign of Jonah” or even “The Voice” of some last day Forerunner. And while these men are very dangerous deceivers, we dare not label every one who claims to be a part of God’s Last Day Remnant as being a dangerous cult. There are many Biblically sound groups out there whose very existence as being an “Overcoming Remnant” is actually a result of, and a reaction to the very deplorable state that the Christian world at large is in and their coming out from amongst the religious world to stand for the truth against all that is false is what constitutes them as being God’s Last Day Remnant Church. Yet having said that, we must understand that though there might be many hundreds of true Remnant fellowships or even tens of thousands of true Remnant Overcomers scattered across the world, they become a precious few and indeed a minority when compared to the overall majority of those heretic groups which use names like “Remnant” and “Overcomer” to describe themselves. That is why I find it very needful to warn you against certain errors which are now more seductive and dangerous than ever to the true Remnant Overcomer.
A Warning against the Error of Legalism The Seventh Day Saturday Sabbath Question Beloved of God, That which alarms me the most, are these Legalistic and Pharisaical individuals, groups, denominations and movements who are subverting thousands of truth seeking Saints back under bondage to the law of Moses to keep the Old Testament traditions, ordinances, feast days and Sabbaths as being the means of gaining Eternal Life by a doctrine of works. And there is one heresy in particular which is causing much confusion in the hearts and minds of many. It is the teaching that states that the act of breaking the original Saturday Sabbath, is in fact the equivalent of taking the physical Mark of the Beast. And the core teaching of this heresy is that it is the keeping of the Sabbath on Saturday which saves one’s soul from being cast into the Lake of Fire. And while the Blood Atonement of Jesus Christ is given a place and mentioned in the overall deceptive scheme of this satanic seduction; Salvation by God’s Grace through faith in the Blood of Jesus Christ is really totally undermined. Now understand me when I tell you that in no way am I suggesting that we must keep Sunday as God’s Sabbath. After much research into the matter, I’m convinced that God never ordained Sunday as His Sabbath. It was the Antichrist Mother of Harlots and her Popes who made that change. I agree with those who observe Saturday as the Sabbath, but only as an act of obedience and a day of worship and not as a requirement of salvation. I also sincerely understand why many choose to keep the 7th Day original Saturday Sabbath instead of the 1st Day counterfeit Sunday Sabbath, and in all honesty I understand that the purest motive for doing so would be as an act of personal conviction against compromising with the pagan error of Sun Worship which was instituted and observed by the Roman Catholic Church; Thus, I do not fault anyone who sincerely walks with a pure heart, for choosing to keep the Seventh Day (Saturday and not Sunday) as a day of rest. Again, understand me here. I did not say that going to Church on Sunday was an act of compromise with the pagan error of Sun Worship or that every protestant who Ministered in a Sunday Church service or kept Sunday as a day of observing worship is going to be damned as a pagan Sun Worshipper. I plainly stated that I understood the personal convictions of others who feel that they would be compromising with paganism and I understand that they have the purest heart motives for their convictions. However there are some who take those convictions to a far out extreme by actually teaching that you will be damned for attending Church on Sunday’s. Therefore, we ought to be very careful about the way we misjudge people and their motives, because we might very well be found to be adding things to God’s Word which go far beyond that which is actually Biblical. And just as I understand that there are many who have very pure and commendable motives for keeping a Saturday Sabbath, I also understand that there are many Born Again, Spirit filled Believers who walk in the light of God’s Word as they know it and they attend Church regularly every Sunday. I believe that the majority of God’s people do! Of which there are many who know nothing about the historical connection between the Sun worship of Baal and the unscriptural institution of Sunday as being the New Testament Sabbath by the Catholic Church to accommodate and convert the pagans. I personally do not believe that these precious souls will be eternally lost simply because they attended Church services on Sundays and/or they failed to keep the Sabbath according to the letter of the law. Just stop and think about that a moment. Do you really believe that God is going to damn these precious souls who were only sincerely seeking to draw the bread and water of His life from gathering with others to worship Him and to hear His Word? I myself have visited several Sunday fellowships for the sole purpose of hearing a visiting Evangelist who I knew was Biblically Sound. Another reason I find it permissible to attend a Sunday service, is for the simple act of obedience in joining together with other Saints for fellowship, because it is written: “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 That little statement “…and so much the more,…” in relation to assembling ourselves together, definitely qualifies Sunday and any other day as a legitimate day of Christian worship, fellowship and Ministry. That is of course, if you are fortunate enough to actually find a Biblically Sound fellowship where the extremes