WHERE ARE THE SAINTS?

One of the first saints to be martyred was Stephen. Recall the comments he made that started the event of his death? “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.” (Acts 7:51-54 KJV)

Since Christ, men have been invited to receive the law written in their hearts by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost of God by the ministry, not of angels, but of Christ, Jesus, the Son of God, and have resisted it as do their schools‘ theologians. These men are none other than men of the “cloth”, who have worked their way into high places in the churches of our Lord. There is no difference between denominations; most are of the same moldings, of similar rebellion.

Rather than receive God’s Holy Ghost to teach them the truth, they must use their well ordered time in seminary to study sectarian theologies of “approved holy men” and their denominationally slanted views and traditions. To study scripture for themselves from tried and true texts would not only bring contradiction to their classes, but also bring them failing grades for not adhering to the curriculum. So, their training is indoctrination, not learning.

The next step in the spread of the false doctrine is that the graduated, lettered, student has now becomes a pastor in a local church. The orders of the denomination establish him not only as a pastor, but also an authority over the operation of the parish, and the head teacher of the flock. Now, what has he to teach? Just what he learned at seminary, sectarian dogma.

To assist him in his life’s goals, “great” modern theologians have written modern, easily understood “bible” translations from corrupt Greek manuscripts, and commentaries to support them. The true text, proven over many centuries, is condemned because, they say, many of the English words used are out of date and hard to understand. If this change were all that had taken place, there would be little problem, but the true scriptures have been disemboweled. Many important words and phrases have been removed, and many unfounded additional words inserted or changed. They shall have their reward. However, the deed has brought forth its fruit, a harvest of men of religion and not of the true faith.

One of the greatest lies that has hobbled today’s churches comes straight from Rome, carried forward into Protestantism through the Anglican church, and stained by Calvinist doctrine, the lie that man cannot cease from sin, nor from sinning. If this were true, why did our Lord go to Calvary? Why did he tell at least two whom He healed and forgave to “go and sin no more”, recorded for us to know.

The basic purpose for this subtle deceit of Satan is to keep people under the yoke of the various pastoral authorities. Rome still requires indulgence money for sins. The Baptists do not allow the teaching of the baptism of the Holy Ghost as a second, empowering work of God. The Catholics are more condescending; they allow these saints to gather on off days in unimportant places in the church.

Jesus received such an empowering at His baptism, and told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father. Ten days after His ascension, the power of the Holy Ghost fell upon these one hundred and twenty saved souls. The profound change in power that took place in those saints is the same change that takes place today in the lives of those who have asked for and received this indwelling Holy Ghost. He abides together in the believer with the Spirit of Christ, thus the Word is theirs, and the Spirit is theirs to do the work of God in this world. To further humiliate these saints, they are accused of trying to gain salvation by their “works”. They are ignorant that these folks are fulfilling their calling, knowing that they were “saved unto good works”.

There is little hope that the seminaries will change; they have too many “theologians”. There is little hope that the pastors will change; they would denounce their denominational safety net and lose their livelihood and profession. What then, must a saint do who is Spirit baptized? Jesus said, “And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. (Luke 9:59-60 KJV) Try as we may to bring death and rebirth to these deceived, dogmatic students of other men and their modern “bibles“, rather than students of God and His true Word, we will never make an impasse. They have filled the churches with men of itching ears, worldly, unregenerate men, the wages of whose continued sin is death, and an eternal burning Hell.

Our work as Saints is to represent the holiness of Christ, being His ambassadors in this world. It is He that lives in us to accomplish His will through His faith, not ours. By His power through the Holy Ghost, all things are possible. If we are faithful in this as we minister in God’s will, where He sends us, souls will be saved who have not been influenced by the denominational deceits, none of whom have peace with one another. Each church like any other business strives for as much income as possible, using any “clean” method to turn a dollar, being full of covetousness and envy. Jesus turned over some tables in His day, and we know things are worse today than then. So, maybe we need to find the money tables and turn over a few by feeding some hungry folks, paying some overdue rents or car payments and power bills.

We need to hear and obey Jesus. First be born again. Next follow Jesus. Next go to work for Him. Next, ask for the needed power of the Holy Ghost. Next, love God with all we are, and love neighbor as self. Then we can say we are Saints, and not sinners. On this basis, the statement that all are sinners in any given church is about ninety per cent true, for few there be that find the narrow way. “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 KJV)

Let us pray that God will lead us to those who will follow in the narrow way of grace for His glory and bring in His harvest. Let us teach them the true Word of God in our homes or some other safe place where the false teachers will not make merchandize of them.