The
False Teaching
A
Baptist writes this: The Bible
tells us we can know for sure that we're going to heaven! That means
YOU! Take a look:These things I have written to you that you may KNOW
that you have eternal life.(1 John 5:13)
This means that we don't have to guess about life after death. If
there's one thing you really want to be sure of in this life, it's
where you'll be going after it's over. Fortunately, the Bible tells we
can be certain about heaven!
I preached this doctrine
for twenty years. It is attractive to hear, and very popular, as
shown by the many Baptists and others who believe it. Yet all know
better in their hearts. They just become victims to its attraction and
the belief that
the Bible teaches it, as stated above. Who doesn't want to be certain
of
heaven? Who can deny what "the Bible teaches?" So the doctrine
flourishes
in spite of the individual's better judgment. I implore you, Baptists
and
others, to listen to Jesus and learn the Truth, for this is
insidious, false and very, very
dangerous!
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Exposing
the Error
The Baptist's
text, I John 5:13, is not an utterance
of Jesus. That aside, let us examine it: These things I have
written
to you that you may KNOW that you have eternal life.
Does this say one can be certain of
heaven? No, we fail to see either certain or heaven.
Further, we know immediately that,
in all the Bible, no such association of these words exists; the
Baptists would surely put
it forth. Their doctrine hinges on the capitalized word KNOW. Does this
mean
to know for certain? No, the Greek eidhte here does not
imply certainty. The verse does imply
that, apart from reading this epistle, one does not know
one has eternal life! Certainty
of heaven is being misread into it by the Baptists in a way that
betrays misunderstanding of Jesus. This is
bait in
the Baptist trap. It draws one in and then, when one has committed
to
believe, it snaps shut and turns off the Light of Truth forever. Few
will question what they have claimed as a certainty, or doubt what they
think they know but do not. Plus, the preacher says it, so it must be
true! We humans have but one certainty -- uncertainty!
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Declaring
the Truth
I have said all this to you to keep
you from falling away. (Jn.16:1)
What had Jesus
just said? Every branch of mine that
bears no fruit, he takes away,....If a man does
not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the
branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. (Jn.15:2,6) How
does one abide in the vine?
If you keep my
commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my
Father's commandments and abide in his love.(Jn.15:10)
You who trust only in a free gift of grace and
do not
keep his commandments do not abide in him. What happens to those
branches? Listen: And the ones on
the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy;
but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of
temptation fall away. (Lu.8:13)
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who
hears my word and believes him who
sent me, has eternal life (Jn.5:24)
Yes, we have eternal life
only if we continue
in his word.,No one is certain of heaven
or of not
falling
away. More.;
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