of legalism on the one hand and the levity of compromise on the other are not the predominating factors. Some might say that I am straddling the fence on the issue of the Sabbath question, by trying to please every one on both sides of the issue. Yet I never said that I agreed with the school of thought that teaches that we must keep the 7th Day Saturday Sabbath in the manner in which the Pharisees kept it. Remember, Jesus did many good works on the Sabbath day and the Pharisaical Sabbath keepers had a major problem with him for doing so. (see John 5:1-18) They actually wanted to murder Jesus for healing a man on the Sabbath. So I’m not looking for a debate here nor am I seeking to try and establish some kind of guide lines for Sabbath keeping. That would be falling into the error of bringing the Law of sin and death into the very faith that speaks of freedom from bondage to the Law of sin and death. Yet on the other side of the coin, if there be any who actually keep Sunday as the Sabbath and as a means and requirement for their salvation rather than holding fast their profession of faith in Jesus Christ, I would say that such an individual is in as damnable an error as the Saturday Sabbath keeper who is trusting in his own good works to be saved. I admit that I do not have all the answers and to be completely honest, I am still studying the issue of keeping the Sabbath as I am trying to come to a balanced conclusion between the extremes of both sides of the issue. I am not against having Church services on Sundays at all. Yet when God opens the door (God willing) I am convicted and am heavily leaning toward Ministering in services on Friday evenings and then having Saturday Morning Sabbath School followed by Sabbath Services of resting in Praise and Worship, Teaching and Testifying and Preaching until Saturday Evening Sabbath Services. I will also have Sunday services as well. Yet not as an alternative to keeping the Sabbath according to the letter of the law or in respect to any pagan ritual worship day, but as a day when a lot of people are off work and are able to gather for fellowship. Like I said, I do not have all the answers but in my studies I do see an emerging revelation that brings faith and works together in the beautiful harmony which God intended. In that we are commanded to keep all of the Father’s Ten Commandments through His Holy Spirit by and in the Faith of Jesus Christ. Yet in our flesh we shall never be able to keep the whole of the law perfectly at all times, which is why our justification comes by the faith of God’s Son and not by our own works. That’s why there is such a narrow but strait unmistakable way of walking in the light of God’s Word in the Spirit. On the one hand we are warned against departing from God through unbelief because of the deceitfulness of sin: “Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.” Hebrews 3:7-19 On the other hand we are wooed to come to God in spite of our personal infirmities and weaknesses so that we might obtain mercy and find grace to help us in our times of need: “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:9-16 As I understand the true Sabbath, we do not keep it to be justified unto salvation yet we ought to keep it as walking in obedience to the Word and Commandment of God by the Faith of Jesus Christ for the simple motive of pleasing our God as those who have been saved. Above we read: “There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.” And given in the context of having such a high priest as Jesus in whom we rest in confidence by faith in His mercy and grace, we understand that this rest spoken of pertains to resting from our own works of trying to earn our way into being justified by God: “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise, And God did rest the seventh day from all his works. And in this place again, If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day.” Hebrews 1:8 In conclusion, it would be vain to keep the Sabbath if you are trusting in your obedience to the law as making you just and holy before the eyes of God. That labor which matters most is in trusting in Jesus Christ unto being fully obedient to the promises that God has given to us of entering into His rest: “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (Hebrews 1:5-10) “My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth * his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.” Hebrews 2:1-6 In these passages from 1st John above we repeatedly read: “If we…” just as we continuously read: “Let us…” in the book of Hebrews. The point being that there is a fine balance between abusing the grace of God and abusing the law of God. And between the confusing extremes of easy believism and sinless perfection we dare not fail to take heed to the following admonition: “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:14-31 We would do well to remember that Jesus is our Sabbath 24/7 Sunday through Saturday. What better way is there to start the new week off than by going to Church on Sunday and ending the week by having Saturday Sabbath services? What could be a better way to enjoy rest on the weekend? It was Jesus who said: “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Problems in Pentecost Most Protestant Churches these days have been reduced to local religious entertainment centers and social clubs. Submission demanding control freaks abound in the leadership of both the Charismatic and the more apostolic type Pentecostal Churches. The abuse of spiritual authority in a lot of these apostolic circles is beyond all reason. Some actually teach that if they baptize you then you are obligated to them for the rest of your natural born life under the spiritual slavery of their religious authority and they are not even nice when telling you about it. Like the Mormons and Jehovah Witnesses they will come right into your home and demand for your subjection and obedience to their cult systems. In my honest opinion such men ought to be treated as criminals and locked away just as they would lock up an intrusive and abusive relative or neighbor. Sadly I foresee laws coming that shall criminalize the most innocent and honest efforts of true Christians for exercising their God given freedom to Preach the Gospel and to Minister God’s Word. And yet the abusive practices of the Cults shall be totally ignored by the same governmental authorities which prosecute and persecute true believers. Now understand, I did not say that all Apostolic Pentecostal Churches are Cults! Yet I do believe that the Charismatic Church at large is indeed cultic in their beliefs and practices. The idolatry of giving mere men godlike status and placing extra Biblical experiences on the same par with and even above the written Word of God is only a couple of examples of their extreme heresies. In my personal opinion God has written Ichabod across their movement and has turned it over to the Devil. And this is in no way some far fetched notion that has no factual or visible support to validate such a conclusion. To the contrary; when the Charismatics all began to manifest animal like behaviors as they fell under demon possession in their laughing revivals throughout the nineties, it became rather obvious that God’s presence and glory had departed from that whole movement.
Not Jesus Only but Jesus Everything! There is one Apostolic Radio Preacher out of Detroit who actually teaches that 1st John 5:7 was added to the Bible to purposely deceive God’s people into believing in the Trinity. Sadly there are a lot of Trinitarian Preachers who are just as dishonest in rejecting the message of Acts 2:38. God help those people who can’t read Scriptures like 1st John 5:7 and Acts 2:38 without rejecting them as being heresy because some other group uses them to teach errors of extremism. This is the Word of God we are talking about here and I’m not about to tear it out of my Bible or fear teaching it because of other people’s unwarranted errors and/or another’s religious politics against those errors It is really wrong how every one wants to put you in a certain denominational box and label you for expressing your convictions. If you believe in the “Trinity” then one group says that you are a Trinitarian and you must therefore be baptized in the titles of: “The Father, The Son and the Holy Ghost.” Yet if you believe in being baptized in the singular name of “Jesus” then another group will say that you are a “Unitarian” and they will assume that you do not believe in the Trinity. Yet I happen to believe in the Trinity and I also believe in Baptism in the singular Name of “Jesus” just as all the Apostles believed and baptized according to the Biblical record. Yet I do not believe a person is saved by the terminology that is used during baptism. Nor does my theology exclude people from being saved because they were baptized using the titles of the “Father, Son and Holy Ghost” instead of the singular name of “Jesus.” The Apostles taught and believed in the Three Persons of the Godhead and they also baptized in the singular Name of the Lord which is “Jesus” in English. So both the Trinitarians and the Unitarians have a problem. Because one group rejects Baptism in the Name of Jesus and the other rejects the Trinity, yet both are Biblical realities. And to be honest, many (“MANY”) of those who believe in the Trinity and use the titles of “Father, Son and Holy Ghost” to baptize, can be just as exclusive and Cult like in their formulas and methods of baptism as those who baptize in the name of “Jesus” only. I personally believe that behind all this confusion, there is this simple reality that it is not merely the “name” of Jesus as a term that we are to be baptized in. But, rather; it is the “person” of Jesus who we are identifying with in baptism. Thus one might be baptized in the name of the “Father, Son and Holy Ghost” using the Trinity formula or method or terminology or whatever you want to call it? And yet, still be just as saved as if they were baptized in the singular name of Jesus. Because in their heart of hearts, they themselves are looking unto “Jesus” as their Savior and in baptism they are identifying with Him in His Death, Burial and Resurrection as a public confession of their Faith. It is sad that many Trinitarians label anyone who was baptized in the singular name of “Jesus” as being a cult member and some even go as far as refusing to accept any one as being saved who was not Baptized in the Trinity titles of: “Father, Son and Holy Ghost;” Thus, the accusation of being a “Cult” can be laid on both sides of the fence here, against both the Trinitarians and the Unitarians. Because in reality, those (Trinitarians and Unitarians) who are legalistically basing their hope of salvation upon the method in which they were baptized in; rather than basing their Hope and faith in the Man Jesus - are dangerously treading very thin theological Ice at best, and are actually fallen through the cracks of a false theology at worst. In other words: The letter of the Law kills but the Spirit of the Word gives life. The difference between a true and false believer in this context; is that, one has faith in their method of using a name (or titles of that name) in baptism and makes an idol out of their methods and calls it salvation and the other has faith in a Man called by that name and makes Him the Lord of their lives in obedience to His Word unto Salvation.
Believe, Be Baptized and Be Filled “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Saving yourselves from this untoward generation.” Acts 2:38-40 I declare God's grace to you JESUS CHRIST is God in truth His Word it tells us that we must repent To turn from our sins and be born again This is the glorious gospel that saves Believe and Be Baptized In Jesus Name Renounce the hidden deeds you've done Confess you're lost and so undone Reject the world and its pleasures loved Be filled by the Spirit from up above His Cross no more to despise and hate His Word to love, to live and pray Hear the Holy Spirit calling unto you What with this JESUS shall you do? © 1996 Raymond Bolton Pena
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
Sacred Name Cults and their Strifes of Words Then there are the Sacred Name Cults which contend over exactly what sacred name is to be used in the baptism of a believer. These cults have many convincing arguments which play heavily upon the believer’s logic in twisting true historical facts to question the trustworthiness of the believer’s present spiritual reality so that they might shake the true believer into questioning his faith and accepting their falsehoods. In order to escape such cunningly devised deceptions we must study to show ourselves approved unto God. For it is written: “Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting (apostasy) of the hearers. Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” 2nd Timothy 2:14-16 Paul had already warned Timothy against those who were “...proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words,...” This term “strifes of words” means: “a disputation about trifles” which is the practice of logomachy. Webster's defines “logomachy” as being: “strife or contention in words only, or an argument about the use of words.” One thing that I have noticed which really gives these sacred name cults away as being of that Wicked One. Is that without fail they all stand violently opposed to and hostile towards not only the name of “Jesus Christ.” But also against God’s Holy Bible and Word, the tried, true and trustworthy Old Authorized King James Version Bible. Think about the serious implications and consequences of the sacred name cults’ satanic agenda to destroy both the Name and Word of Jesus Christ” in the believer’s life by turning the child of God against the mightiest weapons that we as believers have at our disposal to combat the powers of darkness. There are just too many verses in the Bible about the power of standing on God’s Word in prayer in the Name of Jesus to list them all here. Yet the most controversial, rejected and hated of them all is the promise of Mark 16:15-20 in the Old King James Version Bible: “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” Mark 16:15-20 Stop and think! Who else but Satan could gain the better advantage of destroying our trust in the Name and Word of Jesus Christ? And yet the sacred name cultist will sit back in the arrogance of their satanic pride saying that the letter “J” is only so many hundreds of years old and “Christ” is not really the last name of Jesus so nothing that the New Testament Bible says can be trusted anyway. Yet if that were really the case then we must believe that it has been wrong to call John the Baptist “John” all these years because after all, his name begins with a “J.” And what about the Apostle “James” or the Prophet “Jeremiah” or “Job” or the term: “the Son of Jesse” or the names “Jacob” and “Joseph?” does this mean that we have been lying against the Word of God all these years simply because we have naturally used the transliterated Hebrew and Greek into the modern English language which we speak, read and write? That’s insane! And once these satanic liars convince you that the name of “Jesus” comes from pagan origins (which is a lie) and it is not the true sacred name of the Messiah, they will then begin to attack the integrity of the Old King James Bible by critically juxtaposing the Old Testament against the New Testament by comparing verses in order to try and prove the unreliability of the New Testament based upon their own flawed and erroneous delusions that it is a sin to use any other language but the original Hebrew. That is why so many of their followers use the Hebrew pronunciations for New Testament English words that have been derived from the Greek. Some become so twisted and destroyed in their faith that they end up renouncing Christianity all together and become strict followers of “Judaism:” Spelled with a “J” mind you. Yet that is only to be expected since the foundations of the Word and Name of Jesus Christ has been undermined and nullified in their lives. I know that there will be some reading this who have become ensnared in these blasphemous cultic teachings and I pray that the Spirit of God will convict them to consider the fact that they were once saved, cleansed, delivered, blessed, graced, helped, rescued, loved, protected and healed in the Name of and by the blood of Jesus Christ! If “Jesus” was really the name of a pagan deity then why did God use the Gospel of Jesus Christ to bestow such mercies and blessing upon us to begin with? Are we to really believe that God is so powerless that He left us hanging out here to figure out such confusing and complex questions about the Historic uses of Names and terms just to be saved? I’m no linguistics expert. As a matter of fact the only Hebrew I ever see is when I use the Strong’s. I do not have all the answers. Yet I myself was once ensnared by the wicked error of “Yahwehism” because I heard a man who calls himself “Brother Jerry” on the Christian Radio challenging people to prove that “Jesus” was really the name of the Messiah. I received their tracts in the mail and against my better judgment I was swayed to believe that my whole Christian experience was a huge deception based upon their arguments against the name of Jesus which these tracts deceptively presented as being the truth. I also believe that I was so easily swayed because I was looking for another kind of Christian Church that would be more honest and less hypocritical than the entertainment mad Christianity that I was already so disillusioned with. Yet what I found in the Sacred Name Cult was just that, it was a cult and I can only testify that when I began to believe that the name of Jesus was pagan, I mistook my own soulish zeal for being the life of God, but as the excitement of this new thing wore off I began to realize that I had lost my inner peace and all sense of the true spiritual life that I had known for so long. And in the place of my former confidence there was a deep spiritual confusion that began to express itself in many inner doubts both mentally and spiritually. And yet is it not written: “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” 1 Corinthians 14:33 What I’m telling you is that Instead of a glorious break through in finding the true gospel of Yahweh, I found myself in a spiritual waste land. The inner spiritual life I had known by the Word of God in the Name of Jesus was gone. Everything became lifeless because I was deceived into thinking that I could not really trust my Bible and so there were no longer any living waters to drink from. There was only the spiritual death of the poisonous and stagnant waters of being lead in my Bible studies to prove that the name of Jesus was pagan! And yet I struggled in my spirit against their lie that the Old King James Version Bible was wrong because even when they proved what seemed to be contradictions that I saw with my own eyes, I began to have a very deep sense that they were liars and I was not seeing things correctly because it came back to me how that God once told me that the Old Authorized King James version Bible was the true Word of God and I was to never from it to right or to the left. And yet there was so much doubt and confusion being planted inside of my mind and heart that I was not really sure how to interpret even my own inner senses. I was not sure about anything anymore. What is certain to me now as I look back in retrospect considering this cult’s teaching and what I have heard of other sacred name groups out there; Is that, no matter what sacred name these cults use, they all share the same bitter hatred against the name of “Jesus” and against His Word. And the longer they remain deceived by their error, the greater their lives will be marked by the bitter strife of always seeking to argue for their heresy in order to prove that the name of “Jesus” is pagan. Thus their motives give their hearts away because theirs is not a love for souls; but rather, every thing that they do is motivated by their bitter hatred against the Name and Word of Jesus. Many in this hour have fallen into this snare and of their lot there are those who have turned themselves over to Satan and the reason that they so hate the Old King James Version Bible is because it exposes them and their works as being evil. For it is written: “But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” James 2:14-18 I fell strongly led to give someone out there a confirmation by way of the gift of the Word of Knowledge. It is about a distressing gut feeling that you have in your heart and you do not know if it is from God or Satan. Therefore I must warn you that it is no accident that you are now reading these words. The warning that you sense and feel within concerns one or more Sacred Name Cultist who are exercising an influence over your life. Make no mistake about it, it would be bad enough if these individuals were sincere Sacred Name Cultist, but as you have sensed and feared, they are indeed pretending to be Sacred Name Christians only for the deceitful purpose of deceiving and seducing others into their blasphemous cult of Christ hatred. These men are indeed Satanic Ministers who are using the Sacred Name Cult teaching to destroy the faith of those they wish to devour. You must immediately repent and apologize to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ for the error of your ways and plead the Blood of Jesus over your mind, heart, soul and spirit by asking God to shelter you under the blood. When these individuals return you must not let them into your home but speak only these words to them: “The Lord Jesus Christ Rebuke Thee Satan! I am sheltered under the Blood of Jesus! And in the name of Jesus I renounce your blasphemy therefore get thee behind me and depart.” This is all you must answer these Ministers of Satan and remember that it is written: “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.” 2nd John 6:12 Now pray this prayer in agreement with me. Lord Jesus, I thank you for the love of your grace in seeking me out and rescuing me as a straying lamb that was snared by the wolves. I now pray in agreement with Brother Raymond that you would protect us and our loved ones from the ravages of these grievous wolves that have sought the life of my soul as their prey. And we thank you for the protecting shelter of your precious blood. And we claim the following promises of Thy Word against the enemy in this and every situation, as it is written: “In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against thee shall fall for thy sake. Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.” (Isaiah 54:14-17) Amen!
The Baptist Error of the Sinner’s Security The Baptist would be a delightful alternative if you could actually just find one that did not teach the damnable heresy of “Once Saved Always Saved.” I’m still in shock about the statement that one Baptist Deacon made to me a couple of years ago as he stood drunk at the back of his pick up truck in a trailer park. He told me that even if the Rapture Trumpet sounded and he was in the very act of sexually molesting a 7 year old little girl, that both he and the child would be caught up to meet Jesus in the air! This man’s statement really made me realize just how dangerous the teaching of “Once Saved - Always Saved” really is. Especially considering that the doctrine of “Unconditional Eternal Security” is the most widely accepted teaching in the Bible belt where the instances of Child abuse are so staggering. Of course the defenders of this error would say that such an abuser of God’s grace was never saved to begin with. And yet that is what is so disturbing. It’s the fact that the very defenders of this heresy who claim that such person’s were never saved, are not only abusing the grace of God themselves, but they along with their entire congregations are all living in gross compromise with the flagrant carnal lust of worldliness. And as one director of a Christian Crisis Pregnancy Center once told me regarding another related issue, it does not matter how sexually immoral the Contemporary Music world becomes, because after all, we are all “Unconditionally and Eternally Secure” anyway! With Christian leaders and guidance counselors who reason like this, it is no wonder why so many Church going teenage girls are getting abortions. Yet like the high instance of Sexually Transmitted Diseases amongst Christian teenagers, that’s a scandal that is not given too much attention by the Christian Media. I realize that shining a light into the dark and scandalous consequences of the “Once Saved Aways Saved” teaching is going to stir up a lot of demons and upset a lot of its proponents. Yet no matter how beloved this satanic doctrine has become throughout the land. I for one am not going to allow the dissenting masses who willfully embrace and dogmatically defend this “Say a Simple Sinner’s Prayer and Live like the Devil free and fair” heresy to dictate what I preach. Because behind all their false justifications of contending for the believers security for the sake of saving the Church from legalism, the real reason that so many fight against the truth is because it is a threat to their worldly and sinful life styles. Yet I believe there are more than a few out there who will appreciate hearing the truth amidst all the confusing voices claiming to be the way.
The Church of Christ and other “Our Church Only” Cults Do they really hold the Copyright on the Lamb’s Book of Life? Beyond the independent and denominational camps of the Pentecostals and Baptist it seems like the Homosexual agenda has corrupted and taken over the leadership of all the other major protestant denominations except for the Church of Christ. Yet they can’t seem to let go of the idea that they somehow hold the Copyright on the Lamb’s Book of Life. In that unless you are one of them, you are not saved. And like many Baptists, they teach that the gifts of the Spirit (like healing and speaking in tongues) are not for the Church today and are actually manifestations of demon powers. And while the majority of the spiritual gifts we see displayed in the Charismatic world are indeed counterfeit and demonic we dare not throw out the baby with the bath water simply because the lunatic fringe practice the extreme abuse of drowning the baby. Both extremes are wrong and it is even more sinister to use them as an excuse to fault and reject those of us who believe and walk in the true gifts of the Spirit. Beyond the Church of Christ, I would warn against any religious system which claims that your salvation depends upon being a member of their Church. Speaking of His own followers, Jesus said: “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18-20) A true Christian Church is any gathering of two or more Believers in the name and/or for the cause of Jesus Christ and His righteousness.
Beware of False Prophets I’m sure that some might call me a false prophet for what I have written and perhaps to your own surprise I have no fear to tell you that I could very well be a false prophet. Did not Jesus warn us: “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matthew 7:15) And again: “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” Revelation 3:11 In no way am I seeking to gain your distrust by making such a statement. Yet nor am I trying to gain your trust by admitting my own possible fallibility as a man. My point is that if you do not earnestly pray for guidance and protection against seduction and actually read the Bible daily to learn God’s Word for yourself, then you are not going to make it any way. If you have lived in this wicked world long, you should know by now that you can not trust anyone. Yet you can trust God’s Word and by reading it daily you are giving the Holy Spirit a better arsenal of weapons to equip you with in detecting dangerous false doctrinal traps which the enemy will try to ensnare you in. Did not Jesus say: “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you.” (John 16:13-14) And again it is written: “These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.” 1st John 2:26-29
Commissioned to Contend by Command I have absolutely nothing to prove or to protect here. My greatest desire and motivation for trying to Preach this Word and reach out to other Remnant Saints is that I once had a very personal encounter with God concerning the spiritual confusion I am now witnessing in the religious world. It was after a couple of years of facing slander and rejection for my testimony about a vision God gave to me concerning the Judgment of Religious Entertainers and their followers. Every Church I attended was deeply involved in the apostasy of throwing out Sound Bible Teaching and Preaching so that they might bring in fables, story tellers and worldly entertainment. When ever I tried to share my convictions against such compromises, I was always accused of being judgmental and divisive. Thus after a few years of facing what I thought was misunderstanding as a young God called Preacher. I finally received my first opened door to preach a message in a Church. So after prayer and much study of God’s Word under the guiding lead of the Holy Spirit, I knew beyond all doubt that God was giving me a message titled “Blinded, Corrupted and Damned.” It was a very sobering message about the power of sin to first blind, then corrupt and finally damn the unwatchful Christian who fails to take up their cross and fight the good fight of Faith. So I went and I preached this message, using notes and everything came out just like God had given it to me. Yet what I did not know was that there were individuals in that congregation (The Leadership included) who were as blind and corrupt as eyeless maggots wallowing in the infectious pus of some North Georgia road kill festering in the heat of the burning Sun on a hot early August afternoon. Looking back now, I think they expected me to get up there and preach like some nervous and inexperienced kid who they could encourage by yelling “Amen” and “Bless’em Lord.” They never expected to receive a red hot convicting message straight from the Throne of God, saturated with the Sound Doctrine of God’s Word that came down like a hammer to smash every excuse for their sins by promising them the wages of perdition in Hell if they did not awake. Whatever the case, I was reproved by the Pastor for preaching what he called an “Unloving” message that “offended” people. He told me that my message proved that I was not mature enough in the Ministry to trust behind the pulpit, but that I would be better working with and baby sitting the little kids during service. I was told by others that I was a legalist and an evil judge and that I was the one who needed to repent. After standing alone for so long and being told you are a legalist and having doors closed on you all the time, you start to wonder: “Am I really that unloving and legalistic?” I mean, you even see other young preachers like yourself, only they lay down their swords and totally surrender their callings and convictions to these ungodly Pastors in order to gain favor and open doors. And they go on to prosper and have successful Ministries. But come to think of it, they never Preach the full gospel nor do they ever preach against the popular heresies, compromises and sins of the religious hypocrites who pay their salaries. They may certainly use terms like “worldliness” and “sin.” Yet you would be hard pressed to ever hear them actually define exactly what they mean by these terms. So there I was, being rejected from yet another Fellowship only this time it was my first open door into the Ministry which made their rejection of me to sting all the more. At the time I did not know that the Pastor had a drinking problem and that he was becoming known as being touchy feely with all the females, young and old alike. Nor did I know that they had a history of allowing their son in-law who was a known homosexual to lead the worship. Something that is frighteningly common in far too many Churches which claim to be Pentecostal these days. All I knew was that I was totally alone and I was swimming against the tide. The Devil then began attacking my mind trying to convince me to lay down my sword and just go along with the program. After all, how could so many people be wrong? “They are right,” Satan reasoned. “You are a legalist and it all began when you had that vision about the Judgment Seat of Christ. But how could it be of God when it has caused you to be alienated from every Fellowship you have tried to be a part of?” The enemy was actually tormenting me with these lies. Satan was trying to flood my soul with bitter resentment against the truth. Yet deep down I knew the truth and so instead of turning against the truth I took it to God in prayer and immediately the oppressing spirit lifted as the presence of the Holy Spirit flooded that living room I was in. I never experienced such a manifestation of God in my life, before or since then. I felt God so powerfully strong that it scared me and I got on my face as God the Holy Ghost began to speak to me. What He ask me totally shocked me until He clarified things by bringing Scripture and His meaning to my mind. He said these words: “Is Jesus Christ still a Worm?” In no way was He calling Jesus a Worm. But He was making a very startling point concerning the present disrespect and betrayal of His people by comparing it to the humiliation and personal attack which Jesus suffered at the Cross, For in the book of Psalms we read: “But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people. All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him. But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts. I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly. Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help. Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death. For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have enclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture. But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me. Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.” Psalms 22:6-20 As I laid there on my face afraid to even lift my head, I answered the Holy Spirit saying: “God forbid, Jesus is not a Worm!” He then ask: “Then why do My people treat Him as one?” Then suddenly I saw the grief and anguish of God’s heart. The present day rejection of His Word and Holiness by His own Blood bought Church wounds and hurts him far greater than the rejection and disrespect he suffered at the Cross. At this point there was a noticeable and marked change in the presence of God. The fear of God which the Holy Spirit manifested in such power lifted as the Love of God shown through. Then suddenly Jesus Christ Himself began to speak to me. He showed me a Vision of hordes of religious leaders and people all coming with their books and degrees and teachings and doctrines and they all held a golden key high up in the air, all claiming to have the only key to heaven but yet each one’s teaching contradicted the other and they all fought amongst themselves about whose way of salvation was right. Then I was shown a Vision of so many people out there who sincerely want to know the right way and who seek the truth, but who are deeply confused by all the different voices all claiming that theirs is the right way. I could feel the hurt of God over this situation because so many souls turned away from God’s Word frustrated in disgust. I was made aware that we were entering into a time of great spiritual confusion and if I might add this: The answer I was given was not to throw in my towel for the sake of human love and greater unity amongst professing believers. No, not at all, Jesus told me clearly and in no unmistakable terms that the answer to all the religious confusion was in Preaching the uncompromised Word. He said this to me: “My people, who are called by My Name, are no longer applying their lives to My Word. They are now applying my Word to their lives. They are hiding their sins behind My Word and covering their sins with their theology. Yet you must warn them that I AM THE WORD and when they stand before Me in Judgment, they will no longer be able to lie to themselves or hide behind My Word for I shall Judge them by My Word and remember Raymond, you too shall also stand before Me to be judged, thus you must warn them for I shall judge you as well.” There are so many voices claiming to be great last day prophets and watchmen and forerunners. And the more you listen to these imposters, the more you realize that these men are mentally brain washing and spiritually conditioning God’s people to become totally dependant upon them to interpret the Word of God and to discern all spiritual matters of life and godliness for them. I’m no Protestant Pope here, I do not claim to be any one special. I do admit that I have a gift of discernment and I can write really good poems. Yet these are abilities and gifts from God that I can not glory in. What I’m trying to say is that I am only responsible to give you what God has given me to give to you. What you do with it is between you and God. You are certainly in no way obligated to follow me simply because I shared the truth with you. And that is the problem that I’m having with so many of these false Remnant Preachers on the late night Christian Radio. They act like we owe them our undying devotion and obedience simple because they have Ministered to us. Some of these false prophets are so proud and power mad (In their lust to be enthroned as the head of the Church) that if you do not acknowledge their self proclaimed authority as a last day prophet or “The Voice” of God to this generation; then they will condemn you to hell. I believe that the Apostle Paul had these men in mind when he warned us: “Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.” Acts 20:26-31 I really can’t define to you what God’s true Last Day Remnant really is except to say that it is written:
Please Pray for me and mine “please!” Sincerely Yours Evangelist Raymond Bolton Pena |